text: Wellness Health & Well-being 7 Things Your Mouth Can Reveal About Your Health By Jennifer Nelson Writer University of North Florida Jennifer Nelson is a health and wellness writer with more than two decades of experience. She is the author of Airbrushed Nation: The Lure and Loathing of Women's Magazines. our editorial process Twitter Twitter Jennifer Nelson Updated June 05, 2017 Eating (even sharing) apples is a good way to keep your mouth healthy. altanaka/Shutterstock Share Twitter Pinterest Email Wellness Health & Well-being Clean Beauty Even if your teeth look white and pearly and have no cavities, symptoms in your mouth could spell trouble for other areas of your health. "If your eyes are a window into your soul, your mouth is a gateway into your health," says Sanda Moldovan, DDS, MS, CNS, a Beverly Hills periodontist. "The way I treat patients who come to me, I connect the mouth with the rest of the body because I do believe we're a unit, and we're no longer separating the two," says Moldovan. Seems what's going on below can directly impact the teeth, the gums and the mouth, so never ignore an oral problem. Here, some things your mouth can reveal about your health: Bleeding gums = Hormonal imbalance Hormone receptors are embedded in your gum tissue. During pregnancy women may experience bleeding gums, not because of a problem with a tooth but because their hormones have gone a little haywire. Ditto for menopause. Women also have more sensitive gums during their menstrual cycle, so you might avoid a trip to the dentist during your period. Red mouth, fat tongue = Nutritional deficiency If the corners of someone's mouth are red, that can be a sign of a B6 vitamin deficiency. Also, a swollen tongue, a shiny, red tongue or beefy tongue can be signs of iron deficiency. Similarly, a pale tongue can indicate anemia. Bring any color questions to the attention of your dentist for further evaluation. Cracked, crumbling teeth = GERD A lot of times people think their teeth are wearing down because they grind them. But when dentists observe teeth that melt away and have a lot of cracks, it's often from stomach acid emitted during sleep. Gastroesphogeal Reflux Disease or GERD is when stomach acids come up through the esophagus into the mouth. "The hard structures of teeth are being bathed in acid and low pH and that is actually eroding the enamel off the teeth," says Jeanette Kern, DDS, who practices general dentistry in Monterey, Calif. These teeth have a very specific look — it's like when you go to the seashore and see rocks smoothed out by wear. People who grind have more flattened and sharp regions. Kern refers patients to a gastroenterologist at the first sign of GERD tooth symptoms. Bad breath = Stomach issues If you're brushing and flossing regularly and have good dental checkups, bad breath can be related to stomach issues. "A small bacterial overgrowth in a patient's stomach can show up as bad breath and not be associated at all with teeth," says Moldovan. It may be an indication of a liver or kidney problem. Even diabetics can have breath that smells musty like fermentation, and that means their diabetes is not under control and they should see a physician right away. Get any bad breath not related to oral health checked out. Flat, worn teeth & headaches = Stress Flat worn teeth or morning headaches spell teeth grinding. If you sleep solo, bruxism can go unnoticed until your dentist takes a peak into your mouth. Morning headaches and jaw pain are other tell-tale signs. "Worn teeth are just the beginning — grinding affects the entire masticatory apparatus — from the bones that surround the teeth to the muscles that move the jaw," says Bryon Viechnicki, DMD, MS, an orthodontist in Bethlehem, Pa., and clinical adjunct associate professor of orthodontics at Temple University. Teeth can develop stress fractures and grinders can have muscle pain and headaches that feel sinus-related. "In many men, bruxism is a real pain in the neck — the cervical muscles can be affected," says Viechnicki. Migraines associated with bruxism are more common in women. The scariest part of heavy bruxism for many patients is not being able open their mouth all the way. To protect your teeth, jaws and muscles, a custom mouth guard can be made by your dentist. Managing stress and anxiety can also help relieve symptoms. Canker sores = Gluten intolerance Canker sores may be an indication of gluten intolerance or a mineral deficiency such as zinc. "Normally if I see someone with canker sores, I will give them a zinc supplement and if they still have them, I would send them to the gastro doc to check out their gluten intolerance, for possible celiac disease," says Moldovan. Celiac disease is an inherited, immune system disorder in which the proteins found in wheat, rye and barley cause damage to the lining of the small intestine. A recent study suggests a link between the mouth sores and intolerance for gluten. Study participants who ate a gluten-free diet healed their canker sores. Ask your doctor or dentist about a link if you have repeat canker sores. Gum disease & inflammation = Heart problems "We know that the type of the bacteria in the mouth can be transferred down into our blood vessels and cause plaque, and that plaque has a type of bacteria that lives in the mouth. "So bacteria circulate in our entire body," says Kern. Even if you only have mild periodontal disease (gum inflammation) around one tooth, it's in your blood stream, so your body is working on it all the time. "I think it's a combination that it is wearing down your immune system and that type of bacteria in the plumbing of the blood vessel can cause coronary problems," Kern explains. When you have gum disease taken care of with a deep cleaning in the dentist office, it lowers the inflammatory process and helps the entire body. "So you may think you are cleaning up your mouth, but you're possibly saving your life when you take care of your periodontal disease," says Kern.


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The emergence of the EA SPORTS BC Soccer Premier League (BCSPL) in British Columbia has given Vancouver Whitecaps FC scouts a whole new talent pool to choose from.
The BCSPL, founded in the fall of 2011, created a platform for the best players in the province to compete. This same platform has given Whitecaps scouts a chance to watch all of B.C's best compete.
Stuart Neely, head of high performance with Whitecaps FC, explained the relationship between the league and Whitecaps FC.
"The involvement is fairly straightforward. We have an agreement with BC Soccer and the league that offers us the ability for our coaches to go out and scout league games."
In recent years BC Soccer and Whitecaps FC have developed a very good working relationship, but this wasn't always the case.
Neely credits past hard feelings to a problem with Whitecaps FC poaching talent from BC Soccer.
"The relationship has grown because the Whitecaps have listened to the league and the local community," he said. "I think part of the issue was [Whitecaps FC] taking players away at a young age so they don't even get the opportunity to play in the league."
According to Neely, the new relationship between Whitecaps FC and BC Soccer has mended this problem.
"Different players mature at different rates, so the younger they are, the more potential they have to grow. By missing the league play they are missing a competitive environment. They now have that by playing in the league for at least a year, if not longer. It gives us an opportunity to scout the players in league play for at least a year before we identify them for future Whitecaps programing."
Player development is not an overnight process but Neely says the hope is that the new relationship between Whitecaps FC and BC Soccer will create a breeding ground for future pros.
"We just need give them a platform for having success in the game regardless of what level they play," he said. "Just because they don't play for Whitecaps FC or the province or the national team doesn't mean they are not going to go on to play professional football, or not go on to play NCAA or CIS."
The EA SPORTS BC Soccer Premier League was created with eight founding clubs, six in the lower mainland, one on Vancouver Island and one based in the Okanagan Valley. The focus of the league is player development through increased competition for elite soccer athletes. A mini-season took place from September through November 2011 to prepare for the full season commencing in February 2012. The league features divisions in the U-13 through U-18 levels. Competition is from February through November each year.
For more stories on youth soccer in British Columbia, visit http://beaconnews.ca/vancouver.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Civil Service Commission meets the second Thursday of the month at 6:00 p.m. at NLR City Services Building, 120 Main St., North Little Rock. Contact: (501) 975-8855.
> Back to Human Resources Department Page
Artis M. Boykin
Bob Fleckenstine
Michael Moore
Mike Ross
Rick Thurow
Lillian Kay Williams
Will LeMaster


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The Simulation in Nursing Education scenario set contains twenty (20) scenarios that address major learning objectives applicable to all types of undergraduate nursing programs. The scenarios, mapped to the 2010 NCLEX-RN® Test Plan Categories, offer educators the ability to provide realistic and challenging scenario-based simulation to help learners apply the nursing process.
The scenario set consists of 10 medical and 10 surgical scenarios. Of these ten scenarios reflect basic assessment, safety and infection control, prevention of complications, and communication skills. The other 10 expand upon the basic scenarios using the same patient history, but require recognition and management of complications, advanced team collaboration and communication.


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The incredible story of 9-year-old Caine Monroy and his cardboard arcade isn't over.
Presenting Caine's Arcade, Chapter 2, a sequel to the first film that details the enormous impact Caine has made on kids around the world -- and that also kicks off the Global Cardboard Challenge.
You don't want to miss this.


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2 search results
Practicum in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources
Practicum in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources is designed to give students supervised practical application of knowledge and skills. Practicum experiences can occur in a variety of locations appropriate to the nature and level of experiences such as employment, independent study,...
- Grade Range: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Postsecondary
Lesson Plan: Using Microscopes to Conduct Research
In this lesson, students will demonstrate the ability to properly use a microscope for research in the Agricultural Industry.
- Resource ID: 6673
- Grade Range: 11, 12


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Once upon a time in baseball, it was easy to enjoy greatness.
Today, in the shadow of performance-enhancing drugs (known as PEDs), enjoying the players who stack up awe-inspiring numbers just ain't easy. Players, rightly or wrongly, are under the shadow of PEDs and hindered by recent news such as that of Melky Cabrera and Bartolo Colon, who were both having stellar seasons before being suspended after testing positive for PEDs.
ESPN's Skip Bayless, of "First Take," recently brought New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter into the equation, questioning how Jeter was doing it.
"It" being leading the majors in hits, doubling his home run output and swinging right up there among the leaders in batting average at the age of 38, an age when most players start to decline.
Performance-enhancing drugs was what Bayless was hinting at. Although baseball has done much to address the use of PEDs, the problem evidently remains as some athletes continue to try to beat age, time and the drug tests — so I understand the healthy skepticism of Bayless.
It is the healthy skepticism of a journalist.
Still, the thing is, well, this is not Cabrera, Colon, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez or any of the many other players caught or suspected of using PEDs to enhance their performance.
This is Derek Jeter.
Healthy skepticism aside, it never crossed my mind, never entered the realm of my consciousness that Jeter is doing it — having a great year — other than the right way. I chalked it up to him working hard and making the necessary adjustments as he grew older.
That is to say, I believe in Derek Jeter. I believe in his love for the game. I believe in his work ethic. I believe in his character. I believe he is too much a student of the game and a person who appreciates the game too much to seek and gain an unfair advantage.
I also believe he respects his parents too much to do anything to disappoint them
I say this not having met the man, but having seen the dignity and class with which he carries himself in the public eye.
I realize it is a leap of faith in this day and age to declare your belief in an athlete. There is always the behind-the-scenes story, the startling revelation that could break tomorrow, next week or years later that could make you regret your faith and make you feel just plain silly.
Consider the names McGwire and Sosa and how they had that magical summer in '98 when they lit up the game with their slugging prowess in their chase for Roger Maris' then-elusive home run record. Who now doesn't think their magic came from PEDs?
But this is Derek Jeter.
Perhaps my belief in Jeter is a throwback to my youth, when I lived and breathed baseball and thought all that was good was baseball, and all that was baseball was good.
It was a time, once upon a time, when it was easy to enjoy greatness.
There was Ernie Banks and Billy Williams and Ron Santo of the Cubs on the North Side of Chicago. When they would play my favorite team at that time — the St. Louis Cardinals, who had Lou Brock, Bob Gibson and Steve Carlton.
The whole league was filled with greatness — Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Mickey Mantle, Johnny Bench, Roberto Clemente, Don Drysdale, Rod Carew, Sandy Koufax and so many others.
I was just a boy, but I truly appreciated their greatness. I thought they would play forever. But like all ballplayers, age and time caught them in a rundown and tagged them out so a new generation of players could take their place.
A new generation will arrive that will have us enjoying collective greatness without reservations or regrets. For now, I hold on to watching Jeter in his greatness as he plays out this year and whatever years he has left before time and age catch him in the last great rundown — and tag him out.
Till then, with no reservations, I'm enjoying the greatness of Derek Jeter.
Frank Harris III is chairman of the journalism department at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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MINNEAPOLIS, May 6 (UPI) -- Punter Chris Kluwe, well known for his outspoken views on same-sex marriage, has been released by the Minnesota Vikings, the team said Monday.
Kluwe, who averaged 45.0 yards per punt with a 39.7 net last season, was let go after eight years with the team.
The 31-year-old's roster spot became tenuous after the Vikings drafted UCLA punter Jeff Locke in the fifth round of the 2013 draft.
"So long, Minnesota, and thanks for all the fish!" Kluwe wrote on Twitter. "Thank you to all the fans, my teammates, and the Wilf family for the past 8.5 years. I wouldn't have traded it for anything."
Kluwe took a high profile in his advocacy for marriage equality for gays and lesbians, making TV appearances on such shows as "The Colbert Report" and "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and working to defeat a constitutional amendment in Minnesota that sought to ban same-sex marriages.
"Chris has meant a great deal to the Vikings both on and off the field in his eight seasons here," Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman said. "He contributed to many victories and we wish Chris and his family the best and thank him for his contributions to the Vikings organization."


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This preschool yoga class, intended for 3-5 yo, is a mixture of yoga games, stories, beginning postures and movement. The class encourages physical and mental development while introducing kids to the language and movement of yoga with a little laughter along the way. Parents can drop-off if child is at least 3, but not until your child is comfortable with the instructor and the class environment. If child is younger or uncomfortable, we ask that parents to stay in the room. The curriculum for the preschool level is a bit more advanced. A longer attention span and more fine motor skills are tested. But, if you and your 2 yo can only make it to this class, don't worry, just come on over.
NOTE: This date/event is in the past. Keep browsing.
Date(s) - 09/13/19
11:00 am - 11:50 am
$20 for drop-in. Class cards also available for a lower price.
Beth Houghton
Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the activity organizer or venue as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.
COVID-19 Coronavirus note: In the event that local health officials ask for "social distancing" strategies that include canceling large gatherings, some of these pre-planned activities may be canceled or rescheduled: concerts, festivals, playtime, sports events, storytimes, and other gatherings.


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Yesterday and Today
On-line version ISSN 2309-9003
Print version ISSN 2223-0386
Y&T n.7 Vanderbijlpark Jan. 2012
In Search of Mapwork: A worthwhile book for the geography classroom
Gavin Heath
Discipline of Geography Education University of KwaZulu Natal firstname.lastname@example.com
(Oxford University Press, Cape Town, 2008, ISBN: 978 0 19 598455 2, pp. 104) Lydia Wilson, Cathryn Hodgkinson & Linda McKenzie
The authors of this publication anticipated to address the demands of the National Curriculum Statements for Geography (in grades 10 to 12). The style is appropriate for these grades, although there are some errors in grammar and style which will be referred to later. I was quite impressed with the publication, which I felt was learner-friendly, as well as highly attractive. Even with the criticism I have about the language style and grammar, I would recommend the book as a useful resource for FET teachers.
Regarding the format of the In Search of Mapwork: A worthwhile book for the geography classroom, the contents page (p. 3) is accurate, as is the glossed index on p. 104. The book is divided into four major parts, namely mapwork skills, mapwork interpretation, working with aerial photographs and orthophoto maps, and working with topographical maps and photographs. The introduction "About this book" is commendable and very explanatory. A section on "Assessment of mapwork" is given on p. 5 and another on geographical information systems on pp. 6 and 7. A page on learning outcomes and assessment standards for the relevant grades is given on p. 8.
In Search of Mapwork... is also intended for inclusive education purposes, and no bias in terms of culture, etc has been detected. The exercises are of the highest quality and will achieve their stated purpose.
The focus area of the book is the mapwork curriculum of grades 10 to 12 as set out in the South African National Curriculum Statement of 2003. As such the aim of the book is to elucidate mapwork and geographically literacy concepts.
In Search of Mapwork... is laid out in a systematic manner as it progresses through all the mapwork skills stated in the curriculum, with applicable exercises and maps, plus photographs and diagrams. Model answers have been included at the end of the book.
Regarding the accuracy and thoroughness of the book, I have quite a number of recommendations. In terms of the National Curriculum Statement (2003), the following has not been covered in In Search of Mapwork...: atlas work (for grades 10-12) and map projections (for grades 10-12). It would have been a major benefit if these two major themes in the curriculum could have been incorporated.
Examples of grammar improvements are the following:
"industrial" should read "industry" on p. 3 (the contents page). Here the other words are nouns, so the adjective "industrial" is misplaced.
"gradient" on p. 26, a good idea would have been to include the difference between suitable gradients for a road and a railway.
On p. 35 "TBVC" is mentioned - I recommend that this is written out in full, because the current generations will not likely know what the letters (Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda, and Ciskei) stand for, nor is it mentioned in the glossary or glossed index.
Regarding Chapter 4 ("Working with topographical maps and photographs"), I would advise writing "topographical map" in full instead of just "map" (pp. 46, 50, 52, 56, 58, 62, 64, 68, 74, 76, 80). "Topographical map" is written in full on p. 70, however. This will avoid confusion with the orthophoto map.
Question 2.3 on p. 62 is rather tenuous - it should focus more on the specified pump storage scheme instead of coal-burning stations. The issue of tenuousness can also be leveled against question 5.2 on p. 80. There is no evidence on the map to support the answer given on p. 98. The question is too speculative at present.
On p. 64 "trigonometrical" should be written instead of "trig", which is too informal for a textbook.
On the same page, "the process" should be added after "during and afterwards" (see question 3.1.1), which is somewhat an incomplete sentence.
Regarding question 4.5.2 on p. 64, "map" should be included after "orthophoto".
For question 4.5.3, the sentence should read "Use the orthophoto map to compare the settlements 'Far East Bank' and 'Modderfontein Agricultural Holdings'. List the differences" instead of how it is written on the specified page.
For question 2.1 on p. 68, better grammatical style would be achieved by writing "Give two climatic reasons.. .a different climate to those living in Cape Town" instead of how it is presently written.
For question 5.4 on the same page, it is best to use "Give" instead of "Discuss" to elicit the desired answers. It is also preferable to write foreign words in italics, for example, "rioolwerke" on p. 70. For the sakes or continuity of tenses, "do" should be written as "did", as after "took" on p. 74.
For the English translation of 'Aukoerebis', it should be written as "Place of Great Noise" (p. 74, top).
For question 1.3 on p. 76, I would include "showing that mining occurs" instead of the way it is presently written.
Question 4 on p. 83, under "GIS revision" is not a question- it should correctly end with a full stop instead of a question mark, as it calls upon learners to "list" only.
For question 3 (at bottom) on the same page, the sentence should correctly read "a block on it at roughly an A4 size" instead of the informal way it is presently written.
However, positive aspects are that a good range of map examples from both rural and urban / developed and developing contexts have been used. The examples used are very applicable in terms of teaching for equity.
The authors have vast experience in the authoring of writing educational resources, and all have good backgrounds in the stated school grades.
In Search of Mapwork... is copiously laid out with descriptions, definitions and concept outlines. The topographical and orthophoto maps selected are of the highest applicability. The diagrams and satellite photographs are also very commendable.
Regarding the formatting aspects of the book; the glossed index, as mentioned already, on p. 104 is accurate. There is no bibliography. All photographs have been correctly referenced (on p. 2).
In conclusion: In Search of Mapwork... content is satisfactory, and as such, it will be a worthwhile resource for secondary school teachers of Geography. The authors approach the topics in an interesting and innovative way, and there are plenty of highly enjoyable mapwork exercises for learners to complete. With some improved editing and careful proof-reading, plus the incorporation of sections on atlas work and projections, the book's content would have been more highly praised and adjudged by me.
Facing Mapping Bridging Diversity. Foundation of a European Discourse on History Education. Part 1
Karen Horn Department of Curriculum Studies Faculty of Education University of Stellenbosch firstname.lastname@example.com
(Wochen Schau Wissenschaft, ISBN: 978-3-89974731-7, pp. 401) Elisabeth Erdmann, Wolgang Hasberg (Eds)
Facing Mapping Bridging Diversity is a compilation of articles from 35 different authors, all of which share the theme of didactics of history as a scientific discipline. The main purpose of the book is to set out the discourse on history education in various European countries and lay the basis for a European discourse on the topic.
Each of the 24 articles explores history education in countries such as Austria, Cyprus, Estonia and Hungary, among others. A notable exclusion from the book is Switzerland, as it is not part of the European Union. The motivation for the book is derived from the belief, according to Erdmann and Hasberg, that none of the previous investigations into History education in Europe included the didactics of history. The editors postulate that the teaching of history in Europe follow three distinct routes, firstly that of the German model which focuses on historical consciousness in society, secondly, the idea in other European countries where History Didactics are part of the educational sciences, and lastly the French model that looks at History education as part of social studies and where the focus is on the transmission of historical knowledge. By presenting the indings of 35 authors in this publication, the editors envisage to demonstrate the similarities concerning History didactics between the different European Union member states and to create a starting point for closer cooperation between the countries.
The aspirations of the authors as set out above, therefore define the audience at which the publication is aimed. Those in tertiary education institutions where History education forms part of an education degree may benefit from reading these case studies, especially if issues such as diversity and unity are to be addressed through the use of a multi-perspective approach to history education. In this sense, history educators in South Africa may also find some articles useful as the new Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) emphasises the concept of multi-perspective approach to the interpretation and analysis of historical events.1 The only chapter that deals specifically with unity and diversity is Karl Filser's "Unity and Diversity of our European identity" Recommendations of the European Council on History Learning and Teaching, which is enlightening regarding the European context and the emphasis on the use of the multi-perspective method, a method which also significantly influenced CAPS. The remainder of the book is a collection of case studies on History education from various Europe countries. While these articles are interesting and informative, the relevance for South African educators is doubtful, as each chapter will have to be scrutinised in order to assess the extent to which European case studies may apply to the South African context. While the European Union countries and South Africa have a lot in common regarding unity and diversity, there are also unique aspects to the different countries. It is unlikely that many school educators will want to wade through an academic text such as this unless they are sure that it may offer information that will useful in their classrooms.
The technical aspects of the publication require improvement. The book contains no index, which hampers its usefulness to researchers. It is also evident that the chapters have been translated into English by a non-native English translator. The impact of this is that the meaning of many sentences is obscured by academic language. In short, the publication may contribute towards an expansion of the pedagogical horizons of those involved in curriculum planning and design as well as the theoretical foundations of History education; however, for the school educators the book may be of limited value.
Our world, our society Social Sciences grade 8
Leevina Iyer
History Education University of Kwa-Zulu Natal email@example.com
(Vivlia, South Africa, 2006, ISBN: 978-1-77006-444-7) P Holmes, J Cockburn, J Wallace, D Carr & K Angier
Textbooks are frequently considered to be important informers of content knowledge to be explored in lessons. Textbooks provide a certain structure which often forms the basis of teachers' pedagogical practices and learners' academic development in particular Learning Areas or school subjects. Our World, Our Society would be no exception. This Social Sciences (SS)2 textbook for grade 8 learners contains the necessary information from which content knowledge of Social Sciences can be derived and explored. However, as most textbooks have their fair bit of inaccuracies, so too does Our World, Our Society. For the purpose of a structured critique, three main categories have been devised: the scope (which considers content, reliability and accuracy); readability (including style); and activities included in the textbook.
This textbook religiously follows topics mentioned in the National Curriculum Statement for Social Sciences (DoE, 2002). The content topics in the textbook are structured according to the NCS Grade 8 framework (DoE, 2002, pp.9192). This may be useful to teachers as it provides a point of departure for their Social Sciences lessons which are in keeping with the SS policy document they use when planning lessons and assessments.
In terms of content accuracy, several flaws can be identified. The authors have included two meanings of "Revolution". Although it is necessary for learners to understand that often there are no deinite meanings to words, it may at the same time result in a sense of conceptual confusion. Our World, Our Society introduces the idea of race by identifying the "white" race; however the authors refer to the native people of Africa as Zulus. This is politically incorrect as African native people consisted of several other tribal ethnicities besides the Zulus. The authors go on to state: "African people living in South Africa", which - to learners - may not make sense because South Africans are inevitably Africans (people native to the African continent).
Additionally not all indentured labour entailed 5 year long contracts. Instead this could be replaced with "for a specific period of time". The title of the map on page 60 of the textbook reads: "Map shows modern day South Africa in the 1860s" (own italics). This title is highly ambiguous and could foster a sense of confusion in learners understanding. Therefore it is suggested that the map reads: "Map showing independent kingdoms of South Africa in 1860 before it was colonised". Furthermore, lobola as mentioned in the section on Industrialisation in South Africa is not explained well enough and may appear to be unclear to learners as it does not make mention of the fact that lobola was a practice among native people and not among all inhabitants of South Africa. In essence it should be made clear to learners that Mahatma Gandhi fought for the rights of racially-marginalised people in South Africa, and not for Indian people only as stated in the textbook.
Despite the excellent coverage of topics in this textbook, Our World, Our Society lacks in the reliability of the information it provides to learners and teachers. Ambiguity and inaccuracy of information have to be addressed for the textbook to achieve the success in learners' conceptual and pedagogical growth.
Our World, Our Society has a substantial amount of written information as compared to other textbooks. Additionally, the written text is accompanied by the considerable use and variety of visual aids such as graphs, maps, tables and pictorial sources. This has a two-fold advantage. Firstly, it captures learners' interest as learners are presently more visually receptive than they were in the past. Secondly, it helps learners become accustomed to data-handling skills which are greatly needed in our globalised world where problem-solving is a necessity.
Units within each module are inter-linked to each other through the introductory topic sentences at the beginning of the unit. These are beneficial to learners as it helps them reflect on the content they have covered in previous lessons and make correlations with the current topic under discussion.
There are several guidelines which serve as cognitive support to learners. Firstly, textboxes can be found on several pages throughout the textbook which provide a simplistic explanation of what is considered of importance for learners to know. Uniform Resource Locators (URLs)3 and summaries have also been included at the end of each unit. Learners are also urged to seek information concerning topics in the Grade 8 textbook from the library, the internet or by speaking to elders. Additionally assessment rubrics for activities engaged with during the unit are incorporated for learners to assess themselves.
Despite the above positive remarks on the textbook, in some instances images used in the textbook appeared unclear and blurred due to the green ill. I would assume that if learners had difficulty in identifying particulars in the images, then they are certain to find it difficult to interpret and subsequently complete the activity which required use of the sources.
The style of the textbook was generally suited to the academic level of grade 8 classes. The additional assistance provided in the book catered for learners who had enquiring minds and who were more academically-inclined than others.
Unlike other textbooks, Our World, Our Society does not place more emphasis on activities and resources used to engage in Social Sciences topics. Yet the activities which are included, catered for the different cognitive levels of learners. Several activities which appear in the textbook allow for integration, not only of History and Geography, but also of the languages, Life Orientation and Mathematics. Hence resulting in a holistic interdisciplinary approach to knowledge and assessment.
Moreover, additional assistance to teachers is provided in the form of a Teachers' Guide. This contains possible answers and marking rubrics to activities in the learners' book, an introduction of the Social Sciences Learning Area as well as work schedules and assessment rubrics which Social Sciences teachers could derive their lessons from and plan their lessons around.
Despite the generous use of pictorial sources, it is recommended that reference to places where an event/s occurred, be accompanied with a map. This could physically contextualise the event being discussed. Also, authors should include the sources from which images have been extracted so that should learners or teachers wish to conduct further research on that particular image, they will find it easy to locate.
Our World, Our Society exhibits an unbiased approach in the composition of the contents. The layout of textbook allows for ease of reading and a flow of information. The pictorial images which accompany the typed text add variation in reading and create a meaningful yet comprehensive guide for learners and teachers. There are, however, areas which need rethinking and revising. Overall, this textbook offers a reasonable point of departure in terms of the content knowledge and skills which serve as the basis for Social Sciences.
In search of history: Grade 10 learner's book
Marshall T Maposa
University of Kwa-Zulu Natal firstname.lastname@example.com
(Oxford University Press, Cape Town, 2011, ISBN: 978 0 19 905725 2, pp. 223) J Bottaro, P Visser & N Worden
In response to the recent changes in South African Education the Oxford publishers have unveiled their latest In search of History Grade 10 learners' book which tout as "the best source-based approach to studying History."
On the front cover is another seal of conidence declaring "National CAPS made easy." Written by the same authors as its predecessors, this textbook retains old characteristics and matches them with new curriculum changes. The intended audience of the textbook are the school History learners. It therefore its well in the field of History teaching and research as it is meant to be used in the classroom. Those who intend to read deeply on the topics covered in the textbook can use the textbook for background reading because moving on to other reference books.
With glossy colour covers that are the hallmark of textbook marketing, the textbook also has longer surface sheets, thus making it thinner and less intimidating. There is also use of blue highlighting colour inside the textbook to guide learners to important aspects of the issues under coverage. The presentation and format is to a larger extent appealing. In keeping with style in previous editions there is a balance between text and illustrations. There is enough text for the textbook user to follow a particular narrative and all illustrations have explanatory captions. Therefore the sources are not just there for cosmetic purposes. Although all the illustrations are in black and white, they are not all the same overused and reproduced images that textbook users tend to come across often. The illustrations include pictures, drawings, maps, tables, and statistical data. All these aspects are presented in a clear and logical manner not as jumbled up snippets of bit and pieces as was becoming a feature of South African History textbooks during the Outcomes Based Education period. The sources are acknowledged and there are suggested further reference books at the end. The index also makes the textbook user friendly.
Most of the content is as suggested in the CAPS document with the major themes being: The world around 1600; European expansion and conquest in the 15th to 18th centuries; the French revolution; Transformations in Southern Africa after 1750; Colonial expansion after 1750; and The South African war and Union. However, one Grade 10 theme as per the CAPS History document is missing - on Industrial Revolution and modern world economic system. The themes in the textbook are chronologically sequenced and create a narrative that learners can follow. There are a few cases of linking chapters such that the book follows an unbroken prose. The content in the textbook shows evidence of research by the authors to match the issues to contemporary research. There is reference to all types of historical research including archaeology and oral history especially regarding early South African History.
It is also contextualised, an example being the way slavery is presented within a context of Spanish conquest of America and Portugal and the destruction of the Indian Ocean trade. For controversial issues, such as the representation of Shaka, multi-perspectives are provided as recommended by the CAPS. There is an attempt to represent the ordinary people and women in key events such as the French revolution or the South African War. The themes are introduced through a key question, which is taken from the CAPS. The textbook also provides definitions of the major first order concepts such as revolution, propaganda and dictator. Conceptual understanding is essential and cases where slavery and slave trade are used almost interchangeably will confuse learners. The second order concepts are more implied than always obvious with the exception of empathy.
Another positive aspect of this textbook is the assessment activities. To start with, the presentation is not confusing, as the publishers do not throw activities in every little space available on the page. Instead the assessment is logically presented, coming after a sizeable amount of narrative and its supporting sources, meaning that learners can at least learn something before they are assessed. different types of assessment activities are provided, such as, source based questions, matching, explanations, games, class discussions and newspaper articles. For most of these activities the textbook clearly explains if they are supposed t be individual work, pair work or group work. No time is provided though to guide the learners on how to answer the questions. Mark allocation is provided only for the major assessments at the end of each chapter. For the extended writing tasks, a generic rubric is provided at the end of the textbook. The questions come at various levels enabling all learners to think at a lower and higher order level. The textbook users are encouraged not to rely only on the textbook to answer some of the questions as they are asked to use their own knowledge. Unlike in the text, the second order concepts such as empathy and causation come up more explicitly in the assessment. An example is the empathy exercise on Shaka who in the text is presented as a contentious historical figure. More comprehensive assessment is provided towards the end of the textbook where the authors provide a sample end-of-year paper covering all the aspects the earners have to be aware of. In general the assessment is challenging but achievable.
Finally, the language is by and large appropriate for the grade. A glossary of new words and key words is presented, not at the back of the book, but exactly where they are used so that learners can make easy and quick reference.
Another feature that is useful for the textbook users is the skills support. Throughout the textbook, there are sections where the authors explain skills such as the use and study of sources and referencing. These are important skills which bridge the gap between school history and academic history. It would have been better though, if the skills support where put together in one section and learners would be referred to them throughput the textbook. The point is that referencing, for instance, is a vital aspect of studying and it should be referred to as early as possible and not only towards the end of the textbook. The way study skills and meanings of instruction words are explained together at the end of the textbook is a good example of how the skills support could also appear in the textbook.
Therefore the production of this new textbook is a welcome development. The textbook will be of great use to both learners and teacher as they apply the new CAPS system. It fulils most of the roles a textbook should, such as providing appropriate and up-to-date information, develop historical skills and conceptual understanding. The book will be a valuable asset for South African schools.
1 Department: Basic Education, Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement; p. 12. (Available at: http://www.education.gov.za), as accessed on 19 January 2012.
2 Presently Social Sciences has become separate Learning Areas within the Continuous Assessment and Policy Statement implemented in South African schools by the Department of Basic Education in January 2012.
3 Internet addresses which identify and locate files in the World Wide Web.


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The city of Galway on the west coast of Ireland was the favorite part of our trip last month. It is a small, quaint city, with just enough bustle to make it interesting, and only a 3 hour drive from Dublin. It's also within a short distance to make day trips to Glenmore Abbey and the Cliffs of Moher a possibility. If you're ever in Ireland, I highly recommend you make a stop in Galway for at least a few nights.
On our last night in Galway before heading back to Dublin, we were fortunate enough to catch this amazing sunset along the beach right near our AirBnB.


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The Embedded Systems Conference has always been a top venue for studying, discussing, and handling the embedded industry's newest leading-edge technologies. This year in San Jose, CA, I walked the floor looking for the tech Circuit Cellar members would love to get their hands on and implement in novel projects. Here I review some of the hundreds of interesting products and systems at Design West 2012.
Renesas launched the RL78 Design Challenge at Design West. The following novel RL78 applications were particularly intriguing.
- An RL78 L12 MCU powered by a lemon:
- An RL78 kit used for motor control:
- An RL78 demo for home control applications:
Circuit Cellar members have used TI products in countless applications. Below are two interesting TI Cortex-based designs
A Cortex-M3 digital guitar (you can see the Android connection):
—Advertise Here—
Stellaris fans will be happy to see the Stellaris ARM Cortex -M4F in a small wireless application:
NXP mbed
Due to the success of the recent NXP mbed Design Challenge, I stopped at the mbed station to see what exciting technologies our NXP friends were exhibiting. They didn't disappoint. Check out the mbed-based slingshot developed for playing Angry Birds!
Below is a video of the project on the mbedmicro YouTube page:
I was pleased to see the AndroPod hard at work at the FTDI booth. The design enables users to easily control a robotic arm with Android smartphones and tablets.
As you can imagine, the possible applications are endless.Become a Sponsor


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I dunno about that entirely. Sure they may have known the vampires they seeked out, but not terribly well I'm sure with all of them. They didn't know the half breed or his Aunt that came back with Alice, I think it could've still been a possibility they might have. I am sure his Aunt was a vampire they have never met. If Edward himself searched Fred out, even though they have never met, maybe explaining what happened to Bree would've made him come...but then again, it is a good possibility you are right on this one. lol I have a bad habit of reading to deep into things.ringswraith wrote:
Edward (indeed, any of them) don't know Fred. They approached vampires they've met throughout the years, vampires they trust to hear them out- it's highly unlikely they'd approach someone they've never met and ask of them such a favor.
You know, that hadn't even crossed my mind in the least. Bree did notice that Fred read the books she left him, which I thought was a very kind gesture to know that he wasn't completely ignoring her. He invited her to join him and wait for her for 24 hours to go with him to wherever in the world instead of just taking off right then and there. Maybe he did? It was just really settle compared to Diego's actions. Fred seems very reserved and little hints like that could've been ways he was showing it.misspikaboo wrote: He does seem the type to be out on his own, but I'd worry for him if that was the case. Although he seems the type to be careful, he does not know the Volturi's rules. Granted, there aren't that many and the few that do exist are fairly basic - keep the secret, remain inconspicuous - but it's dangerous to go into a world like there's not knowing the full picture. One slip up, one mistake, and it could be all over for Fred. The Volturi don't give second chances and ignorance of the law is not a good excuse in their eyes.
On a side note, did it ever feel like Fred might have had feelings for Bree? I mean, he wanted him (and Diego) to join him if they managed to survive. And he lifted his power around her and protected her (and Diego again) from Raoul's wrath in the hideout. Yes, Diego was there in the equation, too, but Fred didn't know Diego so he might as well have been doing it all for Bree. I dunno, it just seems like it's sort of important: Fred's power allows him to keep everyone away, so we know he is a bit anti-social; but despite this, he lets Bree get close to him, looks out for her, and even seems to enjoy her company. That he was willing to lift his power from around her speaks volumes, I think, as his power is his main source of protection. It reminds me of Bella lifting her shield so that Edward might finally read her mind - there's something intimate about it, about bearing yourself to someone else even when you has the means to keep them away.
And I agree, entering the Vampire world without knowing there is the Vampire police keeping rules enforced probably will end Fred's adventures early, but if he was heading to Canada, maybe there is a chance he stumbled on the Denali covern (I think that's the name, gosh I need to reread the books so bad lol) and they could've shown him the ropes and give him a heads up or something. Well, let us hope that Fred is smart enough to not roam around in a crowd with the blazing sun beating down on him.


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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Thanks to the musings of his former owner, Peyton Manning's return to Indianapolis this week has turned into something less than the warm-and-fuzzy homecoming it could have been.
If any of that bothers No. 18, it's not showing.
Dictating the terms of his Wednesday news conference as effectively as he orchestrates his offense from the line of scrimmage, Manning paid virtually no heed to this week's comments from Colts owner Jim Irsay, while heaping plenty of praise on his former team and its fans.
"I don't have an answer for you on that, or any comment on that," was Manning's response to the first, predictable question of his news conference — the one asking for reaction to Irsay's comments about giving up the old Indy offense's "Star Wars" numbers in a quest for more Super Bowl rings.
As for his 14 years in Indianapolis and the bittersweet parting Irsay engineered after Manning missed the 2011 season with shoulder and neck problems — well, Manning has no regrets.
"I've learned that in life you need to be at peace with other people's decisions that affect you that you have no control over," he said. "That's good advice I've had over the years and it's certainly served me well in this particular scenario."
Earlier this week, Irsay talked to USA Today about Manning's tenure in Indianapolis, which produced one title, another trip to the Super Bowl, 11 playoff appearances but seven one-and-done postseasons.
"That leaves you frustrated," Irsay said. "You make the playoffs 11 times, and you're out in the first round seven out of 11 times. You love to have the 'Star Wars' numbers from Peyton and Marvin (Harrison) and Reggie (Wayne). Mostly, you love" winning Super Bowls.
That triggered a strong response from the usually bland Broncos coach, John Fox, who on his national radio show Tuesday called Irsay's comments a cheap shot that was "disappointing and inappropriate."
Irsay backtracked, saying his comments were taken out of context and that he'd reached out to Manning — though he didn't get a call back.
"He's a historical icon and a great friend and I know what he's meant to our organization. My respect for him is immense," said Irsay, who also referred to Manning as "the most loved Ind Colt of all time" on Twitter.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Thanks to the musings of his former owner, Peyton Manning's return to Indianapolis this week has turned into something less than the warm-and-fuzzy homecoming it could have been.


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Three Free Months of Internet Security
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Unleash the power of cloud computing. Thanks to our award-winning Collective Intelligence technology, millions of Panda Security users instantly share malware-related information, automatically improving protection across all connected computers. By leveraging community knowledge, our technology provides better, real-time protection with a minimal impact on your computer, leading to faster and more versatile products.
Categories: Antivirus Tags: internet security, malware protection, panda antivirus


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It is said currants were planted in Devín on a larger scale after the end of the 19th century right after phylloxera (vine disease, plague) destroyed the extensive vineyards throughout Europe. In Devin there were vast orchards, especially of currants and apricots, which daily were shipped by boats to Vienna even until the dissolution of Austria-Hungary in 1918, when the border closed. There were nobody who would buy the currants harvest so the farmers let it dry up on the stem.
In 1922 local resident Mr Alois Sonntag started mass production of black currant wine. He owned his own currant orchards, but mainly he engrossed them from local farmers, which was profitable for them to start to cultivate the currants again. Slovakia had several dozen customers - restaurants and pubs; it is said currant wine exported abroad, too. In addition to producing currant wine he produced also currant vermouth, which won the gold medal at an exhibition in Paris. Since then, Devin currant wine (ríbezlák) became a phenomenon known widely - far.
After the nationalization, the agricultural cooperative of Devin took over the production of wine, which sold it well in their cellars in Karlova Ves and on Obchodná Street in the city centre.
Recently, currant wine production has fallen (along with the decline of winiculture); only a few Devin habitants produces it only in small quantities for personal use.
For that this tradition did not disappear, in 2007 we reestablished the production of Devin currant wine in collaboration with Mr. Otto Změlík, which has been devoting to its production for many years. And now Devin visitors have the opportunity to enjoy it right on the spot - under the Devin Castle in our cellar Devin Cellar of St. Urban (Devinska viecha Sv. Urbana).


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Steve Carell's impending departure from "The Office" generally has been played down by the show's producers – an approach reinforced by the recent news that his last appearance will come four episodes before the season finale.
The dearth of fanfare belies the spirit of Carell's character, Michael Scott, who finds any excuse to insert self-centered, manufactured drama into the dysfunctional workplace that gives him his identity and the endless attention he craves.
Amid this decided lack of hoopla we're excited about what's being billed as blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo Thursday by Ricky Gervais, who co-created the original UK version of "The Office" and starred as David Brent, another boss unhindered by any sense of self-awareness.
It's an "Office" meeting worth looking forward to: a subtle encounter between two characters who are anything but.
The cameo offers both actors a chance to take a bow for jobs well done for playing paper company bosses linked by an often cringe-inducing cluelessness – even as they fashioned distinct, unforgettable characters for their times.
Gervais' Brent is a comedian in his mind, spewing what he thinks is harmless – but in reality offensive – nonsense at employees too downtrodden to do much more than muster laughs at his lame jokes. Scott is similarly convinced he's entertaining, but his bizarre sense of humor is more often broad than cruel, intentionally or otherwise.
Those descriptions might make Gervais' Brent sound worse than he was, or Carell's Scott more benign than he is. Part of the divide rests not only in the actors' unique approaches to a similar character, but in the differing realities of television on each side of the Atlantic.
Gervais' "Office," by design, ran for 12 episodes, proving alternately hard to watch and impossible not to. Given the limited run, Gervais and writing partner Stephen Merchant had the luxury of giving us characters whose strange appeal largely rested in their all-too-realistic unattractiveness.
The Jim and Pam, counterparts, Tim and Dawn, were sweet enough, but also came to realize they were well matched losers-in-love – unlike the too-often cutesy and too-cool-for-school American versions. Dwight's equivalent, the bitter, would-be office henchman Gareth, came across as a nasty, bumbling caricature of the mercenary he fancied himself to be, devoid of Dwight's quirky, cartoonish bearing.
The blessing and curse of a hit network show (for seven seasons and counting, in this case) is that the audience, on some level, needs to like the characters – a tough balancing act for a show like "The Office," which thrives on viewers' discomfort.
While Gervais' version ultimately may be remembered by critics as the stronger, more daring effort, Carell's Michael Scott is, in some respects, a more complex character than David Brent. The actor has managed to imbue the pathetic Scott with a certain likability despite – or perhaps because of – his buffoonery-driven tendency to self-destruct.
We feel his pain when he's rejected by Holly, his soulmate in silliness – even if we cringe when he acts out in inappropriate ways (the trashing of the "Toy Story" doll Holly got from her boyfriend earlier this season provided one such moment). David Brent hurt others, without realizing or caring, while Michael more often hurts himself, leading some of his coworkers – and the audience – to want to protect him.
Michael Scott occasionally learns a lesson, as evidenced in last week's show in which he finally gives Holly some space to breathe. His is still a child in many ways, but one who at least experiences growing pains.
David Brent will push until he's over the edge and has dragged everyone into the abyss with him (the classic "Quiz Night" episode is one among many examples).
Gervais and Carell are masters of the comedy of the awkward, though to Gervais it's more of a game of chicken in which he refuses to blink.
He demonstrated as much at the Golden Globes, where he was slammed (unfairly) for skewering the Hollywood elite. It seems he was the only one in the ballroom to remember the show's purpose was to entertain the folks watching at home.
Which is what he and Carell succeeded in doing in their respective versions of "The Office," in ways that defied sitcom convention. A glance of David Brent and Michael Scott on the same small screen seems a fitting tribute to two characters who made us laugh and squirm as they wove office misery into unlikely classic comedy.
Update: Check out Gervais' cameo here:
U.S. & World
Hester is founding director of the award-winning, multi-media NYCity News Service at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is the former City Editor of the New York Daily News, where he started as a reporter in 1992. Follow him on Twitter.


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With everything that Japan is going through—the quake, the tsunami, the nuclear scare—it'd be sorta understandable if things like the Internet stopped working. Amazingly though, the Internet stayed up.
Renesys, an Internet research firm, is finding that the quake didn't really effect Japan's Internet:
"Today's 8.9 magnitude earthquake in Japan has had surprisingly limited impacts on the structure and routing dynamics of the regional Internet. Of roughly 6,000 Japanese network prefixes in the global routing table, only about 100 were temporarily withdrawn from service - and that number has actually decreased in the hours since the event."
Most other earthquakes break the undersea cables that connect countries connected to one another, Japan managed to avoid those breakages. The places that went down after the quake were restored (for the most part) and people didn't notice much downtime, which is wonderful to hear given the need to communicate in crisis situations. If Japan's Internet can survive a quake like that, we should probably build our cables, fiber optics, and interwebs exactly like theirs. [Renesys via All Things D]


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Saints Silly Sacking Saga.
¶ 1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Cortese calls time.
¶ 2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 Adkins diet not working.?
¶ 3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 Hung out to dry.! why.?5
¶ 1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Cortese calls time.
¶ 2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 Adkins diet not working.?
¶ 3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 Hung out to dry.! why.?5
© jim dolbear.18.01.2912.
The new Argentine coach Mauricio Pothettio was in charge of Espanyol from 2009 to 2012.In that time they won 49 of the 146 games.He left by mutual consent in November 2012 when they were rock bottom with 9pts from 13 games in La Lega.
Nigel Atkins was in charge of Southampton for 124 games and won 67 drew 25 and lost 32.
In that time they won 2 consecutive promotions to get to the Premier.League.
After a shaky start they have only lost two of the last twelve games,and in their last game came back to draw away to Chelsea after being 0-2 down.
With all Adkins staff sacked Pothettio takes his first coaching session tomorrow before the game against Everton on Monday not being able to speak a word of English.
It dose not make an iota of sense when a manager has done a good job and is respected by the supporters to be treated like that.
It seems that Southampton have a Chelsea-Benitez situation.
It will be interesting to see the crowds reaction at St.Marys on Monday.
Welcome to Football Poets -- a club for all football poets, lovers of football and lovers of (alternative) poetry. Discover poets in every league from respected internationals at the top of their game to young hopefuls in the school playground.
Publish your football poems here and then discuss them with your team mates and fans. We're archived by The British Library, so your masterpieces are in the safe hands of a world-class keeper. What a result!
Hi Daniel,
Good to see you are still writing about the 'Tic. Hope all is good with you.
Best, Sharon
So true mate.
You're certainly not alone in your thinking. I get incensed sometimes.
Aside from the endless and stillwith its -here once labelled Fergie Time moments ,we now have VAR with its far off decisions by supposed 'neutrals' .
So …the supposed influenced 'integrity' of refs and neutrals favouritism ?
You could tuck it away into some corner and call it yet another football conspiracy theory, (like analyzing and searching to find which teams refs follow and VAR assistant refs (if we knew ) but it still occurs too often for me.
It raises the question is there such a thing a a real neutral. Everyone who watches football definitely supports or has a soft spot for some club however tenuous..
BTW When I was 10 and the Munich Air Crash happened. i (and many at my school in Fulham) was a Chesea fan but took United on as my second lcub for a season through that awfdul time. Now FGR are my life and my team in the next village and i drum (when we get back) on the terrace at 72 with the young kids and scoff vegan pies and get bwind Dale's green vision for the planet …
Go well Attila and stry safe with your good lady….
Best Crispin
nice one sorting a pic to go with..off to a trial run with several hundfred masked fans v Bradgford at FGR tomorrow
Sorted! Cheers. SJ
Hi again
This message from Ken via the site.
Ken Storey
mail: email@example.com
Message: Message for Sharon Jones. I hadn't been able to contact you as your email seems to have lapsed and would like to know if you still want your Liverpool Christ painting. Let me know if you want it and when you can pick it up from me at 27 Mentmore Road L18 4PU. Hope you are well. Best wishes Ken Storey
Hi Sharon-PLEASE CONFIRM RECEIVED
This request from Gavin via the site. Can you get back to him please. If you don't want to do it let me know, I might have a go.
Name: Gavin Blackwell
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Message: Hi,
I am looking to make contact with Sharon Jones to see if can or someone could write a poem from my article The Brutality of life of the football Physio?
Best Regards
Gavin Blackwell
Hi Crispin,
I've only just seen your comment about a photo of the gates. I will dig one out.
I've still not been to The New Lawn but I do hope to get there one day.
Woohoo….sentiment shared Denys.
I thought the huge No 3 on Chelsea's new shirts strange enough.
Keep on mate.. C
thanks for introducing us to a poetic form that we haven't seen or utilized here!
It sets us an interesting challenge!
Hi Neil -hope you're happy with the way it's laid out. (Thanks Christian). I think from memory, this is the first ever hay(na)ku on Football Poets here on this or the old site in 20 years!
Coincidentally, re C.O.A, Michael Horovitz is very much associated with Stroud and Slad in particular (also the home of Laurie Lee.)
Stroud is where Football Poets as a website began in 2000 and where Michael's son Adam Horovitz lives. Adam is a fine pastoral and performance poet and a good friend. If you do a search in the search button he does have 4 football poems on here being a Sunderland fan.
Stroud is also close to Forest Green Rovers, who I follow regularly these days, and is also where I am based. I grew up close to Stamford Bridge in London having followed Chelsea for 50 years
Re WBA… Great community club. I worked there several times in the 2000s running anti-racism football poetry workshops with young local school students, as part of their Football In The Community programme
Best wishes
Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/saints-silly-sacking-saga/


text: Use Xtion PRO developer solution to make motion-sensing applications and games The world's first and exclusive professional PC motion sensing software development solution OPNI NITE middleware compatible SDK makes the motion-sensing applications and games development easily Easily selling developer's applications on the upcoming ASUS@vibe online entertainment content store Shop Modal header Worldwide Exclusivity The world's first and exclusive professional PC motion sensing development solution. You can make your fantastic ideas come true and introduce a better future to the public. Two function systems to make development easy Xtion PRO uses Infrared sensor and adaptive depth detection technology to capture users' real-time body movements, making body tracking more precise. The Xtion PRO development solution comes with a set of developer tools to make it easier for developers to create their own gesture-based applications without the need to write complex programming algorithms. 1. Gesture detection: The Xtion PRO development solution tracks people's hand motions without any delay, which turns your hand into a controller. It allows you to push, click, circle, wave and much more– perfect for use controlling a user interface. Based off this function, it can be widely developed into various types of applications. 2. Whole body detection: The Xtion PRO development solution allows developers to track a users' whole body movement, which makes it ideal for whole body gaming, while also supporting multiple player recognition. Especially designed for developers to create various applications The Xtion PRO development solution allows developers to apply the latest motion-sensing technology in various applications and industries to stand out from the competition. For example; Electronic Kanban is an ideal application for this technology and can be used widely for marketing, guidance or tourism and so on. Physical rehabilitation is also a good field for body detection applications. There are a number of fields that could benefit from motion-based technology, such as education, medical, conferences, games and many more. The Xtion PRO development kit is widely open. You can create your own apps for business or for making people's lives more convenient and intuitive. Anyone can develop their own apps. A far-reaching application can be created and applied based on the developers' imaginations. Easy to use The Xtion PRO features an easy plug and play USB design, with the Xtion PRO development solution OPNI NITE middleware compatible. Please visit the OpenNI website for more technical support and information. ASUS Xtion store* The ASUS Xtion store is a perfect online market for developers to easily and quickly sell their games, applications and other software. For more product or sale information, please visit: Xtion family Interested in software development for Xtion store? Please contact: #email@example.com


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Northland's NewsCenter Story Here >>
Duluth, MN (NNCNOW.com) --Employees and customers at Burrito Union in Duluth are going bald, for a cause.
People were shaving their heads, or their facial hair in the name of cancer awareness on Friday.
Participants made a five dollar donation to shave or be shaved.
The money raised will go for cancer research.
One Burrito Union employee organized the event to support a family member who has suffered from cancer.
"I'm going to Arizona to take care of my grandfather who just defeated lymphoma so the event is inspired by that. We are doing all types of cancer research cancer funds its not just lymphoma, that's what i'm shaving my head for," said Kendra Jaeger, organizer.
People who shaved their heads also got a free pint of beer at Burrito Union.


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With Facebook at over 1 billion members, Twitter with 645 million members, and Google+ passing the 300 million user mark, it's evident social networks are a great place to connect with consumers. And although social media has many marketing benefits in its own right, it's also a powerful SEO tool.
Social Media's Influence on SEO
How exactly does social media impact SEO? Here are three examples:
Increases Organic Search Rankings
One of the ways search engines decide how to rank site listings is by their perceived value. Of course, search engines are computers and not people so they can't make their own judgements, which means they must rely on specific data to help them decide what is really worthwhile. Part of the data they look at is social media signals (tweets, "likes," +1′s, comments, etc.). Basically, the more social signals your content receives the greater its chances of ranking higher in search listings.
You can improve the number of social media signals your brand receives by having awesome content that motivates people to "like" and share it. You should also make your content easier to share by having prominent social buttons available on every page of your website.
Gives You More Exposure
Both Google and Bing offer social search options for their users. This means, when someone enters a query into a search box they are given both organic results and results from their "friends." If your business happens to be that person's friend, any content you've ever posted which relates to their query will appear at the top of their search listings — this gives you high rankings just by being associated with them!
Still, even if someone isn't a friend or fan of your business, you can still appear in their personalized search results if one of their friends has ever mentioned your brand.
For example, let's say you're in the air conditioning repair business and Google+ user, Jan, is using social search to find an air conditioning repair service. She's unaware of your brand and doesn't follow you through any social networks; however, she is a Google+ friend of Betty who recently used your services and wrote a positive comment on your Google Places page. A link to Betty's comment appears in Jan's search listings and, because Jan is a friend of Betty, she clicks on that link and sees your brand. Since Jan knows and trusts Betty,Voilà, she decides to choose your business for her AC repair.
A similar scenario occurs between Bing and Facebook users, so by being socially connected, you not only increase your exposure but make your brand appear more trustworthy — a surefire way to increase traffic and conversions.
Connects You to the Mobile Crowd
Social networking and mobile devices go hand in hand, and overall user time spent on mobile gadgets is soon expected to surpass time spent on desktop computers. Thus, more social shares and consumer to brand interactions are happening mobily. This means by participating in social networks you have greater access to the rapidly growing mobile audience, and having your brand always available to people no matter where they are creates the possibility for more likes, shares, traffic, and all the things that make up good SEO.
Of course, it also helps to have a mobile friendly website and to create content suitable for devices with smaller screens and for people on-the-go.
Best Ways to Take Advantage of Social SEO
In response to the social media boom, Google, Bing, and others have tweaked their algorithms to place more weight on social media interactions. This means a webpage's ranking is largely determined by people's "votes" (i.e. the number of likes, shares, comments, retweets, etc.) After all, what greater way for a search engine to deliver meaningful results than by taking cues from real humans?
If you want your business to stay competitive online, you have to join the social media game. And not only must you play the game, to improve your SEO, you have to play the game well.
Here are some strategies for optimizing your social activities:
1. Brand Your Posts
By using your brand name in posts, Google can more easily associate your name with your chosen keywords. This will make it easier for search engines and users to know what you're about, and it allows you to promote your actual business name instead of an individual's social profile.
It's important to push a cohesive brand image and "personality" across all your digital channels. This includes traditional things like always using the same logo and design as well as having each channel support the messages delivered on your other web properties. For instance, if your website says you're a "fun" company that loves helping people then prove your point by using your social network page to chat with customers, answer questions, and provide light-hearted entertainment.
Also, always encourage or entice visitors to checkout your other sites as it provides more opportunities for engagement, and the traffic will help your search rankings.
2. Choose Relevant Communities
There are hundreds of social media sites out there, and they all have their own vibe and general interests. If your brand doesn't fit in with the community, don't try to force it on them – there are plenty of other networks to choose from. Instead, join sites where members are truly interested in your products or services and where others in your industry hang out.
3. Have Links to Social Accounts on Business Webpage
When you place your social links directly on your website homepage, Googlebots can readily see that those particular profiles belong to your company. Being able to connect your entire web presence strengthens your credibility and gives more keyword power to both your social and website pages.
4. Join Google+
It's true, Google+ is not the most popular social network, yet businesses that join Google+ are getting awesome paybacks in the forms of greater exposure and improvements in local search rankings. Whether you attract a lot of visitors to these pages or not, just being a member can help your SEO.
5. Set up Author Tags
Google has a relatively new feature that lets online writers link their author information next to everything they create. Once set up, your picture will appear in search listings beside all your articles, blog postings, etc. Additionally, users can easily click on your name to access your Google+ page and discover more of your content. Having all your publications connected can give you greater SEO influence.
6. Tweet for Faster Indexing
Twitter's millions of members and powerful status means it gets indexed way faster than your lowly (comparatively speaking) business blog. However, you can ride on Twitter's coattails by posting urgent messages or links to other content directly in your tweets. Like everything on the social network, they will get indexed right away.
7. More is Better
While you always want to have quality followers, social media is never a case of 'less is more.' It's always about getting additional followers, likes, shares, comments, backlinks, retweets, etc. So, always keep pushing and reaching out to new people, because the more you have the better you will rank.
8. Make Videos and Images Your Best Friend
Currently internet users are very image-centric, which is reflected in the popularity of sites like Pinterest, Tumblr, YouTube, and The Chive. Sometimes looking at pictures is just easier than reading, and they certainly have the ability to deliver a message much faster than words alone. Quite simply, if you want to get people's attention, put interesting images in all your posts.
Not to mention, YouTube is the second largest search engine, so if you haven't yet created a YouTube channel, then you are missing out on a wealth of SEO opportunities as well as the chance to connect with folks in their medium of choice.
9. Make it Nearly Impossible for People Not to Share Your Stuff
When someone reads a fascinating article, has a belly laugh over a picture, or discovers a load of helpful facts in an infograph, he can't help but share it with someone else – people have some sort of innate desire to show off what they've found. If you can provide such sharable content, you're stuff will spread like wildfire, and your site will soar to the top of the rankings.
10. Use Keywords
Just as keywords are used in blogs and on websites, you can incorporate them into your social content to make it easier for interested users to find your stuff and to get the attention of search engines (remember, everything in social media now influences search results).
Start by integrating keywords that you already use on your website, and use the Google Adwords Keyword Tool to pinpoint other relevant keywords. Just keep in mind, the most searched words aren't always best since they come with a lot of competition. So sometimes it is smarter to choose lower volume keywords that more specifically match your niche and are not as competitive.
When using your keywords, try to incorporate them into your titles as much as possible as they carry the most weight in the "eyes" of search engines. Sometimes this can be a pain to do when you're trying to come up with something catchy, but it's worth the effort and, with a little creativity, you can use your keywords and have a captivating title.
11. Analyze the Data
Data tracking has long been a strategy for standard SEO, and it's equally helpful with social SEO. In fact, with Google Analytics, you can specifically track the social media traffic to your website.
To do this, create a custom report in Google Analytics:
- Go to your dashboard, click on "Acquisition" in the side menu.
- Click Social then Overview
- Here you'll find valuable data on social
Google Analytics is great tool because you can track the success of the links you have posted. Not only does it show the URL, it also shows the numbers of visits, page views, and the average amount of time that people stay on your page.
After your new social media segment is set up, you can compare it against all your other traffic. This is great for seeing how social media activities influence overall traffic and for finding ways to improve.
12. Choose the Right URL Shortener
Long URLs are annoying in social media and, especially in the case of Twitter, take up too much room. Social media gurus have long used URL shortening tools to abbreviate them; however, not every shortening program is created equal. It's important to use a program that uses a 301 redirect back to your original URL, so you keep all the valuable link juice. Also, some tools, like bit.ly, even offer analytics (for free!) and have a pro-service, which allows you to use the same abbreviated domain on all your links while providing more detailed analytics.
Although Bit.ly is a fantastic tool, Goo.gl. is even better. It's the most straight forward URL shortener. It shows you the URL, the short URL and number of clicks all on one page.
13. Provide Social Buttons AND Links
The importance of including social buttons on all your content is fairly obvious, but you can also add widgets or easy-embed direct links alongside your social buttons too. With this strategy you're covering all your sharing bases as it is simple for people who aren't involved in social media to share your stuff, and it's a quick way for anyone to let others know about content in a more traditional way.
14. Set Canonical Links
Although the word "canonical" probably makes you want to ignore this tip altogether, don't move onto the next suggestion just yet, as this one is not nearly as complicated as it seems.
To put it simply, a webpage often has several different URLs if the page is accessible through more than one access point. This can make it difficult to reap the full benefit of a page's link juice if it is dispersed among multiple URLs (even if they visually direct to the same page). Additionally, it makes it harder to track the analytics for a particular page, which you'll want to do accurately when monitoring social campaigns.
Thus, you have to choose your canonical (preferred) URL and indicate it as such to search engines by including the "rel=canonical" tag to the <head> section of non-preferred URLs. Similarly, you can use a 301 redirect to send traffic to the target URL. Whichever method you choose, Google has detailed instructions on the correct way to set them up.
15. Check Site Speed
How terrible would it be if your social content finally went viral and your site didn't have the power or speed to handle the surge in traffic? Even if you never have a phenomenal boost in visitors, run-of-the-mill slowness caused by cumbersome graphics or unnecessary JavaScript can result in a poor user-experience that quickly sends people packing. Such a situation could be the death of a new social media campaign or event.
Although speed testing the site may not normally fall under the social media manager's duties, it's important to get with the development team before launching a new contest or campaign to ensure the site can handle the potential increase in visitors. Also, speed is considered in search rankings, so it is simply good practice to always keep the site running at optimum rates.
16. Choose Meta Descriptions Carefully
The meta descriptions you write for your blog and other content has little value in regards to search engine rankings; however, it does have a huge impact on click-through-rate. Essentially, this is your place to "sell" your content to readers and encourage them to click on your link. This blurb not only shows up in listings but also under all the links you add to your Facebook page — those few sentences can cover a lot of ground, so choose them wisely!
Make Quality Content Your Priority
While all of the above tips will certainly give you a leg up on the competition, even all of them combined can't match the power of quality content. Search engines are treating social pages like any other website; they're crawling them, looking for inbound traffic, engagement, likes, and other things that signify value for searchers. So, fantastic content on both your main website and your social pages is the best weapon for attracting visitors, keeping them, and achieving your goal of SERP domination.
What is Great Content?
For content to be great it has to matter. Don't just slap up a blog or an infograph because it's Monday and that's the day you're supposed to post something. Instead, give everything you create real meaning and energy. Readers can sense if you have genuine excitement for your topic — so, get fired up and put passion behind your posts.
Also, to stand out in an overcrowded marketplace, you have to find a way to make your content different (or at least better) than everyone else's. Otherwise you'll just blend in with the other online noise.
Promote Your Content
The act of creating awesome content doesn't guarantee anyone will ever see it. You have to let people know it exists. Of course, the best way to rapidly spread info online is through social media. So, after you post something on your website or blog, don't forget to then promote that content socially by tweeting about it or mentioning it in a social update. You can even recycle the content directly onto your social page (properly formatted, scaled down, etc. for the medium).
In addition to promoting it yourself, have your whole team spread the word through Twitter, Facebook, etc., and don't forget to tell people in the "real world" about your content too. Although it's always great to get the attention of social influencers, don't focus on them exclusively — tell everyone! The more who know the better your results will be.
Getting significant results in social media takes time, but stick with it and the payoff will come. If things are slow-going, don't slack off and start posting sporadically or you'll lose followers and things will only get worse. Post regularly, post smart, and Google and visitors will soon find value in your content.
SEO and Social Media Teams Should Collaborate
Today, SEO and SMM are so entwined they're barely distinguishable. For this reason, it's vital for your business' SEO and social media teams to work together and combine social, search, and content into a singular-goal driven campaign.
Everyone on the team should know their individual jobs and understand they have to work together and overlap skill sets to get the most out of all marketing channels and to ensure their targeting the same audience.
When that happens, you'll find your audience starts to build naturally, and it will become even easier for your business to stay on top of the SERPs.
The Takeaway?
Social media should be a critical component of every SEO strategy. Yes, there are other important elements that are part of smart SEO, but no one can deny the traffic and brand awareness a well-executed social media campaign can bring. Why would you want to miss out on such huge potential for growth? If your business has been dragging its feet on joining the social media trend, it's time to get on board and reap the SEO benefits.


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This past weekend's "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley" event drew strong ratings on Showtime, and the peak audience, which coincided with a headlining title fight between welterweight champion Nick Diaz and Paul Daley, resulted in 806,000 viewers.
Overall, the April 9 event averaged 528,000 viewers.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today confirmed the figures with an industry source.
The event, which took place at Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, continued Strikeforce's strong run in 2011. Three of the organization's four top-rated Showtime events now have been registered since the new year.
Overall, "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley" registered the fourth-best ratings total in Strikeforce-Showtime history.
The five top-rated Strikeforce-Showtime shows, as compiled by MMAjunkie.com, include:
- "Strikeforce: Silva vs. Fedor" (February 2011): 741,000 viewers
- "Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg" (August 2009): 576,000
- "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg" (January 2011): 561,000
- "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley" (April 2011): 528,000
- "Strikeforce: Miami" (February 2010): 517,000
Strikeforce first began airing on Showtime, a premium-cable station with approximately 18 million subscribers, in April 2009. This past weekend's show was the first since the promotion was acquired by its top rival, the UFC, which helped push the marketing efforts behind the event, which also saw lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez make quick work of Tatsuya Kawajiri in a title fight.
"Strikeforce: Silva vs. Fedor" re-airs tonight on Showtime Extreme and Showtime Extreme HD at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
For more on "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley," including the night's official results, stay tuned to the MMA Events section of MMAjunkie.com.
(Pictured: Nick Diaz)


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CHESTER, Pa. — Shea Salinas is only 24 years old, but the sport of soccer has already taken him to the corners of the continent – from Texas to South Carolina to California to Pennsylvania and, coming soon, to British Columbia.
For the young midfielder, that part has been fun. Earlier this week, while practicing with the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps in Ventura, Calif., he called it an "adventure."
But there is also a part that is not fun: the feelings of hurt after being left unprotected in the Expansion Draft.
For the second straight year, Salinas was surprised that his team allowed him to be swiped by an expansion squad. Only this time, those feelings were amplified by a conversation he says he had with Philadelphia Union manager Peter Nowak just prior to the 2010 Expansion Draft.
"I didn't think it was an issue because he told me I was protected," said Salinas, who joined the Vancouver Whitecaps after playing one season with the Union. "I didn't even watch to see the list. Once I saw my name, I knew I would go."
For the Union, the last-second acquisition of veteran midfielder Brian Carroll just before the Expansion Draft meant another name had to be left exposed. And for as much as the club liked Salinas, he was the odd man out. Union officials declined to address Salinas' comments directly, but Peter Nowak did explain the decision-making a bit after the Carroll trade was made.
"The deal with Brian Carroll happened very fast and unexpected, but we felt that this was a good piece to add to our roster for so many reasons," the Union manager said last month in a media conference call. "In this case, someone had to go off the list. It wasn't an easy thing. We're attached to our boys."
Salinas was understandably disappointed, but he's used to those kinds of feelings. After playing well through two seasons with the San Jose Earthquakes, the Texan couldn't believe his first MLS team didn't want to stick with him. But he quickly fell in love with Philadelphia, finding a nice apartment right in Center City with his wife, Julie, and exciting Union fans with his speed and ability to push the ball forward.
[inline_node:307713]Now that he's headed to the Whitecaps, he hopes to find similar peace and comfort in Vancouver. But Salinas just can't help but wonder why teams aren't valuing him more.
"It's kind of a double-edged sword," said Salinas who, aside from last season's game against Toronto, has never been to Canada before. "It's a good thing teams are picking me up, but it's not a good thing I've been left unprotected twice now. I've yet to plant roots somewhere. I've yet to be a consistent player. I want to be on a winning team."
If there's one thing Salinas can take with him to Vancouver, it's his experience with expansion teams. When he joined the Earthquakes in 2008, the team was revived after a two-year hiatus. So essentially every time Salinas has joined an MLS team, it was new to the league – all of which makes him remarkably hardened for a 24-year-old.
"This is my third expansion team so I have a little experience," he said. "I know how difficult it is to pick up points in the first year. Definitely something I stressed to my teammates is we don't need to look at ourselves as an expansion team. We need to fight for every single point."
His departure aside, Salinas has good memories from his time in Philly. His stunning goal against Houston while playing in his home state was the biggest highlight, he said. Playing all 90 minutes in the team's first game at PPL Park was another. And he's grateful that the Union coaching staff showcased him as both a midfielder and defender.
WATCH: Salinas' no-look goal
But after suffering a stress fracture midway through the season, Salinas just couldn't find his way back into the rotation once he was healthy – certainly a factor, he admits, in the Union's decision to leave him unprotected. Even so, he was sad and shocked to leave.
"I thought I'd be in Philadelphia for a while," he said. "My wife had a good job. The fans liked me. I thought I had a good relationship with Peter. Things change, I guess."
Think you know the game? Test your powers of prediction with MLSsoccer.com's new fantasy game, Pro Soccer Picks. Play NOW!


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Lesson 2: Key Concepts
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The slowdown in the U.S. economy and its impact on BlackBerry sales will be among the top things to watch for when Research In Motionreports quarterly results on Wednesday.
Aside from the usual focus on profits and subscriber additions -- and the Canadian company's outlook for both -- analysts want to know whether upheaval in the financial services industry is hurting sales of the company's wireless e-mail devices.
"It's a worry on the enterprise side as that is still half their activations and a larger part of their replacement sales," said Deutsche Bank analyst Brian Modoff.
The term "enterprise" refers to RIM's large number of corporate and government clients, who have been the engine of the company's growth.
The BlackBerry is a staple tool of executives, politicians and other professionals. It is also gaining wider acceptance in the retail market and among small-business owners.
More than a third of RIM's 12 million subscribers are classified as non-corporate and non-government, which mostly means retail users or those who are self-employed.
Some observers have expressed concern that as companies like investment banks and asset managers cut jobs to cope with the downturn, BlackBerry sales will take a hit. Some firms could delay replacing older versions of RIM's ubiquitous smartphone with newer models.
Research Capital analyst Nick Agostino wonders whether those losing company jobs and the BlackBerrys that go with them would necessarily end up getting a BlackBerry on their own.
"If that is the case, then I think that gives some support to at least the consumer side of the business growing and would give support to the low churn in the overall business," he said.
Raised Forecast in Economic Slowdown
RIM co-Chief Executive Jim Balsillie told Reuters in late January he expects only a limited negative effect from a slowing U.S. economy.
He thinks it's unlikely that retail customers would give up their BlackBerrys, which are being loaded up with the multimedia applications to help them compete against rivals such as Apple, Nokia and Motorola.
In late February, RIM raised its subscriber forecast for the fourth quarter ended March 1, saying it expects additions will be 15 percent to 20 percent higher than the 1.82 million it predicted in December and that its total subscriber base should hit about 14 million.
It forecast revenue of $1.8 billion to $1.87 billion and earnings per share of between 66 and 70 cents.
Analysts expect RIM will earn 70 cents per share before one-time items, on revenue of $1.85 billion.
Yet with signs the United States is slipping into recession, consumer confidence is eroding and Wall Street faces more pain from the credit crisis, corporate outlooks are facing tighter scrutiny.
RIM has "a habit of hitting their guidance smack in-line, and then guiding the following quarter well above consensus," Modoff said. "We will see if this holds true this time."
Despite RIM's rosy subscriber outlook, investors haven't been as enamored with RIM's shares this year as in 2007, when the stock roughly tripled.
RIM , which began this year at about $115 on Nasdaq, essentially hasn't seen any progress three months later. On Friday morning, the stock was up $3.45, or 3.1 percent, at $115.60 on Nasdaq. In Toronto, it was ahead C$3.15, or 2.8 percent, at C$117.67
RIM also had to manage a "critical severity outage" in early February that cut off wireless e-mail for users across the Americas for about three hours.
The problem rattled some observers because it was reminiscent of a similar outage last April. Still, RIM shares stumbled only a little lower before regaining strength later in the month.