text:
[First published on November 22, 2005] On Chang and Halloway's biography of Mao I wrote about yesterday, it is an educational experience to read the 38 reviews of the book on Amazon.com. Some surely are by Mainland Chinese, and probably planted by the CCP. But those that are not show the depth of the Mao myth among Westerners and, many of them forgetting about Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Kim Jung Ill, and Saddam Hussein, the inability to believe that any ruler could be so evil. To give you a taste of this, I include one such one-star (the lowest rating) review below. It is not a parody:
This pure unadulterated piece of garbage is so unbelievably out-of-this-world in portraying the late Chinese Communist Leader as Lucifer incarnate becomes so so boring,and tedious, I (and along with other literary friends) had to just discontinue reading the book and pick something else to read far far more substantial.
The author, who probably did not get a job in a Chinese take-away in London decided to write a book about Mao in connivance with her old demented husband (who probably married her out of pity and desperation when she was still a boat person) and the end result is a littany of lies whose main basis is her fertile imagination and hate for Chairman Mao. Their pens were already dipped in poison during conception of the book that one has to wonder why her literary sources ran a gamut of hundreds of pages that one can already write another book with it!
The author's style is extremely boring, filled with graphic descriptions of the "sufferings" and evilness of Mao , supremely exaggerated. And she blames the old man for the death of practically every Chinese individual (even those who died of natural causes or illnesses or poverty were included in her statistics.) It is sensationalistic from page 1. This person's hate for Mao is so intense and personal, the book was written by someone with an axe to grind.
The problem with some boat people is that when they have resources when the times comes, they seize the opportunity to write a book and lace it with personal agenda that they think they can claim fame from the foreign media.No way Jung chang! There's an opening for a cleaning post in the Chinese Embassy, this job is more suitable for you!
I myself is not a fan of Mao, I dont even know anything about him thats why I bought this book! However, Mao is nothing in this book except being described as a murderer and a devil. I'm so glad that this book is much disliked by many and I'm glad that a lot of Chinese people have spoken up and defended their old leader.
Avoid this garbage! </blockquote>
Chang was not one of the "boat people," that is, one of those who fled from Vietnam in boats during the 70s and 80s. She was born and raised in China, and as a young woman traveled on a fellowship to the reviewer's home country of Britain, where she now lives with her husband and co-author. It would be interesting to be a fly on the wall were they to meet.
Go here for a favorable review in <i>Foreign Affairs</I> by Lucian Pye. More reviews are here.


text:
This week we've been exploring bubbles.
We practiced different means of making bubbles, used various tools, and made bubble prints indoors and out. But by Friday, the bubble table was getting ignored. Sometimes, all it takes is one small addition to completely change the experience.
|In this case, we added aluminum foil to the bottom of the sensory table...
|...along with a thin layer of bubble solution (to help the bubbles stick), cups filled with bubble solution, and bubble wands. Some of the cups are the bottom halves of the plastic water bottles we used to make the bubble snake makers.
|The shiny aluminum foil added a new level to the sensory experience.
|They dipped their wands in the bubble solution and blew bubbles down into the table.
|The bubbles stuck to the aluminum foil and attracted each other to make little bubble mountains.
|How's that for science? I originally tried it with wax paper, but the wax paper absorbed the bubble solution, and was ineffective. The aluminum foil worked beautifully.
|Because the wands (and little hands) were coated in the bubble solution, they bubbles did not pop when they touched them
|Brooklynn tried to pop a bubble, only to find that her finger sunk right through.
|Of course, the little containers of bubble solution
What new elements do you like to add to you sensory table?
Happy playing!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
It's impossible to change people's minds unless you change their hearts, too. That means it takes more than shallow, fleeting relationships to get the job done. It comes down to this: in a world of mass media—more than ever—you must learn how to charm people.
Charm is the power of pleasing or attracting others through our personality. There have been several arguments that social media is damaging our people skills. I disagree. The charm of manners and personality is as important in social media as it is in face-to-face conversations.
FBI Charm School
I spent 20 years as an FBI undercover and counterintelligence agent and my job was to recruit foreign spies to work for the U.S. Government. I learned this: the greater the goal, the more important it is to change the heart as well as the mind. In my work, it was imperative for me to learn ways to transform relationships and situations.
My years in the FBI was a grueling course in learning good manners because people were not going to talk to me, let alone follow me, unless I could engage them in a meaningful way.
A few years back, I arranged to meet a Russian Intelligence Officer at a coffee shop near Union Square in San Francisco. As you might expect, Igor was nervous when we met and probably suspected I planned to blackmail him into cooperating with the FBI. He was a big lug of a guy and it was sort of amusing to watch him tremble and stutter out of sheer terror.
But that was not my intention. If I wanted to change Igor's mind about the FBI, I had to change his heart, too.
To elicit his cooperation, I needed to transform hostility into hospitality.
Why Is Charm Necessary?
Sometimes it's not all about the money. The days of closing skills and hard pitches as the answer to improving sales are over. Customers are getting too sophisticated for this approach; they use mass media to educate themselves about a product and make their decisions right then and there. If we're on the losing end of this decision, our job is to change their mind by changing their heart.
In my case, the KGB (later known as the SVR) had first claim on Igor's allegiance. I doubted he would defect to the U.S., but that didn't mean I'd given up on him, either. He could still be useful. I would simply have to charm him.
What Does Charm Look Like?
This is not an exhaustive list, but here are some tips from my FBI charm school:
1. Listen
This is difficult because it means you really do have to focus on the person in front of you—whether you're knee-to-knee and nose-to-nose with a person or in front of a computer screen answering emails. Do not lapse into planning tomorrow or checking items off your to-do list. It means being present with both sides of the conversation—not just your side.
Igor's English was poor so I really did have to concentrate to understand what he was trying to say.
2. Adapt
Match your personality to your employee, prospect or client. This means quickly assessing whether they are introverts or extraverts, analytical or a visionary, purpose-driven or security-driven, goal-oriented or people-oriented. If you've been a good listener, you will be able to make these distinctions.
Igor was not a risk taker so I immediately re-framed the conversation. Instead of making a single suggestion, I offered a series of smaller, bite-sized ones he could take time to consider, and get comfortable with, before we moved onto the larger goal.
3. Sincerity
Only by taking the time to develop relationships, can you fully understand people's needs, desires, and fears. Until this happens, it's very difficult to engage them in any meaningful way.
Igor worried a lot. He was suspicious of everything and professed loyalty to the Russian Intelligence Services. I assured him that I had no intention of asking him to be a traitor to such a fine organization.
4. Respect
In a culture that at times seems to be losing its ability to have respect for the opposing point of view, it's important to give others the respect that is due to them without trying to belittle them in the process.
Igor expected to be bullied by the FBI, and when he finally understood that I had no intention of placing him in an uncomfortable situation, I sensed his gratitude.
5. Tact
A person with tact knows what to say or do to avoid giving offense. Tact is essential when dealing with difficult or delicate situations. Do not ask embarrassing questions that put people on the defensive. Perhaps the biggest tip for developing tact is this: think before you say something. Try role-playing with a friend and ask for their input. Are you coming across the way you want?
Igor expected to be blackmailed (for what, I don't know—it made me think I hadn't watched him close enough!) It was important that he walk away from our conversation with his dignity because I wanted to leave the door open for future conversations with him.
I had no intention of "pitching" Igor or trying to recruit him to work for the FBI. I did want to leave a favorable impression, however. Over time, Igor felt comfortable enough with me to provide valuable assessment on his fellow Intelligence Officers.
The charm had worked.
How have you charmed people? What tips can you offer to others? How would you describe the difference between being charming and manipulative?
LaRae Quy is former FBI Agent and Founder at Your Best Adventure
She helps clients explore the unknown and discover the hidden truth in self & others
Email | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Web | Blog
Image Source: img.disneyfairytales.com


text:
Richmond, Ky. --- The Tennessee State University women's basketball team closed out the regular season on a positive note with a, 76-64, road win at Eastern Kentucky Saturday night in McBrayer Arena.
Tennessee State (12-17, 9-7 OVC) outscored EKU 44-29 in the second half and shot 44.3 percent from the field in the contest.
Chelsea Hudson led TSU in scoring for the third consecutive game and recorded her ninth double-double of the season with 22 points and 13 rebounds. Freshmen Jayda Johnson and I'mani Davis each tallied 17 points while recording eight and five rebounds, respectively.
Marie Carpenter led Eastern Kentucky (15-12, 9-7 OVC) in scoring with 23 points and seven rebounds while Michaela Hunter (17) and Pilar Walker (12) also registered double figures in scoring.
Both teams shot better than 40 percent in the first half, as the opening frame featured seven ties. Despite a close contest, TSU maintained the advantage for most of half until EKU hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to go into the break with a, 35-32, lead.
Alana Morris found I'mani Davis under the basket to get the second half started before TSU regained the lead, 36-35, on a field-goal by Chelsea Hudson.
Two more buckets from Hudson capped off an 8-0 run and put the Lady Tigers on top, 40-35. The Lady Colonels, however, answered with a spurt to recapture the advantage.
What ensued over the next several minutes was a fierce battle in which the teams traded buckets and the lead.
TSU managed to build a, 61-55, cushion at the 4:23 mark but EKU scored the next five points to pull within one.
On the next possession, Jayda Johnson drained a triple as the shot clock expired to make TSU's lead, 64-60. A few moments later I'mani Davis scored in the paint to put the Lady Tigers on top, 66-60, with a little over two minutes left to play.
In the final minute and a half, TSU made eight free-throws to ice the game and keep the Lady Colonels at bay.
Eastern Kentucky shot 19.4 percent from the field in the second half while notching a 33.3 percent mark for the game.
TSU went 19-of-27 from the free-throw line while EKU made 17-of-28.
Tennessee State will return to action next week at the 2014 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.


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text:
People in Sacramento love to talk about and report upon new polls that show the relative political strengths and weakness of the three competiting tax-hike initiatives that appear headed to the November ballot.
The latest obsession is a new Public Policy Institute of California poll showing that Gov. Brown's initiative may be weaker than first thought.
If only such energy were devoted to what the initiatives say, and what they might do.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
The tax pieces of the initiative are well known. But each measure is long and complicated -- and contains things that aren't about taxes.
Brown's measure changes the state's funding formula for education and doubles down on his "realignment" plan that transfers responsibility, and some money, for certain government functions from the state to local governments.
The millionaires' tax, sponsored by the California Federation of Teachers, changes the method of funding a host of government programs.
The tax initiative from civil rights attorney Molly Munger and the state PTA creates a whole new way of funding school districts, and establishes a new Head Start-style program at the state level.
So why has so little been said about the particulars of these measures?
Three reasons.
1. Taxes are a way more sexy subject than budget funding formulas.
2. The horse race is all for political reporters, who often don't have time to read and understand the details of what the measures do. And those who do this work often find that editors, and their audience, don't much care about the policy.
3. None of these measures, for all the attention they're getting, are really all that big a deal.
Yes, each creates new policies and new funding formulas, but these formulas are par for the course in a state budget that is already full of complicated formulas. All three measures, in a larger sense, are just more of the same.
And even on taxes, none of the revenues produce enough new money to make much of a difference -- well less than 10 percent of the overall state budget. Munger's initiative, for example, which would be the most generous of the three to education, doesn't even get the state back to the national average in per-pupil spending.
Why are these measures so relatively modest and their provisions so familiar?
In a word: polling.
California ballot initiatives are constructed less as legislation and more as political documents, designed to win public support off the bat, so they attract funders and get on the ballot. They are, in essence, political constructs that are designed to poll well. It's all very meta.
So in one sense, the focus on polling makes sense. And in another sense, it's madness.
Let us know what you think. Send us your thoughts via Twitter @PropZero or add your comment to our Facebook page.


text:
After Friday's momentum meltdown, traders are watching to see if once high-flying Internet, social media and biotech names can stabilize in the week ahead or whether they will ensnare the broader market in a bigger downdraft.
Just a few earnings are expected as the first-quarter reporting season kicks off, including Alcoa on Tuesday and JPMorgan and Wells Fargo on Friday.
There is a flurry of economic data, including U.S. trade Wednesday; jobless claims Thursday; and producer inflation data Friday. Chinese trade data are also reported Thursday and inflation data are released Friday. Minutes from the last Fed meeting are expected Wednesday, and there are a number of Fed speakers throughout the week.


text:
Kat Clark used to be your average, everyday seventeen year-old. That is, until her dead uncle Jack appeared one morning in her bathroom to spring a dirty little family secret on her. According to section 645-64-E of the
Kat reluctantly accepts her fate (even though she looks totally pasty in black) until she has a chance run in with painfully cute senior, Jason Scott, and accidentally saves his life. Now powers beyond Kat's control are coming after Jason to collect the death he owes. Ignoring the warnings from her uncle, Kat shirks her Reaper responsibilities to help Jason stay alive. Together they race against time with legions of reapers and soul scavengers at their heels, trying to find a loophole in death's plan.
At 60,000 words, my young adult novel, The Grim Life of Kat Clark, is a mix of quirky characters and dark humor, told from the point of view of a very unlikely heroine. I'd be delighted to send you the manuscript for review. Thank you for your time and consideration.
I should've come up with a dramatic story about a luke-warm hot pocket, stumbled into my mom's room mumbling about a stomachache, dry heaves and a wicked case of the shakes. I could've spent the day on the couch watching bad reality TV and picking tufts of matted hair off my cat, Wedgey. But instead, there I was, standing in my third period P.E. class, listening to Ms. Raskin and The B**** Squad give us the ins and outs of being a Foothill Ridge cheerleader, which, so far, seemed to entail useless hair flips and a copious amount of cleavage.
"Focus. Technique. Precision. Confidence. Charm." With each motivational poster cliché Ms. Raskin delivered, her eyes fell on a different part of the class, reaching the back where my best friend Maggie and I were standing on the word "confidence".
Maggie leaned toward me, pretending to fiddle with the hem of her shorts. "Ignorance. Brassy highlights. Constipation."
There was a wave of snickers behind us. Samantha Stewart's head whipped around in our direction, her glare landing right on me. I inched to the left, ducking behind Melissa Emery's enormous poof of curly hair.
I had given myself one simple task in the fifty-two minutes I was in P.E. that day. One measly goal that your average, run-of-the-mill junior year lemming like myself could easily attain. Go unnoticed by the school's head cheerleader. That was it. By the next day, it wouldn't matter anymore.


text:
Show & Tell: Fretwork Furniture
I love when readers send me their projects.
Check out the latest one that popped into my in-box. Completely jealous that I didn't think of it myself.
Allison from Welcome to my home was inspired by my decorative napkin project when it came to her nightstand.
First Allison primed her Rast nightstand:
Then she used graph paper to make a template and trace on the pattern:
Next step is painters tape:
{Once you place the painters tape, but before you paint on your fretwork color make sure to take your base color and seal the painters tape edges with it so that none of the fretwork color will seep.}
Lastly remove painters tape and add pretty sparkly knobs:
Amazing! I'm in love! Bravo Allison!
I love seeing IKEA products hacked. Anything you recently revamped from IKEA?
Labels: show and tell


text:
Milford woman accused of plotting to burn down building
Colleen Carr held on $75,000 cash bail
A Milford woman has been arrested and accused of plotting to burn down her own building.
Colleen Carr was charged with conspiracy to commit arson and witness tampering. Police said she asked someone to join in the plot to burn down the building at 139 Union Square.
The building used to be the town's fire house. It's now home to a realty company, a tobacco shop and two apartments. Police said Carr lives on the second floor, and her mother owns the realty business.
The owner of Tasty Tobacco, Rick Fells, said that four days ago, an acquaintance confided in him that Carr offered to pay her to take part in a scheme to torch the building.
"And she offered to go away for a week," Fells said. "She had a guy lined up, she said, to burn it down to the ground."
Fells said he notified police Tuesday, and Carr was arrested on Thursday. Investigators said the apparent motive was to collect insurance money.
"The state's position is that Miss Carr's activity and her actions were wanton and reckless and were motivated by money, exhibiting extreme indifference to the safety of the community and the property of others in that congested area," said Michael McCall, Milford police prosecutor.
"In court, Carr's mother pleaded unsuccessfully with the judge to lower the $75,000 cash bail.
Police said that had the building been set on fire, it could have been devastating the area.
"They are older buildings, and there is certainly a valid concern in that fire could easily could spread and create quite a hazard for a lot of people," said Capt. Christopher Nervick.
Milford police said the investigation into the case is ongoing.


text:
Jul 3
The people who make Killzone games are working on something that isn't Killzone. A quick mention in the Japanese PS4 video above states that Guerilla Games have already been doing work on a new IP for the last two-and-a-half years. Still sounds like there's going to be a long wait to find out what it is, though.


text:
Photo By: Dunes Real Estate, a member of Luxury Portfolio International
Photo By: Hawaii Life Real Estate Brokers, a member of Luxury Portfolio International
Photo By: Amy Lutz
Photo By: Brian Kellogg
Photo By: Dan Cutrona
Photo By: Randy Foulds
Photo By: Lindsey Runyon Design
Photo By: Alyssa Rosenheck
Photo By: Danny Piassick
Photo By: TriplePoint Design Build
Photo By: Lane Dittoe
Photo By: Slifer Designs
Contemporary Stone Fire Pit
This firepit has natural style with a contemporary flair. Low-slung lounge chairs invite you to put your feet up and sit a spell.
Visit Original Photo
Contemporary Dining Room With Bird Sculpture
With its floor-to-ceiling windows and delicate mural, this dining room feels like a beautiful extension of the surrounding marshlands. The imposing table mimics the room's soft curves.
Gray Spa Bathroom With Marble Soaking Tub
In one of the home's four deluxe bathrooms, an alcove is host to a deep soaking tub. Wraparound windows show off views of the Intracoastal Waterway.
Rounded Sitting Room With Water View
Never miss out on an inch of view in this sitting room. Its rounded walls are almost entirely glass, putting occupants up close to sweeping vistas of marsh and the coastal waterways.
Brown Chef Kitchen With Curved Cabinets
The beautiful kitchen would be right at home as the galley of a luxury yacht with its gracefully-curving cabinets and island and tawny wood cabinetry.
Backyard Overview With Pool
A large covered lanai adds 2, 000 square feet of outdoor living space to the home. And under the open sky, there's a huge pool and a secluded hot tub. The 6-foot hedge gives the yard privacy from the adjacent beach.
Swimming Pool and White Lounge Chairs
The heated pool seems to hover over the ocean, a lounging platform perfectly positioned to take in all the majesty.
Tropical Backyard With Bar
Shift into party mode in the backyard. There's a wet bar where drinks can be served up on tap. And the ocean-plus-palm trees background is postcard ready.
Tropical Courtyard With Ponds
The walkway into the home transports visitors and residents to another world. The paver path is surrounded by water and fountains. Tropical plants make a lush green backdrop.
Chic Transitional Living Room With Striped Armchairs
A neutral color palette allows for a fun and playful mix of patterns in this transitional living room. Further visual interest comes from the built-in shelves framing the fireplace: the interior is painted a warm neutral to complement the space.
Midcentury Modern Living Room With Pink Patterned Rug
This midcentury modern living room features midcentury chairs, coffee table, mirror and chandelier as well as a pink and white rug with geometric patterns.
White Coastal Living Room With Fireplace and Striped Chairs
A quartet of cream-and-sage striped wingback chairs offer ample seating in this coastal-style living room. Baskets and a sisal rug add a hint of texture, and beach-inspired accessories and artwork bring nature inside, while a traditional fireplace promises warmth when cool winds blow in off the ocean.
Chinoiserie Chic Living Room With Blue Chairs
This elegant transitional living room includes neutral tones with bursts of blue. Although the space has limited square footage, it extends upward two stories. It features a neutral sectional sofa, blue tuxedo armchairs, a mirrored media armoir and blue-and-white chinoiserie curtains.
Sectional With Faux-Fur Pillows Softens Modern Living Room
To soften the steel beams and walls of glass, the designers outfitted the living room with a plush sectional, tufted bench and a womb chair. Faux-fur pillows and throws achieve this as well.
Traditional Living Room With High Vaulted Ceilings
Natural light shines through sheer window treatments in this neutral-toned living space with high, vaulted ceilings and plenty of seaing for guests.
Multicolored Modern Living Room With Neon Art
Rorschach-esque artwork sets a neon-bright tone in this living room, its colors picked up by the accent pillows. The rest of the room is white, a blank sheet of paper for all the bold hues.
Contemporary Black And White Living Room With Coffered Ceiling And Modern Accessories
This contemporary living room has black and white upholstered furnishings, a white coffered ceiling with modern ceiling fan, a gold and glass coffee table, and soft white shag rug.
Pink, Patterned Pillows Enliven Neutral Sofa
Designing a living room that can withstand meals, snacks, movie-watching, fort-building and typical brotherly tumbles -- all while looking stylish -- is no easy task! So, Anthology Interior's Anna-Marie Claassen outfitted the space with durable furniture and pulled in colorful, patterned pillows and accents.
Rustic Living Room Overlooks Colorado Views
Exposed metal beams contrasts against the rustic wood ceiling. Picturesque windows are dressed with simple gray curtains and overlook beautiful views of Snowmass, Colo. A large black sectional is paired with white leather chairs, fuzzy bean bags and a modern hanging chair, bringing contemporary edge to the living space.


text: Job Discussion Forums :: View topic - Questions about UDEP/Piura Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today! Job Discussion Forums"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!" FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in Questions about UDEP/Piura Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Peru View previous topic :: View next topic Author Message pixiepixieJoined: 21 Mar 2012Posts: 5 Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 2:13 pm Post subject: Questions about UDEP/Piura Hi everyone! I've finally joined the forum after reading posts for months! This post is for anyone that has lived/lives in Piura and has knowledge of the University of Piura (Naturegirl!). I've read a lot of the previous posts but have a few more questions: I wanted to know more about what it is like to live in Piura and work at the University of Piura? Did you have a good experience there? What is the department like? They say the pay is $700 a month - is this enough to live on? I'm not much of a spender - it'd mainly go towards food/accom and whatever is left over will be a bonus for me to do other things. Do you know how much holiday time they give for Christmas/Easter? What is Piura like as a city? Do/Did you feel safe going around by yourself in the day? I understand that you have to have your wits about you regardless, but generally speaking, is it a safe place? Is there a lot to do (e.g. dance schools - I love to dance)? Is it easy to find fully furnished accommodation? And finally, what is the transport system like in Piura? I've only ever been to Lima and their transport system is crazy! Thank you so much for any help you can give! Pixie Back to top naturegirl321Joined: 04 May 2003Posts: 9041Location: home sweet home Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 8:46 am Post subject: Hello, I'm here. Ok, here's the small issue I have: I worked there from Aug 2004 to July 2006 and the pay was $700 a month, the exchange rate was also a lot better, meaning I was making more than you're going to make 6 years later. And cost of living is going up. Dollars dno't matter, ask them how much you'll make in soles. I enjoyed my work there, the peopel were very nice as were the students. Piura is a small town, but the fifth biggest in Peru. It's a big gossipy, so be careful! UDEP is Opus Dei, so very strict as far as religion goes. That means you better not be living with a boy or girlfriend. Nor can you live with your spouse unless you're married in the church, but that's another story 700 a month should be enough to live on. You'll share a house. They've used the same for years. It's for English teachers and grad students. I lived there by myself though. Holiday time, I think I got a couple weeks, I negotiated my second year. Piura is safe, not Asia safe, but Latin America safe. As for stuff to do, they have a small shopping centre, lots of discos, don't know about dance schools. how long were you in Lima for? Transport in Piura is motos and motorcycles, pretty cheap. Never took combis in Piura. Oh, you'll work a split shift. Any more questions, just let me nkow. Back to top pixiepixieJoined: 21 Mar 2012Posts: 5 Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2012 8:00 pm Post subject: Thank you! All that info was really helpful! I've been to Lima on three separate occasions in the last three years and have stayed for about 1.5-2 months each time! Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Peru All times are GMT Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Where to Begin----------------General DiscussionNewbie ForumCurrent Events ForumTechnology ForumOnline Teaching Forum Africa Forums----------------General Africa Forum Asia Forums----------------CambodiaChina (Job-related Posts Only)China (Off-Topic)Hong KongIndiaIndonesiaJapanMalaysiaPhilippinesSingaporeTaiwanThailandGeneral Asia ForumVietnam Caribbean Forums----------------General Caribbean Forum Europe Forums----------------Czech RepublicFranceGermanyGreeceItalyMacedonia and the BalkansPolandRomaniaRussia & C.I.S.SpainTurkeyUkraineUnited KingdomGeneral Europe Forum Latin America Forums----------------ArgentinaBrazilChileColombiaCosta RicaMexicoMexico (off-topic)PeruGeneral Latin America Forum The Middle East Forums----------------BahrainEgyptIsraelKuwaitOmanQatarSaudi ArabiaUnited Arab EmiratesGeneral Middle East Forum North America Forums----------------General North America Forum Oceania----------------Australia/New Zealand You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling. Contact Dave's ESL Cafe Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved. Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group Teaching Jobs in China


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Now that the elusive Higgs boson has, for all intents and purposes, been goosed into existence, the scientific world is popping champagne corks, lifting pints, and otherwise celebrating CERN's apparent success.
Well, almost all of the scientific world. Deep in the heart of Texas, a small group of dispirited particle physicists are not hoisting celebratory suds – they're crying in their beers, lamenting the particle that got away.
The Higgs boson was supposed to be theirs, but congressional budget hawks snatched it away when they canceled the US Superconducting Super Collider project in 1993, despite the fact that construction was already well underway.
"Our feelings as American physicists about this great discovery at CERN have to be a little bittersweet," University of Texas theoretical physicist Steven Weinberg told Austin's KUT radio. "This is a discovery that could have been and should have been made in America."
The grass grows high around the abandoned buildings of the Superconducting Super Collider
The SSC was planned to include a 54-mile accelerator ring encircling the tidy town of Waxahachie – the "Crape Myrtle Capital of Texas" – that would have been able to generate three times the energy of which CERN is currently capable. Construction began in 1991, but after $2 billion and 15 miles of tunnel digging, the US Congress changed its mind and shut the project down.
Weinberg recalls a debate he had with a US Congressman on the Larry King show back in the day. "And he said he wasn't against science, he just thought we ought to set priorities," Weinberg reminisces. "And I said 'well that's fine, I agree with that. The super collider would help us learn the laws of nature. Doesn't that deserve a high priority?' And he said 'no'."
And that was that. Not only did the US miss its chance to be first to the Higgs, more importantly the world missed its chance to not only achieve the milestone that CERN has just achieved quite a bit earlier, but also to reap the scientific benefits of an instrument three times more powerful than today's best.
To be fair, in 1987 the SSC was projected to cost around $4.4bn, but by the time the Congressional axe fell, that price tag had ballooned to $12bn – and who knows exactly what the final figure might have been.
Today, the SSC site remains, abandoned and empty on the Texas plains south of Dallas–Fort Worth. This January a Waxahachie chemical company, Magnablend, bought the site, and plans to use the buildings that have sat there unoccupied for 20 years.
Those 15 miles of tunnels, however, will remain unused, an underground monument to America's fading commitment to pure science. ®


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After 7 years working to stop child trafficking, I'm still amazed by how many Americans don't know it's happening in their own states and cities. So I'm going to take a few posts to report on trafficking in the US. (Apologies to my international readers.)
Today Shared Hope International released their end-of-year state-by-state Report Card on trafficking in the US.
Click on the map to read about the efforts to stop child trafficking in your state:
IMPORTANT: This is NOT a report on how bad child trafficking is in each state because it's bad in ALL states. This is a report on each state's efforts to get rid of child trafficking within and across their borders.
Sometimes my Twitter feed sounds like it's a contest with tweet after tweet about whose state is worst. There's absolutely no way to quantify which state is worst--and it doesn't matter one bit.
The point is that child trafficking happens everywhere in the US. Yes, in your city. Yes, in your schools.
Shared Hope International and the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) analyzed each state's laws and then created a national standard of protection against domestic minor sex trafficking or DMST (that is, trafficked US citizens who are underage). This national standard is called the Protected Innocence Legislative Framework.
A year ago Shared Hope issued a challenge to each state to improve their laws to fight DMST. Here's what happened in 2012 as a result:
- 240 state and 38 federal bills were introduced that relate to DMST.
- 78 laws were passed that relate to DMST.
- 40 states introduced legislation that relates to the Protected Innocence Framework.
- 33 states enacted legislation related to the Protected Innocence Framework.
Pretty awesome. You can read specifics here about new efforts to criminalize DMST -- for sellers and buyers (not the children themselves). It's hard to believe that some of those old laws were ever on the books, but they were.
Kudos to Shared Hope and ACLJ for their excellent work to stop DMST in the US. More helpful links from Shared Hope:
Track legislation in your state
Send a letter about trafficking to the editor of your local media
White Paper on Federal, State Racketeering and Gang Crime Laws


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I gave the GMAT on December 02, 2013. I got 730 (Q 50, V 38)
Manik Vaish
I scored 330 in the GRE last week. Thank you GRE smartstart
Prerna Gupta
I gave my first GMAT attempt towards in Dec 2013 and got a 720. While it looks like luck it's actually the result of following the guidance I received at semantics. The material and tutoring I got was very customised and the approach was spot on to help me acquire the skills and competencies required to get a good GMAT score. What I like the most about the course was that rather than going through a lot of material, focus was given on the way we need to think- ERIC


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The woman who triggered the investigation that led to the resignation of CIA chief David Petraeus threw lavish parties for top military brass – and also racked up debt. NBC's Kristen Welker reports.
Then-CIA Director David Petraeus and Gen. John Allen, commander of U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan, intervened in a Washington, D.C., custody battle in September, writing letters on behalf of a woman who was found by a judge to have "severe personal deficits in the areas of honesty and integrity."
The woman, Natalie Khawam, is the twin sister of Tampa socialite Jill Kelley, who has emerged as a central figure in the scandal that led to Petraeus' resignation last week.
The letters, which have been obtained by NBC News, were filed in court on behalf of Khawam, who the judge hearing the case harshly criticized for a "stunning willingness to say anything, even under oath, to advance her own interests."
At the time, Khawam was seeking to relax a judge's order restricting her visits with her now 4-year-old son. Holly Petraeus, the wife of the ex-CIA director previously signed an affidavit in support of Khawam, according to the lawyer for Grayson Wolfe, Khawam's ex-husband. The letters were first reported by the New York Post.
Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images file
Gen. John Allen, right, commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, and former CIA Director David Petraeus appear ath the White House on April 28, 2011.
The letters came to light after Kelley emerged as a key player in the scandal surrounding emails that officials say were written by Petraeus biographer Paula Broadwell – a trail of correspondence that led to Petraeus' resignation as CIA director and a Pentagon investigation of Allen over what defense officials have described as "potentially inappropriate" emails he exchanged with Kelley.
The legal battle between Khawam and Wolfe has been bitter, according to court records. Both sides have accused one another of repeatedly lying to the court -- including about invitations to events involving prominent members of Congress.
The court records also shed some light on the lifestyle of the Kelley family: At one point, the judge -- who had directed Kelley's sister to pay child support and the legal fees of her ex-husband -- noted that Khawam lived "rent-free in Florida with her sister" in a home described as a "ten bedroom mansion in a beautiful neighborhood right on Tampa Bay."
The judge also ruled that Jill Kelley was a "patently biased and unbelievable witness" when she testified about an alleged case of domestic abuse by her twin sister's ex-husband.
In a Nov. 9, 2011, ruling, D.C. Superior Court Judge Neal E. Kravitz dismissed Kelley's testimony that she saw Wolfe push Khawam down a flight of stairs inside the Kelleys' home. Kelley testified that her sister was holding the couple's baby in one hand and "somehow was able to stand her ground on the staircase" as Wolfe, "who is substantially larger and stronger ... pushed Ms. Khawam from above with both hands and all of his might."
Read David Petraeus' letter to the court
Read Gen. John Allen's letter to the court
"The court does not credit this testimony," Kravitz wrote, after calling Kelley an "unbelievable witness." He called it "part of an ever-expanding set of sensational accusations against Mr. Wolfe that are so numerous, so extraordinary and ... so distorted that they defy any common sense view of reality."
Amy Scherzer / Tampa Bay Times via Zuma Press
Natalie Khawam, twin sister of Jill Kelley.
Petraeus and Allen entered the case two months ago, penning separate letters attesting to Khawam's parenting.
"My wife and I have known Natalie for approximately three years, getting to know her while serving in Tampa, Florida, through her friendship with Dr. and Mrs. Scott Kelley," Petraeus wrote in his letter dated Sept. 20, identifying himself under his signature as "General, U.S. Army (Retired.) "
He added that he has observed Khawam with her son on many occasions, "including when we hosted them and the Kelley family for Christmas dinner this past year." It was "clear to me," he added, that Natalie's son "would benefit from much more time with his Mother and from removal of the burdensome restrictions imposed on her."
Allen's letter, dated Sept. 22, which identified him under his signature as "General, United States Marine Corps," is similar. It stated that he had gotten to know Khawam while serving at the U.S. Central Command in Florida and observed her with her son "on multiple occasions" at "command social functions."
"In light of Natalie's maturity, integrity and steadfast commitment to raising her child, I humbly request your reconsideration of the existing mandated custody settlement," the letter concluded.
Defense official fires back, denies Afghanistan commander exchanged 'inappropriate' emails
A source familiar with Kelley's views said Tuesday night that both Petraeus and Allen have been friends of Kelley and her sister Khawam for years. The source added: "When you're involved in a custody issue, you want letters of support. There is nothing unusual about that."
Sandra Wilkof, the lawyer for ex-husband Wolfe, said the letters from both high ranking military men misstated the facts of the case. Both letters asked the court to change the terms of a "court settlement" between the couple. In fact, Wilkof, said, "There was no court settlement. There was a court order," she said, awarding custody to Wolfe and supervised visits for Khawam.
ISAF via Reuters file
Meet the people who have been pulled into the scandal that caused Gen. David Petraeus to resign.
Judge Kravitz has not given Wolfe a free pass. He wrote in the Nov. 9, 2011 ruling that Wolfe "does not possess an entirely healthy psychological make-up." And he noted that Wolfe had taken "questionable deductions" on his tax returns and "may have been less than fully candid in his testimony about contacts he may have had with the FriendFinder online dating service."
But he has saved his harshest words for Khawam, writing that "Mr. Wolfe … is much more honest than Ms. Khawam, and he conducts himself with far greater integrity."
In the ruling, he found that Khawam had taken the couple's son to Florida when he was only four months old and refused to tell Wolfe of his whereabouts, ignored court orders to allow visits with his father, changed the boy's first name without his father's knowledge and made unfounded claims of abuse against her ex-husband.
"The evidence established that Ms. Khawam has extreme personal deficits in the areas of honesty and integrity," Kravitz wrote. "Ms. Khawam's false domestic violence petitions (and her equally false testimony at trial relating to many of the same allegations) are merely the most stunning examples of Ms. Khawam's willingness to say anything, even under oath, to advance her own personal interests at the expense of Mr. Wolfe, the child, and others."
Khawam's lawyer, Greg Jacob, with the law firm of O'Melveny & Myers, did not respond to requests for comment.
In the latest wrinkle in the case, Wolfe's lawyer filed a motion on Oct. 26 opposing the efforts of Khawam to modify the visitation schedule, saying that neither of the letters by Petraeus and Allen promised "corroborating testimony" relevant to the court's determination.
The motion also argued that Khawam had misrepresented social events she had asked the court to let her attend with her son. In one case, Wolfe's motion stated, Khawam had asked the court to let her take her son to a "family clambake" at "the personal invitation" of Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse. In fact, the motion states, this was "nothing more than a … political fundraising event."
On other occasions, the motion states, Khawam had sought to take her son to events with "Senator Kerry" and the baptism of "former Congressman Patrick Kennedy's child" in New Jersey. In fact, the motion states, the invitation to be with Sen. John Kerry was a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee event in Martha's Vineyard and that he denied her request to take the boy to those events because he did not believe it was in "the child's best interests."
More from Open Channel:
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Top 10 Handling Fixes - Stock Car Setup Crutches Revisited
Ten Popular Handling Fixes That May Mask Other Problems
Over the years, teams have invented varied ways to set up a stock car. The overall goals, we assumed, were two-fold. First, we all desired to put down the fastest lap among our group of competitors. We also wanted to create a "balanced" race car, meaning the car neither pushed nor was loose. Even if we were able to achieve both of these objectives through a process of trial and error, we still may not have found the ideal setup that would win races.
We have learned the fastest setup on a two- or three-lap run is not usually the fastest setup at the end of the race when running on worn and hot tires. The key to finding the best setup is understanding that our fast setup must remain fast over a long period of time-ideally until the checkered flag falls. The key to that end is to understand the true definition of "balance" so that we can have the desired consistency needed to be a winner.
If you have ever made changes to your setup for handling better, suspecting all along that the real problem was somewhere else, then you have "crutched" the car. This term means that what you are doing to help the car be neutral in handling is not likely the best fix for the problem.
For many years, and even still today, racers have developed some pretty ingenious ways to "crutch up" their race cars to make them handle better. Handling, in our most basic understanding of the word, can best be described as being able to drive through a turn without the car being either loose (driver looking at the infield) or tight (driver looking at the outside retaining wall). The three main segments or phases of the turn where we might experience handling problems are entry to the turn, through the middle, and upon exit off the turn.
A race car setup crutch could be defined as any change in the setup that is intended to solve a handling problem that, in reality, does not make the car faster and/or causes other problems to appear at other points on the racetrack. We will explain how some specific crutch methods work and why racers think they need these particular crutches. In future articles, we will expand on each topic to explain how to develop more efficient ways to accomplish the same goals.
Here are the top 10 setup crutches:
The way the driver is forced to drive the car can sometimes be a crutch. How many times have we heard a driver say that the car is loose when we can see it appears tight on entry and in the middle of the turns? The driver is most likely steering excessively, trying to overcome a tight condition, but unaware of his action. This excess steering definitely creates more traction in the front tires to help balance the car. Here is why.
The way the driver is forced to steer the car can be an indication of a problem with the setup. This is one of the top indicators that might lead to a crutched setup. A lot of research has been done on tire characteristics related to traction. Tire engineers learned that a tire will generate more traction at increased angles of attack in the direction the car is turning. This means that the front tires will actually gain more traction as the wheel is turned farther left, up to a point.
When the steering gets to an excessive angle of attack, the front tires will suddenly give up all of their traction, causing a severe push. Normally, as the steering wheel is turned a few degrees more than normal to force the front end around in a tight car, the handling balance begins to change.
As the driver enters the turn, backs off the throttle, and applies the brakes, he (or she) begins to turn the steering wheel and must turn it sufficiently for the front end to come around. If the car is actually set up too tight, the driver will need to turn the wheel further than what would normally be necessary in a car that is neutral in handling balance. When the driver has turned too far, the traction balance reverses from tight to loose as the front traction begins to exceed the rear traction. At this point, the car will start to feel loose. This can happen so quickly that the driver will swear that the setup in the car is loose.
Just past mid-turn, the car will definitely feel loose to the driver. The exit performance off the turn will also suffer as the driver gets on the throttle and the car gets looser from power-induced rear wheel spin. The average temperatures of the rear tires will then probably be hotter than the average of the front tires due to spinning the tires with the loose-off condition. The crew will many times read this as a loose condition and think the car needs to be tightened up. It is already tight, and so a lot of valuable time is wasted searching for solutions to this basic problem.
A great way to quickly discover just what the handling balance really is for your car is to have the driver roll through the turn below the maximum speed. The amount of steering input needed to just drive around the turn should be mentally noted. The crew chief can view the location of the driver's hands from the fence or the top of the hauler. Then, the driver should take the turn at full speed as he would in the race. Again, note the amount of steering input by asking the driver or looking at the position of his hands at mid-turn. If the steering wheel is turned more than when the car was rolled slowly through the turn, the car is set up too tight. Many drivers are very surprised at the outcome of this test. A lot of time can be saved by doing this simple exercise.
We are often in search of more bite off the corners. One way to accomplish that is to soften the right-rear spring. If your car is too tight in the middle, the rear springs may be too soft or the spring split may be wrong for the type of racetrack you are racing on. A softer right-rear spring than the left-rear spring can make a car very tight if other components are not set to balance the car.
There are many ways to promote more bite off the corners rather than by putting excessive rear spring split in the car. Often, a small amount of spring split will do the job while helping to maintain balance setup for mid-turn performance.
The front springs may be too stiff or the spring split may be wrong, causing an unbalanced setup. A stiff right-front spring can make the car too tight by not allowing the front to roll to work with the rear.
The way the front springs are arranged as to stiffness is dependent upon the track configuration and banking angles. If the track has a long and larger radius entry combined with a lower banking angle, you can run a softer right-front spring than the left-front spring. This serves to improve turn entry and helps make the front end more efficient at mid-turn. This will not work with a tighter entry combined with a higher amount of track banking angle.
For tracks with medium banking and normal entry characteristics, you can run even spring rates across the front with good results. As the track banking angle increases, so should the right-front spring rate over the left-front spring rate.
Sometimes, we may play with the upper control arm angles and lengths to see if we can improve the way the front end works. When we do this and do not track the moment center (often referred to as the roll center) location, we can drastically change the dynamics of the front suspension for the worse. There is no telling where the moment center (MC) might be located after we make our changes.
The front MC is the bottom of the front moment arm. Its position determines the length of the moment arm and the efficiency of the front suspension. If the front moment center were located too far to the left, the front suspension would roll excessively and the right-front suspension travel would be excessive. This will cause the right-front tire camber to change too rapidly and that tire would lose grip, a condition usually described by the driver as the car "falling over" on the right front. If the MC is located too far to the right, the front end will be overly stiff and not want to roll, and the front suspension will not work along with the rear. This is much the same as having stiff springs up front.
The static front wheel cambers we run to maintain proper tire temperatures across the face of the tread is an indicator of the balance of the setup and/or possible problems with camber loss or gain at the right-front wheel. Running excessive camber on the right front tells us that tire is working too hard.
For any type of racing, be it dirt or asphalt, high or low banking, we should never need more than four degrees of negative camber at the right front. Teams that run 5-6 degrees of static camber are usually running setups that are unbalanced and that cause an excess amount of weight transfer to the right-front tire.
Just like the front MC, rear MC is the bottom of the rear moment arm. If the Panhard bar is set too low for the springs selected, the rear of the car will be too "efficient" and want to roll more than the front. This causes a tight condition due to excess weight transfer to the right-front tire.
The Panhard bar, J-bar, leaf spring, or Watts link heights determine the rear moment center height. Since the MC is the bottom of the moment arm in the rear of the car, its height determines the moment arm length. The longer the moment arm (due to a low MC height), the more efficient the rear suspension will be and the greater roll angle the rear will want to attain. As we raise the rear MC through whatever means, we shorten the rear moment arm and decrease the efficiency of the rear suspension causing it to be stiffer, similar to putting stiffer springs in the rear.
The changing of the rear MC height is one of the primary tools we use to help create a balanced setup where the two ends of the car are working together in harmony.
Having an excessive amount of crossweight percent, or bite as it is referred to in dirt racing, causes too much weight to be supported by the left rear and right-front tire and can cause a car to be tight in, through the middle, and off the turns.
Running a crossweight number that is too low is a distinct indication of a tight car. If a car needs 51.2 percent crossweight to have proper weight transfer, and is only running 48.8 percent, the team has needed to take cross out of the car because the setup was tight.
There is an optimum percentage of weight supported by the cross corners (right front and left rear) that will make the car neutral. Remember, a neutral car is not necessarily a winning car. It must remain neutral throughout the entire race.
If the steering system creates either too much Ackermann (where the left wheel steers much more than the right wheel in a left-hand turn), or reverse-Ackermann (the reverse effect), the car will have too much toe-out or toe-in at the point of mid-turn. This will cause the front tires to desire to go in different directions and they end up fighting with each other. This will cause one or both of the front tires to lose grip, which makes the car feel very tight to the driver.
Some cars running on smaller racetracks will need small amounts of Ackermann. Remember that one degree of Ackermann, meaning that the left wheel turns a degree more than the right wheel at mid-turn steering angles, represents a full 1/2-inch of toe. If we start with 1/8-inch of toe and add another 1/2-inch, we would have a staggering 5/8 inches of toe at mid-turn, which is too much.
On the smaller tracks, we could stand to gain 1/8- to 1/4-inch of toe to compensate for the small radius turns. We are causing the front tires to work against each other when we run more than that.
Insufficient rear tire stagger will cause the car to "point" towards the outside wall on exit. There is a correct amount of rear stagger for each track based on the overall tire diameters, track width of the rear tires, the radius of the track, and the track banking angle.
Too little stagger will cause the car to drive to the right as we get back into the throttle and the rear end moves on an arc that has a greater radius than the track at that point. The larger radius, if drawn onto the racetrack, would lead into the grandstands and that is definitely not where we want to go.
Another setup crutch is the use of excess brake bias at either end of the car to help solve a handling problem. If a car is tight or loose on entry, many drivers have learned that if they make changes to the brake bias, they can improve the handling and performance at that one point on the racetrack. While that is possible, it can lead to problems at other sections of the turn. Using the old trial and error routine, the driver will say the car feels better on entry with the different brake bias, but now wants to work on the mid-turn handling balance, which has gone bad.
So, more changes will need to be made to attempt to solve other newly created problems where those problems did not exist before. It's not hard to see that using a brake bias crutch to solve one problem can lead to more and more problems. Soon, the team is overcome with a complicated series of handling problems while the car is getting slower and slower.
We know the rear end should be aligned perpendicular to the car's centerline and inline with the right-side tires. If the car is tight, some teams will move the right-rear wheel back to help "free up" the car. Steering the rear end either by static alignment or by invoking rear steer to the right will definitely help make the car less tight, but at the expense of exit performance.
If the car is loose, a team might move the right-rear wheel forward or design more rear steer into the left to help tighten the car, but more often than not, the alignment will make the car too tight especially on exit off the corners.
The use of the excess steering input or abnormal brake bias or any other of these crutches are indications that other problems exist and need to be fixed. What the car needs is an arrangement of spring rate layout, front geometry design (including moment center placement), Panhard bar height (rear moment center height), proper steering characteristics, correct weight distribution, and tire stagger, that will all work in combination to provide a fast and balanced setup. The last things to work with are finding the correct shock rates for optimum entry and exit transitional handling, the correct front-tire cambers, and the correct tire pressures, the latter two being adjusted based on the tire temperature readings.
Once all of these areas of setup are correctly identified and made to work together, the car will give the team what it wants, a fast and consistent handling package that the driver can use to win races.
When you identify your driving and set-up crutches and find the best fix for your handling problems, you and your crew will be more successful and have a lot more fun at the racetrack.
Coming Next Month: Camber Crutches.


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In honor of Kristen's December/January 2009 issue (which was actually her second Teen Vogue cover!), we caught up with Robert Pattinson, Nikki Reed, Kellan Lutz, Jackson Rathbone, Ashley Greene, not to mention the actress who played Bella herself, to get the low-down on the first film.
Jacob Black's real life counter part starred in our October 2009 Young Hollywood issue and reveled which actors he personally looks up to.
Ashley was the face of our March 2011 spring fashion issue and had a surprise co-star on set of her cover shoot: her dog!
The actress who played evil Voltari Jane graced the December/January 2010 issue and spilled about what it's like to work with Kristen Stewart.
The Aussie actor appeared in the June/July 2010 issue and explained how he bonded with the rest of the Twilight cast over music.


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The rapid development in the area of the molecular medicine has the consequence that the offer on our sites constantly extends. Please have a look quite soon again.
If you select Symptoms from the top menu, you receive an alphabetic list of selected symptoms relevant to hereditary diseases tested by our laboratory.
It is practicable to click the button Diseases to get a list of conditions for which we offer molecular genetic analyses. You can browse this list in alphabetic or systematic order.
In the category Genes you find all molecular genetic tests listed. Sorted alphabetically by gene acronyms or gene names.
At Shipment you will find information how to ship a sample, including downloadable forms and a step-by-step instruction.
Clicking on Sample reveals a short guidance how to obtain and handle specimens.
You may want to reach us personally by telephone, fax or email, so use Contact.
Our efforts efforts to improve quality and promote research are outlined in the Quality section.
Search for a particular page in our growing website by entering a term in the text box and subsequently clicking the checked icon on the right, or click the the lens in the icon menu.


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Quick thoughts from today…
Jeff Locke appeared to be nibbling a lot. Either that or he was just wild. It was kind of hard to tell from my seats. Speaking of which…
It was an absolutely gorgeous day today. jetBlue park is pretty nice.
Mark Melancon looked much stronger, striking out two.
Tony Watson showed no ill effects from his injury earlier in camp.
Vin Mazzaro was the big surprise of the day with five Ks in two innings.
On the offensive side, Garrett Jones hit a mammoth HR to center but everything else was quiet until the 8th. Somehow the Bucs scored four runs even though the only well-struck ball was a Pedro Alvarez homer that went over the bullpens and a grassy area in right field. A classic El Toro bomb.
It should also be noted that Russell Martin hit three hard line drives today but each one managed to find a glove.
Tomorrow it's back to McKechnie to put the wraps on my trip. Look for a closing post on Monday or Tuesday.
Filed under: baseball, Pirates, Spring Training | Tagged: baseball, Pirates, Spring Training | Leave a comment »


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Carriacou, Grenada
This rental on the Caribbean island of Carriacou promises tropical colors, sweet aromas, and breathtaking vistas.
Relax―you're in the islands. Meander through a landscape of jaw-dropping hills, bypass a few tiny huts, and wind your jeep to the top of the dirt road. Turn right and you've arrived. You won't find the glamour associated with more-touristy Caribbean destinations; there's virtually nothing over-the-top about Carriacou. But one glimpse at bright, colorful Belair Garden Cottage and you'll know you're on vacation.
The open-air cottage with gingerbread trim and a tin roof is so immersed in its tropical environment that you can pick a fresh-fruit breakfast while standing at the kitchen sink. Owners Michael Ward and Rebecca Sawyer lovingly hand-built the structure on 3 acres overlooking the windward valley of Carriacou and 14 other islands in the Grenadines chain. Rebecca, an artist, took inspiration from the setting when choosing the color palette. The base coat reflects the inside of a ripe papaya, and the trim work mimics bougainvillea and alamanda, Rebecca's favorite tropical flowers. A bright blue floor echoes the sea. "The transition between indoors and out is almost transparent, allowing the cottage to feel open and airy while maintaining its coziness," she says.
If you can tear yourself away from the adorable rental, there's plenty to do on the mountainous island. Swim, catch some rays, or explore the underwater world. The island, known for its unspoiled reefs, hosts an array of dive sites just offshore. Boat charters can be arranged for day trips to nearby islands. For those who prefer dry land, there are abundant hiking trails. The main village, Hillsborough, offers local crafts, music, and culture. Should you require assistance, just ask. Rebecca is more than happy to oblige.
But chances are you'll find the most enjoyable spot is the cottage's hammock, where you can gaze out over an endlessly fascinating landscape. As you sway in the cool afternoon breeze, embrace the simple pleasures of this cottage and its captivating setting.
(published May 2008)


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Poet and performance artist Yolo Akili sparks a provocative dialogue on masculinity and sexual attraction in his new video "Are We the Kind of Boys We Want?"
The film is a video installation of Akili's spoken word poem "We R Not the Kind of Boy's We Want"—listen on iTunes—and includes a montage of interviews with Black gay men about masculinity, desire and attraction.
"I wrote this poem in college after realizing that me and my friends, who would definitely be considered 'feminine', not only never liked boys like us, but often seemed disgusted at them," Akili tells Darian Aaron. "I began to wonder what it meant when a reflection of you walks by and you are repulsed.
The video includes interviews with young men who say they are attracted to "masculine" men ... and many say they would never be attracted to themself. Part of a much-needed, larger conversation on the focus on hyper-masculinity in the Black and Black LGBT/SGL communities.
The video includes performance by Atlanta activists Michael Brewer, Anthony Antoine, Darian Aaron and out artist Anye Elite. Watch it AFTER THE JUMP ....


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Americans appear to be all too ready to adopt innovative technologies before they have been secured.
The Cyber Secure Institute released a statement this month that said the lack of protections in our information technology infrastructure hampers the economy by stifling technological innovation. Americans won't use new technology if they don't feel secure, the institute said.
"To be successful needs to constantly push the limits of innovation and efficiencies," the institute said. "But American innovation can't take consumers and companies to the next level if they don't want to go there because they fear the security of their data, money and personal privacy."
The essay was a pitch for federal stimulus funding for cybersecurity. However, that sector probably doesn't need stimulus dollars to keep humming along. Americans have always been more than ready to adopt new technology without concern for security. Look at the Internet, cell phones, instant messaging, Wi-Fi, peer-to-peer networks, Facebook and so on. We love to play with the latest toys, which soon work their way into the enterprise as business tools — followed by a new suite of products and services being sold to secure them.
This tendency to value new functionality over security is the reason IT security has thrived as a stand-alone sector long after its predicted demise. There's always something new that we have to secure.
About the Author
William Jackson is a Maryland-based freelance writer.
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I had the pleasure of attending SQL Saturday 112 this past weekend. This was my second time speaking at a SQL Saturday in Birmingham. I was selected to present two sessions again this year in the first and second time slot. I started off with "Getting Involved and Getting Ahead". This session is all about the SQL Community and how volunteering and giving of your time can pay huge dividends in your career. You get to learn so much more and at such an advanced rate that the sky is the limit. While helping others you gain as much or more. The contacts you make alone are work the investment of your time.
The second session I gave was a brand new session called "Know Backups and Know Recovery". I presented this session in March to the Columbus GA SQL Users Group. I really enjoy this session and hope to make it my primary session I give. In this session I cover best practices with make FULL, DIFFERENTIAL, and TLOG backups of your databases. I find that most people are at least doing FULL and Transaction logs. About 25% do weekly FULL and Daily DIFFERENTIAL backups. I also have found that most attendees have not practiced restores to include their DIFF and Transaction log backups. In this session I demo using a script to generate the restore scripts of the last FULL, DIFF and all transaction log backups since the last respective FULL or DIFFERENTIAL backup. I also demo FILEGROUP backups, peace meal restores and even a TAIL LOG backup and restore.
In between giving these two sessions and the remainder of the day I helped work the RedGate booth and PASS Booth. I had a great deal of fun helping to spread the word about all things PASS and helping to field questions about many of the RedGate products. The organization team for SQL Saturday 112 did an excellent job putting on this event. I really like the speaker shirt and the bags the team got.
The event location at Jefferson State Community College was great. Large classrooms and a centrally located vendor area. There was excellent signage leading up the event, schedules posted on the doors to the rooms, a very well put together event guide and tons of drinks, donuts and coffee.
I will definitely be back to this event as long as they are willing to have me.
My slides can be found on the SQL Saturday website here.


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Pretty much like a Spontaneous Caster's spells except they are defined like Hexes. Some can only affect one target per day, but can be used without limit like cantrips.Herzog wrote:How would you handle a witches hexes? I am looking to build one as an NPC for the BC.
Since a Witch only gets so many, they would need to police themselves on limiting their hexes in number to be appropriate. But with needing the Spells too and to improve the hexes themselves, they will find they don't have enough XP to spend on buttloads of d20 Hexes without sacrificing something.
Herzog wrote:Also, on Uthgar, I can change the super power to be like inspire courage as it is for the Bard. I just want to flavor it differently. Uthgar is not a bard, he's tone deaf, and only sings when drunk, and those songs would just be rawdy drinking songs.
Bardic Performances are not just singing. Oration, Poetry, Comedy, Dance, percussion, Strings, etc…
And you could just call it the Sensei's Advice from monks anyway.


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Welcome to Hyperion Records, an independent British classical label devoted to presenting high-quality recordings of music of all styles and from all periods from the twelfth century to the twenty-first.
Hyperion offers both CDs, and downloads in a number of formats. The site is also available in several languages.
Please use the dropdown buttons to set your preferred options, or use the checkbox to accept the defaults.
from notes by John Milsom © 2013
|Naked Byrd, Vol. 2
Tavener, Purcell, Barber and Byrd, were 3 composers who wore their hearts on their sleeves, and whose art saw their emotions laid bare, in an atmospheric concert with the Armonico Consort, where magical musical moments are intertwined with sublime ...» More
|Perfect Polyphony
"When I conducted my first concert with The Tallis Scholars in 1973 I could not have imagined that we would go on to perform concerts all around the world, or that millions of people would regularly listen to our recordings. We have had the happy ...» More
|Renaissance Radio
Sacred Music from the Renaissance Era for Celestial and Secular Radio. When Peter Phillips founded The Tallis Scholars in 1973 sacred vocal music from the Renaissance Era was seldom heard on radio. Now it is firmly established as one of the great ...» More
"From the split second that the opening Requiem aeternam chant is heard, every listener is inevitably transported. It is a classic instance of the power of music to communicate without reserve." (Peter Phillips)
A specially priced selectio ...» More
|Sacred Music in the Renaissance, Vol. 1
The first of three volumes featuring The Tallis Scholars' finest recordings, one for each decade, and each offering over five hours of the award-winning performances that helped establish Renaissance Polyphony as one of the great repertoires of we ...» More
|The Golden Age
The first release in The King's Singers 40th anniversary year celebrates music by Portuguese, Spanish and Mexican composers from the period known as the Siglo de Oro, The Golden Age.» More
|Victoria: Requiem
Tomás Luis de Victoria's requiem mass for six voices, written in 1603 and published in 1605, is a masterpiece. For many, it represents what Renaissance polyphony is, what it sounds and feels like, and how expressive it can be. The album also featu ...» More
|Victoria: Requiem
'Glorious. A rich, luminous acoustic halo seems to surround the music as it soars ever upward. Under David Hill's expert direction this choir has achi ...
'This goes to the head of the list of some fine versions of this Requiem' (Fanfare, USA)» More
|Victoria: Requiem
'Glorious. A rich, luminous acoustic halo seems to surround the music as it soars ever upward. Under David Hill's expert direction this choir has achi ...
'This goes to the head of the list of some fine versions of this requiem' (Fanfare, USA)» More
|Victoria: Requiem
Victoria's six-voice Requiem is combined with his four-part Taedet animam meam and his six-part motet Versa est in luctum. This album also includes The Tallis Scholars' first recording of Alonso Lobo's Versa est in luctum.» More


text: News Posted 07-18-2014 A Fly In The Ointment? ICAST offers opportunity to bridge some gaps between fly, conventional anglers An angler tries his hand at using a fly rod at the giant casting pool. (Mike Suchan photo) By: Steve Wright, OutdoorChannel.com ORLANDO, Fla. — This ICAST panel discussion had an intriguing title, "Fly Fishing and Conventional Fishing: Why Can't We All Get Along?" "The goal is not a smack-down, but a coming together. We need to heal the gap," said Tom Keer, president of the Keer Group, who led the discussion. The gap between, for example, "bass boat Bubbas" and "snobby fly fishermen" would appear to be Grand Canyon-sized. "We use Latin words and quote from 500-year-old books," said Ross Purnell, editor of Fly Fisherman magazine. "We do some weird stuff." But that divide may be one of mostly perception rather than reality. The emphasis Thursday was on the importance of an united angling front. Noting this second-year merger of ICAST with the International Fly Tackle Dealer Show, Keer said, "It's the right way to go. We need to do this in lockstep." Do what exactly? Most importantly, grow the number of U.S. anglers, which has been around 42 to 46 million for about four decades now. Secondly, be vigilant in maintaining and increasing angler access to fishable waters. Keer noted two disturbing trends in the crucial age 6 to 15 population: 1) in 2011, a survey indicated 11 million U.S. anglers in that age group, and 48 million video gamers; 2) in 1970, only 8 percent of that age group was "overweight," and it's now 39 percent. Those numbers represent a rapid growth of youth who prefer being indoors and sedentary versus getting outdoors and being active. "We are losing a generation of anglers," Keer said. "We need to pull together and do something about this." There were no grand plans offered on how to accomplish that goal. This panel was focused on the typical users of fly fishing and conventional tackle — the overlap that already exists and the opportunities to grow that segment. Keer noted that companies like Simms, St. Croix and Loomis already market their products across both angler communities. Rich Hohne, digital marketing director and public relations manager for Simms, said that sponsorships with Bassmaster Elite Series anglers Aaron Martens and Brandon Palaniuk had helped produce an increase in bass anglers looking for Simms products, which until recently had been associated primarily with fly fishing. "We are getting consumers to go into fly shops," Hohne said. "They're asking us, 'Where do we get that?" Hohne noted that the pro bass anglers, "Put gear to the test like nobody else." Increasingly, the big outdoor chains like Cabelas and Bass Pro Shops include a well-stocked fly fishing section. That has helped merge the markets, noted Hohne, who said, "The bigger stores are doing a better job (of servicing fly angler needs)." Peter Jenkins is president and CEO of The Saltwater Edge, which has its flagship store in Middletown, R.I. They emphasize cross-marketing at every opportunity, even in their weekly fishing reports. "We always list both the best lure and the best fly for the current conditions," Jenkins said. For the saltwater fishing market in particular, Jenkins noted, weather conditions produce anglers that are comfortable using both conventional and fly fishing gear. Stiff winds on a particular day will put conventional tackle into the hands of even the most ardent fly fisher simply out of necessity. Ken Cook, managing editor of Fishing Tackle Retailer, mentioned that the magazine will feature fly fishing more in the future. It's another example of an increasing readership that wants information on both conventional and fly products. On another note, both Cook and Purnell revealed their readership surveys were encouraging for the future of print media. In an era when newspapers are losing readership in big chunks to digital media, fishing enthusiasts still enjoy holding a magazine in their hands. "There is still a big role for print," said Purnell of Fly Fisherman. "Our readers like to look at the magazine, and I don't think that's going to change. About eight years ago there was a repositioning of media, but I think everybody has found their place." Purnell had an interesting take on what gives fly fishers the reputation of being "elitists." "I think it's the $800 rods," he said. "That's the thing I hear the most. But it's not true. You can get a decent package — rod, reel and line — for $100 to $200. The price to entry is within anyone's budget. I think it's a myth that fly fishing is too expensive." So, no, there was no "smack-down" during this panel discussion; it was more of a love-fest. There is evidence that conventional tackle users and fly anglers have more in common than ever before. And those shared interests are a key to the future of sportfishing. "Fly fishermen and conventional anglers are unified in what they want to do — catch fish," Cook said. "I think we'll get closer and closer together. I think we're in it for the same reason." Click here for videos, stories and photos from ICAST 2014. Share This Story Related Fishing : Posted 07-18-2014 DIY Fishing Rod Catches On View Fishing : Posted 07-17-2014 ICAST/IFTD 2014: Day One Notes and Quotes View Fishing : Posted 07-17-2014 Simms Fishing Straddles the Line View Fishing : Posted 07-17-2014 Orvis Recon Series, Virtually Unbreakable Helios 2 One-Piece Arrive at IFTD View Comments


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Without light, there is no photography. Our natural light is the sun. It creates wonderful moods, but its position and color characteristics are constantly changing, and it often infuriates us by hiding just when deadlines are looming. That is why artificial light was invented.
Almost all of today's photographers work with flash lights, and agree that light and illumination are the key to better results. Expert lightning is part of each photographer's signature, and has a decisive effect on his or her professional success. Just like sunlight, broncolor enables a great diversity in the scope of design with its variety of reflectors, softboxes, area lamps, effect lamps, umbrellas and spots. broncolor power packs and monolights supply the required power.
To complete the product range, the accessory assortment comprises an infrared and a radio remote control system.


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Photo Credit: madelinetosh via Compfight cc
I made a lot of rash promises in my last post. I said I was going to follow my 5 EVO sessions, plus the SEETA course, plus the OLDS MOOC. I said that, in this blog, I was going to give weekly digests of my learning progress. People even took me seriously. In the meantime I signed up for two more MOOCs on Coursera, which promise to be very interactive (EDC MOOC and Fundamentals of Online Education). At work, the week was hectic. And I have a presentation for a conference to write.
Still, I am here as promised. A little late, but I have definitely survived Week 2 in all my online environments. My level of participation was not the same everywhere at all times and I suppose I can say that in some of my groups I was sampling and browsing rather than studying seriously. And whether I do all my weekly tasks or not will depend on the amount of workload. OLDS MOOC, for example, is a fascinating course, but the workload is a bit too much for me at the moment. So, for this course I have a new plan - I will do what I can and curate the rest somewhere for further reference. I still might decide to share snippets from this course in my blog, but this definitely won't be enough to give you an idea about the scope of the MOOC. The same probably goes for my new Coursera MOOCs.
So, let's start with Neuroscience. This week we looked at the link between the emotional brain and motivation. I find the following video fascinating:
What it is saying, in a nutshell, is that the way we raise our children or teach our young students can influence how smart they are in ways much more direct than we thought it possible. Is it surprising, then, that adult students need so long to start believing that they can learn? People who come to my classroom have usually spent 12 (yes, twelve) years of their life sitting in English language classrooms, failing to learn the language. It takes quite a while to convince them that they are not going to fail again.
Several years ago I created this PowerPoint on learning and motivation:
Motivation from Natasa Grojic
Sorry for all the bullets and death-by-PowerPoint stuff. This was before my online days. One thing that I am especially interested in (and I believe this shows in the PowerPoint) is the supportive power of groups on an individual's learning.
It is good, then, that this week in Mentoring we read this text on scaffolding. I find the questions provided in the text very helpful, something that every teacher can use in his/her class.
And in OLDS MOOC we focused a lot on personas and scenarios. Thinking about who your learners are going to be even before you meet them is a useful starting point. Here's a PowerPoint explaining scenarios and here's the template we used. An important part of scenarios are personas. And the template for a persona card is here. One last snippet from last week in OLDS MOOC would be these cards. And here's a short video on how to use them.
Let's finish with Multiliteracies. This course is the glue that binds everything together, it is the reason why I am able to cope with multiple sessions. Multiliteracies has given me something essential - the method. You remember how at school your teachers told you that the most important thing to learn is how to learn? By learning about MOOCs through an environment similar to a MOOC, I have learnt that all this is not about curriculum and homework, but about me. And it is OK to forget where you are supposed to be and what you are supposed to do. It is OK to choose not to do something if you don't find it relevant at the moment. It is also OK to modify assignments and do them your way.
Last week in Multiliteracies was the week when we were supposed to declare, i.e. to state our own learning goals.
My goals this year are as follows:
1. to reflect on the course topics
2. to reflect on my past and present experience in various MOOCs
3. to reflect on my 2011 Multiliteracies posts
Reflect, where?
Well, here, of course. Where else?
I would like to finish this with a short Animoto video I created for my MachinEVO class:
Technorati Tags: #evomlit, #mmooc13, #BaW13, #2013evo, ##machinEVO, #brainelt, #oldsmooc, #edcmooc


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Evening Rotary's golden bucket awards for Alzheimer's; LMH free prostate seminar, screening
Evening Rotary brings home gold
Alzheimer�s disease and golden buckets might seem an unlikely connection, but the combination led to two recent trophies for the Kinston Evening Rotary Club, one of the district�s smaller clubs. On July 13, the club was awarded two trophies in district-wide competition � one for most money raised and another for highest per capita giving within a club � for raising funds for Alzheimer�s research.
Bert Statum, outgoing club president, accepted the trophies on behalf of the club at the banquet held at the Dunes Club in Atlantic Beach. At the same event, Jerry Kanter, a founding member of the club, was named District 7730 CART Rotarian of the Year, and Andy Chused, formerly of Kinston, was installed as governor of Rotary District 7730.
For more than 15 years, CART � Coins for Alzheimer�s Research Trust � has donated more than $4 million to leading-edge research programs for the cure/prevention of the disease. These research institutions include the Mayo Clinic, Case Western Reserve University, Emory, Johns Hopkins, UCLA and the Cleveland Clinic.
Clubs throughout North and South Carolina, Georgia and other parts of the country invite members to empty their pocket change into blue CART buckets on each table at the weekly meetings. Of the collected funds, 100 percent is donated through grants to help leverage hundreds of millions of additional research dollars. The program was created by former Goldsboro resident Roger Ackerman, now with the Sumter, S.C., Rotary Club.
The Kinston Evening Rotary Club has provided strong support for CART since its early days. The District trophies � those golden buckets � recognize the club�s commitment to this project. The club also annually undertakes a live lobster sale in the fall, a holiday dinner for senior citizens at Kinston Towers, an oyster roast, dictionaries for Lenoir County fifth-graders, and Rotary International�s Polio Plus program, among other projects.
Kinston Evening Rotary meets at 6 p.m. Tuesdays at L.C. Tsao Asian Restaurant (House of Wang.) The club invites prospective members to attend or call Karen Sperati, club president, at 252-208-1710 for more information.
LMH offers free screening
A free prostate cancer seminar and screening will be held at 8 a.m. Sept. 14 at the Lenoir Memorial Cancer Center, corner of Herritage Street and Doctor�s Drive.
The screening is for men 55-69 who have never been screened for prostate cancer. Dr. Lee Cox of Kinston Urological Associates will lead an informative discussion about the new guidelines for screenings. Following the discussion, free screenings will be provided. Participants must attend the discussion to qualify for the screening.
Call 252-522-7014 to preregister.