Archive for July, 2009

PostHeaderIcon Learning Basic Accounting Principles



Accounting has been defined as, accounting professor at the University of Michigan, William A. Paton as having a basic function: ‘facilitating the administration of economic activity. This function has two closely related phases: 1) measurement and predispose to economic data, and 2) communicate the results of this process to interested parties.

As an example, a company’s accountants periodically measure the profit and loss for a month, quarter or fiscal year and publish these results in a profit and loss statement is called a statement. These statements include items such as accounts receivable (what was owed to the company) and accounts payable (what the company owe). It can also be quite complicated with subjects like retained earnings and accelerated depreciation. This at higher levels of accounting and organization.

Much of accounting but also deals with basic accounting. This is the process that records every transaction, every bill paid, every dime owed, every dollar and cent spent and accumulated.

However, the owners of the company, which may be individual owners or millions of shareholders are more concerned with summaries of these transactions, contained in the financial statement. The financial statement summarizes a company’s assets. A value of an asset is what it costs when it was acquired. The financial statement also records what the sources of the assets were. Some assets are in loans that have to be returned. The benefits are also an asset of the company.

In what is called double entry bookkeeping, the liabilities are also summarized. Obviously, a company wants to show a greater amount of assets to offset liabilities and profitability. The management of these two elements is the essence of accounting.

There is a system for doing this, not every company or individual can devise their own systems of accounting, the result would be chaos!

PostHeaderIcon A Tampa Attorney – The Admissions Process To Area Law Schools



The Tampa Bay area is home to several law schools including Stetson University and the Florida Metropolitan University (several other options are available for pre-law studies including Eckerd College and the University of South Florida); however, the process of admissions for these graduate programs are very similar to other law schools, therefore becoming a Tampa attorney is largely dependent on certain criteria. This criterion includes a high grade point average throughout you undergraduate program, a strong score on the LSAT (Law School Admissions Test), convincing and impressive written recommendations, and usually the successful completion of a series of interviews with the admissions department.

The LSAT is a lengthy examination that all law schools across the United States has developed in order to clearly define the abilities of diverse and unequally educated individuals from all over the world. By having all applicants take the same test and answer the same questions, each school can competently and confidently classify those individuals seeking admission. While there is not magic number that automatically denies an applicant admission, there is a score that all accepted individuals averaged. Last year that score was one hundred sixty-six, or in the seventy-fifth percentile. This means that, on average, to be considered for acceptance you have to score better than seventy-five percent of those who took the test. To put it another way – only twenty-five percent of those who take the LSAT proceed to law school.

The next most important thing that most schools consider is your undergraduate transcript and grade point average. While the American BAR Association does not delineate any particular undergraduate major, it is recommended that you chose a major that enhances certain occupational skills including analytical thinking, problem solving, excellence in written and oral communication, and attention to linguistic detail. However, it is usually suggested that you chose a major you have a strong interest in. Individuals usually find it easier to maintain a high grade point average if they enjoy the topics they are studying.

Like the LSAT scores, there is no hard and clear number that automatically guarantees success or promises failure when law schools consider the GPA of a future Tampa attorney. Again, however, there is an average of those who have been accepted into a law program and that average is 3.85 on a four point scale. This is better than an A- average throughout your undergraduate career. It is, therefore, very important to do well in all of your classes – even one slip up and mean the difference between acceptance and denial.

 All things being equal between two similar applicants, most law schools turn to written recommendations and ultimately admission interviews. Recommendations should be concise (rarely longer than one page typed) and should be written by the most academically impressive individual you can find. A college professor who is well known or well written, a dean of a university, or any other relevant persons is a strong choice. Remember the emphasis should be placed on the quality of the recommendation and not the quantity. Shoot for two or three strong individuals instead of dozens of recommendations from all of your professors.

Some schools impose an interview process before admission is granted. This may only involve the admissions office, but more likely would involve the president of the school and other board members. It is designed to see how an individual reacts under pressure and also how well spoken they are.

Law Schools are not easy to get into. Therefore they use a tough method to chose those individuals who are most likely to succeed.

PostHeaderIcon College and University Articles – Find College and University Related Articles on ArticlesBase.com

PostHeaderIcon Becoming a Florida Lawyer – not an Easy Process



Becoming a Florida lawyer is very similar to becoming a lawyer in any other state and includes obtaining a four year degree from an accredited college (in the state of Florida these include Florida State University, Florida Technical College, and St. Thomas University to name just a few), gain acceptance into a law school that is recognized and accredited by the American Bar Association, graduate from the law school, and finally to pass the Florida Bar exam. This is not an easy process and only thirty percent of those individuals who begin the process actually complete it and become a practicing lawyer or attorney in the state of Florida.

There are thousands of accredited four year colleges in the state of Florida and they range from the huge Florida State University to the much small and private St Thomas University. However, they all offer four year degrees in any number of fields, sciences, or arts. Determining which college is right for you is a largely unique determination that takes into account the cost of tuition, the location of the university, scholarships offered, and ultimately academic acceptance. However, once a university or college has been decided upon, then the successful completion or the curriculum becomes important.

 At this stage, it is not necessarily important what type of four year undergraduate degree is earned. While it is important to choose a discipline that encourages logical thinking, academic research, writing, public speaking, and interdisciplinary organization, it is not a requirement for ultimate success as a professional Florida lawyer. Programs that many future lawyers have found useful have been majors in humanities, social sciences, history, and political science. Again, at this stage of the process, it is not important what four year undergraduate degree is attained. It only matters that degree is successfully attained.

Once you have finished an undergraduate program, then you must get accepted into law school. Law school is usually an additional two year program. Acceptance into one of the two hundred or so law schools across the nation is based on the LSAT (Law Schools Admissions Test). This test is designed to test the attributes that a lawyer should have. It examines basic knowledge, logical thinking, and problem solving. It is largely considered to be one of the hardest admission tests that a lawyer will have to take. The higher the school then the better the chances of being accepted into a law school are. All law schools are not created equal. While they all offer the same basic program, some are much more famous and expensive than others. In Florida, law schools include St Thomas School of Law, Stetson University College of Law, and University of Miami School of Law.

Obviously after the successful entrance into a recognized law school, the next step to becoming a Florida lawyer is the completion of that program and earning a law degree. Earning a law degree is not easy and requires a broad knowledge of all legal standards and situations regardless of the intended field of the law student. It is therefore very challenging.

Even after graduating from law school, an individual is not fully recognized as a lawyer until he or she has passed the Florida Bar exam. This is an exam intended to test the basic knowledge and skills of a lawyer. A person can take this test as many times as necessary to receive a passing grade. Once a person has successfully completed this exam, he or she is a lawyer and can then practice law in Florida.

PostHeaderIcon What Do Snakes And A Chicken Have To Do With Viral Marketing?



With mass communication being achievable with just the click of a mouse, the internet has become the worldwide marketplace. That is why most advertisers believe that viral marketing is the most effective way to get customers to buy your product. As Tom Kinnear, executive director of the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Michigan tells Forbes.com, “It [viral marketing] can be referred to as word-of-mouth on steroids.”

The movie Snakes on a Plane is a good example. While the film did not do so hot at the box office it got a huge amount of buzz when people started writing songs and creating videos based on the title. When the media picked up on it, word of mouth for Snakes on a Plane took off like wildfire. This required no effort from the filmmakers after their initial advertising push. That is the essence of good viral marketing.

You may not have a movie studio or Samuel L. Jackson to help you out but there are ways you can adapt viral marketing to your internet business.

The Fun Page

If you are a serious marketer, and you do not have enough funding for a major advertisement, this is one of the best techniques that you can use. Make a page on your site with funny or interesting videos or images, or even create a mini game that is focused on your product. Be sure to include a tell a friend link to ensure that your fun page gets circulated. Creativity is the key. If your fun page is cool enough, you can be sure that you will get more hits for to your website.

Kind of Weird

Remember the Subservient Chicken? Burger King created a webpage that contained a video camera with a command line below it. On the site, you just typed what you wanted the subservient chicken to do, and voila, the chicken did it. People were born curious. If you have some idea in your head, do it. The Subservient Chicken became so popular that people forwarded the links to their friends, and all Burger King had to do was to maintain the website. The downside is this strategy might create bad publicity but as the old saying goes, bad publicity is still publicity.

Email Forward

Create a message with funny pictures or a video, and then send it to your friends or list of subscribers. If it is funny enough, you can be sure that this little message will reach a lot of people. Remember that the images or video should contain at least a brand logo or a website address. The best thing that you can do here is to include your name on the video itself, like for example a guy wearing a t-shirt with your brand name on it, or a bunch of funny pictures dealing with your products. Most forwarded e-mails are viral marketing strategies. In this technique, you can always be sure that your e-mails are going to be opened, because they came from the friends of the e-mail owner.

Free is Good

Most people search the internet with free as one of their keywords. Free stuff can boost the popularity of your website. There are a lot of items out there that you can give out for free. Creating a downloadable Flash game is one of the most used today. But of course, you should make it interesting, and make the people think that without this free stuff on their desktop, they’re missing out a lot.

Viral marketing may not answer all of your promotional needs, but it will surely help you in creating a buzz. It is cheap, easy and very effective. What viral marketing does so brilliantly is fuel our irresistible urge to tell somebody about a good experience. It is hard to find any advertising better than that.

PostHeaderIcon Social Work and the Law



NOTE: THE ARTICLE APPEARING BELOW WAS COPIED ON  22 JUNE 2009 BY http://www.cityadministrator.org/?p=397 WITHOUT MY PERMISSION AND WITHOUT CITING THIS AUTHOR. The blog is hosted by GoDaddy and registrant



Registrant Name:Joseph R Smith

Registrant Organization:FloridaView Media LLC


Baltimore City Department of Social Services v Bouknight,

488 U.S. 1301 (1988)

A three month old infant was admitted for treatment in a hospital. It became apparent that the mother, Jackie Bouknight may have maltreated the infant. Consequently, the Department of Social Services (DSS) petitioned the Court to declare the child as a “child in need of assistance” and grant it the power to put the child under foster care (Baltimore City Department of Social Services v Bouknight, 488 U.S. 1301 (1988). The Court granted relief and it was agreed upon by the parties that Bouknight shall have the custody of the child subject to the conditions of supervised parenting and an undertaking of non-infliction of bodily harm and punishment on the child. At first, Bouknight complied with the conditions but later on she became uncooperative and refused to produce her son to the DSS.

The DSS in fear for the safety and well being of the child filed a case before the Court to compel Bouknight to produce her son. She failed to appear before the Court but was later on arrested. On her refusal to disclose the whereabouts of her son, she was found guilty of contempt and was ordered to be incarcerated until compliance with the order [In re Maurice, No. 50 (Dec. 19, 1988). 314 Md. 391, 550 A.2d 1135].

On certiorari, the Court of Appeals of Maryland ruled that the incarceration of Bouknight was an infringement of her Fifth Amendment right against self incrimination. According to the Court, the production of the son is testimonial in nature because by doing so, it only proves Bouknight’s “continuing control” over her son which may be utilized in a criminal proceeding. It ruled that there are acts of production deemed to have testimonial value citing the case of U.S. vs. Doe (Baltimore City Department of Social Services v Bouknight, 488 U.S. 1301 (1988).

The U.S. Supreme Court granted the stay of DSS pending the filing of the requisite petition for certiorari. The grant of stay was based on the fact that even assuming that the act of production of the child is testimonial in character, many line of decisions of the Court are clear that as between the public need vis-à-vis a single claim of an individual on constitutional privilege, the former is upheld. In this particular case, the safety and interests of the abused child must be upheld over Bouknight’s assertion considering that, in the hierarchy of values, the safety and welfare of the child takes precedence over other concerns (Baltimore City Department of Social Services v Bouknight, 488 U.S. 1301 (1988). Moreover, the information sought which is the whereabouts of the child is for the contempt charge and therefore civil in nature (Baltimore City Department of Social Services v Bouknight, 488 U.S. 1301 (1988).

The Fifth Amendment: Right against Self-Incrimination

The Fifth Amendment originated from England and derived from the Latin maxim “nemo tenetur seipsum accusare” meaning “no man is bound to accuse himself” (Levy, 1968). It was used in both the accusatorial and inquisitorial legal systems of England (Levy, 1968).

In the U.S., after the revolution the states ratified the Constitution with the inclusion of the privilege in the bill of rights. The original version of Madison was amended by the House to include “in any criminal case” (Schwartz, 1971). Thus, as it now stands, the Fifth Amendment provides, “. . . nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself . . .” (U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights). The primary purpose of its inclusion in the Bill of Rights is “to protect the innocent and to further the search for truth” [Ullmann v. United States, 350 U.S. 422 (1956)]. However, in subsequent line of decisions, the Court ruled that other privileges stated in the bill of Rights are more in the nature of adjuncts to the determination of truth such as the right to counsel or the safeguards afforded by the Fourth Amendment while the privilege against self-incrimination is primarily for “the preservation of the accusatorial system of criminal justice” [Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 460 (1966); Schmerber v. California, 384 U.S. 757, 760–765 (1966); California v. Byers, 402 U.S. 424, 448–58 (1971)]. This maintains the integrity of the judicial system and protects the privacy of the individuals from government intrusion [Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 460 (1966); Schmerber v. California, 384 U.S. 757, 760–765 (1966); California v. Byers, 402 U.S. 424, 448–58 (1971)]. The privilege is a guarantee against compulsion for testimonial evidence which consequently will result in the imposition of criminal penalty on such person making testimony.

The Court laid down the requirements necessary before a party can successfully invoke the protection of the privilege against self-incrimination. In the cases of U.S. v. Doe, (465 U.S. 605) and Doe v. U.S. [487 U.S. 201, 209 (1988)], the Court enumerated the three (3) requisites that should be present for the Fifth Amendment to apply, namely: a) “that the statement be testimonial; b) incriminating; and, c) compelled.” According to the court, ‘testimonial’ refers to all communications whether express or implied which “relate to a factual assertion or disclose information” (Ashby, J., 2006 citing Doe v. U.S., 487 U.S. 201). The statements or communications made whether verbally or in writing fall within the privilege (Ashby, J., 2006) and is not limited by the forum where it was elicited, i.e. before the court, administrative proceedings or before the law enforcement office [Lefkowitz v. Turley, 414 U.S. 70 (1973)]. The second requirement, ‘incriminating’ refers to statements that can be used as a basis for a finding of criminal liability under a penal law or “provides a link to the chain of evidence for prosecution under a criminal statute” [United States v. Hubbell, 530 U.S. 27 (2000)]. The third requisite is the compulsion to give a statement. The Court explained that this requisite refers to “circumstances that deny the individual a free choice to admit, to deny, or to refuse to answer” (Ashby, J., 2006). Additionally, the Court ruled in the case of Fisher v. United States that these three requisites should all concur and be present so that the privilege can be successfully invoked [425 U.S. 391(1976)].

Legal and Ethical Issues and their Impact on Social Work Practice

The main legal issue in the case of Baltimore is whether the circumstances surrounding it would fall within the ambit of the privilege against self incrimination and consequently, Bouknight may successfully invoke it and prevent her from being compelled to produce or furnish the whereabouts of her son lest be incarcerated for contempt.

The Supreme Court allowed the stay of the decision of the appellate court for overturning the ruling of the juvenile court and in finding that the compulsion for Bouknight to produce her son squarely fell within the privilege and therefore ordered her release (Alderman and Kennedy, 1992). The appellate court found that the act of production is testimonial and therefore its compulsion, is a violation of the privilege. Furthermore, the interest of the government in the safety of the son cannot outweigh the observance and respect for the privilege against self incrimination as provided in the Bill of Rights (Alderman and Kennedy, 1992). In other words, the three requisites concurred, i.e. the act of production or of furnishing information as to the whereabouts of her son are incriminating and testimonial in character; and, there
was also compulsion because if she failed to disclose information sought she would be incarcerated for contempt as what had happened.

The Supreme Court through Chief Justice Rehnquist predicated his discussion on three major points, namely: a) The Court of Appeals passed upon a controversy concerning the federal Constitution which logically can be properly resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court (California v. Riegler, 449 U.S. 1319); b) The act of production does not fall within the ambit of the privilege citing the cases of U.S. v. Doe, Fisher v. U.S. and Schmerber v. California. In these cases, the court ruled that the act of production of the documents is not ‘testimonial’ and therefore does not infringe upon the privilege considering that their existence and location are already known to the Government. In fact, responding to a subpoena have been considered legal and acceptable even if compulsion is present [Fisher v. United States, 425 U.S. 391 (1976)]. Moreover, when an accused is required to furnish his handwriting sample, this had been held not to violate the privilege because it is not ‘testimonial’  but merely evidentiary United States v. Flanagan, 34 F.3d 949 [10th Cir. 1994]). The third point c) is by using the balancing of interests test or balancing the public need vis-à-vis ensuring the individual’s constitutional civil liberties, public need prevailed considering that the disclosure of information was non-criminal and not directed at a particular group as was held in the case of California v. Byers, 402 U.S. 424 (1971) where the validity of a law requiring disclosure of the name and address at the scene of a vehicular accident. Similarly in the case of New York v. Quarles where the Fifth Amendment rights have to give way to a public safety exception and therefore in the case of Bouknight, “the public safety exception to the Fifth Amendment was justified because its interest was in protecting children like Maurice, not in prosecuting” (Alderman and Kennedy, 1992).

In sum, the privilege against self-incrimination is not an absolute right. Albeit the civil liberties accorded under the Bill of Rights safeguards undue government intervention and restraint to its power, there are instances when these rights would have to give way to compelling interests of the society that would warrant Government intervention and intrusion such in the case of protecting and ensuring the safety of infants or children from physical abuse. Once it has been established that a child is abused, it becomes the duty of the State to take over and protect.

The judicial pronouncement in the case of Bouknight has a pervading and far reaching implication on social work practice. This gives the social workers a great burden and responsibility to follow up sharply abused children in foster care or those released under an order of protective supervision. Admittedly, there is an apparent lack of strict protocols in the present system of child welfare agencies (Parks, 2005). A set of guidelines must be crafted to govern exigencies of missing children from foster care like supervised visits and court orders in cases of abduction like what have occurred in Maryland with “Ariel” who had been abducted by his mother Teresa B (Parks, 2005). Guidelines should also be drawn to address the coordinated efforts both with the law enforcement and child welfare personnel.

Tarasoff v. Regents of University of California,

17 Cal.3d 425

A graduate student from India, Prosenjit Poddar went to the University of California Berkeley to study naval architecture. It was there that he met Tatiana Tarasoff. A few kisses made him believe that they have a special relationship until Tarasoff bragged about her many relationships with other men. Poddar suffered depression until he sought professional help from Dr. Moore, a psychologist of the University Health Service. He confided to the doctor that he intended to secure a gun and to kill Tarasoff. On the strength of a letter request of Dr. Moore, Poddar was taken by the campus police, however upon assurance that Poddar was reasonable he was released. Upon the return of the University Health psychiatrist from his vacation, he ordered the destruction of Dr. Moore’s letter and did not recommend any further action on Poddar’s case.

When Tarasoff returned from her vacation, she was stabbed and killed by Poddar who at that time moved in with her brother already. The parents of Tarasoff sued the Regents of the University, its health personnel namely, Gold, Moore, Powelson, Yandell and the campus police namely, Atkinson, Beall, Brownrigg, Hallernan, and Teel  for “failing to warn their daughter of an impending danger” (Tarasoff v. Regents of University of California, 17 Cal.3d 425). At the lower court, the complaint was dismissed because there was no cause of action. According to the lower court, the defendants only had the duty to the patient and not to a third party.

The dismissal was appealed to the Appeals Court but which only sustained the dismissal. Thus, it was elevated to the Supreme Court of California. The appealed decision in so far as the university police officers, Atkinson, Beall, Brownrigg, Hallernan, and Teel finding them not liable to the plaintiffs was affirmed. However, in so far as the therapists and the Regents of the university, the appealed decision was overturned for reception of evidence in accordance with the pronouncements of the Supreme Court (Tarasoff v. Regents of University of California, 17 Cal.3d 425).

In fine, the complainants averred four (4) causes of action, namely: a) “Failure to detain a dangerous patient; b) failure to warn on a dangerous patient; c) abandonment of a dangerous patient; and, d) breach of primary duty to patient and the public” (Tarasoff v. Regents of University of California, 17 Cal.3d 425).

Anent the first and fourth causes of action, the Supreme Court ruled that the defendants cannot be held liable because of a specific provision of the Government Code or Section 856 thereof which grants immunity to public employees from any resultant damage or injury from deciding whether or not to confine a person with mental ailment. This provision is also applicable to the therapists because the law also refers to those who are capable of recommending confinement. As regards the third cause of action, the government immunity includes the “award of exemplary damages resulting from a wrongful death” and therefore, defendants cannot be held liable (Tarasoff v. Regents of University of California, 17 Cal.3d 425).

Anent the second cause of action, the Supreme Court found defendants therapists and Regents of the University to have failed to comply with their duty to warn Tarasoff of the peril to her life. Albeit, the therapists had no direct relations with Tarasoff, they could have reasonably foreseen the danger and threat to her life as confided by their patient, Poddar. This is the point where the law establishes the duty of care on their part to warn Tarasoff. Their failure to warn her may reasonably concluded as a proximate cause of her death. The duty of confidentiality between patient and psychotherapist and the right to privacy of the patient cannot prevail over public interest or public safety. Moreover, there are clear provisions of laws, i.e. Section 1024 of the Evidence Code and Section 9 of the Principles of Medical Ethics of the American Medical Association which allows the physician to divulge matters confided to him in confidence when it is necessary for public welfare (Tarasoff v. Regents of University of California, 17 Cal.3d 425).

Confidentiality

The effective therapeutic relationship between physician/psychiatrist and patient rests largely on trust that matters confided by the patient during the treatment are kept in strictest confidence by the physician/psychiatrist.  It is the ethical duty of the physician to observe privacy and confidentiality of his patients (Corbin, 2
007). While it is also of public interest to ensure that treatment of those who are mentally ill by maintaining an atmosphere whereby they can have an open dialogue with their therapist and of safeguarding its confidential character; the same public interest calls for an imperative recognition of instances whereby disclosure of the confidential communications be revealed and be made to safeguard public safety and avert the threatened peril. In the instances, where the public safety is at risk, the therapist must disclose confidential information discreetly with due regard to protecting the privacy of his patient (Tarasoff v. Regents of University of California, 17 Cal.3d 425).

The parameters of confidentiality are defined by law and by the ethical code of conduct for practitioners in the territorial jurisdiction. In the case of Tarasoff, the Evidence Code and the Principles of Medical Ethics of the American Medical Association provided specific and limited exceptions under which the confidentiality privilege can be breached, i.e. “if the psychotherapist has reasonable cause to believe that the patient is in such mental or emotional condition as to be dangerous to himself or to the person or property of another and that disclosure of the communication is necessary to prevent the threatened danger; unless he is required to do so by law or unless it becomes necessary in order to protect the welfare of the individual or of the community” (Tarasoff v. Regents of University of California, 17 Cal.3d 425).

It would be wise for the practitioners to familiarize themselves of the limits of confidentiality as provided under the laws considering that it may differ from state to state. The Tarasoff case provided a basis to guide a practitioner in his professional dealings relative to the duty to warn others in cases of a specific threat of harm by his patient against others/another. Subsequent cases followed the consistent pattern of the jurisprudence laid down by the Supreme Court. In the case of David v. Lhim (1983), the plaintiff-administrator of the estate sued the psychiatrist who treated the son who killed his mother after he was released from the hospital. There was failure on the part of the psychiatrist who treated the son to warn the mother of the potential danger after her son confided his intentions of killing her (Corbin, 2007). In another case, Chrite v. U.S. (2003), the Veterans Administration was held liable for having failed to warn the intended victim of a patient of a threatened harm. Subsequent rulings of the court clarified and defined what constituted ‘threat’ as “imminent threat of serious danger to a readily identifiable victim” and “specific” (Corbin, 2007).

When there are no specific provisions of the law, Dickson (1998) proposes that the therapist/practitioner may be protected against lawsuits if he would consult and keenly document the case of the patient or comply with the “mandated reporting guidelines” required by some states. Reamer (2003) on the other hand, suggests that the therapist must have evidence that the patient is a threat to the safety of another; evidence of that the threat can be foreseen; threat is imminent and that the potential victim is identifiable.

Legal and Ethical Implications and their Impact on Social Work Practice

The duty of reasonable care to assist others in danger is a legal duty as well as a moral duty. However, American negligence law only recognizes it as a moral duty except when there exists a relationship between parties. In the case of Tarasoff, no special relationship existed between the therapist and Tarasoff; however the court has made an exception to this general rule (Bickel, 2001). It declared that the therapist has the duty to care and to warn Tarasoff of the imminent harm on her life. This also includes the duty to control the conduct of his patient, Poddar. In the same breath, a doctor has the duty to warn his patient if he has a contagious disease (Saltzman and Furman, 1999).

There is an affirmative duty for the therapist to advise and warn Tarasoff of the threat to her life although this meant breach of confidentiality with his patient Poddar. This finds basis both legally and ethically considering that the law and the code of ethics for doctors have recognized and provided specifically that doctors are bound to disclose relevant facts to others even if this violates confidentiality with their patients provided they are required by law or if it is required for public safety (Saltzman and Furman, 1999). This legal duty to warn applies when the threat is specific and imminent and where the victim is “readily identifiable” (Bickel, 2001). The courts also have recognized the difficulty in assessing and predicting circumstances that may lead to harm or violence and consequently, adhered to the ‘professional judgment rule’ whereby the therapist is not held liable for errors of judgments. Liability attaches only upon showing that the conduct of the therapist was not in accordance with the “accepted professional standards” (Bickel, 2001).

There is an ambivalence that was created by the Tarasoff protective disclosure ruling with the practitioners (Kachigian and Felthous, 2004). Analogous cases and protective disclosure statutes in the different states were analyzed and it was discovered that there are no clear defined parameters of these duties. The therapist is required to a certain way betray his patient by disclosing matters which are protected by confidentiality. Considering the uncertainty brought about by the legal doctrine and court decisions, the undesirable consequence of which was deterrence for therapists to accept “treatment potentially violent patients” (Merton, 1982). Moreover, therapists are more inclined to have their patients committed in an institution so that threats to the safety of potential victims can be averted.

The Tarasoff protective disclosure was even extended recently to include even “communications made from a patient’s family member” as pronounced by the Court in the case of Ewing v. Goldstein (May and Ohlschlager, 2008). The dubious jurisprudential precedents by the courts in interpreting the protective disclosure statutes or its resort to common law instead of interpreting the statute left a vacuum in the definition of the duty to protect (Kachigian and Felthous, 2004). As a result, “clinicians must continue to rely on their clinical and ethical judgment, rather than statutory guidance, when considering potential protective disclosures or future drafts of protective disclosure statutes” (Kachigian and Felthous, 2004).

References

Alderman, E. and Kennedy, C. (1992). In our defense: the bill of rights in action. First Avon

Books edition.

Ashby, J. (February 2006).  Note declining to state a name in consideration of the fifth amendment’s self-incrimination clause and law enforcement databases after Hiibel. Michigan Law Review, No. 4, Vol. 104:779.

Baltimore City Department of Social Services v Bouknight, 488 U.S. 1301 (1988).

Bickel, R. Revisiting Tarasoff v. Regents of University of California: the scope of the psychotherapist’s duty to control dangerous students. Presented before the 22nd Annual Law and higher Education conference in Clearwater, Florida on 18-20 February 2001.

California v. Byers, 402 U.S. 424, 448–58 (1971).

Corbin, J. (Fall 2007). Confidentiality and the duty to warn: Ethical and legal implications for the therapeutic relationship. The New Social Worker, Vol. 14, No. 4.

Dickson, D. T. (1998). Confidentiality and privacy in social work. New York: The Free Press

Doe v. U.S., 487 U.S. 201, 209 (1988).

Fisher v. United States, 425 U.S. 391 (1976).

Kachigian, C. and Felthous, A. (September 2004). Court responses to Tarasoff statutes. Journal



of  American Academy of Psychiatry and Law Online, Vol. 23:263-273.

Levy,
L. (1968). Origins of the fifth amendment: The right against self-incrimination.

May, S. and Ohlschlager, J. (2008). California alert! Tarasoff ruling expanded for clients who ‘go off.’ ECounseling. American Association of Christian Counselors.

Merton, V. (1982). Confidentiality and the dangerous patient: Implications of Tarasoff for Psychiatrists and lawyers. Emory Law Journal, Vol. 31:265.

New York v. Quarles, 476 U.S. 649 (1984).

Parks, A. (2008). Unless the Court of Appeals decision is reversed, MD children may not be. Daily Record The Baltimore.

Reamer, F. (2003). Social work malpractice and liability. New York: Columbia University Press, 2nd ed.

Saltzman, A. and Furman, D. (1999). Law in social work practice. Brooks Cole, 2nd edition.

Schmerber v. California, 384 U.S. 757 (1966).

Schwartz, B (December 1971). The bill of rights: A documentary history. Chelsea House Publishers with McGraw-Hill Education.

Tarasoff v. Regents of University of California, 17 Cal.3d 425.

Ullmann v. United States, 350 U.S. 422 (1956).

U.S. v. Doe, 465 U.S. 605.

United States v. Hubbell, 530 U.S. 27 (2000).

PostHeaderIcon The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood



Sometimes, when reading a big book, one gets the feeling that the author set out to achieve size, as if that in itself might suggest certain adjectives from a reader or reviewer – weighty, significant, deep, serious, complex, extensive, perhaps. Sometimes – rarely, in fact – one reads a big book and becomes lost in its size, lost in the sense that one ceases to notice the hundreds passing by, as the work creates its own time, defines its own experience, shares its own world. Even then, reaching the end can often be merely trite, just a running out of steam, the process thoroughly engaging, the product, however, something of a let down. Rarely, very rarely indeed, one reads a big book that actually needs its size, justifies itself, continues to surprise as well as enchant and then, finally, stuns. Margaret Atwood’s Blind Assassin is such a book, a giant in every sense, a masterpiece beyond question.

Blind Assassin was awarded the Booker prize in 2000 and charts intersecting histories of two well-to-do Canadian families, Chase and Griffen. The two Chase sisters, Iris and Laura, are quite different people. Born into the relative opulence of a Canadian manufacturing family, they have a private education of sorts, experienced throughout and yet alongside something vaguely like a childhood. Various aspects of twentieth century history impinge upon their lives and eventually force their family to reassess its status. Economic downturn, war and family tragedy take their toll on the father, who becomes less able to manage either his own life or his business. Something has to give. Ways of coping must be found.

Iris, the elder sister, is the first person narrator of about half of the book, the other half being devoted to a book within a book, a novel in the name of Laura, the younger sister. This novel, entitled The Blind Assassin, is an eclectic mix of experience, sex, fantasy and politics. It has made a name for Laura and retains a significant cult following many years after its publication. Laura, herself, died in a car accident. She drove off a bridge into a ravine. The car belonged to Iris. There was never any real explanation for the event.

Iris, meanwhile, has been married off to an older man, a Griffen, who seems to treat her like so much chattel. But then he is an industrialist with the wherewithal, not to mention capital, to assist the bride’s family business in its time of need. Iris, therefore, experiences the Canadian equivalent of an arranged marriage. Perhaps the word marriage is a little overstated. The partnership could be better described as a merger, or a union, if that were not a dirty word because of its political connotation.

And so the octogenarian Iris, clearly anticipating the end of her days, embarks upon a cathartic outpouring of personal and family history in the hope that an estranged granddaughter might just understand a little about other peoples’ motives.

The book takes us through Canada and north America, across to Europe, via an imagined universe, to political commitment, direct action and its inevitable reaction. Iris needs to write it all down. And so she works her story out, constructing it, perhaps reconstructing it, maybe inventing it from memory and relived experience against a backdrop of contemporary Canada and her own failing health. Her vulnerability, in the end, is our debt, our penance, perhaps. She is a wise old woman with much to hide, but her acerbic wit is undiminished by age, her observations of others stunningly perspicacious.

It is not often that a novel, a mere flight of another’s fancy, achieves the subtle, stunning and surely enduring power of the Blind Assassin.

PostHeaderIcon The Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Garden



Winter Park, Florida’s Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Garden is one of the most elegant and respected venues for the art in the American southeast. It is home to impressive collections of all kinds and beautiful, peaceful grounds. The museum is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Albin Polasek (1879-1965) is widely considered one of the most important American sculptors most of the 20th century. Celebrated in his own lifetime, Polasek strove to show the beauty of “movement,” the flow of one mass into another. Polasek’s ability to capture the spirit of his subject was a major influence on a generation of sculptors like Richmond Barthe and Ruth Sherwood. Upon his death in 1965, Polasek was buried alongside first wife Ruth Sherwood in Winter Park’s Palms Cemetery, where the 12th Station of the Cross (1939) is his monument. Albin Polasek was granted posthumously the honor of Great Floridian and inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in 2004.

Born in 1879 in what is now the Czech Republic, Polasek apprenticed as a wood carver in Vienna before emigrating to the United States at the age of 22 and eventually became an American citizen. Polasek began his formal art training at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. He produced Man Carving His Own Destiny (1907) and Eternal Moment (1909), two of his earliest well-known sculptures.

In 1961, the Albin Polasek Foundation was founded by Polasek and his wife. Polasek had a deep appreciation for an uncomplicated aesthetic, and as a result the gardens are quiet and subdued, utilizing gardening art in classic form. The Foundation has added to the culture of Winter Park and Central Florida by donating sculptures like Forest Idyl and Emily Fountain to the City of Winter Park, Florida and loaning Man Carving His Own Destiny to the Winter Park Public Library long term. The Museum also provides art scholarships to the University of Central Florida, Rollins College and Crealde School of Art.

PostHeaderIcon Women and Their Nutrition.very Important to All of Us!



Many of our readers asked for simple nutrition tips for women. Women today are busier than ever before. Their stress is exacerbated by today’s fast paced, pre-packaged, convenience based society and the toxins that come from antibiotics and household cleaners. Iron-deficiency anemia is very common in young women. Women need nutrition and they need to be CLEAN from toxins. Here’s a nutrition tip for all women — berries are your friends.

While women’s role in the food chain is essential to produce that all-important resource, food, it paradoxically does not guarantee women even minimum levels of nutrition. Women are often responsible for producing and preparing food for the household, so their knowledge  or lack thereof  about nutritions effect on the entire family. Women with adequate stores of iron and other micronutrients are less likely to suffer fatal infections and are more likely to survive bleeding during and after childbirth. Women in developing countries are also regularly deficient in vitamin A, iodine, and energy. Women of child-bearing age are recommended to take folic acid supplements and consume a folic-rich diet. Women are also at higher risk for developing osteoporosis and need more calcium and vitamin D to prevent it. Studies showed that women with vitamin D insufficiency absorb less than 10 percent of available calcium.

However, even among the poor, different groups of women are affected differently by macro development policies, such as the commercialization of agriculture or family planning. The conflict between women’s (economic) earning role and (biological and social) mothering role results to some degree in a squeeze on child care, with consequences for child health and nutrition. While women will be mothers too, motherhood is just one part of the inexorable life cycle. We need programs to increase women’s awareness, self-confidence, and motivation to act. Men must be educated about the cost to society of neglecting women and the need for affirmative action for women, which arises both from the fact of their greater work burden and their unique reproductive roles. The issue of women’s nutrition status and roles is crucial to the proposal for nutrition as a basic right for all in the 1990s, in which human development goals are paramount over economic goals. Programming for women’s health must extend beyond their role as mothers to encompass their non-reproductive and work-related energy and health needs.

The nutrition tips for women broadcast on the news often imply that nutrition may magically cure all kinds of diseases. The role of nutrition is to feed our bodies. 1 nutrition tip for women is to regularly include iron-rich foods such as meat, shellfish, beans and enriched cereals in your diet. The effects of high levels of protein-energy malnutrition and anemia among women. The nutritional handicap accumulated in the life of a woman is passed on to the next generation through low birth weight, which considerably reduces survival and jeopardizes growth. The ultimate constraint of time affects the extent to which women can acquire nutritional goods and services and allocate them to improving their own well-being or that of their families. The best way to give your body the balanced nutrition it needs is by eating a variety of nutrient-packed foods every day. In some respects, men and women have different nutritional needs, largely due to differences in male and female hormones.

“If you look at the current federal dietary guidelines for kids, there is no difference in nutritional needs for males and females until age 9,” says Elaine Turner, PhD, RD, associate professor in the department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Pregnancy drives the role of women and nutrition. If you need fewer calories, the calories you take in need to pack a lot of nutritional punch. One way that traditionally-minded woman can continue to keep their strength and health within the cycles of the creation,is through the use of berry plants. Remember, too that although berry plants have much nutritional value, they are only meant to supplement and enhance a well-balanced diet.

Anemia is the most common form of malnutrition, afflicting an estimated 47 percent of women worldwide, and anemia in pregnancy is one of the leading causes of maternal death. For maximum effect, improving women’s nutrition should begin long before pregnancy. Improving nutrition by maintaining a healthy diet before and during pregnancy and also during lactation can help to ensure adequate gestational weight gain, prevent weight loss during lactation, help strengthen the immune system, and delay HIV disease progression. Good nutrition is important for all pregnant and lactating women irrespective of their HIV status. Ignorance about the symptoms of malnutrition, such as the lethargy and depression caused by iron deficiency, may be dismissed as “normal” or unimportant, further exacerbating the problem. Addressing women’s malnutrition has a range of positive effects because healthy women can fulfill their multiple roles  generating income, ensuring their families’ nutrition, and having healthy children  more effectively and thereby help advance countries’ socioeconomic development. Well-nourished mothers are more likely to have infants with healthy birth weights, and such children are less likely to ever suffer from malnutrition. For reasons including women’s reproductive biology, low social status, poverty, and lack of education, they suffer from nutritional imbalances. After the first year of life adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition.

PostHeaderIcon Iowa 2008 Football Team Overview





Positive outlook

After a season marred by scandals and a poor record Iowa looks to turn it around in 2008. 18 football players have been named to the 2007 fall academic all-Big Ten team, which is a good sign going into 2008. Hopefully the bad apples have left the tree. Douglas has transferred and hopefully both him and the University of Iowa can move forward. One way or another *knock on wood* we won’t have the same off the field problems this year.

The sophomores are experienced

Iowa had 31 first-year student-athletes see game action either on offense, defense or special teams in 2007. In addition to the 11 true freshmen, 20 redshirt freshmen saw the field. The Hawkeyes ranked third in the country in playing the most true and redshirt freshmen; North Carolina played 38 and Florida 33. Iowa tied for eighth nationally in playing 11 true freshmen.

Iowa had 11 true freshmen play in 2007: DT Cody Hundertmark, DB Cedric Everson, DE Christian Ballard, LB Jacody Coleman, DB Diauntae Morrow, LB Dezman Moses, WR Colin Sandeman, DB Jordan Bernstine, RB Jevon Pugh, TE Allen Reisner and OL Bryan Bulaga.

The 11 true freshmen are the most that have seen action under Kirk Ferentz in a single season. Iowa had seven true freshmen play in 2003 and 2000.

Ended on a Good Note

Iowa won four of its last six and just missed being selected for a bowl game. The Hawkeyes could return as many as 18 out of 24 starters (includes two kicking starters) for the 2008 campaign. Iowa was bowl eligible for the seventh straight season and finished in the Big Ten’s upper division for the sixth time in seven years. Nine starters return on offense,

Returning Starters

The Hawkeyes could return as many as 18 out of 24 starters (including the K/P).

Offense

Iowa loves to start the game on offense. Iowa has started on offense in 92 of its last 104 games. Iowa has started the game on offense in 94 of 110 games under Kirk Ferentz. The Hawkeyes scored 13 touchdowns and a field goal on their last 15 red zone possessions over the last four games in 2007.

On offense they could return 9. Iowa threw only seven interceptions in 2007 (six by Jake Christensen and one by Ricky Stanzi). The seven picks are the second-fewest thrown by an Iowa team. Iowa’s 2002 team established the school record for fewest interceptions (5). The Hawkeyes did not record a turnover in five games in 2007 (Northern Illinois, Iowa State, Wisconsin, Penn State and Michigan State).

Content provided by www.theofftopic.com

Iowa broke the school record for fewest turnovers in a season (13). The previous school record was 15 (nine interceptions and six fumbles), established in 1963 (eight games). Iowa ranked first in the Big Ten and 20th in the country in turnover margin (+8).

For 2007, Christensen completed 198-370 passes for 2,269 yards. The sophomore threw 17 touchdowns and only six interceptions. Christensen threw three touchdowns or more in three games in 2007 (Syracuse, Indiana and Western Michigan). He was 4-2 as a starter in home games and 13 of his 17 touchdown passes came in Kinnick Stadium. His passing yardage total (2,269) ranks 12th-best in a single-season at Iowa. In fact, it is believed that he became the first quarterback in NCAA Bowl Subdivision history to start his first two games against the same team.

The real question is: Can he be more accurate. The guy looked GREAT when he rolled outside the pocket, but when stood there he got sacked more than Drew Bledsoe!

TE Tony Moeaki sat out most of the 2007 season due to medical reasons. He will receive a redshirt! He was spotted as high as the top 10 TE during last season according to power rankings relating to this years draft.

Moeaki had been having a breakout season, prior to his injuries. In Iowa’s 35-0 win over Syracuse, the receiver had eight receptions for 112 yards and three touchdowns, which earned him rivals.com Big Ten Player of the Week and John Mackey Tight End of the Week accolades. All were career highs. He hauled in 14 passes for 170 yards in 2007. He was on the John Mackey Watch List, an award which goes to the top tight end in college football.

Content provided by www.theofftopic.com

Honored on the 2007 Sporting News Freshman all-Big Ten team were WR James Cleveland, OL Bryan Bulaga, DB Brett Greenwood, PK Daniel Murray and P Ryan Donahue. Iowa had the most players recognized on the team.

http://515forums.com/phpBB3/index.php

Defense

As a unit, Iowa did not allow a touchdown until late in the second quarter at Wisconsin in game four – a streak of 13 quarters. The Hawkeyes didn’t allow a touchdown in four games (Northern Illinois, Syracuse, Iowa State and Illinois) in 2007.

The Hawkeye defense which ranked first in the conference in turnover margin and Red Zone defense and finished third in fewest points allowed (18.8 per game). They will return Six, and possibly seven starters return on defense. Senior Devan Moylan is petitioning for an extra year after sitting out most of the 2007 season with an injury.

First team all-Big Ten defensive tackle Mitch King is Iowa’s leading returnee on defense. Over 50 lettermen (only 37 last year) will be on Iowa’s spring roster.

Iowa ranked 13th in the nation in scoring defense (18.8), 20th in turnover margin (+8), 29th in rushing defense (122.0), 32nd in pass efficiency defense (115.7), 37th in punt returns (10.6).

FS Brett Greenwood intercepted an Illinois pass at the goal line to seal Iowa’s 10-6 victory over the then-18th-ranked Illini on Oct. 13. The play was nominated for the NCAAs weekly Pontiac Game Changing Performance Award.

DL Anton Narinskiy will return. He was a first team academic all-district honoree.

Special Teams

Doesn’t it suck when you have to brag about your punter? Not when you have this guy!

Punter Ryan Donahue punted 46 times for a 38.6 average through Iowa’s first seven games. Since the Hawkeyes’ contest at Purdue, the redshirt freshman raised his punting average to 41.1 on 86 kicks. The last five games he punted 40 times for a 44.0 average and downed eight inside the 20. Donahue had long kicks of 82 (Michigan State), 76 (Northwestern), 68 (Purdue) and 54 (Minnesota and Western Michigan) the last five contests.

Donahue broke two school punting records in 2007. The native of Evergreen Park, IL, established school records for punts in a single-season (86) and punt yardage (3,533). The previous records were held by Dave Holsclaw in 1978, 85 punts for 3,107 yards. I don’t know about you, but I dont think we want to re-set that record for most punts in a single season again anytime soon.

The redshirt freshman was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week Oct. 29, after averaging 51.6 yards on eight punts vs. Michigan State. Four of his eight punts eclipsed 50 yards, including an 82-yarder that is the second longest in school history. Donahue also earned freshman honorable mention all-American accolades by The Sporting News.

Content provided by www.theofftopic.com

Key Departures

Mike Humpal, Kenny Iwebima, Bryan Mattison and Charles Godfrey were all selected for the various post season bowls and will not be returning to the squad next year.

Offense

The losses are big as running back Albert Young and Damien Sims will have used up their eligibility. These 2 both finished in the top 20 all time in rush yards for the University of Iowa. Fullback Tom Busch will also be gone.

Defense

Gone will be linebackers Mike Klinkenborg and Mike Humpal, ends Bryan Mattisons and Kenny Iwebema and backs Adam Shada and Charles Godfrey.

Schedule for 2008 Season.

Aug. 30 Maine (Kirk used to coach there.)

Sept. 6 Florida International

Sept. 15 Iowa State

Sept 20 at Pittsburgh

Sept. 27 Northwestern

Oct. 4 at Michigan State

Oct. 11 at In
diana

Oct. 18 Wisconsin

Oct. 25 BYE

Nov. 1 at Illinois

Nov. 8 Penn State

Nov. 15 Purdue

Nov. 22 at Minnesota

Iowa has won 32 of its last 39 games (.821) in Kinnick Stadium, dating back to the 2002 season.

Again this year with no Ohio State and no Michigan on their schedule, Iowa has a chance to do extremely well this season. However, I thought the same thing last year when we went 6-6. They will open the season in Soldier Field against Northern Illinois once again this season. Homecoming has been scheduled for Indiana and as usual our big rivalry game, against Iowa State, is the 3rd game of the season. They have a shot at redemption after last years field goal festival in Jack Trice.

Iowa opened its 2007 conference schedule on the road (at Wisconsin) for the eighth time in nine years under Coach Ferentz. Iowa’s lone conference home opener, under Coach Ferentz, came in 2001 when it defeated Penn State. The Hawkeyes open the 2008 Big Ten schedule at home for the first time since 2001, vs. Northwestern.

Verbal Commitments

Iowa has the 39th ranked recruiting class according to Scout.com. Heres your recruits.

Recruit (# Stars) – Position – From – Ht/Wt

James Ferentz (3) – C – Iowa City High, IA – (6-2/250)

James is the son of current Iowa Head Coach Kirk Ferentz.

John Wienke (3) – QB – Tuscola HS, IL – (6-5/210)

Led his team to the state title and turned down offers from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Miami (OH), Michigan and Purdue!

David Blackwell (3) – WLB – Cardinal Gibbons HS, Fort Lauderdale, FL – (6-1.5/208)

A multiple threat from his quarterback position in high school, Blackwell has the size and power to be a linebacker or running back on the college level.

Jonathan Gimm(3) – TE – Westfield HS, Houston, TX – (6-2/232)

As a junior Gimm was used primarily as a blocking tight end.

Brad Herman (3) – MLB – Metamora HS, IL – (6-4/220)

DeMarco Paine( 3) – CB – Hazelwood East HS, St. Louis, MO (5-10/166)

James Vandenberg (3) – QB- (Keokuk HS) Keokuk, IA (6-2/180)

High School Heisman Winner for the State of Iowa. Vandenburg finished his high school career by leading his team to a 3-A title and by setting a handful of passing records along the way. Among the records Vandenberg set are: most yards passing in a season (3,729), most TD passes in a season (49), most yards in a career (7,677) and most TD passes in a career (93). The senior also heads the list of 2,000-yard-plus passers in back-to-back seasons, racking up 2,654 yards in 2006. He Turned down an offer from Nebraska to play at Iowa.

Riley Reiff (3) – DE – Parkston HS, SD (6-6/230)

Standout wrestler who finished 34-0 and won his second Class B title at 215 pounds as a sophomore. Does this remind anyone else of Matt Roth?

Jack Swanson (3) – CB Naples HS, FL (5-10/175)

Jeff Brinson (3) – RB – Northeast HS, Saint Petersburg, FL 6-0/205

Talented running back who ran for over 1,000 yards in eight games as a sophomore and then finished his junior season with 1,197 yards and 23 touchdowns. He’s also one of the fastest backs around. He turned down offers from Michigan State, Florida and Kansas.

Khalif Staten (3) – WR – Abraham Lincoln HS, Brooklyn, NY (6-2/218)

Staten set a New York state record as a junior with 18 receptions in one game.

Nathan Guillory (3) – RB – Coffeyville, KS (5-9/180)

A JuCo Transfer who will be a Sophomore when he starts practice at Iowa.

Trent Mossbrucker (2) – K -Mooresville HS, IN (5-10.5/192)

He earned 1st place at Purdue’s Elite Quarterback Camp for speed passing accuracy. He is looking to be a kicker at the college level. His longest field goal kicked is 49 yards as a junior, Trent is 19 of 27 (field goals), 56 of 62 (extra points), and has kicked off 105 times with an average of just over 55 yards with 44 touchbacks. He’s also punted 55 times for an average of 32.8 yards. As a quarterback he’s passed for over 2,600 yards and 22 passing, 16 rushing touchdowns. I’m thinking he could be a fake FG threat?

Joe Gaglione (2)- MLB – Lake Catholic HS, Mentor, OH (6-3.5/213)

David Cato (2) – S -Mansfield Summit HS; Arlington, TX (5-10/190)

J.D. Griggs (2) – DE -Piscataway Township HS, NJ (6-4/220)

Jason Semmes (2) – DE – St. Mary Preparatory School; Orchard Lake, MI (6-3/220)

Marcus Malbrough (2) – DE West Brook Sr HS; Beaumont, TX (6-5/230)

Jewel Hampton (2) – RB Warren Central HS; Indianapolis, IN (5-11/200)

Injury Report

Ferentz said that offensive lineman Dace Richardson had knee surgery in the fall and emphasized that it was not a “standard” ACL repair. He said it is difficult to predict how long the recovery will take or when he will be back to full speed. Tight end Tony Moeaki’s hand/wrist will be 100 percent in June and fullback Jordan McLaughlin had surgery for a sports hernia last week. Wide receiver Andy Brodell “should be fine.”

Transfers

Dominique Douglas, Cedric Everson and Abe Satterfield have decided to transfer from the University of Iowa and will continue their collegiate football careers elsewhere. None of the three will be on Iowa’s roster when classes resume in January.