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AFTER last week's A-level results, today (Thursday) the wait is over for West Berkshire pupils receiving their GCSE grades.
This morning thousands of the district's year eleven pupils will pick up their GCSE results, which will determine whether they stay on in full-time education, take up an apprenticeship or go into work.
The newburytoday team will be out and about at West Berkshire and North Hampshire's secondary schools, getting reactions, photos and interviews as the results come in throughout the day.
But don't wait for us to come to you, send in your own GCSE stories and photos to James Williams at firstname.lastname@example.com
Full reports will appear in next Thursday's Newbury Weekly News, while a photo gallery will later be set up at newburytoday.co.uk
To find out more about purchasing a photograph, call our reception on 01635 524111.
Here is how we reported on the day with our rolling news feed.
Our first results comes from St Bartholomew's School, Andover Road, Newbury. We will bring you them in just a moment.
Our reporter Ellis Barker is at St Bartholomew's School this morning where 85 per cent of pupils gained five A* to C grades for the second year running.
The average points score rose above 500 points per pupil, according to the school.
Meanwhile, 99 per cent of pupils gained five or more qualifications A* to G and 97.6 per cent received at least one A* to C grade.
St Bartholomew's pupil Georgie Williams-Moss (pictured right in the photo below) aged 15, of Greenham, said she was 'over the moon' with her A in maths. "My mum promised me a camera if I got an A in maths. My heart is literally going mad," she said.
Meanwhile, 16-year-old Lizzie Dunmore (pictured left in the photo below) of Highclere, received an impressive ten A*s and two As.
Last year, the average number of West Berkshire pupils achieving the national threshold of five GCSEs with A* to C grades rose from 72.5 per cent to 76.1 per cent – the highest ever average.
Among the top performing schools in 2011 were St Bartholomew's, Newbury, which saw 86 per cent of pupils achieve at least five A* to C grades, while Little Heath School, Tilehurst, also recorded a new high of 83 per cent.
Also in 2011, Kennet School, Thatcham, and John O'Gaunt Community Technology College, Hungerford, recorded 100 per cent pass rates (A* to G), while Park House School, Newbury, Trinity School, Shaw, and Denefield School, Tilehurst, celebrated their best ever GCSE results.
Some more top performers from St Bartholomew's pictured above are Annie Cave, aged 16, of Donnington, who gained 11 A*s and one A* with distinction. Fellow pupil, 16-year-old Edward porter, of Newbury, achieved seven A*s.
Results from Park House School, Andover Road, Newbury, are due to be published in the next couple of minutes.
Seventy-five per cent of pupils achieved five or more passes at grade A* to C at Park House, the school has just reported.
Headteacher Derek Peaple was delighted by this year's 'excellent' GCSE results. He told our reporter John Garvey: "They match the best that we have ever achieved."
Among the top performers was a delighted Sophie Wells who is celebrating five A*s and 3.5 As together with an A grade in AS maths achieved one year early..
More results are making their way to the newburytoday newsdesk, this time they are from Pangbourne College. We'll bring you their results in just a moment.
Staff and pupils at Pangbourne College are celebrating after its best GCSE results since 1989.
Ninety-one per cent of pupils gained five A* to C grades, while 81 per cent achieved five A* to C passes, including English and maths.
Meanwhile, 53 per cent of grades awarded were between A* to B.
Some of the standout performances came from Laura Webb, Shannon Webb, Freddie Hargreaves, Jamie Miller, Isabel Metcalfe, who all gained A* to B grades.
Headteacher at Pangbourne College, Thomas Garnier said: "The co-curricular activities in which all students engage at Pangbourne is demanding and these excellent academic results prove what can be achieved by committed young people through sheer hard work.
"I am delighted with their successes and commend their teachers for their dedication and support."
We're getting reports of record breaking results at John O'Gaunt Community Technology College, Hungerford. Full results will be published very soon.
Pupils at John O'Gaunt Technology College have achieved record highs with 87 per cent of year 11s achieving five or more grades between A* and C.
More than 40 per cent of the pupils achieved the tougher target of seven A*s to B, including English and maths.
'The results are a final feather in the cap of out going headteacher Neil Spurdell', says our reporter John Garvey
Over half of the total GCSE results at St Gabriel's, Newtown Road, Sandleford Priory, were A* or A. Full results from the school to follow.
St Gabriel's principal, Alun Jones said he was delighted with the girls' GCSE results, with 81 per cent of grades at A* to B.
"With well over 50 per cent of the girls' grades in mathematics, biology, chemistry and physics were at A* to A. I am delighted that St Gabriel's continues to completely overturn such gender stereotypes that limit girls' interests and performance in mathematics and science in a society with a fascination with all things shallow."
There were some excellent results for a number of pupils, including Ellie Oretti, of Andover Road, Newbury, who achieved ten A*s and two As, Louisa Lai of Midgham, who gained nine A*s and three As, while Abigail Wooden of Woolten Hill, who achieved eight A*s and four A grades.
Our reporter Ellis Barker is now at Trinity School, Shaw, where results are now being handed out to pupils.
Headteacher at Trinity, Charlotte Wilson (pictured above) says the school's A* to C pass rate has improved by 24 per cent, with 90 per cent of pupils gaining five A* to C grades.
Increases in A* to C pass rates were recorded in art, catering, English literature, German, ICT and mathematics.
There was a 100 per cent pass rates of A*to C in childcare, German, PE, and vocational science.
"These results reflect the talent and ability of our students. They also reflect the effort, hard work and commitment of students, staff and parents alike.
"Each year I lay down the challenge which the students and staff rise up to meet with enthusiasm and drive. I am so proud of them all," said Mrs Wilson.
Our Hampshire reporter Jane Meredith is at The Hurst Community College, Baughurst, and The Clere School, Burghclere, this morning. We will bring their results as soon as we get them.
There was another record breaking year at The Hurst, where 62 per cent of pupils gaining five A* to C grades, including English and maths – an increase of ten per cent on last year.
Meanwhile, 85 per cent of pupils gained five A* to C grades, with 70 per cent of candidates obtaining a A* to C in maths, another record for the college.
Headteacher Malcolm Christian said: "I'm delighted that so many of our pupils achieved higher results than they were expecting."
At The Willink School, Burghfield Common, 99 per cent of pupils gained five A* to G grades. More results from the school to follow.
Seventy per cent of candidates gained at least five A* to C grades, including English and maths, at The Willink, while 80 per cent achieved five A* to C grades.
The average points per pupils score at the school was 326.
Headteacher Peter Fry praised his pupils (pictured above). He said: "Overall we are really pleased with this set of grades, the result of considerable commitment by students, supported by dedicated staff.
"The proportion of students' achieving five or more top grades including and excluding English and maths have exceeded the school's previous best and underlines the school's strength and continuous improvement recently reported upon by Ofsted".
Our Thatcham reporter Tanya Haji has the results from Kennet School, Thatcham, where pupils have achieved a 100 per cent pass rate, with 75 per cent gaining five A* – C grades.
One success story was Siobhan Clack who gained eleven A* grades and one A.
She said: "I was so nervous but I'm so happy now."
Headteacher at the Stoney Lane School, Paul Dick said: "Kennet School is absolutely delighted to receive another outstanding set of GCSE examination results.
"There have been many superb individual performances, underlying the importance of giving support and challenge to all pupils."
Results are in from Padworth College and Little Heath School, Tilehurst. We will publish them shortly.
Sixty-nine per cent of year eleven pupils at Padworth College achieved at least five A* to C grades, while 49 per cent obtained A* to B grades, while the overall pass rate was at 97 per cent.
Principal Linde Melhuish said, "We are proud of what our students have achieved – as a non-selective school, we are committed to enabling each individual student to fulfil their academic goals and we are delighted with the increase in the number of A*-B grades this year."
At Little Heath School 78 per cent of pupils gained five or more A*to C results, while 51 per cent achieved five or more A* to C passes with English and maths.
Half of year eleven pupils gained ten or more higher grades (A* to C) and 22 per cent of candidates achieved five or more A* to As.
However, the school says it is disappointed with the GCSE English results this summer.
Our reporter Mark Taylor has been at The Downs School, Compton, this morning where pupil Harriet Ffrench (pictured below) called her mother to tell her about the 10A* and A grade she was awarded.
"I was nervous, I can't believe it, it's such a relief. My sister got her A levels last week and did really well so I was hoping that I would get good grades," she said.
What you can't see in the picture is Harriet's mud-splashed wellies because she is off to Reading Festival, which starts tomorrow.
A nationwide drop in English GCSEs has caused concern in schools right across the district, according to the Compton school's headteacher Valerie Val Houldey.
Mrs Houldey sits as acting chairwoman of the Secondary Heads Forum in West Berkshire and she said changes to grade bands meant markers were 'blind' when scoring papers.
"Putting coursework in without knowing grades does cause concern, and it is something that is being felt not just here but all over the country."
Nationwide issues aside, Mrs Houldey said the results were "absolutely stunning".
Forty eight per cent of pupils scored seven A* to B including English and mathematics, 71 per cent scored A to C including English and mathematics, and 75 per cent scored Five A* to C grades
"It's been an absolutely stunning set of results today. We are all really pleased, we get a lot of support from the parents so it is great to see them all. And the staff work really hard too. We just want to make sure as many pupils as possible get to the next step on their way."
Boyfriend and girlfriend and Trinity School pupils, Niall Snowdon and Loren Bartholomew pictured above. Niall got the best results in the school, with A*s in every subject.
Results are in from The Clere School, where our reporter Jane Meredith has been speaking to headteacher Felicity Martin.
Eighty per cent of pupils at The Clere gained five A* to C grades, 14 per cent higher than in 2011.
Meanwhile, 62 per cent of pupils achieved five GCSEs at A* to C, including English and maths.
Headteacher Mrs Martin said: "The first thing I wish to do is congratulate every year eleven student. They have all worked so hard to achieve success this year."
At Bradfield College nearly half of all entries achieved either A or A*.
There were many impressive individual performances amongst the College's large cohort of local pupils. Lucy Baker-Smith, Sam Courtier-Dutton, Jamie Dryden, Michael Fane, Klara Fine and James Kelly, Georgia Minter-Kemp, Emma Noakes and Joe Tyler all scored at least eight top grades.
Meanwhile Edie Walker from Pangbourne was especially pleased to pass all her GCSEs at A* level.
Pictured above is Trinity pupil Katie Smith, aged 16, of Newbury, who gained eight GCSEs, including seven at A* or A.
We have received results from most of our region's schools, but one or two are still coming in. We will bring you results from Mary Hare School, Snelsmore Common, in a few minutes.
Mary Hare School for deaf children are celebrating another year of good GCSE results.
The overall pass rate at Mary Hare for A* to C grades was 62 per cent, while 100 per cent of pupils gained grades between A*and E in English literature, chemistry, physics, textiles, ICT, drama, media, music and in the BTEC subjects of music technology and business studies.
The Principal of the school, Tony Shaw was full of praise for the pupils and staff who worked so hard to achieve these grades.
'Our staff and pupils work as a team to enable the profoundly and severely deaf pupils reach their full potential," he said. "Every year our pupils make outstanding progress from their starting point, which means that in many subjects the pupils obtain higher than expected grades'.
Along with many schools around the district and the country, Theale Green Community School has said its GCSE results this year were mixed.
The percentage of pupils achieving five A* to C increased to 68 per cent, and maths results improved to above the national average at 59 per cent A* to C.
BTEC science, health and social care, textiles, and religious studies were other areas where pupils scored highly.
However, despite significant improvements in science this year there was a drop in the percentage achieving five A* to C, including English and maths.
A spokeswoman for the school, Kirtsin Robb, said: "At 48 per cent we know that this is not as good as it should be and we are working hard to ensure that the improvements lower down the school translate into examination results next year."
Some of the school's outstanding results came from Angharad Magowan, Lara Dolomore, Scott Gibson, Annabel Borthwick, Charlotte Scott and Moyosore Kolawole.
Results just in from Denefield School, Tilehurst, show that 74 per cent of pupils gained at least five A* to C results.
Those achieving five GCSE grades A* to C with English and maths totalled 44 per cent.
Don't wait for us to come to you, send in your own GCSE stories and photos to James Williams at firstname.lastname@example.com
Full reports will appear in next Thursday's Newbury Weekly News, while a photo gallery will later be set up at newburytoday.co.uk


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"We have somewhat of an idea about what to do with the world and what it means and where it's coming from and where's it's going. We know more than the player does and it hasn't been revealed yet, really," Meade, Fireproof's commercial director, said in an interview with Pocket Gamer.
The first The Room game was a hit on mobile and tablets in 2012, and Fireproof released The Room 2 to positive reviews this month. TabTimes Games awarded it four out of five stars in our review. But will there be a The Room 3?
"I'd say talk to us next year. I would certainly say that we're not done with The Room universe yet. As to when we'll get back to it, well, that's a different thing," Meade explained. "We basically want to make another game next year, yes. And we're certainly going to investigate doing another The Room game, too. As to whether or not we actually go into production with one, we'll have to wait and see."
What a tease! With all the mysteries hidden in The Room and its sequel, you'd think its developers could at least be a little less clandestine. But I guess that's what we should expect. What do you think? Should Fireproof develop The Room 3 or another game next year?
Don't miss the best tablet news coverage: sign up for the free TabTimes Weekly Best newsletter

subset: commoncrawl


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Mayor hosting Ward 1 meeting Saturday
Friday, May 9, 2014
SOMERSWORTH — Mayor Dana Hilliard is hosting a Ward 1 meeting Saturday at City Hall, the first of many such sessions focusing on different parts of the city.
For instance, the forum gave councilors a chance to interact with residents, which isn't typically allowed during council meetings. It also lets councilors explain their positions, he said. |


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I write for Wired, where I report on startups, emerging tech, privacy, technology law, network neutrality, machine learning, open source, hacker culture, code literacy and more. I'm always looking for story ideas. You can contact me at "me at klintfinley dot com." If it's sensitive, you can send me an encrypted e-mail. My public GPG key is here.
I also co-host the podcast Mindful Cyborgs with Chris Dancy, maintain the blog Technoccult, write fiction (my first short story was published in the anthology Membrane last year by Dreadful Cafe) and pen the occasional column for TechCrunch (but I don't cover news there, so please don't send me pitches for TC).
I'm available for freelance journalism work, but I can't accept content work for vendors. I'm also available to speak about any of my beats, or about journalism in general, at independent conferences and other events. See here for more info.


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4 Cook book alive!kappag | 12/06/2008 | See all kappag's reviews (4)I came across this japanese programme (while on holiday in the Philippines during Christmas), which showed a woman using her DS teaching her how to cook. Step by step it was instructing her for every part of the recipe. When she was ready to move on, she just tapped the screen to continue!It was great, forget 'cooking mama' ,you can actually use this 'cooking guide' to actuallly cook something. No need to bring out your big book (I have many and it takes alot of space in my small kitchen!), this 'cooking guide' is handy! Bring it with you to the supermarket to shop for your ingredients, sit your DS on your kitchen counter, follow the steps and start cooking away. You know you won't get lost through the recipe unlike looking at the cook book (this happens to me!) However thinking about it now when you start using this to keep your DS away from liquids, you wouldn't want to ruin your DS!!Price wise, not so keen... maybe it should be a little cheaper! Like brain training, this is helping your brain get younger, so says Dr Kawashima, so why not similar pricing!!!Anyway I'm glad it will finally reach to this side of the globe and I've given this a 4*, as i yet to try it, but i was very impressed by how easy the woman was able to follow the instructions at her pace. So for those who have not yet mastered the skills of Jamie Oliver or Gordon Ramsey, or needs more variety of meals to cook (that's me!) or not enough kitchen counter space to get out the big cook book (that's me again!) then I believe this is ideal for you.
5 Cook? Non-cook? Give it a go, and then decide.Wiiloveit | 31/10/2008 | See all Wiiloveit's reviews (18)Top 100 Games Reviewer When Nintendo announced this DS title, everyone was confused why they were releasing such a title? With around 250 in depth guides to cooking though, this isn't an application to be sniffed at.To get started, you can choose what you wish to make by searching the country it originates from or what you want it to include. The advanced search tool works really well, and includes options for the amount of calories, the main ingredient (such as meat, fish, veg) and the cooking time. This narrows your search down to all of the recipes that apply, and from here you can view details of each one, and then check you've got the correct utensils and ingredients ready.When it's time to cook, you get help from a cheerful British "man", who reads out each of your instructions for you. The instructions are also available in a little more depth on the screen, and sometimes more details will be available alongside each step. These extra details might explain why you're doing something or they may give you tips on how to get a nicer taste. Sometimes, there will even be a video (displayed in a very good picture quality for the DS) to help you further, making sure that you hardly ever get it wrong.To progress to the next step, you can either touch the respective icon on the screen, or say "continue" out loud for the microphone to hear. You can also ask the cook to repeat instructions or go back a step if you need any more help.In addition to all this, there are several extras also worth mentioning. First of all, there is a guide that teaches you the meanings of all the terminology used, and how to perform each technique described when cooking. These are packed full of information, and are also available whilst you're cooking a recipe. There are also lists of all the ingredients used, with an image and description of each one, and (where applicable) a substitute ingredient that may be used instead.Plus, the cartridge also includes a timer that can be activated at any point during a recipe, further ensuring you get everything perfectly right. Whilst your meals are cooking, there is also an option to busy yourself with the Game & Watch title "Chef", where you move a character left and right to toss falling sausages before they hit the ground. It may be a simple game, but it's also pretty addictive and is a welcome addition.If you're not in the mood for cooking, though, then you can still browse the recipes, and mark them for notification later. Plus, you can add comments (written by handwriting on the touch screen, Brain Training style) to each meal, search for a particular something, or browse the calendar to see which meals you have made and when you made them.There are a few letdowns in the software though. For starters, many of the recipes are foreign, and will most definitely not suit everyone's taste. The problem with the recipes being foreign also means that there are quite a few ingredients you won't be able to get because they originate from Japan, or other countries. The substitute ingredients list helps out, but it's still a shame it's been done this way. In addition to this, the microphone (marketed as one of the most important features) is often too responsive, and there is no option to alter this. If you clatter a pan or rapidly stir some food, it can pick this up, and often skips back a step, or repeats the step again, which eventually led to me switching that option off, and instead getting my DS covered in food by using the on screen "buttons".Overall though, there's loads to do in this package, and it is well recommended for anyone who can or would like to cook, providing you've got a liking for a wide variety of foreign food.
5 BrilliantFozzySPF | 21/11/2008 | See all FozzySPF's reviews (58)Top 100 Games Reviewer I love this DS game, not really a game more of a life tool lol.I'm not very good at cooking, not one for making proper sunday roasts and stuff like that, whacking a pizza in the oven or a pasta bake is about as much as i know, maybe the odd omelette but thats hardly difficult.This program makes it so easy to learn, i've so far tried a few english dishes, some spanish and tonight i cooked my folks the szechuan chicken from the chinese list and it was gorgeous.The instructions are clear and easy to follow, it adjusts the ingredient quantities depending on the amount you're feedingIt has speech recognition so u can control the cooking steps just by talking if u have your hands full, this is a nice touch but a little sensitive for my liking, i found the odd clack and sizzle noises from the kitchen moved on / backed up the steps on its own without me wanting it to.The only other moan i have is the cooking times, during the steps it rarely tells you how long you should be frying something for but merely gives you a visual thing to look for. I understand some hobs and cookers may act different and vary times so this doesnt bother me too much, just as a beginner cook it does make u panic a little if you're doing it right.All in all this game is fab and i love using it, perfect for people who arent too familiar with cooking and are tired of eating the same meals they only know how to prepare.also, i have tried the Jamie Oliver game and i thought it was utter pants compared to this, the visual aids are terrible and theres hardly any talking in it apart from Jamie saying the name of the dish which hardly helps me cook to be honest. I'd recommend this one any day.
4 A useful little thingminirac | 24/08/2008 | See all minirac's reviews (60)Top 100 Games Reviewer I'm utterly rubish at cooking. I also cannot allow my mother to try and teach me how to cook because she is annoying when she does so. When I heard about this game I was incredibley pessimistic, it had the potentional to be awful like a lot of DS educational games (a lot of them are awful by the way) this isn't one of them. It's so easy to use, and whilst the voice recognition is not perfect (though I am a geordie so that may not be their fault!) it is still a handy thing to have. I love the note taking capability and after cooking the dish I write the rough price of each dish so when I'm skint I can see what I can afford! I'm off to Spain for a month soon where I shall have to fend for myself and this will be a great tool to take with me when I'm stuck for ideas. I also think this would be a great idea for getting kids involved in cooking as it is an innovative, fun and clever tool whilst at the same time appealing to the adult market.
4 Bye bye cook book, hello DS!AlienMoo | 26/06/2008 | See all AlienMoo's reviews (2)I was a little sceptical about this, but now after trying a couple of recipes I love it. I should warn you that if your expecting thousands of recipes, there is only about 250, which is a good number of recipes, but I suspect they will bring out more depending on the popularity.But this is definitely not a discouragement; the recipes are nice and varied; there are over ten contires to choose from: recipes from America, Britian, France, Italy, India, Thailand, China, Japan, Australia, and so on. You can also search via difficulty, an ingredient, time and calories. Another good thing is that you can favourite certain recipes and add notes, so when you browse you can find your favourites easy, rather then searching all over again.It is easy to read the ingredients, the steps and the actual cooking guide. While your cook your "Chef" friend tells you how to do each step (you also get text and pictures to follow); you can go back, repeat and ask to set the time with the sound of you voice or by touching the screen (you can turn the voice activation off at any time during the cooking process). You can also change the speed of the Chef's voice.Another little feature is the "shopping list" section at the menu. The basic idea is that when browsing for a recipe, you can tick the ingredients you need to buy, and it will be transferred to the "shopping list" section. This section is easy to browse and it even has a calculator to do your price sums if you take it with you in the supermarket.A couple of drawbacks are when adding a note to a recipe it sometimes has trouble reading some letters, depending on your handwriting: example would be that sometimes it misreads "t" and puts down a "x", other examples are "a" is misread as an "o" or "p" and "k" is misread as a "r" . It is easy to correct it's just a tad annoying after a while. Other drawback is a the price: I recommend waiting for it to be a little cheaper before buying it.Overall it's a good investment: it has a wide range of recipes and anyone can cook with this. Just wait for it to be cheaper and you will never need a cook book again!


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96. Sakaya Kitchen's Brussels Sprouts
Sakaya Kitchen's humble green balls of deliciousness are the sprouts that launched a thousand ships. Well, maybe not literally. But if there's a current local craze for this unfairly maligned vegetable, much of the credit can go to Richard Hales' rendition at his casual Midtown spot.
The sprouts here are light years away from the slimy boiled cafeteria version that's earned them their bad rap. Instead, Sakaya cooks them at high temperatures until they're brown and caramelized, but still firm, and smothers them in a mountain of fresh ginger. The result is sweet, spicy, and savory all in one vitamin-packed bite, making for an addictive side dish that regularly sells out at the restaurant's mobile truck, Dim Ssam a Gogo.
Sakaya Kitchen
Buena Vista Avenue between 34th and 36th Streets in the shops of Midtown Miami
100 Favorite Dishes
97. Gandules en Escabeche from Raaga Cart
98. Pizza Genovese at Spris
99. Leek Soup at Buena Vista Deli
100. Dumplings at Chow Down Grill
Follow Short Order on Facebook and Twitter @Short_Order.
Location Info
Sponsor Content


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A Housing Revolution
In 1793, while serving in Philadelphia as Secretary of State under President Washington, Jefferson wrote a letter to his Monticello overseer with instructions about plantation management. Jefferson requested that the overseer make sure the enslaved adults and their children then living in the stone house -- labeled Building E on the Mutual assurance plat -- move into three newly constructed log houses -- Buildings r, s, and t -- on the eastern end of Mulberry Row (see Mulberry Row in 1796). Among these slaves was Critta Hemings who, with her children, was to take the log house nearest to the mansion (Building r) "as she is wanted around the house".
What are we to make of this change in accommodations? More importantly, what did Critta make of it? Building E, built in the 1770's, featured two large rooms, each about 17 feet square, a brick floor, and walls and chimney of cut stone quarried at the base of Monticello Mountain. If Jefferson's architectural drawings are to be believed, it sported a classical decoration, including an entablature and a pedimented portico, supported by Tuscan columns, over the single entry. On the other hand, the new log dwellings were a scant 12 by 14 feet in plan. They featured clay floors, wood-framed chimneys plastered with clay, and lacked architectural embellishment, Tuscan or otherwise. Viewing Jefferson's letter in isolation, it might seem that Critta's move represented a decline in housing standards. Understanding why this is unlikely to have been Critta's interpretation requires a larger perspective on the incident, one that is provided by the systematic picture of change in slave housing at Monticello that archaeological evidence alone can offer.
Archaeological excavations have provided information on about 9 structures that housed slaves along Mulberry Row during the Jefferson's half-century tenure at Monticello. Three of these structures were built in the 1770's. The first is represented archaeologically by a cluster of four rectangular pits. The pits averaged 3.5 by 4.2 feet in plan and 1.2 feet in depth. Excavations elsewhere in the Chesapeake make it clear that they are examples of what archaeologists call "sub-floor pits," small cellars that are typically found beneath the floors of slave houses in the region during the 18th century. When in use, they would have been covered with boards, which could be removed to gain access to the pit's contents. The four sub-floor pits were located at the east end of Mulberry Row where Jefferson's design drawings show a structure he labeled a "Negro Quarter." Jefferson's drawing shows a building with two 17-foot square rooms, each heated by a corner fireplace that shared a single stack. The two rooms shared a single entry. Burnt chinking and daub in the pit fill attests that this was a log building with a wooden chimney. Because the log walls sat on top of the ground or on a cobble foundation that was completely recycled for use elsewhere, they left no detectable subsurface trace after the building's destruction about 1790. Superimposing Jefferson's plan on the four pits suggests that there were two pits in each room, positioned close to the corner fireplaces.
The second slave house dating from this early period left a more substantial archaeological trace. Here portions of the cobble and boulder foundation on which the log superstructure once sat survived. So too did portions of a stone hearth foundation on the gable end, which would have carried a clay-covered, wood-framed chimney. The foundations indicate the building was 12.5 by 20 feet in plan and contained a single room. There were two sub-floor pits, a larger pit in the center of the room, and a smaller brick-lined pit in front of the hearth. Unlike the "Negro Quarter", this building survived at least until 1796, when Jefferson labeled it "Building o" on his insurance plat.
The third early slave house on Mulberry Row has not been investigated archaeologically because it survives and is used today. Labeled Building E by Jefferson on his 1796 insurance plat, the structure originally had a plan and exterior dimensions identical to the "Negro Quarter", although room sizes were a bit smaller because the walls were stone, not log. This is the building in which Critta was living in 1793.
Slave domestic spaces built during the 1790's were consistently different. We have already encountered three of them: Building r, Critta's new home, and its clones, Buildings s, and t. Archaeology revealed that s and t both had a single small sub-floor pit. By 1800, three additional slave spaces were to be found in the brick and stone south terrace to the north of Mulberry Row, which was completed at this time as part of Jefferson's campaign to rebuild Monticello mansion. One of these was the cook's room, located next to the kitchen. The three terrace rooms ranged from 150 to 160 square feet.
Two detached stone structures were built in the early 19th century. The first of these was standing by 1809, it had a stone chimney. After Jefferson's death its partially dismantled walls became an enclosure around the grave of Rachael Levy, the mother of Monticello's new owner. The second stone structure was located on the opposite side of Mulberry Row. Copious amounts of brick rubble indicate a brick chimney. Room sizes in these buildings were even larger than those found in the terraces: 256 and 236 square feet respectively.
Changes in the number of rooms and the size of each of the rooms reveal an interesting pattern. In the 1770's rooms are large, in the 215-260 square foot range. However, in the 1790's room size declines dramatically to 140 square feet. And there is evidence of a subsequent increase as we move into the early 19th century. Two of the early structures have a two-room plan with a single entry, giving shared access to each room. But this feature is missing from the 1790's on. After that date all rooms have independent and direct access from the outside. Buildings r, s, t are free-standing single-room structures and the three slave rooms in the terraces have their own exterior doors and non-communicating partitions between them.
Clearly Critta's move needs to be seen as part of a larger change in slave housing at Monticello. But what was the significance of the change? One possibility is that the smaller rooms of the 1790's represented a reduction in space available to slave families. But there is a second possibility. On this reading, the decrease in room size in the 1790's mirrored an increase in the frequency with which Mulberry Row residents were able to live in smaller groups over whose membership they now had greater control. The larger rooms of the 1800's would then represent an increase in the amount of space available to these smaller, presumably family-based residential groups.
How can we decide between these alternatives? What's needed is independent archaeological evidence which might be sensitive to the extent to which enslaved individuals controlled residence group membership and could live in family groups. Recently, archaeologists working at Monticello have suggested that sub-floor pits, like those that marked the location of the "Negro Quarter," provide the evidence we need.
Over the past several decades, archaeologists working in the Chesapeake have discovered that floors of houses in which slaves lived during the 18th century are typically riddled with multiple sub-floor pits. One slave house located at Kingsmill Plantation just outside Williamsburg and occupied during the third quarter of the eighteenth century had an astonishing 18 rectangular pits dug into the floor. But 4 to 10 pits is more typical. Archaeologists are still puzzling over the best explanation for the pits and their association with Chesapeake slavery. However, a promising idea is that sub-floor pits were used as by slaves as safe-deposit boxes.
Under the safe-deposit box hypothesis, sub-floor pits represent clever inventions by enslaved people to increase the security of personal belongings and food, both provisioned and acquired independently, under difficult social conditions imposed on them by slave owners in the 18th-century Chesapeake. Sub-floor pits achieve their security function by making access to their contents time consuming, more likely to be publically observed, and hence socially accountable. Increased social accountability in turn helped foster a greater sense of community among Chesapeake slaves, in the same way that the Freedom of Information Act encourages honesty in government today.
If the safe-deposit box hypothesis is correct, then we can use the pattern of sub-floor pit occurrence at Monticello to evaluate the idea that the decrease in room size represented an increase in the ability of enslaved people to make choices about house mates. If slaves were able to choose residence partners on the basis of whether or not they had proven trustworthy friends in the past, then the security function of sub-floor pits would have become less important to Mulberry Row's residents. The importance of sub-floor pits can be measured in two ways: their frequency of occurrence under each structure and their size. The frequency of sub-floor pit occurrence declined over time. The two excavated structures with large rooms from the 1770's, Building o and the Negro Quarter have two pits under each room. Buildings s and t, from the 1790's, both had a single cellar. There is no evidence that any structure built after 1800 had a sub-floor pit. The pattern of change in sub-floor pit size tells a complementary story. Average sub-floor pit size declines from the 1770's to the 1790's, before sub-floor pits disappear entirely from Monticello around 1800. The tentative conclusion is that the smaller room sizes of the 1790's do represent greater control over residence group membership by slaves on Mulberry Row. The fact all the slave spaces built after 1790 could be entered directly from the outside offers additional support for this idea.
What then are we to make of Critta's move? It appears to have been part of a larger shift in slave housing at Monticello. Before the change, many slaves lived in barracks-like settings, with little say over who their house mates were. Afterwards, slaves were more often able to choose those with whom they lived and often chose to live in smaller family groups. Current evidence from other sites indicates that a similar shift was afoot all across the Chesapeake during the last few decades of the 18th century. A successful explanation will have to involve broad social and economic trends that affected not only Critta Hemings and Thomas Jefferson, but slaves and slave owners across the region.
Hello Fraser,
I'm glad to see that Rachel Levy's grave is known and written about. Is she still buried at Monticello? While I was delighted to discover her and the history of the Levy family during a visit about 10 years ago, I was dismayed that at a recent visit two days ago, many of the docents were completely unaware of the grave's existence. One docent was able to tell us that the grave was on Mulberry Row, currently a construction site, and therefore (I guess) the reason why I was unable to find it. Nor did I see any plaque or written commemoration about the Levy family anywhere. The only mention of the Levy's was a single sentence at the end of the house tour, rather tepid and no mention of the grave. Do you know anything about the whereabouts of Rachel Levy's remains that you are able to share with me? Many thanks, I am very interested in Monticello, the history and the evolution of the place. It is definitely a work in progress!
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Thank you for your thorough explanation. I appreciate you taking the time to answer my question.
I did read Mr. Leepson's book a few months before we came. I don't think I would've appreciated all the work that goes into keeping Monticello the masterpiece that it still is today had I not.
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I have a question. In the picture of Rachael Levy's grave site I see stone walls which look to be roughly 5 ft tall from the dirt floor. I was there last week and the picture I took shows only short walls maybe 12-18 inches from the ground. Did 3-4 feet of the original stone wall get removed? If so, why? From your picture, the walls look strong.
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Hi Jeff,
You are absolutely right – the walls around the Rachel Levy grave site were several feet taller in 1984, when the photo of archaeological excavations at the site was taken, than they are today. How come?
The story starts in 1809 when Thomas Jefferson built a house for slaves on the site, with walls of stone and a pyramidal roof. This building is today referred to as "1809 Stone House". In 1834, eight years after Jefferson's death, the Monticello mountain top was purchased by Uriah P. Levy. As the first Jewish Commodore in the U.S. Navy, Levy had struggled with anti-Semitism during his career. He was a great admirer of Jefferson and especially Jefferson's advocacy for the separation of church and state. At the death of his mother Rachel in 1839, Commodore Levy partially dismantled the walls of the 1809 Stone House to create a graveyard wall around his mother's grave. For more on the Levy family's ownership of Monticello, see Mark Leepson's recent book Saving Monticello: The Levy Family's Epic Quest to Rescue the House that Jefferson Built.
In 1923 the Levys sold Monticello to the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. By 1973 the walls on the 1809 Stone House had become structurally unsound, despite previous efforts by the Levys and the Foundation to repair and stabilize them. The walls were rebuilt from the ground up to the height you see in 1984 photo. Soon after conclusion of the archaeological excavations, the walls were rebuilt to their current lower height, a decision that seems to have been driven by esthetics – the desire to make the Levy gravesite more open and visually appealing.
Today the Levy grave site and the remains of the 1809 Stone House that enclose it remain key components of the mountaintop landscape. They help illustrate the central role of slavery in Jefferson's Monticello and the importance of the Levy family in insuring the preservation of Jefferson's mansion in the century after his death.
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HICKORY, N.C. -- A store clerk says a would-be robber ran when she and a co-worker threatened the knife-wielding man with a stun gun and hit him with pepper spray.
The Hickory Daily Record reported Wednesday that 54-year-old Pok Hui Barker was working at a convenience store counter Monday night when a man came in and crouched behind a customer. Barker told the customer to move and triggered a silent alarm. The masked man then thrust a butcher knife at her and demanded money.
Barker said the man ran when she aimed a stun gun at him. Another clerk chased him and doused him with pepper spray.
Barker said she has been robbed three times in three years, including once last month.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


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Bagpipes & Pageantry To Reign In Estes Park This Weekend
Preparations are complete and Estes Park is ready to host visitors direct from Canada and locales throughout the United States for the annual pageantry of the Longs Peak Scottish Irish Highland Festival. Festival events occur between Thursday, Sept. 10 and Sunday, Sept. 13.
Now in its 33rd year, this rite heralds everything Scottish – from the haunting, yet exhilarating sound of bagpipes in crisp mountain air to brogues to malt beverage to the rhythmic sound of Scottish and Irish footsteps on a dance floor.
There will be an hour-long parade through downtown Estes Park on Saturday morning (9:30 a.m. Sept. 12), evening tattoos (massed pipe bands in performance), pipe band and folk concerts, battles of the bands, international jousting championships, athletics, Dogs of the British Isles, dancers, musicians, scotch tasting, ceilidhs (parties), gathering of the clans, food and crafts, all comprising a veritable encyclopedia of all things Celtic.
Activities in Estes Park kick off at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, with the first of three evening pipe band performances (also known as tattoos) at the Fairgrounds at Stanley Park arena. Friday's schedule (Sept.11) includes a morning seminar about Rommilly Squire Scottish Heraldry followed by a mid-afternoon seminar featuring scotch whiskey tasting at the Estes Park Conference Center (U.S. Hwy. 36 and Colo. Hwy. 7).
Those attending the festival have hard choices to make for activities on both Friday and Saturday nights (Sept. 12 and 13). Both evenings include a tattoo at the fairgrounds, a folk concert at the Estes Park Conference Center, a Colorado Celtic concert at Reusch Auditorium on the grounds of the YMCA of the Rockies and a Ceildh (pronounced kay-lee) Celtic New Years Party at the Estes Park Conference Center and a Longs Peak Concert at the Rodeway Inn, 1260 Big Thompson Ave.
Festival grounds (Stanley Park adjacent to U.S. Hwy 36 at Community Drive) are open for activity from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, Saturday, Sept. 12 and Sunday, Sept. 13. There people can enjoy the Gathering of the Clans, music, dance and athletic competitions, exhibitions, Dogs of the British Isles on parade, merchants, food, drink, crafts and music.
The Saturday (Sept. 12) morning parade features festival participants heading through the heart of downtown Estes Park at 9:30 a.m.
Guest bands and performance groups include the U.S. Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center band, U.S. Army Ft. Carson Mounted Color Guard, 1st Battalion Scots Guards Pipes and Drums, Wasatch & District Pipe Band, the Isla St. Clair and Eddie Devine and the 10th Mountain Division.
The U.S./International Championships in jousting features teams from Canada and the U.S., and men's and women's Scottish athletic events add to the excitement, as do competitions for Irish and Scottish Dancers, regional pipe bands, folk musicians and more.
Celtic Artists include folk entertainers Alex Beaton, a native of Glasgow, Scotland; Brigadoons and Boston Kiltics. The rock concert at the YMCA of the Rockies features Brother, Angus Mohr and Hadrians Wall. Munnelly and Next Chapter will perform at the Rodeway Inn concert.
Ticket prices are: adult field pass one day/$25 at the gate; adult field pass three days/$58; children (ages 5-10) field pass/$5; children 5 and under free. Discounted price field passes can be purchased at area King Soopers groceries.
Evening performances, concerts and tattoos are $25 each.
For more information call 1-800-903-7837.


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Domestic violence can run through family tree
This is the fourth in a series about domestic abuse.
Q: What are the effects of domestic violence on women and children?
A: The Women's Aid Federation of England enumerates several effects of domestic violence that also are true in the U.S.A. study in England (2002) documented 40 percent of homeless women were homeless from situations related to domestic violence. Injuries also account for the effects of domestic violence for many women.
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This is the fourth in a series about domestic abuse.
Q: What are the effects of domestic violence on women and children?
A: The Women's Aid Federation of England enumerates several effects of domestic violence that also are true in the U.S.A. study in England (2002) documented 40 percent of homeless women were homeless from situations related to domestic violence. Injuries also account for the effects of domestic violence for many women.
Employment adversely is affected by domestic violence because of women missing work. The health care costs associated with violence are high. In addition to the physical injuries, women suffer from depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders and sexual dysfunction. They also might miscarry or have stillborn babies, as male abusers often abuse pregnant females. In both England and the U.S., women are killed by their partners and spouses more often than murdered by strangers.
Domestic violence can cause mental illness or exacerbate pre-existing disorders. In the information from the Child Welfare Information Gateway from the Office on Child Abuse and Neglect of the Children's Bureau, there is documentation of the most common behavioral and emotional responses to domestic violence. These effects on victims include withdrawal, denial or trivializing abuse, impulsivity or aggressiveness, helplessness, anger, anxiety, hypervigilance, disturbances in eating or sleeping, substance abuse, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
In the Joyful Heart Foundation (2014) article on the effects of domestic violence, there is a list of the common physical effects of domestic violence. These include chronic fatigue, muscular tension, shortness of breath, shakiness, problems eating or sleeping (also considered symptoms of emotional effects), disruptions or changes in menstrual cycles or fertility for women.
This same publication reiterated the signs of PTSD. They are flashbacks, severe anxiety, nightmares and obsessive thoughts about abuse. The mental health disorder PTSD is not the only impact on women's mental stability. Depression is the most frequently reported response to domestic violence.
A condition known as dissociation is not as well-known as PTSD or depression. This response is similar to daydreaming. However, if dissociation is ongoing and pervasive, it can impair a person's ability to concentrate or focus on reality. This response begins during the violent acts when victims use it to separate themselves from the adversity of the abuse.
In a publication titled "Futures Without Violence" (formerly the Family Violence Prevention Fund) (2008), the report documents the effects of domestic violence on children. Seven million children live in families experiencing severe partner violence. On a given day in 2007, there were 13,485 children living in homeless shelters.
In a Michigan study of low-income preschoolers, children living in domestic violent homes suffered symptoms of bed-wetting, nightmares, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, and were at greater risk for allergies and asthma.
Regarding long-term effects of violence, children from homes with domestic violence, as adults, evidence higher rates of tobacco use, substance abuse, cancer, heart disease, obesity, depression and unplanned pregnancies. Childhood physical abuse of children also increases the risk for females of victimization as adults.
In a publication from the prosecuting attorney in Clark County, Indiana, compiling data from various publications, none of the effects were long-term benefits. The prosecutor's office proposed a solution to end the effect of domestic violence on children that is virtually impossible to achieve. Children must learn non-violent methods of conflict resolution at an early age, circumstances that never will happen in homes with domestic violence.
Children might believe they are at fault for the violence. They also learn violence is acceptable. The children then might use violence against their peers in school or their siblings at home. In the majority of homes with domestic violence, child abuse also occurs.
Living with domestic violence predisposes children to be abusers, to be abused and to develop all kinds of emotional and physical disorders. As adults, these children manifest themselves in domestic violence, crime and mental health disorders. Boys who see fathers abuse women are more likely to do the same, and girls who see mothers abused are more likely to become victims in adulthood. Adding child abuse to domestic violence in families intensifies and multiplies the likelihood of dysfunctions in children.
Dysfunctions include using violence at school or in the community, attempting suicide, using drugs, committing crimes, committing sexual assault, using violence to enhance their self-esteem and reputations, and using abuse in their close relationships as adults. Some children try to be perfect by achieving in academics or sports. (The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, 2012)
Experiencing or witnessing domestic violence between parents or other caregivers is the strongest risk factor in transmitting violence from one generation to another. Boys are twice as likely to become violent toward their own partners or children. These facts are from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
The article also emphasizes only 20 percent of people who experience domestic violence obtain Protection from Abuse Orders annually. Approximately 50 percent of these orders were violated. More than two-thirds of restraining orders for rapists or stalkers were violated. These facts have real significance because of the increased vulnerability of children with so few safeguards.
* Next week's discussion will include various research study results.
Judy Caprez is associate professor of social work at Fort Hays State University. Send your questions in care of the department of sociology and social work.


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Following the workshop, you will receive a full report of the proceedings, including a summary of findings and recommended next steps. This actionable document can serve as a benchmark, or as preparation for a subsequent engagement with the Innovation Center team that encompasses strategy and branding, customer experience design and/or application development -- whatever course of action you choose based on the outcome of your visualization workshop.
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If it feels like your digital life is overtaking your real life, now could be the time to start extracting yourself from the web.
You can go through sites one by one and delete your account, but if you don't like the idea of this time-consuming job, there are services that can help you delete your digital presence.
It's easy enough to start taking yourself off popular social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. See the next page for instructions to delete your Facebook and other social media accounts.
There might also come a time when you need to decide what to do with a loved one's digital life or make arrangements for how you want your own e-life handled after you're gone. See the next page for websites to help with creating an e-will.
If you want to leave the web altogether, however, you can't guarantee that every bit of your e-life is removed. That's because Google, the Internet Archive and other places are storing copies of websites. But it is possible to remove most traces of you online.
There are sites that give you links to account-delete settings for Groupon, Soundcloud, Yahoo, Evernote – the list goes on:
Receive FREE email updates of our latest tests, consumer news and CHOICE marketing promotions.
If you've had enough of social media, then you can delete your account and enjoy all the spare time you're not spending reading status updates and looking at friends' photos.
Most sites provide options for you to close your account and remove your data. It takes a bit of time to dig through the settings, so here are the steps for a few of the popular platforms you might want to exit. You may want to remove as much data as possible first before deleting the account.
Facebook allows you to deactivate your account or permanently delete it. Log in and then type Help in the search bar to get to the Help Centre > Manage Your Account > Account Settings > Editing Your Settings > How do I permanently delete my account? Click the fill out this form link to enter your details to remove your account.
Google data can be collected from Google services such as +1s, Blogger, Contacts and Circles, Drive, Gmail, Google+ profiles, pages and streams, Picasa web albums, Google Voice and YouTube. You can delete your account or set the rules for what happens to it if it's no longer used.
Click on the profile picture in the top-right corner of the window, then click Account. Under Account Management there are several options.
Click Close account and delete all services and information associated with it to remove your details from Google services. Check the boxes for the services you want to delete, enter your password and then click the Delete Google Account button.
Google also lets you request to get pages removed from the search results. There are also options for removing other content from the search results.
You may be aware of companies that specialise in collecting personal information for background checks that are used by banks, financial institutions or other groups looking to verify people's identities. If you're really concerned or curious about how far your information has flowed, you can get your details taken out of the system. These sites relate mostly to US citizens, so they may have limited applicability here.


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Apply for Funds
Cooperator Resources
Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) received $300,000 in MDCP award funds to help the U.S. RV industry to generate sales in China, Japan, and Korea.One year into the project, RVIA has now hired a full-time representative who lives and works in East Asia. To date the project has generated $7 million in exports. This is the tip of the iceberg. Sales measured in hundreds of millions of dollars per year are on the horizon, especially in China. But these cannot happen until China addresses standards and regulatory issues. As part of the its MDCP project RVIA will provide information and education to help resolve these kinds of issues. This support will be both policy-oriented and practical. This means, for example, demonstrating how to operate an RV and tow a trailer.
RVIA helped a member company sell this temporary beauty shop in Japan. It replaces a beauty shop that was destroyed in the recent tsunami. Selling temporary shelters in Japan is a small part of a bigger project to help U.S. RV-makers to sell products in China especially, but also in Japan and Korea. Read more about the RVIA project in tradeology.
Department of Commerce
International Trade Administration (ITA)
Industry & Analysis (I&A) --Industry Specialists Global Markets, including Commercial Service (CS) -- Export Assistance Center specialists -- Foreign Commercial Service staff Gobal Markets: Market Access Specialists
Industry & Analysis (I&A)
--Industry Specialists
Global Markets, including Commercial Service (CS)
-- Export Assistance Center specialists
-- Foreign Commercial Service staff
Gobal Markets: Market Access Specialists
Market Research and Other Trade Resources
Trade Statistics from the ITC
Webinars on the Basics of Exporting
Association Toolbox
Export Programs Guide (consolidated list of federal programs)
MDCP Awards: Industry Groups Can Get Up to $300,000 for Foreign Market Development Projects Each year, ITA makes several financial assistance awards to industry groups to pursue projects that help U.S. firms export and create jobs. Take a look at our flyer then find out more about getting funds to help on our About MDCP page.
2015 MDCP Applications Likely Due Apri 27 Start now to prepare your application for MDCP funding. See How to Apply for more details. Applications will likely be due April 27, 2015. The announcement will probably be published on grants.gov on March 9. As soon as we have official dates we will announce them.
Differences Between the 2015 and 2014 Announcements Our best guess at when the 2015 federal funding opportunity notice (FFO) will be published is noted above. Until that time, use the FFO published for the 2014 competition as a guide. Two differences are worth noting for 2015: 1. Minimum project period is three (3) years with a maximum of five (5) years. 2. A de minimis 10% indirect cost rate may be claimed by any applicant without any requirement of questionnaire responses or certification. See our new mock application.
March 11 & 25: Let's Talk About Crafting a Good MDCP Export Project Please join us for either or both of two public meetings: March 11 and March 25 at 2 pm EST. Review tips on drafting good project plans. Examine templates that can can streamline your budget preparation. Find out how to generate information for required forms. Ask questions and benefit from questions by others.
Details are the same for both meetings. You can participate in person at the Herbert C. Hoover Building, 1401 Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, DC. The meeting will be held in Room 1411. Many interested parties may prefer to participate via conference call. We will be referring extensively to trade.gov/mdcp. Dial-in on: 203-280-9578 6504789#
Who from ITA Works with MDCP Award Winners? In addition to MDCP Director Brad Hess, MDCP award winners will work with a team of ITA professionals who can help them accomplish project goals. You can search for likely ITA team members using the directories on line 4 of Step-by-Step Application Process.
Exports Create Jobs A couple of years ago it was estimated that a $180,000 increase in exports creates one U.S. job. (A study on jobs and exports of 2013 trade and employment data indicates that $ billion in exports creates or sustains 5,590 jobs. Or, about $180,000 in exports creates or sustains one U.S. job, $1,000,000,000/5,590=$178,890.) Because exporting creates or sustains U.S. jobs, MDCP projects contribute to the prosperity of U.S. workers.
More on the effect that MDCP project-generated exports have on creating or sustaining jobs.
MDCP is designed for non-profits, trade associations, etc. that represent an industry. It is not designed for individual companies. See our MDCP eligibility page. For more information about eligibility for financial assistance programs other than MDCP, visit the eligibility page of grants.gov.
This page was last updated by BWH on 2014.03.05. If you have questions or comments about this site please click here to send an e-mail inquiry.


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I am using ArcGIS maps and trying to follow JS API. I am trying to understand how can I add a protractor on the map which will help in angles while drawing polygons. I understand I could add a Feature layer but how do I add an image to it? How can I make the protractor movable, without it being scale up/down with the map??
I would appreciate any help.


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By connecting your Unbounce & AWeber accounts you can create a smarter environment for your email marketing campaigns. Forms on your landing pages will push your leads directly to your AWeber lists, and you can A/B test different pages when you run email campaigns. Simple and awesome … or sawesome!
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Reader comments are listed below. Comments are currently closed and new comments are no longer being accepted.
I disagree with some of the opinions expressed here. Mexicans DO care about the quality of education; that is the reason why anyone who can afford private schooling for their children choose to send them there instead of the generally worse public schools.
About what JB Fabre said, although Mexicans do learn a series of myths and dogmas which complicate the development of a critical outlook on reality and the world, I don't see that as an unsurmountable obstacle. After all, if you wipe out all nationalistic nonsense from textbook, and use that space (and time) in the syllabi to teach children to THINK (as opposed to MEMORISING, long a favorite activity of teachers and students alike in Mexico) you'd in fact change the way children's minds work.
The broader question is, I believe, will Calderon and Vazquez Mota be able to introduce a reform that establishes incentives for educational achievement for both teachers and students? For example, what about tying up teachers' pay increases to improvements in their students' skills, as shown in nation-wide standardised ENLACE exam? Or what about giving extra money to top students in disadvantaged rural locations? Or, easiest of all, what about ELIMINATING THE PERVERSE DIRECT-ACCESS SYSTEM TO UNIVERSITY which makes it so easy for a few to enter the national university without having to show any academic talent at all?
Before we fix the existing school system, we need to put in place a high-quality preschool system. Before that, we need to promote better nutrition for infants. Before that, we need to promote breast-feeding. Even before that, we need to promote better nutrition for expecting mothers.Claudio Garcia
I think that these reforms go towards the right direction. The mafia of the Mexican school system needs to be broken into pieces. What Mexico lacks the most is critical thinking, it would probably be a good start to have good text books and smarter teachers. But there is a cultural problem with critical thinking in Mexico: the country is turned inward and perceives the rest of the world as a threat to its culture, culture being perceived as a serie of dogma (ready made truths) and tradition.
I suppose it will take time.
To implant and be successful with "Alliance for Educational Quality" launched by Felipe Calderón is difficult because the nature of the Education process in Mexico is really complex, to many factors are involved in the issue, Calderon is reacting just because of the results of reading, science and mathematics PISA December 2007 and previous exams, there is no evidence he is utilizing the best educators as councelors; rather , his Education team came from other field than Education and he has other fishes to cock, e.g. Security and Energy reform that will consume his time.
Just to mention a couple among various blocking factors of Calderon Educational plan: it is not clear how transform the schools with technological advances, we use Computing laboratories to help careers related with computers instead to use computers as tools to help student improve creativity in all disciplines, like science, mathematics, literature, biology, etc. and the other problem mentioned in the article is "the quality of teachers"; have being read the last month ENLACE test for Bachillerato (DGETI), one can say: even the teachers with this kind of exams will fail; we have the majority of "old teachers" taking all their time in classroom teaching old fashion methods and dogmas, and there are thousands; they do not have enough time to improve their background studying and researching new ideas,books magazines, it takes years or decades form teachers with such attributes that help and delight students to participate in developing their own knowledge, a real breakthrough improvement. (Dante A. Lopez)
Ok Nezahual, I agree.
Interesting. But who will care about saying the truth in the textbooks, it is so much more comfortable to believe.
Mission imposible to change the union status quo after all is all about politics nobody cares about quality education in mexico!
Argentine intrigue: Case dismissed
The Americas
America and Israel: Lofty ideas, low politics
Democracy in America
Georgian politics: Divisive advisor
Refugees in Australian theatre: Finding their voices
China's monetary policy: Elusive prudence
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E-Cigarette Free Trial Scam
There are a myriad of benefits when you make the switch from traditional tobacco smoking to e-cigarette use. In essence, the use of electronic cigarette is a better alternative since you will ultimately cut down tobacco consumption. Numerous studies have established the dangers of tobacco on the long haul. In addition, chemicals that are by-products of tobacco breakdown are found to be carcinogens. Quitting tobacco smoking and starting the habit of vaping will substantially decrease your risk to developing lung cancer and other deadly respiratory diseases.
In excitement, you will find yourself looking for e-cigarette products online. You will most likely chance upon numerous companies that will offer you e-cigarette free trial packs. Who wouldn't want free stuff, right? In this case, you will be entitled to a device which can help you in your struggle against smoking for free. But as they say, nothing in this world is free. E-cig free trial scams are abundant in the Internet. Instead of freebies, you are eventually forced into paying for the items on the long haul. Unfortunately, these schemes are being practiced by majority of e-cig manufacturers online. Honesty isn't a strong suit, especially when selling hot items that are known to be in great demand among millions of consumers nowadays. Here are some common marketing scams that you will find online. It is best to be informed of these scams prior to trying out any electronic cigarette in the market. In this way, you will avoid getting unnecessary fees and expensive recurring expenses on the long term.
• Free E-cig starter kits
Who wouldn't be excited with a free e-cig trial kit in the mail? Instead of paying upfront, you are entitled to a [WPMSHOT key="free electronic cigarette" url="http://smokelesscigarettesreviews.org/e-cigarette-free-trial-scam/"] device without having to pay for the product, shipping, and delivery. But after a limited time, you will find that your credit card was debited quite expensively for charges by the electronic cigarette company. This is the usual modus operandi of most companies that sell e-cigarettes. To attract customers, they will trick you into believing that you can try their product for free, but for a limited time only. The usual trial period is fourteen days. You would think that this is enough time for you to make an informed decision if you would like to make the switch to e-cig and buy from the company who delivered you their free starter kits. That is where most consumers get burned. Most potential consumers will be able to receive their starter kits after 14 days. In this case, consumers have already been billed for the product and recurring cartridge deliveries too. In order to avoid this, read the fine print and make sure that all time frames and conditions are discussed before you agree on taking up their free trial offer.
• Low-quality e-cigarettes
There are also e-cig companies that are true to their words when it comes to free starter kits. The only problem with their products is that they are defective. Some of the starter kits that they distribute are those that have been returned by customers as well. After a couple of vaping sessions, the battery simply stops working or problems of leakages and non-operating atomizers are reported by those who receive trial starter kits in the mail. Instead of encouraging more people to make the switch, they are more inclined to continue tobacco smoking due to the low satisfaction rate.
• Recurrent fees charged to your account
There are also companies that truly give out free starter kits, but in return they will burn you with soaring high recurrent fees for cartridges and e-liquids. This is an unethical practice that a lot of e-cig distributors commit when introducing their products to new clients. Banks are unwilling cooperate with consumers in these cases as the recurrent payments have already been automatically placed on accounts. Electronic cigarette companies are unwilling to change the payment arrangements and are most often unreachable when it comes to these cases. Customers need to go through the hassle of canceling their credit card account or debit card just so the monthly payments to the e-cig company stop altogether. In order to avoid this irritating dilemma, it's always best to read the fine print regarding recurring payments for cartridges and e-liquids. If possible, do not subscribe to companies that sell cartridges instead of cartomizers, as the former are inexpensive and are known to be less efficient in producing quality vapor and flavor.
• Slanted or false statements regarding exclusivity, safety, etc.
Although electronic cigarettes are widely known to be far better alternative to traditional cigarettes, no report from the US Food and Drug Administration was ever released that identifies e-cig as a smoking cessation device. Despite this, the FDA has categorized electronic cigarettes as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS). Their studies provided them with adequate information that no harm or danger was connected to daily use of electronic cigarettes.
No US patent exists for electronic cigarettes. This is due to the fact that the original patent for the three-piece and even the two-piece electronic cigarette design were awarded to an international company instead. There are companies claiming to have original patents for their electronic cigarettes to boost sales and increase popularity. Although most electronic cigarettes in the market are manufactured in the United States, the design is solely adapted from the original e-cig design from China.
Do not be fooled by these Free electronic cigarette scams. Instead of falling for these marketing schemes and losing money in the process, it is still best to buy a premium starter kit from reputable companies. In this way, you will be able to make a smart and informed decision if vaping and the use of electronic cigarettes is the best for you!


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It's the original bait and switch, a technique that deep-sea fishing pioneer Harlan Major described drolly as a dance between hunter and hunted in his 1939 book, Salt Water Fishing Tackle. The fish seems to grow exasperated with the teaser tango and slashes wildly. Then his eye catches a different, clumsier dancer, and he releases all his fury. "This one, however, does not dodge him; at last his pride is vindicated, and he swallows gleefully -- only to find himself hooked," Major wrote.
Ross is more prosaic: "He's pounding at the lure and he can't get it, and it's pissing him off."
But marlin behavior is hardly predictable. "I've seen them stick their heads up on the side of the boat looking for something to eat," Ross says. "Sometimes we've had the teaser out of the water, and it'll be rocking back and forth, and you look and there's one laying there watching it. I've seen a marlin jump into a boat next to me. Everybody was up on the bridge. He just tore the cockpit up. It died, killed itself by tearing around. People have gotten bills through the chest."
Today, however, the marlin are as predictable as past days: none shows up. Peters feels queasy again and spends part of the trip lying down in the cabin. With the help of an antiseasickness patch, I felt fine. The World Team heads to the dock by early afternoon to reconfigure its outriggers and rods. With the contest upon them tomorrow, the marlinless state of affairs has many anglers edgy. Dave Noling, captain for Team A-Fin-ity, which took first place last year and won $407,000 in prize money, chats with McCullough. A long-time charter-boat captain, Noling has helped clients land more than 5,000 billfish. He offers up the possibility that nary a billfish will be tagged during the next three days. "I'd like to see Norm deal with that one," he muses.
Marlin fishing is as much about telling and retelling events as it is about the catch. Sure, there's rivalry among the six teams, but the secrets are few because it's just no fun if you can't brag a bit about the trick you played on a crafty marlin or the discovery of the perfect deep-blue current. Besides, rum cocktails have a way of loosening even the most taciturn of tongues. No one here feels joy when a team returns from prefish with the news there "wasn't shit" out there. That deprives everyone of new stories and new hope.
The tournament's official kickoff soiree is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Piccolo Mondo, a hillside restaurant, but team members gather two hours early beside an adjoining studio for on-camera interviews by Julia Isaacs. The footage will later be edited into the series. The men are subdued, almost downcast as they wait outside for their turns. It's one thing to have a cameraman aboard filming them as they go about the task of fishing, but to sit for an interview, well, that's something to grouse about. A few of the guys kill time by razzing the captain of the Duraflame team when he kvetches about prefishing in rough waters. He'd piloted the boat 250 miles to Antigua three days earlier through brutal waters and looked like a man disembarking from a blender at trip's end. He sputters, "I've got three days of fishing coming in this mess. I don't need this recreational shit." The men chortle. "There's no way I want to fish until 4 o'clock and then go through this dog-and-pony show," he says, motioning toward the studio.
In reality, though, Xtreme tourneys are as much about television as they are about fishing. When Isaacs steps up minutes later and announces she's ready for the Duraflame team, someone tells her that the captain has been planning trouble. "He doesn't want to be difficult with me," she says. "I can make his life really difficult." She laughs. No one else does.
Most anglers show up at the party promptly at 7 p.m., no doubt coaxed by the open bar. A calypso duo strolls between tables, strumming and singing. After dinner, BXRL general manager Gautreaux reiterates the contest rules over a booming sound system. The room is quiet each time he pauses, save for the agitated voice of Frank Flynn. He and McCullough are standing together at the bar, still hashing over where they'll commence fishing in the morning. The overheard snippets are shorthand for ocean topography around Antigua. "Forget the fucking blue hole," Flynn cajoles. "If we run up there," Flynn declares during another of Gautreaux's pauses, "I guaran-fucking-tee you that everyone will be following us up there." The only thing that's certain is that Flynn will need to be up by 6 a.m.
A short time later, Flynn is laughing it up with his Antiguan buddies. Then he saunters toward the door and shouts, "C'mon, we're going to the casino." He's wearing shorts.
Five days after the tournament ends, Flynn is back in his office. Gone from his voice is the jubilation of the chase. The tournament proved as frustrating as the days leading up to it.


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Linton students advance to Region Science Fair
Eight Linton seventh-graders will participate in the Region ScienceFair,whichwillbe held on March 13, in Mandan.
The Linton Science Fair was held on Feb. 21 for fifth and seventh grade students, and an open house for the winners was held March 5, in the Linton Middle School Library. The open house featured the introduction of projects and presentations by the Region Science Fair participants. Guests and students were treated to cake and ice cream following the presentation of awards.
Winners and region qualifi- ers in the seventh grade were:
• Craig Brindle (son ofAlan and Bobbie Jo Brindle)— "Cloudy?"
• Cassie Gefroh (daughter of Derald and Nancy Gefroh)—"Bacteria Farms"
• Brandon Murphy (son of Charles and Candia Murphy)—"The Demonstration of Maglev/Magnetic Levitation"
• Brooke Vander Laan (daughter of Chad and Meg Vander Laan)—"Acid Reactions"
• Mya Vetter (daughter of Andrew and Kristen Vetter)—"Men vs. Women- A Statistical Analysis of Marketing"
Seventh graders who did not win at the Linton Science Fair were given the option to improve on their projects in order to participate in the Region Science Fair, and three students opted to continue their projects. They were:
• Sierra Bosch (daughter of Bruce and Dixie Bosch)— "Enamel Chewers"
• Rylee Kelsch (daughter of Bryon and Wendy Kelsch)— "Let's Make a Deal"
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Digital magazines appear to be on the rise with the likes of Newsstand encouraging such trends. That's not the only place that such publications can be found, though, with many magazines pursuing things with their own app.
One such publication is that of PC Advisor Daily, an iPad-optimised magazine that promises all of PC Advisor's latest content in real-time. The app features news, reviews, features, opinion pieces and how to guides galore.
Updated every minute of every day, fast access to all the latest articles from the magazine is available. Throughout, the content is interesting, current and expertly written. Adding extra interactivity is the ability to customize content so that favorite subjects can be prioritised. Articles can also be saved so they can be viewed offline, plus there's Twitter and Facebook integration for the socially minded.
PC Advisor Daily is available now for the iPad and it's a free download.


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by Fandango
Download this app if: you love trailers and want showtimes and tickets.
Advisor Review
Browse what's playing with Fandango Movies — I love movies. Sometimes, the chance to go is spontaneous, so it's nice to be able to check what's playing locally with a mobile app like Fandango Movies. Overall, the app is useful, but didn't serve up the best user experience. Upon launch, the app asks for your ZIP code, and shows a dropdown...
Developer Notes
Download Fandango - the #1 movie ticketing app. Get the latest movie times, guarantee tickets and browse exclusive Fandango content all at your fingertips.
New in 5.4
• Sign up for a free Fandango account from the app to save your credit card and theater loyalty cards for faster checkout,...
Make movies even MORE accessible — This app is just like the Fandango website. You can buy movie tickets a head of time. You can view trailers, movie times, directions to theaters near you and view bios and summaries of actors and your favorite movies.


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quote:Can I buy the starter set and then buy the Panda expansion?
quote:Can I hit you up for the refer a friend bonus?
quote:This offer has ended. Prepare for Pandaria with epic savings! This week only, you can get the World of Warcraft Battle Chest for $5, Wrath of the Lich King for $5, and Cataclysm for $10 when you buy directly from Blizzard. That's 75% off the regular prices, making this a great time to set yourself up for the imminent launch of Mists of Pandaria… or to invite a friend to join you in Azeroth.
quote:is this the Kung Fu Panda commerical I keep seeing? Some kind of Disney game? I'll Pass.
quote:So for the $20 I can get up to the WotLK. Does Cataclysm or Panda offer anything to me as a new player? I think $20 is worth it but I am not sure about another $80 right offer the bat.