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Volunteer Vacations: The Health Benefits of Helping Others
Volunteering is popular among people of all ages—from students to retirees. What are the benefits of all of this giving?
Creating a Sense of Well-Being
It seems intuitive that helping others would make you feel good, but are there really health benefits? Studies have shown that volunteering can play a role in increasing your overall sense of well-being, alleviating chronic pain, and even reducing depression .
One study examined how volunteering affected 6 different aspects of well-being. The study found that people who were in better physical and mental health were more likely to volunteer. It also found that volunteer work was good for both mental and physical health. People of all ages who volunteered were happier and experienced better physical health and less depression.
A report by the Corporation for National and Community Service states that people who volunteer have greater longevity, higher functional ability, lower rates of depression, and less incidence of heart disease. A review of current research also suggests that volunteering is especially beneficial to older adults and those who serve 100 volunteer hours a year.
Helping Chronic Pain
In another study, the effects of volunteering on chronic pain patients was evaluated. Pain, disability, self-efficacy (degree of confidence in the ability to control pain), and depression were all measured.
The findings show that pain, depression, and disability decreased after volunteering, while self-efficacy remained stable. Several months later, the researchers found that the improvements continued without harm, suggesting that volunteering may help alleviate chronic pain. The researchers note that the participants reported themes of "making a connection" and having "a sense of purpose" when volunteering.
Lowering Depression
Researchers have also studied whether volunteering had any effect on depression. They took data from the Americans' Changing Lives survey, but looked at 3 different years of data. They found that initially volunteering lowered depression for those over 65, and over time benefited all age groups. The researchers note that some of the protection from depression came from the social integration of volunteering.
Learning About Volunteer Vacations
With all of the benefits of volunteering, you may want to spend your next vacation doing something positive. Here are some points to keep in mind:
- Location—Some people choose a location close to home or within their country, while others want to go abroad.
- Type of challenge—There are many types of challenges ranging from physically grueling to intellectually stimulating. You will have to decide which is best for you.
- Your skills—Your professional skills may be in great demand in less developed countries. Helping others may also help to prevent job burnout and improve job satisfaction.
- Language—If you are contemplating travel to a foreign country, take into consideration the language spoken and your ability to communicate.
- Length of time—Most volunteer vacations run from 1-3 weeks. Decide how much time you can donate.
- Free time—Ask the organization you are volunteering for about their policy on free time. Will you have time to go off on your own and explore?
To view different opportunities, you can start by looking at the International Volunteer Programs Association, which lists different volunteer organizations. Some popular programs include:
- The Earthwatch Institute offers trips to remote locations where scientific research is done from filming dolphins to testing water to gathering nutritional information.
- The American Hiking Society offers trips from Maine to Alaska where participants rebuild footpaths, cabins, and shelters.
- Wilderness Volunteers work with public land agencies like the Forest Service to preserve and clear wild lands.
- Passport in Time centers its vacations on archaeological excavations and preserving historical structures.
- The Sierra Club works on a variety of tasks, from observing marine life to maintaining vulnerable wilderness areas.
Take the time to research volunteer vacations. You will be sure to find one that matches your interests.
- Michael Woods, MD
- Reviewed: 02/2016
- Updated: 02/16/2016
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Solutions provided, motivation required
Industrial Energy Management: Schneider Electric wagers that discrete and process manufacturers are serious about energy management, introduces StruxureWare.
Recent company acquisitions and product announcements made by Schneider Electric testify to the automation industry's increasing focus on industrial energy management. Schneider's own approach to this emerging market includes offering services that support discrete and process manufacturers negotiating with utilities; supervisory software and systems for managing energy; and increasingly efficient equipment, machines, and devices.
The Schneider push, which includes dubbing itself "the global specialist in energy management," gives energy-intensive industries a chance to bet on what amounts to a sure thing, the company says.
First, "The cost of electricity is only going to go up," says Andy Gravitt, Schneider Electric senior vice president, industry business, U.S. "About 31% of current energy usage is tied to industry and infrastructure. In manufacturing industries, energy ranges from 5% to 40% of the cost of goods sold."
Moreover, CMO Aaron Davis points out, while some in the U.S. still dispute whether carbon-based energy constraints and the threat of global warming are real, "it's a bit like Pascal's bet on the existence of the Deity. Isn't the safe bet to assume that they are real, based on what we know today?"
Introduced in October (2011) at an event held in Chicago, StruxureWare is Schneider's integrated software platform for energy management and process optimization. As has been often pointed out, the initial hurdle in achieving energy cost savings is that, in many industrial settings, electricity is considered a fixed cost and not even monitored, much less controlled, in any meaningful way.
StruxureWare provides "enterprise- wide energy information to help make informed decisions on how to best reduce energy usage and maximize cost savings," Philippe Delorme, EVP, strategy and innovation, says. StruxureWare is the software platform of EcoStruxure, Schneider's energy management architecture portfolio connecting five domains: power, data centers, process and machines, building control, and physical security. In coming months, Schneider will introduce StruxureWare for Industry, as well as similar software suites for buildings and the electrical grid.
In March, Schneider announced its intention to acquire Summit Energy Services, a provider of outsourced energy procurement and sustainability services. Summit's dashboard views are now embedded in StruxureWare. As important, Jeff Drees, president, U.S., Schneider Electric, says, "is how you buy energy. Managing $20 billion of spend, Summit has been able to save its customers $450 million. The utilities are not happy with having a mediator on board. They're used to working with meters, not customers."
Schneider's other recent energy-related acquisitions include an agreement to acquire Telvent for Smart Grid and infrastructure software and services, including in the oil and gas industry; and Lee Technologies for data center efficiency.
Schneider's MachineStruxure automation solutions are meant to support machine builders that must increase efficiencies, including those related to energy, while participating in a highly competitive, cost-constrained market.
M-Tek, Elgin, Ill., is a maker of modified atmosphere packaging systems used in food industries. The company uses the MachineStruxure solution in its V-60, a packaging system. "It does involve higher input costs into a commodity product, so we have seen longer sales cycles," says Rick Tkaczyk, EVP, sales and marketing. "But its value-added performance makes the more efficient machine transparently less expensive over time."
At the end of the day, concludes Davis, "Energy solutions are going to come from global companies working together and driven both by sustainability principles and profit motives."
- Kevin Parker is content specialist with CFE Media. Reach him at email@example.com.
This is part of the Control Engineering December 2011 Industrial Energy Management supplement.
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After two years of economic concerns, manufacturing leaders once again have homed in on the single biggest issue facing their operations:
It's the workers—or more specifically, the lack of workers.
The 2017 Plant Engineering Salary Survey looks at not just what plant managers make, but what they think. As they look across their plants today, plant managers say they don't have the operational depth to take on the new technologies and new challenges of global manufacturing.
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subset: commoncrawl


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LONDON (AP) — The governor of the Bank of England on Wednesday waded into the delicate question of whether Scotland would be able to use the pound should it become independent, saying a successful currency union would require giving up some sovereignty.
Independence advocates say they want to continue to use the pound as the country's currency if the Scottish people vote for separation this year.
Mark Carney warned that successful currency unions still require some level of common fiscal policy and bank supervision. The recent debt crisis in the countries sharing the euro shows the risks of what can happen if those measures aren't put into place, he said.
"In short, a durable, successful currency union requires some ceding of national sovereignty," Carney said at a meeting in Edinburgh of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry.
Carney stressed it was up to the parliaments of Britain and Scotland to decide whether Scotland continues to use the pound in the case of independence. The Bank of England would implement whatever policy they chose.
"Decisions that cede sovereignty and limit autonomy are rightly choices for elected governments and involve considerations beyond mere economics," he said.
Carney's remarks are important because independence leader Alex Salmond, Scotland's first minister, has repeatedly stressed that the pound would remain the country's currency — a selling point to his movement. While Scotland is part of the U.K., it has had its own Parliament since 1999 and makes its own laws in many areas — but it is considering a full break.
Salmond's governing Scottish National Party supports independence, but the opposition Labour and Conservative parties oppose it. The U.K. would have to agree to a currency union for it to become reality.
Carney stressed, however, he was not taking a position on the vote and that he was simply offering information.
"This is a technocratic assessment of what makes an effective currency union between independent nations," he said.
The Scottish National Party quickly praised Carney's "serious and sensible analysis of how a currency union can work in practice.
"Ultimately, as Mr. Carney makes clear, a Sterling area is a matter for the two governments to agree," Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney said. "Such a shared currency area is the common sense position as it is in the overwhelming interests of both Scotland and the rest of the U.K."
Such an agreement would not be simple, said Monique Ebell, an economist at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research who is working on the economic issues of Scottish independence. Countries in a monetary union agree to support each other — and the U.K. economy would dwarf that of Scotland.
"Would a country the size of Scotland really be able to bail out the rest of the U.K.?," she said. "In theory, the insurance is a two-way street. In practice, it would likely be a one-way street."
Scotland votes on Sept. 18, and political battles in the run-up to the referendum have come in many ways other than straightforward pocketbook politics. British Prime Minister David Cameron has argued fiercely against it, saying among other things that people living in Scotland would pay an extra 1,000 ($1,600) a year in taxes. Salmond said Scots would actually pay less than they pay now.
Polls have consistently put support for independence at between 25 percent and 30 percent over the past three years, with support for remaining in the union at between 45 percent and 50 percent. But the number of undecided voters is significant.


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As posted on Ben Ramsey's blog (and released out through the PHP community) - a press release about PHP Groups:
PHP Groups, a worldwide network for PHP user groups, launched today with the intent to foster an open community for PHP user groups to share and exchange ideas and information. Membership is open to anyone working with a PHP user group or interested in starting one.
At present, PHP Groups provides a mailing list where user group leaders and those interested may subscribe and take part in a dialog with other user groups. "I hope that part of our accomplishments will involve uniting and bringing together for an open dialog all of the PHP user groups across the world," said Ramsey. "I hope this mailing list can get that conversation going."
If you're interested in the project and want to get involved, check out their mailing list and website to get complete details.


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In my previous post, I outlined the importance of SQL Server RTOs and RPOs. I also explained why regularly testing Disaster Recovery (DR) and High Availability (HA) solutions is essential to ensuring that you can actually meet business goals and needs when it comes to overall continuity.
Therefore, to help make regular continuity testing that much easier, I'm happy to officially announce Version 1.0 of SQLContinuitySIM – a totally free tool that DBAs and IT Pros can use to help verify that their HA and DR solutions are meeting RPOs/RTOs by making it easier to test and evaluate gaps in continuity.
How SQLContinuitySIM Works
SQLContinuitySIM is a very simple application. Point it at a SQL Server and database, have it create a 'logging' table, tell it how frequently you want it to log entries to that table, configure the maximum number of errors you will allow it to encounter before terminating, and then turn it on.
Once it's logging, it will attempt to add a new, very simple, logging message to a special logging table at the interval specified.
You can then test or simulate failures, failovers, and other disaster recovery scenarios while SQLContinuitySIM is still doing its best to log regular, timed, entries into your system and then, once your HA or DR solution is successfully back online, you can then stop SQLContinuitySIM, and then query the logging table it created to get a feeling for what kind of down-time you incurred during your test.
Comparing this downtime, or gap in overall continuity, can then be compared with your RTOs and RPOs to ensure that you're able to meet stated goals and react accordingly when you're not.
Once you open SQLContinuitySIM, you'll need to Specify the SQL Server and database that you wish to connect to for logging purposes.
After you've specified connection details, SQLContinuitySIM will turn those into a connection string – which the the connection string that it uses for testing (meaning that you can modify this connection string manually for more advanced testing needs if desired).
A Test button is provided so that you can test your connection string if you've modified it or just want to verify that your connection is working correctly.
Once connection details are successfully configured, you will need to create a logging table – or a table that is used to store logging information. To do this, click on the Create Logging Table button.
Then, once the logging table has been created, you'll then want to set up an error threshold and specify how regularly SQLContinuitySIM should try to log a new entry.
Every time SQLContinuitySIM encounters an error, it will log it to the output screen. And, after SQLContinuitySIM encounters the number of errors specified as the 'cutoff' threshold, it will just stop logging (think of this as a bit of a failsafe). Otherwise, if SQLContinuitySIM doesn't encounter any errors, it will just log new entries as specified, and increment the 'Generated Logging Entries' counter for each successful addition.
To start logging, push the Start Logging button. You can similarly stop logging in the same fashion – and you can turn logging on and off as you'd like.
There's also a textbox that allows you to push 'manual' entries into the log file – such that you can log something like "Getting ready to failover" into the logging table to use as a bit of a bookmark. To use this features, just specify the text you want to enter, and push Add Entry.
Otherwise, the application should be largely self explanatory.
And, that said, while this solution IS designed to help you test and validate disaster recovery and high availability solutions IN your production environments, it should go without saying that you'll want to schedule these tests for times when they won't cause true disruptions in service.
Practical Testing
What makes SQLContinuitySIM powerful is the fact that it's simple. The connection strings that it generates when you click on the Specify button are rudimentary. But that doesn't mean you can't specify your own, more complex, connection strings as needed – such as in cases where you might want to test Database Mirroring by providing a Failover Partner entry as well – and so on.
Otherwise, once you've set it up against a given server or database, you can test some very powerful scenarios with minimal effort. Here a some sample ideas or use-cases you can employ with SQLContinuitySIM:
Simple Restarts
SQL Server's Recovery Time Interval defaults to roughly 1 minute – which means you should, theoretically, be able to watch your databases come back online in roughly a minute or so after a restart. Are you confident that's what you'd see in your environment? If not, you can schedule some time to restart SQL Server when you won't cause any problems and then set up SQLContinuitySIM against one of the databases on your server to test this out. Just set the error threshold high (something like 2000), and use a fairly aggressive logging interval (say 200ms). Once that's set up, log into your SQL Server and execute the "SHUTDOWN WITH NOWAIT" command. SQL Server should shut down immediately. Then, as soon as it shuts down, restart it. Once you see the errors stop being logged in SQLContinuitySIM you know that your target database is back up, and you can stop logging and then go into the logging table itself and check out how long your continuity down-time was during that restart.
Point SQLContinuitySIM at your cluster, set a fairly high error threshold (say 2000) and a decent logging interval (200ms), then initiate a failover. Once failover is complete (i.e., after you see SQLContinuitySIM stop announcing errors), stop logging and go check out the gap in overall continuity. Or, for extra fun, failback and then check out both of your gaps once failover and failback operations are complete.
Testing Mirroring solutions can be done, effectively, in the same fashion as testing clusters – only you'll have to provide SQLContinuitySIM with a mirroring-enabled connection string.
Normal Disaster Recovery Scenarios
Point SQLContinuitySIM at a database and then let it run or log for a little while. Add a 'manual log entry' – something like "Developer UPDATEs table without a WHERE clause". Then let things run a bit longer – to simulate the time it takes for such a problem to come to light. You can then use your backups and transaction log to see if you can recover to the point in time where you made your manual log entry - (or right around that same time frame).
This is a TERRIBLY simple continuity test (and it doesn't ensure that you could recover from an UPDATE without a WHERE clause because it doesn't address that solution). But it does provide you with a VERY easy way to see if your backups and log files (and/or log file backups) can let you recover from a very simple disaster. Because if you're not able to get to this point in time, then you have very real continuity problems that you need to address.
Download / Install
SQLContinuitySIM if Free. It requires .NET Framework 4.0.
It comes with a very simple .msi installer that will help you download and install .NET 4.0 if it's not already installed.
Or, you can download a stand-alone version of SQLContinuitySIM that doesn't require any installation (other than .NET 4.0).


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The sentence reads, "Had he not killed his father... the dustless, stainless Dhamma eye would have arisen to him as he sat in this very seat."santa100 wrote:Ah, right there:So King Ajatasattu, delighting and rejoicing in the Blessed One's words, rose from his seat, bowed down to him, and — after circumambulating him — left. Not long after King Ajatasattu had left, the Blessed One addressed the monks: "The king is wounded, monks. The king is incapacitated. Had he not killed his father — that righteous man, that righteous king — the dustless, stainless Dhamma eye would have arisen to him as he sat in this very seat.
Proved my point, no dustless, stainless Dhamma eye arisen, let alone arahantship right in his immediate life! "accept your confession"? yes; repentance? yes; some peace of mind? yes; arahantship in this very life? No!
Nothing about the rest of this life, and nothing about the next.


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Park Home insurance coverage are dissimilar to both normal house insurance and buy-to-let insurance, so don't make the fault and visualize that it is easy to invest less and corners using the improper range. This is a plan which usually Park Home Insurance Comparison your personal effects whether you go to home or not. House insurance often includes protection from theft, fire, lightning and various key risks confronting a home-owner. Residential property is consistently considered an excellent investment and naturally, when we place money into something, we should achieve the most effective turnaround feasible, being affordable where we could effortlessly and getting rid of on needless expenditure so that the return we obtain should are much better in good time to leave, yet you can uncover edges that ought to not be cut.We have found some material on what holiday residential property protection is exactly approximately and why must we need them. You must initially find an expert Park Home insurance service provider, or maybe a professional dealer. Your plan could well be split into building cover and contents cover. Equally with your major residence, abroad residential property insurance cover should provide a comparable protection over its structure and materials. Numerous UK Park Home insurance plans demand that plumbing and container equipment are cleared in the event the property is untenanted and temperature levels drop listed below 8 degrees.Regular resident's and tenant's insurance coverage include insurance coverage of house products, that includes electronic products along with various other pricey goods, yet around a particular limit. A bunch of professional insurers will offer both Park Home and Park Home insurance plan, therefore it's important that if you're trying to find insurance you pick the security that many very closely fits your system and the means where you utilize it. Some insurance coverage can dismiss fraud claims other than in cases where door/window locks satisfy a given requirement and shutters/grilles are okayed and utilized. Likewise, lots of insurers can not work out a claim unless there is proof of a burglary, so make sure ought to you leave your property Compare Residential Park Home Insurance.
Variables influencing on Spanish Plans – Spain has actually not got similar subsidence issues as Britain and to a smaller extent France as its aquifer is a lot lower, the ranch is usually normally completely dry. It is really simple sufficient to locate insurance for Park Homes in Spain and you will discover lots of companies that have got English-speaking team however look out as a variety of times the actual policies are created just in Spanish consequently it is necessary one does understand the things you are being covered for. Your Spanish residential property insurance will have to cover you from damage a result of quake, storms and floods. Whilst in the event you require overseas vacation residential property insurance any sort of additional costs ought to be to cover the elevated threat of cave in.
Park Home Insurance Comparison
Other than discovering complete insurance protection after your structure and its components, it's also smart to have an insurance protection versus liabilities. House proprietors Liability: Without doubt the vacation home owner really ought to be concerned regarding the considerable downfalls arising from different party responsibilities. Assessment the insurance protection against the valuation by yourself individual property. Inevitably, inspect that the Park Home insurance provides completely prolonged materials cover and liability cover. For homes which could possibly be let on short-term agreements you should make certain you have the appropriate policy. Holiday homes are specifically vulnerable to storm and frost deterioration in winter, considering that they often run dangerous presently.So an excellent overseas Park Home insurance is essential to manage your very own investment. Make certain your Vacation Home Insurance coverage consists of Householders Liability of at least ? 2,000,000 of cover. For example, a few Park Home insurance plan really do not guard non residents. To start with describe your Park Home insurance broker that the usage of Key Safes is adequate www.themoneylion.co.uk/insurancequotes/property/parkhomeinsurance
. Numerous other Park Home insurance strategies may state that they could cover precisely the items not in our home. Other Park Home insurance coverage run in an in contrast style wherein they cover the outside but not the inside. You should not pick the confidenced Park Home insurance companies who have a lot of obligations to please.Lots of people believe that purchasing Park Home Insurance is no different from acquiring an insurance coverage for a standard home. However, as a result of the special nature of mobile homes there are necessary points that a home owner must understand just before acquiring a policy. These distinctions are commonly overlooked by homeowner yet understanding them will considerably increase the possibilities of getting the best offer when purchasing an insurance policy.Just what Makes a Park Home Different Considering that mobile homes are built in manufacturing plants, they comply with US government's Park Home Building and Security Requirements along with state and neighborhood real estate codes. They are likewise baseded on a steel framework and hauled on wheels to their site. Since June 1976, factories making Park Homes follow meticulous federal government guidelines kept track of by the United States Department of Real estate and Urban Development (HUD). This guarantees that your house is developed to last and the products utilized pass a top quality requirement.
There are 2 significant differences in between a traditional home and a mobile home. Initially, Park Homes are integrateded factories and are far more cost-effective compared to standard ones. Because they are mass-produced, material and effort expense is greatly decreased. The second major distinction is typical homes are improved website giving a tougher base. This doesn't indicate that a mobile home is unsteady. Part of the HUD policies and rules about Park Homes is that it should be attached to an irreversible structure Park Home Insurance Quotes. This is obtained by preparing an on-site base for your Park Home, called tie-downs, ground anchors and block structures that considerably aid in the security of your home.Readying your Home In spite of the recent advancement and laws in making mobile homes, insurance business still consider them riskier to cover compared to conventional homes. Don't be surprised when you observe that insuring your home is more costly. Exactly what you can do in order to counter this is to see to it that your home has all the required devices and upgrades to get rebates. If you possess a doublewide or a multiple-section Park Home, you could likewise obtain a cheaper insurance coverage since it's considered to be much more stable compared to a singlewide home. And similar to a traditional home, furnish your house with thief and emergency alarm for better security and security. Winterizing and protecting your mobile home is likewise an excellent step considering that it limits happenings of icy water pipes and will certainly likewise save you cash in heating and cooling your home. Although such actions present added prices, making these renovations will certainly not only acquire you insurance rebates but will additionally make your family members safe and safe.Scouting advantageous Mobile Home Insurance Make certain to get quotes from a number of insurance firms just before purchasing any plan. Since mobile homes are ending up being a lot more popular, some companies have created customized policies that provide better Park Home Insurance. If you have car insurance, ask your insurance firm to evaluate your home since business provide discount rates for multiple policies. If you have no idea where to start, you can constantly browse the internet and try to find companies that offer cost-free quotes and professional assistance on how you can get the best Park Home Insurance in your area.


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So much for the learning experience that goes with practicing with the NHL squad and watching the Bruins play from the press box.
The Bruins today assigned first-year pro Jordan Caron to the Providence (AHL) farm club for the first time this season. Caron and head coach Claude Julien today both spoke about the positives of staying in the NHL, but obviously the front office had other ideas.


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Why Madison Presidential Listening Tour: Faculty Senate
President's Journal —
Faculty Senate, Taylor Hall, Nov. 1, 2012
All "Why Madison?" input will be considered by the Madison Future Commission
I spent an hour today with the Faculty Senate to hear the insights of our faculty representatives into Madison's strengths and challenges. They didn't hold back, and went very quickly to the heart of why Madison matters. I have been reiterating at all of our "Why Madison?" Listening Tour events, both on and off campus, that we are listening closely. Whether positive or critical, we don't want to miss any input or good ideas. So our notes from these "Why Madison?" events are going straight into the strategic planning process. The Madison Future Commission, comprising 150 members from on and off campus, will be considering all of the "Why Madison?" input.
What are JMU's aspirational and peer institutions in higher education?
Right off the bat a faculty member raised the issue of James Madison University's identity in higher education, especially as regards our so-called peer institutions. To whom do we compare ourselves? I find that question leads us to one of our central challenges and one of our greatest opportunities. No, we are not William and Mary, or U.Va. or Virginia Tech. What institutions are we like—and for what types of comparisons? Educational culture? Academic rigor? Tuition? Athletics competition? Faculty salaries? In any comparison, the peer groups are all over the map and bear little resemblance to JMU. Few of them are very aspirational. When I came here, I saw the statement that said, "we want to be the best public comprehensive university." I can tell you that no one outside of higher education knows what that technical definition means.
Our future will be found in being the best JMU we can be
JMU is not a small liberal arts college like Swarthmore, where I went to school. But JMU does have a lot of its characteristics—like faculty-student interaction and the personal attention students can get here even as we've gotten larger. Nor are we a research-intensive university, but we have some of the strengths and opportunities that those institutions have. I believe our future will be found in combining elements of both in a unique way. While it's an important exercise to keep asking that question about who would be our aspirational peers, I think we're in a position where we really need to ask ourselves another question: "How do we be the best JMU?" We need to worry less about trying to emulate another specific institution. I think the reality is we've got to ask ourselves what it is that makes us unique and then what do we want to build here? We need to then create an environment where the expectations, the workload, the support and the faculty reward system allow teaching, research and service each to take place such that undergraduates can be in the thick of them.
Part of our identity is our sense of social responsibility
Central to how we define ourselves is a characteristic that has really stuck out to me. We know we're a public university, but we also are really known for civic engagement, a sense of social responsibility, and for being an engaged university. We are very much engaged with ideas, but we're also engaged with the world. And that community aspect of JMU does differentiate us from a lot of schools that talk about those themes. I've been to some of those other places and yet I've never experienced them in the way that I have firsthand here. The faculty I met with this afternoon are doing that kind of work with students and in the community at every level. I think that there are some things about our identity that have developed over the years that are quite extraordinary and unusual, but they don't necessarily just fit a model or a Carnegie classification. I hope the strategic planning process will help identify and talk about what is it that we want to be. And again we must build from those strengths to be the best JMU. As one faculty member put it, we don't want to be known as the next Michael Jordan. We want to be our own Lebron James.
We must contend with external forces
Another faculty member very astutely put his finger on a set of concerns with which we will have to deal as we move forward. Chief among them are the external forces of which we have to be aware. One of the committees of the Madison Future Commission—the strategic planning process—will conduct an environmental scan of what those forces are in higher education. Provost Benson and I had a great conversation earlier today with the folks from the libraries and educational technology where we talked about some of those forces. There are challenges, but I also think there are opportunities on this front for us. Because we're that sort of hybrid model, something a little different and because we're younger, relatively speaking, as a university, we have the ability to deal with some of these changes and opportunities in higher education, perhaps a little more easily than some other schools might be able to do. That doesn't mean you're going to just float with the wind, but it means that you can look at what's happening in higher education, look toward the future and say, as we mature as a university where do we want to be, knowing what the 21st Century landscape looks like? Plus this is a place where that spirit of innovation, of entrepreneurship, and of being interdisciplinary is already firmly present.
The era of rapid growth will probably be replaced by strategic growth
Growth came up as one of the most pressing issues with which we will be dealing. The Commonwealth of Virginia, for example, has certain expectations when it looks at institutions. But my own sense is that it won't drive the kind of really rapid growth that we've seen in the past couple of decades. There will probably be some strategic growth in particular programs where there's really high demand, such as engineering and nursing. We really need to look at doing what we're doing even better, rather than just growing in numbers.
Alumni can help us affect public opinion
Another faculty member pointed to another external force with which we must contend—that very vocal segment of public opinion that deems public education and teaching to be simply a drag on public coffers. This is despite the fact that our alumni are returning to us and reporting back that the reason for their success was that JMU had taught them how to think and achieve and be productive. I think this faculty member hit on the solution in his anecdote. Our satisfied alumni—of which we boast a stunning 97 percent—and parents of our students can help us make the case. They need to be ambassadors for us, and they are telling me they want to do that. They need to help us tell that story because they are doing very interesting and varied things with those liberal arts backgrounds. That's the story that we have to keep telling in various ways. The good news is we have 100,000+ alumni now who can help us to make that case. We're also producing a lot of the P-12 teachers here in Virginia and beyond—which is a whole separate conversation—so we can be a real leader in talking about the importance of public education.
Seven percent giving rate is a startling disconnect
Our faculty representatives were startled to see that—in stark contrast to those 97 percent of alumni who loved their JMU experience—only 7 percent of alumni give back. To overcome that disconnect, he recommended finding out from students today how they identify with JMU and tap into what will make them want to give to JMU. On the listening tour we've been trying to pay close attention to some of the themes that are emerging from alumni, as to what they think differentiates them from people from other schools. Some consistent themes that come out of those conversations include the importance of critical thinking skills, communication skills, teamwork skills, and good interpersonal skills. Our alumni do not have a sense of entitlement and will instead roll up their sleeves to get the job done. Now we've got to do a much better job of articulating these benefits of a JMU education and of asking alumni to give back and strengthen the educational experience at JMU. One of the themes we're hearing is that alumni want to hear from their faculty. Many departments are bringing alumni back, and I'm hearing that alumni find those intergenerational connections to be very meaningful.
Stepping up development will be critical to the future
There are many reasons for our small endowment. We are a young university and have conducted just one comprehensive capital campaign. We've been hearing from alumni that they've not been asked to give; that JMU simply went to Richmond in the past for its funding needs; or that the beautiful campus makes students and alumni think JMU doesn't need charitable gifts. One individual suggested investing heavily in our development staff, who will need to be on the front lines. A faculty representative also suggested adding more of JMU's hallmark personal touch to the stewardship process. There are many things that we will need to do more intensively. The "Why Madison?" input we receive will also influence our capital campaign priorities in the near future. We have to learn from the best practices around the country. A lot of this is about relationships, and we keep hearing from alumni that they want to connect again with a faculty member or even current students and feel reengaged in the life of JMU.
Looking within and knowing when and how to ask for support
A faculty member talked about the exquisite care we need to take with regard to the timing of asking our graduates for gifts. Obviously, it is not the first thing a newly minted graduate needs to hear from JMU after walking across the stage. However, many schools start philanthropic education with current students. A management faculty member said today that he imbues values orientation into his curriculum. He said students are very accepting and otherwise just don't understand how things work. The SGA wants to take this on as a challenge—to start to build that culture within the student body—and their efforts actually can be frankly more effective than us or an advancement office getting up and saying you should give.
Opening up communication to include both pros and cons
Another faculty member said he would like to see my administration develop an open communications model. He said he understands how important it is to listen and plan before making bold statements and that he wholeheartedly supports the listening tour for this reason. He also said the faculty will welcome hearing as we go along both the positives and the negatives we are facing on issues such as the football conference debate and faculty salaries, and combine them into honest messages. He said hearing both the pros and cons will be the basis of a strong relationship. Otherwise, he said, the faculty will always be expecting to hear just accolades. I concur with the need for open, ongoing dialogue.
Compensation Task Force will be looking in-depth
The Compensation Task Force, for instance, will be looking deeply to address the complex task of looking for solutions for the short, medium and long term. I want to try and be as creative as we can be when we talk about the budgetary and salary issues. I said to this group that I don't want any sacred cows; I want us to put everything on the table as you think about those issues. I appreciated the point that we need to have that honest dialogue, and I hope that the Compensation Task Force is a sign of that openness and collaboration.
When and how to use technology to deliver education
We also discussed the role of technology in delivering education, which is a hot topic right now, but has its pros and cons. The answer might not be the same in every discipline, so we need to be prepared for some nuance. I don't think we're going to be the next University of Phoenix, but we certainly want to use technology, whether that means teaching online courses or using elements of the technology in more traditional courses. That's got to be a part of the conversation that results from the Madison Future Commission's environmental scan. We must think about what we can do that adds value, and what differentiates us from other institutions. That would be in keeping with Madison's entrepreneurial spirit.
Published: Thursday, November 1, 2012
Last Updated: Wednesday, May 24, 2017


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Ireland's future in very capable hands
Hugh Farrelly
November 30, 2009
Declan Kidney has given Ireland something to cheer during a troubling month © Getty Images
November 2009 was recently referred to by the Irish media as the "most depressing month in living memory".
The weather, as ever in this country, had a profound effect on the national mood with seemingly incessant rain forcing a host of rivers - led by the Shannon - to burst their banks and leave large tracts of the south and west under water.
Ireland's soccer team were palmed out of the World Cup by Thierry Henry's France sparking to a massive outpouring of national anger before the inevitable bout of depression. Throw in the shocking revelations regarding the systematic abuse of children by Catholic priests, the public sector strikes and consistent government-bashing ahead of December's Budget and, all-in-all, it's been a grim few weeks.
Enter Declan Kidney…
Ireland's ever-modest rugby coach would recoil from the suggestion that he is some sort of messiah or saviour of the national mood but the rugby side's achievements, notably the win over world champions South Africa, were a timely morale-boost.
Not that it would ever compare to the effect on the country if the soccer team does well. Rugby has exhibited a remarkable growth in popularity this decade but still languishes far behind Gaelic Games and soccer in terms of participating numbers and overall knowledge. While Kidney could still walk about most towns in Ireland suffering from only intermittent recognition, his football Giovanni Trapattoni excites huge interest wherever he goes in Ireland.
However, Kidney would not have it any other way and that's a key component behind Ireland's progress from World Cup flop and Six Nations also-rans to their current status of Grand Slam champions - with an unbeaten record stretching back 11 games to 2008.
The Corkman's approach to management is to surround himself with expertise, coaches who work on the specific areas of Ireland's game while he stays in the background as overseer. And Kidney has assembled a backroom team that is, arguably, the equal of any on the international circuit led by South African Gert Smal, the man who masterminded his native country's forward effort which backboned their 2007 World Cup triumph.
On Saturday, Smal's insider knowledge proved crucial as the Irish pack tormented the Springbok lineout, for so long a cornerstone of their game, a fact that was ruefully acknowledged by totemic second row Victor Matfield afterwards.
"After the first two lineouts, I realised Gert must have taught the Irish guys some Afrikaans," said Matfield. "They were counting with us before the ball was thrown in, he knows our calls so well. It's the worst lineout display I have ever experienced."
While the Irish scrum struggled initially against both Australia and South Africa, Smal's influence here was evident also as it rallied strongly on both occasions with fledgling loose-head Cian Healy coming through strongly with further progress expected come the Six Nations.
In the other key area of the breakdown, the Irish back-row came up against two of the game's premier scavengers in Australia's David Pocock and Heinrich Brussow of South Africa but, while both won their share of turnovers, the results did not prove decisive and Smal's back-row, led by flanker David Wallace, was hugely effective on the charge and in the close-in collisions.
If Smal has proved to be an inspired signing for Kidney, then so too has defence coach Les Kiss. The Australian was a member of the all-conquering Kangeroos rugby league side that toured Europe unbeaten in 1986 and has enjoyed a successful transition to coaching in the 15-man game - working successfully with the Springboks at the start of the decade and then in Super rugby.
The Irish players have bought in enthusiastically to Kiss' defensive system and he has been part of the concerted policy of building relationships with the provinces which can only benefit the national cause.
Backs coach Alan Gaffney's status with the provinces is also of considerable benefit. A former head coach of Munster, Gaffney still has a consultancy role with Leinster and, with the international side, he is gradually bringing through a more expansive style which was hard to miss in November.
A fourth, less high profile, but highly significant part of the jigsaw is manager Paul McNaughton. Kidney's predecessor Eddie O'Sullivan earned a reputation for his reluctance to delegate and used to handle all matters ranging from disciplinary issues to pre-season preparation himself.
McNaughton, who has forged a highly successful career in the business world, is an intelligent, articulate buffer zone and sounding board for Kidney. The two have a very close relationship which adds to the overall sense of purpose and control surrounding the Ireland squad at present.
So, while it has undoubtedly been a rough time for the country as a whole - with little prospect of the situation improving significantly any time soon - in rugby terms, Ireland's future appears to be in very capable hands.
© Scrum.com
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What if we told you that you could take an all-expenses paid trip to a desert island with a group of friends? What would you pack? What would you wear? And most importantly, who would you bring? We already covered who we wouldn't want to bring, but we're not anti-social, Tom Hanks-esque castaways. No, we've got the perfect list of companions for our desert island retreat.
1. The White Witch, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
The first word in desert island is desert, and that means those suckers can get toasty. What would be better (and more convenient) than having a witch who can create eternal winters serve as your air conditioning unit? Just don't get on her bad side. Things might get a little too chilly.
2. Holly Golightly, Breakfast at Tiffany's
Holly would definitely be able to put together some awesome parties from stuff found on the island. Who needs the Professor making fake coconut radios when your girl Holly can make you a piña colada? Girls just want to have fun, are we right?
3. Hermione Granger, Harry Potter series
Besides the fact that Hermione is one of the best characters ever, she has a lot of skills and talents that would be useful on an island. Between her encyclopedia knowledge of spells, her bag that can hold a never-ending amount of items, and her extensive knowledge of plants from taking Herbology classes, she would make sure everyone had a magical time, and even would be able to apparate us off once we got tired of Holly's existential crisis. 10 points to Gryffindor!
4. Atticus Finch, To Kill a Mockingbird
It's common knowledge that when a group of people is in isolation for too long, some conflict can emerge. (See: Lord of the Flies.) In addition to providing excellent eye candy by looking like the smoking Gregory Peck, Atticus is a great lawyer and mediator who would be able to settle any arguments and prevent things from escalating.
5. Tris Prior, Divergent
Photo from Entertainment Weekly.
Tris is an all-around kick-butt lady. She has an extensive knowledge of weapons and self-defense techniques from her Dauntless initiation training. Plus she is super loyal and selfless (despite her claims otherwise) so she will always be willing to take one for the team. We mean, a girl basically without fear? Totally someone we want on our island shortlist.
6. Feste, Twelfth Night
This character is a fool. No, the kind that Mr. T likes to pity, but that archetypal figure who serves as comic relief by cracking jokes about everyone around them. That sounds like even better entertainment than cable TV. You know, unless he makes fun of The White Witch. Then we might be in for a cold, er, treat.
How about you, Shmoopers? Who would you take with you to a desert island?


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Day trip to Antwerp from Brussels
Day trip to Antwerp, Belgium's diamond and fashion capital, city of Peter Paul Rubens, and the current second biggest port of Europe. Departure from Brussels.
- Departure from Brussels every Tuesday and Thursday at 10:30 am.
- Price: 34, 00€ pp.(free for children under 12 years old).
- Fee entrance to a diamond cutting factory.
- More 6,00€, the entrance to the Cathedral of Our Lady, where you visit the paintings of Rubens. (you pay directly)
- Meeting point: Grand-Place in front of the "Tourist Information Office" at 10:30 am.
Program :
- Start your visit in the Central Train Station, known as the 'iron cathedral' and considered as one of the most beautiful railway stations in the world.
- Visit the diamond district and go to a diamond workshop, where you will learn about the history and cutting process of diamonds, and admire unique jewelry pieces.
- "The Meir", Antwerp's main shopping street and where you can admire fashion stores in a beautiful architectonical setting.
- The "Meir Palace", a Rococo mansion that was Napoleon's palace. Taste artisanal coffee and handmade chocolate in what is now one of the most famous chocolate shops in Belgium.
- Check Rubens' house and learn a quick history of his work and contribution to Flemish art.
- The marketplace, the guildhalls and the City Hall
- Cathedral of Our Lady, which is the largest Gothic church in the Low Countries and admire its north tower. Inside, contemplate an art collection that includes four masterpieces of Paul Peter Rubens. Visit the Baroque pulpit with a wooden sculpture of Pocahontas, and check beautiful stained glasses.
- Saint Charles Borromeo church, a jewel of Baroque architecture in the city that treasures one if the most beautiful Baroque confessionals in the world.
- The "Het Steen", a medieval castle located in the city's ancient port, from where you can admire the Scheldt River and contemplate a sunset next to the water.
- Leisure time for visiting museums, eating a meal, and shopping.
- Return to Brussels at 7:30 pm.
Terms and Conditions :
Bravo discovery reserves the right to cancel or reschedule tours if there are not enough inscriptions, in which case the client is entitled to a full refund of the registration fee.
If the client cancels the reservation, take into account that :
- If cancelation is done 48 hours before the beginning of the tour, the client is entitled to a full refund of the registration fee.
- If cancellation is done 24 hours before the beginning of the tour, the client is entitled to a refund of the 50% of the registration fee.
- The client has no refund if cancellation is done less than 24 hours before the beginning of the tour.
Bravo Discovery guarantees you the best guided tours in Antwerp.
We offer you to visit three of the most beautiful cities in Belgium: Bruges, Ghent, and Antwerp. They have impressive medieval city centers that stand as a proof of their historical character. Nowadays, Bruges, Ghent, and Antwerp are flourishing cities that in their own way can offer you the best of Belgian cuisine, beer, chocolate, fashion, arts and museums. English-speaking guides will meet you in Brussels from where you will depart on train to your respective destination, and they will go along with you during your day trip excursion until you come back to Brussels. Bravo Discovery staff members will make sure that you get the best of your tour, learning about the history and architecture of your destination, visiting its more important landmarks, and recommending you what to do and where to grab a bite during your free time.


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This is the port of my original Stoned skin for cyCircled, I've received some requests to do this (and to Wired as well).
Due to some issues with the textures, I will not be changing Stoned much anymore.
ButtonFacade skin : Stoned
Author : MoonWitch (Marillian on Tanaris US)
Version: 0.1
Required Addons: ButtonFacade
This is a stone looking skin, or at least that is the plan. There is very little to say about it, it's my first attempt at it, so be kind in feedback
1. If you don't have ButtonFacade, be sure to grab it from http://files.wowace.com/ButtonFacade/ButtonFacade.zip
2. Unzip the provided zip into "World of Warcraft\Interface\Addons\" (without quotes)
3. Verify if the path INTO the skin folder is "World of Warcraft\Interface\Addons\ButtonFacade_Stoned" (without quotes)
4. While in-game, select the Stoned skin through ButtonFacade and enjoy.
Feedback? Need Support?
Feel free to pm me on the WoWace forums, I am MoonWitch there too. You could leave a note in WoWInterface as well.


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Gregg Bagni
Hometown: Boulder, CO and Lake Geneva, WI
Current location: Trapped on planet earth
What do you do for/with/to bicycles?
My last real job ended 11 years and three days ago as the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Product Development for Schwinn Cycling and Fitness. I was incredibly lucky to be picked as part of the management team that brought Schwinn back from bankruptcy. When they got ready to sell the company for the third time I quietly snuck out the back door. Then took some great time off but alas cashflow was needed because the 'kids needed shoes" so Alien Truth Communications got started as a brand/marketing/strategy firm. By design, I'm a "one person shop" with a deep network of world class subcontractors around me. The team is versatile and can cover everything from copywriting to product development. Honestly? After leaving Schwinn I just wanted to see how long I could last before I had to get a real job.
What's the best thing about your job?
Two things: No. 1, I'm a conslut'ant not a consultant. That means I spread love all over my clients instead of typical consultant behavior. No. 2, Non stop learning. Because I specialize in "enthusiast" brands it takes me across many categories and industries like ski areas, bikes, outdoor photography, alternative medicine, natural foods, green automotive, etc. Major learn'age plus you meet great people, work on cool products and hopefully flow some cash while doing it. I love this planet!
What's the toughest part of your job?
Two more things: No. 1, being self employed means there isn't a pile of work on your desk every day when you walk into the office. Instead you have to go out and find it. No. 2, the Alien Nation predicted the economy would shift so I started spending twice as much time prospecting, selling and netpuking (networking). This approach helped us green ones to hold our own. Especially in a market environment where there's too many unemployed white collar types calling themselves consultants until they find a real job.
What was the path that led you to work with bicycles?
I have always been a bike freak. At age 11 I strung Christmas tree lights and taped a huge battery on my Schwinn Bollegiate (bought used) and cruised the neighborhood singling Christmas carols. I look back now and ask myself, "self? WTF was wrong with me?" then I come to my senses and realize that two wheels is the only way to celebrate! It's in my DNA.
What was your first bicycle?
Unbranded but still lovely red 12-inch wheeled bicycle my dad bought for both my sister and I. I learned to ride in an abandoned parking lot in Middleton, Ohio. No training wheels ever. I also walked to school barefoot in the snow, it was uphill both ways. Fuckin' A!
What bike do you currently ride the most?
Road: Giant Advanced SL road bike w/hodge podge of high end parts (super bro deal otherwise I'd be riding a trendier brand) teehee. Dirt: Maverick American mtn bike : I just can't quit you man….. Round town: Miyata pista track bike : raced this one 20-plus years ago now funkily converted to town ride. Sidewalk: 1961 Schwinn American : girls frame, pink &white/we call her 'bunny'. Basement: Schwinn Spinner.
Where is your favorite place to ride?
I live in Colorado fall/winter/spring and love riding my road bike up the canyons on both asphalt and dirt roads. If you know the area you know Left hand, leehill, superjames, sunshine, poormans, ward, peak to peak. Climbing seems to clean up the inside of my head and spark me all up. In Wisconson its mountain bike at Kettle Morraine. World class trails only about 20 minutes from our lake cottage. Black sticky dirt, tree canopy, some roots and rocks, glacier cut terrain and rollers. Granted it doesn't have the steep, long up/down action of Colorado but the upside is if you fall you don't have to worry about balling up in the fetal position and bouncing off of bone breaking rock filled trails. Bottom line, either location is epic in my mind…..as long as it's two wheels. I've convinced myself that my best ideas come on a bike. Plus it's always a safe place to dispel my mental disturbances. 🙂
What music goes through your head while you ride?
This five minutes of my life?… Black Sabbath, my morning jacket, citizen cope, beatles, the black keys, elvis Costello, foo fighters, guster radiohead, jimmy eat world, the kind, ozomatli, dada, fugees, brother ali, charles Lloyd, arcade fire, gil scott heron, al dimeola, mavericks….
What are your interests aside from bicycles?
Eating dessert, it's why I ride. Snowboarding. Yoga/kinetics/stretching/movement. Reading great books. One with the universe baby! Still trying to learn how to levitate and/or walk thru walls by focusing on my breath, posture and thoughts. Netflix online.
If you weren't working around bicycles, what do you think you'd be doing?
Probably Natural foods business or music/events or maybe acupuncture?
Please share one of your favorite stories you've seen or been a part of while involved with the bicycle industry.
No. 1, Stingrays on the bottom of the ocean. It was '98 or '99? Right before the millennium, everyone was getting all retro and nostalgic. We reproduced a limited number of very nicely produced original Stingrays. Had em all pre-sold. Of course we made them overseas and the domestic manufacturing gods got even with us. Because when they were coming over on the boat a super-bad storm comes along and when that happens the cap'n doesn't hesitate to push containers into the ocean to avoid capsizing. All those Stingrays ended up at the bottom of the pacific. Proof that creativity only lives when you build, ship and deliver!
No. 2, A World Cup dump. We went big with pro mtn bike teams during our Schwinn comeback. Teams are always high management/juggling act and one of our soigneurs was kinda crazy. Seems our rubdude got all celebratory after one of the World Cup events, climbed up a power line tower, pulled his pants down and took a dump from 80 feet up. I wasn't there but got an immediate call.
No. 3, J-Lo impersonator turns into best group practical joke ever. Couple years ago I walked the Interbike show floor with a J-Lo impersonator. She was quite pricey but was a ringer. I must have taken 100 Polaroids and digital photos with all the big cheeses of the industry. What they didn't know I previously arranged the placement of a large photo of her with an industry type's arm draped around her. The headline? "Dude Looks Like A Lady". I neglected to tell anyone the J-Lo impersonator was really a man. The only person who suspected was Mike Ferrentino (Santa Cruz Bicycles), of course he's from SFO. Anyway, people are still talking about it.
Who would you choose for the next subject for the Bicycle Industry Insider Profile Series?
Dean Bradley
He's a product development stud, been around forever, still remains relevant and chicks dig him.
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Tattoo artist Walter Meyerle tried to force a 17-year-old Croydon girl to have sex with her mother's boyfriend and to take photos of classmates in a school locker room, according to evidence presented Thursday on the fourth day of his child-sex-abuse trial.
Meyerle, 35, of Falls Township, tried blackmailing the teenager, threatening to send her mother nude photos the girl had taken, according to the exchanges presented in Bucks County Court.
One of the photos admitted into evidence was of the teenager, topless, with her breasts being touched by her 9–year-old sister.
"Payback is a bitch," Meyerle told the teenager, angry that she would not tease and have sex with her mother's boyfriend, according to the exchanges.
"Now you will have no friends when they see what you did with kids," he told her, accorsing to the exchanges read by Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Schorn.
Meyerle is charged with about 200 sex-abuse crimes against 15 children ages 4 to 17, allegedly committed from 1998 to 2011. If found guilty on all counts, he could face about 150 years in prison.
The Croydon teenager was introduced to Meyerle in 2010 by a girlfriend who also was a victim, according to her account.
In a series of exchanges from February and March 2011, the teenager and Meyerle sounded like a couple, with texts such as "LOL," "Love you," and "Did I make you happy?" Most of the exchanges involved phone sex, with Meyerle telling the teen what he wanted.
He convinced the teen to send him nude photos, promising to delete them. But when he got angry with her, because she failed to meet his demands, he threatened to send them to her mother, according to the exchanges.
One of the demands that the 9th grader resisted was to take photos of girls in the locker room at Benjamin Franklin Freshman Academy in Bristol Township, according to the prosecution's presentation.
When she balked, he said he was "done" with her and threatened to send her nude photos to her friends and mother.
"That's the last time you tell me 'no,'" he said in one exchange.
The teen said she would take the photos another day, but she never did, authorities said.


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By Kris Voakes | Italian Football Writer
In many ways, it was the perfect evening. Juventus started well, scored goals at the right times, and restricted Chelsea to the odd dangerous counter-attack. As statements of intent go, the Bianconeri's 3-0 mauling of the Champions League holders was among the most convincing you could get. The Old Lady is not just alive and kicking, she's singing from the rooftops and back among the best Europe has to offer.
Yes, Juve are not qualified yet, and they face a tricky trip to Donetsk on December 5 needing a draw to finish off the job. Yes, they lived dangerously at times as the Premier League outfit threatened to pick them off on the break when the game was still in the balance. But the Bianconeri dominated for long periods, controlled the midfield, made twice as many chances as the Blues, and forced Petr Cech into a number of saves which ensured he was the visitors' busiest player. Make no mistake about it, this was a booming declaration that Juventus are back.
Their Scudetto triumph gave them a leg up; it was their first step on the road back to redemption after the Calciopoli scandal ripped the heart out of the club. But a club's European record is the real measure of its success in most eyes in the 21st Century, and an outfit that has so often failed to convert domestic dominance into continental crowns in the past needs to be in amongst the greats of the game to be taken seriously.
|MATCH FACTS | Juventus 3-0 Chelsea
|On Target
Their performance at Juventus Stadium was cutting, it was controlled and it was convincing. Arturo Vidal, Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio once more had the better of the game across the middle. Fabio Quagliarella showed the striker's instinct the Bianconeri have sometimes lacked in poking home the opening goal, and once Vidal fired in a deflected second, Chelsea looked more than ready to throw in the towel. Sebastian Giovinco's injury-time clincher was simply the icing on the cake.
After their difficulties in the early part of the campaign, they are now in a great position to advance. And if they do, they will be a big threat. None of the Barcelonas, Real Madrids, Manchester Uniteds or Bayern Munichs will relish facing the Old Lady come February, with Juve now a very different prospect to the side which briefly flirted with a return to Europe with little success in 2008 and 2009. Forget those two campaigns, they weren't reflective of the great Turin club at their best. Forget even their horror show against Nordsjaelland. At this moment in time, they look ready for the task.
They're still maybe a striker short of being among the very best, and if there was one warning tonight it was that their tendency to occasionally leave their back three exposed can cause them a few scares. But the positives massively outweigh the negatives, and the high-energy, slick style with which they try to play the game whoever the opposition deserves to be applauded.
Juventus are well and truly back, and they need just one more point to give themselves a chance to ruffle the feathers of those they've had to sit back and watch for the last six years. It's in their hands now.


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All lanes of a vital Southern California freeway were open again Saturday, three days after a shutdown was forced by a huge tanker truck fire that left an overpass badly damaged.
The reopening of the Pomona Freeway east of Los Angeles brought an end to three grueling days of traffic for commuters and around-the-clock labor for highway crews.
Eastbound lanes of the 10-mile stretch of freeway in Montebello were reopened at about 3 p.m. Saturday, Caltrans said in a statement. The westbound lanes had been opened about four hours earlier.
Wednesday's tanker truck inferno torched an overpass on the freeway and severed a key link between Los Angeles and its eastern suburbs.
Tests showed that the bridge over the westbound lanes was safe for the time being, and could remain standing, but the rest of it had to be torn down.
That process was slowed by the discovery of asbestos and phone lines inside the bridge, forcing a slow dismantling so as not to release cancer-causing asbestos into the air or cut off telephone communications to thousands of people.
"It's pretty complicated," said Scott J. Brandenberg, an associate professor of engineering at University of California, Los Angeles. "Bridges are designed to be built to last and stay in place. They're not like interchangeable pieces where you pop out a bridge and put a new one in place."
The phone lines were not damaged by the fire but the asbestos posed a health threat, so hazardous materials crews and phone company officials were called in. After unearthing all the lines, crews were working to build an I-beam to drape the lines across to keep from disrupting telephone service.
Engineers later decided they would tear down the other half of the bridge, but said that could be done late at night over several nights this week, leaving the freeway open for the daily commute.
Meanwhile, the cause of the tanker fire remained under investigation. There was no crash, so investigators planned to look at other factors, such as possible brake or other mechanical failure.
The truck was hauling 9,000 gallons of gasoline when it burst into flames just under the Paramount Boulevard Bridge in Montebello, about 12 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.
The driver was not hurt, but the intense flames and heat melted the truck, cratered the road beneath it and cracked the concrete on the overpass so that chunks crashed onto the pavement below.
Tens of thousands of drivers use the freeway daily to commute from communities in eastern Los Angeles County and adjoining Riverside and San Bernardino counties. It also is a main route for trucks delivering vast streams of goods from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to inland warehouses.


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4607 Cortez Rd W, Bradenton, FL 34210
Toll Free: 800-794-9111 24hr: 941-755-1549 Local: 941-755-1549Email Us
We're Sorry...
Product B20-4798 - The FTD® Sweet Perfection™ Bouquet
is no longer available for online purchase.
Please choose a different product or contact us for assistance with your order.
We apologize for the inconvenience!


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December 12. 2012 12:02AM
Lowe's sites in city, Hooksett still empty
By DAVE SOLOMON
New Hampshire Union Leader
When Lowe's announced in October 2011 that it was closing three of its New Hampshire stores, the move left residents in Manchester, Hooksett and Claremont wondering what would happen to the large retail spaces once occupied by the home improvement giant.
More than a year later, they are still wondering, although there's been no shortage of rumors, particularly surrounding the locations in Claremont and Hooksett, according to town officials in those communities.
"The three Lowe's properties - Claremont, Hooksett and Manchester - are on the market and available," said Maureen Wallace, a Lowe's spokesman. "We are actively seeking tenants, as well as maintaining the facilities."
Nancy Merrill, Claremont's director of planning and development, said the Lowe's sign came down at the Washington Street location recently, triggering speculation.
"There have been a lot of rumors up here, but we haven't seen anything come through our office that is specific and tells us anything is going on," she said. "We've heard that something is happening, but we have not had anyone contact us about developing that site further."
Claremont officials were shocked that the 103,000-square-foot store lasted only a year after opening with much fanfare in 2010. "We were very surprised because it took a lot of effort for them to build there," Merrill said. "This was a new building, a nice, new building on a newly finished site. I'm sure it was very costly."
The location is just a few doors down from a Home Depot.
"I don't know if it's the nature of the economy or the size of the building that's making it difficult to attract investors," she said.
In Hooksett, the vacant space occupies 17 acres on Commerce Drive that town officials would love to see occupied.
"It's a significant building in a location that gets a lot of traffic," said Town Administrator Dean E. Shankle Jr. "Since Lowe's went out, we have had at least two national companies that have looked at it and called me for information, but at this point no other action has been taken. People are looking at it, which is a good thing."
Hooksett Building Inspector and Code Enforcement Officer Matt Labonte said the building has been "the subject of the rumor mill" but the town had no information about a potential occupant.
The town hopes to enhance the value of the property by extending municipal sewer service to the site, which is shared by the Hooksett Walmart.
The town is negotiating with Walmart to help finance the project, and recover its costs through hook-up fees, credits, or some other arrangement. The existing sewer main would have to cross beneath the Merrimack River to reach the Walmart and Lowe's property.
"Walmart really wants this," said Shankle, "and it would be helpful to Lowe's as well. One of the companies that talked to me about the property was concerned about the lack of sewage because they use a considerable amount of water for what they do."
The site is now serviced by separate septic systems.
In Manchester, Mayor Ted Gatsas said there is less pressure to fill the space, because Lowe's was leasing. "The owners are still being paid by Lowe's," he said. "We would like to see it filled, but we are not getting a negative effect with a building that is vacant and someone looking for an abatement on it."
The three New Hampshire closures were announced in late 2011 as part of a Lowe's restructuring that saw 20 stores close nationwide, and layoffs affecting about 1,950 employees. New Hampshire was the hardest hit, as no other state had more than two stores close.
- - - - - - - -
Dave Solomon may be reached at


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I agree with the damage to the TARDIS reducing the appeal. The car should be totalled. But as for the color, black would have looked better but I wouldn't have bought it. I have pets, so black is out. I love heather grey, and that's part of the reason I bought the shirt.
compassstl wrote:1.21 jigawatts!
Ironically, this was on TV today.
I believe you mean coincidentally, it's okay, too many people over use "ironically". Nice omgwin! though.
iamjakex wrote:Furthermore... the Tardis would never sustain that kind of damage from the Delorian :P
Its just inconcievable!
Could have had the Sicilian from The Princess Bride popping into the pic saying that...copyright x 3
yidboy wrote:marty and einstein are no match for sarah jane and k9. dear lord, i'm a geek. my two favorite time machines.
It seems everyone here recognized the delorian but apparently we have some woot geeks that are oblivious to the tardis!..... Look up DR. WHO!! Start in the 1960's and work your way to present day, you will thank me!!
I cannot believe I missed getting this shirt. Would have been my first shirt....Bring it back!!
Ok, maybe someone can explain this to me. How is this legal? Isn't this just two copyrighted items on the shirt in a comedic way? Shouldn't Universal and BBC be ticked off that their IP has been stolen and sold on a shirt?
It'd be one thing to say it's a Delorean crashed into a UK police box, but it has the Mister Fusion on the car along with the extra wires running around the car and the Exhaust vents!
That's clearly meant to be the car from BBTF.
Have you ever watched the series??? After all the tardis went through you think a hit from a delorian would even make the dent it did??
inflatablechair wrote:Wait, is that the Tardis or the phone booth from Bill an Ted's Excellent Adventure?
Most definitely the TARDIS.
gambit410 wrote:Please please please re-release this shirt somewhere!!!
Check this link in about 15 hours.
so disappointed that i missed this shirt ....
Gatzby wrote:Check this link in about 15 hours.
Since you're checking this thread, perhaps you can answer my question posted above. How exactly is this legal?
I would like this better if the car had smashed into a port-o-potty...
mvanco wrote:Have you ever watched the series??? After all the tardis went through you think a hit from a delorian would even make the dent it did??
I recall at one point the Tardis was scattered all over the place in pieces. So..yeah, it might look damaged.
I can hear the Doctor: "McFly!"
Oi! Mosh good!! want!!!!
Ok, I don't like the heather grey -- but I have to have this shirt. I'll get it for 15 tomorrow. Someone toss over the friend link so I can have it, please.
rottndachs wrote:You would be surprised at the number of Yanks who do get the DOCTOR Who reference. In fact there are many of us WHO get it enough to have already seen the 2 new episodes, both of which have not been released in the US.
But you know how it is? You put things off for a day and it's a 100 years later.
I'm pretty sure 99% of American Doctor Who fans have seen those episodes. Gotta get our Tennant.
Josephus wrote:I recall at one point the Tardis was scattered all over the place in pieces. So..yeah, it might look damaged.
I can hear the Doctor: "McFly!"
I think this happened at the end of the Mind Robber during the Troughton era, where the Tardis explodes into pieces and magically pieces itself back together at the beginning episode of the Invasion story.
superpope wrote:This shirt is unrealistic. Everyone knows the Tardis is impervious to physical damage...especially from a stainless steel car moving at 88 mph. ;)
Don't you remember the Christmas special when the Titanic crashed into the control room??
got one just before they sold out! nice shirt!! i really like it!!
thesamurai wrote:GUYS. Heather gray = FA!L
As it turns out, Heather gray + good design = quick sellout.
this is great, love heather gray too...man this sold out quickly
Size: WS, WM, WL, WXL, S, M, L, XL, 2X, 3X, K4, K6, K8, K10, K12
What, no K9?
Oh thank you thank you thank you thank you!! I saw this last night, and decided to wait til morning to get it, and now I wish I hadn't waited!
If the color was better, I too might've been in for more than the one I got. Of course, although I love black, the designer really couldn't have put it on black since then the tread marks would've disappeared, as well as a few other bits.
Meanwhile, I am yet another American female who loves Dr. Who and Torchwood.
In October 2008, I was a speaker at a con in Washington, D.C., that had a strong Dr. Who and Torchwood presence -- from panels, lectures, other content and games about the shows; AND Dr. Who/Torchwood references, ideas, comments and more in all sorts of other panels, lectures and game times; AND all sort of Dr. Who/Torchwood books and other materials and items for sale.
After that con, me and my better half went right off to England and Wales to speak at another conference. This afforded us the opportunity to do the right (and obvious) thing: Stand in the Torchwood fountain, right where Captain Jack blew out Suzie Costello's brains.
Ooooh! I bet Doc Brown is going to be pissed! Biff is laughing his ass off now!
Stealthgyro wrote:should of been the telephone booth from bill & ted
Bill & Ted > Dr. Who
Do you have to be from the UK for this shirt to be funny?
Aww man I really wanted this one but I didn't have the cash and my mum woke me and said I can get it for my birthday and it's sold out!! Now i costs more! OK I am done whining but man I really love this Gigli (2003) I had found the design on threadless a long time ago and had been eyeing it.
I did not get up early enough. This shirt ROCKS... and is sold out. :-(
It will be for sale tommorrow for $15.
Bummed I missed this one. I just watched this movie yesterday ~ it was on cable! Such a classic!!!
Damn. Damn. Damn. Damn.
I so hope this shirt is available tomorrow.
As someone who actually owns a TARDIS/Police Box I'm always looking for t-shirts with a TARDIS theme.
I can't believe I missed it!!!
Awww guppy. I knew that it would sell out. Oh well. I have a few too many shirts as is.
Will wear this shirt at next years NYCC.
I was there this year and there was a huge line for the Torchwood panel.
And Doctor Who > Bill and Ted
ueberRegenbogen wrote:
... i'm now envisioning The TARDIS and the phone booth facing each other with The Doctor and B&T coming out with surprised expressions. :P
...and between them is the port-a-potty they were all headed for!
martian423 wrote:
After that con, me and my better half went right off to England and Wales to speak at another conference. This afforded us the opportunity to do the right (and obvious) thing: Stand in the Torchwood fountain, right where Captain Jack blew out Suzie Costello's brains.
I just want to stand on the spot where the TARDIS landed at Millenium Centre and see how people walk by before someone comments ;) Perception filter.
they should have had it be the Bill and Ted phone booth.
Sold out at &:30 this morning?! NO! I need to wake up earlier!! Doctor Who vs. Doc & Marty McFly? Who could ask for more? Actually, I could ask for more T-shirts, I unfortuanetly missed out on this one.
Oh, I totally want this shirt, but it is sold out. Any chance they'll get/sell more?!!!!
Love the design, not digging the color. Still shame its sold out already Props to the artist.
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1175 N. Germantown ParkwayMemphis, TN 38016Sale Amount: $12.5 million
1175 N. Germantown Parkway • Memphis, TN 38016
Sale Date: Dec. 17, 2013Buyer: Waypoint Cordova Owner LLCSeller: Cordova Creek Apartments Inc.Loan Amount: $7.5 millionLoan Date: Dec. 17, 2013Maturity Date: June 18, 2014Lender: KeyBank NADetails: The 196-unit Cordova Creek apartment complex at 1175 N. Germantown Parkway has traded hands for $12.5 million.
Waypoint Cordova Owner LLC, an affiliate of Atlanta-based Waypoint Residential LLC, bought the Class C multifamily property in a Dec. 17 deed from Cordova Creek Apartments Inc., which acquired the property in 1995 for $9.1 million.
Built in 1985, the apartment complex contains 210,459 square feet in multiple buildings on 19.5 acres at the southwest corner of North Germantown Parkway and Cordova Road. The warranty deed lists the property as 7965 Humphreys Hill Drive.
The Shelby County Assessor of Property's 2013 appraisal is $8.3 million.
The buyer, Waypoint Residential, is a "vertically integrated real estate investment manager specializing in apartment properties," according to its website.
Waypoint also filed a $7.5 million multifamily deed of trust, absolute assignment of leases and rents and security agreement (including fixture filing) through KeyBank NA. Waypoint chief financial officer Linda Lewis signed the deed.
5510 E. Holmes RoadMemphis, TN 381185540 E. Holmes RoadMemphis, TN 381184880 Tuggle RoadMemphis, TN 38118Sale Amounts: $23 million; $17.1 million
Sale Date: Dec. 16, 2013Buyers: Midwest Memphis Industrial LLC; Midwest Tuggle Road Industrial LLCSellers: Industrial Logistics Owner LLC; Industrial Tuggle Road Owner LLCDetails: Three Class A warehouses totaling close to 1.9 million square feet in Southeast Memphis have been sold for a combined $40.1 million.
The Memphis Logistics I and II buildings at 5510 E. Holmes Road and 5540 E. Holmes Road and the warehouse at 4880 Tuggle Road were sold in two separate deeds in lieu of foreclosure that closed Dec. 16.
An entity called Midwest Memphis Industrial LLC bought the East Holmes Road properties in one $23 million transaction from Industrial Logistics Owner LLC.
And an entity called Midwest Tuggle Road Industrial LLC bought the Tuggle Road property in a $17.1 million transaction from Industrial Tuggle Road Owner LLC.
The adjacent properties sit at the northeast corner of Lamar Avenue and East Holmes Road just north of the Tennessee-Mississippi state line.
Built in 1998, the 440,471-square-foot Memphis Logistics I warehouse, 5510 E. Holmes Road, sits on 25.7 acres and has a 2013 appraised value of $11.5 million, according to the Shelby County Assessor of Property.
4250 E. Shelby DriveMemphis, TN 38118Sale Amount: $14.3 million
Sale Date: Dec. 6, 2013Buyer: JLM Memphis LLCSeller: Hollingsworth Capital Partners Memphis LLCDetails: The Memphis Core Center warehouse at 4250 E. Shelby Drive in Oakhaven has traded hands for $14.3 million.
JLM Memphis LLC, a local affiliate of Maywood, N.J.-based real estate company Jos. L. Muscarelle Inc., bought the 585,535-square-foot facility in a Dec. 6 special warranty deed from Hollingsworth Capital Partners Memphis LLC.
Built in 1986, the Class B industrial facility sits on 32 acres along the north side of East Shelby Drive between Malone Road and Delp Street. The Shelby County Assessor of Property's 2013 appraisal is $13.7 million.
Memphis Core Center is home to syncreon Memphis, a reverse logistics firm. The building formerly housed Wang's International.
Hollingsworth Capital Partners acquired the property in 2008 via a quitclaim deed from Southeast Office Partners LLC, 33. Hollingsworth filed a $6.4 million loan through First Century Bank at the time of acquisition.
In conjunction with that deal, Southeast Office assigned Hollingsworth its payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) agreement with the city-county Industrial Development Board. The PILOT went into effect in September 2004 and has since expired.
No financing was associated with this latest transaction.
6505 Memphis-Arlington RoadBartlett, TN 38135Sale Amount: $1.9 million
Sale Date: Dec. 13, 2013Buyer: 6505 Memphis Arlington Bartlett TN LLCSeller: St. Elmo Place LLCLoan Amount: $1.4 millionLoan Date: Dec. 13, 2013Maturity Date: N/ALender: IberiabankDetails: The Flash Market Citgo gas station and convenience store at 6505 Memphis-Arlington Road in Bartlett has sold for $1.9 million.
An entity called 6505 Memphis Arlington Bartlett TN LLC, which is a local affiliate of Florida real estate company Noble Properties, bought the property in a Dec. 13 special warranty deed from St. Elmo Place LLC.
The seller is an affiliate of Memphis real estate company Loeb Properties Inc. Earl Williams Jr. signed the warranty deed as senior vice president of Loeb Realty Co., the managing general partner of St. Elmo Place.
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New listings added for the current week, if any, are indicated in italics. Print copies of the rules and regulations governing the writing contests listed here are available from Denise Lang in Suite 320.
Sponsor/Title: Berkeley Women's Law Journal Writing Award.
Topic: The Journal publises articles that address the lives and struggles of underrepresented women. In particular, the Journal encourages submissions that examine the intersection of gender with one or more other axes of subordination including, but not limited to, race, class, sexual orientation, and disability.
Prizes: First place, $250 and publication of the article.
Deadline: Articles must be received by November 1, 2001.
Sponsor/Title: American Business Law Journal Writing Contest
Topic: Entries should address any area of business law, broadly interpreted, including but not limited to antitrust, banking, bankruptcy, business organization, contracts, environmental, constitutional, e-commerce, employment, ethics, financial, international, property, securities, and torts.
Prizes: First place, $1,000.
Deadline: The deadline for submissions is December 14, 2001.
Sponsor/Title: National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc. Entertainment Law Initiative Scholarship Writing Competition.
Topic: Essays should address a compelling legal issue facing the music industry.
Prizes: First place, $5,000; second place (four), $1,500
Deadline: The deadline for entering the contest is December 15, 2001; the paper submission deadline is January 2, 2002.
Sponsor/Title: ASECA Securities Law Writing Competition.
Topic: Any subect in the field of securities law.
Prizes: First place, $3,000; second place, $2,000; third place, $1,000.
Deadline: The deadline for submissions is December 15, 2001.
Sponsor/Title: 2001-2002 Louis Jackson National Student Writing Competition in Employment and Labor Law (co-sponsored by the Institute for Law and the Workplace and the Jackson Lewis firm).
Topic: Papes may address any topic relating to the law governing the workplace, such as employment law, labor law, employee benefits, or employment discrimination. Only the first two submissions per law school will be accepted as entries for consideration. Submissions must be the law student author's own work and must not be submitted for publication elsewhere. Authors must have completed or be currently taking course work in employment or labor law, and must be enrolled in an accredited law school during the Fall 2001 semester. There are formatting guidelines that must be followed. For questions, contact Professor Martin H. Malin by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Prizes: One top honors award of $3,000 and two $1,000 awards will be presented to the top three entries. In addition to the cash awards, the top three entries will be published by the Chicago-Kent Law Review in an issue containing the paper from Chicago-Kent's annual Kenneth M. Piper Memorial Lecture in Labor Law.
Deadline: Submissions are due no later than January 14, 2002.
Sponsor/Title: American Indian Law Review Writing Competition.
Topic: Papers will be accepted on any issue concerning American Indian Law.
Prizes: First place, $1,000 and publication of the paper; second place, $500; third place, $250.
Deadline: Entries must be postmarked first class no later than Januay 31, 2002.
Sponsor/Title: The 2002 Roscoe Hogan Environmental Law Essay Contest.
Topic: The topic for the 2002 contest is: Exporting our dirt -- suing corporations in U.S. courts for environmental wrongs committed abroad.
Prizes: First place, $5,000.
Deadline: An Intent to Enter form must be submitted by Febrary 8, 2002. Essays must be received no later than March 29, 2002.
Sponsor/Title: The NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund 2001-2002 Law Student Essay Contest.
Topic: The right of the individual to keep and bear arms as a federally protected right.
Prizes: First place, $5,000; second place, $3,000; third place, $2,000; fourth place, $1,000.
Deadline: Submissions must be postmarked or delivered no later than March 31, 2002.
Sponsor/Title: The Treatment Advocacy Center.
Topic: Entries must address one of the following topics: (1) Have courts accurately interpreted OConnor v. Donaldson and how did this and subsequent cases affect the power of courts to order treatment for individuals with severe mental illness? (2) Examine the constitutionality of assisted outpatient treatment (outpatient commitment) for individuals with severe mental illness. (3) Would the current United States Supreme Court decide that parens patriae-based civil commitments (rather than police power-based ones) for individuals with severe mental illness are constitutional and, if so, what parameters would it set for their use?
Prizes: First place, $1,500; second place, $750.
Deadline: Entries must be postmarked on or before April 1, 2002.
Sponsor/Title: Alliance Defense Fund.
Topic: Same sex marriage: Protected by the free speech clause of the First Amendment?
Prizes: First place, $7,500.
Deadline: Entries must be postmarked no later than April 16, 2002.
Sponsor/Title: International Association of Defense Counsel.
Topic: Entries must address a subject of practical concern to lawyers engaged in the defense or management of the defense of civil litigation, such as, for examples, relevant aspects of tort law, insurance law, civil procedure, evidence, damages, alternative dispute resolution procedures, and professional ethics.
Prizes: First place, $2,000; second place, 1,000; third place, $500.
Deadline: Entries must be postmarked on or before April 16, 2002.
Sponsor/Title: NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund and NRA Foundation, Inc.
Topic: Scholarships are available to third-year law students who submit articles on the constitutional right to keep and bear arms of quality suitable for publication in a law review.
Prizes: First place, $12,500 toward tuition; second place, $5,000; third place, $2,500.
Deadline: Submissions must be received no later than July 1, 2002.


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