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About Us
HCZ® has achieved unprecedented success, helping thousands of children and families and disrupting the cycle of generational poverty in Central Harlem through our innovative and effective programs.
Unprecedented ScaleWe are addressing the needs of the entire child and an entire community of children, making us a national model in education, youth and community development, and the fight against poverty.
A Holistic ApproachWe provide comprehensive supports, offering exceptional education and social services, stabilizing families, preventing homelessness, and promoting healthy lifestyles throughout the Zone.
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Starting EarlyBecause a child's first years are critical for later success, HCZ has developed a series of interconnected early childhood programs to teach parents about child development and engage them in getting kids school-ready.
College Is the AnswerWe have high expectations for every child, so our goal is to make sure each one gets to and through college and has the opportunities and tools to live a meaningful, productive life.
Driven by DataWe track 600 goals each year, carefully evaluating and refining our programs to ensure that each and every one is truly best-practice.
Rebuilding CommunityWe are partnering deeply with the community, working together to revitalize the neighborhood, make sure the needs of our children and families are met, and build a culture of success.
Building CharacterWith the support of our dedicated staff, our youth are developing the grit and perseverance they need to achieve their dreams and be their best selves.
Doing Whatever It TakesWe are committed to doing all we can to seek out and support the most disenfranchised residents of the Zone, going door to door, building by building, block by block.
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In order to achieve long-term success, children need consistent, comprehensive support. Our pipeline begins at birth and helps kids every step of the way until college graduation through exceptional education, social services, family support, health, and community-building programs. By continuously assessing the progress of our youth, we can leverage the power of our pipeline to fine-tune our programs and ensure that we are fully addressing the needs of every child, at every age.
The Children's Zone®
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Called "one of the most ambitious social-policy experiments of our time," by The New York Times, HCZ takes a unique, holistic approach to rebuilding a community.
Spreading the Model
Due to the widely reported success of the Harlem Children's Zone® Project, communities across the country and around the world have launched initiatives inspired by our model.
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Dominican Sisters of Houston
Volunteers are unpaid not because they are worthless...but because they are priceless.
All volunteers working with the Dominican Community, wherever they are, are remembered regularly with respect, appreciation, and love in the prayers of the sisters. We are truly blessed by every single person who has served in the past and who is serving now as a volunteer for the Dominican Sisters of Houston.
This page is a tribute to our volunteers past and present...
They fill many roles: leaders of committees, planners of events, gardening experts, receptionists at the Villa, advisers, helpers, encouragers, visitors, drivers, playing games, teaching exercise, making marmalade, styling hair, generously sharing their experience and expertise in very specific responsibilities that result in making the community, the environment and the spirit of our buildings, grounds and operations more beautiful. Our volunteers are disciplined, loyal, faithful to what they have offered to do, and remarkably efficient in sharing their particular talents.
Thank you...
Dottie Ross Todd and Nichole Dittman Yoland Eugere Sonja Novo John and Shirley Bradley Luis and Carol Cardenas Barbara Klasel Monica Chambers Ray Miller Mary Ann and Richard Keller Urabel Thomas Vennoy Racca Linda Gibson Carol Schottie Kay Kelly Marjo Sauer Barbara Hull Kitty Inman Sharon Sipps Anita Badeau Jo Ann Brueggeman Floreine Scardina Eileen Antill LaVonne Reichle Georgia Viera Denise Stasio Dolly Edwards Clavel Abaya Susie Russell Millie Reber Loretta Cage Lillian McGowan Juanita Johnson Cynthia Riley Mary Ann ChambersJanice DozierChris EhemanDiana FolseDotty GorhamBabe GrajalesJoe Sousa
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact Sr. Eleanor Cresap, OP at 713-440-3721 or email her at firstname.lastname@example.com


text: Iceman cometh for Caps December 12, 200712:00AM PST Previous Next Steve Ewen - The Province The Vancouver Whitecaps kept things in the family with their first four coaches and the fifth was at least from their neighbourhood. The sixth guy is from a different world. By naming Iceland native and former Estonia national team coach Teitur Thordarson, 55, as their new bench boss Tuesday, the Whitecaps went outside the comfort zone for the first time. The club had stuck with its former players as skipper for its first 18 years, going from Bob Lenarduzzi to Carl Valentine to Dale Mitchell to Tony Fonseca. They landed American Bob Lilley before the 2005 campaign, but he was already a mainstay in the USL First Division and had guided several of the Whitecaps on other squads. Thordarson (pronounced TAY-tour TOR-dar-SUN) has his UEFA pro coaching licence, a credential common with top-flight European managers. He'd never been to Canada prior to interviewing with the Caps and running practices for some youth players a few weeks ago. Adding someone like him gives some idea of much further the club wants to go. Lenarduzzi, the team's president, declined to comment on whether Thordarson is the highest-paid Whitecaps coach ever, but it's safe to bet that a guy with his resume didn't come cheap. It's a two-year contract. "I had some different offers, both as a coach and a director," said Thordarson, who last coached KR Reykjavik, a team in Iceland's premier league, in 2006. "But when I heard about here, I was very interested immediately. I like the philosophy of the club and the vision." Part of what appeals to him is the Whitecaps' push to develop youngsters, highlighted by the residency program. He's worked extensively with up-and-comers, especially with Estonia. He heard about the Whitecaps from Canadian national team women's coach Even Pellerud. Thordarson remembers first meeting Pellerud in 1988, when both were coaching men's club teams in Norway. Pellerud has close ties to the Caps, since owner Greg Kerfoot also bankrolls the women's national side. Lenarduzzi conceded Tuesday that Pellerud had "made us aware" of Thordarson and "we called him." Thordarson also confirmed that Pellerud helped sway him. "I didn't know anything about Canadian football," said Thordarson. "I spoke with Even quite a lot." Through his connections he may bring Europeans players here. Lenarduzzi said this was being considered -- and also revealed that only 11 of the 26 players from last year's team are expected back. "We want to play as many Canadian and particularly B.C.-based players as possible, but you can't afford to compromise the product in doing so," said Lenarduzzi. Former Canadian national team defenders Colin Miller and Nick Dasovic were finalists for the top job. Miller, an assistant with English Premiership bottom-feeder Derby County this season, is a former head coach of Abbotsford youth soccer. Dasovic played for the Whitecaps and has coached the reserves. © The Vancouver Province 2007 Previous Next


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A salute to our troops…
Here's hoping that some of our troops overseas reads Inside the Dodgers or will get this message via Facebook. On behalf of the entire Dodger organization, thank you for all that you do for those of us here in the States and we hope to see you home soon.
To all those who have served in the past, we thank you, too, and hope that you're one of the many veterans who will be at Dodger Stadium tonight. We've given about 1,000 tickets out to branches of the military and three of the team's most high profile veterans will take part in the first pitch ceremony.
Former Dodgers and proud U.S. veterans Don Newcombe, Rick Monday and Roy Gleason will be accompanied by veterans from various branches of the military. In honor of Memorial Day, the team will also wear white hats with stars and stripes for the LA logo.
We'll also have a moment of silence for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defending our nation.
On a much lighter note, Andre Ethier is back in the lineup…and the team has a chance to finish the month of May with a 20-8 record! Last year, the Dodgers were 20-9 in May.
148 Comments
A greatful "thank you" to my father, uncle and cousin who all served in the military, and to all the fathers, daughters, uncles, sons and wives who have served and who are serving wherever they may now be, be it heaven or earth. God bless and godspeed.
oldbrooklynfan ~ What do I always say? I hate when we face a team on a long losing streak, because they have the law of averages on their side. They have to win sooner or later.
A absolutely fabulous new thread Josh!!!!
Enchanted- just wonderful as well.
Hi Everybody.
I hope everyone is enjoying a fine Memorial Day.
It's good to have the Dodgers back at Dodger Stadium, where they're at their best.
It will help them keep pace and possibly pass the Padres, as quickly as possible.
Kind of bad start but not too unusual lately, eh?
Nice to see everybody tonight. I'm watching the game on MLB network and they are carrying the feed with Vin. Boy is he a poet. He just really has a way with words.
I also would like to thank all that have served, are serving, as well as their families & friends for their sacrifices so I can have the life I've had and do what I'm doing this very second. And for those that have family or friends that have served and paid the ultimate price thank you. My thoughts & prayers are with you.
The one to Upton wasn't bad. But the one to Young was a bad pitch. Russ was putting his glove down and that was up, up, and away!!!
Ok that one to Snyder was the same. Russ was putting his glove face down & low and it was also up, up and away.
Strange that's it's feast or famine. 5 K's, 3 HR's & a double in 1 & 2/3rd of an inning.
Talk about feast or famine.
Hello Gang and Happy Memorial Day!!! Way to go Manny!!! Let's get this comeback started.
HR contest? THANKS MANNY
The ball is jumping tonight. Hopefully we can get a couple more of those on our side! Maybe Matt will swing at a strike instead of looking at them down the middle.
Two fans ran across the outfield and were apprehended by security personnel at different points in the game. The first fan came out of the right-field stands in the seventh and climbed over the center-field wall. The next fan ran across the outfield from the opposite side of the field in the eighth.
Wow not 1 but 2 fans never see that happen before.
Get into the dback bullpen as fast as you can. 1-0 Blackhawks
Wow 2-0
Holy crap the Cubs are 1-7 vs the Pirates.
oldbrooklynfan ~ What do I always say? I hate when we face a team on a long losing streak, because they have the law of averages on their side. They have to win sooner or later.
Thanks Colliethac
For letting me know we're on MLB Network.
No wonder Bilz gave up 3 HRs.
not making excuses for us losing cause those jacks were legit but according to pitch track on gameday this ump has a terrible stike zone… is it just gameday or is it really bad?
lol that's rare of those 3 homeruns by guys that hit there 8 and no Johnson or Reynolds hit one.
is it just me or is the umpires strike zone kinda crazy tonight… its been called fairly both ways… but some calls have been brutal…
TBW The game isn't over yet.
No problem OBF! We are also on MLB Network this Wednesday at 12:00 here (West coast), 3:00 in the great city of NY!
TBW — hopefully in this case it will be later!
Yes Collie, I saw it come up on the screen.
8 HR on May 31 for Manny
LA Dodgers have had 51 no-walk, 10-strikeout games including two by Billingsley.
Dodgers are 45-6 in those games. Last time they lost was July 31, 1999, when Ismael Valdes lost to Arizona.
The Dodgers look great in those white hats, of course they got the worlds best uniform to go with them.
Time to light this freaking candle!!! Let's go Dodgers!!!
On the off chance he won't get to add to this tonight, Jonathan Broxton has already set the Dodger record for most saves in a month, with 12.
Dang no k's that inning for Bills.
Come on Dre time to tied for the led in homeruns
Can Bilz make it through the sixth?
oldbrooklynfan ~ The stinking Mets gave up a grandslam in the bottom of the first. 4-1 Padres. Did I mention I HATE THE METS!!!
Was that ever a gift wrapped win or what. A double error to tie the game and a balk to win it. The way this game started out I'd never thought we comeback to win it . I thought the law of averages were against us, but I'm glad to say I was wrong. Thanks for the gift D-Backs.
Was that ever a gift wrapped win or what. A double error to tie the game and a balk to win it. The way this game started out I'd never thought we comeback to win it . I thought the law of averages were against us, but I'm glad to say I was wrong. Thanks for the gift D-Backs.
I know all about it TBW, We just got to win this one.
Sure making this Lopez look good. Sad!! Billz was serving up the spaghetti, tangling them up and striking them out. However, I didn't order the 3 meatballs!!!!!!
Bill is into the 8th if we had the lead it would be Kuo time.
Not real happy with the Egg-Plant Al-Lopez by our offense either. Geez!!!
Well since we owned him this year and the dback was on a losing streak there were due to have a good game by there starter.
C'mon offense, get this guy some runs you bums!!!!
What a tremendous gem pitched by Billingsley, except for the 3 homers.
Wow 120 pitches damn Bills.
But of course when that happens the opponent pitcher out pitches our pitcher. Usually.
Holy Cow!! Not pretty, but, I'll take it!!!! C'mon Manny, I need some Johnny Says tonight!!!
Wow thanks for the gift
He just makes things happen when he's in the game, pure and simple. It is just so fun to watch!
lol I must had jinx the pitcher on that Jonhson gift.
I feel bad for the kid but, I like living thru their growing pains more than living thru ours!!! Let's win this freaking game!!!!!
Hi'Ya Nelly, Andre loves you!!!
I think Andre has gotten to a point where opposing players make mistakes around him because they know what he is capable of in these late innings.
6-4 Padres
He loves us all Jhall!!! How are you my friend?
Every Broxton vs Reynolds matchup should be a k's no matter what.
Glad Billz is off the hook. Makes me wonder how our starters get ready for a game. We seem to have a problem in the first couple of innings!!! Maybe they should warm up with a simulated first inning and then go pitch the freaking game.
LOL!!! Yes he does!! Doing well Nelly, how about you bon mon amie?!!!
By the way, Johnny says,,,, Fu-Q!!!
Damn it Loney
Loney with a brain fart!!! Geez!!!
And Blake says Fu-Q 2!!!
Unbelievable!!!! I guess Blakes campaigning about balks paid off!!!! I've never seen anything like this!!!
lol at that
That one goes in the catgory of winning one you shouldn't have.
This win feels like making out with your best friends date at the prom!!!! Probably shouldn't have, but sure feels nice. WOW!!!
A BEARDED BALK-OFF! Dodgers comeback win tonight at Chavez Ravine!!!
BTW, Moron J-Lo owes Joe Torre a steak dinner tonight after that bonehead play on the base pads…
LOL Gibbie!!!
submission errors kill it every time – geez!!!!!!
I am doing well. Michael was in a wood bat tournament over the weekend (our very own 18 and Under VSA Eagles team), and they won the tourney. It was very cool seeing these 15-18 years olds using wood bats. The game was very dependent on good pitching and good defense because of the low scores. Michael pitched the championship game……………a complete 8-inning game (7 innings with and extra inning to win the game). Our academy has 6 baseball teams and 3 girls softball teams. It's alot of fun seeing the business evolve into a fun place now.
Wow Dodgers!!!!! What in the world?……………….we will take it!!!
LOL gibbie and jhall!!!!!
So hmmm, Steve Lyons in the post-game show is saying it WAS NOT a balk…
…regardless, KUDOS to the ever attentive Beard-on-base and Larry Bowa for immediately pointing out dumb-dumb Vasquez pointing back at them with a baseball in hand still standing on the rubber. A 2-for-1 error and a Balk gives us the win! WE'LL TAKE IT!!!
Too cool Nelly!!! Give him my Kudo's!!!!
Was that ever a gift wrapped win or what. A double error to tie the game and a balk to win it. The way this game started out I'd never thought we comeback to win it . I thought the law of averages were against us, but I'm glad to say I was wrong. Thanks for the gift D-Backs.
It's all about pitching and DEFENSE!!!! Defense is sooooooo underrated my friends!!!!
I'm having page loading problems, seem to never get my last comment in.
I hope this makes it.
In all my years I never saw a Dodger win quite like this.
I can't understand why they haven't updated the box score yet.
This is one for the annals Brooklyn. I've never seen anything like it!!!
Is ok Loney I don't need a sb's that bad in my fantasy league lol but shouldn't we buy Johnson lunch with that gift.
What boxscore are you looking t it take time?
I guess everyone is train in the Joe West balk when he calls 2nd on Buehrle.
They still haven't given the winner and losing pitchers, although I know who they are.
I never saw them take this long.
The defense sure was a key this game. The mental mistakes the dbacks made and how we capitizlized on those mistakes tonight was huge. It's part of the game too and makes you never out of a ball game for the most part.
lol 12-6 SD. This is crazy the Mets swept us in NY, Padres owning the Mets tonight and the Dodgers own the Padres.
The results are there so it doesn't matter.
Well espn don't mess away must be yahoo.
Broxton is the winner even though they haven't credit it to him yet. And the loser is Vasquez even though he hasn't been charged yet.
I didn't hear anything about a protest.
This has got to be one of the most bizare Dodger games in recent memory and by far the strangest way to win a game. Even Vinny was caught by surprise. I am not sure it was a balk but the balk rule is probably the most difficult call to make. Some balks are obvious but it looked to me as if Vasquez' foot was not on the rubber. Not sure why he pointed towards third base. How many times do we see a runner at third try to distract the pitcher and nothing happens? Blake and Bowa reacted so quickly to it so they must have seen something. No matter, it goes down as a win. Not sure Arizona can protest since this was a judgement call.
Check out this blog post from the LA Times: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dodgers/2010/05/dodger-stadium-are-those-empty-seats-a-vote-against-the-mccourts.html
Talks about all the empty seats at the stadium, and what they could mean. And take a look at the comments while you're at it. Wow.
Nothing we didn't know already, but I sure wouldn't mind ESPN picking up this loose thread and unravelling the whole sweater.
Top 3 in attendance.
Second largest market in the country.
12th in total player payroll.
18th in actual player payroll (i.e. players on OUR roster).
At least the team on the field doesn't disappoint. Today's win could've only happened to our Dodgers. Just waiting for the day when the Padres remember they're the Padres.
Good Morning. I think the problems with this blog have gone on long enough and it's now time to get it fixed! I joined the Dodger game in the 8th inning and was unable to get a post on here when the game was over due to the now famous "SUBMISSION ERROR", which lasted over 20 minutes. I just gave up on trying to post anything.
When I was sixteen my grandmother asked me why I was so down. I told her, "The Dodgers just lost." She responded, "No, really, what's wrong?" It's hard for many people to appreciate the illogical passion that "fanatics" have for their team. This ridiculous passion is one I doubt Frank McCourt has ever felt in his life. When I think of Frank and Jamie, I see profiteers. Nothing more. They might just as well have invested in off-shore drilling.
After all the death we had this might be the worst one ever. Temptations singer Ali-Ollie Woodson dies at 58. I notice most of them dying very young.
Thanks for that link, north! And reading the comments will give us, who are counting the days until McCourt leaves, hope.
We are not alone, are we?
Woof! I hadda look up "excoriated" first, but I agree with my hero!
Who says ITD isn't educational?
RIP Ali-Ollie Woodson
I like your mantra, iwannabe
which goes hand in hand with
Submission errors are no fun iwannabelikebear!! I am with Kahli ~ Love the "We are not alone" mantra 🙂
The Juice: Dodgers' Casey Blake prompts game-ending balk
I knew one of the sport blogger was going to write about this.
L.A. had itself, as Joe Torre later called it, a "balk-off" victory. It's a rare thing, as some commenters on Baseball-Reference have deduced that this is only the 13th time since 1954 that a game has ended on a balk.
It's the first time a major league game ended on a balk since September 2008, but it's the first such victory for the Dodgers since 1989. Only the second since '69.
I just took the 2 part that was important on that blog.
Grrrr, first submission errored, then tossed outta the time warp!
Lost in all of the hubbub of the phantom balk (it looks like I don't know what a balk is anymore) and Loney's adventure in humility (he shoulda just kept running, he might have made it) was the new Battling Billingsley. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Chad of last year would have folded like a cheap tent. He's throwing inside too!
…………and it looks like I am out of the time warp once again.
time check…..
11:42 am, pst
Well, it looks like ITDFST is up to an hour and two minutes ahead of PST.
I think I've found someone I'd like to buy the Dodgers:
I guess Joe likes GA better the XPaul….guess who got shipped out?!
No, I don't think Jimenez will win 30 games.
I have noticed the empty seats while watching on TV and when I have attended games at Dodger Stadium this season. Perhaps the team will draw a little better now that it is winning but I believe there has been some sort of reaction by ticket buying fans that is keeping them away. Is it the McCourts? Is it the lingering effects of a down economy? I am willing to accept that many are down on the McCourts as evidenced by letters to the Times, various blogs and ITD. Do I expect anything to change? We might have to wait for the divorce case to be resolved but I suspect nothing will change for a while. At this point I am not even sure what the McCourts can do to repair their image or even if they care. I still encourage fans to attend games if they want and keep the costs down by buying as little as possible once they get there. We have been doing that for years. I am still trying to not let the McCourts ruin my enjoyment of Dodger baseball.
To those fans still longing for the Garvey, Lopes, Russell & Cey days, get over it. The business side of the game has changed dramatically since then, not just for the Dodgers but for every organization. And remember, as good as those players were, they won one championship in four opportunities. Don't get me wrong, I don't measure their success as players because of that but I think it bears remembering in the grand scheme of things.
Funny, your posts show up in ITD time and mine showed up in real time, 4:34 PM.
Absolutely no surprise here, tru. Who wouldn't want a .158/.185/.250/.435, no-field, no-throw, no-run, no-defense PVL rather than have to put up with a .281/.328/404/.731, good fielding, good-throwing, very good running, good defense kid? Torre is an idiot. So's Ned. And I don't care one whit about "he's wasting on the big league bench" garbage. Are we, or are we not, trying to win the World Series? Sorry, stupid question. We, the fans, are. Management is certainly not. Seriously, look at the numbers, Joe. Paul is twice the hitter your buddy Anderson is, and he can go in to play defense and he can pinch-run. Oh, I forgot, stupid me. Anderson was a pretty good hitter several years ago, so he'll eventually come around. Sure. Just like Sweeney.
And here's one for Major League Baseball (I'd love to lay into McCourt for this, but it's MLB-wide): Those softball hats everyone was wearing yesterday, nice that MLB is donating $1 to the Welcome Back Veterans Fund for each one sold.
So why are they $3 more than the regular caps?
I know, another stupid question………
Granted Paul should be playing everyday at AAA, but isn't the object to put your best players out on the field regardless of whether they're a regular or bench player? Anderson isn't going to get any better anymore than Sweeney did. He'll get every important LH PH assignment and fail just as miserably as he has already. For someone that used to DH once in awhile for the Halos, you wouldn't think he suck so completely PHing as he does. As least Paul has a chance to do something with an AB besides flail away and go sit back down.
I guess Joe misses Juanpy 🙂 That's the only reason I can see for keeping GA.
Dbacks signed Dontrelle Willis….whew..I thought for sure we were going to get him. LOL
The Willis deal was a trade, no less. Don't know for who but it really don't matter.
*doesn't matter
With the way he sits out half the lineup on Sundays and day games, you would think you would want Paul and Johnson as options just for defensive purposes alone, but then again, I am just an irritated fan at the moment.
Rockies pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez is on pace to go 32-3 this season. The last 30-game winner came 42 years ago.
Can Jimenez win 30 games this year?
What about Jay Gibbons? He killing the ball in triple A which probably mean jack anyway but he would be an upgrade over GA since GA seem to be wash. He can played the OF and 1st base and I don't like Belliard at 1st basemen.
Great point Nells.
For 29 other franchises, waiving a hasbeen like Anderson and keeping Paul wouldn't even require a second thought.
It likely Jimenez won't get it.
oops forgot another word wash up
Former major league pitcher Jeriome Robertson dead
1 hour, 10 minutes ago
Email Print VISALIA, Calif. (AP)?Former major league pitcher Jeriome Robertson, whose 15 wins led all rookies in 2003, has died. He was 33.
Robertson was killed Saturday when he lost control of his motorcycle and crashed, the California Highway Patrol said.
The left-hander went 15-9 with a 5.10 ERA for Houston in his one big year and topped the team in victories. Robertson was traded to Cleveland before the next season after the Astros signed free agents Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte.
Robertson?s last game in the majors came in July 2004?he hit Magglio Ordonez with his final pitch and was ejected. He later played in the minors for the Mets and Reds, and finished in 2007 in the Mexican and independent leagues.
Well it look like another pitcher that died young and had a good season with the Astros in his only year with them.
Hey everyone…………..
I have been busy this past month, and I feel as if i missed an entire season with everything that has transpired……
I am back…..Time to crack a Modelo, and enjoy the Boy's in Blue!!!!
Enjoy the game tonight all…..
Welcome back Dodger4life. We missed you!
I'm Back…and ready to……Rock!!!
So whose playing these day's….I see Ely is on the mound?
From henceforth…all D4's messageages will be sponsered by something…..
Today my thoughts have been sponsered and inspired by Modelo especial…….
Call it my very own green girldle……..
I don't know the last time I've heard the temptation and I wish I was alive when they started but sad to here a former singer pass away and once again RIP Ali-Ollie Woodson dies at 58.
How did the 2nd bases ump call that balk and not the 3rd bases ump?
Dewitt 0/10 with 5 K's good moved but Carroll not much better.
lol Willis they need bullpen help but do they need Willis? The dback going to finish last plac e.
That is freaking sad getting own by the Pirates. The Pirates are now 7-1 vs the Cubs.
Hi'Ya everyone!! Hope everyone is well and happy this evening. Ely just continues to impress me. By the way, new thread!!!
Thanks bear….
As I sip my Modelo, and enjoy my Beloved Blue!!!!
I like to imagine one of us Dodgerfaithful….fighting Frank for the team….
If you can find the video, the first base cam clearly shows Vasquez leaning in to start his wind-up motion, then looking at Beardy the 3rd base "Breaker Faker" then lean back while stepping off the rubber and therefore earning the rightfully called/ruled Balk. Steve Lyons who think there was no balk… is an idiot!
Hi Everybody.
We're not going to forget last night's game too soon.
What a finish.
The score keepers must've been in shock as they almost forgot to mention the winning and losing pitchers, but of course we knew who they were anyway.
Billingsley who didn't win, except for the 3 HRs pitched in his longest outing this season an entire 8 innings.
Dan Haren stands in our way tonight, again, but one never knows what to expect.
Pretty trippy that Veteran NL umpire Bob Davidson who was one of two umpires last night to call the Vasquez Balk-Off was the very same umpire to call the last Balk-Off back in 1989!!!
I was watching the pregame show and Bowa say it was a balk. Lyons is an idiot.
It seems like MLB.TV works better when the Dodgers are on the road. I seemed to be getting the freeze frame only since last night.
I hope you didn't see that lame bunt by Furcal.
My man, Mr. Beardy-Boogying-Balk-Off
Just like that, BEARD ON BASE! Remember, he is… The Most Interesting Man… in the World. (stay thirsty my friends)
Wow the dback are 1-25 when they scored 4 or less runs. I hate watching Ely lay down a bunt.
New thread my friends.
D'oh Casey!!! There goes Ely's No-No!!!
To be honest, Ely isn't exactly showing No-No stuff today. As mentioned, too many balls hit for contact…


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Behind the Sweets: Bill Millholland Rolls Up Some Sticky Buns at Baker & Nosh
The more sweets I eat around Chicago, the more I'm convinced this is a blessed city. There is an extraordinary abundance of high-quality pastries being produced in friendly neighborhood bakeries all over the place (though I've recently discovered quite a few in northern neighborhoods). One prime example is the sticky bun at Baker & Nosh, a young bakery on Wilson Ave. in Uptown. Owner Bill Millholland opened the store this past January after spending years working as a culinary instructor first at a villa in Italy and later at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Chicago.
Years of experience go into a sticky bun worth going out of your way for. Baker & Nosh's fulfills all of the usual sticky bun requirements (buttery, tacky goo and crunchy pecans), but it's also made with a fantastic brioche dough, so instead of being Cinnabon-soft, there's a little more crispy, buttery crust here than your usual bun.
Click through the slideshow to learn some sticky bun tricks of the trade from Bill and then stop by the store for a warm and gooey fall pick-me-up.
If you're looking to add a little homemade dazzle to your annual Thanksgiving celebration this year, Baker & Nosh will be offering loaves of pumpkin bread as well as homemade stuffing mix made with their own bread for Thanksgiving. Beyond that, they will also be offering lussekatter, a traditional Swedish bun made with saffron and cardamom for St. Lucia's Day on December 13th.
Baker & Nosh
1303 Wilson Ave, Chicago, Il 60640 (map)
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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12 Thrifty Trash to Treasure Crafts
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68 Uses for Scrapbook Paper
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All us scrapbookers know that we have way more 12x12 sheets of paper than we actually need...so we asked our Facebook fans how they put extra paper to use...and here are the best 68 Uses for Scrapbook Paper, thanks to you!
Wanda Terry Tucker: I use them to make mod podge name plaques.
Linda Carol Price: Collage and decoupage.
Erika McInnis: I make banners for parties, cut the 12 by 12 squares into 4!
Stephanie Dinkins-King: Decorative paper to cover tiles to make coasters!
Rachel Lee: Our Girl Scout troop makes origami....they love folding paper!
Angela Henke: I use 12 x 12 scrapbook paper as backgrounds to menu boards!
Mia Everette: I use them for iris folding cards at Christmas time.
Diana Wise: I make DVD envelopes with them, and party favors and wrap presents and Pencil/Craft Holders and ATC cards and mailing envelopes.
Daryl DeLoreto: Small gift bags.
Dara Dean Rodemack: My kids have used them to make Treasure boxes with to keep their items that I would throw away, but if it's in their treasure box, mom can't touch it!
Sharon Ekstrand Cameron: I use them as a photo mat which makes a big difference in the appearance of a picture.
A Little Hut: 3D paper crafts = lanterns, wall art, "paper quilts", easels, hurricane covers, party favors. I could just go on and on! :)
Denine Cruit Blevins: I used 12 X 12 scrapbook paper as the background for a shadow-box type frame.
Nikki Rancourt: We use the pretty 12 x 12 prints, after making paper dolls out of cardstock! Fun for the granddaughters.
Barbara Jean Trahan: I use them as 3D flowers during craft time at camp.
Cynde Hogan: We used them to make baby shower invitations for my daughter.
Christine Boe: I've used them as backing in a wooden sign frame then added a friends monogram & date of marriage as a gift :)
Michelle Paolercio Borsack: In desperate moments I've used it to wrap small gifts....and if I include a matching card...it's even better and a bigger hit with the recipient.
- Daria Linderssen: I would cut this size down to design a greeting card. Or paste (or something like that) to a box to decorate the box and use the box as a storage type container. I have use wrapping paper to do that too.
Bonnie Benjamin Griffiths: We recently used them under wedding centerpieces on the tables.
Karan Cox: We used them to set centerpieces on to coordinate colors of the table coverings, and centerpieces at our Meals on Wheels Volunteer Banquet. Worked great and really made the centerpieces pop.
Debi Bodary Tuszynski: I use them to add color and design to my photo mats. It helps brighten up the photograph.
Sherrill Fulghum: The heavier scrapbook paper (card stock weight) makes great gift boxes.
Betty Jean Hammond-Wirsen: I ripped the 12 x 12s into various shapes and sizes, then glued them to a piece of plywood kind of helter-skelter, then put on family pics and all kinds of different embellishments, then attached it to a iron table base, and set tempered table glass on top. The 'theme' was 'family history', and now the table will go to my grandson when he's an adult and buys his own home. I included things like the will of one of my great grandfathers from the 1730s, wedding photos from ancestors about 130 years ago, etc. :) I don't think anyone has ever seen it that didn't want one made for their own family, children, or grandchildren.
Jonie Tauer: I have used it to help make posters for fundraisers:)
Joyce Zikursh: I've used them in a lot of different ways: mats and backgrounds for framed pictures, origami-style flowers for package embellishments, inserts/as labels for file cabinets, backing for bookmarks (before laminating.) There's so many pretty papers out there, and it's unlimited what you can use them (or their scraps) for!
Christina Wammack: I like to use them as backdrops for ETSY items, perfect size for most of my stuff and I can always find just the right theme. :)
Candice Schultz: My girls love to make homemade cards. Sometimes they fold them, sometimes not. They either trace, use paint or stamp ink to put their handprints & date it. Words from their heart & embellishments they love to do too. It's pretty cool to actually see in another way how much they have grown. I love my 4 girls! ;)
Jennifer Tavernier: Currently, paper "toggle" bead buttons!
Carmela Porcella: Paper airplanes!
Mary Misdemeanor Messeck: I use it to decoupage, and making envelopes, And picture frame borders.
Cheryl Svendsen Fold: To make a cone for May Day flowers.
Jo Thompson: Fold into 8 page/pocket mini booklets.
Rhea Botelho: Small paper lamp shades to use with small rimed wine glasses!
Tonya Miller: I make labels for things for organizing, and for my homemade bath items.
Angie Heldenbrand: I cut them and use it for price tags and hand written sale signs. I've also used it for backboard for my hairclips and bows.
JoAnn Beyer: Making envelopes for those extra big cards!
Nickola Avery: I use mine as make shift business cards. I printed up mine on bright paper and cut it down, then used the scrapbook paper to "frame" it out. It looks pretty good and cost me very little.
Laura Sisseck: "Wallpaper" for my china cabinets. I also use it as matting for picture frames.
Irene Aiello: I use them to cover my son school books...Then he can add stickers, stamps...He loves it.
Beverly Grout: I use mine for making greeting cards with matching envelopes.
Arlene Wilson Focht: Just made 3 banners for people in nursing homes. It makes their rooms look more cheerful!
Brenda Nolen Hackett: You can cut them for quilling.
Kassy Joly: Big origami pieces.
Martha McClarnon: I have just started card making and I've used some of my paper to cover my cards.
Linda G Gustafson Green: Used as backgrounds in yearbook.
Liz Boswell: I use the heavier card stock to make matchbook needle keepers, gift card holders, decorate the backside of iPhones, instead of using photos in the travel mugs that have inserts to them use scrapbooking papers.
Marilyn Brown: I make gift boxes from 12 X 12 paper. I can cut it if necessary, but it is just the right size for many wonderful handmade gifts.
L.r. Smith: All the 3D things on the Cricut Cartridges!!
Caroline Dave Goddard: I use them to make a birthday book and for pocket cards and exploding boxes.
Joanne Zabohonski Deschenes: Cut into shapes and decoupage.
Latisha Guffey Avsec: I use them for water bottles, I print out an adhesive tag to go on it and they come out so nice for the kiddos! For the water bottles, I cover them with regular clear contact paper and they are really nice!
Debbie Marie Lefebvre: Oragami and paper flowers.
Jackie Woolf: As background for a silhouette picture. I did one with a butterfly and a bird - came out really cool looking. Would be really cool with a child's silhouette, too. The combinations are endless considering you could use any color for the silhouette, just as long as it really shows up against the background paper. OR you could use the paper to cut out a silhouette and use black as the background...that would be cool as well.
Deb Wynne Wall: Paper for my girls doll house.
Andria Lightner: I make homemade gift bows with mine! It's really simple, strips of pretty paper and a brad.
Lynn Bice Susmilch: Doll house wall paper.
Cathy Pugh Peek: Just purchased rust-colored ones to cut out "clay" pots for a math game for my preschoolers. The paper flowers on Popsicle sticks were made from shades of pink and lilac scrapbook paper too. The kids are learning number values and one-to-one number correspondence; top of pots were left unglued so correct number of flowers could be inserted to match the number written on outside of pot.
Lorraine Gibeault: I sometimes use it instead of wrapping paper, the patterns on the papers are a lot better. It is just the right size for a small gift.
Cindy Bailey: I make my own business cards out of scrapbook paper. I figure that a "crafty" person should put a little more creativity into their business cards, so I cut the paper 3 rows across, about 5 or 6 rows down, print my info with permanent marker, then paint a small, simple design with acrylic paint. Very unique.
Barbara Wilson: I work with two year olds. We use it in a lot of our craft projects. They like to use it instead of regular paper.
Jennifer Thomas Bogart: Cut into 1/8" strips and quill!
Karen Briley: I make paper beads! Amazing what patterns you can end up with!
Maureen Murdock Wilson: Altering. Clocks, dresser drawers, shoe boxes, notebooks, etc.
Nancy Hobold: You can make really nice coasters by decoupaging it on 4 x 4 ceramic tiles to match any decor. My granddaughter and I used it to make neat valentine boxes.
Wanda Burnell: I use them to decorate little birdhouses for in the house, scraps for greeting cards, for mats and backgrounds for pictures.
Theresa Burrill Lacko: I have envelope templates and use scrapbook paper to make pretty wrapping for gift cards, etc.
- Mette Buchreitz: If single-color background... write something repeating it all around the paper or print with fingers, tubes, potatoes or whatever else you like... and use the paper to wrap your gifts!
Here are a few BONUS projects from FaveCrafts to help you use up all that extra scrapbook paper:
After School Tray
Blue and Brown Circle Wall Art
Decoupaged Canister Set
Dramatic Floral Tissue Box
- Family Secrets Recipe Book
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afks05 3189800
May 06, 2012
Love the suggestions! here's one more I use them to wall paper doll houses. Much cheaper then the ones the sell for that purpose.
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NEW YORK, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Federal mediators will join stalled collective bargaining negations to end the 9-week-old NHL lockout, league officials said Monday.
NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the league has agreed to a request from Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services to "engage in meetings" with the NHL and the NHL Players Association, who have been without a contract since Sept. 16.
"While we have no particular level of expectation going into this process, we welcome a new approach in trying to reach a resolution of the ongoing labor dispute at the earliest possible date," Daly said in a statement issued to NHL.com.
"We look forward to their involvement as we continue working to reach an equitable agreement for both the players and the owners," NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr added.
The FMCS said Deputy Director Scot Beckenbaugh and Director of Mediation Services John Sweeney will serve as the mediators in the dispute, which has resulted in the cancellation of games through Dec. 14.
This season's NHL Winter Classic and All-Star Weekend have also been canceled.


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The rise of blogging clearly represents a significant social phenomenon, but studying it poses a challenge in part because defining a blog is not a simple thing. There have been a number of attempts to do so at the technical level, where the presence of material organized by time stamp or the existence of RSS feeds have been suggested as defining features. A group at the University of California-Irvine, however, decided to approach the question from the perspective of human-computer interactions, where the humans involved were blog readers. Mixing in a dose of literary theory provided some interesting insights into how readers view and define blogs.
The idea borrowed from HCI studies was a simple one: perform observations of actual users as they are interfacing with their computers. The observations took the forms of usage surveys, overseen reading sessions, individual discussions, and a single group discussion. Unfortunately, given the time-intensive nature of the work, the study population was small (20 subjects), and several of them did not participate in all aspects of the study. Attempts to log browsing habits didn't work out; the survey population was either savvy enough about privacy concerns to not install the logging software, or not savvy enough to manage a functional installation.
Still, the researchers were able to generate information about how readers interact with blog material. They argue that this can be as important as having information about the blogs themselves, citing the development of reader response theory in literary criticism. As applied to blogs, they state, "the reality and meaning of a blog exists neither solely in the blog itself nor solely in the reader, but rather in the reader's active interpretation of, and interaction with, the blog."
What they found is that reading blogs has become a habit integrated into Internet use for many people, akin to instinctively checking e-mail. Several of the blog readers described it as simply a way to pass the time, using terms like "wasting time" and "doing nothing." One of them described it in terms of addiction: "I don't really look forward to cigarettes anymore, but it's something that happens through the course of the day that I feel like I might need to do. It just becomes habit, I guess."
Given that attitude, a few of the other findings aren't much of a surprise. For one, the temporal structure of a blog is only important due to the role it plays in where stories appear on screen. People will tend to read the top ones first, and browse deeper only if they have time—if they don't, the deeper stories generally don't get read. A product of this is that few of the blog readers felt their habits contributed to a sense of information overload.
Despite this casual approach to content, blog readers take a number of aspects of the content very seriously. One example of this dichotomy is that a reader that can't be bothered to search for new blogs beyond the ones he currently reads, but still engages in offline activities based on what he's seen in the ones he does read.
One key feature for most users was a sense of community. Even though blogging is an inherently one-to-many activity, most readers felt a personal connection to the author. This could foster the feeling that the reader belonged to the community even in the absence of participation, and led those who did participate via comments to agonize over their content. Only one of the study participants said they enjoyed triggering flame wars; most of the others felt their comments were a form of appreciation for the blog author, and worked hard to make them insightful and cogent.
This produced a distinction between smaller blog communities and popular, news-focused blogs. These didn't produce the same sense of belonging, and readers tended to focus more on their content than their community. That result suggests that the blogging community will always have a long tail, as readers search for smaller places where they can continue to find a sense of connection with the authors.
The study's authors kindly provided Ars with a copy. It was presented at the Association for Computing Machinery's CHI Conference, and is available through their website.


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By Florida A&M Sports Information
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Oct. 12) – Senior middle blocker Pamela Barrera and freshman outside hitter Yeisha Arcia finished with 15 kills each as the Florida A&M Volleyball team picked up their fifth consecutive conference win of the season with a 3-0 (25-12, 25-21, 25-20) win over arch-rival Bethune-Cookman, here Friday night at the Al Lawson Center in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference matchup.
FAMU head coach Trifonov was pleased with the overall outcome of the match. " We showed some improvement tonight. We are beginning to get the balance we need to be successful. It was great to see such a big and supportive crowd tonight…they really helped," Trifonov said.
Trifonov's reference was to a promotional push by the FAMU Athletics marketing department. It resulted in one of the largest crowds to attend a volleyball since the team moved to the Lawson Center. Several groups of FAMU Students piled into the Lawson Center to support the Lady Rattlers, while tactfully jeering at the Wildcats.
Barrera felt the presence of the crowd helped the team focus. "When we heard the crowd, it helped us get motivated to play. There was a period where we were kind of lackluster in our play, but the crowd helped bring us back," Barrera said.
Maria Ceccarelli was the only other Lady Rattler to finish in double-digit kills with 10, while Diana Gonzalez led FAMU in assists with 42. Karol Marquez led the team in digs with 14.
B-CU (3-20, 3-2 MEAC) was led by Krysta Gardner as she finished with a team-high 10 kills and seven digs on the night, while Monica Lowe finished with 26 assists.
FAMU (7-8, 5-0 MEAC) took a 15-6 lead on a Katherine Huanec kill in the first set. The Lady Rattlers would go on to win the set 25-12 as they finished the set on a 10-6 run.
The second set would be totally different from the first, as B-CU and FAMU would tie each other on four different occasions. B-CU would tie the set at 9-9 on a FAMU attack error and again at 10-10 on a Gardner kill.
FAMU would then tie the set at 13-13 and 14-14 on a Lady Wildcat attack error. The Lady Rattlers would use four straight kills to take an 18-14 lead on two kills by Arcia, and a pair of kills by Barerra.
B-CU would cut the Lady Rattlers' lead to 20-18 as they used a 4-2 run on kills by Gardner and Delicia Pierra.
Arica and Barrera would then record a combined three kills for the 25-21 win in the second set.
The third and final set would be a mirror image of the second set at it saw four lead changes with 10 points left to go in the set.
FAMU increased their lead to 15-10 on a B-CU service error. B-CU rallied off five straight points to tie the set at 15-15, and took a 17-16 lead, capped off by a Pierre kill.
Arcia would tie the set at 17-17 for the Lady Rattlers. FAMU would then end the set with an 8-3 run for the 25-20 set win for the 3-0 sweep of the Lady Wildcats.
The Lady Rattlers will return to action on Tuesday, Oct. 16 as FAMU will travel to Jacksonville, Fla., to take of Jacksonville University in a 6 p.m. start.


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It bears repeating- we need less hate and violence and much more love in our world.
Today is the Day Without Hate here in Littleton, Colorado. The kids are all wearing white t-shirts to show solidarity and remembrance for the victims of school shootings. This is a county-wide project now, started a few years back by Standley Lake HS in Westminster, CO. It was then adopted by Columbine HS and the rest of the county.
Here are some past photos, to show you an example of what the high school looks like leading up to today. I am hoping to have a chance to get up to the high school today to take some photos of this year's event.
You can- and should- click on any photo to see it larger- then you can read what it says. This first one is a list of school shootings. There are so many... it just makes me cry.
But the kids and this whole community- and communities across this country and Canada- are all working at stopping this madness. Raising awareness, focusing on being a little kinder to each other- just small changes in everyone's attitude and behaviour can make a huge difference.
So today, why don't we all share a smile, do a random act of kindness for someone, be extra nice to someone who seems to need it.
And while we're at it, why don't we keep this attitude going not only today, but every day.
Let's make EVERY day, a Day Without Hate!


text: General Motors CEO Dan Akerson sees trouble brewing for the U.S. economy, and the eurozone financial crisis is to blame. Before the Detroit Economic Club, Akerson painted a bleak picture that he considers to be "much more serious" than when the U.S. credit bubble burst in 2008, reports the Detroit Free Press. Dominoes poised to Read on! →


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TOKYO - Japan's prime minister says he will not allow any flights of the US military's latest transport aircraft in this country until its safety after two recent crashes has been confirmed.
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda told Parliament on Tuesday that no flights would take place until investigations into the April and June crashes were completed and Japan was satisfied the aircraft are not a safety hazard.
The deployment of the MV-22 Osprey to a US base on the island of Okinawa has become a political headache for Japan because of intense local opposition. Okinawa hosts more than half of the roughly 50,000 US troops in Japan. The deployment of the aircraft has become a rallying point for base opponents.
The first 12 Ospreys headed for Okinawa arrived in Japan on Monday.


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Scribblenauts Unmasked—A DC Comics Adventure is a new video game that melds the creativity of the DC Comics characters and objects with the classic Scribblenauts art style. The game features a story where players embark as protagonist Maxwell on an imaginative quest, taking them through Gotham City, Metropolis, Atlantis, and other iconic locales from the DC Comics universe. The game features puzzles called Heroic Feats that increase the game's replayability by continuously generating original scenarios requiring different solutions with each visit.
Scribblenauts Unmasked—A DC Comics Adventure is compatible with Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, and PC. On Wii U and PC, players can create their own Super Hero or Super Villain using any item from the DC Comics Universe and then setting properties for how it behaves, changing its appearance and powers. Players can then share their creations with the community and download others. Published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and developed by 5th Cell, Scribblenauts Unmasked–A DC Comics Adventure will be available for purchase September 24.


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|Are you interested in being part of the planning team for a premier Fedora event? Want to know more about how these events work? Interested in the historical record? Visit the appropriate starting page below:
Fedora Users and Developers Conference
Fedora Activity Day
What are Premier Fedora Events?
Premier Fedora Events are events organized by the Fedora community that are all about Fedora. FUDCons and FADs are the two most common types of Premier Fedora Events; they are gatherings about Fedora or for hacking on something for the Fedora project specifically.
A Fedora presence at a non-Fedora-centric event (such as an open source expo, a programming language convention, a DIY fair, etc). is not a Premier Fedora Event - this sort of event is handled by the Ambassadors team. For more information, see the Events page.
Upcoming Premier Fedora Events
March 2011 - May 2011
- FUDCon Panama 2011 -- May 26-28
- FAD Sri Lanka 2011 -- TBD
June 2011 - August 2011
September 2011 - November 2011
- FUDCon EMEA -- Location TBA -- Date TBA
December 2011 - February 2012
- FUDCon NA -- Location TBA -- Date TBA
March 2012 - May 2012
Recurring Premier Fedora Events
Some Premier Fedora events (most FADs) are scheduled as needed; others (all FUDCons and FUDCon Planning FADs) should recur on a predictable schedule each year.
|Recurring PFEs
|March 1st - May 31st
|FUDCon NA Planning FAD
FUDCon India/APAC
|June 1st - August 31st
|FUDCon India/APAC Planning FAD
FUDCon LATAM
|September 1st - November 30th
|FUDCon LATAM Planning FAD
FUDCon EMEA
|December 1st - February 28/29th
|FUDCon EMEA Planning FAD
FUDCon NA


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Colby's 184th Commencement Combines Advice and Celebration
ABC News correspondent Dan Harris '93 drew on experiences covering the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to augment his advice to the Class of 2005 at Colby's 184th Commencement Sunday morning. Student-elected speaker Josh Kahn '05 shared lessons he learned in four years at Colby, and President William D. Adams handed a diploma to each of the 484 graduates as thousands of onlookers cheered.
The class that arrived at Colby just weeks before the attacks of September 11, 2001, listened as Harris, who has reported from Ground Zero, Afghanistan, and Iraq, urged them to follow events as they unfold. "Whether you agree with the war or not, it may be the most consequential foreign policy step this nation has taken in a generation — and we all have a stake in the outcome," he said.
Recalling a moment in Tora Bora, Afghanistan, when he dodged a sniper's bullet, Harris, who reports for World News Tonight With Peter Jennings, Good Morning America, and Nightline, encouraged students to listen to their fears without becoming stifled by them. "Fear is both your friend and your enemy," he said. " A healthy dose of fear, insecurity, whatever you want to call it, can lead to careful decision making and good preparation." But, he continued, ". . . you cannot let it paralyze you."
Harris urged the young men and women not to let fear discourage them from taking calculated risks. Speaking of his own graduation from Colby, he recounted his own fear. "I was looking down the barrel at the rest of my life, and I had no idea what to do." So he took his mother's advice: "Pick the coolest thing I could think of to do and give it a shot." He quickly moved from Bangor's NBC station to Portland's and within seven years was covering some of the most important events in history for a national network.
"When you're young, you really can afford to take a few hits," he told grads. "I say: dream up the most exciting possible career you can think of and give it a shot. In my experience, the rewards can be tremendous. This sort of calculated risk can mean the difference between a career that is, as my grandfather says, just work or pure joy."
Class speaker Josh Kahn '05, of St. Louis, Mo., shared one lesson from each year of his Colby experience. In his first year, he realized that instead of trying to change his nature he should play to his strengths. As the years progressed he realized that learning is a lifelong process, that he should gain perspective and wisdom through travel and relationships, and that the "real world" is whatever a person makes of it.
The class marshal and valedictorian, Mark Chapman, of Harare, Zimbabwe, led the procession of seniors.
For her commitment to constructive citizenship, Kathryn A. Slemp '05, of New Canaan, Conn., received Colby's Randall J. Condon Medal, the only prize presented at commencement.
Richard Greenwood, of Gardner, Mass., received thunderous applause when he stepped onstage to accept his diploma. The only non-traditional student in the class, Greenwood first enrolled at Colby in 1982. After a series of diversions, he returned to Colby to finish his degree this year and made Dean's List for the first time this spring. He celebrated with an impromptu on-stage trumpet solo.
The Class of 2005 is Colby's most international class in history — a milestone that coincides with the College being recognized as one of America's most international campuses. Colby will receive the Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization at the annual meeting of the Association of International Educators on June 1. The College also has been recognized for environmental leadership, with an award from the Environmental Protection Agency and two Maine Governor's Awards for Environmental Excellence. Founded in 1813, Colby enrolls 1,800 undergraduates.


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NASHVILLE (AP) - Tennessee Rep. Joshua Evans says he will run for the newly formed 25th District seat of the state Senate.
Before being elected to the House of Representatives in 2008, the Greenbrier Republican served eight years in local government. He is a small business owner and has served as a volunteer firefighter in Robertson County since 2001.
If elected to the Senate, Evans says he will continue to fight for the reduction of taxes, improvement of schools and the creation of jobs.
Meanwhile, Republican Sen. Kerry Roberts of Springfield has opened a new campaign office and he's seeking re-election to the 25th District, which includes Cheatham, Dickson, Hickman, Humphreys, and Robertson counties.
Roberts was first elected to serve Robertson and Sumner counties in March 2011.


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| 4.5°C Belfast
The BBC's Sport Relief TV appeal which included the live reunion of Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan and a comedy appearance by David Beckham raised a record £51.2 million.
The fundraising spectacular beat the previous highest on-the-night total of £50.4 million.
The charity marathon on BBC One last night was hosted live for the first time from the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in east London and was kicked off by presenters Gary Lineker and David Walliams.
A host of stars featured in sketches to get the nation active and persuade them to donate to good causes that help thousands of people in the UK and across the world.
Lineker tweeted: "Over £51 million. Wonderful night and a treat to work with such brilliant people in front and behind the camera. Thanks."
Highlights included Beckham starring in the first new episode of Only Fools And Horses for over 11 years.
A bespectacled Beckham was in Peckham during the one-off special with Sir David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst. The retired England star poked fun at himself during a sketch in a greasy spoon cafe.
The wheeler-dealer Trotter brothers, who revived their roles for the first time since a Christmas special in 2003, were seen trying to sell pairs of David Beckham's boxer briefs, as modelled by Rodney.
Australian singers Minogue and Donovan duetted on their 1988 smash hit Especially For You, which sold more than a million copies in the UK when it was first released.
The singers were joined on stage by comedian and co-presenter of the show Walliams whose aimed his affections at Donovan.
He jokingly tweeted: "Oh what a night!!! The lovemaking afterwards with @JDonOfficial was absolutely top-notch."
He later went on to present a special footballers edition of Celebrity Mastermind, with Tottenham defender Michael Dawson, Arsenal's Jack Wilshere, and Fulham midfielder, Scott Parker.
The Olympic-themed show also featured former gold medallist Lord Sebastian Coe taking part in a Clash of the Titans battle against comedian John Bishop at the London velodrome.
Lord Coe and Bishop captained teams in a four-event challenge, including a cycling elimination, synchronised swimming and rhythmic gymnastics.
The teams included a mix of sports stars and celebrities such as cricketer Andrew Flintoff, boxer Nicola Adams, singer Olly Murs and radio hosts Nick Grimshaw and Richard Bacon.
Flintoff won the men's cycling elimination for Team Bishop at the velodrome despite taking a tumble and being knocked off his bike.
Radio 1 DJ Greg James, who lost out to comedian Patrick Kielty in the synchronised swimming event, said afterwards: "WHAT A DAY! Loved it! HUGE total too for @sportrelief - well played everyone. I'm so so knackered."
Murs said: "Thanks for all your support tonight! @sportrelief was ace!! Raised a ton of money thanks to YOU lot!! Awesome. Sorry about the Lycra outfit!"
Britain's paralympians swapped their sports kits for sequins in a special version of Strictly Come Dancing.
Four athletes - blind footballer David Clarke, wheelchair racer Hannah Cockroft, former world champion javelin thrower Nathan Stephens and sitting volleyball player Martine Wright - danced to Katy Perry's Firework.
Wimbledon champion Andy Murray showed he was game for a laugh when comics on Mock The Week served up a volley of gags at his expense during a Sport Relief special.
The normally taciturn tennis star was a guest for an edition of the topical comedy show with panellists invited to give him a ''thrashing'', while his girlfriend Kim Sears looked on from the audience.
The show was kicked off by X Factor winners from 2011, Little Mix, performing the official Sport Relief single, Word Up, a cover of the 1986 hit by Cameo.
The band visited a hospital in Liberia where they saw children who are suffering from life threatening conditions from easily preventable diseases such as malaria.
Comedian Miranda Hart led the nation in an aerobics work-out accompanied by boxer David Haye and former footballer David Ginola, while Coldplay performed their single Magic.
The Government announced that it would cover the costs of the value-added tax on the Sport Relief single sales through funding from the Department for International Development, effectively giving back the VAT.
The biennial charity fund-raiser began in earnest before last night's live telethon with a number of celebrities having completed gruelling physical challenges to persuade people to donate.
On Thursday Radio 1 DJ Jo Whiley completed a 26-hour treadmill challenge, which ended with a £260,000 boost from supporters Coldplay.
Whiley had been in a perspex box outside Broadcasting House in London and was joined by a number of stars including celebrity cook Nigella Lawson.
In February, presenter Davina McCall accomplished a gruelling 500-mile cycle, swim and running journey from Edinburgh to London. McCall, who was rescued from freezing Lake Windermere, raised over £2.2 million from her challenge.
She said: "There were moments where it was amazing, really beautiful. Lake Windermere was my nemesis, but my hardest day was the first day bike ride. The wind coming in from Birmingham was the worst."
Whiley and McCall were taking part in the BBC Radio Around the World for Sport Relief, in which figures from BBC Radio are attempting to run, swim and cycle 25,000 miles which is roughly equivalent to the distance around the equator.
Co-host of The One Show Alex Jones was seen scaling 1,200ft up the mighty Moonlight Buttress in Zion National Park, Utah, in a three-day ordeal which raised over £1.2 million for her challenge.
She told hosts Lineker and Walliams: "I had bitten off more than I could chew because when we started in the first hour I realised what was in front of me and I felt so small. I'm not a climber and it was just so hard. It was petrifying for three days."
The show also included stark reminders of families in need across Britain. Appeals came from athlete Denise Lewis, actor Martin Shaw, presenter Emma Willis, model Abbey Clancy and singer Cheryl Cole. Half of all Sport Relief's donations go towards helping over 2,000 projects in the UK.
The show also included the first airing of the England football team's World Cup song, a cover version of Take That's Greatest Day.
Gary Barlow and former England captain Lineker led a 20-strong group including pop stars Katy B, former Spice Girl Emma Bunton, Pixie Lott and Conor Maynard.
Footballers Peter Shilton, Michael Owen, Glenn Hoddle, Dion Dublin and Sir Geoff Hurst also took part.
All proceeds from the sale of the record will go to Sport Relief.


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The set of the reality TV show Fekr Wa Talosh (Dream and Achieve, roughly) is mounted with a few overhead lights and draped with a velvet background, maroon on one half and black on the other. Paper signs are taped up in the background with sponsors' names and logos written out in marker. A group of about 20 men and women, in turbans and various styles of headscarves, sit in three tight rows of white metal chairs, hands folded in their laps. On the left side of the set, a man in reading glasses and a suit and a woman in a dress with a shiny silver scarf draped over her head sit with notepads and pens. The woman speaks to the group who listens intently. The looks on people's faces are serious, even dour, but this scene represents one of the brightest moments in economic development in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban—an idea that could prove to be a model for developing nations around the world.
Dream and Achieve, the part-game-show-part-documentary-style reality TV show made in Afghanistan in 2008, sought to connect the worlds of international aid money and local know-how to improve the lives of Afghans after decades of chaos and violence. War had left Afghan society crippled and the world's development organizations confounded in their attempts to improve conditions. The men and women seated in the white chairs, the show's contestants, were people from all over the country with innovative businesses seeking education, investment, and national exposure. Through the show, these entrepreneurs represented a new movement of people working to improve Afghanistan from the bottom up, one community at a time.
Beyond entertainment, Dream and Achieve was conceived as a development project. First, as a defense against the inevitable onslaught of global capitalism, the show looked to educate about business (as the Western world understood the term) in a country that had long been insulated from both its positive and negative effects. The show wanted to promote ideas about sustainable business practices. Second, Dream and Achieve functioned as a megaphone to celebrate and promote the work of innovative Afghans working to improve their communities. As a popular program on national TV, the show worked to thrust the conversation about rebuilding Afghanistan into the public sphere by providing a weekly platform for discussion of the most promising Afghan-designed development initiatives. A simple text messaging system allowed viewers to vote for the best projects, making the show an interactive experiment in democracy in a country that had long struggled to establish participatory systems of government.
In 2003 Anna Elliot, then an undergraduate in college, began what would become a series of trips to Afghanistan. She first went to visit her father who was working there on private sector development initiatives. Over the next several years, she took time off from school to return, conducting research, gathering oral histories, and studying Pashtun poetry. She spent several months traveling all over the country with a theater group, putting on performances of a translation of Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost.
Her experience was both inspiring and disheartening. While there was an eagerness among Afghans to take control of the fate of their country after years of war and oppression, it was clear that many of the development strategies employed by aid organizations were failing to resonate with everyday citizens. The country had been ravaged by decades of violence. The economy was in ruins. The central government was only nominally in control. People needed jobs. In a country where half the population lived below the poverty line, many development projects seemed to have put the cart before the horse—getting people out of poverty had to take priority. In order to tackle issues like women's rights, public health, and education, Elliot realized that there needed to be a base level of economic and political stability. If projects were to be effective, they would have to be sustainable and, to be sustainable, they had to come from the people. If they didn't earn the support of Afghans, their social impact would fizzle out once the project ended.
Serendipitously, Elliot was in Afghanistan during the first season of a TV show called Afghan Star, a reality show based on the popular Idol shows, in which competing contestants sing pop songs and are critiqued by a group of judges. Even without any of the flashy production of its counterparts in the Western world, the show was a smash hit, capturing the attention of millions of Afghans and creating a buzz of excitement across the country as entire households tuned in every week to watch the unfolding drama. On the streets, in markets, and in people's homes the previous week's episode was discussed, rehashed, and debated.
In most of the world, reality TV is disparaged as trashy entertainment, a fair judgment in most cases, but in Afghanistan, its impact went far beyond entertainment. By showing people singing on TV, the show pushed cultural boundaries in a country where singing and dancing in public had been prohibited under the Taliban. The show's contestants, along with its voting viewers, were all implicated as participants in the new opening up of society, bolstering its power and authenticity. Most importantly, Afghan Star revealed that a television show could have a substantial impact in a poor country of isolated populations and a limited, antiquated communication infrastructure. While much of the world had moved to computers and the Internet, in Afghanistan, radios and televisions were the only mediums available in most homes. In Afghanistan, in contrast to the West, television was still the best way to reach a broad audience.
Afghan Star, a simple easy-to-produce reality show about singing, showed that it could connect people, celebrate national culture, foment debate, and spark the imaginations of thousands of Afghans. But the show was still, ultimately, about singing. What if, Elliot thought, a reality show could get people talking about economic development like they talked about music? What if innovators, entrepreneurs, and the leaders of social and economic change—instead of singers—could become Afghanistan's heroes? If a show that did this could be made—and made interesting—she believed the outlook of the entire nation could change.
Taking time off from college again, Elliot worked to develop a new project: a reality show that used the Afghan Star model but substituted social entrepreneurs as its contestants and built episodes around business challenges. The goal was to entertain viewers but also to give them concrete business lessons that they could then apply in their own communities. After securing finances, local corporate sponsors and a deal with the country's main TV network, TOLO TV, she helped oversee production of the show, Dream and Achieve. TOLO launched a nationwide outreach campaign and its Afghan production team scoured the country, holding auditions for men and women from all walks of life with viable ideas for potential social enterprises that could benefit their communities.
Members of the business community and academia were tapped as judges. Each entrepreneur had to convince the judges that their business idea was viable, sustainable, and healthy for the growth of Afghanistan's fledgling economy. It was part Dragon's Den, part Apprentice, and part televised business course. Contestants were specifically encouraged to think about how their enterprise might be sustainable and scalable—replicable in other places with similar conditions—in order to increase their potential social and environmental impact.
The contestants selected for the show formed a diverse cross section of the country—men, women, young, and old—from Kabul as well as smaller cities and towns. There was a former military commander who had gone through the disarmament process and sought to expand his milk-processing factory, a young female student trying to open a cotton and textiles business, a woman with a jamming and pickling business that employed widows and refugees, a man with a plastics recycling plant, and others. Judges and viewers eliminated contestants in each episode, and the country followed the drama. When the former warlord was voted off the show, leaving several women with more sound business ideas still in the competition, it was a small but symbolic moment. For the first time in many years, Afghan women were competing with men on television, and the women were holding their own. The show became the country's number-one series of the summer season.
Behind the scenes, partner organizations worked to provide all of the contestants with practical, educational resources, such as assistance in making business plans and applying for loans, and with advice on marketing and inventory management, among other useful tools, to assist them in their entrepreneurial efforts. The show was sponsored by the leading telecommunications company, the national bank, academic institutions, business associations, the chambers of commerce, and aid organizations who all donated prizes for the contestants. In total, it cost about U.S.$400,000 to produce the 13 half-hour episodes. In the final episode, an estimated seven million viewers tuned in as Faizulhaq Moshkani, the plastics recycler from Kandahar, won $20,000 to expand his plant to use renewable micro-hydropower. He has since gone on to receive a significant investment to start his third recycling plant, this time, for paper. Maryam Al-Ahmadi won second place and was able to grow her jamming and pickling business, an unprecedented feat for a woman in Afghanistan at the time. She employs over 200 women widows and refugees, and received $10,000, which she invested in a bottling machine for her products.
After the first successful season of Dream and Achieve in Afghanistan, Elliot returned to the United States to finish college and form Bamyan Media, a social enterprise that produces reality TV programming in developing countries to entertain and educate viewers and to celebrate socially responsible entrepreneurs. Bamyan Media partners with the private sector (television companies, corporate sponsors, and the business sector), other nonprofit development organizations, and the public sector (government funding initiatives and university business schools) to achieve these goals.
Bamyan is currently working to bring the show to several countries, beginning in South America. In Colombia, Bamyan found that the reality television landscape is already well developed and highly competitive. The show would have to compete with a handful of other glossy reality shows whose sole aim is to entertain and earn ratings. Nevertheless, there is an urgent need for creative solutions to the country's social ills. Colombia has suffered from years of violence that have created huge numbers of impoverished, displaced people in rural areas. The economy has begun to turn around, however, and Bamyan is working to capitalize on this moment. If solutions generated by local people can be promoted and turned into a national social movement, Colombia could propel itself out of decades of economic disparity and internal turmoil and move toward a more prosperous future.
With these aims, Bamyan is working with a team of Colombian social entrepreneurs, television writers, and cultural consultants to adapt the format for one of the largest Colombian TV networks. The focus is a popular, commercial, highly entertaining show on social entrepreneurship and "inclusive businesses." Bamyan is currently designing the episodes with a production team and aims to broadcast the show before the end of 2012.
In Egypt, after the revolution, Bamyan has identified another opportunity to use its unique approach to help promote a new generation of entrepreneurs. In contrast to Colombia, the Egyptian model will focus specifically on addressing youth unemployment and small- and medium-enterprise creation in the informal sector. With each new endeavor, a new strategy is crafted to fit the needs of the local context. In zones of extreme poverty, a radio show might be more effective. In places where agriculture dominates, the show might have specific segments focused on smallholder farms, irrigation innovations, or microloans. Wherever there is poverty, the unique characteristics of reality TV can be put to work to help make economic development exciting, participatory, sustainable, and locally driven.


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Bishop Longin ordains deacon Nikolaj Kostur to holy priesthood
On Palm Sunday, April 13, 2014, His Grace Bishop Longin of New Gracanica and Midwestern America served Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at St. George Serbian Orthodox Church in Joliet, Illinois. Serving with Bishop Longin were Parish Priest and Hierachical Dean of Chicago, Archpriest-Stavrophor Nedeljko Lunich, Archpriest-Stavrophor Bogdan Zjalich, Protodeacon Milovan Gogic, Protodeacon Victor Lochmatow (ROCOR) and Parish Deacon Nenad Jakovljevic. REsponses were beautifully sung by the local choir and the church was filled with many, many faithful. After the Great Entrance, Bishop Longin ordained Diocesan Deacon Nikolaj Kostur to the Priesthood.
Fr. Nikolaj, son of Archpriest-Stavrophor Lazar and Protinica Mira Kostur, is a graduate of the Holy Trinity Seminary (BTh - 2005) and of Saint Vladimir's Seminary (MTh - 2009). On July 26, 2009, Fr. Nikolaj was married to Katherine Wolkow, daughter of Rev. Protodeacon Pavel and Anna Wolkow of St. Seraphim Russian Orthodox Church of Sea Cliff, New York, by His Grace, Bishop Longin of New Gracanica and Midwestern America. After his wedding, Fr. Nikolaj began his service to the Diocese, first as Librarian of Joe Buley Memorial Library at New Gracanica Monastery and then later as Manager of the Diocesan Bookstore. On the feast of St. Nicholas, December 19, 2009, His Grace Bishop Longin ordained Fr. Nikolaj to the Holy Diaconate. Fr. Nikolaj served as Diocesan Deacon from 2009 until his ordination to the Holy Priesthood, as well as Personal Secretary of Bishop Longin from 2009 until the present time. He and Popadija Katherine have three children: Lazar (2010), Kasijana (2012) and Marija (2014).
During his tenure as Diocesan Deacon, Fr. Nikolaj visited most of the parishes of the Diocese with Bishop Longin, as well as traveled with His Grace to the Eastern American and Western American Dioceses, the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand and the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
Fr. Nikolaj will serve at the Diocesan See, New Gracanica Monastery, and continue working in the Diocesan Office until his appointment to one of the parishes of the Diocese of New Gracanica and Midwestern America.
Source: serborth.org


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Torrington: Five Points Gallery to host new exhibit "The Ruckus" on Main Street
TORRINGTON >> Five Points Gallery, located at 33 Main Street in Downtown Torrington, will open a new exhibit featuring dynamic work by artist Bill Gusky. The show, titled "The Ruckus" will open on Friday, July 12 and will remain on view through Aug. 11. The opening reception will take place on Friday, July 12 at 6 p.m. However, on Thursday, July 11 from 5 to 9 p.m., visitors will be able to view a special preview event.
At that time, during the Main Street Marketplace event, Gusky will be in the gallery working directly on a gallery wall, creating a piece that will develop for the duration of the exhibition and will be destroyed at the end. The artist encourages the public to visit during this time. For the duration of the show, Mr. Gusky will also be working in the gallery on Saturdays from 1 to 5 p.m., Sundays for 2 to 4 p.m. and, occasionally, on Friday evenings.
Gusky will also present a gallery talk on Friday, July 19, at 6:30 p.m., and the public is invited.
Gusky received his BFA from the Pratt Institute and his MFA from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. He has been the subject of several solo exhibitions, has participated in numerous group shows across the United States, has received several awards and grants, and has been an invited to write articles for catalogs, exhibits, and an art blog.
The show's title, "The Ruckus", refers to art run amok, given its own lead, disciplined yet not constrained. Gusky refers to this work as his "anti-meditation, a ransacking of many sources, the outflow of incessant inner dialogs and irresolvable inner conflicts." In discussing his art, Gusky states: "Working across unrelated styles and subject matter gives me a much better chance of making art that's awkward, discordant, and seemingly belongs nowhere. For the moment that seems to make a lot of sense." For more information about Bill Gusky's work, please visit www.billgusky.com.
Summer hours for Five Points Gallery are: Thursdays from 5 to 9 p.m., Fridays from 2 to 8, Saturdays from 1 to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m. The gallery is also open by appointment; to schedule an appointment please call 309-2932. For more information about Five Points Gallery, please visit fivepointsgallery.org.


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I am trying to convert a C89 console program I wrote into a Win32 app. I'm new to Win32 and still learing the basics. Here's where I'm stuck, conceptually:
My console program manages my data structures locally in main(). It passes structure pointers (and other relevant local variables) to various functions as it goes through its calculation algorithm. My program makes no use of global variables.
Win32 operates through WinMain(), using the "message loop," which interacts with a WinProc(). If I were to maintain the same structures locally in WinMain(), I don't see how I could provide the underlying GUI functions access to my program data, save declaring them global.
I'm guessing that simply declaring everything global isn't good programming practice in Win32 any more than it would be in console programming. This makes me think I'm missing something big.
Note: I have a Petzold book on order, and I'm absolutely a WinAPI newbie. Any direction would be appreciated!