text:
Recently, we were apprised of a proposed addition to the world of punctuation: the "ElRey Mark," a symbol that looks a bit like an exclamation point with a dot at each end and is meant to be read a...
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Don't have the budget to travel the world? That doesn't mean students have to miss out!
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
28 July 2014
Always nice to get a shout out for Google Lit Trips in people's blogs!
What can I say when Google Lit Trips is suggested as a highly recommended site for "virtual field trips"?
Al I can say is I'm truly honored. Thanks to the good people at D Education DIVE
This one is particularly glowing in that it begins...
"Definitely one of the most creative of the virtual field trips, Google Lit Trips allows users to track the fictional journeys of beloved literary characters..."
by the way...
Google Lit Trips fans should be on the alert tons of news about to burst.
brought to you by GLT Global ED an educational nonprofit aka Google Lit Trips
From googlelittrips
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
8 May 2014
Announcing the publication of a Tour Builder version of the recently updated original Google Lit Trip for Big Anthony: His Story by Tomie DePaola.
Pleased to have had the chance to meet and speak with author Tomie DePaola on his recent book tour stop at our local independent bookstore.
brought to you by GLT Global ED, an educational nonprofit
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
8 May 2014
The Google Lit Trips project is proud to announce the publication of a Google Tour Builder version of the Lit Trip for Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl.
We have also refreshed the original Google Earth version of The Diary of a Young Girl Lit Trip as well.
brought to you by GLT Global ED an educational nonprofit
General Mills has reversed a new policy that sparked outrage among consumers.
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
21 April 2014
It was less than one hour ago that I scooped and article about General Motors' questionable "small print" might make a wonderfully engaging exercise in Informational Reading.
And now, optimism springs eternal. General Mills did not get away with it! Public outrage at General Mills' audacious assumption of "just how gullible their market is" back fires. Lless than a week later, the good guys win and General Mills, though still clinging to its proclaimed justification,
Informational Reading Skills take the day.
Brought to you by GLT Global ED, an educational nonprofit.
The following is an excerpt from On Reading The Grapes of Wrath [Penguin Books, $14.00] by Susan Shillinglaw.
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
16 April 2014
My first thought in reading the title of this article was "What happens when we don't have time to read the timeless in times when time is money?"
We certainly do live in fast times don't we? But, are we making a terrible mistake by assuming that "faster is better"? Are we sacrificing an element of a TRULY great education if we assume that the only criteria for such an education are college and career readiness? Though I do not criticize the true value of college and career readiness, if we simplistically allow those criteria to dominate curricular planning and if we allow, oh, I dunno, say literary reading to be demoted as either being too impossible to measure beyond the elements of advanced literacy and vocabulary skills then what happens to a deep focus upon the timelessness of literary wisdom?
AND BEFORE you jump on me for suggesting that literary reading has been demoted, let me say that I do understand that a close reading of the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts implies that literary reading has NOT been demoted since the expectations are to be spread across the curriculum. This clarification suggests that the amount of literary reading in English Literature classes will essentially be unchanged given the amount of informational reading expected in non ELA courses. I know that. But, I also know that de facto forces place incredible pressure on course syllabi to focus on the "power standards;" those standards most tested and those having the greatest impact upon a school's overall scores.
So, timeless articulations of wisdom, those that take time, that could be "better spent" on score boosting "learning" experiences, will inevitably get the squeeze. My guess is long reads and slow reads may give way to shorter and faster reads in order to get as many literary titles into play as possible.
This article, one of many dozens of articles I've read on Steinbeck's THE GRAPES OF WRATH, stands among the most interesting in it's focus upon the need to slow down in order to truly connect and develop an appreciation for the circumstances the Joads and so in which so many others find themselves.
Susan Shillinglaw builds an exquisite case for the inner chapters with particular emphasis upon the inner chapter about the slow yet determined turtle caught up in a fast world of Lincoln Zephyrs flying by completely oblivious to the turtle's situation. Of course it's a metaphor for the "forces of progress" whizzing by the displaced victims of progress. Empathy and compassion for the downtrodden? No time to care about that.
Faster does not make for better reading. Nor does it always make for better living.
So, you're probably an English teacher. You probably get my point and will enjoy Shillinglaw's appreciation for THE GRAPES OF WRATH. But, I've saved something for last that might be a great lesson for your "irony" collection.
Have you seen those commercials for AT&T promoting "faster is better?"
I'd only seen one, but in hoping to find a link to the commercial, I was surprised to discover one I hadn't seen before. It's the one about turtles!
Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHMH-R6g4vs
brought to you by GLT Global ED, an educational nonprofit promoting the wisdom of reading great literature
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's curator insight, April 9, 9:57 AM
9 April 2014
If you like Google Lit Trips, you just might love GLT Personal Journeys!
Hannah Ryder shares her story of a life changing journey she made to Washington D.C. as one of her state's two chosen representatives to the 2009 Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Children's Congress.
Google Lit Trips is now encouraging students to tell their own significant Personal Journey Stories. If you would like to have them considered for publication on the Google Lit Trips website (www.GoogleLitTrips.com) contact us at:
firstname.lastname@example.com for more information.
brought to you by GLT Global ED, an educational nonprofit
When I was first asked to make a list of poetry collections for people who think they don't like poetry, my first thought was, "Well, isn't that just about everyone?" Not quite--I do have nearly 2,000 friends on Facebook, of whom the majori...
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
2 April 2014
It's no secret that poetry's audience is,... well,...you know, um, let's just say small. There were few teachers in my own education who managed to crack my own resistant wall to poetry; at least the poetry that they felt had to be read in the obstacle course of crossing the diploma line.
I'm not saying that I welcomed the opportunity to become enlightened by the, whatever it was that poetry brought to one's quality of life. Truthfully, my personal appraisal of poetry as a way to expend one's remaining minutes of existence wasn't worth listening to.
But immaturity and adamant ignorance, high volume buffoonery absolute confidence that popularity gained via a sort of daring, yet charming class clownishness are real variables affecting one's young judgment in many cases.
Poetry may have been ready for me to wake up. But, I just wasn't ready to wake up for poetry.
That is until in the meanderings of my day to day obliviousness I was found myself occasionally in the right place at the right time with a good reason to let my guard down.
Do I regret my Metrophobic resistance? I don't know. There are so many roads taken and not taken; perhaps as many missed opportunities as those that were serendipitous.
OKAY, my relationship with poetry aside, I must admit that I'm a big fan of digression ala Holden Caufield chapter 24. While writing that last paragraph, the original phrasing in the first sentence was "Do I regret my poetry-phobic resistance?" And, then I thought, "Geez, probably most people reading this are English teachers, maybe I shouldn't embarrass myself anymore than I do anyway and check to see if there actually is a fear of poetry phobia." So, off on a serendipitous digression I went. Not only is there a word, "metro phobia," but the first website I went to (http://phobias.about.com/od/phobiaslist/a/metrophobia.htm) had this to say about it in it's opening paragraph.
"Metrophobia, or the fear of poetry, is surprisingly common. Many people first develop this phobia in school, when overzealous teachers encourage them to rank poems according to artificial scales, break them down and search for esoteric meanings. Others simply feel that poetry is somehow "beyond" them, belonging only to the realm of the pretentious and highly educated."
Something to think about as we do our best to promote Poetry month.
And with that digression the intended trajectory of these comments shifted....
What if I revisited my own perceptions of my early lack of interest in poetry based upon that first paragraph about Metrophobia quoted above.Maybe, I had actually liked poetry given my fairly early enjoyment of Dr. Seuss (except for the inevitable scary pages). Maybe I found those early and risqué encounters with limericks quite interesting. Maybe it was that Pelican poem my father taught me....You know the one that goes...
A wonderful bird is the pelican,
His bill will hold more than his belican
He can take in his beak
Enough food for a week
But I'm damned if I see how the helican!
Oh it was my dad telling me a funny poem that actually used references to the words "damn" and "hell." And, it was so clever in rhyming "pelican" with "belly can" and "hell it can."
Long before the phrase even existed, this brand of "out of the box thinking" captivated my imagination.
And maybe it was the assumption of accepted practice in teaching literary analysis, like frog dissection, was the obvious way to get kids to appreciate poetry rather than one very effective way to take the inherent wonderfulness out of poetry and kill it as dead as that frog we were dissecting in biology class.
But, as I look back on my own oscillating interest in poetry, there are recollections (some perhaps embarrassing others not) of key experiences that brought me out of the fog where instant rejection reigned supreme. And, the list made it very clear to me that everyone's journey to literary appreciation varies. What "did it" for me was a unique experience. The specific literary pieces that worked for me worked because of a complex interaction between the works themselves, the readiness I had for being receptive, the influences of my own personal experiences' and perceptions of those experiences on my zone of proximal development and the artistry of those educators, friends, and real or imagined girl friends.
For what it's worth... among the most paradigm-altering experiences with poetry in my own journey were the following:
The Beatles' Eleanor Rigby
John Denver
Bob Dylan
Woody Guthrie
Shel Silverstein
Dr. Seuss
Joe Cocker's You are so Beautiful
"Stories and Prose Poems" by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Langston Hughes' "Harlem" (A Dream Deferred)
LeRoi Jones (I don't even remember the specific poem, but I do remember that it slammed up against the wall and made me think about things)
Gordon Parks
Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken
and even Rod McKuen
And, now, curiously, I find myself remembering more and more as I look for a spot to stop adding to the list. But, you can probably see what I'm seeing.
It was the 60's And, I'm convinced that it was because the bridge between where I was and the poetry I"m remembering was a short bridge. I found that bridge "crossable." And, I found that in crossing that bridge, that nearby slightly longer bridges were more interesting than I'd previously thought they might be.
e.e. cummings, Shel Silverstein, Dr. Seuss, limericks, and that Pelican poem my dad used to ask me if I'd ever heard every time we saw a pelican and I asked my own children every time we saw a pelican.all intrigued me in their "at the edge" of word play and out of the box thinking.
Bob Dylan and Arlo Guthrie led me to Woody Guthrie, Alan Lomax, and T.S.Eliot. Mark Twain's War Prayer.
But, the question is, "Is my particular journey from poetry-resistant to poetry-interest a prescription as in here-are-the-poems-that-got-me-so-they're-the-poems-I-should-teach?"
Of course not. But, they do suggest that for many, the journey to appreciation for the unappreciative might have some remarkable similarities to my journey if we find a way to begin with lyrics, and poetry, and word play, and childhood memories and experiences to which they already have a welcoming receptiveness.
And, what I can say is that although I am not a believer in the infallibility of data-driven decision making, I can't help but suggest that IF POETRY is worth teaching, then the data seems to be indicating that we are having a disturbingly low success rate for our efforts in promoting poetry as a welcome addition to our students' life-long reading practice.
brought to you by GLT Global ED, an educational nonprofit
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
21 March 2014
Though true that Beowulf is undoubtedly not a true story, there is reason to believe that elements of the story are based upon historical places and events common to the legends of many of our oldest stories.
This Google Lit Trip is based upon the archeological work of Tom Christensen published under the title "Lejere: Beyond the Legend- the archeaological evidence." Christensen's work led to what may have been the model for the descriptions of The Long Hall" in Beowulf.
As you explore this Lit Trip, you can virtually travel to the archaeological site, view the locations mentioned, and read about the evidence upon which Christensen builds a rather convincing case.
brought to you by GLT Global ED an educational nonprofit
Lovers of literature will enjoy these beautiful, handmade brooches created by London-based artist Sarah of House of Ismay. The decorative pins are constructed…
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
19 March 2014
Such a simple idea! Elegantly presented.
How cool would it be if these because a rage?
brought to you by GLT Global ED an educational nonprofit
19 MarchAh, Robinson Crusoe. What's not to love about Daniel Defoe's classic adventure novel, in which a dude named Robinson goes on a cruise? The only story to come close to achieving such a profound impact on the English literary canon has to be Robert Lou...
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
19 March 2014
Hilariously Wrong while revealing a horrible truth.
enjoy ?
Brought to you by GLT Global ED an educational nonprofit
American students need to improve in math and science—but not because there's a surplus of jobs in those fields.
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
19 March 2014
Get ready. Do we really want to hear what we really do not want to hear?
Why is it that articles like this one calling into serious question the attention being given to STEM education, are essentially "off the mainstream radar"?
The article's premise? A quote..
(referring to the belief that the US has a serious shortage of properly STEM educated graduates)
"Such claims are now well established as conventional wisdom. There is almost no debate in the mainstream. They echo from corporate CEO to corporate CEO, from lobbyist to lobbyist, from editorial writer to editorial writer. But what if what everyone knows is wrong? What if this conventional wisdom is just the same claims ricocheting in an echo chamber?
The truth is that there is little credible evidence of the claimed widespread shortages in the U.S. science and engineering workforce. How can the conventional wisdom be so different from the empirical evidence?"
Not far into the article, this "apple cart upsetting" information.
A compelling body of research is now available, from many leading academic researchers and from respected research organizations such as theNational Bureau of Economic Research, the RAND Corporation, and the Urban Institute. No one has been able to find any evidence indicating current widespread labor market shortages or hiring difficulties in science and engineering occupations that require bachelors degrees or higher, although some are forecasting high growth in occupations that require post-high school training but not a bachelors degree.
The article proves the importance of informational reading. while at the same time proving that informational reading is more than reading itself. It's a form of gaining information upon which very opinions are based, that requires a skill set exceeding the information gathering skills of many of those who write informational materials. And if the information we read is "too thinly" gathered and read by massive audiences too thinly able to synthesize that information, then maybe there really is "trouble in River City."
So if our focus in designing a better education system is on preparing our students for college and career, and our unquestioned premise is that STEM education is the key, Then how do informational articles such as this one play into our calculations about how to slice up the educational budget pie?
The article does not discredit the importance of STEM Education. It's intent is to call into question the decisions being driven by a less than well-informed citizenry that does not question the depth and thoroughness of those who provide information to us.
My personal take-away from this article might focus more upon one of the most important skills required for information literacy. And, that is, can we really be information literate if we do not know what the most well-informed people holding opposing views to our own have contributed to the public discourse?
That is, do we or our students practice discerning the reliability of the information from both sides of issues of public concern? Or, do we believe thatcherry-picking evidence in support of what we want to believe or are being told to believe, while paying inadequate attention to the best thinking being done on the other side and the questionable thinking being done on "our side."
Yes! Insist upon defending Literary Reading where you may be among the minority of those with a budget vote. But, do not do so without also recognizing that informational reading is not the "bad guy" in curricular discourse; it is of critical importance and like literary reading, it probably deserves more attention than it is getting too.
brought to you by GLT Global ED an educational nonprofit
By demanding a number of pages or words, the thinking goes, teachers force their students to move beyond superficial observations into deeper analysis. Unfortunately, I believe that length minimums do not achieve that goal. Quite the opposite, in fac...
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
15 March 2014
"How long does the essay need to be?"
"How far does a rabbit run?" I'd respond?
Well, a rabbit gets out of his hole and runs until he gets where he's going.? That how long your essay should be, and not one word longer."
The emphasis is upon the quality of the paper not the length. And, leading students to misperceive the intent of establishing a minimum length for their essays is the primary criteria upon which their writing is to be assessed is length is fraught with serious misdirection leading to missing the point of the point of learning to be articulate and succinct in expressing one's thoughts in words.
In fact, if we are to limit our perspective of what makes for an excellent education being limited to what will best prepare students for college and career, at least on the career front, being articulate and succinct are among the most valuable skills we can encourage. That is, unless "Bulls**tting and bluffing" are in fact valuable skills in college and career.
Although I have paid much attention to my very mixed feelings about how the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, specifically in the area of literary reading, among the attributes of the Common Core efforts that I admire very much is the attempt to keep the focus of assessment upon the actual skills at the heart of each element of the curricular areas elements. And, when the subject is Informational Reading and Writing, I'm quite supportive because the margin of error for the skills in those areas is less than the existing margin of error for current literary reading assessments. That being said, keeping the focus of "grading" upon the appropriate skills is critical and I do believe at the heart of the best of what the Common Core brings to public education.
An arbitrary requirement for the number of pages in an essay is a false focus. It is essentially equivalent to the impact on a student grade of extra-credit when used as behavior management. It pollutes the data and therefore pollutes the "data-driven" conclusions that are drawn.
Even very common practice of failing students for turning work in late pollutes the data if one is interested in measuring the curricular skill achievement. There is some justification for some penalizing for late work. But, losing 100% of the possible points for a late essay skews the overall measure of whether or not the student can actually write an articulate and succinct essay attending to mechanics, usage, grammar, and organization.
What we do in the area of managing student learning AND behavior affects our students' perception of what is valued in essay writing or literary reading. And, we ought to wonder about every parameter we put around student performance and whether it is enhancing their focus and our ability to assess their performance.
brought to you by GLT Global ED an educational nonprofit
From wabe
Transcript ARUN RATH, HOST: It's ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR West. I'm Arun Rath. Picture this, a group of writers - quiet, bookish, solitary
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
7 March 2014
What a great, out of the box way to promote literary reading!
Listen to the audio / Read the Transcript. Marinate in the possibilities.
And, of course this particular scoop provides an opportunity to revisit other attempts to inspire the masses about the "absolute coolness" of literary reading!
For example,...Check out
and of course the tongue in cheek Novel Writing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogPZ5CY9KoM
brought to you by GLT Global ED an educational nonprofit
From www
"Weird Al" Yankovic is back with a vengeance this week, releasing a new video every day to celebrate the release of his new (and possibly last) album, Mandatory Fun. Yesterday he debuted the Jack Black- and Kristen Schaal-featuring video for "Happy" parody "Tacky," and this afternoon he unveiled the video...
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
17 July 2014
Yeah! Where have I been? Planning several new and exciting twists and turns for the Google Lit Trips project.
But, when I came across this, though the TO DO List is long, I couldn't help but want to share it with my Language Arts Lovin' friends out there.
I've never been more than sort of amused by Big Al Yankovic's parody songs. Some struck me as silly; others as well, sort of amusing.
But, I couldn't help but watch his brand new video entitled "Word Crimes." I have to admit, it's pretty interesting.
When searching for it, I came across this article that includes the video, but also does an interesting review of Yankovic's own grammar expertise.
And I must admit that I was guilty of assuming that someone had decided to play grammar cop and spend his or her words ridiculing the crimes being indicted in the song.
I've always wondered exactly what the joy is for educators who for reasons I never understood, feel that the best way to help kids who struggle with grammar or who haven't yet discovered a real reason to care about grammar rules, is to elevate their noses, whip out their red pens and rubricate all over the kid's effort.
WHAT? "Rubricate" a verb?
Note this quote from English Ecclesiatical History, "...for he burneth them, he hangeth them, he drowneth them, imprisioneth and famisheth them, and so maketh truer martyrs of Christ, than any other of his new shrined saints whom he has so dignified in his calendar; for the one he doth rubricate only with his red letters, the other doth he rubricate with their own blood."
The word's origins are in a reference to "Christ's" spilled blood; originally referencing a sacredness to biblical text using red letters.
So, "rubricating with blood" somehow eventually became marking up a kid's essay by spilling red ink all over it.
But I digress. I've long wondered whether excessive rubrication, blood red or other hued, is the most effective way of encouraging students to care about learning what we understand to be important communication skills.
Not that mechanics, usage, and grammar (MUG) are not important. They most certainly are. That's why publishers hire editors.
The question is NOT whether mechanics, usage, and grammar are important. The question is what are the most successful practices for encouraging kids to care about their communication skills?
Ironically, we all know that it is not easy to engage kids in caring about mechanics, usage and grammar; at least not without the carrot (or is it a whip?) of THE TEST.
I'm just wondering if Big Al Yankovic's alternative attempt at attempting to blend a bit of clever entertainment might be worth considering.
Now, I've gotta get back to those exciting new twists and turns for Google Lit Trips!
brought to you by GLT Global ED an educational nonprofit aka Google Lit Trips.
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's curator insight, May 8, 1:52 PM
8 May 2014
Happy to announce The Slave Dancer v4 Google Lit Trips update!
brought to you by GLT Global ED an educational nonprofit.
Author announces on her 88th birthday that novel will be released as ebook and downloadable audiobook on 8 July
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
28 April 2014
With thanks to Rebecca Fortelka, one of my all time favorite former students, here's great news for fans of To Kill a Mockingbird.
At 88, Harper Lee is going digital; as have "digital holdouts from JK Rowling to Ray Bradbury changing their minds over the past few years..."
Can you read the writing on the tablet?
I've long advocated for the preferred medium of accessing great literature should be determined by the reader.
Let's hear it for one of the greats making it possible for the reader to access her beautiful masterpiece in their preferred medium!
brought to you by GLT Global ED, an educational nonprofit
2General Mills comes under fire after making changes to its legal terms that say consumers that download online coupons or participate in forums on the web are agreeing to settle disputes in arbitration, taking class action suits off the table.
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
21 April 2014
Here's a bit of informational reading that I'd bet would be incredibly interesting to many students. Kids are "LIKE" crazy as they engage in social media. Most have no idea whatsoever, what they're revealing about themselves; at least in they eyes of those who are harvesting every bit of information they can collect about people who use social media.
This article goes into legal sacrifices we may be making.
Though my antennae start twitching when I see that the source for this article is FOX, it does offer an intriguing look at the reasoning behind General Mills' reasoning for including language about one's waiving legal rights by using coupons, entering contests, or even simply "Liking" a company on its websites.
While this TED Talk gives a secret look behind the scenes of how those who do harvest their every activity can determine much, MUCH more than one might ever anticipate.
My guess is most kids would not want to believe the downside of some of their favorite online activities. This would create an interesting engagement that could easily be built into a motivating bridge to "discovering" that they may not be as informed as one needs to be in the 21st century.
While at the same time, they just might quickly discover themselves discussing the shocking truth that the wisdom of great literature raises these sorts of questions and warning signs at nearly every turn.
brought to you by GLT Global ED, and educational nonprofit.
Talk about bad luck.
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
14 April 2014
Just one $1 million reason to read literature!
This is a classic fail well worth sharing with your students!
brought to you by GLT Global ED an educational nonprofit
That is my perfect definition of a writer; someone who dedicates his or her life to searching for the meaning of that life and the lives of others through the marvelous and mysterious gift of storytelling....
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
3 April 2014 I've written in the past about my concern regarding a fairly recent practice of authors publishing articles that ride the gray line between sharing insights about literature and self-serving promotions of their latest book.
References to an article's author's own published works, if mentioned at all, used to be mentioned in a very brief italicized about the author bio at the end of the article.
HOWEVER, I also must admit that this particular article, in spite of its embedded self-promotion, hits a home run or two and maybe a few two and three-baggers.
Gotta love ...
"The reason being, a storyteller is the keeper of the flame of a culture, the moral compass for a community, the one who sacrifices their own safety in anonymity by putting themselves out there.
Perhaps not a home run but maybe a solid double or triple...
"Writers are born and spend their formative years learning the craft with an apprenticeship at the canvas of experience. Science is all about trial and error and never examines what things mean where writers do the opposite - they strive to answer that question by telling the story of a character."
Again, not a home run perhaps, but maybe a solid double or triple...
"In the end, yes, we do know some statesmen, scientist and money makers of the past but when you really dig deep in the annals of human existence, it's the poets who we know. The writers who told us about the people they were and who their people were. We read them to know about ourselves. That is why they are as relevant as if they wrote today."
I must admit, however, that I still have a serious discomfort in the shift from "afterword" to "embedded self-promotion." It is similar to the serious discomfort I've felt since the news media transitioned from making a clear distinction between what is to be perceived as news and what is to be understood to be editorial opinion.
btw... I might well decide to share this article with students as an example of the kind of informational reading worth examining in terms of practicing the skills associated with informational literacy.
Just one example. Vetere attempts to distinguish the power of literature with the shortcomings of smartphones. Is that a fair comparison?
I don't really think so. And, more so, the comparison relies upon the reader not having ";close reading"; skills.
My reasoning? The value of reading literature depends upon the literature selected to be read. Yes. the best writers reach for the truths Vetere suggests merit them the title of hero. But, as there are the greats in literary history, there are also the "pretty goods," the "okays," the "shameless panderers," the "dubious," and those who reach for the lowest levels of endeavors in pursuit of low-hanging profitability
While at the same time, our smart phones are capable of bringing us the same very wide spectrum of possibilities.
To cherry-pick the most admirable levels of benefits of literature while cherry-picking only the features of smartphones that do not address the kinds of benefits that literature is capable of bringing is a false comparison.
And the ability to recognize false comparisons whether we are accessing what is put forward in commercials, political debates, five-paragraph essays or any means by which opinion and fact are mashed together is a skill more critical than ever in the current era of talking points and choreographed "staying on "OUR" message" regardless of attempt to challenge that message with significant and valid counter arguments.
brought to you by GLT Global ED an educational nonprofit
atesIf you're looking for April Fools' inspiration, the Internet is a treasure trove of ideas, with digital pranksters constantly one-upping each other to win viral fame....
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
1 April 2014
I've not found April Fools Day "pranks" funny for some time now. And, in spite of my "terribly sophisticated sense of humor" (?), I find them particularly unfunny when perpetrated by adults.
Some of my most shameful memories resulted from either "perpetrating or playing along without objection to" pranks (regardless of the date), that had only one goal and that was to get laughs by embarrassing someone publicly.
There is a gray line between "Ah c'mon! Can't you take a joke?" and cruelty.
I'd be interested in the reaction to the the literary pranksters mentioned in this scooped article.I'd suggest that you pay particular attention to the "hilarity" ratings.
Can you get through all 9 examples without wondering when pranks cross the line into disgusting?
I suppose after 30+ years teaching a very popular Satire class, I can't deny that I find the foolish to be the source of significant chagrin; not only in the extent of harm they bring to the human condition (think blonde, gay, Polish, racist etc. "jokes" and serious behaviors). But they also attract all the snake oil sales persons, scam artists, the "legitimate thieves" on Wall Street, main street, and their illegitimate counterparts in back alleys, in Government, and businesses who know where the easy pickings are and have no qualms about exploiting those who are either misinformed, ill-informed, disinformed or just plain fools.
No. I did not say that everyone on Wall Street, Main Street, in back alleys, government or business are evil. I only suggested that those who would serve themselves by crossing lines of ethics and decency can be found everywhere. And, that they are too often smart enough to know who the easiest to exploit are.
Some quotes from other authors on the subject.
They'd be funny if they weren't so tragically true.
According to Mark Twain...
"The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year."
According to Ambrose Bierce...
"April fool, n. The March fool with another month added to his folly."
According to Douglas Adams...
"A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools."
According to Charles Lamb...
Here cometh April again, and as far as I can see the world hath more fools in it than ever.
According to an Irish Proverb...
Don't give cherries to pigs or advice to fools.
It is better to weep with wise men than to laugh with fools.
brought to you by GLT Global ED an educational nonprofit
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
20 March 2014
There is so much happening behind the scenes at Google Lit Trips that we can't wait to be able to let you in on it all.
But, we can share this exciting news...
We are now encouraging educators and students to explore Tour Builder (https://tourbuilder.withgoogle.com), Google's new mapping tool specifically designed for place-based storytelling.
It's still in BETA. However, if you've got just a little pioneering spirit and even a small bit of that "want to be on the cutting edge passion," Tour Builder is incredibly easy to use.
We invite you to explore the following pioneering efforts already underway. Links are on the www.GoogleLitTrips.com home page.
Tour Builder Lit Trips
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
Their Eyes were Watching God by Zora Neal Hurston
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
Tour Builder Personal Stories
West Coast Adventure (Student Created)
Stay tuned.
brought to you by GLT Global ED an educational nonprofit
If you're struggling, it isn't because you're doing this wrong, because there isn't a wrong way to do it. If you're struggling, it might be because writing a novel is difficult....
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
19 March 2014
Ahhh! How refreshing!
In how many areas in the curriculum should the words "the rules" be replaced with the words "possible considerations."
Just asking...
And, of course, the counter-question..
In how many areas of the curriculum should the rules be the absolute last word on the subject. (Think chemistry class for example)
Wondering if it should be a "rule" or a "possible consideration" to keep in mind that rules both restrict our behaviors and protect our freedoms. And, that is the source of a very important and eternal tug-of-war in human history.
brought to you by GLT Global ED an educational nonprofit
From www
A new study from the Pew Research Center found that more than two-thirds of Americans are actively engaged with public libraries. The report examines the relationship Americans have with their libraries and technology. Dusty, worn books versus sleek new computers, tablets or smartphones may seem like unlikely companions, but it's really all about information. Continue reading →
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
19 March 2014
Here we go again! A theme is rising to the top as I explore articles for this blog this morning.
That theme is, simply put...
The common narrative in public discourse is more often than we'd like to believe, inaccurate or misleading or embarrassingly accepted with no more sense of serious contemplation than we ridicule lemmings for not having..
OUCH! That was a bitter pill to swallow.
Why do so many of us involve ourselves in the heated debate regarding paper-based reading vs. digital reading?
Some prefer paper; some prefer digital. And, according to this PEW Research, many prefer information in whatever form it is available.
My concern is that if we assume that our preferences represent the best choice for our students, too many of whom simply have no preference for reading at all, then which ever medium provides the possibility for bridging our students' reluctance for reading is the best one to promote as we encourage them to care about reading as a valuable life-long practice. And, for our enthusiastic readers? Just get out of their way when it comes to what medium serves their curiosity. Just focus upon encouraging and extending their curiosity. Perhaps that is our more important responsibility.
brought to you by GLT Global ED, an educational nonprofit
From www
New research finds a compelling narrative can help us sidestep stereotypes.
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
16 March 2014
An intriguing article about a study that "...suggests there's something about well-written, sensitive fiction that draws us in and lets us identify with the characters—even if they're from a foreign culture. This, in turn, short-circuits our tendency to stereotype."
The essence of the study revolves around the variable controls in two recent studies summarized as follows:
"Johnson and his colleagues describe two experiments that incorporated a 3,000-word extract from Shaila Abdullah's 2009 novel Saffron Dreams. It revolves around "an educated and strong-willed Muslim woman, Arissa, who is assaulted in a New York City subway station," the researchers write. The excerpt features "significant inner monologue that accentuates the protagonist's strength of character while providing exposure to Muslim culture."
Participants in the first experiment (68 Americans recruited online) read either the aforementioned excerpt, or a 500-word synopsis of the same scene. In the synopsis, "the descriptive language, monologue, and dialogue were removed to reduce the narrative quality,"
What is it about the removal or inclusion of descriptive language, monologue and dialogue that explains the difference between what readers absorb and contemplate and thereby "take-away" from a reading experience?
It is implied, or at least I inferred, that there might be a tendency while reading literature to read with both our minds and our hearts, that is with our capabilities for logic and for empathy, causing what I have often referred to as the "3-Dimensionalization" of reading.
Fiction gently, but insistently, forces us to determine which characters we care about and what causes us to care or not care about them. It's a constant engagement with point and counter-point behaviors expressed by pro- and antagonist behaviors. We begin to see examples of behaviors that exemplify a "character's Character" through his or her expressions of values, motives, and choices made when confronted by challenges to those values, motives, and choices made. And, we see them as expressed through the values, motives, an choices made by the peripheral characters all of whom bring additional dimensions to the reader's perceptions of the various plot intrigues that readers know is a fictional representation of the "truths" of human behaviors mirrored by those characters.
In fiction we become omnipotent yet caring spectators privy to more than just our own sense of right and wrong and levels of caring, but to multiple characters' senses of right and wrong and levels of caring. And in doing so, if the story is written well enough to maintain our engaged suspension of disbelief, we are constantly seeing our own values in light of the great and complex diversity of human behaviors that are driven by an equally great and complex diversity of forces driving not just our own but "all human value-driven behaviors."
It is the best of literature that is so engaging that it actually engages us in a sort of willing receptiveness to revisiting our own existing values, motives, and behaviors.And, in doing so, we become potentially more willing to adjust our receptiveness to the differences between ourselves and others.
Our attention then turns more towards whether or not we can appreciate and consider adopting or rejecting the adoption of those differences once we have opened our receptiveness to revisiting the depth of our understanding of those who we had previously not given sufficient open-minded attention. We open ourselves to the vast gray areas distinguishing individuals within any group from the simplistic assumptions that come from the shallowness of black and white group defines the -driven behaviors.
We become open to the possibilities that human behaviors and values are better "judged" at the individual rather than group level and that it is that it is too simplistic to assume the individual's allegiance or patriotism, or alignment with large groups beliefs and values will drive that individual's behaviors in exactly the same direction as every other member of that group. Though peer pressure to not break ranks can be intense, we can come to appreciate that the individual is more than the group and group alignments are not the entirety of the individual. We con come to understand that there are those in the "other groups" with whom we have more in common than the differences defining the parameters of our group alignment.
Fiction can engage us in considering the myriad shades of gray in human behavior; behaviors that like it or not, are the sum total of our individual perceptions of what we believe to to be reasonable and our inevitable imperfection in balancing our selfish and selfless values-driven behaviors.
In spite of my moderate positions regarding portions of the Common Core Standards.for English Language Arts, I am a very strong proponent of the importance of both the skills associated with Informational reading and the benefits of engaged literary reading.
It IS important, no it is ESSENTIAL to appreciate the value of informational literacy. The entire human community can no longer run the risk of the anti-factual. Nor can we afford the damage caused by the well-intended but ill-informed; or the disinterested. or the superficially interested.
But spreadsheets and fact sheets alone can not tell the whole story.
And, storytelling can not include all the facts. Each "adds" what the other can not do alone to one's "more complete" understanding of the human condition.
Let's not allow the one to "trump" the other in importance. Facts without the synthesis of how the facts play out in the real world are as potentially dangerous as they are potentially beneficial. Storytelling's strength is the ability to engage readers in an "entertaining" involvement in caring about how those facts play out in the real world.
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The late, great Douglas Adams would have been 62 today - not that we need an excuse to remind ourselves of his wit and wisdom.
GoogleLitTrips Reading List's insight:
15 March 2014
I don't recall which author it was, but I remember one of the very earliest disappointments I had in relationship to existing assessment structures for Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts came as a result of reading a sample question based upon an example of literary reading that was not literary reading at all. It was a excerpt from a piece of writing that was a moderately eloquent biography of a literary author.
"Reading biographies, even moderately eloquent biographies, is informational reading isn't it?" I wondered; annoyed at the pretense that existing capabilities of assessing literary reading is even doable within an acceptable margin of error. Aggravated that informational reading was being passed off as literary reading and that the best the developers of assessment tools could do is a masked attempt to measure advanced literacy skills.
Though I actually am a proponent of assessment as a means of holding students AND educators accountable, I can't help but find what I have seen specifically in regards to literary reading, to be efforts standing upon wobbly legs at best. I still wonder if the well-intended efforts to assess literary reading by assessing literacy skills rather than measuring the value-gain that literary appreciation can bring to one's life, most of which is probably much more significant in the narrower realm beyond college and career preparation, (as though authors actually write to those pragmatic goals) are responsible for unintended damage to literature as a palatable and inviting source of developing wisdom.
When I came across this article it reminded me that I used to raise conversations in my classes about the Venn diagram resulting from two words; "Facts" and "Truth."
Somewhere along the line, I came to realize that when I was teaching essay writing (sometimes referred to as "Robot Writing" by college professors who often cringe at the Five-Paragraph Essay) that Facts are the trump card because Facts assure Truth. Yet, when teaching literature Truth trumps Facts. Think Grapes of Wrath for example. Think Candide for example. Think A Modest Proposal for example. Think Death of a Salesman for example.
It is the very "FACT" that "FICTION" isn't true that makes "FICTION a palatable mode of increasing reader receptiveness to the TRUTHS that FICTION brings "between its lines" to contemplative readers. And, I would be so presumptuous as to suggest that this is a "FACT."
So, when I came across this article, though I've only read a couple of Douglas Adams' books, that my crazy mind thought that it might prove quite a valuable learning experience in, not literary reading but informational reading.
What might happen is students were asked to read the preface and 15 featured quotes from Adams' work as an exercise in Informational reading?
After all, if biographies can be considered Literary Reading, why can't fiction be considered Informational Reading?
My thought is this. What if students were asked to read the 15 quotes in pairs or groups of no more than three and asked to discuss whether the quotes were "Facts" or "Truths"?
What do you think? A few examples with which one might practice...
"A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools."
(Any similarity to concerns about margin of error in existing literary reading assessment practice is purely unintentional)
"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so."
(Reminds me of the counter-argument to the reason for studying history, "The only lesson we learn from history is that we don't learn from history." And, anyone who has studied history knows that the failure to have learned from history is a fairly common theme)
"A learning experience is one of those things that says, 'You know that thing you just did? Don't do that.'"
There are others, some more easily dismissed as just not being true primarily because the truth being exposed is not 100% true 100% of the time. And, yet most can not be dismissed as Not True (double negative intended) because they are true to such a degree that they represent very true realities of significant and truly negative impact in the real world.
Once the small groups had come to some judgement about the factuality or truth of each statement, I might even extend the exercise to require the groups to attempt to articulate a considered concession to those who would have judged the quotes with the opposing conclusion.
And, perhaps I might even take the conversation to a consideration of when it might be extremely important to premise decisions upon fact and when it might be extremely important to premise decisions upon truth.
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Photos and VideosMore Photos and Videos
This Aug. 16, 2009 file photo shows first lady Michelle Obama, wearing shorts, and daughter Malia Obama, walking off Air Force One at Grand Canyon National Park Airport in Tusayan, Ariz.
Michelle Obama says she won't wear shorts on Air Force One again because the one time she did, it created "a huge stink."
Treated worldwide as a style icon, the first lady addressed the issue during a taped appearance broadcast Tuesday on BET's "106 and Park."
Mrs. Obama was asked about her biggest fashion regret. She said she's always happy with her outfits but that, quote, "sometimes I forget I'm the first lady and I'm running around in shorts."
She recalled her family's first White House vacation, to the Grand Canyon in August 2009.
Mrs. Obama said her wearing shorts getting off the plane "created a huge stink because people were like, 'she's wearing shorts getting off of Air Force One.'"
She said her thought was "we're on vacation."

subset: commoncrawl


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February 17, 2012
BOSTON — "Boston Under: After Hours" follows a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority night crew through its shift, as workers deal with the challenges and dangers of the job, boston.com reported. The 44-minute film, available on YouTube, also surveys the history of the nation's first subway system and the safety issues that can arise at any time of day. For the full story, click here.
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Along with partnering with parents in stewarding their children's educational development, the ICS encourages parents to work with us as volunteers.
IPA offers a rigorous academic program with a focus on individual results and achievement.
Our goal with the clubs is for children to engage one another with shared interests in subjects outside of the curriculum they experience throughout the school day.
To ensure a successful educational experience for our students, ICS has established these dress codes and policies.
IPA teachers and administrators are excited to be participating this school year in the TAP System for Teacher and Student Advancement, joining ICMS faculty in this national program to improve teacher effectiveness.
Research indicates that the most important school-related influence regarding student success is having talented teachers in the classroom. As stated on the TAP System website, TAP was designed as a "comprehensive, systemic school reform model to address the challenges facing K-12 education." This approach is intended to "attract, retain, develop and motivate" teachers.
TAP training gives teachers:
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Ophion Short-tailed Ichneumon Wasp
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May - roosting on foliage - Middlesex Co., MA
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Siricidae 1
Taxonomy Tip - The Siricidae includes horntails, wood wasps, and sawflies. This and a number of other families of ancestral wasps make up the Symphyta, an informal assemblage (paraphyletic) not a discrete taxon. These wasps lack the constricted waist of their more recently evolved kin.
Braconidae 1
Taxonomy Tip - Along with the chalcid and ichneumenoid wasps, the braconids make up the Parasitica, an informal assemblage (paraphyletic) not a discrete taxon.
Ichneumonidae 3
Taxonomy Tip - Along with the braconids and chalcids, the ichneumenoid wasps make up the Parasitica, an informal assemblage (paraphyletic) not a discrete taxon. The Ichneumonidae is the largest family of hymenopterans.
Bees: 4 Families
Taxonomy Tip - Each species represents one of four bee families including: Apidae, Colletidae, Halictidae, and Megachilidae. Bees are closely related to many of our "typical" solitary wasps and share many of their characteristics.
Crabronidae 13
Taxonomy Tip - The Crabronids and Sphecids include most solitary wasps. These are the Apoid wasps (traditionally grouped as Sphecidae) and they are closely related to bees. Crabronidae young feed on paralyzed insect prey captured and provisioned by the adult female. Commonly referred to as sand wasps.
- Tachytes Sand-loving Wasp
- Bembix americana Sand Wasp
- Bicyrtes quadrifasciatus Sand Wasp
- Gorytes Digger Wasp
- Microbembex monodonta Sand Wasp
- Sphecius speciosus Cicada Killer
- Aphilanthops frigidus Queen Ant Hunter
- Cerceris fumipennis Buprestid Hunter
- Cerceris halone Weevil Hunter
- Philanthus gibbosus Beewolf
- Philanthus lepidus Beewolf
- Philanthus sanbornii Beewolf
- Philanthus ventilabris Beewolf
Sphecidae 8
Taxonomy Tip - The Sphecids and Crabronids include most solitary wasps. These are the Apoid wasps (traditionally grouped as Sphecidae) and they are closely related to bees. Most species construct underground burrows where the eggs are laid and the young are raised. Each of these tasks as well as prey capture and provisioning is carried out by the adult females. The Specids are the thread-waisted solitary waps.
- Ammophila procera Thread-waisted Wasp
- Ammophila pictipennis Thread-waisted Wasp
- Chlorion aerarium Steel-blue Cricket Hunter
- Eremnophila aureonotata Thread-waisted Wasp
- Isodontia Grass-carrying Wasp
- Prionyx parkeri Digger Wasp
- Sphex ichneumoneus Great Golden Digger
- Sphex pensylvanicus Great Black Wasp
Chrysididae 1
Taxonomy Tip - These wasps are nest parasites. Also know as Cuckoo Wasps for their habit of laying eggs in the nests of other species.
Formicidae 3
Taxonomy Tip - By nearly any measure ants are a dominant life form on our planet. Their extraordinary success is in large part due to their social structure and there are few non-marine habitats where they are not prevalent.
Mutillidae 1
Taxonomy Tip - Also known as Velvet Ants, the female is wingless and often "hairy" giving her an ant-like appearance. The name Cow Killer is given to the females of some species and refers to the insect's potent sting .
Pompilidae 6
Taxonomy Tip - Spider Wasps. These solitary wasps are typically black or dark colored and often flick their wings as they patrol the ground hunting for spider prey. When located the prey is stung, paralyzed, and dragged to the wasp's burrow where she provisions cells containing the egg/larvae of her offspring.
Scoliidae 1
Taxonomy Tip - These rather heavy bodied wasps often have distinct, bright markings. The adults are regularly seen nectaring. Unlike most solitary wasps, the females are parisitoids. Their eggs are laid directly on scarab beetle larvae which are located by digging in the ground.
Tiphiidae 1
Taxonomy Tip - Similar to Scoliid wasps, the Tiphids are parasitods on beetle larvae. Females are wingless in some species and in these species the male is significantly larger than the female.
Vespidae 7
Taxonomy Tip - While this group includes the solitary Potter Wasps, most are social and build group nests where their young are raised in a communal fashion. Unlike solitary wasps, these social insects use their sting for protective purposes and may be aggressive, particularly around their nest site.


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By GREG MENGELT
New Albany senior Sydney Michell has been living with illness more than half of her life.
It hasn't stolen her joy.
After living with Crohn's Disease since she was 8 years old, Michell was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma — a form of leukemia — in December. The oversized lymph nodes were discovered while she was having surgery for complications from Crohn's, a disease that inflames the bowels and the gastrointestinal tract.
The diagnosis and ensuing rounds of chemotherapy have barely slowed the Bulldogs' softball star.
"This is a girl that through all that she's [been through], she always has a smile on her face," New Albany coach Steve Belden explained. "She doesn't expect any special treatment. She'll have chemo treatment, then be at a game or practice. Her actions are of a team leader — and she doesn't have to say a word.
"She's my attitude adjuster. She puts everything in perspective for me."
Michell has spent most of the season on the junior varsity team, while regaining her strength. Michell, who also is a standout student and cheerleader, is expected to make a full recovery and she hopes to contribute to the varsity by sectional time in about a month.
New Albany has been on fire of late, and Michell and the Bulldogs hope to compete for their first sectional championship since 2004.
"She hasn't been able to put as much time and effort as most girls have on a year-round basis," Belden said. "She hasn't been able to play at her best physically, but she will be a big reason why we contend this year."
On Tuesday, the New Albany softball team wore purple and lime green uniforms during the Bulldogs' 3-0 win over Providence to show its support for Michell. The purple represented the battle against Hodgkin's lymphoma and the lime green represents the fight against leukemia.
Before the game, Michell spent a few minutes with the News and Tribune for a one-on-one conversation. The following is an edited version of that conversation.
QUESTION: How's your season going for you personally?
MICHELL: "It's going a lot better than I thought it would be. I'm just going to keep pushing through it. I'm glad I can actually play. I didn't think I was going to be able to. It's going as good as it can go."
Q: At the time you found out about your latest medical issue, you didn't think you were going to be able to play softball your senior year, correct?
MICHELL: "That was one of the things that upset me the most. I was [worried] I wasn't going to be able to play softball and it's my senior year. That was one thing I wanted to do, to finish it out. I was afraid I wasn't going to get to play my senior season after playing since I was little. That would have been tough. I've pushed through it and it's been easy with my teammates supporting me."
Q: Tell me about Crohn's. How does that affect you?
MICHELL: "At first, it made me really sick, but it's gotten easier to handle. It just takes a lot to get through it."
Q: So that's something that stays with you?
MICHELL: "Yeah, I'll have it the rest of my life. I actually had surgery on it and that's when they found the cancer over Christmas. It's been gone awhile, but it's not something that's not going to come back."
Q: What was your first reaction when you were diagnosed with Hodgkin's?
MICHELL: "I couldn't really do anything but sit there and stare when I found out. I was in so much shock. There was a lot of tears with it. But with the support of my family and friends, it made it easier to relax and realize everything was going to be OK. It's a small part in my life that I'm going to have to get through. It can be worked through and it will be over with soon."
Q: So you're expecting a full recovery?
MICHELL: "Oh yeah. They say it's 99 percent rate that it's going to be gone."
Q: What's the next step in the process?
MICHELL: "I get chemo every two weeks. I have to do that for four months, I think. If it's gone, I have to do two more months and that will be the end of it."
Q: How has it affected you as far as softball?
MICHELL: "At first, I didn't think I was going to be able to come back as strong as I was before. It did take a lot of time, but I think I'm getting back. It slowed me down at first, but I think I'm getting through it. It seems to be getting a lot better."
Q: Has spending time on the junior varsity been good for you?
MICHELL: "Yeah, I think it's a good thing because ... I'm mean, yes, I'd like to be playing on the varsity. But if I'm not at my best yet, I don't want to be hurting them. I would hate to cause [a loss] and know that it was because I wasn't ready yet. I'd rather be comfortable and play with the junior varsity and get ready to play varsity."
Q: By sectional time, do you hope to be a full contributor?
MICHELL: "Yeah, I hope so."
Q: What are your feelings about the purple and green day in support of you?
MICHELL: "People go through stuff and knowing that everyone supports me, it actually means a lot. I'm glad to be a part of it, knowing that they're doing this for me. It means so much for me. It's overwhelming, but I'm glad I have the support I do."
Q: How good can you guys be? How much can you accomplish as a team?
MICHELL: "When we have our heads together, we're a pretty strong team. I think we can accomplish a lot."
Q: Floyd Central beat you 2-1 this season. Is that a team you're capable of beating in the tournament?
MICHELL: "Both teams put up a battle that game. It was one home run [that Floyd's Taylor Batliner hit] that we couldn't come back from. When conference and sectional comes around, I think we can win it."


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Traverse City Record-Eagle
---- — Holy Week services
LELAND — "The Week That Changed the World" is the theme for Holy Week at Leland Methodist Church, 106 Fourth St.
Palm Sunday services at 9:30 and 11 a.m. Sunday, March 24, mark Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Special music includes a duet of Rutter's "Pie Jesu" by Pastor Linda Farmer-Lewis and Joan Brown and "The Psalms" sung by Luke Speicher. The Chancel Choir will sing seven anthems.
Maundy Thursday, March 28, commemorates the Last Supper. The service starts at 7 p.m. and includes Communion.
Good Friday, March 29, will reflect on the Seven Last Words of Christ spoken at Calvary as Jesus was crucified and died on the cross. An hour-long service will start at 12:30 p.m.
Worshippers are invited to services at 9:30 or 11 a.m. Easter Sunday, March 31. A children's message will take place during the 9:30 a.m. service
A coffee fellowship is held at 10:30 a.m. every Sunday between services in the church's lower-level hall.
Wings of Wonder
TRAVERSE CITY — Ten-year-old Jonah Villanueva, a supporter of Wings of Wonder, has organized a fundraiser for the raptor sanctuary Saturday, March 23, at Books-A-Million.
From noon to 4 p.m., the book store, 2612 Crossing Circle, will donate 10 percent of proceeds to the organization when shoppers give the cashier the following donation code, 7000000642.
Journey to Easter
TRAVERSE CITY — Bethlehem Lutheran Church will start Holy Week with a special celebration service at 10:30 a.m. Palm Sunday, March 24. The Sunday School also will have an intergenerational event at 9:15 a.m.
Holy Week continues with dinner and a movie at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 28, followed at 7:30 p.m. by a worship service and Communion.
Good Friday will include a service at 7:30 p.m., while Saturday, March 30, will feature an Easter Vigil service, also at 7:30 p.m. There will be no 5 p.m. service on Saturday.
Services on Easter Sunday, March 31, will be held at 8 and 10:30 a.m. A potluck breakfast will start at 9 a.m.
All services will be at the church, 1050 Peninsula Dr.
History series
HORTON BAY — The Charlevoix County History Preservation Society's first History Speaker Series event of 2013 will be "The Bay Township Hall - Ready for Another 125 Years."
The program starts at 7 p.m. Monday, March 25, at the newly restored Bay Township Hall, 05045 Boyne City Road. Guest speakers are Annie Burnett and Georganna Monk. Attendees will hear about the township hall, tour the building and view artifacts recovered in the renovation. Admission is free and the public is welcome. Call 582-5326 for details.
Artists sought
TRAVERSE CITY — The Minervini Group is seeking art entries for its upcoming exhibit "April Showers Bring May Flowers: The Art of Weather and Landscapes."
The multi-media group show will open with an artist reception in the North Mercato during the Village at Grand Traverse Commons' First Friday event on April 5. The exhibit will be on display through June 2.
The entry deadline is Monday, April 1. For details or entry forms, visit www.thevillagetc.com.
Successful Aging
TRAVERSE CITY — Hearing Solutions of Northwest Michigan will present the Monday, March 25, Successful Aging Series program.
The 2 p.m. program will focus on hearing evaluations, hearing aid services, tinnitus, and assistive listening devices. It will be held at the Grand Traverse Pavilions on South Elmwood Avenue. The program is free and open to the public.


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1685 Ratings | Tours & Tickets
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Britain's favorite period drama Downton Abbey has been taking the world by storm of late, so get your top hats and teacups at the ready, and prepare to get a taste of Edwardian-era England. The ... Read more
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With so many famous landmarks, renowned museums and top attractions to choose from (not to mention the hassle of organizing transport, exchanging currency and queuing for tickets), planning a trip ... Read more
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3 Days in York: Suggested Itineraries
By Viator, June 2014
With an abundance of medieval architecture and historic landmarks to admire during the day and a lively bar and restaurant scene to enjoy once the sun goes down, there's plenty to keep you busy in ... Read more
3 Days in London: Suggested Itineraries
By Viator, June 2014
1874 Ratings | Tours & Tickets
If you want big, you'll go no bigger than London. The world's tenacious financial center, London is known for its chaotic walkways, historic relics plundered from afar, ancient pubs, regal ... Read more
Oxford Tours from London
By Viator, June 2014
There are few places more quintessentially and unashamedly English than Oxford, a city so picturesque that even its nickname, 'The City of Dreaming Spires', sounds lifted from a classic romance ... Read more
Cotswolds Tours from London
By Viator, June 2014
Whatever idea you have of English countryside is sure to be fulfilled in the Cotswolds, a range of gentle hills in the west of England which attracts visitors from all over the world. Rolling green ... Read more
Borough Market
By Viator, May 2014
You think you know what food markets are all about? Borough Market will change your mind. This is one of those places that food dreams are made of. On Thursdays, Fridays and especially Saturdays ... Read more
Best Views in London
By Viator, May 2014
With its stunning Victorian architecture, landmark structures and the glittering stretch of the River Thames, London is a city that looks even more impressive from up above and thankfully, there are ... Read more
London's Top Food Experiences
By Viator, May 2014
The days of bland and stodgy British cuisine, often bemoaned by international visitors, are long gone, and London's 21st-century culinary makeover has made it one of the world's most exciting ... Read more


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Cascadian Farm organic peanut butter chip granola bars have been recalled due to possible salmonella contamination. The bars were sold at Giant.
According to Giant, the bars have been removed from the shelves. Customers who purchased the product, which had sell by dates of Nov. 1 and Nov. 2, should bring their purchase receipt to the store for a refund.
As of Wednesday at noon, Giant had received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of the granola bars, according to a news release.
Consumption of food contaminated with salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses.
Salmonella infections can be life threatening, especially to those with weak immune systems, such as infants and the elderly. Signs of salmonellosis include diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever. Additional symptoms may be chills, headache, nausea and vomiting.


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James Fox
• Madonna Isn't Smoking Again; Cigarette Was Prop
Birth Name: James Fox
Born: 05/19/1939
Birth Place: London, England, GB
Born: 05/19/1939
Birth Place: London, England, GB
Successfully venturing to Hollywood, Fox essayed similar characterizations in "King Rat" (1965), as a POW under the influence of a schemer (George Segal), and in "The Chase" (1966), as Jane Fonda's wealthy but spineless Texas husband. More conventional leading man duties came with "Thoroughly Modern Millie" (1967) and as one of the lovers of "Isadora" (1968) in that biopic of the dancing Duncan. Perhaps Fox's finest work in this period came in the bizarre but galvanizing "Performance" (1970), as a vicious hit man on the lam who hides out at a reclusive rock star's (Mick Jagger) mansion and falls prey to a series of bisexual orgies and weird costume changes.
Fox left acting in 1973 when he... Continue Bio >>
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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — It's that time of the year again when the Indiana State Fire Marshal's office reminds consumers to purchase fireworks only from licensed vendors.
The office says fireworks vendors must be licensed to sell fireworks in Indiana and have a permit from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security's Fire and Building Safety Division.
Fireworks vendor permits must be displayed on the wall in the stores. The office says if you don't see one, ask an employee to see it. If the permit can't be produced, it asks you to call the State Fire Marshal at 317-232-2222.
Consumers should also remember that only those at least 18 and older can buy fireworks. Without a special permit, it's legal to buy only 1.4G consumer fireworks such as bottle rockets and firecrackers.
Latest News
State: Buy fireworks only from licensed vendors
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — It's that time of the year again when the Indiana State Fire Marshal's office reminds consumers to purchase fireworks only from licensed vendors.
- Latest News
10 Things to Know for Wednesday
Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today, July 30:
Elderly woman in fair condition after accident in Baesler's lot
An 80-year-old Terre Haute woman is listed in fair condition today at Eskenazi Health in Indianapolis as the result of injuries sustained in Monday's accident on the Baesler's Market parking lot.
Vigo County Jail Log: July 29, 2014
The following individuals were booked into the Vigo County Jail by area law enforcement on Monday and Tuesday, based on jail records.
2 women survive ordeal along Indiana rail bridge
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — A video camera captured the terrifying plight of two women who became trapped on an 80-foot-high railroad bridge by a freight train that surprised them as they walked along the tracks.
Illinois to ask voters about taxing millionaires
BERWYN, Ill. (AP) — Gov. Pat Quinn has signed legislation allowing voters to weigh in on whether Illinois millionaires should pay more income tax.
Illinois woman dies retrieving phone from fire
BARTONVILLE, Ill. (AP) — Authorities say a central Illinois woman is dead after running back into her burning home to get her cell phone. A police officer who tried to save her was hospitalized.
RONN MOTT: Colonoscopy No. 5
I just finished up my fifth colonoscopy last week. It had been seven years since my last one, and since my father and grandfather died of colon cancer I find it advisable to go through this procedure in attempting to live as long as I can.
Ivy Tech names Jeff Fanter senior VP, Anne Valentine VP
Ivy Tech Community College President Thomas J. Snyder announced the promotion of Jeff Fanter to the role of senior vice president for student experience, communications and marketing and Anne Valentine to the role of vice president for student experience and customer service.
Change in traffic patterns at U.S. 41 intersection improvement project
VIGO COUNTY, Ind. – The Indiana Department of Transportation reminds motorists the intersection improvement project on U.S. 41 from just south of Interstate 70 to just south of Johnson Drive has switched traffic phases. Traffic is prohibited from turning left off of U.S. 41 at both Johnson and Davis Drives.
IU commemorating WWI centennial in 2014-15
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana University plans to spend the upcoming academic year exploring the lingering impact of World War I.
NCAA settles head injury lawsuit
CHICAGO (AP) — The NCAA has agreed to settle a class-action head injury lawsuit.
Indiana higher ed chief rolls out class load campaign
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana's higher education commissioner wants college students to get the message that they should take at least 15 credit hours each semester if they expect to graduate on time.
10 Things to Know for Tuesday
Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today, July 29:
Indiana higher ed chief rolls out class load campaign
Indiana's higher education commissioner wants college students to get the message that they should take at least 15 credit hours each semester if they expect to graduate on time.
65,000 chickens die in rural Indiana fire
WARSAW, Ind. (AP) — Thousands of chickens have been killed in a fire on a northern Indiana farm.
One person hospitalized after parking lot pile-up
A woman was hospitalized with injuries after an accident late this morning in the Baesler's Market parking lot.
Indiana teachers worry about revamped ISTEP test
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana teachers are heading back to classrooms starting this week and face the daunting task of preparing students for a standardized test that's been retooled three times since 2009.
'Test jury' gauged in Indianapolis home blast case
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Prosecutors and attorneys for one of the suspects in a deadly Indianapolis house explosion have begun assessing whether they can find an impartial jury to hear the case.
Vigo County Jail Log: July 28, 2014
The following individuals were booked into the Vigo County Jail by area law enforcement Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, based on jail records.
Old National strengthens position with Grand Rapids-based Founders Bank & Trust pending acquisition
Evansville-based Old National Bancorp and Grand Rapids-based Founders Financial Corp. jointly announced today the execution of a definitive agreement under which Old National will acquire Founders through a stock and cash merger.
Conservation officers investigate death at Cataract Falls
Indiana Conservation officers are investigating the death of an Ohio man that occurred at about 4:10 p.m. Sunday, July 27, at Cataract Falls State Recreation Area in Owen County.
10 Things to Know for Monday
Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today, July 28:
Restaurant Inspections: July 28, 2014
July 7-11
Man arrested after rollover kills teen girl
A Terre Haute man has been arrested and a teenager has died following an alcohol-related accident early today.
Brother sues W.Va. senator over business loan
U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin III faces a $1.7 million civil suit filed by a brother over a lifeline to save a family carpet business. in the late 1980s.
UPDATE: Rockville man dies after head-on collision
A Rockville man has died from injuries he sustained this afternoon in a two-vehicle, head-on crash on U.S. 41 north of Lyford.
Head-on crash leaves Rockville man seriously injured
A Rockville man was air-lifted to an Indianapolis hospital with serious injuries this afternoon following a two-vehicle crash on U.S. 41 north of Lyford.
Vigo County Jail Log: July 25, 2014
The following individuals were booked into the Vigo County Jail by area law enforcement on Thursday and Friday, based on jail records.
Measles case confirmed in Central Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS — State health officials have confirmed a case of measles in Central Indiana. The Indiana State Department of Health is working with local health departments and health care providers to identify additional cases of measles, and to prevent further transmission of the disease.
Fast food workers prepare to escalate wage demands
CHICAGO (AP) — Fast food workers say they're prepared to escalate their campaign for higher wages and union representation, starting with a national convention in suburban Chicago where more than 1,000 workers will discuss the future of the effort that has spread to dozens of cities in less than two years.
- More Latest News Headlines
- 10 Things to Know for Wednesday


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A program set up last year to help North Carolina homeowners with subprime loans avoid foreclosure has been expanded to include those with traditional mortgages.
The State Home Foreclosure Prevention Project lets homeowners call a toll-free number and receive counseling and legal advice through a network of state and local government agencies and nonprofit agencies.
Mark Pearce, state chief deputy commissioner of banks, said Tuesday that North Carolina's foreclosure crisis has spread far beyond people who took on mortgages at high interest rates. Foreclosure filings over the first eight months of the year totaled just under 40,000 and are up 7 percent over the same period last year. Pearce said 60 percent of the foreclosure filings in the state now involve prime loans.
Homeowners are encouraged to call the toll-free number when they begin struggling with mortgage payments, rather than waiting until foreclosure is imminent.
The foreclosure prevention project, created by the General Assembly, began in November. It has counseled 5,710 homeowners and prevented 1,855 foreclosures, according to a report sent to legislators.
The state plans to run TV ads, which will air in the Triangle through December, that encourage beleaguered homeowners to call and get assistance. Partner agencies in the prevention project hope to raise money to run ads in other markets.
It's against the law in North Carolina to charge an upfront fee for foreclosure assistance. The Attorney General's Office has received 353 complaints about mortgage-assistance scams this year, up from seven in all of 2007.
Cooper said many homeowners are simply having trouble finding the person who can make decisions about their loans, because their mortgage has been bundled with other mortgages and resold to investors.
"All too often," Pearce said, "homeowners fall through the cracks in the system."


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As an SU Alumni Association member, you get access to great member benefits! You are a member of the SU Alumni Association the moment you graduate. We are in the process of adding to the benefits and discounts you'll receive through the association, so check back often.Questions about your eligibility? Seattle University's Alumni Status Policy. Use side navigation for information about lodging, educational, spiritual and recreational benefits.
Seattle University's Registrar's Office is happy to provide a limited number of transcripts to you at no cost. For more information, please see the Requesting a Transcript page on the Seattle University Registrar's Office website. You may order a replacement diploma through the Office of the Registrar. Click here for information on how to order your replacement diploma.
All alumni permanently receive 15% DISCOUNT on all items purchased at the Seattle University Bookstore (class rings and text books excluded). Just mention your alumni status as you are checking out.
Seattle U's Office of Alumni Relations has partnered with GEICO. Your completed insurance application supports our alumni activities and student scholarship fund. You do not have to sign up with Geico for us to receive that support. Click here for more information.
GradMed short-term health insurance is a valuable benefit provided by Seattle U's Office of Alumni Relations. An ideal product for new graduates and alumni between jobs, with GradMed you can choose a coverage period and deductible that meets your needs, protecting you from the expenses associated with an accident or illness. Coverage can begin as early as the day after receipt of your application. For more information about GradMed, please click here.
If you have questions about any of the benefits and services you are entitled to, please contact our office.


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Wickham farmers spot golden opportunity in the meat market (From Andover Advertiser)
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Wickham farmers spot golden opportunity in the meat market
Updated 5:21pm Monday 3rd February 2014 in Winchester By Wesley Rock
A WICKHAM farm is reaping the rewards after spotting an opportunity that competitors have so far overlooked.
Woodlands Jersey Beef, based just outside the town buys 10-day-old male calves from local Jersey herds, that would otherwise be destroyed, and then rears them for up to three years.
The males are often culled at birth because they are considered too light framed and uneconomical. But Jane and Paul Denley, the owners of Woodlands Jersey Beef, realised that meat from the animals was top quality.
They have since been shipping the meat to Michel Roux Jr's famous central London eatery, the two Michelin-starred Le Gavroche.
Meon Valley MP George Hollingbery recently acknowledged their contribution to the rural economy by paying a visit.
He said: "It was great to visit a thriving farm that has cornered a real niche in the market.
"It was great to discuss the general economic situation and how Jane and Paul have made a successful and growing business.
The cows are raised in barns and outside in meadows and then slaughtered and butchered locally before they are matured on the bone for 21 days and then supplied to restaurants across Hampshire, including No 5 Bridge Street in Winchester.
"It was also nice to see how their idea has led to cows that would have been killed soon after birth getting the chance of a life, which cuts down on waste while offering a really good local product.
"Jane and Paul also very kindly gave me some of their sirloin steaks which we cooked at home that night. I can certainly vouch for the quality of the product!" Mr Hollingbery said.


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August 1, 2014
Posted: Tuesday, December 18, 2012 -- 7:50 a.m.
From Dane County Sheriff's Department:
At approximately 12:25am, a Dane County Sheriff's Office Deputy arrested Robert E. Opsal II, age 42, of Madison, for Operating a Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated - 5th Offense.
The deputy observed a vehicle without a license plate on Christianson Ave in the Town of Blooming Grove. When the deputy conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle, contact was made with Opsal, who subsequently failed Standardized Field Sobriety Tests. Opsal was arrested on the Felony OWI Offense and Felony Bail Jumping.
He is currently being held in the Dane County Jail.


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Telemundo has long been like a remote Caribbean island, cut off from its sprawling media homeland.
NBCUniversal acquired the Spanish-language television network a decade ago for $2 billion but became discouraged by its seemingly limited prospects. But Comcast Corp.'s takeover of NBCUniversal last year may be building Telemundo a bridge to the mainland.


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Susan Ashley Bickford and Travis Lee East, both of Claremore, exchanged wedding vows June 9, 2007, at First United Methodist Church. Scottie Titsworth, of North Park Trinity Baptist Church, and Janelle Brammer, of First United Methodist Church, officiated the ceremony.
The bride is the daughter of Cynthia Bickford and the late Ed Bickford of Claremore. She is the granddaughter of Esther Semones of Tulsa.
Susan finished two years at the University of Oklahoma, and is now attending University of Central Oklahoma for Speech Language Pathology.
The groom is the son of Julie East of Verdigris and the late Russell East of Miami. He is he grandson of Phil and Annette Crosby of Commerce, and Imogene East of Miami.
Travis is attending the University of Central Oklahoma and coaching football at Midwest City High School.
The bride's colors were dark purple, bright yellow, and lavender. The theme was white daisies with yellow centers and bows.
The bride's dress was strapless with a notch in the center and a small beadline just below that. In the middle of the beadline was a bow. It had a two-foot train with buttons all the way down the back. She carried a bouquet was white daisies with yellow centers and purple iris and a hankerchief made by her mother. A locket with a picture of her father was in her bouquet.
Maid of Honor was Ashley East, sister of groom. Attendants were: Hayley Peck, friend of bride; Jessica Perkins, college friend of bride; and Kelly Bickford, sister-in-law of bride
Kenzie East, niece of groom, was flower girl.
Eddie Roach, lifelong friend of groom, stood as best man. Groomsmen were: Clint Bowers, friend of groom; Taylor Roberts, friend of the groom; and Nate Smith, college friend and roommate of groom.
Ushers were: Jason Lillie, friend of bride; Sam Lillie, friend of bride; Jordan Gilsleider, friend of groom; and Kyle Murray, friend of groom.
Special music was provided by Ashley East and Luke Byford who sang The Prayer. Hayley Peck sang "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" acapella , the bride's favorite song.
The reception was in the First United Methodist Family Life Center. Tablecloths were yellow with purple accents.
Christian Hood and Ellen Lillie attended the guestbook.
After honeymooning in Colorado Springs, the couple will reside in Edmond.


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How surprised was Blue Door Records co-owner Greg Johnson when he got word that his Oklahoma-based artist John Fullbright had been nominated for a Grammy Award for Americana album, alongside roots-music heavyweights Mumford & Sons, Bonnie Raitt, the Avett Brothers and the fast-rising Lumineers?
"I don't know how any of this Grammy stuff works," Johnson said Thursday from his office in the Oklahoma City folk club he's been running for 20 years, the Blue Door, from which the label gets its name. "Even though John and I own the record label, I didn't do any of the paperwork to submit anything. That's why we got Thirty Tigers to put it out for us. I didn't know where that process was at all."


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Alan Hall, Contributor
I cover investing, entrepreneurial growth and philanthropy.
Business workers, managers and leaders all have it. Entrepreneurs, especially, feel its crippling power. It's a part of nearly every workplace and it won't be going away soon. Stress comes from unrelenting pressure to survive, succeed and to make others happy. Do you have it? Is it killing you?
In 40 years as a businessman I have experienced the pain of stress daily. Sadly, it's a fact of life for me as a serial entrepreneur and investor. Sometimes the strain has been overpowering to a degree that I wondered where and when I would find relief.
It's worst at night, when I try to sleep. The pressure won't cease. The strain is unremitting. I can shut my computer off at night, but I can't seem to disengage my brain, which repeats the dilemmas over and over again. The results are no rest and no deep sleep. Carrying a personal burden of physical, emotional and mental fatigue is not a good way to start the next day's workload.
Oh, there's more. What about the pain in the shoulder blades? Or the elevated heart rate and blood pressure? Am I having a heart attack? Am I going to die? For sure, I am not very happy. I am miserable, angry and irritable. Look out spouse. Look out kids. Look out peers and subordinates.
With pressure on the mind and body, job performance and interpersonal relationships suffer. Moreover, I have experienced a loss of focus and persistence to act with rigor and diligence. The negative twins of fear and doubt also cast a long shadow on my soul. I can't get where I need to be. I can't move.
Why is this happening? Why the strain and stress? Often we feel overwhelmed when we hear about layoffs or budget cuts. Perhaps our boss or associates are first-rate jerks, and vice versa. Has someone in authority set expectations that are too high, totally unrealistic and will never be achieved? Could this be the source of pain? Does doom and foreboding enter our minds and hearts when we know our performance will not meet rising expectations? Does stress appear when there's more work to be done and not a glimmer of increased job satisfaction? And lastly, could the constant pressure to work at optimum levels be intolerable?
Consider my approach and the added advice of noted stress experts on how to deal with the topic. I am happy to share what has worked for me.
For further information on this timely topic, pleased read Bring Your Life Into Balance by Segal, Smith, Robinson and Segal from www.helpguide.org. This free and informative toolkit teaches skills for managing overwhelming stress and emotions.
I wrote this article hoping to help all of us who suffer from stress and its negative effects. If you have other solutions, I'd like to hear your ideas as well. You can reach me here, via my website www.AlanEHall.com or via @AskAlanEHall. Thank you for reading.
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Alan, like you, my entrepreneurial path has given me the opportunity to study successful entrepreneurs. The good ones, like you, all figure out how to manage and survive the stress. My observations lead me to conclude that your number 5–optimism–is centrally important. I've often said that entrepreneurs are not "glass is half full" kind of people, they're "glass is 3/4 maybe 7/8 full kind of people." In other words, I find many to be like Steve Jobs in that they have a "reality distortion field" where they believe the absurd and somehow will it to be so. Thanks for your great insights!
Alan, it's actually very reassuring to to know that someone with you experience and level of success experiences stress; for some reason I assumed that stress was characteristic of people with less experience – like me. Thanks for sharing. By the way, I will invite my manager (my wife) to reduce stress.
Mr. Hall,
I recently started an entrepreneurial internship with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network.
I greatly appreciate your insight and help on this topic. With your assent, I am planning on using this as a thesis for an Management class at the university that I attend.
Additionally, what advice can you give on networking and obtaining prospects?
Thank you very, very much.
-Wesley Russell Whitaker
I appreciate your comments around prioritization of the daily to do list. I make mine, do a gut check on its achievability, and begin with the most daunting of tasks. Delaying or avoiding tasks that are undesirable is akin to throwing gas on the fire, and the longer put off, the worse it is for myself and everyone around me. I could not agree with you more that leaders need to delegate. Delegation creates space for me to be more productive and fosters the development of future leaders.
Awesome article on a very important topic!
However, since I work with Executives, Managers, Entrepreneurs and anyone else who is in charge to reduce stress permanently, I thought I would throw in my two cents.
While stress reduction techniques are important, you'd be better off not getting stressed-out in the first place. And for that to happen, you'd need to change your perspective of stressful events.
With a little introspection, the right plan of action and proper support, you can avoid feeling stressed completely.
Just think of what it would be like if stress didn't disrupt your flow. Your performance and productivity wouldn't suffer and you'd save yourself all that physical and emotional energy being spent.
Stress is dangerous and contagious, especially for bosses. Therefore, anyone in charge should make it a priority to take control of their stress instead of it taking control of them.
Keep up the great articles.


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Bus transfer at Milan Malpensa airport, private transfers in Kiev and Poznan
In addition to our Bergamo transfer, we provide bus transfers to Milan from Malpensa airport as well! Buses run between the airport and Milan, Central Station. For your convenience, we launched private services in Poznan and Kiev. Each service is avaliable at our website.READ MORE
New holiday transfers, Brussels bus transfer available for booking!
Holiday transfers in the Mediterranean We are proud to announce that from April 2014, our transfers to popular beach resorts are available for booking, to and from the following airports: Alicante, Palma de Mallorca, Thessaloniki, Rhodes, Corfu, Zakynthos, Larnaca, Malta, Girona, Naples, Bourgas, Heraklion. Direct bus service between Brussels Charleroi airport and Brussels!READ MORE