text:
(CNSNews.com) - Forty-three of John Bolton's former colleagues at the American Enterprise Institute want to set the record straight: They've sent a letter to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, defending Bolton's conduct and management style.
"We were colleagues of John Bolton during his tenure as senior vice president of the American Enterprise Institute from January 1997 through May 2001. We are writing to tell you and your colleagues that the various allegations that have been raised before your Committee, concerning Mr. Bolton's management style and conduct in other organizations and circumstances, are radically at odds with our experiences in more than four years of intense, frequent and continuous interaction with him."
The letter, addressed to Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. Richard Lugar and ranking Democrat Joseph Biden, said Bolton was a "demanding" colleague all right -- as demanding of himself as he was of others.
"He was unfailingly courteous and respectful to us, regardless of our AEI positions or seniority," Bolton's former colleagues said.
They called it "preposterous" that Bolton would want to punish or settle scores with subordinates who disagreed with him - and several of them noted that they were Bolton's subordinates at AEI.
They described Bolton's style as "clear and consistent" in cases where disagreements arose: "He would state his own views openly and directly, expect others to be equally open and direct, and go out of his way to encourage subordinates to be open and direct, all in the service of arriving at the best possible decision."
Sometimes Bolton's own views would change as a result of discussion, his former colleagues said.
But once a decision was reached, Bolton expected subordinates to get with the program, just as he followed the decisions reached by his peers or superiors.
The letter praised the "crispness, openness, fairness, and efficiency" of Bolton's management style at AEI, and it questioned the "strange allegations" that surfaced after President Bush nominated Bolton to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
(Several people who testified at Bolton's confirmation hearing described him as a temperamental and vindictive man who lashed out at people who disagreed with him -- even chasing one woman down a hallway to yell at her. But Bolton's defenders note there are plenty of people in Washington who don't suffer fools gladly.)
"Contrary to the portrayals of his accusers, he combines a temperate disposition, good spirit, and utter honesty with his well-known attributes of exceptional intelligence and intensity of purpose," his former AEI colleagues wrote.
Such a "rare combination" is a "highly desirable" attribute for the next U.N. ambassador, the letter said.
The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research describes itself as a think tank that is "dedicated to preserving and strengthening the foundations of freedom -- limited government, private enterprise, vital cultural and political institutions, and a strong foreign policy and national defense."
President Bush is standing by Bolton, calling him the right man for the U.N. job. His nomination remains bottled up in committee for the time being.
Send a Letter to the Editor about this article.


text:
Every now and then, Chase offers lucrative cash bonuses on their checking or savings accounts. A little while back, they offered one that gave new customers up to $400 in cash. An enticing deal like this was too good to pass up, so people signed up, and without any notice, Chase closed the deal.
Sometimes banks will shut down a bonus offer deal like this before the printed expiration date, simply because they are flooded with new customers.
The offer expired on Apr. 15, 2015. If you're interested in a good bank deal, find out how to cash in on Chase bonus offers. Or, read up on why banks sometimes make it so difficult to get these types of bank deals.
After this deal, Chase offered other deals (although not as big as the $400 bonus). Here's a $150 bonus deal that they offered a short while after the $400 one.
In general, to qualify for a Chase Bank deal, you must first obtain a printable coupon from their promotional page under the "Print" link. You must print the page and present the coupon to the banker before the account is open at your local branch.
To qualify for the $150 checking bonus, you must:
- Deposit $25 or more at account opening.
- Log in to Chase.com and enroll in Chase Checking Paperless Statements within 60 days of account opening.
- Have your direct deposit made to this account within 60 days of account opening. (Your direct deposit needs to be an electronic deposit of your paycheck, pension or government benefits (such as Social Security) from your employer or the government.)
After you have completed all the above checking requirements, we'll deposit the bonus in your new account within 10 business days.
To receive the $50 savings bonus, you must:
- Open a new Chase Savings account, which is subject to approval.
- Deposit a total of $5,000 or more in new money into the new savings account within 10 business days of account opening.
- Maintain at least a $5,000 balance for 90 days from the date of deposit. The new money cannot be funds held by Chase or its affiliates.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Constable Frank Orland Elliott
Biographical Info
Incident Details
Constable Elliott died at Battleford, NWT. In a continuing rebellion by the natives which began in Duck Lake, NWT and continued to Frog Lake, Fort Pitt and Cut Knife Hill. Not long after the battle at Cut Knife Hill there was a Battle at Batoche. On May 12, the rebellion was over. The natives began to scatter. A scout patrol from Battleford came under attack. Five Mounties came under fire by a rogue band of Indians.
Related Line of Duty Deaths


text:
English: Cutcombe is a village and civil parish south of Minehead and north of Dulverton straddling the ridge between Exmoor and the Brendon Hills in Somerset. It has a population of 403.
This category has the following 2 subcategories, out of 2 total.
- ► Dunkery Hill (29 F)
Media in category "Cutcombe"
The following 56 files are in this category, out of 56 total.
- Dartmoor from Dunkery.jpg 7.78 MB
- Hikers and Porlock Bay.jpg 4.94 MB
- Hinkley from Dunkery.jpg 2.22 MB
- Pen y Fan from Dunkery.jpg 1.83 MB


text: Interactive: Inside the world of the Arctic camel Add to ... Ivan Semeniuk - Science Reporter The Globe and Mail Published Tuesday, Mar. 05, 2013 7:06PM EST Last updated Monday, Jul. 15, 2013 11:42AM EDT Use this guide to explore an artist's reconstruction of camels living in the Canadian Arctic. The discovery was made after a single bone was found on Ellesmere Island during a 2006 expedition. A team lead by Natalia Rybczynski have determined the bone's owner was a camel. Read the full story in the related links below. Comments Share via email Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on LinkedIn PrintLicense article Interactive by CHRISTOPHER MANZA and STUART A. THOMPSON / THE GLOBE AND MAIL Report Typo/Error Follow Ivan Semeniuk on Twitter: @ivansemeniuk


text:
Kevin Beachy has been overseeing the bridge replacement program for Alleghany County, Md., since 1985, when the county—located in Maryland's panhandle three hours west of Baltimore—adopted a different approach to rehabilitation and replacement.
"We used to try to do everything in-house when we had a six-man full-time bridge crew. But we had more bridges deteriorate than we could replace," he recalls.
In just two decades, however, the county has cut in half the number of bridges posted at load restrictions (it is at 28%, down from 60%) by contracting out large projects and keeping the smaller, more manageable projects in-house—all without a dedicated bridge crew. Considering that both light and heavy manufacturing equipment as well as coal mining trucks travel the county's 550 miles of roads, that's quite a feat.
Over in Garrett County, Md., Dwight Emory uses some of his full-time roads department employees to act as seasonal bridge crews to plow snow on 700 miles of roads during the winter, just as Beachy does.
"With a contractor, you need time to get him in place. The benefit of going in-house is that you control the timetable and construction. It provides flexibility," Emory says.
That is just one of several factors Beachy and Emory consider when planning a bridge project. Here are seven more things to consider:
The severity of the bridge's condition: Federal law requires bridges with spans longer than 20 feet to be inspected every two years, but Allegany County also inspects all smaller bridges every five years.
"If the state imposes a load restriction of three tons (6,000 pounds) or less, the bridge is closed immediately, and we have to do temporary repairs until it can be replaced. On the other hand, if we see a slow deterioration every couple years, then we know that in three or four years we'll have to do something, and we can actually program it in our budget with our own crews," explains Beachy, a speaker at the 2008 National Association of County Engineers conference in Portland, Ore. "If there are major environmental impacts, and we have to go through the permit process (which lasts six to eight months) but the structure is collapsing, we consider that an emergency repair and go to a contractor."
Abutments are the first thing Emory considers because the county's equipment cannot reconstruct concrete abutments for bridges with a clearance higher than 20 feet. "Our crews handle one or two minor structures each year plus one major structure," says Emory, whose projects are limited by the type of equipment available to him.
The time of year: Maryland allows construction work in streams only from May through October.
Alleghany County crews average three to five projects annually (considering that construction season lasts six months, and each project takes two to three weeks to complete). "We don't have the luxury of having a bridge crew that can work 12 months of the year, but we're probably saving a quarter of a million dollars a year," Beachy estimates, considering the salaries and benefits for five full-time employees.
"If we don't need to be near the stream, and the abutments are not in the flood plain, it can happen year-round— but it can be too cold for concrete work, and we're also not set up with heaters, so our crews can't work in below-freezing weather," he adds.
Rehabilitation versus replacement: "Unless it's just taking a bridge out and putting a pipe in, we do not do total replace ments," Beachy says. "We don't do abutment work and superstructure because of the amount of time involved in those projects, which can last for months." To demolish existing abutments and rebuild with new concrete forms is so labor-intensive—and environmentally sensitive—that it would take too much time, he explains.
Garrett County crews do engage in total replacement. Employing a work force with experience in everything from carpentry and iron work to concrete and heavy construction, Emory says his crews are up to the task as long as it allows for other projects to be completed during the season.
The magnitude of the project: "If we can just put down new beams and a deck, we can do it for less than what a contractor would charge," explains Emory, who limits his projects to single spans 20 feet or less with two abutments "because wider spans generally require specialized equipment like longer cranes and large excavators to work around the edges," he says. The county also considers possible relocation of utilities, which may delay the project and may involve right-of-way acquisitions.
Also, to defray costs, Emory often buys materials (such as steel beams and open-grid decking) for up to four bridges at a time to capitalize on volume pricing. "We might buy the materials in one year and not do the construction until our next fiscal year," he explains.
Emory says the complexity of projects and material costs (sometimes a fraction of the cost when projects are bid) help him determine whether or not to keep projects in-house. "Our costs run from $70 to $170/square foot of deck area," he explains. "On other projects we've bid, they're typically more complex and longer structures, so they're also more expensive."
Consider a 70 -foot span over a stretch of the CSX Railroad in the town of Oakland. Located downtown with a clearance of 23 feet, the project was complex: The bridge needed to blend aesthetically with surrounding brick work on public buildings and architectural lighting along the roads. Those unique features pushed costs up to $800/square foot and required crews larger than the small three- to five-man crews employed by the county. "It required retaining walls, a flagger, and numerous cranes," Emory recalls.
The number of employees required: The public works department in Alleghany County employs 11 engineers with 25 two-man crews responsible for bridge work half the year and snow removal or maintenance the remainder. Occasionally a crew requires an additional laborer or two, but Beachy says that two employees and a foreman are usually all he needs. "If we can do a bridge with less than five people, we know we can handle it," he explains.
Emory agrees. "Most of our bridges can be done with that size crew. Most bridges are less than a 100-foot span," he says. When paving the approaches and bridge decks, Emory brings in the county's paving crew. "We can dedicate 20 trucks to haul fill material and paving," he says. "We have access to a lot of other equipment and personnel for different portions of the project." The county is divided into three sections with a garage in each section and 30 employees in each garage.
The type and size of equipment required: Beachy adjusts his budget to reflect annual equipment rentals to supplement the county's fleet, which includes one small track excavator, a backhoe with a 14-foot extended boom, a rubber tire front-end loader, two dump trucks, a crane truck with a boom length of 40 feet, and a concrete mixer and pump.
Garrett County's 12 graders, 20 front-end loaders, one large excavator, six backhoes, two large industrial all-terrain fork lifts, and a fleet of more than 60 trucks and tractors means that Emory only needs to rent cranes and pumps.
The duration of construction: If work is projected at less than four weeks, Beachy moves ahead. "We've never gone beyond six weeks," he says. During the summer, crews work four 10-hour days and work on one project at a time.
Beachy also considers whether a detour route is available. If the county can afford to close a road, he allows for longer construction. "If there's just one way in, and we have to build a bypass, then we rely on a contractor."


text:
The explanation given for the phenomenon was normally a variation of (1) talk is cheap and (2) prediction markets capture long-term trends while polls are affected by short-term political factoids.
I wonder what creative argument we'll hear now that McCain is ahead of Obama in the prediction markets for the first time since both locked their nominations:
Another interpretation, represented by this irate comment on a Mankiw's post, is that prediction markets just amplify headline news and therefore mean absolutely nothing. According to the author of the post, it's all easy money up for grabs: the post suggests that Obama's chances of winning are yet around 80% (I can only wonder where this number comes from).


text:
Kessler is the 10th rated QB in
the nation.
Photo by Mario Gomez
Grade: A-
Offers: Committed to USC
Key Strengths: Kessler has the ability to make throws that leave you wondering how he was able to drop the ball in between a closing safety and an underneath corner. Kessler struggled in the opening 7-on-7 games due to the fact he was only playing a few of his receivers that play along side him at Centennial. Kessler has great footwork, which is a key to succeed as a dominant Pac-10 QB. Kessler release is not Dan Marino quick but is smooth, and he throws a great ball. The most impressive part of Kessler's game is his athleticism; he has the ability to make plays in more that just one way.
Key Weakness: The concern for Kessler is his struggle to read defenses. Kessler has supreme confidence that seems to get him in trouble with some of his decisions. Kessler is an ultimate competitor and plays with a lot of emotion. His emotion may have got the best of him at times in the camp and displayed a slight attitude. At the end of the day, Kessler's has the WOW factor down and with coaching and a level head, Kessler could be a great QB for USC.
Boehm is the 14th rated QB in
the nation.
Photo by Mario Gomez
Grade: B+
Offers: Committed to Cal
Key Strength: Size, Size, Size! Boehm passes the eyeball test without question. He stands easily 6-foot-3, and he is built like a linebacker. Boehm is very polished when it comes to mechanics. He possesses great footwork followed with a quick release and limitless arm strength. Boehm is the ultimate take what the defense gives you QB. He showed a high completion percentage and was accurate. When it comes to attitude, Boehm is as cool as they come – never rattled and never excited – just business. He led his team to the tournament title earning MVP honors.
Key Weakness: First concern for Boehm is his delivery. He has a flaw in his delivery that takes a lot of the velocity out of his ball. He also lacks a killer instinct that Kessler seems to posses. He seems to be a Brad Johnson type QB that is fine settling for the check down. Boehm may not wow with his play but there is plenty of room for growth for him to be great a Cal.
Baker is one of the top QBs in
the 2012 class.
Photo by Mario Gomez
Grade: B
Offers: San Diego State
Key Strength: Baker is the most polished QB I have seen at this young of an age since Derek Carr was as a senior at Bakersfield Christian. Baker will only be a junior at Central next year, but he throws the ball like a sophomore in college. He has great footwork and a perfect delivery. There is a lot that he has done well and the best complement I can give Baker is that his ball is very catchable. Baker's passes are only going to be caught by his receiver or the ground. He makes throws to the right spots every time it seems. Next to Kessler, Baker had the ability to wow the crowd with some throws of his own. Putting balls into tight windows and dropping ball in the baskets that were his receivers.
Key Weakness: Baker was great in the opening 7-on-7 games, and he was making throws to rival as the best QB at the camp. But his youth is his biggest weakness. As the pressure mounted and the games became more important Baker started to struggle. His confidence started to waver, his footwork got sloppy, release started to slow, and interceptions followed. Baker has the ability to be one of the best the Valley has ever seen, but he needs to be confident when adversity starts to take its tool. Baker has the tools, now he needs the head.
Fishback is a rising prospect.
Photo by Mario Gomez
Grade: B-
Offers: None, interest from Fresno State, Oregon State, San Diego State, San Jose State, and Tulsa among others
Key Strength: This kid from Northern California has only played QB for one year and it showed. He has a ton of ability, however, and he can make any throw on the field. The thing I love is that Fishback throws the ball with authority. His balls are not caught they catch the receiver. He has good footwork for a new QB, which is impressive and shows that he has a lot of natural ability and can learn fast. He throws a tight spiral and commands his offense. He is an athletic QB. He played running back as a sophomore so has the ability to run. Watching Fishback will not wow a fan, but a coach would be drooling about the ability that is untapped with this QB.
Key Weakness: Inexperience is Fishback's Achilles heal going in to next season. He made some throws that left me scratching my head and saying aloud "why did you throw that ball." The best thing out of that was that Fishback knew that it was the wrong read just as fast. He has a long way to go to understand how to read and react to a defense. In addition, Fishback needs to understand the situation that his team is facing and get his team into the right play or make the right decision to let his team fight for another down.
Burrell is getting some
Pac-10 interest.
Photo by Mario Gomez
Grade: B
Offers: Idaho and Utah State
Key Strength: Burrell is leader! With the respect of his team, he is the ultimate gamer. Makes great decisions and gets the ball to the open receiver. Led his team all the way to the championship game and had an undefeated record on their way their. Another impressive thing was Burrell using the pump fake effectively. Burrell had defenders biting on the fake all night. Burrell works well with is his team and seemed to always have the right play on to beat the defense. Burrell is an obvious student of the game and has a passion for the position. In between games, you could find Burrell on the sideline, not talking or drinking water, but throwing constantly.
Key weakness: First, Burrell has sloppy footwork, which throw all his mechanics off and slow down his release. At times, Burrell seemed to struggle to get throws off quick enough because he was still setting his feet. The second concern for Burrell is that he does not throw a catchable ball. Most of Burrell balls come out of his hand and look almost end-over-end. Burrell has a strong arm and can make throws but with bad mechanics and a sloppy ball, his arm strength means nothing. Burrell has a slow release that can be corrected, but it will not hurt him at the high school level. A main concern for Burrell is that he may have maximized his potential at QB.
Montero has size and arm to play at
next level.
Photo by Mario Gomez
Grade: D+
Offers: none
Key Strength: Montero has excellent height (6-4) and looks like he is athletic. He has a strong arm and can throw the ball 50 + yards. Coming of a torn ACL injury, Montero seems to be recovered and can plant and throw off his repaired knee.
Key weakness: Coaching is the biggest concern for Montero. His has bad footwork and does not understand at all how to read a defense. At times, it seemed like Montero was just looking to rely on arm strength to make throws. He could not look off defender and telegraphed every throw he made. Montero threw a multitude of interceptions and very rarely was able to make solid plays. Montero missed all of last season with the torn ACL, and he has yet to take a snap at the varsity level. The rising junior has a ways to go before he will be ready to be a QB that can contribute to a collegiate offense.
Kyle Thornton is a Fresno area on-air talent and former standout quarterback at Ft. Worth (Tex.) Fossil Ridge High School. He is a guest contributor for GoldenStatePreps.com.


text:
49. She Makes Coffee
She opens the bag of coffee beans. She pours some beans into the grinder. She puts the lid back on top of the grinder. She turns on the grinder. She grinds the beans for 10 seconds. She removes the lid. She pours the ground beans into a paper filter. She boils some water.
Vocabulary Crossword Cloze Sentences Dictation
Copyright © 2017. All rights reserved.


text:
The Bloks Forum
The Bloks Forum :: Marketplace, General :: Wanted to Buy/Sell/Trade :: WTB/WTT: Series Alpha & 9 Translucents :: Print
WTB/WTT: Series Alpha & 9 Translucents
Post by wiiwhitey on Sep 18th, 2011 at 04:01 pm
Help good ol' commanderbacara198 out!
Wants -
Mini Figures:
Series Alpha Purple Translucent Storm Jackal
Series Alpha Red Translucent Recruit Spartan
Active Camo Spartan (# of 100)
96816 Green UNSC Spartan II
96820 Red UNSC Spartan II
96841 Spartan II EVA
96843 Covenant Arbiter
29671 UNSC Spartan II (Green)
29672 UNSC Spartan II (Red)
29673 UNSC Spartan II (Blue)
29673 UNSC Spartan II (Yellow)
29677 UNSC Spartan II (Cyan)
29678 UNSC Flame Marine (Red)
29679 UNSC Flame Marine (White)
29699 Halo Collectors Case
29699 Halo Collectors Case II
29765 Green Spartan Red Team
29766 EVA Spartan (Blue)
29767 Magnetic Armor Pack
29769 Anniversary Edition: UNSC Spartan II
Have -
Mini Figures:
x1 Series 9 Red Translucent Scout Spartan
x1 Series 9 Orange Security Spartan
x1 Series 9 Orange Flame Marine
x2 Series 9 Brute Stalker
Metallic EVA Spartan (from Booster Frame set)
Promethean Alpha Crawler (from Booster Frame set)
Mcfarlane Avatars:
x1 Master Chief - $3
« Last Modified by wiiwhitey Sep 16th, 2014 at 06:50 pm »
Post by [deleted] on Unknown
« Last Modified by [deleted] Unknown »
Post by wiiwhitey on Sep 20th, 2011 at 12:12 am
I was able to get a Elite off eBay but I'm still after the Spartan & Marine.
Post by wiiwhitey on Oct 8th, 2011 at 11:38 pm
Bump...still after the single Marine & Spartan. Willing to pick up new sets for these guys and have plently to trade. Hit me up with a PM!
Post by wiiwhitey on Oct 27th, 2011 at 10:12 pm
Bump...still after the single Marine & Spartan.
Post by wiiwhitey on Nov 19th, 2011 at 03:23 pm
Bump again...
Post by wiiwhitey on Jan 2nd, 2012 at 07:24 pm
Bumb. Might be willing to part with some new 2012 Halo for the Marine & Spartan.
Post by wiiwhitey on Jan 20th, 2012 at 06:24 pm
Oh how the tide have changed! Updated.
Post by wiiwhitey on Jan 23rd, 2012 at 01:40 pm
Updated again, I need of older Halo mini figures.
Post by mwcarlson on Jan 24th, 2012 at 11:29 am
I have some of the items you are asking for. What might you want for that Halofest Marine?
Post by wiiwhitey on Feb 13th, 2012 at 08:01 pm
Bump, I'm in need of the new Armory Packs showing up at Kmart & Fred Mayer stores now.
Post by wiiwhitey on Mar 9th, 2012 at 12:06 am
TTT, updated with lots of older and some new wants.
Post by Ty55 on Mar 9th, 2012 at 08:06 am
I have the following:
96810 Aerial Ambush (vehicles only, maybe Green Flame Marine)
96852 Arctic Wolverine (Wolverine only)
96861 ODST Sniper Drop Pod
96863 ODST Heavy Weapons Drop Pod
96928 Covenant Drop Pod: Elite Ultra
96962 Blue Team Combat Unit
Mini Figures:
Red Grunt from Combat Unit
Blue Grunt from Covenant Assault Unit
Copper Grunt (x1)
Post by wiiwhitey on Mar 18th, 2012 at 09:28 pm
Updated, still looking for quite a few sets.
Post by wiiwhitey on Mar 29th, 2012 at 06:58 pm
TTT, Cortana added to haves!
Post by wiiwhitey on Apr 6th, 2012 at 06:27 pm
Added more to haves & removed some wants.


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Thoughts and opinions-To much to ask?
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Sabis mom
Elite Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,970
Thoughts and opinions-To much to ask?
I just want to know what you all think. I am getting another pup, and have contacted the breeder, but I am curious what others think about what I'm looking for.
I did 15 years as a dog handler doing high risk/high profile security. The dogs were patrol dogs, so building searches, crowd control, etc. And in some cases detection, tracking and the like. Multi purpose dogs, we worked in places where traditional security had backfired and resulted in increased aggression, also served as roving patrol and back up for site guards in high crime areas. In Canada security is not armed. I was also trained for personal security, and 2 of the dogs I worked were trained as personal protection dogs.
Prior to that I dabbled in obedience and some agility.
Anyway, when I retired Sabi and first started looking at another pup I said I was looking for an active family pet, who had the ability to do patrol work IF I decided to go back to that type of work. I thought I may be convinced to trials if I had the right dog, and I would be willing to work for a title with the right breeder and the right dog. I like the tracking and search training more then the bitework, but I enjoy training and working the dogs. I am really outdoorsy and spend a lot of my free time hiking and such.
I'm really curious what others think about what kind of pup I should be looking for, and you all seem to be pretty opinionated
So speak up. What type of dog am I looking for? Or am I just asking to much?
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text:
Jessica P.
Nanny in Emmitsburg, MD 21727.
Looking for full or part-time work as a nanny.
Enhanced Background Check not run.
Enhanced Background Check(Not Run)
Basic Background Check not run.
Basic Background Check(Not Run)
Motor Vehicle Records Check not run.
Motor Vehicle Records Check(Not Run)
First Aid Training
First Aid Training
CPR Training
CPR Training
Emmitsburg, MD
- Age 24
- 2 years paid experience
- Female
Last signed in: More than 6 months
Preferred Rate $5-$20 per hour
Jessica's Bio
Hello, I am currently a college student at WVU in the major of Child Development and Family Studies. I love working with children and helping them grow and learn, that is why I chose my major. I have worked for the past two summers as a camp counselor at Mar-Lu-Ridge, which is an overnight camp. I am CPR certified as well as lifeguard certified. I am fully of energy, love children, doing crafts, and being outdoors. I am also currently a Resident Assistant at my college where I am responsible for making sure that 50 college freshman have a safe and enjoyable experience. If you have any other questions about what I am capable of please contact me and I will be sure to let you know. Thank you!
Age Specific Experience
2 years of paid child care experience with:
- Preschooler (3 to 5 years)
- Grade School (6 to 11 years)
- Pre-teen/Teenagers (12 years and over)
Availability & Job Preferences
Availability Duration
Willing to consider working as a live in care provider
- Short-term (1 to 3 months)
- Summer Position
Job Duration
- Will consider either a part time or full time position
- Available to start on 5/5/2014
My availability is valid through 6/16/14
- Open (all day, everyday)
Skills & Abilities
Homework Help:
- Checking answers
- Studying for a test
- Proofreading
- Basic Math
- Pre-Algebra
- Elementary Science
- Earth Science
- Science
- English
- Essay Writing
- Social Studies
Additional Services:
- Meal Preparation
- Light Housekeeping
- Swimming Supervision
- Crafts
- Willing to run errands as needed
- Willing to drive children to events, school, appointments, or carpooling
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The long-standing duopoly in international netball is under threat and Netball New Zealand admit they are "strategically concerned" following a huge cash injection into the English game.
Since 1983, the Ferns and Diamonds have finished in the top two of every world championship and Commonwealth Games tournament (except for Irene van Dyk's South Africa in 1995), with other nations always some distance back.
England Netball received £25.3 million ($47.6 million) from Sport England as they aim to build on the momentum of last year's Olympics.
It should put England - who already have playing numbers to rival New Zealand's - in a position to challenge the Silver Ferns and close the gap. They have already started to do so - winning a series against Australia for the first time this week after taking the first two tests 58-53 and 51-49, with the third test played overnight.
"We knew the funding was coming; it was a surprise to see that level and a little hard to comprehend," says Netball New Zealand CEO Raelene Castle. "It is roughly equivalent to the entire Sport New Zealand budget, which is quite staggering. It will definitely grow the sport there and lift the profile. It is a massive competitive advantage - so there are definitely some risks for us."
Silver Ferns coach Waimarama Taumaunu says: "I have always regarded them as a sleeping giant of netball."
Taumaunu was England's national performance director between 1998 and 2003 and assistant coach at the 2003 world championships.
"In terms of player numbers, they have the best base of any nation, bigger than us or Australia. [The funding] could be a real threat for us but overall, that is a good thing; it's great for the sport," said Taumaunu.
Netball NZ is also wary of losing coaches to the Northern Hemisphere, with substantial packages expected to be offered to the best Australasian coaches to relocate.
"It wouldn't be a new thing," says Castle, who points out that Taumaunu and former NZ coach Lyn Gunson (Parker) spent long periods in the UK, "but we have to be worried. Just like in other sports, professional coaches will make the most of whatever options are out there.
"From a New Zealand point of view, we have to hope - and we remain confident - that working in the Ferns set-up will remain the ultimate ambition for our coaches and keep our best talent in this country."
Despite its (relatively) low profile, netball in England has made substantial gains. Playing numbers have quadrupled since 2009, with much of that growth off the back of a grant of around £19 million ($35.7 million) which meant they could employ 90 new coaches.
The latest grant is earmarked for grassroots netball but a good administrator can always find ways to funnel some of it into high performance.
The transformation won't happen instantly - though England's two wins over Australia last week were just their third and fourth ever over the Diamonds - but should be pronounced.
"England have always had the players - they produce great athletes," says Castle. "Where they perhaps have fallen down in the past has been in systems and structures. If they get those in place, we have to be worried - absolutely they will be a threat.
"I like to think that the ANZ Championship provides a level of competition head and shoulders above that of anywhere else and hopefully that keeps us ahead of the game."
England will look forward to some 'home' success at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow but are targeting a top two finish at the 2019 world championships, which are almost certain to be held in England.


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.90 ct. t.w. Pink Sapphire and .80 ct. t.w. Ruby Earrings With Diamonds in 18kt Rose Gold. 2 1/2"
Item#: 836883
Multi-dimensional, layered earrings put pink in a bold new light. Crisscross drops feature .90 ct. t.w. pink sapphires, .80 ct. t.w. rubies and .47 ct. t.w. diamonds. Hanging length is 2 1/2". Clip/post, 18kt rose gold earrings with black rhodium details.
Product Details (for .90 ct. t.w. Pink Sapphire and .80 ct. t.w. Ruby Earrings With Diamonds in 18kt Rose Gold. 2 1/2")
Drop close DROP: A dangling or stationary detail which "drops" from a bale, strand or earring backing.
7/8 inch
18kt close 18KT: Karat (abbreviated kt or K) is a unit that indicates the purity of gold in the metal. 18kt is 75% gold. In Europe, 18K yellow gold is most favored and used in jewelry. Rose Gold close ROSE GOLD: Gold is a precious metal which is naturally quite soft. To give it a rose color and increase its strength, gold is alloyed with other metals, such as copper and silver. The purity of the metal is indicated by a unit called a "karat," with 24kt having the highest percentage of natural gold.
Polished close POLISHED: A buffed-out finish used to produce a mirror-like shine.
Clip/Post close CLIP/POST: An earring with a post insert and a clip mechanism to hold it in place. The post can be removed by a jeweler to convert the earrings to clip-on.
Hanging Length:
2 1/2 inches
Gemstone 1:
Sapphire close SAPPHIRE: A favorite gemstone of ancient priests and royalty, the sapphire radiates sophistication and grace. This prized gem comes in every hue of blue, plus the more unexpected shades of pink, yellow, green and orange, and is September's birthstone. (Color: Pink, Quantity: 86, Shape & Cutting Style: Round, Weight: 0.90 ct. t.w.)
Gemstone 2:
Ruby close RUBY: A bold fiery stone, the ruby is a symbol of wealth, vitality and love. When cut and polished, the ruby's high luster is as dazzling as a diamond's. Ruby jewelry makes the perfect gift for loved ones and is the birthstone for July. (Color: Red, Quantity: 80, Shape & Cutting Style: Round, Weight: 0.80 ct. t.w.)
Gemstone 3:
Diamond close Diamond: The hardest and most brilliant of all gemstones, a diamond can make the heart race with its pure and fiery spark. An ancient symbol of love, a diamond is the preferred gemstone for tokens of affection, such as rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets. Diamond is the birthstone for April. (Quantity: 160, Shape & Cutting Style: Round Single-Cut close SINGLE-CUT: A gemstone cutting technique that dates back to the 1300s. Still used today, the single-cut usually features 18 facets that go in one direction without crossing each other. , Color Grade: G-H close Color Grade G-H: Near-colorless , Clarity: I1-I2, Weight: 0.47 ct. t.w.)
All weights and measures are approximate.
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Can come and play?
Wow what a great space. Enjoy!
Welcome to the Quilting Board!
Can come and play?
Wow what a great space. Enjoy!
Never look down on anyone, unless you are helping them up.
Dear spag,
You have a great sewing studio! Neatly kept too. Seems like you've got just about everything a quilter needs in there. May you have many happy years of quilting therapy!!!
Go forth and sew!
Little???? It looks like a really awesome fabric store! Have fun in your space.
It's not a stash, it's a fabricology research center
Wow...looks great! and CLEAN. I recently redid my sewing room and half of the room looks great but the other half of my room is getting cluttered...I need to make more quilts and get it under control. My problem is I buy fabric prior to me knowing what i want to make then end up not using it.
You are my kind of guy! Looks wonderful!
Wow, it is sooo nice ...like a little paradise ..your so lucky to have such a great room, cant wait to see what you come up with next love the blocked quilt....its soo awesome.
That is awesome. Happy quilting. you are making some beautiful quilts. joyce j
wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! looks like you could hang a "quilt shop" sign. you could make a buisness out of organizing sewing rooms for unorganized people - like me!! i will be your first customer!! could be a new reality show on tv!!!!!!!!
really is a space that makes you want to create - you did an awesome job!!
WOW !! Looks like you bought out a Quilt / Craft store.
" You can be a master of every thing you do. Every thing you do may not be a masterpiece, understand that, then do the best you can with what you've got".Maya Angelou


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It only takes a minute to get started. Fill out our simple sign up form and login to the website.
This step is noncompulsory but will seriously increase your chances of getting interest from other members on the site. Type a little about yourself, your interests and upload any nice photographs of yourself.
Use our website's sophisticated search to discover members who satisfy your criteria. Or just browse through listings and discover daters that seem interesting.
Identified someone who could be interesting? Send a letter to them or just a wink and find out if they're interested in you. With a little luck you'll be on your way to a lifetime of happiness.
It only takes a few minutes


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Betting mafia fugitive points finger at players
A fugitive from justice in the latest match-fixing scandal to grip Italian football has given an interview pointing the finger at a number of players including former Italy forward Giuseppe Signori.
Macedonian Hristiyan Ilievski told La Repubblica that players were directly involved in the match-fixing.
Last year prosecutors shed light on a huge betting ring involving clubs and players – mostly in the lower leagues – in which results were fixed.
Serie A side Atalanta were one of the clubs implicated and were docked six points ahead of the start of this season for their involvement while their emblematic former striker Cristiano Doni was banned for three-and-a-half years for his role.
He would later be arrested in a separate illegal betting investigation led by the prosecutor of Cremona and eventually also owned up to what he had done.
Ilievski is the number one suspect in that investigation by the Cremona public prosecutor.
"We bought information and placed bets, that's all," he told La Repubblica.
"Players phoned me and said: '20,000 (euros) on this result', I did it because I trusted them.
"That doesn't happen in England but it does in Italy. The players make an agreement and then bet or sell their information.
"We relied on that otherwise they would have sold it to someone else, the Sicilian mafia, the Albanians or to Beppe Signori, one of the leaders of football betting in Italy."
Signori, who had already retired, was banned for five years from footballing activities by the Italian Football Federation for his involvement while he was also, briefly, placed under house arrest by authorities.
Ilievski said the vast majority of the players involved are in Serie B. And he said even club officials were involved.
"Often it's the directors of the clubs themselves who come to an agreement," he said.
"At the end of last year (last season) I came personally to Italy and it was all already decided, who would win the title, who will play in Europe, who will get relegated.
"There were six teams that we had faith in: Sampdoria, Cagliari, Bari, Lecce, Siena and Chievo, and we made a packet."
See our Comments Policy Comments are submitted under the express understanding and condition that the editor may, and is authorised to, disclose any/all of the above personal information to any person or entity requesting the information for the purposes of legal action on grounds that such person or entity is aggrieved by any comment so submitted. Please allow some time for your comment to be moderated.


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Cilantro Lime Rice
Serve this flavorful rice with chef Jamie Oliver's Chicken Tikka Masala. Photo credit: David Loftus and Chris Terry
- Servings: 6
Source: The Martha Stewart Show, December 2009
- Sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
- 1 large bunch fresh cilantro, leaves removed and stems chopped
- Zest of 2 limes
- Juice of 2 limes
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Rinse rice under running water until water runs clear, about 1 minute.
Add rice to boiling water. When rice begins to boil, boil for 5 minutes. Drain rice in a colander.
Fill pot 1 inch high with water. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to a simmer. Set rice-filled colander over simmering water. Cover with parchment paper-lined aluminum foil or a lid and steam rice, 8 to 10 minutes.
Transfer rice to a large bowl. Add cilantro leaves, stems, lime zest, and juice; stir to combine. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; serve immediately.


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Sunday, 13 November 2011
observer ONLINE
The Employers Federation of Ceylon (EFC) and ILO held a ceremony
hosted by The Organisation for Rehabilitation of Handicapped (ORHAN) in
Vavuniya last week to celebrate the completion of the four-month ICT
course by five visually impaired trainees from the district. This
opportunity gave them the potential to lead a new life.
In addition to awarding certificates, the EFC made it a memorable
event by inviting leading corporations to interview them to provide
employment in Vavuniya. Cargills (Ceylon) Plc., Singer (Sri Lanka) Plc.,
Hatton National Bank, People's Bank and Bank of Ceylon stepped in.
In the interim financial statements released to the Colombo Stock
Exchange, NTB closed the 9-month period ending 30th September 2011, with
post-tax profits of Rs.1,170 Mn, up 38% over the corresponding period in
2010, while pre-tax profits grew from Rs.2,020 Mn to Rs.2, 127 Mn, an
increase of 5%.
Group net interest income was below the previous year due to
narrowing margins which was anticipated for the current year and visible
across the industry. Its impact, however, was mitigated by the sustained
growth in business volumes especially in the 2nd and 3rd quarters,
timely re-pricing of deposits and a shift in the deposit mix towards low
cost funds.
Apple (AAPL) has been a stellar performer ever since the market lows
of March 2009, and has been a principal reason for the out performance
of the Nasdaq 100. With a weighting of more than 14 percent—the highest
of any stock in the index—its moves have outsised effects on the NDX.
Today AAPL broke significantly below its 50-day moving average, which
was last at $395.31, more than $10 away from where the stock is
currently trading.
Although it is by no means a certainty, a break of this size could
signal a retest of support ahead for the stock. The most probable
downside objective would be to the 200-day moving average, last at
$362.43. That moving average has been breached only once this year, back
in June.
European governments and the European Union's executive commission
have tried to quash reports of a possible shrinking of the eurozone, as
debt worries and political uncertainty continued to feed financial
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday rejected the idea that
her government might favour a smaller eurozone after Reuters reported
that German and French officials had informally discussed creating a
smaller, more integrated single currency area.
"For months, since the very beginning of the euro debt crisis,
Germany has had only one goal, that is to bring about a stabilisation of
the eurozone in its current form, to make it more competitive, to
consolidate budgets," said Merkel.
BRC Partnership in Carrickfergus recently signed a joint venture to
provide management training and coaching to top business people in Sri
Lanka, following an Invest Northern Ireland (Invest NI) trade mission to
India and Sri Lanka in April this year.
The consultancy agreement was made by Alan George, BRC's Business
Development Manager, and welcomed by Dr. Vicky Kell, Invest NI Trade
BRC will work with Anil Wijesinghe, Past Chairman of the Council for
Business with Britain (CBB) in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka's life insurance leader Ceylinco Life has opened a second
branch in Kurunegala to enhance service facilities and better serve
customers in and around the area. Located at Raja Pihilla Mawatha,
Kurunegala, this is Ceylinco Life's 29th branch in a purpose-designed
building owned by the company. It was built at a cost of Rs 50 million,
the company said. The new branch comprises of 10,275 square feet of
space on five levels. The lower ground floor of 2,016 square feet and
the first and second floors comprising 4,162 square feet have been
allocated for the offices, while the upper ground floor of 2,016 square
feet is assigned to Customer Service.
The third floor is a training room cum auditorium. For the benefit of
visitors and occupants, the office is fully air-conditioned and is
equipped with a passenger lift and a standby generator. Among some of
the other features of the building are a rain water harvesting system,
net metering and solar panels, tube well, inverter air conditioner units
and LED lights.
Coca-Cola Sri Lanka launched the new Apple flavour under Minute Maid
brand umbrella. The latest offering from the Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) is
a apple juice-based drink and has been developed for consumers in Sri
Lanka keeping in mind their taste preferences. Minute Maid Apple aims to
provide consumers with an unmatched taste and the brand's innovative
consumer proposition is explained by the tagline – Jeewithayata Rasayak
- a taste of life.
Minute Maid Apple is available in 200 ml returnable glass bottles
(RGB) at retail outlets islandwide and is affordably priced.
The latest innovation after Minute Maid Orange, and Minute Maid Mango
is targeted at consumers across all age groups.
CA Sri Lanka President Sujeewa
Mudalige presenting the certificate to Jeewantha Sanjeewa of
Agro Harapan Lestari. CA Sri Lanka Vice President Sujeewa
Rajapakse and Jagath Perera, Chairman - Students Training
and Development Committee are also see.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (ICASL) recently
recognised Agro Harapan Lestari (Pvt.) Ltd as a strategic level training
At a ceremony held recently, the institute awarded the strategic
level training partner certificate to Jeewantha Sanjeewa of Agro Harapan
Lestari welcoming the organisation as a strategic level partner.
As a training partner, the organisation provides practical training
which assists the long-term development of the accountancy profession in
the country.
Diabetes kills an estimated 3.8 million persons annually, a figure
that is higher than those dying as a result of AIDS.
In an attempt to create a greater awareness of this disease, which is
fast increasing in pandemic proportions, even more than HIV/AIDS,
Nawaloka Hospitals? 'Serene' Diabetes Centre will commemorate World
Diabetes Day ( November 14, 2011) with a special program where a series
of Diabetes related activities will be held at the hospital premises on
November 16, at 7.30 a.m.
Union Bank of Colombo PLC (UBC) and an International foreign
investment Fund ShoreCap II Limited of USA acquired over 98 percent of
the voting shares of The Finance and Guarantee Company Ltd (TF&G),
infusing new capital to resurrect one of Sri Lanka's oldest finance
companies at a total investment in excess of RS 1.1 b source s said.
Previously Union Bank acquired National Asset Management Limited (NAMAL)
Sri Lanka's pioneering Asset Management Company. This acquisition
further highlights Union Bank's focused diversification plans taking
positive strides in a short period of time.
Chairman of Union Bank Ajita De Zoysa said that the Bank together
with ShoreCap invested in excess of Rs 1.1 b to recapitalise TF&G.
KPMG Sri Lanka branch in Hambantota KPMG Ford, Rhodes, Thornton & Co.
("KPMG Sri Lanka") opened its fifth branch office in Hambantota
recently. Coordinating Partner for KPMG Sri Lanka's branch offices in
the southern province Jagath Perera said that recent developments in the
region had brought to the forefront the importance of Hambantota as a
key regional trading and business centre and that the Firm is privileged
to have established itself in this key area.
M.S. Usuph, President of the Hambantota District Chamber of Commerce
(HDCC) was the Chief Guest. Guests of Honour were Azmi Thassim and
Suresh De Mel, Director General and Director of the HDCC.
Staff partner of the firm Yohan Perera said, "We are delighted to
expand KPMG Sri Lanka's reach across the island and the opportunity
afforded to us by establishing ourselves in Hambantota is tremendous".
Managing Director of Sinwa Holdings
Group Mohideen
Cader, awarding the winning dealer C. M. M. Anzar of Ashfark
Leather – Panadura.
Sinwa Marketing Private Limited - marketer of Multibond range of
adhesives, awarded its dealers and end users for their loyalty towards
the Multibond Brand.
Titled "Multibond Saviyen Idiriyata" loyalty campaign, the loyalty
program was designed to appreciate the two main categories. Firstly end
users in the footwear and leather products, upholstery cushion and
furniture industries. Secondly the hardware dealers located islandwide.
With over sixty years in customer service, high quality product
offerings and innovative bonding solutions, Multibond this year too
reflected its market leadership position through the awards which were
presented to winners including an all expense paid air ticket to
Malaysia, motor bikes, laptops, home theatre systems, mobile phones,
sports bicycles, microwaves, steam irons and other consolation prizes.
Haycarb PLC has reported revenue growth of 21 percent Rs. 3.8 billion
for the six months ending September 30, 2011, with stable demand in
global markets and the company's reliable supply stream of high quality
carbons with a product mix of value-added carbons protecting its top
line in a period of narrowing margins.
The Hayleys Group's activated carbon manufacturing business reported
profit before tax of Rs. 334 m and net profit of Rs. 279 m for the six
Haycarb Managing Director, Rajitha Kariyawasan said these profit
figures, were lower by 21 and 19 percent over the corresponding period
of the previous year where the price pressure on charcoal was less
significant, reflected a stable level of profit in the context of the
unprecedented increases in the prices of coconut shell charcoal, its
principal raw material.
PC House PLC provided the first ICT solutions provider to open a free
service and repair help desk at the Sabaragamuwa University in
Belihuloya. The help desk which serves over 2000 students as well as the
faculty provides free maintenance for all computer labs, and offers
training and free demonstrations of hardware and software for students.
S.H.M. Rishan, Chairman PCH said, "This pilot project in the
Sabaragamuwa University is the beginning of what we are planning for
universities across the island. Our long-term objective is to provide IT
assistance and services and to empower the future generations of our
nation with tools and services like this.
Allowing travellers to relax, energise and refresh with minutes prior
to boarding, Siddhalepa opened its newest Spa Centre at Transit Hotel,
Level 2, passenger terminal building B.I.A., Katunayake.
Well-trained therapists perform a range of treatments specially
designed for the frequent travellers embracing the true essence of
Ayurveda to provide relaxation and body care.
Chairman of Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd Prasanna J.
Wickramasuriya was the chief guest.
Officials of Airport Aviation Services and Siddhalepa Group Chairman
Dr. Victor Hettigoda, Managing Director Asoka Hettigoda and board of
directors were also present on the occasion.
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text:
Reformed Tomboy Keri Hilson Used to Shop in the Men's Department
The stylish Keri Hilson leaves the outrageous, head-turning outfits to the likes of Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. This pop star, who is also a songwriter in addition to being a Grammy nominated singer, told the LA Times in a style profile about her style when she was younger.
"Growing up, I was a lot more boyish," she admits. "I only shopped in the men's department of Rich's and Macy's. My mom would drop me off in the men's section and do her shopping in the women's section." That's funny, considering Hilson's current state of chic.
She's had her phases, though. Hilson, now 28, cycled through menswear like khakis, button down flannels and polo shirts during her formative years and said she was also inspired by TLC's tomboy look and the '90s blend of masculine and feminine pieces. She curated and cultivated her current look after she hit Emory University, majoring in theater and performing regularly.
"My style is always a good blend of edge and spunkiness and grace," Hilson says. Her current obsession? Anything houndstooth, which she admits to collecting in the form of clothes and beyond, including armchairs. You can see her sporting the print in all of her videos and she has used it in her albums covers and on her Twitter page background. Even her Twitter bio refers to her as "lover of all things houndstooth."
Hilson also says that her stage style differs drastically from her every day, street look. "Onstage, I'm the superhero version of myself," she explains. "When I perform, there's more leather and a lot of black, very strong pieces … I dress a lot stronger because that's the way I feel my music is. In my everyday life, I'm more relaxed and carefree, but when it comes to music and relationships, I am really strong-willed. My [onstage] clothes are almost like putting on body armor."
In addition, Hilson is now the face of Avon's Imari scent. She truly is a reformed tomboy.


text:
How do green plants become green? They actually use light to create a pigment called chlorophyll, which gives them their green color. But which wavelengths of light allow them to create chlorophyll? Find out using this experiment.
Which wavelengths of light most effectively produce chlorophyll?
- Cellophane in different colors, or thin plastic sheets and colored markers
- Scissors
- Black construction paper
- Clear tape
- Green plant with many leaves
- Cut out 6 one-inch squares from each color of cellophane. To make your own "colored cellophane," just color thin sheets of plastic (such as those used for transparencies) with different colors of permanent markers.
- Cut out 6 one-inch squares from the black construction paper.
- Take two squares of the same color, and tape together three of the edges to make a sort of bag.
- Slip the bag over one of the leaves on the plant, and tape together the fourth side.
- Repeat this process with the rest of the squares, distributing the colors as evenly as possible over the entire plant.
- Leave the plant near a window for a week. Rotate the plant each day so that the leaves get similar amounts of sunlight.
- Carefully remove the bags from the leaves, taking data about the leaf's color as you remove each one. (You can use a chart, similar to the one below, to take your data.) Make sure not to lose track of which bag each leaf had on it.


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Jump to:Page Content
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January 2003
Dear FINE Member,
Here are this month's FINE member announcements. Please feel free to forward this information to friends and other education colleagues.
New on the FINE Website
Teaching Case: Making a Decision About College: Should I Stay or Should I Go?
How can schools and colleges support a Latina student's aspirations for higher education? The teaching case, Making a Decision About College: Should I Stay or Should I Go?, considers a young woman's dilemma in deciding whether or not to leave her family to go to college in a distant part of the country.
Two experts offer case commentaries. Concha Delgado-Gaitan, author of numerous books and articles on families and communities, shares her own experience leaving her traditional Mexican family for college. She describes the importance of creating empowered parent organizations to transform schools and to prepare parents for their children's transition to college. Read her commentary.
Irina Todorova, a postdoctoral scholar at the Harvard Immigration Project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, writes, "Rather than being an impediment, family obligations have been shown to be associated with academic success. Succeeding in school itself can be seen as an obligation and duty to the family." Read the entire commentary.
Through Project PODEMOS (Parents Only Deepen Education, Making Our Students Succeed), preservice teachers use action research to enhance their knowledge and skills in family involvement. Professor Judith Munter provides an update on UTEP's field-based program (first featured in FINE Forum e-newsletter, Issue 2, Summer/Fall 2001), which includes preservice teacher projects in organizing parent nights with a science and social studies focus, home visiting with inservice teachers as mentors, and adult literacy and computer skills development through a family literacy program.
Suggested Reading
This article by Susan Auerbach in Teachers College Record (2002, vol. 104, pp. 1369-1392) examines the personal narratives of working-class Latino parents as they struggle to support their children who are enrolled in an experimental college program in a metropolitan high school.
This book by Margarita Espino Calderon and Liliana Minaya-Rowe (Corwin Press, November, 2002) explains in detail how to plan, start, and implement an effective dual immersion program. Three chapters are specifically devoted to involving teachers and parents in the design and implementation of such programs.
How important is parent motivation in student effort and achievement? A survey of high school students from the Minority Student Achievement Network shows that over half of each student ethnic subgroup reports that pleasing parents is a motivator for working hard in school.
Recent Reports
This report by the Temple University Center for Public Policy and the Eastern Pennsylvania Organizing Project examines school reform in Philadelphia. Produced by parents and teachers in Philadelphia, the lessons learned have implications in all school districts. The report includes research-based best practices for improving urban districts, parent and teacher opinions on how to improve schools, and an analysis of policy at the federal, state, and local levels.
Why do parents homeschool their children? The Parent Survey of the National Household Education Surveys Program examines parents' answers to this question. The report also provides an estimate of the number of homeschooled students in the U.S., the characteristics of the students and their families, and types of public school support for homeschooling.
Data from the National Center for Education Statistics point to discrepancies in school and parent reports about family educational involvement. These discrepancies tend to be more pronounced in urban schools and large schools.
Upcoming Conferences
The Association of Teacher Educators (ATE)
If you are attending the ATE Annual Meeting in Jacksonville, Florida, look for two collaborative presentations on February 18 by several FINE members: a symposium discussing issues in preparing teachers to involve families, and a multiple paper session highlighting promising methods for preparing teachers to involve families.
The National Network of Partnership Schools at Johns Hopkins University
The March 13–14 Leadership Development Conference in Baltimore, Maryland will focus on the No Child Left Behind Act.
The PSP Family Support and Skill-Building Institute will be held on March 21–22 at the Fort Mason Conference Center, San Francisco, California.
New Toolkits
Multilingual Parent/Family Feedback Surveys
The Minnesota Public Schools have created a Family Feedback Survey for classroom teachers to use. It is available online in English, Spanish, Hmong, Lao, and Somali (with Vietnamese coming soon).
Bridging Multiple Worlds Toolkit
The Bridging Multiple Worlds Project provides activities to help youth, staff, teachers, and community partners build pathways to college and career for students. The toolkit is specifically designed for a diverse student body.
Improve schools by involving the community. This website from Area Education Agency 7 in Iowa offers specific tools and processes for involving the community, making a plan, collecting and analyzing data, and reporting progress.
Federal Resources for Educational Excellence
How can parents help their children succeed in and out of school? Two new resources respond to this question. Helping Your Child Through Early Adolescence addresses the concerns of parents in developing independence, values, and academic motivation in 10- to 14-year-olds. In Helping Your Child Succeed in School parents can find tips for talking with their children and encouraging schoolwork as well as skill-building activities for 5- to 11-year-olds.
Policy Page
Final Regulations for No Child Left Behind Act
Final Regulations for the No Child Left Behind Act cover Title I, accountability, parent options, and teacher quality.
No Child Left Behind: What's in It for Parents?
How can parents use the No Child Left Behind Act to advocate for quality education? This recent report from the National Coalition of Parents in Education and Parent Leadership Associates delineates six key points for parents and community leaders to consider when advocating for their child's education.
What can parents do to comply with the parent involvement provision of the No Child Left Behind Act? A new resource from the National PTA explains the provisions for the parent involvement policy required under the new law and provides suggestions for parents to find more information and to become more involved.
Using Title I Programs as a Model for Reform Conference
In the Fall of 2002 the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education hosted four regional meetings to assist states and districts in effective implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act. You can get more information, including handouts and slideshows from the meetings on their website.
Website to Watch
This website provides information about "what works" to improve targeted outcomes for children and families. Developed by Pathways Mapping Initiative of Harvard University's Project on Effective Interventions, in partnership with the Casey Foundation's Technical Assistance Resource Center (TARC), the website includes information about effective community efforts to ensure that all children are ready for school at the time of school entry.
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Have a problem with the website or questions and comments concerning our work? Send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com.
FINE - The Family Involvement Network of Educators


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A key theory of the cell cycle of asymmetric bacteria, which has prevailed for the last ten years, has been disproved by a combined approach using mathematical modelling and genetic experiments.
Modellers Prof. Martin Howard and Dr Seán Murray, from the John Innes Centre on the Norwich Research Park, together with experimental collaborators Prof. Patrick Viollier, Dr Gaël Panis and Coralie Fumeaux at the University of Geneva, had been researching how viruses could hijack the natural cell cycle of Caulobacter crescentus, a bacterium found in water.
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Converting attic to conditioned space
long time reader first time poster
i live in a very cold winter/rather hot climate of northwestern ontario, so insulation pays off and vapor barrier on the in-facing is the norm
my goal is to convert the attic of my 1940's bungalow into a conditioned space which will likely be used as a master bedroom with ensuite and an open rec area.
my house is 30x50 feet and the pitch of the roof allows over 10x50 feet of head room up there, but lots of space translates to lots of expense when looking at insulation prices.
i have looked at a few methods ranging from DIY sprayfoam which costs about $1.60/ board foot cdn for r7, to a mixture of sprayfoam and fiberglass, and fiberglass and foam board, and have come up with the following solution that is within my budget and DIY means
the roof rafters are 2x6's and run the 50foot length of my house, times 2.
my plan is to insulate approximately 9 feet of the rafters in the following method, and insulating the knee walls and new ceiling in a typical vapor barrier/r60 method
start by adding an additional 2x2 strapped on to the 2x6 rafters giving me an effective (5.5+1.75) 7.25 inches to work with.
add soffit vent channels between rafters from the knee walls to the ceiling (approx 9 foot span)
add r20 fiberglass batts (6inch) between the rafters, which should fit well in the 7.25inch space with the vent channels in there
add 2inches of foam board (r10) secured to the rafters with 1x2 ferring strips. taking care to tuck tape/sprayfoam any gaps in the foam as this will be my vapor barrier. my plan is to use extruded polstyrene that does not have any foil
drywall over that
big question is will this drywall hold? or will it be too easy to puch the screws through if you knock the wall too hard. ive seen videos of this method used in basement walls. perhaps i may go with tongue and groove pine boards as a finish if drywall wont work?
this method brings me to r30 for the angled part of the ceiling. for the knee walls and the new ceiling i will bring as close to r60 as possible. my soffits are well vented though i may add more, i have 3 vents near the ridge of my roof and the 2 gable vents
good enough? i estimate this whole job at around $4000 or so, whereas if i did straight sprayfoam i would be around $15000+
currently my insulation is pretty lacking. no vapor barrier and 3inches of sawdust and 3 inches of blown in loose fill. i have a pretty bad frost problem on the under siding of my roof, but this house has been like that for many years so ill be waiting till spring for this job
i hope i can contribute to other posters questions, however it may be 30 years of practice until im actually right
Leaving the insulation questions aside, will the ceiling joist system of the floor below (now your floor for the attic) support living space loads? I'd want to get that determined and fixed, if needed, first.
Are you really the Pope?
Because if the floor needs to be strengthened and he/she determines they don't want to/can't do what is needed, then insulating is likely not needed any longer.
THere are also height requirements for habitable space and if raising the floor level to accommodate needed floor strengthening would now not make height requirements then insulating is off the table.
As you mention you're in an area where insulation pays off so I would expect that the performance of foam *might* pay for itself. I'm sure you ran the calculation to see if it would be worth it based on your energy costs and how long you expect to stay in the home. Can you share that with us? I'd just be curious to know what that looked like.
As for your proposed method, let me make sure I understand. The kneewalls will rise up to meet the joists, then those run up on each side approximately 4.5 feet to where they meet the new ceiling. The 1x2s would hold the foam board up how? Edged against the extended joists (so, against the 2x2s) running the length of the foam board edges, or horizontally, perpendicular to the joists? I assume the former so there is no air gap but I just want to make sure I understand.
If the former, you're concerned about the drywall and the screws along the portion that is affixed directly to the joists? The drywall will be screwed directly into the 2x2s, correct? The degree to which that is a problem is directly related to how much flex there is in your roof. The kneewalls and new ceiling will add some additional rigidity to your structure.
when we were considering converting our attached garage to liveable space, we needed to provide R45 in the ceilings, even the vaulted part...which meant we had to build out or sister the current 2x6 to 2x12 in order to do so. You may want to figure out how much insulation is required for a vaulted ceiling, especially if permits are being pulled, which they probably should be.
It also sounds like sistering your joists and then using ONE product for insulation (batt or spray) would be simpler than your proposed method.
the floor joists in the attic are 2x6's and run the 30 foot width of my house, supported by a continuous support wall at the 15 foot mark. i was planning on laminating another 2x6's to the current ones to give added strength without resulting in a loss of headroom.
i am not the pope, sorry.
as for the last question:
i did not do a cost benefit on the sprayfoam, i stopped when i saw it would be like $15,000 to do the attic. also its not as DIY friendly and contractors cost way too much where i live. i see its benefits of a solid vapor barrier @2-3 inches, a value of r7 per inch (according to manufacturer, but may be r6) which is higher than fiberglass batt ~r4 or foamboard ~r5. i live about 400 miles above Minneapolis but even in this harsh climate i cant afford sprayfoam. i see myself owning this house for a long time as it is 3 legal rental apartments but i may not live here as long (unless i convert attic in to living space)
ok, so to draw a better picture of the attic, the knee walls raise up about 5 feet from the soffits to meet the roof rafters at approximatley 2.5feet. my proposed method creates a fiberglass/foamboard angled wall that runs approx 9 feet to meet the new ceiling i will create that is then 8 feet tall. that ceiling will run approx 10 feet across to meet the other angled wall going down. this gives me a 10x50 foot area of 8 foot clearance, and on each side another 5 feet or so to each knee wall with the angled ceiling.
my plan is to extend the 2x6 rafters into 2x8 rafters by securing 2x2 strapping. the vent channels and fiberglass goes between it. directly over top of that i will put the foamboard secured in to the rafters, with furring strips running alongside each rafter every 16 inches. all seams would be tuck taped as this is my vapor barrier as well. i would then screw in the drywall with screws long enough to hit the furring strips and the 2x8 joists behind them (that would be 1/2inch for drywall, 1inch for firring strip, 2 inch to go through foam, and then some catch on the rafter so ~4.5inch screws)
as for pulling permits, i havent looked in to that :( we dont have the craziest codes here but since im converting this in to living space ill take a trip down to the city office and ask around
if i extended the rafters from 2x6 to 2x12 giving me 11 inches to put up fiberglass batts and vent channels i could fit r42 in the 11 inches with the vent channels and just vapor barrier over that, maybe ill look in to that aswell. any idea how to secure a 2x6 on end to another 2x6? just screw it in on an angle until it feels snug?
You wouldn't want to go end to end...rather sister a 2x12 along side the 2x6....if you just had to go a couple of inches out....you might be able to get away with going right on the end of the 2x6....but not to add another 6 inches.
BTW if the space is already considered liveable I don;t know if you need permits.
Tried to find a span chart or calculator to do a double 2x6 and I could not. 15foot span for a double 2x6 on 16" centers sounds to small to me. If they are 24" apart then definitely.
Anyone have a span chart or calculator website for this?
sorry i went back up there and had another look. they are 16 inch center to center and they are 2x8's. i confirmed that they are resting on the main support wall half way through the 30foot span, but have not checked if there are any more support walls (i do not believe so)
i also rechecked my head height with a little more light and patience. as it is now with 2x6 rafters, there is a span of only 80inches (6 2/3ft) that allows for 90 inches+ of headroom (7 1/2ft) and if im adding 2x6's and drywall that would cut down to 6 feet or so of headroom, and if i had to make 8 foot ceilings it would cut down further, and then factor losing a couple inches to subfloor and flooring. It seems so big up there still that i dont see why i cant get away with adding that space, even at 5 foot headroom span thats still 250sq ft with the additional side space
however as im looking deeper in to this project i am beginning to realize that my eyes may be deceiving me on the value of adding the attic space to my home without getting in to dormers/re pitching my roof
one major deciding factor is my ability to add a en-suite up there as well. my 2 stacks terminate through the roof behind the knee wall, but im getting in to a major reno.
When creating new living space like this it is advisable to get the project designed by a professional (Archy/Designer or Engineer).
That way all the various parts of the project will work together and ultimately cause you less problems.
The 2x8 in question @16" centers unless they are Doug Fir #1 will not fit the bill anyway. At least up to IRC 2009 standards.
Things like egress, insulation, natural lighting and venting and many other things need to be considered when taking on a project like this.
I agree, your floor joists would need to be doubled as well. Talk to the local AHJ, you may be required to double layer the drywall ceilings below in all the units for multiple dwelling fire safety....
the more i look in to this the more it sounds like it isn't worth the grief. Although i would learn a lot in the process i may leave jobs like this to the professionals.
thanks for the help though.
however in the time ive spent thinking on this project i believe the mentioned method of strapping 2x6's on to the 2x6 rafters and filling with fiberglass batts (r40) would be the most economical method. as for the floor joists im sure the 2x8's 16 on center wouldnt do, so i would likely be doubling them up requiring 67 2x8x16feet at a cost of:
2x8x16 67 @ approx $11ea ~$740?
2x6x10 100 @ approx $5.40ea ~540?
r40 for angle walls ~$1000
r60 for knee walls and ceiling ~$500
drywall ~$1000 (blue stuff)
vapor barrier, tuck tape, screws, vent channels, etc ~$300
sprayfoam to r40 ~$15000
Remember the new egress windows in each bedroom and upstairs, egress stairway to the converted space, new heat/light/ventilation required: http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=...1txlzU01V4JQIg
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Even though I was born in Toronto, I hardly remember anything about it when I left at the age of almost two.
When I was 18 going on 19 (25 years ago), the time came to return to the province of my birth. I wasn't so much looking forward to it as I was to leaving "stuff" behind.
We drove to Toronto. It was in April so the weather wasn't that great. My uncle who made the drive with us was a "gassy" sort of guy, so I was always cold on the journey because the windows had to be put down most of the way, if you know what I mean. When we made it to the big city, it was like a whole new world. Highway 401 was an experience, nothing compared to our Trans-Canada Highway when we drive into St. John's from "around the bay."
When we arrive to our destination in Scarborough, another one of my uncles is already there with an apartment for us all. We bring in our suitcases and have a bit of a rest before he offers to take us out to lunch or dinner. We drive to a small plaza with stores and restaurants and such.
We walk up to what I think is a restaurant and where he wants to take us but it was closed; thank goodness, because it was a "Gentleman's Bar." Not that there is anything wrong with that, but that is not something a girl from Newfoundland would do.
The next day my uncle took me along Lawrence Avenue to see if there were any "Help Wanted" signs. I went into many places that day with no resume or anything; back then it was more filling out job applications than dropping off resumes. We did this a few more days and on the fourth day, I had an actual job; night shift at a local doughnut shop. I have to say I despised that job and even though I was scared and afraid, I stuck with it until I found something better a few months after.
I used to come home in the morning, while everyone was either going to work or already at work, and cry. I met all sorts of characters at that shop on the night shift, but it did prepare and strengthen me for the real world. To this day I can't really eat a doughnut, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
A few months later I found a great job and 25 years later I'm still here — Hallmark Canada.
I'm sure my experience is similar to many other young Newfoundlanders who came to Toronto to work back then, but I always look back at it fondly because it helped shape who I am today.
— Submitted by Celeste Delaney-Loughrey, a former resident of Northern Bay. She now resides in Ajax, Ont.


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Haven't got a chance to say hello to everyone on clubwrx! Just introducing myself. here are a few pics of my car...enjoy!
any pointers on taking care of the turbo, engine, anything in the car would be nice. this is my first turbo car. my last car was a honda so this is an upgrade for me.
nice to meet you all.


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The past few weeks, my doctoral cohort has been studying the use of visual ethnography as a qualitative research method. This was in preparation for work on a project that utilizes photo elicitation interviews to explore our different ministry contexts. Photo elicitation is, most basically, the use of photographs in conducting a research interview (see Douglas Harper's "Talking about pictures: a case for photo elicitation" in Visual Studies Journal, Vol. 17, No. 1, 2002). The method falls within the larger field of visual ethnography, which looks at images and symbols as cultural texts and "sites of cultural production," to use Sara Pink's language (Doing Visual Ethnography, 1).
But more specifically, the kind of photo elicitation we were asked to engage in is more appropriately termed photo self-elicitation. Instead of producing or selecting photographs around which to conduct research interviews, we solicited submissions from people within our ministry context and asked them to submit to us photos that represent some aspect of our respective ministry contexts. Now, if you know me or have been following this blog for the past few months, you know that my ministry context has changed dramatically since I began this doctoral program a year ago. I no longer work for the mega-church that previously employed me. I'm now part of the support staff for George Fox Evangelical Seminary's Doctor of Ministry programs. Yup, the same place where I'm working on my own doctorate.
It has been difficult for me to redefine my ministry context, since it looks so different than it ever has before. Up until now, I have been engaged in some form of full-time ministry. Now, however, I find myself in the world of academic administration. Who are the people to whom I am ministering? What is my "context"? This project forced me to ask those questions and come up with an answer. What I have come to realize is that my ministry context is our doctoral students. I have daily interaction with students who are active in the coursework phase of their doctorate.
The students only see each other three or four times during the course of the program at events that we call "Advances" (the exception being the Leadership and Spiritual Formation track, which calls the face to face experience "Retreats"). It is my observation that the first Advance shapes a lot of the cohort interaction and subsequent online interaction. When I think about where ministry opportunities exist within my context, I think of those first Advances. They set the tone for the cohort. Or that is my hunch.
Henk de Roest, a Dutch academician from Protestant Theological University, recently presented research at a symposium on Visual Methods at King's College in London. In his paper and presentation, "Losing a Common Space to Connect" he describes how he used photo self-elicitation methods to help ease church closures in Amsterdam. He asked the churchgoers at these various closing churches to "take pictures of something (for example a scene, an object, a part of the building, an angle, etc.) that shows what you will miss mostly when the building will be closed. In addition, I would like you to tell me what it means to you" (de Roest, p. 4).
He then conducted interviews with the churchgoers in groups and let them talk about why they chose the pictures that they chose. He goes on to state that his interest was primarily hermeneutical: he wanted "to see what would happen to the community if it was given ample time and creative opportunities to deal with the loss of its building" (ibid., 5). What he discovered through the process was that the feelings that were held implicitly became expressed explicitly. This resulted in various courses of action among the churches, with the end result seeming to be a moment of catharsis for the remnant of churchgoers who were losing their physical building.
I decided to adopt a similar approach for my project. I contacted a total of 14 students from five of the six active doctoral cohorts and invited them to participate in a research project. The sixth active doctoral cohort had not yet had its initial face-to-face experience when I conducted my survey. I asked the students to look through the seminary's Flickr or Facebook photo album containing pictures taken from their Orientation Advance. Then they were to select two photos that "best represent your cohort experience." After selecting them and sending me the html link, I asked them all the following question:
"What is it about the photo makes it representative of your Advance (or Retreat) experience?"
My hope in this exercise is to see if there are any common themes that come up as students reflect upon the first Advance experience. If there are common themes, these offer opportunities for the Doctor of Ministry team to further develop the Advance experiences.
I took the student responses and paired them with the photos they selected and created a Flickr Set from which I could analyze the responses. That set is located here (view the set on Flickr to see the subject's comments)
In my analysis of the images and comments, I wrote down all the descriptive words and phrases that appeared more than once in the subjects comments and then attempted to group them by common category. There were 28 unique words or phrases that occurred with regularity. I was able to group them into four broad categories: Community, Experience, Learning, and Emotion.
The two most elicited words were "community" and "experience," which were mentioned 7 and 8 times respectively. The images that were selected by the subjects bear this out. Many of the photos show groups of people interacting with one another. There seems to be a strong connection between the Advance experiences and the formation of strong relational ties.
Secondary to Community and Experience was the importance of the Learning that they hoped to participate in. Words like "wisdom," "challenging," and "conversation" came up regularly. This is reflected in the number of pictures that were selected showing students engaged in lecture-style settings or pictures of Len Sweet teaching the students (either in the classroom or on the streets).
Finally, there were words that described the Emotional aspect of the Advances. Many of them are positive ("laughter," "making memories," "loving"), though a few references to anxiety were present. Again, many of the pictures are of people smiling, laughing, and engaged is animated conversation.
In the planning that goes into the Advances, much forethought is placed into creating spaces that are conducive to the learning goals of the different tracks. The community, felt experience, and emotional value of the Advances all spring forth with fairly little coaxing. But those things are what the students remember and name as formative. This offers some great opportunities for future first Advances. What would it look like for the D.Min. team to more intentionally craft community-building opportunities? If students are "gelling" on their own, do they even need community-building experiences? Are there risks or liabilities to taking more control of what seems to happen organically?
There are pros and cons to both sides of that argument. One the one hand, it is tempting to resist overcomplicating something that is happening with very little interference. Yet on the other hand, if Community and Experience are highly valued among the students it seems naive to hope that they will just continue to appear on their own. I think that my team would do well to reflect upon the kinds of experiences common to cohorts that seem to "gel" well, and then look for ways to increase the probability that those kinds of experiences will occur at the first Advances of any given doctoral track.And all that from some pictures. Neat.


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We are now accepting applications for the 2017 training season.
Click the links above to learn about our rider Programs and How to Enroll. To see the course locations, schedules and pick a course, click Select a Course. Do you have an existing registration that you need to cancel? Click Cancel a Registration. Are you interested in attending a course as a walk-in? Check out the Walk-in Information page.
Date Posted: 02/20/2017
Whether Confirmed or Standby, remember to mail in the $20 deposit (check or money order) to complete your registration!
Date Posted: 03/23/2017
A parent/legal guardian shall accompany all 16 and 17 year old students to the first night of a course to sign the waiver form in the presence of the instructor.
Free Cycle Rider Safety Training Program (CRSTP) classes are offered for beginning and experienced riders at more than 50 locations throughout Illinois. These courses are supported by Public Act 82-649, the Cycle Rider Safety Training Act, and are administered through the Illinois Department of Transportation, Division of Traffic Safety and three major educational institutions.
This University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign site provides information for CRSTP courses throughout region B on the map to the right. For information on courses in regions A or C, contact the Regional Training Center for that area.
You must be an Illinois resident to register. Students attending Illinois schools, military personnel (and their families) stationed in Illinois are considered Illinois residents for the purposes of enrolling in these classes.
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