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Zen Buddhist center opens in Honesdale
September 14, 2011 —
A wonderfully funny cartoon appeared in The New Yorker magazine a few years ago. It showed two monks fully clothed in their habits, sitting in a cross-legged position of meditation. One monk was an old man, prune-faced and annoyed, and the other was a puzzled callow youth. Under the cartoon was the following caption: "What do you mean 'what happens next!' This is it."
The memory of the cartoon suddenly leaped into my mind as I readied to sit in meditation in the zendo of the Zen Center of Wayne County, created in Honesdale by two Manhattan-based psychoanalysts, Paul Cooper and Karen Morris.
The center, located at 926 Court Street, holds zazen—sitting mediation—on Sunday mornings throughout the year. Every Thursday evening there is a meditation practice and on Sundays, a formal service and talk follow the meditation sessions.
Zen, a form of Buddhism that came from China to Japan, takes a slow approach to enlightenment through sitting meditation called zazen. It is the school of Buddhism that has the most emphasis on long, intensive periods of meditation.
"Zen, and Buddhism itself, is not in conflict with any other religion or system of belief," Morris said. "Actually, it enhances the beliefs of other religions. Since it is a non-theistic religion, it has no dogma that can stand in the way of other religions."
"It is a religion because it has a salvational component to it and has the practice available to meet a salvation agenda," Cooper said.
"Everyone is invited to our center," Cooper said. "We want
people to come and visit the zendo to see if they like it. No one will be pressured to join. Come just to try it out."
The center holds training sessions to explain Zen and Zen meditation for beginners or for experienced meditators who may be unfamiliar with Zen. A practice leader, Alan Kehoe of Hawley, gives orientations to newcomers. Newcomers can come early at 9 a.m. for training before the main session at 9:30 a.m.
Once a month, a retreat is held on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
"I am something of an elder in the tradition, and it's my responsibility to make available what I have learned over more or less 40 years of practice," Cooper said. "There is a tradition to vow to free all beings, and I wish to extend that tradition to the people in the Delaware Valley community."
Cooper and Morris explained the three gems or refuges of Buddhist tradition: refuge in the Buddha himself, refuge in the teaching called the Dharma and refuge in the community,
called the sangha.


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What is in this article?:
- Volatility name of the game with commodity prices
- Interest rates bumping upward
• The good news is that commodity prices are high, but the bad news is that input costs also will be higher in 2011.
• Lenders also will be taking a close look at cash flow. They want to make sure you'll be able to service any loans they put out there.
More About:
Volatility might be the only constant in commodity prices over the next several months, says Max Runge, Auburn University Extension economist.
"I'm confident of the fact there will be a lot of volatility," said Runge at the recent Central Alabama Corn Production Meeting held in Autaugaville. "How we deal with and manage that volatility will determine how successful we are in the coming year."
The good news is that commodity prices are high, but the bad news is that input costs also will be higher in 2011, says Runge.
"Fertilizer prices continue to ease up," he says. "Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium all are expected to be up over 2010. When I sit down and do budgets and try to come up with a price, nothing is easy anymore. It's not as clear-cut as it used to be."
Runge says he hesitates to discuss seed prices so far in advance of the growing season, but corn with some technology will probably be about $2.75 per thousand, cotton at $2 per thousand and soybeans at approximately 34 cents per thousand, all of which are higher than last year.

subset: commoncrawl


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by Anton Shilov
Sun Microsystems on Thursday said that at a special meeting of stockholders its stockholders adopted the merger agreement entered into with Oracle Corp., under which Oracle will acquire Sun common stock for $9.50 per share in cash. Approximately 62% of the shares of Sun common stock outstanding as of the record date for the meeting voted to adopt the agreement.
The merger between Sun and Oracle may have rather crucial results on the market of microprocessors since Oracle is hardly interested in making chips, but is more interested in creating software and providing services. As a result, after the two companies become one, Oracle may cease development of SPARC processors and start to make high-end servers using central processing units from Fujitsu. Obviously, the company will continue to manufacture servers powered by AMD Opteron and Intel Xeon processors.
The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals and other closing conditions.


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Michele Bobadilla is a native Dallasite who believes passionately in her community and in the power of its people to effect change. Ms. Bobadilla demonstrates her commitment and civic responsibility daily through her active involvement in education initiatives, civic boards, and volunteer organizations. Her involvement spans thirty-six years. As an advocate, educator, and community volunteer, she exemplifies the best in all of us! Ms. Bobadilla's openness and generous spirit coupled with her dedication, perseverance, organizational skills and leadership have garnered widespread community support. Michele's years of advocacy, community service and leadership have opened doors to higher education for thousands of students. By leveling the playing field, she has ensured access and equity through opportunity and empowerment.
Her desire to serve as a catalyst for change for the betterment of the community-at-large is a tremendous asset. When she is determined to make something happen, she is able to energize and mobilize people into action. She champions higher education for others by promoting access and equity through extensive outreach and community partnerships forged with community based organizations. "Ms. Bobadilla has a lifelong commitment to empower young people with opportunities. To make this outcome possible, she serves as a role model, advocate, and mentor," stated Hector M. Flores, former National President, League of United Latin American Citizens. Actively engaging the Greater Dallas/Fort Worth metro area by volunteering evening and weekend hours to organizations offering opportunities for growth and lifelong learning; serving on state councils; and working with national boards to affect change underscore her passion for developing a pipeline of educated students that will change the world - this will be one of her greatest accomplishments.
Ms. Bobadilla established the Society of 100 Endowed Scholars' Fund in cooperation with the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and community partners to ensure an educational legacy for the Greater Dallas metro area students pursuing a higher education. As chair of the Stars on the Rise Scholarship Program, through collaborative partnerships, she raised over $4.7.million dollars in 2012. As a result, 273 students of all ethnic backgrounds were awarded substantial scholarships in order to pursue their dreams of a higher education. Michele also served as co-chair for the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's scholarship program in order to help them grow and forge vital partnerships that will benefit area students. In recognition of her community efforts and advocacy on behalf of students at the Irma Rangel Young Women's Leadership School, the state's first public/private school, Carmyn Neely, former Executive Director, Foundation for the Education of Young Women, said "Michele has been a loyal supporter. Not only has she provided financial support for our underprivileged young women to pursue their college dreams, she has also served as Chairperson of the Advisory Council for eight years. Michele has shared her leadership capabilities as well as her empathy for this initiative."
Ms. Bobadilla has served as a Board of Director on thirty-five boards of organizations providing vital services to the community-at-large, and she has actively maintained her civic/community involvement by serving on over fifty committees addressing the needs of the community. Her involvement underscores her commitment to making things happen for others. She has always remarked about her good fortune in having mentors who nurtured, guided, and provided the support needed to succeed in this world. Her life's work as an advocate, mentor, and volunteer, has made many dreams become reality for the students and families she has touched throughout her volunteer commitments.
As Co-chair of the Latina Living Legend Award in 2010, Michele helped this women's organization raise over $20,000 for their endowment. The organization's endowment annually awards grants to non-profit, community based organizations that promote educational and employment opportunities for women and girls. At that time, Ann Minnis remarked, "I have been privileged to work closely with Michele Bobadilla over the past 15 years and most recently as Co-chair of the Hispanic 100 Latina Living Legend Award. I have marveled at her untiring commitment to improve the lives of those in our community needing a hand up. A top priority has been her leadership in raising substantial funds which have and continue to give hope and opportunity to thousands of metroplex residents over the years. Michele is a champion advocate to those she serves. She possesses a unique combination of professionalism, knowledge, interpersonal skills, personal integrity, and a strong commitment to her community. She is firmly grounded in the highest standard of personal and professional ethics."
Her involvement as a board member with the Dallas Concilio spawned the creation of the Psyched out about Math and Science Program. This program was designed to expose, encourage, and provide hands-on opportunities in the fields of math, science, and technology to sixth grade girls. Knowing how pivotal the sixth grade is in the decision making process involved in academia and pre-college planning which begins in middle school, Psyched Out About Math and Science, has provided young girls with invaluable experiences by learning firsthand from females in the aforementioned fields of study. The girls' mothers are also included as an important component in learning to support and nurture their daughters' educational pursuits. "Through her involvement, Michele Bobadilla has worked tirelessly on weekends and evenings to foster the development of young Latinas. Her passion and enthusiasm are contagious – she inspires others to achieve more than thought possible," Dr. Mary Hendrix, Vice President – Student Access and Success, Texas A & M University – Commerce.
As founder of University Crossroads – a partnership of colleges and universities in North Texas, she has been able to impact over 24,500 students annually through SAT Math Prep Classes and other vital college ready programs.. She forged this partnership with 69 area colleges, community based organizations, chambers of commerce, and school districts providing services that directly benefit students. "Michele has been instrumental in the development and implementation of college readiness and college access activities offered to students and parents on weeknights and evenings. She has provided leadership and talent in order to ensure students successfully transition from high school to college," stated Dr. Liliana Valadez, former Executive Director, Dallas ISD College and Career Readiness Division. Through this assistance, students have increased their math score by 90+ points. As a result, some borderline students have been able to accept athletic and academic scholarships that were just out of reach because of their initial scores. This community outreach program has had a tremendous impact on students and is popular among parents and teachers seeking assistance for them. These classes are offered on week nights and weekends in order to accommodate students' busy schedules. Numerous community partners have joined in financially supporting this initiative serving the Greater Dallas/Fort Worth area. Barbara Merkle, Director of Admissions, Midwestern State University commented as follows. "Michele Bobadilla has been instrumental in organizing universities, community based organizations, and chambers of commerce to participate in endeavors that promote changing the college going culture in Texas. She believes that even with limited resources that convincing students and mostly first generation students that if you raise the bar and provide the support, students will rise to your expectations. She is changing the college going culture and making access to higher education attainable."
As Vice Chair of the National League of United Latin American Citizens' Education Commission, Ms. Bobadilla was able to impact policies and raise awareness of the educational needs of Latino students in the PK-20 pipeline. She served as Co-Chair of the Texas Education Summit and worked on the California Education Summit held at UCLA.
Through her service on the Board of Directors for the Dallas Summer Musicals, Ms. Bobadilla has been instrumental in providing students with the experience of a live musical performance. For many, this experience has been transformative!
Michele has received countless honors throughout her illustrious career as an educator, mentor and advocate. This May, she will receive a Doctor of Letters. D. Litt. (hc) from Texas A & M University – Commerce. This honorary doctorate is only one of twenty-nine awarded in the university's 124 year history. This honor is bestowed upon those who have made an indelible mark in the profession in service to others.
One of her most recent honors was the 2012 Woman of Distinction Award from the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce; 2011 Martha H. Salmon Leadership Award presented by the Southwestern Regional College Board; the 2010 Ultimate Latina – Community Service Award from the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in recognition of her leadership and service in the field of education by providing opportunity through access and equity. She was also selected as the 2010 Outstanding Woman in Texas Government in Community Involvement and was recognized by Governor Rick Perry for her leadership and service to others. Additionally, she was honored with the Latino Leaders magazine 2010 Maestro Award for Community Service. Michele was induction into the Dallas' Woodrow Wilson High School Hall of Fame. Michele was the first Latino/a in the school's storied history to receive this honor. She joins the ranks of Trammel Crow, Ruth Sharp Altshuler, Buddy Minyard, Congressman Lt. Col. Samuel Johnson, Attorney General Jim Mattox, and Heisman Trophy winners Davey O'Brien and Tim Brown to name just a few of the schools' Hall of Fame honorees.
Among the most notable honors she has received are the following: Southern Methodist University's Profiles in Leadership Award, 2010; Commencement Speaker at Texas A & M University – Commerce, 2009; Hispanic 100 President's Award, 2008; GDHCC La Cima Leadership Award, 2008; Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's President's Award, 2008; City of Grand Prairie Historical Commission Medallion for Outstanding Service and Contributions, 2008; Ebby Rose of Distinction, presented by Ebby Halliday for enriching the lives of others through volunteerism, 2006; The Maura Award, women helping women, 2005; National LULAC Woman of the Year, 2004; The President's Call to Service Award, Corporation for National and Community Service, 2004; Outstanding Star of Texas, Texas Bank and The Fort Worth Club, 2004; The Great Women of Texas, Most Influential Women honoree, JP Morgan Chase and the Fort Worth Business Press, 2003; Raymond Telles Award for Excellence in Education, highest national award given by National LULAC, 2003; Michele Bobadilla Bridge to Excellence Scholarship, established by UT Arlington President Dr. Robert E. Witt to honor her leadership and community outreach efforts, 2002; Induction into the National LULAC Women's Hall of Fame, 2002; and possibly most dear to her is the H. Ross Perot Excellence in Teaching Award she received in 1986 for the incredible strides made with the limited English speaking students she taught at Skyline High School in Dallas.
Michele credits her family, her mentors, and her community for cultivating and nurturing her involvement and passion for education, community service, and advocacy. Michele is the personification of leadership and inclusion through service to others. She is a servant leader.
Education is a game changer. When preparation meets opportunity, the playing field is leveled and one's educational landscape is transformed for generations. HSF provides such an opportunity.
©2016 Hispanic Scholarship Fund All rights reserved. HSF Press | Privacy Policy


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Political Science
New Faculty Publication: Dr. Chris Anderson publishes a new book.
Nov 19/12
Dr. Christopher Anderson has published a new book with UBC Press entitled, Canadian Liberalism and the Politics of Border Control 1867-1967.
This book "sheds light on the complex history of Canadas response to immigrants and refugees during its first century -- a century that saw the imposition of the Chinese Head Tax, the turning away of the Komagata Maru, the rejection of Jewish refugees during the interwar period, the internment of Japanese Canadians during the Second World War, and the postwar development of a new human rights-based discourse. Framing these and other pivotal moments in the wider context of how the rights of immigrants and refugees have been debated and pursued in Canadian politics, Anderson demonstrates that todays more restrictive approach reflects traditions deeply embedded within liberal democracies. His insights into Canadian immigration and refugee history offer valuable lessons for understanding the nature of contemporary liberal-democratic control policies."
You can order a copy of the book, here.
View all Political Science news |
View all Faculty of Arts news
View all Laurier news


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Fashion DIY (Do It Yourself), is a popular hobby and blog project amongst fashion bloggers like myself, inspiration taken from catwalks to magazines those of the items we cannot afford nor available to buy, DIY is a simplest and affordable solution to create your own design signature with the help of scraps – old accessory, old clothing and even household materials. Other traditional materials like sequins, feathers, beads can be purchased from specialised department stores (i.e John Lewis) or haberdashery shops.
Today I'm showing you a very simple DIY flower brooch, using a flower motif broken up from a piece of cheap jewellery, believe me any pieces of jewellery (necklace, bracelet, earrings) from high street stores is a haberdashery paradise for DIY-ers.
You will need layers of old newspaper, UHU glue or multi purpose glue, a brooch pin, flower motif broken up from old necklace.
Apply tiny amount of glue and spread thinly onto the brooch pin and stick firmly on (center) flat surface of back flower motif.
Lay the flower motif brooch face down on newspaper, let the glue dry for overnight.
Once the glue dried and thoroughly set, pin the DIY-ed brooch onto your desired shirt, tops or dresses. Ohhhh la la.
Kit Lee, Style Slicker


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Mitchell Dale Stehling told family members during the afternoon of June 9 that he was going to hike to the Spruce Tree House in the Colorado park and never returned.
Park public information officer Betty Lieurance said Monday that it unusual for hikers to be missing for more than five hours in the area. She said investigators had not ruled out foul play.
Lieurance said family members were still at the park Monday.
The search over a two-mile radius was scaled back Saturday after no clues or new information was obtained. Rangers used the park's helicopter to search the canyons and mesas of the park while ground-based teams thoroughly searched nearby canyons and trails. The saturation of the area by searchers, dog teams, a helicopter, and horse patrol provided a great deal of coverage, but resulted in no clues, according to a park news release.
Flyers with Stehling's picture and description remain posted throughout the park.
National Park Service personnel were assisted by Dog SAR Colorado. NPS personnel were assisted earlier in the week by Montezuma and La Plata County SAR teams, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and the San Juan National Forest Hot Shots.
The park spans 52,000 acres of rough terrain.


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Now that's what you call putting the team on your back, doe.
Odds are you've seen the video. It has more than 10 million views on YouTube, and while you can file it under NSFW thanks to the, uh, colorful language used by the Madden gamer who made it, it led to such an unforgettable catchphrase that went so viral that Greg Jennings was asked about it before Super Bowl XLV.
So it was Sunday night, with Aaron Rodgers facing the Minnesota Vikings – and, oddly enough, Jennings, he of the frequent offseason criticism of his former quarterback's leadership that he claimed this week was simply a joke run amok – that the Green Bay Packers quarterback did just that. He may not have had a broken leg – it's the guys he's playing without who are dealing with the injuries – but he certainly carried his team.
For while the Packers' 44-31 victory Sunday night was a team effort – as he said so himself – Rodgers made sure through his preparation, his decision-making, his playmaking and, yes, his leadership, that the Packers (5-2) ran their winning streak to four games and made their farewell to the Metrodome was a fond one.
"I wasn't going to let this team beat us," Rodgers said matter-of-factly after directing an offense that was never forced to punt all night long. "I wanted to make sure I put myself and our team in a position to be successful. A lot was on my shoulders. I wanted to make sure I got us in good runs and our team responded really well. This was a great team win. We all have our roles but I wanted to make sure that my role was one I executed really well."
By no means is Rodgers doing it alone, and he didn't do it alone on Sunday night. He doesn't get all of the credit for the team's brilliance on third down (converting 13 of 18, including their first seven in a row), for owning time of possession (40 minutes, 54 seconds to 19 minutes, 6 seconds), for running the ball in dominating fashion (a season-high tying 182 yards), for shutting down Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (13 carries, 60 yards) or for delivering the biggest plays of the game – Jordy Nelson's 76-yard touchdown catch-and-run and Micah Hyde's 93-yard punt return – when the game was still in the balance.
But what he does get credit for is helping hold the team together amid injuries to three offensive stars (tight end Jermichael Finley and wide receivers Randall Cobb and James Jones) and three key defensive starters (outside linebackers Clay Matthews and Nick Perry, and inside linebacker Brad Jones).
"I think this is really shaping up to be one of Aaron's best years," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said after the Vikings (1-6) couldn't stop Rodgers' arm (24 of 29. 285 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions, two sacks, 130.6 passer rating) or legs (four scrambles for 34 yards before two victory-formation kneel-downs).
"Aaron's had a lot of challenges Monday through Saturday that don't show up on a stat sheet. Just the change, just trying to get on the same page with younger players, trusting the game plan. Because when you are as productive as we've been, there was such a comfort with our no-huddle and just we really felt like we were really rolling on all cylinders. Now, we've kind of had to go in a different direction. He has to command it, and this thing obviously wouldn't work without him."
Just ask Ryan Pickett. As the veteran defensive tackle stood near the exit of the visitors' locker room, he listened to a list of what the Packers had going for them amid all their injuries: A defense among the league's best at stopping the run, an offense that had discovered a running game that had long been dormant, and one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
"The best," Pickett corrected. "He is the best."
Or, ask James Jones. As the veteran wide receiver looked around at the fill-ins dressing nearby – wide receivers Jarrett Boykin and Myles White, tight ends Jake Stoneburner and Brandon Bostick – he was asked what a victory like Sunday night's said.
"It tells you we've got a team that can go a long ways, but it all starts with '12,' Jones replied. "I mean, if you can keep him healthy, the dude is a phenomenal player. He's going to be a Hall of Fame player. He throws receivers open, he's going to put you in the right play and he's going to make you be successful. When you keep him standing up, it's going to be tough to beat us. And, we're running the ball now. So … "
Jones paused, for effect.
"Good luck."
Over the years, the Packers had experienced so much disappointment, seen so many downright bizarre turns of events that this could have been another one of those nights. No, nothing to rival Eric Guliford getting behind Terrell Buckley in 1993 or T.J. Rubley inexplicably, unbelievably, moronically audibling out of a quarterback keeper and into an interception that cost the Packers the game and Rubley his job in 1995, but still.
After all, it was just last year here, when the Packers couldn't contain Peterson, had their 13-game NFC North winning streak snapped, lost the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs, which led to them facing the Vikings six days later in the playoffs, which led to them playing at San Francisco in the divisional round, which led to … well, you know the rest.
This time, there would be no disappointment, and no Ripley's Believe It or Not moments. Rodgers made sure of that.
The game began in stunning fashion, with Vikings rookie Cordarrelle Patterson returning the opening kickoff 109 yards for a touchdown. It appeared Bostick and safety Jerron McMillian had shots at Patterson around the 10-yard line before Hyde missed a diving tackle attempt at the 23. Patterson was off to the races after that, outrunning Chris Banjo, Sam Barrington and Tim Masthay en route to the end zone and a 7-0 lead.
The Packers calmly answered, however, as Rodgers and the offense surgically moved down the field on a 14-play, 90-yard march that ate up 7 minutes, 24 seconds of clock and tied the game. From an 11-yard completion on third-and-6 completion to Boykin, to an 18-yard strike to Boykin that got them into Minnesota territory to Rodgers' third-and-6 I'm-not-sliding scramble that gained 12 yards, it culminated in a how'd-they-do-that 11-yard touchdown from Rodgers to Nelson. It was hard to decide what was more remarkable – how Nelson made the catch with cornerback Josh Robinson all over him, or how Rodgers threaded such a fine needle to throw the ball just over Robinson's head to Nelson.
After forcing a punt, the Packers embarked on another long drive, this one that took 8:24 and, while it ended in a 30-yard Mason Crosby field goal, it included three third-down conversions and a fourth-and-1 pickup on a Rodgers pass to John Kuhn.
Two big plays seemingly blew the game open after the Vikings matched the field goal with one of their own. First, Nelson lined up in the right slot and Rodgers hit him with a quick pass before linebacker Chad Greenway rotated over to cover him, and when Greenway got there a tick too late, Nelson was gone for a 76-yard touchdown and a 17-10 lead. When the Vikings went three-and-out on the next series, there was Hyde, catching the ball at his own 7-yard line and accelerating through a gaping hole in the Vikings' coverage unit. The only person who came close to tackling him was Barrington, his own teammate.
And while the Vikings managed to get one of those touchdowns back just before halftime, it didn't matter. Rodgers and the Packers opened the second half with another efficient, error-free, clock-elapsing drive. From Rodgers' 11-yard strike to Nelson on the first third down of the possession, to his too-easy 8-yarder to Nelson on fourth-and-3, to his two third-down scrambles to pick up third downs, Rodgers did everything right on the drive. So too did rookie running back Eddie Lacy, who ripped off a pair of 9-yard runs sandwiched around an 11-yarder, then had 7- and 8-yard runs before capping it off with a 1-yard touchdown. The drive used up 8:10 of clock, covered 80 yards and consisted of 15 plays – or, on this night, business as usual.
"That first drive of the second half, that was a thing of beauty," right guard T.J. Lang said. "Taking 8 minutes off the clock, getting in the end zone – that's fun football right there, especially for a lineman. Obviously you'd like to have more scoring plays like we had on the long pass to Jordy so you can rest a little bit, but when you're eating up those long drives, and dominating a little bit, it's a good feeling."
That's all the Packers are feeling these days. They came out of the game without any new injuries, and could start getting some key players back beginning with next Monday night's game against the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field.


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And So This is Earth Day: A Photo Essay of Reality
Today is earth day. Nice green trees, fresh water streams, bumble bees going hither and thither. Not here! We're still caught in the death grip of winter at the end of April for crying out loud! It's insane. Riddle me this. Why don't climate action groups ever hold their meetings in Oxbow?! Nope, it's always Florida or Hawaii or someplace nice!😉 Come here and get your global warming, it's buried under 3 feet of snow! :twisted: (more…)


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Cheryl Borden: Creative living
Information on pressing flowers, fall foliage and using recycled materials for craft projects will be the featured topics on "Creative Living" at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday and noon Thursday.
Kate Chu represents pressed-flowers.com, and she's going to show different ways that pressed flowers can be attached to different objects, such as magnets, jewelry, candles and even light-switch plates. She lives in Anaheim, Calif.
Curt Jaynes will talk about how to have beautiful fall foliage, and what to do when the weather starts to turn cold. Jaynes is with GardenSource Nursery and Landscaping Inc. in Portales.
Judy Novella is with Fairfield Processing Corp. in Danbury, Conn., and she will explain how to create "green" projects from recycled materials.
Information on recipes with an Asian flavor and room decorating will be the featured topics on "Creative Living" at noon Tuesday and 2 p.m. Saturday.
Food consultant Kathy Moore of Williams Foods Inc. will share some easy dinner ideas that are inspired by popular Asian flavors. She's from Lenexa, Kan.
Author and decorating expert Jack Warner will talk about how to make key design decisions that you and your pocketbook can live with. He'll explain how a virtual reality tour helps to "get a feel" for a room you're decorating. He's from Ridgewood, N.J.


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For Researchers
Broadly defined, R&A covers the concept studies that provide the science basis for a mission, the necessary technology and techniques for implementing the mission, the calibration, validation, and analysis of data as a mission is underway, and the analysis of archived data after a mission ends. The ultimate goal is to create new knowledge as we explore the Universe, and to use that knowledge for the benefit of all humankind. A full description of all of the different calls for proposals, from Astrophysics, Heliophysics and Earth Science and Planetary Science can all be found in our omnibus solicitation, called Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Science (ROSES).
Dr. Max Bernstein, SMD Lead for research, provides the specific focus needed on the operation and balance of the SMD's Data Analysis, Research, and Technology Development programs. Having a person devoted to this role provides the Associate Administrator for SMD with an independent overview across all science divisions concerning the balance of programs and the areas in need of support. As a research scientist himself, Dr. Bernstein brings to the position a clear understanding of the needs of the community plus a strong desire to augment the science return from NASA's missions enabling research and data analysis. Frequently heard in townhall meetings these days is the SMD philosophy that science does not result from the launch of a mission or the collection of data. Science only occurs through the analysis and understanding of that data. Therefore, healthy mission science teams and data analysis programs must accompany every successful mission. Through these efforts, SARA will support healthy mission science and data programs across the Science Mission Directorate. In general, restoring the health of NASA's R&(D)A programs is a very high SMD priority.
SARA works with the Division Directors to balance the research programs across the Science Mission Directorate.
For more information on the activities within the Divisions, including the Flight Programs, please visit the SMD home page. For information pertaining to the Science Mission Directorate's organization and leadership, please view our organizational chart.
For more information related to NASA's Science Research Programs, including Astrophysics, Planetary Science, Heliophysics and Earth Science, visit the Service and Advice for Research & Analysis (SARA) pages.


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The game is at a crossroads and you can ignore the warning signs. I and others have concerns about where the game is heading and with good reason
Then why not give me a reason?
Why not tell me why a 14 club league in which six of the clubs are big enough to attract very big crowds in RL terms, in which twelve of of the clubs have heavy duty multi-millionaire backers, and which is backed by a very very big TV contract is somehow "at the crossroads".
This is just another slogan as is "warning signs".
The Superleague is not heading anywhere other than in 2015 when they will restructure for another three years. As it stands and all being well we will have at least 12 clubs with the money to ensure clubs are on a financial even keel so that they can again deliver the SKY contract.
Edited by The Parksider, 29 January 2013 - 08:01 PM.


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1Y | 5Y | 10Y | Max
Source: US. Bureau of Economic Analysis
Release: Gross Domestic Product
BEA Account Code: A712RC1
For more information about this series, please see http://www.bea.gov/national/.
Suggested Citation:
US. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Gross domestic purchases [A712RC1A027NBEA], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/A712RC1A027NBEA, December 11, 2016.
Updating graph.


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Find Your Passion: Southern Roots Inspire Student's Love of Language
by Christoffer Feemster
If Southern belle Scarlett O'Hara of "Gone with the Wind" fame had grown up in the information age, would her words lose their magic?
Questions about language and culture formed the spark for Jamie Lee McReynolds to research, while a University of Alabama undergraduate, the way we speak and how it sounds.
After completing an introductory linguistics course at UA, McReynolds, a 22-year-old from Vernon who majored in English and Spanish, decided to capitalize on her fascination with dialects and enroll in an independent study course. Under the guidance of Dr. Thomas Sawallis, UA English instructor, she explored whether the Southern dialect was shifting toward a more standard form of English.
"I've always thought of dialects and linguistics as very interesting, and specifically the Southern dialect," said McReynolds, who has a Southern drawl. The project involved studying speech patterns of three women from different generations and analyzing the emphasis each placed on different words.
"I took 15 words with the same beginning and end, like bad, bid, bud, and had my grandmother, mother and myself speak into a recorder," McReynolds said. "I was looking to see if the vowel sounds would change between generations."
Her 81-year-old grandmother, 56-year-old mother, and McReynolds' recordings were then loaded into a computer and analyzed by a software program called Praat. Praat breaks down sound waves and analyzes the phonetics of speech. The results of the study surprised her.
"I found in my study that we weren't shifting toward the standard," she said. "This is odd, because most studies find the opposite. I believe it had to do with the size of my town; it's small, having only about 1,800 people. In larger places though, the shift toward the standard is occurring."
McReynolds said migration patterns in more populous areas result in a mingling of dialects and accents, eventually culminating with standard speech. This led McReynolds to conclude that the people surrounding you may have a greater impact on your dialect than anything else, including mass communications.
"A lot of studies have found that mass communication also contributes to the shift," she said. "Most of the anchors on the news speak in a very standard form of English, but once I turn it off, I might call my grandmother and talk to her. I'm just as Southern as she is."
McReynolds built on the project in another UA class, Advanced Studies in Linguistics, by conducting a more in-depth study. "This study involved the same three people, but rather than looking at the dialects directly, I looked at the discourse, which is the way that you talk, and the lexical data, the actual vocabulary and terminology that are used. I collected conversations and then used the recordings to analyze different features."
Following her May graduation, McReynolds plans to attend graduate school in secondary education at UA.
"I plan to teach school, maybe English or Spanish, or perhaps I'll be a translator. If I teach, I'd like to incorporate linguistics into my teaching."
McReynolds said it was the classes and, specifically, the teachers at UA that helped ignite her passion for language.
"I have to say a lot of it carried over from the teachers. Dr. Sawallis worked with me on this project whenever I needed help — weekends, breaks, anytime. Having someone there who keeps you motivated and on track meant a lot to me and has enhanced my studies greatly."
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This story is part of the Find Your Passion series. To learn more about how you can find your passion at The University of Alabama, please visit UA Undergraduate Admissions.