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What is happening in among some school districts in Idaho offers a glimpse into one of the many changes that will (and have to) come to the teaching profession in general — and American public education overall. Thanks to a state law passed earlier this year, teachers will receive merit bonuses based on meeting a series of metrics related to improving student achievement. For the Wendell district in Twin Falls, which is looking to better-engage the families of the children they teach, the bonus plan has become a blessing in disguise. At Wendell High School, as much as 70 percent of the bonuses that will be handed out is based on whether teachers bring 40 percent or more of parents into classrooms for parent-teacher conferences; similar incentives are in place for teachers in other schools throughout the district. And so far, the move (along with others) have had a good result: Seventy-seven percent of families showed up for the district's parent-teachers conferences this year, an 18 percentage point increase over the previous school year.
The current generation of teachers — and those who will follow them into the profession over the next two decades — should expect more of this in the future. Engaging families and accepting their lead position as decision-makers in education will be one of the three factors in teacher performance evaluations, will factor into merit bonuses and pay increases, may play a part in grants that they can receive for high-quality work, and could even make a difference between whether a teacher moves up from one performance-based salary band to another or, perhaps, even becoming a principal. This means going beyond far-too-late report cards and oft-inconvenient parent-teacher conferences to really active communication that starts weeks before kids enter their classrooms for the first time.
And this will also be true for principals: As the weakening of collective bargaining agreements lead to districts handing principals more power over hiring and firing staff, those school leaders will have to be accountable for the efforts of all teachers in improving student achievement. Not only does this mean improving student test score performance — the most-objective and reliable way of measuring student and teacher success — but working more-productively with families who demand better and want to help. So principals must spot teachers who not only do a great job in improving student performance, but who also know how to well with families, especially those from poor and first-time middle class backgrounds who are just learning how to navigate American public education.
These will be jarring changes for many teachers, principals, and schools. But they are needed. Accepting families as lead decision-makers in education is not only critical to addressing the nation's education crisis, it also helps improve the professionalism of the teaching profession itself. Lawyers and doctors can attest that they cannot do their jobs on behalf of their clients without being responsive to their concerns; same is true for nearly every aspect of the private sector. It is time that education embraces a family- and child-centered focus in helping all students succeed in school and in life.
As Temple University Professor William W. Cutler III noted in Parents and Schools: The 150-year struggle for control in American education that families have never been really welcomed in schools, and have been treated as afterthoughts, nuisances, and political pawns. Principals and teachers have relegated families to helping out on field trips and homework. Superintendents and school boards co-opted parents and parent-teacher outfits for the purposes of winning tax increases, additional federal and state subsidies, and fundraising from the private sector. Education traditionalists conveniently blame families whenever there are revelations of the failings of the system they have long perpetuated.
Education traditionalists always (rightfully) tout the importance of it in student success. Yet their attitudes toward parents hardly makes such engagement likely. From the parent-teacher open houses that are often scheduled during the work day, to report cards that are sent out far too late in the school year for families to do anything to help their kids get back on track (or stay on it), schools don't do a good job of making it easy for parents to be engaged in the first place. As Dr. Steve Perry makes clear in his new book, Push Has Come to Shove, American public education has done a great job of alienating parents (and making them feel bad about not being as involved as they want to be without making) and a terrible job of including them in school decision-making.
This state of affairs is true for nearly all families stuck with traditional district schools regardless of where they live and how much they earn. As Washington Post columnist Jay Mathews noted in a piece he wrote this month about the fracas between parents at Leesburg Elementary School in Virginia's Loudoun County and the school's principal, the very idea of families asking questions is something of an anathema. The condescension displayed in one teacher's piece on "Burger King parents" and "Grass-is-greener parents" ends up being more typical than rare — especially for middle-class black and Latino families, who find themselves fighting to keep their kids from being steered off the college route by ability tracking regimes. For big-city families, including those from poor and minority backgrounds, the state of affairs is often even worse. Peter McDermott and Julia Johnson Rothenberg of at the Sage Colleges have noted in their research on school engagement that urban and low-income parents often perceive schools to be unwelcoming and interactions with teachers to be "painful encounters."
Why have we made it so easy for many teachers and principals to neglect their obligations to families? Start with the structure of American public education, which makes real family engagement and communication less than valuable for schools. Just one-fifth of all American families in position to exercise any meaningful form of school choice — including vouchers, charter schools and intra-district choice. This means that for most traditional districts, families are a captive market, and thus, can be ignored by teachers and administrators, who don't have to worry about loss of jobs or revenue. Former New York City chancellor Joel Klein's tale about how a secretary noted that he could just simply ignore a ringing telephone because it was probably just some parents on the other line is, in most districts, the reality. The fact that family engagement are not categories for evaluation in teacher and principal performance reviews also means that the only time these groups worry about parents is when they have to deal with those with either enough influence to cause pain to their bosses in central offices, or are children of teachers and administrators who work there. And even if a principal wants to be attentive to families, he has limited ability to address the biggest issues on their minds: Their relationships with the teachers who instruct their children. Since collective bargaining agreements dictate that hiring is a central office affair, principals can't just toss out a teacher because they don't deal well with parents.
Contrast this with private schools, which continuously communicate with families because those institutions depend on paying customers (and, thus, have power), or good-to-great charter schools, which understand that family engagement is critical to building cultures of genius in which the potential of kids are nurtured (and, also depend on paying customers). Both spend a lot of time developing more-welcoming school cultures, creating special days (at convenient times) when grandparents and others family members can visit and check up on school performance. Since principals and headmasters in those schools often have authority to hire, evaluate, reward, and fire teachers, they can easily take the steps needed to foster more-robust family engagement.
Another culprit lies with university schools of education, which train nearly all of the nation's teachers and principals. Besides failing to recruit aspiring teachers for subject-matter competency and empathy to children, ed schools don't even select teacher candidates based on their capacity to be as conversant with parents and other adults — especially those from poor and minority backgrounds — as they are with kids. Once aspiring teachers are in training, they are rarely taught such matters as cultural competence (which would allow them to communicate with families from different backgrounds) or how to integrate such simple communications activities as calling families into their classroom work. Add in the system of degree-based pay scales, which reward teachers for acquiring degrees (and, in the process, helps foster a class divide in which some look down on less-credentialed families), and the fact that traditional public education structures teaching as a solo activity instead of a collaborative effort, and it is no wonder why many teachers regard parents as problems.
This inability to converse and work with families extends to principals. As The New Teacher Project noted in a study of teacher evaluation it conducted for the Houston school district, most principals would rather spend less time dealing with parents and caregivers. Because most school leadership training programs — including those developed by school reformers — don't bother dealing with family engagement, principals (and their bosses at the central office) This, by the way, is part of a larger problem of communication within American public education. As Dropout Nation Contributing Editor Steve Peha noted in his series on school leadership, the fact that most principals come from the teaching ranks means that they are better-equipped to talk to children than to lead teachers and converse with parents and other adults.
But now, the expansion of charter schools in big cities, along with the growth of school vouchers and voucher-like tax credit programs in 13 states, have given families more opportunities to choose schools for their kids and not put up with mistreatment. The passage of Parent Trigger laws in three states — which allow families to demand the overhaul of failing schools — along with the emergence of Parent Power groups also means that more districts will have to accept families as lead decision-makers in education. And the efforts of National PTA to demand districts to engage in real family engagement — including its National Standards for Family-School Partnerships and the rewards the organization hands out to schools that make the grade — and actually require it as part of school turnaround efforts has also brought new pressures on teachers and principals used to having it their way.
Meanwhile the systemic reform of American public education is also slowly forcing a change in the relationship between teachers, principals, and the families whose children they serve.
As more states move to weighted student funding formulas under which funding follows students no matter the school they attend — essentially voucherizing school funding — decisions will move from central offices down to schools. This, along with expanded school choice and the slow disintegration of the traditional district model along the lines of New Orleans' Recovery School District, will force schools and principals to compete for families (and dollars). More-robust school data systems will lead to additional information on how teachers and schools affect student progress, giving families more information they can use the same way they shop for cars with Carfax.com, Consumer Reports and other guides. The move away from degree- and seniority-based pay scales and into new structures for compensating teachers (including performance-based salary bands, performance bonuses, and even grants that can be used to start new programs) means that teachers will have to be more entrepreneurial in their work, figuring out new ways to work with families. And with more-rigorous evaluations (and the use of Value-Added analysis of student test data in those performance reviews), teachers and principals will have to work more-productively with families in order to help kids succeed.
All these changes, fostered by revelations of mediocrity and abject failure in traditional public education fostered by the accountability and data disaggregation requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, are helping many parents to finally that the old notion that any school or teacher will do is a myth. They will have to be active players in shaping education. Which means teaching and school leadership must change. Many teachers will have to realize that parents will no longer accept arguments that they need autonomy, that they are the sole experts in education, and that they must simply trust that the kids are learning. Principals will have to accept that working with families is as important for their success as evaluating teachers; so they must set the example in their own activities and demand everyone in the building to follow accordingly.
And many teachers and principals will need to stop looking at families as nuisances and enemies. After all, they are the adults who run the schools at the center of the lives of the children these families love. They deserve respect
Our systems of recruiting, training, and rewarding teachers and principals must adapt to this reality. And school reformers must make this happen. The revamp of evaluations offers opportunities to make family engagement and Parent Power key elements in measuring teacher and principal performance. So does the further expansion of school choice; as a report . These immediate solutions can help pave the way for stronger, more-robust relations between families and schools.
So can simply adapting to the times. In an age in which Twitter, Facebook, and e-mail are communications tools for every family no matter their economic status, there is no reason why a teacher cannot inform families immediately once their kids starts veering off track academically. The KIPP chain of charter schools, for example, expects teachers to be available by phone; this should be the case in every school. Principals should make it clear that they expect teachers to start communicating early and often with families — in fact, meeting before the start of the school year. And in an age in which every adult in two-parent household works — and households led by single parents, along with aging grandparents, teachers and principals should make it easier for families to meet them face-to-face.
Over the long haul, the recruiting and training of aspiring teachers must also change. Ed schools, along with alternative teacher training programs, should add ability to communicate (and empathize) with families as a critical element of selecting their candidates. Early clinical training in actual school settings is also important to helping aspiring teachers learn how to work with families. Ed schools must also ditch outdated pedagogies — including the Poverty Myth of Education — that hold little regard for the role of families as leaders in schools. Outfits geared toward developing principals and superintendents such as New Leaders for New Schools and the Broad Foundation should also develop training programs that emphasize Parent Power and family engagement in their curricula.
Parent Power is part of the future of teaching in American public education. It should have always been a part of it. And everyone who works in schools must adapt to these changes — or be left behind in the ashbin of education history.
To get a sense of what is likely going to happen to many of the 3.2 million teachers employed in America's classrooms who don't teach core subjects such as reading, math, science, history and foreign language, consider the experience of a corporate lawyer who just spent a few days teaching business law at a high school in the D.C. suburb of Loudoun County.
Volunteering as part of a nonprofit that instructs teens on the ins and outs of the nation's legal system, this lawyer spent time teaching a class of students about that lovely thing called torts and lawsuits. During those sessions, she finds herself getting into a lively Socratic discussion with her students, many of whom may not know about such terms as liable but definitely know about the spate of suits over statements made on Facebook and Twitter. The kids are engaged, interested, and want to learn more. Theoretically, she is supposed to jointly teach with a full-time instructor who also handles high school electives in computer science and the golf team. But, in all honesty, the teacher can barely tell the difference between a summary judgment and a jury verdict, and barely considers his students — most of them Latino and black — capable of learning about any aspect of civics. In fact, instead of using the engaging course options offered by the nonprofit that would further immerse kids in learning — the teacher hands out worksheets on vocabulary terms.
At the end of her work, the young corporate lawyer figures out a few things — and that's beyond realizing that the high school's principal brought in the program in order to essentially keep this tenured and expensive laggard from doing any further damage to her students. The first? She enjoys every aspect of teaching, but she doesn't want to give up her six-figure job to go full-time into a profession in which the lucrative benefits package doesn't come into place for at least 20 years. The second? That she would do it on a contract basis, focusing on just business law electives, once she reaches her fifties and the kids are out of college. In fact, she would do it for just a small annual sum and without any need for either retirement benefits or healthcare coverage. Third: That her parents, both in their sixties, comfortably retired and still looking for new challenges, would love to teach kids and would do so on a contract basis themselves. Her father, a former school principal who plays in his own band, could definitely teach music as he did when he first came into education five decades ago; while her mother, a former chief nurse practitioner, could definitely take on such electives as health and sex education the same way she has been teaching young girls (including at the local church) for years.
Then she wonders: Why don't districts just contract with these aspiring teachers? The kids could get high-quality learning in these electives from subject-matter experts who care about kids. Even better, school districts can get this expertise and save millions annually spent on salaries and benefits for teachers working on electives that contribute to student learning, but whose value can't really be measured (because there are no tests for these areas), and, to be honest, the teachers are not exactly experts with up-to-date knowledge. Why not hire professional musicians as contract music instructors working for several local schools in a district? Or contracting with an auto body shop to teach students about the ins and outs of modern automobiles?
This young corporate lawyer has stumbled onto one of the realities that school reformers and education traditionalists will eventually have to confront: That current- and long-term fiscal realities, along with the need to provide our children with high-quality teachers in core subjects, makes it untenable to keep many of the majority of teachers dedicated solely to elective courses and subjects that may not be at the heart of improving student learning. The fact that many of these teachers aren't exactly subject-matter experts or have knowledge that is out of date also means that students aren't getting what the learning they deserve while taxpayers are bearing fiscal burdens that may not make sense. So it is time to develop new solutions that will help our kids get enriched learning experiences while also saving money. In many cases, this may mean replacing full-time teachers in elective courses with contractors and part-timers from the millions of aspiring teachers of middle age who already have the subject-matter competency and experience with children to do the job.
President Barack Obama played up the prospect of teacher layoffs earlier this month as part of his efforts to pass his $450 billion American Jobs Act stimulus plan, 30 percent of which is slated toward supposedly keeping teachers in classrooms. The fact that districts do as much as they can to avoid teacher layoffs, along with the ineffectiveness of Obama's previous teachers' union bailout plans, and the estimated 24,000 teachers that will be added to payrolls (according to U.S. Department of Education estimates) means that few teachers will lose their jobs in the next year.
But fewer teachers will be kept in classrooms over the next decade. Why? Start with the $137 billion in state budget shortfalls over the next two fiscal years. After years of increasing education spending, states are now reducing their subsidies, forcing districts to pare their own budgets. Districts have been able to find cuts in other areas (including trimming custodial staffs) and even hold off on raises. But eventually there will be teacher layoffs.
Then there are the long-term issues. With $1.4 trillion in teachers' pension deficits and unfunded retiree healthcare costs, states can no longer afford to simply increase the number of teachers. The fact that fringe benefits have increased from 28 cents for every dollar of teacher salary to 32 cents is proving costly to districts. Moving away from defined-benefit pensions is one key step toward reducing these burdens, as will require teachers to contribute more to their benefits. But it won't be enough. Headcounts will have to be cut.
If 1.6 million Baby Boomer teachers actually retire, as Denise Forte of the U.S. Department of Education predicts, then that will make some of those headcount decisions easy. Districts will simply have to whittle down by attrition, hiring fewer teachers to replace those heading into retirement. But given the personal financial difficulties — from mortgages under water to college bills for their kids — that some teachers in that age range could be facing, don't count on it. And given that previous claims of mass retirements have not come to fruition, no one can count on attrition alone.
Then there is the most-important reason why we need fewer teachers: There are far too many laggards in our classrooms who are poorly-serving our kids. While middle-class families and teachers' unions have been fans of class size reduction efforts that have led to more teachers working in classrooms with fewer kids, the initiatives have proven to be ineffective in improving student achievement. If anything, the addition of more teachers may actually dilute quality because ed schools — which were doing a poor job of training teachers before the advent of class size reductions — are sacrificing quality for quantity, doing an even worse job of weeding out the chaff from the wheat. Kids may be better off with larger classes taught by high-quality teachers.
There will be layoffs. The question is what this will look like. Elementary school teachers, who make up 1.7 million of our teachers, will likely be safe. As I discussed earlier this month, there could likely be more specialization, which means there will be just as many elementary school teachers working in the next decade as there are now. More importantly, a high-quality elementary education will ensure that kids will make it through the middle school years and high school toward graduation. Cutting elementary school teachers doesn't make sense.
As for those working in the middle and high school ranks? A different story. If laws requiring reverse-seniority (or last in-first out) layoffs are reversed in the coming years, then districts can eliminate costly laggard teachers in reading, math, science and history regardless of their experience. Thanks to more-rigorous teacher evaluations coming into place such as the IMPACT system in D.C., this work becomes easier for districts to do. But given that the core courses (along with foreign languages and special education) account for only 33 percent of the 1.1 million teachers working in our nation's high schools (and likely, a similar percentage of middle-school teachers), the teachers working in subjects that are either considered electives or non-core subjects such as music will also face the axe.
One could just make subject every school course to testing. But that won't fly with many parents or even some school reformers. Why? Some believe that subjecting these courses to tests would ruin the enriching experiences that students may gain from them; while they are willing to subject students and teachers in core subjects to testing, they think the music teacher, the shop class instructor, and the art teacher should not have to deal with that stuff. Then there is the cost of testing those subjects themselves, which may be prohibitive financially and politically compared to the gains that can be reaped. Certainly there should be testing for foreign language proficiency; this makes sense in an age in which learning Mandarin or Spanish can be critical to lifelong success in an increasingly global economy. But one can imagine the cultural and political debates over what should be covered in a music appreciation exam.
What cannot be measured will not matter, or at least, not matter enough to employ a full-time teacher to hold that job. Since tests won't be administered for these electives, those teachers cannot be evaluated in any meaningful way. Certainly, principals can evaluate for observable aspects of teaching, but not for the most-important and unobservable matter of student achievement. More importantly, since outcomes can be measured, American public education will be required to rely on outputs such as teacher credentials that do not correlate with student achievement. If depending solely on credentialing doesn't make sense for measuring the performance of teachers in core subjects, it won't make sense for those in electives either.
This leads to a predictable result: Fewer teachers in health, music, art, and other subjects. And it should. The salary and benefits are too costly. But this doesn't have to mean the end of electives. After all, music and art are critical in building the background knowledge children need to be fully literate. One can also justify the existence of health and sex education courses. Then there are the vocational courses, which have, for most of the past 80 years, been way stations for students that American public education deemed incapable of college preparatory learning. The reality that blue-collar workers need the same high-level reading, math and science skills that white-collar counterparts must have makes vocational ed less necessary. But it is a good thing for kids to learn about woodworking; it can offer an outlet for kids for self-expression as well as learn a skill they can use at any point in life (think about having to put together a cabinet or fix shelving). Vocational courses can also offer new, relevant ways for kids to learn the college preparatory math and science lessons that they are being taught in traditional classrooms.
But this doesn't mean continuing to keep hundreds of thousands of teachers in electives on full-time payrolls. One possibility starts with the millions of middle-aged professionals — including lawyers, nurses, blue-collar welders, auto shop owners and professional musicians — who are ready, willing and able to take on teaching those subjects at least on a part-time or contractual basis. One can imagine a district putting together a team of professional musicians who can teach at several schools throughout the school year, or even working with a technical university to provide weekly shop electives to interested students. I can easily imagine my mother-in-law, a social worker who now sits on Arkansas' minority health commission, teaching health classes at a local high school — or my own mother teaching information technology classes to high schoolers in the Atlanta suburb in which she lives.
Best of all, these mid-career and Baby Boomer professionals, many of whom already demonstrated experience and have their retirement benefits already squared away, won't need pensions, 401-K plans, or even much in the way of salary. And as Martin Haberman has noted, teachers coming into the profession late in life also have the practical skills needed to manage classrooms, command the respect of students, and get their job done with little supervision.
This not only creates an opportunity for schools (in terms of high-quality instruction at a cost savings) and students (who get relevant, up-to-date instruction with real professionals in those fields), but even for ed schools and alternative certification groups who can offer short courses on teaching method, cultural competency and other aspects of teaching. And it doesn't need to take four years to get the needed certification. One can imagine a year-long clinical-based teacher training that gets aspiring teachers into the field within three months of passing tests that show subject competency, entrepreneurial drive and caring for children.
Education traditionalists, of course, don't want to have this conversation because it means rethinking what a teaching career should look like. For the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers, in particular, it also means fewer members upon which they can count for dues that they use to maintain their declining influence. As for school reformers? Far too many have been happy with talk about stretching spending and wringing out needed efficiencies in aspects of education such as transportation and building maintenance. They have also pressed admirably to end the array of practices — from reverse-seniority layoffs to abysmal performance management — that has been one of the causes of the nation's education crisis. But with teacher salaries and benefits account for 60 percent of current spending, questions about teacher staffing can no longer be bypassed. We owe it to our children and to teachers to honestly think through what staffing can and should look like in the coming decades.
The reality is that there will be fewer teachers in America's classrooms. Now is the time to discuss what that will look like and how we can ease the transitions that are going to come.
Would you expect a cardiologist to do the work of a gastroenterologist? No. So why do we expect a strong reading teacher to also be equally as talented in math? The fact that we expect the latter and not the former gets to the heart of one of the biggest challenges we face in improving the teaching profession and American public education as a whole.
When it comes to teachers, school reformers and education traditionalists talk plenty about overhauling how teachers are recruited, changing the way they are trained, revamping the array of costly, ineffective degree- and seniority-based compensation packages, and subjecting them to more-rigorous success-based performance management. All of these discussions are critical. But one of the most-important conversations is the one that is also the one least-considered: Re-imagining the very ways teachers work in classrooms and how principals oversee what they do.
As Stanford University Professor Linda Darling-Hammond has astutely noted, teacher training is in the same state that medical training was a century ago, before the work of Abraham Flexner and the Carnegie Corp., led to improvements in how doctors are selected into med schools and taught how to conduct exams and surgeries. The same is true for the actual work of teaching. As doctors were expected back in the 19th and early 20th centuries to be jacks of all trades instead of being allowed to become dedicated specialists working efficiently in hospitals and practices, teachers are expected to be general practitioners when it makes more sense for them (and for schools) to become master specialists in aspects of student learning.
In elementary schools, teachers are generalists expected to provide high-quality reading, math and science instruction to students, regardless of their own aptitude in those subjects. This, in spite of the growing evidence that this isn't even close to possible. As the Los Angeles Times revealed last year in its value-added analysis of elementary teachers working in the L.A. Unified School District, some teachers have strong competency in reading while lagging behind in math teaching, while others are stronger in math teaching than in reading and writing. At Shirley Avenue Elementary in suburban Reseda, for example, only a couple of the teachers analyzed by the Times, Paul Wainess and Mark G. Gendernalik, were strong in both reading and mathematics; the rest were either strong in one of the two subjects, or in many cases, barely treading water in either one.
Even within a particular subject, some teachers are going to have real expertise in one aspect than another. Some teachers, for example, are really going to be skilled in providing intensive reading remediation to struggling readers. Others may have strong expertise in addressing aspects of writing and composition, which is also important for students in their future success. And still others may be good in dealing with areas such as phonics. One can even go further, with teachers becoming reading and math specialists for students in particular grades; after all, kindergartners who need to learn quantities don't have the same needs as fifth graders who must be able to understand that equal signs are the first steps in understanding the algebraic equations they must master three grades onward.
This specialization extends even into middle schools and high schools, where kids begin going from class to class to teachers who are already specialists of a sort. But given that our kids who have had abysmal instruction in the early grades may need help in other areas, there is a need for even more specialization. For students who struggle with memorizing geometry, they may need a math teacher who has also become a specialist in helping kids acquire and retain knowledge; that teacher can also help those students learn new memorization skills they can apply to other classroom activities. Other teachers can become masters as helping kids left back a grade quickly get up to speed on the subjects they must master and assist them in dealing with the psychological issues that can sometimes come with being held back.
Breaking up teaching into specialties could do wonders for students, providing more-specialized instruction that will address their needs. As Arthur McKee of the National Council of Teacher Quality points out, it can also help schools. After all, specialization has helped the medical profession improve patient care, develop innovative treatments, and improve quality of life for society as a whole by allowing doctors in different fields to address our wide array of ailments and needs. For schools and districts, specialization can allow principals and superintendents to divide up work efficiently, thoughtfully, allowing for the most-meaningful forms of customizing instruction to the needs of children in classrooms.For example, a district can put together a group of teachers with success in improving the achievement of English as Second Language students, and have them go from school to school addressing particular issues. Or a principal can do something similar within his own school.
It can even improve the teaching profession itself. The lack of meaningful career paths and opportunities to grow as professionals is as much a reason why teaching remains unattractive to talented collegians as the seniority-based privileges that fail to reward good and great teachers for their success in improving student performance. Specialization can allow teachers to build expertise in particular subjects and sub-areas within them, gain recognition (and even financial reward) for their work as masters in those particular learning areas. It can also nurture the entrepreneurial talents that teachers must have to be able to do the work of improving student achievement no matter the challenge.
Given that the high-quality teachers we want in our classrooms are likely to also be the kinds of talents who will eventually be bored with just working in one classroom, expanding the range of opportunities for them to stretch and do great work is critical to improving the talent pipeline into American public education. It can also spur the very collaboration that so many teachers and education players consider to be a key to improving student achievement. Teachers could follow the path of doctors and start their own instructional practices that serve particular learning needs.
The tools for allowing this specialization are already here. Thanks to Value-Added Analysis of student performance data, we can pinpoint the areas in which elementary school teachers (and even those at the secondary level) are strongest; the development of formative assessments also allows for the analysis of teacher strengths. While the science of reading and mathematics is still developing, there are plenty of areas in which teachers can be come master instructors. All that is needed is for that data to be used, for strong, performance-based assessments than can help teachers hone their strengths, and for ed schools and alternative teacher training programs to improve their offerings (as well as become more-selective in their recruiting). Given that medical schools and the entire healthcare sector has paved the way for specialization, ed schools and the rest of American public education can build upon that work and take it further.
At this moment, however, instructional specialization doesn't come up in the thinking of ed school professors, policy wonks, NEA and AFT presidents, or elementary school principals. This is a shame. The challenges of overhauling American public education require abandoning a 19th century model of how teachers work that doesn't serve children, families, taxpayers or even teachers themselves. It is high time that specialization becomes a part of education.


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Gingery Sweet Pickled Vegetables
Recipe by Geema
I always double or triple this recipe because they disappear so fast. My DH eats them by the bowlfull. I use them for hor d'ouvres, on salad, with sandwiches or just as a snack treat when I open the refrigerator and see how pretty they look in the jar.
Top Review by terragal
High summer in Wisconsin, and loads of veggies to deal with. This recipe is a big hit with friends and family all around! I blanched green and yellow beans and threw them in too,yum! Already passed this recipe(and the website) on to 3 people! Thanks Geema
See Discussion:2 Reviews
Ingredients Nutrition
- 2 pickling cucumbers, sliced thickly
- 1⁄2 cup peeled thin sliced fresh ginger
- 2 small dried hot chili peppers or 1 1⁄2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (more if you like it red hot)
- 1 1⁄2 cups rice vinegar
- 1 1⁄2 cups water
- 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups carrots, diagonal slices,1/2 inch thick
- 2 large red bell peppers, cut into 1 inch squares
- 1 large sweet onion, cut into 1 inch chunks
Directions See How It's Made
- In a large nonreactive (not aluminium) saucepan, bring to a boil the ginger, chili peppers, vinegar, sugar, water and salt.
- Remove the pot from the heat and add the carrots.
- Let the mixture cool.
- Add the veggies to the pan, mixing well.
- Transfer the veggies and liquid to a 2 quart jar.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate.
- Stop!
- Don't eat for 3 days while they are getting perfectly pickled.
- Refrigerated, these pickles will last for several weeks.

subset: commoncrawl


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Sep 23, 2009
Setting permalinks in WordPress
For my sins, I use a webhost which works on Windows servers. For the most part, it makes not a jot of difference to me but does cause a few headaches when setting up sites using a wordpress install at the base of it. In particular setting nice pretty permalinks when I don't have access to IIS mod rewrite rules…
I did manage it on this very site eventually, but it wasn't straight forward particularly as I needed a separate 404 redirect for the subdomain (which I didn't have access to). Setting up the new BVToday.net website is more straight forward, but I thought I would post the solution here, partly for my own future benefit:
Requirements and Install instructions:
- IIS for Windows
- WordPress
- Ability to change your 404 error page with your web host.
To install, copy and paste this text into a file named wp-404-handler.php:
$qs = $_SERVER['QUERY_STRING'];
$_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'] = substr($qs, strpos($qs, ':80')+3);
Next set the 404 error page to /wp-404-handler.php. If it gives you a choice between file and url, choose url.
Lastly, make sure you enable permalinks in the WordPress control panel under Options > Permalinks.
This solution supercedes the ASP solution.


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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/1/2013 (1634 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The host Neelin Spartans captured the varsity boys basketball title in the Neelin Invitational Tournament on Saturday night.
Led by an MVP performance from Dylan Minshull and a game-high 19 points from Theo Farough, the Spartans defeated the Vincent Massey Vikings 71-39 in an all-Brandon high school boys final at Neelin. Quinton Hunter added 16 points for Neelin, while Jeremy Lucio replied with 16 points for the Vikings.
Farough, Lucio, Chance Miller, Vincent Massey's Johnson Duku, Moosomin's Austin Jones and St. John's Ravenscourt's Avery Naily made the tournament all-star team.
Meanwhile, Regina's Campbell Tartans took the NIT varsity girls title, beating the Virden Golden Bears 66-41. Heidi Smith and Jade Smith both had 13 points for Virden
Jade Smith's 24 points led Virden to a 76-51 win over the Hamiota Huskies in the semifinals. Logan Biccum added 20 points. Campbell knocked off Neelin 71-31 in the other semifinal. The Huskies went on to beat the Spartans 61-49 in the third-place game.
Kristine McKusker was named tournament MVP, while Campbell teammates Shannelle Handziuk and Tia Sojonky made the all-star team, along with Heidi Smith and Logan Biccum of Virden, Keegan Robinson of Hamiota and Hannah Patton of Neelin.
» Brandon Sun


text:
Dark Child (The Awakening): Episode 1
Adina West
Perfect for fans of The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, this intriguing urban fantasy follows the story of Kat Chanter, who discovers that the world she knows is controlled by ancient creatures who feed on blood. And she might just be one of them …
Kat can run a marathon without breaking a sweat. Catch anything you throw at her. Differentiate blood types by smell alone. And she's spent years hiding the fact. But secrets from the past have a way of slipping out when least expected, and a simple blood test is enough to turn her quiet life in the shadow of the Appalachian Mountains upside down forever.
Kat's been craving raw meat. When she visits a psychic she's told her life is about to change forever. Kat isn't so sure change is a part of her plan, but when a fabulous job offer to work for a research organization comes her way, she's tempted to say yes and make the move to New York. It just might be her chance to find out if there are others in the world like her …
Will her dream job bring answers to her questions or will it lead her into more trouble than she could ever imagine?
This is a novella length episode of Dark Child (The Awakening)*, first in the Dark Child series. All five episodes are also available bundled as Dark Child (The Awakening): Omnibus Edition. Look out for the next in this series, Dark Child (Covens Rising) available July 2014.
*Dark Child (The Awakening) was originally published in 2013 as Dark Child Episodes 1-5 and Dark Child Omnibus Edition.
Recommended Dark Child reading order is:
Dark Child (The Awakening) Episode 1
Dark Child (The Awakening) Episode 2
Dark Child (The Awakening) Episode 3
Dark Child (The Awakening) Episode 4
Dark Child (The Awakening) Episode 5
followed by
Dark Child (Covens Rising) Episode 1
Dark Child (Covens Rising) Episode 2
Dark Child (Covens Rising) Episode 3
Dark Child (Covens Rising) Episode 4
Dark Child (Covens Rising) Episode 5
OR Dark Child (The Awakening) Omnibus Edition
followed by
Dark Child (Covens Rising) Omnibus Edition
Available via:
Buy Direct (All devices except Kindle)
Amazon (Kindle)
Barnes and Noble (Nook devices)
Google Play (All devices except Kindle)
iBooks Store (iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac)
Kobo (All devices except Kindle)
Author Information
Adina West
Adina West grew up on a remote property on Australia's east coast, in country New South Wales. She spent most of her childhood curled up with a book, and her first teenage job was shelving books at the local library, where she was cautioned more than once for reading them instead of putting them away. Her first stories were laboriously typed up with two fingers on her parents' old typewriter. Her dream of one day being a published writer progressed …


text:
Baseball's Thursday Game vs. Maine Cancelled
Related Links
RIVERDALE, N.Y. - Manhatan College's game vs. Maine, scheduled for Thursday, May 1 at 3:30 p.m. is cancelled due to impending weather that will affect Maine's travel plans this week. Manhattan's game at Fordham scheduled for Wednesday, April 30 at 7 p.m. is still on as scheduled.
The Jaspers have won three of their last four games, including an epic 9-8, 15-inning victory at Rider on Sunday to clinch the series against the Broncs.


text:
|Thread Tools
: Waiting to O :
2sweetboysmom http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/1b488
AddysMama http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/13343b
Christy1980 http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/cc044
ChristyM26 http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/151f3a
cking http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/1434da
fierrbugg http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/15e65
Fishie Kisses http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/135610
greenegirl http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/1410c4
Hazeleyes http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/b40af
jessjillbolyer http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/3488c
Jillybeans http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/jillybeans
kJad29 http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/14d49d
ktcl + megincl http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/11575d
kwilki8 http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/109a29
MamaSweetP http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/13fad4
massaginmommy http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/8fe89
Matt's Mom in MT
mosesface http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/mosesface
noordinaryspider http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/13fc50
oceanmommy http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/1342b7
pnutS4us http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/spinnerz
Sapphire_chan http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/Sapphire_chan
shelley4 http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/15c047
yogachick79 http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/162210
Waiting to Know
ann109 http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/c38dc
AnonymousK http://www.fretilityfriend.com/home/anonymousk
halalove http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/14ce71
hazieluna http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/1630c7
jannyjo http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/1befc
Leigh5 http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/a96e2
lily7 http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/15868e
Lovelee2001 http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/15fe07
mamabearsoblessed http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/12ac35
MamaRabbit http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/128526
mosquito bite
Shelsi http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/160991
Taradactyl3 http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/13f793
Sitting on the Fence
spiritmomma http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/14a202
: Waiting for December:
frog http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/frogblogger
StacyMom http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/14e833
Waiting to be Ready
folaboye www.fertilityfriend.com/home/122d89
hlnmommy http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/15092b
mamamerle http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/mamamerle
twilight_girl http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/140d64
September BFPs
Mommy Teesa
Beating Earth
Violetisadora http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/161098
Jillian http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/11edc3
rock_dr http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/161a05
: October BFPs :
punquin http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/punquin
November BFPs
DoulaClara http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/12a030
Mel L
Next Threadkeeper: Shelsi Nov 5 - Nov 11
~Christy , mom to DD Sage (12-2003) and DS Isaac (04-2012) , wife to Josh .
Not much going on here, just can't sleep, AF is keeping me awake, lol.
~Christy , mom to DD Sage (12-2003) and DS Isaac (04-2012) , wife to Josh .
~Christy , mom to DD Sage (12-2003) and DS Isaac (04-2012) , wife to Josh .
AF showed up this weekend, so on to the next cycle it is for me!
Big and lots o' for everyone!
still holding onto hope!
Momma to K ('01), E ('03) and A ('07)
Proud Gestational Surrogate to N (15/01/15)
Momma to K ('01), E ('03) and A ('07)
Proud Gestational Surrogate to N (15/01/15)
Question: I know that my luteal phase used to always be 14 days, but now it has been 11 days for each of the post pregnancy loss cycles (4) (I wasn't charting temp except on the last one, but have very pronounced mittelshmerz). What's up with that??
Tara:You mentioned at the end of last week's thread you were doing visualizations and affirmations. I have tried both and am either not focussing enough or have really bad technique! (For example, my visualization ended up with me freaking out I would get so large while pg that I would not be able to um, clean myself after using the restroom...TMI, sorry...I've never been pg, so I have a hard time with the pregnancy visualization part..)
I was wondering if you have sources you use to guide you through those V&A, or it is somehting you have created on your own? TIA for your feedback! Congrats on everything coming together for you and DH this cycle! :
That is what ff says about daylight savings. Basically don't change anything because your body will adjust quickly and one off temp shouldn't do too much damage to the chart.
Ann - A friend took a course on visualization and told me about it. She said to do it in 1st person. I visualize myself looking at two lines on a test and celebrating being preg then I picture myself looking down at a later date to see a small belly growing. I don't visualize anything past say 6 months preg so in my mind I'm always super cute with a little pudge belly under my shirt and a big smile and glow. It's important to keep it super positve for it to work. I guess your mind and body want to coincide so if you keep your mind believing and picturing that you will get preg your body will do whatever it can to make that fit and become possible. I hope that makes sense.
I made cards with affirmations I like and put them throughout my house so I see them and stop for a sec and repeat them in my head over and over throughout the day. This site has exaples of some good affirmations. http://www.empoweredchildbirth.com/s...n/connect.html
I hope this makes sense and helps some. I also hope it was ok for me to post all this info online. It might help some others too, I hope.
My temp went up a bit this am. I think I o'd this weekend but will wait and see what goes on with the temp the next couple days.
Thanks for the new thread, Christy!
Tara:You mentioned at the end of last week's thread you were doing visualizations and affirmations. I have tried both and am either not focussing enough or have really bad technique! (For example, my visualization ended up with me freaking out I would get so large while pg that I would not be able to um, clean myself after using the restroom...TMI, sorry...I've never been pg, so I have a hard time with the pregnancy visualization part..)
I'm trying to visualize as well, but it's hard to keep out those nasty little "What if's" that keep creeping in. Try, try some more!
I'm still early in the 2ww, but I feel like crap this morning- I don't know what the deal is, but it feels like someone with a blowtorch blew a hole in the back of my esophagus! And I have been eating pretty mildly. Very annoying. I keep racking my brain trying to think... maybe too hot oatmeal yesterday? I'm only noticing it this AM.
At any rate... hugs n kisses to all who are waiting to O- just think of it as a fresh new start! (I know I will... wait! That's the wrong kind of visualization, Clara!)
Eager for a VBAC some time around April 10, 2010!
Waiting to O, it'll be a while.
CD 3 here.
Thrilled for my SIL. http://www.mothering.com/discussions...&postcount=325
Sorry for all those with AF, I really hoped she was busy enough with me to leave you all alone:
:*:*:*::*:*:*:*::*::*:*:*:*:*::*:*:*:*:*:*::*:*::* :*:*:*:*:*::**::*:*::
Old fashoned baby dust all around!
DH&Me Christ follower, homeschooler, gardener, (insert lots of additional crunchiness here) chicken mama, & occasionally blogger. Mama of boys 9,7,3.5,&11months....& SURPRISE expecting a BOY in November! 7 sweet-babes gone too soon.
In the US, today is when the clocks go backward one hour. If you changed your clocks before you went to bed last night, your clock showing an hour earlier than you usually get up is actually the time you have been getting up. For myself, my clock read 6:33 am when I took my temperature this morning -- but I did not change my clocks last night. When I came out to record the temp on fertility friend, the clock on the cable box, which changes automatically, read 5:30 am. I haven't checked TCFOYF yet for how to handle this, but I think for the rest of this cycle I have to remember to adjust the temperature as though I had taken it an hour later than usual. Either that or set my alarm for an hour earlier than usual. (Once I adjust my clock to the right time, it will read 6:00 am at the time that used to be 7:00 am...)
So i found out that TWO of my friends from HS are pregnant.....and i have to admit i'm soooo jelous....one friend is married to a real jerk (and thats being nice) and they can't even take care of the kid they already have.....:
and the other friend is married but dosn't live full time with her husband(although maybe now that they are having another baby they will pull things together and realise they are MARRIED and not just causally humping like bunnies), this is also her second child her DS is 4 and she got pregnant b/c she had a lapse in her birth control (nuva ring) b/c her gyn had to push her apt back a week....
i don't mean to sound bitter or hurt anyone's feelings.....but i had a pregnancy loss over the summer and it's still kind of emotional when people who don't plan on getting pregnant do and i lost my baby and wanted mine soooo badly
thanks for listening to my rant.....i feel better getting that out!
DH&Me Christ follower, homeschooler, gardener, (insert lots of additional crunchiness here) chicken mama, & occasionally blogger. Mama of boys 9,7,3.5,&11months....& SURPRISE expecting a BOY in November! 7 sweet-babes gone too soon.
Not much going on so I am totally stalking jezzy's chart (looks awesome!) - keep us posted girl.
DoulaClara: I didn't want to add to the post earlier, due to the already TMI content, but when I shared the panic about not being able to reach my parts, my husband said not to worry b/c he'd craft a pretty "butt stick" for me. Classy
Thank you!!! I am going to wait to test, I am to worried to see a bfn my Dr. said wait till tuesday. I tested on 9 dpo and got a bfn but my Dr. said disregard it it was way to early. She is also on vacation til thursday and wants me to call then if AF didn't show up. I really hate this waiting, but we all hate it right?
In the US, today is when the clocks go backward one hour. If you changed your clocks before you went to bed last night, your clock showing an hour earlier than you usually get up is actually the time you have been getting up.
nope, we forgot to turn back the clocks, so it was 5:30 (with the time change, actually 4:30). i usually get up at 6:30. make any sense?! :
Momma to K ('01), E ('03) and A ('07)
Proud Gestational Surrogate to N (15/01/15)
absolutely nothing going on over here. i'm on cd26 with no signs of O. i vascillate between being really angry and frustrated with these weird cycles and being grateful that my body is giving me more time to prepare. i just have a hard time getting over the fact that i've ovulated only ONCE in almost 4 months.
i've channeled my frustration to work on things i actually CAN control -- like working out (i've lost 3 pounds!) and searching for the perfect standard poodle to rescue. it's actually working out really well.
i do want a baby with all of my heart, but i am doing everything i can to fascillitate that, the rest i have to the leave up to god. in the meantime, i'm enjoying keeping my head and hands full of other good things.
I'm at dpo 5 and just trying to take it easy. I promised my DH that I'd concentrate on job hunting and I've been focusing on that. I may be close to getting a job, I will hear this coming week. I have to say that it has helped to keep my mind off of ttc. And that has been good for me since I am a tad bit obsessive!
I'm sure there is a pattern to my moods. I think FF should also graph moods to see how they correspond to your cycle!! Funny!
I'm now very excited about Jezzy's chart!!!!
I've always enjoyed cooking, but since TTC, I have become a maniac. I cook constantly. We have two refrigerators and two freezers, and both freezers are packed! I've also been canning and baking up a storm. Hopefully it will come in handy in those first few months when I feel too tired to cook after work, or in those first few weeks of bonding with the baby. In the meantime, I feel productive, and my house fills with all kinds of good smells.
ann109- I totally hope we meet up at some point- you seriously sound like my kind of people! You're in the Detroit area, yes?
Jezzy- I am also on a chart watch- your chart looks awesome! We should really pick a "chart/charts of the week" to stalk!"
Eager for a VBAC some time around April 10, 2010!
jezzy, is this your first clomid cycle? I remember mine and i was SOOO impatient! I tested + at 12dpo. Good luck to you hon!
I'm breaking out the big guns this cycle. Got a list for the health store a mile long! Hoping the vitex really does work as a natural clomid, my post-O hormones need it bigtime! But hooray for a normal lp, first o'ing cycle, previous problems, and NURSING!
Jill, mama to three fiery girlies and a sweet baby boy: Grace, 11.30.2005, Ayla, 3.22.2008, Norah 9.5.09, Reed 8.19.11 & dfs Gage 2.29.12 x4
CD 9 over here. I'm just getting over a bout of bronchitis. : I had to take a Zpack and some prescription cough syrup and it's making me extra juicy. For some reason I feel as if I'm going to O earlier than I did two months ago. This is my slow ovary's turn to spit out an egg and I usually don't O until around CD 18, but I'm so juicy right now, and RANDY!!!! I want to jump DH every time I see him, but I know that we don't want to burn ourselves out before we really get into it (CD 12-20). I don't know if I can hold out though.
I've had some really strange dreams lately. I had a dream the other night that I was in the hospital (I'm planning on a homebirth) having a baby and the OB tells me to prep for a c-sec. I told him nothing was wrong and he starts giving orders to the nurses. In the dream I think, "maybe if I squat the baby will come down quicker" so I do and then I see a head crowning. Then I give a push and this beautiful little baby comes out. The baby was really slippery so I couldn't get a good grip, but she was gorgeous! : I was so happy and then I was wondering where DH was. I woke up. Then I had a dream last night that I was helping another woman have her baby. Basically I just caught. I even did the perineal support as the head was crowning. That was cool. I think it's a sign. Then last night we're at a family style birthday party and my DH's best little buddy (9 month old) christens him with a good old puke. I told him that he's been marked for parenthood. Anyways, that's the update. No O yet, but we're waiting and watching....
Kemi wife to Jeff mommy to Rohan 1/3/09 and Naren(transfer to hospital) 10/22/10. Pregnant with
****5****10****15****20****25****30****35***40 (Hospital BC w/CNMs due to GD)
AF is sooooo kicking my butt today! : HUGE clots and BAD cramps!
Jezzy!!! wow, I'm watching you!!! I wish you didnt have to wait so long to test!! but I'm sure you feel more anxious than I do, lol!!
Welcome, Jyn!!
~Christy , mom to DD Sage (12-2003) and DS Isaac (04-2012) , wife to Josh .
I have had cramps all morning. All of a sudden, they're getting much worse. I'm on 7 DPO, and part of me is wondering if my knowing that this day is a good chance for implantation is making it worse, or what. I do know that it wasn't this bad until I watched a fake eye test that a friend forwarded to me, where at the end you are concentrating on a fake eye test, and a horrible ghoul pops out and screams at you. Now it's turning into a "very interesting sensation." It's requiring a lot of my attention.
Any advice would be really happily accepted. I may take some advil or something and go lay on my bed for a while.
Eager for a VBAC some time around April 10, 2010!
I know it sounds silly but I really REALLY wanted to be able to tell the family at Christmas that I was prego and it seems that is quickly slipping away. I had this whole fantasy in my head of how it would go and how great it would have been. I know there is still hope as long as I ovulate sometime in the next few weeks but I guess I'm just feeling down about the whole thing.
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|70 m²
|Property type
|Minimum Stay
|3 - 7 nights
La Tuiliere is a charming 200 year old Family Farmhouse near Cotignac in the Var department of Provence. Situated in grounds of 5 acres with a private pool in a tranquil wide valley it faces south with views of the distinctive Grand and Petit Bessillon escarpments as a backdrop.
With its exposed stone and roughly plastered walls, terracotta tiled flooring, wooden beams, original fireplaces and log burning stoves we welcome you into a genuine provencal farmhouse. Furnished and generously equipped with a sympathetic mix of traditional and new we aim to provide a friendly and relaxed environment where you feel comfortably at home.
The groundfloor, @ 70sq m, comprises one long open kitchen, dining and living room. The kitchen was completely refurbished in the autumn of 2014 with new appliances, deep ceramic sink and wooden worktops, all in keeping with the age and style of La Tuiliere. Likewise the solid wooden central dining table has seen generations of families and friends gather round to share meals and play games together.
Upstairs are 3 spacious bedrooms sleeping up to 6 people. We also provide a cot (and highchair) for any infants. The vast master bedroom (formally a barn?) is a particular feature, reaching an impressive 7m in height with exposed wooden beams and a large stone fireplace. All the bedrooms have wardrobes or hanging rails, chests of drawers, bedside tables, bedside lights and room fans. 2 bathrooms give privacy and avoid queues!
Back downstairs and opening directly from the french windows you step onto the terrace with a built-in BBQ and sturdy marble topped external table for all your outdoor meals. Both the terrace and adjacent graveled boule court area fronting the property are shaded by mature lime, cherry and plane trees providing welcome shade during the hot summer months. A hammock swings between two of them.
External flood lighting to both the houses and in the trees enable you to enjoy a leisurely meal outside as the sun goes down. Ideally suited for families, we also provide games and play equipment to occupy those with the most energy!
La Tuiliere is set in 5 acres of grassy meadows with mature trees providing much needed shade during the heat of the day and wooded areas for older children to explore, make camps and play in, providing plenty of outdoor space for you to relax in. A large vegetable plot was dug in 2010 and we are beginning to grow our own crops for both ourselves and you, our guests to pick and enjoy. 3 hens joined us in 2012 and their successors provide free-range eggs.
A separate sun terrace holds the private swimming pool (12m x 6m) which is alarmed and receives the sun from 7.30 in the morning until 9.00 in the evening. Pool furniture, sun loungers and deckchairs are of course provided. In the garage you will also find bikes, table tennis table, table football, dart board, rackets, bats, balls and other games and play equipment for your use
Thank you for looking at our advert and I am pleased to introduce myself. My name is Gillian Dyer. I grew up in Reading, trained as a teacher in Yorkshire and moved to the Bournemouth area in 1979 upon marriage to Paul, a solicitor. We have 3 adult children. Throughout our marriage we held a long term ambition to 'have an adventure' by living abroad. 2008 provided a window of opportunity when our youngest child reached 11 and was changing schools. She gained a place at an international bi-lingual school in Aix-en-Provence so we took the plunge and bought La Tuiliere.
I live in the adjacent second house for several months of the year, joined by Paul as and when he is able, returning to Bournemouth during the summer months and over winter. I am well-integrated into our active and welcoming village, being a member of the chorale and art groups and participating in the annual Fete de Bessillon on May 1st. In 2015 we took the opportunity to buy an Olive grove so are now novice 'oleiculteurs', producing our own olive oil. I am also a member of the nearby (English speaking) church, being a life-long Christian.
Paul and Gillian Dyer purchased this farmhouse in 2008
The property was clean a good size and comfortable with good internal facilities. The pool was secluded and private and frequently enjoyed in the very hot weather which we experienced while there. Gillian was friendly and explained everything clearly. The Smith siblings would have no problems recommending this property to others and we all enjoyed Ralph's ( the dog) company. The property is locacted close to several interesting villages with cheap cheerful restaurants and within easy distance of Aix which was lovely. If you get the chance to visit enjoy yourselves, we did.
This was our second year at La Tuiliere and we had a truly wonderful holiday mainly because the house is set in 5 acres of land and the facilities are perfect for a family group. We had a large private family pool and 5 acres of garden for our three boys to play in. There is an abundance of activities in the garage such as badminton, boules and table football, and we thoroughly enjoyed playing table tennis all holiday. Paul and Gillian made us feel very welcome and our youngest son Jack loved collecting fresh eggs every day form the chickens. We were a bit more adventurous exploring the region this holiday and went to the Lac Saint-Croix several times. Would love to return next year!
Friendly and welcoming host. The property is clean and well maintained. A lot of trouble has been taken to create a Provençal ambiance. The gîte is situated in a peaceful location yet a lively village (Pontevès) is close by. Plenty to see in the local area and the well informed host can give excellent advice. Would certainly recommend.
My friends and I, five adults in all, had a really relaxing and peaceful week in this authentic old Provencal house. It was a good base for exploring lots of interesting places nearby, like the small town of Barjoles with its many fountains, the hilltop village of Fox, and a beautiful waterfall. Not far away is the wonderful Quinson gorge. The week was hot, as we expected for September, but coming back to the beautiful swimming pool was the perfect solution for that. A really lovely holiday.
La Tuiliere had everything we needed to make the stay relaxing and enjoyable. The kitchen was well equipped to deal with the six of us, our son was obsessed with the chickens and the pool got used all week. A fantastic place in the sun with enough shade to get some quiet away from the heat. Gillian and Emilie were both extremely helpful and a pleasure to deal with. Planning our return trip next year already!
We stayed here for a month in June. The owner stayed in her house in the grounds and kept a discrete distance but was very helpful, welcoming and informative - nothing was too much trouble. We had guests coming and going throughout our stay (pre-arranged with Gillian) and everyone was made to feel at home. The house was just lovely, cool when it was hot and a wood burner if it turned cool in the evenings. Many hours of fun were had in the pool which was kept pristinely clean and is not in view of the house. A flattish 2 mile cycle to the village of Pontevés which we did every day to the Epicerie - to buy the baguettes and have a coffee to watch the world go gently by. (There are bikes to borrow in the garage - along with many other things!) Many ancient villages to visit by cycle or car. Ralph the dog provides the entertainment - or is kept away if preferred. We had our dog and it was lovely not having to worry about him wandering off - although he tended to take himself off to Gillian's place and she just kept him until we noticed he was gone!
We had a fantastic month, eating out on the terrace under the cherry tree - we never thought we'd tire of eating cherries but...
Local activities include:
For water sports head north (25 - 40 mins drive) to Quinson, Lac de Ste Croix and Esparron or south to the river Argens (20 - 30 mins drive) with water based activities near the villages of Carces and Correns.
Equestrian centres abound within a 30 minute drive
Rock climbers from all over Europe head to the Vallon de sourn near Correns (20 minutes drive) to test their skills.
We provide a number of bikes (3 adult and 3 childrens) for your use. Cycle hire is also possible from Carces (25 mins).
And of course, wine tasting from the local vignerons or in the co-operatives to be found in most villages and small towns.
1 hour 30 mins by car to the Mediterranean beaches and resorts of St. Tropez, Ste Maxime Cavalaire-sur-Mer and Hyeres.
30 mins drive to the 'plages' of Lac St. Croix, Quinson and Montmeyan.
Air: 1hour 30mins from Marseille, 2 hours from Nice, 1hr from Toulon, 2hrs from Nimes.
Train: 1hr from Aix-en-Provence TGV station.
Car-hire is essential as the house is not on a public transport route.
Barjols 5km (for everyday shopping, banks, pharmacies and amenities)
Cotignac 10km
1 - 2 hours drive to the historic and culturally rich cities of Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, Cannes and Nice
Further Details:
Our house is in the commune of Ponteves, a pretty, well kept up hill top village with narrow winding streets and a ruined castle from where there are far reaching views north to the Verdon. From here you can walk the Petit Bessillon, choosing a more or less strenuous route! To the east is the Grand Bessillon. Near the summit is a memorial to some local young men from the French Resistance who were captured and shot at the end of the second world war.
Within a 30km radius of our house are many attractive villages with their squares, cafes, restaurants and markets. The following are particular places of interest:
Barjols (5km) formally the centre of a tanning industry, is a small town with supermarket, petrol stations, garages, banks and pharmacies as well as traditional shops - and 28 fountains to track down! Recently re-opened, the footpaths and viewing platforms of the Vallon de Calme follows the impressive waterfall and bathing pools tumbling down into the town.
Cotignac (10km) is noted for the medieval houses and passageways leading off the main square and the troglodyte walkways on the 'back wall' of the village.
Sillans-la-Cascade (12km) has a lovely walk to an immense waterfall and pool.
Salernes (18km), another attractive small town is a tile, ceramics and pottery centre and has a particularly good Sunday market.
Aups (20km) is home to the Simon Segal modern art museum.
Quinson (25km), which along with Lac de Ste Croix is a water sports centre, has the largest pre-history museum in Europe, designed by Sir Norman Foster.
Entrecasteaux (25km) has a beautiful chateau - and an active cricket club!
Le Thoronet Abbey (30km) is one of the three great Cistercian monastries of Provence.
|Rate Period
|Weekend Night
High Summer
15 Jul 2017 - 1 Sep 2017
Changeover Day: Saturday
7 night minimum stay
Late Summer
2 Sep 2017 - 22 Sep 2017
Changeover Day: Saturday
7 night minimum stay
23 Sep 2017 - 27 Oct 2017
3 night minimum stay
|No additional mandatory fees
Booking Notes:
Our booking process is very straightforward. When you indicate that you wish to make a booking we send you our Booking Form together with a copy of our Terms of Hire and Terms and Conditions. If you wish to proceed please return the signed and completed Booking Form together with your non-refundable booking deposit (25% of the rental cost + 25 GBP booking/admin fee). The balance of payment is due eight weeks before the start of your stay together with a refundable damages/excessive cleaning deposit of 500 GBP.
Taxe de Sejour:
For ease of administration the compulsory 'Taxe de Sejour' is included in the rental price. The rate for La Tuiliere is 75 centimes per adult (18 and over) per night.
Damages/Excessive cleaning/tidying deposit:
500 GBP to be paid eight weeks before the start of your stay, refundable within 14 days of your departure.
Changeover Day:
Saturday unless otherwise discussed
Notes on prices:
Prices are based on maximum occupancy. Smaller groups or couples wishing to stay outside the main school holiday season would attract a discount, as would bookings of 3 or more weeks.
We require 25% of the total holiday rental price + 25 GBP booking/admin fee as a deposit. This is non-refundable.
The balance, together with a refundable damages/excessive cleaning deposit of 500 GBP is due 8 weeks prior to the start of your stay.
Payment can be made by cheque or bank transfer.


text:
Pests who take smile off our dial
The Sun-Herald
Page Tools
Unwanted phone calls from the $14.7 billion-a-year telemarketing industry have become the biggest source of complaints to the NSW Office of Fair Trading.
The daily calls from people trying to sell everything from telephone services to holidays and raffle tickets for charities are a major annoyance to householders and businesses.
It is not uncommon for phone subscribers to receive two or three calls a day, some from countries such as India, Singapore and Ireland.
Fair Trading Minister Diane Beamer said the Government introduced strong measures last year to place curbs on telemarketing.
The unsolicited calls can't be made between 8pm and 9am.
"The Office of Fair Trading continues to monitor the situation because telemarketing makes up a considerable number of the complaints received," she said.
"The office investigates the ones that fall under the NSW regulations but we've asked the Federal Government to look into its telecommunications laws to see what can be done about the overseas calls because we can't do anything about them.
"That has to be done under federal laws."
Ms Beamer said people who received calls after 8pm should report the company to the Office of Fair Trading.
If it were a NSW-based organisation, action could be taken against it.
The Australian Direct Marketing Association has a Do Not Contact Service registry of people who don't want to receive marketing offers by telephone, email or SMS.
People can register on the association's website at http://www.adma.com.au.
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text:
victor_rod... Model
Alma GabrielaModel Female Monrovia, California, US
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text:
Ethiopian Airlines flight ET-702 on scheduled service departing from Addis Ababa on 17 February 2014 at 00:30 (local time) scheduled to arrive in Rome at 04:40 (local time) was forced to proceed to Geneva Airport. Accordingly, the flight has landed safely at Geneva Airport. All passengers and crew are safe at Geneva Airport.
Ethiopian Airlines is making immediate arrangements to fly its esteemed customers on-board the flight to their intended destinations.
For more information about this press release, please contact:
Manager PR & Publications Ethiopian Airlines Tel:
(251-1) 517 8407 / 8656 / 8913 / 8907 / 8407 Email:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ethiopianairlines
Twitter: @flyethiopian


text:
Judi Whilden
April 20, 2005
Because April is "The Month of the Young Child," I find this the perfect time to thank those in our community who volunteered their time by visiting us at our preschool, Sunrise Kids, and helped our preschoolers celebrate "The Week of the Young Child," which was the first week in April.
Our school believes that community involvement is a very important aspect of a quality preschool experience. It is a time to introduce the community to what quality preschool is and at the same time, introduce our preschoolers to some of the people who make up the community.
A personal thank-you to Dave DeRose and Troy DeRose for entertaining us with their guitars; Dr. Told, who shared his expertise about what doctors do best; Mark Sollenberger, who taught us about water and how the city keeps it healthy for us to drink; the Meckleys from Tunies & Such for allowing us to visit their nursery; the people at the courthouse who let us cover their sidewalks with childhood art and the Craig Daily Press, the Morning News and K27 Television for taking picutes of the children while they were doing their "chalk art" at Alice Pleasant Park in downtown Craig.
There's nothing more fun than smiling for cameras and talking into a microphone when you are 3,4 and 5 years old.
And last but not least, I want to give a big thank-you to the staff at Sunrise Kids … Miss Alice, Miss Pat, Miss Donna, Miss Angela and Miss Kimberly … without you, our children would not experience the love, warmth and wonderful education that they receive on a daily basis.
Judi Whilden
Owner/director, Sunrise Kids LLC


text:
More on CostCo - its $1M gas kiosk
Following up my Monday column on CostCo's permit application for the $17.34 million shell of its 152,934-square-foot store in northwest Rochester, the permit for Costco's associated gas station canopy and kiosk was filed Monday.
The gas station and kiosk project is valued at pretty much $1 million even.
If you had some sort of emergency last night and didn't read my column, here's some from it:
Look for action to ramp up soon on Rochester's 19th Street as work on the massive new Costco store and latest Kwik Trip kick off.
Two early building permits for the 152,934-square-foot Costco store were filed with the city of Rochester this week and are starting to wend their way through official channels.
For the record, Costco's complex adds up to more than 3 acres of retail under one roof.
One permit application filed Wednesday listed the value of the Costco project at $17.34 million. By comparison, the structural shell of the Mayo Clinic's plan to build four additional floors on top of the Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center is valued at $16.7 million.
Another Costco permit filed the same day was for three retaining walls — 375 feet, 140 feet and 160 feet in length — estimated at about $50,000.
Costco's plans to build in the new commercial development at 19th Street Northwest and West Circle Drive first rolled out in December. Costco has six warehouse stores in Minnesota, all in the Twin Cities area. This will be the first in the southern part of the state.
Kwik Trip's real estate arm, which is also working on a new convenience store there, is driving the 108-acre project in northwest Rochester.
Meanwhile, Kwik Trip's plans for its own new convenience store and gas station, which will stand very near to Costco's, have also started through the city permit system.
The La Crosse, Wis.-based chain plans to build a 5,770-square-foot station with a car wash. It's valued at $1.48 million, according to the main building permit.


text:
After throwing a comprehensive bullpen session, N.Y Mets left-hander Johan Santana strolled past executive Terry Collins and proclaimed: "You've got your pitcher for Thursday."
One day later, after Santana had a meeting with managing director Sandy Alderson, Collins and the rest of the rotation within the manager's office, that proclamation was attested. Betting lines
Santana, who last threw a pitch in a major league game on Sept. 2, 2010, will start opposite Atlanta Braves right-hander Tommy Hanson on Thursday at Citi Field in the teams' regular-season opener.
R.A. Dickey, Jon Niese, Mike Pelfrey and Dillon Gee will round out the rotation, in that specific order. Sports scores
Santana underwent surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his left shoulder 12 days after that last major league pitch.
"It means everything that we have done since I had my surgery, all of the way to today, has been paid off," Santana said. "We worked hard. And I'm very happy. I'm very happy that I have a chance to start the season from Day One with the team. That's something that I actually was looking forward to. I'm happy about it."
Santana will make his 7th Opening Day start, his 4th with the Mets.
"I did not want to get ahead of everything," Santana claimed. "I think we took just one step at a time, being cautious about all. I'm really excited again. It will be something critical for me."
Santana has thrown less than 88 pitches in any Grapefruit League game, and Collins expounded the southpaw likely would not exceed 95 pitches in April.
At least 6 of Santana's 1st 7 starts will be on an extra day of rest because of team off days.
After his final Grapefruit League start, last Monday vs. the Cardinals, Santana felt achiness, and his fastball velocity registered only 86 mph in the 1st inning. So that the Mets reserved naming him the Game 1 starter till they were assured he may bounce back.
"The other day, after he threw in St. Louis, the 80-something pitches, the following day he felt it, which is what you do when you get in shape," Collins related. "If it was going to bother him at all, we weren't going to pitch him. And he bounced back and said, 'I'm good to go. '"
Left fielder Jason Bay was enthusiastic to see Santana come back, especially after the Mets lost shortstop Jose Reyes to the Miami Marlins in free agency.
"(Johan) brings a large amount of the same type of power that Jose had brought. We obviously lost Jose and not having Johan around all year last year, so getting him back is getting the energy back," Bay announced.
"It's almost like picking up another man because you've missed him for the whole year. It's pleasant to have that back," Bay asserted.
The right-handed Gee said the club will immediately feel the impact of Santana's return.
"It's crucial to see him back," Gee said. "Everyone wished to see Johan on Opening Day. The prestige of Johan on Opening Day is a benchmark."


text:
You are a fan of coil hirax ? Come to discover the best forums coil hirax on the internet and share your experience with a community fan of coil hirax . You can also build a forum coil hirax and create your online discussion.
This is the official No Life 'Til Metal & Metal Metropolis discussion board.
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text:
The Hurst name has been synonymous with American muscle cars and performance for years. Tire Rack is pleased to offer a modern take on classic performance with the Hurst Stunner wheel.
This modern classic has a machined aluminum finish with anthracite (dark gray) accents in the recessed pocket of each spoke.
These wheels are currently produced in 20x9 for the front or all four corners, with an option to go 20x10 on the rear. View these wheels in detail and check current pricing and availability by searching by vehicle.
The Hurst Stunner is also available for the Mustang's archrival, the Chevy Camaro.


text:
I use "Chrome" developer tools JavaScript console a lot to experiment dynamically with different properties and execute different JavaScript methods, etc, directly in the console.
I want to know how I can set CSS properties on HTMLElements directly on the elements without using the .style CSSStyleDeclaration object. Is this even possible?
I have tried changing the .offsetLeft property to dynamically move a

 on the page to see the effects but when I try changing the value it doesn't change and, of course, the HTMLDivElement doesn't move on screen. How do I manipulate these CSS properties on these HTMLElements in real-time through the JavaScript console without going through the .style CSSStyleDeclaration object. I guess that's the best way I can phrase my question. I hope my question can be understood.
Thanks for the help.
P.S. I have used the .css method in jQuery to do this but I want to know if it can be in regular JavaScript code. Not jQuery. Thanks.
Hi, why don't you want to use the style attribute?
offsetLeft is a read only method that is calculated each time it's called, style properties are only set when you change them.
If you're using a positioned element you could move it by changing the top and left valueselement.style.left = '100px'
Or if it's not positioned you'll need to use something like marginelement.style.marginLeft = '100px'
You can only set properties that exist in CSS.
Thank you for your response. I need to refine my first question. F12 in Chrome shows a section of CSS properties in a node tree called "Computed Style". Using that node tree(is that the right word) I can see every single CSS property on a selected element. Now, my question is, how can I see all those same properties using JavaScript code. When I look at the "element.style" object all it shows is empty strings. That's the reason I don't want to see or use the element.style object. That's only showing me properties that have been set "inline". I want to be able to see all those properties I can see in the Chrome "Computed Style" node tree using JavaScript notation. How do I do that? If I wanted to view or modify the zIndex property on any HTMLElement object what would the JavaScript code be?
var tempDIV = document.querySelector('div');console.log(tempDiv.zIndex);
This code doesn't work. The element.style object doesn't show the "Computed Style" values, only values that are actually set inline. So where in the world are all these "Computed Style" CSS properties at? They gotta be attached to the HTMLElement somewhere, right? jQuery knows how to find. I just wanna know how to see them for myself.
Computed Styles are read only, so you can't set them.
All setting of css properties has to be done through the style property.
IE8 and lower have el.currentStyle and other browsers have a getComputedStyle function.
el = document.getElementById('example')
styles = null
if (el.currentStyle) {
styles = el.currentStyle
else {
styles = getComputedStyle(el)
Thank you for your reply once again. Very helpful information. I guess I will be using the element.style object to dynamically manipulate the elements then. I just thought there was a more direct way. It seems I was wrong.
I think I know what caused my confusion about looking for a more direct way to manipulate CSS properties on an HTMLElement versus going through the element.style object. What confuses me is the fact that some CSS properties like 'left' and 'top' are top-level properties of any HTMLElement. So my thinking was that since the 'left' and 'top' CSS properties were visible at the top-level surely they must be editable at the top-level as well.
Why would the developers of JavaScript show only these 2 CSS properties at the top-level of any HTMLElement? I can see some value in it because they directly correlate to the value of your elements position setting. But you can't even see the CSS 'position' property at the top level of an HTMLElement. So, unless I am mistaken, 2 out of about 276 CSS properties are viewable at the top-level of an HTMLElement. Why is this? It seems somewhat inconsistent other than some developers idea that he would need to know these two properties more than any of the other CSS properties and therefore decided to place 'shortcut' views at the top-level of the HTMLElement properties instead of keeping them all in the element.style object.


text:
What would you do if you went into a restaurant, and your server came over to your table with an item that looked like a phone and was doing stuff on it? Well I know that I would be questioning the ethics that were in play.
I ask this because I just watched the most recent Kitchen Nightmares, and Chef Ramsey installed a new retail POS system into the restaurant. In addition to that the servers were given a gadget that looked like a phone, but it was part of the system.
I love how technology has moved along, but sometimes moving technology too fast is a bad thing.


text:
Tracks Offroad.
Low ground pressure is important offroad in snow, sand or muddy conditions. Nothing can equal the low ground pressure achieved by tracks offroad, not even the widest swamper tyres (tires).
The advantages of tracks in snow, sand and mud has been realised since at least the first World War when tracks were fitted over the rear wheels of 6x4 trucks, and of course the first tanks were also fitted with tracks.
Citroen built a number of successful halftracks which took part in major expeditions in the 1920's and 1930's.
This M14 halftrack (left) was built by International for the American Army during World War Two.
Halftracks are usually based on standard trucks or four wheel drives
and so can share mechanical components with them.
They steer like ordinary trucks and so do not need the complex
transmission of a fully tracked vehicle.
This also reduces the need for special driver training.
Cuthbertson Track Conversion
A special purpose tracked vehicle is obviously an expensive proposition while conversions of regular four wheel drives can be cheaper.
In the 1950's and 1960's, the Cuthbertson tracked Land Rover conversion took a standard Land Rover and fitted demountable tracks to it. The tracks are carried on a substantial subframe to take the stresses and strains off the standard wheel hubs and axles.
A back of the envelope calculation shows
the low ground pressure advantage of tracks.
Assuming a four wheel drive weighing three tons (6000 lbs),
a wheelbase of 90" and a track width of perhaps 20"
gives a ground pressure of about
Although the tracks give impressively low ground pressure
this is not everything offroad.
The step-up ability of a wheeled vehicle depends largely on the
tyre diameter.
For something like the Cuthbertson this translates to the diameter of
the leading wheels on a bogie - about the same as a regular tyre.
Army tanks in contrast
achieve a huge step-up ability by having the leading edge of the tracks
slope upwards from the first load-carrying wheel
to a drive sprocket or idler.
This is not practical on a small four wheel drive.
Bolt-on Tracks
While the Cuthbertson's tracks were, in principle, removable this was not some five minute operation. The idea of simple bolt-on track units is attractive as they can be towed in a trailer behind a standard four wheel drive to the snow or the swamp where the switch to track power is made. Manufacturers such as Mattracks have made such gadgets.
These tracks (left) were being demonstrated at the
1996 Perth 4WD Show
on a Toyota LandCruiser 80series.
The tracks are under test by Toyota Accessories division.
They weigh in at just 85kgs each
and can be fitted in about an hour by one person with a good jack.
The main question about these devices must concern
the ability of the four wheel drive's standard steering and wheel hubs
to withstand the forces generated by the tracks.
- /4WD.html
Full Tracks
Where snow is deep, soft and permanent, a fully tracked vehicle is the only way to go. Volvo make the BV202 which is used by the British Army. The Australian Antarctic division uses Hagglund machines.
Gernot writes in with some more history: The German Daimler truck company had been contracted to built a 4WD heavy car for the colonial army then fighting in German south-west Africa. Since the vehicle was found suitable a 4WD truck version was commercially built. These 4WD trucks were well liked by the Allieds - the victorious Allies took nearly all 4WD Daimlers (and Ehrhardts) in 1919.
The Portuguese bought one of these trucks for their Guinea. And all went fine until the rainy season came. The truck sank in the mire. It was sent back to the manufacturer who built the chains of a Holt tractor onto each side in place of the back wheels. Afterwards the buyer took it back - the arrangement worked. But there were no further orders. The Daimler company even mislaid the plans - so when they began to build half-tracks again in 1916 they had to start anew.
The French experimented with tracks, like the Germans, but with
"rubber bands".
The deserts of Tunesia quickly ruined the rubber chains of a Peugeot car.
The inventor of the French halftrack system, Armand Kegresse, went to
Russia. There he became chief chauffeur of the Czar. The Czar had a
fleet of cars - but could not use them because of the mud and snow.
Kegresse transformed the car pool of the Czar into halftracks - much to the
delight of the owner.
The bigwigs of Russia like the rubber halftracks way down the ages.
Kegresse must be counted as the first successful cross-country automobilist
since he perfected a design, that permitted a single chauffeur to
operate a car in difficult terrain.
and for a bit of fun, see
4WD Magazine
4WD Vehicles A-Z
4WD Gallery
4WD Conversions
Mechanical Info
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