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Gabor David Kelen, M.D.
Director, Department of Emergency Medicine
Professor of Emergency Medicine
Expertise: Emergency Medicine
Research Interests: Emergency Medicine; Emerging Infections; Disaster Health
Gabor Kelen, M.D., FRCP(C), FACEP, FAAEM, is Professor and Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University. He is also Senior Professional Staff at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. He holds a joint appointment in the Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and is a member of the Center for Injury Prevention.
Dr. Kelen became world renown for developing novel methods to study HIV and other blood borne pathogens with seminal work published in JAMA, NEJM, CID and Annals of Internal Medicine. His research in this area helped define the extent of the HIV epidemic, led to the adoption of universal precautions, and ushered in the era of HIV testing and counseling programs in ED settings.
In 1993, he became the first professor and chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Kelen was appointed the Director of the Johns Hopkins Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response (CEPAR) in 2002, an enterprise-wide entity created to oversee the Institutions endeavors in preparing for, and responding to, a high impact disaster, particularly from potential terrorist action. In November 2005, Dr. Kelen and his team were awarded a grant from the Department of Homeland Security to lead a consortium studying how the nation can best prepare for and respond to potential large-scale incidents and disasters. This fifth Homeland Security Center of Excellence formally titled the National Center for the Study of Preparedness and Catastrophic Event Response (PACER), studies deterrence, prevention, preparedness and response, including issues such as risk assessment, decision-making, infrastructure integrity, surge capacity and sensor networks. Dr. Kelen maintains an active research program and has been continuously funded since 1987.
Dr. Kelen has served in numerous senior administrative positions, including as Chair of the Medical Board of the Johns Hopkins Hospital, a member of the Board of Trustees of Johns Hopkins Hospital (ex officio) the Past President of the Association of Academic Chairs of Emergency Medicine, the Past President of the Society of Teachers of Emergency Medicine.
Dr. Kelen has more than 175 publications and has authored/edited several major texts. His research has been recognized through numerous awards including the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine's Hal Jayne Academic Excellence Award and Leadership Award, the American College of Emergency Physicians' Outstanding Contribution to Research Award, and the Emergency Medicine Foundation Center of Excellence Award. In recognition of his contributions, Dr. Kelen was elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Science in 2005.
- Director, Department of Emergency Medicine
- Director, Johns Hopkins Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response (CEPAR)
- Director, Center for the Study of Preparedness and Catastrophic Event Response (PACER)
- Professor of Emergency Medicine
- Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine
Departments / Divisions
Centers & Institutes
- Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality
- Bloomberg School of Public Health
- National Center for the Study of Preparedness and Critical Event Response (PACER)
- Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response
- MD; Medicine, University Of Toronto Faculty of Medicine (1979)
- University Of Toronto Faculty of Medicine / Internal Medicine (1982)
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine / Emergency Medicine (1984)
Board Certifications
- American Board of Emergency Medicine / Emergency Medicine (1985)
Research & Publications
Research Summary
Recent Grants
- 2010-2013 Principal Investigator: National Center for the Study of Preparedness and Catastrophic Event Response@ (PACER). United States Department of Homeland Security (N00014-06-1-0991): $6,500,000
- 2010-2013 PI. Principal Investigator. Surge Capacity Metrics, DHS-PACER (N00014-06-1-0991): $489,295
- 2011-2013 Mentor: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Clinician Scientist Award. (Awardee JL Jenkins)
Selected PublicationsView all on Pubmed
Pham JC, Alblaihed L, Cheung DS, Levy F, Hill PM, Kelen GD, Pronovost PJ, Kirsch TD. Measuring patient safety in the emergency department. Am J Med Qual. 2014 Mar-Apr;29(2):99-104. doi: 10.1177/1062860613489846. Epub 2013 May 31. PMID: 23728473
Bayram JD, Sauer LM, Catlett C, Levin S, Cole G, Kirsch TD, Toerper M, Kelen G. Critical resources for hospital surge capacity: an expert consensus panel. PLoS Curr. 2013 Oct 7;5. pii: ecurrents.dis.67c1afe8d78ac2ab0ea52319eb119688. doi: 10.1371/currents.dis.67c1afe8d78ac2ab0ea52319eb119688. PMID: 24162793
Dugas AF, Morton M, Beard R, Pines JM, Bayram JD, Hsieh YH, Kelen G, Uscher-Pines L, Jeng K, Cole G, Rothman R. Interventions to mitigate emergency department and hospital crowding during an infectious respiratory disease outbreak: results from an expert panel. PLoS Curr. 2013 Apr 17;5. pii: ecurrents.dis.1f277e0d2bf80f4b2bb1dd5f63a13993. doi: 10.1371/currents.dis.1f277e0d2bf80f4b2bb1dd5f63a13993. PMID: 23856917
Hsieh YH, Kelen GD, Dugas AF, Chen KF, Rothman RE. Emergency Physicians' Adherence to Center for Disease Control and Prevention Guidance During the 2009 Influenza A H1N1 Pandemic. West J Emerg Med. 2013 Mar;14(2):191-9. doi: 10.5811/westjem.2012.11.12246. PMID: 23599869
James MM, Laeyendecker O, Sun J, Hoover DR, Mullis CE, Cousins MM, Coates T, Moore RD, Kelen GD, Fowler MG, Kumwenda JJ, Mofenson LM, Kumwenda NI, Taha TE, Eshleman SH. Antibody maturation and viral diversification in HIV-infected women. PLoS One. 2013;8(2):e57350. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057350. Epub 2013 Feb 27. PMID: 23460842
Kelen GD. Emergency Department HIV Testing. Reflections forward. Ann Emerg Med 58:S168-S172, 2011
Kelen GD, Catlett CL. Violence in the Health Care Setting. JAMA 304;(22):2530-1, 2010
Kelen GD, McCarthy ML, Kraus CK, Ding R, Hsu EB, Li G, Shahan JB, Green GB. Creation of surge capacity by early discharge of hospitalized patients at row risk for untoward events. (Lead Article) Dis Med Publ Health Prep 3(Suppl 1):S10-S16, 2009
Scheulen JJ, Thanner MH, Hsu EB, Latimer CK, Brown J, Kelen GD. Electronic Mass Casualty Assessment and Planning Scenarios (EMCAPS): Development and application of computer modeling to selected national planning scenarios for high consequence events. Ann Emerg Med 53(2):226-232, 2009
Kelen GD, McCarthy ML. Developing the science of health care emergency preparedness and response. Dis Med Publ Health Prep 3(Suppl 1):S2-S3, 2009
Activities & Honors
Professional Activities
- Elected, Institute of Medicine, 2005
Patient Ratings & Comments
The Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to physician related questions on the national CG-CAHPS Medical Practice patient experience survey through Press Ganey. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best score. Comments are also gathered from our CG-CAHPS Medical Practice Survey through Press Ganey and displayed in their entirety. Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.
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|Hardcopy (shipping and handling)
Historical Version(s) - view previous versions of standard
More A06.01 Standards Related Products Standard References
Significance and Use
4.1 This test method provides a satisfactory means of determining various ac magnetic properties of amorphous magnetic materials. It was developed to supplement the testing of toroidal and Epstein specimens. For testing toroidal specimens of amorphous materials, refer to Test Method A912/A912M.
4.2 The procedures described herein are suitable for use by manufacturers and users of amorphous magnetic materials for materials specification acceptance and manufacturing control.
1. Scope
1.1 This test method covers tests for various magnetic properties of flat-cast amorphous magnetic materials at power frequencies (50 and 60 Hz) using sheet-type specimens in a yoke-type test fixture. It provides for testing using either single- or multiple-layer specimens.
1.2 This test method provides a test for specific core loss, specific exciting power and ac peak permeability at moderate and high flux densities, but is restricted to very soft magnetic materials with dc coercivities of 0.07 Oe [5.57 A/m] or less.
1.3 The test method also provides procedures for calculating ac peak permeability from measured peak values of total exciting currents at magnetic field strengths up to about 2 Oe [159 A/m].
1.4 Explanation of symbols and abbreviated definitions appear in the text of this test method. The official symbols and definitions are listed in Terminology A340.
1.5 This test method shall be used in conjunction with Practice A34/A34M.
1.6 The values stated in either customary (cgs-emu and inch-pound) or SI units are to be regarded separately as standard. Within this standard, SI units are shown in brackets. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in nonconformance with this standard.
2. Referenced Documents (purchase separately) The documents listed below are referenced within the subject standard but are not provided as part of the standard.
ASTM Standards
A34/A34M Practice for Sampling and Procurement Testing of Magnetic Materials
A340 Terminology of Symbols and Definitions Relating to Magnetic Testing
A343/A343M Test Method for Alternating-Current Magnetic Properties of Materials at Power Frequencies Using Wattmeter-Ammeter-Voltmeter Method and 25-cm Epstein Test Frame
A876 Specification for Flat-Rolled, Grain-Oriented, Silicon-Iron, Electrical Steel, Fully Processed Types
A901 Specification for Amorphous Magnetic Core Alloys, Semi-Processed Types
A912/A912M Test Method for Alternating-Current Magnetic Properties of Amorphous Materials at Power Frequencies Using Wattmeter-Ammeter-Voltmeter Method with Toroidal Specimens
ICS Code
ICS Number Code 17.220.20 (Measurement of electrical and magnetic quantities)
UNSPSC Code
UNSPSC Code 31380000(Magnets and magnetic materials)
|Link Here
|Link to Active (This link will always route to the current Active version of the standard.)
Citation Format
ASTM A932 / A932M-01(2012), Standard Test Method for Alternating-Current Magnetic Properties of Amorphous Materials at Power Frequencies Using Wattmeter-Ammeter-Voltmeter Method with Sheet Specimens, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2012, www.astm.orgBack to Top

subset: commoncrawl


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Staff Veterinarian, Pacific Heights Campus
Dr. Chu grew up in Oahu and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Dr. Chu received his Bachelor's from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA. He graduated from Oklahoma State College of Veterinary Medicine in 1997 and completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the Animal Medical Center in NYC from 1997-1998. He joined the Pets Unlimited (now SF SPCA Pacific Heights) veterinary team in August 1999 and has an interest in ophthalmology, emergency medicine and critical care.
Dr. Chu shares his life with his three rescue dogs, and enjoys spending his free time traveling and DJing.


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While we understand that ads are annoying, you should know that advertising-income is what pays for the awesome content we provide [for free to you]. Would you consider disabling adblock on our site? You can also create an account for an ad-light experience!
Thank you for visiting our website! Below you will be able to find the answer to Vanity plate in a two-car garage, perhaps crossword clue which was last seen on Universal Crossword, April 16 2017. Our site contains over 2.8 million crossword clues in which you can find whatever clue you are looking for. Since you landed on this page then you would like to know the answer to Vanity plate in a two-car garage, perhaps. Without losing anymore time here is the answer for the above mentioned crossword clue:
We found 1 possible solution in our database matching the query Vanity plate in a two-car garage, perhaps
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|Mamas' counterparts
|Freeze, as glass
|Greek letter after eta
|Very big beer glass
|Aid for heavy sleepers
|Pinball error
|TV studio sign
|Extreme stinginess
|Movie director Lee
|Last section of the dictionary
|Direct paths
|Tax pro, briefly
|Dove call
|Eat beyond one's fill
|Bottomless pit
|Bit of bridal wear
|"That tastes terrible!"
|Socially goofy one
|Chicago airport
|Whirling dance movements
|Brief literary description
|Schedule board abbreviation, at 33-Down
|Old Italian currency
|It comes right before 12-Down
|Billy Bob of movies
|Extremely long time period
|Pet treater
|Give access to
|Render weaponless
|Sign of late summer
|Cause of a rude awakening?
|It may be aimed at a pail at 5 a.m.
|States of mind
|Word in old wedding vows
|Carve into glass
|Rooster's partner
|Kind of strap
|Hollywood's Brad
|___ Paulo
|Dark orange-yellow gemstone
|Like a "breaky heart" of song
|Sandwich type
|Beyond silly
|Intense dislike
|Big relative?
|Don't quote me on that (Part 1)
|Fashionable hotel offering
|Grapefruit relative
|Latvian capital
|Vehicle that gets you moving
|Note from a busted card player
|Group of wise guys?
|Venetian official, once
|Tied on the scoreboard
|Denzel Washington/Matthew Broderick movie
|Don't quote me on that (Part 2)
|Before the rest of the crowd arrives
|Serious cut
|Some whiskeys
|Vietnam or postwar America, historically
|Poetic evening
|What avis lay
|Stage that may require debugging
|Hors d'___ (appetizer)
|Bottom-line figure
|Don't quote me on that (Part 3)
|Weapon of mass destruction
|Like unripe apples
|Well-___ (rich)
|"Sesame Street" character
|Word with "cogito" and 56-Across
|Street ___ (gritty reputation, in slang)
|Bad-tempered and then some
|Calendar abbr.
|Vanity plate in a two-car garage, perhaps
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5 Stories
February 12 @ 8:00 pm
BEGIN your night with some great live jazz music of yesterday, today, and tomorrow!! Brought to you by 5 STORIES JAZZ COLLECTIVE featuring DYLAN SAVAGE on drums, CONOR APPERSON on congas, TREVOR PELTIER on bass, MARC HAGER on hammond B3, CHRISTIAN SMITH on guitar, SHAWN MICKELSON on trumpet, JEREMY SHASKAS on Tenor saxaphone, and many more dedicated jazz disciples. Music starts 8pm, NO COVER CHARGE


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Does your child qualify for bus transportation?
He/she may! If you live over 2 miles from the school your child attends, and more than 3/4 mile from the nearest bus stop; you qualify for free bus transportation.
This is an Iowa law.
The bus will stop before and after school.
If your child attends a registered child care that meets distance requirements; your child can be picked up and dropped off at daycare.
If you received a letter from the superintendent stating you are denied transportation, please disregard. Measurements on these letters are incorrect.
Check your odometer, and/or mapquest for measurements. Call the director of transportation at 362-2820 to start transportation for your child.
In such a case that there are many stops in one neighborhood, I believe one stop would better serve the community.
There are laws put in place for the well-being and safety of our children; do not be afraid to stand up for your rights.
Yvette Clabaugh,


text: Vice President-elect Mike Pence, second from left, with House Speaker Paul Ryan, center, and other key Republicans discuss the repeal of Obamacare. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite January 9, 2017 Winning over Congress' key members would spell legislative victory for President Trump Patrick T. Hickey, West Virginia University An analysis of more than 30 years of congressional voting reveals that a few key members of Congress determine whether a president will achieve their agenda. Who are they, and can Trump win them over?


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Another goal on the check list has been crossed off for the Apalachee High School softball team.
With a doubleheader sweep of Winder-Barrow High School Friday, the Lady Wildcats have assured themselves a spot in the upcoming Class AAAAA state tournament. AHS took wins of 10-6 and 10-3 to advance to the semifinals of the region tournament while the losses ended the season for the Lady Bulldoggs.
The opening round of state is set for Oct. 10. Seedings will be determined based on how the remainder of the region tourament plays out.
Ashley Walraven has helped the Lady Wildcats into the state softball tournament.
Lady Wildcats punch ticket for state
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ISR News Story
Miniature Robotics REU students give final presentations
On Aug. 10, ISR's 10 Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) students completed their summer at the University of Maryland by giving presentations on their research projects.
The students were part of ISR's Research Opportunities in Miniature Robotics program. Students learned about miniature robotics and applicable technologies and applications as they engaged in interdisciplinary research projects. Over 10 weeks, the students developed research projects, attended technical tutorial seminars, visited local government labs involved in miniature robotics research, attended professional and academic development seminars, and toured Maryland's top-notch facilities supporting robotics research including the FabLab and Neutral Buoyancy Research Facility. Coffee talk discussions provided an informal setting for students and mentors to discuss technical and non-technical topics.
The 2012 students, their mentors, and their research projects are:
Katie Gessler (University of Maryland Baltimore County)
Hongyi Xia (University of Maryland)
Veronica Ruf (University of Maryland Baltimore County) and Michael O'Brien (Eastern Nazarene College)
Alex Brown (University of South Florida)
Alyssa Philipps (Seattle University)
Betsy Farris (Colorado State University)
John Trischler (Louisiana Technical University)
Neil Tidwell (University of Florida)
Julia Tumbic (Syracuse University)
The ISR opportunity is part of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. The REU program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in areas of research NSF funds. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects specifically designed for the REU program. This summer experience prepares students for graduate school or research jobs in industry and labs.
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August 10, 2012
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I have one and one alone:
What is your position on Mark Sanchez?
If it's to keep him any further than June 1, said person will not be my GM. If it's to get rid of him at any cost, you will have the job or at least be in the conversation with others, if there are any, who said the same.
We'll go from there.


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Farmers Market Instagram Pictures
Superfresh Summer Produce Shots From Your Favorite Markets
Superfresh Summer Produce Shots From Your Favorite Markets
Is there anything that quite beats brilliantly colored berries or long beans at a nearby Summer stand? We think not, which is why we challenged you to take at least one stroll through the farmers market and share your finds via Instagram. From squash blossoms to heirlooms to carrots for days, here are some of the season's best.
Keep us in the loop by uploading your photos to Instagram and including the hashtag #savorysight in your caption; who knows, you might be featured next go-around! And make sure to follow YumSugar on Instagram (username: heyyumsugar) for delicious inspiration. If you don't use Instagram, then don't worry: you can always upload your Summer food photos to our Savory Sights community group.
Source: Instagram user poolovesboo


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Looking for design inspiration? Browse our curated collections!
Join our billboard contest! Enter by July 31st.
Shop our new kids collection!
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2009 RC deWinter ~ All Rights Reserved The dark serenity of this 19th-century chapel is illuminated by the glow of the sun through a mullioned window.
Hello and welcome to my portfolio on Pixels/Fine Art America. One of my major artistic goals, with appropriate images, is to create digital paintings that you wouldn't know were digital unless I told you. If I could paint in oils I would...alas my eyes don't work with my hand, so I create most of my art from photographs that I re-imagine. Few of my digital paintings resemble the original photographs very much when I am finished with my vision. Of course I also create work that is clearly digital as well. Here's a bit about me: RC...
Our return policy is very simple:
If you're not happy with a purchase that you made on Pixels.com, for any reason, you can return it to us within 30 days of the order date. As soon as it arrives, we'll issue a full refund for the entire purchase price. Please note - Pixels does not reimburse the outgoing or return shipping charges unless the return is due to a defect in quality.
Pixels sells thousands of pieces of artwork each month - all with a 100% money-back guarantee. We take great pride in the fact that hundreds of thousands of artists have chosen Pixels to fulfill their orders, and we look forward to helping you select your next piece!
All coffee mugs ship from our production facility within 1 - 2 business days of your order.


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Miami-Dade County
Healthcare's hidden costs can take patients by surprise
When a rheumatologist told Linda Drake of Miami that she might have lung cancer, the former smoker did some research and discovered a study for early detection and treatment of the disease with researchers in South Florida.
Drake, 57, decided to participate in the study because there was a $350 flat fee, and she could enroll through UHealth — the University of Miami's network of clinics and hospitals in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Collier counties.
She could even go to a UHealth outpatient clinic close to work. That clinic, Sylvester at Deerfield Beach, is about a 40-mile drive north from UM's Miami hospitals, which include UM Hospital, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Drake's visit last spring took about one hour, she said, including a CT scan. She saw a technician and a nurse practitioner. About a week later, she received an analysis of the images by a radiologist she never spoke with or met.
The results were negative. Drake breathed a sigh of relief. But a few days later, an unpleasant surprise arrived in the mail: a bill for $210 from UHealth for "hospital services" labeled as "Room and Board - All Inclusive,'' even though she never set foot in a hospital or spent the night at the clinic.
Her health insurance would not cover the fee. Drake was furious.
"It's not just the fee,'' she said. "It's the way they've gone about implementing it that's offensive.''
Drake is not alone. As hospitals consolidate into mega health systems, buying physician practices and building urgent care centers and outpatient clinics miles from their main campuses, patients are discovering that – just like baggage fees for air travel and convenience surcharges for concert tickets — some healthcare comes with hidden costs: facility fees.
These are charges that allow hospitals that own physician practices and outpatient clinics that meet certain federal requirements to bill separately for the facility as well as the medical service provided there. Drake was charged the fee because the Deerfield Beach center is owned by UM and considered a department of UHealth's hospitals.
Fees can range from $50 to more than $200 per visit at some South Florida hospitals, and consumers are seeing them more often as hospital systems build more outpatient centers to create the integrated healthcare delivery models envisioned by the Affordable Care Act.
UHealth officials declined to answer questions about Drake's experience, but Lisa Worley, a spokeswoman, issued a statement acknowledging the practice of charging facility fees.
"The location of care and related charges follow the location and best and most appropriate care for the individual,'' the statement read. "UHealth follows established national policies that apply to all office and hospital-based institutions.''
The fees, also referred to as "provider-based billing,'' are the result of a change in the federal rules for Medicare that took place about a decade ago. That change allowed hospitals to bill Medicare, the federal healthcare program for the elderly, for physician services separately from building or facility overhead.
Independent, physician-owned offices and freestanding clinics are not permitted to charge the fees. But federal rules say hospitals that charge facility fees for Medicare patients must do the same for all others — even if their private insurance doesn't cover the fee.
Hospital advocates and healthcare groups say the fees are necessary to help defray overhead, pay salaries, meet federal standards and ensure patients' access to emergency services, said Erik Rasmussen, senior associate director for the American Hospital Association, a national membership organization representing thousands of hospitals and other providers.
"When a physician practice is owned by a hospital, it has to comply with all the hospital outpatient department regulatory requirements, which is a lot,'' Rasmussen said.
"If the physician fee isn't covering the cost of the overhead, and all that the hosptial provides,'' he added, "then the hospital is going to charge that facility fee because the emergency department doesn't get magically paid for by fairies.''
Yet, there's evidence that consumer anger over facility fees is causing some large hospital systems to reconsider the practice.
In mid-January, during a healthcare industry conference hosted by the University of Miami's School of Business, the chief executive of Mercy, a Missouri-based conglomerate with 33 hospitals in four states, said the healthcare giant would no longer charge facility fees at acquired physician practices.
Lynn Britton, the Mercy CEO, said he expected the change to cost the hospital system about $40 million a year in revenues. He did not say when Mercy would discontinue the practice, and he declined an interview request.
But Mercy issued a statement which read: "We know facility fees are confusing for patients, especially as they relate to the out-of-pocket costs that patients are asked to pay. Mercy is making plans to simplify our billing practices ... these changes will include phasing out facility-based fees for outpatient services provided in our clinics and other facilities."
South Florida's largest hospital system — Miami-Dade-based Baptist Health South Florida — charges a facility fee at its 17 urgent care centers located from Pinecrest to Coral Springs.
The fee is based on the severity of the case and the treatment provided, Karen Godfrey, vice president of revenue management, said in a written statement. Uninsured patients pay a fixed facility fee, Godfrey said, and they are notified of the fee by signs posted at the centers.
Baptist Health's urgent care centers are licensed under the system's six hospitals in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, Godfrey said.
"The facility fees covers a number of costs, including the nursing care provided to the patient, basic supplies, the operation of the facility and clerical support,'' Godfrey said.
However, Baptist Health does not charge facility fees at its physician practices, or at its more than one dozen diagnostic imaging and outpatient surgery centers in South Florida.
Memorial Healthcare System, the public hospital network for South Broward that operates six hospitals and more than a dozen outpatient and urgent care centers and community clinics in the county, declined comment on their policy on facility fees.
Jackson Health System, Miami-Dade's public hospital network, charges facility fees at primary care centers throughout the county but not at physician offices, said Ed O'Dell, a spokesman. O'Dell said he did not know the amount of the fee, and that Jackson does not have a written policy for them. He said the fee may differ based on the medical services provided to the patient.
"So blood work is going to be different from nuclear medicine,'' he said.
O'Dell said the majority of patients treated at Jackson's primary care centers do not pay the fees because they are uninsured or receiving Medicaid, the state-federal health program for the poor.
Some patients, such as Drake, find out about facility fees only after receiving a bill.
Drake said UHealth never told her she would be charged a separate room and board fee for the visit, and that she even asked the study coordinator, a UHealth nurse practitioner, when they requested her health insurance identification card.
"We had discussed it in depth,'' Drake said. "When I paid the $350, nothing was said about outpatient facility fee.''
She called UHealth's billing department and wrote numerous complaint emails.
At first, she said, they told her "Everybody pays that fee.''
But after about a month of email exchanges with UHealth, the healthcare system dropped the charge. She's now is looking for an independent hospital in South Florida collaborating on the study so she can continue to participate — without having to pay a facility fee.
Had she known about the facility fee in advance, Drake said, she would have shopped around.
"I think if people know they're going to be charged a facility fee their insurance won't cover,'' she said, "they're going to go somewhere else.''


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The Global Island Partnership (GLISPA) helps islands conserve and sustainably utilize their natural resources within their island homes.
IUCN, along with 20 other states and territories and a host of other international agencies, has partnered with GLISPA. Together they are engaged in high level commitments and on the ground action for island conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.
Meeting at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Bonn, GLISPA is recognized by the CBD as a partnership to advance the implementation of the CBD 2010 biodiversity target, to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss, and the programmes of work on island biodiversity and protected areas.
Since it was first called for in Mauritius (January 2005) and launched at the eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD in Brazil (March 2006), GLISPA has grown rapidly as an informal network.
Friday's meeting in Bonn saw some 100 delegates come together to share the warm and friendly island passion for conservation.
One of those friendly islanders was IUCN's Neville Ash.
He explains why islands are special


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The backyard or front yard can be transformed into cool board games.
Dallas, Texas (PRWEB) July 17, 2014
Outdoor games are a perfect way to enjoy the summer time. Fun outdoor games and cute foam cup crafts have been released on Kids Activities Blog. The outdoor games are fun for a group of kids or even adults.
The games include a handmade giant Jenga game and a flash light tag game. Other ideas include making a set of lawn memory cards to play a backyard memory game.
Use sidewalk chalk to make a giant checker board in the drive way. A simple frisbee tic tac toe is perfect for a quick game idea.
A giant pick up sticks game, an oversized dominos game, and a fun game of horseshoe will keep young and old entertained for hours.
Farm animals are cute. Materials needed to make cute styrofoam farm animals are foam cups, some paint, and pipe cleaners. Place the cup upside down on a piece of newspaper. Let the kids start by painting the cup the base color of the animal.
Once the paint is dry let the kids have fun drawing the animal face. Use the template provided on Kids Activities Blog. Finish up with pipe cleaner ears and ready is the cute farm animal.
Continue the fun by using the farm animals as a learning tool to teach the kids about farm live. The possibilities are endless.
For detailed instructions and to get additional fun ideas, check out Kids Activities Blog this week. Come get inspired to have a blast together with the kids this summer.
About Kids Activities Blog
Kids Activities Blog is a website created by two moms (who collectively have 9 children), Holly Homer and Rachel Miller. Their new book was published this spring by Page Street, 101 Kids Activities That Are the Bestest, Funnest Ever! Kids Activities Blog is an interactive website that publishes fun things to do with kids twice a day. It is an amazing resource for moms, dads, grandparents, caregivers and teachers to find kid-friendly activities that create memories and sneak learning into the fun.


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Taxis are available in town. Motorcycle taxis are a cheaper option for direct travel, but the high speeds are not for the faint of heart. The cheapest way to get around Kigali is by matatus, the ubiquitous minibus taxis, which stop at any point along set routes. Rental vehicles are available, but not recommended for first time visitors as the roads around the country are in poor condition. Coach companies are available from Kigali for certain locations throughout Rwanda.
Electrical current is 220-240 volts, 50Hz. European two-pin plugs are the most commonly used.
The official currency is the Rwanda Franc (RWF), which is divided into 100 centimes. The US Dollar is the hard currency of preference. Credit cards are only accepted at the major hotels and restaurants in Kigali.
The international dialling code for Rwanda is +250. Prepaid local SIM cards can be purchased as a cheaper alternative to using international roaming. Free wifi is available at most upscale hotels and there are some internet cafes in Kigali.
Fire Department: 111, Police: 999, Ambulance in Kigali: 912
Everything about travel documents
There is no public transport to Kigali from the airport, but taxis are available.
Car rentals are avaliable from the airport.
Taxis are available from the airport.
The terminals are small and within easy walking distance of one another.
Facilities include currency exchange facilities, cafeterias, a business class lounge, duty-free shopping, a travel agency and a tourist help desk. Facilities for the disabled are available.
Parking is available at the airport.
There is free wifi available in the airport. Internet access is also available in the business class lounge.


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Latest News
Celebrated South Beach DJ Mark Leventhal dies at 50
There was a time when the familiar chorus hook in Ghostbusters — Who you gonna call? — could have been answered: Mark Leventhal.
Such was Leventhal's reputation in the DJ community in South Beach. When Madonna and Prince needed a tunesmith to spin upbeat favorites for one of their private parties, they called on Leventhal. He was the DJ at '90s hotspots like Fat Black Pussycat at Glam Slam, Warsaw and The Spot. More recently, his '80s-themed parties at Lincoln Road's Haven brought the Me Decade back to glorious neon and raspberry beret-colored frivolity.
Girls (and boys) just wanna have fun. And that's where Leventhal, who died Tuesday following a mysterious infection that struck in late January, thrived.
"It's humility, really. People are drawn to a DJ for a lot of things," said friend Ben Arndt, manager of Haven. "He was looking to make people happy and play parties the way parties should be played and to provide the ambience, whether it was a celebrity wedding or a gallery opening or something unrelated to nightclubs. He brought his humble presence and, having that over the years, people enjoyed him and his humor and caring ways. That is what created his legacy."
Leventhal, 50, was born in Boston and raised in Maplewood, N.J. Mom Judie Leventhal remembers a spirited lad. OK, a rambunctious, hyper young man. But one who found his voice and his calling in music. And thus, cliché be damned, he became the life of the party when others tapped into his infectious buzz.
"As he got to bar mitzvah age he discovered he was a great dancer and he knew a lot of music and everyone wanted to invite him to bar mitzvahs because he led all the dances," Judie Leventhal said from her home in Milwaukee. "He was interested in all kinds of music. Well, he grew up in my house. My brother was a jazz drummer and he learned something about jazz at 10 or 11. He loved all kinds of music and rock 'n' roll was his thing. As he got older, he made it into a business and loved DJing and that was his real life. Music was his life. And he taught [his] boys the same thing."
Leventhal laughs when she remembers one of her trips to see her son at work in one of South Beach's mega-clubs in the 1990s. It could have been Amnesia where Sunday T-dances reigned. Or Warsaw. Or Prince's palace, Glam Slam. Point was, it was slamming and Mom, like her son, was hip and happening.
"He liked to be in big clubs," she said. Big clubs generally mean long lines outside the velvet rope.
"I said to one of the bouncers, 'How long do I have to stand in line?' I said, 'I'm Mark's mom' and he starts yelling in this big voice, 'Everyone step aside! This is his mom!' I almost dropped dead in there. They were using a lot of steam. I couldn't see two feet in front of me. But it was great," she said. "I would go every once in awhile and go with him on a job and I only lasted an hour. He came home at 4 in the morning. And you could never walk down a street without hearing, 'Hey, Mark, what's going on?' He knew everybody and everybody knew him. He taught a lot of people how to DJ and they went out on their own."
Conrad Gomez, owner of Foxhole Bar in Miami Beach is one of those people.
"Mark and I were business partners for 10 years," Gomez said. "We did all the parties on the Beach, the one-night parties, and Mark was instrumental to what I am today. He brought me my first cellphone. Got me my first pager. Opened my first bank account. I was living a crazier life and he paved the way for me. On every block on the Beach, where someone lived, Mark definitely touched them."
That community rallied in January when Leventhal suddenly fell ill and began fighting for his life at Jackson North Medical Center. He had complained of back pain. He was pale. A trip to an urgent care center turned into an emergency room visit when he became incoherent.
His sister Amy Leventhal told the Miami Herald at the time that her brother had an infection in his brain and throughout his body.
Party promoter and Ricochet co-owner Alan Roth said that the DJ was "such a big part of the early days, bringing that smart and creative energy to the 'good old days.'"
Friends, family and fellow DJs turned to fundraising website, youcaring.com, to help the family deal with spiraling healthcare costs as he did not have insurance. Haven hosted a bash where local DJs worked the turntables in his honor.
"Mark was always a friend to everybody at Haven — to our chef, our owners, our bartenders," Arndt said. "Even if he wasn't playing their favorite song nobody could ever be upset with Mark."
Fellow DJ Jenni Foxx, who spins at Buck15 in Miami Beach, posted one of Leventhal's favorite songs on his Facebook wall, which has now swelled into a memorial page. In a SoBe demimonde once given to banging, throbbing '90s dance anthems from the likes of Crystal Waters, the Bucketheads and M People, Leventhal once told Foxx of one of his own favorite memories: slipping the Doobie Brothers' 1972 soft-rock hit, Listen to the Music, into one of his mixes.
"He was super-talented and a really genuinely nice guy as well," she wrote. "I have this visual in my head of him up in the clouds looking down on Earth like he's in a celestial DJ booth and the whole planet is the crowd."
In addition to his mother and father, Ira Leventhal, Leventhal is survived by his children Alec, Kyle and Zoe and sisters Nancy and Amy. There will be a service and celebration of life Sunday at a location to be determined.
UPDATE: A memorial celebration of Leventhal's life will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23, at Temple Israel of Greater Miami, 137 NE 19th St., Miami.


text: Are You Living on the Edge without a Financial Education? Written by Robert Kiyosaki | Tuesday, January 24, 2012 Read time: When I was a young boy, the path to retirement was simpler. For the most part, if you saved your money regularly, paid your mortgage off, and lived modestly, you could retire well. This was partly because inflation was low since the dollar was pegged to gold and also because most employees could expect a company pension and health benefits until the day they died. It did not take much intelligence to have a secure, financial future. Today, we live in a world that requires an extremely high, financial intelligence to retire well. It is no longer enough to save money, as higher inflation and taxes wipe out your earnings. You can't rely on a company pension because most companies don't offer one. Instead, it is expected that you contribute to a 401(k) plan that may or may not provide you a secure retirement and that is simply a glorified, tax-deferred savings account that benefits the rich, not you. These changes are because of two actions by the U.S. government that I've written extensively about, most notably in my book Conspiracy of the Rich. In 1971, Nixon took the dollar off the gold standard, making the dollar a currency instead of money. And in 1974, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act was passed, paving the way for 401(k) plans, forcing uneducated workers into the stock market, and creating the financial services industry. It's taken about three decades, but we're seeing the devastating effects of those actions today as individuals and countries are living on the edge of financial disaster. On an individual level, take for instance a young friend of mine's father whose dad worked his whole life in an old-world industrial plant. Every time my friend talked with his dad, his dad would mention how long it was until his retirement, where he'd collect a pension and health benefits and enjoy golf a few times a week and sports on TV. There were no savings to speak of, some stock options decimated by the economic downturn, much debt, and no other plan. Unfortunately, only a few months before my friend's dad hit the minimum retirement age, the plant went for sale, found no buyers, and closed. Now he, along with hundreds of others at that plant, cannot find a new job, have no savings, and are looking at a very insecure, financial future. For him, it may be too late. On a national level, look at the Euro Zone. According to The Wall Street Journal, "The global economy faces a depression-era collapse in demand if Europe doesn't quickly act to dramatically boost the size of its debt-crisis firewall, implement pro-growth policies and further integrate the euro zone, the head of the International Monetary Fund warned Monday." As IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde remarked over the weekend, the Euro Zone's efforts to stymie debt problems "is about avoiding a 1930s moment, in which inaction, insularity, and rigid ideology combine to cause a collapse in global demand... A moment, ultimately, leading to a downward spiral that could engulf the entire world." If Europe collapses, the world goes down with it — and the jury is still out on what will happen. But the world's financial experts are sending out the warning cry. As you read these stories above, they probably sound vaguely familiar, have little emotional impact on you, and you may have even skipped over them. Why? These stories echo stories that have been shared for many years now. The news is filled with stories of people living in countries on the edge of financial collapse, and then buffered by good news here and there to keep us all from falling into complete despair. The reality is that we have become used to living on the edge, and we're forgetting what it means to live comfortably inland. This is not all bad, if you have the right mindset. Living on the Edge Requires a Financial Education Living on the edge requires alertness and intelligence, you cannot give up or be lulled or else you will fall. Each step must be calculated and taken carefully, but confidently, to get to safety. The only other option is to do nothing and hope someone will save you —which is akin to suicide. It's for times like these that the Rich Dad Company was formed. This website, our books and DVDs, our coaching, and financial education all exist to help equip you for the perils of our modern economy so that you can be sure to have the knowledge and practical application required to survive and thrive while others fail and fall. For many, there is no choice about living on the edge. The die has been cast for us by people much more powerful and influential than us. But we can control our actions on the edge. It's my hope you'll step forward confidently and smartly, equipped with as much financial knowledge and courage as you can gain and muster. It sure beats the alternative. To increase your financial education now, click here to find out about our free resources and online community.


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September 10, 2003
LOS ANGELES — Southern California is in a period of sustained growth for multi-family real estate investments, predicts Stephen D. Cauley, associate director, Richard S. Ziman center for Real Estate at UCLA Anderson School of Management. Dr. Cauley's forecast also reports that biotech/biomedical and defense industry employment will be major driver of housing development opportunities.
Today's fifth annual UCLA Multi-Family Housing Forecast Conference at The Skirball Cultural Center features Dr. Cauley's strategic economic analysis and provides overviews of Southern California's multi-family housing market by leading real estate industry figures. The conference also features keynote addresses by Geoffrey L. Stack, managing director of Sares-Regis and vice chairman of the National Housing Council, and Los Angeles City Councilmember Antonio Villaraigosa.
Panel sessions and workshops on related topics include several industry leaders who will present their views on the housing market and address real estate trends affecting multi-family housing. Participants include David Abel, publisher, The Planning Report; Laurie Weir, executive director, California Debt Limit Allocation Committee; Daniel Rosenfeld, principal at Urban Partners LLC; Robert Hart, senior managing director of Kennedy-Wilson International; Kathleen Head, principal at Keyser Marston; Richard Selby, president/CEO of R.W. Selby & Co.; Gregory Vilkin, president, Forest City Residential West, Inc.; Mark Lacter, editor, Los Angeles Business Journal; Rick Cole, city manager, Azusa; Lawrence A. Scott, vice president, AvalonBay Communities; and Diane Winocur, editor, California Real Estate Journal.
Dr. Cauley's multi-family housing forecast addresses market economic drivers that impact demand for Southern California apartments; forecasts of the region's rents, prices and capitalization rates; and forecast implications for the financial and social viability of the Southern California economy.
Long-term demographic trends are very favorable for Southern California apartments, reports Dr. Cauley. "We are in a period of sustained growth of portions of the population that will demand apartments: lower income families who will never be able to afford homeownership and young, highly educated professionals. We think the growth of biotech/biomedical and defense industry employment will present important development opportunities in these areas," said Dr. Cauley. He also added that the Inland Empire will provide development opportunities as well.
Referring to the past year's rapid price appreciation for Southern California apartments, Dr. Cauley reports that per unit prices for "typical" Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego County apartments, along with those of the Inland Empire, increased by more than 20 percent. He notes that surprisingly these increases occurred at a time of moderate rent growth.
When asked if these price increases, along with the corresponding declines in cap rates, are indicative of a price bubble, Dr. Cauley demurred. He notes that, "Declines in market interest rates can explain a substantial portion of the observed price increases. During this period the yield-to-maturity on Moody's BAA bond index declined by more than 170 basis points, approximately the same amount as cap rates."
In regards to cap rates, Cauley states they are consistent with the long-term growth in rents, between three and four percent. He also believes these are sustainable rates of growth and are consistent with expectations. Thus he concludes that the major source of short-term risk for Southern California apartment investments is unanticipated increases in interest rates.
For more information visit: http://www.zimancenter.com.
About UCLA Anderson School of Management
UCLA Anderson School of Management is perennially ranked among the top-tier business schools in the world. Award-winning faculty renowned for their research and teaching, highly selective admissions, successful alumni and world-class facilities combine to provide an extraordinary learning environment. Established in 1935, UCLA Anderson provides management education to more than 1,400 students enrolled in full-time, part-time and executive MBA programs and doctoral programs.
UCLA Anderson's faculty includes outstanding educators and researchers who share their scholarship and expertise in such fundamental areas as finance, marketing, accounting, business economics, decision sciences, operations and technology management, human resources and organizational behavior, information systems, strategy and policy.
Recognizing that the school offers unparalleled expertise in management education, the world's business community turns to UCLA Anderson School of Management as a center of influence for the ideas, innovations, strategies and talent that will shape the future.


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Approaches to financial assistance have advantages and pitfalls
Adult children are driving Baby Boomers bust. Or so I hear. We're biologically programmed to help our children, says wealth coach and author Joan Baker. But what's the best way to deliver that help?
The dilemma, says financial adviser Michael Cave of Quantum Broker Group, is that "kids" that inherit big lump sums of money in their 50s and 60s often wished it had come decades earlier.
Give it to them age 30, when they actually need the money, and then the younger generation may become indolent. Why work hard if the house is paid off thanks to Mum and Dad?
Cave cites a biblical proverb: "Getting rich quick may turn out to be a curse." A bonanza at the beginning is no guarantee of blessing at the end, he adds.
Parents fall into three general camps when it comes to helping the children financially:
* Those who want to help and do
* Those who would like to help, but can't afford to, and
* Those who cut the financial umbilical cord forever.
How to help?
There are several possible approaches: gifting money, lending, going guarantor on loans, giving advice not money, or helping out indirectly by allowing the children to move home and live cheaply.
Moving back home. I keep reading articles from overseas about how to help the not-so-young to leave home. Conversely, some parents also want their children to stay home to get ahead financially.
There are many advantages for both generations in the older children staying home. It is financially advantageous for the younger generation. Even if they just pay their share of food, utilities and other costs such as general wear and tear, they will live more cheaply than if flatting.
Having the kids around should keep the parents young and active. They can enjoy the grandchildren more if they're living under the same roof and the parents have live-in carers if they need them.
On the other hand adult children may treat the opportunity as a free ride. If they're getting a $100,000 lifestyle when they're only earning $13 an hour, says Baker, parents are setting the children up for a fall.
Lending, gifting, and going guarantor. Lending or giving chunks of money can help the children into their first home or business, or to pay off student and other debt. John Cowan of the Parenting Place says give the money if you can, rather than lend it. "If friends or family owe you money it's introducing tension."
There are, however, reasons to lend. Gifting comes with some legal fish-hooks. One is the Property (Relationships) Act. If the money is given as a gift and the couple splits, the son or daughter-in-law could take half, says Cave.
The other legal minefield relates to the residential care subsidy for rest homes. Although gift duty is history, Work and Income adds gifts of more than $27,000 a year back in when it is calculating if an individual is entitled to a subsidy.
Goldridge authorised financial adviser Bernard Long says there is a right way and a wrong way to lend money to adult children.
The wrong way, he says, is to lend the money in an unstructured way. The right way, says Long, is to keep it removed from your personal situation by doing it through a family trust. This makes the loan from the third party and places a responsibility on both parties to adhere to the terms and conditions.
An alternative, says Long, is for the family trust to raise a mortgage (or borrow against an old whole of life policy).
Going guarantor. It's easy to go guarantor, but risky. The parent doesn't need to hand any money over, just sign on the bottom line. The trouble is that most such documents include unlimited liability.
The parent may think he or she is guaranteeing a $20,000 or $50,000 house deposit. In reality they have just agreed to put their home on the line for any subsequent house or credit card lending, business debt, car loans and even the huge amount of credit the daughter or son-in-law racks up secretly in the weeks or months before he or she walks out of the marriage.
Document the agreement. Whatever the arrangement, it needs to be well thought out. Having the children move in then working out the details can lead to bad blood on both sides. The same can be said for lending and gifting money.
"Get it agreed and witnessed, even if it is for a relatively small amount," says Cowan. "Tell them it is not because you don't trust them, but just so that there is no misunderstanding."
What can you afford?
Cowan says parents should lend only what they can afford. "The fact that you have a credit balance in the bank or assets does not automatically mean that you are in a position to lend."
Ask yourself, he says:
* Does the money that you could lend represent some aspect of your future security?
* Are you risking your house or livelihood for someone?
* Is your spouse happy with this, especially if it is a loan to a child from an earlier relationship.
* Could you handle not being repaid?
* Are you really doing them a favour by letting them have money?
Parents also need a way to say no, says Cowan. "Try the line, 'I have a friend who I always like to check these things out with. I'm happy, but I'm going to pass the decision overt o him.' And then pass it all on to your accountant, who will play the bad guy for you."
Be cruel to be kind. Some financial professionals believe the children need to be left to sink or swim and learn from the experience.
Money coach Jill Porter of Financial Clarity is in that camp. She gets to see cases where it goes wrong.
One couple had got themselves $100,000 into debt, yet continued to pay the interest on their university-age son's credit card. He needs to be cut adrift.
Although Baker comes from a large family where there is mutual help, she believes it's better to help the next generation learn rather than hand money on a platter.
"You wouldn't want to let the children end up in a Turkish jail," she says. "I wouldn't be worried, however, about someone repossessing their car", an experience they could learn from.
What's more, says Baker, if the bank has turned an adult child down for a loan parents should be very wary about lending.
If parents do lend or gift money or guarantee a loan, they need to do it with their eyes wide open, says Baker.
Parents don't have as long left to recoup any losses.
Elder abuse. Those who would like to help but can't afford to can be taken advantage of. Children may see their parents' money as their birthright, says Financial Education and Research Centre director Pushpa Wood.
She has seen cases where access to the grandchildren is withheld until the parent provides money for a house deposit. Parents are sometimes put under pressure as well to guarantee loans.
What about unscrupulous children who figure Mum and Dad's KiwiSaver payout at age 65 is ripe for the picking? Wood is unequivocal: "It is a time bomb waiting to happen."


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In PolitiFact debut, Brown says federal jobs pay twice as much as private sector jobs
Only 12 days after his upset victory in Massachusetts, Republican Sen.-elect Scott Brown made his debut on the Sunday morning talk circuit.
He talked about health care, the war in Afghanistan and deficit reduction in an interview with Barbara Walters on the Jan. 31, 2010 episode of This Week.
Brown encouraged President Barack Obama to put a freeze on federal position hires and raises because, "as you know, federal employees are making twice as much as their private counterparts."
Federal jobs don't exactly have a reputation for bringing in big bucks, so we were curious about Brown's claim.
Before we get into his statement, it's useful to understand how the government sets salaries. Trade, craft and laboring workers are paid according to the Federal Wage System, which pegs pay to local prevailing rates.
Salaries for white-collar employees are set under a separate pay system that determines salaries by comparing government positions to similar jobs in the private sector. Increasingly, some agencies and departments are using pay schemes that are more closely tied to performance rather than tenure, according to the Congressional Budget Office, and these workers are generally paid more.
It turns out that Brown has talked about federal employee pay before. On Jan. 4, before he was elected, Brown called for a temporary pay freeze for federal workers.
"I recognize that our federal workers do important work, but it's not right that lesser-paid private sector workers suffering through a recession have to pay for expensive government salaries," he said, citing numbers from the Cato Institute, a libertarian think-tank.
In August 2009, Cato published an analysis of wage statistics from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, a branch of the U.S. Commerce Department. According to those numbers, the average wage for 1.9 million federal civilian workers was $79,197, compared to $50,028 for the nation's 108 million private-sector workers. (The analysis leaves out combat military personnel on the theory that there aren't equivalent jobs in the private sector.)
Chris Edwards, the director of tax policy studies at Cato who wrote the analysis, later said it generated some controversy. Some critics said that the federal work force is generally more skilled than, say, people who work in the service industry. So naturally, the average would be higher. (Edwards acknowledged that was "an important factor to consider," but said the increase in federal wages has much steeper than the private sector. "Has the composition of the federal work force really changed that much in just eight years to justify such a big relative gain? I doubt it.")
Secondly, some critics argued that an average is not especially useful when comparing private and public-sector salaries.
John Palguta, vice president of public policy for the Partnership for Public Service, a group that urges people to work in government, told us that a more useful comparison is to look at specific jobs in the public and private sectors and see how they compare. For example, he said, federal doctors and nurses typically do not make as much as they could in private jobs.
We checked a variety of sources for apples-to-apples comparisons and found a variety of results.
One study came from the Federal Salary Council, an advisory group of labor relations experts and representatives of federal employee unions that helps the U.S. Office of Personnel Management set wage rates. It found that for comparable private and public jobs such as lawyers, public sector employees are paid on average 26 percent less than private sector counterparts.
When we checked individual jobs using the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data (from 2008), we found many federal salaries were indeed higher, but some were lower.
Higher: A government-employed nurse makes about $74,460 on average, while someone in the same position working for the private sector makes about $65,130. A cashier working for the government makes on average $34,470 while a cashier working in a store only makes a mean of $18,880 annually. And a public-relations manager working for the government makes about $132,410 a year compared to $101,220 in the private sector.
Lower: Petroleum engineers working for the government earn an average of $93,140; in the private sector, they make an average of $119,140. An editor working for the government only makes $42,210, compared to an average of $57,180 in the private sector.
It's worth noting that the BLS's overall average for federal jobs is $68,740 compared to the private sector average of $42,270, so it reflects the Cato Institute findings.
That brings us back to Brown's original statement, that federal employees make twice as much "as their private counterparts."
First, even if you look at the average overall, he's exaggerating the difference. The numbers he cites from the Cato study are not twice as high. Secondly, it's important to understand that a big reason for the disparity is the different mix of jobs in the federal work force. It has more higher-paying white-collar jobs, experts told us, while there are more lower-paying, blue-collar jobs in the private sector that bring the average down. So it is not an apples-to-apples comparison.
Finally, we found it's a mixed bag when comparing individual private and public sector occupations -- the "private counterparts" he spoke of. Some public jobs pay more, some pay less. And the public ones that pay more are not consistently double as he claimed.
So he's wrong to say it's double and wrong to suggest that it's always the case when comparing specific jobs. We rate his claim False.


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Two hundred people were killed in reported road accidents in Scotland in 2014.
The figures from Transport Scotland show that despite the total number of casualties falling by two per cent between 2013 and 2014, the number of fatalities rose by 16 per cent, from 172 to 200 and the number of people seriously injured also increased by one per cent to 1,694.
The figures also show that 1,040 of these casualties involved children.
2014 saw a five per cent reduction in car users seriously injured and a small decrease in bus and coach users seriously injured but other modes of transport saw increases in the number of people seriously injured.
The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has reacted with disappointment to the report, stating it made the Scottish government's mid-term review of its Road Safety Plan all the more urgent.
Neil Greig, IAM director of policy and research, said: "While in many areas figures are falling, in some very important ones they have risen alarmingly.
"There has been a lot going on in road safety in Scotland with projects such as the A9 average speed cameras coming on stream but the challenge of breaking the link between rising traffic and crashes remains a huge one.
"Alongside the government the IAM want to see more incentives for individuals and companies to improve the quality of their driving and riding. New roads and new cars have delivered year on year death reductions for decades but the underlying human factors involved must now receive even higher priority."
Michael McDonnell, Road Safety Scotland director said: "Road Safety Scotland remains a key partner in the delivery of the Road Safety Framework, and has delivered a number of education and awareness campaigns, including one encouraging motorcyclists to take extra care on left hand bends.
"Road safety is a lifelong learning process and safe journeys are what everyone should expect when they leave home each day, no matter what their mode of travel.
"For our young people this includes safe travel to and from school, and powers are now being devolved to allow legislation to ensure young people are safely buckled-up on these journeys.
"We have also developed a suite of resources for use in schools during the formative years, so that children and young people have access to high-quality road safety education.
"For example, we recently launched an app for 8-11 year-olds, and a new website for early secondary pupils which focuses on the issues which make them vulnerable on the road.
"In addition, we have developed a number of campaigns to change road user behaviour in relation to such things as in-car safety, driving on country roads and the influence parents have on their child's future driving style.
"Ultimately, however, we need all road users to take ownership of their own safety and that of those with whom we share the roads daily – it's everyone's responsibility."


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The not-so-popular, but none-the-less amazing strategy board game invented(independently) by John Nash, and Piet Hein.
This time with an Aliens vs Dogs setting.
Click this link here, and go play the game!
If you have a mobile, please let me know if you can run it o.k.
Otherwise, please let me know how you get on against the A.I.!!
Here's a version that contains a frame rate counter in it, if you'd like to see (and report!)
how well the game runs:
Thanks very much!
Edited by Desert Dog, 07 May 2012 - 10:08 AM.
fixed link


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The Keeping Independent Seniors Safe program kickoff brunch scheduled for Dec. 18 has been rescehduled for Jan. 29 at 10:30 a.m. at the A.O. Shelfer National Guard Armory. Florida Secretary of Elder Affairs Doug Beach will be the speaker. The brunch is free, but because of limited seating, tickets are required. For more information or to get a ticket, call Tashonda Williams at the Gadsden County Sheriff's Office at 850-627-9233.
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the Gadsden County Times, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
Click the question mark below to see where your account ID appears on your mailing label.
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Salvete, amici Romani!
I just returned from the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center last week. I am halfway through my five-year post-cancer "surveillance period"...and I'm still clean.
BOO-YAH!!!!!!!!! *assumes Crane position, pumps fist*
Too bad they can't do anything about my scatterbrain... Ahh, well. People have to be able to recognise me when I come here, nonne? >({|;-)


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Great 1st week for Romney/Ryan ticket
It is clear Romney and Ryan don't want to get into the gutter of negative campaigning, rather, they just want to talk about the real issues threatening America's future: jobs, the economy, entitlements, etc.
It is exciting to see Americans responding to their message in such a positive way. I saw this excitement for myself at the Romney / Ryan rally at the Waukesha Expo last Sunday. True, this was in the heart of Republican Waukesha County, but not everyone of the 12,000+ was from Waukesha. I heard some in line talking about how they came from Wausau, Racine, and West Bend.
The place was packed. I was close enough to catch a glimpse of the candidates, and it was plain to see Mitt Romney truly admires Paul Ryan. I can only compare it to maybe a father proudly looking at his son.
The Ryan pick has boosted a cautiously hopeful Romney campaign to one that Republicans and Independents can be energized about. I saw a little bit of that energy even on election eve 4 years ago. Excerpts from It made me feel better: Palin 2012 Ryan, a past post will explain:
"On election eve, I quickly made this campaign button to illustrate my hopes for the 2012 ticket. I wore it to the Waukesha Republican Victory Party.
"Barely there 2 minutes, a few women from the Waukesha Republican Party and I started talking. ...Then they spotted my button, and their eyes lit up. Where did you get that? I said I made it. They definitely liked the idea. These ladies were not alone. In the course of the evening, my humble button received enthusiastic support.
"I know many blame Governor Sarah Palin for McCain's loss on Tuesday. But that sentiment shows how little those naysayers understand conservatives. It was very clear to me that fellow volunteers at the phone bank were there only because of Sarah, not McCain. Same with rally attendees.
"As Senator John McCain gave his concession speech that night, he took the full blame for his failure to win. Amongst the Waukesha Republican faithful watching on the big screen, there was no murmur in the audience to the contrary. When McCain thanked Governor Palin, the audience cheered. You would think BBC reporter Ali Reed was there in the room with us. ...he reported the same reaction:
'The sombre air at Senator John McCain's concession speech was momentarily pierced by cheer as Mr McCain spoke about Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.'"The Wall Street Journal would like to see Congressman Paul Ryan become the House Minority Leader. (Ryan is not interested.) But they see Paul Ryan as many of us do, a rising star on the Republican horizon. Ryan for the Republicans, The party needs an economic spokesman:
'... the Republican Party faces a choice. It can put the loss down to the country's fatigue with the Bush Administration and the bad luck of running amid a financial panic and shrug it off. Or it can choose a new direction, with new leadership, and retake the high ground it once occupied, especially on the economy."Sad to say, persona matters in politics. Obama's youth and charisma made him more attractive than McCain's old, tired warhorse manner. It has been said that if radio were around in 1800, Thomas Jefferson would never have won the presidency. Jefferson was brilliant on paper but not a great orator.
...Mr. Ryan's economic knowledge and youthful energy make him the best choice [for Minority Leader] to pull his party in a more promising direction.'
"Conservatives, imagine a Palin/Ryan or Ryan/Palin ticket in 2012? With Ryan's grasp of economics and practical solutions and Palin being governor of the only state not in or headed toward recession, it could be a winning combination: A ticket with real conservative solutions AND articulate, attractive candidates.
Sign me up!"
The Romney / Ryan 2012 ticket is a much stronger combination than my impromptu offering in 2008. Mitt Romney combines years of business experience, a governorship, and his love of country and liberties our Founders secured for us.
Romney and Ryan are drawing huge crowds wherever they go and are boldly addressing the issues that matter to Americans. It should be an exciting 3 months.
In the news:
Election 2012 Trial Heat: Obama vs. Romney Romney 47% to Obama's 45%
POLLAK: The Mantle of Leadership Has Shifted: Romney, Ryan Govern in All but Name "In the first week since Paul Ryan joined Mitt Romney on the Republican ticket, something subtle yet fundamental has happened to the country–something not yet reflected in poll numbers or punditry: the mantle of leadership has shifted."Niall Ferguson: Obama's Gotta Go "Why does Paul Ryan scare the president so much? Because Obama has broken his promises, and it's clear that the GOP ticket's path to prosperity is our only hope."
Ryan could bring senior, female votes to GOP ticket despite Dem narrative "Though Democrats are hammering Paul Ryan as the bringer of Medicare's doom, the Republican vice presidential candidate is far more popular among seniors than he's given credit for. Same goes for women. And independents." Three Reasons Paul Ryan Makes the US a Better Investment "Maybe U.S. financial markets have a chance after all. That's the message many of us take away from the news that Representative Paul Ryan will join Mitt Romney on the Republican presidential ticket."
Ryan at The Villages - Protect & Strengthen MEDICARE: Ryan: Medicare should not be a piggy bank for ObamaCare
Romney and Ryan's five-year courtship tracked evolution of GOP "Days before the Republican presidential primary in Wisconsin in April, Ryan said he would back Romney, canceling a family vacation to campaign with him. (Romney held off a final challenge in Wisconsin from Rick Santorum and, from that point, cruised to securing the Republican nomination.)"
*Top photo was taken just before our primary.
Links: Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, RandyMelchert, Betterbrookfield, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, WisPolitics Quorum Call, Wisconsin Reporter, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation
Labels: 2012 Election, Conservatives, Debt, Spending


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Frasor Crain Meets Frasier Crane
Has it dawned on anyone else that the new White Sox righthanded setup duo has a lot in common with a recently popular TV sitcom?
Take the last names of Jason Frasor and Jesse Crain (with some difference in the spelling) and what do you get–aside from a formidable pair of bullpen aces?
That's right, Frasier Crane, the fictional character played by Kelsey Grammer in the hit show, "Frasier."


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Subscribe To Sean Penn's This Must Be The Place Picked Up By The Weinstein Company Updates
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The Weinstein Company has acquired Paolo Sorrentino's This Must Be the Place, a musical drama starring Sean Penn, Frances McDormand and Judd Hirsch that world premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year and is about to screen at BFI London Film Fest in October.
"Sorrentino is a true auteur. We were gripped by his film and are excited to share it with American audiences," TWC Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein said. "Sean proves once again that he is one of the finest actors of our time."
In the film, Penn dons the gangly locks and goth-punk makeup mimicking Robert Smith from The Cure to play Cheyenne, a bored, frustrated ex-rocker who – in what feels like a sharp left turn – goes on a quest to find the former Nazi who executed his father. Sorrentino helmed The Consequences of Love and Il divo. His latest received mixed reviews from its Cannes run, with Penn earning praise for his portrayal of the conflicted celebrity. Truthfully, I think you could roll Place out there only using Penn's picture as promotion, and enough curious ticket buyers will check it out. Still, the movie likely is hoping to generate some positive word of mouth in London before TWC releases it in the United States. But as of now, there isn't a confirmed release date.
As for Penn, his next project will be a little more mainstream. He'll play mobster Mickey Cohen in Ruben Fleischer's period crime thriller Gangster Squad, appearing alongside Ryan Gosling, Josh Brolin, Anthony Mackie and Michael Pena.


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Nancy Parsons
Landmark News Service
GREAT FALLS – For the first time in his life, Henry "Bubba" Stevenson Jr. can offer a handshake. But it's not your everyday handshake – it's bionic.
Stevenson, 23, was fitted with a "1-limb ultra bionic arm" on Sept. 22.
Stevenson was born without arms. On his right side, his arm stops shy of his elbow and on his left side, there is only a nub below his shoulder.
Michele Roberts
For The Lancaster News
The fourth annual National Missions Day will be at the Lancaster Fairgrounds from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 4.
There is still time to register for free tent space and be a part of this large community outreach event.
Founded by apostle Ollie Alexander, ambassador for international missions, the idea of the event is to not only reach out to the community, but foster and encourage a sense of unity between different churches, outreaches and ministries that participate.
Nita Brown
For the Lancaster News
Carolyn Taylor describes herself as "just a wife, mother and grandmother," but even she admits her life has certainly not been dull or boring.
Her lifelong interest in drama and history has led her down an interesting career path that influenced countless students in her 25 years of teaching.
Scotts Miracle Gro
The S.C. Baptist Singing Churchmen, a men's chorus composed of music ministers from Baptist churches across South Carolina, will hold a free worship concert at First Baptist Church in Lancaster at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, April 22.
The chorus of music ministers is a member-supported group that has been in existence for more than 25 years, first coming together to sing at the 1958 S.C. Baptist Convention.
Landmark News Services
GREAT FALLS – Alligator hunter and American reality TV star Troy Landry of the History Channel's hit show "Swamp People" will make a guest appearance at a meet and greet at the Great Falls Rescue Squad Rodeo this summer.
A native of Louisiana, Landry grew up in the Atchafalaya Basin region of Pierre Parte.
He is a third-generation member of his family to live in the area and one of a group of local people who hunt American alligators.
Clay Dyer started fishing at age 5 and became a professional angler at the age of 15. He's fished in more than 200 bass tournaments and won about 20 of them. He enjoys driving his bass boat at full throttle and has a great love for football, serving as assistant football coach for Hamilton High School in Alabama.
Michele Roberts
For The Lancaster News
University of South Carolina Lancaster soccer coach Martin Cantu saw a combination of things in Lancaster that prompted him to create Carolina United Soccer Academy, a soccer league designed to include kids from all walks of life in the community.
From release
On Sept. 28, the Lancaster District AME Zion churches conducted the ninth annual Youth Oratorical Expose with 17 participants.
The purpose of this program is to promote youth development in research and speech. Each contestant is given three topics to choose to research and is judged on his or her research ability, speech content, organization, delivery and overall effectiveness of presentation.
Bishopville recently appointed a Kershaw native as its new police chief.
Calvin Collins, the son of Kershaw resident Louella Collins Alexander, was sworn into office July 28 at the Coclough Building in Bishopville by city attorney Jacob Jennings.
More than 50 family members and friends attended the ceremony.
Copyright © 2019
The Lancaster News is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Lancaster County and Lancaster, South Carolina, and the surrounding area..


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After School Support & Information System (ASSIST)ASSIST is an automated grant administration system for After School Education and Safety and 21st Century Community Learning Center Programs.
What is ASSIST?
The ASSIST online reporting system is used to track information for the After School Education and Safety (ASES) and 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) program grantees. The system allows interested applicants to obtain funding information and forms, and allows authorized grantees to log into the system and maintain grant contact information, revise grant budgets, submit quarterly expenditures and semi-annual attendance reports, and check payment status and history.
Presentations of how to use ASSIST:
- Budget Revision Presentation (Flash)
- Quarterly Expenditure Report Presentation (Flash)
- Semi-annual Attendance Report Presentation (Flash)
Questions: Expanded Learning Division | email@example.com | 916-319-0923
Last Reviewed: Thursday, August 22, 2019
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Jean-Charles de Castelbajac Spring 2013 | Runway
Jean-Charles de Castelbajac Spring 2013
Jean-Charles de Castelbajac Spring 2013
Take futuristic touches, sporty cuts, and resort wear, fuse them all together, and you have Jean-Charles de Castelbajac's Spring 2013 collection. Bright colors and loud prints, including breezy palm trees, all screamed warm-weather getaway. Details like sharp ruffled shoulders, clear plastic jackets, and slit sunglasses all pointed to the future, while sporty jackets and vests with hoods and ribbed collars added variety to the funky mix. Lending a touch of edge were a few looks with black leather details. Green, yellow, and blue were the main punchy colors in this collection, with black, white, and beige mellowing things out.


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Carrie Fisher Hospitalized Following Bipolar Incident on Cruise Ship
(LOS ANGELES) -- A bizarre performance on board a Caribbean cruise ship resulted in Carrie Fisher being hospitalized, her representative tells TMZ.
The rep says the incident was triggered by Fisher's bipolar disorder.
The website reports video of the performance on board the Holland America Eurodam in the Caribbean shows Fisher slurring the words to a song and singing off key during a "surprise celebrity guest" performance. The footage also shows Fisher's dog pooping and peeing on stage while she performs.
Explaining the incident to TMZ, the rep says, "There was a medical incident related to Carrie Fisher's bipolar disorder. She went to the hospital briefly to adjust her medication and is feeling much better now."
It's unclear if Fisher will perform on the cruise ship in the future.
Fisher is a recovering drug addict who has publicly discussed her struggle with bipolar disorder.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio


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Participate in the weekly prediction challenge - do you have what it takes to make the most correct predictions?
Weekend Prediction Challenge...
12th Dec 2015, 13:46
Discuss all Champ Man mobile games - ask for tips or provide feedback on the games.
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RaboDirect PRO12
Roberts: I will always be a Cardiff boy
ESPN Staff
April 15, 2013
Jamie Roberts is expected to confirm a move to Top 14 side Racing Metro later this week © Getty Images
Cardiff Blues centre Jamie Roberts admitted he will miss the Arms Park after making his last appearance at the historic ground ahead of a move to Top 14 side Racing Metro.
Roberts crossed for a second half try in the Blues' 28-13 victory over Zebre to the delight of a capacity 10,000 crowd that had come to bid the Wales international farewell with their final two league games away from home. "There was no way I was going to pass!" Roberts told the Western Mail. "It was great to score in my last game at the Arms Park which is something I will remember."
The 26-year-old is expected to confirm his cross-Channel switch this week but insists his heart will always belong to the Welsh capital. "It will be hard to leave and I will always be a Cardiff boy, " he said. "I am still relatively young and would like to think I will come back one day. As a young guy who has grown up in Cardiff and gone through the whole system of primary, secondary and university education, I have never left this city.
"Now the university chapter has come to a close I have a chance to do something new with my life. I have taken that opportunity by flying the nest and try something new. Having spoken to a lot of senior players who have retired from the game and my parents, you have to take these chances. It will be a challenge going to a new place and it might get a bit lonely at times. But you only start living when you get outside of your comfort zone."
Roberts, who helped Wales to the Six Nations crown earlier this year, will receive the results of his final medical exams today and is expected to earn selection for the British & Irish Lions tour to Australia later this month, after which he will embark on the latest chapter of his career with the star-studded Racing Metro.
"This is hugely important eight years of my life will come into one email which is pretty brutal," he said. "I have worked very hard for my exams and the last three months have been a huge challenge and a bit of a blur. If I can complete this it will be another major challenge completed."
On the challenge that awaits him in France next season, he said: "There are so many factors I am looking forward to. There is a different environment with new players and coaches, challenging myself in a new league and the prospect of discovering a new city. I had a chance to do something new at 26 which I couldn't turn down."
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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Staff writer
The end of my coat sleeve caught roughly on my left hand ring finger as I was driving home from work one evening last week. I jiggled my hand out of the sleeve and was stunned to see the diamond missing from the middle of my wedding ring. No! How could I have lost something so important, especially at this time of year — just before Christmas!
Jewelry has never been that important to me. I don't believe every kiss begins with Kay, and I will probably never step foot inside Jared's Galleria of Jewelry unless they start carrying cowboy boots or registered dairy goats (my preferred choice of gifts, if asked).
At one time, I had pierced ears, but since I rarely wore earrings (they tended to snag my chore hats at home), the holes grew shut. I am not even sure when that happened, it wasn't a big deal.
I used to wear necklaces when my children were little, mainly because it was a great way to entertain them during church services or school programs where they were supposed to sit quietly on my lap. But now that they are grown, my jewelry box in the bathroom sits mostly empty.
For the past 24 years however, I have never been without my wedding ring. It is more a part of my hand than a piece of jewelry, literally. My fingers have swollen a bit over the years and I could not take the band off if I wanted too.
However, as I looked into that dark pronged chasm which used to hold my wedding ring diamond, I felt a great loss, such sadness, a sense of hopelessness. What were the chances of ever finding it again when I did not really even know when or where I had lost it?
I dreaded telling my husband about the loss at home. Struggles have been aplenty for us this year, overwhelming at times. To add this on top, well I was greatly distressed.
To my surprise, he was not angry. Instead, he picked up a flashlight and asked exactly what route I took from the truck to the house when I got home, and he went outside.
What a waste of time, I thought! There is no way of telling where I lost my diamond. I had already searched the truck thoroughly. I checked my clothing, turned my coat inside out. As far as I was concerned, the diamond was gone, done deal.
A long quiet hour went by. I thought about praying about it, but I was sure God was very busy with the poor families in Connecticut on this night. They had suffered terrible losses earlier in the day because of an elementary school shooting. Besides, my ring, my diamond, was just a materialistic rock that someone decided had value. Losing my diamond did not mean I had lost my marriage, my family, everything that really meant something to me.
Still, I was sad, and as the evening hours wore on, I began to get irritated. I called out the door halfheartedly, wondering what my husband was doing. I saw him on hands and knees on the driveway, flashing his light back and forth. Why didn't he just give up and come in? It was cold out. I just wanted to go to bed and forget about the ring, the world, the Christmas season.
I turned off all the lights except those on the Christmas tree and threw another log on the fire for the night. Then I heard footsteps on the porch and he came back in.
My husband did not say anything at first, just put his flashlight down on the cabinet and then tried to put his hands somewhere on my body to get warm. I figured he must have given up on the ring.
But with a sparkle in his eye, he asked for my hand, and dropped into it the small, glittering, jewel that was missing from my wedding ring.
It seems a diamond glitters like nothing else in total darkness, especially when a light shines on it. Though my lost diamond was nestled amongst millions of rocks on our driveway, and at the end of my route from truck to house spanning about 20 feet, my husband's determination to keep looking netted a joyful discovery.
It was a miracle as far as I am considered, and a message from God about Christmas. Even when all hope is lost, a light shining in the darkness can bring about great joy.


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From ForensicsWiki
Revision as of 10:25, 26 April 2006 by Uwe Hermann (Talk | contribs)
Short Message Service (SMS) is a service that digital phones can use to send short messages between phones. SMS messages are more commonly called text messages, and very popular among today's youth.
SMS was originally designed for GSM, but most all of the large digital mobile phone providers provide the ability to send messages to other phones via the SMS.


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Restaurant a big addition for Aspen Skiing Co.
SNOWMASS – Aspen Skiing Co. is planning some special activities this winter to help the new Elk Camp Restaurant become a focal point of Snowmass Ski Area.
The restaurant is scheduled to open at the start of the season at Thanksgiving, though a grand opening will take place Dec. 21, according to David Perry, Skico senior vice president of mountain operations. Starting Dec. 28, the restaurant will be open Friday nights and will make a special effort to cater to families.
"Every Friday night for the rest of the winter (after the grand opening), we're going to have apres night for families: dining, sledding, skating. We're going to build a giant ice castle," Perry said.
During the 14 Friday nights that the restaurant will be open to the public, sledding will be offered in the Meadows beginner area, according to Skico's plan. Ice skating will be offered at Rayburn's Pond. The sledding and skating will be available only on the Friday nights that the restaurant is open to the public. Skico will evaluate opening the ice castle to its customers during the day. That snow structure will be tucked into a nook in the Meadows beginner area.
Skico invested $13 million in the Elk Camp Restaurant, which was constructed over the past two summers. The 14,769-square-foot structure replaces the 17,500-square-foot Cafe Suzanne. While the new restaurant is smaller, Skico officials said it is designed better. Nearly all operations are on one floor. It seats 250 in the main dining room, 150 on an outdoor deck, 25 at the bar and 90 in a special place reserved for kids in ski school.
The restaurant also will be the centerpiece of Skico's summertime activities on the mountain starting in 2013.
In addition to completing the restaurant, Skico's main summer projects featured thinning dead and dying trees in areas such as Hyde Park Traverse at Aspen Highlands, the Tiehack Glades at Buttermilk and on Burnt Mountain.
The company envisioned thinning trees to connect natural parks on 230 acres on Burnt Mountain. The intent was to add skiing and riding with a backcountry feel similar to Long Shot, the only existing trail on Burnt Mountain. The terrain is accessible after a short, uphill hike.
Skico had permission from the White River National Forest supervisor's office to thin areas on Burnt Mountain, but the project was challenged by a Pinedale, Wyo.-based environmental organization. The Forest Service asked Skico to put the project on hold, at least temporarily. A federal judge is expected to rule this fall on the Ark Initiative's request to block the project.
Perry said the glading at Highlands and Tiehack provides better access through the targeted areas.
"There's more to be done. As we go year by year, there's more and more opportunities to glade some of the forests, which improves the forest health and gives better skiing," Perry said. "We get expanded terrain without moving boundaries."
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