text:
How the Web, social media and big data shape contemporary politics.
On New Year's Eve 2010, Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker responded to a constituent on Twitter whose 65-year-old father needed help shoveling snow from his driveway. Booker's tweet? "I will do it myself; where does he live?"
And do it himself he did, arriving some 20 minutes later with other volunteers, who were also rounded up through the social networking site.
Booker, who took office in 2006 following a landslide win and was re-elected in 2010, is a political Twitter phenomenon. He has more than 1 million followers, has posted more than 16,000 tweets, and is known for his dynamic use of social media and online technology, which assisted him in winning the mayoral seat. Booker may be the leading example of a well harnessed digital campaign and governance strategy in U.S. politics today, deftly using Web 2.0 tools to stay connected with the people of his city.
Most important, Booker says technology helps voters to get an up-close view of him as a person. "Social media creates that intimate window and gives voters a chance to really see your humanity and the substance of your spirit," he said. "It creates a different kind of loyalty than with traditional engagement."
Social media also allows candidates to build a longer-term relationship. "And that is so important," Booker said. "It eliminates the old, 'You just come around to talk to me at election time' issue." Instead, social media lets Booker engage with hundreds of people at a time and broadens his connection to people he can't necessarily reach at a campaign or community event. "It changes conversations from private to social. If you don't build up the tool, you really surrender to the space or come off as very robotic. It's about creating authentic, dynamic feeds."
And should Booker run for re-election, a significant part of the voting population already is following him, he said. "The best advice I can offer to candidates not already using social media and technology is this: Dive in now. Do not wait; start aggregating audiences. Once a campaign has started, time is lost. Build the power early. After you win the office, social media usage shouldn't fall off. It should go up. Social media is about engagement."
Technology has brought more authenticity to the political sphere, and today it plays a central role in campaigns. Peer-to-peer campaigning — involving emails, social media, micro-targeting, mobile and tablet applications, for instance — allows for a more genuine connection between a candidate and his or her constituency.
"Consider how television changed campaigning in 1964, direct mail in the '70s, bar codes with absentee balloting in the '90s, the Internet with fundraising in the mid-2000s or social in 2008. Each time, a forward-thinking campaign adopted the new technology to great success, leading to broader adoption in the subsequent cycle," said David Binetti, CEO and co-founder of Votizen, a Web service that allows users to campaign with friends on social networks to elect candidates who share their values.
One in 600 people in the United States is elected to public office at some point in their life, said Joe Green, co-founder and president of NationBuilder — a community organizing system that blends the customer relationship management and content management systems as a synthesized website and people database. "The effect of technology on politics at the end of the day will be on local campaigns," he predicts. Technology alone, however, is not the answer. It's merely a tool, and like any tool, it must be used correctly to be effective. "You need the wherewithal to take advantage of the opportunities, messaging, strategy," said Jonathan Karush, founder and president of Liberty Concepts, a provider of websites, software and online strategy to campaigns.
On the whole, it's a very exciting time, says California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. "The days of the clipboards are gone," he said, "but not that long ago it was all highlighters, white boards and precinct maps."
Prior to his current role, Newsom was elected mayor of San Francisco in 2003 — the city's youngest mayor in 100 years — and was re-elected in 2007 with 72 percent of the vote. He was named the Most Social Mayor in America by reputation management firm Samepoint in 2010, following a study that measured social media influence. Newsom is writing a book on how citizens can use social media, technology and available government data to cut through bureaucratic red tape and redesign government in their own image.
Technology is more prevalent and easier to for candidates to harness, but it isn't a sure thing. "You still have to engage people and get them to take action. The focus has to be on converting," said Ryan Davis, director of social media for Blue State Digital, the firm behind the development and management of President Barack Obama's historic 2008 online campaign.
The key to organizing a strong campaign is being aware of everything one's supporters are doing and encouraging activism, said NationBuilder's Green. "The goal is to always be trying to get people to take on more responsibility," he said.
Technology is a bigger part of campaigns than it probably ever has been, said Alex Torpey, village president of South Orange, N.J. "Ten years ago, people were just starting to really use the Internet to campaign, but it still hadn't really filtered down to the local races." Now, however, technology is so inexpensive and accessible that anyone can use it.
"I think that has amazing democratization implications for the political process, which ironically enough could seriously use some democratizing," he said. Torpey, the second youngest mayor in New Jersey, says he won his election "by bringing technology to government and government to the people."
Despite all the advancements in digital technology to support campaigns, the new technology largely still exists to support traditional campaign mediums like television. The next shift must move beyond brand building and fundraising.
"It's frustrating," said Liberty Concepts' Karush. "The democratic utility of all the things we can do online is so much more than TV. But online is still very much about mobilizing money to buy more TV ad space. We haven't cracked all the applications of 'get out the vote' online."
Outside of the federal sphere, the challenge between TV and online is not nearly as relevant. "In local races, where TV and radio don't make much sense, online platforms provide those with the forethought to use them a big advantage," Torpey said, adding that online fundraising is the lowest-hanging fruit. "I was able to start raising money online in the first two weeks of my website launch. That helped us print material and buy advertising going forward. Sharing content is probably the second piece, allowing someone with a Facebook account and an email list to broadcast content cheaply, quickly and massively."
Right now, online technology can be harnessed to organize volunteers, manage walk and call lists, drive donations, create events, tap into social networks and more, all of which can drive real world action, as can gathering geospatial data, connecting to voter files, social graphing, micro-targeted scripts and a real-time data stream back to the campaign. Ultimately, to be effective, online campaigning needs to deliver actual results — public sentiment and votes at the ballot box.
"While 2012 isn't showing a lot of innovation on the front end, we are seeing enormous development at the back end," Karush said. "The database building efforts are virtually Amazonian — they've gotten really, really good at voter profiling. While there is no game changer, this election cycle shows more refinement."
A big transformation is occurring in three phases, according to NationBuilder's Green. First candidates started getting their own websites, like Bill Clinton did in 1992; second, they started using online tools to get people to do traditional campaign tasks online: Online fundraising is by now a proven commodity, for instance. The third, Green said, will come later, when campaigns are enabled entirely online.
Online relationship building, through email and social networking sites, continues to grow. Facebook's privacy settings allow candidate apps, such as those by President Obama and challenger Mitt Romney, to access and keep Facebook's members' information, such as name, gender, religious and political views and photographs. What's more, they can post status updates, notes, photos and videos on behalf of their app users.
When Micah L. Sifry, co-founder and editor of the Personal Democracy Forum, presented as part of a panel at the South by Southwest festival in March this year, he called this process "Facebookization." "And to be clear," he said, "it includes more than just the Facebook data; it includes all of the data exhaust that people share about themselves that the campaigns are trying to vacuum up. This isn't something ordinary people can do — unless you know not only how to code apps, but also how to spot patterns in the resulting data."
Use of Facebook, he said, is not about broadly segmented advertising. It's about "campaigns' ability to access their supporters' social graph, mine them for insights and then presumably make sophisticated and targeted use of word-of-mouth networks," Sifry said.
What's starting to change now is the accessibility of these systems, applications and technology to lower-budget campaigns at the state and local levels. Cost, along with aggregation and keeping up with a multitude of different sites and platforms, have presented challenges. But the introduction of offerings like NationBuilder to the market opened up a new arena. For as little as $33 a month, a candidate gains a custom website; people database; leaderboards that recognize top supporters; integrated communication via email, text, voice, Facebook and Twitter; real-time activity streams; fundraising; and volunteer coordination. What's more, NationBuilder is highly customizable without a line of code. It was designed for people with no tech background to be up and running within minutes.
"The Internet is as much about content as it is people. If you can empower organizing, you can change who gets elected and how," said NationBuilder's Green.
Torpey used NationBuilder during his campaign and continues to use it as a governance tool. "I think most people running for office are realizing the value in not just online media, but advanced micro-targeting, massive data mining, mobile apps and crowdsourcing ideas and energy," he said. "We're seeing people build on a lot of the tools that are available, which is decreasing their price and increasing their accessibility."
For current elections, everything is going mobile, localized, social, geospatial and getting more sophisticated. The advantage is that candidates can really know who they're talking to at a much deeper level than before.
For those who haven't already built tech strategies, all is not lost. "It's a myth that you need to have been at this for years, and the opposite may be true," Newsom said. "Technology is moving at such a rapid rate, you won't be burdened or held back by tired systems."
But, he points out, the message behind the technology is critical. "It is not just how you deliver the message, but the message itself. You have to have value — not just in what you're saying, but in how you're listening."
Unlike the high permeation of federal campaigns, people often don't have an opinion in local elections — they may not even know who is running. This creates a tremendous opportunity to run a targeted field campaign. There are no foregone conclusions at the local level; people's minds are typically undecided.
With all the possibility, it can be easy to lose sight of the potential pitfalls. Votizen's Binetti cautioned that "technology — either social media or otherwise — is not magic pixie dust. Your donations won't automatically go up just by adding PayPal to your website, and supporters won't start using some new click-to-call tool in absence of a reason to do so. So the hard work of creating a message and platform that inspires, and setting up the reward structure to encourage people to act still remains. Technology can make these easier to accomplish and can help scale up organizations, but it won't make these fundamental requirements of a political campaign disappear."
What technology has done, however, is allowed candidates at every level to connect via personalized message with vast numbers of voters, creating platforms for two-way conversations and feedback. The future of campaigning will only grow more targeted and personal, merging the physical and the virtual. The ability to process inbound conversations, in ways previously unthinkable, will become critical, said Binetti.
Looking ahead, the most exciting part, Torpey said, is the increase in accessibility. "It is going to allow people to run for office, especially at local levels, who 10 years ago probably couldn't. I think we're going to see a tremendous transformation over the next several years of younger and more independent people running for office, which will do great things for public policy debate and innovation in this country.


text:
The Loyola men's lacrosse team knew it was in for a good day when some of its most productive options on offense were defensive players.
Long-stick midfielder Scott Ratliff led all scorers with four goals and short-stick defensive midfielder Josh Hawkins added a pair of goals to power the reigning national champion Greyhounds to a 13-7 victory over visiting Fairfield in an Eastern College Athletic Conference showdown before an announced crowd of 2,124 at Ridley Athletic Complex on Saturday.
Ratliff's performance should not be all that stunning considering that he finished last year with 12 goals and seven assists. But the senior, who upped his season total to 11 goals and three assists, may be the first long pole to score four times in an NCAA contest.
"They were all good looks that I would expect myself to finish," he said. "That comes from my teammates creating them — [junior attackman] Justin [Ward] with some great passes, Josh and [junior defenseman Joe Fletcher] both picking up ground balls and getting out on transition where we can get open. Luckily, they fell for me today."
Ratliff, who also caused four turnovers and scooped up three ground balls, made his contributions in a variety of ways. His first goal occurred when junior faceoff specialist Brendan Donovan won the draw and flipped the ground ball to Ratliff, who raced to the right point and whistled it home to give Loyola (9-2 overall and 5-0 conference) a 2-1 lead with 8 minutes, 35 seconds left in the opening quarter.
Ratliff's second goal came in a six-on-six situation. Sophomore attackman Nikko Pontrello carried the ball to the right point and threaded a pass to Ratliff, who scored after running in from the right wing toward the cage. That goal gave the Greyhounds a 6-2 advantage with 23 seconds remaining.
Ratliff cemented the first hat trick of his career when Ward (two goals and two assists) centered the ball to Ratliff in the high slot and he hammered it into the net to give Loyola an 8-3 lead with 9:12 left in the second quarter.
His final tally came with 12:44 remaining in the third period when he and junior short-stick defensive midfielder Pat Laconi worked a perfect give-and-go in transition.
The Greyhounds have boasted a strong line of long-stick midfielders including P.T. Ricci and current defensive coordinator Matt Dwan. But coach Charley Toomey was at a loss to find a comparison for Ratliff's effort.
"We've had some good ones here, and that's certainly one of the best performances that I've seen," Toomey said. "I think it's a unit, and I think earlier in the year, I said that we had one of the best units in the country. Scott's very quick to give his teammates credit. Without some of the athleticism, without Fletch winning some ground balls there and just giving us those opportunities to run, they make each other better. Like Scott said, he just happened to be on the finishing end of a few great looks today."
Ratliff got some company on the scoreboard from Hawkins, who scored in the second and third quarters. Despite missing the first seven games of the season, the senior has now scored five goals, which is just one shy of a career high set in 2010 and matched in 2012.
"I want to be on the field as much as I can be," he said. "When we start scoring in transition, I definitely want to get in there and get some myself. But I was happy for Scott. He played awesome, and the opportunities were there. When I got my opportunities, we finished them also."
Junior attackman Eric Warden scored two goals and senior attackman Sam Snow chipped in with a goal and assist, but Fairfield dropped its second consecutive game against a conference opponent while falling to 6-5 overall and 2-2 in the ECAC.
Coach Andy Copelan pointed to Ratliff as the key to Loyola's win.
"It's tough to practice and mimic Scott Ratliff," Copelan said. "He is as good as they come. It's frustrating that you talk all week and you practice all week defending transition because you know how much of a staple that is of Loyola's game. The fact that we weren't able to execute under the real thing, that was a little bit of a deflating feeling."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Don't look down!
In Wulingyuan Scenic Area in China's Hunan Province, the world's tallest outdoor elevator hurtles you skywards at 3.5 meters per second. The view from the top is dizzyingly good.
You enter the glass cubicle underground. Then, the Bailong Elevator (literally: Hundred Dragon Elevator), shoots you roughly 330 meters into the sky. Guiness World Records has it listed as the tallest outdoor elevator in the world. From the platform, you look out over a magical landscape of giant sandstone pillars, caves, canyons and waterfalls. A true filmscape, the director James Cameron evidently thought, because he used this UNESCO World Heritage site as the inspiration for his successful movie Avatar.


text:
Diabetes Overview and Testing
Diabetes awareness for managing a healthier lifestyle
Around the world, an estimated 415 million adults have diabetes. By 2040, this number will rise to over 640 million.
As diabetes across the globe continues to rise, so must the effort to raise awareness. 37% of all diabetic adults live in the Asia-Pacific region. In Africa, more than two-thirds of people with diabetes are undiagnosed. In Latin America, the number of people with diabetes will increase by 65% by 2040.1 And in 2012, treating diabetes and its related conditions cost Americans about $245 billion in total medical costs and lost work and wages.2
Many of those who are undiagnosed may have or be at risk of prediabetes, and recent research has shown that some long-term damage to the body, especially the heart and circulatory system, may already occur in prediabetics.3
The diagnosis of diabetes is made primarily by the detection of hyperglycemia. There are many tools, however, in the arsenal of diabetes-related diagnostic tests. Diabetes-related assays are performed for various reasons on many different types of patients:
- Newly diagnosed diabetics - To help determine if they have type 1 or type 2 diabetes when the clinical indications are inconclusive.
- Type 2 diabetics - To monitor and adjust therapies.
- All diabetics - To test for diabetic nephropathy by measuring their urinary albumin levels.
- Postmenopausal women - Studies indicate that this group may have an increased risk for cardiac mortality if they have an elevated urinary albumin level.
- Women diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome - This syndrome affects 6 to 10 percent of all women, with 50 percent having insulin resistance. These women are at high-risk for developing type 2 diabetes. An abnormally elevated insulin level with hyperglycemia could indicate insulin resistance.
Monitoring the Condition
Those diagnosed with diabetes are encouraged to monitor their condition on a regular basis. By measuring hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), doctors can gauge your average blood sugar levels from the last 2-3 months and thereby provide a more tailored treatment plan. HbA1c measurement can also show whether treatment plans and lifestyle choices have been effective.
Type 1 Diabetes
- Formerly called "insulin-dependent" or "juvenile-onset" diabetes
- An autoimmune disease that causes destruction of pancreatic beta cells, which are responsible for synthesizing and secreting insulin
- Accounts for 5 to 10 percent of all diabetics
Type 2 Diabetes
- Formerly called "non-insulin-dependent" or "adult-onset" diabetes
- Caused by insulin resistance or inadequate insulin secretion
- Accounts for 90 to 95 percent of diabetes in developed countries
- Patients with Impaired Glucose Tolerance and Impaired Fasting Glucose
- Individuals have blood glucose levels higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes
- People with pre-diabetes have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke4
Siemens Healthineers offers a wide range of diabetes-related assays that aid in the differentiation of type 1 from type 2 diabetes, help to monitor glycemic control, and allow doctors to follow the progression of the disease through HbA1c monitoring.
To learn more about Siemens Healthineers chronic disease solutions for diabetes management at the point of care, click here.
1. Diabetes Atlas 2017, International Diabetes Federation
2. Centers for Disease Control
3. American Diabetes Association (www.diabetes.org)
4. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (www.diabetes.niddk.nih.gov)
November is Diabetes Awareness Month
Each November, Siemens Healthineers raises awareness about this serious, but manageable, chronic condition. We are passionate about helping patients lead healthy lives and partnering with clinicians to aid them in managing their patients' conditions. With so many diabetics undiagnosed, understanding the risk factors, symptoms, and long-term impact is a crucial first step toward making communities around the world healthier.
Want to make an impact? Here are some ways you can take part in Diabetes Awareness Month:


text:
Students at the Oklahoma State University Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering designed preliminary storm drones that could someday gather data that saves lives.
Engineering students at Oklahoma State University designed drones that may someday collect new data about tornadoes, helping public safety agencies more accurately predict and plan for disaster. A giant tornado, at least one mile wide, wiped out neighborhoods as it moved through Oklahoma on Monday, May 20. While the student designs are only in the preliminary planning stage, with no firm schedule to move forward, the university's Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering is negotiating with its partners to settle on a possible multi-year project that could change tornado science and ultimately save lives.
The project, whose partners include the University of Colorado at Boulder, the University of Kentucky, Virginia Tech and the University of Oklahoma, now has several active drone projects in addition to the tornado project. A lot of their drone research is funded by the Department of Defense, said Oklahoma State University Professor Jamey Jacob, but there are a lot of applications for the use of drones in civilian airspace, too.
His school hopes to collaborate with the National Weather Center at the University of Oklahoma to continue development of these types of projects.
Before the giant tornado struck, storm chasers estimated the starting location of the tornado but their estimations were off by tens of miles, Jacob said. But although their predictions were wrong, the storm chasers didn't make a mistake. There's just a lot of missing information when it comes to tornadoes. In fact, about 70 percent of tornado warnings are false alarms, Jacob said. While there is information available about the initial rotation of a tornado, weather modelers still need more information regarding the initial conditions that snap a tornado into forming.
Traditional methods of gathering data from tornadoes include things like the use of Doppler radar, which provides data on moisture levels and some other pieces of the equation, but other measurements, such as temperature gradients and pressure levels inside tornadoes remain unknown. Exactly why and when tornadoes form is still a big question, which is why this drone project could be useful, he said. "Whether there's a magic key in there, in what would be present in meteorological or thermodynamic data, we don't know yet simply because we don't have those type of measurements," he said.
Photo caption: This drone, named Talos, is currently being tested for search and rescue, and border patrol for the Department of Homeland Security Borders competition. The aircraft was designed and built by a team of five aerospace engineering graduate students from the Oklahoma State University Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, led by PhD candidate Thomas Hays.
The student designs were required to meet several needs that would make the designs practical for use in a storm. The drones needed the capability to take off from a typical road, fit inside a standard flat-bed trailer, lift off and fly in 22 mph winds, withstand gusts of 28 mph, fly for at least four hours at 5,000 feet without needing to refuel, and carry at least one deployable data-gathering device into a weather system. The data-gathering devices, called dropsondes, are cylinders filled with sensors, that are designed to be dropped into storms and begin collecting data. It's that data that could fill the gaps in knowledge when it comes to tornadoes, Jacob said.
The student designs are the first step, Jacob said, and the next step would be to redesign the drone so a prototype could be manufactured. While proposals around the future of the project are still being evaluated, one possibility, Jacob said, is to retrofit an existing drone used for fire surveillance to collect storm data. A storm drone could also be equipped with other equipment, such as a thermal imaging camera, and be flown before, during and after a storm to gather data and assist with search and rescue efforts.
The cost to build a prototype storm drone is between $25,000 and $100,000, Jacob said, which is comparable to many existing drones on the market today. But cost is typically not the main concern when it comes to drones. Drone functionality and regulation are still both nascent. Drone regulation requires that a person or agency using a drone as a tool first obtain written authorization to launch their craft, a process that can be tedious and time-consuming.
Ultimately the goal behind using drones to collect data, Jacob said, is to fill gaps in meteorological knowledge that could give scientists better information about storms and allow people to prepare for disaster. It's not guaranteed, but this technology could save lives when the next tornado hits.
"Our best-case scenario would be to put vehicles in the hands of end-users – forecasters, meteorologists, weather service, those doing research in storm systems and also first responders," Jacob said. "It's really important that you're able to have something in the hands of the police and firefighters who are doing the search and rescue missions post-disaster."
Tornado photo from Shutterstock.
*Editor's Note: Small changes made for clarity on May 22, 2013.


text:
DDC-I has released its safety-critical, DO-178B Level A certifiable, HeartOS real-time operating system and OpenArbor development tool suite is available for the ARM7 and ARM9 families of processors. The HeartOS running atop ARM processors provides a scalable, low-power, high-performance computing platform for developing and hosting mission- and safety-critical applications for the avionics, transportation, industrial automation, and medical markets. HeartOS is particularly well suited for applications requiring DO-178B certification from the FAA and international aviation authorities.
HeartOS is a lightweight, deterministic kernel that utilizes POSIX profile 51 interfaces as well as profile 52 features such as socket communications. Currently undergoing certification to DO-178B Level A, the HeartOS kernel provides POSIX scheduling, threads, semaphores, mutexes, barriers, condition variables, message queues, clocks and timers. HeartOS is highly scalable and configurable, making it ideal for 16- and 32-bit microcontrollers and microprocessors. HeartOS also features a compact, lightweight deterministic TCP/IP stack for embedded networking and internet connectivity.
Development support for the HeartOS includes DDC-I's Eclipse-based, mixed-language OpenArbor IDE, which features C and C++ optimizing compilers, a color-coded source editor, project management support, automated build utilities, and a mixed-language, multiwindow, symbolic debugger.


text:
Brushed and UV lacquered engineered wood flooring is the choice for you if you're seeking the natural look of a brushed floor yet the peace of mind of a lacquered finish. Brushing wood opens up the grain of the oak and brings out the very best charm of the wood, leaving it resplendent in all its glory.
A lacquered finish is arguably one of the toughest finishes you can get on a floor, so the combination of brushed and UV lacquered engineered wood flooring really lets you enjoy the best of both worlds. With its UV filter, even if you choose the darkest of floors, you shouldn't experience any fading as this filter will help stop the harmful rays of the sun attacking your floor.
With a really broad choice of colours from the lightest of whites to jet black, you will find a colour option to suit even the fussiest of interior divas and we think you'll be pleased by the range of board widths and thicknesses too. So, no matter what room in the home you're looking to floor or re-floor, with this brushed and UV lacquered engineered wood flooring you simply can't go wrong.


text:
By Teachers, For Teachers
As sixteenth President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln guided the nation through the civil war, and the abolition of slavery. Explore the life and contributions of "Honest Abe" and celebrate his birthday with activities that teach his biography, his reign as President, and his untimely assassination.
Introduce your students to Abraham Lincoln by reading the book "Who Was Abraham Lincoln" by Janet B. Pascal. Discuss how Lincoln grew up in Kentucky, was poor, and lived in a log cabin. Talk about why he moved to Indiana and his families' hatred for slavery. Discuss his love of learning, his marriage to Mary Todd, and his reign as President. Highlight important events like the Emancipation Proclamation and the Gettysburg Address. Once students have a grasp on Lincoln's backstory, have them cut out and assemble the worksheet "Building a Timeline of President Abraham Lincoln's Life." A fun idea is to have students assemble the sentence strips in order on President Lincoln's top hat. Then you can showcase their work around the classroom.
A fun cooperative learning activity to do with students is to have them assemble a replica of Lincoln's log cabin that he grew up in. Show students illustrations of Lincoln's actual cabin, via the website Abrahamlincolns.com. Divide students into groups of four, and assign each member a specific role. Suggested roles may be supplier, designer, decorator or gluer. Make supplies available such as toilet paper roles (they could paint brown and use as logs), glue, paint, scissors, construction paper, cardboard, and cotton balls. Once students have their log cabins assembled, allow them to share their creations with the class.
As the sixteenth President of the United States, President Lincoln had many responsibilities. He signed new laws, managed the union forces in the civil war, and inspired the nation in the Gettysburg Address. To get students thinking about all of the responsibilities that a president has, read the story "Just a Few Words, Mr. Lincoln" by Jean Fritz. Then discuss Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address and how his words impacted the nation. Ask students to think about how they would run the country if they were President. Then assign students to write a speech addressing the nation just how President Lincoln did when he was President. Encourage students to speak from their heart, and talk about how they can change the nation for the better. Once students have written their speeches, allow students to take turns sharing with the class.
President Abraham Lincoln was the first President of the United States to be assassinated. He was fatally wounded by John Wilkes Booth. Encourage students to understand that Lincoln's death was a travesty. Showcase how we honor this American hero by commemorated his achievements through memorials such as the penny, five dollar bill, and Mount Rushmore. Discuss with students that, in their short lives, they too have had important experiences. Ask students to brainstorm the important events in their lives. Ideas may include a sibling being born, an adopted pet, a death in the family, or a family wedding. Have students record these important events by writing their biography and drawing a picture to correlate with it.
To create further interest in our sixteenth president read these informative books.
This February, as we celebrate President's Day and honor Abraham Lincoln's birthday, remember to remind students of Lincoln's amazing accomplishments. Enlighten students of Lincoln's childhood, showcase his many contributions as president, and read a few fun stories that will help give them a picture of what his life was like back then.
Do you have a great idea or activity that will help other teachers explore the achievements of Abraham Lincoln? Share it with us!


text:
Welcome To Wind Turbine 24v!
This site provides a free animation and free 3D models as part of build instructions for making your own DIY 24v wind turbine. If you decide to purchase the full step by step build instructions then you will receive in the post a book containing step by step instructions and also a full set of professionally drawn plans (in both Imperial and Metric measurements).
The wind turbine blades are 8' 4" diameter (50" or 2.54m). The assembly is 20 ft high (6.1m / 240 inches) but can be varied if you so wish.
Why Use These Instructions?
At the time of publishing this web site this is the only turbine to have a simple bolt together assembly combined with a purpose built alternator and high wind safety tail.
Constructing the turbine doesn't involve any welding, tapping of holes or large workshop machinery. The instructions have been made using KIS (Keep It Simple) principals.
The turbine has been sized for efficiency. Using an exisiting motor or a car alternator would not yield as much power in typical winds.
The tail angles the turbine away from high winds to avoid damage.


text:
While we're still accepting and filling orders, shipments may be delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions on businesses. Click here to learn more.
Modernist Polished Brass Table Lamp
American, circa 1950s.
Do you need our help?
How To Choose The Right Lampshade
Measure your shade
Lampshade size is shown as: (top) x (bottom) x (side)
If you are replacing an existing lampshade it may help to measure it first. Start by measuring the widest part (diameter) of the top and bottom of your shade, then finish by measuring the slant/height along the side.
View more


text:
Justin M necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 254 diseños de 69 diseñadores freelance.
We're a start-up ecommerce website that will be featuring only the very best and highest quality solar electronics and products. Illumime.com will sell outdoor solar lighting, solar chargers for iphones/laptops, and other solar and green products.
We're only going to sell products that meet very strict quality standards.
We want our buyers to feel confident that the solar products they purchase from illumime will last a long time.
The name illumime comes from a play on the words "illuminate" and "me"
We're targeting customers who are willing to pay a little extra for quality and reliable solar products. Our target audience is home owners, garden enthusiasts, and young eco-minded adults.
We want the "me" in illumime to clearly indicate the "me" is the buyer or potential customer who will be going green with solar power. It should have it's own unique styling to it (perhaps a playful, green, self empowering look)
The one thing all of our products will have in common are the use of photovoltaic solar cells. I'd like to see solar cells in the design, but please refrain from putting a big ugly solar panel in the logo. :) These days, solar cells can be placed on anything. Not just panels. If you don't think solar cells will look good in the logo, than that's is more than OK! It's just a thought.
Here are a few other things to consider:
1. Please try your best to make the "L" and the "I" letters differentiated. I know sometimes certain fonts can make the word look like it has 3 "L"s. Feel free to play with capitalization.
2. You can use the sun in your design, but we don't want the logo to be too large or square/box shaped.
3. Please remember we aren't a solar panel installation company. We sell solar lighting and solar/green gadgets. Here are some examples of great solar products:
http://www.novothink.com/ & http://www.gamasonic.com/products.asp
4. Feel free to experiment with colors, we were thinking black or silver, green, blue, and yellow. Or just blue, green, and yellow. But ultimately it's up to you.
Please do not use any stock images or clip art in the logo. Will need .ai file.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


text:
Facebook could file its paperwork to go public as early as this week.
But the most important thing about when the Menlo Park-based social network goes public is not the billions it is set to cash in but instead the jobs and change it will create, according to the company's chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg.
"If this is seen as an opportunity for jobs and for people to use their work to change the world that's what we want to be a part of," Sandberg said at a CNBC debate at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The company is just 7-years-old and it already employees more than 3,000 people and it has created more than 450,000 jobs in Europe and the US, according to Sandberg.
The Facebook executive has brought a message of jobs and revenue-creation on her tour of Europe as the region continues to deal with stifling debt and borders on the brink of a larger recession.
"The world is looking for economic growth—the kind of economic growth that feeds a billion people and that employs people all around the world," she said.
Reports last week said that Facebook could file its paperwork as early as this Wednesday to go public.
Facebook IPO Means More Jobs: Sheryl Sandberg
Facebook could file its paperwork to go public as early as this week.


text:
Shakira and Blake Shelton Perform 'Medicine' at 2014 ACM Awards [VIDEO]
Pop singer Shakira and country star Blake Shelton took to the stage together at tonight's (April 6) 2014 ACM Awards, performing their new duet 'Medicine' from Shakira's self-titled album.
Shakira, looking red hot in a short red dress with lace detailing and thigh-high leather boots, seemed thrilled to be presenting a song that veers from her normal Latin-influenced pop. She expressed her excitement on the red carpet before the show, stating she couldn't wait "to present [her] new song to this new audience."
While working on her 10th studio album, Shakira made her way to Nashville, Tenn., to specifically work with a City of Music team to craft the perfect sound for 'Medicine.' The highly anticipated country-pop song was revealed to the public on Feb. 8, with the release of Shakira's latest album.
The excitement of Shakira's fans and Shelton's fans was rivaled only by Shakira herself, whose own excitement was evident in her high-energy performance and enthusiastic hair-flipping on stage. Though country isn't her usual forte, her strong voice complimented Shelton's own, as well as the drum-heavy tune.
Shelton was the perfect partner to choose for Shakira's country debut, as Shelton is a seasoned veteran in the country music scene. The singer, who is hosting the ACM Awards for the second year in a row, looked at home on stage in a vest, striped tie and classic country jeans.
The two stars took turns belting out the shared lyrics of 'Medicine,' which includes a nod to country classics with the line "I always throw the bottle of whiskey." Most importantly, both Shakira and Shelton seemed like they were having a blast sharing the stage.
On all counts, Shakira's first venture into the country world has been a success.


text:
Bottle Shop Tales: Snohomish County's Finest
A few weeks back, a customer at Homebrew Heaven asked me if I had tried Dogfish Head Bitches Brew. I had. After a brief discussion about its merits he mentioned that he had had quite a bit of trouble locating the brew after learning about it via the Discovery Channel show Brew Masters. I've still never seen the show.
Anyhow, the customer then went on the tell me that he had gone to the DFH website and navigated to the "fish finder" section. This section of the site allows you to search for DFH brews at stores and restaurants/bars in your area by zip code. Since learning of this I have spent some time on my own with the tool and I must admit that, well…it's just another little feather in the illustrious cap of sir Sam Calagione and another small reminder of how powerful his empire has become. I don't know who puts in the time to keep it updated, if it gets updated at all, but it's a pretty damn fancy and incredibly helpful device.
Getting back to the customer… he lives in Snohomish, as many HBH customers do (the shop is in Everett if you were unaware), and he was directed by said fish finder to Norm's Market. "What the hell is Norm's Market?", I asked. The customer quickly answered, "It's a convenience store in Lake Stevens with a massive bottle selection." I knew right away that I had to check it out, but I also knew that it was Lake Stevens that we were talking about (no disrespect meant by any means, great little town you have there) and the likelihood that it would blow me away was minimal. It's simply not a very populous area. Such a business would struggle to thrive, in my opinion. It's especially likely that I wouldn't be blown away because I spend inordinate amounts of time researching places to buy beer and I'd never heard of this place. You'd think that it would be on someone's radar if it was especially remarkable.
Never-the-less, I made a point to check it out…to make my own opinion.
It became immediately obvious why the place is nowhere on any radar I am aware of (except for DFH's apparently). Norm's Market is the convenience store associated with a Shell Station. There is no sign outside, that I saw, that mentions anything about Norm's Market or that the largest beer selection in Snohomish County is found within its walls. Unless you live really close by or you just happened to stop there to get gas, you'd never know what awaited you inside.
Even upon entering, I thought that I was at the wrong place. I was in a quickie mart for god sakes! Yes, a shade larger than the norm, but a quickie mart none-the-less. A bit more roaming allowed me to find the beer. About 90% of the offerings were housed in the 20+ refrigerators that wrapped around the back wall and the flanking wall closest to the door. The unrefrigerated bottles didn't seem to have purpose. They weren't carefully chosen to be left out of the fridge due to any particular classification or because they have been known to age or anything like that. It just seemed as though they had run out of fridge space.
The only Belgian made beers that I noticed were the two or three selections of Lindeman's. There may have been a few imports here and there, just the standards, but it became quickly obvious that the selection weighed heavy on the domestics and American Micros. Yes, the selection is pretty vast (the manager said that they were hoping to soon carry over 900 varieties), but there was very little in stock that wowed me. It should be noted that a pretty sizable portion of the refrigerators are reserved for the BIG name beers that you would expect at a Shell Station.
The most exciting section for me was the Midnight Sun row that contained bottles of Berserker and Obliteration VII. They also had many bottle of Deschutes Abyss which was surprising. This is also a great place to go if you missed out on a seasonal. I found it most odd that they had a large inventory of Southern Tier Pumking. The DFH Festina Peche peaked my interest as well as it has been off most shelves for months now.
All in all, if you are in the area, you might as well swing through and keep your fingers crossed that they'll have a few beers that sold out everywhere else long before you could make it to the bottle shop, but otherwise, it's really just a glorified convenience store. I still respect the effort though Lake Stevens. It could be much worse. You could live in South Dakota.
February 2, 2011 at 12:41 pm
I have lived in the Lake Stevens/Snohomish area 10+ years, and never knew this place had beer. And I look hard, desperately hard at times, for good beer. I've gotten propane from this place at least once but never noticed the beer. Thanks for the tip, via a friend in Philadelphia.


text:
Quick Store Search
please disregard shipping charges shown during checkout. we will email you with exact shipping charges. Or call us to place an order
Privacy Info / Terms Of Use
We take privacy seriously. Please review our privacy information and terms of use for information on how we ensure your visit is secure and your privacy is protected.


text:
Tegrity is a leading class-capture solution impacting learning, student satisfaction and retention across the entire institution. Tegrity makes class time available all the time by making every class on campus available for replay by every student – anytime, anywhere. Educators know that the more students can see, hear, and experience a class, the better they learn. You can find out more about Tegrity at www.tegrity.com or use the links below to help you get started.
Tegrity Recording in the Classroom
Install Tegrity Recorder (Windows)
Install Tegrity Recorder (Mac)
How to Copy a Tegrity Recording
How to Edit Tegrity Recordings
Upload Video File or Audio as Class in Tegrity
How to Enable Student Recording
Instructors Guide to Generating Reports


text:
The Crawfordsville community showed its appreciation for Wabash men's muscles and strong backs Monday – putting nearly 250 freshmen to work.
In what has become an annual tradition, Wabash's incoming freshman class went to work for community churches and organizations. The young men painted, fixed, lifted, cleaned up, pulled weeds, measured school kids and assisted senior citizens. (See Photo Album for more pictures!)
For the organizations it's a chance to meet Wabash men in a different setting and a chance to complete much needed chores.
"We have a wood room upstairs that probably has been accumulating stuff since 1983," said Vanity Theatre's Frank Cicela. "It's used props, parts and set pieces. We're tying to clean that space out a little to give us some room to breathe.
"There would be just no way in the world we'd be able to do it without the Wabash students. We just really, really, really appreciate them."
For the students it was an afternoon away from testing, orientation and classrooms.
"It's nice to get out and enjoy the community," Jay Horrey said. "I think pretty much everybody did some community service to get into a great school like this; you have to be a well-rounded person. I think everyone is enjoying it."
Horrey joined a group of men scraping old paint off a rental home owned by the Nazarene Church, just a half block from campus.
"We just use this at the church as a way not only to get a little work done, but we like to meet the guys," Pastor Mike Uhl '76 said. "We have a long history of guys coming from campus through our church and being associated with our church.
"It's a good way for us to meet the guys who are coming in every year and we appreciate their work. We're always happy to meet them."
Across the street at the First Christian Church Barton Paddock, the church's property chairman, was overseeing some young guys putting varnish on new windows.
"The college came and asked if we could use students again and I said we sure could," Paddock said. The church leaders said it was good free labor and a good time interacting with the young men.
And like most 18 year olds, Andy Root said it's good fun. "You get to hang out with your friends," he said. "You really get to know people doing this. Everyone is real friendly, especially the people that let us come do this at the First Christian Church."
Advisees of English professor Marc Hudson — whose wife, Helen, and her Crawfordsville High School students have worked on the Amtrak stop project for two years — took their turn Monday, mowing grass and pulling weeds, cleaning up scrap metal, helping measure windows for replacement, and spreading mulch on the property.
"Last night, five of Helen's students gave a presentation on the history of the project," Professor Hudson said, "so these students are aware of the efforts other have put into this project. They gotten a lot done in the time we've been here; it's remarkable what you can get done with 13 guys!"
"It's great that they've brought us down here to help; giving back is what college is all about," said Wabash freshman Matt Doduro, who was tossing scrap metal from the tracks and trackside, assisted by freshman James Ket.
"They've been talking to us about the Gentleman's Rule the last couple of days," Ket said, "and this is just the Gentleman's Rule in action right here."
Wabash men did chores at New Hope Church, Old Jail Museum, Abilities Service, Hose Elementary, Nicholson School, Hoover School, Williamsburg Home, Rails/Trails, Mt. Zion Church, Community Center, Municipal Golf Course, Crawfordsville Country Club Course, Amtrak Station, Athena Apartments, Ben Hur Nursing Home, Food Pantry, First Nazarene Church, Lew Wallace Study, Lane Place, and First Christian Church.
Hewitt is Wabash College's Director of New Media/Web Editor. Steve Charles and Brent Harris contributed to this story and photos.
In photos:
Above: Jay Horrey, New Albany, and Sean Clerget, Lafayette, work scraping old paint off ceiling of porch.
Above left: Matt Doduro and james Ket toss scrap metal from the tracks.
On homepage: Jeremy Morris, from California, and Caleb Hedden, Winchester, break up some props before tossing them onto the dump truck at Vanity Theare.
On student homepage: Hieu Minh Dam, from Vietnam, and Miguel Munoz, Texas, put a shine on the Sunshine Van.


text:
on Madden 13
Originally Posted by EverythingPiffburgh
on Madden 13
why do you have Cam Heyward playing CB?
I like big hits and I cannot lie
Whoever you were playing has terrible stick skills. But, I did enjoy the video. Keisel got a pick too.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Forum Rules


text:
Licensed To Ill 30th Anniversary | 180g Vinyl
Incl. VAT, Excluding Shipping
More Information
This 30th anniversary LP edition of Beastie Boys' debut album Licensed To Ill is cut from original production masters and presented on 180-gram heavyweight vinyl. The album is back-to-back classic Beastie Boys anthems including "Hold It Now, Hit It," "Brass Monkey," "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)," "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" (featuring Slayer's Kerry King) and "Girls." Licensed To Ill is the 1st Hip Hop album to top the Billboard 200 and in 2015 it was certified Diamond by the RIAA.
Track Listing:
Side A
- Rhymin' & Stealin'
- The New Style
- She's Crafty
- Posse In Effect
- Slow Ride
- Girls
- Fight For Your Right
Side B
- No Sleep Till Brooklyn
- Paul Revere
- Hold It Now, Hit It
- Brass Monkey
- Slow And Low
- Time To Get Ill


text:
Police dog aids officer in Woodland arrest
Suspect wrestles with Woodland officer during traffic stop
A police canine subdued a man in Woodland who resisted arrest after the police officer learned the suspect was on probation for grand theft.
Police said Reggie Dickerson, 44, was stopped by a Woodland Police Department K-9 officer as part of a traffic stop for riding his bike on the sidewalk without a working light early Saturday morning.
The officer learned that Dickerson was on searchable probation for grad theft, police said.
As the officer conducted a search of Dickerson, the officer felt what he believed to be contraband in Dickerson's shirt.
When the officer attempted to retrieve the object, Dickerson spun his body away, almost causing the officer to fall, police said.
According to officers, the two continued to struggle in the road on the 100 block of West Main Street as the suspect elbowed the officer multiple times, and then threw a suspected glass pipe in the road.
The officer deployed his police canine from the car once he decided Dickerson was not going to stop fighting. Police said the dog bit the suspect on the arm causing him to submit to the officer.
Dickerson was held at gun point until more police units arrived, officers said.
The officer suffered a serious but non life-threatening injury to his hand and minor scrapes on his body.
Woodland Memorial Hospital treated Dickerson for injuries to his arm and released him.
Dickerson was booked at the Yolo County Jail on three felony charges-- resisting an officer using force, resisting an officer causing injury and a violation of probation.


text:
Meet The Brass Sisters
The holidays are here and The Brass Sisters are bringing the party.
With a combined total of 114 years of home baking and cooking experience, Marilynn and Sheila Brass have all the home-style, holiday recipes you could possibly want.
Meet them tonight at 8pm ET when they cook up some of their signature dishes, like Sweet Potato Latkes, Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, and Marilynn's Meat Lasagna. Plus a visit to the local fire station for flirting and homemade holiday baked gifts.
Watch them tonight, and get their heart-warming recipes here.
Looking for seasonal inspiration? Discover Holidays with Cooking Channel.


text:
News: Mobile Phones
Wednesday, 5 Jun 2013
Intel Goes Mobile with Bay Trail Platform
At Computex earlier today, Intel announced their latest 22nm SoC codenamed Bay Trail-T for tablet devices. With enhanced performance, graphics and lower power consumption, does Intel have what it takes to compete in the tablet market?
Monday, 3 Jun 2013
Acer Unveils the 5.7-inch Liquid S1 Equipped with Android 4.2 and Quad-Core Processor
Acer announced the Liquid S1, a 5.7-inch smartphone which runs on the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean platform, and a quad-core 1.5GHz processor.
Friday, 31 May 2013
HTC One Running Stock Android Coming June 26 on Google Play Store
HTC has just confirmed that it will offer an HTC One Google Edition on the U.S. Google Play Store come June 26.
Thursday, 30 May 2013
The 4.3-inch Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini Is Now Official
The much rumored Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is now official after Samsung took the wraps off it earlier today. A smaller version of the 5-inch Galaxy S4, the 4.3-inch Mini will be available in white frost and black mist color options.
Motorola Moto X Confirmed; Coming in October
According to Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside, who was at D11 earlier today, the Moto X smartphone is in the works and will launch by October.
Wednesday, 29 May 2013
Intel's New CEO Brian Krzanich Makes First Acquisition
Intel has just snapped up ST-Ericsson's satellite navigation chip unit.
Tuesday, 28 May 2013
White LG Nexus 4 Arriving in June
The white version of the LG Nexus 4 is official. It will launch in Hong Kong at the end of May.
Thursday, 23 May 2013
Apple: Samsung Galaxy S4 & Google Now Violate Siri Patents
Apple says that the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the Google Now service for Android violate Siri patents. The Cupertino-based company has filed the motion to amend its existing infringement complaint in a California court.
Monday, 20 May 2013
Samsung to Unveil 5.9-inch Galaxy Note III at IFA 2013
Now that the Galaxy S4 is out, the next big thing from Samsung is the successor to the Galaxy Note II. Samsung officials have confirmed that the Galaxy Note III will debut at this September's IFA in Germany.
Tuesday, 14 May 2013
Nokia Announces Lumia 925
Nokia has announced the Lumia 925 Windows Phone. Sporting an aluminum frame, it's slimmer and lighter than the Lumia 920, and has the same 8.7-megapixel PureView camera.


text:
From receiving death threats by overeager "Jackass" fans to auditioning for a movie role as a Hispanic stripper, it's been an odd but rewarding year for stand-up comedian Amy Schumer.
The 30-year old New York native first began making a name for herself in 2007 with her appearance on NBC's "Last Comic Standing" but her national breakout performance came during last year's "Roast of Charlie Sheen" on Comedy Central – where she landed ferocious blows to Mike Tyson with jokes about his face tattoo and to Steve-O with cringe-worthy cracks about the death of his "Jackass" friend and co-star Ryan Dunn. The numerous death threats Schumer received in the aftermath of the joke caused her to briefly wonder if she should quit comedy, but instead she said she's determined to "bring it harder."
The result has been plenty of work in stand-up and in film. This year, Schumer has filmed the feature "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World," starring Steve Carell and Keira Knightley, and "Price Check," an independent movie opposite Parker Posey that premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Before traveling to San Francisco to film a one-hour stand-up special for Comedy Central called "Mostly Sex Stuff," Schumer stops through Chicago for the Just for Laughs Festival for her first big headlining gig in the city (June 13, Park West). She spoke to RedEye about her crazy year, why she loves the HBO show "Girls" and, of course, sex.
It seems like most people know you because of the Charlie Sheen roast and some of the controversy with you and Steve-O. Is that something that bothers you?
No, it doesn't. It's like…what people think about you is so out of your control. I just want people to know my standup.
Did you really get death threats from the joke about Ryan Dunn and Steve-O?
Yeah I got some stuff on Twitter and Facebook that was like "I hope you die," but my management got at least 18 legit angry emails where they mentioned wanting to kill me and a couple where they were detailed saying "I'm going to kill her at this specific show," so my management wanted me to cancel some shows. When someone actually says they have plans to kill you and mention a specific club, it was really upsetting. Comedy Central's editor chose to cut to Steve-O looking very upset about the joke so all these young Jackass fans went after me. It sucked, it was scary.
Was there any impulse to tone down your act?
No. I thought to myself, Am I supposed to quit comedy? Then I was like "fuck no" and wanted to come even harder after that. The fact of the matter is, I'm not going to be everyone's thing and I don't want to be. If anyone was going be offended by that joke, I don't want them to be in the audience in the first place. I've actually said no to some TV shows that would have given me more exposure because I don't want the people that like that show to be in my crowd. It's not just about numbers for me. I want smart people to enjoy what I'm talking about. If they don't like it, that's fine, too.
Who would you ideally roast? Does it get any better than Charlie Sheen?
I think whoever is in the hot seat at the moment. I guess like John Travolta right now with that stuff with him jerking off with the massage therapists.
If you did a roast in Chicago could you roast Rahm Emanuel?
Who is that? Umm, I guess my roast would begin and end with "I have no idea who you are."
How well do you know Chicago?
Well, my brother is a jazz musician, and he's lived there for seven years now. He lives in Ukrainian Village and I stay with him sometimes, and my sister and her husband got a house in Tinley Park. I try to find every excuse I can to come. It's such a great comedy town. I've gone Chicago to do shows for six or seven years, but I've been trying to headline a big show in the city for years. So when I got this offer I was like, "Fuck yeah." I'm totally excited. I hope people come.
You live in New York. Do you have any clever observations as far as New York compared to Chicago?
In terms of industry type shit, the way that L.A. people look at New York is how people in New York look at Chicago. "Oh, that's so cute, you guys have comedy there." It's kind of arrogant. But the truth is that Chicago is probably the only other city I could find myself living in other than New York, and the good comedy scene is part of that. But in the city where my sister lives? That shit is like "The Midwest." Cornfields and pep rallies and shit.
Speaking of New York, you recently posted on Twitter "Fuck girls is good, fuck." I'm assuming you were talking about the HBO show.
Yeah, I was talking about the show. I'm really digging that shit.
Can you relate to it at all?
I mean, I'm older. I'm old, but yeah. There's a lot. The jokes are really funny, the show has made me laugh.
It makes sex seem so terrible.
Yeah, but that's a weird age for sex. In college, you're just drunk and fucking and you don't know what your body is like and you're just hoping you're not grotesque and someone is going to want to have sex with you twice. And then when you're 23, you know some shit and you're talking about it, but you still don't really know anything but that's the age where you're exploring and figuring it out. It's pretty awkward, kind of more awkward than virginity. That guy that [Hannah] has sex with, I've had sex with a guy like that at that age…the dirtiest, weirdest shit and I was like, well, I guess that's what guys are like. And it's like, no, it's not. It's just this fucking weirdo. I do relate to it. It's very New York-centric.
Is your own material similar at all?
Again, I'm older. The show kind of highlights the pain and insecurity of that age. My material is very much where I am now as a 30-year-old woman who has seen a lot of shit and done a lot of fucking. It's me coming out of my 20s, with all the experience I've gained. I'm very unapologetic about it. I like sex. So my perspective, I'm talking about me now.
So you could be an older role model for Hannah?
I guess, but I'm not sure my life would be the pot at the end of the rainbow. You kind have to live your own shit and make mistakes, I think. I talk very openly and frankly about things that have happened to me, with the thought that someone will be like, wow, that happened to me, too, or when it does happen that they don't feel as bad about it. I also just think it's good for girls and guys to hear a chick up there talk about sex unapologetically.
I was watching some of your clips on YouTube and was reading some of the comments and people were making comments on your appearance as much as your material. One said: "Love her delivery and her figure!" Or: "The babyface contradicts her sick humor so beautifully..." Does that annoy you?
No matter what, you get commented on your physical appearance if you're a chick. Right out of the gate. I wish it wasn't that way, but I expect it. I'm not going to be for everyone. I get "that girl, I don't like her" but someone else will say "She's the funniest woman I've ever seen" or someone is like "She's fat or ugly" or "She's the greatest woman ever." It's like, they're both right. I just don't give a shit anymore.
Did that take a while to get used to? Did you have to grow a thicker skin?
Yeah, totally. I was shocked at first and it took me a while to get used to. I made a video early on in my career that got like 100,000 views, and people would say things like, "She's adorable' or "I hope she dies." And the physical stuff, it's not easy to hear. But everything else that has happened, after getting death threats and the roast...now I feel like the Iron Lady. On stage now I feel so strong and hecklers don't bother me because I'm not worried about anything they can say. If they say "You're fat." Well, I'm not fat. I know exactly who I am. I'm not the smartest, funniest, best-looking chick ever but I'm OK. I'm above average, and that's good enough for me.
Tell me about some of these movies you're in.
I audition for a lot of stuff. I go out to L.A. as frequently as possible. The people that represent me run around and get me stuff. Some of them are ridiculous. One was a Hispanic stripper. Seriously. So when you get something big, everybody calls you. So everyone called and told me I got this part. I was like, was it Shoshanna or whatever the name of the stripper was? No, they said it was for the Steve Carell movie and I was like "Ah!"
When we were filming that movie, it was really awesome, but it was a lot of waiting around, like you hear. The kind of waiting around in a small, small trailer…I know, poor me. Once we started filming, it was a dream come fucking true. But it's weird, because you're like, I want this, it's my dream, but then once you get it, you're like…I better get another dream. So I'm trying lots of different things right now.
Ryan Smith is a RedEye special contributor.
Just for Laughs Festival – Amy Schumer
Where: Park West, 322 W. Armitage Ave.
When: June 13, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $25, justforlaughschicago.com


text:
1927 Ford Model T Roadster Pickup - T For Tom
Tom Pagano's '27 T Roadster Pickup
It's an odd relationship between a hot rod builder and a customer. The customer is the one paying for the job, but the experienced judgment of the builder is a big part of what he's paying for. Sometimes a builder can guide the customer away from bad ideas and toward good ones. If he can't, he only has a couple of options: build the car the way the customer wants or pass on the project. When Tom Pagano, from Tomz Kustoms in Rancho Cordova, California, was approached by a guy whose ideas were, as he puts it, "horrible," Tom came up with a third option: buy everything and build the car right.
Like most hot rodders, Tom got into this whole thing as a kid, building models and reading magazines. "When I was real young," Tom remembers, "I sent away for the plans to 'Build your own Bucket T' from Bird Engineering, advertised in one of the magazines. I had big plans to do all of that, but I never did build that roadster. So, this car was really the conception of my ideas from when I was a teenager."
At first, Tom tells us, he thought about throwing everything together as a quick build, painting the chassis red, and shooting the body with some satin black and red scallops. When he started looking around at everything that was out there, he realized that's exactly what everybody was doing-which is exactly what he didn't want to do.
From what Tom has been able to learn, his '27 T roadster pickup has its place in hot rod history. The body, '56 Hemi engine, and a handful of other pieces, were once parts of a hot rod raced by an old-time drag racer in the Sacramento, California, area. After the racer died in the '70s, the car bounced from one family member to another, and was taken apart and put together so many times that by the time it showed up at Tomz Kustoms, it was a big pile of parts. But they were great parts. The '27 body was all original, and the framerails were from a Model A. The Hemi hadn't been fired for years, and the oil galleys were plugged solid, but when Tom took the engine into the machine shop to be rebuilt, the astonished machinist reported no wear in the cylinders. It was as if the engine was brand-new.
In six months, that pile of parts, plus a few newer ones, came together in the form of the traditional T shown here. The previous owner probably regrets not listening to Tom's advice, but the long-gone drag racer who ran the roadster decades ago would probably be proud of the way his old hot rod turned out.
Tom PaganoRancho Cordova, California'27 Model TRoadster Pickup
DrivetrainBruce "Wrench" Pleaston and the owner rebuilt the '56 Hemi that came with the pile of parts that became this roadster using stock 9.25:1 pistons and a PAW cam with stock heads. The original dual-quad intake and dual 500-cfm Edelbrock carbs feed the 354ci engine, and Sanderson headers carry the exhaust note right below Tom's ears. A Hot Heads adapter hooks the Hemi to a Turbo 400, modified by Xtreme Performance. The Ford 9-inch rearend runs 3.00:1 gears.
ChassisThe Model A 'rails that carried the car way back when were replaced by a 2x4-inch tube frame from the Model T Shop in Sacramento. The T is suspended on All American springs and shocks in the back, with suicide-perched leaves and custom-made reverse-mount radius rods in front at the drilled '46 Ford axle and spindles. Brakes are 11-inch discs in front, with 10-inch drums at the rear. The steering column has been replaced with a Wizard Fabrication Steer Clear offset steering coupler, invented by Tom himself.
Wide whites mounted on painted Wheel Vintiques steelies with caps and rings are a perfect match for the red and white roadster. Front 15x5s are mounted with radials from Coker. The 15x7s in the back run Moon cheater slicks.
Starting with some badly Bondo'd and patch paneled sheetmetal, Tom and Ron Roark handbuilt the entire lower portion of the body. The floor was completely fabricated from a steel tube frame with riveted aluminum. The original plan for satin black was scrapped in favor of something a little more eye-catching. After several changes of mind, Tom decided on bright white with red scallops. Tom's son, Tom Jr., a partner in Tomz Kustoms (with Tom Sr. and Tom Leman), added the pinstriping to the grille shell, firewall, heads, framerails, rear axle, rearend housing, and elsewhere. His talent earned him the Tommy The Greek Memorial Award at the San Francisco Rod, Custom, and Motorcycle Show.
InteriorThe cockpit, built by Tom, is about as simple, and traditional, as it gets-Stewart Warner Wings gauges in a custom dash, SO-CAL Sprint Car steering wheel, and Lokar shifter and eight-ball knob. The riveted floors were jazzed up with a little more pinstriping. The custom seats are built from '27 T sedan frames with custom cushions and perforated aluminum backs riveted in place-and flip forward. When Tom debuted the car in Pleasanton last year, the backs hadn't been installed. Tom told everybody they were done anyway. "That drove 'em nuts," he says.


text:
" Proudly serving the real estate needs of The Woodlands, TX and the surrounding areas. "
Platinum agents are empowered by the most innovative and powerful technology tools HAR has to offer which are designed to enable clients with premium content, faster response time, rating and review and many marketing tools. Learn More ↗


text:
- Biography
- President's Initiatives
- Speeches & Statements
- Leadership Advisory Groups
- Office of the President
October 4, 2012
To the OSU Community:
I write today to challenge all of us to demonstrate the great progress we have made at Oregon State University in the last five years to create a more inclusive community – one that celebrates our differences and shows that together we are attaining excellence through diversity.
This fall, we can do that in a very simple way: wear black attire to the Oregon State - Utah football game on Oct. 20 and to the Cal game on Nov. 17 to express support and affection for the remarkable football Beavers. This simple act sends a profound message: that we are united as a community and that those who engage in behavior that is hurtful to others will not deter us from taking this next step in appropriately living our values.
In recent weeks, discussion about going forward with wearing black attire to two OSU football games this year has called attention to an incident in 2007 that was very hurtful to many in our community. At that Blackout Reser event, some students seeking attention wore black facepaint and afro hair wigs to the game. A picture of one of those individuals was published in the Daily Barometer. A very brave woman of color asked the Barometer to publish a guest editorial about how hurtful it was to see the paper portray such negative stereotypes. The Barometer declined to publish her editorial, which led to deeper, powerful discussions of insensitivity and ignorance on this campus. Sadly, some did not know that white students wearing black face and afros represented a throwback to hateful times in this country when white minstrels "played" black entertainers, and that such behavior was and is hurtful and frightening to many among us. In time, the editor of the Barometer understood the need for swift and strong condemnation of such behavior.
At the next MLK Jr. Breakfast on campus, I noted that there will always be knuckleheads among us and that we will know that we have made real progress toward an inclusive community when we can call out foolish behavior, secure in the knowledge that we have each other's back. I believe in each of you and the basic goodness of this wonderful community and University, and I believe we can show support for our football team and for each other in this simple way: appropriately support your school's athletes by wearing black attire to the Oct. 20 and Nov. 17 Beaver football games.
We cannot always choose the time and place and circumstances to demonstrate the power of our convictions. Yet, we can make a powerful statement about who we are and what we stand for with this simple act.
Others have been involved in discussions about promoting this activity and it was announced that we would not promote a campaign for fans to wear black attire to these football games. I take full responsibility and apologize for not engaging in that discussion sooner. I hold myself and all of us accountable for understanding the harmful effects of racial stereotypes and avoiding behavior that perpetuates those stereotypes. I would hope the Barometer would also avoid perpetuating stereotypes and will condemn the behavior if it occurs.
Over the next two weeks, we will promote this activity and participation in a joyous and respectful way. We will announce discussion groups and other means of informing and reminding all of us of the events of 2007. And I will rearrange my schedule to the fullest extent possible to participate in those discussions myself.
I believe in the basic goodness of this University community and each of you. It is time to move beyond a sorry chapter in our history and to celebrate our team and our progress as a community that attains excellence through diversity.
Edward J. Ray
President, Oregon State University


text:
Peace of mind is a good feeling. Our accounts offer three types of overdraft prevention and protection.
Ready for down-time with friends or adventure with the family? We offer a variety of loans to help you with almost any purchase.
We'll invest in you long before there is any conversation around money.
Our first priority is to understand you. Where you are in life. Where you want to go. We look for opportunities in places other banks may see challenges. But as a bank who sees every account as a name and face, not a series of numbers, what else would we do?
Community Involvement
The only way for a bank to truly give its customers the service they deserve is to be a part of their community. And when you belong to something as special as that, well, investing time and money in places just a few sidewalks away becomes the natural thing to do.Learn More
Invested in the Community
About Park National Bank
To learn about a bank, you've got to know the men and women behind it. We could talk up our financial offering or rattle off some corporate values — but at the end of the day, a bank without people is just a glorified safe. For more than a century, Park National has helped local families, businesses and communities achieve financial success with more confidence and ease. Our heritage is firmly rooted in values of service, integrity and local community commitment.


text: The East Palestine Firefighters Association held their 119th memorial service to honor their brothers and sisters. The service included the last alarm drop memorial along with the playing of TAPS by a member of the East Palestine High School band. Rev. Mark McTrustry gave the invocation and benediction. Above: Jon McElroy, his father, Richard (Dick) McElroy and grandfather, Harold Brockman, are three generations of firefighters. Brockman is a retired life member who served 35 years with the department while Jon and Dick are current active members. As the honor roll of deceased firefighters is read, fellow firefighters and family members place a flag while the eagle clad brass bell is rung two times in their honor. Morning Journal/Patti Schaeffer


text:
New Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer has decreed there will be no more working from home for Yahoo staff. A company memo leaked to the press on Friday announced that Yahoo employees would no longer be permitted to work remotely. The decision seems to be based on a desire for increased productivity and a more connected company culture. It reads in part:
To become the absolute best place to work, communication and collaboration will be important, so we need to be working side-by-side. That is why it is critical that we are all present in our offices. Some of the best decisions and insights come from hallway and cafeteria discussions, meeting new people, and impromptu team meetings. Speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home. We need to be one Yahoo!, and that starts with physically being together.
Hundreds of remote workers were asked to report to the office beginning June 1. If they can't or don't want to, too bad. Even occasional flexibility is being discouraged. The memo reads, "For the rest of us who occasionally have to stay home for the cable guy, please use your best judgment in the spirit of collaboration."
Unsurprisingly, the announcement rankled quite a few Yahoo employees, as well as supporters of workplace flexibility. Flexible work arrangements, from telecommuting to flexible schedules and condensed workweeks, are viewed by many as the way of the future. Flexibility has become an important tool for time-crunched workers, particularly parents, to better juggle work and family responsibilities.
"It's incredibly disappointing," says Jennifer Owens, editorial director of Working Mother Media. "It's a step backwards—a mindset from the days when Yahoo was launched."
"I respect that Marissa is looking at ways to make [Yahoo's] workforce more productive and engaged in their jobs," says Sara Sutton Fell, CEO of FlexJobs, a service that helps job seekers find flexible professional positions. "I just don't agree that casting a blanket of blame on individual telecommuters is the right way to do it–nor is cancelling the whole program in one fell swoop."
Mayer, 37, took the helm of struggling Yahoo last summer while five months pregnant. The new mom is the youngest CEO and one of only a handful of women CEOs leading Fortune 500 companies. When asked for details about the new policy and the rationale behind it, a Yahoo spokesperson wrote back, "We don't comment on internal matters."
A Yahoo spokesperson sent the following statement on Tuesday, "This isn't a broad industry view on working from home–this is about what's right for Yahoo, right now."
Mayer has so far taken a number of steps to turn the company around—revamping the homepage, renovating Yahoo Mail, releasing a new Flickr app and conducting a string of mobile acquisitions. Presumably she believes having all soldiers report for duty onsite will lead to increased performance. However, the idea that traditional face-time results in increased productivity seems little more than management bias.
"A variety of studies show that telecommuting and working from home is associated with higher productivity," says David Lewin, management professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. "Analytically, it's not at all clear this would benefit Yahoo. They could wind up with negative performance effects."
Additionally, working from home—whether occasionally or full time—typically cuts out an hour or more of wasted commuting time every day, says Lewin. Not to mention, employees are so grateful for the flexibility that they're often more loyal to the company than the 9-to-5ers. A 2011 study by nonprofit human resources association WorldatWork found that companies with stronger cultures of flexibility experienced lower turnover and increased employee satisfaction, motivation and engagement.
"It comes from fear," says Owens. "Fear that if I can't see you, I don't know what you're working on. It's a distrust of your own workforce."
Some are also speculating that Mayer's little ultimatum may be a way to trim the fat. If remote workers decide to quit rather than comply, it's a layoff without the associated costs. However, what could be a clever cost-cutting trick sends a dangerous message to the rest of the business community. Could this be the beginning of the end of telecommuting?
"I don't believe we'll see many other companies following suit," says Amanda Augustine, job search expert for TheLadders, an online job-matching service for professionals. "This decision says more about the type of company (and culture) Mayer is planning to rebuild, and less about the state of telecommuting and flexible work schedules as a whole."
Of course, some face-time will always be necessary and no one's arguing that it disappear entirely. David Fagiano, COO of corporate training and consulting company Dale Carnegie Training, agrees with Mayer that some of the best ideas are fostered through casual conversations. However, he also notes that these conversations don't have to take place in the same room. "With the internet being such a great tool in business today, it's easy to hold a virtual meeting via Skype or to pick up the phone."
With increasingly effective mobile and video conferencing technology there's less and less need to be present in the physical workplace. Certainly, Yahoo could find alternatives to alienating hundreds of workers. Isn't it a technology company?
Source: Forbes


text:
ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes most of the ASU Theses and Dissertations from 2011 to present. ASU Theses and Dissertations are available in downloadable PDF format; however, a small percentage of items are under embargo. Information about the dissertations/theses includes degree information, committee members, an abstract, supporting data or media.
In addition to the electronic theses found in the ASU Digital Repository, ASU Theses and Dissertations can be found in the ASU Library Catalog.
Dissertations and Theses granted by Arizona State University are archived and made available through a joint effort of the ASU Graduate College and the ASU Libraries. For more information or questions about this collection contact or visit the Digital Repository ETD Library Guide or contact the ASU Graduate College at firstname.lastname@example.com.
- Chamberlin, Ralph
- Zhang, Tiantian
- Newman, Nathan
- 1 Arizona State University
- 1 Rowell, John M
- 1 Singh, Rakesh K
- 1 Wang, Robert
- 1 English
- 1 Public
- Mobile Crowd Sensing in Edge Computing Environment
- The Effect of Disability on Subjective Well-Being across the Adult Lifespan: The Moderating Roles of Age at Disability Onset and Disability Type
- Mechanically Active Heterogeneous Polymer Matrix Composites
- Attribute-Based Encryption for Fine-Grained Access Control over Sensitive Data
- 并购背景下教育行业品牌价值研究
The study of high energy particle irradiation effect on Josephson junction tri-layers is relevant to applications in space and radioactive environments. It also allows us to investigate the influence of defects and interfacial intermixing on the junction electrical characteristics. In this work, we studied the influence of 2MeV Helium ion irradiation with doses up to 5.2×1016 ions/cm2 on the tunneling behavior of Nb/Al/AlOx/Nb Josephson junctions. Structural and analytical TEM characterization, combined with SRIM modeling, indicates that over 4nm of intermixing occurred at the interfaces. EDX analysis after irradiation, suggests that the Al and O compositions from the barrier are collectively …
- Contributors
- Zhang, Tiantian, Newman, Nathan, Rowell, John M, et al.
- Created Date
- 2012


text:
One of the most important things a cat owner needs to do is set up a good place for her cat to do her business. Follow these simple steps to help teach your cat where her proper potty place is, and you'll avoid a lot of future hassles.
Placement is everything
You should set up your litter box in a place that is accessible, but that has little to no traffic or noise. Jane Brunt, DVM, executive director, CATalyst Council and founder and owner of Cat Hospital at Towson, the first feline-exclusive veterinary practice in Maryland, suggests a spare bedroom or bathroom, if you have one. "If your house has multiple floors, it's best to have one on at least two different levels so there's always a toilet nearby when nature calls," she added.
Avoid putting the litter box in the basement, or near your washer and dryer, as the loud noises may scare your cat from going in there.
Setting the stage
You can't expect to just put the litter box down and have your cat learn what to do with it on his own — teaching him to use the litter box is the first priority. "It's best to initially keep the cat in a single room with food and water, it's carrier with soft bedding inside, a scratching post and, of course, a litter box," says Dr. Brunt. "You can show your cat the box by placing him or her in it, though cats naturally eliminate and cover their waste."
If it seems like your cat isn't getting it after a few tries, try helping your cat dig around in her litter box so she's used to the texture, and if she does happen to go somewhere else in your house while she's training, pick up the waste and place it in the box so your cat will start to associate the box with the correct area to do her business.
The best type of litter
There are many types of litter out there to choose from, but studies have shown that cats prefer clumping litter and types with activated carbon.
More information on studies about kitty litter can be found here.
Dr. Brunt suggests having two boxes for one cat, and adding an additional box for every other cat you have in your home. "Placing them strategically around your home and keeping them clean will ensure everyone has one when they need it."
Litter box problems
Has your cat started to soil other areas of your home and stopped using the litter box? There is usually a reason for this, but Dr. Brunt says it's never because your cat is angry with you. "Make sure the litter boxes are scooped daily, and clean and wash the litter pans every 2-3 weeks," she said.
Here are some ways to naturally eliminate litter box odors.
If the litter box was clean when the accident occurred, then it's time to think about other obstacles that might be inhibiting your cat from getting to the litter box. Could you be accidently closing the door? Did you change brands of litter? "If there's no obvious reason like cleanliness, access and familiarity, it's time to call the veterinarian," says Dr. Brunt. "It's nearly impossible to tell if your cat isn't feeling well, and there could be anything from diabetes to bladder crystals or stones to parasites or other infections, and the longer the problem persists, the more difficult it is to treat."
If all else fails, try starting litter box training over again from scratch. Purchase a completely new litter box (because yes, cats can be picky about the type of litter box they use) and place it where your cat is comfortable going and can get to easily. "Keep the boxes clean, and if this doesn't work you can try synthetic facial pheromone products, a diffuser plugged in near the litter box that will help the area seem more familiar through scent," suggests Dr. Brunt.
Remember — your cat wants to be clean just as much as you want to her stay clean. A little training in the litter box area can go a long way.


text:
by Wesley Ratko
The highly-attended Chestnut Hill Community Association board meeting on Aug. 22. resulted in no major actions but did produce a few interesting discussion points:
• Joyce Lenhardt, vice president of the CHCA's Physical Division reported on the Development Review Committee's initial meeting with the lawyer for a new dental practice – Top of the Hill Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry – slated to go into the old KCBA Architects office in the Top of the Hill shopping center at 8705 Germantown Ave. She also asked for and received board support to appoint John Haak, a planner with the Philadelphia City Planning Commission and member of the Land Use Planning and Zoning Committee to co-chair that committee.
• Lenhardt touched on a growing interest to have additional meetings to discuss what can be done to assist local businesses with sprucing up their storefronts and creating a policy for signs along the Avenue.
• Finally, Lenhardt addressed the issue of the century-old fire station at 101 West Highland Ave. When first addressed at the August 2012 board meeting, the Philadelphia Fire Department had approached the CHCA with concerns that modern fire trucks were becoming too wide for the historic station doors to accommodate. Three options were discussed: Widen the entrance of the historic building, build a new fire station building elsewhere in Chestnut Hill, or use smaller trucks at this location. Lenhardt now says that as of its last meeting, the PFD has opted to find smaller trucks. Neither modifying the existing station nor building a new one are viable options. Lenhardt noted that the city's fleet of fire trucks are standardized and not customized specifically to the station houses they serve. The board took no action on this issue.
• Board president Brien Tilley urged members of the board to join one of several committees that need volunteers.
• Tilley also proposed that the board hold an annual membership drive akin to the annual fund-raising drive. Board member Jane Piotrowski suggested doing so during the run up to board elections. Tilley suggested that board members check their calendars and consult with the membership committee to determine the best approach.
• There was interest expressed from community manager Celeste Hardester to bring back the Christmas parade to Chestnut Hill, as well as other activities that would bring increased foot traffic to the Avenue during the holiday season.


text:
A retired married couple committed suicide Tuesday and left a note saying they were going to lose their home, helping stoke an outcry over Spain's tough eviction laws just before Parliament unanimously voted in favor of debating possible changes.
The 68-year-old man and 67-year-old woman took an overdose of prescription drugs at their apartment on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca and their bodies were found by their son, said a spokesman for the Civil Guard who spoke on condition of anonymity because department rules prevent him from going on the record.
The deaths increased to five the number of suicides linked to mortgage defaults and evictions in recent months as Spain's financial crisis has deepened and the unemployment rate has reached 26 percent.
The couple gave no indication in the note that their suicide was linked to the move in Parliament, where the ruling Popular Party yielded to demands to review the country's mortgage and eviction laws. The vote late Tuesday in favor of debating changes that could take months or years to be approved was 334 in favor with one abstention.
More than 350,000 Spaniards have received eviction orders since 2008.
Spaniards unable to make mortgage payments and who are evicted still remain liable to repay huge amounts even if the value of their homes plunged during the financial crisis. Banks either sell the homes for much less than the original mortgage value or can't unload them, so the mortgage holders end up either owing the difference or paying back the whole loan plus fees and court costs. Their wages can be garnished by the banks.
Activists have repeatedly staged protests demanding changes to the laws so that those who are evicted don't face debt for life that can be passed on to their children.
By comparison, most people in the United States who default give up their devalued homes to the banks and file for personal bankruptcy. That leaves their credit ruined but without continuing mortgage debt.


text:
Contribute to ReadWriteThink / RSS / FAQs / Site Demonstrations / Contact Us / About Us
ReadWriteThink couldn't publish all of this great content without literacy experts to write and review for us. If you've got lessons plans, videos, activities, or other ideas you'd like to contribute, we'd love to hear from you.
Find the latest in professional publications, learn new techniques and strategies, and find out how you can connect with other literacy professionals.
Teacher Resources by Grade
|1st - 2nd
|3rd - 4th
|5th - 6th
|7th - 8th
|9th - 10th
|11th - 12th
Home › Classroom Resources › Lesson Plans
Lesson Plan
Breaking the Rules with Sentence Fragments
|9 – 12
|Lesson Plan Type
|Standard Lesson
|Estimated Time
|Three 50-minute sessions
|Lesson Author
Fredonia, New York
Teachers generally warn student writers to avoid sentence fragments, but professional writers use sentence fragments effectively for a variety of reasons. Using Edgar Schuster's study of sentence fragments from The Best American Essays, this lesson encourages students to examine fragments in action, determine their effective rhetorical uses, and reflect on their own uses of sentence fragments.
- ReadWriteThink Printing Press: Students use this online tool to produce a brochure based on the information they learn in this lesson.
In a 2006 article in English Journal, Edgar Schuster uses essays from The Best American Essays to demonstrate that professional writers used sentence fragments at the rate of .93 per page on average. This statistic flies in the face of English teachers who admonish their students to avoid sentence fragments. By closely examining the contexts in which professional writers use fragments, Schuster is able to formulate several rules for effective fragment use and encourages student writers to do so as well.
Further Reading
Schuster, Edgar. A Fresh Look at Sentence Fragments. English Journal 95.5 (2006): 78-83.


text:
the Backstage Apr 3rd, 2013 Kate Bock Hair, makeup and sparkly nail polish with the beautiful Sports Illustrated model Kate Bock! Tallulah wears Caramel Baby & Child cardigan and skirt from their S/S13 Collection. (Read More) SHARE ON FACEBOOK SHARE ON TWITTER Comment Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Name * Email * Comment You may use these HTML tags and attributes:   <acronym title="">
      <q cite="">


text:
The head of Hamas' military was assassinated.
Sen. John Kerry is being vetted to take over as Secretary of Defense.
Girls in foster care are especially at risk of being trafficked.
"If you do that to me again, I'll punch you out."
McAfee is a computer virus software brand. It's also a guy running from the law.
Paul Ryan's tired of talking about presidential politics.
The power of pee.
"A precarious state of existence."
Voter groups, charted.
What's old is new again.
Rep. Dennis Kucinich is scheduled to hold a hearing on the use of drones.
Our current world map is subject to change.
Cerealist art.


text:
When news of Mikhail Prokhorov's potential interest in the Nets came up last week, we mused that the richest man in Russia's name might have been floated as a way to spur other investors. That turned out not to be the case, as the oligarch took to his blog on Tuesday and let the world know that he was weighing a deal that would both finance the Nets' arena in Brooklyn and give him a controlling interest in the team.
One major difference you find out right away is that while every American with a pulse shares every last thought they have via Twitter, the richest man in Russia is still kicking it on a LiveJournal blog. It gets weirder, though.
That would make him the first non-North American owner of an NBA team, something that wouldn't seem like such a big deal until you read Prokhorov's statement about his interest. It's partly a real estate deal, partly a sports deal and a whole lot of a nationalist attempt to use entry into the NBA as a way to make Russia a more powerful basketball nation. According to Prokhorov, the "qualitative conditions" of the deal are:
- Russia would achieve a position of equality among the elites of world basketball
- access to all modern technology and training methods with the possibility of using them in Russia
- apprenticeships for leading Russian trainers and managers in the NBA
- the ability to send our best students to NBA training camps.
In post-Soviet Russia, the Nets buy you!
U.S. & World
It sounds utterly ridiculous, but the Nets are so desperate for financing that anything is possible. The big loser in this deal would clearly be Bruce Ratner, who would essentially have to give away control of his team and his real estate dream project in order to save both of them. It would be almost Shakespearean, except that it's the Nets and a widely reviled arena project and a crazy Russian billionaire whose plan hinges on the idea that access to the Nets would somehow be a benefit to basketball in Moscow.
So not Shakespeare so much as Monty Python, then.
UPDATE: As they say in Russian, dosvidonedeal*. On Wednesday afternoon, the Nets and Prokhorov announced that they've reached a deal that will make Prokhorov the majority owner of the team. He'll own 80 percent of the Nets, 45 percent of the arena and 20 percent of the non-arena development of the Atlantic Yards area. He'll invest $200 million and make other "funding committments" for those stakes.
The NBA still needs to approve the deal. There may be some owners dubious about sharing their league with a man who has Prokhorov's billions to draw on, but David Stern issued a statement supporting the deal Wednesday, and the league has made it clear that they want the Nets in Brooklyn so those doubts may not materialize in the form of dissenting votes.
(*=not actually said in Russian.)
Josh Alper is a writer living in New York City and is a contributor to FanHouse.com and ProFootballTalk.com in addition to his duties for NBCNewYork.com.