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FACULTY AWARD: Foster named Cullman Center Fellow
May 7, 2014 11:13 a.m.
Hal Foster, the Townsend Martin, Class of 1917, Professor of Art and Archaeology, and co-director of the Program in Media and Modernity, has been named a 2014-15 Fellow by the New York Public Library Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers. The award is given to independent scholars, academics and creative writers whose work will benefit directly from access to the collections at the center. Foster was named for a project on modernism in 20th-century art.


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Here you can find answers to questions about how the board works. Use the links or search box below to find your way around.
For daily updates, to support us further or to join in the conversation: Follow us on Twitter @YOLiverpool / Like our Facebook Page: @yoliverpoolpics / Join the Facebook Group: YO! Liverpool Pictures

subset: commoncrawl


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Joe Arcieri Songs: Whistle (Rock Instrumental Version)
Joe Arcieri is a friend of mine who I worked with for many years during my ten years working for Acme Markets. Joe, when not stocking milk or saving lives as a nurse, is an excellent guitar player. I have had the privilege, from time to time, of (badly) plunking my bass guitar with Joe as he melts a face or two with a great solo.
As great musicians do, Joe has written some of his own songs and keeps a soundcloud site to post them. When I have opportunity, I will post his music here as well.
Here is his composition called "Whistle (Rock Instrumental Version)" which you can find here.
Here are the links to the previously posted songs by Joe:


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I can access my iMac but when I try to click my username icon to log in nothing happens. Its like I have no control of clicking, just moving the mouse.
I'm having the same issue. If someone clicks on the icon on the remote computer everything works as normal but obviously this removes all the benefits of remote access!!
Me too - same issue
Me too, im running the newest version of teamviewer.
I had a similar problem on numerous mac systems lately. The key was noticing that the time in the menubar was also not accrurate (either minutes or sometimes hours different) as if the video had been paused. The workaround for me was to go to Actions > Lock Computer > Lock. This forces the session to end and gives you back the login screen and allows you to enter the user password.
Hope this works for you.
I've also had some success with "the lock then log back in" method too. However, sometimes the screen stays frozen no matter what, so I have to get people from my office to click on my screen which pretty frustating/embarrassing (It's also impractical as I'm currently working with a 7 hour time difference).
Unfortunetly not :smileysad:
Thanks, but doesn't work for me. I am experiencing this problem for about a week. I can remotely login normally once, but after leaving the connection during some hours and returning, I systematically find the screen frozen with a clock time that is not the current one. I have already completely uninstalled teamviewer in both machines, and installed the current version; but the problem persists.
By the first time that I connect, sometimes I find a black screen, then I finish the connection and start again. Doing so, works, but only for the first connection.
Any other suggestion?!
I to am having the same issue. I tried typing in my user's name password anyhow, and then it comes back to life again! Give that a try.
I tried that but it didnt work. :(
Exact same issue. The clock on the remote mac also appears to be the time when I locally locked the machine. Really makes TV useless.
I have the same problem.
Do i need to open a ticket somewhere or does TeamViewer team will see this forum thread as a bug tracking issue ?
I have found a workarround that work for me...
When you try to reconnect the mouse does not respond and the screen is still black or with an old image of login screen but the keyboard still work.
So my workarround is to log only with keyboard shortcut :
Type the first letter of the user name and press ENTER. Nothing seems to happen but it's false, you can now type the password and then press enter. You session will open and you will see the remote screen again.
Thank you ogoudron, but that doesn't work for me. At TV's suggestion I had a friend help me on the other end by re-booting my computers, uninstalling the latest version of TV and downloading a version (link supplied by them) which was supposed to fix the problem. It seemed to work for a few hours, but when I tired to access them the next day the same old problem was there:
frozen log in screen on the other side, keystrokes don't register, wrong time shown in upper right corner of the frozen screen. Now I don't even see the cursor.
One factor that I forgot to mention was that there was a power outage for a couple of hours on the other computers. I don't think that has a bearing on TV because I am able to temporarily access the computers after a re-boot, but that (as I mentioned above) seemed to help only for a few hours. A power outage, in effect causes a re-boot.
Hi all,
Thank you for your contribution here. I talked to our development and they are working on a solution. I will inform you when we published a new release with a fix.
Will you just let everyone in this message stream know? Do you have any ETA on a solution?
The only way I've found to not get locked out is to disconnect TV manually and not let the connection time itself out. As long as I do that I can log back in whenever I want.
Temorary fix.... well, sort of..... downgrade on all sides to TV12. In therory you should be able to control a TV12 computer with a TV13 one, but that didn't work for me. I had to downgrade all back to TV12. Now I can control all my computers as before.
Be sure and set your TV preferences to "do not automatially upgrade" or you will find yourself back in the same frustrating position as before.
Not a permanent fix, but until the programming staff figures out the solution you will be able to use TV. Hopefully, that will be soon.
Hi all,
I do not have an ETA at the moment but you can try the following as a workaround:
Connect to the Mac, click on "Actions" in the toolbar, navigate to "Lock" and choose "Lock now".
After doing that it should be possible to remote control the Mac. Please let me know if the workaround works for you.
Unfortunetly this isnt working for me.
I can only connect once, the first time after a restart on both sides.
After that i can only see the last screen freeze.
The solution from Julia did not work for me. Lock on Session End is checked when I go to that menu. If I click on Lock nothing changes.
Julias solution didn't work for me either. Would love to see a solution turned around quickly on this. At this point I'll prob end up just downgrading everything to the more reliable V12
Any update on this?
I have the same problem: after connection is established the login screen is completely unresponsive. I have tried all the suggestions posted above, but nothing works. I am running version 13.2. I have tried re-installing TV, but still get the same problem. Where can I download version 12?
Hi Bill_H,
Thank you for posting.
As we mentioned earlier, we are working on it at the moment, however you can get version 12 by clicking here until it fixes.
We apologize for any inconvenience caused.
Best regards,
Japanese Community Moderator
Did my reply answer your question? Accept it as a solution and like the post to help others.
Thanks for your response. Unfortunately TV was automatically updated to 13.2 on the remote computer I am trying to access, and version 12 of TV is evidently not able to connect to a computer running 13.2. Unless there is some way to remotely revert to version 12 on the remote computer, it looks like TV is leaving me high and dry until this bug is fixed.
Same here! Actions > Lock, doesn't allow me to check it.
Remote computer has v13 so it won't connect.
Any upddate on this?
As far as I know there has been no update for this problem. I am successfully using TV12 after updating to Mojave on my iMacs. But beware that because of the "sandboxing " which Apple does, you will have to have someone on the other side to change your preferences to allow TV to access the remote mac.
Seems like an update was pushed out for Macs. However, the problem still persists. Any idea on when this is going to be fixed for version 13?
Unfortunately, I can't downgrade all my machines to 12.
Yes, new version but same login failure problem.
The good news, though, is that you can still get up to 15% off and a $200 Amazon gift card if you buy the business version of this software that is completely useless.
I gave up TV after this issue and switched to **Third Party Product**, which works perfectly in mac and has everything that I need (that was my case, it's not for all TV users).
What did you use?
I used @ogoudron answer, using keyboard instead of mouse
Is it possible that only the problem Mac is running Mojave? If it is then you have to grant permission for the TeamViewer app to control the computer. If TeamViewer is set to run at boot or login, then you will also need to grant permission for TeamViewer_Desktop.
See this article in the Knowledge Base:
How to control a Mac running macOS 10.14 Mojave
Not sure this is a real fix, but it is working for me.
When you've logged in, press the first key of your user name. Then input your password and press Enter. I have no idea why that's working, but it has on the past few occasions. Good luck.
After reading everyones issues I tried a combination of all the solutions.
1/ I connected to the Mac and got a black screen.
2/ Disconnected and reconnected and then I got the login window on the home screen.
3/ The cursor was frozen in the login box but I clicked once in the login box and typed the password and enter.
It logged in.
Why cant they fix this?????
This just worked for me. Thanks!
Still have this issue on 14.2.8352. Any actions from "Action" menu do nothing. Guys, I've payed money for this soft, but can't use it without asking someone to wake up my iMac. Terrible
Hi @mloboda
Thank you for your post.
Can you please call our support team?
They are happy to assist you in this case.
Thank you very much and have a great day.
All the best,
German Community Moderator
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In this, the first (and last) installment in our Motivational Metaphor Monday Series, nature, red in beak and talon, descends upon a sika deer in the form of an exceptionally ambitious golden eagle. Daunted by the work week ahead? Look to this eagle for guidance.
New Scientist has the lowdown on this spectacular image, which appears in a recent issue of The Journal of Raptor Research:
The scene, which is the first documented case of such an attack, was captured at the Lazovsky State Nature Reserve in southern Russia by a camera trap used to monitor Siberian tigers. Linda Kerley from the Zoological Society of London and her colleagues working on the project were surprised to find photos of the encounter during a routine equipment check. "It's the first time I've seen anything like it," says Kerley. "It's rare for golden eagles to snatch up deer."
Remember, dear readers: in work, school, life, whatever – BE LIKE THE EAGLE.
The Journal of Raptor Research via New Scientist


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Mental Mastery Mondays
Helping you win the war within so you can find success in business, relationships, well-being, and life.
This show will help you find abundant success in your personal as well as business life. You'll be lead towards greater achievement in your physical well-being, accomplishments in your business or career, and true joy in your relationships, by focusing on your attitude and mindset.
Your host, P. Desmond Adams will show you how to "change the world around you by changing the world within you." Desmond will teach you how to see all of life's experiences as beneficial to your whole being, discover how to be steady and consistent in your efforts so you can finally finish what you started, increase what you accomplish in life with the same amount of time and effort, and understand the greater purpose of your existence and how that will bring an unimagined peace within.
You'll benefit from over 30 years of study Desmond has done through the teachings of personal development and self-help teachers such as Tony Robbins, Napoleon Hill, Gregg Braden, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Wallace Wattles, Jack Canfield, Ernest Holmes, Rhonda Byrne and the one who finally helped Desmond discover the secret to the Law of Attraction, Charles F. Haanel.
Having trouble logging in?


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Help Charity Navigator rate more organizations with your tax-deductible donation.
Hurricane Harvey made landfall on Friday evening, August 25th, as the first Category 4 hurricane to hit the United States since Hurricane Charley in 2004. Ahead of its landfall, many communities were ordered to evacuate, as fears arose that the hurricane could leave some coastal areas uninhabitable. The storm, which intensified over the Gulf of Mexico before hitting Texas and its surrounding states, brought with it heavy rainfall, damaging winds, and a powerful storm surge. It has significantly impacted communities along the Texas coastline, including Houston, as well as other areas along the Gulf with wind and flood damage. Charity Navigator has compiled a list of highly-rated organizations responding in the aftermath of this storm and providing assistance to the people and communities affected by it. Donors can designate their donations to the cause on the organization's website. However, at this point in time it is not certain that all these organizations will spend 100% of donations received on Hurricane Harvey relief.
If you're looking for a local charity to support in the wake of Hurricane Harvey please consider Houston SPCA, Houston Humane Society, Houston Food Bank, Food Bank of Corpus Christi, or San Antonio Humane Society. These highly-rated organizations are located in the most-affected areas and are providing support to individuals and animals.
If you represent a charity interested in being considered for inclusion, please email email@example.com to request a disaster response survey.
Charities providing financial assistance to individuals and nonprofits impacted by Hurricane Harvey.
Charity Navigator
299 Market Street Suite 250
Saddle Brook, NJ 07663


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Hundreds of people in Surrey and more than 40 cities around the world lit candles Friday evening to remember bullying victim Amanda Todd and take a quiet stand against the kind of torment that led her to take her own life.
Up to 200 people, many carrying long pink candles, gathered in Surrey's Holland Park in memory of the 15-year-old Port Coquitlam girl.
After sundown, they laid flowers and lit candles in a wreath of fire around Amanda's name, spelled out in large white letters on the surface of the park plaza. Some clutched enlarged photos of Todd as others held each other and shed tears.
"This shouldn't have happened," said 19-year-old Miranda Diffner. "People should have gotten to the problem sooner. But the sad thing is this kind of thing will continue to happen."
Click here to see photos from the vigils
Diffner said she saw a piece of herself in Todd's anguish. The Surrey resident switched high schools twice because of bullying.
"I felt like if I was able to see that video sooner I could have helped her. I just want to tell people that if you've been bullied, that's not how it has to be," she said.
Meghan Hearn, 13, said she was there in support of all victims of bullying. "I just don't think it's OK to bully other people. You have to try and understand what's going on in their life before anything," she said.
Lucky Gill, the Vancouver-area resident who launched Global Girl Power with her niece the same day news broke of Todd's death, said: "Bullying is not just a girl issue. It is an issue that crosses all genders, all communities, all ethnicities."
Gill told the crowd of her own experience with bullying and the need to speak out in the face of mistreatment.
"As an individual, you must step up. A thousand candles can be lit from the flame of a single candle," she said.
Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts and Surrey RCMP Supt. Bill Fordy also spoke, standing in front of a Global Girl Power banner reading: "Together We Are Stronger."
"We are here to honour the memory of a beautiful girl, those that came before her and those that are still suffering," Watts said.
Fordy read a statement from Todd's father Norm Todd: "'Amanda, if you are looking down on us, we love you....Stay Strong.'"
Fordy also told the crowd: "If you wouldn't say it in person, don't say it online."
Surrey-Whalley MLA Bruce Ralston and Conservative Langley MP Mark Warawa also attended. Ralston spoke of the need for enhanced social support services, including school counsellors, for youth in crisis in B.C.
"They're not the whole answer, but they're part of the answer," he said.
Katie Hoflin, 16, said she and her friends have tried sites like Omegle, which involve one-on-one chats with strangers chosen at random with the option of webcams. The Surrey high school student said that since Todd's suicide she's thought about the vulnerability of being online. "Nobody's the same person on the computer as they are in person."
Memorials were planned for several provinces and at least five American states, as well as Copenhagen and several cities in India.
Click here to see a video for the song Wonder Woman, written in honour of Todd and dedicated to her at the Surrey vigil
With files from the Canadian Press


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Prairie Fire Farms Foundation, Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit horse rescue and education organization that relies solely on donations, fundraising, and grants to sustain operations financially. We are proud to share our successes and partnerships!
A big thank-you is due to Rick Barlow and the folks at Frederick Chevrolet in Lebanon, PA for helping PFF obtain a new farm vehicle. This team is amazing!
As part of their cause-for-a-day initiative, Centric Bank employees raised funds for Prairie Fire Farms Foundation this February.
We would like to thank The Binky Foundation for their continued support of our efforts with the 2016 grant to purchase a manure spreader. The horses and volunteers at Prairie Fire Farms Foundation thank you.
Many thanks to The Unwanted Horse Veterinary Relief Campaign for their generous grant towards the cost of vaccinations for our foundation horses in 2017!
Thank you to the Allstate Foundation and Allstate Employee Cassandra Reifsnyder for being a positive force for change. By volunteering at our facility, Cassandra's efforts enabled us to receive an Allstate Foundation Helping Hands in the Community grant.


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Revere undergoes surgery on broken ankle
PHILADELPHIA -- Phillies center fielder Ben Revere said Sunday he could miss six to eight weeks because of a broken right ankle.
His timetable remains the same following surgery Tuesday at the Rothman Institute. The Phillies announced foot and ankle specialist Steve Raikin placed two screws percutaneously across the fracture. Revere will be non-weight-bearing for the next two weeks with a re-evaluation to follow.
"Tentative return to play is six to eight weeks," the Phillies reiterated.
That means Revere could be back anywhere between late August and mid-September.
Revere fouled a pitch off the ankle in the 11th inning of Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader against the White Sox.
"It's one of those deals," Revere said Sunday. "It's part of the game. I've probably hit a couple balls on the same spot a couple times and really nothing happened, except a bruise. But it was good the next day. But this was finally the one that cracked it."
General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Sunday the Phillies will be looking to acquire a center fielder before the July 31 Trade Deadline to replace Revere while he is out.


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So the recipe for the original fruit tarts can be found here. Make the dough and pastry cream, then follow the directions below to make them extra miniature. If you don't have a food processor, you can cut the butter into the flour using a pastry cutter.
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
After chilling the dough for 2 hours, roll the dough out on lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick. Using rolling pin bands will help make the dough thickness even throughout.
Use a 2 inch round cookie cutter with scalloped edges to cut out several small shell pieces. Flip a miniature muffin pan upside down. You will be using the back of the muffin pan to shape the shells. Place one shell piece on each muffin-hill. Try to center it in the middle.
Bake for 5 - 7 minutes, or until light golden. Remove baked shells, and repeat with remaining dough.
Proceed by filling each shell with a small amount of pastry cream and decorate with fruits. Enjoy!
The recipe for the original fruit tarts can be found here.


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The Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention) was adopted in 1992 and entered into force in 1996. It brings together almost all countries sharing transboundary waters in the pan-European region, and is expected to achieve broader participation with its global opening to all United Nations Member States.
The Water Convention serves as a mechanism to strengthen international cooperation and national measures for the ecologically sound management and protection of transboundary surface waters and groundwaters. Furthermore, it provides an intergovernmental platform for the day-to-day development and advancement of transboundary cooperation.
The present publication explains the obligations under the Water Convention and the way in which its institutional platform works, as well as the advantages for States to become Party to the Water Convention. It also addresses the relationship between the Water Convention and the 1997 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses. The publication, which is intended for current and future Parties, international partners, non-governmental organizations and academia, aims to strengthen the understanding of the Water Convention and its global opening to all United Nations Member States.


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There's something strange going on with TracFone's Page Plus brand. Multiple Page Plus customers have reported on HowardForums that they have received texts from Page Plus saying that their phone "...is not receiving optimal network service from our network partner. In order to avoid further degradation, including full service interruption on April 1st, you will need to replace this device." Verizon is PagePlus's network partner. However, Verizon has not announced any network changes that would make any currently usable phones unusable on April 1.
I would dismiss this as an April Fools joke were it not the fact that the texts contain a link to the page below which is on the official pagepluscellular.com domain. Further confirming that these messages are no joke, two different Page Plus Dealers forwarded me the image above that they received from Page Plus today. The image is accompanied by this message; "Select Page Plus devices will no longer be supported on the carrier network. Your customers may receive an SMS notification regarding this update. If they receive this notification, it means their phone is outdated and requires an upgrade. To upgrade their phone, select from the TracFone Handsets on VIDAPAY." VIDAPAY is the system that dealers user to process customer payments and to order SIMs and phones.
Interestingly no one at Page Plus seems to know what's going on. One of the dealers told me that they contacted their master dealer who contacted TracFone but was unable to get an answer as to what type of phones were getting kicked off the network and why.
There have been a number of theories posted on HowardForums as to what's happening. Some think Page Plus is kicking off grandfathered non-Verizon phones that were activated before January, 2015 when Verizon stopped allowing Page Plus and other Verizon MVNOs from activating non-Verizon phones. However users have reported receiving the message on many Verizon phones that were not flashed including a Verizon iPhone 6, Verizon Galaxy S5, Verizon LG G Vista and a Verizon Motorola RAZR HD. A user of one of the crippled 3G-only Samsung Galaxy S III phones from Straight Talk also got the message.
I really don't have a clue as to what TracFone/Page Plus is up to. It's bad business to tell customers that their perfectly good phones will stop working tn three weeks with no explanation. No other Verizon MVNO has said anything about phones being kicked of the network April 1 and neither has Verizon. TracFone has a reputation for buggy billing and activation systems and poor communication to both customers and dealers so this fiasco doesn't surprise me. Is it a mistake, a joke or incompetence?
If you have received a message from Page Plus or any other Verizon MVNO saying that you have to replace you phone, please leave a comment saying what phone you are using.
Update: according to industry sources familiar with the matter Verizon will start blocking "unapproved" phones on all Verizon MVNOs starting sometime in May, 2017. Phones to be blocked include:
1) Flashed non-Verizon devices. (These were previously said to be grandfathered by Page Plus management so this will not be popular.)
2) Lost and stolen phones that got in on a loophole like swapping sims.
3) Prepaid Verizon devices that haven't fulfilled their obligations to be let out of the Verizon prepaid ecosystem.
Source: HowardForums


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By Tara Lyons, UIUC RBML Staff.
Title: Flodden Heron collection of Lewis Carroll papers, 1876-1895
Primary Creator: Heron, Flodden W.
Other Creators: Carroll, Lewis, 1832-1898
Extent: 27.0 Cubic Feet
Arrangement: Items are numbered sequentially (1-149) in the following categories: Articles contained in C.D.'s Deed Box (1-27); Miscellaneous Items and Realia (28-76); Correspondence (77-94); Magazines and Clippings (95-125); Typescripts of Flodden Heron (126-128); and Dealers' Catalogs (129-149).These items are located in boxes 1-31.
Languages: English
Repository: Rare Book & Manuscript Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Access Restrictions: Open to researchers.
Use Restrictions:
The RBML reproductions policies can be found here:
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials.
Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study scholarship or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement.
This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgement, fulfillment of the order would damage materials or involve violation of copyright law.
Processing Information: https://wiki.cites.uiuc.edu/wiki/display/librare/Home


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Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tiffany Mynon Upcoming Performance For BET Music Matters
3:51 PM | Posted by Platinum Boy Music | Edit Post
Platinum Boy Music's "Angel Of R&B" Tiffany Mynon joins Leon Timbo, Kris Kasanova, Emilio Rojas, and Bridget Kelly on the October 11th bill for the heralded BET Music Matters upcoming talent showcase. Check the flyer for the rest of the details:
Labels: Angel Of R and B , BET , BET Music Matters , Platinum Boy Music , Producer Amadeus , Tiffany Mynon
Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )
About Us
Platinum Boy Music was founded in the year 2000 by musician and multi platinum record producer Antwan 'Amadeus' Thompson. The production company has since been able to expand to include the Music 101 College Tour Seminar. Platinum Boy Music is a tightly knit family not only comprised of talented individuals, but a brand focused on providing the world with quality music.
PBM Profile: Amadeus
Antwan 'Amadeus' Thompson is the CEO of Platinum Boy Music. His music catalog includes production credits for over 50 artists, the theme song to ESPN's First Take, Keyshia Cole's BET Reality Show "Family First", ESPN's Sportscenter, Diddy's MTV and VH1 reality shows, EA Sports Fight Night, and Burger King. Amadeus recently served as a panelist on Making His Band and is currently the Music Director/Tour Drummer for Trey Songz.
www.platinumboymusic.com e:firstname.lastname@example.com www.twitter.com/produceramadeus www.blazetrak.com/amadeus www.youtube.com/amadeustv www.myspace.com/produceramadeus
PBM Profile: Ro Garcia
President, Platinum Boy Music, Inc
www.platinumboymusic.com e:email@example.com www.twitter.com/ro_gar www.instagram.com/Ro_Gar
Amadeus On Blazetrak
Platinum Boy Music CEO Amadeus is seeking for Songwriters, Producers, and Web Designers to join his musical imprint Platinum Boy Music, Inc. Please note that ALL considerations will ONLY be reviewed through Blazetrak, with a GUARANTEED video response to all of your submissions.
You can submit to Amadeus by clicking on this Blazetrak link.
AKAI Pro & Amadeus
Be on the lookout for AKAI Pro and Amadeus as they will be collaborating on a couple of projects soon. Details to follow shortly.
You can check out the Akai's artist page for Amadeus by clicking HERE
Sites We Follow
Platinum Boy Posts Archive
- ► 2013 ( 40 )
- ► 2012 ( 91 )
- Tiffany Mynon Upcoming Performance For BET Music M...
- Amadeus Interviews For Versed Online
- Amadeus Interviews For AKAI Professional
- Tiffany Mynon Performance For "The Hype" Music Sho...
- Amadeus For Trey Songz At The Vodafone 020 Live Co...
- Amadeus Judges 106 & Park Freestyle Friday - Bad B...
- Tiffany Mynon Interviews For SoulTrain.Com
- Tiffany Mynon On DJ KILLATOUCH's "We Are The Stree...
- Tiffany Mynon Feature Performance At Power105 Indu...
- Tiffany Mynon Feature Performance For iStandard NY...
- Amadeus Interviews For Strapp Magazine With DJ Vega
- Tiffany Mynon & Fred The Godson "Dance The Night ...
- Amadeus To Judge Get Signed Magazine's Talent Show...
- Amadeus Cover Interview For Beats & Lyrics Magazine
- Platinum Boy Music At BET's Blaze The Stage
- Amadeus Interviews For Coast 2 Coast Magazine
- ▼ September ( 16 )
- ► 2010 ( 67 )


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Cybex International reported second quarter 2011 net sales of $32.6 million, an 18 percent increase from the $27.7 million that the Medway, MA-based fitness equipment manufacturer reported in second quarter 2010, according to financials released Tuesday by the company.
This quarter was the third quarter of double-digit growth for Cybex. Net sales in fourth quarter 2010 were $39.9 million, a 15 percent increase from fourth quarter 2009 (with $34.8 million in sales). First quarter 2011 net sales were $31 million compared to $26.1 million in first quarter 2010, a 19 percent increase. For the six months ended June 25, 2011, net sales were $63.6 million compared to $53.8 million for 2010.
"The double-digit quarterly pace of revenue continues at Cybex," Cybex Chairman and CEO John Aglialoro said in a conference call with analysts Tuesday. "Operating margins are good."
Customers seem to like the continuing slate of new and current product offerings, Aglialoro continued, including the company's new treadmill models, the 770T and 625T.
Despite the increase in net sales, the company did experience a larger net loss this quarter than it did in second quarter 2010. The $0.6 million net loss (compared to $0.4 million in second quarter 2010) was partly the result of litigation charges stemming from the Barnhard vs. Cybex International product liability case in which Cybex was held 75 percent liable for the $66 million judgment. The company had $1.6 million in litigation charges for the quarter (primarily related to the interest accruing at the annual rate of 9 percent on the judgment). Cybex has appealed that judgment and has received a stay of enforcement for now, preventing the plaintiff from collecting on the judgment until the appeal is heard in the appellate court in New York.
Cybex had to post $10 million in collateral as part of the appeal process in the Barnhard case, $8 million of which came from a revolver that Cybex recently was able to extend to July 2012, according to Art Hicks, COO of Cybex. The other $2 million came under the company's insurance policy.
Aglialoro said he expects the Barnhard appeal to be heard this fall, and he does not anticipate the company agreeing to a settlement before then.
In the meantime, Aglialoro and Cybex are focused on growth, particularly in the international market, which Aglialoro said would grow in importance for the company as other countries increase their middle class. International sales currently comprise 28 percent to 30 percent of Cybex's revenue, but Aglialoro estimated that would increase to "well over" 50 percent in a few years. In response, Cybex changed its marketing department to create a more global focus.
Sales outside of North America for the quarter accounted for 34 percent, compared to 32 percent of sales for the year, Hicks said. Sales outside of North America were up 31 percent for the quarter while North American sales for the quarter were up 12 percent.
Cardio equipment sales increased 16 percent, strength increased 15 percent and other (mostly freight and parts) increased 35 percent.


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Fla. Pushes Longer Day, More Reading in Some Schools
Two years ago, Florida took a step no other state has taken to improve students' reading skills: It required its 100 lowest-performing elementary schools to add an extra hour to their school day and to use that time for reading instruction. Early results suggest the new initiative may be paying off.
After only a year with the extra hour, three-quarters of the schools saw improved reading scores on the state's standardized test, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, or FCAT. Seventy of the schools earned their way off the lowest-performing list altogether.
"That extra time for reading instruction was really important for us," said Kathy Shuler, who oversees the school transformation office in Orlando's Orange County district, where all seven schools in the extra-hour reading program's first year, 2012-13, improved their reading scores and are no longer on the list.
The Florida program arose from a 2012 law mandating the additional hour each day for "intensive reading instruction." The law's author, Republican state Sen. David Simmons, had taken note of a pilot program for four schools in 2007-08. Three boosted their school grades from D's or F's to C's in Florida's accountability ratings, and one vaulted to an A. He wanted to see more schools do what they had done.
"Done right, the benefits of this program are extensive and in some cases dramatic," Sen. Simmons said.
Despite being a state mandate, the program has won over some school leaders and teachers. In fact, 30 schools that were required to participate in 2012-13 opted to keep it up this school year even though they'd gotten off the watch list.
Sen. Simmons said he hopes to persuade the legislature to expand the program, which does not come with any additional state aid, to all of Florida's low-performing schools.
A legislative study of the extra-hour program's first year, presented to state lawmakers this month, found that of the 73 schools whose FCAT scores improved, 17 saw jumps of more than 10 percentage points, and 35 saw gains of 5 percentage points to 10 percentage points. Growth was particularly strong among the students scoring at level 1 or 2 on the five-level test.
A Mix of Results
And yet, some of the study's results were paradoxical. Students at only 20 of the participating schools performed better than those at demographically similar schools that did not add an hour for reading.
Interviews with principals as part of the study indicated that while most provided training to teachers in the new reading program, and about half gave them additional planning time, neither of those measures correlated with better outcomes. Only 22 of the 100 schools improved their A-F accountability grades, perhaps in part because those grades are based on a host of indicators other than reading.
Laurie Lee, the deputy director of the state education department's Just Read, Florida! office, said several aspects of the extra-hour initiative are challenging. One is that schools have to scramble to set up reading interventions, since they don't learn until July that they are on the list. The annual changes in the list are also difficult, she said, since schools never know if they should plan more than a year out for the extra programming, or if they can count on having the extra instructional coaches that come with being on the list.
Nevertheless, the program produced such strong results in its first year that state officials see it as an important part of their strategy.
In 2012, Florida enacted legislation requiring its 100 lowest-performing elementary schools to extend their day by one hour and use the time for reading instruction. A legislative study of the program's first year, 2012-13, finds that most schools improved their state reading scores.
Test Results
• 73 of the 100 schools increased the percentage of students scoring at grade level
• 61 raised the median reading level of 4th grade students who had been reading below grade level
• 62 raised the median reading level of 5th grade students who had been reading below grade level
School Grades
• 22 schools improved their school grade (Florida's A-F grades are based on reading, writing, math, and science scores, and on the growth of scores in reading and math)
School Status
• 70 of the schools improved their FCAT reading score sufficiently enough to be removed from the 2013-14 list of 100 lowest-performing elementary schools
• 30 of the schools are now in their second year of the program because they are still among the 100 lowest-performing schools for 2013-14
"Lots of things happen in school in the course of the day and the year," said Ms. Lee. "Did [the extra hour] contribute to their improvement? I would certainly think it did, just having that focus on reading, the intensity during that additional hour."
Florida's extended-time program is unique in its focus on reading. Massachusetts' widely known "2020" program encourages struggling schools to apply for grants to extend their day, though not specifically for reading. Districts, too, such as Chicago, have added time to the school day in a bid to boost achievement, but none exclusively targets reading, according to the Education Commission of the States, a Denver-based group that analyzes state policy.
Also, Florida's law was the first to clearly say students in the extra-hour reading program must be assigned to teachers "who are effective in teaching reading," said Kathy Christie, who oversees the ECS database.
Local Decisions
Florida districts had a lot of leeway in deciding how to handle the extra hour. And while their plans had to be approved by the state education agency, some still allowed participating schools to shape the additional instructional time as they saw fit.
Springfield Elementary was the only school in the Bay County district on the lowest-performing list in 2012-13, and district officials let Principal Harriet Taylor and her staff design their program. They chose to tack the hour onto each morning's 90-minute reading block, already required by Florida law, rather than attach it to the end of the day, when most children are tired, Ms. Taylor said.
Teachers had been using a textbook-based literacy program and concluded that it didn't address students' weak foundational skills, she said. They switched to a direct-instruction approach, using McGraw-Hill's SRA program to pinpoint children's needs and move them up, level by level, as they showed mastery. Some of the reading block was devoted to teaching students at their grade level, which was a stretch for many. Part of the time, students were regrouped with different teachers according to skill level, Ms. Taylor said.
Springfield also adopted an "all hands on deck" approach to the extended reading block, providing training in the SRA program to all 35 classroom teachers and 80 paraprofessionals in the building. Everyone worked in small-group instruction with children.
The 470-student school is not on the lowest-performing list this year, and it raised its grade from D to C. But it's keeping the program.
"If we don't keep it in place, we'll fall right back down to where we were, and I don't want that to happen," she said.
Of all the indicators of the program's success, Ms. Taylor's favorite is one that took shape after last spring's FCAT. As students lined up to go home that day, child after child reported that the test was easier than the year before. She finally asked one child why. "And he said, 'Because I could read it, Mrs. Taylor. I could read the questions this year,' " the principal recalled.
Linda Pitts, the instructional specialist in the 26,000-student district in Florida's Panhandle, said a different school is on the list this year and is using the SRA program, but it chose to put the extra hour at the end of the day.
Many districts, however, took a more centralized approach to the added hour. Palm Beach County was one of those, and it cut its list of lowest-performing schools from 16 in 2012 to five in 2013.
Those schools kept up with their core, standards-based instruction during the 90-minute block, which uses whole-group and small-group instruction and shared and independent readings. During the new extra hour, it used Heinemann's Leveled Literacy Intervention, explicitly teaching comprehension and reading strategies, along with vocabulary and word-attack skills, in groups of three students, said Debbie Battles, the director of elementary curriculum in the 187,000-student Palm Beach district.
All principals and teachers at the 16 listed schools attended six full days of training in the program, and all teachers participated in the 60-minute reading block, said Cheryl Alligood, Palm Beach's chief academic officer. Additionally, principals from all 16 schools met monthly for networking and support. The district chose to keep the extra hour in place this year at all 16 schools, even though it was no longer required in any but one.
"I think what made it work so well for us was the investment we put into doing it right, with the appropriate training," she said.
Union Concerns
The Palm Beach County Classroom Teachers Association, like many local unions, negotiated an agreement with the district that paid teachers for the extra hour and gave them the right to transfer if they didn't wish to extend their day. At first, union leaders were skeptical of the added time, but they came to see it differently.
"We surveyed our members [after the first year] and found that for the most part, people liked it and said they'd do it again," said Lynn Cavall, the executive director of the 12,000-member union. "They thought it was helpful for the kids, and teachers were there because they wanted to be there."
In Orange County, the key to the extra hour was an intent focus on differentiating instruction according to each child's needs, said Ms. Shuler. That meant making sure that children scoring high on the FCAT had reading enrichment while lower-scoring children worked on foundational skills.The 187,000-student district's approach to the lower performers was "highly scripted," she said, with an interactive read-aloud for the first five to seven minutes of the hour, followed by teachers meeting with three small groups, by skill level, for 15 to 18 minutes each.
The Miami-Dade County district employs a heavily centralized approach to the added hour, too, in part because it makes the program easier to monitor across 22 schools, said Charmyn Kirton, who oversees elementary curriculum in the district's "transformation" schools. The 348,000-student district had 11 schools on the watch list last year. It attributes the rise in part to changes in FCAT cutoff scores and the inclusion of more special education and English-learner students in its accountability system. Ms. Kirton said she's hoping that coaching support from the central office will improve results this year.
Some schools have struggled to make an impact with the extra hour. Miami-Dade's Pine Villa Elementary is one of them. Its FCAT scores barely budged after a year, and its school grade slipped from D to F. But far more of its lowest-scoring students made reading gains of one year or more than had done so before the extra hour.
Principal Vanessa de la Pena said that use of the Saxon Phonics program helps teachers pinpoint each child's reading level and move them up from there. But her teachers concluded after one year that it wasn't well-rounded enough. Students needed work in comprehension, fluency, and oral language as well.
This school year, in consultation with the district, Pine Villa added another program to address those needs. While lower-scoring children work with those foundational programs, Ms. de la Pena said, more-able readers are pulled out with specialists to read novels and work in literature circles.
Vol. 33, Issue 18, Pages 1, 12-13Published in Print: January 22, 2014, as Fla. Pushes Longer Day With More Reading in Struggling Schools
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In ancient myths the symbolism of the Owl is often entwined with the feminine (Anima) principle, such as Witches and the practice of Witchcraft. For example, the Queen of (Succubi) Succubae called Lilith in Hebrew lore, who is very much associated with the (Lilitu) Owl.
Lilith represents the experience of the Old-Hag-Syndrome or otherwise called the Bedroom Invader Experience, which is experienced when inadvertently accessing hypnagogic trance at the point of sleep.
This experience is known of by many other cultures, which utilise similar symbolism to describe it. When accessing hypnagogic trance, it then leads to conscious ingress into the dream, wherein Lilith manifests as a three-dimensional interactive reality.
Hence, the Owl has held been revered as well as feared throughout human history. Owls have since become associated with alien abduction experiences. The experience of alien abductions often occur when an individual inadvertently experiences hypnagogic (phase) trance, which as mentioned is associated with Lilith.
Hypnagogic trance is consciously induced by shamans, which is termed as being the little death by occultists. The hypnagogic state involves the experience of sleep-paralysis, which gave rise to the term nightmare, since an individual who inadvertently experiences this altered state of consciousness will often experience terrifying visions.
Although, when an individual overcomes his or her fear of the assailing nightmare he/she can then consciously ride the Mare of the Night wherever he/she wills to travel without moving within his/her lucid dreams.
A heterosexual male practitioner can transmute the nightmare into an erotic experience; hence the term Night-Mare and its association with Lilith, who is seen to be a Succubus archetype of the Fallen Anima. (Those of other sexual orientations will reverse the symbolism as required.)
Lilith is associated with the Tarot card of the High Priestess Of The Silver Star II, whose priestess symbolism can be otherwise equated with a Nun, which of an associated aside leads us to a tale related by Whitley Strieber in the book, 'The Super Natural,' who tells of an unsettling event, which happened to him in 1968.
"That year, I was living in London and attending the London School of Film Technique, now called the London Film School. During the summer break, I decided to travel on the Continent. On an overnight train to Florence, I fell in with a girl."
"We began traveling together. For a couple of weeks in Florence, we had a lovely time, living together in chaste intimacy. But then we went on to Rome, and when we toured St. Peter's, she became crazy, stalking through the church in raging silence. She scared me. I was living with her in a small pensione near the railroad station. I decided, 'No more,' and headed off to the pensione to collect my suitcase and get out of there."
"I went into our tiny room, threw my toothbrush into my suitcase, and started to leave. Then I stopped. Her suitcase was lying at the foot of the bed. I have always been a bit too curious, and I opened it. What I saw shocked me to my core. In it was a NUN's habit and, lying beside it, a dry, flattened OWL carcass. I didn't get off the train again until I was in Strasbourg."
"The Owls were gathering," Strieber concludes, and this is the point of his story. Owls have always been mysteriously intertwined with his experiences of his humanoid alien Greys, he prefers to call, The Visitors.
The Tarot card of The High Priestess/Nun depicts her being seated between two pillars, one is black, the other white. These two pillars represent the two nerve channels of the Autonomic Nervous System, which run along either side of the spine. When these two nerve channels are brought into balance via meditative practices or auto-hypnotism, it then leads to a shamanic practitioner attaining hypnagogic trance, which is symbolically represented as being Grey.
The central pillar is then activated, which represents the central nerve channel running along the centre of the spine. The central nerve channel is associated with the Central Nervous System. Most of the nerve fibres of the Central-Nervous-System are mostly found in the chest area of the lungs. (It is this area of the body, which has the sensation of pressure when experiencing the [Fight-Flight fear-response] Old-Hag-Syndrome.)
When consciously accessing hypnagogic trance, the practitioner is then enabled to experience lucid dream ingress into other realities, which will be determined by his/her beliefs. In other words your beliefs will determine what you tune into. Your beliefs are symbolically represented as the 'grimoire' upon the Tarot lap of the High Priestess/Nun. (At the feet of the Tarot High Priestess is a serpent, which represents the reptilian-brain.)
In the Hebrew Cabbala, the Tarot card of The High Priestess/Nun is associated with the 13th path, which is ascribed to the Hebrew letter, Gimel, whose English equivalent is the Freemason focus upon the letter G, which corresponds with the seventh Rune, called Gebo, looking like an X, of Crossbones.
The seventh Rune means self-sacrifice as well as sexual union. The self-sacrifice refers to hypnagogic trance, whose terror can be negated when to introvert the sexual impulse. As mentioned, the hypnagogic state is termed as being the little death; hence you then have the Skull and Crossbones.
The 13th path of The High Priestess passes through the hidden sphere of Da'at, which means, belief. Da'at physiologically equates with the reptilian brain.
The reptilian-brain does not think in words, it thinks in symbols, which is directly connected to the optic nerve.
Wherefore, the reptilian-brain can be easily influenced via symbolic stimuli, such as seeing Strieber's alien Grey on his Communion book cover, which set off the viral-meme belief in alien Greys.
Prior to Strieber's description of Grey aliens, there was little or no mention of them. The prior focus was on Nordic aliens just after WWII, when the Roswell incident occurred in 1947, then Asiatic aliens took to the alien stage when the Vietnam war raged. It was only during the Iraq invasion that Strieber's Grey alien came to the fore, he described looked like the Sumerian sex Goddess, Ishtar. Now it seems as if the Grey's have always been around of a cultural influence.
The reptilian-brain governs over the depth of hypnagogic trance as well as your dreams, whose microcosmic domain of the collective unconscious is symbolic, which gravitates towards a macrocosmic collective focus, when stirred by the controlled media.
However, there is the distinct possibility that the symbolic material of your electron dreams are parallel processing information, which is emanating from alternate worlds existing within parallel universes.
This doesn't sound too unbelievable when looking into quantum computers, which make their calculations in parallel universes.
Should you imagine a science fiction scenario where you have an alternate Earth, whether it be of the distant past, present or of the far flung future, having a superior technology, which allows the denizens of an alternate Earth to communicate with other Earth's via spun electron dreams, let alone being able to physically travel to other worlds in their Vimana UFO's. Then you would have Strieber being abducted by time-travelling ultraterrestrials.
The morning after his first (Yod) experience, when being abducted through the hypnagogic (He) hymen veil, which had occurred on December 26, 1985, the initial memory of his otherworldly (Vau) encounter was the image of a barn Owl staring at him through his hypnapompic (He) window. (YHVH: Tetragrammaton)
Perhaps the barn Owl was a memory-trigger, which referred back to the woman who he had met long prior, whose secret Nun fetish got him to do a runner on this Earth. But on another Earth, just next door, his alternate self stuck around, who was duly abducted by a Lilith in the 'Hunger' flesh, who initiated him into Tantric dream Yoga between her 'Black Magic' pylon legs, wherein he 'Wolfen' howled.
Who knows, the Strieber of this Earth may have been contacted by his dreaming alternate self, whom eventually got in the Vesica-Pisces sack with a High Priestess Witch of a Silver Star Ishtar coven. And when dream visited, the alternate self sent along all his conjurations of the Fallen Anima, who gathered around the Strieber of this Earth as his Owl eyed Muses bestowing Athena Wisdom.
Should we take this scenario further, the alternate Earth Strieber won over a rebellious Nun when he told her a seventh Rune Magpie Secret in the 'Night Church' of St Peter's, to make as the Grey:
"I will set you free from your feminist wrath, my dear. Although you will not like what I have to reveal. The God you are angry with, is your own deified Animus, made as a God and Devil. You and the Queen Bees of this Earth, women all, have created this patriarchal Matrix of a Beehive down the ages. It is yours to own as your creation, when you see the truth of it. And in knowing the truth, you no longer have to silently rage at all men; for they did not create your gaol. Then you can become as their revealing Anima, of a Sophia incarnate, to otherwise Metis smile as a Wise Owl."
Then, when leaving 'Night Church,' St Peter's the alternate Strieber hypnotised the Nun with his priestly words. The Nun then experienced 'Cat-Magic,' when synchronicities abound; for when you focus upon certain symbolic stimuli within your microcosmic Triangle Of Art imagination, macrocosmic feed-back-loops of synchronicity will start to manifest. So, you have to careful what you focus upon of a symbol.
The alternate Strieber, being a crafty Svengali Mage, observed whether her synchronicities involved him as his 'Cat Magic' Assistant, or not. If so, it would indicate she truly loved him, if not, then off on the train again until he was in Strasbourg. Luckily enough, she loved him as her Mage; just as well, really, if he had got onto the train, the alternate Strieber would have bumped into his 'Dreamland' doppelganger, who is not to be seen.
You know the old stories about doppelgangers, meeting your ghostly alternate selves can be far too much of a Chinese box for many; most would promptly give up their ghost, to thence merge with the alternate self. This is very much the case when encountering an alternate self who knows how to walk worlds, whom is a Sorcerer, whose eyes are likened to obsidian scrying mirrors.
Above all the heads of the innumerable Strieber's occupying the myriad alternate Earth's a silvery Grey UFO to hover like an Owl, observing all the alternative possibilities, which exist in parallel universes to verily quantum computer Browse.


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Yup, I'm actually blogging today. I know, I know, it's been awhile since I've written anything. You can't blame a girl for stepping away from the keyboard for a bit. It's no coincidence that my hiatus from blogging hit during the Sabres January swoon. There's only so many different ways that one can say "for the love of god, these guys suck."
So today I'm back, and I'm writing my annual live blog of the Indy 500.
11:15am – ABC is showing a tribute to last year's Indy 500 winner, the late Dan Wheldon. Wheldon was killed in a horrible wreck in last year's Indycar season finale in Las Vegas. The network sat down with Wheldon's fellow drivers and widow Susie for an emotional and powerful interview to discuss his career, Indy win and life outside the track with his two beautiful children Sebastian and Oliver. I'm not ashamed to admit that it brought tears to my eyes.
11:50am – After a lunch break, I return to watch the debut of James Hinchcliffe's ad campaign to succeed Danica Patrick on the GoDaddy homepage. (Hinch took over Patrick's GoDaddy sponsored Indy car this season after Patrick left to chase her NASCAR dreams.) I highly approve of Hinch's effort as this dude is charming, witty, Canadian, has a great social media presence, and has no problem making a complete and utter ass of himself. I mean, how many athletes do you know that are willing to film themselves going through a dog wash?
12:00pm – Driver introductions include a special guest – Bullseye the Target dog. I apologize to Mr. Bullseye, but he is in no way the most famous dog in the great state of Indiana. That honor goes to the tweeting bulldogs of Butler University – Blue 2 and Blue 3.
12:05pm – The persons at ABC that are responsible for the features during this broadcast deserve a ton of kudos. The visit to Arlington with a veteran's mother to visit her son's grave was incredibly well done. It put into proper context what this weekend is about. I would be remiss in not thanking all of the veterans out there for their service.
12:10pm – In case you were wondering, a fire suit can be made for a pregnant lady. ESPN pit reporter Jamie Little is pregnant and is wearing a maternity fire suit so she can work in the pits safely.
12:16pm – Green. green, green! The drivers make it through Turn 4 in eleven beautiful rows of three before snarfing it all up on the front stretch, as the grid becomes a free-for-all as they pass the start line. Ryan Briscoe takes the green flag in first position before engaging in quite the duel with James Hinchcliffe.
12:23pm – The first pass for the lead occurs as James Hinchcliffe passes Ryan Briscoe.
12:29pm – The first yellow occurs as Bryan Clausen spins on the front stretch on Lap 14.
12:32 – Pit road ruckus! EJ Viso punts Dario Franchitti in rear on pit road, sending Franchitti spinning into another pit box, luckily not hitting a person, just a tire. Franchitti requires extra time in the pits to put a new nose on the car. Estimated price tag of that carbon fiber nose & wing assembly: $12,000. Franchitti drops to last place on the grid.
12:36pm – The restart from this yellow flag leads to a five wide stampede down the front stretch. It's a miracle they all made it to and through Turn 1 without someone going on Mr. Toad's wild Ride.
12:42pm – Broadcaster Eddie Cheever gives us our first physics lesson of the day: two cars driving together move faster than one car driving on its own.
1:11pm – Brett Mussburger brings up "The Andretti Curse," discussing the numerous ways that the Andretti family has snatched defeat from the jaws of victory at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I feel that bringing up The Curse this early in the race is a way of tempting the racing gods. (If you think the hockey gods are vicious, they ain't got nothing on the racing gods.)
1:20pm – More pit road shenanigans. Mike Conway comes in for a penalty after hitting two of his crewmen during a pitstop.
1:21pm – While exiting the pits after his penalty, Conway gets loose while getting back up to speed and spins, collecting Australian driver Will Power along with him. During the wreck, Conway's car gets up on his side and skims the top of the outside retaining wall. I shudder when Indy cars get airborne, as so much of the driver's head and torso is exposed and ready to make contact with walls, fences, etc. Thankfully, both Conway and Power are ok.
1:25pm – Conway's car owner AJ Foyt reports that Conway got squirrelly (technical term) on the track as a result of a broken front wing from colliding with his fuel man. I guess I'm a little confused as to why Conway couldn't come in and fix his front wing before serving his penalty for colliding with his fuel man? You would think that safety would come before penalty, but what do I know from racing rules?
1:36pm – Scott Goodyear continues his "Racing Commentary for Dummies" lesson by explaining that oversteer means that the back end wants to pass the front end. This insightful commentary comes during an explanation of how Brazilian driver Ana Beatriz spun out. Scott Goodyear is like the Pierre McGuire of racing, but with 50% less creepiness.
1:37pm – Its shocking to see how much of the pit road grandstand is empty. The broadcasters assure us at home that the seats were sold, but it's just so horribly hot in Indy that people are looking for any shade possible. Now, I've sat in races in hot weather and gotten the sunburns to prove it. Most people don't get up and leave, preferring instead to sweat it out, knowing that the burn of hot aluminum will be much worse than any sun, sweat or grossness that will result from staying put.
1:46pm – The camera finds Dan Wheldon's widow Susie on pit road. She's watching the race on a computer monitor from the relative shade of a war wagon. Good for her for making it to the track today for the race.
1:53pm – Marco Andretti reports at just over the halfway mark that it's so hot in his car that his boot is starting to melt to his metal gas petal. The weather in Indianapolis is just over 90 degrees, and the race reporters are sharing that both the air temperature and the track temperature are increasing.
2:55pm – Ed Carpenter spins from the third position and miraculously does not hit the wall or any other cars. That spin was a "hang on for dear life and ask for a clean pair of shorts when you get back to the pits" kind of spin, as at least four cars came incredibly close to hitting him mid-spin.
3:01pm – After one hell of a chaotic restart, Brazillian driver Tony Kanaan pole vaults from 6th place to the lead of the race. He holds the lead for one lap before being overtaken by Dario Franchitti.
3:05pm – The Andretti curse strikes again, as Marco crashes hard into Turn 1. It appears that his car hit the white line and he just spun out. Marco's wreck happened just as Tony Kanaan made a beautiful pass for the lead (and the crowd went wild).
3:12pm – The restart after Andretti's caution allows four cars to get around Kanaan, putting him back in fourth place.
3:19pm – A battle for the lead between Takuma Sato and Dario Franchitti ends in Turn 1 of the final lap as Sato spins it out trying to make a pass. Franchitti wins the 500 under yellow for his third Indy title. That's right, he came from DFL after the first pitstop to win the race.
3:24pm – After racing 500 miles, Franchitti's hair in Victory Lane is perfectly coiffed. He pulls on the traditional victor's wreath and dumps the bottle of milk over his head. As I sit here in the comfort of my air conditioned living room, I can't help but think how nasty his fire suit has to smell between the sweat, milk and other body fluids that shall remain nameless.
3:27pm – Franchitti's wife, actress Ashley Judd, arrives in Victory Lane for smooches & celebrations & weeping. There's also a nice touch of bagpipers playing in the background. I would expect nothing else for a gentleman from Scotland.
I have to say that it was refreshing to see an Indy 500 without the umpteen updates discussing what/where/who Danica Patrick is doing. I'm glad to see Franchitti win even though a last lap wreck is not how I wanted to see him win.


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Announcing our next Meet-Up in Scottsdale, AZ.
We are pleased to announce our next quarterly Pitch Night at our monthly meet-up. Pitch Night will help our aspiring entrepreneurs within the Engineers Unite community to demonstrate their products and receive feedback from other Engineers Unite members.
Our primary Pitch speaker is Donald Eyermann
Pitch Night: Eyermann Design Studio
Donald Eyermann
Eyermann Design Studio
About our Pitch Night Speaker and their project:
Started the Eyermann Design Studio in 2000 as his post retirement 5 year plan. Actually then did not retire until 2007…right into the teeth of the Great Recession. But they have persevered and now have some big projects in the works. They manufacture components to build ultra efficient homes, commercial and civic structures. Our AICF (Asymmetrical Insulated Concrete Form) product was inspired by the research done at the US Oak Ridge National Lab. They have worked to align themselves with other energy conservation and alternative technology entities. They expect to be able to make some significant announcement relative to three other groups with whom they have signed Letters of Intent…as soon as that turns to contracts. Two of these are individuals/groups working on actually building green vocational training and OJT programs and one is in concert with a university research facility and an electric car recharging installation entity….to build a Technology Demonstrator on a campus sight. They also have the possibility of a Display Home in the greater Phoenix area…and they are still working at engaging investors to join with them in this effort.
Find more about Donald:
Website: http://www.eyedestu.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/PostivEnrgyLife
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/positiveenergylifestyle
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eyermann-Design-Studio-Inc/122194221182069
Event details:
Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 7pm
Microsoft Store – Scottsdale Fashion Square
7014 E Camelback Rd
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Phone: (480) 308-0800
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/301887269913391/
Meet-Up: http://meetup.engineersunite.org/events/87961102/
Plancast: http://plancast.com/p/e7cs
If you would like to start an Engineers Unite Meet-Up in your area, please contact us: firstname.lastname@example.com
Engineers Unite is proud to be sponsored by the Microsoft Store.


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Almost a week into free agency, Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome has been busy retaining his own free agents while also enticing veteran wide receiver Steve Smith to bring his impressive pedigree to the league's 29th-ranked offense from a year ago.
Needs remain along the offensive line and at free safety, but the options are dwindling as is the team's salary cap space with roughly $9 million available. That's not to say those resources can't be helpful to further augment the roster as preparations continue for the start of the NFL draft on May 8, but this is when teams often look for the best value in not only identifying players who truly represent upgrades from what they already have but signing them for the right price.
Secondary needs to the offensive line and free safety include a No. 3 cornerback, a blocking tight end, and another running back, but those are all areas in which the Ravens can likely use the draft to find quality depth.
Here's a sampling of the better remaining options to address their needs:
S Ryan Clark
Skinny: The 34-year-old safety has played the last eight seasons in Pittsburgh, which would make his potential defection to Baltimore compelling if he has anything left on the field. In addition to the Ravens, Washington and the New York Jets are reportedly interested in Clark, who would give 2013 first-round pick Matt Elam a mentor in the defensive backfield. A 2011 Pro Bowl selection, Clark is nearing the end of his career and struggled in 2013 but isn't that far removed from playing at a high level. The hard-hitting veteran doesn't really fit the profile of the ball-hawking safety Newsome described at the start of the offseason, but he's generally been strong in coverge in his career and collected 104 tackles and two interceptions last year.
S Thomas DeCoud
Skinny: The 28-year-old started all but two games for Atlanta over the last five seasons but has been plagued with inconsistency and is coming off a poor 2013 campaign in which he recorded 65 tackles, no interceptions, and only two pass breakups. The 2012 Pro Bowl safety had 14 interceptions from 2009 through 2012 but probably reminds Newsome and the front office too much of Michael Huff, who was one of the biggest free-agent busts in franchise history last year. DeCoud was cut by the Falcons earlier this month, meaning he wouldn't count against the compensatory pick formula if the Ravens were to sign him.
S Chris Clemons
Skinny: Starting 32 games for the Miami Dolphins over the last two seasons, the 28-year-old has been solid but unspectacular in his five-year career. Clemons made 93 tackles and intercepted one pass last season with many observers wondering if the Dolphins downgraded in deciding to sign Louis Delmas to replace Clemons earlier this month. Much like Clark and DeCoud, Clemons doesn't fit the part of what Newsome described in January, but the Ravens are unlikely to find a playmaking safety unless they draft one such as Alabama's Ha Ha Clinton-Dix or Calvin Pryor of Louisville.
C Kyle Cook
Skinny: Cook started 66 games for the Bengals over the last five years and would represent a solid veteran option to compete with incumbent starter Gino Gradkowski and 2013 sixth-round pick Ryan Jensen at the center position this summer. The 30-year-old was the 24th-ranked center in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus, but he was released by the Bengals at the start of free agency and wouldn't cost the Ravens a compensatory pick. His experience in the AFC North is also something that could be of value in the front office's eyes.
C Brian de la Puente
Skinny: Though New Orleans reportedly remains interested in re-signing the starting center, the 28-year-old would be more appealing than Cook and would likely find a similar market to Evan Dietrich-Smith, who signed a four-year, $14.25 million contract with Tampa Bay last week. Pro Football Focus graded De la Puente as the 16th-ranked center in the league last year, but he graded second in 2012 and would represent a clear upgrade to Gradkowski in the starting lineup. The Ravens have yet to be linked to de la Puente, but the New York Giants reportedly showed interest last week.
G Travelle Wharton
Skinny: He'll be 33 in May, but Wharton graded out as the fifth-best guard in the NFL by Pro Football Focus this past season after missing the entire 2012 campaign with a knee injury. Entering his 11th season, Wharton played with Steve Smith in Carolina for nearly a decade, so it will be interesting to see if the Ravens ask their new wide receiver what he thinks of his former teammate, who recently reiterated that he has no intentions of retiring. Should the Ravens sign the left guard, they could move Kelechi Osemele to right tackle to address the departure of Michael Oher.
RT Eric Winston
Skinny: The 30-year-old spent six years with Gary Kubiak in Houston, which would make him an enticing fit if not for the fact that he didn't play well in Arizona this past season. Winston was the 69th-ranked tackle this season, which was one spot below Oher in Pro Football Focus' grading system. Still, his experience with the zone blocking scheme in Kubiak's offense would be very attractive at the right price. The acquisition of a right tackle would also allow the Ravens to keep Osemele at left guard, the position where some think he can blossom into a Pro Bowl player if he proves to be healthy after last year's back surgery.
TE Owen Daniels
Skinny: He doesn't really fit the mold of what the Ravens are looking for in terms of a blocking-minded tight end, but his close relationship with Kubiak is too much to overlook in wondering if the 31-year-old would be an attractive addition to the passing game. Daniels was limited to five games last year but knows the intricacies of Kubiak's system and is a two-time Pro Bowl selection who has caught 54 or more passes four times in his career. With so many remaining needs, the Ravens would need to get excellent value in terms of price to make Daniels worth it and there hasn't appeared to be much concrete interest beyond the initial reaction when he was released by the Texans last week.
Must Read
Almost a week into free agency, Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome has been busy retaining his own free agents while also enticing veteran wide receiver Steve Smith to bring his impressive pedigree to the league's 29th-ranked offense from a year ago.
Based on your player summaries, not exactly a buffet of must-have talent.
(L.J. — De la Puente would appear to be a clear upgrade at center, but there have been no indications to this point of the Ravens being interested.)
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A safe and welcoming school environment is essential for students to grow and develop in mind, body and spirit. Establishing and maintaining this positive and safe atmosphere is achieved by staff, students, parents/guardians and the community working together.
Security and Signing In
All visitors (parents, relatives, resource personnel, etc.) must report to the office immediately upon entering the school. To facilitate this, all exterior school doors will remain locked during the day. A camera has been installed and our wonderful office staff can buzz you in.
Parents may wait for their child outside between the hours of 3:00 p.m. - 3:20 p.m. If you are simply picking up your child, the office will call the student down to the office and will send your child to you. If you are simply dropping something off, please wait until 3:20 p.m., when the secretary is allowed to let you in. This limits and tracks who has access to our students, minimizing interruptions and increasing the safety of all students.
Visitors must sign in and wear a visitor identification tag. When leaving, visitors should sign out at the office and return the tag.
Other Ways That We Keep Our Students Safe
Internet Access
The PVNCCDSB School Board is committed to ensuring that the Internet is used to support learning in a manner that is consistent with the Board Mission statement and guiding principles. Our school computers are connected to the Internet by means of the School Board's Wide Area Network. The School Board recognizes that there may be concerns related to Internet usage and has developed an Internet Acceptable Use Agreement.
Leaving School Property
Students who will be going home for lunch daily, are required to supply a note to the school at the beginning of the school year.
Kindergarten to Grade 6
All students from Kindergarten to Grade 6 are to remain on school property until dismissed at the end of the day - exceptions are those who go home for lunch and those picked up by parents at the office for personal appointments.
Grade 7 and 8 Students
A note signed by a parent is required each time a Grade 7 and 8 student is going to leave school property at lunch.
When parents give permission for their child to leave school property, the parent is assuming responsibility for their child's actions.
For those parents who do not give their child permission to leave school property at lunch, we expect that children do not bring items or food back to school for them. Should students not adhere to this request, their parents will be notified, and they will lose the privilege to leave school property at lunch for 1 week.
Please review safety issues and your parental expectations with your child.
Bikes, Scooters, Skateboards, and Roller Blades on School Property
The safety of pedestrians, students, and staff, and those on bicycles, scooters, skateboards, and roller blades is a huge concern for staff, parents, and bus operators. The rule that skateboards, scooters, roller blades, and bicycles must be walked on and off of school property has been in place for many years. This has been discussed with the student population on numerous occasions.
Should a second infraction occur, students will have their bike/skateboard/scooter/roller blades confiscated until the end of the next school day. A third infraction of this rule will result in your child not being allowed to ride to school for a determined number of days.
School Life >


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Google has created a Google Doodle in honor of beloved author Charles Dickens' 200th birthday.
The image embedded above features several of Dickens' most iconic characters, including Ebeneezer Scrooge from A Christmas Carol and Pip from Great Expectations. When users click on the image at the Google homepage, they are taken to a page with Google Books listings for Dickens' works including A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist and David Copperfield.
Here's more about the birthday from The Washington Post: "Prince Charles [is] expected to visit London's Dickens Museum. Actors who reportedly are scheduled to give readings Tuesday in Britain include Ralph Fiennes (who will play Abel Magwitch in the upcoming film of Dickens's Great Expectations), Gillian Anderson (TV's Great Expectations) and Sheila Hancock (Bleak House), as well as Simon Callow (Christmas Carol: The Movie) performing in Dickens's birthplace of Portsmouth, Hampshire."


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The magic of baseball is it brings out the kid in all of us. Given that, I'm channeling fond memories of "Sesame Street" in saying this perspective on the White Sox's 2013 season is brought to you by the letter "R."
The word that was once forbidden by Kenny Williams in describing the Sox's direction is now a reality smacking even the most Soxtimistic of fans right in the face. The focus should be on becoming playoff moguls. We want an empire worthy of nicknaming our GM Genghis Hahn.
By season's end it will be five years since the South Side last saw postseason baseball. Even after the trades of Jake Peavy, Matt Thornton and Jesse Crain, the Sox should be far from finished in attempting to shed bad contracts and worse players. One bright side is it should garner at least a top-five draft pick, an excellent starting point in rebuilding a farm system that strikes out in producing quality hitters more than Adam Dunn whiffs at the plate.
"R" is for Rookie …
… like "C" is for cookie, and that's good enough for me, and for most Sox fans. Remember the excitement Josh Phegley's promotion generated? The buzz felt when Chris Sale threw his first fastball at the Cell? The Sox need to become Rookie Monsters, cultivating homegrown talent fans can build allegiance behind. Mark Buehrle, Ron Kittle and even Robin Ventura weren't fan favorites because they had Hall of Fame careers. It's because they rose through the system and then produced for years.
Latest RedEye
Sox fans won't admit it, but they see the foundation the Cubs are building and it has us more nervous than Oscar the Grouch on garbage pickup day. Why? Since 2005, we have been able to give Cubs fans the finger—the World Series ring finger—whenever debate over the better team begins. While we might not always show it at the turnstiles, Sox fans are insanely committed to the team and have proudly boasted our superiority for eight years. The thought of surrendering that dominance hurts more than Ernie losing his rubber ducky.
At least no player on the 2013 Sox was mentioned in the same breath as PEDs or Biogenesis. Even if the team's record has you wishing you shared the same season-ending suspensions as Ryan Braun or A-Rod, you can take pride in every Alexei Ramirez error, Alex Rios base-running blunder or (insert any player's name here) failure to score, that it was achieved without cheating. Two more months of baseball at the Cell? I'm more tickled than Elmo.
Soxman is a RedEye special contributor.


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But we're still in the planning season because the weather dictates it. It's still too early to start seeds inside. And I don't know about you, but I can't exactly make up my mind just what I want to grow this year. I always want to try a couple of new things and I'll be doing that again, but there are just so many wonderful things to choose from! And those seeds hold so much promise...
|Lycopersicon esculentum 'Sungold'
I know I told Romie that I don't want a larger garden, but unless I tear some existing things out, I'm not going to have nearly enough room (again) to grow all the veggies and annual flowers that have made it onto my list for the coming season.
It isn't as if I really even need to buy any seeds at all. I've got three Seedkeeper Kits full of seeds and another box full of big bags of saved seed from previous seasons. I took inventory of my seed stash last weekend and honestly, I could probably supply my entire hometown with seeds for this year. (My hometown boasts a population of only 180, but still.)
The thing is, what I have here doesn't contain packets of some of the things I want. As I said before, I want to grow Brussels sprouts this year. Since they have a long growing season, I've considered buying young plants, but I've grown them from seed before and it's quite doable. Maybe I'll even grow the purple ones ('Red Rubine').
I want to grow tree cabbage, too. Not for eating, but for the novelty of it. Native to the Channel Islands, that cabbage grows to heights nearing seven feet tall! How fun would that be? And it's doable here. 'Megaton' would be fun, too. Imagine a cabbage that grows to 22 inches in diameter! If we grow that, we're definitely going to need a bigger garden, because I'm not giving up bean or beet space.
'Tuscan' kale makes the list. I've never grown kale before and I've never eaten it before either, but I want to make some of those kale chips everyone was raving about last summer.
|Purple okra bloom from my 2008 garden
There was a big bag of purple okra seeds in my saved seeds collection. It's been several years since I grew it, so I know the seeds aren't all that fresh. I'll overplant and thin them if I have to. The plants are gorgeous and okra is great to add to vegetable soup.
There are some annual flowers on my list, too. I skipped a year growing calendulas and I missed them. It's such an easy annual to grow and it will self-seed if you let it. Commonly called pot marigold, there are several varieties, and don't you know, I didn't find a single packet in my seed stash. Must buy some.
|Moluccella laevis in my 2008 garden
I might try Bells of Ireland again. I've tried to grow this annual several times and while I get some seedlings, few of them ever make it to a large enough stage to produce those über cool stalks of green bells. Only once did I get to see them in my own garden.
If there's one flower that I've tried unsuccessfully to grow more than any other, it's the elusive Himalayan blue poppy. I bought seeds (again) when I was at Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island last summer. I've never had the privilege of seeing one in bloom in person and it might be that I never will. But I'm willing to give it another go.
Are you going to be trying something new this year?


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Interested in Language
Dear teachers,
Could you please check this letter for clarity?
October the 26th, 2012
Dear Editor
You will find enclosed herewith a manuscript, from original work of the authors, on the area of pyrolysis of biomass to produce bio-oil, one of the most promising alternative sources of energy. In this manuscript, it was given emphasis to the operation and performance of a semi-pilot processing unit able to pyrolyse up to 40 kg/h of biomass. Results showed that this technology can contribute to inserting this product in the global energy matrix.
I would also like to state that all the authors agree that this paper should be submitted to the BioResource Technology Journal and it was not previously submitted to this or any other journal.
Respectfully yours,
Thank you
Last edited by Offroad; 26-Oct-2012 at 18:32.
I assume that your usage of "a semi-pilot processing unit..." is correct, though I don't understand what it is.


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Building Services
- Home
- Facilities Management
- Building Services
The Building Services department is responsible for the daily cleaning and project work in all campus buildings. Other responsibilities include: trash collection and recycling; carpet repairs and new installation; window covering repairs and new installation; chemical maintenance and cleaning; cleaning of university rental units; movement of equipment and furniture within and between campus buildings; set ups required for the support of campus activities and special events; building interior spraying for insects; surplus storage responsibility for university property; upholstery repairs and recovering of furniture used in all campus buildings; snow removal from specified campus locations.
Buildings are cleaned using the following priority list:
- Restrooms
- Classrooms
- Entranceways
- Hallways
- Laboratories
- Offices
- Locker/Changing Rooms
Non-Routine Carpet Cleaning
For office carpet cleaning performed in addition to the once-per-year extraction as part of maintenance, please contact the Physical Plant service desk at 260-481-6832. You will be contacted by the custodial supervisor for your building. If you are not satisfied with our work, please contact the Physical Plant and let us know.
Window Blind Cleaning
We will, as part of our normal maintenance services, dust your window blinds once per year. We will also be the first to tell you that this is not nearly frequently enough to create a clean appearance or healthy environment. However, the cost to actually remove and ultrasonically clean all of our window blinds on campus would be in the range of $100,000 annually. For this reason, we have chosen not to use our resources to provide this service.
Locking and Unlocking Doors
The individual building custodian is responsible for unlocking and locking all building entries on the main campus, as well as select classrooms within the building. Buildings are unlocked by 7:00 AM Monday through Friday. On weekends and holidays, only those buildings scheduled through the campus scheduling office will be unlocked. Actual building lock-up time is agreed to depending on the individual building usage and need.
Our custodial staff will not unlock and provide access to buildings after hours when they are normally secured. The custodial staff will not unlock individual offices for faculty or staff members who have forgotten their keys. This is not our attempt to deny services; it is our attempt to protect the assets of the University.
Indoor Pest Control
This service is provided by Building Services Custodial Section, at our expense. If you have a need for this service, please call the Physical Plant service desk at 260-481-6832, and a time will be scheduled to perform the service.
Recycle Bins
If you are cleaning out excess old papers and old files, extra recycle bins are available on request to meet your needs. Give 24-hour advance notice for your request so that we can provide the best possible service. After you have completed filling the recycle bins, notify the Physical Plant service desk, and Building Services staff will be happy to pick up the filled bins.
Trash Containers
Extra trash containers can be provided for extra trash (non-recyclable).
Contact Building Services
Building Services can be reached at all times for emergencies and planned activities by calling the Facilities Management Office at 260-481-6832.


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ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes most of the ASU Theses and Dissertations from 2011 to present. ASU Theses and Dissertations are available in downloadable PDF format; however, a small percentage of items are under embargo. Information about the dissertations/theses includes degree information, committee members, an abstract, supporting data or media.
In addition to the electronic theses found in the ASU Digital Repository, ASU Theses and Dissertations can be found in the ASU Library Catalog.
Dissertations and Theses granted by Arizona State University are archived and made available through a joint effort of the ASU Graduate College and the ASU Libraries. For more information or questions about this collection contact or visit the Digital Repository ETD Library Guide or contact the ASU Graduate College at firstname.lastname@example.com.
- Wallmueller, Katherine
- Arizona State University
- 1 Niemczyk, Mary
- 1 Nullmeyer, Robert
- 1 Wollert, Matthew Benjamin
- 1 Public
- Autonomy
- 1 Aerospace engineering
- 1 Aircraft
- 1 Aviation
- 1 Pilotless
- 1 Self-Flying
- Reverse Fountain Cytoplasmic Streaming in Rhizopus Oryzae
- Diné Research Practices and Protocols: An Intersectional Paradigm Incorporating Indigenous Feminism, Critical Indigenous Research Methodologies and Diné Knowledge Systems
- Developing an Augmented Reality Solution for Mapping Underground Infrastructure
- Characterization of 2D Human Ankle Stiffness during Postural Balance and Walking for Robot-aided Ankle Rehabilitation
- Using Molecular, Cellular and Bioengineering Approaches Towards Understanding Muscle Stem Cell Biology
The aviation industry is considered to be the safest when it comes to transportation of people and property. The standards by which companies provide air transportation are held are very high. Nevertheless, a shortage in the number of pilots exists and companies must look for ways to meet demands. One of the ways to resolve this issue is to introduce unmanned systems on a broader scale – to transport people and property. The public's perception regarding this issue has not been well documented. This survey identified what the public's attitude is towards the use of these systems. One hundred fifty-seven …
- Contributors
- Wollert, Matthew Benjamin, Niemczyk, Mary, Nullmeyer, Robert, et al.
- Created Date
- 2018


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Senators seek federal review of nursing home trust funds
- USA TODAY investigation revealed cases of theft%2C mismanagement
- At several nursing homes%2C more than %24100%2C000 has been stolen
- Senators calling for action include Bill Nelson and Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON — The chairman of the U.S. Senate Aging Committee requested a federal review Monday to determine whether sufficient oversight is in place to make sure nursing homes properly manage trust funds they are required to maintain to safeguard residents' money.
Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., made the request following a USA TODAY investigation, published last week, which found that thousands of nursing home residents have had their savings stolen or mismanaged while held in the trust accounts. He asked the inspector general at the Department of Health and Human Services to examine whether additional steps are needed to ensure that the funds are handled and protected appropriately.
USA TODAY's story "revealed an alarming number of cases involving unscrupulous and dishonest employees of nursing homes who siphoned, forged, and swindled millions of dollars from the trust fund accounts of unsuspecting and helpless residents," Nelson wrote. He requested that the IG examine "management and oversight" of the trust funds and "recommend corrective actions for any shortcomings."
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, supported Nelson's call for the review.
"I hope the inspector general will … identify solutions to better protect nursing home residents," Grassley, a former Aging Committee chairman, said in a statement. "The solutions might be a combination of state, federal and industry initiatives. In the meantime, the industry should do everything possible to protect the residents who have entrusted the nursing homes with their savings."
Nursing homes and other long-term care providers for the elderly and disabled generally are required to provide and maintain the trust fund accounts for residents who request that the facility handle their money. The funds are supposed to work like conventional bank accounts, with accrued interest, regular statements and reliable oversight.
USA TODAY found more than 1,500 recent cases in which nursing homes have been cited by state and federal regulators for mishandling the funds.
The newspaper identified scores of cases in which employees — usually business or office staff — siphoned huge sums of money from trust accounts, hundreds of thousands of dollars in some instances, for everything from shopping and gambling sprees to routine household expenses. In hundreds more cases, facilities failed to pay interest on the funds, could not account for their holdings, or did not carry adequate insurance to protect the money from loss or theft.
Because the funds are supposed to be insured, residents whose money is stolen or mishandled typically get reimbursed. But USA TODAY's investigation found that the confusion and emotional damage that residents suffer when their savings is mishandled can last well beyond the time that the funds are restored.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the arm of Health and Human Services that regulates nursing homes, does not require audits of the funds — some states have their own audit requirements, but many do not. And, while the nurses and nurse aides who provide nursing home care typically must be licensed or certified by the state and able to pass criminal background checks, the office personnel who handle resident trust funds generally are not subject to such requirements.
"It's difficult not to conclude that there are insufficient safeguards in this nursing home trust fund system," Nelson wrote.
CMS did not respond to requests for comment.
The American Health Care Association, a leading nursing home industry group, said in a written statement that theft and mismanagement of resident funds is not something it sees often, but added that it is "very disappointing" when employees steal from the accounts. The statement noted that facilities are bound by federal rules on how the accounts should be maintained and pointed out that some states and many nursing home owners do audit the funds.
"Even so, it is important for all nursing centers to ensure appropriate checks and balances are in place to guarantee proper management of resident trust funds," the association said. "We support continued efforts to strengthen the regulations and oversight that can prevent bad actors from exploiting the frail and elderly."
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