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1983: USTTA Potpourri.
The USATT's Film Committee Chair D.P. ("Don") Story reports (TTT, Dec., 1982, 6; Feb., 1983, 6; May-June, 1983, 19) on the establishment and progress of its Video-Tape Library:
"Eleven video tapes and one 16mm film are now on file and available for rental from the Kent State University Films Library, Kent Ohio. The KSU Films Library is one of the largest rental libraries in the nation, serving mostly corporations and academic institutions [Story teaches at Kent State]. We are lucky to have professionals handling our videotapes. Cataloging, posting, billing, and follow up are only part of their service."
In the past, volunteer amateurs tried their best to make something of the USTTA Film Committee but with little success. Now Story presents in Topics a "catalogue listing [including a short summary of the film], as well as rental costs, and a rental order form." Some of the films available to the membership through the USTTA are those showing excerpts from the 1979 and 1981 World's, the 1981 USOTC's, and the 1981 and '82 U.S. Opens. Don says, "The tape is in one format only—VHS. And of course there are copyright restrictions. Borrowers agree not to video duplicate or use on TV. Also, the rental period is only for five days. You must return the tape promptly so that others can enjoy the same tape." [Jack Carr, for one, thinks five days isn't enough time—"the postal system isn't that good, and if film is wanted for a club banquet it might need to be reviewed first before being decided on."] In the beginning (Dec. Topics), there's only one copy of each tape available. But I'll let Don have more to say about the distribution of the tapes in a moment. First, however, he wants to thank those who've helped him.
"The collection could not have been collected without the tireless support of my good friend and committee member, Mr. David Strang. We both have spent many hours working on this project together, but it was through Dave's personal efforts and expense that the '81 U.S. Open at Princeton (except the finals) was filmed. My thanks as well to Bowie Martin who first suggested I take over the Film Committee, and who donated 12 hours of World Championship tape filmed by the Tamasu Butterfly Co. In addition to the support offered by USTTA Executive Director Bill Haid, and the USTTA itself for providing our Committee with some necessary financial help, I thank our V.P. Lyle Thiem who purchased the very fine Tischtennis instructional tape, and Cam Clark who took films of the '79 Pyongyang, North Korea World's. Along with my own 1982 filming of the Cleveland Open (in which you can study Sweden's Appelgren in action) and the '82 U.S. Open, I must also include the TSP films of the 1981 World Cup and Norwich Union Masters—these came from Danny Robbins of Robbins Sport who's always been most helpful in my never-ending quest for quality videotape."
Six months after the opening of this Video-Tape Library, films had been rented with enthusiasm—students of the sport could learn new techniques from them, and those giving exhibitions could use them as an accompanying promotional tool. However, shortcomings had to be acknowledged. "The major difficulty we have encountered was that the quality of some of the tapes was not up to the expectation of some. At present, duplication of tapes is done on my own machines, without the benefit of black boxes to minimize the loss of signal during the duplication process. Combine this with the fact that our 'masters' are, in some cases, 2nd or 3rd generation, and that many times editing of the 'master' reduces the generation again, the library copies need not be 'movie' quality. My own opinion is that all copies are good enough for personal viewing—for the purpose of studying game styles and tactics. For audience viewing, some tapes are clearly not adequate."
"In some cases, the Film Committee had a choice of offering outstanding table tennis action of poorer quality video, or not offering it at all. Our failure was not to advise the public in advance which tapes were adequate for personal viewing and which were best for large audience viewing. As we now make clear this distinction, I ask for members' understanding and patience. To improve this Table Tennis Library we need a system of people with video tape equipment (recorder and color camera) to film the top national tournaments, both for our membership and the general public."
Dr. Michael Scott says (TTT, May-June, 1983, 18) that his Sports Medicine Committee "has been able to obtain biometric analyses and tests of highly skilled table tennis players for studying various parameters of these athletes. Specific factors that were studied by Dr. Jack Groppel involved the transfer of force from the floor through the lower extremities, to the hips and trunk, and finally to the upper extremity moving the paddle. This testing was performed at the National Closed Championships in Las Vegas and with the cooperation of the USOC in Colorado Springs. The costs of these procedures were paid by the USOC, and we're indebted to Bill Haid, Sol Schiff, and Houshang Bozorgzadeh, as well as the players, for their assistance.
It is hoped that the tabulation and films obtained will enable the players to improve their efficiency in stroke production and movement patterns…."
Of course if ambitious player after player could not only see films of world-class players in action, but see films of himself in matches, that would help, especially if he/she had an experienced coach as commentator. Gradually over the years such a practice will catch on. Meanwhile, Jack Carr in his monthly column (TTT, May-June, 1983, 18) gives much more lip-service attention to the need for a school LETTER program than he does to our need to succeed in the Olympics. He says he doesn't, and neither does our E.C., know how to get table tennis into the schools as a Letter sport—but he knows it would make all the difference in being recognized by the public. He also concludes that "there isn't any doubt that the general public would recognize table tennis as a sport if some way, somehow, in 1988 we could win the Olympic Gold." Jack, without a clue, asks, "Is winning the Olympic Gold any more unrealistic, any more of a dream, than the U.S. victory in ice hockey?" Then he continues abstractly on, "But if we are to win the Gold, we have to start now; 1988 is only five years away."
Start now—how? "Well, since the Olympic Committee has budgeted the USTTA with a reasonable salary for a National Coach, we can and should hire this coach, someone who speaks English and in my opinion preferably an American." Like who? Who might be our experienced American choices? "Maybe one of our U.S. Professionals who is ineligible to be an Olympic participant. This coach would be with all of our U.S. teams from now on through the 1988 Olympics [with salary increments?]. I suggest Danny Seemiller or Eric Boggan." But Jack, at this moment, these are the two best players in the country. True, in country after country, many of the best players when they retire become coaches. Indeed, Danny Seemiller will eventually make his living as Coach of National Champions at his South Bend, IN Club, will in fact be our National Men's Team Coach, but for the moment let him continue to be a player. As for Eric Boggan, have you ever asked him, still a teenager, the #1-rated player in the country, if he'd like to give up being an international star to be a coach (with how much coaching experience?). That suggestion is ludicrous.
But Jack really isn't serious about Eric. He has a different agenda, one that he's repeatedly suggested before—as witness his continuation. "If we're going to have a chance for the 1988 Gold, we have to give our eligible players exposure to international competition. So, starting now, our U.S. Teams (including the World Championship U.S. Team [that's those players, preeminently Danny and Eric, who've gone through the Trials and made the '83 World Team] should be composed only of players who fulfill the Olympic requirements which at this writing are amateurs who are U.S. citizens. As Bill Haid has written, 'Our ultimate goal is to represent the United States with a strong opportunity to capture the coveted Gold Medal in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.'' The blind leading the blind—but at least Haid knows the '88 Olympics are in Seoul, and that Seoul is in South Korea. M'god, the parochial thinking—make that the non-thinking that continues to be happily advertised—how entrenched it is in this country. For years and years I've had to rail against it.
Of course I'm most interested in International and National tournaments where our top players participate. However, I'm also partial to local human interest stories. Mel Eisner devotes an "Upbeat" column (TTT, May-June, 1983, 18) to one of those people who "bring their minds, hearts, and energies towards making things happen." Here's the letter written by Dennis A. Steele of East Peoria, IL that so captured Mel's attention (perhaps because he's run so many tournaments and knows the usual publicity problems):
"It all started about one year ago when I generated my first news releases about a spring tourney. One or two papers picked it up, but no TV….Immediately after seeing the release in print I wrote to the editor thanking him and the paper for their support of the club and the sport.
I can't overstress the importance of thanking the media anytime they run your releases. If it was a paper, I wrote to the managing editor with copies to the sports editor and reporter; if it was TV I wrote to the station manager with copies to the sports director and the on-the-air reporter. The first reason for doing this is basic, common courtesy. To let the folks know you appreciated what they did for you. The second reason is that in writing you keep your name, the Club's name, and the name of the sport in front of the media. You want a long-term, positive relationship with the media, not just one quick media 'fix.'
The next thing that came up was the Junior Olympics for TT in Illinois. I let out all the stops on that with multiple releases and invitations to the media to cover. I called sports editors/directors in advance to tell them I was going to write them, then I called several times again, including one or two days before the tourney. For those efforts we got a 40-second TV spot and a full-page feature in one of the weekly papers. I spent much time with reporters at the event, telling them about particular kids, the Club, the sport. They went away with lots of information.
When the next tourney came up I didn't have to work as hard to get releases published. They knew us and we had established some credibility, some key points.
The TV guy asked to be kept informed on how the local kids did in Memphis, so I let him know and he aired it. Many letters of thanks followed….
Two months later the daily called and said they wanted to do a feature on Table Tennis. I buried them with information—copies of Topics articles, copies of the rules, price sheets from mail order TT businesses, and some data I'd collected on the international, national, and local T.T. scene. I gave out phone numbers of key folk, calling them to alert them….
Some weeks after that the weekly called….They wanted to focus on the Club and the sport. So I buried them with information too….
I went to the paper's headquarters the day the article was to have appeared….The reporter ended up interviewing me for nearly an hour. I'm not particularly newsworthy, but I was handy and accessible, so that's why I was so exclusively quoted….
In order to present a better image, I devised some 'letterhead' and 'news release' stationery….
As to the immediate future, the Club has a tourney in April. Last week I 'broadsided' some 20 releases to area media….I have a list of about 20 area youth serving/youth athletics/youth club organizations. I've prepared a draft of an announcement to them to pique their interest and ask their help in getting the word out…."
Naturally, a not so "upbeat" tournament director's article also appears (Timmy's, Jan., 1984, 16). Here's Patrick F. Herman's "Incentive?":
"Was Charles Dickens talking about table tennis when he inked his immortal ambiguity? Really, Tim, is it the best of times? I would like to think so, but perhaps the optimism shared by so many of us is merely wishful thinking.
Where is all the incentive hidden? A better question may be, 'Was there ever any incentive to begin with?' Please excuse me if I offend anyone with the following commentary.
In May of 1980 I organized the first 'annual' Quaker State Penn Open Table Tennis Tournament. A serious undertaking to say the least. When the tournament was held in July of that year I anticipated a banner event. Players came from all over, braving 100-degree heat in the gymnasium for their part of nearly $2,500 in cash and prizes. It almost went off without a hitch.
Except I heard: 'When are you going to turn on the air-conditioning?' Yeah, really, in a high school gym? Come on! Perhaps I should have had the tournament in January when the air conditioning is free.
And heard: 'Fifteen tables. Too bad only three of them don't rival the lunar surface. By the way, it's too damn hot in here!' Perhaps the complainer didn't realize I drove the whole way to Pittsburgh, a distance of 90 miles, to secure the tables so the tournament could he held in the first place.
And heard: 'I hope you have it next year, Pat, but try to make July a little cooler.' Sure, I'll get right on it.
Well, believe it or not, in 1981 I did make July a little cooler. A lot cooler, in fact—I rented an air-conditioned gym. It all went off without a hitch.
Except I heard, 'I can't lob—that damn unit is blowing my ball all over the place.' Try looping.
And heard: 'I can't loop—the chill in here has changed the property of my rubber.' Try lobbing.
The 1982 tournament went off without a hitch.
Except I heard: 'Ten tables. Too bad only one doesn't rival the lunar surface.' I'd heard that comment in 1980.
And heard: 'God, is it hot in here!' Try sponging off between points.
I must say from a personal standpoint the '82 tournament was very disappointing. Just two weeks before, we lost our Quaker State sponsorship—though through no fault of theirs or the tournament committee. An unforeseen scheduling conflict. I must give the players credit because for the most part they were very understanding. It must have been a shock to see the prize money cut by 60%. I thank them for that.
What I'm trying to say is there is no use complaining unless one can offer a better way. I truly believe even the most ambitious person is capable of absorbing a degree of constructive criticism.
To be fair to all parties involved in any of my tournaments, the vast majority were perfectly satisfied. This group includes many of the 'top' players. The few who complained may simply be masking their own feelings of insecurity by complaining of the seemingly endless number of 'moon' balls they've been battling all these years.
No, I'm not saying I'm beyond criticism. I actually appreciate new ideas if they come from considerate, objective sources. But constant bickering is not the answer to any problem and is not, as I am told, the way of civilized men.
There may be another tournament if only I can find the INCENTIVE."
Lee Ross in his "Sponsorship Game" article (TTT, Feb., 1983, 11) tells us, though not
as unrelentingly warrior-like as did Dennis Steele, of the importance of Preparation—in player Ross's case, of finding a sponsor (Lee's currently sponsored by the IZOD CORP). He begins by pointing out that "a sponsor doesn't have to be a big company, like Harvard or Butterfly, it can be the neighborhood drug store or the local supermarket, and sponsors don't always mean money, it could be clothing, transportation, food, who knows? But it's up to you to find out.
…A Portfolio is essential in your quest for a sponsor. It lends a slick, professional look to any athlete seeking a business to help him. Any photo/letter display book will do; these books are usually found at any stationery store. If you're wondering what you should put in it, first thing is: a letter to a prospective sponsor. It shows you're serious. The letter should introduce table tennis as a growing sport, it should tell who you are, where you're from, age, t.t. accomplishments, and national, state, or city ranking (more understandable than rating). Other items you should include are any photos of you with your trophies and medals. And if you don't have any, make them up because they always help [Tim's italics—"they always help"…until proven bogus]. If any photo of you playing has ever been made, include that if you can.
Now you're ready to make a list of possible sponsors….Try to pick businesses that are sports oriented, like a sporting goods store or a sports clothing store….Try to pick businesses that are large enough to give a small donation. Also, take note—your list shouldn't be less than 15 companies….Good luck!"
Eugene Wilson (TTT, Feb., 1983, 12) also emphasizes that players need help, especially young players. He sees how the Professional Golfers Association and his own Oakcreek Country Club in Sedonia, AZ encourage Junior Golf (Club members donate golf clubs, enthusiastic youngsters begin by getting to use the driving range and putting green, and as they improve they get to play on the course free). In table tennis, a country like Sweden "has clubs that pay tournament entry fees for their juniors, and offer functional prizes such as bicycles, ice skates, tennis rackets, and barbeque sets. We in the U.S. need new ideas to entice juniors into the sport. How about at the next U.S. Closed, we have a Las Vegas Junior Closed (open only to those of various ages who live in Vegas). Don't charge any entry fee, award merchandise prizes, and see how many kids and their spectator-parents come out. [Publicity for such an event would be key to its success. If need be, and it would be, send Dennis Steele out there for a month ahead of time and get local players to give him hospitality?]"
Bill Walk, Trustee Manager of the USTTA's Capital Development Fund (CDF) is proud to announce (TTT, Apr., 1983, 12) that "the initial fund drive drew 54 responses resulting in donations of $3,500." In seeking more donations, Bill reminds everyone that "unlike most charities, the CDF will never spend your donations. Instead, they will be invested. The dividends from these investments will be turned over to the USTTA for specific purposes. Any dividends over 10% will be retained and re-invested in the fund. Thus the $7,000 we now have will mean $700 to the USTTA every year forever. …Can you imagine what we can do when we get $100,000 in the fund?
More good news for Walk. By the time the next Topics came out, Mrs. Ruth Bacon had donated $2,000 to the fund in memory of her late husband Ed who'd died May 17, 1980. He was a tournament player for a long time out of New Jersey and after his retirement he also played at Newgy's Club in Miami, FL. Thanks from Bill to Ruth.
Another Newgy veteran, a "Senior of the Month" (TTT, Feb., 1983, 11), is Sam Hoffner. Gene Wilson has a story to tell about him:
"Sam Hoffner was born in New York City on Nov. 28, 1918. He won his first table tennis trophy in 1933 when he was on the same Tomkins Square Boys Club with Lou Pagliaro and Vic Gurrado that won the New York City Team Championship over Sol Schiff, Ed Pinner, and Cy Sussman. He graduated from Stuyvesant High then later joined the Air Force, and spent the entire period of World War II in Puerto Rico where he learned to speak Spanish. There, in 1942, he married and had three children. The mother of his children died in 1958 of a blood disease. Sam and his second wife, Paula, have been married for 23 years. Sam made a living in insurance, real estate, and now, in retirement in Miami, he has a small direct mail business.
…At the 1979 Caesars Closed in Las Vegas, Sam was leading Bill Hornyak, 20-19 in the third, in the semi's of the Senior Esquire's when he seemed to lose all control and lost the next three points. He'd suffered an aneurysm of the aorta. He was rushed to the local Desert Springs Hospital where his life was saved. To those of you who might not be familiar with the problem, an aneurysm is a sac which is formed by local enlargement of the weakened wall of the main artery of the body carrying blood from the left ventricle of the heart to the arteries of all organs and parts. Death is usually within five minutes unless skilled medical attention is received. Sam was in the hospital for 45 days and was in critical condition for 30 days. While he was still in the hospital recovering from the aneurysm the blood circulation in his left leg was obstructed, causing gangrene to set in. It was necessary to amputate his left leg above the knee.
Anybody with less courage and determination than Sam at the age of 64 and having lost a leg would forget about playing table tennis, but not Sam. He had a prosthesis for his left leg but it didn't work out too well. He now has another prosthesis which fits better, but while waiting for the muscles to tone up he plays table tennis holding a walker for support. He must position himself and remain there for the duration of the point. He continues to play table tennis in this fashion and enjoys it. His current table tennis rating is 1383, which, in my opinion, is outstanding considering his age and lack of mobility. We wish him and his wife Paula many years of happy retirement."
Obviously Wilson thinks he has a good idea what a person with a 1383 rating plays like. But Pennsylvania's Tom Steen (and some of his friends) don't. That's why Tom suggests in a Letter to the Editor (TTT, Mar., 1983, 19) that "New Rating Classes Are Needed." He proposes "a system similar to the one used in chess. A player over 2400 could be a Grandmaster, over 2000 an Expert, etc. This would give players something to shoot for, rather than an unexplainable computer number. Once a player reaches a level, there would be no turning back. Although his computer rating might fall he would still be considered a Master (or whatever) until attaining the Grandmaster stage. [But can't you just hear a spectator say, as the player ages or he's absent from the game for a while, and his rating falls, "That guy's a Master?"] Tom says, "this proposed system would give added status ["I'm not a Class B player, I'm a Master"], make the levels of competition more comprehensible to spectators, and standardize tournament events. I feel that this system would encourage all players to strive for the next higher classification with the overall result being a general improvement in Table Tennis in our country. [I personally appreciate Tom's thought, but I can't see any improvement in his proposed system.]
Mel Eisner notes (TTT, March, 1983, 14) a complementary suggestion made to him by Cliff Metzger. Metzger "recommends that there be a number of 'classes' of competition, based on rubber restrictions (Open, Smooth Bat, Pimpled Bat, Hard Bat, Limited or Mixed Bat) with separate rating records for each class." Obviously, the ever-proliferating rubbers available on the market is a USTTA-membership preoccupation. Mel himself is concerned primarily with what he calls not "Junk" but "Defensive Rubber," and so sends out a Questionnaire soliciting readers' responses to the pros and cons as to its use (one question echoing Metzger's suggestion—"Would you like to see classes of competition defined by limits on type of racket?").
However, it's Lou Bochenski's published results of his Paddle Palace poll (TTT, Apr., 1983, 20) giving explicit but varied answers to a cluster of questions that Table Tennis History would be most interested in preserving. So, do your presentation, Lou:
"A change in regulations to allow the opponent and spectators to be able to tell which side of the racket is being used is the main demand of over 200 respondents to the Paddle Palace opinion poll.
Most players felt that it was not necessary to ban switching sides of a combination racket, but a two-to-one majority felt that the spectators and players alike would benefit from being able to see what the opponent was doing.
To the question about whether a short rally is not good for the sport, a narrow majority said that the length of a rally was not important. Sixty-five percent said it was not necessary to change the regulations in order to make the rallies longer. [Not much thought then of extending the length of the table to, say, 10 feet?]
Some players felt that too many points were decided by the serve, but 76% said that this did not call for some sort of regulation so that the serve could be returned more easily.
Seventy-three percent of the players answering used inverted rubber on both sides of the paddle. Three percent used hard rubber. And a surprising [why surprising?] 24% used a combination of inverted rubber and either pips out, long pips, or anti on the other side.
Ninety-seven percent said that present techniques are more advanced than those in the past, and 84% said that the game is more dynamic. Eighty percent thought that the total thickness of a rubber sheet must not be changed to exceed 4 mm on a side.
As for switching sides of a combination racket during a rally, 31% said that switching should be banned; 54% said it was not necessary to ban switching—it was just necessary to make a regulation so that the opponent could tell which side of the racket was being used. Only 15% said no regulation was necessary.
In regard to serving, 24% of the respondents said that switching the sides of a combination racket while serving should be banned; 35% said it should be allowed; and 41% said it should be allowed but the rules should be changed so that the opponent could see which side is being used.
"I would like to see the formation of a 'standard' rubber division. I mean a division where everyone utilizes the same type of rubber (not necessarily the same brand) on both sides of the paddle."—Robert W. Waters.
"I had to go to anti rubbers. Younger players and men could render me nearly helpless with their serves. But with anti rubber they have to play a little harder."—Anna Lynn.
"Have you ever gone to a tennis tournament? A squash tournament? I've played in a bunch, and even the beginners wore nice uniforms. TT tournaments have 2000-class players in jeans, long johns, etc."—James Coombe.
"I feel table tennis is not only for the top-rated players but for everyone to enjoy. The fact that Scott and Eric Boggan, or the like, can read long pips (or at least say they can) is not applicable for the majority of players. There are more under 1800 players than over 1800. Also, either enforce the service rules or change them. Can one imagine McEnroe foot-faulting on a serve in tennis with the umpire ruling it fair because 'he didn't use it for his advantage'?"—Buddy Melamed.
"Making players who use anti have different-colored rubber on each side of the racket is a joke. One of the main purposes of anti is to deceive one's opponent, and if the above regulation went into effect one of the main purposes of anti would be undermined."—David Austin.
"I like the new technology of equipment and think it should be further explored and invent new sheets and rackets."—Scott Baker.
"I feel banning the use of two different rubbers on a paddle is pure craziness! It would take a lot from the complexity of the game. Also, switching should be allowed. This adds much more variety to the game of table tennis."—Earl Strohmeyer.
"I am a 2000 player who has recently retired, due to junk rubber in large part….Boggans & Seemillers have assured the minor status of table tennis. They are great players, but kill the beauty of the game. I think there are too many different types of rubber sheets. Any rubber that is tricky enough to pick up a ball should be outlawed."—R.D. Goble.
"The use of 'junk' makes the person concentrate on the ball more and therefore will improve his game. That is the main part of the game—concentration. If a person can't take 'junk' rubber, he shouldn't be playing the game."—Mark J. Vrabel.
"Combinations such as very fast-rated blades and very fast rubber (2.5 Sriver) are too fast for competitive play and I feel should be banned. I hear so many negative responses concerning so-called 'junk' rubber but nothing about the super-fast combination rackets that are too fast for most humans. I think the paddle point is a bad rule and should be changed. TT is a fast and fun game. I will always play with fast rubber and am not afraid of 'funny-rubber" players. Thanks for letting me sound off."—Bill Fortney.
Lou's conclusion from this survey:
"A rule change should be made by the ITTF to require a different-colored rubber on each side of the paddle. This would allow players to take advantage of modern developments in equipment but would also allow their opponents to see what is happening and to counteract it.
It seems to me that if the colors were different, the Game would be fun and a challenge to face anyone with even a radical difference in rubber from one side to the other."
This seems, then, a good time to bring in USTTA Rules Chair Mal Anderson's description (TTT, May-June, 1983, 12) of the new two-color ruling that's about to be approved by the ITTF at their upcoming General Meeting in Tokyo:
"The following is a regulation, not a law, so it applies only to the World and Continental and ITTF-Approved Open Championships, and it becomes effective on Jan. 1, 1984.
The colors of the two sides of the blade shall be clearly different.
The criterion is that the Referee shall be able to clearly distinguish between the two colors at a distance of 10 meters under an illumination of 400 lux (38 foot candles).
Although this regulation does not apply to any U.S. tournament, the USTTA E.C. and the Canadian TTA will both probably pass it as a law, so all tournaments in both countries will observe it after Jan. 1."


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Accountability—the idea of holding schools, districts, educators, and students responsible for results—has become the most-recent watchword in education. In more and more states and districts, policymakers are moving to reward achievement and punish failure in schools, in an effort to ensure that children are getting a good education and that tax dollars aren't being wasted. "Accountability for student performance is one of the two or three -if not the most- prominent issues in policy at the state and local levels right now," says Richard F. Elmore, a professor at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education (Quality Counts, 1999)
The push for accountability has grown out of a common perception that states traditionally monitored the "inputs" in public education—such as the number of books in the school library or the number of computers in the classroom—but paid too little attention to performance. In the 1980s, the nation's governors proposed a kind of "horse trade": The state would provide more flexibility in how schools operated, as well as more money for schools, if educators would agree to be held more accountable for student achievement.
The "new" accountability, enshrined in federal law since the mid-1990s and a major emphasis of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, focuses on student performance, schools as the unit of improvement, public reporting of achievement results, continuous improvement, and consequences for schools attached to student performance (Fuhrman, 1999). Each state is required, under No Child Left Behind, to submit an accountability plan to the U.S. Department of Education. By 2005, all 50 states and the District of Columbia had submitted and received approval for their individualized plans, and are currently implementing these plans in their schools (Department of Education, 2005)
As of the 2004-05 school year, according to Education Week's Quality Counts 2005 report, all 50 states and the District of Columbia publish report cards on school performance, based largely on test scores. Forty-five states and the District disaggregate student performance data on report cards, highlighting specifically how minority, low-income, special education, and English-language learners perform on state tests.
Beginning with the 2003-04 school year, under the No Child Left Behind Act, all states are required to publicly rate schools on whether the schools have made "adequate yearly progress" toward meeting performance targets. According to data collected by Education Week, at least 19,644 schools did not meet those performance targets for 2003-04.
But while all states now have some kind of rating systems in place for all of their schools, many do not assist all low-performing schools or hold all schools accountable for results by imposing consequences on persistently failing schools, or providing rewards to high-performing or improving schools. For 2004-05, 36 states assist all schools identified as low-performing (regardless of whether they receive federal Title I funds). Twenty-nine states have the legal authority to close, take over, replace staffs, or apply other penalties such as converting to charters any schools they have identified as failing (Quality Counts 2005).
In practice, however, the push for accountability has led to some unforeseen problems. A 2004 study by the Thomas Fordham Foundation and AccountabilityWorks, which evaluated accountability systems in 30 states, gave states "mediocre" marks for the extent to which accountability systems were based on solid academic standards and tests that matched individual state standards (Cross et. al., 2004).
Furthermore, a "capacity gap" exists in states, districts, and schools. Low-performing schools are the least capable of turning themselves around. Meanwhile, states may not have the resources to intervene in every school whose performance is not up to par (Elmore, 2002). With strict timelines and mandates for improvement under the No Child Left Behind Act, some education policy experts are concerned that states will have incentives to lower standards and expectations for students in order to meet prescribed goals (Center on Education Policy, 2003).
States are not only seeking to hold schools more accountable for results, increasingly they are also holding students accountable for individual performance. According to data collected for Quality Counts 2005, for the 2004-05 school year, students in 21 states are required to pass a test to graduate from high school, and, eight states tie student promotion to test scores.
Opponents of such practices are concerned about the validity and reliability of making high-stakes decisions that often are based on performance on single exams (Heubert and Hauser, 1998; Linn, 2000). Critics also argue that the focus on high-stakes testing will narrow and impoverish the curriculum, encourage cheating, and fall most heavily on poor and minority students, who traditionally have done least well on standardized exams. Opponents of such testing also complain that states have rushed to hold students accountable before the states have put in place the curricula, instruction, teacher training, and other resources that would enable young people to meet the higher standards.
Some states, such as Florida and New Mexico, are also attempting to hold teachers accountable by tying their evaluations and pay to students' scores on state tests (Quality Counts, 2005). But many educators and teachers' unions contend that approach is unfair because too many factors contributing to student performance are outside teachers' control.
For now, most state policymakers say they are committed to the accountability agenda: setting higher standards for students, measuring whether they are learning, and then providing incentives in the form of rewards and punishments for schools and students to achieve. Opinion polls also show that the public and educators continue to largely support the general principles of high standards and accountability for results (Public Agenda, 2002).
How to Cite This Article
Editorial Projects in Education Research Center. (2004, August 3). Accountability. Education Week. Retrieved Month Day, Year from http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/accountability/
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A joint project between DigitalGlobe and many volunteers has helped in the eradication of polio through mapping of villages in developing countries during vaccination campaigns. The mapping of the often isolated settlements was complicated and apart from analysing big data captured by satellites, DigitalGlobe had to rely on volunteers and crowdsourcing based on the Tomnod programme. The final result is a map covering 285,103 villages in Nigeria, Somalia, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
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Johnathan Willis has been named an assistant coach at Liberty, following seven years as head coach at Randolph College.
Liberty volleyball head coach Shane Pinder has announced the addition of former Randolph College head coach Johnathan Willis to his coaching staff as an assistant coach. "I am excited about the hire of Johnathan to our staff at Liberty," Pinder said. "The transition should be an easy one, as Johnathan is very familiar with our program. He spent one year as a volunteer assistant for me before taking the head coaching job at Randolph. Since leaving, he has been a part of our summer camps, serving as a camp clinician. He has great passion for the game and developing student-athletes on and off the floor. I believe with his experience in the gym training athletes, along with his passion for recruiting, there are exciting days ahead for Liberty volleyball." Willis returns to his alma mater, where he served as a volunteer assistant coach on Pinder's staff during the 2006-07 academic year. He has maintained his relationship to Liberty, helping organize, facilitate and run clinics for Liberty's team camp from 2004-13. "I am so excited to be home again!" Willis said. "This is where it all started for me! I am thrilled to be working with such great coaches and athletes here at Liberty University and I am excited to continue the standard of excellence that has been reached these last several years! Go Flames!" Willis spent the last seven seasons (2007-13) as head volleyball coach at Randolph College in Lynchburg. In 2013, Willis' WildCats went 12-11, good for the program's first winning record since the 1997 campaign. While at Randolph, he was in charge of recruiting, fundraisers, finances, equipment purchasing, scheduling, film analysis, player development and coaching staff. He recruited and coached student-athletes who hold program records in over 20 categories. Willis also began and led a faculty and staff Bible study on campus. Willis spent six seasons, 2006-11, as head coach of Liberty's club men's volleyball program. The team went 20-8 in 2006-07, placing second in the EIVA Southern Conference. His team also earned a third-place finish at the NCVF National Championships in 2010. During 2005, Willis was an assistant coach at Brookville High School, helping guide the Bees to a district championship and regional runner-up showing. Willis coached the Heart of Virginia club volleyball team for three years, 2006-08, during which time he led the HOV 16U Navy Team. He has vast experience as a clinician, both at the high school and college level. Willis has served as a clinician at Liberty's camps, while also teaching at high school camps both locally and throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. As an undergraduate student at Liberty, Willis played middle blocker for the club men's volleyball team. Willis graduated from Liberty with a Bachelor of Science degree in 2006. He then earned a Master of Arts in human services, also from Liberty, in 2007.
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Wyatt John Sinning 1995-2013
Memorial service for Wyatt John Sinning of Emmetsburg will be held Thursday, July 11, at 1 p.m. in the Smith Wellness Center gymnasium in Emmetsburg. The Rev. Nicholas Thackery of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Emmetsburg will officiate. The Martin-Mattice Funeral Home in Emmetsburg is in charge of arrangements.
Wyatt John Sinning, son of Jesi Sinning and Luke Schmitt, was born May 24, 1995 in Mason City. He received his education at Emmetsburg High School and would be a Senior this fall. Wyatt was also currently attending Iowa Lakes Community College where he was excelling as a student in the welding program. Wyatt had a deep interest in not only welding, but working on tractors, cars and trucks. His dream after completing high school and college was to farm with his grandfather.
Wyatt had been employed at Trettin/HET, Jensvold Motor, Sinning Farms, Inc., Christensen Farms and currently at Fareway. All of these jobs allowed him to do what he loved most, whether that was working with autos, being on the farm or helping others. He was an active member of Future Farmers of America.
Wyatt was a country boy through and through. He loved country music, cowboy boots, and getting dirty on his four wheeler. Wyatt loved being outdoors and going fishing with his grandparents. He had a big heart and was always looking out for his friends and family. He had a deep devotion to his mother and helping care for his little sister, who he loved with all his heart. Wyatt was always ready to share a joke with his friends to cheer them up. His big smile was not only beautiful but contagious as well and brought joy to those that were around him.
Wyatt passed away on Sunday, July 7, 2013 at the age of 18. Left to cherish his memory are his parents, Jesi Sinning of Emmetsburg, and Luke Schmitt of Green, IA; brothers, Maverick and Marshall Schmitt of Lake Mills; his sister, Georgia Marsh of Emmetsburg; maternal grandparents, Mike and Pat Sinning; paternal grandparents, Paul and Sylvia Hedrick; numerous aunts, uncles and cousins; great grandparents, Eleanor Sinning and Myron and Sally Stanlander.
Wyatt was preceded in death by his grandparents, Jo-Jo and Peg Parker, Norval Sinning and Dave Schmitt; and great grandparents, Nick and Dorothy Schmitt.
Condolences can be left at


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Last week news leaked that Beyoncé's former drummer Kimberly Thompson requested a restraining order against the pop star after accusing her of killing her cat and practicing extreme witchcraft to sexually molest her and destroy her finances [click here if you missed that].
In her first interview Kimberly claims, among other things, that Beyonce is capable of shape shifting...
Speaking with The Daily Mail Kimberly says she filed the restraining order to show Beyoncé once and for all that she never wants to work with her again, says she's ashamed she ever worked with her in the first place and accuses her of stealing her intellectual property.
Kimberly also accuses Beyoncé of sabotaging her career, paying people to fire her, follow her from city to city and casting spells on her because she's jealous.


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3M Filtrete Ultra Allergen Filter (6-Pack) - 24" x 30 x 1" - MFG #2013DC-6
This 6-pack of 3M Filtrete 24" x 30" x 1" Ultra Allergen filters, 3M Filtrete part #2013 or #2013DC-6, is the "better" choice in the Allergen reduction line of 3M Filtrete filters.
The 3M Filtrete Ultra Allergen Filter is a better choice if you need a filter to capture large airborne particles as well as microscopic allergens regardless of your furnace brand.
The 3M Filtrete Ultra Allergen 24" x 30" x 1" #2013 filter will capture dust particles as well as capturing smaller allergen particles like pollen, mold spores or bacteria.
-Nominal Size: 24" x 30" x 1"
-MPR (Microparticle Performance Rating): 1200 - roughly equivalent to a MERV 12 filter
-Designed to Capture: Dust, Pollen, Mold spores, Dust mite debris, Smoke, Pet dander, Household dust and Smog, Bacteria, Particles that carry viruses, Particles that can carry tobacco odors
Additional Information
|Filter Size
|24" x 30"
|Model Number
|3M Filtrete
|Filter Type
|Pleated, Throw Away
|Efficiency Rating


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This event is in the past.
Detroit, MI 48202
The James Pearson Duffy Department of Art and Art History is pleased to present THIS LAND IS… The opening reception will be held on Friday, October 25, 5-8 p.m..
THIS LAND IS…features works created through a wide variety of disciplines by artists who address current and future environmental concerns. The artists confront political, cultural, and social ecological changes by observing sentimental landmarks and documenting their importance. This exhibition was curated by Jennifer Belair Sakarian and includes works by the following artists: David Buckley Borden and Casey Keenan, Sophie-Madeleine Jaillet, Sarah Anne Johnson, and Margaret Laurena Kemp in collaboration with Gina Kalabishis.
*The Art Department Gallery Fall/Winter hours are Wednesday - Friday, 1-5 p.m.
Tom Pyrzewski


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A bout between DREAM featherweight champ Hiroyuki Takaya (15-8-1 MMA, 0-0 SF) and Robert Peralta (13-3 MMA, 0-0 SF) has been added to the preliminary card of next month's "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley" event.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) confirmed the matchup with Strikeforce spokesperson Mike Afromowitz. Sherdog.com first reported the fight.
"Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley" takes place April 9 at Valley View Casino
Center in San Diego, and the main card airs live on Showtime. The event
is headlined by a welterweight title fight between reigning champ Nick
Diaz and Paul Daley.
Takaya returns to the U.S. for the first time since a two-fight stint with the WEC in 2008. Since then, the Japanese fighter has competed exclusively in DREAM, where he posted a runner-up finish in the organization's featherweight grand prix and defeated then-champ Bibiano Fernandes for the title in his most recent fight. He's now won three straight and six of his past eight.
He faces another Strikeforce newcomer in Peralta, who enters the promotion on the heels of a six-fight win streak in the California-based Gladiator Challenge organization. All of the wins have come via stoppage, though his opposition has a combined 5-11 record. However, Peralta does own an early-2009 victory over current Tachi Palace Fights flyweight champion Darrell Montague.
The latest "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley" card now includes:
- Champ Nick Diaz vs. Paul Daley (for welterweight title)
- Champ Gilbert Melendez vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri (for lightweight title)
- Mike Kyle vs. Gegard Mousasi
- Shinya Aoki vs. Lyle Beerbohm
- Robert Peralta vs. Hiroyuki Takaya*
- Saad Awad vs. Joe Duarte*
- Casey Ryan vs. Paul Song*
- Edgar Cardenas vs. Rolando Perez*
* – Not officially announced
For more on "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley," check out the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.
(Pictured: Hiroyuki Takaya)


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Mr. Land's "Kids Who Care" from Sun Valley School
We love the Crayola company, but we want them to establish a convenient take-back program for their plastic markers that kids can easily partake in. Specifically, we want used Crayola plastic markers to be recycled into new Crayola products that can be purchased again and again. We are looking for their leadership to empower kids to be "green." We want Crayola to take the lead and show the world that they care about keeping plastics out of landfills, incinerators and oceans. When plastics are sent to landfill, or burned for electricity, or washed into oceans, they pollute Earth. Kids care deeply about protecting earth and they need Crayola's help. We want Crayola to "make their mark" and show us how much they care about our kids and their future. - - - Link to slideshow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eDz6RQlUFQ (Plastic marker image courtesy of Thomas Hawk on Flickr)


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The Brudenell Social Club in Leeds was a pretty emotional place to be on Friday night: local heroes and longtime DiS favourites ¡Forward Russia! played their last show "for the foreseeable future" at the Brainwash Festival. Our man Graham Shackleton was there to document the proceedings with his trusty lens. While he was at it, he also snapped those noisy little tykes Rolo Tomassi over at Royal Park Cellars. Bonus!
Photos by Graham Shackleton
¡Forward Russia!
Rolo Tomassi


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Loyola at a Glance Faculty/Staff Newsletter
Alumnus to hold book signing for his account of Loyola's 1945 national basketball championship
June 28, 2013
Loyola University New Orleans alumnus and journalist Ramon Vargas '09 will host a book signing July 14 for his new book about Loyola's 1945 national basketball championship. "Fight, Grin and Squarely Play the Game: The 1945 Loyola New Orleans Basketball Championship and Legacy" chronicles the heartfelt personal narratives of the 1944-45 Loyola Wolf Pack as they became the city's first basketball team to earn a national championship. The signing will be from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Garden District Book Shop, 2727 Prytania St.
The book, due out July 2, almost didn't get published. The day he was supposed to pitch the book to a publisher last year, Hurricane Isaac paid south Louisiana a visit and Vargas was assigned to cover the storm and its aftermath for his employer, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Vargas was certain the deal was off the table. Luckily, History Press in South Carolina was still very interested.
The book covers accounts of the team's boost to the community, from coverage in The Times-Picayune and Loyola's student newspaper, The Maroon, to letters from students and alumni fighting overseas during World War II. The book follows the team's journey to the championship, a feat that invigorated a university that had lost a number of its students and alumni to the war; explores superstar player Leroy Chollet's sudden departure; and details the lives of the team members after that magical season.
The idea for the book stems from the author's days at Loyola. In his freshman year in 2006, Vargas was covering the men's basketball team for The Maroon. After the season ended and the school year was coming to a close, he started going back through some old archived Maroon issues in his free time. He stumbled upon the March 23, 1945 headline, "Loyola Wins National Intercollegiate Basketball Title."
"Floored, I started reading about the team in reverse chronological order—from the victory at the 1945 National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball to the beginning of the season, familiarizing myself with some of the team's more prominent characters, among them Coach Jack Orsley and star players like Chollet and Jim Hultberg," Vargas said.
Investigating more deeply, Vargas found that Chollet left Loyola unexpectedly in the off season following the championship—something the news media back then didn't pick up on, according to Vargas. "When I learned the circumstances about his departure, I became convinced both the capture of the championship and the story of Chollet's departure from Loyola needed to be retold in one volume," Vargas said.
Legendary New Orleans sports writer and Loyola alumnus Peter Finney Sr. '49 wrote the foreword to Vargas' book.
"He actually went to school with, played against and interviewed a lot of the players on the national championship team—honestly, I'm pretty envious of that, as I am of his abilities and accomplishments as a writer," Vargas said.
A former sports editor and editor-in-chief of The Maroon and current staff writer for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune, Vargas' writing has been honored by the Louisiana Press Association, Press Club of New Orleans and Associated Press Media Editors.
Loyola at a Glance is written and distributed for the faculty, staff, and friends of Loyola University New Orleans. It is published by the Office of Public Affairs, Greenville Hall, Box 909, 7214 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118. (504) 861-5888.
Information to be included in Loyola at a Glance must be received 2-3 weeks in advance of the publication date. Send items to Loyola at a Glance, Box 909.


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Long before he was a Top Chef Masters winner, Chef Floyd Cardoz was a fan favorite of mine. In addition to creating the tasty Tabla dishes for FreshDirect (his favorite's the Tabla Banana-Leaf Wrapped Salmon), Floyd is a father based in Verona, NJ who loves to garden and cook for his family.
I was excited to have the opportunity to chat with him about what he learned from winning Top Chef Masters and his cooking advice for both parents and those who say they don't know how to cook.


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What offices are up for election? Who's running? Who's on the ballot? Visit this section for information about elections past and present.
Election Results
Who won or lost? Visit this section for vote totals, broken down statewide, by county and by ward.
Election Statistics
What was voter turnout? How many people are registered to vote? Visit this section for statistics about the electorate, polling places and election costs.
Election Day Registration Information
Learn about Wisconsin's Election Day Restration system and the state's exemption from the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).
Become a Poll Worker
Learn about serving your community by working at the polls on Election Day.
Voting Equipment
The Elections Commission approves voting equipment used in Wisconsin. Visit this section to learn more about what systems have been approved, as well as the approval process.
Election Complaints
The Elections Commission works with local law enforcement, county District Attorneys and the Attorney General to enforce Wisconsin's election laws. Visit this section to learn more about filing a complaint about a possible violation of the law.
Recall Elections
Information about recall elections in Wisconsin, including links to the Recall Manual.
Frequently Asked Questions
Check out the FAQ section for easy-to-find answers.
Legal Resources
Links to the state laws, administrative rules, manuals and guidelines.


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Model Kate Moss and her daughter Lila Grace, 9, spotted out and about in London, England Saturday (November 26). Lila Grace is such a beautiful girl... also I hope that hat is faux fur.
Actress Amy Adams and her husband Darren Le Gallo took their beautiful daughter Aviana, 18 months, to run a few errands in Santa Monica, CA yesterday (November 27).
Children of the late Steve Irwin, Bindi and Bob Irwin attended the red carpet premier of Puss in Boots premiere at the Hoyts Entertainment Quarter in Sydney, Australia yesterday (November 27).
Posted by Alisa on Sunday, November 27, 2011 / Labels: Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale / Comments: (0)
Singer Gwen Stefani and her rocker husband Gavin Rossdale took their boys Kingston, 5, and Zuma, 3, to see Yo Gabba Gabba show in Los Angeles, California on Thursday (November 25).
Celebrity Stylist Rachel Zoe and her husband Roger Berman took their adorable son Skyler shopping in Los Angeles, Ca on Black Friday Thursday (November 25).
Show your support by clicking on the Ads!
Posted by Alisa on Saturday, November 26, 2011 / Comments: (0)
Matthew's beautiful broad
Actor Matthew McConaughey and his wife model Camilla Alves and their children Levi and Vida land at Los Angeles International Airport.
Selena Gomez's moms pregnant!
Selena Gomez mom is pregnant. Yesterday she announced the news on twitter:" Momma and Brian are finally letting me share the news...My mommy's carrying my baby brother or sister:)," Selena wrote. "I'm the happiest girl in the world!!"
Actress Hilary Duff and her husband Hockey Player Mike Comrie spent time with family and friends at Coldwater Canyon Park in Los Angeles, CA yesterday (November 25).
Lily Allen and Sam Cooper are parents to a baby girl!
Posted by Alisa on Friday, November 25, 2011 / Comments: (0)
Lily Allen and her husband Sam Cooper have given birth to a baby girl on November 25, 2011. The birth of the girl is being reported by the Daily Mail, while Lily's former boyfriend Seb Chew posted a tweet two hours ago "sending out love" to Allen, husband Sam Cooper and "mini Cooper". A source to the daily mail said the birth was 'all good', although a spokesman for the singer declined to comment on the speculation.
Posted by Alisa on Thursday, November 24, 2011 / Labels: Model Moms / Comments: (0)
Model mom Heidi Klum seen with her kids Leni, 7, and Henry, 5, at a Katy Perry California Dreams concert in Los Angeles, CA on Monday (November 21).
Pregnant Actress Hilary looked radiant leaving her mother's home in Toluca Lake, CA yesterday (November 23).
Miranda Kerr and her bundled up boy
Posted by Alisa on Wednesday, November 23, 2011 / Labels: Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr, Stylish Moms / Comments: (0)
Supermodel Miranda Kerr took her beautiful son Flynn, 10 months, out for a stroll in New York City yesterday (November 22).
Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz and his son Bronx, 3, were snapped leaving a hamburger stand in Los Angeles, CA yesterday (November 21).
Posted by Alisa on Monday, November 21, 2011 / Comments: (0)
Actress Salma Hayek brought her hubby businessman François-Henri Pinault and their daughter Valentina, 4, to the Paris premiere of Puss in Boots yesterday (November 20).
Show your support by clicking on the Ads!
Lily-Rose Depp goes shopping
Lily-Rose Melody, 12, daughter of Actor Johnny Depp and French Actress Model Vanessa Paradis was seen shopping in Los Angeles, CA on November 8, 2011.
Lily-Rose Depp is all grown up!
Jane and Robert's beautiful baby Bennet
Russian Actress and Model Milla Jovovich and her husband director Paul W.S. Anderson took their adorable daughter Ever Gabo, 4, to the Santa Claus Parade in Toronto, Canada yesterday (November 20).
Show your support by clicking on the Ads!
Posted by Alisa on Sunday, November 20, 2011 / Comments: (0)
Ashlee Simpson's car wash kid
Denise and Charlie's little soccer star
Former Two and a Half Men star Charlie Sheen, and his ex-wife Denise Richards came together to watch their daughter Sam, 7, play soccer their daughter Lola, 6, tagged along to watch the game in Calabasas, CA yesterday (November 19).
Kendra and Hank's farmers market cutie
Reality Television star and former Playboy model Kendra Wilkinson and her husband NFL star Hank Baskett took their son Hank Jr., almost 2, at a farmer's market in Calabasas, CA yesterday (November 19).
Posted by Alisa on Saturday, November 19, 2011 / Comments: (0)
Posted by Alisa on Friday, November 18, 2011 / Comments: (0)
Mad Men Actress January Jones was seen taking her son Xander, 2 months, to the doctors in Brentwood, CA yesterday (November 17).
Sex and the City Actress Sarah Jessica Parker with her adorable daughters Tabitha (the one she is holding), 2, and Marion, 2, around New York City today (November 18).
Rachel's blue eyed baby
Posted by Alisa on Thursday, November 17, 2011 / Comments: (0)
Celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe toted her son Skyler, 7 months, through Beverly Hills, CA yesterday (November 16).
Pregnancy Perfection
Radiant pregnant Irish singer, Una Healy, and her partner Rugby Player, Ben Foden, posed on the red carpet at the Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part I premiere in London, England yesterday (November 16). Foden and Healy told Hello! earlier this month they are expecting a baby girl.
Victoria and Harper make a perfect pair!
Posted by Alisa / Labels: Victoria and David Beckham / Comments: (0)
Posted by Alisa on Wednesday, November 16, 2011 / Comments: (0)
The Help Actress Bryce Dallas Howard looked beautiful and heavily pregnant at the New York City premiere of When You Find Me yesterday (November 15). The beautiful actress took a few pictures with her father actor/director, Ron Howard, and her actor grandfather, Rance Howard.


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Get Your Shop On at POPSUGAR
We have some big news to unveil . . . now you can get your shopping fix right here on POPSUGAR! What was formerly known as ShopStyle is now a gorgeous new shopping and editorial site called POPSUGAR Shopping! Alongside the search results and social experience you love, the ultimate destination for online shopping will also deliver POPSUGAR's renowned style content. So while you search for the latest trends, store all of your favorite products, sign up for sale alerts, and more, you can also read about the top brands, designs, and trends our editors are covering — and shop directly from each story. Plus, POPSUGAR's stylish editors will also be sharing their must-have items in shoppable videos, so you can shop while you watch, too.
In addition to our awesome new site, we're also launching a fabulous daily email newsletter. Featuring the best sales, new collections and collaborations, shopping guides, editor's picks, and more, this email is an absolute must read.
Come on in and take a look around. We hope you like what you see!


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Robert Morris beats Cleveland State
Mike McFadden and Velton Jones scored 15 points apiece as Robert Morris defeated Cleveland State 71-62 Tuesday night in the consolation round of the 2012 NIT Season Tip-Off.
Lucky Jones added 13 points for Robert Morris. Both Velton and Lucky Jones made seven free throws for the Colonials, who shot 85.2 percent (23 of 27) from the line as a team.
Robert Morris (3-3) led by just four, 28-24, at intermission despite outshooting Cleveland State 52.4 percent (11 of 21) to 36 percent (9 of 25) in the first half.
The tables turned in the second half, with Cleveland State shooting 56 percent (14 of 25) and Robert Morris at 45.8 percent (11 of 24), but the Colonials sank 10 of their 18 second-half free throws over the final 2 minutes.
Charlie Lee led Cleveland State (4-2) with 20 points and Anton Grady had 16.


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As promised, Jay Pavlina has delivered Ryu Hayabusa from the NES Ninja Gaiden as the seventh playable character in the flash sensation Super Mario Bros Crossover. Other character-specific abilities have been included in the game's 1.1 update.
Mega Man now jumps more realistically, and can use Rush Coil to get to higher spots on the level; Samus is equipped with crouching (and crouch fire); Simon Belmont has directional double-jumping; Link may attack up or down as he jumps. Bill from Contra is still too powerful and Mario doesn't change, but there are five difficulty levels and a cheats menu.
The full list of version upgrades can be found here, and the game is playable from the site's main page. Enjoy.
Super Mario Bros. Crossover [Exploding Rabbit/Jay Pavlina]


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Town Clerk's Office
Ph: (585) 223-0770
Town Clerk / Tax Receiver
Sr. Deputy Tax Receiver
Deputy Town Clerk
Deputy Tax Receiver
Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm
The Town Clerk's office provides services for all members of the community. We issue marriage licenses, hunting and fishing licenses, landfill permits, accessibility parking permits, peddlers' permits and process passport applications. We help children license their first puppies, parents introduce their children to the joys of fishing, young couples get married, middle-aged adults care for their aging parents. We have available voter registration forms, absentee ballots and income tax forms.
We issue thousands of tax bills each year for Monroe County and the five school districts in Perinton: Fairport, Penfield, Pittsford, Victor and East Rochester, then accept tax payments for those entities. The Receiver of Taxes collects county and town taxes in January and school taxes in September. Tax bills may be paid at the Clerk's office, or by mail. New residents are asked to call the Clerk's office with information about escrow accounts so that tax bills will be sent to the correct address. Residents are reminded to notify the Town Clerk's office if they have not received a tax bill in the first week of January or the first week of September.
The Town Clerk is also the author of the official Town Board minutes and Records Access Officer for the Town.


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Keith Hillebrandt
From nine inch nails wiki
David Bowie. He has also manipulated sound in many musical outfits including Nine Inch Nails, Blast Conservatory, Cleopatra System and Full Court Press (a band he was in), as well as working in Naut Humon's Sound Traffic Control. Keith Hillebrandt has also released four solo albums and an EP.
On David Bowie's I'm Afraid Of Americans, Hillebrandt is listed as a full member of NIN along with Dave Ogilvie, Danny Lohner and Charlie Clouser. He was evidently planned to be part of a multiple-keyboardist setup for the live band that Trent Reznor originally put together for the Fragility tour, but The Fragile took a different route sonically and this idea was scrapped, although he did replace Charlie Clouser during the CRC Sessions.
Body Of Work
Killing Floor
David Bowie
Switchblade Symphony
Nine Inch Nails
12 Rounds
Puff Daddy
Keith Hillebrandt
Film Work
External Links


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GOP's Mitch McConnell sets his sights on Senate majority leader post
Mitch McConnell, the Senate's top Republican, is on the verge of snaring the job he's dreamed about for years: majority leader.
Less than a year after a widely unpopular government shutdown dealt the GOP a political blow, McConnell and his fellow Republicans — who already hold the majority in the House — see total control of Congress within their grasp. With a gain of six seats, the party would hold the Senate too.
On Thursday, McConnell called on Republicans to unite and vowed to run the Senate more cooperatively than his Democratic rivals have. "If Republicans were fortunate enough to reclaim the majority in November, I assure you, my friends, all of this would change," he told a conservative think tank audience.
But even as McConnell begins to plot the road ahead, there is a growing fear inside the party that controlling both houses would multiply, rather than mitigate, the internal challenges Republicans have faced in the tea party era. Much of the Washington gridlock in recent years has come not only from partisan bickering but from GOP infighting.
Deep divisions remain among Republicans over how to address immigration and the deficit, and those struggles could intensify with a new Senate majority that includes centrists such as Maine's Susan Collins and small-government, libertarian-minded conservatives such as Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Rand Paul of Kentucky.
The success of a Republican Congress would rest largely on McConnell, a veteran lawmaker who worked his way up from being a Capitol intern to serving in President Ford's Justice Department, before returning to Kentucky to start his own political career.
Former Republican Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott said McConnell, whom he called a "creature of the Senate," has long aspired to the leadership post.
"He views it as a historic event, and a chance to make a difference," Lott said. "I don't think he's just looking for the glory of it."
But succeeding in the role wouldn't just test McConnell's skills, Lott added. "It's also going to take a different attitude among his troops."
That might explain why McConnell, 72, and other Republicans are already working to lower expectations about what is achievable.
"When you're in the majority, you have more responsibility," McConnell said in a recent interview as he campaigned through Kentucky. "And it is challenging."
Even a Republican wave this fall would probably give the GOP only a razor-thin majority, perhaps just the 51 votes they would need to end six years of Democratic control of the upper chamber. But that's not enough in a body where any major legislative action requires a filibuster-proof 60 votes.
"We're not going to have 60 votes," said McConnell, who has developed a reputation as a shrewd political strategist and master of arcane Senate procedure. "It is important to remember Barack Obama will still be president for two more years, and the veto pen is a powerful thing. So we need to be realistic."
McConnell's task would be daunting: trying to attract the Democratic votes he would need to advance bills without incurring defections from his own camp. Hard-line conservatives are likely to insist on a renewed fight to repeal President Obama's healthcare law as well as spending cuts to balance the budget. Social conservatives will push for new legislation to restrict abortion and benefits to same-sex couples.
As majority leader, McConnell would command significant authority in setting the agenda. But in a speech in January, he indicated that he would focus on areas of consensus, not solely conservative priorities, such as repeated votes to repeal Obamacare.
"There's a time for making a political point, even scoring a few points — I know that as well as anybody," he said then. "But it can't be the only thing we do here."
Senior lawmakers cite tax reform as an example of the type of legislation that could draw bipartisan support and be harder for Obama to veto.
But McConnell's stated goal of restoring the Senate to its role as a "moderating institution" doesn't sit well with tea party conservatives, who have used their position in the House to dominate the agenda, often to the frustration of Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio.
Conservative leaders met quietly outside Washington last week to plot a strategy for reasserting their influence within the Republican Party, concerned that mainstream GOP leaders would abandon core principles and move to the center to position the party for the 2016 presidential race.
"An effort in the next two years to keep our heads down ... will probably end with disappointing election results," warned Michael Needham, who heads the conservative advocacy group Heritage Action for America and attended the strategy meeting.
Needham said the party should stick to the conservative ideals that appeal to its core supporters. "If you're not providing a contrast to the left, you shouldn't be surprised that the American people embrace the people who are providing the agenda," he said. "This notion that the left and the right just need to sit down and come up with compromises does disservice to vast philosophical differences in this country."
McConnell allies emphasize that the Kentuckian isn't planning to shy away from political battles with the president when they are required. But he's also keenly aware that just as quickly as the party might take the Senate majority, they could lose it in 2016 when a slate of first-term Republicans would face reelection in swing and Democratic-leaning states.
A fully Republican-controlled Congress would have an obligation to the party's would-be 2016 presidential hopefuls to avoid extreme positions that would damage the nominee, analysts say. By leading both houses, Republicans would bear full responsibility for an institution that is highly unpopular with the public and has been notoriously unproductive in recent years.
"In order to elect a president in 2016, we're going to have to show in 2015 and '16 that the American people can trust Republicans with the government," said Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.). "That means that we'll have to come up with changes that go in a conservative direction, but changes that command support of independent voters as well as our conservative base."
McConnell's most immediate challenge is winning his own race, which could prove difficult even in a state that handed Obama one of his largest margins of defeat in 2012.
After defeating tea party favorite Matt Bevin in the GOP primary Tuesday, McConnell faces a stronger challenge in November from Kentucky's Democratic secretary of state, Alison Lundergan Grimes. On a 50-county bus tour in recent weeks, the 35-year-old Grimes has hammered McConnell for not focusing enough on the state's economy. And she launched the fall campaign by painting McConnell as a key driver of Washington dysfunction, calling him "Sen. Gridlock."
An NBC/Marist poll released this month showed the Republican with 46% to Grimes' 45% — within the poll's margin of error. Only 42% of registered voters said they had a favorable opinion of him.
Speaking at a senior center in the town of Booneville, McConnell predicted a bruising campaign and said he was "the only Republican running this year that every crazy liberal in the country's heard of. ... They'll be sending their money — they already are — to my opponent."
But in the interview, McConnell raised the idea that more centrist Democrats, such as West Virginia's Joe Manchin III, would be willing to cross the aisle on some issues. And he argued that a Republican Congress might draw Obama to the political center and lead to greater cooperation in Washington.
"I know it sounds kind of counterintuitive," he said. "But I think the single biggest chance for the president to finally address some of the bigger problems that are confronting the country would come about if he had a 100% opposition Congress."
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The following is a guest commentary for CNBC.com.
Since 2008, of all the implications of a weak global economy, perhaps the most frightening has been the very high youth unemployment rate. The International Labour Organization estimates that some 88 million young women and men throughout the world are unemployed, accounting for 47 percent of unemployed persons globally.
Having so many of the world's under-25 generation out of work has long-term political, social and economic consequences — and economic leaders have been stumped as to what to do about it. It is therefore encouraging this week to see so many members of Generation Y taking matters into their own hands and writing the next chapter of global economic history.
The Arab Spring and the youth behind it were in great part a response by young people who felt deprived of a chance to determine their own economic future. As stronger entrepreneurship ecosystems emerge, young graduates unable to secure a job have more opportunities to leverage their economic freedom and create a job — or even hundreds of jobs. As they choose to start their own businesses, they not only change their lives but also contribute to their communities and countries through job creation and economic renewal.
(More: The World's Most Promising New Companies)
Taking that plunge is never easy, and is especially admirable when the only tool many young entrepreneurs outside the U.S. have are rusty entrepreneurial instincts from childhood business play. They are taking a risk in an often unfavorable economic climate without collateral for financing or previous experience in the fields of their business ideas.
They also do it in societies without a history of cultural capital—where negative perceptions of self-employment and risk-taking are a major roadblock, particularly during difficult economic times. For example, the percentage of Arabs aged 15 to 29 planning to start a business within 12 months dropped from 26 percent in 2009 to 9 percent in 2011, according to a recent Silatech-Gallup poll report.
In contrast, young Americans' remain enthusiastic about entrepreneurship.
Imagine a world then in which the entrepreneurial flame in boys and girls is kept alive and nurtured and where cultural and financial startup capital is accessible for the young, particularly during times of historically high levels of youth unemployment.
That is the premise behind Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) which kicks off today and is guiding millions of people to consider starting a business sometime in their career. I will spend the week in the Middle East and Europe, which have especially high rates of youth unemployment, taking a look at some of the events targeting tomorrow's more open and networked generation.
For example, in the U.K., at the Entrepreneurs 2012 event, I will join former President Bill Clinton and many other successful leaders in using Global Entrepreneurship Week as a chance to emphasize the importance of startups to the global economy. Serial entrepreneurs such as Peter Sage and Joel Blake will also join the London celebration along with actor Kevin Spacey, Discovery Channel's Bear Grylls, and dozens more entrepreneurs, investors, advisors and inspiring individuals.
Young people attracted to startup networks and communities all over the world share the same passion. This is what is most exciting about GEW. You can see "one world" when you look at startups and young entrepreneurs.
Whether in Bangladesh, Moscow or Silicon Valley, you see a committed, global and bold generation at a time when so many of us are cautious, anxious and even protective of our home turf. Far from looking like a generation to worry about, if you live in one of the 130 nations participating in GEW and go by one of the hundreds of business plan competitions or Startup Weekend events happening throughout this week, you will find great optimism, confidence and commitment by youth to solve economic, social and environmental problems and design their own destiny.
(More: 11 Notable Entrepreneurs Teaching the Next Generation)
There are many organizations springing up around the world to help them. Beyond GEW, Youth Business International (YBI), led by the Prince of Wales and which hosts GEW in many countries, has done outstanding work providing support to young entrepreneurs from all walks of life.
The Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF), which is part of YBI, has been well run and data-driven. There is also the Young Entrepreneurs Alliance (YEA) which meets around the G20 meetings, Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO), TiE Young Entrepreneurs (TYE), the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) comprised of top American Gen-Y entrepreneurs, Youth Business China, Saudi Arabia´s The Centennial Fund, Enablis in Africa and so many more.
Most of these initiatives have formed successful, cross-sector partnerships to provide training, mentoring, credit and a strong support network to a new generation of fearless risk takers.
In December, the Global Entrepreneurship Summit will gather these and other entrepreneurship thought leaders in the United Arab Emirates. While the focus of the Summit will be on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the lessons will resonate beyond, in both industrialized and developing economies, as we all seek to nurture this generation of entrepreneurs.
There is much to share about how young people who are hard-wired to leverage informal networking habits at birth can be leaders in new firm formation. This is why the World Economic Forum's Global Education Initiative (GEI) which will meet during GEW in Dubai has been collecting lessons from around the world to help countries implement systems that can educate the next wave of entrepreneurs.
In addition, data availability and reliability is improving every year. This week Global Entrepreneurship Week will release its own paper from surveying entrepreneurs in roughly 30 countries offering insights into their views on access to financing, mentorship, skills development, taxes and even exit strategies.
However, while the work of such entrepreneurship support organizations and researchers is important, at the end of the day, the story of youth entrepreneurship is being written by young people themselves. With employment increasingly less stable and economies less predictable, the skills entrepreneurs develop while operating in risky climates and trying to form teams and businesses will become especially important.
The world needs more entrepreneurs starting and growing businesses, creating jobs, changing lives and birthing new ideas. During GEW, we are reminded that in the end we should either join them, mentor them or simply focus our energies on removing the roadblocks in their way to increase their chances of success. With 130 nations participating today and throughout the week, perhaps the prospects for the young unemployed just got brighter.


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Rule #1 - Be Patient - Rule #2 - Don't ask when, if you don't contribute - Rule #3 - You have coding skills - LinuxMCE's small brother is available: http://www.agocontrol.com
Features Software: LinuxMCE 0704 or 0710 User Interface: UI2 with Overlay Processor: Intel 1.86Ghz Celeron M440. Low power under 45W with ultra low noise fan cooling system RAM: 512MB Internal Optical drive: Slot-in Multi UJ-85J Panasonic Network: Gigabit Ethernet Video: Embedded Intel 945GM - External via DVI-I Port ; 85Hz Refresh Rate:1600x1200 pixels, up to 32bit Colors IO: DVI-I port, S-Video, USBx4, DC-in jack, IEEE 1394, AV-in, Headphone/ Line out jack share w/ SPDIF out, Microphone/ Line in jack, RJ-11/ RJ-45, 3-in-1 Card Reader , CIR MCE Remote Control Dimensions: 42 (h) x 172 (w) x 226 (d) (all dimensions in mm) Weight: 1300g
Was looking at this:MD Newbie Pack Slim IParticularly the MSI_Media_Live_Mainboard that's used in it.Doesn't appear to allow PXE boot ... ?? Or am I off on that one. Is there anyway I could use this entire setup with a different board that's capable of both UI2 and PXE Boot???


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4790 W. 16th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46222
(800) 822-4639 (317) 492-6700 Mon-Fri, 9a.m.-5p.m. ET
Jul 5, 2020
May 12, 2012 | By Bruce Martin
To understand why Darlington Raceway is one of the toughest tracks in NASCAR, just take a look at some of the top drivers in Sprint Cup racing who have yet to win on the 1.366-mile, egg-shaped oval.
If a racetrack best mirrored Kevin Harvick's personality and temperament, it would be Darlington Raceway – site of the Bojangles' Southern 500 on Saturday night, May 12 (6:30 p.m. ET, FOX). But ironically, 2003 Brickyard 400 winner Harvick never has mastered Darlington.
In 15 starts at the South's oldest superspeedway, Harvick has just two top-five and five top-10 finishes. In last year's race, Harvick and his nemesis, Kyle Busch, got into it on the racetrack and confronted each other on pit lane after the race. Harvick climbed out of his car, walked over to Busch – who was still seated in his Toyota – and started swinging away.
Busch simply put his car in gear, ran into the rear of Harvick's Chevrolet and dumped into it the pit lane wall.
Both drivers were put on probation by NASCAR and have moved beyond their differences. This weekend, Harvick would like to move beyond his mediocre finishes and steer the Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet into victory lane in one of NASCAR's famed events.
"As you go to Darlington, obviously you see the deep history of the sport, and it's probably the place highest on my list to try to get my first win there, so I'm looking forward to going there this weekend," said Harvick, who drove the famed No. 29 Chevrolet to victory at Indianapolis in 2003. "It would be pretty awesome just for the fact that everyone knows the significance of the Southern 500, and to win at Darlington is something as a driver that you want to check off your checklist when you have the opportunity. We've been close at Darlington, but we've just got to put that check in the right box."
Harvick's best Darlington finishes include a second place in 2003, third in 2002, sixth in 2010 and a pair of eighths, in 2001 and 2004. Two of those top-10 finishes were not in the Southern 500, when Darlington hosted two races per year.
Because of its unique configuration, Darlington is considered one of the most challenging tracks in NASCAR. Nobody can attest to that more than Harvick.
"Well, any lap around Darlington is a lap where you have to be paying attention to what's going on because you can get yourself in trouble at any point on the racetrack," Harvick said. "You carry a lot of speed into Turn 1, and you run right up the banking right up next to the wall and right back into the throttle. As you come back down the hill, you might have to breathe the throttle a little bit, but it's a lot of fun coming out of Turn 2 as it kind of shoots you down the backstretch. Turns 3 and 4 are probably the hardest because you carry so much speed off of (Turn) 2 into (Turn) 3, and the line kind of moves around a bit there. It's probably the easiest place to get in the wall. Well, it's pretty easy to get in the wall anywhere, but definitely the easiest place to get into the wall is the middle of (Turns) 3 and 4."
Harvick understands what it takes to succeed at Darlington, but it's not always that easy to execute. It's a track where drivers must battle the unique conditions just as much as the competition.
And one of the fiercest competitors is two-time Brickyard 400 winner and three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart. Just as Darlington has bewildered Harvick, it has left Stewart just as befuddled.
Stewart never has won in 19 Darlington starts, with just three top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. He was seventh last year and scored a career-high Darlington finish of third in 2009.
Despite so much frustration, Stewart has tremendous respect for Darlington Raceway.
"A lot of it has to do with the history of the track," Stewart said. "If you can say you won a race at Darlington – that's a feather in your cap. That's something to be proud of, knowing that you're in a group of drivers with names like (David) Pearson and (Richard) Petty – the pioneers of our sport who you hear stories about the races they ran there and the races they won there.
"Darlington is such a tough track to get a handle on and to be good at all day. You don't see a lot of guys who have a lot of success there. You see only a handful of guys who religiously run well there. That just shows you how difficult Darlington is to get a handle on. If you can have a good day and win there, it's a track that's like winning at Bristol. It's the same type of feeling – knowing that you conquered something that's very hard to obtain."
Three-time Brickyard 400 winner and five-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson swept both contests in 2004 – the final year Darlington hosted two events. Those are his only two victories, two of his six top-five and nine top-10 finishes in 13 starts. He was second in 2009 but finished 36th in 2010 and 15th last year.
"The old (Darlington) track when it was worn out and ugly, nasty to drive we were great there," Johnson said. "Since they have repaved it, it's been a bit of a challenge. It's just so tough to pass there. I think your race strategy, fuel strategy, tire strategy is really more important than speed in the car. So hopefully we play that game right and put ourselves in a great position at the end of the race to win."
The most successful active driver at Darlington and one of the best all-time is four-time Brickyard 400 winner and four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon. He has a staggering seven wins, 18 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes in 31 Darlington starts. He last drove to victory in the 2007 Southern 500 and followed that with a third in 2008, fifth in 2009, fourth in 2010 and 12th last year.
"I'm always excited about the trip to Darlington," Gordon said. "This has been one of my favorites since I started racing in NASCAR. It's a track you have to attack. It's a track you have to respect because you are on the edge. Those ingredients have suited me and our team well over the years.
"This is a very tough track, and it's a challenge just to stay off the walls. It's a big transition (from straightaway to apron to turn) that is very narrow. The track can reach out and bite you in a hurry. Darlington is the 44th competitor. There is very little room for error here, and you're doing everything possible to go fast but stay off the wall. And that is when you are out there by yourself. If we drove by ourselves for 400 or 500 miles here, we would still probably hit the wall at some point. The challenge goes up 10-fold with other cars on the track. This is definitely a track you have to respect and do everything you can to stay off the wall and survive. At the same time, you have to be faster than the competition."
2011 Brickyard 400 winner Paul Menard enters Darlington 14th in the standings and hopes to make a move on Saturday night.
"Darlington is definitely a throw-back racetrack," Menard said. "You go to this little town, and you don't see anything except that huge racetrack. It definitely gets you to feel the roots of NASCAR. The only places I feel you can kind of 'luck into one' (win) is at restrictor-plate tracks. At every place else, you have to be good, you have to have a good car, good calls and drive well. Darlington fits the bill."
Former IZOD IndyCar Series driver Danica Patrick will compete in her second career Sprint Cup race Saturday night at Darlington. Her first Cup race was the Daytona 500 in February. She was involved in a multi-car crash at the start of the second lap that put her GoDaddy Chevrolet in the garage for 62 laps. She returned to the race but finished 38th, 64 laps down to race winner Matt Kenseth.
She is hoping to have a chance to compete against the rest of the field in her Darlington debut.
"I'm told it's not going to be so much about the track and getting comfortable and getting up to speed or feeling good, that it's going to be more about learning how to pass there and how that works because it's one lane and one groove," Patrick said. "I believe its high in (Turns) 1 and 2 and low in (Turns) 3 and 4. Just going to two-wide in 1 and 2 can cost you a second a lap, so it's a matter of being smart about when you're supposed to let off and give the position up for the sake of overall time. Getting used to that is going to be the hardest thing. Other than that, it's a new track for me, so feeling out the rhythm of the race is going to be another challenge."


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A jury trial is scheduled for Thursday at Newton District Court. Town Councilor Marilyn Devaney is accused of hurling a boxed curling iron at a beauty store employee.
Judge Gregory Flynn has denied Marilyn Devaney's motion to have the assault and battery case against her thrown out, according to prosecutors.
Devaney, a Watertown Town Councilor and member of the Governor's Council, is charged with allegedly throwing a boxed curling iron at a Waltham beauty store clerk last April. The clerk would not take Devaney's check because Devaney did not have a driver's license.
A jury trial is scheduled for Thursday at Newton District Court, according to Corey Welford, a spokesman for the Middlesex District Attorney's office.
Devaney's lawyer, Janice Bassil, argued that the veteran councilor has been singled out for "vindictive prosecution" because of her position as a public official. Flynn rejected that argument.
Assistant District Attorney Sean Flynn said Flynn has yet to rule on a motion brought by the TAB & Press to quash Devaney's subpoena of reporter Jillian Fennimore.