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Alberta Won't Prosecute Doctor-Assisted Deaths
EDMONTON — Alberta says it will not prosecute any physician or member of a health care team involved in a physician assisted death that falls within the scope of the Supreme Court of Canada's 2015 ruling on the issue.
The policy is spelled out in a directive from Alberta's Justice Department to police services in the province.
The directive says there is no reasonable likelihood of a conviction for charges under the Criminal Code for physicians or any other member of a health care team, including pharmacists.
"No prosecution will be commenced or continued against a physician (or a member of the health care team) that provides information regarding physician assisted death."
A link to the directive is posted on the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta website.
The directive says the provision for an assisted death must include the consent of a competent adult who has a grievous and irremedial medical condition that causes enduring intolerable suffering.
The province says the directive was drafted because Parliament did not replace legislation struck down by the Supreme Court by Monday's deadline.
No longer a crime
The directive says that means as of Monday, physician assisted death is no longer a crime under section 241 of the Criminal Code that deals with counselling or aiding suicide.
"No prosecution will be commenced or continued against a physician (or a member of the health care team) that provides information regarding physician assisted death, dispenses a drug, provides physician assisted death, or otherwise participates in a physician assisted death that falls within the parameters described by the Supreme Court of Canada in Carter 2015,'' reads the directive signed by Eric Tolppanen, assistant deputy minister of Alberta's Crown Prosecution Service.
The directive says all police are to contact Tolppanen before commencing an investigation if a complaint is made about a physician assisted death.
On Tuesday, organizations that regulate licensed practical nurses, registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses in Alberta posted a joint message to their members about the directive.
Directive will remain until legislation arrives
The nursing group says it has received a legal opinion that the directive provides an adequate level of protection for RNs, LPNs and RPNs involved with a physician assisted death.
The Alberta government directive says it will remain in effect until medical assistance in dying legislation comes into force.
Alberta Justice officials were not immediately available for comment.
Also on HuffPost:
Here's a look at the state of Euthanasia laws in Canada and their history.
Suicide hasn't been a crime in Canada since 1972. (Shutterstock)
Doctor-assisted suicide is illegal, although the ruling of the B.C. Supreme Court will force Parliament to alter the law within one year. The Criminal Code of Canada states in section 241 that: "Every one who (a) counsels a person to commit suicide, or (b) aids or abets a person to commit suicide, whether suicide ensues or not, is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years." (Alamy)
Passive euthanasia involves letting a patient die instead of prolonging life with medical measures. Passive euthanasia is legal in Canada. The decision is left in the hands of family or a designated proxy. Written wishes, including those found in living wills, do not have to be followed by family or a proxy. (Alamy)
Sue Rodriguez, who suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig's disease), launched a case asking the Supreme Court of Canada to allow her to end her own life on the grounds that the current law discriminated against her disability. Because suicide is legal in Canada and Rodriguez was unable to end her life because of a lack of mobility, she argued it was discriminatory to prevent her from ending her own life with the aid of another. The court refused her request in 1993, but one year later she ended her life anyway with the help of an unnamed doctor. (CP)
Robert Latimer was convicted of second-degree murder in the 1993 death of his severely disabled daughter Tracy. A lack of oxygen during Tracy's birth led to cerebral palsy and serious mental and physical disabilities, including seizures and the inability to walk or talk. Her father ended Tracy's life by placing her in his truck and connecting a hose to the vehicle's exhaust.The case led to a heated debate over euthanasia in Canada and two Supreme Court challenges. Latimer was granted day parole in 2008 and full parole in 2010. (CP)
Former Bloc Québécois MP Francine Lalonde tried repeatedly to get legislation legalizing euthanasia in Canada passed. Bill C-407 and Bill C-384 were both aimed at making assisted suicide legal. C-384 was defeated in the House 228 to 59, with many Bloc MPs and a handful of members from all other parties voting for the legislation. Tetraplegic Tory MP Steven Fletcher, pictured, made the following statement after C-384 was defeated: "I would like to be recorded as abstaining on this bill. The reason is I believe end of life issues need to be debated more in our country. I believe that life should be the first choice but not the only choice and that we have to ensure that resources and supports are provided to Canadians so that choice is free. I believe, when all is said and done, the individual is ultimately responsible. I want to make this decision for myself, and if I cannot, I want my family to make the decision. I believe most Canadians, or many Canadians, feel the same. As William Henley said in his poem Invictus, "I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul."(CP)


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I'm going to skip a point-by-point critique of Carey's piece and, instead, offer a few random thoughts about the many problems with using VAMs in the classroom:
1) VAM models are highly complex and well beyond the understanding of almost all stakeholders, including teachers. Here's a typical VAM model:
Anyone who states with absolute certainty that VAM is a valid and reliable method of teacher evaluation, yet cannot tell you exactly what is happening in this model, is full of it.
There was a bit of a debate last year about whether it matters that student growth percentiles (SGPs) -- which are not the same as VAMs, but are close cousins -- are mathematically and conceptually complex. SGP proponents make the argument that understanding teacher evaluation models are like understanding pi: while the calculation may be complex, the underlying concept is simple. It is, therefore, fine to use SGPs/VAMs to evaluate teachers, even if they don't understand how they got their scores.
The plain fact is that most teachers, principals, school leaders, parents, and policy makers do not have the technical expertise to properly evaluate a probabilistic model like a VAM. And it is unethical, in my opinion, to impose a system of evaluation without properly training stakeholders in its construction and use.
2) VAM models are based on error-prone test scores, which introduces problems of reliability and validity. Standardized tests are subject to what the measurement community often calls "construct-irrelevant variance" -- which is just a fancy way of saying test scores vary for reasons other than knowing stuff. Plus there's the random error found in all test results, due to all kinds of things like testing conditions.
This variance and noise causes all sorts of issues when put into a VAM. We know, for example, that the non-random sorting of students into teacher classrooms can create bias in the model. There is also a very complex issue known as attenuation bias when trying to deal with the error in test scores. There are ways to ameliorate it -- but there are tradeoffs.
My point here is simply that these are very complicated issues and, again, well beyond the apprehension of most stakeholders. Which dictates caution in the use of VAM -- a caution that has been sorely lacking in actual policy.
3) VAM models are only as good as the data they use -- and the data's not so great. VAM models have to assign students to teachers. As an actual practitioner, I can tell you that's not as easy as it sounds. Who should be assigned a VAM score for language arts when a child is Limited English Proficient (LEP): the ELL teacher, or the classroom teacher? What about special education students who spend part of the school day "pulled out" of the homeroom? Teachers who team teach? Teachers who co-teach?
All this assumes we have data systems good enough to track kids, especially as they move from school to school and district to district. And if the models include covariates for student characteristics, we need to have good measures of students' socio-economic status, LEP status, or special education classification. Most of these measures, however, are quite crude.*
If we're going to make high-stakes decisions based on VAMs, we'd better be sure we have good data to do so. There's plenty of reason to believe the data we have isn't up to the job.
4) VAM models are relative; all students may be learning, but some teachers must be classified as "bad." Carey notes that VAMs produce "normal distributions" -- essentially, bell curves, where someone must be at the top, and someone must be at the bottom.
I've labeled this with student test scores, but you'd get the same thing with teacher VAM scores. Carey's piece might be read to imply that it was a revelation to Sanders that the scores came out this way. But VAMs yield normal distributions by design -- which means someone must be "bad."
General Electric's former CEO Jack Welch famously championed ranking his employees -- which is basically what a VAM does -- and then firing the bottom x percent. GE eventually moved away from the idea. I'm hardly a student of American business practices, but it always struck me that Welch's idea was hampered by a logical flaw: someone has to be ranked last, but that doesn't always mean he's "bad" at his job, or that his company is less efficient than it would be if he was fired.
I am certainly the last person to say our schools can't improve, nor would I ever say that we have the best possible teaching corps we could have. And I certainly believe there are teachers who should be counseled to improve; if they don't they should be made to leave the profession. There are undoubtedly teachers who should be fired immediately.
But the use of VAM may be driving good candidates away from the profession, even as it is very likely misidentifying "bad" teachers. Again, the use of VAM to evaluate systemic changes in schooling is, in my view, valid. But the argument for using VAM to make high-stakes individual decisions is quite weak. Which leads me to...
5) VAM models may be helpful for evaluating policy in the aggregate, but they are extremely problematic when used in policies that force high-stakes decisions. When the use of test-based teacher evaluation first came to New Jersey, Bruce Baker pointed out that its finer scale, compared to teacher observation scores, would lead to making SGPs/VAMs some of the evaluation but all of the decision.
But then NJDOE leadership -- because, to be frank, they had no idea what they were doing -- made teacher observation scores with phony precision. That led to high-stakes decisions compelled by the state based on arbitrary cut points and arbitrary weighting of the test-based component. The whole system is now an invalidated dumpster fire.
I am extremely reluctant to endorse any use of VAMs in teacher evaluation, because I think the corrupting pressures will be bad for students; in particular (and as a music teacher), I worry about narrowing the curriculum even further, although there are many other reasons for concern. Nonetheless, I am willing to concede there is a good-faith argument to be made for training school leaders in how to use VAMs to inform, rather than compel, their personnel decisions.
But that's not what's going on in the real world. These measures are being used to force high-stakes decisions, even though the scores are very noisy and prone to bias. I think that's ultimately very bad for the profession, which means it will be very bad for students.
Carey mentions the American Statistical Association's statement on using VAMs for educational assessment. Here, for me, is the money quote:
Research on VAMs has been fairly consistent that aspects of educational effectiveness that are measurable and within teacher control represent a small part of the total variation in student test scores or growth; most estimates in the literature attribute between 1% and 14% of the total variability to teachers. This is not saying that teachers have little effect on students, but that variation among teachers accounts for a small part of the variation in scores. The majority of the variation in test scores is attributable to factors outside of the teacher's control such as student and family background, poverty, curriculum, and unmeasured influences.
The VAM scores themselves have large standard errors, even when calculated using several years of data. These large standard errors make rankings unstable, even under the best scenarios for modeling. Combining VAMs across multiple years decreases the standard error of VAM scores. Multiple years of data, however, do not help problems caused when a model systematically undervalues teachers who work in specific contexts or with specific types of students, since that systematic undervaluation would be present in every year of data.
A VAM score may provide teachers and administrators with information on their students' performance and identify areas where improvement is needed, but it does not provide information on how to improve the teaching. The models, however, may be used to evaluate effects of policies or teacher training programs by comparing the average VAM scores of teachers from different programs. In these uses, the VAM scores partially adjust for the differing backgrounds of the students, and averaging the results over different teachers improves the stability of the estimates [emphasis mine]
Wise words.
NJ's teacher evaluation system, aka "Operation Hindenburg."
* In districts where there is universal free-lunch enrollment,parents have no incentive to fill out paperwork designating their children as FL-eligible. So even that crude measure of student economic disadvantage is useless.


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Preparing For El Nino On the L.A. River
The following is a story worth reposting in regards to El Nino and the expected flooding of storm control channels and rivers. This story was written by Lucy Guanuna of KCET and we must say that this was a well written piece. If anything, the message is pretty clear that … Continue reading


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Scorpio: Video Recording No1
'So hey, I woke up this morning, light streaming on my face through a small window near the ceiling. I looked around and had no idea where I was.
'I sat on what appeared to be the bed, a small cotton sheet on a stone floor, and across the room was a crude wooden desk with a drawer and chair and next to this a bookcase. There was a door that was locked and another room that was supposed to be a bathroom. Water poured from a filter in the wall into this pool and a hole at the bottom took the water away, a constant supply of fresh, clean water. Next to this was a grid. Outside the window was a courtyard with a building on the other side, a ring in the centre and benches around this.
'I was perplexed.
'Firtly I checked out the books, one for each zodiac with a history of their 'ancestory' plus books on meditation and martial arts. I took the first book. It said:
Capricorn: The Water Bearer
Water Of Life
and at the bottom; Wisdom of the past for the present to look out for the future.
I read through the whole thing, amazed it stretched back to Babylonian times. Carvings and scriptures, all the time against the Anti-Zodiac Society who wanted to destroy the zodiac in fear of them to bring what they conceived as peace without dictatorship, they believed that destroying us would release our powers if done in the right way and they through their teachings could harness it to bring about Utopia. And at the bottom was scrawled 'poppycock'.
I snickered at this and searched for Scorpio.
Then I met him for the first time. He opened the door wearing black clothes all over his body revealing only the eyes. He placed a selection of fish on the floor and said solemnly.
"Your lessons will begin shortly."
My blood curdled at this. What lesson?
All the time my thoughts drifted back to her, then the rest of them until I was brooding on my least favorite topic. Myself.
I felt so selfish, letting them get to know me, staying close to them where I could hurt them, poisoning the group causing chaos. I was the disease here, not Luca.
I looked at the drawer and got curious. That was where i found this, I set it up then and was about to use it when he returned.
he opened the door and stood there, waiting. I stood up and approached him.
He led me down a corridor and turned left right into the courtyard. The breeze was cool, blowing gently against the few trees and shrubs. He sat down on a bench and motioned for me to sit on the floor. I did, confused.
'"The reason I brought you here," he started, straight to the point, "is because I know from past experience how terrible it is for the Scorpio-"
'"Who are you?" I interupted. He held up his hand.
'"No questions," he urged and placed his hand on his lap. It was wrinkled, "you think of your powers as a curse when really they are beautiful, but more on that later, for now let us concentrate on the basics.
'"The 12 Zodiacs, perfect together, lost seperate. Each one shares a bond with the other, some are weaker causing problems, some are stronger causing apparent love, but the zodiacs are most human, we are defined by our experiences. If only life were as simple as black and white.
'"The bond allows Zodiacs to feel the others, to know if there is danger, their feelings, it is a generic trait, not as deep as those with mind reading and Libra but prominent all the same.
'"But there is more, each potential Zodiac is born with the instinct to fight, in some its manifests in different ways, they spend their lives fighting and know it, some know how to fight when they are emotional and some by pure instinct such as yourself.
'"In conclusion, I will help you with these, I will teach you how to manipulate this bond and how to unlock your fighting potential," throught the mask I saw him smile, "now any questions?"
'My mind went blank and I shook my head.
'"Good," he whispered and took me back to the room. That was when I made this recording. I wonder what these are for, is it to archive like the scriptures? is it to send back to the others. If it is I hope you are all well, but I feel like I belong here though it has only been a few days.
'For now I will try meditating and then sleep.'


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SANDY, Utah — To say Real Salt Lake struggled against the San Jose Earthquakes last season would be an understatement.
Most teams faltered against last year's Supporters' Shield winners, but maybe not quite to the extent RSL did. In 2012, the Claret-and-Cobalt were 0-3 facing the Quakes and outscored 10-2 in the three losses, including a 5-0 thrashing on July 14 that was the second-worst loss in club history.
"Obviously, it's going to be in the back of our heads," RSL midfielder Sebastian Velasquez said. "It's a new season. It's new blood, and we are excited to get out there and make a difference this year and not let it happen again."
Despite the horrific results last season — RSL played both games at Buck Shaw Stadium shorthanded as they were shown two red cards in a 3-1 loss in April, and had another one shown in the 5-0 setback — the team is fairly confident it can get a result on the road.
"We've had some success there, not last year, but in previous years — in some of the openers as well," said midfielder Ned Grabavoy, who joined RSL after being waived by San Jose after the 2008 MLS season. "I just think it's a field where there are a lot of chances. There are going to be chances on goal and you just can't make mental mistakes and fall asleep because realistically you'll end up with the ball in the back of your net, or San Jose is going to end up with a really good chance."
Before last year, previous history shows that RSL has had success at San Jose. They have a 3-4-1 record in eight league games played in the Bay Area. One player that will be very familiar with playing at Buck Shaw Stadium is Real midfielder Khari Stephenson, who played with the Quakes last season, including scoring a goal and posting two assists against RSL in the three wins for San Jose.
"I left on good terms. I'm good friends with the guys on the team I get along pretty well with the coaching staff and the front office. But you know, it's business. It's work," said Stephenson. "Our job is to go down there and try to get three points, so that's what it's going to be."


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Nimble Rising: CEO Vasudevan Says Bouncing Back from Last Year's Stumble
Shares of Nimble Storage (NMBL), the storage technology upstart challenging EMC (EMC) and NetApp (NTAP), are up 17 cents, or 2%, at $8.90, continuing last night's gains, after the company yesterday afternoon reported fiscal Q2 revenue and profit that topped analysts' expectations, and forecast this quarter's revenue higher as well.
CEO Suresh Vasudevan was kind enough to speak with me by phone following the results. Vasudevan said the company had come back from its big stumble in fiscal Q3 of last year, when it missed expectations by a mile, sending its shares down by more than half.
"We knew we needed to show traction, to demonstrate we were building the pipeline, and growing the segments of the business that matter most, and the dialogue we had yesterday [with analysts] was around those priorities," said Vasudevan.
In particular,
The most significant thing was to demonstrate rapid momentum in the all-flash [array] market, and that more than doubled this quarter, and was 17% of our total product bookings, in only our first full quarter offering that, with 79 out of 133 customers there being new to Nimble. The adoption by channel partners, and the competitive win rates, show very strong traction. And we have been building the pipeline, with new customer acquisition of 560 or so, which went up very nicely, as we continue to engage the channel. And third, we have increased our presence with cloud service providers, where sales grew over 69% last quarter, and with enterprise customers, the 5,000 largest organizations in the world, where sales grew over 37%. Q1 of this year was a good quarter, and Q2 was good, so we feel were did a pretty good job.
I asked Vasudevan to predict the earnings tomorrow afternoon of his fellow upstart, Pure Storage (PSTG). Said Vasudevan, "I wish Scott really well," referring to Pure CEO Scott Dietzen. "I fundamentally believe the place where both of us will grow is by gaining share from architectures developed 20 years ago," referring to EMC and NetApp and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), which form, along with Nimble and Pure, the only 5 vendors that matter, in his view.
"We believe we have a broader portfolio, and a far better answer than Pure. But it's better for both of us to do well."
"There's a question if there's growth at all for the disruptive storage industry, and so proving it is essential for both of us."
There are no ratings changes today, that I can see, but there do seem to be several sighs of relief on the Street. There's still some wary skepticism among Street observers despite that relief:
Shebly Seyrafi, FBN Securities: Reiterates an Outperform rating, and a $12 price target. "AFAs represented 17% of total product bookings, up from 9% in FQ1, and total AFA customers grew by 133 to 188. Since this represents only 2.1% of NMBL's total customer base, there is ample room ahead for NMBL to grow this business (although we continue to think that NMBL will face strong competition here from PSTG [O- rated], EMC, and NTAP [SP-rated]. We are particularly impressed by NMBL's momentum with cloud service providers as the company's bookings to this customer base grew by 69% Y/Y and represented 19% of total bookings."
Richard Kugele, Needham & Co.: Reiterates a Buy rating, and a $12 price target. "We are encouraged by the return of Nimble's momentum and continue to view the name as a core holding for investors of next-gen datacenter […] The addition of All Flash arrays to the portfolio has given NMBL the ability to further penetrate the existing G5000 installed base. CSPs 19% of bookings, up 69% y/y with the larger division of CSPs growing even faster yet. Nimble's all-flash array (the first full quarter of shipment) accounted for 17% of total product bookings, adding 133 customers during the quarter (and 79 of them net new to Nimble.)"
Mark Moskowitz, Barclays: Reiterates an Equal Weight rating, and raises his price target to $10 from $9. "Nimble's AFA momentum is sure to grab attention in coming days. Key question is whether it is company-specific or if there is a larger market tide lifting many participants. Pure's results and guide on Thursday should help frame this debate. Nimble's AFA bookings were 17% of product bookings, vs. 9% in Apr-Q. Meanwhile, cloud service provider revenue remained at 19% of total revenue and grew 69% Y/Y versus 56% Y/Y in Apr-Q. This acceleration, alongside AFA momentum, is a positive development for the Nimble story, as investors look for companies that can be direct or secondary beneficiaries of cloud-based disruption."
Brian Alexander, Raymond James: Reiterates a Market Perform rating. "Guidance implies that continued investments in sales and marketing will cause operating expense to grow at a similar rate as revenue in the October quarter. We also note that land and expand metrics were all flat to down sequentially and average new customer ASPs grew 4% q/q despite near doubling from all-flash from 1Q. We continue to question whether Nimble's all-flash array will expand its market opportunity or cannibalize its hybrid sales and estimate that hybrid product bookings decelerated to ~5% y/y growth in F2Q. We see shares as fairly valued at ~1.8x revenue based on trading after-hours price of $9.45, given competitive uncertainties and continued operating losses."
Rod Hall, J.P. Morgan: Reiterates a Neutral rating, and raises his price target to $9.50 from $8. "The company's products gross margin performance was also commendable n spite of the ongoing price aggression in the AFA market. Its operating margin guidance, however, is a bit light vs. our estimates as opex continues to ramp. We believe Nimble will continue to benefit in the growing flash market but would prefer a clear road to profitability to get more constructive. Management said that its win rates against all key competitors (EMC, NAP, and PSTG) are improving. Nimble's Net Promoter Score remained steady at 85 during FQ2, according to management."
Alex Kurtz, Pacific Crest: Reiterates a Sector Weight rating. "Based on our modeling and RFP analysis, we continue to estimate a 2x to 3x ASP difference between [Nimble and Pure] (Pure targets the largest customers), so we see growth in Nimble's AFA business as not broadly encroaching on Pure's near-term opportunity vs. EMC/Dell, HP and NetApp, who equate to ~60% of the external storage market. Yet, we believe the lack of material pricing pressure changes vs. 1Q17 (+120 bps gross margin vs. consensus) is a small net positive for both NMBL and PSTG as it may signal a pricing environment that remains intense, but not worse vs. the C1Q period."


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Chosen with 7 year olds in minds, this is an energetic collection of wonderful children's stories. These 25 stories are written by some of New Zealand's leading writers for children such as Kate de Goldi, Barbara Else, Sandy McKay and Jane Buxton, as well as other seasoned and up-and-coming writers. These stories are perfect to read aloud, plus they are also great for those children who are reading on their own. With a variety of topics and an emphasis on humour, this will become a much-loved collection for New Zealand children as well as those from further afield.
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Various: Still No King 7"
Dis-Illusioned Records
"STILL NO KING" vol.I v/a compilation featuring todays best uk82 revival bands, total punk and disorderly with SAVAGEHEADS (boston), ROTTEN UK (ex. BLUDWULF from NY), PRIMITIVE PACT (ex. FUNERAL DRESS, BOG PEOPLE from NYC/NJ), and SEXFACE (ex.AFTER THE BOMBS from MONTREAL).... this slab o wax belt out a slew of bangers proving that their really was NO FUTURE!!Tags: 10s comps hardcore punk uk82


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We fu(king love her! Take notes bitches!
PS: Remember to check for your phone, wallet, & keys. Then before you leave go see if the condom broke!
Ms. Mischief
I just wake up and leave but I always lick any existing cum off his dick.ReplyDelete
She needs to make a gay version k thanks byeReplyDelete
NOTICE: WeHo Confidential does not assume any responsibility for comments posted on articles. Furthermore, comments published under Aliases or as "Anonymous" currently remain private and confidential.


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On Saturday, March 7, four International Baccalaureate students at HHMS were awarded and celebrated for their writing at the Hammond Regional Arts Center. According to the Hammond Regional Arts Center, the "So You Think You Can Write" competition was developed "to encourage emerging writers and promote literary excellence through its competition..." The art-work based competition encouraged students to write about a piece of art from local artists and collections of the New Orleans Museum of Art and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art. Students could select to write in a variety of genres, including: poetry, short-story, and essay.
Emma Griffith, IB junior, was awarded first place for her poem "Starved: A Response to Dogs in the French Market", Kayleigh Raines, IB senior, was awarded second place for her poem "At the Midnight Battle," Kristen Swanson, IB junior, was awarded third place for her poem "A Girl in Love", and Mercy Yang, IB senior, was awarded first place for her essay, "Alligators."
All of the contestants entries were published and are available to read on the Hammond Regional Arts Center website: http://www.hammondarts.org/sytycw
O.W. Dillon 5th grader Uriah Galmon finished first place in his division at the Region VIII Social Studies fair at Southeastern earlier this week. Uriah will be representing O.W. Dillon at the state competition.
"Tor Buddies" from Hammond Eastside Magnet enjoyed making their St. Patrick's Day art work. Mrs. Donielle East and her child development students at Hammond High Magnet School provide daily pre-school activities for the students.
Students at Hammond High Magnet School experienced "A Day at Southeastern" on Thursday, March 12. Educational Talent Search, one of Southeastern's TRIO Programs, extended the invitation to the junior class of HHMS to visit the campus and receive beneficial information that would help them in improving ACT scores and become productive citizens in the local community.
The morning began with the students participating in an "ACT Boot Camp" conducted by ACT representative Mr. Tyler Munson. Students were given information about the exam and learned numerous strategies to help increase student performance on the exam, which they are scheduled to take March 17.
Following the "ACT Boot Camp," the students were given a presentation from the New Orleans Saints Youth Programs and Community Affairs Department. During this presentation, Mr. Jason Troxclair talked to the students about how making the right choices today will set them up to be successful in the future. He also emphasized that any wrong choices the students make could impact their future in a negative way. In addition, Troxclair spoke about being responsible while using social media, and he encouraged students to become more involved in improving their local community. Members of the National Guard accompanied Troxclair and shared their experiences in the National Guard, as well as how students could gain additional information if they were interested in joining. Particular emphasis was placed on the financial and health benefits of joining a branch of the armed services. Following the presentations, the students were actively engaged in a question/answer period and received some great giveaways for their positive responses to questions.Students ended the day with presentations given by HHMS counselor Lorretta Evans, Assistant Director of Educational Talent Search Ferdinand Bezue, Outreach Specialist for Math/Science Upward Bound Donta Mills, and Southeastern Admission Counselor/Minority Recruiter Marjorie Parker. The students received scheduling information for their senior year and learned about opportunities they will have should they choose to attend college.
Teachers at Woodland Park Elementary Magnet School boarded the school buses for an afternoon ride home with their students. The teachers experienced firsthand knowledge of what it feels like to be a child on a school bus and the many responsibilities of a bus driver. They can't wait to do it again!


text: Partitioning the Soul: Debates from Plato to Leibniz (Topoi: Belin Studies of the Ancient World, Book 22) by Klaus Corcilius and Dominik Perler English | 2014 | ISBN: 3110311801, 3110311895 | 304 pages | PDF | 0,8 MB Does the soul have parts? What kind of parts? And how do all the parts make together a whole? Many ancient, medieval and early modern philosophers discussed these questions, thus providing a mereological analysis of the soul. The eleven chapters reconstruct and critically examine radically different theories. They make clear that the question of how a single soul can have an internal complexity was a crucial issue for many classical thinkers. Buy Premium From My Links To Get Resumable Support,Max Speed & Support Me Code: Download ( NitroFlare ) http://nitroflare.com/view/B4B5F95D9BA6C41/qe9lz.P.t.S.D.f.P.t.L.rar Oboom https://www.xxxxxxxx/WXGLP15E/qe9lz.P.t.S.D.f.P.t.L.rar


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The "controversial" video game Left Behind has arrived and claims of its violent, forced conversion, orientation seem proven flat. I responded here to some baseless charges that the game somehow trained young Christians to murder anyone who disagreed with their theology. I do not have any intention of getting the game myself. I am satisfied with getting Age of Empires III for Christmas. Nevertheless, here is the latest release from the folks at Left Behind:
A statement from Left Behind Games CEO Troy Lyndon:
Focus on the Family, Concerned Women for America, Women of Faith, Outreach Magazine, National Network of Youth Ministers and Promise Keepers are just some of the organizations that support LEFT BEHIND: Eternal Forces, a PC game. Read below to find out why…
This is the world's first high-quality inspirational game which intends to model positive behavior by discouraging physical warfare. Our game is the first game ever to encourage the use of prayer and worship as the most effective means to resolve conflict. Physical warfare is discouraged as the least effective means for resolving conflict…and a gamer loses points for using a gun.
In the past several days, numerous people have been and continue to spread misinformation about the game.
Our game does not encourage killing. Our game is not anti anything … it's simply pro-Christian. The ultimate bad guy is the antichrist who wants to eliminate all faiths and all religions, except his. He is deceiving the entire world.
Our game does not teach the pre-tribulation theology of the book series, except that this worldview is utilized as a fictional backdrop of the game.
In an industry which creates so much gratuitous violence and gore, LEFT BEHIND: Eternal Forces presents a healthy alternative. We need your help to get the word out!
PLAY THE GAME and find out for yourself that this game is about the battle of good versus evil.
Here is what some are saying about the game:
The Anti-Defamation League, although they speak out against the book theology, says "Conversion to Christianity in the game is not depicted as forcible in nature, and violence is not rewarded in the game."
AOL says it is a "Positive Moral Message."
Focus on the Family says "The kind of game Mom and Dad can play with Junior."
Concerned Women for America says "A game we can wholeheartedly recommend!"
Wired Magazine, "Few are as ambitious and polished as this PC title."
ArsTechnica.com, "This is a game that Christian parents can buy their kids, and one that Christian kids can play themselves without any guilt about "questionable content."
Women of Faith says that in an industry that is full of destruction with no hope, the LEFT BEHIND game provides a healthy alternative.
Clint Thomas from Chaos Theory says, "For years we've been telling kids what to run from and not what to run to, until now!"
Should you have any concerns about this game, please go to the contact us page on our website at www.leftbehindgames.com and we'll do our best to connect with you.
Troy Lyndon
Co-founder, CEO
Left Behind Games Inc.
I checked out the ADL report on the game and found the usual objections to evangelical Christianity's exclusivity on issues of salvation, but it does indeed concede that the game does not glorify violence and does not depict conversion by force:
The game is designed to make force an option only used by players if necessary when their forces are attacked by those hunting them, and any characters that kill others in the game are penalized. Conversion to Christianity in the game is not depicted as forcible in nature, and violence is not rewarded in the game.
The game revolves around "spirit" - a low spirit leads a character to the side of the Antichrist, and players must continually watch their spirit levels to ensure they do not slide towards evil. Killing others in the game deeply affects the spirit levels, and players must have those characters pray to build themselves back up or risk turning evil.
One issue I had been curious about was how the "neutrals" in the game were described. The ADL report addresses that:
The neutral characters populating the game are often members of religions other than Christian or lapsed/not faithful Christians from various denominations. However, the particular religious and social backgrounds of characters in the game does not make them any more or less susceptible to conversion, nor is there any special benefit attributed to converting someone of a particular background (i.e. no "extra points" or "increased difficulties" when trying to convert a person from a specific group/belief).
The report ends by pinpointing "insidious" parts of the game, such as the promotion of evangelical belief, the playing and potential purchasing of Christian music, a link to a site that questions evolution, and -- the horror! -- "giving descriptions of historic Christian sites in Israel." Next thing you know, Christians might actually start taking tourist trips to Israel.
Overall, the ADL's response -- though critical -- is anemic in its criticism. There is no complaint about forced conversions of Jews or anyone else and the point -- highlighted from the beginning here and elsewhere -- that the game discourages violence is also conceded. If the best they can do is complain about insidious ploys to expose evangelical Christian youth to evanglical belief, music, and potential tourist destinations, there is not much to complain about.


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Staybridge Suites Madison-East
Quick Info
- Check In: 3:00 PM
- Check Out: 12:00 PM
- Minimum Check-In Age: 21
- Late Check Out Available
- Parking: Free
- Print Fact sheet
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Hotel Highlights
- On-site Guest Self-Laundry Facilities
- Housekeeping Full Service
- Complimentary Breakfast Buffet
- Standard Wireless Internet service is free for all members
- On-Site Fitness Center Available
- Complimentary Shuttle Available
Guest Reviews
Overall Experience
Staff friendliness
May 23, 2017
Wonderful staff from the front desk to cleaning personnel and dining workers.
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May 22, 2017
Loved this location and the hotel grounds. In fact, feels more like you are staying at home than staying at a hotel. If you are coming to the Madison area - I highly recommend.
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The first three words I thought of to describe my stay were Comfortable, Quiet, and Clean. These are the basic criteria for a satisfactory stay at any hotel, but it's sometimes hard to find a place that meets all three. This one definitely does! And then there were the amenities! The pool area was very nice. I have no complaints about my experience in the work out room. The complimentary breakfast was good, and the menu changed each day (the basics like cereal, yogurt, and fruit were available every day). The staff was friendly and courteous. The hotel location was good, with easy access to the interstate, and plenty of options for dining out nearby. I'll be back my next trip to Madison.


text:
— The SmackDown taping on March 1 will be held at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Tickets go on sale January 29 via Ticketmaster.com. — MVP clarified a fan's Twitter comment regarding WWE...Read More →
– The reason why CM Punk had his elbow taped up on last night's Raw is because of previous injuries. He had it last operated on in July to repair "floating particles" which were causing...Read More →
Mason Ryan made his on-screen debut on WWE television on tonight's Raw, taking out CM Punk (who sacrificed himself) and John Cena during their main event match and then joined the new Nexus headed up...Read More →
According to a key WWE source at Monday Night Raw, a lot of backstage ribbing has been taking place today about new top heel CM Punk getting hit by a fan last night at a...Read More →
Thanks to Jeremy Wilkins for sending in another eye witness account of the CM Punk/fan altercation which took place at the WWE Raw house show event last night in Shreveport, Louisiana: "As C.M. Punk was...Read More →
It was reported here that CM Punk got into an altercation with a fan at Sunday's WWE super show event from Shreveport, Louisiana. A few fans who were at the show have sent in recaps...Read More →
– Reader Malik attended Sunday's WWE supershow from Shreveport, Louisiana and sent in word that Nexus leader CM Punk was struck in the face by a young fan who was sitting ringside. The fan and...Read More →
Tonight's episode of WWE RAW takes place from Little Rock, Arkansas. The show will be headlined by the return of John Cena, who will square off against Nexus leader CM Punk. This will be Cena's...Read More →
The PNE Agrodome in Vancouver is advertising these matches for it's Raw house show on February 11th, 2011: * Randy Orton vs. The Miz for the WWE Title * John Morrison vs. Sheamus * Daniel...Read More →
John Cena was advertised to appear at Sunday's RAW brand live event from Shreveport, Louisiana, but was not at the show. Cena, who wrestled Friday night in Tennessee, had been scheduled to CM Punk on...Read More →
Alright so everyone makes mistakes including me; as hard as it is to admit Nexus is now enjoyable to watch, and not just because they saved us from having to see Santino and Vlad defend...Read More →
WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what JR said about: Shwan Michaels Joining WWE's Hall of Fame:...Read More →
Immediately following the conclusion of the Drew McIntyre vs. Big Show vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Dolph Ziggler Fatal 4-Way Match to determine a new No. 1 contender to Edge's World Heavyweight Championship, Wade Barrett attacked...Read More →
Thanks to Jake Altersitz for sending in the following: After the show, Miz and Alex Riley head down to the ring to taunt Randy Orton. Randy attacks them but is thrown outside the ring. Micheal...Read More →
Tonight's episode WWE RAW takes place from the US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The WWE website has announced that the opening match of tonight's RAW will see WWE Champion The Miz defending against #1...Read More →
WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross is back with another blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what JR said about: John Cena's Injury: "I thought that...Read More →
— The Dec. 23 episode of TNA iMPACT! drew a 1.07 cable rating, with 1,403,000 viewers. The previous week's show drew a 1.12. — The Dec. 23 episode of TNA ReACTION scored a 0.59 cable...Read More →
According to F4WOnline.com Triple H will be taking a more involved role during WWE television tapings in the upcoming weeks. Similar to the role he took on over the last overseas WWE tour. Reports suggest...Read More →
PWMania has learned exclusively that while CM Punk has been scheduled for several house shows in the midwest, his future as a wrestler for WWE is still "undecided." PWMania was told by a key WWE...Read More →
WWE Raw announcer CM Punk, who is currently on the sidelines nursing a lower back injury, is scheduled to return to action next week. Punk will be wrestling in the main event of several live...Read More →


text:
The primary objective of the research group is to advance research and technology in the field of enterprise information systems & semantic technologies and to widely apply this research in large-scale use cases. A particular focus of research and technology is information, data and knowledge integration employing Linked Data strategies. The department is committed to the open source, open access and open knowledge movements.
We achieved many projects and are actively working on several others. Please have a look at some of our demos:
ExConQuer Linked Data Publication and Consumption Framework
FuhSen A Platform for Federated, RDF-based Hybrid Search
iRap Interest-based RDF update propagation framework
LinDA Enabling Linked Data and Analytics for SMEs
LinkDaViz A Visualization Approach Employing Automatic Binding of Linked Data to Visualizations
Luzzu Quality Assessment Framework for LOD
SemAnn Web-based semantic annotation tool for PDF documents.
SINA question answering system for Linked Data
SlideWiki helps communities to create great presentations collaborativel
VoCol A low-threshold agile methodology for collaborative vocabulary development
EIS Papers Accepted at EKAW and ODBASE
Posted on Friday September 09, 2016
Following our previous article about the EIS Paper Submissions to the 20th International Conference on Knowledge Engineering and Knowledge Management (EKAW 2016) and to the 15th International Conference on Ontologies, DataBases, and Applications of Semantics (ODBASE 2016), we are pleased to announce that the following papers were accepted: To EKAW 2016: An Integrated Environment to Support Version-Controlled […]
VIVO Conference Keynote: Towards digitizing scholarly communication
Posted on Friday August 19, 2016
This year's VIVO conference gathered VIVO team members from participating institutions globally to come together with the aim to promote scholarly collaboration and research discovery. EIS' Sören Auer was invited as keynote speaker. Here you can find the slides of his VIVO 2016 Conference opening keynote titled "Towards digitizing scholarly communication". Abstract Despite the availability of ubiquitous connectivity and information technology, scholarly […]
Paper "Towards a Semantic Administrative Shell for Industry 4.0 Components" elected paper of the month
Posted on Monday August 01, 2016
Our paper "Towards a Semantic Administrative Shell for Industry 4.0 Components"[1] was elected as the paper of the month at Fraunhofer IAIS. This award is given to publications that have a high innovation impact in the research field after an committee evaluation. Authors Irlán Grangel-González, Lavdim Halilaj, Gökhan Coskun, Sören Auer, Diego Collarana, Michael Hofmeister […]
Recent EIS Paper Submissions
Posted on Tuesday July 19, 2016
Before the summer break EIS was submitting a number of articles to renowned conferences. To the 20th International Conference on Knowledge Engineering and Knowledge Management (EKAW) we submitted: Exploiting the value of data through Data Value Networks Judie Attard, Fabrizio Orlandi and Sören Auer Ontology-based Skills Demand and Trend Analysis Elisa Margareth Sibarani, Simon Scerri, Najmeh Mousavi […]
European Data Forum 2016: Scaling up the European Data Economy, June 27 – July 1, 2016
Posted on Friday June 24, 2016
The annual meeting-point for all stakeholders involved in the data value chain. The European Data Forum (EDF) is one of the key European events for industry professionals, researchers, policy makers and members of community initiatives to discuss the challenges and opportunities of data-driven innovation in Europe. The Forum will address all facets of data-driven innovation: […]


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Fischer TX Real Estate & Homes for Sale
11 Properties Found
The median home value in Fischer, TX is $283,500.
This is
higher than
the county median home value of $263,600.
The national median home value is $185,800.
The average price of homes sold in Fischer, TX is $283,500.
Approximately 70.94% of Fischer homes are owned,
compared to 15.37% rented, while
13.69% are vacant.
Fischer real estate listings include condos, townhomes, and single family homes for sale.
Commercial properties are also available.
If you see a property you're interested in, contact a Fischer real estate agent to arrange a tour today!
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1109 Sundown Trl Fischer, TX 78623
Courtesy: C4 Real Estate of Texas
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Beautiful Canyon Lake area home located in Fischer. The home offers 4 bedrooms, 3 full bath, 2 living areas, large dining, Awesome Kitchen w/granite counter top & Knotty Alder cabinets, walk-in utility/pantry with storage, 2 large covered porches, one that over looks the Lake & Hill Country. The Outside offer just over a half acre of land with the back yard fully fenced in with sitting areas and more. Up stairs living has a huge unrestricted window that over looks Canyon Lake, a must see.
230 Sorrel Ct Fischer, TX 78623
Courtesy: Carla Hamon, Broker
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Construction complete. Move in ready. Hamon Homes HERITAGE plan with 2 car garage. 1512 sq ft living space on a .95 acre cul-de-sac lot in Stallion Springs. Upgrades include: stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops, wood burning fireplace, ceiling fans, recessed & pendant lights, breakfast bar, arches and rounded corners, walk in master closet, large inside utility closet, 48 ft covered front porch. 10 year structural warranty.
1690 Cottonwood Rd Fischer, TX 78623
Courtesy: StoneWater Real Estate
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This David Barr home has tile floors, custom cabinets with 42" uppers, granite tops, high ceilings and an open floor plan. The covered back patio has southern exposure to capture the southeast prevailing breeze. Contract soon & make personal color selections!
Courtesy: StoneWater Real Estate
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Another fine David Barr home being built in an up & coming neighborhood! This open plan has high ceilings, custom cabinets with 42" uppers, tile floors through out, granite tops, travertine back splash & a whole lot of WOW! All located on a beautiful half acre lot!
951 Persimmon Pass Fischer, TX 78623
Courtesy: StoneWater Real Estate
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Another fine home by David Barr Builder! Located on a wide 1/2 acre lot this home features custom cabinets with 42" uppers, granite tops, tile floors throughout, high ceilings & open plan! Contract this home now & make selections to give it your very own custom touch!
194 Flanders Fischer, TX 78623
Courtesy: StoneWater Real Estate
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Another fine home by David Barr Builder! This home has an open plan, high ceilings, custom cabinets, granite tops & covered patio. Not to mention a full 1 acre lot with huge oaks & a back yard view for miles! Still time to make selections for your own custom touch!
Courtesy: Century 21 Randall Morris
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If you are looking for the perfect Hill Country retreat with fabulous views, lots of wild life, great deck off back for sunsets and long views, large fireplace for cool nights, open floor plan and 1,170 sq ft garage with workshop and apartment, plus room for vehicles. This is it! 2/2 in 1,610 sq ft house on 5.5 private acres with drought & deer resistant landscaping, storage building & green house. Custom Pool table and safe negotiable. Owner will require 30 day lease back after closing.
1889 Birch Ln Fischer, TX 78623
Courtesy: Reliance Residential Realty-NB
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NEW CONSTRUCTION HOME sitting on a half acre. Welcome to the Hill Country. This home will feature beautiful stained concrete throughout the home. The flowing floor plan allows for family gatherings and comfort. Enjoy all the features of your kitchen from your center island, Corian countertops, and Whirlpool appliances, including a double oven. The master bathroom is a retreat with the garden tub, tiled shower and double vanity.
1980 Cottonwood Rd Fischer, TX 78623
Courtesy: StoneWater Real Estate
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Beautiful open floor plan with tile throughout, custom cabinets, granite tops & large covered patio! Homesite is level with a lot of nice oak trees. Completion by end of May.
1090 Soaring Eagle Fischer, TX 78623
Courtesy: BHHS Don Johnson, REALTORS
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Spacious/Open CANYON LAKE home, single level, split 3 bedrm,great hill country view.Built to be low care & low maintenance.Large mst. bath has garden tub, separate tiled shower with bltin seat.Huge cook's kitchen,(+,- 27)custom cabinets & pullout shelves.Granite counter tops in kitchen & bath.Stainless appliances, bltins, smooth cooktop, double ovens.Large dining area,Liv rm, "Florida" rm, study. Landscaped with flowering trees/bushes, sprinklers,drip line.Half bath in garage!Buyer to verify all measurement
Courtesy: Southern Capital Realty
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NEW CONSTRUCTION HOME IN RANCHO DEL LAGO WITH 2 CAR GARAGE PLUS LIVING QUARTERS. *2 Living Areas*Large Deck*Hill Country Views. A MUST SEE!
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Page 3D
Graphic novel offers a new way to look at 'Twilight'
Illustrator drew on Meyer's words
By Carol Memmott
Ready for the next chapter in the Twilight craze?
If the original Stephenie Meyer teen vampire novels, movies, DVDs, posters and T-shirts aren't enough, now comes Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 1 (Yen Press, $19.99), on sale today.
The 350,000 first printing is believed to be the biggest for any graphic novel in the U.S. market.
Because of the original Twilight novel's length, the graphic novel will be published in two volumes. No date has been announced for the second. Nor is there any word on whether the last three books in the series will be adapted to the format.
The hardcover book, illustrated and adapted by South Korean artist Young Kim, was created with author Meyer's oversight.
"When it comes to really seeing Stephenie Meyer's personal vision of the Twilight property, this is as close an opportunity there is to accomplishing that," says Yen's Kurt Hassler. "Stephenie was very specific and has very clear images of what the characters look like in her head."
Meyer likes what she sees in Kim's depictions of sexy teen vampire Edward Cullen and Bella Swan, the girl he loves. She writes in the introduction that seeing Kim's drawings "brought me back to my first Twilight experience … suddenly I would be feeling all the same things I felt that first summer while I was writing their (Edward and Bella's) story."
In an e-mail interview, Kim says: "It is always difficult to visualize text, since everyone has a different interpretation of it, but I tried to be as faithful as possible to the descriptions in the book, and Stephenie's review and input were greatly helpful."
Becky Anderson of Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville, Ill., wonders how fans will react after seeing the movies and envisioning Robert Pattinson as Edward and Kristen Stewart as Bella.
"People are really possessive of this book and how they feel about it," Anderson says. "It will be interesting to see how they accept this new visual image."
Fans and booksellers aren't sure what the response will be to the graphic-novel format or how the book will sell.
"It's been tough for us � this whole business of creating graphic-novel versions of popular series," says Meghan Goel of BookPeople, an independent Austin bookstore.
Operators of TwilightLexicon.com, a popular Twilight fan site, conducted an online poll. Among the 4,000 respondents, 30% said they would definitely buy the graphic novel, 50% said they wanted to see it before deciding, and 20% said they weren't interested in graphic novels.
What people really want, says TwilightLexicon.com's Laura Byrne-Cristiano, is a new Meyer novel. "The movies are great, but I think we all want a new book by Stephenie Meyer."
Page 3D
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text:
Policies that contribute to the brain drain
I wish to share my story.
In 2004, upon completion of her A Levels, I decided to send my daughter to UK to study medicine.
In her final year, I persuaded her to come back and work at home.
After more than three years, I was perplexed to learn that, despite having already completed her compulsory service, my daughter is still ineligible to apply for the master's programme.
In May 2009, I was the happiest person on earth when my daughter passed her final examination.
I attended her graduation ceremony in the UK somewhere around June. It was simple yet traditional and memorable.
We spend one week after that traveling around Europe. After packing all her stuff, we went home, for good.
At home, we filled up all the forms and went to various government agencies to get things in order, getting ready to start work.
Early August she received a letter for an induction programme in Kuala Lumpur.
One week later, she was posted as a doctor, doing her housemanship in one of the Health Ministry's hospitals.
Enough said, housemanship is surely tough, not helped by the very different system, workloads and work ethics.
Every week I had to visit her trying to convince her that the whole thing was just part of her training and she was actually contributing to the betterment of the nation's healthcare system.
She completed the housemanship successfully.
Having performed excellently in her last posting in paediatrics, the head of department wanted to keep her despite various conflicting rulings on fresh medical officers.
She decided to stay and planned to become a paediatrician.
One day, her coursemate and housemate in the UK visited us and I was very happy for her, for completing her MRCP.
So, I encouraged my daughter to apply for the Master's in Medicine degree with the Health Ministry, only to realise that she is not qualified.
Her colleague, one year younger, who graduated from a local university, and who started working six weeks earlier, is qualified.
This means, even if she qualifies next year, she is already two years behind those of her age who studied locally.
She was devastated and I was left wondering why are we making things so hard for ourselves?
How can we prevent the brain drain with policies like this? Do we always have to put seniority before merit?
I wouldn't mind spending another million for her to study further abroad; the government spends millions each year to send medical students overseas.
I wonder what those students would do considering even if they get home for their housemanship, they are made to wait for more than four years to be eligible for the master's programme.
Our policies put them at a disadvantage. A nation full of potential specialists yet deprived of them. It is beyond me why we are doing all this to ourselves. When will we ever learn?
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Sunflower Cross, (21.5")
This item is currently out of stock.
Celebrate the season with this wonderful sunflower cross hanging décor. The metal cross frame is filled with natural twigs and a bouquet of faux sunflowers, berries and leaves, adding a warming charm to your home or office's décor. The cross easily hangs from a nail, decorative hook or hanger on your front door, around the home or in the office.
- Lovely fall design with burlap bow
- Perfect for around the home or office decoration
- Easily hangs from nail, screw or decorating hook
- Model number: F14HD00428MIC
- 21.5"L x 12"W x 2.5"H
- Material: Polyester, twigs, wire, plastic, foam
Shipping & Returns
If you have the option to "Add to Cart", this item is available for shipping. If not, enter your zip code to find a store near you.
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text: Europe 8000 BCE – 600 CE Unit 1 Section 4 Early Civilizations of Europe and the Mediterranean • Farming communities emerged in S. Europe by 6000 BCE – this was after similar developments in Africa, the Middle East, & E. Asia • By 3500 BCE agricultural communities existed throughout Europe & the population density of the region increased as food sources became more reliable. • When Europe finally developed into civilizations and empires it set a cultural and intellectual foundation for the Western World Minoans http://www.youtube.com/user/historyteache rs#p/search/0/Jz3d5x-MUT4 - Watch with Minoan worksheet • The 1st complex civilizations in Europe developed on the Mediterranean island of Crete and on the Greek Peninsula • Limited natural resources forced them to become a seafaring people that were trade-based societies with close commercial and political ties to their neighbors • By 2000 BCE the Minoan civilization had emerged on the island of Crete (Similar advancements to societies of Mesopotamia & Egypt): – – – – – Centralized government Grand architecture Metal use Writing Record-keeping Mycenaeans • Around 1450 BCE the Mycenaean Greeks destroyed much of the Minoan civilization and became the next significant civilization in the region • Borrowing the architectural, economic and political components of the predecessors, the Mycenaeans were centered on the Greek peninsula and the islands of the Aegean Sea • They used the Minoan writing system as a basis of their own – Linear B – which endured as an early form of Greek Mycenaean Collapse • Highly skilled sailors, the Mycenaeans built a tradebased economy – Evidence of this can be found in clay pots throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East that once contained wine and olive oil and were traded for metals, grain, amber and ivory • Mycenaeans were tough and warlike but were undone around 1200 BCE by the economic and political collapse of their trading partners – Example: • The destruction of the Hittite kingdom of Anatolia – The Middle East was destabilized – Key Relationships were lost – Mycenaean civilization declined • The cosmopolitan nature of the Middle East & E. Mediterranean (1700-1100 BCE) gave way to a 300 year period of poverty and isolation Phoenicians • From the instability a group of small city-states arose on the east coast of the Mediterranean • Though power shifted amongst the city-states – the Phoenician city-states prospered economically and politically by trading natural resources, food, and luxury items • The most lasting contribution of the Phoenicians was their alphabetic system of writing symbols which represented sounds that could be then be used to construct words Phoenicians - Carthage • In the 9th Century BCE the Phoenicians established a trade network around the entire Mediterranean and colonized the region as their population grew • One of the most significant colonies was Carthage – Located in present day Tunisia, strategic position to control the middle portion of the Mediterranean – By 500 BCE Carthage was one of the world's largest and most ethnically diverse cities – It was not a large territory but it had a strong navy and an army of mercenaries which protected its access to sea trade & influential politically until it was destroyed by the Romans in 202 BCE Continental Europe – The Celts • Geography, Climate and soil – as well as natural resources – supported agriculture and herding • Little is known of the earliest societies because of a lack of writing • By 300 BCE the Celts had significantly influenced the language and culture of Europe by migrating from central Europe and settling across much of the continent – Not a uniform migration due to organization around kinship and not a larger Celtic civilization Social Structure of the Celts •Women focused on domestic tasks like raising children, though they did possess marriage and property rights better than their counterparts' in Greece and Rome •Marriage was viewed as a partnership • The Greek City-States – Archaic Period st 1 European Empire grew out of the resource-poor region of Greece • The Dark Age that had settled in after the fall of the Mycenaean civilization lifted when Phoenician merchants helped reconnect the Greek peninsula to the regional trade network • By 800 BCE Greek sailors were bringing goods and ideas home, and the Archaic period of Greek history had begun • Importing the Phoenician alphabet the Greeks added vowels – This was easier to learn than other forms of writing – Widespread literacy – However, Greek culture was largely preserved through the oral tradition and use of storytelling, theater, and philosophical dialogues The Greek City-States – Archaic Period • Shortly into the Archaic period, Greece saw a population explosion – likely caused by more effective farming and increased prosperity • With population growth, villages expanded and Greece became a collection of city-states • Each city-state, or polis, cherished its independence – This led to conflicts among the heavily armed infantrymen (known as hoplites) – who were not professional soldiers but rather citizens called upon in times of crisis – Military techniques employed by the Greeks did not require extensive training • Priorities were courage and strength to bear arms • Battles/Campaigns were usually quick which allowed soldiers (most were farmers) to return to their land Greek Influence • Population increase during the 8th Century BCE also set off a period of colonization • From 750 to 550 BCE the Greek people and culture spread around the Black Sea, across North Africa, and through southern Italy and Sicily • With encounters with new people and lands, the Greeks took on an air of superiority and reinforced their bonds among themselves • Their language and customs made them unique in these new lands – They referred to themselves as Hellenes and to non-Greeks as barbaroi – where we get the word barbarian • Greek presence spread technology: – Use of coins began in western Anatolia in the 6th Century BCE and spread quickly through the Greek world – Though not perfect (regional differences made for complications) coinage expedited trade and recordkeeping Politics and Social Structure • Greek society and politics evolved and eventually resembled the democratic society for which ancient Greece is known • Early – councils of nobles challenged and eventually surpassed Greek kings – Such nobles gained their wealth and status from owning large amounts of land • Peasants worked the land and only kept a portion of what they grew for themselves – Working alongside peasants were debt slaves – who had defaulted on loans from the landowner an subsequently lost their freedom • Making up the Middle class were the small farm owners, merchants and craftsmen • In the mid 7th & 6th Centuries BCE city-states saw the rise of tyrants – Ambitious & aggressive members of the nobility – Seized control with support from the middle class which wanted more power – Tyrants tried to set up an heir system but it did not last • Eventually communities reacted by installing an oligarchy (rule by a small group) or a democracy – all free adult males participated Greek Culture http://www.youtube.com/user/historyteache rs#p/search/2/fwYYxVGsS0E - use with Greek Philosophers Worksheet • Religion was based on a pantheon of anthropomorphic gods representing the power of nature • Altars and temples were constructed so that sacrifices could be made to these gods, and seers were employed to communicate with the gods and provide advice and insight • During the Archaic period the role and value of the individual grew in importance – Colonists were valued for their efforts & Tyrants who assumed power believed in the strength and ability of the individual – Celebration of the individual is known as humanism which is a guiding principle of the Western World • Early Greeks challenged the traditional approach to knowledge – Pre-Socratic philosophers sought rational explanations for the origins and workings of the world – Socrates and his disciple Plato, and Plato's student Aristotle would lay the foundation of Western Philosophy by asking probing questions about truth, knowledge and ethics Sparta By 480 BCE the 2 Dominant City-States • Strength came form its army of highly trained and wellarmed professional soldiers • Individual existed to support the state • To maintain internal peace coinage and trade were banned for their potential to promote inequality • Formed cautious alliances with their neighbors and tried to remain isolated Athens • • • • • Had a clear social structure that made connections between wealth and power Those in the top three classes could hold office Those who constituted the 4th class and owned little to no property could participate in politics but could not hold office Though not a direct democracy it did break the mold of rule by one or few that existed throughout much of the world at this time By 450 BCE, Pericles altered the system to allow even those with little land to hold office and participate in government Persian Wars • Both Athens and Sparta played a role in the next phase of Greek history – the fight against the Persian Empire in the 5th & 4th Centuries BCE • Initially, Persian control of Greek city-states in Western Anatolia was met with a revolt that the Persians eventually put down • These revolts inspired the Persian leader Darius to punish those city-states that supported the revolt (including Athens) • Many Greek city-states suffered harsh defeats in what is known as the Persian Wars • Darius' son Xerxes would state a larger invasion of Greece in 480 BCE and succeed in attacking Athens • Southern city-states aligned with Sparta formed the Delian League and by the middle of the 5th Century BCE the Persians were expelled from Greek lands – thus begins the classical era of Greek history Classical Greek Social Structure • Athens used its strong navy and economic strength to subjugate members of the Delian League – Neighboring city-states were required to pay yearly payments to Athens to fund the military as well as theatre, philosophy, art and science • Politically, classical Greece was a democracy of the 10-15% of the population that were free adult males – Foreign-born slaves made up 30% of the population – The typical Athenian family owned one or more slaves – Most slaves served in a domestic capacity and developed relationships with their owners by working in close proximity to them • However, Greeks viewed slaves as inferior beings who were better off under Greek control Role of Women • Women's roles depended on where they lived – In Sparta they had the important role of raising strong children • Their presence and voices in public were welcomed – In Athens women lacked access to education, had limited legal protection, were confined to their homes and were expected to produce children • Treatment of women in Athens resembled that of slaves and was rationalized by men that women were by nature promiscuous and promiscuity could destabilize society Peloponnesian War • War broke out in 431 BCE between the citystates aligned with Athens and those aligned with Sparta • After nearly 30 years the Spartans with financial help form Persia for their navy, defeated the Athenians and temporarily assumed leadership of Greece • The Greek city-states quickly tired of strict Spartan rule – unrest continued • In northern Greece the kingdom of Macedonia was growing into a military power Macedonian Dominance http://www.youtube.com/user/historyteache rs#p/search/3/Idh5pWvr8yU - Use with Macedonia Worksheet • Philip II (359-336 BCE) had improved his military's technology and techniques: – Longer spears – Catapults – Use of cavalry to support infantry • Defeated southern Greek states and led to all-Greek attack on the Persian Empire • Alexander (356-323 BCE & son of Philip II) avenged Persia's attacks on Greece by defeating Darius III of Persia • Alexander's ambition led to Greek control of most of the Persian Empire – To control such a large empire, loyal Macedonians and Greek aides were in charge of the city-states – Later he left Persian officials in place, allowed Persian soldiers in military and adopted aspects of Persian culture • Alexander's death was sudden @ age 32 and the empire fell into chaos and was broken into 3 kingdoms ruled by Macedonians Hellenistic Age • Land from northern Egypt to nearly the Indus Valley was influenced by Greek culture • Long-distance trade and the growth of libraries, universities, literature, and art made Greek culture available – Local people accepted Greek culture because it was economically advantageous • The 3 Hellenistic kingdoms had the same difficulties defending a long frontier that the Persians had experienced – A combination of Persian system of local control with Alexander's policy of establishing city-states as administrative centers Romans • While the Greeks established a foundation for the modern Western world, their legacy was cemented by their European successors – the Romans • Located in central Italy, Rome had many geographic advantages that the Greeks lacked: – – – – Fertile soil Long growing seasons Vast forests Iron Deposits Politics of Roman Republic • The Roman Republic (507-31 BCE) was a society of small, independent farms. • As time passed some individuals acquired large portions of land and as a group these wealthy men constituted the Senate which dominated Roman politics • All male citizens were allowed to attend Senate meetings but votes of the wealthy were worth more than those of the poor – thus society was governed by the elite • The inequality caused tensions in the Roman Republic – periodically the working class held strikes in in hopes of gaining more political rights Roman Expansion • In the 5th Century BCE Rome assumed a leadership position among central Italian cities that had formed a group for defense. • By the 3rd Century BCE Roman expansion accelerated as its highly trained and disciplined armies conquered new land in a never-ending effort to provide a buffer zone against enemies on the frontier • As Rome expanded its control, it granted citizenship to conquered peoples and required men from these lands to join the army • When Romans finally defeated the Carthaginians in 202 BCE – they were the supreme power in the western Mediterranean region Roman Expansion • The vast Roman Republic was governed by senators – Served 1-year posts as governors of the Roman provinces – Chosen for their connections rather than ability – many governors were corrupt and ineffective • Local people cooperated because like Greek influence – it was economically advantageous • The adoption of the Roman lifestyle – Romanization – was a significant outcome of Roman expansion even though the eastern Mediterranean continued to be dominated by Greek language and culture Republic to Empire • The Roman expansion put strains on the system which led to failure • Italian peasant farmers who were the backbone of the military – spent long periods away from their land • In their absence, land was purchased or obtained by wealthy individuals & consolidated into large tracts of land that were more profitable and used for grazing and not for grain production • This forced Italy to rely on imported grain and left a now landless population to compete against the cheap slave labor provided by war prisoners • The Republic had obligated landowning men to serve in the military but as the landowning population decreased so too did the size of the army • The poor, landless population had difficulty finding work • This led to changing their allegiance from the Republic to ambitious military leaders who would battle one another for power Roman Empire Emerges • By the dawn of the Common Era, Rome had shifted from Republic to Empire • Octavian Caesar emerged in 31 BCE as a military dictator disguised as republican ruler – He added the territory of Egypt, portions of the Middle East and central Europe – New title of Augustus • He and his successors ruled with the approval of the Senate and ultimately became the source of laws and even viewed as gods after their death Social Stratification • In the cities there was a large economic and physical gap between the rich and the poor • The wealth of the urban upper class came from a large and productive agricultural foundation or from manufacture and trade that prospered during the Pax Romana (Roman Peace) • The poor in the cities inhabited crowded, lowlying slums • In rural areas the poor became tenant farmers as the source of slaves diminished when Roman expansion reach its limits Roman Society http://www.youtube.com/user/historyteache rs#p/search/2/me4E5wDCK2Q - Use with Viva Roma No. V worksheet • Roman society was based on the family and patron/client relationship • The oldest male was head of the family and its slaves • The heads of wealthy families served as patrons for the dozens or hundreds of clients who worked and defended their land – In return for this service clients received legal protection and financial aid from their patrons Women & Religion • Women in the Roman Republic could not own property or represent themselves in legal proceedings • Some upper-class women were able to influence their husbands or eldest sons • Religion was greatly influenced by the Romans' contact with the Greeks – Sacrifices were made to ensure protection of the gods, whose myths and identities were taken from the Greeks and given Roman names • Christianity was born in Roman-controlled Palestine and early Christians were persecuted – Over time the Roman Empire's disenfranchised (poor, women and slaves) were drawn to the teachings of Jesus Large Empire issues • Control over such a large empire could be attributed to the technological innovations: – – – – Arches Aqueducts Roads Concrete • 3rd Century Crisis (235 – 284 CE): – High turnover of rulers – Economic problems – Infiltration of the Germanic tribes in the Central European frontier • Trade declined to the point that barter replaced coinage • Wealth of the cities declined dramatically Diocletian's Efforts • Diocletian became emperor in 284 CE and in an effort to stabilize the economy: – Fixed prices – Forced workers in key industries to stay in their professions • Any stability that came from this was offset by resentment among the people toward government being intrusive and regimented Constantine & Christianity • Successor to Diocletian was Constantine http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=uYhMQNPa8m M – use with Constantine worksheet – Religious tolerance – Moved the capital of the Roman Empire to east Byzantium which he renamed Constantinople • By the late 3rd Century Christian coverts included the wealthy and the educated – As it gains in popularity it is adopted by the empire as the official religion • Constantine is said to have had a vision of a cross prior to a military victory and credited the victory to the Christian God: – Ended persecution of Christians – Supported the Church – Guaranteed freedom of religion for all others • Seeing the economic & political advantage to conversion to Christianity – more convert to the faith – During the 3rd Century Crisis there was less of an issue with more educated, wealthy and Christians congregating in the Eastern portion of the empire Roman Empire Collapses • In 395 CE the Roman Empire officially split into an eastern and western portion • Rome was sacked in 410 CE and by 476 CE the western portion of the Roman Empire had disintegrated into a collection of kingdoms under Germanic rulers and entered the medieval era • Rome still was significant because it was the home of the Patriarch of Rome – modern day Pope • Culturally the medieval era saw a decline in literacy and the emergence of local dialects that will become the modern Romance languages: – – – – – Portuguese Spanish French Italian Romanian Aftermath • In the East, the Byzantine Empire continued the legacy of the Greek and Roman Empires • Tensions arose between the east and the west over doctrinal disputes and eventually led to the division in Christianity • Under Justinian (527-565 CE) the Byzantine Empire recapture parts of North Africa and Italy • Justinian established a collection of laws (Justinian Code) that would become the basis of European legal systems in the coming centuries


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By RYAN TOLMICH
Fresh off of an eleventh-place Premier League finish, Crystal Palace will head stateside for a summer tour that features contests with the Columbus Crew, Philadelphia Union and Richmond Kickers.
Tony Pulis and co. will begin their nine-day stay with two days of training in Columbus before taking on the Crew on July 23. Gregg Berhalter, head coach of the Crew, is a former Crystal Palace defender who played for the club in 2001-02, scoring one goal.
"Crystal Palace holds a special place in my heart, having played there and being a part of that club," Berhalter said according to the Crew's official site. "I have some fantastic memories from playing at Selhurst Park, and we're looking forward to this match.
"Crystal Palace had a great year in the Premiership this past season. They proved themselves to be a good club in the top league in the world. For us, it's going to be a great competition, and even more special for me because it's a former club of mine."
The team will then head to Philadelphia for a clash with the Union at PPL Park on July 25 before heading south to Virginia to take on USL PRO side Richmond Kickers in the 22,000 seat City Stadium on July 28.
Crystal Palace begin their offseason following a strong finish to the 2013-14 Premier League campaign. The club picked up 17 of the possible 24 points from their final eight games in a stretch that included victories over Chelsea and Everton, as well as a three-goal comeback against title runner-ups Liverpool.
Tickets for the match in Columbus will go on sale on June 2, while Philadelphia's tickets can be bought by the public starting Wednesday. Finally, tickets for the match-up in Richmond will go on sale May 26.
Details on kickoff times will be made available at a later date.
What do you think of Crystal Palace's tour plans? Expect to attend any of these games?
Share your thoughts below.
The Imperative Voice
They clearly scouted the trip well and avoided the good teams.
I have alot of pride in MLS and i only expect them to leave with one win.
An EPL team travelling to the US and playing a USL Pro team seems odd.
I would not be shocked if over half of next year's EPL teams play at least one game either in or against an American side. EPL is already the most popular league here in America, and they can still go a lot higher
I agree – even the bottom feeder EPL clubs now have a higher profile in the States due to the NBC coverage which gave every team some airtime
Gregg Barkley
Palace held a training academy in Richmond about ten years ago. I think their reserves even played a game against the Kickers as they actually sold Palace shirts at City Stadium and I got one for the novelty factor. I am guess something was forged then and now that Palace is taking its act on the road Richmond football fans get to benefit. I am surprised that it hasn't been mentioned in the press I have read. Richmond has also beaten the LA Galaxy (who had to bring Donovan on in the second half to try and score but didn't) in Open Cup play so we aren't as crap as you'd necessarily think we are.