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19 June, 2013 | (01 hr)
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The need for strong leaders has never been so critical; studies suggest a direct relationship between great leadership and an organization's bottom line. Organizations are, thus, often very focused on equipping their leaders with skills and capabilities necessary to lead in a highly volatile business environment. Yet, our findings reveal that a significant number of leaders across the globe are either marginally prepared or not prepared at all to take on the business challenges of the next few years, both globally as well on a regional basis. So how can an organization build a holistic and multipronged approach to support their business strategy, as well as an individual's development needs? What are organizations doing? How do they measure success?
Strategic Leadership Development, the latest leadership research conducted from a joint partnership with Right Management and The Conference Board, provides a view of current global practices in leadership development and an in-depth analysis of different regional leadership development approaches. This report helps organizations assess and execute their leadership development initiatives strategically.
Join researchers, Amy Abel, Ph.D, Director, Human Capital Research at The Conference Board and Ric Roi, Ph.D., Head, Global Centre of Excellence for Right Management, as they discuss the more than 550 responses from Europe, Asia-Pacific, and North America, as well as the report's case studies revealing different approaches to developing leaders.
Audience: Human Capital professionals charged with leadership development, strategic workforce planning, workforce readiness, diversity & inclusion, talent management, strategic human resources, employee engagement, or human capital analytics would benefit from this webcast.
Amy Lui Abel, PhD
Amy Lui Abel is Vice President of Human Capital Research at The Conference Board. She leads research efforts focusing on human capital analytics, leadership development, labor markets, strategic workforce planning, talent management, diversity and inclusion, human resources, and employee eng...Full Bio
Ric Roi, Ed.D.
Ric Roi, Ed.D., serves as head of the global centre of excellence for Right Management and leads the firm's Asia-Pacific consulting practice. Based in Singapore, Roi has consulted with more than 80 global organizations during the past 21 years in the areas of strategic change, leadership, a...Full Bio


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4/30/2013 | By Mitch Irzinski
Paul Stamnes, vice president of tax with Plum Creek Timber Company (NYSE: PCL), joined REIT.com for a video interview at REITWise 2013: NAREIT's Law, Accounting and Finance Conference in La Quinta, Calif.
Plum Creek is one of the largest land owners in the nation. Stamnes described audit issues surrounding timber REITs.
"In the last couple of years there has been increased activity, in particular looking at transfer pricing," he said. "The IRS is really starting to focus on REITs, primarily from the taxable entities, because that's where the tax dollars are."
Stamnes explained concerns regarding recreational leasing.
"Recreational leasing is somewhat unique to the timber REIT industry, because timber REITs own a lot of land," he said. "Clubs engaged in hunting or other activities will lease land from timber companies because our land is generally open to the public when we're not engaging in forestry activities. The critical tax issue is ensuring that income remains qualified for REIT purposes."

subset: commoncrawl


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The pitch:
Forget the age-old question of "Boxers or briefs?" For the creators of Frigo's RevolutionWear, the real question is, "How much will guys spend for a decent pair of underwear?" And they're betting the answer is a triple-digit one.
But what distinguishes a $100 pair from the kind you purchase in a three-pack at a big-box store for less than 20 bucks? Begin with a high-end microfiber fabric (mainly nylon) and high-tech design that includes "mesh zones" plus "laser-cut vents" in the rear. The idea is to keep things, well, cool. "We made sure that we used the most breathable construction," says Frigo exec Mathias Ingvarsson, who's best known as one of the entrepreneurs behind the Tempur-Pedic mattress brand. But also key to the product is an interior mesh pouch that separates a man's "package," as Matthew Butlein, president of underwear retailer Freshpair.com, delicately puts it. (Freshpair is the exclusive online source for the $100 pair.) Not only does that help prevent sweating — by virtue of avoiding "skin on skin," says Butlein — it also offers more support. (And it's adjustable support, too — there's an elastic band that controls the degree of lift and separation.)
Other important features include the silicone-lined leg openings that are designed to prevent ride-up — underwear manufacturers "do the same thing on strapless bras," Butlein notes — and a seemingly seamless (or "bonded") construction that supposedly minimizes chafing. Butlein is particularly impressed with how carefully the waistband is joined with the fabric, so there's no overlap (and therefore less rubbing against the body). "This brings out the underwear nerd in me," he says of the $100 pair.
The reality:
Frigo's RevolutionWear may be ideal for underwear nerds — especially those with unlimited budgets — but it's not necessarily underwear for the everyman, according to many fashion pros. That's because they belong to a generally pricier category of "performance" underwear — as in briefs that are geared for athletic types who need all that extra breathability and support to perform at their best. "It has a very specific use," says Michael Kleinmann, editor in chief of the UnderwearExpert.com site. Still, even Kleinmann says there are cheaper performance options — he's particularly high on the C-IN2 brand, whose performance underwear can be found for under $30 apiece. (But Kleinmann is a fan of RevolutionWear, too. "I think it's worth $100," he says of the space-age pair.)
That's not to say a guy needs to go the performance route. The choice of underwear is indeed an individual one. "It's strictly a matter of personal preference whether a man chooses boxers, briefs, boxer briefs, trunks, bikini briefs, string bikinis, etc., as the choices speak to their personality, taste and the level of 'support' they prefer," says Alice Kim, an image consultant and style coach. That said, some fashion pros warn against wearing anything too baggy under a suit. "You don't want to stuff a pair of boxers inside your dress pants. All that extra fabric will scrunch up inside and your tailored suit won't look so flattering anymore," says Judah Estreicher, founder of JBD Clothiers, a custom men's clothier in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., area.
Still, Estreicher is one of many fashion pros to say that underwear shouldn't be so expensive, regardless of cut or style. "You can get a good quality pair for $15-20, but anything over $50 you will just be paying for the brand," says Estreicher. (Freshpair does sell a two-pack of a popular microfiber style for $34.50.) Speaking of brands, Calvin Klein is a perennial favorite among those seeking quality, durability and a good fit, but not at a super-high price point.
To some extent, the price issue isn't disputed by those connected to Frigo RevolutionWear, since the company has cheaper (though hardly cheap) versions of the $100 pair for around $25-$40. The differences have mainly to do with small details involving the construction, but Freshpair president Matthew Butlein says the interior mesh pouch is still a key feature so "you don't lose anything there." Indeed, Butlein was anticipating that the less expensive pairs would be his biggest Frigo sellers, but so far, it's the $100 one that is proved the most popular. Freshpair has already sold a few hundred of the high-end skivvies. "No one was more shocked than me," Butlein adds.


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DETROIT—I'm here to see my friend Tony Scheffler play. He's a tight end for the Lions and my last, best connection to a modern NFL that churns through players too quickly to catch. This is my third season out of the league; sometimes, it feels like no one I played with is still playing. But of the few who are, several of them are playing in this game—Tony and Jay Cutler, among them, the latter having been turned into the national punching bag by a lot of people who should know better.
My cabby on the way to my hotel had plenty to say about the state of the Lions. They're good, yes, they're good, he said, but they are missing several pieces. Chief among them: Jahvid Best is not doing his job. We need a better running back, a veteran, someone who knows. Like who, I ask? Like Adrian Peterson. We need to trade for Adrian Peterson, mid-season, you know, like they do in baseball. But what will you give up for him? Calvin? No, draft picks. We also need a left tackle. Welp, here we are. Keep the change. Thank you, my friend. Go Lions.
Four wins and zero losses for Detroit. Preseason was lossless too, along with the last four games of last season. Throw in tonight's win, and it's 13 straight. But standing on the rooftop of Cheli's two hours before kickoff, it's still just 12, and the beer is flowing like wine, and the rough Detroiters are carrying their enthusiasm proudly, unashamed of the simple fact that shit hasn't felt this good in, well, maybe ever. Thirty minutes before kickoff, everyone is filtering into the stadium from Adams Street, forming a jovial bottleneck that has everyone looking around flabbergasted. It's never been like this. Ever.
Kid Rock's guitarist goes all Jimi Hendrix on the national anthem, carrying it on his own, and he pulls it off, dammit, bending the right notes and loosening up the whole building, so that the Lions could slide along the tunnel unimpeded by the chafing doubt that has crippled the atmosphere at Ford Field over the years. All those old feelings of approaching doom are nowhere to be found tonight. Let's fucking play. Fan noise thoroughly dicks the Bears in the first quarter. Chicago's offensive linemen jump before the snap over and over again, and the crowd's sense of its own effect swells with every flinching lineman.
It's strange for me watching an NFL game from a suite. It feels different. Of course it feels different. But this difference is important, I'm thinking. It gets me closer to understanding something I'm trying to explain. As a writer who used to play the game, I often feel like I have a rare opportunity to connect two worlds that rarely touch, to help fans better understand the players, and vice versa. But do the two even want to meet? Should they? Can they? At halftime I stand on a balcony drinking whiskey, overlooking a swarm of thirsty men who are scurrying around in other men's jerseys, frantically trying to lock down a piss, some food, and a drink in 12 minutes, and then return to their seats before kickoff. I'm into my Jack Daniels and asking myself what it all means. Pfffft. What it all means. You know better than that, Nate. Go sit down and watch the game.
The third quarter has started, and Tony hasn't played much. He's only in on certain two-tight-end packages. But there he is in the huddle, and now in the slot on the right, now running a basic cross, settling in the zone. Matt Stafford throws his way. Tony catches the ball and gets cracked in the temple by Brian Urlacher. Urlacher is flagged for a helmet-to-helmet shot, and the fans around me rejoice, high-fiving the first-down catch and the extra yardage from the penalty. Tony takes a knee, disoriented, then floats to the sideline and out of sight. He took the hit well, so no one pays him much attention. My eyes return to the action. Next play, touchdown Brandon Pettigrew.
Tony and I were both tight ends together in Denver. He was a highly drafted rookie, and I was a wide receiver trying to act like a tight end. We both had a lot to learn in a short amount of time. Every NFL coach I ever heard talk always used some form of that line: "We've got a lot to do and a short amount of time to do it." That was always the feeling. Urgency. And Tony took the brunt of it. He has that rare combination of size and speed, and our offensive system in Denver, one that beautifully exploited the mismatches created by Shannon Sharpe, was always on the lookout for another Shannon. Another Shannon. Another Elway. Another Terrell Davis. These are the pressures that come with being a high draft pick in an organization with high expectations, and when you are the next Whoever, the pressure is relentless. I sat next to Tony in every meeting, and his mistakes were rewound, slo-mo'd, and broadcast through a bullhorn on a daily basis, with an obligatory "What the fuck!" appended to each one.
For someone who uses his brain and considers himself an actual human being, those "What the fuck!"s don't sit well, especially when they are coming from an old man with a mouth full of Copenhagen who was never good enough to be told he was a piece of shit in the first place. But Tony, now in his sixth season, is well past the usual abuse and has settled in for the ride, wherever it might take him. He understands the system, and he understands what he must do, and not do, to exist inside the system. That part is hard for me to reconcile right now. I am his guest for the game. He went to meetings and practices all week and prepared for this moment, a moment that me and millions of others are watching from a distance, and have no intimate knowledge of beyond what we see in front of us. But the backstory, that unseen week of meetings and practices, is the real story of the NFL, and it's rarely understood or even explained. A life in the NFL is a life in a snow globe. Nothing comes in and nothing goes out.
Next Lions drive, an 88-yard touchdown run by Jahvid Best. Somewhere my cabby shrugs. Where's Tony, I'm thinking. He's not on the sideline. He's not in the huddle. I'm full of free whiskey and nachos at this point. The crowd is celebrating. Everyone is laughing. The game ends. The happy crowd disperses. There are leftover hotdogs that we consider trying to throw onto the field—$50 to whoever can hit Suzy Kolber.
We head downstairs to the friends and family section to find Tony. But he's not there. He's in an ambulance on his way to Henry Ford Hospital. He had some tingling down the right side of his body, and he vomited several times. I ride there with his wife and mother-in-law, find him on a gurney, neck harnessed, flipping us off as we walk in. Sorry, he says. Sorry about this. Sorry, he keeps saying. I'm sorry, you guys.
There are families in the waiting room crying over the fate of loved ones. There are children running in circles, laughing, oblivious to the worrying but awake at 2 a.m., so maybe not so oblivious. The Lions' head trainer sits outside Tony's room, regarding me suspiciously as I ask about my friend. He hesitates to explain their protocol. Tony is their property, his look seems to say. He softens a little when I tell him I played with Tony in Denver. He asks me what I do now. I tell him I'm writing a book about what the NFL is really like, you know, what it's really like. This is what it's really like, isn't it? He stiffens up again.
Tony seems fine in the other room, but they won't be taking any chances. He has already had the CT scan to determine whether his brain is bleeding, and it isn't. Now he's waiting for the MRI machine to free up so they can see about the tingling. The trainer and I talk about Greek, the trainer in Denver. They know each other. We talk about anything, really, anything except Tony's brain.
When it's obvious that everyone's fine for the night, I say farewell to Tony and his family. On the way out, the trainer and I shake hands. Thanks for looking after my friend, I say. No problem, he says. But his expression seems to say, Lighten up, Nate. This is Detroit. We're 5-0. Five-and-fucking-oh. Enjoy it.
Nate Jackson played tight end for the Denver Broncos from 2003 to 2008. His writing has also appeared in Slate and The New York Times. He is working on a book about life in the NFL.
Top image by Jim Cooke.


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When self-proclaimed professional shopper Olivia Powers teamed up with daughter-in-law Tammy Powers to open Olivia & Co., their goal was to combine their eye for sophisticated fashion and all things girly. Brimming with glitz and glamour, the bright-pink shop is an open invitation for discerning shoppers that love that rare find.
While Olivia & Co. carries designers such as Alberta Makali and Simon Chang, a major selling point is their exceptional jewelry collection, a custom Derby hat designer on staff and plenty of personal shopping attention.
Olivia & Co. is located at 1850 S. Hurstbourne Parkway, Suite 135.
Photos By TONY BENNETT | Countributing Photographer


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We may debate whether they read or write in the Star Wars universe — but one thing's for sure: the Star Wars tie-in books and novelizations have inspired countless people to start reading. There are so many Star Wars books and graphic novels now, it's like a whole literary genre up to itself.
So it's fitting that George Lucas' creation is getting people into bookstores and libraries on Saturday. It's Star Wars Reads Day, and there are tons of events all over the United States — click here to see a map of all of the events, and find one in your area. And check out the video above, to hear author Timothy Zahn talking about why he thinks the Star Wars books appeal to fans of the movies. [Star Wars Reads Day]


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The point of meditating is to bring about a greater degree of mindfulness, so that your entire life can be transformed. To some extent this can happen naturally; the mindfulness we develop in meditation simply spills over into our daily lives, and we find ourselves being more aware of how our mind and emotions function in everyday encounters with the world, leading to an increased freedom from reactive emotional and mental habits.
But we don't have to simply hope that our meditation will have an effect on the rest of our lives. We can consciously choose to use everyday activities as opportunities to practice mindfulness. It's good to take a few daily activities and make a point of doing them with more awareness than usual. You may like to check our blog from time to time, because we publish gathas which can be used as a tool for Mindfulness in daily activities.
Showering meditation
When you shower mindfully, you can be aware of the physical actions, such as rubbing soap onto your body, or the way you shampoo your hair. You can be aware of the water hitting your skin and running down your body. You can be aware of how your mind tends to think about what you're going to be doing next, and get into the habit of bringing your awareness back to your physical experience. (Remember that the point in being mindful is not to think about your experience but simply to notice it.)
Tooth-brushing meditation
One attribute of mindfulness has been described by Japanese Zen Master Suzuki Roshi as "Beginners' Mind". Beginners' Mind arises when we let go of the "been there, done that" attitude that we normally carry in to everyday activities. When we let go of the assumption that there's no point paying attention to this experience since we've done it a million times already, we're free to fully experience those sensations. Having let go of comparisons with previous experiences, we really can feel almost as if we're brushing our teeth for the first time.
You may also find that brushing your teeth more mindfully and carefully leads to fewer cavities.
Eating meditation
Try eating breakfast without reading. See what it's like when you really pay attention to the food you're eating. Notice your mind wandering and bring it back to the experience of eating.
Developing mindfulness triggers
A mindfulness trigger is something that will remind you to break out of "automatic pilot" so that you can be mindful, spontaneous, calm, and free.
The Vietnamese Buddhist Teacher Thich Nhat Hanh suggests posting little notes that will remind you to smile and relax. You can post notes so you will see them first thing in the morning, helping to set the tone for the day. You can stick a note to your computer screen or wherever you work, in order to remind you to detach yourself from the flow of habitual thoughts and emotions for a few breaths.
Mindfulness triggers can also be ordinary actions or objects in your environment. You can learn to associate those actions and objects with being mindful, so that they act as reminders to be aware. What might be called "transitional events" can make the best mindfulness triggers. A transitional event is an action that involves changing from doing one thing to doing another. So walking through a door can be a transitional event that acts as a mindfulness trigger, as can getting into your car, or stepping onto a train or bus or tram, hearing your phone ring, or putting down a briefcase.
You can cultivate mindfulness triggers by choosing a particular transitional event, and consciously reminding yourself to be mindful whenever that event occurs. For example, when the phone rings, you can remind yourself to take our awareness to your breathing, and to smile, and to breathe deeply three times before we reach for the phone.
Mindfulness triggers can be very powerful "wake up calls". We might be in the habit of grabbing habitually for the phone as soon as it rings. This tends to add to stress, since the compulsive nature of the grabbing suggests that the phone is in charge of our lives — since we can't control when the phone rings we're not in charge of our own lives, which is inherently stressful. That small gap that we produce after the phone rings and before we pick it up reminds us that we have choices. We can choose to calm ourselves by consciously taking a few deep breaths, and we can choose to pick up the phone in a friendly state of mind by smiling.
Any other mindfulness trigger can be used in a similar way. We use mindfulness triggers as opportunities to wake up from automatic pilot and to be more fully alive in the present moment. We let go of thoughts of past and future, and in doing so we let go of some of the emotional turmoil that those thoughts engender.
You can even associate a phrase or image with a trigger – for example you could say to yourself "opening my heart" as you open the door to your house, and take your awareness to your emotions as you do so.


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Arctic sea ice 101
The Arctic Ocean is blanketed by sea ice that expands during the frigid Arctic winter, reaching a maximum extent in March. Sea ice retreats during the summer, reaching its minimum extent in September. The Arctic ice cover plays an important role in maintaining the Earth's temperature—the shiny white ice reflects light and heat that the ocean would otherwise absorb, keeping the Northern Hemisphere cool.
Arctic sea ice is declining at an increasing rate in all months of the year, with a stronger decline in summer months. Researchers who study climate and sea ice expect that at some point, the Arctic Ocean will lose its ice cover completely in late summer. A variety of evidence suggests that Arctic sea ice is declining because of climate warming resulting from increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Because greenhouse gases persist and are expected to increase, scientists see no reversal to the downward trend in ice extent. Despite year-to-year variations, satellite data show a decline of more than 11 percent per decade in September ice extent, since the satellite record started in 1979. Before 1979, the data are less comprehensive, but shipping records and other evidence show that the ice extent has been in a continued state of decline for at least the last hundred years. Climate models predicted that Arctic sea ice loss would accompany warming temperatures in the Arctic. But the ice loss has happened faster than any models predicted, and researchers now expect that the Arctic Ocean will be ice-free in summer well before the end of the century.
Impacts of ice loss
Scientists are concerned that the loss of Arctic sea ice could set up cycles that increase future climate warming. As ice cover retreats, areas of open water absorb heat that the ice normally reflects. The water warms up, and before ice can form again in the fall, the ocean must release that heat to the atmosphere. Scientists call this cycle "Arctic amplification." Recent research suggests that it is already occurring.
In addition to changes in the Arctic climate, the loss of sea ice on the Arctic Ocean could open up new regions to shipping, tourism, and oil extraction. Researchers do not yet know how those activities will affect the region. NSIDC scientists also monitor the extent of Antarctic sea ice. In contrast to Arctic sea ice, the sea ice cover that surrounds the Antarctic continent has actually grown slightly since the start of the satellite record. However, this trend is smaller (1 to 4 percent in different months), and the Antarctic sea ice cover is more variable than the Arctic. Also, unlike Arctic sea ice, a majority of Antarctic sea ice already melts away each summer, and has done so since at least 1979. Even if wintertime Antarctic sea ice were to increase or decrease significantly in the future, it would not have a huge impact on the climate system. During the Antarctic winter, energy from the sun is at its weakest point; its ability or inability to reflect the sun's energy back into space has little effect on regulating the planet's temperature.


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RICCO Web
Web site of the Rhode Island Civic Chorale & Orchestra
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1317 Hoel Ave, Stoughton WI 53589 $82,900
Features of 1317 Hoel Ave, Stoughton, WI 53589
WI > Dane > Stoughton > 1317 Hoel Ave
- Lots for Sale
- Status: Active
- County: Dane
- Acreage: 0.2
- Subdivision: Nordic Ridge
- Elementary School: Fox Prairie
- Middle School: River Bluff
- High School: Stoughton
- Property Taxes: $2
- Property Tax Year: 2016
- Listing Company: Matson & Assoc., Inc. Real Living
Property Description for 1317 Hoel Ave, Stoughton, WI 53589
1317 Hoel Ave, Stoughton, WI 53589 - Phase two of Nordic Ridge subdivision is now available and offers home sites with beautiful views and varied topography which should allow for exposure lots. Bring your builder or custom build with one of our builders to create all the right spaces!! Come be part of this new community. Easy accessibility to County Highways and shopping.
Building and Construction
- City
Land Features
- Topography: Level
- Zoning: Single family
- Waterfront/Access: N
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|Nov 28 2017 11:48AM
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The information which is contained on pages with property data is obtained from a number of different sources and which has not been independently verified or confirmed by the various real estate brokers and agents who have been and are involved in this transaction. If any particular measurement or data element is important or material to buyer, Buyer assumes all responsibility and liability to research, verify and confirm said data element and measurement. Shorewest Realtors is not making any warranties or representations concerning any of these properties. Shorewest Realtors shall not be held responsible for any discrepancy and will not be liable for any damages of any kind arising from the use of this site.
REALTOR *MLS* Equal Housing Opportunity


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Laurel Morales
Known as "the informer" among her siblings, Laurel Morales came by reporting naturally.
She's been a public radio reporter since 1998, cutting tape with a razor blade at KQED's California Report. She traded in her flip-flops for snow boots to work for Minnesota Public Radio, where she received her first digital recorder. But Morales has spent most of her career in northern Arizona where she's had the honor to witness a Miss Navajo sheep butchering contest, a Havasupai medicine woman's ceremony, and a group of blind teens hike the Grand Canyon.
She joined KJZZ's Fronteras Desk in 2011. In 2017, Morales produced a multi-platform project called Earth+Bone about what tribes believe to be sacred and what Westerners consider fair game. She's won several awards for her work, including a national Edward R. Murrow Award for her continuing coverage of the Yarnell Hill Fire. She earned her master's in journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.


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Executive Oversight
"Executive oversight" refers to the formal review and evaluation of government activities with respect to performance, strategic alignment, policy implementation, and service delivery. Oversight activities contribute to a full assessment of the effectiveness of existing services and programs, and can also contribute to the creation of new services and programs. The Council's standing committees—each exercising jurisdiction over a specific sphere of municipal policy—undertake a continuous evaluation to assure that all services and programs serve their established purposes, comply with pertinent laws and regulations, and remain within budgetary targets.
As an outgrowth of this work, the Council and its standing committees contribute to a number of important objectives, including:
- Improving the efficiency, economy, and effectiveness of government operations;
- Checking the administration by monitoring and evaluating the performance of departments and divisions and ensuring compliance with original legislative or policy intent;
- Reviewing policy proposals affecting the services and programs of city government;
- Providing for public involvement in official decision-making processes; and
- Conducting studies or undertaking investigations in the best interests of the community.
Also See
Last updated Aug 22, 2017


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Jeffrey Holmstead: the Coal Industry's Mercury Lobbyist (REPORT)
Updated Dec. 2016
Coal is dirty. Coal companies know this—utilities that burn the fossil fuel are willing to spend millions of dollars each year to undermine laws that cut back on coal pollution and protect public health. Vital in this dirty business are the lobbyists who are willing to ignore the massive external costs of coal and make a career peddling the coal industry's continued grip on U.S. electricity production. In the recent history of the coal lobby, no single person has bought his clients as much delay on critical pollution controls, such as reducing mercury emissions, as Jeffrey R. Holmstead.
Currently working out of the Washington, DC headquarters of the lobbying firm Bracewell & Giuliani, Jeff Holmstead has jumped in and out of government positions in a continuous effort to block pollution controls at coal-fired power plants. Holmstead's coal clients have doled out over $10.7 million dollars (UPDATE June 2017: $23.5 million) to his firm since he joined in 2007, and a primary undertaking of Holmstead's has been to block and weaken laws that cut back on mercury pollution from power plants. Coal and oil-burning power plants, which release tons of mercury pollution each year [PDF] in the U.S., have avoided any federal mercury protections, despite the Clean Air Act 1990 amendments. This is where Holmstead's dirty legacy begins.
Unclean Habits
Jeffrey Holmstead's formative experience manipulating clean air laws began in 1989 as associate counsel to President George H. W. Bush, where he was involved in "the key steps taken to implement" the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments, or as Clean Air Watch's Frank O'Donnell puts it, he "tried to 'interpret' the rules in ways more favorable to industry." In spite of Holmstead's role, changes to the Clean Air Act through the 1990 amendments paved the way for requiring mercury controls at power plants and other facilities, but extensive scientific research and coal filibustering stalled EPA's official endorsement of a strong utility mercury rule for a decade. By December, 2000, EPA finally ruled that it is "appropriate and necessary" to regulate mercury from power plants by installing high-standard technology across the board with a utility maximum achievable control technology rule (MACT) approach (What's the Utility MACT?).
Jeff Holmstead was one of the coal lobby's voices during the ten year delay leading to EPA's decision to regulate mercury with a Utility MACT rule. After leaving the Bush Sr. administration in 1993, Holmstead joined Latham & Watkins, a beltway lobby firm. His clients at the time included two utility front groups [PDF]. One of Holmstead's lobby clients, the Alliance for Constructive Air Policy [PDF] included large coal utilities [PDF] like American Electric Power, Cinergy, Wisconsin Electric and subsidiaries of Dynergy and Dominion. Holmstead remained a lobbyist at Latham & Watkins until 2001.
Fox in the Hen House
Jeffrey Holmstead put aside his official lobbying job for five years in order to take the opportunity of a lifetime for any polluter apologist. A top position within the George W. Bush administration's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gave Holmstead unprecedented power to reward the industry clients he had been representing. Holmstead's controversial appointment was blocked by Senators until staff from the Environment and Public Works Committee could review documents to investigate conflict of interest concerns. As a former industry lobbyist, his pending EPA appointment threatened to disrupt the development of Clean Air rules, and undermine ongoing efforts begun under the Clinton EPA to hold polluters accountable for their violations of the Clean Air Act. Sure enough, he dismantled those clean air rules, told Congress it wouldn't affect the lawsuits despite internal warnings, and watched EPA turn its back on 70 suspected violation cases. One of Holmstead's priority targets for evisceration was the mercury rule.
After years of scientific review, effective and available technology to reduce mercury pollution from power plants, and success in reducing mercury pollution through "maximum achievable control technology" (MACT) rules in other industries [PDF], Holmstead took steps to undo this progress. An EPA-sponsored Utility MACT Working Group composed of 29 experts from the utility industry, state and local air quality offices and environmental groups were confident that a Utility MACT rule, mandated under the Clean Air Act due to mercury's toxicity, would be EPA's approach to control mercury emissions from power plants. Instead, Holmstead and his adviser Bill Wehrum stopped the Utility MACT rule in its tracks, disbanding the working group suddenly in April, 2003. The Utility MACT Working Group was never reconvened under the Bush EPA. A few months after the working group was disbanded, the New York Times reported that EPA employees in Holmstead's department were told "either not to analyze or not to release information about mercury, carbon dioxide and other air pollutants," in order to be consistent with the Bush Administration's unscientific political positions.
In 2004, Holmstead began shifting away from the legally-mandated Utility MACT rule by proposing less effective options for reducing mercury pollution at U.S. power plants. Drafting the new rules, Holmstead was caught borrowing language provided by his former lobbying firm employer, Latham & Watkins. Holmstead's clients at Latham included two coal utility front groups, so he recognized that it didn't look good when "at least a dozen paragraphs were lifted, sometimes verbatim, from the industry suggestions" and pasted into his regulatory proposals. A few months later, the New York Times uncovered disturbing details of censoring mercury science in Holmstead's office: "The staff members deleted or modified information on mercury that employees of the [EPA] say was drawn largely from a 2000 report by the National Academy of Sciences that Congress had commissioned to settle the scientific debate about the risks of mercury." Citing specific quotes of altered language, Jennifer Lee reported, "In some cases, White House staff members suggested phrasing that minimized the links between power plants and elevated levels of mercury in fish, the primary source from which Americans accumulate mercury in their bodies, in a form known as methlymercury."
Holmstead Abandons the Utility MACT
The utility mercury rule Holmstead favored and admitted to initiating was a less stringent (in fact, illegal) cap and trade method under a different section of the Clean Air Act (subsection 111 instead of 112), which meant downgrading EPA's opinion of mercury's danger as a toxin. The cap and trade rule mirrored the Bush Administration's absurdly-titled "Clear Skies Initiative" in Congress, a legislative assault on clean air laws designed under Holmstead's lead. Clear Skies was a priority of the Bush Administration, but was picked apart by environmental groups and the National Academy of Sciences for weakening Clean Air Act pollution standards. EPA employees claimed even Holmstead acknowledged the Clear Skies Initiative was inferior compared to stronger legislation in the Senate, wondering out loud, "How do we justify Clear Skies if this gets out?"
Mercury regulation under the Clear Skies Initiative would have been less effective than the technology-based Utility MACT because cap and trade is designed to bring down geographically widespread emissions of a substance. While this approach can be effective for emissions that don't have a dangerous local impact (such as carbon dioxide), mercury is known to accumulate locally. Under a cap and trade rule, dirtier power plants would buy credits to release more mercury from plants with lower emissions, and communities around the dirtier facilities could face greater health risks. Concern over these mercury "hot spots" was dismissed by Holmstead, but higher mercury concentrations were later confirmed in a study on the U.S. Atlantic Coast. Additionally, the Associated Press reported that EPA knew of the existence of hot spots in a censored internal report.
Holmstead's reputation for repeatedly censoring inconvenient scientific data and watering down regulatory language was again demonstrated in 2005 by multiple offenses. In March 2005, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) criticized EPA's lack of transparency in creating a new mercury rule, saying Holmstead's cap and trade method should have been considered a "last-resort option." The GAO statements followed an EPA Inspector general report concluding that "agency scientists had been pressured to back the approach preferred by industry" in re-creating mercury regulations.
A month later, Holmstead's office was caught smothering a crucial report commissioned for EPA by the Harvard Center for Risk Assessment as a cost benefit analysis of mercury regulation. The Associated Press revealed how the agency claimed a national benefit of $50 million when the smothered report actually indicated benefits of up to five billion dollars nationwide for larger cuts in emissions, as the Utility MACT rule was poised to do before Holmstead intervened. The Harvard report sat on EPA's shelf for over a year before AP broke the story.
Ignorance is Bliss
The overwhelming evidence in favor of a strong Utility MACT mercury rule led the Clinton administration EPA to conclude that a cap and trade alternative was not legally supportable. Comparing the favorable and legally-required Utility MACT mercury controls with Holmstead's cap and trade proposal, the Washington Post's Eric Pianin explained, "Under the administration's approach, utilities would have until 2018 to cut [mercury, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide] emissions by 70 percent. By comparison, the EPA working group considered various approaches that would cut mercury pollution by 35 percent to 93 percent within three to four years." Instead of reducing utility mercury pollution to as low as 5 tons per year in 2008, Holmstead's plan would only drop emissions to 15 tons annually by 2018. In other words, Holmstead pushed for a ten year delay that ultimately allowed three times the mercury pollution than the Utility MACT he blocked [Heinzerling & Steinzor, p.11].
Jeffrey Holmstead shrugged off the criticism and pushed ahead with his efforts to dismantle effective mercury controls. Holmstead's office had dragged its feet by vaguely studying both the MACT and cap and trade methods. Lisa Heinzerling explained at the time how EPA "ties itself in knots trying to explain how the law allows it to promulgate either of these diametrically opposed options" [Heinzerling & Steinzor, p.9]. Despite a request from 45 Senators to use the appropriate Utility MACT rule, Holmstead later dropped the method altogether, overstepping EPA Administrator Michael Leavitt. EPA officially issued Holmstead's mercury rule on March 15, 2005.
At this point, certain states and environmental groups sued EPA to force a return to the legally mandated Utility MACT rule. This was achieved three years later in a 2008 DC Circuit Court ruling supporting the Clinton EPA's December, 2000 decision to reduce mercury air pollution from coal and oil utilities using a MACT rule. The court's scathing conclusion cited Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, stating [PDF] that the Bush EPA's "explanation deploys the logic of the Queen of Hearts, substituting EPA's desires for the plain text of section 112(c)(9)," the section of the Clean Air Act requiring MACT controls for power plant mercury emissions.
The original Utility MACT rule that Holmstead replaced should have been fully implemented by 2008. As of 2011, EPA expects full implementation by 2016.
Accounting for all the delay, Holmstead's interference has blocked serious reductions in power plant mercury pollution for eight years, assuming no further delays by the coal industry. Unfortunately, that may not be a safe assumption.
Back in King Coal's Court
Jeffrey Holmstead spent over four years as EPA's assistant administrator of Air and Radiation, longer than anyone else in that position to date. In late 2006, after taking a year off, Holmstead joined the lobbying firm Bracewell & Giuliani (B&G). B&G has a notably anti-environmental legacy, lobbying for major corporate polluters and defending white-collar criminals in cases of federal enforcement lawsuits. When asked to explain his blatant revolving door career--leaving EPA to lobby for industry clients--Holmstead said, "I, I'm not sure why, uh, people have tried to make something of that. But people have to have jobs. And that's the way it works."
Since joining Bracewell & Giuliani, Jeff Holmstead has had a total of 16 clients. All but four of those clients were coal utilities, mining companies, or trade associations (and one of those four was CSX, a railroad company that is the largest coal shipper east of the Mississippi). Holmstead's coal interest clients have paid Bracewell & Giuliani over $13.7 million since he joined the firm. In 2011, only one of Holmstead's ten clients was not a coal company. With the coal industry's money, Holmstead and other Bracewell lobbyists fought for the industry's assumed right to unlimited mercury pollution and resisted other rules to protect Americans from coal industry pollution. A recent MJ Bradley report [PDF] found that eleven of the top fifteen U.S. utility companies have long anticipated recent clean air rules and taken steps to prepare. Two of the four laggard companies were Southern Company and Energy Future Holdings, both current Holmstead clients.
Southern Company made two billion dollars last year in profits alone. Southern and other coal utilities invest millions of dollars into subverting regulations. Assistance from Holmstead and other polluter lobbyists at Bracewell & Giuliani costs Southern $120,000 in annual lobbying fees, part of Southern's $8 million lobbying budget. In addition, Southern is represented by the Electric Reliability Coordinating Council, a coal industry front group run out of Bracewell's office in Washington, DC. At a November, 2011 meeting with the White House Office of Management and Budget, Holmstead was present with Bracewell lobbyist and ERCC director Scott Segal (who requested the meeting), three representatives of Southern Company, and a lobbyist from Duke Energy. Duke and other major coal utility clients work with Holmstead, his firm and ERCC in the same fashion that Southern Company does.
Many of Jeff Holmstead's current clients were recently named among the top mercury polluters in the coal utility sector, the largest source of mercury pollution in the U.S. Of the 25 companies listed as 2010's biggest mercury polluters (see Environment America report [PDF]), at least 9 are represented by Holmstead. Luminant, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Energy Future Holdings, and Southern Company rank 2nd and 3rd, respectively, releasing over 4,000 pounds of airborn mercury each. Other Holmstead clients on the list are Ameren (#4), GenOn (#7), DTE Energy (#11), Duke Energy (#12), Salt River Project (#20) and Progress Energy (#22). FirstEnergy (ranked #16 in the report), is a suspected member of the Electric Reliability Coordinating Council, or ERCC -- the coal front group managed by coal lobbyists in Bracewell's DC lobbying office. ERCC itself is a Holmstead lobbying client. Although ERCC refuses to reveal its member companies, several confirmed or suspected members overlap with several of Holmstead clients: Southern Co., Duke Energy, Progress Energy, Energy Future Holdings, and Salt River Project [Drew & Oppel, Jr.].
Doublespeak and Deception
While working full time for polluters at Bracewell & Giuliani, Jeffrey Holmstead's statements on mercury's toxic potency directly contradict some of his statements while at EPA. In office, Holmstead at least acknowledged the danger of mercury from power plants. The Natural Resources Defense Council flagged an unbroken quote from May 2002 Congressional testimony, where Holmstead recognized that "mercury is a potent toxin that causes permanent damage to the brain and nervous system," that "mercury exposure comes through eating contaminated fish," and that "power generation is now the largest uncontrolled source of mercury emissions." In stark contrast, Holmstead claimed in a June, 2011 debate, "It is pretty hard to say that [mercury from coal-fired power plants] is a significant public health issue." Each year, EPA's mercury rule is expected to prevent 4,200-11,000 premature deaths, along with thousands of cases of chronic bronchitis, heart attacks, and other health problems [PDF].
It takes a special talent to lobby against public health in favor of corporate profit. Part of Holmstead's proficiency in peddling coal's delay and deny strategy is to avoid an honest discussion of the immense impacts the burning coal has on public health and the environment, and instead focus on misleading cost benefit analyses. This dark talent is likely the reason Holmstead was named as one of several George W. Bush administration officials now advising Mitt Romney's presidential campaign on energy issues. Holmstead also aided Romney during his 2008 campaign.
Lethal Lies
While the focus of this cautionary tale is how Jeff Holmstead has obstructed effective methods of reducing mercury pollution from coal plants, unlimited mercury pollution is only one dangerous privilege that Holmstead has defended for his coal clients. Holmstead's full history includes parallel efforts to block or weaken other EPA rules. While at EPA, Holmstead attacked New Source Review rules, which require pollution controls when new industrial facilities are built or old ones are upgraded. And as for reducing industry greenhouse gas emissions that fuel global climate change, EPA air chief Holmstead stated in 2005, "the idea that there would be mandatory, you know, carbon regulation is just something that we don't support." In his time as a lobbyist at Bracewell & Giuliani, Holmstead was implicated in a 2010 scandal revealing that he and another former Bush EPA official-turned-lobbyist ghostwrote a legislative amendment for Senator Lisa Murkowski (I-AK) that would have undermined the Clean Air Act's provision to control climate-altering greenhouse gases from major emitters. Sen. Murkowski has received over $380,000 from coal interests from 1999-2011, with $65,000 from Holmstead coal clients in the specific years he has worked for them. In 2011, Sen. Murkowski wrote letters and threatened legislative action to further delay implementation of EPA's mercury rule.
At present, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates [PDF] that finally completing and implementing a Utility MACT mercury rule will prevent up to 11,000 premature deaths per year, along with other enormous health benefits, by the time the rule is fully implemented.
Jeff Holmstead's sabotage of the rulemaking process at EPA has caused eight years of delay, delay where Americans have continued to suffer from the impacts of pollution from coal fired power plants. The implications of the amount of lives that could have been saved in this eight-year timeframe is staggering: tens of thousands of people have likely been unnecessarily killed by coal pollution because of the delay. Instead of being held accountable, Holmstead continues to make a killing as the coal industry's mercury lobbyist.
*What's the Utility MACT? (back up to report)
The Clinton EPA, recognizing the danger of mercury and certain other hazardous air pollutants, chose the "maximum achievable control technology" (MACT) method for controlling dangerous pollution at power plants. The Utility MACT requires plant-by-plant controls to greatly reduce air emissions of mercury using attainable but top-notch technology. While utilities still haven't been made to comply with a MACT rule, similar rules for incinerator industries have shown over 95% reductions in mercury pollution [PDF] over a 15-year period. Without any regulation, coal- and oil-burning utilities managed only 10% voluntary reductions of mercury pollution over the same time. Coal and oil burning electric utilities are the top source of manmade mercury pollution in the United States.
Environmental Law Reporter:
Lisa Heinzerling & Rena I. Steinzor, Environmental Law Reporter, News & Analysis, "A Perfect Storm: Mercury and the Bush Administration," part 1 of 2, April, 2004.
- P.9 = EPA "ties itself in knots" [back to text]
- P.11 = comparison of mercury rules [back to text]
Lisa Heinzerling & Rena I. Steinzor, Environmental Law Reporter, News & Analysis, "A Perfect Storm: Mercury and the Bush Administration, Part II" part 2 of 2, June, 2004.
New York Times:
Neela Banerjee, "Files Detail Debate in E.P.A. on Clean Air," New York Times, March 21, 2002.
Katharine Q. Seelye, "White House Rejected a Stronger E.P.A. Alternative to the President's Clear Skies Plan," New York Times, April 28, 2002.
Jeffrey R. Holmstead, "Emissions Trading," Letter to the Editor, New York Times, June 7, 2002, obtained through ProQuest.
Jennifer 8. Lee, "Committee Approves E.P.A. Nominee, Setting Up Floor Fight," New York Times, October 16, 2003.
Jennifer 8. Lee, "White House Minimized the Risks of Proposed Mercury Rules, Scientists Say," New York Times, April 7, 2004. (back to text)
Jennifer 8. Lee, "Critics Say E.P.A. Won't Analyze Clean Air Proposals Conflicting with President's Policies," New York Times, July 14, 2003.
Jennifer 8. Lee, "New Policy on Mercury Pollution Was Rejected by Clinton E.P.A." New York Times, December 16, 2003.
Christopher Drew and Richard A. Oppel, Jr., "Air War -- Remaking Energy Policy; How Power Lobby Won Battle Of Pollution Control at E.P.A." New York Times, March 6, 2004. (back to text)
Michael Janofsky, "Inspector General Says E.P.A. Rule Aids Polluters," New York Times, October 1, 2004.
"Dubious Choices," Editorial, New York Times, April 24, 2006.
Washington Post:
Eric Pianin, "EPA Announces 'Cap and Trade' Plan to Cut Mercury Pollution; Agency Bowed to Utility Industry Pressure, Critics Charge," Washington Post, p. A35, December 16, 2003. Obtained through ProQuest.
Eric Pianin, "EPA Led Mercury Policy Shift: Agency Scuttled Task Force That Advised Tough Approach," Washington Post, p. A17, December 30, 2003. Obtained through LexisNexis.
Guy Gugliotta & Eric Pianin, "EPA Withholds Air Pollution Analysis; Senate Plan Found More Effective, Slightly More Costly than Bush Proposal," Washington Post, p. A03, July 1, 2003. Obtained through ProQuest.
Guy Gugliotta & Eric Pianin, "EPA Issues Rosier 'Clear Skies' Analysis, Based on New Model; Agency Denies Hiding Data on Rival Bill," Washington Post, p. A06, July 2, 2003. Obtained through ProQuest, available on High Beam.
Eric Pianin, "Report Cites 10 States' Mercury Pollution; Envrionmental Advocacy Group Uses EPA Data to Pinpoint 'Hot Spots'," Washington Post, p. A02, December 10, 2003. Obtained through ProQuest, available at Environmental Defense Fund [PDF].
Eric Pianin, "Proposed Mercury Rules Bear Industry Mark; EPA Language Similar to that in Memos from Law Firm Representing Utilities," Washington Post, p. A04, January 31, 2004.
Associated Press:
Juliet Williams, "List of states suing federal government over mercury regulations rises to 10," Associated Press, April 12, 2005. Obtained through ProQuest.
John Heilprin, "Internal EPA study finds higher benefits from curbing mercury pollution," Associated Press, April 29, 2005. Obtained through ProQuest, available through Google News.
Other references:
Frank O'Donnell, Blog for Clean Air, Clean Air Watch. A site search for "Holmstead" reveals numerous accounts over the years.
"Resolved: EPA's Utility MACT is the right tool at the right time," filmed debate, Environmental Law Institute, June 7, 2011.
Meg Kinnard, "EPA's Holmstead: Emissions Trading Program Works," Insider Interview, National Journal, February 5, 2003.
Numerous articles cited in the text were written by Darren Samuelsohn for E&E News (subscription required). Samuelsohn now writes for Politico Pro.


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Gov. Bill Ritter signs legislation that streamlines and centralizes Colorado's fractured and inefficient IT systems.
With a stroke of his pen, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter yesterday signed into law a sweeping bill that will completely overhaul how the state manages IT. The legislation, which received overwhelming bipartisan support from the state Legislature, transfers the duties and functions of the state's highly fragmented IT operations to the Governor's Office of Information Technology (OIT).
"Information Technology is the cornerstone of being able to provide the services we offer today," Ritter said. "Information technology is no longer confined to boxes and wires -- it's now a way to create new and innovative business solutions for the 21st century."
As an example of the waste and inefficiencies in the state's IT operations, Ritter pointed out that Colorado has 39 separate data centers and more than 1,600 servers. The state has also been plagued by a string of IT project failures that has damaged support for innovative IT projects in Colorado. "Centralization really helps us going forward and not falling into that trap again," he told Public CIO.
Mike Locatis, who was appointed by Ritter in 2007 as the state's first Cabinet-level CIO, said the legislation will deliver numerous benefits besides lower operating costs and less waste. "We see the legislation as a way to leverage our ability to attract and retain IT workers, and we will be able to leverage this with our business partners to get a more enterprise approach to licensing," he said.
Starting on July 1, Colorado's 1,100-1,200 IT workers, including agency CIOs, will report to OIT, although they will remain with their respective agencies.
Shortly after taking over as CIO, Locatis assembled a team of experts who drafted a consolidation plan that based much of its research on how other states had approached centralization. "That plan reflects our body of knowledge and input from other states," he said. The team interviewed CIOs and senior IT staff from Michigan, Delaware, Texas, North Dakota, Virginia and Missouri. Locatis described the input from other state CIOs as extremely valuable.
One lesson Locatis singled out from that input was the importance of communications with IT workers. OIT has met with all state IT employees, held town hall meetings to address concerns and has used newsletters to keep employees informed about the legislation.
Ritter also emphasized the importance of having the CIO as a Cabinet-level secretary as part of his centralization agenda. "When Mike discusses IT at Cabinet meetings, it's my CIO who is talking. No one has to interpret for him. I can imagine that if Mike had not been a member of my Cabinet, other members might have been more difficult to engage in the centralization." The governor added: "You need to have a person at your right hand side who is tech savvy and who gives a status to and respect toward the role of IT in state government."
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A novel by Eric Garcia — Cassandra French's Finishing School for Boys — is being turned into an MTV drama, produced by Krysten Ritter and starring Rose McIver. McIver, whom you may recognize from The Lovely Bones, will play Cassie French, a successful young lawyer at a Hollywood studio. But, according to The Hollywood Reporter, there's a catch:
The men she meets are not mature enough to date her. When her latest hope at love crosses the line and in the process knocks himself unconscious, she decides to lock him in her basement and train him to become the perfect gentleman.
The story is supposed to be a comedic look at dating, with "an endearingly amoral heroine," and a lady trying to makeover her man — both aesthetically and emotionally — is a tried-and-true romcom trope. It's interesting that a man wrote a story about a woman wanting men to be better. And weirdly, less creepy than if a man had written about a man locking a woman in the basement.
MTV Taps 'Lovely Bones' Actress to Star in 'Cassandra French' Pilot (Exclusive) [The Hollywood Reporter]
Cassandra French's Finishing School for Boys


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Goodies from Mexico!
>> Thursday, July 31, 2008
I received these goodies from Mexico...sweets! I've no idea what they are, but it's sure interesting for someone like me, who gets amused quite easily with new things! (Chris is even more easily amused than I am when it comes to new stuff)
Clockwise L-R: Round sweet...caramel lollipop...another sweet...small round sweet...wafer sweet...Mexican red-indian pendant-like gift (still trying to figure out what it is :P) Okay, seems like for once, Ruth doesn't know what she's eating...haha...I can't read Spanish la!
My project manager & one team mate went to Mexico for the UAT phase of the project. A few of us stayed back in Msia to support from here :) I'm very glad that the project went well! *yay* Indeed, I am blessed to be a part of this great project team...now that I'm moving into a new project (I already am in the new project), I kinda miss my old project team...*sigh* Things just have to move so fast...bleagh...
*Ruth is feeling nostalgic*
- Ruth Read more...


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Explore the latest cases and covers to enhance your device experience. We offer an extensive range of cases suited to your specific needs. Our collection offers a huge range of cases to defend your device against water, dust, and shock. Our experts have carefully selected the best Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus cases and covers, so you can equip your device with rugged protection that won't get in the way of your Samsung's sleek design. All our cases fit snugly over the volume buttons, side buttons, and curves of your device without adding bulk. Make your phone stand out from the crowd with colorful, sparkly and smart Samsung cases. For that added extra protection, why not add a tempered glass screen protector? With options for every occasion, we take the stress out of finding your perfect case. #PutACaseOnIt, cause we know how precious this baby is to you.
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Inovio Pharmaceuticals Announces Public Offering of Common Stock; Size Not Mentioned
Inovio Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: INO) today announced that it intends to offer and sell shares of its common stock in an underwritten public offering. Piper Jaffray & Co. and Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated are acting as joint bookrunning managers for the offering. The offering is subject to market conditions, and there can be no assurance as to whether or when the offering may be completed, or as to the actual size or terms of the offering.
The securities described above are being offered by the Company pursuant to a shelf registration statement previously filed with and declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 13, 2014. The offering will be made only by means of the written prospectus and prospectus supplement that form a part of the registration statement. Copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the securities being offered may also be obtained from Piper Jaffray & Co., Attention: Prospectus Department, 800 Nicollet Mall, J12S03, Minneapolis, MN 55402, via telephone at 800-747-3924 or email at email@example.com; or from Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, Attention: Syndicate, One Montgomery Street, Suite 3700, San Francisco, CA 94104, via telephone at 415-364-2720 or email at email@example.com.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of offers to buy any securities of Inovio being offered, and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale of any security in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
About Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
We are engaged in the discovery and development of a new generation of vaccines and immune therapies, called synthetic vaccines, focused on cancers and infectious diseases. Our DNA-based SynCon® technology is designed to provide universal protection against known as well as new unmatched strains of pathogens such as influenza and also generate strong T-cell responses to fight cancers and infectious diseases. Our preclinical development and clinical programs include cervical dysplasia/cancer (therapeutic), influenza (preventive), prostate cancer (therapeutic), hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus, HIV, and malaria vaccines. Our partners and collaborators include Roche, University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, National Microbiology Laboratory of the Public Health Agency of Canada, Program for Appropriate Technology in Health/Malaria Vaccine Initiative, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Merck, University of Southampton, United States Military HIV Research Program, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, HIV Vaccines Trial Network and Department of Homeland Security.
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 relating to our business, including our plans to develop electroporation-based drug and gene delivery technologies and DNA vaccines and our capital resources. Actual events or results may differ from the expectations set forth herein as a result of a number of factors, including uncertainties inherent in pre-clinical studies, clinical trials and product development programs (including, but not limited to, the fact that pre-clinical and clinical results referenced in this release may not be indicative of results achievable in other trials or for other indications, that the studies or trials may not be successful or achieve the results desired, that pre-clinical studies and clinical trials may not commence or be completed in the time periods anticipated, that results from one study may not necessarily be reflected or supported by the results of other similar studies and that results from an animal study may not be indicative of results achievable in human studies), the availability of funding to support continuing research and studies in an effort to prove safety and efficacy of electroporation technology as a delivery mechanism or develop viable DNA vaccines, the adequacy of our capital resources, the availability or potential availability of alternative therapies or treatments for the conditions targeted by the company or its collaborators, including alternatives that may be more efficacious or cost-effective than any therapy or treatment that the company and its collaborators hope to develop, evaluation of potential opportunities, issues involving product liability, issues involving patents and whether they or licenses to them will provide the company with meaningful protection from others using the covered technologies, whether such proprietary rights are enforceable or defensible or infringe or allegedly infringe on rights of others or can withstand claims of invalidity and whether the company can finance or devote other significant resources that may be necessary to prosecute, protect or defend them, the level of corporate expenditures, assessments of the company's technology by potential corporate or other partners or collaborators, our ability to secure new partnerships and collaborations, capital market conditions, the impact of government healthcare proposals and other factors set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, our Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2013, and other regulatory filings from time to time. There can be no assurance that any product in Inovio's pipeline will be successfully developed or manufactured, that final results of clinical studies will be supportive of regulatory approvals required to market licensed products, or that any of the forward-looking information provided herein will be proven accurate. Although the Company may elect to do so at some point in the future, the Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements and it disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Related Links
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(c) 2014 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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I'm looking for crewing opportunities around the West Coast of Scotland. I have been sailing for 5 years and have completed my RYA Dayskipper Practical (Tidal) Certificate. I enjoy sailing on traditional vessels in particular.
Looking to build up my experience/miles in order to sit my Yachtmaster certificate next year.
I'm an easy going, sociable and reasonably fit and I'm happy to pay my share of any costs. I can usually be available at short notice as well if you are short handed.
Call - John on 07505 706904
Crew Available Here
Find crew or find a berth
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- Midshipman
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Thu Jun 28, 2012 6:55 pm
- Boat Type: Cruisers usually
Re: Crew Available Here
Nice bloke, he went out with me yesterday.
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Episode 242 of The CyberJungle is about 25 minutes long. You can hear it by clicking on the flash player below. The interview with Sean Morrissey of Katana Forensics begins at about 13min. You may download the file directly – great for listening on many smartphones. Or, you may go to the listening options page and browse for other ways to hear the show.
To listen to Episode 242 via the flash player:
Sean Morrissey of Katana Forensics launches LaternLite iOS Forensics tool this week
Our Take On This Week's News
Forensic innovator Jonathan Grier has developed tools that use statistical analysis of file access data to reconstruct timelines. According to Mr. Gerier, his method can be used to determine what, if data was exfiltrated from the system. Read more in: Detecting data theft using stochastic forensics.
Excellent work by c|net's Elinor Mills on the software by CarrierIQ that some have labeled as an illegal "root kit." Read: Sprint disabling Carrier IQ on phones.
Tales From The Dark Web
Passwords hard coded into industrial control systems – What could possibly go wrong?
New job opportunity for those with Photoshop forensics skills? US watchdog bans photoshopping in cosmetics ads. Wow, and I thought all those models had perfect faces and perfect bodies all of the time…


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Wrexham County Map
This 1:100,000 detailed map of Wrexham shows the county boundary, town names, roads, railways, land features, water features and tourist information. Along with this map is a A4 legend showing and explaining all the different icons, roads, railways and more.
Laminated option: Printed onto quality paper and finished with a gloss laminate.


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Specific Notes
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Comments about Spectrum™ Scooter, 12":
I use this product in my learning lab as a way to build core strength and reinforce skills my students need to master. The students are excited when it is scooter time.It can also be adapted to different skills and grade levels.
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Comments about Spectrum™ Scooter, 12":
I purchased 3 of these initially for the kids at our church. The first day the a wheel came off one of the scooters. I ordered replacement wheels and another scooter since they are popular. The second week another scooter lost a wheel and this time a piece of plastic broke off with the wheel. Our kids are ages 4 to 12. They are supervised and no one was using the scooter inappropriately. I am disappointed in the quality of construction especially since the kids love to use them so much.
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Comments about Spectrum™ Scooter, 12":
Kids at our schools enjoying using these to do heavy work. The casters seems pretty strong and the handles keep little fingers from getting squished
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Comments about Spectrum™ Scooter, 12":
Great way to exercise the leg muscles in a fun way!Better for smaller students...
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Comments about Spectrum™ Scooter, 12":
Rarely did a class of mine not overwhelmingly react to the scooters as I took them out of the Gym closet. I never had one break or crack and I had my Eigth graders riding these as well. Great leg workout and great fun had by all.
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The killing of innocent people is never right or justified. We are hoping this is not a false flag or hoax or a plan to use this situation to allow police around the country to use lethal force against civilians. By no means are we detectives but something about this incident is very strange.
Below we listed a few questions that maybe you can help us answer.
1. Why did Baltimore police fax a flyer to NYPD versus calling or emailing this threat? Apparently the fax was received 5 mins before the shootings. The flyer warns that Brinsley had posted on Instagram "that he will shoot a police officer today. (this is strange)
(bonus question)
Why would Baltimore Police Department fax a picture (above) that doesn't show his face when they have a photo (below) of the suspect when he was arrested in the past?
2. According to his Ex girlfriends Mother Brinsley called her and apologized after he supposedly shot his ex girlfriend Shaneka Nicole Thompson in the stomach on accident. He called from his ex girlfriends cell phone.
3. He is an alleged Black Muslim radical who speaks Arabic with ties to Black Guerrilla Family. How was this information sourced? Last time we checked having an Arabic name does not make you a muslim anymore than having a name like Peter, Paul or John Smith make you a Christian. How did the police have this much info so fast?
4. Why would an angry black man avenge Eric Garner and Mike Brown by killing police officers who were Asian & Latino?
5. Why does all the photos of Ismaaiyl A. Brinsley on a ambulance stretcher look like he was handcuffed after supposedly committing suicide? (This photo has been removed by request of the photographer Mr. Theodore Parisienne. To view this amazing photo go here: http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.2051969!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_970/copshot.jpg)
6. How did they know immediately this was in retaliation for Eric Garner…did he write a manifest or suicide note stating this?
7. How is his alleged Instagram page a reliable source?
8. Is there CCTV footage from the subway platform?
9. Where were the newspaper stories from Baltimore about the shooting of the Ex Girlfriend?
10. Why is the only picture of his ex girlfriend showing her dressed in military fatigues? Is she a military officer?
11. The police car doesn't show any visible bullet holes or blood.
12. Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos were working as part of an anti-terrorism drill in Bedford-Stuyvesant during the time they were killed by a alleged Muslim Terrorist. Isn't that impossible?????!!!!
13. Why are the only official photos of Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos showing them posing in front of a movie green screen behind them?
14. How was Brinsley able to take photos inside of a police department while possibly being arrested or detained?
Here is the official timeline of Ismaaiyl Brinsley's movements on a day that began with the unauthorized entry into his ex-girlfriend's house and ended with his suicide in a Brooklyn subway station:
Enters apartment of ex-girlfriend Shaneka Thompson in Owings Mills, Maryland with a key he should not have had. They argue.
Brinsley fires a single shot at Thompson, reportedly into her stomach. He flees with her cell phone.
Brinsley calls Thompson's mother to apologize for shooting her. He claims it is an accident, and that he hopes she lives.
Baltimore County Police begins monitoring him. They track Thompson's cellphone to the I-95 freeway, where he is believed to have been riding a bus. During the journey he keeps phoning Thompson's mom, and reveals he is headed to New York City.
Brinsley arrives in New York City, in the West Side, and rides the subway to Brooklyn.
He throws away Thompson's phone in the Barclays Center. The NYPD later recovered it. Investigators are unclear where he goes between midday and the killings at 2.47pm.
Baltimore County Police send the NYPD a fax alerting them to Brinsley and his intentions. By the time it filters down to the rank-and-file, he has already struck.
Brinsley identifies his targets in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn, tells passersby to watch, then fires four shots at them.
As he flees he confronts two Con Edison drivers, who chase him in their truck and point officers in their direction.
He runs into the Myrtle/Willoughby G train station, where he shoots himself dead on the platform


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Monday, April 25, 2011
cook's illustrated carrot cake and cream cheese frosting
cook's illustrated recipe for carrot cake and cream cheese frosting is my new go to, gotta have, can't do without recipe. i baked this for easter sunday and it was a hit! it was really a hit with my husband, so it is a true keeper in my book. it baked tall and moist, frosted with a delicate cream cheese frosting that is not overly sweet or thick. i just loved it....all. i just ate a piece for breakfast. shhhhhh. enjoy.
simple carrot cake with cream cheese frosting-cook's illustrated magazine 2003
makes one 13 by 9-inch cake
you can add walnuts and raisins, both or neither, if you do both, add about ten minutes onto your baking time. i added one cup of toasted walnuts. delicious!
carrot cake
2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound (6 to 7 medium) carrots, peeled
1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups safflower, canola, or vegetable oil
cream cheese frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, softened but still cool
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 tablespoon sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1. for the cake: adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. spray 13 by 9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in large bowl; set aside.
3. in food processor fitted with large shredding disk, shred carrots (you should have about 3 cups); transfer carrots to bowl and set aside. wipe out food processor workbowl and fit with metal blade. process granulated and brown sugars and eggs until frothy and thoroughly combined, about 20 seconds. with machine running, add oil through feed tube in steady stream. process until mixture is light in color and well emulsified, about 20 seconds longer. scrape mixture into medium bowl. stir in carrots and dry ingredients until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. pour into prepared pan and bake until toothpick or skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking time. cool cake to room temperature in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours.
4. for the frosting: when cake is cool, process cream cheese, butter, sour cream, and vanilla in clean food processor workbowl until combined, about 5 seconds, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed. add confectioners' sugar and process until smooth, about 10 seconds.
5. ice cake and store in the fridge. i think it tastes best served cold. yum.
8 comments:
- Kayte said...
Carrot Cake is certainly Easter-bunny friendly! This looks delicious...there is no finer frosting in my mind! Happy Easter!
- April 25, 2011 at 8:53 AM
- Barbara Bakes said...
The cake sounds fabulous. I've been wanting to bake some carrot cakes in little loafs to give away. Do you think that would work?
- April 25, 2011 at 1:13 PM
- Pam said...
I would truly eat a huge slice of this beautiful carrot cake for breakfast too... it looks SO GOOD!
- April 26, 2011 at 11:15 AM
- Chesapeake Bay Woman said...
OK, I'm not a baker, but I am gonna seriously make me some of that cream cheese frosting whether I bake the cake or not! Sounds absolutely heavenly.
- April 29, 2011 at 7:10 PM
- Not Quite Nigella said...
That looks delicious! I can't eat carrot cake without that delicious cream cheese frosting and this cake looks so moist! :)
- May 23, 2011 at 6:48 AM
- Judy said...
I made CI's carrot cake last year and have been experimenting with other carrot cake recipes since. It's definitely my favorite so far.
- August 23, 2011 at 8:48 AM
- Barbara Bakes said...
This really is a fabulous recipe. Thanks for posting!
- August 24, 2011 at 9:26 AM
- Andrew Irving said...
This is the recipe we use at the French House at UW-Madison. www.uwfrenchhouse.org. Carrot Cake is not really 'French' but the French love it. It's very popular in France. Of course, our residents and guests love this too!
- March 4, 2013 at 12:36 PM


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WASHINGTON D.C. Feb. 17, 2014 -- Alzheimer's disease has long been marked by progress -- but not the kind of progress the medical community seeks. It is the most common form of dementia among older Americans, and its risk increases with increasing age; for those living with the disease, its ravages get worse over time; and as we move into the 21st century, it will place a greater and greater burden on society. The number of Americans living with Alzheimer's has doubled since 1980 and is expected to triple again by 2050.
Sadly, Alzheimer's disease has been the least prone to progress in the one area where we'd like to find change the most -- in our ability to fight it. There is still no way to prevent, reverse or definitively diagnose Alzheimer's disease using molecular markers or imaging.
Many research groups are working to change that, and at the 58th Annual Biophysical Society Meeting, which is taking place in San Francisco from Feb. 15-19, Giuseppe Melacini of McMaster University in Ontario, Canada will describe the progress his team is making at unraveling the mystery of the amyloid beta ("Abeta") peptide, a tangling molecule found in the brain plaques associated with the disease.
"By focusing on one of the main components that impairs proper brain function, called Abeta peptide, we are trying to understand what properties of Abeta lead to toxic aggregates implicated in brain impairment," explained Giuseppe Melacini. This work is significant, he added, because without a molecular understanding of Alzheimer's disease, it will be difficult if not impossible to begin to find a cure.
Melacini and his team used a unique method originally developed to study long-range communication in folded proteins. This is a new approach never used before for unfolded peptides, such as the Abeta molecule, and it could reveal transient elusive states of Abeta that have escaped detection so far but that could be implicated in toxic aggregate formation. The research team dealt with challenges unique to the Abeta molecule. This system is difficult to work with because it is very aggregation prone and very sensitive to even the smallest differences in sample preparation protocols, says Melacini. "The Abeta molecule is also highly dynamic and it is therefore hard to pinpoint which structures out of this complex ensemble are functionally relevant."
While this research is still in its early stages, the team is taking the next steps to identify Abeta structures that either form or inhibit the formation of toxic aggregates, which in turn can cause brain impairment. Once that is done, the goal will be to trap these structures and use them for screening.
"If we can identify the structures of the Abeta peptide that lead to toxic aggregates, we can then begin the development of inhibitors to suppress that process and have a chance to find treatments for Alzheimer's disease," Melacini said.
The presentation "Finding Order in Disorder: Probing Transient Functional States in the Amyloidogenic Alzheimer's Aβ Peptide Using the NMR Chemical Shift Covariance Analysis (CHESCA)" by Moustafa Algamal, Julijana Milojevic, Naeimeh Jafari, Shiyuan Zhang, Rajeevan Selvaratnam and Giuseppe Melacini will be at 11:45 a.m. on Monday, February 17, 2014 in Room 304 in San Francisco's Moscone Convention Center.
ABSTRACT: http://tinyurl.
Each year, the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting brings together more than 7,000 researchers working in the multidisciplinary fields representing biophysics. With more than 4,200 poster presentations, over 200 exhibits, and more than 20 symposia, the BPS Annual Meeting is the largest meeting of biophysicists in the world. Despite its size, the meeting retains its small-meeting flavor through its subgroup symposia, platform sessions, social activities, and committee programs.
The 58th Annual Meeting will be held at the Moscone Convention Center, 747 Howard Street, San Francisco, California.
The Biophysical Society invites professional journalists, freelance science writers and public information officers to attend its Annual Meeting free of charge. For press registration, contact Alisha Yocum at firstname.lastname@example.com or Jason Bardi at 240-535-4954.
Main Meeting Page: http://tinyurl.
Program Highlights: http://tinyurl.
Abstracts Search: http://tinyurl.
The Biophysical Society, founded in 1958, is a professional, scientific Society established to encourage development and dissemination of knowledge in biophysics. The Society promotes growth in this expanding field through its annual meeting, monthly journal, and committee and outreach activities. Its 9000 members are located throughout the U.S. and the world, where they teach and conduct research in colleges, universities, laboratories, government agencies, and industry. For more information on the Society, or the 2014 Annual Meeting, visit http://www.


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VANCOUVER — Charles Hamelin always wanted to be a superhero.
As a kid, he read any comic he could get his hands on. When he grew older, he grew his hair out long because "that's what superheroes looked like." But during the first two weeks of these Olympics, it seemed like he was just Average Joe.
And then, when the country needed him the most, he came through and saved the day for Canada. In true superhero fashion, he even ended up with the girl.
Immediately after the winning his first of two gold medals — in the 500 metres and the team relay — the Canadian short-track speedskater made a beeline for the end boards at Pacific Coliseum. There, waiting for him as previously planned, was teammate Marianne St-Gelais. With the crowd roaring, the two embraced and kissed in what seemed like a moment that was frozen in time.
"It was something that I had to do," he said afterwards.
Hamelin was speaking about celebrating with his girlfriend. He could have also been talking about his double-gold performances.
The bearded 25-year-old had been the face of the Canadian short-track speedskating team. But after failing to land on the podium in the 1,500-metre and 1,000-metre events earlier in these Olympics, some wondered if the pressure of performing at home was too much for the native of Ste-Julie, Que.
And then, on the final night of competition, he and the rest of the team atoned for their earlier hiccups.
"My goal was to bring back one medal in the individual and one in the relay," he said. "Whatever the colour it could have been."
Aside from Hamelin's two gold medals, Francois-Louis Tremblay of Montreal won a bronze medal in the 500 metres. And the men's relay team (Hamelin, brother Francois Hamelin, Tremblay, Olivier Jean and Guillaume Bastille) picked up another gold.
According to team leader Yves Hamelin, who happens to be Charles and Francois' father, it was "a birthday for us."
The Canadian team had picked up four medals (three silver and one bronze) at the 2006 Olympics. Friday night, it increased that ante to five (two gold, two silver and a bronze).
That Canada would save its best for last was not all that surprising.
The 500-metre individual sprint and the 5,000-metre team relay were Canada's strongest races. This was where they would win their gold medals. This was where they would show the world and redeem themselves by finishing on top.
A four-and-a-half-lap race, the 500-metre race lasts about as long as the average hockey shift.
Charles Hamelin entered the Olympics as the top-ranked skater. Tremblay was second. And the unpredictable Jean of Lachenaie, Que., was 10th. As such, expectations were high.
"Conservatively, two Canadians in the final," Hamelin had predicted, "and one on the podium."
Added Tremblay: "I'm aiming for gold, of course."
With two Canadians in the four-man final, the odds looked promising. But, as we had already seen numerous times during these Olympics, anything can happen in short-track.
Hamelin, who started on the inside, took the lead right away and held it for most of the race. Chasing him were Korea's Sung Si-Bak and Tremblay, respectively, while Ohno characteristically stayed in the back and waited for his time to attack. When he did — on the final turn on the final lap — all hell broke loose.
The Seattle native, who had a generous amount of fans at the Pacific Coliseum, tried to go around on the outside of Tremblay. But as he put a hand on the Canadian skater's shoulder, Tremblay fell and took out Sung, who was briefly in the lead.
Though Hamelin got twisted around, he managed to stay on his feet and cross the finish line in first.
For a brief moment, Ohno thought he had another medal to go with the silver he won in the 1,500 metres and the bronze he won in the 1,000 metres. But a referee disqualified the 27-year-old and bumped up Sung to second and Tremblay to third.
"Today the bronze was really good. I'm really happy about it," said Tremblay, who won a silver medal in the 500 metres in the 2006 Olympics. "I knew he pushed because I never really fall. The last time I fell was two years ago."
Though Ohno insinuated that there was a hometown bias ("you know, it's the head Canadian referee out there and there were two Canadians in the race" he said), the Canadians disagreed.
"It's the type of comment that we hear once in a while," said Yves Hamelin. "But I can tell you it's never the case. (Referee Michelle Verreault) is usually more severe against the Canadians."


text: Back Squamous Cell Carcinoma What is squamous cell carcinoma? Squamous cell skin cancer (sometimes referred to as a type of non-melanoma skin cancer) may appear as nodules, or as red, scaly patches of skin. They often appear on sun-exposed parts of the body. Who is at risk for squamous cell carcinoma? Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common skin cancer found in Caucasians, and is usually found on fair-skinned persons. The risk factors for squamous cell carcinoma include the following: Older age Male gender human papilloma virus (HPV) infection Smoking History of skin cancer Immunosuppression, such as in persons who have had organ transplants Treatment of psoriasis Long-term skin inflammation or injury Radiation exposure Exposure to certain chemicals Excessive exposure to UV radiation (sunlight or tanning beds) Where is squamous cell carcinoma found? Squamous cell carcinoma is typically is found on areas often exposed to the sun, such as the rim of the ear, face, lips, and mouth, however, it can also develop on other parts of the body. Although generally more aggressive than basal cell carcinoma (in rare cases it may spread to other parts of the body), this cancer is highly treatable. In most cases it is cured with minor surgery or other treatments.


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Lesson Plan
What's My Subject? A Subject-Verb Agreement Minilesson
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|50 minutes
|Lesson Author
Villanova d'Asti, Asti
Reviewing subjectverb agreement doesn't have to be tedious. In this minilesson, high school students explore subject-verb agreement using real-life examples from newspapers and song lyrics. In addition to reviewing and identifying both correct and incorrect subject-verb agreement, students look at when it may be appropriate to use ungrammatical language and talk about the difference between formal and informal language. They then make up quizzes to share with their peers. The emphasis of the lesson is on asking students to discover how this important grammatical rule is used (or deliberately ignored) in a variety of settings.
Haussamen, Brock, et al. 2003. Grammar Alive! A Guide for Teachers. Urbana, IL: NCTE.
- We all learn grammar naturally as we acquire language skills. In teaching grammar, it is best to assume you are pointing out things that students already know inherently but not explicitly.
- Teachers need to show students that they can discover grammar wherever they find language.
- One key component of teaching real-world grammar is to show students the different grammatical structures that are used in formal versus informal settings, drawing attention in particular to the differences inherent in writing and speaking.
Celce-Murcia, M., & Larsen-Freeman, D. (1999). The copula and subjectverb agreement. In The grammar book: An ESL/EFL teacher's course, (2nd ed., pp. 53-78). Boston: Heinle & Heinle.


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Cole Co. Judge Throws Out Conviction in 1993 Dance Hall Death
JEFFERSON CITY - A Cole County judge has thrown out the conviction of a St. Louis man imprisoned for 20 years for a teenager's dance hall murder, citing testimony by the victim's identical twin linking another suspect to the fatal shooting.
Circuit Judge Daniel Green ruled Wednesday that Anthony Williams, now 34, must either be released from the Jefferson City Correctional Center within 15 days or allowed to return to St. Louis for another trial should prosecuting attorney Jennifer Joyce refile charges.
Williams is serving a life sentence without parole in the shooting of 14-year-old Cortez Andrews during a post-dance brawl early the morning of December 31, 1993. The Associated Press reports the state presented Courtney Andrews' witness testimony presented at trial in 1995 told the jury he had not had any problems with Williams at school and that Williams was the shooter.
"Looked up and saw Tony and them up in the gangway and they said something like what's up cuz or something and started shooting," Andrews said at trial, according to court documents.
Williams was 14 at the time but stood trial as an adult. A jury found him guilty of first-degree murder.
The ruling repeatedly faults prosecutors for not providing Williams' previous lawyers with evidence that could have helped his defense.
In documents released Thursday, Williams' Columbia-based attorney Jennifer Bukoswky shares new evidence she presented in order to free Williams. That evidence included undisclosed interviews of witnesses, identification of someone else as the shooter on the night of the crime, recorded 911 calls and police dispatch calls from night of incident.
The prime suspect was cleared and Williams was identified in photo line-up in December 1993.