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The Global Intelligence Files
On Monday February 27th, 2012, WikiLeaks began publishing The Global Intelligence Files, over five million e-mails from the Texas headquartered "global intelligence" company Stratfor. The e-mails date between July 2004 and late December 2011. They reveal the inner workings of a company that fronts as an intelligence publisher, but provides confidential intelligence services to large corporations, such as Bhopal's Dow Chemical Co., Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and government agencies, including the US Department of Homeland Security, the US Marines and the US Defence Intelligence Agency. The emails show Stratfor's web of informers, pay-off structure, payment laundering techniques and psychological methods.
G3* - US/CHINA/TAIWAN-Senators press jet sales to Taiwan
Released on 2012-10-18 17:00 GMT
Email-ID | 1372200 |
Date | 2011-05-26 22:16:52 |
From | email@example.com |
To | email@example.com |
List-Name | email@example.com |
is encroaching on it
Senators press jet sales to Taiwan
WASHINGTON (AFP) a** A US lawmaker said Thursday that nearly half the
Senate would press for the sale of fighter jets to Taiwan, fearing that
China was gaining a strategic edge over the self-governing island.
At a hearing on Commerce Secretary Gary Locke's nomination to be
ambassador to China, Senator Robert Menendez said that some 40 members of
the 100-member Senate would send a letter to President Barack Obama urging
the sale to Taiwan.
Menendez, a member of Obama's Democratic Party from New Jersey, said he
was "extremely concerned" as China ramps up its military spending and the
United States puts off a decision on selling F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan.
"Therefore we will leave Taiwan in a position that is, I think,
indefensible at the end of the day. And to me that will only exacerbate
the situation," Menendez said.
Saying it was "very rare" for so many lawmakers across party lines to send
such a letter, Menendez urged Locke to be an advocate within the Obama
administration for sale of F-16s to Taiwan.
[ For complete coverage of politics and policy, go to Yahoo! Politics ]
Locke said no decision was made on the jets and repeated the general US
official language on Taiwan -- that the United States recognized only one
China but was committed to the island's defense.
"The United States stands with Taiwan to ensure that it can defend itself
and that its self-defense capabilities are never eroded," Locke said.
Beijing considers Taiwan, where China's nationalists fled in 1949 after
defeat by the communists, to be a province awaiting reunification, by
force if necessary.
The United States in 1979 switched recognition to Beijing but Congress at
the same time approved the Taiwan Relations Act, which requires the
administration to provide the island with weapons for defensive purposes.
The United States last year approved $6.4 billion in weapons for Taiwan,
including Patriot missiles and Black Hawk helicopters, but did not include
the F-16s.
Even without the fighter jets, China angrily protested and cut off
military cooperation with the United States, although it has since
normalized defense ties.
Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou has repeatedly sought the F-16s, despite
his drive to improve ties with the mainland since taking office in 2008.
Reginald Thompson
Cell: (011) 504 8990-7741


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ADAM KLEINSCHMIDT: Anyone with half a brain knows that messing about with nuclear material is a bad idea. A nuclear physicist could tell you more. Owing to the fact that unbridled nuclear plants and bombs have catastrophic effects on the surrounding environment, atomic material gets a little chaotic when messed with.
The recent R1 trillion deal with the Russian Federation has made headlines and plans to build a new power plant to reduce reliance on coal has come under fire from opposition parties, western governments, and the media. All parties are alarmed at this surprising new turn of events.
YOGI SHOBA: On Sunday 21 September, a 21-year-old Capetonian woman died after attending the annual Earthdance Trance music festival. Apparently, she was 'unwell' and in a state of paranoia for five hours before paramedics could transport her to hospital. She died soon after of organ failure, although the cause of the organ failure is still unknown.
The organisers of the event place 'utmost confidence in [their] medical services'; with paramedics who are supposedly extensively trained in treating people in outdoor festival environments. With Rocking the Daisies fast approaching and a host of Cape Town's youth excitedly preparing to descend on Cloof Wine Estate; one must ask whether the incident was an unavoidable tragedy or whether people are putting their lives at risk by attending such events.
NAADIRAH SIBDA: The Oscar Pistorius Trial… Something that has been dominating not only the media in South Africa but media on a global scale throughout this year. Well the trial has once again returned to every household's television screens. After eagerly awaiting the judge's verdict all the anxiety was finally put to rest on 11 September when Pistorius was found guilty of culpable homicide and not murder. But has the verdict truly put it to rest or has it simply stirred up many angry citizens? This is what some university students have to say…
LAURIE SCARBOROUGH: So I'm not a Windows fan. I'm really not. And although I would consider myself a fairly quick-tempered person anyway, there's nothing quite like the feeling of seeing the blue screen of death flash onto my laptop screen. Especially after you've just typed 500 brilliant words of your essay for your BA – a degree in which the only numbers and maths that have any relevance are word counts and number of references.
Now while many of you may cry at such a phenomenon I simply hand over my stupid crummy useless non-Apple laptop to my dear Computer Science friend who does something magical and returns to me a slightly overheating, but nevertheless working, laptop. This comes with a price though.
CLAUDIA HARRISON: One day on Jammie Plaza some friends and I were looking at various apps such as Instagram and Twitter, when all of a sudden one of my friends was asking my advice on whether she should swipe left or right on Tinder. Never having used the app before, I was surprised at its user-friendly interface.
Tinder is an app designed for you to meet people in your area. You can set your gender, age and distance preferences. Like many apps these days, Tinder uses your Facebook profile (specifically your "About Me' section, "likes' and friends list). Through use of an algorithm you are then matched to like-minded people in your area.
While doing research for this article, I downloaded Tinder to see what the fuss was all about. I saw many familiar faces and clicked "like" as a gesture of friendship on my part, because I don't think anyone likes being told that they are not good enough based solely on how they look.
SAARA MOWLANA: Famous for his satirical comic caricatures of political figures, Zapiro is no stranger to receiving flack for standing up for his beliefs. During 'UCT Civic Week', Zapiro came to campus on Tuesday, August 12th, to give a talk based on his work and how he handles backlash responses.
NKHENSANI MANABE: Consider the zombie. Rotting former human, escaped from the grave, growling with arms stretched out, eating the brains of anything that walks along its path. It sparked a dance craze in the 80s, and it has been the stuff of nightmarish movie scenes for even longer. The end of the world as we know it is a topic that fascinates so many people, and makes up the content of so much popular media, that it is almost as if people look forward to some type of Armageddon.
QUENTIN COETZEE: A decision has been taken to establish an ad-hoc committee to investigate the President's response to the Public Protector's Nkandla report. That report was released five months ago, and the fact that Zuma keeps delaying his response makes it seem like he is just trying to avoid punishment, if his previous actions in this matter haven't already rung alarm bells.
DEAN HORWITZ: Over the past few years articles and reports have used an abundance of statistics to inform and justify the argument that graduate unemployment is a rising concern in South Africa. Using real life examples of graduates unable to find work, articles and reports have led us to believe that graduate unemployment is a substantial issue facing our economy. But is this really the status quo?
According to the Labour Force Survey, 25% of South Africans are unemployed with 70% of these people under the age of 35. Even more striking is that the unemployment rate for South Africans under the age of 25 is over 50% and growing each quarter. These numbers are terrifying and suggest that South Africa is facing a growing youth unemployment problem which will negatively affect the economy for years to come.
KATY SCOTT: I stand with my mouth hanging as, "Would you like a bag?" becomes the most perplexing question I have had to answer all week. Do I want a bag? What do I even want, really?
I hit this point, usually once a week, where I just have no bloody clue. Thoughts and desires hurtle about in my head and bang against my forehead. Everything I was ever once certain about turns to mish-mashed potatoes. Supper. At least I know what I'm having for supper tonight.
I fear that there is no light, and I'm pretty convinced that I'm in a ditch, not a tunnel. It's like I've been given a lucky packet filled with PMS, stress and distress. Don't try to ask me what I'm feeling, I don't know, (and I might depress you with my answer). Where to from here?

subset: commoncrawl


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Most Popular in:
Engaging Spa Clients Through Social Media
By: Nate Myers and Ron Robinson
Posted: January 5, 2011, from the January 2011 issue of Skin Inc. magazine.
page 11 of 20
In an ideal world, a spa would address every relevant customer and commenter in all social media channels. However, this is not possible given the limited bandwidth. It is critical in social marketing, as in all marketing, to prioritize based on what will deliver the best results for a given amount of resources. Who reaches the most influential people? Who inspires conversation and engagement? Just as not all customers are as profitable as others, not all social media channels are as influential as others. So, how can you gain an audience with the most influential and insightful consumers? Who will enable you to create the greatest impact through a comprehensive social marketing program?
4. Engage
Some brands still treat their initial forays into social marketing with the same approach as classic marketing channels: The brand talks, the customer listens. Social marketing enables a true dialogue between current consumers, prospective consumers and spas in a way not possible before.
What can you do to foster participation and dialogue about your products and services, about the solutions you are providing? Are there conversations regarding your spa and issues taking place in which you can join and add value? Can you provide access to your experts to discuss beauty issues and best practices, and share overall insight through interactive formats? Can you develop social media content that engages consumers and motivates them to share your assets with their friends and family?
Are the social media resources you are creating that would legitimately be of interest to someone who is not yet a loyalist of yours? Engagement is essential for engendering true loyalty among your target audience. Does your current social marketing strategy sufficiently address this?


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Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009
Ian Anderson w/ Jethro Tull (10/6)
Live at the Pabst
Milwaukee is bringing an acoustic Jethro Tull to town! Ian Anderson will be performing live at the Pabst on Tuesday, October 6 at 8pm. Be a part of this very special evening, come early to see the Street Team before the show, so you can pick up your Shepherd Express swag!


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Reviewed Roasted Red Peppers
Aug 7, 2013 in Food Network Community Toolbox on FoodNetwork.com
"Extremely simple and delicious! The aroma is so alluring. I never make pizza without these. Don't forget to line your baking sheet! I ruined my pan the first time I made this. However, since I make the bell peppers so often, it's my official roasting pan-- with foil of course.""


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Topsail Mossy Oak® Camouflage Rocking Recliner
by Klaussner
#: 259436
Model #:
- $ 348 00
- Shipping
Delivery estimates, taxes, and fees are based on ZIP Code. Club Pickup orders are based on your club's current price and item availability on the day of payment.
Mossy Oak® camoufage Topsail ultra plush EZ series rocking recliner.
The Topsail Mossy Oak® camouflage rocking recliner is designed for superior comfort. Lean back and relax against the pillow top back and seat cushions that seem to form to your body. A plush picture frame motif is achieved on the pillow top sections by tufting and sewing. Full chaise pad and padding added arms create ultra comfort.
- Three way Reclining Chair
- Chaise seating
- Pillow arm
- Picture frame style back
- Mossy Oak Licenced Cover
- Close-to-wall features to accomadate any room configuration
- Close to the wall feature in full recline
- Effortless motion for EZ operation by all sizes
- Seat 21 inches from floor
- Seat depth 23 inches
- Arm height 26 inches from floor
- Width between arms 20 inches
- 300 lb weight capacity
Assembled Country
Assembled Size
42"W x 44"D x 45"H
Component Country
USA And Imported
Ask & Answer
Shipping Information
Warranty Information
Limited Lifetime on frame, springs and mechanism1 year on cushion, fabric and labor
There is no additional information available for this item.


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Mon, Dec 17, 12 at 14:59
We're tiling the surround around our tub using porcelain tile. Since the porcelain tile we're using doesn't have the capability to sand the edge to make it look like a bullnose we thought we'd use the bullnose tile. The first "step" is 3" according to the plans (see attached) But the bullnose is 2 1/2" wide. The other option is to use Schluter but none of them match the color tile we have for that area. Also if we start to mess with dimensions, because we're also tiling the floor, the design of the floor would have to be changed - we really don't want to do that Any suggestions? |
Follow-Up Postings:
If it is a contemporary look you are after, you could consider one of the metal Schluter edges. You could then match the finish to the finish of your plumbing fixtures. |
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Strange weather, wasn't it for !!!'s free show down at the Williamsburg Waterfront on Sunday. Photographer Chris Person braved the ominous skies, intermittent rain, and the free rum lines at the VIP section at the adjacent All Saints Pub for this set of shots from the day.
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PO Box 8590
Aspen, CO 81612
Upcoming Events
Ways To Give
Women's Division
Quick Links
PJ Library
More >
Golshim L'Chaim
Ski to Live
More >
Our Mission Statement
"Supporting Jewish life in the Roaring Fork Valley, Israel, and around the world through philanthropy, education, and leadership"
After a four year hiatus, I am once again president of UJA, Aspen Valley Community campaign. Together with our new vice president/campaign chair, Julie Puchkoff, and great Board of long term members and newcomers, I am happy to get this year's campaign started. We have already (since the start of 2014) sent out our Jewish summer camp scholarship funds which together with Aspen Jewish Congregation, is helping to send eight children of local families to camp this summer.
My goal for this coming year is to engage new donors for our projects here in the valley and abroad, and also to get more involvement and overall participation. Additionally it is my goal for our community at large to understand UJA's commitment to the Roaring Fork Valley and to the social needs of Jews in Israel and throughout the diaspora.
I hope you will share with me any ideas you have and consider increasing your own involvement in 2014
and beyond!
Melinda Goldrich
Stop the Sirens Campaign
We want to let you know that UJA Aspen Valley is participating in the JFNA Emergency Campaign "Stop the Sirens." While we can't stop the barrage of rockets targeting Israel, we can help mitigate their impact on innocent civilians. The disabled, elderly and children are particularly vulnerable and JFNA has authorized $5 million in initial humanitarian support. Large and small Federations throughout the country are now being mobilized to raise additional dollars. The estimated immediate needs total $13.2 million. Some of these include:
Providing one day of respite for the more than 40,000 children who are living under constant rocket attacks.
Enabling an array of caseworkers to bring food, medicine and comfort to thousands of home bound seniors.
Offering trauma support to those who are enduring continual rocket attacks.
Over the years our Jewish community has been there for Israel in times of greatest need and we're asking for your help again. Please make your contribution to UJA Aspen Valley for the JFNA Stop the Sirens Campaign. For those who want greater detail on how the emergency dollars will be spent, we're including a background piece from JFNA. Please know that 100% all of these donations are for urgent social service needs and that no dollars will be used for military purposes. There will be no administrative fees!
On behalf of our fellow Jews in Israel, we deeply appreciate your continuing support.
UJA Aspen Valley Board of Directors
Why the Federation is in need? Why Now? (click JFNA image below)
If you are interested in supporting our relief efforts
Please make Donation Checks Payable to:
United Jewish Appeal Aspen Valley
JFNA Stop the Sirens Campaign
P.O. Box 8590
Aspen, CO 81612
UJA Aspen Valley secures and enriches a bright Jewish future in the Roaring Fork Valley, Israel and around the world. Our work is informed and inspired by our commitment to the values of Chesed (caring and compassion), Torah (Jewish learning), Tikkun Olam (repair the world), Tzedaka (social justice), and Klal Yisrael (coming together).
In the Roaring Fork Valley, we support 3 Hebrew Schools and fund scholarships for kids to attend Jewish summer camp. We provide free books and music to children through the PJ Library program, which is generously underwritten by Alan Franco. We also support
Golshim L'Chaim, which helps
rehabilitate and empower injured
Israel soldiers through skiing and
In Israel and around the world,
your donations enable us to provide
life-saving and life-enhancing
services for those in need. This
includes giving trauma counseling
and financial assistance to families
in southern Israel who have
suffered from rocket attacks
rescuing Jews from countries of distress and providing relief to thousands of our poor, elderly brethren in the FSU. It also includes funding training and educational programs to break the cycle of poverty, supporting absorption centers to help new immigrants successfully integrate into Israeli society and offering mentoring programs for at-risk teenage girls through Jump Start. It also includes funding training and educational programs to break the cycle of poverty, supporting absorption centers to help new immigrants successfully integrate into Israeli society and offering mentoring programs for at- risk teenage girls through Jump Start
2014 Golshim L'Chaim Group


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You missed a lot last month.
It's perfectly acceptable to continue to blame the government shutdown for everything that's gone wrong, and we'll be doing that at least through Election Day. ("Sorry, Ma — I forgot your birthday because of Ted Cruz.")
But now that everyone's back to work, it's time for you to catch up. Here are the five best new things that you can still do in NYC.


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Regarding his new single "GLDCHN," rapper Remy Banks says, "This is NEWNEWYORK. There is no NEWNEWYORK without QUEENS." Passion for his home borough is imbued in everything Banks does, whether it's as part of collective World's Fair, named after the Flushing Meadow Corona Park landmark, or in WF subset trio Children Of The Night, whose mixtape Queens… Revisited got the MOTW nod back in March 2012. Here, Banks links up with Spanish Harlem-native Bodega Bamz for this plucky, mildy menacing cut. Producer Milo crafted its eerie underpinnings, which seems in line with his output, as he's responsible for "The Way It Go" from A$AP Mob's creaky, looming Lord$ Never Worry. Banks will hit the road with Children Of The Night and World's Fair later this winter. Check out the tour dates and "GLDCHN" out below.
Children of the Night Tour Dates
02/22 – Deer Park, NY @ Deer Park Community Center +
02/23 – West Chester, PA @ The Note +
02/24 – Richmond, VA @ The Camel +
03/8 – Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar +
03/9 – Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse Music Hall +
+ = w/ Bad Rabbits
World's Fair Tour Dates
02/21 – Brooklyn, NY @ Knitting Factory
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text:
SOC 231: Introduction to Juvenile Delinquency (3 credits)Course Description
Study of types, conditions, processes, and theories relating to juvenile delinquency. Study of the development of alienation and deviance by youth and study of the juvenile correction systems in society. (3 hours lecture)
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- Apply a sociological perspective to juvenile delinquency.
- Display an understanding of the multiple causes of juvenile delinquency.
- Identify differences in male and female offenders.
- Show an awareness of the family and the school system as both malfunctioning institutions as well as preventative institutions.
- Express and communicate ideas and opinions clearly in writing.
Degrees and Certificates
For transfer information within the UH system, visit the System Transfer page
- Pathfinders to Resources for
- Curriculum Documents
Classes Offered
- Spring 2015 - TR, 1:00pm to 2:25pm, Hale Na'auao 105, A Camacho - CRN: 63492 - view syllabus
- Fall 2011 - MW, 12:30pm to 1:45pm, Hale Alaka'i 130, Matthew O'Neil - CRN: 63439 - view syllabus
- Spring 2004 - MW, 3:00pm to 4:25pm, Hale Pālanakila 227, A Yanagisako - CRN: 63033
- Spring 2003 - MWF, 12:30pm to 1:20pm, Hale Pālanakila 227, A Yanagisako - CRN: 35351


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Tue, May 13, 08 at 13:14
We're about to move and want to rent our place out. We have w to w carpeting in all but kitchen and bathrooms which have grouted tile. What is an approximate charge for a whole house "deep cleaning" including all surfaces (including grout cleaning)? Atlanta area. |
Follow-Up Postings:
Why not call two or three places and get estimates? This is a national website, not for specific cities. Sorry I can't help. |
I agree - there are just too many variables to even guess at the cost. |
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Dolores E. Battle, Senior Adviser to the President for Equity and Campus Diversity
Dolores E. Battle, senior adviser to the president for equity and campus diversity, was named a Diversity Champion by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in recognition of her lifelong work to advance multicultural infusion in the professions of speech-language pathology. Battle served as an advocate for multicultural issues, demonstrated respect and value for differing backgrounds and points of view, and has highlighted the impact of culture and/or language on speech-language pathology, audiology, or speech-language or hearing science in her premier textbook Communication Disorders in Multicultural Disorders, which is in preparation for its fourth edition, and in numerous other publications. She has served as a mentor and supporter for minority students who choose a career in speech-language pathology. The award, which will be presented at the annual meeting of the association in New Orleans in November, is part of a celebration of 40 years of dedication to diversity in the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.


text:
Presenter: | Jonathan Harris |
Product Applications Engineer | |
Analog Devices |
Jonathan Harris is a product applications engineer in the high speed converter group at Analog Devices in Greensboro, NC. He has over 7 years of experience as an applications engineer supporting products in the RF industry. Jonathan received his MSEE from Auburn University and his BSEE from UNC-Charlotte.
© 1995 - Analog Devices, Inc. All Rights Reserved


text:
Follow-Up Postings:
- Posted by girlgroupgirl 8 ATL (My Page) on Tue, Mar 22, 11 at 23:19
I need to take some pictures tomorrow. Sadly I once again missed the most fantastic days of the turkish tulips. The only tulips I grow are a small number of species tulips from which the beauties we now love grow. I've always been surprised they do well here. I love your little Iris histroides. I have some tiny purple iris which always used to herald spring, but the last two years they have not bloomed...I have heard they do this, and I'm not sure how to remedy... |
I'll share! Crocus ~ Weird little Daffodils ~ Snowdrops ~ Tulips, lots of Iris, and Hyacinth are still on their way, hopefully. All the gravel in two of the pictures is leftover from when we took out very thick, old concrete last fall. ;( |
- Posted by newyorkrita z6b/7a LI NY (My Page) on Wed, Mar 23, 11 at 12:27
Hurray for the spring crocus and daffs. I haven't even been to the nurseries yet this spring. I am not sure there is anything out to buy yet violas and pansies should be out at the nurseries soon. That iris is really pretty. |
- Posted by christinmk z5b eastern WA (My Page) on Wed, Mar 23, 11 at 18:17
-GGG, I love the little species tulips too. It is neat that they do so well for you- I always thought that, in order to bloom in your zone/location, they had to be chilled first. That is too bad to hear some of the small iris stopped blooming for you after a couple years. Are yours the bulb kind like my histroides, or a mini bearded? If you ever happen to learn more on why they stopped blooming I would be very interested to hear... Lol! Serenae, I adore your "Weird little Daffodils"! Don't know that I've ever seen ones like that, short with such huge flowers. -NY Rita, Thanks! I am loving that iris too. Another patch I planted out back is slowing starting to pop up too. I went out and covered it with a turned-over hanging basket just in case that perverse squirrel got to thinking they would make a tasty snack! Lol. Seeing any signs of spring where you are? |
- Posted by newyorkrita z6b/7a LI NY (My Page) on Wed, Mar 23, 11 at 18:46
Cold today but so far only a chilly rain and some wintry mix instead of the at least 2 inches of snow they forcasted by this afternoon. Fortunatly no sticking. The daffs look cold out there! |
- Posted by gottagarden (My Page) on Wed, Mar 23, 11 at 19:26
Amazing that you have iris this early, I had no idea! Love all the crocus, that's why we grow it, isn't it? Because it's so early and it gets the blood pumping to see blooms in March. Love all those spring shots. What are those weird little daffodils? I just got some in a trade and they are like that - very short! |
- Posted by lavender_lass WA zone 4 (My Page) on Wed, Mar 23, 11 at 20:09
CMK- Beautiful pictures! I love all that color and the little iris is so pretty! Thanks for sharing :) Serena- Very nice pictures...spring bulbs are so cheerful! No blooms here, yet, but I did see some daffodils poking up through the old grass Sunday...and it looks like hyacinths are popping up around the plum trees. I am so ready for spring! |
We have been having unusually warm temps here in Southern Illinois...high 70's for highs and high 50's to low 60's for lows. (that is supposed to end tomorrow, though :-() So there is alot popping up in my beds. No blooms yet, though. I am seeing tulips, daylilies, clemmies, wisteria, iris, star of bethlehem, astilbe, coneflowers, yarrow, ornamental grasses, roses bushes and even a couple of really ambitious hosta all roaring back to life now! Hope the cold snap we are about to get doesn't harm them. But I did go to Lowes today and buy an Azalea bush, some potted creeping phlox, and some lithodora. Put them in our hot tub room until it warms back up! |
I'll have to take a look at the bulb package for the daffodils, if I kept it, and see what type they are. I meant to get "normal" ones, but the bulb packages here don't seem to give much info. They sort of look like they're looking all around them, wondering what the heck happened! LOL! |
- Posted by aftermidnight Z8 V. Island B.C. (My Page) on Thu, Mar 24, 11 at 15:07
Serenae, one possibility, do you think your 'weird little daff' might be Quince or Golden Quince? Annette |
- Posted by organic_kitten 7 (My Page) on Thu, Mar 24, 11 at 15:12
Serenae, You litt6le tulips are magnificent! Look at all the little ones coming up. Yes, I do love the little iris...I don't think I have ever met one I didn't love. The violets you bought are lovely. I have never seen them for sale here, but the little wild ones are all over my yard, anywhere I don't remove them...they are quite invasive. Aren't bulbs the harbinger of spring? Your pictures are really pretty. |
Hi serenae, I believe the little daffs are called Tete-a-Tete daffodils. I have several and I love them! They are very hardy for me. We had the warm weather in the 70's and now it is 39 out! If you google daffseek query you will see some pictures. Ellen |
- Posted by aftermidnight Z8 V. Island B.C. (My Page) on Thu, Mar 24, 11 at 17:09
Serenae, how tall are the flower stems on your little daff when it is fully open? I thought the stems in your picture looked a little short for Tete-a-Tete. Tete-a-Tete's flower stems are about 6in. when starting to open and are about 12in. when fully open, where Quince are about 4 in. but, you know how it goes pictures can fool one :). |
- Posted by aftermidnight Z8 V. Island B.C. (My Page) on Thu, Mar 24, 11 at 17:54
I just found a picture of Quince and the flower looks to be smaller than yours, in your picture the cup looks a little too wide for Tete-a-Tete but that's just me. I know I have seen yours before but the name just won't come to me. If you bend the petals against the cup, are the petals longer or the cup? that's another thing that might help with identification. I bet Flora will know which one it is. Annette |
- Posted by christinmk z5b eastern WA (My Page) on Fri, Mar 25, 11 at 11:56
-LL, thanks! You should get some of those little iris for your fairy bed! One site mentions they are hardy down to z3, so would be perfect. ;-) -Kay, we have the wild violets over here too. They do creep, but not invasively for some reason. There is a very large patch in the grass out front that I love- it is a carpet of purple in spring and smells soooo good. Sometimes I go sit out there just to sniff...if the neighbors arn't watching that is, LOL. |
Sorry it's taken me so long to respond! I was out working in the yard for most of the day. :) The little daffodils look much more upright now. I was just out in the dark measuring them! LOL Annette: I *think* that the golden quince have a taller stem than these ones, but I could be wrong. The petals are almost exactly the same size as the cup - the very tips of the petals extend past the cup a tiny bit. Does that help? Ellen may be correct that they're Tete-a-Tete: their stems are about 6.5" long, from the very base to right underneath the flower. I think they look extra-wonky in the photo I took, because most of them were very new. Probably adding to the confusion, sorry! |
I'm so jealous. We just had 2 inches of sleet followed by a couple of inches of snow. North of us had 18 inches of snow. Come on sun, come on southern breeze bring some warmth to wisconsin. |
- Posted by quilt_mommy 5/6 Northeast Ohio (My Page) on Sat, Mar 26, 11 at 8:41
I love seeing these pictures...I always know Spring has sprung when I see the crocuses out and daffodils working their way up in the yard. So pretty ;) |
- Posted by aftermidnight Z8 V. Island B.C. (My Page) on Sat, Mar 26, 11 at 11:21
My favorite is the little iris, so delicate looking. I'll have to see if I can find some in the fall. Annette |
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found a new home!
Plenty of my friends are looking
for one too. Find a pet to adopt.
Find a pet to adopt |
My name is Sugar!
Facts about Sugar
- Breed: Miniature Pinscher Mix
- Color: Red/Golden/Orange/Chestnut
- Age: Adult
- Size: Small 25 lbs (11 kg) or less
- Sex: Female
Sugar's Info...
I am already spayed, housetrained, up to date with shots, good with kids, good with dogs, and good with cats.
At 3 years old Sugar is a such a love. She will sit in your lap for hours, all she asks is that you keep your hand moving back and forth down her back. She likes to play with the other dogs. She is pretty vocal when she's playing and some of the other dogs are a little leery of playing with her. She loves toys and will gut any toy with stuffing. She sleeps all night and has had only had a few accidents in the house. She gets a little unsettled when there is loud noises or rough housing going on. She loves playing with the cats and the cats just love her tail. It's the best thing in the house to chase. She's not noisy like her other min pins foster siblings and she isn't a burrower under the covers either. She likes to be with the humans and will relax and sleep peacefully until someone leaves the room. It doesn't matter who just left the room, she sit at attention until they come back. Sugar is such a love and is always looking at you as if to ask "am I doing the right thing, is this what you want?"
Sugar is up to date on all shots, on flea/tick, and heartworm medication. She is also microchipped.
Other Pets at Picasso's Place Min Pin Rescue - Myersville Chapter
Why Adoption is a Great Option
Sugar, a Myersville Miniature Pinscher dog was adopted! Here's how you can benefit by looking at adoption as an option to buying a Miniature Pinscher for sale in Myersville, or seeking a Miniature Pinscher dog from a breeder in Myersville.
- Rescues and shelter volunteers in Myersville already know the personality and tendencies of their pets. This means they can match you with the right pet. That will makes it much easier transition to owning a pet for yourself and your new pet.
- On average adoption fees are much less than you'd pay a Myersville breeder, or pet store. Plus most often rescue pets have already been to the veterinarian for a check-up, had a round of vaccinations, and are spayed or neutered. That is a lot of savings!
- You will become a hero, and give a needy dog or cat a loving home. In fact, there are even Miniature Pinscher breeders who help with Miniature Pinscher rescue. One puppy or kitten adopted in Myersville paves the way for another one to be saved.


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The holiday season is a magical time, beautiful white snow on the ground, everyone in happy spirits, and friends and family gathering to share in each other's good company. But despite the holiday cheer, it is also the time of year where husbands and wives find themselves wrestling the holiday decorations down from the attic, up from the basement and out of their yearlong hibernation. And every year they vow to organize their decorations and make them more accessible next year to decrease the stress that comes with taking down and setting up all the seasonal décor. This year, store your seasonal decorations, sports gear, apparel, and equipment in an easy to access and well-organized area – your garage!
The garage has plenty of space that is often wasted by poor organization or even a complete lack of garage organization solutions. There are many ways to convert your cluttered garage into an organized and streamlined space used for storing your seasonal belongings. There are two main spaces of your garage that are perfect for storage; these areas are the walls and the ceilings. Now, when it comes to finding the right garage storage solutions for your specific situation, you have to take into account what kind of space you are working with. Can you install full sized garage cabinetry units along the sides and back of your garage? If you can, that may be your best option for storage of larger objects. If you don't have enough room for full-sized cabinets, you can always try implementing customized garage shelving that will keep your items organized and off the ground. OR you can go with the widely popular gridwall racks available through your local Tailored Living. Gridwall racks provide a garage storage solution that can work for anything from bicycles to tennis balls and everything in between.
Aside from the walls spanning your garage, you have an entire space of ceiling that is often overlooked by homeowners. Overhead storage is the perfect garage organization solution for seasonal decorations, sports gear, equipment, and apparel. It stays out of the way for the majority of the year, but when you need it, it is easily accessible!
NBC recently announced that the George to the Rescue episode featuring Tailored Living will re-air this weekend, April 13th and 14th! This past July, Tailored Living completed a garage renovation for Corporal Sherman Watson – a 3-time Purple Heart recipient and marine veteran. The garage featured custom cabinetry, shelving and flooring, branded with Marine Corps logos for added personalization. In case you missed it the first time, be sure to tune in this weekend and check out the following list for show times in your area:NY - WNBC:Sat 10a Sat 7p Sun 1230a LA - KNBC - Sun 430p Chicago - WMAQ - Sun 1135p Philly - WCAU - Sat 10a Washington - WRC - Sun 105a Dallas - KXAS - Sat 1230p San Fran - KNTV - Sun 530a Miami - WTVJ - Sun 1130a San Diego - KNSD - Sat 5p Hartford - WVIT - Sun 12n Boston - NECN - Sun 11a
The garage is a space with enormous potential that often turns into a cluttered mess. The difference between disorder and functionality is as simple as implementing one of Tailored Living's many garage storage solutions. The secret is in the details! Follow these recommendations from Tailored Living's professional organizers to revive the old garage into a new and improved space
The floor is often taken over by piles of toys and stacks of boxes or crates. The ceiling and the walls are useful locations to store your belongings and is often overlooked as a storage space. Tailored Living's specialists will look at every usable space for your garage organization solutions. Overhead garage storage is very popular because it offers excellent storage for seasonal items such as sporting equipment, holiday decorations and camping gear.
Garage shelving lets you see what you have on hand at the moment. If you're fairly organized, but need a place to put those clearly marked plastic bins, shelving is an excellent option to include in your garage organization system. Shelving units are another important way to make the most of the garage. Through cabinet installation equipment stays organized while keeping it hidden from others. Cabinet doors even do double duty by keeping dust and bugs out. Now that the golf clubs are put away and protected, it's time to make room for the tools! A workbench is a garage storage solution that is a nice to create a workshop.
If you don't want a lot of cabinetry taking up your garage space, gridwall racks provide a nice alternative for your garage organization. Gridwall racks create a multi-purpose space to store and easily access difficult items, such as sporting equipment, large tools, and bikes. Accessories for gridwall racks like baskets and hooks are available to organize loose odds and ends. Gridwall racks are a scalable garage storage option that can be tailored to your needs. Click here to see more pictures of gridwall rack systems.
Transform your garage by utilizing the color white to brighten up your garage or red to make a bold statement. Choose from a variety of designs like stainless steel cabinets for a contemporary look and feel in the garage. Get a free in-home consultation today for a sneak peek into your custom garage design.
Compton, CA – Tailored Living® featuring PremierGarage® was on scene July 27th for the big unveil of Corporal Sherman Watson's newly renovated home, fostered by NBC's George to the Rescue! For those of you unfamiliar with the show, each week, George to the Rescue follows Emmy award-winning host George Oliphant as he teams up with design and construction experts to rescue a family or community in need of home or facility improvements. It was a heartwarming experience watching Corporal Watson and his family shed tears after host George Oliphant unveiled their newly renovated home. A tour of the house ensued, ending in their new custom garage, donated and built by the Tailored Living team. The garage featured new custom cabinetry, shelving and flooring, branded with Marine Corps logos for added personalization. "The whole house looks absolutely amazing but my favorite room was the garage," said Corporal Watson. "My wife is going to have to drag me to bed every night!" Tailored Living was proud to partner with George to the Rescue to help a well deserving retired Marine attain a more beautiful and comfortable home for him to raise his children. The company's long standing reputation of delivering the best products and services in home organization was in full display on the happy smiles of the Watson family. Tailored Living's participation on the show is a testament to its dedication to community service and appreciation. Stay tuned for more information on the show's airing date this fall! Corporal Sherman Watson with his daughter, Karmen
NBC recently announced air dates beginning October 13th, 2012, for the George to the Rescue episode featuring Tailored Living! For those of you unfamiliar with the show, each week, George to the Rescue follows Emmy award-winning host George Oliphant as he teams up with design and construction experts to rescue a family or community in need of home or facility improvements.
This summer, Tailored Living completed a garage renovation for Corporal Sherman Watson – a 3-time Purple Heart recipient and military veteran who was injured during his tour of duty in Iraq. The garage featured new custom cabinetry, shelving and flooring, branded with Marine Corps logos for added personalization. It was a heartwarming experience watching Corporal Watson and his family shed tears after host George Oliphant unveiled their newly renovated home. To view the episode, see the following list for airing times in your area:
It was an honor for Tailored Living to partner with George to the Rescue and take part in this inspirational event. Through hard work and dedication, we increased the quality of life for a brave marine and his family. The company's long standing reputation of delivering the best products and services in home organization was in full display on the happy smiles of the Watson family. Make sure to tune in beginning October 13th to see the amazing transformation!
Have you ever wondered what your garage would look like if you had enough room to store all of your belongings in an organized fashion? Have you envisioned your dream garage but can't convince yourself to tackle the overwhelming task of a garage organization project? Well it's time to conquer your vexing garage fears and build the garage you have been dreaming of with the help of the organizational experts at Tailored Living!Does your garage look like this? The main problem that most people have when it comes to garage organization is that they put their excess "stuff" into the garage and don't have enough storage space for all of it. As you can see in the picture above, there are a few metal shelving racks that are filled to the brim with odds and ends. The key to organization is simplicity. The easier it is to store and retrieve items, the less clutter a space will have because items will be put away instead of strewn about. Tailored Living came in and added tall cabinetry behind and away to open up the space and a gridwall to hang frequently used items. Here is what the area looks like after the Tailored Living treatment: On the right side of the garage (see below), we see a white bookshelf acting as a shoe rack and a backpack hanging haphazardly on the side of the metal storage unit. The drywall is plainly visible, bicycles are tossed arbitrarily toward the back of the garage and the floor is cluttered with toys, tools, and trash. Tailored Living came in and showed just how effective a true gridwall system can be. The clutter is no more, being replaced by product specific organizational tools. The nets for children's toys make them easily accessible but also keep them off the floor and out of the way. Yard tools and equipment are easily hanged up and the bikes have been hoisted up and out of the way. Finally, the flexible floor tiles pull the room together and create a viable work and play space in an area that was previously useless other than for parking a car.Take control of your garage organization and you may be surprised to find the gem of a garage underneath all the clutter!
After enlisting in the Marine Corps in 2002, Corporal Watson completed the rigors of Corps training and was deployed to Iraq to proudly serve his country. Assigned to the 3rd Battalion 5th Marines, Watson was the Vehicle Commander for a Heavy Machine Gun/Anti-Armor Weapons Team, an integral unit for combing enemy territory and keeping ground troops safe. Sustaining a bullet wound to the shoulder during his first tour, Corporal Watson rehabilitated, was awarded his first Purple Heart, and quickly returned for a second deployment in Iraq. A second gunshot wound to the knee earned Watson a second Purple Heart, another trip to rehabilitation, and his final opportunity to enlist and re-deploy to Iraq.?It was during his third tour in 2006 that Corporal Watson's vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb, flipping it, and causing causalities to his whole unit. The physical damage that resulted led to Corporal Sherman Watson's honorable discharge from the Marine Corps after earning three Purple Hearts. Returning to his hometown roots in Compton, CA, this proud marine was trying to make a life for himself and his growing family, but following the injuries sustained during his three tours in Iraq, daily home improvement tasks became difficult. Splitting time between school, his family and "The Veterans Alternative" (an organization that promotes therapeutic relationships and conversation between veterans about their experiences), Sherman lacked the time, funds, and experience to accomplish the home improvement projects needed to make his house a better place to raise his children. That is where Tailored Living and George to the Rescue came in. "Tailored Living worked very hard with George to the Rescue to design and install a functional, organized garage space in order to pay tribute to Sherman Watson and the incredible sacrifices he has made for our country," states Dan Tafoya, Senior Vice-President of Tailored Living. "Providing time-saving and stress-free organizational solutions to fit his personal needs will let Corporal Watson spend more time on what is most important – his family and his community. We are honored to be part of this show and opportunity to give back to a very deserving man and father." Tailored Living's design team of experts used D'Vinci™– a proprietary interactive design software – to create a functional and fully organized space by adding new cabinetry and flooring that helped transform the Watson family garage into a multi-purpose space for their growing family. Be sure to tune in on October 13th to watch Corporal Sherman Watson's incredible garage transformation! Check your local NBC listings for airing times. For more information, click HERE. With a network of over 130 organizational specialists, it is easier than ever for homeowners to locate a convenient Tailored Living location in their area and access creative storage solutions. For franchise opportunities, visit www.tailoredlivingfranchise.com.


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Over the last few years, each of the Super Bowl winners have had a certain toughness to them that is borderline dirty. Late hits and big hits from in-your-face players, those that fit the cliché of hating to play against them but loving to play with them. Last season, the Baltimore Ravens had a few of those, one of which was cornerback Cary Williams.
Williams, a former seventh round selection out of Washburn, is one of the league's most physical and emotional players. He's tough during and after the snap, constantly jawing at players and pushing them around with his 6'1″ frame. He's even willing to mix it up with referees, a line that most players don't come near because of the financial consequences, and tell the Philadelphia Eagles that he doesn't "care" about skipping OTA's. Interestingly enough, all of this makes him a great fit with the Eagles, the team he relocated to this offseason, and a team that former Ravens teammate Torrey Smith said Williams fits the "vibe" with.
"He's emotional, he plays with his heart on his sleeve all the time, he's a competitor, and he's a guy that can spark the defense over there," Smith said. "I think he can definitely grow into a great leader for them."
Williams will add a level of physicality that the team has lacked since it lost stud safety Brian Dawkins and linebacker Jeremiah Trotter in 2009.
He'll also bring aggressiveness downhill that turns into quality ball-skills when he's able to play off-man coverage on wide receivers. He is better in off-man coverage than press-man because he's a high-cut athlete, suffering from a lengthy frame that makes it difficult for him to get in and out of his cuts quickly. It's why when he's able to play off the opposition and watch the route unfold in front of his eyes instead of breaking abruptly, and he can make moves quickly while tracking the football.
One example of such came against the Cleveland Browns in Week 4 this past season.
It was the third quarter of a 16-10 ballgame. The Ravens were winning but the Browns were driving. They'd just passed midfield and were faced with a manageable third down, with five yards to go. Quarterback Brandon Weeden was under center with "11″ personnel (one back, one tight end, three receivers) surrounding him, and he'd be targeting Z receiver Travis Benjamin, who was defended by Williams, on a quick out route.
A quick tap of the left foot by Weeden before the snap told Benjamin to cut down his split to just above the numbers. That gave him more room to setup Williams inside and run his out route.
Then the snap came. Weeden opened his body to his right as he executed a three-step drop and looked left to Benjamin. The receiver ran straight forward from his alignment and then stabbed his right foot into the ground. His shoulders and dreads swayed through the air as he broke stride to the outside.
Simultaneously, Williams watched the route and backpedaled with his shoulders high, a natural side effect of being 6'1″. He patiently waited for Benjamin to drop his shoulders, and when he did, Williams stuck his left foot in the ground, and started pursuing Benjamin while watching the incoming throw.
Williams quickly covered ground laterally, closed in on the throw, and jumped the route, intercepting the pass before returning it 63 yards for a touchdown.
Williams' mix of toughness and aggressiveness is welcomed to every locker room. It adds a spice to teams which leads to big plays on the field, and that's always a plus.
As much as Williams' aggressiveness is welcomed, it also needs to be controlled. There are times when he finds himself in trouble during or after a play, whether he's beaten on a route or penalized for being too aggressive, and it cost the Ravens last season. It could ultimately end up costing the Eagles in more ways than one (Williams signed a $17 million deal), but it could also be highly beneficial because the team needs players like Williams.
If Williams controls his aggression and continues to add toughness while also further developing his technique, the Eagles could have a quality player on their hands.


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Tags thrash metal, heavy metal
Genres thrash metal, heavy metal, metal, speed metal, hardcore (beta) (flag as incorrect)
Published August 25, 2009
That's his fucking metal face!
Sapphire Mix by MisterToe
Nine tracks including music by Faith No More, Flying Lotus and Guilty Simpson.
indie rock, hip hop, alternative rock
How I get down by MisterToe
Eight tracks including music by Basement Jaxx, Flying Lotus and Imogen Heap.
vocal, hip hop, electronic
Mel meet Mike, Mike, Mel. by MisterToe
Various Mike Pattony goodness for my new friend.
alternative rock, alternative metal
thrash metal, heavy metal


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Mascara is a very important cosmetic product for females. Mascara is used to thicken, lengthen, darken or define your eyelashes. Mascara completes the look of your eyes you may be striving for. So, no beauty routine is complete without mascara. So girls out there, if you want to enhance the beauty of your eyes then you need to have a mascara. But applying mascara in a perfect way is always one of the most difficult tasks. Before you start applying mascara you need to get the best mascara that suits your skin tone and the color of your eyes. For instance, for short eyelashes you need to go for lengthening mascara, for thin eyelashes go for thickening mascara as it will help in adding volume to your eyelashes. Thickening mascara is the best choice when you want the mascara to last through the day without smudging. Waterproof mascaras are the best when it comes to wearing on a rainy day.
Now, here is how you should apply mascara to your eye lashes.
Apply other eye makeup:
Before you apply the mascara, you need to finish your other eye make-ups such as foundation, eye shadow and eyeliner. This is important as you may need to redo application of mascara if you do not use the eyeliner or makeup properly.
Pull your hair back:
Before you apply mascara, pull all of your hair back so that the hair does not interfere when applying the liquid. Also hair will not cause any smudging.
Position yourself comfortably:
For applying mascara use a hand mirror. Hold the hand mirror down and look into it. This way you can see your eyelashes properly – from the root to the tips. Now you can apply the mascara on your eyelashes. Never look straight into a mirror to apply mascara as you will not be able to see the entire eye lashes.
Open the mascara:
Shake the mascara bottle properly before you open it. It is important to use oen of the best mascaras. Now open the mascara and scrape the excess product off the brush before applying it to the eye lashes. This will help in avoiding clumps on the lashes.
Start applying on the upper lashes:
With a steady hand, apply mascara from the base of your eyebrows out to the tip in one stroke. Hold the brush at 90 degrees while applying the mascara to have the best results on. For the right curl, direction of the brush should be upwards/outwards. To avoid getting mascara on the lids or cheeks you can put a business card or post-it note under the lower lashes or behind the upper lashes before applying.
Apply mascara on lower lashes:
It is usually recommend applying mascara only to the top lashes. But if you want to make your eyes look wider, you can apply mascara to the bottom lashes. The bottom lashes should be given a light touch. It is always better to apply on bottom lashes first and then to upper lashes.
Second coat:
Usually, first coat of mascara is enough, but in case you want to apply another coat of mascara you should not let the first coat dry completely or it will start flaking off. You can make your eyelashes look longer if you apply the second coat on the tips of your lashes.
Highlight the base:
Remember the point that the mascara placed near the roots gives the illusion of length. Wiggle the wand left to right at the base of lashes. This way you will get the prefect eye makeup.
Comb your lashes:
Once you are done with applying mascara in your eye lashes, it is time to comb your lashes so that they are all separated. Use a lash comb to do it. Place the comb at the lash roots, and gently pull up through the lashes. Always comb your lashes before they are dry.
Do not blink:
Avoid blinking your eyes till the time the mascara dries up. If the mascara is not dry before you open your eyes, there will be smudges near the eyes. This will spoil your eye make-up.
Remove smudges:
In case there are any mascara smudges you need to remove them to get a nice look. Take a small cotton bud dipped in baby oil and place it on the top of the smudge, and gently rotate in place until it comes off. Make sure your other eye make ups are in place.
Some Useful Tips:
When you apply mascara remember that you need to remove mascara before going to sleep. Never go to sleep with mascara on as it can result in bacterial infection. Also if you have applied thick mascara, there is always a risk that it can get into your eye and cause red, swollen eyes in the morning. With mascara on, you will also wake up with raccoon eyes that surely no one likes to have. The easiest and simplest way to remove mascara before going to sleep is to use facial cleansing wipes to remove as much mascara as possible.
To conclude, mascara looks great on women of all age and color and they are the perfect way to get beautiful eyes. Apply mascara and make your eyelashes look thicker and fuller, Also use the best mascara to get better result. The quality of the mascara you are using must be checked before you apply it.


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Pizza On-the-Fly for Diabetes
This home-made, healthy pizza delivers incredible flavor and a crisp, delicious crust. It takes just minutes to prepare. Conventional pizza is packed with refined carbs and unhealthy fats that spike blood sugar, clog arteries and pack on the pounds. These pizzas do just the opposite, thanks to their antioxoidants (in spinach, tomatoes, whole grains and garlic), and anti-inflammatories (in spinach, basil, garlic, and cheese from grass-fed cows). You'll never need to order delivery pizza again!


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Contact Us
Feel free to submit any questions you have about your vehicle to Ask Ford, your very own 24-7 virtual representative. Ask about anything from specifics about your warranty to recall information and what comes in an ESP plan. All you have to do is Ask Ford!
Contact us by phone by calling the Customer Relationship Center toll free at 1-800-392-Ford (3673). 1-800-833-0312 (TDD for the hearing impaired).
Hours (Eastern Standard Time)
8a.m – 8p.m (Monday – Friday)
9a.m – 5:30p.m (Saturday)
If you would prefer to email Ford Motor Company, simply click here.
If you prefer to contact us by mail, please send your comments or questions to:
Ford Motor Company
Customer Relationship Center
P.O. Box 6248
Dearborn, MI 48126


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Becoming a Member
How old do I have to be?
To join any Boy Scout troop, you must meet ONE of the following
Be 11 years of age (but not yet 18)
Have completed the fifth grade
Have earned your Arrow of Light Award
If you have not yet met any of these requirements, you can still enjoy
Scouting through the Cub Scouting or Webelos program. When it comes time
to join a Boy Scout troop, be sure to check out Troop 75.
Do I have to live in Kings Park?
Troop 75 attracts Scouts from all over northwestern Suffolk County. While
Kings Park is our hometown, it also has quite a few members who live in
neighboring communities. These boys travel the few extra minutes to be in
the troop thats best for them. So, whether you live in Kings Park,
Smithtown, St. James, Commack, Hauppauge, Nesconset, Fort Salonga, Northport
or East Northport,
you might consider Troop 75.
How do I know if Troop 75 is right for me?
In our area, there are probably several troops which meet near your home.
Visit two or three of them. Meet the guys and ask a lot of questions. What
kind of camping do they do? Are the activities boy-led or adult led? Do they
offer a well-balanced Scouting program?
If youre a Webelo, theres no one troop that you should automatically join. Just because there may be a troop in town with the same number as your Cub Scout Pack doesnt mean its necessarily the right Troop for you or your friends. Join the troop that does what you want to do in Scouts. Webelos from Pack 379, 539, 75, 326, 328 and others have made Troop 75 their troop.
Perhaps you already know some of our Scouts or plan on joining up with a
buddy. Even if you dont know anyone at all, you will make friends in
no time.
What will my first year of Scouting in Troop
75 be like?
As a younger recruit, you will be assigned to a patrol of other new Scouts
about your age. An experienced, veteran Scout will guide your Patrol. He
will teach you about Boy Scouting, its skills and its ideals. Your
Guide will coach you with your rank advancement and will show you how to
camp and hike. An assistant Scoutmaster will also be closely supervising
your patrol.
When and where are troop
meetings held?
Troop 75 meets every Tuesday (except during July and
August) from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. at the Lucien Memorial Methodist Church in Kings
Park. The church is located on the corner of Main Street (Rt. 25A) and Old
Dock Road (opposite Pulaski Road). Our meeting room is in the basement.
Use the outside stairwell on the west side of the building.
How can I sign up?
We'd be glad to welcome you aboard and look forward to knowing more about you.
Come down and visit any Tuesday night. If you would like to schedule a
visit or find out more about our troop, an adult leader would be delighted to
speak with you. Click here for a list of
adult leaders' e-mails and phone numbers.


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Sunday, 20 February 2011
I've Moved!!
Saturday, 19 February 2011
6 Reasons Why Online Video Learning Isn't As Good As Face-to-Face.......It's Better
There's been a flurry of excitement recently over hedge-fund trader turned educator, Sal Khan. If you're getting money from both Gates and Google, the chances are you're doing something innovative. The Khan Academy (1 principal, 1 faculty) sets out to be the world's free classroom. It does so through a growing collection (currently over 2000) of video tutorials in maths, science, history and economics, plus a cleverly structured series of exercises which the student can work through (in a game-like format) to check comprehension, and score points. Importantly you can do exercises in a non-sequential fashion, if you want to. (Educators regularly use 'sequential' as a marker for rigour, when it's rarely how we ever learn in practice). Take a look at a typical tutorial in my favourite subject, algebra:
Why do I say it's better than having in a teacher in the room giving explanations?
1. It's true just-in-time learning. If you get stuck on a particular maths problem, you can go straight to the relevant video, when you need it, not when the teacher is able to get around to you.
2. You can go at your own speed. Students, listening to a teacher, invariably would rather pretend they understood what was being explained, than hold everyone else up, by asking the teacher to repeat something.
3. It makes learning less stressful. Students, even with the best teacher, can get pretty stressed, worrying if they're going to be asked a question, or why they're not getting it, or because other students are disctracting them. Here, it's just Sal coming out of your headphones, and he's never going to pick you out for questioning.
4. You can go at your own speed. Ever wish that you could rewind (or fast-forward) your classroom teacher? Well, here you can.
5. It's truly personalised learning. 30 kids in a single class can be working on different parts of the syllabus. Their exercise progress can be seen at a glance.
6. You focus on the explanation, not the teacher. You don't see Sal, but you can see the working on 'the board'.(I speak as someone who spent their entire high school career too embarrassed to wear prescription glasses, pretending I could see what was being written on the board (and dutifully copied down by my fellow students). Can you imagine the needless energy you expend, bluffing like that for 5 years?
If you begin to connect the opportunities that such tutorials provide, with a 'flipped' pedagogy, you can start to see what a real 21st century classroom might look like. Kahn certainly presented a powerful argument for this in a recent interview.
Does this mean that online video learning does away with the need for teachers? Give it another 5-10 years, then the answer's probably yes - but only as in the form that we're forever casting them. A teacher as lecturer/expert may be superfluous, but teacher as mentor, guide (to the vast wealth of learning tools which are out there) will be worth their weight in gold. School as a 21st century learning commons, will need teachers who can design, connect and network, so that the social learning which should by now be pervasive (through blogging, YouTube and other forms of social media) but sadly is largely absent, or banned, in our classrooms, can be made purposeful, through students using the knowledge gained to solve real-world problems, in their own communities.
Chris Anderson recently put forward a powerful case for video learning. I'm sure the concept of flipping, or of teachers letting Sal Khan do the explanations, horrifies some teacher unions and many parents. They'd have an argument to mount - but only if they themselves hadn't used online tutorials when they were trying out a new recipe, or struggling to get the back off their iPhone, or looking at any of the millions of 'how-to' vids. And I'm willing to bet they have, so why isn't it good enough for their kids?
And any young teacher coming into the profession who won't embrace these tools - and I'm surprised by the number I meet - preferring instead to 'perform' at the front of their class, should probably think about another career.
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Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Folks Songs....
[[posterous-content:pid___0]]Last week-end I attended a family celebration - a golden wedding anniversary - up in the North-East of England. At these events I usually get hauled on to the nearest piano or guitar, and do the human juke-box thing. Last week, however, I had a throat infection so I was relying on others to carrying the singing. I'm grateful for the fact that, thanks to a childhood piano teacher who positively encouraged me to play by ear, and a father who insisted I accompany him on beery Saturday nights as we trawled through the Great American Musicals, I learned to 'hear' chord patterns from an early age. So, I can usually handle most songs people throw at me - with the exception of Stephen Sondheim's oeuvre, but you don't get many requests for 'I'm Still Here' at Whitley Bay Social Club.
It was an all-age gathering, so we had the usual 70's/80s/90s catalogue. Over the years, I've learned to talk people down from starting songs like 'You'll Never Walk Alone' or 'The Wonder Of You' from their middle register, because it's usually an ambulance job by the time they get to the closing line. So, all was going well. And then someone with the lungs of a blast furnace grabbed the microphone and whispered "Be My Love, in G". Now this is always a dead give-away that you're now in the presence of someone 'who can hold a tune' (it's a delightful phrase, isn't it?) And so it proved to be. Sadly, I didn't do him justice on the ivories because Mario Lanza is just, well, before my time. In the event, it made no difference because he'd wrestled that song into submission well before the end of the first chorus.....
But, as I looked up at him, carotid artery bulging, I suddenly thought "he's only about 10 years older than me, how does he know this stuff?" And then I recalled that, in over 30 years of visiting care homes, the songs which seem popular with residents have more or less remained the same - they're usually war-time songs. But over a 30-40 year span the songs we grew up singing have changed dramatically. So what happens? Why is it that when today's 30-somethings are living out their final years in the Happy Valley Rest Home, they're going to be singing 'Pack Up Your Troubles', as voiced by Gracie Fields, and not Eliza Doolittle?
Maybe there's some mysterious process takes place when you enter old age: you lose your short-term memory, but gain an ability to sing songs made popular 20 years before you were born. Perhaps, it just appears in the post on your 65th birthday: pension book, your free bus-pass, and the collected works of Vera Lynn?
(Oh and by the way, this is NOT me in the following extract - I just include it, because the comments show the song's capacity for triggering early-onset dementia)
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Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Putting The Moral Purpose Back Into Education
I was listening to a great talk today, given by Lawrence Lessig (one of the founders of the Creative Commons). Regular readers will know of my fondness for the metaphor of the 'Global Learning Commons' in trying to explain the changes which are taking place in how we learn: in sanctioned settings (schools, college, university) as well as at work and how we learn socially (where we see the greatest changes). In fact, I'm so fond of it that I'm currently writing a book about it. But that's another story.
So, Lessig is talking about the 'Tragedy of The Commons', as first explained by Garret Hardin. Hardin's argument has been a powerful counter-argument to the benefit of the commons, so it's worth explaining. The 'tragedy' was that if you put a few extra cows on to a commons you might get a short-term gain - a better yield from your cattle - but, if everyone does it, pretty soon the grass will disappear, the pasture fails, and self-interest will have put paid to the common good. (Hardin was a tad more loquacious, but I realise your time is precious, so I'm abbreviating). First appearing in 1968, Hardin's premise has often been credited with foreseeing the collapse of communist ideals.
Lessig's argument, however, was that those who look for the 'Tragedy of The Commons' in modern day contexts (environment, intellectual property, transport, etc) miss an important interpretive distinction. There are finite, and therefore 'rivalrous' properties (if you eat my apple I no longer have an apple), but there are also non-rivalrous properties - like ideas or, education. If I share an idea with you, you may gain from that idea, but I don't lose from the exchange - I still have the idea. These principles helped establish the 'Creative Commons' license which does so much for the spread of contemporary thinking, untethered by overly-restrictive copyright mechanisms.
And this applies particularly to the business of learning. As there is no loss of illumination when a taper takes light from one candle to another, so no-one should lose out when teaching and learning proliferates. Even the teacher learns more about the subject through explaining it to another learner. These are the lofty ideals which attract people into the teaching profession.
But most accountability structures in education are built upon the belief that, when it comes to schooling, rivalry is good. It drives up standards, right?
Well, wrong. By making competition the focus of schools' activities we've enforced a rivalrous framework around something as innately non-rivalrous as learning, and that's the real tragedy. Instead of creating a true learning commons, the obsession with ranking turns something as pure as learning into a competitive 'enclosure', where there have to be losers, so that there can be winners. This affects us all, from the global measurements of PISA International Tables, to county/authority performance data. It distorts one noble vision - making learning the shared, ubiquitous, resource it ought to be – through the prioritisation of another (though still laudable) goal: to support governments and parents in making the right choices for their young people. It may, indeed, seem a laudable aim, but competition contaminates what should be the non-rivalrous environment of learning.
How does this tragedy manifest itself? Well, for a start, schools soon realise that doing the required thing invariably trumps doing the right thing. Schools won't be interested in becoming learning commons – spaces where a wide range of occupants adopt a shared involvement in, and responsibility for, learning - so long as their very existence is threatened by not keeping up with their rivals.
But that's just the start. The testing mechanisms which turn education into a rivalrous property, also de-moral-ise the professionals in whom we place our trust. Once there's a system with such high-stakes, they're almost duty-bound to find a way to 'game' it. We know we can manipulate student options, (as we're currently doing to improve English Baccalaureate performances) or find the easiest exam boards to boost results, but we lose our sense of moral purpose along the way.
This question of whether learning should be a rivalrous or non-rivalrous property is much more than a philosophical exercise. In recent years it's easy to observe almost a global sense of resignation in school senior leaders, here in the UK, through No Child Left Behind in the US, and in other countries. Many have lost any sense of self-determinism, instead questioning why they came into a profession which seems to reward only compliance and conformity.
But not all.
Six years ago, I sat in on a workshop at a Specialist Schools Trust Conference. The school in question, Walker Technology College, had attracted a highly excited crowd by showing them how to garner a cheap, quick, GCSE pass in art & design, from the Students Who Mattered (the borderline literacy and numeracy students), so that time could be freed up to unleash a torrent of literacy/numeracy improvement strategies on them. Sitting in the audience, I could have wept.
Nor did it work. In 2008, Walker was made a 'National Challenge' school: a euphemism which means 'you've got two years to improve, or we close you down'.
And yet, at last week's Whole Education Event in Manchester, I found myself welling up for a very different reason. This time the presentation from Walker school outlined their transformation into a 'Human Scale' school. It was genuinely inspiring. They are turning their school into a learning commons, taking learning outside the classroom, bringing parents into the learning conversations, enabling students to co-construct the lessons and working with anyone who can make learning more engaging for the large proportion of their disengaged kids.
Faced with such rivalrous pressures, the overwhelming temptation upon Walker would have been to do the required thing: circle the wagons, and drill-and-skill the 'bubble' kids to within an inch of their lives - or boredom thresholds. Instead, they did the right thing, by creating a commons and not worrying too much about the exam results. So far, they've seen significant improvements in behaviour, an improvement in literacy levels, 93% hand-in rates for homework (previously around 30%) and much greater parental engagement. Like I said, moving and inspiring stuff.
And at the same event I met Andrew Chubb, the Principal of the Archbishop Sentanu Academy in Hull, who has taken a one-man stand against the imposition of the English Baccalaureate by announcing that he would create his own version. Far from being the attention-seeking self-publicist one might have imagined, Andrew is an unassuming – but determined – school leader who simply thinks things have gone too far. And he's far from alone. In less than a week, a fast-growing coalition of agencies have come together to create a 'Better Bacc', one which is designed from the 'bottom-up', through the input of school leaders themselves, not imposed by dictat from on-high. But more school leaders need to get behind this campaign if it is to gain the momentum it needs.
So, I'd urge any school leaders reading this to contact the Build A Better Bacc coalition , show that positive resistance is far from futile, and begin to create a better alternative by signing up here.
It may be naïve idealism to re-think schooling in terms such as learning commons and non-rivalrous environments. But simply finding ways to do the right thing, not always the required thing, as both Walker Technology College and Archbishop Sentanu Academy have done, helps restore the higher moral purpose of education and lift spirits, at a time when both seem to be in short supply.
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Thursday, 10 February 2011
Was Monday Such A Great Day For Music?
On Monday of this week the UK Secretary of State for Education, in responding to the Henley Review of Music Education , declared it a great day for music and that everyone involved in music in the UK should be pleased with the government's response. Well, perhaps now that the sound of party-poppers and backs being slapped has died down, it might be an appropriate time for a more objective consideration.
My concerns around the Henley report are three-fold:
1. That it was largely discussing the stuff around the edges, and didn't focus enough on the core of music education. What goes on in primary and secondary schools, as part of the 'core' curriculum, is where the bulk of music in this country is made - from kids aged 5 to 14, and, thanks to Musical Futures, there's been a big increase in numbers of students still making music, beyond that stage. I lost count of the number of times that I read in the papers this week that music education receives £82m per year. No, I'm sorry, music education receives a heck of a lot more than that - think of every classroom music teacher's salary, for a start. The whole debate pre and post the publication of Darren Henley's report has placed the extra-curricular work of music services' instrumental tuition services, above the core provision in every primary and secondary. There was more space spent discussing the much-heralded In Harmony projects (which currently run in a handful of schools at an unsustainable cost) than there was on the quality of the core entitlement in the curriculum. Which brings me to...
2. That it was almost entirely uncritical of the quality of current provision and structures - how is it possible to do a comprehensive review of music education, and not refer to the most recent OFSTED review of music provision in school? Could it be because OFSTED assessed music provision in primary and secondary schools as less than 'good' in half of schools inspected, over a 3 year period? When does a review become a piece of advocacy? I suspect it's when the myriad number of representative groups bombard you with pleas to mention their project/provision and you produce a report which, as this one does, praises everyone and therefore upsets no-one. Why did the report, for instance, not mention that the notion of coordinated local provision ('hubs') was first mentioned in the Music Manifesto report six years ago? If it was approved then as a good idea - and it was - and we have had music services charged with creating Local Area Music Partnership Plans for the past four years, why is it still necessary to say we need better local music coordination, and recommend that the same music services be responsible for it? The unpalatable truth is that many music service 'plans' haven't been't worthy of the name, and yet making the same call seems to be the new 'big idea' of the review.
Please don't get me wrong - I'm not having a pop at music services. Some of them do coordinate activities very well indeed, but for most of them it's simply not what they are good at, nor does their lack of external connections make it possible. Their core business is providing small group instrumental tuition, and why shouldn't they be left alone to do that? The report is essentially asking them to do what the school sports trust does for sports in local communities, but with no recommendations as to how to re-structure themselves. Well, here's a radical idea, one I would have liked to have seen in the review: nationalise the music service. A National Music Service with a single, centralised, (and cost effective) back-office function would not only save a ton of money, it would also ensure that priorities are common across regions, best practice shared quickly, and would prevent the patchy quality of provision so frequently referred to in reports.
3. The lasting impression is that our organisations are effective and the quality of provision is excellent. Why, therefore, would anyone feel the need to follow Henley's urging for a single national body speaking for music? Fragmentation alone is not a good enough reason - if it's working in its own slightly chaotic way, why the panic to fix it? The net result of the report, and the government's response to it, is a huge collective sigh of relief, and, frankly, there'll be little sense of urgency on this issue. There was some classic political posturing before the report got published: everyone expected the worst in terms of funding, so that when music service jobs, and a few projects, were financially saved for another year (and it's only another year) we were all meant to be grateful.
If the music community had attended the Whole Education event this week there may have been a new sense of urgency instilled. For they would have heard Mick Waters (former head of curriculum at QCA and a man well used to reading the political runes) strongly suggest that music, and other arts subjects, will be taken out of the compulsory core curriculum when the National Curriculum Review concludes in two years time. We've already seen large numbers of schools taking steps to remove their music options post-14, so as to funnel students into the new English Baccalaureate subjects, and the Guardian carried a report this week of similar fates befalling other arts subjects. So, it's entirely possible that we could lose music at all stages of the curriculum in most of our schools, by 2013. We know that the government is determined to reduce the number of subjects within the core curriculum: cue subject pitted against subject in an unseemly scramble to make it into the pen before the gate closes (which is why having a single voice for music education is so pressing).
I'm not a conspiracist by nature, but I believe there's a very real possibility that the hidden agenda behind the government's support for the review is to get it off the political hook when such a scenario occurs. Having supported all the stuff which goes on outside school hours, it can claim that kids are still getting a 'rich cultural experience' - it's just that second period on a Thursday is reserved for 'real' academic subjects, not mucking about on guitars.
But that's the problem. Fewer than 10% of kids access music instrumental tuition. If you add up all the kids who take part in all the other stuff - projects in the community, playing in their local orchestras, etc - you might get that figure up to 25-30%. Music in the primary and secondary curriculum is the only place where every young person gets exposure to music education - and, please take note, media outlets and politicians: there is much more to music education than learning to play a musical instrument!
So, will we still look back on last Monday as a great day for music if, in a couple of year's time, it's been preserved for the minority, but lost as a universal entitlement for everyone?
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Monday, 7 February 2011
Improve Results - Cut School Hours!
If there's one good thing to come out of the so-called 'Age of Austerity' we're entering, it's that it makes us bring some new ideas to the table. Facing significant funding cuts, North Ayrshire council is, apparently, considering switching to a four-day school week, and putting the school starting age back a year, to six (kids start school in England and Scotland aged five). There's been a predictably hostile response in the media, and the leader of North Ayrshire has quickly decribed the plan as a 'worst case scenario', adding "Parents by and large work round about the school week ... and it really wouldn't be practical to move away from that."
It seems like we oraganise our school systems to suit the needs of schools first, parents second, and children third.
But why is cutting back the number of hours a child spends in school such a sacred cow? Consider the Finns (I know, I'm sick to death of considering the Finns, too, but you can't ignore their results): their kids have, for decades, started school not aged six, but at seven. Academically, they seem to catch up, and then overtake, our kids pretty quickly.
There's little historical evidence that our statutory starting age - two years ahead of the Finns - was taken on educational grounds. The early start was introduced in 1870 to guard against neglectful Victorian parenting, and to ensure that industrial employers could access young child workers at an early age, on the basis that the sooner they started school, the sooner they finished. (So, let's change that priority of needs to schools, parents, employers, then children).
Finnish kids also enjoy an 11-week summer break, (compared to our 6) and yet still spank us in PISA tests. So, perhaps Ayrshire should be praised, rather than pilloried, for having the guts to think differenty - our obsession with getting kids to do more, work harder, doesn't seem to be working, does it?
And if they need further encouragement, let me relay a story I heard at a Head Teacher conference I was speaking at, last week. I heard from a parent whose child was in the crucial Year 10, when their school burned down. Senior leaders moved quickly to set up learning opportunities in local libraries, community centres, town halls - even the local race track. Students organised themselves into peer learning groups, and a virtual learning environment was quickly set up for them. Students followed the curriculum in a way which Sugata Mitra would define as minimally invasive and self-organised learning.
Whilst local people people were glad to see a community spirit re-establish itself, no-one believed that the temporary arrangements were any substitute for the real thing. Except, that year, the school had their best ever GCSE results.
Rather than working kids so hard, and piling homework on top of them, perhaps we should try letting them work shorter hours, with the opportunity to organise more of their own learning?
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Friday, 4 February 2011
Google Factoid - Mea Culpa
Two weeks ago (the original post is here) I detailed what I called a 'game-changing' piece of kit being released by Google. 'Factoid' was designed to bring knowledge and facts to the writer/learner, utilising the powerful search capacities they have developed through ad sense, linked to their huge digital repository of knowledge. The filters you could apply, would bring you relevant economic, geo-political and historical data, without you having to look for it, simply by typing key words into your document.
Lots of people got very excited about the radical implications that such a technological breakthrough would bring to teaching and learning. It's time to confess: I made it up. I'm afraid Factoid was Fictoid. The only thing that was true was that I do own a very small number of Google shares, but that was never going to get me sneak previews of new lab developments, as I claimed.
Now, I apologise to anyone who was taken in by the story, but I hope people will see that the point I was trying to make was worth the deception.
You see, over 3,000 people have viewed that post in the past two weeks, and not a single one (including some social media experts – sorry, Ewan, Sorry Dan) questioned the likelihood of it being true. What does this tell us? That people were half-expecting it, and that it's merely a matter of time before such apps do exist. The real question lies in how we respond to such technological advancements.
I have never agued for skills over knowledge. To my mind, they're equally important. It's just a shame that the fixation we now have with testing, means that what we can test the most easily (what we know) invariably takes precedence over what really matters (what we can do with that knowledge). And, despite there being no proven connection between PISA/TIMMS scores and national prosperity, industrialised countries have judged the quality of their national education systems by PISA performance, and have therefore conned themselves into believing that what can be PISA tested is what we should be teaching. PISA doesn't test skills, so knowledge becomes everything.
Skills are acquired experientially, knowledge isn't. You have to fathom out how to make knowledge work for you, and that, in my experience, is what teachers really want to be doing: helping their kids apply knowledge, not standing in front of them, turgidly chronicling the kings and queens of England.
Witness the surge of interest in 'flipping' the conventional relationship between the classroom lecture and homework. Instead of using valuable class time lecturing 30 kids, and then setting them homework to see if they understood it, growing numbers of forward-thinking teachers are podcasting their lectures – to be viewed as homework – so that they can use class time to support students in putting that knowledge into practice. Flipping's popularity has occurred because it appeals to teachers' intrinsic desire to grow human beings, not fact accumulators.
So, I believe that the English government has misjudged the mood of teachers, by signalling a reversal of pedagogy, away from skills, and back to facts. Or perhaps it's a cunning ruse to make deeper public sector cuts in the future. After all, once something like Factoid really exists, who needs teachers?
I really do hope that teachers will become more vocal in expressing the importance of head and hands, of knowledge and skills. I know that their excitement at the prospect of a powerful technological aid to knowledge acquisition was because they could see they might have more time for knowledge application with their students. And I'm sorry if I raised their hopes prematurely by perpetrating my little hoax. I promise it will be the last time I'll attempt such a stunt.
And I do hope Google cut me in on a royalty when they eventually do create Factoid – remember, Do No Evil – you read it here first!
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The model in the Lena & Dolls photo series seems almost as lifeless as the doll she hugs and carries. Of course, the dark and rather depressing scenes encourage these thoughts of lost innocence, sadness and even death. The quiet quality in the Lena & Dolls series may give it a whimsical, fairy-tale feel, but it is as if these shots are being taken at the part of the story in which the hero must be tested to make it to the end having learned a valuable lesson.
Shot by Poland-based photographer Tomek Jankowski, the Lena & Dolls photo series is all about lighting and composition. Expertly photographed, Jankowski was able to breathe some life into the dolls while taking some away from his models.