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1. Sweepstakes Sponsor: The DLAP February 2017 Survey Sweepstakes ("Sweepstakes") is sponsored and produced by Market in View LLC, a company organized and existing under the laws of the State of North Carolina with its principal place of business at 790 SE Cary Parkway, Suite 200, Cary, NC 27511. The Sweepstakes is administered by Market in View LLC ("Market in View") of 790 SE Cary Parkway, Suite 200, Cary, NC 27511.
2. The entry period for the Sweepstakes begins February 1, 2017 and ends February 6, 2017.
4. Who Can Enter: Participation in the Sweepstakes is open only to legal residents of the United States, 18 years of age or older at the time of entry. Employees, officers, and directors of Market in View LLC or AT&T or their subsidiaries, affiliates, and members of their households or immediate families are not eligible to participate.
5. How to Enter:
A. You may enter the Sweepstakes by completing this online survey, which includes answering all questions throughout the survey and entering an e-mail address at the conclusion of the survey. The entry must include your full name, postal address, city, state, zip code, and phone number, and year of birth (to verify that you are 18 years of age or older). Personal information is required to establish eligibility and to notify the winner. One entry per person and per e-mail address. Online entries must be received by 11:59 PM EST on February 6, 2017.
B. You may also enter the Sweepstakes without completing the survey by sending a 3 ½" x 5 ½" postcard to DLAP February 2017 Survey Sweepstakes c/o Market in View, 790 SE Cary Parkway, Suite 200, Cary, NC 27511. In order to be a valid entry, the entry must be legibly hand-printed or typed and must include the words "DLAP February 2017 Survey Sweepstakes," along with your full name, postal address, city, state, zip code, phone number, e-mail address (if you have an e-mail address), and year of birth (to verify that you are 18 years of age or older). Personal information is required to establish eligibility and to notify the winner. One entry per person. Mail-in entries must be received no later than February 6, 2017.
C. Online entries must be received by February 6, 2017. Mail-in entries must be received no later than February 6, 2017. All Sweepstakes entries become the exclusive property of Market in View and will not be acknowledged or returned. All Sweepstakes entries are subject to the terms of the Market in View online privacy policy.
D. All entries will be disqualified, at the sole discretion of Market in View if you attempt to (i) enter the Sweepstakes through any means other than those described above; (ii) disrupt the Sweepstakes or circumvent the terms and conditions of these official rules; (iii) use false or fraudulent information to enter the Sweepstakes. If any of the above occur, Market in View has the right to remedy any such action, disruption, or circumvention in a manner to be solely determined by Market in View.
6. Prizes: "Prize" will be:
One (1) Grand prize will be awarded, consisting of $500.
Ten (10) First prizes will be awarded, consisting of $100.
7. Prize Drawings: Eleven (11) prize winners will be selected in a random drawing by Market in View from all eligible entries received prior to the deadline. The prize drawing for the Sweepstakes will be held on or about February 13, 2017.
8. Odds of Winning: Each entrant´s odds of winning are determined by the number of entries received during the Sweepstakes period. One entry per participant.
9. Winner Notification: Sweepstakes winner will be notified via US Mail on or about February 27, 2017 with payment. The winner is required to respond to the notice to acknowledge receipt of the notification. Market in View is not responsible for and shall not be liable for late, lost, misdirected, or unsuccessful efforts to notify winner. Market in View decisions regarding the Sweepstakes winners are final and binding.
10. Winner Publicity/Required Agreements: Market in View may wish to publish the name and location (city/state) of the winner, and any quotation that the winner is willing to provide for use by Market in View. The winner may be required to sign and return a release of liability, declaration of eligibility and, where lawful, a publicity consent agreement ("Required Agreements") at the time the winner claims the prize. Each winner who enters the contest via e-mail will also be required to provide proof to Market in View that the winner is the authorized holder of the e-mail address associated with the winning entry. In the event of a dispute regarding who submitted an online entry, the entry will be deemed submitted by the authorized account holder of the e-mail account. If a selected winner cannot be contacted, is ineligible, fails to claim prize, or fails to sign and return the Required Agreements, a replacement winner will be selected.
11. General Terms and Conditions: By entering, each participant agrees to be bound by these Official Rules and decisions of Market in View, which shall be final. Market in View, their agents, and representatives of Market in View and their affiliates, advertising, promotion, and fulfillment agencies, and legal advisors are not responsible for and shall not be liable for (1) late, lost, delayed, damaged, misdirected, incomplete, illegible, unintelligible, or postage-due entries; (2) telephone, electronic, hardware or software program, network, Internet, or computer malfunctions, failures, or difficulties of any kind; (3) failed, incomplete, garbled, or delayed computer transmissions and/or electronic mail; (4) any condition caused by events beyond the control of Market in View that may cause the Sweepstakes entries to be disrupted or corrupted; (5) any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising in connection with or as a result of the prize or acceptance, possessions or use of the prize, or from participation in the Sweepstakes; or (6) any human error or printing or typographical errors in any materials associated with the Sweepstakes. Market in View reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to suspend or cancel the Sweepstakes at any time.
Market in View may prohibit any person from participating in this Sweepstakes or any future Market in View event or game if, at the sole discretion of Market in View, that person repeatedly disregards the Sweepstakes rules, or acts (1) in a non-sportsmanlike manner, (2) with an intent to annoy, threaten, or harass any other player or Market in View or (3) in any other disruptive manner.
By participating in the Sweepstakes, each participant agrees to release and hold harmless Market in View and employees, officers, directors, shareholders, agents, representatives of Market in View, their affiliates, advertising, promotion and fulfillment agencies and legal advisors from any and all losses, damages, rights, claims, and actions of any kind in connection with the Sweepstakes or resulting from acceptance, possession, use, or issue of any prize, including, without limitation, personal injury, death, and property damage and claims based on publicity rights, defamation, or invasion of privacy.
12. Commitment to Confidentiality: As sole administrator of the Sweepstakes, Market in View stands by its commitments of confidentiality related to entrant´s identity and all actions by Market in View will be subject to its online privacy policy.
13. Winner´s List: For the names of the prize winners, send a self-addressed stamped envelope by February 6, 2017 to:
DLAP February 2017 Survey Sweepstakes
c/o Market in View LLC
790 SE Cary Parkway
Suite 200
Cary, NC 27511

subset: commoncrawl


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|When you log into Arcat you get access to:
|Outline / Shortform Specifications
|Our shortform specifications are about 2-3 pages each with several related building product manufacturers named in Part 2. The outline
is basically Part 2 of the shortform spec. And, all sections are written by Mark Kalin, FAIA, FCSI, CCS, LEED, one of the top
spec writers in the world.
|Auto-filled email forms
|The more you use Arcat to contact building material manufacturers, the more you need Arcat to auto-fill the email form. After you register
you no longer need to fill this form in - saving you time. At, Arcat, our goal is to get you the info you need fast and free.


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19 May, 2011 | (01 hr)
Sign In to access this Webcast
This is a two part Conference KeyNotes Webcast series to include video clips and live discussion of sessions delivered at The 2011 Women's Leadership Conference.
During these sessions, executives will discuss:
May 19
- Developing Leaders: An Advocacy Initiative Led By Women
June 9
- You Unstuck: Creating a Culture of Risk-Taking and Innovation
Participants will have the opportunity to pose questions to the speakers.
You may register for just one or for both webcasts.
Who Should Attend:
Executives responsible for HR, Talent Management, Leadership Development, Women's Leadership
Deb Gmelin
After an unsuccessful stand-up comedy career, Debra started her corporate life as a Frito-Lay Route Driver, delivering potato chips in the city of Detroit. She now has nearly three decades of experience in the consumer goods industry, holding executive positions with the Coca-Cola Company, Frito-...Full Bio
Rebecca Shambaugh
A nationally known leadership strategist, Rebecca has over 20 years of experience helping organizations and executives respond to critical leadership challenges and opportunities in today's business environment. Rebecca founded Women In Leadership and Learning (WILL), the f...Full Bio
Meg Gottemoeller
Meg Gottemoeller is a Senior Fellow, Human Capital at The Conference Board. In this role, Meg supports the Human Capital Practice which includes The Conference Board Human Capital Exchange™, research, conferences, webcasts and programs in a broad spectrum of h...Full Bio


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COLUMN: Paul McCartney has great hair
Sure, Paul McCartney can still sing at age 70, but have you taken a good look at his hair? During the concert to benefit victims of Sandy, and a few nights later on "Saturday Night Live," McCartney's hair was mesmerizing.
Madison Square Garden's gentle breezes made Sir Paul look like he and his hair were at a photo shoot for "Vogue." As a BBF (balding Beatles fan), I was torn between adoration and raging jealousy.
Most of us who attended the 1965 Shea Stadium concert are now gray and lucky to have any hair at all. Paul's mop hasn't changed a bit.
And what about Mick Jagger? He bounded across the stage with his thick and lustrous shoulder- length hair. Of course, Jagger's just 69.
I've seen famous folks with bad hairpieces, obvious dye jobs, and telltale transplants. But if Paul and Mick have had work done, it's hard to tell. This is where the jealousy comes in. Many of us would take a second mortgage on our homes to add back realistic-looking hair.
When the concert ended I Googled. Sure enough, the vigilant British tabloids had stories than Alan Brady had toupees on the "Dick Van Dyke Show."
A headline in the Daily Mail asked, "Had a little Help! Sir Paul?" The report said McCartney was"sporting a much thicker hairdo of late, reminiscent of his luscious lock worn while in The Beatles." A spokesman for Paul told the paper that speculation about hair weaves was "total rubbish" (a fine British term for things that are false or,might be true).
The Daily Mirror dug deep into the follicles of British scalp trends under the headline, "The bald truth behind celebrity hair transplants." Seems quite a few Brits invest in dramatic and expensive hair jobs. But the Mirror had no dirt McCartney or Jagger.
There was, however, a detailed analysis of Jagger's health habits in the Daily Mail, disclosing that Sir Mick is fond of La Prairie's caviar skin cream from Switzerland, and the miraculous Creme de la Mer, which sells for $1,900 per pot (a proper British term for a 16.5-ounce jar).
Jagger's regime said to involves "lashings of hair dye" by an in-home technician, the result of Mick's "having exhaustively researched hair colouring."
Well, now we're getting somewhere. At least there's evidence -- if that's what you call the work of a British tabloid -- that Jagger's getting some help up top. Both he and Paul seem to have auburn highlights that really must come from a bottle or pot.
Paul's voice is thinning with age, while his hair remains frozen in time. Wouldn't it be nice if science could flip that around?
By the end of the Sandy concert I decided I was more of a Billy Joel fan than I had realized. Joel, a mere 63, has gained a few pounds and lost most of his hair -- and what remains on his dome is appropriately gray. He also refrains from bouncing around the stage (leaving us to wonder if he even can). He's a real New Yorker, a survivor in the manner of Billy Crystal and Matt Lauer, who also make do with pretty much whatever hair they have at the moment.
Who am I kidding? These three guys probably look at Paul and double over in envy. (I'm sure they'd prefer to comb over in envy, if they had enough hair to do it.)


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Multi-Tenant Spring Security Integration
compile "org.grails.plugins:multi-tenant-spring-security:0.2.1"
grails install-plugin multi-tenant-spring-security
Integrates the multi-tenant-core plugin with the spring-security-core plugin, so that the current tenant can be determined from the authenticated principal.Provides a custom CurrentTenant implementation that uses the security context to identify the current tenant. This allows all users to login from one url instead of having to remember a special url to log in to.In Config.groovy, your tenant resolver property should look like this:
You will also need to add the following field to your Spring-Security User Domain Class
tenant {
resolver.type = "springSecurity"
This plugin's code is based on the code of multi-tenant-acegi plugin and hosted in github.
Integer userTenantId


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Cecilia knot - Sapphire
Beautiful detailed crochets, fluffy, soft and smooth, Cecilia Knot is cute, simple and stunning. Made using 100% soft acrylic yarn, comes in the colors of yellow, red, sky blue, sapphire, purple, brown, and black, a great selection for the most comfortable and stylish scarf definitely goes to Cecilia Knot.
- Color: 6 Colours
- Size (height*width): Approx. 170cm*18cm (66.93''*7.09'')
- 1 inch=2.54cm
- Weight: 155g
- Package included: 1 pc
- Material: 100% Acrylic
1. Please be aware that there will be a little difference between the real item and the pictures based on the brightness.
2. Please aware of 1-2cm variances due to manual measurement.
Thanks for your understanding!
Please contact us for wholesale price if you are interested in this product.
Shipping Information:
Main Asia countries and
Shipping Days
Within 3 business days
(Local warehouse)
Within 3 business days
(Local warehouse)
7 business days


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Concert Review: Hurtsmile at Showcase Live in Foxboro, MA
July 26, 2011 by Roger Scales
Filed under Concert Reviews, Daily Music News
Hurtsmile Rating:
Showcase Live
Foxboro, MA
July 22, 2011
Reviewed by: Roger Scales
Read more
Gary Cherone of Extreme
May 5, 2010 by TWRY Staff
Filed under Interviews
In 2008, after 13 years apart, Extreme reunited for their 'Take Us Alive' world tour, which covered 75 cities and a handful of continents in support of their latest release "Saudades de Rock". On the last night of the tour in their hometown of Boston, the band took the stage in front of a sold out crowd at The House of Blues to record what would become their "Take Us Alive" live dvd/cd release that came out this week (May 4th).
The band in its current line-up (Gary Cherone on vocals, Nuno Bettencourt on guitar, Pat Badger on bass and Kevin Figueiredo on drums) took the energy of the entire tour, bottled it and let it all out on stage that night in true Extreme fashion– forever captured for Extreme fans to enjoy for years to come.
Committed to making new music and not just a one time "reunion" tour, Extreme is already working on new music and looking forward to sharing it with their fans in the future. A few years ago "the future" of Extreme didn't seem like much of a possibility but a lot can change in a year!
I recently had a chance to talk to frontman Gary Cherone about the band reuniting, their recent tour with RATT and "Take Us Alive".
Interviewed by: Roger Scales
Extreme Concert Photos – Casino Ballroom/Hampton Beach, NH
August 11, 2009 by TWRY Staff
Filed under Daily Music News, Latest Photo Galleries, New England Music
August 7, 2009
Casino Ballroom – Hampton Beach, NH
Photos by Mary Ouellette
View the gallery
View ALL galleries


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Ellen Pompeo
Ellen Pompeo is a late bloomer by Hollywood standards. Joking that she grew up in a town where people would think you were crazy if you said you were going to be an actor when you grew up, she didn't get her first paying gigs until the late nineties when she was almost 30, practically geriatric by women in Hollywood standards. She'd quit bartending in Miami, moved to New York with her fashion photographer beau Andrew Rosenthal and booked a L'Oreal commercial. The ad was followed by numerous TV guest spots on shows like Law & Order and a plethora of mediocre indie films, but it was standout turns as love interests to Jake Gyllenhaal and Leonardo DiCaprio in Moonlight Mile and Catch Me If You Can respectively that made her more than just a "I swear I've seen her before" face and lead to being cast in Old School, Daredevil and Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (although all of her scenes were cut from the latter). She scrubbed into the title role on Grey's Anatomy in 2005, an ABC mid-season replacement about the surgical and sex lives of a group of interns that became an overnight success and eventually beat CSI for the No. 1 drama spot. Being one half of one of TV's most-debated couplings earned her a SAG award win and a Golden Globe nod at 37. Off screen, Pompeo has her own McDreamy, music producer Chris Ivery, with whom she tied the knot in 2007 and welcomed a daughter, Stella, in 2009.


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Becoming a Student of Everyday Zen
Everyday Zen is grounded in the actual world we live in. We realize that people lead busy lives with family, work, and sometimes also political, social, or artistic commitments. Everyday Zen has no real estate to maintain, no temple to go to, no doctrine to advance. The center of the practice is your life, not somewhere else. We offer all our programs freely, with the hope that everyone will feel welcome to engage in whatever way works for their lives.
For those who want to bring the practice of Everyday Zen into the core of their lives we recommend the following:
- Practice daily meditation practice at home: morning is the best time. (see Tim Burnett's On Sitting Every Day and Norman's Practicing Every Day Zen )
- Attend a Dharma group in your area at least once a week.
- Attend a long Everyday Zen retreat once or twice a year and make personal contact with Norman or one of the other Everyday Zen teachers in formal practice interview.
- Stay in touch through the web site and by listening to audio recordings of Dharma talks.
- Intentionally apply what you are learning in all phases of your daily life. Zen practice is every day all day long; not just meditation.
- For those in the Bay Area, the weekly Dharma seminar and the monthly all day sitting are available. We recommend that people attend both or at least one of these two activities regularly.
The students of Everyday Zen are our most important treasure. You are talented energetic people who are daily changing the world through your many acts of kindness and skillful helpfulness, which you carry out in your family lives and through the important work that you do. Everyday Zen's mission is to change and be changed by the world. The main way it carries out this mission is through the many activities, small and large, of its students.


text: Subaru Launches 2015 Legacy at the 2014 Chicago Auto Show February 6, 2014 10:30 AM MEDIA INFORMATION Contact: Mark Bilek Director of Communications and Technology Chicago Automobile Trade Association Office: (630) 424-6082 Cell: (847) 652-0632 Email: email@example.com Contact: Jennifer Morand Senior Public Relations and Social Media Manager Chicago Automobile Trade Association Office: (630) 424-6084 Cell: (630) 391-1986 Email: firstname.lastname@example.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CHICAGO (February 6, 2014) – Subaru introduced the all-new 2015 Legacy during the Media Preview of the 2014 Chicago Auto Show. The mid-sized sedan was designed with the contemporary driver in mind. "Customers appreciate the current model for its all-wheel-drive, boxer engine, reliability and durability," said Thomas Doll, Subaru president and CFO. "The 2015 Legacy combines all that with sporty looks and increased efficiency." The 2015 Legacy features all-new safety technology including the EyeSight vehicle safety system, which is improved with increased detection range and better object recognition. The new sedan also includes adaptive cruise control and the largest passenger cabin in the mid-sized sedan segment. It also boasts the latest in entertainment technology and premium audio. The 2015 Legacy is expected to go on sale in the summer of 2014. To watch complete coverage of the 2014 Chicago Auto Show Media Preview press conferences, please visit http://www.ustream.tv/channel/chicago-auto-show-2011. The manufacturer press conferences are also available at www.youtube.com/chicagoautoshow. For more information about the Chicago Auto Show, please visit www.chicagoautoshow.com. ### About the Chicago Auto Show The Chicago Auto Show is the largest on the continent, spanning more than 1 million square feet of production, concept, and exotic vehicle exhibit space. In addition to hosting multiple world and North American vehicle debuts, the Chicago Auto Show's First Look for Charity raises more than $2 million annually for 18 worthy Chicago organizations in a single night. The 2014 public show will be February 8-17. For more information, visit ChicagoAutoShow.com or Facebook.com/ChicagoAutoShow. Media can register for the Chicago Auto Show Media Preview at chicagoautoshow.com/media/. About The Chicago Automobile Trade Association Founded in 1904, the Chicago Automobile Trade Association is the nation's oldest and largest metropolitan dealer organization. It is comprised of more than 400 franchised new-car dealers and an additional 150 allied members. The group's dealer members employ nearly 20,000 people in the metropolitan area. The association has produced the Chicago Auto Show since 1935. For more information, visit CATA.info. Back to News


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It's not really summer without a good pair of men's shorts! When the weather heats up, it makes sense to leave your jeans in your wardrobe. Replace your favourite jeans with a shorter version. Go for a bright coloured short or are you more the neutral coloured guy? The O'Neill men shorts collection was designed for those days when your number one priority is to just kick-back and take it easy. Get your favourite men's short, that you'll find yourself reaching for time and time again.
Such as O'Neill's durable and superfast-drying Hybrid Friday Night shorts, which you can wear in town straight from the beach – and help reduce the enormous tsunami of plastic waste in the world's oceans at the same time. Our O'Neill Hybrid men's shorts have the highest-quality DWR (Durable Water Repellence) performance finish, which means they dry ultra-quickly and stay light and flexible at the same time. A pair of shorts to wear in the sea in the afternoon and in the club in the evening. These O'Neill Hybrid men's shorts are part of the O'Neill Blue Collection – an initiative to produce durable surfwear with high performance eco-threads by Bionic. What makes this initiative unique is that the collection is manufactured from recycled plastic retrieved from the world's beaches and oceans.
The Friday Night Chino shorts are also ideal for on the beach and in town. Roll up the bottom a little to reveal the great print on the inside, or leave them long. Whichever way you like it. Or do you prefer a summery all-over print? Our O'Neill Stringer Pattern shorts are ideal for those hot summer days in the city. These shorts can be combined perfectly with our O'Neill Jacks Base T-shirts. They are also a real must-have for the festival season. Or are you planning an adventure this summer? Then our comfortable O'Neill Cargo shorts made of cotton canvas material with a vintage wash are what you need. The ideal combination with our O'Neill men's T-shirts, tank-tops and hoodies and also very handy for storing your daily essentials. Whichever type of men's short you choose, with O'Neill you can be sure of a stylish look this summer – so let the fun and the summer begin!


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With precise grace, an
overhead crane swings a 10-ton building block into position. Then,
workers move in, climbing onto the structure and using hand and
power tools to bolt the pieces together. It is a workday scene
that could be found on almost any city street corner, but this
construction site is 402 kilometers (250 miles) up -- in the airless
reaches of space, where conditions alternate hourly between freezing
and searing. The construction workers are astronauts, the cranes
are a new generation of space robotics and the skyscraper taking
shape is the International Space Station.
With the assembly of
the 454,000-kilogram (million-pound) International Space Station,
Earth orbit has become a day-to-day construction site. Humankind
has begun a move off of the planet Earth on an unprecedented scale.
Astronauts will perform more spacewalks in upcoming years than
have been conducted since space flight began, more than 2.5 times
as many. They will be assisted by an "inch-worming" robotic
arm, a two-fingered "Canada hand," and maybe even a free-flying
robotic "eye" that can circle and inspect the station. Before
the station's assembly is completed, more than 100 different components
launched on more than 40 space flights -- using three different
types of rockets -- will have been bolted, latched, wired, plumbed
and fastened together.
Because of the unprecedented
complexity, NASA expects to encounter surprises during the orbital
construction work. But to prepare for the challenges, engineers
and astronauts have been methodically practicing procedures, preparing
tools, testing equipment and building experience during more than
a decade of spacewalking flight tests. A total of 37 space shuttle
missions are scheduled to assemble, outfit and begin research
use of the station from 1998 to 2005. About 160 spacewalks totaling
960 clock hours, or 1,920 man-hours, will be performed during
that time to assemble and maintain the station.
A cooperative effort
by 16 nations, the International Space Station will provide living
quarters and science labs for long-term stays by up to seven astronauts.
In building, operating, and performing research on the station,
humanity also gains experience needed for future travels beyond
Earth orbit.


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Brewing, when you do it as often as I do and for as long as I have, becomes a ritual. I have my set Brew Day, Thursday, and I plan around it as if it were a sacred holiday. The days leading up to Brew Day have their parts in the ritual as well. On Tuesday, I check the recipe and make sure I have all the ingredients in hand, and make sure all the equipment is clean and ready to use. On Wednesday, at work, I buy any necessary missing ingredients and then, once home, prep the yeast and weigh and measure the grains. I even fill the kettle with the necessary mash water and set it on the stove. In that way, at first light on Thursday morning, I can stumble downstairs and turn on the stove while I grope for coffee and turn on the computer and modem. By the time I'm awake, it's almost time to mash in.
Well, as Robert Burns once wrote, "The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft agley…" I won't go into the details, but the last week or so have been overwhelming in terms of obligations, distractions and general stuff. And so I forgot to check the recipe on Tuesday. And found Wednesday night, much to my surprise, that I didn't have the right grains, the right yeast or the right hops in the house to brew what I had planned to brew, a Cherry Wheat ale.
Well, after my initial shock and my first impulse to take the week off from brewing (I hear you out there – gasp! no! not that!), I inventoried what I did have and managed to tweak next week's recipe slightly and that's what I'm brewing today instead. A glimpse of the future? A revisitation of the past? Both – join me as I brew a clone of my favorite French beer…
Addled-Scott (clone of Adelscot, Schiltigeim, France)
5 gallons, all-grain
- 9 lbs. lager malt
- 14 oz. peated malt
- 12 oz. Special B malt
- 7 oz. cara-amber malt
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 5.4 AAU's Northern Brewer hop pellets (1/2 oz. @10.8% aa)
- 10 AAU's Spalt hop pellets (2 oz. @5% aa)
- White Labs Irish Ale Yeast (WLP004)
- 3/4 cup corn sugar for priming
Grind grains. Heat 14 quarts of water to 166°F, mash in grains and hold at 155°F for 90 minutes. Heat 14 more quarts of water to 170°F, begin runoff and sparge, collecting 26 quarts of sweet wort. Add brown sugar. Heat to boiling, add Northern Brewer hops, boil 30 minutes. Add 1 oz. Spalt hops, boil another 15 minutes. Add 1 oz. Spalt hops, boil 45 more minutes (90 total), remove from heat. Chill to 80°F, take hydrometer reading and pour into a sanitized fermenter, splashing well to aerate. Pitch yeast. Seal and ferment at 62 – 64°F for 7 – 10 days, rack to secondary. Age cooler (55- 58°F) for 10 – 14 days. Prime with corn sugar and bottle, condition 10 – 14 days.
IBU's: 65.5
Notes on brewing: My original recipe had 120°L crystal instead of the Special B, and Munich malt instead of the cara-amber – but guess what? I didn't have any of either in the house… Additionally, I wasn't particularly confident in the viability of the Irish ale yeast I had – it was a saved slurry from a previous brew that had been in the yeast fridge for about 4 months – so I also added a packet of Nottingham dry ale yeast.
Notes on the beer and the style: Adelscot, originally brewed by Adelshoffen in the 1980's, may be the first modern beer deliberately brewed with peated malt flavor. The brewery is now a subsidiary of Fischer in Alsace, who have also introduced a black version, Adelscot Noire. This beer was a revelation for me when I first lived in France as a college student. Called "the beer brewed with whiskey malt", it's a sweetish smoky beer, bright amber/orange in color with a real peaty nose. I had never tasted anything like it and fell in love. I wasn't much of a Scotch drinker then, either, but I think this beer was a factor in pushing me in the direction of single malts. It's been a few years now since I've had the real thing – it's hard to find in the states – but I have brewed my own clone a couple of times. My version is a little smokier than the original.
If you like the image of the beer coaster above, check out this website I found.


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« How Can I Balance What My District Tells Me vs What I Feel Students Need? | Main | Response: Finding a Balance Between District Mandates & Student Needs - Part Two »
Response: Several Ways to Balance Between District Mandates & Student Needs
Last week, Juan Cortes asked:
Many times teacher are told by our districts to follow specific programs, but many times those programs do not differentiate or do not address specific needs of my students.
How can I balance following what my district tells me vs what I feel the students need?
I'll be responding to Juan's excellent question in two parts -- watch for another post later this week that will include more guest responses and comments from readers.
Today's post features what I'm sure most readers will agree is an exceptional guest response from well-known educator/author Rick Wormeli. He offers a wealth of insightful suggestions, and I don't feel a need to repeat them. Instead, I'll focus a few beginning comments on strategies to handle what most of us have to face -- the district-mandated textbook. Though my comments are modified from my book, The ESL/ELL Teacher's Survival Guide (co-authored by Katie Hull Sypnieski), they can be applied to textbooks in any grade or subject.
Textbooks can be a two-edged sword -- they can be efficient, provide order, and save teacher's time, they can provide good models, and they can provide a guide for effective learning. There can be a danger, however, in teachers (and administrators and school districts) viewing them as being written in stone and insisting they be followed precisely.
I'd suggest that it's better to see textbooks as a sort of cookbook where teachers can pick the right dishes for the appropriate occasions. The Latin root of the word "cook" means "turn over in the mind." Teachers using their experience, judgment and skills to constantly "turn over their mind" is one of the main job requirements of effective educators.
The level of textbook flexibility provided to teachers varies, however. If you are obligated to follow the textbook closely, try and use it as a "framework" for your class. In other words, first examine what the leaning goals are for each chapter and identify the places where you can most easily include more engaging teaching strategies. As Jason Renshaw, a longtime teacher puts it, "to innovate within concrete, start with the cracks."
* Converting textbook passages or dialogues into inductive learning text data sets where students read, annotate, categorize and expand chunks of informational text (you can read more about the research behind it and practical issues at one of my recent monthly posts in The New York Times); clozes (also know as "gap-fills") or sequencing activities to be completed by students.
* If there are a long number of questions to answer in a textbook assignment, turn them into a Jigsaw exercise with each partner having a few questions to answer and being prepared to support their answer with reasons when they report back to the entire class.
* Turn textbook passages into Read Alouds and Think Alouds.
* Many textbook publishers offer student companion websites with reinforcing interactive exercises. In our experience, often the online activities are superior to what's actually in the print version! If that's the case, by all means, bring students to the computer lab or use some of the activities on a computer projector for the entire class.
* As Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach will suggest in the next post, don't feel like you have to do all this on your own. You'd be surprised at the huge number of teachers from around the world who are facing similar challenges. By easily connecting with them through the many ways Sheryl will suggest, teachers can share useful materials with others.
You can read more ideas at The Best Resources For Adapting Your Textbook So It Doesn't Bore Students To Death.
Response From Rick Wormeli
Rick Wormeli is a long-time teacher, consultant, and writer living in Herndon, VA. He can be reached at [email protected] His newly released book, The Collected Writings (So Far) of Rick Wormeli: Crazy Good Stuff I Learned about Teaching is now available from Association for Middle Level Education. Three paragraphs from this article are from Rick's forthcoming article on politics and teaching available in the April issue of AMLE's Middle Ground magazine:
Ambrose Redmoon was a rock band manager in the 1960's. He was also a quadriplegic. He said that, "Courage is not the absence of fear. It's the judgment that something else is more important than that fear." In our classrooms, what do we think is more important than our fear of colleague/administrator admonishment or being less than perfect in front of our students? Alternatively, what goes unlearned in our students because we were playing it politically safe?
Teacher conformity is one route to program fidelity, but it's also breeds complacency and excuses. If students fail to thrive with a mandated program, it's easy to blame the student for his demise because the program was proven successful by its promoters: The student must have made some bad decisions, or the teacher didn't follow directions when implementing the program, otherwise, it would have worked. In truth, this sometimes happens: Students make bad decisions, and teachers don't follow directions for something that would have been effective.
Sometimes students' circumstances don't allow for school-friendly responses, however, such as when our student is living with a single parent who's working three jobs late into the evening hours while our student maintains the house - meals, laundry, baths, discipline, homework help -- for three younger siblings. A program may require extensive reading but our student reads at a grade level three years behind his chronological placement. Attempting the assignment means providing proof of his incompetence to all those around him, and why would he want to do that --day after day after day?
Sometimes mandated programs are slowly paced so that everyone, no matter their background, learning challenges, or proclivities can keep up, but our advanced students strip mental gears trying to cope with the inane course assigned. Curiosity and hope die out, initiative sputters, and we've killed another subject for another child, assuring them that school is about seat-time, not meaningful learning.
It's arrogant for any one, step-by-step program to make claims for effectiveness for every single student and class reality that teachers face. It's reckless for a school or district to call the program sovereign over all, mandating strict adherence to its sequence. Just as soon as we mandate one math program, for example, we find an exception in one unit where it doesn't work as well as a classroom teacher's last minute innovation. A sole diet of pure phonics instruction for a reading program doesn't work, just as a reading program devoid of phonics doesn't work. We are education professionals; we are capable of complex, wise decisions that result in strong student achievement.
The key is to provide a highly effective schematic with proven strategies, but to include clear mechanisms for teacher expertise to be used as warranted by circumstance or student needs to alter or augment any given approach. Of course, this means teachers must do their homework so they are knowledgeable and skillful enough to be trusted with such important decisions, and not be whimsical about it. They should also vet their decisions to deviate from the plan with respected colleagues. Most programs have useful strategies worth applying in the classroom, but the most successful students have teachers who maintain autonomy to deviate from programs as necessary.
By the way, if teachers retain autonomy to make lesson changes they find effective, they take responsibility for the outcomes. They commit to a lesson's success more personally, analyzing their actions and revising thoughtfully. These are positives for all stake-holders. Wise school districts provide ample professional development for teachers in their disciplines.
There are eleven actions a teacher who doubts a school's mandated program can take in order to sleep better at night and successfully teach his or her students:
1. Realize that every administrator want students to be successful. If you find a better way to achieve student success, don't be bashful. Present it to your administrator, posing both the evidence you have that the current program's approach won't work, and the arguments that your approach will. 90% of administrators will ask you to use the more effective strategy and let them know how it goes - they are that conscientious.
Problems by themselves come across as one more burden to carry, and already stressed administrators are reluctant to add more to the pile. Problems with potential solutions, however, are more easily considered, and administrators listen deeply. We come across as thoughtful collaborators, and we're more likely to receive permission, or later, forgiveness, for our deviations from a program, when we present solutions to problems presented.
2. Remember that everyone wants to save face. We have to honor what others bring to the table, otherwise they will shut down to our ideas. So, look thoughtful and not impulsive: Point out the positives of the required program and the administrator's decisions whenever suggesting temporary deviations.
3. Really analyze your evidence to make sure you've got something here. Sometimes, we just don't like losing our favored activities, but they were blinding us to what was more effective. The required program might be the catalyst we need to shed a fond, but less effective strategy, and step our game. Change is hard, but it often leads to something better.
4. Consider deviating from the program here and there as necessary for students' success, but translating what you do into the language of the program so you can keep your job. If it says to not let students re-do a piece of work, for example, and you do let them re-do it after some re-learning experiences, and they students learn the material, no one is going to complain. If a student can't read non-fiction well, and you replace esoteric lessons on transitive and intransitive verbs with ones on how to determine main idea and supportive details in expository text, you will be treated as a dedicated teacher, not a deviant. Speak with colleagues in grade levels above you so you know what concepts/skills are the greater, more leveraging concepts/skills you teach students this year.
5. When presenting evidence of a need to deviate, always include empirical evidence (data) with the emotional, ethics side of the problem. This creates not just intellectual, but also moral imperative that makes people consider your ideas carefully.
6. Tell those questioning your deviation from the establish program that you're doing a "pilot." People get panicked by permanence. Tell them that you'll be glad to report the results of the pilot later in the year, but right now, you're exploring some ways to supplement the program for the students still struggling.
7. Exercise and get solid sleep. Perspective widens, solutions reveal themselves when brains have oxygen, muscles and bones are relaxed, endorphins are released, and the mind is rested. Solving this concern may be as simple as getting sleep and exercise.
8. If it's just too much to continue to do something you find so unethical, report the concern to the School Board or someone in authority over your supervisor. They may not know how the program is hurting students or that there are alternatives that would work better. We may need to educate them about classroom reality and teacher problem-solving.
9. If everyone at all levels denies your request to deviate from the program as necessary, yet you still believe your course is the better course, consider taking it public - to the parents and business leaders, to make your case. Speak up at sports practices, in Postal Service lines, in the grocery store or at the church/synagogue/mosque picnic. Constituents have impact on those in power.
10. Choose your battles. This may not be one you want to fight right now compared to one you know you will want to fight down the road. Remember to ask yourself, however, whether or not giving up on this battle is actually settling for lesser learning in your current students. Is giving up this conflict worth the sacrifice to our students?
11. Hook-up with someone else whom your respect and trust. Sharing your reasoning with him or her will strengthen your arguments and fortitude to do the right thing. By the way, this could be someone from another state or country that you know from an on-line community, not just someone in your local community. You may want to call or Skype with this person, however, as anything in print tends to leave a footprint and can be used out of context by many parties.
Finally, think about the hypocrisy: We want our students to think deeply, question, and imagine unspoken possibilities, then share them. How ironic and lifeless would it be to keep teachers from doing the same! An effective school has teachers that create, question, revise, and toss the governing policies of its program from time to time. We can stand firm in education principles, yet collaborative in our response to problems.
The best teachers of my own children have been the ones who respect the school's system, but parted from it as necessary in order to teach my child. We all hope to be worthy of such effective teaching. Best of luck in these choices, and know that many of us are struggling with the same issues and making the same decisions. You are not alone.
Thanks to Rick for contributing his response.
Please feel free to leave a comment sharing your reactions to this question and the ideas shared here. As I mentioned earlier, I'll be including readers' thoughts in the next post.
Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at [email protected].When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it's selected or if you'd prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.
You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo.
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Look for Part Two in in a few days....


text: Lindsay McCrum's new photo book Chicks With Guns is just what you think it is: Striking portraits of women with their firearms. What's unexpected, however, is the impact of the photos as a collection. If viewers don't personally know one of these gun-toters, McCrum hopes the book serves as an introduction to a growing community of 15 to 20 million women in the U.S. who own and use guns. "Usually women with guns are turned into comic book characters — Lara Croft, Kill Bill — and I thought it would be fascinating to find out who the real women in our country are who own guns," she says. After three years and 280 photo shoots, McCrum chose 80 compelling and thoughtful frames for her book. Each photo is accompanied by quotes from the subjects about their history or feelings on gun ownership. For McCrum, Chicks With Guns is not an attempt to enter the ideological debate about guns. Instead, she says she tried to harness the visceral power of photography to provide a more rounded, honest picture of what women gun owners look like today. Some of the frames in the book are certainly what one would expect — a policewoman with her shotgun, a woman in a cowboy hat in front of a picturesque Western backdrop. Others are more surprising. In one picture, a woman holds her naked three-year-old son in her left hand and her grandfather's shotgun in her right. In another, an older woman stands in the middle of her living room surrounded by dolls and teddy bears (above). "I'm not in the judgment business and the photographs are not policy, nor are they advocacy," McCrum says. "I wasn't interested in glorify anyone or vilifying anyone." Regardless of where she stands, McCrum's portraits of this community seem have resonated with a much broader public. The book sold out on Amazon its first day and McCrum has been busy signing books and dealing with media requests from places as far afield as Field and Stream and Juxtapoz Magazine. McCrum says all the attention has been humbling and surprising, but ultimately values the access and relationships the book allowed for. "All these women were extraordinary, they were excited and generous with their time, and I cannot tell you how many told me that were so happy to be seen and heard," she says. Above: Ellie Merced, California Taurus Titanium .38 "I bought my gun — the one in the photograph — at the local gun store in Merced, California. It's a .38 titanium revolver made by Taurus. My hands are not strong enough to pull certain guns back, so I need a revolver. It's very lightweight and easy to use.... When I was mayor, I couldn't practice as often as I wanted to, but now that I'm no longer mayor I go a lot more often. The girls usually go on Tuesday nights. We go to our local gun range, hook up our targets, and then all go down and see who's the best shot." Photo: Lindsay McCrumLiz San Jose, California Beretta 96G Vertec .40-caliber pistol "Being in law enforcement and having been a detective, I am acutely aware of things that can go wrong. Since I've been in law enforcement, I've always had a gun in my nightstand that I keep loaded, no safety on, ready to go, one in the chamber, because that's the only way I feel it's effective. If I had kids it would be a different story. I would never, under any circumstances, have a loaded gun in the house if there were children there. That is extremely unsafe. I can't think of a worse thing to do." Photo: Lindsay McCrumAlexandra & Truett Houston, Texas Ithaca 20-gauge side-by-side "Hunting this past weekend in South Texas, I thought of the beautiful picture I have. It brings tears to my eyes because I see generations of respect and love. I have my grandfather's gun, which my father taught me to master, in my hand while holding my youngest son, naked, pristine, and innocent, in my arm. I'm so eager to teach my boys everything I know. They went out into the field with us this weekend and I loved every minute of it, all of us together with the beautiful sun setting in the sky. Knowing that one day they will be teaching their boys or girls the same thing with the same gun makes me smile." Photo: Lindsay McCrumAnita St. Paul, Minnesota Glock .40-caliber & remington 11-81 Police model "I was pushing middle age the first time I held a gun. I wasn't raised around hunters and the only other cop in my family history was my great-great-grandfather. He was a cop in New York City and I imagine he carried nothing but a nightstick." Photo: Lindsay McCrumPamela Monte Sereno, California Freedom Arms .454 Casull "I first looked into handgun hunting when I found my .375 rifle was heavy to carry while climbing a mountain, and its recoil was too punishing. I am 5'2" and weigh about 110 lbs. When I switched to a hunting handgun, I found it challenging and fun to shoot.... I've had several men mention to me that the .454 Casull kicks too much for them. My response is they're fighting it too much. Men seem to want to control the recoil but can't, so they hold on too tight. I know I can't beat it so I just go with the recoil and it doesn't give me any trouble." Photo: Lindsay McCrumVictoria Stamford, Connecticut Beretta 20-gauge over-and-under "I think it's great that women have begun to hunt and shoot because it's a fun sport and something that men and women can do together. You can be a girly girl and still shoot just as good as a guy." Photo: Lindsay McCrumCaitlin Minneapolis, Minnesota Anschütz Fortner rifle with Altius Firearms custom stock "In the sport of biathlon we use lots of skis but only one rifle. Our rifles become an extension of ourselves as we carry them with us throughout the racecourse. I love how precise the measurements and angles of each individual's rifle are." Carolyn Minneapolis, Minnesota Anschütz Fortner rifle with Czech custom stock "I have enjoyed shooting as part of biathlon because of the unique combination of endurance fitness with fine motor control and concentration. I haven't done any other shooting, because firearms also make me uncomfortable." Photo: Lindsay McCrumAlison, Marlee, Lee, & Margaret Richmond, Virginia Boss 20-gauge side-by-sides Margaret: "Growing up in a hunting family meant adventures so great that the images of these trips loomed large in my childhood imagination. Watching the preparation, gathering the gear, cleaning the guns, listening to the talk of hope and success in the field." Photo: Lindsay McCrumCourtney Houston, Texas Yildiz 20-gauge "My favorite gun is a 20-gauge over-and-under. The 12-gauge I can use, but it has too much kick for the kind of hunting/shooting that I like to do. I recently bought a ladies' Turkish 20-gauge side-by-side that I love. It is lightweight, and it looks pretty. And I like the look of side-by-sides and over-and-unders.... I also really like to dress to hunt even though dove are colorblind." Photo: Lindsay McCrumGreta Napa Valley, California English Forsyth system scent bottle pistol, ca. 1820 "I was only seven or eight months old when I received my first gun, a gift from a longtime friend of my parents. A miniature stocked Colt 1861 Navy revolver, it has a personalized inscription with an engraved stock. I still have it, of course." Photo: Lindsay McCrumGinny Long Island, New York Sturm, Ruger & Co. 20-bore over-and-under "I own more guns than shoes. Since my husband isn't interested in hunting, my most memorable experiences in the outdoor field have been those I've shared with other women. Hunting camps and shooting schools are usually in remote areas involving tents and outhouses. Typically, there are days of being cold, wet, and hungry. Sharing the exhilaration of the hunt as well as the camp experience with good friends has transformed every outdoor situation into a great memory and endless laughter." Photo: Lindsay McCrumJessica Bozeman, Montana Abercrombie & Fitch 20-gauge side-by-side "I'll never forget the first time my father put a .22 in my hands.... At first it was a little bit intimidating and frightening holding and using something so powerful. But my father taught me that as long as I was confident and strong, there was no reason for me to be afraid. He explained the importance of knowing how to handle a firearm correctly, making sure I understood that they weren't toys but that I could still have fun." Photo: Lindsay McCrumLynn Houston, Texas Sako .308 bolt-action rifle with scopes "I love the juxtaposition of stalking game one day and then dressing for a glamorous evening the next. It's appreciating and enjoying the most out of each experience." Photo: Lindsay McCrumRuth Savannah, Georgia Winchester Model 12 20-gauge "Since I was the only child and I know Father wanted a boy, he taught me how to shoot when I was just a little girl. And so I grew up shooting with him. I can remember how he taught me safety first, which was wonderful to know. He said that was the best thing of all — to know where the people you are hunting and shooting with are, and to always be careful. My father was such a good shot, and we had so much fun together." Photo: Lindsay McCrum


text:
I belong to a conservative Presbyterian Church. Although we don't practice "altar calls" (and I understand the reasoning behind that position), I often still hear the front of the church referred to as "the altar."
What is the origin of this terminology in the church? Is the origin fairly recent? How does referring to "an altar" in our churches today relate to Scripture? Does this type of terminology really have any Scriptural warrant, or method, especially in view of Christ's death and resurrection? Thanks.
Your question is a discerning one. Typically, the term "altar" is understood to refer to a raised structure on which sacrifices are offered or incense is burned in religious worship.
The word "altar" first appears in Holy Scripture in Genesis 8:20 which says, "Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar" (NASB). In Genesis 12:7 Abram built an altar unto the LORD at Shechem and called upon the name of the LORD; we note that there is no mention of a sacrifice there. But in Genesis 22:7, Abram built an altar in Moriah on which he intended to offer his son Isaac. In Exodus 17:15 before receiving the Law at Mt. Sinai, Moses "built an altar, and named it The LORD is My Banner"; again there is no specific mention of a sacrifice.
The Law given at Mount Sinai included provisions for Moses to build altars unto the LORD (see Ex. 27:1-8 and 30:1-10). These particularly had reference to the offering up of burnt sacrifices of animals and grains on the one, and incense on the other. Those types and shadows of the Old Testament had their fulfillment in Christ, "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).
In that Christ, by his once-for-all sacrifice on the cross, brought to an end the ceremonial sacrificial system of the Old Testament, we might have expected that the altar would have disappeared from the Christian places of worship. Churches, however, throughout the centuries after Christ retained the use of ornate wood and stone "altars" which served as communion tables, although the idea of a re-offering of the sacrifice of Christ was not present.
Over time, however, Roman Catholicism corrupted the Lord's Supper in its conception of the mass. They understood the mass to be a renewed sacrifice of Christ through the breaking of his body and the pouring out of His blood, in accordance with their doctrine known as transubstantiation (that is, the elements are believed to undergo a change of substance from common bread and wine to the actual body and blood of Christ). Thus, the "altar" in Roman Catholicism's understanding returned to the altar's being a place of sacrifice.
This the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century found to be abhorrent and an insult to the finality and completeness of Jesus' death. With that, the Reformation churches in Switzerland, Holland, and Scotland determined to remove the ornate "altars" from the places of worship and introduce plain (even removable) communion tables.
Typically, then, Presbyterians do not refer to the communion table or even the raised platform where the preacher stands as the "altar." Again, this is to emphasize the end of the O.T. sacrificial system and the understanding of the "priesthood of all believers" in the New Testament church.
Worship is offered up by the whole congregation who have been brought near to God through the death of Christ at Calvary. The church members "are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (I Pet. 2:5). Thus, the writer of Hebrews says, "Through him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to his name" (Heb. 13:15). Not on a physical altar but "in Spirit and truth" (John 4:23-24) are we to worship God, presenting ourselves as "a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God" (Rom. 12:1).
Thus, Christians would do well to avoid the use of the term "altar" to refer either to the communion table or to the "front of the church."
Words, however, tend to have a certain flexibility of connotation. Well-meaning Christians have been apt to speak about "the family altar." What they mean is simply the regular practice of offering up family worship and devotion to God through Bible reading and instruction, hymn singing, and prayer. That is, the sacrifices offered at the family altar are spiritual sacrifices.
People who refer to a "family altar" ordinarily do not mean an actual place nor do they think of an altar of sacrifice in the literal Old Testament sense. Rather they are simply thinking in spiritual terms—the act of offering up prayer and praise to God. In fact, a well-known Reformed denomination at one time not very many years ago even named the daily, devotional booklet that it published for private and family use The Family Altar.
One final note is in order. Significantly, we see the book of Revelation (certainly a New Testament book that takes into account the death and resurrection of Christ) referring to a golden altar before God that yet remains in heaven (6:9, 8:3, 9:13, 11:1, 14:18, and 16:7). How shall we understand this? Is there literal, physical altar in heaven that covers the souls of the martyrs? No, for we see something of the symbolism intended here when in Revelation 16:7, the altar speaks! The very presence in heaven of a worshiping congregation (offering spiritual sacrifices) that has overcome the world is a living testimony to God that declares, "Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Thy judgments."
May God bless you in your understanding of His Word and in the offering up of true and faithful worship in Christ. We hope you continue to seek after Him in Spirit and truth.
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Chaplains and Military Personnel


text:
Strip clip: City writes new mowing law
In addition to Charlottesville's you-must-shovel-it rule, the city is turning more maintenance over to residents.
A new ordinance shifts responsibility for mowing certain strips of grass in the public right-of-way from the city to the abutting property owners. The ordinance, approved February 17, will save about $40,000 a year, estimates Parks and Grounds manager Pat Plocek.
"It was very costly," says Plocek. "We'd go to the site, take 10 to 15 minutes to unload, cut– then load everything back up and go to the next one."
Most city residents already cut those typically two- and three-foot-wide bits in the public right of way, but somehow, 175 made it onto a list for the city to mow. "With the budget tight, we didn't think it was fair for taxpayers to pay for those who wouldn't," says Plocek.
According to the city attorney's office, the rights of way are deeded to neither the city nor the abutting property owner. Charlottesville already has a law on the books that makes landowners responsible for keeping snow shoveled from sidewalks fronting their property.
City Council candidate Ann Reinicke considers the new grass ordinance a good idea. What bugged her, though, was that City Council was ready to approve the new ordinance January 5 without notifying the 175 property owners and occupants who would now be responsible for cutting those little strips of grass.
"The problem is the attitude some in Council have that we don't have to tell people," complains Reinicke.
Councilor Rob Schilling agrees. "Sometimes there's an attitude that we'll do this and let people find out about it later."
So letters went out. Plocek says he received two calls and no complaints.
And the new ordinance allows an appeals process if an owner has a physical inability to mow, or if the location makes it too dangerous.
Some, like snow removal critic Adrian Pols, see this as another way the city is trying to offload its municipal responsibilities. He calls it "involuntary servitude."
But others, like Louis Schultz, embrace the idea. "I'll be glad to have the city not mowing," he says. Schultz, who frequently spars with the city about the definition of weeds and compost, says the city has cut down shrubs on his property.
Kurt Krobeth was on the list of 175, and he's not sure why. "My property comes to the street, and I always mow it," he says.
But some owners don't mow the right-of-way, even when the strip looks like it's part of their yard, says Plocek.
Come growing season, those owners can be cited if they don't keep the rights-of-way mowed. But if it's any consolation, the city itself doesn't always keep its vacant lots as neatly groomed as it would like.
"We've received calls," Plocek admits, "that say we're close to being cited."
The grass may lie in the public right of way, but it's now the property owner's job to cut it.


text:
Is there a computer algebra package in which I can compute the following for representations of a specific symmetric group (e.g. $S_7$):
(1) $V \otimes W$
(2) $S_\lambda V$, where $S_\lambda$ is a Schur functor, or even just $\wedge^s V$,
where $V$ and $W$ are input as sums of irreducible representations, i.e. by partitions with coefficients, and output in the same format?


text:
GENERIC NAME(S): Magnesium Citrate
OTHER NAME(S): Citroma Solution
This product is used to clean stool from the intestines before surgery or certain bowel procedures (e.g., colonoscopy, radiography), usually with other products. It may also be used for relief of constipation. However, milder products (e.g., stool softeners, bulk-forming laxatives) should be used whenever possible for constipation.
Magnesium citrate is a saline laxative that is thought to work by increasing fluid in the small intestine. It usually results in a bowel movement within 30 minutes to 3 hours.
How to use Citroma
Read and follow all directions on the product package. If your doctor has directed you to use this product before surgery or a bowel procedure, he or she should tell you how long before the surgery/procedure you should take this product. If you are uncertain about any of the information, consult your doctor or pharmacist. To improve taste, this product may be chilled in the refrigerator before use. Do not freeze.
Dosage is based on your medical condition, age, and response to treatment. Drink a full glass of water (8 ounces or 240 milliliters) after taking this product unless otherwise directed by your doctor. Doing so will help prevent serious side effects (e.g., a loss of too much body water-dehydration).
If this product is used too frequently, it may cause loss of normal bowel function and an inability to have a bowel movement without using the product (laxative dependence). If you notice symptoms of overuse, such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, decreased weight, or weakness, contact your doctor promptly.
Avoid taking tetracycline/quinolone antibiotics (e.g., doxycycline, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin) within 2 hours before or after this product. Doing so may decrease the effect of the antibiotic.
If this product fails to produce a bowel movement, or if you think you may have a serious medical problem, contact your doctor promptly.
Side Effects
Mild abdominal discomfort/cramps, gas, or nausea may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, contact your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
Serious side effects are unlikely to occur unless this product is used for a prolonged time or in doses that are too high. Tell your doctor right away if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: slow/irregular heartbeat, mental/mood changes (e.g., confusion, unusual drowsiness), muscle weakness, persistent diarrhea, severe/persistent stomach/abdominal pain, bloody stools, rectal bleeding.
Persistent diarrhea may result in a serious loss of body water (dehydration). Contact your doctor promptly if you notice any symptoms of dehydration, such as unusual decreased urination, unusual dry mouth/increased thirst, lack of tears, dizziness/lightheadedness, or pale/wrinkled skin.
A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.
This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
In the US -
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at www.fda.gov/medwatch.
In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.
Before taking magnesium citrate, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.
This medication should not be used if you have certain medical conditions. Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: rectal bleeding, intestinal blockage (obstruction).
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: other bowel problems (e.g., ulcerative colitis, hemorrhoids), heart disease (e.g., irregular heartbeat), kidney disease, current stomach/abdominal symptoms (e.g., pain, cramping, persistent nausea/vomiting).
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Dreaming of the Waltz & Robin's Winner!
I've always dreamt of being at a grand ball and waltzing.
The image of tall, mysterious men circling a floor to the strains of Strauss, while their partners' dresses billow behind them, is incredibly romantic – like a music box springing to life.
Too bad it only happens in novels.
So, when the invitation came for a true Viennese Ball at the National Museum for Women in the Arts, I begged my husband to go. It was a wonderful cause and the fairytale event every girl dreams of. Poor guy never stood a chance. Imagine, a beaux art mansion in the middle of D.C., a candle-lit dinner on the mezzanine, overlooking the marble dance floor where a twenty-piece orchestra played.
My imagination has played this scene for so long it morphed into the first chapter of my spy novel. My heroine sneaks into a very fancy, very private ball in modern day Budapest in a mansion overlooking the Danube. (excerpt) The adventure takes her to Hong Kong where she battles traitors and falls in love. So, even if the view was that of
New York Avenue, instead of Strauss' famed river, last Saturday night really was a fantasy come true.
It's amazing how plots get inspired by these kinds of settings. While other people worried about dance steps, or romancing their partner, my husband had to deal with me checking out alternative exits, stairwells, and figuring out who might make a good villain in my next book. It's wonderful when every event takes on the nuances of a Bond film. Too bad it is more exciting in my head than in real life.
And, oh the beautiful people! Everyone wore black tie. Some women went for full ball gowns, and military men, in perfectly fitted dress uniforms, sparkled with medals. There were couples who put Fred and Ginger to shame, and then there were couples like my husband and me – let's just say my toes will never be quite the same. Still, I wouldn't have traded him for any other guy in the room.
By the time the evening was over, we'd met some lovely people, got the hang of dancing counter-clockwise, participated in the grand march, and learned the quadrille.
And every now and then, behind billowing ball gowns and marble pillars, I may have seen my hero and heroine laughing, as they danced in the night.
Now without further ado, the winner of Robin Perini's new release, Finding Her Son, from Harlequin Intrigue is … Rebecca York! Please contact us within ten days with your preferred email address.
Stop by tomorrow because Roxanne St. Claire will be back with an exciting announcement on behalf of her fellow authors from the MurderSheWrites blog: Their exclusive e-book anthology Guns and Roses. And she'll be giving away a free copy!
Posted on February 29, 2012, in Uncategorized and tagged ball gowns, Budapest, Cinderella, D.C., dancing, Danube, Diana Belchase, dreams, excerpt, fantasy, February 29, Finding Her Son, formal events, Fred and Ginger, Golden Heart, grand march, Harlequin, In Her Sights, Leap Year, military men, Montlake, National Museum for Women in the Arts, quadrille, Robin Perini, Spy in the Mirror, Spy Novels, Suspense, Viennese waltz, waltzing. Bookmark the permalink. 7 Comments.
Thanks Sarah, Gwen. It really was fun. I'm glad you liked the dress. I was glad I didn't wear a real ball gown, the women who did didn't fit in the chairs or doorways. But it was so nice to watch them. They looked like graceful swans.


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Preconditioning is the process of preparing calves to enter the stocker phase of the beef industry or to be directly placed in the feedlot. This process typically includes ranch management activities such as weaning, supplemental nutrition, dehorning, castration, and implementation of an animal health program including both deworming and vaccinations. Cow-calf operators can influence the market value of their livestock through these industry-accepted management practices.
While preconditioning is of interest to many producers today, the associated set of management practices is not a new concept to the beef industry. Preconditioning has been shown to improve both animal health and performance (Lalman and Smith, 2005). As a result, buyers frequently pay a premium for preconditioned cattle that are perceived to be of higher quality. However, there remains a question for many cow-calf producers. Are the additional vaccination and feed costs and time spent associated with preconditioning economically feasible for a cow-calf producer?
A cooperative effort between the Noble Foundation (NF) and the department of agricultural economics at Oklahoma State University (OSU) was formed to determine the cost versus benefit of preconditioning as part of an integrated beef production system (Donnell, 2007). The NF assists cooperators within a 100-mile radius of Ardmore to meet their individual production, marketing, and quality-of-life goals through multi-disciplinary consultation. Specifically, producers are consulted in areas such as forages and rangeland management, animal production, economics and marketing, and wildlife conservation. For producers in the integrated beef production program, the intent is to provide guaranteed source, process, and performance verified feeder cattle to the marketplace. This fact sheet specifically addresses costs and returns associated with the integrated beef production program.
Preconditioning Costs
Preconditioning cost data obtained from 11 and 29 NF cooperators in 2004 and 2005, respectively, show the average total Costs and Benefits Associated with Preconditioning Calvescost of preconditioning both steers and heifers approximates $49/hd (Table 1), a little more than $1/hd/day for a 45-day preconditioning program. Note that not all labor costs were available and costs associated with marketing and shrink are excluded in the total reported here. The largest preconditioning cost item was for animal nutrition during the 45-day period. Feed/mineral and hay costs averaged $33/hd. Vaccination cost, a critical component of a preconditioning program, was not as large as some producers might think, averaging about $8.25/hd. Producers" data also showed the average net margin for preconditioning was nearly $62/hd for steers in 2004-05; and $50/hd for heifers.
Findings from our analysis indicated that number of days preconditioned, average daily gain, and the cost of nutrition (feed/mineral and hay) have a significant impact on the economic returns from preconditioning. Statistical analysis indicated:
• Each additional day in a preconditioning program increased net margins by about $1/hd.
• Increasing average daily gain by 0.2 lbs/day increased net margins by $4.25/hd.
• Each $1 increase in feed/mineral costs reduced net margins $1.47/hd while the negative effect from feeding $1 more hay was $2.31/hd.
Preconditioning Benefits
Benefits from preconditioning stem from a combination of three factors. First is additional weight gain during the preconditioning phase, thereby enabling producers to sell more pounds (heavier calves) after preconditioning than at weaning. Second is capitalizing on the typical seasonal price increase from when calves are frequently weaned and sold in mid-October to marketing preconditioned calves in early December. Third is a potential price premium associated with preconditioning management practices implemented at the ranch.
Additional Weight Gain
One benefit from preconditioning is selling additional pounds after the preconditioning phase (typically 45 days or more). Table 2 demonstrates the value of additional weight from marketing preconditioned calves in December compared with weaned calves in mid-October. The example assumes a 45-day preconditioning program and an average daily gain of 1.33 lbs/day. The 2005 average market price for 500- to 550-pound steers sold in mid-October at Oklahoma City was used and adjusted for a price slide of $5/cwt between 500- to 550-pound and 550- to 600-pound calves. This price slide accounts for the fact prices for heavier calves are typically lower than for lighter calves. The average price slide obtained from historical market report data over the years 1992-2006 was $3.06/cwt, slightly less than what is used in our example. The value of additional pounds sold was $47.82/hd in this example. Recognize that a lower average daily gain and a larger price slide for heavier calves will lower the value for additional pounds sold.
Seasonal Price Increase
Using historical market report data from 1992-2006 at Oklahoma City, we found the seasonal price increase for steers weighing 500 to 550 pounds and sold in the first week of December rather than in mid-October averaged $5.74/cwt. However, producers should not expect this seasonal price change every year. A seasonal price increase was found in 12 of 15 years for 500- to 550-pound calves at Oklahoma City between mid-October and early December. An average price of $4.61/cwt was found when omitting the two largest, atypical seasonal price increases. Even the more conservative price change translates to $23.05/hd for 500-pound calves.
Management Premium
OSU and other university research has shown that management practices such as weaning, dehorning, supplemental nutrition, castration, deworming, and vaccinations are not only beneficial to animal health and performance, but also return more dollars when sold at market. Previous research indicates producers have the opportunity to realize an additional premium of $3 to 5/cwt depending on how many of the above mentioned practices are implemented at the ranch. Importantly, the premium is also dependent on the reputation of the rancher, the preconditioning program, the reputation of the livestock market and its manager, and how the livestock sale is conducted. The premium amounts to an added $15 to $30/hd of revenue for 500-pound calves.
Summary of Benefits
Readers must be cautioned that the benefit examples given here are neither guaranteed nor necessarily additive. Still, preconditioning offers the opportunity to increase revenue from three sources to offset the added costs associated with preconditioning calves.
Price Premium Specific to the NF Program
Previous research on estimating the price premium buyers pay for preconditioning varies. Most estimates are in the $3 to $5/cwt range but a price premium as high as $8/cwt has been reported. Four sales in which preconditioned calves were marketed by NF cooperators were analyzed. Two approaches were taken, both accounting for many factors that affect calf prices (such as lot size, animal weight, breed type, muscling, frame size, condition, health, etc.). The focus was on producer management practices, especially related to weaning, vaccination, castration, and dehorning.
Results for the two largest sales each year found a price premium for preconditioned, source, and age-verified calves from NF cooperators of $3.02/cwt when compared to all other management practices and other producers (Donnell, 2007). When compared to calves for which buyers have little information about the timing of weaning and vaccinations, the price premium buyers paid was $4.28/cwt. For calves weighing 500 pounds, these premiums amount to $15.30/hd and $21.40/hd, respectively.
All models estimated showed that larger sale lots command a higher price. Figure 1 shows that as lot size increased in the two largest sales, prices paid by buyers increased also. The extent of these higher prices varied sharply for the two sales. For example, the premium for a 25-head sale lot was about $2.50/cwt in December 2005 and about $5.50/cwt in October 2006. Highest prices were paid for sale lots of 60 to 65 head, approaching a truckload of calves. However, many producers are not large enough to market a uniform sale lot of steers or heifers in a truckload size lot. In that case, it is important to note that a price premium of about $1 to $3/cwt was paid even for increasing sale lots from 1 head to 10 head.
Another model considered the combined effect of marketing preconditioned, source and age-verified calves in lot sizes of 20 head or more. The combined effect resulted in a price premium for NF producers of $5.41/cwt or $27.05/hd for a 500-pound calf.
Partial Budgeting Comparison
Evaluating preconditioning typically involves partial budgeting. This economic tool allows the producer to evaluate the costs versus benefits of a traditional cow-calf operation (sell at weaning) compared to alternative management practices (sell after preconditioning). In essence, what producers need to determine is whether the added costs from preconditioning will be offset by the added revenue for preconditioned calves. Recall the added revenue comes from the three benefit components discussed above.
Table 3 is a partial budget comparison between multiple preconditioning programs. The column labeled "Noble Foundation" shows the costs and returns for the two-year experience, 2004-05 – with some modifications. Actual selling price is entered. Decomposing it into its components (Price change from weaning to marketing, Price slide for heavier weight, Price discount for increased flesh, and Management premium) were estimated from the 2005-2006 sale models and related data.
The column labeled "Oklahoma Quality Beef Network" is a proposed budget developed by economists and animal scientists at OSU. It is similar to a budget in the Beef Cattle Handbook (Lalman and Doye, 2005). The column labeled "Kansas State University" is a budget prepared by economists and animal scientists at Kansas State University (KSU) (Dhuyvetter, Bryant, and Blasi, 2005).
Lastly, the column labeled "OSU Revised" is a proposed budget which includes current prices at the time this fact sheet was written, along with production, price, and cost values from the Noble Foundation experience, recent research (Donnell, 2007), and the previously prepared OSU and KSU budgets.
The Oklahoma Quality Beef Network (OQBN) and KSU budgets are relatively conservative. Added revenue from marketing preconditioned calves exceeds added costs by $2.40 to $13.71/hd. Actual net returns by NF producers were considerably higher ($57.31/hd) though the NF results do not account for all added costs as was noted earlier.
The "OSU Revised" budget is an attempt to develop a realistic partial budget for preconditioning. As indicated, it includes a combination of actual experiences from NF producers, plus a combination of production, price, and cost assumptions from previous budgets and market data. Net returns are well-above the conservative returns in the OQBN and KSU budgets but well-below those from two years" experience by NF producers. Yet, the OSU Revised budget projects a net return of more than $30/hd for preconditioning calves. Thus, the added revenue more than compensates for the added cost associated with preconditioning calves. Another way to state the bottom line is that preconditioning is expected to return $30/hd or more in net returns for cow-calf producers under the assumptions in the OSU Revised budget.
Note that net returns are influenced by several factors. Among them are price level, the price change from weaning calves to marketing preconditioned calves, the price premium for preconditioning, length of the preconditioning period, average daily gain, various cost items, etc. Net returns also are influenced by the extent information on preconditioning practices is exchanged between seller and buyers and the reputation of the livestock market where calves are sold. A partial budget like Table 3 enables a producer to plug in various values they believe represent previous or expected experiences. By using such a spreadsheet, producers can assess how sensitive returns are to key budget items. The OSU Revised budget in Table 3 is available in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet available at http://agecon.okstate.edu/marketing/publications.asp.
Sensitivity of the OSU Revised budget in Table 3 is illustrated here. Below are several budget item changes in production, costs, or market conditions and how they affect net returns. Note in each case, only one budget was changed at a time, then net returns were compared to those in the OSU Revised budget of Table 3.
• A $2/cwt increase (decrease) in price level results in a $1.45/hd increase (decrease) in net returns.
• A $2/cwt increase (decrease) in the seasonal price change from October to December results in an $11.89/hd increase (decrease) in net returns.
• Similarly, a $2/cwt increase (decrease) in the price premium also results in an $11.89/hd increase (decrease) in net returns. Taking the price premium to zero, which is possible
depending on when and where calves are marketed, still results in a net return of $5.16/hd for preconditioned calves in the OSU Revised budget.
• A 0.1/lb increase (decrease) in average daily gain results in a $4.85/hd increase (decrease) in net returns.
• Increasing death loss to 1.5 percent results in a $6.65/hd reduction in net returns.
• Increasing feed/mineral and hay costs $5/hd results in a $5/hd reduction in net returns.
• Increasing vaccination and animal health costs $2/hd results in a $2/hd reduction in net returns.
Summary and Conclusions
The Noble Foundation's integrated beef production program enabled studying actual costs and returns from marketing preconditioned, source and age verified calves. Potential preconditioning benefits consist of three components. One is marketing heavier calves after preconditioning than at weaning. Second is usually marketing calves at a higher seasonal price after preconditioning than at weaning. A third is oftentimes receiving a price premium from buyers for healthier and better performing preconditioned calves. Important also are the costs associated with preconditioning calves.
Data from Noble Foundation producers enabled estimating the price premium buyers paid for preconditioned calves. In addition, the research confirmed again that marketing calves in larger sale lots comands an added premium from buyers. Actual costs and estimated premiums enabled developing what the authors believe to be a more accurate budget which producers can use to determine how expected added costs and added returns affect net returns from preconditioning calves.
Donnell, Jeri D. "Age and Source Verified Preconditioned Feeder Cattle: Costs and Value." Unpublished M.S. thesis, Oklahoma State University, 2007.
Dhuyvetter, K.C., A.M. Bryant, and D.A. Blasi. "Case Study: Preconditioning Beef Calves: Are Expected Premiums Sufficient to Justify the Practice?" The Professional Animal Scientist, 21(2005):502-514.
Lalman, David, and Damona Doye. Beef Cattle Manual. Oklahoma
State University, 2005.
Lalman, David, and Robert Smith. Effects of Preconditioning on Health, Performance and Prices of Weaned Calves. Oklahoma State University, Extension Fact Sheet, ANSC-3529, 2002.
Jeri Donnell, Associate Agricultural Economist, Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation
Clement Ward, Professor and Extension Economist,
Steve Swigert, Agricultural Economist, Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation


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IMF Survey : Volume 28, Issue 22 »
Volume/Issue: 28/22
Series: IMF Survey
Author(s): International Monetary Fund. External Relations Dept.
Publisher: INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND
Publication Date: 01 January 1999
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5089/9781451925616.023
Keywords: financial system, structural adjustment, structural adjustment facility, contingency financing, international financial ? architecture
The Web edition of the IMF Survey is updated several times a week, and contains a wealth of articles about topical policy and economic issues in the news. Access the latest IMF research, read interviews, and listen...


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