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Being an independent woman you know what you want, and you how to go after it. Regardless of whether it's a dream job or a wonderful vacation you don't wait for things to come to you. Well, it should be the same with jewelry as well; you don't actually need a lover or a friend deciding to give you jewelry as a present.Read More
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When to Take Off Your Diamond Jewelry


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Methotrexate Injection, USP, Isotonic Liquid, Preservative Free, for Single Use Only. Each 25 mg/mL, 40 mL vial contains methotrexate sodium equivalent to 1 g methotrexate.
1 g, 40 mL Vial NDC 61703-408-41
Store at controlled room temperature, 20 to 25°C (68 to 77°F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature]; excursions permitted to 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F). PROTECT FROM LIGHT.
Clinical Situation
Laboratory Findings
Leucovorin Dosage and
Normal Methotrexate
Serum methotrexate level approximately 10 micromolar at 24 hours after administration, 1 micromolar at 48 hours, and less than 0.2 micromolar at 72 hours.
15 mg PO, IM, or IV q 6 hours for 60 hours (10 doses starting at 24 hours after start of methotrexate infusion).
Delayed Late Methotrexate Elimination
Serum methotrexate level remaining above 0.2 micromolar at 72 hours, and more than 0.05 micromolar at 96 hours after administration.
Continue 15 mg PO, IM, or IV q six hours, until methotrexate level is less than 0.05 micromolar.
Delayed Early Methotrexate Elimination and/or Evidence of Acute Renal Injury
Serum methotrexate level of 50 micromolar or more at 24 hours, or 5 micromolar or more at 48 hours after administration, OR; a 100% or greater increase in serum creatinine level at 24 hours after methotrexate administration, (e.g., an increase from 0.5 mg/dL to a level of 1 mg/dL or more).
150 mg IV q three hours, until methotrexate level is less than 1 micromolar; then 15 mg IV q three hours until methotrexate level is less than 0.05 micromolar.

subset: commoncrawl


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Aeroelasticity and aeroservoelasticity of advanced aircraft wings made of composite materials; active and passive control; morphing/adaptive aircraft.
Plates and shells; sandwich structures; anisotropic thin-walled beam structures
Multi-functional structures; field-structure interactions.
Crack mechanics and fracture of multifunctional materials/structures.
Global and local hydroelasticity of advanced composite marine vehicles.
Ph. D., Engineering Science and Mechanics, Oct., 2001
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA M. S., Computer Science and Applications, Dec., 2002
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA M. S., Flight Vehicle Design and Applied Mechanics, Mar., 1995
Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Beijing, P. R. China B. S., Engineering Mechanics, Jul., 1992
Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, P. R. China
Prof.Z.M.QinSchool of Aerospace,Xi'an Jiaotong University


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Sunday Supper: Osteria Romantica
Osteria Romantica, on Avenida del Playa in La Jolla, could be straight out of a movie set, from it's pretty patio and checkered tablecloths to it's handsome, accented waiters and sunny, cheerful dining room. It's a lovely place for a date, an anniversary or a birthday, but it still has a comfortable neighborhood feel.
Osteria Romatica is one of the several local Italian eateries co-owned by Antonio Mastellone, of Arrivederci Ristorante, Buon Appetito and Sogno di Vino. His partner at OR is Fabio Speziali, who used to wait tables at Arrivederci.
It's early Sunday afternoon, pretty near to the end of lunch service, so I check "Are you still serving lunch?" at the front door. Yes, yes, no problem, come in. Due to the odd hour, we have the place nearly to ourselves.
It's so relaxing to sit and enjoy our wine, prosecco for me, pinot noir for John, and listen to the music. I don't understand the words, but I'm certain they are singing about the moon and June and other sweet things. The wine list has some interesting selections, Italian of course, but also Argentine, Chilean, South African, American, Israeli, with several available by the glass ($5-$10/glass).
Along with the wine, we receive a loaf of warm bread and a bowl of spicy tomato sauce. The bread is fresh and yeasty, with plenty of big holes to grab the tomato chunks. The sauce is made with high quality canned tomatoes, I believe they use Alta Cucina brand, and it has a surprisingly strong kick. There's a small whole tomato at the bottom, no matter, we just cut it up and eat it too. I'm a firm believer in using good canned tomatoes over fresh in sauce, unless it's late summer and your tomatoes are dead ripe.
Osteria Romantica has a regular lunch menu and daily specials. I toy with the idea of spaghetti and meatballs, a good barometer for any Italian restaurant, but decide instead on Pappardelle with Braised Lamb ($16.95). "Ah!" our waiter says, "It's the best thing on the menu."
It's a very good dish. The lamb has been slowly braised with aromatics and wine, then shredded. It's been added to three kinds of mushrooms, white, shiitake and portobello, olives, and rosemary, and finished with brandy and a touch of cream. The rich brown sauce is stirred into the pasta, in traditional Italian style, rather than sitting on top of it, the better to soak into the nicely al dente pappardelle. There's lots of meat in it, tender and succulent, I barely make it through a third of the bowl before I have to stop. I want to order dessert, too, and I have to save room.
John's Gnocchi Gratinati ($12.95) has tender pillows of pasta in a lush parmesan cream sauce. It's been finished briefly in a hot oven to barely caramelize the top. The gnocchi are excellent, soft and yielding, but with an every so slightly toothy center. I taste, then taste again and again, in spite of my happiness with my own dish. Actually, we're both eating out of each other bowls quite unabashedly.
We shared the Pear Tart ($6.95) for dessert. I couldn't actually pinpoint any pear, but it could have been masked by the chocolate sauce on top. I would order it without the sauce next time, it certainly doesn't need the embellishment. The buttery, rich pastry crust and lovely frangipane center would be nice with a bit of whipped cream or a small scoop of gelato.
The only thing that Osteria Romantica is lacking is a nice sofa for me to take my post-lunch nap on. But then, they'd never get rid of me.
2151 Avenida de la Playa
La Jolla, CA 92037
Lunch daily - 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Dinner - 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm weekdays 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm weekends
Children's menu available.
Free street parking.
More like this:
- Déjeuner at Tar-Jay — March 12, 2012
- An Education in Ottoman Pastry: La Cafe — Jan. 31, 2012
- Breakfast on the Patio: The Fig Tree Cafe — Jan. 5, 2012
- A Room with a View and Cocktails, Too: Candelas Coronado — Jan. 4, 2012
- The "In CinemaScope" Quiz — Jan. 3, 2012
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Inspectors hunting for oil pipelines and oil drums damaged in Colorado's epic floods are being "completely overwhelmed" by the sheer scale of destruction, a member of Congress has warned.
Jared Polis, a Democratic representative from Colorado, said the state's regulatory agency was struggling to reach flooded areas and arrive at a full accounting of the damage and potential leaks to its 50,000 oil wells. Inspectors have so far reached about a third of the flooded oil fields. Last week, aerial surveys of the flooded area showed dozens of overturned storage tanks.
"Inspectors are completely overwhelmed. There are only a couple of dozen in the state and some areas remain inaccessible even today," Polis told the Guardian. "The number of inspectors is insufficient to reach all the sites."
On Monday the vice-president, Joe Biden, spent the day in Colorado, touring the devastated areas. The body of a 79-year-old woman was found beside the Big Thompson River, authorities said, bringing to eight the death toll from the massive flooding.
The state has 17 full-time oil and gas inspectors, although reinforcements have arrived in the wake of the floods. As of Monday afternoon, the state's oil and gas regulator reported eight "notable" spills over the vast oil and gas area, which it said amounted to a release of some 27,000 gallons of oil. A statement from the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission said: "Wet, muddy and high-water conditions continue to make access slow and difficult in many areas."
Todd Hartman, a spokesman for Colorado's department of natural resources, said inspectors were still unable to get to many of the well sites, because roads were washed out or destroyed. "You have operations that are entirely underwater," he told reporters.
In addition to the eight known leaks, crews were monitoring about 10 other sites with evidence of a sheen, the state regulatory agency said. But it said there were at least 33 other locations with damaged equipment. The agency added: "No estimates of product losses are available for those sites."
The industry said it was monitoring the wells by air and from boats, as well as relying on pressure sensors to monitor conditions inside the wells. Rushing floodwaters clogged with debris damaged oil gas pipelines and tanks in a number of locations. But the oil industry said 1,500 oil wells in the worst affected area were sealed off before the floods hit.
Industry spokespersons also said there were no wells being fracked at the time of the floods, and there is no known instance of a leak of fracking chemicals.
Even so, campaigners said there was a risk of spills of oil, chemicals and other potential contaminants, including run-off from livestock facilities, in the wake of this month's flooding. In one of the biggest known spills, Anadarko Petroleum Corp last week reported that about 5,225 gallons of oil had spilled into the South Platte River, near Milliken. A tank farm on the St Vrain River, also operated by Anadarko, released about 13,500 gallons. It is possible that other companies have suffered similar problems but have not been able to get out to assess the damage.
Jonathan Singer, a member of the state legislature from the flood-hit area who has opposed fracking, said his biggest concern was simply getting inspectors to all the well sites. "We just don't have the resources to get out to every well as quickly as we should be," he said.
"This was a huge flood and unfortunately it went through the county where we have the highest proportion of oil [and gas] wells in Colorado."


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Although having kidney disease makes it more difficult to obtain life insurance, it does not make it impossible. Check with your employer for a group plan, but if this is not available, find a company that will accept you even with kidney disease. Luckily there are companies that offer guaranteed coverage with no medical questions or exams. These plans may be all that are available to you, depending on your condition.
Determine if the company you work for offers life insurance. Group benefits are usually easier to qualify for, so this may be your best option in the beginning.
Look into companies that offer "graded benefit life insurance." This type of insurance does not require a medical exam; however, you may be required to disclose the fact that you have kidney disease. The downside to this type of insurance is that it does not pay out in the first one to three years.
Prepare all applications and provide whatever information is required for the policy. You may be required to provide additional information once your application is submitted to underwriting. Be certain of what the company requires and submit everything at one time. This will save a great deal of time.
Get a medical exam if one is required from your insurance company. You should go to your regular doctor because she can provide more insight into your health since she is familiar with your history.
Ask your doctor if she would be willing to communicate directly with the underwriting department of your insurance company. Just as with the medical exam, she may be able to provide more insight into your condition and health.
Pay the insurance premiums. These will be necessary for the policy to become and remain effective.
Shop around. Policies will vary greatly by different companies. It will be worth it for you to see what is available before making your decision.
Do not lie on your life insurance application. It will invalidate the contract and keep your beneficiaries from receiving any payout.
Writer Bio
Jamie Simpson is a researcher and journalist based in Indianapolis with more than 10 years of professional writing experience. She earned her B.S. in animal science from Purdue University and her Master of Public Affairs in public management from Indiana University. Simpson also works as a massage therapist and equine sports massage therapist.


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50 Years of manned Spaceflight – In Memory of Yuri Gagarin
In 1961, on this very day, April 12th, Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space.
At the time of his flight, reactions were divided, just as the world was. Those days are past now, the Eastern Block does not exist anymore and the Western Block has changed a great deal, more than anyone would have expected back than or even 25 years ago.
Today, we can celebrate this wonderful moment in the history of mankind together, and this is what we will do.
So let us all raise our glasses to Yuri Gagarin, who sadly met an untimely demise in a plane crash on 27 March 1968.
And here is a very touching and fitting tribute to him, half of it on Earth, the other half on the ISS:


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Megan Debranski Kelhart
Whether in response to the "politicization" of science, or simply to ensure that public policy is informed by science, many scientists are mobilizing and becoming more active in the public policy arena. Whatever the reason, science is more prominent in the 2008 race for the presidency than it has been in other races. In December 2007, a grassroots group called Science Debate 2008 issued a public call for a presidential debate on science.
Supporters of Science Debate 2008 argue that science should be a central theme in the presidential election because the important scientific challenges facing the United States call for precise, unbiased scientific data to support policy decisions, and because the country needs to encourage scientific and technological innovation to stay competitive in the global marketplace. Others maintain that although presidential nominees should discuss climate change and energy policy, those issues are more political than scientific.
In an interview on 11 January with Ira Flatow on National Public Radio's Talk of the Nation: Science Friday, Shawn Lawrence Otto, chief executive officer of Science Debate 2008, said, "Science and technology lie at the center of almost every major policy issue that we're facing, that we feel it deserves a debate of its own, especially since many of the candidates have not been able to articulate any kind of position about science policy."
Science Debate 2008 started with a petition signed by 11 Nobel laureates and a handful of university presidents, business leaders, and politicians. Since December, the number of signatories has grown to more than 150 American universities and organizations, representing more than 125 million people. Representatives Rush Holt (D-NJ) and Vernon Ehlers (R-MI), both of whom have advanced degrees in physics, agreed to cochair the science debate. National and international media have also taken note: Radio New Zealand, MSNBC, and Time magazine, to name just a few, have all reported on Science Debate 2008.
Gaining momentum, by February, Science Debate 2008 had established an online collection of video statements by scientists, politicians, and several former White House staff. Dozens of organizations, including AIBS, have endorsed the effort. Neal Lane, Rice University professor and science advisor to President Clinton, said in a video statement that "science and technology really do underpin everything that is important.... Science and technology research and development and innovation lead to a bright economy for the future, protecting the environment, producing the energy we're going to need, and protecting our families and children from disease." Oregon State University Distinguished Professor of Zoology Jane Lubchenco agrees: "Science affects so many aspects of our lives, it really is the key to much of our future."
Not everyone thinks that a presidential debate on science is a good idea. David J. Goldston, former staff director for the House Committee on Science under Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) and visiting lecturer at Harvard University, argues that having a science debate could have some unintended consequences. In the 7 February issue of Nature, he stated, "There is no reason to assume that a presidential debate on science matters would be instructive for the public or helpful to scientists." Goldston holds that candidates should discuss climate change and energy policy, but he questions whether these issues are primarily science issues, noting the "increasing tendency to conflate science questions...with policy questions." He also asks whether a political debate is the best venue for a discussion about the politicization of science.
Roger Pielke Jr., of the Center for Science and Technology Policy Research at the University of Colorado, agrees with Goldston: "Politicians debate politics." Perhaps supporters of the science debate should focus their attention on influencing the nomination of the next presidential science adviser, or, as Goldston suggests, scientists might spend time "lobbying Capitol Hill and talking to candidates--the kind of political activity often seen as 'dirty work'--rather than leaping into the showy realm of presidential debates." Additionally, they may want to consider their next step: redirecting their fervor toward developing a list of highly qualified scientists for the position of presidential science adviser. Influencing that process may prove more advantageous than holding a science debate.
Regardless of whether there should be or will be a science debate, both sides of the argument might agree that world-renowned scientists, scientific organizations, businesses, universities, and government leaders should continue to mobilize in support of science and science policy.
BioScience 58: 296
back to Washington Watch Article Archive


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- A Sub Above®
- Giving
- History
- News
Jersey Mike's Subs Celebrates One Year at OKC Location with Wounded Warrior Project Fundraiser
Two Day Celebration Includes Silent Auction, Car Show and More
Oklahoma City Jersey Mike's Subs Franchisees Alex and Sonia Shelton celebrated the first anniversary of their 6815 SW 3rd Street location with two days of fun highlighted by a "Donate the Day" fundraiser on behalf of Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) on Thurs. Sept. 9. That day, the Sheltons handed out free regular subs to customers who gave a minimum $1 donation to this important organization, which helps our nation's injured service members. The Sheltons operate a second store at 1630 NW 23rd Street, Oklahoma City.
"Our goal was to make this event so successful we can repeat it every year," said Alex Shelton. "We are donating our day's subs and we are asking that everyone come in with a generous heart and support this tremendous cause. While the minimum contribution is $1, we are hoping that people will give what they would have paid for the sub so we can raise as much money as possible."
Additional celebrations took place on that day and Friday, September 10 including a 2-day silent auction at the store, with proceeds going to WWP. Friday also featured a "Show and Shine" car show with music and remote broadcast by Oklahoma City's Classic Rock station 107.7 KRXO and a drawing of great items donated by local businesses. Customers were invited to come and show off their favorite cars, trucks, boats and motorcycles.
WWP Executive Director Steve Nardizzi commented, "On behalf of the thousands of injured service members, we want to thank Jersey's Mike Subs in Oklahoma City for its dedication to our nation's heroes. Your commitment is helping ensure the tremendous personal sacrifices made by our service men and women are not forgotten."
The silent auction took place at the store from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday and again on Friday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The "Show and Shine" car show and drawing took place in the restaurant parking lot from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday. For further details about the event and auction/drawing items go to www.krxo.com and click on the Jersey Mike's link.
About Wounded Warrior Project:
The mission of the Wounded Warrior Project is to honor and empower wounded warriors. Its purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public's aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured men and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, FL. To get involved and learn more, visit www.woundedwarriorproject.org.
About Jersey Mike's Subs
Jersey Mike's, a sub sandwich franchise with more than 475 stores open and under development nationwide, has a long history of community involvement and support. Started at the Jersey Shore in 1956, Jersey Mike's serves authentic Northeast-style subs on fresh baked bread – the same recipe it started with over 50 years ago. The company's mission is to bring its customers the highest quality, freshest made sub in the industry and give back to the communities in which it operates. A store locator and franchise information for Jersey Mike's can be found at www.jerseymikes.com.


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A recent opinion piece in the Washington Post confirms that "big business" is slowly but surely getting rid of the traditional performance review. Some of the bigger players – Accenture, Adobe, and Microsoft to name a few – are now joined by the corporate behemoth GE, signaling what the author of the article calls a "tipping point in the rush to remake a process that both workers and their bosses have increasingly felt needs repair."
According to Cliff Stevenson, a senior research analyst for the Institute for Corporate Productivity, by next year we could see doubling (from 10% to 20%) of the amount of Fortune 500 companies that get rid of the performance review.
How radical is GE's change of the annual review process? Pretty radical. For starters, the process is no longer annual, but consists of "less regimented system of more frequent feedback via an app." More on that later.
Why now?
Well, there are a lot of reasons.
According to some estimations, the traditional performance review system has been around since the 1930's. GE's head of human resources, Susan Peters, describes the process as "more of a ritual" than a way to move companies forward. This is big news coming from a century-old company, which was founded by no other than Thomas Edison; not to mention GE is (or rather, was) the poster child for forced ranking. As I've written before – forced ranking isn't the brightest idea in the world when it comes to performance management (at least not in this day and age).
But there's a bigger problem – the traditional performance review process is just too darn infrequent. The once or twice-a-year process is just not cutting it. Millennials entering the workforce expect personalized options, frequent feedback, and mobility. To quote Susan Peters:
The world isn't really on an annual cycle anymore for anything…I think some of it to be really honest is millennial based. It's the way millennials are used to working and getting feedback, which is more frequent, faster, mobile-enabled, so there were multiple drivers that said it's time to make this big change.
For Whom? Mostly everyone, but especially millennials.
The millennial generation's expectations are a driving force behind this radical change in thinking, but this growing trend is also supported by research:
"Years of research, from both business school professors and neuroscientists, has found that the practice is ineffective at boosting performance, actively alienates employees, is based on a flawed understanding of human motivation, and is often arbitrary and biased. People simply don't fit neatly on a bell curve. It ends up being an exercise in paperwork and bureaucracy instead of an agent of change.
Could big name firms validate this research by implementing growth-based performance management tools? A lot of them are well on their way of doing so by combining research with the latest technology.
How will technology reflect our change of thinking regarding performance management?
Build an app for it, of course! After all, organizations are social networks of connections and the data they generate is invaluable in determining the overall health of a workplace. To harness this data, GE's group of software engineers built an app called "PD@GE" (Performance Development at GE).
Here are the application's main features:
Each employee has a series of near-term goals, or "priorities." Managers are expected to have frequent discussions, called "touchpoints," on progress toward those goals and note what was discussed, committed to, and resolved. The app can provide summaries on command, through typed notes, photographs of a notepad, or even voice recordings. The focus isn't on grading how well people are doing, but on constant improvement.
Employees can give or request feedback at any point through a feature called "insights," which isn't limited to their immediate manager, or even their division. Normally, you never get that feedback unless you manage to track someone down the next day, which people rarely do, and only from a direct manager. If you wait for an annual review, any specifics are probably long forgotten.
Other companies have built platforms based on similar employee-growth model – Adobe's "Check-in" and GAP's "Grow, Perform, and Succeed" to name a few. One key ingredient in these innovative systems is how they perceive feedback.
Research has made it clear that negative feedback creates mental blocks in our brains – no matter how well we perform:
Psychologists at Kansas State, Eastern Kentucky, and Texas A&M universities asked 234 staffers at a large university how they felt about performance reviews they had received. The respondents were split up into three subgroups: those who said they were considered competent, those who avoided difficult tasks (to avoid negative feedback), and those who focused on developing and learning skills. The researchers expected that the individuals motivated to learn and develop skills were most likely to take negative feedback in stride. But it turned out that all three groups found negative feedback demoralizing, and all to the same extent.
Therefore, the tone of GE's performance management app is unrelentingly positive and feedback is categorized in one of two forms: "to continue doing something, or to consider changing something." It's clear how this system is beneficial for the manager who, instead of being an enforcer, will coach employees to improve.
This sure beats receiving a number from 1-5 every time Santa stops by. But a change this radical is not going to happen overnight.
The Slow, but Informed, Revolution
While desired performance management outcomes like pay distribution and employee differentiation need to be preserved, the social and technological aspects of the traditional performance review process are being completely redesigned. It took a while for leading organizations to convince themselves this change is needed. But it looks like the days of this HR dinosaur of a process are coming to an end.
"I think we are at the cusp of a brand new era in productivity software where we are finally going to start really looking at how does it help us get our job done"
Alan Lepofsky, VP Analyst – Constallation


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Author(s): C. S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis's famous work on the nature of love divides love into four categories: Affection, Friendship, Eros and Charity. The first three are loves which come naturally to the human race. Charity, however, the Gift-love of God, is divine in its source and expression, and without the sweetening grace of this supernatural love, the natural loves become distorted and even dangerous.
'He has never written better. Nearly every page scintillates with observations which are illuminating, provocative and original.' Church Times
Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963) was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English literature at Oxford University until 1954 when he was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance English at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement.


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Helping Equip Teachers to Answer Students' Questions on College Knowledge
In a Stanford University study, a majority of high school students reported speaking with a teacher at least once about college admissions requirements, but teachers reported receiving very little information to answer their students' questions. This ECS Policy Brief examines the findings of the study on students' questions to teachers on "college knowledge," teachers' responses to these questions, and policies that would better equip teachers to provide students with accurate information on college policies.
In this article:
The need
While the vast majority of students express the hope, even the expectation, that they will go to college, studies suggest that many don't know what it takes to get into college — specifically, that they lack information on:
- Courses postsecondary institutions require them to take in high school
- College placement exams
- Selection criteria
- The relative importance of various admissions selection criteria such as GPA, test scores, extracurricular activities, etc.
- Actual tuition costs for local public institutions.
With greater numbers of high school students aspiring to attend college, the need for disseminating accurate information on all these areas is more important than ever. This brief examines the research on the current role of teachers in providing college knowledge, and potential policy responses to help teachers easily provide more accurate information to respond to the questions they are already regularly asked by their students.
The context
It may come as a surprise that students frequently approach their classroom teachers with questions on "college knowledge" — what it takes to get into and be successful in college. However, it will likely come as no surprise that the vast majority of teachers have received little to no preparation to answer these questions, beyond their own experience and possibly that of their children.
Teachers: Sought out for college advice, often underprepared for their role
Stanford University's 1996-2002 Bridge Project sought to gauge what high schools were doing to prepare students for college — and how these meshed with college-level expectations — in California, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Oregon and Texas. The table below provides Bridge Project data on the percentage of honors and non-honors track students who reported talking to teachers about college entrance requirements at least once. As the data indicate, roughly three out of four honors-track students and nearly 62% of non-honors track students reported speaking to a teacher at least once about college admission requirements.
Andrea Venezia, Michael W. Kirst and Anthony L. Antonio, Betraying the College Dream: How Disconnected K-12 and Postsecondary Systems Undermine Student Aspirations, 2003.1
David Conley, in his 2005 book College Knowledge, summarizes some of the project's findings:
Most students at the high schools studied gained their information about college from their parents and teachers. Although counselors remain a potentially important source of information, more than half of the ninth graders surveyed had not yet talked with a counselor about college. The percent talking to counselors increased to 77% in eleventh grade, but by that time most had already made decisions and taken courses that defined their postsecondary options significantly
It turns out that teachers are very important college advisors. Students get information about state university requirements in particular from teachers as well as counselors. Much of this advising is informal, not necessarily a part of the curriculum or the teacher's responsibility. At the same time, teachers feel unsure about their knowledge of college requirements outside their state institutions. They are even less clear about the content and uses of college placement tests. This affects both the advice they are able to give students and their ability to prepare students for such tests. Teacher knowledge of educational costs and requirements for private and out-of-state institutions tends to be very uneven as well.2
In the 2004 book From High School to College: Improving Opportunities for Success in Postsecondary Education, Bridge Project leaders Michael W. Kirst and Andrea Venezia provide further details from their field research in Illinois:
Most of the veteran teachers interviewed said that they knew little about college admissions and placement policies other than the fact that their 'college-bound students need four years of high school English.' For the most part, those who considered themselves 'somewhat knowledgeable' obtained their information through their own initiative. Veteran teachers who professed to having 'some degree of awareness' of admissions procedures reported that they learned what they know through 'memories, now distant,' of their own undergraduate experiences, through helping their own children with the college application process, or through their own participation in on-campus continuing-education classes and programs. These teachers reported that they, rather than their students, initiated classroom discussions of college-related issues
None of the teachers interviewed recalled receiving college preparation information from their school districts. Without exception, the teachers who were provided admissions and placement information received it from the guidance department or from building-level administrators Most teachers complained about being left out of the information loop.
At many schools, teachers reported that most of the information that filters down from the guidance office is in the form of announcements or postings notifying students about visiting campus representatives, ACT testing, due dates for college applications, and scholarship application deadlines. Several teachers remarked that they learned what they know about college requirements at the same time and in the same manner that their students did: when guidance counselors came in and spoke to their class about course registration and scheduling.3
Non-honors and low-income students: Many wish to attend some form of college, but receive the least information
Teachers in other states studied expressed similar sentiments to those above — a lack of information on college entrance policies and requirements. In most, if not all, the schools participating in the study, honors students reported obtaining information from honors teachers, while non-honors teachers voiced a perception that their students were left out of discussions about college readiness.4 Student family income was also reflected in students' likelihood of approaching a teacher for college information. For example, of the 30% of Texas students who had talked with a teacher about college, 54% were in the top two income levels.5 Seventy-six percent of students who had not talked to a teacher about college were in the bottom three income levels.
High school feedback systems: Providing detailed information in some states, but not universally used by high school staff
Mechanisms to inform high school staff of their recent graduates' success their first year of college were relatively untapped. For instance, Texas has for some years required public postsecondary institutions to report back to freshmen students' high schools on students' performance their first year of college. Yet, of the two high schools included in the state sample, one principal reported having seen the reports; the other had not. "No other school staff in the sample had heard of the reports."6
High school counselors: Overextended and understaffed
The Bridge Project researchers also found that high school counselors had large caseloads and large numbers of duties. In an urban Texas high school, the caseload was over 400 students per counselor, making it necessary for students to schedule a one-on-one appointment to meet with a counselor.
The counselors at both the urban and other Texas schools in the sample reported not having much time to devote to college readiness issues because of their other responsibilities, which at the urban school included "scheduling; test administration; coordination of programs; consultation with parents, teachers and social service agencies; referrals; guidance; school-to-college activities; school-to-career activities, including individual career planning procedures; and devising and implementing a guidance curriculum." Perhaps as a result, three out of four (74%) Texas students reported never having talked with a counselor about college.7
The table below indicates the percentage of students in the Bridge Project samples who indicated having spoken with a counselor or teacher at least once about college admission requirements. In the five states reporting such data, it was more common for students in three states — California, Georgia and Maryland — to speak to a teacher than a counselor about these requirements; while in Illinois, students were slightly more likely to report having spoken to a counselor. In Oregon, students were virtually equally likely to have spoken to a counselor and/or a teacher.
Andrea Venezia, Michael W. Kirst and Anthony L. Antonio, Betraying the College Dream: How Disconnected K-12 and Postsecondary Systems Undermine Student Aspirations, 20038
Conley and the Bridge Project researchers are not the sole individuals to recognize the role teachers are inadvertently asked to play in providing college admissions information, and the need for teachers to have access to accurate information about college requirements. A report by Patricia M. McDonough for the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) asks why NACAC and other organizations involved in high school counseling and college admissions decisions are not joining with policy and practitioner partners "to encourage college financial aid officers to train high school counselors, to routinely (not just at the request of the dedicated, savvy college counselor) run financial aid workshops at high schools for students, parents, and teachers .?"9
A state policy response
The work of the Bridge Project makes patently clear that students frequently ask their teachers for college information. Teachers at a rural junior high school in Texas said they "would like additional information because students asked them how to prepare academically for college," while also observing school staff would not help students prepare for college "unless they were mandated to change."10 Consequently, as Kirst and Venezia observe, "Lacking accurate knowledge themselves, teachers tend to share stories about their own college experiences. They also use their own college experience to construct today's college preparatory standards. Thus, much of what teachers dispense as knowledge about the college choice process is based on folk wisdom and life experiences."
As one means to remedy the situation, the researchers suggest that teachers can be empowered to provide this information to students in the course of the interactions that already take place during the regular school day. To this end, Kirst and Venezia make the following policy recommendations:
- Make disseminating current college policies, procedures and information the responsibility of all teachers
- Urge teacher preparation programs to include "college knowledge and counseling course requirements" for secondary-level certification
- Urge districts to introduce teacher and principal professional development programs on college knowledge, to "help ensure that school personnel have up-to-date information on admissions and placement criteria."11
While the above recommendations are offered in response to the needs identified in the California case study, there is ample evidence that they would be helpful in addressing the low levels of college knowledge in other states as well. In the following section, this brief highlights state policies that address each of these recommendations.
Make disseminating current college policies, procedures and information the responsibility of all teachers
In College Knowledge, David Conley suggests that teachers can become better prepared to provide the information students ask of them through the power of the packet: "To improve their knowledge, teachers should be provided annually with a packet and list of Web sites with key information on requirements for admission to local and state institutions. This information should be briefly reviewed annually at a faculty meeting where teachers are also provided data on how well recent graduates of the high school have fared in postsecondary education, including how many enrolled in some form of postsecondary education and how well those who enrolled performed in entry-level college courses in English, math and science."
This group analysis would require the state to have developed postsecondary feedback systems. In fact, according to a 2006 survey of postsecondary data managers by the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, only 11 states have connected high school records to postsecondary student data, and 10 states use state data systems to provide high schools with feedback reports on students' postsecondary achievement in terms of need for remediation, grade point average and credits completed.12
Though ECS is not aware of any state policies at this time that require all secondary-level teachers to be provided with college admissions information — or collectively analyze it to determine the degree to which they are adequately preparing students for college - it may be an option for states to consider in helping all students receive the college preparation information they seek from teachers.
Urge teacher preparation programs to include "college knowledge and counseling course requirements" for secondary-level certification
South Carolina legislation enacted in 2005 provides that, effective with the 2006-07 academic year, colleges of education must incorporate into teacher and administrator preparation programs "career guidance, the use of the cluster of study curriculum framework and individual graduation plans [and] the elements of the Career Guidance Model of the South Carolina Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program Model."13 These same items must be included in guidance counselor preparation programs statewide. This may be the only state policy in the nation that requires teacher and administrator preparation programs to include content aimed at better preparing them to field the questions students ask about college preparation and career planning.
The South Carolina policy also includes mechanisms to measure the quality of guidance information teacher and administrator preparation programs are providing. The section of statute that establishes the preparation program components directs the state board of education to "develop performance-based standards in these areas and include them as criteria for teacher program approval. By the 2009-10 school year, the [state] teacher evaluation system and the [state] principal's evaluation system must include a review of performance in career exploration and guidance."
Urge districts to introduce teacher and principal professional development programs on college knowledge, to "help ensure that school personnel have up-to-date information on admissions and placement criteria"
Effective with the 2007-08 school year, high schools in South Carolina will be required to "provide students with the services of a career specialist who has successfully completed the national Career Development Facilitator (CDF) certification training or certified guidance counselor having completed the Career Development Facilitator certification training."14 This individual must "coordinate and present professional development workshops in career development and guidance for teachers, school counselors, and work-based constituents" — in effect, providing a process for existing teachers to gain the knowledge to be required of those currently in teacher preparation programs, and ensuring that new and experienced teachers' knowledge remains fresh and up-to-date.15
The section below raises other issues for state policymakers to consider in disseminating college knowledge to students.
Align high school curricula and assessments with college entry expectations
As the authors of the Bridge Project and others have pointed out, students (as well as parents and high school teachers) often do not know which courses young people need to take to be eligible for admission to a four-year institution. One of the 10 student misperceptions about college preparation and attendance identified by Kirst and Venezia in their research was, "Meeting high school graduation requirements will prepare me for college" — when in fact, as many readers already know, courses required for high school graduation and four-year college admissions are generally not aligned. Another of the student misperceptions Kirst and Venezia identified was, "Community colleges don't have academic standards" — exposing a lack of awareness of the fact that just as in four-year institutions, students entering two-year institutions must complete placement exams in English and math.16
To address these misperceptions, a number of states have begun or implemented efforts to align high school curricula and/or assessments with college entry expectations. The 2006 ECS policy brief Embedding College Readiness Indicators in High School Curriculum and Assessments identifies various state approaches to ensure all students are getting the message on the skills and knowledge required for college readiness.
Make available DIY college admissions counseling: state-supported college and careers Web site
A growing number of states have developed Web tools designed to provide students with information on college preparation and the careers specific college majors or technical certification programs will prepare them for. The question is, again: how are students made aware of these tools, what are the mechanisms to provide them access to such resources during and outside the school day, and what preparation or guidance do they receive so as to make best use of these tools? If students are not aware of such tools, do not know how to use them (do not know the right questions to ask), or if students without Internet access at home have limited access to Web-connected computers while at school, they will do little to increase college access among those students who traditionally have the greatest need for this information — minority and low-income students and first-generation college-goers. State and local policies should ensure every high school student is aware of the state's college preparation Web resources and has the Internet connection, preparation and time to visit the site.
Provide the already college-bound track with accurate information on the transferability of dual credit courses
Students who are taking advanced courses, such as dual enrollment, Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) and honors may appear not to need college counseling — after all, it is likely that many, if not most students in such programs are there because they have their sights set on college. But taking such courses to create an impressive high school transcript is not enough.
Anecdotal evidence suggests many students in such courses are unaware that credits earned through dual enrollment programs may not be accepted for credit at all postsecondary institutions; that earning a "3" on an AP or a "4" on an IB exam will not automatically earn you credit at the college of your choice; and that state and institutional policies can vary considerably on the amount of credit and the types of courses for which credit is awarded for dual enrollment, IB and AP achievements. State policies must clearly spell out for all dual credit students the awarding and transferability of dual enrollment credit, as well as AP and IB exam scores, for postsecondary institutions in the state.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports that 90% of the fastest-growing jobs will require some form of postsecondary education.17 Meanwhile, survey after survey of high school students reaches the same findings — 90% or more of U.S. high school freshmen expect they will attend college. However, these expectations for far too many students wane by the end of their high school careers, when they realize too late they did not receive adequate or accurate information earlier in their high school careers about the courses they need to take to be ready to apply for college. Along with aligning high school curricula and assessments with college entry expectations and involving families in high school and college expectations, providing all teachers with basic information about college admissions and expectations is another means ensure high school students receive important messages about college readiness early and often.
Click the "Endnotes" link above to hide these endnotes.
1 Andrea Venezia, Michael W. Kirst and Anthony L. Antonio, Betraying the College Dream: How Disconnected K-12 and Postsecondary Systems Undermine Student Aspirations. [report online] (Stanford: Stanford University's Bridge Project, 2003, accessed 13 March 2007); available from the Bridge Project: http://www.stanford.edu/group/bridgeproject/betrayingthecollegedream.pdf
2 David Conley, College Knowledge. (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2005), 19.
3 Michael W. Kirst and Andrea Venezia, editors, From High School to College: Improving Opportunities for Success in Postsecondary Education. (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2004), 143-144.
4 ibid., 100, 101
5 ibid., 105
6 ibid., 103, 110
7 ibid., 101, 102
8 Betraying the College Dream
9 http://www.nacacnet.org/NR/rdonlyres/6245DAEA-2DCB-4C5F-84BA-50D3F4124754/0/WhitePaper_McDonough.pdf
10 From High School to College, 105
11 ibid., 74
12 , Critical Connections: Linking States' Unit Record Systems to Track Student Progress. [report online] Peter Ewell and Marianne Boeke
16 From High School to College, 295 (also available online http://www.stanford.edu/group/bridgeproject/10+Misconceptions.pdf (accessed April 9, 2007)
17 Institute for a Competitive Workforce, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Leaders and Laggards: A State-by-State Report Card on Educational Effectiveness. [report online] (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 2007, accessed 10 April 2007); available from U.S. Chamber of Commerce: http://www.uschamber.com/icw/publications/default.htm.
Used with permission from the Education of the States. Dounay, J. (2007). Helping Equip Teachers to Answer Students' Questions on College Knowledge. Denver, CO: Education Commission of the States.
Comments and Recommendations
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The American School is pleased to attend the Home Educators Association of Virginia Convention next weekend in Richmond. Our booth in the Richmond Convention Center will be open from 5-9 p.m. on Thursday, June 6; from 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. on Friday, June 7; and from 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 8. Stop by and see us and pick up information packets, enrollment applications, freebies and much more. We look forward to seeing you there!
American School to Attend HEAV Convention
May 31, 2013 by


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With close to two kilometres of waterfront there is so much fun to be had on, in and around Lake Couchiching. And as if that is not enough, we have two outdoor pools, one indoor pool, hot tubs saunas and steam room. See how you can enjoy the water at Fern.
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What is it you find rewarding when you get away? Is it pushing yourself in an activity, getting in touch with nature, sharing a laugh with a friend or simply taking time for yourself? We have the facilities and atmosphere to make your time with us fulfilling, no matter how you define it.


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|Style Description:
|Vintage Casual
Juararo Dresser & Mirror
Brand: Signature Design by Ashley
The beauty of Vintage Casual design come to life with the aged brown rough sawn finish flowing over a replicated oak grain along with the case pilaster detailing and ample storage space for their most treasured items makes the "Juararo" youth bedroom collection the perfect way to create that cottage getaway your child will never want to leave.
Vintage aged brown rough sawn finish over replicated oak grain. Substantial warm pewter color drawer handles. Left side facing or right side facing storage steps option for loft bed. Loft can be configured with a combination of chests or a twin caster bed. B251-53 or B251-87 panel headboard can attach to a bolt on bedframe B100-21. The B251-68B and B251-68T require the B100-11.
Dark Brown
Vintage Casual


text: Fercasti 6,087 Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 Some facts of Chuck Norris that you should know:D Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried. Chuck Norris counted to infinity - twice. Chuck Norris does not hunt because the word hunting infers the probability of failure. Chuck Norris goes killing. If you can see Chuck Norris, he can see you. If you can't see Chuck Norris you may be only seconds away from death. Chuck Norris sold his soul to the devil for his rugged good looks and unparalleled martial arts ability. Shortly after the transaction was finalized, Chuck roundhouse kicked the devil in the face and took his soul back. The devil, who appreciates irony, couldn't stay mad and admitted he should have seen it coming. They now play poker every second Wednesday of the month. When the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night he checks his closet for Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits. Chuck Norris has already been to Mars; that's why there are no signs of life there. They once made a Chuck Norris toilet paper, but it wouldn't take **** from anybody. A blind man once stepped on Chuck Norris' shoe. Chuck replied, "Don't you know who I am? I'm Chuck Norris!" The mere mention of his name cured this man blindness. Sadly the first, last, and only thing this man ever saw, was a fatal roundhouse delivered by Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris does not get frostbite. Chuck Norris bites frost Chuck Norris' house has no doors, only walls that he walks through. In the beginning there was nothing...then Chuck Norris Roundhouse kicked that nothing in the face and said "Get a job". That is the story of the universe. It takes Chuck Norris 20 minutes to watch 60 Minutes. Link to post Share on other sites


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A taxi stops in the small town of Champlain. Loaded down with belongings, a family with two children gets out and hurries to the road's end at a stream marking the US-Canada border.
"We are coming all the way from Jersey City," says the father, Mohammed Ahmed. The city near New York is more than 300 miles (500 kilometres) to the south.
Talking while walking, he and his wife explain how they left Pakistan 11 months ago after getting death threats.
"We came to the US to ask for asylum," he said. But with new President Donald Trump's anti-immigrant policy "we are very much scared from deportation."
Across the New York state border in Quebec, two Canadian police officers warn them they will all be arrested for entering Canada illegally.
"It is all right," said the father. "We just need to cross the border."
He crosses the stream, shows his passport, and turns back to help their three-year-old daughter, then his wife who is carrying their three-month-old baby in a pouch, cross the rock-filled water.
Conditions for making the crossing are good: It's cold but the sun is shining, and last week's snow has melted away.
A few minutes later the family finds itself, visibly relieved, in Canada.
The Canadian police bring them to the official border post of Lacolle, about 10 minutes away, where they will be questioned and their asylum request will be registered.
If all goes well, the family will then head to Montreal, 40 miles (65 kilometres) north.
This week, in less than two days, more than 70 people have crossed the stream into Canada, according to a tally by AFP and local police — among them Haitian families, Colombians and many Muslims.
A Syrian family, who lived in the United States for 18 months and whose oldest daughter was to finish high school in June, left in a hurry after Trump banned entry of nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries, including Syria, for 90 days and barred entry by Syrian refugees indefinitely.
– 'Constant' migrant flow –
Trump's January 27 order, just a week after he took office, has been blocked by the courts, but his administration is working to amend it to address the legal objections.
Melissa Beshaw, a grandmother who lives in a small house about 165 feet (50 meters) from the stream on the US side, said that "since Trump has been in office, it's constant… It's traffic all the time."
"I used to get out and look" to see what was going on, she said. "I don't anymore because I know."
Some migrants arrive by car to Plattsburgh, the last stop in New York state before the border. For the final 25 miles to the stream, they take a taxi, which costs them between $200 and $300, said Denise Quinte, an employee at a motel near where the cars stop.
Since early February, the motel has seen "10 to 25 people a week," she said, often heading to the border at dawn, leaving behind some belongings.
Others come directly by car from New York City and neighbouring states such as Massachusetts and New Jersey.
The numbers of migrants is a trickle compared to the thousands who cross the Mediterranean each month to reach Europe.
While Canadian authorities don't directly link the flow to Trump administration policies, they acknowledge that the number of migrants from the United States has increased since January, especially through the Quebec border.
The trend is striking because until now the United States has seemed welcoming to foreigners.
The banks of the border stream bear the litter of hasty crossings: water bottles, lost gloves and hats, an abandoned stroller, fragments of boarding passes — several from Arab companies — and even a cell phone.
A discarded plastic bag reveals the journey of a Sudanese couple. Inside, two soggy pages, in poor English, explain how Asma Elyas and her husband Ayman fled Sudan to avoid the female circumcision of their daughter who was born in 2014.
After several months in Saudi Arabia, they flew to Washington on September 7, 2016, two months before Trump's election.
A document shows that they agreed in late September to pay a law firm in neighbouring Virginia $3,500 to handle their asylum request. Several pamphlets and a Virginia maternity booklet indicate the woman was pregnant.
These personal effects do not explain why the Sudanese couple left the US for Canada. But a Quebec police officer is sure he knows the reason: "The arrivals truly began" with Trump's immigration crackdown in late January, he said.
"Now, there are a lot of people. As if it took time for that to sink in."


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London Diaries (VII)
-I unlocked a new level of assholery in me. I don't know if it's because I'm becoming more self-aware or more comfortable in my shittiness. Probably both 😁😁 { I'm sorry. Can't help it}
-I discovered that I care for others way more than they do for me. And it's not their – your- fault, at all. I'm very reserved, perhaps because I care so much. Protecting my sensitive self. But it does hurt a bit…
– I've officially out-Somali'd the most hard core Somalis 😎😎 It's been a lifelong goal because I've always been ridiculed for my crappy Somali and half-cadaanimo. Hmpf!
-I reflected on how much I've overcome and my goodness am I one tough cookie!!
-I realized how much I love my friends ❤
– I don't let people in. I let them have their belittling image of me. Allows me to read in peace
-I really don't know why I was born a Somali but I suspect it was to be disruptive
-I realized how if the movie 'Catch Me If You Can' was descriptive of a people, it'd be Somalis, no doubt
-I went off my antidepressants cold turkey unwittingly and I didn't think I'd survive. But nearly two weeks clean I think it's safe to say HOOYO I MADE IT!!!!! :p
-I have a sharp tongue, soft heart, a passion for the truth and fearlessness. A deadly concoction.
-Every difficulty that comes my way is assuaged by the discovery of hidden lessons
Whilst in Northampton, I experienced my worst-case scenario: no internet. After trying everything short of hacking into the neighbours' wifi, I asked myself what humans did before the advent of internet?These are some of the things I did
I went into my memory archives
Drew stuff
Walked in the rain (with 'Grown woman' by Beyonce playing)
Listened to music (mostly Somali)
Listened to surah al-Kahf like a gazillion times ( mo because it was the only full surah I had on my phone and I kept reflecting and reciting along. I've abandoned the Qur'aan.
I tried to look for life lessons in the torture I was in, which I found
I read a book I bought two years ago
I overcame my Internet obsession when I realized that I could spend my time going crazy, or just….find acceptance.


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A Guide to the Robert Hancock Hunter Diary, 1813-1892
Biographical Sketch
Robert Hancock Hunter (1813-1902) was born in Circleville, Ohio, to Mary Martha (Harbert) and Dr. Johnson Calhoun Hunter. The Hunters moved to Texas in 1822, settling in Fort Bend County in 1829. Robert Hancock Hunter served during the Texas Revolution, participating in the Grass Fight and the siege of Bexar in both Captain James Franklin Perry's volunteer company and Captain John Bird's company. Upon receipt of the news that the Alamo had fallen, Hunter's unit retreated, and though the unit saw battle in the San Jacinto campaign, Hunter stayed behind in Harrisburg to guard the baggage train. Following the battle, he served as a guard for General Antonio López de Santa Anna.
Upon the end of the Texas Revolution in 1836, Hunter returned to Fort Bend County where he farmed and raised stock. He married Samirah M. Beard in 1841, and they had seven children. With his wife's father in 1845, Hunter established a farm and a saw and grist mill in Guadalupe County. He sold the mill in 1857 and moved to Victoria, where three years later he wrote his reminiscences of life in Texas and the Texas Revolution, based on his diary. His memoir, Narrative of Robert Hancock Hunter, 1813-1902, was published in 1936 to great success. In 1880 Hunter moved to Flatonia, Fayette County, where he was a member of the Texas Veterans Association and active in the Democratic party and the Methodist Church. He died in 1902.
Source: Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "Hunter, Robert Hancock," http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/HH/fhu38.html (accessed July 21, 2010).
Scope and Contents
The Robert Hancock Hunter Diary, 1813-1892, contains reminiscences of Hunter related to his service with Captain Bird's company, the Battle of San Jacinto, Runaway Scrape, and the Grass Fight, and includes appended notes by Mrs. Beulah Gayle Greene of Edna, Texas. Also found in the diary is a letter, 1892, written by Hunter and addressed to his son, containing family history, as well as a genealogy and history about Hunter's father, Dr. Johnson Hunter.
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Administrative Information
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Sara Rumbo, June 1973.
Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center's "History Revealed: Bringing Collections to Light" project, 2009-2011.
Detailed Description of the Papers


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It was a new attempt by the GOP to create the kind of furor that occurred when solar manufacturer Solyndra collapsed last year, taking with it $500 million in lost loan guarantees and creating a political headache for President Obama. But it is unlikely that the evidence in this case -- some stock sales and two emails, one of which was never sent -- will damage companies that are in healthier financial shape.
The hearing, by a subcommittee of the Committee on Government Oversight and Reform that oversees the stimulus program, summoned a roster of executives of solar and geothermal companies that received stimulus money, including Brian Fairbank, the CEO of Nevada Geothermal Power; Craig Witsoe, the CEO of Abound Solar; Michael Ahearn, the chairman of First Solar; and John Woolard, the CEO of BrightSource.
The subcommittee chairman, Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) opened the hearing with a withering attack on cleantech companies that seek government assistance. "It is becoming clear that Solyndra was just the tip of the iceberg in a sea of government risk," he said.
Jordan went on to highlight two emails culled from 30,000 pages of documents that BrightSource provided to the committee, claiming that they demonstrated that the company won its $535 million loan guarantee based on a cozy relationship with Department of Energy and the Obama administration. The loan program, run by the DOE and known as Section 1705, has guaranteed $34.7 billion of loans to high-risk renewable-energy companies, funded by the $800 billion stimulus package that President Obama got passed in 2009.
One is a March 2011 email from Woolard to Matt Rogers, an official who at the time directed the DOE's spending of stimulus money. A sentence of the email read, "Darbee at PG&E talked directly to Obama about the program's challenges and the bad situation it puts him in." (Darbee is the former CEO of Pacific Gas & Electric, which planned to use BrightSource's solar plants to meet California state mandates for use of renewable energy.)
The second is a January 2010 email that was drafted by Woolard and former BrightSource chairman John Bryson and sent to an adviser at DOE for comments before sending it on to Obama's then-chief-of-staff, Bill Daley. The final email to Daley was never sent, Woolard said.
The former chairman of BrightSource, John Bryson, is now Obama's Secretary of Commerce.
Woolard said the loan guarantee facilitated the company's transition from venture capital funding to commercial support from companies like Chevron and BP, and said he guessed that the company's 10 projects in the pipeline -- with an estimated cost of $10 billion -- would be financed without any government dollars.
"I believe everything we did with our project was fully on its merits," Woolard said.
Shortly afterward, Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pennsylvania) went after First Solar chairman Michael Ahearn for selling 700,000 shares of stock in his company in a three-day period for $450 million. Darrell Issa, chairman of the government oversight committee, chided Ahearn for flying to Washington for the hearing in a private Challenger 300 jet.
First Solar's loan guarantee, meant to ensure that three solar plants in California would be built, was for $3.73 billion. The company is one of America's leading solar manufacturers, but it has been pummeled by the introduction of low-priced solar panels from China, and its stock has dropped from a high of $168 a share in February 2011 to its current $14.
Without the help of the loan, Ahearn told the congressmen, "We wouldn't be the biggest player in the U.S. utility market. We would be a much smaller player."
For a moment, it appeared the Republicans might find an ally in Dennis Kucinich, the iconoclast Ohio Democrat, when he mused, "political influence on loans ought to be looked at." But later, after posing some questions to the executives, said, "This 'broad scandal' we're talking about -- I don't see it."


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"There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something tomorrow." ~ Orison Swett Marden
I've been thinking a lot lately about the concept of hope.
That can be a bit of a dangerous thing when you live with a chronic illness that has no cure, and very little in the way of successful treatment.
But, I have a trifecta of hope happening in my life right now; a process that started sometime in April. This is ironic actually as Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal....a reawakening, if you will.
My trifecta is a combination of three things that I am doing to try and help alleviate my autoimmune symptoms, caused by Sjögren's syndrome, and therefore increase the quality of my life. I have to be honest, my quality of life was truly beginning to take a nosedive prior to April and after about a year of this happening, it was time for some more drastic measure to be taken, both on my part and the part of my medical team.
The first part of this trifecta was starting a new biologic medication called Orencia (abatacept) on April 6th. It is not a medication for Sjögren's specifically, but rather one often used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. However, there has been some research published and patient reports that Orencia has helped some patients with Sjögren's syndrome, especially the symptoms of joint pain and fatigue.
The second part is that I am in the middle of (literally) an eight week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course, a program that was founded at UMASS Medical Center in Worcester, MA and since its induction, has helped thousands of patients with a variety of chronic conditions. This is something I have been considering doing for about a year or so and after the third person suggested it to me, I did my research and decided to go for it.
The third is a dramatic change in my diet, which started May 23rd. I embarked on a twelve day whole food, plant based detox cleanse with the sole purpose of trying to settle down my physical symptoms. That will end in a few days and I don't know exactly where I will go from there, but I imagine that I will continue some version of it since I have already seen benefits.
I did not plan on doing all three of these healing and potentially life-changing things at the same time and to be honest, I would never have planned it this way. I have to travel to Boston for the Orencia infusions, the MBSR class takes three hours on Thursdays, as well as at least an hour a day of "homework" and the diet change? Of Lordy, between the shopping and cooking, that has become VERY time consuming for me. But, I did not control the schedule of when all three happened so I jumped in, trusting that God knew what he is doing.
All three of these things bring a lot of hope to the table for me, something I haven't had a whole heck of a lot of recently. I know for certain that the dietary changes will help me and the MBSR class cannot hurt me, and my guess is I will experience some benefits from that as well. The Orencia is a crap shoot at best, however I have already experienced some positive effects from it. The real question for me is how much will these life changes help my physical symptoms, both individually and collectively? What if the changes help me so much that I am able to gain most, if not all, of my previous functioning back?
I know, that's a tall order and honestly, any improvement would be welcome.
But, I was scared.
I was scared to hope.
Because I have been down that road before. You cannot even imagine (well, some of you can) how difficult it can be to put so much hope into something and not have it work out or have it work out just for a brief time before it is snatched away. And what you are left with is pain, more medical appointments, and disappointment. It can be challenging and heartbreaking all at the same time.
But what is the alternative? Not trying? Not taking advantage of the possibilities that are being offered to you? For me, that is not an option. So onward I went, starting with that first infusion in April.
The problem was, even though I was trying, I kept telling myself over and over that I wasn't going to get my hopes up...not about the Orencia, or the class, or the dietary changes...none of it.
It didn't take long though for me to realize that my self-defeating attitude regarding all of this was not exactly helpful. I then found a journal I kept during my Manifestation Workshop at Kripalu in February. The cover said, "Hope anchors the soul"" and I then saw something I had written. It was so powerful.
"I want to manifest good health and wellness."
For me, part of manifesting good health and wellness HAS to be having hope. Hope drives me. It is hope that pushes me to spend a whole day venturing into Boston for my Orencia treatment. It is the thing that help drive me through the frustration of learning how to meditate with my MBSR class. Hope is the motivation I need, when I am tired and in pain, to spend two hours in the kitchen prepping and cooking wholesome, nutritious meals.
Hope is everything.
Now, I have opened up my heart and allowed myself to hope, for many things: good health, a less disabling future, and a body that can get me through the day. Maybe I will get some of this, none of it, maybe all of it, who knows. What I do know is that throughout this ongoing process of healing, I will not give up the thought that tomorrow will be better.


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When I realised that this milestone was coming up, I thought long and hard about how we should mark it.
Should we make up a greatest hits post, highlighting the five or ten best or most read of the 1,000 posts so far? Nah, done that before. What a yawn.
Should we dedicate the 1,000th post to some of the unsung heroes of our game like volunteers, parents, referees, photographers, bloggers… Nah, too soppy.
Should we do a potted history of ITBOTN? Why I started it, how it's grown, how wonderful we are? Seems a bit too self-aggrandising.
The future then! A rundown of our long term vision for the site and where we see it heading in the next five years… And allow our enemies to know our plans? I think not!!
What about a gushing thank you post to all of you, our wonderful readers, who have made this site what it is today? *BARF*
I don't want to do any of those things.
So I'll just say this. 1,000 posts is quite a lot. Research has shown that the average lifespan of a blog is just 100 days. ITBOTN has managed to outperform that average by 2,629 days.
The key to this is stickability in the face of literally nobody reading for quite a while at the start. It took a good three years to build any sort of audience, and another couple of years after that to start earning the right to be taken seriously as the reasonably formidable part of both the football and the New Zealand blogging scenes that I like to think we are now.
Some people start blogs and they immediately go viral, but that is very much the exception rather than the rule. For the rest of us there is a lot of hard work that goes into making it worthwhile.
And it is so worthwhile.
In the last few years I have:
- Been an official photographer at a FIFA Under 20 World Cup
- Met some of my heroes
- Gotten to know legends of the game
- Won a football writing award
- Been called "the biggest football fan in New Zealand" by a former All White
- Drawn the Chatham Cup
- Drunk beer out of the Chatham Cup with the winning team
- Scored a goal at Newmarket Park
- Seen my photos pinned to dressing room walls as motivation
- Written for Al Jazeera
- Written for When Saturday Comes
- Been featured by the BBC website
- Been featured on the AS Roma official website
- Been featured in a local newspaper in my Dad's home province in Italy
- Had my photos published in major newspapers
And, best of all, I have made a lot of great friends, seen too many cool things to list and chatted to a heap of great people on sidelines all over the country.
So my message to aspiring bloggers is this – stick with it, it's totally worth it!!
It's also important to acknowledge that this is not my 1,000th post. It's my seven hundred and somethingth… I haven't done all of this on my own, not by a long shot. The other posts have been superbly written by John, Ella, Helena, Phil, Niall, Tracey, Rod, Cordwainer, Michael, Ezra, and many others who have supplied guesties plus Roz Palethorpe, Grant Stantiall, Garry Konings, Cameron McIntosh along with Michael Welsh and others who have supplied photos. Thanks must go to them for their enormous contribution to making this place what it is.
And just like that, I'm gushing like I said I didn't want to.
I'd better stop there then!
See you all on the sidelines.
[* I should disclose that I have deleted a couple of posts over the years so strictly speaking we are already past the thousand mark. Still though…]
Categories: Uncategorised
Enzo Giordani
A grassroots sports photography enthusiast based in Auckland, New Zealand, and a fan of the most magnificent football club on earth - A.S. Roma.


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If you are planning on visiting Australia on an Australian Tourist Visa keep reading. We offer some useful advice on how best to approach your visa application process.
Australia is considered one of the best tourist destinations on the planet and attracts millions of tourists every year.
The country offers cosmopolitan experience comparable to most Western and European countries. Sandy, sunny beach leads to some of the world's trendiest and best shopping experiences supported by a government that is serious about ensuring your trip to Australia is the best it can be.
Before you through your flipflops in your bag read this:
Who should apply for a Visitor Visa?
If you plan on visiting Australia for a holiday, sightseeing, or to visit family or friends you will need to apply for a Visitor Visa. This visa also applies to people intending informal study or training for less than 3 months, but you may not undertake paid work while you hold this visa.
What are the criteria for assessing a tourist stream visitor visa application?
You would have to demonstrate that you genuinely intend to stay temporarily in Australia and that you are not in the country to conduct business or medical treatments.
Part of your application process involves providing poof that you would be able to support yourself financially while you are in the country and that you comply with Australia's 'public interest criteria' which includes proof of good health and character.
How long can I stay in Australia?
An Australian Visitor Visas allows you to enter the country once or a number of times. You could apply for either a three-, six- or twelve month permit. But for stays longer than three months you would have to comply with additional criteria. Speak to a professional immigration practitioner about this.
Applicants indicate their preferred number of entries into Australia and their desired stay period in their application however the decision-maker will determine which time period is appropriate, taking into account an applicant's personal circumstances.
In this regard the Australia Department of Immigration and Border Protection's website states,
"A three month stay with a multiple entry facility and a validity period of one year meets the requirements of most visitors to Australia. Granting a longer stay may be considered in certain circumstances, for example: for the parents of Australian citizens/permanent residents who have applied for permanent migration to Australia, but have not yet been granted permanent residency."
It is important to remember that the Australian Visitor Visa is designed for people whose intention is to visit Australia for short periods. They cannot generally be used for staying in Australia longer than 12 months and cannot be used to establish ongoing residence in Australia.


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Stuffy Flower is a Rare variant of the Sunflower in Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2. She was revealed in a short video clip on November 12, 2015, on the Plants vs. Zombies Facebook and Twitter[1] pages. Each vanquishing blow from her primary weapon will drop multiple sundrops, similar to the sundrops produced by the Heal Flower, that can heal teammates. However, like the Power Flower and Vampire Flower, she can only fire 40 shots before needing to reload, compared to the normal Sunflower's 50 shots.
- 1 Descriptions
- 2 Abilities
- 3 Strategies
- 4 Balancing Changes
- 5 Gallery
- 6 Videos
- 7 Trivia
- 8 References
Stickerbook description
If you thought the Stuffy Sunflower was all sunshine and rainbows, well... you'd be right! Luckily, Zombies can't stand sunshine, and they positively despise rainbows.
In-game description
Vanquishing with her Rainbow Sunburst causes healing sundrops to appear!
Heal Beam
Heal Beam allows the Sunflower to heal nearby plants.
Sunbeam plants the Sunflower down and shoots a powerful sunbeam that deals seven impact damage and eight critical damage.
Heal Flower
With Heal Flower, the Sunflower deploys a Heal Flower that can heal all plants near it.
Rainbow Heal Beam
An alternate ability of Heal Beam, Rainbow Heal Beam does not do anything different from its normal ability; it is merely a cosmetic difference.
Solar Flare Beam
An alternate ability of Sunbeam, Solar Flare Beam is more powerful than Sunbeam and deals 10 impact damage and 12 critical damage. It has less ammo than Sunbeam and takes a bit longer to start shooting the beam.
Dark Flower
An alternate ability of Heal Flower, the Dark Flower shoots lasers to attack zombies, but does not heal.
Rainbow Heal Flower
Another alternate ability of Heal Flower, the Rainbow Heal Flower constantly gives out healing sun but gives out one at a time. Exclusive to Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2.
This variant is perfect for any healers who like to get a lot of vanquishes. Stay near your teammates and use your abilities to heal them while vanquishing enemies. Focus your aim on zombies nearby teammates, most notably heavy characters, like the Chomper or Citron. This will maximize the effect of the sundrops that spawn after getting a vanquish. Remember to never go into the center of the fight, rather stay back a little bit and provide both offensive and healing support. It is recommended to try to stay away from zombies such as Scientists and All-Stars, who could vanquish you easily. For every vanquish she makes, healing sundrops will fall near the vanquish point. Due to these sundrops, the need for a Heal Flower or Rainbow Flower are not as vital as they are normally for a Sunflower, but they are still important.
Stuffy Flower is a powerful threat to any lone zombie due to the fact it has the Rainbow Sunburst, which will heal any nearby plant with those healing drops, most notably Chompers and Citrons. Try to vanquish her either in a group, or as a heavy character like Super Brainz. If you are alone and have average or low health, this variant could vanquish you easily and provide healing to her nearby teammates. Another good strategy is vanquish her with any sniper. This will be safer and more effective. The sounds her primary weapon creates will help any zombie to locate the position of a Stuffy Flower, so use this as an advantage to locate and vanquish her as soon as possible.
Balancing Changes
February 2018 Patch
- ▲ Increased Rainbow Sunburst damage from 8.5 - 10 (close range) and 6.5 - 8 (long range)
- ▲ Increased effectiveness of damage upgrade from 1.125x to 1.13x
- ▲ Increased all Sunflower Variants HP by 10
March 2018 Patch
- ▼ Reduced close range damage from 10 to 9
- ▼ Reduced long range damage from 8 to 6
- ▲ Increased effectiveness to damage upgrade from 1.13x to 1.167x
- ▼ Reduced rate of fire from 450 to 400
- Whenever she fires her primary weapon, a short musical tone is produced. If fired in extended bursts, the tones combine to form a music-like sound, which resembles a Jack-in-a-box being wound up.
- She is the fourth plant to attack zombies with rainbow-like energy. The first is Shamrock, the second is Shamrockstar, the third is Magnifying Grass, and the fifth is Template:PvZHLink.
- She uses two gestures in her trailer.
- The first is the "yes" gesture from the first game. However, the audio used is a portion of the first game's gesture "celebrate."
- The second is a dance move in which she dips her head down while moving to the right, bringing its head up again afterwards. She does this dip move twice. It is the first game's gesture "Rush Hour."
- Her Stickerbook description refers to her as the Stuffy Sunflower.
- She is one of two Sunflowers without thorns on its stem. The other is the Vampire Flower.


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In the age of digitization, we need to understand how online personalities can vary between individuals. With social media sites taking over the lives of most millennials, it's but natural to see some form of conflict on the blogosphere. Cyber bullying and trolling are things that are synonymous with internet use sometimes. Whether it's a Twitter war or a harmless joke in the Instagram comments section, we do see a lot of trolling as we scroll through our days. When we're faced with inflammatory remarks on the Internet, our first desire is to strike back. This is what the people that push your buttons want. We've spoken about assertiveness before, but on a digital basis, you may not even need to be assertive. If you think you don't need to express how you feel to someone cramping your vibe, you've mastered the Internet! Since cyberspace is so vast, there's going to be people who use it to derive humor, or even take revenge. Phenomena like trolling and cyber-bullying are what power this tendency.
A Simple Guide to Trolls
Most cyber bullies may experience some form of harassment or insecurity that they thrive on. A conflict at school can lead to several behaviors on online gaming servers like the those the Xbox and PlayStations run on. Take Club Penguin for example. A game played by so many teenagers in its heyday, turned into a space that bred trolls. The developers created a system that banned trolls, to deal with the rampant usage of odd humor for a banter. One might think that trolling is something that comes with the freedom of expression. If we're able to look at it and see it for its humor, we can understand how it's not meant to be inflammatory at all. Trolling entails the following:
A desire to be argumentative and smug
A desire to bait people on the internet into said argumentation
Trying to annoy another person
To gain recognition
The difference between trolling and cyber bullying is that trolling may not have an intent to harm. It is a form of humor, and internet trolls actually often call it an art. Annoyance is a mild poke that starts the process of triggering an opinion. If we're able to look past where it's meant to sting, and take it for its humor, it might just help! If someone trolls you, just look for the humor within! By taking offense, you're only letting a troll evolve into a bully by gaining power from your annoyance!
Cyber Bullying: Roots and Remedies
How exactly does a bully differ from a troll? If we understand what the modus operandi of cyber bullying is, it might provide a clearer picture. Cyber bullying entails the following:
Being hurtful and insensitive
The desire to feel empowered
The desire to take revenge
The desire to intimidate someone
If you're confronted by a cyber bully online, there are a few cues that you might know this person. Harassment and personal remarks may mean conflicts at work and school have spilled into ones internet identity. Probing deeper into this can help find out any personal ties to the occurrence. Once we find the source, one can either block or report these accounts. Not responding and going straight for the block is always the best option. No one should let a cruel joke or rude comment made from behind a keyboard for kicks affect them. People on the giving end must realize that aiming ones jibes at anyone isn't cool! You can never know the mental status of an individual you're going the extra mile to offend. If they're already melting down, your mockery might lead them to flip the switch. Raising awareness about the consequences of what one says is imperative today. If we all refuse to condone rash internet usage, cyberspace will be 'fairly governed' so to speak. As long as you don't submit yourself to the power of the internet, conflicts on a computer screen won't matter to you much. Keeping hooked to a screen can compromise sleep and cause depressive symptoms with time. Using screen time to learn something than argue with an endless sea of trolls is something that keeps the mind active. Scroll through your Instagram for aesthetics, not to be triggered by others. When you've got blinders on and look straight at what you want, the trolls fade into the background.