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Operators at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Bridgeport, Conn., are stepping up efforts to keep their ATC tower open after withdrawal of federal funding. Kyle Slover, COO of local FBO Volo Aviation, told AIN that discussions about options for keeping the tower open on a privately funded basis were already under way before the FAA's March 22 announcement that 149 towers are to close at U.S. airports beginning April 7.
Fairfield County, Connecticut
Volo Aviation's newest FBO at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Bridgeport, Conn., is on target to open in April. The new facility includes 35,000 sq ft of hangar space and a 4,000-sq-ft FBO and office building featuring polycarbonate and structural glass panels instead of the traditional steel and concrete found at many airports. Volo's FBO is the first major new construction project at the airport in about 30 years.
About 3,600 Sikorsky Aircraft workers in Connecticut and Florida went on strike on February 20, voting a tentative agreement down 2,045 to 1,072 mainly because of increased health insurance costs. The workers–represented by IBT Local 1150–picketed at the company's headquarters in Stratford, Conn., as well as at Sikorsky's facilities in West Haven, Bridgeport and Shelton, Conn., and West Palm Beach, Fla.


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(Source: slunai)
There's a few things, about three things to my account that I need each day. One of them is something to look up to, another is something to look forward to, and another is someone to chase. Now, first off, I want to thank God. 'Cause that's who I look up to.
He has graced my life with opportunities that I know are not of my hand or any other human hand. He has shown me that it's a scientific fact that gratitude reciprocates. In the words of the late Charlie Laughton, who said, 'When you've got God, you got a friend. And that friend is you.'
To my family, that who and what I look forward to. To my father who, I know he's up there right now with a big pot of gumbo. He's got a lemon meringue pie over there. He's probably in his underwear. And he's got a cold can of Miller Lite and he's dancing right now.
To you, Dad, you taught me what it means to be a man. To my mother who's here tonight, who taught me and my two older brothers' demanded that we respect ourselves. And what we in turn learned was that we were then better able to respect others. Thank you for that, Mama. To my wife, Camila, and my kids Levi, Vida and Mr. Stone, the courage and significance you give me every day I go out the door is unparalleled. You are the four people in my life that I want to make the most proud of me. Thank you.
And to my hero. That's who I chase. Now when I was 15 years old, I had a very important person in my life come to me and say 'who's your hero?' And I said, 'I don't know, I gotta think about that. Give me a couple of weeks.' I come back two weeks later, this person comes up and says 'who's your hero?' I said, 'I thought about it. You know who it is? It's me in 10 years.' So I turned 25. Ten years later, that same person comes to me and says, 'So, are you a hero?' And I was like, 'not even close. No, no, no.' She said, 'Why?' I said, 'Because my hero's me at 35.' So you see every day, every week, every month and every year of my life, my hero's always 10 years away. I'm never gonna be my hero. I'm not gonna attain that. I know I'm not, and that's just fine with me because that keeps me with somebody to keep on chasing.
(Source: quickerthansilver)
(Source: sensoriums)
(Source: i-just-rode-up-on-a-unicorn-and)
(Source: caffeinegalore)
Jennifer getting overly excited when she wins a game on Fandango
(Source: unclefather)
"How much money does college cost in America?"
Interviewer: Have you spoken to Jack since the Oscars?
Interviewer: Have you spoken to Jack since the Oscars?
(Source: amelia-pond)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Long work days, late dinner ideas : Salad: Mixed Greens x Grilled Shrimp x Cucumber x Red Onion x Tomato x Avocado x Plantain x Lime Basil Vinaigrette #bleucheesekisses #saladjam (at Chateau 15M)
Tags: bleucheesekisses saladjam
midwest girl, big city livin'…
((three words: compassionate, grateful & witty))
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text:
Government is always trying to play catch-up with technology and Apps.gov's foray into cloud computing is no different
Government is always trying to play catch-up with technology. Though we live in the Technology Age, where innovation and commerce go hand in hand, government rarely plays either of those games with skill or confidence.
Now comes President Barack Obama, the embodiment of supreme self-confidence in the White House, and his pioneering chief information officer, Vivek Kundra, who's clearly becoming the personification of innovation in government.
Kundra, with some fanfare, has just unveiled Apps.gov, a new electronic storefront where government agencies can shop for information technology. The idea is nothing new for anyone who's got an account on Amazon.com or eBay — they've been around for how long now, 10 years? But for the federal government and its chief purchasing arm, the General Services Administration, Apps.gov is out there, just this side of science fiction.
That is a problem, reports our acquisition editor, Matthew Weigelt. In this week's cover story, Matthew surveys a number of experts in government procurement who applaud Kundra's initiative but question his timing. Indeed, the general consensus among these independent analysts is that Apps.gov was rushed to market.
It's not that the market isn't ready for it, which is often the case with so-called disruptive technologies that meet a need that no one yet realizes they have. In this case, Kundra has rightly identified a burning desire on both sides of the government purchasing circle — from buyers to sellers — for a more streamlined and efficient IT acquisition process.
In the case of Apps.gov, however, the bottleneck remains at the back end of the system. Kundra and company might be using gee-whiz technology to enable the impulse purchase, but they have yet to contend with a more intractable force of government procurement policies, or what one critic terms "the glacial pace of acquisition."
One of the yet-to-be-delivered promises of Apps.gov is a portal for buying into the cloud. Yet a number of government agencies are thinking not so much about buying cloud-computing services from outside contractors but about remaking their own data centers along those lines. Contributing editor Brian Robinson examines the key questions to consider before moving a data center to the cloud.
Also in this issue, guest columnist Christopher Tucker gives a nod to Kundra's dot-gov initiatives such as Apps.gov; Recovery.gov for tracking stimulus money; and Data.gov, which makes all kinds of government information available to people to mash up. But Tucker thinks there's something missing there ... or here ... or wherever. He calls it Where.gov, a Web site where the government should deposit all kinds of geospatial data to let us know where our stuff is.
About the Author
David Rapp is editor-in-chief of Federal Computer Week and VP of content for 1105 Government Information Group.
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Slowly but surely, the agency's ability to handle cybersecurity has evolved -- but experts say key hurdles remain.
Department credits a fully deployed computer system with helping make a sizable dent in the department's disability claims backlog.
A key contributor to Clinger-Cohen argues that federal IT has failed to take advantage of the tools that law provided.
A new report surveys the many different approaches to launching a dedicated innovation shop in government.
Nominations for 2015 are being accepted now through Dec. 23.
The flip side of default data encryption on mobile devices is that a lost or stolen device won't yield up its secrets -- an important feature for many federal employees.
A decade after the 9/11 Commission identified agencies' reluctance to share information as a dangerous shortcoming, the government is moving in the right direction.
The latest offering is intended to help agencies speed the process of deploying authorized cloud solutions.
Cartoonist John Klossner on the telltale indicators that not everything is running through the CIO.
Again, the problem is not with technology, its will the IT Acquisition process, the NIH culture and the lack of incentives to drive change.
I can understand the impulse of many technologist to come back from a trade show or meeting with the high tech industry and want to bring in some new gadget, be it cloud computing, SOA or some other shiny object. We need these kinds of people to keep govt abreast of these innovations. However, giving PMs better method and teaching them "how to fish" will likely address the root causes of failure that waste some $40B in failed IT programs each year. If we could put a "Kundra" in each program, this might work, but this is not practical. The best and brightest are still working in the commercial sector. We must usher in commercial method and collaborative models that have already proven to work as required by the Clinger Cohen Act.
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© 1996-2013 1105 Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only.To order presentation-ready copies for distribution to colleagues, clients or customers, visit: www.1105Reprints.com


text:
Two of the best teams in NCAA Football come from the state of Alabama. The NFC South landed three highly talented offensive first-round picks from Alabama and Auburn.
The Carolina Panthers, in what is indisputably a rebuilding year for the team, chose quarterback Cam Newton for his all-around athletic ability. Newton played only one year at Auburn and is a long way from being fully prepared to produce in the NFL, but his raw talent is undeniable.
The Atlanta Falcons, at number twenty-seven in the draft order, risked five total draft picks (three in 2011, two in 2012) to acquire the sixth spot and draft wide receiver Julio Jones from Alabama.
Jones abilities showed at Alabama as he made quarterback Greg McElroy look a lot better than the NFL seems to think he is (drafted in 7th round to the New York Jets).
While Jones has top-tier abilities, the pressure to perform will be much higher given the numerous draft picks given up to acquire him. If he does not perform in 2011, fingers will start pointing.


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Detection ratio: 0 / 54
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A Nightmare on Elm Street
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Special features (disc 1): "All access pass": Optional feature audio commentary with Wes Craven, production crew and cast; optional original archival audio commentary with Wes Craven, Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon and cinematographer Jacques Haitkin ; "Select a scene" with pop-up prompts and production history and trivia; "Beyond the movie fact track" subtitles featuring production history and trivia
Special features (disc 2): "The house that Freddy built : the legacy of New Line horror" documentary (22 min.); "Night terrors : the origins of Wes Craven's nightmares" documentary (16 min); alternate endings (3 min.); "Never sleep again -- The making of 'A nightmare on Elm Street'" (50 min.); "Freddy's coming for you" trivia challenge; original theatrical trailer (2 min.)
disc 2. Special features
Feature films
Horror films
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Well, now - Here's a perfect bedtime story that's sure to slash & slice its way right into the darkest depths of your dreams once those R.E.M.s have accelerated into high gear.
With panic and fright as its prime motive, A Nightmare On Elm Street somehow still manages (30 years after its initial, 1984 release) to pack a considerable-sized wallop of honest-to-goodness terror regardless of being followed by numerous sequels and inevitable copy-catting.
Yes. This film's story may be somewhat far-fetched, to say the least. But, nonetheless, it still clearly remains an effective slice of twisted horror that has quite rightly earned for itself its status as a bona-fide cult classic.
Director Wes Craven certainly did create an enduring character when he gleefully introduced Freddy Krueger (with his charred, red face & scraping metal fingernails) to all the ravenous fans faithfully devoted to the art of brutal Slasher Cinema.
All-in-all - Here's a tale of terror that truly is a "Scream!".
best movie!Not too scary for me,and im only 9 years old!!!!!!!!!!
this is the Original Film not the garbage reboot made recently
original actors & actresses:
Robert Englund, Johnny Depp, Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon
This is easily one of the best horror movies made, why they ruin classics with remakes I'll never understand. This is a must see for any horror fan. This movie is also Johnny Depp's big screen debut. I highly recommend this movie.
They had a chance to make something extremely frightening but completely missed the mark. Was a terrible remake. The original may be cheesy compared to newer horror films but it is by far better than this flick.
AgeAdd Age Suitability
bdls206 thinks this title is suitable for 17 years and over
SummaryAdd a Summary
In the dreams of his victims, a spectral child murderer stalks the children of the members of the lynch mob that killed him.
NoticesAdd a Notice
Frightening or Intense Scenes: Lots of intense, heart-pounding action. Very bloody and gory, too.
Violence: Very violent and sadistic and twisted.
Violence: This title contains Violence.
Coarse Language: This title contains Coarse Language.
QuotesAdd a Quote
"Whatever you do, don't fall asleep!"
"Do you believe in the bogeyman!?"
"It's only a dream!"
Children: One, two, Freddy's coming for you. / Three, four, better lock your door. / Five, six, grab your crucifix. / Seven, eight, gonna stay up late. / Nine, ten, never sleep again.
VideosAdd a Video
Welcome To Where Your Nightmares Become Reality. Revisit All The Fun With Freddy Krueger.
A Nightmare on Elm Street Trailer


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♥ 56
→ 07 Sep 11 at 6 pm
→ 07 Sep 11 at 6 pm
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YEESSSS! It's starts off all nice and then BAM! He went in on Karina…No more sippin on that cheap shit. Smear off that...
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Listen to "Brother" by Val. His YouTube is the same as his twitter. He pretty much sums it up.
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I'm curious!!
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From what I heard was that she lied to him about being pregnant then told him she didn't want kids holding her down and...
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I also think I heard something about Karina cheating on Maks.
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It's called Aaron Carter and an unfaithful girlfriend with no self-control. She doesn't deserve him and never will ever...
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The out of town scoreboard is getting slimmer and slimmer, as there are only two series remaining, and four teams left in the National Hockey League that are still playing.
June 1st marks the day that both the Eastern and Western Conference Finals begin. The Los Angeles Kings face off against the Chicago Blackhawks to try and be the first team to repeat since the Detroit Red Wings. On the East Coast, the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins will fight to see who earns the right to bring the Stanley Cup back to the East.
How are our writers fairing in our bracket busting contest?
Andrew has Chicago and Pittsburgh in the finals – with Chicago prevailing. He also had Washington and Anaheim as the other conference finalists – so he has a 50/50 shot of getting a team into the final round.
Our copy editor Kevin has the same final pairing, but with Pittsburgh lifting Lord Stanley. Again, only a fifty-fifty shot at getting a team into the final round, as Kevin has conference finalists listed as Chicago and Anaheim, and Pittsburgh and Montreal.
Cory has the Eastern Conference matchup set, with Pittsburgh facing Boston – and half the West, with St. Louis prevailing over Chicago. He still has Pittsburgh picked as the overall winner, so their is slim hope for Cory.
Travis has slim hope as well, might as well nickname these two as Thomas Vanek and Ryan Miller. Travis had Washington facing Pittsburgh, and Chicago facing St. Louis with a Chicago over Washington Final. Barely holding on there Travis.
With even slimmer hope, the only teams Caitlin has left in the bracket is Los Angeles and Boston. She had them fairing agianst the Red Wings, and in the East Washington. Los Angeles beating Boston in six games.
AJ continues to share his immense hockey knowledge in the bracket challenge, successfully picking all four Conference finalists properly. He has the West wrapping up in six games and the East going seven, with Chicago beating Pittsburgh for the Cup. Will his luck continue?
Chicago remains my only hope – I had Boston in the final four as well, but I was hoping the New York Rangers would see the Stanley Cup Finals.
How is your NHL bracket looking?
Tags: Bracket Buffalo Sabres Conference Finals NHL Stanley Cup


text: / Pictures of Miss America competition | abc11.com GO Personalize your weather by entering a location. Sorry, but the location you entered was not found. Please try again. Sections Traffic Video RaleighDurhamFayettevilleSurrounding Area Home Accuweather Traffic Video Photos Mobile Apps Local News RaleighDurhamFayettevilleSurrounding Area Map My News Shows Live Well Network Follow Us Pictures of Miss America competition September 16, 2013 5:12:54 AM PDT


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Poster design for the Perspectives IV exhibition.
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Perspectives IV on show at the 119 Gallery from May 1st until May 12th. Reception: May 11th at 6:00 pm.
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C: \ System Utilities \ File & Disk Management \ ClutterKiller 22.214.171.124
ClutterKiller 18.104.22.168 - Detailed Description Page
Program ID:
Data Go Round, LLC All programs by this author
Shareware [?]
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(total votes: 0)
Report broken download Report spyware [?]
ClutterKiller organizes your files and helps you maintain a clutter-free Desktop and File System. It separates your files and puts them where you want them. Files are organized into 6 categories: Audio, Archives, Documents, Pictures, Programs, & Video. It also has additional tools to help with organizing and cleaning clutter. You will be amazed at how much your productivity increases from a clutter-free environment.
Don't let your File System and Desktop become a "Junk Drawer." Don't waste time hand organizing.
ClutterKiller organizes your files and helps you maintain a clutter-free Desktop and File System. It separates your files and puts them where you want them. Files are organized into 6 categories: Audio, Archives, Documents, Pictures, Programs, & Video. They are organized into these categories based on their file type and ClutterKiller auto learns new file types. Files are instantly organized, out of the way, and easy to find. You will be amazed at how much your productivity increases from a clutter-free environment.
If you or someone you know has the affliction of "Icons Everywhere," you owe it to yourself or them to check out ClutterKiller.
ClutterKiller also has additional tools to help with organizing and cleaning clutter for a more productive computer experience.
Desktop Isolator - Instantly blocks out wallpaper, icons and other windows, leaving you a fresh working environment. It is a very powerful distraction avoider.
New! Quick Find - Type-Ahead search, helps locate and open files organized by ClutterKiller.
Desktop Shortcut Cleaner - A special tool for dealing with unused shortcuts on the desktop. An especially great replacement for the Desktop Cleanup Wizard Microsoft removed from Windows.
Keywords: desktop cleaner, file organizer, file mover, shortcut cleaner, hide desktop, hide icons, find files, clean icons, clean files, Shareware, System Utilities, File & Disk Management, ClutterKiller, Data Go Round, LLC
Recent Changes: Not Established
Install Support: Install and Uninstall
Supported Languages: English
Additional Requirements: Not Established
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Hudson Valley is known for their strong traditional, vintage, reproduction and contemporary lighting. Offering the same attention to detail that was evident during the early twentieth century, Hudson Valley boasts a range of classic finishes and glass selections that will surely satisfy even the most discriminating customer.
The Baldwin Chandelier is available with the following:
- Off White faux silk shades
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Shade Color: Opal
Finish: Old Bronze, Polished Nickel
Number of Lights: 6, 9
- 6 Lights option utilizes six 60 Watt 120 Volt Candelabra Base Incandescent lamps (not included).
- 9 Lights option utilizes nine 60 Watt 120 Volt Candelabra Base Incandescent lamps (not included).
- 6 Lights Option Fixture: Height 21.5", Diameter 27", Length Adjustable To 69.5"
- 9 Lights Option Fixture: Height 25", Diameter 36", Length Adjustable To 73"
- Shade: Height 8", Width 4.5"
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- Chain: Length 48"
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|17 Nov 2012
Windows 7 Ultimate
All my desktop icons are blocked and removed ?
I need some help please
I was trying to clean my C disk and in that purpose I was changing some attributes inside the users folder. I m not sure what have I done, but the dialog opened, process started and after that my PC wasn't the same?!
First thing I have noticed is that the desktop icons were gone with only two exceptions, Recycle Bin and My Computer.
Right click and "View my icons" command, has only showed my User name icon, which is empty and useless?!
When right-clicking any file or a folder, with intention to send a shortcut to desktop, that option ws gone. There is only send to floppy and CD. It's like a twilight zone?!
One other thing, I tried to run Photoshop but I couldn't due to some "System error".
Before I made those stupid changes inside the User folder, everything worked fine.
I have to mention one other thing, my System restore was turned off. So no chance of restoring my system to when it was perfect...
If you need some more info, please ask.
Thanking you in advanced...
|My System Specs
|17 Nov 2012
Win7 x 6 PC's
It's reckless to run without System Restore functioning for reasons like this one, and to make changes without even realizing what they are.
Try SFC -SCANNOW Command.
If that fails run a Repair Install.
In the future keep a Win7 backup image of a perfect install after setup, so you can always fall back on that.
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Browse by Journal
Number of items: 4.
Azma, Mojtaba and Mohamad, Rosfarizan and Abdul Rahim , Raha and Ariff , Arbakariya (2010) Improved protocol for the preparation of tetraselmis suecica axenic culture and adaptation to heterotrophic cultivation. The Open Biotechnology Journal, 4 . pp. 36-46. ISSN 1874-0707
Samsu Baharuddin, Azhari and Kazunori, Nakamura and Abd Aziz, Suraini and Tabatabaei, Meisam and Abdul Rahman, Nor' Aini and Hassan, Mohd Ali and Wakisaka, Minato and Sakai, Kenji and Shirai, Yoshihito (2009) Characteristics and microbial succession in co-composting of oil palm empty fruit bunch and partially treated palm oil mill effluent. The Open Biotechnology Journal, 3 . pp. 87-95. ISSN 1874-070
Rasdi, Zatilfarihiah and Abdul Rahman, NorAini and Abd-Aziz, Suraini and Phang , Lai Yee and Mohd Yusoff, Mohd Zulkhairi and Chong , Mei-Ling and Hassan, Mohd Ali (2009) Statistical optimization of biohydrogen production from palm oil mill effluent by natural microflora. The Open Biotechnology Journal, 3 . pp. 79-86. ISSN 1874-0707
Siew, Ling Hii and Tau, Chuan Ling and Mohamad, Rosfarizan and Ariff, Arbakariya (2008) Enhancement of extracellular pullulanase production by Raoultella planticola DSMZ 4617 using optimized medium based on sago starch. The Open Biotechnology Journal, 3 . pp. 1-8. ISSN 1874-0707
Universiti Putra Malaysia Institutional Repository
Currently, the collections deposited in the IR consists of Master and PhD theses, Master and PhD Project Report, Journal Articles, Journal Bulletins, Conference Papers, UPM News, Newspaper Cuttings, Patents and Inaugural Lectures.
As the policy of the university does not permit users to view thesis in full text, access is only given to the first 24 pages only.


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"Idealists are not the good friends of the truths; they create their own truth.
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Related Photo Galleries
The clay bar is an alternative to liquid polish. To use it properly, spray an area lightly with quick detailer and wipe the clay bar back and forth. It will pick up a lot of dirt and junk that gets embedded in the paint over time, leaving the paint feeling smooth and looking glossier than before.


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The Baltimore Orioles split a doubleheader on Friday with the Tampa Bay Rays. Even though playing the team with the poorest record in all of baseball, it remains difficult to win both ends of a twin bill.
Kevin Gausman was simply not sharp in the opener which the Orioles lost to the Rays by a final of 5-2. He was charged with all the runs scored on seven hits along with four walks. He looked like a guy who has been up and down from the minors and now was out of a routine. It clearly seems to be time for a regular rotation routine to be established for the second half of the season.
His adversary – rookie Alex Colome – had the baseball day of his life thus far. He held the Orioles to one run on two hits through 5.2 innings. Again, the Birds seem unable to figure out a new pitcher or one who has some plus stuff working on that day.
Manny Machado did get his fifth home run of the season in the seventh inning, but it is difficult to win games when a team only tallies a total of three hits.
The evening game was a much more pleasant experience for the Orioles and their fans as the Birds pulled out a 4-1 victory. Chris Tillman performed at his most efficient best. He threw fewer pitches in four innings in this game than he tossed in the first inning alone of several other notorious outings this year. His final numbers were eight innings with only four hits and a single walk. Pounding the strike zone on the inside and outside of the plate … this is the key to solid pitching. Hopefully all the others took note of this approach, though doing it successfully is probably where the devil is in the details.
Each team scored a single run in the second inning, and so the score stood at 1-1 until Nick Hundley got all of a pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning for his first Orioles home run. And Nelson Cruz would double the score in the next inning, driving in Adam Jones who had doubled ahead of him for his fourth base hit of the evening. Yes the whole team had three hits in game one, and Adam Jones had four (out of 10 team hits) in the second game.
And yes, Adam Jones was a steal for the Orioles when they traded for him after the 2007 season, giving up Erik Bedard as the major piece of the deal. So Bedard (3-5, 4.25) returns to the familiar confines of Camden Yards for today's 4:05 game three of the series.
Bedard has not actually pitched in Baltimore since June 14, 2012 with the Pirates, where the Orioles lit him up for seven runs over 3.1 innings. Tommy Hunter was the starting pitcher for the Orioles that day – remember when he used to do that?
Bedard's next most recent game against the Orioles was just 10 days ago in Florida where the O's beat him by scoring five runs in four innings, including a Chris Davis grand slam.
The current Orioles lineup has a .275 average against Bedard, with Adam Jones the highest at 6-for-13. Nick Markakis is 5-for-12 with Davis 4-for-10. Nelson Cruz has the most at-bats with 23 that include seven hits and two homers. We certainly won't be seeing Delmon Young today – not after Buck sees that he is 2-for-21 over his career against the personality-deprived Canadian.
The Orioles will start Wei-Yin Chen for the 16th time this year, and he enters with a 7-2 record with a 3.84 ERA. He has pitched twice against the Rays this year, giving up four runs on 11 hits in 13 innings.
The current Rays lineup versus Chen is only hitting .235 against him on 31-for-132. Ben Zobrist has been the big killer with 10-for-28 and a home run. But most of the other Rays big guns weigh in (see what I did there?) with smaller successes – Evan Longoria 4-for-17, Desmond Jennings 4-for-23, Sean Rodriguez 2-for-17, and Yunel Escobar 2-for-15.
This looks very winnable, which means ……. nothing.
A positive feature from the Friday doubleheader was having the Orioles get through it fairly intact in terms of the bullpen. Even though Gausman departed earlier than desired, Evan Meek and Brad Brach threw two shutout innings each. And only a single (save situation) inning was needed from Zach Britton in the second game. So the rest of the bullpen is well-rested for today's contest.
The Jays, Yankees, and Orioles all have 37 losses at this point of the season. However, the O's have one more win than the Yankees, but three fewer than the Jays.


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Pineapple Season Update
It looks like a cool winter is on its way – but our beautiful pineapples are as sweet and juicy as ever. With good Autumn temperatures and rainfall, our winter pineapples are looking great! So expect to see this winters Pure Gold Pineapples a little larger than normal.
If you want some tips on choosing a pineapple you can check out our how-to guide so you always end up with the freshest, juiciest pineapple everytime.
Find out more about Pure Gold pineapples
* Average daily intake. See the full nutrition results
Put some Pure Gold pineapples into your trolley for a fantastic vitamin boost and for a quick easy meal like the classic ham and pineapple pizza.
Find more delicious pineapple recipes or snacks, dinner, desserts or drinks. Learn how to pick a ripe pineapple and a few ways to cut it.
New For Winter
The Pure Gold Crown, Australia's tastiest and most trusted fruit, is now wearing its crown. So now your pineapples can look great as well as taste great this winter, with both options now available for you to choose.


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Emporio Armani's Contrast Micro collection of men's underwear combines contrast colors and body-contouring fits to make the perfect briefs and trunks. The Contrast Micro Briefs have a rounded contour pouch that provides comfortable support to the body, as well as a modern, low-rise design. With contrast piping, a logo waistband and a smooth microfiber fabric blend, these men's briefs are the ultimate blend of style and comfort.
91% Polyamide, 9% Elastane.
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text:
An anachronism in football boots
So far have expectations plummeted that when Andy Carroll met the airborne ball with his head on Tuesday night, knocking it into indiscriminate space, Anfield erupted in appreciation. That this action took place equidistant from both ends meant little: he was bought to head, and head he did.
There has been a change at Liverpool in recent weeks. Two late goals at Ewood Park and Wembley washed the Kop of its doubters, and Carroll became an instant hero. Yet the predominant drawback of being an instant hero is that, time being the fluid concept that it is, instants are momentary. Now, that the immediate minutes after have come and gone, and the glory has cleared, we can begin to remember why it was that we so derided this lumbering streak of misery in the first place.
Having watched him compulsively over the course of the season, as all people so unfortunate as to have chosen to support Liverpool have done, it is easy to string Carroll up and tear him apart (metaphorically, of course: his dimensions suggest it would be altogether more difficult to actually lift him from the ground). He alone has made the past nine months intolerably painful. It is not so much his ethic as his ability: indeed, Carroll will run, building up momentum slowly like a 100-tonne steam engine, only to just miss the ball slip past him – or rather, he slips past it, such is his incapability to slow down when required, and his poor sense of balance.
His skill in possession is something to behold. What is remarkable is the amount of effort it often takes him to find himself with the ball at his feet, in "control". Barney Ronay of the Guardian noted how he "addresses the ball with the finesse of a man booting an old hubcap along a motorway verge". It is an unfortunately brilliant comparison. His attempted bicycle kick against Fulham was, whilst an example of his growing confidence, a summation of his ability: he might have held the ball for an oncoming midfielder, but instead chose to knock it ahead of him, away from goal, and attempt an overhead kick. If the Ronaldinho of 2005 had scored from the same move, it would have been passed off as a fluke. It was depressingly laughable.
The shame of it all is that it really isn't Carroll's fault. It is unfair to call him a 'bad' footballer. Damien Comolli, who had so revolutionised Tottenham, decided that he was worth the frenzied spend, and Liverpool paid Newcastle United £35m in what will go down as arguably the worst transfer in English football – though the Newcastle boardroom would beg to differ. There could be few who would argue otherwise: even the most ardent Liverpool supporter would have difficulty justifying his place in the side, if they could ignore the FA Cup semi-final winning goal.
Much was spent, though not necessarily on very little. Carroll was a revelation as he took his first steps in the Premier League, and only foolish restlessness saw the biggest transfer fee for a British player paid out. Some must have forgotten altogether that he earned a call-up to the national side. Far from being a complete stumbling drunk of a footballer (on the pitch, at least), he is an anachronism.
At the head of Liverpool's forward line, Carroll serves as a reminder of the past. Cristiano Ronaldo might not have thrived when matches were played under three feet of snow, or in endless pools of mud. It is not so difficult to see Andy Carroll in sepia-drenched red, blood pouring from his face, playing in an FA Cup sixth-round replay which has drawn the attention of all of Britain. Here, in this time, he is not the nostalgic purchase that his manager hoped would revive the long-dead memories of a better side. Indeed, his manager might as well be playing alongside him, so long gone is his era.
He is the last of his kind, and it is almost fitting that he should exist alone ahead of Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez, leading Liverpool, all the while pulling them back. His height dictates that he can head the ball, so cross after cross after pointless, execrable cross is swung towards his lonely figure. He'll rise; heaving his considerable mass from the earth, straining his neck muscles in a final attempt to keep the ball from dribbling pathetically out of play. More often than not, it does. The goal kick is taken, and he looks hopefully up at the ball passing over him. It is a poignant pattern.
Watching Barcelona is, David Winner suggests, comparable to a bullfight: "Languid phases of poise and stillness give way to darting swoops and thrusts. One side is giving an exhibition of intelligence and fluidity; the other can muster only a kind of sullen physical threat. The quick passing serves to establish mastery and wear down the resistance of the dangerous opponent."
Football has moved past Andy Carroll, yet he remains stuck in the wrong era of the game, as the impossible triumvirate of Xavi, Iniesta and Messi taunt him from afar. All four play the same game: it is the same ball, the same rules, and the same field. They, however, are players that have defined modern football, and extinguished the notion of the hulking, all-conquering targetman. Carroll's kind is near to extinct.
Writes Winner: "Even the biggest, dumbest, slowest footballers are sentient creatures who feel pain". As excruciating as it has been to watch Andy Carroll this season; to see him frustrate the crosses, perhaps we should stop to sympathise. On Saturday, if he takes to the field, the ball will likely skip just beyond his reach again. He'll look to the sky for an answer, the 25,000 Liverpool supporters who have travelled to London will groan, and millions more will project their abuse towards a television set. Watching Carroll has been painful. Being him, as the football passes him by, must be infinitely more so.
Max Grieve


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Looking for 60's "feel" place for drinks (not necessary with food)
- s
- StevenHolt Jun 4, 2011 06:05 PM
I'm having a birthday "party", which is more of a little gathering than anything else in a couple of weeks and I thought it'd be great to go somewhere that has this 1950/1960's feel to it, the kinda place Sinatra would've hung out. Jazz music (doesn't have to be live) is a plus, and somewhere with a bit of a dress code (ie. I want to show up with proper trousers and shirt and not look out of place!) would be great.
I'm actually from Montreal but I've never looked around for places like these, and I don't drink so bars aren't really my area of expertise (but my friends do so...). If it can give a better idea of what I'm looking for, think of where Don Draper ends up after work in Mad Men.
Thanks a lot!
re: kpaxonite
oh those are jazz places...but not 1960s
re: chickenbruiser
Pop! The interior is very 60s. It's all mid-century mod teak furnishings and dansk accessories. They even have a small interior garden with bonzai plants. Think Tony Curtis in Sweet Smell of Success and you'll sort of get an idea of the ambiance. Very Mad Men indeed (though I've admittedly never seen the show!). You can dress sharp without feeling out of place (sad how proper trousers and a shirt would ever seem that way!) Most folks in the city don't seem to put much towards appearance, and will venture just about anywhere in casual wear unfortunately, so there's no telling. It is a wine bar primarily though, and not really a cocktail place. The food is quite good as it shares a kitchen with Laloux. They have an excellent cheese plate. I would call ahead to make a res. as it's a small place (although usually quiet) but you might get stuck sitting at the bar if it's a weekend since there are not many tables. If you're with a small group, there's an alcove with sofas and chairs in the front of the room that you may be able to reserve if you are going mostly for drinks. I would definitely suggest Pop! based on what you're after!
Once upon a time, there was a Jello Bar which seemed to fit the bill - nice vibe, cocktails part of the show, slight dress code, lava lamps, 60s shtick decor. However, last time I was there (years ago) it seems to have transformed into a hiphop hangout. Maybe someone can elaborate on todays version?
re: porker
JB is terrible. It's another douchey house blaring music bar on the main. I think you're thinking of the Go-Go Lounge btw, which is exactly the same. Pop is definitely what he's looking for!
re: OliverB
Sad that Jell-O bar went that way. I had fun there a while ago.
I do remember getting this type of vibe from Jell-O bar on Ontario, but I haven't been there in years, and this might have been a 'special' night at that time.
I've also heard that House of Jazz is a classy place that has a vibe and I think you can go there for cocktails only, but never managed to actually go. http://www.houseofjazz.ca
re: estilker
I was in Dominion Square Tavern today and it is an older period than 60s, maybe 1920-30s, no music, people were eating at the bar and seemed to be more couple crowd or business groups. Food is still good though, I had a cold apple cresson soup and daily special. Service always excellent which is a big plus. But I dont think this is what you are looking for.
re: Shattered
It's actually quite the opposite for both hotels you mentioned!
Both hotel bars are filled with club-goers with money(or appearance of money) and i passed in front of Opus last weekend, there was a bunch of people waiting to maybe get in at some point in the night, and definitely not the Don Draper type!
However, there are some hotel bars which are more quiet and offers good drinks, the one at Sofitel comes to mind, and there, no club-goers!


text: 27th May Short URL http://tmblr.co/ZEsBby1H1T3io Looking for marketing ideas? Start a swipe file. Looking for marketing ideas? Start a swipe file.One of the best ways to get ideas for new direct mail, ads, or online advertising is to keep a file of samples you like. For me, it's as simple as a box in my office where I toss mailings I receive. I also clip print ads and put them in a file folder. I clip and bookmark great web content with Evernote Web Clipper. This way when a project comes up or you are looking for inspiration for your…View On WordPress like reblog 0


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20 May, 2014 03:52 May 20, 2014
I want YOU for US Peace Corps Philanthropy (and so does Uncle Sam) June 22, 2010
Hello Friends, Family, Strangers, Lovers!
I am reaching out to everyone I know and taking advantage of this crazy social network to ask for your help in supporting a Peace Corps project of mine! This project was created out of the expressed need and desire from my community….
Quick Summary:
I am living in a remote mountain village in the Philippines, Guinzadan, for my 2 year service as a Peace Corps Volunteer. I am working within the educational system at the community's high school and in overall community development. My village remains extremely rich in its native Igorot culture, while trying to keep up with the greater developing world so as to maintain a fighting chance for the success of its younger generations.
It is shocking to live in an isolated village with very simple living conditions, yet find a school equipped with a computer lab. Unfortunately, the valuable computer resources are not being realized due to poor condition, improper upkeep, and complete lack of training. My project revolves around improving the computer literacy of my community to help them meet the demands of the current age of technology. The major components of the project involve improving the lab facilities and equipment to create a workable computer lab, developing resources and courses for an effective technology component to be integrated into the high school's curriculum, and holding computer literacy trainings for teachers/staff, government employees, unemployed professionals, and out-of-school youth in the community.
I have developed overwhelming support, monetary and non-monetary, from within the Guinzadan community to make this project sustainable. The entire vision for the project, improving the professional skills of individuals and competitiveness of the community as a whole, is one shared by the entire community. I am guiding the project from start to finish as a Peace Corps Volunteer, but essentially, the project will be completed by the Guinzadan community and the growth & benefits will continue long after the "project's end" due to its sustainable nature and community initiation & ownership.
"Go to the people: live with them, learn from them, love them, start with what they know, build with what they have. But of the best of leaders, when the job is done, the task accomplished, the people will say: We have done it ourselves." -LaoTzu
How Can You Help?!
To support my project I have written a grant proposal through the Peace Corps Partnership Program. They have accepted my proposal and posted my project online for potential donors to review and, hopefully, DONATE! The entire project is on standby until I can obtain the requested total funds.
Remember…. $1.00 is worth almost 50 pesos here…. So SERIOUSLY…. Every dollar counts! I know many of you may not be rolling in dough…. But every little bit will really help me out. And if you know anyone who is rolling in dough that might want to throw out some good karma into the world…. let them know about my Peace Corps project!
It is simple!
Click on this link…..
And DONATE! (Whatever amount your beautiful heart is able and willing to contribute!)
Here is a link to a SLIDESHOW I put together of the Guinzadan community and proposed project….. Sorry, no fancy video, I have limited technology and Internet in these mountains! Just download off of this file sharing site and VIEW. The download may take a bit of time because of the enormous file size BUT I put some heart & soul into it soooooooo go eat your merienda (snack) while its downloading and come back to pics of my new home sweet home J!
http://www.4shared.com/dir/Fs_ib34V/PCPP_Grant.html *
*You will also find files for the project proposal in full detail with budget attachment if you so wish to look over. Tedious grant writing, but gives you more info.
Thanks to all of you… even if you can not donate!
<3 MelissaSue.
PS- I promise to come back from offline hibernation as soon as I see some philanthropic moves on your part haha joke lang! That reminds me… funny story: While in Manila… met these creepy old white men (pretty standard)… but when they introduced themselves and asked why I was here (not trying to exploit the PI poverty and desperation of women by frequenting GRO bars all day and night being an unfathomable idea in these fools' heads)… the exact words that came out of one of the guy's mouths when I told them I was a Peace Corps Volunteer was, "Well hell, we are meeting a real life humanitarian. Right before our eyes. I didn't know they really existed." Sometimes all you can do is chuckle. And that is precisely what I did.
Coming up…
Romping around the PI with the POPS à Return to site in a 24-hour neck brace called the MIAMI J.
Ohhhhhhh the SUSPENSE. Unbearable, eh?!?!
"We can work until we drop. We can work excessively. If what we do is not connected to love, however, our work is useless." May 10, 2010
First off… HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all you MAMAS out there! I have had many of you out there fill the 'mother role' for me growing up at one point or another… you have helped bring me to where I am today. To my Mama Sue… the magic that lies between mother and daughter seems to be revealed more and more each day… our hearts are connected in the most mysterious of ways. Much love….
Okay, sorry for my absence… haha to those of you who actually read this thing! Today is election day in the Philippines! Although my mountain home is generally peaceful during this time… the violence that erupts throughout the country during times of elections requires us to be on standstill at our sites. Sooooo I will take this opportunity to fill in the silence of these past two months! Get ready for a mouthful…
Where do I begin? Let's rewind to a weekend in the middle of March… I was attending Begnas Festival, which is an annual tradition in my mountain village. The festival originated back in the day with the ancestors as a way to thank the gods (yes, before the wave of Christianity in the PI!) for a bountiful harvest. The day was celebrated with dancing, singing, sports games, market shopping, LOTS of eating! People began to tell me about a curse surrounding Begnas Festival these days… in which many people die during the celebration each year. The elders believe this happens because today's people are not properly worshiping the gods. So I listened and took it as a silly belief…. until 4 deaths happened over that weekend… one of them being my supervisor (principal) at my small school… as he collapsed to his death in the middle of a volleyball game from a heart attack. I had just spent the entire morning with him wandering around the festival and supporting our students in their basketball match. As I went to meet my host family, he gave me a lingering hug goodbye (which seemed weird to me at the time… because we had never hugged before)… and about an hour later he had a heart attack. I was really shaken up during this time. My lola and lolo (grandma and grandpa) had died recently, one of my closest volunteer friends had decided to end her service and return to America, and then my supervisor dropped down dead. It was just an overwhelming amount of loss going on around me and I sort of lost my emotional stability for a little bit. I couldn't shake off an eerie feeling that something else was going to happen. I felt even more overwhelmed when at the 5-day wake of my principal there was a photograph up that had been taken of me and him on his last day. Everyone was coming up to me saying, "I heard you were the one he spent his last day with." As family poured in from all over the PI and overseas… I cringed upon hearing the shameless wails they let out upon walking into the living room to see his dead body laying in front of them. They buried him on top of a nearby mountain and the ceremony gave me some peace of mind. It was just a lot to take in and I couldn't help but start to worry about something happening to one of my loved ones while being so far away from home. I am doing much better now… and I am sure stronger because of it… but my heart and head were sure aching.
It was around this time when I went to help a volunteer out at his site with an HIV/AIDS symposium for high school students. The school actually let us discuss birth control methods such as condoms and the pill…. which is HUGE for the Philippines. The Catholic dominance still outlaws both divorce and birth control methods….. crazy wazy…. so in most cases, the topic is too taboo to discuss. My favorite part… at the end of the whole symposium we showed a touching video about maintaining healthy human connections despite the many STDS and HIV/AIDS risks out there in this big bad world J … and each of us volunteers held up "Free Hugs" signs at the end of the video to close the program. The students were so excited they ran at us and rushed in to give us a flood of free hugs. Great moment!
The summer months in the Philippines are April and May… so March was also graduation time! Graduation was a hectic time at my school, getting tests/grades wrapped up, especially with the loss of our principal, but graduation went smoothly and I was happy to reach summer break! Now it was time for more work outside of the classroom J.
I have been working on writing a grant through Peace Corps for a computer literacy program I have dreamed up alongside the community members of my site. Basically… the school has a simple computer lab with 30 computers donated in 2005. Great, right?! WRONG. These computers have been, more or less, untouched over the past 5 years… sitting idly in the computer lab. Perfect example of wasted charity. People seem to think that sending money or materials overseas is going to solve all our problems… when, in reality, valuable resources and donations so often go unrealized. Sustainable development and charity demands that training, monitoring, and evaluation MUST go hand in hand with donations. Time to get off my soap box (where did that saying come from anyway?! Google time!)…
My grant is going to be requesting funds for the improvement of the computer lab, enhancement of the technology and livelihood curriculum, and computer literacy trainings I plan to hold. I will be creating the FIRST ICT resources that the school has ever seen to use in their, now non-existent, technology courses. And there will be two trainings… one for all of the teachers in the community to improve their own computer skills and learn how to effectively use technology in the classrooms. Just to give you an idea…. Some of the teachers are still using a typewriter to create all their tests, grade sheets, etc. The second training I will be focusing on unemployed professionals and out-of-school youth in my community with a focus on increasing their job skills! The school was also chosen to be a part of a program here in the PI which connects schools in isolated areas to Internet access at a reduced cost! Oh how I hope to see this project actually transpire.
The grant is called the Peace Corps Partnership Program. After being approved, it will be posted online to receive funding from any willing American donors. As a part of the application, I was required to list personal references that may be interested in donating… so many of you will be receiving the grant proposal in its entirety! The grant also requires a 25% community contribution to the project…. And drum roll, please……. I was able to secure a P59,000 fund toward my computer literacy project from the local mayor and councilmen!!!! I submitted my proposal and had a formal presentation in front of a panel of old, "important" Filipino men. After much resistance (this country is so very corrupt…. and many government officials don't like to donate to anything but themselves in many cases)… I was able to get a few influential people on my side and succeeded! Huge sense of relief. As of now, I have officially finished my grant proposal, LOTS OF TEDIOUS WORK, which is being funneled through a Peace Corps panel to be approved soon! Then I will be calling on all you lovely peoples to throw in a dollar or two ;)!!!
What have I done with my summer thus far?!… you may or may not be asking haha… well, I spent the first half of my summer doing teacher trainings! The first training was a project in which Peace Corps partners with USAID. Volunteers are not allowed to travel or work in Mindanao, the southern island of the Philippines with a large Muslim presence, due to security reasons as civil unrest continues to devastate the region. However, USAID has a project, TUDLO Mindanao, in which they fly up selected teachers each year for a training camp so that our efforts as volunteers can still reach those who are in the most dire need of it. This year had the largest number of participants, with 350 teachers flown up from conflict-afflicted areas of Mindanao. I was extremely grateful to be chosen as one of around 13 volunteers to help plan and facilitate the camp. The ten days that followed were out of this world. Most of these people had never seen white people before… so it was like paparazzi 24/7… never felt more like a celebrity in my life. Every day was a LONG day of teaching and evaluations with some bonding time at night (teaching yoga!). So very exhausting… but the results were so worth it! I received really great feedback on all my classes (my theme centered on teaching the participants how to bring more authentic learning into their classrooms with little to no resources). The hard work was more than paid off at the end of the training when we had a huge cultural night… in which the participants performed their traditional dances (in beautiful indigenous wear) for us around a bonfire. The lady volunteers got to learn one of these dances, a welcome dance performed at weddings and other ceremonies, and the women dressed us up to perform for the closing ceremony! After the bonfire… the volunteers played them a silly music video we had put together over the course of the week (into the wee hours of the night!)… and then, to top it all off, a spontaneous dance party broke out where the volunteers and participants danced wildly about with each other! The beauty of the moment brought tears to my eyes. During our goodbyes, the participants showered each of us with gifts they had brought for us from their home in Mindanao… beautiful native fabrics, necklaces, skirts, robes, headdresses, etc. They told us to keep these things as a remembrance of their thanks to us. Lord almighty… I was so touched. Some women who had not brought gifts… were taking things off their back to give to us in gratitude for the experience. Whewwwwww… it was one of those moments that make your heart jump for joy. The generosity and genuine respect they showed to us was unmatchable.
As dance slowly works its way into my life in the most unexpected ways… I get reminded of how things that are meant to be (hobbies, people, etc.) always find a way to work themselves back into your life. It is really neat for me to explore the beauty and power of dance far out of the "competitive dance world" I was consumed by for so many years. Seeing the power it has in connecting people from all over the world… just as music does… has really touched a certain part of my heart! I see that my passion for dance is not GONE or something that has been WASTED in my life… which I have often felt… but is mysteriously ever present in my life and even showing up in the work I am doing here in the Philippines. Oopsie… that was a rant and a half. To wrap it up, TUDLO Mindanao was a beautiful experience… I got to know some other volunteers on a deeper level and we really bonded over sharing such a brilliant memory! The late nights of planning and stress made the celebration that much more beautiful! Halfway through our camp… we heard news of bombings in Mindanao. The strength that the participants exhibited in finishing the camp out while there was pure chaos happening back at home was something I will never forget. Omg… and one of the women was sharing how floods were so rampant in her hometown that they had created a village that floated on water all year round…. Imagine boating from your floating house to floating school???? Crazy. Ok rant = done. Sorry!
After the TUDLO training… I headed up to a volunteer's site just north of me in mountain province to facilitate another week-long training. It went really great! My focus in this training was creating a comfortable and positive learning environment in the classrooms. Affirmations are a VERY foreign idea, especially here in the mountains, but the topic proved to be one of the highlights of many participants! We had another cultural night, which I LOVED, because it was with my mountain peeps… and I already knew the dances to the gongs and drums!!! Made some neat connections with some powerful people in Manila… one of them a media center supporting funding for the project, which documented most of the classes on videotape… a little nervewracking… but hey, I gave em a show!!!
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO I am now back at site… catching up on sleep! Did not realize how exhausted my body was from non-stop work and travel. A few moments to breathe here in my mountain home before I go back down south to meet my POPS for our vacation to the lovely island of Bohol!!!!!! I can not wait… it still does not seem real that a person from home is going to enter my new world here in the Philippines! Scuba diving, beaches, hiking, & lovely chats with the Daddio… here I come! I am excited to put on the "tourist" hat for a moment and slip away, from work that I LOVE I might add haha, to get some old fashioned tropical paradise R&R. After I bid my vacation and papa a tearful farewell… I fly straight to help another volunteer with a teacher training on a southern island. This will be my final summer hoorah before the school year begins again in June. Looking forward to settling back down with my mountain people!!!
Well that is it! The only other earth-shattering news I have to share with you is that I AM TURNING 23 YEARS OLD! Gosh oh golly, another years worth of experience and wisdom. J.
Hope I did not bore you with the whereabouts and latest happenings of my life!
Let us say a little prayer that the violence of election time remains contained… and that the newly elected government officials bring the Philippines toward some much needed change… and not a step deeper into corruption and stagnation.
Skydive, check. Bungee jump, check. What to do next?! March 11, 2010
March 7th, 2010
In-between trainings this past February I had a free Valentines Day weekend so I decided to, what the hell, get scuba certified in the good ol' Philippines! Sort of embarrassing to say, but I have always had a slight fear of underwater sea creatures. If I swim out really far and get in my head, I start to picture my legs dangling underwater as perfect bait for the lochness monster haha!! So anyway… I decided that scuba diving was an epic adventure I could undertake that might help me with my little fear as I face the dangerous fishies underwater :). Plus… the Philippines has some of the best scuba diving in the world… I mean, how could you not?!
Anyway… I did my PADI open water certification in a jam-packed three days. I knew it would be challenging, but this was definitely an experience unlike any other. Taking those first few breaths underwater is so unnatural… just goes against basic human instincts, you know? You have to train your body to take continuous long, deep breaths. It is very relaxing, but after underwater for awhile you get this, what I can best describe as, a slight "dizzy, tingling" feeling. Going through all the emergency procedures, flooding the mask, running out of air in the tank and breathing with another diver, taking all the equipment on and off underwater, and on and on was actually kind of nerve-wracking. Scuba diving requires a certain amount of mind control. Once you start to panic, it is crucial to be able to calm down your mind and get back to a place where you are thinking clearly. When it comes down to it, if you panic deep down underwater and can not calm yourself…. Well, you're DONZO! As we got deeper and deeper in our training sessions, I started to see just how important going through all the emergency procedures really was! The reality is… we are still humans even when scuba diving… and do not have the luxury of gills :)
After watching videos, taking quizzes, and doing all of our shallow water training, our dive instructor (stellar man!) took us out to two famous dive sites in the area to practice! The first was called twin peaks… it had awesome coral and the most amazing schools of fish everywhere. It was our first boat dive and I was so pumped to fall into the water backwards like I the divers in the movies hahaha, such a nerd I know! You should have seen me in my wet suit, flippers, and goggles…. Oh wow. My only hesitation was that I was dropping into a sea of jellyfish. If you have ever seen Finding Nemo, the scene where they frantically swim through all those jellyfish getting brutally stung left and right, haha yah, that flashed into my head. But my instructor seemed to take no notice soooo I decided to follow lead! That first real diving experience was magnificent. I was surprised to find myself not the least bit scared. It all seems far less intimidating when you are "one of the fish" rather than an imposter floating around on the surface! I originally thought it would feel a lot like swimming, but it is almost like you are floating and flying at the same time. Everything feels so darn graceful under there. I swam right into a huge school of fish and felt a huge adrenaline rush. Our instructor brought down his camera and took pictures and videos of us "amateurs" learning the ropes of the underwater world… did I mention he was stellar?! Of course, I got a little cocky and did a back flip for the camera…. Almost crashing into the ocean floor haha!
One of the sweetest parts for me was learning how to control your body's buoyancy. Although you can inflate/deflate your life vest when needed, it is encouraged to use your breath to control where you are in the water. Gliding through the water, if you find yourself getting too close to the coral at the bottom you take a big inhale and after a few seconds delay… your whole body rises… then if you are getting too high and want to take a look at something you can empty your lungs and your body floats down. It is hard to explain… but it really makes you feel in touch with your body and quite magical I might add!
The second dive site was called the cathedral. Some king, a long time ago, dropped this mini stone castle and cross into the water for his daughter, the princess… or something along those lines! It was pretty cool to check them out just chilling at the bottom of the sea.
I am officially scuba certified and ready for more, more, more. My next step in further conquering my fear is diving with the famous whale sharks here in the PI. I handled the fish, but I think I need to master my mind control skills before I embark on this adventure!!!
It is really fascinating to explore a world so foreign to us land folk! The mystery of the ocean is so very intriguing and I feel honored to be a part of the ongoing exploration.
I want to come back in my next life as a mermaid. I will try my damndest to make the transition during this one!
Andddddddd four posts later….. I am officially loopy. So before I completely lose you guys, farewell for now!
Much love.
Labels may be easy to peel off objects, but place a label on a child and it sticks.
MArch 7th, 2010
There is a time a place when ability-based grouping of students is highly appropriate and effective. Here is a perfect example of when it is NOT:
Each year level at my secondary school is divided into three different sections. You have the "star" section. The "mediocre" section. And the "unruly" section. They are not officially given these titles, but it is understood by every teacher which section falls under which one of these categories. Once their ability is prematurely decided, they remain in the corresponding section for the remaining 4 years.
Ability-based grouping, when done effectively, can be a very splendid thing. It allows those who naturally fall ahead of the average to progress at an advanced speed. It also allows teachers to give more individual attention and time to students who are running into more challenges to help keep them up to speed… remedial instruction!
However, I began to witness that ability-based grouping can have a very dark side. I co-teach in a classroom that is known among the teachers as the infamous group of "troubled" and "unruly" students. I will not lie… I have exited that classroom with a throbbing headache! It is frustrating when your job in a classroom turns from teacher to babysitter. Classroom management will always be a struggle with teachers, but what I saw happening inside and outside of this classroom made me understand that management gone wrong can not only intensify, but even create the problem itself.
If you have never heard of the self-fulfilling prophecy… well here goes a perfect portrayal. Through formal observations and informal conversations with the teachers, I have heard over and over again that this class is unmanageable and not capable of the work of the other sections. I can clearly see the difference in disposition of the teachers as they walk into their "star" sections vs. the "others". To make it worse, they have no problem letting the "others" know it. The students are made well aware of where they stand with the teachers.
The chosen discipline of one of my co-teachers, old and close to retiring, is to pinch or hit the children. Yes, corporal punishment is by no means illegal here in the Philippines. I have literally heard the words, "If it does not leave a mark, it does no harm." Students have grown accustomed to this discipline and I witnessed, no joke, three boys handing a stick to one of the teachers begging to be whipped instead of forced to write a paper. Just a little backwards… for children to be begging for physical abuse over schoolwork shows how rampant abuse is in these children's lives. Another winning moment was when my co-teacher screamed to the class, "you students behave as animals behave."
These students are made to feel like they are worthless and have no hope in excelling. What incentive do they have to behave? Parents and teachers are given a powerful influence over the children of our world, whether they like it or not, and if they do not believe in the children, in most cases, the children will not believe in themselves. That is the nature of us humans. Now some of these teachers are giving signals to the students in far more subtle, unintentional ways than I have described above. I do not want to paint an inaccurate picture of absolute madness. The fact of the matter is though, that this is unacceptable. It makes my stomach sick and I can not stand by and watch it happen. They lump these slower learners together, treat them like slower learners, and then are so shocked when the kids start misbehaving and showing a lack of interest in studies. WELL DUH!!!!
There is a lack of affection between adults and children in the culture here in the mountains. A simple, "how was your day?" from parent to child is unheard of. This goes from the homes right into the classrooms. Affirming students is absent from classrooms. When a student makes a mistake, it is common behavior for both fellow students and teacher to laugh at them. Teachers publicly criticize and make fun of the students at times. Now, these are people that I am becoming very close to. They are not monsters. They are simply living in the same world they grew up in. This goes for students as well. They have an incredible resiliency to such treatment, seemingly because that is what it has always been like. I recognize this, but it gives me all the more reason to show them another way. The importance of a positive, comfortable learning environment??? It will take time to address this issue as it deals with deep cultural roots.
Without disrespecting individuals at my school and creating irreparable damages to relationships, which count for most of everything here in the Philippines, I decided to write a research paper on the negative affects that ability-based grouping can have on a school. I kept personal observations and hang-ups out of the paper, and focused on how detracking the students could benefit Guinzadan National High School. I stressed how mixing the students will give every student a chance to be among positive peer role models in the classroom and the "babysitting" role of the teachers will decrease. I stressed that the average grades of the students and national test scores (which schools focus MUCH of their energy on) would eventually go up over time. Although I think the learning applicable to the real world and development of life skills in students is FAR more important than inaccurate measures of intelligence such as national test scores, I am starting to see how important it is to appeal to the "other" side sometimes.
The fear that the "star" students would suffer from this mixing of abilities was calmed by my offering to teach effective differentiation within a classroom. I also explained how peer mentoring can be one of the most invaluable tools of learning for the more advanced students.
The point is…. I have successfully gotten the principal to agree to detrack the students this upcoming school year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! May seem like a small feat, but giving 30 students of each grade level a fighting chance, a chance they might have been denied before, is going to give me some more peaceful nights of sleep!
In the future, I hope the teachers of GNHS will be able to effectively do ability-based grouping when appropriate, for example, tracking students in math and science, but one step at a time. I know this will not magically solve all problems, some students will still receive negative attention, but I hope that this will diffuse the problem at least a smidgen!
What may be beautiful to you may not be beautiful to me. Is it that simple?
March 7th, 2010
I am starting to see that every culture defines beauty in a slightly different way. When I first came to the Philippines the debate over what shade of skin was most beautiful simply made me laugh. The fact that many Americans seek out a darker skin tone in tanning beds, by caking on bronzer, and using tanning lotions, while many Filipinos avoid sunlight at all costs and buy an endless supply of whitening products was initially very amusing to me. It seemed to be a simple example of wanting what we don't have. I took the opportunity to engage in a cultural exchange as I explained that, no! I did not want to cover my precious white skin with an umbrella every time I went outdoors and, furthermore, I would love to get a suntan!
It was not until a conversation I had with my host mother that this difference in opinion over desired skin color went far deeper than I had originally anticipated. As I basked in the sunshine reading my novel, she asked me for what seemed like the millionth time, "Isn't the sun hurting your skin? You know, you are going to get darker." I decided this time to ask her more about their obsession with having lighter skin. She explained to me, in a matter of a fact tone, that people with lighter skin color are superior to those with darker. WHAT?!?! Here I was, talking to a well-educated, strong woman who was voicing a self-discriminating opinion… I was shocked to hear these words coming out of her mouth. When she went on to say that Filipinos need to "repair" their skin with whitening products and avoiding direct sunlight my jaw dropped and heart sank. I did my very best in getting across the idea that everyone is beautiful no matter what their skin color is… and all I got in response was a laugh and unconvincing "maybe".
Why???? She told me it was probably from the hundreds of years of Spanish, Japanese, and American occupation.
"So you understand that this was an effect from outsiders taking control and making you feel inferior as a means of gaining power??"
"And now the Philippines has regained its rightful independence and Filipinos are free to celebrate their culture and be proud of who they are???"
"Hasn't this come hand in hand with a pride and sense of beauty in your skin color?"
"No. It is just something we believe."
If this conversation doesn't disturb you… well man, I just don't know. Coming from a country that has struggled SO much to heal itself from a past of horrendous discrimination… and that still has a LONG way to go, I felt really invested. It is one thing to hear an ignorant person being discriminatory to someone different than themselves… that is to be expected, a fear of the unknown unfortunately brings out some ugly things in people. But to hear someone being discriminatory against themselves and of others like them… now, that is just heartbreaking. The discrimination is coming from a very different place… and if I do nothing else during my service here in the Philippines, I hope… I pray… that I can help some people feel more comfortable in their own skin, however light or dark it may be.
Just goes to show you how deeply-embedded and twisted the effects of discrimination can be.
Corruption is everywhere. But wow, the Philippines has got a good handle on it.
March 7th, 2010
As the presidential elections draw nearer, I have found myself contemplating the potential of the Philippines in terms of politics. I asked one of my students doing a presentation on past presidents, "What will the current president be most known for?" Without a second's thought, CORRUPTION spilled out of this 12 year old's mouth, as giggles erupted among the classmates. Usually one-word answers will not do in my classroom, but in this case, all I could think was, enough said.
Working in a country marred with corruption has allowed me to see how far outside politics corruption spreads its power-hungry hands or maybe how inherent politics is in every societal system…. Either way, it starts to become rather overwhelming. I try to advocate taking a stand and fighting for what you believe justice to be, but, I hate to admit, I am starting to see how a defeatist attitude may be the only thing that keeps your head on straight under certain conditions.
The school system here is controlled by the Department of Education. The fact that I have to navigate around the corruption within my small school of 350 students and less than 20 faculty members in an isolated village in the mountains BLOWS MY MIND. I won't go into nitty gritty details… but there are definite factions within my school and circumstances that require me to walk on eggshells.
A few months ago… my host family was watching the news about some politician who was killed in a nearby province. When I inquired about what happened they replied with, "Oh nothing, its election time!" Violence being a casual sign of elections coming closer caught me off guard. Now don't get me wrong, I am not a naïve little girl who has never faced the realities of the world, but the Philippines has become another home for me. And for this to be a part of your home… well, it is rather unsettling. Politicians killing politicians… the intensity of violence being an effective tool to gauge what stage in the election process we are in… what are they really fighting for??
Standing in the doorway of my classroom, I see military planes flying by overhead. Knowing that this is not a usual sight here, I expect yet another story of violence coming my way. Sure enough, the NPA and military were involved in a conflict in the nearest city to me, which resulted in 5 military men being shot down dead. The NPA (New People's Army) is a rebellion group that has been around since the 1960's here in the PI. They are known to hide-out in camps around the mountains where I live. Their violent acts are directed toward the government, seeking political control and land reform. I in no way support violence as a means of conflict resolution, but in all of this, it is hard for me to decipher who the bad guy really is????
The distance I have had to the current administration's human rights violations was recently disturbed. There was an illegal mass arrest of 43 health workers near Manila. These workers were arrested in the middle of a medical training, the military claiming they were constructing a bomb as disguised NPA members. When I found out my host father's sister was one of these health workers arrested, I felt a fire start to grow inside of me. These innocent health workers were not only illegally arrested, but put into detention where they were blindfolded, starved, and further tortured. As is the case with any brutal, degrading torture… the military was able to get a few bogus "confessions". My host father's sister was a health worker who entered rural areas to help individuals in dire need of medical assistance. Come to find out, the military had warned her at an earlier date to terminate any further assistance. Why??? Because the far-flung barangays being helped were possible hide-outs for NPA members. This means that she could POSSIBLY be helping to save the life of a 'good-for-nothing' rebel. She decided to ignore this warning, seeing it as an atrocity to deny countless people aid, just as the government suggested, simply because she might stumble across and, god help us all, give medical attention to an NPA member. Sheds some new light on the ludicrous mass arrest eh?!? Sadly, not shocking. At all.
My head is racing in so many directions, as is evident in this post. I am banned by the Peace Corps in involving myself in any political battle here during my service, but that does not stop me from being affected. I have found myself thinking, what will it take for the Philippines to dig itself out of corruption?? And the answer, as it is always the case, isssss it starts with the people. Now here is where the real doozyness (yes, just made up a word!) comes in. I would argue that if the Filipino culture revolved around one value, that value would be family loyalty. This family loyalty has a beauty that can honestly knock you off your feet. Unfortunately, alongside the beauty there is a destructive nature that has sunk its teeth into the Philippines and the people refuse to let go.
In electing a person to ANY position, however big or small, family loyalty will win over credentials EVERY TIME. Now I see how preferential treatment to family members is existent everywhere. If given the choice, we will help our loved ones in any way we can, including the job selection process. But this goes FAR beyond loved ones in the Philippines. Let me paint a picture for you…. My host father is one of the barangay council members in Guinzadan and in the past weeks he has had numerous politicians calling him up, complete strangers, claiming to have blood relation. After claiming false blood relation, they remind him of his duty to campaign for them. Campaigning makes it sound like he must use a power of persuasion to win votes of the people, when in reality it becomes his duty to inform people of who they WILL, no questions asked, vote for. This is an obligation. No choice, for it is a matter of family.
When discussing this with a few Filipinos I have become close to, clarity was matched with disappointment. They fully recognize the negative effects this behavior has on the society around them; yet insist that there is no changing it. "That is just the way it is in our culture." I know I am an outsider, but this does not sit well with me… not well at all. If we, as humans, can use culture as an excuse to continue destructive behaviors… oh lord, our world will never get to a better place. I am an optimist when it comes to the goodness of human beings and the shared desire to live in a more peaceful world. Yes there are many distracted people. You can give me endless examples of intentional acts of violence in this world. But, for some reason I can not explain, I will still believe in this shared humanity. Within my being, I know this much is true. I may not be a follower of organized religion, but I have an unshakable faith. People want to love and be loved. People want to feel like they matter. People long for human interaction and connection. I don't understand why people do what they do, it has brought me to tears and heartache too many times to count… yet I will keep on trying to understand, because that is me.
It seems that the development of the Philippines will remain stagnant until the people can recognize that they are the ones who are creating this world of corruption they find themselves drowning in. It is a self-perpetuating existence. I wish I could swoop in as a superhero, and give everyone an "ah-hah" moment that leads to action. But sadly, the "ah-hah" moment needs to come from within the people. Until that day…. This vicious cycle is going to go round and round and round and round. That being said, I CAN and WILL contribute to the development of individuals inside of this mess of a country!
Sigh. As my host mama tells me over and over, "you need to choose your battles to stay sane and be of any help to anyone." This is a battle I will not even fool myself into thinking I can address… but it will stay in my mind. I will set my sights a little lower than single handedly washing away all corruption in the world… haha but not much lower ;)!!! I think I am going to look into obtaining a magic wand! But then I guess… what would we be living for if the world was that damn easy?!?
Side note: I am in no way claiming that there are no Filipinos fighting for a new way… just a response to observations I have made in my short, short time here.