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Jan 16, 12 at 6:08pm ^re: Story of Your Season & Career
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I dont think any of them look brilliant but they do really well. The only thing i dislike about crnkovic is his low teamwork which results in less assists.
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Jan 17, 12 at 6:08pm ^re: Story of Your Season & Career
Finished my first season with Spurs. Had a great season, winning a nice treble.
Spoiler:League Table
Was really surprised with this. Don't quite know how I managed it lol. Won my first 15 games and no one seemed to keep up. Never really looked like losing it from then.
Spoiler:League Cup
Didn't really care much about this competition but my reserves done brilliantly, and then I played a stronger team in the final
Spoiler:FA Cup
I was in my worst form of the season at this point and of all players to get a hat-trick...
Spoiler:Europa League
This competition caused a few problems with my fixture list and I ended up only having 1 centre mid fit when it was the semi-fianl (against Porto). Lost the first leg and had a relatively fit Luka Modric back for the second leg and went through, obviously
Best signing was probably Mandanda because he was solid for the majority of the season. I won a few games because of him! Hummels was injured for most of it so I hope he doesn't turn out to be a waste of money.
Key Players
It was a real team effort with a lot of changing my team about but I'll try and narrow this down
- Jermain Defoe
Finished my top scorer with 32, in all competitions. Not bad considering he was playing up front himself and because he's Jermain Defoe.
- Michael Dawson
Won my player of the year award and was the one defender I never wanted to drop. He managed to get 12 goals, including the winner in the Euro Cup final!
- Rafael Van der Vaart
Was injured for most of the second half of the season but scored 15 and assisted 15, so he was crucial to my team.
- Steve Mandanda
Like I've said, he won me games and that's what you want from a goalie,
- Niko Kranjcar
Surprised me, big time! Bale got injured a few times and I played him out wide and I definitely wouldn't have done so well if it wasn't for his performances.
What's next?
Looking forward to next season, in the Champions League. Already brought in Leandro Damiao for £19.25m. Looking to bring in a top right winger but I'm really unsure who to go for. Trying to bring in Gago, too. Just for that extra bit of depth.
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Jan 19, 12 at 1:54pm ^re: Story of Your Season & Career
Fox Slator
LA Galaxy (1 title, 2 US Cups) --> Hull City (L1-->Ch)
2015/16 season
First season in the Championship having got Hull promoted last season and it turned out to be quite an eventful season. I wasn't too keen on disrupting the team from last year too much but I did add players to the squad and also bring in a lot of youngsters with potential.
Spoiler:2015/16 squad
blue - signed at start of season
Spoiler:2015/16 stats
blue - signed at start of season
League Cup
FA Cup
For next season: Enjoy playing in Europe while also hopefully trying to mount a promotion charge. If we make the group stage then the fixture congestion will be hard but will aim for the playoffs and hopefully make some key signings to put us up there.
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Jan 24, 12 at 4:33pm ^re: Story of Your Season & Career
Fox Slator
LA Galaxy (3 seasons: 1 title, 2 US Cups) --> Hull City (L1: 1.5 seasons --> Ch: 2 seasons-)
2016/17 season
A strange season to have a Championship title fight alongside playing in Europe and the first of the season was definitely a struggle. I brought in a few players to bolster up the squad as needed a good size squad to manage all the games but it was definitely a hard process.
Spoiler:2016/17 squad
blue - signed at start of season
Spoiler:2016/17 stats
blue - signed at start of season
League Cup
FA Cup
Europa League
For next season: Unsure if I'll stick with Hull but if I do promotion is definitely the goal and I'll buy the odd player to make that happen.
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Jan 25, 12 at 4:42pm ^re: Story of Your Season & Career
Finally started my first game last night.
Arsenal FC
Squad Assesment:
After selling Almunia to Barcelona for £2million, I was lining up Adler and had agreed a deal for £9million and £50K wages when Szecezny picked up a 4 week injury. Adler was also out for 3-4 months so I cancelled the deal and he signed a new contract for his current club. So when Szecezny returns he will be my number 1. Fabianski and Mannone both played OK during the tour of China so they are battling for my 2nd choice spot. I will wait for a very young talanted keeper to be found by my scouting network.
Sagna is obviously my first and, if i'm honest, my only right full back in the team. Jenkinson is not up to the standard of premier league football yet and I don't intend on rushing him into my first team plans. I looked at the popular Vrsaljko but with interest in Sagna coming from Barca I decided it would be sensible to sign a RB who had the ability to come straight into the team. After scouting players in this position I made a couple of offers, one to Manchester City for Micah Richards who were interested in two of my players. After many attemps we could not agree a suitable transfer fee and I persued other targets. I eventually paid £5.75mill for the services of frenchman Mathieu Debuchy who will play understudy rotation in this position.
Coming into this team I wasn't convinced by the left side of defence but after an encouraging start to his Arsenal career Santos will get the nod to start here, particularly in home games or when we need some extra attacking width. Young Gibbs will get his chances when he recovers from a pre-season knock. I am confident that even if I have both player out through injury, Vice-Captain Vermaelen can fill in here with minimal fuss or disruption to the team.
The squad seems to have alot of cover in this area but lacks any real punch. I have faith in Vermaelen and Koscielny as first teamers but have yet to see new boy Mertasaker in action due to a minor injury. I hope he can add strength in depth along with Djourou who himself is at a make or break season in my mind. Squillaci, who is currently injured for a couple of months, will be looking for a move away from the club in January.
I hold this position in high regard as it will prove to be important against good opposition with creative attacking players. Song has established himself in this position and I believe him to be a good influence on the rest of the squad so I see no reason to remove him from the team. As for back up, I have the enthusiastic Frimpong coming through the ranks however I don't believe he is quite at this level yet so to protect him from himself and will use him sparingly. I will consider a loan bid from a championship club if the opportunity arises. This left me with a dilema, should I bring in a player to cover Alex. After thinking long and hard I asked for a scouting report into David Albelda of Valencia to be carried out. He would be available for a seasons long loan for £250K fee and I would only need to pay 50% of his 40K wages. This was a great deal for us as he brings experience at every level of the game and will provide good cover by keeping Song honest. I did potenitally have Chilian Gary Medel on standby for a fee of £7million but decided not to complete the deal.
The central midfield of the squad has a strong, balanced and creative feel about it. With Arteta, Ramsey, Wilshere and Rosicky available, there is no need to strengthen here yet. Rosicky and Arteta have impressed during pre-season when allow to dictate the tempo of the games.
Having alot of options here has it's merits and it's problems. Arshavin is a cultured, creative and influential player but he doesn't always get into games meaning he has the ability to win a game or go missing in one! His stature and self-belief is a commendable quality but this brings with it a expectation to be first on the team sheet. Something I might not be able to grant him. I hope we can get the best out of him after turning down £12mill from Manchester City. With players like Gervinho, Walcott and Park able to play in his position he will have to fight to stay in the team. On loan Yossi Benayoun has returned to his parent club as I felt his squad status of back up did not reflect the £65K wage.
At this position I can count 4 or 5 players able to effectively lay a claim to their selection. Captian Robin Van Persie who could be concidered an out-and-out forward may be able to influence the game greatly from this area and therefore stakes a strong claim. Walcott, Gervinho and Arshavin also look good here. The biggest surprise to me so far during pre-season has been the performances of Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain who has, despite his very young age, proved that he can put in match winning displays in this position. So much so that he will not be allowed to leave on loan and instead train with the first team and play the occational league and cup match.
My main strikers will be Van Persie, Chamakh, Walcott and Park. Three of which can play out wide and the benefits of that mean Chamakh may get a run in my team if his form deems it so. I am looking for the next young wonderkid in this position but as we all know looking for him and finding him is a very different thing. Bids for Neymar and Podolski have been met with unreasonable figures so I will bide my time until the right player at the right price comes along.
My formation is a 4-5-1 with the positions as decribed in my squad assessment. During early pre-season I have been playing a control tactic while the squad get accustomed to my way of playing. I use the attacking nature of Santos as a wing back to give the team width and have LW and RW positions cutting in-field. The team seemed to have problems putting chances away initially but after some game time goals started to come. However, lack of concentration at the back meant we keep conceeding. Also after a good first half performance myself and Pat Rice keep agreeing to praise the team. This appeared to cause the team to take their foot off the pedal and allow the opposition a way back into the match. I will be changing this approach in the next few games. In the last game, against Colorado Rapids, I opted for an attack mentality and it paid dividends as we raced into an early 2 goal lead and added a further 2 more before the break. As usual a 'Well Done Lads, Keep It Up' was Pat's words and the final result ended in a 4-1 win. They had a goal disallowed and scored their consolation from the penalty spot. However it was the manner of our performance in the second period that really p*ssed me off. It was a completely different team mentally that turned out after such a productive and promising first half. I hope to sort out this obvious problem in our approach before the season kicks off in 2 weeks time.
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|Tweety Pie
Jan 29, 12 at 10:53am ^re: Story of Your Season & Career
- Mostly youth purchases, of whom Maier shone the most, and Diamé was disappointing, leaving next year in lieu of Coady impressing on his loan spells. An ordinary transfer season, giving us this team:
- A disappointing run where my backup XI lucked out against Chelsea, with a penalty against us and two goals disallowed. Man Utd went on to win it, one of our aims for next season is to bag this trophy.
- No real troubles were posed by a road to Wembley started with a satisfying victory against Man Utd then lead to a fairly easy journey to a final against Arsenal (picture self explanatory)
- A bright start from Charlie Adam cancelled out Gerrard's absence early on, before the pivotal captain returned and combined with Suárez to make the best attack in the league for the first half of the season which was spent neck and neck with an impressive Man Utd. Although we swept all lesser sides beneath us, a Giggs freekick at Anfield sparked the race back into life. After the defeat we went on an incredible winning run before a Gerrard injury coincided with a tough run of fixtures in 2012- 4 points from Spurs, City and Chelsea is not to be sniffed at however, with Nathan Eccleston an unexpected talent from the bench. Man Utd couldn't keep winning though, and we seized the title 5-0 at Fulham before the FA Cup Final precursor at Anfield. Already on holidays for the defeat at Old Trafford...
- The team and reserves were impressive, in particular Jordan Hendersonwho I do not especially rate but really proved me wrong. Jack Robinson was very good when given the chance to shine, as were Raheem Sterling and somewhat surprisingly Nathan Eccleston- the FM12 Ngog?
Looking to move on Carroll, Maxi, Kuyt, Bellamy, Diamé, Aquilani and Cole in the short term, in the longer term; Adam, Downing, Johnson, Enriqué and Lewis are perfectly dispensable. Bring on the youngsters!
Small, furry, foreign
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Feb 2, 12 at 12:28am ^re: Story of Your Season & Career
Fox Slator
LA Galaxy (3 seasons: 1 title, 2 US Cups) --> Hull City (L1: 1.5 seasons --> Ch: 2 seasons-)
2017/18 season
Thought we had a good chance of dominating the league this season but it was another disappointing season. I brought in three players plus a few youngsters and we started the season well but the middle third was a disaster and resulted in me changing the formation.
Spoiler:2017/18 squad
blue - signed at start of season
Spoiler:2017/18 stats
blue - signed at start of season
League Cup
FA Cup
For next season: I think I've had enough at Hull now and will resign, looking for jobs elsewhere. Will probably only take Premier League or club from first two divisions in foreign league. Enjoyed being at Hull but last two seasons seemed to be similar outcomes and need a change.
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Feb 4, 12 at 4:46pm ^re: Story of Your Season & Career
Wisla Plock - Season 3
Season 1
Season 2
This was out first season in the Polish top division so preseason expectations were to just survive although we were tipped to come bottom of the league. Despite the odds though we had a brilliant season where we definitely overachieved by coming sixth. We spent most of the mid season hovering around the relegation zone but after the mid season break we kicked on and moved up the leagues. We were even in contention for the title with a few games to go but we collapsed in the last three games ending up even outside the Europa League spots. We also made it all the way to the Semi Finals of the Polish Cup but we had a terrible performance in the second leg throwing away a 1-0 lead from the first leg losing 3-1 on agg.
» Squad and Transfers
Anjembe - Inspired signing if i say so myself, brought him in on loan for £16k in February from Buducnost in Montenegro and ended my joint top scorer with 10 goals in 11 games. Im trying bring him in permanently but he won't sign a contract
Radler - Brought in on a free transfer as our defence was out big weak spot. He had plenty of experience in the Polish top division and played in most matches.
Cetkovic - Brought him in for £24k and although he performed well consistently he didn't live up to my expectations. Hopefully he will play better next season.
Cvetkovic - Brought him in for £150k in February as we had a bit of a injury crisis at the back. He didn't have the best of starts and kinda wondered if i wasted the money early on but picked it up near the end of the season and i think he will come good next season.
» League
Spoiler:Season Progress
» Polish Cup
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Feb 14, 12 at 5:56am ^re: Story of Your Season & Career
Got the mighty Zamora CF into Liga BBVA and thought i'd get relegated straight away.
thanks to the uncontracted stars i acquired though we managed to stay up and come 4th and 2nd respectively...here's to coming first this season!
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|man utd and fmfan
Feb 16, 12 at 12:33am ^re: Story of Your Season & Career
ive just started a network game me man city my brother arsenal as its my first game:)
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Feb 16, 12 at 8:15am ^re: Story of Your Season & Career
Transfer signings
I made several transfers but the most gutting was losing Nahuel Barrios to Real Madrid. He was a key player this season and I was gutted when I lost him. Luka Modric played well in his loan spell and at 34 years of age he provides decent cover because of the loss of Barrios. I wished Exodus Darko was good enough because he has such an awesome name but I released him. Harriot and Meza are players that have very good potential. I wanted Tafadzwa Lunga for a very long time even at the start of his career but because of work permits that did not happen. Thankfully I have finally have him.
Spoiler:Transfer signings
Premier league
I do seem a little dissapointed not winning because we had a very strong start to the season but because we had a lot of inconsistent form we blew it. We were at the top at one point; but Man united pulled a blinder.
Spoiler:Premier league
Champions league
Wow am I dissapointed with this. I thought I had done enough to beat Real Madrid after a stunning 3-0 win and no Nahuel Barrios in sight I thought we could get through but how wrong I was. I went to the Bernabeu expecting either a 1-0 defeat or a draw but this was heartbreaking as real Madrid scored 2 goals in the last minute.
Spoiler:Champions league
FA cup
Not a great cup run I have to admit but Chelsea seem to always do well in the cups. Although in my game Chelsea are not that good anymore.
Spoiler:FA cup
Carling cup
Disappointing. But I could not give a flying monkeys about the Carling cup it was good experience for some youth players.
Spoiler:Carling cup
It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's SuperAl!
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Feb 17, 12 at 5:08pm ^re: Story of Your Season & Career
Well since this doesn't merit a story but is pretty interesting, I decided to post here (and I'm enjoying reading everyone else's posts too!)
Gateshead, originally in BSP, predicted to go midtable or even relegated there. Instead, I did a double hop (in other news in my game Swansea does the double drop, and I play them in my first L1 game lol).
The League
A late surge in the Npower League 2 led me to the promotion playoffs. Actually, it went down to the final game, I could have had automatic promotion if a few results happened in my favor lol.
Key Players
Spoiler:Xavier Balc
This guy is probably the entire reson I ever had a chance of being promoted.
A definite signing if you are a Blue Square Bet Premier or Npower League 2 team
Spoiler:John Shaw
I don't even understand how the *bleep* he even does good. At the most, he was rated 2 stars buy my coaching staff. Somehow, he stepped up to the plate, and whether set as a Target Man or Poacher, was a threat to any team. He was very consistent with his performances. Determination: 15 may have to do with it...
Best Result
Spoiler:Gateshead 4-2 Sheff Utd
In my first ever League Cup game, we faced Npower Championship side Sheff Utd, and won in extra time, scoring 2 goals.Xavier Balc had 3 assists and a goal, adding to stunning performance by the entire Gateshead team.
The Advanced Playmaker-FM Tactic Reviews
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Feb 21, 12 at 8:27pm ^re: Story of Your Season & Career
Marseille Season 2011/2012
Finished a great season at Marseille, couldn't have asked for better in the league, shame about one of the cups, lost out to St Etienne in the first round of the Coupe de la Ligue but we won the French Cup so it's all good. Champions League was a lot better than I expected as well, and I can't complain, we went out to United.
Great season, went on a 28 game unbeaten streak then it came to an end a few games before the end of the season to St Etienne. Finished with a record amount of points in Ligue 1, the previous being Lyon with 84. Losses were to Lille (A), Lyon (A) and St Etienne (A).
Won the French equivalent of the Community Shield vs Lille.
As I said, lost to St Etienne, my bogey team for the season, even though I beat them once, but yeah, didn't deserve anything out of the game.
Can't complain about this, great performances in every round and fully deserved to win to help us achieve the double.
Looks awful with the amount of losses, but yes, that's the semi-final haha, can't complain about the two semi-leg's, I thought we might have a chance at Home judging by recent results but we just got dominated.
Start with a transfer budget and only 60 pound left over in wages so yeah, not a chance I could really bring anyone in..
This budget makes up for it though!
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Feb 23, 12 at 8:41pm ^re: Story of Your Season & Career
S.S.C Napoli 2011/2012
Originally started this on the story forum but started to feel like my writing was getting boring so decided to move it here instead. Anyway had a great first season winning the Serie A and Copa Italia when I was aiming to get top 4. Had a decent time in the champions league getting through a tough group then going out to United in the knockout stage.
Serie A
Spoiler:League Table
Had a great league season finishing 12 points clear at the top, was probably helped by Inter and A.C's bad form but my team went on two huge win streaks during the season.
Copa Italia
Spoiler:Copa Italia Results
A great run in the Copa Italia aswell winning every game and beating a strong A.C side in the final. Quite suprised to get so far considering how close I was ran by Serie B Brescia in the opening game.
UEFA Champions League
Spoiler:Champions League Group
Spoiler:Champions League Results
Came through the what was a group of death of this season by the skin of my teeth only beating Arsenal into the last sixteen on head to head. Got beaten convincingly by Man United in the last sixteen but I'll be at their level soon enough hopefully
Transfers and Team
Spoiler:Best 11
All the players that joined came good first season, Erick Torres was brilliant playing as an amc and having Balzaretti and Gonul as wing backs was the difference maker in alot of games.
As you'll see form the best eleven the attackers shone all season. Cavani's a monster as everyone who plays fm knows and Lavezzi, Hamsik, Pandev and Torres all hit double figures too.
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Feb 25, 12 at 11:02am ^re: Story of Your Season & Career
S.S.C Napoli 2012/13
More of the same second season, found it harder going this time though probably because of all the transfer activity. Won the Serie A again just as comfortably as last season and won the Copa Italia again getting my biggest win so far in the Final against Inter of all teams. Disappointing time in Europe though, dropped into the Europa league after some bad results in the Champions league group stage including my biggest defeat so far when Liverpool hammered me 7-2. Became a wanted man at the end of the season, being offered the Inter job but turned it down as I'm enjoying Napoli too much. All in all it was another good season and finally got the clubs rep up to a good level so I can now attract some better players for next year.
Serie A
Spoiler:League Table
Retained my league title though didn't have as easy a time of it as the previous year and spend quite a bit of the season in second. Biggest suprise was Atalanta though, they signed Hoarau from Psg and he ended up scoring a bagfull of goals for them and the beat me home and away.
Copa Italia
Spoiler:Copa Italia Results
Spoiler:Copa Italia Final
Still unbeaten in the Copa Italia, quite proud of that record . Couldn't believe the result in the final, my team just went nuts in front of goal and Cavani put in a class performance as usual.
Napoli in Europe
Spoiler:Champions League Group Results
Spoiler:Champions League Group
Spoiler:Europa League Results
Not a great season in Europe again, got another hard champions league group but couldn't sneak out of this one and dropped in the Europa League and got an unkind draw against Bayern who beat me easily in both legs.
Transfers and Team
Spoiler:Best Eleven
Lots and lots of transfer activity this season, bought alot of players with Corchia and Otamendi looking like great bits of business already and and a good bunch of youth players who'll hopefully be future stars. Only big sale was Lavezzi. He got unsettled after alot of interest and wanted a move so I offered him out and he eventually went to Zenit, Weiss stepped into his role well though. Team performance was pretty much the same as last season with Cavani being the main man again and Otamendi becoming an absolute rock at the back.
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Steven Segal
Law enforcement and show business–the two should never mix
Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Steven Segal have apparently teamed up to give Segal's reality show about law enforcement some umph. It has led to a pretty bizarre and dangerous bust. But not "dangerous" in the way you might think.
Apparently Arpaio called out just about everything with a badge to bust a, wait for it, suspected cockfighting entrepreneur.
No, really:
Of course Crooks and Liars, where the vid comes from had to sensationalize even further an already outrageous story by saying a "tank" was used.
It wasn't a tank. It was an armored car (and an ancient one at that).
But to take down a suspected cock fighter, it took Arpaio, tens of deputies, a SWAT team, bomb robot and armored car? Oh, and a film crew — don't forget the film crew.
This is the point Radley Balko makes constantly about the militarization of the police in this country. If they have it, they want to use it. And when you use things like armored cars and SWAT teams, bad things can happen.
One of the things police don't seem to do very well is due diligence intelligence work. Had they spent any time whatsoever watching the place they felt compelled to use the armored car and SWAT team on, they'd have discovered that the owner was there alone, unarmed and … asleep.
Guys like Arpaio scare the living crap out me. Good police work doesn't require "overwhelming force" the vast majority of the time. And this was obviously one of them. It makes sense in military doctrine when you attack an enemy. Police, on the other hand, enforce the law. They should be trained and required to use only the force necessary to do that. The opportunity for something to go horribly wrong are increased every time an operation like this is mounted.
It obviously wasn't necessary to destroy property like Arpaio did here to arrest this man. But then, it wouldn't be much of a show for Segal if all that happened was a couple of deputies knocking on the door and arresting a sleepy man for suspected cock fighting would it?
The tail, in this case, is wagging a very dangerous dog.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I'm Feeling Kind Of Blah
Blah. That's how I've been feeling lately. The Phillies certainly haven't been doing anything to inspire me. After being swept by the Mets last week in that short two-game series, they dropped two of three to the Braves over the weekend. Thankfully, they didn't play yesterday.
I've also discovered that I seem to be on the opposite schedule from most of you – while other bloggers seem to post more on the weekends, I often don't have an opportunity to blog until the kids are back to school on Monday. Now I'm trying to get caught up on all the entries I missed reading over the past few days!
Not that I didn't do anything baseball-related over the weekend. We were actually quite busy.
My 7-year-old daughter had softball games on Friday night and Saturday morning. Saturday's game was at 9 a.m. – unfortunately neither she nor I are morning people! Here she is on Friday night, having just made contact with the ball:
And here she is the next morning, running to first:
Right after her game, my 10-year-old son had a baseball game. He pitched two innings in this game – his first inning was great, retiring the side in order, but things kind of fell apart his second inning. He almost squirmed out of a bases loaded jam with no outs, getting two strikeouts, but it was not to be.
Later in the game, he was playing shortstop, and here is about to throw the ball to first:
One of the things I don't like about taking pictures at their games is that there always seems to be a view of the parking lot behind the action. There are very few angles I can shoot at which won't have a car in the background. Aargh.
Later, we went to see the Reading Phillies host the Altoona Curve, double-A affiliate of the Pirates. Each year the league my kids play in has a night at Reading where they get to walk around the field on the warning track prior to the game. For even more fun, there were fireworks after the game.
During pre-game warmups, this Reading player looks like he is practicing for a career with the Rockettes, just in case this baseball thing doesn't work out:
Phillies pitching prospect Joe Savery was on the mound:
R-Phils centerfielder Quintin Berry has a blog here on MLBlogs called Q-Tip. I wish he would update it more frequently! He is also featured in two photos from the game. Here he appears to be making his bat levitate with mind power:
Actually, he has just drawn a walk, and dropped his bat, although I caught it before it hit the ground.
After a foul tip knocked the mask off the catcher, no one seems to want to touch the ball (maybe the catcher had cooties!):
Lastly, this guy has one of those classic names that can only belong to a baseball player:
R-Phils catcher Tuffy Gosewisch. Seriously, can you imagine someone named Tuffy as an accountant, doctor, or a lawyer? I think not.
Although the R-Phils dropped this game by a score of 4-2, the fireworks after the game more than made up for the lack of fireworks during the game.
The big-league Phillies are back in action tonight, as they begin a three-game home set against the Manny-less Dodgers. As Manny is currently serving his suspension, I will be spared the sight of him with that mouthpiece spending more time out of his mouth than in.
(all photos by me)
6 Comments
I love the pictures of your children! Great contact by your daughter and you can see your son's intensity in the second photo. And Tuffy? Maybe if baseball doesn't work out he can get a job as a dog groomer, specializing in poodles; giving them little "tuffs" of hair! Okay – it's the best I can do today!
Love the dog groomer remark, Julia. And yes, the photos of your kid's games are really cool. Hope the game was fun. I'm going to a Double A game on Friday, unforunitally, the Phillies aren't playing New Britain.
Even on a blah day you come up with a good post, Sue! The pics are great. I love that your daughter can actually hit the ball, given that I was a swing-and-miss kid. As for your son – hey, it's tough to pitch!
Julia – Thanks! It's always fun taking photos at kids games – the expressions on their faces can be priceless! Turns out Tuffy's real name is James, so I guess he could use that once he needs to get a "real" job.
Irishsoxkid – Thanks for stopping by! Hope you enjoy the game on Friday. I love going to minor league games – smaller crowds, more intimate ballparks, and sometimes really goofy stuff going on between innings.
Jane – Thanks! My daughter does in fact swing and miss quite a few times. That photo was the result of really fortuitous timing!
I feel the exact same way about the weekends; obviously it's not kids keeping me busy, but there always seems to be something else going on so I never seem to find time to post a blog. Great pictures of your kids! Sounds like you had a great baseball/softball-filled weekend!
I love the pictures of your kids! I used to play softball. It was a lot of fun. I also love the pictures of the Minor League game. You are a great photographer and I love seeing all of your pictures. And Tuffy Gosewisch is a great name for a baseball player.


text:
The parents of a man accused of beating and kidnapping his wife are also facing charges.
A newly released criminal complaint charges Victor Uscanga with party to a crime of kidnapping and his wife, Maria Trinidad, with obstructing an officer.
Victor Uscanga and his son, Andres Uscanga, 20, entered not guilty pleas in court Thursday.
Andres Uscanga is facing charges of kidnapping, disarming a police officer, escape, battery and bail jumping after a search for his wife that ended with Uscanga's arrest on Jan. 1.
Investigators believe Andres Uscanga beat his wife at his parents' home on Madison's west side and took her against her will to a hotel in Lake Delton, according to a search warrant.
Police said they took Andres Uscanga into custody at the hotel and found the woman on Jan. 1.
The warrant said that during interviews with police, the woman had "two black eyes and numerous bruises" that she said Andres Uscanga caused.
The woman told police she didn't try to get away from Andres Uscanga because she was "scared I'd probably get beat up again."
The woman had recently filed for divorce from Andres Uscanga, according to court records.


text:
In the first article in this series, Test-Driven Development with Python, Part 1, I started to build an event tracking application using the principle of test-driven development. Before writing any new code or making changes to any existing code, I wrote a failing test first. When the new test started passing, I stopped and moved on. It's a simple technique, but requires discipline in order to apply it successfully.
If you haven't read part one yet, I suggest you do so before continuing on in this article. That will familiarize you with the problem I'm trying to solve and bring you up to speed on my current predicament.
As indicated in the previous article, I'm starting to think that the single
DatePattern class I have so far is responsible for too much. It's
only 30 lines long at this point, but I don't mean its length when I say "too
much." What I mean is, conceptually, it does four different things; I even
started adding a fifth before I stopped myself.
What are its four different responsibilities? It has to determine if the year matches. That's one. The month is another, as are the day and the weekday, too. Can I break those responsibilities into four different classes? I'm sure I can, but should I?
Not only that, but for each component of the pattern, I have to check to see if it's a wild card and act appropriately. Maybe I need yet another class to encapsulate that logic.
I can't answer these questions by just thinking about them, so I will explore by writing a few tests:
class NewTests(unittest.TestCase):
def testYearMatches(self):
yp = YearPattern(2004)
d = datetime.date(2004, 9, 29)
Note that I've put this new test case in a new fixture. If this turns out to
be a dead end, I can easily delete this fixture and continue onward with the
old. If this ends up being a good idea, I can just as easily delete the old
fixture (and the code it exercised, the
DatePattern class).
This new test case, of course, fails. Here's the code required to make it pass:
class YearPattern:
def __init__(self, year):
def matches(self, date):
return True
Boring. How about another test?
def testYearDoesNotMatch(self):
yp = YearPattern(2003)
d = datetime.date(2004, 9, 29)
Now to make the new test pass without breaking the old one:
class YearPattern:
def __init__(self, year):
self.year = year
def matches(self, date):
return self.year == date.year
What's the point? Before I can show you that, I need to write a few more tests:
def testMonthMatches(self):
mp = MonthPattern(9)
d = datetime.date(2004, 9, 29)
def testMonthDoesNotMatch(self):
mp = MonthPattern(8)
d = datetime.date(2004, 9, 29)
def testDayMatches(self):
dp = DayPattern(29)
d = datetime.date(2004, 9, 29)
def testDayDoesNotMatch(self):
dp = DayPattern(28)
d = datetime.date(2004, 9, 29)
def testWeekdayMatches(self):
wp = WeekdayPattern(2) # Wednesday
d = datetime.date(2004, 9, 29)
def testWeekdayDoesNotMatch(self):
wp = WeekdayPattern(1) # Tuesday
d = datetime.date(2004, 9, 29)
Here's the code to make these tests pass:
class MonthPattern:
def __init__(self, month):
self.month = month
def matches(self, date):
return self.month == date.month
class DayPattern:
def __init__(self, day):
self.day = day
def matches(self, date):
return self.day == date.day
class WeekdayPattern:
def __init__(self, weekday):
self.weekday = weekday
def matches(self, date):
return self.weekday == date.weekday()
Is it obvious where I'm going with this yet? If not, this test should make it clear:
def testCompositeMatches(self):
cp = CompositePattern()
d = datetime.date(2004, 9, 29)
What I've stumbled across here is an instance of the Composite Pattern. (Interestingly, this is the same name as my class--that wasn't intentional, I promise.)
A composite is basically an object that contains other objects, where both the composite object and its contained objects all implement the same interface. Using the interface on the composite should invoke the same methods on all of the contained objects without forcing the external client to do so explicitly. Whew, that was a mouthful.
Here, that interface is the
matches method, which accepts a
date instance and returns a
bool. Python is a
dynamically typed language, so I don't need to define this interface formally
(which is fine by me).
How do I implement the composite? Like this:
class CompositePattern:
def __init__(self):
self.patterns = []
def add(self, pattern):
def matches(self, date):
for pattern in self.patterns:
if not pattern.matches(date):
return False
return True
The composite pattern asks each of its contained patterns if it matches the specified date. If any fail to match, the whole composite pattern fails.
I have to confess that I cheated here. I wrote more code than I needed to pass the test! Sometimes I get ahead of myself. Sorry. It turned out OK this time because all of the tests are passing, but I need to create a test that should not match, just to be sure I have everything working correctly:
def testCompositeDoesNotMatch(self):
cp = CompositePattern()
d = datetime.date(2004, 9, 29)
Cool. It passes.
It might be a little difficult to see this, but the composite contains a
DayPattern that matches the 28th and I'm matching it against the
29th, which is why I expect the
matches method to return
So I can match dates again. Big deal--I was already doing that. What about wild cards?
I'll write a test to match my anniversary with the new classes:
def testCompositeWithoutYearMatches(self):
cp = CompositePattern()
d = datetime.date(2005, 4, 10)
It just works. Why?
There's no
YearPattern in the composite requiring the passed-in
date to match any specific year. Wild cards now work by not specifying
any pattern for a given component. Remember when I thought I might need a
class to do the wild card matching? I was wrong!
At this point, I feel really good about the new approach and will just delete the old tests and code.
I'll also refactor the tests a bit. Did you notice that every one of the new tests contained a duplicate line? I did. It started to bother me, but that's what test fixtures are for:
class PatternTests(unittest.TestCase):
def setUp(self):
self.d = datetime.date(2004, 9, 29)
def testYearMatches(self):
yp = YearPattern(2004)
def testYearDoesNotMatch(self):
yp = YearPattern(2003)
I've only shown the first two test cases (in the fixture previously known as
NewTests) but now all of the test cases refer to the date as
self.d instead of constructing a local
date instance.
It's not a huge refactoring, but it makes me feel better. You do want me to
feel the best I can about my code, don't you? Of course you do.
I did have to change
testCompositeWithoutYearMatches to use
this date instead of my anniversary. As cute as it was to throw that date in
there, I decided I'd rather have clean code without duplication than
I also took this opportunity to add some named constants for weekdays:
MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY = range(0, 7)
Now I can use these instead of the hard-coded constants I had in the weekday tests, and also delete the comments I had explaining what the constants represented. Intention-revealing code beats comments any day of the week.
Where am I now? Before switching gears, I planned to write a test for a pattern that matched the last Thursday of every month. It's time to do that now:
def testLastThursdayMatches(self):
cp = CompositePattern()
Cool. A new class to implement!
The implementation for this class is slightly more complicated than the others:
class LastWeekdayPattern:
def __init__(self, weekday):
self.weekday = weekday
def matches(self, date):
nextWeek = date + datetime.timedelta(7)
return self.weekday == date.weekday() and nextWeek.month != date.month
Oops. It doesn't pass. Why?
The date I'm trying to match in the test is a Wednesday, not a Thursday! I
need to fix the test (not forgetting to rename it) to add a test where I expect
the match to fail (which I should have done before implementing
def testLastWednesdayMatches(self):
cp = CompositePattern()
def testLastWednesdayDoesNotMatch(self):
cp = CompositePattern()
Rats. The first test passes but the second one fails. The date created in
setUp is the same for every test case so it will always be a
Wednesday, but I need a date that's not on a Wednesday to make this test pass.
Rather than creating a new date in this test case (and ignoring the one created
setUp), I'll move both of these tests into a new fixture--one
specific for testing the
LastWeekdayPattern class:
class LastWeekdayPatternTests(unittest.TestCase):
def setUp(self):
self.pattern = LastWeekdayPattern(WEDNESDAY)
def testLastWednesdayMatches(self):
lastWedOfSep2004 = datetime.date(2004, 9, 29)
def testLastWednesdayDoesNotMatch(self):
firstWedOfSep2004 = datetime.date(2004, 9, 1)
The Open-Closed Principle
Isn't it nice being able to add new functionality without changing existing
classes? This is part of what Bertrand Meyer called the Open-Closed Principle:
"Software entities (classes, modules, functions, etc.) should be open for
extension, but closed for modification." With the new approach of using the
Composite pattern, I can extend the behavior of the system by writing a new
class with a
Now they both pass and the tests use everything they create. Nice.
While moving these tests into a new fixture, I also noticed that I created a
CompositePattern that contained only one pattern. That's kind of
pointless, so I stopped doing it.
Should I move the test cases that exercise the various pattern classes into their own fixtures? That's a tendency that many, including me, often have. It's sometimes useful to resist that urge, though. As Dave Astels, author of Test-Driven Development: A Practical Guide, puts it: a fixture is "a way to group tests that need to be set up in exactly the same way." In other words, a fixture is not a container for all of the tests for a single class, or at least, it doesn't have to be.
Having said that, I prefer it when all of the test cases in a fixture exercise the same class. In harmony with Dave's definition of fixtures, I just don't require that all of the test cases that exercise the same class be in the same fixture. Make sense?
Suppose that I have four test cases for the class
Foo but half
require different
setUp code than the other half. I'd split those
cases up into two fixtures, even though they both exercise the same class. If I
then started writing tests for the class
Bar and discovered that some
of its tests could use the same
setUp code as one of the class
Foo fixtures, I would not just shove those tests into one
of the existing fixtures.
Wouldn't that mean I've duplicated the
setUp code for the two
fixtures? Duplication is evil! If I thought the duplication was enough to be a
problem, I would Extract
Superclass the duplicated code out of the two fixtures. Yes, you can--and
should--refactor your tests, too.
When starting on a new project, I create one fixture with no
setUp method and add all of my test cases to that one fixture.
Eventually, I reach the point where I need to refactor the fixture, and I do it.
Remember: do the simplest thing that could possibly work first. Then refactor
if necessary.
What, though, is the benefit of ensuring that all of the test cases in a fixture only exercise one class? Well, besides making it more cohesive (and obeying the Single Responsibility Principle (PDF)), think about what might happen when you decide a class is no longer necessary. You'll need to delete the tests for that class, too. It's a lot easier to delete a whole test fixture than to look at each test case in a fixture to see if it exercises the class you just deleted.
Think you won't delete classes? Think again. You saw me delete the
DatePattern class and all of its tests earlier, didn't you? It
wasn't hard. I felt good about it, too.
Because it's so easy and fun, I want to add another pattern:
class NthWeekdayPatternTests(unittest.TestCase):
def setUp(self):
self.pattern = NthWeekdayPattern(1, WEDNESDAY)
def testMatches(self):
firstWedOfSep2004 = datetime.date(2004, 9, 1)
def testNotMatches(self):
secondWedOfSep2004 = datetime.date(2004, 9, 8)
I don't have an example of this in my use cases as listed at the beginning of this article, but it's a feature that both calendar and pal support, so I expected to add it at some point.
Making these tests pass shouldn't be too hard:
class NthWeekdayPattern:
def __init__(self, n, weekday):
self.n = n
self.weekday = weekday
def matches(self, date):
if self.weekday != date.weekday():
return False
n = 1
while True:
previousDate = date - datetime.timedelta(7 * n)
if previousDate.month == date.month:
n += 1
return self.n == n
OK, it was harder than I thought. I'm not a huge fan of the way that algorithm looks, but it's OK for now. I really should at least extract it into its own method so I can give it an intention-revealing name:
def matches(self, date):
if self.weekday != date.weekday():
return False
return self.n == self.getWeekdayNumber(date)
def getWeekdayNumber(self, date):
n = 1
while True:
previousDate = date - datetime.timedelta(7 * n)
if previousDate.month == date.month:
n += 1
return n
The last example I do have at the beginning of this article is the "last day
of the month" case. That should match days "in reverse." I could modify the
DayPattern class, but instead I want to add a new pattern
class LastDayInMonthPatternTests(unittest.TestCase):
def testMatches(self):
lastDayInSep2004 = datetime.date(2004, 9, 30)
pattern = LastDayInMonthPattern()
While typing in that test, I decided that I couldn't think of a reason to
support the second-to-last day in a month, or the third-to-last day, and so on.
Can you? I made it easy on myself and decided to implement a class called
LastDayInMonthPattern. People usually argue that writing tests up
front takes too much work, but writing a test first this time actually saved me
from writing code I would never use!
The implementation of this new pattern is:
class LastDayInMonthPattern:
def matches(self, date):
tomorrow = date + datetime.timedelta(1)
return tomorrow.month != date.month
Although I just realized I'm cheating again. Here's how the fixture should
have looked (after extracting out the
setUp method) before fully
implementing the
matches method:
class LastDayInMonthPatternTests(unittest.TestCase):
def setUp(self):
self.pattern = LastDayInMonthPattern()
def testMatches(self):
lastDayInSep2004 = datetime.date(2004, 9, 30)
def testNotMatches(self):
secondToLastDayInSep2004 = datetime.date(2004, 9, 29)
I feel pretty good about myself right now. That usually means it's time to refactor. Now I really want to do some renaming.
For the last pattern I implemented, I was very explicit about what it did:
LastDayInMonthPattern only matches the last day in a month and
there's no further clarification needed. What about
NthWeekdayPattern and
LastWeekdayPattern? I really
want to add
InMonth to the end of both of those class names. Yes,
I'm that picky.
Related Reading
Learning Python
I also took this time to rename a few of the test cases and reorder some of the class definitions. I won't bore you with the details, but you can see the final results for yourself if you download the code at the end of the article.
This type of tidying up may seem trivial but it's extremely important. If your code doesn't look clean, you (and others who find themselves working on your code) won't have any incentive to keep it clean. The Pragmatic Programmers call this the Broken Window Theory. If you live with broken windows, don't be surprised when your neighbors start using your lawn as a junk yard.
I have about 60 non-blank lines of code so far, spread across eight classes. That's not too much, but the code is very simple and yet highly flexible. I seriously doubt I would have been able to conceive of this design without writing my tests first.
What's even cooler is that I have about 90 non-blank lines of test code. Yes, I have more test code than I have "real" code. Is that wrong? Absolutely not. That's wonderful! I feel extremely confident about the quality of the code that I have so far. Is it perfect? I doubt it. When I discover a bug, though, I can add a new test to demonstrate it and fix it so that it never happens again. If I need to perform an optimization, I'll have a suite of tests I can use to verify that I didn't screw anything up while applying the optimization.
What's also interesting to note is that the design that emerged from this work. I spent zero time in front of a modeling tool trying to create a design that would both meet my needs today and still be elegant enough to (hopefully) meet all of tomorrow's needs, as well. I didn't intend for this to happen. It just magically happened that way. This isn't rare--this almost always happens when I do test-driven development.
How is this design more flexible than I originally intended? Suppose that I want to create a pattern that matches every Friday the 13th. That wasn't one of my original use cases, and I gave no thought to it while writing the tests. The classes I came up have no trouble representing that pattern:
>>> import DatePatterns
>>> fri13 = DatePatterns.CompositePattern()
>>> fri13.add(DatePatterns.WeekdayPattern(DatePatterns.FRIDAY))
>>> fri13.add(DatePatterns.DayPattern(13))
>>> import datetime
>>> aug13 = datetime.date(2004, 8, 13)
>>> aug13.strftime('%A')
>>> fri13.matches(aug13)
>>> sep13 = datetime.date(2004, 9, 13)
>>> sep13.strftime('%A')
>>> fri13.matches(sep13)
While I'm not done with the application yet, I do have a solid foundation to build on. Next, I need to add some parsing code so that I can read a file containing events in order to construct and use the patterns I implemented above. I'll visit that task next time.
The code and tests are available for download and inspection.
Jason Diamond is a consultant specializing in C++, C#, and XML, and is located in sunny Southern California.
Return to the Python DevCenter.
Copyright © 2009 O'Reilly Media, Inc.


text:
Out of the 65,000 and more who posted their photographs and videos, I picked out 5 that immediately jumped out from the page. Reasons vary from the warmth of someone's face and natural depth to sincerity and the absolute ease with which one carries oneself.
With only two photos and one clip – not even of himself but of his feet walking on snow – Tom shows us that he's a natural. Though his hair be wild, he is very much straightforward.
27-year-old guy, United Kingdom
Yes, Melanie has wonderful hair, but it doesn't look simply put on. It is the mane for her tigress within. Her style is as smooth as her dance moves.
Melanie Alexander
32-year-old girl, Switzerland
LSjoberg dreams of being a model, and he certainly has the looks for it, but what gives him the edge – strange to say it – is the sadness and melancholy in his eyes. There is the promise of much more to discover about him, just through his looks.
20-year-old guy,
Though Arthur may look like the typical bum – and he probably is – you see that he doesn't care. He doesn't do anything for anybody but himself. He has that look of unpadded innocence.
22-year-old guy, France
Like his favorite arcade games, Burger Kim comes at you from every direction. His style is unexpected, but he carries it well; he is totally himself. Crazy as his Mickey Mouse jumper and goofy as, well, Goofy.
Burger Kim
22-year-old guy, United Kingdom


text:
Manchester City
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Champions League: Guardiola to assess Roberts situation at end of season after starring against Man City
Brendan Rodgers says Patrick Roberts is good enough to play for Manchester City, and Pep Guardiola will assess the on-loan Celtic winger More »Omnisport - 10 hours ago
Lewandowski the difference for Bayern
Robert Lewandowski secured a narrow Champions League win for Bayern over Atletico. More »Omnisport - 11 hours ago
Arda hat-trick lights up Barca procession
Arda Turan scored a hat-trick as Barcelona thumped Borussia Monchengladbach. More »Omnisport - 11 hours ago
Gareth Southgate begins to reshape England backroom staff
Sammy Lee has left his role with England with immediate effect as Gareth Southgate looks to bring in his own coaching staff. More »Omnisport - 18 hours ago
Manchester City's Champions League clash with Celtic in pictures
Yahoo Sport UK brings you all the action, goals and drama from the European tie at the Etihad. More »11 hours ago


text:
Land ownership questioned for Vt. trailJune 20,2013Some question
trail ownership
DUMMERSTON Development of a trail near Dummerston has come to a halt as its ownership is being questioned.
The goal is have the trail follow a 36-mile former West River Railroad route from Brattleboro to Londonderry. Its attracted hikers since the railways demise in the late 1930s.
Representatives of the nonprofit Friends of the West River Trail said they want to work with property owners and possibly re-route future trail sections.
The Brattleboro Reformer reported that some residents just north of the trails end in Dummerston have signed a petition opposing further development due to privacy concerns.
The trail is well developed between Londonderry and Townshend. The trail group has begun publicizing the southern section between Brattleboro to an access point in Dummerston, which has brought up land ownership questions.MORE IN This Just InMONTPELIER Vermont hunting, fishing and trapping licenses for 2017 will be available Dec. Full StoryWHITE RIVER JUNCTION A Vermont National Guard member has denied a charge of sexually... Full StoryRutland City is getting $20,000 to tweak its zoning laws. Full Story
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text:
Child abuse: Panel moves ahead on subpoena powerBy Neal P. Goswami
VERMONT PRESS BUREAU | April 03,2014MONTPELIER A panel of lawmakers is moving forward with a plan to secure subpoena power in its review of state policies regarding child abuse investigations.
The Senate Review Panel on Child Protection reviewed a proposed resolution Wednesday crafted by Luke Martland, director and chief counsel in the Office of Legislative Council. The resolution would grant the committee power to compel the attendance of witnesses as well as obtain records that are not public from courts and the Department for Children and Families.
The resolution would also allow the panel to meet up to 10 times after the Legislature adjourns. Members said Wednesday they wanted to meet around the state to hear from Vermonters.
The special panel was created after 2-year-old Dezirae Sheldon, of Poultney, died in February from severe head trauma, allegedly at the hands of her stepfather, Dennis Duby, who has pleaded innocent to a second-degree murder charge.
Panel members are now looking into the states laws and policies to ascertain if any changes are needed.
Public outrage erupted after it was revealed that Dezirae was returned to her mother, Sandra Eastman, 31, also of Poultney, despite a 2013 conviction for cruelty to a child for not immediately seeking treatment for the girls two broken legs. Despite the conviction, DCF returned Dezirae to live with Eastman shortly before the girls death.
Last week the panel learned of discrepancies in a previous criminal case involving Eastman. She was charged in 2008 with sexual assault for having sexual relations with a 15-year-old boy, a relationship that resulted in her becoming pregnant. She was 24 at the time.
After pleading guilty to lewd and lascivious conduct with a child, Eastman was given a sentence below the mandatory minimum in state statute. An incorrect charge code appeared on the plea agreement document that led the court and state agencies to believe Eastman was convicted of a different crime.
Michelle Childs with the Office of Legislative Council told the panel Wednesday that a Rutland County judge signed an order Monday to correct Eastmans record. That information was sent to the Vermont Criminal Information Center, which has already corrected her criminal record and updated the sex offender registry and its Internet site to include Eastman.
Sen. Richard Sears, D-Bennington, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and co-chairman of the special panel, said it remains unclear if the group will even use the power it is seeking. They want to have that option in place, however.
We have no idea whether we will use it or not use it, but once the legislative session is over, unless the committee has that power from the full Senate we cant get it because the Senate has adjourned, he said.
Because of an ongoing criminal investigation, lawmakers will not seek records or information related specifically to Dezirae Sheldons case.
We cant because that might interfere with an ongoing investigation. I think it would be unwise, unless the case suddenly got settled tomorrow, Sears said. In these hearings, the intent would be to clearly focus on the states response to child abuse.
Instead, the panel will likely review resolved cases in different parts of the state to compare how cases are handled and determine which methods and policies work best.
We would probably take three cases in Franklin County, three cases in Rutland County and three in Bennington County and see how are they dealt with differently, Sears said. And it may not even be the committee. It may be the staff looking at those.
The panel took no action on the resolution Wednesday, and will revisit the issue next week.
Meanwhile, Jennifer Poehlmann, executive director of The Vermont Childrens Alliance, provided the panel with recommendations for improving Vermonts laws and policies in child abuse investigations. Among the recommendations:
Adoption of a child endangerment law that would allow caregivers to be held accountable for serious injuries to a child that are ruled non-accidental but do not require proof of intent beyond a reasonable doubt to convict.
Treatment programming for offenders specific to child abuse.
More time for officials to assess risk before returning a child to a home.
Increased resources for training medical providers in identification of child abuse.
@rutlandherald.comMORE IN Vermont NewsMONTPELIER Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt. Full StoryVermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell plans to join the U.S. Full StoryMONTPELIER Gov. Full Story
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PRINCESS ANNE, MD. - (Nov. 15, 2013) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced this week it would help the Maryland Hawk Corp. with financing the construction of apartment-style housing for graduate students who attend the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
The agency's deputy secretary, Krysta Harden, visited UMES to deliver the news that the federal government had arranged for the university's private, non-profit affiliate to borrow $12.7 million in low- interest loans to launch the project.
"We're able to get affordable loans at lower interest rates, and it'll make the per-monthly rent for the students very affordable," said Jerry Redden, who directs the Maryland Hawk Corp. "That's a high priority. It's not only the living experience, but the affordability of it."
Construction is expected to start in December and the first 90 of 144 units could be ready for occupancy before the start of the next academic year in late August 2014. The housing complex will be built on 38 acres adjacent to U.S. Rt. 13, two miles south of campus in an area known as Chase Plaza due west of Washington High School.
UMES currently provides no housing for its nearly 700 graduate students.
"Housing is a significant decision – part of that decision (where to study) is choice," Harden said. "This allows the university to be able to be more competitive in certain programs and to allow more students to live right here, participate (and) be part of this community,"
UMES President Juliette B. Bell said she supports the Maryland Hawk Corp.'s plan to provide housing specifically for graduate students because it will help the university grow its post-baccalaureate programs, especially allied health training and marine sciences.
In 2010, UMES added a year-round doctorate-degree program to train pharmacists and this semester began offering masters-level instruction in physician assistant studies. Faculty in both disciplines encourage group study as well as work on collaborative projects, so students able to live near each other – and close to campus – will be an advantage.
Sarah Abdella, a first-year graduate student in physician assistant studies, predicts her peers will embrace "having not to worry so much about an additional expense in addition to tuition and books and equipment, and whatever else you need for school. Housing should not have to be such a big burden."
Harden acknowledged the public often views the USDA as "a department that helps protect our food supply and the farmers that grow it. What many do not know is that USDA is much more than that."
USDA's Rural Development program "takes pride in addressing needs that are specific to local communities," Harden said. Somerset County, home to a public land-grant university, easily fits that profile.
The Maryland Hawk Corp.'s mission is "identifying, coordinating, and maximizing the assets and strengths of UMES that will provide direct economic value to the region."
Since 2009, Harden noted that USDA has invested in thousands of "essential community projects that have benefitted millions of rural residents." In the past year, USDA made about 1,400 community facilities loans and grants worth more than $1.4 billion.
USDA Rural Development awarded the Maryland Hawk Corp. a $7.6 million Community Facilities Direct Loan and guaranteed another $5.1 million loan through the Bank of Delmarva.
"These are taxpayer funds coming back to the rural communities to help with this education project," said Kathy A. Beisner, acting state director for the USDA's Rural Development for Delaware and Maryland.
Bill Robinson, director, UMES public relations, (410) 621-2355


text:
During many of those years, I was also a single mom.
After a childhood filled with invisible friends, sightings of dead relatives and a fascination with the occult, turning to the paranormal was a no-brainer.
Since switching from writing nonfiction to fiction in 2004, I've had a wonderful time creating stories about my favorite paranormal characters. I've been a rabid fan of all things paranormal – especially vampires – since I first got my hands on Bram Stoker's Dracula. To me, there's just something fascinating about those extraordinary nightwalkers.
My son and I live in Boulder, Colorado, in the beautiful foothills of the Rocky Mountains. (Affectionately known as "The Republic of Boulder.")
The Vampire Shrink was my first completed full-length fiction manuscript. And, like all my stories, it crosses genres. It's an urban fantasy romance w/mystery elements, sex, dark humor, and a contemporary vibe. "


text:
Climate questions addressed; NACL's The Weather Project to host scientist Elaine Matthews
October 2, 2013 —
HIGHLAND LAKE, NY — NACL Theatre will host the community conversation "Everything You Ever Wanted to Ask about Weather and Climate" with research scientist and Town of Highland resident Elaine Matthews of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) on Monday, October 7 at 7 p.m.
The free event is part of NACL's The Weather Project, a massive community arts and science exploration designed to bring residents, artists, and scientists together around the subject of the weather and climate science.
The October 7th conversation will welcome questions from the community, and Matthews will address common themes such as what can we learn from climate history, how temperature is measured globally, what causes temperature change, why it is difficult to measure small changes over time, what responses to temperature change have been observed, and what we expect in the next 50-100 years.
"If all greenhouse gas emissions were shut off today, the climate would continue to warm from them for about 60 years," says Matthews, whose research focuses primarily on exchanges of greenhouse gases, especially methane, between the Earth and the atmosphere, with the goal of understanding causes for changing atmospheric methane levels and their impact on climate.
Matthews has estimated past and future methane emissions related to human activities (including domestic cows, trash and fossil fuels) and from natural wetlands, which are the world's largest methane source and very sensitive to climate variations. She has worked on research projects with elementary and high school students, and given presentations to a range of groups including fifth to 12th grade students, formerly incarcerated students in a GED program, a girl's group in a New Jersey mosque, and the Brecht Forum in NYC.
Visit www.nacl.org or visit facebook.com/theweatherproject or call 845/557-0694. You can also follow The Weather Project on Twitter at @naclweather.


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Cramer: Don't Build It and the Profits Will Come
NEW YORK (Real Money) --Don't build it and they will come. That's right, don't build anything new and the profits will come to those who already have the infrastructure in place. That's really the theme behind this market's advance, the undercurrent that plays out every day.
Let me walk you through it. This morning we heard from the keepers of the Case-Shiller index that housing is up in price in all 20 cities measured, with staggering gains in Phoenix, Las Vegas and Miami. These increases can happen simply because the homebuilders aren't building enough homes fast enough to meet demand. You have a million new homes coming on stream -- still only two thirds of what you would have gotten six years ago -- and that's just not enough given household formation and how many homes are lost every year to natural causes like fire, flood and dilapidation. They aren't building it, so the profits accrue to those few who have the capital to do so.
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on Real Money on March 26. To see Jim Cramer's latest commentary as it's published, sign up for a free trial of Real Money.
That's what's happening in the hotel industry, as you will hear tonight from Ashford Hospitality
Remember, also, that Blackstone


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Crews continue to battle a monster wildfire near Yosemite National Park. Meteorologists with NOAA are working around the clock, monitoring the wildfire via satellite. Sally Kidd reports from Washington.
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Mr. Cuéllar is President and Chief Executive Officer of Cuellar, LLC dba ShopRite of Passaic/Clifton. He is one of the owners of the largest retail cooperative in the United States. Previously, he was President/CEO of ECO & Sons, Inc. He was responsible for business conducted by the holding company as well as its subsidiaries – President Supermarket, and Presidential Caterers.
Mr. Cuéllar received Senate confirmation for a Presidential appointment to the National Consumer Cooperative Bank where he served on the board of directors till July of 2007. He was honored by Ernst & Young as a 2001 & 2004 Entrepreneur of the Year finalist. His contributions to the corporate community and minority businesses have been recognized by many organizations such as the Food Marketing Institute, the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Dun & Bradstreet.
Mr. Cuéllar was born in Madrid, Spain to Cuban immigrants who narrowly escaped Castro's tyranny. The Cuéllar's arrived in the United States, after their brief exile in Spain, looking for opportunity and freedom. A born entrepreneur, Evelio Cuéllar, Rafael's father opened a small "bodega" in New Jersey. To date, the family's core business is in the food industry.
Mr. Cuéllar enlisted in the US Navy at the age of seventeen. Eager to serve his country, Rafael planned a life-long career in the military. He attended Fordham University on a NROTC scholarship and received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. Upon completion, he returned to the USS Detroit as an officer. As a Lieutenant, he supervised over 250 sailors and maintained responsibility of a $14MM quarterly budget.
Mr. Cuéllar prepared for medical school to become a Navy surgeon. Following his father's sudden death, he resigned his commission after nine years of service and assumed responsibility for the growing family business. He increased revenue by 50% during his first year as CEO. With the strict discipline he gained from the military, he reorganized the infrastructure, implemented sophisticated technology, and diversified the product line and services.
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Design and Turn-Key Construction from Modern Rustic Homes
Exclusive developers of Jim Barna Log & Timber Frame Home Communities
Thank you for visiting us at Modern Rustic Homes. Here you will learn about a unique and personalized level of service focused on achieving a lifestyle we call "Modern Rustic Living". Different from our few competitors, and with roots that began over 37 years ago, we stand alone in our ability to provide a higher level of service. Under one roof, we offer a greater variety of products and services, including complete custom design by an award winning architectural designer, stellar construction by our in-house general contractor resulting in a fully ready-to-move-in home, and your very own personal concierge who will walk you through the decision process of buying an existing home or building a custom home made from quality natural and sustainable materials including log, heavy timber, and stone. Either way, we are focused on helping you realize the dream of owning an exceptional home. To begin your journey, please select from one of the four categories above that best fits your level of interest.
It's about you, your home, and a lifestyle we call Modern Rustic Living.
What's New
- 6/05 - Beekeeping Project
- 5/08 - Buy or Build A New Home – Market Trends Update
- 12/06 - Water Music, Look out here we come….
- 10/23 - Modern Rustic Homes Workshop & Model Tour (Buy or Build?)
- 9/26 - Buy or Build Workshop & Model Tour
- 9/01 - Buy or Build – Financing Options
- 8/31 - Buy or Build – I Want To Build
- 8/30 - Buy or Build – How Much Do You Want To Spend?
- 8/29 - Buy or Build – Understanding The Market
- 8/28 - Buy or Build – What is Most Important To You?


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Nifty 283068-T Catch-It Mat Floor Mat
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Tonight, let the sparkling blue-white star Spica act as your guide to the Omega Centauri star cluster. You can see this cluster with the unaided eye, if your sky is dark enough and if you're far enough south on the Earth. People living south of 35o North latitude have a realistic chance of spotting the cluster, though we've seen at least one report of it seen as far north as Point Pelee, Canada (42o north latitude). Omega Centauri looks like a fairly faint (and possibly fuzzy) star. And of course it's awesome from the Southern Hemisphere. It's a beautiful and very special star cluster, and – if you're in the Northern Hemisphere – it's convenient to let Spica help you find it. Follow the links below to learn more.
How can I find Spica and then the cluster?
What if I'm in the Southern Hemisphere?
Omega Centauri, a ghost galaxy, from a ghost town
What is Omega Centauri? Omega Centauri is the largest and finest globular star cluster visible to the eye alone. Globular clusters are large, symmetrically shaped groupings of stars, fairly evenly distributed around the core of our Milky Way galaxy. Many northern stargazers have this particular cluster on their bucket lists.
Seeing Omega Centauri is very special in part because you can see it with your eye alone, assuming you have a dark-enough sky. Very few of the Milky Way galaxy's 250 or so globular star clusters are readily visible without optics.
Like all globular clusters, Omega Centauri is best seen through a telescope. Then you see it as a globe-shaped stellar city, teeming with its millions of stars!
How can I find Spica and then the cluster? To find Omega Centauri, first find Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo the Maiden.
Here's how you can find Spica. Spot this star by extending the curve of the Big Dipper handle, as illustrated on our chart above.
Spica transits – climbs to its highest point in the sky – around 11 p.m. local standard time (12 midnight daylight saving time) in late April/early May for all locations around the globe. You can find Spica's precise transit time for your sky at the US Naval Observatory.
Here's the key to using Spica to find Omega Centauri. Spica and Omega Centauri transit due south at the same time. That means that – when Spica is highest in the south – Omega Centauri is, too. Look for Omega Centauri about 35o directly below Spica. A fist at an arm-length approximates 10o.
What if I'm in the Southern Hemisphere? As seen from the Southern Hemisphere, Spica and Omega Centauri pass more nearly overhead. They still transit at approximately the same time. They still are located about 35 o apart. Unfortunately – because the Big Dipper is located so far north on the sky's dome – it's less convenient to use the the Dipper to find Spica and, from it, Omega Centauri.
From the Southern Hemisphere, you've got an even more beautiful way to find this cluster. And, indeed, your view of the cluster will be better than ours in the north, because Omega Centauri will be higher in your sky.
To get in its general vicinity on the sky's dome, look for the famous Southern Cross, which, officially, is the constellation Crux. Along the eastern edge of Crux is the dark Coalsack Nebula. Near the Coalsack – visible in binoculars – is the Jewel Box, an open star cluster with about 100 members, whose stars are colored red, white and blue.
If you can locate these objects, you'll also find Omega Centauri. Consult the charts at right for its location.
Bottom line: From the Northern Hemisphere, you can use the star Spica in the constellation Virgo to locate Omega Centauri on springtime nights!
EarthSky astronomy kits are perfect for beginners. Order today from the EarthSky store
Top tips for using ordinary binoculars for stargazing


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What is in this article?:
- New herbicide resistant traits coming to cotton fields
- Bio-engineered fibers
- Leading companies have many new trait tools to turn back weed resistance.
- 2,4-D, diacamba, HPPD-inhibitors to be incorporated into biotech cottons.
- New formulations of old products to work with new traits.
More About:
There is no pipeline full of new herbicides headed your way to stem the growing problem of weeds resistant to glyphosate or any other herbicide for that matter.
However, representatives of the major chemical companies developing new cotton varieties told growers and others at the Beltwide Cotton Conference in Atlanta that they are developing new varieties resistant to a trio of older herbicides.
The final results will likely be varieties from different companies resistant to an alphabet soup of herbicides; 2, 4-D, dicamba and HPPD-inhibitors.
Two of those, 2, 4-D and dicamba, are bad environmental actors with histories of volatility, unwanted drift and odor issues. Companies are working to re-formulate those products to work with the new herbicide resistant cottons.
Representatives of Bayer CropScience, Dow AgroSciences/Phytogen and Monsanto readily admitted during an industry update that rapidly growing glyphosate-resistant weeds like pigweed, marestail and others are problematic. However, none are abandoning glyphosate-resistance in new varieties.
"There are 300 weeds glyphosate still controls. It is the cornerstone (of weed control) in all crops," said Monsanto's Ty Vaughn.
However, Monsanto's Roundup is no longer the silver bullet it once was. No single mode of action will do the job, Vaughn acknowledged.
"We need to be thinking in different ways to control weeds," Vaughn said. Specifically weed burn down before planting; after planting/post directed herbicide use; rescue treatments as needed; and a return to residual herbicides.
In fact, Bayer CropScience is getting into the glyphosate-resistant game by offering new FiberMax GlyTol cottons for the first time this season, company representative Walt Mullin said. He called this new proprietary Bayer trait technology an "alternative" to using glyphosate "without obligation of buying a specific brand of glyphosate." Bayer is targeting the West Texas market with commercial, sizeable quantities of FiberMax 9101GT and FiberMax 9103 GT. There also will be limited supplies of another GlyTol FM 2011GT for the Southwest.
Bayer is going even farther by combining its new generic glyphosate resistance trait with its Liberty Link (Ignite resistance) trait in FiberMax and Stoneville cotton varieties, according to Walt Mullin of Bayer. "Small quantities" of this double stack herbicide resistance package will be available this season in FiberMax FM 9250GL, the first cotton variety available with full tolerance to both glyphosate and Ignite herbicides.
Mullin said Bayer CropScience will also offer varieties in the future with the two herbicide traits, GlyTol and Liberty Link plus Bollgard II.
Bayer is also developing HPPD-inhibitor resistance traits in cotton. This, Mullin said, will allow growers to control pigweed in its later growth states (10 to 12 inches tall). This is several years down the road.
Mullin said Bayer also has either biotech or molecular breeding programs in developing varieties that are nematode resistant, insect resistant as well as having improved fiber and yield enhancement traits.


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Douglas Edwards appears in the following:
National Safety Council : The Fight for Life.
Monday, January 01, 1900
The date of this episode is unknown so we've filled it in with a placeholder.
This episode is from the WNYC archives. It may contain language which is no longer politically or socially appropriate.
A compilation of Public Service Announcements from the National Safety Council on safety, focusing on traffic ...


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Features of Avira System Speedup?
Avira System Speedup provides a comprehensive amount of possibilities to optimize your system:
SYSTEM CLEANERThe SYSTEM CLEANER cleans your system from inconvenient junk files that accumulated over time on your system. Most of the files are useless and can be deleted without hesitation. The SYSTEM CLEANER distinguishes between the following categories:
Junk Files
With help of this category you can remove temporary created files from your PC as well as cleaning the Recycle Bin - means all files which are stored as junk on your hard disk in the course of time
Registry Cleaner
The Registry Cleaner cleans the registry to speed up your system
Privacy Cleaner
Privacy Cleaner helps you to scan, clean and remove the history of your internet activities
Smart Defragmenter
Defragmentation rearranges individual fragmented data blocks on the hard disk. This speeds up the access to each single file and increases the working speed of the computer as well
- Junk Files
SYSTEM OPTIMIZERSystem Optimizer improves your system, makes it faster and more powerful. There are four categories available:
Startup Manager
Similar to the Startup-Optimizer, you can define which applications should get loaded during the startup of the system and which should not. However, unlike the Startup Optimizer you do not get a suggestion if an application is a system application and if it is needed or not
NetState gives you an overview of all programs, which have access to the internet. Here you can remove programs which should not be connected to the internet
Process Manager
Process Manager provides a list of running processes and how much CPU they need. Here you have the possibility to stop needless processes
Service Manager
Using the Service Manager you will see an overview about all existing services, their current status and start type. The Service Manager allows you to stop specific services, to start them and even to delete them
- Startup Manager
TOOLSBesides the above mentioned features there are some other tools which help you to clean and optimize your system.
This tool allows you to clean up your hard disk. Duplicate files will be found and can be removed. It finds empty folder and so called zero-sized files. Furthermore you have the possibility to backup files on your computer and restore them
All installed drivers are listed here. This feature allows you to maintain these drivers and helps avoiding hardware problems
Unistaller provides a list of installed programs and allows you to uninstall them as well
File Recovery
This feature scans the hard disk for deleted files and recover them again
- Tuneup
StatisticsHere you will see at first glance a list of solved problems, amount of performed scans and information about the license and version of Avira System Speedup
System InformationHere you get all information about your system, like operating system, system up time, process count, memory usage, network flow etc.
Affected products
- Avira Internet Security Suite [Windows]
- Avira System Speedup [Windows]
- Avira Ultimate Protection Suite [Windows]
- Created : Tuesday, August 21, 2012
- Last updated: Thursday, November 24, 2016


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This section provides a variety of materials, from quick references to complete courses, all designed to help our members improve leadership skills and deliver a quality program. Many of the courses can be taken online. A login is required, but anyone may create a user account and view the courses. Registered members of the BSA may provide their member numbers (as part of the user profile) to receive credit.
General Cub Scouting
The Philmont Training Center (PTC) provides a unique environment for the training of volunteer and professional leaders. Courses will open for registration January 4, 2010.
A Scout leader is entitled to wear the Trained leader emblem when he or she has completed some basic but important training courses. A direct contact Scout leader is considered fully trained and entitled to wear the Trained leader emblem when he or she has completed the following training courses and the specific training for the position.
Learn the requirements for becoming a trained leader. This document provides an overview of leader training based on the Scouting program you are involved in.
"This Is Scouting" provides an overview of the Scouting organization, including history, values, programs, Youth Protection, community involvement, and training. The module consists of six video sections, each followed by a brief quiz. Completion is noted automatically in the BSA training records database if the module is experienced online. Estimated time to complete: 50 minutes.
Youth Protection training is designed to help you keep our youth safe from abuse. You will learn the Boy Scouts of America's Youth Protection Guidelines, signs of abuse, and how to report suspected abuse. After each section of material, you will answer questions about that section's topic. This course must be completed to earn the "Trained" emblem. Completion is noted automatically in the BSA training records database if the module is experienced online. Estimated time to complete: 40 minutes.
Prior to running your first den or pack meeting, Cub Scout Leader Fast Start is the initial training course required for you to complete so that you may understand the fundamentals of the Cub Scouting program. There are separate fast start training courses for all Cub Scout leaders, catered to specific leadership roles in the pack. You will learn your specific responsibilities, how to keep your meetings fun and exciting, and what other resources there are to help assist you in planning for your den or pack meetings. This training is offered online or on a DVD. Estimated time to complete: 45 minutes.
Supplemental training modules are designed to provide leaders in Boy Scouting with orientation beyond the basic training offered in This Is Scouting and leader-specific training.
The Trainer's EDGE replaces the Trainer Development Conference (BSA 500) as the required train-the-trainer course for Wood Badge and NYLT staffs. It is meant to supplement the practice offered through Wood Badge and NYLT staff development, with a focus on the participant, while raising the level of skill a trainer brings to the staff experience. Only practice can polish these skills, but this course is intended to "train the trainer" on behaviors and resources while offering hands-on experience in methods and media.
View this presentation from the 2009 National Annual Meeting.
This session will assist you in recruiting the right people to get Scouting done in your district. Learn how the coordinated meeting makes the best use of time, as it breaks out into six operating committees that interact with one another.
The main purpose of the unit commissioner is to make units successful. To do this, a unit commissioner should have people skills and a Scouting background and live by the ideals of Scouting. A good commissioner will often be a counselor, a doctor, a teacher, and an adviser.
As a chartered organization representative, you hold a key position in Scouting. While there is honor attached to this position, it is not an "honorary" one. Your primary function is to ensure that the chartered organization's Scouting program succeeds. This course is designed to present you with the basics you need to carry out your new responsibilities as a chartered organization representative. After finishing the online training, you may print a certificate of completion. Estimated time to complete: 15 minutes.
The ScoutParents initiative is a great way to involve parents of new or existing youth in all of our BSA programs to become more active in their child's Scouting experience. Each unit is required to have at least one ScoutParents unit coordinator to implement this program. The first step for the coordinator is to take this fast start training course. The course will help assist the coordinator in understanding the role and gives tips on how to effectively use the ScoutParents program to involve more parents in all of our Scouting programs. Estimated time to complete: 45 minutes.
Take this session and have a broader understanding and deeper appreciation of the diverse range of ages and life experiences of the volunteers and professionals in our organization. You will be able to recognize and define the four generational groups of people currently in the BSA.
The purpose of this manual is to further Leave No Trace skills and awareness of outdoor ethics.
This presentation provides a detailed briefing for individuals selected to serve as a camp health officer at a council or district camping facility.
Hazardous Weather training must be completed prior to requesting a tour permit from the BSA. The module presents safety precautions for eight different types of weather, as well as planning, preparation, and traditional weather signs. You will answer questions about the topics after each section. Completion is noted automatically in the BSA training records database if the module is experienced online. Estimated time to complete: 40 minutes.
Use this DVD when training coaches and helpers in the BSA's Soccer and Scouting program. It includes a slide show and five video clips in a single presentation. The DVD, BSA bin number 13-566, is available through local council service centers. Both English and Spanish versions of the training are provided on the same DVD.


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This little bootie packs a big stylish punch with all the class and sophistication we love about Chloe! Dare to be fabulous this fall.
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« Back
XO Laptop
AP Photo
"Riding New Technological Waves"
Op-Ed, Business Daily, (Nairobi)
December 6, 2007
Author: Calestous Juma, Professor of the Practice of International Development; Director, Science, Technology, and Globalization Project; Principal Investigator, Agricultural Innovation in Africa
Belfer Center Programs or Projects: Science, Technology, and Globalization; Science, Technology, and Public Policy
In a critique of the XO laptop (widely known as the $100 laptop), a senior computer industry official once said the effort was like seeking to replace modern cars with faster 'horses'.
The XO laptop uses flash memory and does not have a hard drive. It is admittedly slower than other laptops. While the speed and price of the horse matters, what is important is getting African children to learn how to rise and use 'horses' of all types to meet their educational needs.
The real test will be on the extent to which African leaders, entrepreneurs and development agencies can harness the power of emerging educational technologies and modernise the continent's educational systems.
More specifically, they should start to invest in developing the content needed for the technologies. Africa's early entry into content development will help to put the technologies to effective use.
A delay will either render the technologies irrelevant or will condemn Africa to dependence on ill-adapted educational material. In addition, such initiatives will offer new opportunities for emerging African software enterprises and institutions to work with partners in other parts of the world. It will create new business and learning avenues for the continent. The content can come from a wide range of sources.
For example, the California-based Lauren Springs School is adapting its personalised distance environmental education curriculum to the XO laptop for developing countries.
Institutions such as the United Nations Environment Programme are also positioning themselves to play leadership roles in using emerging educational technologies in their respective fields.
Such educational content can also help to rejuvenate and preserve African culture. For example, an animation of Ogun, the Yoruba god of iron, could be a greater source of inspiration for teaching science, technology, and engineering and math.
Incumbent industry leaders and educational bureaucracies are working to hold back the diffusion of alternative technologies. But their efforts would be better served through supportive roles. A stream of new educational technologies is expected to enter the marketplace.
Amazon's Kindle digital reader, for example, may appear on the surface to be yet another fancy 'gadget'. But its educational value is profound. A digital reader that can hold up to 200 books could effectively replace the need for students to visit libraries.
Moreover, the technology can serve as a new platform enabling authors to get from their manuscripts into the digital reader without having to go through the traditional publishing process. In fact, the long process of book publishing has been a major barrier to the modernisation of educational curricula in Africa.
But as expected, instead of embracing such technologies, many education ministries will be working with publishers to retain the status quo. They can avoid this by learning from the telecommunications industry. Only a decade ago, telephone receivers defined the office as the locus of communication.
Life revolved around the telephone set and receptionists wielded enormous power. Today, teachers hold the same influence partly because human voice, books, chalk and blackboard combined to make the school the central locus of learning.
But emerging educational technologies and advances in brain science are redefining education. The student of the future will be a self-learner armed with a wide range of educational technologies. The 'classroom' will become as open as the modern office is today.
Emerging educational technologies such as the XO, Intel's Classmate and Kindle are prototypes of a new dawn in educational reform.
The urgent task is for Africa to find a way to lead by developing appropriate content. It is only by doing so that the continent can hope to ride the technological wave.
Prof. Juma teaches at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government and is a member of the board of the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) Foundation.
For more information about this publication please contact the Belfer Center Communications Office at 617-495-9858.
Full text of this publication is available at:
For Academic Citation:


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Man, I'm hooked!
Any ideas where in the world I can get a copy (preferably cheaper).
Too many Ddays to count. Enough said!
ETA: Here's a link to the ones on ebay:
[This message edited by Too_Trusting at 6:26 PM, June 25th (Monday)]
I just went to amazon and they have it in stock for $13.98. Are you searching for the one by Gillian Flynn?
I don't have a kindle and probably never will, so a hard copy (physical copy) is needed.
Thanks for the input. I'll check out ebay.
I read this book and loved it, I just wanted to put out there that later in the book there is stuff that might trigger people. I wasn't prepared for it and it was a little unsettling at first.
Yes, definitely not a book for someone who is new to our sitch! I'm hardened and crusty so it doesn't phase me.
So before I spend the money can someone tell me why what is different about it? What made it worthwhile for you to read?