text:
Town Square
Charles Munger, Mandy Lowell and Prop 30 School Measure
Original post made by Duveneck mom, Duveneck/St. Francis, on Oct 30, 2012
The Weekly's story is here: Web Link, excerpted below about Proposition 30. The discussion is about why Mandy Lowell, a former Palo Alto school board member, is involved in a campaign against Proposition 30 through her husband's contribution of $35 million to defeat Prop 30. If Prop 30 loses, it will mean large cuts to education funding statewide.
"The fight over Proposition 30, Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed tax initiative, has attracted major campaign contributions statewide, with the two sides raising more than $110 million in cash, according to Maplight, a nonprofit that tracks campaign finances. Most local contributions have been made in favor of Brown's plan, which would increase income tax for those making more than $250,000 a year and increase the sales tax by � cents over four years. The sales tax, Brown has argued, is necessary to avoid a series of steep cuts to education and public safety that would be implemented early next year if voters strike down Proposition 30.
The quest to defeat Brown's tax plan is being led by Palo Alto-based political activist Charles Munger Jr., whose half-sister, Molly Munger, is pursuing a rival tax measure, Proposition 38. Charles Munger's contribution of $35 million accounts for about two-thirds of the funds in the campaign against Proposition 30. Munger is the husband of former Palo Alto Board of Education member Mandy Lowell, who on Aug. 21 spoke to the board urging their support of Proposition 38.
The only other multi-million dollar contribution in opposition of Brown's tax measure came from the group Americans for Responsible Leadership, an Arizona-based group that backs Republican causes. The organization contributed $11 million in opposition to Proposition 38, according to Maplight."
Comments (55)
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Oct 30, 2012 at 12:59 pm
I'll start off. I'm really upset about this, because Proposition 30 is truly our only hope to avoid large cuts in education statewide and here in our district. Prop 38 is not getting support in the polls, and Prop looks like it might come in under 50% -- probably because of the money that Munger and Lowell are putting into tearing it down. I just feel sick about the fact that this is coming from our community, because it's going to hurt kids in a bad way.
a resident of East Palo Alto
on Oct 30, 2012 at 1:01 pm
[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of East Palo Alto
on Oct 30, 2012 at 1:08 pm
Duveneck mom - any insight into why Molly Munger is so into 38- to take out 30 or because she really believes it's better? I thought she & Charlie had diverging political ideals, but maybe I'm mistaken. Are they proponents of privatizing schools?
Thank you for pointing out the importance of what's going on.
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Oct 30, 2012 at 1:41 pm
I have already voted and I voted FOR prop 30, but I recently read in another publication that if you are truly worried about 30 not going through, vote for 30 and 38. The logic claimed for this is that if both pass, the one with more votes will be enacted, and that either way our children will win.
Another thing I read in this same publication, and I wish I had read it sooner, is that you should wait as long as possible to vote, like after debates, etc are over and done with. Then your have more information, supposedly, to make decisions with.
Anyway, why in Tarnation are people from out of state meddling in CA politics? It is none of their beeswax!
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Oct 30, 2012 at 1:42 pm
The two tax measures work differently. Prop 30 does not bring more money into our schools; it threatens to take money away if it doesn't pass. Prop 38 generates money that for schools.
East Palo Alto schools come out $3 million ahead if Proposition 38 passes and Proposition 30 fails. It pencils out the same direction for Palo Alto schools too.
Most folks I've talked to are voting yes on both to give at least one a chance of passing.
Worst case is if they both fail and only cuts are made.
Unfortunately, neither are polling very well. Web Link
a resident of East Palo Alto
on Oct 30, 2012 at 1:48 pm
Ducatigirl - re AZ $$- thoughts are the Koch brothers are behind it, as the attorney for the AZ group is the same as the Koch brothers.
Thank you, Vote for Both - that's my thought as well.
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Oct 30, 2012 at 2:17 pm
Could be that 30 is starting to fail because people are starting to see through the threats for Gov. Brown. "If you don't vote for 30, State Parks will need to be closed. What, we have money for that? OK, if you don't vote for 30, the school system will fall apart. What, we're only going to reinstate previous cuts and the rest will go to paying off all of the wasteful spending throughout the state?"
38 on the other hand, puts 70% of the money into schools until 2017 and then 100% into schools until the end of the 12th year.
Don't get your voting advice on internet blogs, go here for the impartial analysis. Web Link
Listening to radio ads and political flyers is how CA ended up voting yes on High Speed Rail. Take the 30 minutes to read the analysis. It'll be easy to see that 38 is much more beneficial to the schools than 30.
a resident of Greenmeadow
on Oct 30, 2012 at 2:18 pm
I am sickened by this. Charlie and Mandy Munger spent $65 MILLION dollars to defeat education funding for public schools, and to take away rights from teachers. They spent $35 million dollars (wow!) in a negative campaign targeted at Brown's effort to save the schools. Everyone knows that 38 is sure to fail. So rather than just swing their support to Brown's effort, they spent $35 million dollars on a horrible negative campaign, just to make sure that no one would win. [Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of East Palo Alto
on Oct 30, 2012 at 3:10 pm
[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Oct 30, 2012 at 4:20 pm
The truth is pretty simple. Proposition 38 is losing in the polls. Proposition 30 was winning until a wave of negative advertising hit. That was funded by Mandy Lowell and Charles Munger to the tune of $35 million, after it became clear that Proposition 38 was going down and Proposition 30 would pass. The reason why? I don't know but probably a fit of pique, since Prop 38 is the brainchild of Munger's sister Molly. [Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.] I can tell you too that as the rest of California public schools go down the drain, politicians in Sacramento are going to wonder why basic aid districts like Palo Alto don't get hit, and to draw the connection to Lowell and Munger. Why should we get to lob bombs at other school districts and keep all of our property tax revenue?
a resident of Midtown
on Oct 30, 2012 at 4:39 pm
It is time for educational vouchers to have their day. It is already happening in a slow-motion way, via charter schools. If California wants to return to educational excellence, vouchers are the only way. The public school unions are a disaster for our next generation.
a resident of East Palo Alto
on Oct 30, 2012 at 5:19 pm
It's not even the unions. It's not the teachers. It's comments like the above with the correlating attitude which are the problem. It's also our laws that allow outside money & wannabe power players that screw things up.
Duveneck mom, I think it's pretty clear now & will remain so to those in Sacramento what is happening here. They either will play the game of the powerMungers or they won't. It likely is a fit of pique spurring the latest Munger behavior - Molly & Charlie may not have political opinions in common, but they appear to have big egos & an important sense of entitlement. And speaking of the latter, if Calif wants to comb out of its current mess, we all have to pay more to get there.
a resident of Palo Alto High School
on Oct 30, 2012 at 5:49 pm
Duveneck mom,
By your logic the PTAs must be gunning to get rid of public schools too since they are co-sponsors of and contributors to Proposition 38 and only one proposition - 30 or 38 - gets to win.
PTA/Prop 38: Web Link
Since you think Sacramento hasn't had it in for locally funded school districts like Palo Alto before now means either you don't keep up with the news or have a very personal itch to scratch with the Mungers for some other reason.
2003: Web Link ("Prospect of catastrophic budget reductions looms over school district, creating anxieties for entire community")
You might want to read the 2003 Palo Alto Weekly articles describing the role Mandy Lowell played in protecting our schools from those massive cuts while she was President of our PUBLIC School Board before throwing stones.
Big, big picture: Even if Prop 30 doesn't pass, it looks like the pain will be temporary.
Web Link
a resident of Crescent Park
on Oct 30, 2012 at 5:51 pm
[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of Palo Alto High School
on Oct 30, 2012 at 6:11 pm
If Proposition 30 fails public education will be destroyed? Really? If it fails, the cuts to education will come in under 8%. Not good at all, but it will not "destroy" education in this state.
If you are really afraid that the "poor kids in EPA will turn more to crime, for lack of education & jobs, & rob" Palo Alto folks then I'd suggest you vote for Prop 38 only which, again, will net them $3 million instead of $0.
Could it be that you prefer Prop 30 even though it will send substantially less money to our schools (i.e. none) because Prop 38 taxes everyone and Prop 30 only taxes the rich?
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Oct 30, 2012 at 6:26 pm
The PTA isn't spending money to defeat 30. I know about 2003, that's what I am afraid of. I don't know what you mean by the big picture. Losing billions of dollars for education seems pretty big to me.
a resident of East Palo Alto
on Oct 30, 2012 at 7:12 pm
I personally think everyone needs to pay more, but the rich need to pay a LOT more. It's not that I think 38 is terrible, but I'm suspicious of the agenda behind it, just as I am about some other propositions. I'm always suspicious of the agendas of billionaire cabals - it's just that we don't always know about them until late in the game. It remains to be seen, or not, how much $$ 30 will put in the schools.
Re the potential crime, I was thinking of the irony of the Mungers & their ilk getting robbed after the schools get robbed. (I also know that education starts at home & many EPA parents are ill-equipped for that role, hence the constant kvetching about schools here.)
I didn't say a defeated 30 would destroy education, because I don't believe it would. Quit trying to paint an inaccurate portrait. Frankly, I'm still astonished that people voted for 13 but felt entitled to whine about education decline as a result(not astonished by the vote, but by the whining).
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Oct 30, 2012 at 7:19 pm
@Hmmm, "I personally think everyone needs to pay more, but the rich need to pay a LOT more." How come? It was funny, the TV ad for one of the propositions explains that families making $2 million will "only" pay $76,000 more under their proposed system. My teenager was thought that was shocking - especially when I pointed out that this was in addition to a large state and much larger federal tax already. Soak the rich does not seem to resonate with many - how come with you?
a resident of East Palo Alto
on Oct 30, 2012 at 7:24 pm
Hmmm is a registered user.
Does it really matter why I think it's fine for the rich to pay more? No, it doesn't really matter why I think that. What matters is that the Mungers of the world throw mind-boggling amounts of money toward their agenda and that they're also in cahoots w/anonymous big donors from out of state.
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Oct 30, 2012 at 7:52 pm
the fact that increasing taxes on people who make more than $2 million shocked your rich teenager is meaningless. The other 99% of the universe that does not live in the PA bubble is not shocked at this idea. It rejoices. And when Jerry Brown goes looking for someone to take revenge on when Prop 30 fails, he is going to come gunning straight for Mandy Lowell, Charles Munger, and Palo Alto's precious basic aid. The days of "we got ours now too bad for middle class families" are over.
a resident of Gunn High School
on Oct 30, 2012 at 9:04 pm
I'm of two minds. On the one hand, people have the right to take positions on political issues and to put their money where their mouth is. If Munger and Lowell want to spend money opposing public school funding, so be it. If we don't want rich people to buy elections, then we should change the law. Until then, it's their right.
On the other hand, everyone has to take responsibility for what they say and for consequences. Spending millions on a negative campaign that is going to mean less money for schools, shorter school year, higher tuition for college students, is pretty heavy stuff. I don't agree with it, and I don't like the fact that it's coming out of our community.
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Oct 30, 2012 at 9:57 pm
@Hmmm - ok. But it comes across like just "soak the rich," which doesn't do much to persuade people to agree with you. But maybe you don't care and just want to vent.
I'm fine with Mrs. Lowell spending her money as she sees fit. Good for her for participating in the process.
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Oct 30, 2012 at 10:04 pm
@fact check - maybe my teenager's view is meaningless, but I don't think so. I think the ad is just not very effective. I don't think many people think "only $76,000" sounds like a small amount.
And maybe Gov. Brown will come after Palo Alto because of Mrs. Lowell. But I don't really think state politics is quite that personal.
If 30 fails, I tend to think it won't be because of 38. It will be because many people feel over-taxed already and don't trust the state government - unfortunately with some good reasons.
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Oct 30, 2012 at 10:13 pm
how come -- yes when someone spends $35 million to defeat your signature initiative I think that qualifies as personal to Governor Brown. You would have to be very naive to think that he will just shrug that off as regular politics. [Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of Palo Alto High School
on Oct 30, 2012 at 10:15 pm
To clarify, once again, the money is coming from her husband Charles, further, there is no mention that when she "urged support of 38" that she didn't say vote for 30 too. I can't really see any reason to not vote for both given that Brown's will probably come in ahead anyway. Also, it's understandable that Lowell might want both endorsed because they are both better than nothing (obviously -- Brown's holding $6bn cuts over the schools' heads) but because 38 doesn't go to the general fund (funny thing, money rarely gets allocated to education from there...?) and provides that the money not to to administrative costs, it might even be better. From 38:
"(c) CETF funds shall be allocated and used exclusively as set forth in this act and shall not be used to pay administrative costs except as specifically authorized by the act. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, CETF funds shall not be transferred or loaned to the General Fund or to any other fund, person, or entity for any purpose or at any time except as expressly permitted in Section 14813."
Also, I acknowledge the fear that if 38 were to pass Brown would just cut the education spending that he can, however, given that 30 has no limits on where the funding goes it's not like that revenue isn't going to get re-allocated anyway. And besides that, a quick google serach told me Charles Munger is aiming to get 32 passed but (I think) more of the PAC funds he gave ended up going to against 30 than he possibly intended.
And as for "I'm sickened too. I can tell you too that as the rest of California public schools go down the drain, politicians in Sacramento are going to wonder why basic aid districts like Palo Alto don't get hit, and to draw the connection to Lowell and Munger. Why should we get to lob bombs at other school districts and keep all of our property tax revenue? I think Mandy Lowell just painted a giant target on our back," not only is politics not that personal but it's not very plausible to take away basic aid privileges. In the past, basic aid districts have proved very vocal in support of their rights and those without basic aid privileges, that is, the rest of the state, is semi-indifferent because they don't particularly "lose" anything by our having extra funding. It's certainly not plausible for Brown to declare that basic aid districts will get no state funding (obviously) so the claim that other districts would get more funding simply is proven false.
a resident of South of Midtown
on Oct 30, 2012 at 10:20 pm
Does this negative campaign include false statements?
I'm not convinced that it does. I think they are exposing the weaknesses of the proposition. It takes a lot of money to counter pro-30 messages that were themselves spread with lots of money to protect big money interests.
Brown's own ads claim and strongly imply that the prop 30 money will go to education, but it need not. It's simply a way to help give the state more money and has been misrepresented by paid messaging.
38 does what more people want, and 30 claims to do what 38 does.
In this light, this huge private expense is put toward a more noble cause than asuaging egos or seeking revenge.
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Oct 30, 2012 at 10:30 pm
"C" wrote: "there is no mention that when she "urged support of 38" that she didn't say vote for 30 too."
She didn't say that though.
Web Link On August 31, Mandy Lowell went to the school board and lobbied them to endorse 38. She did not urge them to vote for 30. She argued that "however you come out on 30, you should support 38." She lobbied against Prop 30 by telling the board that Prop 30 would not really provide money for the schools at all, and that was why they should support Prop 38. She told the board that 38 was better than Prop 30, and was making a negative argument about 30 being not really for education. She did not tell them that $35 million dollars of her personal money was being devoted to killing Prop 30 but perhaps they already knew that as she is close to several of them. As far as this being Charlie not Mandy, do you seriously think that he spent $35 million dollars without discussing it with his wife? He didn't go get a quart of milk. He decided to take a gut shot at the Governor.
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Oct 30, 2012 at 10:41 pm
@fact check - you might be right, but again, I don't think so. The idea that Gov Brown will punish Mrs. Lowell's home town in retribution seems far fetched. There may be an attempt to attack the basic aid structure, who knows, and maybe that's what you mean. But I don't think it makes sense to interpret that as a personal vendetta against Mrs. Lowell.
Good luck to all the combatants!
a resident of Palo Alto High School
on Oct 30, 2012 at 11:06 pm
Fact check:
But that's the thing -- she wasn't lobbying against 30 per se, but showing its' downsides rather than purely its advantages. I would call this realism or comparison rather than lobbying, because I tend to associate lobbying with entirely one-sided arguments which often contain BS. As for it not being about education, given that Brown's 30 is a budget while Munger's 38 is an education-only measure, obviously one is going to be more focused on education while the other represents other interests. As for the funding, I do find it more questionable because on Mr. Munger's redistricting measure of 2010 both he and Ms. Lowell funded it while on this measure only Mr. Munger's name appears. Perhaps not, but I was under the impression they were two very different individuals who make their own political contributions -- they both agreed on the redistricting measure so they both gave, but on this one since Ms. Lowell's name doesn't appear....?This is, however, all theory. But please note that it appears Mr. Munger's primary cause is prop 32, the union/corporation contribution one.
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Oct 30, 2012 at 11:20 pm
"showing its downsides" sounds like the same thing as "lobbying against it" to me. Dunno. But spending $35 million dollars to put Prop 30 in the tank is lobbying and then not revealing that slight conflict of interest to the board is shall we say awkward. The fact that her name isn't on it likely just reflects the fact that she didn't want her name on it.
As to whether Jerry Brown knows who to come looking for when the $35 million dollars worth of chickens come home to roost, have no fear. At Brown's rally today at Cal State LA [portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff], Senator De Leon said "To have multi-millionaires decide California's future is unfair. I This is not a game this is real life. [Charles Munger] must have a different agenda, completely different from, I think the majority of California." So much for no one realizing what was done and who did it.
Web Link
a resident of East Palo Alto
on Oct 30, 2012 at 11:27 pm
How come - I don't care to persuade people to agree w/me - I'm not running for office, nor am I trying to get people to vote or not vote for a proposition. I AM saying the rich should pay more, as they make more - you said soak, I said pay a lot more. You exaggerate what you think my position in & try to twist my words. You need to stop that.
I also don't think people like the Mungers are merely "participating in the process" when they use huge amounts of money to defeat a proposition, as well as get their own to pass. They're manipulating politics and aren't above helping cultivate out of state money to help their "participation in the process" w/their other pet proposition.
Insider - how right you are! I was privy to many local political strategy conversations featuring a Palo Alto politico who sees herself all that & a bag of chips. The incessant posturing & sycophantic cultivation of wealthy and/or influential folks was nauseating - & I agreed w/her political positions. It turned off her kids to the point where they made fun of her and I wondered if it was worth it. Must have been because surprise! She's running again for office. Ever since Stanford the robber baron put Palo Alto on the map many of its residents have been all-too concerned w/$$ and it's been unceasing.
a resident of Palo Alto High School
on Oct 30, 2012 at 11:51 pm
Brown (and everyone else) knows who did it, of course, but whether he will do anything about it is the question. Mr. Munger has had a target on his back from both parties since his redistricting measure which, of course, was not particularly popular with the incumbent politicians. Besides a large number personal attacks from the media, most of which were borderline falsehoods, he escaped relatively unscathed from that. Who's to say it won't happen again? And I doubt basic aid will be touched.... the most damaging thing that I think will happen will be Mr. Munger will never have a career in politics: I don't think anyone cares.
Hmmm: Molly and Charles have conflicting views and they're not trying to swing the election together. Perhaps swing the election yes, but not together as a team.
And as far as contributions go, I tend to dislike big donors in general so I have to wonder: Why all the hate towards the Mungers and so little towards the Prison guard union, SEIU, and CTU? In the past decade they've certainly spent more than the Mungers have in the same time-period....
a resident of East Palo Alto
on Oct 31, 2012 at 1:06 am
I distrust the very rich & their influence in politics at this level. I am cynical about the unions of course but I understand why they exist - in large part because of the political influence wielded by the very rich - Charley's work on 32 is a very telling example. One person making a 35 mil contribution is quite different than individuals who make up an organization. He doesn't have to be a rabid Repub to do more damage than 1 person should be allowed to do. Time will tell what Molly may also do with her money; I'm less suspicious of her not just because I agree w/her politics more but because she doesn't appear to be a Koch brothers ally or be bringing in out of state money to get her way.
It's interesting that these half siblings both are so involved in this particular election a the state level. My only personal knowledge of any of them is Charley, professionally.
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Oct 31, 2012 at 7:48 am
The Weekly's story quotes Board member Dana Tom as advocating for endorsing Lowell-Munger Prop 38 and noting the flaws in Prop 30. "At the end of the day, the effects of neither passing would be far worse for education in our state and for many other aspects of our state," Tom said at the Sept. 4 meeting of the school board.
The story does not note that Tom is the next-door neighbor of Many Lowell-Munger and Charlie Munger and that he surely knew that they were spending millions to kill Prop 30 while promoting Prop 38. Tom should have called that to the attention of the other board members who may not have known about Mandy Lowell-Munger's financial backing of the negative campaign on 30 and they might have wanted to take that campaign spending into account in deciding how to evaluate her comments to the board. When an advocate comes to a public body posing as a neutral arbiter giving a neutral view but actually they have $35 million worth of skin in the game that is a relevant conflict that should have been disclosed, When Mrs. Lowell-Munger didn't disclose it, neighbor and friend Dana Tom should have.
a resident of another community
on Oct 31, 2012 at 8:13 am
gsheyner is a registered user.
Fact check,
I would like to clarify the sequence. The school board meeting in which Dana Tom spoke about endorsing Propositions 30 and 38 and in which Mandy Lowell made an appearance occurred on Sept. 4. The contributions against Proposition 30 from Charles Munger were more recent. They were made between Sept. 17 and Oct. 25, according to finance records. Thanks.
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Oct 31, 2012 at 8:49 am
Gennady-- thanks for this clarification which highlights the need for full transparency on the school board. Long before Charlie Munger and Mandy Lowell-Munger started throwing millions at destroying public education in California Prop 38 was already being promoted by Molly Munger, Mandy Lowell-Munger's sister-in-law. So when Mandy Lowell came down to the school board on August 21 to lobby them to endorse her family's proposition she didn't say "and by the way, for those who have no idea (i.e., all the teachers union members and voters in Palo Alto) I am married to Charlie Munger and it is my family member who is promoting Prop 38, the very thing I am now urging you to endorse. Maybe she didn't write the giant check to kill public education until a week later, but she already had the family relationship that was undisclosed to the public. The board members knew that she was a Munger -- Dana Tom lives next door to the Mungers, and Mandy Lowell-Munger is on the campaign committees of both Melissa Caswell and Camille Townsend. So one presumes that they knew. But to the citizens and union members of Palo Alto, Mandy Lowell was just a nice former school board member who was helpfully giving them some advice about how to evaluate the 2 propositions [Portion removed due to disrespectful comment or offensive language]. This was nontransparent to say the least. The Weekly should have reported this web of connections and enhanced transparency.
a resident of Greenmeadow
on Oct 31, 2012 at 10:18 am
[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of Palo Alto High School
on Oct 31, 2012 at 11:31 am
[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of Palo Alto High School
on Oct 31, 2012 at 11:46 am
Ever think that our board members support Prop 38 because the California State PTA co-sponsors it? Take a look at Proposition 38's list of endorsers; there are plenty of school boards across the state, including ones from Basic Aid districts, on the list:
Web Link
[Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of Greenmeadow
on Oct 31, 2012 at 1:08 pm
[Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.] All I am saying is Mandy Lowell says she's an education backer but she was personally giving $35 million dollars to wreck public education in CA and buy that election on Prop 30. Someone else was saying that she should have told the public that it was her family that was pushing 38 when she got up there to advocate to the school board for it. That sounds right to me, full disclosure, this is my family's pet project.
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Oct 31, 2012 at 1:25 pm
Prop 13 was the worst thing to happen to California schools. Now Mandy and Charles Munger are joining forces with Howard Jarvis to do further damage to our schools." Anti-tax group's support can come at a price", LA Times Oct 30,2012 www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-jarvis-20121031,0,5683234.story
The American Prospect asks "Will the Munger Kids Kill California Schools?" The article outlines what lead up to 30 and 38 and why the California Teachers Association(CTA) is only supporting 30. Web Link
The CTA website says, "We need to PASS Prop 30 to stop the cuts to our schools - and we must DEFEAT Prop 32 so the billionaires & Super-PACS can't silence our voice. Let's hope the electorate listens to our teachers and not the billionaires dressed in sheep's clothing.
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Oct 31, 2012 at 1:32 pm
Link to LA Times linking Munger and Jarvis
a resident of Palo Alto High School
on Oct 31, 2012 at 1:40 pm
I don't care about whether the school board supported Prop 38 or not, or whether Mandy Lowell disclosed her connection to her sister-in-law when she spoke in favor of it. I'll probably vote for 38 though it will be a futile gesture.
I do care a lot that Mandy Lowell and Charles Munger are funding a multimillion campaign to defeat Prop 30, because that's money that our schools need. Prop 38 is losing, so Prop 30 is all we have left. To attack it is unconscionable. The latest poll is showing it at 48%. It's going to cost our district alone $5 million, and districts across California billions. (See our website at Web Link).
I also don't care much about the school board campaign, because Prop 30 is far more important. [Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of Fairmeadow
on Oct 31, 2012 at 1:52 pm
As aver of the nurses union I want to chime in here that I am horrified by this whole thing. Mandy Lowell what you are doing is [portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.] The insurers and teachers have had to spend millions on supporting Prop 30 to defend education from you and another hing is that if you have your way on 32 we won't be able to even do that! Of course you support 32 because you would like there to be no voice for the people at all.
a resident of Crescent Park
on Oct 31, 2012 at 2:00 pm
[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of East Palo Alto
on Oct 31, 2012 at 3:21 pm
[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Oct 31, 2012 at 4:14 pm
I gather the state PTA is supporting Prop 38. What's up with that? Should we be angry at them too?
a resident of East Palo Alto
on Oct 31, 2012 at 4:23 pm
Perhaps sanity will reign vis a vis this investigation as to who's in who's AZ-based group trying to affect our state politics: Web Link
a resident of Palo Alto High School
on Oct 31, 2012 at 4:28 pm
@Umm, it's not Mandy Lowell and her husband's support of Prop 38 that is the problem. I mean, it would be better if we had only one proposition but that ship has sailed. It's that they are spending millions of dollars to defeat Prop 30. That will cost PAUSD $5 million which means that Palo Alto students will be hurt. The state PTA is not spending money trying to defeat Prop 30. This is so obvious that I think you may be being obfuscatory on purpose. Here is our web site again: Web Link.
a resident of Walter Hays School
on Oct 31, 2012 at 4:59 pm
5 million dollars is almost a million dollars more than we collect each year with thousands of volunteer hours and a huge community effort. We need that money to continue to have good schools in Palo Alto. We all need to vote for Prop 30 and not listen to the negative ads!!!! And Melissa and Camille, please talk to Mandy and try to turn this around, there must be some mistake.
a resident of Barron Park
on Oct 31, 2012 at 6:56 pm
Hey weekly, why is it that whenever anyone mentions certain of your protoges in a slightly negative post, it gets removed or the thread gets shut down but when decent people like Mandy Lowell are slandered the posts are allowed to just keep coming? Mandy obviously has no desire to harm public schools - as a billionaire she could start her own school for her kids. But she continues to volunteer in our public schools even after leaving the school board and all of her children do or have attended PAUSD and one is at a public university. Weekly, why are you allowing this?
a resident of Barron Park
on Oct 31, 2012 at 6:58 pm
[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Oct 31, 2012 at 7:07 pm
@Paly Teacher - the PTA lends its credibilty, Mrs. Lowell gives her money - frankly I don't see what the difference is. They both give what they have to give.
"This is so obvious that I think you may be being obfuscatory on purpose" - right back at ya' ;-)
a resident of Community Center
on Nov 3, 2012 at 11:36 am
Peggy Duncan is a registered user.
To Ummm, is the PTA actually opposing 30? I do not believe they are actually on the same side as Mandy Lowell (but please correct me if I am wrong).
a resident of Midtown
on Nov 4, 2012 at 7:09 am
Perspective is a registered user.
To all of you still confused: Not saying I am for or against more taxes for any reason, but if you are really for more taxes for SCHOOLS, then the Mungers' backed Prop 38 is the only one that actually commits the increased tax rates to schools only. Prop 30 looks like they threw in schools as a sop to get votes, but it leaves CA free to actually spend the money any way it pleases for "public safety". So this angst over being mad at Mungers for prop 38 because you are "for schools' seems highly suspicious to me.
Me, I am for neither one, just posting because dishonest red herrings bother me.
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Cherries and Berries
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subset: commoncrawl


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Less than 1% of the water Chicagoans consume every day is reused.
The remaining unrecycled water represents a huge economic and environmental opportunity for the nation's third-largest city, according to Martin Felsen and Sarah Dunn, principal architects with UrbanLab, a Chicago architectural and design firm. Their plan for exploiting Chicago's access to Lake Michigan received top honors in the History Channel's 2006 "City of the Future" competition, which directed entrants to envision what their city might look like in 2106.
As they considered the challenge, Felsen says, he and Dunn asked themselves, "What if water were the world's most valuable resource? Wouldn't Chicago have to completely change to suit that necessity?" UrbanLab's winning design envisions Chicago's water system as a "closed loop." Canals, landscaping, and other manmade features would partner with fish, plants, and microorganisms in a "living machine" designed to recycle 100% of the city's wastewater and storm-water, returning it to Lake Michi-gan to help preserve the Great Lakes' status as an ecological and economic treasure.
UrbanLab's design also aims to enhance the city's beauty and help citizens better appreciate it. One feature is a series of "eco-boulevards," spaces where natural features invite social activity while playing their part in the closed-loop water-recycling system. The eco-boulevards feature marshes, prairies, forests, fishing and swimming holes, and other aqua-centric areas.
UrbanLab's design beat out seven other design teams from Chicago, winning $10,000 in regional prize money. The entry, along with those of two other regional finalists (New York City and Los Angeles), was posted on the History Channel's Web site at www.historychannel.com. When online voters chose UrbanLab's entry as the overall winner, Felsen and Dunn took home an additional $10,000.
New York City came in second with a project that imagines the city's streets flooded by the effects of global warming. Los Angeles' third-place entry finds new uses for out-of-date freeways.
While UrbanLab's design looks at Chicago 100 years from now, the city doesn't have to wait a century to start managing its water resources more efficiently.
"Most of these ideas can be implemented tomorrow," Felsen says. "You don't have to wait."
To view UrbanLab's winning design, visit www.urbanlab.com/h2o.


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UTSA community invited to QEP focus groups
By Marianne McBride Lewis
Director of Public Affairs
(Sept. 12, 2008)--As UTSA continues work on the reaffirmation of accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, students, faculty and staff are encouraged to attend focus group sessions Sept. 15-18 to learn about the three Quality Enhancement Plan proposals under consideration.
Today's headlines
- La Prensa Foundation is newest member of UTSA Lone Star Society
- UTSA alumna Jordan Kaufmann wins $50K for new stent-graft start-up
- UTSA begins new way-finding sign installation this summer at Main Campus
- USA Today: UTSA long jumper Tyler Williamson rescues three-year-old boy
Article tools
One of the three proposals will become part of the UTSA reaccreditation effort, and committee members are asking for direct feedback. (View the focus group schedule.)
The QEP is a new requirement in the SACS-COC reaccreditation process, described as a "carefully designed and focused course of action that addresses one or more critical issues related to enhancing student learning."
"We have had broad-based participation in the QEP session with 131 people attending to date," said Sandra Welch, UTSA vice provost for accountability and institutional effectiveness. "The attendees represent every college and vice presidential area, as well as students from freshmen through seniors. We strongly encourage the participation this week of those who have not attended a focus group. Participation from every group in the university community is essential in UTSA's reaccreditation process."
The three proposals under consideration are "Maximizing the Relevance of Graduate Education for Current and Prospective Students," "Quantitative Scholarship: From Literacy to Mastery" and "Service Learning: The Paseo to Lifelong Learning."
Those unable to attend the upcoming focus groups can view the latest proposal information, QEP drafts, PowerPoint and streaming video presentation for each of the three finalists on the QEP Pre-Proposal Finalist Web site. At the site, select "QEP Review Survey" to provide feedback on the proposals by answering three questions.
Get involved and help leadership guide UTSA toward premier public research university status. The deadline for QEP feedback is Friday, Sept. 19.


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Pulaski Tech student Aaron DeClerk was the lucky winner of a scholarship during the college's annual PTC Night at Dickey-Stephens Ball Park.
The drawing took place between the sixth and seventh innings during the Arkansas Travelers game against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on July 30.
DeClerk, 40, of North Little Rock, said the scholarship will help him get closer to his goal of completing his college degree and finding a good IT job in the area of network security. He put off going to college immediately after high school and instead joined the U.S. Marines for four years. After his duty, he went to work in automotive technology industry. As vehicles became increasingly computerized, DeClerk got interested in the computer side of the industry.
Last fall, he enrolled at PTC and is working toward an Associate of Applied Science in Computer Information Systems (Networking Option). He's already completed his Security+ certification.
"I knew I didn't have the mindset for college immediately after high school," DeClerk said. "It took me to 40 years to get there, but now it really means something to me."
Pulaski Technical College


text:
Friday, February 1, 2013
Pennsylvania Convention Center
Room 103AB
Pre-registration for the Drug Discovery of Ion Channels XIII Satellite Meeting is now closed. On-site registration will be available starting at 8:00 AM on Friday, February 1, 2013 outside of Room 103AB.
Ion channels are an important class of therapeutic drug targets, and mutations in ion channel genes are found to be responsible for an increasing number of diseases. While conventional electrophysiological techniques permit the most detailed and direct study of ion channel function, they are limited due to the manual nature of the method and their low throughput. Because of this, ion channels remain an underrepresented target class for drug discovery. The advent of higher throughput automated electrophysiology systems has begun to change the face of ion channel drug discovery. This symposium will review the advances in automated electrophysiology and other emerging technologies and their impact on ion channel drug discovery today. This year's meeting will highlight presentations from users of automated electrophysiology instrumentation as well as other speakers in the field of ion channel drug discovery.
8:00 AM - 8:30 AM Registration/Introduction
8:30 AM - 9:15 AM Keynote Speaker: Laszlo Kiss, SPS, Bristol-Myers Squibb
Ion Channel Drug Discovery: Past, Present, and Future Perspectives
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM Jonathan W. Theile, Pfizer-Neusentis US
Assessment of Na channel Physiology and Pharmacology with Automated Patch Clamp
9:45 AM - 10:15 AM Ron Knox, Bristol-Myers Squibb
Identifying Modulators of Sodium Channel Activity using Automated Patch Clamp
10:15 AM - 10:45 AM Break
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM Igor Dzhura, Novartis MA
Assay Development for TRPM5 Channel Modulators
11:15 AM - 11:45 PM Adrienne Dubin, Scripps Research Institute
Inflammatory Signals Enhance Piezo2-Mediated Mechanosensitive Currents
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM Juha Kammonen, Pfizer
K2P Assay Development on Electrophysiology Platforms
12:15 PM - 1:30 PM Lunch Break
1:30 PM - 2:15 PM Keynote Speaker: Arthur "Buzz" Brown, Chairman & CSO, ChanRx
TdP or not TdP
2:15 PM - 2:45 PM John Graef, Axion BioSystems
Validation of an Automated Electrophysiology Platform for the Screening of Nicotinic Agonists and Antagonists
2:45 PM - 3:15 PM Claire Townsend, GlaxoSmithKline
From Biophysics to Screening: Applications of an Automated Patch Clamp System in Drug Discovery
3:15 PM - 3:30 PM Break
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM Maria Garcia, Kanalis Consulting
The Role of Kv2 Channels in Pancreatic Hormone Secretion
4:00 PM - 4:30 PM Mat Brock, Axion Biosystems
A High-Throughput Multi-Electrode Array Platform for Phenotypic Electrophysiological Screening
4:30 PM - 5:00 PM Martin Langecker, Technical University Munich
Ion Channels Made from DNA
5:00 PM - 5:15 PM Closing Remarks, Morten Sunesen, Co-Chair
Sponsored by:


text:
Town Square
How do you parents handle teens and their cellphone/texting behavior?
Original post made by Big Meanie, Valley Trails, on Mar 3, 2009
I think these 2 rules are pretty straightforward and fair. It obviously takes them way longer to finish their homework if they're texting at the same time (they wouldn't be doing it in school) and on a school night, access to ALL media (internet/TV/phone) ends at bedtime.

Other than that, they're pretty much free to use them as they wish. Plus, I'm paying for them. What do you all think?

a resident of Amador Estates
on Mar 3, 2009 at 11:17 am
I think you are a great mom/dad. I know kids who aren't allowed to text at all and then those that have no texting limitations. I think a compromise between the two is the best. Bravo!
I also limit my kids "media" time until homework is done, always have, and I have seen nothing but positive results. They are more organized, focused, maintain good grades and feel a sense of accomplishment when the work is done and then they get the rewards of TV, texting, computer...
a resident of Pleasanton Valley
on Mar 3, 2009 at 11:33 am
When our teens were that age, we had similar rules. I said I would never have a phone in the their rooms but cellphones changed the playing field.
When they first got cellphones, no phones at the table, no phones (texting) while watching movies with the family, phones left in the car for church, phones on the table while studying, and no texting or calling after 10 pm on school nights.
I did not take the phones away at night, but relied on their willpower and reviewed their bill closely for times. If they didn't follow the rules, the phones were put on the kitchen table at night. Sometimes I removed the texting plan all together to make my point.
You can't watch them all the time. Give 'em enough rope and let them suffer consequences of clear boundaries.
Does that help?
My kids claim we are the odd parents too.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 3, 2009 at 11:34 am
why do they need a cellphone to begin with? It's silly!
a resident of Downtown
on Mar 3, 2009 at 11:35 am
Just to clarify, virtually ALL kids tell their parents they are the meanest!!! Best thing I ever did was as you have, start asking other parents regarding what they do. That way you really know what is reasonable with their peers. Kids today sleep with Ipods in their ears, TV on, cell phone next to pillow and lights full blast. Too much stimulation IMHO.
a resident of Vintage Hills
on Mar 3, 2009 at 2:32 pm
An entire generation are compuslive texters and computer users.
They are starting to hit the work force they are a joke.
It starts as teenagers when they begin texting.
A typical text starts with something like
" I'm bored, what are you doing"
or " I miss you".
Give me a frigin break!
President Obams often says that the American people are what makes this country great. Quite frankly, if we have to rely on the moronic texting generation, we are doomed.
a resident of Valley Trails
on Mar 3, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Hey Ceaser, classifying my kids or any other kids as morons simply because they are adept at new techonologies is a lame attempt at trolling, or possibly just you flaunting your ignorance. Go away, troll.
To others, thanks for your constructive comments ... ttyl
a resident of Del Prado
on Mar 3, 2009 at 4:53 pm
As a teacher, I can tell you that texting is a nightmare. I require all cell phones to be placed on their desks when they are in my class. The most appalling thing is when PARENTS are texting their kids during the day. Ridiculous! When I confiscated a phone from a student, the parent didn't seem to understand why. In short, texting inhibits a child's ability to focus on their studies, and clearly fosters anti-social behavior. For my own kids, the cell phones are left on the counter during homework time and bedtime. Lastly, I'd like to say to all those parents who allow their kids to 'text' at the dinner table in restaurants; you are encouraging rude behavior!
a resident of Amberwood/Wood Meadows
on Mar 3, 2009 at 5:31 pm
I saw a lady today with a cell phone held up to her ear and trying to hold a conversation with a person on the phone while at the same time trying to say hi to some people she recognized. I don't know if she realized how absurd she looked.
a resident of Amberwood/Wood Meadows
on Mar 3, 2009 at 5:41 pm
P.S. I think what you're doing is fine.
a resident of Del Prado
on Mar 3, 2009 at 6:05 pm
Who cares if your kids think you are mean. You are there to parent them, not to be their friend. Kids need boundries. Also, don't use the word "huffy" it makes you sound old.
a resident of Amberwood/Wood Meadows
on Mar 3, 2009 at 6:16 pm
PLEASE - - keep doing what you are doing. Take it a step further and take them away during school hours. It is impossible for us to get them to stop texting during class. And, like you said, the stuff they text about is moronic.
I agree with a previous poster that if we are to continue in this way we will be a nation of morons. The kids are not learning normal social skills.
a resident of Amberwood/Wood Meadows
on Mar 3, 2009 at 6:34 pm
I'm just curious. Why is there apparently not a "cell phones off" rule in school?
a resident of Valley Trails
on Mar 3, 2009 at 8:09 pm
yes, I agree that I am not here to be my kids' friend as much as their parent. I am convinced my rules on cellphone use are more than fair, despite what they say. They're lucky we are able to afford them the luxury. I was simply curious as to what other parents are doing nowadays.
a resident of Vintage Hills
on Mar 3, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Big Weeny
Sticks and stones.
Back to the subject at hand. I hired a young high school teacher to watch my kids last summer and she could not stop texting. It is a mental illness. Also, I know of two teenagers than never speak verbally to each other even if they are in each other's pressence.
That is retarded.
a resident of Pleasanton Valley
on Mar 3, 2009 at 11:23 pm
My kids also think I'm mean but they seem to have a lot of good stuff. They're too young to have cell phones but my daughter keeps asking me for one.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 4, 2009 at 1:13 am
No 1 cn spl anymr either. U R the parent? Act lke it. LOL. Gotta go, KOS (kid over shoulder)
a resident of Vineyard Hills
on Mar 4, 2009 at 8:10 am
I utilize those same rules. My cell service is with TMobile, and they have "family allowances" that let me block usage during certain times of the day, with the exception of numbers I can program. This helps tremendously, because my daughter would text the entire day at school. I wish the schools would enforce their "Cell Phone" rules and take the phones away from the kids, however, my kids say the teachers are on their cell phones in class, so who monitors them.
a resident of Golden Eagle
on Mar 4, 2009 at 10:04 am
I think you are right on. I do not let my kids have their cell phones during homework or dinner. That is the time to concentrate and a time for family. In fact they have to turn them off. If they do not they will ring or vibrate and that will make them want to get up and check who sent them a message. They are also not allowed to have them on during school hours. Sometimes I will call or text them to see if they turned them off. I am often called the meanest dad.
Caeser, they are still kids and to call them names makes you look like one. Didn't you do something with your generation that made your parents scratch their heads? Long Hair, Music, Mo Hawk, Drugs, Bell Bottoms, Something? Or have you always been perfect?
a resident of Amador Estates
on Mar 4, 2009 at 10:11 am
It's easy, I just contacted our cell phone provider and blocked texting on my son's phone. I did this because he had run up $50 in text messaging one month.
a resident of Avila
on Mar 4, 2009 at 10:13 am
I had a Professor in college who threw cell phones out the window if they went off in class, God I miss him. BTW I took the text option off my kids phones and their grade point average went up, Go figure!
a resident of Foxborough Estates
on Mar 4, 2009 at 10:20 am
I had similar rules for my kids who are now adults. They now thank me for being a parent who set rules and guidelines and didn't give in to pressure from them, their friends or their friends parents to follow the crowd. We as adults can now be "friends" with our kids and take pride in the wonderful human beings they have become!
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 4, 2009 at 10:47 am
We bought the phone for our son for his 12th birthday (he is 13 next week), but decided on the Pay-as-you-Go plan rather than adding him to our service. He is responsible for paying all fees. This is a bit of a challenge because his argument is that he pays, so he should get to use it whenever he wants. But, on the flip side, we find that he is very conservative with using it and he cools off his friends if they call/text him excessively because it costs him. Our bigger challenge is that he has a laptop for school and is using IM alot - - probably during homework, but without watching over his shoulder.....
I guess if we're going to give them the tools (toys?) we just have to instill the proper measure of responsibility, restraint, and respect along with the privilege and hope that they catch on. Our rule is that if grades are not kept at an expected level, these privileges will be impacted.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 4, 2009 at 11:08 am
My children have cell phones for safety reasons. I do not allow them to send text messages. If their friends text them, they know they have to call them back instead or wait until they get home and send an email.
Texting is not good for many reasons: you do not really know who is on the other end, there could be many people sending one text and pretending, and texting also interferes with proper social interaction since many children prefer the safety of texting than that of one-on-one or phone conversations.
Texting, in my opinion, is wrong for children and teens, so I do not allow my kids to be a part of it.
a resident of Amador Valley High School
on Mar 4, 2009 at 1:06 pm
"I'm just curious. Why is there apparently not a "cell phones off" rule in school?"
There is a rule, and the teachers enforce it. Here's the protocol:
1st offense: take the phone away and give it back at the end of the period
2nd offense: give the phone to the office (which is a huge pain, by the way, because we only have a 6 minute passing period and have to prepare to teach... and maybe go to the bathroom?) and the student picks it up at the end of the day.
3rd offense: give it to the office (again) and the parents have to come pick it up (and many of them get mad at the teacher or the school instead of their own kid b/c of the hassle.
Now multiply this process by 34 kids while you're also enforcing the dress code, telling them to take I-pods out of their ears, etc. and let's not forget TEACHING. It's just a nightmare.
One other thing is that the kids are so practiced at texting while hiding it from the teacher that they can text without having to look at the keypad with the phone in their pocket (or with the phone between their legs under their desk, which really puts the teacher in an uncomfortable situation).
Parents, please help us with this! It really does undermine the learning process. On top of that, we teachers don't want to be the "phone Nazis". We'd rather put our energies into developing positive, trusting relationships with our students.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 4, 2009 at 7:59 pm
We only allowed text added to the phone after a 3.0 from each kid. Same rules as the original dad plus no texting/phone calls at dinner - we still have a family dinner - and if we go out, no phones (up on the table in silent or off).
When I substituted, I was told no electronics. I didn't know the protocol as given above. One kid came in talking on the cellphone. When the bell rang, I asked him & the rest to put all electronics away. Another was listening to a walkman / ipod (it was a number of years ago.) I confiscated it for the period. The sophomore was upset because I hadn't turned it off and "wasted" his batteries. In the next period, I told the class "no electronics". If I find one, I'm confiscating it and you can pick up at the end of the day from me. If you miss me, you can pick it up at the office. I didn't have problems for the rest of the day (I don't think kids have changed much - test substitutes to see how much you can get away with is the name of the game.)
I have received text messages from my kid at school - I'm at work. Text at my work place works - often phone does not. I do know the questions are between bells and the response can be seen then or at the next bell. Kid at college also texts. I finally figured out e-mailing him is much easier (graduation present was a blackberry).
I did see an improvement in my son's writing when he started e-mailing and later texting. He only "graduated out" of needing CLAD trained teachers as a senior; he was mainstreamed and not in English as a Second Language - he started learning English in 2nd grade. His younger sister started in K as an "above average" student - English acquisition came very quickly for her learning within the 6 months of the K testing. He still needed remedial English in college (this semester) and had tutoring to get him through some classes based on essay tests last semester. However, please note - e-mail & texting was after homework was completed.
a resident of California Somerset
on Mar 4, 2009 at 9:53 pm
I think you're more than reasonable, and you actually care. You're being a good parent.
a resident of California Somerset
on Mar 4, 2009 at 9:58 pm
Speaking of cell phones, I learned today that we are all morons to sign two year cell phone contracts. Most of us would save money by buying minutes.
a resident of Ruby Hill
on Mar 4, 2009 at 10:53 pm
(Comment deemed inappropriate by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff)
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 5, 2009 at 12:07 am
As I said on another board...Big Mike...get help! (And I don't just mean with your deplorable spelling!).
a resident of Hacienda Gardens
on Mar 5, 2009 at 10:08 am
Dad, you are doing the right thing.
2nd meanest dad in the world according to my 14 and 16 year old children!
a resident of Birdland
on Mar 5, 2009 at 11:14 am
Good job mean dads!!
I am a teacher in another district, and similar to Pleasanton, we also have a cell phone policy. It seems to me that the policy in PUSD may be too loose.
In our district:
First Offense: Phone taken away, given to office to hold for a minimum of 24 hours at which time the parent/guardian need to come pick it up - no exceptions...If your parent's are working...TOO BAD...you shouldn't have been using your phone!!
Second Offense: Same as first. Students also assigned a Saturday School. If they don't make it to Saturday school, it is doubled.
Third Offense and each subsequent offense: Same as first and second. An additional Saturday School and assigned to on campus community service.
I teach 11th and 12th graders and it is rare that phones become a problem. Students test the waters at the beginning of the year, but once they see the teacher is consistent in enforcing the rules, the problem stops.
a resident of Birdland
on Mar 5, 2009 at 11:16 am
I forgot to mention...
Phones need to be OFF and in the student's backpack (not in their pocket.) This prevents students from texting while not looking or the classic "I was just checking to see what time it is."
a resident of Pleasanton Heights
on Mar 6, 2009 at 9:46 am
We have a simple solution in our household-- the boys' cell phones have the texting feature disabled. Meaning, our carrier (AT&T) does not provide that service for our kids' cell phones. I know our older boy would be the texting king of the world if we allowed it. I don't know why the service carriers charge so much more for texting anyway, since my understanding is that it requires less bandwidth than voice. Go figure. Bottom line-- have texting disabled! Why pay for that extra feature for your kids to text "I'm bored" to their friends? Bored?? Go read a book!!
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 6, 2009 at 10:23 am
It's good training for the future. Like it or not, texting, micro-blogging, etc. are the skills used in the new business world.
a resident of another community
on Mar 6, 2009 at 2:23 pm
[post removed due to not furthering discussion]
a resident of another community
on Mar 6, 2009 at 2:29 pm
[post removed due to not furthering discussion]
a resident of another community
on Mar 6, 2009 at 2:29 pm
[post removed due to not furthering discussion]


text: We're coming down to your place with a sense of urgency this week. KC is peaking at the right time and the team looks confident. I'm not too confident about our chances in Dallas (your D is pretty damn good and despite what I'm reading, your O still has some weapons) however, we haven't beaten a good team on the road all year. I have been reading about your O-line problems and have watched several Dallas games this year. Your O was clicking early in the year but seems to have dropped off. Anyway, I used to live in Dallas and couldn't stand Cowboy fans, but most of you seem like the non-homer, anti-bandwagon type so that's good.


text:
Stay connected with us to get the latest health and fitness news, innovative workouts, healthy recipes and wellness tips.
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ACE Fit Share
Lush vanilla- and rosemary-scented plums marry beautifully with succulent pork tenderloin.
Nutrition Profile:
Diabetes Appropriate
Gluten Free Diet
Healthy Weight
Heart Healthy
High Potassium
Low Calorie
Low Sat Fat
Low Sodium
Serves 4
Prep Time 30 min
Total Time 60 min.
Step 1
To roast plums: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place plums and 2 rosemary sprigs in an 8-inch-square baking dish. Whisk water, vinegar, 4 tablespoons sugar and peppercorns in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; add the seeds and bean to the vinegar mixture. Pour the mixture over the plums. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
Step 2
Roast the plums, uncovered, until tender and beginning to break down, 20 to 25 minutes. Discard the rosemary and the vanilla bean. Transfer the plums to a serving platter and cover with foil. Strain the roasting liquid into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high; cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, 6 to 8 minutes. Pour the sauce over the plums; keep warm.
Step 3
To prepare pork: Meanwhile, heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with pepper and salt. Add to the skillet and brown on all sides, 5 to 8 minutes.
Step 4
Transfer the pan to the oven; bake at 400° until an instant-read thermometer registers 155° and the pork has just a hint of pink in the center, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. (The internal temperature will increase to 160° during resting.) Cut the pork into thin slices and serve with the roasted plums.
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text:
I tried to standardize on one size of top bar for 3 of my tbhs. However, after seeing some of the bars getting two combs built on them, I adjusted the brood bars to 1 1/4 for my 4th hive. This adjustment is working out fine for that hive.
However, I have 3 hives that have built 2 combs on 1 bar. These are brood combs which I plan on moving out from the brood are into the honey area in order to move in smaller bars. What other options do I have with this double comb building? This problem is my fault for trying to use a on size fits all top bar width.


text:
Charming Loft Trastevere
お部屋の大きさ55 m²
Floor No.0(with elevator)
- ファミリー/子供と一緒に泊まれる
- キッチン
- エアコン
- テレビ
- 建物内にエレベーター有り
- タオル
- インターネット/WiFi
Accommodation summary
|Via della Cisterna, 00153 Roma, イタリア
The apartment is on the ground floor of an amazing historical building that dates back to the 1600s, probably built by a Bramante's scholar.
The loft is on two levels and can cozily host up to 4 people. In the first level there is a wide living room with a double sofabed, a fully equipped kitchenette and a bathroom with shower. On the second level there is a double bedroom with television.
Just out of the building you will be involved in the typical roman atmosphere, having an espresso in the popular bar of San Callisto or a beer in one of the several pubs spread all over in Trastevere.
ハウスルールTourist tax € 3.5 per person per night for a maximum of 10 days (children less than 10 years are exempt)
Check in after 3PM
|¥ 261820 ゲスト・宿泊日の追加
|Check-in before
Nos encanto el apartemento mejor ubicacion no podia tener en trastevere. Susana la chica que nos recibio encantadora y nos recomendo varios sitios para cenar buenisimos! Volveria a este apartamento sin dudarlo!!
Rome blijft een heerlijke stad. We waren wel onaangenaam verrast doordat het adres van deze Loft niet bestond! Wimdu geeft Via della Cisterna 20 aan maar dit nummer was in de gehele straat niet te vinden. Davide hebben we nooit gezien en was ook niet bereikbaar op de 2 mobiele nummers die we hadden gekregen (steeds voicemail), we kregen geen reactie op de sms. Bij nummer 22 stond een mevrouw die vroeg of wij voor Suzanna kwamen en zo niet dan kon ze ons ook niet helpen. Uiteindelijk bleek ze (30 minuten later) toch onze sleutel bij zich te hebben. Ondertussen hadden wij al wel het gevoel bedrogen te zijn en waren we aan het rondkijken naar een hotel.
Het is geen Loft maar een kelder. Er was geen WIFI terwijl dit wel bij de specs. stond.
Our family of four adults had a lovely and relaxing stay in Rome at your roof terrace. Accommodations, facilities and staff were excellent. Thank you Alessia and Roberto!
Nice apartment in an excellent location right in the hearth of Rome. We stayed in the apartment for 4 days in september and used the wonderfull roof terrasse alot. It is quite big and has a wonderfull view of the sourrunding roofs.
The apartment is nice, big bathroom and a nice kitchen with everything you need to make your stay confortable.
Make sure to eat at the restaurant in the same house no. 48 it is brilliant.
Booking and checking in went fine. However the communication is a bit confusing as you communicate both with the owner (who I think is Alessi), we were welcomed by an other couple and for questions regarding transport etc. you need to communicate with an agency who were not very responsive.
We were happy with our stay and will stay here again next time we visit Rome.
We enjoyed our stay in Rome. The house was ideally located near Piazza Navona and clean enough. However there were a few disappointments concerning the house. The bedroom has no window and only airconditioning which didn`t cool! The tap in the kitchen is not fixed tot the sink and moves about. And the showerhead in the bathroom is broken with attempts at repair and even a new showerhead in the closet which was the wrong size. Showering was not a pleasant experience! Although Alessia was friendly and immediately answered that they woud repair it, this of course wasn't done during our stay.... (and the fact that it had been repaired before implied that it was already a known problem). The state of the apartment doesn't match the price...
Amazing location, fabulous apartment!
Andrea was excellent at communication and explained everything we needed to know about the apartment.
If you only stay in one place in Rome - stay here. The view of the Pantheon and the entertainment in the square were brilliant. Maybe take some earplugs for the weekend though. You also get a 15% discount at the restaurant right outside the apartment.
This apartment was perfect for me and my two friends. Spacious and clean with a rooftop balcony with amazing view over Piazza della Rotonda and Pantheon. With this location, you can walk to all of the cities best sights. The receptionists are also very helpful. Our stay in this apartment definitely enrichened our weekend in Rome!
Very nice stay in a beautiful flat well furnished. Perfect location, close to everything. We 've had a problem with flodding in the flat. it was solved fluently on a Sunday and did not disturb our stay at all.
Location is perfect! Very central with a lot of nice restaurants nearby, but still quiet. since it is located in a little street. Hosts are gentle and helpful.
We very much enjoyed our stay in Rome in Davide's appartment. A friendly and warm welcome, a nice, well equipped, clean and comfortable appartment in a very quiet street in the center of Rome, a splendid view from the superb terrace - what else would one need to feel like you are heaven on earth. We also appreciated Danieles' and Davide's precious help with transport from and to the airport.
The only minor drawback was the heating in the appartment which was not efficient enough for this time of the year.
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Personally, I am not too impressed with Taurus.
I just bought a PM9 today, and will try it tomorrow.
It is my understanding, that they routinely require a breakin.
You also may not have lubed it enough, and over time, it dried.
Give it 1 more trip before you jump to conclusions


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The Republic of Yemen is a country located in the Arabian Peninsula, bordered by the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. With more than 23 million people, it is the second largest country in the Arabian Peninsula in terms of both population and size. Through the Middle East Coexistence House (MECH) and the Center for Negotiation and Conflict Resolution (CNCR) at the Bloustein School for Planning and Public Policy (BSPPP), Rutgers has a relationship with the Yemeni civil society organization Partners for Democratic Change – Yemen (PDC-Y). The PDC-Y Director Dr. Nadwa al-Dawsari (a former Humphrey Fellow at the BSPPP) has visited Rutgers on several occasions and addressed students on the subject of tribal conflict resolution in Yemen, and laid the groundwork for an online exchange between Yemeni and Rutgers students.
Rutgers has a history of engagement with Yemeni themes, medieval and modern. Yemen remains a rich source for linguistic research. In addition to Arabic, the official language, Yemen is home to a number of endangered Semitic languages that are spoken in the extreme north and eastern parts of the country, including Razihi (spoken in the Jabal Razih), Mahri (spoken in the Mahra Governorate), and Soqotri (spoken on the island of Soqotra). Recently, Charles G. Haberl received a grant from the American Institute of Yemeni Studies to perform fieldwork on Mahri.
Yemen is also home to the Yemen College of Middle Eastern Studies (YCMES), located in the capital of Sanaa. Several Rutgers students and faculty have traveled to Yemen on their own initiative and participated in YCMES' summer Arabic program.


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Gainesville Police Chief Search Update
Gainesville City Manager Russ Blackburn announced the names of five finalists for the position of police chief Monday afternoon.
Finalists are as follows:
Joseph Curreri of LaCanada, CA, has served as Captain on four different assignments for the Los Angeles Police Department.
Craig Goralski of Houston, TX, has served as Captain on four different assignments for the Houston Police Department.
Major Richard Hanna, of Gainesville, previously served as Captain for the Gainesville Police Department.
Richard Lemack has served as the Assistant City Manager and Assistant Chief of Police in Hollywood, Fla.
Antonio Williams, of Baltimore, MD, served as the Chief of Police for the University of Maryland, Baltimore County as well as Assistant Chief in several positions for the Baltimore Police Department.
The finalist interview process is scheduled to take place Tuesday, Aug. 11 and Wednesday, Aug. 12 and will include a panel interview led by Gainesville City Manager Blackburn, one-on-one interviews with Blackburn, a tour of the city and GPD facilities as well as a community reception to allow the public to meet the finalists.
Related Stories
- Gainesville Police Chief Search Update
- Gainesville Police Chief Search Narrows
- Police Chief Search Down to Five
- Gainesville Police Chief Responds To Critics
- Gainesville's Police Chief Plans to Retire
- Gainesville City Manager Looking for Candidates to Fill Police Chief Position
- Gainesville Meets to Discuss Police Chief Position Opening
- Gainesville Police Chief To Resign July 6
- Recruitment Process for Gainesville's Police Chief Revealed
- Gainesville Police Chief Candidates Meet the Community


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Stay connected with us to get the latest health and fitness news, innovative workouts, healthy recipes and wellness tips.
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Fresh-tasting lemon-mint vinaigrette dresses up snap peas and lima beans in a hurry. The creamy texture of limas is a perfect counterpart to the crunch of the sugar snap peas. Try this vinaigrette with asparagus and green beans too.
Nutrition Profile:
Diabetes Appropriate
Gluten Free Diet
Healthy Weight
Heart Healthy
High Fiber
Low Calorie
Low Carb
Low Cholesterol
Low Sat Fat
Low Sodium
Serves 6
Prep Time 15 min
Total Time 15 min.
Step 1
Whisk shallot, oil, lemon juice, mint, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
Step 2
Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a medium saucepan fitted with a steamer basket. Steam snap peas and lima beans until the snap peas are tender-crisp and the lima beans are heated through, 5 to 7 minutes. Toss with the vinaigrette.
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Sponsored Tingles: SCENEtourage – Ethan Hunt vs Sherlock Holmes
On to week 5 of our SCENEtourage series. Each week we've been teaming up with our friends at SCENE to bring you highlights from some major upcoming Hollywood releases and giving you a chance to enter to win FREE movies at a Cineplex Entertainment Theatre for you and a guest for ONE YEAR! Details on how to enter as well as the many benefits of being a SCENE member are below. Have you entered yet? And do you have a card? You should even if it's just for the food discounts. I cannot NOT eat during a movie.
Last week we featured Jonah Hill in The Sitter. This week, well, it's a battle royale.
Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol goes head to head with Robert Downey Jr 's Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows. Ten years ago, this would be no contest. And in just 5 years, Tom Cruise became a joke, while RDJ took over as a box office player with two major franchises on his resume.
So...how do you choose this weekend?
I know, I know...
Popular opinion these days is that Tom Cruise is goofy and RDJ is the super cool. Strangely though, and I found this very surprising, as of 8pm ET on Tuesday, December 13, when this post was written, Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol is ranking higher than Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows. Interestingly enough though, while the Mission: Impossible (the colon in this title is SO annoying!) reviews are largely positive, they also sound, at least from the half dozen or so that I've read, a little patronising, as if their standards for Tom Cruise these days are not the standards they hold to RDJ. I'm...not sure if that's fair. From what I understand, Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol is better than M:I3. Also, as you know, Tom Cruise does all his stunts and Simon Pegg and Jeremy Renner are awesome. I've also heard that RDJ and Jude Law are adorable together, again, in Game of Shadows. Like, watching them makes you want to cover your face and giggle.
So...how do you choose?
Now about the contest. What exactly can you win? How about 48,000 SCENE points! That's two movies per month for you and a guest for an entire year!
And how do you win? First, you have to be a Canadian resident, at least 14 years old, and a SCENE member in good standing. If you're not familiar with SCENE, it's the first and only entertainment rewards program in Canada that is packed with benefits including FREE Movies and 10% off movie snacks at Cineplex Entertainment Theatres, and exclusive Contests and Discounts for SCENE members only. Points are easy to earn and redeem and you'll get 250 just for joining. Click here to join SCENE and for more details.
Once you join, click here to go to our contest page and fill out the ballot. Fill out the form and enter your SCENE membership number. The grand prize draw will take place on December 29, 2011 and the winner will be contact via the email address provided. We'll also be doing weekly draws for two movie passes (2000 SCENE points) from entries received between featured SCENEtourage posts. We're drawing two winners this week. So get to it and good luck!


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Hey everyone!
I just got home from teaching martial arts at Fanime Con in San Jose, CA. While there, I met a scout trooper from the 501st, and I finally thought to talk to someone (him) about his costume and how he made it. After chatting for a bit, I admitted that my interest wasn't in troppers, but rather Fett/Mandalorians. He directed to this site, saying it was the best resource for getting in touch with fellow enthusiasts and costumers.
I'm going to start browsing through these forums, but to let you know where I'm at... I'm at square zero. I have never done any costuming of any kind, and am not even sure if I have the skill set to make my own (though I'd love to learn). It would be great to chat with some of you to see where is the best place to start, and to even help me get an idea of what I'm getting into (budget, time commitment, skills & tools required, etc). My biggest interest is in doing a custom Mandalorian, but I do love classic Fett. I'd like to hear people's thoughts on which I should started with. Should I buy all the armor pieces and customize them, or should I make my own? Also hearing what people's experiences are with custom Mandalorians would be great (colors or color schemes that seemed cool but didn't work, custom gadgets or armor, etc).
To give you a little more background on me... I live in San Diego and work full time as a personal banker. I am also going to school to get my Bachelors in Criminal Justice, with the goal of making a career change into law enforcement. In my spare time I: practice Krav Maga, practice & teach 16th century European weapon styles, target shoot with my recurve bow, game on my PC, read, go to the beach, and spend time with my fiance.
I look forward to getting to know everyone here, and chatting with you all to get the ball rolling on an awesome costume!


text: Consider these exciting options The learning opportunities listed below are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to academics at Calvin. With all these options, you're sure to find your niche. The Calvin Honors Program Over 500 Calvin students participate in the Calvin Honors Program, which provides opportunities to deepen your studies and learn in innovative, interdisciplinary settings. Learn more. The Calvin Research Fellows The Calvin Research Fellows Program celebrates the academic and extracurricular interests and ambitions of top students entering Calvin's incoming class. It creates a unique community in which Calvin students pursue deeper learning in and beyond the classroom. Learn more. Summer Science Research Over 100 summer research fellowships are available in astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, biochemistry, geology, geography, engineering, mathematics, physics and psychology. Apply in the spring semester of each year for positions the following summer. Learn more. McGregor Summer Research Fellowships Research isn't just for the sciences. Apply for one of 12+ summer research positions with professors in areas such as political science, music, sociology, communications and more. Apply in the spring semester of each year for positions the following summer. Learn more. First-Year Research in Earth Science (FYRES) This hands-on research course is for first-year students in any major (or undecided) and fulfills your general science core requirement. Conduct sand dune research and present your findings to community partners. Apply at calvin.edu/go/fyres. Phage Research Program Discover your own bacterial virus, called a "phage" in this first-year, two-semester research course for students majoring in the sciences. You'll also get a chance to sequence your phage's DNA and catalog its data in an international database. Apply at calvin.edu/go/phage. Music ensembles You don't have to be a music major at Calvin to participate in one of nine ensembles: Capella, Women's Chorale, Wind Ensemble, Campus Choir, Calvin Orchestra, Oratorio Society, Gospel Choir, Handbell Ensemble and Knollcrest Band. Audition at your summer orientation session. Learn more. Calvin Theatre Company Collaborate on three or more productions per year. Audition for a place in the company during your summer orientation session, and audition for parts in productions during casting calls. Also get involved in non-acting roles: set design, lighting, sound engineering, costume design and more. Visit the CTC site. John M. Perkins Leadership Fellows The John M. Perkins Leadership Fellows is a scholarship program for first-generation college students that cultivates Christian leaders who engage big issues like poverty, injustice, reconciliation and materialism in our multicultural world. Learn more at calvin.edu/go/perkins-fellows. First-Year Seminar In this half-semester course for first-year students, professors help you make the transition from high school classrooms to college learning. Get a sneak peak of course videos at calvin.edu/fys/. Comenius Scholars Program If your major is in the humanities (e.g. history, philosophy, religion), take advantage of this opportunity to get a paid internship in the Grand Rapids community. Apply in the fall semester of each year for a spring internship. Jubilee Fellows Think you might be called to full-time ministry? Test your calling in this intensive ministry internship program that combines a spring course with a summer-long internship in a church setting. Learn more at our Jubilee Fellows page. Internships In the past few years, 86% of graduates reported having at least one internship while at Calvin—many of them paid! Because Calvin is located in a growing center of industry and entrepreneurship, opportunities at amazing companies are available year-round. Ask your professors for internship connections, or work with Career Development to find opportunities. Interim Calvin's January term allows you to take unusual courses on campus or spend three weeks learning in one of 30 locations around the world. Study "Flavors and Fragrances" in chemistry, visit the homes of early American authors in New England or do hands-on development work in Cambodia. Check out this year's off-campus interim options. Off-Campus (Study Abroad) Programs Study in 12 locations around the world through Calvin's faculty-led semester programs. Other Calvin-approved programs allow you to apply financial aid to study in other locations around the world, including Chicago, Thailand, Germany, Japan and many more. Learn more. First Year Reserach in Earth Sciences (F.Y.R.E.S. ) In the FYRES program students have the opportunity to take a physical science course in which they learn by doing science. From the beginning to the end of the semester (and beyond), students are immersed in research activities that focus on Lake Michigan coastal dunes. Naturally, these activities include spending considerable time at the dunes! Learn more. Academic fun Click for gallery


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Thanks for sharing! Always wonderful to be updated with team Japan
Glad to hear Mao is right up there in popularity along with ICHIRO Suzuki.
Last edited by bibi24; 03-09-2010 at 10:29 PM.
A great article!
Yukari will be missed, and what a good sport she is.
I can't wait to see where Mao goes from here.
Good stuff!


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Pulaski Technical College will host the Arkansas Spinal Cord Commission's Conference for People with Spinal Cord Disabilities on Friday, Aug. 21.
About 200 ASCC clients will be participating in the conference, which will take place in the Campus Center Grand Hall.
In order to provide accessible parking for participants, the conference will require the use of the entire Campus Center parking lot. Faculty, staff and students will need to find alternate parking in other campus parking lots.
Pulaski Technical College


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Expanding on his James Beard Award-winning New Yorker article, Bill Buford gives us a richly evocative chronicle of his experience as "slave" to Mario Batali in the kitchen of Batali's three-star New York restaurant, Babbo.
In a fast-paced, candid narrative, Buford describes three frenetic years of trials and errors, disappointments and triumphs, as he worked his way up the Babbo ladder from "kitchen bitch" to line cook, his relationship with the larger-than-life Batali, whose story he learns as their friendship grows through (and sometimes despite) kitchen encounters and after-work all-nighters, and his immersion in the arts of butchery in Northern Italy, of preparing game in London, and making handmade pasta at an Italian hillside trattoria.
Heat is a marvelous hybrid: a memoir of Buford's kitchen adventure, the story of Batali's amazing rise to culinary (and extra-culinary) fame, a dazzling behind-the-scenes look at a famous restaurant, and an illuminating exploration of why food matters. It is a book to delight in, and to savor.
©2006 William Buford; (P)2006 Books on Tape
"Terrific culinary writing....A wonderfully detailed and highly amusing book." (Publishers Weekly)
"Buford's mastery of the stove is exceeded only by his deft handling of English prose." (Booklist)
"If you're a foodie - you must read this book."
This is a unique story from extended research from the author. It is very educational and entertaining. It'll keep you interested. I read the book and then later listened to the audiobook. The audiobook, as usual, was a much richer experience. Story telling is so much more entertaining.
The adventures in Italy were very interesting and enlightening.
Highly recommended and certainly worth the time and credit.
I loved this book. The subject, about the ins and outs of restaurants, and a voyage to Italy to learn butchering among other things kept me glued to this audiobook. I think it's very good quality and will re-listen to it again I'm sure. Probably one of my favorite audible downloads so far.
"One of my favorite food books to date."
The stories in this book, as well as the food/restaurant insights, are fascinating. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Ben ji
"Fantastic - Funny and Informative"
Absolutely enjoyable and I learned a ton about what it is like to become a cook by working in some of the world's best kitchens. Lots of funny stories and anecdotes. Highly recommended.
"For Riley"
I am writing this review for a friend to be able to find and then follow me. Apparently this is the only way to view someone else's Library at the moment...
"A Foodie's Delight"
Foodies will find Bill Buford's story of working in Mario Batali's New York restaurant kitchen as a journalist "tourist", to be very entertaining. He clearly becomes entranced by what he experiences and spends much more time learning the craft than was needed for a magazine article. The story of the time he spends in Italy, in particular, learning how to make pasta and how to be a butcher is both touching and entertaining, and the entire book contains just the right amount of wry humor. If you enjoyed Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential you will find Heat to be an enjoyable companion piece.
I agree with other reviewers that the narrator could have been better. He does attempt to convey emotion as needed, and does a fairly good job of it. He has difficulty with foreign pronunciations, though, and even a few words in English are mispronounced. I don't expect a narrator to be multi-lingual, but if narration is the profession you have selected, at least learn the pronunciation of the foreign languages whose words appear frequently, in their original form, in English - such as Spanish, French, and Italian. He also had trouble keeping several characters' accents consistent, particularly restaurateur Marco Pierre White, who was narrated with several different accents. I consider that to be just plainly sloppy work. Lastly, I would describe the narration style as sounding like a parody of Phil Hartman (SNL) doing a parody of a narrator reading a '40s detective novel, arched eyebrow included.
Overall, even given the narrator's shortcomings, I found "Heat" to be a very entertaining listen, and recommend it for anyone with a deep interest in food and the chaotic and passionate lifestyle behind it.
"it's cookin'"
Who would have though that and audible description of someone's culinary adventures and expeditions into learning the craft could be so entertaining. I find that there is just the right balance between insightful observation and humour in this book. I learned more about preparing pasta than I ever thought possible while realizing that it is also about a way of live. If you care about good food you will care about this book.
I love words that can take me into other worlds.
"Hot and Cold"
For the most part, this was a really enjoyable book. The glimpse into various extremely different food worlds was fascinating: from celebrity chef Mario Batali's 3-star New York restaurant to uncelebrated Italian women who make tortellini the way their grandmothers were taught by their grandmothers. I loved Buford's self-deprecating wit and his genuine interest in people of all stripes, as well as in the food they cook. Although the book is most known for its intimate portrait of Batali's kitchen, I found the chapters on the artisanal food producers in Italy even more appealing, making me want to fly off to Italy to feast on traditional dishes before they are lost to modern fast food. My only objection to the book was Buford's over-use of expetives. It is too bad he didn't learn from all those great cooks that seasoning is most appealing when laid on with a light hand.
"Foodies will LOVE this!"
This is definitely a "foodie" book. From his beginning as a line cook for Mario Batali to his explorations in Tuscany to learn to make home-made pasta, we follow the author on his quest to learn more about the food for which he has always had such passion. His zeal for his subject is contagious and will have your mouth watering, though I have read reviews from non-cooks who could not handle the rather extensive exegesis on short ribs and I must agree that he does get obsessive at times. I'm into cooking and food prep and Italy for that matter, so I followed him every step of the way and enjoyed the journey.
There was some language thrown in that I thought was unnecessary, not overly excessive, just more than I would like. Overall, I enjoyed the book so much that I bought 3 copies for my brothers and brother-in-law who are all chefs and foodies too.
"Great Book! Awful Awful reading!"
The book is riveting! Tons of information and extremely candid. The narrator is just awful. Incredibly smug in tone which belies the self deprecating tone of the book. Worst of all, the narrator grossly mispronounces Italian and French words while trying to overdo the accent for each word. Also, when he reads quotes from Marco Pierre White, he uses a bad Scottish accent instead of a British accent. I have listened to this multiple times because of the wealth of information in it but the narration is just torture. The author would have been a great reader - he's very animated when I've seen him be interviewed. It looks like the author did indead read the abridged version. I really wished that he did this one, too.
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