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Menu of Venues
Our mission to deliver a fresh, flavorful menu extends beyond the Del Taco kitchen to the whole restaurant. We've updated and modernized the interiors and exteriors of our new prototype, featuring contemporary colors and expanding on our brand's freshness theme with visual cues throughout the dining room. Now, our guests not only know our food tastes good, but they can see the reasons why.
Whether you decide on a free-standing, conversion or an end cap location, we have developed a flexible restaurant footprint to help you gain access to any real estate opportunity. Through sophisticated site selection and market planning support, as well as an in-house construction and design team, we support franchise growth.
Build Out Options
- Standard Prototype
free-standing restaurant with drive-thru
- Conversion
of existing building with a drive-thru
- End cap
with drive-thru for strip center locations
Site and development criteria
- Lot Size 20,000 - 25,000 sq. ft. or
- Shopping center pad with adjacent parking - 6,000 sq. ft.
- Building footprint ranges from 2,000 - 2,700 sq. ft. with 25-72 seats
- Drive-thru stack: 7-10 cars
- Population: 35,000+ residential with 10,000+ daytime population
- Income: $40,000 - $100,000 median household income
- Traffic: Minimum 25,000+ cars per day
- Ethnicity: Menu appeals to broad customer audience


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On Tuesday, November 27 2012, close friends and fans gathered at Club Rumour, Ikeja, Lagos,to celebrate with Sound Sultan who marked his 36th birthday party.
It was a start studded event with the likes of best pal 2face and wifey Annie Idibia, Wande Coal, Jimmy JATT, Dammy Krane, and others in attendance.
Watch video
Source: Entertainment.naija.ng

subset: commoncrawl


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RepairPal is your advocate for car care advice and guidance
Q: Check engine light comes on and motor runs rough. Code reader says knock sensor on 2000 Toyota Tacoma
Tends to happen more when colder and also after running on interstate at 70 mph after 25-50 miles. There is valve train noise especially when cold, but also when hot during acceleration. 151K miles and valves never adjusted. Sometimes turning off and restarting will correct the rough engine but the check engine light will stay on.
knock sensor will not cause this. let a shop perform a diag and tell you the failure. it may be a vacuum leak or a miss fire.
Didn't find what you were looking for?


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QuiqLiteX puts out from 20 to 150 lumens for the dual white LED version and from 20 to 75 lumens for the colored options: tactical red and white, and blue and white.
Law enforcement officers can now choose from a variety of high-lumen flashlights to help illuminate dark alleys, vehicles, or rooms. These lights can improve officer safety by revealing threats, and assist in searches for trace evidence in low-light scenarios. Photos courtesy of vendors.
Just five years ago, a 200-lumen flashlight was considered amazingly bright. Now, advances in technology have made it possible to increase the power of even small flashlights to emit beyond 500 lumens of light, which is more than enough to illuminate a room and cause temporary blindness in suspects.
The number of new product offerings from Streamlight has been impressive, especially among its ProTac line of compact handhelds. I've been using the company's newest, the ProTac HL, and after only a few weeks of testing, I'm sold.
Designed to be purpose mounted for hands-free use, either on a helmet or other gear, this light has four high-discharge LED bulbs that produce more than ample working light.
5.11 Tactical's ATAC line of lights includes the PLx pen light, powered by two AAA cell batteries, and the L2, powered by two CR123A batteries. Both offer a quality fit and finish.


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Key Takeaways Stepping up the cost basis of your assets can be a good planning tool when determining what assets to sell in your lifetime. If possible, consider passing taxable assets with large unrealized gains to your heirs. Assets that receive no step up include those held in any retirement accounts or annuities An investor […]
Tag Archives | losses
August 2, 2017 | Charlie Boinske, Intern - Summer 2017
Planning Your Financial Future One "Step" At a Time
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August 25, 2015 | Mark Rioboli
Making Lemonade from Lemons (An Oldie But Goodie)
Key Takeaways • Don't let taxes drive investment decisions • Every portfolio experiences losses at one time or another. Use those losses to your advantage • Be mindful of the timing of trades especially in light of the wash sale rules We often talk, especially towards year end, about loss harvesting or harvesting your losses, […]
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text: Just bought a new DVD burner LITEON 16X, came with a Nero software...thing is all the DVD I have seem to have a copy block on them. So I downloaded Easy DVD Shrink 3.0.5. Please help me figure out how to use this program as the primary burn platform. Has anyone used this software before?


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Teresa Hensley's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
What is the Political Courage Test?
Missouri Congressional Election 2012 Political Courage Test
- Official Position: Candidate had the Political Courage to address this issue directly.
- Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue directly, but Vote Smart inferred this issue position based on the candidate's public statements, voting record, and evaluations from special interest groups.
- Unknown Position: Candidate refused to address this issue.
- Vote Smart's Research: Click on this icon to reveal more information about this candidate's position.
Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as the candidate has submitted it. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.
|Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
|Other or expanded principles
Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing the federal budget.
In order to balance the budget,
|do you support reducing defense spending?
|do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
|do you support reducing Medicaid spending?
|do you support reducing Medicare spending?
|Is balancing the budget a legislative priority?
|Other or expanded principles
Congress should do its job and balance the budget. We need to control wasteful government spending, however I believe we should make cuts responsibly. That means protecting people, the economy and our national security. We need a system based on fairness -- tax cuts for middle class, not continuing to provide tax giveaways to oil companies that don't need them.
|Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
|Other or expanded principles
|Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
|Other or expanded principles
As a prosecutor, its my job to follow the laws regarding capital punishment and make sure justice is served. However, I believe the death penalty should be used only in the most extreme, heinous cases.
|Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
|Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation?
|Do you support spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation?
|Do you support the temporary extension of unemployment benefits?
|Do you support the 2010 temporary extension of tax relief?
|Other or expanded principles
I believe we need to balance the budget and cut wasteful spending. But, we must do so in a way that promotes fairness. Instead of tax breaks for big oil and millionaires, we should be looking for ways to create jobs and strengthen the middle class. Looking at job creation specially, as a start, I believe we can help get the economy back on track by providing incentives to small businesses, end the outsourcing of American jobs, and make strategic investments to rebuild and modernize our nation's crumbling infrastructure.
|Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants?
|Other or expanded principles
Yes, education reform and investment in our children is an incredibly important issue for me. However, I feel No Child Left Behind as put forth under President Bush set reforms on the wrong path. I'd like to see changes to how yearly annual progress is measured in our schools to ensure more accuracy and fairness. Additionally, instead of federal intervention and mandates, I'd like to see more local involvement in setting standards and goals.
|Unknown Position
Do you support reducing restrictions on offshore energy production?
|Other or expanded principles
We need energy and its needs to come from safe, reliable, domestic resources. Developing those resources will not only create good jobs here in the U.S., it will help reduce our dependence on oil from regimes that seek to harm us.
I feel we must evaluate coastal drilling on a case-by-case basis, evaluating the trade-off in environmental concerns against out ability to gather needed energy resources and doing what's reasonable.
|Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
|Other or expanded principles
I fully support current gun laws but oppose further or unnecessary regulations that infringe on Americans' 2nd Amendment Rights.
|Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act?
|Should individuals be required to purchase health insurance, as mandated in the 2010 Affordable Care Act?
|Other or expanded principles
There are some very good ideas in the ACA, including the elimination of pre-exisiting conditions for kids, addressing the donut hole in Medicare and keeping young adults insured to age 26. In addition to protecting those things, we need to find additional ways to increase access to care and lower costs for families.
Moreover, the Supreme Court has upheld the law. I do not support outright repeal because there are too many important issues facing Americans right now and instead of fighting about it without offering a replacement, Congress needs to get back to creating jobs.
|Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
|Do you support allowing illegal immigrants, who were brought to the United States as minors, to pursue citizenship without returning to their country of origin?
|Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration law by state and local police?
|Other or expanded principles
|Do you support same-sex marriage?
|Other or expanded principles
|Do you support targeting suspected terrorists outside of official theaters of conflict?
|Should the U.S use military force in order to prevent Iran from possessing a nuclear weapon?
|Other or expanded principles
No option should be off the table to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, including military force. However, the U.S. should continue to employ and exhaust diplomacy efforts and sanctions to stop the drive toward a nuclear weapons program first.
|Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts?
|Other or expanded principles
Indicate what federal spending levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category; you can use a number more than once.
|Maintain Status
|a) Agriculture
|Maintain Status
|b) Arts
|Maintain Status
|c) Defense
|Greatly Increase
|d) Education
|Maintain Status
|e) Environment
|Maintain Status
|f) Homeland Security
|Maintain Status
|g) International aid
|Slightly Increase
|h) Medical Research
|Slightly Increase
|i) Scientific Research
|Slightly Increase
|j) Space exploration
|Maintain Status
|k) United Nations
|Maintain Status
|l) Welfare
|m) Other or expanded categories
Indicate what federal tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category; you can use a number more than once.
|Slightly Increase
|a) Capital gains taxes
|Slightly Increase
|b) Corporate taxes
|Slightly Increase
|c) Excise taxes (alcohol)
|Slightly Increase
|d) Excise taxes (cigarettes)
|Slightly Increase
|e) Excise taxes (transportation fuel)
|Slightly Decrease
|f) Income taxes (low-income families)
|Slightly Decrease
|g) Income taxes (middle-income families)
|Greatly Increase
|h) Income taxes (high-income families)
|Greatly Increase
|i) Inheritance taxes
|Maintain Status
|j) Payroll taxes
|k) Other or expanded categories
|Please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
1) Job Creation. We can get our economy moving again by providing incentives to small businesses to hire workers, end the outsourcing of American jobs and make investments to repair and modernize our nation's infrastructure.
2) Balancing the budget responsibly. That means making cuts to wasteful programs like tax giveaways to big oil companies, not taking away from the middle-class, veterans and seniors.
3) Supporting our military and veterans. In Congress, I'd fight cuts to our bases, make sure the military has the resources it needs, and provide vets with top-notch health care services and access to job opportunities.


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China Circus on Ice Trailer (2009)
01 January 2009
For more than a half a century, the Heilongjiang Acrobatic troupe kept audiences on the edge of their seats with a contemporary spin on traditional Chinese acrobatics. Then, the company's artistic director had an idea: Put the act on ice. Follow a group of graduates from the Wuqiao School of Acrobatic Arts as they train for the troupe's upcoming Aurora on Ice tour during the obstacle-filled preparations for their big opening night in Taipei.
Watch the official China Circus on Ice 2009 trailer in HD below or find more China Circus on Ice videos on Vidimovie.


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What's New in Picture Books
Feb. 17, 2015
The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat
Fiction -- Winner of the Caldecott Award 2015 -- All ages
This magical story begins on an island far away where an imaginary friend is born. He patiently waits his turn to be chosen by a real child, but when he is overlooked time and again, he sets off on an incredible journey to the bustling city, where he finally meets his perfect match and-at long last-is given his special name: Beekle.
Connections: This is great to use with creative writing, as students can write (and draw) their own imaginary friends.
The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky's Abstract Art by Barb Rosenstock
Nonfiction/Biography -- Caldecott Honor 2015 -- Age 7 and up
A biography of abstract artist Vasilya Kandinsky. When young Vasya is sent to art classes, they expected him to paint pretty houses and flowers—like a proper artist.
But as Vasya opened his paint box and began mixing the reds, the yellows, the blues, he heard a strange sound—the swirling colors trilled like an orchestra tuning up for a symphony! And as he grew older, he continued to hear brilliant colors singing and see vibrant sounds dancing. But was Vasya brave enough to put aside his proper still lifes and portraits and paint . . . music?
Connections: This is an interesting look into synesthesia (being able to hear color and see music as color) and a good way to begin a conversation about how people see the world differently. For older students, some connecting books about synesthesia are A Mango-Shaped Space and The Name of This Book is Secret.
The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant
Nonfiction/Biography -- Caldecott Honor 2015 -- Age 7 and up
For shy young Peter Mark Roget, books were the best companions -- and it wasn't long before Peter began writing his own book. But he didn't write stories; he wrote lists. Peter took his love for words and turned it to organizing ideas and finding exactly the right word to express just what he thought. His lists grew and grew, eventually turning into one of the most important reference books of all time.
Connections: What I like about this book is it emphasizes the power of words. It's always helpful for kids to know about what a thesaurus is, and this gives the added bonus of how it was created in the first place. This book can be read aloud, but there are so many details in the pictures that I feel it is best read individually. It also includes a timeline (with other inventions by Roget), further information about the man, and quotes by Roget.
Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett
Fiction -- Caldecott Honor 2015 -- All ages
Sam and Dave are on a mission. A mission to find something spectacular. So they dig a hole. And they keep digging. And they find . . . nothing. Yet the day turns out to be pretty spectacular after all.
Connections: This book shows how important pictures can be. It would be great to drive home the point that when reading any book, it is important to look at everything on the page (pictures, captions, titles, etc), as just reading the words in this book does not give you the whole picture.
Gaston by Kelly DiPucchio
Fiction -- All ages
This is the story of four puppies: Fi-Fi, Foo-Foo, Ooh-La-La, and Gaston. Gaston works the hardest at his lessons on how to be a proper poodle, but never quite seems to fit in.
But a chance encounter with a bulldog family in the park—Rocky, Ricky, Bruno, and Antoinette-- reveals there's been a mix-up, and so Gaston and Antoinette switch places. The new families look right…but they don't feel right. Can these puppies follow their noses—and their hearts—to find where they belong?
Connections: This is a great book that deals with feeling and looking different, and trying to fit in. It can also be a connection for students with families who don't fit "the norm." It's a good book for theme and problem/solution.
Battle Bunny by Jon Scieszka and Mac Barnett
Fiction -- Ages 7 and up
When Alex gets a silly, sappy picture book called Birthday Bunny, he picks up a pencil and turns it into something he'd like to read: Battle Bunny. An adorable rabbit's journey through the forest becomes a secret mission to unleash an evil plan--a plan that only Alex can stop
Connections: This humorous book would be great to use as a starting point for students to "rewrite" their own stories. Finding old books at garage sales would allow for students to rewrite them like Alex does (right on the book), or you could always have students look at a book and rewrite the story on regular paper. Just make sure you emphasize that writing in library books is bad!
As an Oak Tree Grows by G. Brian Karas
Fiction -- All ages
This inventive picture book relays the events of two hundred years from the unique perspective of a magnificent oak tree, showing how much the world can transform from a single vantage point. From 1775 to the present day, this fascinating framing device lets readers watch as human and animal populations shift and the landscape transitions from country to city. Methods of transportation, communication and energy use progress rapidly while other things hardly seem to change at all.
Connections: A good example of past, present, and future and how inventions have impacted our lives (and the Earth) over the years. This would be good to pair with a look at Google Earth, which can show how the terrain has changed over the years since satellites.
Winter Bees and Other Poems of the Cold by Joyce Sidman
Poetry -- All ages
Poems about how animals stay alive in the wintertime and learn about their secret lives happening under the snow.
Connections: Great to connect with learning about winter and hibernation. Also shows the relationships between plants and animals, and the importance of seasons changing. There are also short explanations about the facts in each poem.
Hank Has a Dream by Rebecca Dudley
Fiction -- All ages
In this poetic tale, Hank dreams that he can fly. Come along for the ride as he recreates the dream for his little friend. How far will Hank fly? What will he see? How high will he go?
Connections: A companion book to Hank Finds an Egg, this story has minimal text and beautiful pictures. It's a good book to simply engage the imagination.
What Do You Do With an Idea? by Kobi Yamada
Fiction -- All ages
This is the story of one brilliant idea and the child who helps to bring it into the world. As the child's confidence grows, so does the idea itself. And then, one day, something amazing happens.
This is a story for anyone, at any age, who s ever had an idea that seemed a little too big, too odd, too difficult. It s a story to inspire you to welcome that idea, to give it some space to grow, and to see what happens next. Because your idea isn t going anywhere. In fact, it's just getting started.
Connections: We used this book to kick of 5th grade capstone projects, and could be used for any project in order to generate ideas. Great for inspiration and how ideas grow.
My Teacher is a Monster! (No, I am Not) by Peter Brown
Fiction -- All ages
A young boy named Bobby has the worst teacher. She's loud, she yells, and if you throw paper airplanes, she won't allow you to enjoy recess. She is a monster! Luckily, Bobby can go to his favorite spot in the park on weekends to play. Until one day... he finds his teacher there! Over the course of one day, Bobby learns that monsters are not always what they seem.
Connections: A good story showing things aren't always what they seem. Also good for showing that there is more to people than what we see. This could be fun for students to re-enact in a reader's theater type way.
The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade by Justin Roberts
Fiction -- All ages
Hardly anyone noticed young Sally McCabe.
She was the smallest girl in the smallest grade.
But Sally notices everything—from the twenty-seven keys on the janitor's ring to the bullying happening on the playground. One day, Sally has had enough and decides to make herself heard. And when she takes a chance and stands up to the bullies, she finds that one small girl can make a big difference.
Connections: Shows the power of observation and how everyone, no matter how small, can make a difference. Good to use to kick-off a lesson in making a difference in the school/community.
Quest by Aaron Becker
Fiction -- All ages
A king emerges from a hidden door in a city park, startling two children sheltering from the rain. No sooner does he push a map and some strange objects into their hands than he is captured by hostile forces that whisk him back through the enchanted door. Just like that, the children are caught up in a quest to rescue the king and his kingdom from darkness, while illuminating the farthest reaches of their imagination. Colored markers in hand, they make their own way through the portal, under the sea, through a tropical paradise, over a perilous bridge, and high in the air with the help of a winged friend.
Connections: Sequel to the book Journey, this wordless book takes readers on a magical quest and shows the power of imagination.
Gravity by Jason Chin
Nonfiction -- All ages
A book on gravity falls onto a beach where a boy is playing with his toy astronaut and spaceship. Suddenly without gravity, everything starts rising into the air and floating off into space. In the end, because "everything has gravity," the objects fall back to earth.
Connections: Shows how gravity works in very simple words and beautiful illustrations.
Flashlight by Lizi Boyd
Fiction -- All ages
Inside a tent it's cozy. But what is going on outside? Is it dark? Is it scary? Not if you have your trusty flashlight! A wordless book that uses light and dark, color and black, to tell a story of the night.
Connections: This book is good for focusing on details, and showing how artists will use different ways to bring your attention to something.
President Taft is Stuck in the Bath by Mac Barnett
Fiction -- All ages
George Washington crossed the Delaware in the dead of night. Abraham Lincoln saved the Union. And President William Howard Taft, a man of great stature — well, he got stuck in a bathtub. Now how did he get unstuck?
Connections: Loosely based on a rumor that President Taft got stuck in the White House bathtub (research has been unable to prove if that really happened), this book is just a fun read for laughs. There is a good message about teamwork in the end.
Plants Feed Me by Lizzy Rockwell
Nonfiction -- All ages
Detailed illustrations help teach new readers about the edible parts of different plants, including leaves, flowers, stems, roots, and seeds.
Connections: Perfect for studying plants and how plants go from the farms/gardens of the world to grocery stores, and finally, to our homes. It also shows students the parts of plants that we eat.
Ordinary People Change the World series by Brad Meltzer
Nonfiction/Biography -- All ages
I am Rosa Parks, I am Abraham Lincoln, I am Albert Einstein, I am Amelia Earhart, and I am Jackie Robinson kick off a new biography series. Each book tells the story of one of America's icons in a vivacious, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers, those who aren't quite ready for the Who Was biography series. Each book focuses on a particular character trait that made that role model heroic. For example, Rosa Parks dared to stand up for herself and other African Americans by staying seated, and as a result she helped end public bus segregation and launch the country's Civil Rights Movement.
Connections: Wonderful for 2nd grade biography studies, and also works well for studying character traits.
The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires
Fiction -- All ages
A girl decides to make something magnificent with the help of her assistant—her dog, but they "are shocked to discover that the thing isn't magnificent. Or good. It isn't even kind-of-sort-of okay. It is all wrong. The girl tosses it aside and gives it another go." But it still doesn't work, and the girl gets MAD. Will she ever be able to make something magnificent?
Connections: This is great for talking about feelings, perseverance, and how it's okay to make mistakes.
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
Fiction -- All ages
Poor Duncan just wants to color. But when he opens his box of crayons, he finds only letters, all saying the same thing: His crayons have had enough! They quit! Beige Crayon is tired of playing second fiddle to Brown Crayon. Black wants to be used for more than just outlining. Blue needs a break from coloring all those bodies of water. And Orange and Yellow are no longer speaking—each believes he is the true color of the sun.
What can Duncan possibly do to appease all of the crayons and get them back to doing what they do best?
Connections: This book is great for connections to writing letters and persuasive writing. It's also a great book for discussion with the idea of thinking outside of the box and being creative. This would also be a good exercise in creative writing -- what would a conversation with a different inanimate object (or objects) be like?
The Scraps Book: Notes From a Colorful Life by Lois Ehlert
Nonfiction/Biography -- All ages
Lois Ehlert always knew she was an artist. Her parents encouraged her from a young age by teaching her how to sew and saw wood and pound nails, and by giving her colorful art supplies. They even gave her a special spot to work that was all her own.
Today, many years and many books later, Lois takes readers and aspiring artists on a delightful behind-the-scenes tour of her books and her book-making process.
Connections: Wonderful to use when talking about how books are made. It also has a message of following your dreams.
Baby Bear by Kadir Nelson
Fiction -- All ages
The tale of a bear who finds his way home with the help of his animal friends, teaching readers that by listening to your heart and trusting yourself, you will always find a true home within yourself—and that even when it feels like you are alone, you never really are.
Connections: Gorgeous pictures. Can be used with theme and problem/solution, as well as a starting point to talk about self-esteem and comforting yourself.
A Dance Like Starlight: One Ballerina's Dream by Kristy Dempsey
Fiction -- All ages
Little ballerinas have big dreams. Dreams of pirouettes and grande jetes, dreams of attending the best ballet schools and of dancing starring roles on stage. But in Harlem in the 1950s, dreams don't always come true—they take a lot of work and a lot of hope. And sometimes hope is hard to come by.
But the first African-American prima ballerina, Janet Collins, did make her dreams come true. And those dreams inspired ballerinas everywhere, showing them that the color of their skin couldn't stop them from becoming a star.
Connections: This shows the power of hard work and following your dreams. This is also good to tie into Black History Month or talking about Civil Rights.
E-I-E-I-O: How Old MacDonald Got His Farm (With a Little Help from a Hen) by Judy Sierra
Fiction -- All ages
Once upon a time, Old MacDonald didn't have a farm. He just had a yard — a yard he didn't want to mow. But under the direction of the wise (and ecologically sensitive) Little Red Hen, Mac learns to look at the environment in a very different way, and whole new worlds start to bloom with the help of some mud, garbage, horse poop, and worms!
Connections: This is a great look at ecosystems and how helpful locally grown food is. It shows how farms are started, and while it may seem dirty and smelly at first, it all grows into something beautiful. There's cute, humorous moments throughout as well, and gives a positive message about supporting local farms.
Once Upon an Alphabet: Short Stories for All the Letters by Oliver Jeffers
Fiction -- All ages but readability/comprehension is for grade 2+
If words make up the stories and letters make up the words, then stories are made up of letters. In this menagerie we have stories made of words, made FOR all the letters. From an Astronaut who's afraid of heights, to a Bridge that ends up burned between friends, to a Cup stuck in a cupboard and longing for freedom, Once Upon an Alphabet is a creative tour de force from A through Z.
Connections: This book is full of humor and makes story connections throughout the letters. This would be a good writing exercise in your class -- come up with a story for a letter (or two) in the alphabet, or even work with another student who has another letter to find ways to tie your story together. It would be really neat to do this with another class in another building/school/state even.
Blizzard by John Rocco
Fiction -- All ages
Blizzard is based on John Rocco's childhood experience during the now infamous Blizzard of 1978, which brought fifty-three inches of snow to his town in Rhode Island. Told with a brief text and dynamic illustrations, the book opens with a boy's excitement upon seeing the first snowflake fall outside his classroom window. It ends with the neighborhood's immense relief upon seeing the first snowplow break through on their street. In between the boy watches his familiar landscape transform into something alien, and readers watch him transform into a hero who puts the needs of others first.
Connections: Good to use as an example of using what you know to create a story.
Hug Machine by Scott Campbell
Fiction -- All ages
Watch out world, here he comes! The Hug Machine! Whether you are big, or small, or square, or long, or spikey, or soft, no one can resist his unbelievable hugs! HUG ACCOMPLISHED!
Connections: This is just a really cute story about being kind and how our actions can have a big impact on others.
Three Bears in a Boat by David Soman
Fiction -- All ages
Three bear siblings break their mother's favorite blue seashell, and rather than tell her, they decide to set out in their sailboat to find her a new one. On their quest they encounter salty sailors, strange new islands, huge whales, and vast seas but no blue seashells. When a treacherous storm suddenly blows in, the three bears find themselves tossed about in their little boat, far from Mama. What will become of their search, and what will it take to bring them safely home?
Connections: Good for problem/solution as well as discussing resolving conflict.
Any Questions? by Marie-Louise Gay
Fiction -- All ages
Many children want to know where stories come from and how a book is made. Marie-Louise Gay's new picture book provides them with some delightfully inspiring answers though a fictional encounter between an author and some very curious children — together they collaborate on writing and illustrating a story. Marie-Louise Gay has scribbled, sketched, scrawled, doodled, penciled, collaged, and painted the words and pictures of a story-within-a-story that show how brilliant ideas creep up on you when you least expect it and how words sometimes float out of nowhere, asking to be written.
Connections: This can be used to get creative juices flowing in writing a story, as well as to explore how stories are thought up and then made.
Ivan: The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla by Katherine Applegate
Nonfiction -- All ages
Captured as a baby, Ivan was brought to a Tacoma, Washington, mall to attract shoppers. Gradually, public pressure built until a better way of life for Ivan was found at Zoo Atlanta. From the Congo to America, and from a local business attraction to a national symbol of animal welfare, Ivan the Shopping Mall Gorilla traveled an astonishing distance in miles and in impact.
Connections: A complimentary read to Applegate's The One and Only Ivan, Newbery Medal winner of 2014. Real pictures of Ivan are included in the back. This book can be used to discuss treatment of wild animals and the power of public pressure to make changes in the world. Students could find a cause they wish to support and write letters asking for change. Students could also learn more about the story of Colo, the Columbus Zoo's (and the world's) oldest captive gorilla.
Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh by Sally M. Walker
Nonfiction -- All ages
When Harry Colebourn saw a baby bear for sale at the train station, he knew he could care for it. Harry was a veterinarian. But he was also a soldier in training for World War I. Harry named the bear Winnie, short for Winnipeg, his company's home town, and he brought her along to the training camp in England. Winnie followed Harry everywhere and slept under his cot every night. Before long, she became the regiment's much-loved mascot.
But who could care for the bear when Harry had to go to the battleground in France? Harry found just the right place for Winnie while he was away—the London Zoo. There a little boy named Christopher Robin came along and played with Winnie—he could care for this bear too!
Connections: A great way for students to learn more about the creation of the Winnie-the-Pooh stories in an easy picture book format. It also includes pictures and text about Harry Colebourn and A.A. Milne. High interest nonfiction with a good look at how author's get their ideas.
In New York by Marc Brown
Fiction -- All ages
Marc Brown now calls New York City home, and with In New York, he shares his love for all that the city has to offer and all that it stands for, including the way it's always changing and evolving. From its earliest days as New Amsterdam to the contemporary wonders of Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, and the Empire State Building, to the kid-appealing subway, High Line, and so much more, Brown shows all the great things about New York.
Connections: This would work wonderfully with 3rd grade social studies and exploring Hilliard. Students could create their own e-book(s) about Hilliard using a similar format to In New York, including what to do, maps, and special highlights of their hometown.
Little Elliot, Big City by Mike Curato
Fiction -- All ages
Amid the hustle and bustle of the big city, the big crowds and bigger buildings, Little Elliot leads a quiet life. In spite of the challenges he faces, Elliot finds many wonderful things to enjoy—like cupcakes! And when his problems seem insurmountable, Elliot discovers something even sweeter—a friend.
Connection: Good for talking about kindness, helping others, and how helping others can help you. Also a good book for those who feel invisible, and how others have problems, too.
Winter is Coming by Tony Johnston
Fiction -- All ages
Day after day, a girl goes to her favorite place in the woods and quietly watches from her tree house as the chipmunks, the doe, the rabbits prepare for the winter. As the temperature drops, sunset comes earlier and a new season begins. Silently she observes the world around her as it reveals its secrets. It takes time and patience to see the changes as, slowly but surely, winter comes.
Connections: This book ties in well with seasons of fall and winter, and does a nice job showing how the earth changes (like leaves turning and falling) and how animals adapt (like getting food and hibernating). It also shows the importance of observation in science.
Kid Sheriff and the Terrible Toads by Bob Shea
Fiction -- All ages
Drywater Gulch has a toad problem. Not the hop-down-your-britches, croaking-all-night toad kind of problem. The thievin', hootin' and hollerin', steal-your-gold never-say-thank-you outlaw toad kind of problem.
Then hope rides into town. Sheriff Ryan might only be seven years old, and he might not know much about shooting and roping. But he knows a lot about dinosaurs. Yes, dinosaurs. And it turns out that knowing a thing or two about paleontology can come in handy when it comes to hoodwinking and rounding up a few no-good bandits.
Connections: Just a funny, laugh-out-loud book.
The Secrets of the Seasons: Orbiting the Sun in Our Backyard by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
Nonfiction -- Ages 8 and up
Alice and her friend Zack explore the reasons for the seasons. Alice's narrative is all about noticing the changes as fall turns into winter, spring, and then summer. She explains how the earth's yearlong journey around the sun, combined with the tilt in the earth's axis, makes the seasons happen. Two very helpful—and very funny—chickens give more science details and further explanation through charts, diagrams, and sidebars.
Connections: This book is a bit text heavy for younger readers, but I think it would be ideal for 4th graders and older when learning about the Earth and seasons.
Grandfather Gandhi by Arun Gandhi and Bethany Hegedus
Nonfiction/Biography -- Ages 9 and up
Young Arun is pushed by another boy on the soccer field, and anger fills him completely. His grandfather, Gandhi, has taught him the way of peace, but it feels out of reach for Arun. Will he ever be able to be like his grandfather and get rid of his anger?
Connections: The author is the real Arun, Gandhi's actual grandson, and the teachings of turning your inner darkness into light is something all children struggle with. The text makes it more suitable to 3rd grade and up. It focuses on Gandhi's teachings of peace and not the historical time period of Gandhi's revolution. This is a good book for talking about anger and bullying, as well as how peace and kindness can only be achieved with more peace and kindness.
Red: A Crayon's Story by Michael Hall
Fiction -- All ages
Red has a bright red label, but he is, in fact, blue. His teacher tries to help him be red (let's draw strawberries!), his mother tries to help him be red by sending him out on a playdate with a yellow classmate (go draw a nice orange!), and the scissors try to help him be red by snipping his label so that he has room to breathe. But Red is miserable. He just can't be red, no matter how hard he tries! Finally, a brand-new friend offers a brand-new perspective, and Red discovers what readers have known all along. He's blue!
Connections: A wonderful way to describe how to be true to yourself, even if that means not "fitting in." This is also a good metaphor for showing how even if you change the outside of something, it's still the same on the inside. Good to pair with The Day the Crayon's Quit.
I Don't Want to Be a Frog by Dev Petty
Fiction -- All ages
Frog wants to be anything but a slimy, wet frog. A cat, perhaps. Or a rabbit. An owl? But when a hungry wolf arrives—a wolf who HATES eating frogs—our hero decides that maybe being himself isn't so bad after all.
Connections: A good book about appreciating yourself and what you have, and how the "grass isn't always greener."
100 Things That Make Me Happy by Amy Schwartz
Fiction -- All ages
A list in rhyming couplets, this book is a tribute to 100 everyday things worth celebrating.
Connections: Great to use for the 100th day of school as well as looking at the little things that make life good. Also good for rhyming words. Can be used to help students think of the good things in their own lives.
Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family's Fight for Desegregation by Duncan Tonatiuh
Nonfiction -- Ages 9 and up
Almost 10 years before Brown vs. Board of Education, Sylvia Mendez and her parents helped end school segregation in California. An American citizen of Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage who spoke and wrote perfect English, Mendez was denied enrollment to a "Whites only" school. Her parents took action by organizing the Hispanic community and filing a lawsuit in federal district court. Their success eventually brought an end to the era of segregated education in California.
Connections: This book is a great way to talk about civil rights and how many minority groups in America were treated unfairly. A great companion to any book or discussion surrounding the Civil Rights movement and segregation. It would be great to be paired with Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan, or Sit-In by Andrea Davis Pinkney.
Some Bugs by Angela DiTerlizzi
Nonfiction -- All ages
Featuring insects including butterflies and moths, crickets and cicadas, bumblebees and beetles, this zippy rhyming exploration of backyard-bug behavior is sure to have insect enthusiasts of all ages bugging out with excitement!
Connections: A cute look at what's in our backyards. Great for K-1 to learn about bugs and some of the things they do.


text:
Let me tell you a little about Wednesdays and Thursdays in our family right now. They're awful. They're rushed. I don't really like being rushed, but I also don't like sitting in the house with nothing to do ever, so we do things.
Right now our thing is soccer. Practice for BigBrother is on Wednesday evening. Practice for LittleBrother is on Thursday evening. Both at 5:00. Pee-em. Five o'clock. Like, quittin' time. I could turn this into a rant based on "how are working parents supposed to swing that," but this is the eleventieth time we've had a five o'clock practice (and a few times, a 4:30!), so I'm used to being rushed and ticked off, occasionally on a conference call or sitting at the field with my laptop on my lap. I mean, it is called a laptop, is it not?
Instead, I will tell you how we survive.
The boys' bus rolls up at 3:30. After making our way inside, we look through backpacks, set out homework, and get started. I then serve up a snack. I make/finish dinner and serve it between 4:00-4:15. You read that right. We normally eat between 4:30-5:00, so it's not a huge departure, but on Thursdays, it doesn't always work. Thursdays I have a conference call from 3-4. This means I can't help with homework or finish a meal. I've utilized the crock-pot more and more on Thursdays, but what if a call runs over? Or what if I'm finishing a work project?
Or so on. So I decided to up my snack game on Thursdays in case we can't eat until after LittleBrother's practice. His practice, being U6, is only 45 minutes, so we're home before 6. We can eat at 6. We can't eat at nearly 7:00 on Wednesdays as BigBrother's practice is an hour and a half (and sometimes runs over). So back to upping the snack game on Thursdays.
Hello, Bagel Bites.
I like Bagel Bites. They use real cheese and from-scratch sauce (which is more than I do when I make our own pizza on Fridays, so Bagel Bites beats me). And they're quick to boot. They only take 14 minutes in the oven, so I drop them in around 3:00, take them out as I'm heading outside to watch for the bus, and by the time we're inside, they've cooled down and are ready for eating.
The kids like Bagel Bites because they taste good. I can't disagree.
They also think they're getting something special. Which, I suppose they are. It's a different snack than the rest of the week, it allows us to finish homework and get out the door on time, and it's just something fun to do. I'm pleased with our new little routine. (And fully ready for Thursday night practices to be ohhhh-ver.) You can grab yourself a coupon and then win yourself a $100 Visa gift card, courtesy of Bagel Bites, right here. Just answer this question: What's your favorite after school snack?
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This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 72 hours to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.
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How many more wickets?
I was wondering about this myself when I found this tweet from Lalu Prasad on my timeline: 'Why incidents of factional violence only in states due for assembly elections in near future?'columns Updated: Jun 11, 2014 10:31 IST
I was wondering about this myself when I found this tweet from Lalu Prasad on my timeline: 'Why incidents of factional violence only in states due for assembly elections in near future?'
We had Pune, then Haryana, then Maharashtra again over the past fortnight — two Congress-ruled states where elections are due in October. I do not know much about Gurgaon in Haryana but it is not by far enough for Congressman-turned BJP minister Rao Inderjit Singh to shrug it off as an accident and avow that the current government is for all castes, communities and religions. As far as I know the last one was too but there has to be something in what Sharad Pawar says: That in barely two weeks after the first fully saffron government took over at the Centre, certain groups have been emboldened to target minorities and all other groups they may not be in consonance with.
I have always considered Maharashtra to be essentially a left-of-centre state, sociologically as well as politically, despite the presence of the saffron headquarters in Nagpur. The first riot that ever took place in the area comprising the erstwhile Bombay state was between Parsis and Muslims in 1851, preceding the First War of Independence in 1857. Parsis were by then integrated into the Indian population but the 'Muslims' who rioted were not; largely Arabs and Siddis (migrants from Africa), and it was more a war over wealth and economics than religion.
It was not until the British got into the act after 1857 did their divide and rule policy come into play and Hindu-Muslim clashes over religion became the norm — first in Bombay in 1869 and during Moharram in Calcutta in 1926 being the more bloody and notorious ones. Through my career as a journalist, I recall a Muslim-Muslim one (between Shias and Sunnis) at Mohammad Ali Road in the mid-Eighties that was quelled within a few hours. But the worst had to be the 1992-93 riots in the aftermath of the demolition of the Babri masjid that was deliberately fuelled and fired by the Shiv Sena, helped in great measure by LK Advani's rath yatra in his desperate bid to become prime minister in the early 1990s.
It cannot be without reason that people like Lalu and Pawar now suspect that after the successful Gujarat 2002 experiment, repeated at Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh with such spectacular results for the BJP, the attempt now is to similarly use technology to incite violence. Few would have forgotten how pictures of violence from Burma, originating in Pakistan, were first circulated in India to incite the August 2012 violence at Azad Maidan in Bombay. Now technology is being used again to morph pictures of leading icons like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, BR Ambedkar and Bal Thackeray and the weak Congress-NCP state leadership can do little apart from calling for a ban on social media, instead of cracking down on those fringe groups who would destroy peace and harmony.
What I find more chilling about the current situation is the widely circulated message among these groups after the killing of a Muslim engineer in Pune — first wicket down. How many then will they bring down in absolute numbers? And what kind of conflagration will that cause?
I was deeply saddened over the weekend to see my Muslim friends on my timeline asking if there was an appropriate way for Muslims to dress in India — the boy killed in Pune was identified by the skull cap he was wearing while his friend, a fellow Muslim who was not wearing one, was spared. But such anti-socials do not stop at skull caps — I recall in 1992-93, Shiv Sainiks not only identified Muslims by voter lists but also asked the men to drop their trousers when they were in doubt. So they will stop at nothing to destroy the peace.
Like Lalu and Pawar, I was never — and still am not — among those 30% Indians who see a new hope rising in the country. This is what I was always afraid of. But, as yet, I do not want to say, "I told you so!"


text:
Case-Based Recommendation. Barry Smyth. Presented by Chul-Hwan Lee. 1. Introduction. 2. Retrieval & Recommendation. 3. Similarity & Diversity. 4. Conversation Technique. 5. Personalization Technique. Agenda. 1. Introduction. Origins of Case-Based Recommendation.
Related searches for Case-Based Recommendation
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Barry Smyth
Presented by
Chul-Hwan Lee
Retrieval & Recommendation
Similarity & Diversity
Conversation Technique
Personalization TechniqueAgenda
Origins of Case-Based Recommendation
Case-based Reasoning(CBR)
A model of reasoning that incorporates problem solving, understanding,
and learning, and integrates all of them with memory processes.
<- Soft Computing Methodology, Cognitive Science
[CBR prototype samples]
Cyrus, Mediator, Persuader, Chef, Julia, Casey, and Protos, CLAVIER
Case-based Recommendation:
A form of content-based recommendation that is especially well suited to many product recommendation Domains.
Case-base -> Well-structured Concepts Description
Content-base -> Less Structured Textual Item Description
Origins of Case-Based Recommendation
A contextualized piece of knowledge representing an
experience that teaches a lesson fundamental to achieving the goals of the system.
Case-based System
Operates through a process of remembering oneor a small set of concrete instances or cases and basing decisions on comparisonsbetween the new and old situations. – medical diagnosis, legal interpretation
Related Disciplines
Fuzzy Logic(FL), Neural Network(NN), Evolutionary Computing(EC), Probabilistic Reasoning(PR), Belief Networks, Chaos Theory, Parts of Learning Theory
Successful Tasks
Planning, Design, Diagnosis, Configuration, Classification, Prediction
Successful Domains
Manufacturing, Medical, Help-desks, Sales Support
Major Components of a CBR system
CBR Cycle
1. Retrieving similar previously experienced cases whose problem is judged to be similar
2. Reusing the cases by copying or integrating the solutions from the cases retrieved
3. Revising or adapting the solution(s) retrieved in an attempt to solve the new problem
4. Retaining the new solution once it has been confirmed or validated
CBR Cycle
Major Tasks of CBR
Guidelines for the Use of CBR
1. Does the domain have an underlying model?
2. Are there exceptions and novel cases?
3. Do cases recur?
4. Is there significant benefit in adapting past solutions?
5. Are relevant previous cases obtainable?
Advantages of Using CBR
1. Reducing the knowledge acquisition task.
2. Avoiding repeating mistakes made in the past.
3. Providing flexibility in knowledge modeling.
4. Reasoning in domains that have not been fully understood, defined, or modeled.
5. Making predictions of the probable success of a proffered solution.
6. Learning over time.
7. Reasoning in a domain with a small body of knowledge.
8. Reasoning with incomplete or imprecise data and concepts.
9. Avoiding repeating all the steps that need to be taken to arrive at a solution.
10. Providing a means of explanation.
11. Extending to many different purposes.
12. Extending to a broad range of domains.
13. Reflecting human reasoning.
Retrieval & Recommendation
Case Representation
Content-base Recommendation: unstructured or semi-structured manner, using keyword-based content analysis techniques
Case-based Recommendation: structured representations, using attribute-value representations techniques – fit into e-commerce domains
Retrieval & Recommendation
Similarity-based Retrieval
Similarity Assumption: most similar to the target problem, more sophisticated similarity metrics that are based on an explicit mapping of case features and the availability of specialised feature-level similarity knowledge.
t=target query, c=case, w=weight
Inverse relative difference (numerical)
Single-Shot Recommendation Problem: can be achieved by personalized recommendation through extended dialog with the user.
Similarity & Diversity
Similarity & Diversity
Bounded random selection & bounded greedy selection
Similarity & Diversity
Alternative Diversity-Preserving Approach
Similarity Layers
A set of cases, ranked by their similarity to the target query are partitioned into
similarity layers, such that all cases in a given layer have the same similarity
value to the query.
Order-based Retrival
constructs an ordering relation from the query provided
by the user and applies this relation to the case-base of products returning the
k items at the top of the ordering.
Compromise-driven Approach
the most similar cases to the users query are often not representative of compromises that the user may be prepared to accept.
Conversation Technique
Navigation by Asking
Employing Natural Language Processing(NLP), originated from conversational case-based reasoning systems.
An example conversational dialog between a user (the inquirer) and the Adaptive
Place Advisor recommender system (the advisor) in which the user is trying
to decide on a restaurant for dinner
Conversation Technique
Navigation by Proposing
Preference-based feedback, ratings-based feedback, critiquing-based feedback(dynamic compound critiques)
Entree recommends restaurants to users and solicits feedback in the form
of feature critiques. The screenshot a recommendation for Planet Hollywood along with
a variety of fixed critiques (less$$, nicer, cuisine etc.) over features such as the price,
ambiance and cuisine of the restaurant.
Conversation Technique
A screenshot of the digital camera recommender system evaluated in which solicits feedback in the form of fixed unit critiques and a set of dynamically
generated compound critiques. The former are indicated on either side of the
individual camera features, while the latter are presented beneath the main product
recommendation as a set of 3 alternatives.
Personalization Technique
User Modeling
User's personal preference
User's learned preference
Weak personalization to Strong personalization
Long term user preference information
This can be achieved by questionnaires, user ratings or usage traces, asking the user to weight a variety of areas of interest, normal online behavior patterns
Case-based Profiling
Profiling Feature Preferences
Towards to Hybrid Recommendation System, Be~~tter System!
Explain the results of their reasoning
Justify their recommendations
In/With Product Space
Final Goal is to provide good system to the world!
That's why we are here!
[1] Pal, S. & Shiu, S. Foundations of Soft Case-Based Reasoning, Wiley Series on Intelligent System, 2004.
[2] Smyth, B. & Cotter, P. A personalized Television Listing Service, Communications of the ACM, 2000, 107-111.
[3] Goker, M. & Thompson, C. Personalized Conversational Case-Based Recommendation, Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research, 2004, 1-36.
[4] Ricci, F., Cavada, D., Mirzadeh, N., & Venturini, A. Case-Based Travel Recommendations, 2005, Retrieved from http://ectrl.itc.it:8080/home/publications/2005/cbr-cabv3.pdf on Sep. 2005.


text:
Russell, Wyatt
From Astro-Databank
|Wyatt Hawn Russell
|born on
|10 July 1986 at 08:28 (= 08:28 AM )
|West Hollywood, California, 34n05, 118w22
|PDT h7w (is daylight saving time)
|Data source
|Astrology data
|18°05' 27°11 Asc. 19°50'
American film actor, the son of Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. He was 8lb 4oz, Caesarean. His mom had two older kids, Oliver, nine, and Kate, seven and his dad had an older son, Boston, six.
At 16, his main interest was hockey and he made an impressive goalie at 6' 1" and 160 lbs. In August 2002, he trained with the Western Hockey League's Prince George (British Columbia) Cougars before starting the season with a junior-league team.
Russell has appeared in films such as "Escape from L.A.," "Soldier," "Cowboys & Aliens," "This Is 40," "Love and Honor" and "We Are What We Are." He also co-starred in the 2014 film "22 Jump Street."
- child->parent relationship with Hawn, Goldie (born 21 November 1945)
- child->parent relationship with Russell, Kurt (born 17 March 1951)
- sibling relationship with Hudson, Kate (born 19 April 1979). Notes: Half-sibling
- sibling relationship with Hudson, Oliver (born 7 September 1976). Notes: Half-sibling
Source Notes
B.C. in hand from the Wilsons
- Family : Childhood : Family noted (Mom, dad)
- Personal : Birth : Cesarean
- Vocation : Entertainment : Actor/ Actress (Film actor)
- Vocation : Sports : Hockey


text:
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Lord Clinton-Davis: I have much sympathy especially with Amendment No. 153. The noble Lord,
I am not sure whether the provision in Amendment No. 152 should be a duty or a power. One must ask, what is the difference? I ask my noble friend what are the sanctions for an unreasonable failure to exercise a power on the part of the Secretary of State. Is there a major practical difference between the two consequences? Of course, there is a failure to exercise the duty, but, in practice, would a failure on the part of the Secretary of State to exercise a power amount to something similar? What rights would be conferred on the persons who would be prejudiced by that failure?
That is the major criterion here. Perhaps in practice we are not talking about two distinct issues. Perhaps the situation will be unnecessarily complex, but it is for my noble friend to answer that point.
In my view, the position in relation to Amendment No. 153 is different. The compelling arguments put forward by the noble Lord, Lord Alton, deserve careful consideration by the Committee and my noble friend.
Baroness Oppenheim-Barnes: I shall be brief in my support for Amendment No. 153, which relates to a duty to ensure the welfare of children. I should like to bring a particular instance to the attention of the Committee. When people see Kosovar refugees begging, many become annoyed and say, "They are receiving fair benefits, so why should they be begging?". However, on numerous occasions I have seen such people dragging tiny, barefooted children who can hardly walk. They are in dense traffic, stopping at cars and certainly putting the children at considerable risk. They do so not only for a couple of hours but for the full length of the day. I cannot imagine that anything less than a duty on the part of those responsible would be acceptable.
Baroness Williams of Crosby: I am grateful for what was said by the noble Baroness, Lady Oppenheim-Barnes. I, too, should like to turn to the argument advanced by the noble Lord, Lord Alton. Perhaps we may go back into the history of the Home Office. The Minister and those associated with the Home Office will recall that at one time it was responsible for children's officers. They were an impressive part of the Home Office's responsibility at that time.
As a result of decisions made about the allocation of duties between that department and the Department of Health and Social Services, the children's officers were moved into the DHSS with a serious loss to the Home Office in terms of a balancing professional concern unconnected to services related to law and order. Many of the amendments are rightly concerned with how the asylum support directorate will carry out its duties and obligations, not least because for a generation that department has had no direct experience of running such a directorate. Many of us are concerned that the new directorate will not have the experience or awareness of
Like the noble Lord, Lord Alton, I was concerned about the remarks made by the Secretary of State in another place. He was right and fair to say that the concerns of taxpayers must be borne in mind. It would also be fair to say that a good deal of Part VI is about that. But that is not the whole story. I was particularly concerned with the statement he made in the Special Standing Committee, which examined Clause 99. He stated:
Amendment No. 152 balances the directorate's responsibilities in terms of administration and saving public money with a recognition that it also has a duty towards the welfare of asylum seekers. I understand that a power is enabling and that a duty is an obligation which cannot be left to discretion. It is a duty which must be carried out by the department in all circumstances. That is what we are seeking: that the asylum directorate will balance the welfare of asylum seekers against the other considerations that it takes into account relating to administrative convenience and taxpayers' concerns.
With regard to Amendment No. 153, I want strongly to underline what the noble Lord, Lord Alton, said. In the White Paper, the Government stated that they wanted to ensure that,
Finally, I strongly support what was said by the noble Lord, Lord Alton, about the position of children today. One of the problems about our world is that increasingly children are used as weapons of war. The Minister will be familiar with the terrifyingly changed ratio on the loss of life of civilians and of soldiers in today's battles. We now know, for example, that in the Yemen children are regularly seriously mutilated as part of a political purpose.
In such a situation, we, as a civilised country, must put at the forefront our concern for the next generation. I believe that Amendment No. 153 would be in the best traditions of this country and would stand to the credit of the Government if they accepted it.
Lord Judd: I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Alton, on tabling the amendment. It goes to the kernel of the legislation. In some ways, this is a Second Reading debate.
I am not a lawyer and in the detail of the Bill legal minds are most important. However, I chair the refugee sub-committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and I have spent most of my life working in humanitarian agencies. For those of us who are carrying out such tasks, the amendment is highly relevant. Perhaps I may underline why.
First, the noble Baroness made the point that there is a growing and deep concern among all of us in humanitarian agencies about the effect of conflict and repression on children. It leaves psychological scars for the rest of their lives. There is a need for counselling and psychological support, which do not exist. In that context and in the administration of this part of national policy, we should wholeheartedly fulfil our responsibilities by ensuring that the humanitarian dimensions of what we are trying to do are second to none and that our commitment to children is self-evident.
As regards Amendment No. 152--and as we discussed a great deal in the Council of Europe sub-committee--we must examine legislation in the context of the culture in which it is being applied. We all know that the number of refugees and asylum seekers with whom governments are grappling is out of all proportion to anything imagined in the immediate post-war period. We also know that there is abuse. There is no argument about that. We also know that there is a responsibility to the taxpayers. There is no argument about that. But we also know that everything that the political leadership of post-war Europe was about was the humanitarian responsibility for refugees and asylum seekers. That is why we introduced human rights provisions and legislation in this area.
Because of the preoccupations with the other elements to which I have referred, when a Bill such as this is being debated it is very important to reassert the primary commitment to genuine refugees and asylum seekers. We should be sending that message strongly as a message of support to those in the front line who are administering the policy. They should understand that that is what Parliament wants: to see the issue dealt with generously and openly, while the other points are taken into account. My fear, which is shared by my fellow members of that sub-committee of the Council of Europe, is that in one country after another the more negative aspects which I have described are becoming so preoccupying that the primary purpose is overlooked. That is why anything that my good and noble friend the Minister can say tonight to help to strengthen and reassure us all, and to set the tone for what is being done in the name of the Bill, will be tremendously important.
Lord Cope of Berkeley: As the noble Lord has just said, this debate has turned into something of a Second Reading on Part VI of the Bill. I am not complaining about that. It has happened in a general sense. The noble Lord, Lord Alton, referred to some general points relating to this part of the Bill at the start of his remarks. I shall not follow him into that matter. We have made clear our general position, which is that we want to see genuine asylum seekers properly looked after, particularly the children, but at the same time we recognise the Government's duty to deal with the problem of bogus asylum seekers which is, as the noble Lord said, generally accepted.
The only general point which I would make, as I do not believe that it is raised under any of the following amendments, is that I am not persuaded that the 300 proposed staff of the new support directorate will prove anything like sufficient to carry out the duties which the Committee seeks to place on them in this part of the Bill. I shall not develop that point.
I am sympathetic to the arguments advanced by the noble Lord, Lord Alton, and by the others in the debate, particularly on Amendment No. 153. Looking at the next few pages of the Marshalled List, I note that a number of other groups of amendments touch on the same point in specific ways, but it is made in a general way in Amendment No. 153. The noble Lord, Lord Alton, was quite right to say that, were Amendment No. 153 or a similar amendment to be tabled at the start of Part VI of the Bill, there would be far less need for the other, more specific amendments at later stages. I am not very qualified to judge whether the precise wording is correct or could be legally improved. However, I support the sentiment behind inserting a general provision to put the consideration of the child's welfare in the minds of everyone concerned with those matters.
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The noble Lord, Lord Cope, is right. The debate is in the nature of a Second Reading revisit to Part VI. I have no complaint about that at all. I should like to take slightly more time than is usual at this stage in dealing with the general questions, but shall not then return to the general questions on every specific subsequent amendment, if that is acceptable to the Committee.
Amendment No. 152 would place on the Secretary of State a duty,
I shall cover Amendments Nos. 152 and 153 in rather more detail in a moment. The scope of Amendment No. 153, which has had the general approval of a number of noble Lords who have spoken, is very wide. It states:
The approach of my noble friend Lord Judd is a correct one. We have no doubt at all of our obligations under the 1951 Convention on Refugees. I agree with him that the scale of recent, almost volcanic, movements is perhaps one which we had not anticipated. By "we", I mean all governments in different countries who are faced with those problems. We need and want to ensure that a person seeking asylum is not prevented pursuing the claim by virtue of destitution. Hence our commitment to provide support in terms of accommodation and essential living needs for destitute asylum seekers. We want to do that efficiently and humanely. We have not succeeded in that in the past. I repeat what I have said on a number of earlier occasions: delay and uncertainty are no friends to those who will, in the end, be successful; nor are they helpful daily companions to those who are going to fail.
I do not believe that anyone can dispute that we currently have ramshackle, incoherent, unstructured and unsatisfactory arrangements which have been developed over the years, significantly, on an ad hoc basis. The question of whose fault that is is utterly beside the point. The fact is that that is an accurate description of the present situation.
I return to the point made by my noble friend Lord Judd. He is quite right in saying that we want to promote the welfare of asylum seekers. We shall ensure that desk instructions to our own staff will make that perfectly plain. The obligations imposed on our contractors will lay emphasis on the need--I am happy to re-affirm that again to my noble friend--to have full regard for the welfare of asylum seekers. That means that they have sufficient support; proper access to medical and other facilities so that they are able to cope in a strange society; and that they are protected from harassment or other threats. We shall have a budget of £300 million to provide that support during the first full year.
I take the point made by the noble Baroness about people who claim to be from Kosovo--whether they are or not, I do not know in every case--who beg with small children in the street. When the point was last raised by the noble Baroness, Lady Trumpington, I pointed out that most of us have had that experience. That point does not derive from whether or not the arrangements will put the interest of children paramount. Social services departments have a proper role to play in cases where children are at risk as a result of behaviour, some of which, without being uncharitable, is certainly questionable to many of us as to whether it is based on true need as opposed to organised begging, which sometimes comes close to intimidatory behaviour for some people. I do not believe that the noble Baroness and I disagree on that point.
Whether or not we reach conclusions agreeable to all Members of the Committee, we have been prepared to listen. I invite noble Lords to look at the letter to which the noble Lord, Lord Alton, was kind enough to refer. It is quite extensive and deals with concerns raised by him, the noble Earl, Lord Sandwich, and Mr Kaye. We have replied to it in some detail. I hope we have been able to give some detailed replies to the noble Lord, Lord Dholakia and the noble Baroness, Lady Williams.
I know that a good deal of concern was expressed at Second Reading and in conversations with colleagues on all sides of the House about the level of support. We shall consider support levels in more detail. Perhaps I should tell the Committee one or two of our developed thoughts.
We have decided, after listening carefully over a period of weeks, that the provision of spending power in respect of children under the age of 18 should be set at a level that is the current equivalent of income support personal allowance for children. At present values that would increase the spending power of a family of four--two adults and two children--from about £90 a week to £106 a week. Some of that will be paid in cash and the remainder in vouchers.
We propose that the provision for adults should be on the basis that there will be a combination of cash-- I mentioned the increase a second ago--and vouchers. However, we should not overlook the "in-kind" provision: accommodation that is furnished, fuel and power paid for; the full range of domestic utensils, linen, pots and pans and so forth. I can fairly say that that will broadly represent what those adults would receive on income support. Following what I have said, I do not think it will be easy to say that we are offering something less than comparable with what would be available on other support systems.
I repeat that we have listened carefully to what has been said in another place, here and in discussions with officials and colleagues. I do not want to be unkind or to be seen to be harsh. We cannot discharge any governmental duty--I hope that does not sound too pompous a phrase--to one section of those who are worthy, without considering the interests of all. We see others in our society begging in the streets, sleeping rough and close to destitution. Others in the community are near destitution and we have to consider fairly the cost of providing support. We need to ensure that the arrangements provided support those in genuine need.
Therefore, we are trying to secure that the asylum seeker will broadly be in the same situation as a local person who is similarly destitute and who is receiving income support and other social security benefits. I do not believe that that is an unreasonable or ignoble stance.
The different way of providing benefit to asylum seekers reflects our concern. To have a separate system of support for asylum seekers we have to cater--to take up the point made by my noble friend--for the particular needs of people who arrive in this country often with no possessions, and without the normal means of coping independently in a strange environment. I believe that to accommodate sensitively people from a particular linguistic, ethnic or cultural group in an area where there are others of the same linguistic, ethnic, cultural or national group is a generous step, rather than dumping them in anonymity, as has often happened, in a place where there is no local, friendly hand to be stretched out to them.
I cannot accept either of the amendments, but I am spending a little time--as I promised--giving the reasons. I do not think that Amendment No. 152 achieves the necessary balance between the welfare of asylum
In relation to Amendment No. 153, I respect the concerns, as always, of the noble Lords, Lord Alton and Lord Dholakia, who tabled the amendment. The welfare of children should never be treated lightly. Of course, as the noble Lord, Lord Alton, said, this is a reflection of what is found in the well known words of the Children Act. The paramount description in the Children Act is used in a specific limited context and refers to the considerations that the court must have in mind in making an order in respect of a child. That is the context and that is the derivation. That is quite different from the wide context which is proposed in Amendment No. 153.
I understand perfectly well why it is introduced in Amendment No. 153. However, if that is to be construed, as it must be, in the ordinary meaning of words, the child's welfare, irrespective of all others, must be the paramount consideration. We could not deliver that. We have to have sensible regard to cost; we have to have sensitive regard to the legitimate, sometimes competing, often distinct demands of others, who are not necessarily all well off and who have financial deprivation to deal with as part of their every day existence.
I repeat that assistance to children of asylum seeker families will continue to be available under the Children Act. I do not believe that any government could deliver on Amendment No. 153.
I turn to a specific point, which I hope has not been overlooked. Clause 113 places a clear duty on the Secretary of State. I turn to some of the themes developed by my noble friend Lord Clinton-Davis. Subsection (3) of Clause 113, on page 70 of the Bill, states:
I believe my noble friend Lord Clinton-Davis is quite right. We are looking at different concepts. We say that we have the power and we have the obligations under Clause 113, but we cannot have a duty which is as widely put as this because that would mean there would be enforceable sanctions on the Secretary of State irrespective of other considerations. I repeat, I hope not harshly or with any hard feeling, that no government could operate on that basis.
Again my noble friend Lord Clinton-Davis is quite right in respect of the difference between a duty and a power. The exercise of the power, or non-exercise, would be subject to judicial review on the usual basis of rationality or irrationality. We want to exercise our powers in a decent and sensitive way. I hope that some of the things that we have done, even the announcement that I have been able to make to the Committee this evening about the difference in support, reflect that we have been listening.
I cannot accept any amendment that would require the Secretary of State to give primacy to one consideration, even the welfare of a child, above all others. I repeat that I am not aware of any government that can deliver on that.
We are making the provision because we want to make sure that children and families are properly and decently cared for. I repeat the commitment--I hope at not too great a length--that if the average time for processing the initial application for asylum by a family is not down to an average of two months by 1st April 2000--that is not far away--we shall not bring families into the new support arrangements at that time.
In future, families will rely and will need to rely on the new support arrangements for a fairly short period of time. Within that time period we shall make arrangements to ensure that families with children will be entitled to the full range of support and assistance, including education, free school meals, milk vouchers, healthcare, free prescriptions and access to social services. In other words, we shall take full account of the welfare needs of the child.
I go back to my noble friend Lord Judd. We shall want to reflect those matters in the guidance that we give to case workers and those providing services on the ground. I can go no further than that. It is a reasonable point to have arrived at. I am perfectly happy, as always, to consider detail, but I repeat, I hope without discourtesy, that we cannot go further than that.
Lord Judd: Before my noble friend sits down, perhaps I can say that some of his remarks go a long way to meeting my point. I thank him for that, though we shall want to see the guidance and the spirit in which he spoke put into words. However, I hope my noble friend will forgive me if I pick up on two points.
The first is a specific point dealing with what the noble Baroness, Lady Williams, said. The complaint is not whether in the aggregate vouchers and money reach the same level as would be available to destitute people in this country, though that is a pretty minimalist approach. My noble friend talks genuinely about the "real" refugees and the "real" asylum seekers. We have to recognise that people who have been through that situation are looking for security. They are desperately affected by the stigma of vouchers. They do not have the cash in their hands to the same extent as an English person would to give them even that degree of confidence. Their vulnerability and insecurity are accentuated. That is why there is concern on that issue.
The second point is more about presentation. My noble friend is someone I greatly respect and I am glad he is in the work he is in. But I wonder whether he will read some of the comments he made tonight. He is inclined to say, "Yes, we will do this. Yes, we have this commitment. But we must remember that we have other responsibilities". Some of us would say that that is exactly what is wrong. We should be saying, "Of course we have responsibilities to the taxpayer. Of course we have responsibility for dealing with people who are abusing the system. But we must remember that we have our commitment to the refugees and asylum seekers and that must be the guiding principle".
It is a balance of language and I ask the Minister, as a friend, to look at some of the things he said tonight to see whether in the future the balance of language can be changed.
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|23 Feb 2011
My CPU is going crazy - sometimes
I have been having intermittent CPU usage problems for about 2 weeks. Everything will be going along fine, then poof - 100% usage. I have a Dell with all legal software. I am a stickler about this.
From reading other threads, I have been monitoring task manager. The culprits seem to vary widely and include one or more of these processes at various times:
rim.transcoder (this one was new today)
snoodoku.exe (I uninstalled this game after seeing it on task manager)
taskmanager.exe (runs at up to 50% sometimes when the CPU is maxed out).
I have already: run complete virus scans with both Avira and then Norton (a new install after this problem started); Run 2 malware scans - clean; cleaned up the registry.
I did not install or change anything in the days preceding this problem.
There does not seem to be a consistent trigger for this problem - i.e. I was playing Snooduko for 30 minutes without a problem, then it started to eat CPU. Nothing else was even open.
All suggestions welcome.
As I am far far away, I am going to bed and will check for responses in 7 hours. Good night world.
|My System Specs
|23 Feb 2011
Hello there.
rim.transcoder.exe is part of the BlackBerry Desktop Manager.
Could you post a screenshot of the CPU tab in the Resource Monitor (type resmon in search bar and run as administrator)?
|My System Specs
|23 Feb 2011
|My System Specs
|24 Feb 2011
Ok, as far as i see..
The guilties are "rim.transcoder.exe" and sidebar! do you have a lot of gadgets running in the sidebar?
|My System Specs
|24 Feb 2011
No, the sidebar only is running the intel CPU clock. I had the same problem earlier today, and I haven't started any rim/blackberry stuff since my last restart. This time the culprits seemed to be picasa(up to 50%) and the resource monitor itself (20-40%).
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Fan runs crazy, track-pad crazy, browser hangs, slow & unresponsive
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Why is IE (regardless of version) changing the . to _ when I download a file (e.g. xxx.exe to xxx_exe or xxx.pdf to xxx_pdf)? The only thing I can do is to restart the Pc. On my laptop I use Windows 7 32 bit and on my desktop I use Windows 7 64 bit. Same error. On my work, I have asked our IT...
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Going Crazy
I have not made any changes to this machine and use McAfee Security Center which detects no virus problems so I do not understand what is going on. This week I am suddenly receiving the following error message when trying to open some e-mail:
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NUREMBERG, GERMANY—Embedded World 2014 was as much about the Internet of Things (IoT) as it was about traditional automotive electronics.
Silicon Labs engineers turned out to showcase a new enabling technology, the EFM32 Gecko microcontrollers, a platform of more than 240 MCUs built "from the ground up for low power."
Daniel Cooley, Silicon Labs' senior director of marketing for MCU and Wireless Products, talked with me about the MCU family and IoT trends:
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Well, if you're like me, you have a phobia of large crowds and skipped out on this year's Comic Con and endlessly hit refresh on our coverage. You're also pretty jealous and a little bummed out that you missed some of the exclusive presentations. Well, some of these exclusives have found their way on line. Let's start out with Marvel Films and their big splashy presentation:
- The big Avengers cast announcement (Via BuffyFest)
- Marvel posted some high resolution photos of some props including The Infinity Gauntlet, which has the Internet going nuts!
- Ryan Reynolds recites the Green Lantern oath.
- The official Facebook page for Cowboys & Aliens posted this image of Daniel Craig. It's not as cool as seeing the footage from the film, but it's something and it looks pretty good. Maybe we'll see a trailer in the winter.
- Captain Jack Sparrow's Comic Con Announcement/Presentation
- The second trailer for Let Me In
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text: The valve train in my 72 Monte Carlo 396 is on its last leg I want to replace it and rebuild the engine this winter. Is there a package you can buy or do you have to buy everything seperately? I think it would be cheaper and more promising to buy everything in s package but I cant find one. Thanks For Your Time any info would be a big help.


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"The Australian project of presumption of shared care has its issues and some of these are around the way in which presumption is interpreted by parents. The picture painted in the Nuffield report however, states that presumption has lead to the upholding of father's rights over children's needs and mothers being unable to disclose violence and abuse. This is disingenuous to say the least and to my mind, illuminates the agenda behind the research itself. It is not the case that all fathers in Australia uphold their rights over their children's needs. Just as it is not the case that all mothers are pressurised into silence around issues of violence and abuse. It may be true in some cases, it is not true in all and it is mischievous to assert that presumption has lead to this."
See Youtube video here and Karen Woodall's Blog here
Both denounce the Nuffield Foundation report as "Mischevious"


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I Really Want to Become a Better Person
Personal Stories, Advice, and Support 106 People
at the end I have always been the onewho hurt others feeling. You hate me? I even hate myself more. I turn into a monster with a cold heart.. I don't want to be like this.. It's just like I am being cursed or something. :'(
meandmythought 26-30, F 0 May 25, 2015