text:
By Giuseppe Muro
Jack Wilshere always had confidence in his ability to make it into the Arsenal first team - but admits he has surprised even himself by the swiftness of his rise to the top.
After a successful loan spell at Bolton during the back end of last season there was talk of another temporary switch over the summer but, after a highly-successful pre-season, Wilshere has since become a key part of Arsène Wenger's side.
Wind the clock back just 18 months and Wilshere was part of the team that lifted the FA Youth Cup at Anfield - tomorrow, after making 23 starts already this season, he may be rested for the FA Cup proper against Leeds.
Since becoming the Club's youngest ever Premier League player - at 16 years and 256 days - when he came off the bench at Blackburn in September 2008, Wilshere's rise has been rapid.
"I always believed I could become an established part of the team but maybe I didn't think it would come this early," he admitted. "I just have to thank the boss for showing faith in me and keeping me in there.
"There is a lot more to come from me, especially at my age. There are players around me I can learn from day in, day out.
"I'd like to get further forward but if it helps the team then it is good for us. I think me and Alex alternate quite well. It's good for me to learn and play with Cesc and watch him go forward."
With two cup games coming up this week the England international is hungry to bring success to the Club after the much talked-of five year wait for a trophy.
"We know Leeds are a big club. They will bring loads of supporters and they'll be up for it. So we have to make sure we are up for it, not do anything silly and hopefully progress to the next round," said the 19-year-old.
"I think the Carling Cup is massive because we want to win something and if we can win something in February, it will give us confidence for the rest of the season."Copyright 2017 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source

subset: commoncrawl


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Joined: 16 Feb 2006
Posts: 3301
Location: potomac, maryland
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 12:29 am
Post subject: Dtwizzy's 1st Round Mock With GOOD EXPLANATIONS (As of 3/15)
1. The Miami Dolphins select Chris Long, DE Virginia
--- The Dolphins have needs at pretty much every position considering that the only good players on their team that come to mind from last year were Ronnie Brown and Jason Taylor. With all these needs, the Fins need to get the BPA to start their rebuilding process under Parcells. The best and safest players in this draft are DMC, both Longs, and Dorsey. While DMC is amazing, the Fins already have a good back. While Jake Long is very good, he's not on the same level as Chris Long and Glenn Dorsey in terms of an NFL prospect and Parcells likes defensive guys anyway. So, it comes down to Dorsey and Long. While Dorsey was very dominant in college, Long's pedigree would be intriguing to Parcells and is a safer pick due to Dorsey's injury concerns (albeit they are minor concerns). Also, Long would probably be more versatile in whatever scheme the Fins run on defense next year.
2. The St. Louis Rams select Vernon Gholston, DE Ohio State
--- The Rams' biggest needs are DE, WR, OT, S, and LB (in no particular order). There obviously aren't any receivers, safeties, or linebackers worthy of the 2nd pick so the decision basically comes down to taking a DE, OT, or BPA. Two of the best players available at this point are DMC (who we obviously dont need) and Dorsey (who we also dont really need at DT). So it comes down to picking between oline and D-end. While i believe Jake Long is a better and safer prospect than Gholston and Gholston is a bit of a reach at #2, DE is a MUCH bigger need than OT for us at this point considering that our starting DEs are Little (34 years old coming off an injury) and Adeyanju (young decent player at best). OT, on the other hand, is in good shape compared to DE with Barron and Pace making a respectable tandem when healthy.
3. The Atlanta Falcons select Glenn Dorsey, DT LSU
--- With the signing of Michael Turner in FA, the Falcons' draft decision basically comes down to picking between a OT, QB, or DT. As badly as the Falcons need a franchise quarterback, i truly believe that none of the QBs are worthy of being the 3rd pick and the Falcons probably have about the same chance of landing a good QB with the 34th pick. So, it comes down to picking between Jake Long and Dorsey, the best at their respective positions. Dorsey was much more dominant in college than Long and is a better prospect. Plus, this is a much deeper OT class than DT class so the Falcons can land an OT later on whereas they would have more trouble finding a starting DT later in the draft.
4. The Oakland Raiders select Sedrick Ellis, DT USC
--- This pick clearly comes down to three players: Jake Long, Sedrick Ellis, or Darren McFadden. Considering that Sapp just retired and the Raiders currently have virtually nothing to offer at the DT position, Ellis is the smart pick here by virtue of pure and desperate need. The Raiders are already investing resources in a field of RBs such as Fargas, Jordan, Bush, and Rhodes, so it wouldnt be smart to throw in an extra 30 million in guarantees for an already crowded position. Having said that, Al Davis loves the playmaking physical specimens so i wouldnt be surprised if he took DMC (even though it's not the smart pick to make).
5. The Kansas City Chiefs select Jake Long, OT Michigan
--- This is an absolute no-brainer at this point and really requires no explanation. The Chiefs have plenty of needs but the only big one that can be addressed with an elite prospect is offensive tackle, and so Long is the choice. I'd be surprised to see anybody really disagree with this pick considering what's left on the board. As for drafting a QB, i believe the Chiefs will at least stand by Croyle for one season or at worst draft an insurance policy later on.
6. The New York Jets select Darren McFadden, RB Arkansas
--- Though the Jets have needs along the Dline, there really arent any prospects available who are even close to being as talented as Run DMC at this point. Thomas Jones was not effective last year, despite what his stats or others may lead you to believe. McFadden is arguably the best prospect in the draft and could provide the same playmaking ability that AD gave the Vikings last year.
7. The New England Patriots select Mike Jenkins, CB USF
--- The Patriots have as close to a flawless roster as you can get and they dont have many needs. With Gay and Samuel leaving at corner, there is a gaping hole at CB and they could also use another LB or two considering the age of those guys. However, since there arent any real good 3-4 LB prospects at this point in the draft, the Pats have to take a corner (even though any corner at this point is a bit of a reach). Admittedly, i havent seen guys like McKelvin and Cromartie play first hand considering the schools they go to (who has?), but questions about the level of competition they face may push Jenkins to the top of the class. Really, I'm not sure at all as to who the best corner is in this draft so this pick could really be interchangeable with several other corners.
8. The Baltimore Ravens select Brian Brohm, QB Louisville
--- Considering the players available, the Ravens' decision really comes down to picking between a quarterback and a cornerback. Since there aren't any clear cut corners worthy of a top 10 pick and the depth of the class allows the Ravens to address that need later on, the Ravens should take a QB here. The real question, then, is do they take Ryan or Brohm? That is a thread in itself but i really havent seen any real weaknesses in Brohm besides some past injury concerns (not a big deal at this point) whereas Ryan is an overhyped product of the media who lacks great physical abilities, has questionable decision making, and doesnt have great accuracy. Plus, Brohm has the pedigree, high completion percentage, and great experience (especially in a pro style offense). These factors historically point to success in highly drafted QBs.
9. The Cincinnatti Bengals select Keith Rivers, LB USC
--- I think everybody will agree that the Bengals need to address the defense with this pick. There arent any safeties worthy of this pick, and the Bengals have already addressed corner in recent drafts. Furthermore, there arent any DTs left who are worthy of this pick. So, it comes down to picking between the best DE available (Harvey) and the best LB (Rivers). This was a tough choice to me because neither are worthy of top 10 picks but in the end i gave a slight edge to Rivers because i think he has a higher chance of making an immediate impact leading that defense than a guy like Derrick Harvey does.
10. The New Orleans Saints select Leodis McKelvin, CB Troy
--- Having addressed LB in FA and having a solid pair of DEs, the Saints need to upgrade at DT, S, and CB on defense. There aren't any safeties or DTs worthy of the 10th pick, so the Saints take the best corner available (which could be any number of players like i mentioned earlier).
11. The Buffalo Bills select Limas Sweed, WR Texas
--- Surprisingly enough, the Bills dont have many glaring weaknesses and have done a good job in FA by bringing in guys like Marcus Stroud and Kawika Mitchell. On defense, they dont have any real big weaknesses since they have a lot of young up-and-comers like Paul Poz, John McCargo, etc. On offense, they could use a new QB but it's way too early to give up on the Edwards plan so they should take a big talented WR to complement Evans. Teams will look past Sweed's minor wrist injury which is completely healed and realize that he is probably the best talent at WR this year.
12. The Broncos select Ryan Clady, OT Boise State
--- The Broncos have plenty of needs to fill this year. They could use a new RB, OT, DE, DT, LB, and S. There aren't any LBs, Safeties, or DTs worthy of being picked this high so you can rule those out. Also, the Broncos have invested in DE recently with guys like Dumervil and Jarvis Moss who will hopefully step up for them this year. So, this comes down to the best OT available versus the best RB available. It's a tough choice but ultimately OT is a more important position than RB, the Broncos never valued high drafted RBs anyway, and this is a very deep RB class so the broncos can get one later. Clady can play a ZBS and this should be the pick here.
13. The Carolina Panthers select Derrick Harvey, DE Florida
--- The Panthers have plenty of needs, most of which are on defense. They need a safety to compliment Chris Harris, but this is too high to pick a safety. They could use some linebackers after losing Dan Morgan, but again this is too high to pick any available LBs. Their CBs are solid and they dont need one here. There arent any DTs worthy of this pick, so really it comes down to the best DE available to try and make up for the unit's lack of production last year. Some would argue that the Panthers could use a compliment WR, but this is a deep WR class and any WR here would be a bit of a reach anyway. Some would want a RB, but they drafted Williams in the first round for a reason and now they are giving him the full starting role. Some may even ask for a QB here but i dont think John Fox will quit on Delhomme like that and there arent any great QB prospects available here anyways.
14. The Chicago Bears select Rashard Mendenhall, RB Illinois
--- This is a difficult and controversial pick for sure. First off, the Bears currently have the worst offense in the league and DESPERATELY NEED HELP on that side of the ball, so this pick has to be an offensive one. They wont pick a WR because it's not as important of a position as the others on offense, there arent any great WRs available, and it's a deep class anyway so they can get one later. Basically, it comes down to picking between Matt Ryan, Mendenhall, or the best OT available. While the bears really need help at all these positions, i believe Mendenhall is the most talented offensive guy left on the board and can make an immediate impact as a playmaker. Once again i want to emphasize that Matt Ryan is overrated by everybody and isn't as talented as a guy like Mendenhall. The Bears take the playmaker here and address QB later like the Dolphins did last year in the first round. Realistically, the dropoff between Ryan and a QB in the 2nd round isnt all that big whereas there may not be another potential stud RB left in the 2nd round or later.
15. The Detroit Lions select Jonathan Stewart, RB Oregon
--- The Lions need help on defense, as well as at QB, RB, and OT on offense. Looking at the prospects left on the board, there really arent any defensive guys who are better prospects than guys like Ryan, Stewart, or Otah except for maybe some cornerbacks but ultimately CBs arent nearly as important of a position when building a team as QB, OT, or RB. Thus, the Lions are in a position very similar to the Bears before them where they have to pick between Ryan to replace Kitna, a potential stud RB, or the best OT available. Using the same reasoning as above, the Lions take the stud RB and worry about the other stuff later on.
16. The Arizona Cardinals select Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB Tennessee State
--- The Cards need a RB and a DB here. The value at corner is simply better than RB now that the "big three" have been taken so the Cards take the best corner available. Like i said before, this could be a number of players and i really havent watched enough corner play myself to make a very informed decision but based on everything other people have been saying it seems like DRC is the best corner available here.
17. The Minnesota Vikings select Phillip Merling, DE Clemson
--- The Vikings pass rush was bad last year. With Udeze's cancer diagnosis, this becomes an even bigger need and the Vikings are DESPERATE for a DE at this point so they take one even though there are better prospects they could take like Matt Ryan, Malcolm Kelly, or any number of corners.
18. The Houston Texans select Antoine Cason, CB Arizona
--- This was one of the hardest picks to decide on considering the needs that this team has. The Texans could use help at S, CB, LB, OT, and RB. Due to lack of available talent i ruled out S and LB, which leaves us to pick between the best available RB, OT, or CB. Since it's easier to find good RBs later on (especially in a very deep class like this one) and the "big three" are taken anyway, i decided not to take a runner. In the end, i really felt that the Texans are in an emergency situation right now as far as their secondary is concerned considering that Dunta will be injured for most of the year as well. I gave them Cason because the main knock on him was lack of speed but he ran a good forty at the combine and doesnt get enough credit that he deserves. He is very experienced and does everything well, and so there really isnt any reason why he should get drafted later like some people believe.
19. The Philadelphia Eagles select Chris Williams, OT Vanderbilt
--- This was a relatively easy pick to make considering that the Birds dont have many real weaknesses. They could use an OT to be the eventual replacement for the old tandem that they currently have, but the Eagles have shown a strong effort to address the WR position in free agency and so this creates another interesting option. However, there aren't any really special WRs in this draft so they can afford to wait till the next round. Besides, Reid loves linemen and the Eagles dont like taking WRs in round one.
20. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Matt Ryan, QB Boston College
--- This is a very good value pick and Ryan gets drafted where he deserves, which is the mid to late first round. Jeff Garcia is very old and Ryan can sit and learn, eventually becoming the franchise replacement. This is a similar situation to what happened to the Packers with Aaron Rodgers a few years back, with a top 5 projected QB falling to a team with an old QB later in the round.
21. The Washington Redskins select Malcolm Kelly, WR Oklahoma
--- The Redskins could use help at WR, DT, and DE. Since there arent any Dlinemen really worthy of this pick, the Skins take a WR to compliment Moss in the passing game. Kelly has great size at 6'4" and is arguably the best WR prospect. This is the perfect compliment to a short, quick receiver like Moss. Considering how few touchdowns the WRs scored for Washington last year, this is a good pick for them, even if it is a bit of a reach.
22. The Dallas Cowboys select Quentin Groves, DE/LB Auburn
--- Before Boys fans jump all over me, let me explain. A lot of fans want a corner here, but they already have an elite one in Newman and with the depth in this draft they can afford to wait until next round. I've seen some mocks give the Boys a RB, but this is just nonsensical because Marion Barber is good and very capable of working by himself. In this deep RB class, the Boys can get a compliment back later on if they really want to. However, there arent many great 3-4 LB prospects in the draft so Groves is a good pick to replace ineffective players like Akin Ayodele.
23. The Pittsburgh Steelers select Jeff Otah, OT Pittsburgh
--- This was another very easy pick as value meets need in Otah. I've seen pretty much 100% of mocks give the Burgh a Olineman and this one is no different.
24. The Tennessee Titans select James Hardy, WR Indiana
--- The Titans could have gone in several directions with this. I considered guys like Dan Connor and Kenny Phillips to fill positions of need, but the Titan's hole at WR is really a massive one at this point that must be addressed. As for other WRs, Manningham is overrated and ran a slow forty, and Desean is way too small to be a first round pick. But i wont get into dissecting each individual WR, as that is probably for a different time and different thread.
25. The Seattle Seahawks select Kentwan Balmer, DT UNC
--- The Hawks could take a RB here, but since they just got Julius Jones to pair with Maurice Morris and this is a deep RB class, they decide against it. They could take an interior lineman here like Branden Albert, but ultimately i gave the slight edge to Balmer to make their run defense even better than it already is.
26. The Jacksonville Jaguars select Kenny Phillips, S Miami
--- The Jags need a WR, DE, and could also use some depth at DB. Since there aren't any DEs left who are worthy of a first round pick, it comes down to picking between DB and WR. Ernest Wilford at WR was a starter lost in free agency. However, Garrard did well in the passing game without a true #1 threat last year and i truly believe no WR is worth this pick so they go DB instead. Admittedly, receiver is a much bigger need but Manningham's inconsistency as a senior and slow forty time and Desean Jackson's lack of size prove to be too risky of a pick in the first round.
27. The San Diego Chargers select Reggie Smith, S Oklahoma
--- The Chargers lack any serious weaknesses, but they could use some help at safety so they take the best one available. They are pretty solid at every other position.
28. The Dallas Cowboys select Brandon Flowers, CB Virginia Tech
--- Flowers is very underrated and this gives the Boys the CB depth they need. Flowers is a very good cover corner who is also extremely physical and a great tackler. I'm going to stick to my belief that the Boys dont need a RB here so this is the pick.
29. The San Francisco 49ers select Joe Flacco, QB Delaware
--- Why not? This is my surprise pick of the first round right here. The niners had the worst offense in the league statistically and people want to blame the WRs but honestly it all starts with the QB and Alex SMith/Shaun Hill are not good and are not the answer. Currently they dont even have a starter named at QB! Flacco is a good player and is a boom or bust type of prospect for the niners. They couldve addressed WR but what difference does it make when you need a QB? Safety was also an option with a guy like Reggie Smith or somehting but i think Flacco has much more potential to help the franchise out here.
30. The Green Bay Packers select Aqib Talib, CB Kansas
--- There arent any real needs here but CB depth is a concern that Talib can address with his playmaking abilities. Plus, Al Harris and Woodson are getting up there in age so this is a pretty easy pick.
31. The New York Giants select Dan Connor, LB Penn State
--- This is a very good pick for the Giants. I believe Connor is slightly underrated by a lot of people and this is a great value pick. Especially after losing Kawika Mitchell, the Giants need a linebacker. This is a perfect pick where need meets value.
Last edited by dtwizzy2k5 on Thu Mar 13, 2008 8:41 pm; edited 3 times in total
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Joined: 13 Feb 2008
Posts: 204
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 12:53 am
Post subject:
good eagles pick
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Joined: 14 Jan 2005
Posts: 42589
Location: Vegas
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 12:59 am
Post subject:
bad eagles pick. No way does our FO take a receiver in round one. That's not an upgrade to what we have it's a dude that'll sit on the bench for 3 years.
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Joined: 16 Jan 2008
Posts: 3120
Location: Mankato, MN
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 1:05 am
Post subject:
I like the pick, but I am not sure if the front office in real life would pass on Ryan at 17. They would not take Kelly, but I think they would Ryan, or look to trade down, to maybe Atlanta or Miami, who both have 2 2nd rounders and a need for a QB
nickcollinsfan wrote:
Rodgers has a 50% chance of becoming a HOFer
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Joined: 16 Jan 2008
Posts: 3120
Location: Mankato, MN
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 1:06 am
Post subject:
ninjapirate wrote:
bad eagles pick. No way does our FO take a receiver in round one. That's not an upgrade to what we have it's a dude that'll sit on the bench for 3 years.
Since our coach came from Phi, and follows the same thing as Andy Reid, I can agree, Philadelphia will not go WR in round 1, either will MN, the coaching staffs do not like it. The one Phi has taken in my memory under Andy Reid, Freddie Mitchell, was selling insurance by like 28 about, sue to being too bad to stay in the league
nickcollinsfan wrote:
Rodgers has a 50% chance of becoming a HOFer
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Joined: 19 Dec 2005
Posts: 52036
Location: New New York
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 1:53 am
Post subject:
Nice Card's pick, Cason or DRC would be great.
As for RB being a need,it is not it would be a luxury pick.
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Joined: 16 Feb 2006
Posts: 3301
Location: potomac, maryland
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 7:10 am
Post subject:
Like i mentioned in the OP, i considered giving Philly a OT to be the eventual replacement for their older guys, especially since the eagles love to draft linemen and hate to draft WRs in the first round. However, it's not as if the eagles have never picked a WR in round one and i gave them one because they are showing VERY strong pursuit of a WR in free agency, what with the mega deals they offered Randy Moss and the trades they put on the table for Larry Fitzgerald. This time around, the Eagles actually seem serious about upgrading at WR.
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Joined: 22 Jan 2008
Posts: 14342
Location: Michigan State University
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 7:31 am
Post subject:
bap lions pick, we wont use a 1st on stewart now with his injury, in that situation, which is a bad situation, we would probley go with Otah, Harvey or Mendenhall would be prefferred though.
Silver&Black88 wrote:
Trestman is a great coach but Cutler is already a pouty overconfident poo flinger. What more can he do with him?
Get him to fling poo more accurately and make better decisions when flinging it?
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Joined: 13 Nov 2007
Posts: 2979
Location: Concord,NH
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 8:27 am
Post subject:
Jenkins is not a top 15 CB so they will look at DRC or McKelvin.
Props to MoJo122-b-21
The last two times Bill Belichick and Jeff Fisher have met, Belichick's teams have outscored Fisher's 104-7...Jeffrey, Bill is your Achilles Heel.
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Joined: 25 Jan 2008
Posts: 2464
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 8:33 am
Post subject:
Devin Thomas at 22 and Talib at 28. I understand your explanation for drafting Groves, but we have plenty of linebackers. (Ellis, Ware, Burnett, Spencer, Thomas, Ayodele, James and Carpenter) A DE/LB hybrid would be playing OLB in a 3-4 which we have covered.
I am a monkey fan.
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Joined: 15 Mar 2007
Posts: 6945
Location: Miami, FL (Wade County)
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 9:36 am
Post subject:
Joe Flacco in the first round? did CT put you up to this?
THERE IS NO WAY the niners take a qb before the 4th round. especially Joe Flacco who's a second round talent. that is a WASTE of a first round pick.
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The Gnat
Joined: 23 Feb 2005
Posts: 39229
Location: Minneapolis
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 10:09 am
Post subject:
That is a solid pick for the Vikings, I would be happy with getting Merling, he isn't an elite pass rusher, but he wouldn't be bad for the Vikings.
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Joined: 08 Feb 2008
Posts: 2097
Location: Daphne, Al
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 10:19 am
Post subject:
ninjaneer wrote:
Devin Thomas at 22 and Talib at 28. I understand your explanation for drafting Groves, but we have plenty of linebackers. (Ellis, Ware, Burnett, Spencer, Thomas, Ayodele, James and Carpenter) A DE/LB hybrid would be playing OLB in a 3-4 which we have covered.
I agree 1000% percent with my fellow Cowboy fan. We have drafted 1rst rnd OLB 3 years in a row. We are not the Lions. We will draft need + value and an oft injured, undersized, low motor OLB is not either. Let someone else draft groves and be disappointed by his softness.
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Joined: 07 Jan 2008
Posts: 444
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:47 am
Post subject:
Agree with BigDaddy, no way Dallas will draft Groves or any other DE/OLB in the 1st round. This will be a CB, WR, RB for Jerry Jones in the draft.
There are plenty of WR in the draft and none of which I would call sure things so I could see a CB at 22 and then a trade down at 28 and pick up a WR and RB in the second.
Depending on Jonathan Stewart status, I might revise that to where the Boys take Felix Jones at 22. Stewart appartently needs surgery on his big toe and could be out 4 to 6 months.
There is no way Matt Ryan falls to #20. You must hate the guy. If anything Brohm will be the guy at #20. Whether you like it or not Ryan will end up in the top ten picks. Not saying I think he will be great or not, just the math says that is where he will go.
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Joined: 07 Feb 2007
Posts: 2018
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:58 am
Post subject:
Finally, somebody else sees it that the falcons need a DT more then a OT.
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Insect Unit
UPDATE: Friday at 11:30 p.m. I'm still working on it! Sorry y'all these units take a long time and I want it to have lots of good ideas. Tomorrow my son has an out of town basketball tournament but I PROMISE to have it finished by Sunday.
Creating Mental Images
Creating Mental Images is one of my favorite units to teach. It gives readers a chance to interact with the text in a way that's personal to them. We begin our unit with very simple poems and stories and gradually add stories which require them to use their schema and background knowledge to conjure up an image.
My Neighbor's Dog is Purple is a great poem to use to begin this unit. Not only is it very simple and fun, but it also shows readers that Mental Images can change as you read.
I read the first two stanzas of the poem several times. As I read I have them close their eyes and create a Mental Image in their mind. Once I've read it several times I have them draw their image
Then, I read the last part of the poem and after they settle down (they love that it is a crocodile and go CRAZY) I have them draw their new Mental Image.
Close up of crocodiles. Since we just did our zoo unit last week and learned about alligators and crocodiles it was easy for them to draw the crocodile. It was so cute to hear them say things like, "I need to make sure he has his top and bottom teeth showing so he won't look like an alligator."
This poem is in one of his books, I think it's from A Pizza the Size of the Sun but it is also free on the web so I'm going to post the poem here for you so that you don't have to search for it.
My Neighbor's Dog is Purple
My neighbor's dog is purple,
its eyes are large and green,
its tail is almost endless,
the longest I have seen.
My neighbor's dog is quiet,
it does not bark one bit,
but when my neighbor's dog is near,
I feel afraid of it.
My neighbor's dog looks nasty,
it has a wicked smile....
before my neighbor painted it,
it was a crocodile.
More zoo unit pictures
We made alligator pie and then used Interactive writing to create our How To chart.
Our fun poem. This was written by a Canadian poet by the name of Dennis Lee. I'm told there are a few more verses to the poem...but this was just enough for us.. we love it!
YUMMY! Alligator pie
The kids wrote their own How To during Writer's Workshop
Our alligators and nonfiction alligator writing.
A close up of one the student's writing. I just love how Kindergarten sweeties write.
Their phonetic spelling is just too cute!
Alligator chomps Syllable Sorting game
Follow up book for the kiddos to complete at centers.
We read, Turnips For Dinner by Joy Cowley and wrote in our literacy journals.
Our monkeys and monkey writing. I LOVE the monkeys. I think they are my favorite.
I love how each monkey is different. A few of the pieces are patterns but for the most part the monkeys are made by cutting rectangles and squares into circles and ovals and then creating the monkey. Each one seems to have its own personality!
Our elephants and elephant writing.
We read a portion of Let's Have a Swim! by Joy Cowley and then made a prediction about how we thought the story would end.
I was asked about some great books to use for this unit. I love the nonfiction books by Pebble Books. We also read a lot of fiction books. I will bring the books home tomorrow and add the titles to the bottom of this post. :)
The kids have learned so much about animals during this unit. I'm sad to see it end! We have a few more days this week and then next week is spring break. WOO-HOO! You can click on the alligator if you are interested in the unit.
Also, my friend Kathleen has some GREAT math and literacy games to compliment this unit. You can check them out by clicking here. Up next.... insects
zoo unit has been posted
Zoo Part 2
These giraffes and zebras turned out adorable... if I do say so myself! :)
I've had a lot of questions about my Chit-Chat charts. This is how I do my Morning Message. The idea originated with the Buzz Book from the K-Crew. I needed it to have a little bit more "meat" to it and I wanted it to be a way to not only cover the important skills such as phonics, sentence structure and grammar but also serve as a review for what we had learned the previous day.
Another component of my Morning Message routine is Oral Language and manners. My message always ends with a question. So when we finish the written part I read them the question and the tell them to turn to their partner and "Chit-Chat".
They learn how to take turns listening and speaking. Once they've had a few minutes to chat about the question I ask them who wants to share. They never know when I might say, "Who wants to share what their PARTNER said?" This keeps them accountable for listening.
Think Math is a GREAT math warm-up that I do before math time two or three times a week. The kids LOVE it! (I shared how to do this in my Spring Math Journal Resource). Think Math always starts with: The answer is _______________________. What is the question?
The kids raise their hands and tell me their equation. We always work it together to see if it equals the sum we are looking for before we write it on the chart. One reason I love this activity so much is because ALL kids can participate. Some of my kids give very basic answers like 8+1 and some can give 3 digit equations, and then a few of my sweeties who can't do it on their own know that they can say, "Give me a hint". Because they need a little extra help I will give them the first number in an equation and they have to figure out what to add to it. (I usually give them a number that is very close to the sum that we are working on so that they can be successful). After we've come up with several equations we write a word problem to go with our answer.
I was in Wal-Mart and I saw these Cheese Balls and I had to have them! Not for the cheese balls (they taste awful BTW....but Kinder kids will eat anything LOL!) I wanted the container! It reminded me of the Barrel of Monkeys game I used to have. So, I took this.....
and turned it into this......
This adorable Math game will be part of my Zoo unit resource. The kids have to put the monkeys into their correct "troops" by matching the equations with their sum. This is the recording sheet for round 1. Next week they will have a different recording sheet that will require them to write the equations and their "turn around" facts. I have a lot more ideas for literacy and math games that use the Barrel of Monkeys theme. The monkeys took a little bit of time to cut out...but that's the beauty of having teenagers who want gas money! :)
zoo unit
We are working on our zoo unit. The kids are having fun learning about the special characteristics of zoo animals and where they are from. I will post more pictures of the zoo unit during the week. This unit will be available next weekend.
Here are a few free downloads. For the zoo animals reader the kids should write the word has in the blank.
RAWR! Dinosaurs UPDATE- Unit has been posted to TPT
My Dinosaur unit has been posted to TPT...
Click on the T-Rex picture above to view my dino unit on Teachers pay teachers.
We made Paleontologists using our pictures. The book inside tells about what we did during our Dinosaur Dig. Sorry... It's hard to see how adorable these are since I had to blur out the faces.
Our shirts that we made for our Dinosaur Dig
On our Dinosaur Dig day the kids got to see what it was like to be a real paleontologist.
They uncovered bones that had been fossilized and they had to chip away the rock (playdoh), clean the bones and then work in groups to put the dinosaur back together.
Part of our book that goes inside our Paleontologists that we made.
Our Triceratops art projects. So stinkin' cute!!!
I forgot to take my camera to school so I brought a few home to snap a picture. Excuse the glare from the floor.
Our triceratops writing.
Oh, my word! We had so much fun with this unit!!! For more pictures from this unit see last week's post.
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Volcanoes complete the sweep, clobbering the Emeralds 9-3
By Dustin Daniel / Salem-Keizer Volcanoes | June 27, 2013 9:23 PM ET
The Salem-Keizer Volcanoes swept the three-game series with the Eugene Emeralds, pounding the Ems 9-3 in front of 2,457 at PK Park.
The Volcanoes collected five runs on six hits in the third. Kentrell Hill led off the inning with a double to left and scored on a Ryan Jones single. Jones made his first start Thursday since injuring his foot during an at-bat against the Hillsboro Hops in the third game of the season. Sam Eberle then hit a two-RBI triple later in the inning to score Tyler Hollick and Jeremy Sy. Jonathan Jones singled later to score Eberle and make it a 5-0 Volcanoes lead early.
Ryan Jones added an insurance run in the fourth when he scored from third on a wild pitch by Michael Kelly. Jones was 3-for-4 on the night with 3 RBIs and two runs scored.
Kelly took over for Emeralds' starter Jeffrey Enloe (1-2) who allowed six runs on nine hits in just three and one-third of an inning.
Joe Kurrasch (1-0) earned his first professional win going five innings, allowing no runs and striking out five. With the shutout performance from the starter, the Volcanoes rotation now has thrown 30 straight innings without allowing an earned run.
The Emeralds scored two runs in the sixth when Jake Shadle allowed two runs on three hits. He returned for the seventh and retired the first three batters he saw.
Both teams scored a run in the ninth to close out the scoring.
On the series, the Volcanoes scored 23 runs, a season high for a series, on thirty hits. Meanwhile, Volcanoes pitching allowed only six runs over the three-game series.
The Volcanoes travel to Hillsboro to take on the newest franchise in the Northwest League, the Hops, starting Friday. Game time is set for 7:05 p.m.
About the Volcanoes: The Salem-Keizer Volcanoes are a minor league affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Home games are played at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer from mid-June through early-September. Tickets start at just $7. For more information call the Volcanoes at (503) 390-2225.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.View More


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July 11, 2013 10:41 AM
George A. Staruch, 93, of Homer City (Brush Valley Township), passed away Sunday, July 7, 2013, at his home that he and his wife built 50 years ago.
Friends will be received from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at the Bowser-Minich Funeral Home, in Indiana, where a funeral service will be held at 7 p.m. with the Rev. Thomas Spiker officiating.
The Indiana VFW Post #1989 will provide military honors at the funeral home.


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Fangirl moment of the day (God knows, no one in RL could possibly appreciate this):
Today, my niece was on youtube, and I heard music and looked over to see Digimon still-motion vids going on. I hesitated, wondering if she was looking for the eps, then remembered we had those bookmarked.
So I took a second, as one does. Because she's seven. And yet... "So you like vids?"
She looks at me soberly. She has this--look. It's--a look, okay?
"Show set to music?"
"Oh! Uh huh." And then rewinds to get to the part she missed.
"So do you ever think about making your own?"
I got the look again. I'm thinking potentially, yes, she does.
*stretches, satisfied* This one I don't even own, people. Child can be excused for indoctrination, but he lives with me. Let me just say, my life is awesome.
My niece, the Spiglet (6 years old), has already written Winnie the Pooh/Backyardigans crossover fic. Her parents were baffled. I beamed with pride.


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Labiaplasty Q&A
Candidate + Labiaplasty
My vagina lips are wrinkled and dark - very uncomfortable with it. I'm scared to do anything sexual cause how it looks (Photo)
Is it normal for it too look like this ? is there anyway to fix it besides vagina lip surgery ? please answer asap READ MORE
Do I have hypertrophic labia? And would I be a good candidate for labiaplasty? (Photo)
I've always felt like I'm not the same as my friends down there and when I see them naked I don't see their labia minora hanging down like mine do. My... READ MORE
In your professional opinion would I be a good candidate for Clitoroplexy, or clitoral hood reduction and labiaplasty? (Photo)
I just had a baby so I'm still a little swollen. I've always had pronounced labia minora but it seems my pregnancy has made my clitoral head saggy and... READ MORE
Surgical Options for Torn Hood Piercing?
My piercing tore completely through my clitoral hood. There is no nerve damage but skin folds remain from the tear and tugging of the jewelry. Am I a... READ MORE
I have reoccurring yeast infections. Could my long labia be a possible cause? Am I a candidate for a Labiaplasty?
I'm only 18 and this makes me really uncomfortable with my body. The yeast infections are nearly here 24/7 365 days a year. Someone's when sitting my... READ MORE
Am I a good candidate for labia majora fat grafting and clitorial hood reduction? (Photo)
I never realized my vagina was so ugly until I was 23. I have a big clitoris and i don't like it. Also my labia majora is saggy when I sit down. My... READ MORE
Is it normal if one of the labia minora is a bit larger than the other? Would you recommend doing labiaplasty?
If it is normal if one of the labia minora (right one) is a bit large than the other (it measures 5/8 or 1,5cms) and also with different shape. Would... READ MORE
My left labia minora is longer than the left labia majora. In my situation, is surgery worth it? (photo)
My left labia minora is longer than the left labia majora. This causes it to rub against my underwear when I walk . Also a virgin so I'm afraid this... READ MORE
Can you feel anything during Labiaplasty surgery?
Im 15 and one side of my inner labia is longer than the other. Its very uncomfortable in different situations, when my underwear are in a bunch, it... READ MORE
What surgery or surgeries would you recommend I have if any? I am only 18 and super self conscious I hate it (Photo)
How much approximately would it cost for what you recommend ? READ MORE
My vagina lips are very wrinkly. Is this normal? Are there any surgeries I could get to help? (Photo)
I'm looking to have a fat injection into the labia majora as well as labia puff. How much this would cost?
I'm very skinny and have had a child, I don't need labiapastry but just some extra cussion. I have yet to find a cost on this or anyone credible in... READ MORE
Is my vagina too big? (Photo)
Sometimes I feel like it pokes out more than average 18 year-old but I'm confused if surgery would help or not. READ MORE
18 Years old - Is there a way to fix the lips of my vagina to make it less wrinkly? (Photo)
My vagina has weird wrinkles, almost like stretch marks on the lips... I'm really self conscious and I don't know how to fix it or if it is normal or... READ MORE
Am I a Candidate for Labiaplasty and Lipo of the Mons Pubis? (Photo)
Looking at my pictures, do I need labiaplasty? Am I a candidate for labiaplasty? Will I get a discount if I also get lipo (u/s or laser) of the mons... READ MORE
I'm 15 - can I get labiaplasty? And how do I talk to my parents about it?
Ive been very insecure about my vagina since .. As long as i can remember ! It constantly makes me uncomfortable having a pare of sweaty, itchy ,... READ MORE
Can my Daughter Have Labiaplasty Surgery in America?
My daughter is 15, for 3 years her labia minora have caused her major issues. Surgery seems to be the only option, it is really effecting her quality... READ MORE
Clitoroplexy for buried clitoris due to lichen sclerosis?
I was diagnosed with LS affecting genital skin at age 3. I'm 41 now and testosterone cream has helped return genital skin to almost normal. However, I... READ MORE
I have always wanted to get labiaplasty because I don't like the way my vagina looks. To me my labia is too large and I'm very petite. I'm 21 and I... READ MORE


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Uncounted Ballots To Decide Race For Assembly Seat
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Fewer than 200 votes separate two candidates in a tighter-than-expected runoff election to represent a Southern California district in the state Assembly.
Democrat Matt Dababneh, a top aide to U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman, held a slim lead Wednesday with 13,309 votes to Republican Susan Shelley's 13,136. Elections officials in Los Angeles and Ventura counties said 2,842 ballots remained uncounted in the heavily Democratic district.
Democrats are counting on Dababneh to fill the vacant seat to restore their two-thirds supermajority in the 80-member Assembly.
Shelley has the backing of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. She positioned her candidacy as essential to blocking Democrats from the margin they need to raise taxes or tinker with Proposition 13, the 1978 initiative that rolled back property tax levels and put a cap on how much they could rise each year.
"Voters are over-taxed and tired of it," Shelley said in a telephone interview. "The politicians in Sacramento are attacking Prop. 13 ... and I said I will vote no on all of that, and voters are with me."
Some Democratic lawmakers have proposed changes to the landmark law in the past, including ending or modifying the provisions applying to commercial properties, but the party's legislative leaders so far have not advocated for such reforms. They are not likely to do so anytime soon, said Steve Maviglio, spokesman for Assembly Speaker John Perez, D-Los Angeles.
"She will be just as likely to find Sasquatch as she will attempts by the Legislature to tinker with Proposition 13," he said.
Shelley credited the state's top-two primary system for giving her a chance in the election. Shelley, who describes herself as socially moderate, said she probably would not have survived a traditional Republican primary.
She credited her strong showing to her appeal with Democrats and independent voters.
Dababneh and his aides did not return telephone messages Wednesday.
The District 45 seat became vacant this summer when incumbent Bob Blumenfield, a Democrat, resigned after winning election to the Los Angeles City Council.
Dababneh had been favored because Democrats have a 49 percent to 25 percent voter registration edge over Republicans. About 1 in 5 voters has no party preference. The Democrat also raised more campaign money than Shelley.
Dababneh finished first in a crowded primary field in September, winning 25 percent of the vote. Shelley, an author and former congressional candidate, advanced to the runoff with 21 percent support.
District 45 includes the southwest San Fernando Valley communities of Encino, Northridge and West Hills, as well as the cities of Calabasas and Hidden Hills, all in Los Angeles County. It also includes a sliver of Ventura County.
Less than 11 percent of voters turned out in Los Angeles County, where most of the district lies. Nearly 27,000 ballots were counted on election night. Ventura County had a similar turnout, with 149 ballots cast among the 1,359 eligible voters.
Election officials in both counties said they expect to have all the outstanding provisional and vote-by-mail ballots counted by Nov. 29.


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I got the new Firefox (2.something) and WTF it still blows chunks. Pages take much longer to load & format than in IE and they pop all over during formating in evil ways. I had to get "SetBrowser" and "FireTune" to even get it working right. I wish I could fucking use it because I want the better security and ad blocking and such, but I'm not sure I can handle the craptacularity. Also, you can't drag & drop url's between IE and Firefox which makes it impossible to use a hybrid browsing approach. Blah blah I know about initialpaint delay.
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I'm not around any really little kids this year, which sucks.
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Meh, most of my logic is flawed here. I'm a condescending ignorant ass.
12-21-06 - 3
Say you have some function F(A,B) where A and B are vectors. You wish to solve F(A,B) = 0 , (or perhaps minimize an error E(A,B), so take the derivative to get F's). Do some algebra and substitutions until you have two seperate functions that depend only on the other variable :
Where G and H may be arbitrary nonlinear functions so you can't just plug them together and solve it. If B was the right answer for B then A =G(B) would give you the exact solution for A and vice-versa.
The hacky solution is basically just to set A from G, then B from H, and repeat. There are some simple hacks to make it better.
First imagine the solutions converging as a time series, so we have A_t and B_t. First of all it's important to have a pretty good initial guess for A_0 and B_0 (actually just for one or the other) because this method doesn't work if you're very far from the right answer.
The next hacky trick is to take less than the full step for the first few steps. A full step would be :
A_t_1 = G(B_t)
B_t_1 = H(A_t)
( A_t_1 should be read as A_(t+1) , it's A at the next time step)
Instead take a fractional step of size f (f in 0 - 1) :
A_t_1 = (1-f) * A_t + f * G(B_t)
B_t_1 = (1-f) * B_t + f * H(A_t)
This avoid oscillations and helps you settle in. You can start with f = 0.5 and quickly step it up 0.6,0.7. For some problems you might want to have "f" max out at 0.99 or something rather than 1.0
The next hack which helps a lot is to use A_t_1 instead of A_t when solving for B_t_1 :
A_t_1 = G(B_t)
B_t_1 = H(A_t_1)
This sort of lets you take a more exact step. If you want you can swap the order of A & B on every other step, or do some sort of fancier thing like :
A_int = 0.5 * A_t + 0.5 * G(B_t)
B_t_1 = H(A_int)
A_t_1 = G(B_t_1)
which is sort of like a centered-time integrator or something though I have no idea if that's actually better. Actually this whole thing sort of reminds me of implicit integrators.
Anyway, in practice this type of iteration converges incredibly fast. In problems where I've used Newton's method or Conjugate Gradient or something and it's taken like 500 iterations to converge, this iteration took 20 steps. Obviously it only works on certain types of problems and they have to have well behaved local minima, but when it works it works great.
To be a bit more concrete I'll give you a specific example. I've been examining the "weighted SVD", and one step of that is the approximation of a matrix with a rank-1 tensor (that's just an outer product of two vectors). The problem is :
Given matrix A_ij
and weights w_ij
Find vectors U_i and V_j such that the error
E = Sum_ij { w_ij * (A_ij - U_i*V_j) }
is minimized
If you take derivatives of E with respect to U and V you can solve for two equations :
U_i = Sum_j { A_ij * w_ij * V_j } / Sum_j { w_ij * (V_j^2) } = H(V)
V_j = Sum_i { A_ij * w_ij * U_i } / Sum_i { w_ij * (U_i^2) } = G(U)
Directly solving these is impossible (I think), but they're exactly in the form I need for my hacky iteration, and in fact it works super well.
I guess the reason no one likes this approach is that on general problems it can very badly fail to converge.
Addendum : this approach is also great for equations in one variable by substitution. For example say you have some evil equation to solve like :
3 + 7*x + sin(x) + sin(x)^2 = 0
Just set y = sin(x) and pretend you have equations in two variables. Now :
x = (- 3 - y - y*y)/7
y = sin(x)
Are the two equations and you just use the alternate stepping approach. The half-step iteration I described here converges to within FLT_EPSILON in 5 steps !!
12-21-06 - 2
12-21-06 - 1
I hear a lot of women say that they admire or respect Condy Rice for her acheivements and for the fact that she's a woman with a top role in the government. That sentiment disgusts me. I find her of the same cloth as Colin Powell, who is also despicable. Someone who is clearly intelligent and rational is even more accountable for their actions, and by making themselves totally subservient to a madman they have given up all their integrity to further their careers. They know that they're lying, they know they're trying to cover up gross misdeeds and incompetence, they know their actions are leading to the death of innocents; sometimes you can even see it on their faces in an interview where they take a tough question and they almost wince before they shake it off and spout the awkward lies again. Someone like Rumsfeld I almost can excuse because he's clearly just loony tunes or drunk on his own kool-aid.
12-19-06 - 1
First of all, generally the output should be "linear" in A's and B's. That is, sqrt(A*B) is good but A*B is not, because it gives you 2 powers of A or B. We think like physics and assume these things have units, the output should have the same units.
Secondly, we must be aware of scales. If A & B are scaled in exactly the same way so their numeric values have the same significance, then (A+B) is a good combiner. If they are not scaled the same, then any forms which add A & B are not okay. In that case you only really have one option :
sqrt(A*B) * G(A/B)
Often A & B have the same significance which means the output should be symmetric in swap A <-> B. In that case the G function has limitted forms. I haven't thought about exactly what they can be, but it has to be things like (A/B) + (B/A). In fact if A & B aren't on a similar scale even that form is not okay.
If we assume A & B are on the same scale, then additive forms are okay and it opens up some other options. (A+B)/2 is obviously your first guess.
2AB / (A+B) is an interesting combiner. If an A&B are in [0,1] then this takes (0,x)->0 , (.5,.5) -> .5 and (1,1) -> 1, and sort of penalizes when they're not equal. It takes (x,x) -> x which is a nice property of any combiner when you're trying to make a combiner that can stand in for (A+B)/2.
sqrt(A^2 + B^2) is another, and then you can take simple multiples of these, which gives you forms like (A^2 + B^2)/(2AB).
Anyway the point is that there really aren't very many forms to choose from which satisfy the basic properties and you can easily try them all.
12-16-06 - 3
Say you have two experts. They make predictions which have a Guassian error. The expert provides both the prediction (the center of the Gaussian) and his best estimate of the accuracy of the prediction (the sdev of the Gaussian, which is the sqrt of the variance), call this P & S, so you have {P1,S1} and {P2,S2}.
We're going to make a combine prediction by guessing a weight for each expert (here W1 and W2). The combined prediction is then :
Pred = (W1 * P1 + W2 * P2) / (W1 + W2)
(or) Pred = P1 + (W2 / (W1+W2) ) * (P2 - P1)
Pred = P1 + F * (P2 - P1)
This latter form is more useful in practice because it allows you to apply arbitrary scaling to each term so you can run them through an lsqr or nnet or whatever. (assuming W1 and W2 never go to zero; if they do then just choose the other pred)
The ideal combination of experts in general is a context-dependent problem, but a general good way to weight them is via the entropy of the prediction. If you knew the instantaneous entropy of each prediction, H, the ideal weight would be :
W = e^( - Beta * H )
for some Beta which in general depends on the problem. In practice, Beta = 2 is usually very good.
The entropy of a Gaussian can be analytically integrated. The answer is :
H(Gauss) = (1/2) * ln(2pi) + ln(S)
Where S = the sdev (sigma), recall. Since we assumed our predictors were Gaussian we can use this. But we can simplify :
W = e^( - Beta * H ) = C * e^( - Beta * ln(S) ) = C * ( S^-Beta )
Where we put a bunch of constants in C, and they don't matter because it's an overall scaling of W which divides out.
F = 1 / (1 + S1^-Beta/S2^-Beta
F = 1 / ( 1 + (S2/S1)^Beta )
If we use V = S^2 (V is the "variance" of the Gaussian, or the MSE), and choose the common case of Beta=2, then we have a very simple expression :
or F = V1 / (V1 + V2)
and this is the same as W1 = V2 and W2 = V1
Which is in fact a very good way to combine Gaussian predictions.
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Related to my perpetual improved ranting method search, the new Google Blogger (now in beta) will have an SDK for code access, so I imagine it will be easy to write an app to throw raw text at it via Blogger GData
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1. The FANN Neural Net library is actually pretty decent. It's missing a lot of functions you would want, but it's reasonable easy to write them yourself.
2. SVDLIBC is a nice little implementation of the old "Lanczos" SVD algorithm which is fast and good. It comes from the old FORTRAN math goodness. One amazing little routine I found in there is "Machar" which will deduce the properties of your FPU by doing a few simple math operations!
3. If you search google for things like "SVD learning unknown missing" you will find about 100 papers; this is a major field of research, a lot of it driven by computer vision.
4. Simon's spilled the beans on his Netflix approach. His description of the "GHA" (Generalized Hebbian Algorithm) is way way clearer than the paper. The Hebbian is actually a type of Neural Network, and I find this approach much easier to understand if you just think of it in terms of doing a gradient descent to optimize the SVD vectors. I also found that Gorrell has released source code for her own GHA Lab
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A lot of people in Sports Betting use the motivation of the two teams as a basis for choosing the side to bet. The theory is that the team that needs a win is more likely to play to full effort and beat the spread. I've always been skeptical of these theories and thought I'd try to statistically examine how important this theory actually is.
I examined all the NFL games from 1999 to 2006. For each game I made a rough evaluation of which of the teams "needed a win". Only games in weeks 8-14 were examined, which is the heart of the playoff run. Teams that "need a win" were any teams with a record >= 50% wins and with a record worse than 8-2. Generally these are the teams on the bubble for their division or a wild-card spot. Note that this isn't a totally precise measure of "need a win" but it should be good enough to see some statistical correlation if any exists.
Here are the results. There are four categories :
cat 0 = both teams don't need a win cat 1 = road team needs a win cat 2 = home team needs a win cat 3 = both teams need a win The results are (home wins)-(home losses)-(pushes) ATS = Against The Spread 32 teams, 1992 games cat 0 WLP : 827-578-0 cat 0 ATS : 678-683-44 cat 1 WLP : 84-125-0 cat 1 ATS : 103-100-6 cat 2 WLP : 138-65-0 cat 2 ATS : 94-102-7 cat 3 WLP : 105-69-1 cat 3 ATS : 91-76-8
In particular look at categories 1 and 2. The team that needs a win is 263-149 vs. teams that don't need a win. However, they are only 194-205 ATS !!
Now, is that W-L record even significant? The fact is most of the time you have a "need a win" vs. "dont need a win" matchup it's a pretty good team vs. a very bad team, so it's no surprise that they win a lot more.
For comparison I did the same study, but just grouped based on teams with a record >= 50% against teams with a record < 50% , eg. winning teams vs. losing teams.
32 teams, 1992 games cat 0 WLP : 219-136-0 cat 0 ATS : 177-169-9 cat 1 WLP : 186-268-0 cat 1 ATS : 224-213-17 cat 2 WLP : 328-111-0 cat 2 ATS : 216-211-12 cat 3 WLP : 421-322-1 cat 3 ATS : 349-368-27
Winnings teams are 596-297 against losing teams, which is actually a better ratio than the "need a win" vs "dont need a win".
It's possible that a better measure of "need a win" would reveal a slight statistical significance, but the absense of any here indicates it is not strong at all.
12-02-06 - 1
Also Radiohead Giglink Dump is full of great live shows. Check out Thom Yorke's solo at the Bridge School.
12-01-06 - 2
I couldn't find this info easily anywhere on the web, so here you go. Lossless color transforms :
Color transform notes : JPEG-LS (LOCO-I) uses : {RGB} -> { (R-G), G, (B-G) } and the inverse is obvious BTW this is very nice in that you can go 8bit -> 8bit using modulo arithmetic, many of the others require 9 bit YUV coefficients. J2K (aka RCT aka CREW) uses : {RGB} -> Y = (R + 2G + B)/4 U = R-G V = B-G G = Y - (U+V)/4; R = U + G B = V + G (the divides are floored) YCoCg is : (similar to "RCT" but decorrelates better) lossy : Y = (R + 2G + B)/4 Co= (R-B)/2 Cg= (2G - R - B)/4 G = Y + Cg R = Y - Cg + Co B = Y - Cg - Co lossless : (Co and Cg are effectively scaled up by 2) Co = R-B t = B + (Co/2) Cg = G-t Y = t + (Cg/2) s = Y - (Cg/2) G = Cg + s B = s - (Co/2) R = B + Co
In general with the lossless YUV type transforms, the chromatic coefficients are roughly 2X bigger than they should be in a perceptual space in order to have the bits to get back to RGB exactly.
Note that YUV was created for perceptual uniformity, NOT for decorrelation, so it's no surprise that you can beat it for decorrelation. In fact, doing the 3x3 KLT and sending the coefficients is totally worth it if you're doing compression. (actually YUV was created for some weird use in televisions)
12-01-06 - 1
NOTE ON COLOR CONVERSIONS : int colors are in [0,255] Int pel "x" is considered to represent the span {x-0.5,x+0.5}/255 float colors are in [0,1] int 0 -> float 0 int 255 -> float 1 Note that this way is nice in that it keeps the maximums the same, but it's bad in that it wastes color space. That is, there's only 1/255 precision instead of 1/256 which is totally possible. Another way of seeing it is that the int range [0,255] is actually being mapped to the float range { -0.5/255 , 255.5/255 } , that is, {0,1} is not the full range. One nice thing about this though is that it gives you some slop in your float->int. As long as the float is in { -0.5/255 , 255.5/255 } you don't need to clamp. /* // more pure quantizer way : // int value [i] represents the bucket (i,i+1)/256 inline int ColorFTOI(float f) { return ftoi(f * 256.f); } inline float ColorITOF(int i) { return (i + 0.5f) * (1.f/256.f); } */ // way that maps 0<->0 and 255<->1.0 inline int ColorFTOI(float f) { return ftoi(f * 255.f + 0.5f); } inline float ColorITOF(int i) { return i * (1.f/255.f); }
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It's time to get moving and get Fit. Whatever your workout, the flexible, sweat-proof Plantronics BackBeat Fit wireless stereo headphones keep pace with you. Its powerful audio lets you clearly hear your music while its safety-oriented design lets you hear your surroundings and be seen at night. The reversible armband secures your smartphone while you're moving and stores your headphones when you're done - making it your perfect workout partner.
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All Traffic Solutions has announced its DriveTimes app that extends the capability of its cloud-based traffic management solution. DriveTimes allows display of travel times for custom routes to be updated constantly on any All Traffic Solutions variable message signs, anywhere, without the need for any fixed speed sensing infrastructure. This feature allows DOTs, law enforcement, emergency management and even event venues to deploy very sophisticated communication tools at a fraction of the cost and complexity of previous alternatives, making it viable for fixed, mobile or spontaneous use. www.alltrafficsolutions.com
Some of the benefits include;
Display "Time to Destination" over interstate, urban or rural routes.
- Dynamically recommend alternate routes based on travel time thresholds
- Point and click route configuration eliminates reliance on roadside sensor infrastructure.
- Connected product platform requires no complicated systems integration or IT support.


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Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.
Digital Disciple: Real Christianity in a Virtual World (edition 2011)
by Adam Thomas
Work details
Digital Disciple: Real Christianity in a Virtual World by Rev Adam Thomas
No current Talk conversations about this book.
I read this book to update my reading on the church and the internet, which I wrote my dissertation on in 1999.
There is plenty of food for thought, about "good" use, though Adam focuses more on the internet than on social media, which is the more social aspect of the interwebs and might negate some of the issues with isolation.
I didn't agree with everything in this book, but we are a different generation and a different life place - and there is nothing wrong with a book you don't agree with - it makes you think!
NCLA Review - Adam Thomas, a newly-minted Episcopal priest not yet thirty years old, is amazing. He explains the language of our Internet-permeated world without condescension to those of us afloat. Well aware of the great potential in communication technology, he also warns of the danger. Scriptural references abound, and "old" values surface in these pages. Thomas stresses the urgent need to withdraw periodically from the lure of the cyber world to seek God's presence, whether that involves turning off the cell phone for a few hours or breaking off a growing addiction to a video game. In our mentally-cluttered world of online dating and serial deaths in video games, he notes, it's easy—but can be spiritually disastrous—to get divorced from the reality of flesh. A witty survey and meaty questions for reflection conclude this wise guide to this present world. It's a terrific book that speaks to people of all ages. Rating: 4 —DKW
Reverend Adam Thomas was one of the first in the Millennial generation to be ordained to the Episcopal priesthood. He writes a daily online devotional, devotiONEighty, and publishes a blog entitled WhereTheWind. Through these and other outlets, he maintains a voice in the virtual world on the need for and challenges of being authentic disciples of Jesus Christ in both the real world and in the digital environment. Thomas identifies both connection and communion as foundational to the Christian experience. He cautions that the virtual environment can provide the unaware with a false sense of intimacy. He distinguishes this from the Biblical concept of relationship and communion taught by Jesus during His earthly ministry. Thomas teaches how to move from superficial connection to authentic communion. He provides practical guidance in the real-world spiritual disciplines of prayer, meditation, Bible study and sacrificial living.
In addition to promoting the opportunities the internet provides for spiritual connection, Thomas cautions his readers to stay vigilant against some of the dangers inherent in the virtual world. For example, the knowledge-base online is virtually unlimited. There is a danger in relying on the ease of using internet search engines for knowledge-seeking in lieu of relying on memory and of personally developing and using critical thinking skills. With lack of practice, an individual's mental capacity for learning, understanding and critical thinking can be diminished. In speaking to digital disciples, Thomas expresses concern that an increased reliance on the wealth of online spiritual resources can result in the decline of time spent practicing spiritual disciplines offline. Rather than hiding scripture in one's heart, individuals are choosing to outsource that function to keyword searching on the internet. Rather than actually praying, the internet offers literally millions of pages to read about prayer. These practices can result in the decline of an individual's personal communion with God.
In Digital Disciple, Thomas brings that discourse to a book format. His writing is casual, his tone conversational, and his personality engaging. Yes, he expressly identifies himself as one of the youngest Episcopal priests but you will find no air of superiority or condescension. It is only given to validate his unique perspective on the subject matter. His intent in writing is to engage the local church body in an exchange of ideas on discipleship and what that might look like in today's world. Rev. Thomas broadens his audience via footnotes where he clarifies and defines colloquial terms that may not be familiar to older readers who are interested in reaching out to today's youth. His message is valid for the Church today. The topics discussed in Digital Disciple hold potential for small group discussions at the local level as well as for breakout sessions at youth pastor conferences.
I requested and received a galley of this title from NetGalley but made no commitment to write a review.
I expected to like this book much more than I did. The author is an Episcopalian priest. He identifies himself as a member of the Millennial generation, and unfortunately the writing is so geared toward the Millennial generation or to those younger that it was difficult to follow his thoughts. Even though I am quite familiar with Facebook, Twitter, and other forms of social media, I could not identify with metaphors he used from World of Warcraft and other computer games as I had never played them. The copy that I read was an advance Kindle-version e-galley provided through NetGalley. There were serious problems with the formatting that marred my reading enjoyment. It appears that they used OCR to convert the book. Drop caps were letters that were a line above the second letter of the word in opening chapters. Footnotes appeared exactly following the word where they appeared at the bottom of the page. This means that every time I got to footnotes that I had to skip one or more of them and locate the line where the rest of the sentence continued. Sometimes it was difficult to tell that you were beginning the text of the footnote or to identify where a footnote ended and the top of the next page began. I sincerely hope that the publisher will convert the text to utilize endnotes (either at the end of the book or at the end of the chapter) in the final Kindle version. I've always been a fan of footnotes in print publications, but after reading this book, I will admit that they don't work in the MOBI format.
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Today's post continues where yesterday's left off regarding the state of internet in Mexico, and further down what its advancement means for businesses and SEO. The difference in web use and access between urban and rural areas in the country is great, and closing this gap is important for internet's growth. In cities with more […]
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text: i don't do too much winter driving, but i crank my '86 fleetwood and let it run for a few minutes each week. recently when i started my car i noticed black smoke coming from under the hood. i had noticed that previously dark smoke clouds would be coming from my exhaust. once i realized my engine was burning oil i quit driving. i'm wondering what would be a good brand of engine flush to use and how can i figure out my problem under the hood before i see a mechanic


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Enjoying some post-Christmas shopping, Kate Hudson and Matthew Bellamy hit the shops of Aspen, CO on Wednesday (December 26).
The "Bride Wars" blonde stayed warm in a cozy black hoodie with a skull scarf and furry black snowboots, as she and her main man musician grabbed coffee from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.
Holding tightly on to her bundle of joy, Kate Hudson was spotted in London with hubby Matthew Bellamy and son Ryder Robinson this afternoon (October 28).
The 33-year-old actress cradled baby Bingham in her arms, while hopping aboard a tour bus after Matt's show with Muse.
Bringing a sense of brutality to the stage, Daniel Craig began his hosting appearance on yesterday's (October 6) episode of "Saturday Night Live" by remembering all of the evil characters he's killed on-screen throughout the years.
Along with the dashing Bond actor unveiling his list of victims to the tune of "It's a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong, the cold open of the show made a mockery of President Obama's performance at Wednesday's debate.
Dazzling onlookers on the red carpet, Kate Hudson attended the premiere of her film, "The Reluctant Fundamentalist," at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday (September 8).
The 33-year-old actress elegantly wore a long white dress with a slit up the skirt, revealing her long legs and white heels. She carried a white clutch in one hand and put the other around fiancée Matthew Bellamy.
Taking baby Bingham out for a stroll, Kate Hudson and her fiancé Matthew Bellamy were spotted in London, England on Tuesday afternoon (September 4).
While enjoying the gorgeous weather, the 33-year-old actress donned a simple cotton frock as the Muse frontrunner pushed along their bundle of joy.
Jetting back to the City of Angels, Kate Hudson and her fiance Matthew Bellamy made their way through the hectic terminal of LAX Airport in Los Angeles, CA on Friday (July 20).
The "How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days" actress attempted to pass by the photographers unnoticed by wrapping a scarf around her head as she walked side-by-side with her beau and brand new puppy.
After Goldie Hawn slipped up in a recent interview by saying that her daughter, Kate Hudson, is married to Matthew Bellamy, she's now backtracking by saying that her words were twisted.
Flaunting her toned beach bod along the south of the border shoreline, Kate Hudson enjoyed a loved up Cancun getaway with Matthew Bellamy over the St. Patrick's Day weekend (March 16).
The 32-year-old actress rocked a skimpy black and white striped bikini as she and the Muse rocker mate swam in the Caribbean Sea waters and shared kisses while perched on the sandy coastal terrain.


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TTC #2 or more
No tricks, just treats!
Our Members
bunziemom (Dee)
emski4379 (Emma)
Kokopelli-mana (Maria)
kristenyostdc (Kristen)
Mama~Love (Mollie)
MichaelsSahm (Ann)
sweet tea
Tulpen88 (Callie)
P.S. New members are welcome! Just post and say hello! Please try to join the group early in your cycle (pre-O) so that we can get to know you and cheer you on during the 2ww!
P.P.S. If you used to post here and don't see your name on the list, it's because you didn't post in the last month. just let me know if you want to be added back to the list.
Our success stories!
mija y mijo, slinkyfish
CarolinaKel, mclisa (Michelle), jr'smom
Lousli, forest~mama, Gabesgrrrl, phillybama, milosmomma, love_r4ks, suzywan, mamalove1
Please check out the sticky at the top of the TTC forum for a very helpful list of abbreviations!
Mama of 10yo dd, 7 yo ds, and 22 month old ds. No VAX, Anti-Circ, Lactivist, EC, UCB x 2.
Im super confused here.
I got crosshairs on FF that has me Oing on Tuesday. My first temp spike was tuesday morning. I got a positive OPK tuesday night (didn't take one on the am) and a negative one on wednesday night. I went for tests at the docs on Tuedsday morning around 11 am. She told me that I hadn't O'd yet, but I could expect to within the next day or 2 based on what she was seeing in the ultra sound and my labwork.
So this info is contradictory. She told me I wasn't going to O until wed or thursday, yet FF has me Oing on tuesday. Here is my chart and Im afraid if FF is correct, our timing was OFF yet again. SIGH What do you all think?
If the people let government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny." Thomas Jefferson.
cd 22 here
don't know if/when i ovulated. i seem to have errrrr a lot going on down there pretty often. hopefully the right stuff went on this month!!
much like a PP, i have symptoms that could be pregnancy or AF. grrr. why do they have to be so similar?
been going over boy names with dh b/c it takes us so long to decide. girl names are easy. why do men have to be so difficult about names?? he should just let me pick and be quiet about it. we have tons of time though, i'm sure.
feeling down. i have myself convinced we didn't conceive this month. i have no real reason to believe that but just negative feelings getting to me.
wife to wonderful mama of three-DS1 born December 30, 2005 and DS2 born September 27, 2008 and one lovely little girl born September 7, 2011
jazzy- just stay positive! We had a hard time naming ds, he was a week old I think before he had a name so it's never too early to start thinking bout it.
marnie- I'm so bad at charts. Can you just try every other day? Or are you saying you missed the window? Don't give up hope yet.
koko- Can't wait to hear! When can you take a pregnancy test?
sahm- baby dust!
AFM- Had my u/s today and we have two good eggs!!! One in each ovary! So I got my HCG injection and should O within the next day I'm so happy the Femara did what it was supposed to do. Now for the fun part!
Marnica, im not sure what to say :| I wouldnt skip any days just to be safe!
sweet tea, thats great news! good luck!!!
AFM: nothing new to report.. its CD11 today, I can expect to O between CD15 and 21 if im within the clomid 'norm'. I think it will be closer to CD21..
Serena - married to Jason, mom to Sebastian (b.12.22.2008) and Poppy (b.07.07.2011) ♥
We're not 'actively trying' but we aren't avoiding or 'actively avoiding'
My temp was even higher today, the spotting is just brown now. Another BFN today though. I don't know what to think!
Ann, *hugs* sorry to hear that but hey, a regular cycle is awesome!!!!
Serena - married to Jason, mom to Sebastian (b.12.22.2008) and Poppy (b.07.07.2011) ♥
what is hard about this whole TTC process is getting your head in the game and then realizing you need to get your head out of the game but then you need to get your head back in the game for the next round. i liked it better when we weren't TTC and got pregnant by surprise and then we didn't know about it till I was 8 weeks along. that was the best!
good luck to everyone this month! Here's hoping to July due dates...little Cancer babies!
Ann and JonahRoo- Sorry for the AF s I know how that feels
Marnica - I don't know...it seems to me like you O'd according to your temps, but I agree you should dtd everyother day just in case- good luck!
tjjazzy - Sweet that you are thinking up names already. I have already been eyeing cloth diapers, lol.
sweet tea- Yey for the two good eggs! Thats fabulous. Sending you good vibes your way...enjoy your fun time.
Serena - Hang in there - are you doing OPK's or will you only know after temp rise for O timing?
Mollie - Don't know... I really hope you give us some good news soon!
AFM - Had my acupuncture appointment today. I almost fell asleep on the table - it actually was relaxing to my surprise. I go again next week. Not sure if it will make a difference on this cycle, but I am hopeful, as always! Waiting to O.
My body is not being any more helpful. I had very heavy spotting last night and this morning. It's sucks. Bright red blood on 1 or 2 dpo is just not fair. I started the progesterone last night, so hopefully it'll get things under control. I wonder if I should start taking the progesterone before O? Or if it would inhibit O? I wouldn't do it without a doctor telling me to anyway. Thank goodness I have an RE appt in a couple of weeks.
I wish we all weren't here again this month but it is nice to know that people understand the disappointment that comes along with AF showing up. I tried to keep some detachment from TTC last month thinking it would spare me an emotional ride if AF showed up but today (CD 2) I am just bummin'.
Callie! I am glad that you get to see an RE so you can get some questions answered and just get some more support on this journey. Keep us posted on how the appt goes! I have no clue about the progesterone although I thought you were supposed to take it before O and quite after O??? I could be wrong on that so don't quote me on it.
I try to distance myself from the TTCing too, but just when I start feeling a tad bit hopeful, the hag shows up. I guess having a pretty chart doesn't mean squat. I'm pretty emotional right now, it's coming up (next month) of the one year anniversary since we started TTC, and only have heartache and a loss to show for it. This sucks!
I'm not looking forward to going to work tomorrow, as AF is of course going to be at its worse the next few days. I don't have any vacation time available til November 14th, so I don't know what I'm going to do if there's a repeat of last month .
tjjazzy - Sweet that you are thinking up names already. I have already been eyeing cloth diapers, lol.
cd 24 here...waiting to see if AF comes this week (likely wed. or thurs. if i'm still on the same sort of cycle i was on the pill)
wife to wonderful mama of three-DS1 born December 30, 2005 and DS2 born September 27, 2008 and one lovely little girl born September 7, 2011
myorianna, I am doing OPK's and temping. Two days ago there was no sign of a second line on the OPK's, but it slowly starting to appear!
Mollie, that sucks! *hugs* I hope you don't have to go through what you went through last month
Callie, so glad for your appointment in a few weeks! sucks about the spotting
AFM: nothing to report.. sexfest2010 has started up again for us, have a good feeling about this month!!!
I was thinking that I really don't know much about all you wonderful mama's (except all about your cycles! heehee). I hoped to stay on this thread as long as I have and I know there are others here that have been here even longer. So, I would love to know more about you!!! other than being mom's, what do you do for a living? hobbies? anything you want to share?
I work for the Canadian Federal Government as a 'complaince officer', its a fancy name to say that I deal with corporate tax accounts. Im also an artist and have my own online shop. I work PT, was 30 hours a week, over 5 days, but now im going down to 24 with a 4 day week.
Serena - married to Jason, mom to Sebastian (b.12.22.2008) and Poppy (b.07.07.2011) ♥
I'm pretty miserable today, lots of cramping, and heavy AF. Not looking forward to work though. I'm telling my supervisor about AF right away, so if I do have to leave, she'll know why. At least she's nice about it.
I work fulltime (M-F, 2pm-10pm) at a manufacturing plant that makes membrane switches. One of our biggest accounts is for Electrolux dishwashers. We make the switch that has the control buttons on it. There's lots of other parts we make too, but that's the biggest one. I pretest & final test parts. It's nothing glamorous, but it's a job.
As for hobbies, I knit & sew. I'm teaching myself to spin on my mom's wheel. I don't have much time for any of it, so I sneak it in when I can. I always have a knitting project in my purse, in case there's a lot of waiting going on when I'm out.
activities? muay thai kickboxing, jogging, walking
job? SAHM and freelance writer (online mostly)
CD 25 ... days dragging by ...
wife to wonderful mama of three-DS1 born December 30, 2005 and DS2 born September 27, 2008 and one lovely little girl born September 7, 2011
jazzy- just stay positive! We had a hard time naming ds, he was a week old I think before he had a name so it's never too early to start thinking bout it.
marnie- I'm so bad at charts. Can you just try every other day? Or are you saying you missed the window? Don't give up hope yet. koko- Can't wait to hear! When can you take a pregnancy test?
sahm- baby dust!
AFM- Had my u/s today and we have two good eggs!!! One in each ovary! So I got my HCG injection and should O within the next day I'm so happy the Femara did what it was supposed to do. Now for the fun part!
No Im saying I think we missed the window. I just can't see how (assuming there are no sperm problems) that doing it everyday is a bad thing!
If the people let government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny." Thomas Jefferson.
I am a SAHM but also a yoga instructor, massage therapist, NLP practitioner, Therapeutic Coach and Hypnotherapist. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the mind/body connection and tapping into our inner healer.
I love reading. I am slowly learning the tricks of the trade with canning, making my own butter/cheese/yogurt etc. I am learning more and more about nutrition and vitamins and minerals. I have great friends here who teach me a lot about this kind of stuff. I LOVE school and learning so typically you will see me doing some sort of certification or training (next on the list is gettin my CNA at the end of this month).
I think overall my yoga practice is what comes to mind when I think of my hobbies as it includes reading, journaling, meditating, pranayama (breathing) and hatha yoga (the physical practice).
I hope to someday learn to sew clothes and bags (i am obsessed with bags!).
My husband travels a lot and we try to go with him when we can.
AFM: CD 3 and today is going much better than yesterday (emotionally). And excited to start trying again this month (which is kinda fun
Mollie: Good luck this week! Have you tried acupuncture for your heavy periods? It can help.
The progesterone is helping with the spotting, thank goodness.
Okay I'm going to go lay back down. I'll answer the getting to know you questions later!
Callie - Sorry you have the sickies. Glad to hear the spotting is better and that you have an RE appointment.
tjjazzy - I hear you on the names. DD was named on the day we were leaving the hospital even though I came prepared with a list. With the diapers, I've just been reading forums randomly as I totally failed with DD in the cloth diaper area, even though I had purchased some random ones, I never figured out how many I needed and how to wash them, etc. This time around, I am determined- but first this has to happen!
Hi Emma! You are a day ahead of me...I am CD11 now. Lets keep our for this cycle!
Serena - yey for October sfest! What medium do you work in for your art?
JonahRoo - Wow, what a list! My sister is an NLP practitioner and hypotherapist too- thats pretty rare! She helped me out when I had an issue in-between jobs and was interview shy- it totally jolted me out of that fear.
About me? I am an electrical engineer working full time for a company that designs blood glucose meters for diabetics. Thats not really what I like, but what I do... My hobbies, if I were to have time include playing piano, flute, scrapbooking, reading fantasy books, scuba-diving, hiking, poetry, art. But since DD I seem to spend any free time with her or reading up on how to be a better mommy.
My hearts desire is to stay at home with her and spend our days in wonder. I am constantly striving to find that one brilliant idea that will change my life in that direction...
Callie - So sorry you feel sick. Feeling sick while trying to take care of a kid is so tough. Where was your black tie event?
tjjazzy - It's weird because both times we could not agree on a name for the opposite sex of what we were having. For example, with DS, we could not agree on a girl's name, but decided on his name pretty easily. Same for DD. Could not agree on a boy's name but picked hers without any trouble.
myorianna-I think I'm CD 13 now. Just checked with FF. I really hope this cycle is the one. Then again I hope every cycle is the one. My temps are already higher than previous cycles though, so I think that's a good sign.
Serena - I'm an artist too! A Graphic Designer. What do you do?
AFM -I am a Graphic Designer. I freelance right now so I can stay home with the kids. I am homeschooling my oldest (technically Pre-K right now, will start K next yr at home). I love to camp, go hiking, love to dance (although I don't go dancing much anymore). I LOVE to read, always have. Just started knitting and sewing this year. I also love to cook and bake. Just don't like the clean-up! Finally, I love to travel. Being able to live in different parts of the world every few years would be awesome IMO.
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Vermont is not known for its baseball. The season is short and the state's population is small, two factors which have always made survival a struggle for semi-professional leagues. But since the game's rise in popularity after the Civil War, Vermont has fielded its fair share of teams with loyal fans.
About the Original Exhibit
The exhibit, "Baseball in Vermont: An Enduring Love of the Game," remained open through the end of 2001. VHS, assisted by the Larry Gardner Chapter (Vermont) of the Society for American Baseball Research, showed the history of the game as it evolved over time. The exhibit told the stories of the teams at the local, college, and professional level — and of the fans and the communities that supported them.
The atmosphere of the game was recreated by picturing the places where the games were played, from Centennial Field in Burlington to Island Park in Brattleboro. Baseball artifacts and memorabilia from private and public collections provided a setting to tell the story of baseball in Vermont and put it within the context of the larger historical trends of the day.
The history of Vermont's organized leagues — from the semiprofessional Northeastern League of the 1880s to the present-day professional New York-Penn League — provide a chronological outline for telling the story of Vermont Baseball. All 34 Vermonters who made it to the major leagues, from Fred Mann to Mark Brown, were highlighted in the exhibit. Also featured in the show were major leaguers Larry Gardner, Ray Collins, Ray Fisher, and Ralph Lapointe, who maintained close ties to the state and contributed to baseball's growth and popularity here.
A major focus of the show was on the popularity of town teams. Stories ranging from homegrown talent like Barre's Cornelius Granai and Walter Lanfranconi to the imported professionals like Richford's Jack Bishop or Montpelier's Robin Roberts were told in the exhibit. Famous exhibition games such as the Red Sox visit with the "Home Run King" Babe Ruth in 1919 to the many visits of African-American teams like the Cuban Giants were also recounted.
This exhibit caught the excitement and never-ending popularity of the game, its many variations, and its memorable personalities.
Links to other relevant baseball sites:
National Baseball Hall of Fame
Society for American Baseball Research (SABR)