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I always have an extraordinarily difficult time deciding what to have for lunch. Breakfast I have no problem with. The day's just starting and I am happy to make an incredibly elaborate meal that will kick start my day. For lunch I literally drag my feet to the kitchen. I'm always trying to find healthy recipes also and I think lunch is a hard one. Everyone is always on the go so you want something quick, something that you can pack for lunch and eat at work the next day. This recipe has that potential. As mentioned before I am a Neiman Marcus fan (notice I never said that I could afford anything there). The place to me is like what Tiffany's was to Holly Golightly. It just seems like nothing bad can happen to you at Neiman Marcus. I am very fortune to live near two. Anyway, back to food- their cafe The Zodiac Room, has several gluten free and "go figure" ( low calorie) meals. So, if you are short on cash or nowhere near a Neiman Marcus I am pleased to present you with my take on their Veggie Wrap.....Not only is this wrap full of flavor from wonderful vegetables but it is roughly 300 calories! Pair it with some salad and fruit and you've got a great, healthy meal.
Ingredients: Grilled Zucchini, Bell Peppers, Baby Bellas, Cucumber, Tomato, Lettuce, Hummus, Wheat tortilla, Dash of salt, pepper and chili powder
I should note that their version has artichokes, and as you can see it is pictured with the other ingredients so I did buy them with the intention of using them in the wrap. Well, I am not an expert at cooking artichokes. Yes, there are several videos and instructions online but by the time the darn things were done boiling ( 40 minutes!!) I had already eaten the wrap. So they were left out. Also, I used the good old original George Forman grill to grill my veggies. As you may know, George Foreman grills can be found for approximately $5 at many second hand stores across the nation. I highly recommend picking one up!
1. Grill zucchini, bell peppers and mushrooms (sautéing them works also!).
2. Spread Hummus on wheat tortilla. Then throw on lettuce, cucumber, tomato and sprinkle with salt, pepper and chili powder. I added the chili powder as I have read that it contains capsinoids which burns belly fat!
3. Add grilled veggies and enjoy!
I am tempted to try this wrap with a few shrimp thrown in to get some extra protein. Perhaps tomorrow since I have tons of veggie leftovers!
Unfortunately I will be sans recipe with picture this week. I had every intention of presenting a Mediterranean halibut but ran out of time and was not able to get to it. However, since Mediterranean was the theme of the day, I thought I'd discuss a very effective diet that helped me lose weight sometime ago-the Mediterranean diet. About 3 years ago I was 25 pounds overweight. I exercised regularly but not often enough. Not only that but my body was used to the exercise routine I did week after week. My muscles were not being challenged. To top it off I had the crazy notion that because I exercised I could eat whatever I wanted ( I admit, sometimes this still pops in my head). I was eating tons of meat (pork and ground beef mostly) and little fish and vegetables. Chicken and fruit were in my diet here and there. I strongly believe that a big factor in my being overweight was that I would use butter to cook. I knew that butter was bad in excessive amounts but I did not weigh the risks of using it regularly for cooking. Losing weight is 70 % diet and 30 % exercise. When I discovered this, I knew I had to change the way I ate.
Some of you may have already heard of the Mediterranean diet. If you have, you know that it is very effective and not your average diet. It's not at all like a diet where you are deprived of delicious food and you are torturing yourself the entire time. You don't starve yourself. You simply adopt a daily diet of fruits, vegetables , fish, olive oil and whole grains. This diet is heart healthy and helpful for the skin. This diet is rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids from the fish and veggies. Some studies even show that it is shown to protect against heart attack and help with blood pressure and cholesterol. This diet has always intrigued me. Now, I don't do it all the time (see the several posts previous where I discuss my love affair with cookies and cheeseburgers) but this diet is a good outline for when I get off track and want to start back with healthy habits again.
Here are some of the key points to the Mediterranean diet:
-Eat primarily plant based foods
-Replace butter with olive oil when cooking
-Replace poultry ( ok in moderation) and meat with fish for weekly meals
-Eat dairy products in moderation
Diets can be hard to do. A diet that doesn't feel like a diet is a great way to lose weight. When I took the Mediterranean challenge I lost that 25 pounds and then some. Keep in mind, I also paired it with a more rigorous exercise routine.
Some helpful books and articles:
The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook by Nancy Harmon Jenkins
The Advanced Mediterranean Diet by Steve Parker MD
With summer like weather holding on here in Illinois, I was in the mood again for something light for lunch today. I also had just walked 2 miles so a salad seemed like a refreshing, refueling lunch. Having recently purchased some frozen salmon at Aldi's I was eager for a fish fix. Salmon is by no means my favorite food but the stuff is just so darn good for you, over the years I have forced myself to eat it and have actually come to enjoy it a bit. With the right seasoning, it can be fabulous. Salmon alone never fills me up so I decided to pair it with some veggies ( orange bell pepper and yellow onions), spinach and complete it with a creamy and tangy sauce. Based on some similar recipes online this dish is around 500 calories. Not bad!
Baked Salmon- I seasoned mine with sea salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary , oregano and olive oil. I threw it in the oven for 20 minutes at 375 degrees
Baby Spinach
Sautéed Bell Peppers and Yellow Onions- After heating some olive oil in a pan, I tossed in the bell peppers and onions. Once they were blackened just a bit, I sprinkled some black pepper on them.
Garlic and Lemon Sauce-you can experiment here with how much of each ingredient you want to use, depending on your taste. This is roughly what I used- 3 tbsp of mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 clove of garlic, minced, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon thyme, salt and pepper
Top baby spinach with veggies and then salmon. Drizzle with garlic lemon sauce and enjoy!
If you have ever been curious as to what it might be like to take one of my classes, the post below will give you a fairly good idea. I have transcribed exactly what I do in a moderate level interval training session. The routine below works your entire body to give you a stronger, leaner body in a short amount of time.
And I know it seems long but feel free to go at your own pace! Start off with just the warm up, legs and abs, then add the other sections as you see fit. Once you are able to do the entire routine I guarantee your body will thank you! The people who take my interval training class love routines like this and always walk away happy.
I have described some of the lesser known moves as best as I can but you can also find some nice descriptions on sites such as bodybuilding.com.
Equipment- 5 lb weights or whatever weight you are comfortable with
Warm Up-
March in place 3 minutes
10 jumping jacks
10 high knee runs
10 squats slow ( without weights)
10 squats fast ( without weights)
10 squats (hold weights)
10 shoulder presses
10 upright rows ( with your arms down and you're holding the grips of the weight, pull the weights straight up to your collarbone)
10 lateral lifts (start with your arms down at your sides. Lift the arms out to the sides, stopping at shoulder level. Slowly lower your arms back down to your sides).
2 sets of 12 bicep curls
2 sets of tricep presses
10 squats with chest raise ( holding the weights, bend your elbows and push your arms out and forward when you squat)
12 pushups
3 sets of 10 reverse flyes ( hold the weights. Extend your arms right in front of you, stopping at chest level. Slightly bend your elbows and move the weights out and away from each other to the side).
1 minute bicycles
1 minute leg drops ( lie on your back with your feet up the air. Keep your legs together. Slowly bring them down about an inch above the ground)
1 minute double crunch ( get into a the same position you would for a crunch. As you raise your shoulders off the floor to do a crunch, raise your tailbone also).
Today I made a great salad, taking inspiration from the Niemen Marcus Grilled Shrimp salad I had some time ago. Their dish consisted of: grilled shrimp, avocado, goat cheese, grapefruit, quinoa, and pomegranate vinaigrette.
The ingredients thrown together seems like such an odd combination but tasted fantastic and delightfully fresh. I had a craving for it today but alas, I had no grapefruits and actually, I wasn't that upset. I know grapefruits are amazingly good for you but I really do not care for the taste ( to be honest when I had the salad at Niemen Marcus, I tossed a few to the side)-so I decided to switch things up and do raspberries instead. The result was one of the best salads I have ever made!
Cooked shrimp- I seasoned my shrimp with pepper, paprika and chili powder. It gives the salad a great kick
Goat cheese
Raspberry vinaigrette ( I used Kraft's Raspberry Poppy seed Vinaigrette)
Spring Mix salad
Add quinoa if you like, à la Niemen Marcus . I didn't have enough time to cook quinoa, so it wasn't added. I have to say though, I am very pleased with my concoction. Let me know if you give it a try!
It was a real scorcher here yesterday in Illinois- 97 degrees! Yikes! So I was in the mood for something light and tasty in the morning. Something that wouldn't be too heavy. I had some bananas on hand and decided to concoct a banana parfait. It literally took me 2 minutes to prepare. The result was a fantastically sweet, healthy breakfast that tasted like dessert. Give it a try for breakfast or for a snack!
1 banana
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/3 cup almonds
Coconut shavings and a pinch of brown sugar
I scooped half of the yogurt on the bottom of a wine glass ( I like to be fancy in the morning) and then layered half the banana and some almonds. I then layered the rest of the ingredients and then topped with coconut shavings and brown sugar.
Every once in a while I have waves of dedication and motivation when it comes to exercise and healthy eating. I don't just get by hoping I'll have enough willpower to deny a cookie craving or another few minutes in bed instead of hitting the gym. I use different tools and if you have read my previous posts, you know what some of those are. One of these tools is keeping a food diary. I don't always keep one, but when I do, I notice a dramatic difference in the way that I eat and how much. I wasn't exactly eating horrible but snacks and greasy food would sneak in my daily diet here and there and before I knew it I'd think, " Well, the day's already shot so does it matter if I have a cookie?"
So, a few weeks ago I decided to really buckle down and keep a record of everything I ate. You can see from the first day I didn't do so well- I had a burger and fries for lunch. I'm normally not a calorie counter but I decided to list the calories on my journal and the results were surprising and a bit disconcerting. However, it was fantastic motivation for me to eat better the next day and the next day and the next. Even if you never show your food diary to anyone, writing down you had some cookies or a Big Mac can be, well embarrassing. It gives you an extra push to do better, especially when you see how many calories, sodium, and sugar you are consuming, how little fruit and veggies you are eating, and how you can make better choices. Something you might not be aware of without the food diary. The third day you can see a change in the way I ate-far better choices were made. As each day went on, I noticed that I made healthier choices and snacked less. I was happy and proud of what I ate ,which then helped to motivate me in other areas. I didn't feel sluggish or tired since I had eaten well, so I was able to exercise harder and faster. My mood even improved. It may sound like a fairy tale, but you will be surprised at how much better you will feel when you eat right and a good first step is keeping a food diary.
Here are a few quick tips to keep in mind with using a food journal:
-Try to write down what you eat every day. Studies show that keeping a diary even just a few days is beneficial, but to do it every day is even better and will help you to lose weight.
-Don't wait until the end of the day to write everything down. You may forget what you had eaten or may put if off to the next day. Before you know it, it's been weeks since you have recorded in your diary.
- There are several good tools online for food diaries. A lot of them record calories, fat, sodium etc but I use a good old fashioned notebook. Although an online tool may seem easier, I find that it is easier for me to whip out a tiny notebook and jot down a few notes instead of hauling out a laptop, booting it up, having to close down Itunes, etc.
-If you think you may be an emotional eater, it may be a good idea to write down why you are eating. Were you upset/ mad/ tired when you ate that piece of cake or did you truly believe you were hungry and that it would be a good choice?
-Also record what you drink. I didn't do that for this diary but many drinks can have a large amount of calories and sugar so it is essential to record this as well.
-Record the size of your portions. You can see from my diary I did not do this on the first few days but as time went on, I did. This gives you a better idea of how much you ate and a more accurate count of your calories.
-The amount of calories you need a day really depends on your height, weight and other factors. I'm 5'1 and we'll leave my weight a mystery for now. But I only need about 2,000 calories a day. You can calculate how many calories you should be eating a day with some nice tools online- I used the one found here: http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/weight-loss/bmr/. However, the purpose of your diary should not be based on calorie counting alone-it's also about making better, healthy choices that make you feel great!
Hello all!
I recently picked up an issue of Hello! magazine in my excitement for the arrival of the royal baby. Not only did the magazine have some fantastic pictures of my favorite royal family but it had an excellent and easy recipe for Jambalaya. There's quite a bit of ingredients but luckily I happened to have most of them with the exception of Tabasco sauce. I had never made Jambalaya before but I figured it would be a great way to get my veggie fix for the day. Surprisingly , it is pretty low in calories too. The recipe below did not have a calorie number listed but I compared it to a few online and it's roughly around 300 calories. Not bad! Here is my take on it:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 red pepper, diced
1 celery stick, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed ( I added one more clove)
1/4 tsp thyme leaves
1/2 tsp paprika
1 chopped tomato
6 drops of Tabasco sauce or to taste
1 cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup cooked shrimp ( I tossed the shrimp with some olive oil and paprika)
1/3 cup peas
1/3 cup corn
1/2 cup cooked white rice
Hello's recipe also lists 1 carrot, diced, but I did not have one on hand.
1. Heat oil in a large pan
2. Sauté the onion, pepper and celery for 8 minutes or until soft. ( I did 10 minutes)
3. Add garlic, thyme and paprika and cook for 1 minute. Then add tomatoes and Tabasco sauce. The original recipe says to add uncooked rice here, bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 15 minutes covered. I do not recommend this. The rice was still uncooked and even after waiting 15 minutes more, it still was uncooked. How frustrating! It finally was (somewhat) edible once I let it sit for about 30 minutes more. I recommend cooking the rice on the side and adding it to the mixture. I follow Martha Stewart's instructions on how to cook rice here: http://www.marthastewart.com/347002/perfect-white-rice
4. Add chicken, shrimp, peas and corn. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, until everything is hot. Serve with extra Tabasco sauce if you desire more spice. I also added a little bit of cayenne pepper.
Do you ever have one of those days were you know you're not really that hungry but you want to eat? Well, I had one of those days. When this feeling creeps up on me, I try my very best to eat a meal that tastes delicious but is also healthy. Today I decided to tweak my "fancy salad" recipe a bit and make it less spicy. The Fancy salad, mentioned in a previous post, has red pepper and red pepper flakes, so it can be pretty hot depending on how much you put in. This salad was fresh and satisfying. Below is what you need:
1 cucumber
1 tomato (I used one from our garden-so good!, you can also use cherry tomatoes)
1 avocado
Mozzarella Cheese, Pepper, Thyme and Olive Oil (to your liking. I like to use lots of olive oil-good for the skin)
Spring mix salad
And there you have it! A great, quick, Summer time salad!
I hope you all are having a fantastic weekend! Here is part 2 in my Ageless Skin post. Below are some things that I have come to rely on to keep my skin looking great.
Estee Lauder Advanced Time Zone Eye Cream/Face Cream/Advanced Night Time Repair- I indicated before that I am an Estee Lauder girl. Always will be. All of their products are extremely well made, decently priced and I'm always a sucker for fancy packaging. I have been using their Advanced Night Time Repair serum for some time now. Apparently, a lot of people have, as I have seen countless positive reviews online and in magazines. It works amazingly. My pores disappear and the lines on my face diminish greatly. It also creates a dewy look after I apply my make-up. A lot of people complain that it is expensive- and it is. The Advanced Night Repair Concentrate is $95.00. However, you can do like me and keep your eyes peeled for when they do a gift-with-purchase promotion. They often include an Advanced Night Repair sample. I also listed the Advanced Time Zone Eye Cream & Face Cream. I recently received a sample of these from one of their gift-with-purchase promotions. I instantly fell in love. The creams were so moisturizing, non greasy and the effects were fantastic. For example, I sadly have laugh lines that are severely indented. After using the Advanced Time Zone for about a month I noticed that the lines weren't so noticeable! Another thing I loved about these creams is they did not make my make up slide off but seemed to give it some staying power.
Silk Pillows-I've mentioned in a previous post ( How To Get Glowing Skin) that using silk pillows can be an aide in obtaining blemish free skin. They can also be very beneficial at keeping wrinkles at bay. You see, using cotton pillow cases causes those creases that you wake up with every now and then. They eventually go away, but they are actually causing damage to your precious face. As we get older, our skin becomes more fragile and those temporary creases can become permanent ones. We spend a third of our lives in bed so our sleeping hours are not the time to be lazy when it comes to fighting wrinkles. There are several different kinds of silk pillow cases on the market but my research shows that Mulberry pillowcases are the way to go
Green Tea -Yes!, Pop-No!- we all know that pop or soda is bad for us. Recently, I've been trying to swap out my Diet Coke for green tea. It has numerous health benefits but it is also great for the skin, including protecting the skin against UV damage and also helps in skin cell rejuvenation. My goal is to have 2 cups a day and to gradually weed out the pop ( I'm on day 5 so far!). Another benefit to drinking green tea? It burns up belly fat! Drink up!
Frownies- Frownies are facial patches that reduce wrinkles. Most people wear them while they sleep as you have to keep them on for several hours to be effective. I first read about them in an issue of Bizarre magazine a couple of years ago. They indicated that Frownies were the way to go as an alternative to surgery. This intrigued me as I am terrified at having any type of work done but what also surprised me is that they have been used for 100 years! Impressive. What sealed the deal is that you can find a box on Amazon for roughly $12. $12 to fight wrinkles!! I have been using them for a few years now and I am really happy with the results. There are many other success stories that you can find online. The downfall-they are not fun to wear, not unbearable but not fun either. However, if I had to choose between surgery and these I would choose Frownies hands down. Let me elaborate. Once you apply them they harden. While you sleep, you won't really notice this but if you happen to wake up in the middle of night it can be a bit annoying. I've caught myself several times in a sleepy stupor tear my Frownies off in the middle of the night. This can be slightly painful as they need to be removed with water. All that aside, I highly recommend them. With continued use, anyone should be able to see results.
Omega 3s- The foods you put in your body are going to reflect on your face. That is way you need to load up on lots of Omega 3s. Omega 3s are full of fatty acids that take care of the health of the cell membrane, helping it hold moisture which reveals wrinkle free skin. Inserting Omega 3s into your daily diet is easier than you think. There are lots of different options to choose from. Below is a list of foods that contain Omega 3s.
Salmon, Tuna, Halibut, Chia seeds, Walnuts, Flax seeds, Sardines, Black and Kidney beans
Accept Aging-I used to roll my eyes whenever someone told me this but I've come to understand that it is good advice. Accept that you will age. Come to terms with it. Be ok with it. You cannot stay young forever and you shouldn't want to. Once you stop obsessing over your wrinkles and getting older, your life and your face will benefit.


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A kirpan is required by Harsimram Singh's faith to be worn.
Sikh student denied bus ride due to his kirpan
Published On: Dec 24 2013 06:40:28 AM HST Updated On: Oct 17 2013 03:23:59 AM HST
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subset: commoncrawl


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I had this fantasy about Aaron Sorkin. It's probably only natural that I should want to know him, because he is, after all, the most intelligent and sharp-witted writer working in Hollywood today. His prestige began with "A Few Good Men" (1992), surged with his creation of the 1999 television drama "The West Wing," and was cemented with "The Social Network," a movie that showcases both his superb writing talent (although he's had a few flops) and his uncanny gift for cultural relevance. I thought, "This brilliant, mysterious man, who has publicly struggled with dark personal demons (a cocaine addiction), is at the crest of his career and will likely win an Oscar for his darn good movie about the invention of our age (Facebook) — and I want to meet him." And not only that, he's Jewish.
Here's how I imagined it: We'd meet, one afternoon at the Beverly Hills Hotel. We'd sit on the patio at the Polo Lounge but order milkshakes from The Fountain Coffee Room downstairs. We'd trade small talk for a time, then I'd dive right in, look into his eyes and ask those deep, penetrating questions I'd lost sleep coming up with — for example, about the ethics of writing about a young, living person who has become known not for who he really is, but according to Sorkin's version of him. And, because I'm writing for The Jewish Journal — and am a Jewish woman — I'd ask him what the heck was up with some of the movie's snide, subtle one-liners, in particular, the not-so-veiled references to the general unattractiveness of my cohort. We would talk, and laugh, and sip, and I wouldn't have to stargaze, because there'd be one right in front of me. And afterward, I'd hand my editors a bang-up interview with Hollywood's man-of-the-moment.
Because of the Jewish angle, I knew I'd ask him questions no one else was asking, and so, despite the fact that he has been giving a billion interviews, he might even enjoy mine. I mean, 4,000 years of shared history could at least give me that. And as an added benefit, said tribal bond might even make us friends.
I was so wrong.
Here's how it actually went: On July 21, 2010, I used Sorkin's personal e-mail, which I'd gotten from a friend, to directly request an interview. (A few years earlier, he had been kind enough to give me a "phoner" about his agent, Ari Emanuel, around the time brother Rahm was elected President Obama's chief of staff.) This was the reply: "Aaron Sorkin's e-mail has changed. Messages to this address are being checked, and he will reply to you soon from his new e-mail. Thank you."
A week later, his publicist's assistant wrote and asked that I please get back in touch closer to the time of "The Social Network" press junket, which would take place in late September, "so we can set something up." In early September, I wrote again and was told they were "very sorry," but Sorkin was leaving on a month-long press tour, and they were "not going to be able to make it happen." This was a problem, because we had planned a "Social Network" cover around him. I wrote back and told her this was very unfair, as I had been so conciliatory at their request to wait, believing the interview was imminent. She told me that if I could make it to the junket — in New York — I would get 20 minutes with him. But seeing as how I was heading home from Los Angeles to Florida that weekend, I told her I could not make it to the junket, but, I wondered, could he do a phoner from the junket? Yes, he could! At which point I was overcome with such overwhelming elation that if I died after this interview, it would have been OK. (Was it just a tad ironic that our interview was scheduled during the 10 days in which the Book of Life was still open?) My only request, though I was reluctantly willing to compromise on this, was that we avoid scheduling the interview on Shabbat — but, alas, no such luck.
After 20-some additional e-mails, I had finally been "approved" for a 20-minute chat on Sept. 25 at 1 p.m. That Shabbat, I was in Miami because my 19-year-old brother was in the hospital after surgery. So at my brother's bedside, while he self-administered morphine, I voraciously consumed profiles of Aaron Sorkin. He was everywhere, talking to everyone. That week, you couldn't pass a newsstand, a TV or any other media outlet without hearing about "The Facebook Movie."
By 1 p.m., I was waiting back home at my mother's house, by the phone. Then, I got a call from someone at Sony telling me Sorkin was running late, maybe 15 minutes, maybe 45, and that I should wait. An hour later, they called again and said, "Sorry Danielle, we'll have to reschedule." Option 1: Could I fly to New York the following day, and they'd squeeze me in? Um, no. Option 2: Could I e-mail my questions, and they'd try to have him answer them? Yes.
So I e-mailed. But even that came with caveats — how busy he was, that he was leaving the country, etc., etc., — to which I replied, "I know what I'm going to write; just give him these six questions about the film's references to Jewish women, and I'll be happy."
That was the end of all contact.
A month later, out of despair and longing and genuine fascination with the film, I wrote about him anyway. In a column, I addressed my own thoughts on exactly those six questions he chose not to respond to (or, perhaps, never even saw). I suggested that "The Social Network" implies a kind of latent hostility toward Jewish women. The headline (which I did not come up with) was "Who Does Aaron Sorkin Really Hate?"
I probably don't have to tell you that Mr. Sorkin did not like my column. To which the obvious rejoinder might be, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." But, in truth, what I wrote had nothing to do with feeling slighted by him; I honestly would have preferred to contextualize my claims with his insights. The mutual friend Sorkin and I share was also upset by my piece, and, in his defense, wrote a letter to The Journal's editor, calling my piece "half-baked and bizarre." Had those words come from someone anonymous to me, I probably wouldn't have cared, but coming from one of my truly closest friends, it stung.
If there's anything writing about Hollywood has taught me, though, it's that perseverance sometimes pays off. So, three months later — this would be the day after Sorkin won his Golden Globe award — I wrote him again:
Dear Mr. Sorkin, I understand you were displeased with my column. I had hoped to bring my thoughts to you directly, but our interview was canceled. However, on the off chance you're willing to give it another go, there may be an Oscar issue cover with your name on it.
An hour later I got an e-mail from Sorkin himself.
The first thing I saw in his reply — in big block lettering, copied and pasted from The Journal's Web site — was: "Who does Aaron Sorkin really hate?" I briefly considered packing my things, absconding from Los Angeles, never to be heard from again. But to my surprise and delight, Sorkin followed up with a heartfelt, thoughtful response to my column — an itemized list, actually — of every point he took issue with.
"I don't hate anyone," he began, "or at least not anyone you know, and I'm dumbfounded as to how you got the impression I did."
In response to my point that "The Social Network" suggests the creation of Facebook was, at least in part, motivated by Mark Zuckerberg's "hot-blooded pursuit of women" — he flatly disagreed.
"While the precursor to Facebook — Facemash — was a revenge stunt against one woman … his building of the site had nothing to do with wanting to hook up and everything to do with wanting to distinguish himself. [Zuckerberg] has a eureka moment when he thinks of the 'relationship status' feature for the site but, again, that wasn't about HIS hot-blooded pursuit of women, it was about heterosexual men's.
"College guys want to meet girls — news at 11," Sorkin joked.
My point, of course, had been that the depiction of Zuckerberg as an awkward outsider who is undesirable to women — he is outright flouted by the woman he wants in the opening scene of the film — is yet further impetus to "distinguish himself," even among, as Sorkin wrote, "a population of people who all got 1,600 on their SATs."
In the movie, Alpha Epsilon Pi, a Jewish fraternity, is also depicted as an unfortunate place. The Zuckerberg character doesn't really want to be there, and, frankly, neither do any of the other Jewish guys. Here, Sorkin allowed: "Alpha Epsilon Pi, the Jewish fraternity at Harvard, is not considered a glamorous place the way the exclusive final clubs are. I was writing about a group of guys who see women as either prizes or enemies. These guys are deeply, profoundly angry that the cheerleader still wants to date the quarterback even though it's the computer geniuses that are running the universe now."
I don't know what Sorkin was like growing up Jewish, in New York. On Wikipedia, it says that from an early age he liked the theater. How it felt to be a Jewish male in the high school drama club — we can only imagine. But my guess is, like those AEPi guys, he didn't feel hot like the quarterback. And now, well, he's that genius who can have his way.
But actually, the most interesting thing Sorkin wrote in his e-mail was that I shouldn't extrapolate to all Jewish women my interpretations of "The Social Network's" Jewish women.
"Danielle, movies, plays, television shows ... these things are different from Benetton ads where we get one from every column. I don't want to be identified as a typical Jew (as if there is such a thing) … and I'd be surprised to find out that you want to be identified as a typical woman," he wrote. "And any piece of art in any medium that begins with the mandate that all races, religions, genders and sexual orientations be represented in the best possible light is pretty much doomed unless it's called Sesame Street."
On that last point, I agree (and on that note, read The Jewish Journal!). But I would also argue that the images we see in Hollywood movies are representational — and, oftentimes, stereotypical — of people, of attitudes, of ideas about the world. Stereotypes are, by nature, "types," and do not represent everybody, but Hollywood can't control the way people perceive those representations, and Hollywood has a tremendous amount of power in influencing the way people think. Take Hollywood depictions of Muslims, or most Israelis, for that matter. Because he's so good at what he does, Sorkin must know that.
In the last line of his e-mail, he added that he'd be happy to schedule another interview. But sure enough, 11 e-mails and one disingenuous publicist later, it didn't happen. A week before deadline, I went back to Sorkin one last time.
He wrote: "Look, Danielle, you already wrote a story called 'Who Does Aaron Sorkin Really Hate?' in which you suggested that I was a misogynist, a self-loathing Jew and a bad writer — you've got to give me a reason why it would be a good idea to participate in another story."
I figured that by this point, with the Oscars two weeks away, he had probably reached the point of PR ennui. Another, different mutual friend of ours saw him in a CBS interview and said, "He was completely joyless; he seemed tired and bored and mechanical — which isn't like him at all."
It's possible that by that time, Sorkin was simply too exhausted for any more. Maybe he had come down with a horrific case of strep throat and lost his voice. But I don't really buy that. Oscar nominees know those 11th-hour interviews help amass votes. So why, out of all those interviews he gave over the months, wasn't I worthy? Was it because he thinks The Jewish Journal isn't a significant enough publication? Too parochial? Or was I not distinguished enough to talk to?
Or was it that he thought my "hate" piece so off base he didn't think he could trust me? That I wouldn't give him a fair shake? On the other hand, maybe what I wrote had tugged at something deep and true, and that had struck a nerve. Instead of being just another reporter who'd drunk the Aaron Sorkin Kool-Aid, maybe he was afraid I might expose his rawness, his realness. I wonder if someone so brilliant and complicated is more comfortable elucidating the complexities of his characters' interiors than exposing what they might say about him.
Then again, perhaps all this overwrought analysis reveals more about me.
In a final, desperate attempt to inspirit him, I launched a daily campaign of "Reasons to Interview With Me." I reminded him of something he had said to New York Magazine, months earlier, about Mark Zuckerberg: "I feel like had I met Mark, I would have felt a certain obligation to make the character sound like Mark, walk like Mark, all of those things. And frankly, I probably would have had an affection for him that I wouldn't have wanted to betray."
"I already wrote the piece I could write not having met you," I wrote as my last plug.
In the end, I didn't get to make the tribal bond I had so ardently hoped for. But, at least in some sense, Sorkin and I bonded over The Tribe.
And if he ever decides he'd like to meet, I'm still waiting.
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Submitted by admin on April 14, 2008
Exercise V: Dumbbell Deadlift
Sets: 2 Reps: 8 Rest: 45 Seconds
Stand holding dumbbells at your sides [1]. Keeping your lower back in its natural arch, bend forward at the hips and slightly at the knees to lower your body until the dumbbells touch the floor [2]. Reverse the direction to return to the starting position. That's one rep
The Eternal Beach-Body Plan: Phase II was shot at Gold's Gym, Manhattan—Wall Street
Phase II - Week 6: Workout IV
Exercise Step:
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"Thank you for Catholic Answers. I enjoy hearing Patrick and his guests each weekday evening, and I have grown so much in my faith in the last 7-8 years. Thank you for speaking the truth."
~ Diane
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"No work of charity should be regarded as foreign to the Society, although its special object is to visit poor families."
~ In outlining the activities of The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, an international association of Catholic laymen engaging systematically in personal service to the poor, the founders had an eye to the future needs of human kind.


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Makes about 12 servings
Although there's a long ingredient list for this recipe, it's simple to prepare and offers a stunning presentation of green, white, and orange layers that look pretty when sliced. Serve this as an appetizer or as a light vegetarian main course.
If you have a mandoline, cut long spaghetti-like strands of carrots to line the serving plates. Drizzle the Creamy Horseradish Sauce over each slice and garnish with a sprig of fresh dill or basil.
For the patés
Vegetable oil cooking spray
3 cups broccoli florets
3 cups cauliflower florets
3 cups thinly sliced carrots (about 6 carrots)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cooked brown rice
3 eggs, divided (lightly beaten separately)
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
3/8 teaspoon salt, divided
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill
For the sauce
½ cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish sauce
1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill or ½ teaspoon dried dill


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Check Incentive section and the utilities website
Lighting: 50% of cost, up to $10-$25
Room A/C: $25, plus $25 for recycling an old, working unit
Central A/C: $100 - $200, plus additional rebate for efficiency ratings above 14.5 SEER
Air Source Heat Pump: $100 - $200, plus additional rebate for efficiency ratings above 14.5 SEER
Geothermal Heat Pump: $200/ton, plus $25/ton for every 1 EER above minimum required EER
Refrigerators: $25, plus $50 for recycling an old, working unit
Freezers: $25, plus $50 for recycling an old, working unit
Dishwashers: $25-$40
Clothes Washers: $50-$100
Dehumidifiers: $15-$25
- Austin Utilities
- Blooming Prairie Public Utilities
- Fairmont Public Utilities
- Grand Marais Public Utilities
- Lake City Utilities
- Litchfield Public Utilities
- Mora Municipal Utilities
- New Prague Utilities Commission
- North Branch Municipal Water and Light
- Owatonna Public Utilities
- Preston Public Utilities
- Princeton Public Utilities
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- Rochester Public Utilities
- Saint Peter Municipal Utilities
- Spring Valley Municipal Utilities
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- Wells Public Utilities
SMMPA develops innovative products and services to help them deliver value to customers. With help from SMMPA, Wells Public Utilities provides incentives for residential and commercial customers to improve the energy efficiency of homes.Rebates are available for qualified dishwashers, clothes washers, air conditioners (central and room), lighting, heat pumps (air-source and geothermal), dehumidifiers, refrigerators, and freezers. Appliances must be ENERGY STAR to qualify for the rebate, and bonus incentives are available in some cases if the old working appliance is properly recycled. Specific program details and requirements can be found on the website listed above.


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Hi everyone,
I have been successfully nursing my son for over 9 weeks now and still need to wear nursing pads. I read that most women stop leaking between 6 and 8 weeks, and while my milk volume has regulated itself (I no longer have an OALD or over-supply), I still continue to leak.
I'd like to be able to nurse in public but don't know how to go about removing the pads discretely. I don't want to gross anybody out or make anyone uncomfortable.
Is anyone else out there in the same boat as me that maybe has any tips for NIP? Or has anyone else leaked longer than the 8 week period I read about? I kinda feel like it's only me


text: Orbit Rashguard Style: #MWLY5ORS $32.00 $32.00 WHITE Color Size View Size Chart View Size Chart Oout of Stock Add to Cart Add to Wishlist Details: Designed with 6 ounces of silk touch fabrication, the Orbit is the softest, smoothest, most comfortable rashguard you'll ever wear. Made with flatlock stitching, its durability will hold up to years of constant wear. Specs: 50+ UPF Materials: 91% nylon 9% spandex


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No Child Left Behind
Adequate Yearly Progress
- 2013 AYP Assessment Demographic Data Appeals
- State Assessment Information
- How Illinois Calculates AYP
- Illini Equal Steps
- AYP Flow Charts
- AYP Factors
- FAQ on AYP
- Appeal of School or District Improvement Status Guidance
- Adequate Yearly Progress Appeals Advisory Committee
- School Improvement Options and Information
- School Report Cards
2013 AYP Assessment Demographic Data Appeals
— This appeal was for Assessment Demographic Data ONLY.
— The deadline for submitting appeals was August 28, 2013 at 4:00 PM.
If you are in federal status, please visit http://www.isbe.net/nclb/pdfs/fed-imp-compliance-primer.pdf for information on the next steps.
Reminder: To make corrections to graduation rates, please visit the Student Information System (SIS) site.
- For AYP calculation questions, contact Dr. Shuwan Chiu at 217-782-0354 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
- For Federal Sanction questions, contact Melina Wright at 217-524-4832 or email email@example.com.
- For School or District Improvement Plan questions, contact the System of Support and District Intervention Division at 217-524-4832.
Measuring AYP for Public Schools in Illinois
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires all states to measure each public school's and district's achievement and establish annual achievement targets for the state.
The overarching goal is for all students to meet or exceed standards in reading and mathematics by 2014.
Each year, the state will calculate a school or district's Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) to determine if students are improving their performance based on the established annual targets. Through links on this website, you can review the federal law and regulations regarding AYP.
About Illinois' AYP Accountability Plan
In July of 2003, the U.S. Department of Education approved Illinois' plan for aligning state accountability processes with the new federal law. The plan was developed through consultation with a broad-based task force of education, business, parent and civic representatives.
In August of 2003, Governor Rod Blagojevich signed into law two statutes modifying the School Code to conform with NCLB. One modifies the state testing system (PA 93-0426); the other modifies the state's Academic Early Warning and Watch List processes (PA 93-0470).
State law (PA 93-0470) now defines consequences for all schools that fail to meet AYP criteria for consecutive years. Title I schools and districts are subject to additional consequences including school choice, Supplemental Educational Services, corrective action and restructuring.
The plan has been updated in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Adequate Yearly Progress Appeals Advisory Committee
The Adequate Yearly Progress Appeals Advisory Committee created by 105 ILCS 5/2-3.25m shall process school and district appeals through an appeals advisory committee. The appeals process applies to all appeals from school districts pertaining to school or district status levels, recognition levels, or corrective action. The committee shall be composed of 9 members appointed by the State Superintendent of Education as follows:
- One representative of each of 2 professional teachers' organizations.
- Two school administrators employed in the public schools of this State who have been nominated by an administrator organization.
- One member of an organization that represents school principals.
- One member of an organization that represents both parents and teachers.
- One representative of the business community of this State who has been nominated by a statewide business organization.
- One representative of City of Chicago School District 299.
- One member of the public.
Five members of the committee shall serve for terms of 2 years, and 4 members shall serve for terms of 3 years. The State Superintendent of Education shall appoint initial members on or before July 1, 2003. The committee shall annually elect one member as chairperson.
The committee shall hear appeals and, within 30 calendar days after a hearing, make recommendations for action to the State Superintendent of Education. The committee shall recommend action to the State Superintendent of Education on all appeals. The State Board of Education shall make all final determinations.


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While originally bred for fighting, they were later down bred for companionship. The modern Boston Terrier can be gentle, alert, expressive, and well-mannered. It must be noted however, that they are not considered terriers by the American Kennel Club, but are part of the non-sporting group.
Boston Terrier is something of a misnomer. They were originally a cross-breed between the Old English Bulldog and the English White Terrier. Both breeds are now extinct.
Boston Terriers are typically small, compactly built, well proportioned dogs with erect ears, short tails, and a short muzzle that should be free of wrinkles. The head is in proportion to the size of the dog and the expression indicates a high degree of intelligence.


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Option to hide the Inbox and Sent lists
weirdhero says:
Not everyone is using them, they do take some space on the list tabs.
remotefacade says:
Well, with the current "tab style" list layout, list space is at a premium. I personally don't use these two lists, but I wouldn't care as much about hiding them if the list layout was more usable.
bkoppe says:
This improvement wouldn't make a huge difference, but it also wouldn't be all that difficult to implement. I am strongly in favor of this - in fact, it's the reason I came to the Ideas forum just now.
alan.may says:
I love this idea. Gets back to usability... hide things that don't require my attention if I'm not using the feature. Maybe hide the tabs unless there is something actively in my list.(or simply let me turn this off...)
cortalux says:
I would definitely like to be able to remove the sent list at the very minimum, though I admit sometimes I use inbox for sorting items.
I suppose if lists were down the side, then usability wouldn't be as impacted as now.
I suppose if lists were down the side, then usability wouldn't be as impacted as now.
jaaaarne says:
At least Sent tab should removalble. While I never use it, it takes up the most space (the word consists of 12 characters in my language). If this tab is important to the system, at least allow the users to hide it.
Log in to post a reply.


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Madden NFL 11 ReviewBy Mike D'Alonzo - Posted Aug 09, 2010
Yes, there are some foibles in the game, but overall, Madden NFL 11 is a triumph. Simplicity has paved the way for more elegant football strategy, co-op finally makes sense and is fun to play, and Online Franchise is a keeper for years to come.
The Pros
- Simplified game features make Madden more accessible to all players
- GameFlow allows you to game plan for opponents and play a fast, fluid game
- Deep online experience still the gold standard for football fans
The Cons
- Menus bury some of the best features in the game
- GameFlow still makes some bizarre play calls
- Perhaps too few changes from Madden NFL 10
August is here, the dead heat of the summer is upon us, and, all over the country, NFL training camps are open. Football is in the air, and, with it, the release of a new Madden game. This time, the folks at EA Tiburon have placed an emphasis on simplicity and making the game quicker, and the result, Madden NFL 11, is as fine a football simulation game as you can find on the market today.
This isn't to say the game is perfect, but it's a deep, rich experience that should find both die-hard football fans and those with only a cursory interest in the game playing long into the fall season.
Go With the Flow
The first thing you're going to notice with Madden NFL 11 is the new GameFlow play-calling system, which simulates the way games are actually called in today's NFL. Your offensive and defensive coordinators call in plays from your situational playbook, saving you valuable time flipping through page after page of plays trying to figure out what you're going to do before you run down the :40 clock and incur a delay of game penalty.
This is much different from the old "Ask Madden" system, which just sort of incorporated John Madden's advice, in case you didn't want to pick a play. With GameFlow, you can game plan for an opponent in advance, and select the plays that will come up in a given situation. This allows you to be more thoughtful about what you're doing ahead of time, and lets you play the game when the time comes.
What it doesn't mean is that these plays are necessarily infallable. You will still get play calls to throw deep when you're on the opponent's two yard line, so, even though it takes down and distance into account, it doesn't always do the same with the game situation, which means you'll have to be smart enough to audible out of plays that are clearly bad calls.
He's Throwing for the End Zoooooooooooone...
Chris Collinsworth is still the analyst in the booth for Madden NFL 11, but, this time, he's joined by play-by-play man Gus Johnson, one of the best in the business. This makes the presentation, which was already pretty awesome in Madden NFL 10, that much better. Of course, presentation is a big part of Madden, and the graphics are the real deal. The stadiums are rich environments in which to play, and additions of extra touches, like the visitng team getting off the bus and matchup-specific pre-game analysis, only add to that feeling.
Some care, too, has been taken in tweaking the animation, with a greater predominance of excellent sideline catches, and defensive backs that turn to look for the ball as it comes down, both of which add to the realistic presentation. This is not to say that there's not still the occasional hiccup when it comes to animation, but this is much less a problem than it has been in the past.
The More Things Change...
Online, Madden NFL 11 has some new elements. 3-on-3 online co-op, a new feature, allows each player to take charge of a certain element of team play throughout the course of the game. On offense, it's broken into QB, RB, and WR, and on defense, it's DL, LB, and DB controls. This means two things. One, you're going to get to concentrate on a very specific part of the game and really get good at it. Two, you can't be selfish and play Madden in the way most people normally do, throwing long bombs on every play and going for it on 4th and forever, because not only will your mates need to be on the same page, but you're playing against three other people who know how to cover that stuff. In short, you're going to have to play football the way it was meant to be played, and how could that be wrong?
Also new this year is Madden Ultimate Team, which combines elements of fantasy football, card games like Magic the Gathering, and games played to allow you to gather coins (which can also be purchased online) and assemble the ultimate Madden team, at least on paper. The idea is good, but the functionality is a little clumsy. This is one aspect that needs some fine tuning for next year's model. You can also scout your opponent's tendencies online in this year's game, which will allow you to better prepare to play them on the field.
The other online elements from last year's game are mostly intact, including Online Franchise, which was a huge hit from Madden NFL 10, allowing you and 31 other players to simulate teams from the NFL over the course of 10 seasons.
...the More They Stay the Same
Madden NFL 11 welcomes back such elements as "fight for the ball," which has you actively trying to scrum for a loose fumble, and "Madden Moments," featuring key moments from the previous season that you will either have to steer toward their conclusion, or change, thus causing a sort of Butterfly Effect that will change the NFL, retroactively, forever.
Still a problem with the game, however, is the clunky menu layout, which buries "Madden Moments" and other features like the training system in places where they're hard to find. On the one hand, this speaks to the overall depth of the game, but, on the other, it makes it so you will be many hours in before you realize all of the cool stuff that the game has in it. For a franchise that is so grounded in excellent presentation, this is one element that still needs an overhaul.
Ok, Men, Bring It In.
Overall, the folks at EA Tiburon have done a really good job at taking some of the mystery out of Madden for casual football fans and softcore sports gamers, while still retaining the hardcore integrity of die-hards who spend days preparing for that next game. The presentation still gives you chills, animations and player tendencies are more real than ever, and there are even awesome bonus features like the AFL mode, which allows you to play as an old American Football League team, with old-school presentation to match.
Yes, there are some foibles in the game, but overall, Madden NFL 11 is a triumph. Simplicity has paved the way for more elegant football strategy, co-op finally makes sense and is fun to play, and Online Franchise is a keeper for years to come. Football fans will be happy to pay the $60 for the embarassment of riches to be found here.


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Amy F. Johnson
Amy F. Johnson, 85, of Lowell, passed away on Friday (March 29, 2013) at Marietta Center. She was born on April 26, 1927, in Jackson County, W.Va., a daughter of William Benton and Emma Ellen Mangus Hinzman.
She was a member of River of Life Assembly of God for many years and had served as treasurer and was active in the womens ministries. In her younger days, she loved to play guitar, sing and lead worship. She was a homemaker and loved the outdoors, gardening, squirrel hunting, and spending time with her family and friends.
On April 17, 1947, she married the love of her life, Charles William Johnson, who survives with two daughters and four sons, Shirley (Bob) Irish of Attica, Ohio, Larry (Kathleen) Johnson of Belpre, Wes (friend Patty) Johnson of Lowell, Bill (Connie) Johnson of Lowell, Steve (Tamera) Johnson of Lowell, Rhonda (Albert) Hendershot of Waterford; grandchildren, Sonya and Tony Parsons, Lori, Rob, Shane and Tim Johnson, Alisha Schaad, Autumn Rosenbohm, Gabe Lucas; 18 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by sisters-in-law, Grace and Edna Hinzman of Ocala, Fla., Rosalene Hinzman of Orangeburg, S.C., Lillie Marie Johnson of Lowell; brothers-in-law, Carl Johnson of Warren, Dave Bradley of Marietta; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; grandson, James Edward Parsons; five brothers, Denver, Ayward (Jim), Arnel, Argel, and Edward Hinzman; two sisters, Eva Esther and Ora Mae Hinzman.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday (April 3, 2012) at McClure-Schafer-Lankford Funeral Home with Pastor George Gaston officiating. Burial will be in East Lawn Memorial Park. Friends may call after 2 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, with the family present from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m.
Messages of sympathy may be sent to www.lankfordfh.com


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Flutter Front Flame Knit Halter
Style: 570082690
Out of Stock
Ruffles spill from a keyhole neckline on this summery matte jersey tie halter. Polyester, spandex; machine wash. Imported.
- Body-skimming stretch fit.
- Silicone piping at the back.
- Curved rhodium-finish hardware at keyhole neckline.
- (25" from shoulder)
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Forget About Fracking, the Gulf May Lead Oil Lower
As a result of the media focus on the Bakken Shale formation occupying the midwestern part of the United States, you may believe North Dakota is the center of the shale energy universe. It's true that North Dakota's energy production is growing at an amazing pace, despite its relatively harsh winters and distance from population centers.
North Dakota oil production expanded enough to make the state the second largest crude oil producer in the nation. North Dakota and the related oil boom may make for exciting news stories; however, Texas not only maintains its leading role in energy production, but may soon expand its lead in production.
The Street's energy expert, Dan Dicker, brilliantly reminds us that if you take your eyes off the gulf oil ball, you may miss out on superior opportunities that remain available. (Watch this video of TheStreet's Jim Cramer talking to Dicker about the extraordinary and new energy discoveries offshore.)
Dicker states that the headwinds suppressing the stock price of BP
Aside from the obvious usual suspects, Dicker also names secondary plays for investors to consider. What Dicker doesn't cover is the impact on oil and natural gas prices as these new discoveries come on line. Increased production in the Gulf actually provides two decidedly different investment opportunities.
Dicker does a splendid job of explaining the play with oil recovery companies, but I want to focus on the commodity play. Investors no longer need to have a commodities account to gain exposure to commodities with the advent of energy exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
For commodity investors, the impact on US Oil Fund ETF


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In 2012, the General Assembly passed House Enrolled Act 1192 amending the responsibilities of the Distressed Unit Appeals Board (DUAB). The DUAB will now receive petitions from both distressed political subdivisions and school corporations in need of relief.
DUAB Members:
DUAB Administrative Policies and Procedures
For more information, please contact:
Aaron Bennett
Executive Assistant
Office of Management and Budget
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Office of Aboriginal Initiatives
WATERLOO CAMPUS: Positive Identification: Online Indigenous Language Reclaimation and Affect
Aboriginal Awareness Week
Mar 4/13
Date: Mar 4/13
Time: 10:00 - 11:30
Location: Aboriginal Student Centre, Waterloo Campus, 187 Albert Street
Cost: -
Jo-Anne Muise Lawless, Masters Student in the Cultural Analysis and Social Theory program presents
Positive Identification: Online Indigenous Language Reclaimation and Affect
Aboriginal language is intrinsic to identity, say Sapir and Whorf[i], and, consequently, Indigenous communities across the globe are making efforts to revitalize and in some instances rebuild the languages that have been interrupted by colonialism. Two such initiatives are being actively pursued by the Six Nations Haudenosaunee in Ontario and New York, and by Mi'kmaq from Listuguj, in the Gespeg territory in Nova Scotia, through online education, interactive websites and through social media. Each of these communities approaches online language revitalization from a different perspective, which is dependent upon its own post-colonial experience, and, of course, upon its historical identity. The concept of Indigenous language reclamation using online technologies has been addressed by scholars from various disciplinary perspectives; for instance, through the lenses of education, history, and economics. This paper examines the issue from a philosophical viewpoint, and considers how affect theory plays a role in Indigenous language revitalization via the Internet; in particular, through an exploration and comparison of the Haudenosaunee and Mi'kmaq communities, who differ significantly in the vision they hold for a society whose language has been revitalized. Specifically, I will illustrate that, despite the purported nature of computer technology as isolating, this same technology promotes the positive affective movement of Aboriginal reinvention as community. I argue that the emotions generated by this online social exchange reinforce positive feelings of reward and solidarity, thus advancing each communitys mission. I will explore, as well, the effects of online, as opposed to in-person, language learning from an Aboriginal perspective, in order to demonstrate the affective potential of each.
[i] Hoijer, Harry. "The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis." Language in culture (1954): 92-105.
This workshop is a part of the 2013 Aboriginal Awareness Week Events
Contact: Melissa Ireland
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Phone: 519-884-1970 ext 4190
View all WLU events


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Nov 08, 2012
Social Makes Small Staffing Waves
Social networking technology may have been a "nice-to-have" a year ago, but as we enter 2013, it's becoming more of a must-have. Companies are promoting their brands and supporting their users on Facebook and Twitter; building mobile apps to tap into social networking on smartphones and tablets; collecting and analyzing data across a variety of social media platforms to develop new products and services, as well as to head off problems; implementing internal social media technology to increase the volume and quality of employee collaboration; updating legacy enterprise applications with social-oriented features; and more.
So, who are the IT people making all of this happen, and how will their ranks increase as companies' use of social networking-focused products and technologies increases? Right now, the social movers and shakers may not come from the technology side of the organization at all. Relatively inexpensive and easy to implement, social technology has, for many organizations, been spearheaded — and implemented — from the business side. And more often than not, social technology has originated from the marketing department.
According to the InformationWeek 2012 State of Staffing Survey, social networking/collaboration initiatives are not exactly high on the priority lists of most of our 1,391 respondents. For companies at which social/collaboration is a big staffing driver, however, there will be a fairly substantial uptick in the number of staff people focused on social. That doesn't necessarily mean new hires; rather, existing employees may be retrained on social-oriented tasks, with any gaps filled with contractors. Our survey also shows that companies expect a certain level of built-in knowledge about social networking among staff. This likely has a lot to do with the fact that social networking began as a consumer-focused technology and has been adopted (and, in some cases, embraced) by the corporate world — yet another link in the consumerization chain. (R5781012)
Survey Name InformationWeek 2012 State of IT Staffing Survey
Survey Date July 2012
Region North America
Number of Respondents 54 respondents citing social/collaboration as a top area of staffing increase
Purpose To gauge social/collaboration staffing trends in the enterprise.
Methodology InformationWeek surveyed business technology decision-makers at North American companies. The survey was conducted online, and respondents were recruited via an email invitation containing an embedded link to the survey. The email invitation was sent to qualified InformationWeek subscribers.
Research Report


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Secretary Clinton appeared today before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. In her remarks, the Secretary said:"Our priorities are clear. We are deploying the tools of diplomacy and development along with military power. We are securing historic alliances, working with emerging regional powers, and seeking new avenues of engagement. We're addressing the existing and emerging challenges that will define our century: climate change, weak states, rogue regimes, criminal cartels, nuclear proliferation, terrorism, poverty, and disease. We're advancing our values and our interests by promoting human rights and fostering conditions that allow every individual to live up to their God-given potential.
Now, I know that many of your questions today will deal with longstanding concerns: Afghanistan and Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, certainly the Middle East, the fallout from the global financial crisis. I will speak briefly to those, and I look forward to answering any questions you might have.
As you know, in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the President has outlined a strategy centered on a core goal: to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qaida, and to prevent their safe return to havens in Afghanistan or Pakistan. We combined our strategic review with intensive diplomacy, and nations from around the world are joining our efforts. More than 80 countries and organizations participated in the international conference in The Hague, and a donors' conference just concluded in Tokyo raised over $5 billion.
In Iraq, we're working toward the responsible redeployment of our troops and the transition to a partnership based on diplomatic and economic cooperation. We're deploying new approaches to the threat posed by Iran, and we're doing so with our eyes wide open and with no illusions. We know the imperative of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. After years during which the United States basically sat on the sidelines, we are now a full partner in the P-5+1 talks.
In the Middle East, we engaged immediately to help bring the parties together to once again discuss what could be done to reach a two-state solution. We're maintaining our bedrock core commitment to Israel's security, providing economic support, security assistance, and we are also doing what we can to bolster the Palestinian Authority, and to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
More broadly, we're working to contain the fallout from the global financial crisis. Our efforts at the G-20 focused in large measures on the poorest and most vulnerable countries. We need to provide support for the International Monetary Fund. We need to provide direct assistance to countries such as Haiti, where I traveled last week. These resources will help democratic, responsible governments regain their economic footing and avert political instability with wider repercussions.
Now, these challenges demand our urgent attention, but they cannot distract us from equally important, but sometimes less compelling or obvious threats, ranging from climate change to disease to criminal cartels to nonproliferation.
In today's world, we face challenges that have no respect for borders. Not one of them can be dealt with by the United States alone. None, however, can be solved without us leading. All will have a profound impact on the future of our children. As daunting as these challenges are, they also offer us new arenas for global cooperation. And we're taking steps to seize these opportunities."
Read more of Secretary Clinton's remarks before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Zharkov in U.S.A. writes:
There is not a single priority in the entire speech!
Which item is our first priority? Our second? Our third?
Which is more important, direct assistance to Haiti or to Palestine?
Which should receive more attention, poverty or human rights?
Which should receive the most public funding, our search for evidence of Al Qaida or our search for evidence of climate change?
Which is more important to our national interest, our our security or our liberty? Which of the listed Clinton "priorities" requires sacrifice of more liberty?
A rehash of the usual government buzz words does not "present priorities" but only obscures them.
We have a government of limited resources that cannot assume responsibility for every problem on earth, so which problems are we going to deal with first, and which shall we set aside for other countries to handle?
From this particular speech, we are offered nothing substantive, nothing real, nothing tangible, and no prioritizing whatsoever.
If America is now the only nation that is absolutely necessary to be able to resolve the world's problems as Mrs. Clinton claims, then how did the rest of the world manage to survive before 2008?
Francine in Florida writes:
Secretary Clinton, Thank You!
Your testimony today was superb, honest, straight forward and smart. You've laid out the new American Foreign Policy priorities in a manner simple enough for even the most dense to understand, and asked repeatedly for critique, suggestions and input.
Thank you for your grace, intelligence and maybe most of all -- your strength.
Zharkov in U.S.A. writes:
PRIORITY: A thing that is regarded as more important than another. The right to take precedence or to proceed before others. A task placed in order of its importance.
Mekishiko in Mexico writes:
@ Zharkov, I consider that you are right about almost everything. Mrs. Clinton had the responsability to put it on a more especific basis giving it an order, what goes first, second and so forth.
But I'd like to think that Mrs.Clinton has all the priorities set as equal on importance level in her mind, and in the behalf of the U.S. goverment.
Nonetheless, and without leaving all the responsability upon the shoulders of US, I'd like to quote you: "(...)If America is now the only nation that is absolutely necessary to be able to resolve the world's problems as Mrs. Clinton claims, then how did the rest of the world manage to survive before 2008?(...)"
And I' like to response to that: Barely
Sybil in U.S.A. writes:
@ Zharkov in U.S.A., what part of this don't you understand?
Diplomacy? Climate change? Rogue regimes? Nuclear proliferation? Terrorism? Poverty? Disease? Or do you not understand what OUR values are? Confused about promoting human rights?
Are you unable to focus on more than one challenge? There are entirely too many issues in this world to even consider one more important than any of the others.
Evidently you don't have children -- I've got six and guess what, each one's priority is now MY priority. And even they have more than one simple priority.
But because you've made me curious, what would you focus all your time, your country's resources on? Which one doesn't affect every other one?
Stacy B. in Massachusetts writes:
I think Secretary Clinton did an outstanding job, even when some of the committee members tried to politicize the hearing by raising the issue of the torture memo over and over again.
One thing that disturbed me a bit was how it seemed as though many of the committee members were trying to get Secretary Clinton, and by extension, the Obama administration, to tow a more conservative, hawkish line with Iran policy and also Mid-East peace (the Israeli-Palestinian conflict)- in other words, trying to get us to move back towards the last eight years of failed diplomacy in those areas.
While Hamas (for example) must cease firing rockets at Israeli civilian and military targets, the US must start making *some* demands of Israel- we have sat back silently as Israel used white phosphorus in crowded civilian areas in Gaza, blocked essential humanitarian aid to the West Bank, remained largely silent as Israel uses American citizens to pass US intelligence on Iran to Israel and never condemned Israel's Avigdor Lieberman for his anti-Arab, racist statements and proposed policies while constantly condemning the Palestinians and imposing more and more conditions to *allowing* them to sit down at the same table with the US and Israel. How can we have any credibility with the Palestinian Authority when that is the case?
How can the US demand Cuba release *all* political prisoners as a condition to constructive engagement while virtually ignoring China's repeatedly rounding-up political dissidents and engaging in religious suppression and torture?
It seems clear, based upon many of the questions posed to Sec'y Clinton today, that some in Congress want so many conditions attached to any prospective plan for the U.S. to engage with Iran, Cuba and the Palestinian leadership, that failure is practically a foregone conclusion. I do hope that Secretary Clinton and President Obama resist the urge to continue to refuse to approach these issues (and leaders) with a more even-handed and less hypocritical approach.
I believe that Secretary Clinton has tremendous moral authority on all of the issues above- my fear is that Congress is going to get in the way and try to erode that authority for short-term political gain.
Zharkov in U.S.A. writes:
In reply to Sybil's comment that "There are entirely too many issues in this world to even consider one more important than any of the others", my reply is that if everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority.
If all issues are equally important, none are more important than the rest, hence by definition, none are a "priority".
The first lesson of Public Finance is that all government agencies must set priorities for public spending, including the State Department. This means some things are more important than others.
In setting funding priorities, all problems are not equal; some problems may be better handled by other agencies, some may be better handled by other countries, and some may never be handled by anyone.
What I see in this speech is a list of problems, not priorities. As a lawyer, Mrs. Clinton is an expert in the precise use of the English language. What justification exists for obscuring facts by airy, imprecise use of language?
The Congress is no better off for allowing obfuscation to pass for testimony and I think the interrogators should be ashamed of themselves.
Patricia S. in New York writes:
The Secretary's presentation on Wednesday was wordy but did not "say" much.
It was a disappointment and seemed crafted by other members of the Administration. The Secretary looked weary and care-worn.
Helen in Pennsylvania writes:
Secretary Clinton was correct if we continue to underfund Diplomacy then we take a risk of spending more money on conflict.
Ilia in Puerto Rico writes:
President Obama's choice for Secretary of State could have not been better. Secretary Clinton is an intelligent woman qualified to meet the challenges of foreign issues and affairs.
The world knows that former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto ultimate goal was democracy. Unfortunately, her efforts were futile and prove disastrous. I believe President Ali Asif Zardari should be more determined about the resistance movement that continues to trouble and disrupt freedom and democracy in Pakistan.
Those religious extremist will keep creating turmoil, terror and insecurity. Their ideologies are their main forces of strength. Obviously, they overpower the government denouncing that any Western style and intrusion is unwelcome thus maintaining their resistance by violence. Their obstinate refusal to compromise is strong and the government cannot control the activities of those doctrine-infatuated radicals. It seems is hard to extinguish but is not. President Zardari should follow good advice.
Let's hope this continual chaos will end.
Donald in Virginia writes:
United Kingdom learned a valuable lesson about the Russians.
I believe it was about year and half ago when a man went into a resturant in London. He ordered his food, which included a bowl of soup. What he didn't know was how a KGB Spy had added a Biological substance to his soup. After finishing his food, he was admitted to the hospital. The news reported how even the best scientist in London couldn't figure out the strain of agent used on the man. Which if you read the article or watched it on the news, the Russian man had perished. The British Government never got resolve from this case. So while your laughing and carrying on how your ressetting wonderful switches with the Russians, keep in mind what they are truly capable of doing to people. My advise before you eat anything at the Kremlin, have it tested first. This was a true story not fiction. Believe IT!
Masood in California writes:
Ms. Clinton's recent concern that "Pakistani government is basically abdicating to the extremists" in a view of on going progress by the extremists advancing towards Islamabad, apparently has been realized by the government of Pakistan. Pakistan army is on offense to drive militants back from Swat and other areas.
However, media and general impression indicates that Pakistani army forces are looking up to the United States for the help in terms of military hardware and equipment to effectively control and eliminate militants from the border area.
Opening remarks before house foreign affairs committee in connection to Pakistan and Afghanistan are encouraging with the realization that your approach is based on profound awareness of the situation considering the scope of interfering regional interests.
Pakistani forces are working to defeat terrorist and aiming for total control of the troubled tribal areas but wide-ranging diplomatic agenda involving regional key powers will be critical for the real solution, as proposed in the committee briefings.
Particularly constructive relationship base on true commitment from Russia, China and India.
Vision outlined in your remarks will achieve gaol primarily, in following sequence:
A- United States support to Pakistan Government(support to allies)
-Action by Pakistani army supported by the United States
-United States pressure to political parties in Pakistan to get it together and form a governing coalition
B-United States Wide-ranging diplomatic relations with key regional powers, Russia,China and India urging cooperation
-Russia, China and India co-operation in implementing overall strategy
-Regional powers co-operation to Pakistan blocking influx of arms and militants in NWFP and Baluchistan
Any of the element missing from the program will make it harder to defeat terrorism. Merely counting on Pakistani civilian government in cracking down on militants will simply not work. It is beyond their control.
As it has been pointed out by the White house, Pentagon and your office that situation in Pakistan could spin out of control instantly that will be a nightmare! In such a scenario a nomenclature will be needed justy to identify type of insurgency. Therefore, a comprehensive strategy is needed with all stake-holders involved!
Eric in New Mexico writes:
It is somewhat oddly self defeating for Iran, a nation with deep rooted paranoia of outside intervention and intererence in its sovergnity and internal politics, to habitually lead the list of state sponsors of terror, never mind the quest for nukes.
For such activity needed to get star billing on that list will almost certainly guarrantee their worst nightmares will become reality...eventually.
Question is, after 30 years of putting up with this, how much terrorism is enough to be fed up enough to end the problem whether they wanna talk about it or not?
I don't think it much matters given their track record in negotiation whether the Iranians want to talk to the U.S. or not, and no matter the setting, forget about making progress through the carrot and stick approach...try "houstraining the puppy"(*) instead and they may get with the message;
"You don't get to do that."
I left detailed instructions somewhere in the archives...(chuckle).
Masood in California writes:
Failing foreign policy of any country manifest in many ways but also reveals the deficiencies of the system in comprehending the real essence of the problem.
It is easier to criticize and display our frustrations in a manner most suited to us. However, suggestions based on concrete approach with substance could help the decision makers in real time on complex problems.


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