text:
Skip to content Jennifer Singh
Genomic Science
Living with and Caring for Autism
Autism Inequalities
News, Blogs, and Book Reviews
Book: Multiple Autisms
Biosketch
JENNIFER S. SINGH
Associate Professor of Sociology
221 Bobby Dodd Way Atlanta, GA 30332-0225
jennifer.singh@hsoc.gatech.edu
EARNED DEGREES
Ph. D. 2010 University of California, San Francisco Sociology
M.P.H 2003 University of Washington Public Health Genetics
B.S. 1993 California Polytechnic State University Biological Sciences
Associate Professor, School of History and Sociology Spring 2017 – present
Assistant Professor, School of History and Sociology Fall 2011 – 2017
Full Time Instructor, Dept. of Sociology and Criminal Justice Fall 2010 – 2011
Research Assistant, Center for Integration of Research Fall 2004 – 2008
On Genetics and Ethics (CIRGE), Stanford University
ASPH Research Fellow, Office of Public Health Genomics Fall 2003 – 2004
ASPH Research Intern, Office of Laboratory Genomics Summer 2002
Senior Research Associate, Dept. of Molecular Biology 1995 – 2001
Genentech, Inc.
Biochemical Technician, Cell Culture Operations 1993 – 1995
Singh, Jennifer S. 2016. Multiple Autisms: Spectrums of Advocacy and Genomic Science, Minneapolis and London: University of Minnesota Press.
Reviewed in Contemporary Journal of Sociology, British Medical Journal, New Genetics and Society, Social History of Medicine, Sociological Inquiry, Annals of Science, Sociology of Health and Illness, American Journal of Sociology, Contemporary Sociology, Configurations, History of Psychiatry, The Oral History Review, Disability and Society, and History of Medicine and Allied Sciences
Hong, Alice and Jennifer S. Singh. "Contextualizing the Social and Structural Constraints of Accessing Autism Services among Single Black Female Caregivers" International Journal of Child Health and Human Development 12(4): 365-378. Free Access Online: http://www.novapublishers.org/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=66302
Singh, Jennifer S. and Bunyak, Garrett*. "Autism Disparities: A Systematic Review and Meta-Ethnography of Qualitative Research," Qualitative Health Research, Vol. 29(6) 769-808. Free Access Online: https://journals-sagepub-com.prx.library.gatech.edu/doi/10.1177/1049732318808245
2018 Singh, Jennifer S. "Contours and Constraints of an Autism Genetic Database: Scientific, Social, and Digital Species of Biovalue," Tecnoscienza, 9(2): 61-88. Free Access Online http://www.tecnoscienza.net/index.php/tsj/article/view/357/224
Singh, Jennifer S. 2017. "Black Villages, Empathy, and Collective Value: Principle that Guide an Intersectional Understanding of Autism Inequalities," Catalyst: Feminism, Theory, Technoscience 3(1). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.28968/cftt.v3i1.220.g244
Singh, Jennifer S. 2016. "Parenting Work and Autism Trajectories of Care." Sociology of Health & Illness. 38(7): 1106-1120. Virtual Abstract: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-9566.12437/abstract
Singh, Jennifer S. 2015. "Narratives of Participation in Autism Genetics Research," Science, Technology & Human Values 40(2): 227-249.
Singh, Jennifer. 2011."The Vanishing Diagnosis of Asperger's Disorder" Pp. 237-259 in Sociology of Diagnosis (Advances in Medical Sociology, Volume 12), edited by PJ McGann and David J. Hutson. Bingley, UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Singh, Jennifer, Judy Illes, Laura Lazzeroni, and Joachim Hallmayer. 2009. "Trends in US autism research funding," Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorder, 39(5)(2009), 788-795.
Singh, Jennifer, Joachim Hallmayer and Judy Illes. 2007. "Interacting and paradoxical forces in neuroscience and society," Nature Review Neuroscience, 8(February 2007), 153-159.
Singh, Jennifer S. "Addressing Atlanta's Health Disparities through Community Service Approaches." Saporta Report. March 1, 2020. https://saportareport.com/addressing-atlantas-health-disparities-through-community-service-approaches/
Singh, Jennifer, S. Review of exhibit EBOLA: People + Public Health + Political Will. David J. Sencer CDC Museum, Atlanta, GA. June 19, 2017 – June 15, 2018. The Public Historian, 40(4): 180-187.
Singh, Jennifer. 2017. Review of Testing Fate: Tay-Sachs Disease and the Right to Be Responsible by Shelly Reuter, NYT Press. Contemporary Sociology, 46(6): 710-711.
Singh, Jennifer. 2017. Review of Rethinking Autism: Diagnosis, Identity and Equality by Runswick-Cole, K., Mallett, R., and S. Timimi (Eds.) London and Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers 2016.
Singh, Jennifer. 2013. Review of Seizing the Means of Reproduction: Entanglements of Feminism, Health, and Technoscience by Michelle Murphy, New Genetics and Society, 34(1): 112-116.cri
Singh, Jennifer S. 2019. "Multiple Autisms: Spectrums of Advocacy and Genomic Science" Keynote speaker for the conference "Autism, Genetic, & Identity: Exploring the Complexities of Autism Genetics Research." Columbia University, June 11, 2019. http://braingenethics.cumc.columbia.edu/autism-genetics-identity/
Singh, Jennifer S. 2018. "Navigating Autism Services in a Structurally Unequal Society." Presented at University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Psychological and Brain Sciences and The Boltwood Project. October 21, Amherst, MA.
Singh, Jennifer S. 2018. "Intersectional Inequities: Structural Constraints of Navigating Autism Services." Presented at The Five College Women's Study Research Centers in collaboration with the Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies at University of Massachusetts, Amherst. October, 19, 2018, South Hadley, MA.
Singh, Jennifer. 2017. "Navigating Autism at the Intersection of Race, Class, and Gender." Presented at U.C. Merced Sociology Colloquium Series, Sept. 15, Merced, CA.
Singh, Jennifer. 2017. "Structural Inequalities in ASD Diagnosis and Services at the Intersection of Race, Class, and Gender." Presented Webinar for International Society for Autism Research Summer Institute Series, August 17. Available at http://www.autism-insar.org/page/Singh
Singh, Jennifer S. 2017. "Assessing Quality of Care in a Community-Based Autism Clinic." Presented at the Autism Advisory Committee, March 30, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA.
Singh, Jennifer S. 2017. "Navigating Intersectional Research." Presented on Panel: Intersectionality: A Grant-Thinking Workshop at the Critical Juncture Conference: The Intersections of Race, Sexuality, Gender, and Disability, Emory University, March 17, Atlanta, GA.
Singh, Jennifer S. 2017. "Autism Inequalities to Diagnosis and Services based on Race, Ethnicity, SES, and Gender." Presented at the James Weldon Johnson Institute for the Study of Race and Difference Colloquium Series, Emory University, February 13, Atlanta, GA.
Singh, Jennifer. 2016. "Keynote on the State of Autism Research: Multiple Autisms." Presented at the Autism Conference of Georgia, April 15, Peachtree City, GA.
Singh, Jennifer. 2016. "Multiple Autisms: Spectrums of Advocacy and Genomic Science." Presented at the Georgia Leadership and Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Seminar, Georgia State University, April 1, Atlanta, GA.
Singh, Jennifer. 2012. "Asperger and Identity in the Wake of DSM." Presented at the Atlanta Autism Consortium Symposium, Georgia Tech, May 24, Atlanta, GA.
Singh, Jennifer. 2011. "Autism and the Impact of Emerging Technologies of Everyday Life." Presented to the School of Interactive Computing Lab Meeting, Georgia Tech, September 15, Atlanta, GA.
Singh, Jennifer. 2010. "The Genetic Reclassification of Autism Spectrum Disorders." Presented to the Department of Anthropology, History, and Social Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, May 19, San Francisco, CA.
"Social and Structural Barriers to Autism Services among Single Black Female Caregivers." Paper presented at the American Sociological Association Meeting, San Francisco, California, Aug. 9, 2020 (Virtual).
"Ethical Care in the Context of Constrained Choices." Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Social Studies of Science, September 7, 2019, New Orleans, LA.
"Narratives of Navigating Autism Services among Low-Income African American Caregivers." Paper presented at the Atlanta Autism Consortium: Break the Cycle of Autism Disparities: A Panel Discussion on Autism Equity. Emory School of Nursing, Atlanta, GA. Sept. 10, 2019.
"Autism Inequalities at the Intersection of Race, Social Class, and Gender." Paper presented at the Annual American Sociology Association Meeting, August 13, 2019, New York, NY.
"Structural Inequities and Autism Disparities." Paper presented at the International Society for Autism Research Meeting, May 4, 2019, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
"Evaluation of a Community-Based Autism Clinic in Atlanta, Georgia." Poster presented at the International Society for Autism Research Meeting, May 4, 2019, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
"Single, Black, and Female: Intersectional Accounts of Navigating Autism Services." Paper presented at the National Women's Studies Association Meeting, November 8, 2018 Atlanta, GA.
"Intersectional Narratives of Navigating Autism Services." Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, August 12, 2018, Philadelphia, PA.
"Intersectional Narratives of Navigating Autism Services." Paper presented at the International Society for Justice Research Annual Meeting, July 26, 2018, Emory University, Atlanta, GA.
"How do Black Lives Matter in Biomedical Research, Teaching and Practice?" Panel discussion representing the Working Group on Race and Racism in Contemporary Biomedicine at the National Women's Studies Association Conference, November 18, 2017, Baltimore, MD.
"Alternative Ways of Knowing: Black Caregivers of Children with Autism. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Social Studies of Science, September 2, 2017, Boston, MA.
"Autism Inequalities: An Intersectionality Approach." Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, August 15, 2017, Montreal, Quebec Canada.
"Narratives of Structural Inequalities: Alternative Caregiver voices Navigating Autism Services." Invited to present at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Social Problems, August 11, 2017, Montreal, Quebec Canada. Featured SSSP abstract: https://www.sssp1.org/index.cfm/m/569/locationSectionId/0/Featured_Abstracts
"Autism Disparities: Assessing Quality of Care and Structural Barriers to Diagnosis and Services." Poster presented at the Southeastern Pediatric Research Conference, Georgia Aquarium, June 9, 2017, Atlanta, GA.
"Intersectional Inequalities to Autism Diagnosis and Services. Invited to present at the Annual Eastern Sociological Society, Feb. 23, 2017, Philadelphia, PA.
"Simplex Families, Complex Exchanges: Participation in an Autism Genomic Database." Presenting at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Social Studies of Science, September, Barcelona, Spain, September 2016.
"Parenting Work and Autism Trajectories of Care." Presenting at the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, August, Seattle, WA, August 2016.
"Autism Inequalities: An Ethnographic Approach to Investigating Individual, Social, and Structural Barriers to Diagnosis and Educational Services." Presented at the Atlanta Autism Consortium Research Symposium, Emory University, September 24, Atlanta, GA.
"Autism Genomes in the Cloud: The Influence of Parent Advocacy on Open Science," Society for Social Studies of Science, Denver, CO, November 14, 2015.
"Genomic Styles of Thought in Autism Research," American Sociological Association, San Francisco, CA. August 2014.
"Transformative and Professional Parenting in the Social World of Autism," Society for Social Studies of Science, San Diego, CA, October 2013
"The Vanishing Diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome: Identity, Stigma and Everyday Life," American Sociological Association, New York, NY, August, 2013.
"Parenting a Child with Autism: Reorientations in Everyday Life," Southern Sociological Society, Atlanta, GA, April 2013.
"The Diagnostic Odyssey of Autism,"Southern Sociological Society, Atlanta, GA, April, 2013.
"Redefining Autism through a Genetic Lens," Society for Social Studies of Science, Copenhagen, Denmark, October 2012.
"Misguided Hope in Autism Genetics Research," American Sociological Association, Denver, CO, August 2012.
"The Social Contract of a Medical Diagnosis: Implications of the exclusion of 'Asperger's disorder' in the DSM-5," Southern Sociological Society, New Orleans, LA, March 2012.
"Styles of Participation in the Simons Simplex Collection and Ethical Implications of Genetics Research," International Meeting for Autism Research, Toronto, Canada, May 2012 (Poster
"Collaborations, Consortia and Collections Fueling Autism Research," Society for Social Studies of Science, Cleveland, OH, November 2011.
"Autism Health Social Movements and the Production of Genetic Knowledge," American Sociological Association, Las Vegas, NV, August 2011.
"The Genetic Imagination of Autism Spectrum Disorder," American Sociological Association, Atlanta, GA, August 2010.
"Imagining the Future of Autism Spectrum Disorders," Society for Social Studies of Science, Washington, DC, October 2009.
"The Genetic Understanding of Autism: Perspectives from Adults on the
Autism Spectrum," American Sociological Association, San Francisco, CA, August 2009.
"The Social World of Autism: Perspectives from Adults on the Autism Spectrum," International Meeting for Autism Research, Chicago, IL, May 2009. (Poster)
"Trends in Autism Research Funding," International Meeting for Autism Research, London, England, May 2008 (Poster).
"The Silent Voices of Autism," Society for Social Studies of Science, Vancouver, Canada, November 2006.
"A paradoxical relationship of scientific and public discourse in autism research," Society for Neuroscience, Atlanta, GA, October 2006 (Poster).
National Institute of General Medical Sciences Fellowship, U.C. San Francisco, 2004-2009. National Institutes of Health.
Association of Schools of Public Health Research Fellowship, 2003, 2004. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Association of Schools of Public Health Research Internship, 2003. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Courses Taught at Georgia Institute of Technology
Introduction to Sociology (Undergrad)
Sociology of Science (Undergrad)
Seminar in Medicine, Health and Society (Undergrad)
Special Topics: Health Inequalities – Service Learning Course (Undergrad)
Sociology of Medicine & Health (Undergrad and Graduate) (Service Learning 2017- 2020)
Jennifer Singh – Curriculum Vitae 3
Race, Medicine, & Science (Undergrad) – Service Learning and Linked with BMED 3600
Social Studies of Science and Technology (Graduate)
Social and Cultural Studies of Biomedicine (Graduate)
Socio-Historical Research Methods (Graduate)
Courses Taught at Kennesaw State University
Social Organization (Undergrad)
Society, Community and Health (Undergrad)
HSOC Sociology Search Committee, 2015-2016,
HSOC Executive Committee, 2012-2014; 2017-2018
HSOC Search Committee for Sports Studies Homer Rice Chair, 2012
Ivan Alan Legacy Awards Committee, 2012
Manuscript Review for: University of Chicago Press, Polity Press, University of Washington Press, Routledge Press
Journal reveiw for: Social Science and Medicine, New Genetics and Society, American Journal of Bioethics, BioSocieties, Science, Technology and Human Values, Sociology of Health and Illness, Social Studies of Science
American Sociological Association
Society for Social Studies of Science
Southern Sociological Society
International Society for Autism Research
HONORS, AWARDS, AND GRANTS
Executive Vice President for Research (EVPR) Rapid Response Funding ($1,200). "The Social and Economic Impacts of COVID-19 among Low-Income African American Caregivers of Children with Developmental Disabilities." Principle Investigator. https://projects.research.gatech.edu/project/social-and-economic-impacts-covid-19-among-low-income-african-american-caregivers-children
Digital Integrative Liberal Arts Center (DILAC), Grant ($19,500). "Visualizing Autism Service Disparities in Metro Atlanta." Principle Investigator. https://dilac.iac.gatech.edu/node/71
10 x 10 x TECH: 100 of the Institute's Most Fascinating People: Teacher – Featured in the 2019 Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine, Fall 2019. https://issuu.com/gtalumni/docs/vol95_no3_low_res
Georgia Tech Emerging Leaders Program, 2019-2020 https://provost.gatech.edu/emerging-leaders
2019 Georgia Power Professor of Excellence Award
https://hsoc.gatech.edu/news/item/627240/jennifer-singh-named-georgia power-professor-excellence
2019 Serve, Learn, Sustain (SLS) Award for Excellence in Sustainability Teaching
https://serve-learn-sustain.gatech.edu/professor-jennifer-singh-winner-2019-sls-award-excellence-community-engaged-sustainability-teaching
2019 Serve, Learn, Sustain Grant to develop Community Health-Linked course between HTS 3088 and BMED 3600 ($3,000)
https://bme.gatech.edu/bme/linking-biomedical-engineering-and-sociology
2019 Thank a Teacher Award, Georgia Institute of Technology
2019 Healthy Heart Coalition Heart of Champions Award – for SLS collaborations
2019 Georgia Tech Foundation International Travel Grant, International Society for Autism Research Annual Meeting, Montreal, Quebec Canada ($2,500).
2018 Ivan Allen College Small Grants for Research, Georgia Tech ($15,000)
2018 Serve, Learn, Sustain Grant to develop Community Health-Linked courses
2017 Georgia Tech Foundation International Travel Grant, American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Montreal, Quebec Canada ($2,500).
2017 Service, Learn, Sustain Grant to Develop Community Service Learning Component in Sociology of Medicine and Health Course, ($4,000).
2016 Georgia Tech Foundation International Travel Grant, Society for Social Studies of Science Conference, Barcelona, Spain ($2,600)
2016 Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Pediatric Research Center Grant ($50,000).
Thank a Teacher Award, CETL, Georgia Tech, 2012, 2013
Nominated by the UCSF Graduate Division for the 2011 Council of Graduate Schools/University Microfilms International Distinguished Dissertation Award in Humanities/Fine Art.
Anselm Strauss Special Award for Distinguished Qualitative Dissertation, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF, 2010.
Andrews Scholarship, School of Nursing, UCSF, 2009, 2010
Diana Forsythe Memorial Dissertation Award for Social Studies of Science Technology & Health, Department of Anthropology, History and Social Medicine, UCSF, 2009.
Anselm Strauss Dissertation Research Award, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF, 2009.
Dr. Jennifer Singh
Professor of Sociology
School of History and Sociology in the Ivan Allen College
HTS @ GT
Advance Network for Women Faculty
Copyright 2014. Jennifer Singh


The proliferation of digital modeling platforms can sometimes seem like too much of a good thing, particularly when transferring data from one environment to another requires complicated back-end manipulations.
For those of us without a background in coding, FLUX Factory's Charles Portelli and Karl Garske are offering hands-on instruction in "Seamless Exchange of Geometry & Data: Analysis & Modeling via Flux" in a lab workshop at this month's Facades+ NYC conference.
The workshop "deals with interoperability between multiple modeling applications," explained Portelli. Flux facilitates data exchange among applications including Grasshopper and Excel using native plug-ins, putting users "in an environment they're familiar with, so they can just start transferring data and geometry," he said. In addition to helping participants manipulate geometry and data across platforms, Portelli and Garske will also introduce cloud processing features. Cloud compatibility means that users "don't have to use desktops to run time-consuming tasks" including view analysis (sky exposure, solar radiation, shadow study) said Portelli.


This surface interest jacket made from 100% birdseye cotton material. The inside lining is fully customizable to feature unique fabrications in either cotton or ploy cotton with patterned designs like checks, stripes or customers own branding. Available in a variety of colourways.


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Tesla Owners Furious That Elon Musk Keeps Pushing Back Full Self-Driving
Home Technology Tesla Owners Furious That Elon Musk Keeps Pushing Back Full Self-Driving
September 17, 2021September 17, 2021By J.D. Smith
"You can't believe them anymore."
Overpromise, Underdeliver
Full self-driving (FSD), Tesla's higher-tier driver assistance feature, has long been touted by CEO Elon Musk as the future of self-driving cars. However, five years since its announcement, there's been woefully little progress — and Tesla is even getting sued over it.
The long delays, underperformance, and deadly accidents surrounding FSD have resulted in more headaches for Tesla owners than they anticipated, according to CNN. A few even spoke to the network to voice their frustrations over Tesla and Musk's promises.
"He's put out random tweets for three years that say, 'Oh, yeah, full self-driving is getting ready to come out,'" Tesla owner Brian Self told CNN. "You can't believe them anymore."
It's gotten so bad for the electric car company that one Tesla owner even filed a lawsuit in Albuquerque, New Mexico district court saying that the company made false and misleading claims about FSD.
The situation isn't helped by Musk, who's boasted about the feature numerous times in the past. Back in 2016, he even tweeted that when "you want your car to return, tap Summon on your phone. It will eventually find you even if you are on the other side of the country."
The tech works okay in parking lots — with numerous caveats — but the vision described by Musk isn't anywhere near available, and it doesn't seem like it'll be within the realm of possibility in at least the near future.
The Future of FSD
Despite all the issues, Musk is still strikingly confident about FSD's future. Last week, he even said that the next FSD beta would "blow your mind." Of course, that comes on the heels of Musk admitting that Tesla's FSD is "actually not great" in late August.
So as with all things Musk — and especially when it comes to FSD — it's important to take his comments with a grain of salt.
READ MORE: Some Tesla owners are losing trust in Elon Musk's promises of 'full self-driving' [CNN]
More on FSD: Elon Musk Admits That Tesla's Full Self-Driving Is "Not Great"
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Couple's 30,000 Christmas lights
Annual holiday light show at Clinton home is a tradition for many
By Evan Thompson • December 18, 2018 1:30 am
Tags: Whidbey Island
Jerry Beck and his family decorate their Clinton home with more than 30,000 lights and handmade decorations every year. More than 1,400 people came to see it in 2017. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
A news helicopter was flying over Whidbey Island to survey a windstorm that knocked out power to most of the region a few years ago, when suddenly the crew saw a light in the distance.
Make that thousands of lights.
Standing out in an ocean of darkness, more than 30,000 Christmas lights were beaming below in Clinton.
It was the home of the Beck family, who had hooked up their incandescent display to a powerful generator. Not even a pesky storm could keep them from providing their island neighbors with a beacon of holiday spirit, as they have every year since 1996.
"If we stop doing it, there's going to be a lot of disappointed people," said Jerry Beck, who owns an electrical contracting business on Whidbey Island. "We want to give back to our community."
Jerry and Lois Beck of Clinton. (South Whidbey Fire/EMS)
See Jerry and Lois Beck's 22nd annual drive-through light show for yourself through Dec. 31. This year's display features 34,000 lights and more than a dozen plywood cutouts hand-painted and arranged into Christmas-y scenes. If you're not already on Whidbey, it's definitely worth the ferry ride over.
You'll know you've found the place when you see the night sky glowing up ahead. You'll first see a telephone pole wrapped in colorful lights. In the driveway is a plywood snowman wearing a red scarf. Once you find the house, tune into the Becks' very own radio station set up so passersby can listen to Christmas carols.
Take the roundabout so you can see all of the bright lights and plywood characters, including Charlie Brown, Snoopy and Linus among colorful Charles Schulz-like trees.
Look for the vintage decorations, including a set of blow-molded snowmen and carolers backlit by a small Christmas tree.
Jerry Beck and his family decorate their Clinton home with more than 30,000 lights and handmade decorations every year and keep it open for the public is view. About 1,400 people come see it every year. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
You also can't miss the 60-foot-tall evergreen on the one-acre property, illuminated with strobe lights and decked out in candy canes and bells. It comes into view as you drive around the back.
Nearby are penguin cutouts frolicking in the snow, a shed lit in green and blue that serves as a Seattle Seahawks shrine and a plywood nativity scene in a goat pen, where you can also see live goats.
At the end of the driveway is a donation bin for the Good Cheer Food Bank in Langley and Ryan's House for Youth in Coupeville.
The Becks change their layout every year to keep things fresh. The only thing that stays the same is the rope of green lights that cordons off the yard to keep cars off the grass.
Their driveway is teardrop-shaped, allowing drivers to circle the property as many times as they want — which they do.
They said one family that visits every year first stops by Dairy Queen and then circles the Becks' displays again and again until the kids finish their peppermint milkshakes.
"That just makes you smile," Lois Beck said.
Blow-mold snowmen are among the first things visitors see when they visit the Becks' annual Christmas light show. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
The "oohs" and "ahhs" from adults and occasional screams of joy from kids never fail to amuse them. They try to turn their indoor lights off at night so as to not ruin the outdoor light show for visitors. They've decorated their house for so many years the next generation now stops by to check out the lights.
Jerry Beck strings up the lights himself. (His family helps.) His dad taught him how when he was a boy growing up in 1960s Northern California. He remembers the neighbors were worried that a 7-year-old was hanging lights on a two-story roof.
"I thought it was totally normal," he said.
Jerry and Lois moved to Clinton in 1994. Jerry joined the local fire department as a volunteer, eventually rising to the rank of captain of the station down the street from their home. He retired in 2016.
The couple decided early on that if they were going to put in the effort of turning their home into a holiday extravaganza, the community should have the chance to see it.
"The point is to get people to drive through and share this experience with their kids," Jerry Beck said.
So the Becks dropped flyers off at local businesses with directions to the display. Through the years, the number of visitors has grown — there were 1,454 in 2017 — as has the light show itself.
Their family of six sets up the lights and decorations starting in October. The display is ready by Thanksgiving. It helps that Jerry Beck is a master electrician.
They'll have a $600 electric bill by the time they take the lights down, but Jerry and Lois don't mind. They say they're paid back in full by the smiles the lights bring.
IF YOU GO: What: The Becks' Christmas light show When: Through Dec. 31, 6 to 9 p.m. daily Where: 6504 Robin Lane, Clinton Cost: Free
Lois Beck made handmade plywood cutouts of Charlie Brown, Linus and Snoopy for the light show. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
Cartoon for Dec. 15, 2018
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Upcoming Whidbey concerts feature chamber music
Island residents have a chance to experience the beginning of a new chapter of chamber music.
By Kira Erickson • January 27, 2023 1:30 am
Oak Harbor school utilizes book vending machine
For kids at Crescent Harbor Elementary School, getting a good book is as easy as getting a snack.
By Karina Andrew • January 27, 2023 1:30 am
Deception Pass ranked fifth most beautiful state park in nation
The most visited state park in Washington was recently recognized nationally for its beauty.


PENTAGON's Jinho is joined by another special guest for the latest edition to his monthly covers!
By now, many are aware of Jinho's vocal prowess, whether from it's from knowing him from his S.M. the Ballad days, or from his position as one of PENTAGON's main vocalists. In this video, he is not the only stunner, as Hongseok displays vocal skills that rival those of the main vocal's. He was undeniably talented when he first appeared in the entertainment world way back when as a YG trainee, but since then, it appears Hongseok has improved his talents even further.
Check out the cover below, and let us know what you think!


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USDF Announces Regional Schooling Show Awards Program
February 27, 2019 Noelle MaxwellNoelle Maxwell#NEWS, DRESSAGELeave a comment
In a positive move recognizing the importance of schooling shows and the base of support for the sport of dressage among schooling show riders, the USDF recently announced a new Regional Schooling Show Awards Program.
Pixabay/CC
Edited from a press release.
The United States Dressage (USDF) is pleased to announce the new USDF Regional Schooling Show Awards Program. The program offers regional recognition to USDF Group Members participating in non-USEF-licensed, non-USDF-recognized competitions; the program will begin in the 2020 membership year and will operate within the standard membership year of December 1 – November 30. Four award divisions — open, junior/young rider, adult amateur, and non-professional — will be recognized per region. The open division will offer recognition at Training, First, Second, Third, Fourth, and FEI levels, the other divisions will offer additional recognition at the Introductory level.
Said USDF President Lisa Goretta, "this new program has been developed to recognize the achievement of USDF Group Members who choose to participate in schooling shows as their competition path. It'll give competitors confirmation of how they stack up against their peers within their USDF region. This will, in turn, strengthen the USDF's Group Member Organizations by providing an additional exclusive benefit of membership! Schooling shows provide and promote dressage education for riders, USDF L graduates, licensed judges, and local competition management and show volunteers. We hope to welcome more members and competitors into the USDF community, while furthering our mission of recognizing achievements in dressage."
A USDF Group Member is defined as an individual who is part of a USDF affiliated dressage club. Over 100 clubs are affiliated across the US; affiliated organizations are called Group Member Organizations (GMOs) and their membership rosters are submitted directly to the USDF. Joining a GMO automatically makes one a group member of the USDF, and eligible for the Regional Schooling Show Awards Program.
Competitors and competition management will be able to sign up to participate starting July 2019. Any unrecognized competition is eligible to participate; simply submit an application and fee to the USDF at least 30 days prior to the start of the competition. Competitors wishing to participate must be USDF Group Members and submit an online nomination application and fee for each horse and rider combination they wish to nominate. For more information, visit www.usdf.org or contact the USDF at [email protected].


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5 Critters to Beware Of While You're Camping in the Desert
by Christopher Lampton
Sure, prairie dogs are cute -- but they can also carry bubonic plague.
Ronald Wittek/Photographer's Choice/Getty Images
Prairie dogs are cute, squirrel-like rodents found throughout most of the American Southwest. They're very social animals, at least among other prairie dogs, and live in clusters of underground burrows known as prairie dog towns. Prairie dogs aren't especially dangerous to human beings except in one way: They can carry bubonic plague.
Bubonic plague? Didn't that disappear in the middle ages? Not quite. It's still around and is commonly carried by small rodents like prairie dogs in the southwest. More specifically, it's carried by their fleas, which can not only infect other prairie dogs but nearby people. Your chances of infection from a prairie dog are small, but 10 to 20 cases of bubonic plague are reported in the U.S. each year and it's not a disease to be taken lightly. It can be fatal if not treated. So if you camp near a prairie dog town, don't get within flea-jumping distance of the residents. (Rock squirrels, chipmunks and wild rabbits can also carry the disease.) The good news -- for humans, if not for prairie dogs -- is that the disease kills the prairie dogs themselves so quickly that you're not likely to find an infected one while still alive. But the fleas can still spread the illness, so if you develop a high fever and swollen glands a few days after camping in prairie dog territory, you might want to get checked out by a doctor -- fast!
The 'Wild' Effect? Why Hiking Is Surging in Popularity in the U.S.
Boy Scouts Gets New Name, Admits Girls, Keeps Evolving
Zion National Park Overrun by Tourists, RSVP May Soon Be Required


text:
Tuning Out Privacy
Report About India 'Spying' on Journalists, Politicians Sparks Concern Over Illegal Surveillance
By Saumya Kalia
Image Credit: Getty
A global investigation project shows privacy of thousands of people globally — journalists, politicians, business people, NGO activists, Supreme Court judges — may have been compromised using illegal surveillance through the spyware Pegasus.
Manufactured by the Israel-based NSO Group, Pegasus is a mass surveillance software. The spyware works by transforming phones (both iPhones and Android devices), a symbol of privacy for most people, into a surveillance tool that extracts messages, photos, and locations, activating the microphone to record people in real-time. The report leaks the numbers of people Pegasus spyware may have been used on. Within India, the mobile phone numbers of 300 people, with more than 40 journalists, are on the list.
The new report by the organization Forbidden Stories reveals the extent of the data leak, with at least 10 countries across the world named for purchasing the Pegasus spyware. India figures in this damning list too — alongside Hungary, Kazakhastan, Bahrain, Mexico, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, among others. The leak contains more than 50,000 numbers in total that NSO's "clients" have identified as "people of interest" since 2016.
"Without forensics on their devices, we cannot know whether governments successfully targeted these people. But the presence of their names on this list indicates the lengths to which governments may go to spy on critics, rivals, and opponents," the report noted. India's unnamed and unsigned response to the report said it did not carry out any "unauthorized surveillance."
The story of Pegasus goes back to 2019, when another report showed that the spyware was being used for illegal surveillance on Indian journalists and human rights activists using WhatsApp. That time, the former Home Secretary told The Quint: "I am aware that Govt agencies have bought spyware in the past from private foreign tech firms like NSO."
Three things from the current investigation stood out. One, journalists, politicians (inside and outside the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party), activists, even a sitting judge were being surveilled. Two, someone within the government was responsible for this, as the NSO only has governments and their law enforcement agencies as their clients. Three, while one of the most staggering evidence of state overreach and surveillance, the report doesn't surprise many of us.
All The Arguments You Need: to Convince People They Should Care About Digital Privacy
The last element is particularly concerning — it speaks to a normalization of the culture of surveillance. Of course, surveillance is necessary for legitimate state purposes, such as national security and law enforcement. The idea of surveillance goes hand in hand with that of safety, wherein enforcement agencies legally penetrate the phones of "legitimate criminal or terror group targets." But the problem arises when sophisticated surveillance occurs without our knowledge or consent, making the process unethical — and dangerous.
India's response echoes this idea of national security. When former Minister of Information and Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad was asked regarding the usage of Pegasus to spy on citizens back in 2019, he said: "… no 'unauthorized instruction' has been done." Notably, a report last year analyzed 198 countries on its Right to Privacy Index and found countries in Asia to be at the highest risk for privacy violations of their people; noting that digital surveillance tools are lending authoritarian leaders more power during the pandemic.
Interestingly, among the phone numbers that figure in the list was activist Umar Khalid's, who was charged with sedition last year for allegedly conspiring in the Delhi riots.
The findings blur the lines between "legal" and "illegal" surveillance. Arguably, our phones are privy to thoughts and information. Illegal surveillance — particularly of this scale — amounts to a blatant invasion of privacy.
In an earlier article, The Swaddle debunked the idea of privacy being irrelevant if one doesn't have anything to hide: "Privacy is a basic human right. It's not necessarily about hiding a wrong. Even if a person isn't doing anything illicit or illegal, it's possible they might want to keep aspects of their life private, such as their intimate relationships online, political beliefs, and consumer habits. Digital surveillance is not just deployed to keep a moralistic check on internet users; it's used to manipulate people online by tracking their behavior, which reports show can also happen after the user has shut off certain apps or systems."
Asia Is the World's Surveillance Hotspot, Aiding Authoritarianism in the Covid19 Era: Report
The usage of Pegasus also shows the destruction of free speech in the hands of authoritarian leaders. There may be a sense of cynicism and a resignation to the government's disdain for free speech, and it might even seem intuitive that the ruling government may have surveilled on its critics.
Three examples of misuse — from Mexico, Hungary, and Saudi Arabia — lay bare the severity of what this surveillance system can do, and the risk it poses to activists and journalists across the world. "The phone number of a freelance Mexican reporter, Cecilio Pineda Birto, was found in the list, apparently of interest to a Mexican client in the weeks leading up to his murder, when his killers were able to locate him at a carwash. His phone has never been found so no forensic analysis has been possible to establish whether it was infected," the report explains.
Sushant Singh, one of the journalists who was found to be targeted by Pegasus spyware even this month, noted in The Wire: "It creates an environment of fear and intimidation for both the journalist and her sources, placing them at grave risk. Moreover, it vitiates the reporting environment for the community of journalists."
The report also undoes the myth that innocent people are spared from spying. This also sparks concerns about the lack of digital rights in cyberspace and the need for surveillance reform.
"This matter has to be raised. It's state surveillance. It is a very, very serious issue. It compromises the very system of constitutional democracy and the privacy of the citizens. The government cannot get away by saying that they have to verify and all. These are serious issues. Which are the agencies that got the malware? Which are the agencies which bought Pegasus? This is not something that the government can run away from," Congress deputy leader in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma told The Indian Express.
Experts have noted the need for reform in how we see surveillance measures. This is also different from a data privacy law that is currently in the pipeline by the ruling government; the latter will still help the government evade accountability, critics say.
For now, experts have raised demands for a transparent, judicial probe. There needs to be caution in how we process the findings — normalizing a structure of state surveillance that stomps on dissent and free speech, while slowly suffocating privacy online and offline, comes with a cost.
free speech | freedom | surveillance | technology | Tuning Out Privacy
Written By Saumya Kalia
Saumya Kalia is an Associate Editor at The Swaddle. Her journalism and writing explore issues of social justice, digital sub-cultures, media ecosystem, literature, and memory as they cut across socio-cultural periods. You can reach her at @Saumya_Kalia.
See all articles by Saumya
Latest Culture articles


text:
package io.miti.beetle.cache;

import io.miti.beetle.model.UserDb;

import java.util.List;

public final class UserDBCache {
  /** The one instance of the cache object. */
  private static final UserDBCache cache;

  /** The list of objects in the cache. */
  private List<UserDb> list = null;

  /** Instantiate the cache. */
  static {
    cache = new UserDBCache();
  }

  /**
   * Private default constructor.
   */
  private UserDBCache() {
    super();
  }

  /**
   * Get the cache.
   *
   * @return the data cache
   */
  public static UserDBCache get() {
    return cache;
  }

  public List<UserDb> getList() {
    return list;
  }

  /**
   * Load the cache.
   */
  public void loadCache() {
    if (list != null) {
      return;
    }

    list = UserDb.getList("order by ID");
  }

  public void add(final UserDb userDb) {
    list.add(userDb);
  }

  /**
   * Find a matching object by ID.
   *
   * @param id the ID to search for a match on
   * @return the object (in the list) matching on ID)
   */
  public UserDb find(final int id) {
    if ((list == null) || list.isEmpty()) {
      return null;
    }

    UserDb match = null;
    for (UserDb obj : list) {
      if (obj.getId() == id) {
        match = obj;
        break;
      }
    }

    return match;
  }

  /**
   * Print the list of objects in the cache.
   */
  public void printList() {
    if (list == null) {
      System.out.println("(List is null)");
      return;
    }

    System.out.println("UserDb Objects:");
    for (UserDb obj : list) {
      System.out.println("  " + obj.toString());
    }
  }

  public boolean remove(int id) {
    if (list == null) {
      return false;
    }

    // Find the object matching on ID
    boolean found = false;
    final int size = list.size();
    for (int i = 0; i < size; ++i) {
      final UserDb udb = list.get(i);
      if (udb.getId() == id) {
        // Remove the object from the cache and the database
        list.remove(i);
        udb.delete();
        found = true;
        break;
      }
    }

    return found;
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Last week U.S. Representatives Tom Marino, Judy Chu and Barbara Comstock introduced the CODE Act. The Act would finally make the U.S. Copyright office an independent part of the legislative branch, with the related functions and legal duties being part of the Office instead of remaining part of the Library of Congress, in which the Copyright Office now sits. At least as important, the Act directs the Director to modernize copyright registration part of modernizing the office in general.
This follows another similar proposal that was recently released by the House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte and Ranking Member John Conyers. Across the Capitol, Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley and former Ranking Member Patrick Leahy have released statements in support of modernizing the Copyright Office.
Article I of the Constitution places Congress in charge of copyright policy. Before being functionally separated out in 1896, the Copyright Office was administered by the Librarian of the Library of Congress. However, the Copyright Office has continued to be housed within the Library of Congress, the location a historical artifact. The Library and the Office do not have the same mission and can even sometimes have conflicting goals, making the Office something of a second class citizen in the current structure. Yet, copyright forms a sizeable portion of the U.S. economy, including 5.5 million workers who work in copyright industries, $1.2 trillion to the nation's GDP, and foreign sales of nearly $180 billion. All in all, core copyright industries are seven percent of the economy.
And the Copyright office itself plays a crucial role by administering the registration and recording systems, in addition to advising Congress. But the role has been neglected by a lack of interest in keeping the Office in step with the times. Creators should be able to register their works with ease, especially today when the world is mobile and run on apps, and yet it is not currently available. The public should be able to find copyright information and analyze it, making it easier to legally license copyright protected works. These functions are not currently available. With separation and independent operation the Office will be able to modernize, again sending a clear signal that copyright is an important part of the economic and online ecosystems.
The copyright office is, by law, Congress's independent expert advisor on all copyright issues so it is helpful if the Office is free of other concerns and can focus on its core mission, including direct communications with Congress. As importantly, the Office needs to be updated technologically. The Copyright Office is part of the Internet ecosystem, and that ecosystem suffers when the Office lags on modernization.


WHY ISN'T THIS ALBUM AVAILABLE ON CD?! This is pure wakeman at his finest. It may sound dated, but this makes it better. I am only 16 and I love it. The lyrics are very interesting. There is a story about humanity and their music. There are even references to Plato. If you are a fan of early Wakeman then you will love this album.
This has been my favourate album since I was under 5 years old. If you haven't yet bought it, buy it. The orchestration is magnificent as is Rick's keyboard playing. Best album in the world ever.


text:
Q: Codeigniter: where to store session files To use the session library in CI 3, you need to set the session save path.
Where should I save the sessions? (path)
Maybe can somebody why I should use the database driver to save sessions because it's better?

A: You can use:
$r = implode('/', array_slice(explode('/', $_SERVER["SCRIPT_FILENAME"]),0,-1));
$config['sess_driver'] = 'files';
$config['sess_cookie_name'] = 'my_session';
$config['sess_expiration'] = 14400;
$config['sess_save_path'] = $r.'/session/';
$config['sess_match_ip'] = FALSE;
$config['sess_time_to_update'] = 600;
$config['sess_regenerate_destroy'] = FALSE;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Man City operates in the absence of the recognized striker in the Southampton match
Southampton 0-1 Man City
Objectives: Raheem Sterling (£ 11.4 million)
It helps: Kevin de Bruyne (£ 11.9 million)
Reward points: Rúben Dias x3 (£ 5.6m), Kyle Walker x2 (£ 6.2m), John Stones x2 (£ 4.8m), João Cancelo x2 (£ 5.5m)
All you can do …
Manchester City's goalscoring woes continued in their 1–0 win over Southampton at Gameweek 14.
Despite 25 shots on the Saints, Pep Guardiola's men found the net only once, and the result was even more disappointing for the citizens by a 7-0 thrashing of Liverpool at Crystal Palace.
You can be sure Fantasy Premier League managers have noticed this disparity, too, not least in case Raheem Sterling (£ 11.4 million) and Kevin De Bruyne (£ 11.9 million)
The pair scored eight and five points, respectively Mohamed Salah (£ 12.4 million) and Sadio Mane (11.9 million pounds) 16, 9 points.
It has been a constant problem for City of course, especially compared to Liverpool.
The latest results mean that in their last four matches, the Reds have scored 14 goals against four Nationals.
Accordingly, while Salah averaged 10.8 points per game in that period, De Bruyne scored 6.5 points per match.
Moreover, it can be said that Al Masry has more attractive short-term formulations as well. After hosting Newcastle next time, Manchester City travels to play Everton and Chelsea. But during that time, Liverpool host West Bromwich Albion, and travels to Newcastle and then Southampton.
Without teeth in attack
Manchester City definitely hasn't helped in terms of his attacking abilities at Southampton with the latest injury news.
READ Olsztyn Sports and Recreation Center is looking for savings. Reduces sports expenses
Gabriel Jesus (9.2 million pounds) missed a trip south due to a problem with his teeth, while … Sergio Aguero (£ 10.3m) was still ready enough to secure a spot on the bench.
"He had a dental condition in the last game and he is unavailable." Pep Guardiola
Guardiola's solution to the heart attack problem was to summon the winger Ferran Torres (6.9 million pounds) for the start of the Premier League since the tenth round.
Despite showing him decently in October and November, especially in European Games and his country, the Spaniard did not find space to add much to Manchester City's attack on Saturday.
The same was true Riyad Mahrez (8.4 million pounds), who replaced Torres in the 71st minute.
It was the attacker's role that hampered Manchester City the most this season, and in front of Southampton, it definitely caused de Bruyne potential problems on points.
The Belgian was deprived of space to turn around and extend opposing defenses against West Bromwich Albion and Manchester United, and he had a lot of it in Saint Mary's.
He finished at the top of the list of chances (four) but only Sterling was able to convert.
The most painful moment of the match for the owners of De Bruyne was in the 53rd minute when he fired an excellent pass on a board in his favor. Bernardo Silva (£ 7.4m), who scratched bullets.
John Stones (£ 4.8m) continues to slip under Fantasy's radar, return to the starting line-up against Southampton and score his fourth clean sheet in four matches. For the second outing in a row, the former Everton man earned two extra points as well.
READ Bahrain Grand Prix to resume after Grogan survived a major accident: F1 - Live! | sport
The lockdown itself has become all the more impressive given that this was Southampton's first tie at home this season, having scored at least two goals in every game at St Mary's so far, even though they lost. Danny Ings (8.4 million pounds) for a hamstring injury in the first half.
"It's a hamstring problem. I'm not sure how much, but obviously we were risking another 90-minute match when he played twice a week after a long injury, so hopefully it wasn't so bad." Ralph Hasenhüttl
Either way, Stones should be credited with making Gameweek 13's draw with West Bromwich Albion, which he missed, was the only game since Gameweek 10 (his first start since Gameweek 2) that Manchester City gave up.
The reason behind this is that Stones form quickly with excellent grasp Robin Dias (5.6 million pounds), he got the ball back and allowed his central defender to push it forward.
Manchester City has yet to give up when the two start a game together, and with what could count as a respite at Week 13, the Stones should be pressing to participate throughout the Christmas period.
Until recently, Dias was the only City defender worth considering reliable starts, given Guardiola's periodic rotation. Joao Cancelo (£ 5.5m) Kyle Walker (£ 6.2 million) and Benjamin Mendy (5.9 million pounds) via the left and right-back sites.
However, four matches starting from five, as well as an impressive record in those matches, require a serious study of stone fantasy, especially with Blank Gameweek 18 at the back of our minds.
READ Aston Villa have agreed to transfer £ 20m to Arsenal with a rumor emerging from Bertrand Traore
Southampton XI (4-4-2): McCarthy. Bertrand, Vestergard, Bednark, Walker Peters; Genebo (Redmond 59), Romeo, Ward Prause, and Walcott; Adams (Nlundulu 82), accomplished (Tella 41).
Manchester City XI (4-2-3-1): Ederson. Cancelo Dias Stones Walker; Rodri, Gundogan; Sterling, De Bruyne, P Silva; Torres (Score 72).
Lessons Learned from FPL Gameweek 14
Full-year membership is now available at a price £ 19.99. Monthly subscriptions only cost £ 2.99. A free trial version is now available during December.
Draw your own conversion strategies using the Season bar.
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Don't Miss it Trump slams John Bolton, calling him 'one of the stupidest people in Washington'
Up Next The World Economic Forum scoffed at comparing climate change on Venus to that on Earth – RT World News


text:
annoyed; aggravated; exasperated
A question for native speakers of English.
Meaning of the phrase "make people's day" | Difference between skating and skiing
#1 (permalink) Sun Sep 20, 2009 12:05 pm A question for native speakers of English.
compound noun/adjective ?
Can we make a new compound adjective or compound noun on our own? :?:
can we improvise? or create a new one.
for Example I myself created this one and I used it once in my essay. :D
Our teacher who was a non-native speaker had no idea whether it's correct or wrong.
a lot of cause-to-twitch scenes in a movie.
Is it wrong? :?: :idea:
I came across these compound adjectives, take a look at them:
He is a fun-to-be-with guy.
an embarrassing-to-be-with girl
quality-of-life issues
being-at-home feeling
and likewise, for compound noun?
I have only smattering of compound noun/adjective, can you give me a long compound adjective as an example?
Who dares to teach must never cease to learn. -John Cotton Dana
Location: Malaysia (at present)
#2 (permalink) Mon Sep 21, 2009 19:28 pm A question for native speakers of English.
"He's flying by the seat of his pants,"
"He's living on the edge."
"She's reached the end of her tether."
"They've finally got the picture."
Do these fit the bill Richard?
Kitos.
Keep it simple ... Keep it interesting.
Kitosdad
Location: ESSEN, Germany, (but English.)
Want to learn about the future tenses? Read this story and smile English grammar exercises — improve your English knowledge and vocabulary skills Are you a native speaker of English? Then you should read this! Here is all you want to know about English! Click to subscribe to free email English course
Compound Adjectives
1. A compound adjective is formed when two or more adjectives work together to modify the same noun. These terms should be hyphenated to avoid confusion or ambiguity.
Incorrect: The black and blue mark suggested that he had been involved in an altercation.
Correct: The black-and-blue mark suggested that he had been involved in an altercation.
Incorrect: Her fifteen minute presentation proved decisive to the outcome of the case.
Correct: Her fifteen-minute presentation proved decisive to the outcome of the case.
2. However, combining an adverb (usually a word ending in "ly") and an adjective does not create a compound adjective. No hyphen is required because it is already clear that the adverb modifies the adjective rather than the subsequent noun.
Incorrect: The remarkably-hot day turned into a remarkably-long week.
Correct: The remarkably hot day turned into a remarkably long week.
3. Furthermore, you should not place a hyphen in a compound adjective if the adjectives are capitalized, such as when they are part of a title.
Correct: His book was entitled, "Gender Neutral Language in English Usage," and it revolutionized the way people think about sex roles.
However: His book on gender-neutral language revolutionized the way people think about sex roles.
Correct: The students were participants in Chicago-Kent's vaunted Legal Research and Writing Program.
Also Correct: The student decided to attend a school with a good legal-research-and-writing program. Note that in this example, the reference is to a type of program, rather than a specific program, and so the use of hyphens is proper.
http://www.kentlaw.edu/academics/lrw/grinker/LwtaCompound_Adjectives.htm
http://www.iei.uiuc.edu/structure/Structure1/haired.html
con�text - The part of a text or statement that surrounds a particular word or passage and determines its meaning.
Milanya
I'm here quite often ;-)
Location: Texas, USA (at present)
#4 (permalink) Tue Sep 22, 2009 2:49 am A question for native speakers of English.
I'd like to add something about making new compound adjectives and nouns, besides the excellent rules above. I am far from an expert on this, but here we go.
I general, you can make your own compound adjectives. However, as a rule of thumb, your should also be able to use the adjective as a predicate adjective, that is, after the verb: an embarrassing-to-be-with girl => this girl is embarrassing to be with. Note that compound adjectives generally don't require hyphens when used as predicate adjectives. Your example "a cause-to-twitch scene" is odd because "this scene is cause to twitch" is probably not what you meant. To comply with this rule, it should be "a causing-to-twitch scene".
However, this still sounds a bit odd to me, because "causing" requires an object, that is, something that is caused to twitch, as in "a causing-me-to-twitch scene". Furthermore, a compound adjective is usually created only when it consists of parts that naturally belong together, something that vaguely resembles a fixed expression.
There is also another type of compound adjective: the one made of an actual sentence, a full expression, or an exclamation. In the example "a yes-we-can attitude", the sentence "yes we can" is an actual expression that constitutes a full clause or exclamation.
Compound nouns can be written with hyphens, with spaces, or attached, such as bull-dog, hard drive, and pitfall. There is no rule for this: each dictionary makes its choice, you may find the same word written differently in various dictionaries. The reason is that every noun can be used as an adjective to another noun, and every adjective as an adjective, too, of course, so that the unattached form is usually fine. There is never a compelling reason to attach or hyphenate the components of a compound noun such as the three above, except convention. The longer the word has existed as a fixed compound, and the shorter it is, the more chance there is that most dictionaries and writers will write it attached.
The only case in which spaces are not allowed in a compound noun is when its components cannot normally stand apart in a sentence. This applies to, for example, compound nouns made of a sentence, such as in "there are no forget-me-nots to be seen" (the name of a flower), and "please tell what's-his-name over there to kindly take his shoes off the table".
When a compound noun is used as a noun adjective, such as in "hard-drive space", it should be treated as one. That includes hyphens for clarity. Consider the wrong example "hard drive space". Drive space, is that the space you need to drive by? And how can this type of space be hard?
Note that many, many writers of mediocre talent will sin against these rules and the ones that Milanya gave, perhaps even some good writers, too.
Note also that good writers will be stingy of noun adjectives, as constructions with actual adjectives, prepositions, or full clauses are often both more elegant and easier to read. Compare "a clown face" to "the face of a clown"; "an emission reduction policy" to "a policy to reduce emissions"; and "the ethnicity factor" to "the ethnic factor". The use of the possessive " 's " is somewhere in between.
Cerberus�
#5 (permalink) Wed Sep 23, 2009 19:23 pm A question for native speakers of English.
Thank you guys.
I'm very proud of you.
Meaning of "physical supply chain" • Why the prep "at" isn't suitable? • I am unsure but is it possible that 'my' should in fact be "me"? • What is the meaning of gasket? • "I am at hire" vs "I am for hire" • "out at sea" vs "out for sea" • need doing vs. needs to do • Meaning of "policy holder" • What does 'hide' mean? • walk the dog? • What is a check-out lane? • What does "we don't get to pick them" mean? • What's the meaning of batting an eyelid?


text:
Q: Free queue channel in spring integration with java DSL i have a channel that stores messages. When new messages arrive, if the server has not yet processed all the messages (that still in the queue), i need to clear the queue (for example, by rerouting all data into another channel). For this, I used a router. But the problem is when a new messages arrives, then not only old but also new ones rerouting into another channel. New messages must remain in the queue. How can I solve this problem?
This is my code:
    @Bean
    public IntegrationFlow integerFlow() {
        return IntegrationFlows.from("input")
                .bridge(e -> e.poller(Pollers.fixedDelay(500, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS, 1000).maxMessagesPerPoll(1)))
                .route(r -> {
                    if (flag) {
                        return "mainChannel";
                    } else {
                        return "garbageChannel";
                    }
                })
                .get();
    }

    @Bean
    public IntegrationFlow outFlow() {
        return IntegrationFlows.from("mainChannel")
                .handle(m -> {
                    try {
                        Thread.sleep(1000);
                    } catch (InterruptedException e) {
                        e.printStackTrace();
                    }
                    System.out.println(m.getPayload() + "\tmainFlow");
                })
                .get();
    }

    @Bean
    public IntegrationFlow outGarbage() {
        return IntegrationFlows.from("garbageChannel")
                .handle(m -> System.out.println(m.getPayload() + "\tgarbage"))
                .get();
    }

Flag value changes through @GateWay by pressing "q" and "e" keys.

A: I would suggest you to take a look into a purge API of the QueueChannel:
/**
 * Remove any {@link Message Messages} that are not accepted by the provided selector.
 * @param selector The message selector.
 * @return The list of messages that were purged.
 */
List<Message<?>> purge(@Nullable MessageSelector selector);

This way with a custom MessageSelector you will be able to remove from the queue old messages. See a timestamp message header to consult. With the result of this method you can do whatever you need to do with old messages.


First of all, thanks to all those participating in the translation efforts. Secondly, thanks for your patience in waiting for a build where you can finally test your translations.
This build is special in that it looks and picks up translations defined externally (outside of the installation).
Moreover, it reloads all translations each time the browser is reloaded. So, no need to restart the service and certainly no waiting on a new build to see your translation changes.
A simple convention is defined with this build. This build looks for translation files in C:/_translate (or /_translate in the case of Linux systems).
1. The first thing to do is to log into http://translate.flexraid.com and download your translation as a zip file.
As you make changes to the local files, please remember to update http://translate.flexraid.com with the said changes.
There is known issue in that the login page will show the labels rather than the translations.
This is due to the security layer. So, simply ignore the login page for the time being.
Yes, it is down for the short-term. I will be back up in a few weeks.


A B C Business Machines is a furniture company providing a range of furniture and other equipment for offices.
Aberdeen Area is a fencing company providing a range of fencing options for the garden and other plots of land.
AgeCare is a charity which works towards helping and raising money for charitable causes.
Anna Tripsis is a health organisation specialising in alternative medicines and treatments.
Bridges Pre-School Nursery is a day nursery providing care for children while their parents are not available.
Broomhill Nursery & Primary School is a school educating numerous children from the local area.
Carden Motor Co is a garage which offers a range of services for different types of vehicle.
David Moir offers a range of blacksmith services, producing forged metal items.
Holburn Crafts is a shop selling an array of handmade arts and crafts.
Intelligent Advertising Ltd is a consultancy firm specialising in advertising and marketing solutions.
Irene Morrans is a reflexologist who provides alternative treatment by applying pressure to patients' feet, hands and ears.
J & C Lynch is a general store selling a range of household supplies and groceries.
Jazztech is a computer repair company offering various services for PCs and laptops.
Open All Hours is a newsagent selling magazines, newpapers and various household supplies.
R Wilson offers a range of alternative techniques to diagnose and treat various neuromusculoskeletal complaints.
Reid Cycles is a bike shop which sells a variety of bicycles and accessories and also provides a repair service.
The Broomhill Nursery is a day nursery providing care for children while their parents are not available.
The Sun Spot is a tanning salon offering a range of cosmetic tanning treatments including sunbeds.
Westend Car Sales is a car dealer which buys and sells a variety of vehicles.
Find out what people are saying about places on Broomhill Road.
Map showing Broomhill Road in Aberdeen.


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Stipend makes tech course much more attractive to teachers
The Sonoma Index-Tribune of Sonoma, Calif., reports on a local professional development course called "Earn While You Learn." The course helps K-12 teachers learn about technology so they can pass that knowledge on to students. Teachers in the program are paid a stipend of $5,000 for spending three weeks in the program. They must turn in an final project to qualify for the stipend.
Complete coverage of the AASA 2005 conference in San Antonio
Visit the eSchool News Conference Information Center for the latest news from the American Association of School Administrators' National Conference on Education.
UFT finding high-tech solutions to improve its overall efficiency
eWeek's The Channel Insider reports that the United Federation of Teachers, that largest union local in the world, is taking advantage of technology to make its services more efficient. UFT now offers web-based course enrollment and online access to health beneifts. "With our growing membership, the time to rethink the delivery of services and information could wait no longer," said Joe Vigilante, the UFT's director of information services.
$69.9 million iBook deal on tap in Ga.
Superintendent Joe Redden is recommending a $69.9 million lease agreement with Apple Computer to provide more than 63,000 wireless laptops to teachers and students in Georgia's Cobb County School District. If approved by the school board on March 9, Cobb County's "Power to Learn" program will be among the largest one-to-one learning projects in the United States.
The price tag for the program, which is scheduled to be implemented in three phases, could amount to more than $88 million, but in March, the Cobb County school board is being asked to consider the $69.9 million commitment expected to take the program through its first four years. Additional funding would be needed in the out years. Redden told eSchool News he is asking the board to approve the program one phase at a time.
After a series of intense negotiations that included bids from Dell, IBM, and Hewlett-Packard, Redden and his team announced Apple's selection on Feb. 9, citing a tentative four-year agreement that reportedly would provide 63,000 iBook G4 laptop computers, including software, maintenance, and training at $350 annually per machine.
Inspired by a handful of large-scale, one-to-one initiatives currently under way in such places as Maine, Michigan, and Henrico County, Va., the Cobb County venture would be among the first in the nation to provide laptop computers to both middle school and high school students. Though such programs have usually been launched in lower grades–thanks to smaller enrollments and more structured learning environments–officials in Cobb County want to get laptops into the hands of older learners, too–many of whom will rely on the technology as they enroll in college and enter the workforce.
Pending board approval, the Power to Learn program would be rolled out in three phases, with the first notebook computers being issued to teachers in this spring. As part of this initial phase, the district also plans to designate four schools, "or demonstration sites," to test the program. The pilot sites would begin using the laptops by fall 2005 to conduct teacher training and explore classroom uses of the technology.
Staring in 2006, phase II would distribute the wireless notebook computers to every high school student in the district, providing that their schools have met the necessary readiness requirements, including the proper amount of staff training and infrastructure development.
The last phase of the program would put laptops in the hands of every middle school student in the district, though school system officials caution that each phase "will move forward pending school board approval."
One-to-one computing could become the standard in Cobb County, Ga., if the district gets an expected 63,000 wireless iBooks. (Photo courtesy Apple Computer)
Heading into the critical approval process, Redden has expressed confidence that the school board will support the program.
"The Power to Learn program represents a tremendous step forward for education in Cobb County," he said in a statement. "Our school board members have demonstrated that their vision of educational excellence goes beyond doing things the way that they've always been done. Real leadership is about using the best technology available to help students learn in new and better ways."
To promote what Redden calls "anytime, anywhere learning," each machine will be equipped with a bundled software package that includes Apple's versatile iLife suite, an array of editing tools used to manipulate digital photographs and movies for use with classroom presentations and other learning assignments. The computers will also feature the Microsoft Office productivity suite and AirPort Extreme for high-speed, wireless connectivity.
The machines will be powered by the latest Mac OS X operating system–one Cobb County service technicians have touted as secure and largely resistant to crippling computer viruses.
In the event that something does go wrong, the school system's contract with Apple also includes provisions for the construction of a specially designed service facility staffed by seven full-time Apple technicians and trainers who will work with educators throughout the school system.
The program will require those who use the computers to obtain insurance for damaged or stolen machines. Redden said the insurance will cost $50 per year per machine. He told eSchool News local business leaders have assured him they will make funds available to parents who can't afford to pay the premiums.
The majority of the four-year lease program will be paid for with funds from a local tax fund approved by voters in 2003. Although the central pieces of the deal are already in place, Cobb County administrators still are on the lookout for a wireless internet service provider to make use of the G4's additional connectivity.
Not everyone in Cobb County shares Redden's enthusiasm for the investment. When asked about the opposition, district spokesman Jay Dillon said most objections have centered on the size of the program.
"It sounds like a very large number when you throw out the millions that are being spent on technology," he said. "But that doesn't take into account the money we are already spending." Rather then viewing the project as yet another initiative, Cobb County officials are encouraging parents and other concerned community members to look at Power to Learn as a new means of achieving a longstanding goal. "This isn't a technology project … that's not the focus here. It's a whole new way of teaching and learning," he said.
To quell lingering concerns, district officials have created a web site to answer questions about the program and are currently holding a series of informational sessions designed to explain how the project will evolve.
So far, large-scale laptop programs in other parts of the country have encountered funding challenges but have had generally positive results.
Back in 2002, Maine became one of the first states in the nation to launch a statewide one-to-one computing initiative. The program–launched in two phases–provided iBooks to 36,000 seventh- and eighth-grade students in 241 public middle schools across the state. Despite receiving high marks from both students and teachers on a mid-year evaluation, program proponents have struggled to secure enough money from the state legislature to move the program into high schools (See story: "Maine laptop program gets high marks in mid-year survey").
Tight budgets also threaten to derail a similar statewide program currently under way in Michigan (See story: "Michigan signs $68M deal with HP for school laptops"). Dubbed, "Freedom to Learn (FTL)," the $68-million contract with computer-maker Hewlett-Packard seeks to eventually put laptops into the hands of more than 132,000 middle-school students statewide. But the fate of that program is now uncertain as a result of President Bush's proposed elimination of the $500 million Enhancing Education Through Technology state block grant program.
If federal funding is eliminated, and alternative state and local funding cannot be found, the program would grind to a halt by the summer of 2006, according to Bruce Montgomery, of Ferris State University, executive director of FTL. Currently, 20,457 Michigan students in 185 school buildings are using laptops under FTL, Montgomery reported.
And in Henrico County, educators committed more than $24 million to a similar four-year deal to outfit 24,000 sixth- through twelfth-graders, plus more than 3,000 teachers and every elementary classroom across the district with iBooks. That program was expanded in 2003 despite nagging technical glitches and a few reports of students using their computers to download pornographic images. (See story: "Henrico schools to expand $18.5M laptop program").
Back in Cobb County, superintendent Redden believes it's only a matter of time before the technology makes believers out of the opposition. While the technology presents its share of challenges, he says, the potential benefits far outweigh the risks.
"Research shows you can keep adding more and more computer labs and not have much effect on learning," Redden said. "But when you match each child to his or her own computer, one-to-one, you provide more opportunities for individualized instruction and the results are almost immediate. This generation has grown up in a digital world, and the children acclimate to technology very quickly. It gives many kids a whole new focus on school because the technology makes learning more engaging and interactive, and the fact that it's wireless means students have access anywhere, anytime."
Cobb County School District
http://www.cobb.k12.ga.us/
Cobb County Power to Learn
http://www.cobbk12.org/powertolearn/
http://www.apple.com
College accused of using 'tech courses' to inflate enrollment
The Los Angeles Times reports that a local community college has been accused of inflating its enrollment figures for noncredit computer courses in order to qualify for additional state funding. By boasting higher enrollments, Los Angeles Mission College was able to receive and extra $5.73 million over five years. (Note: This site requires registration.)
Web cameras meant for security might not be secure themselves
The New York Times reports on growing concerns over the security of web-based surveillance cameras. Although these cameras are meant to help protect individuals, they can be hacked, and images can be accessed by others on the internet. This is particularly troubling when cameras are set up in locker rooms and other sensitive areas. (Note: This site requires registration.)
Mozilla has update to patch security holes in its Firefox browser
cNet's News.com reports that users of the Firefox Web browser can now download an update to repair security holes, including one that allowed hackers to conduct elaborate phishing scams through spoofed URLs. The update is available at Mozilla.org. The Mozilla Foundation says that an average of 250,000 people are downloading Firefox each day.
Wireless network to tower over schools in Iberia Parish, La.
The Daily Advertiser of Lafayette, La., reports that schools in Iberia Parish are installing a high-speed wireless network for the 2005-06 school year. Detel Communications is doing the installation, which features 21 towers ranging in size from 55 feet to 95 feet. The towers will link up all 36 schools in the parish, as well as school board offices.
Gov.: Tech could save small schools
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin believes distance-learning technology might be the answer to the dilemma of how to expand curricula throughout the state without sacrificing small schools to consolidation.
Manchin, a Democrat who took office in January, said West Virginia First Lady Gayle Manchin and Nancy Sturm, an education technology specialist in the governor's office, are working on a plan to promote distance-learning initiatives.
"I'm just committed to doing everything I can to preserve the community and rural schools that we have throughout West Virginia," he said. "That doesn't mean I'm against consolidation. It just means I'm against consolidation for the fact of building something new and disrupting everyone's lives and destroying communities."
The governor said the internet and satellite technology could be used to offer a wider array of classes to students across the state.
"I think you're going to see a lot more distance learning," Manchin said.
Linda Martin, director of Challenge West Virginia, a statewide organization of parents, educators, and others committed to maintaining and improving small community schools, said she supports distance learning. Her group is opposed to many consolidation proposals that result in longer bus rides for students.
"I think that that is the answer," Martin said. "It's the answer educationally, and it's the answer economically."
She said equipping each school with distance-learning technology would cost about $20,000, but it would save millions of dollars in school construction and transportation costs.
"The problem I have is the bus rides," Sen. Tracy Dempsey, D-Lincoln, said about a plan to consolidate four high schools into one in Lincoln County, W.Va. "I think we have to look at legislation to protect the rural schools. Distance learning is something we really just touched on. I just don't think we're doing enough on distance learning."
Senate Majority Leader Truman Chafin, D-Mingo, said that while consolidation should be a last resort, distance learning might not be the solution for every school. He cited Williamson High School, which is expected to graduate only about 40 students this year.
"You have to have enough students pay for either distance learning or to have the faculty to offer the courses," he said. "A new school is the nicest place some students go."
Manchin said even tiny schools could be maintained with distance learning, noting that Pickens School in Randolph County, which has just a few dozen students from kindergarten through high school, performs consistently well academically.
"It's a win-win-win-win and continues to win," Manchin said. "If you can preserve a community in a rural setting, you've got a child with an identity."
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin
http://www.wvgov.org
Challenge West Virginia
http://www.challengewv.org
Tech-savvy teacher helps school win Best Buy's $2,500 gift card
The Times of Munster, Ind., reports on a local private-school kindergarten teacher who won a $2,500 technology gift card from Best Buy. Linda Lundgren was one of 36 teachers in Indiana who won the $2,500 gift card in recognition of efforts to integrate technology into the classroom. Lundgren was recognized for having her students create an "alphabet book" out of documents produced in the school computer lab.


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ASSIST247 ARTICLES - ROADSIDE DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING
New devices to curb drug and alcohol related road accidents
Even though the festive season is highlighted as a dangerous time to be on South African roads owing to the proliferation of office parties and school and university farewells, the truth of the matter is that the special efforts undertaken by road authorities to combat drunk and reckless driving at that time, ought to extend right through the year. South Africans are notorious for combining too much alcohol with too little road sense and flagrantly disregard road safety as they flaunt the rules and slip behind the wheel after a few too many. All of which has led to South African roads being labelled death traps; a label that is justified by horrific road accident statistics.
During the 2008/2009 holiday season, authorities in all provinces clamped down on drunken driving with a no nonsense approach. Police officers in the Johannesburg CBD enlisted the of a new intoximeter alcohol evidential testing centre in their attempts to combat drunk driving. The intoximeter ensures that motorists who are over the limit no longer need to be taken to police stations for blood tests. Instead, special Drager devices (R75,000 per device) will provide instant and accurate results of alcohol levels in driver's blood. Chief Superintendent, Wayne Minnaar, says that the devices provide police officers with a printout of motorists' names, as well as the exact date and time of the test and the exact level of alcohol in their blood. The printouts are admissible in court.
The Drager devices and new testing centre have received the AA stamp of approval, who hopes that the new initiatives will have a significant impact on the incidence of drunk driving and result in more convictions.
While drunk driving grabs a lot of headlines, driving under the influence of drugs is also a serious problem in South Africa, but the City of Cape Town has a plan to combat the phenomenon. The "drugalyser" (R25,000 per device), which was launched on the 25th November 2008, requires only a sample of saliva or sweat to determine if motorists are under the influence of drugs. Community Safety MEC, Patrick McKenzie, took a public drug test at the official launch in the Western Cape, the first province to test the device. McKenzie is upbeat about the drugalyser's potential, and stated, "I am impressed by the abilities of the drug tester and am keen to try out a mechanism that will assist law enforcement in ensuring that drivers are adhering to traffic laws."
The drugalyser will be used at roadblocks throughout the Safer Summer Season programme, which will also see an increase in the number of dawn roadblocks to safeguard early morning cyclists from late night revellers. Cape Town Traffic Services have already achieved significant results with regular late night and weekend roadblocks, checkpoints and patrols.
Pub owners and party goers should also take note of the Western Cape Liquor Bill that was passed early in November and which bans the serving of alcohol after 2 am.
Source: http://www.arrivealive.co.za/News.aspx?s=3&i=355


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Manchin Advocates For Dedicated, Flexible State And Local Government Emergency Funding
Charleston, WV – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) led 32 Senators in advocating for state, local, and tribal governments to receive dedicated, flexible funding in the next COVID-19 emergency funding package. While West Virginia has received $625 million for state and local governments to support their COVID-19 pandemic response, state and local governments need more flexible, dedicated funding in the next emergency funding package.
The Senators said in part, "On behalf of our state, local, and tribal governments, it is essential that you include robust, dedicated, and flexible funding to all units of state and local government in the next interim emergency coronavirus package to support their ongoing efforts in the fight against this pandemic. Not only are these public servants on the front line of the immediate response effort, they are also major employers navigating unprecedented declines in revenue just as the need for their services hits an all-time high. We can and we must work together to get this essential funding to our local partners as quickly as possible."
Senator Manchin was joined by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Doug Jones (D-AL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Edward Markey (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Tom Carper (D-DE), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Mark Warner (D-VA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).
The letter can be read in full below or click here.
Dear Leader McConnell and Secretary Mnuchin:
On behalf of our state, local, and tribal governments, it is essential that you include robust, dedicated, and flexible funding to all units of state and local government in the next interim emergency coronavirus package to support their ongoing efforts in the fight against this pandemic. Not only are these public servants on the front line of the immediate response effort, they are also major employers navigating unprecedented declines in revenue just as the need for their services hits an all-time high. We can and we must work together to get this essential funding to our local partners as quickly as possible.
While the Coronavirus Relief Fund authorized in the CARES Act (P.L. 116-136) was an important first step, there is no guarantee that any of that funding will reach the millions of Americans who live in communities with fewer than 500,000 residents. The U.S. Department of the Treasury has made it clear that no unit of local government representing fewer than 500,000 residents is eligible to apply for direct funding. The next interim emergency coronavirus package must include dedicated funding for the cities, counties, tribes, and other local governments that serve these communities.
The intent of the legislative language authorizing the Coronavirus Relief Fund was to provide flexible funding to state and local jurisdictions as they respond to an unfolding national health and economic crisis. Flexibility is critical as federal response guidelines change almost daily. Our local partners have to constantly adjust and adapt to maintain a consistent response while grappling with dramatically reduced state and local revenues that are the direct result of COVID-19's effects on our economy. While we remain hopeful that the U.S. Department of the Treasury will issue implementation guidance for the Coronavirus Relief Fund that is consistent with the aforementioned Congressional intent, we also know that our state, local, and tribal partners need certainty now that they can use all current and future federal funds to cover reductions in revenues resulting from the public health emergency and faltering COVID-19 economy.
Our local partners, unlike the federal government, have a legal requirement to balance their budget. They do not have the luxury of carrying debt over year after year. We stand with our country's governors, mayors, county officials, and tribal leaders in asking you to put politics aside and support our local partners. They cannot afford to wait any longer.


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December 12, 2017 Amy P.
Last weekend, we still didn't have a tree. My sister called several times to check on me, wondering if I'd lost my holiday mind and truly concerned my children may not have Christmas after all, what with the house sans tree on December 7th.
On Sunday, the only day we could possibly get a tree as a family due to ballet rehearsals and Operation Toy Drop (men jumping from perfectly good airplanes across Ft. Bragg), we woke in a funk. My daughter was sick, sniffling and barely able to haul herself from her bed to eat a handful of crackers. I was on the verge of said sickness and wanting, myself, to get back into bed and burrow into my pillows. The boys were not sick, but when the women are sick, the men tend to also want to go back to bed, or to the TV room or out for breakfast because they can't feed themselves.
By noon, it wasn't looking good.
I sat in the kitchen with a full view of the living room and realized that if I didn't do something....we'd be celebrating Christmas morning in the backyard under a Long Leaf Pine.
So I sent my husband and son to get a tree.
I know. I'm productive and make-it-happen like that.
An hour after he left, I felt a wave of guilt wash over me. How could we possibly make a family calendar if we didn't have a Christmas tree-cutting photo, the men in plaid, the women with rosy cheeks?
What did it say about me that I couldn't even manage to set up a nativity set or pull out the nutcracker collection we'd dragged across the country during all of our moves?
Was I going to wake up on Christmas morning to dejected little faces as we all huddled near a barren fireplace and opened heartless gifts?
Where were the decorations? Where were the garlands, lit and strategically hung from light fixtures and other ornaments? Where were the candles, mounds of oranges in silver bowls, stockings and Christmas rugs? Did we even own Christmas sheets? And if not: why?
I called out to Maggie: girl....get your leg warmers on and put your hair in braids. We're going Christmas shopping!
She managed double Dutch braids and a swath of lipgloss on her poor chapped lips and emerged less than ten minute later in a pair of Uggs and skinny jeans.
Preteens can rally like that.
I looked like I had just narrowly escaped a brush with the flu and may not have washed my hair in weeks.
TJ Maxx it was for us because we live in a small town, and that's the best option we've got. Big Lots was too far away, and I couldn't fathom Bed, Bath and Beyond because the parking lot over there was obviously designed as a preschool craft project run by a couple of drunk dads.
TJ Maxx was full - of people, of heaps of over-sized toys and stuffed animals, of pajama sets wrapped in bows and tables covered with Christmas accoutrement.
I told Maggie to get a cart as I walked through the doors and began assessing any possible item that might jazz up my house and give my kids a festive holiday.
After ten minutes, all I had was a nutcracker holding a half-broken toy and a framed picture of cacti decorated with lights and red and green bows.
I know. I worry sometimes for my own mental health.
My sister was consulted via FaceTime, and she cringed when she saw the cactus debacle.
As I stood in the aisle, prepared to decorate with Christmas mice if necessary (they were felted and tragic), I realized: I don't actually like Christmas decor. It feels like clutter. It gets in the way. It is sad in the light of day, when candles are not lit and it's just covered in a light layer of dust. It's sad to put it away each year, when I'm sick to death of looking at it, and then the house seems even sadder afterward, like an aging starlet who's taken off her stage makeup.
But then the pangs hit again....is it right to thrust my minimalist sensibilities onto my children? What if they don't like simplicity and perhaps a few natural wreaths and bows and white candles in antique votive dishes? What if they want plastic candy canes lining the walkway to our home and a life-sized nutcracker blow-up doll? Is it right for me to say no? Is it right for me to define for my family what the holiday spirit is?
In the end, I bought the nutcracker and left the cactus print. We all met up at a Christmas tree lot and chose a tree together, which is currently undecorated in our living room. I got out the Christmas cookie jar and any day now will whip up cookies with the kids to fill it. The nutcrackers are strategically placed on the mantle.
There has to be a middle ground, I think, in family life. I can't force upon my children an appreciation for simplicity that has taken me 42 years to cultivate myself. I can't make them see it my way, and truth be told, I'm sure the way I see it will shift and change over time anyway.
Perhaps when I'm sixty, my kids will pull up to our house for the holidays with their own kids in tow. Christmas lights will cover every gutter and roofline imaginable. I'll have a wreath on the front door, actioned with an expert glue gun and YouTube video tutorial. There will be freshly made cocoa and not one but two trees: one just waiting to be decorated by the grandkids.
My children will turn off the cars, sit with their mouths slung open and think: where was this woman when we were growing up?
Their kids will probably kick down a plastic candy cane on their way to my front door...which I'll find (as only grandmothers can) charming.