text:
Volume 18, Number 3
April/May 2001
Lead Paint: Beyond the Landlord/Tenant Context
Catherine A. Potthast
Many practitioners assume that lead paint is a concern only to property owners or tenants in inner-city rental dwellings. In fact, federal legislation and regulations also govern buyers and sellers of real property, real estate agents, construction workers, contractors, renovators, home improvement contractors, and home inspectors.
Lead is a naturally occurring element used as an additive in paints, solders, plumbing fixtures, ammunition, gasoline, and other products. Concern about the health effects of lead has led to a variety of federal, state, and local regulations. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is no established safe level of lead in the human body. Reported health effects of lead exposure include damage to the brain and nervous system, interference with the formation of red blood cells, kidney damage, reproductive system damage, hearing impairment, learning disabilities, and motor coordination impairment. Children under six years of age are of special concern because their nervous systems are developing and they are more susceptible to the adverse effects of lead. Children tend to absorb lead more readily than adults, and their normal hand-to-mouth activity increases the likelihood of lead ingestion through dust or chipping paint.
Lead was used for many years as a gasoline additive, and residual lead fallout from gasoline or industrial sources remains in many soils. Lead can be ingested through diet, canned foods, dust inhalation, water, and a variety of other sources. Paint is also a potential source of lead through ingestion and exposure to lead dust generated by paint removal, deteriorating surfaces, or friction against painted surfaces such as doors and windows.
Although in 1978 the residential use of lead-based paint was banned by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), estimates released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicate that as many as 64 million homes may contain lead-based paint hazards. The greatest risk for lead poisoning is to children living in deteriorated pre-1950 housing.
Many jurisdictions require mandatory screening of children, and there has been an explosion in the number of personal injury claims alleging lead poisoning. Jury verdicts in favor of tenants in some cases have been unusually high. In response to the explosion of claims and the severity of claimed damages, many insurance policies have added lead paint exclusions that exclude liability coverage for bodily injury or property damage caused by lead or lead paint.
Property Owners and Managers
Lead is regulated at the local, state, and federal levels. Lawyers should thoroughly research these when counseling on regulatory compliance. Regulation at all government levels affects property owners and managers-decedent's estates, landlords, investment property owners, banks in possession after foreclosure, bankruptcy trustees, trusts, and property management companies.
Clients or their counsel often find themselves in the position of being "landlords" even if they are not in the business of renting property to others. Clients may hold title to rental properties as personal representatives of estates or through inheritance. Lenders may take possession of rental properties upon a mortgagor's default. When two homeowners combine households, they may decide to rent the "extra" house. Bankruptcy trustees take possession and title to the assets of the bankruptcy estate, which may include properties rented to others. In each of these situations, property owners and possessors are obligated to comply with federal, state, and local regulations.
Specific areas of inquiry, particularly applicable to the "occasional" landlord, include:
- Is the home in compliance with applicable (usually local) housing quality standards? Is compliance documented by an independent inspector, photographs, tenant acknowledgment, or other checklist before the tenancy?
- Do state or local regulations require your client to register property or identify a local agent for housing notices?
- Does the local jurisdiction require a government inspection before the rental or an annual compliance inspection? (Multifamily units are subject to such local inspections.)
- Are leases up to date, with appropriate lead disclosures, and have the federally required lead disclosures and pamphlets been distributed, signed, and retained?
- Is any work needed on the property considered a "lead abatement"? If so, certified lead abatement contractors must be used. Lists of certified contractors, by state, are posted on the EPA's website at www.leadlisting.org.1
- Will repairs disturb painted surfaces? If so, the renovator must comply with federal disclosure requirements and have occupants sign lead warnings before starting the work.
- Has the client complied with applicable local or state property registration or lead safety regulations?
- Is the property adequately insured for fire and liability coverages, and do the policies cover a lead paint-related loss?
- Does your client employ workers who disturb painted surfaces (removing windows, moving walls, removing paint, renovating interiors)? If so, detailed Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and certification requirements may apply.2
- Does your client receive federal assistance, or do any of the tenants participate in the section 8 rental assistance program? If so, HUD's housing standards may require additional lead abatement or other remediation measures.3
- Clients must be cautioned not to conduct lead abatement work or other work likely to disturb painted surfaces in occupied dwellings, due to the serious risk of spreading lead dust. Clients should not to attempt the work themselves and should use only certified contractors.
Buyers, Sellers, Lessors, and Agents
The federal Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (title X) requires that a federally approved lead warning be furnished to all tenants and contract purchasers of pre-1978 housing. In addition, any known lead paint must be disclosed, and all reports of lead testing must be furnished to the lessee or contract purchaser.4 There is no requirement under the act that lead testing or remediation be conducted, but all testing conducted must be disclosed. HUD and the EPA require the disclosures even if the house has been abated of lead paint or lead hazards.
The act creates a statutory cause of action against property owners and real estate agents who knowingly fail to comply with the notification provisions. There are some minor and very limited exceptions. In general, the disclosures are mandatory for every tenant or every purchaser of pre-1978 housing, even if the owner has no knowledge of lead paint in the house. Disclosure must occur before the tenant or the contract purchaser is obligated under the contract. The seller or lessor has three basic disclosure requirements under the regulations:
- Provide the purchaser or lessee with a lead hazard information pamphlet and a "lead warning statement" in the form required by statute.6 The statement must be signed and dated by both the purchaser and seller. The statutory lead warning statement must be printed in large type on a separate sheet of paper attached to the contract.
- Disclose to the purchaser or lessee the presence of any known lead-based paint hazards and provide to the purchaser or lessee any lead hazard evaluation report available to the seller or lessor.
- Retain the signed acknowledgment form for at least three years after the transaction. A purchaser of pre-1978 property is entitled to a ten-day period (unless the parties mutually agree upon a longer period) to conduct a risk assessment or inspection for the presence of lead-based paint hazards.
Regulations under the act furnish more specific information concerning what must be disclosed and when. The federal form is available at the EPA's website. The EPA and HUD have published guidance documents that supplement the information presented in the regulations.8 For example, HUD and the EPA interpret the act to require that disclosures be furnished to tenants holding oral leases when the rent is increased, although this is not addressed in the regulations.
The statute provides three enforcement mechanisms against persons who knowingly violate the disclosure requirements: (1) civil monetary penalties, (2) injunctive relief enforced by HUD, and (3) a private action for treble damages incurred by an aggrieved purchaser or lessee. In addition, the statute allows a prevailing plaintiff to recover court costs, attorney fees, and expert witness fees in a suit brought under the act. If a seller or lessor is represented by a real estate agent in the sale or lease transaction, the statute places an additional burden of compliance upon the agent.9 The EPA has issued enforcement guidelines and may seek penalties of up to $11,000 per disclosure violation.
Renovators and Contractors
The EPA regulates the construction and renovation industries, activities relating to lead-based paint, and certification of lead paint abatement contractors. Companies affected by these regulations include clients in the construction, renovation, building, demolition, rehabilitation, window replacement, and other businesses with employees that work in structures or homes with painted surfaces.11 The EPA has established guidelines for the conduct of renovation and remodeling activities, applicable to both commercial buildings and residential dwellings constructed prior to 1978.
Before undertaking renovation efforts in pre-1978 residential and commercial buildings, renovators must distribute a pamphlet, Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home, to occupants under the EPA rules governing rehabilitation work. The pamphlet is available at www.epa.gov/lead/leadprot.htm.
The EPA regulations governing renovation activities took effect on June 1, 1999.12 "Renovation" is broadly defined and includes removal or modification of painted surfaces or components; modification of painted doors; surface preparation activity such as sanding, scraping, or other activities that may generate paint dust; the removal of large structures such as walls and ceilings; large surface replastering; major re-plumbing; and window replacement that may generate paint dust.13 Exempt from the applicability of the regulations are minor repair and maintenance activities that disrupt two square feet or less of a painted surface or component, emergency renovation operations, and renovations in certified lead-free housing. Consult the EPA website (www.epa.gov/lead/leadrenf.htm) for additional guidance documents, because included and excluded activities may be difficult to determine.
The renovator must obtain written acknowledgment that the owner or adult occupant received the lead-hazard information pamphlet or obtain a certificate of mailing at least seven days before renovation.14 If the renovator cannot obtain written acknowledgment, a certificate is required. The regulations contain sample forms for the acknowledgment and certification statements, as well as detailed record retention requirements.15 "Renovators" subject to the rules include general building contractors; renovation firms; special trade contractors such as carpenters, painters, or drywall workers; and home-improvement contractors. Owners and managers of rental property should carefully review the regulations, because in-house maintenance and operations employees are considered renovators subject to the regulations.16 Penalties of up to $25,000 per day, as well as criminal penalties, are set forth in the regulations. Employers should also be aware of the regulations promulgated by the OSHA governing lead exposure in the construction industry.
The EPA guidelines for conducting renovation and remodeling activities that may create a risk of exposure to dangerous levels of lead are available in a booklet, Reducing Lead Hazards When Remodeling Your Home.
The Lead Abatement and Testing IndustryThis category includes environmental consultants, home inspectors, and, potentially, workers in the construction, renovation, building, demolition, rehabilitation, window replacement, home improvement, or painting industries.
The EPA's 1996 rules govern "lead-based paint activities" in pre-1978 housing or buildings occupied by children. Separate regulations apply to lead-based paint activities in public buildings, commercial buildings, and steel structures. The regulations clarify that "while this subpart establishes specific requirements for performing lead-based paint activities should they be undertaken, nothing in this subpart requires that the owner or occupant undertake any particular lead-based paint activity."19 All "lead-based paint activities" as defined in the regulations are required to be performed by certified individuals and firms. Lists of certified inspectors and contractors are available at 888/532-3547 or www.leadlisting.org.
Regulated lead-based paint activities include inspection, risk assessment, and abatement as further defined in the regulations. A risk assessment is an "on site investigation to determine the existence, nature, severity and location of lead-based paint hazards," culminating in a report explaining the investigation and the options for reducing lead-based paint hazards. "Abatement" is any measure or set of measures designed to eliminate lead-based paint hazards permanently.20 Individuals and firms offering lead-based paint services must be EPA certified.
New EPA standards establishing the threshold for dangerous levels of lead in dust and soil, and defining the term "lead hazard," were issued this past January.22 The new federal standards are more stringent than most existing state standards and should be consulted when interpreting lead paint risk assessments or testing results. (For example, a consultant's risk report might conclude that there are no lead hazards, but if the consultant used the wrong standard, the conclusions are not reliable.)
Disposal of leaded waste. Renovation and abatement efforts in older housing may generate leaded waste. Proposed regulations were issued in 1998 that would change current requirements for disposal of waste generated by abatement and renovation efforts.23 The proposed rules are generally less burdensome than the current regulations, but the requirements are still costly. Improper disposal of toxic waste can result in substantial liabilities, and standard liability insurance policies issued in recent years no longer provide coverage for pollution claims. Property owners and abatement contractors should therefore keep abreast of federal toxic waste disposal regulation.
State and Local Regulation
Disclosure provisions. Many states have promulgated warning provisions. Maryland, for example, requires that all rental properties be registered, interim remediation be undertaken, and tenants receive a lead paint warning and tenant rights package. The Maryland law requires insurers to include liability coverage for lead paint injuries up to the amount of a statutory cap on damages, provided the property owner is in compliance with the statutory requirements.24 Other states require that information about lead-based paint be disclosed in reports furnished to buyers under residential real property disclosure acts.25 Common law principles governing negligent or fraudulent omission of material facts may also be pertinent.26 Lawyers handling residential transactions should research state and local requirements to determine whether state or local statutes, regulations, and common law decisions impose a duty to investigate for lead hazards and whether the parties may waive any disclosure requirements.
Inspection and remediation requirements. Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Maryland are among states having legislation or regulations concerning lead-based paint identification or remediation.27 At least 26 states have programs to certify individuals and firms performing lead-based paint activities to ensure that the work is done correctly.28 Concern about leaded dust generated during abatement efforts has prompted several states to consider or promulgate lead-dust clearance standards that must be met upon project completion. The new federal dust clearance standards are more stringent than many existing state standards and preempt less rigorous standards.29 In addition, some states have detailed worker-safety regulations governing any renovation, painting, or construction work that is likely to expose workers to lead.
There is little uniformity among those states that have regulations as to the appropriate methods for stabilizing, treating, or removing lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards from a property. Creation of uniform "standards of care" governing the maintenance of property or uniform approved methods to reduce lead-based paint hazards in residential property has been a subject of debate among regulators and advocacy groups. No real consensus among the interested parties has emerged, except that routine maintenance minimizes the potential for lead hazards to develop.Lawyers representing clients in connection with a sale or purchase of residential property should research state and local requirements to ascertain whether (1) warnings in addition to federal requirements are necessary or advisable, and (2) provisions other than federal law specify permitted methods of lead detection and qualifications of lead inspectors. In addition, if lead is detected upon inspection, it is necessary to research state or local requirements regarding appropriate abatement methods and to determine whether state or local requirements govern worker certification, training, and protection, as well as occupant protection. Finally, lawyers should be familiar with federal and state toxic waste disposal requirements because leaded debris from an abatement project might be subject to environmental disposal and storage regulations.
Practical Issues Regarding Remediation
The lack of uniform national guidelines applicable to all lead abatement projects has caused confusion among homeowners and purchasers. Because some states permit encapsulation of leaded surfaces (with specified materials) as a method of complying with lead abatement regulations, a dwelling may be deemed "lead safe" or in compliance with state or local lead regulation yet not be completely "deleaded" or "lead free." Further, because exterior soils and ambient air contain residual lead that can be tracked into the home, even a home that has never been painted with lead-based paint may contain residual lead dust and not be lead free. Title X introduces the concept of interim controls-measures that can be taken short of a complete removal of all lead-based paint-to increase the safety of a leaded house. Title X defines abatement as the permanent elimination of lead hazards as opposed to the permanent elimination of lead paint, a standard that is less than lead free in some cases. Other state or local regulators permit property owners to respond to lead violation notices merely by ensuring that painted surfaces are free from flaking paint, covering painted surfaces below a four-foot level, or removing paint from surfaces accessible to children.
Because of the confusion in the terminology associated with lead abatement, lawyers who prepare leases, contracts, proposals, or specifications should take care to specify the standards referenced in their documents. Those who hire outside contractors to test or abate a property should specify the project's scope in detail and ask exactly what a lead certificate of compliance entails. Is the consultant certifying that no leaded surfaces were located in the property, or that the painted surfaces are in good condition, inaccessible to children, or do not present any immediate hazards? Is the consultant using the correct standards for interpreting test results?
HUD published guidelines in 1995 that provide "detailed and comprehensive technical information on how to identify lead-based paint hazards in housing and how to control such hazards safely and efficiently." Although the guidelines do not apply to housing that has no federal connection, they have been used by many local authorities or contractors as a prototype for local compliance, particularly in the absence of any updated state regulations. National certification requirements now require that all inspections, lead hazard screens, risk assessments, or abatement activities must be performed by certified individuals in accordance with certain "documented methodologies."
Lawyers representing parties to residential transactions should recognize that lead-based paint testing and remediation is much more expensive than, for example, a termite or radon inspection or remediation. Lead abatement is a complex, time-consuming, and extremely expensive process. Until a lead paint risk assessment is conducted and a lead remediation expert consulted, it is nearly impossible to predict the cost of a complete abatement. Thus, there is a wide range in the estimated cost of lead remediation. HUD estimates the average cost to be $7,700, within a range from $5,500 to $12,000. Other groups have reported much higher abatement costs.33 Lawyers representing sellers or buyers in residential transactions should be aware of the potential costs of remediation or abatement of lead-based paint hazards, because they could present a huge stumbling block in negotiations or jeopardize the transaction.
Lawyers representing residential sellers or real estate agents for properties affected by lead-based paint need to make certain that the client's contract forms comply with the law's disclosure provisions. Clients should also be advised that reports containing information on lead-based paint and hazards must be furnished in accordance with the regulations, and that records must be kept in compliance with the regulations.
More importantly, lawyers involved in residential transactions should clarify which party will bear the cost of an inspection, risk assessment, or remediation if lead-based paint is identified. Clients in the renovation and construction industries also should be made aware that their activities may be subject to federal regulation and state and local requirements.
- E.g., Md. Regs. Code § 09.12.32.01-.16; 40 C.F.R. §§ 745.220-745.239 (Aug. 29, 1996) (federal work practice standards).
- 29 C.F.R. pt. 1926.
- 24 C.F.R. pt. 35 (HUD regulations); 24 C.F.R. §35.1 (requiring HUD to notify tenants of "HUD associated housing" of hazards of lead-based paint). See also 42 C.F.R. pt. 882 (standards for housing quality and lead testing). Current HUD requirements available from HUD USER, P.O. Box 6091, Rockville, MD 20850 800 245-2691; or National Lead Information Clearinghouse, 800/424-LEAD.
- 42 U.S.C. §§ 4851-4856 (Supp. 1993).
- 61 Fed. Reg. 9,064-9,088 (Mar. 6, 1996), codified at 24 C.F.R. pt. 35 and 40 C.F.R. pt. 745.
- "Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home," GPO 055-000-00507-9; multiple copies available through Government Printing Office, 202/512-2233. Also available as EPA747-K-94-001 (May 1995) from Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954. See also www.epa.gov (search Publications).
- HUD, Guidance on the Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Rule, (Aug. 21, 1996) (available at www.hud.gov/lea/leahome.html; see also HUD and EPA, Interpretive Guidance for the Real Estate Community on the Requirements for Disclosure of Information Concerning Lead-Based Paint in Housing, Pt. II, (Dec. 5, 1996).
- See 42 U.S.C. §4852d (Supp. 1993).
- See 42 U.S.C. § 4852d (Supp. 1993).
- EPA, Office Reg. Enforcement, Title X: Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 Interim Enforcement Policy (Jan. 1998).
- 15 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq.
- 63 Fed. Reg. 29,907-29,921 (June 1, 1998); 40 C.F.R. §§ 745.80-745.88.
- 63 Fed. Reg. 29,919 (June 1, 1998); 40 C.F.R. § 745.83 (1998).
- 63 Fed. Reg. 29,920 (June 1, 1998); 40 C.F.R. § 745.85.
- 63 Fed. Reg. 29,920 (June 1, 1998); 40 C.F.R. §,745.86.
- 63 Fed. Reg. 29,908 (June 1, 1998).
- 29 C.F.R. pt. 1926.
- Available at www.epa.gov or National lead Information Clearinghouse (EPA 747-K-97-001), supra note 3.
- 61 Fed. Reg. 45,813 (Aug. 29, 1996).
- 66 Fed. Reg. 1,205; 40 C.F.R. pt. 745 (Jan. 5, 2001).
- 63 Fed. Reg. 70,190 (Dec. 18, 1998) (to be codified at 40 C.F.R. pt. 745). EPA fact sheets and explanatory materials for determining proper methods of leaded debris disposal available at www.epa.gov/lead/leaddebr.htm.
- H.B. 760, 1994 Md. Laws 114 (1994) (codified at Md. Envir. Code Ann. §§ 6-801 to 6-852; Md. Real Prop. Code Ann. § 8-208.2; Md. Ann. Code art. 48A §§ 734-737.
- See, e.g., Illinois: Ill. Rev Stat. ch. 765 § 77/35 (1994); Wisconsin: Wisc. Stat. Ann. § 709.03 (1993); California: Cal. Civ. Code § 1102.6 (West 1991).
- See, e.g., Ford v. Goffstein Realty, Inc., 687 S.W.2d 195 (Mo. App. 1985) (dismissing complaint filed by purchasers of leaded home against vendor and real estate agent; ordinances only applied to owners of property; negligence, nuisance, and claim based on city ordinances failed, but court allowed amendment to allege intentional misrepresentation).
- E.g., Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 111 §§ 189A-199A; N.Y. Public Health Law § 1370 et seq. (McKinney 1995); Md. Regs. Code § 26.02.07.01-.14. (1988).
- HUD, Office of Lead Hazard Control, Moving Toward a Lead-Safe America: A Report to the Congress of the United States (Feb. 1997).
- 66 Fed. Reg. 1,205-1,240 (Jan. 5, 2001).
- See, e.g., Md. Regs. Code § 9.12.32.01-.16; 8 Cal. Code Regs. § 1532.1; Wash. Admin. Code § 296-155-17609.
- See, e.g., American Society for Testing and Materials (100 Barr Harbor Dr., West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959) ASTM PS 53 (Provisional Standard Guide for Identification and Management of Lead Hazards in Facilities).
- The HUD Guidelines are available from HUD USER, supra note 3. See 40 C.F.R. § 745.227 (work practice standards require use of certified individuals).
- The author has seen written reports estimating abatement costs as low as $2,500 and as high as $50,000.
Catherine A. Potthast is a shareholder of Nolan, Plumhoff & Williams, Chartered, in Baltimore, Maryland. The primary emphasis of her practice is on lead paint defense, insurance coverage disputes, environmental and toxic tort matters, professional liability claims, and appellate practice. She can be reached via e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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A trio of educators who have won State Teacher of the Year honors on Monday dropped off a letter addressed to the Board of Regents criticizing the teacher evaluation regs approved a week ago by the Board of Regents after some last-minute tailoring by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Expressing "sadness, pain and frustration," the letter was signed by the seven most recent winners of the honor, the competition for which is sponsored by New York State United Teachers, the teachers union that spread the word about this morning's dropoff and brief news conference on the steps of the State Ed building. NYSUT's reaction to the late changed to the evaluation system mirrored that of the letter's signatories.
Here's a copy of the letter, the bulk of which is devoted to presenting examples of cases in which basing 40 percent of a teacher's evaluation on the standardized testing scores of her students would be unfair.
Update: Rick notes that the first example in the list of cases noted above begins, "Andrew has a severe learning disability." Surely this is a complete and utter coincidence.
The letter:
Dear Chancellor [Merryl] Tisch and Board of Regents,
It is with sadness, pain and frustration that we write this letter. We are deeply concerned about recent changes to the State Education Department's Annual Professional Performance Review system. These changes, while politically popular, will neither improve schools nor increase student learning; rather, they will cause tangible harm to students and teachers alike.
The changes to APPR will kill the spirit of collaboration that developed from NYSED and NYSUT working together. Evaluating teachers based on test scores is a huge paradigm shift. The fact that NYSUT was willing to work with NYSED to develop a fair evaluation process shows good will on the part of teachers across the state. To unilaterally change the terms of a jointly crafted law at the eleventh hour poisons the atmosphere. Without buy-in from practitioners in the field, this reform effort is unlikely to succeed.
We believe in appropriate use of data to improve student achievement.
Likewise, we believe that schools should develop rigorous systems to evaluate teachers and support professional growth; however, to allow 40 percent of a teacher's evaluation to hinge on a single standardized test score risks great harm to our schools and the people therein.
We could quote the research of educational experts like Diane Ravitch, Richard Rothstein and Jonathon Kozol as to why poverty and parental support affect test scores significantly more than any curricular changes a school can provide. We could refer to myriad child psychologists who have documented the deleterious effects of high-stakes testing on our nation's youth. We could call upon assessment experts who insist that standardized tests were not developed to evaluate teacher effectiveness. And we could examine the last decade of educational results that followed No Child Left Behind: rampant gaming of the system to provide the appearance of growth, narrowing of the curriculum, excessive teaching to the test and virtually no change in the achievement gap.
All of the above would lead the reasonable person to be skeptical about using standardized tests as the engine for school reform. Worse yet, we fear that the competition generated by this approach will reduce the collaboration necessary for true school improvement.
To illustrate the challenges of the new APPR system, we offer these stories from our schools:
1) Andrew has a severe learning disability. He is a hands-on learner who struggles on written exams. His resource teacher, counselor and mother thought he would be best-served taking a challenging science course, even though everyone knew he would fail the Regents exam. When 40 percent of a teacher's evaluation depends on that test score, will schools still make this sort of humane, pedagogically sound decision?
2) Jason missed two days of school this week for golf sectionals. He is a weak student and will struggle to pass the Regents exam. He will miss yet another day next week and perhaps more days if he advances to the state tournament. These golf matches were scheduled during school hours by officials representing New York State. Does the coach or sectional committee bear any responsibility for Jason's performance on the Regents exam?
3) Tranh moved to America in January to live with his uncle. He speaks very little English and missed half a year of instruction. Who is accountable for his standardized test scores?
4) Simone will miss school all next week because her parents are taking the family on vacation. She will miss five days of instruction for this illegal absence. Will her teachers get an asterisk placed next to Simone's test scores?
5) Emily finally told her doctor and her parents that she is struggling with depression. She is starting counseling and medication. Needless to say, her grades are suffering. As Emily's life hangs in the balance, how do we find the strength to show her compassion when we know her poor grades will negatively affect our evaluation?
6) Trudy is a veteran teacher. She volunteered to teach a class of at-risk learners because she has the skills to do so. Her passing rate on the Regents exam will be significantly lower than her peers teaching the stronger students. Under the new APPR, what motivation will teachers have to take on the most challenging students?
7) Marcia teaches art, Beth teaches special education and Craig is a guidance counselor. There are no standardized assessments attached to their jobs. They are gifted educators, but they – like many others in our profession – will not feel the same pressure as those teachers who have a high-stakes exam attached to their course. How do we deal with the divisiveness caused by this inequality?
8) Diane teaches fourth grade. She worked diligently to prepare her students for the ELA. She went to workshops to learn about standards and her passing rate suggests great skill as a teacher. Last spring, the cut scores were changed without warning. Suddenly both Diane and her students seem less-skilled. How do we ensure that the vagaries of testing don't harm people like Diane and her students?
All of the above issues are real and will take time to work out. That's why the new APPR system must be implemented slowly and thoughtfully. Increased time would allow schools to grapple with these thorny issues. Forcing schools to implement a plan without proper preparation will produce anger, stress and confusion, none of which will help kids.
We fully understand the desire to improve accountability. Using external assessments for a small part of a teacher's evaluation, as agreed to by NYSUT, seems fair and reasonable. Changing the law without warning seems less so.
On behalf of our colleagues across the state, we ask you to please reconsider the original plan that was agreed upon by all stakeholders.
This collaborative approach would ultimately provide the most benefit to our students.
* Jeff Peneston, 2011 New York State Teacher of the Year
* Debra Calvino, 2010 New York State Teacher of the Year
* Vickie Mike, 2009 New York State Teacher of the Year
* Rich Ognibene, 2008 New York State Teacher of the Year
* Marguerite Izzo, 2007 New York State Teacher of the Year
* Stephen Bongiovi, 2006 New York State Teacher of the Year
* Elizabeth Day, 2005 New York State Teacher of the Year
* Dr. Patricia Jordan, 1993 New York State Teacher of the Year

subset: commoncrawl


text:
TAIPEI (AFP) – Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou said Friday the island will continue to acquire arms from the United States, dismissing reports that the US and China could discuss ending such sales.
Ma spoke after local and Chinese media Thursday quoted a Chinese defence official who said Washington had reacted positively when China's defence minister Chang Wanquan proposed setting up a joint working group to discuss arms sales to Taipei.
Chang made the proposal during a visit to the US that started last week, according to Guan Youfei, who accompanied him on the trip.
Guan reportedly also said that, during a meeting with his US counterpart Chuck Hagel, Chang offered to adjust Chinese military deployment in exchange for the US ending its weapons sales to Taiwan.
Guan's remarks raised concerns in Taiwan, where the US is the leading arms supplier to the island.
"To acquire necessary weapons that we can't manufacture ourselves, we will keep buying arms from the United States," Ma said during a visit to the offshore island of Kinmen to mark the 55th anniversary of a bombardment by the Chinese army that killed 618 servicemen and civilians.
"The US made 'Six Assurances' to our country back in 1982, including not to set a date to end arms sales to Taiwan nor to hold prior consultations with China on arms sales," he said, referring to the promise made by the former Ronald Reagan administration.
Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979, but at the same time Congress passed the Taiwan Relations Act, which requires Washington to provide the island with means to defend itself.
In 2001, then-President George W. Bush approved the sale of eight conventional submarines as part of Washington's most comprehensive arms package for the island since 1992.
President Barack Obama's administration has approved more than $12 billion in sales and equipment upgrades, but has held off on Taiwan's requests to buy new F-16 fighter jets, a step against which China has repeatedly warned.
Tensions between Taiwan and China have eased markedly since Ma came to power on a Beijing-friendly platform in 2008. He was re-elected in January 2012.
But Ma has stressed that Taiwan needs to maintain sufficient self-defence, as China still regards the island as part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.


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There have been dozens of decent suggestions to improve AO over the past month, yet very few seem to have been implemented.
Really, the site suggestions/bugs forums should be checked regularly, and either have suggestions implemented or refused (and then close the thread with a reason why the suggestion has been added/refused).
Either way something should be done to ensure that suggestions and bugs are not just lying around here for all eternity.


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Mass tax law change dips deeper into NH businesses' pocketsBy MICHAEL COUSINEAU
New Hampshire Union Leader
June 21. 2014 7:49PM
A change in Massachusetts' tax law will mean some New Hampshire businesses will be required to pay an 8 percent corporate income tax to the Bay State on that portion of their business devoted to Massachusetts customers.
"Our concern is a lot of businesses don't know that," said Kathryn Michaelis, an attorney in the tax practice group at the Rath, Young and Pignatelli law firm in Concord.
Sole proprietors and partnerships also may be required to pay Massachusetts personal income tax because those entities are not subject to corporate income tax, Michaelis said. The personal income tax rate is 5.2 percent.
Michaelis advised business owners to talk to a financial expert to see how the law might apply to them because some companies may need to make changes to their record-keeping to comply and calculate what tax they owe.
Neither New Hampshire nor Massachusetts revenue officials could say how many New Hampshire businesses are affected or estimate how much more money Granite State businesses will pay to Massachusetts this tax year.
The law, which took effect Jan. 1, changes the way that Massachusetts considers certain income derived from Massachusetts customers for the purpose of calculating income taxes.
It applies to any service-based business that has Massachusetts customers, such as law firms, medical and dental service providers and consulting businesses, according to Michaelis. It also affects some businesses that sell certain intangible assets used in Massachusetts, such as the licensing of certain software.
Those companies now must pay the 8 percent tax on the revenue derived from those Massachusetts clients, Michaelis said. In prior years, a New Hampshire company's revenues collected from Massachusetts would be used to calculate the business profits tax owed to New Hampshire.
Now, with the new Massachusetts law, companies still must count all of its revenues for the purpose of calculating their New Hampshire business profits tax, but some of those same revenues also are counted and taxed by Massachusetts this year, Michaelis said.
"Anything owed in Massachusetts is a net increase" for a business, said Chris Sullivan, an attorney at the Concord law firm.
In the past, a Salem architect doing work on a North Andover, Mass., school project would report all revenues to New Hampshire and none to Massachusetts. Now, that project's revenues to the architect would be subject to Bay State tax.
The Concord lawyers said it is difficult to provide an easy example of how much tax a company might owe based on revenue assumptions because the tax laws are complex. Deductions are allowed, and other financial information also is factored into calculating any tax.
But New Hampshire's treasury won't be hurt from the Massachusetts law.
The tax change "should not affect application of the New Hampshire Business Profits Tax (BPT) law or the collection of BPT revenue," said Melinda Cyr, tax policy analyst with the New Hampshire Department of Revenue.
The Massachusetts Department of Revenue said in an email that the law would bring in $21 million between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2014, and another $36 million for fiscal year 2015. The calculations are not broken out by state, a spokeswoman said.
Michaelis said many Granite State businesses will need to track how much revenue they get from Massachusetts customers in order to comply with the law.
Matt Cookson, executive director with the New Hampshire High Tech Council, said, "I think a lot of people are not aware of this" and may not think they owe Massachusetts taxes.
Asked whether this will cause some New Hampshire businesses to stop doing business in Massachusetts, Cookson said businesses will need to do their own calculations.
"I suppose that's a case-by-case basis. Once a business fully understands the impact, they'll have to weigh their profit margin versus the tax impact and determine whether it's still viable to do that kind of work or potentially raise their rates to cover the tax."


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St. Cloud Rox Sign 4 Pitchers
The St. Cloud Rox signed 4 pitchers to the 2013 roster Monday. The four are Jason Hoppe (Minnesota State-Mankato), Kasey Ralston (Indiana University), John Oltman (Creighton), and Bryce Jackson (Washington State).
Hoppe is a 6'1 170 right-hander, Ralston is a 6'1 170 pound right-hander, Oltman is a 6'1 200 pound left-hander, and Jackson is a 6'3 213 left-hander. The 2013 St. Cloud Rox roster is available on their website stcloudrox.com. The St. Cloud Rox in 2013 can be heard on AM 1390-the Fan, online at 1390thefan.com and on Charter Communications Channel 20.


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Anna Chlumsky Welcomes Daughter Penelope Joan!
Anna Chlumsky and her husband Shaun So have welcomed a baby girl, Penelope Joan, into the world on Thursday (July 11) in New York City, JustJared.com can confirm!
This is the first child for the 32-year-old actress and her husband.
"She's a really good mix between my husband and me," Anna said in a statement. "When she's with him, you see him, and when she's with me, you see me. She's a perfect mix."
"I'm still in shock. When I got the call I wasn't sleeping because I was breastfeeding my daughter," Anna said about receiving an Emmy nomination today for her work on Veep. "It was neat because it was me and my husband and my daughter all in the room getting the news at the same time. When [my manager] told me, it was that nervous, happy, appreciative laughter. I just laughed a lot! It feels really great to have your work noticed."
People was first to report the news.
Congratulations to the happy couple!


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Sportsman Channel, as part of its original programming push, will become the official network of Alaska's Iditarod sled dog event. The network plans to create 12 hours of special programming for the March event, which hasn't been shown on national TV in five years.
As the official network of the Iditarod, Sportsman Channel will exclusively spotlight the stories about the grueling trek in Alaska, showcasing the dogs, men and women and the race's breath-taking wilderness setting.
During a week-long stunt entitled Iditarod Unleashed, Sportsman will air 12 hours of ancillary programming and specials – including never-before-seen footage for a national audience from the Iditarod library – timed around the 2014 competition. The coverage on the 32-million subscriber Sportsman will mark Iditarod's return to national television: race-related programming last appeared on Versus (now NBCSN) in 2009.
View Full Article in:Multichannel News


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FDA Proposes Rules For Safer Imported Foods
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration is proposing new steps to ensure that fresh produce, cheese and other foods imported into the U.S. are safe.
The proposed rules are required by a sweeping food safety law passed by Congress 2 1/2 years ago. They're meant to establish better checks on what has long been a scattershot effort at guarding against unsafe food imported from more than 150 countries.
FDA is proposing the new guidelines on Friday. They would require U.S. food importers to verify that the foreign companies they import from have the same levels of food safety required in this country.
About 15 percent of the food Americans eat is imported, including about 50 percent of fruits and 20 percent of vegetables.


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The Light from the TV Shows: Take a trip to "Graceland," USA's surprisingly dark new drama
If you read last week's column about "The Glades," where I talked about my trip to Miami a few months back and followed it with a Q&A with the cast members, you may also recall that I actually visited the set of two series on that expedition. The other, "Graceland," makes its long awaited debut on the USA Network this evening, and in this case, calling it "long-awaited" isn't just a case of blowing smoke.
I actually had an opportunity to screen the pilot back in January—actually, it might even have been December, come to think of it—in advance of attending the winter TCA press tour, and I was surprised at how dark the tone of the show was. I mean, don't get me wrong, this is still USA, not HBO, so it's not like the second coming of "The Wire" or anything, but it's definitely not full of the same kind of quick and witty banter that's become a hallmark of the network's series…in a good way.
Here's how the network describes "Graceland," in case you're starting to get curious:
Inspired by true events, USA's new one-hour drama, "Graceland," is about the adrenaline-fueled world of a diverse group of undercover agents whose lies are their lives.
"Graceland" is a place where nothing is what it seems and everyone has a secret. From the outside, this idyllic beachfront property is inhabited by a group of young roommates. Inside, a vastly different world is exposed: one that sustains itself through a complex web of lies. "Graceland" delves into the lives of an elusive group of undercover agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), who live and operate under one roof. When forced to give up any shred of normalcy and the question of trust is a matter of life or death, the house becomes their sanctuary, their "Graceland."
Graduating at the top of his class, FBI rookie, Mike Warren anticipates a traditional DC desk job when he's unexpectedly shipped to "Graceland." Immediately thrown into his first undercover assignment, he relies heavily on the guidance of legendary FBI agent and mentor Paul Briggs. Briggs is an unusually Zen senior agent who notoriously hates the rule book and will go to any length to protect "Graceland" from the outside world. The ensemble cast features strong-willed FBI agent Catherine "Charlie" DeMarco, quick-tempered Customs agent Dale Jakes, intuitive and merciless DEA Agent Paige Arkin, and fun-loving prankster FBI agent Joe "Johnny" Tuturro.
Are you interested enough to watch a trailer for the show? I'm betting you are, but I'll you what I'm gonna do: I'm just gonna embed a trailer right below this paragraph, and either you'll watch it or you won't. But it ain't gonna cost you nothing to click on it, so…
Ha. I knew you couldn't resist.
You can follow us on Twitter and Facebook for content updates. Also, sign up for our email list for weekly updates and check us out on Google+ as well.


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Retail businesses sometimes evaluate their stores' performance by analyzing revenue per square foot or cost per square foot. Use the FoodMart 2000 Sales cube to determine what the total store square footage is for each Store State. (Store State is a level in the Store dimension.) Notice that what makes this problem unique is that square footage is stored as a member property in the Store dimension.
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The E2 Earset redefines pure sound in a virtually invisible package that is easier to use than even a lavalier or podium microphone. Like the classic E6 Earset, the E2 rests over the ear, but has a much shorter boom. Its uni-directional element provides nearly the isolation of an E6 Omni at the mouth, but with significantly less visibility. With an equalizing circuit built into the audio connector, the frequency response is tuned so you can experience full-bodied bass and precise highs that are indiscernible from an E6 Omni at the mouth. The element, boom, and new sub-miniature connector are all easily hidden on the user's face; the position near the ear eliminates breath pops and makes fitting easy and quick. This results in the smallest and most discreet professional-quality microphone available.
Note: Image shown is for display purposes only. For more information please contact your Full Compass Sales Pro.
In all kinds of acoustic spaces, the E2 achieves surprisingly comparable isolation (gain-before-feedback) to an E6 Omni positioned at the user's mouth. Countryman tested the two mics against each other in several large and small venues and confirmed that in all cases the E2 gain-before-feedback was within 3 dB of the E6 at the mouth.
There are two aspects of the E2 design that allow this to be possible so far away from the mouth: strong off-axis rejection and precisely-tuned frequency response. The off-axis rejection, as shown in the datasheet, is strong for all frequencies in the audio band—not just 1kHz as with many competitive directional mics—so the feedback-rejection is equally effective in smaller or larger venues.
For on-axis interferences, the frequency response tuning in the connector of the E2 allows us to fully capitalize on the proximity boosting effect of the mic to achieve even stronger isolation in the voice band. Countryman tuned the frequency response of the E2 to be as flat as possible in use by taking into account the frequency-shaping properties of the head, and the acoustics of the mic itself. This results in full sound, and high gain-before-feedback.


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Kiva.org is excited to announce partnership with Rafode (Rural Agency for Development) in Kenya.
Rafode's mission is to provide opportunities to people in chronic poverty to transform their lives through income generating.
RAFODE was formed as an organization to provide alternative financial services to poor communities in Kenya. RAFODE aims to reach both people in business and those not yet in business by helping them to start income generating projects.
Our main challenge is reaching out to the poorest who do not have business and who are also illiterate. Rafode also aims to serve the rural areas where there are no infrastructure and means of transport.
Kiva.org looks forward to a long and successful partnership with Rafode!


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Lawrence Baker, 94 - June 13, 2007
Lawrence Roy Baker, 94, of North Platte, formerly of Farnam, died Friday, June 8, 2007, at his home in North Platte.
Services were held on Tuesday, June 12, at the Calvary Baptist Church with the Rev. Bob Payne officiating. Burial was at the Farnam Cemetery.
Baker was born on Aug. 31, 1912, at Farnam, to Bert and Myrtle (Preston) Baker.
He lived out his childhood and much of his adult life in Farnam, running a small farm and ranch while raising his family.
His passion for life always rang through the stories he would tell of days gone by, according to family members. The love and concern he held for his family was the rhythm of his heart, and his strength shone through many personal acts of unflinching living.
?Baker was preceded in death by: his parents; his wife, Marie, of nearly 71 years who passed away five months ago; daughter Joan; and two grandchildren.
?Survivors include: his brother, Ray (Eleanor) Baker of Columbus; his children—Cecil (Rosie) Baker of Ruskin, Sherry (Merle) Lind of North Platte, Jim (Pat) Baker of Farnam and Gary (Debby) Baker of North Platte; 12 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.
A memorial has been established and online condolences can be made at: www.adamsswanson.com.
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|Jepson Flora Project: Jepson Interchange
previous taxon |
next taxon
Jepson Interchange (more information)
©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
Annual to shrubs, generally glandular, some green root-parasites
Stem generally round
Leaves generally alternate, simple, generally ± entire; stipules generally 0
Inflorescence: spike to panicle, generally bracted, or flowers 12 in axils
Flower bisexual; calyx lobes generally 5; corolla generally strongly bilateral, generally 2-lipped (upper lip generally 2-lobed, lower lip generally 3-lobed); stamens generally 4 in 2 pairs, generally included, a 5th (generally uppermost) sometimes present as a staminode; pistil 1, ovary superior, chambers generally 2, placentas axile, style 1, stigma lobes generally 2
Fruit: capsule, generally ± ovoid, loculicidal or septicidal
Seed: coat sculpture often characteristic
Genera in family: ± 200 genera, 3000 species: ± worldwide; some cultivated as ornamental (e.g., Antirrhinum, Mimulus, Penstemon ) or medicinal (Digitalis )
Recent taxonomic note: Recently treated to include only Buddleja, Scrophularia, and Verbascum in CA; other genera moved to Orobanchaceae (Castilleja, Cordylanthus, Orthocarpus, Pedicularis, Triphysaria), Phrymaceae (Mimulus), and Plantaginaceae (= Veronicaceae sensu Olmstead et al.)
Key to genera by Elizabeth Chase Neese & Margriet Wetherwax.
Perennial to shrub
Leaves generally opposite, entire to toothed; upper sessile
Inflorescence: panicle or raceme; bracts generally small
Flower: calyx lobes 5, ± equal; corolla tube ± cylindric or lower side expanded, ± 2-lipped, generally pink or blue to purple (some red, yellow, or white), upper lip 2-lobed, external in bud; anther sacs 2, generally spreading ± flat at dehiscence; staminode attached near base of corolla tube, well developed, generally hairy on upper side; nectaries 2, at bases of upper stamens; stigma head-like
Fruit: capsule, septicidal and sometimes also loculicidal at tip
Seeds generally many, irregularly angled
Species in genus: 250 species: North America., especially w US
Etymology: (Latin & Greek: almost thread, from stamen-like staminode)
Reference: [Holmgren 1984 In Cronquist et al. Intermountain Flora 4:370457]
Largest genus of flowering plants endemic to North America. See also Keckiella , Nothochelone.
Perennial 25120 cm, ± glabrous
Leaves: main cauline leaves thin, 25140 mm, narrowly elliptic, slightly narrowed just above rounded to truncate base (where widest), shallowly toothed, ± = basal
Inflorescence glandular
Flower: corolla 2030 mm, abruptly expanded to throat, generally on upper side, blue-violet, whitish within, glandular outside, floor ± hairy; anther sacs 1.31.7 mm, dehiscing full length, valves barely spreading; staminode yellow-hairy
Chromosomes: 2n=16
Ecology: Open places in ± coastal forest
Elevation: < 1200 m.
Bioregional distribution: n North Coast, w Klamath Ranges, n Outer North Coast Ranges, San Francisco Bay Area
Distribution outside California: Oregon


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BERLIN (AP) — European Central Bank President Mario Draghi pledged Thursday to keep a close eye on the recent rise of the euro, which some of the region's leaders worry has the potential to weaken the region's economy further.
Draghi, who spoke after the ECB's monthly policy meeting, said the recent appreciation of the euro was a sign of rising confidence in the region's finances, though he hinted the ECB was prepared to respond if there was a material impact on the economy. The ECB kept its main interest rate unchanged at a record low of 0.75 percent, which is intended to stimulate growth by encouraging businesses and consumers to borrow and spend.
Draghi's comments about the euro surprised markets and helped drive down Europe's single currency from $1.355 to a two-week low of $1.34. The euro has been steadily appreciating since July 25 last year, when it stood at $1.21 amid concerns that the currency would break up.
A rising exchange rate could have a negative impact on the eurozone economy, which is already in recession. It could be bad for automakers, aircraft manufacturers and other businesses that depend on exports for growth. Several European leaders, notably French President Francois Hollande, have highlighted this as a potential problem.
"The exchange rate is not a policy target but it is important for growth and price stability," Draghi said in response to a reporter's question.
"We will closely monitor money market developments."
Analysts were impressed by Draghi's ability to send a clear message to markets.
"Draghi's biggest challenge was to show his magic skills of verbal interventions and to talk down the euro exchange rate," said Carsten Brzeski, senior economist at ING. "He succeeded."
While the euro has risen because of the region's easing financial crisis, analysts also point to actions by other central banks around the world as having an effect. The new government in Japan has indirectly pushed up the value of the single European currency in relation to the yen and other currencies by following a more aggressive economic policy.
The yen has fallen sharply in response to Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe insisting that the country's central bank target a higher rate of inflation.
Bundesbank President Jens Wiedmann warned last month about the impact of the shift in Japan's policy on the foreign exchange markets.
"Until now, the international monetary system got through the crisis without competitive devaluations and I hope very much it stays that way," he said.
The idea of a currency war raises the specter of the 1930s when countries around the world pursued tit-for-tat policies with their exchange rates in order to get an edge. However, the outcome was to decimate global trade, accentuate the depression and sow the seeds for World War II.
The fall in the value of the euro following Draghi's remarks will likely be greeted by France's Hollande, who on Tuesday suggested that the ECB use its powers to bring the value of the euro down.
"A monetary zone must have an exchange rate policy," he said at the European Parliament. If not, it will be subjected to an exchange rate that does not reflect the real state of the economy."
As well as increasing the cost of exports, a rising euro also has the effect of lowering the price of imports — which in turn would affect prices. The ECB's main mandate is to maintain price stability in the eurozone. The current rate of inflation in the eurozone is 2 percent — the ECB's target rate.
Draghi's carefully formulated comments Thursday about the euro, and their effect on the markets, echo his speech to business leaders in London last July. Then the ECB president was credited with easing Europe's debt crisis with his surprise pledge that the central bank would do "whatever it takes" to save the euro.
ING's Brseski said that because Draghi has said that a stronger euro could cause prices to drop, he has "opened the door for new policy action." If the ECB was seriously concerned about a sharp drop in prices, the likely policy response would be to reduce interest rates to try to boost consumption.
Draghi's remarks on the euro came after a cautiously upbeat assessment of the prospects of the eurozone economy. He said economic growth would likely resume in the second half of 2013 thanks to an "accommodative" monetary policy, an improvement in financial market conditions and a pick-up in global demand.
Still, Draghi said risks to growth are "to the downside."
Pylas contributed from London.


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University of Vermont
2011-12 Online Catalogue
Middle East Studies (Undergraduate Minor)
Specific Requirements
|College or School
|College of Arts and Sciences
|Global and Regional Studies
Eighteen credits (six courses) related to the Middle East. All students pursuing the minor must take HIST 045 or HIST 046. The remaining five courses can be chosen from the list of Middle East Studies courses offered each semester. At least three of these five courses should be 100-level ("intermediate") or higher. Students may consult with the Middle East Studies director and propose other courses with sufficient Middle East content to fulfill the requirements. The director of the program must approve any course not listed before it can be considered to fulfill the requirements for the minor.
There is no language requirement for the minor. Students are strongly encouraged to take one year of a Middle Eastern Language (such as Arabic or Hebrew), however those will not count towards the minor.
|Intro and intermediate level courses for varying subject areas to get to the appropriate level of 100 or 200.
- Colleges and Schools: College of Arts and Sciences.
- Departments and Programs: Global and Regional Studies Program.


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Brain: The Inside Story
As you read these words, your brain is taking in all kinds of sights and sounds, and zeroing in on a few. It is recalling what you have learned about the forms of letters, the meanings of words, and what information you hope to find on this website. Your brain is making decisions and forming new memories. All the while, it is helping you stay alert and steadily breathe. How does the brain do it all? We are only beginning to understand the inside story of this remarkable organ. Today, advances in biochemistry and new technologies that allow us to watch the brain in action are revealing more than ever before.
Brain: The Inside Story explores the way the human brain works, specifically as it relates to senses ("Your Sensing Brain"), emotions ("Your Emotional Brain"), thinking ("Your Thinking Brain"), how the brain ages ("Your Changing Brain"), and how technological advances may change our brains in the future ("Your 21st Century Brain").
Like other parts of your body, your brain is made up of cells. Many of these cells help regulate the chemistry of the brain and give it structure. But some are specialized to do far more. These cells, known as neurons, do most of the work that allows you to think, feel, and move.
Specific areas of the brain are devoted to seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching. They communicate like the parts of an orchestra, so that your experience feels rich, seamless, and complete.
Your brain gets information from two different sources: Your senses tell you what's going on in the outside world, while your emotions exist inside your body to tell you what these events and circumstances mean to you.
If there is one thing that makes you different from other animals, it is your ability to think. Humans don't just react to the world as it is: We reflect on the past, imagine what could be, and then plan ways to make our thoughts become reality.
Your brain changes throughout your lifetime: Neurons connect and reconnect in the give-and-take between your brain and the world. Once developed, the basic structures for sensing, feeling, and thinking last a lifetime--yet your brain continues to change.
The more we learn about the human brain, the more we will have the ability to change it. Knowing how our brains work will give us exciting—and sometimes unsettling—new choices.
Special Exhibition
Drawing on 21st-century research and technology, Brain: The Inside Story offers visitors a new perspective and keen insight into their own brains through imaginative art, vivid brain-scan imaging, and dynamic interactive exhibits for all ages.
Brain: The Inside Story was organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York, in collaboration with Codice.Idee per la cultura, Torino, Italy in association with Comune di Milano - Assessorato Cultura, Italy, Guangdong Science Center, Guangzhou, China, and Parque de las Ciencias, Grenada, Spain.
Generous support for Brain: The Inside Story had been provided by the Eileen P. Bernard Exhibition Fund and Mary and David Solomon.
Additional support for Brain: The Inside Story and its related education programming had been provided by Roche.


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Rockstud Valentino Garavani pink, in very good conditions. It can be used as shoulder bag or clutch. It comes with dustbag and card. Size 18x14x6 Cm
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Can you think of a better excuse to treat yourself ? 😘
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GoneMAD Music Player FULL v1.4.7 Apk for Android focuses on providing tons of features and options to allow for a personalized listening experience. With 150+ customizable options, you can listen to music the way you want to.
Updated: 4 march 2013
Current Version 1.4.7
Requires Android: Varies with device
Category: Music & Audio
GoneMAD Music Player Apk FULL Feature-Rich and Highly Customizable Music Player
- Galaxy S3 users should disable 'auto haptic' if playback is choppy (system settings -> sound)
GoneMAD Music Player FULL Apk features
- Supported audio formats: aac(mp4/m4a/m4b), mp3, ogg, flac, opus, tta, ape, wv, mpc, alac, wav, wma, adts, and 3gp
- Flawless gapless playback (mp3 and aac gapless supported on most devices)
- ReplayGain support (track and album gain)
- Cuesheet support (cue file and embedded cues)
- Crossfade (auto and manual transitions)
- Smart Playlists
- Bookmarking
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- High powered 2 to 10 band graphic equalizer with 3 quality settings
- Preamp gain control
- Left/Right audio balance control
- 16 built-in EQ presets and the ability to create your own
- DSP Limiter with adjustable attack/release to prevent distortion
- Highly optimized media library, designed for large music libraries (50k+), that works with every supported format
- Browse your collection by artist, album, song, genre, playlist, or folders
- Built in file browser
- Album artist and disc no tags supported
- Tag editor (supports mass editing)
- Search artists, album artists, albums, songs, and filenames
- Save/Load playlists or create playlists on the fly
- Supports m3u, pls and wpl playlist file formats
- Edit playlists with an easy to use drag and drop interface
- 2 Shuffle modes: Shuffle Queue and Shuffle Collection
- Custom actions on queue completion
- Automatically find and download album art
- Manual art search
- Embedded album art support
- 10+ skins to choose from
- Lockscreen player
- ICS lockscreen control support
- Notification controls (3.0+)
- Scrobble support: (ScrobbleDroid and Simple LastFm Scrobbler)
- Customizable Gesture System: 25 assignable actions to 7 different gestures
- Customizable Now Playing View: 29 different tags to put into 6 slots
- Customizable tab order
- Auto resume playback when ending a phone call
- Auto pause/play when unplugging/plugging in a headset or connect to bluetooth
- Bluetooth headset controls
- Automatically adjust volume when connecting/disconnect bluetooth audio or wired headsets
- Comes with a 2×1, 2×2, 4×1, 4×2, and 4×4 widget (customizable opacity)
- Tasker integration
- Single button headset control support
- Jump straight to playing album, artist, genre, or folder
Whats new in GoneMAD Music Player Apk FULL 1.4.7
- External dsps like DspManager should now work with GMMP
- Audiofocus is now regained after resuming playback
- Tweaked the audioengine for improved performance and less stuttering when screen is off (problem with many HTC devices)
- Reset buffer size, dsp priority, and decoder priority in the settings due to the tweaks mentioned above
- Improved seek response time
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Orono Man Faces Charge of Attempted Murder as Victim Fights for Life
A 50-year-old man fights for his life after being stabbed multiple times and the man accused in the attack is charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault.
Orono police were called to a boarding house on Park Street yesterday afternoon to a report of a stabbing in progress.
Chief Ewing says says 21-year-old Dorian Guerin is charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault.
Chief Ewing says they have not been able to talk to the victim yet so they're not exactly sure what lead up to the fight. He says there were no indications that drugs or alcohol played a role in the attack.
According to police Guerin's mother lives with the victim and Guerin had been staying with them for the past several days.
Guerin is expected to make his first court appearance this afternoon.


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September, February
Full-time: 1 year; Part-time: 3 years
Full Time: UK/EU: £6,000; International: £12,600
30 November 2017
The University of South Wales Civil & Structural Engineering MSc is a taught postgraduate course offering full-time and part-time pathways.
Students complete a sequence of optional and compulsory modules, plus a final dissertation, before graduating with the 180 credit Master of Science degree.
This degree is your opportunity to establish or consolidate your career as a civil or structural design engineer. The course is accredited for the Further Learning Programme (formerly 'Matching Sections') at Chartered Engineer (CEng) level by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT), and the Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE).
There is also an opportunity for working professionals to progress towards CEng status through a tailor-made route. This will help you accelerate to the remaining steps of CEng status by working with your employer in the process. This is a unique feature of a Masters course and significantly reduces the period required to achieve Chartered status.
To provide the latest specialist knowledge and technical competence, all design-related modules are taught in accordance with the new structural Eurocodes. As well as developing your analytical and problem-solving skills, tuition covers project planning and contract management. The course is also underpinned by research into areas such as the use of novel and sustainable environmentally-friendly materials, geotechnics and structural modelling.
See the website http://courses.southwales.ac.uk/courses/577-msc-civil-and-structural-engineering
You will study the following modules:
- Advanced Civil Engineering Materials
- Integrative Project Planning and Management
- Geo-environmental Engineering
- Advanced Structural Analysis and Structural Concrete Design
- Further Advanced Structural Analysis and Steel/Composite Design
- Dissertation
Optional modules include:
- Seismic Analysis and Design to Eurocodes*
- Structural Timber and Masonry Design to Eurocodes*
- Further Finite Element Analysis*
- Non-Destructive Testing*
*10 credit module
The course is delivered in three major blocks that offer an intensive but flexible learning pattern, with two entry opportunities for applicants each year – February and September. You will learn through lectures, tutorials and seminars, as well as guest lectures and seminars with prominent industry experts. You will complete a research project using our excellent laboratory facilities and a dissertation on a chosen topic of interest.
On completion of this course, you will be able to develop a career as a structural engineer, technical manager, or research and development manager. These roles can be with leading international consultancies, contractors, national and local consulting companies, as well as international research and government organisations.
Some modules are assessed through coursework, others by a combination of design projects and a formal examination. If you want to continue working in industry, you can apply to study individual modules as short courses on a day-release or block-delivery basis.
The University of South Wales has excellent facilities, and is committed to investment and refurbishment. We've just completed a £130m investment programme in new buildings and facilities, including significant investment in the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science. The University has also announced a further investment of £28m ensure that you're using equipment and software that is state-of-the-art and industry-standard, we continually evaluate our labs and teaching spaces and regularly re-fit and re-equip them. A recent refurbishment of a number of our Civil and Mechanical Engineering labs is part of this programme of continuous enhancement of our facilities.
The MSc Civil and Structural Engineering is accredited as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for a Chartered Engineer (CEng) for candidates who have already acquired an Accredited CEng (Partial) BEng (Hons) undergraduate first degree*. See http://www.jbm.org.uk for further information.
* It should be noted that candidates completing the MSc who hold an underpinning accredited IEng degree or a non-accredited bachelor degree will need to apply for an academic assessment to determine whether they will meet the educational base for CEng registration.
Apply directly to the University if you are applying for a part-time, professional or postgraduate course, an Erasmus/Exchange programme, the Legal Practice (part-time) course, to top up your Foundation Degree or HND, or to transfer to USW from another institution.
The following postgraduate funding may be available to study the Civil & Structural Engineering MSc at The University of South Wales.
Full Time (UK / EU): £6,000
Full Time (international): £12,600
Part Time (UK /EU): £670 per 20 credit
Visit the Civil and Structural Engineering (MSc) page on the University of South Wales website for more details!
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N. VENICE, Fla. – November 30, 2009 – When the Ringling Museum needed to replace its historic Gatekeeper's Cottage windows as part of a major restoration project, it chose PGT WinGuard, the nation's leading brand of impact-resistant windows and doors.
"Our team of experts wants to maintain the historical integrity of the Ringling Museum's Guest Cottage while ensuring that it meets today's standards for safety, energy-efficiency and hurricane-resistance," said Marshall Rousseau, Ringling Museum Interim Director. "We are pleased to be working with PGT. The windows are an important part of ensuring that the Cottage will remain part of the extraordinary Ringling Museum campus for another 80 years to come.
" Nestled within the 66 acres of The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, FL is the historic Gatekeeper's Cottage. Built in 1927, the Cottage was designed by John H. Phillips, who helped to design the Metropolitan Museum of Art and New York's Grand Central Station, to resemble a Venetian cottage reminiscent of the modest homes found in Italy.
In the early 2000s, due to a lack of funds, the Ringling estate was in major disrepair. Eventually, governance of the estate was transferred to Florida State University. As part of the University, the estate has experienced a rebirth. Many of the existing buildings have been restored and the estate has even been expanded.
The Gatekeeper's Cottage is one of the last structures to be restored. Rousseau says that the Cottage will soon serve as temporary housing for visiting scholars, guest lecturers, interns and fellows during their time at Ringling.
"The Ringling Museum of Art is a treasure to our area," said Debbie LaPinska, PGT Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "PGT is proud to be participating in the restoration of the Gatekeeper's Cottage. WinGuard windows will not only protect the Cottage from the elements but will also help significantly reduce cooling and heating costs. The new windows will surely help to restore the beauty of the existing structure.
" Mullet's Aluminum Products, Inc., based in Sarasota, FL, will be installing the WinGuard windows at the Gatekeeper's Cottage. Mullet's is an award-winning industry leader in providing quality building products and superior installation services to the Condominium, Residential and Commercial markets.
"We are pleased that PGT asked Mullet's Aluminum to be a part of the Ringling Gatekeeper's Cottage window replacement project," said Jay Coblentz, director of sales for Mullet's Aluminum. "Projects like this give us a chance to give back to the local community, and demonstrate our capabilities as a local contractor."
With over two million units installed and no reported impact failures, WinGuard impact-resistant windows from PGT meet the most stringent code requirements for hurricane-force winds and flying debris. These custom windows help provide year-round security against thieves and intruders, provide energy efficiency, dramatically reduce outdoor noise and filter out 99% of the UV light that enters homes and causes fading.
PGT® pioneered the U.S. impact-resistant window and door industry and today is the nation's leading manufacturer and supplier of residential impact-resistant windows and doors. Founded in 1980, the company employs approximately 1,000 at its manufacturing, glass laminating and tempering plants in Florida and North Carolina. Utilizing the latest designs and technology, PGT products are ideal for new construction and replacement projects serving the residential, commercial, high-rise and institutional markets. PGT's product line includes PGT® Aluminum and Vinyl Windows and Doors; WinGuard® Impact-Resistant Windows and Doors; PGT® Architectural Systems; and Eze-Breeze® Sliding Panels. PGT Industries is a wholly owned subsidiary of PGT, Inc. (NASDAQ: PGTI). For additional information, or to find a distributor near you, visit pgtindustries.com or call 800-284-6019.


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HRSC on Mars Express photographs Phobos and Deimos together and in high resolution
Ultimate precision is one of the most important prerequisites for successful space missions. The German Aerospace Center (DLR), in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) in Darmstadt, has now provided an impressive example of the planning to perfection of the perfect shot of an unusual object in the Solar System. For the first time, the two tiny Martian moons Phobos and Deimos have been photographed together in a high-resolution image sequence. This was made possible using the Super Resolution Channel (SRC) of the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) operated by DLR and carried by ESA's Mars Express spacecraft.
"It doesn't happen very often that both Martian moons are right in front of the camera, directly one behind the other," says the DLR institute's Harald Hoffmann. "During the now more than six-year long project, we have had several opportunities to photograph the two moons together," explains Klaus-Dieter Matz, who planned the acquisition of the extraordinary images together with Harald Hoffmann and in coordination with the working group of the scientific leader of the HRSC experiment at the Free University of Berlin (FUB), Professor Gerhard Neukum. "The geometry of the constellation during Orbit 7492 on 5 November 2009 was especially favourable, so this time we wanted to try taking a sequence of photographs – and this first attempt has delivered the expected result!"
On one hand, the images underline that it is easily possible, with the existing orbit data for the space probe and the two Martian moons, to aim at the target objects with the highest precision. On the other hand, the image data serve one of the long-term tasks of the HRSC science team – the validation and refinement of existing orbit models for the two moons.
Image sharpening in post-production
At the time of the exposures, Phobos, the larger of the two moons and the one whose orbit is closest to planet, was 11,800 kilometres away from Mars Express. Phobos orbits the planet in just 7 hours and 39 minutes, and is thus travelling much faster relative to Mars than the Moon travels relative to Earth, which means that the exact timing of the exposure was absolutely critical. At the time of the exposures, Deimos was 26,200 kilometres away from the probe. Due to its distance from the camera, the Super Resolution Channel of HRSC was used, a channel which uses an additional lens which, with its angle of view of just 0.5°, provides four times the magnification of the HRSC itself.
Due to the telescope mirror's triple-focus distortion error in the Super Resolution Channel, the images had to be processed. This was done by the working group at FUB. "It is now possible to almost completely eliminate the unsharpness of the SRC images," says Dr Gregory Michael, also from FUB. "The distance between the space probe, Phobos and Deimos was relatively large, so that the resolution of the SRC images was around 110 metres per pixel for Phobos and 240 metres per pixel for Deimos, which was twice as far from the camera."
The orbital trajectory of Mars Express, in contrast to that of the two NASA orbiters, Mars Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, means that only the ESA probe ever sees both moons at the same time. Mars Express' elliptical orbit puts it at around 10,000 kilometres away from the planet's surface, which gets it as close as 9,000 kilometres away from Deimos in ideal conditions. The best image so far taken of Deimos by Mars Express was made at a distance of 10,000 kilometres, and the best images so far of Phobos were made in 2008 at a distance of just 93 kilometres. Both moons orbit Mars in almost circular and close to perfectly equatorial orbits.
High precision ephemerides are the basis for the camera's accurate targeting
In a critical period of one and a half minutes, the SRC took 130 images at intervals of one second, speeding up to half-second intervals towards the end. "As soon as the pictures were sent from the ESA Control Centre in Darmstadt to our team in Berlin, we recognised that our camera targeting and ESA's orbital calculations were in perfect agreement," says HRSC planner Hoffmann. "We were pretty sure that the shoot would be successful, because our colleagues at ESA had seen no reason to make corrections to our calculations on the basis of Mars Express' trajectory." ESA's European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt has controlled the Mars Express probe since its launch on 2 June 2003; the mission has just recently been extended to the end of 2012.
The success of the experiment depended critically on highly precise ephemerides, tables that give the positions of the planets, moons and smaller bodies in the solar system, as well as those of space probes. The ephemerides for Phobos and Deimos have been corrected and refined over the six-year duration of the Mars Express mission, and the orbit of the probe itself can be predicted extremely precisely by ESOC, so that its position during the shoot diverged by only a few seconds or kilometres from the position that had been predicted several months previously during planning. "The orbit diverged by around 10 seconds from the expected values, this is a very small divergence and is well within the tolerance of even as small a field of view as 0.5°," says Klaus-Dieter Matz.
Exploration of Phobos a scientific priority
Along with the high-resolution global mapping of the surface of Mars with the HRSC, in colour and 3D, the exploration of Phobos is another scientific priority of the camera experiment. The potato-shaped, 27 × 22 × 18 kilometre moon has already been photographed 127 times by the HRSC camera system, which has not only significantly improved our topographic knowledge of the satellite, but has also given us important insights into the origins and development of Phobos.
Mars and its Moons Phobos and Deimos
Mean diameter
Mean diameter to the centre of Mars
Mean distance to the surface of Mars
* The orbital period for both moons almost precisely equals the length of day since both Phobos and Deimos orbit Mars in what is called a 'coupled rotation', so that one hemisphere of both moons is permanently facing Mars.
The HRSC camera experiment on ESA's Mars Express mission is directed by the Principal Investigator (PI), Prof. Dr Gerhard Neukum (Free University of Berlin; FUB), who also designed the high-resolution stereo camera. The team is composed of 45 Co-Investigators from 32 institutes in 10 different countries. The camera was developed at DLR under the direction of Prof. Neukum and built in collaboration with industrial partners EADS Astrium, Lewicki Microelectronic GmbH and Jena-Optronik GmbH. It is controlled by DLR's Institute of Planetary Research (IPR), at Berlin-Adlershof. The systematic processing of the data is done by DLR. The images are created by the Institute for Geological Science at FUB in collaboration with IPR.


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I'm porting an application from PHP to ASP.NET. The programmer who made the PHP version used a bunch of includes with parameter passing instead of using OO.
(Example: $someVar = 1; include('blah.php'); //which would process based on the value of $someVar )
I'm trying to convert these over to User Controls, but I'm a bit shady on the parameter passing, as I'm new to ASP.
Does anyone know how I can pass my User Control a parameter during instantiation from the aspx page?
(Ex: <UserControl:QueryBox ID="blah" value="foobar" runat="server" /> //where "foobar" is the parameter being passed. )
Please and thanks, amigos.


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Teacher Training at the Murie Center
For the second year Teton Science Schools have partnered with the Murie Center to offer teacher trainings. The program from October 28 - 31, 2010 was the first of the two part series and included 24 teachers from Wyoming and Idaho.
The first installment this year focused on why place-based education is important. The workshop included an introduction to the Muries, field components, writing about place sessions, service learning, and opportunities to plan for implementing place-based education back at home. Teachers and administrators came in teams to participate together.
The teams will return again in the spring to continue the professional development. Also in the spring, teams of graduate students will visit each of the schools to provide additional support for implementing place-based programs.
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Stephen Colbert, James Martin, Pope Francis, and the wealth gap
2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the War on Poverty – and while federal programs have helped reduce poverty, it's no secret that in our country the gap between rich and poor has continued to grow. President Obama has declared that income inequality will become an economic priority for his administration. The bishops have recently called on Congress to put human dignity at the core of employment and wages, pointing out shortfalls with the current minimum wage. Pope Francis has also notably weighed in, criticizing the wealth gap and 'trickle-down' economic policies, and economies of inequality.
Last night, Jesuit Father James Martin (chaplain of "Colbert Nation") appeared on The Colbert Report to discuss with Catholic comedian Stephen Colbert the pope's take on the gap between the rich and poor. What's a rich person to do?, Colbert asks, saying, "We rich guys feel attacked by the pope."
Martin emphasizes that the rich need to love, care for, and respect the poor. He mentions too that Jesus invites us to help the poor, which is an invitation to participate in the kingdom of God.
What's in it for me? Colbert asks on behalf of the rich folks. Martin reassures him: Joy, peace, and eternal salvation.
Watch here:


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You are here: Root > By location > Europe > United KingdomGo directly to another tag
Daniel Barlow
Creator of CLiki, ASDF, ASDF-INSTALL, and one of the SBCL developers, amongst other things.
Christophe Rhodes
SBCL and McCLIM developer.
Sean Ross
Sean Ross used to live in Johannesburg, South Africa but recently moved to London where he works in Ruby and Java to pay for playing with CL. I can be contacted at sross <at> common-lisp <dot> net


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I'm just a guy who had a story that had to be told. A few weeks ago, my boss told me that I never half commit to anything, and I guess this book is a result of that. I spent so much time and too much money getting this book together, but it was all worth it. I hope you take the time to get into my head and learn about an amazing journey, a great story of love, and the lessons I learned while traveling through the unique countries in South America.
This book is more than about me, it is about the people I met, the unbelievable landscape, the intense cities, and the peaceful beaches. Latin America is such an diverse and mysterious continent, and from the fresh powder of Bariloche Argentina to the sweet salt of Ipanema beach in Rio, I made sure to get the most out of this trip.
I currently live and work in Oakland at Rosenblum Cellars, continuing to learn and work with wine, hoping to build a career in the industry.


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Savory Asian Pear, Onion and Fennel Galette
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Author Notes: I was wandering around the farmer's market on a rainy afternoon, looking for inspiration for a savory tart, when the Asian pears caught my eye. After tasting three varieties, I settled on these golden Shinkos, sweet and crisp. Paired with creamy brie, caramelized onion and fennel, and fresh rosemary, the smell of this tart in the oven was just the antidote I was looking for on a dreary grey day.
If you can't find Asian pears, try Bosc or Bartletts that are still a little firm.
The tart dough is based on a recipe from Cucina Simpatica (a.k.a. the Al Forno cookbook by Johanne Killeen & George Germon) and is an incredibly easy, never-fail recipe.
I like to serve this galette as a first course or brunch dish, with a lightly-dressed arugala salad on the side.
—Ms. T
Serves: 6-8
pound cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" pieces
cups all-purpose flour
teaspoon kosher salt
cup ice water
- Put the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine.
- Add the butter, tossing quickly to coat each piece with flour to prevent pieces from sticking together. Pulse until combined, and mixture is the texture of course sand.
- Add the ice water with the motor running. Process until dough comes together, stopping before it becomes a solid mass.
- Turn contents onto a clean work surface and press together with your hands, forming a ball, and then flatten into a rough disk.
- Cover dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to 2 days.
Pear, Onion and Fennel Filling
medium yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced cross-wise
small/medium fennel bulb, outer layer removed, and white/light green parts thinly sliced crosswise (discard dark green parts)
large, ripe but firm Asian pears (I used Shinko variety), peeled, cored and cut into thin slices
tablespoon unsalted butter
tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
teaspoon kosher salt
cup dry sherry
tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
ounces Brie (a mild, double-cream works best)
cup grated Manchego cheese
tablespoon water
Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Heat butter and olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
- Add onions and fennel to pan and saute until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally, about 15-20 min. Add 1/2 tsp. kosher salt.
- When liquid from onions has evaporated and mixture is beginning to brown around edges and stick to bottom of pan, add sherry to deglaze the pan, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
- Reduce heat to low and add pears and rosemary, tossing with wooden spoon to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes until flavors combine and pears begin to soften slightly. Add ground pepper and more salt to taste. Remove pan from heat and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin into a free-form circle, about 10-12" in diameter. Transfer the dough to the center of a baking sheet.
- Remove the rind from Brie, and spread it in an even layer onto the dough leaving a 1 1/2 inch border on the outside. Spread pear and onion mixture over brie, and top with grated Manchego.
- Fold the border over the filling, gently pinching to form soft pleats every inch or so all the way around. Shape should be rustic and free-form.
- Make an egg wash by whisking egg and water together in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to lightly coat the dough of the tart with egg wash.
- Bake the tart in the center of the oven for about 25 minutes, until the crust is golden, and the filling is bubbling with and browned on top. Cool slightly and serve warm or at room temperature.
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Fennel
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Pears
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Late Winter Tart (Sweet or Savory)
More Great Recipes:
Pie|Cheese|Fruit|Make Ahead|Breakfast|Snack