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Education for Adult English Language Learners in the United States: Trends, Research, and Promising Practices
Part III: Participation of Foreign-Born Adults in Adult Education Programs
This section describes the funding for and structure of adult education programs, factors that influence the participation of English language learners in these programs, and outcomes of their participation.
Federal Funding for Adult Education
Under the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, the federal government provided $564,079,550 in grants to states for program year 2004–2005 for adult education programs. Nationally, this amount represented approximately 26% of the total amount spent in states and local communities to support adult education and literacy (U.S. Department of Education, 2007a). From the federal monies that states receive, each state awards 82.5% to adult basic education providers and keeps 17.5% for program improvement activities and administrative expenses (U.S. Department of Education, 2005a).
Program Administration
Although the majority of federally funded adult basic education programs are administered by local school districts, community-based organizations, and community colleges, the sites where these services are provided vary considerably. In fiscal year 2003, these sites included public schools, adult learning centers, community centers, adult correctional facilities, faith-based facilities, workplaces, community colleges, libraries, and learners' homes (U.S. Department of Education, 2005b).
Adult Learner Participation in Programs
In program year 2006 –2007, there were 1,101,082 adults of all ages, nationalities, native languages, and English proficiency levels enrolled in federally funded, state-administered English as a second language (ESL) programs in the United States (46% of adults enrolled in these programs. The five states with the highest number of English language learners enrolled in these programs were California (414,568), Florida (117,773), New York (77,327), Illinois (70,001), and Texas (59,174) (U.S. Department of Education, 2008b). Of those enrolled,
- 48% were enrolled in literacy or beginning-level ESL classes
- 3% were age 16–18 years, 19% were 19–24, 56% were 25–44, 17% were 45–59, and 5% were 60 or older (U.S. Department of Education, 2008b)
According to the National Household Education Survey of 2005, 1% of the 211,607 adults surveyed reported taking an ESL class within the previous 12 months (O'Donnell, 2006). Most of these classes were held in public schools, adult learning centers (46%), and postsecondary schools (37%). The average number of ESL classroom instructional hours per learner was 72.
In a related study, combined data from the National Household Education Surveys of 2001 and 2005 found that an average of 54% of adults surveyed (between the ages of 16 and 64) reported participating in at least one formal learning activity during the 12 months prior to the survey. Adults with no high school credential (4.4%) were more likely to be enrolled in ESL classes than those with a general Educational Development (GED) certificate (0.4%), a high school diploma (0.9%), some college (1%), or a bachelor's degree or higher (0.6%) (Kienzl, 2008).
Factors Related to Learner Participation in Programs
Many factors can have an impact on learner participation in adult education programs. Learner factors include work schedules, family responsibilities, opportunities to learn and use English outside of an instructional setting, marital and family status, and personal motivation. Program factors include availability of classes, class schedules and locations, instructional setting, type of entry into the program (open or managed enrollment), length of courses and frequency of classes, and training and expertise of the teachers (National Center for ESL Literacy Education, 2003; Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, 2003).
An important program factor is availability of classes. The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials conducted a study to examine the wait times associated with popular adult ESL programs across the country (Tucker, 2006). Among 176 adult ESL providers surveyed, 57% reported that their wait list was from a few weeks to more than 3 years. In some parts of the country, such as New York City, waiting lists have been abolished, because the wait has become too long. Rather than put students on waiting lists, some programs place students in available classes that may not meet the students' specific goals or are not the appropriate instructional level, in the hope that space in a suitable class will open up.
Length of Time and Intensity of Instruction for Adults to Acquire a Second Language
There is limited research on the length of time it takes adults to acquire a second language (e.g., Collier, 1989; Competency-based Mainstream English Language Training Resource Package, 1985). Extrapolating from the studies of children's language acquisition cited below, it appears that it can take several years. For example, studies suggest that school-age children need 2–3 years to develop social language (conversational skills) and 5–7 years to acquire the academic language proficiency needed to reach parity with native English speakers (Cummins,1991; Thomas & Collier, 1997). Moreover, school-age children usually attend school 5 days a week for approximately 6 hours a day, which is considerably more hours of instruction than adult education programs provide. Therefore, when considering factors that affect gains in English language proficiency and other educational outcomes, it is important to keep in mind the amount of time that may be required for adults to reach the goals that are set.
McHugh, Gelatt, & Fix (2007) examined the number of instructional hours needed for the approximately 5.8 million adult lawful permanent residents currently in the United States to reach a level of proficiency necessary for civic integration or to begin postsecondary education. They found that an estimated 103 hours of study per person per year for 6 years would be necessary (600 million hours of English language instruction per year for 6 years for over 5 million immigrants). This number of instructional hours is comparable to the number provided to immigrants in other countries, such as Australia and Germany). However, the costs of implementing such a plan would be significant.
The Center for Applied Linguistics examined the National Reporting System (NRS) educational level gain of 6,599 adult English language learners, as measured by the oral proficiency assessment BEST Plus (Young, 2007). This descriptive study found that the more hours of instruction received and the higher the intensity of instruction, the greater the rate of gain across the six NRS educational functioning levels. The effect of instructional hours was particularly strong for students who pretested at the Beginning ESL Literacy level (21% difference in gain between those with the least number and those with the greatest number of instructional hours) and the Advanced ESL level (16% difference). There was also a general trend toward greater NRS level gain for students with high levels of instructional intensity than for those with low intensity. Intensity of instruction had the greatest effect on students in the Beginning ESL Literacy, Low intermediate, and Advanced ESL levels.
Transition from noncredit to academic studies is another measure of progress in English language development. A 7-year longitudinal study of 38,095 noncredit and 6,666 credit ESL students at the City College of San Francisco (CCSF) examined students' rate of persistence and advancement in academic coursework from the noncredit ESL program through the credit ESL program and beyond (Spurling, Seymour, & Chisman, 2008). Sixty-seven percent of CCSF's noncredit ESL students began at the lowest NRS levels (Beginning ESL Literacy and Low Beginning). Of these noncredit participants, 44% advanced only one level within the six NRS educational functioning levels. The students most likely to advance were those with the most instructional hours; on average, students who advanced a level had received 100 instructional hours. Students age 16–19 years were more likely to advance than other students and were more likely to transition to credit programs. Most of the transition students had reached the NRS intermediate level prior to leaving the noncredit ESL program. According to the report, those students who transitioned from noncredit ESL to credit ESL and beyond performed as well as or better than those students who began in credit ESL or other credit programs at the college.
Educational Outcomes
In program year 2006–2007, 39% of students enrolled in ESL classes advanced to the next proficiency level. Table 3 gives information on the percentage of students making gains at each ESL level in the NRS (www.nrsweb.org).
Table 3. State-Administered Adult Education Programs. Educational Gains by Educational Functioning Levels. English Literacy. 2006–2007 Program Year.
Number Enrolled
Percentage Completing Level
ESL Beginning Literacy
ESL Beginning Low
ESL Beginning High
ESL Intermediate Low
ESL Intermediate
ESL Advanced
Source. U.S. Department of Education, 2008b.
The NRS also collects information about learner outcomes beyond educational functioning levels, including information about obtaining and retaining employment, earning a high school degree or equivalency diploma, and entering a postsecondary education program. At the time of this report, the U.S. Department of Education did not disaggregate ESL student data from general adult education data for these additional outcomes, although it is safe to assume that many of the learners who got and kept jobs, and at least some of those who achieved their GED, were English language learners. Outcomes for general adult education for program year 2006–2007 are provided below:
- 19% of the 2,408,525 learners enrolled in adult basic education (ABE, adult secondary education [ASE], and ESL) entered postsecondary education or training at the conclusion of instruction
- 31% of all students entered the workforce
- 34% of all students retained employment
- 44% of these 2.5 million students were English language learners
- 44% (1,070,341) were Hispanic (U.S. Department of Education, 2008b)
Because a variety of adult English language learners enroll in a diversity of programs across the United States, no one program model has proven to be consistently effective in serving these learners. English language acquisition rates are affected by both personal and program-related factors, such as availability of classes, learner motivation, and learner attendance and persistence. There are different ways to measure and track English language ability and progress; the assessments that are used to measure progress through the NRS are discussed in chapter VI of this publication.


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News Releases
Toshiba Group to Donate to the Philippines Flood Recovery Efforts
9 Aug, 2012
Toshiba Group will make a donation equivalent to 10 million yen to assist relief efforts following the devastating flooding in the Philippines.
The details, including timing and allocation of the donation, will be determined with consideration for local circumstances.
Toshiba Information Equipment Philippines, Inc. (TIP), a Toshiba group company in the Philippines, is located in Laguna province, where a large number of evacuation centers have been set up. TIP has delivered about 2,000 bags of relief supplies, containing rice, canned food, water, etc., to evacuees in vicinal community.
Toshiba Group sincerely hopes for the earliest possible recovery from this disaster.

subset: commoncrawl


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Gracie and The Atom
When I was 14, I went to a religious boarding school—and last week, I went back, via Artist Rep's whip-smart and bittersweet Catholic schoolgirl musical, Gracie and The Atom.
But before I say more, a confession: I underestimated this play. As I skimmed the glowing local reviews, I thought maybe the Portland press was indulging longtime PDX musician and newly-minted playwright McKinley. I imagined Gracie actually playing out as a self-pitying Catholic Annie, with all of the hard knocks and none of the life—or, as a plaid-skirted, pubescent Britney Spears redux, flaunting forbidden fruit under a short hem. I now renounce my cynicism. And if my penance is convincing you to catch this winsome, uplifting play, then it's a small price to pay.
Gracie and The Atom begins as a newly-parentless Gracie (Beth Sobo) stumbles into the auspices of Our Lady Of Peace, the aforementioned Catholic girls' school. The story that unfolds, follows Gracie's emotional trajectory through resistance and rebellion, to eventual acceptance and inclusion. (Mercifully, Sobo plays the lead role very straight, free of any hint of trivializing cuteness.) Meanwhile, all the other (slightly sillier) denizens of Our Lady, struggle to reconcile the tenets of faith with the principles of science. In the words of Gracie's physics teacher, Sister Lidwina (Emily Beleele), "If atoms are made of mostly space, and everything we see is made out of atoms, we live in a world made of mostly nothing!"
The principles of physics, it turns out, are a rich and expansive source of metaphor. Comments about positive and negative charge, as well as energy, motion, and momentum, are interspersed in the dialogue both as physics lessons, and as winking hints at character motivation. The effect is sometimes goofy, as when the hormonally-charged Angela (Brooke Markham) passionately explains subatomic attraction; and sometimes heartrending, as when the grieving Gracie tremblingly confronts her father's fate: "Once you burn a log in the fireplace, you can never unburn it."
Though heavily cloaked in Catholic habit, Gracie ultimately makes an exuberantly agnostic statement—not merely accepting, but actually celebrating the fact that we live in a vast, unpredictable universe, and there's much that we can't possibly know.
If heady explorations of quantum theory threaten to bend your Sunday bonnet, not to worry: This show also delivers rollicking rock, touching ballads, girlish flouncing, sisterly solidarity, and a litany of innocent laughs. The acting and singing are brilliant, and the live band expertly and tastefully keeps pace. The minimal staging also provides a nice fluidity and intimacy, although a couple more lighting effects would be welcome (most notably, lightning to accompany thunderclaps during a storm scene).
One final thought: even though teen and tween girls were well-represented onstage, there were very few members of the Glee generation in the audience, and that seemed a shame. Just saying: If you have a yen to take a young female friend to a musical, Gracie And The Atom is bound to generate a positive reaction.


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Everybody settle in for a little BACK-STORY TIME. AKA Blah, blah, blah… Where are stinkin pictures?
The 4Runner has been acting up since around Lago Ometepe back in Nicaragua. For some reason she seems to have no gusto any more. I can't seem to rev her past 3000 RPM while driving down the highway. While cruising along I could pin the pedal and the motor would bog out and run like crap. If I geared down and slowly creeped the pedal up above 3000K it seemed fine. To me and my research this sounded like a TPS (Throttle Position Sensor). We decided to go on a parts hunt in San Jose. This turned out to be a waste of time. We jump from used auto parts, to the dealer, to a new auto parts house. I found a generic O2 sensor but they had no specific 22RE parts that I could find. Oh well, She still runs, Don't she? I'll worry about it later.
With Laurens Mom and sister arriving to Costa Rica soon our plan was to hunker down and stay a few nights near the San Jose Airport.
We found a cheap motel in Heredia and went inside to pay for the room.
We came back outside and see some old man walking towards us with our fridge in his hands. I am runnin over yelling at him wondering how I can justify punching a Grandpa in the face when all of the sudden the owner of the motel comes out yelling that this old guy is actually his friend.
It turns out some young punk tried to run off with our fridge while we were inside paying for the room. Luckily these two old
timers saw it all go down and karate-kicked the kid who then dropped our fridge and ran off. +1 for Old Man Strength and +2 for
not having to fight a senior citizen. He probably would have kicked my ass anyway…
All that said and done we moved everything of value inside the motel room just in case. We got on facebook and sent out some feelers to see who was in the area.
Turns out one of our blog followers and a fellow expeditionportal.com member, Erick, lived right there in Heredia about 10 minutes from our motel. We met up later that night for some beers. We got to practice our spanish (which gets better and better with each drink) and listen to some awesomely horrible spanish karaoke. I considering singing those Tico's a rendition of "The Gambler" they would never forget. Even if they wanted to…
Erick and his sweet Nissan pickup.
Instead we stuck to planning a 4×4 overlanding trip together out on the Osa Peninsula in a few weeks. We had both heard that the roads out there were very bad AKA fun. Erick also gave me a lead on his mechanic who may be able to track down a new TPS and take a look at my issue. He graciously agreed to drive us out there the next morning.
His mechanic checked it out, agreed it may be the TPS but would need more time to be sure. We decided to come back later once we had picked up Laurens Mom and her rental car.
During our facebook blast we learned that fellow overlanders Brad and Sheena from http://DriveNachoDrive.com were in the San Jose area as well. Word on the street was they were setup in some giant palace looking out over the mountains. They had bedrooms to spare, beer in the fridge, and meat on the grill. We said Adios to our motel in Heredia and headed for the hills!
We rolled up to the bad and simultaneously said "UPGRADE!!!"
When we came inside we met Brad and Sheena already hard at work whipping up some amazing dinner in their baller ass house. The place was a friend of a friends vacation home. Berry nice… Berry berry nice.
Dinner was delecious and many beers and storys were shared. As with every overlander we meet we became fast friends. We all have similar (Read: slighty insane) mindsets and outlooks on life. The community doesnt exactly discourage grandious ideas, going BIG is kinda our thing. As Brad and Sheena told us of their plans to ship their 1984 Volkswagon Vanagon to Asia to continue the journey once they hit Ushuaia, We started getting ideas of our own….
Brad also mentioned a neighbor who recommended an english-speaking mechanic in town. He had taken his VW Van there a day or two before. I figured it would be easy to just drop the 4Runner off for repair with this guy while we ran around Costa Rica in Lauren's Moms rental car… More on this later.
View from the Kitchen Window
Next morning I woke up and strolled around the "grounds". Thats what rich folk call a backyard. The house is set on a beautiful coffee farm with boatloads of beautiful plants and animals.
Aside from Coffee and Mangos, they had a "Cashew Tree" as well. I never realized cashews grew on trees, nor that each Cashew grows out of an individual fruit on said tree. The more you know…
Here you can see the "Cashew apple" just barely starting to form and the nut beneath.
Lauren and Sheena had left for a hike at 7 in morning that day. We had talked the night before about leaving at 10:30AM to pick up her Mom from the airport. When the girls weren't back by 9:30 I started thinking hmmm…
I started loading the truck, casually glancing over my shoulder from time to time wondering where the hell these ladies were at. Lauren is known to wander off for hours at a time on her morning hikes but she usually pops up eventually. I assumed she did in fact want to pick her Mom up from the airport…
At 10AM Brad and I considered them officially lost. We jumped in the 4Runner and searched the hills surrounding the house searching for our lost sheeps.
They couldn't have gotten to far… Or could they? There is a lot of land out there…
After 30 minutes of futile search and rescue I had to drop Brad off at the house and hightail it to the airport solo. It was a stressful ride as I racked my brain trying wondering how in the hell I was going to explain that Lauren was hopelessly lost somewhere in the Costa Rican mountainside to her mother.
Racing like a madman I made record time to the airport. I actually beat the plane by 45 minutes.
I found a payphone and called Brad's house.
"Are they there?"
"Yep, they just showed up"
I could work on the details later, all I needed to know was that she was alive.
I met Laurens Mom and sister, grabbed their bags and started walking them towards the Rental car pickup. I could see the confused looks on their faces wondering where their kin was hiding.
"Wheres Lauren?"
"Its a long story… but shes OK"
We headed back to the house and reunited. Everything worked out in the end as it always seems to do. Everyone was alive, Mom and sister were here.
Brad and Sheena from DriveNachoDrive, Carly, Lauren, Laurens Momma, and yours truly. Safe and sound!
You can read Brad's much more thorough and well-written account of our ladies MIA report on his blog here.
Time to see some sights!


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The FT erroneously concludes that the boom-times are over for the military contractors:
The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have been a boon to US contractors. The US has used so many of them in the conflicts that at times they outnumbered the military they supported. But the boom times are coming to an end and military service companies in particular are being squeezed.
Moody's, the rating agency, expects revenue and margin pressure on defence service companies to become visible soon as the US Department of Defence, the world's biggest military spender, negotiates tougher terms for contractors, reduces spending on them and brings its troops home from Afghanistan in time to meet the end 2014 deadline set by President Barack Obama.
In Iraq and Afghanistan the top contractor was Kellog, Brown & Root, the engineering and construction services company. It earned $40.8bn during the past decade, while Agility, the logistics company, and DynCorp, which specialises in security, earned $9bn and $7.4bn respectively, according to a US government report.After a decade of unrivalled prosperity thanks to war and a booming global economy the defence service sector will have to work harder through innovation, as well as lean and well-focused management, to prosper.
In a word, nope. What cuts? The Obama budget aims to increase military expenditures far-above their already-puffed-up status quo:
Offering a military budget designed to head off charges that he's weak on defense, President Obama unveiled a Pentagon spending plan that fails to cut any major procurement programs and calls for spending $36 billion more on the military in 2017 than it will spend this year.
Here's what Obama intends to increase (and what Romney, of course, intends to increase more):
Yeah, America is spending more today drone-striking American citizens in Yemen, drone-surveilling Mexican drug lords and "turning our attention to the vast potential of the Asia-Pacific region" than she was during the cold war when a hostile superpower had thousands of nukes pointing at her.
Military contractors have nothing to fear. Whether it is the Pacific buildup to contain Chinese ambition, or drone strikes in the horn of Africa or Pakistan, or the completely-failed drug war, or using the ghost of Kony to establish a toehold in Africa to compete with China for African minerals, or an attempted deposition of Bashar Assad or Egypt's new Islamist regime, or bombing Iran's uranium-enrichment facilities, or a conflict over mineral rights in the Arctic, or (as Paul Krugman desires — and what the heck, it's 2012, why not?) an alien invasion, or a new global conflict arising out of a global economic reset, it's springtime for the military contractors. It's everyone else who should be worried.


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At GA, Bibi Calls for Resumption of Peace Talks With Palestinians
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for the immediate resumption of peace talks with the Palestinians.
"Let us seize the moment to reach an historic agreement; let us begin talks immediately," Netanyahu said, appealing to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in his speech Monday in Washington to the Jewish Federations of North America.
Netanyahu repeatedly called on Abbas to drop Palestinian preconditions; the Palestinian leadership wants Israel to institute a total settlement freeze as a precondition for talks.
Netanyahu chided the Palestinians for turning aside what he and the Obama administration have suggested is an "unprecedented" offer to freeze some settlement while allowing for "natural growth" and building in Jerusalem. "No Israeli government has been so willing to restrain settlement activity," he said.
Netanyahu did not mention earlier Israeli preconditions, including leaving off the table for now Jerusalem and refugee issues, and a refusal to deal with Hamas, the terrorist group in control in Gaza.
However, he went further than he has in the past in outlining what he means by saying he wants the Palestinians to recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
"What does the Jewish state mean for the Palestinians?" he said. "It means that they must recognize that the fantasy of flooding Israel with refugees is gone, that they give up irredentist claims to the Negev and the Galilee, and that they declare irrevocably that the conflict is finally over," he said.
This latest formulation omits a demand for an explicit recognition of Israel as Jewish, which is what Palestinian negotiators have until now resisted. Palestinian negotiators have said that such a recognition is not theirs to make; they also worry it would prejudice the rights of Israeli Arabs.
The call for an immediate resumption of talks appears to supersede the recent call by Israel's foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, to set aside for now talk of a two-state solution.
Netanyahu said once again the outcome of such talks would be a Palestinian state, albeit one that is demilitarized.
Netanyahu also lavished praise on President Obama, who sustains strong support among American Jews but who is unpopular in Israel.
The Israeli prime minister thanked Obama for opposing efforts in the United Nations to advance the Goldstone report, which accuses Israel of war crimes during last winter's Gaza war, for sustaining the U.S.-Israel security relationship, and for leading international efforts to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Obama was due to address the GA in Washington on Tuesday, but canceled to attend a memorial service in Texas for victims of the shooting rampage at a military base in Fort Hood last week.


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Panda cub born at San Diego Zoo
SAN DIEGO – A 20-year-old giant panda has given birth at the San Diego Zoo, and it's a record.
Officials say it's the sixth cub born at the zoo to Bai Yun, the most at a breeding facility outside of China.
Zookeepers and researchers watched the birth Sunday afternoon via a closed circuit camera mounted inside the birthing den.
In a blog post, zoo officials say Bai Yun immediately scooped the cub into her arms and comforted the newborn.
Because of Bai Yun's advanced age the pregnancy was considered high risk, but zookeepers say mother and baby are doing fine.
The sex of the cub won't be known for several months.
It will be a while before Bai Yun and the new cub are on display but the public can glimpse them on the Panda Cam at the zoo's website.


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Main Event coming to Sugarloaf; Winning riders will qualify for Burton US Open
CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Maine — The Main Event snowboard competition, the premier snowboard series for amateur and professional riders on the East Coast, will make a stop at Sugarloaf on Sunday, February 15. The event showcases New England's top professional and amateur riders as they compete for cash, prizes, and a chance to win a wild card invitation to the 2009 Burton US Open.
The weekend will also feature a "Mini Main Event" for riders age 13 and under, who will compete for a chance to win an invitation to the Junior Jam at the US Open.
"This is a marquis snowboard event for east coast riders, and a great way for Sugarloaf to showcase the work we've put into our terrain parks," said Jay Scambio, Terrain Park Development Manager for Boyne Eastern Resorts. "We committed a lot of resources to our terrain parks this year, and we're excited to have a big name competition like the Main Event to show it off."
Now in its sixth year, the Main Event is a slopestyle type competition, in which riders are judged for their style and technical ability on one jump and a choice of two different rails. Riders are allowed two runs, and count only the best one of the two.
Riders compete in male and female categories, are divided into "Heavyweight" (professional) and "Lightweight" (amateur) divisions. Heavyweights compete for cash and a shot at the US Open invite, while lightweights compete for prizes. The top male and female finishers move on to the Finals, which will be hosted at sister resort Loon Mountain, NH on Feb 28. The top overall finishers in the pro division will receive an invitation to the 2009 Burton US Open.
Rider registration will take place the morning of the event. For more information on the Main Event series, visit www.maineventseries.com.
For information on Sugarloaf and for event lodging rates, visit www.sugarloaf.com or call 1.800.THE.LOAF.


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Builders of the JRuby version of the Ruby programming language are working to enable development of Ruby-based business applications for the Android handheld platform, a leader of the JRuby project said on Monday afternoon.
A tool set featuring libraries and application-packaging capabilities along with speed enhancements to JRuby itself are in development, said Charles Nutter, JRuby architect at Engine Yard. JRuby is an implementation of Ruby for the Java Virtual Machine.
[ Neil McAllister says that with developers angry at Google, the party is over for Android. | Check out InfoWorld's look at how scripting languages are sparking a new programming era. ]
"Android runs Java, and anywhere that Java goes, JRuby can go, so we've been working on Android support for Ruby," Nutter said. JRuby already runs on Android via the Dalvik JVM, but further improvements are needed to enable application development, Nutter said. Currently, only simple systems like an interactive console can run on Android via JRuby.
If the project comes to fruition, applications could be built for Android, such as a Twitter client or perhaps a personal information manager or mail client, he said.
"We'd like it to be possible to build any application [with JRuby] that they would build with Java on Android. That's the goal," he said. The project, though, has just started and its release will be demand-driven, Nutter said. The tool set would be added to JRuby itself.
Android handhelds are becoming more popular, Nutter noted. Motorola, for example, introduced its Cliq Android device last week.
Nutter and colleague Tom Enebo recently left Sun Microsystems to carry on with JRuby development at Engine Yard. Sun is in the process of being acquired by Oracle, which fostered an uncertainty about Oracle's commitment to the JRuby project, Nutter explained.
"We really didn't have any evidence either way," about whether or not the project would be picked up once Oracle took over Sun, he said.
With the merger proceeding, JRuby developers at Sun could not talk about future endeavors, said Nutter. "That certainly put a damper on our plans," as far as talking about the project itself, he said.
Meanwhile, Nutter and colleagues will conduct a JRuby technical conference, called JRubyConf, in Burlingame, Calif., November 22, beginning the day after the RubyConf event in the same location. The JRuby core team will be featured along with sessions on topics such as Android support. Although the conference already is full, interested persons can get on a waiting list to attend, Nutter said.


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The women of the James Bond franchise have earned a place of esteem in pop culture all their own. Labelled "Bond Girls", the actresses of the Bond Franchise are scrutinized, discussed, ranked and rated. At their best, they've created characters that earn their own spot in Pop Culture, such as Pussy Galore or Honey Rider. At their worst, they've become jokes, such as Christmas Jones.
Here's my list of the best. Whether they were allies or adversaries, these are the women that illuminated the world of 007 the most brightly. Gorgeous, intelligent, capable, sometimes even deadly, these are the best that the franchise has to offer. The ten best Bond Girls ever!
As a special treat, later on today I'll post the ten worst as well, seeing as everyone loves to rip into the bad Bond Girls. 😀
Click through now though to check out my list of the ten best!


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The Silent Hill series has long been known as a terrifying yet quirky franchise, and it's also always been created by Japanese developers. Consequently, trepidation among the fans in regards to Silent Hill: Homecoming's new Western development team is understandable, but not altogether warranted. While the early stages of the game can be frustrating thanks to a fairly clunky combat system and seemingly cliche plotline, the latter portions mark a shocking about-face, delivering the kinds of twists and frights that have made the series so popular. Developer Double Helix definitely had a tough row to hoe, but you'll likely find that persistence in the face of questionable design choices early in the game pays off if you see Silent Hill: Homecoming through to any of its multiple endings.
Tone it Down
Immediately recognizable as soon as you begin Silent Hill: Homecoming is the near-perfect replication of the series' mood. Grainy filters slathering the camera with a gritty patina reminiscent of television static serve to provide a muted, dirty quality to the visuals. Similarly, the lighting advancements of the HD era are put to good use throughout Homecoming. Between atmospheric environmental lighting and the real-time shadows created by your flashlight you get a sense of creepy things moving just beyond your peripheral vision. Shadows cast by your flashlight have an eerie way of jittering and bouncing, enhancing the unsettling mood.
Silent Hill: Homecoming looks fantastic, and the disturbing locales of Shepherd's Glen are rendered brilliantly. Copious fog effects obscure faraway enemies but also your own presence, so they can be used as a tool for avoiding danger, making the fog as useful as it is visually appealing. Some of the early environments seem to labor under the strain of crushing cliche status (we've seen plenty of filthy hospitals and shadowy cemeteries in film and games, so those tend to seem like cheap tropes for establishing fear) despite their visual fidelity, but the more bizarre settings of the infamous nightmare dimension do not suffer from this issue.
The Plod Thickens
What is most odd about Silent Hill: Homecoming is that it sucks for a few hours and doesn't actually get around to being a good game until approximately mid-way through. Until the point at which you (extremely minor spoiler warning -- it's for a good reason, so just keep reading) leave Shepherd's Glen and enter Silent Hill itself, the plot comes off as trite and formulaic and the sludgy combat system feels like a frustrating obstacle. Yet, once Homecoming finally gets going its unique approach to the classic themes of the series and genuinely shocking plot twists begin to overshadow the quarrelsome combat.
It is a lot to ask of any gamer to trudge through roughly three hours of substandard gameplay in order to get the truly exciting and entertaining stuff, but the latter segments of Homecoming are worth it, especially for long-time fans of the series.


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DIY Topiary From Coconut Coir
On my previous post, I have shown you how to re-purposing a cooker pot into a flower-pot. Since I made the flower-pot for decoration purposes, so I have to fill it with some decoration to complete its look. And I want to make the decoration from recycling something.
I thought to myself that a green topiary would be great for the flower-pot. Give it a purpose. But what should I made it from? I can easily buy some fake petals or synthetic leaves, but what is the fun of it? I have to make the topiary from something unusual but easily found, free, and easy. I need something durable to give some roughness on the topiary surface, a texture. Then I straight away think of coconut coir. And it's cheap, well in my case it's considered free. Because I bought the young coconut for consumption, enjoyed the sweet coconut flesh and water, then save the coconut coir to be dried under the sun.
So, what do I need to make a coconut coir topiary?
- A young coconut coir
- A wooden stick
- A styrofoam ball
- Green spray paint
- Glue
- Cardboard protector
- A flower-pot
- Ribbons
How to make the coconut coir topiary?
- Dried the young coconut shell (under the intense sun) for couple of days, then shred the coconut coir, if it's not completely dry, dry it again for a day or until it is perfectly dry.
- Glue the shredded coconut coir onto the styrofoam ball until entire surface are covered nicely.
- Wrap the coconut coir ball with plastic wrapper tightly to have the coconut coir glued evenly and perfectly into the styrofoam. Let it sit for half day before unwrap it.
- Spray paint the coconut coir topiary with green spray paint.
- Do the same to the cardboard protector.
- Let it sit for a half day just to be safe.
- Fill the flower-pot with the painted cardboard protector. Then arrange it until tight as a good base and fluffy until it rise up a bit from the flower-pot.
- Connect the wooden stick to the styrofoam ball and to the cardboard protector base until it secure.
- Tie some beautiful ribbons with the color that you favor to the wooden stick, right under the topiary. I chose neutral colors since I made this simple green topiary, so I used yellow and ivory ribbons. Finished!
- You can use the topiary as an element to your home decor or party decor; can be as a center piece, a table or shelve decoration. It is suitable for spring or summer theme decor.
So, this is an easy and cheap project that anyone can do. The recycled flower-pot and the topiary from coconut coir, the topiary base from cardboard protector; together as a recycled decoration that cost you less. A Diy home decoration that comes from re-purposing three things.
Well guys, enough for today, I need time to explore my thoughts with more ideas to come out with new creations to share with you.
Note : I submit this project to Everybody Art Challenge (Pimp it – recycle), That's Crafty (A Summer's Day), Make My Monday (Go Green – up-cycle), Crafty Gals Corner (Summer colours), International Art And Soul (Nothing square or oblong), Altered Eclectics (Anything Goes)
See you again!
Explore your creativity!


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Dr. Steven Novella, why is this so hard to understand?
By J.B. Handley
I'd never heard of Dr. Steven Novella until I read his recent blog piece HERE rebutting Generation Rescue's recently introduced website, FourteenStudies.org.
I don't know Dr. Novella and I certainly have nothing against him personally, but I was stunned by the utter lack of knowledge and critical thinking that went into his critique of our new site. In general, I think the site so resolutely exposes the dirty underwear of the mainstream's weak science on the vaccine-autism debate that most critiques of the site seem to center around the idea that "you have no need to go look at the site, and please pay no attention to the dirty underwear behind the curtain…"
Before I explain why Dr. Novella is so wildly ignorant and off base when it comes to the topic of vaccines and autism, let's look a little more closely at who he is:
Dr. Novella is a clinical neurologist and assistant professor at Yale's school of medicine. His areas of specialization are neuromuscular disease and botulinum injections (see appendix below). He appears to have done both his undergrad and med school at Georgetown University. Looking at his biography on wikipedia (which he undoubtedly wrote himself), he became a doctor 11 years ago and turns 45 years old this July. It doesn't appear that autism, vaccines, immunology, toxicology, nutrition, or gastroenterology are part of his area of focus, expertise, or study.
I have been astonished by the culture of arrogance and elitism that medical schools appear to breed in their doctors and scientists. The culture tends to produce an "us vs. them" mentality, where doctors collectively back each other up on controversial issues, typically without understanding the issue for themselves. Somehow, if you have a medical degree and you practice conventional medicine, you get it, and if you don't, you don't.
Stephen Greenspan, a psychologist and expert on gullibility, explains this recurrent experience of smart people falling for the b.s. of others they relate to as due to "the tendency of humans to model their actions—especially when dealing with matters they don't fully understand—on the behavior of other humans."
I'm not intellectually intimidated by any of these jokers. Their degrees mean zippo to me, because I knew plenty of knuckleheads in college who went on to be doctors, and they're still knuckleheads (I also knew plenty of great, smart guys who went on to be doctors and they're still great, smart guys).
I chose a different path and went into the business world. In the business world, having a degree from a great college or business school gets you your first job, and not much else. There are plenty of Harvard Business School grads who have bankrupted companies and gone to jail, and plenty of high school drop-outs who are multi-millionaires. Brains and street-smarts win, not degrees, arrogance, or entitlement.
On of the most fascinating aspects of the autism epidemic is how the mainstream health community seems to get away with a stunning paradox: they are so damn smart that they are certain as to what doesn't cause autism, but they haven't a clue as to what does. How can that be? Why aren't the smarts being applied to finding the cause?
* *
For those of you who haven't read it, FourteenStudies.org is a website that not only deconstructs the myth that "the science has spoken and vaccines do not cause autism" but also is the only place on the web where you can actually find all the scientific studies the other side makes reference to. As I have written about repeatedly, the mainstream medical community, and people like Dr. Novella, continually misrepresent what has and hasn't been studied, make glaring over-generalizations, and falsely reassure parents that the science has been done to study the possible relationship between vaccines and autism. They seem perfectly willing to set aside any critical thinking of their own, and reference studies that don't remotely do what they claim they do, because, dammit, they know more than you do.
Consider the following:
Children receive 36 vaccines by the age of 5 in the United States. Of those 36 vaccines, 2 have ever been studied for their possible relationship, the two doses of the MMR. But, children receive 23 vaccine BEFORE THEIR FIRST MMR SHOT, and no work whatsoever has been done to consider these other vaccines and their relationship to autism.
According to the CDC's website, vaccines contain 53 separate ingredients, but only 1 – thimerosal – has ever been looked at in terms of its relationship to autism.
At my son's 2-month vaccine appointment, he received the following vaccines simultaneously: Hep B, Rotavirus, DTaP, Hib, PVC, and Polio. He developed eczema, was lethargic for weeks, and went on to develop autism. Have any of these vaccines or the co-administration of so many vaccines ever been considered for their relationship to autism? Not remotely.
The science that has been done to date to look at the relationship between vaccines and autism has only been done to quell legitimate concerns raised By SafeMinds (thimerosal) and Dr. Andy Wakefield (MMR), it's never been done to answer the recurrent testimonials, now numbering in the hundreds of thousands, of parents who lost their kids to autism after vaccine appointments.
Back to Dr. Novella. His critique of FourteenStudies.org seems to be largely based on the naïve idea that his colleagues couldn't possibly be mistaken on this issue, which means that I must be:
"It is also remarkable that Handley himself quotes many professional, expert, and advisory bodies who also have read the studies and concluded that they overwhelmingly support the conclusion of a lack of correlation between vaccines and autism - including the Centers for Disease Control, the American Academy of Pediatrics, The American Medical Association, the Institute of Medicine, and the March of Dimes. Handley casually and self-servingly assumes that all of the professionals in these organizations are incompetent or they are lying."
"And keep in mind what it would mean to lie on this issue - Handley believes that many doctors who have chosen the career path of public health are deliberately condemning millions of children to autism simply to avoid admitting past error, because they cannot face the horrible truth, or to receive their Big Pharma kickbacks. It's no wonder their rhetoric often become hysterical - they really believe this is going on. For some reason it is easier for them to believe this astounding horrible claim than even consider the possibility that perhaps they have misinterpreted the science and that trained experts who have dedicated their lives to understanding the science may know better. This is what we call the 'arrogance of ignorance.'"
Arrogance of ignorance? Dr. Novella asserts, "I personally know of many people, including myself and David, who have both read all the studies and are telling the truth about our opinions that they do not support a link between autism and vaccines."
He's read the studies. The ones that cover 2 of 36 vaccines, 1 of 53 ingredients, never consider unvaccinated kids, and are almost all funded by conflicted parties and they clearly show ALL VACCINES don't cause autism? And I'm the ignorant one?
Taking his ignorance to a new level, Dr. Novella then chooses to defend, as one example, one of the Danish studies looking at the relationship between thimerosal and autism. You can read about a critique of that study HERE. He concludes:
"In addition to a lack of correlation between thimerosal and autism, this study supports the conclusion that the rise of autism rates in the 1990s and beyond are due to changes in the definition of autism and efforts to make the diagnosis in the population. That is the common element between Denmark and the US. Exposure to thimerosal and the vaccine schedule differed between these two countries, and yet autism rates were similar."
And, in making his point, this is the only study Dr. Novella points to. To summarize, Dr. Novella demonstrates an incomprehensible level of ignorance in the following four ways:
1. He argues that I suffer from the "arrogance of ignorance" because many of his self-interested colleagues disagree with me and they must surely be right. Do I really need to cite the thousands of examples in human history where the consensus of the day turned out to be wrong? He calls himself a "skeptic" but I'm wrong because his friends think I'm wrong and surely my brain is not as big as theirs?
2. He cites a study that solely looks at the relationship between thimerosal and autism (1 of 53 ingredients in vaccines) as PROOF that "vaccines do not cause autism." This is a reckless over-generalization that has no basis in fact.
3. Of all studies, he chooses to defend the Madsen Denmark study (see above) that has without question the most egregious data-trick ever used in a thimerosal-autism study, and a study that has even been discredited by the CDC and NIEHS as "unhelpful."
4. He states that "autism rates were similar" between the US and Denmark. Yet, a fifth grader could look at the Madsen study he himself cites and read on page 605 of the study that the autism rate in Denmark was under 5 per 10,000, while the U.S. rate is somewhere between 60-100 per 10,000, which means our rate of autism is 12-20 times higher than Denmark's, which would mean our rates are "similar", so long as you define similar as the U.S. rate being twenty times the rate of Denmark.
Dr. Novella claims to be a scientist. For all I know, he is great at neuromuscular disease and injecting botox. When it comes to vaccines and autism, his "critique" of FourteenStudies.org demonstrates an unacceptable level of ignorance, non-critical thinking, and parroting of the words of others. My only guess for why Dr. Novella would publish such rubbish is that he knows his friends demonstrating similarly narrow and misguided views will tell him how smart he is.
As an aside, Dr. Novella does appear to have expertise at injecting the botulinum toxin in people's bodies, as his webpage characterizes this as an area of expertise:
"Yale Neurology provides diagnostic and therapeutic treatment of patients with hyperactive neurological disorders, such as cervical dystonia, hemifacial spasm, blepharospasm, limb dystonia and spasticity. Using both botulinum A (BotoxTM) and botulinum B (MyoblocTM) toxin, we will evaluate and design a treatment plan for patients and work with referring physicians to assist in their care."
Wikipedia tells me many interesting things about botulinum including this winner: "Despite Botulinum toxin being one of the most lethal naturally occurring substances known to science, it is still widely used for cosmetic purposes in a purified and isolated form."
"In September 2005, a paper published in the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology reported from the FDA saying that use of Botox has resulted in 28 deaths between 1989 and 2003, though none were attributed to cosmetic use."
"On February 8, 2008, the FDA announced that Botox has "been linked in some cases to adverse reactions, including respiratory failure and death, following treatment of a variety of conditions using a wide range of doses," due to its ability to spread to areas distant to the site of the injection."
"In January 2009, the Canadian government warned that botox can have the adverse effect of spreading to other parts of the body which could cause muscle weakness, swallowing difficulties, pneumonia, speech disorders and breathing problems."
J.B. Handley is co-founder of Generation Rescue.


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When anatomizing revolutions, it always pays to consult the whiskered old veterans. Those trying to master a new language, wrote Karl Marx about the turmoil in France in the 19th century, invariably begin haltingly, by translating it back into the familiar tongue they already know. And with his colleague Friedrich Engels he defined a revolution as the midwife by whom the new society is born from the body of the old.
Surveying the seismic-looking events in Tunis and Cairo in January and February of this year, various observers immediately began by comparing them to discrepant precedents. Was this the fall of the Arab world's Berlin Wall? Or was it, perhaps, more like the "people power" movements in Asia in the mid-1980s? The example of Latin America, with its overdue but rapid escape from military rule in the past decades, was also mentioned. Those with longer memories had fond recollections of the bloodless "red carnation" revolution in Portugal, in 1974: a beautiful fiesta of democracy which also helped to inaugurate Spain's emancipation from four decades in the shadow of General Franco.
I was a small-time eyewitness to those "bliss was it in that dawn" episodes, having been in Lisbon in 1974, South Korea in 1985, Czechoslovakia in 1988, Hungary and Romania in 1989, and Chile and Poland and Spain at various points along the transition. I also watched some of the early stages of the historic eruption in South Africa. And in Egypt, alas—except for the common factor of human spontaneity and irrepressible dignity, what Saul Bellow called the "universal eligibility to be noble"—I can't find any parallels, models, or precedents at all. (Mubarak asked to be thought of as a "father," and found that "his" people wanted to be orphans.) This really is a new language: the language of civil society, in which the Arab world is almost completely unlettered and unversed. Moreover, while the old body may be racked with pangs, and even attended by quite a few would-be midwives, it's very difficult to find the pulse of the embryo.
In Eastern Europe by the end of the 1980s, one knew not only what the people wanted but also how they would get it. Not to diminish the grandeur of those revolutions, the citizens essentially desired to live in Western European conditions, of greater prosperity and greater liberty. It took one concerted shove to "the Wall" and they were living in Western Europe, or anyway Central Europe. The arms of the European Community and NATO were already more or less open, and everybody from East Berlin to Warsaw was already relatively literate and qualified, and I don't remember even a fingernail being lost by way of casualties (except in Romania, where a real Caligula had to be dealt with). Men such as Václav Havel and Lech Walesa, furthermore, had already proved that they were ready to assume the responsibility of government. Voilà tout!
In Portugal in April 1974, before the liberals in the army turned on the oldest Fascist dictatorship in Europe and broke open all the literal and metaphorical prison gates, there had been only one legal party. On May Day of that year, the Socialist and Communist Parties were able to fill the streets of the capital city. Within days, a conservative and a liberal party had been announced, and within a very short time Portugal was, so to say, a "normal" European country. Those parties, with their very seasoned leaders, had been there all along. All that was required was for the brittle carapace of the ancien régime to be shattered. The same happened in Athens a few months later: before my delighted eyes the torturers and despots of the military junta went to jail and the veteran civilian politicians came home from exile, or emerged from prison, and by the end of the year had held an election, in which the supporters of the former system of dark glasses and steel helmets were allowed to run and got about 1 percent.
Perhaps the most stirring single event of South African history was the aesthetically perfect moment in February 1985 when his jailers came to Nelson Mandela and told him he was free to leave. And he loftily declined! He would quit the prison when he was ready, and when the whole country had been released, and not a moment before. At that instant, the morons who had confined him became slowly aware that he was already the president of the republic and had in fact been in moral command of the office for some considerable time. Nor was it just a matter of his charisma. A well-rooted and experienced non-racial party, the African National Congress, had for years been saying to the apartheid authorities, with complete confidence: When you are finished running this country into the ground, we are absolutely prepared to replace you. In utero, and well into its third trimester, the new South Africa already existed.
In the Philippines in 1986, the lizard-faced goon Ferdinand Marcos was deposed by massive civil disobedience following a fixed "snap election" and replaced by Corazon Aquino, the widow of a man—Benigno Aquino—who had been murdered for threatening to win the previous one. A short while before that, I went on a plane to South Korea with the forcibly exiled Kim Dae Jung, who had narrowly escaped assassination after coming in second in a rigged poll some time earlier. We were all arrested and roughed up at the airport, and one of the largest welcoming crowds I have ever seen was broken up by rubber bullets and tear gas (some things never change), but Kim Dae Jung was leader of the opposition within a few years, and was elected president not long after that.
Not a single one of these pregnant conditions, or preconditions, exists in Egypt. Neither in exile nor in the country itself is there anybody who even faintly resembles a genuine opposition leader. With the partial exception of the obsessively cited Muslim Brotherhood, the vestigial political parties are emaciated hulks. The strongest single force in the state and the society—the army—is a bloated institution heavily invested in the status quo. As was once said of Prussia, Egypt is not a country that has an army, but an army that has a country. More depressing still, even if there existed a competent alternative government, it is near impossible to imagine what its program might be. The population of Egypt contains millions of poorly educated graduates who cannot find useful employment, and tens of millions of laborers and peasants whose life is a subsistence one. I shall never forget, on my first visit to Cairo, seeing "the City of the Dead": that large population of the homeless and indigent which lives among the graves in one of the city's sprawling cemeteries. For centuries, Egypt's rulers have been able to depend on the sheer crushing weight of torpor and inertia to maintain "stability." I am writing this in the first week of February, and I won't be surprised if the machine—with or without Mubarak—is able to rely again on this dead hand while the exemplary courage and initiative of the citizens of Tahrir Square slowly ebb away.
Still, and for many of the same reasons, it is unlikely in the highest degree that the tremors will produce a ghastly negation: a Khomeini or a Mugabe who turns the initial revolution into a vicious counterrevolution. Egypt's tenuous economy is hugely dependent on hospitality to Western tourists. Perhaps one in 10 Egyptians is a Christian. To the nation's immediate south, in Sudan, millions of Africans have just voted to secede from a state that imposes Shari'a, and have taken most of the country's oil fields along with them.
Even if the peace agreement with Israel is abrogated, Egypt will never be able to fight another war with the Jewish state, or not without guaranteeing catastrophe. No wonder the voice of the Muslim Brotherhood turned out to sound so tinny. Does it seriously expect to take on any of the problems I have just mentioned, with its feeble, simplistic slogan, "Islam Is the Solution"? The mullahs in Iran were able to hijack the 1979 revolution because in the Ayatollah Khomeini they had a figure of almost Lenin-like authority, and because (with the covert consent of the smirking Baptist Jimmy Carter) Saddam Hussein did them the immense favor of invading one of their western provinces and cementing a hysterical national unity. The mullahs also were, and remain, partly insulated from the consequences of their economic folly by the possession of huge reserves of oil, barely a drop of which is to be found in the vicinity of the Nile Delta.
As we sadly remember, the Ahmadinejad crew in Iran was also able to retain power in the face of popular (mainly urban) democratic insurrection. It, too, was ruthless in the use of force and able to rely on the passivity of a large and fairly pious rural population, itself dependent in turn on state subsidy. Heroism breaks its heart, and idealism its back, on the intransigence of the credulous and the mediocre, manipulated by the cynical and the corrupt.
The same day on which I write was to have been a "Day of Rage" in Damascus, but that was an abject fizzle which left the hereditary Assad government where it was, while having regained much of what it had lost in Lebanon after the wretchedly brief "Cedar Revolution" of 2005. In Yemen there are perhaps five separate and distinct causes of grievance, from a north-south split to a Shiite tribal rebellion to the increasingly sophisticated tactics of al-Qaeda's local surrogate. This doesn't mean that the Arab world is doomed indefinitely to remain immune from the sort of democratic wave that has washed other regions clean of despotism. Germinal seeds have surely been sown. But the shudder of conception is some considerable way off from the drama of birth, and this wouldn't be the first revolution in history to be partially aborted.


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I currently have 287 apps on my Mac and dozens on my iPhone and iPad. But when I look closely, I must admit I haven't used a number of them in a while; in fact, I don't even remember what some are supposed to do. If you're like me, you know you could keep this collection of apps going forever, but if you're tight on storage space, or if you just want to tidy up your Applications folder, your iTunes library, and your iOS device's home screens, the time for a purge may be now. Here are some tips for finding and deleting apps you rarely use.
Root out unused apps on your Mac
My first rule of thumb, when cleaning my Mac, is to delete apps if I don't know what they do. That's generally a sign I haven't used them in a long time. (Make sure, before you delete any apps, that you have a backup or that you can re-download them. While this is the case for most apps, some may be older versions that are no longer available.)
If you want to see the last time you opened your applications, go to the Applications folder in the Finder, and switch to List view (if you're not already using that view) by either choosing View > As List, or pressing Command-2. You'll see columns showing the name of each app, the date it was last modified, and the size. But there's another useful column you can add to this view. Press Command-J and select Date Last Opened. When you do this, a Last Opened column appears. Click that column header to sort by date; the most recently opened apps will come to the top of the list. Click again to change the sort order so that the oldest dates appear first.
You may be surprised when you do this; I know I was when writing this article. I have apps on my Mac that I haven't opened since 2006, but that I keep around "just in case." Needless to say, these apps probably haven't been updated since then—in fact, when you update an app via the Mac App Store, its last-opened date will change to the current date.
Delete apps on your Mac
There are two ways to delete the Mac apps you don't need. The first, and simplest, is to simply select an app and press Command-Delete, which moves it to the Trash. If you want to delete apps you've installed from the Mac App Store, and some apps that you installed using an installer, you may need to enter an administrator username and password, if you're not the administrator of the Mac.
Some apps need to be removed with uninstallers that delete the app's support files, too. Examples of such apps are utilities that monitor your hard disk or network activity, security software such as antivirus or parental-control software, and apps that install menu-bar extras or other, additional tools.
If you have any doubts, check the software vendor's website for an uninstaller. Or, just use an uninstaller app. I favor Austin Sarner and Brian Ball's $13 AppZapper. It removes things like preference files and some other support files.
Purge old apps on iOS devices
With the limited storage space on your iPad and iPhone, it's almost always a good idea to clean house, especially because certain apps—such as games—can eat up several hundred megabytes apiece.
There are two ways to delete apps on an iOS device. The first is to tap and hold an icon until all your icons start wiggling. You'll see an X icon in the top-left corner of some of the app's icon. (Apple apps don't show that X icon—you can't delete them.) Tap on the X icon of an app you want to delete, then tap Delete in the alert that displays.
The other way to delete apps is through the Settings app. Tap Settings and then General > Usage. You'll see the amount of space that the top 11 apps use on your device. You can tap Show All Apps to display all the apps you have.
The space used by apps includes their files; so on my iPhone, the Music app tells me that it uses 24.2GB. If you find apps that you don't need any more, tap their names, then tap Delete App to remove them. Note that this removes apps and their settings. So if you delete Angry Birds—which will save enough space for a couple of albums' worth of music—you'll also delete the settings that store which levels you have completed.
Delete iOS apps in iTunes
Although deleting apps on your iOS device is easy, you can also do so in iTunes on your Mac. The Apps library houses all the apps you've downloaded—both free and paid—that you can sync to your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Since you can re-download these apps (unless some of them are removed from the iTunes Store), you can safely delete any you no longer use. Start by trying to remember which were free apps you downloaded just to try out. Then, target the games you no longer play.
You can't see the date you last ran an app in iTunes, but you can see the date you purchased it. When in the Apps library, click List in the navigation bar; then click n the Purchase Date header to sort the apps, as you did for the Finder earlier. Click again to sort by the oldest app. There's also a Date Added column; in some cases, the Date Added is before the Purchase Date and in others it's later.
Just because an app is old doesn't mean you haven't used it, of course. Check on your iOS devices to see if specific apps are there. You may have downloaded them, tried them out, then deleted them. If so, delete them from iTunes (select an app, press Command-Delete, then click Move to Trash).
It's a good idea to periodically rid your Mac and your iOS devices of apps you don't need. It's easy to do, and can save a lot of space.


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Seabed hunt for Malaysia Airlines jet stretches beyond week
SYDNEY — An air search for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet was suspended for a day due to stormy weather on Tuesday as the painstakingly slow sonar scanning of a targeted patch of seabed continued.
Up to 10 planes were to scour the ocean surface for debris on Tuesday over an area covering 49,500 square kilometers (19,000 square miles) centered 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) northwest of the Australian west coast city of Perth, the search coordination center said in a statement.
But the center later said the planes would be grounded due to poor weather related to a tropical cyclone developing north of the search area.
Ten ships were searching the ocean surface on Tuesday, while a robotic submarine was finishing its ninth mission scanning the silt-covered seafloor since the search for wreckage shifted beneath the waves on April 14.
The center said the U.S. Navy's Bluefin 21 had so far covered more than 80 percent of the 310-square-kilometer (120-square-mile) seabed search zone, creating a three-dimensional sonar map of the ocean floor. Nothing of interest had been found.
The 4.5-kilometer (2.8-mile) deep search area is a circle 20 kilometers (12 miles) wide around an area where equipment picked up a signal on April 8 consistent with a plane's black boxes. The plane's flight data and cockpit recorders' beacons were only designed to transmit signals for 30 days after a crash and their batteries are now presumed to be dead.
The search coordination center said the sonar scan of the seafloor in that area was expected to be completed sometime this week.
Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein has said that even if no debris was recovered, the scope of the search may be broadened or other assets may be used.
Radar and satellite data show the jet carrying 239 passengers and crew veered far off course on March 8 for unknown reasons during a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing. Analysis indicates it would have run out of fuel in the remote section of ocean where the search has been focused. Not one piece of debris has been recovered since the massive multinational hunt began.


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I discovered the "lists" feature on Twitter the night it came out…I was "working" – which is difficult to justify when you are unemployed, but I was busy for some reason!
Basically, a mini (but better in its own way) version of a FANTASTIC feature of TweetDeck, lists!…it's about time! I love that you can make the lists public or private. One of my categories is "BrandsILove" and the fact that ones ego can see how many lists you are on & who they come from, make Twitter even more of a social platform than before. (I am working on all my lists every day…currently there are only 4 in my "BrandsILove" category).
I was notified by Richard Newman that you are only allowed 500 people per list – honestly, another great idea. I am a believer that Twitter should be a place to gather & get smarter through the plethora of information that comes through on a minute-by-minute basis On the business side: Twitter is a place to get to know your current and future customers. It is not a place to spew the exact same message you put in a mass email or a billboard. It's called "social networking" for a reason.
Thank you Twitter for advancing and making the Twitter experience better for all. TweetDeck is FABULOUS, but it drains my little 4 year old system to where I can not run many items w/o 'ol Bessie shutting down, so this is great for those of us that use Twitter.com 90% of the time.
Next on the list? I would love to see an on/off button to auto refresh. Why on/off? Sometimes I don't need the distraction of the auto update (ahem: TweetDeck) but it would be great to have for @'s and DM's.


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Icy Dock MB668 External ScrewLess 2.5Inch HDD Enclosure Review
Storage/Other by jmke @ 2010-08-10
Icy Dock send us their latest compact external housing for 2.5inch HDDs. This unit features a sleek design and color scheme, comes with USB 2.0 and eSATA (optional). It has a complete tool less design and installation of a new HDD takes only a few seconds!


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On schedule to open December 1, The Alpina Gstaad will have 56 luxurious rooms and suites as well as three restaurants, including the first European outpost of MEGU; a traditional Swiss stübli and Restaurant Sommet with Michelin-star chef Marcus Lindner. A 21,500-square-foot Six Senses Spa, a Havana-inspired cigar lounge, a wine room and a private cinema are among the special features of this five-star property.
GSTAAD – In a village with more than its share of elegant and cozy chalets, The Alpina Gstaad stands out. In envisioning the first totally new luxury hotel to open in this Alpine village in 100 years, Hirsch Bedner & Associates (HBA) began with the principles of traditional Swiss chalet architecture and fashioned a contemporary interpretation using local materials from the Bernese Oberland, stone from the surrounding Alps and weathered timber from centuries-old farmhouses in Saanenland. Windowed towers crown four sides of the roof and, on the hotel's main floor, huge windows allow for plenty of natural light. Inside, guests can sit in front of a crackling fire, enveloped in soft furs and smooth leather, and gaze out to the stunning mountain views.
HBA even unearthed a back story for The Alpina Gstaad. According to local legend, God, wanting to rest during the final days of creation, laid his hand down on the last piece of untouched land and created Saanenland. Much much later in 1868, A.W. Moore, a British hiker and a central figure in the golden age of Alpinism made his first ascent in Saanenland and his reports began the attraction of visitors to the area. Today, the region retains the charm that has been a draw for more than 100 years. In picturesque villages, 500-year-old wooden chalets line winding cobble stone streets. Horse-drawn carriages carry visitors and residents through snowy landscapes. Cozy, fire-lit stübli restaurants welcome diners. You hear the bells before you see the cows ambling down the lanes.
"Thanks in part to strict preservation laws and stringent building codes, Gstaad has maintained its charm and authenticity. There is a reverence for tradition and a concern for preserving the region's architecture and customs," said Onno Poortier, the Owner's Representative and Advisor. "With HBA, we are bringing a modern sensibility to Gstaad in keeping with the tastes of today's discerning travelers," he explained.
The Alpina Gstaad experience begins before guests even enter the hotel. Approaching through an underground gallery lined with hand-chiseled Ringgenberg stone, they pass a waterfall before arriving at a subterranean porte cochère with a large oculus that brings in natural light. Weathered timber lines the walls and the beamed ceiling of the entrance and reception. A fire burns cheerily in the huge stone hearth made of massive boulders from local rivers. Columns are clad in Moore & Giles leather and embossed with a marquetry pattern. A large asymmetrical slab of polished wood hewn from a single fir tree serves as the reception desk. The contemporary furniture includes a B&B Italia piece, side tables by Lindley and black wooden stumps from Gervasoni. Rugs are of hand-tufted unbleached wool. Lighting is from Pinto Paris and floor lamps by Lorenzo Tondelli. A grand wood staircase with anthracite steel railings leads up to the lounge and public areas. Soft hand-stitched leather covers the glass balustrade. The intricately painted ceiling recalls those of Gstaad's traditional chalets. Behind the staircase, a wooden screen in the style of Saanenland farms diffuses light in lattice patterns.
After an invigorating day on the slopes, guests will head to The Alpina Gstaad's lounge. Its open fireplace, comfortable seating nooks, deep armchairs and inviting leather sofas make it a particularly appealing and cozy place for après-ski gatherings. Throughout the reception and lounge areas, lanterns cast soft atmospheric light. HBA designers have referenced many of the local customs and crafts from hand-painted wooden doors for the ballrooms to intricate embroidery on the armchairs. Quartz mined from Alpine crevasses has been transformed into bases for lamps, decanters and beer taps. Glass pendant lights resemble classic Swiss cowbells. Rugs and throws are fashioned from Saanenland goat hair and columns are sheathed in saddle leather.
Crafted of hammered bronze, the front of the bar reflects light and contrasts with the natural texture of the pine forming the top of the bar. The palette is in natural shades with accents of burnt crimson. Furnishings and fabrics are from Etro, Holland and Sherry and Casamance while furniture and fabrics are by Ralph Lauren, Zimmer & Rhode and Clarence House.
"We are taking the beautiful natural elements that surround The Alpina Gstaad to create a design which is unique and timeless and will resonate for many years to come, "said Inge Moore, Principal with Hirsch Bedner & Associates. "Every season in Saanenland has its own beauty. In our design for the hotel, we wanted to celebrate all the seasons making The Alpina Gstaad cozy in winter and fresh and airy in summer," she explained.
Guestrooms: Luxurious and High Tech
All 56 rooms and suites of The Alpina Gstaad are spacious with floor-to-ceiling windows leading to large terraces and magnificent views of the Alps. And no two rooms or suites are alike. With walls lined in rough fir wood and ceilings carved in traditional Swiss style, the bedrooms convey a warmth and authenticity. Contardi Italia re-fashioned the traditional leather straps that hold the cowbells into bedside lamps. An antique wooden chest sits at the end of the bed and a hand-painted wooden armoire holds the plasma TV and bar. Original artworks are by Emily Hesse, Ian Turnock and Sonja Aeschlimann. All rooms have the latest in intuitive technology including Wi-Fi, iPads, nail dryers and floor sensors that illuminate at night. The marble baths have showers and oversize tubs and TVs. Ranging from 610 to 1,020 square feet, 30 suites have stone fireplaces and 40-inch plasma TVs. At 4,300 square feet, the two-story Panorama Suite has three bedrooms, two wood-burning fireplaces, a huge veranda, its own private spa, sauna, exercise room and an outdoor Jacuzzi.
Comfort Food, Swiss Style
A traditional Swiss stübli serving fondue and raclette is as homey as an alpine farmhouse with rough hewn walls and wooden tables, chairs and cupboards with checked curtains at the windows. A communal buffet recalls the large kitchen tables in traditional Swiss alpine homes.
Serving meals throughout the day, Restaurant Sommet is flooded on two sides with natural light thanks to its corner location. HBA designers have struck a fine balance showcasing Saanenland culture and traditions with a fresh contemporary vibe. The magnificent ceiling is intricately carved from antique timber. Large timber beams line the walls and hand-tufted rugs made of New Zealand wool cover the wood planked-floor. Wrought iron chandeliers, custom-designed leather chairs by Giorgetti and fabrics by Pierre Frey and Knowles & Christou add modern style. Handmade local crockery and crafts decorate the shelves making this "heart of the home" even more welcoming. Outside, guests can dine on the stone terrace while a fire pit keeps them snug and warm as they take in the stunning mountain scenery.
From Havana to Hollywood: Cigars and Cinema
A cigar lounge, as if transported from pre-Castro Havana, is authentic right down to the Montecristos. The dark wood and leather decor has glamorous accents from the 1930's and fabrics from Loro Paina and De La Cuona. The Wine Room displays 1,000 bottles, and an antique cheese table accommodates eight for wine tastings. In the Private Cinema, guests can enjoy 3D movies in 14 oversized leather armchairs. The Children's Playroom has a tree house as well as a slide and a media center to keep the young ones occupied.
"We want to ensure that guests experience luxury that is truly Swiss in flavour and which reveals the refined and sophisticated character of Gstaad," noted Nathan Hutchins of HBA London. "We are creating a hotel that will be synonymous with a real sense of place, redefined to captivate the next generation," he explained.
Hand Crafted By Architects and Artisans
One of the most respected architecture and interior design firms in the Swiss Alps, Jaggi & Partner AG, was the first to be hired for the luxury development which includes The Alpina Gstaad, private apartments within the hotel and three chalets. For more than 30 years, its architects have specialized in designing luxury hotels and private chalets marrying tradition and craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology.


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OK fine, so maybe I convinced my little brother the potted plant in the corner of the family room was poisonous and he'd go blind should he ever so much as brush up against it. Guilty.
And sure, perhaps I played "barbershop" with him using real scissors. So sue me.
And yes, OK, I admit convincing him he was Chinese (he's not) may not have been my greatest moment. Water under the (Yangtze River) bridge.
But come on – what do you expect? I was the older brother (by five solid years) and so yep: He was going to get the short end of the stick. And the long end. Basically, if there was a stick, I was going to beat him with it.
Today, we're adults, and it's abundantly clear my terrorizing of him as a child has left no lifelong scars. He's fine now, even allowed out on weekends. (Rimshot, please!) But yes. He's fine. More than fine. Finemore. He's a successful husband and father with a robust, highly lucrative career doing something I have no idea. It's with computers and the stock market I don't know. Doesn't matter. What does matter is this: Old habits die hard. So when I see him – he lives out west – we sometimes slip into our old roles. Or, more precisely, I'll slip into my old role. I'm big brother, hear me roar!
Of course, as we've grown older and the actual age difference between us becomes less of a factor, he's prone to surprising me at times. Like a few years ago when I was giving him a good one-two and he decided to go three-four on me and lift me up into a fireman's carry, spin me around, and drop me to the ground. (He's smaller, but stronger than me.) Was it a shock? I suppose it was. But even then I don't know. I stood up, dusted myself off, wiped the tears from eyes, and remained: The big brother.
Which brings me to the Super Bowl. Baltimore vs. San Francisco. The Ravens vs. the 49ers. John Harbaugh vs. Jim Harbaugh. Older brother vs. younger brother.
Now, while the Harbaugh brothers are only a year apart, I'd bet my brother's bottom dollar that growing up, the John the Elder was still the big brother over Jim the Younger. There's just no way it could be any different. Big brothers lord over little brothers. Period.
Look at Cain and Abel, for instance, mankind's first brothers. Quick Q&A
Who's the older brother? Cain.
Who gets royally pissed off at his younger brother, Abel? Cain.
Who gives atomic wedgies to Abel until he kills him? Cain.
This is historical fact, people. Unarguable and unassailable. Trust me. I'm an older brother, and so I know.
And so my point, in case you're a dopey little brother and haven't guessed by now, is take the Ravens +4. You won't even need the points. There is no way on Lombardi's great green Earth younger brother Jim defeats older brother John. Of course, I know it's the players who will ultimately decide the fates of the brothers, but I'm telling you: No way an older brother lets his younger brother beat him on a stage like this. No way, no chance, no how.
Now as I said earlier, younger brothers are known for surprise, so anything can happen, but believe me, in the back of young Jim Harbaugh's mind rests the possibility that he might, in fact, be Chinese.
Mortal lock, folks. Ravens 26, 49ers 24.
Read Jeff Edelstein every Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He can be reached at email@example.com, facebook.com/jeffreyedelstein and twitter.com/jeffedelstein.


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Using real footage and sounds from a working science lab, the Inside Knowledge team have reconstructed the White Stripes song Seven Nation Army from scratch. Here's the video:
This is an open thread, for general discussion of any topic as long as you adhere to our commenting policy. Feel free to suggest links, ask questions, share videos, comment on older stories whose individual comment threads are closed, or anything else that tickles your fancy.


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The Los Angeles Times has been awarded slightly more than $266,000 by an arbitrator in its lengthy dispute with photographer David Strick, according to a court document obtained by TheWrap.
The award accounts for attorneys'' fees and court costs incurred by The Times in its legal battle with Strick, which began in May 2011, when Strick filed suit against the paper.
Also read: Judge Dismisses Photographer David Strick's Suit Against Los Angeles Times (Exclusive)
The case was decided in June, when retired judge Peter D. Lichtman, the arbitrator in the matter, dismissed Strick's claims.
"Judge Lichtman properly found that the Times was entitled to recover the substantial cost it incurred in defending against Mr. Strick's meritless lawsuit, and recognized that the conduct of Mr. Strick's counsel contributed to the high cost of this litigation," Kelli Sager, who represented the paper in the matter, told TheWrap in a statement.
Strick began providing photographs for the Times in 2007. The Times chose not to pick up his option in May 2010, but continued to use the photographs that Strick had taken while under contract to the newspaper. Strick attempted to block the Times from doing so, claiming that he owned the copyright to the photographs. The paper refused, citing a Services Agreement that Strick had entered into.
While the agreement between Strick and the Times called for a "quick and efficient resolution" of all disputes, Strick chose to sue in U.S. District Court rather than pursue arbitration.
Also read: Photographer David Strick's L.A. Times Copyright Suit Pushed Into Arbitration
"For reasons which remain inexplicable, claimant (Strick) chose to abandon and distance himself from the controlling licensing agreement as well as the agreed upon dispute resolution mechanisms contained therein," Lichtman wrote in his award decision. "Importantly, Strick did not just abandon the contract; rather, he affirmatively chose to pursue a path that would trigger the very relief that he now wishes to oppose. Strick repeatedly asserted that the claims he wished to pursue and those identified in the District Court action are copyright in nature and as such were not and could not have been intended to be part of the licensing agreement as those terms were written … Again, the licensing agreement does not provide any restriction as to the nature of the disputes or controversies. Strick was free to pursue his claims of copyright infringement in the arbitration forum; however, he chose not to."
Lichtman also noted in his decision that Strick had missed the 90-day statute of limitations to pursue arbitration once a claim is made, noting that a formal claim for grievance was made by Strick's attorney, Karen Moskowitz in a Sept. 8, 2010, email, giving Strick until Dec. 8, 2010, to demand arbitration.
"This was not done," Lichtman wrote in his decision. "Instead, Strick chose to ignore the agreed-upon resolution method and file his District Court complaint. In so doing, Strick gambled that a motion to compel arbitration would either not be pursued or granted."
A federal judge ordered the case into arbitration in August 2011.
Moskowitz told TheWrap that Strick plans to appeal the decision.


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Keeping up with the news is pretty much a full-time job these days. Thankfully, recommendation services like Zite and Flipboard have figured out some ways of keeping their users informed without overloading them with information. Ideally, though, a recommendation service wouldn't just learn about the articles you read in a certain app and what you or your friends share on Twitter or Facebook, but it would also look at what you read in your browser throughout the day.
Msgboy is trying to do just that. It reads what you read as you browse the Internet and automatically subscribes you to the sites you regularly visit. It then ranks new stories based on how interesting they will likely be for you and notifies you whenever it detects a new and potentially interesting story. Msgboy only works in Chrome right now, but will soon support other browsers as well.
The company behind Msgboy is Superfeedr, which is better known for providing real-time feed publishing and ingesting infrastructure to developers and publishers than consumer-facing products. I talked to Superfeedr's founder Julien Genestoux earlier this week and he noted that Msgboy wants to be a "new kind of homepage" that learns from its users' actions and shows them the news they missed while they were away from their computers.
At the same time, though it is also a way to bring the power of technologies like PubSubHubbub, XMPP and websockets to regular users, as well as a way to improve Superfeedr's own infrastructure. Msgboy, Genestoux told me, helps Superfeedr understand what's popular or which feeds are likely spam, for example, and then surface this information to its own subscribers (all while ensuring its users' privacy, of course).
While Msgboy will try to understand your preferences by itself, it also offers users +/- buttons to voice their preferences. I found that a little bit of training goes a long way in helping the service give significantly better recommendations.
Msgboy's code and database isn't stored in the cloud, by the way. It only runs in your browser – not on the service's own servers.
Another nice privacy-related aspect of the service is that it's completely open source. If you're so inclined, you can get the code from GitHub and compile it yourself. Given that Msgboy always watches over your shoulder as you browse the web, making the code open source should make users feel more secure about running it without the fear of divulging their private data to a third party.
Genestoux gave us 250 invites for our readers. Just click here to download the Chrome plugin and claim yours (note: the download will immediately start after you click on the link).


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Accused drugged driver was letting 8-year-old drive car, deputy says
A Milwaukee woman is accused of letting her 8-year-old steer her car while driving under the influence of drugs, the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office said.
Deputy Whitney Hendon first spotted the Mazda CX-9 entering the on-ramp at West Fond du Lac Avenue to go southbound on state Highway 145 around 2:30 p.m. Thursday.
"The motions were jerky like she was turning but looking at something else," Hendon said. "It wasn't something a typical driver would do."
The deputy pulled beside the SUV and said she saw the child sitting on the mom's lap with his hands on the steering wheel. The mom, Carrie Bernard, was using the pedals.
Hendon said neither of them were wearing seat belts. By the time she pulled them over and walked up to the SUV the deputy said the child was already in the passenger seat, buckled in, with a dog sitting on the seat right behind him.
"She stated there was no one who operated the car other than her. That's when the small child began to cry," Hendon said. "He said, 'I don't want to go to jail.'"
Bernard refused to cooperate with the deputy until a supervisor arrived at the scene. Dash camera video shows Bernard failing a field sobriety test.
"It was concerning to me the mom would risk her 8-year-old child so she could operate a vehicle," Hendon said. "You're risking your child and the public. It's scary to think about."
Bernard's in jail and the child is with Child Protective Services.


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OKLAHOMA CITY — Kaitlyn Thumann doubled and scored on an error in the bottom of the eighth inning as Baylor rallied from a seven-run deficit to stun Kentucky 8-7 on Saturday night in an elimination game in the Women's College World Series.
Baylor (49-15) advanced to play fifth-seeded Florida on Sunday. The 13th-seeded Bears would have to beat Florida (52-12) twice to advance to the best-of-three finals.
Much like the regular-season basketball game between the women's powers — which Kentucky won in four overtimes — the WCWS matchup had all sorts of twists and turns."Wow," Baylor coach Glenn Moore said. "I won't forget that one until I forget who I am. These girls are incredible. They just didn't quit believing. For five innings, we weren't even in the game. That's why you play seven, I guess. I just thought we were facing a team destined to win and [there was] nothing we could do about it.
"Three outs to go and thinking there's not much hope, I turned to my little boy in the dugout and said, 'You're not going to cry after this, are you?' He said, 'Cry? We're going to win!" I was like, "Yeah!" It was just unbelievable execution and fight from these girls."
Kentucky (50-19) led 7-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth, but Kelsey Nunley (30-11) — who allowed just three hits to that point — gave up six singles during a three-run rally for Baylor. Ari Hawkins led off the seventh with a solo home run to make it 7-4 and Robin Landrith's two-run, two-out double tied it.
In the eighth, after Thumann doubled, Hawkins bunted and Kentucky catcher Griffin Joiner's throw to first base caromed off Hawkins into right field, allowing Thumann to score.
"Right before we entered the field [in the sixth], our seniors pulled us together and said, 'Hey — this is not going to be our last game,'" Hawkins said. "I just took that to heart and I just was not going to go out losing. I just went up there and tried my hardest."
That made a winner of Baylor reliever Heather Stearns (15-4), who allowed one hit in 2 1-3 innings. Stearns also recorded the win earlier Saturday as the Bears eliminated Florida State 7-2.
Ginny Carroll, Emily Gaines and Krystal Smith homered for Kentucky as the Wildcats built their 7-0 lead.
Gaines and Carroll both homered off Baylor ace Whitney Canion (31-12) during a three-run second inning, with Smith — who went 3 for 4 — smashing a double in between. Carroll's homer ended Canion's day.
Carroll's RBI single in the fourth keyed a two-run inning for the Wildcats, who took advantage of an error by Thumann in right field. In the sixth, Smith homered just inside the left-field foul pole to make it 6-0. Christian Stokes later doubled with two outs and scored on the back end of a double steal, with Sylver Samuel taking second base.
But Baylor wasn't done.
The Bears answered with six hits — all singles — off Nunley in the bottom of the sixth. Linsey Hays, Jordan Strickland and Lindsey Cargill each had a run-scoring single and the Bears brought the potential tying run to the plate with two outs, but Thumann struck out to end the rally.
Nunley threw every inning for Kentucky during the postseason.
"At one point, I thought about putting one of our other pitchers in, but really, the mistake with me is that I didn't prepare them to come in," coach Rachel Lawson said. "The reason I went with Kelsey is because I'm comfortable [with her]. A change would have been great, but it would have been too unpredictable."