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New Media Metrics
Looked at from one viewpoint, DVD-Audio and SACD appear to be exercises in sheer profligacy. In the case of DVD-A, why provide a maximum bandwidth almost five times what is conventionally taken to be the audible frequency range, and couple it to a dynamic-range capability far in excess of that achievable by the microphones used to record the sound? In the case of SACD, why provide a potential bandwidth in excess of 1.4MHz, only to fill more than 95% of it with quantization noise?
These questions have answers, and the topics they encompass are anything but trivial: they relate to fundamental questions about how we perceive sound in general, and reproduced sound in particular. But the subject of this article is not the various justifications for DVD-A and SACD that have been proffered, with which I expect most of you reading this will by now be familiar. For the pragmatic audiophile, it is sufficient, in any case, to know that the best sound from the new high-resolution media is significantly better than the best attainable from CD. No further justification is ultimately required—although many us would add the rider that it would be rather useful to understand why the sound can be significantly better.
What I want to look at here is more prosaic but nonetheless important: Just what is being delivered on commercial DVD-Audio and SACD releases, and not only from the viewpoint of signal bandwidth? New signal sources, particularly ones with wider bandwidth and dynamic-range capability, present the possibility that the partnering equipment will be stressed in ways it wasn't previously. These are issues equipment designers need to know about, and may well have been researched by some of them in the privacy of their own laboratories. But investigation in the audio press has, to my knowledge, been surprisingly thin on the ground. High time, therefore, to knuckle down and elucidate just what DVD-A and SACD players are delivering—both good and bad.
First, though, I need to explain the various measurements I've made—of a total of 13 tracks from 15 discs culled from a broad selection of DVD-A and SACD releases—because some of them are certain to be unfamiliar. Please resist the temptation to flick forward to the results until I've had the opportunity to explain their provenance.
The first set of graphs for each track are spectral analyses of the left- and right-channel signal content. (Only the discs' two-channel stereo tracks were assessed, not the multichannel content (where available).) Sounds familiar enough, but there's a twist. Most of the spectral analyses you see published in equipment reviews—showing harmonic or IM distortion residuals, for instance—are averaged, for the very good reason that averaging evens out the noise floor. This averaging doesn't lower the noise floor (a common misapprehension), but if sufficient averages are taken, it can reduce the noise floor to a relatively flat line (assuming the noise spectrum itself is flat) with only relatively small irregularities. In this way, low-level spectral features can be identified that would otherwise be obscured within the "grass" of the noise floor.
Averaging is contraindicated, however, when you're looking—as I wanted to when analyzing the DVD-Audio and SACD tracks—for what may be only brief excursions into the high frequencies. For this, you need to capture an "envelope" spectrum—one that plots the maximum amplitude recorded in each frequency bin across the entire duration of the track.
The FFT analysis software I habitually use includes a peak-hold capability that should accomplish this, but, faced with some unexpected results, I decided to write some code of my own. In the long run—ie, once the software had been written and validated—this DIY approach had the advantage of speed in that one measurement run generated both average and envelope spectra simultaneously, and plotted the results in an enhanced metafile ready for publishing. (Much less tedious than exporting data to the clipboard, pasting it into a text document, importing it into some graphing software, then exporting the graph as a metafile—which is what I'd have had to do otherwise, many times over.)
Figs.1-3 show examples of the resulting spectra, in this case for 1kHz test tones, which were used to ensure that a 0dBFS signal from the source was recorded at 0dBFS in the hard-disk WAV file (for which purpose a "passive pot" gain control was inserted between the player and computer). To capture 24-bit/192kHz recordings from DVD-A, and anything from SACD, you have no choice but to record from the analog output of the player via the analog input of a 24/192-capable soundcard (in this case, a Lynx Audio L22), because digital output data are not available.
Fig.1 Envelope (red trace) and average (blue) spectra for analog 24-bit/192kHz recording via the Pioneer DV-939A and Lynx Audio L22.
Fig.2 Envelope and average spectra for S/PDIF 24-bit/96kHz recording via the Pioneer DV-939A and Lynx Audio L22.
Fig.3 Envelope and average spectra for analog 24-bit/192kHz recording via the Philips SACD1000 (50kHz output filter setting) and Lynx Audio L22.
At 96kHz or lower sampling rates on DVD-A, you can sometimes access the raw digital data via S/PDIF, depending on whether the player supports 24/96 digital output and whether the disc allows it. In many cases, DVD-As are coded to force the player to downsample its digital output, which of course reduces the bandwidth—and generally introduces distortion.
Where a 24/96 digital output was available from a 24/96 recording I used it, but most of the transfers to hard disk for this analysis had to be done in the analog domain. Because this inevitably adds noise over and above that present in the recording itself, it's important to establish the noise performance of the player and soundcard in combination. Figs.1-3 do this for: the Pioneer DV-939A DVD-A player via its analog output (fig.1); the Pioneer via its digital output (fig.2); and the Philips SACD1000 SACD player via its analog output (fig.3).
The first two graphs were generated using test signals burned to DVD-R using Minnetonka's discWelder Chrome DVD-A authoring software; the third was obtained using Philips' Super Audio CD DAC Test Disc (3122 783 0063 2). In each case, the amplitude of the tone was 0dBFS, the blue line represents the averaged spectrum (over 30 seconds), and the red line the envelope (peak) spectrum. Note that the frequency scale is linear in order to make clearer the spectral content above 20kHz—on a log frequency scale, this part of the spectrum would be squashed up at the extreme right end of the graph. These plots provide a reference against which all other spectra in this article should be compared.
Readers familiar with FFT analysis will additionally want to know the FFT length, windowing, and overlap used for the spectral analyses, for which the respective answers are: 4096 samples, Hann, and 50%. At 192kHz sampling rate, 4096 samples is equivalent to 21 milliseconds (0.021s), so the envelope spectrum is capable of recording quite short-term features of each file's frequency content. The vertical separation on the envelope and average spectra additionally gives some indication of the music's dynamic range.


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The owners of the long-awaited Gold Coast Delicatessen told The Brooklyn Paper back in April that their new project would be "styled after the Katz and Carnegie delis of Manhattan." The place has soft-opened in Bay Ridge, and while its menu has got the pastrami, chopped liver, and beef hot dogs, for sure, the look is an understated kind of IRT chic: subway tiled walls and dimmed filament bulbs in wire sconces, but also long communal tables set out with real, living plants. One corner four-top is even set with large, comfy-looking leather chairs. Owners Ted Mann and Michael Esposito (who also own Bar Matchless, Cebu, and Apartment 138 among other spots) are planning a grand opening party at the end of the month to coincide with the arrival of their liquor license (Gold Coast also has a full bar and four taps). That'll give the meat cutters in the back a few weeks to practice.
Soups and Salads
Chicken Soup | 7
matzo ball or egg noodle
Borscht | 7
served hot or cold
Brooklyn Clam Chowder | 9
spicy tomato broth, smoked brisket
Mixed Lettuces | 8
fresh herbs, radish, red wine Dijon dressing
Roasted Turkey Cobb Salad | 12
bacon, avocado, blue cheese
Waldorf Salad | 10
celery, celery root, apple, walnut, red grapes, mayo
Potato Latkes | 8
applesauce, sour cream
Herring in cream | 8
radishes, buttered pumpernickel
Potato - Horseradish Knishes | 7
parsley sauce, brown mustard
Chopped Liver | 7
egg, caramelized onion, challah toast
Nova Salmon Plate | 12
bagels chips, traditional accompaniments
Mushroom Pierogi | 12
roasted chicken broth
Pan-Roasted Salmon | 18
braised cucumbers, dill cream, salmon caviar
Roasted Chicken Breast | 18
kasha varnishkes, mushrooms, jus
Weiner Schnitzel | 19
baby potatoes, cream gravy
The "Wurst" Plate | 14
bratwurst, red potatoes, sauerkraut
Sauerbraten | 15
braised red cabbage, spaetlze
Grass-fed Beef Chili | 15
white rice, sour cream, Fritos
Sandwiches (served toasted)
Reuben | 14
pastrami, swiss, sauerkraut, Russian dressing, seeded rye
Rachel | 13
roast turkey, swiss, coleslaw, Russian dressing, whole wheat
The Coastal | 14
corned beef, coleslaw, Russian dressing, marble rye
Pastrami or Corned Beef on Rye | 13
deli mustard
The Cuban Reuben | 14
pastrami, roast pork, swiss, sauerkraut, mustard garlic mayo
Cheesesteak | 15
peppers, onion, provolone, garlic mayo
Egg Salad | 9
boston lettuce, pickled jalapenos, challah
Roasted Chicken Salad | 11
boston lettuce, whole wheat
Yellowfin Tuna Salad | 14
capers, roasted red peppers, celery, white
Two All-Beef Hot Dogs | 10
sauerkraut, onion sauce
Chicken Cutlet | 11
avocado, chipotle mayo, mozzarella, lettuce, tomato
[The above served with home made potato chips & pickle]
Eggplant Parm Hero | 12
mozzarella, mixed greens
Meatball Pressed Focaccia | 12
ricotta, red sauce, mixed greens
Gold Coast Burger | 12
all natural beef, Russian dressing, cheese, Kaiser roll, fries
Veggie Burger | 11
homemade chickpea-mushroom patty, mayo, Kaiser roll, French fries
For the table
Cole slaw | 3
Potato salad | 3
Egg salad | 3
Tuna salad | 5
Herbed spaetzle | 6
Egg noodles with poppy seeds | 6
Kasha varnishkes | 6
French fries | 5
Disco fries | 8
Mac & cheese | 6
Sauerkraut | 4
Jar of pickles | 5
Pretzel stick | 1
Gold Coast Delicatessen, 8530 3rd Ave., Brooklyn; 718-238-8020

subset: commoncrawl


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We continue this week with Part II of VFTB's Annual Year in Review for 2012. If you missed Part I, don't worry, you didn't miss much. But you can check it out here. Let's continue now with the Year in Review. Don't skip ahead to December and spoil the surprise ending, okay?
July: The world becomes glued to their TV sets as the London Olympic Games take center stage. The Games' most memorable moment comes during its Opening Ceremonies, when Queen Elizabeth makes a spectacular parachuting entrance into the stadium. Later in the games, however, Her Royal Majesty is ejected from the women's javelin toss competition when one of her Corgis tests positive for steroids.
Unemployment continues to slowly abate as the USA posts its 28th consecutive month of job growth. Presumed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney claims that if it were not for Obama's failed economic policies, the nation's unemployment rate would be negative 10% by now. Obama offers to buy Romney a new calculator.
Physicists the world over are ecstatic at the long-sought-after discovery of the elusive Higgs boson particle by CERN researchers. Scientists project it will be another 25 years however before anyone without a Ph.D. in theoretical particle physics will have the vaguest idea what a Higgs boson is or how it can be used to blow up Iran. Dr. Sheldon Cooper is unimpressed.
August: Both major political parties hold their presidential conventions as the election enters the home stretch. Republicans nominate Willard Mitt Romney as their flag bearer, narrowly edging out Clint Eastwood's chair. Romney creates history by becoming the first presidential candidate ever nominated named after a baseball glove.
The Mars Rover Curiosity lands on Mars. Images from the red planet confirm what has longed been believed – there are no signs of intelligent life on Mars, causing scientists to draw startling comparisons with the surface of Mississippi.
Renowned medical expert and Missouri Representative Todd Akin reveals his breakthrough findings that female victims of legitimate rape have a way of preventing pregnancy. Just 10 weeks later Missourians will find a legitimate way to prevent the outgoing Congressman from being elected to the Senate.
September: In a game-changing move guaranteed to snare the entire top 1% of voters, GOP nominee Mitt Romney is captured in a secret video telling an audience of affluent donors that he does not care about the 47% of Americans who don't pay taxes, leaving him a comfortable 53% of Americans and running mate Paul Ryan who have not yet become completely alienated and offended by his campaign.
A hitherto unknown South Korean hip hop singer named Psy creates a You Tube viral sensation with his playful music video Gangnam Style, surpassing Justin Bieber's Baby as the most watched You Tube video in history. Psy is now the most famous person in all of South Korea. Interestingly, no one in North Korea has ever heard of him – in part because North Korea is not scheduled to have Internet access until 2019.
October: With the campaign in its final weeks, the presidential debates take center stage. Obama downs an entire bottle of Vicks NyQuil twenty minutes before the first debate and becomes temporarily comatose, giving Romney a boost in the polls. Romney later announces that his first act as president will be to nominate investment firm Goldman Sachs as Chairman of the Federal Reserve, reminding voters that corporations are people too.
GOP Vice-Presidential running mate Paul Ryan, in an act of selfless compassion, visits an Ohio soup kitchen against its director's wishes and re-cleans dishes that have already been cleaned, for a humanitarian photo op. The Fox video doesn't do justice to his six-pack abs of steel.
In an October surprise nobody saw coming, Obama campaign strategists conspire with Mother Nature to steal the election. Without any approval from NOAA, in what many Republican pundits call a cheap shot, Obama launches Super Storm Sandy on the eastern seaboard in a crass effort to divert TV coverage from Mitt Romney's campaign visits to Elks Club lodges in Wisconsin where he performs stirring renditions of America the Beautiful. Obama accepts NJ Governor Christie's Facebook Friend request.
November: Political pollster Nate Silver correctly calls 52 out of 52 states, not to mention Guam, in predicting an Obama win in a 332 – 206 electoral rout of his GOP rival. Conservative pundits debunk half-baked theories for the loss such as Romney's failure to connect with women, blacks, Hispanics, or anyone under 25, his 47% comment, or his constant changing of positions to suit his audience, concluding that the real reason Romney lost is only because the guy they hired to execute their fail-safe voter suppression strategy accidentally succeeded in suppressing the wrong party's vote.
Billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson breaks records for donations to political campaigns, having spent almost $70 billion in the 2012 election – all of it on losing candidates. Adelson does almost as well betting on the election as he did when he put $5 million on Queen Elizabeth to win the javelin toss at the London Games.
Highly decorated general and recently appointed CIA Director David Petraeus resigns in disgrace after revealing he had been carrying on an affair with his biographer Paula Broadwell, causing some military analysts to question whether Petraeus' famous Iraq "surge" penetration strategy may have had a different agenda than previously stated.
December: After 80 years in print, Newsweek plans to discontinue publishing its print edition at the end of this month, to the great sadness of Editor Tina Brown and five middle-aged lesbian political activists from San Francisco.
The National Hockey League's four-month lockout shows no end in sight, with both sides still far apart. Owners have rejected players' demands for free rides on the Zamboni machine in between periods. Meanwhile, players have rejected owners' demands that players shower and shave at least once a season.
Just when it appears the U.S. economy is about to careen off the so-called Fiscal Cliff, economic disaster is averted as the End of the World comes to pass in the nick of time, on December 21, just as the ancient Mayan calendar had prophesized.
Thanks to the cataclysmic apocalypse, members of Congress no longer have to worry about breaking their pledge to Grover Norquist or wonder how entitlement cuts will impact their chances for re-election. So it looks like Congress dodged a bullet.
If you missed Part I of this two-part post, read it here.
That's the view from the bleachers. Perhaps I'm off base. Good luck on Judgment Day, everybody!
PS: If you enjoyed this week's post, please let me know by sharing it on Facebook, posting a comment or giving it a. If it turns out the end of the world does not actually happen on December 21, then I hope to see you back here in January 2013. Either way, Happy Holidays.
© Tim Jones, View from the Bleachers 2012


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Three members of the national champion Alabama Crimson Tide are leaving school early to enter the 2013 NFL draft.
Alabama confirmed today that cornerback Dee Milliner, running back Eddie Lacy and offensive tackle D.J. Fluker have all decided to turn pro.
The 6-foot-1, 199-pound Milliner looks like the best pro prospect of that bunch, and a likely Top 10 pick. Milliner was a first-team All-American and is likely to be the first defensive back to hear Roger Goodell call his name on April 25.
Lacy is coming off an excellent performance against Notre Dame in which he was named offensive MVP of the BCS National Championship Game. Alabama has had the first running back selected in each of the last two drafts (Trent Richardson in 2012 and Mark Ingram in 2011) and Lacy could make it three in a row in 2013.
The 6-foot-6, 335-pound Fluker looks like he's ready to step onto an NFL field right now, and he'll benefit from Taylor Lewan's decision to return to Michigan -- that could make Fluker the No. 2 tackle in the draft, after Luke Joeckel of Texas A&M.
Last year Alabama had five of the first 35 players drafted, and today's news means Alabama will be shipping another talented group of players to the NFL again this year.


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It's been so long since I posted that I feel rusty. Pass me the oil can, Tin Man! 😉
Thanks for being patient with me, especially when we live in a society where "instant" isn't fast enough and people are continuously racing to the finish line.
As you will have noticed, I've taken a more relaxed style to blogging compared to what I used to do. It's mainly because of three reasons: (1) I don't want to burn out, (2) I've been diving deeper into another hobby (the planner world), and (3) I've been spending more time with friends and family. I am still passionate about blogging here, so I will continue to share my thoughts (and my nails!) for as long as I can.
Today, I have swatches of the OPI Iceland Collection for Fall/Winter 2017! Autumn's my favourite season, so I was really excited to try out all the colours.
I appreciate the diverse colours included. There's something for everyone from the posh grey and slate blue to the retro green and rich brown.
In all of my OPI Iceland Collection swatches, I used two coats to achieve full opacity, except for Reykjavik Has All the Hot Spots (the frosty pink), which required three coats. (This one was my least favourite of the bunch. I'm not a fan of frosty-shimmer finishes that show brushstrokes.)
My top picks from the collection:
- Less Is Norse – You'll want more of this medium slate blue.
- Turn On the Northern Lights! – This dark blue with pink sparkle is lit.
- Suzi & the Arctic Fox – A vampy blue for foxy nails.
I'm in love with this one because of the name:
- Check Out the Old Geysirs – Teach an old dog new tricks with this light blue.
The other shades:
- Icelanded a Bottle of OPI – The nail-polish has landed with this pale taupe.
- That's What Friends Are Thor – A dark, earthy brown.
- I'll Have a Gin & Tectonic – Pale, classy peachy pink.
- One Heckla of a Color! – A purple so pretty, it won't get heckled.
- Reykjavik Has All the Hot Spots – A sizzling frosty pink.
- Aurora Berry-alis – 'Pink' about this rosy hue.
- This Isn't Greenland – A retro green has nails singing Sam Cooke's "You Send Me."
- Krona-logical Order – Get your nails in line with this dark mushroomy taupe.


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Dated: March 21, 2016
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- have trouble matching the different formatted import files and fields into your segment fields?
- Tired of repeating the same matching of fields when importing?
- Want to formalize the importing flow throughout your organisation?
The feature import profile Is your answer.
What does it do?
You can save the matching you executed in order for yourself or others to use it the next time your do in import. It can be used for the situations described above.
1) start by importing a list that you use regularly (segment - contacts - import)
Once arrived in this section, you'll need to click the .
This opens up a popup where you need to select your file.
2a) creating a new import profile
In the second page, when you scroll down, you will discover the different fields in your import list summed up. You need to match those with the fields that already exist in Addemar (2). When you have finished, you give this matching its corresponding name (1).
Next time you or a colleagues needs to import from the same list or software, you will be able to use your import profile to do the exercise for you.
2b) import a list with an existing import profile
When importing you will only need to choose the mapping from a dropdownbox ( 1 ) and you'll notice that the mapping is correctly set (2) !
Where can you consult an overview of the different mappings available?
This result in the following available page


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Joel Queen draws on many sources for artistic inspiration
Many who walk into Joel Queen's gallery mistakenly assume the artwork there solely represents Cherokee tradition.
After all, Queen comes from a long line of Cherokee potters and basketmakers who passed down their art to him as soon as he was able to crawl. And he's one of Cherokee's most prominent artists — among the few to successfully run his own gallery and to teach at the Southwestern Community College's Oconaluftee Institute of Cultural Arts.
But looking closer, it becomes clear that Queen's artistic vision extends far beyond the Qualla Boundary. His work is as much inspired from Greek vessels, Egyptian sculptures, and Celtic designs as aesthetic traditions from Cherokee and the Southeast.
Queen is just as interested in seeing what Cherokee artists produce as what artists on the other side of the country are up to. He loves traveling across the nation with his family, competing at art shows like at the Sante Fe Indian Market, especially for this purpose.
"The competition keeps me on my toes," said Queen. "I thrive on it. If I don't win one year, I'm going to have to do something better next year. That part of it, I really love."
Even if he doesn't win, though, the art market provides Queen the perfect opportunity to observe new artistic traditions as they are being formulated.
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Queen, along with fellow artist and friend John Grant, decided to create Cherokee's own annual art market because they saw it as integral to bringing fresh ideas to the region's art scene.
"The only way art advances is to be able to see what's going on outside of here," said Queen, adding that the art market has the additional benefit of boosting the local economy.
An ongoing education
Queen had learned the craft of basketmaking from his grandmother when he was just 5 years old and later fell in love with sculpture. But when Queen settles down to work in one of his two studios, he doesn't limit himself to just one, or even two, kinds of media.
Queen credits his high school art teacher for showing him how to diversify, which ended up complementing Queen's own personality in the end.
"It was very eye-opening for me to be able to work in leatherwork, silverwork, clay and paintings," said Queen.
"... I don't like being confined. I like being able to express how I feel through different media."
Luckily for Queen, that versatility has been useful in a volatile economy, when one medium might not sell as well as another.
With a diverse skill set in tow, Queen set out for his next challenge, large-scale pieces — what later became his signature style. Since many artists didn't like to work large at the time, Queen had to resort to self-teaching to learn to build such heavy pieces.
"Large pieces are more challenging. That's why I like doing them so much," said Queen. "It keeps it interesting. It's very easy for me to lose interest if there's not a challenge to it."
Now, Queen can create sculptures 10 to 12 feet tall as well as he can build miniature pieces as small as 2 or 3 inches tall.
Queen also hand builds his pottery, rather than throwing it on the wheel. Pots won't be perfectly symmetrical this way, but each piece is unique, different from the one before. Though hand building was slow going at first, Queen learned techniques to speed up the process, so he can create at nearly the same rate as an artist who wheel throws.
"I'm not knocking wheel throwing work," said Queen. "It's still beautiful and takes talent to do it, but hand building is just a totally different area."
For one thing, when the electricity goes out, Queen can go right on creating.
"As long as you got wood, you can still burn the pot," said Queen.


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Vocabulary knowledge is a major building block in children's early literacy development. It provides the foundation for learning to decode and comprehend text. Many children, especially English language learners, need support in acquiring the substantial vocabulary they need to become good readers.
Reading books to children is one way to introduce them to a wide range of vocabulary that they may not hear in their everyday conversations with adults and peers. For example, in the book Chugga Chugga Choo Choo by Daniel Lewis (1999), children may be introduced to words such as hurry, load/unload, freight, empty, steep, deep, wide, swift, tunnel, and underground. Knowing these words may help children understand texts in language arts, science, and social studies throughout their school years.
Work by Isabel Beck, Margaret McKeown, Andrew Biemiller and countless others has led to consensus on principles of effective vocabulary instruction. In developing a curriculum for both monolingual English speakers and English language learners, I applied these principles in what I termed the Multidimensional Vocabulary Program (MVP). This program integrated multiple ways of teaching words to support children's word learning. The principles of the MVP curriculum hold promise for supporting the vocabulary development of all learners, especially English language learners.
The Multidimensional Vocabulary Program included the following characteristics of instruction:
Introduce words through engaging children's literature
Introducing words through children's literature provides context for children to experience and understand the meaning of words. Connecting words to the theme of the book helps to ground children's understanding of words and to see how words are related. Teachers can use prompts such as, "In this book, the workers had to hurry to get all of the boxes onto the train. They had to go really fast so the train could get going."
Provide children with clear definitions and explanations of words
To explain words to children, simple words that children already know should be used. Children should be able to easily understand the explanation so they can quickly understand what a word means and connect new words to words they already know. For example, to define load and unload, a teacher could say, "If you load something onto a train that means you put it onto the train. If you UN-load something from a train that means you take it off of the train."
Encourage children to think of examples of words in various contexts
Children need to be able to transfer their understanding of words to new contexts so that when they see or hear those words in other places they understand what they mean. Talking about words from book to book is one way of showing children how words are used in other contexts. Another way to help them see how words are used in other contexts is asking them to think about how the words apply to their own knowledge and experiences. In explaining the word freight, for example, a teacher might say, "Have you ever seen a train on the tracks? Did you notice the cars of the train? Inside of those train cars, there are lots of things that are being taken from one place to another. The stuff that is being brought from one place to another is called freight. What are some things that you think could be freight on a train?"
Guide children to compare and contrast words
For children to develop depth of vocabulary knowledge, they need to be exposed to the definitions of words and examples of words, but they also need to think critically about the meaning of words and how words are related. This can be done by asking them to think of synonyms or antonyms of words. In order to encourage children's depth of word knowledge, it is important to guide children to critically think about words. This can be done by asking children to think about whether words would be appropriate in various new contexts. If a teacher is focusing on the word empty, she could ask children to decide, "What is the opposite of empty? Is full the opposite of empty?"
Invite children to act out words and/or show children how to illustrate words
While linguistic definitions, explanations, and examples are important, many children, especially English language learners, need extra nonverbal support for word learning. Modeling how to act out words and guiding children to act out words can help them understand words better. Also, showing children visual representations of words (e.g., picture cards) and supporting children in illustrating the words themselves can help them to more deeply process word meaning. To teach the word steep, for example, teachers can have children show what a steep mountain would look like with their hands and/or draw a picture of a steep mountain on chart paper.
Ask children to pronounce words
Children need to know how words sound and how to say words in order to connect the meaning of the word to the phonological representation of the word. Children also need to be able to distinguish between words that sound similar so that they can do not get confused when they hear or read these words. Having children say words out loud is one way to help children establish a clear phonological representation of the word. An example might be the following: "Say deep. Now say steep. How do these words sound the same? How do they sound different?"
Direct children's attention to how words are spelled
Most vocabulary instruction for young children should be oral because children can understand the meaning of advanced words orally long before they can read those words in text and because we want children to understand words orally so that when they do encounter them in text they know what they mean. However, for children who are at the beginning stages of reading and beyond, drawing children's attention to the spelling of words can help them make connections between how words sound, what they mean, and how they look in print. Initially, teachers can write words on word cards and post them next to pictures of the word. For example, a teacher might post the word wide next to a picture of a wide river and call children's attention the word when reviewing the CVCe pattern in phonics.
Repeat words and reinforce word learning
Perhaps most importantly, using words over and over again will help children incorporate those words as part of their everyday vocabulary. Teachers should seek to use words throughout in various contexts and review words and word meanings as part of their daily practice. For example, asking children do demonstrate running swiftly on the playground or asking them to draw an underground tunnel can reinforce word learning. And, asking children to explain, give an example, or demonstrate the meaning of a word when children are lining up for the end of the day is another way to review words children are learning.
Interview with Dr. Rebecca Silverman
Dr. Silverman talks about the two most important things parents can do to help their child build vocabulary skills: talk and read with your child every day.
The findings of this study are reported in Silverman, R. (2007). Vocabulary development of English language and English only learners in kindergarten. Elementary School Journal, 107 (4), 365-383.


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San Francisco people, Rosamunde, the sausage spot next to the Toronado in the Lower Hate, does grilled burgers on Tuesdays for lunch. If you eat meat, get there and try it. $6, it's huge, and it does taste like everyone says-- very very f*in' amazing and possibly the best in town.
Rosamunde's Tuesday burger is worth the 30 min wait. Plus there are beers next door at the Toronado.
Ran into Matt D from DLX at lunch time, and he insisted I go for it. It'll put you into a meat coma for sure, but the massive patty of quality goodness and the grilled onions are perfectly cooked. Long wait but so worth it.


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« Prev | Chapter III. St. Ambrose returns to the story of… | Next » |
Chapter III.
St. Ambrose returns to the story of the widow of Sarepta, and shows that she represented the Church, hence that she was an example to virgins, married women, and widows. Then he refers to the prophet as setting forth Christ, inasmuch as he foretold the mysteries and the rain which was to come. Next he touches upon and explains the twofold sign of Gideon, and points out that it is not in every one's power to work miracles, and that the Incarnation of Christ and the rejection of the Jews were foreshadowed in that account.
14. To return to what was treated of above,33213321 1 [3] Kings xvii. 14. what is the meaning of the fact that when there was a very great famine in all the land, yet the care of God was not wanting to the widow, and the prophet was sent to sustain her? And when in this story the Lord warns me that He is about to speak in truth,33223322 S. Luke iv. 25. He seems to bid my ears attend to a mystery. For what can be more true than the mystery of Christ and the Church? Not, then, without a purpose is one preferred amongst many widows. Who is such an one, to whom so great a prophet who was carried up into heaven, should be guided, especially at that time when the heaven was shut for three years and six months, when there was a great famine in the whole land? The famine was everywhere, and yet notwithstanding this widow did not want. What are these three years? Are they not, perchance, those in which the Lord came to the earth and could not find fruit on the fig-tree, according to that which is written: "Behold, there are three years that I came seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none."33233323 S. Luke xiii. 7.
15. This is assuredly that widow of whom it was said: "Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not, break forth and cry, thou that availest not with child; for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her who hath an husband."33243324 Isa. liv. 1. And well is she a widow of whom it is well said: "Thou 394shalt not remember thy shame and thy widowhood, for I am the Lord Who make thee."33253325 Isa. liv. 4. And perchance therefore is she a widow who has lost her Husband indeed in the suffering of His body, but in the day of judgment shall receive again the Son of Man Whom she seemed to have lost. "For a short time have I forsaken thee,"33263326 Isa. liv. 7. He says, in order that, being forsaken, she may the more gloriously keep her faith.
16. All, then, have an example to imitate, virgins, married women, and widows. And perchance is the Church therefore a virgin, married, and a widow, because they are one body in Christ. She is then that widow for Whose sake when there was a dearth of the heavenly Word on earth, the prophets were appointed, for there was a widow who was barren, yet reserved her bringing forth for its own time.
17. So that his person does not seem to us of small account, who by his word moistened the dry earth with the dew of heaven, and unlocked the closed heavens certainly not by human power. For who is he who can open the heavens except Christ, for Whom daily out of sinners' food is gathered, an increase for the Church? For it is not in the power of man to say: "The barrel of meal shall not waste, and the cruse of oil shall not fail, until the day on which the Lord shall send rain on the earth."33273327 1 [3] Kings xvii. 14. For though it be the rule of the prophets to speak thus, the voice is in truth that of the Lord. And so it is stated first: "For thus saith the Lord."33283328 1 [3] Kings xvii. 14. For it is of the Lord to vouch for a continuance of heavenly sacraments, and to promise that the grace of spiritual joy shall not fail, to grant the defences of life, the seals of faith, the gifts of virtues.
18. But what does this mean: "Until the day on which the Lord shall send rain on the earth"? except that He, too, "shall come down like rain upon a fleece, and like the drops that water the earth."33293329 Ps. lxxii. [lxxi.] 6. In which passage is disclosed the mystery of the old history where Gideon, the warrior of the mystic conflict, receiving the pledge of future victory, recognized the spiritual sacrament in the vision of his mind, that that rain was the dew of the Divine Word, which first came down on the fleece, when all the earth was parched with continual drought, and by a second true sign, moistened the floor of all the earth with a shower, whilst dryness was upon the fleece.33303330 Judg. vi. 37 ff.
19. For the prescient man observed the sign of the future growth of the Church. For first in Judæa the dew of the divine utterance began to give moisture (for "in Jewry is God known"),33313331 Ps. lxxvi. [lxxv.] 1. whilst the whole earth remained without the dew of faith. But when Joseph's flock began to deny God, and by venturing on various enormous offences to incur guilt before God, then when the dew of the heavenly shower was poured on the whole earth, the people of the Jews began to grow dry and parched in their own unbelief, when the clouds of prophecy and the healthful shower of the Apostles watered the holy Church gathered together from all parts of the world. This is that rain, now condensed from earthly moisture, now from mountain mists, but diffused throughout the whole world in the salutary shower of the heavenly Scriptures.
20. By this example, then, it is shown that not all can merit the miracles of divine power, but they who are aided by the pursuits of religious devotion, and that they lose the fruits of divine working who are devoid of reverence for heaven. It is also shown in a mystery that the Son of God, in order to restore the Church, took upon Himself the mystery of a human body, casting off the Jewish people, from whom the counsellor and the prophet and the miracles of the divine benefits were taken away,33323332 Isa. iii. 2. because that as it were by a kind of national blemish they were not willing to believe in the Son of God.
« Prev | Chapter III. St. Ambrose returns to the story of… | Next » |


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Creating a Resume for MBA Applications
by Stacy Blackman Consulting
The resume is an essential component of your business school application, and one that travels with you on your MBA interview. The MBA resume differs from one that is created for job hunting in a specific functional area. Learn how to maximize the impact of this all important document through practical advice on formatting, content and more. The Stacy Blackman Consulting resume guide includes 6 sample resumes from candidates of differing backgrounds, a list of action verbs and specific examples for how transform content from mundane to "winning".
Format: 32 page PDF download.
Price: 19.99 USD


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26 Mar 2013
Greater by Steven Furtick
Are you ready to open your imagination to the possibility that God has a vision for your life that is greater?
We all have honest moments when we're gripped by a desire to feel that what we're doing matters more. That who we are matters more.
And according to one of the most shocking verses in the Bible, Jesus wants the very same thing for every one of us:
"Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." -John 14:12
That single promise—"even greater things than these"—should be enough to shatter our acceptance of spiritual mediocrity. Unfortunately, most believers have only tried and given up on vague notions of greatness…then settled into a life that's just good enough.
Good enough = Baseline living that is marked by mediocrity, stuck in spiritual survival mode, and controlled by complacency.
Greatness = Vague, unrealistic aspirations of doing better that don't work in real life and lead to endless frustration.
But there is a third way.
Greater = The life-altering understanding that God is ready to accomplish a greatness in your life that is entirely out of human reach—beyond anything you see in yourself on your best day, but exactly what God has seen in you all along.
In Greater, Pastor Steven Furtick draws on the biblical story of Elisha to empower you to:
• Take a God-given dream from idea to reality
• Stretch your limited resources and abilities in ways you never thought possible
• Replace the images of yourself that keep you feeling stuck in the past
• Make a significant impact with your life starting today, rather than making endless plans for tomorrow that you never get around to
If you're tired of being ordinary, it's time to dream bigger. If you're feeling overwhelmed about where to begin, it's time to start smaller. It's time to ignite God's Greater vision for your life.
Praise for Greater
"Writes Steven Furtick, 'Good enough leaves you stuck in stagnation. Grasping for greatness leads to endless frustration. But greater is a third way.' My advice? Don't waste another second to embrace the third way. In Greater, Steven shows you that God's vision for your life is ready to be ignited. Go ahead—strike the match!"
—Jentezen Franklin, senior pastor of Free Chapel, Gainesville, GA, and New York Times best-selling author of Fasting
"If you ever felt like you were meant for more yet have settled for less in life, then Steven Furtick's new book, Greater, is for you! Its proven biblical insights and practical applications will put you on your path to the greater life."
—Kerry Shook, senior pastor of Woodlands Church, Houston, TX, and coauthor of the New York Times best-selling One Month to Live and the national bestseller Love at Last Sight
"Most people crave more out of life and sense there is a greater reason for our existence. Pastor Steven's new book, Greater, is the perfect book to stir your faith, build your spiritual confidence, and inspire you toward the unique calling for your life. If you read only one book this year, make it Greater."
—Craig Groeschel, senior pastor of LifeChurch.tv, Oklahoma City, OK, and author of Soul Detox and Dare to Drop the Pose
"My friend Steven Furtick has an insatiable passion for the church to discover the fullness of life in Christ. In Sun Stand Still, Steven dared us to pray audacious prayers and believe God for the impossible. Now in Greater, he walks us through what it looks like to live out an audacious life—a life marked by nothing less than greatness God's way!"
—John Bevere, best-selling author of Relentless and The Bait of Satan
"Steven Furtick boldly pursues God with audacious faith like no one else I know. He is unapologetic about allowing God to accomplish greater things through him. This book will inspire you to do the same. To reach for greater. To believe for greater. To be greater."
—Stovall Weems, lead pastor of Celebration Church, Jacksonville, FL
"In every generation God empowers a few great leaders to speak his truth with boldness. Steven Furtick is one of those voices in our generation. In his new book Greater, you will learn how to embrace God's present plan for your greater calling and purpose."
—Christine Caine, director of Equip and Empower and founder of the A21 Campaign
"Greater is about walking in God's higher purpose for your life. Whether that's as a teacher, preacher, leader, parent, musician, artist, engineer, or entrepreneur, Steven Furtick will show you how to let go of your fears and embrace your greater purpose in God."
—Israel Houghton, Grammy Award–winning recording artist and worship leader of Lakewood Church, Houston, TX
"People today are bored, depressed, and confused because they have settled for 'good enough.' But 'good enough' is keeping us from living the life that God has called us to. In Greater, Steven Furtick embarks on a brilliant journey of transformation that every follower of Christ needs to take. This book delivers!"
—Perry Noble, senior pastor of NewSpring Church, Anderson, SC, and blogger on leadership, vision, and creativity
"Pastor Steven's powerful yet vulnerable teaching grabbed my heart, equipped my mind, and stirred my soul like no other book I've ever read. This is one I will return to again and again. For anyone who has ever dared to dream but doesn't know how to turn their dreams into reality, Greater is a must-read."
—Lysa TerKeurst, New York Times best-selling author of Made to Crave and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries
"Some of us wear ourselves out trying to achieve 'greatness.' Others of us miss our calling and settle for 'good enough.' In Greater, Steven Furtick shows us the surefooted path to the Greater life."
—Mark Batterson, lead pastor of National Community Church, Washington, DC, and author of Primal and In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day
"Steven Furtick is living exactly what he's written about in this book—start small, dream big, and see what God will do! Our church has been massively blessed by the example of Pastor Steven, his family, and Elevation Church. Take it from the best. Don't underestimate what God can do with your small start. Get this book and be encouraged!"
—Dino Rizzo, lead pastor of Healing Place Church, Baton Rouge, LA, and author of Servolution
"Steven Furtick understands spiritual vision like few people I know. If you desire a life beyond your imagination, read this book! Greater will take you to a whole new level and invite you to experience the power of God every day."
—Jack Graham, senior pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church, Dallas, TX, and author of Powering Up
"The distance between desire and doing is often intimidating because we don't know where to begin. But in Greater, Steven Furtick shows that God's 'greater' for our lives is as far away as our first step of obedience."
—Ed Young, senior pastor of Fellowship Church, Dallas, TX, and author of Outrageous, Contagious Joy
"Steven Furtick is in my head again with Greater. He's challenging me to be greater—and the good news is that all I have to do is think big and start small."
—Tim Sanders, author of Today We Are Rich and CEO of Net Minds
"My friend Steven Furtick calls us to a faith-filled life of trusting and believing God for greater lives than the ones we are living now. It's not about us, though. It's about God's greater glory in and through our lives. If you are ready for a life-altering experience with Jesus Christ, pick up a copy of Greater."
—James MacDonald, senior pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel, Chicago, IL, and author of Always True and 10 Choices
Narrated by:
Steven Furtick
About the Author:
Steven Furtick is the founder and lead pastor of Elevation Church.
In just under seven years, Elevation Church has grown to more than 10,000 people in weekly attendance, meeting at seven locations in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. Elevation has been named one of the fastest growing Churches in America by Outreach Magazine for each of the past six years.
Pastor Steven has been privileged to minister to a global audience, speaking at conferences and churches around the world, including Catalyst Conference, Hillsong Conference, and the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit. He is the author of the New York Times best-selling book, Greater, and the nationally acclaimed Sun Stand Still.
Pastor Steven holds a Master of Divinity degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
He and his wife Holly live in the Charlotte area with their two sons, Elijah and Graham, and daughter, Abbey.