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Language Learning & Technology
Vol. 8, No. 1, January 2004, pp. 53-65
Paginated PDF version
Edward W. Wolfe and Jonathan R. Manalo
Michigan State University
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) contains a direct writing assessment, and examinees are given the option of composing their responses at a computer terminal using a keyboard or composing their responses in handwriting. This study sought to determine whether performance on a direct writing assessment is comparable for examinees when given the choice to compose essays in handwriting versus word processing. We examined this relationship controlling for English language proficiency and several demographic characteristics of examinees using linear models. We found a weak two-way interaction between composition medium and English language proficiency with examinees with weaker English language scores performing better on handwritten essays while examinees with better English language scores performing comparably on the two testing media. We also observed predictable differences associated with geographic region, native language, gender, and age.
Increasingly, computers are being used to administer selection and certification tests. With the transition from a paper-based to a computer-based testing system comes a potential threat to the consequential basis of test use aspect of validity (Messick, 1989). That is, implementation of a computer-based testing program could result in unintended negative consequences for some examinees or for some societal components of the testing system. For example, differences in the performance of gender and ethnic groups exist on paper-based tests, and some fear that the shift toward a computer-based testing system may exacerbate existing social barriers to advancement opportunities for women, minorities, economically disadvantaged, and elderly individuals. Previous research comparing computer-based and paper-and-pencil tests has revealed only small differences between population means of multiple-choice tests administered in these two media (Mead & Drasgow, 1993). However, little is known about the influence of computerized testing on "at risk" groups of examinees or about the comparability of performance-based tests (e.g., direct writing assessments) administered in these two media, particularly for diverse populations of examinees. The purpose of this article is to compare computer-based and paper-based scores on the writing section of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for a diverse population of international examinees.
What evidence exists to support concerns about the potential negative impact of computer-based testing on some populations of examinees? First, it is clear that some groups of examinees are less likely to have access to, and hence experience and proficiency with, computers. In the US, minorities and women are less likely to have computers in their homes, and males are likely to dominate computer use at school -- the primary location within which some groups learn about and gain experience using computers (Campbell, 1989; Grignon, 1993; Keogh, Barnes, Joiner, & Littleton, 2000). Internationally, women, Africans, and Spanish speakers are less likely to have access to computers (Janssen Reinen & Plomp, 1993; Miller & Varman, 1994; Taylor, Kirsch, Eignor, & Jamieson, 1999). Similarly, one would expect older individuals who learned how to use a computer later in life to have less experience using computers, although it is not clear whether these individuals would have restricted access.
Second, inequities in computer access and familiarity may lead to lower levels of confidence and higher levels of anxiety toward computer-based tasks. U.S. minorities and women (internationally) exhibit higher levels of computer anxiety and lower levels of confidence for performing computer-related tasks (Janssen Reinen & Plomp, 1993; Legg & Buhr, 1992; Loyd & Gressard, 1986; Massoud, 1992; Nolan, McKinnon, & Soler, 1992; Shashaani, 1997; Temple & Lips, 1989; Whitely, 1997). Interestingly, the magnitude of group differences in anxiety levels is greatly diminished when computer experience is held constant (Gressard & Loyd, 1987; Loyd & Gressard, 1986), indicating that, to some degree, non-cognitive influences on computer-based testing may lessen as computers become more commonplace in society.
Finally, scores from computer-based tests are already being used widely to make important decisions about individuals, and it is clear that affective responses, like computer anxiety, and proficiencies, like levels of computer experience, are correlated with computer-based test scores at non-trivial levels (Marcoulides, 1988). From previous research concerning computer-administered direct writing assessments with international populations, it is also clear that groups who have had fewer opportunities to use computers (e.g., females and individuals from developing countries) are less likely to choose a computer-based administration model when given the choice (Wolfe & Manalo, in press).
When scores on standardized multiple-choice computer-based and paper-based tests are compared, the differences in test performance at a population level tend to be small, but examinees perform slightly better on the paper-based versions of the tests (Mazzeo & Harvey, 1988; Mead & Drasgow, 1993). Obviously, population-level comparisons do not allow researchers to ascertain whether the influence of computer administration on test performance is stronger for small portions of the population (Wise & Plake, 1989). For example, analyses of several large-scale multiple-choice tests indicate that females may receive higher scores on paper-based tests, but that, contrary to what one might expect, African-Americans and Hispanics receive higher scores on computer-based tests (Gallagher, Bridgeman, & Cahalan, 2002).
Studies concerning the impact of computers on the comparability of direct writing assessments are less common. The few studies that exist suggest that raters may be influenced by the appearance of essays in handwritten versus typed text. Specifically, raters may have higher expectations for word-processed text (Arnold, Legas, Obler, Pacheco, Russell, & Umbdenstock, 1990; Gentile, Riazantseva, & Cline, 2001), but they may also produce more reliable scores for word-processed text because handwriting effects are eliminated (Bridgeman & Cooper, 1998; Wolfe & Manalo, in press). Fortunately, readers can be trained to partially compensate for differential expectations they may have concerning the quality of handwritten and word-processed text (Powers, Fowles, Farnum, & Ramsey, 1994).
Regardless, the use of word processors seems to influence the quality of the writing produced by examinees. For example, handwritten essays contain shorter sentences (Collier & Werier, 1995), are better organized (Russell & Haney, 1997), are freer of mechanical errors (Gentile et al., 2001), and are neater, more formal in tone, and exhibit weaker voice (Wolfe, Bolton, Feltovich, & Niday, 1996) than word-processed essays. More important, however, there may be an interaction between computer experience or proficiency and composition medium with respect to essay quality. In studies conducted on school-aged children, examinees responding to direct writing assessment or performance assessment prompts who had less computer experience received higher scores when tested in handwriting, and examinees with higher levels of computer experience received higher scores when tested using computers (Russell, 1999; Russell & Haney, 1997; Wolfe, Bolton, Feltovich, & Bangert, 1996; Wolfe, Bolton, Feltovich, & Niday, 1996). We hypothesize that this relationship exists because the imposition of keyboard composition requires examinees with less computer experience to perform the equivalent of a translation in order to produce their text. These examinees may formulate their writing cognitively, but then they are required to translate those thoughts into keyboard strokes -- a task that is not part of their natural written communication process. As a result, the use of word-processors by examinees with weaker computer and keyboarding skills interferes with the production of writing, but no such interference is encountered by examinees with stronger computer skills because keyboarding has become an automated process for these examinees. It is likely that such an effect would be more pronounced for examinees for whom English is a second language because these examinees would perform a double translation -- native language to English and then English to keyboard strokes.
This article summarizes a study of the influence of composition medium on scores assigned to essays written for the TOEFL writing section. The study aims to determine the extent to which examinees with comparable levels of English language proficiency receive comparable scores on word-processed and handwritten TOEFL essays. Specifically, we addressed the following questions. Are there differences in the magnitudes of the scores assigned to essays composed in each mode of composition? Are there differences in the magnitudes of the scores assigned to essays composed in each mode, once the influence of English language proficiency is taken into account? Are groups identified as being potentially "at risk" by prior research more likely to exhibit inconsistent performance in the two modes of composition than are other groups of examinees?
In this study, general linear modeling was employed to determine whether a main effect exists for computer medium and demographic characteristics with respect to essay scores when controlling for English language proficiency and whether an interaction exists between computer medium and English language proficiency with respect to essay scores for a large sample of TOEFL examinees.
ParticipantsParticipants were 133,906 TOEFL examinees who participated in regular administrations of the computer-based TOEFL between January 24, 1998, and February 9, 1999 -- a small portion of the total number of examinees tested during this period. Only those examinees who provided complete demographic data, multiple-choice scores, and writing assessment scores were selected for this study. Participants were from 200 countries and represented 111 different languages. There were slightly more males than females (54% vs. 46%). Examinees ranged in age from 15 to 55 years -- the average age was 24.26 years. The majority of examinees took the TOEFL for admittance into undergraduate or graduate academic programs (38% and 46%, respectively). In fact, 82% of the examinees indicated that they planned to pursue an academic degree. Only 15% of the examinees indicated that they were taking the TOEFL for reasons other than to satisfy academic requirements.
The computer-based TOEFL consists of four sections: (a) listening, (b) structure, (c) reading, and (d) writing. The first three sections are composed of multiple-choice items, and the fourth is a direct writing assessment. The listening section measures the examinee's ability to understand English as it is spoken in North America. The structure section measures the examinee's ability to recognize language that is appropriate for standard written English using written stimuli. The reading section measures the examinee's ability to read and understand short passages that are similar to those contained in academic texts used in North American colleges and universities. The writing section measures the examinee's ability to write English, including the ability to generate, organize, and develop ideas; to support those ideas with examples or evidence; and to compose a response to a single writing prompt in written English.
The first three tests are fixed-length (i.e., 30 listening questions, 20 structure questions, and 44 reading questions) with a variable number of pretest questions. The listening and structure sections are administered as computer-adaptive tests, and the reading section is administered as a linear on-the-fly test. Scores from the listening and reading sections are scaled to range from 0 to 30. Scores for the structure and writing sections are combined, each contributing equally to the combined score, and are scaled to a range of 0 to 30 (ETS, 1999). For this study, the score for the structure section was scaled to range from 0 to 13 and was averaged with the TOEFL-scaled listening and reading scaled scores to create a variable measuring English language proficiency (English). We used the English variable as a covariate in the model described in the next section because examinees were allowed to choose composition medium (our dependent variable, medium). Our reasoning was that English proficiency can serve as a proxy for unmeasured variables, such as the educational opportunities available to the examinee, so that differences in the ability levels of examinees could be removed from the comparison of essay scores from each composition medium. Otherwise, the host of factors that influence reasons for choosing handwriting over computer as the composition medium could not be disentangled from the influence of composition medium on examinee performance. The relationship between English proficiency and composition medium choice is non-trivial in strength with higher ability examinees being more likely to choose word-processing (r = .25, p < .0001). A similar procedure was employed by Taylor et al. (1999) in their analyses of multiple-choice data from the TOEFL.
We also created a composite writing score by averaging the independent scores (ranging from 0 to 6) that two raters assigned to the examinee's essay -- the dependent variable in this study (essay). The essay section of the TOEFL measures an examinee's ability to write in English. Because some examinees may not be accustomed to composing an essay on computer, they are given the choice of handwriting or word-processing the essay in the 30-minute time limit. Information concerning essay topics and scoring guidelines are made available to examinees through the TOEFL Web site. Each examinee's essay is scored by trained essay readers who must meet several criteria, including passing a performance test in applying the scoring guidelines. Both typed essays and handwritten essay images are displayed to readers on a computer screen, and readers enter their ratings through this electronic interface. Each essay is rated independently by two readers. Neither reader knows the rating assigned by the other (TOEFL, 2003).
Examinees also provided self-report data about several demographic characteristics. From these data, we created four demographic covariate variables. Examinee age (recorded in years) was treated as a quantitative variable. Gender was treated as a dichotomous variable (0 = female, 1 = male). Countries were divided into the following regions, treated nominally, of course: North American, Africa, Asia and Pacific Islands, Central and South America, Europe, and Middle East. Keyboard was treated as a dichotomous variable based on whether the examinee's language uses a keyboard containing an alphabet similar to the one used in English (e.g., Roman or Cyrillic, coded as 1) versus other systems (e.g., most Asian languages, labeled "other" and coded as 0).
Each examinee completed the examination in an operational administration of the TOEFL. This entailed completing the entire multiple-choice section of the examination in a computer-based testing environment. However, each examinee had the choice to respond to the single prompt for the direct writing assessment using a word processor (54%) or in handwriting (46%).
We utilized general linear modeling to address our research questions (Cohen, Cohen, West, & Aiken, 2003). That is, we evaluated the contribution of our independent variable (M = medium) and our covariate variables (E = English, G = gender, R = region, A = age, and K = keyboard) to the prediction of essay scores as a linear function, weighting the value of each independent variable by its parameter estimate (the predicted incremental increase in the value of essay scores for each one-point increase in the value of the independent variable).
We evaluated the assumptions required for this model. The dependent variable must be unbounded and continuous. Because there are 11 possible values for the dependent variable (1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, ..., 5.5, 6.0) and because the highest and lowest values of the rating scale were infrequently observed, we felt that this requirement was reasonably satisfied. In addition, three assumptions are required for each model we investigated: (a) normality of conditional distributions of essay scores for each level of composition medium, (b) homogeneity of the variances of those arrays, and (c) linearity of the relationship between multiple-choice scores and essay scores for each composition medium. Examination of conditional distributions and variances indicated that the assumptions of normality and homogeneity of variances are satisfied. The linearity assumption was evaluated by computing conditional means for handwriting and word-processor composition media for each of 10 equal-interval bins of the multiple-choice scores and then examining the scatterplot of these mean essay scores for each composition medium. Again, these assumptions were met. As shown in Figure 1, the relationship seems slightly non-linear, although not dramatically so.
Figure 1. Linearity of essay scores across English proficiency levels
Table 1 presents the essay and English variable descriptive statistics for each composition medium. From this table, it is clear that although there are clear differences in the multiple-choice scores (English) for examinees who chose different composition media, there are only small differences in the essay scores for those examinees. Both of these differences are statistically significant, but the effect size for the multiple-choice means is large while the effect size for the essay scores is small by the standards set forth by Cohen (1988): tEnglish(133,904) = 93.16, p < .0001, r2 = .18; tessay(133,904) = 6.72, p < .0001, r2 = .01). Also, recall that all examinees responded to the multiple-choice items using a computer, which, by the way, was found to be comparable to the paper-based version of the TOEFL (Taylor et al., 1999). Because examinees were allowed to choose composition medium and because composition medium choice and English language proficiency are correlated at a non-trivial level (recall that that correlation was r = .25), it is clear that the composition medium groups are not comparable with respect to their English language abilities. Hence, we need to compare the scores obtained under each composition medium while controlling for group differences in English language proficiency. That is, we need to include the English variable in our general linear model.
Table 1. Composition Medium Essay Scores
Table 2 presents the parameter estimates from the general linear model predicting essay scores based on composition medium while controlling for English language proficiency and examinee demographic characteristics. The r2 for this model indicates that 42% of the observed variance in essay scores is explained by the linear model containing these variables.1 The values of the model's estimates (see the third column) indicate the expected incremental increase in essay scores, given a one-point increase in the continuous variables (e.g., English or age) or the existence of the characteristic in question for a qualitative variable (e.g., medium or gender) and assuming that all other variables are set to their zero values. For example, using a word-processor increases the expected essay score by 1.04 points, given all other variable values are set to zero. Being from South America, on the other hand, decreases the expected mean essay score by 0.35 points, given all other variable values are set to zero.
Table 2. Parameter Estimates for the General Linear Model
Middle East
North America
South America
English x Medium
*NOTE: The 2 shown here is based on the Type III sum of squares. The model r2 = .41. All effects were statistically significant at the .0001 level. The mean essay score is 4.08.
Given the large sample size, it is not surprising that the test comparing the observed estimate to a null value of zero is statistically significant for all variables. From the 2 effect size indices, it is clear that the two-way interaction between composition medium and English language proficiency is small, as are the main effects for age, keyboard, region, and gender. Specifically, each of these variables accounts for less than 1% of the total variance in essay scores. However, there is a large effect for English proficiency (which accounts for 24% of the variance in essay scores), and there is a small effect for composition medium (which accounts for a little more than 1% of the variance in essay scores).
Generally, the model suggests that examinees who chose to compose essays in handwriting are predicted to receive higher *NOTE*scores than examinees who did not when controlling for differences due to demographic characteristics and English language proficiency. For example, the model predicts that an African female who speaks a language based on a Roman or Cyrillic alphabet, who has an average multiple-choice test score (17.72 points), and who produces an essay in handwriting will receive an essay score equal to 4.83 while her word-processing counterpart will receive an essay score equal to 4.56. However, the two-way interaction indicates that this difference is greater for examinees who receive low scores on the multiple-choice test than it is for examinees who receive higher scores on the multiple-choice test. For example, an examinee with the same characteristics described previously who receives a fairly low multiple-choice score (5.00 points) has predicted essay scores in handwriting and word-processing equal to 2.94 and 2.12, respectively, while her counterpart who receives a fairly high multiple-choice score (20.00 points) has predicted essay scores in handwriting and word-processing equal to 5.16 and 5.00, respectively.
Table 3 reports the largest observed essay score mean differences between various demographic groups. Here, we see that the examinee's geographic region and the alphabet used for the examinee's native language (keyboard) produce noticeable differences in essay scores (0.43 and 0.27 points on the six-point scale, respectively). On the other hand, age and gender produce only small differences in mean essay scores.
Table 3. Largest Essay Score Mean Differences for Each Demographic Group
Smallest Mean
Largest Mean
> 35
21 - 25
Middle East
*NOTE: For these computations, age was divided into five groups of five-year widths, beginning at age 16 and ending with those above age 35.
The more interesting question, however, is whether composition medium influences essay scores when controlling for differences in the demographic characteristics and English language proficiency of examinees who chose each composition medium. Figure 2 graphically depicts the predicted essay score for a typical examinee (i.e., an examinee who has the average value of all continuous and demographic variables in the model) with various English proficiency levels and who chooses either of the composition media. From this figure, it is clear that examinees who have low levels of English proficiency are expected to receive higher essay scores on handwritten essays while there is no difference between composition media for examinees with high levels of English proficiency.
Figure 2. Predicted essay scores for a "typical" examinee
In this section, we summarize the results of the study and discuss the theoretical and practical implications and the limitations of those results. We draw the following conclusions. Overall, there is only a small difference between essay scores of examinees who choose to compose their essays in handwriting versus word-processing, but when differences in overall English proficiency between composition medium groups are controlled, an interaction emerges. Specifically, examinees who have lower scores on the multiple-choice section of the TOEFL tend to have higher essay scores when essays are composed in handwriting, and examinees who have higher scores on the multiple-choice section of the TOEFL tend to have similar scores on essays composed in handwriting versus word-processing. For examinees who only answer a few multiple-choice questions correctly (those with very low English language proficiency), the predicted difference is about one essay score point (on a six-point scale). At the highest end of the multiple-choice scale, the scores are about equal. There are no substantively important medium-by-covariate interactions. That is, an examinee's geographic region, gender, age, and native language do not influence the comparability of scores on handwritten and word-processed essays, once overall English proficiency is taken into account as evidenced by the very small effect sizes for these variables (e.g., the largest 2 equals .007). However, small main effects for covariates exist on essay scores, even when English language proficiency is taken into account. Specifically, region and native language mean differences tend to be moderately large while differences are small for age and gender.
Obviously, one problem with these results is the fact that examinees were given a choice of composition medium, and examinee characteristics associated with that choice are likely related to performance on the assessment. However, these results are consistent with previous research concerning test medium differences in direct writing assessment that did control for composition medium choice. Specifically, Wolfe, Bolton, Feltovich, and Niday (1996) found that secondary-level English-speaking junior-high students in the US who have considerable experience using computers and report above-average levels of comfort using computers exhibited no differences between scores on handwritten and word-processed essays while students with lower levels of computer experience and comfort scored considerably higher on handwritten essays. Similarly, Russell and Haney (1997) have demonstrated a predictably similar effect for examinees with very high levels of computer experience and comfort. Specifically, that study demonstrated that students from technology-oriented schools received higher scores on a computer-based writing assessment than on a paper-and-pencil version of the assessment.
Another limitation of this study is the fact that we did not directly control for the possibility of rater-by-medium interactions. That is, it is possible that differences in computer-based and paper-based essay scores may have been influenced by differences in the standards raters held for each composition medium. Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to disentangle rater-by-medium and examinee-by-medium effects. One technique employed by researchers addressing this issue is to transcribe the essay from its original format (e.g., computer-based) to the alternate format (e.g., paper-based) preserving the original content to the degree possible. However, researchers have concluded that it may not be the case that observed differences are due to rater preferences for one medium over another. Rather, raters may show a preference for (i.e., assign higher scores to) the original over the transcribed version (MacCann, Eastment, & Pickering, 2002). Regardless, because prior research has shown that raters may be trained to partially compensate for medium preferences (Powers et al., 1994), and because TOEFL raters are highly trained and monitored, we believe that this threat to the internal validity of this study is minimal.
Hence, it seems that social conditions influence scores on computer-delivered direct writing assessments in ways that are predictable and to a degree that may warrant the attention of those developing or employing computer-based direct writing assessments. Previous research using these data has suggested that groups that have traditionally been associated with lower levels of computer experience and higher levels of computer anxiety (most notably, females) or who could be predicted to exhibit these characteristics (e.g., examinees with lower levels of English proficiency, examinees who speak languages that use alphabets different than a Roman or Cyrillic alphabet, examinees from developing regions, and the oldest of the examinees) are all more likely to choose to compose essays using handwriting than using a word-processor when given a choice of composition medium (Wolfe & Manalo, in press). The research reported here indicates that not only is composition medium choice on direct writing assessments related to social conditions, but also to test performance.
In the introduction of this article, we speculated that this may be due to a "double translation" effect. Specifically, we suggested that examinees who have less experience and comfort with computers may encounter an additional cognitive demand when composing essays using a word-processor -- not only may they be performing a translation from their native language into English, but they may also be performing a translation from English language into keystrokes. The data reported here suggest that demographic characteristics that one would suspect to be related to computer exposure are indeed related to performance on a computer-based direct writing assessment, albeit only weakly. We believe that additional research is warranted to determine the cognitive mechanisms through which examinees compose essays during a direct writing assessment in each of these composition media.
In addition, our results present some interesting practical considerations for testing programs that utilize word-processors with direct writing assessments. Our interpretation of these results is that examinees with lower levels of language proficiency -- examinees who are also likely to have less experience and less comfort using computers -- may encounter additional cognitive demands when responding to a writing prompt using a keyboard. And, it is reasonable to claim that additional cognitive demand constitutes construct-irrelevant variance, rendering the writing assessment to be a less valid indicator of the examinee's written communication skill when the essay is generated in a computer-based environment. Hence, those involved in developing, administering, and reporting results of direct writing assessments designed for examinees with diverse language backgrounds should think seriously about providing examinees with a choice of composition medium (which is current practice with the TOEFL), particularly when high-stakes decisions will be made based upon the test results. We find it troubling that little is known about the accuracy of examinees' beliefs about their own levels of computer skill and the factors that examinees consider when choosing between composition media on a direct writing assessment. Although his results were based on U.S. populations, it is disconcerting that Russell (1999) found that examinees generally believe that they will receive higher scores on computer-based examinations. Hence, another important implication of these results is that further research should be performed to determine whether it is advisable to inform examinees of potential differences in performance on computer-based and pencil-and-paper writing assessments and the interaction between computer facility and test performance.
1. We also examined hierarchical models containing all two-way and all three-way interactions and found that these models do little to improve the prediction of essay scores. Because of the large sample size, many of the possible two-way and three-way interaction parameter estimates were different from a null value of zero to a statistically significant degree. However, inclusion of these terms had only a very small impact on the values of r2 and the parameter estimates in comparison to the values in the model chosen for this study.
This project greatly benefited from the input of our colleagues. Specifically, Claudia Gentile provided input into the design and data collection for this study. Pat Carey, Robbie Kantor, Yong-Won Lee, Philip Oltman, and Ken Sheppard each provided guidance in obtaining and interpreting the data. In addition, James Algina, Paul Allison, Robert Brennan, Chris Chiu, Ken Frank, David Miller, and Mike Patetta gave us advice during various stages of data analysis. Finally, Dan Eignor, Paul Holland, Hunter Breland, Drew Gitomer, and Yong-Won Lee provided thoughtful suggestions for improving a previous version of this report. We also thank the TOEFL program for providing us with the funds to carry out this work. Finally, we want to point out that this report is based on data that have been presented in papers at professional conferences. Specifically, see the following works: Breland, Muraki, & Lee, 2001; Manalo & Wolfe, 2000a, 2000b.
Edward W. Wolfe is an Assistant Professor of Measurement and Quantitative Methods at Michigan State University. His research focuses on validation of assessments that utilize innovative formats; such as performance assessments, portfolio assessment, and computer-based assessment; and applications of latent trait measurement models to those assessment formats.
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Jonathan R. Manalo is a doctoral candidate in Measurement and Quantitative Methods at Michigan State University. His research interests include the measurement of group differences using classical and latent trait based methodology, the detection of person and item misfit, and the selection of models using information-theoretic procedures.
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
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Russell, M., & Haney, W. (1997). Testing writing on computers: An experiment comparing student performance on tests conducted via computer and via paper-and-pencil. Education Policy Analysis Archives 5(1). Retrieved May 1, 1997, from http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v5n3.html
Shashaani, L. (1997). Gender differences in computer attitudes and use among college students. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 16(1), 37-51.
Taylor, C., Kirsch, I., Eignor, D., & Jamieson, J. (1999). Examining the relationship between computer familiarity and performance on computer-based language tasks. Language Learning, 49(2), 219-274.
Temple, L., & Lips, H. M. (1989). Gender differences and similarities in attitudes toward computers. Computers in Human Behavior, 5, 215-226.
TOEFL. (2003). Description of the Computer-Based TOEFL Test. Retrieved September 3, 2003, from http://www.toefl.org/educator/eddescbcbt.html
Whitely, B. E. (1997). Gender differences in computer-related attitudes and behavior: A meta-analysis. Computers in Human Behavior, 13(1), 1-22.
Wise, S. L., & Plake, B. S. (1989). Research on the effects of administering tests via computers. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, 8(3), 5-10.
Wolfe, E. W., Bolton, S., Feltovich, B., & Bangert, A. W. (1996). A study of word processing experience and its effects on student essay writing. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 14(3), 269-284.
Wolfe, E. W., Bolton, S., Feltovich, B., & Niday, D. M. (1996). The influence of student experience with word processors on the quality of essays written for a direct writing assessment. Assessing Writing, 3(2), 123-147.
Wolfe, E. W., & Manalo, J. R. (in press). An investigation of the impact of composition medium on the validity of scores from the TOEFL writing section. Princeton, NJ: ETS.
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text:
Andrew F.wrote a review of The North Face LWH Jersey - Men's on September 10, 2013
Like the fit but snags easily
Familiarity: I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions
Overall I like the loose fit of this jersey as opposed to the usual fit of bike jerseys, and upon initial impressions it seemed to be what I've come to expect from TNF. I would say it runs true to size considering it's a relaxed fit.
I first ordered the blue one and I liked the fit of it so much I went back and ordered it in the grey color as well. But then after wearing the blue one a couple times I've discovered that it snags VERY easily (and I don't abuse my gear...). Seems to just be the nature of the material, but at this point I'm considering returning the grey one given the durability factor which is unfortunate as otherwise I really like this jersey.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This is an issued introduced in
KAFKA-1001. The issue is that in ReplicaManager.makeFollowers(), we truncate the log before marking the replica as the follower. New messages from the producer can still be added to the log after the log is truncated, but before the replica is marked as the follower. Those newly produced messages can actually be committed, which implies those truncated messages are also committed. However, the new leader is not guaranteed to have those truncated messages.
- All
- Comments
- Work Log
- History
- Activity
- Transitions
Thanks for the review. Committed to trunk after addressing the minor review comments.
We used to do this, looks like this was a regression introduced in
1. ReplicaManager
Do we still need this "TODO: the above may need to be fixed later" ?
2. We had added the ability for a special consumer to read the replica log for troubleshooting. This patch takes that convenience away. We should probably look for another way to prevent the replica verification tool from giving false negatives. Can it use a different consumer id?
Attach a patch. Also made a minor change in KafkaApis to only expose data up to the high watermark to the debugger consumer. Data after the high watermark can be truncated and therefore could change after the consumer has read it. This fix will prevent the ReplicaVerificationTool to read stale data.
Created reviewboard https://reviews.apache.org/r/15938/
against branch origin/trunk
The fix is to switch the ordering in ReplicaManager.makeFollowers(). We should first mark the replica as the follower before truncating the log. This will ensure that after the log is truncated, no new messages from the produce requests will be added to the log.


text:
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson announced via Twitter he had undergone emergency surgery on Tuesday and that it had been a success.
Surgery a success! Dr repaired 3 hernial tears (fun pain). Superman is on the mend.. #WeFallWeRise twitter.com/TheRock/status…— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) April 23, 2013
E! News reports the 40-year-old actor was rushed to the hospital Tuesday night for an emergency hernia operation and was forced to miss the Los Angeles premiere of his latest film "Pain & Gain."
The film's director Michel Bay, sent his best to the actor from the red carpet.
On Sunday Jonhnson tweeted he would undergo surgery this week to repair an abdominal tear."Dwayne's hurt tonight," Bay told E!. "He was pushing it too hard. [ He] needs to grow up and stop wrestling 300-pound men."


text:
My Real Name Is OLAF, Im 13 Years Old. My Favorite Games are: Minecraft Counter-Strike 1.6/Source/2D Half-Life 1/2/ep.1/ep.2
Half-Life 2D a TOTAL Counter-Strike 2D Modification! Sick of the old Counter-Strike 2D? Need something new in life? Try Half-Life 2D... This modification...
half-life 2d fighter
A Counter-Strike 2D Modification Based on the Fps Mod of Half-Life2:Black Mesa Source.
black mesa 2d sci-fi
No mods were found matching the criteria specified. We suggest you try the mod list with no filter applied, to browse all available. Add mod and help us achieve our mission of showcasing the best content from all developers. Join now to share your own content, we welcome creators and consumers alike and look forward to your comments.


text:
2010 APS Annual Oration delivered by Professor Richard Bryant FAPS
The 2010 APS Annual Oration was delivered by Professor Richard Bryant, APS Fellow, Scientia Professor in the School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, an ARC Laureate Fellow, and Director of the Traumatic Stress Unit, Westmead Hospital.
Richard is an internationally renowned disaster expert who has been involved in recovery work in most of the major disasters around the world over the last few decades. The APS is fortunate to have Richard as a member of its Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Reference Group.
His contribution to the field of disaster recovery, and to the development of the APS disaster knowledge base and resources, has been immense. Given the flurry of devastating disasters over the last year (Haiti earthquake, Pakistan floods, Christchurch earthquake, not to mention the Black Saturday bushfires in 2009) and the increasing involvement of the APS in disaster preparedness and recovery work, it was most fitting to have Richard present this year's APS Annual Oration: The psychological cost of disasters.
Richard, at heart, is a scientist. He has conducted numerous studies, written hundreds of articles, and uncovered considerable insights into the key biological and cognitive markers of risk of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As APS President Bob Montgomery said in his introduction to the Oration, Richard's research epitomises what good research is about: proper design, reliable data and useful findings. Strange, then, that he should have chosen such a perversely difficult field in which to conduct good empirical research!
Richard is very matter-of-fact, honest about the limits of what we know, and quick to point out when we are working on faith rather than fact and using an intervention that has yet to be 'proven'. Richard is also quick to point out when we are continuing to use an approach that has been proven to be unhelpful which, given the considerable time lag between research into best practice and the lay person's understanding of best practice, can be quite often.
In the field of disaster research, there is still much we don't know. Why? Well for a start, says Richard, an emergency or disaster situation is not a controlled environment. "It's crazy. People are just trying to get by day by day. Any high quality postdisaster research is very difficult. It's a very limited field."
So how do most people around the world learn about disasters? It seems, according to Richard, that there are many ways the puzzle is pieced together, even though the end result leaves us still with many unanswered questions.
For starters, trauma research provides considerable information and insight. The existing disaster research is typically epidemiological, which helps us to understand how and why a response trajectory occurs, but not really what to do about it.
Then there is the knowledge gleaned from the numerous expert consensus meetings which take place around the world after any disaster. Here, experts gather together to discuss what's happened, what's been done, what's worked and what hasn't. People draw on their own experience in the field. There is some evaluation of postdisaster programs, but this is not randomised controlled research.
And some researchers also simply ask the survivors what they think of the programs, and whether they were helpful. "At best", says Richard, "people are basically stumbling along working out what's best to do, but they don't have a great body of research to direct them".
Over the last decade, there has been an explosion of attention to disasters. September 11 was a seminal moment for disaster research. It had an incredible impact on the American psyche (as did Hurricane Katrina), and thus also a major impact on research around the world, and on how we think we should be preparing and responding.
So we now have an increasing understanding of the trajectory of response in the short term after a disaster. We know that initially most people will be very distressed. This is not abnormal, but quite reasonable. But we know in the weeks following a disaster, without any intervention, those symptoms will go away, and after about three months, most will recover. People are resilient.
Ten years ago, said Richard, this was a pretty radical thought. Then, the popular view was that people were very vulnerable and that disasters would result in considerable psychological damage unless people received psychological care. For decades we took the approach that we had to rush in and help. Now we know better.
Of course, a sizeable minority are also vulnerable to developing significant mental health problems (around 10-15 per cent are at risk of PTSD, complicated grief, and/or depression). Whilst the proportions may seem small, the absolute numbers are enormous if millions are affected by earthquake, floods, tsunami, etc. This knowledge has led to a dramatic change in what we do following a disaster.
The current approach to helping people following disasters no longer assumes pathology and thus no longer emphasises the importance of immediate debriefing as a way of preventing the development of PTSD. Indeed, we now know that debriefing is not going to prevent PTSD, and might actually be harmful by escalating the biological processes that need to be calmed down, thus enhancing the trauma.
Instead, disaster experts recommend a much more normative approach to treating victims of disasters and emergencies, using Psychological First Aid (PFA). PFA is a commonsense, minimalist approach to supporting people, which tries to reduce arousal, calm people down and enhance problem solving. It is not the sole province of counsellors or mental health practitioners, but can be delivered by a wide variety of people. It's easy to train people in PFA except for one issue – training people in what not to do! PFA is not counselling; it is just support.
So does it work? Well, Richard, in his matter of fact way, is quick to point out that we have no evidence that it does any good. "But then, I don't mind that", he says. "Because if we ever ask the question of any of these interventions – Does it work? Is it any good? – this presupposes that there's a goal, that it intends to do something. So it's important to note that PFA is not meant to be preventative. It's not meant to treat a disorder. It's just meant to help people to cope. But, essentially it's just common sense."
The next major development in disaster response came out of Hurricane Katrina. Thousands of people were still hurting in the weeks and months afterwards, and experiencing a whole range of problems – worrying about how to get a roof back on the house, unable to sleep, unsure how to deal with kids who were acting up, and not knowing what to do with all of these problems.
The agencies involved wanted a strategy to help these people. They saw that these problems were not necessarily mental health issues; people were simply being overwhelmed with problems emanating from the disaster. Richard Bryant and other disaster experts joined forces to come up with a skills-based program.
They began by building on the existing evidence about the major change mechanisms that are predictive of good adaptation after disaster. They decided to find the common elements, and build them into a training package to equip people with useful skills for recovery.
The program ended up being called Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR), with the aim of accelerating recovery, nipping problems in the bud, and steering people towards better adjustment simply because they are using better strategies to deal with things.
The SPR guide was written as a modular program, so that each skill could be taught as a stand-alone strategy. Given that the modal number of counselling sessions people attended after Hurricane Katrina was one, this strategy was an important feature. Immediately following the Victorian Black Saturday bushfires, Richard joined disaster colleagues for discussions about how best to respond to people's needs.
The APS convened a series of meetings with a cross-professional working group made up of mental health professionals, GPs, allied health, State and Federal Governments, and key post-trauma treatment centres, with the purpose of designing an approach for meeting the mental health and psychosocial needs of the thousands of people affected by the fires.
As Richard says, this was a major breakthrough in disaster recovery in Australia. For the first time ever, all the major players were at the table, working together on a coordinated approach to psychosocial recovery. The group signed off on an approach for training professionals across the state to deliver three levels of intervention.
Level 1 was Psychological First Aid targeted at the general population. Level 2 was Skills for Psychological Recovery, and Level 3 was psychological treatments for people at risk of developing significant mental health problems. These trainings rolled out across the state in the following 18 months.
|Information gathering
|The first step. Simply identifying and prioritising people's needs, and developing an action plan for tackling the probems is very helpful.
|Problem solving
|Clearly a huge need as people will have a lot of problems and not much practice in dealing with them.
|Activity scheduling
|It is well known in depression literature that the single best intervention is behavioural. Getting people up and doing things is likely to have the biggest effect size.
|Managing stress reactions
|This is built on literature that arousal in the acute phase is a huge predictor of PTSD and anxiety disorders. It is very important to teach people how to reduce arousal e.g., breathing skills, self-talk.
|Healthy thinking
|The literature shows that people's interpretation of the event is very predictive of how they're going to fare. It's important to teach people to recognise unhelpful thoughts and practice more helpful ones.
|Social support
|People who don't fare well are often those who don't engage with their networks. They need to be taught how to proactively engage or build social networks.
Richard's overview of the current approach internationally to helping people affected by a disaster describes a commonsense model of caring for people and groups that draws on fundamental understandings of what people need to feel safe, supported and cared for. Importantly, he explained, it makes you realise that what we do as psychologists is relatively simple.
Perhaps the next challenge is changing media and public expectations of what is needed after a disaster, and ensuring the best support is available and accessible at the most appropriate times.
The audio file and slides from the 2010 Annual Oration are available from the APS website: News updates. Thanks to Susie Burke for writing this account of the 2010 Annual Oration.


text:
whatsome wrote:
darklion wrote:
Anyway, the only other random fact about me that I can think of that hasn't already been said is that I'm very picky when it comes to American music, but I'll listen to just about anything if it's Japanese. Except the really poppy stuff, that makes me sick.
Any Japanese music.
Do you understand most of them by any chance? Or you're just "into" their tunes or melodies? ^-^
A little bit of both, but for the most part, I just like the sound. If I read the translations, it usually won't bother me unless it's really out there.
My soul finds rest in God alone.
^ Same with me.
Problem is when I go outside and somebody overheard what I'm listening into, especially when it's not an English song, people are initially saying/mocking with this chinese gibberish crap (e.g. ching, chang, chung, whatever...).
Oh well, too bad for them. I know that the songs I'm listening are pretty good.
☼☺♪♫►: away/vacation in Chicago
1) all my buddies know this...I have a buffalo in my deep freeze ( a little less tonight, since I used some in the spaghetti)
2) I am married, and have an abundance of little girls who all look like their daddy (yay...it would be terrible if they looked like me), but have my personality...I am in soooo much trouble in a few years!
3) I have insanely sensitive skin, and I hate to be touched, because it hurts, especially my back (I swore I would marry the man who could give me back rubs without it hurting...and I did).
4) I live in a city that has 20 hours of daylight in the summer and about 7 hours of sunlight in the winter.
5) I wear glasses...thick ones. \0=0/
6) I can write just about forever, but when I'm done...I'm done, and I stop cold. Like now.
7) I have no piericings on my body...anywhere...none.
ooh, a status message, I feel so important...rawr.
1) im 52 year old man.
2) i like little boys
3) i got peircings on my nipples
4) i live in the ghetto
5) i cant read but i could write
6) i still live with my parents
7) i spend 17 hours on the computer daily
8) im as ugly trash
Lawl im 14... spend like 18 (8) hours on comp daily... i live with my parents... i have friends.... and i like stalking you :D
o yea...and smokings bad for you <.<
tired, sorry im replying late, busy lately
I think I pulled my calves playing volleyball and football for 6 hours.
1. i'm a christian
2. i'm deathly afraid of clowns
3. there's a dead bug under my keyboard
4. i just graduated from high school this past may
5. i'm half canadian
6. i beat my best time on minesweeper-expert level today! (116 seconds!)
7. i'm a twin
8. i love rock climbing
9. i once broke my toe by kicking a concrete wall in flipflops at my school when i was mad...it healed on its own after a few weeks/months...
I'm actually on this site for once
I'm Lazy
Arowind91 wrote:
I'm Lazy
Ohhh thats soo interesting So what makes you lazy?? Why are you so lazy?? Whens the first time you've ever been lazy??? Whats the longest time you've been lazy for?? Why do you become lazy? Have you ever not been lazy??
dont mind me...im bored
tired, sorry im replying late, busy lately
-I've lost count of how many times I've been mistaken as a 13 or 14 year old.
-I once ran a race on all fours and won. I was around four years of age, though. ^^;
-I taught myself how to write backwards in caps and lowercase. (I don't know why, but now I want to try cursive. >.>)
-I've had a paranormal experience.
-When I was younger, I never lost a single game of Musical Chairs I participated in. And I played in a lot of them. lol Well, I lost once but only because they cheated by holding me back. Haha. =]
-My brothers call me "brother" as a nickname. o.O
Well, I guess these facts are pretty random. ^_^
12/22/15, after 4 or so years of inactivity I make my comeback... 9/22/16 kek
i do this for a living
Trevor (OP)
1. i'm thai (guessing the only thai here)
2. i like swimming and snorkling
3. i live a really happy life i think....
4. i love chocolate but could have one once a year
5. never eaten fast food since 3 years ago... i think i've forgotten what a cheese burger taste like
Tomorrow is my 19th birthday.
Yo home to Bel-Air!
@kyo: whoah kung-fu death touch...
"a dirty mind is a source of endless amusement"
1.Im Cambodian (no one EVER guesses right on the first try)
2.Im a tricker (frontflip,backflip stuff)
3.I dont drink soda
4.I Hate liars and fake people
5.Love Jrock. Jpop
6.The thing that ticks me off the most is something backstabbin a friend
7.Im really quiet but once you get to know me im a bit crazy xD
8.Cant sleep if theres no sound
9.If theres no music playing I get VERY bored
10.Korean TV shows rock so funny! Love Letter, X-Man
Ill edit later.
kyocool wrote:
i do this for a living
Trevor (OP)
lol thanks for sharing that
In Colombia...having a blast


text:
This is a 90-minute training session on completing an annual FD Statement, with the first hour devoted to the substantive information that must be reported and the last 30 minutes devoted to providing an overview of the new electronic filing system. The substantive portion of the training fulfills the requirement that senior staff have one additional hour of ethics training in each Congress. You must pre-register, sign-in, and attend the first hour of the training to receive ethics credit.
Click here to register.


text:
Sitting in a business class at Arizona State, Aaron Klusman didn't feel like he was learning a whole lot. The class was long, and a little boring. But boredom quickly turned to inspiration. "The teacher lost me a little bit. I'd always sketched in class, and while sketching, I came up with a corporate logo," Klusman said. A couple of doodles on a piece of paper turned into a fledgling business for Klusman, who is equally adept hitting the corner with a fastball, or pitching his clothing line to a potential sale.
This Article is a paid feature of the Baseball America website. To continue reading, please sign-in.


text: Hi All, Mike from Long Island, NY here. I fooled around with a smoker box on my gas grill for a while but just bought a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker. Looking to learn all I can about using it to it's full potential. I tested it out with some fresh polish kielbasi & apple wood. Pretty darn good. I hope to learn the ins & outs as well as the dos & dont's on the forum.


text:
Text::Format provides strong text formatting capabilities to Ruby.
Based on Perl Text::Format and offers all of the functionality that
that module does.
Author: Austin Ziegler <firstname.lastname@example.com>
WWW: http://www.halostatue.ca/ruby/Text__Format.html
No installation instructions: this port has been deleted.
The package name of this deleted port was: ruby18-text-format
PKGNAME: ruby18-text-format
distinfo: There is no distinfo for this port.
NOTE: FreshPorts displays only information on required and default dependencies. Optional dependencies are not covered.
No options to configure
Number of commits found: 12
Remove expired leaf port:
2006-12-30 textproc/ruby-text-format: distfile and homepage disappeared
- Deprecate
- Set EXPIRATION_DATE
Submitted by: gabor
- Add SHA256
With portmgr hat on, reset maintainership of knu's ports since he has
been inactive more than 6 months. We hope to see him back sometime.
Add SIZE data.
Submitted by: trevor
Update to 0.64.
Update to 0.63.
Update to 0.62.
Update to 0.61.
Fix the fetch problem by updating to the latest version, 0.52.2, which
seems to be a reroll of 0.52.1 with some typos fixed.
Submitted by: fenner's portsurvey
Add ruby-text-format, Text::Format for Ruby.
Servers and bandwidth provided byNew York Internet, SuperNews, and RootBSD
No vulnerabilities have been reported in the past 14 days
* - modified, not new
All vulnerabilities


text:
Are melatonin supplements a safe & natural treatment for insomnia?
A burgeoning supplement industry certainly wants you to think so.
It promotes exogenous (supplemental) melatonin as a natural, safe way to improve sleep.
Further, megadoses of exogenous melatonin are lauded in the natural health care community.
As safe & effective.
For everything from cancer to autism.
Melatonin's unique antioxidant properties are used to justify such megadoses.
Leading it to be trumpeted as a safe wonder drug without side effects.
But other exogenous hormones - such as testosterone, estrogen, & thyroid hormone – are all recognized as potentially dangerous & highly-regulated.
Not melatonin.
Indeed, melatonin is widely considered safe.
And available over-the-counter.
As a "dietary supplement".
Melatonin is marketed as a "natural", benign alternative to pharmaceutical sleeping medication, such as benzodiazepines.
But, as Dr. Oz writes, exogenous melatonin is not natural.
Megadoses of anything – even water - are definitely not natural or safe.
So megadoses of a hormone ...
... you see where I'm going with this.
For starters, every hormone in the body operates on a feedback loop.
Including melatonin.
Ever heard of the dangers of anabolic steroids, such as testosterone?
These dangers revolve around such feedback loops.
The testes sense elevated levels of free testosterone in the bloodstream.
Quite rightly, they decide they don't need to work to produce any more male hormone.
And that's OK.
In the short term, that is.
Like taking a vacation.
Nothing wrong with kicking up your feet for a couple of weeks.
But imagine you won the lottery & decided to never work again.
Preferring to lie around on the couch all day.
Over time, what would happen to your muscles?
They would start to atrophy.
Similarly, what do exogenous anabolic steroids cause in the long term?
Testicular atrophy.
Glandular atrophy in response to exogenous hormones is not limited to testosterone.
It is widely observed for all hormones.
In fact, Dr. David Clark argues that the pineal gland – which produces melatonin – acts in precisely the same manner.
This is why melatonin supplements contain safety warnings.
Like, "do not exceed two or three weeks of continuous use."
Hormonal feedback systems are not limited to each individual hormone.
No hormone is an island.
There is a complex interplay between different hormones in the body.
Consequently, exogenous melatonin has side effects involving other hormonal systems
Such side effects of melatonin include:
- Decreased reproductive function, including
- Suppressed thyroid function
- Increased cortisol levels
So, melatonin is unsafe, right?
Once again, it comes down to individuality.
For one patient's unique constitution, melatonin may be completely effective, tolerated & safe.
For another, it might be useless or actually harmful.
Indeed, I have prescribed melatonin to several patients over the years.
And each has experienced great benefits from it.
However, the prescription & precise form of melatonin for each of these patients was made on a highly-personalized basis.
One that took into account all aspects of each patient's unique state.
Such individualization & personalization underlie all modalities used in my treatment.
Modalities incorporating the best of conventional western medicine, such as:
- Scientific Workup, Analysis & Treatment
- Computer-Aided Diagnosis & Treatment Tools
- Botanical Medicine
- Exercise Therapy
- Naturopathic Manual Manipulation
- Therapeutic Nutrition, including
- Raw Food Therapy
- Fasting Therapy
- Weight Loss Therapy
- Prescriptions
- Nutraceuticals
- Natural Supplements
- even Pharmaceuticals
- Naturopathic Counselling
- Psychotherapy
- Addiction Therapy
- Cancer Therapy, including
- Gerson Therapy
As well as esoteric, unconventional approaches to health, such as:
- Homeopathy
- Constitutional
- Combination
- Drainage
- Injectable
- Bowen Therapy
- Neuroemotional Technique (NET)
- Neuromodulation Technique (NMT)
- Neural Organizational Technique (NOT)
- Autonomic Response Testing (ART)
- Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
- Light & Laser Therapy
- Ayurveda
- Anti-Aging & CRAN Therapy
- Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Techniques (NAET)
- Total Body Modification (TBM)
- MORA Bioresonance Therapy
- VEGA Electrodermal Therapy
- SCIO Quantum Energy Therapy
- Binaural Beats
- Music Therapy
- Reiki
- Energy Medicine
Regardless of modality used, my focus is the same.
Your uniqueness & individuality.
Ensuring that you are fully, appropriately & safely treated.


text:
You are here
Keep protein levels, feed values in mind, dairy specialist says
This summer's drought in the northern Great Plains is forcing many livestock producers to reassess how they feed and manage their herds.
Forage shortages are one of the many cost-related challenges they face as drought conditions in the areas like the western half of North Dakota go from worrisome to critical.
"Planning for forage supply problems now could save you money later this year," says North Dakota State University Extension Service dairy specialist J.W. Schroeder.
Schroeder has this advice for producers on coping with declining forage supplies:
- Assess your forage supply reserves. What do you have on hand? What can you reasonably expect to harvest?
- Don't sell corn silage short. Supplemented with protein, it may be an attractive alternative to alfalfa.
- Review what's available locally. Only one-fourth to one-third of your forage needs to be top quality (150 to 170 feed value) to maintain herd productivity. As much as 75 percent of your forage can come from stocks of mid-quality hay, and even some low-quality hay. Mid-quality hay still is available.
- Consult your feed company representative or nutritionist. This is critical. Once you start altering your rations by using mid-quality forages and bypass protein, knowing how ingredients fit together is essential. Grass, for example, is low in total protein, but most of the protein is bypass. Soybean meal or another digestible protein source will do nicely.
- Be creative. With your nutritionist's help, a little creativity can save you money. Once you have determined your needs, you have lots of ways to feed cows. Since commercial hay prices are running high, you may want to pursue supplies of alternative roughage, such as malt sprouts, wheat middlings and other protein sources such as corn gluten feed and distillers grains.
- Cull your herd wisely. Evaluating each cow to determine if it is pulling its weight becomes especially important when feed costs rise. Establish firm criteria for what cows need to produce.
However, producers who decide to feed commodities need to be aware of some issues, Schroeder cautions. One is feed value. Corn gluten feed, for example, is high in total protein, but it is mostly degradable protein that will need to be supplemented with bypass protein, such as roasted soybeans. Distillers grains have double the bypass protein of corn gluten feed and could be a better deal, even if it is more expensive.
"Remember that commodity feeds don't replace forages; they only supplement them," he says. "But they will help you extend your forage supplies by as much as 20%."
Producers also need to know that commodities typically are sold by the semi truckload, an amount that is not feasible for smaller operations, he says. He recommends that several producers in one area requiring forage purchase a load of the commodity jointly.
Another issue is the variability of nutrient and moisture content of byproduct feeds. Dairy producers need to watch each load and consistently moisture test, Schroeder says. Feed value will vary not only among commodity production plants, but among shifts at one plant, especially when the shift is just going online.
Dairy producers who use the dry-cow program also should be aware of some drawbacks, according to Schroeder. The program usually involves feeding cows 3 to 5 pounds of grain with medium-quality forage free-choice. The program is meant to maintain the cow's body condition, balance minerals to prevent milk fever and provide a bulky diet to exercise the digestive tract. However, most grains and many byproducts have too much energy and no particle size to give the ration some bulk.
By working with their nutritionist, dairy producers can combine feeds such as cottonseed hulls, soybean hulls, whole cottonseed, wheat midds, soybean meal, canola meal, distillers grains and limestone as a short-term substitute for forage, he says. While not all of these alternative feeds will be included in each ration, producers should limit the period of time they feed these higher-risk diets. Producers also should not feed this kind of diet for an extended length of time during dry periods.
If pastures do become available, producers need to remember vegetative grass has little forage (roughage) value, he says. That means they will need to add byproducts, such as crop hulls, to the ration to provide cud-cleansing activity and bulk.
This summer's drought in the northern Great Plains is forcing many livestock producers to reassess how they feed and manage their herds.


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text: Hey guys To the Lakland owners - I'm chasing a hard case or road case that's suitable for a Lakland 55-01. I'm looking at buying a 55-01 second hand but apparently the seller didn't get one of the Lakland hard cases as part of the sale. In any event, I know the body shape is different to a standard P or Jazz - what are you guys using? I need something that's flight durable - something that can handle getting thrown around by baggage handlers and being stuck under stacks of other guitars and rack gear. I have experience with the Warwick Rockcases; I've got a 7 year old one that's still in fantastic shape. Heavy though, but durable (http://www.9mileguitar.com/product.sc?productId=1190) I also have and really like the ABS moulded Fender line with the TSA locks (http://www.fender.com/en-AU/accessories/cases/precisionjazz-bass-molded-case-left-handed-black/), have flown all over with these things and they're still awesome. I appreciate that these are moulded for P and Jazz basses though, so while I'd really like one of these I don't know if they'll suit the Lakland body design or fit the neck - if anyone is using these specifically, I'd really like to hear from you. Cheers!


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Travelling to another country is an amazing experience, but if you really want to make your trip a completely new experience (plus a little productive) learning a skill abroad is a must. You'll be totally immersed in a learning environment you've never experienced before, plus you'll be meeting some awesome people every day.
As you continue to learn and are put through your paces, you'll find communicating with the locals getting far easier and will soon develop a much better understanding of that country's culture and customs. And when you return home from your travels you can use your new skill(s) to help further your career or simply show off to your mates!
Want to know more about learning a skill abroad. Just contact our team now or ask us a question
Fancy a bit of R&R? This retreat is the ultimate getaway, set against an exquisite backdrop, and perfect for a bit of down-time.
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Get teaching experience and gain your TEFL qualification with this fun but practical hands-on programme.
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Gain experience and practical skills on a real ranch in the outback with the guarantee of a paid job offer afterwards!
Work with medical professionals in Namibia carrying out worthwhile work while gaining valuable experience as a medical intern.


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Awate 2020 Project Launch
The Ad-Hoc Task Force (ATF) for the Awate2020 project* is glad to announce a Paltalk session for Saturday, April 23, 2016, at 8pm Berlin Time, and 2pm, North American West Coast**. We cordially invite all friends and supporters of awate.com to attend the session. The session will be held at the Awate2020 room and we will try to…Read more


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A child holds a candle during Sunday service on a national day of prayer for Nelson Mandela on Dec. 8, 2013 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Credit: Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Across the rainbow nation Sunday, South Africans poured into churches or took the time to privately commemorate the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela.
South African officials had called for a national "day of prayer" to honor the late anti-apartheid icon.
The South African Broadcasting Corporation will live stream Nelson Mandela's memorial in the player above at 4 a.m. EST Tuesday, Dec. 10.
At the Bryanston Methodist Church in Johannesburg, several members of Mandela's family, his ex-wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, and President Jacob Zuma attended a prayer service.
PHOTO: Winnie Mandela Madikizela prays during a mass in memory of Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg #AFP pic.twitter.com/kfH8SSWP0F
— AFP Photo Department (@AFPphoto) December 8, 2013
In Soweto — the town where the 1976 anti-apartheid uprising took place, the Regina Mundi church was host to hundreds of worshippers. Father Sebastian Rossouw described Mandela as "our light in the darkness."
Zimbabwean Virginia Sibanda told the New York Times that Mandela "was a leader not just for South Africa but for all Africans, and the world."
Outside of South Africa, commemorative services were held from London to Ramallah.


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9.12.14 Note: Holiday House ran this author Q&A in their September 2014 digital newsletter. Q: Sue, please tell us about your new book, ROLLER DERBY RIVALS. A: ROLLER DERBY RIVALS is the true story of the rivalry between two female skaters, Midge "Toughie" »
6.21.17 If you're headed to the American Library Association annual conference in Chicago this weekend, be sure to catch me at one of these events: ***Friday, June 23, 5:45 p.m. – 6:35 p.m.: PopTop Stage: Sue Macy Presents Motor Girls ***Saturday, June 24, 10:30 »


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Cosmetic Dental Clinic in Jaipur
Meera Dental Hospital is a unit of Meera Hospital with state of the art dental equipments and ultra modern fully automatic dental chairs. It has well equipped Dental OT and Mercury Free clean environment, as Silver Amalgam is not used at all by us.
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FCE research has shown that the Everglades operates differently from other coastal ecosystems in that its estuaries that are "upside-down", with seawater supplying limiting nutrients landward, rather than the other way around. Collaborative research with Caribbean scientists, particularly those associated with Mexican LTER programs (MexLTER), has shown similar upside-down features in similar tropical low nutrient wetlands of the Yucatan peninsula and northern Belize. Because this finding has ramifications for coastal restoration and conservation, FCE scientists are continuing collaborations with Mexican colleagues to establish coordinated science and education programs to improve adaptive decision-making in coastal ecosystems of south Florida, the Yucatan, and throughout the Caribbean.
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Lil Fizz Sued For Owning Pot Shop! — THA WIRE
Former B2K member Lil Fizz is in a lil trouble. If it turns out that he does in fact own a pot shop, he will need to couph up a milli, and then some. Right now he's got the Feds breathing down his neck and being accused of co-owning and operating an illegal marijuana store in West Hollywood.Let's hope his business was successful, because the Feds are racking up the charges. Find out how much he looking at paying if things don't go his way. Tune into Tha Wire for all the details.
Lil Wayne tells GQ Magazine he's done at 35! The king of Cash Money says he's gonna hang it all up in about 6 more years. Weezy talks candidly about being sober saying " I drank syrup and smoked a lotta weed. I wish I could be back on it. What you want me to say? It feels great? No." That's not all, find out the reasons he says he done and more with Tha Wire.
Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony is being named in a lawsuit were a Chicago man has filed suit for assault.
Plus, word has Beyonce is baby proofing her life, ditching the Maybach for a $1 million Mercedes van!
Get the skinny right now. Press play for Tha Wire:


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Of course Jordan Brand has big plans for their 25th anniversary. The occasion is being celebrated with a large number of special releases and today we show you the first run, including the Air Jordans I, VI, XI, XVI, and XX1. More releases will be announced this week, so make sure to check back.
Check out the other sneakers after the jump.


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Joshua Veillon and Dwan Pitre Veillon were married on Oct. 29, 2011 in Pleasure Bend in Vacherie on Lake Des Allemands.
The bride is a 2003 graduate of Hahnville High School and the daughter of Dick and Debbie Pitre of Luling. The groom is a 2005 graduate of HHS and the son of Dallas Veillon of Luling. The brides sons are Christopher Lee and Jacob Cole Switzer.
The couple honeymooned on a cruise to Progresso and Cozumel. They will reside in Ama.
|Courtesy photo


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Tulips In Winter
We're seeing lots of tulips at the market this month. Tulips are so simple, it's hard to mess up an arrangement, and they're such versatile flowers. White ones in a glass vase are clean and modern, while colored tulips in a pitcher look casual and relaxed. Because tulips are so popular, they're easy to find year-round, which makes them good flowers for holiday arrangements.
Image: 25 Stem Mixed Tulip Pail from FTD
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NYCC | Art Spiegelman keynotes ICv2's Graphic Novel Conference
With the New York Comic Con coming up Feb. 6-8, we'll be collecting and posting information on the various things you can do and see while at the show. If you're a publisher, creator, retailer or otherwise exhibiting at the show, feel free to drop me an email with your booth schedule, any comics you might be debuting, giveaways or any other fun stuff you have planned for the show.
General information: Ticket info | Panels | Autographs | 2009 ICv2 Graphic Novel Conference | Blog
• ICv2 has announced details on the Graphic Novel Conference they host the Thursday before the convention, which will include a keynote address from Art Spiegelman and panels on topics like comics on the web, social networks and literary adaptations. Note that this conference isn't open to the general public, but "is open only to those who hold a Professional or Exhibitor Pass," the site says.
• The con has started to announce additional Hollywood-related programming, which includes Life on Mars, Disney's Aaron Stone, Japan's Takashi Miike and Sho Sakurai, Dr. Who Colin Baker, the cast of Fringe and Heroes' Milo Ventimiglia. They'll also have Tumblers featuring Wolverine.
• NBM will be at the show:
For NBM that means having Miss Don't Touch Me, Nocturnal Conspiracies by David B, Happy Hooligan and fresh in: LITTLE NOTHINGS 2 by Lewis Trondheim! We'll also have Neil Kleid of Brownsville and other comics with Slave Labor, Image, etc… Publisher Terry Nantier will be there, ready to chat with you.
For Papercutz, the big news is we'll have Greg Farshtey on Saturday, the writer of Bionicle and of course the latest Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Tales from the Crypt and Classics Illustrated. Meet also our industry-beloved Editor-in-Chief Jim Salicrup.
• Artist Jill Thompson is taking 10 commissions before the show, on a first come, first serve basis.
• Oni's up to something Scott Pilgrim-related for the con … I mean, in addition to Bryan Lee O'Malley being a special guest and Scott Pilgrim Vol. 5 debuting at the show. O'Malley also has two store signings the week before the show — he'll be at Jim Hanley's Universe in midtown Manhattan Feb. 3 and at Rocketship in Brooklyn Feb. 4.
• For more information on the con, check out Heidi's pre-show report for Publisher's Weekly.
• And finally, the gelatometti crew is headed to the Big Apple and shares a few inspirational drawings:
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