Who Decides Which Bridges are Replaced? (In Canada)

Source: http://www.gov.ns.ca/tran/highwayops/bridgereport.asp

Professional engineers working for Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Public Works decide which bridges in the province require replacement.

Decisions for steel truss bridges are based on condition, serviceability (ie. traffic volumes, etc.) and operational factors.

Bridge condition is determined by the National Bridge Inventory or NBI, and by detailed inspections. NBI is a national bridge inspection standard protocol introduced in the early 1970s by the federal government in the United States. It is a safety rating used by inspectors with the Nova Scotia Department of
ransportation and Public Works.

The serviceability criteria is a measure of the importance of the bridge to the general public and to local businesses. It deals with such items as clearances, roadway alignment and width, detour length, and traffic safety features. The volume of traffic and the numbers of trucks, emergency vehicles and school buses are also considered.

Operational factors are determined by each district. They include factors such as the importance of the bridge to the community and difficulty and costs of maintaining the existing structure.

The NBI or safety rating is the most important factor in deciding which bridges are replaced. It measures the structural condition of each bridge and rates items on a scale of 0 to 9, with 9 rated as excellent and 0 as failed.

When assessing a bridge, the department counts the NBI rating for 50 per cent of a total score. Serviceability counts for 35 per cent, and operational factors 15 per cent. The lower a bridge's total, the higher a priority it is. Safety is the Department's primary concern.

It is noted that the NBI ratings are used as a guideline to the condition of the bridge. Lower condition ratings are considered a flag, calling for a detailed inspection of that part of the structure. After the detailed inspection a more exact rating of the bridge can be determined.

The NBI rating defaults to the lowest mark on any part of the bridge, essential or non-essential.

NBI works on the following rating system:

9	EXCELLENT CONDITION
8	VERY GOOD CONDITION - no problems noted
7	GOOD CONDITION - some minor problems
6	SATISFACTORY CONDITION - structural elements show some minor deterioration.
5	FAIR CONDITION - all primary structural elements are sound but may have minor section loss, cracking, spalling or scour.
4	POOR CONDITION - advanced section loss, deterioration, spalling or scour.
3	SERIOUS CONDITION - loss of section, deterioration, spalling or scour have seriously affected primary structural components. Local failures are possible. Fatigue cracks in steel or shear cracks in concrete may be present.
2	CRITICAL CONDITION - advanced deterioration of primary structural elements. Fatigue cracks in steel or shear cracks in concrete may be present or scour may have removed substructure support. Unless closely monitored it may be necessary to close the bridge until corrective action is taken.
1	IMMINENT FAILURE CONDITION - major deterioration or section loss present in critical structural components or obvious vertical or horizontal movement affecting structure stability. Bridge is closed to traffic but corrective action may put back in light service.
0	FAILED CONDITION - out of service - beyond corrective action

Joyce Comments: If the chart above were used to evaluate Interstate 35W in Minnosota which crumbled last night during rush hour, it would likely get rated a two. Here in the United States, we have no such simple and effective system, so dire repairs like this get put off so that unrelated social government programs instead can be created and funded.

Engagement: Soffen-Rubin

Source: http://www.jewishexponent.com/article/13524/

SOFFEN-RUBIN

July 19, 2007

Scott and Carol Soffen of Cherry Hill, N.J., and Neil and Faye Rubin of Marlton, N.J., announce the engagement of their children, Rebecca Jill Soffen and Perry Marc Rubin.

Rebecca is a graduate of Rider University with a degree in journalism.

Perry is a graduate of Monmouth University with a degree in radio/television production. He works in the industry.

The couple, who lives in South Jersey, is planning a November 2008 wedding.

The Jewish Community Voice - August 1, 2007

Scott and Carol Soffen of Cherry Hill and Neil and Faye Rubin of Marlton announce the engagement of their children, Rebecca Jill Soffen and Perry Marc Rubin.

Rebecca is a 2004 graduate of Rider Univ. with a degree in Journalism. Perry is a graduate of Monmouth Univ. with a degree in Radio/Television Production and currently works in the industry.

The happy couple currently lives in South Jersey and is planning a Nov. 2008 wedding.

Obituaries - Spare

SPARE Nov. 13, 2001, DEAN M., of Marlton N.J.; husband of the late Arlene (nee Rossien) Spare, father of Jason (Paula) Spare and Joshua (Jeannie) Spare, brother of Slade Spare. Mr. Spare was a heart transplant survivor since 1988. He was the former principal of the Dr. Bean Elementary School in Pine Hill N.J. He was a member of the Philmont Radio Club, Second Chance, Diamond State Organ Donation, and Kidney One. Relatives and friends are invited to Services, Sunday, where they

Published on 2001-11-16, Page , Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA) and Philadelphia Daily News (PA)

SPARE, DEAN M.
Nov. 13, 2001 of Marlton, NJ. Husband of the late Arlene (nee Rossien) Spare. Father of Jason (Paula) Spare & Joshua (Jeannie) Spare. Brother of Slade Spare. Mr. Spare was a heart transplant survivor since 1988. He was the former principal of the Dr. Bean Elementary School in Pine Hill, NJ. He was a member of the Philmont Radio Club, Second Chance, Diamond State Organ Donation & Kidney One. Relatives & friends are invited to services Sunday where they may pay their respects to the family from 10:15am until services at 11am PLATT MEMORIAL CHAPELS INC., 2001 Berlin Rd, Cherry Hill, NJ. The family respectfully requests contributions in his memory be made to Second Chance, 1837 Sawmill Rd, Wilmington, DE 19810.

Publication date: 11/16/01 Courier Post


Source: http://www.2national.com/pressreleases/classnotes/classnotes2001.htm

ARLENE R. SPARE died November 23, 2000. She was a teacher and private tutor for special-needs children in South Jersey. Her husband, Dean, and sons, Jason E. and Joshua M., survive her.

Obituaries - Rosenthal

ROSENTHAL ISADORE, on Feb. 28, 2005 of Haddonfield, NJ, husband of the late Ada (nee Kavitsky) Rosenthal, father of Gail (Gary) Rosenthal Klein and Aileen (Richard) Adler, grandfather of Wendy Adler, Mara Klein, Michael Adler and Erica Klein. Relatives and friends are invited Wednesday beginning 1:00 P.M. to PLATT MEMORIAL CHAPELS INC., 2001 Berlin Rd., Cherry Hill NJ. where services will begin promptly at 1:30 P.M. Int. Crescent Memorial Park. The family will return to the home of Aileen and Richard Adler and respectfully requests contributions in his memory be made to American Red Magen David for Israel or a charity of The donor's choice.

Published on March 1, 2005, Page , Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA) and Philadelphia Daily News (PA)

ROSENTHAL, ISADORE
February 28, 2005 of Haddonfield, NJ. Husband of the late Ada (nee Kavitsky) Rosenthal. Father of Gail (Gary) Rosenthal Klein and Aileen (Richard) Adler. Grandfather of Wendy Adler, Mara Klein, Michael Adler and Erica Klein. Isadore was a pharmacist with Super Ray Drug Store, Berlin, NJ. He was a life-long resident of Haddonfield and graduated from Haddonfield High School in 1930. He was a veteran WWII serving in the US Army. Relatives and friends are invited to Wednesday beginning 1:00 pm to PLATT MEMORIAL CHAPELS, Inc. 2001 Berlin Rd., Cherry Hill where services will begin promptly at 1:30pm. Interment will follow at Crescent Memorial Park, Pennsauken, NJ. The family will return to the home of Aileen and Richard Adler and respectfully requests contributions in his memory be made to American Red Magen David for Israel, 888 7th Avenue, Suite 403, New York, NY 10106 or a charity of the donor's choice.

Publication date: 3/01/05 Courier Post


Ada Kavitsky Rosenthal, A former STORE MANAGER, died of heart failure Saturday at Virtua Heath-West Jersey Hospital Marlton. Mrs. Rosenthal had lived in Haddon Township since 1948, and was born and raised in Philadelphia. she was the MANAGER at her husband's pharmacy, Super Ray Drugs in Berlin Borough. she was A member of Temple Beth Sholom, and its Sisterhood, in Haddon Heights and later in Cherry Hill. she also was A member of the Szold-Shimshack Chapter of Hadassah. she was active with Israel Bonds and was A former chairwoman of the Women's Division. Mrs. Rosenthal is survived by her husband of 50 years, Isadore; daughters Gail Rosenthal Klein and Aileen Rosenthal Adler; four grandchildren; and A sister, Marian Sanders. Funeral Services will be held at 1:30 pm today at Platt Memorial Chapels Inc., 2001 Berlin Rd., Cherry Hill. Burial will be in Crescent Burial Park, Pennsauken. Memorial donations may be made to Hadassah, Box 2911, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034, or to the charity of the donor's choice.

Published on December 21, 1998, Page B09, Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA)

Obituaries - Sanders

SANDERS JACK, on April 4, 2005, husband of the late Marion (nee Kavitsky); father of Ruth Sanders and Carol (Leon) Werb; grandfather of Jennifer and Michael Werb; Relatives and friends are invited to Services Thursday, 1 P.M., JOSEPH LEVINE AND SONS MEMORIAL CHAPEL, 4737 Street Road, Trevose, Bucks County PA. Interment Roosevelt Memorial Park. The family will return to the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Leon Werb. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to

Published on April 6, 2005, Page , Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA) and Philadelphia Daily News (PA)

SANDERS Feb. 15, 2002, MARION (nee Kavitsky), wife of Jack Sanders, of Phila., PA, mother of Ruth Sanders and Carol (Leon) Werb, grandmother of Jennifer and Michael. Relatives and friends are invited to Services Sunday 1 P.M., JOSEPH LEVINE AND SONS MEMORIAL CHAPEL, 4737 Street Road, Trevose, Bucks County PA. Interment Roosevelt Memorial Park. The family will return to the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Leon Werb and respectfully request that in lieu of flowers contributions in her

Published on February 16, 2002, Page , Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA) and Philadelphia Daily News (PA)

Obituary - Kalick

KALICK COLEMAN, May 19, 2004; husband of the late Florence (nee Becker), father of Randy Weinstein and Jamie (James) Walko, father-in-law of the late Mark Weinstein; brother of Leonard Kalick, Morris Kalick and Abe Kalick; grandfather of Jodi, Amee and Jenny. Relatives, friends and members of the Scolnick Post-JWV of which he was Past Commander are invited to Funeral Services, Sunday 1 P.M. precisely, GOLDSTEINS' ROSENBERG'S RAPHAEL SACKS SUBURBAN

Published on May 21, 2004, Page , Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA) and Philadelphia Daily News (PA)

Photodynamic Therapy for Pre-skin Cancers

Source: http://www.skinandlasers.com/skincancer_photodynamic.htm

What Is Photodynamic Therapy?

PDT is a light therapy combined with a photosensitizing agent called ALA (aminolevulinic acid) to treat pre-cancerous changes of the skin.

How Does It Work?

The ALA medication is applied to the skin for at least an hour in the office, followed by exposure light for 15-20 minutes. Once the ALA on the skin is exposed to the light, this photosensitive drug starts to react by attacking the diseased pre-cancerous cells.

What Are The Advantages Of This Treatment As Opposed To Other Treatments For Actinic Keratoses?

The cause of skin cancer, like other forms of cancer, is not completely known. Excessive exposure to sunlight is the single most important factor associated with the development of these skin cancers, which appear most commonly on the face and the arms (the most sun-exposed parts of the body). Fair-skinned people develop skin cancer more frequently than dark-skinned people. Skin cancer, unlike cancer of the other organs, is rarely found in African Americans.

1. It is easier for patients than repeated topical liquid nitrogen, or other topical chemotherapeutic agents because the side effects are minimal, rapid healing occurs, and only 1-3 treatments are required.

2. The ALA/PDT treatment in our office is near painless in comparison to some other treatments.

3. There is a reduced risk of scarring and improved cosmetic outcome compared to many other surgical techniques.

4. PDT will treat the whole area to which it is applied, leaving less of a chance of missing some spots when compared to many surgical techniques.

5. The treatment is non-invasive (no needles or surgery required).

What Are The Disadvantages?

Due to the photosensitivity of ALA , you will feel sunburned and possibly swollen after the treatment. This usually subsides after 24 hours. Soon thereafter you may have some oozing or peeling for 2-7 days. This resolves with appropriate post care instructions that will be reviewed with you after your treatment. Darker pigmented patches called liver spots may become darker temporarily, then peel off leaving normal skin.

What Kind Of Care Must I Do Afterwards?

Sun block must be on for at least 24 hours after treatment. Direct and indirect lighting must be avoided. A topical application such as aloe vera and/or hydrocortisone 1% is helpful in soothing the skin. A cool compress will help with any swelling. Make up application and shaving is fine except for any oozing areas.

Is This Treatment Covered By Insurance?

Since the FDA approved this treatment in 1999, it has been recognized and reimbursed by most, but not all insurance companies. Please feel free to call for a private consultation or Schedule an appointment online @ one of our offices.

Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh, who won three Super Bowls with the 49ers, dead at 75

By JANIE MCCAULEY, AP Sports Writer
July 30, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Bill Walsh, the groundbreaking football coach who won three Super Bowls and perfected the ingenious schemes that became known as the West Coast offense during a Hall of Fame career with the San Francisco 49ers, has died. He was 75.

Walsh died at his Woodside home Monday morning following a long battle with leukemia.

"This is just a tremendous loss for all of us, especially to the Bay Area because of what he meant to the 49ers," said Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana, the player most closely linked to Walsh's tenure with the team. "For me personally, outside of my dad he was probably the most influential person in my life. I am going to miss him."

Walsh didn't become an NFL head coach until 47, and he spent just 10 seasons on the San Francisco sideline. But he left an indelible mark on the United States' most popular sport, building the once-woebegone 49ers into the most successful team of the 1980s with his innovative offensive strategies and teaching techniques.

The soft-spoken native Californian also produced a legion of coaching disciples that's still growing today. Many of his former assistants went on to lead their own teams, handing down Walsh's methods and schemes to dozens more coaches in a tree with innumerable branches.

"The essence of Bill Walsh was that he was an extraordinary teacher," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "If you gave him a blackboard and a piece of chalk, he would become a whirlwind of wisdom. He taught all of us not only about football but also about life and how it takes teamwork for any of us to succeed as individuals."

Walsh went 102-63-1 with the 49ers, winning 10 of his 14 postseason games along with six division titles. He was named the NFL's coach of the year in 1981 and 1984.

Few men did more to shape the look of football into the 21st century. His cerebral nature and often-brilliant stratagems earned him the nickname "The Genius" well before his election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993.

Walsh twice served as the 49ers' general manager, and George Seifert led San Francisco to two more Super Bowl titles after Walsh left the sideline. Walsh also coached Stanford during two terms over five seasons.

Even a short list of Walsh's adherents is stunning. Seifert, Mike Holmgren, Dennis Green, Sam Wyche, Ray Rhodes and Bruce Coslet all became NFL head coaches after serving on Walsh's San Francisco staffs, and Tony Dungy played for him. Most of his former assistants passed on Walsh's structures and strategies to a new generation of coaches, including Mike Shanahan, Jon Gruden, Brian Billick, Andy Reid, Pete Carroll, Gary Kubiak, Steve Mariucci and Jeff Fisher.

Walsh created the Minority Coaching Fellowship program in 1987, helping minority coaches to get a foothold in a previously lily-white profession. Marvin Lewis and Tyrone Willingham are among the coaches who went through the program, later adopted as a league-wide initiative.

Walsh was diagnosed with leukemia in 2004 and underwent months of treatment and blood transfusions. He publicly disclosed his illness in November 2006.

Fellow Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy, who hired Walsh to his first college coaching job, last spoke to him about six weeks ago on the telephone.

"I asked him how he was doing, and he said he had come off a certain type of a treatment and he felt much more energy," Levy said. "But he told me then, he said, 'Marv, I don't have long.' He said it honestly. He was vibrant. Understood it. And yet, I was sad to hear it."

Born William Ernest Walsh on Nov. 30, 1931 in Los Angeles, he was a self-described "average" end and a sometime boxer at San Jose State in 1952-53.

Walsh, whose family moved to the Bay Area when he was a teenager, married his college sweetheart, Geri Nardini, in 1954 and started his coaching career at Washington High School in Fremont, leading the football and swim teams.

Walsh was coaching in Fremont when he interviewed for an assistant coaching position with Levy, who had just been hired as the head coach at California.

"I was very impressed, individually, by his knowledge, by his intelligence, by his personality and hired him," Levy said.

After Cal, he did a stint at Stanford before beginning his pro coaching career as an assistant with the AFL's Oakland Raiders in 1966, forging a friendship with Al Davis that endured through decades of rivalry. Walsh joined the Cincinnati Bengals in 1968 to work for legendary coach Paul Brown, who gradually gave complete control of the Bengals' offense to his assistant.

Walsh built a scheme based on the teachings of Davis, Brown and Sid Gillman -- and Walsh's own innovations, which included everything from short dropbacks and novel receiving routes to constant repetition of every play in practice.

Though it originated in Cincinnati, it became known many years later as the West Coast offense -- a name Walsh never liked or repeated, but which eventually grew to encompass his offensive philosophy and the many tweaks added by Holmgren, Shanahan and other coaches.

Much of the NFL eventually ran a version of the West Coast in the 1990s, with its fundamental belief that the passing game can set up an effective running attack, rather than the opposite conventional wisdom.

Walsh also is widely credited with inventing or popularizing many of the modern basics of coaching, from the laminated sheets of plays held by coaches on almost every sideline, to the practice of scripting the first 15 offensive plays of a game.

After a bitter falling-out with Brown in 1976, Walsh left for stints with the San Diego Chargers and Stanford before the 49ers chose him to rebuild the franchise in 1979.

The long-suffering 49ers went 2-14 before Walsh's arrival. They repeated the record in his first season. Walsh doubted his abilities to turn around such a miserable situation -- but earlier in 1979, the 49ers drafted quarterback Joe Montana from Notre Dame.

Walsh turned over the starting job to Montana in 1980, when the 49ers improved to 6-10 -- and improbably, San Francisco won its first championship in 1981, just two years after winning two games.

Championships followed in the postseasons of 1984 and 1988 as Walsh built a consistent winner and became an icon with his inventive offense and thinking-man's approach to the game. He also showed considerable acumen in personnel, adding Ronnie Lott, Charles Haley, Roger Craig and Rice to his rosters after he was named the 49ers' general manager in 1982 and the president in 1985.

Walsh left the 49ers with a profound case of burnout after his third Super Bowl victory in January 1989, though he later regretted not coaching longer.

He spent three years as a broadcaster with NBC before returning to Stanford for three seasons.

He then took charge of the 49ers' front office in 1999, helping to rebuild the roster over three seasons. But Walsh gradually cut ties with the 49ers after his hand-picked successor as GM, Terry Donahue, took over in 2001.

He is survived by his wife, Geri, and two children, Craig and Elizabeth.

Walsh's son, Steve, an ABC News reporter, died of leukemia at age 46 in 2002.

Updated on Monday, Jul 30, 2007 5:45 pm, EDT

Duncan Hunter...On The Issues

FAIR & EQUITABLE TRADE	Fair Trade, Not Free Trade = Jobs China Cheating  on Trade / America is a GREAT Nation
SECOND AMENDMENT	Glen & Helen Show
ECONOMY & TAXES	Address to Fair Tax Rally 05-15-07 Address to CPAC
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD	Iraq Resolution / Hunter vs. Democrats / Surge is Working Senate Amnesty Bill / Amnesty Fails / Amnesty Fails Again
LEGAL REFORM	Gonzales Firings / Pardon Scooter? / ”Fairness” Doctrine Border Agents Compean & Ramos / Defending Border Agents
ENDORSEMENTS	Appeal to Conservatives / General Chuck Yeager Ann Coulter / Magnificent! / Favorite Announcement – Part 1 & Part 2 / Music Video On the Road to the Oval Office / The Conservative Case A Fresh Face / Blog Collection / Constitution Party / Grassroots HQ
EDUCATION	No Child Left Behind
HEALTHCARE	Ronald Reagan on Health Care ‘National’ Health Care / “One step closer to socialism”
IMMIGRATION	Border Enforcement is Homeland Security / NAFTA Building a Fence / “Jobs Americans won’t do”? Enforce the Law / No Amnesty / Party of One / Ted Hayes
SAFETY & SECURITY	Cooking with Hunter / War On Terror / To America’s Critics / JFK Plot Mark Steyn on 1986 Amnesty / Firefighter’s Forum
FAITH & VALUES	Blogs for Life / Judicial Appointments / Right to Life Rally Terri Shaivo / Mt. Soledad Cross  - Flyer / Roe vs. Wade / Hate Crimes
INTERVIEWS	Dennis Miller (June 1st – 3rd Hour) Roger Hedgecock (4/6, 4/24, 4/25, 6/8, 6/29, 7/2, 7/17, 7/19) Laura Ingraham – Part 1 & Part 2 / Steve Malzberg 06-19-07 Brian Preston – Hot Air / William Gheen - ALIPAC WRKO Pundit Review Radio / Polipundit Radio Kevin McCullough – Musclehead Revolution / John Hawkins NHPR’s Laura Knoy on The Exchange / Irving Baxter WESH – Orlando (Conversation with the Candidate) Hardball - Al Sharpton / George Stephanopolis / Wolf Blitzer Charlie Rangel – Part 1 & Part 2 / Dennis Kucinich – Part 1 & Part 2 Glenn Beck / JD Hayworth 1 & 2 / Tom McLaughlin
DEBATES	Reagan Library 05-03-07 / After Interview South Carolina 05-15-07 / Fox Interview New Hampshire 06-05-07 / Spin Room - NH/ Lynne Hunter Iowa Presidential Candidate Forum 06-30-07
POLLS	Hunter Beats McCain / Maricopa County, Arizona 01-13-07 Spartanburg, South Carolina 03-01-07 Anderson County, South Carolina 04-17-07 / Free Republic
ADDITIONAL AUDIO & VIDEOS	Young Republicans - Part1 / Part2 / Part3 Core Principles / Cost of WH Run / Duncan D. Hunter Brian & the Judge: 01-10-2007 / 02-08-2007 / 03-12-2007 The Right Balance hosted by Greg Allen / Still in the Race

 

Obituaries - Simon & Buszka

Simon, Tillie (Segal) -  SIMON TILLIE (nee Segal), Feb. 16, 2005; wife of the late Isadore; mother of Arlinda Buszka and Sharon (Leonard) Kaplan; grandmother of Erica Smolen and Andrea Buszka. Relatives and friends are invited to Funeral Services Friday 1 P.M. precisely at GOLDSTEINS' ROSENBERG'S RAPHAEL SACKS SUBURBAN NORTH, 310 Second St. Pike, Southampton. Interment Roosevelt Memorial Park. Shiva will be observed at the Kaplan residence. Contributions in her memory may be made to Alzheimer's Assoc., 100 N. 17th St., 2nd Floor, Phila. PA 19103. Published in the Philadelphia Inquirer & Philadelphia Daily News on 2/17/2005. Source: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/inquirer/name/tillie-simon-obituary?id=11213760

---

BUSZKA
ARLINDA

Arlinda Buszka on February 13, 2022. Mother of Andrea Killeen; grandmother of Anthony James and Benjamin Killeen; sister to Sharon Kaplan (Len); aunt to Erica Bohr (Jarad); and ex-wife to Jerome Buszka. Arlinda leaves behind many cousins and friends. Court Clerk for the third circuit court of appeals in Philadelphia for 35 years. She was a lover of animals, books, needle point, dancing, and spending time with friends. Arlinda had a heart of gold and would help anyone in any way she could. Family and friends are invited to graveside services on Wednesday, February 16th at 2pm, at Roosevelt Memorial Park Cemetery (Section J), 2701 Old Lincoln Highway, Trevose, Pa 19053. Contributions in her memory can be made to any local animal shelter.

Published in Legacy from Feb. 15 to Feb. 16, 2022. Source: https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/legacy/obituary.aspx?pid=201395372

Former Phils outfielder Robinson dies

Ex-big leaguer was in second year in Dodgers organization
By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com

07/30/2007 1:34 AM ET

DENVER -- Bill Robinson, the Dodgers' Minor League hitting coordinator, died Sunday, the club announced. He was 64, and cause of death was not known. Memorial services are pending.

"Bill was a wonderful family man and a great baseball player, coach, manager and friend to everyone he met," said Dodger general manager Ned Colletti. "Even though he never played for the Dodgers, it was an honor that he chose to be a part of the organization. Everyone he came into contact with was better for having known him.

"He had everyone's best interest in mind at all times, and he cared deeply about the development of our young players. He will be missed by everyone in the game of baseball, and our deepest sympathies are with his family, particularly Mary Alice, Bill Jr. and Kelley."

Robinson was in his second season in the Dodgers' organization following four years as a member of the Marlins coaching staff, where he was the hitting coach for the 2003 World Series championship team.

"The entire Florida Marlins organization is deeply saddened and shocked by the sudden loss of Bill Robinson," Marlins president David Samson said. "Not only was he a big part of the Florida Marlins 2003 World Series championship, he was a huge part of the entire Major League Baseball family. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Mary, and his entire family."

Robinson also served in that role for the Mets from 1984-89, which included their 1986 World Series title team.

"Bill was a true gentleman and the consummate professional," said Dodgers director of player development, De Jon Watson. "He worked tirelessly with our young players, sharing his wisdom and knowledge of the game. He will be greatly missed by the Dodger players and staff, and our deepest condolences go out to his family."

Robinson had a 16-year playing career as an outfielder for the Braves, Yankees, Phillies and Pirates from 1966-83. His finest season was in 1977, when Robinson batted .304 and set career highs in hits (154), runs (74) homers (26) and RBIs (104), which ranked eighth in the National League. Robinson also served as an analyst for ESPN's Baseball Tonight in 1990-91.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Alice, two children, William III and Kelley Ann, and three grandchildren, Bret, Ty and Will.

Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Tom Snyder, Late-Night Television Talk Show Pioneer, Dies at 71

Tom Snyder, Late-Night Television Talk Show Pioneer, Dies at 71

By Mark Schoifet

July 30 (Bloomberg) -- Tom Snyder, the television talk-show host whose ``Tomorrow'' program on NBC paved the way for David Letterman and a new generation of late-night interviewers, has died. He was 71.

Snyder died yesterday in San Francisco of complications from leukemia, the Associated Press reported. Snyder announced on his Web site in 2005 that he had chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

The ``Tomorrow'' program followed Johnny Carson's ``Tonight Show'' from 1973 to 1982, filling a slot that in most markets had been used for movie reruns or no programming at all. The show was a hit among college students in the days before the Internet because of his provocative guests and subject matter -- his first show was about group marriage -- and Snyder's casual style.

Snyder's interviews with guests from Ayn Rand and Charles Manson to Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols provided some of the strangest and most-compelling moments in television history.

Known for his deep laugh and banter with his off-camera crew, the chain-smoking, 6-foot, 4-inch Snyder became such a popular-culture icon that he was parodied by comedian Dan Aykroyd of ``Saturday Night Live.''

Snyder was a major influence on Letterman, whose show replaced Snyder's in 1982.

``I'd come home, turn on the TV, and suddenly NBC has this wonderful new show,'' Letterman told Snyder when the former ``Tomorrow'' host was a guest on his program in 1994. ``It was you, sitting low in your chair, darkly lit, smoke rolling out of your nose. The image and feeling of intimacy was overwhelming.''

Strange Moments

Some of the stranger interviews on the ``Tomorrow' show included a 1980 appearance by John Lydon, formerly known as Johnny Rotten, and Keith Levene of Public Image Ltd., in which the pair's refusal to cooperate with Snyder made for 12 minutes of excruciating television. The same year the punk band the Plasmatics blew up a television on the show.

Tom Snyder was born in Milwaukee on May 12, 1936. He left his pre-medical courses at Marquette University to work as a reporter, anchor and talk-show host at TV stations across the country.

While working for Channel 3 in Philadelphia in 1965, Snyder made television history by co-anchoring the nation's first noon newscast, according to that station.

In 1970 he became primary news anchor at KNBC, the network- owned affiliate in Los Angeles. KNBC's news ratings soared, and Snyder did his first ``Tomorrow'' show on Oct. 15, 1973. The following year ``Tomorrow'' moved to New York and Snyder also became early evening anchor of WNBC's ``News Center 4.''

Back to LA

Snyder and ``Tomorrow'' returned to Los Angeles in 1977. During the 1970s there was talk of his taking over ``The Tonight Show'' when Johnny Carson retired. He was also in the running to anchor the NBC evening news. Neither happened.

By the beginning of 1982, ``Tomorrow'' was canceled, and within a year or two what Americans generally remembered most about Snyder was the Aykroyd impression.

``I was flattered,'' Snyder said of that impersonation in a 1994 interview with the New York Times. ``It wasn't a spiteful parody at all. And it was hilarious.''

In 1982 Snyder was hired to anchor ``Eyewitness News'' on WABC-TV in New York.

He then moved back to Los Angeles, was a guest host on Larry King's radio show on the Mutual Network and for five years had a call-in show on the ABC radio network. In 1993, NBC hired him for its fledgling financial news network CNBC.

In 1995, he returned to late night television as the host of ``The Late Late Show with Tom Snyder'' on CBS. The program followed Letterman's ``Late Show'' until 1998, when Snyder was replaced by Craig Kilborn.

``The Tomorrow Show: Punk & New Wave'' came out in DVD in January 2006, featuring Snyder's interviews with Iggy Pop, the Ramones and Patti Smith.

To contact the reporter on this story: Mark Schoifet in New York at mschoifet@bloomberg.net . Last Updated: July 30, 2007 10:26 EDT

Obituaries - Handfinger & Rubin

Handfinger, Ida - 
Handfinger, Ida, of Margate, FL passed away on February 10, 2006. Star of David Cemetery and Funeral Home, North Lauderdale.
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Published in the Sun-Sentinel on 2/12/2006.


Rubin, Jack - 
RUBIN JACK, May 5, 2004, beloved husband of Marilyn (nee Rappaport), of Mount Laurel, NJ, devoted father of Neil (Faye) Rubin, Steve (Sharon) Rubin, and Ron (Beth) Rubin, dear grandfather of Scott, Perry, Josh, and Terry. Relatives, friends and members of Drizen Weiss Post J.W.V. are invited to funeral services Friday 11:30 A.M. precisely at GOLDSTEINS' ROSENBERG'S RAPHAEL SACKS, 6410 N. Broad St. Int. Montefiore Cemetery. Family will return to the residence of Ron and Beth Rubin. Contributions in his memory may be made to Cong. Beth Emeth Bnai Yitzchok, 6652 Bustleton Ave., Phila., PA 19149.
 ....   More

Published in Philadelphia Inquirer & Philadelphia Daily News on May 6, 2004.

RUBIN
MARILYN (nee Rappaport)
February 21, 2018. Wife of the late Jack. Mother of Neil (Faye), Steve (Sharon) and Ron (Beth). Grandmother of Scott (Lynn), Perry, Joshua (Jessica) and Terry. Great-grandmother of Ella, Genevieve, Jocelyn and Julianna. Relatives and friends are invited to Funeral Services, Sunday, 11 A.M. precisely, at GOLDSTEINS' ROSENBERG'S RAPHAEL SACKS, 6410 N. Broad St., Phila. Int. Montefiore Cemetery. Shiva will be observed at the home of Faye and Neil Rubin. Contributions in her memory may be made to a

Published on Philly.com on Feb. 23, 2018

Obituaries - Jacobson

Jacobson, Herbert W. - 
JACOBSON HERBERT W., May 31, 2006. Husband of the late Hazel (nee Lowenthal). Father of Rona Clark (Barry) and Maxine Weisz (David). Brother of Raymond Jacobson (Laura). Grandfather of Peter Brenner, Helene Weisz, Jeremy Weisz (Cassidy) and Rebecca Weisz (Ari Schtulman). Great grandfather of Devon, Zena, Shae and Benjamin. Relatives and friends are invited to Funeral Services Sunday, 11:15 A.M. precisely, at GOLDSTEINS' ROSENBERG'S RAPHAEL SACKS

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Published in the Philadelphia Inquirer & Philadelphia Daily News from 6/2/2006 - 6/3/2006.

Jacobson, Hazel - 
JACOBSON HAZEL (nee Lowenthal) May 30, 2003; beloved wife of Herbert W., loving mother of Rona H. (Barry) Clark and Maxine (David) Weisz, grandmother of Peter (Cindi) Brenner and Helene, Jeremy, and Rebecca Weisz, great grandmother of Devon, Zena and Shae. Relatives and friends are invited to Funeral Services Sunday 2:30 P.M. at GOLDSTEINS' ROSENBERG'S RAPHAEL SACKS SUBURBAN NORTH, 310 Second St. Pike, Southampton, PA. Int. Roosevelt Mem.
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Published in the Philadelphia Inquirer & Philadelphia Daily News on 5/31/2003.

A War We Just Might Win By Michael E. O’Hanlon and Kenneth M. Pollack

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/30/opinion/30pollack.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

July 30, 2007

Washington

VIEWED from Iraq, where we just spent eight days meeting with American and Iraqi military and civilian personnel, the political debate in Washington is surreal. The Bush administration has over four years lost essentially all credibility. Yet now the administration’s critics, in part as a result, seem unaware of the significant changes taking place.

Here is the most important thing Americans need to understand: We are finally getting somewhere in Iraq, at least in military terms. As two analysts who have harshly criticized the Bush administration’s miserable handling of Iraq, we were surprised by the gains we saw and the potential to produce not necessarily “victory” but a sustainable stability that both we and the Iraqis could live with.

After the furnace-like heat, the first thing you notice when you land in Baghdad is the morale of our troops. In previous trips to Iraq we often found American troops angry and frustrated — many sensed they had the wrong strategy, were using the wrong tactics and were risking their lives in pursuit of an approach that could not work.

Today, morale is high. The soldiers and marines told us they feel that they now have a superb commander in Gen. David Petraeus; they are confident in his strategy, they see real results, and they feel now they have the numbers needed to make a real difference.

Everywhere, Army and Marine units were focused on securing the Iraqi population, working with Iraqi security units, creating new political and economic arrangements at the local level and providing basic services — electricity, fuel, clean water and sanitation — to the people. Yet in each place, operations had been appropriately tailored to the specific needs of the community. As a result, civilian fatality rates are down roughly a third since the surge began — though they remain very high, underscoring how much more still needs to be done.

In Ramadi, for example, we talked with an outstanding Marine captain whose company was living in harmony in a complex with a (largely Sunni) Iraqi police company and a (largely Shiite) Iraqi Army unit. He and his men had built an Arab-style living room, where he met with the local Sunni sheiks — all formerly allies of Al Qaeda and other jihadist groups — who were now competing to secure his friendship.

In Baghdad’s Ghazaliya neighborhood, which has seen some of the worst sectarian combat, we walked a street slowly coming back to life with stores and shoppers. The Sunni residents were unhappy with the nearby police checkpoint, where Shiite officers reportedly abused them, but they seemed genuinely happy with the American soldiers and a mostly Kurdish Iraqi Army company patrolling the street. The local Sunni militia even had agreed to confine itself to its compound once the Americans and Iraqi units arrived.

We traveled to the northern cities of Tal Afar and Mosul. This is an ethnically rich area, with large numbers of Sunni Arabs, Kurds and Turkmens. American troop levels in both cities now number only in the hundreds because the Iraqis have stepped up to the plate. Reliable police officers man the checkpoints in the cities, while Iraqi Army troops cover the countryside. A local mayor told us his greatest fear was an overly rapid American departure from Iraq. All across the country, the dependability of Iraqi security forces over the long term remains a major question mark.

But for now, things look much better than before. American advisers told us that many of the corrupt and sectarian Iraqi commanders who once infested the force have been removed. The American high command assesses that more than three-quarters of the Iraqi Army battalion commanders in Baghdad are now reliable partners (at least for as long as American forces remain in Iraq).

In addition, far more Iraqi units are well integrated in terms of ethnicity and religion. The Iraqi Army’s highly effective Third Infantry Division started out as overwhelmingly Kurdish in 2005. Today, it is 45 percent Shiite, 28 percent Kurdish, and 27 percent Sunni Arab.

In the past, few Iraqi units could do more than provide a few “jundis” (soldiers) to put a thin Iraqi face on largely American operations. Today, in only a few sectors did we find American commanders complaining that their Iraqi formations were useless — something that was the rule, not the exception, on a previous trip to Iraq in late 2005.

The additional American military formations brought in as part of the surge, General Petraeus’s determination to hold areas until they are truly secure before redeploying units, and the increasing competence of the Iraqis has had another critical effect: no more whack-a-mole, with insurgents popping back up after the Americans leave.

In war, sometimes it’s important to pick the right adversary, and in Iraq we seem to have done so. A major factor in the sudden change in American fortunes has been the outpouring of popular animus against Al Qaeda and other Salafist groups, as well as (to a lesser extent) against Moktada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army.

These groups have tried to impose Shariah law, brutalized average Iraqis to keep them in line, killed important local leaders and seized young women to marry off to their loyalists. The result has been that in the last six months Iraqis have begun to turn on the extremists and turn to the Americans for security and help. The most important and best-known example of this is in Anbar Province, which in less than six months has gone from the worst part of Iraq to the best (outside the Kurdish areas). Today the Sunni sheiks there are close to crippling Al Qaeda and its Salafist allies. Just a few months ago, American marines were fighting for every yard of Ramadi; last week we strolled down its streets without body armor.

Another surprise was how well the coalition’s new Embedded Provincial Reconstruction Teams are working. Wherever we found a fully staffed team, we also found local Iraqi leaders and businessmen cooperating with it to revive the local economy and build new political structures. Although much more needs to be done to create jobs, a new emphasis on microloans and small-scale projects was having some success where the previous aid programs often built white elephants.

In some places where we have failed to provide the civilian manpower to fill out the reconstruction teams, the surge has still allowed the military to fashion its own advisory groups from battalion, brigade and division staffs. We talked to dozens of military officers who before the war had known little about governance or business but were now ably immersing themselves in projects to provide the average Iraqi with a decent life.

Outside Baghdad, one of the biggest factors in the progress so far has been the efforts to decentralize power to the provinces and local governments. But more must be done. For example, the Iraqi National Police, which are controlled by the Interior Ministry, remain mostly a disaster. In response, many towns and neighborhoods are standing up local police forces, which generally prove more effective, less corrupt and less sectarian. The coalition has to force the warlords in Baghdad to allow the creation of neutral security forces beyond their control.

In the end, the situation in Iraq remains grave. In particular, we still face huge hurdles on the political front. Iraqi politicians of all stripes continue to dawdle and maneuver for position against one another when major steps towards reconciliation — or at least accommodation — are needed. This cannot continue indefinitely. Otherwise, once we begin to downsize, important communities may not feel committed to the status quo, and Iraqi security forces may splinter along ethnic and religious lines.

How much longer should American troops keep fighting and dying to build a new Iraq while Iraqi leaders fail to do their part? And how much longer can we wear down our forces in this mission? These haunting questions underscore the reality that the surge cannot go on forever. But there is enough good happening on the battlefields of Iraq today that Congress should plan on sustaining the effort at least into 2008.

Michael E. O’Hanlon is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Kenneth M. Pollack is the director of research at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings.