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February 22, 2012
TEDxBerkeley 2012's Inspiring Innovation Merges Magic, BioData & Technology With Film, Oceans & Plants
Most people in my circles know what a TEDx event is but for those of you who don't, it is a local, self organized event that bring people together to share a TED-like experience, in the spirit of ideas worth spreading.
This video gives you an idea of what these non-profit events are like, which extend far beyond Berkeley. Cities around the world are organizing TEDx events, with a goal to teach, share, collaborate, educate, faciliate and grow. Ideas worth spreading means that some of these ideas can revolutionize (and have revolutionized) the world because of a new relationship or partnership that has evolved as a result of the wider distribution of these ideas and the courage and dedication of people behind making the 'magic' happen.
It's the second year I've been involved as co-curator of TEDxBerkeley, an event held at Berkeley's Zellerbach Hall every February. In attendance were well over 1,000 people from a broad range of disciplines and minds - from academic, music and science to medicine, technology and the arts.
15 ground-breaking thinkers, leaders and performers entertained and educated the audience through storytelling, performance and anecdotes from their life experiences.
Given that UC Berkeley is involved, so were some of the professors and students, including the opening act by DeCadence (pronounced dee-KAY-dence, with a capital 'C'), a vocalist group that sports eye-catching blue and gold capes and creative dance moves at nearly every performance.
The musician in me couldn't help but call out music brilliance first and while we're on the topic of incredible voices, Charles Holt stole the stage with his storytelling and singing of "He Lives in You," my favorite Lion King number.
He had me at "go" is an understatement, largely because of his intuitive nature, the fact that he lives his life through that intuitive lense and his witty and incredibly honest stories of his mother and grandmother from the south, which will leave you crying and laughing at the same time.
From music to dance, Jodi Lomask then awed us through her dance troupe. Known for her work with an organization she founded called Capacitor 15 years ago, she works with world-renowned research scientists to create original dance works that draw attention to critical environmental issues.
I think about people I know who spend their life committed to understanding oceans and I think about the moment it was for me that I got one step closer: deep sea diving off the coast of Australia some 60 or so feet below the surface. In that world, that remarkable world, you truly understand the beauty of a world we need to cherish and preserve.
Her dancers showed us that beauty through a combination of violin, dance movements in and outside of rings in somewhat of a Cirque du Soleil style and environmental videos, all creating an outer world exerience for us to share.
One of my favorite moments of the performance is below...the intertwining of minds, hearts and bodies.
Also involved in conservation and the environment was Dr. Maria Fadiman who I had the pleasure of setting up with a new Twitter account (social media will get us all, the deep hidden voice says, lurking in the background), is a fascinating combination of geologist, comedian, nature lover and ethnobotanist, her work focuses on the relationship between people and plants.
From South Florida, her style was very informal for an academic crowd yet had people laughing as she pounced onto the stage with a machete in hand, telling one humorous story after another of her time in the jungle, the majority of her time spent in the rainforests of Latin America.
She has worked with Tibetan children in teaching them to record their own ethnobotanical traditions and is currently working on a global scale cross cultural study of people's use of a cultural keystone species (the flora and fauna that are deemed important to the survival of a culture), and how these plants can act as larger ecosystem preservation incentives.
AutoDesk's CEO Carl Bass walked us through five trends of innovation, using Kickstarter and Moon Express one example of companies doing something extremely unusual.
Digital fabrication is where you change the rules about how things are made, referencing 3D printers, showing us examples of various things which can be printed into a variety of materials, including rubber, plastic and metal.
It's amazing what can be printed on a 3D printer now...I ran into BitTorrent's Bram Cohen at SF Music Tech who showed me a very interesting 3D ring he was wearing on his finger. Additionally, imagine 3D buildings and even a 3D-printed human kidney.
We also heard about the rise of information, aka the wisdom of the crowds and the wisdom of the 'cloud.' Not only are we all becoming creators in our own way on our own personal platforms, but we're becoming curators as well.
Then, ARZU's Connie Duckworth, who took the stage in vibrant red, focused on international development sharing things learned from her work in Afghanistan. She says of the current state of international development:
- The international development industry is dysfunctional.
- Big money brings big unintended consequences.
- Hope can't thrive in the world's worse places.
She believes that we have an urgent call to change the structure of the international development industry, which holds in its hands the lives of billions of people at the bottom of the pyramid.
Their thinking is that somehow inherently flawed short term thinking will move into sustainable systems. Big money when not hosed in the right direction can create a lot of chaos. She asserts that its a key reason that so many people lose so much faith in their government.
She refers to another unintended consequence of big money going to the wrong places: Brain Tilt, which is when the most highly educated local people (engineers, professors, doctors), all end up working for expats in low level positions. Local smart people are working as drivers and clerks rather than working in higher level positions because they can get paid so much more in the other positions.
Connie defines the quest for peace as security. "We all see the world through our own lens of experience, so for me, success all starts with a job. This is how people start with a way to solve those basic level needs, such as the ability to eat and feed their family." She encouraged the audience not to just sit back and want peace, but believe in it and take action.
We went on a gratitude journey with Nipun Nehta of Service Space who asked us how we could all have more "Gif-tiv-ism" in the world?
Rather than focus on money, we wanted to focus on giving, in other words, the idea of unleashing the power of compassion capital. "Once you unleash compassion," he says, it's amazing what happens. "Stay focused on adding value and discovered untapped capital."
When small acts of giftivism get connected and activated, it rekindles a gift economy. A gift culture, he says, is marked by four key shifts:
- Shift from Consumption to Contribution – Instead of asking "what can I get," open with "What can I give?" He says if you open each door with a different question, about what can you give, it changes the entire dynamics.
- Shift from Transaction to Trust: Build synergy. He refers to Karma Kitchen, a restaurant in Berkeley, where you pay for the people ahead of you or behind you rather than for your own bill. 26,000 meals so far and people continue to pay it forward.
- Shift from Isolation to Community: it is not enough that we connect, but rather how we connect. When you serve other people together, you create a network of 'gift ties.'
- Shift from Scarcity to Abundance: Cultivate inner transformation to arrive at enough. "There is enough for everyone's need but not enough for everyone's greed."
Hear hear Nipun. From gift economies, we shifted to Gopi Kallayil from Google who talked about the power of social and a connected world, particularly during the 18 days of the Egyptian protests, showing us a video where Desmond Tutu is talking to the Dalai Lama on Google+, a clip which has now been watched 2 million times. This is a great example of how social media is driving innovation around the world.
We saw examples from Libya and Kenya to South Africa and Egypt, where during the protests, they were able to express how they really felt and more importantly, people were able to listen to those words on YouTube and other platforms. They sang, "the most important thing is our right and writing our history with our blood – if you were one of us, better not blabber and tell us to go away and leave our dream and stop saying the word "I". In every street in my country, the sound of freedom is calling. In every street in my country, the sound of freedom is calling." Powerful stuff.
From the vantage point of healthcare, intuition and communications, Dr. Neha Sangwan encourages everyone to be proud of yourself for "listening to yourself." Often, listening to ourself comes second to listening to opinions of others, whether they be friends and family or a doctor we're seeing for a particular issue.
She asks, "what if communication is the cure that we're missing? What is the way we talk to ourselves & whether we choose to lean into our discomfort & show up in the world? What is this is the prescription for health long before I need to write you a prescription?"
Her talk was highly emotional as she brought us a journey around the world to the Middle East, where she spoke to women, sharing with us insights she learned about their world, their pride and in turn, what we can learn from them in the western world.
A professor at Berkeley, Ken Goldberg who closed the talks, on nothing other than robots. Yes, robots...and what we can learn from them. As someone who worked in speech recognition for years and did a project for the Willow Garage guys (I love PR2 and even danced with one), I was eager to hear his insights.
Ken thinks robots can inspire us and that we have a lot to learn from them. Some of those insights from various projects over the years include: always question assumptions. It's amazing how quick we are to turn to other people's assumptions and make decisions based on them without digging deeper. Secondly, when in doubt, improvise.
I couldn't help but smile but when i realized that both of these recommendations btw are great ones for start-ups as well as for children. So is tihs one: When your path is blocked, pivot. In start-up culture, we learn to pivot a lot, something that Fortune 500 companies should pay more attention to...
Author and thought leader David Ewing Duncan focused on DATA and how do we make sense of it all?', something he thinks is an awesome achievement of humanity, for 'better or worse.'
Because of his background, he centered his talk around bio-data. He points out that today, we can get a micro-analysis of our blood work, which can tell us how just whether we have a high chance of cancer and chronic diseases, but how empathetic we are as human beings. He notes "more experiences, more tests leads to more data."
But, as so many of us know, we have so much data, that its often overwhelming, so much so we can't make sense of the data we have at our fingertips. This is David's point.
Whats needed, he asserts is a new mindset in every occupation. "Enough of all this data, what does this data actually mean?" he says. "We need a revolution in interpreting the tools and the data as well as a radical shift in resources. In other words, how do we go about testing 42,000 genetic traits?"
Clearly, we need a radical shift in resources. There's only 4% invested on translational medicine and he thinks there needs to be a reversal in resource allocation. He also pointed to trends in the future for all the students sitting in the hall: "we're going to need 500 million analysts in 6 years and we only have 100 million today." Clearly, these are the people who are going to be well versed at making sense of all that data and transforming it into something usable and most importantly, actionable by individuals.
Tapan Parikh, a Berkeley University professor brought us back into traditional technology and current trends. Tapan's research interests include human-computer interaction (HCI), mobile computing, speech UIs and information systems for microfinance, smallholder agriculture and global health.
He showed us photographs and results of some of his work in rural areas. Of his latest projects, Tapan has been designing, developing and deploying information systems in the rural developing world – initially in India, and now also in Latin America and Africa.
Tapan and his students have started several technology companies serving rural communities and the development sector. It was inspirational to see what they have accomplished so far and to see what is possible with resources, tearing down silos, sharing among communities and better access.
What he hopes to represent is the notion of showing respect for where you come from. He says, "Pick a challenge that is important to you" (for him, it was setting up real-time video conferencing, knowledge sharing and instant messaging in India), "and stick to it." He adds, "Don't assume you know what people need for their development - let them speak up, don't act for them."
I was thrilled that Tiffany Shlain was able to join us this year as I've always been a fan of her work. She has been making films for 20 years, and some of them have hit Sundance, Tribeca, Rotterdam and others and her films have won over 36 film festival awards.
Tiffany says, "each time we were able to change the way we recorded film and show reality, we were able to change reality itself."
She showed us snippets from her most recent film: Connected: An Autoblogography About Love, Death & Technology, A Declaration of Interdependence." Connected had its U.S. theatrical tour this past fall and is now available for people to host their own screenings.
The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) announced earlier this month the 29 films selected for the American Film Showcase, an international cultural diplomacy initiative that brings people together worldwide through film and Connected made the list.
The movie is enlightening and sad at the same time, taking us deep into what is happening around us in a connected world and how technology is shaping and reshaping us. Bravo!! I have a love/hate relationship with technology myself -- the timing of this film couldn't be more perfect.
"Do something radical and true," she says. "We as humans should declare our human interdependence." Film projects they're working on for others are centered on life's most emotional topics: engagement, power, money, wisdom, death, inspiration, the brain and others.
Now that we're back to Entertainment, the E in TED, the last two speakers this year were performers: magician Robert Strong and violinist Lindsey Stirling.
Robert Strong is known as 'The Comedy Magician' and in watching him, it's so clear that magic is his life passion. He has performed on every major television network, in more than 40 different countries, in all 50 states, and twice at the White House.
I never paid much attention to the word magic until I renamed my own consultancy with Magic in the name. Now, I see 'magic' everywhere and am a true believer that perception is reality and that we can create any outcome we want through our own belief systems.
Lindsey Stirling, who I first saw play at Idea Festival in Kentucky last fall, is often referred to as the Hip Hop Violinist. Her passion, energy, and presence is magnetic, so much so, that you can't help but want to get up on stage and dance as she jumps around, violin and all, around you. Here's some background on her work. Let's just say that I'm a huge fan.
Check out last year's (2011) TEDxBerkeley talks on video. And a few talks from last year to get you inspired were Chip Conley on remembering that we're human in business, Anat Baniel on flexibility and vitality, Lopas Brunjes on carbon reduction, Bryan Alvarez on living organisms in our body, and Shore Slocum on spiritual awakening and awareness and how this can transform your everyday life.
Photo Credits: Lightbulb - Kauffman.org, Speaker images by Renee Blodgett
February 22, 2012 in America The Free, Arts & Creative Stuff, Conference Highlights, Entertainment/Media, Europe, Events, Magic Sauce Media, Music, On Education, On Health, On Innovation, On People & Life, On Poems, Literature & Stuff, On Robotics, On Technology, On the Future, San Francisco, Social Media, WBTW, Web 2.0 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 23, 2011
Startups Pitch & Strutt Their Stuff at MUSIC Techpitch 4.5 in London
Recently, The Next Web reported 8 startups had been selected for MUSIC techpitch 4.5 in London. After a series of 3-minute pitches and Q&A sessions, Webdoc, an easy and creative way to share rich-media all in one place, emerged as the winner.
It took place at EMI's HQ in Kensington, startups had an opportunity to get the word out about their ideas to investors, one of which was an opportunity to participate in an investment meeting arranged by Par Equity, which is one of the largest investment networks in Scotland.
While 3 minutes isn't long (less than half the time of the on-stage DEMO pitches), it is in fact longer than 140 characters. Trust me, I'm a fan of in-depth pieces and features articles; I still have a hard time cranking out short blog posts, yet I'm also prolific on Twitter...tweeting is a great exercise even if you're not a Twittaholic because it forces you to say more with less and trains you to write better headlines.
Enuf said. 3 minutes is enough time for an elevator pitch and most companies don't have them nailed even when they know an investor is listening. Also check out Dave McClure's 10 tips for the perfect investment pitch.
Other startups which got call outs included Dizzyjam, an online service for independent music artists to create and sell their own merchandise and Hitlantis who presented a unique way of visualizing and discovering new music.
Others in the pitch round-up included: Hooolp, Mobile Backstage, Isophonics, Seevl and Xylyx. For more, check out Paul's post in its entirety.
November 23, 2011 in Conference Highlights, Europe, Events, Music, On Technology, Social Media, WBTW, Web 2.0 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 15, 2011
SF MusicTech Summit & MOG: New Offer of FREE Music To Subscriptions
I was introduced to MOG at the SF MusicTech Summit in San Francisco this week.
In fact, they had a very cool (and glitzy - tons of bling bling) truck in the parking lot of the Kabuki Hotel.
MOG is a subscription music service based in Berkeley, California and they just announced a free music service that will supplement its $5-a-month unlimited streaming plan and $10-a-month unlimited mobile music offering.
Starting immediately, MOG is giving new users a kind of digital gas tank they can use to listen to tracks from its library of 11 million songs.
Sharing songs, making playlists and other actions get users more gas while listening uses it up. Having more friends or followers multiplies the gas-earning effects of a user's activity.
MOG's free system revamps what had been a 14-day free trial and puts it in competition with Spotify, a Swedish subscription music plan that is popular in Europe. Spotify launched in the U.S. in July and has a free service that is limited by listening time caps in some countries.
MOG's move also comes ahead of an event on Sept. 22 at which Facebook is expected to announce a new set of tools for music services that the social network hopes will bolster it as a platform for sharing musical tastes with friends.
MOG and services such as Spotify, Rhapsody, Rdio and Muve Music allow paying customers to download an unlimited number of songs to mobile devices – most of them for $10 a month. Users can listen to the tracks outside of cellphone coverage areas, but access disappears if the subscription is dropped. Music companies are licensing songs to these services in order to promote the fledgling business since purchases of tracks and albums over services like iTunes and Amazon.com have not made up for a decade-long decline in CD sales.
Above summary reposted from HuffPost. You can read the rest of it here.
September 15, 2011 in America The Free, Conference Highlights, Events, Music, WBTW, Web 2.0 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 22, 2011
The Music Doesn't STOP in Budapest!
I feel as if I'm about ten, have just come back from music camp and my life is full of endless possibilities. It's as if I fell upon a candy fountain oozing with different vibes and rhythms from around the world, and they're firing out rainbows of melodies, each one asking me to be part of its creation.
This isn't a mash-up and I'm not even online. All day, I wandered the streets of Budapest getting fed, not with food, but with song. The soul is so full after a day of song that it forgets about food, even with plenty of it around.
With Vienna only a couple of hours away, I felt as if I could have been within its walls, the music permeatration was so intense. Yet, it's not Vienna, but -- some would say -- its less cultured cousin, Budapest, split by the Danube River so that Budapest doesn't even call its city its own entirely - one side gets Buda and the other gets Pest.
My first and only memory of the place was in the mid-eighties and music was first and foremost in my mind, even in an era when East Europe was mostly gray and full of restrictions. I was very young and had not yet been exposed to composition -- REAL composition that is, despite the fact that both art and music teachers had tried. We were in some traditional old world restaurant eating goose & duck and drinking Cabernet before I knew you could have orgasms on the stuff. Around us swam violin players who played throughout the entire meal, one which lasted six hours long and ended with a $25 bill including several deep, luscious reds.
I remembered the violin because both players were so damn good. Every form of expression, whether it be on the keyboard, or on a blank white canvas, happens for me at a visceral level. Back then however, I wouldn't have known a great violin player from a good one and yet, I was stopped in my tracks.
The musicians forced me to stop eating and pay attention. They forced me to understand composition. They forced me to cry at their nearly perfect musical offering. They forced me to hear their texture, whether I was in the mood or ready to understand it or not.
Exceptional talent forces great things on you when you're ready to listen, which I almost always have been, other shortcomings aside.
Exceptional talent stops you in your tracks and then somehow, you're fundamentally changed because you listened and because you heard what they had to say.
Budapest spoke to me all day, starting with folk music at the top of the hill in some enclave within Buda Castle. It was "okay" (better than average), most definitely 'local' but more than anything else, the musicians were committed. God, I love that word. (it's probably because I live on the west coast of America now where I feel as if I'm swimming among the least committed people I've ever settled down with and that's after spending time "settling" in 11 countries).
After the "okay but very committed" folk music performance, I fell upon traditional music which included the top Hungarian dancers from around the world, each one doing a chosen number within a three hour period. All of them were, yes...you got it, committed.
Each in their native custume attire, they flew out on stage ready to perform, none of them fearful or worried about people shooting them with a still or video camera, none of them caring where their "performance -- their committed performance" would show up.
In the states, where the Internet and social media reign, its amazing how much performers care about the potential publicity a 2 minute clip would lose in revenue despite how much publicity and connection it would generate. Then there's their publicists, agents, handlers and middle men.
The Hungarian performers said "bring it on," as their committed selves showed up and played 200% in front of the camera and when the light was no longer green. I get that Hungarian culture doesn't embrace entrepreneurship and so you could argue that their lack of loving green paper has kept them behind socially and economically.
Having an entrepeneur spirit myself, there's no question when I saw a tent loaded with interesting pottery created by the Secondary Technical-Vocational School of Folk Arts and Secondary Academic Grammar School, that I was annoyed that the art was not for sale when every other tent was collecting money for their 'creations.' Let them sell I, I thought. "Teach them entrepreneurship. Profits from their pottery could go towards a future dream," I said to the late thirty-something very blue-eyed woman who struggled with my response. (Below, their beautiful masterpieces)
I knew she understood some of what I said but also knew that my plea was one that would be noted but not transferred into something actionable in the next 60 days, and so I made my pitch, told her the work was stunning and moved on.
From folk to traditional to guitar (one called the ZITHER, which had me mezmorized in the same way that the Indonesian gamelan does does), to world music and Mbaye Ndiaye & the Afro Magic Band, which has its roots from Senegal but did a nice job blending African, reggae, jazz and global fusion together.
Within the hour, I was up on stage dancing with their lead drummer (solo btw) and shortly thereafter dancing with Gabor stage right, a blue-eyed Russian, who while may have been adorable, had so much alcohol on his breath that I had to politely decline after our first attempt at a cha cha to a slow-ish African jazz number.
The performers went out of their way to bring the children on stage and coach them on not just how to dance, but how to move by feeling their way to the rhythm simply by listening. It was fascinating and I loved every minute of it.
I was sorry to see Mbaye Ndiaye pack up...their energy and spirit only made me crave more of it. And so, I meandered over to another area of the massive hill which houses the castle only to discover more folk dancing and guitar, soon to be followed by traditional Gypsy (also spelled Gipsy) music which carried on for another 3 hours.
While it may be hard to dance on uneven cobblestone ground that is well over 500 years old, it was even harder not to try. I ran into a Scientologist who looked like Joseph (yes, Jesus' Joseph) who was selling corn on the cob while simultaneously trying to convert me in VERY broken English, all while tapping his foot to the Gypsy band.
I had already gleefully become ten again and full before I left the castle, when I suddenly fell upon more live music. I was on a search for one of the old world bars, bistros, cafes or restaurants recommended by my host, friends and a bunch of online pals who sent me great suggestions via Twitter and Facebook.
I had crossed the chain bridge, hung a right looking for the decadent chocolate stand on the street (she must only set up on Friday and Saturday nights I quietly cursed), knowing that I had been thinking about that dark chocolate pistachio and cranberry creation for half the day. I asked for directions from a local cafe to two different locations and was told it was a 25 minute walk.
The backpack was heavy with camera lenses and a fabulous set of hand-painted coasters I picked up with a local artist along the way, yet I was in it for the haul, so re-adjusted my bag and foot bandaids (necessary for any Europe trip where you're wearing sandals and plan to do a lot of walking) and began my journey towards my Hungarian bistro on the other side of town.
And then I heard it. Clapping. Voices. Cello. Violin. The violin...ahhh, it purred. This was no ordinary violinist, something I could tell from four blocks away. I was told to scout down Lakatos and hear him play if he was in town for a performance but little did I know that I'd get a surprise I hadn't anticipated: Zoltan Maga accompanied by the Vac Symphony Orchestra, playing outside the Szent Istvan Bazilika, a church named for Saint Stephen I, the first King of Hungary.
Imagine the scene: a gorgeous, ancient white-stoned church named after a Hungarian King on a warm summer night.
The moon was out, glistening over hundreds of people sitting outside, sprawled on chairs and the ground while an orchestra of cellos, violins, tubas, saxophones and clarinets played. Zoltan Maga's passion was addictive as his talent for the violin led the way, together with the conductor and nothing -- I mean nothing -- could have distracted you from the two hours of musical joy.
What I failed to remember is the influence of Austrian music greats at the time when Hungary used to be part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Because of that, people appreciate classical music and embrace it. The country combines composers (Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn) coming from Austria/Germany with strong Hungarian folk and gypsy blends.
AND, Hungary has its own greats, the most famous being Liszt, followed by Bartok, two of the all-time greats. Kodaly is probably next followed by Kurtag and Ligeti, who are two of the most prominent classical composers from the last 60 years -- both Hungarian.
To top it off, they have an amazing number of top-rank conductors: Ormandy, Szell, Dorati, Solti, Reiner, Kertesz, and Fischer. And then there's their pianists: Kocsis, Schiff, Fricsay.
Crikey, it's no wonder I felt like ten, that the world has endless possibilities and that incredible talent was following me around the city all day -- and night.
Thanks Budapest for the incredible memories and the musical talent, all of which was infused with so much passion and commitment that it made me dream of practicing piano again and the idea of searching for a saxophone teacher as soon I got home.
Below, Zoltan Krulik and the Makam Band!
August 22, 2011 in Entertainment/Media, Europe, Music, On Spirituality, Reflections, Videos, WBTW | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 22, 2011
140Conf Ends With Music & Singing at the 92nd YThe 140 Conference in New York last week ends with music and singing at the 92nd Y...a kudos to Jeff Pulver and his fabulous team for yet another great event.
June 22, 2011 in America The Free, Conference Highlights, Events, Music, Social Media, Videos, Web 2.0 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 02, 2011
Meet Steamboat Ed's Aetheric Musical Machine: Calliope #5Below is a little history and the story behind Steamboat Ed and his Aetheric Musical Machine. Ed and friends were at the annual Maker Faire in May. Instruments emitting fire are not new adn have been made for over a century. They are, however, uncommon. Calliope #4 is a Pyrophone since it's not intended for team, but for air or propane. With propane, the whistles emit FIRE, when tooting, hence the "pyrophone.' His whistles are Helmholz resonators, chosen because he discovered an excellent tutorial describing them. His whistles are activated with solenoid valves that he found on eBay. More in the short video below.
Here are some photos of his work in action.
June 2, 2011 in America The Free, Events, Music, On Innovation, On Science, On Technology, San Francisco, Videos, WBTW | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 29, 2011
Justin Bieber Documentary Surreal At Times, But Surprisingly Good
If you're over 25, chances are your heart isn't beating wildly every time you hear the name Justin Bieber, yet for millions of kids – mostly girls – this teenage sensation is a heartthrob. Watching it brought back memories to my own teenage sensations; unlike other girls, I didn't have Lief Garrett and Bobby Benson plastered on my ceiling, but they were likely scattered on the wall in between photos of nature and fashion.
I'm not quite sure I ever shared the same pitter patter for teenage rockstars although I did melt at Michael Jackson, but it had to do with his dancing and ability to steal a stage with movement, motion and passion more than it had to do with a dream of marrying him one day. His voice had a way of melting you too – then and throughout his life.
Throughout the Justin Bieber documentary, we heard again and again how many girls wanted and in some cases, expected to marry him one day. Scooter Braun discovered him on YouTube in 2008 at age 12 from a series of videos he had posted and flew him down to Atlanta for a week long "conversation."
Mix dedicated visits to radio stations and high schools around the country with social networking and four years later, Justin managed to sell out of Madison Times Square faster than any star with as much experience in history.
A great marketing decision by someone, a tradition was created where Justin sings One Less Lonely Girl at each concert to a girl in the audience – on stage, while giving her attention including a dozen red roses. The other smart marketing move is handing out free tickets to families for each tour he does. A great marketing idea by Snoop Dog as shared in the movie was having Justin grow his hair long, pony tail them up or braid them. He says, "it's one more thing he can use in his toolbox." I couldn't help but laugh, because he's spot on.
May 29, 2011 in America The Free, Music, On People & Life, WBTW | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 14, 2011
Matt Venuti and the HANG Entertain in MarinMatt Venuti plays the hang Thursday night, May 12, 2011 at TEDxMarin in San Raphael, CA.
May 14, 2011 in America The Free, Europe, Music, Videos, WBTW | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The Eigenharp is Mezmorizing in its Own Way: SF Music TechThe Eigenlabs guys were over from the UK for SF Music Tech last week. Says many a' musician: "It allows me to do things I wouldn't normally do with a solo instrument." The Eigenharp is the flagship, an idea that started on a farm in Devon in England. The Alpha is their high-end product, priced at over 4K (pounds), but the level of functionality is significant. It allows the musician to play and improvise using a limitless range of sounds with virtuoso skill and is available in a variety of custom finishes. Sub-$1K is the Eigenharp Pico, which has 18 playing keys and 4 mode keys, a strip controller and breath pipe. Below is a demo of how it works AND more importantly, how it sounds.
May 14, 2011 in America The Free, Events, Music, Videos, WBTW | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 13, 2011
Thinglink Changes How People Interact With Photos: SF Music Tech
I had a chance to chat with the Thinglink team at SF Music Tech last week. They're a provider of image interaction tools, which aims to change how people interact with photos by transforming them into a navigational surface for search, commerce, and social connection. In other words, you can mouse over images or objects within images and have them convert to clickable links. (think singers, songs, instruments and more).
90+ billion photos online offer rich opportunities for in-image links to engaging user experiences that will transform how we interact with images. Have a listen to their explanation below on the show floor at San Francisco's Kabuki Hotel.
May 13, 2011 in America The Free, Events, Music, On Technology, Social Media, Videos, WBTW | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack


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Find a retail outlet selling Springwall mattresses
At Springwall, we understand the importance of getting a "Good Night's Sleep" and the positive effects it contributes to maintaining one's active lifestyle, health and well-being. Springwall offers a number of premium brands of bedding, all of which are "Made in Canada", with each focusing on improving the sleep experience to a wide range of consumers.
Our primary goal is to help customers make a bedding purchase decision easier by providing a product that offers:
Springwall has a solid reputation of trust and respect from both its retailers and consumers. Customer service is always important to Springwall, so feel free to contact us via e-mail at email@example.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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Annual Wise County Famous Fall Fling
Nestled in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains, and on the Crooked Road, Virginia's Heritage Music Trail, Wise is "the place to be" during the second weekend each October.
Held downtown and on the lawn of the historic courthouse while fall color is at its peak, the event features over 150 vendors selling crafts, food, jewelry, and more, while live traditional music ranging from banjos to bagpipes is played.
The Fall Fling also features essay, photo and art contests, a 5K race, a great Kids Korner, and a new event, Anything Apples Contest.
This facility meets ADA Accessibility Guidelines for wheelchair accessibility, including an accessible entrance,
access to goods and services, usability of rest rooms and accessible parking and drop-off areas. For additional
details, please see the ADA website.
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BPL Community Profile
Jim Fuller (jfuller) - BPL Lifetime Member
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All Forum Posts by Jim Fuller
Showing 1 - 2 of 2 | Page: 1
Chris Wallace gear editor
Chris, Congrates!!! I think you will do agreat Job!!!
Waht is the cost of the ATF8? Where can it be purchesed?
All Reader Reviews by Jim Fuller
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UK Enforces Tobacco Ad Laws
22 December 2004
Tough new rules on point-of-sale tobacco ads came into force this week in the UK.
The restrictions cover shops, clubs and pubs, where just one ad is allowed - which cannot exceed the size of a paperback book. Nearly a third of the adspace must be devoted to a health warning.
Anyone flouting the new laws can expect a £5,000 ($9k, €7k) fine or up to five months in prison.
Earlier this year a consortium of tobacco companies took the British government's
Department of Health
to court in a bid to stop the regulations coming into effect.
They argued the rules would prevent them from telling consumers about the characteristics of their products so new brands could not be established. However, the protests fell on deaf ears and the tobacco lobby lost its battle last month [WAMN: 09-Nov-2004].
The DoH says the regulations are among the strictest in the world. Health Secretary
John Reid
adds: "This is one element of our plans to help people stop smoking and reduce the numbers of people who take up the habit."
Among other measures mooted is a ban on smoking in workplaces, restaurants and bars to be introduced after the next general election, widely expected in May 2005. Smoking related diseases account for 106,000 deaths in the UK each year.
Jean King
, director of tobacco control at charity
Cancer Research UK
: "We fully support a ban on all tobacco advertising and promotion because research shows it saves lives."
Data sourced from BBC Online; additional content by WARC staff
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How Many NFL Players Have Been Arrested This Year?
July 3, 2013 8:23 AM
33 NFL players have been arrested in 2013.
Ausar Walcott, who signed with the Cleveland Browns as a rookie linebacker on May 13, was arrested and charged with attempted murder for allegedly punching a man outside a club in northern North Jersey on June 25. Following arrest, he was cut by the team.
Adam 'Pacman' Jones, Cincinnati cornerback, was arrested and jailed on an assault charge on June 10 after police said he hit a woman at a downtown Cincinnati nightclub.


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Did you know that Player Attack has a pretty comprehensive screenshot archive, as well as a hefty File Library? Every day, more new screens and media are added - so we figured we'd collate them all here for you as a way to kick off your weekend.
Look look! It's The Expendables 2! Sure, they're not the best screens of the week, but they're the only ones potentially featuring someone who looks an awful lot like Jason Statham, so they're okay in my book.
Also good (despite lack of Statham): Fortnite (featuring Unreal Engine 4!), Okami HD (still stunning), Spartacus Legends (maybe not Statham, but acceptable regardless), Mass Effect 3 (showing off new DLC), Frogger (Hyper Arcade Edition, to be precise) ...and, all the way down the bottom: Zuma's Revenge!
Friday Screen Time image: CC Regan Walsh
I like video games and music and cups of tea and noodles and beagles and colour-cycling LEDs.
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Adelaide Naylor
Kingsley Foreman
Jackson Ryan


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- Home
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In second half action during the RIIL Division II preliminary round boys basketball game between Tolman and Central Falls High Schools at the Donaldson Gymnasium in Pawtucket, RI on Friday night, February 18, 2011, Tolman guard #32 Juan Velez, right, takes the ball to the hoop, as Central Falls forward #24 Jose Peraza holds his ground. Butch Adams/The Times.
|PAWT TOLM VELEZ n CF PERAZA.jpg


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Christmas cupcakes
Puddings and cakes
- Serves: 8
- Preparation time: 30 minutes
- Cooking time: 15 minutes
- 80g unsalted butter – at room temperature
- 80g soft brown sugar – at room temperature
- 80g self-raising flour – at room temperature
- 2 large eggs – at room temperature and beaten.
- 80g glace cherries – halved
- 25ml brandy
- 40g sultanas
- 50g dried figs – chopped
- Grated zest of an orange
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/G4.
- Line a 12 hole muffin tin with cupcake cases.
- Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy.
- Beat in the eggs a little at a time.
- Fold in the zest and flour, followed by the remaining ingredients.
- Spoon the mixture into the cases and bake for 15 minutes, until golden and risen.
- Remove the cakes from the tin and cool on a wire rack.
- Decorate with white water icing and edible silver and gold balls. Alternatively with Christmas motifs made out of coloured icing.


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Opening day of the Sunset League baseball race Friday figured to be full of high quality matchups, and Day 1 did not disappoint.
Defending league champion Fountain Valley and Edison went on the road for their openers, and both picked up impressive victories, the Chargers, at the expense of Marina. Huntington Beach, meanwhile, was home for its opener, and also impressed.
•Huntington scored an 8-4 victory over visiting Newport Harbor. Senior Dillon Millar went three for three and gave the Oilers the lead for good when he scored on senior Clint Jack's single in the bottom of the second inning. Sophomore Logan Pouelsen had two hits, an RBI double in the fourth followed by a three-run home run in the fifth.
The Oilers got nine hits and eight runs off Newport Harbor ace and Cal State Fullerton-bound Connor Seabold (2-1), who suffered his first loss.
Senior Noah Davis (UC Santa Barbara signee) threw five innings, struck out three and didn't allow an earned run to get the win, his third of the season.
Huntington, ranked sixth in CIF Southern Section Division 1, improved to 5-2 overall.
Newport Harbor slipped to 6-2.
""I wish that I could bottle up our hitting approach that we had against Seabold," Huntington Coach Benji Medure said. "He was tough. He throws hard with a good breaking ball.
"Our guys stayed patient and looked to drive the ball back up the middle. Sounds so simple but tough to do. I loved the way they believed in our approach."
•Edison found itself in an early, 2-0 hole at Marina Friday, came back to score the game's next six runs, and came away with a 6-4 victory over the Vikings. A two-run triple by senior Philip Knapp tied the score, and a fielder's choice RBI grounder by senior Brian Schales brought in the go-ahead run.
Junior Michael Mahony went two for three with a double and RBI and senior Adam Moses singled with an RBI for the Chargers.
"Mike Mahony hadn't been starting recently, but he has worked really hard and earned a start," Edison Coach Cameron Chinn said. "He took advantage of his situation, and he had a big day."
Junior right-hander Noah Kronfly threw five innings to get the win and improve to 2-0. Junior Nate Madden threw the sixth and sophomore Kaz Akamatsu the seventh and got his first save.
"This game showed our poise," Chinn said. "In the top of the first, we put our first two batters on base, but couldn't finish. [Marina] came back to score two runs, but we responded right away and took the lead. Our game plan was to put the ball in play.
"We had talked earlier about maintaining our poise, and I thought our guys did just that. I really thought Noah [Kronfly] exemplified that poise after falling behind."
Marina lead-off hitter, senior Austin Sojka, got the first of his two hits on a double to the fence in right-center field in the bottom of the first, and scored when junior KJ Spiratos ripped a two-out single. Spiratos went on to score when junior Chase Sebby drove his first pitch into center field past a diving Knapp for a double.
Marina drew to within 6-3 in the bottom of the sixth when Sojka delivered a two-out, RBI single to right field to score junior Garrett Malter. The Vikings loaded the bases, getting a double from Spiratos, in the bottom of the seventh. Malter hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score pinch runner Remington Balboa, to make it 6-4. Akamatsu then fielded a grounder back to the mound to start a game-ending double play.
Edison (9-3) won twice Saturday at its own Edison Tournament, defeating Compton Centennial, 3-2, and Laguna Hills, 14-6, to run its win streak to four games.


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Schwab Chevrolet Buick GMC Corvette is a GM dealership located in Leduc, Alberta. Just minutes south of Edmonton on highway 2. If you're looking for a new or used Car, Truck or SUV stop by and see our showroom today. We also have a parts and service department for your convenience.
Schwab's RV sells new and used RVs, Travel Trailers, Fifthwheels, Toy Haulers and RV parts and Service. Some brands we carry are: Alpine, Avalance, Laredo, Open Range, Raptor, Outback, Outback Sydney and Outback Terrain. 10 minutes south of Edmonton off highway 2 in Leduc, Welcome to Schwab's RV.
© Copyright Schwab Chevrolet Buick GMC 2012
Website by Digital Tea


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9 months ago
"IF YOU ARE WHAT YOU SHOULD BE, YOU WILL SET THE WHOLE WORLD ON FIRE." "LET THE TRUTH BE YOUR DELIGHT.... PROCLAIM IT..., BUT WITH A CERTAIN CONGENIALITY." ~ St. Catherine of Siena
~ St. Therese Lisieux
Oh, SNAP! That's hilarious!
By the way, I'm adding you to my Blogroll, okay?
Ok, Amy. Thank you!
God bless you,
P.S. I would love to have you sign my Frappr map -- on the right side of my blog under Colleen Hammond.


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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) -- Children from all over the state come to receive the best health care Arkansas offers at the Arkansas Children's Hospital. Healing is in their nature, but for some children, that healing may have never come.
"Maybe we missed something. Maybe there is something there that we didn't see or collect, but it was in that kit," said Carol Maxwell, Director of Social Work at Arkansas Children's Hospital.
Maxwell helps children and their families through a variety of difficult situations, including the process of collecting a sexual assault evidence kit.
"A kit is done on a patient-male or female-if there is a history of or disclosure of any kind of sexual contact for which there might be forensic evidence to obtain," added Maxwell.
Those kits are supposed to be tested for any DNA that doesn't belong to that child, possibly proving the assault happened and who did it. But, for around 200 kits, those tests never happened.
It's a fairly detailed process. The hospital collects the kit and notifies the Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline who in turn notifies the law enforcement agency where the crime happened. Police come, pick up the kit and take it to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for testing. But, law enforcement never came for these 200 kits.
"The ones that aren't taken are generally because there either isn't just really clear evidence that makes law enforcement want to do it. They have other huge issues they are dealing with, and sometimes if it is a weak history-not weak that we don't need to report it-but too weak that maybe they are not going to be able to do anything with it like a 2 or 3-year-old that really cannot give a disclosure. What are they going to do about that even though there is concern? I think there are a lot of reasons why law enforcement doesn't pick up the kits and why they have collected over time," explained Maxwell.
Arkansas Children's Hospital said it realized some time ago the kits were stacking up. They contacted several agencies to figure out what they should do, and finally last month, the Arkansas State Crime Lab and Director Kermit Channel offered their help.
"We will accept those kits, basically transfer from Children's hospital to us, so we have a proper chain of custody. We'll examine the kits to determine if there is anything worthy of DNA at that point," said Channel.
Channel said they are currently testing a batch of 20 of these kits, looking for anything that is not tied to that potential victim. The crime lab will collect 50 more every other week until all of them are tested. Many of them may turn up nothing, but for the ones that do Channel said his office will find the law enforcement agency it belongs to.
"One way or the other, we will ascertain whether or not there is anything in the kits and get the results to the appropriate personnel," added Channel.
Even then, Arkansas Children's Hospital collected these kits as long as 12 years ago. Even if they find the potential perpetrator, is it too late?
"The longer the time span, of course, the more difficult it's going to be. The best time is right when things happen. We follow up on leads and do our investigation," said Felicia Epps, Professor of Law at UALR.
Epps said it's not impossible to prosecute a potential child abuser so many years later, but it will require much more than the results of a DNA test. Even then, the statue of limitations for many of them may be up.
"The norm would be six years, so that means for some of those cases, we would be beyond the time when those charges could be pursued, but there are other factors that could come in to change that as well," explained Epps.
By law, it is impossible for us, the media, to know which law enforcement agencies are involved in this. We contacted several to see what their processes were for picking up kits and asked why they would gather some but not others. No one wanted to talk on camera. As for Arkansas Children's Hospital, they said they are now taking things into their own hands, contacting the police themselves.
"I'm very optimistic that notifying law enforcement directly will really not completely resolve it because we will probably always have those cases that nobody wants to manage, but I think getting them more involved on the front end is really going to be helpful," said Maxwell.
Arkansas Children's Hospital said so far one backlogged kit has been tied to another case and is currently being investigated. We checked with other Little Rock hospitals about their backlogs.
UAMS said they currently have 35 kits that have not been picked up. Baptist Hospital said they have zero.
Children's Hospital said there are other hospitals around the country experiencing the same problems but hopes better communication will relieve their current backlog for good.


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Problems and Countermeasures in the Teaching of College Accounting Computerization
The course offering, the course content, the teaching method, the teaching software, the teacher power, and the practical teaching mode about the teaching of accounting computerization in colleges are analyzed first, and then corresponding solutions are proposed in this article.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Asian Social Science ISSN 1911-2017 (Print) ISSN 1911-2025 (Online)
Copyright © Canadian Center of Science and Education
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Marketing Maestros Archive
August 2011
Mobile Marketing: What Are Marketers Doing?
Posted: Aug 31, 2011 12:00am ET
By Cara Brooke Schultz
Mobile marketing is a relatively new space that marketers are getting involved in, and rightfully so—it's the best way to get your product into the hands of your consumers—literally via their mobile device which doesn't seem to leave their hands!
Managing Social Media Overload
Posted: Aug 25, 2011 12:00am ET
By Sumitra Duncan
A recent New York Times article, "For the Plugged-In, Too Many Choices," examines the issue of social media overload. This issue is one that most of us can relate to, especially with the almost daily introduction of new social media options—such as the recently debuted Google +.
Kim Kardashian & Branded Entertainment
Posted: Aug 22, 2011 12:00am ET
By Bill Duggan, Group EVP, ANA
Thanks for the Tip (and the importance of real Service)
Posted: Aug 17, 2011 12:00am ET
By Bill Duggan, Group EVP, ANA
Branded Entertainment Needs Better Measurement
Posted: Aug 10, 2011 12:00am ET
By Bill Duggan, Group EVP, ANA


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Christmas market at the Château de Havré
- Opening periods
- Event planned for the month of December 2015
Dates and programme may be subject to change
- Event planned for the month of December 2015
- Address:
Château des Ducs de Croÿ
Rue du Château 30
- MAPS: Google Maps
100 exhibitors and craftsmen and women with gift ideas, Christmas decorations and food and drink. At the château de Havré, from 5 to 7/12/2014.
You will find everything you need for successful Christmas festivities: seasonal products, food and drink, artisan crafts, gifts to put under the Christmas tree, ideas for decoration, toys, books, etc. But also Christmas beers, wines, gourmet produce and regional specialities.
It goes without saying that a bar and food will be on offer to. There will be a merry-go-round for children and a visit from Father Christmas himself! This market will take place under a heated marquee. You will also find a life-size nativity scene near the drawbridge with a musical atmosphere.
The Christmas market at Château de Havré is a real Christmas treat!
Tourist information on the town MONS
- Château d'Havré (HAVRE)


text:
- Musician's Friend Best Selection, Price & Service. Guaranteed.
Call our Gear Heads
at: 800-449-9128
Call our Gear Heads
at: 800-449-9128
Results 1 - 1 of 1 matches
A safe gentle lotion formulated to effectively clean, polish and protect all sterling, silverplate and gold...
Our product catalog varies by country due to manufacturer restrictions. If you change the Ship-To country, some or all of the items in your cart may not ship to the new destination.


text:
EXCLUSIVE TO NET-A-PORTER.COM. With fans including Elle Macpherson and Yasmin Le Bon, Spanish-born designer Monica Vinader's exquisite jewelry has serious A-list appeal. Bespoke-cut for the label, these beautiful amethyst drop earrings are perfect for adding an elegant note of color to day or evening looks. Wear this delicate 18-karat rose gold-vermeil style with a tailored suit for work or your favorite LBD after hours. For pierced ears.
18-karat rose gold-plated sterling silver Faceted violet amethystsButterfly fastenings for pierced ears
Product code: 319305 - Need help? Contact us


text:
But what is teaching?
Azly Rahman
May 15, 06 4:33pm
This piece is dedicated to all my teachers and your teachers on the occasion of World Teachers Day. Good teachers are great revolutionaries..
I begin with words of the British rock musician Roger Waters:
We don't need no education
We don't need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave the kids alone
Hey teacher leave us kids alone
All in all it's just another brick in the wall
All in all you're just another brick in the wall
- from Pink Floyd's 'Brick in the Wall'
"If you can't do, teach!" the great playwright George Bernard Shaw once said. That was not a nice thing to say to teachers. But why not this maxim: "If you must teach, get them to revolt!" You are given those bright and enquiring young mind to develop into geniuses. You are in a position of power. With you lies the ability to teach others the transformative powers of teaching. It is time to honor the enterprise called teaching, the most revered profession in the history of Humanity. At each stage our life we are either teaching or being taught. But what is teaching?
"What is schooling?"
Teaching, as the thinker Anatole France said, is a subversive act. It must not only inform and remind but also must excite, agitate, and ignite the fire within. It must create troubled minds and leave students with more questions and some answers. It is not a funneling process; it is not a banking concept. It is a romantic act of flowering and transforming. It is a cybernetic act of creating beautiful patterns of thinking in each and every curious mind that we are entrusted to help liberate.
If you can teach, subvert. Turn your students into subversives; ones who will challenge authority and ignite revolutions. Help them revolt against conventional wisdom. Let them question scientific facts. Let them also question historical facts because there are none. Let the children grow into intellectually radical beings who would will refuse to be turned into human cattle that know only how to graze in wastelands cultivated by the modern corporatist states. Let them become radical humanists who will throw the greedy ones out of power.
The world we live in is too damaging to the human mind. It makes us docile. It makes us "dreadful" as the Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard would say. It creates this mental chronic fatigue syndrome in us with information overload but not enough of it being processed. The mind cannot reflect because the conditions for reflective moments are not created. We are, as many an information theorist would say, drowned in information and starved for knowledge. Governments find it useful to have unthinking citizens. It is easier to control good workers than to control good thinking citizens.
In Malaysian public universities, we have courses in 'thinking skills' but we still conduct witch-hunts. In our public schools, we say we infuse critical and creative thinking skills in our curriculum, but we still produce students who think that rote-memorisation is the best form of learning. Our government wants its citizens to become 'towering' people but we have oppressive measures to silent dissenting views.
Teachers need to understand what is mentally ailing this nation. The recent fiasco in Parliament concerning former Backbenchers Club chairperson Shahrir Abdul Samad is a testament of the critical stage of the illness we are in. When one man stood up for justice and his entire political clan revolted against him, we have a classic example of what the Italian thinker Antonio Gramsci called 'hegemony'. What is the use of one being schooled if in the long run the agenda is to be engineered as beings who would create and propagate structures of oppression such as militarism, structural violence, state-sponsored terrorism, engines of mass destruction and instruments of the perpetuation of Space Age imperialism?
"Abuse of schooling"
We must embrace the idea of teaching for understanding, much popularised by Howard Gardner. There is so much failure in our schools as a result of teaching strategies that do not meet the needs of curious young minds. Teachers are not equipped to meet the mental demand of the 'multi-tasking multidimensional, multimediated child' who lives in a millennium that is different from the past.
Do we understand this 'Millennium Generation'?
We fail these children if they cannot achieve anything but regurgitate the facts we want them to memorise. We get angry when they get bored. We punish them for not wanting to learn. We then call in the police if we feel threatened by the worst of the worst of the failures. The Malaysian minster of education will now need metal detectors in all of our urban schools. He will need to have the Malaysian police permanently stationed in the low-performing ones.
We will have replicas of gangsta-infested American schools such those in East Los Angeles, Detroit, South Bronx, New York, and Paterson and New Jersey where gangs rule the classrooms and middle-school children get recruited to become 'crack cocaine' dealers. But do these children want to become failures? Or are teachers and parents, too, at fault? Who will be threatened if our society develops into a Paris that burned a few years ago? We live perhaps in an Orwellian society wherein realities are invented and packaged out of an industrialised culture and schooling has become a powerful instrument of social reproduction rationalised in the language of utilitarianism, technological determinism and liberalism.
With apologies to Albert Camus, 'one must imagine our human race happy, as we roll the rock up the hill of mass deception' after having been condemned by the God of Economic Productivity or the Goddess of Surplus and Plenty!
In the words of Roger Waters of the British rock group Pink Floyd, "… all and all we're just another brick in the wall".
Teaching is a verb and not a noun. It is an active process in which the teacher, as Socrates would preach, is a 'midwife' whose role is to help the child deliver the best that his/her potential has to offer. This dialogue must be continued so that we, as teachers, become closer to becoming a 'verb' than continue to exist as 'nouns' unaware of what 'adjectives' are used to describe us or how we use them to describe ourselves. There is so much to do in the area of 'thinking skills' that we could have better achieved.
It seems that we have a major wave of regression as a consequence of policies and pedagogy. But education is about hope and liberation if we just care to engage in an internal critique of the system itself and the way our children and youth are being taught.
Philosophers of education like Rousseau, Froebel, Montessori, Dewey, Freire, Apple, Giroux, and McLaren have all been saying the same thing and that is about the need to engage in critical reflection at every stage of the educational process. We have become a nation of testing and measurement and we have never quite developed in our children the need to challenge and ask questions.
"Learn from Pink Floyd"
But there is hope, as the great Brazilian educator Paulo Freire would advise us educators. It requires a systematic radicalisation of the enterprise of teaching itself. We need to create teachers who are radical enough to go in each and every classroom, armed with a powerful philosophy of teaching and human liberation, and challenge our children even at as an early age as pre- kindergarten. What we see now in our universities is a culture of one-dimensionality, homogenisation and a more sophisticated 'spoon-feeding-ism' that is a necessary pre-condition for state-sponsored totalitarianism.
We can change all these - through a radical programme of graduate teacher education at the level of graduate schools of education.
What is our curriculum for teacher education like? How politicised is it? How do we infuse at every level, critical thinking strategies so that we will produce a nation of questioning individuals that pay allegiance not to any government of the day but to ethics and intellectual pursuit without fear or favor? What is the culture of our classrooms like these days? Are we busy disciplining children, correcting behavior or developing their intellectual capabilities so that the genius in each and every one of them will be fully realised? When do we truly educate if we still spend time upholding the virtues of a police state?
Teachers, you are most honoured if you can play your role well - one who inspires revolutions. But first, as Nietzsche would say, teachers must be taught how to think.
Teachers, didn't we help fight revolutions and regain independence - before the nation was taken over by greedy technocrats and investment bankers?
Ultimately we do not want to create individuals who would, in the words of Pink Floyd, sing these words:
I don't need no arms around me
I don't need no drugs to calm me
I have seen the writing on the wall
Don't think I need anything at all
No don't think I'll need anything at all
All in all it was all just bricks in the wall
All in all you were just bricks in the wall
- from Roger Waters, Pink Floyds' 'Brick in the Wall Part 3'
To my teachers - I thank you all. Selamat Hari Guru!
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
72] But What is "Teaching"?
Posted by Dr. AZLY RAHMAN at 11:30 PM
Labels: education
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text:
FORT MYERS, Fla. - A 14-year-old girl accused of swinging at a Lee County Sheriff deputy who was arresting her father could be going on trial.
With hands clenched, the teen captured on video taking a swing at Hill, and missing, made her first court appearance Wednesday.
"I have a pending motion to dismiss for outrageous governmental conduct," said her Miami attorney John De Leon, "as a result of the actions of Deputy Hill."
De Leon says Hill acted inappropriately and wants his client's charges dropped.
Cell phone video shows Hill pointing a weapon at a group of small last year after deputies arrested the girl's father for an open container violation.
The video shows the teen took a swing at Hill once and missed. That's when another deputy forced her to the ground and arrested her.
In Hill's written report, he writes the girl "raised her fists and struck [him] in the arm and chest multiple times before she was restrained."
De Leon says Hill testified in his deposition that he was afraid.
"You'll hear responses that the officer said they were in fear of their life," said De Leon, "because of the actions of this 14-year-old."
The girl as charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting with violence.
This isn't the first time Hill has been accused of excessive force. Earlier this year, seven customers at the Fort Myers gay bar the Office Pub claimed Hill charged them with his gun drawn after he thought he heard gun shots.
Witnesses say it was a car door and say Hill Tasered a handicapped man.
"He said get on your knees," said Robert Ortiz, who is handicapped and walks with a cane. "And we didn't move to get on our knees right away so then they said get on your knees or we will [expletive] shoot you."
If the teen's case goes to trial, De Leon says he plans to call witnesses from the Office Pub to testify hoping to demonstrate a pattern of behavior.
"Shows an officer," he said, "that may be out of control."
The judge set a court date for Oct. 12 where charges could be dropped. If they aren't, the trial will start that day.
De Leon also criticized the way the Sheriff's Office handles internal investigation. He questions why, after several complaints, Hill was listed as a "witness" and not the "subject" of the Office Pub internal investigation.
Matt Grant
- Latest


text:
Antioxidant Support
Standardized Extra Strength 18%
with Echinacea angustifolia 4%
A Dietary Supplement
Vegetarian Formula
Modern scientific studies have shown that the Mediterranean diet' with its heavy reliance on product from the Olive tree' is one of the most healthful in the world. Olive leaves contain a number of compounds' mainly phenols and lignans' that protect the plant from environmental stress and confer health benefits when consumed. Oleuropein' one of the best known active constituents of Olive Leaf' has been endowed with many health properties linked to its antioxidant activity.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are not meant to diagnose' treat or cure any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before starting any exercise or nutritional supplement program or before using these or any product during pregnancy or if you have a serious medical condition.
Serving Size: 1 Vcap®
Servings Per Container: 100
Amount Per Serving % Daily Value*
Olive Leaf Extract 3X (Olea europaea)
(Standardized to contain min. 18% Oleuropein) 400 mg *
Echinacea angustifolia (Root)
(Standardized to contain min. 4% Echinacosides) 100 mg *
* Percent Daily Values are based on 2'000 calorie diet.
† Daily Value not established.
Other Ingredients: Cellulose (capsule)' Magnesium Stearate (vegetable source) and Silica.
Contains no: sugar' salt' yeast' wheat' gluten' corn' soy' milk' egg' shellfish or preservatives. Vegetarian/Vegan Product.
As a dietary supplement' take 1 Vcaps® 1 to 2 times daily.
Do Not Eat Freshness Packet. Keep in Bottle.
Allergy / Dietary Needs
- Corn Free
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- GMP Certification
- Made in the USA
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- Vegetarian Capsules
Ratings & ReviewsReview This Item
Overall Rating for Olive Leaf Extract 400 mg - 100 Vegetarian Capsules
Displaying reviews 1-2 of 2
By Robin White
from Pompano Beach, FL
Great supplement, at a great price!
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Displaying reviews 1-2 of 2
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Please ask any questions you may have about this specific product in the field below.
Your question(s) and our corresponding answer(s) will not be confidential and will be posted publically on this specific product page.
Additionally, PureFormulas is unable to directly recommend products in relation to specific health conditions. Please contact your trusted healthcare practitioner for direct product recommendations.
If you have any general questions regarding orders or our policies and programs, please contact our Customer Happiness Team @ 1.800.383.6008
If you are pregnant, nursing, taking any medications or have any medical condition, consult your doctor before use. Your healthcare professional is the best source for guidance before beginning an exercise or nutritional supplement program.


text:
Brevard County Sheriff's deputies continue to search for a man who hid in a car and robbed a store employee as she was leaving to make a bank deposit.
The robbery occurred around 9 a.m. Monday outside the Shoe Carnival at 7201 Shoppes Drive.
According to officials, the woman was getting into a car when the man, who was hiding in the back seat, grabbed the money bag and ran off. He was last seen driving away in a small, dark-colored car, deputies said.
No injuries were reported.
No other details were immediately known.
Anyone with information about the case is urged to call Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS.
Watch Local 6 News and stay with ClickOrlando.com for more on this story.


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When my neighbors saw the electric companies paying ME for the service… they went nuts too! Didn't know what to think! (Is this guy in a shady business or what? 😯 )
And maybe you're wondering the same right now…
Well let me share this with you, I've never felt better than producing my own energy. It is like declaring your independence from the system,
Camera battery charged with a solar charger btw…
2 years back my bills were climbing up every month, I decided to lower my power consumption by changing some devices, I changed my water heater for solar and I really had a good time doing it… but (there's always a but) my next month the power bill increased $45.
Can you believe it? They noticed a decrease in usage so they put me in another category! So I was paying more for the same old electric service.
The next morning I was calling a friend who already had a decent sized solar panel network installed.
He sent me the link for a very precise guide with a couple of videos, just enough to start building my own new fun project, here's the first one I built:
Once I finished it, something changed. The way I saw the world changed somehow… It felt like I was like signing my declaration of independence.
We can (and should) produce energy! or at least take it as the wonderful gift it is! I realized that they are charging us for something that's free out there,
The curious thing is that I had so much fun building the solar panel that I forgot about the bill.
But as my solar panels kept growing in number my bills started getting cheaper to the point where didn't have to pay,
A bill that make you smile
I opened this blog in the hopes that others in my situation may find it and avoid all the mistakes I made. Follow these easy steps and you too will be receiving a check from the electric company.
I encourage you to download my ebook "Living Off The Grid" where I walk you through getting started reducing your footprint and saving big time:
Don't want the eBook? No problem!
This technology is proven to work for a very long time and it's the best way to eliminate your power bills and save our planet too.
In order to have a house with a complete energy self-supply, it is necessary to build a homemade power system, it might sound complicated but is actually very fun, in fact is addictive.
With the aid of the video to the right you will be able to build your homemade power system, for as little as $200 to $500
You can always start with a small device and keep growing from there. Every single new project is fun to do.
Since then I've discovered some pretty interesting free energy devices. Watch my next emails closely to get some amazing gear reviews.
Here you have a list of the different types of free energy devices I've found useful in my declaration of independence from the greedy companies!


text:
Swiss Legend Watches
Women's Bella Black Ceramic Watch
- Color:
- black
Qty: 1
- 1
- 2
- 3
Please select an available size.
Please select a size.
- Rectangular black ceramic case with black mother of pearl dial, date window at 3 o'clock, and silver tone ceramic bezel
- Black ceramic bracelet with deployment clasp closure
- Swiss quartz movement
- Water resistance tested at 50M
- Case measures 34mm (1.33 inches) wide
- Bracelet measures 19mm (0.74 inches) wide
- 5 year limited manufacturer warranty
Material: Ceramic and mother of pearl
Brand: Swiss Legend Watches
Origin: Imported


text:
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text:
- Northern New York Newspapers
- Watertown
- Ogdensburg
- Massena-Potsdam
- Lowville
- Carthage
- Malone
- NNY Business
- NNY Living
- NNY Ads
A federal judge has ordered Oral Nick Hillary to turn over a limited amount of additional information that the village of Potsdam claims it needs to help defend itself in a defamation suit brought by Mr. Hillary in September.
U.S. Magistrate Judge David E. Peebles, Syracuse, ruled Wednesday that Mr. Hillary must comply with the villages demand for further information about expenses he has incurred for medical treatments, as part of his claim is that the alleged defamatory statements have caused him anxiety, anger and loss of sleep, prompting him to seek counseling from medical professionals, among others. Mr. Hillary is seeking reimbursement for the medical expenses as part of his claim for damages.
Mr. Hillary filed state Supreme Court action in Canton in September claiming police detained him illegally and damaged his reputation by making statements that implicated him in the death of 12-year-old Garrett J. Phillips, who was strangled Oct. 24, 2011, in the youths upstairs apartment at North Country Manor Apartments, 100 Market St. The lawsuit was moved to U.S. District Court in November because Mr. Hillary also is claiming that his federal constitutional rights were violated.
Mr. Hillary was not charged with a crime and no arrest has been made in connection with the boys death. Mr. Hillary maintains in his action that he was detained unlawfully for questioning by police and that police identified him to at least one person as a suspect in the youths death.
Judge Peebles denied the villages request for records about Mr. Hillarys employment, including tax returns. Mr. Hillarys attorney, Mani C. Tafari, Queens, earlier had argued that he had supplied the village with Mr. Hillarys employment record at Clarkson University, Potsdam, where he is head mens soccer coach, so it already possesses his wage history. The judge also denied as academic the villages request for any records pertaining to payments Mr. Hillary may have received through Medicare or Medicaid as Mr. Hillary has established that he does not qualify for, nor does he receive benefits from either.
The judge also ordered Mr. Hillary to provide the names of every person who may testify at trial to substantiate claims that he suffers from anxiety, anger and loss of sleep. The judge ordered the information turned over to the village by June 28.
Thousands of readers like you have made Northern New York Newspapers the number one ranked website* for local news and sports coverage in the north country.
You can continue on to this article in a few seconds, or you can visit one of our websites:


text:
Lynchburg vs. Messiah
March 16, 2002
|Billy Mcculloch
|(4, 1)
|Brandon Childs
|(2, 2)
|Kevin Reinecke
|(3, 0)
|Kip Campbell
|(2, 0)
|Chris Rieley
|(2, 0)
|Jeff Mullenix
|(0, 1)
|Chase Gompers
|(0, 1)
|Jon Gilden*
|(0, 1)
|Paul Venturella
|(1, 0)
|Andy Sinclair
|(1, 0)
|Joe Matta
|(1, 0)
|Chris Johnson
|9 (0.500)
|Current Record
|go to Lynchburg page
|Jono Linebaugh
|(3, 1)
|Kevin Dennstaedt
|(2, 1)
|Reed Horanburg
|(1, 0)
|Ryan Mccuen
|(1, 0)
|Alex Bitzer
|(1, 0)
|Ethan Nordberg
|(1, 0)
|Current Record
|go to Messiah page
|The Game Story:
| LYNCHBURG, VA - Freshman Billy McCulloch (Annandale, VA/W.T.
Woodson) scored four goals Saturday to lead the Lynchburg College men's
lacrosse team to its fifth-straight win, 16-9 over visiting Messiah College
The Hornets (5-1 and ranked #16 in the latest United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Poll) opened a 7-1 lead at the end of the first period and held a comfortable advantage the rest of the game. Sophomore Brandon Childs (Baltimore, MD/St. Paul's) scored two goals and added two assists, while sophomore Kevin Reinecke (Crofton, MD/Arundel) had three tallies. Junior Kip Campbell (Fork Union, VA/FUMA) and senior Chris Rieley (Herndon, VA/Herndon) each posted two goals. Goalie Chris Johnson (Chantilly, VA/Centreville) made nine stops.
Jono Lindebaugh found the back of the net three times for Messiah (1-4) and added an assist, while Kevin Dennstaedt scored twice. The Hornets outshot the visitors 38-22.


text:
Click for more "Microbes After Hours" videos
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Elio Schaechter, and Michael Schmidt.
Vincent, Elio, and Michael discuss how temperature triggers Neisseria menigitidis immune evasion, and protection of mice from ionizing radiation by feeding them black mushrooms.
Right click to download TWiM #67 (55 MB .mp3, 75.5 minutes).


text:
Toluca 'crossroads' School
Private School | Grades 1-5
North Hollywood, CA 91601
(818) 980-3688
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Hashivenu (Cause Us to Return)Item #: HL.08746821
Our Price:
Unrated ( Be the first to review this item )
by Hal Leonard
Arranged by John Leavitt.
Choral. Voicing/Format: 3 Part Any Combination. 6.75x10.5 inches. 12 pages. Published by Hal Leonard. (HL.08746821)
Free Shipping on this item in orders above $199
In Stock
This Israeli folk song with a text from the Bible makes an excellent concert feature for any combination of voices. The tune first appears as a unison melody, then in canon, and finally in unison again. Easily learned! Performance Time: Approx. 2:40
Songs Include:


text:
Lately we've been out and about, enjoying the stream of soirees that September always brings, and all of this socializing means we're answering lots of inquiries about what we do. While some professions warrant queries about pharmacology mixology or spark requests for free legal advice ("for a friend, of course"), ours ensures a welcome barrage of styling concerns. Some want to know if shoulder pads are really in (yes), others wonder if they should try a red lip on a first date (no), but everyone is curious about one thing: what you need to update your wardrobe for fall. With so many exciting runway looks to choose from and directional silhouettes to try, we realize the idea of entering a new season can be overwhelming. While it is fun to flirt with the trendiest statement looks, we think well-chosen seasonal staples are truly the key to sartorial sophistication. But what is a fall essential you might ask? How do you determine the indispensable from the passing fancy? This conundrum, dear readers, can confound even the most fashion-literate ladies, so in this installment of Under $200 we've created a cheat sheet of the standout styles you need now!
For us, a fall essential is the sort of wardrobe-building piece that works with the beloved staples we already own. Unsurprisingly, this means we tend to pick up lots of carefully considered accessories; currently we're mad about chunky chokers (they instantly add pizazz to any outfit) and hardware-heavy booties (it's time to upgrade your moto boots). On-trend outerwear is also of paramount importance, as an of-the-moment jacket makes classic basics look modern. Just add these fun fashion flings to your favorite foundation pieces (meaning: jeans, tees, and tights) and you'll be well on your way to a fantastic fall look!
In case you're still a little unsure of what you should look for, simply check out Isabel Marant's Fall 09 runway show for ideas. While other designers might produce more exaggerated trends, such as strong-shouldered jackets or long-sleeve mini dresses that are ideal for occasional wear, Marant creates ensembles that are special, but still appropriate for real life. It's the perfect collection to use as a loose reference point for your fall shopping expeditions, as it's full of the sort of pivotal pieces everyone needs right now. Take a look at today's story, hopefully you'll agree!
Fall Essential: Chunky Choker / Fallon Mixed Deadly Pearl Necklace ($200)
If you've been keeping up with us since August, dear readers, you know that we've stressed the importance of investing in a chunky choker for fall. It's a truly versatile piece; for specific styling tips, just look at the way Rihanna works it into her daily outfits. The pop princess wears this exact necklace with everything from jeans and a tee to a gray cocktail dress/black blazer combo. We think its intoxicating mix of ladylike pearls, edgy gunmetal trinkets and lovely tangle of brass, rose gold, and sterling chains is truly enticing, which is why it's the first piece on our list!
Fall Essential: Faux Fur Vest / BB Dakota Faux-Fur Rachel Vest ($60)
Every girl likes a little luxury, and this silk-lined faux fur vest by BB Dakota is the perfect touch for a sumptuous look. Right in line with Marant's magnificent and nouveau bohemian offerings, this vest is an ideal piece of outerwear because it will infuse your basics with an air of sartorial savvy. We can easily see the stylish Sisters Olsen or the preternaturally chic Kate Moss throwing a vest like this over a vintage dress, or adding it to a simple tee and some ripped skinnies, for a quick trip to Starbucks.
Fall Essential: Leather Leggings / BCBGeneration Black Leather Skinny Pants ($148)
Although your skinny jeans are still functional for fall, black leather leggings are a great alternative to your daily denim. As seen on the runways at Gucci, Phi, and Alexander Wang, to name a few, these body-con pants are one of the season's key pieces. BCBGeneration's created a perfect non-investment version; we think they look amazing paired with a vintage concert t-shirt or styled with diaphanous layers. We could easily see a model/muse like Hanne Gabe Odiele pairing these with a killer pair of buckle boots for a fashion-forward fall look.
Fall Essential: Nineties Nude Lipstick / MAC Trend F/W Lipstick ($14) in Our Pick
Although we've been ga-ga for gloss in the past, right now we're excited to ditch that girly lip and welcome back more grown-up products. This semi-matte MAC lipstick particularly piqued our interest because it instantly reminds us of the all the fleshy nudes from the nineties (think Winona Ryder in Reality Bites). It's ideal for the workday if you keep the rest of your face basic, or you can wear it out at night with a more intense eye.
Fall Essential: Buckle Bootie / Nine West Iceage Platform Bootie ($140)
One of the best parts of seasonal shopping is searching for the latest footwear. Although there are a plethora of pivotal picks this season, if you can only select one shoe, this platform ankle boot is the way to go. The burnished, decorative buckles are right on the heavy-duty hardware trend and will give you a hint of that tough-girl edge without overwhelming the rest of your look. You can style these with your long-sleeved mini for a night out with the girls, or throw them on with your jeans and (faux) fur vest to upgrade a casual outfit. In short: they're multifaceted and well-priced!
Fall Essential: Chain Strap Bag / Deena & Ozzy Tweed Chain Bag ($42)
While nothing can surpass the iconic, quilted Chanel bag, this tonal tweed version is a great adaptation at a much more reasonable price. The quilt-stitch details and chain-link strap make it equally as elegant as any offering from Karl. Plus, the over-the-shoulder style is very practical, so it also fulfills your everyday bag needs with an air of refined sophistication. We could easily see someone like Diane Kruger, who seamlessly mixes the classic and the cutting-edge, toting a bag like this to fill out her fall wardrobe.
Fall Essential: Breton Stripe Shirt / H&M Striped Shirt ($13)
Long before we saw Christopher Decarnin's glittering Breton top for Balmain's Fall 09 collection, we were smitten with sea-worthy stripes. Although Decarnin's exquisite version may be worth the investment for some, we discovered this long-sleeved iteration from H&M for a fraction of the price. This top looks particularly cool when worn with jeans and a leather jacket for an off-duty look, or you can pair it with an A-line mini and a statement necklace à la Olivia Palermo for a little more polish. If you wish to mimic Decarnin's strong silhouette, simply add some shoulder pads to this classic top and create your own of-the-moment look.
Fall Essential: Metallic Skirt / Topshop Premium Jacquard Skirt ($80)
Lamé looks have been on our radar for quite some time now, and while our muse (Marant) opted for shimmery harem pants in her runway looks, we think a metallic mini is just as covetable. It's a great alternative to your leather skirt (also a swell investment!) and really channels the thrill of cocktail season and hot nights out. Of course, a little glitz does go a long way, so we recommend mixing the skirt with your more sober basics, and even opting for opaque tights when the weather turns cold.-Liza Kaplan


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This just in from timesunion.com, Rensselaer County will provide free H1N1 vaccinations to county residents ages 5 to 18 at several clinics scheduled for this month.
Rensselaer County to provide H1N1 vaccine to school-aged kids
One Response
Any ideas on why Ren. County isn't having the larger vaccination clinics that cover all children like Albany and Sch'dy Counties had? It's great that they have the vaccine, but this won't help my 2 year old! My ped (in Saratoga County) doesn't have it either and sugggests calling our health dept! Frustrating!


text:
A big demographic shift means more people will be starting different careers in the second half of their lives, according to Marci Alboher, author of the "Encore Career Handbook." She joins Alisa Parenti in Money, Markets and More.
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Detroit Pistons v Cleveland Cavaliers
Hickson of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots against Tayshaun Prince of... News PhotoBasketball - Sport,Cleveland - Ohio,Cleveland Cavaliers,Detroit Pistons,Full Length,J.J. Hickson,Making a Basket,NBA Pro Basketball,Ohio,Quicken Loans Arena,Sport,Taking a Shot - Sport,Tayshaun Prince,USA,VerticalPhotographer David Liam KyleCollection: National Basketball Association 2011 NBAECLEVELAND, OH - MARCH 25: J.J. Hickson #21 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots against Tayshaun Prince #22 of the Detroit Pistons during the game at The Quicken Loans Arena on March 25, 2011 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2011 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images)