The Moline Public Library is celebrating the arrival of the traveling exhibit In a Nutshell: The Worlds of Maurice Sendak with a kickoff event, Wednesday, January 4th at 3:00 p.m.  Attendees are welcome to take in the exhibit, enjoy refreshments, and view the illustrated short-film adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are.  In a Nutshell will be on display through Februrary 24th.  Sponsored by Friends of the Moline Public Library.  For more information, visit the Moline Public Library at 3210 41st Street, Moline or call 309-524-2470.

 

In a Nutshell: The Worlds of Maurice Sendak was organized by the Rosenbach Museum & Library, Philadelphia, and developed by Nextbook, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Jewish literature, culture, and ideas, and the American Library Association Public Programs Office. The national tour of the exhibit has been made possible by grants from the Charles H. Revson Foundation, the Righteous Persons Foundation, the David Berg Foundation, and an anonymous donor, with additional support from Tablet Magazine: A New Read on Jewish Life. 

 

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NFPA reminds the public to properly store and dispose of seasonal decorations

December 21, 2011 - According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there are more home structure fires in the cooler months than any other time of year. As pine needles begin to drop on living room carpets, NFPA is offering suggestions for safe storage and removal of holiday decorations.

 

"It's not uncommon to see residents keeping lights and Christmas trees up past December," said Lorraine Carli, vice president of communications for NFPA. "The reality is, continued use of seasonal lighting and dried-out Christmas trees can pose significant fire hazards in and outside the home."

 

Although Christmas tree fires are not common, when they do occur, they have a higher chance of being deadly. NFPA recommends getting rid of the tree when it's dry. Dried trees should not be kept in the home, garage, or placed outside against the home. Check with your local community to find a recycling program.

 

In 2005-2009, holiday lights and other decorative lighting were involved in an annual average of 150 home fires, 8 civilian deaths, 14 related injuries, and $8.5 million in direct property damage. To reduce the risk of holiday light fires and keep equipment in good condition for next year, follow these storage suggestions:

 

  • To unplug electric decorations, use the gripping area provided on the plugs. Never pull the cord to unplug a device from electrical outlets. Doing so can harm the cord's wire and insulation and even lead to an electrical shock or fire.
  • As you're putting away electrical light strings, take time to inspect each for damage. Throw out light sets if they have loose connections, broken sockets or cracked or bare wires.
  • Do not place a damaged set of lights back into the storage box for next year's use.
  • Wrap each set of lights and put them in individual plastic bags, or wrap the lights around a piece of cardboard.
  • Store electrical decorations in a dry place where they cannot be damaged by water or dampness. Also, keep them away from children and pets.

Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fires during the winter months. In fact, half of all home heating fires occur in December, January, and February, according to NFPA's Home Fires Involving Heating Equipment (PDF, 723 KB) report.

 

NFPA and the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) are working together to remind everyone that home fires are more prevalent in winter than in any other season. Learn more information about the organizations' joint safety campaign, "Put a Freeze on Winter Fires."

 

About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

NFPA is a worldwide leader in fire, electrical, building, and life safety. The mission of the international nonprofit organization founded in 1896 is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education. Visit NFPA's website at www.nfpa.org for more information.

December 21, 2011                          

Moline, IL...State Representative Rich Morthland released the following statement regarding the recent closure of a dozen polling centers in Rock Island County:

 

"Voting patterns change with the weather and the County Clerk means to tell us that these closures will not affect voter turnout? This is just another means of gerrymandering.

 

"It is a little too coincidental that Rural Township is also a significant Republican voting area and the County Clerk, though supposed to be a neutral election authority, is a Democrat. The locations of polling places, however, should not be a partisan consideration.

 

"If necessary, I stand poised to take legislative action on this matter. I stand with the 739 registered voters of Rural Township and support keeping their polling center open."

 

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Quad Cities, USA: With red kettles wrapping up on Christmas Eve, the Red Kettle Campaign is still $200,000 away from making its 2011 fund raising goal.

Major Gary Felton states, "With a significant portion of our annual fundraising revenue collected during the Christmas season, the donations collected throughout the Red Kettle Campaign set the tone for the upcoming year and allow us to serve thousands of individuals with critical programs and services. We have raised a significant amount so far, but there is still a long way to go."

The 2011 Red Kettle Campaign goal is $700,000. As of December 20th, the donation total is $500,000. The Salvation Army is compelled to make another plea to the community.

There are many ways to share your blessings with others:

An online gift to: www.usc.salvationarmy.org/quadcities

Call to 1-800-SAL-ARMY for a credit card donation.

CHICAGO - December 21, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today released the following statement praising a new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) rule that will dramatically decrease the amount of harmful mercury released into the air:

 

"High levels of mercury pose serious health risks, which is why we must do everything we can to ensure clean, healthy air for generations. I would like to thank President Obama and the USEPA for their mercury and air toxics standards rule.

 

"In Illinois, we have seen the benefits of enacting stringent requirements for reducing mercury emissions over the last several years. As a result, thousands of pounds of harmful mercury emissions have been kept out of our air. The President's action will protect millions of Americans from these dangerous emissions just like we have been doing in Illinois."

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Dear Friends of the Kosciuszko Foundation,

Many of you remember that Jan Karski was a member of the Kosciuszko Foundation for decades. The photo above shows Karski during one of his many talks at the Kosciuszko Foundation. While Karski is known as the man who tried to stop the Holocaust by urging Roosevelt and Churchill to take action, he was also a diplomat, resistance fighter against the murderous regimes of Hitler and Stalin, and a Professor at Georgetown University. Ever vigilant as a champion of justice, he was a true Polish hero.

 

On April 7, 2011, the executrix of Jan Karski's estate, Kaya Mirecka-Ploss and I wrote to President Obama asking him to award Karski with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. We are pleased to announce that the campaign is gaining momentum, and so far, 11 United States Senators and 66 Members of the House of Representatives have signed on to a letter in support of President Obama awarding this posthumous honor to Professor Karski.

 

Members of the steering committee that have been pushing the campaign include : Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski, former National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter; Robert L. Billingsley, Co-Chair, Georgetown University Jan Karski Centennial Campaign; David Harris, Executive Director, American Jewish Committee; Andrzej Rojek, Kosciuszko Foundation Trustee; and Wanda Urbanska, Director of the Jan Karski U.S. Centennial Campaign.

 

As a beneficiary of Karski's estate, the Kosciuszko Foundation believes it is important to keep Karski's legacy alive. If you have time, please take a moment and call the White House comment line at (202) 456-1111 and ask the President to confer this long-overdue honor on Dr. Karski. If the line is busy, please keep trying.

 

To learn more about the campaign to honor Jan Karski visit: http://www.jankarski.net/

 

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas,

Happy Chanukah,

and a fantastic New Year!

 

Alex Storozynski

President & Executive Director

For those of us from families built on Debbie Downer DNA, there's only one direction a mood can go during holiday get-togethers and that's down.

Sure, the running negative commentary, bubble-bursting barbs and rampant self-pity were funny coming from comedian Rachel Dratch on "Saturday Night Live's" Debbie Downer sketches. But few of us can foresee our own Negative Nancys giving us a good belly laugh.

Whether you're the smiley face among frowners, or a bit of a Depressing Dan yourself, there are tricks you can use to keep the table talk from getting lethal, says Paula Renaye, a professional life coach and author of The Hardline Self Help Handbook, (www.hardlineselfhelp.com).

"You can take control simply by thinking about what you choose to say - or not say," Renaye says. "If you hear yourself criticizing, judging or complaining, you're part of the problem. Happy, self-respecting people don't find it necessary to dump on others to make themselves feel good.

"If someone else is the problem, simply don't give them the ammunition they need," she says. Instead try these tactics:

• Do not say anything negative. Period. And no one-downing! One-downing is the opposite of one-upping. It's the art of coming up with something worse when someone else talks about their problem. No matter what negative thing anyone says, or how much you agree with it or don't, resist the urge to respond with a negative. Instead ....

• Dodge, distract and detour. Turn things around with a question -- a positive one. If you need to, make a "happy list" of questions before you go, so you'll have some at the ready. And remember, there's no law that says you have to answer a question just because someone asked it. With negative people, it's best if you ...

• Do not talk about yourself. The only reason negative people care about what you're up to is because they want something to ridicule, brag or gossip about to make themselves look or feel good. Don't go there. Whether you just filed bankruptcy or won a Nobel Prize, keep it to yourself. No good can come of it. None. And why do you need to chatter like a chipmunk about yourself anyway? Might want to think on that one, too. Better to find some praise for someone else than to expect someone to praise you.

• Do not share your woes. Even if you're in a tough place and could really use a shoulder to cry on, don't start laying your woes on a Negative Nell. Even in a weak moment, when you've had a terrible day, talking about it with a negative person is a bad idea. You might get a microsecond of sympathy, but that's only so they can launch into telling you how much worse they have it. So, no talking about yourself unless you want to be the talk of the party, the family and the town.

• Do your homework and become like Teflon. Think of the times people said things that made you feel bad or made you feel the need to defend or explain yourself. If you want to avoid going down that trail again, start hacking away at the jungle of your own emotions. Get over needing anyone's approval or blessing. If you are still waiting for negative relatives to validate you, you're in for a long wait. Don't set yourself up to be miserable. Get over it and go prepared.

About Paula Renaye

Former eggshell-walker, emotionally-bankrupt wreck and utter failure at keeping her world from falling apart, Paula Renaye uses her journey out of despair into joy as a breadcrumb trail for others.  She has been a consultant for 18 years, holds a degree in financial planning with a background in journalism and psychology, and is a member of the International Association of Coaches.  Paula is the multi-award-winning author of The Hardline Self Help Handbook.
Leading Business Technology Provider Changes the Way Law Firms Communicate

DAVENPORT, IA - December 20, 2011 - Midland Communications, a leading provider of unified communications, announced today that the company is placing special emphasis on bringing its innovative technology and applications to the rapidly growing legal industry.  Midland Communications has a number of valuable communications and data networking solutions that support the needs of the legal community.  These solutions have the unique ability of increasing productivity while decreasing the firm's carbon footprint because of the significant impact they have on attorney's commute times, marketing efforts, reduction of office space and reduction in operational costs.
"An attorney's time is very valuable and anything we can do to increase their efficiency has a dramatic impact to a law firm," said Jason Smith, Vice President of Midland Communications.  "The utilization of technology solutions like Unified Communications enhances a firm's green initiatives by drastically reducing the use of paper, reducing travel by utilizing video conferencing or web collaboration and allowing attorneys to receive calls, faxes and voicemails anytime, anywhere. This allows attorneys to work from home, at the courthouse or while they are visiting a client at their residence, while still providing the quality experience that both the firm and their clients have come to expect."

Unified Communication solutions provide a number of impressive benefits which increase productivity in law firms. One example is presence management, which informs assistants and partners of where the attorneys are located at all times. Another is call recording, which allows lawyers to save recordings to client files and email them internally. Conference call management integrates with Microsoft Outlook and call attached data tracks who called and other various statistics as well.  Fax-to-email and  the ability to schedule outgoing faxes through a fax server lower telecommunication costs help businesses go paperless. Furthermore, businesses can benefit multiple office connectivity through VoIP, which unifies all incoming and outgoing communication.  Additionally, law firms benefit significantly because attorneys are no longer tethered to a desk when they take advantage of Unified Communications' mobile capabilities. Mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, enable law firms to increase productivity in a myriad of other ways as well.
The Unified Communications interface has been developed with the end user's specific needs in mind. This essentially means that the front-end of these systems are extremely easy to operate regardless of the individual's age or technical know-how.  The advanced technology is hidden within each solution and may be managed internally by the organization's IT department or by certified team of Unified Communications professionals.
"Legal is a very unique industry and we have partnered with leading Unified Communication manufacturers who make these solutions cost effective by integrating all these capabilities into a single box solution," added Jason Smith. "The types of solutions we offer greatly benefit law firms as well as make the lives of their attorneys easier and less stressful."

ABOUT MIDLAND COMMUNICATIONS
Midland Communications began more than 60 years ago in 1946 as the Worldwide Marketing Arm of Victor-Animagraph Projectors. In 1977 a communications division was formed due to a partnership with NEC America. Today, As a distributor of NEC America, for 33 years, Midland Communications has a customer base of more than 3,000 satisfied customers that include general businesses, government agencies, Universities, colleges, hospitals, and hotels.
Midland provides a wide range of communication services including VOIP, PBX and key systems, Wide Area and Local Area networking, computers, Computer integration, voice mail, CCIS, and video conferencing and paging systems. Our philosophy is simple, provide quality products at a fair price, backed by an average emergency response time of twenty minutes, and the best service in the industry. For more information on Midland Communications, call (563) 326-1237 or visit www.midlandcom.com.

Contributions to College Savings Iowa accounts must be made by December 31, 2011.

DES MOINES, IA (12/21/2011)(readMedia)-- Once again, the year has flown by, and it's already time to start looking ahead to 2012. However, State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald has an important reminder about College Savings Iowa before the big ball drops on New Year's Eve. "Before you start celebrating, don't forget to make your final contributions to your College Savings Iowa account," Fitzgerald said. "To help ring in the New Year and remind Iowans about the importance of saving for college, College Savings Iowa is giving away a $529 College Savings Iowa account." For more information and to enter the giveaway, please visit www.collegesavingsiowa.com.

Contributions to College Savings Iowa must be made by the end of the year to qualify for 2011 state tax deductions. Account holders can deduct up to $2,865 for each open account and can contribute online at www.collegesavingsiowa.com.* Contributions sent by mail must postmark checks by December 31, 2011.

College Savings Iowa lets anyone - parents, grandparents, friends and relatives - invest for college on behalf of a child. Investors do not need to be a state resident and can withdraw their investments tax-free to pay for qualified higher education expenses including tuition, books, supplies and room and board at any eligible college, university, community college or accredited technical training school in the United Sates or abroad.** For more information about College Savings Iowa, call 888-672-9116 or visit collegesavingsiowa.com.

* Adjusted annually for inflation. If withdrawals are not qualified, the deductions must be added back to Iowa taxable income.

** Earnings on non-qualified withdrawals may be subject to federal income tax and a 10% federal penalty tax, as well as state income taxes. The availability of tax or other benefits may be contingent on meeting other requirements.

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Investment returns are not guaranteed and you could lose money by investing in the plan. Participants assume all investment risks as well as responsibility for any federal and state tax consequences. If you are not an Iowa taxpayer, consider before investing whether your or the designated beneficiary's home state offers any state tax or other benefits that are only available for investments in such state's qualified tuition program.

For more information about the College Savings Iowa 529 Plan, call 888-672-9116 or visit www.collegesavingsiowa.com to obtain a Program Description. Investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information are included in the Program Description; read and consider it carefully before investing.

Davenport, Iowa, December 21, 2011 - An indoor golf driving range will open to the public at 7am on Monday, December 26 at the River's Edge, 700 W River Drive in downtown Davenport. The indoor golf facility will offer an option for golfers to practice their swing indoors throughout the winter. With the loss of the indoor golf dome on Brady Street earlier this year, the River's Edge will now fill that gap by offering the only public indoor golf facility on the Iowa side of the Quad Cities.

Golfers may purchase 35 balls for $3 or 70 balls for $5. The indoor golf range will be available from 7am - 3pm on weekdays only. There will be 9 stations available. "We've already seen tremendous interest and excitement for this new indoor range," according to Troy Evans, Superintendent of Revenue Facilities. "We're pleased that the River's Edge can fill this gap for golfers in the area."

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