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Computers get faster every year, but Seth Lloyd thinks he has the limit finally in sight. The MIT mechanical engineer envisions an "ultimate laptop" that thinks with every elementary particle in its 1-kilogram structure. The good news: It will perform 10 million billion billion billion billion billion logical operations per second. The bad news: It will operate at a billion degrees Kelvin.
Such are the dreams of quantum computing, an emerging science that enlists elementary particles to process information. To a quantum engineer, everything in the universe is a store of information, because of the inherently "digital" nature of subatomic states. Every time two particles interact, their "bits" are transformed; thus, Lloyd says, the universe itself is a giant computer. What does it compute? "Its own dynamical evolution," he says. "As the computation proceeds, reality unfolds."
Lloyd has become a de facto ambassador for this new discipline, turning up variously (as author and subject) in The New York Times, Nature, The Economist and Wired. In his latest book, Programming the Universe (Knopf, 2006), he expounds on the quantum effects that permit huge computing efficiencies at tiny scales. American Scientist Online managing editor Greg Ross interviewed him by e-mail in May 2006.
When people ask what you do for a living, what do you tell them?
I am a quantum-mechanical engineer: I engineer atoms. I build quantum computers, devices that store and process information at the level of individual atoms. One atom, one bit. In fact, you might even call me a quantum mechanic. If your quanta are broke, we fix 'em.
Do you see quantum computing mostly as a metaphor, a way to think about nature? Or are you focused on actual applications?
Quantum computing is a technological reality. My colleagues and I build quantum computers. If you have a device that works, that is hardly a metaphor. Or, if quantum computers are metaphors, they are so in the same way that a car is a metaphor.
Quantum computers do provide us with new ways to think about nature. That application, to me, is their most important. Indeed, we can build special-purpose quantum computers with a billion billion bits that allow us to simulate and reproduce aspects of nature that could never be simulated on any classical computer, even one the size of the universe itself. These quantum analogue computers, which allow us to construct quantum analogues of other quantum systems, are themselves devices, not metaphors. But boy oh boy, are they helpful in making sense out of nature. I'd say that it is a practical application of quantum computers.
What's the largest working quantum computer today?
For general-purpose quantum computation, only a dozen bits or so. Tiny steps for tiny bits. But for special-purpose analogue quantum computing, as described in the previous paragraph, we can construct quantum simulators with a billion billion bits, larger than any classical computer, and capable of performing computations that no classical computer could ever perform, even if it enlisted every elementary particle in the universe in that computation. Every few years, quantum computers get bigger and bigger.
What are the advantages of working at such a small scale?
First of all, bits are packed more densely together, with only one ten-billionth of a meter—one angstrom—between bits. But the best part of working at such a small scale is that atoms and bits behave in an intrinsically quantum-mechanical way at that scale. Quantum mechanics is weird and counterintuitive. By working at a small scale, we can enlist that quantum weirdness to do computations that no classical computer could perform.
You've said that, seen in this way, the universe itself is a vast computer. If that's so, what happens to free will?
Free will is safe. Even if the universe is completely deterministic, then we (and computers, and God knows who else) possess free will. At first, the deterministic nature of the laws of physics would seem to forbid free will: No choice is available. In fact, however, the computational nature of the universe actually guarantees free will.
Let me explain. Free will arises when we make decisions—decisions that we and we alone are responsible for. For example, every morning I decide whether to have coffee or tea. The decision is mine, and mine alone. Until I make it, I have no idea whether I will have coffee or tea. My decision process is a kind of computation: I weigh the relative merits of coffee or tea, thinking about my day ahead, and then make a decision.
But exactly because the decision process is a kind of computation, the outcome of this process is intrinsically unpredictable. Why? Because any process that involves logical reasoning is intrinsically unpredictable: The result of such a process—and my eventual decision for tea or coffee—can only be determined by going through the same reasoning process oneself. Until one has actually gone through the reasoning process of making the decision, the actual decision will be unpredictable. This verbal argument can easily be made mathematically precise by restating it in terms of mathematical logic, of the sort that computers practice.
One of the most famous results of computer science is the so-called "halting problem," which states that the result of any computation is itself impossible to compute without going through the same sequence of logical steps that the computer programmed to perform the computation undergoes. Ironically, it is exactly when we are most rational and deterministic that free will shows up.
Do human societies process information?
They certainly do. It is exactly because human societies exchange, mull over and process information—both verbal and mathematical—that human beings are such a blight on the world (at least according to other large mammals, such as elephants or whales). Human beings process information in a special way, using universal language and grammar.
This universal mode of communication allows human beings to form societies, organize those societies in complex fashions, construct elaborate social rituals, etc. Exactly because of their ability to process information in this special way, human beings are special.
Has this work influenced your own vision of the world?
My vision of the world as processing information arose out of my day-to-day work building quantum computers. Since I made this realization, my own vision of the world has changed and evolved. The more information I process in my own thoughts, the more convinced I am that the theory of the computational universe is the right theory.
What are the next hurdles to be crossed?
It's hard to build large-scale, general-purpose quantum computers. I hope that we can cross that hurdle soon and build general-purpose quantum computers with hundreds or thousands of quantum bits. But the most important hurdle is in our own understanding. Unless we can understand how the world processes information at a quantum level, we will remain in the dark.
Programming the Universe is reviewed in the July-August 2006 issue of American Scientist.
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text:
JSE and EBR have some great deals from time to time.
i finished a low dollar 9mm conversion for myself after JSE got all those 9mm goodies.
i think i got $220ish in the 16" 9 mikey-mike (mags extra) -- mags and small parts i raided from my spares bins added-- i might have $300ish in all the 9mm gear--
far less than any 9mm kit i know of. it seems to be a real 'shooter' to boot!

subset: commoncrawl


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WATCH THE STATS: The SmartBall from Catapult Sports will capture masses of data for sports players, their coaches and fans. Players wear a GPS tracker so the system knows where they are on the field. Meanwhile the ball contains a sensor. Beacons inside the ball transmit 5 times per second, sending as far as around 5 metres. Signals are received by one or more nearby players. Data is sent from the players to the sidelines and collated to create a 2D model of how the players and the ball move on the field. Coaches can track in detail both how the players perform and how they're interacting with the ball. The data could also be used to provide fans with more info about the game. This conjures up an image of a future where robots love sports for the stats goodness, while humans watch for the plays.
SHOWING THE WAY: Oxford University reckon a car could learn routes you regularly drive, such as the way to work or the kids' school, and then do the driving for you. Their version of a self-driving car uses lasers on the front and a camera on the roof of the car to create a 3D image.
The sensors also notice unfamiliar objects such as pedestrians. Once the car knows a particular route it could drive that portion. The aim of this approach is to keep costs lower than those for a fully self-driving car. So many people drive the same routes each day. Handing over some of the driving could be a relief.
MOVIE MIX: Many Worlds is a 15 minute movie whose plot changes according to the mood of the audience, or more particularly, certain members of the audience. As the audience enter the cinema 4 are selected to represent the rest and to wear small sensors that capture heart rate, muscle tension, brainwave activity, or skin conductance. As they watch the movie an algorithm assesses the captured data and chooses which prerecorded version of a scene to show next. A responsive soundtrack is also used to control mood, perhaps making it more discordant to create more fear if the audience seems bored. Have fun discussing that movie with friends who saw it at a different session.
ROBOTS AT LARGE: The VGo telepresence robot makes it possible for 7 year old Devon Carrow to attend school in New York. His robot goes everywhere the rest of the class go: to the library, the auditorium and the lunchroom, though a teacher has to lift the robot up any stairs. That's not too hard though as it weighs only a little over 8 Kg. The other kids take it all in stride and treat Devon as though he were physically present. The teacher uses a microphone that allows Devon to hear her, while it helps other students hear her too. It'd be interesting to see how it works out if multiple students, or even all of them, had robots at school while they stayed home.
CYCLISTS AFLOAT: In Eidnhoven in The Netherlands the Hovenring is a special roundabout bridge for pedestrians and cyclists. The bridge is circular, 72 metres in diameter, and suspended from cables that hang from a 70 metre pylon in the middle. A counterweight and M-shaped supports help keep the bridge from swaying or twisting. One problem was the steep climb up to the bridge, so they lowered the road to make a more gentle slope. That's how to keep cyclists and walkers safer.
Miraz Jordan, knowit.co.nz


text: Hi! We just purchased our first hive, (last week) complete with three supers and an established Italian Bee colony. We are feeding them daily by painting honey on the hive. Temperatures are due to drop here down to about 28 degrees. Should we be adding any insulation or covering to the hive as protection?


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Now I need to re-think if I need the extra for the extra money. China=bad US=good. So need think budget more.
Last edited by eastsidebuzz; 04-11-2011 at 12:14 PM.
I am looking at the Harbor Freight unit as well. I'm talking to a mover about picking it up since HF offers no services. They were pretty clear that if anything goes wrong I have to bring it back to the store. That's a pretty big issue for me, not sure it is something I want to deal with...
I am thinking of the Quincy 60 gallon 5hp 1310 RPM 15.2 ($1,399) or the 80 Gallon 5hp 942 RPM 17.2 machine ($1,999). Which one is better for the money and would be better on electric in the long run.
Looking to run some 2 nail guns at the same time. Airsander and nail gun. Not sure what else no more then 2 devices at the same time. The sander is always wiping out the compressors I have now.
Depending on which sander and how much CFM it needs (the manufacturer ratings are usually so absurd they don't mean much) the 15+ CFM might still run out of air after a while but running that Quincy continuously will not hurt it, with an air hungry tool like a sander even the 17+ CFM might not keep up over a long period. With either compressor I doubt you will be disappointed since I am not talking about running low on air after only a minute or so like the cheap compressors that CLAIM similar CFM ratings and the larger one might even out-run the sander, 15+ CFM is not at all bad for a home shop and from the Quincy (unlike the cheapo compressors) you can count on actually getting what it is rated for! The nail gun(s) are going to be a non-issue and if that sander is all you are concerned about then 15+ CFM is probably going to be just fine for you unless you mean you will be running more than one at a time. As far as power consumption I would think the larger outfit would be better in that respect because it has a larger more efficient pump, there is no question that 17+ CFM outfit is the more desirable of the two if the extra cost is not a problem. If just running that one sander and a couple of nail guns is what you will be doing the smaller one should fill the bill nicely unless the sander is going to run a big percentage of the time, one thing is for sure you will never regret having a compressor that is too big but you will always regret having one too small!
Just because a motor has a power rating of 5 HP does not mean it is always making that much power. Basically the rating means it has the potential to make that much power and draw a proportional amount of electricity to the power it actually makes, this is dependent on the load applied. The larger compressor would draw more power while running but that will be partially off-set by the fact the bigger slower turning pump will be more efficient and make more air per watt of power consumed. The power cost differences between these two compressors will be small and any savings would probably be with the bigger one but only over a long period, it actually would be negligible unless you are running a full time multi-duty shop.
I found a local hobbyist who wants to sell me a rebuilt compressor and used air heater for $700.
Its a 3HP motor on my choice of a 60 or an 80 tank. Price includes delivery and placement (with my help of course). The tank is big for the motor but he says he can paint (low CFM) on it and DA.
Prolonged die grinding was the real limitation he's claiming. I'm going to get this wrong name wise, but I think he said the motor was a "Wayne 6200". Thoughts?
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Air heater? Are you sure he didn't mean air cooler?
As far as the tank is concerned that would depend on the CFM but this sounds like a home assembled outfit and I imagine the CFM is unknown. With only 3 HP I seriously doubt the CFM is high enough to warrant the use of an 80 gallon tank and in all likelihood the 60 gallon would be the better choice, in fact I can just about guarantee the 60 gallon would be better suited! The 80 gallon probably will work without any major problems but there certainly would be no advantage to using it unless it is in better condition, I would strongly suggest using the 60 gallon but look them over and take the one that looks to be in the best condition.
BTW, from the description of the set-up that price sounds waaay high to me!
Thanks oldred and yes, air cooler. I need to understand better the end to end system. I thought 30ft of tubing with water traps / filter was enough to cool and filter the air but this guy insisted the little refrigerator cooler along with the filter was a must have.
I did some digging and the Wayne 6200 is 1950-60 vintage. Great for its day apparently and you can still find parts.
As far as price, I am tempted by this purely because of the low overall price commitment for an end to end system (minus piping) and the fact that if any individual component goes I can replace just that. I'm not convinced though and perhaps the price is too high like you say.
Those old compressors can be like old (classic) cars and to some of us they can be a fun hobby but for everyday use by someone not familiar with them they can be a lot of trouble. Something else I should have mentioned earlier is those tanks could be a major headache if they too are that old. You have no way of knowing the condition and having them hydro-pressure tested is a MUST if you want to do this safely! An old tank can be a time bomb and an exploding 60 or 80 gallon tank could easily destroy a garage and do serious personal harm, fortunately most of the time they just spring a leak and catastrophic failure is rare but it DOES happen sometimes! Don't take anyone's word that is a tank is ok unless it has been hydo-tested because no matter what they say they just simply don't know, that old line that the old tanks are better built and will last forever is BS. I strongly suggest thinking this over and consider all the problems you are likely to encounter as an "antique" compressor owner because in all probability you will encounter these problems.
One more note about the tanks, look them over thoroughly and look for repairs of ANY kind especially around factory welds. If there have been any repairs or ANY welding on the tank that was not done at the factory then don't use the tank under any circumstances. A tank that has been welded on for repair or modification is extremely dangerous even if it is just a small weld, if either tank has been "repaired" I strongly suggest not using it. I am not exaggerating the dangers of an exploding tank and I have seen it personally twice, once time was when a 40 gallon tank took off the cab of a DM800 Mack truck and another blew a hole in a garage wall big enough to drive a truck through-trust me on this it does happen!
I have gotten allot of education on compressors the last few days. Glad I found this forum (thanks oldred) and a few others off of posts in this fourm. These are some of the ones I found especially helpful outside of here.
I also went to HF to get a paint shaker (looks cool might mix paint for me). But, I looked at thier compressors again. That whole Chinese junk thing worries me. They have one that looks good but, not sure. $799. See pictures below. Not sure if this one is the junk one.
I am also still thinking of the Quincy at $1399 http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...0475_200350475
As for the compressors I am still wobbling at $799 vs $1399 Wondering if I get the $799 one and next year when cash is more flush buying the quincy one maybe even going up to 7.5 Quincy and selling the the HF one for $600 I am sure people would jump all over that.
So my question is what else do I need that I am not thinking about. I think I need a water separator. I am going to just put in compressor, electrify it and want to plug in with a hose. fancy stuff will come later. So I need something to separate the water next to it right? Where should I get that from.? Is that a whole other week of research?
We have been trying to point out that the US General compressor at HF is NOT Chinese and it is not junk. That one you have in the pics is an American built compressor except for the very good quality Italian built pump. That is a good compressor and the fact it is from HF means little as it is actually a rebadged Belaire. That US General is a good home shop outfit and is hard to beat for the money but of course the Quincy being more of an industrial type unit (and priced accordingly) is going to last longer and will have a heavier duty cycle. It all depends on the kind of service you need, if you are only looking at home shop needs the the US General will perform well and last a while but if you need full time service 8 to 10 hours a day 5 or 6 days a week then the Quincy is the obvious choice.
Also if you only need home shop service and can spend the extra money then you can count on that Quincy for many years, maybe a lifetime.
OK. Glad I posted the pic's. Just saved myself $600 bucks in the short run (I know in the long run the Quincy is the better investment). The guy at HF did mention that was an American made as far as mostly assembled here in the USA. Some of the innards could be Chinese he did comment.
I am definitely leaning way farther toward the HF one now as my starter big boy compressor. Wife is also leaning toward that price over the $1400. Since I will most likely need more pieces and have not accounted for that. She knows me.
So what else should I get to run it.? To plug in a tool into that thing I should have _____ minimum. (ie water separator etc regulator etc.) Not going to do any painting just sanding nail gunning etc.
I build bee hives and run nail guns and sanders mostly. Will use it for other stuff I am sure later and will add in that whole water cooling system I read about when I get the garage/shop built. If you ever want to start bee keeping come over to our forum http://www.beesource.com/forums/index.php
Last edited by eastsidebuzz; 04-16-2011 at 02:13 PM.
I don't know what he means about "Chinese innards" and I suppose almost nothing is 100% USA made anymore but the US General/Belaire is far more than just "assembled" in the USA. That thing is about as American as you are going to find anywhere and I have to admit I was very much surprised, and impressed, when I learned they were indeed a real Belaire product and not just a stripped down unit based on an AMERICAN built Belaire tank.
This is where that US General compressor comes from and it is not Chinese, scroll down the page and you will find the US General you are looking at but it will be a different color with a different name.
I just visited your site and yes I am very interested, I will definitely be checking it out.
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text: Hi all, Been having a problem with my '99 7.4 (big block) running too cold, usually well below 180. This seems to cause the 'burb to get worse mpg than it should. It was suggested I swap out the t'stat to a 195, so I just did, no change. In talking to a mechanic (pro) I know we noticed the air behind the fan was cold, really cold. Then we noticed the fan was turning when it should not be. Anyone have similar experience? I want a bit more input before I spend the $$ on the fan clutch. Thank you, Larry


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Starters: Raymonds in Ridgewood
Many restaurateurs are eager to take a successful establishment and expand to another location.
But it took a long time before Raymond Badach and Joanne Ricci, co-founders of Raymond's in Montclair, were convinced that they should open a second spot.
"We always thought we were creating a concept that would translate well at other places," Ricci said, "and that someday we would open another one." But over the years, "nothing seemed right."
Then a friend who is a commercial real estate agent persuaded them to take a ride to Ridgewood, where a former bank sat vacant across from Van Neste Square in the heart of the village.
"And it's beautiful. It's on a corner in the middle of town, with the beautiful park across the street and the clock at the center of town," Ricci said. "And all of a sudden we found the right size place in the right location. … People had always told us, 'You should go to Ridgewood.' We've heard that for years."
But opening the second Raymond's took many months. The seasons changed, the windows remained boarded, and some wondered if Ridgewood's tough zoning laws had delayed the opening.
On the contrary, said Ricci, Ridgewood officials were quite helpful.
"It took a long time to just get the floor plan right, the flow right, the kitchen just right, to translate the feel of Montclair in Ridgewood but make it fresh here," she says. "We took it down to the studs."
Grayling Design, the New York-based group that designed the iconic Manhattan eateries Balthazar and Pastis, among others, collaborated with the owners to create the signature look. "Every material we used has a provenance," said Ricci.
"Joanne and I were very lucky to work with the designers," said Badach. "They are terrific, but we coined the phrase 'obnoxiously obscure'. Everything, all the details – nothing is from Home Depot or the lumberyard."
The mismatched tables and chairs, which add to the vintage feel, are all authentically old. The colorful seltzer bottles that form a wall are antiques.
The same attention to detail goes into the food.
"The quality of our ingredients is the best we can procure," Ricci said. "Everything is fresh, everything is homemade. We put real maple syrup on the tables — it's shipped to us from Massachusetts. Our grains for the pancakes and grits come from mills in Tennessee. Our whole-grain bread is from Eli's— a dense, nutty bread. We grind and blend our own meat for the burgers. We work with Red House Roasters for our own blend of coffee. We make homemade marshmallows for our hot chocolate, which is made with Belgian chocolate."
Not-so-humble eggs
The eggs for the omelets and Benedicts are also special.
"We actually have our own flock of chickens in Sussex County," Ricci said, holding up a photo of the hens.
Even though Ridgewood has many other restaurants, Ricci said she and Badach were not fazed by the competition for customers.
"There are plenty of hungry people in town, and we bring a different experience," she said. "The difference is the package in its entirety: the place, the service, the food itself."
After opening on Dec. 10, the new Raymond's served only breakfast and lunch for more than two months, to make sure the kitchen and wait staffs were properly trained before adding dinner. That debuted in late February, with the lights lowered and candles on the table.
The dinner menu features items that are different from lunch and even different from the Montclair location "in terms of techniques and presentation," said the chef Stefan Bahr.
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By Joe Brewin
Francis Coquelin is ready to battle for a spot in Arsène Wenger's first team.
The midfielder has risen through the ranks at Arsenal and has started five matches for the Gunners since his return from a season-long loan at Lorient.
Coquelin's last appearance came in the Carling Cup win over Bolton and he wants to convince his manager to give him further chances.
"I got back from Lorient where I was playing a lot so I think it's crucial that I can settle in the dressing room now," he told Arsenal Player.
"I will try to fight for a first team place. I have to keep focused, keep training hard and give 100 per cent every chance I can get. Then I have to grab it and show that I can play.
"It's one of the biggest clubs in the world so to be part of it is just crazy. It's unbelievable.
"Every day I wake up I am happy because I come from a small town and now I am at Arsenal. It's great for me and sometimes I just don't realise it. I just enjoy every day."
The full interview with Francis is now available on Arsenal Player.Copyright 2017 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source


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$30 Million in Grants Awarded to Help Struggling Readers
A Night of Learning
Spellings Speaks on School Choice
Around the Country
Q & A Glossary
News Show Explores Parent Options
The Toolbox Revisited
$30 Million in Grants Awarded to Help Struggling Readers
Spellings Announces First Round of Recipients of Striving Readers Funds
A total of $30 million has been awarded for the 2006-07 school year to support the implementation of eight projects funded by the new Striving Readers program for improving adolescents' reading skills, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced recently. Over five years, the recipients are expected to receive a combined total of more than $142 million.
"Reading is the foundation of all learning, a key factor in earning a high school diploma and a ticket to success in the 21st century," said Secretary Spellings. "The Striving Readers grants help more students get the skills they need to succeed in college, the workforce and life."
The grant-funded projects focus on middle and high schools that have significant numbers of disadvantaged struggling readers and that are working to meet No Child Left Behind's adequate yearly progress requirements in reading. They include a range of research-based adolescent literacy projects serving diverse populations and rigorous evaluations conducted by independent researchers. President George W. Bush's budget for fiscal year 2007 requests a $70.3 million increase in the Striving Readers program for a total of more than $100 million.
Grantees may use the Striving Readers funds for activities such as: interventions for middle and high school-age students to improve basic reading skills, motivation, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension using research-based programs; professional development aligned with scientifically based reading research; valid and reliable reading assessments; and the design and implementation of a rigorous evaluation.
The awardees include: Chicago Public Schools District #299; Danville, Ky., Schools; Multnomah County [Portland, Ore.] School District #1; Newark, N.J., Public Schools; Ohio Department of Youth Services; San Diego Unified School District; Springfield, Mass., Public Schools; and Memphis, Tenn., City Schools.
For information about the Striving Readers program, visit www.ed.gov/programs/strivingreaders/index.html.
A Night of Learning
Activity-Filled Family Meeting Leads to Increases in Parent Involvement, Student Performance at Maryland School
In the late 1990s, despite arduous efforts to draw parents out to school meetings, the faculty at Viers Mill Elementary School continued to receive a low response. "We'd be excited about the content we had to deliver," remembered James Virga, Jr., the former principal of the Silver Spring, Md., school. "We'd publicize it, but then only eight parents would comeand some of them would be PTA [Parent Teacher Association] board members."
Virga and his staff soon realized that the solution was in the problem. They sent out a survey in multiple languages throughout the ethnically diverse community asking for the reasons why parents were not showing up. The responses were clear: a lack of time, transportation and child care; a lack of presentations in native languages that would facilitate participation; and, simply, a lack of understanding about the importance of their attendance. Overall, added Virga, parents wanted the meetings to be "a valuable, interesting experience."
From there, the school developed a program called Family Learning Night, which addressed the challenges listed in the survey. Scheduled once a month, it would serve as the premiere session for parent-focused meetings, including the PTA meeting, to make the most of attendance. In two power-packed hours, the evening would provide its time-strapped parents with learning strategies to use at home with their children, a block of time to discuss school priorities, and an opportunity to connect with staff and other parents.
Not long after its kick-off in 2001, attendance began averaging 160 parents and childrennearly a quarter of the school's population. "It's really gotten off the ground and become sort of the tradition of the school," said Principal Matthew Devan, who replaced Virga this school year.
Empowering parents to become full partners in their children's education, along with providing other improvement initiatives, showed immediate dividends. In 2004, Viers Mill became the first Title I school among Montgomery County Public Schools to have more than 70 percent of its third- and fifth-graders achieving proficiency in both reading and math. Moreover, when Maryland added the fourth grade to its benchmark levels the following year, the percentage of Viers Mill's students mastering state standards climbed even higher, to 86.4 percent.
"Parental involvement is a particularly important part of education, even more so in Title I schools, because a lot of what we try to do is give access to the parents," said Kathy MacGillivray, referring to the economic and language barriers that severely impact the low-income schools she supports with the county's Title I services.
MacGillivray, an instructional specialist who was a classroom teacher for 25 years, said the school's Family Learning Night provides "an excellent model" for bridging the gap between school and home. Such an approach is needed in this densely populated, suburban community of Washington, D.C.county officials boastfully dub it "Silver Sprung"where a cultural and commercial revitalization over the past decade has attracted sundry immigrants. At Viers Mill, students come from 42 different countries and speak Spanish, Vietnamese, Greek, Farsi, Bulgarian and a number of other languages. More than 30 percent of the students are designated English language learners, and another 23 percent have received language instruction but no longer need direct support.
To buttress a school's connection to its diverse families, advised Family Learning Night coordinator Michelle Piket, "you have to do a lot more outreach to make them feel comfortable."
Viers Mill, which won a No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools Award in 2005, has been so successful in practicing this principle that Clara Gonzalez said, "We are happy to come for any event that the school may give, because the way they treat us in this school is great." Each year she takes a week off from her cleaning job to coordinate the school's book fair. "I'm losing money," she said, "but it's one week that I'm able to do that for my daughter's school."
PTA President Elisia George agreed that the reception of the 95-member faculty has made life easier for Viers Mill parents. "I think any staff member who programs a parent's telephone number in their cell phone to reach them anytime their child has a problem is somebody who goes beyond the call of duty."
At each Family Learning Night, the goal is to educate parents, as their children's first teacher, on how they can help students reach their academic potential. Last month, the focus was math. For May, it will be college preparation: how to build on children's interests and skills to create a pathway to higher education and which courses to select in middle school for an advanced education.
At Viers Mill, whose motto is "Read, Read, Read," the overarching focus has been this gateway skill. Parents not only are taught how to choose age-appropriate books but also are given tips for storytelling if they are not literate in English, engaging activities to employ in the home, and questioning strategies modeled after teachers' lessons "so students are hearing the same language at home as well," said Piket, who works primarily as the school's literacy specialist. In addition, many of the parent-sponsored eventsincluding the book fair and Project READ, a weekly activity shared by parents and students under the guidance of staffsupport the common goal. Consequently, Viers Mill's reading efforts have virtually eliminated the achievement gap in the subject: Whites (91.2 percent), Hispanics (85.9 percent), Asians (85.7 percent) and blacks (84.9 percent) scored proficiently within 6 percent of each other.
Additionally, to help build their home libraries, at every Family Learning Night children are given a new book and a chance to win a $25 gift certificate from Barnes and Noble. Raffle tickets are handed out at the door of the multi-purpose room when families begin arriving at 6:30 p.m. The school arranges for a bus to circulate in the neighborhood for potential passengers and also serves dinnerwhich averages 29 large pizzas to feed everyone. "My kids drive me crazy because they don't want to be late for the pizza," mused George.
The meeting commences at 7 p.m., as children assemble into grade-level groups and are dismissed to the classrooms, while those younger than the pre-kindergarten age are whisked off to the on-site day care center, so parents can meet alone. The next 20 minutes are reserved for the PTA meeting, followed by a training session for home-based learning strategies, which are simultaneously translated for the Spanish speakers who account for half of the parents present.
Meanwhile, the children work on activities that are aligned with the curriculum for that marking period, before reconvening with their parents at 8 p.m. to read the new books passed out earlier. For Virga, now director of school improvement initiatives for Montgomery County, this is the best part of Family Learning Night. "That's when you get to see the kids follow up on what they did with the teachers and the parents also practice some of the skills they learned," he said. "It's just a great thing to see."
By Nicole Ashby
Spellings Speaks on School Choice
Last month, Secretary Spellings delivered remarks at a forum on school choice at the Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York. The following is an excerpt of her remarks.
... It used to be that if a parent asked how a school was doing, we couldn't really answer the question. We had almost no data and no benchmarks for success. That's why when we passed our landmark education reform law, the No Child Left Behind Act, four years ago, our first priority was to help states develop strong accountability systems and high standards for all students. We set a historic goal to ensure every child in this countryregardless of race, income or zip codecan read and do math at grade level. And we gave ourselves a deadline to do it by 2014 because parents have waited long enough. ...
Over the last four years, we've learned a lot about what works in our schools and what doesn't. And we've reached a point where we're starting to face some tough decisions about how to fix schools that are falling short of standards [for adequate yearly progress] year after year. We're committed to working with states to help turn around these low-performing schools.
But at the same time, we have a responsibility to give parents and students in these schools lifelines to help them now. That's why No Child Left Behind gives parents options like public school choice and free tutoring. These options are unprecedented in federal education law. ...
... [However,] too many parents never hear about these options because they don't see the letter that comes home in their child's backpack or they can't attend the informational meeting at the school. All of usfrom the federal government to the states to districts to schoolsmust do a better job of reaching out to inform parents about their options. And we must work with community groups and faith-based organizations to help spread the word. ...
... In some districts, public school choice is non-existent because no public schools are meeting state standards, and waiting lists for charter schools are out the door. I've heard stories about parents cramming into rooms like this one to draw numbers to see which students will make it off the waiting list. You shouldn't need to win the lottery to send your child to a high-performing school. ...
We've seen the power of choice in Washington, D.C., where the first-ever federally funded opportunity scholarship program has given low-income families the same choices other Americans have. Almost 1,700 disadvantaged students have received grants of up to $7,500 to attend the private or parochial school of their choice. ...
... Before No Child Left Behind, we had no idea what we were getting. We could just see the system wasn't working. Now for the first time, we know exactly what we're getting from our schools. ... We've set out to do something that's never been done before. But I know it's possible with your help. Together, we'll rise to the challenge.
Visit http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2006/04/04052006.html for the complete April 5, 2006, remarks.
Around the Country
Ohio This summer, the Cleveland Municipal School District will introduce a new charter school that promises that every one of its sixth-graders will gain acceptance to a four-year college by the time they graduate. The Entrepreneurship Preparatory School, which will operate year-round, will teach 125 students the skills they need to work toward an individual enterprise. It plans to add a grade each year and grow to 500 students by 2013. Commonly referred to as E Prep, the school is an outgrowth of the E CITY after-school and summer program for children from low-income families, which was founded by John Zitzner, former president and CEO of Bradley Company, a Cleveland-based software firm.
Tennessee Teach For America, the national corps of recent college graduates who commit two years to teach in under-resourced areas, is extending its reach to Memphis this fall. In partnership with Memphis City Schools and the Hyde Family Foundations, the organization will place 50 teachers in high-need public school classrooms. Like many large urban school systems, Memphis serves a disproportionate number of children living in poverty, with approximately 71 percent of the students qualifying for federally subsidized meals. The expansion is part of Teach For America's plan to expand from its current 3,500 corps members to 7,500 by 2010.
- May 1-5
National Charter Schools Week, a celebration sponsored by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. For an activity tool kit, visit www.publiccharters.org. As a kick-off event, the U.S. Department of Education is hosting the "National Charter Schools Program Showcase," May 1-2 in Washington, D.C., to spotlight successful models and provide information on Department resources for expanding the number of high-quality charter schools. Space is available on a first-come, first-served basis. To register, visit www.sei2003.com and select "Registration," or call (240) 485-1700.
- May 7-13
Teacher Appreciation Week, a celebration sponsored by the National PTA. Established in 1984, the week's observance provides an opportunity to honor the dedicated educators who teach America's children. For ideas on expressions of gratitude, visit www.pta.org and select "Leadership Resources," or call toll-free (800) 307-4782.
- May 18-19
Commission on the Future of Higher Education Meeting, Washington, D.C., part of a series of public hearings sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. Convened by Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, the commission will hold panel discussions that focus on access to and the affordability and accountability of higher education. For details, visit http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/hiedfuture/index.html, or call (800) USA-LEARN.
Q & A Glossary
How can I be assured of a quality education for my disabled child?
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) requires that all school districts provide a free appropriate public education to students with one or more of the 13 disabilities identified by the law and are thereby in need of special education.
Special educationspecialized instruction designed to meet a child's unique needsmay be delivered in regular classes or separate classrooms, or, in some cases, in separate schools, in hospitals or at home. Eligible children also may need related services such as speech therapy, physical therapy and psychological counseling to benefit from their special education. These services must fully support the involvement of special-needs students in the general curriculum that is available to their non-disabled peers.
To ensure appropriate diagnosis of students' education needs, school districts must conduct evaluations according to prescribed procedures. Parents should be told, in advance, about these procedures. In addition, parents must give consent for any evaluation or placement actions as well as be allowed to examine the student's records. Once a child is found to be eligible, parents and school personnel jointly draw up an individualized education program (IEP) that describes the special services the child will receive, including annual learning goals. If parents disagree with the school's decisions, they may request an impartial hearing or they may file a complaint with the state education agency.
For more information, visit http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/idea2004.html.
News Show Explores Parent Options
The latest tools and options available to parents under the No Child Left Behind Act will be the focus of the May edition of Education News Parents Can Use, the U.S. Department of Education's monthly television program.
The show will spotlight public school choice and free tutoring programs and the ways in which these programsand parental options under the lawempower parents to ensure that their children have access to a high-quality education, regardless of their race, income or zip code.
In addition, the May broadcast will showcase success stories from across the country in which parents and their children have benefited from these programs as well as the education options under No Child Left Behind.
Each month, Education News Parents Can Use showcases: schools and school districts from across the country; conversations with school officials, parents and education experts; and advice and free resources for parents and educators.
To learn about viewing options, including webcasts, visit http://www.ed.gov/news/av/video/edtv/index.html, or call toll-free (800) USA-LEARN.
The Toolbox Revisited
Completing academically challenging courses in high school dramatically increases the likelihood of earning a bachelor's degree, according to a newly released study by the U.S. Department of Education. The Toolbox Revisited: Paths to Degree Completion From High School Through College found that the academic rigor of a high school curriculum is the strongest indicator of postsecondary degree completion, regardless of a student's major course of study.
The Toolbox Revisited surveys the class of 1992 as it moved from high school to higher education and includes comparisons to a previous report, Answers in the Tool Box, which followed the class of 1982.
Using high school and college transcripts, the study examines a national sample representing 1.1 million students who attended a four-year college, including students who started out in community colleges. The data on which the study is based covers a period of eight and one-half years for degree completionfrom high school graduation in spring 1992 until December 2000.
Nearly 35 tables support the 192-page study, which also cites several postsecondary factors that contribute to degree completion: entering college directly from high school; remaining continuously enrolled; and earning more than 20 credits, or seven courses, by the end of the first 12 months of enrollment.
For a free copy of The Toolbox Revisited, visit http://www.osepideasthatwork.org/toolkit/index.asp, or call (877) 4ED-PUBS with identification number EV0143P, while supplies last.
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20202
The Achiever is a monthly publication for parents and community leaders from the Office of Communications and Outreach, U.S. Department of Education (ED). Margaret Spellings, secretary.
Comments? Contact Nicole Ashby, Editor, (202) 205-0676 (fax), or email@example.com.
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The Achiever contains news and information about and from public and private organizations for the reader's information. Inclusion does not constitute an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education of any products or services offered or views expressed. This publication also contains hyperlinks and URLs created and maintained by outside organizations and is provided for the reader's convenience. The Department is not responsible for the accuracy of this information.
Thank you for your interest in The Achiever, the U.S. Department of Education's monthly bulletin on No Child Left Behind, the historic, bipartisan education reform law signed by President Bush in January 2002. We are delighted to hear that the newsletter is providing you with the resources needed to help you in your efforts to improve education.
Because The Achiever is a publication of the Education Department and, therefore, in the public domain, you are free to reprint or photocopy the articles. We simply ask that you give full credit to the Department with the suggested citation:
Source: U.S. Department of Education, The Achiever, [Date of issue].Again, thank you for using our newsletter to communicate to a larger audience the information and resources that are available through No Child Left Behind.
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- Personal Protection
- Distinguished Alumni
- Faux Walls
- Cinco de Mayo
- Tin Man
- Retirees
- Retirees
- CNA Class
- Natatorium
- Commencement
- Student of the Year
- Student of the Year
- Career
Open House
CONTACT: Myrna Whitehead
(806) 716-2212
South Plains College's Center for Allied Health slates Open House on Aug. 21
LEVELLAND – South Plains College will host an Open House for the new Center for Allied Health Education with a Dedication Ceremony and Ribbon Cutting at 2 p.m. on Aug. 21. The facility is located at 202 Clubview Drive.
"We know that 80 percent of nursing graduates from South Plains College stay here, work here and live here in our region where they provide quality care for our citizens," said Dr. Kelvin Sharp, President of South Plains College.
The new Center now houses the college's associate degree nursing, vocational nursing and physical therapist assistant programs. It will enable the two nursing programs to increase the number of students admitted into the programs by 50 percent.
The Dedication Ceremony will include remarks from Mike Box, chairman of the South Plains College Board of Regents and Dr. Kelvin Sharp, president of the college. Officials from United Supermarkets will also be recognized for their support of the project through a $150,000 contribution to equip the nursing skills lab.
Members of the Levelland Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors will host a ribbon-cutting to officially open the Center. Tours will follow the program until 4 p.m. The public is invited to attend the event.
The $150,000 grant from United Supermarkets has been used to equip the nursing skills lab that is a central component to the 36,000 square foot facility for the college's nursing programs. The funds have been used to make a hospital suite of patient rooms. The 14 patient rooms are equipped with electric patient beds, low fidelity Laerdal patient mannequins, wound treatment accessories for the mannequins, overbed and bedside tables and intravenous solution stands.
"When you walk into our skills labs, it will be like you are walking onto the floor of one of our local hospitals," said Sue Ann Lopez, dean of health occupations at South Plains College. "Our nursing faculty has carefully chosen the equipment that will be used to teach students care and treatment procedures. We are excited that our faculty can deliver a quality learning experience for our students. It will only make them better nurses."
South Plains College acquired a former grocery store space in Gentry Square located west of the Levelland Campus and adjacent to the community's medical district. The $3 million renovation project features seven modern classrooms, three separate skills labs, an audio-video observation and recording suite, two computer testing labs and faculty offices and a capacity to accommodate more than 250 students each semester.


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Are you in Queensland and affected by the floods? Please contact the Herald newsdesk.
Queensland is in the grip of another extraordinary flood crisis, as cities and towns across the state go under.
The Bremer River has broken its banks at Ipswich and businesses are beginning to flood, Mayor Paul Pisasale says.
"This is the start of our emotional pummelling," Mr Pisasale told AAP on Monday afternoon.
He said there was already water through one carpet business in the CBD and evacuations had started.
He said about 350 properties were expected to flood as the river heads towards the first of a number of peaks.
A 15-metre flood peak is expected in Ipswich about 6pm (AEST) on Monday night.
Mr Pisasale said residents, still traumatised by the 2011 flood, were leaving their homes even when they did not need to.
The city was not expected to experience the damage that happened two years ago.
"We are a city in very emotional stress at the moment," he said.
"We'll survive, but I tell you what, it does get to you."
Emergency lines subdued by flooding
Telstra has sent technicians in helicopters into central and northern Queensland to repair damage to networks that has knocked out the emergency triple zero service in some areas.
The fibre optic cable that carries much of the state's communications was damaged on Friday night by severe flooding north of Bundaberg, where the city's worst flood on record has left dozens of people trapped on rooftops.
A backup cable near Kingaroy, north west of Brisbane, was also damaged late on Sunday.
Temporary numbers have been established so people can contact emergency services in affected areas.
Telstra crews have been flown by helicopter to Kingaroy and Colosseum but services are not expected to be restored until this afternoon at the earliest.
Crisis developing
At least 1200 Bundaberg properties are already flooded, and there are fears that could reach 2000.
The communities of Gympie and Maryborough are also flooding.
There is also a major flood crisis developing in the Lockyer Valley, where 19 lives were lost in the state's 2011 floods.
Brisbane and Ipswich are bracing for flooding expected on Monday night, with further flood peaks expected on Tuesday and Wednesday.
So far, three flood deaths have been confirmed:
- An 81-year-old man whose body was pulled from the water near Bundaberg
- A 27-year-old man who tried to cross a flooded creek near Gympie
- A man whose body was found in the Oxley Creek south of Brisbane.
In Bundaberg, entire suburbs have been evacuated but some people waited too long and about 30 are stranded on rooftops in atrocious conditions that are preventing rescuers from reaching them.
The situation in the city is now so bad that police are advising people trapped in homes in north Bundaberg to seek refuge on the roof.
"If your house is currently inundated with water and you require rescuing, you are either to make your way to the roof if safe - I repeat - if safe," Senior Sergeant Grant Marcus said in an urgent public alert issued on Monday morning.
"Alternatively find a way by which you can hail rescue helicopters which are currently hovering over your area."
Choppers with winching gear are battling to get to those already on the rooftops.
At Ipswich, west of Brisbane, flooding is predicted from late on Monday, but it's not expected to be anything like what was seen in 2011 when 600 homes flooded.
That's also true for Brisbane, where a minor flood is expected, affecting about 5000 homes and businesses.
Two evacuation centres have opened in Ipswich, with the Bremer River now expected to peak at 15 metres - a metre beyond what was expected just a day ago.
"We're doing everything we can," an emotional Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale told ABC radio on Monday.
"We've got a lead time until midnight tonight so it'll be all hands on deck to help those people," he said, his voice breaking.
"From an emotional point of view it's going to be most horrendous for me. I'll have to get in counsellors for those people who have just been kicked in the guts again."
Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk says the city is in for a very difficult few days, but it isn't going to be as bad as 2011.
About 3600 residential properties and 1250 businesses are expected to experience some flooding.
Two flood peaks are expected, the first from late on Monday at Ipswich and the western Brisbane suburb of Moggill.
"We're going to see it then through Jindalee and along the river system, peaking at the city by noon on Tuesday," Mr Quirk said.
"Then as the tide goes down that will be relief. But then it will come again, peaking again in the city at lunch time on Wednesday."
The premier says people should remain calm and prepare if they are in areas marked as at risk of flooding in maps prepared by the Ipswich and Brisbane councils.
"It is a significant event. This is a big challenge for our community but we are up to it. We did it in 2011 and we will do it again," Mr Newman said.
New South Wales braced for a battering
About 2000 people have been cut off by floodwaters and emergency services have performed 12 rescues, as destructive winds and rain hit northern New South Wales and move slowly south.
Severe weather warnings have been issued for much of NSW as ex-tropical cyclone Oswald moves slowly across the Queensland border, ushering in winds of up to 140km/h.
People in Sydney, the Illawarra, the Northern Rivers, the mid-north coast, the Hunter and the northern and central tablelands are all being warned to prepare for heavy rain that may lead to flash flooding, with the Hopkins Creek weather station near Mullumbimby on the far north coast recording almost 540mm of rain in the last 24-hours until 9am(AEDT).
Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) NSW forecaster Mohammed Nabi says the wild weather is expected to reach east of Moree on Monday afternoon, and west of Armidale on Monday night.
He says the low-pressure system, which has lost its structure since being a Category 1 cyclone, is dragging up a lot of moisture from the Tasman Sea.
"It's dumping that over coastal areas," he told AAP on Monday.
As it moves south, he says Sydney and Newcastle will probably start seeing the worst of it on late Monday evening with winds forecast to reach up to 100km/h and downpours of up to 200mm.
"For us down here (in Sydney) the worst is yet to come, while people in the Northern Rivers are going through it right now."
Across northern NSW almost 2000 people have been isolated by flood waters, with around 850 people cut off at Ewingar west of Lismore and 400 at Darkwood on the mid north coast.
NSW State Emergency Service (SES) Commissioner Murray Kear says the number of people affected will increase throughout the day as rivers rise.
Meanwhile the SES is continuing to warn people to stay away from floodwaters, with emergency services so far carrying out 12 rescues and responding to almost 900 emergency calls.
"Never drive through floodwaters," he told Network Seven.
At Kyogle, a number of caravans from the Kyogle Caravan Park have been moved to higher ground.
At Bellingen, Lavenders Bridge has been closed due to rising floodwater, cutting the township in half while the Pacific Highway has been closed in both directions just south of Grafton.


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Academia Delux 2 Bedoom Apartment for 6
Спальные места6
Ванные комнаты1
Площадь90 м²
Этаж №1(с лифтом)
- Интернет
- Балкон/терраса
- Полотенца
- Лифт в здании
- Возможность проживания семьи/детей
- Кухня
- Можно с домашними животными
- Курение разрешено
Краткое описание жилья
|Rua Academia das Ciências, 1200 Lisboa, Португалия
|Тип жилья
|ID жилья
|Процент подтвержденных запросов брони
|Время ответа
|Несколько часов
|Календарь обновлен
|3 дней назад
This charming apartment is at the first floor of a quiet street of a typical old Lisbon quarter with all the charm of an old village. The apartment has been renovated quite recently to offer you total comfort and all the modern conveniences. Kitchen is well equipped with everything you need to prepare a homemade meal. It has two bedroom with queen-size couple beds, a closet to store your belongings, and in the living room a comfortable sofa bed to sleep two. So ideally the maximum capacity should be 4 persons, but there´s one extra sofa bed that can easily be converted into a king size bed to sleep two extra guests. It alson has a furnished balcony where you can have your breakfast or simply enjoy the fresh air.
- Wireless Internet Conection
- Baby Crib and High Chair Available Upon Request
- Fresh Towels and Bed Linen Available
- Complete Equipped Kitchen with all Domestic Apliances, Kitchen Utensils, Cutlrey, Pots and Pans, Toaster, Coffe Machine, Ketlle etc...
- Final Cleaning Included in the Total Price!
- Many other amenities ( check the amenities section )
- This Apartment is Professionally Managed. You will have the guarantee of a warm welcome by one of the menbers of our staff who will explain you how everything works in the apartment and will give you all the needed information and hints and tips of Lisbon for a perfect stay. You will always be monitorized: We are reacheable 24h a day thanks to our emergency call line! At your arrival a map with the major facilities around the area will be at your disposal in the apartment.
City center is less than 15 minutes walking, so you will be able to enjoy most of Lisbon´s attractions by foot! You have however buses, trams and metro nearby running every minute:
TRAM: Famous Tram 28 takes you to the city center and most picturesque Lisbon districts - runs 300 meters from the apartment
METRO: Rato and Baixa/Chiado metro stations are just 15 minutes walking from the apartment (yellow and blue lines)
BUSES: buses 758, 773, 727
TRAIN STATIONS:Santos Train Station is at 10 minutes walking. This train will take you to Hthe historical site of Belém and to the Estoril/Cascais villages and beaches.
- Supermarket, ATM Machines: 5 minutes walking distance
- Authentic Restaurants, Cafés, Pastry Shops and Bakeries
- Swimming Pool (Nautical Portuguese Club). 10 minutes walking distance
- Night Bars and Clubs: 1 minute walking
- Pharmacy: 1 minute walking distance
- Biological Open Air Market Every Saturday Morning in Principe Real Square
Set in the heart of one of Lisbon's most vibrant districts, this Lisbon apartment is situated at 1 minute walking distance from Praça das Flores, an emblematic leafy square garden. This romantic cozy square garden in Príncipe Real quarter is a peaceful spot, surrounded by old buildings maintaining its original lines. Here people chat and children play. Native People from Lisbon! This place has attracted artists, intellectuals and politicians (The Parliament is a few meters away).
A wealth variety of facilities and attractions are on this square or near it. The supermarket is just around the corner, pharmacy, ATM machines, local grocery stores and tree shaded cafes and fine restaurants are also around. This is also a gay friendly area with some of the gay bars and clubs situated just around the corner. Príncipe Real is also famous for its lustful gardens with centenary trees and for its antique shops.
From here you are a few minutes walking from two of the most picturesque bairros (quarters in Portuguese) in Lisbon: Bairro Alto and Bica . The traditional but trendy bohemian Bairro Alto has a renowned lively and vibrant nightlife, and also featuring a wide variety of tascas, restaurants and Fado houses. On the other hand Bica with the Bica Funicular and the Santa Catarina Belvedere as its main attractions, is a quarter where you can feel the calmness of daily life of local citizens, like if you were in a little village.
The sophisticated and glamourous Chiado district in the city center is also quite near. About 15 minutes walking distance.
The area is also well served with public transportation. Two metro stations from two different lines are about 15 minutes walking. Chiado station and Rato Station.
Buses and trams are running every minute. Tram nº28 is a very famous touristic tram which winds is way through the most picturesque parts of Lisbon, namely the Alfama and Castle area has a stop not very far from the apartment. In Santos area next to the river, trains take you to Belém, Estoril and Cascais.
Правила ПроживанияCHECK IN - CHECK OUT
Check in standard time is from 15:00 onwards and Check Out standard time is until 11:00.
However we are quite flexible to let you in earlier or checking you out later depending on the apartment´s occupancy! We can confirm you all these arrangements the day before you arrive.
Late Check in - from 22:00 to 00:00 - 30 Euros
Late Check in from 00:00 - 50 Euros
- Airport - Apartment Transfer in private transportation upon request
- A security deposit of 150 Euros will be charged at your arrival and will be returned to you at your check out.
The apartment will be ready and cleaned for you before your arrival. Fresh towels and bed linens are also provided and all is included in the total price. You will be given a set of two towels per person.
- Stays longer than 7 days: you will be provided with 2 sets of towels/ person.
- Stays longer than 10 days: you will be provided with 2 sets of bed linens per bed.
- Stays longer than 15 days will have a weekly cleaning included on the total price.
Any extra set of towels has a 10 EUR cost. Any extra set of bed linens has the following cost: 8 EUR for single beds and 10 EUR for double beds. Extra cleaning - 25 EUR.
|Заезд после
|Заселение до
|По договоренности
|Отъезд до
|Политика Отмены Брони
Apartment is really nice and location is good - really close to Barrio Alto, tram 28 etc but on a quiet street.
Arrived late and had a rather unfortunate issue with the key which meant we couldn't get in on the first night.. however the hosts we're very helpful in fixing this for us and covered extra costs incurred.
Would recommend.
Ottima posizione, vicina al centro. Arredi interni nuovi e ben curati. Il signore che ci ci ha accolto è stato gentile e disponibile.L'unico inconveniente è il rumore proveniente dall'esterno, a causa di un centro di raccolta di immondizia funzionante nel palazzo adiacente.
Обзор других предложений от этого хозяина
First of all, the staff was very kind and polite! Alex managed a cab and helped us out for our emergency flight.
The place looked proper and big. The bathrooms were ok and clean.
The rooms and beds also ok
The main reason we won't stay here anymore was the extreme noise of the club below us. We stayed from Thursday till Sunday and the nuisance was enormous!
We also disliked the fourth floor without elevator but that felt like peanuts compared our sleep during the nights.
In case of emergency, like fire, there was no escape possible. Except for jumping outside the window from 10 mtr high.
For us we liked the location during the day but we recommend another place as well.
The apartment looked really nice and it's location is great, even though it's hard to find a parking spot for free.
However it lacked in kitchen suppies e.g. coffee mashine or bowls.
The location to the centre of Lissabon is great, however, it is very noisy during the night.
The balcony is nice but the furniture is bad.
Almost all the electric instalations was damage and therefore quite dangerous for children.
The cleaning was rather bad.
positiv...nice contact....5 stars
thank you
We had a wonderful stay in Lisboa and especially in this gorgeous appartement. Very clean, comfortable and in the middle of the nightlife of Bairro Alto. The welcome and introduce was warm and very uncomlicated. Absolutely advisable!
Amazing appartment, beautifully decorated and perfectly equipped. Only a 10 min walk away from the Bairro Alto. Our host was great as well! I'd go back to this flat any time!
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Pine River Merchant's, Community Garage Sale Days plans announced
The annual Pine River Merchant's & Community Garage Sale Days are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Aug. 2 and 3.
The area of the sales includes all of the city of Pine River and a distance up to three miles from the Pine River Highway 371 stoplight.
Those who wish to enter their sale in the event are invited to sign up at the Pine River Information Center. Those registered will be listed on a master map which will include the location of each sale along with a short description. Cost to be included on the map is $20 per sale and information must be received by Monday, July 22. The map will be published in the July 29 issue of the Echoland-Piper Shopper.
The annual Pie On The Porch will also be held on Friday, Aug. 2.
Call the Pine River Information Center at 218-587-4000 for more information.


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Hi All,
Having had some training in JIT (Just In Time) theory. I was wondering if anybody out there had done extracting at the apiary location? It seems a waste in some ways to load the supers into the truck, drive unload them, extract, put them back to let the bees clean them up and them remove them for winter storage.


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brake linings 07KA2305
- Description
BREMBO: the brake specialists, OEM for manufacturers including Aprilia, BMW, Ducati, Suzuki, Triumph, etc. Carbon ceramic is an evolution of the organic mixture, with a higher carbon content. High mileage, good braking performance at high and low temperatures and on dry and wet roads - these features are what make this friction material stand out. The result is improved braking on the road, whether it is cold, raining or in challenging conditions like mountain descents. ABE operating licence (Germany only) = all brake linings are identified with a KBA number. Set for one brake disk. Dimensions: 69.2 x 49.5 x 7.0 mm. Sintered metal is order number 50100301020.
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We always give our best to handle your order as fast as possible. Orders which are placed before 2 pm on a work day are usually handed over to our logistics partner (DHL) on the same day if in stock.
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text: Under-the-radar prospects rising Todd McShay Scouts Inc. MOBILE, Ala. -- Senior Bowl week presents an opportunity for players from smaller programs and conferences to step up and show they belong with the big boys, and three 2012 prospects have taken full advantage of that chance at this year's game. Marshall DE Vinny Curry (6-foot-3, 265 pounds) Curry is well-known in scouting circles and was considered a potential Day 2 (Rounds 2-3) pick even last season, but I doubt many fans across the nation realize Curry was third in the FBS with 22 tackles for loss in 2011, and tied for sixth with 11 sacks. He doesn't have elite burst, top-end speed or athleticism, but Curry's initial quickness has been very good during Senior Bowl week and he is showing the ability to transition that quickness into power moves. Once he forces offensive tackles to stand up and respect his power, Curry does a nice job using rip or swim moves to beat them inside or outside. What stands out above all, though, is his relentless motor, toughness and passion for the game, and one game from 2011 illustrates those qualities perfectly. Curry's mother, Linda Jackson, fought cancer for more than a year -- something he dealt with while still remaining committed to his teammates -- and she passed away early in the week leading up to Marshall's game against Rice. Curry did not practice at all during the week while mourning his mother, not even returning to campus until an hour before kickoff. However, he decided to play and dedicate his performance to his mother. All Curry did against the Owls was record nine total tackles, 3.5 sacks, a fumble recovery, and force a fourth-quarter fumble that led to the game-winning touchdown for Marshall. He's the kind of player it's easy to pull for, and Curry had done everything he can this week to solidify a Day 2 grade. In fact, it won't surprise me if he ends up working his way into the second round before all is said and done. Louisiana-Lafayette CB Dwight Bentley (5-9⅞, 176) Bentley played high school football with fellow South team CB Janoris Jenkins (North Alabama), and they have clearly been the top two defensive backs on the South roster. Bentley is undersized, but with his quickness, fluidity and body control he can flat-out cover. He had only seven career interceptions -- due in part to teams preferring not to challenge him -- and while his ball skills are not elite he has shown in Mobile the ability to find, adjust to and fight for the ball in the air. Two other things have stood out about Bentley, including his confidence. He has the ability to put negative plays behind him and bounce back on the next snap, something that is very important for a cornerback. Bentley has also taken coaching well this week, picking up what the coaches are telling him and making the necessary adjustments on the next play. He was considered a Day 3 possibility coming into the season, but his improvement as a senior and his showing this week against future NFL receivers has improved his stock. Bentley has risen as much as any other prospect in attendance, and could very well come off the board on Day 2. Utah State LB Bobby Wagner (6-0¼, 241) Wagner has a solid frame, and he's showing some scheme versatility lining up on the strong side after spending a lot of time inside in college. He was highly productive for the Aggies, ranking eighth nationally in tackles per game in 2011, and is very strong at the point of attack. Wagner takes good angles to get into sound position, and his pop and power at the point are very good. And while he lacks elite range in coverage, Wagner has been great pressing tight ends at the line of scrimmage and has shown good instincts and awareness against the pass. He gets good leverage -- not just depth, but also width -- to cover as much ground as possible, and he is far from a liability in that area. Wagner now ranks as the No. 4 inside linebacker on the board -- behind the likes of Luke Kuechly, Vontaze Burfict and Dont'a Hightower -- and he's gotten himself to the fringe of Day 2. http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft2012/notebook?page=seniorbowlbuzz0125


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Mobile devices have become an integral part of our lives and many of us rely on them to get through our days. It's easy to see why—mobile devices allow us to work on the go, keep in contact with friends and family, and even entertain ourselves during long airport delays.
But their very popularity has opened the door to some serious risks, including the loss of money and personal information. In fact, McAfee Labs™ predicts that 2011 will be a "turning point" where we will see mobile threats escalate significantly, targeting a number of platforms. Not only are threats we associate with computers, such as viruses and identity theft, moving to mobile devices, these devices are also easily lost or stolen, potentially putting your information in the hands of the bad guys. What's more, as Internet-enabled devices like smartphones grow in sophistication, allowing us to do things like online banking and shopping, they open the door for the loss of even more critical data—such as credit card numbers and passwords.
So, whether you are practically addicted to your mobile device, or just a casual user, it pays to learn about the risks and how to avoid them.
What's at stake?
When your device is lost or stolen, not only do you have to pay to replace the hardware (which can be costly), you may also lose valuable contacts, information, and photos, which is why it is important to backup your information.
In the case of theft, your personal information can wind up in the hands of the crook, unless you've taken steps to secure your information, such as contracting a service that allows you to remotely lock down your device and erase information.
And just like your home computer, once you connect to the Internet, the risks multiply. If you connect to an unsecured wireless connection with your mobile device, anything you send can potentially be accessed by cybercriminals, including your passwords. If your smartphone lands in the wrong hands, crooks can potentially login to banking and shopping sites if you store your passwords at the site's login.
Downloading applications (apps) onto your mobile device opens another area of risk since mobile applications can be used to access your personal information and account details. For instance, a mobile game application called "3-D Anti-Terrorist" was recently to blame for dialing international numbers in the middle of the night, using mobile owners' accounts and leaving them with hefty bills. And, just last summer a free wallpaper app was blamed for stealing information, such as the mobile phone number, text messages and voicemail numbers, from over 1 million Android handset users.
The bottom line is that the more personal information you have stored in your mobile device—whether it is data you entered or information that can be accessed by an application—the more at risk you are for loss of money and even identity theft.
How to keep your mobile device safe
Although mobile users face a variety of risks, they don't have to be overwhelming provided you take the right precautions.
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Of course, the best piece of advice is to treat your mobile device like your wallet. Protect it, look after it, and try not to keep all your valuable personal information in one place.
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Multicultural Connectors Program
Who are they
- Connectors are sophomore through senior students
What do they do
- Connectors reach out to first-year students to make them aware of what's happening on campus and help them adjust to college. Essentially they help them get connected to campus.
Why do we need Connectors
- According to Vincent Tinto an expert on student retention, (all) students who get involved and feel they are part of the university and interact with students, faculty and staff are more likely to strive to complete their college education. If you feel comfortable you can focus on our studies instead of worrying about fitting in and finding friends.
What do Connectors do with students
- Previous years' connectors have had movie nights in the William McClain Black Culture House, game nights, homemade dinners, study sessions, lunch and dinner together, shopping trips, pizza parties, trips to the library or just hung out. You name it, they do it.
Are students assigned to a Connector
- No! At the initial meeting our purpose is to have everyone meet each other. During that and subsequent programs in the first week of classes we work to make sure every first-year student is connected with a current Wittenberg student. We connect people based on mutual rapport and similar interests.
How can I be a part of the program
- Whether you are a first-year student or a current student who wants to be a part of the connectors program, contact the office of Multicultural Student Programs.
- Visit the Web site
- Phone: (937) 327-7800
Is the Connectors program only for Black Students
- No. The program is for all students of color. We do however have a limited number of Connectors. As the program grows we will expand our target market to other groups.
What's the difference between the Connectors program and a Mentoring program?
- The Connectors program primary focus is to establish a rapport with students and the community they now live in. Mentoring programs are typically about role modeling, guidance and one person showing or sharing with another how to get where they are.


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- Hunting & Shooting > Ammunition > Rifle Ammunition
Federal 5.56 XM193F 55gr MC BT Rifle Ammo(1217724)
Federal 5.56 XM193F 55gr MCBT Rifle Ammo - Made to U.S. Government and NATO Specifications. It has great speed at 3,165 fps. This is the perfect inexpensive ammo for the range.
You must be 18 or older to purchase ammunition and other restricted items. For safety reasons, many of these items cannot be returned and may only be shipped via ground to the 48 contiguous states. If purchasing ammunition, ensure you use the correct caliber and/or gauge in your firearm. Many states and/or municipalities have certain restrictions in place which may prevent shipment/ordering of various items. Check your local laws and regulations before ordering.
Federal 5.56 XM193F 55gr MCBT Rifle Ammo - This is high quality, inexpensive ammunition manufactured at Lake City Army Ammunition Plant. It is made to U.S. Government and NATO Specifications. It has great speed at 3,165 fps.
- Caliber 223 Rem
- Bullet Weight: 55gr
- Energy: 1282 ft lbs
- Metal Case Boat Tail
- Muzzle Velocity: 3,165 fps
- Rounds per Box 20
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Good ammo
This ammo functioned 100% in 2 different AR15 rifles. Accuracy was a consistant 2 MOA at 100 yards. It is not polished at the factory, but shoots better than it looks.
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You may be required to have your debit card balance verified before making purchases at certain retail establishments such as gas stations. This is the policy of these establishments to ensure purchasers have adequate funds on their debit cards to cover desired purchases. This might prevent you from using the pay-at-the-pump feature at gas stations, but you will still be able to use your card to purchase gasoline at these establishments by simply taking your card to the cashier for verification.


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verb. the act of propelling dirt between the legs with the fore paws so that the genital area becomes covered with a light film of dust
Carolina Dingos are notorious ball dusters. Carolina Dingos love to burrow in the ground and as they burrow and excavate these nests they always end up ball dusting.
by Ian Jonse June 13, 2006


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With experiences with labs, working alongside with faculty and completing internships, transitioning from college to the work place is nearly seamless. The hands-on encounters that you have at Ball State ensure that you have mastered the skills that you need to be successful in your career.
Employers who visit campus tell us that our students compare favorably with their peers at other institutions in professionalism, communication skills, and biological knowledge. But they are mostly impressed with the hands-on experiences that our students gain.Learn about careers with a degree from the Department of Biology.
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Real Life: Ron Mueck and Guy Ben-Ner
01 Jun 2008 - 28 Sep 2008
Real Life draws connections between two very different artists who share a common interest in a direct hands-on approach capable of bridging the gap between experience and our reflection on it. This summer, explore the drama and contradiction in the human condition through the intimate and contemporary works of two internationally acclaimed artists: sculptor Ron Mueck and video and installation artist Guy Ben-Ner. Ron Mueck The hyper-realist sculptures of Australian-born, London-based Ron Mueck depict some of life's blunt realities: that we are born into a world that is not of our making, and that aging and death are unavoidable. Guy Ben-Ner Israeli-born, Berlin-based Guy Ben-Ner, by contrast, often uses humour to tackle our everyday "real life" through engaging videos and installations featuring himself and his family. Together, these two artists create a dialogue about the balance between the physical and emotional elements of the human condition. Real Life offers a new opportunity to investigate Mueck's sculptures in detail, and presents an in-depth look at Ben-Ner's work. Organized by the National Gallery of Canada and presented by the Cité de l'énergie.


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Just give us an indication of what you find objectionable
(sometimes it isn't neccesarily clear), and we'll look into it.
Item ID: 78656
(Solomon concerned by pact extensions without new bids)
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[quote user="Morehead State"]
[quote user="Kase-1"][quote user="DavenIII"][quote user="Kase-1"][quote user="MattMeyerBud"]hey pappy, kase, pizz- shoot me a text i lost all my numbers
last day to be able to frequent the boards and at this job
[/quote]You missed a 'doozy' in here yesterday.... Me and Daven were going OFF on each other
Just sent ya a text
I still think you are just being a sore loser honestly, it's quite obvious that at least some of the people who are acting up in arms over this common everyday situation (the trayvon martin thing) are doing so because they want to be cool or want attention, it's no different then the Kony thing...or the next big media driven agenda....I'd say it's more then likely the majority of people....but it's definitely at least a portion of them....it's actually just stupid to claim it's not.
[/quote]OK, I see you're gonna pick it up where we left off.
Never did I suggest that 100% of the people that are attending these rallies and supporting the arrest were doing it for a just cause, I was saying that a majority are and you deny that claim. To you it seems like they are all hipsters looking for the next 'cool thing' but in actuallity the majority are angry at the whole situation and doing it because its the 'right thing' not the 'cool thing'
I love arguing with Kase. he starts lobbing personal insults and we just can't take him seriously because he's such a nice guy.</p>[/quote]Hey, I called Daven a D-bag when he was acting like one. Other than that I tend to keep personal insults out of it.
I can be nice and I as well can be a D-bag myself


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The College provides all faculty and staff members with personal space on a shared Windows-based file server ("the N:\ drive"). In addition to this private folder, departments have shared folders for common files used by all members of that department; and there are some additional, cross-departmental shared folders.
When you log in to an office computer on campus with your Barnard account username and password, you should automatically see any folders you have access to listed under "Computer". (The visibility on a Mac will differ somewhat, depending on the specifics of the particular computer and operating system.) You can access the N:\ drive from off campus by using the WebVPN.
If you need access to a particular shared folder, or if you cannot view your shared folders, please contact the BCIT Service Desk.


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Anna Lena Phillips
Joint efforts between historically distinct disciplines raise a lot of questions—and, sometimes, eyebrows. In the case of art-science collaborations, skepticism can threaten to jettison experimentation: What can art say that science hasn't already said?
An exhibit at the U.S. National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C., suggests some answers to this question. Taxa, a series of paintings by Isabella Kirkland, groups species together in innovative ways that can stimulate conversation about human impact on the environment.
A visual artist and a research associate in aquatic biology at the California Academy of Sciences, Kirkland had already cultivated knowledge of and respect for the science of taxonomy when she began the series. "I had been working on individual, local endangered species," she says. "As the millennium was coming to an end, I decided to work on a grand scale—something more like a time capsule." The result of this exploration was the first painting, "Descendant" (1999), which portrays 61 species listed as endangered (or, in some cases, "presumed extinct") in the mainland United States, Hawaii or Central America.
Five subsequent paintings point up other issues in conservation science and biodiversity. "Ascendant" (2000) portrays species that have been introduced to the United States and are thriving.
"Trade" (2001, shown here) includes species that people value, harvest and sell, and whose populations have thus been depleted. The work's vivid colors underscore the human desire to own these creatures. "Gone" (2004) catalogues full-species, worldwide extinctions. Its colors are more subdued, making the piece a memorial to the organisms shown. Kirkland is currently working on Nova, three new paintings that depict species discovered since the passage of the U.S. Endangered Species Act in 1973.
Planning compositions that portray such great numbers of species with anatomical accuracy is a challenge, so Kirkland decided at the outset to use a time-tested genre. "The Dutch masters' still lifes looked pretty good after 400 years—you can pick out the genera of the bugs," she says. The paintings in Taxa use the genre to great effect. The large canvases are packed with life, but each animal and plant is rendered distinctly.
The series is the product of painstaking research. "I begin with the data," Kirkland says. She reads current scientific literature to find new leads, collecting detailed information on particular species. When she decides to include a species, she tries to see a specimen of it so that she can draw it at life size. "People are very generous with their time," she says. "Every time I go into any museum, I'm so profoundly shaken by the number of man-hours it represents. That's part of what I'm trying to laud."
Kirkland is modest about her hopes for this integration of biology and art. "If I inspire even three people to become taxonomists, I've won," she says. "They're not training taxonomists anymore—it doesn't have the bling of genetics." But considering species' differences and similarities is essential for our knowledge of how the world works, she believes. She also hopes the paintings will inspire people to "pay attention to biodiversity and think about their actions in terms of it." And the medium of painting itself has advantages: It can "get people to slow down" and have a deep experience of the art.
The work offers insights for visual art as well. "Nature art has sort of a bad name in the 'real' art world," says Kirkland. "I wanted to change that, to depict wildlife in a way that's not naïve." But the paintings do not sacrifice artistry for accuracy. The lush, well-balanced compositions invite the viewer's eye to travel around the canvas.
"The species in each painting don't belong together—so it's a fantasy in that regard," she says. Perhaps paradoxically, by removing species from their habitats, the paintings acquire the power to change our perception of the plants and animals within them. In this sense, Kirkland's work moves beyond the representation of scientific ideas to offer new ways of thinking about the organisms she depicts.
To broaden the audience for these works, Kirkland maintains a Web site, isabellakirkland.com. Users can explore the paintings and read more about select species. The Nova series will be added to the site once it is complete. She is also producing a series of three-quarter-size prints of the paintings. But the best way to experience these works will be to see them live and up close. The free exhibit, in the upstairs gallery of the National Academy of Sciences, runs April 10 to August 25 of this year.
A basic test for art-science might be whether it succeeds when judged by the standards of each discipline. The Roman poet Horace's dictum—"teach and delight"—comes to mind. Or, to use more-modern terms, is the project accurate and useful? And is it pleasing—does it succeed aesthetically? It will be revealing to consider other art-science collaborations in a similar light. As for Kirkland's paintings, it seems safe to answer both questions with a resounding yes.—Anna Lena Phillips
You can find this online at http://www.americanscientist.org/issues/num2/2008/3/ars-scientifica/1
© 2016 Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society


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PRBE fifth-graders compete in Math Masters
Emma Barchus, Joshua Bergerson, Keenan Dahl, Zoe DeSanto, Sara Johnson and Yuliana Krecklau, fifth-grade students at Pine River-Backus Elementary School, participated in the regional Math Masters of Minnesota Challenge in Bemidji on Friday, April 26. The team coach is Steve Bergerson.
There were 160 fifth-graders participating in this year's competition, and all Pine River-Backus students placed in the top 25 percent.
In the fact drill portion of the competition, where students are given 5 minutes to complete 75 math problems, Krecklau was awarded a 13th-place finish and Barchus took the first-place award.
"These students have given up their time once a week after school for the past three months to prepare for the competition," said coach Bergerson. "We have been practicing problem-solving strategies, core math concepts, statistics, probability, ratios, percents, basic algebra and working together as a team. I am proud of how far these kids have come in the past few months, and they have become more confident in their abilities as a result."
Math Masters of Minnesota began as a fifth-grade math competition program in 1989 with teams from 44 schools taking part. In 1995, the competition was expanded to include sixth-graders, and this year there are approximately 5,000 fifth- and sixth-graders registered to compete.
Schools are encouraged to involve as many of their fifth- and sixth-grade students as possible in the use of the Math Masters packet of challenge preparation materials. A team selection test is provided to assist coaches in choosing students to represent their schools.
Math Masters is designed to promote excellence in critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities as well as provide recognition to students for academic effort and achievement.
Teams and individual students from private as well as public schools may compete in Math Masters. The support of companies and foundations for the math competition is essential. Math Masters is supported by the Hormel Foundation as well as many other individuals and businesses.


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Because I couldn't care less about an "improved" team. What good is "improved" if it doesn't lead to a contender. That's just it. I think traderumor touched on this in his Bengals analogy. People have gotten so accustomed to mediocrity that they seem to be satisfied with "improved." If improving the team still means a losing season, and those improvements are older players who won' be around for permanent improvement, it serves no purpose whatsoever if you're looking to get to the playoffs.Originally Posted by REDREAD
Basically, whether they lose 85 games or 95 games means very little to me.


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A human-being by the name of Beau that likes it up the BUTT, in AND around his mouth, likes getting squeezed by mens thick thunder thighs, and sometimes even to get a little kinky in the ear. These beaumo-sapiens are very annoying and are very attracted to young boys named Johnny. They also think they are the coolest kids in their school and always try to deny that they are not "Beaumo" but no one listens. They use the phrase "My B". And for some odd reason these specimens like to hit their sisters to take out the anger and rage on the female race.
by The Beaumosexual himself December 03, 2010