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Canceled: Big House Big Heart race forced out of Michigan Stadium
Joseph Tobianski | AnnArbor.com
- Related article: Big House Big Heart coordinator 'baffled' by why race can't finish in Michigan Stadium
An annual fundraising race that loops through University of Michigan and downtown Ann Arbor and ends at the city's most iconic landmark, Michigan Stadium, is canceled.
"It is with sadness that we announce that University of Michigan Athletics has decided that Big House Big Heart no longer fits into its charitable mission and therefore the race cannot finish in the Big House," Big House Big Heart coordinators wrote in an email to supporters.
Associate athletic director Dave Ablauf, who handles media and communication for the department, said the run no longer fit into the department's charitable mission.
"Really the decision in the end came down to our external focus," said Ablauf. The department announced last month that it would begin partnering with the Special Olympics of Michigan for community service efforts. The first event of that partnership is the "Polar Plunge" at Michigan Stadium on Feb. 23, 2013.
That partnership, Ablauf said, has become the department's priority. Ablauf said the run had become "a very challenging event ... to fit into our stadium."
Joseph Tobianski I AnnArbor.com
"We have our own private rental program, we're doing stuff with the Special Olympics and we have a lot of things we do now in the that stadium," Ablauf offered.
The run has taken place for the past six years and includes a 10-kilometer, 5K and a 1-mile run. In 2011 roughly 15,000 runners raised $1.5 million for 175 nonprofits, up from the $172,000 raised by approximately 4,000 participants during the event's first year.
The 2013 race was planned for Sunday, April 14, 2013.
"Priorities do change with administration changes," staff from Champions For Charity, which coordinated the Big House run, wrote in an email, adding that, in past races, runners were "diligent to leave the stadium in better shape than when we entered."
Last year, the event was moved from the fall to the spring at the request of the athletic department.
Champions for Charity will continue to coordinate the June Ann Arbor Marathon, which debuted in the city last year. A representative of the organization said staffers haven't decided whether or not to replace the Big House Big Heart run with another event.
Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at email@example.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.
Fri, Dec 7, 2012 : 6:57 p.m.
The athletic department is about nothing but money. Pathetic and sad.
Dan Rotello
Thu, Dec 6, 2012 : 12:30 p.m.
What a disgrace! You bring shame to the entire Big Ten. But it's U of M, so I shoudn't be surprised.
David Campfield
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 11:14 p.m.
It really just makes it that much easier to mock Michigan.
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 1:38 p.m.
Apparently, a lot of people can't read. Champions for Charity is not a charity organization. They are a for profit company. They organize races and make money from them. In addition to that income, they give a portion of the proceeds to charity. They also work with local charities to put together teams to raise money from non-entry fees. To those of you questioning where the transparency is...they're a for profit company. They do not have to release their financials! I've run races before that had $75 entry fees and nothing went to charity, so stop pointing fingers. To those commenting about hefty profits, you obviously have no idea what it takes to put on an event of this size. They obviously had to pay to rent the Big House according to the article. Then you've got permits, police, paramedics, timing (generally charged per entrant), food and drink (for 15,000) people, t-shirts, awards, and more. None of these things are free. I'm sure they get sponsors to help out with some of these costs, but they no doubt still have major expenses. I'm sure they still make money, but that's not really the point. The point is that the AD decided that 2 million dollars for local charities over the last couple years wasn't that important.
Thu, Dec 6, 2012 : 3:23 a.m.
Agree and thanks for making it clear. As a runner I've found that "Champions for Charity" events seem to be over priced for what they are.
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 7:27 a.m.
There's much to be said about this... and probably, all of it will be. ;-)
Bob Cain
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 2:16 a.m.
I feel a need to chime in again on this. I have read ALL the comments. In summary: The community demands a better explanation of why it was canceled. The community is also GUESSING that the reason could be because there is a problem with Champions for Charity (CFC) the "for profit" charity that organizes the run. Maybe Kelly Woodhouse now realizes that she has opened up a GIANT can of worms!!! ........and will follow up her article -- and go directly to Dave Brandon so he can explain this decision AND go to the CFC people for a open tranparent discussion on how the revenues are allocated for their charity.
Kristi Charles
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 1:35 a.m.
Maybe that school down in Columbus could host?
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 1:19 a.m.
Who cares who makes money off this or not. It is a public facility. We all own it. Lots of people want to get a little thrill out of running through the stadium. So let them. It does not need to be tied to a charity. It is fun and we need more fun in our lives. We have given control over the stadium to one person. He does not own it we do. He is supposed to manage it in the best interests of the the owners. This is not working out like that. Try asking for the run for the sake of fun for all those interested.
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 12:51 a.m.
My first 5k was the BHBH. I have worked in Ann Arbor for 25 years and have always supported UofM. This outrage falls right in line with an arrogant sports program that has been on a steady downhill slide for several years now, combined with the fact that they have ruined the Big House by turning it into some sort of demented temple. Now, they boot an exceptional charity event like BHBH? I for one have had enough of this school's arrogance. I will no longer support them, buy their apparel, tickets for any of their games, watch UofM games, or give any kind of discount to their workers and students in my business until they decide to change their mind about this. This is a total boycott! I urge the rest of you to do the same.
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 3:07 p.m.
The impact will be startling!
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 12:29 a.m.
How about we organize a vigilante event on the opening day of football. Everyone donates $5 to charity to run and not go to the football game...however we will run past the stadium in large groups. I will get the protest march permit. Perhaps special olympics should have joined the MANY charities involved with BHBH (I'm not down on Special Olympics here, fyi) and the U could have given a little heart to everyone one day a year. What a shame for the AD to oust such a great event. Any takers?
Elspeth Doe
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 11:58 p.m.
I think this is an EXCELLENT IDEA. This is protest at its finest.
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 12:21 a.m.
let's open the stadium for weddings and rentals, but close it off for a well-established charity run because it doesn't fit our mission... let's install millions of dollars worth of lights for night games but then never have any night games (except once) --- The Brandon Difference.
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 12:18 a.m.
AD David "No nightgames" Brandon is about as much fun as a box filled with old mismatched socks.
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 12:02 a.m.
This appears to be another example of the changes we are seeing of the direction of Brandon's goals for The Michigan Athletic Department. Michigan is a public institution, including the athletic department, that should serve all.... not the bottom line of his financial plan. When the "winds shift," as they will, Mr Brandon will find his alienation of Michigan and Community people will leave him out in the cold ... perhaps in a very cold tank.
Evan Smith
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 11:44 p.m.
I hope that there was a legitimate reason for this. Based on the article, it seems like a very bad decision.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 11:20 p.m.
The UM can only do on charitable event-- this is totally disappointing. When I looked at how much the run collected and wehre it all went. Come on Big M get with the program. I totally love Special Olympics having two grandsons who participate in the organization, but if the UM had a Big Heart they would do both.
Art Vandelay
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 11:07 p.m.
For those of you that think the Highfields are getting rich off BHBH you clearly didn't read the other article that states that neither of them takes a paycheck from Champions for Charity and that, after all the races they did last year, they showed a net gain of about $19,000. You should also know that they are big supporters of Michigan athletics and gave enough in the Crisler renovation to get a room named for them. It's awful that Brandon and company have not only upset a substantial donor but are literally taking away millions from local charities with no logical explanation.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 11:27 p.m.
The general explanation is that UM partnering with Special Olympics is a mutually benefitting one for them that involves much larger amounts of money and PR than this racing event... When has UM ever been in it for the community good outside their own moat?....
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 10:31 p.m.
Yikes - tons and tons of judgment here without knowing much by way of the facts. I've been hearing complaints about Champions for Charity for the past several years. They do not provide any type of breakdown about where their entrance fees are going or their financials in general. They are a for-profit organization in the guise of a non-profit, and our group for one decided not to deal with them because they lacked transparency. I also found their email incredibly self-serving (but don't forget to go to their other event...). I like the idea of focusing on the Special Olympics -- they are forthright and a true nonprofit. But more importantly, I think folks need to consider that there were some issues going on here.
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 12:46 a.m.
According to http://annarbor.com/news/text-of-email-informing-big-house-big-heart-supporters-about-cancelation Champions of Charity "offered to give UM Athletics the race if they would continue to allow it to finish in the stadium. " So it would seem the onus was still on U of M to make this even go forward regardless of how how they felt about Champions of Charity.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 10:07 p.m.
Why does it have to end at the Big House? How about the golf course or Pioneer High School acreage. Sounds like much to do about nothing.
Fri, Dec 7, 2012 : 2:45 a.m.
Nearly 15,000 people sign up for the various Dexter Ann Arbor events, and those just end at the corner of Main and Ann. I wonder what percentage of runners raise money for charities and how many just run to finish? I've known both.
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 3 p.m.
If this really has to do with charity then run! If it has to be an "experience" about the Big House, don't. Solved.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 11:53 p.m.
It's special and a draw of thousands of people when it ends by going through the tunnel and onto the field.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 10:56 p.m.
15,000 people aren't going to sign up for a race that ends in the Pioneer parking lot. Finishing in the Big House was the novelty that allowed for such huge numbers.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 10:04 p.m.
This is entirely on Dave Brandon's shoulders. To quote Dave "Brand" himself, the model for big time athletics is "broken." (See Brandon's airy, almost breathless interview on 60 Minutes 3 weeks ago, at http://www.maizenbrew.com/2012/11/20/3669842/michigan-football-on-60-minutes-plus-bonus-footage.) Brandon curiously never explains, during that hyperventilated interview, what he means by that. But this decision is a good partial explanation. Brandon's sole interest is to maximize gross revenue. So he doesn't like donating a small portion of Big House time to this long-established road race. It's just Gross Revenue that he's worried about. Next time you see Brandon, ask him three questions: 1) what did you mean when you told 60 Min. that the model for big time athletics is "broken" and 2) What needs to be done to fix it; 3) Why aren't you doing anything to fix it? The real reason he's doing nothing to fix it is he's so blinded by his thirst for maximizing gross revenue, even at the cost of these kinds of lovely "buy local", home-grown road races which finish at the Big House. Really now, Dave, can't you do without the hourly gross rate for a couple hours on a Sunday? It's time to stop the worship of this pizza huckster, and throw him out. Any old bumbling fool can make money at Michigan.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 11:10 p.m.
The race had positive vibes throughout the country. I, for one, have worn BHBH running shirts in other cities (such as the Chicago and Boston areas) and also en route places such as rest stops on the New York Thruway. I see now that there aren't "licensed" tags (at least not on the running shirt I'm looking at now). Would licensing fees make a difference?
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 9:58 p.m.
This is the worst PR decision the University has made in years. It's hard to believe Dave Brandon initiated this. He's too bright. There has to be more to this situation than what we know.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 9:37 p.m.
Selfish, stingy, self-absorbed …what's good for U of M is only good for U of M. Why don't folks get that
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 9:36 p.m.
Well last time I checked the race could still be run, it simply just can't begin and end IN the Stadium. CofC could still put on this race and if the community feels so strongly about running "for the charities" then people should still support it regardless of their personal benefit to finish in the football stadium. Yes the Stadium was a large "selling" point for the race but seriously if this community feels so strongly about the benefit of this race to the city and the benefactors then CofC shouldn't just throw in the towel and say "quits" because the Stadium isn't accessible, no?
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 9:20 p.m.
I was unable to find financials for Champions for Charity. Their website does not provide much information on the organization. http://www.champsforcharity.com/ If you go to the state website and look up the LLC, you will find two organizations. Champions for Charity LLC, which is apparently a normal (for profit) limited liability corporation and Champions for Charity Foundation LLC, which is a non-profit. http://www.dleg.state.mi.us/bcs_corp/sr_corp.asp Champions for Charity LLC apparently sets up these races and collects registration fees from runners. Then they also take 8% of charitable donations (in exchange for collecting them). It is not clear what they do with these fees, although they do say "a portion" of the fees are deductible as they go to charity. How much? Entry fees for BHBH last year must have approached $500,000 ($32-39 X 15,000 runners). I do not know where Champions for Charity Foundation fits in. Champions for Charity should clarify it's profit/non-profit status and provide some financials.
Fri, Dec 7, 2012 : 2:43 a.m.
Yeah, I'd love to know what happens to that 8% on top of all the registration fees...
Bob Cain
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 9:18 p.m.
"Dig his grave" is a bad use of words. I apologize. ....his silence will hurt his "PR image."
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 1:04 a.m.
no Bob, you had it right the first time.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 9:17 p.m.
Boo, U-M!
Bob Cain
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 9:15 p.m.
"Shame on you Dave Brandon" is everyone's comment. Unless he comes up with a more plausable explanation for cancelling this run, this shame will be his to bear forever. We will never forget this act (if he chooses not to speak out on the REAL reason for cancellation). His silence will dig his grave.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 9:01 p.m.
...another PR blunder by the man who hates the band. Get real D.B. i thought were you smart or something like that....
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 9 p.m.
Not a good decision Branden. To just say it doesn't fit our charitable goals is not what people want to hear. Either produce a good explanation of why this decision was made that people can identify with or don't make these kinds of decisions. This and the Band decision at Dallas are souring perceptions of the current athletic administration. I ran that race in the past and from what I can tell it was good PR for Michigan. It gave people a real value (i.e., being able to run through the tunnel and out on the field).
Ren Farley
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 9:04 p.m.
Has anyone seen an audited financial statement from Champions for Charity - the organization that owns the Big Heart Big House run? I think they are a for profit organization. The assertion of raising 3.5 million for charities seems implausible. Most who organize runs give one or two dollars of a runner's entry fee to a charity. A few runners - but very few - add a contribution to their entry fee. Perhaps some financial officers of the university have seen the official financial records of the organizers. It would be helpful if Champions for Charity had their auditor post their financial statement on his or her website.
Momma G
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 8:51 p.m.
How can they justify this decision? I'll be emailing the president MarySue Coleman and Brandon to let them know how ridiculous this decision is. How often is that costly stadium used and for good community reasons?
Paul Taylor
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 8:49 p.m.
Too bad they can't finish at Rynearson Stadium. Had they considered that?
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 8:40 p.m.
Weasel words.
Alan Caldwell
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 8:33 p.m.
How does this help the UM with relations with the local outside community? Really unfortunate decision on their part. This was a really neat event that made us locals feel part of the University. I ran the 10K last year and then walked the 5K -- it was great fun, and we raised a lot of money for local charities! Very sad.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 11:23 p.m.
UM has shown time and time again for the past 80 years that they have no interest in relations with the local outside community. Just saying.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 8:28 p.m.
Robert K Rademacher, Associate Athletic Director for Facilities and Operations , E-Mail: email@example.com , Work734/647-9763 .
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 8:11 p.m.
It was a fun race, sorry to see it go. Be interesting to hear the real reason why the cancellation.
Roy Munson
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 8:10 p.m.
Brandon is missing another great opportunity to perform another shakedown. He can stand at the tunnel and collect a $100 bill from each runner. It would fit into the plans then.
Fat Bill
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 8:10 p.m.
Maybe time to let um go private....pay us for the property and start paying taxes on it...
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 8:02 p.m.
No $$ for the Athletic Dept most likely out of this race and certainly not the PR value of teaming up with the Special Olympics. Too bad this race was cancelled. However, I do think A2 needs to have better coordination between all "race" events in the city, so there is not a lot of overlap especially with scheduling, and that events are spaced out over several months and not back to back. The Big Heart run was successful and it's too bad UM didn't want to be part of it.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 7:45 p.m.
I am saddened by this decision at U of M. But instead of just (and maybe you're not) complaining here but notify your charity and U of M. If pressure is placed on U of M maybe (and that is a big MAYBE) they will rethink this choice. That is my plan for my charity. If I am not mistaken U of M is helping with the state wide Special Olympics, I could be wrong. If they are helping state wide, how about local charities.
Fri, Dec 7, 2012 : 2:41 a.m.
You do realize there are local participants in Special Olympics, don't you?
Rod Johnson
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 7:43 p.m.
4 Fingers
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 7:40 p.m.
There are three sides to every story, My side, Your side, and the truth. I personally would like to hear from the UM Athletic dept and Champions for Charity. I've heard good and bad about how much of that money goes to charity and how much they pay themselves for holding these events. I wonder if either party got sick of dealing with the other. Who knows? Anyway, I'd rather see this event held than that lousy, poorly planned marathon they did last year.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 7:58 p.m.
CFC did list in a multi part comment above to what entities recieved money and it is impressive. They made a generic but no doubt impressive sum of hundreds of thousands of dollars. We probably won't get much more out of the U-M Athletic Department except for the Special Olympics tie in thay stated.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 7:34 p.m.
15,0000 runners x $32 registration fee (from BHBH registration page) = $480,000. Anyone know where THIS money goes? It's not part of the fundraising that individuals do for non-profits.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 7:32 p.m.
The first race to finish inside Michigan Stadium was on Sep 7,1980. It was the called The Big 10 as it was 10 miles in distance. Bo Schembechler was furious about the event finishing on "Canham's Carpet" that the following year, the finish was outside the stadium. I ran in the then intital race. My next Big 10 was in 1983 and that one finished on the track at Ferry Field. I was living out of town and coming back to Ann Arbor to run in race and visit old friends was a very big deal back then. The point is, there have been various times when a running event finished inside the stadium but it has been hard pressed to last more than a few years. I ran in the 2010 and 2011 BHBH 10K event and did not part take this year. I have mixed emotions about the the event being cancelled. Bottom line: it is not the first time and perhaps yet another running event will rise from the ashes to have a finish inside Michigan Stadium. I suspect, it will have to wait until Dave Brandon moves on. The event was getting too big and it was taking a lot folks well over two hours to complete a 10K event. That's at a 20 minute per mile walking pace. Police are needed to keep traffic off the route for a very long time for an event that should not last that long. The Champions for Charity folks have gotten very big and I would like to see transparency in how profitable they are. If the Michigan Athletic Department wants to back Special Olympics, so be it. Having a Polar Plunge event is manageable vs the 11 to 15000 runners. I am OK with this Athletic Department's decision.
C.C. Ingersoll
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 11:07 p.m.
Thank you for posting another side to this issue; it puts the UofM's decision into a bit of perspective. I hope that BHBH can find another way to make their charity run work and soon! (and really people.... what's with all the 'down votes' ?)
sun runner
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 7:27 p.m.
I participated in BHBH every year of its existence and I did so specifically because the race finished inside the Big House. Every weekend presents an area runner with numerous road racing opportunities. Many of these races will have a finishing chute consisting of a few cones and a timing mat set up in a parking lot or on a road. The BHBH was DIFFERENT. It was SPECIAL. Not special enough, I guess. "That partnership, Ablauf said, has become the department's priority. Ablauf said the run had become "a very challenging event ... to fit into our stadium." The Big House handles over 100,000 people on game days. Is he really trying to make the case that having 15,000 runners and additional volunteers is somehow stressing the capabilities of the stadium?
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 10:58 p.m.
I also participated because it was special, including running through the tunnel and to the 50 yard line. Many of us are the townies who don't come here for just a few years and then leave. Besides not caring about the community and the charities, it could hurt the successor CEO and the franchisees at Domino's because (like it or not) Brandon's name is associated with Domino's by many in the community. In my opinion, it's not one of his better decisions.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 7:26 p.m.
they rent out the 50 yard line for weddings but no running on the track for charity...screwed values
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 7:39 p.m.
Weddings are private events that costs big bucks. Totally different sentimental value to the participants of such events. How about a wedding ceremony where the bride and groom are runners, and get to run through the tunnel, down the sideline to the End Zone then finish at the 50 yard line to tie the knot?
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 7:26 p.m.
I would like to thank the UM Running Club/My TeamTriumph, for making it possible for my son to take part in the BHBH race over the past several years. My son uses a wheelchair for mobility and the young men and woman from the UM Running Club gave him the joy of running the BHBH pushing him in a jogging stroller. It has been his highlight of the year. He would often send an email to his nuerologist who also ran the race, with trash talk about having a faster time. The Running Club is an awesome group of young men and woman who make a difference. It is a shame the fun and excitement has to end. One last note. Please don't blame to Special Olympics for the AD decision. The Special Olympics provides a chance to be active in sports that may not other wise be available to people with disabilities. It really shouldn't be an either/or situation.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 10:50 p.m.
It's too bad the A.D. wasn't at the races to see people of all situations participating. If he was there, there's even more that I don't like about this decision.
Macabre Sunset
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 6:51 p.m.
"This story is developing" Then why run it? Where's the urgency? A half-told story is no better than TMZ bringing out the shaky-cam and chasing some attention-happy wannabe celebrity.
Fri, Dec 7, 2012 : 2:39 a.m.
Even half-told stories get lots of comments and ad views...
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 7:49 p.m.
TV media invented "breaking news"and "developing story" because it is supposed to get yout attention and then have you, the viewer, want more.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 7:13 p.m.
Because if AnnArbor.com doesn't run it then someone else will and you will then chastise AnnArbor.com for being so slow to report such relevant news.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 6:47 p.m.
We definitely need to hear the other side of the story so we can judge the situation correctly. At the moment it makes U of M look horrible.
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 12:59 a.m.
so it makes U of M look horrible. and your point is....................?
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 6:40 p.m.
I think this is a sad race to lose...it is a family fun event, great for the charities, and a fun run.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 6:30 p.m.
I don't see what the big deal is about, why cant't they just end the run somewhere else, like the parking lot at pioneer or something? what's more important, raising money for charity or ending location for the run?
Fri, Dec 7, 2012 : 2:38 a.m.
I am a runner. I've participated in BHBH and did fund-raising. And finishing on the 50 yard line is very cool. However, my organization decided to switch their fundraising to "Run Scream Run" in fall 2012 rather than the spring 2012 BHBH. Rolling Hills was a much more picturesque course, too (frankly, campus area streets are a yawner if you live here). My group actually raised more money than they had at fall 2011 BHBH. So I agree with the sentiment - there are other ways to raise money. If the charity is your motivation, the finish line should not be your primary focus.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 7:46 p.m.
Sorry to see the negative erplies. In fact, the initial Big 10 race in 1980 ended up finishing somewhere else the following years. History might repeat itself.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 7:24 p.m.
Actually tuesday, raising money and an end location are directly correlated.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 7:05 p.m.
You must not be a runner.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 6:49 p.m.
Being able to end your run on the field inside the stadium was a huge rush for the participants and the main point of choosing this event over others. Finishing at Pioneer or elsewhere makes it just another run so participation would go way down.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 6:38 p.m.
That was part of the attraction. Unless you are a UofM athlete, band member or other with connections, you'll never get to be on the field. It was something special. Sure, could you get people to come out and sign up even if the event ended in Pioneer's lot, sure. But it's just a parking lot, not Michigan Stadium. What's going to draw more people?
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 6:29 p.m.
I am disappointed in this decision. I did a 10k for the first time this past spring and it was an awesome route and a great place to finish. Kind of some bad PR for Dave Brandon in leiu of this being really charity focused, specifically stuff going to Motts as well.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 6:27 p.m.
While this saddens some, it thrills others -- perhaps there is hope yet that they will cancel that overwhelmingly disliked (except by the runners) Ann Arbor Marathon as well....
mike gatti
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 12:36 a.m.
Hey Mister can we have our ball back?
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 6:10 p.m.
Wow really? No longer fit's into the charitable mission? Shame on you.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 6:03 p.m.
Change the name and run it into Rynearson. EMU and Ypsilanti would probably welcome such an event.
EMU Prof
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 9:42 p.m.
Great idea. I hope someone with influence reads your post.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 8:43 p.m.
In a heart beat!!
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 7:43 p.m.
I hope the Champions for Charity folks read your post. Great thought.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 7:41 p.m.
That's a great idea! I'm sure EMU would jump on the opportunity. Timing-wise, it's a month before the Ypsi Color Run though. May want to change the date a bit perhaps?
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 6:25 p.m.
That's a perfectly fine idea!
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 6:23 p.m.
I'd do it. How about a run down Huron River Drive from AA to Ypsi finishing at Rynearson?
Jojo B
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 6:08 p.m.
There's an idea! That would be great publicity for EMU and it would make U-M look like the greedy money-hungry monster. I like it.
Jojo B
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 6:03 p.m.
Nice to see the well-oiled Brandon PR machine showing its true colors. If it doesn't bring in national publicity to the U-M athletic department empire, it isn't worth doing. *pthew!!!!!* I hope this decision brings a dark cloud of the AD. Is anybody actually happy about this decision?
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 7:41 p.m.
Life will go on. There will be another tomorrow.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 6:02 p.m.
Change the venue to Big George's Big Heart race
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 5:58 p.m.
(last one ...) For all non-profits, please consider using The Ann Arbor Marathon and the rest of the CFC 2013 events as your fund-raiser. We plan to add the "all charity" component to each event. Details will be sent with an invitation for all non profits to attend our annual Non Profit Fundraising meeting on January 15th. Champions For Charity is proud that through BHBH we have raised collectively hundreds of thousands of dollars for the UM Program For Neurology Research & Discovery, for UM Cardiovascular Center and for C.S Mott Children's Hospital as well as the Glenn E. "Bo" Schembechler Endowed Scholarship. CFC plans to continue serving the community with our upcoming events. Thank you for sharing your stories with us-your reasons for running the BHBH. You have been an inspiration to us! If you wish to contact CFC about BHBH, please email andrea@champsforcharity. If you have questions about the UM Athletic's decision, please contact them. Sincerely, Your Champions For Charity Crew
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 5:57 p.m.
(continued...) Our heartfelt thanks goes out to the thousands of people who were inspired by the race, the hundreds of local charities the race has helped by raising over $3.5 Million for them. We also want to thank the over 1,000 volunteers and committee members who have worked diligently to make this event "the premiere event in Ann Arbor", as tagged by President Mary Sue Coleman. We are so proud that Big House Big Heart touched so many lives over the years, including the many young CS Mott patients who, along with their families and representatives from nearly every UM Athletic team supporting them, did the MOTT MILE at BHBH. We appreciate the many UM coaches and student athletes who have helped with various aspects of the race. We thank the troops in Afghanistan that worked with CFC to organize the BHBH race at their camp to raise money for ALS research. We wish to thank the classes at University of Michigan spending their semester studying and helping to plan BHBH. We especially would like to thank University of Michigan's Provost, Phil Hanlon and CFO, Tim Slottow and Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, Ora Pescovitz for sponsoring the Go Maize and Go Blue Challenges for several years. They challenged each of the 19 UM Schools, colleges and all departments to compete with one another for participation in BHBH and for volunteerism. The 2012 winners were: Go Blue Award-Ross School of Business and CS Mott Pediatrics; the Go Maize Volunteerism award went to UM Athletics for the most volunteers. We would also like to thank M Healthy for using BHBH as the training event they have used as a healthy challenge. Lastly, we wish to thank our many local vendors and sponsors for your incredible support through the years. Big House Big Heart has been an amazing, inspiring event because of all of you.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 5:56 p.m.
May I post the entire letter from CFC? (We'll find out ...) The tone is interesting: Dear Big House Big Heart Participant, We apologize ahead for a lengthy email. It is with sadness that we announce that University of Michigan Athletics has decided that Big House Big Heart no longer fits into its charitable mission and therefore the race cannot finish in the Big House. At a meeting on Nov. 30 with two representatives of the Brandon Administration, Chrissi Rawak, Senior Assistant Athletic Director for Development and Rob Rademacker, Assistant Athletic Director for Facilities and Operations, we were told, "our decision was based on a several month long evaluation of our charitable work and relationships and need to streamline and organize those efforts. Unfortunately, the run doesn't fit into those plans." We made it clear how much the race means to each participant, volunteer, committee member and the many charities (over 175) which count of substantial fund-raising from BHBH. We offered to give UM Athletics the race if they would continue to allow it to finish in the stadium. CFC was not made aware of any charitable assessment process. While we were advised BHBH would again be Spring Football Game Weekend, and of the rental price of the stadium, we had been waiting for several weeks for the final "OK" so that we could open registration and begin promoting the race, as well as helping non-profits build their fund-raising teams. CFC has been very appreciative of being able to finish the BHBH race in the stadium these last 6 years and have been diligent to leave the stadium in better shape than when we entered. We know the extraordinary race finish has always been dependent on UM Athletics allowing access to the stadium and that priorities do change with administration changes.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 5:53 p.m.
Thus far, the excuses that the Athletic Department aren't adding up. Some event in February interferes with one in April? An event run by somebody else takes away some of their "focus"? Look, I absolutely believe they have the right to decide what's best for usage of the stadium. And if the field was getting damaged or whatever, fine that would be a legitimate excuse. But I'm just not seeing that in their answers right now. Like I said, something's not adding up.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 5:47 p.m.
Instead of helping give back to the local community that supports the university and puts up with their construction detours, the university would rather give to an outside agency solely. Is there no room to give locally Mr. Brandon? Sad, sad commentary on where he is taking the university.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 5:46 p.m.
Something doesn't pass the smell test on this... both sides. Will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Rick Stevens
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 7:09 p.m.
Couldn't agree with you more ! CFC is an LLC and I've always wondered about liability insurance, etc. (a big deal). Rare to see a venture like this not a not-for-profit corporation, etc. It was surprising to many of us how Highfield got access to the Big House the first time since I knew many, many charities had tried and been rebuffed.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 5:38 p.m.
I am disappointed, but not surprised. U of M just continues to take and not give back. I hope that another school that is not so arrogant and greedy steps up to host the run. There was so much local excitement around this event. It also promoted good health for the residents. So many taxpayer dollars go to U of M. The stadium is not used enough for community or charity events when football season ends. Nice going, Brandon - taking 1.5 million from non-profits. Merry Christmas.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 5:33 p.m.
U of M just keeps making it more difficult for this alumna to justify making donations to ANY of their departments. Next time they call me asking for money, I will have one more reason to say no: I contributed the money I would have given to Michigan to the charity I run for.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 5:30 p.m.
They should change the name to "Big House No Heart".
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 12:44 a.m.
Best comment of the day.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 8:41 p.m.
That should have been the headline of this story.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 5:17 p.m.
If it costs $6,000 to rent the field for a wedding it seems like BHBH could take .007% of the $1.75 million and lease the field for a couple hours.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 5:15 p.m.
Dave Brandon is Creating the Future. And that Future doesn't include free-loading charities and local runners who don't pay the seat license fees.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 5:10 p.m.
So, the tail continues to wag the dog. That's the Michigan Difference!
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 9:22 p.m.
Love it!
Annie Arbor
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 5:04 p.m.
I can't seem to put my hands on the Athletic Department's Charitable Mission Statement. It doesn't seem to be on their website. Maybe we should help them - "The University of Michigan strives to promote and support ____________________________________________".
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:57 p.m.
As townie with no real history or connection to U-M and especially U-M Football, the BHBH was the one time each year that I could appreciate having the stadium in town rather wishing it "bless" some other distant locale.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:56 p.m.
Shame on you, U of M Athletic Department. Shame on you!
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:55 p.m.
If the rationale seems to be as superficial as P&L, this is a small-minded and short-sighted decision by the AD. Might be nice for AA.com, btw, to actually ask a little more as to why the Athletic Dept nixed this. They say "didn't fit mission" and "logistical challenge," but do you think it might be worthwhile getting a little more detail? Reporting is a little bit too cursory and shallow...
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 6:25 p.m.
Interesting questions dotdash. Perhaps the U thought there wouldn't be a public outcry....after all, there are many races in the area. I really hope there is significant blowback but unfortunately it would probably take a significant drop in alumni donations for Brandon to reconsider this decision.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 5:42 p.m.
I'd love to know who, outside the Athletic Dept, signed off on this decision. Anybody in community relations? Anybody in alumni relations? Anybody in the president's office? Board of Regents?
Cindy Heflin
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 5:04 p.m.
A2now: We are following up on this story and asking lots of questions. This was announced a short time ago. Answers to questions such as these take a bit of time to uncover.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 5 p.m.
The developing story appears to quote the mass email message from Champions for Charity that did not elaborate on why the athletic department made such poor decision.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:55 p.m.
I enjoyed running in the 10k in the past, an finishing in the stadium was always a treat. I can't believe that logistics are to blame here - Dave Brandon is never afraid of that sort of thing when it helps promoting the university and his athletic department. The re-evaluation of charity partnerships may suggest that there is another problem with Champions for Charity. It has long been known that actually very little of their fundraising actually goes to charity, and I wouldn't be surprised if there is more going on than we know and that the university had to pull the plug on them for that reason.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 7:14 p.m.
Hey Kafkaland, you wanna back that accusation up with fact? Please add a link to where you write "It has long been known that actually very little of their fundraising goes to charity...". Got proof, tough guy? Nice to make a statement like that and hide behind a fake name...
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:51 p.m.
Where is UM's statement on this issue? So far, we're only hearing one side of the story. They're going to need major damage control. This is a big deal. Only last week, Dave Brandon was quoted on annarbor.com as saying, "Find out how people want to be treated and then treat them that way." I'm sorry Dave - this is not how the running community, local charities, the Heart community, etc. want to be treated!
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:47 p.m.
Hopefully, this will see as much community outrage as when he didn't want to send the band down to Dallas for the Alabama game. Sadly, I don't think it will.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:46 p.m.
Let them know how you feel: - Dave Brandon 734-764-9416, - Mary Sue Coleman email@example.com, - Denise Illich (regent) email@example.com (248) 203-6789
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 8:24 p.m.
Robert K Rademacher, Associate Athletic Director for Facilities and Operations , E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com , Work734/647-9763 .
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:46 p.m.
You can email Mary Sue Coleman (U of M President) at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:45 p.m.
This was the largest fundraiser of the year for a local organization I support. Now they need to figure out a way to make up the $4600 they raise as part of this event.
Lizzy Alfs
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:42 p.m.
That's too bad!
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 12:50 a.m.
understatement of the decade, lizzie.....
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:34 p.m.
I am eager to hear how, specifically, this is not in alignment with the AD's charitable giving. This decision seems short-sighted, ill-advised and has the potential to alienate the Athletic Department from the deep pockets of fellow supporters of these charities. President Coleman has praised BHBH for its work -- perhaps it's time that she step up and show Mr. Brandon that he is not the only decision maker in town?
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 9:20 p.m.
I doubt if Coleman would ever step up to Brandon. He's the Golden Boy.
J. Zarman
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:29 p.m.
Thankfully, there is more scrutiny regarding the percentage of funds which actually end up providing charitable service. Has BHBH released its expense report? Charity Choices reports that more universities are requiring charities they coordinate with, to have low fund-raising and administrative costs, and an annual audit.
Rick Stevens
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 5:33 p.m.
I haven't seen any financials from CFC and would like to know more how their finances work. They are an LLC so they don't have to release them. No 990s, etc. I don't think either since I don't think they are a non-profit.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:28 p.m.
Bad decision. Brandon is so out of touch with the local community.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 9:44 p.m.
SOOOOO UNTRUE. Mr. Brandon does alot for others. He is just NOT a CHEST THUMPER!! Thank you Dave for ALL that YOU do.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 9:10 p.m.
When Brandon was on the Board of Regents, he said, "I live in Ann Arbor, and I don't know anyone who wants to save that (the Frieze) building." Now, folks, he lives in Barton Hills. That is its own village and has about as much to do with A2 as Manhattan has to do with Whitmore Lake. I do agree with jeffsab. Not just out of touch,,,,,,,out of caring.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:28 p.m.
Why? What was the specific finding of the "several month eveluation"? Why not use the stadium as much as possible? Or, is it not available due to the huge amount of Big House weddings booked through the spring? $$$
Elspeth Doe
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 11:55 p.m.
The "specific finding" could be obtained though a Michigan FOIA request. There have to be written records of the decision, even if it was just an email discussion. The University IS covered under the act (they try to say they aren't but the law is quite clear that they are because they were created by the State and funded primarily by the state and they are not otherwise exempted, like the courts are)
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:27 p.m.
Big House Big Heart should just say they are throwing a "wedding" that day.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 5:36 p.m.
Truly amazing that you can schedule a wedding there but can't have a run to raise money for charity.
Unusual Suspect
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:27 p.m.
Wondering if there's some sort of exclusivity clause in the Special Olympics relationship that prevents this.
Elspeth Doe
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 11:53 p.m.
That contract would be readily available under the Michigan FOIA. Anyone can make a request just label it an MCL 15.231 et seq request for a copy of the contract...or any other racord related to this controversy you wish to have. The University IS covered by the Act, even if they try to say they aren't, under section 15.232(d)(iv)
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:56 p.m.
I asked. They said they will still have relationships with other "partners", but not BHBH. I think back behind all the arm waving is that it was a big, successful event in their Big House that they didn't control or control enough.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:26 p.m.
Think about it. A little research (which I will do when I have time) will probably show that the financial benefit for UM was not there. That is all they care about. You'd think an entity like UM would actually care about the community they reside in, but they do not at all. It is ridiculous how painful it is to make use of any UM site for any type of philanthropic activity.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:24 p.m.
The decision came from Dave Brandon's office (Director of Athletics). His number is 764-9416. The university says community members can all Rod Rademacher 647-9763 with input. This is a really stupid thing the university is doing, as it goes a long way to rehabilitate the image of U of M athletics.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:39 p.m.
Expect to leave a voice mail message.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:25 p.m.
Sorry, meant to say that having the event at the stadium does a long way to rehabilitating the image of U of M athletics.
Emily Belanger
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:23 p.m.
Okay, I may be blonde, but I would hope that someone in the University's AD might clarify why a long-running (!), successful event which raised $1.5 million is to be dropped in lieu of a jump into a cold tub? It seems to me to be the very definition of Lame!! (actually there is no reason that both events might not take place, but given one over the other....c'mon!)
Wed, Dec 5, 2012 : 2:30 a.m.
Is there any accounting for the BHBH race? The race raised $1.5 million but how much actually went to charities and how much went to CFC? Where is the accounting? They are not a non-profit. CFC is the same lame organization that scheduled a marathon in conflict with the Dexter-Ann Arbor run. They have no problem ignoring traditions if it means cash for them.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:18 p.m.
I am disgusted by this decision of the University of Michigan Athletic Department. Is there REALLY no room in their "charitable mission" to continue to allow the Big House Big Heart event to continue? That event has benefitted over 175 charities. I can't believe that weekend is reserved for something else. So what is the REAL reason?
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:14 p.m.
This decision needs to be revisited, reevaluated, and reversed. U of M is a selfish, corporate behemoth with no concern for anything but its bottom line. This latest announcement should confirm that truth for anyone who may have not known it.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 5:01 p.m.
I don't know, Ghost, a much respected old timer said the same thing about large universities 250 years ago - he said that their biggest concern is for their financial well-being, students are merely the means to an end, and to the majority of faculty students are a nuisance to be suffered. Adam Smith complained mightily about the high cost education for no purpose other than fattening the treasury of the institution and administrators, while serving the students poorly.
Ghost of Tom Joad
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:17 p.m.
way to lump an entire university into your generalization. Keep building that narrative you have going so that it is impermeable to anything that may be contrary to your preconceived stereotypes.
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:12 p.m.
Wow, thanks University of Michigan AD. I'm pretty sure that BHBH will end about now. But ya, sounds like taking dives into freezing tubs of water for money is a much better use of the Stadium than something as lame as "running for charity".
Tue, Dec 4, 2012 : 4:12 p.m.
I am saddened by this poor decision by the Brandon administration. This event has been extremely popular, fun, and most of all, done much for local charities. I strongly hope this decision will be rethought.


text:
My mom never let me wear a bikini when I was little, and frankly, I didn't want to. My pooltime activities of dunking and bobbing and diving and spiraling through the water required full, low-maintenance coverage. And TMI alert: I didn't start wearing a bra until seventh grade. But Abercrombie has taken bikinis and underwear to a whole new level with their latest "push up" line for girls as young as 7.
Plus: Seriously Controversial Parenting Stories
This is the part of the story where I ask What. Were. They. Thinking? Why would a little girl ever need to look like she had boobs?
Plus: Ridiculous Parenting Products
After parents complained, they removed the word "push-up" from their website, but the things are still for sale, padded as ever. (Now referred to as "lightly lined.")
Plus: Best and Worst Parenting Moments of 2010
Would you buy a push-up bikini for your 7-year-old?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
WASHINGTON (AP) — She's an outspoken feminist and former social worker. He's a cigar-smoking Kentucky lawyer.
But Democratic Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland and Republican Rep. Harold Rogers have big things in common as they steer the House and Senate Appropriations committees toward a spending plan for the rest of the year that eases the bite of $85 billion in automatic spending cuts.
Their tiny domain is the only place in a bitterly divided Congress where bipartisan negotiation thrives, however uncomfortably.
As their bill winds toward Senate and House approval, the veteran lawmakers who have a combined 68 years of service on Capitol Hill are hoping their exercise is instructive to the dozens of colleagues, many elected since 2010, who frown on compromise.
"If they succeed, perhaps in their own way they will have demonstrated to others in this Congress that this is about conciliation, it's about setting priorities, it's about cutting waste," said Jim Dyer, a longtime appropriations aide who's now a lobbyist. "It's about doing your job as opposed to getting yourself so wrapped around the ideological axle that you can't accomplish anything."
Mikulski and Rogers are the pain managers of the nation's fiscal difficulties, the two individuals most responsible for averting a government shutdown March 27 and taking some of the edge off the automatic spending cuts known as the sequester.
They can't do anything, though, without the agreement of Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, the top Republican on the Senate committee, and New York Rep. Nita Lowy, the senior Democrat on the House committee.
"We are working well together, now," Shelby said.
The headache of sequester is here to stay for at least six months, until the end of the current budget year Sept. 30. View it has the hangover from Congress's inability to bully itself into a deficit-cutting deal that might require voters to give up some of their tax cuts or government benefits.
The job of writing a spending plan for the rest of the year that achieves the $85 billion in cuts fell to two political opposites of the same generation who share decades of budget experience, a determination to solve the immediate problem and a grim regard for who's to blame for the government-by-crisis that has ruled Washington since the 2010 election.
"We think the sequester is a stupid way to do business. It's the coward's way out," Rogers, 75, said during an interview this past week in his sunlight-filled corner office just off the House floor. He noted that the bulk of lawmakers who arrived in Washington in the past two elections have no experience with Congress as it's supposed to run.
It's been a dozen years since the House and Senate have passed all of the government spending bills individually, the products of intense bipartisan negotiations and, yes, compromise. The House calls that process regular order; sequester represents the ultimate failure of it.
As Mikulski and Rogers labor to minimize the sequester's pain, they're also trying to expose colleagues to the value of the Capitol's traditional ways.
"We're in an education phase now," said Rogers, a 32-year House veteran.
The temporary spending bill is the duo's first collaboration, carried out in daily and sometimes hourly phone calls and meetings in either Rogers' ornate office or across the Capitol in the historic committee suite that Mikulski has nicknamed "the mother ship."
After 24 years in the Senate, she's the first woman to lead the committee, which was controlled for decades by bulls such as Sens. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, and, most recently, Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii.
The committees' control over where the government spends money gives them outsized authority in Washington, even though that power has been shorn somewhat recently by the Congress-wide ban on letting lawmakers pick special projects back home for federal money. In the competition for those projects, often known as earmarks, it was most often the appropriations chairmen who picked the winners and losers.
This is Mikulski's first test as committee head. It's one she subtly suggested might teach her colleagues how to do their jobs in difficult circumstances.
"This is a temporary tool to use during a fiscal crisis to have smart government and try and get us a little bit beyond ultimatum and brinkmanship politics," said Mikulski, 76. Of Rogers, she added: "We've enjoyed talking with each other. We haven't always enjoyed what the other has to say."
The government-wide spending bill would cover the day-to-day budgets for every agency. Rogers and Mikulski are laboring to shuffle the money in a way that gives agencies more flexibility to deal with mandatory across-the-board cuts — 5 percent for most domestic programs, 8 percent for the military.
They are working out different priorities. While Rogers focused on giving the Pentagon relief from a crunch in readiness accounts, Mikulski sought to minimize cuts in domestic programs such as food aid for pregnant women and their children and health research.
The Senate and House are expected to pass their combined effort this coming week, preventing a government shutdown when current funding runs out March 27.
Their work and very public comments about it exemplify a growing sentiment among Congress' elders that the cut-it-or-shut-it mentality that fueled the tea party wave of 2010, flipping the House to a GOP majority and ousting several veteran dealmakers, has contributed to the nation's post-recession uncertainties. Evidence is everywhere that the veterans who remain are out of patience with colleagues who seem to see compromise as a dirty word, no matter the topic.
"I am not a sixth-grader," Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., fumed at Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, a freshman and tea party favorite, when he asked her what limits on the First Amendment's free speech protections she would support while attacking her proposed ban assault weapons as an unconstitutional limit on the Second Amendment right to bear arms.
"It's fine you want to lecture me on the Constitution. I appreciate it," she snapped. "Just know I've been here a long time."
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., suggested on the Senate floor that Kentucky tea party favorite Rand Paul, elected to the Senate in 2010, had his facts wrong on President Barack Obama's drone program and was guilty of stunt politicking with his 13-hour filibuster of John Brennan's nomination to lead the CIA.
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, suggested that Congress should pick better battles than another one waged by Cruz — trying to attach a repeal of Obama's health care law to the spending bill Mikulski and Rogers are writing.
"Trying to put 'Obamacare' on this vehicle risks shutting down the government," Boehner said at his weekly Capitol briefing. "That's not what our goal is. Our goal is to reduce spending."
House Appropriations Committee: http://appropriations.house.gov
Senate Appropriations Committee: http://www.appropriations.senate.gov


text:
LA CROSSE, Wis. (WEAU) -- UW-La Crosse is trying to come up with a compromise to its smoking ban plan.
Students and the Academic Staff Council voted in favor of banning smoking on campus.
However, the Faculty Senate, and Classified Staff Council which includes clerical workers and custodians voted against the ban.
Both groups felt there were too many unanswered questions about the ban.
UW-L Chancellor Joe Gow said a possible compromise is to allow smoking along the sidewalks of the perimeter of campus.
Right now, no smoking is allowed on campus within 25 feet of buildings.
"I think it's becoming more of an issue, more of a health issue, and I believe that it's something important that our campus should focus on, and begin understanding and educating people about," said UW-L senior Caitlyn Bednarek
"As a smoker, I feel like I should be able to. I pay enough at this college to be able to smoke here in my opinion. I kind of see where they're coming from in terms of the cigarette butts of the floor," said UW-L sophomore Sammy Hantous.
Chancellor Gow said he hopes to have some kind of smoking guidelines in place by this summer or fall.
UW Stout and UW River Falls both have smoking bans.


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After reading the accompanying background information, students create an ice core using a tennis ball container and an assortment of dyes and craft supplies. Students measure the thickness and determine the age of each layer. As an extension... (View More) activity, students write a story about their ice core. (View Less)
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The MISSIONMaker program uses art and the making experience to investigate NASA mission design, engineering and space exploration. Using common materials, students build a rover that incorporates six simple machines. The building instructions... (View More) include design challenges, background information and examples of how NASA spacecraft incorporate and use those same simple machines. The lesson includes step-by-step instructions, templates, explanatory YouTube videos, and additional related resources. (View Less)
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This multi-phased learning package progresses from guided engineering to an open mission-design challenge. Each step is scaffolded and includes easy-to-implement teaching tools, lessons and art activities. Learners, working in collaborative teams,... (View More) build an O-Rex spacecraft model. The building process incorporates inventing, designing and engineering- leading to a deeper understanding of NASA mission work. A leader guide, instructions, templates and a YouTube video are included and accessed through the Related & Supplemental Resources. (View Less)
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This is an activity about image resolution. Learners will recreate a solar image taken by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) using various sizes of building bricks, and discuss how their recreations relate to image resolution. Learners will also... (View More) compare SDO images to solar images from older spacecraft to see how improved technology helps scientists learn more about the Sun. (View Less)
This activity allows participants to build a paper model of the GPM Core Observatory and learn about the technology the satellite uses to measure precipitation from space. Directions explain how to cut, fold and glue the individual pieces together... (View More) to make the model. The accompanying information sheet has details about the systems in the satellite including the Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR), the GPM Microwave Imager (GMI), the High Gain Antenna, avionics and star trackers, propulsion system and solar array, as well as a math connection and additional engineering challenges. (View Less)
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This lesson was developed to give participants an understanding of Earth's water cycle. In this one-hour long activity, students participate in a webquest to learn about the water cycle, and then build a mini-model of the water cycle to observe how... (View More) water moves through Earth's four systems. The activity uses the 5E instructional model and is part of the "Survivor Earth" series of one-hour lessons. (View Less)
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In this lesson, learners will construct a 3D scale model of one of the MMS satellites. After, they will calculate the octagonal area of the top and bottom of the satellites, given the measurements of the satellite. Then, learners will compare the... (View More) octagonal cross-section area of the satellites with the circular cross-section area of the launch vehicle to determine if the eight-sided spacecraft will fit the circular rocket hull. This is lesson one of the MMS Mission Educator's Instructional Guide, which uses examples from the MMS Mission to introduce mathematics (focusing on geometry) in a real-world context. The lessons use the 5E instructional cycle. Note: MMS launched March 12, 2015. For the latest science and news, visit the MMS Mission Website under Related & Supplemental Resources (right side of this page). (View Less)
This is the culminating lesson in the MMS Mission Educator's Instructional Guide. Learners will choose and complete three activities about the MMS mission. Activity formats can include creating videos, composing songs, developing written materials,... (View More) constructing models, investigating current events, utilizing mathematics to explain concepts, and more. Depending on the project(s) chosen by a student, the activity may require student access to internet accessible computers. The MMS Mission Educator's Instructional Guide uses examples from the mission to introduce mathematics (focusing on geometry) in a real-world context. The lessons use the 5E instructional cycle. Note: MMS launched March 12, 2015. For the latest science and news, visit the MMS Mission Website under Related & Supplemental Resources (right side of this page). (View Less)
This is a make-it-yourself planisphere designed to show where Kepler is pointing. Learners can use it to locate exoplanets around stars in the night sky. It comes with two wheels: one with coordinate grid for plotting additional exoplanet stars and... (View More) one without grid that is easier to read; and two holders for varying latitudes (one for 30°-50° and one for 50°-70°). The product is updated approximately annually to incorporate improvements and any newly discovered planets orbiting naked eye stars. (View Less)
Materials Cost: 1 cent - $1 per student
Learners will investigate how lateral velocity affects the orbit of a spacecraft such as the International Space Station (ISS). Mathematical extensions are provided. This is science activity 1 of 2 found in the ISS L.A.B.S. Educator Resource Guide.


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This is my dad's pride and joy. He got it a long time ago.
bought in 1985 from original owner and sold in 1997 bought back in 2000 and turned into a outlaw street car for NMCA 9 second class 1/4 mile have not run 1/8 mile yet should be fast
Has 33,000 original mile on it and all original sheet metal
and interior looks and smells new still stored inside almost all its life cig lighter has never been used and wing windows never opened.was butter nut yellow but repainted sun and bright yello mix.dealer installed 427 12 bolt and 400 in june of 1968 and have all paper work on car.full documentation even protecto plate.This is a true outlaw steet car,its a driver not a trailer queen.
500cid 12.50 -1 compression
merlin 2 heads worked over ported and polished
victor jr manifold also ported to match heads
1000 cfm drag race demon carb that has been tewaked just a little.ha ha
aeromotive fuel system,also have 300 shot pro fogger nitros kit not installed yet but dont need it at this point.not a nitros fan just got a good deal at a swap meet on it.
comp cams roller valve train
sorry cant give up exact engine specs.
2 1/4 primary tube headers coated
i do have 4 inch custom exhaust for the street that is also coated.
msd pro billet dist.and msd 7al box with coil w/ timming controlr.
fabricated brackets to fit chevelle radiator between frame rails and cut 4 inch out of rad support.radiator from becool and twin fans. 1 inch tubes
fairbanks turbo 400
custom built 5000 stall
b&m trans cooler
hurst pro pistol grip shifter
trans brake with manual shift reverse valvbody
hurst launch contol (line lock)for staging burnouts only.fun
moeser 12 bolt w/35 spline axles and billit spool
wilewood disc breaks on all 4 corners
5/8 studs
3.5 inch strange driveshaft chromemoly 1350 u joints and billit yokes front and rear
comp engineering sub frame connectors
cal tracs rear springs split mono
cal trac bars
29-10.50 m/t tires also have the street version
jegs pro street fuel cell and polished battery relocation kit in trunk.
front hotchkis springs 2 in drop and energy suspension bushings w stock conrtol arms ,it is a outlaw street car.maybe tubular later.
m/t sporsman 26.7.50- 15 tires up front
no chrome all parts are polished billit aluminum
4 inch steel cowl hood made by dynacorn i waited 4 years for this hood because i refused to go fiberglass and wanted one that fit perfect and it did it was woth the wait and i got thje very first one made for the 68 to 72 nova..i do still have the stock hood put away.
427 V8, 4 speed stick shift, it's CRAZY FAST!
500 cid 700 hp no bottle
fairbanks turbo 400 w/trans brake
5000 stall
No factory options listed.
has custom deluxe interior which is actualy the ss interior for 1969 nova ss
Spinner caps on the wheels.
stroker kit
merlin 2 heads
1000 cfm drag race demon
sorry no engine specs list of internals due to it being in a NMCA class
moeser 12 bolt 35 spline axles billit spool and 4.56 gears
cal trac bars and spit mono single leaf springs
jegs fuel cell in trunk (sorry its the only thing i cut on the car but kept the piece to weld back in in case i go back to stock)
|Points for Dad's Vette
|Total Votes
|Points for bumble bee


text:
Judge: Duluth Head Shop is Public Nuisance
DULUTH (AP) — A judge has ruled that a downtown Duluth head shop is creating a public nuisance.
Judge Shaun Floerke ordered the owner of the Last Place on Earth to pay for two police officers to provide security and nuisance control.
The judge said head shop owner Jim Carlson's argument that there is no proof his business has sold synthetic marijuana in the past year is irrelevant. Business owners have long complained about the throngs of customers who gather outside the shop.
Carlson was ordered to hire two police officers to be present at the business from one hour before he opens until closing time every day the business is in operation.
Carlson's attorney Randall Tigue says he plans to appeal the judge's order.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.


text:
Dev Build 2025 is out now, with the usual even-more-alpha disclaimers applying.
The headlining feature for this build is keeping open folders in synch with the file system. The synchronization should be immediate, irrespective of the size of the opened folders: please let me know if you encounter any situations where this isn't the case. As part of this, I've had to redo the way folders are scanned; the code involved is surprisingly complex, and there are likely still some bugs there. Part of the complexity comes from protecting against recursive symlinks, especially in situations like:
Part of the issue with recursive symlinks for Sublime Text 2 is that it relies on being able to scan a directory tree entirely into memory (for use with Goto Anything), so it's important that it doesn't end up in an infinite loop when encountering self referential symlinks. I'm keen to hear about any success or failure with these scenarios, as well as the simpler case of recursive local file systems.
It's also possible to remove individual folders, too.
For Linux folks, this build, unlike 2024, should work with older versions of GTK again. Let me know if this isn't the case.
The full list of changes is at sublimetext.com/dev
Awesome release!
I just found a bug
Mac OSX, Opening ~/Library/Application Support/Sublime Text 2/Packages/User/Global.sublime-settings to adjust it use the new folder_exclude_pattern and file_exclude_pattern, it crashes when you save it.
No symlinks are present in the current project, only folders inside ~/projects of my current user.
EDIT: Closing a project (or removing its folders) do not crash.
I can't replicate that crash... if it's happening consistently for you, would you be able to send me the crash report?
The Goto Anything ranking function works much, much better now. Every issue I had with it (including a serious one that I hadn't gotten around to reporting) is solved. Thanks!
This does not work for me on OS X 10.6.6. I have to restart for these changes to take effect.
Goto Anything always factors in files in your file history. I find this to clutter the list of files instead of being helpful, especially when all I want to do is start a new project. I would expect to see nothing if I searched Goto Anything after "Remove all folders from project" or saying "sublime_text.exe ." from the command line (don't know whether this is supposed to work in Sublime 2).
EDIT: I would expect to see nothing except for the contents of the current dir...
I love this updates! Especially the "remove" single folder feature. I don't use project files that much so I just wanted to add and delete folders to the sidebar easily. Also, hurray for file system sync
How do we remove individual folders? Clicking around the list in the sidebar isn't doing anything for me.
You remove folders from your project by right clicking on the folder in the file explorer on the left hand side and selecting "Remove Folder".
Context menu appears only when right-clicking on the top-level folder, doesnt work for subfolders
Yeah I assumed it will work for subfolders. That will be nice thing to have.
One option is to clear the recent files list, via File/Open Recent/Clear Items
Yes. Find attached the crash report from "View details". sublime-text-2-crash.txt.zip (9.23 KB)
Added a Rails application folder, went to "Sublime Text 2", Preferences, User Global Preferences.
Edit the file (copied from from Default since these values are not append but instead replaced):
// Place user-specific overrides in this file, to ensure they're preserved
// when upgrading
"folder_exclude_patterns": ".svn", ".git", ".hg", "CVS", ".bundle", "tmp"],
"file_exclude_patterns": "*.pyc", "*.pyo", "*.exe", "*.dll", "*.obj", "*.o", "*.a", "*.lib", "*.so", "*.dylib", "*.ncb", "*.sdf", "*.suo", "*.pdb", "*.idb", ".DS_Store", "*.pdf"],
"show_minimap": false
Added ".bundle" and "tmp", Cmd+S and program crashed.
Hope that helps.
Sure does, will fix the issue for the next build - thanks.


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nike shoes 345325 101 dalmatians coloring
Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life SYNOPSIS
Ayn Rand was born in 1905 in St. Petersburg, Russia. Defying the death warrant of the Soviet Union, she came to America as a temporary visitor in 1926 but remained for the rest of her life. Later, she would also defy the cultural and political views of contemporary America in such best-selling novels as THE FOUNTAINHEAD and ATLAS SHRUGGED. Her unique philosophy, Objectivism, challenged the cultural tradition of 2,500 years . . .
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AYN RAND: A SENSE OF LIFE | Cast & Crew Bios
nike shoes 345325 101 dalmatians coloringRead More
AWARDS Accolades & Nominations
January 19, 1999: "Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life" won a Golden Satellite Award for Best Documentary Film. The award was given by the International Press Academy at the…
At the 70th Annual Academy Awards ceremony, "Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life" was honored with an Oscar nomination in the category of Best Documentary Feature.
"In a loving—but not fawning—documentary look at this fascinating figure of 20th-century intellectual life, director Michael Paxton has created an exhaustive and definitive history of a challenging subject."
"The film, narrated by Sharon Gless, is an expertly assembled collection of news films, interviews with various people and television clips showing Rand being interviewed by people such…
"...Paxton makes "Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life" a testament to the woman. In explaining the person behind the great novels, the film conveys her sense of life…nike shoes
"...In this absorbing and rich documentary which deservedly won an Oscar Nomination, Rand's life is not merely explored but decoded."
"Details a fascinating life with skill and intelligence....an admirable job of humanizing a previously forbidding subject."
"Engrossing... A Hymn to an Original Thinker"


text:
A very impressionable day in the life of an 18-year old Pudge, finishing his first month away from home as a freshman in college.
A rainbow today in NYC with the Freedom Tower in the background.
Remembering 9/11
All topics that are unrelated to the Falcons or the NFL in general.
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text:
The scores are part of new survey results published by the Government Business Council, Government Executive's research division. The survey sampled 597 federal employees at the GS/GM-11 level or higher and asked respondents to identify key areas for cost reduction.From the results, GBC identified eight areas where opportunities are highest to reduce costs:
- Payments
- Oversight/Compliance
- Property Management
- Redundancy
- Contract Resource Management
- Technology
- Workforce
- Acquisitions/Procurement
The new Cutting Costs blog will be highlighting findings from the survey results as well as exploring innovative ideas and programs for federal cost savings over the next several months.
You can view the survey results here.
(Image via Norma Cornes/Shutterstock.com)


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Outlook Web App (OWA) in Exchange Server 2010 is the new name for Outlook Web Access, which has been around for 15 years, ever since Exchange Server 5.0. Since the release of the first version of Exchange Server with OWA, companies and administrators have maintained a desire to make OWA unique, even beyond the supported options. Company customization of OWA ranges from superficial color changes, to full branding, to radical interface changes. The ease of actually accomplishing OWA customization varies greatly, depending on the version of Exchange Server, the available customization tools, and administrators' skill sets. (See also, "OWA Customization in Exchange 2010" and "Bringing OWA to Your Desktop.")
OWA has come a long way from the basic Active Server Pages (ASP) application of Exchange 5.0 and 5.5. Microsoft Exchange Web Services, added in Exchange Server 2007, makes Exchange data accessible from a variety of sources following the Web services API. Exchange Server 2010 with Exchange Web Services has made it easier to develop custom web applications to access Exchange Server data. Exchange 2007 included four user-initiated themes in OWA. In Exchange Server 2010 RTM, OWA customization options weren't yet supported; the old Exchange 2007 theme content was still part of the installation, though not a functional one. It wasn't until Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 1 (SP1) that Microsoft brought back support for OWA customization. (Exchange Server 2010 SP2, which is the current service pack as of this writing, doesn't add to the OWA customizations that we'll look at in this article.)
In this article, I'll discuss OWA segmentation, which is used to limit the components that users can access through the OWA interface, and customization of the OWA logon and logoff screens.
Microsoft Policy on Customizing OWA
For many of the OWA changes that we'll look at, you must replace existing files with your customized files. For themes, simple Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) changes, and logon- and logoff-screen changes, you're manipulating content at the file level. When Microsoft releases updates to Exchange Server -- whether bug fixes, rollup packages, or service packs -- the company offers no guarantee that your changes won't be overwritten. Nor does it guarantee that code changes in updates won't affect your customization efforts. Therefore, you should maintain a backup of any customization efforts and test Microsoft updates to ensure that your OWA customization still works after they're applied. Microsoft outlines its support policy for OWA customization, for all versions dating back to Exchange 5.5, in the article " Microsoft support policy for the customization of Outlook Web Access for Exchange." In addition, I recommend that you develop and test your customizations, whether comprehensive OWA custom applications or file-level image updates to reflect a branded logon screen, in a lab deployment before putting your work into production.
Segmentation is a fully supported method of customization for OWA. With segmentation, an administrator simply controls which components of OWA are visible to the end user. Many enterprises want their users to have access to the full range of functionality through the OWA client. However, some users might require only a limited set of features to complete their daily duties. For example, I recently worked at a manufacturing plant in which the plant workers needed access to email and contacts, but calendar, tasks, and public folder access was superfluous. Focused OWA access also helps to restrict users from exposing or being exposed to content that might otherwise be considered off limits or confidential. Limiting access to components deemed unnecessary by use or policy is good security practice as well, reducing the risk surface area. Segmentation can also reduce bandwidth use during OWA sessions.
OWA is available by default on any Exchange 2010 server with the Client Access server role installed. No additional configuration is needed to enable segmentation. As of Exchange 2007, segmentation has been readily managed through the Exchange Management Console (EMC). Segmentation is configured through the Client Access server in EMC.
In EMC, navigate to the Client Access server that hosts OWA, then right-click the OWA site and select Properties. The Segmentation tab, which Figure 1 shows, lists the user-level OWA components that can be toggled on and off for users of the Client Access server. (Table 1 lists all the available features.) Select and enable or disable individual features, one at a time.
Figure 1: EMC Segmentation Tab
Exchange Server 2010 introduces OWA mailbox policies. These policies allow administrators to apply segmentation selections to individual users or groups of users, rather than to everyone who connects to OWA on a specific Client Access server. Even though the feature includes "mailbox" in its name, these policies are technically not applied to mailboxes but rather to the web application that's used to access mailbox data. When the Client Access server role is installed, a default OWA mailbox policy is put in place. By default, all the listed, segmentable features are enabled in the default policy.
OWA mailbox policies are created in the EMC at the organization level, as reflected in Figure 2. Select Client Access under the Organization Configuration hub in the EMC; the OWA mailbox policies are listed in the middle pane. To add a new policy, right-click the open area in the middle pane and select New in the context menu, or select the same option directly in the EMC Actions pane. As Figure 2 also shows, the primary function of the OWA mailbox policy is to configure a specific segmentation setup for a user or group, because there's nothing else to configure in the UI. Consider giving the policy a descriptive name, such as the region or department to which it will apply, or including the specific segmentation goal in the name, such as "No Journal." Figure 3 shows the Outlook Web App Properties box, which allows you to apply an existing OWA mailbox policy to a mailbox or mailboxes. OWA mailbox policies can be created or amended by using the Exchange Management Shell (EMS) or the New-OWAMailboxPolicy and Set-OWAMailboxPolicy cmdlets.
Figure 2: OWA Mailbox Policies
Figure 3: Outlook Web App Properties
When you use these cmdlets to create a new OWA mailbox policy or edit an existing policy, you can toggle a list of attributes on or off. These attributes apply directly to the features that are listed in Table 1. The features are enabled by default, so in general, when configuring an OWA mailbox policy in EMS, you would call the attributes you want to toggle and set them to false to disable them. See the Microsoft articles "Set-OwaMailboxPolicy" and " New-OWAMailboxPolicy" or the cmdlet Help for the list of applicable attributes for each cmdlet.
Segmentation can also be configured by using the EMS at the server or user level. Use the Set-CASMailbox cmdlet to apply segmentation as defined in a specific OWA mailbox policy. For example, the following code applies the OWA mailbox policy called North America Staff to the mailbox-enabled user Steve:
Set-CASMailbox -Identity Steve -OwaMailboxPolicy:
"North America Staff"
If the OWA mailbox policy has spaces in its name, then quotation marks are required in EMS. To apply an OWA mailbox policy called Executives to all users belonging to the Active Directory (AD) organizational unit (OU) of the same name, use this code:
Get-CASMailbox -OrganizationalUnit Executives | Set-CASMailbox -OWAMailboxPolicy:Executives
You can also use EMS to retrieve the list of mailbox-enabled users to which you want to apply an OWA mailbox policy, based on common existing attributes (e.g., Title, Location). To do so, use Get-User and pipe output to the Set-CASMailbox command. You can also pull from a text file through EMS, by using the Get-Content command as follows:
Get-Content "c:\files\OWAPolicyList.txt" | Set-CasMailbox -OwaMailboxPolicy "North America Staff"
OWAPolicyList.txt is a plaintext file that lists the email address for the mailboxes, using one address per line, as follows:
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Of course, if you're administering Microsoft Office 365 for your company, you'll need to employ EMS to configure segmentation. The Exchange Control Panel (ECP) for Office 365 doesn't provide access to OWA policy administration.
Exchange 2010 SP2 brings back a previously deprecated version of web mail: OWA Mini, formerly known as Outlook Mobile Access (OMA) and last seen in Exchange Server 2003. This renewed OWA Mini functions as a set of forms within OWA. As part of OWA, OWA Mini (for mobile browsers) and OWA Basic (for untested browsers) also adhere to segmentation flags. Users who've been prevented access to basic folders, such as Calendar, can't access those folders through OWA Mini (shown in Figure 4) or OWA Basic.
Segmentation restricts and simplifies the OWA web interface for users. By default, OWA shows the primary Mail, Calendar, Contacts, and Tasks folders in the bottom left of the browser window. As a simple example, I take user Steve Bauer, who initially has no OWA mailbox policy applied and therefore has all available features enabled, and apply an OWA mailbox policy that disables calendar, task, and theme selection. Figures 5 and 6 show the differences in the interface before and after the application of this policy.
Figure 5: OWA Web Interface Before Policy Application
Figure 6: OWA Web Interface After Policy Application
Segmentation can also be applied at the server level, using the Set-VirtualDirectory cmdlet. Like the Set-OWAMailboxPolicy cmdlet, individual features can be toggled on or off. In this case, everyone who connects to a specific server and virtual directory, such as "owa (Default Web Site)," will see the same OWA features. If you're using some form of load balancing for OWA access across multiple Client Access servers, you need to ensure that segmentation configuration changes are applied to all the Client Access servers in your pool. Users might otherwise see different OWA configurations, depending on which Client Access server they connect to through load balancing.
Finally, note that when you create a new OWA mailbox policy or make segmentation changes at the server level, and you want to immediately apply the policy or changes to users, you might need to restart the OWA site. Restarting Microsoft IIS also forces OWA to pick up these changes immediately. This is best done at the command line on the server, using the following command:
iisreset -noforce Logon- and Logoff-Screen Customization
When users access the URL for OWA, the first screen is the logon screen (unless there's a certificate error, of course). In some companies, management might want to customize the logon or logoff screen to assert a brand or to assure users that they're in the correct place. A logon screen adorned with a familiar corporate logo and color scheme can give users confidence that they're on the correct site. Management might also customize the logon screen to incorporate specific information or legal disclaimers. Logon and logoff screens can be customized without affecting the core OWA.
The OWA logon and logoff screens are standalone web forms that use several .gif graphic files and CSS for fonts and formatting. For users who log on to OWA for the first time, there's an additional configuration screen, which is also affected by customization efforts because it shares the same image and CSS files as the logon screen. The initial logon screen is composed of nine .gif files, organized and placed according to logon.css. Other aspects of the logon screen are also rendered according to information in that CSS file, including font type and colors used outside of the .gif image files. These same files are incorporated into the first-time logon configuration screen and the logoff screen. If you're going to change these files, you need to update them only once; the updates will be reflected in all three pages. The default, installed versions of the logon, first-time logon configuration, and logoff screens are shown in Figures 7, 8, and 9.
Figure 7: Default Logon Screen
Figure 8: Default First Time Logon Screen
Figure 9: Default Logoff Screen
The files that are used for the logon and logoff screens are on the Exchange server with the Client Access server role, at \Program
Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V14\ClientAccess\Owa\
As I mentioned earlier, you should work through your customizations in a lab environment if possible. Otherwise, consider taking a backup of the original files before you start making changes to OWA files. Thankfully, Microsoft has labeled the .gif files descriptively. Figure 10 shows the distribution of the .gif files in the logon screen; Table 2 lists the image filenames and their sizes (in pixels).
Figure 10: Distribution of GIF Files
The simplest way to customize the logon screen is twofold: Replace the .gif files with ones more befitting of your corporate designs and amend logon.css and owafont.css to complement those files. You certainly aren't limited to this superficial alteration, but it has the most impact with the least effort. The .gif file with the text "Outlook Web App," as seen in Figures 7, 8, and 9, is called lgntopl.gif (a filename standing for logon, top, left) and is the easiest file to work with when you just want to add your logo, without changing the default OWA color scheme. For this article, I took this .gif file and added a fictitious logo for Las Vegas Webmail, integrating the famous Las Vegas sign from the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada, as Figure 11 shows. I kept the .gif file at the set size of 456 ´ 115 pixels, so a straight file replacement on the Client Access server will return the new logo to users who log on to OWA on that Client Access server. If you use a different file size and don't make changes to the CSS file, then the formatting of the graphics will be incoherent. (The location on the page of each graphic is coded into the CSS file, based on pixel location, so if you change the sizes of the .gif files, you need to accommodate that change within the CSS file itself.) Clearly, if you want to make complete custom logon screens beyond manipulating the appearance of the existing graphics, you'll need some knowledge of CSS.
Figure 11: Customized OWA Logon Screen
The text style in the logon screen is also governed by instructions in logon.css. CSS files are simply text files and can be edited by using a text editor or one of the many CSS editors. But these days, all web development applications also handle CSS. Microsoft Expression Web is a great tool for working with CSS files; Microsoft Visual Studio can also serve as an advanced CSS editor, although using it just for that purpose is a bit of overkill. Colors in CSS are defined by hexadecimal color codes: the hash sign (#) followed by a 6-character code. Most CSS editors have color palettes with hex numbers incorporated. Quick resources are available online as well (e.g., VisiBone). Your marketing, graphics, or web-development people likely maintain exact print and web color codes that represent the color scheme for your corporate presence and logos.
Table 3 lists some of the colors that are identified in the logon.css file for the logon screen. For this example, I changed the font color within logon.css from orange to purple and changed the input field background for the username and password from light orange to light gray. I also made the border around the input fields stand out with a more solid blue rather than a thin gray, by changing the color code and incrementing the pixel thickness of the border. To accomplish these changes, I changed fff3c0 to cccccc, ff6c00 to 800080, and a4a4a4 to 000080 within logon.css. (Some intelligent guesswork was needed to determine exactly which elements in the CSS file to apply within the page.) After ensuring that I had a backup of logon.css, I saved the new file to \Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V14\ClientAccess\Owa\14.2.283.3\Themes\Resources on the Client Access server. I also copied my new lgntopl.gif to the same folder. Figure 12 shows the simple editing that I made to customize the OWA logon screen. Of course, you aren't limited to such simple customizations. With solid knowledge of CSS and graphics work, you can develop your own custom logon and logoff screens that will appear unrecognizable compared with the defaults that OWA renders.
Figure 12: Editing to Customize OWA Logon Screen
You might need users to delete their local browser cache for the customizations to be immediately apparent. (In my on-premises lab installation, I found it unnecessary to restart the website for the changes to be served to clients.) If you use certain proxy applications or perimeter hardware, there might also be a delay before users receive updated content.
Applying Customizations
OWA changes aren't replicated between Client Access servers. If multiple Exchange servers with the Client Access server role installed serve OWA, you'll need to apply any customizations to each of those servers if you want all users to see the same screens. Users will get the OWA screens that are specific to the Client Access server that they access with their browsers. This can work for you or against you. You might want different groups of users to have different OWA experiences, including branded environments.
If you don't want to work at the file level in Exchange Server to make changes to the logon or logoff screens, some third-party companies that specialize in branding offer this service for various customizable software solutions, including OWA 2010. Many make comprehensive changes to the OWA logon screens, to the point that the actual application is unrecognizable. An example of such a provider (with some screen shots of client solutions) is Techstur.com. If you use such a provider, you'll need to address any issues that might arise when new service packs or updates make changes to OWA.


text:
Tim Hortons cuts back menu, drops Cold Stone Creamery
Tim Hortons has removed Cold Stone Creamery ice cream and few classic items from its menu as the company strives to get back to its "core business."
Also on the chopping block are mixed-berry smoothies, blueberry and chocolate danishes, double-berry muffins, walnut crunch donuts, Timbit Dutchies and gingerbread man cookies.
"We have decided to focus more directly on our core business," the company said in a statement about its "ongoing simplification efforts."
The decision to part ways with Cold Stone cost the company $19 million in debranding in the fourth quarter.
The news comes as the Canadian coffee and doughnut chain reported higher-than-expected quarterly revenue on Thursday and announced a dividend increase and a share buyback plan.
Shares of Tim Hortons, which faced investor pressure last year to return capital, were up 3% at C$59.66. At Wednesday's close, the stock had fallen nearly 8% since the company last reported quarterly earnings in November.
The ice cream remains available at U.S. Tim Hortons locations.
— with files from Reuters


text:
Local family members joined the prayers for a missing Colorado 10-year-old.
Jessica Ridgeway has family in Independence, and they gathered at 6 p.m. Wednesday at McCoy Park just off U.S. Highway 24 and Delaware Street.
The family said everyone is invited to gather in prayer for their girl and they wanted to send a message to all her family in Colorado that those in Kansas City are sending prayers their way.
"We are doing everything we can," family friend Amy Stubbs said. "She should be home with them. They shouldn't have to go through this - no one should."
Jessica went missing less than a week ago. Police in the Denver suburb of Westminister say they found the 10-year-old's backpack six miles from her home. Authorities have been scouring the area looking for her.
Jessica's father said he was questioned by the FBI as part of their ongoing investigation. They asked him if he believes his daughter's mother, Sarah Ridgeway, is part of his little girl's disappearance.
The two have been involved in a custody dispute but put aside their differences to make a plea to get their daughter home safe. Both said they know neither had anything to do with the girl's disappearance.
"When I sat down with the FBI, they asked me if I thought she did it. I told them there is no way that I would ever believe that. I mean, just the same as she would tell them that I wouldn't do something like that," Jeremiah Bryant said.
Sarah Ridgeway says she wants her to just walk home.
"With all the people there, it is still too quiet. It needs to be lively and happy again, the bright voice of my little girl. She needs to come home," Sarah Ridgeway said.
Police released more photos of Jessica along with a short home video, saying it would help the public learn her mannerisms and the sound of her voice.
They're asking the public to notice some of the fifth-grader's distinguishing characteristics, such as a small gap between her two front teeth and a sore on the top of her nose below where her eyeglasses sit, adding that she might not be wearing glasses.
Police are looking into whether Monday's abduction of a girl in Wyoming was related to Jessica's disappearance. That 11-year-old girl was sexually assaulted and left on the side of a road.
Copyright 2012 KCTV (Meredith Corp.) All rights reserved.


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Best Rose Wine 2013
Refreshing Rosés Under $30
Refreshing Rosés Under $30
Rosé may be the quintessential Summer wine. It goes with just about any food from spicy appetizers to grilled meats to cheese plates, but it isn't so acidic that it can't be sipped alone. We tried a whole slew of Rosés, from bone-dry to syrupy sweet, but these five are just right, plus they have an affordable price tag to match. Keep reading to find your next picnic wine.
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