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Types and background of coastal erosion
This article introduces what 'coastal erosion' involves. Two different types of coastal erosion are distinguished, dune erosion and structural erosion. It is also possible to distinguish between different causes of erosion: natural factors which cause erosion and erosion due to human intervention in transport processes. These two causes of erosion are described in the articles on human causes of coastal erosion and natural causes of coastal erosion. Erosion develops differently for different types of coasts. For more detailed information, see the articles on accretion and erosion for different coastal types and classification of sandy coastlines. The rate of erosion is correctly expressed in volume/length/time, e.g. in m3/m/year, but erosion rate is often used synonymously with coastline retreat, and thus expressed in m/year[1].
What is coastal erosion?
Consider a (still) more or less natural stretch of a sandy coast (so without any hard structures). A cross-shore profile of that stretch of coast, seen in seaward direction, consists out of the mainland or dunes at a level well above mean sea level (MSL), an often rather steep mainland or dune face, a beach and a shoreface. See Figure 1 for a plan view picture and a schematic cross-shore profile.
In Figure 1 also two vertical lines and a horizontal line have been indicatively sketched in the cross-shore profile; these lines and the position of the actual cross-shore profile enclose a so-called control volume area. The developments of the volume V (in m3/m) with time of this control volume area, is further used to explain some typical features which might occur along a coast. (Mainland or dunes is further written in this contribution as mainland only.)
Let us look at the erosion of the mainland (including dunes). This is often the most valuable part of a cross-shore profile to mankind. The very seaward part of the mainland sometimes carries valuable properties like houses and hotels or infrastructure like roads and car park areas. Also coastal erosion forms an important element in the process of coastal squeeze [2].
In fact two entirely different processes might cause loss of mainland:
- Dune erosion during a severe storm (surge)
- Structural erosion
The basic principles of both types of erosion are discussed in the sections below.
Dune erosion
Dune erosion is a typical example of cross-shore sediment transport process and results from sediment transport during a severe storm. Often a storm is accompanied with much higher water levels at sea than usual (storm surge) and also much higher waves do occur. Depending on the characteristics of the storm, erosion rates of several metres per event (say per day) have to be considered. These episodic events do occur along all types of coasts (along structural eroding, stable and even along accreting coasts). After the storm generally a recovery towards the original situation will occur due to the occurring processes under normal conditions.
Morphological background
While under ordinary conditions the shape of a cross-shore profile might be considered to be in accordance with these normal conditions ('dynamic equilibrium' shape), under storm (surge) conditions the initial shape before the storm can be considered to be far out of the equilibrium shape which belongs to the severe storm conditions. Profile re-shaping processes will occur, causing erosion of sediments from the mainland and the settlement of these sediments at deeper water again (see Figure 2). Notice in Figure 2 that the control volume does not change by the storm surge processes.
Although this dune erosion process will cause loss of mainland, to a first approximation no loss of sediments out of the cross-section occurs; only a redistribution of sediments over the cross-shore profile takes place during the storm.
For more information on the background of coastal erosion, see also the article Coastal Hydrodynamics And Transport Processes.
Structural erosion
Many coasts all over the world suffer from structural erosion. Seen over a number of years one might observe that the position of e.g. the waterline is shifting in landward direction. Often a gradient in the (natural) occurring longshore sediment transports is the reason of structural erosion. Structural erosion is quite different from dune erosion. This implies that resolving a structural erosion 'problem' in coastal engineering practice calls for a quite different approach compared to the solution to a dune erosion 'problem'.
For people living along the coast the distinction between both causes for erosion is often not so clear. In both cases it looks like that the storm is the malefactor. During a storm actual damage at the mainland will occur. In the structural erosion problem the storm is only a link in the various coastal processes which are explained in Par. Morphological background below.
More information about structural erosion can also be found in the article Typical examples of structural erosion.
Structural erosion rates are often in the order of magnitude of a few metres per year. To overcome erosion problems related to either dune erosion or structural erosion, calls for quite different counter-measures. A coastal zone manager must be aware of this. See also the article Dealing with coastal erosion.
In the article Hard coastal protection structures and the articles listed herein some basic notions related to the use of hard structures in coastal engineering are dealt with.
Morphological background
Structural, long-term erosion yields a gradual loss of sediments out of a cross-shore profile. Looking at the volume of sediments in the control volume area as a function of time, we will see a diminishing tendency with time.
A gradient in the longshore sediment transport is often the reason of structural erosion. See Figure 3 for the development with time of an eroding cross-shore profile.
Notice the change with time of the control volume. Notice also that the mainland is eroding as well, although the longshore sediment transports, and so the gradients in the longshore sediment transport, do not occur at the mainland level. Events with some dune erosion redistribute sediments from the dunes to the beach and foreshore. In this case the recovery of the dunes is only partly; at the end of the day also the mainland retreats.
Figure 4 shows the loss of volume out of a control volume as a function of time.
The Example: Rate of recession versus volume rate of erosion explains the relationship between the annual loss of volume out of a cross-section and the annual rate of recession of the waterline.
Possible causes of structural erosion
In order to select a proper scheme to protect a structural eroding stretch of coast, it is necessary to understand the cause of the erosion problem. Principally pure natural and man-induced causes are to be distinguished. A pure natural morphological development of a part of the coast is often called autonomous behaviour. What looks like an autonomous behaviour at present, is in some cases in fact (the tail of) a man-induced development started a long time ago. So the distinction between both is not very clear in many cases.
A convex stretch of coast under wave action is a typical example of a natural, structural eroding coast. See Example: Erosion because of a convex coast.
Related articles
See also
- For more information on coastal processes and coastal types: Coastal Hydrodynamics And Transport Processes, Characteristics of sedimentary shores, Classification of sandy coastlines and Accretion and erosion for different coastal types
- For more information on coastal protection see: Dealing with coastal erosion which describes the background of coastal protection and different types of shore protection measures.
Please note that others may also have edited the contents of this article.


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Olympus, Pentax in Race to Catch Up with Canon, Nikon
Hiroshi Komiya, who heads the imaging systems division at Olympus Corp, is urging his staff to deliver the best possible quality and design for the company's new digital, single-lens reflex camera due to hit the market this autumn.
The product will be priced at just over 100,000 yen.
Poor sales forced Olympus to withdraw from the market for the film, single-lens reflex cameras in 2002. Komiya was one of the Olympus officials who made the decision to pull out of the market segment in the belief that consumers, who were buying mainly compact digital cameras at the time, would later develop more interest in digital, single-lens reflex models.
In autumn 2003, Olympus marketed such a camera called E-1, which cost over 200,000 yen. Canon Inc, meanwhile, became the first to sell a digital single-lens reflex model for a little more than 100,000 yen. The product called EOS Kiss Digital was followed by Nikon Corp's D70 model.
Olympus has yet to disclose the details about its new single-lens reflex camera due to be released this autumn but it will likely offer the popular features of the E-1, such as automatic removal of dust from the charge coupled device when lenses are being changed. Komiya claims the new camera will offer unique capabilities that will set it apart from Canon and Nikon products.
According to an estimate by the Camera & Imaging Products Association, shipments of digital, single-lens reflex cameras will jump 130% this year to some 2 million units worldwide. Canon expects the figure to be as high as 2.3 million.
While Olympus ranks third in the global market for such cameras, Pentax Corp, in eighth place, also marketed a model costing over 200,000 yen in autumn 2003. Pentax plans to launch cheaper products in the belief that cameras retailing for more than 200,000 yen cannot expect to reach a wide segment of consumers.
Pentax will likely distinguish its new camera from rival firms' products by making it more compact and lighter. The price could be as low as 100,000 yen, as it will be manufactured in the Philippines.
At both Olympus and Pentax, digital camera sales are rising in line with growth of the overall market. But most of their products are compact models, whose profit margins are being eroded by an ongoing price war.
Olympus saw its average product price drop to 31,000 yen in fiscal 2003, down 3,000 yen from a year earlier and the imaging systems division that makes digital cameras saw its profit slump 17%. Pentax's digital camera operations are believed to have broken even, but the company offset a 14% drop in the average product price by higher sales. Therefore, the success or failure of its higher-margin, single-lens reflex models will be crucial for the earnings performance of its camera business.
In the lower-priced digital, single-lens reflex camera market, Olympus and Pentax, both of which lag behind Canon and Nikon, still lead other manufacturers, such as Sony Corp and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd, because they have been in the camera business longer and, therefore, have better technological expertise and branding power. Both Olympus and Pentax aim for 10-20% of the global market for lower-priced single-lens reflex cameras.
Konica Minolta Holdings Inc is also betting its future on a similar camera it is due to release this autumn. As competition intensifies, Canon and Nikon might try to consolidate their dominance by introducing products costing well below 100,000 yen. The race continues for manufacturers to deliver ever cheaper and better cameras on to the market.
From NEAsia

subset: commoncrawl


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Although it has been about six month since the Samsung Galaxy Note was debuted we have finally gotten our hands on the long awaited official Ice Cream Sandwich ROM from Samsung. A few days ago we reported that XDA-Developers had posted on the Galaxy Note (GT-N7000) Android Development forum that Germany had received the official ICS update through the Kies software. If you are the lucky few that opted for the international Galaxy Note you will now be able to upgrade your device to the official Android 4.0.3 build.
For users concerned with too much change, there is no need to fear. Samsung has kept the user experience cohesive by sticking with a similar TouchWiz interface and application folder system. To update your international Galaxy Note (GT-N7000) follow the instructions on the XDA-Developers post here. For those that want a lot of customization check out the CyanogenMod 9 for the Galaxy Note that Brandon showed off a few days ago.
Be warned that this is only for the GT-N7000 Galaxy Note and not the AT&T version (SGH-i717), if you are trying to update your AT&T Galaxy Note go to this post.


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Dear Vanessa,
I don't want to contribute any more to global warming than I already am, but I can barely afford my winter heating bills. What will happen if we pass a carbon tax or regulate carbon emissions more? Won't my bills go up?
— Taxed in Texas
Dear Taxed,
You couldn't start with something a bit simpler? Folks, it's my first month on the job! Whatever happened to "Can I compost egg shells?"
Yes, your heating bills are likely to go up, but that doesn't necessarily mean you will be spending more. Huh??
To start, we can't survive (yes, I said survive) without quickly enacted limits on carbon emissions. Most likely that will be in the form of cap-and-trade regulations or some version of a carbon tax.
One widely supported scenario has any pollution tax revenue going directly back to the populace and into economic stimulus projects for alternative energy while also, potentially, doing away with income tax. There is a wide consensus — conservative and liberal, economist and ecologist — that shifting to pollution taxes would improve the economy, even if we weren't concerned about global warming.
NASA's James Hensen, one of the world's most respected climatologists, and his wife, Anniek, have suggested curbing global warming by enacting a "carbon tax and 100 percent dividend."
They think a carbon tax is essential to moving the nation beyond fossil fuels. "The public will support the tax if it is returned to them, equal shares on a per-capita basis) half shares for children up to a maximum of two child shares per family), deposited monthly in bank accounts. No large bureaucracy is needed. A person reducing his carbon footprint more than average makes money. (Read more the letter here.) Obviously, I agree with them, but not on all points.
We are, I hope, about to make a groundbreaking shift toward a sustainable society and a sane, green economy. Van Jones, founder of Green For All and author of "The Green Collar Economy," estimates 8.5 million new green jobs, almost 4970 billion in revenue, and more than $100 billion in industry profits were generated in 2006 alone. It would be unwise to think we won't feel the results of such a shift — of higher energy prices, yes, but also of lower unemployment and lower health-care costs.
A mass revision of how much we consume, and how we consume it, is necessary for real change. That change is unlikely to start without people experiencing the financial burden of waste.
Realistically, prices will have to increase if we are to meet the carbon reductions that Hansen and most other climate scientists warn are essential to prevent catastrophic global instability. We have shaped our lives and economy around the illusion of cheap energy, and that can't last. No one wants to see bills go up, but we're already paying a far greater cost in so many other ways that we can't afford not to pay more for energy.
The good news is — as with most things green — that what is good for the planet tends to be good for us. While we will experience the hardships of such a tremendous shift, the results will benefit us all.
Keep in mind that you can offset rises in energy costs with simple conservation steps. A change in consumption habits will save you money. So put on a sweater and lower the thermostat.
Thanks for the question. It's an important one, and goes to the core of so many of the issues we'll face in the coming years.
Keep the questions coming, and as always, keep it green,
*All fossil fuels contain carbon atoms which release carbon dioxide when they burn. A carbon tax levies a fee on the production, distribution or use of fossil fuels. The tax makes fossil fuels more expensive, which is intended to encourage a reduction in consumption.
*Cap and trade — also known as emissions trading — is a method of controlling pollution by providing an incentive for a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. The cap, or limit on total emissions, is set by a governing body which distributes or auctions credits that represent pollution waivers. The trade comes into play when one company needs more credits to cover its pollution needs or when it has reduced its emissions and therefore has credits to spare.
More carbon emissions stories on MNN:
- National carbon tax discussions
- U.S. carbon emissions in surprise drop
- Bill Gates on cutting carbon emissions [Video]


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The poll ended last night and pleased to bring you the winning entries. In first place by a wide margin is agrahmann's fantastic arcade console:
In second place, with it's clever color usage for that old school look, MrAnderson's Attack of the Shredder:
And tied for third, mryoder's Sewer Patrol and corneliusmurdock's Ordering a Pizza:
We decided to forgo the a tie breaker poll and instead will award them both a prize, so to our four winners: congratulations! Ace will get in touch with you this week for shipping details. And to everyone who participated by building and voting: thanks again.
Permalink: http://www.fbtb.net/2013/04/09/teenage-mutant-ninja-vignettes-contest-winners/


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10 killed as bus, truck carrying students collide
Massive flames are seen devouring both vehicles just after the crash, and clouds of smoke billowed into the sky Thursday April 10, 2014 until firefighters had quenched the fire, leaving behind scorched black hulks of metal. The FedEx tractor-trailer crossed a grassy freeway median in Northern California and slammed into the bus carrying high school students on a visit to a college. At least nine were killed in the fiery crash, authorities said. (AP Photo/Jeremy Lockett)


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We've seen some brilliant custom iPad mod-jobs here at Pocket-lint that made the iPad into a nifty kitchen or bedroom based multimedia machine. But it's taken the manufacturers a while to clue on to the fact that we may want to do more than a Steve Job's style lounging session with our Jesus tablet.
We may want it to become a media hub in the household, and there are very few devices at present that offer this luxury.
One of the first iPad docking systems that has come to market to solve this issue is the Altec Lansing Octiv 450 (which goes by the name of the Octiv Stage over in the US). And we put it through its paces to see if it's up to the job.
The first thing it's worth pointing out about the Octiv 450 is that it's a fairly basic affair - there's not really much to see. What you've got is a couple of front facing speakers (2-inch neodymium drivers) covered by some stretched black cloth with just three silver plastic click buttons underneath - power, volume up and volume down. Around the back you're only going to find an auxiliary-input (as well as the power connection) and the remote is the basic iPod docking model that often gets bundled, so it's hardly a complicated device.
But within the 450's basic setup lies its strength. After all, with the multitude of media apps in the App Store likely to be nestled on your iPad's homescreens, you don't really need extra functions on the dock to make it useful.
Above the speaker is the dock itself, which sits on a tilting, swivelling iPad holder which has a couple of felt-like covered gripping claws to hold your 10-incher in place. It's a doddle to clip your iPad into the correct position, and the arm feels smooth when moving it around to the desired location. It'll also hold your iPod or iPhone but these both look a bit silly on there to be honest.
The beauty of the multi-directional arm is that you can have your iPad in pretty much any direction that you want. Obviously, portrait and landscape in an upright position are likely to dominate - but you may wish to go wonky for a party, or have the iPad laying fairly flat if you're planning on doing a bit of typing.
The sound quality of the Octiv 450 is powered by Altec Lansing's Audio Alignment technology which is "designed to significantly enhance centre channel voicing for dialogue". Basically, this means it's optimised for video watching rather than music - and this is evident.
That's not to say that listening to music on the 450 is bad, because it isn't, but you wouldn't want this to be your main music centre. But, for a bedroom or a kitchen it is ideal. The bass is a bit thin, and the volume doesn't go too high (and when it does it struggles a bit) but at a reasonable level the sound is fairly crisp, although it is obvious that it is coming from one place.
But where the sound really does excel is when watching movies, TV or other video clips. We tested it out with a couple of movies using the VLC app and it really did enhance the iPad movie watching experience, and it's also great to watch the news (we used the BBC news app) with the 450 sitting on the kitchen counter. iPad owners will be aware that the speakers aren't its greatest feature, and this dock really makes the most out of the device's strength - its high-quality 10-inch display. With improved sound complimenting the crisp pictures, it's a winning combination.
Plus, as the Octiv 450 is capable of juicing-up your iPad as well, it makes it a handy charging station.
The Altec Lansing Octiv 450 is the (video) docking station that the iPad was crying out for. Sure, it may not have the best speakers on board, so it's unlikely to impress audiophiles with its sound-output, but it's a very handy device if you're looking to utilise your tablet as more than a browsing machine.
It looks great sat on the kitchen counter and it really does enhance the video playback features of the iPad. And, with the multi-directional arm on board, you're guaranteed to be able to get the angle you want.
Don't buy the 450 if you're looking to turn your iPad into the music hub of your home - because you'll be disappointed. Buy it if you're looking to get more out of the video aspects of your tablet. For us, the simplicity of the Octiv 450 is its strongest point.


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#3 from 2013: Who is Listening? Who is Responding? Can Technology Innovations Empower Citizens to Affect Positive Changes in their Communities?
Our Top Ten blog posts by readership in 2013
This post was originally published on August 15, 2013
It was a sunny, hot Saturday afternoon and I mingled with farmers, community leaders, coffee producers and handicrafts entrepreneurs who had traveled from all parts of Bolivia to gather at the main square of Cliza, a rural town outside of Cochabamba. The place was packed and a sense of excitement and high expectations was unfolding. It was to be anything but an ordinary market day.
Thousands of people had been selected from more than 700 rural communities to showcase their products and they were waiting for a special moment. President Evo Morales, Nemesia Achocallo, Minister for Rural Development, Viviana Caro, Minister for Development Planning, and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, on his first official visit to Bolivia, would soon be meeting them.
While waiting among them, I felt their excitement, listened to their life stories and was humbled by the high expectations they had in their government, their leaders and the international community to support them in reaching their aspirations for a better future for their families and communities. From many I heard the need to improve the well-being of their families and communities and their goal of "Vivir Bien!"


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*Pricing of vehicles on this web site does not include options that may have been installed at the Dealership. Prices include freight and destination at our Preston Ford, Denton Ford, Pittsville Ford, Boulevard Ford Georgetown, Boulevard Ford Lewes, Kool Ford, Rtown Ford, Preston Ford Commercial Trucks, Preston Mazda, Preston Hyundai, Preston Lincoln, Boulevard Lincoln, Preston Nissan, Preston Genesis, and Millsboro Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram locations. For Aberdeen Chevrolet and Preston Nissan, all prices are plus taxes, tags, and freight (as applicable). Pricing may include current promotions, retail bonus cash, college grad rebate, military rebate, retail trade-in assist, conquest cash, or other rebates at the time of pricing. Monthly payment calculator is an estimate and does not include tax, title, license or doc fees. Maryland doc fee is $299. Delaware doc fee is $499. Please contact the individual Dealership location for latest pricing and monthly payment. Published price subject to change without notice to correct errors or omissions or in the event of inventory fluctuations. Price good for 2 days only, please contact store by email or phone for details. While every effort has been made to ensure display of accurate data, the vehicle listings within this web site may not reflect all accurate vehicle items. Accessories and color may vary. All Inventory listed is subject to prior sale. The vehicle photo displayed may be an example only. Vehicle Photos may not match exact vehicle. Please confirm vehicle price with Dealership. See Dealership for details.


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My theory about the reviewers on sites like Yelp, Urban Spoon, Zagat (disclaimer: I'm a Zagat reviewer), and the like is this: people tend to complain more about an experience they disliked than praise an experience they liked, so I tend to think that those sites are skewed on the negative side. When I see a business like a restaurant or a salon that has many, many positive reviews and few negative ones, I think it must be a superior business and I'm more likely to try it out.
I read something today that blows my theory right out of the water. There are people out there who use the threat of a poor online review to get better service, discounted prices and preferential treatment. If they get what they want, they promise a positive review.
I suppose this shouldn't surprise me, but it does. The Los Angeles Times has a piece on the ReviewerCard, a card that can be purchased for $100 if you're deemed an influential enough reviewer. The owner of the black plastic card can whip it out at a business before receiving any service to let it be known, as it says on the card, "I write reviews."
The creator of the ReviewerCard — the guy I can now thank for making any positive review I read suspect — is Brad Newman. He thinks his exclusive card isn't hurting anyone.
David Lazarus, the Los Angeles Times writer of the story mentioned above, certainly disagrees. He thinks it hurts the businesses, the review sites, the people who read reviews and the customers who don't get preferential treatment because they don't use threats.
I agree with Lazarus. The practice of letting a business owner or employees know that they better give you preferential treatment because you're going to review them online is harmful. It's particularly harmful to small, local businesses that understand how negative word of mouth on social media can hurt them, so they give in to this new form of extortion.
Newman says he's actually taken the card out at a hotel and told customer service that if they give him a room for half price, he'll write a great review on Trip Advisor. It worked. (Note to Trip Advisor: The credibility of your site has been extremely compromised by this guy and those who purchase his card.) He also tells of skipping the wait list at a restaurant after flashing the card, jumping ahead of customers who were there before him.
I don't know what hotel this was (it was in Europe), and I don't know how big it was. But I know this: if the same thing was done at one of the local restaurants near me that I love so dearly and help promote because they deserve it, not because they give me free or reduced stuff, it would hurt them. Their profit margins are very slim. If they get a few diners in each night who try to extort them, and they give in for fear of losing business, it will cost them dearly, especially if this catches on.
I'm angered by Newman and his ReviewerCard, and by the 100 people who have already ponied up $100 to buy one. In my opinion, they are forming a new type of mafia, one that uses the power of social media as extortion. It's wrong.
I'm also worried that this practice will not only damage the reputations of online review sites and hurt businesses, but also damage the reputation of people like me who review restaurants.
I have strict rules that govern how I review. When I'm invited as a guest to a restaurant for a meal "on them," I always say that clearly in my review. I do not promise a positive review, or any review at all, in exchange for my meal. My intent is to promote restaurants (or products) that impress me, and not to tear down a place that doesn't impress. You'll rarely see a negative review from me, not because I don't have bad experiences, but because I choose to keep quiet about them.
I'm also picky about which invitations I accept. If a restaurant isn't doing something impressive sustainably, I turn down the invitation. Sure, I could get a free meal for my husband and me (free date night!), and then tell the restaurant that their meal didn't impress me so I won't write about it — but that would be wrong to do.
(For more on my review policy, see The best restaurant experiences I had in 2012.)
I want you to know. I will never use anything like the ReviewerCard. I will never sell or barter my opinion. I will never tell a restaurant or business that I will give them a positive review in exchange for preferential treatment. I will never threaten a negative review if I'm treated like every other person who walks through the door.
What are your thoughts on the ReviewerCard? Does it change how you look at online review sites and online reviewers?
Related post on MNN: Can you trust online product reviews and ratings?


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How to Use the Fleshlight
The Fleshlightis hands-down (forgive the pun) among the most popular male sex toyson the market. Made of an incredibly lifelike material called Reel Feel Super Skin, this penis sleeve is the next best thing to being there. Use these handy tips to get the most out of your Fleshlight adventures.
Wash and Warm Up Your Fleshlight
- The Fleshlight is made of a soft, realistic-feeling sleeve nestled in a hard plastic casing that looks like a big flashlight (hence the name!).First, unscrew the top and take the soft sleeve out of its plasticholder.
- Wash the sleeve with a mild, oil-free soap and hot water; this will make it nice and warm.
- Shake it to remove excess water, and put it back into the casing.
Lube Up Your Fleshlight
- Once you've got your Fleshlight warmed up, find a nice water-based lube like BabeLube. (Don't use a silicone-based lube; this will cause a chemical reaction and melt the Fleshlight.)
- Put some lube on your hand and rub it inside the Fleshlight (it's like finger fucking!).
- Now that your hand is covered in lube, slather your penis as well, giving yourself a nice hand job until you're erect.If you're going to use a condom, now's a good time to put it on. (It makes for easy clean up, but can diminish the lifelike feel of the material).
- Keep a towel nearby to wipe the lube off your hands, or to get a better grip on the Fleshlight.
Get Down with Your Bad Self!
- Slip your dick in the penis sleeve and have at it!
- It's large, so you'll probably need to use a hand on each side of the plastic container.
- Try holding the Fleshlight's case in place and thrusting, or moving the toy itself back and forth over your penis. Or, try wedging the casing under your mattress with the opening visible, so you can fuck hands-free.
- If you adjust the tightness of the end cap, you can create a suction that feels great on your penis.
- If you're feeling adventurous, we highly recommend adding vibration to the mix by trying the Fleshlight Vibro — the teasing vibrations will prove to you that vibrators aren't just for women.
- This is a great opportunity to learn more about pleasing your partner — practice kissing, rimming, and cunnilingus skills on the Fleshlight.
- Move with it! Try all those positions you've been dying to,and have a great orgasm. We've heard from men who clamp it to their desks so they can get off hands-free while cybersexing on their computer.
Wash and Store the Fleshlight
- Remove the insert and wash it with mild, oil-free soap and water.Let it dry completely.
- Store the sleeve in a plastic bag with cornstarch; this will prevent it from getting sticky.
- Put the sleeve back in the plastic Fleshlight container.


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Newton Falls Fine Paper mill in Newton Falls, New York, being dismantled; Nova Scotia-based owner Scotia Investments must file closure plan with state's environmental authority, but no word on status of equipment removal or possible resale of site
NEWTON FALLS, New York
June 22, 2013
(Watertown Daily Times)
– The paper machines at Newton Falls Fine Paper are being dismantled and removed, forcing the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency to give up on trying to persuade the mill's owner to resell it as a turn-key business and focus instead on reuse of the site.
"There's no possibility for the facility to have productive capability as a paper mill," IDA Executive Director Patrick J. Kelly said. "Finding ways to redirect the site is obviously a priority."
Sale of the mill intact collapsed in March, and its owner, Scotia Investments, Halifax, Nova Scotia, began liquidating the assets it sold at auction. The IDA had hoped for a while that either the buyers of the paper machines would change their minds about the equipment or that Scotia would rethink the sale. In the meantime, a scrapping operation has begun.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation is overseeing the removal to ensure there are no problems caused by the dismantling.
"We visit the site every few weeks," DEC spokesman Stephen W. Litwhiler said. "It's been very clean."
Scotia also will be required to file a closure plan with DEC that will include how it will handle sewage treatment. The mill's wastewater plant treats sewage from more than a dozen houses in the hamlet.
"We don't have anything from them yet," Mr. Litwhiler said.
A representative for Scotia was not available to answer questions about the status of equipment removal, a closure plan or the possibility of resale of the site.
The IDA will continue to be available to Scotia to help redevelop the plant's 15-acre manufacturing site and 4,000 other acres. The plant property could have a variety of uses, Mr. Kelly said.
"It's an industrial site. There are unique natural resources and there could be activity related to the strengths of the resources," he said. "It's a large facility. There's a lot of management there. That becomes the issue."
At the same time, the IDA is moving ahead with a $9.9 million project -- funded by a state grant -- to rehabilitate a 46-mile railroad that runs through Lewis, Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties. An operating paper mill was to have been one of the rail line's end users. The demise of the mill does not negate the importance of having a viable railroad, as it will serve existing businesses and those that may come, Mr. Kelly said.
"The rail rehabilitation is a regional three-county project that was key to the mill," he said. "In order to be competitive and have sites that meet minimum thresholds, you need certain key infrastructure. Rail is one of them."
Redevelopment of the paper plant and the possibility that the former Jones & Laughlin Steel Co. site might find reuse requires a rail line, he said. The rail is also important for Benson Mines, which has said it is necessary to ship granite.
"There's activity up there right now," Mr. Kelly said. "We want to encourage that."
Clearing of the line, final engineering plans and permitting for the rail work will start soon, Mr. Kelly said.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Plans to destroy Syria's chemical weapons will dominate talks about Syria at this week's U.N. General Assembly in New York, but there also will be new pleas to deliver more humanitarian aid — a task as daunting as the need is overwhelming.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Plans to destroy Syria's chemical weapons will dominate talks about Syria at this week's U.N. General Assembly in New York, but there also will be new pleas to deliver more humanitarian aid — a task as daunting as the need is overwhelming.
U.S. officials already are working to disperse nearly $1.3 billion in assistance in the Syrian war zone, where ambulances are used for target practice and aid is halted by armed men at random checkpoints.
The humanitarian needs are staggering. An estimated 6.8 million Syrians require assistance — a number equal to the population of Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and Connecticut combined. About 2 million of those have fled to neighboring countries. Another 4 to 5 million are displaced from their homes inside Syria.
The U.N. says more than 100,000 people have died in the two years that opposition forces have fought to topple President Bashar Assad, who is accused of launching a chemical weapons attack last month that killed more than 1,400 people. While Assad has denied orchestrating that attack, he has agreed to a U.S.-Russia plan to give up his chemical arms.
While the U.N. debates the plan, aid shipments are being stolen or diverted by armed groups filling the power vacuum in areas no longer controlled by the Assad regime. Border crossings are opened, then closed. In rebel-controlled regions, the conflict has been complicated by an influx of Islamic extremists who have mixed in with the U.S.-backed opposition forces trying to oust Assad.
"People ask me all the time 'Why aren't we doing more humanitarian assistance?'" said Mark Ward, the State Department's point man on the nearly $1.3 billion in U.S. aid flowing into the country.
"I can't really comment on the regime-controlled parts of the country — whether they are getting enough," Ward said in a telephone interview Saturday from the region. "But in the liberated areas, it's not a question of money. It's a question of access. If we had access, we could find money."
Ward said U.S. officials are not going to give a non-governmental agency more money than it can usefully spend.
"The last thing you want to do in a very dangerous environment is pre-position a bunch of stuff in a warehouse and have the warehouse stuff go missing. … You have to do less pre-positioning and more regular deliveries, which is more dangerous," Ward said.
Many opposition-held territories have largely descended into chaos as a multitude of rebel brigades and factions compete over resources and the distribution of aid. Some rebel groups use aid they get through unofficial channels and charities as leverage to win support from the local population. Residents accuse some Free Syrian Army brigades of being corrupt and spending the money they get on luxuries instead of channeling it to the people.
The security situation has deteriorated sharply in recent months, with an uptick in robberies, killings and kidnapping for ransom, making it all the more challenging to get aid to the right people.
"We haven't had any of our deliveries hijacked yet," said Ward, who leads a two-dozen member team that works from sites (he won't name them for security reasons) near the Syrian border in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan.
"So we have done well so far, but honestly, I think it's a question of time," he said.
The U.S. assistance to the crisis flows from three spigots.
The first $1 billion goes for humanitarian needs. Half is for Syrians now crowded in camps or communities in neighboring Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt or Iraq. The other half is for Syrians who are displaced from their homes, but still live inside Syria.
The U.N. can work in regime-controlled areas, but not in ones held by the opposition unless the government approves. So far Assad has said no. The opposition areas, therefore, rely on the work of non-governmental organizations — many supported by U.S. tax dollars.
The second spigot of money — $26 million so far — is non-lethal assistance the U.S. is providing to the Free Syrian Army. That has paid for more than 350,000 meals given to opposition fighters as a test to see if they ended up in the wrong hands. They didn't and now the U.S. is sending the army bigger items like trucks, large radios and medical equipment.
The third spigot — some $250 million — is given to local councils springing up in areas no longer controlled by the government. The money pays for training — a kind of Governance 101 — for Syrians trying to get services turned back on in the middle of a war. It also provides small cash grants to the councils and heavy equipment, such as fire trucks, ambulances, generators, water tanks and garbage trucks.
Kenan Rahmani, who works for the Syrian American Council in Washington, was in Syria this summer working to help connect local councils to resources. Rahmani, who helped set up three bakeries to produce bread to feed about 30,000 families a day, says such aid is costly because of a shortage of electricity.
"The cost that goes into diesel to run these bakeries is unbelievable," he said. "This is a big challenge so we have been asking different agencies within the State Department and other donor nations to help fix the electricity grids damaged by air strikes so that we can put the diesel money to actual aid."
In addition to the non-lethal aid, the CIA has been delivering light machine guns and other small arms to Syrian rebels in recent months, following President Barack Obama's decision to arm the rebels. The agency has also arranged for the Syrian opposition to receive anti-tank weaponry like rocket-propelled grenades through a third party.
Lawmakers, including Republican Sen. Bob Corker, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, have been critical of the pace of U.S. aid going to Syria. At a congressional hearing earlier this month, he said he was "totally dismayed" at the lack of U.S. support for the vetted moderate opposition.
Ward acknowledged the slow pace of some humanitarian aid.
"We have to check out these local councils. All of this takes times. It's very hard to get a Syrian in say Idlib who has just gotten elected to a local council, to trust you enough to give you his bio data," Ward said. "But that's what we need in order to vet him so that we can give his local council a cash grant, training, a fire truck or whatever."
Another issue complicating the delivery of aid is a widespread disregard for international humanitarian law, according to François Stamm, head of the International Committee for the Red Cross' delegation to the United States. He said combatants have occupied health facilities, turning them into targets, searched medical centers, interrupted medical treatments and killed enemy patients.
"We took for granted that you don't shoot on the ambulances and regrettably, we were wrong," he said.
Associated Press writer Zeina Karam in Beirut contributed to this report.


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Summer camp is a place for exploring, discovering, making new friends and learning new skills. It all starts with our outstanding counselors, whose talent, creativity and leadership set the tone for a great experience. Every summer, our counselors and specialists are doing what they enjoy most: inspiring campers to explore, reach for new heights, and expand their horizons.
Our camps feature a unique selection of indoor and outdoor activities and field trips that take advantage of resources in the local area. We also offer optional specialty programs during regular camp hours that cater to any interest.
To learn more about a specific school's camp programs, locate the school nearest you and select "Summer Camp" to narrow your search.


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Home > News & Events > Wayland Press Release Archives > 2007 News Releases > October 2007 > Belshaw presents music, comedy and education on stage at Wayland
Belshaw presents music, comedy and education on stage at Wayland
PLAINVIEW – Dr. Gary Belshaw, associate professor of piano pedagogy and composition at Wayland Baptist University, will headline a night of "light-hearted" music as Wayland presents "Gary Belshaw and Friends" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Harral Memorial Auditorium.
Labeled as an evening of music with a bit of comedy, Dr. Belshaw said he uses the term "light-hearted" in a broad sense.
"I will be playing the only heavy and serious piece," he said. "There will be several slower pieces of music, full of their own special beauty and significance."
The evening will include a number of pieces performed by Belshaw's "Friends," including the premiere of a composition by Eric Rath, who teaches instrumental music education at Randall High School. Joe Vandiver, assistant professor of instrumental music at Wayland, will perform, and WBU graduate Andrea Turner, soprano, will sing a Brahms melody.
Dr. Belshaw will be playing five original pieces, including the premiere of his first formal music and comedy creation "Who Stole Beethoven's Fifth Symphony?"
"I've done some improvisational comedy using some of the musical parodies in this before, but this one is much more than just improvisation," Belshaw said. "I will perform seven or eight musical parodies, excerpts from famous compositions by classical music composers that have been adapted to include the famous four-note motive from Beethoven's fifth symphony."
Belshaw created "Who Stole Beethoven's Fifth Symphony" with the goals of advocating music education and examining music composition and improvisation. He hopes to turn the composition into a music education workshop that he can present at schools or to other public groups in hopes of furthering an interest in music education.
"A thousand years ago," Belshaw explained, "the medieval academies identified seven areas of study that comprised a liberal arts education. Four of these were ranked in an upper division and three were included in a lower division. The four disciplines in the upper division were astronomy, geometry, arithmetic and music. Not until the American popular music explosion of the 20th century did music begin to lose its position as an academic discipline."
Belshaw wants to use the piece to examine the genius that created one of the world's most famous musical compositions, and in turn, foster a curiosity about music among students.
Admission to Thursday's premiere performance is free and open to the public.


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Rice a surprising underdog at UTSA
Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - The Rice Owls have not gotten much respect this season even after winning their final five games last year (covering four of them).
They have won three of five games this season with the losses coming to Texas A&M and Houston. The loss to Texas A&M was expected, but the Owls still covered the spread. The other defeat came by five points to an unbeaten Houston squad and the game Owls had more yards in the game.
Now all of a sudden the Owls are getting points from UTSA!
It is true Rice's three victories have come by a combined 16 points, but last week's overtime victory at Tulsa was the team's first triumph over the Golden Hurricane since 2006.
The Owls defense is currently tied for 72nd nationally, allowing close to 28 points per game. However, both Houston and Texas A&M are in the top 15 in scoring, so that ranking has to be taken with a grain of salt.
Speaking of Houston, coach Tony Levine's squad went to UTSA a week after holding off Rice and the Cougars did not have any problems with the Roadrunners, winning, 59-28. UTSA's next contest was a 24-point loss to Marshall. The Roadrunners have played a tougher schedule than Rice, but it is important to note that only New Mexico State, California and SMU have allowed more points per game than the second-year FBS squad.
These two teams met one year ago at Rice Stadium and the Owls won, 34-14. It wasn't as if the Owls were dominant at that point because they came into the contest with a 1-5 record. UTSA was unbeaten at 5-0, but three of its opponents were non-FBS clubs.
This year's contest is in San Antonio, so maybe that is why the Roadrunners are favored. There really is no other logical reason why the line shifted from Rice -3 (opening line) to UTSA -2. A victory for the Roadrunners will be an amazing accomplishment because Larry Coker's squad has won just one FBS home game over the last year and a half and that came against Texas State in the 2012 finale.
UTSA was favored by 2.5 points over Houston two weeks ago and we saw how that turned out. Look for Rice to win its fourth straight road game against non-Top 10 teams with a handy victory over the Roadrunners.
Take the Owls plus two points in the first of two five-star plays.
The other five-star selection comes from the Big 12 Conference.
Baylor has been an unstoppable machine this season, leading the country in total offense with 780 yards per game. That is 149 more yards than the No. 2 squad (Oregon). The Bears also are No. 1 in the nation in scoring, averaging an absurd 71 points per game.
Nonetheless, this will be their first road game of the season and they have quite a disparity in wins at home compared to the road. Since 2011, Baylor is 16-1 at home but just 2-7 on the road. One of those away losses came at Kansas State two years ago.
Last season, the Bears put a dagger in the Wildcats' BCS Championship hopes with a 52-24 win on Nov. 17. Don't think for a minute Kansas State forgot about that game. The Wildcats would love nothing more than to ruin Baylor's hopes of going undefeated with a win on Saturday.
The Wildcats come into this game having lost their last two road games but last week's four-point defeat at Oklahoma State showed they are close to returning to last year's form after their opening week brutal defeat to North Dakota State.
Kansas State has lost just two home games since the middle of the 2010 campaign. The Bears could make that total jump to three, but even if they do, the Wildcats will stay within the number.
Take Kansas State plus 17.5 points.
The lone three-star play is a Conference USA tilt between a pair of 1-4 clubs. UAB's sole win came over Northwestern State while Florida International's lone victory was last week's win over Southern Miss.
UAB has now lost six consecutive games versus FBS schools. In fact, the Blazers are 2-14 in their last 16 FBS matchups. At least FIU has won four of its last 16 FBS games.
Both squads have been flat-out awful in 2013, but one of the teams is favored by a touchdown and it is the road team. I wrote last week about North Carolina State's dismal ATS record as a road favorite and the Wolfpack were beaten by Wake Forest.
UAB's record is almost as bad. The Blazers are 4-11 in their last 15 games as an away favorite. In addition, the Golden Panthers are above .500 at 7-5 in their last 12 games as home underdogs.
The Panthers have the momentum in this one after their first win of the season, albeit against winless Southern Miss, so go with them against UAB.
Take FIU plus seven points.
Go with Texas +14 (Oklahoma), Virginia Tech -9 (Pittsburgh), Army -7.5 (Eastern Michigan), Kentucky +28 (Alabama) and Hawaii +9.5 (UNLV).
Take Rutgers +19 (Louisville), Indiana +9.5 (Michigan State), Missouri +8 (Georgia) and Memphis +9.5 (Houston).
After six weeks, my record stands at 33-39 following a 6-3 week. The five-star play went 1-0 for a 7-5 overall total. The three-star selections went 1-1, so that record stands at 5-10. The two-star choices finished 4-2 for a 13-17 mark and the one-star choices remain at 8-7.
1) Oregon, 110; 2) Florida State, 104.5; 3) Alabama, 104; 4) Clemson, 101.5; 5) LSU, 101; 6-T) Louisville and Baylor, 98.5; 8-T) Ohio State and Stanford, 98; 10) Texas A&M, 97.5; 11) Washington, 97; 12) Georgia, 96.5
(The Dirty Dozen is not a reflection of a given team's won-loss record. It is based on power ratings used to predict spreads for the upcoming week. At the beginning of the season, all FBS teams are assigned a power number, which changes on a week-to-week basis depending on the results of the previous week.)


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Wow – have I ever been dark and silent this past couple of months. Nothing like the present to reverse that trend. I do have a good excuse for why I haven't posted many blogs for the past month or so. That is a good reason to get my queue going again with articles to publish on future dates (not just sit in my queue).
Anyway, I have ventured clear across country for a pretty big event.
No, the Celtics are out of town this week.
No, the Red Sox have been out of town too.
Nope, not really for the Patriots either.
No, I came across the country to participate in SQL Saturday!!
I have the distinct pleasure of presenting to SQL Saturday 142 on the topic of Table Compression. I am hoping the presentation meets my expectations and is of great worth to the attendees.
I had the opportunity to give this presentation to the Salt Lake Users Group on Monday. I felt the presentation was short of my expectations. The feedback was good and people liked it. My concern is that I want the presentation to flow better and it needs to be a little more technical.
In this presentation, we will get to see some undocumented commands (but are really documented now). We will also explore how some of this works in SQL 2012.
If you are in the area – I hope to see you.


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Power and corruption usually go hand-in-hand. And those who covet power will sometimes do anything to acquire it. Amanda Mora is a teacher who has always been fascinated with witchcraft since she was a child. Her mysterious supernatural interests have served her in times of need and have helped her to rise to the highest level of politics as the president's advisor. Jaime Cruz is a successful businessman who has gained his status through whatever illegal or necessary means. These two power seekers' tremendous influence in Colombian politics during the late 1970s still resonates to this day.
- Original title
- La Bruja
- Also known as
- La Bruja
- Volunteer Team
- The Witch Volunteer Team
- Broadcast Network
- Caracol
- Broadcast Period
- 05-30-2011 to 08-03-2011
- Rating
This show does not have any episodes


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REAL ESTATE- ON THE BLOCK- McGuffey Hill: A condo with a library like no other
ADDRESS: 211 Second Street NW #A
NEIGHBORHOOD: McGuffey Hill condominiums
SIZE: 2,192 fin. sq. ft.
LAND: n/a
CURB APPEAL: no curb
LISTED BY: Tim Michel, McLean Faulconer 295-1131
Condominiums are nothing new these days: the Randolph, the Holsinger, Queen Charlotte– they've become an accepted part of the landscape. But back in the early '80s, when architects Joe Bosserman, and Frank Folsom Smith introduced their projects on the Mall and on McGuffey Hill, they were something of a novelty.
Smith's McGuffey condominiums, in particular, raised a lot of eyebrows as they usurped the small woods behind McGuffey Park that lots of people had considered sacrosanct. Now that they've been in place for almost 30 years and some of the woods have grown back (not counting the part destroyed by the renovation of McGuffey Park last year), no one thinks twice about them.
But buyers interested in deluxe downtown living should think twice about this interesting unit in the complex.
On the first, or walk-in, level from the front– but actually on the second level above McIntire Road in back– the apartment has views of trees and grass and little else, fooling visitors for a moment into thinking they're miles away from the urban center.
A slate patio leads to a wide-open living room– no coat closet, no foyer, none of the usual built-in clutter. Blood-red walls, unusual recessed lighting, a startling piece of sculpture that turns out to be the fireplace screen, and huge windows and sliding doors make the space seem almost museum-like. A built-in slate-topped bookcase along one wall completes the impression of a space for displaying treasures.
The layout of the condo is simple: on the left, the large living room is separated from the dining room by the open kitchen.
On the right, two bedroom suites are almost identical except the master (closer to the entry) has a larger bathroom, understated with Corian counters, tile floor, and casement window. A surprise in this suite is an enormous walk-in closet/dressing area hidden from the room by louvered doors, but big enough to almost be a sewing area or nursery for folks with not so many clothes.
The second bedroom suite– the current owner is using it as a study– has a smaller closet and bath but also a private deck.
Okay, so perhaps you're stiffling a yawn and thinking, sure, two bedrooms, two baths, kitchen, dining room, living room, so what?
Well, wake up! Consider the room separating these two suites– a room unique in our experience: a laundry room/ library!
Yes. In this large space meant to provide storage (it's the only space in the apartment without a window) the owner has built in pretty bookcases along three walls, dropped some oriental carpets to cover the linoleum, and tucked the washer/dryer discretely in one corner.
It's worth touring the condo just to see this unusual and clever use of space.
The kitchen just outside the "laundry/library" is open on two sides, contributing to the easy flow. The oak cabinets, electric stove, and laminate counters are perhaps the most prosaic part of the unit, but even without the frills and glitter in most kitchens today the room doesn't detract from the overall impression of high style.
One parking place comes with the unit– reason enough to consider it, considering the reality of downtown parking– and monthly fees seem to be reasonable at $275. For people reluctant to give up dabbling in the dirt, small plots outside the front door provide space for plants, and a little storage cubby there provides place for all the digging forks and Miracle Gro packages.
Big, light, airy, private– nice but not unique. Buyers looking for downtown convenience and upscale design have lots of options in the new places we mentioned. But laundry/library? Now you're talking one of a kind.
Each week, a brave local seller invites the Hook to provide an impartial, warts-and-all look at their real estate listing. E-mail yours today!


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Stephen Nelson, LEED AP
Director of Educational Architecture, Larson & Darby Group
Bio and Professional Experience
Stephen Nelson serves as the Director of Educational Architecture for Larson & Darby Group. Larson & Darby Group is a full service A/E (Architectural & Engineering) Firm based in Rockford, Illinois that serves clients throughout the Midwest and around the world. Stephen has 27years of experience in public architecture with a primary focus on educational architecture. Stephen is also one of the co-founders of BluePoint Alert Solutions that provides state of the art, emergency rapid response/notification alert systems to schools, public institutions and commercial/industrial facilities across the US.
Stephen is a licensed architect in Illinois & Wisconsin and has his degree from the University of Illinois. He has served well over 40 public school districts as well as numerous other municipal and public institutional clients. Mr. Nelson successfully chaired a community referendum committee for the passage of a city wide real estate transfer tax to provide additional unencumbered financial support to the school district. He is a frequent speaker at Educational Conferences and author for a number of local, National and International publications/organizations regarding education, master planning, strategic planning & design, educational architecture, school finance, asset management and security& safety. Stephen serves as Vice President of his local SD427 School Board and is a member of the SD427 Education Foundation Board, Technology Committee, Curriculum Committee, Financial Advisory Committee and the Local Planning and Zoning Commission along with co-vice-chairing the Alignment Rockford Committee for College Readiness. He is a member of AIA, IASB, IASBO, USGBC and Rotary. Stephen lives in Sycamore with his wife Pamela, (a middle school teacher), and his two children, Katelyn (Junior) and Griffin (Freshman). He enjoys travel, woodworking, cooking, art, history and cosmology (space). He is looking forward to helping advance the mission of Alignment Rockford and Rockford Public Schools to benefit the students and the overall Rockford Community.
When and why did you decide to get involved with Alignment Rockford?
I joined the Alignment Rockford Team in the fall of 2013, soon after I joined the Larson and Darby Group here in Rockford. I was asked by co-chair, Chris Anderson to assist him with the College Readiness Committee for Alignment Rockford and I happily accepted. Education is a passion of mine. I have served on my local school board for the past 10 years as well as numerous education committees over the past two decades. In my work, I focus primarily on educational architecture, so it is a natural fit for me to be involved in Alignment Rockford. I hope that my varied educational and professional experiences and leadership can help to benefit RPS205 students, staff and the Rockford Community.
As a member of the College Readiness Alignment Team, please describe what initiatives the team is working on in support of College Readiness for RPS205 students.
After going through the detailed alignment planning process, our committee has finally gotten to issuing its first ITP. It is for a Math Tutor Program to be implemented at Kennedy Middle School this fall, 2015. It will pair a local professional with two students who need assistance with math. They will meet at the school on a weekly basis to tutor and hopefully even mentor the students throughout the year. The program will begin with 6th grade students, with the hope that it would grow and expand in to 7th grade in 2016 and 8th grade in 2017. This program will be able to provide extra personal assistance, continuity and direction for these students as they move through their middle school years, thus preparing them for not only the demands of High School but also College. It will provide them with the tools and confidence to go on and pursue continuing education after High School and to be prepared for it.
Why is it important both individually and for the community to become involved with the initiatives such as those within the College Readiness Alignment Team?
I believe that it is extremely important for people to become involved in initiatives like our College Readiness ITP both individually as well as a community. If we want to affect real change and improvement in RPS205 and the overall Rockford Community, then we all need to step up and participate at any and all levels that we are able. This is not an overnight fix or change, this is really affecting generational change which takes time and long term commitment. It has to start sometime and somewhere, and there is no better time than the present…right here right now. It starts with a math tutor program at Kennedy and moves to a math tutor program in grades 6-8 in all middle schools in a few years. This makes these students time in high school more productive and successful and they go on to higher education, during this time, the younger siblings of these students and their parents witness the success and drive of these students and realize that they too can work hard and do better and succeed. Eventually these students return to Rockford and help to build and improve the economy in better paying jobs and entrepreneurial endeavors and as the next generation enters school, they enter with wholly different and much higher expectations from their families, their community and themselves.
How can you suggest community members new to Alignment Rockford support these efforts?
Simple…first, volunteer to be a math tutor for the new program at Kennedy Middle School. If not that, then watch for other ITP's and choose to be involved!! Volunteer for an ITP, or a committee, be a leader, be an assistant, be a worker bee if that is what you are comfortable with. Recruit others to volunteer or simply promote the mission and vision of Alignment Rockford, but ultimately, "CHOOSE to be INVOLVED!!" Together we can achieve great things for the benefit of many people and our community as a whole.


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Thursday, February 23, 2012
First Line Grabber #29
GENRE: Cozy mystery
I knew it was going to be a chart topping bad day when the kid barfed in the back seat of my taxicab.
64 comments:
Yes! I love the voice, and I'm definitely interested to know more about the character!ReplyDelete
Yes. I like the voice, too, it's as simple as that.ReplyDelete
Yes. Love "chart topping bad day" although, should chart topping be hyphenated? I'd say yes. See rule number 4 here: http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/hyphens.aspReplyDelete
Yes. Great voice with the addition of giving the reader setting.ReplyDelete
Yes. The line is interesting and makes one naturally wonder about what happens next in this character's day if he's already had a kid puking in his taxi.ReplyDelete
Yes. Loved the voice.ReplyDelete
Yes. Simple yet elicits intrique. Great voice in just this one sentence.ReplyDelete
Yes. I laughed, which always guarantees I'll read on.ReplyDelete
Yes. Interesting scene and voice conveyed in one sentence! Eager to find out what is going on with both of these characters. Agree with Katherine about the hyphen. It would make it easier to read.ReplyDelete
Yes. I want to see what else happens to make it a chart-topping bad day.ReplyDelete
- Happy DolphinFebruary 23, 2012 at 10:05 AM
The line serves the purpose of forging a connection between reader and narrator because it elicits sympathy and understanding of the predicament.
Yes, already love the character's voice.ReplyDelete
I like the set-up of this. I get a feel for the character immediately. One suggestion is I think it should be chart-topping? Otherwise, I like it!
Yes. Great character voice.ReplyDelete
It does it's job. But I think there is a way to axe that 'was'. The chart topping bad day started when the kid barfed n the backseat of my taxicab. (that only depends on the next couple lines though.) And of course, my humbles opinion. :) I try to axe I knew, I feel, because they tend to add up.
- mflemingFebruary 23, 2012 at 10:40 AM
Yes, it does what I want it to, gives me action and emotion and a sense of who the story is about. Great job.ReplyDelete
No. Though honestly, if I could give a scale rather than a simple yes/no, I'd give it about a 6. The "chart-topping" seems to be a positive image that doesn't really mesh with the rest. If you were going for sarcasm, it doesn't quite read like that to me. I'd go more sarcastic or cut the positive imagery altogether.ReplyDelete
It's really close but the "chart topping bad day" is a little too clunky. Also, "the kid" sounds like we should know who this kid is but we don't. If this is clarified immediately, it's probably fine.
No. "Chart topping bad day" reads funny to me, and I feel like it should be chart-toppingly.ReplyDelete
Besides that, a little puke never killed anyone and kids get sick sometimes. This seems overly dramatic to me.
Yes. Anything that starts so boldly with the word "barf" in the first line is worth reading on.ReplyDelete
It sets the tone nicely. I would, however, get rid of "chart topping." It's an odd musical reference in a taxi cab and I stumbled over it. The sentence works even better without it.
Yes! I liked the voice - in particular, I liked the promise of a "chart topping bad day"ReplyDelete
Yes. It made me laugh. I'd like to know what else went on to make it such a bad day. However, chart topping as a descriptor brings in a younger voice to me, like a teenager, but I associate taxi drivers with an older set.ReplyDelete
Yes. This MC has a great voice!ReplyDelete
Yes. Great voice.ReplyDelete
I was on the fence but I like the voice.
Good luck.
Yes--Fun voice, and with the genre, I'd definitely read on. Cab driver cozy? Yes, please!ReplyDelete
- SMKraftyFebruary 23, 2012 at 12:29 PM
No- chart topping seemed cliche-ish and pulled me up short; descriptive no real conflictReplyDelete
- KimberlyFebruary 23, 2012 at 12:54 PM
Yes, great visual and funny.ReplyDelete
Yes. It tells a bit about the MC, shows either interest in music or pop culture (chart topping), and has something visceral - barf. I'd read on.ReplyDelete
- rbgreene04February 23, 2012 at 1:14 PM
No, I didn't like the modifier "chart topping." It felt forced and turned me off.ReplyDelete
- AnnetteFebruary 23, 2012 at 1:15 PM
Yes. I'm a mom -- barf is always attention grabbing. And I liked the humor in the voice.ReplyDelete
- Harper K.February 23, 2012 at 1:16 PM
Yes. A bit of an awkward construction with the "chart topping," but the voice and humor hooked me.ReplyDelete
Yes. Great voice, funny setup. As for "chart-topping" (should be hyphenated), I'm OK with it if the MC is a music-phile or something and makes other references like that throughout. But if it's just a one-off and music has nothing to do with the story, I might suggest cutting it or rewording.ReplyDelete
- PlumbagoFebruary 23, 2012 at 1:43 PM
Funny and gives us character and setting. Chart topping is an unusual phrase the way it's used here. It may be hinting at our character--a taxi driving singer? band member?
No. I'm personally not fond of "I knew" as an opening.ReplyDelete
Yes, I liked "chart topping bad day."ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 23, 2012 at 2:16 PM
Yes, it catches my interest with "chart topping bad day" and already gives me a place of setting.ReplyDelete
Yes. Thought it had a light, funny voice.ReplyDelete
Yes, although I did think the chart topping wasn't needed and a little awkward.ReplyDelete
Oh yeah! Loved the sarcasm, which shows our taxi driver probably has a sense of humor (driving a taxi can't be an easy job, so a sense of humor is a must), although I agree that "chart-topping" should be hyphenated.ReplyDelete
Yes. Gives a good sense of the book with character, voice, setting, etc. I love the word barf. p.s. "chart-topping" is going to divide readers based on taste, but I doubt they'd put the book down because of it.ReplyDelete
Yes! Great voice, promises a fun ride.ReplyDelete
No. Barf is gross.ReplyDelete
- HeatherFebruary 23, 2012 at 4:45 PM
I was going to say no because "I knew it was going to be a bad day when" is as cliche as it gets, but there was just enough voice there to lead me on.
I also smell barfy cab, now. Thanks.
I'm on the fence about chart-topping. It didn't turn me off in the first read through. It sounded very saracstic and was a part of the narrator voice. If too many readers object, then maybe think about "record-setting" or some other equivalent.
The one thing I worry about is that the kid puking is just the start of a bunch of minor inconveniences we have to wade through to get to the real trouble. If dealing with the barf, though, leads us to the actual problem, then I'll read straight through.
Yes! LOVE the chart-topping - it's a great way to describe something and gives us the voice straight away.ReplyDelete
Ha. Yes. I love this. I've had a lot of those days.ReplyDelete
The voice is clear and engaging, with just enough humor ("chart-topping bad day" and "barfed" are great word choices) and a nice flow.
The narrator wins me over immediately - yes, a kid puking in my taxi would pretty much ruin my day too. The fact that I like this narrator makes me eager to read on.
Yes. I didn't like the chart-topping bad day, and I'm not a big fan of barf, but it still worked for me:)ReplyDelete
Yes. I don't like the term "chart-topping bad day," but otherwise this is fantastic!ReplyDelete
Yes. Great voice, and an image I can sympathize with.ReplyDelete
No. But only just slightly no. "Chart-topping" lends itself to the narrator's possible voice, which is nice, but "barfed" conjures up images of little children on a playground trying to make fun of and out-gross one another. Perhaps a different word choice?ReplyDelete
Yes! It already gives us a taste of the MC's voice with a little humour. Although, I didn't like the use of, "the kid."ReplyDelete
Yes. I liked "the kid," and would definitely read more to see what's up.ReplyDelete
yes. love the voice and the humor, always a grabber for meReplyDelete
No.Starting the first sentence with I knew I was...... doesn't work me either...passiveReplyDelete
Yes. It could benefit from minor reworking, but overall I get the tone.ReplyDelete
Yes. Sense of forboring, sense of humor, and already a clear voice.ReplyDelete
No, but I generally don't like books that start with "I knew it was going to be a bad day when..." it sounds too much like a setup.ReplyDelete
Yes - I liked the humor. Although chart-topping, should probably be chart-toppingly. Which is awkward. I don't know - there's something about that phrase that seems off.ReplyDelete
No. I'm not a fan of 'I knew' for a start either. It makes me think this is going to be someone looking back, and I prefer to start in the present rather than with a character telling us things.ReplyDelete
- Abbe HogganFebruary 25, 2012 at 6:11 PM
I prefer to avoid bodily fluids in the first line.
I liked the humor and the voice here. Sure, there is a bit of cliche in "chart topping" but I would give this a few more sentences to see where this is going.
Yes. Great voice.ReplyDelete


text:
Heart surgeons can use less invasive methods for heart surgery.
In conventional open-heart surgery, the surgeon makes an incision in the chest and then spreads the ribs to expose the
heart. This type of incision is called a sternotomy.
In minimally invasive heart surgery, the surgeon makes a smaller incision in the chest. The
aortic valve is located near the front of the chest. So surgeons have discovered
that aortic valve replacement can be done successfully through this
smaller opening.
Surgeons may do this minimally invasive surgery in different
ways. These variations include different ways to:
Despite these variations, in all other ways the technique for
replacing the aortic valve is the same in minimally invasive surgery as in
conventional valve surgery.
Less invasive surgery can have benefits over conventional valve
replacement surgery. These benefits include:
Researchers are still studying the results of minimally invasive
surgery to figure out whether all these benefits can be attributed to this
technique. Some studies have found that people who had minimally invasive
surgery enjoyed many of these benefits. Other studies have found that there has
not been a significant difference between minimally invasive surgery and
conventional valve replacement surgery, at least in some areas of potential
Minimally invasive surgery can be safe and effective for the
purposes of replacing the aortic valve. One drawback is that because
this surgery is more technically complex, it often takes longer to complete. So
far, this increase in time required for surgery does not appear to have had an
impact on how well the surgery works. The one benefit that
minimally invasive surgery is guaranteed to provide is a smaller scar, given
that the incision is smaller. But it still remains to be seen whether the
benefits consistently extend beyond this cosmetic benefit.
Surgeons are still working to perfect minimally invasive surgery.
Greater experience with this technique will likely decrease the time required
for surgery and increase the chance that people who have this surgery will
enjoy the benefits.
Your decision to have minimally invasive surgery, if that option is
available to you, should be based on your doctors' explanations of the benefits
and any potential drawbacks of the surgery, which should be based on their
experience and current medical literature. You should ask your surgeon about
how minimally invasive surgery has benefited other people who had the surgery
and what any recent studies have shown.
Also, ask your surgeon how many minimally invasive surgeries he or she has done.
Whether you have the option of choosing to have minimally invasive
surgery instead of conventional valve surgery will depend on several things,
including whether your:
One important limitation of minimally invasive surgery is that if
you also need to have coronary artery bypass surgery during your valve
replacement surgery, minimally invasive surgery may not be an option because it
does not provide sufficient access to your coronary arteries.
Next Section:
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Last Revised:
November 2, 2011
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
Rakesh K. Pai, MD, FACC - Cardiology, Electrophysiology & John A. McPherson, MD, FACC, FSCAI - Cardiology
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text:
Sleeping amidst vineyards
Winery in Navarre
Can Bonastre Rural Accommodation (Barcelona province)
Hotel Augusta Spa Resort (Pontevedra)
Feel what it is like to be a wine producer. Sleep in unusual locations. Discover the world of wine. You can have all these experiences at wine-related accommodation on Spain's wine routes. A wonderful combination to enjoy an original holiday surrounded by vines.
Wine-related accommodation is an original way to enjoy wine tourism in Spain. These are hotel establishments located at vineyards and wineries, where not only can you sleep with all the creature comforts, but you will also be able to take a first hand look at how wine is produced. They are often in particularly charming locations, set in rustic farmhouses and restored old wineries with beautifully designed décor.
Peace and quiet is guaranteed because these places usually have only a few rooms. Another attraction is the beauty of the views: when you look out of the window in the morning you will see an idyllic landscape of vines. Can you think of a better way to get up? During the vine harvest there are often special packages and activities available too. Come and live this new experience and you will not regret it.
From south to north…
In the Region of Andalusia, southern Spain, the Marco de Jerez wine and brandy route awaits you. One of the establishments you can stay at is in the town of Jerez de la Frontera. It is Hotel Los Jándalos, set in an old winery building, and it also has a spa. Just 15 kilometres away, in the town of El Puerto de Santa María, is Hotel Bodega Real, whose facilities maintain the architectural beauty of the original winery building.
To the northeast, in Catalonia, you will find the Penedés wine and cava route. Here, within the province of Barcelona, you can stay at Can Comas, a medieval country house that is part of a vineyard in the Torrelavit area. It can sleep up to 5 people and it is in a stunning setting, beside a river surrounded by woods. Another option is the cosy Can Bonastre, in the village of Masquefa, at the foot of the Montserrat Mountains.
If you would prefer to do the Navarre wine route, then head for Hotel Jakue in the town of Puente la Reina, on the itinerary of the famous Way of Saint James. While in Galicia, on the Rías Baixas wine route, you can try the benefits of wine therapy at the Augusta Spa Resort, Carlos I and Oca Galatea hotels, all in the town of Sanxenxo (Pontevedra province). A different option is to stay at Pazo A Capitana, in Cambados. This stately house dates from the beginning of the 15th century and has been restored to offer a full range of comfortable facilities. Its old winery will give you the chance to see how traditional techniques are combined with the most modern technology to produce Albariño wine.
Should you decide to travel to the Canary Islands, then in Tenerife you will find the The Tenerife Wine Route. For your stay you could choose El Adelantado Country House Lodge, a typical Canaries house from the 18th century, close to the sea and surrounded by vineyards, where you will have the chance to take part in vine cultivation.
If you want to discover Spanish wine culture, then these hotel establishments make it easy. Still thinking about it?
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text:
Tom Birkin, a veteran of World War I, finds himself in Oxgodby, a small English village. His job is to uncover and restore a medieval mural rediscovered in their church. Tom has a good idea of what he'll find behind the layers of paint and grime- a depiction of the Judgement. He doesn't know just how good the artist was or how the painting will affect him.
Tom has some issues. He has a tick from "shellshock" and his wife runs around on him. He's just in Oxgodby to do a job and get paid, not become an object of curiosity. Right from the get-go Tom is adopted by the friendly Ellerbeck family. They get him involved in village life and Tom is good natured enough to go along with it. Over a few weeks, some of Tom's wounds are healed by goodwill of the people and the quiet solitude he finds in the country church.
A Month in the Country is a quiet story of a man who needs someone to reach out to him, not in a touchy-feely sort of way, but by finding a few people who can bring him back into the world again. The Ellerbecks have just enough pushiness to accomplish this. They're the sort of friendly country people Tom feels he can't disappoint. Carr's characterizations are written in such a way that even though people like Tom rarely reveal much about their personal lives, I still got a strong sense of who they are. I was impressed by that.
The parallels between the painting of the Judgement and Tom's war experiences are obvious and even one of the characters mentions it. As more of hell and the descent of the people into it is revealed in the painting, the more Tom becomes part of Oxgodby.
A Month in the Country is told as a retrospective, which is interesting. Tom will sometimes say, "I didn't know this then…" or "I hadn't met this person yet…" It was a little disconcerting but made me pay attention to that event or person when they appeared. For that reason, I would like to reread it, since I think I'd get more out of it with a second reading. It's a short book anyway.
It's a quiet book, not a lot happens. The most thrilling part is an awkward conversation between the Reverend and Tom (which he totally deserved). There's some unrequited love and a thin thread of a mystery surrounding the painting, but these things are just in the background. It's really about finding peace within oneself in unexpected places.
If you enjoy quiet British period pieces like I do, then you'll like A Month in the Country.


text:
Sexual predator attacked boy he was babysitting, Titusville police say
TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Titusville police are trying to determine if there are more victims after a man, now labeled as a sexual predator, allegedly attacked a child.
Henry Rink, 66, of Titusville, was arrested on three counts of sexual battery on a child under the age of 12.
Rink was labeled a sexual predator by the state after being convicted of a crime in 2004.
His recent arrest stems from incidents that occurred between 2002 and 2004, police said.
"(The) Titusville Police Department is releasing this information because Rink was babysitting the victim at the time of the crimes. Parents who allowed Rink to have unsupervised contact with their children are urged to speak to their children to determine if there are more victims," officials said Friday in a statement.
Parents with information about Rink can contact the Titusville Police Department or Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS.
Copyright 2013 by ClickOrlando.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text: You find yourself in a virtual world, a place where even the soul is transferred. But is this a digitized mind too? And what if a similar question arises in others about you? Turbamentum is a top-down shooter in a neon cyberpunk style. A virtual world in which you turned out to be the main character is a dangerous place in which everyone wants to kill you. You will find out why they are so aggressive towards you, working through the enemies or acting discreetly, to learn the truth about themselves and decide who you are.