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Editors' Note: The "Download Now" link directs you to the iTunes App Store, where you must continue the download process. You must have iTunes installed in order to open the link, and you must have an active iTunes account to download the application. This download may not be available in some countries.
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From Pearson Singapore: **50% OFF Pearson's Chinese Readers Series**Purchase your favourite title at just US$3.99 (U.P. US$7.99).Hurry, offer is valid for a limited time only!**50% **US$3.99(US$7.99),!The Pearson Chinese Reader Series is written for Primary School students, focusing on the development of oral skills. This story narrates the rapid changes of yesterday and today, depicted through the eyes of a little child. !Pearson's Chinese Readers Series is available in 6 levels, each consisting of 8 titles.Suitable for children 7 years old and above.6,8,7You will be astounded at how this magical children's story comes to life with QBook. Children love running their fingers over the text to hear the story being read out to them and touching individual words to hear them being pronounced. Kids will happily spend hours colouring the book and they can even record their own voices as they practise reading aloud. It is great fun for children of all ages and it helps with early learning and literacy development.QBook,,,QBook,,This is the perfect gift for your children. Not only is it educational, it delivers many other benefits such as visual and tactile stimulation too.QBook,,Features: Get around easier with Qbooks new interface. Personalize each book with this book belongs to ... page. Swipe-to-Read the words to hear and playback the story at your own pace. Touch-to-Hear individual words spoken. Touch-to-Spell to hear the characters that form each word or word phrase. Auto Play to enjoy the narration. Use the My Narration function to read and record the story yourself and customise your book. Paint mode can be used on each story page! Paint has a paint palette, brush width, move and zoom, and undo abilities! Tap the paint palette icon and tap a colour to change the paint colour! Tap the brush palette icon and change the slider to change the brush size! Tap the move icon and pinch with two fingers to zoom in and move the picture around with one finger.Tap the move icon again to continue painting! Tap the undo icon to undo paint strokes! Accelerometer features on selected pages are included Animated and interactive Sound zones for children to discoverThis QBook includes the narration, text, and user interface in this language:Simplified ChineseRequirements:Compatible with iOS5Requires iPad OS 3.2+Patent Protection 532174Patent Pending - All rights reserved
read more +


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Mr. McCONNELL. Today the President plans to travel to Austin, TX. I understand his trip includes a visit to a technical high school and a chat with workers. The idea, I presume, is to show folks that the White House has once again pivoted to jobs. If you are someone who is all about the visual, then, of course, putting on a pair of goggles or showing up at a factory is a great way to at least look as though you are doing something about the situation.
Whether that means you are actually getting the job done is a different story. Unfortunately, robust job creation has been talked about a lot in this administration, even as millions remain out of work or stuck in part-time jobs.
Take a look at last month's jobs report. It was touted by the White House as proof of an economy on the mend, and surely we on this side hope that will soon be the case. We are not there yet. We only have to drill down below the top line to find a lot to be concerned about. For instance, the unemployment rate technically edged down to 7.5 percent, but it actually moved up to 8 percent in my home State of Kentucky. While the Federal rate is still pretty high, even those numbers don't tell the full story. Because so many Americans have stopped looking for work altogether, we now have the lowest labor force participation rate since Jimmy Carter.
Our actual Federal unemployment rate is nearly 11 percent. That is quite a ways off from the 5 percent or so the administration boldly predicted we would have by now if only Congress would pass the stimulus.
Consider this. If all we did was match the average of recoveries since World War II, we would have about 4 million more private sector jobs than we do today. That is how much worse this recovery is than other recoveries since the war.
Unfortunately, that is the Obama economy. I hope the President is traveling to Austin today because he is finally serious about turning that around, about changing course and implementing policies that might actually work to get the economy moving again. Given that he will be in Texas, he might want to think about developing more jobs in the energy sector. It is a huge industry--huge--not just in Texas but all across our country. His administration has the power, if it chooses, to spur more job-creating energy resource exploration and development.
There is a lot more Texas is doing right too. That is why it has been touted as a national leader in job creation. One study showed Texas, with less than 10 percent of the population, accounted for almost one-third of private sector jobs created in high-paying sectors in recent years. If the President is interested in duplicating that success at the Federal level, he might take note of the fact that policymakers in Austin have taken a very different approach from Washington when it comes to how they tax and spend.
Basically, they do less of it with no income tax, for instance, and a low ratio of spending per capita. They don't ram through laws such as ObamaCare.
I hear the President plans to hold another event tomorrow where he will claim that ObamaCare is helping women. Let me tell a story of how ObamaCare is affecting one woman, and I am sure there are many more just like her.
The Wall Street Journal recently profiled a businesswoman named Elizabeth. She is in the clothing business, and she had been hoping to hire more employees. But thanks to ObamaCare, Elizabeth is now being forced to turn to independent contractors because if she brings on just a few more people and exceeds 50 employees, the government could punish her business.
There are many other small businesswomen who will see their dreams crushed under the weight of ObamaCare's nearly 20,000 pages of regulations. There are many women in their twenties and thirties who will be unable to afford the law's massive premium increases. There are many mothers who will not be able to get by if their employers cut their hours due to ObamaCare or if they lose their jobs because of it.
Here is something else to consider. This morning, Speaker Boehner and I informed the President we will not be recommending individuals to serve on the Independent Payment Advisory Board. The IPAB, as some call it, is a commission set up by ObamaCare that is charged with reducing Medicare payments to health care providers and determining what services should be available to seniors. Of course, we know that will lead to access problems, waiting lists, and denied care for seniors--what most people would call rationing. It threatens to disproportionately affect women too.
According to the Department of Labor, women make approximately 80 percent of health care decisions for their families and are more likely to be the caregivers when a family member falls ill. That family member could be a child, could be a spouse, or, more often these days, a parent who relies on Medicare. We want to know Medicare will be there to take care of them, and we want to know those decisions will be made between patients, their families, and their physicians, not an unaccountable board of bureaucrats such as the IPAB--one that even has the power to overrule payment decisions made by Congress and signed into law by the President. That is how powerful IPAB is.
So the President should rethink the purpose of this event. I hope he will use it instead as a platform to prepare women for the actual consequences many of them will soon face under ObamaCare.
More broadly, the President needs to get out in front of this train wreck before Americans--men and women alike--are completely blindsided by it. Polling suggests that almost half of Americans are unsure how ObamaCare will affect their families. So he really needs to get out there and prepare them for what is coming.
If the President is truly concerned about jobs, then it is time for him to admit ObamaCare was a mistake and work with Congress to repeal it because we need reforms that lower the cost of care. What we don't need is a 2,700-page law and a resulting tower of redtape that will continue to kill jobs and hurt our economy.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.
Source: http://thomas.loc.gov

subset: commoncrawl


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Pioneer Pacific was an amazing, life changing experience!
My son said he was too busy having fun, so couldn't have a chance to be homesick!--;
Enjoyable, awesome, definitely coming back. Also, we most appreciate the positive approach of spiritual guidance to the children.
My boys couldn't stop talking about their week at Pioneer Pacific this past summer. They met some great friends, tried things they've never done before and grew closer to God. We are very thankful for that week at camp and hope to send them back again next year.
My daughter came home with the realization that God loved her deeply and she could influence her world with that love.
Pacific Pioneer CampPO Box 45113, 4326 Dunbar StVancouver, BCV6S 2M8
Email email@example.com
Christian Camping International |
Fellowship of Christian Camps - BC


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On September 23, 2016, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania adopted amendments to Rule 1.17 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Professional Conduct, which governs sale of a law practice. The changes were published at 46 Pa.B. 6291 (October 8, 2016), and take effect October 23, 2016.
The amendments make the following changes:
Court events scheduled for Monday, October 17, 2016, before the Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas are cancelled to accommodate attendance at the funeral of the Honorable Debra A. Pezze, who passed away on Wednesday, October 12.
Friends will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday and 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 pm Sunday at the LEO M. BACHA FUNERAL HOME, INC., 516 Stanton St., Greensburg. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, October 17, at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral, Greensburg. Interment will follow in Irwin Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Clelian Heights School for Exceptional Children, 135 Clelian Heights Lane, Greensburg, PA 15601, or to the Humane Society of Westmoreland County, P.O. Box 1552, Greensburg, PA 15601.
Judge Chris Scherer will not be hearing civil or orphans' court motions on the following Friday:
Friday, October 28, 2016
Counsel should make arrangements to present motions on a prior or subsequent Friday.
HARRISBURG — Today, the first two vacancies became available under an initiative announced by the Supreme Court last month to encourage wider public participation in the judicial system through service on advisory panels, commissions and independent judicial agencies.
The vacancies include one on the Continuing Legal Education Board and one on the Orphans' Court Procedural Rules Committee.
With the introduction of an updated webpage on the Unified Judicial System (UJS) website, it will be easier to find out when vacancies occur and to apply for them.
The webpage also includes a short video of Justice David N. Wecht talking about the initiative.
The Westmoreland County Estates–Decree of Distribution has been revised. The new Decree can be found on the Register of Wills' Website.
HARRISBURG — Although juror scams are not new, Pennsylvania courts remind people to be alert and to never give out sensitive information over the phone, even if they are being threatened with prosecution for failing to comply with jury service, which is a typical ploy in such scams.
A juror scam may go something like this: you get a call from someone claiming to be from the courts or a law enforcement organization and their records show you didn't show up for jury duty. You can either pay the fine, or get arrested. The caller says payment is accepted over the phone or by wire service.
HARRISBURG — As part of its desire for wider participation in the groups which provide it advice and recommendations, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is undertaking a new initiative making it easier for people to express interest in being appointed to court advisory panels.
"Justice David N. Wecht has led the present initiative with the intention of broadening participation in the Supreme Court's board and committee structure," said Chief Justice Thomas G. Saylor. "He will also be supervising the implementation, with the support of the full court."
Legal training, experience and expertise are necessary for many assignments, but there are appointments for nonattorneys as well.
The Custody Agreement Form and Instructions available at www.co.westmoreland.pa.us has been revised as follows: Section 5 ("The Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas shall retain jurisdiction over this matter) on page 15 of the current form has been removed by the court.
Judge Chris Scherer will not be hearing civil or orphans' court motions on the following Friday:
Friday, September 30, 2016
Counsel should make arrangements to present motions on a prior or subsequent Friday.
President Judge McCormick, Jr. and Judge Marsili will not be hearing civil or orphans' court motions on the following Fridays:
Counsel should make arrangements to present motions on a prior or subsequent Friday.
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Wiltshire-based charity Action on Addiction has benefited from a grant of £30,000 from The Freemasons' Grand Charity to help fund the expansion of its family support programme.
The Moving Parents and Children Together (M-PACT) service, which is for children and families affected by addiction, is part of the charity's family support hub Families Plus, based at Jill Cunningham House in East Knoyle.
M-PACT is an eight-week intervention programme that takes a unique approach to tackling addiction by bringing several families in similar situations together once a week for group sessions.
A cheque for the £30,000 grant was presented to Jo Adams, the head of Families Plus at Action on Addiction on December 17 at Jill Cunningham House by Peter Winton, deputy provincial grand master for Wiltshire from The Freemasons' Grand Charity.
Nick Barton, chief executive of Action on Addiction, said: "We are delighted to receive this grant from The Freemasons' Grand Charity, which will support the vital work done by Action on Addiction's M-PACT programme.
"M-PACT is a lifeline for young people whose parents are struggling with addiction and it gives them a chance to identify with other children in their position.
"The programme gives children the support they need, while also helping the parents understand the impact their addiction is having. We have already had results to show that the programme is working, with school results improving for some of the children.
"Grants such as these enable us to make a huge difference to the lives of vulnerable children and their families and will help us achieve our goal of making M-PACT available throughout the UK."
The M-PACT programme shows children of addicted parents they are not alone and that their voice is important by encouraging children and parents to work together and separately with four specially trained facilitators on a variety of activities and tasks.
Mr Winton said: "The Freemasons Grand Charity is dedicated to supporting organisations such as Action on Addiction, which repeatedly demonstrate innovative ways of helping the people they seek to assist.
"Freemasons in Wiltshire are community minded and therefore we are delighted that we can provide this support for local children and their families."


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A New York State of Mind at Rohrer Fine Art in Laguna Beach
If they can make it here . . .
A New York state of mind at Rohrer Fine Art
There are approximately 9 gazillion art galleries in Laguna Beach, but we usually focus our critical attention on other OC cities because the Laguna Beach galleries tend to be just a little too . . . tasteful. Challenging, exciting art can be beautiful, but it's usually not something you want to look at every night of the week. Many of Laguna's galleries specialize in art that exists mostly to class up your house and not distract you while you're trying to eat dinner, and there's nothing particularly wrong with that. But reviewing that stuff is like reviewing a Neiman Marcus catalog.
Rohrer Fine Art is a Laguna Beach gallery that oozes class out the ass. (You're free to use that for a blurb in your PR material, guys.) You feel like you should put on some fancy duds before you visit the place. The building is elegant in an almost sinister way, like a Frank Lloyd Wright fortress that serves as the secret headquarters for a James Bond villain. All by itself, one of those wall sconces probably cost more than your first car.
The Rohrer does the classy-Laguna-Beach-gallery thing far better than most, and the current show, "New York School: Art Under the Influence," is full of genuinely beautiful work. But the exhibit takes its name from the hugely influential American art movement of the '50s that included such trailblazers as Willem de Kooning and Jackson Pollack, and that sets up an unfortunate comparison for the artists featured here. "New York School" displays five young talents who have recently graduated from New York City MFA programs, and while their work is very pretty indeed, none of them seems to be trying to kick you in the brain the way Pollack did.
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TicketsSun., Oct. 22, 10:00pm
- Eli Nicolas
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Peter Gerakaris is arguably the standout. His work features trippy visions of flowers and undersea creatures and Lord only knows what else, all rendered in glowing colors and meticulous detail. Plus, he paints big enough to cover up even the most yawning blank spot on your dining-room wall. His Cosmos looks like an extremely vivid hallucination documented for posterity, with planets spinning out of control as alien life forms commune in the heavens. It also looks just a little too much like the cover of a Time-Life collection of the greatest songs of 1968. (Looking at it, you can almost hear the drum solo from "In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida.")
Alyssa Pheobus does stuff with embroidery and also scritches around with graphite on paper, performing typographical experiments with Bruce Springsteen lyrics. Her work looks dark and obsessive, like it actually means something. But—not unlike Springsteen's lyrics themselves—it's really more about a mood than any deep statement. Jessica Mein does choppy collages with paper and on video, creating work that jangles and pops. But it also kind of looks like the stuff you scribble in your notebook during a long phone argument, when your mind is busy thinking about what you're going to say next and your pen is swirling and slashing across the page by itself, until you finally hang up and are surprised to discover this crazy thing you made.
Krisjanis Kaktins-Gorsline seems to specialize in semi-realistic portraits that he smears or abandons at strategic moments, leaving them looking like they're waiting for him to come back to finish the job. Samuel T. Adams' abstractions feature vaguely unwholesome splashes of color and shapes that keep threatening to turn into Ralph Steadman-esque nightmare creatures without ever quite getting there (or anywhere else). His work would've scandalized people back in de Kooning's day, but in the here-and-now, it's nothing you couldn't hang next to your fish tank.
All of this perhaps sounds more cruel or dismissive than I mean it to be. The show looks great, and these are promising young talents. But their work feels young—not in the sense of being reckless and experimental, but in the sense of being cute and underdeveloped. It's too soon to say who these artists will grow into. Maybe with time, they'll become a new New York School, creating art that's worthy of hanging beside Pollack, instead of appearing on page 14 of a glossy catalog, right next to the console tables.
"New York School: Art Under the Influence" at Rohrer Fine Art, 346 N. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, (800) 949-5211; www.rohrerfineart.com. Call for hours. Through Sept. 6.
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hi, i went to http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-admin/2009-09/msg00161.php as you can see it contains relatively long, unwrapped lines. the problem is that while my monitor has big enough resolution to display the line in whole, without any scrolling, original layout enforces huge amount of white space on the left side of page - effectively forcing scrolling to see page that would easily fit on my screen. here is screenshot: http://depesz.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/archives.postgresql.org.shot.png do you think you could do something about it? Best regards, depesz -- Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/depesz / blog: http://www.depesz.com/ jid/gtalk: depesz(at)depesz(dot)com / aim:depeszhdl / skype:depesz_hdl / gg:6749007
Next: From: Thom Brown Date: 2009-11-15 13:16:23 Subject: Re: problem with layout on archives.postgresql.org Previous: From: Robert Treat Date: 2009-11-14 22:39:50 Subject: Re: Correct place for merchandising issues


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Reviews: Anonymous
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- South Korea, Male, 18-24
- Novice Nomad
Home to Home Hostel, Budapest, Hungary
It was generally good, and value for costs was awesome. But they didn't get cards, I think it is a location problem cuz many things in Hungary didn't take cards
- Anonymous
- South Korea, Male, 18-24
- Novice Nomad
Palmers Lodge - Swiss Cottage, London, England
Everything was generally good! but hostel atmosphere was not really sociable. somebody who wants to stay safe and quiet can choose here
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Palmer, Alaska, author Eowyn Ivey, the inventive voice behind the breakout novel "The Snow Child," has been named the winner of the International Author of the Year award from the UK National Book Awards.
Ivey's win puts her among famous past winners of the award, including Jonathan Franzen and Jennifer Egan. Previous to this award win, Ivey's novel hit the No. 1 bestseller spot in Norway and gained extensive praise across the English-speaking world. She was one of six international finalists whittled down from a list of 50 nominated by book industry insiders.
"The Snow Child" takes its inspiration from a fairy tale about a child born from snow. Ivey's modern, adult retelling centers on Jack and Mabel, a pair of hardy homesteaders in 1920s Alaska, recent transplants from the Northeast United States, whos lives take a magical turn. (Read more)
The UK National Book Awards provides 11 categories in which to acknowledge and showcase the best writing from England and abroad, including books with popular appeal, critical acclaim and commercial success. The winners of each category are chosen by votes from the National Book Awards, an academy of over 750 industry experts.


text: Beta Hi all. This is my first proper (complete) app, I hope you like it and I hope that it works! (Click image to go to playstore) If anyone would be so kind as to check it out and comment on any bugs that you find or the general usability, that would be appreciated greatly. If your unfortunate enough to have the app crash on you, please do send the report so that I can have the best chance of fixing it and ensuring it doesn't happen again. Cheers!


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With hundreds of new books turning up free each day now in the Kindle Store, it can be tough to hone in on books that you will actually want to read. And almost of the new free books will be free for just a day or two at a time, so we are working hard to make sure that you do not miss the ones you want!
Please note: References to prices on this website refer to prices on the main Amazon.com website for US customers. Prices will vary for readers located outside the US, and even for US customers, prices may change at any time. Always check the price on Amazon before making a purchase.
* * *
Crazy in Paradise
by Deborah Brown
Dying in the middle of the summer in the Florida Keys is sweaty business.Welcome to Tarpon Cove. Madison Westin has inherited her aunt's beachfront motel in the Florida Keys. Trouble is she's also inherited a slew of colorful tenant's – drunks, ex-cons, and fugitives.
Only one problem: First, she has to wrestle control from a conniving lawyer and shady motel manager. With the help of her new best friend, whose motto is never leave home without your Glock, they dive into a world of blackmail, murder, and drugs.
* * *
The Bet
by David Brown
Given a twenty four hour head start, Richard embarks on an odyssey that will forever change the way he views love, life, friendship and the power of money. On the run, he encounters forces that threaten to do irreparable damage to his sanity and rip his family to shreds. Fighting to stay alive, Richard uncovers the startling truth about the deaths of his parents and learns that the real power behind the stranger is a man who harbors a sixty year old grudge against Clayton and is willing to commit unspeakable atrocities to satisfy his desire for revenge.
* * *
The Dirty Secret
by Brent Wolfingbarger
The difference between victory and defeat in the Electoral College comes down to 259 votes in West Virginia.
A state senator desperately fights back against a lawsuit that is pushing his family's company toward bankruptcy.
A vice presidential candidate's adulterous affair threatens to explode in his face and burst into the world's headlines with devastating consequences.
A ruthless billionaire will stop at nothing to avoid facing justice for his crimes.
A small town prosecutor stumbles upon a plot to win the election by any means necessary: High-tech manipulation of electronic voting machines, creative interpretation of arcane election laws, bribery, blackmail and even murder.
And Rikki Gudivada and Dave Anderson – two star-crossed former lovers from opposite sides of the political fence – are drawn back together as the battle rages for West Virginia's 5 electoral votes, racing to solve a crime that imperils the very heart of America's constitutional system while each struggles over the same question:
Is anything more important than winning the White House?
* * *
First Visions: Second Sight Book One
by Heather Topham Wood
Two years ago, 21-year-old Kate Edwards became deathly ill and slipped into a coma. While unconscious, she crept into the mind of a missing boy and awoke with the knowledge of his location. Friends and family were skeptical and wary of her new ability to see into the minds of others. Their fears prompted Kate to keep her psychic powers a secret. Feeling alienated, she dropped out of college and spent most of her days holed up at her mother's home.
Now another child has been abducted. Police detective Jared Corbett seeks out Kate for her help in solving the case. Reluctantly, Kate agrees and they must work together to bring 8-year-old Cori Preston home to her family. Although attracted to one another, Jared has a girlfriend with ties to the abduction case and Kate is sarcastic and guarded since her coma. With visions she can't control and an uncontrollable attraction to the detective, she wonders if she can leave the past behind and finally stop hiding from the world. Otherwise, Cori may be lost forever.
Looking For Free YA Titles? Check Out Kids Corner @ Kindle Nation Daily!
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This star rating is the opinion of the property owner only. A Self-Rated hotel has not been assessed by the AA or Visit Britain, whose official star ratings we use across LateRooms.com.
Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach5 Self rated
Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach, JBR on The Walk, The Beach, DUBAI, 473 828
Price FromView Rooms
- Excellent
- 4 guest reviews
"This hotel was a treat! The staff were so polite, attentive and efficient. The communication between staff was remarkable, very helpful. Our..."
"A big problem was the deafening construction work most nights and days Traffic noise was also a problem..."
About the hotel
Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach is rising magnificently from Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) in the heart of Dubai's most popular promenade "The Walk" and the new beachfront low-rise leisure "The Beach". This luxury 5-star hotel provides 438 guest rooms and suites opened to private balconies with sea view. Discover a blend of French art-de-recevoir and Arabian décor: warm colors, teak furnishings, Middle Eastern motifs recalling the mystery of the Orient.
. . awe-inspiring, yet welcoming.
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Facilities Show/hide
- Main
- Disabled Facilities, 24 Hour Reception, Babysitting services, Safety Deposit Box, Concierge, Porter, Lift to all floors
- Dining
- Restaurant, Bar
- Leisure
- Outdoor Pool, Sauna, Massage, Beauty Salon/Manicure
- Parking
- Valet Parking
- Business
- Wi-Fi Available In Public Areas, Business Centre, Secretary Service, Translation Service
Can't find the facilities you're looking for?
- Call us on 0333 300 1007 and we'll help find the perfect hotel for you
- Call
Useful Info Show/hide
- From 15:00 hours
- By 12:00 hours
- Up to 8 years old
- 17/03/2014 to 31/12/2023 - With effect from 31st March, 2014 under Dubai Governments directive, a fee of AED20 per bedroom per night will be charged at the hotel in addition to the room charges and applicable tax. The price shown is based on the occupancy and dates you have searched for. Prices and availability are subject to change based on the arrival date, number of nights and occupancy searched for. All prices are inclusive of all local taxes.
- Pets are not allowed
Customer Reviews
Our reviews are from genuine LateRooms.com customers. We verify that the customer has stayed before leaving a review.
75% would recommend it to a friend
Customer service
Food quality
Room quality
Top hotel, very good/pleasant and quick service.
Wonderful experience
This hotel was a treat.
The staff were so polite, attentive and efficient. The communication between staff was remarkable, very helpful. Our...
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This is one of the best tribute groups ever, and they always do a superb job of recreating John, Paul, George and Ringo on stage for all of us to enjoy.
Indio, CA (PRWEB) August 07, 2014
Brad Schmett, Broker Associate with Luxury Homes by Keller Williams today announced that the upcoming Revolver Tribute to the Beatles at Spotlight 29 Casino in Indio on Saturday Evening, August 9, at 8pm will be a huge boost for local real estate as fans head into the valley to take in the show and shop for luxury homes.
The group Revolver, is known as one of the top Tribute Bands in the world, having performed globally since their inception in 1982. Their "dead on" Beatles recreation has won critical raves and packed in audiences for many years despite a 25 year hiatus. Their attention to detail such as period correct costuming, and identical instrumentation has set them apart from many other similar tribute groups.
Schmett observed that, "This is one of the best tribute groups ever, and they always do a superb job of recreating John, Paul, George and Ringo on stage for all of us to enjoy. There is no question but that the Beatles were one of the all-time most famous and beloved bands in music history and this show will pack the house as usual. My team knows we will be extra busy as Beatles fans head our way and start looking for vacation homes and investment properties. It is our pleasure to serve all of them."
Tickets for A Celebration of the Beatles may be purchased in person or online. Plan to come early and enjoy gourmet cuisine at J.E.M. Steakhouse or a delicious buffet at Capitata before the show, followed by casino action after the show, and other great venues for late night dining. There is also plenty of free parking and plenty to do at Spotlight 29.
For more information on Revolver, Tribute to the Beatles visit http://www.startickets.com/venues/item/spotlight-29-casino.
To find out more about investing in Indio, CA real estate visit IndioRealEstateInfo.com.
About Luxury Homes by Keller Williams: Luxury Homes by Keller Williams – La Quinta, is an exclusive, elite and sophisticated group of real estate consultants raising the bar for service in the La Quinta and Palm Springs area residential real estate market.


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NewswireToday - /newswire/ -
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 2011/04/18 - 90 per cent of visitors surveyed at previous edition intend on returning in 2011.
MTA VIETNAM will return to Ho Chi Minh City from 5 - 8 July at the Saigon Exhibition & Convention Center (SECC), and will feature a projected 350 exhibitors from 23 countries and regions. In a survey of last years visitors, about 90 per cent indicated that they will return for MTA VIETNAM2011 as they left the show gaining valuable knowledge and new business contacts.
MTA VIETNAM2010 saw more than 6,900 trade professionals who took the opportunity to network with key industry players and review the latest machine tools and solutions available from around the world. These included 70 group delegations from leading local and foreign manufacturing enterprises such as ABE Industrial, Dai Dong Tien Corporation, Fujitsu, Hirota Precision, Hokuriku Machinery Club, Meinan Vietnam, ScanCom Vietnam, Sunmore Vietnam, Toyo Precision, Z755 (Vietnams Ministry of Defence) and many more. The 2010 edition had more than 340 international exhibitors which was a 40 per cent increase from 2009.
Visitors such as Mr. Dang Van Nhu, Director from Thai Ngu Hanoi said of the show last year,This is a fantastic exhibition. There should be more events like MTA VIETNAM in Ho Chi Minh City. Were looking for forming devices and weve seen many opportunities for our company from what we have seen at the show. This is my first time at MTA VIETNAM but Ill definitely come back in 2011.
MTA VIETNAM aims to support Vietnams manufacturing needs as the sector grows. The countrys Foreign Investment Agency, under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, announced that for the first quarter of 2011 the manufacturing and processing sector attracted US$1.55 billion of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) which accounted for 65 per cent of the total registered capital. In 2010, the sector ranked second in terms of attracting FDI - up from a third ranking in 2009 with a 127 per cent increase in registered capital.
With Vietnams manufacturing industry progressing as a result of government initiatives, World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments and industrial liberalization, the country is set to become industrialized by 2020. It is expected to be a major manufacturing hub in Southeast Asia because of an enhanced business environment due to increased trade, investment cooperation and low labor costs.
As Vietnams manufacturing sector progresses, MTA VIETNAM2011 is set to serve the industry with a quality exhibition that provides quality supply from our exhibitors to buyers. The event will provide an essential platform for industry professionals to network, explore business opportunities, and gather knowledge about the latest trends and development today, said Mr. William Lim, Project Director for MTA VIETNAM from the shows organizer, Singapore Exhibition Services.
MTA VIETNAM2011 will see key industry players such as Blum, Bystronic, Carl Zeiss, Chin Fong, DMG/MORI SEIKI, Fair Friend, Heidenhain, Jainnher, Mitsubishi Electric, Mitutoyo, MST, Nikon, Renishaw, TRUMPF and Yamazen. A truly international event, there will be 12 group pavilions from China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea(2), Singapore, Taiwan(2), Thailand, Turkey and United Kingdom. Exhibitors will hail from 23 countries and regions, showcasing the latest in machine tools and technologies from across the globe.
MTA VIETNAM2011 at a glance
Show: MTA VIETNAM2010 (Incorporating MetrologyVietnam2011, ToolTecVietnam2011, SubConVietnam2011, AutomationVietnam2011)
Date:5 - 8 July 2011 (Tuesday - Friday)
Venue: Saigon Exhibition & Convention Center (SECC)
Address: 799 Nguyen Van Linh Parkway, Tan Phu Ward, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City
Opening Hours: 0900hrs 1700hrs
Admission: Business and trade professionals only
About MTA VIETNAM
MTA VIETNAM (mtavietnam.com) was first launched in Ho Chi Minh City in 2005 and the show has since grown to become Vietnam's most comprehensive manufacturing solutions trade event, featuring at least 80 per cent overseas exhibitors in all its editions. MTA VIETNAM is organised by Singapore Exhibition Services Pte Ltd (SES) and co-organised by VCCI Exhibition Service Co Ltd.
Written by / Agency / Source: Singapore Exhibition Services Pte Ltd
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text: We were there last month for our honeymoon and it was totally awesome. Other than our flight, everything else was taken care off. At Tawau airport, we had a van waiting for us which takes us to Semporna jetty which was about an hour's journey. From there, we were taken on a speedboat to Pompom island. Upon arrival, we were... More


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The Thin White Puke
I bought a David Bowie album once. It was called Diamond Dogs. I bought the album because I was 15 years old and it had a big dog dick on the cover. When you're 15, dog dicks are cool. Come to think of it, I'm old now and still think dog dicks are quite whimsical. But I digress. Once I got the album home and listened to it, I realized that the dick on the cover was the best thing about the album. Subsequent pressings airbrushed the dick out of the picture, rendering the entire project useless. This incident sums up my feelings about David Bowie succinctly—he has always been more of a dickless dog than a diamond dog.
David Bowie is one of those artists you're "supposed" to like if you're hip. There's a David Bowie Elitist Theorem afoot. The thinking goes something like this: if you don't worship Bowie, you're probably a mullethead, an ignoramus, a homophobe, a Lynyrd Skynyrd-listening, Z28-driving, WWE-watching, Dubya-loving, nose-picking, ass-scratching cracker.
Bowie is often regarded as a trendsetter when he's actually a serial imitator and wagon-jumper. He was hardly the first flamboyantly androgynous rock & roll guy, nor the first to adopt garish costumes and makeup. He was certainly not the first to delve into prog rock, blue-eyed soul, disco, house or electronica; record self-mythologizing concept albums; hire hot-shit guitarists for his band; or adopt an image that flirted with Fascism (if you'd like a list of true trail-blazers, send me an SASE—there's no room on this page to recognize all those who actually warrant the credit). Always and forever, Bowie's singing voice has been a hollow, nasal, affected warble. I've always imagined that if Katharine Hepburn had endeavored to sing rock & roll, it would have come out sounding something like David Bowie.
I will defend David Bowie as being a pioneer to the degree that his career may well be defined as Ground Zero for heinous trendiness—the first great rock & roll swindle. Prior to his perhaps most-overrated album of all time, Ziggy Stardust, rock & roll of every stripe had more or less been a unifying force among young people. After its release, those of us who recognized this pretentious crapola as a prima facie example of style over substance were branded as stick-in-the-mud rednecks, while we recognized misguided Bowie fanboys as the Earless Fucking Poseurs they certainly were. This chasm has never healed.
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Bowie is a useless old man as opposed to a useless young man now, yet he's still widely hailed as being vital and "important" among jelly-brained, oh-so-chic music critics, while other geezer rockers such as the Rolling Stones and the Who are routinely subject to ridicule for their Paleolithic irrelevance. While I won't put up much (much, I say!) of a battle in defending the current status of the above, at least they were once undeniably great by anyone's standards. David Bowie, on the other hand, has always sucked harder than Jenna Jameson on crystal meth.
That was a nice dog dick on the album cover, though.
David Bowie performs with Moby and others as part of the AREA2 fest at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, 8808 Irvine Center Dr., Irvine, (949) 855-8096. Tues., 3:30 p.m. $30.50-$69.50. All ages.
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Hundreds protest police cuts in Anderson
Hundreds of people joined in a protest of proposed cuts to the number of police officers and firefighters in a central Indiana city.
Many protesters joined a picket outside the Anderson City Hall ahead of a City Council meeting Thursday night during which the standing-room crowd applauded people who spoke against the cuts.
Deputy Mayor Pete Heuer told council members the proposal to cut seven police officer and 20 firefighter positions was needed because of tax revenue declines with public safety spending taking up 70 percent of the city's budget.
Residents say they worried the cuts would make the city less safe.
The council is expected to vote on the budget plan later this month.
(Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)


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Hotel Village Club Santa Caterina4
Corso Mediterraneo 172, Scalea, 87029
Price FromView Rooms
This hotel doesn't have any reviews yet.
About the hotel
Property Location
You'll be centrally located in Scalea with a stay at Hotel Village Club Santa Caterina, minutes from LAORAFT - Centro Lao Action Raft and Isola Pedonale Scalea. This 4-star hotel is within the vicinity of Torre Talao Scalea and AquaFans Water Park.
Make yourself at home in one of the 380 air-conditioned rooms featuring refrigerators.
Rooms have private balconies. Complimentary wireless Internet access is available to keep you connected. Bathrooms have showers and hair dryers.
Relax at the full-service spa, where you can enjoy massages, body treatments, and facials. You're sure to appreciate the recreational amenities, which include 4 outdoor swimming pools and outdoor tennis courts. This hotel also features complimentary wireless Internet access, concierge services, and gift shops/newsstands.
Grab a bite to eat at one of the hotel's many dining establishments, which include 2 restaurants and 3 coffee shops/cafés. Relax with your favorite drink at a bar/lounge or a poolside bar.
Business, Other Amenities
Featured amenities include express check-in, a 24-hour front desk, and luggage storage. Planning an event in Scalea? This hotel has 10764 square feet (1000 square meters) of space consisting of conference space and meeting rooms. A roundtrip airport shuttle is provided for a surcharge (available 24 hours), and free self parking is available onsite.
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- Main
- 24 Hour Reception, Safety Deposit Box, Concierge, Laundry/Valet Service, Childrens Facilities - Indoor, Lift to all floors
- Parking
- Car parking available onsite, Airport Shuttle
- Business
- Meeting Facilities, Wi-Fi Available In Public Areas
- Dining
- Restaurant
- Leisure
- Outdoor Pool, Tennis Courts
Useful Info Show/hide
- Between 14:00 and 23:00
- By 11:00 hours
- Up to 8 years old
- Know Before You Go All guests, including children, must be present at check-in and show their government-issued photo ID card or passport. Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed EUR 2999.99, due to national regulations. For further details, please contact the property using information in the booking confirmation. Fees The following fees and deposits are charged by the property at time of service, check-in, or check-out. Airport shuttle fee: EUR 70 per person (roundtrip) Airport shuttle fee per child: EUR 70 (roundtrip), (from 3 to 10 years old) Cribs (infant beds) are available for an additional fee Facilities fee: EUR 8 per person, per day and includes use of: - Fitness facilities - Swimming pool The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change. Mandatory Fees and Taxes You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property: A tax is imposed by the city: EUR 2.00 per person, per night, up to 7 nights. This tax does not apply to children under 10 years of age. We have included all charges provided to us by the property. However, charges can vary, for example, based on length of stay or the room you book. The LateRooms.com rate for Hotel Village Club Santa Caterina in Scalea is the total price of the room and not the 'per person' rate. All taxes are included, with the exception of city tax, which will be charged at 2.00(EUR) per person per night and is payable to the hotel directly.
- Pets are not allowed
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The Year Before the Flood: A Story of New Orleans (Hardcover)
A Story of New Orleans
Lawrence Hill Books, 9781556528248, 452pp.
Publication Date: September 1, 2009
About the Author
Praise For The Year Before the Flood: A Story of New Orleans…
"An intense and thoughtful 'companion volume' to The World that Made New Orleans . . . A powerful, heartfelt and sometimes angry take on a great American city." Kirkus Reviews
"Ned Sublette is a literary Spirit Master, and The Year Before the Flood is his most personal and astounding work, full of mad knowledge and unorthodox insights about race, crime, history, politics, music and all the other ingredients that flavor the righteous roux that is New Orleans." T.J. English, author, Havana Nocturne and Paddy Whacked
"Ned Sublette is the rarest of writers. The Year Before The Floodhis third tour de force work on music, race, history, and conscienceis his most personal and memorable yet." Jeff Chang, author, Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation
"Ned Sublette sees the edgy magic of New Orleans with the eyes of both an insider and outsider. From race to music, from Parasol's bar to the Mardi Gras Indians, he really gets it. His feel for the sources of jazz and funk flavor the book and make it a delight." Walter Isaacson, author, Einstein: His Life and Universe
"Sublette is a musical archeologist at heart . . . Part memoir, part history lesson, it's a scrapbook of the bustling port city at its most joyful, boisterous and deadly." Los Angeles Times
"Part memoir, part history, it's a profile of the rich New Orleans music culture that Katrina nearly erased." The Dallas Morning News
"A musician and musicologist, Sublette writes with passion and precision of New Orleans' music and Mardi Gras, violence and racism, and its uniqueand now perhaps permanently damagedculture." St. Petersburg Times
"Sublette's first-person narrative captures the Big Easy before Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, and subtly hints at the surreal dysfunction that would take place immediately afterward." Time Out New York


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HARRISBURG, Pa.-- Citing three recent chemical spills at one well site, Pennsylvania regulators said Friday they had ordered Cabot Oil and Gas Corp. to halt its use of a drilling technique that uses liquids to fracture rock and release natural gas.
The state Department of Environmental Protection's order applies to eight of Cabot's drilling sites, all in Susquehanna County in northeastern Pennsylvania.
An agency spokeswoman called the order the toughest action the department has ever taken against a company drilling into the potentially lucrative Marcellus Shale formation.
Cabot is one of dozens of oil and gas exploration companies flocking to Pennsylvania and New York in pursuit of Marcellus Shale gas.
The massive rock formation lies 5,000 to 8,000 feet underground in an area covering more than 50,000 square miles -- about the size of Greece -- and stretching across New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia, including southern Madison County.
The industry has long known about the gas in the Marcellus shale -- but it wasn't until gas prices rose in recent years and a new shale-drilling technology was proven in Texas over the past decade that companies decided it was profitable to pursue.
If the Marcellus shale ends up producing even a small fraction of the recoverable gas that is projected to be there, it will be the largest gas field ever in the United States.
The company, which received the order Thursday, voluntarily shut down its use of the drilling technique -- called hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking" -- at the spill-plagued site there earlier this week. It has seven other drilling sites that eventually will require fracking to complete.
"The department took this action because of our concern about Cabot's current fracking process and to ensure that the environment in Susquehanna County is properly protected," the DEP's northcentral regional director, Robert Yowell, said in a statement.
This is not Cabot's first run-in with state regulators. Earlier this year, state officials blamed Cabot's drilling operations for causing methane to seep into some nearby residential water wells in Susquehanna County, leaving the water unsafe to drink and the wells a potential danger to explode.
Under the state's order, Cabot must complete a number of engineering and safety tasks before it can resume its fracking process as it drills into the potentially lucrative Marcellus Shale formation. That includes conducting an engineering study of all equipment and work practices associated with fracking at all well sites in the county within 21 days.
Cabot spokesman Ken Komoroski said Friday that the company disagrees with some of the agency's allegations in the order, but it is committed to completing the tasks required by the order. He also said the company believes that its cleanup efforts removed any risk to area residents.
This week, the department cited Houston-based Cabot for violating the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law and several other laws in connection with three spills of a liquid-gel lubricant within seven days. The substance is mixed into water, pumped down the well bore and blasted into the shale to release the natural gas trapped in the rock.
Cabot may face civil penalties in connection with the citations, the department said.
In two separate spills on Sept. 16, the lubricant poured out of a loose pipe connection and seeped into a wetland and killed fish in a creek, according to the department. Komoroski has said the lubricant was heavily diluted by freshwater, which substantially limited its harm. On Tuesday, crews spilled more of the lubricant when a closed valve caused a hose to rupture under increased pressure.
The lubricant in question -- called LGC-35 CBM -- is supplied by Houston-based Halliburton Co., which initially provided an information sheet saying that chemicals in the product are potential carcinogens.
However, Halliburton spokeswoman Diana Gabriel said the information sheet dated to 2004, and an inquiry by Halliburton after the spills at the Cabot site "determined based on current information that the materials used in LGC-35 CBM are not considered carcinogenic."
The substance, she said, is mineral oil-based. Mineral oil is a liquid oil produced from petroleum. Komoroski called it "relatively innocuous," although it may cause eye, skin and breathing irritations.
To date, Pennsylvania has received production reports from about 80 Marcellus Shale wells. The state has issued more than 1,200 permits for Marcellus Shale wells since 2005, with drilling taking place on about half. Drilling has taken place on more than 330 alone this year, according to the department.


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New Scotland Archives The Altamont Enterprise, March 27, 2008
Up in arms: New Scotlanders protest big-box plans
By David S. Lewis
NEW SCOTLAND A crowd of over 275 New Scotland residents yesterday voiced nearly unanimous opposition to the large-scale development of the old Bender melon farm.
The 179-acre property near the intersection of the town's two major thoroughfares, routes 85 and 85A, has been purchased by the Sphere Group, which expects to close next week. The Sphere Group, a developer based near Syracuse, approached town zoning officials earlier this year, but hasn't yet filed an application. The town of New Scotland provides for only one level of commercial zoning, which means that any sort of development on the property would be legal under current zoning laws.
"At this time, no application has been submitted, no legal plans are pending," said New Scotland Supervisor Tom Dolin at Wednesday's meeting. But he said that the zoning and planning boards had received a sketch in March; he said the sketch did not include the names of any of the businesses that might be included in the project. Dolin said he suggested in February that the town board consider a moratorium to discuss whether the zoning laws reflect the town's best interests.
Gregory Widrick, a managing partner of the Sphere Group, assured the townspeople that, while the company met informally with town officials, it wasn't to circumvent the citizenry. Before co-founding Sphere, Widrick was in charge of the "big box" division at The Pyramid Companies, where he worked with "any of your typical big-box stores Best Buy, Circuit City, Sport Authority," he told The Enterprise earlier. Pyramid owns Guilderland's Crossgates Mall.
"The rumors that we are planning to build a 1.5-million square-foot enclosed mall… or a Wal-Mart are entirely untrue," said Widrick. He said that the developers were interested in designing a project that would "co-exist harmoniously" with the rural character of the town.
Widrick urged the residents to consider some of the benefits to the area before ruling out the development, claiming that local real-estate revenue would go up 9,000 percent. He also said that the school district would experience an increase in its revenues that would be equivalent to the enrollment of 40 percent of the current student body, but without actually adding a single student. He also asked that the board not pass a moratorium on development, saying that the company would be conducting studies on the area before even submitting a design.
Voorheesville Assistant Superintendent for Business Sarita Winchell had very different numbers, however. When the floor was opened for public comment, she said that she had calculated the amount of tax savings for school-district residents based on a 110,000-square-foot Wal-Mart (a much larger development than is being proposed) and said that families in New Scotland would save about $32 annually; residents outside the town with larger properties would probably save around $42.
Citizens speak out
So many people wished to comment on the issue that two lines were formed. Residents raised questions about the lack of infrastructure supporting the area such as sewer and water, as well as cost of constructing larger roads. Many others simply voiced outright opposition to the Sphere Group's plan.
"I pay the higher property taxes because I like the town the way it is," said Janice Raleigh of Voorheesville.
New Scotland resident Ben Carlson was even more direct. "From my standpoint, we need to have the moratorium so we can step back and say, 'Is this appropriate?'" he said. Addressing Widrick, he said, "Nothing against you, but this is our town, and, quite frankly, I don't trust you."
Paula Adams, who lives near the proposed development site, asked residents in favor of the development to raise their hands and no one moved; when she asked for a show of opposition, nearly every hand in the room shot into the air.
"…The Bender farm isn't something waiting to be ground up; it is worth preserving the way it is," said Adams. The statement was echoed by several other residents supporting the idea of using the area as green space. Edie Abrams, another resident who lives close to the farm, suggested residents "put our money where our mouth is."
"This land belongs to someone; you want green space, buy it," said Abrams.
Environmental lawyer Jeffrey Baker of Clarksville urged the board to "adopt the moratorium, unequivocally."
"Give the planning board the tools it needs to make certain the zoning laws meet the needs of the town," he said.
Sphere perseveres
The Enterprise asked if the Sphere Group was put off by the crowd's negative reaction. "Unfortunately, this is what you tend to get anytime a developer comes to a small town," said Kathleen Bennett, an attorney for the Sphere Group during a phone interview after the meeting. And of the town's reaction, she said, "It wasn't unexpected."
She acknowledged that sewer and water issues would need to be addressed regardless of the scale of the development. Bennett said that Widrick had asked the town not to adopt a moratorium because it would "halt the progress of the development for as long as the moratorium was in effect" but that the developer would continue to conduct research.
"It depends on the drafting of the moratorium," said Bennett. "Depending on how it is worded, there might not be any permits granted. It could even prevent applications from being considered until the moratorium expires."
Although the 179-acre farm is assessed at $734,700, the asking price for the property is $4 million, Platform Realty Group told The Enterprise last month. When queried as to the price actually paid for the farm, Bennett replied via e-mail, "Due to the terms of the deal and the financing, the developer is not willing to disclose the purchase price of the property at this time. They will be closing in about a week and at that point the number will become a matter of public record."
The property is owned by a group of doctors who are listed as MLF Enterprises, said Robert Murphy, vice president of Platform Realty.
The Enterprise also asked whether Target was being considered. Bennett said that it was "still a potential option for this project" but later wrote an e-mail saying, "I am not certain about the pursuit of Target at this point after further discussions and would appreciate it if Target was not attributed [either yes or no] to me or the developer."
Board mulls $22M budget proposal
By David S. Lewis
NEW SCOTLANDAs enrollment decreases, the school board plans to adopt a $22 million budget for next year that represents a 2.8 percent increase over this year's spending plan. This budget does not include the hiring of any additional teachers or sending a second student to Tech Valley High School next year, despite the protests of parents who attended the Monday's budget meeting.
The board is slated to adopt the plan on April 7; voters will have their say on May 20. The budget for staff salaries is $15.6 million, which includes $4.7 million in fringe benefits for retirement and health and dental insurance. The proposed budget provides for the salaries of 115 full-time teaching staff and six full-time administrators, including the addition of a new curriculum coordinator, whose duties will include the analysis of the standardized test scores.
"Our kids spend a lot of time testing, and most of it is mandatory," said board President David Gibson. The curriculum coordinator will help target holes in curricula based on analysis of test scores, which will improve the quality of education for individual students, Gibson said.
District-wide enrollment for next year is projected to be 1,208, down from 1,232 students this year.
At the elementary school, projected enrollment for kindergarten is 76 students, with an average of 19 students per class. Eighty-five students will enter first grade, with an average class size of 17 students, due to the creation of a permanent extra section in that grade. Second grade will see 88 students with an average class size of 17.6, but this year's second grade class is the second largest in the school, with 92 students going into third grade and an average class size of 23 students. The fourth grade next year will have 89 students, with 22.3 students per class; the largest class, fifth grade, will see 98 students in four sections, with an average class size of 24.5.
Assistant Superintendent for Business Sarita Winchell told The Enterprise earlier that the enrollment decline doesn't impact the budget. "If you lose 10 to 15 kids, it's across the board," she said, and not enough in one place to cut staff positions. The current enrollment is nearly the same as it was 20 years ago, she said, with the peak year at 1,369 students in 1996-97.
Growth analysis
Monday's meeting began with a presentation by Chuck Voss and Leif Egstrom analyzing district-wide growth; the study concluded that the next two years would see a further drop in enrollment. Although enrollment has decreased in 11 out of the last 12 years, some residents thought that pending developments such as the Kensington Woods subdivision, which will include 160 single-family homes, and the prospective development of the Bender melon farm would increase the enrollment in the district. Both Voss and Egstrom are associates at CT Male, an architecture and engineering firm; they conducted their research and presentation at no cost to the district.
Many questions were raised, as Kensington Woods alone could theoretically bring over 200 children into the area. Egstrom, a member of the Capital District Regional Planning Commission, said the cause of the falling enrollment is the lower number of children being produced. He cited the birth-control pill and the 1973 United States Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion as primary causes in the decline of births.
Another factor is the lack of residents moving into the area, which Egstrom said was largely due to the troubled real-estate market. In 2002, New Scotland issued 2,072 building permits for the construction of single-family homes in the area. In 2007 that number dropped to 944, so in five years less than half as many new homes were being. Egstrom predicted that enrollment would be down for two years, at which point the real estate market should be recovering and enrollment could begin to climb upwards again.
So who is going to be living in all the new subdivision housing? According to Egstrom, it won't be families with children.
"A lot of the housing is being designed for empty-nesters," he said.
He went on to say that, even with regional commercial projects such as the nanotech chip factory, there wouldn't be the kind of influx into the region that would lead to needed redevelopment factors such as improved infrastructure in largely rural New Scotland area.
"The nanotech factory, even with the ancillary businesses that would locate close to the factory, would still bring in less than a thousand new jobs…When we're talking sub-thousand, even 1,200 new jobs, we're still under 1 percent of the workforce in the Capital Area."
Egstrom remarked that it was difficult to predict such things beyond a three- or four-year window, "because these things are very fluid."
Parents want smaller classes
Many of the parents who attended the meeting didn't come to hear about projected growth statistics; their main concern was hiring a sufficient number of teachers to keep class sizes low. Parents of children in the current fourth-grade class petitioned the board when their students were in kindergarten. A class of 24 students had a higher-than-usual number of students with special needs and behavioral issues; the parents wanted to see an additional section created. Their request was granted for third grade but the teacher was re-assigned when the class reached fourth grade, rather than staying with the class, as parents had expected.
The additional teacher is now permanently transferred to the first grade, and, while many parents support an extra section for the first grade, they feel the board did not full fulfill its obligations to the current fourth grade, or to the voters who granted approval for the extra teacher. Many said it was unfair for children in the higher grades, whose class sizes had always been large, not to share in the benefits brought about by additional teachers and the resulting decreases in class size.
Kenneth Lein, principal of the elementary school, said that he had decided to focus on keeping the class sizes for younger children small, even at the cost of having fewer accredited teachers for the older students. He indicated that the addition of teachers' assistants would help make up for the higher number of students, but not everyone was convinced.
"Having a teacher's assistant in the classroom is not the same as having one teacher with a smaller class," said a parent. She pointed out that many of the special-education students have Individualized Education Programs that require a teaching assistant be present during instruction, which makes it less likely that the assistant would have time for the other children.
"I am glad to see the smaller class sizes for the younger grades, but I don't like that it seems we have to take one or the other," said another. She called the faculty-to-student ratio "deceitful."
Principal Lein made assurances that the teachers were doing an excellent job, which was corroborated by Superintendent Linda Langevin. She beseeched the parents to have faith in the decision-making ability of school administrators.
"You've trusted us before with your kids, and we haven't caused them any harm…I just analyzed the data on the literacy test; the information is embargoed but I wish I could show it to you, because the kids did fantastically," said Langevin. She said the creation of another section for the fifth grade would be "overkill."
Other business
In other business, the school board:
Passed a resolution to reduce the length of term of office for members of the board taking office on or after July 1 from five years to four years. Gary Hubert and Kevin Kroencke opposed the measure, while Gibson, C. James Coffin, Thomas McKenna, Paige Pierce, and Timothy Blow supported it. Voters will have to pass the measure on May 20 for it to take effect [See "archives" for Feb. 21 at www.altamontenterprise.com.];
Unanimously passed a resolution to submit to voters a proposition on May 20 to transfer $95,000 from the general fund into the school-lunch fund to pay the debt the school lunch program has accrued over the last five years [See "archives" at www.altamontenterprise.com for March 13, 2008];
Unanimously accepted a computer and two printers donated by middle-school teacher Sheila Lobel;
Unanimously appointed Heather Higgins as the replacement for Mrs. Kelly Lendrum, the long-term substitute teacher for the first grade; and
Set the next regular meeting of the Voorheesville board of will be on Monday, April 7 at 7:30 in the school cafeteria. There will also be a special meeting for the Board of Cooperative Educational Services budget vote on Monday, April 21, at 7:30 a.m. in the district office.
Going Out for enlightening drama
By Zach Simeone
VOORHEESVILLE It's nearing 5 p.m. The performing arts center at the Voorheesville high school is filled with the low hum of the Dionysians' sweeping vocal warm-ups. These students have a story to tell.
Starting on March 28, players at Clayton A. Bouton High School will be performing The Secret Garden, an award-winning musical adapted from the 1909 novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
"It's remarkable how many talented kids are on the cast," said Molly Spooner, director of the show. She teaches music at the high school. "They've come so far in such a short amount of time." The characters and music are very complicated, she said.
"To me, this show is about how one singular event, person, or place can transform life for so many," said the director. Such events have lulled many of the characters into what she calls an "emotional hibernation,
because they don't know how to lean on one another for warmth and love."
Young Mary Lennox, born in India to wealthy parents, has been orphaned and sent to Misselthwaite Manor, an isolated country house in Yorkshire, England. There, she finds Archibald Craven, her uncle, a widower still grieving the death of his wife a decade before. And she discovers Colin, her uncle's son, who has been shut away as an invalid.
The play, Spooner said, deals with other themes as well, like children being able to teach adults, and people of lower class having insight to offer. "The adult characters are so emotionally crippled, and it's the kids who teach them how to move on," she said. "Another thing you'll notice is that it's the servants in the show who are really more grounded."
Mary learns of a walled secret garden from her chambermaid, Martha, which the children revive, helped by Martha's brother, Dickon, and the old gardener, Ben Weatherstaff.
The Secret Garden is the second show that Spooner has directed at Voorheesville, the first being Grease. "I feel like there have been few shows here that have been this dark," she said. "Also, with Grease, there wasn't a lot of learning involved."
"We've never done a show like this," said Garrett Wineinger, a student at the high school and performer in the show. "There are just so many things happening in this play." Wineinger plays Dickon, who befriends Mary and helps her blossom as they work together in the garden.
"It's an emotional, dark story, but it has its humor," said Meara McTague, who plays Mary Lennox.
The director has been continually impressed by the ability of her lead actors to overcome the challenges associated with some of the characters. Chloe Siegel, a seventh-grader, is one of three middle-school students on the cast. She plays Colin Craven, the 10-year-old boy who starts as a cripple and ends up walking. "It's…different," she said, giggling at the thought of playing a male character.
"One challenge was getting Chris Hammer, an 18-year-old kid in perfect health, to play Archibald Craven," said Spooner. "The character is a hunchback, and in very poor health." Craven spends most of his time mourning his deceased wife, Lily, who is present throughout much of the play as a ghost. In the end, seeing his son walk, Craven is at last happy.
Spooner performed in The Secret Garden during her senior year at Bethlehem High School, and couldn't be more excited to be directing the show, she said. "I think it's going to turn out great," she said. "The kids are just wonderful."
The Secret Garden will play at the performing arts center of Clayton A. Bouton High School on Route 85A in Voorheesville on Friday, March 28, at 7:15 p.m.; Saturday, March 29 at 7:15 p.m.; and Sunday, March 30, at 2:15 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults, with a $2 discount for students and seniors.
Voorheesville student to attend Tech Valley High alone
By David S. Lewis
VOORHEESVILLEColleen Bates will be the only student representing Voorheesville next year at Tech Valley High, the experimental tech-based regional high school that started this year. The school board here held a straw vote at its budget meeting Monday night and determined that, while keeping one student enrolled at the school was important, a tightened budget didn't allow for sending another.
Ilyssa Hoffman-Simken was selected to begin Tech Valley next year, but it seems likely that the offer will be rescinded after the board makes its formal vote on the budget in April. Ilyssa and her mother, Shari Hoffman-Simken, were both at the meeting, but Ilyssa had to leave early in order to study. Mrs. Hoffman-Simken asked the board to reconsider and said she was extremely disappointed in the board's reluctance to send her daughter to Tech Valley.
The school was developed by local Boards of Cooperative Educational Services to serve as a model for modern learning, from which participating schools could glean best practices. The annual tuition for each student is $18,000, but the home district is reimbursed for a portion of that through BOCES aid.
"I think this is a way of teaching our children for the 21st Century," Mrs. Hoffman-Simken said. "I think this is an opportunity we shouldn't pass on." She assured the board that the investment would pay the district back "one hundredfold."
Board member Timothy Blow said that he didn't think the Tech Valley program was a sound investment for the district, suggesting that the money would be better put to use for the students enrolled in Voorheesville schools.
"These are things we can learn to do easily ourselves. We could send 10 students to New Visions," Blow said, referring to another BOCES program, "for the cost of sending one student to Tech Valley."
Board member Kevin Kroencke agreed. "In a perfect world, with unlimited resources, I would support this," he said, continuing, "That $18,000 could be put to other uses that would benefit the kids immediately and the district greatly." Kroencke, who no longer has children enrolled in the district, reminded the board that two-thirds of the homes in the district don't have any children enrolled in the schools, and warned that, in order to ensure further support from the community, the board needs to be mindful of the rest of the community. He went on to suggest the experimental school was a matter of politics as well an endeavor of education.
"Let's not kid ourselves, here; resources are being thrown at this school for reasons that are political," and made references to the school's "Godfather" in the state legislature.
Another opponent to the second student was board member Thomas McKenna, but he was careful to recognize the importance of supporting the student already attending the school.
"We shouldn't yank the rug out from under the student we already have there," he said, "but as a fiscal conservative, I couldn't support sending another."
Board President David Gibson reminded everyone that Tech Valley High has only been operational for six months, saying that there is no way yet to use the data it has collected.
"I think the difference between no student attending and one student attending would be a sacrifice I wouldn't want to make," said Gibson.
Tech Valley High School, with a total of 40 students from the Capital Area enrolled, uses hands-on teaching methods and project-based learning to prepare students for the rigorous technology-sector demands in the 21st Century. Supported by local BOCES as well as such private companies as the Gates Foundation, IBM, and General Electric, the school uses advanced software systems and what it calls "real-world assessment" projects as well as combining different disciplines and emphasizing critical thinking.
Pros and cons
Brian Stumbaugh, the data coordinator for Voorheesville's middle and high schools, gave a presentation on the pros and cons of sending students through the program, as well as estimating the investment potential for the district.
Pros include the practical value of having an inside story on the unconventional teaching structures for the district, as well as the practical knowledge students would gain from the experience. The drawback to the program is the cost to the district.
Gibson argued that the actual cost would subtract $6,000, the cost of educating the student if she remained in the district, and the home school also benefits by having a smaller class.
Although Gibson was a strong supporter of the program, he seemed to have difficulty convincing enough of the other members of its value. He took informal votes, which were split, that indicated board members would support continuing Bates's schooling at Tech Valley High, but not support sending another student. The original plan was for each participating to school to send one student each year.
Several board members including Kroencke, Blow, and Vice President C. James Coffin, expressed serious doubts as to whether even the first student's enrollment was a sound investment at a time when the budget was tight.
Those attending Monday's meeting also had divided sentiments. Several strong proponents hailed the values of enhancing Voorheesville's curriculum and learning paradigms as well as expressing fears that the district could be "left behind' if it didn't take advantage of the opportunity. But other residents said that it seemed to be a waste of money that could be better spent on students actually going to school in the district. Opponents of the Tech Valley program said that it didn't make any difference to them whether BOCES came through or not; they felt it was a waste of resources.
Disappointed students
Bates is preparing for her sophomore year at Tech Valley High; she was disappointed to learn that she will probably be the only student attending the school from Voorheesville. She told The Enterprise that the small class size and the amount of personal attention the students received from teachers made a significant difference in students' performance.
"The teachers know if you are having a hard time and they really try to help you," she said.
Bates became friends with Ilyssa Hoffman-Simken at a recent meeting and said she was sad that she wouldn't be getting the opportunity to go to the school. She said the program has not only taught her useful skills, but also improved her ability to communicate.
"I had really hoped they would send someone else," said Bates. "The program is really beneficial and I don't know why they can't see that."
Shari Hoffman-Simken said yesterday that the program is a great opportunity not just for students, but also for teachers. An educator for over 25 years, Hoffman-Simken has a master's degree in education and works as a consultant for elementary drama programs that seek to integrate drama into school curricula. She said that curricula based on standardized testing don't foster a "thinking atmosphere" and said that it causes teachers to burn out.
She called the board's decision "illogical."
"You can't base your decision to participate in a program on a single child's performance; it puts a lot of pressure on Colleen and it isn't fair," said Mrs. Hoffman-Simken. "This program has only been around for six months…We've had eight years to determine whether No Child Left Behind works," she said, referring to federal legislation that mandates testing. "And guess what?" she concluded. "It doesn't."
Hoffman-Simken said that she would be speaking in favor of the program even if it weren't her child who had been selected.
"If Ilyssa continues in Voorheesville schools, she will get a great education. We are very fortunate this way," she said.
Ilyssa's application had been approved by Tech Valley High School, but school principal Mark Diefendorf told her and her parents that enrollment approval was pending a final decision by the board. That decision will be made on April 7 at the next regular meeting.


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In reply to W. James Meagher's post on Fri 17 Sep 2010 :
James, if you need peer support, Winnipeg should be good. Documentary Organisation of Canada (DOC) is an association of Doc professionals (in the main), that also does a lot of legislation-related lobbying (read: there are lawyers involved). http://docorg.ca/ and here's the link to the Winnipeg chapter http://docorg.ca/en/chapters/winnipeg/about-winnipeg-chapter .... Someone on that list, or known to them, will know to deal with this, what releases you'll need, and similar fiddly things. Nice subject (your film), by the way.


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All About the GMAT
Application season is starting to heat up again! For those of you just getting started, here's an overview of "what's what" with the GMAT.
What Is The GMAT?
The Graduate Management Admissions Test is a standardized test that many English-speaking business schools require applicants to take. The test is called a CAT, or Computer Adaptive Test, both because it is administered on a computer and because the test actually changes based upon how we answer the questions. The computer chooses what test questions to give us based upon our performance up until that point in the test. In a sense, we all take a different test, because the specific mix of questions any one person sees is based on that person's performance during the test.
To register for the test or learn more information straight from the testwriters, go to www.mba.com.
What Does The GMAT Test?
The GMAT has three different sections, summarized below. Click here for a more in-depth discussion of the test.
(1) Essays. The test starts with two essays (time limit: 30 minutes each). The essays are scored on a zero to six scale (6 is the highest score); the score is completely separate from the multiple choice score.
One essay, Analysis of an Argument, gives us an argument that someone is making and asks us to evaluate the argument. What are the flaws? How could the argument be improved?
The other essay, Analysis of an Issue, gives us a quote and asks us to take a stand (agree or disagree) and explain why. We have to develop a thesis statement and defend that thesis with specific examples from history or our own experiences.
(2) Quantitative. The second section tests us on our quantitative skills; we have 75 minutes to answer 37 math questions. Topics tested include Number Properties, Algebra, Geometry, Statistics, Word Problems, and more.
Approximately half of the questions are standard multiple choice questions, with numerical or mathematical answer choices; these are called Problem Solving questions. The rest of the questions are Data Sufficiency questions, in which we are asked whether various pieces of information would be enough to answer the question (but we do not actually have to find the numerical answer). For example, let's say that we want to know how old Mike is. We're told that Paul is 25, but that piece of information is not sufficient to determine how old Mike is. If we're told that Paul is 25 and that Paul is 2 years older than Mike, then those two pieces of information are sufficient to determine how old Mike is. The correct answer will be the one that indicates that we need both pieces of information.
(3) Verbal. The third, and final, section tests us on our grammatical and logical reasoning skills; we have 75 minutes to answer 41 questions. There are three different types of verbal questions:
Sentence Correction. These sentences test us on correct use of grammar. Grammar topics include Parallelism, Modifiers, Subject-Verb Agreement, Verb Tenses, Pronouns, Comparisons, Idioms, and more.
Critical Reasoning. These questions test us on our ability to analyze the line of reasoning used in an argument. We may be asked to strengthen or weaken an argument, to identify an assumption used in the argument, to draw a conclusion, to explain a discrepancy, and so on.
Reading Comprehension. We're required to read a passage (typically two to four paragraphs) and answer a series of questions to demonstrate our ability to correctly comprehend, analyze, and apply the information we read in order to answer both general questions, such as the main idea, and specific questions, such as why the author states a particular piece of information in the passage.
The quant and verbal section scores are combined into one overall score, given on a 200-800 scale (800 is the highest score).
How Do B-Schools Use The GMAT?
Most schools that use the GMAT require all applicants to take the test by the application deadline. Because requirements and deadlines vary, check the websites of the specific schools to which you want to apply for specific information. If a school does require the GMAT, the school will care most about your 200-800 scaled score; when people ask for your GMAT score, this is the score they want. The schools will also look at the essay score (0-6), but most schools are only concerned if the score is below a 4.0.
Although things will vary from school to school, most schools use the GMAT to screen applicants but not to admit applicants. In other words, a very low score will likely prevent you from being admitted to that school, but a very high score will not result in definite acceptance. The GMAT is more of a "threshold" indicator: if you score at or above a certain level, the school will feel that you are likely to be able to handle the work, and then the school will examine the rest of your application in order to determine whether to admit you.
Click here for more about the b-school admissions process and timeline.
What Is A "Good" GMAT Score?
Generally speaking, a "good" GMAT score is dependent upon the scores desired / required at a particular school. Schools will generally publish the average GMAT score for the students they admitted in prior years. If your GMAT score is at or above that school's average, then that is a good score for that school. If your GMAT score is below that school's average, then you may need to offset that score with something else extra-positive on your application (such as a GPA that is higher than the school's average GPA for admitted applicants, or very impressive work experience).
Taking The GMAT Again
We are allowed to take the test once every 31 days, up to 5 times in a calendar year. Scores are kept on our GMAT "transcripts" and each score is valid for 5 years from the date of that test. Most schools do not mind if a student takes the test up to 3 times; beyond that, some schools will see repeated re-takes as a negative. If you do need to re-take the test more than twice, it's important to make sure that you're as ready as possible before you re-take it.


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MINNESOTA NEWS ROUNDUP: Opening arguments today in Willmar Grandmother Murder Trial
WILLMAR, Minn. -- Jury selection finished yesterday afternoon and opening arguments are this morning (Fri) in the Willmar murder trial of 19-year-old Brok Junkermeier. He's charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder in the July 2013 stabbing and strangulation death of 79-year-old Lila Warwick in her Willmar home. Junkermeier's trial is scheduled to go through April 11th.
Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin on her Facebook page has endorsed Republican state Senator Julianne Ortman in her bid for U-S Senate. Palin calls Ortman a conservative champion and a fighter for life and for Second Amendment rights. Referring to incumbent Democrat Al Franken, Palin says this fall's race will be "a clown versus a Mama Grizzly, an Obama 100 percenter versus a Blue Star mom." Jim Abeler, Chris Dahlberg, Mike McFadden, Monti Moreno and Harold Shudlick are also vying for the Republican endorsement to run against Franken.
Lower prices and yields plus higher costs contributed to a 75-percent decline in Minnesota farmers' income in 2013. An annual report from the University of Minnesota and the state college and university system shows median net farm income fell from 189-thousand dollars in 2012 to 42-thousand last year. U of M Extension economist Dale Nordquist says the big driver is crop prices -- in particular, corn going down from over six dollars a bushel to near four dollars. Nordquist says sugar beet prices fell even further and producers lost an average of 300 dollars an acre in 2013. But he says most farmers are in a good position to withstand a down year after near-record profits in 2012.
Five Republican candidates for governor are all accusing Democratic Governor Mark Dayton of lack of leadership on medical marijuana. Hennepin County Commissioner and former State Representative Jeff Johnson says it's typical of Dayton -- to start out saying "no", then saying maybe we should do it, and then suggesting a study. Johnson calls Dayton's comment about being able to get marijuana on the street "just kinda sad and pathetic." State Representative Kurt Zellers accused Dayton of thumbing his nose at law enforcement and says advocating to parents to break the law by buying marijuana on the street is a "character flaw." And gubernatorial hopeful Scott Honour called Dayton's stance on medical marijuana another in a long list of do-overs. Dayton was not immediately available for comment.
Nine members of the Minnesota National Guard's Detachment 39 Operational Support Airlift return home today after a nine-month deployment to Kuwait (Fri2pm). The pilots and aviation specialists flew 424 missions, logged 18-hundred-44 hours of flight, hauled more than 16-hundred passengers and 79-thousand pounds of cargo. The unit supported U-S and coalition forces throughout southwest Asia including Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Oman, Saudia Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The pressure is on administrators at the University of Minnesota from students and faculty members to cancel an upcoming speech by Condoleezza Rice. The former U.S. Secretary of State is scheduled to speak on campus on April 17th as part of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs lecture series. Rice is expected to speak about civil rights. The University Senate is expected to vote next week to urge the university to pull the invitation due to the role they say Rice played quote, "mislead the American people" into the war in Iraq.
If you're traveling Interstate-94 next week, you may see a helicopter hovering low as crews work to string power lines over the interstate in the Alexandria area. It's part of the CapX2020 transmission line project. Lanes closures are possible, and the Minnesota State Patrol may briefly stop traffic on Tuesday and Wednesday. Crews will work their way to the Barnesville area this summer and fall. Work will wrap up on the transmission line this summer between Alexandria and St. Cloud. The final segment, which will stretch to Fargo, is set for completion in mid- 2015.
Anne Blackhurst, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Minnesota State University Moorhead, is one of three semi-finalists for MSUM president. The other candidates are Sam Minner, provost and vice president at Radford University in Virginia and Carlos Vargas-Aburto, provost and vice president at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. They will be on campus next week for a series of forums. The new president will be selected by the MNSCU board of trustees April 23. Edna Szymanski retires at the end of June.
St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman is set to unveil new ideas for redevelopment of the city's downtown this morning.(10:30) Coleman will be joined by Ecolab CEO Doug Baker and Greater MSP CEO Michael Langley as they release ideas for developers to run with. The group is envisioning new hotels, offices, and even a movie theater. They have selected four sites for redevelopment: Seven Corners Gateway, the Macy-Grace-Wabasha Court area, Central Station light-rail stop and Ramsey County Government Center West.
Warm weather and cabin season may seem like a long way off, but the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is encouraging lake service provider businesses, like dock installers, resort owners, and canoe outfitters to get ready for summer now. The DNR's April Rust says these businesses must attend aquatic invasive species training and get a permit before they can offer their services. She says the main reason these businesses are categorized and required to get a permit and training is because they are working in a lot of different waters of the state and they are working with a lot of different equipment that goes in and out of the water. There are several classes scheduled over the next few weeks. For more information, visit the DNR's website. ( mndnr.gov)
A roller-coaster weather ride continues across Minnesota. The entire Great lakes region has broken the record for the amount of snow still on the ground in late March, and the ground has been covered for three and a half months -- busting records set in the 60's and 70's. While a warmup is expected this weekend, with Sunday temperatures approaching 60, USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says this looks like a short term relief, especially in the Great Lakes region. He says longer term forecasts in this area show a return to very cold weather along with some late season snowfall as we move into April. That's especially bad news for Minnesota farmers, who may end the month of March without a single day suitable for working in their fields.