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It has become the norm for students in Hong Kong to attend private tutorial classes.迷你倉出租They are encouraged to do so by their parents. Some senior secondary students will go to these classes every day and others might start this routine as early as junior secondary level. These tutorial colleges are necessary and young people benefit from attending them.Teachers are given very little time to complete the curriculum and cannot cater to individual students’ needs.They also have only a limited period of time to teach exam skills, mark assignments and prepare for school-based assessments.The curriculum does not take into con迷你倉ideration the needs of teachers and students. There is too much in, for example, the physics and chemistry syllabuses, for teachers to cover in the allotted time.And the problem of workload is exacerbated by the school-based assessments.The tutorial colleges can fill the gap offering more exam-linked exercises. These colleges’ tutors are well-informed about the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) and can familiarise their students with exam techniques.Teachers do suffer from lack of resources when it comes to the HKDSE. It may be time for the government to review its examination system.Donald Mak, Lam Tin儲存倉

【本報消息】僑總頤康委員會日前舉行中秋聯歡會，文件倉慶祝中秋佳節人月兩團圓。黎振強、王彬成、邱漢榮、陳和標、趙文炎等僑總負責人齊與歸僑長者共慶佳節。聯歡活動在僑總禮堂舉行，主辦單位向百多名歸僑長者派發中秋月餅，席間進行自編自演文藝節目及抽獎助興，現場充滿節日喜悅氣氛。頤康委員會主任韓瑛表示，不論身居海外，還是紮根澳門，歸僑非常重視中國的傳統節日。頤康委員會成立二十多年來，逢年過節都會舉辦活動慶祝不同的傳統節日。一方面弘揚中華傳統文化，一方面也為歸僑長者提供聚會聯誼，共慶佳節。她存倉時對僑總常務副會長劉藝良每年堅持向歸僑長者贈送中秋月餅表示欽佩和感謝。僑總會長黎振強代表僑總向歸僑長者致以節日祝福。他表示，回歸以來，在中央的支持下，特區政府依法施政，澳門的“一國兩制”路越走越順利，越走越好，其間立法會也發揮了重要的作用。希望歸僑長者以主人家姿態，一如既往，積極投身立法會選舉。九月十五日投下神聖的一票，把愛國愛澳的居民代表送到立法會殿堂。僑總理事長王彬成表示，頤康委員會歸僑長者是僑總的中堅力量，對社會事務的參與，對僑總會務的支持，充滿熱情，值得新一代學習。迷你倉

self storage cqcbepaper.cqnews.net/cqcb/html/2013-09/09/content_1674433.htm...中秋在即，無論家庭享用還是饋贈親朋，大閘蟹都是上選。昨日，筆者在“蟹都匯”總店看到，前來購買禮券的顧客更多了，原來是受到...迷你倉

迷你倉出租 未能提供文字內容。.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1306307/no-reason-investor-panic-over-asia迷你倉

存倉 MAZDA運動休旅吹起衝鋒號！MAZDA TAIWAN推出榮獲日本風雲車及2012日本SUV銷售冠軍之全新CX-5，包括新增2.0升2WD版、4WD版及同級唯一2.2升柴油車，售價更調降為106萬8千、116萬8千及133萬8千元。其中2WD版馬力和扭力調升為155匹及20.4公斤米；4WD版則調高成153匹及20.2公斤米，全車系標配I-STOP怠速自動啟閉系統。而特採SKYACTIV-D柴油引擎之CX-5 2.2內建雙渦輪增壓與缸內直噴，馬力和扭力高達175匹及42.8公斤米，15.2KM/L平均油耗更傲視SUV車壇。迷你倉

孫銘訓9月7日，迷你倉價錢國家科技部部長萬鋼在2013中國汽車產業發展（泰達）國際論壇上指出，“我國的純電動轎車的產品技術性能滿足規模化產業的需求，實現了批量的銷售”，“全國動力電池的年產量可以達到200億瓦斯，也就是能夠滿足20萬輛汽車的配套。”在這樣的技術基礎上，萬鋼倡導電動汽車企業應“不斷創新商業模式。”世界能源署公佈的全球20萬輛電動汽車銷量中，截至2013年7月31日，美國市場就售出了12萬輛。伊頓公司首席科學家胡浩然在接受《第一財經日報》採訪時表示，美國電動車市場的發展，與其配套的商業模式密切相關。“它目前的電動車主要以整車租賃為主，這種模式的好處是打消了消費者對電動車技術，特別是電池技術不成熟的顧慮”。胡浩然介紹，電動車企業一般與消費者簽訂3年的租賃合約，三年後，企業按照整車情況將車輛進行回收，“這種以租代售的模式，幫助電動車企業快速商業化，實現投資匯報，並支撐著電動車企業不斷地技術升級，實現了一條可持續的發展路線。”寶馬大中華區政府公關事務副總裁吳燕彥在跟記者交流時也表示：“以迷你倉代售也正是目前寶馬i3在歐洲運行的一種模式。”並指出，為滿足消費者的長途旅行出行，寶馬還為這批客戶制定了“替換車輛計劃”。按照計劃，所有寶馬i3客戶在提車之前都會與經銷店簽訂一份合同，這份合同中要表明，如消費者遠行，他們可以到經銷店免費提取一輛約定的寶馬傳統能源車作為替換車輛，等旅行回來再到經銷店將車換回。吳燕彥指出，電動車的商業化運作全球都在探索，在這個過程中，企業不應將全部期望寄托于政府。“我們現在的工作就是先讓電動車運行起來，讓消費者認識到電動車的優勢，並逐漸打消他們對電動車技術的不成熟的顧慮。”此前寶馬（中國）貿易有限公司的人員在與記者溝通時如此表示。但大部分中國汽車企業的電動車商業化運作還沒有一條清晰的思路，目前還主要是依靠企業所在地政府的支持，生產小批量的實驗用車，用以向媒體和政府交代自己在新能源車領域的發展。而某些個別企業在被問及“商業化”的時候，也總是將公共設施不全為理由，表示無法進行商業化。對於這樣的理由，康迪汽車董事長胡曉明則認為是以“鋰電池技術不成熟”為“借口”。儲存

MINI Paceman的外形特別，迷你倉新蒲崗與一般揭背小車相比體積較大，廠方定位為SAC（Sport Activity Coupe）的動感路線，新車推出後緊接發放高性能JCW版本，裝上全套跑車配件，再加上獨特的車身顏色，還有是較普通版更強的動力及ALL4四輪驅動，正是全面強化的型號。無論是On或Off-road都可以任縱橫。售價：$557,800起跑車配件攻彎更穩過往廠方會為MINI不同車型推出JCW版本，加入跑車配件及調校引擎加強動力，已經成為指定動作。全新的MINI JCW Paceman亦注入同樣元素，由官方改裝部門JCW提供的空氣動力學配件（Aerodynamic Kit），包括了前入風口、引擎擾流底板、兩側裙腳、車尾頂及底部擾流器等，令車身的視覺效果更強，辣味大增。儘管加入跑車配件是例行公事，但Paceman本身卻擁有特別的車型，從A柱上揚車頂一直延伸至C柱下降，打造Coupe般的線條，與一般的MINI Cooper明顯有別，再加上專屬的Chili Red車頂顏色與Midnight Black車身配搭，感覺型辣了很多。除了外裝，懸掛設定亦下了不少工夫，加配了跑化懸掛系統後，再將車身高度降低10mm，重心更低，高速攻彎更加穩紮穩打。獨立後座寬敞舒適Paceman與家族成員Countryman是採用同一底盤，故空間感同樣寬敞。新車座椅與內裝以黑色作主調，配合粗紅色線，正好與車身互相呼應。走進後排，兩張獨立座椅的承托力與舒適度甚高，就算是六呎高的乘客亦不會頂頭，而且望�打開的兩幅式天窗，感覺分外開揚。Paceman的另一特點是波棍台後加入中央滑軌（Centre Rail），讓車主選購車系專屬的配件如眼鏡盒、水杯或電話座等放在軌道上。新一代的MINI中控台設計迷你倉出租向簡約，從前在中控台下方的電窗開關掣，已移至車門邊手枕位置。中間大大個圓形車速錶，配以全黑底色，迎合了車身色調。尾箱空間亦值得一讚，標準容量達330公升空間，摺合後座靠背，可將載物量增至1,080公升。至於Harman Kardon音響系統，亦提升了豪華元素。大油起步反應狂野動力部分是新車焦點之一，搭配家族式1.6公升引擎，加上渦輪增壓及經過調校後，可輸出馬力達218hp，扭力亦達到280Nm，若發揮Overboost功能，峰值扭力更可在瞬間提升至300Nm。駕駛這輛高性能版Paceman在山路游走，起步反應實在有點狂野，大油一踩便喚醒了Overboost，六前速自動波箱亦暢順爽快。維持以二至三波在彎路馳騁，並以稍高的車速攻彎，懸掛對重心的支持度十足，動態穩定，相信較低的車身重心及ALL4四驅系統功不可沒。現時MINI的動力部分都得到母公司寶馬汽車的支援，引擎引入了VALVETRONIC技術，在更準確的點火時間及氣閥開關時間下，藉以減低耗油量，所以這台車的平均耗油量為7.9L/100km，按目前的油價計算大約$1.3走一公里，屬於合理的水平。渾圓的車尾配上雙出尾喉，跑格盡現。規格表車型：雙門四座SAC引擎：直四配渦輪增壓容積：1,598c.c.最大馬力：218hp/6,000rpm峰值扭力： 280Nm/1,900~5,000rpm（Overboost 300Nm/2,100~4,500rpm）驅動：前置引擎、四輪驅動傳動：六前速自動波懸掛：（前）麥花臣、（後）多連桿制動：（前）通風碟、（後）實心碟0~100km/h：6.9秒車身體積：4,124×1,786×1,527mm（長×闊×高）撰文：林健森攝影：張錦昌查詢電話：3193 6800（MINI HK）迷你倉

Source: The Bakersfield CalifornianSept.新蒲崗迷你倉 08--Internet cafes may be a "nice" business -- but they could also soon be outlawed."I think that my guys put together a nice business. If it's not illegal," Beverly Hills attorney Neil Newson said recently of his Los Angeles client Roman Doktorovich, Jr., one of two men who own iSweeps Internet Cafe in southwest Bakersfield, adding matter-of-factly, "If it's illegal, they're going to be gone."That "if" is what everyone's waiting for these days -- a ruling expected later this year from the 5th District Court of Appeal in Fresno, on whether Bakersfield's 13 active Internet cafes are humble purveyors of Internet access and copy and fax services, or houses of forbidden gaming.An appellate court ruling on whether a Kern County Superior Court judge acted appropriately last year in ordering the closure of five cafes and the seizure of their equipment would bolster arguments by the city of Bakersfield and the county of Kern that the establishments offer nothing more than illegal gambling, under the guise of a sweepstakes that cafe owners compare to the legal McDonald's Monopoly game.Until the ruling arrives, and the Kern County District Attorney's office starts filing cases against cafes again, the city is building a paper trail it can use to prosecute the cafes as nuisances in civil court.The city has sent letters to cafe owners informing them that "Las Vegas-style electronic slot machines" are prohibited under penal code. It also has sent letters to landlords informing them that Internet cafes "may be illegal" under California law, and are believed to "attract a criminal element." A 14th cafe is under construction."It's very similar to a barking dog-type case," said City Attorney Ginny Gennaro. "You look at the same thing. Would an objective person be offended by what's occurring? How do I prove it?"Cafe owners aren't quite wringing their hands, which may or may not be full of money. A raid earlier this year on two cafes in Visalia netted more than $100,000 cash. The city of Visalia is awaiting its own appellate court decision after being sued by the cafes' owner.Doktorovich and other cafe owners say their businesses are not cash cows, and that they typically must pay a percentage of their earnings each month to software providers -- although in a court filing, Doktorovich's own attorney describes the business as "quite profitable.""I think the best analogy would be, we've got a very high profit business trying to squeak through legal loopholes, similar to the medical marijuana dispensaries. The tenants justify the risks as a result of the huge profit margins," said Bakersfield attorney Ronald Dessy, who represents Doktorovich's landlord, Dr. Manbir Singh.After an unsuccessful attempt this spring, Dessy said he again is trying to evict Doktorovich, whom Dessy said does not have a valid insurance policy for the cafe, and iNet, a second Internet cafe that opened July 27 in the same shopping center.Doktorovich, co-owner of iSweeps with Oleg Reut, said his insurance policy has always been up to date. Three days after iNet opened, he and Reut sued Singh and Sukhwinder Sohi, iNet's owner.They accuse Singh of breaching their lease by backing iNet, and they accuse Sohi of opening a competing business -- and attempting to have the city prosecute iSweeps. Attempts to reach Sohi were unsuccessful.Singh said he wants both cafes gone."My office is right next to an Internet cafe. I basically deal with families, with kids, and seniors, and they don't feel comfortable with peopmini storagee standing outside smoking, and doing things they're not supposed to do," said Singh, an internist, one of whose three branch offices is indeed a short walk from iNet and iSweeps."We did not know that they are gambling people. We were misinformed. The real picture came out after they were already established."Legally, the question is still why Internet cafe patrons are there in the first place.Cafe owners who have taken their cause to district court are arguing their customers come to surf the Internet, and the fact that they're entered into a sweepstakes with a cash prize when they buy Internet time is merely what a Vegas-style slot machine might term a "random monkey bonus."Terri Jackson, a clerk at iSweeps, reminds a reporter that the Internet games, many of which visually resemble slot machines, are in fact "sweepstakes games," and that a gamer doesn't cash in points -- for cash -- but instead, "you redeem your prize."Law enforcement officials think visitors may stay for the Internet time, but they come for the chance to win a sweepstakes."That's one of their arguments. You can sit down and surf the Internet," said Kern County Deputy District Attorney Gregory Pulskamp. "They say you're not giving money for the chance to win more money."We don't think so," he said. "We think you're paying for the chance to win more money."Customers who will talk to a reporter disagree."I love 'em," said retiree Laura Dock, who won $600 at Linked-In Business Services Center in southwest Bakersfield in her best week. "If it weren't for this cafe, I wouldn't have anywhere to go during the day except stay in bed.""This serves its purpose, because yesterday I helped a friend of mine who got his phone stolen," said iSweeps patron Enrique Suarez, who was able to use the cafe's Internet to download an app that tracked his friend's purloined iPhone -- but found it too far away to recover."They're just for entertainment purposes," said Kathy Stevenson, a recent customer at the Lucky Lady Internet Cafe in Bakersfield's downtown, calling sweepstakes winners "predetermined."Lucky Lady's neighbors are calling the cafe something else."I've had at least three people who have left the salon, who didn't want to work here because of this. It used to be cozy and fun, and now something happens every day," said Lynae Cummings, owner of Scissorhands Salon & Boutique, next door to the cafe. "We're used to bums downtown, but this is different. We had to call the police because they let a homeless person hang out in our hallway."Lucky Lady cashier James Washington disputes her account, praising efforts by public and private law enforcement to make downtown safe."They haven't really loitered," Washington said. "Bakersfield police are doing a fine job. We have a security officer here and that (loitering) isn't allowed. That's why we have signs up here."Wes Bradford, whose company Bradford Properties, LLC, owns the building where Scissorhands and the Lucky Lady lease space, sides with the salon."We've gotten letters from almost every tenant wanting to move out. We've now hired a patrol service to patrol at night. Every time we get a complaint, we forward it to them," Bradford said. "Believe me if the courts or the law would allow me to evict them, I would. I have no grounds to evict them."An appellate court ruling, of course, could change that.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 The Bakersfield Californian (Bakersfield, Calif.) Visit The Bakersfield Californian (Bakersfield, Calif.) at .bakersfield.com Distributed by MCT Information Servicesself storage

By Zhao Lei in Tianjinzhaolei@chinadaily.迷你倉com.cnHelicopters represent a massive growth area for China’s civil aviation sector, and the national aircraft manufacturer is ready to tap into this neglected market, according to industry insiders.There are about 30,000 helicopters in use around the world, most of them in the civil sector, said Xiao Zhiyuan, publisher of World Flight magazine.“However, the number of civil helicopters registered in China is only about 200, even less than that of the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo,” he said. “In contrast, the United States has more than 10,000 civil helicopters and Russia boasts of 3,000.”The shortage of helicopters for civilian use has become a prominent issue in China since the country was hit by a succession of natural disasters starting in 2008, when a devastating magnitude-8 earthquake struck Sichuan province.“Ninety-nine helicopters took part in rescue operations for the Sichuan earthquake, and nearly 70 percent of them were sent by the military. The lack of civil helicopters has since then attracted attention from authorities and the public,” Xiao said, noting that the government later requested the establishment of a national aviation emergency response and rescue system that mainly uses civil helicopters.The promotion of civil helicopters has since been substantially accelerated, with the government giving more investment and favorable policies to support the industry, he added.His words were echoed by Cai Yi, general manager of Avicopter, a subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, the nation’s dominant aircraft manufacturer.“Ten years ago, China produced less than 20 helicopters a year, and after a decade of development, the annual output has increased by 10 times, with nearly 200 being delivered to our clients last year,” Cai said at the Second China Helicopter Expo, held in Tianjin from Thursday to Sunday.Wide range of useCivil helicopters have been used in a wide range of roles, including law enforcement, forest fire patrols, the inspection on power lines and oil pipelines, as well as maritime rescue, according to Cai.Chen Ping, deputy head of the promotion center for emergency assistance under the Ministry of Civil Affairs, said almost 40 percent of people who die in accidents go into cardiac arrest before an ambulance arrives, and 10 percent on the way to hospital, showing the importance of prompt medical assistance.He said the fastest and most efficient rescue vehicle is a helicopter.“After the 文件倉agnitude-7 earthquake struck Ya’an, in Sichuan, in April, four helicopters sent by the People’s Liberation Army made 132 flights and transported 385 injured people. They helped check several seriously hit townships that had been isolated from the outside due to destroyed roads.“Three civil helicopters also participated in the relief work by carrying medicine and patrolling power lines.”In Liaoning province, helicopters from the maritime rescue force of the Ministry of Transport assisted in the relief efforts after floods hit several areas in the province in August, airdropping 3.6 metric tons of aid supplies and relocating 104 residents trapped or injured, according to Chen.Chen’s center has set up a training base for aviation rescue professionals in Henan province in cooperation with a Guangdong general aviation company and plans to recruit 100 helicopter pilots and 50 medical workers by the end of this year, he added.Ten hospitals in Beijing have built landing facilities for helicopters, according to Fan Da, deputy head of Beijing Emergency Medical Center. He said the center has performed several operations in which injured people were transported to a hospital by helicopter.He noted that the center is negotiating with Beijing police’s aviation squadron on cooperation on a helicopter emergency medical service.“Helicopters have been used by Beijing police since April 2007, when the squadron was formed,” said Yang Dongfeng, chief of the aviation squadron under the city’s public security bureau.Sober attitude urgedTo boost the country’s civil helicopter sector, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China has integrated its three manufacturing subsidiaries and one research institute into Avicopter and is implementing a series of favorable policies to recruit talent, according to Lin Zuoming, chairman of AVIC.“We have established an after-sales service system that can cover the entire lifespan of our helicopter products,” Lin said, adding that the company will allocate more funds and resources to solve the heavy dependence on imported engines that has long haunted China’s helicopter industry.Though the prospects for China’s civil helicopter market are promising, Cai suggested that local governments and private businesses should take a sober attitude and avoid blindly investing in this field.“It seems like many local governments and companies can’t wait any longer to plunge into the industry, but it will lead to cutthroat competition and a waste of resources,” Cai warned.存倉

By JIN ZHU and WANG QINGYUN Kai-Fu Lee, founder of Innovation Works, writes in his micro blog on Thursday he has been diagnosed with lymphoma, sparking public concern over health issues generally.迷你倉Kai-Fu Lee, a prominent i g- ure in China’s Internet industry and a popular blogger, received many messages of support on Friday, the day at er revealing online that he was suffering from lymphoma.“I am really moved by the many messages I have received.I always believe that how a per- son reacts when confronted with a disease determines the quality of his spiritual world in the future,” Lee wrote on his Sina Weibo micro blog on Fri- day morning.“Although lymphoma is a serious disease, which worries my family members and friends a lot, I know this is life, full of unexpected things. I will choose to face it, as diseases are part of life.”His remarks came after he wrote on his micro blog on h ursday night that he has been diagnosed with cancer. “You never know what comes next, and life is limited. Every one is equal before cancer,” he wrote.The comment had been forwarded more than 150,000 times by Friday at ernoon.Wang Zhaohui, media secre-tary of Innovation Works, the technology incubator that Kai- Fu Lee founded in 2009, said Lee is receiving medical treat- ment. He did not elaborate.A former staff member at Innovation Works, who declined to be named, said on Friday he was surprised when he heard of Lee’s illness.“He was quite busy at work and has a sense of humor. He loves reading and staying with his family,” he said.Lee, 52, born in Taiwan, is the former head of Google China and founder of Micro- sot Research Asia. He set up Innovation Works to provide a platform to help entrepre- neurial companies grow rap- idly, of ering not only venture financing, but also services such as marketing, recruiting, and legal support.The company’s investment now covers the software- enabled IT sector, including mobile Internet, consumer Internet, e-commerce and cloud computing.On Friday, Lee, who has more than 51 million followers on Sina Weibo, received l oods of greetings via the Internet.Fan Haitao, author of the book Make a World of Dif er- ence: h e Kai-Fu Lee Story, said on her micro blog: “I became refreshed and positive when I started to write about you. I knew you have changed a lot of people. Cheer up, Kaifu!”Han Han, a famous young writer and racing driver, said in his micro blog that he visited Lee’s Innovation Works a few months ago.“His office is humble an文件倉 small. He has always tried to make this world a better place.He enables more young people to have opportunities and pow- er,” he wrote.“When you walk a long way, you will inevitably encounter rain, but a nice person will i nally live through to see the sun when the clouds clear away.I hope Kai-Fu will recover soon.”Meanwhile, Lee’s illness has triggered public concern over health issues.Statistics in 2009 showed that lymphoma ranked eighth among all cancers in China in terms of incidence rate. Its death rate ranked 10th, said Chen Wanqing, deputy direc- tor of the National Central Cancer Registry.In 1988, fewer than four of every 100,000 Chinese people suffered from the cancer, but the rate rose to 6.68 per 100,000 in 2009, although the exact cause of the increase is not yet known.“h ere is higher incidence of lymphoma in cities than in the countryside,” he said.Beijing reported 1,261 lymphoma cases — 9.95 per 100,000 people — in 2011.h at compares with 5.26 per 100,000 in 2002, the Beijing Cancer Hospital said.“Infections, abnormal immune functions and envi- ronment pollution are prob- ably major factors behind large increase in such cases,” the hos- pital said.Zou Ping, a 26-year-old sot - ware engineer in Beijing, said he feels exhausted at er a whole day’s work. “More people come to realize the potential risks that can be triggered by too much work. But most cannot take a break from their hard work, especially those in senior posi- tions,” he said.Cai Xiao contributed to this story.Contact the writers at jinzhu@ chinadaily.com.cn and wangq- ingyun@chinadaily.com.cn Kai-Fu Lee is the founder of Innovation Works and a highly visible blogger in China. He was born in 1961 in Taipei. Here are his career highlights: ?1973-1988 Lee immigrates to the United States and earns a PhD in com- puter science from Carnegie Mellon University.?1990-1996 He joins Apple Computer Inc and serves as principal re- search scientist for its multime- dia lab and vice-president of its interactive multimedia division.?1996-1998 He moves to Silicon Graphics Incorporate to become vice- president of its web products division and president of Cosmo Software, a subsidiary of SGI.?1998-2004 Lee joins Microsoft as corpo- rate vice-president of interac- tive services and president of Microsoft Research China.?July 2005-September 2009 He leaves Microsoft and becomes president of Google China.?September 2009 Lee leaves Google China and establishes Innovation Works in Beijing.CHINA DAILY存倉

Ocean Park had surprise visitors when two wild piglets decided to stray from their home in the countryside.新蒲崗迷你倉 At about 11am yesterday, staff saw the young wild boars inside the theme park near the smoking area at Ocean Park Tower. Police were called, and they came armed with shields, sealing off the area. The officers gave chase, but were unable to collar the pigs. The police then summoned the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, whose staff arrived around 1pm. Armed with nmini storagets and with help from Ocean Park staff, the AFCD caught one piglet after it ran into a railing, and placed it in a wire cage. The other had a lucky escape, running uphill - presumably back to the wild. It could not be found after a search. The AFCD said the two piglets were each 0.6 meter long and were not mature. It added the piglet that was caught was found to be healthy. It was eventually released in Tai Tam Country Park. The drama lasted two hours. winnie.chong@singtaonewscorp.com self storage

Source: The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.迷你倉Sept. 08--JOHNSTOWN -- Kathy Caron tried to get her young daughter to do "girly" things.Kasey Caron preferred wearing camo to camisoles. She wanted short hair, not long, flowing locks. And she didn't play with dolls; she had action figures."Her sister played Barbies and there is only a year and a half between them," Kathy Caron recalled at the family's home in the Belmont section of Johnstown. "I tried like hell to get her to play with her sister. So I bought her Basic Training Barbie. I thought she'd play with it. The first thing she did was pop the head off of it. Took the gun, took the dog tags off of it and played with the gun and the dog tags."That was one of the first clear indicators that Kasey wasn't like other little girls.'Not meant to be a girl'Kasey, now a 17-year-old Richland High School student who dresses as a boy and wants to be referred to as one, said that he never felt comfortable as a girl. And there had always been confusion from others about exactly what Kasey, who preferred to hang out with boys and play video games, was.Gender identity was already a problem in kindergarten. That's when Kasey's female classmates at Richland Elementary School got upset when they saw what looked like a boy in the girls' restroom."When I was in elementary school, I used to get asked all the time, 'Are you a boy or a girl?' " Kasey recalled, with more amusement in his voice than pain. "I got asked that all the time."At an early age, Kasey was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition that causes a hormonal imbalance. The syndrome, which causes the ovaries to make more androgens -- sometimes called male hormones -- than normal, is quite common, with estimates that as many as one in 15 women suffers from it. The number of people who identify themselves as transgender is much lower -- a 2011 report by the Williams Institute of the UCLA School of Law showed 700,000 transgender individuals -- or about 0.3 percent of the population -- in the U.S., although precise numbers are hard to obtain.That means that while the syndrome could be a contributing factor to transgender issues, it isn't an overriding one, according to clinical psychologist Michael Hendricks of Washington, D.C."Nobody knows what causes somebody to be transgender,"?said Hendricks, who specializes in transgender issues. "While hormones may have some influence, we don't know exactly what causes somebody to be transgender, just like we don't know what causes somebody to not be transgender."Kasey comes from a diverse background. His mother has a same-sex partner in Cindy Theys and his godmother is transgender."When I first met Kasey 10 years ago, I thought she was a boy,"?Theys said. "She had an androgenous name. She was short, stocky. She looked like a little boy."Kasey didn't realize that he could physically change his body until later in his young life."I always knew I was not meant to be a girl,"?he said. "At some point, I came into contact with the Internet and TV and it became possible that I could actually do that.?I'm not going to sit here trapped in my own body. I'm going to do something about it."In order to try to regulate the polycystic ovary syndrome, doctors put Kasey on birth control at age 9. Eventually, Kasey began to question the treatment."Why am I doing this?"?he said. "I?would have to stay on estrogen therapy the rest of my life or go through with this transition (to become a male) and finish the process my body has already started."Finding his voiceKasey said that he was bullied throughout middle school and lacked self-confidence. Rather than speak with others at social gatherings, he would sit quietly in the corner, trying to not be noticed.Things got worse when Kasey disclosed an attraction to girls."The summer before eighth grade is when I came out as lesbian,"?Kasey said. "I told a few of my friends and it spread like wildfire. At first, it was really negative. I was bullied a lot. I went through depression terribly."Kasey did find an outlet in marching band. Originally a trumpeter, he played so quietly that he could barely be heard, but he did make some friends in the musical group.He also found a girlfriend and decided to tell his mother about his desire to change his sex. But Kasey was so shy that he let his girlfriend do most of the talking for him.His moms -- both of them -- made sure he understood the consequences of the choice, but tried to be receptive to it."We didn't discourage it,"?Kathy Caron said. "We've always been open to understanding it. We were in situations our whole lives where we weren't allowed to be who we were. We weren't going to do that to our children. Unfortunately, the times were different for us. It's not that time anymore."Gradually, Kasey grew more and more confident about his decision and revealed his desire to be a man to more and more people. But not everyone. When he first started dating Katie, who is from another Cambria County school, nine months ago, she knew that Kasey was more masculine than other girls, but not that he was transgender."He told me from the beginning that he dresses and acts like a guy, but it was probably like two months before he told me that he wanted to be a guy,"?said Katie, who went to her high school prom with Kasey in the spring. "It was startling, but I didn't really mind. The only thing I really minded was how afraid he was to tell me. I guess he was really scared."Katie, who asked that her last name not be used because her extended family does not know about her lifestyle, said that Kasey's self-confidence has blossomed since that first timid conversation about his gender identity."The whole thing with him telling me, he was really scared,"?she said. "Now he's putting it all over Facebook.?He's becoming very proud of who he is. It's giving him a lot more confidence."While Kasey once was afraid to toot his own horn loud enough to be heard in the marching band, he's now front and center as the drum major for the Rams."I didn't think I'd ever be anything more than the quiet little trumpet player in the corner,"?he said. "Now, I'm not the best player, but I play loud enough for people to hear me."Changing timesPlenty of people have heard Kasey, and not just through his drumsticks. His message of tolerance and acceptance has led to changes at Richland.He organizes the Day of Silence effort each year at Richland. The program has students across the nation declining to speak to call attention to the bullying and harassment that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students face.He also got the school handbook secti自存倉n on bullying revised. Initially, the handbook outlined things for which students could not be bullied, such as race, religion, etc., but it did not cover sexual orientation or gender issues. Since then, Kasey said, it has been revised."It's very vague now, and that's fine,"?he said.Richland has made a big commitment to stamping out bullying over the past few years.Marissa Lydic, a freshman who met Kasey two years ago through marching band, said that the older student has helped her overcome bullying."They couldn't accept me because I was different. She's helped me stand up for what I?believe in,"?Marissa said. "She's there if anyone's bothering me. She's there to make sure I'm doing OK?and that it gets fixed the proper way."Marissa, like many others, struggles with pronouns when it comes to Kasey. Those who have known him for years -- especially his family members -- often refer to him as "she"?or "her," and Kasey understands that."I get that it's going to be just as much of a transition for everyone else as it is for me,"?he said.?"I don't get offended when people refer to me as a she."Hopes crushedWhile Hendricks said that there likely have been people with gender issues for years, it's only recently become more acceptable to talk about it. That means that schools and workplaces often are looking for solutions to problems that they had not previously faced. Issues like which locker room Kasey should use prior to gym class.Rather than put him in with the girls or the boys, Richland agreed to let him use the room where officials change before sporting events. That solved the locker room problem and the school also allowed him to use the restroom facilties in the room instead of choosing a public, shared restroom. But that was a less-than-ideal solution, as he had to go to the office to get a key to the room, walk to the locker room, use the facilities, walk back to the office and then return to class, which often was on the other side of the building. That meant that going to the restroom in the four minutes students have between classes was impossible. And leaving class also wasn't a good option."My teachers started to get a little suspicious as to why I?was gone for 10 minutes,"?Kasey said.This year, he's relented."I use the girls' restroom, just because I'd probably get in trouble if I?used the guys' restroom,"?he said. "I've been going to Richland my whole life, so if I go to the girls' restroom, nobody will get offended. I understand it's not in my best interest as far as giving off the right vibe, but it's a little bit more convenient."Another issue arose on the second day of school this year. Kasey was asked if he wanted to appear on the ballot for homecoming king or queen. He chose the male ballot and, thinking that he had finally realized his dream of being recognized as male, Kasey posted on Facebook asking anyone who supported him to vote for him."He was so excited,"?his girlfriend said. "Not only just because people were accepting him, but he knew he had a good chance of being king, because of all the support he was getting. He was so happy."The joy only lasted a few days. The day the voting was to be held, Kasey was told that he couldn't be on the male ballot because he was listed as a female on his driver's license. Even though the school had recognized his desire to be treated as a boy, administrators said, state law prohibited them from putting him on the ballot for boys.The last-minute change didn't prevent Kasey from getting the number of votes needed to be on the court, even though he was listed as a girl.School administrators were unsure what to do with him, as it would be awkward for both Kasey and his escort to be accompanied by a male student. School administrators said that he could attend -- but on the girls' side.Despite having the support of his classmates, he wouldn't be able to get the recognition he so desperately wanted.Kasey was crushed."He cried a lot,"?Katie said.?"He was really upset. It was like they gave him what he really wanted to be and then they backtracked on it. "Kasey and his family decided to appeal the decision to the school board. They have taken his story to the media and drawn support from around the world. Kasey has been asked to be a guest speaker at Clarion University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The American Civil Liberties Union has pledged its support, and Kasey is expected to have a strong backing at Monday night's school board meeting, where Kasey's allies are being encouraged to wear blue.Determined to helpKasey has not yet started hormone treatments to begin the transition process, but he plans to begin as soon as his therapy requirements have been met. He is an honor student and is looking forward to college. In addition to his girlfriend, he has added a number of friends -- both male and female -- and seems quite well-adjusted. He's become a bit of a mini-celebrity, even before the story surrounding homecoming surfaced."He always hid in the background,"?said MacKenzie, his 16-year-old sister. "Now, everybody knows Kasey, not just people in her class. People all over town know who Kasey is. He uses that as an empowering experience. He has really opened people's eyes and helped to educate people."Stephanie Theys, Kasey's 23-year-old stepsister, is amazed at what Kasey has become."I generally hope that someday I have a kid that is as awesome as he is," she said.Kasey hopes that he can pave the way for other transgender students that follow him."I'm not going to be the only one,"?he said. "People are becoming more comfortable, society is becoming more comfortable with it. It's going to be a more acceptable thing. If they don't deal with it now, five or 10 years from now, someone else is going to come along and they're going to need to deal with it. They have to deal with it eventually."And Kasey hopes to continue helping people deal with it after his transformation, both from female to male and from high school to college and, eventually, professional."I was thinking about going to college to be a therapist or somebody that's going to help somebody like me,"?Kasey said."That or art or music therapy, because I'm a huge nerd about art and music. Honestly, what I?want to do with my life is strictly based on helping people. I haven't figured out the exact details yet."Eric Knopsnyder is the editor of The Tribune-Democrat. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/eric_knopsnyder.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, Pa.) Visit The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, Pa.) at .tribune-democrat.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉新蒲崗