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David Sasaki, of the Global Voices fame, recently challenged me to write at least one positive post or essay for evern ten that are negative. I can't yet live up to that challenge but I am eager to try bit by bit.
There is an interesting (and somewhat too upbeat for my taste) story in the Jakarta Globe today on how the Indonesian civil society has been mobilized to get two senior members of the country's anti-corruption body out of detention:
When Bibit and Chandra were first detained on Oct. 29, few people anticipated the kind of uproar that would ensue. But public opinion swung dramatically to the side of the KPK officials, as demonstrated when a Facebook group set up in support of the two officials attracted tens of thousands of hits. With the Internet pushing Bibit and Chandra's agenda, countless prominent individuals also rose to the challenge and rallied behind the antigraft officials' cause. That, combined with the revelation of incriminating wiretaps — made public on the instruction of the Constitutional Court — culminated in their release.
...the two important developments in the case are, first, the way Indonesia's civil society rallied around an issue of national importance, and second, the way the Internet helped to facilitate this trend.
Freewheeling and unregulated, the Internet has played a critical role, serving as a platform for independent debate, so much so that mainstream media are left with no choice but to start reporting issues that are causing waves in cyberspace.
This dramatic flattening of the media landscape lessens the power and influence of owners, editors, producers, journalists and indeed columnists such as myself. For many, this sort of transparency will be painful. At the end of the day, you, the reader, are in charge.
And one can only expect this process to accelerate, as technological change gathers momentum. While there were only 25 million Internet users in Indonesia in 2008, mobile penetration is 60 percent and soaring on the back of a 40 percent annual growth. At the same time, the explosive increase in handheld computing devices, such as BlackBerries, also signals a dramatic expansion in Internet usage. As a result, ordinary people can shape all aspects of news-making, tipping the balance of power away from the elite.
These are all important points. I do agree that in societies that have SOME media freedom and SOME civil society, the Internet can greatly amplify their work, potentially even getting tyrants (or semi-tyrants in this case) out of power. That's why Twitter is so great at helping to preserve (improve?) the British democracy - but can't really do much when it comes to bringing democracy to places like Turkmenistan or even Iran.
The big question is: what comes first, the engaged society or the twittering society? Looking at the case of Indonesia described above, to me the answer is pretty obvious: you first need to have informed/active citizenry and at least some quasi-democratic institutions - and Twitter revolutions would follow. You can't start with twittering citizenry and NO democracy in sight - and expect that it would suddenly drop from the skies as the masses begin twittering.
This is the question I am posing in my review of Andrew Lih's Wikipedia Revolution in the new issue of Boston Review. Here is a teaser:
"Wikipedia approaches its limits," ran a striking August 2009 headline in the usually sober Guardian. With infinite storage and lots of free labor, the very notion of "limits" seems misplaced. However, the limits alluded to in the Guardian are more editorial than logistical. The low-hanging fruit is disappearing—Wikipedians can write only so many biographies of Seinfeld characters—and getting new content onto the site is not as easy as it used to be. A recent study by Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) found that Wikipedia's key growth indicators—the number of new pages and new editors—have floundered for the past two years, while coordination and editing costs have ratcheted up. Today's Wikipedians waste a growing portion of their editing time on bureaucratic infighting rather than creating new content. According to the PARC study, Wikipedians also exhibit increasing resistance to new content, especially that contributed by occasional editors.
We discovered that the service which had initially been developed to mirror the blogosphere has become an amplifier, a media tool of sorts. It started exhibiting the effect of positive feedback: many bloggers were writing, commenting, and generating links only for the purposes of "pushing stuff into our top list". There appeared dedicated blog-bots, which were polluting the blogosphere with the same purpose: get into the list of most popular posts. To filter out the robots is a difficult but clear problem; we solved it. But what to do with the "social manipulation"? Particularly, when someone starts shouting "let's get this into the Yandex Top" and bloggers start linking to a given post? We thought it was a natural activity of Internet users and didn't put any hurdles when such items were getting into the top. We only put up a disclaimer: be careful, someone may be manipulating the links.
But more and more our service looks less than a mirror of the blogosphere and more as a tool of getting stuff "into the top" and then letting it spread through mass-media. Almost anyone who is not too lazy is using this tool: from people organizing fund-raising campaigns to all sorts of radicals. As a result, radicals of one variety started accusing Yandex of helping their enemies and vice verca. Journalists have also acquired a habit of checking our rating; getting stuff up there has become a paid service; and some people in power already treat it as "voice of the people".
So what exactly does all this NSF-funded research on obscure subjects get us, after all? Well, how about this excellent graph of how information spreads (and evolves - i.e. gets distorted in the process) through the rightwing blogosphere? The image below is courtesy of Harvard's David Lazer whose own research was recently singled out by Sen Tom Coburn; it aims to visualize how various rightwing blogs have picked up and amplified Coburn's criticism. This provides a pretty good insight into how well-integtrated and networked the new media empire of the right really is:
Node colors correspond to dates (28: white, 29: light gray, 30: dark gray). Time flows left to right, where the variations within each day reflect publication time of day, but only in an "eyeballing" sense. Link weights are encoded white: explicit mention, black: shared text, grey: both. Arrows point from destination node to source
More from Lazer:
And as the signal propagates it evolves. Thus, for example, Stossel quotes from the Heritage blog, but then adds his distinct emphasis. The link and copying structure reflects the attention each blogger is paying to other blogs, however one would guess that each blog has a different but overlapping audience...
I don't know about you, but I want more, not less, of such research funded - and to study left-wing blogospheres/echo-chambers too.
Even though Iran's Twitter Revolution has faded from the attention of the Western media , the country's talented techies keep innovating:
The Press TV news website reported last week (October 25) the launch of the world's first search engine for Quran-related websites. Created by Iran, the search engine allows web surfers to easily look up information on Islamic religious law. Ali Ismailpour, the director of the search engine (www.quransite.ir) said that it was designed to promote Islamic culture by providing convenient access to websites pertaining to the study of Quran. **The search engine currently provides access to over 360 different websites, he added. **
And it's not like they haven't been trying before:
In recent years Iran has launched several Islamic-oriented technological services. For example, an Islamic version of Windows XP was released in Esfahan in March 2007, which included unique Islamic features. Among other things, the program makes it possible to download the full text of the Quran with audio, and provides access to over 200 Islamic websites and a collection of dozens of Islamic prayers through its "favorites" tab. In June 2008, the beginning of the production of the first Islamic cellular telephone with integrated "unique Islamic features" was announced in Iran. Among other things, it allows to display the Quran in eight different fonts, the interpretation of the Quran in three languages (Persian, Arabic, and English), as well as Islamic and Shi'ite books on religious law and religious works by several prominent Shi'ite clerics. In addition, the device translates verses from the Quran to ten languages, displays the prayer direction worldwide, provides written transcripts or audio broadcasts of prayers at mosques, converts dates from the solar calendar to the lunar calendar, gives dates of religious events, and displays prayer times in 4500 cities in Iran and across the globe.I do wonder, though, whether the Islamic version of Windows XP doesn't crash as often as my secular edition.
If you think that American journalists misunderstand the Interwebs, the Kuwaiti literatti can prove you wrong anytime:
Kuwaiti Liberal: Uncensored Internet Discourse May Lead to Assassination of Liberals
Kuwaiti liberal columnist Ahmad Al-Saraf published an article criticizing Internet users for posting opinions on issues about which they are profoundly ignorant, and for using grossly inappropriate style and phraseology that reveal their low intellectual level. These postings, he contended, sometimes contain accusations of heresy and are dangerous because they lead to extreme actions. Al-Saraf called on website owners to monitor the postings submitted to them and to censor those that are potentially harmful.
If, like many Americans, you've got H1N1 and are reading this at home, turn off your computer NOW. Even better, take a pair of scissors and cause irreparable damage to your Internet cable. If you are really addicted to the Web and can't even contempate doing this, well, try to ration your daily surfing: turn off loading of images in your browser and don't even think of downloading that new episode of your favorite soap-opera.
Why? Because you may be one of those stay-at-home H1N1 victims who are causing our Internet networks to OVERLOAD. Government Accountability Office already hates you:
Adults working from home, children accessing video files and playing games online and families logging on for information about the illness would overwhelm residential Internet networks that were never built to have a majority of users on the Web at the same time, according to an October report by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress.
The federal government is in disarray when it comes to dealing with such a scenario, the GAO reported. The Department of Homeland Security is in charge of communications networks during times of national emergency. But it says it doesn't have a plan to deal with overloaded Internet networks -- an essential resource to keep the economy humming and residents informed and connected during a pandemic. And the DHS hasn't coordinated with agencies like the Federal Communications Commission to create clear guidelines for how telecom, cable and satellite providers can minimize congestion.
Such confusion "would increase the risk that the federal government will not be able to respond rapidly or effectively if a pandemic quickly emerges," the GAO reported.
While Europeans are considering introducing "three strikes and you are out" law that would disconnect Internet pirates from the Internet, I propose that the US government should consider a "three sneezes and you are out" variation on this theme. Why disconnect all sneezers from the Web? For once, it will help us deal with both online rumors and computer viruses. Besides, don't they need to be in bed and all, to recover faster?
In the age of cyberwarfare, even Switzerland's neutrality is not a given. Neutral or not, they'll still be attacked:
BERN, Switzerland - The Swiss Foreign Ministry says it was the victim of a "professional" cyber attack aimed at obtaining information from its computer network.
Spokesman Georg Farago says the ministry cut the connection between its network and the Internet after the attack was discovered on Thursday.
Evgeny Morozov, originally from Belarus, is a visiting scholar at Stanford and a Schwartz Fellow at the New America Foundation.
Read More
The Vice Issue
The $80 Billion Race to Cash in on China's Gambling Addiction
Think Again


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KDC, a commercial real estate and investment firms, has announced the completion of a new 32,000-square-foot regional headquarters for PSA, LLC, a healthcare management and technology products service.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday for the new $5.5 million facility, at 1362 Celebration Blvd. in Florence.
"This was a great opportunity to develop a build-to-suit regional headquarters for a growing healthcare management company," said Larry Wilson, president of KDC's Charlotte, NC-based southeast division, in a press release. "The final product will provide PSA employees with an updated, modern facility customized to fit their specific needs."
The new, one-story facility will house about 265 employees. Employees will move from PSA's current location at 181 East Evans Street in Florence into the new headquarters on March 16. The new headquarters will open on March 19.
"Florence County Council is pleased we partnered with PSA to make this expansion possible," said K.G. "Rusty" Smith, Chairman of Florence County Council. "We often hear about the new companies coming to town, but it's also exciting to see an existing industry continuing to grow here."
"For a company to go from leasing office space to building their own new facility shows their long-term commitment to Florence County. We congratulate them on their expansion," Senator Hugh K. Leatherman said.
"PSA's consistent growth over the past 17 years since it began in Florence is a testament to our strong business that we are proud of," said Jane Gaskins, controller, PSA, LLC.

subset: commoncrawl


text: The staff made us feel very welcome. Although most of us were english, we managed with little problem gettng everything we wanted. The athmosphere was modest but very inviting. The coffee was very nice. The plates were fantastically decorated and garnished and every dish was absolutely mouth watering. We each had to taste from each other's plates. Upon returning the... More


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Time, of course, is a valuable commodity for Army Special Forces (SF). Being a Green Beret requires a man to spend a lot of time on deployment—in turn, taking a lot of time away from family. And although there are five active groups compared to two National Guard groups within SF, the "Guard groups . . . are very busy. [They] are spending a great deal of time overseas and a great deal of time in harm's way.â€
And though you may have heard about animosity between active-duty soldiers and so-called "part-timers†(National Guard), the "active groups have no problem integrating their guardsmen into their deploying units. In reality, they've no choice. Since 9/11, SF soldiers in the active groups are deployed 270 to 275 days a year.†And the guardsmen also "are gone a great deal of the time,†sometimes "as much or more than their active-duty brothers.â€
As I've written previously, in today's war in the Middle East, the Green Berets are a critical element. In light of their particular significance in this point of history, Dick Couch has written Chosen Soldier: The Making of a Special Forces Warrior, the subject of my book-blogging this summer. Actually, it may likely go into the fall. While the Green Berets' time is well-structured, mine has been pulled in numerous directions. Hence, the three-plus weeks between my last post on Couch's book and this one!
So I have been reading more about the structure of SF (that term, by the way, designates only the Army Special Forces, not that of all the branches), and the issues of time and prudence are what currently stand out.
Remember Me


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I'm not investing too much time into the writeup for Rally Mexico, I've been typing my fingers to the bone recently and I need a break otherwise they'll implode. The rally actually started yesterday, but the time difference screws things up and I end up a day late. Let's not complicate matters.
The current standings are:
1. Sébastien Ogier
2. Sébastien Loeb
3. Mikko Hirvonen
4. Jari-Matti Latvala
5. Evgeny Novikov


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By: Christina
I couldn't think of anything more perfect for those upcoming Halloween parties- and all you need are pumpkin, pumpkin spice, cool whip, cinnamon and vanilla pudding.. SO EASY! On a slightly unrelated note: I have been looking at food articles for the last hour. By page five my mouth was so full of saliva you'd think I was a dog.
Enjoy the recipe everyone!
Reblogged 1 year ago from clandestine-closet by shutterbuggery ♥1051 -
This was the happiest accident that ever occurred in my kitchen. The recipe called for sunflower oil, and I read sesame oil… and the result was magical. I made this on Friday night with tofu, green pepper, eggplant, zucchini, shallots, and new potatoes. My boyfriend asked me to make it AGAIN on Saturday, so that's how I know it's good. On Saturday, I used it as a marinade for grilled chicken and made more kebabs with green pepper, shallots, and potatoes. Still good.
Grilled Tofu Kebabs
4 servingsmarinade-
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon yellow mustardfor the skewering-
1 zucchini, cubed
1 Japanese eggplant, cut into 1/2" coins
8 shallots (or button onions)
1 small green pepper, cut into 1" chunks
8 new potatoes
1 block tofu, excess water squeezed out, cubedSoak your skewers in water for at least twenty minutes. This will keep them from scorching when you grill them.
Meanwhile, mix up your marinade in a container large enough to hold your tofu. Coat the tofu in the marinade and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, preferably a couple hours.
Put the potatoes and shallots in a pot of boiling water. Take the shallots out after five minutes. Let the potatoes cook an additional two minutes, then remove those too. Slice the potatoes and shallots in half.
Heat up a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Thread the vegetables and tofu onto the skewers, then grill for ten minutes, turning every two and a half minutes to cook each side evenly. Brush with any remaining marinade while cooking.
333 calories | 29g carbs | 16g fat | 25g protein | 5g fiber[source]
Reblogged 1 year ago from life-with-aubrey by shutterbuggery ♥27 -
A friend of mine makes these minus the lollipop sticks and they're delicious - SO DELICIOUS - and way too easy…
Reblogged 1 year ago from littlecraziness by shutterbuggery ♥439 -
Peanut Butter Oatmeal "Cookies"
Peanut Butter Oatmeal "Cookies"
Peanut Butter Oatmeal "Cookies"
- 3 egg whites (or 2 whole eggs or equiv. beaters)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup reduced fat peanut butter
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup honey (or agave if aiming for vegan)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups quick-cooking oats
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
Preheat oven to 350.
Beat eggs and sugar until creamy. Add peanut butter, applesauce, honey and vanilla and mix until combined.
Combine together in a separate bowl all dry ingredients then gradually mix into wet ingredients.
Scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes.
I just made this for the first time this weekend and while I love the flavor of these cookies, the texture is like a muffin, so instead of cookies I've been calling them muffin tops. Next time I will be making them in muffin tins. Trav thinks they'll be great with some apple chunks as an alternative and I agree. I will report back when this happens with the baking time for muffins…
Blog Reboot.
Blog Reboot.
Blog Reboot.
So I've decided to reboot this blog… Instead of focusing solely on the low priced meals, I wanted to include all the recipes I tackle and love and want to pass on to you.
They'll still be pocketbook-conscious (we didn't win the lottery here…) and vegetarian. They'll oftentimes be vegan, but not always. And they'll be low-fat (sometimes fat-free) and DELICIOUS. Seriously, on the rare occasion I make something that isn't yummy, I will do my best to forget about it and either improve the recipe until it's good or just nix it.
And here is where I explain that I have made a commitment to being healthier and this past month has been a wonderful example that I can do it and make it tasty enough that my partner enjoys it all, too! It can be done. Anyone can do it.
Also, I'll be accepting submissions, too! So if you have a great recipe to contribute, send it along!
Falafel from scratch…
Falafel from scratch…
Falafel from scratch…
So I began this adventure trying to make hummus. It's been a while since I've made it from scratch (heck, it's been a while since I've had my food processor out and usable) so I ended up quick-soaking the garbanzo beans but forgetting to actually cook them. (insert realization about 25 seconds after I began the food processor…
So I turned my Disaster Hummus into tasty Surprise Falafel for dinner! It's by no means a traditional falafel recipe (nor was it really a traditional hummus recipe to begin with), but it sure was tasty!
(1) 1 lb. bag of dried, uncooked garbanzo beans, soaked = $1.25
(1) lemon @ $0.79/lb (which wasn't a heavy lemon but I can't find the receipt so we'll just say it cost me a quarter)
(2 tblsp) tahini, the most expensive ingredient at $6.99/can, but what I used was probably only about $0.25 or so worth
a few generous tablespoons of olive oil… we'll call it $0.50 overall used
(2) cloves of garlic = $0.05ishy
(1) jalepeno = $0.12ishy
a tablespoon or so of tumeric and about the same paprika (cumin would be good too, next time…) and with spices I can't imagine I use more than $0.05 worth total
dashes of salt and pepper to taste
zap that in the processor (adding about 1/4c. water or so to make it smoothish) and transfer to mixing bowl where you need to hand mix in the breadcrumbs (1/2 c. which is around $0.25ish) and I actually hand mixed in the spices too… If you can squish a handful into a ball and it holds, then you're good to go. if not, add more olive oil. Form into smallish, flattened patties - six is enough for me for dinner (two pitas worth) so your batch should yield around 36 falafel, which is six meals (or even more side dishes! or a huge plate of party snacks!).
Heat a pan with some olive oil in it til it's quite hot.
Pop some pita bread in the oven (2 pita for one serving or 1 pocket pita cut in half, probably runs me about $1) at 300ish degrees for the remainder of this part so they're nice and toasty.
Pop some of those bad boys in the pan, listen to that delicious sizzle and let them brown on each side a couple minutes. The outside will get crispy and hard while the inside is warm and soft. They don't need to get too dark… just enough to allow your spatula to tap them and not break them. I like to place mine immediately on a paper towel to soak up any excess oil before plating them.
Grab those pita out of the oven (with an oven mitt or tongs or something, silly!) and pop your falafel inside. Garnish with onions and tomatoes (about $0.10 worth each) and some homemade tzatziki (recipe below, too!) and enjoy for about $1.10 per serving of 6 falafel on two pita. Not bad 'tall. Plus now we have so many falafel leftover! Hurrah!
Tzatziki Sauce
1 (large) container plain yogurt (I know Greek Yogurt would be best, but I used lowfat plain yogurt that was cheaper, so la la la) for $2.25
1 medium cucumber $0.75
1/4 onion $0.20
2 cloves of garlic $0.05
Throw it all in the food processor and it's that easy. I usually them pour what I can back into the yogurt container and eat what won't fit immediately. Great with pita, veggies, chips, gyros, falafel, whatever! And for the entire dish made for about $3, I'd say that's pretty awesome.
Refreshing Minty-Green Iced Tea Recipe
Refreshing Minty-Green Iced Tea Recipe
Refreshing Minty-Green Iced Tea Recipe
Makes 1 gallon
Boil 1/2 gallon of water (I fill my teapot up almost all the way)
Pour hot water over 7 Green Tea bags and 2 Peppermint Tea bags
Let steep 5 minutes
Stir in 1 cup sugar and 2 heaping spoonfuls of your favorite local honey
Fill pitcher with cold water and place in fridge to cool for a while
We can never wait until it's totally cooled and have to pour it over ice cubes to drink immediately!
oh no, i've starved…? (Pasta Salad)
oh no, i've starved…? (Pasta Salad)
oh no, i've starved…? (Pasta Salad)
No, I've just been lazy. But yesterday I made the most amazing meal at about $5/plate…
First I made some pasta salad (which came to about $0.51 per portion… recipe below, sooooo many portions….) and then took two quarters of a loaf of french bread ($0.25 per), added butter ($0.33) and garlic ($0.15) and popped that in the oven during the last five minutes of my delicious salmon filets baking in the oven ($3.50 each during a great sale at the Kroger) which were basking in the oven-glow under delicate slices of lemon ($0.10 per filet).
The boyfriend and I consumed a healthy, delicious summertime meal for about $4.84 per plate! And we'll be repeating this again on Friday (which I'll actually photograph for you….)
Pasta Salad
(1) 17 oz. package of penne for $1.15 (cook according to directions on box)
(1/8) of a green pepper, diced for about $0.15
(1/2) of a cucumber, diced for about $0.15
(1/2) package grape tomatoes for about $1.25
(1/2) bottle kalmata olives for about $1.50
(1/3) bottle fat free Italian Dressing for about $0.75
(2) green onions for about $0.15
mix together with hands (or two spoons if you're sharing any…) - makes about ten servings for $5.10


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Sint Sixtus Abbey of Westvleteren
The Brewery
The Beginning - Archives and research show proof of three monasteries prior to Sint-Sixtus at almost the exact same location.The earliest one, the Cella Beborna, dates back to the year 806.
Its current form however was established in 1831; this had a lot to do with Jean-Baptiste Victor (1756-1832) a former hops trader from Poperinge.
He had been living as a hermit in a forest known as the Sixtus woods since 1815.
During the summer of 1831 he was joined by the Prior of the newly founded monastery of the Catsberg and some of his monks.
The Catsberg is situated in the village of Godewaersvelde, now known as the French Westhoek but is in fact a historical part of Flanders. This gathering resulted with the set up of the priory Sint-Sixtus which was finally elevated to abbey status in 1871.
The Brewing
They almost immediately started brewing beer as a necessity to save on the construction cost of their monastery. Back then each builder had to be provided with two beers on a daily basis. The monks quickly calculated that it was a lot cheaper to brew their own beer rather than buying it off a local brewer.
As did they also probably realize that by brewing their own beer they maybe, now and then, could have a drink themselves.
The beer was far from what we know as Westvleteren today and only boasted an alcohol percentage of just 2% ABV.
The much loved Westvleteren 12 didn't see the light of day until the beginning of WWII. So if any of you have been looking for 19th century editions, you can stop your quest right here and now.
The commercialization of Westvleteren beer first started in 1838. Then the monks began trading off some of the beer they would usually brew for personal consumption. By 1839 their first real on-site brewery was in production, it was 'modernized' in 1871 and survived both of the World Wars. Brewing itself didn't become a main economic activity until 1877. At one point during the 1930's the monks even used trucks to distribute their beer.
This all came to an abrupt end when the Abbot Gerardus decided to downsize the Sint-Sixtus brewing activities in 1945.
He felt at the time that the whole beer operation took up too much of the monks energy and started to interfere with their true spiritual calling.
According to the Abbot brewing beer on a commercial scale simply was not part of that calling. Due to Gerardus' decision, the production was taken out of the monks hands in 1946 and sent to the nearby and still operational brewery of St. Bernardus in Watou.
Back To Business
St. Bernardus were allowed to brew Westvleteren under license and only a small part of the original brewing activities were kept at the abbey. This was done to continue providing beer for their own consumption as well as to keep the tradition alive within the monastery walls.
The beer also continued to be brewed at the abbey to cater to the needs of individuals buying it at the gates as well as three local cafés connected to Sint-Sixtus.
The contract with St. Bernardus was renewed in 1962 when the monks gave them a second license, this time spanning a 30 year period.
In 1992 that license came to an end and the production was completely taken over by Sint-Sixtus again.
This was mainly due to changing laws and regulations which dictated that in order to be labeled a trappist, the beer actually had to be made (mainly) by real Trappist monks at a working Trappist monastery. Ever since '92 they have been doing exactly that, yearly releasing more or less 5.000 hl.
Yes, that's about just enough to allow 1.5 out of 10 Belgians enjoy one Westvleteren each year.
As we're Belgian we do take the entire population in account: women, children as well as the elderly...we don't discriminate when it comes to beer.
A while back they temporarily increased their production due to costly renovation and construction work at the abbey. They have however, no plans changing their policy or philosophy for the long-term and want to continue keeping their operation as small as it is today.
Copy Cat?
As soon as St. Bernardus got over the loss of Westvleteren they started to produce and commercialize their own line of abbey-styled beers, unsurprisingly called: St. Bernardus. One of the beers they came up with was the St. Bernardus Abt 12.
Some claim this to be the same beer as the Westvleteren 12, as St. Bernardus had the recipe and almost 50 years of experience and know how brewing it.
In the beginning these insinuations may have had had some truth to them. If you compare the two nowadays, you will certainly find similarities but they are clearly different beers.
St. Bernardus is open to visitors and offers a wide selection of speciality beers from St. Bernardus Tripel, Prior 8, White, Pater and Christmas Ale to the lesser known 'Grottenbier' en 'Watou Tripel'.
The Brewers
The monks of Sint-Sixtus started to brew beer for one main reason. The same reason any monastery has done historically, to generate extra revenue. They needed the funds to survive and sustain themselves and their order. Beer was also for a long time the cheapest and safest beverage available.
If you look to the present day, one can safely say the monks of Sint-Sixtus are the party benefiting least from the Westvleteren beer hype.
Not only is their profit marginal in comparison to what resellers make, their lives have changed drastically too.
They had to adapt fast in order to safeguard their way of life while continuing to stay true to the principles they and their order uphold.
It does sometimes get forgotten, but a monk's life mainly revolves around spirituality and brewing beer is just a part of their daily routine of work and prayer.
Brewing adds to the rest of their traditional economic activities, such as farming or cheese making. What a monastery or abbey exactly produces to generate extra money isn't really that important to them. At one point the monks in Wesvleteren we're even thinking of making chocolate... imagine!
Today there are still about 20 monks living at the monastery with an average age of 54, which is rather young and their numbers have been stable since the end of the 19th century.
Of course not all of them are involved in making the beer. They do have a couple of hired hands but that is for the more physical chores.
Most of the work and all of the brewing is done by the monks themselves.
The Beers
The Visit
You don't get to visit the brewery, ever! This is the Willy Wonka chocolate factory amongst breweries. Except that the monks don't give out golden tickets. You can however swing by the claustrum at the visitors' center and cafeteria "In de Vrede".
They have an exhibition set up that will give you an insight towards life as a Trappist monk at the monastery. Don't expect it to be all about beer and brewing Westvleteren 12… It isn't.
"In de Vrede" is located in the Donkerstraat 13, across from the abbey. It's a modern decor compared to the Abbey's history and is almost always crowded with visitors from far and wide.
In the cafeteria you'll be able to taste the beer, or even buy limited quantities at their shop (amongst other products and curiosa). For more information on the subject see our beer description pages on Westvleteren 12 (Availibility).
The Location
General - Westvleteren is part of the town of Vleteren, in West Flanders. Set in an agricultural region known as the hops country of Belgium. It consists of other small villages as Oostvleteren and Woesten.
It is a small rural town near to the French border and has a combined population of about 3.600 inhabitants.
As it is situated in the Westhoek, there is a great deal of WWI history in the vicinity.
There is a Belgian WWI military cemetery as well as the English, Dozinghem Military Cemetery, which holds 3.312 graves of fallen WWI soldiers from the Commonwealth.
There are several B&B's and holiday homes for rent, all located in the greater Vleteren area.
Getting There & Around
Sadly the availability of public transport to and around Vleteren is far from adequate. It is possible according to some - but we're not advising it as such.
By car it's only about a one hour drive from Bruges, Calais (The Channel Tunnel) or Ostend. Ypres (Ieper) is only 20 minutes away. The area is also very popular with cyclists and great to explore by motorcycle too.
Gastronomy, Food & More Beer
Being an agricultural region, the Westhoek produces some delicious ingredients and food. There are fabulous dairy products and delicious prime beef (Belgian Red!) to be tasted, the renowned hop shoots , beer, of course and a lot of superb restaurants and gastro-pubs cooking and serving it all.
West Flanders is littered with Michelin star & Gault Millau-noted restaurants, going hungry just isn't an option when touring around and visiting here.
Also good to know is that De Struise Brouwers are only 10 minutes away, over in Woesten.
So when making the effort to visit Vleteren you actually get to visit two world renowned beer sanctuaries. Another great brewery in the area you can visit is The Dolle Brouwers they are about thirty minutes away by car in Esen, Diksmuide.
More Info
Vleteren Tourist Office
Kasteelstraat 39
West Flanders
Website: www.vleteren.be
Tel: +32 (0) 57/40 93 23
Email: email@example.com
Toerisme Westhoek: www.toerismewesthoek.be
West Flanders, Belgium
+32 (0) 70 / 21 00 45
Recent Blog Posts
OSTEND - During a heated discussion among some hardcore Belgian beer aficionados the question of Westvleteren arose. Is it really worth the price resellers charge for it? This debate was fueled by t ... [ read more ]
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Established in 1991 and located in the heart of the "Montmartre" nightlife district of Ostend, this is a favoured hangout for beer and music lovers alike.
Castle Brewery Van Honsebrouck
Castle Brewery Van Honsebrouck is known for it's "Kasteel" beer range but with about 20 active brews in their selection this Belgian Family Brewer has a beer for everyone.
Restaurant offering French-Belgian cuisine in Oostende. You are welcome to join us for a glass of wine at the bar or enjoy a delicious meal from our lunch or dinner menus.
The Duvel Moortgat Brewery caters to everyone's tastes with 3 different brewery experiences. From complete novice to experienced beer lover, Duvel has the brewery trip package for you.
HALEN - Brouwerij Anders in Halen markets itself as a contract brewery, which might just need a bit of explanation: this is brewery that doesn't brew its own beers. Instead it produces beers on ... [ more ]
BRUSSELS - The second Brussels Beer Challenge was an unqualified success for Belgian brewers. Sixty-eight Belgian breweries took part and they submitted 139 samples for tasting. Belgium was rewarded with 66 med... [ more ]
Beer Pick
Brigand, the name of this golden blond regional beer, is a reference to the revolt by the peasants of Ingelmunster against the 'sans culottes' (French soldiers), which took place i... [ more ]
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Luciana Gomez
Executive Director of Brand Leadership
Luciana Gómez has extensive experience in Account Management. Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Luciana started her career in advertising 12 years ago at J.W. Thompson Argentina, working on several clients such as Bansud/Banamex, Unilever, Government of the City of Buenos Aires, and Glaxo SmithKline. Luciana was formerly Vice-President, Group Account Director at GlobalHue, leading the Hispanic and Portuguese efforts for the 2010 Census campaign. She was also responsible for all multicultural communication initiatives for Subway Restaurants, Bermuda Department of Tourism, Ad Council, the New York International Latino Film Festival, and new business. Prior to joning GlobalHue, she was Group Account Director at LatinWorks. Luciana was an integral part of numerous award-winning campaigns for a variety of clients, including Hyundai, U.S. Cellular, A&E Networks, Mars, Kimberly-Clark, Texas Lottery and NetSpend. As a Group Account Director at LatinWorks, Luciana was responsible for the development of communication strategies, ensuring all work was done within strategic framework and creative standards, as well as monitoring brand equity progress. Luciana has a Bachelor's in advertising from the Universidad de Ciencias Empresariales y Sociales in Buenos Aires.
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Clinical Pediatrics Conference
Conference 4th to 6th October 2012 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Website: http://clinicalpeds.com Contact person: Dana Smith Join us in beautiful Vancouver for an inspiring and enriching course in pediatrics Designed to enhance knowledge and skills of health care providers looking after children Fun. Recharging. Check the event website for more details.


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School Uniform Debate the least bit About Us
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The Acquainted
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 148
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School Uniform Debate the least bit About Us

I am go against school uniforms I have worn uniforms in class before and really isn that fun to any place. Everybody is wearing the same exact thing and it is easier to confuse a person with someone else, you'll hurt their experience too. To me clothes represent your wants and personality, you currently have that as much once you are wearing the same clothes of someone else. Clothes are a way to express supercharge your your fashion stink, what if you need to be a designer after you grow up? In any uniform won help to that career faster and easier unless you desparetly think to design uniforms(I should not). You feel way more comfortable when you dress with you as you the mud adhered to Shirley's shoes please and becoming parents would anyone to. This uniform topic is a lot more about what you would like to wear, a uniform doesn let you express one self, they
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shouldn have everyone the very same. Another point is this person says they were classy for the amount of the clothing, and they will not wear well. You'll want to buy 2 of each and every and do laundry time and time again, which is costly also. They that've also not that appealing and comfortable.

That is all of us because no student will indicate friends have Nike sneaker but I don I'M ABOUT NIKE SHOES!! A student will have resposiblity what disapline. Uniforms are one of those more step teaching you how to responsiblity. How you ask?? Well each student will need to be careful for removed from droping food going to themseleves. Falling conform to mud puddle WITHOUT HAVING ANY! if we have uniforms that won happen a. Students will make better choices of what to do and what not to do. That is why have to have uniforms!

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I HATE DO NOT LIKE SCHOOL UNIFORMS ITS SCARY IT IS A NIGHTMARE FOR ME, REALLY A SCHOOLL UNIFORM AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH.

OK no nope no no no no i hate school uniforms they shall be ewwww i won't go to the college if it has a uniform well hopefully was only that bad a few selected school then i will go, if not that then never. Personally students lack schooluniforms because how am i going to offer the differences of all the other students just imagine seriouslly it is
very simple very ennoying. PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO WEAR WHAT THEY WEAR I HAVE TO HAVE SERIOUSLLY.

So never result in school uniforms to kindree with all the current horrorr it has no SPARKLES I MEAN SERIOUSLLY WERE GETTING SICK.

appeal your student where it HATES SCHOOL DISGUISES,

Tyler on 2010/12/16 8: 28 prime minister

Kindree and Lisgar shouldn enjoy school uniforms. I don visualise so because flair uniforms wouldn let students be the greatest. You should be yourself. Also schools shouldn have uniforms because you will have trouble recognizing people because they are all wearing a similar thing. School uniforms happens to be very boring because the complete students are wearing the same thing. That is why In my opinion that Kindree and Lisgar do not possess school uniforms. School uniforms are going to be VERY uninteresting and dull.

tushar16 with 2010/12/16 8: 30 prime minister

What I think of the idea of wearing school uniforms will be a bad
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opportunity. Some people might not be able to afford it. Kids might not be able to play certain sports should they have a uniform going to. Kids have to have the sense to pick what they really want to wear and to perfect choices. They might get ridiculed by people which usually don go to their own school. Some kids is definitely the uncomfortable wearing dresses. Those are the reasons why that I like like uniforms that has been my opinion across wearing uniforms university. By Tushar.

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The Persian is often referred to as the classic long-haired cat. Its coat is layered, with short, coarse hair overlaying a long, luxuriously soft undercoat. Gentle and quiet, Persians are not usually playful companions, but they are undisturbed by children (and almost everything else). Nearly three-quarters of all registered pedigreed cats are Persian.
Breed-related concernsEvery cat breed carries a distinct set of genetic advantages and health risk factors. The following are the most common diseases found in the Persian breed. Hopefully, your Persian will not face these problems. However, early detection and preventive healthcare can make all the difference in helping your cat live a longer, happier life (see breed-related disease descriptions below).
Breed-related disease descriptionsListed in alphabetical order
Corneal sequestrum. Black discoloration within the cornea (the clear window of the front of the eye). Clinical signs include black discoloration to the cornea and signs of eye pain (squinting, keeping the eye closed, keeping the third eyelid over the eye or excessive tearing).
Dermatophytosis (ringworm). A fungus infection of the skin and hair. Signs may include hair loss, dandruff, skin crusts and sometimes small red bumps on the skin.
Polycystic kidney disease. Damage to the kidneys, which may be inherited or result from infections, kidney stones, toxin exposure, autoimmune disease (where the body's defense system attacks its own kidneys) or cancer. In many cases, the cause of kidney disease cannot be identified. Pets may show no signs until kidney disease is advanced. Signs may include increased drinking and urinating, urinating during the night, urinating outside of the litter box, decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, lethargy and sometimes blindness or convulsions.
Stenotic nares. Narrowing and sometimes complete obstruction of the nostrils. Signs include noisy and difficult breathing and exercise intolerance.
Tear staining. Wetness and discoloration of facial hair from tear overflow (epiphora). Most commonly seen in the corner of the eye near the nose.
Help your cat live a longer, healthier life. Ask your veterinarian about a breed-related preventive health plan.
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Croco came to visit again. I just got a new Ruff Stuff someone was kind enough to order for me, and I wanted to try it out. Croco fucks me with the toy for awhile before moving to slip a finger into my ass until I cum. Hopefully next time we can get it knotted into my ass. I'll make sure we get proof of it when it happens. ;)
Date: 4 years ago Runtime: 6:17 Views: 16,332 Tags: dildo, furry, zeta, ruffstuff


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Danaos Corporation, a leading international owner of containerships, announced that on February 28, 2012, it took delivery of one more newly built containership, the CMA CGM MELISANDE, expanding its operational fleet to a total of 61 containerships aggregating 312,779 TEU. The CMA CGM MELISANDE, built at Shanghai Jiangnan Changxing Heavy Industry has a carrying capacity of 8,530 TEU, is 335 meters long, 42.8 meters wide and has a speed of 25.80 knots. The CMA CGM MELISANDE has begun its 12-year time charter at a fixed charter rate immediately upon delivery. The annualized EBITDA run-rate contribution of the vessel is expected to be approximately $12.7 million.
Norwegian shipping company, Nyholmen AS, has chosen MAN main and auxiliary four-stroke engines to power the 'Kvannøy', an advanced, 77.25-m purse seiner/trawler.
Carnival Corporation & plc has appointed US Navy retired Vice Admiral William Burke to the newly created position of Chief Maritime Officer, effective December 9, 2013.
The U.S. Navy's aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) completes its largest replenishment-at-sea (RAS) ever with Military Sealift Command dry cargo and
Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) welcomes the release of the independent review of its response to the grounding of the Rena, and the announcement of $2 million of government
Maritime services provider Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) is celebrating the further expansion of its global footprint, following the opening of a new office in Map Ta Phut, Thailand.
APL said it has brought in the first cargo of Peruvian grapes here, clearing local pest control import requirements through cold treatment technology applied on


text: /* * Copyright 2005-2010 the original author or authors. * * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License. * You may obtain a copy of the License at * * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0 * * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and * limitations under the License. */ package org.dozer; import org.dozer.classmap.ClassMap; import org.dozer.fieldmap.FieldMap; /** * Public custom field mapper interface. A custom field mapper should only be used in very rare and unusual cases * because it is invoked for ALL field mappings. For custom mappings of particular fields, using a CustomConverter is a * much better choice. * * <p> * If a custom field mapper is specified, Dozer will invoke this class when performing all field mappings. If false is * returned from the call to mapField(), then the field will be subsequently mapped by Dozer as normal. * * @author Gerard Toonstra */ public interface CustomFieldMapper { boolean mapField(Object source, Object destination, Object sourceFieldValue, ClassMap classMap, FieldMap fieldMapping); }


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Past Events
Loan Repayment Webinar (+)
Friday, December 06, 2013
This webinar is open to alumni and current students who want to learn more information about loan repayment options, loan consolidation, and loan forgiveness programs. To RSVP, please email email@example.com. You will receive a confirmation email on the day of the webinar, just click the link included and follow the instructions to enter the webinar.
The Office of Financial Aid is available for one-on-one appointments on-campus, or over the phone. Please email firstname.lastname@example.com or call 312.662.4150 (press 5) to schedule an appointment.Life After Adler: Debt and Loan Repayment (+)
Wednesday, December 04, 2013
Chicago Campus, Community Hall
A panel of recent Adler School graduates discuss their personal experiences in dealing with debt and loan repayment post-graduation. Patrick Well's of the Adler School Office of Financial Aid will complete the event by providing tips and strategies on how to manage debt and loan repayment.
The panelists are:
Jon Rosenfield, MAC '11. Jon currently works as a career counselor for Loyola University Chicago, and has recently consolidated and negotiated his loan debt.
Nadia Jackson, Psy.D. '03. Nadia currently works at Haymarket Center and is starting a private practice. A number of her loans were
private, providing an interesting perspective. Additionally, she can speak to the extraordinary efforts some graduates have to make to repay loans.
Angela Adams Ali M.A.F. '09. Angela has a BBA in finance and worked in the corproate sector before pursing her master's degree at the Adler School. She is also completing her Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology, and is in the process of starting her own consulting business.
RSVP to email@example.com Repayment Webinar (+)
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
This webinar is open to alumni and current students who want to learn more information about loan repayment options, loan consolidation, and loan forgiveness programs. To RSVP, please email email@example.com. You will receive a confirmation email on the day of the webinar, just click the link included and follow the instructions to enter the webinar.
The Office of Financial Aid is available for one-on-one appointments on-campus, or over the phone. Please email email@example.com or call 312.662.4150 (press 5) to schedule an appointment.International, Cultural, and Adlerian Perspectives on Parenting (+)
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Chicago Campus, Community Hall
This panel presentation will provide both international and domestic approaches to Adlerian parenting to help inform the audience members the importance that culture has in supporting parents and families. The learning objectives for this panel presentation are as follows:
- Participants will gain knowledge and insights about Adlerian parenting principles that can be applied both internationally and domestically.
- Participants will learn of interventions and strategies to support parenting from an Adlerian perspective in both international and domestic settings.
Panelists include: Dr. Roberto Rodriguez (UNIBE-San Jose, Costa Rica), Dr. Maricruz Ramos (Adler School-Chicago), and Dr. Leigh Johnson-Migalski (Adler School-Chicago).
This event is open and free to the entire Adler School community (students, staff, faculty, and alumni). One Continuing Education credit will be offered for this event.
Registration is required, please RSVP to Maria Fritz at email@example.com. Please indicate if you will be seeking Continuing Education credit.Homecoming Celebration 2013 (+)
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Chicago Campus
Mark your calendar and join us for the festivities:
- Formal introduction of the graduating class of 2013 into the Alumni Association
- Networking with former classmates, alumni and faculty members
- Special gatherings of degree programs and cohorts: "reunion-within–a-reunion"
- Alumni awards and special recognitions
Visit adler.edu/homecoming for more information.
Elina Manghi Memorial Event (+)
Thursday, October 03, 2013
Chicago Campus
The Elina Manghi Memorial Child and Adolescent Psychology Lecture and Scholarship Reception.Featured topic and lecture is "Treating a Moody Child: Psychoeducational Psychotherapy A Starting Point Model for Child/Family Therapy" presented by Mary A. Fristad, Ph.D., ABPP.
Dr. Fristad' s area of specialty is childhood mood disorders. Author of Raising a Moody Child: How to Cope with Depression, she has also published over 150 articles and book chapters addressing the assessment and treatment of childhood-onset depression, suicidality and bipolar disorder (manic-depression). Dr. Fristad serves on the Board of Directors for five web-based education and support groups for children and families with mood disorders.
The annual Elina Manghi Memorial Lecture promotes the vision and passion of Elina Manghi, Psy.D,. A Professor in the Adler School Department of Clinical Psychology who led the Child and Adolescent Track of the Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) Program., Dr. Manghian exemplary clinician, researcher and teacher, whose compassion and generosity deeply touched everyone with whom she worked.
Established in 2012, the Elina Manghi Memorial also provides an annual Diversity Scholarship to support students from diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds studying Child and Adolescent Psychology at the Adler School.
For more information, visit adler.edu/manghi.Challenges in the Workplace Workshop (+)
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Chicago Campus, Community Hall
The Society of Organizational Psychology and The Masters of Counseling and Organizational Psychology presents Challenges in the Workplace: What Every Professional Should Know about the 21st Century Workplace.
Today more than ever before treatment and counseling professionals find themselves in an almost constant uphill learning and transitions curve. Steven Uhrik uses his 28 years of experience with workplace issues to share his knowledge with you at this workshop worth 2.5 Continuing Education Credits. Topics that will be discussed include critical workplace issues such as addictions, employee relations, metrics, behavioral problems, and family problems.
Please RSVP here by Sept. 24.- Adler School Students and Alumni Workshop only: Free
- Adler School Students and Alumni Workshop and Continuing Education Credit: $20
- Non-Adler School Participants, Workshop only: $20
- Non-Adler School Participants Workshop and Continuing Education Credit: $40
Adler School Golf Classic (+)
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Join us for the second annual Adler School Golf Classic on September 12th at Harborside International Golf Center on Chicago's south side.
AACN Neuropsychology Conference Reception (+)
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Chicago Campus
Join us for a reception for the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology Chicago Conference 2013, hosted by the Adler School's Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology Clinical Neuropsychology Concentration. This event is open to all students, alumni, faculty, and conference attendees.
Post-Community Action Day Alumni Reception (+)
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Vancouver Campus
Join us for the Adler School Community Action Day and Alumni Reception. The Community Action Day will be held off-site from 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Please meet in the Adler School Lobby by 9:00 a.m. The Alumni Reception will be held on campus from 5:30-7:30 p.m.


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Lakewood Municipal Court Local Court Rules Table of Rules Chapter I General Rules LMCLR GR 1.1 Scope LMCLR GR 1.2 Purpose and Construction LMCLR GR 1.3 Effect LMCLR GR 1.4 Definitions LMCLR GR 1.5 Schedule of Fees LMCLR GR 1.6 Waiver of Account Balances Chapter II Criminal Rules LMCLR CR 2.2 Warrant Recall Procedures LMCLR CR 3.2(n) Bail or Bond Procedures LMCLR CR 3.2(o) Bail for New Domestic Violence Offenses LMCLR CR 4.1 Arraignments and Continuances of all Matters other than Arraignment LMCLR CR 4.2(i) Deferred Prosecution LMCLR CR 4.5 Pre-Trial Hearings LMCLR CR 4.7 Discovery - Assigned Counsel LMCLR CR 6.4 Voir Dire LMCLR CR 6.13 Evidence - Court's Custody of Exhibits LMCLR CR 7.2(a) Restitution LMCLR CR 7.2(b) Payment Arrangements LMCLR CR 7.2(c) Community Service LMCLR CR 7.6 Probation Department Services and Procedure LMCLR CR 8.2 Criminal Motion Procedures Chapter III Infraction Rules LMCLR IR 2.6(a)(1) Continuances of Infraction Proceedings LMCLR IR 3.1(a) Procedure at Contested Hearings - Subpoenas LMCLR IR 3.1(b) Discovery Requests for Infractions LMCLR IR 3.1(e) Contested Hearings - Preliminary Motions LMCLR IR 3.2(b) Failure to Appear LMCLR IR 3.3 Deferred Findings on Infractions LMCLR IR 3.5 Written Statement LMCLR IR 3.6(a) Disabled Parking LMCLR IR 3.6(b) Mandatory Liability Insurance LMCLR IR 3.6(c) Expired Vehicle Registration LMCLR IR 3.6(d) NVOL with ID LMCLR IR 3.6(e) Motor Vehicle Equipment Violations LMCLR IR 6.2(b) Monetary Penalty for Unscheduled Infractions Chapter IV Appeals to Municipal Court LMCLR AR 1.1 Appeals LMCLR GR1.1 SCOPE These rules govern the procedures in the Municipal Court of the City of Lakewood in all proceedings and supplemented in light of the common law and the decisional law of this city. These rules shall not be construed to affect or derogate from the constitutional rights of any defendant. (Effective 09/01/2012) LMCLR GR1.2 PURPOSE AND CONSTRUCTION These rules are intended to provide for the just determination of every proceeding. They shall be construed to secure simplicity in procedure, fairness in administration, effective justice, and the elimination of unjustifiable expense and delay. These rules are not intended to supersede or conflict with any statutes covering procedures for criminal and infraction violations or the Criminal Rules for Courts of Limited Jurisdiction (CrRLJ), or the Infraction Rules for Courts of Limited Jurisdiction (IRLJ). (Effective 09/01/2012) LMCLR GR1.3 EFFECT Except as otherwise provided elsewhere in these rules, on their effective date: 1) Any acts done before the effective date in any proceedings then pending or any action taken in any proceeding pending under rules of procedure in effect prior to the effective date of these rules are not impaired by these rules. 2) These rules also apply to any proceedings in court then pending or thereafter commenced regardless of when the proceedings were commenced, except to the extent that in the opinion of the court, the former procedures should continue to be made applicable in a particular case in the interest of justice or because of infeasibility of application of the procedures of these rules. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR GR1.4 DEFINITIONS As used in these rules, unless the context clearly requires otherwise: 1) "Earliest practicable day" means the next regularly scheduled court calendar. 2) "Next business day" means the next day the court is open for business. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR GR1.5 SCHEDULE OF FEES The following shall be the schedule of fees charged for certain services provided by the Municipal Court. These amounts are consistent with RCW 3.62.060. Duplication of Electronic Records $10.00/tape or CD Paper Copy/Fax Expenses $.50/each page Certified Copy $5.00/document Postage actual cost Civil Filing Fee - as set by Pierce County District Court Copy of DOL Abstract of Driving Record - as set by RCW 46.52.130 JIS Data Dissemination charges will be set in accordance with the Administrative Office of the Courts. (Effective 09/01/13) LMCLR GR1.6 WAIVER OF ACCOUNT BALANCES 1) Delinquent account balances under $10.00 on adjudicated cases where all other conditions of sentencing have been satisfied may be waived administratively and closed on a case-by-case basis. 2) Any case for which jurisdiction has expired, and the only remaining condition of sentence is to pay an account balance that has been in collections for ten years or more, and the account has been deemed uncollectible, the remaining balance may be waived administratively and closed. A docket entry will be made on each case reflecting the above for audit purposes, and the case will be closed. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR CR2.2 WARRANT RECALL PROCEDURES 1) If a defendant has not failed to appear for a prior hearing, the defendant may appear within 2 working days by 5 pm and reset their hearing. Prior to resetting the hearing the defendant will complete a Personal Recognizance form and then be given a copy of the form with the next court appearance date noted. 2) If a defendant has failed to appear for a prior hearing, and the warrant ordered by the Judge is for a cash or bond amount, the defendant may post a $50 non-refundable warrant fee to have the warrant recalled by the clerk. The defendant shall complete a Personal Recognizance form, and be given a copy of the form with the next court appearance date noted, as well as a copy of the recalled warrant (if it has been printed). 3) A defendant may post the entire bail/bond amount with the clerk to have the warrant recalled. The defendant shall complete a Personal Recognizance form, and be given a copy of the form with the next court appearance date noted, as well as a copy of the recalled warrant (if it has been printed). 4) A defendant has the option to request a Motion to Recall Warrant hearing if the defendant has not previously failed to appear for this type of hearing as to the warrant in question. The defendant shall complete a Motion to Recall Warrant form, and will be given a copy of the form with the next court appearance date noted. 5) The defendant may surrender to the Pierce County Jail on an active warrant. The warrant must have been downloaded successfully to the LESA system and the service copy of the warrant must have been forwarded to LESA Records. If the warrant has not been downloaded, or LESA Records does not have the service copy of the warrant, the clerk may fax a copy of the active warrant to the Pierce County Jail; the copy of the warrant being faxed must show that the copy may be used as a service copy. 6) If a No Contact Order has been filed and approved by the Court, but not previously served on a defendant, the Order will be served on the defendant along with the Personal Recognizance form or notice of Motion to Recall Warrant hearing. If the defendant refuses to accept service of a No Contact Order, the warrant shall be served on the defendant and the defendant shall be transported to the Pierce County Jail. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR CR3.2(n) BAIL OR BOND PROCEDURES 1) Upon receipt of bail or bond for a case where charges are pending review and filing by the Prosecutor, the court shall create a case in JIS and hold the bail or bond for 30 days. If no formal charges have been filed by the Prosecutor in that time, then the bail will be returned to the payee, and/or a notice of exoneration will be mailed to the bonding agency that posted the bond. 2) When a case is dismissed or sentence imposed, any financial obligations for fines, penalties and/or costs on the case shall be deducted from bail posted by the defendant, and the remainder shall be returned to the defendant, unless the bail has already been forfeited subject to RCW 10.19.140. 3) If cash bail was posted subsequent to the issuance of a bench warrant, the court shall deduct a warrant fee prior to refunding the bail. This rule shall also apply if a person other than the defendant posted the bail. 4) If bail or bond has been processed for forfeiture, and the judge has ordered the forfeited bail returned to the payee, per RCW 10.19.140 the court shall deduct a warrant fee and/or booking fee, when applicable, prior to the return of the bail or bond forfeiture. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR CR3.2(o) BAIL FOR NEW DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFFENSES When required to reasonably assure appearance in court for those persons arrested and detained in jail for new offenses, bail shall not be set for accused persons arrested for new offenses involving domestic violence or violation of an anti-harassment order except at the preliminary appearance or arraignment. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR CR4.1 ARRAIGNMENTS AND CONTINUANCES OF ALL MATTERS OTHER THAN ARRAIGNMENT 1) Arraignment: A lawyer may, pursuant to CrRLJ 4.1(d), enter an appearance on behalf of a client, except in cases in which the docket or charging document states that one or more of the charges involves DUI, Physical Control, any Domestic Violence charge, including, but not limited to Assault 4th DV, Malicious Mischief DV, Harassment, Violation of an Antiharassment/No Contact Order, Stalking or Harassment, whereupon the defendant's presence is mandatory and cannot be waived. Pursuant to RCW 46.61.50571, the Presiding Judge may waive the appearance of a defendant arrested under RCW 46.61.502, 503 and 504 from the next judicial day to the next regularly scheduled arraignment calendar. 2) Unless otherwise noted for motion, all requests to continue pretrial hearings, motions, trial dates and/or other final dispositions will require an Agreed Order signed by both parties. The signed Agreed Order for Continuance is to be filed no less than four working days before the scheduled hearing and will be either approved or denied by the Judge. If an Agreed Order of Continuance is filed less than four working days before the scheduled hearing, the prosecutor or defense is required to file the Order in open Court for the Judge's approval or denial. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR CR4.2(i) DEFERRED PROSECUTION In addition to the statutory conditions and requirements of deferred prosecution, each defendant shall pay the administrative assessment to the Municipal Court in the amount of $250 plus the BAC fee and any other costs related to the case. All defendants placed on a deferred prosecution will also be placed on five year probation monitoring: Active Supervised Probation for two years, and Monitored Unsupervised Probation for three years. The defendant will be required to pay the fees for Probation. Restitution is required as a condition of a deferred prosecution. An Order deferring prosecution under RCW 10.05 will be granted only to a petitioner who has a written signed contract for treatment. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR CR 4.5 PRE-TRIAL HEARINGS 1) Unless otherwise ordered by the court in a specific case for good cause, all cases in which a defendant enters a plea of not guilty shall be set for a pre-trial hearing. 2) (a) The pre-trial hearing shall provide an opportunity for negotiation between the parties. The parties shall confer in good faith regarding any agreed disposition prior to trial. The defendant shall be required to attend the pre-trial hearing unless excused by the court. Failure to attend may result in the issuance of a bench warrant and/or forfeiture of any bond/bail. In the event of a disposition, the parties shall execute the appropriate documents for the Judge to consider the matter on the record. Pre-trial hearings should be held no later than 30 days after arraignment unless otherwise approved by the court. (b) In cases which proceed to trial, the parties shall identify with specificity all motions and counsel may be required to articulate on the record the basis for any motion. All rulings made at the pre-trial hearing or subsequent motion hearing(s) shall be binding on the parties and shall not be relitigated at trial. Any motion not identified at pre-trial shall be deemed waived unless otherwise allowed by the court. Parties shall identify only those motions for which there is a good faith belief that the motion is well grounded in fact and is warranted by existing law or a good faith argument for the extension, modification or reversal of existing law. Parties shall comply with CrRLJ 3.6. 3) The court shall assign dates and give written notice to the parties for future motion hearings and trial at the time of the pre-trial conference and shall, in so far as is reasonably possible, schedule those hearings in consultation with both parties. Other factors, such as witness availability, shall also be considered. 4) (a) A jury call/readiness hearing will be scheduled in all cases proceeding to trial unless specifically waived by the court in a particular case for good cause shown. This calendar will be held during the week approximately 1 week prior to the scheduled trial or as otherwise set by the court. The defendant shall be required to attend this hearing unless excused by the court. Failure to attend the jury call/readiness hearing may result in the issuance of a bench warrant and/or forfeiture of bond/bail. (b) A request for a jury trial date constitutes an assurance that the parties will be ready to begin jury selection immediately on the morning of trial and submit jury instructions at the call of the jury calendar. (c) At the conclusion of the readiness hearing, the court will no longer accept any plea bargaining arrangements. Therefore, the case will be tried by jury unless waived by the defendant, or concluded by a guilty plea to the original charge(s), or a dismissal of the charge(s). When a defendant enters a plea to an offense as charged after having confirmed for jury trial at the readiness hearing, the court shall assess jury costs in the amount of one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125). Jury costs may be waived by agreement of the parties or at the discretion of the court. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR CR 4.7 DISCOVERY - ASSIGNED COUNSEL The prosecuting authority shall provide discovery to counsel appointed at public expense within 14 days of the prosecuting authority's receipt of the order appointing counsel or other notification of appointment by the court. The order appointing counsel or other notification of appointment by the court shall be considered a written demand for discovery, thereby triggering the prosecuting authority's discovery obligations under CrRLJ 4.7(a). (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR CR 6.4 VOIR DIRE The voir dire examination of jurors shall be conducted under the direction and control of the court with the following guidelines: 1) It is expected that voir dire, in most cases, will consume one hour time or less. 2) The court shall ask all general questions and thereafter shall give leave to the respective parties to ask such supplementary questions as may be deemed proper and necessary by the court. The parties shall submit all proposed general questions in writing prior to voir dire. 3) The court may intervene without objections in instances of inappropriate questioning and may limit the amount of time each party has to examine a juror or jury panel. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR CR 6.13 EVIDENCE - COURT'S CUSTODY OF EXHIBITS In a criminal case every exhibit in the court's custody, which is not contraband and for which ownership is not in dispute, shall be returned to the party who produced that exhibit upon motion of that party and expiration of the appeal period. In the event of finding of guilty, for purpose of this rule, the appeal period shall begin on the day of sentencing or deferral of sentencing by the court. Exhibits not withdrawn shall be delivered by the court to the Lakewood Police Department for disposition as abandoned property, or if contraband, for destruction. The court shall release no exhibit without its being receipted for by the receiving person. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR CR 7.2(a) RESTITUTION Where the court orders that a defendant pay restitution but does not set an amount at the time of disposition, a restitution hearing shall be scheduled. The prosecuting attorney shall file a restitution order with supporting documentation at the time of the hearing. If the Prosecutor does not file a restitution order at the time of the hearing, the matter of restitution shall be deemed waived unless otherwise authorized by the court. If the defendant does not object, the proposed amount shall be entered as a judgment. Payment of restitution shall be made through the clerk of the court unless otherwise ordered by the court. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR CR7.2(b) PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS Upon sentencing, entry of a Stipulated Order of Continuance, or entry of Deferred Prosecution, the defendant shall pay the fines/fees assessed in the case in full within 60 days from the date of entry. A defendant has the option to establish an account with Signal Management Services to allow for a longer time period to complete the payment of fees/fines. To establish an account, a defendant is required to complete a payment application and submit the fees required by Signal Credit. If a defendant fails to comply with the payment arrangements as agreed, Signal Management Services will notify the court that the defendant has failed to complete the payment arrangements, and the account will be directly assigned to AllianceOne for collection purposes. No notice will be provided to the defendant by the court that the account has been assigned. For indigent defendants on Active Supervised Probation - the Probation Officer is authorized to impose community service hours in lieu of an outstanding Probation fee balance. Credit will be given for up to $50. Hours are determined per LMCLR CR7.2(c). (Effective 09/01/13) LMCLR CR 7.2(c) COMMUNITY SERVICE The court may allow a defendant to complete community service at a non-profit organization in lieu of monetary payments in appropriate cases. Unless otherwise ordered by the court, community service hours are credited at the most recent minimum wage amount used by the State of Washington, rounded off to the nearest dollar per hour worked toward any fine balances. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR CR 7.6 PROBATION DEPARTMENT SERVICES AND PROCEDURE The role of the Municipal Court Probation Department is to assist the court in the management of criminal justice and thereby aid in the preservation of public order and safety. Pursuant to ARLJ 11, the Probation Officer shall perform the following duties and follow the following procedures: 1) Conduct pre/post-sentence investigations with face to face interviews and extensive research that may include but is not limited to: criminal history, contact with victims, personal history, social and economic needs, community resource needs, counseling/treatment needs, work history, family and employer support, and complete written pre/post-sentence reports which include sentencing recommendations to the court. 2) For offenders referred to the misdemeanant probation department, the Probation Officer shall determine their risk to the community using a standardized classification system with a minimum of monthly face to face interviews for offenders classified at the highest level; 3) Probation Officer shall monitor offenders with face to face interviews depending on risk classification system; 4) Probation Officer shall communicate with community agencies providing services required of offenders with input to the judicial officer regarding the following areas: alcohol/drug, domestic violence, sexual deviancy, and mental illness. 5) In addition to the duties mentioned above, the Probation Officer is also required to perform records checks on active probation clients, notify the court of violations or special circumstances through written reports and direct communication with court personnel, attend calendar proceedings as needed, and participate in accounting of fees. 6) This rule is based upon the provisions of ARLJ 11. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR CR 8.2 CRIMINAL MOTION PROCEDURES 1) Purpose: This rule governs criminal motion practice. 2) Filings of Motions. Memoranda and Affidavits General. The moving party shall file with the court 14 days prior to the motion hearing date the following: The motion being noted, all supporting affidavits and documentary evidence and a brief memorandum of authorities. Unless a court rule, statute or briefing schedule provides a different timeframe for a response, the responding party may file a response to the issue of law, or any counter-affidavits, briefs or memoranda of authorities no later than five (5) days before the hearing. The responding party may also file any pleading to which the motion is directed. Failure to timely comply with these filing requirements may result in a continuance or the motion being stricken from the calendar. 3) Length of Memoranda. Memoranda relating to motions shall not exceed fifteen (15) pages. Waiver of page limitations may be granted only upon motion demonstrating good cause which may be heard ex parte. 4) Copies of Motions, Memoranda and Affidavits. A copy of the motion, brief, memorandum, documents and affidavit shall be furnished to the Clerk at the time of filings for delivery to the assigned Judge for preparation. Responding briefs, memoranda and other documents shall be filed with copies provided for the preparation of the assigned Judge. 5) Motion Hearing Procedures. Oral argument on motions shall be limited to ten (10) minutes for each side unless the Judge determines otherwise. 6) The Motion hearing shall proceed upon the pleadings and any submitted police reports. If, at the time of the hearing, the City elects to provide supplementation or the court finds that additional information is necessary to adequately decide the issues presented by the moving party, a testimonial hearing shall be set. Prior to the testimonial hearing, the court should advise the parties of the issues that remain for consideration. The purpose of this rule is to efficiently and effectively resolve pre-trial issues and to focus the costs of testimonial hearings to cases that warrant it. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR IR 2.6(a)(l) CONTINUANCES OF INFRACTION PROCEEDINGS A motion for a continuance in a scheduled contested or mitigation hearing must be made in writing and filed 7 days prior to the date of the hearing. The motion shall show good cause for continuance. The Clerk is authorized to grant a timely request for a continuance, unless (a) the defendant has previously sought a continuance; (b) failed to appear for a hearing; or (c) the defendant has either requested that witnesses be present or witnesses have been subpoenaed. Any other requests for a continuance shall be considered by the judge. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR IR 3.1(a) PROCEDURE AT CONTESTED HEARINGS - SUBPOENAS 1) A subpoena may be obtained pursuant to IRLJ 3.1 (a). 2) Subpoenas for Police Officers - Alternative Procedure. Subpoenas may be requested and served as provided by state law and court rules. In the alternative, defendants in contested infraction cases may serve subpoenas upon officers who issued the citation in the following manner: (a) A subpoena may be requested and obtained from the court clerk; (b) The defendant, or his/her attorney or agent, may effectuate service of the subpoena upon the officer by serving the subpoena upon an employee of the Legal Department of the City Attorney's Office in that office at least seven days before the scheduled contested hearing; (c) The City Attorney's Office shall date-stamp the subpoena, provide a stamped copy to the person serving the subpoena, and transmit the original subpoena to the officer at the Police Department. 3) This rule is not intended to supersede or conflict with any statutes concerning procedures for infractions or the Infraction Rules for Courts of Limited Jurisdiction (IRLJ). (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR IR 3.1(b) DISCOVERY REQUESTS FOR INFRACTIONS 1) Discovery requests regarding infractions that are pending hearing shall be governed by IRLJ 3.1 (b). 2) All discovery requests must have the following information: Complete name of defendant, Case number and mailing address of defendant. 3) No motion to dismiss for failure to comply with IRLJ 3.1 shall be entertained absent proof of service of such discovery request upon the opposing party on-file with the court, in conformity with CRLJ 5(b). (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR IR 3.1(e) CONTESTED HEARINGS - PRELIMINARY MOTIONS Motions challenging the authority of the Court, the constitutionality of the Court, the constitutionality of any statute, ordinance or court rule pertaining to an infraction, the authority of the prosecuting attorney prosecuting an infraction, and/or the authority of the law enforcement agency or officer filing an infraction must be made in writing. Such motions, together with citations to authority and argument, must be filed with the Court and served upon the opposing party no later than fourteen days prior to a contested infraction hearing. Such motions may be decided by the Court with or without oral argument, as the Court may determine. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR IR 3.2(b) FAILURE TO APPEAR If a defendant appears within 48 hours of a failure to appear (FTA) on a regularly scheduled contested or mitigation hearing, has not previously failed to appear, and the plaintiff has not been prejudiced by the FTA, the FTA will be set aside and reset for the same hearing type pursuant to IRLJ 3.2 (b) and CRLJ 60 (b). In all other FTA's, the defendant may request a show cause hearing. If there is a potential basis for good cause, the Court may stop the FTA pending the show cause hearing. (Effective 09/01/02) LMCLR IR3.3 DEFERRED FINDINGS ON INFRACTIONS Upon entry of a deferred finding for an infraction, the court will monitor the infraction for a period of six months from the date of entry to determine compliance with the conditions set by the court. If a defendant successfully complies with the conditions after the six month period, the charge(s) will be dismissed as agreed. If a defendant fails to pay the agreed costs within the time limit allowed by the court, fails to establish an account with Signal Management Services, or fails to complete the payment plan within the time allowed, a finding of committed will be entered for the charge(s), and collection will proceed. If a defendant obtains a new moving violation during the first six months of jurisdiction, the court shall extend jurisdiction over the deferral to one year total. During the additional time period, the court shall monitor the new moving violation(s) and determine whether or not a committed finding has been entered. If a committed finding is entered for the new moving violation(s), per RCW 46.63.070(5) the deferral will be revoked and the charge(s) found committed. If the new moving violation(s) is dismissed or found not committed, then the deferral will be monitored by the court until the end of the jurisdiction, which shall be no less than six months from the date of entry of the deferral. The court will not consider a request for deferred findings under RCW 46.63.070(5) for the following violations: RCW 46.61.440 Speeding in a School Zone RCW 46.61.527 Speeding in a Construction Zone, RCW 46.61.212 Emergency Zone Violations, or RCW 46.61.370 Passing Stopped School Bus. Defendants with a CDL (Commercial Driver's License) or who operated a commercial vehicle at the time of the violation are not eligible to enter into a Deferred Finding. (Effective 09/01/13) LMCLR IR 3.5 WRITTEN STATEMENT This Court adopts IRLJ 3.5 regarding decision on written statements for infractions. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR IR 3.6(a) DISABLED PARKING If a person charged with parking in a disabled parking space without proper parking placard or license plate has a valid disabled parking placard or disabled person's license plate at the time of citation, the defendant may present such proof to the court along with proper picture identification. Upon confirmation with Department of Licensing that the placard is valid, the charge will be dismissed. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR IR 3.6(b) MANDATORY LIABILITY INSURANCE 1) If a person charged with a violation of RCW 46.30.020, driving a motor vehicle without having proof of valid insurance, presents to the court clerk within 15 days of the violation, or prior to a scheduled mitigation or contested hearing evidence that they had in effect at the time of the infraction liability insurance as required by RCW 46.30.020, then, upon payment of twenty-five dollars ($25), the case shall be dismissed and the court clerk shall be authorized to make appropriate notation of the dismissal in the court file. 2) If a person charged with a violation of RCW 46.30.020, driving a motor vehicle without having proof of valid insurance, provides proof to the court clerk within 15 days of the violation, or prior to a scheduled mitigation or contested hearing that they subsequently obtained liability insurance in conformity with the requirements of RCW 46.30.020, then the penalty shall be reduced to one hundred and fifty dollars ($150), and the clerk shall be authorized to enter a finding that the infraction was committed and make appropriate notations in the court record. The person will be relieved of any further need to appear in court in connection with this charge on the infraction. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR IR 3.6(c) EXPIRED VEHICLE REGISTRATION If a person who has been cited with a violation of RCW 46.16A.030.5 provides proof to the court clerk within 14 days from the date of violation, or prior to any scheduled mitigation or contested hearing that the vehicle registration was valid at the time of the violation, and that person has had no previous violations of RCW 46.16.010, then the case shall be dismissed with no costs. If a person charged with the violation of RCW 46.16A.030.5.L (Expired Vehicle Registration Less than Two Months) is able to acquire valid registration and provide proof to the court within 14 days from the date of violation, or prior to any scheduled mitigation or contested hearing, then the penalty shall be reduced to one hundred dollars ($100) and a finding of committed entered. If a person is charged with the violation of RCW 46.16A.030.5.O (Expired Vehicle Registration Over Two Months) is able to acquire valid registration and provide proof to the court within 14 days from the date of violation, or prior to any scheduled mitigation or contested hearing, then the penalty shall be reduced to one hundred fifty dollars ($150) and a finding of committed entered. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR IR 3.6(d) NVOL WITH ID If a person charged with violation of RCW 46.20.015 for No Valid Operator's License with Valid Identification (NVOL with ID) is able to acquire a valid operator's license and provide proof to the court within 14 days from the date of violation, or prior to a scheduled mitigation or contested hearing, then the penalty shall be reduced to one hundred fifty dollars ($150). If a person charged with violation of RCW 46.20.015 for NVOL with ID fails to obtain a valid operator's license within 14 days from the date of violation, or prior to a scheduled mitigation or contested hearing, and the violation is the first NVOL with ID offense in five years, the penalty shall be reduced to three hundred dollars ($300). The clerk shall be authorized to enter a finding that the infraction was committed and to make appropriate notations in the court record, and the person will be relieved of any further need to appear in court in connection with the infraction. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR IR 3.6(e) MOTOR VEHICLE EQUIPMENT VIOLATIONS If a person charged with a defective motor vehicle equipment violation presents to the court clerk, prior to any hearing, proof of repairs to the vehicle to correct the defect, the clerk may reduce the fine to one hundred dollars ($100). (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR IR 6.2(b) MONETARY PENALTY FOR UNSCHEDULED INFRACTIONS The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) has interpreted School Zone Speeding pursuant to RCW 46.61.440, and Construction Zone Speeding pursuant to RCW 46.61.527 to be "unscheduled" infractions under IRLJ 6.2(b). On the assumption that this is a correct interpretation, the Municipal Court has by this rule established a local rule as permitted by IRLJ 6.2(b) to make the School Zone Speeding and Construction Zone Speeding penalties consistent with IRLJ 6.2(d) and the obvious intent of the legislature in adopting RCW 46.61.440(3) and RCW 46.61.527(3). Pursuant to IRLJ 6.2(b) this rule adopts as the penalty for speeding in a school zone and speeding in a construction zone the monetary base penalty set for in IRLJ 6.2(d) for the relevant speed, but then doubled pursuant to RCW 46.61.440(3) and RCW 46.61.527(3). The base penalty, together with the statutory assessments may not be waived, reduced or suspended. The fines are as set forth in the published JIS Law Table Update Bulletin distributed by the Administrative Office of the Courts 07/22/2007. Speeding in a School Zone Penalty schedule 1-5 mph over limit $189 6-10 mph over limit $210 11-15 mph over limit $271 16-20 mph over limit $353 21-25 mph over limit $456 26-30 mph over limit $558 31-35 mph over limit $661 Over 35 mph over limit $784 Speeding in a Construction Zone Penalty schedule (if the speed limit is over 40 mph) 1-5 mph over limit $128 6-10 mph over limit $169 11-15 mph over limit $231 16-20 mph over limit $292 21-25 mph over limit $354 26-30 mph over limit $436 31-35 mph over limit $538 36-40 mph over limit $641 Over 40 mph over limit $764 Speeding in a Construction Zone Penalty schedule (if the speed limit is 40 mph or under) 1-5 mph over limit $169 6-10 mph over limit $190 11-15 mph over limit $251 16-20 mph over limit $333 21-25 mph over limit $436 26-30 mph over limit $538 31-35 mph over limit $641 Over 35 mph over limit $764 Infractions resulting from automated traffic safety cameras will not exceed $450 pursuant to Chapter 167, Laws of 2005. (Effective 09/01/12) LMCLR AR1.1 APPEALS Purpose: Certain statutes and ordinances vest the Municipal Court with the authority to hear appeals. This Rule sets forth the procedure for hearing and decision regarding such appeals. This Rule is intended to provide for the expeditious consideration of timely filed notices of appeal. Where such statutes and ordinances are silent, the Court interprets such statutes and ordinances to mandate no more than a due process hearing to guarantee the appellant a fair opportunity to understand the basis for the proposed action and offer argument against such action. The minimum due process hearing is therefore comparable to the brief adjudicative proceeding set forth in RCW 34.05.485. 1) Timeliness. The appeal must be filed with the Court and a copy filed with the City Attorney within the timeframe set forth by statute or ordinance, and accompanied by any applicable filing fee. An untimely appeal shall be dismissed summarily. 2) The notice of appeal must contain a short and plain statement of the basis of the appeal together with any documents, photographs, or other exhibits in support of the appeal. A notice of appeal which does not include a short and plain statement of the basis of the appeal shall not be accepted. The Court clerk will advise the appellant of the deficiency and require the appeal to be perfected within ten days. An incomplete notice of appeal will be summarily dismissed. 3) Upon receipt of a properly filed notice of appeal, the Court will set the matter for hearing on the next available contested infraction calendar. At the appeal hearing, the City and the Appellant will each be given five minutes to make an oral argument. No testimony will be received. Documents, photographs, affidavits, and other offers of proof may be submitted if they are filed with the Court and served on the opposing party no less than five days before the appeal hearing. Upon a showing of good cause, the Court may set the matter over for the taking of testimony or other evidence. 4) The Court may make an oral ruling at the close of oral argument, or may take the matter under advisement. If the matter is taken under advisement, the Court will issue a written decision or set the matter for further hearing within 30 days. 5) Rules of Discovery do not apply in these proceedings. Any party may make a request for discovery in the context of a request to continue the appeal hearing. Such request shall be made on the record with an offer of proof as to the need for discovery. No discovery shall be ordered and no continuance shall be granted in the absence of a showing that a denial would deny the moving party due process of law. 6) Monetary Judgment. Where authorized by statute or ordinance, the Court will award monetary recoveries and costs upon timely application of a prevailing party. The parties shall note at the hearing whether they intend to seek a monetary recovery, and as part of its decision, the Court will make a determination whether such recoveries are allowed. In the event that such recoveries are awarded, and the prevailing party certifies that such recoveries have not been paid, the Court will certify the monetary award for enforcement as a civil judgment in accordance with RCW 3.66.020(10). (Effective 09/01/12) |
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text:
The Russian parliament voted on Wednesday to approve a bill blacklisting Russian websites that appear to promote drugs or contain porn or "extremist" material.
The bill still needs to be signed by President Vladimir Putin but is expected to become law in November.
Russian deputies also passed a second bill today that makes libel and slander criminal offences.
Submitted to the lower house of the Russian parliament, the State Duma, on June 7, the web bill proposes that websites can be blacklisted without judicial approval.
Under the new law if a website contains controversial content, a three step process will be applied. First, law enforcement officials notify the access provider who is then expected to inform the website owner that they must delete the content. The website is then given 24 hours to remove the content. If it fails to do so, the URL and material is blocked, as well as the website's IP address and domain name. Additionally, if the provider fails to block the website, it then shares responsibility with the website owner.
The leader of the HRC, Mikhail Fedotov expressed concern that, "the bill envisions the introduction of real censorship in the Russian sphere of the internet"
Wikipedia shut down its Russian language site for 24 hours in protest against the bill, which it said would mean "a world without free knowledge".
Andrei Soldatov, editor-in-chief of website Agentura.ru said, "As a rule limitations and censorship are imposed under the pretense of protecting children". Soldatov went on to say "Clearly, it will be possible to use it not just against websites propagating pornography; the government will be able to use these instruments any way it wants."
Earlier this week Kirsty Hughes, Chief Executive of Index on Censorship said:
"The Bill currently passing through the Duma is aimed squarely at clamping down on online dissent. The law will force ISPs to install filters at huge cost to prevent access to websites that the Communications Regulator deems 'extremist', with no judicial oversight. With Compromat.ru, a site exposing regime corruption targeted by the Moscow prosecutor last week, it's clear that in Putin's Russia freedom of expression is in decline."


text:
News & Updates
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Find A Specialist
Resource Finder at Kennedy Krieger Institute
A free resource that provides access to information and support for individuals and families living with developmental disabilities.
Daniel Becker, M.D.
Kennedy Krieger Institute
707 N. Broadway
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Phone: (443) 923-9227
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Dr. Daniel Becker is a board-certified neurologist and the head of pediatric restoration therapy at the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury (ICSCI) at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Maryland.
Biographical Sketch:
Dr. Becker earned his medical degree from Ruprecht Karls University in Heidelberg, Germany in 2001. From 2001 to 2003, he was a research assistant in neuroscience, investigating the role of embryonic stem cells in spinal cord injury repair at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. At Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, he completed his residency in internal medicine in 2004 and his residency in neurology in 2007. From there, he completed a year-long fellowship in spinal cord injury medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD. As a Johns Hopkins neurology faculty member, he is currently a part of the Johns Hopkins Neurophysiology Intraoperative Monitoring Division. Dr. Becker is a member of the American Academy of Neurology.
Research Summary:
A major focus of Dr. Becker's research has been the role of neurological activity as well as embryonic stem cells in spinal cord injury repair. He is specifically focusing on pediatric models of spinal cord injury. His research has been published at numerous national and international meetings, as well as in many journals and books, including Neurology, The Neurologist, The Journal of Neurotrauma, the First Annual North American Regional Epilepsy Congress of the American Epilepsy Society and the books Principles of Tissue Engineering and Essentials of Stem Cell Biology.
Research Studies:
- Adults, ages 18-65, with complete spinal cord injury at any level (ASIA A)
- Adults, ages 18-65, with diagnosis of transverse myelitis, or multiplesclerosis, or neuromyelitis optica
Research Publications:
Becker, D., & McDonald J. W. (2012). Approaches to repairing the damaged spinal cord: overview. Handbook of clinical neurology. 109, 445-61.
Becker, D., Gary D. S., Rosenzweig E. S., Grill W. M., & McDonald J. W.(2010). Functional electrical stimulation helps replenish progenitor cells in the injured spinal cord of adult rats. Experimental neurology. 222(2), 211-8.
Joshi, T. N., Yamazaki M. K., Zhao H., & Becker D. (2010). Spinal schistosomiasis: differential diagnosis for acute paraparesis in a U.S. resident. The journal of spinal cord medicine. 33(3), 256-60.
Becker, D., Patel A., Abou-Khalil B. W., & Pina-Garza J. E. (2009). Successful treatment of encephalopathy and myoclonus with levetiracetam in a case of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. Journal of child neurology. 24(6), 763-7.
Vadivelu, S., Becker D., & McDonald J. W. (2005). Generating chimeric spinal cord: a novel model for transplantable oligodendrocyte progenitors derived from embryonic stem cells. Neurosurgical focus. 19(3), E3.
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