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Monday, January 28. 2008
Bad Timing (and a Favor)
I think it's safe to say that this is not a good week to be sick. I don't know what's going on; I don't know if I will be back tomorrow. Shannon took the day off of work to make sure I didn't waste away on my own, which has been nice; I just wish I felt good enough to enjoy it! (Then again, if I felt good enough, I wouldn't have missed work.) At any rate, I will do my best to be back soon.
Here's the review we covered in class, as well as the review from the Acts I and III "Exam" handouts. I don't know if the substitute passed out copies of your last study guide today; if the office wasn't able to make copies, you can find a Word file of the guide here.
Unfortunately for me, I failed to back up my school-computer files on my laptop, which means I can't remember every category in the 1) through 9) list. I'd like to make a PowerPoint detailing all of the stuff that I wanted to cover in case I can't make it back tomorrow, but I'd need to know what the title of each number and section were (for example, 5) Action/Reaction; a. Macbeth, b. Malcolm, c. Macduff). If you have that information in your notes, and feel like posting it here, I'd be very grateful.
Thanks for understanding,
Mr. Feraco
Posted by Michael Feraco-Eberle at 15:08 | Comments (17) | Trackbacks (0)
Wednesday, January 23. 2008
It Wasn't Meant to Be (Macbeth #2)
Wanted: Single F, under 33
Must enjoy the sun
Must enjoy the sea
Sought by Single M: Mrs. Destiny
Send photo to address
Is it you and me?
Reply to Single M:
My name is Caroline
Cell phone number here,
Call if you have the time
I'm 28 and bored,
And grieving over loss;
Sorry to be heavy,
But heavy is the cost...oh, heavy is the cost
Reply to Caroline:
Thanks so much for response;
These things can be scary,
Not always what you want
How about a drink
At this ancient club at noon?
I'll phone you first, I guess;
I hope I see you soon
I never got your name,
I assume you're 33
Your voice it sounded kind
I hope that you like me
When you see my face
I hope that you don't laugh
I'm not a film-star beauty
I'll send a photograph
I hope that you don't laugh
Note to Single M:
Why didn't you show up?
I waited for an hour,
I finally gave up
I thought once that I saw you,
I thought that you saw me
I guess we'll never meet now
It wasn't meant to be
It wasn't mean to be
I was sure you saw me
But it wasn't meant to be
Wanted: Single F, under 33
Must enjoy the sun
Must enjoy the sea
Sought by Single M: Nothing too heavy
Send photo to address
Is it you or me?
- Stars, "Personal"
"We stood in your room and laughed out loud.
Suddenly the laughter died,
And we were caught in an eye to eye...
Too scared to say a thing,
I left your house and kicked myself.
I put those feelings on a shelf to die.
I guess I'm not a gambling type,
But think of what the two of us had lost.
I needed some time to think it out.
7-Eleven parking lot:
A toothless woman turned and stopped.
I gave her a dime and a Chesterfield.
She leaned down and kissed my cheek.
I was scared but it felt sweet, felt so sweet.
I took my car and drove it down the hill by your house.
I drove so fast, but the wind couldn't cool me down,
So I turned it around and came back up.
You were waiting on your step,
Steam showing off your breath and water in your eyes.
We pulled each other into one,
Parkas clinging on the lawn
And kissed right there...
Held your hand and watched TV
And traced the little lines along your palm.
- Jawbreaker, "Chesterfield King"
I don't know if it will be difficult for you to respond to this post; while all of the entries this semester have yielded unique and interesting responses, I think this one will earn a lot of diverse comments. (Questions about love usually do.)
However, this has been a difficult post to write. Part of the difficulty lies in the fact that I've known for a while that this will be the last post of the semester, and I wanted to go out with a memorable entry. Now I'm sitting here, staring at a blank screen, trying and failing to come up with a way to top myself.
I guess I'll start with the boxes.
I like to collect things, which is something I've inherited from my father; my mother is incredibly neat and organized, but my father and I are pack-rats. This also means I usually have a tough time letting go of anything. (It drives my mother crazy.)
During times of stress or change, I shift into hyper-organizational mode. I'm ordinarily deeply sentimental, but all sentiment gets buried during these "purges," and I usually end up getting rid of things indiscriminately until I'm "done." (Toss the stuffed animals in the Goodwill box!)
I've noticed this odd tendency, and take pains to make sure I don't repeat the mistake I made as a teenager. In the aftermath of a breakup that didn't exactly go well, I purged my room of everything I'd kept from an earlier relationship (notes and all); the only things I kept were a couple of post-breakup letters that are still probably the most honest/hostile pieces of writing I've ever received.
Because I often reflect on the past, I've had a lot of time to regret doing that – heartlessly disposing of all the things someone gave to me, and gave to me out of love (especially considering the fact that I'd kept the decidedly post-love letters). It was a stupid thing to do, and it seems even colder in retrospect.
Since then, I've made sure to spare my collections of relationship mementos from the purges. I keep these things – these photos, letters, concert tickets, knick-knacks, mementos, and things that remind me of jokes only the two of us would understand – in boxes. (One relationship has been immortalized inside a Nike box; my current box once held a Gap sweater.)
So why the bit about the boxes? And why the pair of distinctly different song lyrics at the top of the page? And what the heck does this have to do with Macbeth?
When I first began planning the curriculum for this class, I wanted to structure the schedule in a way that would allow me to seamlessly move from one thematic concern to another. I wanted to be able to cover little things (ambition, loyalty, etc.) here and there, but I also wanted to build some sort of framework – like an umbrella – that could connect everything that we read. That's how I came up with the star; those five points were my way of connecting the works with one another.
I don't know if any of you have found a "favorite" point on the star, but I've always had one, and I probably haven't disguised it well. I am fascinated - fascinated - by the way love pops up in everything we've read. More importantly, love appears in a different guise in each story, and seems to have different effects whenever it appears. Love is the key to enlightenment and transcendence in Siddhartha; love keeps Neo going in the face of nearly impossible odds; love – or lack thereof – fills Beowulf with a terrible, powerful emptiness, as he dies childless after a life of earning the respect and love of others; love and family intersect with destructive results in Oedipus the King; and, finally, love appears in Macbeth as both twisted and pure, inspiring some to commit atrocities while giving others purpose.
In short, love affects people in different ways. It's undoubtedly one of humanity's greatest attributes, but it's unpredictable, almost indefinable. It drove me to keep reminders of Shannon in a Gap box. It drove Macbeth to kill a king.
What's the reason for the difference?
Love is ever-changing, multi-purpose, and simultaneously useful and destructive. We crave love, yet sometimes cannot handle its demands; we seek love, yet sometimes lose our happiness. Love can make us do crazy things. (See: Macbeth.) Yet love, like faith, can often inspire us to do great things. In fact, there isn't a lot that separates deep love from deep faith; after all, love requires deep, unwavering faith in another person!
Basically, love is versatile, and affects different people in different ways. But why? Why do we have our own unique, deeply personal perspectives on love? Why do we value love differently from one another?
It's an interesting question to ponder. You can't hold or measure "love" – it's an abstract concept. Everyone knows what love is, and (at the same time) no one does. And this confusing, ever-changing thing helps shape the course of our art, societies, and lives.
When we talked about friendship and family, many of you mentioned the need for companionship in terms of survival. Yet there seems to be something more than companionship at work when it comes to relationships, and it seems to transcend a simple urge to make sure the human race doesn't die out.
There's something about love – especially romantic love – that moves people. Friendship is all well and good, but it doesn't seem to be enough to sustain us, at least not indefinitely. Otherwise, why would people ever enter into lasting relationships? They're messy, and complicated, and difficult to sustain; for that matter, they also leave us vulnerable to deep, devastating pain, and the wounds a bad relationship leaves don't scar easily.
Despite these inherent dangers – dangers we're all aware of – we enter into relationships, and we fall in love. For that matter, we enter into long, committed friendships, which many of you know can hurt almost as badly when they crumble.
We know love can hurt us. We know friendship can hurt us. We know family can hurt us. We know this because all of the above have hurt us before, and will hurt us before. Yet we seek these connections out, and we usually feel that these connections enhance our existence somehow. We feel completed in the company of a loved one, although we are formed as individuals.
Aristophanes once tried to provide an explanation for this feeling, and for the existence of love itself. He postulated that ancient human bodies had two heads, four arms, and four legs. According to Aristophanes (and retold in "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"), our design was cut in two after we angered the old gods. As a result, human beings are born both complete and incomplete; we exist on our own, yet long for a re-connection with our "other half." Love is supposed to be the expression of this re-connection; theoretically, by searching for love, we are searching for completion, for enlightenment, for purpose.
It sounds crazy on the surface, but what better explanation is there? Love is an incredibly powerful force, affecting all our lives, but it's also incredibly difficult to understand. Some will search their whole lives and never find it; others will find it, but fail to understand it.
So in the interest of attempting to understand love – and in the interest of concluding this semester with a celebration of one of humanity's greatest qualities – I will ask you a couple of questions.
What do you think about Aristophanes's explanation? If his explanation is unsatisfactory, how do you describe love, and how do you explain its existence? Is it just a matter of chemical interactions, or is there something greater at work? Why do we feel more complete when (one could argue) our independence has been compromised by our commitment to another person?
Why can love inspire us? Why can it drag us down? Is love more helpful than harmful, or vice versa?
What is it about love that allows us to drop our guard? Why are we willing to risk being hurt in order to enjoy a relationship that transcends friendship?
Finally, why do we dare to love? What is it about love that isn't satisfied by friendship, or by any other type of connection in the world? Why is love something that human beings long for – and why do we long for love in a way that's entirely different from our other desires and ambitions?
If you can come up with other questions, or feel like turning this into a short piece reflecting on love and experience itself, feel free to do so.
This post is due at 11:59pm on Friday, January 25th.
A final word: I don't remember what I was expecting when I posted before school started, but you've exceeded any expectations I could have had. I longed to have an opportunity to produce something like this blog during my student-teaching years, and I'm incredibly privileged to get to do this in my first semester at Arcadia. Thanks for all the times you made me laugh, or made my chest swell with pride; thanks for writing regularly, honestly, and well. I look forward to seeing those of you who are returning for another semester next month, and wish all of you who are moving on the very best.
Thanks for a wonderful semester. It's been unforgettable.
Mr. Feraco
Posted by Michael Feraco-Eberle at 20:24 | Comments (114) | Trackbacks (0)
Wednesday, January 16. 2008
...And Were We Angels After All? (Macbeth #1)
(Note: The questions sprinkled throughout are rhetorical, and are merely meant to make you think more thoroughly about issues you may routinely ignore or take for granted. The "real" questions, as per the usual, are posted at the end.)
My indictment of Duncan in class today was somewhat tongue-in-cheek; after all, even Macbeth admits that Duncan is a good king, which leaves my attack on his qualifications – not to mention his right to live – ringing a bit hollow. In any case, I think it's fun to debate the sort of issues that we covered in class; I really appreciated the engaging level of the discussions today, and hope you enjoyed them as well. It's always nice to think to oneself, at the end of the day, that today has been both fun and productive – and I think that the characters seem a bit clearer to you now than before.
For what it's worth, I rather like Duncan, at least as much as I can like a character who's barely alive for more than twenty minutes of the play. I do think that his blindness to the threat Macbeth poses is a fatal flaw, but that's kind of the point – Duncan's goodness and eagerness to trust those close to him blinds him to the (somewhat conflicted/ambiguous) evil Macbeth represents.
However, today is not the day to discuss love, trust, and betrayal; that's coming up in the blog's swan song next week. (Yes, all good things must end – for after next week, there won't be time to write again before finals. For some of you, your next post will be the last piece you write for this site. I hope the prompt will strike you as appropriately momentous and memorable.)
Today, it is time to talk about the nature of human goodness – your goodness.
We've been talking about fate and choice an awful lot this semester – mainly because I think that choice lies at the heart of our sense of independence and identity, but also because I think it's a fascinating topic. Think about our conflicting views on free will, for example – something that is supposedly so wonderful is also supposedly responsible for all of the evil in the world!
Wouldn't it just be easier if none of us had the right to make a bad decision? Who needs choice, anyway? (This is also tongue-in-cheek.)
I don't think humans would rush to abandon their free will if given the opportunity to do so, even if we knew we would benefit immensely from giving up the freedom to make our own independent choices. Think about it: If you were told you could enjoy a life of happiness if you surrendered your right to make choices, would you surrender it? If you would, do you feel guilty, even though you know you'll be living a life of simple happiness?
If someone offered you happiness in exchange for your independence, would you take it?
It's a serious question, and one that needs to be asked whenever we try to analyze Lady Macbeth. At first, we can't understand her naked, seemingly unquenchable thirst for power. After all, what's so bad about her life? She's married to someone successful, seems to enjoy good health, and has been blessed with intelligence to spare.
Yet she is not free, at least not as a fully independent agent. We often forget this because we usually see her only when Macbeth is around, and she strikes a powerful contrast to her easily influenced husband. But that's the extent of her power; she can manipulate Macbeth, and little else.
Consider her perspective. If you had been denied independence for your entire life, wouldn't you thirst for influence just as strongly? As young adults, don't you look forward to the days of controlling your own destinies with anticipation?
Lady Macbeth is twisted, hateful, and greedy. Shakespeare's portrayal of her, groundbreaking as it was, smacks of misogyny (he toughens her by emphasizing her masculinity), and it is unlikely he wanted anyone in his audience to feel sorry for her.
Yet when you consider her circumstances, when you study her in the context of the times, when you realize she is a brilliant individual who is a prisoner to her society's marginalization of her gender – and whose potential, and life, have therefore been squandered – her most hateful qualities seem a bit more understandable. In fact, she may even emerge as a slightly (or oddly) sympathetic figure.
Reminds you a bit of Grendma, doesn't it? After all, the best villains are the ones who make us shiver – not because we fear them, but because we fear we can understand them.
You already discussed whether Macbeth or Lady Macbeth is "more evil." I would say that both are capable of great evil; I would also say that I'm not sure that the capability of evil action indicates that a person is, in fact, evil. After all, aren't all human beings capable of evil? Shouldn't we evaluate the "evilness" of a person on the basis of their actions?
If we do so, I'd like to point out that the individual most of you felt was more evil – Lady Macbeth – never harms a single living being over the course of the play. Meanwhile, Macbeth racks up a fairly impressive body count, and he seems to be a more effective killer of friends and innocents than of enemy warriors.
Yet I don't believe that many of you would change your minds if I asked you the same question tomorrow – "who is more evil?" After evaluating both candidates, you'd still probably choose her over him – the enabler over the enabled – the planner over the killer.
Perhaps some of you can see where I'm going with this. (Others may have no idea what I'm doing, which is also OK).
The entire post has been an attempt to get you to evaluate, closely, how you define good and evil. Clearly, neither Macbeth nor his wife are "good" people, although you can easily argue that Macbeth has many good qualities.
I also mentioned fate and choice a few times throughout the week, and even mentioned it at the beginning of this piece. I wanted it to kick around in the back of your head – not to confuse you, but to force you to carefully evaluate your responses to the questions I want to ask you.
So…here are the questions:
What makes a person "good" or "evil"? Where is the "tipping point" – the line separating "good but flawed" from "better avoid him/her, because that's an evil person"? How can you tell the difference – in other words, how can you tell that some people are good?
Do our choices determine our "nature," or is something nebulous inside of us (a conscience, a soul, etc.) more responsible? Is it possible for a person's "nature" to change – for a good person to become evil, or for an evil person to become good?
Can you conclusively say that you are a "good" person? Are you somewhere between "good" and "bad," leaning in a certain direction? What sort of criteria are you basing your response on – your actions, your thoughts, or both? Do you believe you will become a better person as you age, as you gain experience and knowledge, as you live, love, and learn – or will you decline?
Finally, do you believe that other people can influence your "goodness," for better or for worse? If so, how?
Before you post, I'd like to make a request. Jot down answers to all of the questions, even if they're just a couple of words, on a separate sheet of paper, or in a separate Word window. Take a look at them. Are your views consistent? (If they aren't, it's fine – I just like it when you can take the time to reflect over the course of a day!)
Your response is due by 11:59pm on Thursday, January 17th.
As per the usual, you can respond to any or all of the questions. Responses should be a minimum of two healthy-length paragraphs (minimum seven sentences per paragraph). No tagging today – we don't have time to go over these in class – but I suggest reading a few of your classmates' posts. You may be surprised by what you find. (I usually am.)
Remember that punctuation, grammar, and mechanics are important. Compose your replies carefully!
Good luck!
Posted by Michael Feraco-Eberle at 19:58 | Comments (107) | Trackbacks (0)
Monday, January 14. 2008
Essay Prompts + Quiz PowerPoint
For those who don't have the Macbeth essay prompt (for whatever reason), you can find a copy here.
Today's PowerPoint can be downloaded here.
Posted by Michael Feraco-Eberle at 16:47 | Comments (2) | Trackbacks (0)
Wednesday, January 9. 2008
Macbeth Reading Schedule
You should finish Act I by January 10th, Act II by January 14th, Act III by January 17th, Act IV by January 22nd, and Act V by January 24th.
Posted by Michael Feraco-Eberle at 10:53 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
Saturday, January 5. 2008
Teacher's Gone AWOL, Power's Going Out, and an Update
I have no idea what sort of storm action is hitting Arcadia, but my area's been lashed pretty badly. My father and I were supposed to go see a Golden State Warriors game last night, but couldn't get out to Oakland because Highway 101, Interstate 580, and every bridge out of the Bay Area was either flooded or closed due to dangerous conditions. As it so happens, I need to take 101 to 580 - which includes one of those bridges - to get home tomorrow; here's hoping that something will be open within the next seven hours, which is when I'll be heading home.
As I write this, the entire town is powerless except for the first stretch of highway inside city limits, the fire station (which has been running on a back-up generator), and the small section that I live in (lucky us!). We're pretty used to this by now; so many of our power lines are built next to trees, and some of them are bound to fall over each winter when the windstorms/rainstorms hit. My town has cut down a huge number of its trees and foliage during the past five years - something that makes me more than a little bitter, as it's stripped the place of some of my favorite sights from my childhood memories - but this still happens each year. Usually we lose power for good, along with the rest of the town, but ours has flickered and stayed on (which is nice - I didn't want to pack by candlelight/flashlight).
I'm deeply sorry for the lack of responsiveness I've shown this break; I haven't been home much, and I haven't been computerizing when I have. It's been a good break - a wonderful break - but I've been very difficult to reach, and I'm sorry about that.
The college rec letters went out without a hitch; I still have a couple of questions for two of you, and I will pull you both aside at some point during class on Monday or Tuesday.
I am now the owner of a brand-new PowerPoint remote/laser pointer - the ultimate in teacher gifts! I look forward to prowling the whole classroom while nonchalantly flipping through the slides, pausing every so often to fire a crimson beam at the screen. It will revolutionize MacBeth.
Speaking of MacBeth, and the long-term assignment, the reason I haven't posted it is that I haven't finished the prompt. Mrs. Heinrich-Josties and I haven't been in contact over break, and I wanted to go over some things with her before I assigned you my variation of the assignment she's given out already. I've outlined some of my own ideas, but I'd like for the end of our class to dovetail a bit with the end of the other SFHP classes - especially since there will be three of us teaching the course next semester! At this point, however, the long-term assignment is going to differ from my original design, for a few reasons; I've narrowed the literary choices to Rex and MacBeth, and have focused more on social/historical issues surrounding the two plays. It would have been fun to work Beowulf in, but it isn't a play, and I feel that we've covered it pretty well already.
As for a couple of other things that people have asked me about, but I haven't responded to yet:
+ If your grade is in trouble, and you are committed to making up some lost ground, I will be holding extra writing sessions in the morning from 7:00-7:52am. Print out the entries you'd like to edit, and we'll go over some of the most pressing mechanical issues by hand. You can turn certain edited versions in for an improved score.
+ If your grade is really in trouble, we have another month to go before semester's end; write out some ideas for ways to make up some ground and meet with me before/after class to discuss them. Different students need to address different factors before semester's end, so I'll try to tailor this a bit individualistically for you. I obviously can't promise anything, since it's fairly late in the semester, but it's worth the effort. I may also be contacting you to schedule a meeting with your counselor and myself over the next week.
I'm going to tackle MacBeth more slowly than I took Oedipus. We're in the home stretch of the semester, and it's time to catch our breath as we move into it a bit.
Finally - Stephanie, Yang, Satomi, and all those who await my response to the questions they were brave enough to ask: There isn't anything that you absolutely need to have done by Monday. No assignments are due. The two-week break provides a nice opportunity for those who want to get ahead to do so by reading the first 1-2 acts. I wanted to provide guidance over break for those who chose to do so, but I haven't (for the reasons I mentioned above). Shakespeare can be tricky, but he didn't write plays that required his audience to be smarter than rocket scientists; there's a lot to unpack, and the language is obviously difficult, but it can - and will - be understood.
For those of you who have read it - or tried reading it: Is the language the most difficult aspect of the play? Are you confused by the setting? The plot? The characters? What do you want me to focus on first when we come back on Monday (besides, of course, the curse)?
Posted by Michael Feraco-Eberle at 00:23 | Comments (4) | Trackbacks (0)
Friday, December 28. 2007
Emerging from Piles of Wrapping Paper
Where to begin...it's been so long!
Thanks to everyone (from both Shannon and myself) for the presents and cards; I may be able to dine at Starbucks for the rest of the year! I also built up a healthy arsenal of ties, which means that I'll have some actual variety in my 2008 wardrobe! (I can't imagine it either.)
College rec letters (for the four students who were able to convince me to do theirs) and forms will be done within the hour. I will be hitting up the post office around noon, and every letter should be in the proper place by the proper date.
Shannon arrives in town tonight, which means I will not hit my self-imposed grading deadline. If you absolutely need to know your grade - you can't wait until the 7th! - please send me an e-mail, and I will reply when your grade is complete.
I will post the long-term prompt on the blog, rather than e-mail it to everyone who asked, because demand has been higher than expected!
I will also post the PowerPoints for MacBeth when they have been completed.
I hope everyone has enjoyed their first week of break! I can't wait to see everyone again...
Posted by Michael Feraco-Eberle at 11:04 | Comments (3) | Trackbacks (0)
Wednesday, December 19. 2007
SupercalifragilisticREXpialidocious (Oedipus Rex Study Group)
I'll be here from 6:45 to 8:30 tonight.
I'll occasionally post study questions on the front page.
Ask away.
EDIT: The clock has struck 8:30! The group is closing up shop for the night. I hope it was useful!
Posted by Michael Feraco-Eberle at 18:59 | Comments (34) | Trackbacks (0)
Heading Home
I sent out the progress reports at 6:01 (here's hoping they took), mainly because some groups in second and third period thought it would be a great idea to NOT write their names on their posters. I had to mix and match, guess and grade...sigh.
Anyway, I'm exhausted, and I'm heading home. Please allow me half an hour to get home and get settled...we'll start at 6:45pm.
Apologies for the delay.
Mr. Feraco
Posted by Michael Feraco-Eberle at 18:21 | Comments (4) | Trackbacks (0)
Sunday, December 16. 2007
The Sting
A few words for those of you who are smarting from a rejection letter:
I sympathize. I was rejected from my first choice as well. I still remember the awful feeling that tore through me when I received the little envelope from Pomona, a weird mixture of disappointment, frustration, fear, anger, and, at the core, doubt. For a split second, I saw myself in a new light - not as a good student, a good person, a good sibling or friend, but as a reject. I felt, as Janhvi put it, inadequate.
Then I brushed it off, and looked for another school.
Pomona's rejection turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to me. I can say with a great deal of confidence that you never would have met me if I had attended that college; I wouldn't be living in Southern California, and I probably wouldn't have tried to become a teacher. Occidental gave me opportunities to grow that Pomona couldn't offer, and I'm better off for it.
A rejection letter isn't the end of the world; it doesn't even mean you're flawed.
Here's another anecdote: My big sister - who I respect more than almost anyone else in the world, and remains just about the most intelligent person I ever met - was rejected by Harvard when she applied during her senior year. She took a year off, applied again, and was rejected again. She's now completing her doctorate at UCSF - an elite medical school.
Harvard clearly had its reasons for rejecting her, just as Pomona College had its reasons for rejecting me. But I think we're both doing okay for ourselves.
Again, it isn't the end of the world; it doesn't even mean you're flawed.
And if you're my student, I still think the world of you.
So keep your head and spirits up; after all, the future's still waiting.
Mr. Feraco
Posted by Michael Feraco-Eberle at 10:57 | Comments (8) | Trackbacks (0)
Friday, December 14. 2007
Ambition Cuts Us Down (Oedipus #2)
DUE DATE CHANGE: MONDAY, DECEMBER 17th, 11:59PM
A bit of back-story:
I decided to try to change the blog's internal clock after sixth period ended yesterday. When I opened up the settings, they gave me the option of revising the clock by hour-long increments – 0, 1, 2, and so forth. I figured that I could set it back by 15 minutes - .25 hours – and everything would be fine. I type. ".25" in the field, hit "Save," and went back to make the post.
Somehow, this simple attempt to change the clock a) overwrote the blog's underlying configuration software, b) crippled the blog to the point that no one could even look at the comments, let alone post one, and c) overwrote every other blog on the Arcadia network with a damaged copy of this one.
Greg Gazanian was able to undo whatever it was I did (he has no idea how it happened), and the blog is de-crippled…as is every other blog on the network.
So, my apologies for yet another technical difficulty. It seems I've had a lot of trouble with these posts – perhaps there is a curse upon the land?
As for the post itself…the title says it all. One of the most interesting aspects of power is the ambition required to hold it – and the desire for recognition that comes with holding it!
We've studied power from Siddhartha's (mental), Neo's (control), and Hrothgar's (corruption) perspectives. Now let's take a look at it from Creon's perspective – namely, why would anyone want power – and all the recognition that comes with it?
To want power is one thing; after all, the pursuit of power is really simply the pursuit of independence, with the goal being that you have control over your own life – the ability to shape your circumstances, surroundings, and fate.
However, many people also want to be seen as powerful. It's not enough to be an influential figure in the corporate office – you want to be President! Plenty of people want to grow up to be the President, or even simply to gain enough power that they can walk into a restaurant somewhere and be recognized (and, ideally, respected).
The first question is, of course, a "question of why" – the type I use all the time! Why do people want that recognition? Some people would rather stay in anonymity, while others crave the spotlight. What separates the two? Is it arrogance, or is it something greater? Is it better to do something well in front of others versus doing the same thing without recognition or praise? Is it worse? What's the distinction between them?
For the second question, however, I point you to Creon's speech on page 36. I've retyped it here for your benefit, and corrected a few things along the way:
"Consider, first, if you think anyone would choose to rule and fear rather than rule and sleep untroubled by fear if power were equal in both cases. I, at least, was not born with such a frantic yearning to be a king – but to do what kings do. And so it is with everyone who has learned wisdom and self-control.
As it stands now, the prizes are all mine – and without fear. But if I were the king myself, I must do much that went against the grain. How should despotic rule seem sweeter to me than painless power and an assured authority? I am not so besotted yet that I want other honors than those that come with profit. Now every man's my pleasure; every man greets me; now those who are your suitors fawn on me – success for them depends upon my favor. Why should I let all this go to win that?"
I suppose the answer to Creon's rhetorical question is, "If you're ambitious enough to want it, you're ambitious enough to take it."
In this case, ambition is clearly negative – it would drive a person to essentially stab their kinsman in the back, all for the sake of gaining influence and control. Ambition is often frowned upon – for example, I've often heard people criticize politicians by claiming that he/she is too ambitious. (Well, yes – they're running for president! That sort of thing requires abnormal ambition, no?)
Yet ambition is simultaneously encouraged; after all, parents usually want their children to want to do something. We applaud the young college student who demonstrates a cutthroat nature; we cheer for the over-competitive and the hyper-driven because they can often achieve greatness (see Michael Jordan for a contemporary example). In other scenarios, ambition, like faith, can drive people to do great things. In the right situation, ambition can even be the driving force behind positive, long-lasting change.
Your second set of questions, therefore, will concern ambition.
What are your ambitions? Do your ambitions shape your expectations for yourself? Do they shape your opinion of yourself?
What do you want to do, assuming that you'll be controlling the direction of your life? You'll be doing just that in short order – after all, you're the one who chooses your career, because you're the one who has to do it for the rest of your life! It's not as though your parents can decide where you need to work when you're twenty-three. At some point, you'll accept personal responsibility for the direction of your life, choose a direction you wish to pursue, and take the necessary steps to pursue it.
Finally, are your ambitions healthy? Are they a source of strength? Are you over-ambitious – does your reach exceed your grasp? And if you could choose to change your level of ambition (either by raising or lowering it), would you do so?
As per the usual, your responses should be at least two paragraphs long, with 7-8 sentences per paragraph. You do not need to tag this post.
Posted by Michael Feraco-Eberle at 10:55 | Comments (116) | Trackbacks (0)
Thursday, December 13. 2007
Make-Up Work
(I'm sending out progress reports for students earning Cs, Ds, or Fs next week, so this is particularly important for them.)
I'm trying to knock out a lot of grading tonight. If you know you're missing something, please send it my way by midnight tomorrow night.
Posted by Michael Feraco-Eberle at 18:22 | Comment (1) | Trackbacks (0)
Wednesday, December 12. 2007
Truth in Sincerity (Oedipus #1)
Tiresias is blind, and must be led around by a little boy. Oedipus (for now) is fully sighted, independent, and strong-willed.
Yet the meeting between these two men reveals an interesting dynamic. Oedipus asks Tiresias to reveal the identity of Laius's killer; the prophet tries to dissuade him. Oedipus grows angry, verbally baiting and battering Tiresias until the elder man finally begins to tell him the truth – that he, Oedipus, is the killer.
Yet Oedipus immediately dismisses Tiresias's words, going so far as to ascribe ulterior motives to the prophet (ones that don't make a great deal of sense, considering Tiresias's role in society and lack of ambition).
After all the work the king puts into dragging "the truth" into the light, he ignores it when it appears in a form that displeases him.
How irritating!
We react with frustration after reading that scene, knowing that Tiresias is telling the truth. ("Oedipus! Come on! Open your eyes!...That's not awkward foreshadowing!") We want Oedipus to realize what is happening, to quit behaving immaturely; we want him to at least try to understand the world around him.
If only it were that easy…
Revelations (and our ability to process them) are at the heart of our search for enlightenment. These discoveries help us build a sense of who we are as people; one could even argue that the discoveries (pleasant or not) we make as we age help shape our sense of independence.
Yet it's not easy for humans to hear difficult truths and accept them. For that matter, it's not easy to be the bearer of bad news, the carrier of unpleasant truth. Anyone who has initiated a painful break-up knows this all too well: Sometimes, it's worse to be the breaker than the broken.
A couple of questions for you to ponder:
Have you ever been faced with a similar dilemma as Oedipus – forced to receive information you don't want to accept? Did you react the same way (angry denial), or did you react differently? Did the circumstances change your reactions? Have you ever had to fight to get someone to tell you the truth?
Perhaps more interestingly, have you ever been in the opposite position – have you ever been in Tiresias's shoes? Have you caused pain by telling someone something they didn't want to hear?
Have you ever tried to avoid telling the truth in that situation? Did you tell a little white lie? Did you tell gigantic, bold-faced lies? What was your justification – and did you reach that justification because you believed it, or because it was convenient?
Finally, is it worse to be the breaker or the broken? Which position is worse – the receiver of horrifying information, or the one responsible for giving it?
You don't have to answer every question; if you have an idea for a question that doesn't appear in this post, please e-mail it to me, and I will consider it!
This post is due by 11:59pm on Thursday, December 13th. Your entry should be at least two paragraphs long.
Good luck!
Posted by Michael Feraco-Eberle at 20:51 | Comments (148) | Trackbacks (0)
Tuesday, December 11. 2007
The Big Aristotle!
No, not Shaquille O'Neal...the Poetics link!
The full text, including parts VI and V (which were missing from everyone's packets for some reason), can be found here. The poster divided the text into three sections, so click around until you find the parts your group wants you to read.
Also - just to make sure you remember! - the reading assignment for Oedipus goes to page 54, line 1017.
Posted by Michael Feraco-Eberle at 18:23 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
Thursday, December 6. 2007
The First Annual (Inaugural) Beowulf UberMegaSuper Online Study Session!
OK! Let's kick things off.
NOTE: I'm not going to be able to stay up all night tonight, so make sure you ask your questions here by 8:30pm! My computer won't even be on after 10 o'clock; I'm operating under the assumption that I've given you everything you need to ace this, because you have a) a book, b) your notes, c) the posters, d) the PowerPoints, e) time in class to ask me questions, and f) an online study session. I think it's reasonable for me to set a cut-off point at a certain time...and, admittedly, I'm hungry right now!
A few words of advice for studying students:
- Remember to study ALL of the PowerPoints. (If you don't have PowerPoint, Microsoft offers a free PowerPoint viewer online - I included it in a blog post just before we began the Beowulf unit.) This means you should know your poetic terms, as well as material from both "halves" of the poem.
- Don't freak out too much about the names! Believe it or not, you do know these people as well as you need to for the exam - you know Wealhtheow's a queen, Beowulf's a warrior, etc. If you were able to dominate the matching section on the Matrix exam (the one that featured friendly programs, hostile programs, giant mechanical gods, a hundred Biblical references, and more names, allegiances, and events than you can shake a stick at), you can handle character-related questions!
- WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT EVERY CHARACTER ON THE GUIDE. I've told all of you this before; take my advice seriously!
- Another tip for remembering which characters are which: Figure out which characters relate to certain themes. For example, when studying examples for the "Power" theme, you can obviously find something Beowulf does over the course of the poem that fits. However, you can also study that speech Hrothgar makes that I love so dearly...or read the "digression" where the poem begins mentioning Heremod's ultimate fate...or even notice that the Geats are vulnerable to attack because their kings keep dying!
- There are worlds within worlds in Beowulf, but the fact that there are so many parallels (structural, thematic, characters) means that these questions can really work to your advantage. Don't be overwhelmed by this stuff; break down the poem into its separate chunks (the main story involving Beowulf/kings/monsters and all the other little plots) and examine how they relate!
Please click "Continue reading..." to see the Study Guide and Study Questions.
Continue reading "The First Annual (Inaugural) Beowulf UberMegaSuper Online Study Session!"
Posted by Michael Feraco-Eberle at 16:51 | Comments (71) | Trackbacks (0)
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T.G.I. Friday's says a severed snake head found in a dish of broccoli at one of its upstate New York restaurants was apparently planted in the meal. KMOV.com's Lakisha Jackson has the scoop!nClick for more informationnFollow Lakisha on Twitter!!
HE nCA N'T LOOK HE 'S WITH THE BUZZ AND nSHEER T. G. I . nFRIDAY 'S NEW LOOK DOWN EIGHT YOUR DINNER IN WHAT YOU THINK IS A MUSHROOM IS DEATH ONLY NOT MUSHROOM nJACK GERMOND SAYS HE FOUND A SNAKE HEAD IN IS FASHIONABLE AT A T. G. I. RESTAURANT IN UPSTATE NEW YORK nAND WHEN I FINALLY nTURN OVER ALL THE WAY THAT 'S WHAT I THOUGHT WELL I THOUGHT IT 'S nTHE RURAL BLACK AND FUN COMMAND nPERSON SAYS THE EYES WERE ON THE FACE OF A ROTTEN SNAKES HEAD ABOVE HAVE nBEEN VEGETABLES nAND THE WEAPON I HAVE WHAT ABOUT MOUNDS OF I DO N'T KNOW BUT THE GAG AGAIN nTHANK GOD IT WAS A DREAM nIF YOU ARE NO HOW THIS STORY IS MAKE SURE YOU CLICK TO THE RIGHT nAND KING OF THE OUTCOMES LOOKING TO JACKSON AND THAT IS THE BUZZ n
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Rules Don't Apply – Quotes
Read Shepherd Project's discussion of Rules Don't Apply, here.
A girl can get in trouble for having a cause of the smarts.
Mr. Mathis: You do know why Baptists think f***ing is wrong, right? It might like to dancing.
Frank: You're an exception. The rules don't apply to you.
Marla, about the "rules": Aren't you supposed to be have big boobs and be casual about everything? I'm a square. I can't act. I write songs, but I can't really sing. In Hollywood, you're supposed to sing, not write songs. Isn't that right?
Howard: You've never had a drink?
Marla: No.
Howard: You've never had a drink in your life?
Marla: No.
Howard: But you do eat, yeah?
Marla: Frank, I just want to let you know that when you told me the rules don't apply to me, that was really helpful. They don't apply to you, either.
Howard: All the girls want their own cars, but if they don't drive, then you can control them.
Marla to Howard: You are not like other people. You are an exception.
Howard: You make an old guy feel courageous!
Frank: There is nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has come.
Howard: You are my CEO. You are not my father.
Frank: Maybe your wealth isn't always the best thing for your health.
Howard: I could always tell my mother how much I loved her, but I can't tell my daddy. But I miss my daddy. I wish I could just talk to him.
Howard: You know I never had a kid because I think I thought that would make me feel old.
Howard: Do you still believe in what the church tells you to believe? Like in heaven…?
Frank: I don't know, Mr. Hughes.
Howard: I don't know either. I just don't want to have to do what I need to do to find out.


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Item #: roving-030
Out Of Stock
Come spin with TWF for the TdF! Hand dyed BFL wool roving in Three Waters Farm colorway Light on Leaves. 4 ounces.
The first photo is a Light on Leaves wrapped with Summer Jubilee; the second photo is two braids wound together; the next three photos are all of the same braid.
Hand dyed Blueface Leicester wool roving in Three Waters Farm colorway Fuchsia. 4 ounces.
BFL wool is a long, lustrous fiber that is next-to-the-skin soft. It is easy to handle and spins easily into many different types and weights of yarn, including art yarns, chunky/bulky yarns, thick and thin yarns, as well as smooth yarns as fine as fingering weight.


text:
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ALON Software MP3 Dictaphone v2.88.4 S60v3 SymbianOS9.x incl.Keygen [HSpda][17/11/08] ALON MP3 Dictaphone for S60 3rd Edition OVERVIEW ALON MP3 Dictaphone for S60 3rd Edition is the first high-quality MP3 dictaphone which also supports AMR and WAV audio formats for recording, phone calls recorder and MP3, OGG, AAC/MP4/M4A, AMR, WAV audio player which supports Internet radio, has 3-Band Parametric Equalizer , hot buttons and M3U playlists. Now you receive three applications instead of one: voice dictaphone, phone calls recorder and music player! You may easily turn your smartphone into advanced digital dictaphone and start to record lectures, conversations, interviews and phone calls. On the other hand you need not to spend money to music player - with ALON MP3 Dictaphone you can listen to your favourite music in MP3, OGG, AAC/MP4/M4A, AMR and WAV - the most popular audio formats.


text:
Results 1 to 1 of 1
Thread: DTS Workflows and Disabled Steps
03-09-11, 12:30 #1Registered User
- Join Date
- Mar 2011
- Posts
- 1
Unanswered: DTS Workflows and Disabled Steps
Hi everyone. New here just looking for some help with a DTS package in MS SQL Server 2000.
I have a package that uses multiple transform data tasks (30+) to move data from one server to another. Then Execute SQL Tasks are then run to enhance the data. These have a workflow Precedence Constraint to wait until all Transform Data Tasks have completed (Not bothered if they succeeded or failed).
Here's where the problem lies.
Depending on certain conditions (which are not known in advance) I want to disable some or all of the Transform Tasks. I can do this using either an ActiveX or Dynamic properties, to disable the task or even mark its property as complete. When you run the dts these steps then have the status of "Not Run". Hence they don't meet the Workflow criteria and the SQL Executes never run. If I remove the Workflow the Execute SQL runs before the transforms are all finished and gives me incomplete data.
I could probably achieve this by splitting the DTS into two and having a job call them both but was hoping for a way to keep it in one package
Sorry for the poor explanation, hopefully the diagram below will help.
Any help would be appreciated. Been scratching my head for days.
Database A Database B | | | >>>>> TransformDataTask1 >>>>> | | | | | | >>>>> TransformDataTask2 >>>>> | >>>>> SQLExecuteTask | | (Workflow DataPump1,2,3 Complete) | | | >>>>> TransformDataTask3 >>>>> |


text: YouTube - Samsung Epic 4G hands-on - Sprint's WiMAX capable Galaxy S He mentions that you can't cusimize like on the others but you actually can. He didn't know you have to go to landscape. Anyhow, I had to get some epicness back in my world, so I watched this again lol. Gotta say I like the look of this phone more and more each time I see it


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An upcoming conference organized by Stanford University's Anscombe Society called "Communicating Values: Marriage, Family & the Media" has been dubbed "hate speech" by the college's graduate-level student government, which refused to allow any of its student fee-funded budget to support the event.
The Anscombe Society is a conservative student group centered around traditional marriage and family values; it also encourages chastity, and tackles subjects such as sexual integrity and pornography.
According to the minutes of the student government meeting on March 5, a large group of angry students attended to protest the conference and its request for funding.
They voiced a litany of complaints over why they believed the event should not be funded – as well as why it should not even take place on campus at all, comments met with strong support by most on the dais, who echoed similar sentiments (quotes taken verbatim from minutes and include stenographer errors):


text:
Microtel by Wyndham Puerto Princesa
Emerald Beach, Puerto Princesa, Palawan
- 11 Reviews
- 0 Recommend
- 10 Reviewers
Primary Details
- Category:
- Hotel
- Phone
- +63487230977
More Info
More Business Info
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Hotel Star Rating:
- 3
- Airport Transfer:
- Yes
- Restaurant:
- Yes
- Tours:
- Yes
- Meeting Facilities:
- Yes
- Business Center:
- Yes
- Massage:
- Yes
- Safety Deposit Boxes:
- Yes
- Laundry Service:
- Yes
- Concierge:
- Yes
Hotel Policies
- Extra Beds for Infant 0-2 years:
- Stay for free if using existing bedding. Note, if you need a cot there may be an extra charge.
- Extra Beds for Children 3-5 years:
- Must use an extra bed. Extra beds are dependent on the room you choose, please check the individual room policy for more details.
Useful Information
- Check-Out:
- 12:00p
- Distance from City Center:
- 7.0km
- Distance from Airport:
- 7.5km
- Number of Rooms:
- 50
- Number of Floors:
- 2
- Room Voltage:
- 220
- Time to Airport:
- 20m
- Year Hotel Built:
- 2009
Most Recent Reviews
Not lux but the place is relaxing especially that it's away from the town proper. (🖊Note that some tour operators will ask additional fee if you're from Microtel due to the distance from town.) I also suggest waking up early to catch the sunrise which is spectacullar! The staff are accomodating, rooms are clean and the beds are comfy. But the restaurant menu needs some revamp. I chose the hotel mainly because of the beach 🏖 but was dissappointed when the tide is low everyday! The sealine literally moves like 50 meters away.. The hotel offers free shuttle to the Robinson's Mall. You may also request for a dinner table set up by the seaside.
- No. of Comments: 1
- No. of Likes: 4 Likes
Spacious beds and the view of the beach is fantastic!
- No. of Comments: 0
- No. of Likes: 2 Likes
Like the place!
You could see the beautiful view from the room. My favorite view is the sunset coz its beachfront. The staffs are accommodating The place is cozy, simple and relaxing. Although far from the city, they provide free shuttle whenever you want to go out. The food is delicious and the room is complete with basic necessities. The sound of waves are relaxing
- No. of Comments: 5
- No. of Likes: 4 Likes
Microtel by Wyndham is just 7 kilometers from Puerto Princesa Airport. Accessible to some of Palawan's finest attractions, such as the Emerald Playa Pavillion, Honda Bay, and the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This 2-storey hotel located at Emerald Beach gives you a beautiful beach view any time of the day. For facilities and services, Microtel has Lobby lounge with a view of the beach, swimming pool and kids playground, restaurant, 24-Hour coffee vending area and scheduled shuttle service.
Microtel by Wyndham – Puerto Princesa hotel has different kinds of room categories and we stayed at a Premium Double Room (Beach View). The room has a Chiropractor-approved mattresses, Cable TV, Individually-controlled air-conditioning unit, Multi-function telephone system with IDD and NDD, Electronic keycard entry system, Radio Clock, Fully automated fire safety system, Full-sized bathrooms with hot and cold water, Internet ready data port and a Mini bar.
Microtel by Wyndham also offers pocket-friendly rates. So if you are planning to visit Puerto Princesa, I recommend this place! :)
- No. of Comments: 0
- No. of Likes: 2 Likes
Nice and decent hotel room, beachfront. I didn't go for a swim because there's so many seaweeds and also surrounded by mangroves. The hotel however has a pool.
- No. of Comments: 0
- No. of Likes: 4 Likes
Can I just say... ang layooo hahaha but I had a great time here. This, again, was a few years back so the beach area back then wasnt fully constructed yet. Decent rooms, friendly staff, yummy buffet breakfast.
- No. of Comments: 4
- No. of Likes: 6 Likes
A beach front hotel that's quite isolated from the city. So if you're looking for total r & r, this place rocks, big time! The downside is just that, it's difficult to get to the city for some last minute shopping or whatever. Be ready to shell out 150 for a trike ride to the city, and a no-kidding bumpy rough ride of about 30 mins.
The view is amazing. When the tide recedes, all these small starfishes are left on the beach! My son had a grand time playing. The beach is not ideal for swimming, though, as it's really shallow.
Oh! There's limitless complimentary coffee! Coffee machine is left on the lobby for guests to enjoy.
- No. of Comments: 3
- No. of Likes: 3 Likes
I like this place! Nothing really grand but quite relaxing, pretty, and has the essentials! Didn't experience any hassle/trouble mula booking up to leaving the hotel
Accomodation inlcudes pick up and drop off at the airport and daily buffet breakfast. The lobby is pretty nice! They have a lot of big/pretty chairs where guest can relax. Complimentary drinks upon arrival! There's also a bunch of interesting magazines and updated newspapers around And oh! they have a fast and free wifi too! They also have a small coffee/dinning area overlooking the sea. Free water, coffee and tea all day! Perfect after a tiring day! They have a small pool infront, however it's near the restaurant. Mejo nakakahiya, pinagtitinginan ka ng mga kumakain hahaha Also, there's a few duyan and chairs in the beach area so you can enjoy the fresh air!
The rooms were pretty big. Two queen size bed that can accomodate 4 adults. They also have connecting rooms which is nice if you're in a big group! Nothing really special about the rooms just the essentials. Comfy beds, aircon, tv, closet, and dresser. There's no refrigeratorbut you can ask the front desk to put some things in their ref for you. No bath tub just shower but the bathroom is pretty spacious. You can always ask for a fresh towel and a beach towel!
The location is okay. They have a beachfront. Mejo ang haba lng ng lalakarin mo na shore bago ka makarating sa dagat.haha The beach is not that pretty. Not the kind of beach na dadayuhin mo sa palawan but it makes the ambiance so much better. The hotel is a bit far from the city and mejo lubak yung daan sa may papasok but they have several scheduled shuttle service during lunch and dinner time! No additional fee, you just have to inform the front desk an hour before you're preferred time! All the drivers were corteous and friendly!
Service is superb! Everyone is just so nice and friendly here! The front desk is more than willing to help you handle last minute bookings as well as help you in scheduling your itinerary. They don't even expect a tip! Kelangn mo i push bago nila tanggapin! Whaaaat?
Really enjoyed my stay here!
- No. of Comments: 2
- No. of Likes: 6 Likes
The staff are very much accommodating. Upon arrival at the hotel, they will welcome you with a smile and a cold bottled water. The rooms are cozy and clean. You should get the beachfront room because you could see the awesome sunrise view. As for the food, just try to eat at nearby restos since they have a shuttle that will drop you to your desired resto and just pick you up when done.
- No. of Comments: 6
- No. of Likes: 1 Like
Employees were really friendly and accommodating. :)
- No. of Comments: 2
- No. of Likes: 7 Likes
- No. of Comments: 4
- No. of Likes: 8 Likes


text:
On Mon, Mar 15, 1999 at 03:15:05PM -0800, Joseph Carter wrote: > NT4.0 isn't really compatible with 3.5, much less with anything from > Win3.x or Win95. Win98 and NT are more compatible because ... well > because they want to kill off the old 16 bit market completely and move > everyone to the (more expensive) NT platform. 98 is more like 95. It still has the DOS compatibility and direct hardware access that account for a lot of the instability. > Many people have tried that, you can get adapters for it real cheap even. > They just never caught on. Yet. Hamish -- Hamish Moffatt VK3TYD email@example.com, firstname.lastname@example.com Latest Debian packages at ftp://ftp.rising.com.au/pub/hamish. PGP#EFA6B9D5 CCs of replies from mailing lists are welcome. http://hamish.home.ml.org
Description: PGP signature


text:
WELCOME, N.C. -- Step into the corner office not far from where the Sprint Cup cars of Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer are being prepared in the bowels of Richard Childress Racing.
The walls are gray and bare with the exception of one picture that was there before the current resident arrived. Other than a couple of racing magazines, a travel coffee mug and a laptop computer, the desk looks seldom used. Leaning against the wall is a Martin guitar on which the owner occasionally knocks out an old school rock 'n' roll AC/DC tune, but it is starting to collect dust.
This is where RCR's amazing turnaround began from a disastrous 2009 season in which the organization didn't win a race or place a car in the Chase.
The man behind the desk dressed in a simple red, short-sleeved shirt and blue jeans is largely responsible.
Meet Scott Miller.
You may remember him as Jeff Burton's longtime crew chief. Late last season, Miller moved into the role of director of competition and was charged with fixing all that ailed what once was the dominant organization in NASCAR. He was given so many duties, such as overseeing the crew chiefs and engineering, that team owner Richard Childress had to make sure the answer man always was in the house.
He was given the keys to the empire, in some ways.
This is not to suggest Miller single-handedly turned RCR cars from junkers to racers, but he did connect the dots that were missing. You can't start a conversation here about the turnaround without Miller first being mentioned.
That his office is bare should come as no surprise. Miller doesn't sit still long enough to decorate or for clutter to gather, going from room to room and building to building in this massive complex about an hour from the Charlotte racing Mecca to make sure everybody finally is on the same page.
"It's bare bones," Miller says with a laugh.
The office actually sort of found Miller. Formerly the conference room for crew chiefs, it's the first room he went to after taking the position. Next thing you know it was his.
"You get so busy working, it looks the same as the day I moved into it," Miller says.
Appearances can be deceiving. A lot has taken place here, as evidenced by what has happened on the track. Harvick has a 293-point lead in the points standings after Sunday's victory at Michigan, his third of the season. Burton is comfortably in the Chase in seventh place, and Bowyer is 12th, just inside the playoff cutoff.
The organization already has three more wins and four more top-5s with three drivers than it had a year ago with four. One could argue RCR has caught, or passed, Hendrick Motorsports.
It's been a team effort, but Miller is the one who pulled the team together. It started by expanding the engineering department and integrating it completely with the race teams. It continued with getting a handle on quality control, making sure no part went on a car that didn't pass all standards.
But the real key was getting all the crew chiefs on the same page, taking basically the same cars to the track with only the setups different. That allows the organization to more accurately and efficiently accumulate data, which translates into more speed.
"Before, we kind of got into a little bit of a deal where somebody wanted to build their car this way, somebody wanted to build their car that way," Miller says. "If everybody's car is built different, then the setups between the teams become irrelevant to one another. Getting everybody to work from the same platform has helped everybody."
It wasn't dysfunctional before, but it was headed in that direction. It's a credit to Childress' leadership -- and he's always on the go with sponsor meetings, hunting trips and business obligations -- he recognized that and was willing to step aside and focus more on the business side.
"With Scott, he's always here," Harvick says. "There's no decision that has to wait till tomorrow. Really, it has made everybody more relaxed. The crew chiefs get what they want and the problems get headed off before they become disaster."
Miller is a lot like Childress. He prefers blue jeans over dress slacks and doesn't mind getting his hands dirty.
His strength is communication, being able to sort through all the ideas from strong-willed crew chiefs and engineers who believe their ideas are best, come up with the best plan and implement it.
"We were kind of going in our own direction," says Mike Dillon, the vice president of competition. "We still allow the development and smarts for the crew chiefs to be known, but it has to go through a central channel. Miller is technically strong enough to coordinate all that. He's just brought it all together."
Dillon tried to handle some of those duties the past few years, but his strength admittedly is the business side.
"Over the years we had been trying to get this under control," Dillon says. "We found out we didn't have anybody really sound enough that the crew chiefs believed in and trusted to look at and evaluate properly. It took longer than it should have, and we finally found the right guy."
So why is Miller the right guy? Simple: He doesn't have such a huge ego that he's not willing to listen. More importantly, everybody is willing to listen to him, knowing he understands what they're going through.
What Miller has brought to the table is more valuable than the extra horsepower found in the engines, the superior technology that has gone into the chassis.
"It's hard to measure when you don't understand what you're measuring," Burton says. "If you're trying to prepare a box of apples to a box of potatoes, you're not preparing the same thing. One of the most important parts of what we do is being able to gauge success."
Miller knows how to do that. He's a big reason Harvick signed a new deal that made Tuesday's announcement with new sponsor Budweiser possible. It's why all three drivers believe they can win the championship when a year ago they didn't believe they could win a race.
"We didn't have that driving force [last year]," Childress says. "I was trying to do it, but with everything I had going on I wasn't doing a good job with it. It's always tough to step back when you're used to doing something.
"I've sort of backed off from last year. Scott's took it. That's all his focus is, working with the drivers and the crew chiefs and engineering, keeping that tied together."
Miller never would take credit for the turnaround. He's one of the most unassuming people you'll meet. In many ways he's like his office: no frills, just the stuff needed to do the job right.
"It's more than a one-man job," Miller says. "We're all pulling in the same direction, that's all."
David Newton covers NASCAR for ESPN.com. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Nutrition / Wellness
Why take Nutritional Supplements?
Patients are taught to introduce lifestyle, behavioral, and nutritional changes to combat various illnesses. They are educated on the use, disuse and abuse of nutritional supplements and dietary regimens. They learn how to combine nutrition and herbal products into their daily routine safely, without causing adverse reactions with the traditional medicines. Patients are constantly re-evaluated until optimal wellness is achieved.
Nutrition Testing
We offer a full range of diagnostic testing at our office including:
Contact Us today!
If you have any questions or comments, or if you want to learn more about the services we provide, please call us at 212.772.7628. For a consultation, or to setup an appointment click here.


text: Hello I am new to the site and was considering starting me a business down here in the sunny state of florida where everyone now days has a lawn service. I was wondering are the increase gas prices affecting anyone's business? Are you having to increase your prices OR do you have a lot of customers dropping service and doing it theirselves? Now days you can't just take $3 dollars and fill up a 5 gallon gas tank so how is everyone handling this issue? Thanks in advance.


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Symptoms of anxiety
There are many symptoms of anxiety and to suffer in silence is nowadays unnessacery there are many early warning signs to be aware of that will surface before a major anxiety attack.
- Headaches
- Verigo
- Shortness of breath
- Digestive and abdominal pain
- Nausea , Diahrohea
- Resporatory issues
- Muscular fatigue , shakes,
- Perspiration and itchy skin
- Frequent urination
Anxiety is not fear many people world wide see anxiety as fear psychologist have made a clear distinction between fear and anxiety. Neuroscientists have also studied the chemicals involved that clearly distinguish anxiety as something completely different to fear.
Anxiety is commonly bought on in fight or flight situations in which one is usually not in control over the situation it is more common now for this to be an unwanted and irrational response. It brings forth an argument of how inapropriate fight and flight response is in todays world. It is vary rare in most western society to ever have to run from a tiger,elephant or any other animal. Anxiety can be experienced in many different from from short to sharp to long and dull. There are many different approaches to relieving anxiety but the most common is psychotherapy.
Behaviour effects of anxiety
One of the biggest symptoms is the withdrawal of one person from the situation they feel anxiety about. Trouble concentrating is another major symptom to have trouble in school exams due to fear of failure is very common in todays schooloing.
A big fear also experienced by many is the fear of dying. This is considered unrealistic and not warranted by many but studies show that nealy all humans suffer anxiety over this at some stage of their life. Ervin Yallom was considered the therapist of death and anxiety Exestentialism. He had a hard time initially getting people to talk about there fear of death. He adventually worked in a cancer ward where people had no choice but to discuss the matter. He found all people close to death with moderate to sever anxiety disorders.


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Now Hiring! SOS Children's Villages (45 Positions)
Welcome to Jobsinnigeria.careers. This website helps you to achieve your career dream by linking you to vacancies from Top Companies in Nigeria. Job Seekers are also exposed to best articles for career growth and development. Click Here to Subscribe for Job Alerts We strongly advise graduates not to pay money before getting a Job. Report fraudulent jobs to [email protected]
- Company: SOS Children's Villages
- Location: Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
- State: Abia Jobs - Abuja Jobs - Adamawa Jobs - Akwa Ibom Jobs - Anambra Jobs - Bauchi Jobs - Bayelsa Jobs - Benue Jobs - Borno Jobs - Cross River Jobs - Delta Jobs - Ebonyi Jobs - Edo Jobs - Ekiti Jobs - Enugu Jobs - Gombe Jobs - Imo Jobs - Jigawa Jobs - Kaduna Jobs - Kano Jobs - Katsina Jobs - Kebbi Jobs - Kogi Jobs - Kwara Jobs - Lagos Jobs - Nassarawa Jobs - Niger Jobs - Ogun Jobs - Ondo Jobs - Osun Jobs - Oyo Jobs - Plateau Jobs - Rivers Jobs - Sokoto Jobs - Taraba Jobs - Yobe Jobs - Zamfara Jobs
- Job type: Full-Time
- Job category: Graduates Jobs in Nigeria
SOS Children's Villages work in more than 133 countries to support families and help children at risk grow up in a loving home. In Nigeria, SOS Children's Villages has been active since 1973 and has presence in Isolo-Lagos, Owu-Ijebu, Ogun State, Gwagwalada-Abuja, Jos-Plateau State, Ibadan-Oyo State and Kaduna-Kaduna State.
Next Economy Youth Coach
Job Information
- The overview of the job role is to support the planning (including budgeting), implementation, and monitoring of the Next Economy Programme activities, in accordance with the organisation's policies, strategies, and available resources.
- He/she will develop and maintain effective, professional relationships with youth and will work with relevant stakeholders to provide guidance, mentoring and counselling for young people to acquire the skills that meet the demands of the labour market and guide them during internships towards a 'decent job' or in starting up a promising business as an entrepreneur
Key Responsibilities
- Strengthen youth social skills and facilitate access to youth employment
- coaching and support youth in identifying strengths and interests and to set SMART goals for success
- Provide social skills groups and provide case management services, including referrals to support youth and in developing stability and self-sufficiency.
- Support in development of sustainable youth business in coordination with the business incubation Hubs and the Programme development and strategy team
- Support in Youth capacity development and annual self-assessment, for project impact
- Bachelor degree in Human Services, Sociology, Social Work, Education, Youth and Community Development or related fields
- At least 4 years' experience in youth development work
- Experience in guidance and counselling of young people
- 3 years of experience working with entrepreneurs and/or small-medium enterprises [SMEs] or self-employments
- Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective, professional relationships with youth and multi-disciplinary teams
- Demonstrated success in working with youth, particularly in group settings
- Demonstrated effective communication
Head of Schools/Education Coordinator
Job Information
- The overview of the job role is to plan and implement educational curriculum at the programme location in compliance with the national and organizational guidelines. He/she would be required to create an effective learning experience for pupils/students at the programme location in collaboration with all key stakeholders and build quality relationships with teachers and members of the community.
Key Responsibilities
- Shape a vision of academic success for pulpils, create a climate hospitable to education, cultivate leadership in others, manage people, date and process as well as improving school leadership
- Craft and oversee the implementation of the long term strategic planning of the school by advising the location management team
- Oversee the assignment, evaluation, training, encouragement, discipline and inspiration of the teaching staff by leading and developing academic community of excellence in the programme location
- Research, oversee curriculum choices and development for the schools in line with stipulations of the organization and government academic policy and best practices
- Direct the daily affairs of the schools, build networks with like-minded institutions, maintain accurate school records and lead in the annual budgeting for the schools/other educational programmes
Educational Level
- Candidates should possess First Degree
Job Information
- The job role is to plan, organize and implement an appropriate instructional program in a learning environment that guides and encourages students to develop and fulfill their academic potential.
Key Responsibilities
- Teach/develop the intellectual capacity of pupils/students
- Comply with the Federal or State's scheme of work and the SOS Children's School Manual/Policy
- Prepare lesson notes and teaching aids for every lesson to be taught
- Act as role model for the pupils/students
- Fulfil management and administrative duties
- NCE or BSC or B.Ed in Early Education
- At least 3 years teaching experience in a primary school
- Familiarization with the National Curriculum in early education and excellent knowledge of child development and latest education theories and practices
- Commitment to the School's policies and procedures for safeguarding early education children
- Strong inter-personal, communication, organizational and IT skills
- Monitor, research and keep abreast of latest trends and best practices in early education
- Knowledge of Child's Rights
National Maintenance Coordinator
Job Information
- The overview of the job role is to oversee all installation, repair and upkeep operations of the organization's facilities.
- He/she will ensure that the colleagues have the best physical resources available to complete their duties according to budget
Key Responsibilities
- Develop maintenance procedures and ensure implementation as well as oversee all installation, repair and upkeep of the organization's facilities
- Monitor equipment inventory and expenses and control the budget for maintenance
- Manage relationships with contractors and service providers, keep maintenance logs and report on daily activities and ensure health and safety policies are complied with.
- At least BSc/HND in Facility Management/ Engineering
- 3 years proven experience as maintenance coordinator or other supervisory role
- Strong background in planning maintenance operations, good understanding of technical aspects of building maintenance, plumbing, carpentry, electrical systems, etc
- Strong communication skills and ability to work independently under pressure and meet deadlines
Maintenance Officer
Job Information
- The overview of the role is to preserve the good condition and functionality of premises through varieties of maintenance activities like installation, painting, landscaping, etc
Key Responsibilities
- Survey, plan and facilitate the maintenance of facilities
- Assist in the setup of ventilation, refrigeration and other systems and conduct repairs as necessary
- Perform manual repairs – locks, windows, etc and general upkeep procedures
- Diploma or equivalent from an accredited institution and at least 3 years work experience in similar position
- Proven experience in facility maintenance
- Basic understanding of electrical, installation, painting and general maintenance processes and methods
- Working knowledge of tools, common appliances and devices as well as manual dexterity and problem-solving skills
Job Information
- The overview of this role is to work with children/youth, understudy their behaviours, emotions and feelings and research into best practices to helping children/youth deal with developmental challenges and live stable life as well as caregivers.
Key Responsibilities
- Work with care-givers and relevant stakeholders to ensure the holistic development of children and youth
- Collaborate with relevant childcare duty-bearers on developmental and protection of children and youth in our sector
- Support in the design and implementation of child and youth care programmes of the organization
- Monitor trends and research best practices in the field of child/youth care for impact
- At least BSc degree in Psychology
- At least 5 years' experience as counselling psychologist
- Good knowledge of social/development work
- Analytical, strong communication, people and problem-solving skills
- Good ICT skills
Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator
Job Information
- The overview of responsibility of the M&E Coordinator is the collection and analysis of data to help ensure accountability and efficiency for all programs and projects at the location as well as support capacity building initiatives on grants writing and set up.
Key Responsibilities
- Coordinate and align with the M&E strategy of the organization for enhanced programme impact at the location
- Strengthen and manage the location's programme statistics for quality
- Support the National M&E Coordinator to strengthen the capacity of programme implementers at the location on M&E protocols and practice and to enhance performance outcome, impact and data quality in targeted thematic areas.
- Coordinate planning, review, monitoring, evaluation and reporting at the location.
- First degree in a related field
- A minimum of 3 years' experience in M&E activities for donor-funded and OVC initiatives
- Demonstrated experience and knowledge in developing M&E systems and overseeing the collection and analysis of metrics.
- Awareness and understanding of Social Development issues such as the local and national OVC situation, gender, education, health, HIV & AIDS
- Demonstrated experience in managing programme databases, including the use of SPSS and other relevant ICT software packages
Family & Child Development Coordinator
Job Information
- The overview of this job role is to plan, organize, and implement the family and community partnership service area in line with the organizational requirements.
- He/she will work with key stakeholders to recruit and enroll children in the programme at the location and act as community liaison for the programme location.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide social services and assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of children/youth and their families and to maximize the family well-being and the academic functioning of children/youth
- Works with relevant stakeholders regarding issues of children/youth mental health, substance abuse, physical abuse, rehabilitation, social adjustment, etc
- BSc in Social Works or Psychology and at least 3 years cognate experience in same position or as social worker
- Strong communication and facilitation skills
- Familiarity with child development or early childhood education
- Understanding of the current state of social welfare, and concepts of empowering youths and adults as well as knowledge of community resources and social service system
SOS Parent (Professional Parent)
Job Information
- The overview of this role is to care for children in an alternative care setting by nurturing the children/youth to become responsible and wholesome individuals that are able to succeed in life.
Key Responsibilities
- Create a home and lead his/her SOS family to ensure the well-being of children through proper parenting skills
- Develop his/her own well-being and perform household work
- Guide children to take responsibilities and interact with and contribute to the community
- At least Ordinary National Diploma [OND] in Humanities, Business Administration, Home Economics, Finance, Development, Education and Psychology or related fields
- 2 years of work experience in a childcare or youth focused organization
- Good knowledge of child and youth development, human behaviour, social and business environment
- Demonstrated track record of strong parental skills, ability and creativity for imparting knowledge to children/young adults
- Demonstrated track-record of leadership, self-motivation in any discipline as well as Knowledge of child protection and child's rights
- Resilience – for coping with difficult situations and challenging cases especially with children and young adults
- Good knowledge of basic corporate applications and emailing
Key Responsibilities
- Conveying materials, equipment, children/youth as well as staff of the organization to the areas where they are required.
- Inspect the vehicles and perform basic maintenance as changing the oil, refueling the car(s), changing the batteries, and checking and repairing some minor issues
- Recognize electrical or mechanical faults in the vehicles and reports to maintenance personnel as appropriate
- Ensure vehicles are constantly kept perfect and clean.
- Minimum of Senior Secondary School Certificate [SSC] or General Certificate Exam [GCE]
- Valid Driver's license with minimum of 5 years work experience
- Good verbal and written communication skills, including ability to effectively communicate with internal and external stakeholders
- Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines, while maintaining a positive attitude
- Must be safety conscious, focused, confident, and observant
Family Based Care / Alternative Care Coordinator
Job Information
- Overview of the job role is to work in collaboration and continuous partnership with key stake-holders to promote quality alternative care for children and youth at the programme location
Key Responsibilities
- Create and implement programmes and activities to promote the children/youth social, physical, mental and emotional well-being within the programme location
- Adhere to the implementation of rules and consequences to ensure proper behaviour and safety of children/youth
- Collaborate with relevant stakeholders to build the capacity of caregivers within the programme location
- Coordinate and maintain parent mentor and orientation programs
- conduct research and analyze new trends to supporting child/youth and formulate innovative ideas for new opportunities for child support
- Recruiting new children to the programme in line with established policies and procedures and adhere to government and organizational regulations and standards on childcare
- At least BSc degree in Psychology, Social Works or related field
- At least 3 years' experience in similar position
- Good knowledge of social/development work
- Analytical, strong communication, people and problem-solving skills
- Good ICT skills
- Interpersonal and mediation skills
Head of Fund Development & Communication
Job Information
- The overview of responsibility of the Head of FDC is to effectively manage the FDC department to increase funding and sponsorship opportunities by providing strategic direction which includes corporate fundraising; individual fundraising; local and international sponsorships; institutional partnership development; marketing and communications and data management and analysis.
Key Responsibilities
- Define, implement and fulfil the middle-term FDC strategy in line with the National Strategic Plan; conduct research and analyze trends to conceptualize and formulate innovative ideas for new opportunities for the FDC department
- Position the organization as a strong and consistent brand among existing and potential supporters in line with the vision, mission and values of the organization
- Shape, manage and drive the implementation of an effective outreach and communication campaign to educate and cultivate community support for our brand and improved visibility
- Manage fundraisers' targets and activities monthly, compile and submit FDC reports as well as provide input into the annual budget through feasibility calculations
- Provide strong leadership and direction to team, set medium to long-term goals/objectives for teams, monitor implementation and foster national capacity building in all areas of fundraising
- At least a first degree in Marketing, Sales, Business Admin, International Business Development and a minimum of 10 years' experience and 3-5 years managerial experience
- Understanding of NGO's operations, best practices and market trends
- Understanding of the child and youth development principles [acquire on the job]
- Knowledge of programmes in an NGO environment, strong negotiation, communication and networking skills and knowledge of relevant Nigerian legislation
- Capacity to manage multiple projects simultaneously and craft successful funding proposals
- Experience with website and newsletter production and message development
- Understanding of ethical behaviour and business practices and especially in relation to work with OVC
- Strong computer skills – competent with MS office suite, WordPress, Photoshop and design/layout software
Areas Of specialization
- Brand & Communication
- Fund Development & Communication
- Programme Development
- Finance
- Education/Teaching
- General Administration
- Human Resources & Organizational Development
- Interested candidates should possess relevant qualifications.
Areas Of specialization
- Brand & Communication
- Fund Development & Communication
- Programme Development
- Finance
- Education/Teaching
- General Administration
- Human Resources & Organizational Development
- Interested candidates should possess relevant qualifications.
Areas Of specialization
- Brand & Communication
- Fund Development & Communication
- Programme Development
- Finance
- Education/Teaching
- General Administration
- Human Resources & Organizational Development
- Interested candidates should possess relevant qualifications.
How to ApplyUse the link(s) below to apply on company website.
- Next Economy Youth Coach
- Head of Schools/Education Coordinator
- Teacher
- National Maintenance Coordinator
- Maintenance Officer
- Psychologist
- Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator
- Family & Child Development Coordinator
- SOS Parent (Professional Parent)
- Driver
- Family Based Care / Alternative Care Coordinator
- Head of Fund Development & Communication
- Volunteers
- Interns
- Trainees
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Latest News
Ansal University has state of the art infrastructure, facilities, ambience and organizational culture, to nurture thinking and critical understanding needed in pursuit of professional knowledge and competence. We at Ansal University believe that a university is about empowering students to explore the unknown, through passionate, dedicated and innovative teaching and research. Our dedicated team of faculty is committed to the task of ensuring that our students are well trained and holistically developed to meet the challenges of their chosen profession in this competitive world. Welcome to Ansal!
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