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Volume V
Editor's Note: Since it began in 2002, The Education Innovator has brought its ever-growing readership insightful features on more than 150 promising programs and practices, along with a timely and comprehensive run down on innovations both by and for the researchers, educators, administrators, and policymakers who are the Office of Innovation and Improvement's customers. A major contributor to this impressive job of reporting has been Tiffany Taber, the Innovator's researcher, writer, and editor. As of last month, Tiffany joined the Department's Office of Communications and Outreach, where she will be responsible for a number of important initiatives, including the Department's own Inside ED newsletter and a regular series of Department-wide policy briefings. Her colleagues in OII wish Tiffany every success in her new role at the Department.
What's inside...
The Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE)
What's New
- From the U.S. Department of Education
- From the Office of Innovation and Improvement
- American History
- Arts Education
- Charter Schools
- Education Reform
- Leadership
- Raising Student Achievement
- Teacher Quality and Development
- Technology
FREE Undergoes an "Extreme Makeover" and Offers Resources for Black History Month
February marks the celebration of Black History Month, an annual observance that has been in existence for over 80 years. African American author, historian, and scholar Dr. Carter G. Woodson organized a "Negro History Week" in 1926, noting, "Those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of biography and history." The first observances of Negro History Week took place during the second week of February because that time coincided with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln – two men who had a profound impact on the black population in the United States. Over time, the week–long observance transformed into Black History Month, a four–week celebration of African Americans, their accomplishments, and how they fit into the mosaic of the American experience.
Now, during this period in schools across the country, the faces of Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman are posted on classroom walls and quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., bedeck hallways. Teachers looking for activities that stimulate a deeper understanding and appreciation of black history than standard textbook readings and discussion questions typically provide may find a plethora of resources online. One of the most popular K-12 Internet sites maintained by the U.S. Department of Education is a one-stop source of lesson plans, teaching ideas, primary documents, and publications. The site was recently overhauled to make it even easier to navigate and, best of all, it's "FREE."
Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE) is a portal that enables users to conveniently find teaching and learning resources from the federal government at no cost. More than 1,500 federally supported resources are included on the site from nearly 60 participating agencies such as the U.S. Department of Education, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities, and the White House.
The History of FREE and its New Makeover
FREE was originally conceived in 1997 after the administration asked federal agencies to identify resources that would enrich the Internet as a tool for teaching and learning. In response, a working group was formed and FREE was launched one year later. In November 2006, the site was redesigned and re-launched to increase its usability. Now a display of photographs and illustrations greets visitors upon their entry into FREE, making each of the resources easy to identify. Also, a "What's New" section collects 20 of the most recent resources on the website and organizes them chronologically by posting.
The Office of Communications and Outreach and the Development Services Team in the Office of the Chief Information Officer at the U.S. Department of Education are responsible for the management of the site. Kirk Winters, one of the site's lead managers, notes, "I continue to be amazed at how many great teaching resources federal organizations and agencies offer on FREE. There are visualizations of the moon's phases, videos showing how cancer spreads, animations of math concepts, and thousands of primary documents and lesson plans. We in ED are privileged to make the task of finding these resources a little easier for teachers, parents, and students."
FREE Offers Resources for Various Subject Areas
Currently, FREE resources are divided into seven subject areas: Arts and Music , Health and Physical Education , Language Arts , Math , Science , Special Collections, and History and Social Studies . All subject areas are listed on the homepage with a " subject map" that details a breakdown of sub-topics.
For example, in Arts and Music, visitors may peruse resources for visual arts, prominent artists, and jazz, gospel, and African American folk music. The Math and Science subject areas display resources for algebra, data analysis, applied sciences, space sciences, and other subjects. In the Health and Physical Education section, visitors learn techniques for teaching about the prevention of substance abuse and the value of nutrition and exercise. Additionally, literature buffs may find ample information and activities for their classrooms with over 86 resources in Language Arts. The Hare and the Water , for example, is a Tanzanian story that helps students see how folktales can reflect the values and beliefs of contemporary society. Another resource, the Literature and Poetry Community Center, brings the writings of Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston to life through photographs and audio recordings. Of particular interest for Black History Month, the Special Collections feature information regarding the Brown v. Board of Education case and the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
By far, the subject area with the most extensive supply of resources is History and Social Studies. It is divided into sections for U.S. Time Periods , World Studies , and U.S. History Topics . Visitors to World Studies may find 28 resources dedicated to Africa and its people. Here, visitors can view Islamic manuscripts from Mali or learn how to enhance a geography lesson with an interactive website that explores the uses of water in 24 African countries. The sprawling section for U.S. History Topics rounds out the History and Social Studies subject area , encompassing sub-topics in Business and Work , Famous People, Movements (with a focus on civil rights), Government, States and Regions , Wars , and other topics such as geology, natural disasters, and anthropology.
Yokomi's classrooms are equipped with at least one laptop computer, a digital projector, and document cameras. Students in kindergarten through second grade learn basic keyboarding skills on special word-processing laptops, while older students use traditional laptops as learning tools. Additionally, teachers wear wireless microphones that amplify their voices through surround-sound systems so students are able to clearly hear lesson instructions. Possibly the most frequently used piece of classroom equipment is the Smart Board. This interactive whiteboard looks much like a traditional mounted writing surface, but the touch-sensitive display enables teachers and students to access and control computer and multimedia applications, the Internet, CD-ROMs, and DVDs with their fingertips. The Smart Board may be connected to a computer and projector so that it functions as a giant computer screen. Teachers and students can write on the whiteboard with digital "ink" and save their work for future study or review.
It is within another one of these U.S. History sub-topics, Ethnic Groups, that educators may discover a trove of instructional treasures for Black History Month. Over 60 resources are available for teachers to help their students learn more about African Americans and their contributions to American society.
A National Park Service Website Stands Out for Black History
One of these resources is a website operated by the National Park Service, Our Shared History: Celebrating African American History and Culture. The warm backdrop of the homepage is accented by a photomontage of famous African American leaders juxtaposed against the silhouette of the United States. Running down the left side of the page is a list, underscored by the red, black, yellow, and green colors often found in African flags, that details the website's six sections: Travel , the Underground Railroad , Exhibits and Collections , Tools for Learning , Parks , and Publications . Through these sections, visitors may take a tour of the historic South, find detailed information about the routes that slaves used to escape to freedom, and read profiles of national historical sites and landmarks dedicated to African American leaders.
For example, in the Travel section, visitors may embark on a virtual adventure to places where African Americans have figured prominently in history. Visitors may choose to travel by theme and discover different styles of blues played by musicians in the Lower Mississippi Valley or travel by city and tour important sites in Chicago, Detroit, and Washington, DC. By selecting the Underground Railroad section of Our Shared History , visitors can explore a National Register Travel Itinerary for the Underground Railroad. The itinerary provides descriptions and photographs of 64 historic places that are listed in the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places, the official list of important historical sites in the United States worthy of preservation. It also includes a map of the most common directions of escape taken on the Underground Railroad and maps that mark locations of historic properties.
FOSS has three goals: 1.) to promote scientific literacy by providing all students with science experiences that are grade-level appropriate and that serve as a foundation for more advanced ideas; 2.) to be instructionally efficient by providing teachers with a complete, easy-to-use science program; and 3.) to promote systemic reform by providing real experiences for students that reflect National Science Education Standards.
In the Exhibits and Collections section, visitors may read full-text versions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speeches, see and hear the sights and sounds of the Birmingham Jail, and view items that Dr. King left behind. Through the Lost, Tossed and Found resource site, visitors can "excavate" remains in and around Manassas National Battlefield Park (VA) from the comfort of their own computers. Digging around Portici, a "middling plantation" that was destroyed by fire in 1863, enables visitors to examine a carved finger ring of ebony that likely came with its owner from Africa. Continuing with the excavation at Brownsville, another plantation, visitors can unearth a hand-made, clay tobacco pipe that suggests local manufacture by African Americans. Lost, Tossed, and Found is meant to spark interest in archaeology and teach students that the past can be preserved nearly everywhere. A chubby bumblebee named "Bee Ann Explorer" and her sidekick dog "Arf T. Fact" lead younger students through games and activities related to their virtual excavation. After completing the activities, students may take an online examination and earn an "Explorer Certificate" from the National Park Service.
The final, fully interactive section of Our Shared History is Tools for Learning. This section includes links to websites that tour the Lower Mississippi Delta and a Great American Landmarks Adventure in which students can analyze and color drawings of African American landmarks that were created by Roxie Munro, an author and illustrator of children's books. Also in this section are lesson plans compiled by "Teaching with Historic Places." Created by National Park Service interpreters, preservation professionals, and educators, these lesson plans are free and ready for immediate classroom use. One lesson, From Canterbury to Little Rock , highlights the African American struggle for educational equity both before the Civil War and before the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. In this lesson, students examine photographs of the Prudence Crandall Museum (CT), which opened as a boarding school for African American girls in the early 1830s, and Central High School (AR), which captured the nation's attention in 1957 when nine African American students attempted to integrate schools in Little Rock. Students also read accounts of events that happened at each site and map the historic Canterbury and Little Rock areas.
The last two sections of Our Shared History, Parks and Publications, list African American national park sites as well as readings related to famous African American people, places, and topics (such as Harper's Ferry and the Niagara Movement). The Stories to Tell link takes visitors to a site where America's westward expansion and various military engagements are explored through the words of African Americans who experienced the events firsthand.
With the advent of the Internet and other technology, teaching about black history has come a long way from the one-week celebration Dr. Carter G. Woodson envisioned. The plethora of instructional tools available through Our Shared History and other websites in the Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE) portal show how Black History Month can be embraced in schools. Through the use of engaging activities and lessons, teachers can help their students see how African Americans have been shaped by America and how America continues to be shaped by African Americans.
Resources: Note:The Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE) website is designed to make federally supported teaching and learning resources easier to find. It is offered as a convenience for teachers, parents, and students. The inclusion of particular resources is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any products, services, or views expressed herein.
What's New
From the U.S. Department of Education
U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings kicked off a national dialogue in Chicago (IL) to promote the policy book PDF, (576KB) , Building on Results: A Blueprint for Strengthening the No Child Left Behind Act. The Secretary's visit to Chicago comes on the heels of President Bush's call for Congress to reauthorize the law in his State of the Union Address. The policy book and corresponding fact sheets are available online. (Jan. 25)
At the Northeast Leadership Forum Annual Luncheon (TX), Secretary Spellings touted the success of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and encouraged business and community leaders to support the reauthorization of the law. (Jan. 19)
Secretary Spellings met with business leaders of the Business Coalition for Student Achievement to express her appreciation to them for their support of NCLB and to discuss the shared goal of reauthorizing the law this year. (Jan. 18)
To mark Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Secretary Spellings visited M. Hall Stanton Elementary School in Philadelphia (PA) and commended students, teachers, and administrators for their success in narrowing the achievement gap. The Secretary also released a statement commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Jan. 14)
The 22 cities that will host the fourth annual Teacher-to-Teacher summer workshops have been announced by Secretary Spellings. The workshops are designed so that teachers may learn best practices from fellow educators who are successful in raising student achievement. The Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative supports teachers in a variety of ways, including keeping them informed about the latest strategies and research for helping all students meet high standards. (Jan. 9)
Secretary Spellings announced that the U.S. Department of Education is seeking nominations for its fourth annual American Stars of Teaching award sponsored by the Department's Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative. The award program recognizes stellar teachers who raise student achievement, use innovative classroom strategies, and make a difference in their students' lives. Nominations for American Stars must be submitted to the Department by March 31. The nomination form and more information are available online. (Jan. 9)
NCLB celebrated its fifth birthday on January 8, 2007, and Secretary Spellings celebrated the event with an address to education and business leaders at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The Secretary referenced examples of the gains made by the country's fourth graders in reading and mathematics, according to the 2005 Nation's Report Card, as well as other promising gains in student achievement since the advent of the landmark education law. She also reminded the audience that NCLB's reauthorization remains one of President Bush's top priorities. (Jan. 8)
The latest National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) report on crime and safety in schools in the United States presents national-level information as reported by school principals, including the frequency of criminal incidents at school, the use of disciplinary actions, and efforts to prevent and reduce crime at school. Data come from the 2003-2004 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS:2004). (Dec. 28)
In 2003, the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) included a special focus on problem solving. An NCES report reviews the problem-solving aspects of each study in order to compare and contrast the nature of problem solving in each assessment. (Dec. 26)
A restricted-use Data File Documentation from NCES reports on the procedures and methodologies employed in the transcript component of the first follow-up to the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002). The document is designed to provide guidance for users of the transcript data as released in Electronic Codebook (ECB) format (NCES 2006-351). (Dec. 8)
Dropout Rates in the United States: 2004 builds upon a series that began in 1988 of NCES reports on high school dropout and completion rates. It presents estimates of rates for 2004, and provides data about trends in dropout and completion rates over the last three decades (1972-2004), including characteristics of dropouts and completers in these years. (Dec. 7)
From the Office of Innovation and Improvement
The following grant competitions are currently open:
Charter Schools: This program provides financial assistance for the planning, program design, and initial implementation of charter schools, and the dissemination of information on charter schools. The application deadline is February 16. (Jan. 8)
Teaching American History: This program is designed to raise student achievement by improving teachers' knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of traditional U.S. history. The application deadline is March 9. (Jan. 8)
Transition to Teaching: This program provides grants to recruit and retain highly qualified mid-career professionals (including highly qualified paraprofessionals) and recent college graduates as teachers in high-need schools, including recruiting teachers through alternative routes to teacher certification. The application deadline is March 26. (Jan. 8)
American History
Each year, The History Channel honors exceptional teachers and students for their commitment to history education and historic preservation. Elementary, middle, and high school teachers and students are eligible to apply. Guidelines, entry forms, rules, and a list of prizes are available online. Entries are due by March 30. (Feb. 8)
If honors aren't enough, The History Channel also is launching a grant competition for the 2007-2008 cycle. This year, $250,000 is available to fund hands-on projects that teach students about their local history and actively engage them in its preservation. Elementary, middle, and high school teachers are eligible to apply. Applications are available online and are due by June 1. (Feb. 8)
Arts Education
The National Partnership for Quality Afterschool Learning at the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL) and Big Thought, a learning partnership based in Dallas (TX) and a recipient of OII's Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination grant, have collaborated to create an online Afterschool Training Toolkit focused on the arts. The toolkit is designed to build common knowledge about the arts for after-school staff and increase the capacity of after-school programs to deliver arts education. (Jan. 12)
Charter Schools
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools will host the 2007 National Charter Schools Conference from April 24-27 in Albuquerque (NM). The conference will feature more than 120 breakout sessions, focusing on quality, policy, advocacy and capacity. For questions, please call 206-463-3344. Those interested in attending should register before March 1 to avoid late registration fees. (Feb. 8)
A report PDF, (11.1MB) from the Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) summarizes the benefits and challenges that charter schools may experience when sharing facilities with other organizations. LIIF's education program aims to help schools create stable, sustainable learning environments by providing flexible and affordable financing to educational organizations. (Dec. 2006)
The Center on Reinventing Public Education's National Charter Research Project has issued a set PDF, (848KB) of essays on the state of charter schools in the United States. Essays highlight topics such as charter authorization, a profile of Dayton (OH), and the best strategies to judge the performance of charter schools. (Dec. 2006)
The Progressive Policy Institute has released a report PDF, (235KB) on "alternative" charter school authorizers. An alternative authorizer is defined as a group functioning outside the traditional realm of public K-12 school governance. Currently, 14 of 41 states and Washington, DC permit alternative authorizers. (Dec. 2006)
Education Reform
The Hamilton Project, an initiative of the Washington, DC-based Brookings Institution, is offering $25,000 in prizes for the best innovative policy proposals written by undergraduate and graduate students. Winners will be invited to present their proposals to the Hamilton Project Advisory Council and potentially turn their proposals into discussion papers issued by the Project. Proposals in the areas of education, health care, social insurance, science and technology, tax policy, and energy are particularly welcome. The deadline for proposals is June 1. (Feb. 8)
The Editorial Projects in Education Research Center, with support from the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, has released Influence: A Study of the Factors Influencing Education Policy PDF, (1.70MB). Using a two-stage survey methodology, leading education-policy experts were asked to identify and rate highly influential agents across four categories: studies, organizations, people, and information sources. The study reports influence scores and rankings for the leading nominees in each category. Check out page 86 for a mention of The Education Innovator.(Dec. 2006)
New Leaders for New Schools is seeking over 130 highly motivated individuals nationwide to become New Leaders in Baltimore (MD), the Bay Area (CA), Chicago (IL), Memphis (TN), New York (NY), and Washington, DC. Applicants must have a record of success in leading adults, K-12 teaching experience, a drive to lead an urban school, and a belief in the potential of all children to achieve at high levels. The final application deadline is March 1. (Feb. 8)
Raising Student Achievement
The National High School Alliance issued a new resource guide that allows policymakers and educators to access strategies, research, and other tools to transform high schools to meet the needs of students. The guide is based on the six core principles of the High School Alliance's A Call to Action: Transforming High School for All Youth, PDF, (141KB), a framework of principles and recommendations meant to guide leaders in transforming the traditional, comprehensive high school to prepare all students for postsecondary education and the workforce. (Feb. 8)
A New Day for Learning PDF, (2.60MB), areport from the Time, Learning, and Afterschool Task Force and funded by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, calls for immediate action to design a comprehensive learning system throughout the day and year round. Task force members include researchers, foundation leaders, after-school experts, education leaders, and others. The report is available through The George Lucas Educational Foundation, which is a media partner for the report. (Jan. 2007)
Teacher Quality and Development
Each year, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) offers K-12 educators a wide range of summer professional development opportunities through its Summer Seminars and Institutes program and its new Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshops. Full-time classroom teachers in public, private, parochial, and charter schools, as well as home-schooling parents, are eligible to participate, as are librarians and school administrators. The deadline to apply for Summer Seminars and Institutes is March 1. The deadline to apply for Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshops is March 15. (Feb. 8)
The number of National Board Certified Teachers has climbed past 55,000. Nearly 7,800 teachers earned National Board Certification in 2006, a seven-percent increase from the previous year. The states with the highest number of teachers who recently attained National Board Certification were North Carolina, Florida, South Carolina, Illinois, and Washington. (Jan. 9)
Atlanta-based children's network, Connect with Kids, has launched a new online community called "Parents & Company," giving parents and teachers a space to meet online, share stories, write online journals, give and receive advice, and stay abreast of the latest news about children. (Feb. 8)
Innovations in the News
Closing the Achievement Gap
Ralph Bunche Elementary School in Compton (CA), named for the African American diplomat who won the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize, is breaking down the stereotypes that surround predominantly low-income, minority public schools. Bunche Elementary has blown past the target score of 800 on the state's Academic Performance Index with a score of 868, which compares favorably to the scores at schools in more affluent areas such as Beverly Hills and San Marino. A school would earn a score of 870 if every student scored "proficient" on standardized tests. Much of the school's success is due to the hard work of Principal Mikara Solomon Davis, who arrived at Bunche Elementary in 2000. Since that time, she has put in place a monitoring system for teachers' lesson plans and bases top grades in each class on the state standards for each grade level. [More-The Los Angeles Times] (Jan. 15)
Raising Student Achievement
At Ruby Young Elementary School in DeSoto (TX), students can register for courses of interest just as if they were attending college. The special curriculum, called the "University of Enrichment," allows students to enroll in classes that are taught in four, nine-week units. One unit focuses on skills needed for the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), while other units allow students to gain skills as journalists, scientists, musicians, and investigators. [More-Dallas Morning News] (Jan. 19)
Citizen Schools (see Innovator, May 12, 2003) is an apprenticeship program offered outside of school hours that seeks to build students' academic and leadership skills by connecting them with professionals from various fields. Launched in Boston (MA) in 1994, the program targets middle school students through a structured mix of academic tutoring and mentoring. It now serves 2,000 students, the vast majority of whom are from disadvantaged backgrounds, in 30 schools and five states. According to a 2005 outside evaluation of Citizen Schools, participants at some grade levels saw improvement in their reading and mathematics test scores and their grades. Grade-to-grade promotion and attendance rates also improved, as did performance in high school. [More-Education Week] (Jan. 17) (subscription required)
There is a growing gender gap in college enrollments and outcomes, but no single, simple explanation or potential solution exists. A new survey of incoming freshmen, however, suggests that those concerned about the college performance of men might focus their attention on getting high school boys to turn off their video games and start studying. The 2007 National Freshman Attitudes Report, a survey of nearly 100,000 incoming freshmen at 292 public and private two- and four-year colleges, finds that men and women share high expectations for getting a degree, "no matter what obstacles get in [their] way." Despite this expectation, male students at the same time report coming into college with far less ambitious intellectual interests and study habits than their female counterparts. [More-Inside Higher Ed] (Jan. 15)
Ninth-grade students at West Roxbury Education Complex in Boston (MA) break into small groups and use clear acrylic blocks, glass rods, and miniature laser pointers to trace the path of light beams with graph paper. Today's lesson in Matthew Anthes-Washburn's physics class explores refraction, and Mr. Anthes-Washburn believes that a laboratory activity like this before lectures or textbook readings helps his students better grasp the science content. Hardly anyone will discount the importance of laboratory work in science classes, but a national study by the National Research Council in 2005 concluded that most high school students are not exposed to high-uality science labs. [More-Education Week] (Jan. 10) (subscription required)
Azure Warrenfeltz is fluent in Japanese and Spanish. She also can understand bits of French, German, Arabic and Italian, and she soon hopes to learn some Mandarin Chinese. Azure is four years old. Not only is learning a foreign language easier for children than it is for adults, but children who are exposed to other languages also do better in school, score higher on standardized tests, and are better problem solvers, says François Thibaut, who runs The Language Workshop for Children (TLWC). TLWC is a program for learning foreign languages that has nine schools around the East Coast. The schools serve students six months to nine years old and offer courses in Spanish, French, Italian and, this year, Chinese, which Mr. Thibaut says is becoming the most requested class. [More-USA Today] (Jan. 10)
Sandra Petrovich, principal of George D. Gilbert Elementary School in Gwinn (MI), reflects on how NCLB has spurred her district, the Gwinn Area Community Schools, to create a framework for improvement. Since the advent of the law, the district has implemented data-driven professional development and "Community Reviews" to improve teaching and learning and inform the local community about the successes and challenges at the district's schools. Since instituting these reforms, teaching methodologies have switched from lectures to project-based assignments, and all professional development activities focus on improving student performance. [More-Converge Online] (Jan. 2007) ( editorial )
Educators at Northview Middle School in Ankeny (IA) are using new digital recorders to enhance student learning. Teachers in special needs, English, foreign language, and other classes have begun to digitally record assignments, novels, and oral exams to help students improve test scores and comprehension. Gwen Sorensen, 14, said the recorders have helped her immensely in her French class because she is able to listen to her teacher's accent and perfect her own pronunciation. [More-The Des Moines Register] (Jan. 18)
Andrew Smith, 13, who has autism, demonstrates his paper-cup anemometer, a wind-gauge machine in front of his class at Capt. Nathan Hale Middle School in Coventry (CT). Andrew is one of the seventh- and eighth-grade students at the school who participated in projects "built" from a special profiling system developed by Joseph Renzulli and his wife, Sally Reis, at the University of Connecticut. Through the program, students spend 45 minutes responding to profile questions that pinpoint their academic interests. An online search engine with special "kid-friendly" filtering then selects from 13,000 pre-screened activities and develops an individualized curriculum for each student. The online system was originally field-tested with gifted students, but has been developed over 30 years so that it can be used with students of varying ability levels. [More-The Hartford Courant] (Jan. 17)
About 450 teachers from the Center Grove school district (IN) attended a "Technology Day" to help them catch up to their digitally savvy students. The 24-person Technology Day Committee, made up of teachers from across the district, formed when the teachers began to notice that there was a growing gap in technology knowledge across the Center Grove schools. During Technology Day, teachers could select three of the 57 sessions that ranged from basic Microsoft Word tutorials to more advanced classes in PowerPoint. Speaker Annette Lamb, an instructor at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, began the day by explaining how most teachers are "digital immigrants" while most students are "digital natives." [More-The Indianapolis Star] (Jan. 10)
Kentucky's new Individual Learning Plans program could be called a melding of "MySpace" and "Monster.com." The new Internet-based program helps students track their current progress in school and map out their academic careers. Through the program, every student has his or her own webpage that lists test scores and the results of surveys designed to point students in the direction of potential careers. The program's career-matcher tool allows students to complete an interest survey that matches them to 40 professions. The tool then displays information about the professions as well as corresponding college majors along with the colleges that offer them. [More-eSchool News] (Jan. 1)
At 10 years old, Nation Bailey is writing his second novel. Nation is a fourth grade student at McKinley Elementary School in Beaverton (OR), whose teacher, Connie Greenlee, enlisted her class in a project for National Novel Writing Month. Every day in November, Ms. Greenlee's students worked for a half hour on their novels and charted how many words they wrote. On some days, Ms. Greenlee brought different items to class and asked her students to weave them into their stories. One day it was a golden spoon. The next day it was a pack of bubblegum. Ms. Greenlee's project was very popular among her students. According to Ms. Greenlee, the project helped boost students' scores on standardized writing exams. [More-The Oregonian] (Jan. 18)
Last Modified: 05/20/2009


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subset: commoncrawl


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#TuesdayTease: August 13th 2013

The girls of your daydreams all in one place for Tuesday Tease.

Feeling like Tuesday is all work and no play? We've got just the thing to help you get you through your day.
We just couldn't bear the thought of having to spend an entire week waiting for the weekend, so we thought we'd ask all of the fun and sexy girls who pose for us to help us create a new day to celebrate Playboy Models at the beginning of the week and call it #TuesdayTease! Introducing the brand-new weekly feature, #TuesdayTease, where our Cyber Girls, Playmates and hottest fans tweet out their sexiest photos for your viewing pleasure.
Want to take part? All you need to do is tweet your photo to @PlayboyDotCom with the hashtag #TuesdayTease and we'll post the best photos here. Good luck and happy stripping!
[View the story "Playboy.com's #TuesdayTease 08/13/13" on Storify]


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Bouli Bouli- pronounced bowl-eh bowl-eh - is an indian chant used in dancing. can be used as a filler-word when you don't know what else to say or you don't know what to say back. when it is used everyone that hears it must repeat it.
Julian- "Georgie, you are retarded."
Georgie- "Bouli bouli!"
Gabby- "Bouli bouli!"
Georgie- "Bouli bouli!"
Gabby- "Bouli bouli!"
by Lt. Shiny Sides, aka Dogzilla September 01, 2009


text:
Welcome to ProgrammableWeb's Research Center; your one stop shop for the various charts and research that we maintain regarding the API economy. In recognition of how ProgrammableWeb's audience members like to re-use our charts in their presentations and whitepapers, we are offering all of our charts as PowerPoint decks that can be downloaded from Slideshare.net. At bare minimum, each of our slide decks comes with three slides; a title slide, the main chart, and a third slide that may or may not contain the source data (depending on whether we can fit it or not). If the source data is not included with the slide deck, you can request it by writing to firstname.lastname@example.com.
To download any one of the decks, click on the Slideshare logo on the bottom left-hand corner of the viewer. This will take you to the same deck as it appears on Slideshare. From there, press the "Save" button and the deck will be downloaded to your system.
We will be updating these slide decks and adding new ones on a regular basis in an effort to provide you with many different slices and filters of our directories and databases. If you're looking for a slice of data that's not available through this research center, let us know by reaching out to us at the aforementioned email address and we'll see if we can accomodate your request. ProgrammableWeb also offers custom research upon request. We can develop other charts and research reports on spec.
Thanks for checking out the research center!
The ProgrammableWeb Team
Growth in Web APIs From 2005 to 2013
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Fastest Growing Web API Categories Since 2009
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U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas
September 8, 2006
|1100 Commerce St., 3rd Fl.
Dallas, Texas 75242-1699
DISD Employee Arrested on Charges in Federal Indictment
Marsha August Ollison, an employee of the Dallas Independent School District, (DISD) was arrested this morning on charges outlined in a federal indictment that was returned by a grand jury in Dallas earlier this week, and unsealed today, announced United States Attorney Richard B. Roper. Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Ollison at her home in The Colony, Texas, without incident. She will appear this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Wm. F. Sanderson, Jr. for her initial appearance.
U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Education - Office of Inspector General, and stated that the investigation is ongoing.
The indictment charges Ollison, age 43, with three counts of Theft from an Organization Receiving Federal Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 666(a)(1)(A). If convicted on all charges, Ollison faces a maximum statutory sentence of 30 years imprisonment, a $750,000.00 fine, and restitution.
According to the indictment, Ollison was an agent of the Dallas Independent School District (DISD), working as an employee in the administrative office. DISD issued credit cards, also known as procurement cards (P-Cards) for use by DISD employees and DISD funds were used to pay for purchases made with P-Cards. DISD employees, including Ollison, were instructed in a Procurement Card Manual that P-Cards were "for district purchases only." In fact, DISD employees, including Ollison, signed Procurement Cardholder Agreement Forms that stated, "I understand that under no circumstances will I use the procurement card to make personal purchases, either for others, or myself."
The indictment alleges that during 2004, 2005 and 2006, Ollison embezzled and stole property valued at $15,000 or more by purchasing numerous personal items for her own use and for the use of another person with a P-Card issued to her by DISD.
An indictment is an accusation by a federal grand jury and a defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn Hastings.


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Entire Team Let Eli down today - NYG4l
cudos to Stevie!
Who'd have known what a great signing he was.
stevie brown being a great find and will hill showing last night that he could be a player in the nfl, and along with the fact that phillips hates playing CF ... i think phillips won't be a giant next year


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The Columbus Crew tapped into its youth pipeline again on Thursday, signing former University of Akron defender Chad Barson to a Homegrown Player contract. Follow GOAL.COM on Twitter
Barson, 21, completed a four-year run with Akron this winter and won a national championship with the Zips in 2010. He will provide depth at center back behind the likes of veteran Chad Marshall.
"Chad is a strong addition to our team and a player that we've had our eye on for some time," Crew technical director Brian Bliss said in a team release. "We're obviously familiar with his abilities from our youth system, and he enjoyed a successful career at the University of Akron. Chad will make a fine pro and we look forward to his contributions."
For Akron, Barson marks the third player signed to a Homegrown deal this offseason. U.S. Under-20 midfielder Wil Trapp also signed with the Crew, while midfielder Scott Caldwell signed with the New England Revolution. The Zips also lost coach Caleb Porter to the Portland Timbers.
Barson is also the third Homegrown Player signed in the last two days in MLS, joining FC Dallas' London Woodberry and Portland's Steven Evans.
Follow GOAL.COM on Twitter


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I had a bernina activa 145, and it was a work horse, never a stitch of trouble, easy to use, no tension issues, then I took it to have regular maintenance done, and when I got it back it was ruined,. I didn't say anything to the shop and went to another bernina dealer and purchased the Bernina 830 LE, and it is just awesome, only thing it doesn't have the same bobbins as the regular bernina's, so went back and purchased Bernina 550 which is a quilting edition, and I just love it, nice to take on retreats and classes, not as large as the 830 nor as heavy - I certainly would recommend
Bernina to anyone that is looking to purchase a new machine. They may be a little pricey, but you get what you pay for. Berninas come in a variety of prices, the most is not necessarily the one for you - try them all out and find your comfort level. Best of Luck.


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Morrison Hall is a central classroom building, with two floors of classrooms for history and modern languages, and other arts and humanities courses such as psychology, journalism and sociology. This building also houses faculty offices as well as the Language Learning Center. The building is named after Henry Morrison, former State Superintendent of Public Instruction and the major influence behind the founding of Keene Normal School in 1909.
- Classification
- Academic
- Location Code


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If you're looking for a high-intensity cardio burn that will strengthen your lower body without the high impact of weights, then spin is for you!
Pilates is a low impact, but high intensity workout that focuses on strengthening the intricate, deep muscles of your core and whole body.
CrossFit tests your strength by using functional movements that make you stronger and more prepared for your everyday life.
With a combination of workout skills and games, CrossFit kids is a fun class that will increase strength and endurance for any sport that they may pursue.
Our awesome instructors make our gym a fun and inspirational place to be! They care about our members and motivate them to succeed daily.


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Fifth place!
When I set out into the bluebird weather of high noon, I truly had no idea what I was in for. I rode Kincaid Park only once before, in July 2003, and I remember it as somewhat difficult - but then again, in 2003 I had about as much mountain biking experience as a 6-year-old in Kansas. And then I heard people talk about Kincaid as a "road bike" trail network. I figured - how bad could it be?
Either those people have one gnarly road bike, or the Kincaid race organizers, geniuses all, plotted out a loop to circle the toughest terrain that glacial moraine has to offer. Less than a quarter mile into the race the hills began - fast rising, fast falling, climbing a total of 1,100 feet in every lap. Interspersed among that steep double track was at least three miles of fairly technical single track - jumping roots, ducking fallen trees, and plummeting down veritable cliff bands with my butt so far over the seat that I could almost feel the tread on my back tire spinning around. It was difficult enough that after six miles I thought I was going to cry, because I thought there was no way I was going to be able to sustain such effort and focus for 24 hours. But at mile 7 the miracle of Kincaid opened up. The trail dropped into a roller coaster so fast and fun that by mile 10.5 - the starting line - I had completely forgotten why I was so upset. Then I continued that process. For 15 more laps. Those race organizers are geniuses.
The effort of going all night was actually my time to shine. With the 12-hour racers finished, and many of the team racers and most of their support network in bed, I suddenly found myself alone in the Zen twilight - pumping out the miles with serene complacency and a carefully selected songlist on my iPod. At 3:30 a.m., after just one lap with my headlight on, I watched the sun begin to rise in nearly the same spot I had seen it set three hours earlier. I did my fastest lap of the race in the quiet dawn between 3:43 and 4:55 a.m.
It's amazing how those quiet moments, rolling past patches of purple lupine or a moose settled in to watch you go by, add up to statistics that make your mom's jaw drop. Even today, I think about the way I just rode nearly 170 miles yesterday, climbing more than 16,600 feet in the process, all the while maneuvering all those roots and hairpin turns - and it doesn't even seem possible. At yet, at the time, it's just the process, the routine, the way things add up. Slowly. One lap at a time.
I feel like I have more to say, but it's just about time to hit the pillow. Tomorrow, I'll probably try again. In the meantime, I just wanted to thank my fellow racers for their support, Tim and Dave of Megasorass, winner Pete Basinger for being the inspiring machine that he is, and race organizer Reggi Parks for being so enthusiastic and cheering for me every time I went by that checkpoint. And of course, Geoff, for the 3 a.m. peanut butter sandwiches that showed up in the cooler and for lubing and tuning my bike when I was too fargone to care. These races are a team effort no matter how much you enjoy the solitude. That's what makes them so rewarding.
13 comments:
Good Job, Jill!ReplyDelete
Wow. I have no doubt you'd have beaten me. Is that 17 laps in 12 hours? That's incredible. The PCE100 12-hour was pretty similar--in a Utah sort of way--it sounds. Each lap was 10 mi and 1,300 feet of climbing. If you ever move back to the lower 48, you ought to give it a go. I'll bet you'd tear it up.ReplyDelete
Wait, I just read that you did say you were doing the full 24 hours. 170 mi in 24 hours sound a little more reasonable ... my mistake.ReplyDelete
Still, Jill, you ought to write a mtb company and see if they'll sponsor you at your next one.
You are inspiring to me Jill. I'm not an off-road rider, but I am in the process of buying a bicycle to ride in the Arrowhead Winter Ultra-Marathon next February. Reading how you did the Susitna, and now the 24 hr, really got me to thinking that I could do something like it also.ReplyDelete


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Last year a very kind person here painted my bucket for me. Well its almost been a year and im still not done with it. I know what kind of person am I?
Any ways Ive been working way to many hours to really have any time to do any of the projects. So im in need of help!
I have a Hyperdyne lights for the RF, the long version. No place can I find a pre made RF that it will fit. So I was hoping I can employ someone to help me out.
Any Takers?


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[quote user="JPizzack"][quote user="Morehead State"][quote user="JPizzack"]
[quote user="DavenIII"]I've so not been paying attention recently I thought they did the ring ceremony and the president meeting all in one swoop, so I said he skipped it for political beliefs to get a rise out of people....but that doesn't make any sense...so I edited to a meeting with a girl and #2 hopefully no one saw the original lol.
That's why I dont post in TAGF....people just fly through ****, and dont read.
I posted twice in that thread, and nobody reads it, so who cares. lol
I'm not sure why MH calls me out on that....nobody else cares to read it, so i can just argue with him here, i dont even need to leave the confines of this thread haha

Because its fun.

ehhh....TAGF is such a mess of **** sometimes that it hurts my head to read. I rather read a handful of normal people's posts and points,instead of500 ruh-tards posting...

You're nuts.

TAGF is like Disneyland to me.


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I had the opportunity to check out four TBH's today. In one of the discussions the question of regression from continually culling and harvesting comb came up. I would like to know if those with TBH's have seen a constant regression to smaller and smaller cell size over time as comb is harvested and replaced by the bees?
Would TBH raised bees be better candidates for placement on smallcell foundation at some point, versus just regressing normal bees?
This would possibly cut down on small cell regression comb mess ups.
Thank you.


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It's about time the movie The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was exposed for its portrayal of smoking.
While my husband took our daughter to see it, I opted out - mainly because I assume any movie that gets even close to two-hours-49-minutes in duration must be indulgent, undisciplined and unnecessarily rambling.
So I stayed at home and went online to see what the opinion makers of the day had to say about Peter Jackson's latest work. I came away with the impression that it is heavy on the smoking.
"How was the movie?" I asked the family afterwards. "Great," they replied. "Is there much smoking in it?" I asked. "Actually, now you mention it, it did kind of glorify smoking," said my other half.
Some people approved of all the rampant puffing.
"Should provide another boost of popularity for pipe smoking when this comes out ...
just as the LOTR trilogy did. Pretty cool trailer ... plenty of pipe smoke," said an enthusiast at Pipes magazine. Another commentator said, "The substantial use of pipes in the movie was definitely a positive, and ... in keeping with Tolkien's affinity for tobacco smoking."
Hobbit "promotes smoking" to children, says expert reported an overseas professor's comment that "the New Zealand Government was spending millions of dollars on anti-smoking advertising, yet it had paid millions of dollars in the form of tax breaks to producers of The Hobbit which had scenes with smoking characters."
There's overwhelming evidence that such scenes have a significant impact on children.
According to Smoke Free Movies, "Smoking in movies is the most powerful pro-tobacco influence on kids today, accounting for 44 per cent of adolescents who start smoking, an effect even stronger than cigarette advertising."
Furthermore, campaigners say, "After controlling for other factors, 52.2 per cent of youth smoking initiation can be attributed to exposure to smoking in films."
Evidently, the appearance of such products in big budget movies is not accidental either. Smoking in films is not purely driven by the needs of the story or the character.
"In the 1980s, the four Major US tobacco Companies ... hired aggressive product placement teams to put tobacco products and signs in positive situations in films." The commercial imperatives of the tobacco industry are said to still be behind many decisions to picture smoking.
So we really must wonder whether smoking in movies targeted at children is either appropriate or ethical. Many people believe it is neither. Attorneys General of 31 US states tried to appeal to the consciences of studio bosses with a 2007 letter that read: "Each time a member of the [film] industry releases another movie that depicts smoking, it does so with the full knowledge of the harm it will bring to children who watch it."
Smoking in films "should get automatic 18 rating" reported The Guardian.
Last year the latest James Bond movie - which portrayed "yet another glamorous actress ... clad in an evening gown with a drop-dead accessory, a smoldering cigarette" - came in for much criticism in this regard. Skyfall Is the Worst Movie for Smoking in 2012, Smoke Free Movies Finds said the Huffington Post.
According to those who count such things, Skyfall had "over 20 smoking incidences" and delivered "over 840 million impressions in the US alone". Yet again, this is an action movie with great appeal to children and young people.
And, finally, on a more frivolous note: did you know that, as well as being the name of an illustrious local filmmaker, Peter Jackson is a brand of cigarettes, available in Full Flavour, Light, Menthol and Smooth? Is it mere coincidence or is it reason for conspiracy theorists to speculate that he's been a tobacco industry plant since birth?
What's your view on smoking in the movies? Is it okay or unnecessary? Is it right that children are targeted in this manner?


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CLSA: Sell Pepsi, Buy Coke
Correction: An earlier post incorrectly spelled the name of CLSA.
In the soda wars, Coca-Cola (KO) has an advantage over PepsiCo (PEP), thanks to the upcoming Olympics and new tea initiatives.
That's according to CLSA analyst Caroline Levy, who today reiterated her Outperform rating on Coke and Underperform rating on Pepsi, following her takeaways from meetings at the Consumer Analyst Group of Europe Conference.
Levy writes that Coke is deploying capital strategically, and should see longer-term upside from its price-mix. Moreover, with tea such a huge global market, she is encouraged that the company is actively looking to grow its presence. Still she notes that the company's energy portfolio is lacking, an hole that could only likely be plugged by the purchase of major brand like Monster or Red Bull (likely not for sale).
"We met with Coca-Cola's CFO, Gary Fayard, at the CAGE conference in London. We believe Coke's next move will be to charge after tea, both in North America and China, after exiting the Nestea JV by year end. Coke will likely use two or three brands in North America, including Gold Peak (mainstream) and Honest Tea (niche) and launch a new initiative, possibly under the Fuze brand. In China, Coke could launch sooner, using a brand specifically developed for the local market. These moves should help it achieve its goal of 5-6% long-term sales growth. Still lacking is an energy portfolio, and we believe Coke needs an acquisition to play effectively in this market. We reiterate our Outperform rating and $78 target price, which represents 17.4x our CY13 estimate of $4.49."
As for Pepsi, she notes that her bearish thesis was unchanged after meeting with its U.K. bottler Britvic. She writes that the company doesn't deserve to trade at a premium, given decelerating earnings growth (she estimates three-year average organic sales and EPS growth of 5.0% and 4.6%, respectively).
"We met with PepsiCo's UK bottler, Britvic, during the CAGE conference in London. While Britvic is a solid player in the UK and the rest of Europe, we believe the PepsiCo brands will be at a disadvantage, as Coke will have major Olympic activation. Britvic took a significant margin hit in 2011 (unlike CCE) and seems likely to need more pricing this year to cover ongoing high costs, especially in the first half of the year. We reiterate our Underperform rating and $66 target price on PepsiCo, which is based on 14.7x our CY13 estimate of $4.50."


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ESPN's Ed Werder reports that the Browns are mulling over the possibility of sitting running back Trent Richardson down through their Week 10 bye. Richardson suffered a rib cartilage injury in Week 6, an injury he tried to play through last week, but he was pulled out of the game after just eight carries by head coach Pat Shurmur. Richardson said after the game that the injury definitely affected his performance and is "worse than what people think it is."
Werder said on a Tuesday edition of SportsCenter that "The team (is) now discussing whether to hold [Richardson] out through the bye week to allow him to heal. The fear that if they don't, he'll be debilitated by his injury all year long. There's internal conflict about shutting him down, though, because Pat Shurmur, the coach, has to win some games here. They've only got one victory and Jimmy Haslem, the new owner, says he wants a stronger finish if he's going to bring back the coaching staff.
Fantasy Analysis:
Sitting him down would seem to be the smart move for Richardson. If he keeps playing with the damaged ribs, he could make the injury so bad that he may have to be shut down for much longer than just a couple of weeks. Montario Hardesty would be become the Browns' No. 1 RB for as long as Richardson is out. He should be added immediately. We should know more about Richardson's Week 8 status after a couple of practice days, but it doesn't look good for him at all right now.


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Parks & Community Services Accreditation
The Parks & Community Services Department earned accreditation from the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) in 2005, and was reaccredited in 2010. CAPRA accreditation assures policy-makers and residents that a department has been independently evaluated against established benchmarks and delivers a high level of quality.
Accreditation is based on an agency's compliance with the 144 standards for national accreditation. An agency must comply with all 36 fundamental standards, and at least 85 percent of the remaining 108 standards (92).
CAPRA accreditation is on a five-year cycle. For accreditation, agencies submit self-assessments and receive on-site visitations from CAPRA evaluators. In the years between accreditations, agencies must submit annual reports that detail their continued compliance with accreditation standards.
Parks & Community Services
450 110th Ave. NE
P.O. box 90012
Bellevue, WA 98009
Contact: Robin Haaseth, Public Information Officer
Phone: 425-452-6182
E-mail: email@example.com


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Bret Bielema leaves Wisconsin for Arkansas
Barry Alvarez starts process to find new head coach
MADISON, Wis. - Bret Bielema is taking his brand of power football to Arkansas, leaving Wisconsin after seven seasons.
Arkansas released a statement Tuesday saying Bielema has agreed to a deal to take over the program reeling following the firing of former coach Bobby Petrino.
A person familiar with the situation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the information hasn't been released publicly, said the deal is for six years and $3.2 million annually. Bielema made $2.5 million a season at Wisconsin.
Bielema isn't expected to coach the Badgers in the Rose Bowl against Stanford on Jan. 1.
The Razorbacks were 4-8 this year, and Jeff Long, vice chancellor and director of athletics at the University of Arkansas, announced after the season that interim coach John L. Smith would not return.
Smith replaced Bobby Petrino earlier this year after a scandal in which Petrino hired his mistress to work in the school's football department.
Bielema was 68-24 with the Badgers, including a 17-14 win over Arkansas in the 2007 Capital One Bowl.
In 2012, Bielema guided Wisconsin to its third straight Big Ten championship and the Badgers became the first team to represent the Big Ten in three straight Rose Bowls since Michigan qualified following the 1976-78 seasons.17657204
"Coach Bielema has led his team to a historic run of championships while seeing a record number of student-athletes recognized for academic achievement," Long said in a statement. "Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a commitment to competing for a national championship with a program known for discipline, honesty and integrity. His tough, aggressive style of play has been successful and will be appealing to student-athletes and Razorback fans. He not only shares the vision and values for the future of Arkansas football, he embraces them."
In a statement released Tuesday, University of Wisconsin Director of Athletics Barry Alvarez said he was "very surprised" when Bielema told him he was taking the offer from Arkansas.
Alvarez said it's his responsibility to ensure that the football program continues at a high level, and he has already started the process of trying to find a new head coach.
"Along with finding a new coach, my other main objective is to make sure that our student-athletes, specifically our seniors playing in their final game as Badgers, have a tremendous experience in the Rose Bowl. We will do everything within our power to make that happen," Alvarez said in a statement.17657192
In a statement, Bielema said he is humbled and honored to become the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks.
"During my conversation with Jeff (Long) he described the characteristics for the perfect fit to lead this program. It was evident we share the same mission, principles and goals. The infrastructure in place at Arkansas shows the commitment from the administration to accomplish our goals together and I am excited to begin to lead this group of student-athletes. This program will represent the state of Arkansas in a way Razorback fans everywhere will be proud of," Bielema said in a statement.
Bielema, 42, had been head coach at Wisconsin since 2006. Details of his new deal weren't known.17657182
Bielema, who served as Wisconsin's defensive coordinator for two seasons before becoming head coach, was on staff as UW compiled a 55-6 record at Camp Randall Stadium in his nine years. The Badgers won their first 16 home games under Bielema, the second-longest home winning streak in school history.
Bielema addressed the players at a team meeting Tuesday evening at Camp Randall. The meeting lasted for about 20 minutes, then the Badgers filed out of Camp Randall.
Most players declined to comment, but some shared their reactions with WISC-TV. While they all said they were surprised when the heard the news, they offered kind words for their now former coach.
"Honestly, I think, as men, we're all proud of him. He has goals in his life that he wants to accomplish, so go get 'em," said Wisconsin running back Montee Ball.
"He just expressed that it was the best opportunity for him. I think that everybody faces choices in life, and you need to do what's best for you in those choices. I think he's done tremendous things for the program, and I think he's left us in a good spot," said Wisconsin center Travis Frederick.
The players also said Bielema will not coach in the Rose Bowl game.
None of the students who WISC-TV spoke with at Union South on Tuesday said they were disappointed by Bielema's departure.
Some students said they were happy Bielema is leaving, with one student saying it's a great day for Badger football.
Others were indifferent, saying Bielema has had a successful run but this year was a step back.
"For me personally this year, he's been an OK coach. I'm not really that broken up over it. I'm pretty sure we can find a different coach to replace him that will be a little better than him," said Alexander Lopez, a UW-Madison freshman.
"I feel like he's never had a huge following on campus among students, although it's hard to argue with the success he's had. I don't think he necessarily comes across the best to students or fans or fans in general, but it's definitely not a good thing to lose a coach that's taken you to three straight Rose Bowls," said Sam Krabbenhoft, a UW-Madison freshman.
Everyone said the news took them by surprise.


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New Horizons CEH Training?
Apart from that, I'm also in the process of setting up some physical and virtual machines in my office/lab. Any suggestions on what kinds of systems I should include? I've got a Metasploitable VM, a Lucid Lynx box, and a Windows XP SP2 box in my VLAN now. What have you guys used in your labs?


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Yes because when you decide you want it for a project it will be gone, ask me how I know. it is so hard to find discontinued fabric without paying an arm and a leg
Welcome to the Quilting Board!
Yes because when you decide you want it for a project it will be gone, ask me how I know. it is so hard to find discontinued fabric without paying an arm and a leg
Brother XL-3500i, SQ-9050, Dreamweaver XE6200D, Juki MO-2000QVP
Buy it! I bought a whole bolt of a fabric I totally loved and then bought coordinates for it. I'm now happily making quilts from that fabric. I predict that you will regret it if you don't buy it and you won't regret it if you do buy it.
Why not make a quilt for yourself with your daughters name on.
Finished is better than a UFO
Buy what you will need to make what you want with it. You may not get to it right away, but when you eventually decide to do that particular project, the fabric will probably no longer be available!! Nothing worse that walking away now and not finding it later on.
You could always get it and make little girl quilts for way down the line grandchild. Or just to have on hand if the need arises for a little girl quilt. Also you could get it to just have it for future use. Go for it and enjoy looking at it until you decide to use it.
I rarely buy collections but rather buy individual fabrics. If something speaks to me I get it for my stash and it is rare that I don't find a use for it in multiple projects. I don't think that most of the fabric in the collection mentioned looks juvenile so not having a little girl in mind wouldn't stop me from buying something I loved. If you can afford it and really love it get it. You will find something to use it in and in the meantime you can love looking at it.
Most of the time when I shop for fabric, I buy it because I like it....at least I used to. I have so much fabric now, that I am making myself use it and pretty much only shop for borders, or sashings or backings. If I want to shop otherwise, I try to have a plan. Or at least know that it will go with something I already have.
The response on your question tells me there are some lovely stashes out there . Buy it or you will start losing sleep over it and it might even make you ill. Buy it and enjoy the pleasure of deciding which something to make that is worthy enough to use that piece!!
Go for it... I purchased some whimsical charm squares online because I fell in love with them and I just used them in a table runner. I'm sure you'll find a great project for the Posey somewhere along the way.
A few days ago a member shared her quilt "Welcome Spring" free pattern from Moda Bake Shop, she did a slight variation - I just love it. Now, after reading about your infatuation with Posy Fabric I see a connection! Go buy it for pete's sake before it's all gone!
Happy piecing and peace


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|Thread Tools
|View Mode
|15th Nov 2012, 17:56
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Nottingham,England
Posts: 330
System One
The following was posted on a website I found by accident, whilst searching for an inspiration for an idea I had. I copied as much as possible to an external hard drive.
The website seems to have gone now.
:::--///system boot\\\--:::
::::loading personal diary::::
---------Begin typing when ready--------
My first day.
My first day hasn't been too bad. Better than expected, I didn't blow anything up or accidentally knock over a £5million alpha project.
It's seems I've been stuck with Prof. Knut. He seems a genuinely nice person, if a little.....insecure? The first thing he asked me was wether I had seen anyone suspicious hanging around his office. I told him everyone here acted suspicious, it's a 100 year old top secret facility in the middle of a mountain in god knows what country.
As I type this I wonder how much of an aid this "create a diary" will help with having no contact with anyone outside of this facility. Sure there are nice people here, a football pitch, games rooms and I think I overheard someone say there was a fishing lake?! But it's not like home. Sure, they have tried, it just looks like a normal city with buildings.....just hidden in a huge mountain. If you can forget that fact, then sure, it is just like home.
Since no one will ever read this I guess I would be ok to post a few progress pics of the new system being built...I say "new" it's actually just a redesign and a few aesthetic touches, really. I don't know whether it will be released for active duty when finished, or just left to rot. Budget is tight I'm told so we will be using donor parts for the most part.
The old girl:
The "knuckle duster" she was nicknamed. I can see why. Hard as nails she was. It's a shame to be tearing her apart, really....
She was full of dirt, but her heart was still strong:
Prof. Knut has been busy working on the casing for the new system:
He didn't like me taking photos, tried to knock my hand, got a blurry shot. I told him it doesn't matter if I take photos, I can't upload them to anything but my personal system. There is no way for them to get out of this facility. He mumbled something an wandered off. I'll get a few better pics tomorrow when "the Knut" has his morning tea. Well, as best I can. I bought my phone with me, but it seems this facility is quite advanced, you wouldn't guess it by the decor. I can't get a signal at all. So I can only use it as a camera.
That's all I have done for today, I think Prof. Knut wants to go golf tomorrow. That I have to see. Oh and he told me the project name for the new build:-
System One.
::::system shutdown::::
|1st Dec 2012, 21:26
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Nottingham,England
Posts: 330
:::--///system boot\\\--:::
::::loading personal diary::::
---------Begin typing when ready--------
Another busy few weeks, I haven't really been keeping up with this "Diary". I though it would be easier than it actually is, here. I thought with all the money "They" have spent making this place look and feel relatively normal, I might just feel more at home after a while. Something just doesn't quite sit right with me and my new "home". It's nice and all, but, the people keep to themselves and I can't quite put the fact we are under 24hr surveillance to the back of my mind.
Anywho, another small update on System One. We have been busy with other projects for us to make any real head way with One.
We have got the external passive coolers mounted, though.
I attached a front panel
It needed modifying to remove the side, as though it did fit for functionality as a switch plate, it wasn't quite necessary.
I'm gonna spice this up a little, I'm gonna go for a sci-fi look. I might be in a top secret facility, but I think it won't be just me who finds this ironic...
That's all I have today.
::::system shutdown::::
|1st Dec 2012, 21:31
Super Spamming Saiyan
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Wigan
Posts: 12,592
This looks like a really cool industrial style mod! I also LOVE the way you post these updates, I look forward to more!
Project Logs: Refraction - Steampunk Flash Drive - Steel; Sleek; Slate
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"The fear in my eyes when my lass almost opened contacts, and with the name Alessandro, yours comes up very near the top." - Blazza181
|2nd Dec 2012, 17:36
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Catalonia
Posts: 89
Passive rads? I LOVE PASSIVE RADS!
|5th Dec 2012, 07:21
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Nottingham,England
Posts: 330
Thanks guys! Need to post another update....
|6th Dec 2012, 21:12
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Nottingham,England
Posts: 330
:::--///system boot\\\--:::
::::loading personal diary::::
---------Begin typing when ready--------
It's been awhile.
No one was around much today. Lots of people are having to update their training for emergencies in the facility. I didn't have to do mine, as I have only been here a few months. Feels a lot longer than that.
Me and the Prof have become better friends, he can almost be fun at times. I swear the guy is like a statue, no emotion at all for the most part. Unless somebody has been in our workshop, snooping around. Then he gets all angry. Its funny to think this guy is in his eighties, but can still throw a chair across a room! " these roided up guards! Always with the touching my workshop equipment. Like they even understand how to use them!" He shouted yesterday.
Security is always on top of us. Making sure we clock in and out correctly. I wonder why that matters so much. It's not like they don't know where we are every minute of the day, with these cameras.
I finally found a group of people I can relate to, so I guess that is a bonus. I went down to the local fitness centre and almost died, they were having a right old chuckle at me. A group of 3, two guys and a lovely women. I can't quite remember their names, but hers, hers I will never forget!....
Anyway, I guess I should continue with this "Diary" I have going with System One.
I spent half a day trying to repair the old laser cutter for the front panel...couldn't get it right. Knut eventually lost his cool and told me to just do it by hand...I guess my employers need to scrimp from time to time!
So I went from this
To this, in around 30 minutes.
Needs tidying up and squaring off, but I think I like it. It's by no means finished yet, though!
I next added a little hex mesh we had hanging around.
The packaging says it was shipped from Minnesota, a long time ago...Knut says it needs something or other as well, behind both the front panel and the mesh. I wasn't quite listening.
I also found a better fitting reservoir for the cooling system. Just needs mounting in the chassis
I guess I'm gonna call it a night at that....
I think I'm actually starting to enjoy this place a little more each day...that does surprise me.
Man I need a beer.
::::system shutdown::::
|7th Dec 2012, 00:43
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 21
Liking the industrial style, very Dead Space kind of shapes. Look forward to seeing more!
|7th Dec 2012, 16:50
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Nottingham,England
Posts: 330
Thank you dotdrew!
|7th Dec 2012, 17:26
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 93
This is hitting all the right buttons for me :O Keep up this fine crafting work!
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Mohawk VIA Vellum - CYAN - 12 x 18 Card Stock - 80lb Cover - 200 PK
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PAPER (12" x 18")
Paper with recycled content
Mohawk VIA
Blue Paper and Envelopes
Blue Card Stock
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Mohawk VIA Vellum - Card Stock Paper
by Mohawk Paper Mill
- Package: 200 Sheets
- Paper size: 12" x 18"
- Basis Weight: 80lb Cover (216gsm)
- Finish: Vellum (this is NOT translucent vellum)
- Acid Free (Archival)
- Luxurious toothy finish
- 30% pcw
- Windpower electricity
- Electronic printing guarantee (within substance range of printer requirements)
Via Vellum boasts of a lovey color palette with versatile colors. Via Vellum has a toothy surface for consistent performance that helps everyday print projects run just as planned.
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Love is one of the greatest blessings that Allah bestows on human beings. Allah has created human beings in such a way as to take pleasure from loving and being loved, friendship and closeness.
The true origin of the love that people who believe in Allah feel is their profound devotion to Him. Believers who know that Allah is Almighty and the Sole Lord of the universe further strengthen their love of Him.
Allah's envoys, the finest and most virtuous people in the world also called on people to love and feel closeness:
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-
… Say: 'I do not ask you for any wage for this – except for you to love your near of kin.' (Surat ash-Shura, 23)
The aim of this documentary is to once again remind ourselves of the importance of love for our Lord, His creations and other believers. Every person of good conscience must start feeling the love of paradise while they are still in this world and must bind themselves tightly to our Lord, our sole friend and guardian, and to other believers with love and devotion.
One immediately shows one's pleasure at a person who does one a kindness or does something for someone. Because of the gratitude one feels for someone who looks after a person when they're sick and needy, one treats that person very well, with love and respect. One constantly thanks them for all their goodness.
But some people forget a very important truth; it is Almighty Allah Who makes people happy and bestows blessings on them. The person who thanks someone who has helped them must not forget that it is Allah Who bestows that kindness by inspiring them to help. He must therefore direct his feelings of love, respect and gratitude toward Allah. As Allah reveals in a verse in the Qur'an:
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-
"Allah is He to Whom the kingdom of the heavens and earth belongs. He gives life and causes to die. You have no protector or helper besides Allah." (Surat at-Tawba, 116)
Let us consider Allah's blessings upon us:
He gives us back our lives when we wake up every morning.
He protects us from danger.
He cures us when we fall sick, using doctors and medicines as His instruments.
He gives;
The clean air we breathe,
The rain that falls,
The wide variety of plants in the earth,
Natural resources,
The living things that so please us,
The water that represents the very basis of life,
and all the other blessings in nature that reach us without the slightest effort on our part. Allah has created each one of these in the finest and most suitable form for us.
If Allah so wished, there would be just one single kind of food on Earth. And even that might not taste very nice. However, with His infinite compassion and love, Allah has created a wide range of different and delicious foods for us.
There is also great beauty in the living things created by Allah. For example, domesticated animals such as the horse, camel and dog help human beings. Pets such as birds and cats possess features that cause us to love them. A lovebird, for instance... This bird produces sounds just like the human voice through a tiny hole in its neck. It looks very attractive, with its various shades of blue, yellow and green. These tiny creatures that delight in our loving them are a pleasure created for us by Allah.
Apart from human beings, living things are unaware of the features they possess. A rabbit is unaware of just how cute it is. A butterfly is unaware of the symmetry, design and harmony in its wings. The peacock, a marvel of creation, has no conception of the beauty of its creation. This life form, which represents one of the finest sights in the world with the colors, patterns and symmetry in its tail, is just one of the blessings created for us to appreciate Allah's creative power.
Rose flowers are exceedingly attractive. The tops are velvety soft. Despite growing in dark and muddy soil, the result is some of nature's finest and loveliest colors. Its scent remains permanently fresh and wonderfully delightful, but cannot be replicated by even the most advanced technology.
What we have seen so far are just a very few of the blessings that Allah bestows on us. All the beauty we see around us is a reflection of our Almighty Lord's mercy and His title of "as-Sani'," the artist. For thinking people, these delights are all means whereby we can give thanks to our Lord the Creator and properly appreciate His power. In one verse of the Qur'an Allah reveals:
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-
"And also the things of varying colors He has created for you in the earth. There is certainly a sign in that for people who pay heed." (Surat an-Nahl, 13)
Every human being spends approximately nine months in an exceptionally secure place: their mother's womb. No harm can come to the baby there. And the requisite nourishment is also prepared for after their birth: mother's milk. These blessings have all been made ready and prepared for people since the beginning of human history.
Every human body is protected right up to the moment of death by means of the flawless system created by Allah. Human beings have no dominion over the bodies that most people they majority claim belong to themselves.
The heart, for instance, beats constantly throughout one's life. But a person does not have to do anything to bring this about. But life would be very difficult if one had to command the heart to beat all the time. One could neither sleep nor eat, and it would be effectively impossible to do much else other than command the heart to keep beating. Bearing in mind that this applies to all the systems in the body, one can see how it would be impossible to control the body. So one stands in need of Allah in all regards. Allah sets this out in the following verse:
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-
"Mankind! you are the poor in need of Allah whereas Allah is the Rich Beyond Need, the Praiseworthy." (Surat al-Fatir, 15)
One must reflect on all these immaculate systems that our Lord bestows on us. One must always bear in mind that we continually stand in need of Allah, Who created us and gives us life, at all moments. One must know that we could not even breathe unless Allah so wished.
Allah reveals His sublime creation of man as follows in the Qur'an:
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-
"O man! what has deluded you in respect of your Noble Lord? He Who created you and formed you and proportioned you and assembled you in whatever way He willed." (Surat al-Infitar, 6-8)
Everyone who dwells on these facts with good conscience will be bound to Allah with an even deeper love and devotion. Such a person will never forget that Almighty Allah is his greatest friend.
Allah creates everything for the best. Even events that might appear to be unfavorable in fact contain much that is auspicious, and much good and wisdom. Allah reveals this in this verse:
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-
… It may be that you hate something when it is good for you and it may be that you love something when it is bad for you. Allah knows and you do not know. (Surat al-Baqara, 216)
Believers who realize this are content with whatever befalls them. They know that Allah has created the best of everything for them and call on His name with praise and love.
It is abundantly easy to live by the moral values commanded by our Almighty Lord. The observances revealed in the Qur'an are the kind everyone can perform. Allah has revealed several forms of assistance for those who are not strong enough. Allah has revealed that the religion is an easy one in verse:
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-
… He has selected you and not placed any constraint upon you in the religion – the religion of your forefather Abraham... (Surat al-Hajj, 78)
Allah bestows the glad tidings of Paradise on those who live by the faith. This is revealed as follows in the Qur'an:
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-
Their Lord gives them the good news of His mercy and good pleasure and gardens where they will enjoy everlasting delight, remaining in them timelessly, for ever and ever. Truly there is an immense reward with Allah. (Surat al-Tawba, 21-22)
Allah has sent books down to lead people out of the darkness and into the light. The final divine scripture is the Holy Qur'an, a guide that will be valid until the Day of Reckoning. It is a great blessing and comfort for people to have such a flawless and immaculate guide. Allah reveals the importance of the Qur'an for believers in this verse:
…We have sent down the Book to you making all things clear and as guidance and mercy and good news for the Muslims. (Surat al-Nahl, 89)
The messengers sent by Allah to preach the religion are also a great blessing for believers. These messengers are very affectionate, trustworthy, considerate and altruistic people who think of, and protect and watch over the believers. They have shown believers the true path by acting as role models for them. In the Qur'an Allah reveals that messengers are excellent role models for believers in the words:
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-
You have an excellent model in the Messenger of Allah, for all who put their hope in Allah and the Last Day and remember Allah much. (Surat al-Ahzab, 21)
All rational people of good conscience will constantly give thanks to Allah for all His blessings and devote themselves to our Lord with a sincere love and submission.
Allah is the infinitely forgiving. Our Lord reveals this in the following words in a verse:
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-
If Allah were to punish people for their wrong actions, not a single creature would be left upon the earth, but He defers them till a predetermined time. (Surat an-Nahl, 61)
Human beings are easily capable of error. They may sometimes commit mistakes against the commandments revealed in the Qur'an. Allah will forgive them if they regret their errors and repent.
Everyone who fears Allah, from the greatest to the lowliest, may repent to Allah and seek His forgiveness. He may hope to make good his sins. Allah described the repentance he will accept in this verse from the Qur'an:
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-
Allah only accepts the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and then quickly ask forgiveness after doing it. Allah turns towards such people. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. (Surat an-Nisa', 17)
Allah has opened the way to repentance, thus making it possible for people to avoid hell. This shows just how great His mercy is.
But there is one fact that must not be forgotten: repentance at the moment of death will not be accepted. This is revealed as follows in the Qur'an:
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-
There is no repentance for people who persist in doing evil until death comes to them and who then say, 'Now I ask forgiveness,' nor for people who die as an unbeliever. We have prepared for them a painful punishment. (Surat an-Nisa', 18)
Everyone who sincerely turns to Allah and remains on His path will at every moment witness our Lord's protection and warm, close concern. Allah smooths the way and makes things easy for believers who sincerely avoid what is unlawful and abide by that which is lawful.
Allah promises to help believers in several verses of the Qur'an. Some of these are as follows:
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-
...it is Our duty to help the believers. (Surat ar-Rum, 47)
You who believe! If you help Allah, He will help you and make your feet firm." (Surah Muhammad, 7)
Someone aware of these facts will never appeal to any other person or force. He will know that all help comes from Allah and will ask everything from Him. When he achieves success he will immediately turn and give thanks to Allah and feel gratitude for His help. He will be devoted to Him with a sincere and fervent love.
Our Lord, the infinitely compassionate, has revealed that He will heed all people's prayers and calls. In one verse He says:
If My servants ask you about Me, I am near. I answer the call of the caller when he calls on Me. They should therefore respond to Me and believe in Me so that hopefully they will be rightly guided." (Surat al-Baqara, 186)
Almighty Allah hears all people's desires. He knows whatever they think. A person may ask our Lord for anything, within the bounds of what is lawful, without restriction. It is easy for Allah to grant people's wishes.
If Allah so wishes He will grant a person's wishes in the form they ask for. Or if what a person desires is not in his best interests, Allah will heed his prayer in a different way. Knowing that He will heed his prayers in the most auspicious way increases a believer's love of Allah.
Being aware that Allah is beside him and hears him at every moment strengthens a believer's submission and sincere devotion to Him.
Everyone wants to be treated justly. He will respect people who behave justly. Being just is one of the most important signs that a person is virtuous, honest and sincere.
Allah is infinitely just. All His commandments are just. Everyone who has ever lived has received his just compensation in the Sight of Allah. And all those who come after will also be fully recompensed for their actions.
Allah reveals in verses how He will manifest His justice on the Day of Reckoning:
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-
On the Day We summon every people with their records, those who are given their Book in their right hand will read their Book and they will not be wronged by even the smallest speck. (Surat al-Isra', 71)
Say: 'Our Lord will bring us all together and then will judge between us with the truth. He is the Just Decider, the All-Knowing.' (Surat al-Saba', 26)
Being sure of Allah's justice is instrumental in a believer placing his trust in Him with endless love and confidence, no matter what may befall him.
Allah has bestowed all kinds of blessings on people. Honest individuals who realize this develop an even stronger love of Him. At the same time, they also fear to transgress the bounds set by Him.
Allah bestows a great blessing on those people who behave in this way: He gives them the ability to distinguish between right and wrong. Allah reveals this blessing on believers as follows in the Qur'an:
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-
You who believe! If you fear Allah, He will give you discrimination and erase your bad actions from you and forgive you. Allah's favor is indeed immense. (Surat al-Anfal, 29)
Every believer who loves Allah and properly comprehends His eternal wrath in the Hereafter will tremble in fear of Allah at every moment of his life and in all he does. This behavior is revealed in these words in the Qur'an:
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-
They fear their Lord above them and do everything they are ordered to do. (Surat an-Nahl, 50)
Allah bestows these glad tidings on believers who fear His Presence:
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-
Those who fear their Lord in the Unseen will have forgiveness and an immense reward. (Surat al-Mulk, 12)
Believers sincerely devoted to Allah also love other people as a reflection of their love of Him. This love stems entirely from the person's faith, moral virtue and fear of Allah.
Believers harbor a profound love of the virtuous prophets and believers that Allah has made superior to all other people. This is revealed in these words in the verse:
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-
Your friend is only Allah and His Messenger and those who believe: those who establish prayer and pay alms, and bow. (Surat al-Mai'da, 55)
The prophets are some of the purest believers, who are most beloved of Allah, and whom He makes closest to Him. These people most beloved of Allah are also most beloved by the believers. Allah refers to believers' love for the prophets as follows in the Qur'an:
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-
The Prophet has closer ties to the believers than their own selves… (Surat al-Ahzab, 6)
Believers who live for Allah love and consider one another very much. Their devotion to one another is described in these terms in the Qur'an:
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-
Restrain yourself patiently with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, desiring His face. Do not turn your eyes from them, desiring the attractions of this world. And do not obey someone whose heart We have made neglectful of Our remembrance and who follows his own whims and desires and whose life has transgressed all bounds. (Surat al-Kahf, 28)
Muslims love those who strive to earn Allah's approval. They hope to attain Paradise together, where they will enjoy true love and great joy for all eternity.
The verses of the Qur'an in which Allah describes the life of Paradise all speak of joy, love, fine words and peace. Everything that might hinder love and friendship is kept far away from the dwellers in Paradise.
Lovelessness is what Allah visits on unbelievers as a reward for their ingratitude. The love that ascribes equals to Allah is not true love at all. That mindset always bestows pessimism, pain and unhappiness. The loneliness and friendlessness that is a characteristic of hell is described thus in the Qur'an:
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-
He used not to have faith in Allah the Magnificent, nor did he urge the feeding of the poor. Therefore here today he has no friend. (Surat al-Haqqa, 33-35)2011-09-16 21:56:11