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What separates the top performers from everyone else? According to Smith graduate and Googler, Arhaan Saksena, MS '15, it's a focus on the big picture. "Always ask yourself, what is the larger problem that you're trying to solve?" It's crucial to define the overarching goal first, and work smartly to resolve the issue. Otherwise, you will end up spending time and resources on tasks that may not be aligned with the actual problem. It's about asking the right questions to tackle the right problems.
Prior to attending Smith, Arhaan obtained his bachelor's in computer engineering and worked for the multinational financial corporation American Express, and one of the "Big Four" accounting firms, Ernst and Young. With a few years of technical expertise under his belt, he recognized it was important to understand the impact of organizational decisions through business lens, which led him to Smith. During his time at Smith, he found his niche and leveraged opportunities that enabled him to build the skills necessary to be an expert in technical product sales. Arhaan was very involved with the efforts of building the Smith community through organizing social and networking events. Additionally, he collaborated with industry leaders to bring professional development workshops to Smith graduate students.
Arhaan's strong technical background, coupled with Smith's Masters of Information Systems program, provided a well-rounded education that helped hone his business acumen. This laid the foundation for Arhaan's career. He has always gravitated towards the business side of things, and the formal education allowed him to apply his knowledge and technical skills in a non-technical role. Arhaan stressed the importance of going off the beaten path and finding ways to set yourself apart. Ask yourself the question: What makes your brand different?
In addition to its global-perspective, Arhaan believes what makes Smith unique is a culture that is never satisfied with the status quo. To him, fearless ideas means the willingness to take risks and not being afraid to fail. Upon graduation, Arhaan was faced with the decision of taking a secure job from a big global firm in New York or pursuing an opportunity at a unicorn in its early stages in Silicon Valley. He took a leap of faith, packed up and moved to the west coast to work at Apttus, where he took on a lot of responsibilities and grew immensely in a short period time of time, which ultimately paved the way for landing his job at Google. Today, as a sales engineer, he helps enterprise customers transform their businesses and enable innovation through Cloud Computing. Forbes estimates the Global Cloud spending to reach $390B by 2020, Arhaan is fearless in the face of this opportunity and all the challenges it presents.

subset: commoncrawl


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Jhyanakuti (2017)
UA | 146 mins | Comedy | Nov 17, 2017
The movie is not rated yet!
The story revolves around a couple and their 8 months old child.This story takes place in Dhampus with magnificent fishtail as its backdrop.All the characters are fictional and get involved in the hilarious ride of the couple's life in the most funny and crooked way possible.
Director: Simosh Sunwar
Writer: Pradeep Bhardwaj
Casts: Saugat Malla , Benisha Hamal , Puskar Gurung


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Sherpath plus 1-Color Print for Leadership & Management in Nursing (Yoder-Wise Version), 7th Edition
Sherpath Plus 1 Color Print
Copyright: 2019
Imprint: Elsevier
List Price: $219.00
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In Stock
This item has low stock levels and may be back-ordered. We'll let you know if it is back-ordered, and you will not be charged until the item ships.


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So. The 30 day Yoga Challenge did NOT work at all…and by not work, my commitment to the task did not work..but not because of the programs, because I sucked at following them, and I think I know why….I was lazy and the same thing every day is boring SO let's try for a Plan B. Now, remember, just because doing yoga for 30 days in a row was not something I was prepared to commit to that does not mean it's something to shun completely, what works for me might not work for you, and that's OK too.
It takes 28 days to change a lifestyle however 28 days is a LONG time when you have not been physically active in a LONG time; it can be daunting to think that every day you have to do something active so I think it's important that you mix it up and have a few different options, not only to try new things but the key to being active is to enjoy it.
For me, I love MMA lessons, I used to love running and weight lifting and I want to get better at yoga so why not incorporate all four activities in the least overwhelming way possible.
My plan is simple, exercise every day, but not the same exercise every day. By my calculations using a series of four different ways of being physically active ideally
A: I won't be bored and can actually commit to a fitness regime and
B: having a range of different activities will keep the body guessing and might just help with some effective weight loss.
So, I guess if I'm telling you the plan, I need to tell you what I will USE for the plan.
Keep in mind, I do NOT get paid to advertise anything that I use or participate in and I WILL be honest about what is and is not working, but I will tell you where I get any equipment or find new programs. Also remember, I am no expert this is what I AM trying for ME if you decide to give it a crack then you have my full support, if you find something that works better for you, share with us.
- Activity One- MMA classes. One hour, twice a week. I will discuss this more as time goes on, I've only just started so in fairness I don't know what I'm talking about yet.
- Activity Two- The 30 Day Yoga Challenge as spoken about here– it's just going to take me longer than 30 days to complete it- and I'm OK with that. I will talk about this more as I go to to give you guys some insight about my progress.
- Activity Three- C210k running program. It's a three-day a week program that trains you to run 10 kilometers or 6.2 miles in 15 weeks. You can download the app of Google Play and ITunes.
- Activity Four- The BodyBoss Method. I have recently purchased this book and online program which runs for 16 weeks – four weeks pre training, 12 weeks training – and focusing on High Intensity Internal Training (HIIT). I was MEANT to start it 10 days ago on the 1st of December so by New Years Day I could have started the 12 weeks so I will try to catch up..but I make no promises….
I promise to continue to check in with you guys about how I'm going, I'll include body measurement and progress shots as well and any tips and tricks I pick up along the way and please ask me any questions about this you want. I want us to help each other, getting fit, exercising and generally trying to be a happier, healthier person is hard enough without us trying to bring each other down.
Alright guys wish me luck!


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Total Synthesis and Structural Revision of a Harziane Diterpenoid
2019-08-06T15:23:15Z (GMT) by
The first total synthesis of nominal harziane diterpenoid is disclosed, whose spectral characteristics did not match those of the reported natural product. Stereochemical analysis and subsequent synthesis of the epimeric tertiary alcohol led to reassignment of configuration of the natural product. At the heart of the synthesis is an enyne cycloisomerization that sets a key quaternary stereocenter within a cyclobutane with high diastereocontrol. The route features strategies for the synthesis of the highly congested 6–5–7–4 carbon skeleton characteristic of the caged harziane diterpenoids.


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Artist/poet Diane Walker invites you to return to your compassionate and peaceful center
Sunday, January 31, 2010
On breathing and space
-- Eckhart Tolle, Oneness With All Life
Fueled by my experience with the spirit doll the day before, I spent much of yesterday restoring energy to the little office (which used to be my laundry room) where my computer now lives. I put on some wonderful flute music (Desert Spirit), lit some incense (something I rarely do), and spent my time clearing surfaces, putting things away, and arranging what are essentially sacred objects around the space. And breathing: breathing new life into the space, and allowing it to breathe new life into me.
I found a little metallic bag, given me long ago in some circumstance I no longer remember, with a stack of sayings in it. The one I pulled from the stack said "Make Music," and since, in the cleaning, a number of recorders appeared, given to me over 20 years ago, I took the one whose range was closest to the music and played along with the CD, allowing the notes to breathe through me. I loved the vibration of that; it's been a long time since I felt that.
I'm nearing the end of Tolle's book now, and he's been talking a lot about space -- the space within me, but also the space within all things -- even a stone. "That 'empty space'," says Tolle, "is life in its fullness, the unmanifested Source out of which all manifestation flows. The traditional word for that Source is God." So I'm -- and actually, I suppose this flows out of the intention from last week, about stopping to breathe during the day -- attempting, when I stop to breathe, to feel the space inside me, and inside the things around me. I think of all the cells in me, and in the oak desk below my keyboard, and of the space inside those cells echoing with the presence of Holiness.
And when I do that, it feels like I'm breathing pure oxygen, scented with salt and pine; the oxygen I find when I am on my favorite island, in this space pictured here.
It was lovely; one of those rare times when doing and being coincide. I'm hoping I can carry that coincidence into other parts of my life.
And isn't that cool; that the root word for those coincidences, which we all love, is "coincide," as in doing and being coinciding?
3 comments:
- Maureen said...
Love reflection for a Sunday. Such a peaceful image, too.
- January 31, 2010 at 8:40 AM
- Joyce Wycoff said...
Oh, Diane ... you have inspired me to play with my space today! With music, with candles, with joy!
And, playing with words, coincide took me to co-inside ... being together inside ... being part of the great Inside ... partnering within the great Inside...
it almost gives me chills. Thanks, my friend.
- January 31, 2010 at 9:18 AM
- Dianna Woolley said...
"Even a stone...could show you the way back to God, to the Source, to yourself." - what a beautiful thought and for me a true one. I think it's why so many of us marvel and purposefully or inadvertently "gather" stones, shells, sea glass - it's a feeling of blessing and discovery and what better way to reach the source than reveling in tiny bits of creation.
- February 1, 2010 at 3:14 PM


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Heartfelt Condolences! Country Music Legend Mel Tillis Dies at the Age of 85
Homage to the late Mel Tillis!
Mel Tillis, a country music legend, dies at the age of 85 following a long illness in Munroe Regional Medical Center in Ocala, Florida on Sunday, November 19. The singer had been facing health complications including intestinal issues since early 2016, but a respiratory failure is suspected to be the reason for his passing away as per the PR's confirmation to CBS News,
"Tillis battled intestinal issues since early 2016 and never fully recovered. The suspected cause of death is respiratory failure."
Endless tribute messages and heartfelt condolences are being showered by various celebrities all over social media, regarding the tragedy of the loss of a legendary artist, Mel Tillis.
Man, one of the coolest guys in country music ever and an extraordinary songwriter! So glad I got a chance to hang out with him a bit early in my career. Thinking about his family... #MelTillis pic.twitter.com/C0opYMRCJX— Tim McGraw (@TheTimMcGraw) November 19, 2017
Kindest man I've ever known. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. Gonna be some great country music in heaven this Sunday #MelTillis pic.twitter.com/zDHDQfMCZU— Billy Ray Cyrus (@billyraycyrus) November 19, 2017
Country Music historian Rich Kienzle also shared his two cents on the sad news,
"He was a very good and very expressive singer when he was doing traditional country and as a songwriter, he had an ability to capture the feelings of the working person,"
Mr.Tillis is now survived by his partner, Kathy Demonaco and six children that he had from his previous marriages.
Tills was married to ex-wife, Doris Tillis from 1957 to 1977, with whom he shared five children, sons, Mel Tillis Junior, Connie Tillis, and daughters, Carry April Tillis, and Cindy Tillis including the singer and songwriter Pam Tillis. Similarly, his second marriage was with Judy Tillis, with whom he had a daughter, Hannah Tillis.
Don Murry Grubbs, Mel's representative also talked about how Pam is in utter sadness by the unfortunate loss of her father.
"Pam's father was dearly loved and one of a kind. Pam is deeply saddened by the passing of her father, Mel Tillis, last night. It was sudden and unexpected."
Caption: Mel Tillis with daughter, Pam Tillis.
Photo Credit: Newsbake.com
He had undergone surgery and treatment for a digestive disease back in January this year and was hospitalized in Nashville in 2016 for diverticulitis and underwent colon surgery.
The family members have said they would announce the funeral and remembrance services in both Florida and Nashville shortly.
The Country Music Hall of Famer, who began performing in the early 1950s with a group called 'The Westerners,' had released more than 60 albums throughout his entire career and earned three dozen Top Singles. Out of the hundreds of songs, the biggest hits were 'I Ain't Never,' 'Good Woman Blues' and 'Coca-Cola Cowboy.'
Caption: Mel Tillis's hit song 'Coca-Cola Cowboy.' (Published on May 13, 2013)
Besides writing songs for self, he also composed for many other artists in the music industry including Kenny Rogers, Bobby Bare, and Randy Travis to name a few. After joining the Grand Ole Opry, he earned a spot for himself into the Country Music Hall of Fame in October 2007.
Caption: May Mel Tillis' soul, be blessed with peace and serenity!
Photo Credit: DailyMail
Besides music, Mel has also appeared in movies like 'Every Which Way But Loose' with Clint Eastwood, 'W.W. & The Dixie Dancekings,' 'Love Revival,' and few others.


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Each year we recruit Student Leaders at The Macclesfield Academy and this year we have appointed Year 10 as well as Year 11 students into that group. Our Student Leadership Team represents and supports the student body in a number of ways across The Macclesfield Academy. Roles include helping out at breakfast club, paired reading, being the Student Voice in Student Council, speaking in assemblies and representing the school during Open Evenings.
Our senior student leadership team for the academic year 2019- 20 is
|Head Girl
|Sophie Halsall-Secker
|Head Boy
|Sam Moss
|Deputy Head Girls
|Nadida Adam & Leah Hanaghan
|Deputy Head Boys
|Brenden Goodwin & Elliot Wiss
The full list of Student Prefects is as follows:
Charley Ball
Kimberley Chadwick
Amy Edwards
William Harrison
Charlie Jackson
Ashlea Kingdon
Edward Massey
Faith Oliver
Samuel Potts
Tyler Smith
Jay Stanier
Jack Van Vliet
Ben Ward
Charlie Wiss
Becky Jackson
Jodie O Brien
Evie Barber
Aurora Cassano
Kaitlin Havard
Nadine Sotero
Chelsea Johnson
Leah Heath
Alice Lobley
Faith Oliver
Edward Massey
Liam Belford
Leila Carter
Joe Lomas
Amber Carter-Delight
Sarah Whittaker
Trinity Johnstone-Reid
Tamara Gill
Ethan Owen
Harry White
Charlie Hogg
Chloe Vickers
Jason Bailey
Erin Newsome
Maisie Whittaker
Sharnagh Dennehy
Heather Gorton
James Walker
Willow Kidd
Eriska Thomson
Joe Martin
Kyle Fitzgerald
We wish the Prefect Team all the best in their endeavours across the Academy this year.
Richard Hedge, Headteacher


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Re: Mathematica: Weibull distribution fnc.
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg5377] Re: Mathematica: Weibull distribution fnc.
- From: axelrod at statwiz.com (Michael Axelrod)
- Date: Thu, 5 Dec 1996 14:50:18 -0500
- Organization: Statwiz
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
One uses all the distribution functions in Mathematica in pretty much the same way. You can calculate the density function or the cumulative distribution function at a point x by PDF[dist[args],x] or CDF[dist[args],x] where 'dist' a named distribution and 'args' determine the distribution. Usually 'args' will be a set of location- scale (mean standard deviation) parameters. Mathematica will also take moments. A good way to interpret what the args mean for a given dist such as the Weibull is to find the mean and variance with Mathematica-- Mean[WeibullDistribution[a,b]], Variance[WeibullDistribution[a,b]] then check with a statistics book to see how a and b relate to the mean and variance. Michael Axelrod In article <57648b$28t at dragonfly.wolfram.com>, Brian <riglinbd at ml.wpafb.af.mil> wrote: > I am trying to employ a Weibull distribution in one of the > notebooks I am working on. However, Mathematica provides > scant if any information on how to use this function. Could > some one with more experience than I please enlighten me as > to how the Weibull distribution function found in the > Statistics'ContinuousDistribution package is used. > > Thank you, > Brian Rigling


text: blog postsIllinois, French partners digitizing Proust's lettersDec 6, 2018 1:30 pm1063 views Illinois researchers and their French partners have created a website to make thousands of letters written by Marcel Proust available to the public.Illinois presidents: What made them agents of change?Dec 6, 2018 10:30 am322 views With the "Land of Lincoln" celebrating its bicentennial, a historian looks at the influence of four Illinois-connected presidents.English professor's first book tells stories of contemporary lives of black AmericansDec 4, 2018 8:00 am1507 views Illinois author Nafissa Thompson-Spires has received national recognition for her first book, "Heads of the Colored People," which uses humor and satire to tell the stories of black Americans.Historian tells new story about England's venerated 'Domesday Book'Nov 13, 2018 10:15 am1567 views An Illinois historian tells a new story about England's famous "Domesday Book" and what it tells us about the trauma of the Norman conquest.Communities with less variety in housing types have higher foreclosure rates, say Illinois researchersNov 6, 2018 8:45 am725 views Illinois researchers find that less variety in housing types leads to less stability and higher rates of foreclosures.Illinois slavery book author to speak Nov. 8 as part of bicentennial seriesNov 1, 2018 1:45 pm226 views Slavery in Illinois and the move to freedom will be the subject of a Nov. 8 lecture at the U. of I., part of a series commemorating the state's bicentennial.What does Brazil's recent election mean for its future?Nov 1, 2018 10:15 am518 views Brazilian expert Jerry Davila analyzes the country's election of a far-right president and what it might mean for the future.Book tells story of integrated Illinois town founded by former slaveOct 18, 2018 8:45 am1575 views A new book by Illinois information sciences professors Gerald McWorter and Kate Williams-McWorter tells how a former slave founded an integrated town in western Illinois that became a station on the Underground Railroad.Anderson to discuss 14th Amendment, citizenship, national identity in CAS Annual LectureOct 11, 2018 8:00 am526 views Illinois education scholar and dean James Anderson will deliver the Center for Advanced Study Annual Lecture on the 14th Amendment and citizenship, immigration and national identity.Hopis have made their mark in the world of running, author saysOct 1, 2018 11:45 am827 views An American Indian studies professor tells a story of Hopi runners who ran with and often beat the world's best.Archives exhibit documents role of Albert Lee, early advocate for African-American studentsSep 6, 2018 11:00 am804 views An exhibit at the University of Illinois Archives commemorates the contributions of Albert Lee, who is considered the unofficial first dean for African-American students.Our brains process irony in emojis, words in the same waySep 5, 2018 12:45 pm3259 views The brain processes ironic or sarcastic emojis in the same way it does ironic or sarcastic words.What should we make of the '68 Chicago Democratic Convention now?Aug 14, 2018 10:15 am1005 views A U. of I. political historian looks back 50 years at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago.Latinos on TV: Where are they? And when should we laugh?Aug 9, 2018 10:15 am1653 views Professor Isabel Molina-Guzman's new book examines the role of Latinos in TV sitcoms, as well as the changing form of the genre in a "post-racial" television era.Illinois lecturer receives Eisner Award for 'Kindred' graphic novel adaptationJul 31, 2018 9:15 am874 views University of Illinois lecturer and alumnus Damian Duffy won an Eisner Award for the graphic novel adaptation of Octavia Butler's science fiction novel "Kindred" that he created with U. of I. alumnus John Jennings.Using an electronic device counteracts benefits of taking a break in nature, researchers findJul 18, 2018 8:45 am2080 views Using a laptop negates the benefits that nature offers in recovering from mental fatigue, according to research from the University of Illinois.Nina Baym, pioneer in the study of American women writers, has diedJun 21, 2018 9:00 am2376 views Nina Baym, an internationally recognized scholar of American literature and a pioneer in the field of study of American women's writing, has died.Book recounts pillaging of rare illustrations from university librariesJun 18, 2018 9:45 am3057 views An expert on rare-book crimes tells the story of a thief who plundered libraries across the country, cutting irreplaceable antique illustrations from rare books.Book examines development of Hinduism, literary and social culture in NepalJun 14, 2018 10:00 am773 views University of Illinois religion professor Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz writes about Nepal's best-known Hindu narrative in her new book and what it tells us about the country's culture and the history of Hinduism there.Illinois research maps extreme-heat vulnerability in ChicagoMay 11, 2018 1:15 pm1535 views Two Illinois urban planning professors say responding to extreme heat waves has become more difficult in Chicago, as the most vulnerable residents have become more dispersed throughout the area.Germanic languages and literatures professor named Getty Residential ScholarMay 4, 2018 8:00 am324 views Illinois professor Mara Wade has been awarded a Getty Residential Scholar Grant. She'll use the residency to work on her book on the relationship between public monuments and cultural politics in the city of Nuernberg.Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Illinois acquires Isaac Newton manuscriptApr 30, 2018 12:45 pm5504 views The University of Illinois Rare Book and Manuscript Library has acquired a manuscript written by Sir Isaac Newton that includes instructions for making the philosopher's stone.Professor chronicles how Big Ten brought order to college football, then lost its wayApr 25, 2018 10:45 am428 views U. of I. historian Winton Solberg tells the story of the Big Ten's first half-century, focusing on the organizers and issues rather than on-the-field action.Washington University expert on religion, politics to give Thulin Lecture in ReligionApr 5, 2018 8:15 am363 views R. Marie Griffith, the director of the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis, will talk about political and religious disagreements surrounding sex when she delivers the annual Majorie Hall Thulin Lecture in Religion at the University of Illinois.Job of a Congress member not one size fits all, authors findMar 6, 2018 10:30 am758 views The job of a Congress member is not one size fits all, say two U. of I. political scientists. In fact, there are five "legislative styles."Illinois professor uses big data to research history of gender in fictionFeb 27, 2018 9:00 am791 views A big data research study by a University of Illinois professor shows a decline in the prominence of female characters in fiction and in the number of female authors from the 19th century to the 20th century.Portrayals of doctors in comics have become more realistic, nuancedFeb 20, 2018 8:45 am718 views Depictions of medical doctors in comics have become less stereotypical and more realistic, says Carol Tilley, a University of Illinois professor of information sciences and a comics historian and scholar.Emancipated blacks often targeted for relocation to the tropicsFeb 19, 2018 10:45 am524 views Every significant emancipation of black enslaved people in North America came with plans to relocate them to tropical areas, says a U. of I. historian.Doctors played a role in ideas about racial differencesFeb 6, 2018 9:45 am1114 views Physicians played a key role in defining racial differences in the age of slavery, planting ideas that have carried to the present day, says a U. of I. historian in a new book.University of Illinois librarian to help Puerto Rican libraries with disaster recoveryDec 21, 2017 4:15 pm2224 views Miriam Centeno, the collections care coordinator for the University of Illinois Library, will spend two weeks in January in Puerto Rico helping librarians assess and repair damage to their collections from Hurricane Maria.Six Illinois faculty members awarded NEH FellowshipsDec 13, 2017 3:00 pm3434 views Six University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign faculty members have been awarded National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowships for 2018. It is the third year in the last four that the Urbana campus has garnered more fellowship awards than any other single institution.U. of I. students propose designs to rehab Chicago industrial areaDec 13, 2017 8:00 am1214 views University of Illinois students developed ideas to revitalize an industrial area in Chicago, as part of an interdisciplinary collaboration involving graduate students in architecture, landscape architecture and urban and regional planning.Library adds 14 millionth book, will create display recognizing millionth volumesDec 11, 2017 3:00 pm838 views The University of Illinois Library has added its 14 millionth volume to its collection -- "The University of Illinois: Engine of Innovation" by Frederick E. Hoxie, a professor emeritus of history and American Indian studies, written to commemorate the U. of I.'s sesquicentennial. The Library will create a new, permanent display to recognize all its millionth volumes. New book explores housewives, food and consumer protests in 20th-century AmericaDec 4, 2017 9:00 am660 views The rising cost of meat and the power of housewives to agitate for a more equitable standard of living is the focus of a new book by U. of I. labor and employment relations professor Emily E. LB. Twarog.Events explore how technology, creativity interact to imagine the futureOct 25, 2017 8:45 am817 views A series of events at the University of Illinois called Speculative Futures will bring artists together with technology innovators with the goal of sparking new creative projects at the intersection of computer science and science fiction.Research looks at white working-class views on identity, race and immigrationOct 10, 2017 9:00 am1658 views A new research study presents a perspective on the social and political views of white working-class communities.Rare Book and Manuscript Library acquires papers of poet Haki Madhubuti and Third World PressSep 25, 2017 1:30 pm889 views The Rare Book and Manuscript Library at the University of Illinois has acquired a collection of papers from poet Haki Madhubuti and from the Third World Press/Third World Press Foundation in Chicago – the oldest independent black-owned publisher in the U.S.Pulitzer Prize-winning author to deliver Mortenson Distinguished LectureSep 11, 2017 9:00 am481 views Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen will talk about war, forced migration and refugees when he gives the 27th Annual Mortenson Distinguished Lecture at the University of Illinois.Vietnam War at 50: What has been the legacy of Agent Orange?Sep 5, 2017 11:30 am2709 views A historian looks at the Vietnam War herbicide Agent Orange and how it changed ideas about war wounds and the cause of birth defects.Did news coverage turn Americans against the Vietnam War?Sep 5, 2017 11:30 am11857 views News coverage of the Vietnam War did not have the effect on popular support that many believe, says a University of Illinois researcher. Book of essays considers how religions view other faithsSep 5, 2017 9:15 am794 views University of Illinois religion professor Robert McKim edited a new book, "Religious Perspectives on Religious Diversity," that explores how members of various religions view those outside of their faiths.Illinois campus explores legacy of the Russian Revolution in its centennial yearAug 29, 2017 9:15 am652 views The Russian Revolution marks its centennial this year and the University of Illinois, a leading center of Slavic studies, is exploring the revolution's legacy through a series of fall events.Illinois historian receives NEH Public Scholar award, career prize for military historyAug 3, 2017 9:45 am1029 views John Lynn, a professor emeritus of history at Illinois, has received a selective NEH Public Scholar award less than six months after receiving the highest career award in the field of military history.Researchers look at lessons learned from disaster recovery around the worldJul 31, 2017 9:30 am608 views A new book by Robert Olshansky, the head of the University of Illinois department of urban and regional planning and an expert in post-disaster recovery, details the lessons learned from disaster recovery all over the world that can guide governments in better responding to a large disaster. University of Illinois alumna to head Rare Book and Manuscript LibraryJul 25, 2017 11:45 am3285 views Lynne M. Thomas, who earned her master's degree in library and information sciences at the University of Illinois, has been selected as the new head of the U. of I. Rare Book and Manuscript Library.Illinois information sciences professor edits book about trigger warningsJul 21, 2017 8:00 am574 views Emily Knox, a professor in the University of Illinois School of Information Sciences, is the editor of a book that looks at the controversial topic of the use of trigger warnings in the classroom. University of Illinois hosting inaugural human-animal studies instituteJul 5, 2017 9:30 am611 views The University of Illinois is hosting a Human-Animal Studies Summer Institute -- the first of its kind in the emerging interdisciplinary field.Chancellor's Medallion awarded to three who have preserved University of Illinois historyJun 23, 2017 9:15 am1302 views The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will award the Chancellor's Medallion -- the highest campus honor -- to three men who have dedicated their professional lives to preserving the history of the university.Illinois Library celebrates poet Gwendolyn Brooks' birth centennial with interactive websiteJun 7, 2017 10:00 am886 views In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Gwendolyn Brooks, the University of Illinois Rare Book and Manuscript Library has created an interactive website featuring memories of Brooks and items from her papers housed at the U. of I.1970s program attempted to diversify Illinois library schoolMay 11, 2017 9:00 am928 views University of Illinois library professor Nicole Cooke wrote about the history of the Carnegie Scholars program -- an early 1970s effort to increase the diversity of Illinois' graduate library school.


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Voeg toe aan kalender
15 maart 2019 @ 20:00 – 22:00
ZID Theater
De Roos van Dekamaweg 1
1061HR Amsterdam
De Roos van Dekamaweg 1
1061HR Amsterdam
bring a snack
How does an international go about in a new city?
IthakaZa is a monthly jam session at ZID theater in Amsterdam West.
This month's theme is international night, which means it will be in English, especially for the creatives living in Amsterdam who do not speak Dutch but do want to show their work to an audience.
Are you interested in meeting new people and making new connections with your co-residents of Amsterdam? This is the perfect place!
It is going to be a night full of new creations and connections, we welcome you to join us the 15th of March! Entrance = bring a snack!


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Create an Account - Increase your productivity, customize your experience, and engage in information you care about.
On June 6, 2019 at the Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers (TAMIO) annual conference in Denton, Texas, the City of Mont Belvieu won three TAMI Awards. The awards celebrate statewide excellence in communications, marketing, and public relations; This was Mont Belvieu's first time to enter the contest.
"We are very excited that our Communications and Marketing Director Brian Ligon was recognized for his efforts," said City Manager Nathan Watkins. "His expertise in both marketing and communication are invaluable to the City of Mont Belvieu. The City is honored to have him as part of our family."
The City was awarded the TAMI Award (first place) in the following categories: Best Use of Social Media – Planned (population less than 100,000) for the #SpaceItOutMB mini-campaign that was aimed at encouraging Mont Belvieu's residents to space out their trash cans and be more aware of what they put in them; Best Use of Social Media – Unplanned (population less than 100,000) for letting area residents know about last year's shutdown of I-10 and ended up reaching over 450,000 people; Best Marketing Campaign (population less than 100,000) for the marketing and customer service materials for MB Link, Mont Belvieu's Fiber Network.


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Administrative steps
Local formal traineeship regulations are to be fulfilled by the host company. Contact your local umbrella organisations for more information.
The host company is considered responsible for work place security and to take out work accidents insurance, unless local regulations allow otherwise. In that case trainees should be informed well by the company.


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The Power Of One Tweet
The Power Of One Tweet
One tweet.
@AirCanada Why is our (Canadian born) 6 year old on DHP no fly list? He must clear security each time. He is 6. 🙂 pic.twitter.com/WPZJIeWL4S
— Sulemaan Ahmed (@sulemaan) December 31, 2015
One tweet that turned into many retweets, that turned into tweets among politicians,


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MFJS MF9 9x9
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*awesome new must-see layout!*
This time a grunge alternative with deliberately bold acid washed effect.
Check out 'em structured cup sizes too. ;)
Fully adjustable ribbon-tie straps.
In black and blue as seen above. Available in sizes S and M.
Trendy long vest--slightly more uncommon than the usual. :)
Lapels; faux side flaps; single button closure.
Adjustable back for optimum fit.
Added plus: me loves the military embellishment. :D
RM 41 all inclusve


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Two men arrested in connection with Bloomington home invasion
Bloomington Police arrested two men in connection with a home invasion in the 1700 block of Salem Rd. June 4th.
Police said a warrant for their arrest was issued Friday. One man was arrested, followed by the other man turning himself in.
Police said they arrested 19-year-old Teon Williams and 20-year0old Lorenzo Aken, both from Bloomington.
Williams was arrested for Home Invasion with a Firearm, Armed Robbery with a Firearm, and Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon. His bond is set at $200,000; 10% applies.
Aken was arrested for Home Invasion with a Firearm and Armed Robbery with a Firearm. His bond was also set at $200,000; 10% applies.
Bloomington Police said the home invasion victim said two people came in his apartment and one of them pointed a gun at the man, and hit him with it. The victim said the two suspects ran away after stealing from his apartment. The victim had minor injuries and no one else was hurt.
Anyone with more information about this crime is asked to call Detective Tyrel Klein at 309-434-2366. This incident report number is #201907244.


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Junior Rachel Koene was named Midwest Conference Defensive Performer of the Week after a solid week in goal for the women's soccer team.
Koene posted back-to-back shutouts in a pair of victories of MacMurray and Eureka Colleges before notching a career high with 15 saves against Grinnell on Saturday, Sept. 29.
Against Grinnell it was Koene who kept the Prairie Fire in the game in the first half by stopping all seven shots on goal from the Pioneers. The lone goal came in the 69th minute, and the Prairie Fire were unable to answer, ultimately losing 1-0.
Koene had previously made 15 saves against Illinois College in 2010 and Carroll University in 2011.
It was the second best performance by a MWC goaltender this season. Cassandra Burke of Lawrence University made 16 saves against Lake Forest back in September.
Koene is fourth in the MWC with 55 total saves and is second in averaging 6.88 per game for the Prairie Fire.


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Following up the 1st successful presentation of Hellenic Marine Equipment Manufacturers & Exporters, in Istanbul, HEMEXPO organized the 2nd business mission, this time in Tuzla. The two days mission took place on 12th and 13th of December and included a networking event and shipyards, on site visit.
The "Smart Ship Solutions & Technologies" event, held during the first day where the companies, ALUMINOX, EMMIS, ERMA FIRST, FARAD, KLEEMANN, PRISMA ELECTRONICS, NAFTIKA CHRONIKA, SEABRIGHT, SIDENOR and UTECO presented their innovative products to more than seventy representatives of the Turkish Maritime community.
On the 2nd day the companies has the opportunity to visit the shipyards Besiktas, Ozata and Tershan, where they received a warm welcome and found fertile ground for cooperation.


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Lonely people, desolate urban landscapes, and moral dilemmas are at the core of Michael Klier's Alter und Schönheit (Age and Beauty) – as found in all films of his self-styled Berlin cycle, a collection of simple stories with penetrating observations by a genuine auteur with a style and vision to match, each lensed by the same French cinematographer, Sophie Maintigneaux. To some extent, these tales reflect the director's own wanderlust ways. Born in Karlovy Vary in 1943, Klier was driven out of Czechoslovakia with his family, settled later in the German Democratic Republic, where he once served a prison sentence for "smuggling foreign currency," which in turn got him expelled to West Berlin. Once there, he studied History and Philosophy, enrolled at the Berlin Film Academy (DFFB), and played midfield for an amateur soccer team. An autodidact, he made some short films along the way, found studies at the DFFB not to his liking, then departed for Paris to assist François Truffaut on La peau douce (France, 1964), before finally settling again in West Berlin to make films about himself and the city he adopted.
In Überall ist es besser, wo wir nicht sind (Things Are Better Anywhere But Here) (1989), awarded an Adolf Grimme Prize, a wandering Pole leaves Warsaw for West Berlin and ends up in New York, earning his keep along the way by hustling jobs and changing hard currency (more or less Klier's own fate). When he meets a waitress in a restaurant, their lives become entwined. In Ostkreuz (East Crossing) (1991), awarded a Hypo-Bank Grant Prize at Filmfest München, the focus is on a teenaged girl (Laura Tomke, in her first film role) whose family has escaped from East Germany via Hungary and is now living in a barrack-like container for refugees in West Berlin. Having lost respect for her mother and without much interest in school, she teams with a Pole (Miroslav Baka, the actor in Things Are Better Anywhere But Here) to deal in the blackmarket – until the girl decides that enough is enough and reports him to the police.
In Heidi M. (2001) a lonely middle-aged woman (Katrin Sass, awarded a German Film Prize in Gold for this role) runs a street-corner shop in East Berlin, has been abandoned by her husband, can hardly bear the departure of her teenaged daughter for Australia, and falls in love with another loner, a man trying to make contact with his runaway teenaged son. In Farland (2004), a couple meet at the bedside of dying relatives, she hoping for signs of life from a sister in a coma, he awaiting the last breath of his son. The borderline setting this time is a desolate Brandenburg landscape near the Berlin-Schönefeld airport. Karla (Laura Tonka), who has left home years ago, is called to keep watch at the bedside of her unconscious sister following a near fatal car accident. In the next bed at the hospital is her sister's boyfriend, also unconscious, whose watch is kept by his estranged father Axel (Richy Müller). Gradually, as the lonely pair are drawn to each other, Karla must ward off the advances of an old boyfriend (Daniel Brühl) and wonder if her sister will ever awake from the coma. A poetic feature shot on Super-16 for Euro 700,000 with patented low-key performances, Farland is another refined film in the restless odyssey of Michael Klier.
The same theme is developed further in Alter und Schönheit (Age and Beauty), greeted with warm applause at the Hof Film Festival. A film tale as old as cinema itself, Age and Beauty brings together four 50-year-old losers for a nostalgic yet painful reunion at the beside of a dying friend. Manni (Peter Lohmeyer) begs his friends to find Rosi (Sibylle Canonica), the "beauty" of their "Ferrari 49" days, whom they all have lost track of. Before he dies, he wants to beg Rosi's pardon for an inexcusable affront of the past. Although all three of Manni's pals feel they have better things to do, they acquiesce to his wish while immersing themselves in nostalgia for the good old days – particularly the pleasures of owning an antique Ferrari. Gradually, however, they confront the moral failures of their existence. Harry (Henry Hübchen) receives a SMS that both his wife and lover are leaving him on the same day. Justus (Burghart Klaussner) realizes, too late, that his mobile "handy" has chained him to a menial business existence that he hates. And Bernhard (Armin Rohde) finally faces the truth that he he has never liked his job and wife – only to discover that his wife never really liked him either.
Then, when Rosi appears on the scene, more water flows over the dam – the past was really not what they all pretend it was, so now pretense is dropped altogether. Michael Klier's sharply edged dialogue, the ensemble performances, and Sophie Maintigneux's camera assure an audience hit when Age and Beauty reaches the German screens come January.
Weak: 1 Star Average: 2 Stars Good: 3 Stars Very Good: 4 Stars Excellent: 5 Stars


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Pocahontas: Legend vs. Reality
The stories of Disney's Pocahontas and the real Pocahontas are not the same. The movie is mainly accurate: It captures the spirit of Pocahontas, her people and the early days of Jamestown. Both Pocahontas and John Smith were young when they met, although in real life, Pocahontas was 11 and John Smith was 28.
When John Smith first came to the New World, in the Disney movie he started scouting around right away, and was captured when he ventured out alone at night to meet Pocahontas. In real life, John Smith was arrested and clapped in irons during the voyage, and was not released until a month after landing in Jamestown. After that, he did a lot of exploring, but he met Pocahontas when he was captured on an expedition when he and his Indian guide split off.
In real life, John Smith met Pocahontas when she "rescued" him from execution. Powhatan then adopted Smith as his son, "Nantaquoud". Pocahontas and her new kinsman became good friend. In the Disney movie, John Smith and Pocahontas met in the wilderness and fell in love, kind of like Romeo and Juliet. Instead of marrying her fiancé Kocoum in the movie, Pocahontas decides to run off with John Smith, while in real life, Pocahontas runs off with John Rolfe to America and gets married and has kids. Unfortunately, Pocahontas died from disease in America at the age of 21.
Disney did a pretty good job with the story of Pocahontas, making it more of a kid-friendly love story. I enjoyed the movie a lot, and thought it was interesting to learn more about Pocahontas.
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Reality TV and Real Ethics
CASE STUDY: Love Island and the Ethics of Relationships
Case Study PDF| Additional Case Studies
For those who don't tune into reality TV, a compelling new series has been attracting attention and provoking debate about the ethics of televised relationships. The hit series, Love Island, focuses on a group of attractive, young singles who are flown to an isolated villa in Mallorca to find love. In just a matter of weeks, contestants will seek a significant other among their cohort. If that wasn't challenging enough, the contestants must compete to stay in the game. If they successfully get through the series without being dumped or voted off, contestants are scrutinized by the audience who votes for their favorite couple at the end of the show (Martin, 2019). Some might find this show to be a recipe for disaster while others might find this to be nothing but a net gain for everyone involved—for both contestants and for viewers.
Many would argue that this show is ripe with demonstrable benefits for those who are daring enough to compete. Who wouldn't enjoy a free holiday at a booze-filled villa in the Mediterranean surrounded by beautiful singles? It is basically a month-long slumber party for adults with a chance to win a £50,000 prize. More than that, many contestants reap the long-term benefits of massive social media followings that allow them to make a living off of sponsoring brands. As noted writer Jenny Éclair of The Independent affirms, "This could potentially be your magic golden Willy Wonka ticket to Lamborghini land" (Eclair, 2019). Without question, being a Love Island contestant is a sure-fire way to get your day in the spotlight and benefit financially to boot.
Fans of the hit series also contend that Love Island invites open discussion about what it means to be in a healthy relationship. As audiences get to know the contestants, they can begin to relate to them and see commonalities in their relationships. By watching the dramas on the show, audiences can self-reflect and explore questions about relationships that may not have occurred to them outside this medium. In fact, in a recent blog post, famed actress Lena Dunham shared her experience of indulging in the show. In doing so, she explored important questions about the complexities of romantic relationships. Like many of the contestants on the show, she found herself asking, "Can you love again after the hurt? What does partnership mean? And what does it mean to know someone if you don't know yourself?" (Dunham, 2019). Raising such questions are valuable for coming to a better understanding of ourselves in our relationships.
Importantly, this show is an effective way to promote a national dialogue about relationships. RAZZ Magazine writer, Charlotte Foster, explains that viewers can "point at the screen while saying 'they should not treat another human being like this'" when they see psychological abuse" (RAZZ, 2018). By recognizing abuse, we're in a better position to address it where it exists off-screen. Just as Lena Dunham was able to see the shortcomings of her relationships portrayed in the show, so too will millions of other Love Island viewers.
Even so, many would argue that Love Island may not be the most legitimate foundation for cultivating real-life healthy relationships. The show presents unhealthy examples of relationships and so cannot inform audiences about what is necessary to develop healthy ones. Since most viewers live such radically different lives from participants on the show, it is unlikely that they could come away from watching it with applicable lessons for their lives. As a case in point, the contestants are all incredibly fit, tan, and beautiful socialites in their twenties. The relationships that are represented are heteronormative and masculine-centric ones. Moreover, as Luanna de Abreu Coelho from RAZZ Magazine points out, "contestants are chosen and rejected by other islanders based almost entirely on appearance" (RAZZ, 2018). Of course, healthy relationships are not primarily motivated by physical attraction.
Another reason that many have found this show problematic is due to its unhealthy effects on the show's contestants. The show achieves its supreme drama by effectively cutting them off from the outside world. The extreme isolation and the competitive nature of that social dynamic creates a unique and unnatural social environment. The show's provocation of contestants under the watchful eye of cameras has recently led to serious public concerns about the contestants' mental health. Following the suicides of two ex-contestants of Love Island, the English Parliament began an inquiry into the "production companies' duty of care to participants, [asking] whether enough support is offered both during and after filming, and whether there is a need for further regulatory oversight in this area" ("Committee Announces," 2019). After finishing their two-month stint in Mallorca, Love Island contestants come back to the real world as celebrities. However, that celebrity status quickly fades when the next stirring season of Love Island comes out. Contestants go from relative obscurity to fame and back again within a year. This instability would certainly be taxing on anyone's mental health.
Love Island has captured the attention of millions of viewers in recent years. The show could spark much-needed discussion about relationships. At the same time, it is questionable whether this or any reality TV show can serve as a pedagogical tool for guiding viewers to cultivate healthy relationships.
Discussion Questions:
- Are creators of reality TV shows morally responsible for the psychological effects on their on-screen participants? Why or why not?
- What are the ethical problems with reality TV? What values are in conflict in this case study?
- Do the possible benefits of sparking a conversation about healthy relationships outweigh its possible harms for contestants? Explain your reasoning.
- What principles would you suggest to someone who wanted to make an ethical reality TV series about relationships?
Further Information:
"Bafta TV Awards: Britain's Got Talent, Love Island and Blue Planet II win." BBC News, May 2018, Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-44102374
"Committee Announces Inquiry into Reality TV." UK Parliament Website, May 2019, Available at: www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/digital-culture-media-and-sport-committee/news/reality-tv-inquiry-launch-17-19/
Dunham, Lena, "Lena Dunham on Love Island: 'I'm Asking the Same Question They Do – Can You Love after Hurt?'" The Guardian, July 2019, Available at: www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/jul/27/lena-dunham-love-island-can-you-love-after-hurt
Forrester, Charlotte, and Coelho, Luanna de Abreu. "It's Debatable: The Ethics of Love Island." RAZZ, July 2018, Available at: https://razzmag.com/2018/07/11/its-debatable-the-ethics-of-love-island/
Eclair, Jenny. "If You're Thinking of Applying for Love Island, the Reality TV Suicide Rate Should Make You Think Again." Independent, March 2019, Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/love-island-mike-thalassitis-sophie-gradon-suicide-reality-tv-a8838491.html
Martin, Laura. "When Is the Love Island 2019 Final Tonight? Start Time, How Long the Final Episode Is and Prize Money Explained." INEWS, July 2019, Available at: https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/love-island-2019-final-prize-when-date-how-many-episodes-634661
Nicholas Aufiero & Alicia Armijo
The UT Ethics Project/Media Ethics Initiative
Center for Media Engagement
University of Texas at Austin
December 5, 2019
Cases produced by the Media Ethics Initiative remain the intellectual property of the Media Ethics Initiative and the Center for Media Engagement. They can be used in unmodified PDF form without permission for classroom or educational uses. Please email us and let us know if you found them useful! For use in publications such as textbooks, readers, and other works, please contact the Media Ethics Initiative.
Beer Cans and Cancel Culture
CASE STUDY: The Ethics of the Carson King Case
Case Study PDF| Additional Case Studies
On ESPN's "College GameDay" program, a 24-year-old's sign requesting beer money went viral and raised more than a million dollars from amused fans. The football fan and beer-lover, Carson King, purchased just one case of beer with the funds and donated the rest to the Stead Family Children's Hospital. Anheuser-Busch and Venmo matched the final sum, tripling the total donation (Ta, 2019). Initially, King was hailed as an "Iowa Legend" for his philanthropy. However, Des Moises Register reporter Aaron Calvin eventually uncovered and published two racist tweets that King wrote as a high school student, quickly sparking controversy. Calvin's article ultimately led Anheuser-Busch to withdraw their public support for King, and although he retained some of his supporters, his previously glowing reputation was tarnished.
King's story is an exemplary case of a rising phenomenon of public shaming known as cancel culture. After an accusation of problematic speech or action, an individual is "cancelled" from a social group by being boycotted and ostracized. John Hirschauer argued that Calvin intended to cancel King by publishing his tweets. Hirschauer declared that Calvin's "decision to highlight two obscure, inflammatory tweets from a man's adolescence of a sentiment that Calvin admits are 'not representative artifacts of' the man being profiled, is the sort of spiteful 'gotcha' thinking devoid of proportion that fuels 'cancel culture' writ large" (Hirschauer, 2019). In Hirschauer's opinion, publishing the tweets was a malicious choice that disregarded King's good deeds and personal growth.
The Des Moines Register's executive editor, Carol Hunter, disagrees. She believes that Calvin acted ethically by providing comprehensive information about a public figure of interest. She explains that "The jokes were highly inappropriate and were public posts. Shouldn't that be acknowledged to all the people who had donated money to King's cause or were planning to do so?" (Andrew and Zdanowicz, 2019). Hunter argues that donors have the right to know about the man asking for their money. After all, if donors know that their donations could be associated with racism, they might choose to give their money to other charities that share their values. She maintains that Calvin's choice informed and empowered donors to make a better moral decision.
Calvin's decision to publish King's tweets could also be viewed as an effort to morally educate the public. A virtue of cancel culture is that it effectively signals that speech or behavior like King's is unacceptable. It draws attention to problematic speech and punishes it, demonstrating to observers that they too should avoid such speech. On the other hand, the immediate "cancellation" of those who have made mistakes may not be the best way to educate them. By being shamed and isolated, they are cut off from informed and moderating influences. As a result, cancel culture may play a role in radicalizing individuals with problematic views and may actually discourage ethical growth.
Former President Barack Obama takes the latter view, explaining that cancel culture isn't a way to effect change in others' behavior. Shortly after King's rise to fame and fall from glory, Obama argued that, "if all you're doing is casting stones, you're probably not going to get that far. That's easy to do" (Reub & Taylor, 2019). In essence, merely shaming people for their moral errors isn't enough to get someone to do better or to participate in the community in acceptable ways. According to Obama, "That's not activism. That's not bringing about change" (Reub & Taylor, 2019). By this view, Calvin's publication of King's tweets was not a noble act. Rather, it distracted attention from meaningful action—the hospital fundraising—to a more petty controversy about past mistakes.
Cancel culture—for better or worse—is changing how people engage with one another. In fact, shortly after Calvin released his profile on King, readers dug up a few of Calvin's own old, offensive tweets (Shepherd, 2019). The Des Moines Register fired Calvin and he found himself cancelled along with King. This ironic twist of events leaves many to wonder: is this how the story should have played out?
Discussion Questions:
- Is there an ethical problem with cancel culture? What values are in conflict in this case study?
- Is cancel culture socially just? Can an apology or remorse by the wrongdoer suffice to excuse them from being "cancelled"?
- Communicating true information is an important goal of journalism. Even so, would it have been morally permissible for Calvin to leave the racist tweets out of his profile on King if additional donation opportunities for sick children could have followed?
- How is cancel culture and its punishments like or unlike the judgments and punishments prevalent in the court system?
Further Information:
Andrew, Scottie, and Zdanowicz, Christina, "He raised a million dollars for a hospital through beer money. Then his old racist tweets surfaced." CNN, September 2019. Available at: https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/26/us/carson-king-busch-cuts-ties-beer-posts-trnd/index.html
Hirschauer, John, "On the Firing of Aaron Calvin." National Review, October 2019. Available at: https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/on-the-firing-of-aaron-calvin/
Reinstein, Julia, "The Reporter Fired In The 'Busch Light Guy' Scandal Said He Feels 'Abandoned' By The Des Moines Register." BuzzFeed News, September 2019. Available at: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/juliareinstein/des-moines-register-iowa-reporter-fired-aaron-calvin-carson
Reub, Emily S., and Taylor, Derrick Bryson, "Obama on Call-Out Culture: 'That's Not Activism.'" The New York Times, October 2019. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/31/us/politics/obama-woke-cancel-culture.html
Shepherd, Katie, "Iowa reporter who found a viral star's racist tweets slammed when critics find his own offensive posts." Washington Post, September 2019. Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/09/25/carson-king-viral-busch-light-star-old-iowa-reporter-tweets/
Ta, Linh, "Carson King reflects on new fame, the future after fundraiser for Iowa children's hospital hits nearly $3M." USA Today, October 2019. Available at: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2019/10/02/carson-king-fundraiser-ends-iowa-childrens-hospital/3840146002/
Grace Leake, Alicia Armijo, & Scott R. Stroud, Ph.D.
The UT Ethics Project/Media Ethics Initiative
Center for Media Engagement
University of Texas at Austin
December 4, 2019
Cases produced by the Media Ethics Initiative remain the intellectual property of the Media Ethics Initiative and the Center for Media Engagement. They can be used in unmodified PDF form without permission for classroom or educational uses. Please email us and let us know if you found them useful! For use in publications such as textbooks, readers, and other works, please contact the Media Ethics Initiative.
The Ethics of Anonymous Criticism in Political Journalism
CASE STUDY: The New York Times and the Unknown Trump Official
Case Study PDF| Additional Case Studies
In September 2018 The New York Times made the decision to publish an anonymous op-ed from a senior official from President Donald Trump's administration. The official, who ideologically identifies as conservative, wrote about the struggle to uphold and further Republican legislation and ideals while "thwarting Mr. Trump's more misguided impulses until he is out of office." A blatant critique of Trump's leadership style, the piece serves as a warning to the American public as it also attempts to comfort them: "Americans should know that there are adults in the room. We fully recognize what is happening. And we are trying to do what's right even when Donald Trump won't" ("I Am Part of the Resistance," 2018).
The op-ed was immediately met with criticism. President Trump called the unsigned op-ed "gutless," news reporters from The Times expressed bewilderment at the editorial department's decision to release an anonymous opinion piece, and social media bustled with chatter trying to decipher the writer's identity. In the past, The Times op-ed department has granted anonymity to writers. However, these instances were when the writers were an undocumented immigrant or a Syrian refugee — people whose identity needed to be protected for their own safety (Calderon & Schwartz, 2018).
Criticism of the author reappeared when it was announced that the same senior Trump official would be releasing a 259-page book, titled A Warning. The book's author is listed as "anonymous," and the work is described as "an unprecedented behind-the-scenes portrait of the Trump presidency" (Rucker, 2019a). The Washington Post obtained the book ahead of its release, detailing revealing excerpts. In the book the anonymous author writes, "I have decided to publish this anonymously because this debate is not about me. It is about us. It is about how we want the presidency to reflect our country, and that is where the discussion should center. Some will call this 'cowardice.' My feelings are not hurt by the accusation. Nor am I unprepared to attach my name to criticism of President Trump. I may do so, in due course." The Post also revealed the book does not go into detail about specific events within the administration, in an effort to protect the author's identity. The book preview also reveals that the author does not hold back on his transparent criticisms of Trump, arguing "that Trump is incapable of leading the United States through a monumental international crisis" and "foreign adversaries see him as 'a simplistic pushover' who is susceptible to flattery and easily manipulated" (Rucker, 2019b).
After the announcement of the book's release, arguments against the anonymous official again arose: journalists and media professionals questioned the ethics of granting a government official anonymity — not only for an op-ed piece but for a highly publicized book— and worried about how readers can judge the trustworthiness and veracity of the author if their identity is unknown. In response to the 2018 op-ed Ari Fleischer, press secretary for President George W. Bush, tweeted the following: "It's impossible to evaluate how important it is without knowing how high up the author is. There are hundreds of people at the [White House] who think they're 'senior' officials" (McBride, 2018). The suppression of specific details to protect the author's identity also render such political criticisms difficult to confirm or argue against. There is also uncertainty over the status of information that the anonymous author could or should reveal. The United States Department of Justice sent a letter to the author's publishing house, asking if the author had signed "any nondisclosure agreements while working for the government" (Stelter, 2019). The publishing house, however, said the Justice Department's request was merely an attempt to out the identity of the author.
Journalists granting anonymity to protect a source's identity within a news article is not a novel concept. However, news departments and opinion departments operate separately in their functions and goals. Op-ed pages of newspapers are where writers are allowed to employ their personal opinion complemented with heavy analysis of a topic and usually the weight of anonymity there doesn't carry over the same as it would in a news story. Kelly McBride, a media ethics commentator who writes for the Poynter Institute, said about the anonymous op-ed, "If this had been a news story, we would have insisted on more details" (McBride, 2018).
Some see the senior Trump official's anonymity as justified. When answering readers' questions as to why The Times decided to publish the piece, op-ed editor James Dao said it was to give readers a unique perspective on the Trump presidency "of a conservative explaining why they felt that even if working for the Trump administration meant compromising some principles, it ultimately served the country if they could achieve some of the president's policy objectives while helping resist some of his worst impulses" ("How the Anonymous Op-Ed Came to Be," 2018). Representatives involved in the author's book project have remained protective of the author's identity (Rucker, 2019a). Matt Latimer, co-founder of the literary agency publishing the anonymous author's book, said the book "was not written by the author lightly, or for the purpose of financial enrichment. It has been written as an act of conscience and duty" (Tapper, 2019).
Some have even made remarks that the op-ed author's newest work will do more to help confirm unsubstantiated revelations from the Trump White House. Jack Shafer, senior media writer at POLITICO, gave the example of how the author's op-ed spoke about the possibility of a group within the Trump cabinet invoking the 25th Amendment to invoke removal of the President. A couple of weeks later, reporters with The Times confirmed the formation of the group (Shafer, 2019). Shafer said, "This steady confirmation of the op-ed's key points by the best journalists covering the Trump administration makes it easy to award A Warning a four-star, prepublication review and predict that it will serve as a revelatory text" (Shafer, 2019).
Despite such lauding of A Warning and explanations in defense of the author's anonymity, ethical questions still remain: is it ethical for a person unwilling to share their identity to solicit attention from the public, and should media and literary gatekeepers grant anonymity to a senior Trump official about their function within the administration?
Discussion Questions:
- How might this situation have been different if The New York Times decided to do a news story on this Trump official, granting them anonymity, rather than letting the official write an op-ed?
- What are the pros and cons of the author remaining anonymous? Does their anonymity take away from or add more to their validity? Why or why not?
- What ethical role does The New York Times and the literary agency Javelin, representing the anonymous author, in this situation? In other words, what are their ethical responsibilities?
- If the author were to reveal their identity, how might the impact of their words change or stay the same?
- How might this situation further affect how the general public consumes political communication?
Further Information:
Alter, A. "Anonymous Trump Official Behind Times Op-Ed Is Writing a Book." The New York Times, October 22, 2019. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/22/books/anonymous-op-ed-trump-book.html
Calderon, M. & Schwartz, J. "With anonymous op-ed, it's Times vs. Times." POLITICO, September 5, 2018. Available at: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/05/trump-anonymous-new-york-times-oped-809111
"How the Anonymous Op-Ed Came to Be." The New York Times, September 8, 2018. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/08/reader-center/anonymous-op-ed-trump.html
"I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration." The New York Times, September 5, 2018. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/05/opinion/trump-white-house-anonymous-resistance.html
McBride, K. "How the NYTimes' anonymous op-ed may change journalism." Poynter Institute, September 6, 2018. Available at: https://www.poynter.org/newsletters/2018/how-the-nytimes-anonymous-op-ed-may-change-journalism/
Rucker, P. "Anonymous author of Trump 'resistance' op-ed to publish a tell-all book." The Washington Post, October 22, 2019a. Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/anonymous-author-of-trump-resistance-op-ed-to-publish-a-tell-all-book/2019/10/22/b9ea2f42-f45a-11e9-ad8b-85e2aa00b5ce_story.html
Rucker, P. "Book by 'Anonymous' describes Trump as cruel, inept and a danger to the nation." The Washington Post, November 7, 2019b. Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/book-by-anonymous-describes-trump-as-cruel-inept-and-a-danger-to-the-nation/2019/11/07/b6b6c6f2-0150-11ea-8bab-0fc209e065a8_story.html
Shafer, J. "Why You're Wrong to Hate the 'Anonymous' Book." POLITICO, October 23, 2019. Available at: https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/10/23/anonymous-book-trump-official-read-229878
Stelter, B. "Anonymous anti-Trump book is already a hit and it's not on shelves until next week." CNN, November 12, 2019. Available at: https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/12/media/a-warning-anti-trump-preorder-sales/index.html
Tapper, J. "Anonymous Trump official who wrote New York Times op-ed has a book coming out." CNN, October 22, 2019. Available at: https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/22/politics/anonymous-trump-official-book/index.html
Allyson Waller & Scott R. Stroud, Ph.D.
Media Ethics Initiative
Center for Media Engagement
University of Texas at Austin
December 4, 2019
Image: Twelve Books
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Highly Reputable Energy Efficiency Schemes
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text: Having become perfect in a short while, he reached the fullness of a long career; for his soul was pleasing to the LORD, therefore he sped him out of the midst of wickedness. But the people saw and did not understand, nor did they take this into account. Wisdom 4:13-15


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Sorry! This position is no longer accepting applications.
Job description / Role
Parsons' engineering and construction management staff members create innovative, safe, and sustainable infrastructure in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait. We deliver rail, transit, road, and highway transportation; water conveyance and wastewater treatment; oil and gas; land development; public; and aviation infrastructure to our customers and communities. Parsons creates interconnected communities and world-class infrastructure.
Principal Objective:
Provides direction and management for medium and large-size projects, or several small projects is responsible for the implementation, planning, programming, coordination, scope development, scope management and overall implementation of the project to meet project goals and objectives. Plans and defines the project and devises methods to accomplish them, develop in-depth knowledge of client objectives, contract terms, and stakeholder requirements. Should be familiar with the integration of engineering-technical aspects, as well as procurement and construction activities.
Major Activities Performed:
• Act as the lead Project Manager of overall coordination and management of any assigned infrastructure of Facilities projects interface with Master Planning team, Engineering, Procurement, F&B, Utility Company, and all other stakeholders, to fine the technical design basis, schedule, development implementation plan, lead efforts of RFP development, tender bidding, and award, and manage the overall Pre-Award RFP development process and Stakeholders Management, up to and including Award of the project.
• Participate in negotiations with regulatory agencies and public meetings in support of the client.
• Oversees establishment of Project Execution Plan, Health and Safety Plan, Quality Assurance/Quality Control Plan, and other documents as required.
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• Assigns responsibility for executing project plans to key subordinates after careful assessment of how to utilize their qualifications and strengths. Provides inputs to performance reviews and development plans for subordinates. Field responsibilities may include labor relations, local procurement and payroll operations, etc.. if required.
• Makes recommendations to create project teams capable of completing effective, quality work. Discusses the qualifications required of any key project positions in specific detail with the department managers, directors and section managers.
• Works with other managers, project engineers, and disciplines leads to develops budgets, schedules, and plans for the various elements of a project. Ensures that the project meets or exceeds goals established in these plans.
• Works with the key project individuals to devise and execute actions plans to rectify potential conflicts, coordination issues, delays, or to accommodate significant changes to the scope of work. Advises the client of any such changes.
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Organizational Relationship:
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About the Company
Parsons is a leader in many diverse markets such as infrastructure, transportation, water, telecommunications, aviation, commercial, environmental, planning, industrial manufacturing, education, healthcare, life sciences and homeland security.
Parsons provides technical and management solutions to federal, regional and local government agencies as well as private industries worldwide.


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*** SOLD BY MARK ANTONY ESTATES *** COUNTRYSIDE living with superb access to local transport and MOTORWAY links? This BEAUTIFUL home boasts features and character throughout. With FIVE DOUBLE BEDROOMS and FOUR RECEPTION ROOMS this property is both SPACIOUS and BRIGHT. A perfect home for those who value outside space with a LARGE GARDEN surrounded by COUNTRYSIDE. For sale with NO ONWARD CHAIN
Are you looking to escape to the country? This beautiful home boasts original features and character throughout. With five double bedrooms and four reception rooms this property is both spacious and bright. A perfect home for those who value outside space with a large garden surrounded by countryside. For sale with no onward chain.
To the ground floor you will find a rustic style kitchen which effortlessly flows into the sitting room and dining room. Large French doors and skylights fill the dining room with natural light. There is also a lounge and family room for ample living space. On the first floor there are four double bedrooms with the added benefit of a study. The master bedroom has an en-suite and bay window. You will also find a gorgeous free standing roll top bath in the bathroom.
This property is situated within wonderful gardens and surrounded by stunning countryside views. To the front elevation there is a sweeping driveway with parking for multiple cars and an area laid to lawn. To the rear of the property there is a patio with a large area laid to lawn and mature shrubbery and trees. Nestled in the rear garden there is a studio with electric and water.
● Entrance Hall
● Lounge 4.53m x 3.61m
● Family Room 3.31m x 3.61m
● Sitting Room 3.17m x 3.61m
● Kitchen 3.88m x 3.51m
● Dining Room 3.83m x 4.96m
● Utility Room 1.30m x 1.65m
● Bedroom Five 3.55m x 3.00m
● Shower Room
● Landing
● Master Bedroom 4.53m x 3.61m
● En-suite 1.85m x 2.07m
● Bedroom 2 4.76m x 3.00m
● Bedroom 3 3.31m x 3.61m
● Bedroom 4 3.17m x 2.71m
● Bathroom 1.95m x 2.01m
● Study 1.50m x 2.11m
Thelwall is a picturesque suburb, nestled south of the Manchester Ship Canal, neighbouring Lymm and Grappenhall. The area is surrounded by attractive parkland, canals and streams which provide scenic walking, cycling and running routes. There is also a selection of cosy pubs in the village, perfect for post walk lunches. The area is popular with families as it boasts a selection of excellent schools and benefits from a great range of day nurseries. Neighbouring village Grappenhall is home to an abundance of shops, restaurants and cosy pubs and Warrington Town Centre is within easy reach by car or public transport. The M6 is just a stone's throw from Thelwall, making it a popular location for those who commute to nearby towns and cities.
● Gas Central Heating
● Mains connected: Gas, Electric, Water
● Drainage: Private
● Broadband Availability: Up to 76Mb (Via BT)
● Thelwall Village 1 mile walk
● Grappenhall Village 1.5 mile walk
● Lymm Village 2 mile walk
● Warrington Town Centre 5 miles
● Manchester Airport 12.5 miles via M56
● Liverpool City Centre 26 miles via M62
(Distances quoted are approximate)


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Paris on A Shoe-String
Traveling to Paris on the cheap is not impossible, even though the exchange rate is less than favorable for the dollar these days (one Euro costs around $1.21), but the trade-off is you have to be flexible. If chocolates on your pillow each night is what you desire then this type of vacation probably isn't for you. But if you are open to adventure and take pleasure in the simpler joys of life then you can visit Paris, have a remarkable time, and not break the bank in the process.
I set my daily budget at 75 Euro (about $100.00) per day, including hotel. Somedays I spent a bit less, somedays more, but at the end of the week I was right on target.
Of course getting there is one of the most expensive aspects of traveling anywhere outside of the U.S. However finding the cheapest airfare is as far away as the Internet. Sites like www.cheapfares.com and www.mylowfare.com for examples allow you to find the best airline prices available. The cheapest I found was about $800.00. I noticed too that airfares change daily, so if they are high one day, keep checking. You can save a few hundred dollars and some fly-time too if you depart from JFK in New York or Logan airport in Boston.
As far as accommodations were concerned, once again it was the Internet to the rescue. I just entered "hostel – Paris" at www.google.com and found a slue of options - www.gomio.com or www.hiphophostels.com for examples. At first I tried to make reservations at one centrally located hostel, but they didn't take reservations over the Internet, only by fax, which was neither convenient (since I don't have a fax at home) nor cheap. I called Kinko's and it would cost about $7.00 to send the fax. Additionally they only had a room for the first two nights, not the whole week. After a little more searching I found a hostel in the Montmarte section of Paris called Le Montclair (www.montclair-hostel.com), at the northern end of the city.
Traveling alone or not, hostels are reasonable and plentiful in Paris, and definitely the best way to economize accommodations. And really, how much time do you plan to spend in your room while on vacation anyway? They used to be called youth hostels, but I noticed at Le Montclair that there were all ages represented – some guests were in their fifties and sixties. The hostel wasn't just for kids, nor was it all dorm rooms.
If you are considering traveling solo, then the dorm would be the best choice, at 25 Euro per night. However unlike the Marriott or Hilton, there were no elevators at Le Montclair, so with five stories to climb and descend, being "youthful" or at least somewhat in shape is helpful.
I viewed the stairs as a fabulous opportunity to get a daily "stair-master" workout without even trying. I have to admit that my first time up the modified spiral staircase I was a bit winded and slightly dizzy, and I did have to pause on at least one landing. But by the end of the week I was sprinting up and down the stairs like a pro. (However, I won't kid you – with all the walking we did, not a day went by that I wasn't popping Advil like breath mints.)
My friend and I shared a room with a shower and sink for 50 Euro a night, including "le petit dejeuner" (breakfast) consisting of coffee, tea or hot chocolate, orange juice and hard rolls.
For 4 additional Euro we could have had a toilet in the room, but instead opted for the shared bathroom in the hall, which worked fine. There were two available on each floor so there was never a wait.
My one complaint was that the mattress was a bit lumpy…it felt like I was lying on a box spring. But honestly I was so exhausted by the end of each day I never had a problem sleeping. We also had a few little sugar ants sharing the room with us, but they didn't cause any problems.
The great thing about this hotel, as with most hostels, was that it had a kitchen and dining area in the basement with a small refrigerator and stovetop with pots and pans and utensils. You could make your dinner there if you chose, as we did several nights, and save oodles of Euro. A hearty dinner for two, including potato-leek soup, cheese, wine, baguette and fruit cost less than 13 Euro. It was cool to shop at the local markets just like a real Parisian. I also bought a geranium for 2.5 Euro at the beginning of the week and put it on our windowsill for ambience, and at the end of our stay gave it to the staff at the front desk.
The hotel had four computers and had Internet access in the lobby area, which cost 2 Euro for half an hour, so I was able to check my email from time to time.
Since we were only planning on being in Paris for one week we decided to limit our explorations to within the city limits. For transportation we each purchased a Metro Pass called "Carte Orange" which gave us unlimited use of the subway system for the week for 15 Euro (about $20.00). I found the Metro (www.paris.org/Metro/) to be convenient, fast, clean and economical.
We decided to do walking tours of different areas of the city during our stay based on a tour book (hence the need for the Advil). Walking tours are a great way to learn about the City, and of course save money.
One day we walked through an old cemetery chock full of gorgeous markers. It was like a little city. Turned out there was only one entrance and exit. I was beginning to think the only way out was to die there.
Another day we walked a route that led to the Basillica Sacre Coeur (Sacred Heart Church) on the top of a hill within the Montmarte section of Paris, near our hotel. And still another day we walked along the Champs-Elysees, and on the two small islands on the Seine River where the Notre-Dame Cathedral is located and where Paris started in 52 AD - the Ile de la Cite, and Ile Saint-Louis.
Of course we went to see the Eiffel Tower (www.tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/uk/) and chose to go to the second level for 7 Euro each. The view from this level was excellent. We could have walked to the second floor for 3 Euro, but it was freezing cold and windy the day we were there, so the extra 4 Euro was worth it. We chose not to go to the top which cost 16 Euro because the line was long and it was too chilly. (The locals said it was unseasonably cool for late spring.) Hot chocolate was definitely needed for a couple Euro, but it was essential since my fingers were turning blue.
One lunch we had a picnic of bread, cheese wine and chocolate in the Tuilleries Park on the grounds around the Louvre - cheap but delicious, and what scenery! You can buy wine just about anywhere in Paris for less than 3 Euro (about $5.00) and that was perfectly delightful for us.
We didn't go inside the Louvre (admission fee 13 Euro) primarily because we were running out of time and the place is just massive. However I did check out another small gem of a museum nearby called Musee de L'Orangerie www.musee-orangerie.fr/documents/anglais.pdf (so named because it used to house orange trees) for 6.50 Euro. It recently reopened after years of renovations. Inside were Picassos, Matisses, and Renoirs, Cézannes and other impressionists, as well as two oval-shaped rooms that showcased the Nymphs – Monet's water lilies. Best of all taking photographs and video in the museum was allowed.
Another day we went to the French Tennis Open at Roland Garros (www.rolandgarros.com) which was on the Metro line. We were there during the early qualifying rounds and so were able to get in for only 16 Euro each…much less than the cost later in the tournament, but still enjoyable to see the grounds and watch the lesser known tennis players up close.
A couple of suggestions before you travel. The electricity in Europe runs at a different frequency than in the states, so if you plan on taking along any appliances make sure to buy an adapter before you leave. It only costs a couple of dollars and any Radio Shack should have one. I bought mine a couple weeks in advance at http://staples.com to use to recharge my digital camera batteries and it worked great.
Of course you will want to make sure you have a current passport, though visas are not required, nor are any vaccinations needed. If you don't have a passport give yourself a couple of months before you travel to get one, or else you will have to pay extra to have it expedited. I was able to get my passport processed through the local post office. You can heck out www.iafdb.travel.state.gov for the location nearest to you.
The day before my trip I went to AAA ((www.AAA.com) and bought $200 worth of Euro, which was helpful when I arrived to pay for the train from the airport (8 Euro) and the Metro. If you don't belong to AAA, then any national bank will exchange US currency for the Euro. Once in Paris using my ATM card was convenient and simple, and Master Card and Visa also were accepted at the hotel and at most restaurants. It was my experience that they charge the meal on the card, but expect the tip in Euro. For information on the latest exchange rates, check out www.x-rates.com/d/USD/table.html.
Bistros, pastry shops, cheese shops and little bookstores were ubiquitous in Paris. And much to my satisfaction and relief franchises such as McDonalds and Starbucks were few and far between. I only saw one of each while in France.
The souvenirs at the tourist spots were expensive and chintzy, but if you go to the neighborhood "Euro" store (like our "Dollar" store) you can find some unique, fun and reasonably priced gifts. Post cards averaged about 1.5 Euro each, and postcard stamps cost 0.55 Euro.
I found that the French dressed impeccably, with a grace and style that was distinctive. I was surprised to observe that the dogs in France for the most part walked along side their owners without leashes, something I never see in the states.
The French people were at times kind and helpful and at other times impatient and annoyed with me, but I found it all interesting and amusing. Most people speak varying degrees of English, and many speak it quite well, so if you don't know French it is not an issue generally in Paris. In fact I wanted to practice my rudimentary French to the consternation of some who just wanted to tell me the answer to my question in English, but I was determined to learn, regardless of how ridiculous I sounded. And sure enough by the end of the week my French had improved.
When I first arrived in the city I had couldn't find the hotel. I walked for quite a while with a heavy backpack, suitcase and in high heels (what was I thinking?). Finally I asked a taxi driver for directions, assuming that he might speak English and know where my hotel was. After trying for a few frustrating minutes to communicate directions, he smiled and said, "I take you - free," and did. Now, I ask you, would that ever happen in New York?