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305. N. Madison Ave. Eatonton
Sunday, May 5, 2019, at 2:00 p.m.
at The Plaza Arts Center
Speaker: Richard Garrett
Topic: "The World is Georgia: Georgia's Musical Heritage-Historic Recordings 1927-1961"
Georgia and the South made music that conquered the world. Blues, Country, Gospel and Jazz, the invention of centuries of European migration and African slavery, have had a profound influence on the music of yesterday and today. Come to the Sunday at the Museum Lecture, May 5th at The Plaza, to hear historic recordings of a wide range of Georgia musicians and styles, including music from the cultures of Georgia immigrants from Asia, Africa, and Spanish America. Each recording will be accompanied by commentary on the performers and their times. Enjoy a fascinating afternoon of music, famous and forgotten.
Richard Garrett is a collector of 78 rpm and LP records of popular and traditional music from all over the world. His collection dates back over 30 years and contains many rare recordings from the 1910s to the 1960s. A recent transplant to Eatonton, and originally from England, Richard and his wife, Karen, run the Dot2Dot Inn, a bed and breakfast and catering business. Richard also works in higher education as a researcher.
The lecture is free, but donations are appreciated.
(Refreshments after lecture)


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Illinois State Museum Newsroom
Below you will find all the latest news about the Illinois State Museum.
Below you will find all the latest news about the Illinois State Museum.
|Posted by ISM
|Release Date
|Dickson Mounds Seeks Kid Collectors for Jan. 12 Program
|Dickson Mounds
|Monday, December 17, 2018
|Upcoming Programs at Illinois State Museum Research and Collections Center
|Research and Collections Center
|Wednesday, December 12, 2018
|UNTITLED (house) The Diane and Brown Goodwin Collection
|Saturday, December 8, 2018
|New Exhibit: "Harvesting the River: Pearl Buttons" at the Illinois State Museum
|Friday, December 7, 2018
|Santa's Brother to Visit Tot Time on Dec. 6 at Dickson Mounds
|Dickson Mounds
|Monday, November 26, 2018
|Dickson Mounds Hosts Pottery Program for Kids on Dec. 15
|Dickson Mounds
|Monday, November 26, 2018
|New Footbridge at Dickson Mounds to be Celebrated on Dec. 9
|Dickson Mounds
|Monday, November 26, 2018
|Mining Stone: Exploring Cultural Significance of Mines and Quarries in the European Neolithic
|Wednesday, November 21, 2018
|Illinois Holiday History Super Saturday on Dec. 1 at the Illinois State Museum
|Tuesday, November 20, 2018
|Selling the War Exhibit Opens at Dickson Mounds Museum
|Dickson Mounds
|Friday, November 9, 2018

subset: commoncrawl


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Recently on LinkedIn, I read the results of a very small (N=6) study* of the relationship between pay rates for a freelance-writing project and the quality of the writer's final output. The study was sponsored by a company who matches freelance writers with assignments, so this was not a purely academic exercise. And, although their findings weren't surprising, the author's conclusion rings true: "You get what you pay for."
This study segmented the respondent/writers per their level of experience, and then compared the quality of their output. The "beginner's" work required about three times as much copy-editing and contained about seven times as many errors as the "expert's." One of the two [mid-experience-range] "pros" was caught in "significant plagiarism." And while both two participating "experts" submitted their assignments on time, one of the two "beginners" never submitted anything.
So, yes, it's true: you, the buyer, get what you pay for. But now, since we're exploring a transaction, let's now flip our perspective to view this same situation from the supplier's point of view, which might be summed up: "Supplier attitudes are greatly impacted by anticipated compensation."
While the supplier's side of the transaction is not nearly so well-explored, the supplier-side sentiment is hardly original. In fact, a recent email** from the president of a sample company illustrates this point nicely. To build a compelling argument for his company's practice of paying respondents promptly and generously, this president describes his reaction to being paid USD$1.63 to participate (as a respondent) in a 15-minute-long online survey: "People value what they pay for, and I think the opinions and experiences of our patients and caregivers carry more weight than if they had been offered $1.63." But then he adds: "[Our prompt and generous payment] is much appreciated by our panelists. Some certainly don't need it, but others tell us how helpful it is…and all appreciate being respected."
To emphasize: direct compensation is important, but so is a feeling of mutual respect between the client and the supplier.
In a working relationship of mutual respect, over time the walls between "supplier" and "client" dissolve into a seamless client/supplier partnership. Your business problems become their problems, effortlessly keeping both of you up at night. Two heads, applied creatively to a challenging scenario, are more productive than one. And all those annoying disconnects you've been wrestling with, are now being mentally (and electively) wrestled by your supplier as well.
For the supplier/professional, sharing the client's burdens can become a source of joy, because being confident of a client's willingness to both compensate fairly and respect them professionally is about as good as a freelance working relationship could get. And in that working environment, it's not difficult at all for a supplier to move beyond professional duty and fall in love with the client's projects.
The simple truth is that suppliers want to love their projects: the feeling is emblematic of a relationship where professional respect is both given and received. Furthermore, clients should want suppliers to love their projects because in that context, any project-related setback is only a temporary challenge and quitting is not an option. Given the opportunity to choose, a good supplier who loves their client's project will go to the mat for it…
Another truth is that clients have the power to make sure that suppliers love their projects, by compensating them fairly and respecting their professionalism. Simple, but similarly important…. because clients truly do get the suppliers they earn.
About the Author: Laurie Bredenfoerder, MBA, PRC is a veteran independent qualitative market research consultant based in Cincinnati, Ohio. She holds a B.S. in Journalism from Bowling Green State University, an MBA from Xavier University, and a Professional Researcher Certification from the Insights Association. Laurie is a board member of the Insights Association's Great Lakes Chapter, a national committee chairperson for the Qualitative Research Consultants Association, a wife, and a proud mother of a wonderful son. Reach her by email: email@example.com.


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Art director, creative director, music videos, editorial, commercial content. Say hello!Locked Pro Plan feature
Responsible for conceiving, developing, and implementing the artistic vision and focus of the company. Establish and delegate budgets to appropriate teams. Report to the Director & CEO. Ensure all branding is in line with artistic vision. Ensure all site art creative is on brand. Produce all site art creative with professional team, liase with overseas teams.
Work Alongside the Director & DOP in pre-production. Head of Art department, Advise on Costume and Make up, take into account budgetary and physical constraints of the production. Design set & Art Direct according to script, Continuity.
Work closely with the director of overall production & creative interpretation of a dramatic script and/or musical score. Budgets, pre-production, contingency, Take into account budgetary and physical constraints of the production. Design/pre-production of performances & rehearsals through to final performance. Produce, production manage and direct live performance
Styling of celebrity Judges, presenters, all models in the show, Liase with Fashion Director, ensuring all styling in line with show branding. Collaborating with the executive producer, Director, Producer, Hair & make up teams; to ensure on brand for sponsors and network. Ensuring professional attitude on set, time management, communication & professionalism. Sourcing of designers worldwide, Head of wardrobe.
Manage and direct all Art department teams. Liase with all heads of department and board of directors. Directing a team of 20+ efficiently, scheduling, daily tasks set, full production schedule. Attend meetings of the Board, providing regular updates on areas of responsibility and relevant reports as necessary.
Sourcing independent designers worldwide, Merchandising, Social media, Content [digital & visual] online magazine, brand guidelines, Research & source unique, independent designers worldwide. SEO, Advise and produce visual content for social media, web, including product focus, strategy and branding. Design and infiltrate strategic content, focusing on social media, as largest audience builder. All article subjects, format of magazine, art direction, content, social media, all content to relate to website and social.


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Aerosmith's on-going product testing and building code evaluation processes require full panel wall and floor assemblies to be built, tested, and measured for wind and seismic resistance. These steps are done through an independent, third-party certified test lab.
During recent tests, wall sections using Aerosmith pins were being built next to the same type assembly but fastened with screws. One witness to these very different methods of fastening happened to be the lab's V.P. of Testing & Evaluations. Upon seeing comparative 'one to one' installation of both pins and screws his amazement prompted him to take out a stop watch. He timed each application until full panels were completed. His reaction?
"Wow…the pin system is at least 7 times faster than screws and with less 'overdrives'! Incredible!!"
Pinned panels went on to meet/exceed screw fastened sample performance.
"Aerosmith makes our people faster. We are able to produce the same amount of units with two less people."
- Jeff, General Manager of a large vehicle manufacturer
"I use Aerosmith on production when I need to get the work done. There's nothing the guys at (Brand-X) can offer that will touch Aerosmith for speed, durability and production."
- Marco, Production Lead for a major contractor


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Vancouver Island based singer-songwriter Ryan McMahon is returning to Chilliwack at the end of the month, and he'll be packing with him songs from his newest album.
The folk/roots/rock musician recently released his sixth full-length album, In Line For A Smile, and he will be at Acoustic Emporium Folk Club on May 31 with guest Kellen Saip as part of his 'Takes Me Away Tour.'
In Line for a Smile is a collection of songs about the lack of human social connection in the world today, the self-help racket, and the need for the human race to place value on family, friends and the enrichment of relationships.
"The songs are all love letters to those I've known, places I've existed or people I've been," says McMahon. "It's a snapshot of a soon-to-be middle-aged man trying to beat the blues; trying with all his might to not grow up. I'm rambling… I view it as the high-water mark of my career so far. It's the most 'me' I've ever sounded."
McMahon was born in 1979 in Chemainus. The only child of a longshoreman and a future educator, McMahon began entertaining early. Now he has carved out a 20-year career as an independent artist in Canada's vibrant music scene.
With seven releases and six full-length albums under his belt, McMahon has had such a successful and enduring career that one might forget that he's also a member of the popular folk/roots group Lion Bear Fox. Ryan co-founded the group in 2012 with songwriting colleagues Cory Woodward and Christopher Arruda, and the band was immediately named as one of the Top 20 Finalists for the 2013 Peak Performance Project in Vancouver.
"Hats off to the good folks in Chilliwack that have tirelessly given their time and efforts to bringing original music to their community," says McMahon about the May 31 concert. "The Acoustic Emporium is one of the great rooms — feel, sound, vibe — in the Lower Mainland, and Chilliwack is lucky to have it."
Ryan McMahon is at Acoustic Emporium Folk Club (45892 Wellington Ave. — The Vineyard Centre) on Friday, May 31 at 7 p.m. Tickets $20 (students $15) and available at acousticemporium.org.
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Strangles diagnostic testing and outbreak control
Strangles diagnostic testing and outbreak control:
Centre for Equine Infectious Disease (Melbourne University)
- Strangles is caused by Streptococcus equi (S. equi).
- Strangles is the most frequently diagnosed infectious diseases of horses world-wide.
- In Victoria strangles is a notifiable disease under the Livestock Disease Control Act 1994, and must be reported within seven days.
Diagnostic testing
- Antibody testing: (Please call James Gilkerson 03 83449969, or Nino Ficorilli 03 8344 7370). CEID currently offers an ELISA test (developed at the Animal Health Trust in the UK) to determine if horses have been recently exposed to S. equi. Requires two blood samples collected 10-14 days apart.
- Bacteriological testing: (Please call J Gilkerson 03 83449969, or N Ficorilli 03 8344 7370). CEID currently offers bacteriological culture from nasal swab, naso-pharyngeal swab, guttural pouch lavage, or nasal lavage samples to detect infectious S. equi. Polymerase chain reaction testing (developed at the Animal Health Trust in the UK) to detect the presence of S. equi DNA will be available by Christmas 2015. Aspiration of pus from an unburst, abscessed lymph node is the sample of choice from which to culture to make the initial microbiological diagnosis.
Clinical signs of strangles
- Include fever, loss of appetite, depression, coughing, thick nasal discharge and pain, swelling and abscess formation in the lymph nodes under the jaw and in the throat region.
- Not all horses in an outbreak will develop all of these clinical signs.
Treatment of cases of strangles
- Primarily supportive therapy.
- Includes nursing care and anti-inflammatory medication.
Management of strangles outbreaks
- Strict biosecurity policies are recommended to reduce the spread of the disease, including isolation of affected horses, screening in contact horses by blood tests and determining if exposed horses are infectious by bacteriological testing.
James Gilkerson
BVSc, BSc (Vet), PhD
Professor of Veterinary Microbiology
Centre for Equine Infectious Disease


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7-Day Marrakech Excursion with Atlas Mountains
Tour Style: Private Tour (No Join-in Group Tour)
- Taste the local food and try mingling with the locals to learn about the culture in Djemma el Fna in Marrakech
- Breathe some fresh air and hike through some local villages when doing Imlil Trekking in the Atlas Mountain
ItineraryShow/Hide all days
- Day 1
Arrive in Marrakech & Discover the Streets of the Medina
You will be met at exit of Marrakech Airport and transferred to your hotel in Marrakech. Once you settle down, we suggest setting off and exploring Marrakech's Medina. In the evening, be sure to head down to the main square where food stalls, acrobats, snake charmers and story tellers congregate creating an unforgettable atmosphere.
Overnight: Marrakech
- Day 2
Explore Marrakech's Remarkable History
This morning, you will set off a historical walking tour in Marrakech. Along the way, you will learn about the city's remarkable past by visiting the stunning Madersa Ben Youssef, the crumbling Palais El Badi and the imposing Bahia Palace. After a leisurely lunch watching the storks nesting on the ramparts of the ancient city, you will be taken into the different quarters of the souq to see the skilled work by craftsmen.
Overnight: Marrakech
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 3
Experience the Culture of Marrakech on Your Own
Today is free to explore Marrakech. You could stroll around the peaceful Jaardin Majorelle Gardern which is designed by Yves Saint Laurent. In the afternoon, you might want to take a comfortable caleche (horse and cart) tour and see the ramparts. In the evening, you could head back to the frenetic Djemaa el Fna, the city's lively main square, where you can taste some of Marrakech's delicious and watch street performers and snake charmers draw in crowds.
Overnight: Marrakech
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 4
Venture Higher into the Altas Mountains
This morning, you will drive east, heading into the rugged beauty of the High Atlas Mountains. After arriving at your accommodation in the peaceful foothills, you can relax and make use of the facilities, taking a dip in the pool or unwinding with a drink while enjoying the views. Alternatively, you may just wander through the green hills and valleys.
Overnight: Altas Mountains
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 5
Get Acquainted with the Local People of Berber Village
Today you will take a hiking tour to a traditional Berber village, where you can get oriented to the neighborhood and learn about their way of life. Or you might want to visit the Assafou Foundation, which provides free education to children living in those rural communities. You might also get interested in visiting a school where the children are taught and where local women learn skills.
Overnight: Altas Mountains
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 6
Set off Your Own Adventure by Hiking on Altas Mountains
Today is all yours to discover the Altas Mountains. You might want the guide to pick the most suitable hiking trail for your fitness level and interests. You may also walk through a local tradition village markets.
Overnight: Altas Mountains
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 7
Transfer to Marrakech & Departure
Today your private driver transfers you back to Marrakech International Airport in time for your onward flight, a journey around an hour and a half.
Meals: Breakfast
Reviews About Our Service
Any part of this itinerary can be altered to fit your needs, e.g.accommodation, add/skip city, tour length...
- Saadian Tombs
- Saadian Tombs
- Merzouga
- Merzouga
- Medina of Marrakech
- Bahia Palace


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Robert DuBoise
Two Court of Criminal Appeals cases, Leonard and Dansby, have changed the way prosecutors should handle sex offender community supervision. Here's how.
At any given time in our county, and I suspect in yours too, there are multiple defendants on community supervision for sex offenses. Whether the imposition of community supervision resulted from the facts of a particular offense or unique characteristics of either the victim or offender, or it was imposed by the court over the State's objection, prosecutors must remain aware of recent changes in Texas law when attempting to adjudicate a sex offender's community supervision. Headlining these changes is a pair of decisions from the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Leonard v. State1 and more recently, Dansby vs. State.2 To understand the scope of the rulings, a brief review of each case is required.
The Leonard decision
In Leonard, the defendant was indicted for aggravated sexual assault of a child. He pled guilty to injury to a child and was placed on a five years' deferred adjudication community supervision, which included sex offender conditions requiring him, among other things, to:
Submit to sex offender treatment and evaluation as directed by the supervision officer. Attend and participate fully in and successfully complete psychological counseling, treatment, and aftercare sessions for sex offenders with an individual or organization as specified by or approved by the Court or the supervision officer. Pay all costs of evaluation, counseling, treatment, and aftercare. Treatment must be completed within three years of its initiation, with a least one-third of treatment completed each year.
And also:
Must submit to, pay all costs for, and show no deception on any polygraph examination and other diagnostic test or evaluation as directed by the court or supervision officer.3
In Leonard's fourth year of community supervision, the State petitioned the trial court to proceed to adjudication. In its petition, the State alleged three counts:
1) the defendant had been unsuccessfully discharged from sex offender treatment, or alternatively, failed to complete one-third of the sex offender treatment within the first year;
2) the defendant's polygraphs revealed significant criteria indicative of deception; and
3) the defendant failed to pay his fine and supervision fees.4
At the adjudication hearing the State waived the second count (dealing specifically with the polygraph examinations) and the third count (dealing with the failures to pay) and called the defendant's sex offender treatment provider to testify. Over defense objection, the treatment provider testified that he discharged the defendant from sex offender counseling after he failed five polygraph examinations.5 The treatment provider explained that the defendant had failed three earlier polygraphs but then made several admissions and passed. The defendant then failed the next five polygraphs, three of which asked about sexual contact with children, if the defendant had isolated children, if he had sexual contact with children, and if he had committed a sex crime.6 Ultimately, the treatment provider testified that the sole basis of the defendant's dismissal from the program was that the defendant could not pass a polygraph exam, leading the treatment provider to conclude that the defendant was not being truthful and was engaging in "secret-keeping."7 The trial court found the first portion of the count (failure to complete sex offender counseling) true, adjudicated the defendant guilty, and sentenced him to seven years in prison.8
Abuse-of-discretion finding
When the Court of Criminal Appeals began its analysis in Leonard, it initially pointed out that both the court of appeals and the parties framed the issue as one of the admissibility of polygraph exams and whether an expert could base his opinion solely on the results of polygraph exams.9 Correctly framed, according to the Court, the issue was solely whether the trial court abused its discretion in proceeding to adjudication.10
What made this abuse of discretion review different, according to the Court, was that the trial court made a condition of the defendant's community supervision (the completion of sex offender counseling) subject to the discretion of a third party (the treatment provider). In such a case, the determination of whether the trial court abused its discretion necessitated a review of the treatment provider's use of its discretion to ensure that it was used on a basis that was rational and connected to the purposes of community supervision.11 Viewed in this context, the Court opined that if the polygraph results were inadmissible, either on their own or as the underlying basis of an expert's opinion, then the trial court record would not contain any legitimate reason supporting the treatment provider's decision to discharge the defendant, and the trial court abused its discretion in adjudicating the defendant guilty.
The Court first examined the admissibility of polygraph exams as an independent piece of evidence. After a multi-page discussion on the historical inadmissibility of such exams, the Court stood behind its previous decisions that polygraph exams are inadmissible, even in situations where a stipulation of admissibility has been signed by the parties.12
The Court then turned to the issue of whether the polygraph results were admissible as the basis of a testifying expert's (the treatment provider's) opinion. It initially acknowledged that the plain language of Texas Rule of Evidence 703 allows an expert to rely upon inadmissible evidence if it is "of a type reasonably relied upon by experts in the particular field in forming opinions or inferences upon the subject."13 In interpreting the language of Rule 703, the Court decided that the use of the word "reasonably," rather than another word such as "customarily" or "regularly," was an indicator that judicial oversight of the reliability of the underlying facts and data forming the experts opinion was required.14 In short, if the methodology or data underlying the expert's opinion would not survive a Rule 705 hearing, then Rule 703 does not provide a basis to render the opinion admissible.15 Having eliminated the sole basis for the treatment provider's testimony, the Court found that the trial court abused its discretion in adjudicating the defendant guilty.16
The Leonard opinion squarely lays down two rules:
1) polygraph exams are not admissible now, nor will they be in the foreseeable future; and
2) a defendant's failure of a polygraph exam may not serve as the sole basis of a treatment provider's discharge of a defendant from sex offender counseling.
Dansby, the Court's next step
After Leonard, I remember distinctly thinking, "I know Texas law requires that persons on sex offender community supervision are required to have polygraph exams17—even if I'm prohibited from introducing the results at an adjudication hearing, I can at least use the information gained during the polygraph process in the hearing." And then along came the Dansby decision.
In Dansby, the defendant pled guilty to indecency with a child and was placed on five years' deferred adjudication community supervision. At the time of his plea, Dansby was ordered by the trial court to comply with "sex offender terms and conditions." Only that general term was used in open court, and there was no discussion as to what the defendant's obligations would be under those conditions.18 Later that day outside the courtroom, the defendant's general probation conditions were modified through a written document that the defendant signed. The modification document, for the first time, included conditions requiring the defendant to pass a polygraph examination and to successfully complete a sex offender treatment program.19
The defendant complied with the vast majority of his sex offender counseling requirements, including the completion of written screening questionnaires, participation in therapy sessions, and passing polygraphs inquiring about his compliance with his community supervision conditions.20 Issues developed, however, when Dansby was given a sexual history polygraph exam. The defendant refused to talk about any victims other than the one for whom he was on probation, even when told that he could use "generic, non-identifying information."21 As a result of the defendant's failure to complete a sexual history polygraph, his treatment provider discharged him from sex offender counseling.
The State petitioned the trial court to proceed to adjudication alleging that the defendant refused to obtain a sexual history polygraph and failed to attend and successfully complete his sex offender treatment program.22 The defendant entered a plea of "not true" and filed a motion to quash the State's petition, alleging in part that his community supervision conditions violated his right to remain silent and be protected from self-incrimination under both the Texas Constitution and the United States Constitution.23 An adjudication hearing was held, during which the polygraph examiner and defendant's community supervision officer testified. The defendant also testified, stating that he was aware his modified conditions required him to take a sexual history polygraph but that he never agreed to forfeit his Fifth Amendment rights. The trial court adjudicated the defendant guilty and sentenced him to 18 years in prison.24
Dansby's appellate history
Unfortunately, understanding Dansby entails a quick review of its lengthy appellate journey. The Dallas Court of Appeals initially affirmed the trial court's adjudication, declining to reach the merits of the defendant's Fifth Amendment argument.25 In its first bite at the apple, the Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that the court of appeals erred in determining that the defendant's discharge from sex offender treatment was not a product of his invocation of his Fifth Amendment privilege.26 Upon remand, the court of appeals once again affirmed the trial court, finding that the defendant forfeited his Fifth Amendment argument by failing to object to the specific conditions of community supervision at the time they were imposed.27
The CCA's second dance with Dansby
The narrow issue before the Court was whether the defendant was placed on notice that his conditions of community supervision required him to waive his Fifth Amendment constitutional right by having to discuss other victims in a sexual history polygraph exam.28 As an initial matter, the Court quickly disposed of one of the State's primary arguments, that the ability of the defendant to describe his other victims in general, non-identifying terms removes such disclosures from Fifth Amendment protection.29 Having determined that the defendant's Fifth Amendment rights were implicated, the Court then determined:
1) the requirement that a defendant preserve his complaint at the time the community supervision condition is imposed; and
2) the reasons the defendant did not forfeit his complaint in this case.30
The Court then turned its attention to the State's contention that Dansby had waived his right to complain. In doing so, the Court reiterated that the placement of a defendant on community supervision occurs in the form of a contract between the trial court and the defendant.31 If the defendant does not object to a condition of community supervision (except those involving a systemic right or prohibition) at the time of imposition, that condition will be deemed to be affirmatively accepted by the defendant.32
The Court then reviewed each of the ways the court of appeals stated that the defendant was placed on notice that he would have to disclose his sexual history with other victims, namely:
1) his offense report mentioned other victims;
2) during formal court proceedings, the trial court told the defendant he would have to comply with sex offender conditions;
3) outside of formal court proceedings, the trial court modified his conditions to add the polygraph exam requirement and the defendant signed numerous consents during his sex offender treatment agreeing to take polygraphs and disclose his sexual history; and
4) the defendant was constructively aware of statutes regarding sex offender conditions and treatment.33
In reviewing these points, the Court began by stating that the appearance of certain facts in an offense report is immaterial and does not equate to a defendant's waiver of his Fifth Amendment privilege with respect to those facts.34 It then reviewed the formal trial court proceedings at the time of the plea, during which the defendant agreed to comply with sex offender conditions in general, and found that those proceedings did not amount to a waiver of the defendant's Fifth Amendment right with respect to statements about his sexual history with victims other than the complainant.35
In discussing the third basis of notice, the modification of the defendant's community supervision outside of formal court proceedings and his subsequent execution of consents during treatment, the Court determined those insufficient to place the defendant on notice because:
1) the clear language of the modifications did not inform the defendant he would be required to waive his Fifth Amendment rights;36
2) the modification was made outside of formal court proceedings, thereby denying the defendant a right to object and obtain a ruling on any such challenge;37 and
3) the waivers the defendant signed either failed to reflect whether the defendant's attorney was present (with respect to the modification document executed after the plea) or failed to indicate that the defendant understood the consequences of the waivers (with respect to both the modification document and the treatment waivers).38
Finally, with respect to the State's argument that the defendant had constructive notice of his Fifth Amendment waiver due to the statutes describing the requirements for sex offender treatment, the Court held that no law particularly requires a sex offender, such as the defendant, to disclose all of his sexual victims; thereby, the defendant was not on notice that he would be required to waive his Fifth Amendment rights.
In light of the above, the Court remanded the case to the court of appeals for consideration of the defendant's Fifth Amendment violation argument.39 On remand, the court of appeals reversed the trial court and remanded the case for further proceedings and presumably the continuation of the defendant on his community supervision.40
How to proceed
In my review of the holdings, and almost as importantly, the factors considered by the respective courts in reaching those holdings, I've found that making several small changes on the front end greatly enhances a prosecutor's position at an adjudication hearing for defendants on deferred community supervision. These changes are:
Avoid revocations solely based on polygraphs. In both Leonard and Dansby, the defendants were adjudicated solely based on polygraphs. Quite simply, make sure you allege another violation. In 16 years of prosecution, I cannot recall a case where I filed a motion to revoke or petition to proceed to adjudication consisting of a single violation—though I recall several times where the probation department sent over a violation listing a single infraction. When that happens, I comb the defendant's progress notes from the probation department to find and allege other legitimate violations. Under the Texas Administrative Code, sex offender counselors are required to file monthly treatment progress reports with the probation department.41 Review those reports to look for and list other violations.
Have all your paperwork ready at the plea. One of the first things that struck me in Dansby, which I believe played a role in the ultimate reversal of the adjudication, was that the sex offender conditions that contained the obligations to attend, participate in, and successfully complete sex offender counseling and to take a sexual history polygraph were not imposed in open court. Instead, they were done in a modification document after the plea. A defendant has a much harder time avoiding a waiver argument if he was present and had the right to object to the imposition of the conditions in open court but failed to do so. In fact, since Dansby, the Court of Criminal Appeals has already issued one opinion finding a defendant waived his right to challenge his community supervision conditions by not objecting to them at the time of imposition.42
Increase the specificity of conditions so that they provide notice. As I write this, Parker County's current condition imposing sex offender counseling reads:
The defendant shall attend, participate in, and successfully complete a sex offender counseling program with a therapist who is registered with the Interagency Council on Sex Offender Treatment and approved by the Community Supervision Officer. This will include any testing, group sessions, and aftercare prescribed by the counselor, and the defendant will be responsible for the costs for this program.
To guard against the type of notice issues encountered in Dansby, I anticipate that the condition will change in the near future to something along the lines of:
The defendant shall attend, participate in, and successfully complete a sex offender counseling program with a therapist who is registered with the Interagency Council on Sex Offender Treatment and approved by the Community Supervision Officer. Included in this counseling program shall be a comprehensive assessment as required by 22 Texas Administrative Code §810.64(a)–(c), a treatment plan in accordance with 22 Texas Administrative Code Rule §810.64(d)–(e), and any other testing, polygraph examinations, group sessions, and aftercare prescribed by the counselor. The defendant will be responsible for the costs of this program and all testing.
In short, we don't want to leave the slightest doubt in the mind of the trial court or the appellate court that a defendant had any misunderstanding as to the nature and extent of his obligations under the terms of his community supervision.
Consider granting use immunity for information obtained during polygraphs or sex offender counseling. In Dansby, Justice Cochran writes a concurring opinion dedicated to the idea that the simple solution to this quandary is for the prosecution to grant full use immunity (both direct use and derivative use) to a defendant for information obtained during sex offender counseling, including polygraph exams.43 She discusses the status of the law for use immunity in situations where a defendant is compelled to provide incriminating statements as a condition of community supervision, noting that in the Fifth Circuit a defendant does not need any notice of use immunity because the immunity attaches to coerced statements whether the defendant knows it or not.44 Keep in mind, however, that this increased ability to revoke a defendant for less than full compliance with his terms of community supervision, including polygraph exams, must be weighed against the cost of possibly granting a "free pass" for other criminal acts disclosed by a defendant.
Our obligation as prosecutors is to get it right—to seek justice above all else. Sometimes that means placing a sex offender on community supervision and giving him a chance at rehabilitation outside the penal system. When a defendant does not (or will not) take advantage of the resources provided, he may present a continuing danger to the community. In that circumstance, let's make sure that the adjudication hearing is done once and done correctly. Keeping focused on the factors outlined by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in Leonard and Dansby will help us achieve that goal.
1 Leonard v. State, 385 S.W.3d 57 (Tex.Crim. App. 2012).
2 Dansby v. State, 448 S.W.3d 441 (Tex. Crim. App. 2014).
3 Leonard, 385 S.W.3d at 572.
4 Id., at 572-573.
5 Id., at 573.
6 Ibid.
7 Ibid.
8 Id., at 574
9 Id., at 576
10 Ibid.
11 Id., at 577 (citing Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 42.12 §11(a)("The judge may impose any reasonable condition that is designed to protect or restore the victim, or punish, rehabilitate, or reform the defendant").
12 Id., at 581 (citing Romero v. State, 493 S.W.2d 206, 213 (Tex. Crim. App. 1973).
13 Id., at 581-582 (citing Tex. R. Evid. 703).
14 Id. at 582.
15 Ibid.
16 Id. at 583.
17 See 22 Tex. Admin. Code §810.68(3)("Autobiographies, sexual history polygraphs, offense reports, interviews, and cognitive-behavioral chains shall be used to identify antecedents to offending"); see also 22 Tex. Admin. Code §810.64(d)(17)("Licensees should refer the client for a polygraph exam as soon as possible if the client is suspected of engaging in suppression behaviors on the [penile plethysmograph]").
18 Dansby v. State, 448 S.W.3d 441, 444 (Tex. Crim. App. 2014).
19 Ibid.
20 Ibid.
21 Id. at 445.
22 Ibid.
23 Ibid.
24 Ibid.
25 Id. at 446 (citing Dansby v. State, No. 05-10-00866-CR, 2012 WL 1150530, at *5 (Tex.App.—Dallas, April 9, 2012)).
26 Ibid (citing Dansby v. State, 398 S.W.3d 233, 234 (Tex. Crim. App. 2013)).
27 Ibid (citing Dansby v. State, No. 05-10-00866-CR, 2014 WL 259014 at *4 (Tex.App.—Dallas January 22, 2014)).
28 Ibid.
29 Ibid. (citing Chapman v. State, 115 S.W.3d 1, 5-6 (Tex. Crim. App. 2003).
30 Id. at 447.
31 Ibid. (citing Speth vs. State, 6 S.W.3d 530, 534-35 (Tex. Crim. App. 1999)).
32 Ibid. (citing Speth, 6 S.W.3d at 534).
33 Id. at 448.
34 Ibid.
35 Id. at 449.
36 Id. at 450.
37 Ibid.
38 Id. at 451.
39 Id. at 452
40 Dansby v. State, No. 05-10-00866-CR, 2015 WL 3657749 at *7 (Tex.App.—Dallas June 15, 2015, 2014)).
41 See 22 Tex. Admin. Code §810.64(d)(7)("Monthly treatment progress reports shall be distributed to the supervision officer, referring agency, and/or court").
42 Donovan v. State, No. PD-0474-14, 2015 WL 4040599 at *3 (Tex. Crim. App. July 1, 2015)(not designated for publication).
43 Dansby, 448 S.W.3d at 452.
44 Id. at 454 (citing Guiden v. McCorkle, 680 F.2d 1070, 1071 (5th Cir. 1982)).


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Add to Cart
Knit in all 21 colors of soft and springy Woolstok by Blue Sky Fibers! This fun and colorful mitt pattern is offered in both a short cuff and a long cuff version. You will want to wear them for both warmth and style!
Included Materials: Yarn
Woolstok (100% Fine Highland Wool; 50g/123yds): 1 full-size hank
Woolstok (100% Fine Highland Wool; 5g/12yds): 20 mini hanks (1 of each color other than 1 full size hank)
Not Included: Needles and Other Tools
Size 4 (3.5mm) double point needles
Size 5 (3.75mm) double point needles, or size needed to obtain gauge
Removable Stitch Marker
Tapestry Needle
Pattern Information:
Skill Level: advanced beginner
Gauge: 24 sts and 31 rows = 4" in Stockinette, using largest needles
Size: One size
Finished Measurements: 8" circumference; 12.75" height (long cuffs), 10.25" height (short cuffs)
Yarn Information:
Weight: Worsted
Yardage: 1 full-size hank, 123 yards; 20 mini hanks, 12 yards each
Unit Weight: 1 full-size hank, 50 grams; 20 mini hanks, 5 grams each
Fibers: 100% Fine Highland Wool
Texture: Plied


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Columbia TriStar Home Video presents
"Gotta get some whiskey. If I don't get whiskey soon, I'm gonna DIE!"
DVD ReviewIn the early 1990s, the praise heaped on movies like Dances With Wolves and Unforgiven talked all about the renaissance of the Western, a genre that fell on hard times there for a while. Well, for something to have a renaissance, a rebirth, it has to die first. And with this movie we have a fairly good instance of the Western giving off a death rattle, a pretty tired and lazy version of the American mythology—goodness knows we're a long way from Stagecoach, or even the revisionist Westerns of Sam Peckinpah from the 1960s. The Mountain Men pretty much boils down to a couple of old codgers chewing the scenery, wearing beaver hats, and prefacing most of their pronouncements with the words "Looky here."
The title characters are played by Charlton Heston and Brian Keith, who as Bill Tyler and Henry Frapp are just about interchangeable, but for the fact that the latter has a fouler mouth. They're beaver trappers at a time when the beaver pelt market is going to hell in a handbasket, as silk is all the rage, driving down the price of their goods. This is a movie in which every entrance of a Native American character is preceded by a whooping cry of: "Injuns!" And there are good ones and bad ones—the Crows are with the white men, the Blackfeet are agin 'em, and Tyler and Henry more than once get caught in the crossfire between the two tribes, who hate each other. The Blackfeet are portrayed as crazed, bloodthirsty savages, eager to scalp the white man, and so it's trouble when, in battle, Tyler inadvertently saves the life of Running Moon (Victoria Racimo), a Blackfoot sold into marriage to the hateful Heavy Eagle (Stephen Macht).
Henry disappears, conveniently, long enough for Tyler and Running Moon to have a proper courtship over meals of roasted moose meat. (This is not a movie to look to for dating tips.) Heavy Eagle wants his woman back, however, and is prepared to kill Tyler to get her. As you might surmise, the portrayal of the Native Americans isn't an especially flattering one, and while I don't want to be any sort of politically correct policeperson, it's hard not to wince at the depictions of these smoke-'em-peace-pipe "Injuns."
There is some fine scenery here, and a couple of startling images, such as Tyler waging battle with some wolves over a precious buffalo carcass—it's downright Darwinian, especially in the ravages of a Rocky Mountain winter. But mostly it's hard to figure that this was made in 1980, the year of movies like Raging Bull and Ordinary People; completely lacking in nuance, The Mountain Men seems strangely retro, a product almost of a previous generation. Part of that is the two leading men, both of whom are hamstrung by absurd cosmetic facial hair. Heston is fairly stalwart as Tyler, though his natural woodenness makes the love story rather stilted; and when Keith is on screen, it's almost another movie, one about a couple of old rapscallions rather than a tepid tale of interracial prairie romance. (Neither of those narrative strains is especially galvanizing, but I admit to taking a certain pleasure in hearing Uncle Bill from Family Affair cursing a blue streak.) Keith and Heston seem to be having a fair enough time, but there's only so much you can do when the best lines read like this: "Henry, you ain't got the brains God gave geese."
Racimo does her best in a thankless part as the noble savage, the woman fought over so fiercely. John Glover has a pretty fair, brief turn early on as a Massachusetts man intent on starting cross-continental commerce, to the guffaws of the mountain men; he just ups and disappears after thirty minutes, to the film's detriment. Also in the cast is Seymour Cassel as a foul-mouthed Frenchman on the frontier, sporting an absurd, Pepe Le Pew accent.
Rating for Style: C-
Rating for Substance: C
Image Transfer
Image Transfer Review: The original widescreen image is pretty well savaged in this pan-and-scan-only release. Wide shots with three characters�and there are a number of them�suffer the worst, with one of the actors being just lopped right off of the image. Insult to injury: the print is in poor shape, and doesn't seem to have been improved much for DVD. Grain, grain go away�lots of it here, along with scratches, debris and badly faded colors.
Image Transfer Grade: D
Audio Transfer
Audio Transfer Review: The balance between the soundtrack and dialogue is seriously out of whack, with the obvious score cranked up to the point where it frequently overwhelms the action. Other than those unfortunate moments, the dialogue tracks are reasonably clear.
Audio Transfer Grade: C
Disc ExtrasStatic menu
Scene Access with 28 cues and remote access
Subtitles/Captions in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Thai with remote access
2 Other Trailer(s) featuring Legends of the Fall, Geronimo: An American Legend
Packaging: Amaray
Picture Disc
1 Disc
1-Sided disc(s)
Layers: single
Extras Review: Columbia's typically healthy menu of subtitles and trailers for two more recent Westerns are the only extras on the disc.
Extras Grade: D
Final CommentsA slapdash video presentation doesn't help to make a persuasive case for this movie, which isn't a stellar bit of filmmaking to begin with. See it if you're desperately in need of a Rocky Mountain high; otherwise, you'll find better Westerns and better work from Heston elsewhere.
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Contact info
Need more information on angling in Oregon? Want to know how you can help future anglers? For answers to these or any other questions you may have, please fill out the contact form or mail us at the address below.
Oregon Coast Anglers
PO Box 584
Reedsport, OR 97467


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Find Us
Exit the M6 at Junction 35 and take the A601 for Carnforth. In 1 mile turn left at roundabout (35A) for Carnforth (Truckhaven on left, Pine Lake on right).
1. In 1 mile turn right at traffic lights in centre of Carnforth, signposted Silverdale. In 1 mile turn sharp left into Sands Lane, signposted Silverdale.
2. In 2.4 miles go over an automatic level crossing, continue for 0.3 miles to 'T' Junction.
3. Turn right following 'Holgates' signpost.
4. In 1 mile bear left following 'Holgates' and 'Silverdale' signposts (by bus shelter / phone box).
5. In 0.5 mile turn right into Cove Road following 'Holgates' signpost.
6. In 0.7 mile you will pass Holgates' Silverdale Holiday Park on your right, continue on this road approximately 1 mile and take the second left hand turning you will see Hollins Farm signposted on your left.
Please Note: Sat Nav will take you down the first turning on the left before Hollins Farm which is not correct, follow the above directions.
You can see Silverdale Holiday Park from Hollins Farm which is just a few minutes walk.
Contact Us:
Hollins Farm Holiday Park
Far Arnside
Near Carnforth
Phone: 01524 701508


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Alan Page does not shy away from tough questions. As lead author of "How We Test Software at Microsoft" and host of the podcast ABTesting, this "angry weasel" and former Microsofter has been blogging about testing since the days of Windows CE. He often takes a provocative approach to automation and has compiled some of his essays in the book "The 'A' Word: Under the Covers of Test Automation." Page is now the Director of Quality for Services at Unity Technologies, a game development platform.
Q: Can you explain what Modern Testing means to you in five sentences? How about five words?
Alan Page: If I can use six words, I'll quote the Modern Testing Mission: "Accelerate the achievement of shippable quality."
The five-sentence version:
At the basic level, Modern Testing is a natural evolution of Agile Testing — with a few important differences, (or evolutions). One important aspect is that modern testers dive deep into customer usage data and use that to drive quality throughout the team. Another key aspect is that while agile testing promotes whole team testing and whole team quality, this doesn't always happen. In Modern Testing, everyone truly owns quality and everyone truly does testing. In fact, modern testers frequently spend less time testing than their Agile and Traditional peers and more time coaching others on the team how to write great tests, and how to do great testing.
Q: One of your pinned tweets says: "If you want to be a better tester and be an expert in testing, do not even bother learning to write test automation." You have also said that technical skills are becoming critical knowledge. How do you reconcile this?
AP: The testing industry has confused "technical" and "automation." I frequently see "technical," "automation," and "UI automation" used synonymously.
Testers absolutely need to continue to be technical and continuously grow their technical skills in order to provide value to their teams. But, I think writing automation, especially UI automation, is a horrible way to learn and exercise those technical skills.
I've written production code that's shipped inside of several versions of Windows, and Xbox One. By far, the most delicate, and difficult code I've ever had to write has been UI Automation — yet we think this is a good starting point for testers who want to become "more technical." It's just a horrible place to start.
Instead, testers should focus on other technical skills. Testers should learn tools like Postman, Wireshark, and Docker. They should be able to write code to aid their testing and make their work more efficient. They should be comfortable with the systems and tools used by the dev team and know how to add new gates to continuous integration (CI) systems.
Q: Has working at Unity changed anything about your gaming habits? With a Master's degree in music composition, do you ever work with the artists or developers on the music in games?
AP: I've always been a gamer. I played a lot of Xbox One games and Xbox games in general while working on that team from 2011 through 2013. I still play games for an hour or two a week, and working at Unity hasn't really changed that. I do think it's pretty cool when I see a Unity logo pop up on a game that I enjoy playing. It's cool to work on products that impact so many people.
Unity makes the game engine and development platform that game developers use to make games, so there's no direct opportunity for me to work with game developers or artists — but if/when I write my own game using Unity, I'll definitely write my own music!
Q: Why do you think coaching is a skill for testers and other quality professionals?
AP: I think it makes sense. If the whole team owns quality, having a role that includes coaching developers to become better testers is essential.
I've run into some testers who think that testing is a special skill that developers are unable to learn due to their mindset, or background. But what I've learned is that teaching developers to test, and getting developers to take on creative testing tasks, isn't that difficult. But, it does require an investment in coaching, teaching, and mentoring to get the results that enable developers to become good (or great) testers.
Q: As independent test groups fade in favor of testers embedded in the development teams, some headlines seem to have misinterpreted this as "QA is dead." How would you respond to this?
AP: The King is dead, long live the King.
The whole "X is Dead" thing is about change more than the death of an industry or craft. The way teams approach the quality and testing is changing — but it's happening because of the way most software is developed and shipped is changing.
In some cases, I guess a change may be big enough that it may seem like a different thing (with the old thing being "dead") — but it's just change. And we all should embrace this change rather than resist it.
Alan Page will provide more insight into Modern Testing with his talk "Adventures in Modern Testing" at PNSQC this year. He will also give more tips about Postman, Wireshark and other essential testing tools with a Wednesday workshop "Testing Today's Web Applications: Tools You Can Use."


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You may notice, in giving a visit to this blog, that some additional content has appeared. The landing page, as always, has my latest news. About Dale Amidei has been augmented with a bibliography, additional contact information and a new email address. Additional links to other places where I and my titles have enjoyed a feature are there as well. Please grace those hosts with a visit!
Available Titles and In the Works highlight my extant and preview upcoming novels, while FAQs and the Tip Jar round out the content migrating over from my previous home page. As always, links to my retail outlets appear on the sidebar. This site will be my online home for a while. Subscribe, enjoy and settle in. I'm glad you're here.
In production news, Boone's third and my seventh, second-longest novel passed Content Edit over the weekend. One Last Scent of Jasmine is now undergoing scrutiny by the Editress in the throes of the Main Edit, and shall be until sometime in the coming winter. God willing, Boone's tussle with elements of our own government will be available for the deep, dark nights of a warmly snuggled reading season.
A reminder also that Daniel Sean Ritter's Romeo Down: A Short Story, and Boone's debut, Absinthe and Chocolate, are finalists in public voting at the 2015 EFestival of Words Best of the Independent EBook Awards. Thanks in advance of your trouble to register, vote, and support them for Best Thriller and Best Short Story!
As always, stay safe and sane and Choose to Love. -DA


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For red emitting devices, around 637 nm an output power up to about 1 W is achieved, limited by the properties of the semiconductor material. Devices emitting in the longer wavelength range around 1000 nm reach output powers up to 15 W. For all the above manufactured diode lasers about 80% of the emitted laser light is within the diffraction limited central lobe. Here, e.g. 10 W diffraction limited power was measured.
The devices are successfully implemented into experiments for non-linear frequency conversion, e.g. SHG and the pumping of an OPO, as an excitation source for absorption spectroscopy, as pump source for fs-lasers, and their emission is efficiently coupled into single mode fibers.