17 Feb 2015

BAKER SCORES GAME WINNER IN ALLEN

By Brian Lavelle

ALLEN, Texas (February 16, 2015) - Kevin Baker broke 1-1 tie at 5:51 of the third period and the Quad City Mallards (25-18-6) went on to defeat the host Allen Americans (34-9-5) 2-1 Monday night.  With their victory over the league leaders, the Mallards opened up a three point lead in the race for second place in the ECHL's Central Division.

Baker buried a cross-ice pass from Justin Fox- who had scored the first Mallard goal- for the game winner

Fox opened the scoring from the right wing circle at 18:07 of the first period.

Spencer Asuchak deadlocked the game at one with a point blank backhander at 6:06 of the second period, but the Americans could not produce another reply after Baker put the Mallards back on top in the third.

The Mallards return to action Friday night on the road against the Brampton Beast.  The Mallards next play at home next Wednesday evening, February 25 at 7:05 p.m. against the Americans.  Fans can purchase four tickets to each Mallards Wednesday home game this season for just $20.  In addition, after each Wednesday home contest, fans can join the Mallards at T.G.I. Friday's on River Drive in Moline- adjacent to the iWireless Center- for a postgame party.

Tickets for all remaining Mallards regular season home games- including the February 25 tilt- are on sale now at the iWireless Center box office, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com and Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free at 1-800-745-3000.  The box office is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and game days from 10:00 a.m. until the start of the second period.  Tickets are available for $10, $16, $20 and $28.
17 Feb 2015

Jury of My Peers - The new album by Cedar Rapids, Iowa Guitarist Dave Paris

By Dave Paris
2015 is shaping up to be an epic year for Cedar Rapids, Iowa guitarist Dave Paris. Although not exactly a "rockstar", Dave has a reputation of being a guitar players-guitar player. This under-the-radar guitarist has contributed to recordings that are garnishing national attention in genres as diverse as pop, country, jazz and gospel. Dave has worked with artists like Mitch Goudy and Diana Upton-Hill, and has been the go-to player for live dates in small clubs, coffeehouses, churches, and concert halls.

February marks the release of his new album Jury of My Peers which aspires to bring this versatile session player and private guitar instructor center stage. The new album combines hard and modern rock, blues, and a little funk in 13 original instrumental songs of melodic sensibility and top-notch musicianship, with just the right amount of technical precision.

The album opener and lead single "Roman's Road" is a wah-fueled shred fest with a driving low-end. This song has particular importance to Dave as it was inspired by and dedicated to his young nephew, Roman, who was born four months premature. A music video was filmed featuring Roman and Dave's nieces intermingled with footage of Roman's plight from the hospital to home, and proceeds from the sale of the single are being donated to charity.

This album is 100% guitar, but the musician's track listing reads more like a Who's Who of the Midwest's finest musicians. Californian musicians relocating from the coast have become the recent trend, and Dave has grasped this opportunity to work with the best players he could find; not only to backup his arrangements, but to step into the forefront of the mix when needed.

Former LA drummer and Modern Drummer columnist Rick Long, now active in the Kansas City music scene, appears on three tracks including the blues-based "Seeds on Stones", which also has Dave Paris Group member Barbe Paris pulling double-duty on keyboards and acoustic bass.

Before Brent Harknett, current drummer of The Dave Paris Group, took up residence in Iowa, he had an active career in the LA music scene. His musical resume includes work with Jeff Watson of Night Ranger, Blue Cheer, and most recently John Elefante formerly of Kansas. Harknett cuts loose with Barbe on bass for the 7-string, hard rock tune "Last 2nd." He later adds a funky beat and energetic solo to the Talk Box-driven "Penguin Love."

Other rock-blues highlights include the very raw, traditional blues piece "Wood, Wire, Wind." Dave's good friend and collaborator Cyprian Alexzander trade leads on this piece with Dave's contribution from a three-string, fretless cigar box guitar and Cyprian on blues harp. "Chapter and Verse" features a guest appearance by world-renown, Kansas City-based guitarist Jeff Scheetz, with a reggae-like breakdown where Barbe lays down a keyboard solo.

"Night Before Last", a symphonic rock arrangement too big to fit into earbuds, features violinists from the Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra carrying the melody and backing Dave's blistering solo. Dave utilizes the eBow guitar effect to emulate a Moog-style keyboard on the progressive rock of "The Author of Fate." The straight-ahead, double-kick rhythms of "Free B", is pure modern rock with a driving groove and singable lead line.

Musicians, particularly guitarists, are going to love this album, but non-musicians will lock into the melody-intense songs with its larger-than-life arrangements and production. Final mix down, editing, mastering, and design layout was handled by Doug Johnson at Cedar Rapids' Recording Guy's Studio. RGS Productions has worked on hundreds of internationally-known projects and artists over the years, and has a reputation for major-label quality and hometown ethics.

Jury of My Peers, as well as other singles, and the Dave Paris Group's 2010 release "Words and Music" are available on iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby and other outlets. Of course, you can hear it live when Dave and his band hit the road throughout 2015 to support the release; It's going to be epic.

Visit the official website at daveparis.com for more info including music videos, free music downloads, and photos.

17 Feb 2015

Students honored for academic success during the 2014 fall semester

By University News Service
MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL, Minn. (February 16, 2015) - [Name] of [Hometown] has been named to the 2014 fall semester Dean's List at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, the university announced today.

[First Name] is a [Class Year] in the university's [College].

To qualify for the Dean's List, a student must complete 12 or more letter-graded credits while attaining a 3.66 grade point average.

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HOMETOWN, STATE; NAME, CLASS YEAR, COLLEGE

Bettendorf, IA

Sydney Dwyer, Freshman, Col of Educ/Human Development
Abhishek Vaidya, Senior, College of Biological Sciences

Moline, IL

Evan Templeman, Senior, College of Biological Sciences
17 Feb 2015

Local students named to University of Iowa Dean's List

By Deborah Thumma

IOWA CITY, IA (02/16/2015)(readMedia)-- Students from your area have been named to the Dean's List for the 2014 fall semester. Those students are:

Meg King of Bettendorf (52722)

Anna Roa of Bettendorf (52722)

Ava Lynn of Bettendorf (52722)

Benjamin Spector of Bettendorf (52722)

Neel Patel of Bettendorf (52722)

Jenna Adams of Bettendorf (52722)

Gina Chieffo of Bettendorf (52722)

Michael Jones of Bettendorf (52722)

Trevin Cusimano of Bettendorf (52722)

Abigail Drexler of Bettendorf (52722)

Bailey Ford of Bettendorf (52722)

Jason Meighan of Bettendorf (52722)

Katherine Chanez of Bettendorf (52722)

Alexis Bushman of Bettendorf (52722)

Hanna Walker of Bettendorf (52722)

Abdualrahman Ismail of Bettendorf (52722)

Mohammed Ismail of Bettendorf (52722)

Joshua Sumhlei of Bettendorf (52722)

Regina Henderson of Bettendorf (52722)

Emily Speer of Bettendorf (52722)

Emily Braught of Bettendorf (52722)

Noel Thachil of Bettendorf (52722)

Megan Hawley of Bettendorf (52722)

Alex Heesch of Bettendorf (52722)

Marcus Goodwin of Bettendorf (52722)

Lauren Kostoglanis of Bettendorf (52722)

Dylan French of Bettendorf (52722)

Gregory Gunther of Bettendorf (52722)

Ellen Gackle of Bettendorf (52722)

Nicole Hansen of Bettendorf (52722)

Taylor Earnest of Bettendorf (52722)

Brooke Wehrle of Bettendorf (52722)

Noah Kirschbaum of Bettendorf (52722)

Genevieve Kwan of Bettendorf (52722)

Kayla Kruse of Bettendorf (52722)

Mackenzie Kennedy of Bettendorf (52722)

Karly Dankert of Bettendorf (52722)

Maureen Lonergan of Bettendorf (52722)

Taylor Curran of Bettendorf (52722)

Alexandra Stecker of Bettendorf (52722)

Megan Sanchez of Bettendorf (52722)

Tyler Harper of Bettendorf (52722)

Claire Schluensen of Bettendorf (52722)

Austin Norden of Bettendorf (52722)

Gina Sears of Bettendorf (52722)

Anthony Yang of Bettendorf (52722)

Rachel Kettelkamp of Bettendorf (52722)

Elizabeth Ann Berger of Bettendorf (52722)

Anna Rodriguez of Bettendorf (52722)

Daniel Rodriguez of Bettendorf (52722)

Sarah Rodriguez of Bettendorf (52722)

Alyson Wennlund of Bettendorf (52722)

Sanjana Ramesh of Bettendorf (52722)

Victoria Nelson of Bettendorf (52722)

Nicholas Gerwe of Bettendorf (52722)

Ellen Turner of Bettendorf (52722)

Hogan Knott of Bettendorf (52722)

Brian Paul of Bettendorf (52722)

Deepon Sarkar of Bettendorf (52722)

Erin Mitchell of Bettendorf (52722)

Matthew Wheat of Bettendorf (52722)

Bharabi Pandit of Bettendorf (52722)

Austin Smith of Bettendorf (52722)

Akshaya Warrier of Bettendorf (52722)

Rachel Fuller of Bettendorf (52722)

Andrew Miles of Bettendorf (52722)

Dilon Thompson of Bettendorf (52722)

Eric Hale of Bettendorf (52722)

Arham Pasha of Bettendorf (52722)

Tristan Thompson of Bettendorf (52722)

Emily Wallace of Bettendorf (52722)

Hannah Thomsen of Bettendorf (52722)

Zachary Miller of Bettendorf (52722)

Adam Fitzsimmons of Bettendorf (52722)

Joseph Sink of Bettendorf (52722)

Greg Windeknecht of Blue Grass (52726)

Ashlyn Glass of Blue Grass (52726)

Korinne Fangmann of Blue Grass (52726)

Adam Hay of Blue Grass (52726)

Derek Ahrens of Buffalo (52728)

Kaitlin Schmidt of De Witt (52742)

Grant Weber of De Witt (52742)

Amanda Melvin of De Witt (52742)

Delaney Brainerd of De Witt (52742)

Nicole Mooc of De Witt (52742)

Allyson Schnoor of De Witt (52742)

Peter Keegan of De Witt (52742)

Bryan Connell of De Witt (52742)

Dillon Connell of De Witt (52742)

Mackenzie Leonard of De Witt (52742)

Colleen Gannon of De Witt (52742)

Adrian Simonson of De Witt (52742)

Mackenzie Wing of De Witt (52742)

Brian Kruse of De Witt (52742)

Adrian Templeton of De Witt (52742)

Austin Belk of Eldridge (52748)

Hope Wilson of Eldridge (52748)

Abby Peeters of Eldridge (52748)

Tyler Blondell of Eldridge (52748)

Aileen Spickermann of Eldridge (52748)

Amanda Burroughs of Eldridge (52748)

Abby Frantz of Eldridge (52748)

Johnathan Kinney of Eldridge (52748)

Michael Hackbarth of Eldridge (52748)

Alexander McCammant of Eldridge (52748)

Grace McCammant of Eldridge (52748)

Kimberly Rude of Eldridge (52748)

Grayson Schmidt of Eldridge (52748)

Abigail Morrow of Eldridge (52748)

Alexa Hanson of Eldridge (52748)

John Davison of Eldridge (52748)

Kolton O'Day of Eldridge (52748)

William Aden of Eldridge (52748)

Kevin Meyer of Eldridge (52748)

Loren Brotherton of Eldridge (52748)

Madeline LaPage of Eldridge (52748)

Madeline Hurning of Leclaire (52753)

Brandon Dowty of Le Claire (52753)

Ashten Sherman of Le Claire (52753)

Cooper Odegard of Leclaire (52753)

Regan Odegard of Leclaire (52753)

Benjamin Donovan of Le Claire (52753)

Dan Moss of Leclaire (52753)

Joseph Schuler of Le Claire (52753)

Joseph Snyder of Long Grove (52756)

Ashley Schabilion of Long Grove (52756)

Emily Kolwey of Long Grove (52756)

Natasha Porter of Long Grove (52756)

Emily Schoer of Muscatine (52761)

Meredith Baird of Muscatine (52761)

Rebecca Sloat of Muscatine (52761)

Yesenia Darting of Muscatine (52761)

Steven Bieber of Muscatine (52761)

Alison Failor of Muscatine (52761)

Jacob Allison of Muscatine (52761)

Kathryn Temple of Muscatine (52761)

Leticia Trimboli of Muscatine (52761)

Exodus Cardoza of Muscatine (52761)

Emily McCormick of Muscatine (52761)

Alexandra Walgren of Muscatine (52761)

Anthony Vazquez of Muscatine (52761)

Alexandra Chamberlain of Muscatine (52761)

Aaron Mueller of Muscatine (52761)

Nathan Hadley of Muscatine (52761)

Emily Hill of Muscatine (52761)

Jenny Juehring of Muscatine (52761)

Madison Dietz of Muscatine (52761)

Brandon Klassen of Muscatine (52761)

Madeleine Hassler of Muscatine (52761)

Jared Littlejohn of Muscatine (52761)

Samantha Kistler of Muscatine (52761)

Elizabeth Sturms of Muscatine (52761)

Natalie Sturms of Muscatine (52761)

Levi Goff of Muscatine (52761)

Paige Compton of Muscatine (52761)

Michael Davis of Muscatine (52761)

Thomas Van Hemert of Muscatine (52761)

Trey Van Hemert of Muscatine (52761)

Kari Clark of Muscatine (52761)

Alec Osland of Muscatine (52761)

Monica Ahrens of New Liberty (52765)

Jeremy Tinkler of Stockton (52769)

Bailey Kraft of Walcott (52773)

Michael Haas of Walcott (52773)

Rex Hadden of Davenport (52802)

Dylan Thiemann of Davenport (52803)

Danielle Darland of Davenport (52803)

Joshua Edmond of Davenport (52803)

Brianne Avery of Davenport (52803)

Scott Hansmeier of Davenport (52803)

Matthew Moran of Davenport (52803)

Tanya Fordyce of Davenport (52803)

Charles Holliday of Davenport (52803)

Van Mielenhausen of Davenport (52803)

Torrance Windham of Davenport (52803)

Michael Corsiglia of Davenport (52803)

Sierra Lopez of Davenport (52803)

Zachary Waskowiak of Davenport (52803)

Nathan Hoil of Davenport (52803)

Michael Garneau of Davenport (52803)

Sarah Schwind of Davenport (52803)

Dustin Sexton of Davenport (52803)

Taylor Gillhouse of Davenport (52803)

Isaac Anderson of Davenport (52804)

Shelby Tracy of Davenport (52804)

Aliah Hurt of Davenport (52804)

Andrew Miller of Davenport (52804)

Kayla Cordova of Davenport (52804)

Mick Baker of Davenport (52804)

Alex Karwath of Davenport (52804)

Ashley Vance of Davenport (52804)

William Hean of Davenport (52804)

Jenny Gomez of Davenport (52804)

Adam Henry of Davenport (52804)

Tyler Klenske of Davenport (52804)

Alexandra Doner of Davenport (52804)

Erica Jennings of Davenport (52804)

Katilyn Kelly of Davenport (52804)

Kaylee Miner of Davenport (52806)

Anastasia Sweeney of Davenport (52806)

Christine Walsh of Davenport (52806)

Chi Dong of Davenport (52806)

Tyler Madigan of Davenport (52806)

Brittney Kneen of Davenport (52806)

Caroline Emory of Davenport (52806)

Collin Belk of Davenport (52806)

Rachel Brandt of Davenport (52806)

Hannah Solchenberger of Davenport (52806)

Spencer Conrad of Davenport (52806)

Makayla Farnsworth of Davenport (52806)

Gabriela Magalhaes of Davenport (52806)

Jacynthia West of Davenport (52806)

Austin Wulf of Davenport (52806)

Laura Ruebling of Davenport (52807)

Jacob Behrendt of Davenport (52807)

Zachary Behrendt of Davenport (52807)

Molly Monroe of Davenport (52807)

Caitlin McCullough of Davenport (52807)

Janita Pegram of Davenport (52807)

Emma Shie of Davenport (52807)

Natalie Rogalski of Davenport (52807)

Courtney Brokloff of Davenport (52807)

Anne Delleman of Davenport (52807)

Dominick Shults of Davenport (52807)

Alexandra Baltimore of Davenport (52807)

Sydney Verdi of Davenport (52807)

Rachel Clay of Davenport (52807)

Slater Murphy of Davenport (52807)

Mitchell Parker of Davenport (52807)

Michael Suiter of Davenport (52807)

Elizabeth Sharp of Davenport (52807)

Matthew Keck of Davenport (52807)

Logan Mougin of Davenport (52807)

Chloe Miller of Davenport (52807)

Allison Lienen of Davenport (52807)

Allison Weis of Davenport (52807)

Anna Pienta of Rock Island (61201)

Alicia Freiburg of Rock Island (61201)

Donte Nesbitt of Rock Island (61201)

Nidia Villalpando of Rock Island (61201)

Gabrielle Armetta of Coal Valley (61240)

Ashley Hoff of East Moline (61244)

William Kandis of East Moline (61244)

Jared Matthews of Geneseo (61254)

Connor Vandersnick of Geneseo (61254)

Nancy Heeren of Geneseo (61254)

Jenna Mickley of Geneseo (61254)

Emily Ford of Geneseo (61254)

Evan Wolfe of Geneseo (61254)

Madeline Fickel of Milan (61264)

Angela Olvera of Moline (61265)

Mark McLaughlin of Moline (61265)

Cassandra Shetler of Moline (61265)

Cesar Martinez of Moline (61265)

Alyssa Ray of Moline (61265)

Olivia Ray of Moline (61265)

Eugene Pavinato of Moline (61265)

Drew Marlier of Moline (61265)

Keaton Christiansen of Moline (61265)

Abigail Zambrano of Silvis (61282)

Brett Austin of Silvis (61282)

Nathan Woeber of Taylor Ridge (61284)

Undergraduate students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering, and the Tippie College of Business who achieve a grade point average of 3.50 or higher on 12 semester hours or more of UI graded course work during a given semester or summer session and who have no semester hours of I (incomplete) or O (no grade reported) during the same semester are recognized by inclusion on the Dean's List for that semester.

Undergraduate students in the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine may qualify for the Dean's List with fewer than 12 semester hours of graded credit if deemed appropriate by the college.

College of Nursing students participating in clinical courses must have a total of 12 semester hours of earned credit, with eight semester hours of graded credit with a grade point average of 3.50 or higher.

Approximately 4,000 students were named to the UI Dean's List for the 2014 fall semester.

17 Feb 2015

Quad City Blues High School Hockey team raises $9,138.97 for Genesis Health System

By Linda Andry

The Quad City Blues High School Hockey team held their 5th annual benefit hockey game in conjunction with Genesis Health System on January 25th at the River's Edge in Davenport.   This year's theme for the event was "SLASH MS".  This is a cause that is near and dear to the player's hearts as their head coach, Shane Lovdahl, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis this past year.  The event consisted of a jersey auction, silent auction, raffle baskets, bake sale, and of course, a good old hockey game between the Quad City Blues and the Cedar Rapids Roughriders.

The Quad City Blues consists of 33 players from local area high schools from both sides of the river; Alleman, Assumption, Bettendorf, Central DeWitt, Davenport Central, Davenport North, Davenport West, Moline, North Scott, Pleasant Valley, Riverdale, Rivermont Collegiate, and United Township.

The team participates in the Mid-West High School Hockey League which includes teams from Kansas City, Lincoln, Omaha, Sioux City, Ames, Des Moines, Mason City, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo and Dubuque.  Games are played from November to February with a final year end tournament in early March.

Former head coach, Nick White, initiated the first benefit game in 2010 in conjunction with Genesis to raise awareness for various causes.  Pink at the Rink, The Beat Goes On, 5-4 Fighting Diabetes, and Stick it to Cancer have raised over $34,000 prior to this year's event, SLASH MS.  The growth and success of these events are a direct result of the hard work and dedication of the Quad City Blues players and parents as well as the generous help of their title sponsor Genesis Health System.  This past Friday (February 13th), the Quad City Blues presented a check for $9,138.97 to Ken Croken, Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing and Advocacy of Genesis Health System, representing this year's proceeds from the event.

The event in January concluded with a 6-3 victory by the Blues over Cedar Rapids!

17 Feb 2015

MICHIGAN TECH DECEMBER GRADS LIST

By Jennifer Donovan
HOUGHTON, Mich. (February 16, 2015) - Michigan Technological University honored the achievements of nearly 400 undergraduate and graduate students at its midyear Commencement on Dec. 20, 2014, including the following student from your local area:

Claira Hart, Bachelor of Science In Environmental Engineering and Certificate In International Sustainable Development Engineering, from Pleasant Valley High School, the daughter of Irene Hart and Lyle Hart.

The keynote speaker was Dale Elliott, president and CEO of FCM Advisory Group; Ltd., who received an MBA from Michigan Tech. He is a member of Tech's School of Business and Economics' National Advisory Board and is a Michigan Tech Fund Life Trustee. He received an honorary doctorate at the Commencement ceremony.

Michigan Technological University (www.mtu.edu) is a leading public research university developing new technologies and preparing students to create the future for a prosperous and sustainable world. Michigan Tech offers more than 130 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering; forest resources; computing; technology; business; economics; natural, physical and environmental sciences; arts; humanities; and social sciences.

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17 Feb 2015

Central students perform Shakespeare classic

By Laura Billingsley

PELLA, IA (02/16/2015)(readMedia)-- Central students perform Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew" March 4, 5, 6, and 7. Each show begins at 7:30 p.m. and require tickets: $6 for adults, $3 for senior citizens and students, and FREE with Central ID.

Emma Simmons of Davenport (52804)

Alexis Lotspeich of Davenport (52804)

Shakespeare's classic tale gets a "hipster culture" twist in a shortened production that lasts just over one hour. Audiences are encouraged to laugh their way through the romance of Kate and Petruchio.

Founded in 1853, Central College of Pella, Iowa, is a private, residential four-year liberal arts college known for its academic rigor and strength in global experiential learning, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), sustainability education, athletics success and tradition, and leadership and service. Central continues to value its long-standing relationship with the Reformed Church in America that began in 1916. The college participates in NCAA Division III athletics and is a member of the Iowa Conference. Central is an active part of the Greater Des Moines region and just two minutes from Lake Red Rock, Iowa's largest lake.

17 Feb 2015

Kaitlyn Ketelsen honored at state media competition

By Emily Christensen

WAVERLY, IA (02/16/2015)(readMedia)-- Wartburg College student media organizations won 29 awards at the annual Iowa College Media Association conference, Feb. 5-6, in Des Moines.

Kaitlyn Ketelsen of DeWitt was among the honorees, earning honorable mention in "Best PSA."

Wartburg Television won 11 awards, The Circuit took home nine, KWAR earned six and the Trumpet three. The television station swept the "Best Long Form Documentary" category; the radio station swept "Best Sports Broadcast."

Winners were selected from more than 700 entries submitted by 20 member schools.

Wartburg student media outlets are advised by journalism and communication professors Cliff Brockman, Travis Bockenstedt and Pamela Ohrt, who also is executive director of the ICMA.

Wartburg, a four-year liberal arts college internationally recognized for community engagement, enrolls 1,661 students. Wartburg is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and named after the castle in Germany where Martin Luther took refuge disguised as a knight during the stormy days of the Reformation, while translating the Bible from Greek into German.

17 Feb 2015

David Zahn The Mystery of Expression

By Atom Studio + Gallery

Atom Studio + Gallery is pleased to announce the exhibition of work by Quad City's David Zahn. Zahn's poetic sculptures and drawing weave together narratives left to be discovered by the viewer. The construction of both mediums release the images in a timeless form fused with the play of light across the forms. "This work embodies the skill of a patient artist that pushes his material to the edge and we, the audience are the recipients of a visual journey," says Pat Bereskin director of the gallery. Moline High School's drawing and painting teacher Zahn has work that is nationally known and collected publicly and privately.

The Chicago area native has always had a strong interest in art. Influenced by his high school mentor and teacher he decided to major in Art. His further studies at the American Academy of Art and Art Institute in Chicago, with a focus on figurative sculpture and bronze casting, grounded him in the strong base of skill that still serves him today. At the age of 25 he received his degree in art and education at Northeaster Illinois University.

This exhibition will be on display beginning the evening of February 27th from 6 to 9 at the gallery in Bucktown Center for the Arts, located at 225 E. 2nd St. in Davenport. The public is invited. Zahn's work will be featured through March 21st, in addition to the original artwork by the studio/gallery stable of local artesian.

On March 4th , at 6 p.m. at Bucktown Center for the Arts, David Zahn will be giving a program on his process and talk about his work. The program is free to the public. Please contact the galleryatomstudiogallery@gmail.com to reserve your seat or to receive class information for students of all ages and abilities.  Classes are available for current sessions and upcoming summer camps and seminars

17 Feb 2015

Creepy, Calculating and Controlling: All the Ways Big Brother Is Watching You

By John W. Whitehead

By John W. Whitehead
February 16, 2015

"You had to live?did live, from habit that became instinct?in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard, and, except in darkness, every movement scrutinized."?George Orwell, 1984

None of us are perfect. All of us bend the rules occasionally. Even before the age of overcriminalization, when the most upstanding citizen could be counted on to break at least three laws a day without knowing it, most of us have knowingly flouted the law from time to time.

Indeed, there was a time when most Americans thought nothing of driving a few miles over the speed limit, pausing (rather than coming to a full stop) at a red light when making a right-hand turn if no one was around, jaywalking across the street, and letting their kid play hookie from school once in a while. Of course, that was before the era of speed cameras that ticket you for going even a mile over the posted limit, red light cameras that fine you for making safe "rolling stop" right-hand turns on red, surveillance cameras equipped with facial recognition software mounted on street corners, and school truancy laws that fine parents for "unexcused" absences.

My, how times have changed.

Today, there's little room for indiscretions, imperfections, or acts of independence?especially not when the government can listen in on your phone calls, monitor your driving habits, track your movements, scrutinize your purchases and peer through the walls of your home. That's because technology?specifically the technology employed by the government against the American citizenry?has upped the stakes dramatically so that there's little we do that is not known by the government.

In such an environment, you're either a paragon of virtue, or you're a criminal.

If you haven't figured it out yet, we're all criminals. This is the creepy, calculating yet diabolical genius of the American police state: the very technology we hailed as revolutionary and liberating has become our prison, jailer, probation officer, Big Brother and Father Knows Best all rolled into one.

Consider that on any given day, the average American going about his daily business will be monitored, surveilled, spied on and tracked in more than 20 different ways, by both government and corporate eyes and ears. A byproduct of this new age in which we live, whether you're walking through a store, driving your car, checking email, or talking to friends and family on the phone, you can be sure that some government agency, whether the NSA or some other entity, is listening in and tracking your behavior. As I point out in my book, A Government of Wolves: The Emerging American Police State, this doesn't even begin to touch on the corporate trackers that monitor your purchases, web browsing, Facebook posts and other activities taking place in the cyber sphere.

For example, police have been using Stingray devices mounted on their cruisers to intercept cell phone calls and text messages without court-issued search warrants. Thwarting efforts to learn how and when these devices are being used against an unsuspecting populace, the FBI is insisting that any inquiries about the use of the technology be routed to the agency "in order to allow sufficient time for the FBI to intervene to protect the equipment/technology and information from disclosure and potential compromise."

Doppler radar devices, which can detect human breathing and movement within in a home, are already being employed by the police to deliver arrest warrants and are being challenged in court. One case in particular, United States v Denson, examines how the Fourth Amendment interacts with the government's use of radar technology to peer inside a suspect's home. As Judge Neil Gorsuch recognizes in the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeal's ruling in the case, "New technologies bring with them not only new opportunities for law enforcement to catch criminals but also new risks for abuse and new ways to invade constitutional rights."

License plate readers, yet another law enforcement spying device made possible through funding by the Department of Homeland Security, can record up to 1800 license plates per minute. However, it seems these surveillance cameras can also photograph those inside a moving car. Recent reports indicate that the Drug Enforcement Administration has been using the cameras in conjunction with facial recognition software to build a "vehicle surveillance database" of the nation's cars, drivers and passengers.

Sidewalk and "public space" cameras, sold to gullible communities as a sure-fire means of fighting crime, is yet another DHS program that is blanketing small and large towns alike with government-funded and monitored surveillance cameras. It's all part of a public-private partnership that gives government officials access to all manner of surveillance cameras, on sidewalks, on buildings, on buses, even those installed on private property.

Couple these surveillance cameras with facial recognition and behavior-sensing technology and you have the makings of "pre-crime" cameras, which scan your mannerisms, compare you to pre-set parameters for "normal" behavior, and alert the police if you trigger any computerized alarms as being "suspicious."

Capitalizing on a series of notorious abductions of college-aged students, several states are pushing to expand their biometric and DNA databases by requiring that anyone accused of a misdemeanor have their DNA collected and catalogued. However, technology is already available that allows the government to collect biometrics such as fingerprints from a distance, without a person's cooperation or knowledge. One system can actually scan and identify a fingerprint from nearly 20 feet away.

Radar guns have long been the speed cop's best friend, allowing him to hide out by the side of the road, identify speeding cars, and then radio ahead to a police car, which does the dirty work of pulling the driver over and issuing a ticket. Never mind that what this cop is really doing is using an electronic device to search your car without a search warrant, violating the Fourth Amendment and probable cause. Yet because it's a cash cow for police and the governments they report to, it's a practice that is not only allowed but encouraged. Indeed, developers are hard at work on a radar gun that can actually show if you or someone in your car is texting. No word yet on whether the technology will also be able to detect the contents of that text message.

It's a sure bet that anything the government welcomes (and funds) too enthusiastically is bound to be a Trojan horse full of nasty surprises. Case in point: police body cameras. Hailed as the easy fix solution to police abuses, these body cameras?made possible by funding from the Department of Justice?will turn police officers into roving surveillance cameras. Of course, if you try to request access to that footage, you'll find yourself being led a merry and costly chase through miles of red tape, bureaucratic footmen and unhelpful courts.

The "internet of things" refers to the growing number of "smart" appliances and electronic devices now connected to the internet and capable of interacting with each other and being controlled remotely. These range from thermostats and coffee makers to cars and TVs. Of course, there's a price to pay for such easy control and access. That price amounts to relinquishing ultimate control of and access to your home to the government and its corporate partners. For example, while Samsung's Smart TVs are capable of "listening" to what you say, thereby allow users to control the TV using voice commands, it also records everything you say and relays it to a third party.

Then again, the government doesn't really need to spy on you using your smart TV when the FBI can remotely activate the microphone on your cellphone and record your conversations. The FBI can also do the same thing to laptop computers without the owner knowing any better.

Government surveillance of social media such as Twitter and Facebook is on the rise. Americans have become so accustomed to the government overstepping its limits that most don't even seem all that bothered anymore about the fact that the government is spying on our emails and listening in on our phone calls.

Drones, which will begin to take to the skies en masse this year, will be the converging point for all of the weapons and technology already available to law enforcement agencies. This means drones that can listen in on your phone calls, see through the walls of your home, scan your biometrics, photograph you and track your movements, and even corral you with sophisticated weaponry.

And then there's the Internet and cell phone kill switch, which enables the government to shut down Internet and cell phone communications without Americans being given any warning. It's a practice that has been used before in the U.S., albeit in a limited fashion. In 2005, cell service was disabled in four major New York tunnels (reportedly to avert potential bomb detonations via cell phone). In 2009, those attending President Obama's inauguration had their cell signals blocked (again, same rationale). And in 2011, San Francisco commuters had their cell phone signals shut down (this time, to thwart any possible protests over a police shooting of a homeless man).

It's a given that the government's tactics are always more advanced than we know, so there's no knowing what new technologies are already being deployed against without our knowledge. Certainly, by the time we learn about a particular method of surveillance or new technological gadget, it's a sure bet that the government has been using it covertly for years already. And if other governments are using a particular technology, you can bet that our government used it first. For instance, back in 2011, it was reported that the government of Tunisia was not only monitoring the emails of its citizens but was actually altering the contents of those emails in order to thwart dissidents. How much do you want to bet that government agents have already employed such tactics in the U.S.?

Apart from the obvious dangers posed by a government that feels justified and empowered to spy on its people and use its ever-expanding arsenal of weapons and technology to monitor and control them, we're approaching a time in which we will be forced to choose between obeying the dictates of the government?i.e., the law, or whatever a government officials deems the law to be?and maintaining our individuality, integrity and independence.

When people talk about privacy, they mistakenly assume it protects only that which is hidden behind a wall or under one's clothing. The courts have fostered this misunderstanding with their constantly shifting delineation of what constitutes an "expectation of privacy." And technology has furthered muddied the waters.

However, privacy is so much more than what you do or say behind locked doors. It is a way of living one's life firm in the belief that you are the master of your life, and barring any immediate danger to another person (which is far different from the carefully crafted threats to national security the government uses to justify its actions), it's no one's business what you read, what you say, where you go, whom you spend your time with, and how you spend your money.

Unfortunately, privacy as we once knew it is dead.

We now find ourselves in the unenviable position of being monitored, managed and controlled by our technology, which answers not to us but to our government and corporate rulers. This is the fact-is-stranger-than-fiction lesson that is being pounded into us on a daily basis.

Thus, to be an individual today, to not conform, to have even a shred of privacy, and to live beyond the reach of the government's roaming eyes and technological spies, one must not only be a rebel but rebel.

Even when you rebel and take your stand, there is rarely a happy ending awaiting you. You are rendered an outlaw. This is the message in almost every dystopian work of fiction, from classic writers such as George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, Philip K. Dick and Ray Bradbury to more contemporary voices such as Margaret Atwood, Lois Lowry and Suzanne Collins.

How do you survive in the American police state?

We're running out of options. As Philip K. Dick, the visionary who gave us Minority Report and Blade Runner, advised:

"If, as it seems, we are in the process of becoming a totalitarian society in which the state apparatus is all-powerful, the ethics most important for the survival of the true, free, human individual would be: cheat, lie, evade, fake it, be elsewhere, forge documents, build improved electronic gadgets in your garage that'll outwit the gadgets used by the authorities."

This commentary is also available at www.rutherford.org.

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