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Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people are over-represented in foster care, juvenile justice systems and homeless settings. These youth face the prospect of neglect, discrimination and abuse by the child welfare systems charged to protect them. Inappropriate placements and a lack of understanding of the needs of LGBTQ youth also endanger their health and safety. They are at risk of physical violence, substance abuse, unsafe sex and even suicide.
Lambda Legal's Youth in Out-of Home Care Project raises awareness and advances reform on behalf of LGBTQ youth in child welfare, juvenile justice and homeless systems of care. We aim to increase the will and capacity of youth-serving organizations to prepare and support LGBTQ youth as they transition from adolescence to independence. We work with LGBTQ youth as well as social workers, case managers, administrators and other child welfare advocates to ensure safe and affirming child welfare services for LGBTQ youth.
For more information about Lambda Legal's Youth in Out-of-Home Care Project, see our fact sheet:
In English – Youth in Out-of-Home Care Project
In Spanish – Proyecto de Jóvenes LGBTQ que Viven Fuera de Casa
Know Your Rights / Legal Assistance Helpline
Youth in foster care or juvenile justice systems who are LGBTQ or living with HIV have basic rights. Read about them here. To seek help for a young person who has experienced discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or HIV status, inquire with us online.
Lambda Legal has released a number of publications addressing the challenges faced by LGBTQ youth in out-of-home care and providing practice recommendations for policymakers and child welfare professionals. These publications have been issued both independently as well as in collaboration with co-authoring child welfare experts and advocates. You can download our publications, or order them free of charge.
Other Resources
Lambda Legal has compiled lists of state and national resources for LGBTQ young people, both in and out of care.


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2010 Climbing School student starting a rappel at the Playground near White Rock.
Courtesy/LA Mountaineers
LA MOUNTAINEERS News:
Many people learn how to rock climb the hard way. If you ask them how they learned to climb, their answers might include "my buddy, Ernie," "it was a great day, but," and "the best thing in my life."
You may also hear phrases like "but I kept at it anyway," "after that I went back and bought better (shoes, harness, rope)," and "we didn't really know what we were doing, but we had a great time and we're still alive."
Though seat-of-the-pants and trial-by-fire work for some intrepid souls, most would prefer less struggle and better results, as offered by the long-running Los Alamos Mountaineers' Rock Climbing School.
The course is targeted at those who are curious about what rock climbing, who love the outdoors and who want to expand into new adventures.
The 2013 school runs from March 26 through May 4, with an application deadline March 17. Teams of experienced local climbers will teach students what they need to be competent and safe on the high-angle out-of doors.
Skills are introduced in the classroom, and practiced in local venues near Los Alamos and White Rock.
The school is also a place to meet others with similar interests. Students range in age from 18 to over 60, and include beginning climbers with no experience and veterans seeking a refresher. Also, 16 and 17-year olds can take part if a parent/guardian is present.
The $185 fee (plus dues) includes more than 45 hours of discussion, lectures and practice on the rock and in the gym.
The course culminates with a day-long graduation climb on crags near Tres Piedras or El Rito that involves multiple pitches, climbing to an intermediate point and anchoring for the stage upward.
Students must purchase their own harness and are encouraged to furnish their own climbing shoes and helmets.
The Los Alamos Mountaineers have trained hundreds of climbers in its 60-year history. The club membership that comes with the school opens the door to dozens of volunteer-led adventures.
In 2012, trips were as far-flung as Nepal and Mexico and as varied as a Sunday walk on country trails, a week rappelling down canyons in Zion, or a mountaineering weekend in Colorado.
For more information, see the Mountaineers' website (http://lamountaineers.org/zSCHOOL.html) or contact the 2013 Climbing School Directors, Steve Reneau and Lorrie Bonds Lopez at firstname.lastname@example.com.
'Learning the ropes' at a Saturday session of the 2012 Climbing School above a cliff called the Gallows Edge. Courtesy/LA Mountaineers
Kate Kettering arrives at the top of a cliff near Pajarito Acres during the 2012 Los Alamos Mountaineers Climbing School. Courtesy/LA Mountaineers
Peggy Reneau climbing on Graduation day for the 2011 Climbing School near El Rito. Courtesy/LA Mountaineers
Student in 2012 the Climbing School at Gallows Edge near White Rock. Courtesy/LA Mountaineers

subset: commoncrawl


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Sometimes I just want a donut. And sometimes I give into that craving. And most of those times, I feel icky after eating one. Perhaps it's the type of donut I've chosen. Or maybe it's the guilt I often associate with eating foods that are not "good for me". I once drove for miles on highway 99E in search of a donut shop. Didn't there used to be lots of donut shops in the world? They seem to be disappearing, perhaps replaced by Starbucks, McDonald's and Taco Bell's. At any rate, I've been having a love-hate relationship with donuts, of late.
After driving south on 99E from Portland, through Milwaukie, Gladstone and practically to Oregon City, I finally found Heavenly Donuts. My expectations were high. Anything named "heavenly" should be, in my mind, out of this world. These donuts should taste like God made them, right? Or angels, at the very least.
With my sugar junkie adrenalin pumping, I entered the shop. Nerves and guilt were starting to overtake me. What was I doing? Why did I drive all this way for a donut? These things better be worth it. I scanned the display case. Disappointment creeping in now, as there was not much of a selection. Just the usual suspects; cake, glazed, chocolate covered, maple bars and some really greasy looking apple fritters. Well, I can't leave now. I should have, but I drove all this way. I'm obligated to buy not one, but two of these things. And I did. I purchased an apple fritter and a cinnamon swirl raised sort of affair. Then I made a mad dash for my car, where I sat and consumed these sins.
God did not make these donuts. Nor did angels. Hell, I'm sure if the Devil himself made these donuts, they would have tasted much better. No, I'm pretty sure these donuts were made by the Hispanic gentleman behind the counter. No offense to him at all, but these were not donuts worth making a special trip for. In fact, I'm pretty sure the donuts at Safeway might be a little better. Either I'm waxing nostalgic for the donuts of my youth, or there are no special donuts in the Portland vicinity.
All this being said, I have found a substitute sweet morsel that comes close to a donut without as much guilt attached to it. I recently purchased a Williams-Sonoma cookbook simply entitled "Muffins". And in that book there is a recipe for Cinnamon-Buttermilk Muffins. And surprise! They taste like Buttermilk Bars. No kidding. You know the kind of donut I'm talking about? Kind of shorter and fatter than a Maple Bar, with that buttermilk tang and glaze.
It is my pleasure to share with you what I now call my Donut Muffin recipe. It could save you a trip searching the streets for a donut shop. Or maybe that's just me.
From the Williams-Sonoma book
7 tablespoons (3 ½ oz / 105 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup (5 oz / 155 g) sugar
1 large egg
1 ½ cups (7 ½ oz / 235 g) all-purpose (plain) flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg IF YOU ONLY HAVE GROUND NUTMEG IT WORKS JUST AS WELL.
½ cup (4 fl oz / 125 ml) buttermilk
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract (essence)
2/3 cup (5 oz / 155 g) sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons (3 oz / 90 g) unsalted butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 350° F (180° C). Grease 9 standard muffin cups with butter or butter flavored non-stick spray; fill the unused cups one-third full with water to prevent warping.
To make the muffins, in a bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, beating well until pale and smooth.
In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Add to the butter mixture in 2 increments, alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla. Stir just until evenly moistened. The batter will be slightly lumpy.
Spoon the batter into each muffin cup, filling it three-fourths full. Bake until golden, dry and springy to the touch, 20 -25 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin should come out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Unmold the muffins and let stand until cool enough to handle.
To make the topping, stir together the sugar and cinnamon in a small, shallow bowl. Have ready the melted butter in another small bowl. Holding the bottom of a muffin, dip the top into the melted butter, turning to coat it evenly. Immediately dip the top in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, coating it evenly, then tapping it to remove excess sugar. Transfer to the rack, right side up. Repeat with the remaining muffins (DUH). Let cool completely before serving.
It just occurred to me as I was writing this post, you could totally substitute a simple powdered sugar and milk glaze for the cinnamon sugar, for a true Buttermilk Bar effect.
Next time!


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This is one of the more vicious hit pieces on Obama I have seen - a timeline of his "career". Geez, look at all the empty boxes punctuated by the occasional speech or new book about Obama. Let's elect him President quickly so he has something to put on his resume and can write another book about himself.
YOU SEE RIGHT THROUGH ME: OK, I 'fess up - seeing Obama as Director of the Developing Communities Project from 1985 to 1988 is not news to me but it graphically illustrates the point I have been making about his initial alliance with Thomas and Bill Ayers in the ABCs coalition back in 1987. Note the Developing Communities Project as a member of the ABCs coalition coordinated by Bill Ayers. The goal was public school reform, just as with the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, but Ayers did not simply pick Obama's name out of a hat when Obama was made chairman of the Challenge back in 1995 - Ayers had known him for years.
Interestingly, not even the new right wing attack group seems to know this. Yet.
MORE: Let's help fill in the blank boxes on Obama's timeline:
During the months of May and June 1988, ABC'S carried out a legislative strategy that one Republican legislator called "the most effective grassroots lobbying campaign I have ever seen.
School would not start for Obama at Harvard until late August or September. However, per "Dreams From My Father" (p 290) we see that Barack planned to leave his directorship at the Developing Communities Project in May of 1998. But on p. 289 he tells us that
"The months passed at a breathless pace, with constant reminders of all the things left undone. We worked with a citywide coalition in support of school reform."
I doubt the ABC's Coalition sprang into being in June 1988 and pulled off such an effective grassroots operation. Per this detailed history (p. 20) the ABCs Coalition formed in March of 1988. More background:
A bitter month-long school strike disrupted the opening of school in fall 1987, spurring parent and community groups to demand not only an end to the school strike, but also radical change in how the school system operated. After the strike was settled, Mayor Harold Washington convened an Education Summit that included many CURE supporters, along with business leaders sympathetic to radical decentralization.
The Education Summit spawned the broader Alliance for Better Chicago Schools (known as the ABC'S Coalition) and brought together parent, community, and business leaders around a common reform agenda. The reform movement now comprised Chicago grassroots activists from every racial and ethnic background and virtually every Chicago neighborhood, including both multi-issue community organizations and groups that focused solely on school reform.
Washington died in November 1987; this account says the ABC's Coalition formed in "the middle" of 1988:
Mayor Washington revived the summit process, but died shortly afterward. By the middle of 1988 it became clear to Chicago business that Washington's summit was not going to produce the kind of changes that they felt needed to be made. Three summit subgroups were preparing legislation to be considered in Springfield. Chicago United responded by forming a business/community advocacy coalition called the Alliance for Better Chicago Schools (ABCs Coalition). The goal of this coalition was to draft a consensus school reform bill.
The proposal hammered out at the summit was presented at the end of March 1998 and went nowhere, apparently. The timing is certainly close enough that an enterprising reporter ought to ask for a clarification from the Obama campaign. As if.
AYERS IN CHICAGO: A 1990 Chicago Reader profile of Bill Ayers includes this about his entry into school reform:
Few members of the school reform movement can say for certain when it was that they first met Ayers. It was as though one day they looked and he was there.
That would have been late 1987, in the aftermath of a debilitating 21-day teacher strike that enraged parents and inspired them to demand immediate change.
By then Ayers had moved to Hyde Park and was working at UIC.
"I arrived just as the movement was picking up," says Ayers. "I was immediately intrigued. I started attending different meetings. I couldn't stay away."
Some of his new allies knew nothing about his background; those who did didn't care. He was friendly and personable. He was liked by virtually everyone he met.
...It was at Sabin that he met Lourdes Monteagudo, then the school's principal. On the south side he met Coretta McFerren, leader of a group called the People's Coalition for Educational Reform.
"I love Bill; I truly think of him as my brother," says McFerren. "I don't agree with everything he says. ...
McFerren and others invited Ayers to meetings of the Alliance for Better Chicago Schools, a coalition that includes members of Hispanic, business, black, and civic organizations. He started attending the group's monthly meetings, held over breakfasts of eggs, sausage, rolls, fruit, and coffee in a conference room on the 57th floor of First National Bank's downtown headquarters.
In many ways, Ayers's philosophy was ideal for ABCs. The targets of his criticism--central office bureaucrats and ineffective classroom teachers--were not members of the coalition. For ABCs' members he had almost nothing but praise.
Within a few weeks, the group named Ayers convener, which means he runs their meetings.
"He plays a good role because he listens to what everyone is saying," says Laurie Glenn, a member of the coalition. "That's important with a group like ABCs, which has so many divergent interests and so many members who want to talk."
"If necessary, I'll let everyone talk until they are exhausted," Ayers adds. "The meetings go on a little long, but it doesn't matter so long as people feel they've had their say."
Can anyone muster a date out of that? Let's say that Bil Ayers may well have been chairing meetings by April or May of 1988, leaving plenty of time for him to have met Barack.


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The lead players are calling their effort a "next generation CLEC," a managed services local exchange carrier able to provide a full range of IP voice, security, VPN, and Internet services nationwide
The deal should come together in August, when managed IP communications services provider MegaPath merges with national integrated voice-and-data-communications provider Covad Communications Company. At the same time, the combined entity will acquire Speakeasy, a Best Buy company. Speakeasy is a leading VoIP, data, and IT service provider.
"This really allows us to combine ourselves into a single business, so we can better serve our customers," said MegaPath Chairman and CEO Craig Young.
The new arrangement between the three companies could help to create critical mass, Young said. Speakeasy has some 30,000 seats, Covad another 30,000 and MegaPath serves 12,000 to 15,000. Speakeasy in particular has put a solid footprint in the dirt.
"They have been in the market with a hosted VoIP product for the last couple of years, so they have a bit of a hard start," Young said. "It's not just being launched. They have feet on the street across the United States."
With a network of some 8,000 channel partners, Speakeasy already has built a substantial roster of small business customers. Best Buy bought the company in 2007 and will continue to be a minority investor, Young said.
The three partners come to the effort from different perspectives. Speakeasy beings small-business expertise, while Covad delivers an intelligent broadband services platform. MegaPath brings experience in the delivery of hosted IP services.
Young said he is counting on a pair of fortuitous technical overlaps to help make the gears mesh as smoothly as possible during the transition.
First, the three companies all operate on the BroadSoft VoIP platform. "They both have the same platform that we are running, so that should make things go smoothly," Young said.
At the same time, there is another significant overlap, in that both Speakeasy and BroadSoft already are deeply integrated into Covad systems. About 80 percent of Speakeasy traffic passes through Covad, as does 40 percent of MegaPath traffic, Young said. "Since they are already electronically bonded, that makes integration less risky and less complicated."
As systems integration moves forward, the principles also will be integrating their various enterprises.
The wholesale arm will continue to operate as Covad Communications, while Speakeasy will take responsibility for all non-wholesale business. Young will continue as executive chairman of the combined businesses.
Young has a track record of shepherding companies through similar growth spurts. He was appointed vice chairman and president at AT&T Canada at the time of the $3.5 billion merger of MetroNet Communications with AT&T Canada. He was president and COO of Brooks Fiber, a pioneer local exchange carrier that was acquired by WorldCom for approximately $3 billion.
With their unique capabilities, the partners here could forge what Young is calling a first: The ability to provide a full suite of hosted services in an entirely IP environment.
"Other people, the AT&Ts and the Verizons, do they have similar products in their portfolios? Yes they do," he said. "They thing they don't have is a pure IP network. They still have analog networks, TDM switches. They can't provide full IP services across their customer base. That's what everyone is trying to get to and now we have it."
In order to get to that point, MegaPath has cobbled together operating agreements with 41 partners nationwide.
Looking ahead, Young said he envisions this latest cooperative effort as being more than just a way to expand services and build a customer base. If all goes as planned, the longer-term picture is to use the combined efforts of these three partners as a jumping-off point for future acquisitions.
"When you put them together it gives you a very compelling product offering and a service offering. There is more product, more distribution and more facilities. The main thing, though, is that it gives us a platform, a way to roll up other small VoIP companies who have been playing in the VPN space for five years and don't really have any place to go.
"We'll have our hand out to a lot of those folks to ask if they want us to join us going forward," he said. "To do that you need presence around the country, you need size and reach and product. Now we'll be able to give them all that in a bigger company that they can join."


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A nurse who fell victim to a prank telephone call seeking information about the Duchess of Cambridge's pregnancy has died, a hospital said Friday.
Jacintha Saldanha, 46, was found dead early Friday at apartments affiliated with King Edward VII hospital in central London, where she worked for four years.
The death is being treated as unexplained, but police did not find anything suspicious. It will be up to a coroner to decide how she died.
2DayFM, the Australian station that performed the prank early Tuesday, said in a statement posted on Facebook and Twitter that two disc jockeys, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, would not return to the station until further notice. They had apologized for the hoax Wednesday.
Saldanha took the hoax call by the pair, who impersonated Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles to elicit information on the duchess, the hospital said. Saldanha later transferred the call to the nurse caring for the duchess, who was admitted to the hospital Monday with acute morning sickness.
"Our thoughts and deepest sympathies at this time are with her family and friends," hospital chief executive John Lofthouse said in a statement. "Everyone is shocked by the loss of a much loved and valued colleague."
St. James's Palace, the office of the duchess and her husband Prince William, also expressed sadness at the death, but insisted that it had not complained about the hoax.
"On the contrary, we offered our full and heartfelt support to the nurses involved and hospital staff at all times," the palace said in a statement.
During the hoax call, a woman using the often-mimicked voice of Britain's monarch asked about the duchess' health. She was told by the second nurse who took the call from Saldanha that the duchess, the former Kate Middleton, "hasn't had any retching with me and she's been sleeping on and off."
The nurse went on to tell the personalities that the duchess had had an uneventful night, as a dog barking sound was heard in the background. The alleged queen and prince talk about traveling to the hospital to check in on the patient.
The hospital said it supported Saldanha in the aftermath of the call and that its phone protocols were under review.
The Australian station placed the recording of the conversation on its website, but later said it was sorry.
"We were very surprised that our call was put through. We thought we'd be hung up on as soon as they heard our terrible accents," Greig and Christian said in a joint statement with the station at the time. "We're very sorry if we've caused any issues and we're glad to hear that Kate is doing well."
The station's chief executive officer, Rhys Holleran, had spoken with the presenters after the nurse's death, and that both were deeply shocked. The hosts "have decided that they will not return to their radio show until further notice out of respect for what can only be described as a tragedy."
Christian's Twitter account has since been taken down.
Officials from St. James's Palace have said the duchess is not yet 12 weeks pregnant. The child would be the first for her and Prince William.
Associated Press writers Paisley Dodds contributed to this story.


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I think everyone thinks about their life and how they live. When you're a kid you are carefree. You run around playing all the time thinking you are immortal and nothing can hurt you. As you get older, you learn to appreciate life and when you have a family you get insurance.
Growing up with IBD really makes you appreciate life even more. When all your friends are in school or outside playing, a lot of times we are in bed with pain. When kids get together to have a pizza party we are sipping tasteless broth. We look at ourselves in a mirror and ask why. Why can't I have a normal life..and we start to really appreciate what we do have. After awhile we learn that even though we are sick, we are alive. After you have lived some years with the disease, you see that you can live and start to want to do things. We have all been there. We look at what we haven't done and think, what can I do to enjoy life. Maybe it is taking up jogging since you can stay local and near bathrooms. For others, maybe it is skydiving for charity. But we learn that just because we have a disease, it doesn't have to end our lives.
Over time we learn to live with our pains and drug side effects. We know there will be hospital visits and stays in our life. We know there are days we won't get out of bed…or the bathroom. But we also know we have a life to live and we try to live it to it fullest capacity.
When I was 15, I got sick and was in bed for a week. After I got diagnosed, I went back to school and tried to live a normal life. Within half a year, I got pneumonia and that put me in a horrible flare. I stopped going to school. I never saw my friends. My life was staying in bed watching TV (this is before cable). It was watching certain shows that made me realize I was wasting my life. I found a new hobby while I was sick. I started to love cooking and I was watching a number of cooking and food shows. I then started to realize that if I stayed in bed I would never amount to anything.
So, my parents got me some teachers that would come to my home to teach me. I caught up on my schoolwork and eventually graduated. I wanted to live life again so I decided to chance it and go away to college. I wanted the full experience and yes, I did get it. I decided that I wasn't going to let my Crohn's run my life. I got my education and degrees. I met some great people and eventually also me my wife.
Over the years I would have some Crohn's related issues, but I would always think back to my bed ridden days and vow to continue living life. I would not ever let my disease get to me.
And then my life changed. My father in law lived with Ulcerative Colitis for years. He had it so bad that he had to have his intestines removed and lived with an ostomy for a number of years. I saw life in him. He had numerous problems because of the bag but he always chose to fight on and live. And then his and my world crashed. He was in and out of the hospital with an unknown problem. Eventually it affected his heart too much and he passed away from a heart attack. His ostomy caused him to have electrolyte problems which eventually caused a lot of problems for him.
I say my world crashed because he was an inspiration to me. He always tried to stay positive with his situation and I could only wish to be half a man if I was ever in his situation. During his funeral, his friends would talk about how he was always full of life and had such a drive.
Part of me never grieved for him. I never had the chance. My wife and mother in law were devastated and I had to stay strong for them. I was hurting on the inside but could never show it. As the days went on, it was harder to show my feeling. Here it is a year and half later and I still have the pain. It still is deep in me and I don't know how to release it. Not only do I hurt because I lost a great father in law, but I hurt to know that one day I can be in that same situation.
Medicine has not helped me over the past 24 years. I am on the last medicine available and even this is experimental for Crohn's. I know I have a mild case but if I fail on meds and have to eventually go off all meds, my Crohn's will get worse. Where will that lead me. Will I need surgery? Will I have to have my colon removed? Will I be like my father in law and end up with tons of problems?
No one likes facing their mortality. As I kid I did a lot of dumb things. Now, with my 40th birthday creeping up to me, I look to what I have left in my life. I know that I won't live forever. My question is how will I live it though. Will I spend each day thinking will this be the day my medicine stops working? Or will I live it like it is my last and have a blast. Right now I take it one day at a time. I try to enjoy the time I have here. I do what I can and try to help who I can in the moment. If I am here tomorrow, then I will continue on. But unlike when I was 6, I know I have an expiration date. Hopefully, it won't be for another 50 years as I still have a lot to do with my life.


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NORRISTOWN – With two judicial seats up for grabs in Montgomery County Court, four lawyers who share decades of experience believe they're the most qualified to resolve criminal and civil court matters in the county.
Republicans Sharon Giamporcaro, of Lower Merion, and Maureen C. Coggins, of Upper Hanover, and Democrats Gail A. Weilheimer, of Abington, and Steven C. Tolliver Sr., of Cheltenham, are seeking the two available seats during the Nov. 5 general election. The two top vote getters will move onto the 23-member county bench for 10-year terms in January.
Judicial candidates traditionally don't express their opinions on matters during campaigns and so the four candidates essentially are campaigning on their qualifications and experience.
Giamporcaro, a county prosecutor since 1992, currently is chief of the juvenile division in the county District Attorney's Office, where she oversees juvenile prosecutions. Giamporcaro, 55, rose through the ranks of the district attorney's office, first as a prosecutor with the major crimes unit from 1992 to 1994 and then chief of the juvenile division from 1994 to present, according to her resume. Giamporcaro was promoted to a deputy district attorney in 2000.
'As a deputy district attorney and chief of the juvenile division in the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office, I have tried hundreds of major felony cases in Montgomery County for 21 years against both adult and juvenile offenders, including homicides,' Giamporcaro said when asked about her qualifications.
A 1981 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Giamporcaro worked as a registered nurse in both pediatrics and geriatrics, including at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Giamporcaro then graduated from the Villanova University School of Law in 1986, and according to her resume, has been a frequent lecturer for law enforcement agencies and educational professionals throughout Montgomery County in areas of criminal law, search and seizure, custody and interrogation, school safety, child advocacy and juvenile justice.
'I created the law enforcement manual and operating procedures for the district attorney's countywide youth diversion program. Approximately 7,000 juveniles have successfully completed this program which I oversee,' said Giamporcaro, who added she served on a statewide task force that made recommendations for law reform aimed at improving the quality and fairness of the juvenile justice system.
Giamporcaro previously was a law associate with the Norristown firm Masterson, Braunfeld, Himsworth & Maguire from 1991 to 1992, where her practice involved insurance defense litigation. A lifelong resident of Montgomery County who has two children and is married to lawyer Frank C. Flick, Giamporcaro has been appointed to the Montgomery County Youth Center Board of Managers, the Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center Management Team and has been a continuing education instructor for Montgomery Bar Association since 2000, according to her resume.
'My career has been devoted to giving back to the community and now I wish to do so in a higher calling as a member of our judiciary,' Giamporcaro said. 'My dedication to the public, extensive experience and diverse background make me well suited to be a judge.'
A 1992 graduate of Widener University School of Law, Coggins, 46, worked as a prosecutor in the county district attorney's office between 1993 and 2001, where she led the major crimes and special prosecution units and headed a county task force responsible for the revitalization of Norristown. As a prosecutor Coggins handled homicide, DUI, assault, robbery and white collar theft cases, according to her resume.
During her 20-year legal career, Coggins also has served as a mental health advocate, representing Montgomery County at mental health hearings at Norristown State Hospital, and as a county deputy solicitor where she represented the departments of adult probation, mental health/mental retardation, health, planning commission, aging and adult services and human resources, according to her resume.
'I have prosecuted jury trials on cases including death penalty murders, carjackings, armed robberies, aggravated assaults, etc.,' said Coggins, adding highlights of her prosecutorial career include convicting a man who fatally stabbed a pizza deliveryman in Pottstown and convicting three people involved in the kidnapping and murder of a man whose body was dumped in the Green Lane Reservoir.
Coggins previously was an associate at Black & Gerngross from 2001 to 2002 where she was responsible for legal research and litigated arbitrations and handled both plaintiff and defense cases. Coggins touted her experience as both a prosecutor and a defense lawyer.
'As such, I have stood on both sides of the fence in many extremely challenging cases. I have argued for the death penalty and I have argued to save a man from dying in prison,' Coggins said. 'I have both begged for mercy and I have pleaded for strict enforcement. Consequently, I have the utmost respect for the office of judge.'
In 2004, Coggins, who lives on an Upper Hanover farm with her husband, Tim Woodward and their three sons, was appointed chief public defender in Lehigh County, and remained in the post until 2006, where she was responsible for training, hiring and leading an office of 18 lawyers.
'I realize that a judge must render decisions that may not be popular, but are required based upon the law. I am eminently qualified to make those decisions,' Coggins said.
Weilheimer, 43, an Abington Township commissioner from 2004 to 2008, is currently senior counsel with the Blue Bell law firm of Wisler Pearlstine, where she represents public sector entities such as school districts and municipalities and provides legal representation for the county Clerk of Courts. According to her resume, Weilheimer previously was employed as a litigation associate by the Elkins Park firm of Frank, Rosen, Snyder and Moss, from 2003 to 2006, where she was responsible for the firm's criminal defense practice.
'I am an experienced trial attorney. I have litigated over 100 jury trials, hundreds of bench trials and numerous administrative hearings in both the public and private sector in civil and criminal proceedings,' Weilheimer said.
A 1995 graduate of Hofstra University School of Law, Weilheimer previously worked in the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office from 1995 to 2002, according to her resume, where she drafted criminal complaints against adult and juvenile defendants, prosecuted felony trials and handled certification hearings for juveniles who were to be tried in adult court.
'I am most proud of the opportunities I have had to give people or institutions a voice when they were not being heard on their own: whether it was a victim of violent crime, a community being terrorized by drug dealers, or a retiree who was swindled out of her savings by a contractor,' said Weilheimer, reflecting on her career highlights. 'As both a prosecutor and private attorney it is most rewarding to ensure that the people or institutions are well represented.'
Weilheimer, who resides in Abington with her husband, Larry, and their two children, was an adjunct professor at Widener University School of Law from 1999 to 2011, where she taught a criminal pre-trial advocacy course. Weilheimer also was an instructor for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy from 1998 to 2010, according to her resume.
Citing her professional experience and community involvement, Weilheimer said she has the necessary skills to serve as a judge.
'In order to ensure that justice is available for everyone who enters a courtroom, it is important to have a judge who has extensive courtroom experience, a diversity of legal experiences, good judicial temperament and the willingness to efficiently and effectively address all matters that come before the court. I have all of these attributes and this background will help ensure the administration of justice,' Weilheimer said.
Tolliver, according to a biography at his web site, has been a lawyer for 31 years, served as a judicial clerk for former Commonwealth Court Judge Robert W. Williams Jr. and also served as a chief assistant city solicitor in Philadelphia. Currently a corporate litigator for Aetna Inc. in Blue Bell, Tolliver is engaged in a health care litigation practice with a concentration on managing state and national health care provider class actions and commercial disputes, according to his resume.
'Throughout my life and career, I have developed a careful and judicious approach towards problem solving and decision making. Integral to this approach are my respect for law, justice and my fellow citizens,' Tolliver said. 'When elected, I will exercise sound judgment and carefully apply legal precedent to the issues before me.'
A graduate of Villanova University Garey School of Law, Tolliver previously was a litigation associate at the firm Atkinson & Archie in Philadelphia and was engaged in a civil litigation practice focusing on defense of workers' compensation and general liability matters for the Pennsylvania Manufacturers' Association Insurance Company, Philadelphia, according to his resume.
'I have 32 years' experience in diverse areas of legal practice in the private, public and corporate sectors. I have served as a law clerk and am a hearing committee member of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania,' said Tolliver, touting his legal experience.
Tolliver, 57, a former borough councilman in Yeadon, founded Cheltenham Achievers Network, a nonprofit organization that provides educational enrichment programs for 6th, 7th and 8th grade students, according to his web site. Tolliver, who has lived in Cheltenham for 21 years with his wife, Tee, and their three sons, is also a member of the board of directors for Central Montgomery County Mental Health/Mental Retardation Center, according to his resume.
'Serving allows me to positively impact the judicial process,' said Tolliver, explaining his reasons for aspiring to be a judge.
The two judges elected will replace the late Judge Richard J. Hodgson, who died last year, and Judge Arthur L. Tilson, who currently must step down at the end of the year because he will have reached the mandatory retirement age of 70.
Follow Carl Hessler Jr. on Twitter @MontcoCourtNews


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The Secret Service says a bullet hit an exterior window of the White House and was stopped by ballistic glass.
An additional round of ammunition was also found on the exterior of the White House. The bullets were found Tuesday.
The discovery follows reports of gunfire near the White House on Friday. Witnesses heard shots and saw two speeding vehicles in the area. An AK-47 rifle was also recovered.
The Secret Service says it has not conclusively connected Friday's incident with the bullets found on the White House grounds. U.S. Park Police have an arrest warrant out for Oscar Ortega-Hernandez, who is believed to be connected to the earlier incident.
SOURCE: The Associated Press


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CBO: Deficit would spike, premiums would rise if Trump ends Obamacare subsidies
Premiums would rise, more insurers would leave markets in the immediate future and the federal budget deficit would soar if President Donald Trump were to cease funding a key set of Obamacare subsidies, according to the bipartisan Congressional Budget Office.
The CBO's report, "The Effect of Terminating Payments for Cost-Sharing Reductions," is contingent on how the policy would be implemented, but it offers a rough scenario if Trump follows through on his threats to stop payments on those subsidies. He floated the idea shortly after the GOP's effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act flamed out in the Senate last month.
Cost-sharing payments reimburse insurers for subsidizing out-of-pocket costs for lower-income people. With an estimated 6 million people qualifying for the help, the payments totaled about $7 billion this year and can greatly reduce deductibles.
Click here to read the CBO's report.
Some of the key findings:
- The deficit would increase by a net $194 billion through 2026.
- Insurers in some states would withdraw or not enter marketplaces because of uncertainty on how the policy would affect health care costs. By 2020, however, the report says insurers would return after observing how markets respond under the new policy.
- Gross premiums for standard silver plans sold through marketplaces would be 20 percent higher next year and 25 percent higher by 2020.
The report was requested by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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When I received Nick Zukin's email invitation to join him on a taco crawl along Maple Avenue in Dallas, I had no idea who he was. After reading the email, I knew I could learn some things about tacos and eat damn good tacos if I accepted the offer from the Portland, Oregon, resident. Since then, Nick has been a kindred spirit and my taco reference book mule. On his way back to Portland from Mexico, Nick has passed along essential reading material.
But Nick is more than a taco enthusiast and trafficker of the printed word. He's also a food writer, restaurateur, cookbook author, tireless debater, tour guide, friend and, now, a Taco Trail contributor.
Let's get to know him before moving on to his first post.
Taco Trail: You're involved in myriad aspects of the food and restaurant world. How did you go from writer to owning and operating your own restaurants, a deli and Mi Mero Mole, a taqueria—even writing a cookbook, Artisan Jewish Deli at Home?
Nick Zukin: I get bored easy. That's basically it. I was a computer programmer who got tired of sitting behind a computer screen all day and decided to make my hobby my career instead. I knew it'd mean a pay cut and longer hours, but for me it's more about building something. Writing a cookbook, writing reviews, researching obscure Mexican antojitos—those are all things I'd do anyway just because. There's not much pay in food writing, as you know, but it's nice to know that my reviews made a difference for the bottom line of restaurants where people care enough to put out a good product. And my mom gets to have a book on her shelf with my name on it.
TT: When and where does your passion for and knowledge of Mexican cuisine, specifically tacos, come from?
NZ: My mom is from Arizona and my dad from California. I grew up eating Mexican food several nights a week. When we went out to eat, it was either Mexican or pizza. My first cooking memory is my dad showing me how to fry tortillas for crispy taco shells. In college, Mexican was about the only food I could afford to go out and eat that didn't come from a drive-thru, but even then I wanted to find the best. And then when I started traveling, Mexico being relatively cheap and close and having food that I loved was an obvious destination. It just snowballed from there, especially once I started food blogging, buying Spanish-language Mexican cookbooks, and chatting with people more knowledgeable than me on the internet. I still keep in touch with people I met online and shared a love of Mexican food with, like Steve Sando, Cristina Potters, Sharon Peters, Ruth Alegria, and Nick Gilman. All of us are professional Mexican food nerds of one kind or another now.
TT: How has it changed your view of Mexican food?
NZ: I guess my view has just broadened. There's just so much more to the landscape of Mexican food than I could have realized as a 5 year old learning to fry tortillas. I think it can be difficult for an American under the age of 40 to really understand the diversity and regionality of Mexican food because the regionality of American food has disappeared so much. Continue reading


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Sinking, empty, all-gone sensation in stomach (CHEL., PHOS., SEP.).
Sad, despondent, feels like crying all the time, but crying makes her worse; faint and weak, especially when going downstairs; can go up well enough.
Colic > by hard pressure, or by laying abdomen across knee or on shoulder (COL.); lumbrici; passes worms.
Leucorrhoea; great debility; weakness seems to proceed from chest.
Prolapsus, worse during stool, so weak she drops into a chair instead of sitting down. While dressing in the morning has to sit down several times to rest.
Great weakness in chest, can hardly talk, with general debility, which centers in the chest.
Loose cough; with heavy, green, sweet expectoration.
Pains gradually increase to a great height, and as gradually subside.
Another metallic remedy. The leading characteristic is GREAT WEAKNESS IN THE CHEST (ARGENTUM MET.); so weak cannot talk. No remedy has this symptom so strongly as tin. It is present, not only in the laryngeal and lung troubles for which STANNUM is such a great remedy, but in GREAT DEBILITY. SO WEAK SHE DROPS INTO A CHAIR, <. going down stairs (BORAX; CALC. OST. up stairs). It is found in connection with uterine displacements and leucorrhoeas of thin, debilitated subjects and has made brilliant cures in such cases. Of course in the lung, bronchial, and laryngeal affections, this symptom is VERY prominent. In these troubles there is generally very profuse expectoration with the cough, and the matter raised tastes VERY SWEET, or it may be exceptionally salty. For the salty expectoration I would sooner think of KALI IOD. or SEPIA. In all three of these remedies the expectoration may be thick, heavy, and green or yellow in color. Both STANNUM and KALI IOD. have profuse night sweats, but the STANNUM has greater sense of weakness in the chest (cannot talk) than any of the others. Another very characteristic symptom of STANNUM is that the PAINS GRADUALLY INCREASE TO A GREAT DEGREE OF INTENSITY AND THEN AS GRADUALLY DECREASE. (SEE PLATINUM.) This pain is of course neuralgic, may be located anywhere in the tract of a nerve, but has been often verified in prosopalgia, gastralgia and abdominal colic.
These pains are ameliorated by pressure, like COLOCYNTH and BRYONIA; so if COLOCYNTH fails, which is generally first thought of in abdominal pains relieved by pressure, STANNUM may relieve, and especially if the attacks have been of long standing or the patient seems to have a chronic tendency thereto. If in children, the patient is relieved by carrying it over the point of the shoulder, the shoulder pressing into the abdomen. The STANNUM patient is generally very sad and despondent, feels like crying all the time. (NAT. M., PULS., SEPIA.) I have often verified the above symptoms and have seen equally good effects from the 12th, 30th, 200th and 500th (Boericke & Tafel) potencies.


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Connecting For Good Shares "The Little Laptop That Could"
We are thrilled to premier an amazing new video, showcasing the life-changing impact digital inclusion has on the lives of so many--through the eyes and voice of a lowly, discarded, almost trashed computer. Introducing "The Little Laptop That Could". AFTRR Member Connecting for Good and Executive Director Tom Esselman have created this wonderful video you


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Hva folk mener - Skriv en omtale
Vi har ikke funnet noen omtaler pĺ noen av de vanlige stedene.
Utvalgte sider
Andre utgaver - Vis alle
Vanlige uttrykk og setninger
beauty beneath BOOK bound breath bright cause charge charms clear close course death delight divine dream earth ease ev'n ev'ry fair fall fancy fear feed feel field flow'rs force fruits give grace half hand happy hast head heard heart heav'n hold honour hope hour human kind land least leaves length less light live lost means mind nature never night o'er once peace perhaps play pleasure poor pow'r praise prove rest rise scene schools seek seems seen shine side sight sleep smile soon soul sound stands sweet task taste thee thine things thou thought thousand true truth turn virtue voice wind winter wisdom wish worth youth
Populćre avsnitt
Side 276 - One song employs all nations, and all cry, ' Worthy the Lamb, for he was slain for us ! ' The dwellers in the vales and on the rocks Shout to each other, and the mountain tops From distant mountains catch the flying joy : Till nation after nation taught the strain, Earth rolls the rapturous Hosanna round.
Side 393 - Ware ! So, turning to his horse, he said — I am in haste to dine ; 'Twas for your pleasure you came here, You shall go back for mine. Ah, luckless speech, and bootless boast ! For which he paid full dear; For, while he spake, a braying ass Did sing most loud and clear...
Side 68 - Would I describe a preacher, such as Paul, ** Were he on earth, would hear, approve, and own, Paul should himself direct me. I would trace His master-strokes, and draw from his design. I would express him simple, grave, sincere; In doctrine uncorrupt; in language plain, ** And plain in manner; decent, solemn, chaste, And natural in gesture ; much impressed Himself, as conscious of his awful charge, And anxious mainly that the flock he feeds May feel it too; affectionate in look, ** And tender in...
Side 277 - The looms of Ormus, and the mines of Ind, And Saba's spicy groves, pay tribute there. Praise is in all her gates : upon her walls, And in her streets, and in her spacious courts, Is heard salvation. Eastern Java there Kneels with the native of the farthest west, And .(Ethiopia spreads abroad the hand And worships. Her report has travell'd forth Into all lands.
Side 388 - As loud as he could bawl. Away went Gilpin — who but he ? His fame soon spread around, He carries weight ! he rides a race ! 'Tis for a thousand pound...
Side 141 - And having dropped the expected bag — pass on. He whistles as he goes, light-hearted wretch, Cold and yet cheerful : messenger of grief Perhaps to thousands, and of joy to some, To him indifferent whether grief or joy.
Side 381 - JOHN GILPIN was a citizen Of credit and renown, A train-band captain eke was he Of famous London town. John Gilpin's spouse said to her dear — Though wedded we have been These twice ten tedious years, yet we No holiday have seen. I To-morrow is our wedding-day, And we will then repair Unto the Bell at Edmonton All in a chaise and pair. My sister, and my sister's child, Myself, and children three, Will fill the chaise; so you must ride On horseback after we.
Side 47 - OH for a lodge in some vast wilderness, Some boundless contiguity of shade, Where rumour of oppression and deceit, Of unsuccessful or successful war, Might never reach me more...
Side 48 - Lands intersected by a narrow frith Abhor each other. Mountains interposed Make enemies of nations, who had else Like kindred drops been mingled into one.
Side 248 - The forms with which he sprinkles all the earth. Happy who walks with him ! whom what he finds Of flavour or of scent in fruit or flower, Or what he views of beautiful or grand In nature, from the broad majestic oak To the green blade that twinkles in the sun, Prompts with remembrance of a present God.


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Arani Medical Center
Your Peace of Mind is Our Goal
We are the only institution in the U.S. dedicated to treat HPV-related growths such as genital warts or Anal warts. We have years of experience and countless successful cases which are well documented. We do not use single modalities approaches such as laser, electrocautery hyfrecator, cryotherapy which are commonly used by primary care physicians or dermatologists. If you have a complicated case of loss of normal skin due to extensive HPV infection which previous approaches have failed then you are in right place. We will remove your HPV Genital Warts and Anal Warts with near-perfect results. There will be no recurrence of the same treated growths.
Business Name:
Arani Medical Center
4524 San Pedro PlLos Angeles California 90011USA
About Los Angeles
Los Angeles (US: (listen) lawss AN-jəl-əs; Tongva: Tovaangar; Spanish: Los Ángeles, pronounced [los ˈaŋxeles], lit. 'The Angels'), referred to by the initialism L.A., is the largest city in California. With a 2020 population of 3,898,747, it is the second-largest city in the United States, following New York City. Los Angeles is known for its Mediterranean climate, ethnic and cultural diversity, Hollywood film industry and sprawling metropolitan area. The City of Los Angeles lies in a basin in Southern California, adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, and extends through the Santa Monica Mountains and into the San Fernando Valley, covering a total of about 469 square miles (1,210 km2). It is the seat of Los Angeles County, which is the most populous county in the United States.
Neighborhoods in Los Angeles, California
Angelino Heights, Arlington Heights, Baldwin Village, Baldwin Vista, Beverly Grove, Boyle Heights, Brentwood, Brentwood Glen, Brookside, Bunker Hill
Things to do in Los Angeles, California
Our Newest Profiles


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Illinois vs. Illinois-Chicago preview capsule
Illinois vs. Illinois-Chicago
WHEN: 1 p.m. today
WHERE: United Center, Chicago
TV: Big Ten Network
RADIO: Illini Radio Network
F/C Nnanna Egwu Jr. 6-11 8.2 5.3
F Jon Ekey Sr. 6-7 9.1 6.3
G Joseph Bertrand Sr. 6-6 10.6 5.3
G Rayvonte Rice Jr. 6-4 17.4 5.4
G Tracy Abrams Jr. 6-2 12.4 4.2
F Jordan Harks Sr. 6-8 7.8 4.2
F Hayden Humes Sr. 6-8 7.2 3.5
G Pat Birt Fr. 6-5 6.4 2.3
G Kelsey Barlow Sr. 6-5 16.6 5.2
G Marc Brown Jr. 6-4 12.3 2.7
ILLINI KEY: Don't look past their final non-conference opponent while playing with the same intensity shown against Missouri.
FLAMES KEY: Get a solid scoring game from Kelsey Barlow, contributing to their guards outplaying the Illini's.
NOTEWORTHY: Illinois leads the all-time series 12-2, although UIC won the last meeting in 2010. Half of the Illinois roster features players from the Chicago area. ... The Illini are allowing 60.7 points per game, second in the Big Ten and 15th in NCAA Division I. . . . The Illini players got a couple of days off for the holidays this week.
QUOTABLE: "It's always a special treat to get to play in Chicago." — Illinois coach John Groce
PREDICTION: Illinois 65, UIC 53
— Jamal Collier


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The question of time travel is a query as old as time itself.
And while science struggles to bring to the forefront the pure mechanics of it all, lucky individuals throughout the centuries have inexplicably found themselves doing the time warp.
Indeed, countless stories of men and women lost between the vortex of the past, present, and future have erupted throughout history (you might remember our story on the Time Travelling Hipster), making the questions all the more difficult to answer in the end.
Take for instance Miss Charlotte Moberly, the headmistress of an Oxford college, and her strange and most unusual tale. . .
It was August 10, 1901 and Miss Moberly had taken the afternoon to visit the palace of Versailles with her good friend, Miss Eleanor Jourdan, only to curiously find themselves, while wondering through the palace's vast and elaborately decorated corridors, beginning to see many people dress in clothes of the 18th Century – including what Miss Moberly would swear was the late, great, Marie Anotinette. They recounted feeling dreamy and depressed, and their surroundings as flat and unnatural.
Everything suddenly looked unnatural, therefore unpleasant; even the trees seemed to become flat and lifeless, like wood worked in tapestry. There were no effects of light and shade, and no wind stirred the trees.
– Miss Charlotte Moberly
It then seems as quickly as they found themselves interacting with these ghosts of the past, they were brought back to the present day, ending off their visit with a cup of tea at the Hotel des Reservoirs, and not mentioning it again until several months later when they began to research more heavily into the incident.
No parties were booked on that day, and they found that many of the landmarks they had seen were in fact missing from the present day layout of the palace. The two would publish their tale in a book entitled An Adventure, which was released in 1911 with much praise by various Paranormal societies.
It is a mystery unsolved to this day.
Time travel used to be thought of as just science fiction, but Einstein's general theory of relativity allows for the possibility that we could warp space-time so much that you could go off in a rocket and return before you set out.
– Stephen Hawking.
This is just one of many incidents throughout history that people have claimed to somehow slip through the borders of the present to live through the past, and sometimes even the future. There are little to no explanations to how these strange events occur, and perhaps its better off there never be. This phenomenon is known as a Time Slip.
Dating back thousands of years, stories of time travellers run amuck throughout world culture, and there doesn't seem to be any end in sight. Who knows how many people have taken the opportunity to slip through the sands of time, and exist completely somewhere else as someone else. How long could this last for?
With future knowledge, these individuals might be set to live their life in a much more bountiful and exuberant way by leaving the present to stake claim on the past. Perhaps this is why man has always taken interest in this idea.
I mean, what better advantage in life would you have if you could simply turn back the clock and erase your mistakes? Stop wars. Cure diseases. But where would we be now if this was to happen?
That's the thing about the past. We wouldn't be without it. So to change it, could be very dangerous. . .
Maybe time is a much more powerful entity that can pick and choose as it pleases whom it takes on its journey. Perhaps like any skill, it just takes some practice and training to accomplish. One things for sure, if we were part of the Time Traveller's Academy, we'd be doing just fine, dressed to nines, looking spiffy in all that vintage clothing the past has to offer.
That's why we decided to look back, and make it a mission to curate some images of the initiates who may have indeed slipped through the fragile barriers of past, present, and future. For selfish reasons, or style reasons, these are our friends who have locked themselves in the realms of history. What is their mission? What do they hope to find? Will they ever be free?
That's just another unsolved mystery.
When is now? When was then?
– Bill Nye.
Until next time,
Similar Stories:


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Sony is widely expected to reveal the first details of its next game console later today.
The "PlayStation Meeting 2013" event will take place in New York at 3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET. CNET will offer both a live blog, with live analysis from myself, Roger Cheng, Scott Stein, and Jeff Bakalar, as well as a live video stream, featuring commentary from Brian Tong and Donald Bell both before and after the event.
A visual history of the Sony PlayStation (pictures)See all photos
While the actual details of the PlayStation 4 (and even its name) are still under wraps, some widely reported possible features include streaming game content, more second-screen options, and a possible touch-enhanced controller.
You can tune in to the live blog here:
CNET's live coverage of Sony's event on Wednesday
As usual, we'll use ScribbleLive to bring you live text and photos, in addition to the video stream. The live blog pre-show with Brian Tong and Donald Bell starts at 2:30 p.m. PT/5:30 p.m. ET., so be sure to join us then.


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During the creation of Robot University a group of documentary makers from QUT have been capturing footage. They're putting together a documentary on the process, but for now they have released this teaser. The teaser doesn't include any footage of the final project state, and so it is all work-in-progress.
The spike at the end
At the end of November, the playtests increased from once per week to twice and four times a week. We had tests on Monday 25th and Friday 29th November, and then on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th of December we had the Melbourne team members in Brisbane. This was the first time Jacek and Simon were able to see their work on the big screens in person. We had waited to finalise the lighting and sound until Jacek and Simon were able to see and hear everything live. Tweaking the lighting and perspective wasn't working remotely. Then we did some more tests on Monday 9th and Wednesday 11th. Then the following week, the last week we would be onsite at The Cube, we did tests on Monday 16th, Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th.
During January I tested onsite with small tweaks in preparation for the handover…
Tweaking interactions for big screen interaction
Nevertheless, I went ahead and created an interaction that seems to the lead the player in one direction (that their role is to choose targets to kill). The technique of twists demands you create at least two believable truths: the one you want people to believe or see, and the one that is actually the case. Both have to operate side-by-side. So I have been tweaking the interface to use language that is ambiguous: using words such as "clear" and "rebuild" and "destroy" — which could refer to either killing humans or demolishing a building.
My early paper-and-pen playtests I conducted did show the interaction was successful: some were shocked to discover the twist, and another that did realise what was going on still found the experience satisfying because it was so easy to do harm to people. So the twist was working because I was cleverly leading people down one path. I wanted the twist because I wanted to highlight the bias people have operating: that robots and killing go together. But when I read the following paragraph in an article by Rosy Rastegar about "12 Years a Slave" I changed my mind:
"Movies are an empathy machine," Rogert Ebert said. "Good films enlarge us, and are a civilizing medium." To be earnestly enlarged – and civilized – by "12 Years" would mean to recognize the slavers' pathological racism as tied to one's own, even as it repels, and hold that difficult, internal confrontation long enough to cause a crisis within one's sense of self and place in the world. Empathy compels us to see ourselves reflected in the very things we judge as evil in others, to implicate ourselves in society's ills, and to rearrange our desires towards the building of a better life, for all of us.
I realised that people need to really know what they're doing if I want to get through to them. If my goal is deeper understanding of themselves, then I need them to make conscious choices. It is weaker if they're not really making decisions but instead blindly going down a path they're lead down. so I can put the language back, language such as "demolition training" instead of the ambiguous "destruction training". This means the goal of the interaction is obvious. But the key is I make each choice easy to make. I'm not putting up consequences and warnings, so it is easy for them to decide to be their worst. There is nothing sitting between them and their morality.
So what happens is the outcome will (I presume) be the same, but the personal connection to the outcome will be stronger. It isn't about me tricking them (which is not what I wanted), but about showing them themselves.
In addition, what I have noticed with both the Destructo UI and Clunkybot dialogue interactions: the environment is quite noisy. Every medium has its affordances. The experience of a tablet is different to a phone is different to a theatre screen. The screens at The Cube are in a public space that has frequent traffic. People often stop and play with the screens and then continue on their journey. Some do make special trips to The Cube, but people are never alone. It is never a private interaction. So what I have noticed is that people have a lot of noise in their head, and visual distractions in their periphery. so this means I need to make sure the language communicates clearly through the mental and visual noise. Once the dialogue UI is properly running, I think I will need to change the language (to take people through the steps at the beginning, and shorten the overall interaction as well).
Testing Kinect, object response, and the dialogue plugin
For our playtest yesterday there weren't many changes to the appearance and animations, but we were able to test some of the responsive aspects of the installation. One of the best aspects of having the installation on the screens is being able to watch people interact with it. A mom pointed out the big robot to her son and so Adam set the weapons in action to show the kid.
Working out the Dialogue System
A visitor to the Robot University installation can interact with the robots in different ways. One of the robots involves dialogue interaction. The user can select messages to send to the robot, and it responds. It is an interaction that involves the user remotely running a mission on Mars. They command the Mars rover through the clunky and sometimes anxious robot in front of them.
I have been playtest-driven with this project, and because editing programs are not always publishing programs I've had to keep changing what tools I use. For the first playtest I conducted with actors, I used the free online interactive narrative publishing tool Inkle
The swarm is alive!
For today's playtest we had more tinkering to figure out technical problems. Thankfully we figured out what was stopping the Kinect from working, and also managed to find the culprit behind the dwindling frame rate. Once these were sorted, we were able to enjoy the scene at an almost proper composition.
Wed Nov 6th Playtest: The Day Destructo Disappeared
This morning we had a long time (an hour and a half?) before most of the all elements were working. So Adam and Brian kept making changes and uploading new builds to check if the changes made it work. For a long time, Destructo our trusty giant robot couldn't be seen (see pic below). But we got it working finally.
Our latest playtest – 30th Oct
We met today for our last playtest in October. Brian (a Cube staff member) told us that the equipment stopped working yesterday. But after working on it all day and night, it was is fine today. Except for one thing. Sound has started crackling and popping, and isn't even playing in some of the areas. So the team are working on that. But as a back-up I've arranged for us to use another zone which has the same setup as ours. That way we can still go ahead with our audio testing schedule too.
One thing I noticed with this build is that Destructo looks the right size for the environment now. We've been tweaking the positioning of Destructo and the environment around it for a few weeks now. Today Destructo does look as if the size and position match. I realise now, though, that if we had designed a giant robot with smaller arms then we wouldn't have needed to give the sense of distance as much. One of the problems has been that the long arms raise up towards the visitor. So there needs to be enough space for that movement. If the robot was build differently, then it could be closer to the visitor. But at the same time, if the robot was built differently then it would be harder to do a good pull-back weapon-firing sequence.
It's Alive
Hi, my name is Paul. I am responsible for the robot models and animation during the Robot Uni Project. I am lucky enough to be working with a group of talented folks. I have mostly been going back and forth with Simon. He has been working on the robot designs and helping me translate them into 3d models. I think we are at a good place with the Destructo model for now. Here is a quick comparison image of where we are with the model so far.


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No one doubts the value of confidence. In fact, research shows people often prefer confidence over actual expertise.
G. Richard Shell teaches at the Wharton School and his book, Springboard: Launching Your Personal Search for Success, has a great chapter on how to be more confident.
Here's what you need to know.
1. Surround yourself with people who believe in you
I've posted a lot about how the power of context can improve behavior. And people are a part of that. When you're told you're good by someone you respect, you believe it. Partially it's a placebo effect. But that's perfectly fine.
This creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. When you believe you can do it, you work harder. When others believe in you, they push you harder. Together, these things make you do better — so you have a reason to be confident. And then next time, confidence comes easier.
The phenomenon of transferred expectations, also called a "self-fulfilling prophecy," occurs for a combination of two reasons. The person holding the expectation treats the other person differently, giving him or her more challenging work to do. This leads to more learning. At the same time, the person receiving the suggestion accepts it as an accurate assessment of his or her ability, and that in turn increases the level of effort the person gives.
The lesson here is plain: you should understand the power of being in a high-performing/ high-expectation social environment versus a low-performing/ low-expectation one. Your social setting can strongly affect what you believe is possible — and that will affect your confidence, the effort you expend, and the results you achieve. [Springboard: Launching Your Personal Search for Success]
2. Focus on learning
When you focus on learning, failure is just a part of the process and won't shake your confidence. Tests are not a gauge of self-worth or unchangeable, innate ability. They're a measure of how much improvement you've made. Building on the research of Carol Dweck, you want to have a "growth mindset": Measure yourself by effort, not by results.
…repeated experiments have demonstrated the value of praising effort rather than innate talent. If you are praised by others in the right way, this can lead you to praise yourself based on your genuine effort when you accomplish something significant and discount comments about the role of your natural ability. You should ignore any result — good or bad — that comes after you put in only a halfhearted effort. And you should be proud of any result that follows hard work — even when the result is not what you had hoped. [Springboard: Launching Your Personal Search for Success]
3. Create a ritual
What gets you in the zone? What gets you feeling ready? A cup of coffee? Preparation and review? Playing a game on your phone? Recent research from Harvard professors Michael Norton and Francesca Gino shows that rituals have the power to make you more confident.
Francesca explained in my interview with her:
What we studied in this project was whether these rituals are really of beneficial effect in terms of bringing you confidence and potentially impacting your performance positively. That is actually what we found. What is interesting about the studies is that we also have physiological measures. What we find is that if you engage in a ritual prior to a potentially high anxiety task, like singing in public or solving difficult math problems, you end up being calmer by the time you approach the task, and more confident in what you're about to do. As a result of that, you actually perform better. [Barking up the Wrong Tree]
4. Accumulate small wins
Some Olympic athletes train in a way that is designed to build confidence. Rather than focusing on the gold medal, they set smaller achievable goals and build from there. By seeing themselves accumulate these little wins, their confidence grows and grows until they feel unstoppable.
In one of the best articles on Olympic training I have ever read, Daniel Chambliss tracked the techniques used by U.S.A. Swimming to get its athletes ready to compete in the Olympic games. One of the common threads in this training was to focus on a series of "small wins" in training rather than on the larger goal of winning a medal. As Chambliss summarized it, the swimmers "found their challenges in small things: working on a better start this week, polishing up their backstroke technique next week, planning how to pace their swim." As a result, they got the satisfaction of "very definable, minor achievements," which in turn gave them the confidence to attempt more small wins each and every day. [Springboard: Launching Your Personal Search for Success]
5. It's rational to do the irrational
This is a very rational blog. You, however, are not a very rational creature. So do what works, even if it seems irrational. Research shows good luck charms do inspire confidence. And this improves performance on a variety of tasks.
The researchers found that by activating good luck beliefs, these objects were consistently able to boost people's self-confidence and that this up-tick in self-assurance in turn affected a wide range of performance. Lucky thinking, it turned out in this study, positively affected people's ability to solve puzzles and to remember the pictures depicted on 36 different cards, and it improved their putting performance in golf! In fact, people with a lucky charm performed significantly better than did the people who had none. That's right, having a lucky charm will make you a better golfer, should you care about such things, and improve your cognitive performance on tasks such as memory games. [The Courage Quotient: How Science Can Make You Braver]
6. Get to work
Yes, some people are naturally super confident. Others fake it. And you can, with some work, build confidence. What did Alfred Binet, the inventor of the IQ test, say about intelligence?
It is not always the people who start out the smartest who end up the smartest. [Springboard: Launching Your Personal Search for Success]
The same is true of confidence.
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Kernavė. River Valley View
Yes, we do ship worldwide!In European Union we ship via TNT / FedEx courier. It usually takes 5-7 days to deliver your painting right to your door. All packages are shipped with tracking number and full insurance. We've already shipped to almost every country in EU, so please email us if you have any questions!
We ship worldwide via TNT / FedEx. Shipping takes about two weeks or a bit more, depending on how far away from Europe you are. All paintings are insured and shipped in tracked packages. If you are sending a painting outside the European Union, your country may charge an additional import tax. In this case, the recipient is responsible for paying it. We've already shipped paintings to most countries worldwide. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us!
We accept returns! Our main goal is for you to be happy with the purchase. Goods can be returned within 30 days of their receipt and delivery. Even more! Since painting that you are buying will stay with you for a long time, we are accepting most returns even after 30 day period.
Please contact us if you want to return a painting - we will help to find the best solution for shipping and handling the return!
Liudvikas Daugirdas is an artist who is faithful to the traditions established in the works of Lithuanian and world impressionists. The characteristic bold brush stroke and often contrasting colours of his paintings reveal something that is very personal – emotion and impression. Little attention to details and strong focus on the character and the essence of the painted object excites imagination, provoking to integrate one's own personal experience into the picture plane.
The artist views nature as the source of beauty. A leaning tree, rustling bush, bubbling forest stream, flat fields and delicate flowers are his artistic inspiration. In his works, the artist sees the world as the integral part of our existence, rather than the replica of the environment or its transformation into artificial beauty in the paintings. The recurring motif of a reflection in water in the paintings is the manifestation of the artist's individual and unique inner world reflected on the canvas.
Liudvikas Daugirdas lives in Vilnius. He is an architect by profession. At present, works in the field of graphic design.


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Original Herrnhut paper star, yellow / red, ~ 80 cm / 32 inch ø
The original Herrnhut Star consists of 17 square and 8 triangular points as well as 2 spare points, 50 clips, hanging up bar, assembly instruction and brochure. If it comes with the lighting the electrical lighting cable is placed on the top instead of the 26th point. By tradition still handmade.
Product size: 80 cm / 32 inch
Color: Yellow / Red
Main material: Paper
Plug in: CA/USA
Assembly options: Self made construction
Use: Indoor use only
Available colours:


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Black Lace
Lava breaks out down the pali.
Great Balls of Fire!
Balls of fresh lava tumble down the pahoehoe and over the young plant life that's trying to establish a toehold.
Fire and Life
A lone tree in it's last moments before being consumed by lava.
Tree in Flames
The tre bursts into flames as it's consumed by the encroaching lava.
Embracing the Lava
The other photographer on the helicopter thought that this looked like a sonogram of a pregnant uterus; his daughter was pregnant, so he was going to make a print of his similar shot & gift it to her.
Lava Mandala
The old & new lava cycling together in a perpetual wheel.
Ropes & Strokes
Ropes of older lava meet the new flows
Another piece of art being created on Peles canvas.
Gaudis Tears
Gaudi would weep with amazement at the intricate, eerie beauty of the lava.
Lava Tube Skylight
A hole in the side of a lava tube lets us see the river of lava rushing by.
Tails of Lava
Wisps of new lava adorn the old
Enter Stage Left
Ribbon Flows
Fresh lava seeping out of the old.
A Squiggle in Time
a lava "nosebleed" oozes down the pali, adding another layer of shape and texture to the already fantastic landscape
Lava Drops
Lava flowing out of a gumdrop shape


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You've been up watching Tru TV and all of a sudden you see him. The world famous boxer who is more notable for his amazing George Foreman Grill invention than his days in the ring. George lets you know that he gets his ideas for inventions from InventHelp the leader in helping entrepreneurs and inventors to bring their products to life.
George resonates with those who have looked at a popular invention and said, "I thought of that years ago"? In fact, many people come up with fabulous, inventive ideas all the time but never pursue them simply because they do not know how to proceed. Although getting rich from these ideas may be rare, sometimes, people hit the jackpot and become the next George Foreman Grill inventor. For those with the idea for a new, cutting edge device InventHelp offers the services that they need to get started. InventHelp Corporate Headquarters


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Fly Racing Tourist Solid Helmet with Clear and Smoke Shield
All new from FLY, the Tourist open face helmet is packed full of features and accessories making it an excellent choice no matter what the season. From spring to summer to fall this helmet has got you covered. Each Tourist motorcycle helmet comes configured with a clear shield and painted removable clip-in jaw piece
- Included in the box is an extra dark tint shield and peak for use without the shields or removable jaw
- Soft fleece bags included for the helmet, extra dark tint shield and peak protect your investments when they are not being used
- Shields and peak are changed quickly and easily due to their tool-less design
- Removable jaw includes 1 piece breath-box/chin curtain for use when the weather gets cold or rainy
- Lightweight D.O.T. approved thermo-plastic poly alloy shell
- Large eye port for improved range of vision
- Removable/washable Coolmax comfort liner and cheek pads move the moisture away from your head and the fabric dries quickly. The added performance keeps you dry and comfortable
- Deluxe oversize ear pockets for better fit and comfort with integrated speaker pockets for communications systems
- Optional sized cheek pads available for purchase to get that custom fit
- Soft padded chin strap
- Replacement Anti-Fog shields available (sold separately)
- Optional clear double lens shield available for extreme cold weather (sold separately) 73-88605
Certification: DOT Approved


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Postal Worker Secretly Films Customer's Racist Rant
[There was a video here]
Things got ugly when a black mail carrier refused to take back a letter he'd delivered to a lady in Hingham, Mass. She went on a racist rant and slapped him. He secretly taped it all on his cell phone.
The argument in the video is sparked by a certified letter that the mail carrier delivers. The woman has signed for it, but decides she doesn't want it because it's addressed to her husband, not her. But the mail guy won't take it back. Things go sour when she calls him a "Fucking n*gger thief." She quickly qualifies: "I'm not prejudiced but right now I'm getting real pissed off." Then everything she says afterward is so racist it would make George Wallace blush. Finally she slaps him. Just your normal day on the mail route. Except really, really racist.
The video was uploaded in two parts on October 11th by youtube user hugsonamic, who purports to be the mail guy and claims he was fired over the incident:
This woman is outrageous — I am still waiting for US Postal Inspection Service to investigate this matter. it has been a year since postmaster fired me for this racist lady, and Hingham court let her go free, no trial.
He promises "More videos are yet to come." But these two might be enough. It's already been picked up by a handful of blogs, and dozens of Youtube comments are calling for blood, including one that reads, ominously: "4CHAN FIND HER!!"


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The city of Toronto was beautifully taken by storm by two of the greatest bands in the history of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock on the last day of the summer, and the result was absolutely fantastic.
OPENING ACT: Megadeth
When this Crazy World Tour 2017 was announced a few months ago, I instantly thought about how amazing it would be to witness on the same night two of the greatest bands in the history of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock playing some of their biggest classics (as well as a few newer songs) at what's in my humble opinion one of the best and most pleasant venues in the world to watch any type of concert (and I've been to several different ones in distinct parts of the world), the Torontonian amphitheater now known as Budweiser Stage. Well, it was even better than anyone could have expected, with the combination of two bands full of energy and excited to please the crowd, thousands of fans eager for some rockin' music, and a weather that, for the very last day of summer, was beyond perfect, making the whole night truly memorable.
As the opening act, or maybe I should call them co-headliners as they're not your average band, we had the absolute pleasure of enjoying American Thrash/Speed Metal heroes MEGADETH. Spearheaded by the unstoppable Mr. Dave Mustaine, Megadeth were still promoting their latest installment, the excellent Dystopia, released last year, but only one song from the album (its title-track) was played during the show. The setlist was pretty much a selection of their biggest hits with a huge focus on their 1990 masterpiece Rust In Piece, kicking off the concert with the blazing Hangar 18, and also featuring from that classic album the hits Take No Prisoners, Tornado of Souls (my favorite of the show) and, closing their performance, a song that needs no introduction, Holy Wars… The Punishment Due.
And obviously "Megadave" and his henchmen David Ellefson, Kiko Loureiro (who proved to be the guitarist Mustaine needed by his side) and Dirk Verbeuren played every song to perfection, with the background screen complementing the music in a fun and exciting manner. For instance, the Nascar images used as a background for Mechanix and the official video for Dystopia (another fantastic moment of the show) played while the band executed the song were spot-on to keep the fans mesmerized and in total sync with the band. In addition, everyone at the venue singing the power ballad A Tout Le Monde guided by Mustaine was just beautiful, and the smile on his face after that moment was awesome. Now, as usual, let's patiently wait until we can see such distinct band performing live again in our beautiful Toronto.
Prince of Darkness
Hangar 18
Take No Prisoners
Sweating Bullets
A Tout Le Monde
Tornado of Souls
Symphony of Destruction
Peace Sells
Holy Wars… The Punishment Due
Band members
Dave Mustaine – lead vocals, lead guitars, rhythm guitars
Kiko Loureiro – lead guitars, rhythm guitars, backing vocals
David Ellefson – bass guitar, backing vocals
Dirk Verbeuren – drums
If the venue wasn't fully packed during Megadeth's kick-ass performance, things changed considerably a few minutes before German Hard Rock institution SCORPIONS hit the stage with their flawless setlist, but before the concert started I had the pleasure of exchanging a few words with other fans close to where I was (which was right in front of the stage), in special one father with his 13-year old son. The name of the boy is T Bone Bentley, he's a very talented drummer who loves metal and rock, and you can check him smashing his drums on his official YouTube channel (together with his dad), playing songs like Iron Maiden's all-time classic "Run to the Hills" and Judas Priest's metal anthem "Breaking the Law". When I see little fellas like T Bone and their passion for heavy music, my hope for a better future for mankind gets renovated, so don't waste your time and go check his YouTube videos. They're surely going to make your day a lot better.
Back to the concert, it was around 8:30pm when the iconic vocalist Klaus Meine, the flammable guitarists Matthias Jabs and Rudolf Schenker, the talented bassist Paweł Mąciwoda and the one and only drummer Mikkey Dee hit the stage with an avalanche of Hard Rock and Rock N' Roll hits, starting with a fantastic song from their 2015 album Return to Forever, the rockin' Going Out With a Bang, already showing the night was going to be insanely fun. Let's say that the first part of the show worked more like a "warm-up", with the band jamming and rocking nonstop, generating a very good vibe and showing why they're still alive and kicking after so many decades on the road. That first segment of the show had as its highlights the classic The Zoo, the fairly new but amazing We Built This House, and from their mini-acoustic set (including a weird but useful drum kit by Mikkey) I would say the touching ballad Send Me an Angel definitely stole the spotlight.
After that, Mr. Klaus Meine simply introduced one of the band's biggest and most beautiful classics, Wind of Change, obviously hypnotizing all of us with the song's renowned whistling, followed by another sensational new song titled Rock 'n' Roll Band and their awesome tribute to the most badass rocker that this world will ever see, Lemmy Kilmister, playing a cover version of Motörhead's hit Overkill. Right after that, Mikkey offered us all an amazing drum solo (which put the little T Bone into a state of pure ecstasy), while the rest of the band was getting ready for a flawless Hard Rock attack comprised of nothing more, nothing less than Blackout, Big City Nights, No One Like You, Still Loving You (what a lovely moment of the show!) and Rock You Like a Hurricane. What else can you ask for, right?
Before this review of the show is over, I just wanted to mention two things that truly caught my attention during the concert, one in a very positive way, while the other was quite sad. First, I was completely impressed with the fact that Mr. Rudolf Schenker is almost 70 years old and he keeps running frantically around the stage, screaming and interacting with the fans, and playing his guitar as if he was in his early 30's. That was plain awesome, and definitely an inspiration for me and lots of other fans on how you can get old but remain young at heart, enjoying life until the end (just like Lemmy did, by the way). On the other hand, while Mr. Schenker was a role model to all of us, there were a few spoiled bi… I mean, girls, that thought that just because they're (still) young and pretty they can do whatever they want, including being rude, disrespectful and annoying to anyone around them. One of them was so disrespectful to a guy next to me, elbowing him and pretending he was harassing her, to the point everyone close to that scene even stooped enjoying the concert for a few moments until security finally (and fortunately) took that stupid Barbie doll away. I hope when she gets old, and she will, she learns how to be a better person and how to respect other people. Well, Little T Bone is only 13 and he already knows how to behave in a rock and metal concert, as well as other kids that attended the show with their parents. It's just a matter of learning what true respect is at home, right? And I hope that next time Scorpions take Toronto by storm with another faultless performance like that, that irksome girl is somewhere else, like at a Justin Bieber concert. Let the real bands for the real fans, lady.
Going Out With a Bang
Make It Real
The Zoo
Coast to Coast
Top of the Bill / Steamrock Fever / Speedy's Coming / Catch Your Train
We Built This House
Delicate Dance (with Ingo Powitzer)
Always Somewhere / Eye of the Storm / Send Me an Angel
Wind of Change
Rock 'n' Roll Band
Overkill (Motörhead cover)
Drum Solo
Big City Nights
No One Like You
Still Loving You
Rock You Like a Hurricane
Band members
Klaus Meine – lead vocals
Matthias Jabs – lead guitars, rhythm guitars, acoustic guitars
Rudolf Schenker – rhythm guitars, lead guitars, backing vocals
Paweł Mąciwoda – bass guitar
Mikkey Dee – drums


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By the time people come to see Lisa Walker, they're usually desperate.
These injured athletes, dancers, musicians or office workers are trying to fix what's broken. Some are looking for a way around the limitations caused by a stroke, Parkinson's disease or cerebral palsy. Others just want to run faster, notch up their golf game or improve their horse riding.
"In a nutshell, I help people move better," said Walker, who practices both in Rochester and near Red Wing.
Walker breaks down a single complex movement into smaller ones, which helps her clients learn how to use their entire bodies to make any movement easier. "It's about sensing for yourself the difference between what is efficient, effortless movement and what's not," she said.
The method is called Feldenkrais.
"Felden-what?" is how people usually first react, said Nick Strauss-Klein, a practitioner based in Eagan. While it sounds like a religion or maybe even a cult, it's just the name of the guy who founded the method.
Born in Russia, Moshe Feldenkrais was a physicist and mechanical engineer and a judo expert with a debilitating knee injury. After rejecting surgery because it might not keep him out of a wheelchair, Feldenkrais used his extensive knowledge of the body and the mind to come up with a way to move more easily and walk pain-free.
Feldenkrais brought his method to the United States — first to the West Coast in 1977 and then the East Coast. Now it's taking hold in the Midwest, with about a dozen trained practitioners in Minnesota, according to Strauss-Klein.
"The lessons teach better alignment and more coordination between the muscles and the skeletal and soft tissues," said Julia Pak, a Feldenkrais practitioner and the New York City director of the Balanced Runner.
Some practitioners offer group classes, where students lie down on mats and then are guided through a series of movements. There also are one-on-one sessions that zero in on the places where a client is unwittingly restricting movement. A slight change — sometimes inches, maybe millimeters — can cascade into effortless movement that helps resolve a high school athlete's chronic running injury, alleviates a violinist's neck pain or allows an elderly woman to roll over in bed with ease.
Making it possible
"I'm finding the places where people are stuck neurologically," said Walker. "It's really about learning."
For example: "If you have tight hamstrings, it's because the way you're moving is causing them to be short and tight," she explained. "There are other muscles that should be working but aren't. So the hamstrings are overworking and the other muscles are sleeping."
While the method is very good at what Walker calls "re-rooting old habits," Feldenkrais has its limits.
"If someone has a torn ACL, I'm not your person. The medical profession has perfected that," Walker said. "But this is phenomenal for people who don't want to wear out their joints so fast, because when you move better you're not putting stress on those joints."
Tom Williamson, a 59-year-old Boston Marathon finisher and triathlete, was suffering from plantar fasciitis when he turned to Walker in 2004. After a couple of one-on-one lessons, he became an avid student in Walker's Awareness Through Movement classes. Williamson said he now has a "low-impact" gait and has remained injury-free.
"You don't consciously change your running style," he said. But Feldenkrais has given him the awareness to know when "things are off" and given him insight to make adjustments that allow him to run more efficiently. "You're not just running numb," he said.
Still, he hasn't been able to convert fellow runners to the Feldenkrais method. "People seem to think the name is goofy," he said.
Alternative fix
Dr. Margaret Houston, a family physician in Rochester, gets the same reaction.
"People roll their eyes because it's an alternative therapy and nobody understands what it is, and it's really hard to explain," she said. "I explain that learning to relax the muscles in one part of the body can help them walk differently. I tell them to take it on faith. It works and it's made a huge difference for me."
Houston, who suffered neck and back pain, was introduced to Feldenkrais by her horse trainer. After she took classes, she said, the pain disappeared.
The change made perfect sense to her. "People often attribute pain to one thing," she said. "They have pain in their knee or their hip but they don't realize that everything in your body moves as a unit."
Houston is quick to point out that Feldenkrais isn't for everyone. "Some people just want a quick fix," she said. "They want an injection or they want to see a specialist right away."
And if that fails, that's when they try Feldenkrais, said Pak.


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The beeper is an amazing object, and whoever invented it ought to be relegated to one of the lower circles of the Inferno.
(On second thought, remembering in the books the old paging system, overhead, which must have been infinitely more painful, perhaps a middle circle would be adequate.)
This time of year, on a sunny Saturday, the trauma pagers go off with predictable regularity: five minutes after signout in the morning, and five minutes before signout in the evening, and every forty-five to sixty minutes in between. There's kind of a reflex shrug we've all developed, standing in a circle in the unit, when the combined beeps and twitters and buzzes of our pagers, and the charge nurse's pager, and the respiratory tech's pager, all go off at once. Some people try to ignore it, and pretend that it's not their beeper that's going off. I'm more the type, when other people have their hands full, to pull my pager out and announce at least how many minutes we have before impact (five or sixty – it can make a difference), and perhaps the nature of the injury if it sounds really sensational or serious.
(Although it's amazing what poor aim the people in my city have: multiple gunshot wounds to the face routinely get discharged in excellent condition in a few days; we've had guys shoot themselves multiple times in suicide attempts, and get off with only one broken bone; we've had gang warriors shoot everything and everybody except anything remotely resembling a vital organ on the person they were aiming for; I've seen more gunshot wounds to the calf than any other kind.)