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Plotinus' Impact on Civilization
I'm nearly done reading the works of Plotinus—a simple statement, to sum up nine months of work. Plotinus' Enneads have been, for me, the hardest material to read in my program of reading the Great Books. They are even slightly worse than Spinoza's Ethics, which is an accomplishment indeed.
To be fair, the last thing that Plotinus thought he was writing was a basic introduction to his philosophical system. All of his written works were intended as discussion notes for seminar like classes with his advanced students. His student Porphyry did the best he could to edit them into a cohesive book, considering this was never the intended purpose. It is a shame that most of Porphyry's own writings have been lost. For all we know, he wrote his own introductory book on Plotinian Philosophy, or at least essays that would have made his teacher's writings more accessible. As it is, though, Plotinus is hard going.
So why take the time to read the Enneads? Well, there's always Mortimer Adler's argument that reading the very hardest of the great books is the most effective way to improve your reading and, ultimately, your writing. This, or course, is my main reason for doing the Great Books project at all. But in the case of the Enneads we should also consider the incredible breath and magnitude of the work's influence on at least two major world civilizations: our own Western Civilization and Islam.
One of the key culture complexes in Western Civ. is Christianity, and Christianity contained a major neo-Platonist strain from the very beginning, starting with the works of Paul and John. Plotinus, the greatest of the neo-Platonists, was unashamedly pagan yet, even during his own lifetime (circa 203-270 CE) many of his ideas were adopted by Christian writers. After his death his works continued to be taught in Rome and elsewhere, where they were studied by the newly converted Augustine, who saw them as the key to understanding Christianity. From Augustine to Abelard, Plotinian neo-Platonism was the dominant factor in medieval Christian theology and philosophy. After Abelard the influence other major wellspring of Western Philosophy, Aristotle, waxed while that of Platonism, including Plotinus, waned. Now, however, particularly since Jung's writing, the balance seems to be tipping back towards Platonic idealism. Even a brief survey of the various "new thought" movements, such as Science of Mind shows them to be laden with various platonic ideas. The same is true of archetypal psychology, where frequently quote Plotinus and acknowledge their debts to him.
Meanwhile, a couple centuries after Plotinus a new religion, Islam, emerged and quickly expended into an international civilization. In the early days Mohamed and his immediate successors were more concerned with morality than with philosophy or theology. As Islam matured intellectually, however, in the seventh or eighth century, its thinkers began to get serious about theology, and especially metaphysics and eschatology. Like Augustine before them they found most of what they needed in Plotinus, adopting the idea of the Logos or World Soul as the primary force of creation and the theory that human souls, as emanations of the world soul, could be perfected through virtue to become one with God. The golden age of Islamic philosophy lasted from about 700 CE to about 1000 CE. During this time, most of the greatest philosophers in Islam such as Ibin Sina (Avicenna), al Kindi, and al Biruni, studied and were heavily influenced by Plotinus' Enneads. Meanwhile new sects of Islam, particularly the Sufi, fastened on the mystical aspect pf Plotinus' teaching and embedded it in their own practices.
It is impossible to overstate the contributions of Plotinus to these two religions and the civilizations to which they belong, and that alone means that it is worth it to study the Enneads…even if they take nine months to read.
Further Reading
Durant, Will. Caesar and Christ. Simon and Schuster. 1944.
Durant, Will. The Age of Faith. Simon and Schuster. 1950.
Henry, Paul. "The Place of Plotinus in the History of Thought" in The Enneads. Penguin. 1991.
Holmes, Earnest, The Science of Mind. Putnam. 1997.
Perils of Reading Great Books out of Order (Pre-Plotinus)
I am now more than a year into my program of reading the Great Books to improve myself as a writer. At the onset I promised myself that, as much as was practical, I would try to read the the books in the order they were written. This is the advice that Grand Great Books Guru Mortimer Adler gives in How to Read a Book and elsewhere, since going in order allows you to trace the development of the "great conversation" of Western thought.
I was doing pretty well until I began working my way through Plato, but then I got bogged down. After reading seven dialogues plus the book-length Republic and writing seven blog posts on Platonic philosophy, I decided to skip ahead–surely eight works were enough to give me a taste of Plato's work, and the dialogues would still be there when I got back to them, right?
All was well until I went to read Plotinus' Enneads. I've been looking forward to Plotinus: not only was he the greatest of the neo-Platonists, and a fundamental influence on early Christian philosophy, but he was the last important pagan philosopher. I knew that as soon as I finished his works I could sail merrily into the middle ages. I knew he had a reputation as a tough author, but I didn't see how much worse he could be than those I had already read.
Unfortunately, Plotinus is not only hard to read, his work is heavily based on that of Plato and Aristotle. By the time I had made it through the introductory matter in the Penguin edition, I realized that I had gone too far too fast. Plotinus continually references The Republic, Phaedo, and The Nicomachaean Ethics–all of which I had read quickly without bothering to study them deeply or writing blog posts, as well as Timaeus, Parmenides, The Sophist, The Categories, De Anima, and The Metaphysics–all of which I had skipped in my impatience. Therefore, regretfully, I am now putting my Plotinus aside for a few weeks and going back to classical Greece. Look for more Plato and Aristotle posts in the near future.
Clouds of Aristophanes
Aristophanes' play The Clouds is fascinating in a number of ways, not least because it contains one of the earliest literary mentions of Socrates. Socrates, or at least the complex of ideas that Socrates came to represent, would become one of the most important figures in the Western tradition and the well-spring of one the two most important strands of Western philosophy (the other of which would begin with Aristotle). At the time of The Clouds, however, Socrates was just starting to become a salient figure–a well known local character, but not yet the famous philosopher who would be immortalized by Plato and others.
Aristophanes picked Socrates to be his caricature of a "modern" teacher at least partially because Socrates' famously homely appearance would lend itself to a hilarious and recognizable mask. When the Socrates character first came on stage in the original performance the actual Socrates stood up so the crowd could admire the resemblance. Shortly before this period Socrates seems to have spent considerable time talking to sophists and other pre-socratic philosophers, prior to fully developing his own philosophy, so this portrayal as a Sophist is not completely unwarranted. On the other hand, the main criticism that Aristophanes levels against the sophistic school, that they are willing to argue both sides of an issue and are more concerned with the argument itself than the truth, is decidedly not applicable to Socrates' mature philosophical methods, as portrayed by Plato. Plato's Socrates is only interested in understanding universal truths, and seeks them not through argument but by admitting his own ignorance and asking questions. We must keep in mind, though, that The Clouds was written decades before Plato's dialogues.
Plato's Socrates rejects Aristophanes' caricature in The Apology,
I will begin at the beginning, and ask what is the accusation which has given rise to the slander of me, and in fact has encouraged Meletus to proof this charge against me. Well, what do the slanderers say? They shall be my prosecutors, and I will sum up their words in an affidavit: 'Socrates is an evil-doer, and a curious person, who searches into things under the earth and in heaven, and he makes the worse appear the better cause; and he teaches the aforesaid doctrines to others.' Such is the nature of the accusation: it is just what you have yourselves seen in the comedy of Aristophanes, who has introduced a man whom he calls Socrates, going about and saying that he walks in air, and talking a deal of nonsense concerning matters of which I do not pretend to know either much or little—not that I mean to speak disparagingly of any one who is a student of natural philosophy. I should be very sorry if Meletus could bring so grave a charge against me. But the simple truth is, O Athenians, that I have nothing to do with physical speculations.
We should remember, though, that the framing of this statement might represent a revisionist attempt on the part of Plato. The Clouds was a popular play and many copies were made. Plato might have been concerned that the play was tarnishing the memory of his teacher, and gone out of his way to refute the impression.The basic plot of the play is that Strepsiades, whose son Phidippides has racked up huge debts in his name, goes to the "Think Shop", a sort of school of sophistry run by Socrates. His goal is to learn rhetoric so well that he can argue his way out of paying his creditors. After finding that he is too old to follow Socrates' logical acrobatics, he decides to send Phidippides in his stead. Phidippides learns so well that he is later able to publicly beat his father and justify it so convincingly that no one can argue with him.
The Clouds, of course, is a story about conflict between old and new systems of education. The old system, represented by Strepsiades, emphasized military training and memorizing traditional poetry, preparing a young citizen to be a successful hopelite citizen-soldier. The new system of the sophists was also practical, since it emphasized rhetoric and public speaking to make the student successful in lawsuits or the assembly. To Aristophanes, who thought that his fellow Athenians were far too litigious, and was at heart a social conservative, the new system would have provided a rich field for ridicule, even if generational conflict was not a classic subject for comedy. As is often the case with the deeply intellectual comedy of Aristophanes, however, there were deeper philosophical issues in play.
"What is the best form of education?" is one of the perennial philosophical questions. We will meet it again repeatedly in the Great Books. On a more meta level, the Great Books movement in general represents one side of a modern debate about education. At the risk of oversimplification, Great Books proponents believe in a more traditional form of education based on the core literature and concepts of Western Civilization, as opposed the newer "progressive" or "democratic" systems of education which emphasize relativism, openness, and inclusion of minority viewpoints. The Great Books approach is based primarily on that used in ancient universities in the high medieval through early Victorian periods, as adapted by such Victorian reformers as John Henry Newman. Its primary modern champions were Mortimer Adler and his associates. More recently writers such as Allan Bloom, John Lukacs, and Donald Kagan, though they shy away from associating themselves with the Adler clique, have argued for a similar approach. The progressive/democratic approach was first articulated in the works of John Dewey, reached its full realization during the culture wars of the 1960's, and is taught as dogma in nearly every Education graduate program today.
In the later Hellenistic world, particularly among the elite of the Roman Empire, the dominant educational philosophy that emerged was a essentially a synthesis of the old gymnasium education and sophism, and post-Socratic philosophy. This gives me hope that our own civilization may yet learn to balance the ideals of the Great Books movement with those of Dewey and his disciples.
A Great Idea At The Time (Book Review)
In this post I will detour slightly from my exploration of the Great Books to discuss a book about the Great Books. More specifically, Alex Beam's A Great Idea at the Time: The Rise, Fall, and Curious Afterlife of the Great Books (2008) is the story of the "Great Books Movement" which started as a teaching fad in the 1920's and grew to become a pop culture phenomenon in the 1950's and 1960's.
The Encyclopaedia Britannica's Great Books of the Western World, housed in their specially made bookcase, was a fixture in our house when I was a child. Yesterday I visited my father for Thanksgiving and noticed that it still occupies a prominent place along one wall of his guest bedroom. As a youngster I took its presence for granted. Except for one abortive attempt to read the Iliad when I was twelve, I don't think I ever opened them. Much later I learned that my father had bought the set second hand before I was born. For him I believe the books were a symbol that even though he had not been able to finish college he has never stopped working to educate himself. In this respect, I think he is like most people who ever bought the set. They were always marketed as a way for middle class Americans, denied the sort of liberal education available to their social "betters", to improve themselves.
The books in the Britannica set were nearly unreadable–heavy hard backs set in a tiny font with no footnotes. Most of the translations are dreadful. To make matters worse, because they were so expensive, no one felt like it was OK to underline in them or take notes in the margins. A paperback Penguin edition of a classic was almost always the way to go, if you were actually going to read and study it.
Beam's book tells the story of how the set came to be, and why there are still so many copies around. With humor and insight he takes us from the first Great Books courses at Columbia and Chicago, through the genesis of the idea to sell a single collection that would encapsulate the entire western cannon, through the hard-sell door-to-door marketing of the 1960's, and finally to the state of the Great Books movement today. I found the book delightfully readable.
A Great Idea at the Time mostly avoids bias, except in one area. It is clear from the first page that while Beam acknowledges Mortimer Adler's brilliance, he truly doesn't care for Adler, as a person. The book is sprinkled with comments such as "…to be reading Mortimer Adler's two autobiographies and watching his endless, self-promotional television appearances was a nightmare from which I am still struggling to awake." (p. 5) He paints a picture of Adler as a hilariously pompous, egomaniacal huckster. I myself have read enough of Adler's writing and seen enough of his videos to conclude that he probably was rather full of himself. Certainly, Beams ability to describe such a powerful character lends strength and color to his story. Still, once must be aware that his opinion of one of the main personalities in the story has clearly slanted the narrative.
Reading this book as made me more aware of the ways in which my own relationship to the Great Books differs from that of Mortimer Adler, his mentor Robert Hutchins, or their many disciples. Their interest started as an attempt to shore up a higher education system which they saw as fragmenting into overspecialization. The Great Books were seen as a vehicle to teach reading and critical thinking to undergraduates. I myself, as a teaching assistant, worked for two professors who successfully incorporated great books into their respective undergraduate business courses. These days, however, I am no longer involved in post secondary education.
Over time, the Great Books project became a business venture for Encyclopaedia Britannica and an exercise in platform building for Adler, yet I don't see any way that I will personally make money by studying the Great Books, or even by blogging about them.
The customers who bought the books mostly did so out of an appeal to their own insecurity and feeling of educational inadequacy. As a published academic author with a terminal professional degree, it is hard for me to seriously claim that I feel inadequate. There are still plenty of things which I would like to learn about, but that isn't the same thing.
So if none of the motivations which have driven other people to embrace the Great Books affect me, then why am I doing it?
It's because I am a writer, and a writer functions by inputting a large amount of other people's writing, filtering and processing it through a mind shaped by his own life experience, and then outputting a relatively small amount of his own writing. If I had to guess, I would say that I probably read at least 500,000 words for every 1,000 words of finished prose I write. For me reading The Great Books, or at least good books, is a way to ensure a higher quality of inputs to the system which will, hopefully, lead to a higher quality of output. Any further posts I write about the Great Books will be written, and should be read, with that in mind.


text: What is Parkinson's Disease? What is Parkinson's Disease? Understanding the Basics of Parkinson's Disease So what exactly is Parkinson's disease? Parkinson's disease is a type of movement disorder that can affect the ability to perform common, daily activities. It is a chronic and progressive disease, meaning that the symptoms become worse over time. It is characterized by its most common of motor symptoms—tremors (a form of rhythmic shaking), stiffness or rigidity of the muscles, and slowness of movement (called bradykinesia)—but also manifests in non-motor symptoms including sleep problems, constipation, anxiety, depression, and fatigue, among others. Early Onset Parkinson's Though it's uncommon, Parkinson's can also afflict young people. Learn more about Early Onset Parkinson's here. There are an estimated 1 million people in the U.S. living with Parkinson's disease and more than 10 million people worldwide. Most people who develop the symptoms of Parkinson's disease do so sometime after the age of 50, but Parkinson's disease can affect younger persons as well. Approximately 10% of Parkinson's diagnoses occur before age 50—these diagnoses are called Early Onset (or Young Onset) Parkinson's disease. Movement Disorders In recent years, there has been tremendous growth in new diagnostic information, pharmacological and neurosurgical treatments for movement disorders, as well as a greater understanding of impaired motor control function. MDS offers you and your patients an essential link to this knowledge. To get a more in-depth understanding of Parkinson's disease, its effect on the lives of those who have it, and how it can be treated, follow the links below: Causes Diagnosing Symptoms Treatments How Parkinson's Disease Affects the Brain What makes Parkinson's disease distinctive from other movement disorders is that cell loss occurs in a very specific region of the brain called the substantia nigra (sub-STAN-she-uh NYE-gruh). The nerve cells, or neurons, in this region actually appear dark under a microscope (substantia nigra is Latin for "black substance"). Those dark neurons produce a specific type of neurotransmitter (a chemical messenger that allows neurons to communicate) called dopamine. The neurotransmitter dopamine helps to regulate movement. This loss of dopamine is the reason that many treatments for Parkinson's Disease are intended to increase dopamine levels in the brain. Learn More Future research will hopefully tell us more about this protein. Learn more about APDA research initiatives here. In addition to decreases in dopamine and the cells that make dopamine, you might also read or hear about alpha-synuclein (AL-fa-sin-NUKE-lee-un). We do not yet know what this protein does in the healthy brain, but in Parkinson's disease it clumps up in what are called Lewy (LOO-ee) bodies. Researchers believe that alphasynuclein build-up contributes to the cause of Parkinson's disease and that it may be possible to develop new treatments based on this idea.

subset: commoncrawl


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Separate names with a comma.
Discussion in 'Model S: User Interface' started by mspohr, Nov 8, 2015.
Apparently a video from Tesla on what the AP system sees and interprets on the road.
I do not believe that video was made or distributed by Tesla.
It has been posted before on TMC.
Yeah, that is from MobilEye directly done as a presentation on what their v3 chips can do, etc with the right software. Tesla however doesn't likely use them to that extent with the single camera hardware and software. Tesla seems to use a lot less data or detects a lot less; e.g. only moving cars somewhat directly ahead (not wide), etc.
I'm pretty sure Tesla tracks cars in adjacent lanes. Yesterday, i was driving on a two lane freeway with tacc set to 75. There was a car in front of me doing about 65, and another passing us on the left going only slightly faster (maybe 70). I used auto lane change to move over to the left, and was a bit surprised that my car didn't attempt to speed up while changing lanes. I expected it to speed up while changing lanes, then slow down again once it locked on to the car in the new lane, but it seemed to already be aware of the car in the left lane before even starting the maneuver.
This video is a French town, not sure Tesla tests are done so far from California
This is the MobilEye technology and while Tesla doesn't use the stop lights and signs yet. It's cool to see how they are percieved and likely used in the future.
Perhaps traffic lights are used to some (unadvertised) degree. I was second in line at a red light the other day with autopilot engaged. The car in front of me turned right on red. To see what AP would do, I left it engaged. It started to pull forward to the intersection then I received the "Take over immediately" warning, which I did.
Did AP know the light was red and, noting the car I was following disappeared, needed me to make a decision? Possibly. Of course there could be other explanations but I would be interested to hear others' experiences in this same situation.
More likely, I think, is that the AP just fails to aquire lane lines through the intersection,
so it wants you to manually control the steering wheel. Under TACC alone, or if it felt
that it recognized sufficient lane markings, it would just attempt to accelerate right
into the intersection, in spite of the red light. This is a situation to avoid.
This is the main reason that AP or TACC should not be used at intersections.
AP is currently designed for limited-access (no intersections) highways only.
Yes, your assessment makes sense, and that is another possibility I considered, but I'm not yet sold on it.
On the other hand - I don't agree with your "designed for limited-access" statement. There is a difference between what it is designed to do and what use is supported and endorsed. If the system were not designed to work on surface streets, it wouldn't work on surface streets. It would either disengage because it didn't understand its surroundings or simply try to keep driving as if it was on the highway. We know it doesn't do the former, and it doesn't do the latter because as I'm sure we have all seen it can make pretty tight turns on clover-leafs and other windy roads at slow speeds. So, it IS designed to work on surface streets.
However, Tesla does not approve or endorse its use. There are unpublished limitations on its use, which we are discovering here. I imagine testing is not as thorough either. But clearly the works in many conditions other than limited access highways and this is not an accident.
Here is a link to a presentation from the founder of MobilEye Brains, Minds Machines Seminar Series: Computer Vision that is changing our lives - YouTube it is long but worth a viewing to really understand what is going on with the tech. The OP's clip is taken from this presentation. The founder starts his presentation about 4:00 into the video. Very interesting and worth a viewing.
Your statement
"If the system were not designed to work on surface streets, it wouldn't work on surface streets."
is incorrect logically.
If the system was designed to not work on surface streets, it wouldn't work on surface streets.
would be more nearly correct, assuming that the design worked as intended.
The AP was designed for some conditions usually found on limited/restricted access roads.
It was not designed to handle signal lights, stop signs, or "follow" a car.
It was not designed to detect all the conditions where it would have trouble.
It was designed to operate reasonably well (beta version, may have bugs) in
a sufficiently well detected specified set of circumstances, mainly where it
can visualize lane boundries, and not need to deal with all the various kinds of
speed/stop sign/signal/control issues.
The fact that stretches of surface streets happen to meet these criteria does not
mean that this AP was designed to reject, or even detect, the intersections, cross
traffic, sihnal lights, etc.
Please be careful when testing AP under ANY conditions.
In my personal experience with 2.7.56 version of AP, there
are still hidden interactions that appear to make the steering
misbehave, even on the freeway.
Please read all of my post. There are behaviors, such as following a vehicle around a sharp turn (eg exit ramp in traffic) that are inconsistent with highway only driving. This behavior cannot be an accident. If it didn't work on surface streets, you would get the "take over immediately" warning whenever it entered that mode.
However, we know there are significant limitations using it off highway. Center lane lines but nothing at the shoulder causes the car to get precipitously close to the edge. So don't use it under this condition. There are many other situations where it doesn't work so well, along with many others where it does. Tesla obviously has no intention to train all drivers on the specifics; as a result the general "highway use only" restriction.
Regarding your "be careful" admonishment, one would be crazy to not have both hands on the wheel under any of these conditions. If the car does something unanticipated, take over. Of course, I nearly always have at least one hand on the wheel on the highway, especially when approaching turned or near other traffic. I'm not going to let the car so anything I don't want it to do. It's great technology but certainly something that needs to be monitored closely, just as with an aircraft.
Oh yes, 8500+ hours flight time, and I now design and maintain steering control systems, including autopilot software, for some very big (90000 ton) ships, so I do feel qualified to weigh on here.


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Rim wrote:Make sure you are pasting an audio file, not a midi file out of beatmaker. Also, make sure the sample rate of the project in Auria is 44100.
Thanks for your reply.Sure,i did export audio and auria was set to 44,1.Anyway,i edited my post a couple of hours ago but it seems that i did not save it,lol.
I tried to export WAV instead of AIFF and that worked,so:problem solved.


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(noun) Descriptions of how a product or service should act, appear, or perform. Requirements generally refer to the features and functions of the deliverables you are building on your project. Requirements are considered to be a part of project scope. High-level scope is defined in your project definition (or charter). The requirements form the detailed scope. After your requirements are approved, they can be changed through the scope change management process.
"Two requirements of this project are the website has to be mobile friendly and dynamic."
Alternate definition: A virtual to-do list.
On a Related Note
Our information architects are steeped in technology, and we embrace the creative process to craft business requirements, sitemaps, and wireframes. These steps form the blueprint of your digital presence. Leaving no stone unturned, our developers and web designers work in tandem to present your information to your customers in a logical and intuitive fashion. Read more about building the right Information Architecture.


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Most veiled women always loved to dress themselves in such a way that would make them appear really chic and could be able to express themselves through their styles.
Keep out the cool winds of fall and have some awesome chic styles. Scarves are great fashion accessory that you can wear it with any outfit. They are varying in designs, patterns, dimensions and fabrics. Styles are always changing and this season you have many choices on how you would like to look.
This season we have the winter dresses, the poncho,the checked pants, the high neck sweaters and more options to stay warm during the fall and winter seasons. Sweaters, scarves, and fashion accessories can also be added easily to reflect winter fashion trends by your own taste.
Casual wear are so popular; put on your favorite pair of jeans with a top and an oversized boyfriend jacket. There's no set trend for waistlines, so pick what's comfortable and what looks best on you. Vests are on trend too, they vary in styles, designs and types, according to the different materials they are made of, climatic conditions, types for men and women, casual or formal and more.
Jeans fabrics are basic items that every girl cannot indispensable in her wardrobe, both in chemises or trousers because it's so practical and always fashionable. Enjoy the fall hijabi styles.


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Drouot Richelieu
Opened in 1852, The Drouot Richelieu in the Ninth Arrondissement is the oldest auction house in the world. Treasures reside throughout this glass and steel building's seventeen sales rooms, and may include anything from art by Joan Miró and Jean Dubuffet to perfume bottles signed by Depinoix and Lalique to the gold teeth of the recently departed. Sales take place Monday through Saturday at 2:00 p.m., with viewings starting at 11:00 a.m., and catalogues are available online for most of the sales rooms.


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* Closes at C$1.0819 to US$, or 92.43 U.S. cents
* C$ ends week up 1.6 percent
* U.S. housing data sparks rally
* Bond prices lower across curve (Updates to close)
TORONTO, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Canada's dollar rose for a fourth straight session on Friday as climbing oil prices coupled with healthier U.S. housing data to boost risk appetite and lift the currency to a 1.6 percent gain on the week.
After touching a one-month low at the start of the week the domestic currency put together a string of gains on hopes that the the global economy was on the mend.
The latest rally versus the greenback came as U.S. data showed sales of previously owned homes in July notched their fastest pace in nearly two years, which the market interpreted as the strongest sign yet that the housing sector was finally pulling out of a slump [ID:nN21391628].
Another boost came from the price of oil, a key Canadian export, which hit a 2009 high above $74 a barrel as the upbeat data suggested an economic recovery as well as a potential revival in energy demand. [ID:nSIN143777]
"The housing data came in with a strong upside surprise and we immediately saw equities reacting to that, and the Canadian dollar followed suit as one of the commodity-based currencies," said Matthew Strauss, senior currency strategist RBC Capital Markets.
"So you have two very strong supportive factors with higher oil prices and stronger equity increases."
Canada's currency rallied to its highest level since Aug. 7 moments after the 10:00 a.m. (1400 GMT) U.S. data, touching C$1.0762 to the U.S. dollar, or 92.92 U.S. cents.
It backed off slightly, but still closed at C$1.0819 to the U.S. dollar, or 92.43 U.S. cents, up from C$1.0873 to the U.S. dollar, or 91.97 U.S. cents, at Thursday's close.
The currency was already higher heading into the North American session, given increased risk appetite overnight, as data showed the euro zone economy probably crawled back to growth this quarter. [ID:nLL381566]
The Canadian dollar is now up about 21 percent from the four-year low it tumbled to in early March.
Canadian bond prices, with no domestic data to influence a move, ended lower as the appetite for secure assets like government debt eased after the U.S. housing data and comments by U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.
Bernanke said prospects for a return to growth in the near term appeared good in the United States and elsewhere. The remarks went beyond a statement from Fed policy-makers last week when the central bank acknowledged the U.S. economy was "leveling out." [ID:nN2139655]
"It's all on the back of the much stronger than expected U.S. home sales figures," said Sal Guatieri, senior economist at BMO Capital Markets.
"I guess Bernanke's commentary reaffirming that the recession is likely over weighed on the bond market as well but it's largely due to the sales numbers."
The two-year Canadian bond ended down 19 Canadian cents at C$99.30 to yield 1.355 percent, while the 10-year bond slipped 81 Canadian cents to C$102.17 to yield 3.485 percent.
The 30-year bond shed C$1.35 to close at C$117.40 to yield 3.961 percent.
Canadian bonds outperformed their U.S. counterparts across the curve. The Canadian 30-year bond was 41.2 basis points below the U.S. 30-year yield, versus 35.1 basis points on Thursday. (Editing by Rob Wilson)
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We started this project for a few reasons:
- We love brands
- We think the way that brands operate in society, and the way in which society receives brands is fascinating
- As the largest ad market in the world, we believe there is an opportunity to "re-imagine" the way that the 180bn spent on marketing in the US is used
- We are curious about how people feel about brands. We are equally curious about the types of things that brands can do to do better business by doing better for society.
One of our initial inspirations:


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Kintsukuroi/Kintsugi "Gold Repair" Marble iPhone Case (iPhone 7/7 Plus Case)
A stunning burnt sienna coloured iPhone case accented with a contrasting gold leaf design that embodies the essence of Kintsugi.
We are often strongest in the places that have been broken.
Kintsugi or Kintsukuroi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold lacquer. As a philosophy, Kintsukuroi treats breakage as a part of an object's past - Rather than conceal the fracture, one has an understanding that the piece is more beautiful for having been broken.
(Also available in 5/5s/Se, 6/6s, 6/6s Plus.)
**Be sure to choose the correct size for your device.**
Case Details:
The back of this case is solid and anti-scratch while the sides are flexible. It's solid, sleek, and easy to take on and off.
• Back is made of a solid, durable polycarbonate (PC) material
• Soft, TPU sides
• Holes line up with phone's functions
• Back is solid and scratch-resistant
• Printed in the USA
Thank you for helping us break the stigmas and #TakeBackCrazy! A portion of the profits made on this site will aid various social initiatives and organizations that support those whose lives have been affected by mental/chronic illness, domestic abuse & bullying.


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A national survey of more than 2,000 American workers has uncovered a major disconnect between employees and managers in the workforce. In fact, 80% of employees surveyed believe they could do their job without their manager. There is a striking difference in the American workplace between how managers think they are doing, and how employee think their managers are doing – and that has a big impact on people's likelihood to stay at a job. It all boils down to transparency, trust, and providing managers with better support. For more of the research, visit www.ultimatesoftware.com.
This episode is powered by Jumpstart:HR, LLC - HR Outsourcing for Small Businesses and Startups
Jason Dorsey wrote his first bestselling book at age 18. He now leads Millennials research and strategy for clients around the world. Jason has been featured as a Millennials expert on 60 Minutes, 20/20, the TODAY Show, The Early Show, and dozens more. Adweek calls Jason a "research guru" and The New York Times featured him in its cover story on marketing to Millennials. Jason is Chief Strategy Officer and Millennials Researcher at The Center for Generational Kinetics. Jason leads The Center's team of PhD researchers as they uncover new generational trends and truths while solving complex generational challenges.
Adam Rogers is Ultimate Software's Chief Technology Officer, responsible for building and directing the product strategy, development, and delivery of Ultimate's cloud HR suite, UltiPro®. Adam leads a team of more than 1,400 employees and leverages Agile software development, service design thinking, and other collaborative processes to pioneer exciting human capital management (HCM) advancements incorporating AI, advanced analytics, natural language processing, and mobile technologies. Throughout his career, Adam and his team have been routinely recognized by leading IT research firms and publications for the development of industry-leading innovations and best practices.
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"Just society" or just another double-standard?
After spending the last week defending their $10.5 million settlement with Omar Khadr, a former child soldier who was detained and tortured for nearly a decade at Guantanamo Bay, the Trudeau government's efforts to explain their decision appears to be raising more questions than they answer.
As Indigenous voices are pointing out: if the Trudeau government is so concerned with saving money and the "rule of law," why are they still fighting the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal's orders to stop discriminating against Indigenous children over the delivery of services?
Reading all these Libs saying we have to pay Khadr $10mil because 'rule of law' - Cindy Blackstock's head must be exploding.— Robert Jago (@rjjago) July 8, 2017
Mr. Khadr deserves justice & so do the 165,000 First Nations kids denied equitable public services by fed. Gov't despite 4 legal orders. https://t.co/wPlwYAydaK— Cindy Blackstock (@cblackst) July 8, 2017
And this week, NDP Indigenous and Northern Affairs critic Romeo Saganash noted Trudeau's argument defending "Canadian rights" in the Khadr settlement is "ironic" given he ignores the Tribunal's ruling:
"I find that response ironic as this Prime Minister's government chooses to continue to ignore the Human Rights Tribunal's ruling and three compliance orders on services for Indigenous children. His government's decision to continue to fight First Nations in court is offensive."
While the Trudeau government has said their out-of-court settlement with Khadr may be "unpopular," they've justified their decision on the grounds that "governments must respect charter rights and human rights and the rule of law."
Trudeau himself argues that continuing to fight a losing legal battle would be fiscally irresponsible – potentially costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars in the process.
Plaintiff''s lawyers were already winning cost awards in relation to motions gov was fighting /2— Craig Forcese (@cforcese) July 10, 2017
Fair enough.
But if that's what the Trudeau government really believes, it would seem inconsistent with the Trudeau government's expensive legal battle against the Human Rights Tribunal.
In January 2016, the Tribunal ruled that the federal government's chronic underfunding of First Nations children on reserves was discrimination, with 38% less being spent on kids on reserve compared to kids elsewhere in Canada.
Citing the Canadian Human Rights Act, the Tribunal ordered the Trudeau government to "cease the discriminatory practice and take measures ... to prevent the same or a similar practice from occurring in future."
The Trudeau government's response?
They've ignored several legal orders to stop discriminating against vulnerable children and argued the Tribunal "does not have the statutory authority to enforce its own orders," all while racking up a $700,000 bill for taxpayers.
Basically there are zero institutional avenues to hold Canada accountable when it discriminates against Indigenous children or communities. https://t.co/lvquaSRsLR— Hayden King (@Hayden_King) March 16, 2017
Only a few weeks ago, the Trudeau government took the Tribunal to court over a ruling in May that linked suicide deaths in a northern Ontario First Nation to the Trudeau government's legal delays.
Health Minister Jane Philpott said the government is appealing the Tribunal's ruling because they have "some concern" as to whether the ruling is "in the best interests of First Nations kids."
Tribunal ruling linked Ottawa's inaction to Wapekeka suicide deaths of girls .Health Min Philpott says this was an oversimplification https://t.co/iN0qPQ7c0J— Jorge Barrera (@JorgeBarrera) June 23, 2017
Compare that response with the lines the Trudeau government is offering in defence of the Khadr settlement.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau uttered the words "just society" to suggest his government's decision to drop its appeal was both morally and fiscally responsible:
"This was the responsible path to take. The measure of a society – of a just society – is not whether we stand up for people's rights when it's easy or popular to do so. It's whether we recognize rights when it's difficult, when it's unpopular. We are a society that stands up for people's rights and when governments fail to respect people's rights, we all end up paying."
Is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on lawyers to fight an order to stop discriminating against vulnerable children in sync with Trudeau's so-called "just society"?
What about Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale?
Last week, Goodale not only argued that the government's legal battle with Khadr has "cost taxpayers," he also suggested governments have a duty to act when courts send an "unequivocal signal" that something is "fundamentally wrong":
"The remedies should have started as soon as the courts sent the unequivocal signal about what was so fundamentally wrong here. Unfortunately, the remedy did not start then and the costs continued to accumulate. Today, we are bringing that process to an end."
Of course, nothing is stopping the Trudeau government from equalizing spending for Indigenous children on their own, yet they've only earmarked a fraction of what they owe.
And of the money that has been earmarked, some portions are actually for things unrelated to Indigenous children – for example, money earmarked for the "safety and well-being of First Nations children" in the 2016 budget turned out to be connected to programs subsidizing mining companies.
Trudeau recently defended his government's failure to stop discriminating against Indigenous children by suggesting the reason these inequalities persist is because Indigenous communities "haven't had the opportunity" to "think about" how they'd like to spend their money:
"A lot of Indigenous communities haven't had the opportunity yet to take that responsibility, to actually think about how they can and must deliver it."
But Cindy Blackstock, Executive Director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada, sees it differently:
"It's a matter of basic compliance with the law."
You'd think Trudeau understood this – after all, he did say this was this was "the lesson" everyone should learn from the Khadr settlement:
"When governments fail to respect people's rights, we all end up paying. That is the lesson that hopefully future governments will draw from this settlement."
Will Trudeau listen to his own advice?
Photo: PMO.


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Teaching and Education
- Number 1 for Graduate Employability in SA (QS Graduate Employability Rankings)
- SA's only teaching degree that allows students to register to teach and start work in their final year.
- Located in the heart of Adelaide's cultural and shopping precinct in the CBD, we are the only university in SA where you can study teaching in the city.
Our degrees enable graduates to register to teach in secondary schools in South Australia and most other places. Our graduates also branch into other areas of Education, such as: adult educator, curriculum writer, education coordinator, education officer, policy writer, professional development officer, tutor or researcher.
10 matching degrees found


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3 minute read
£15m SNOP factory to create 100 new jobs
The frame of the first factory on a ground-breaking new development is rising into the sky after it was announced French car parts manufacturer, SNOP, is relocating to the International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP), creating more than 100 new jobs.
SNOP has committed to move its team to a £15m manufacturing plant on the IAMP, a nationally significant development site close to Nissan, that is expected to become home to more than 7,000 jobs.
The company, which makes components for the likes of Peugeot, Audi, Renault, Mercedes, Volkswagen and Seat, as well as Nissan, will be the first to relocate to IAMP. The frame of the firm's new factory – which is being constructed by North East-based Howard Russell – is now fully in place, with work set to complete in spring.
SNOP will take more than 17 acres of the first phase of IAMP, opening a 235,000 sq ft state-of-the-art factory and office space, with the potential to expand to 331,000 sq ft.
Plant Director at SNOP UK, David Brander, said: "We are delighted to be the first business to make the International Advanced Manufacturing Park our home.
"Sunderland and South Tyneside have much to offer to manufacturing businesses like ours. We know that we can enjoy direct access to a fantastic talent pool, as well as benefiting from the other excellent assets this site offers, including outstanding connectivity to road, sea, air and rail links."
He added: "We really are confident about our future here and this investment shows that. We look forward to a successful future at IAMP."
SNOP will relocate from its existing premises nearby, taking on more people and significantly increasing its floorspace. With the additional capacity created, the company expects to see turnover grow from 54m Euros to 90m, with an additional 100-150 jobs created in the process, on top of the firm's existing 250-strong team.
Leader of Sunderland City Council, Graeme Miller, added: "We are delighted to see SNOP choose the IAMP as its new base and to see such visible signs of progress on the site, with the frame now filling the sky.
"We are incredibly proud to have such a strong automotive sector in Sunderland and South Tyneside, and SNOP's decision to invest here demonstrates the level of confidence that they have in the North East. It's a hugely significant step forward for IAMP, and we are certain this is the first of a number of exciting developments on this special site."
SNOP is investing more than £15m in the new building and an additional 15m Euros in new machinery. It is working with Silverstone Building Consultancy to project manage the construction project, with the building expected to fully handed-over in May 2019.
Cramlington-headquartered construction firm Howard Russell is building the new facility on behalf of SNOP UK. As a result, the firm has been able to recruit two new apprentices as well as creating three new permanent jobs including an engineer, a contracts manager and a pre-construction manager, with the need for a number of additional roles in the near future.
At the heart of the North East, IAMP is located next to the UK's largest car manufacturing plant, Nissan, and will provide a world-class environment for the automotive supply chain and related advanced manufacturing businesses. The park is being delivered in partnership by Sunderland City Council and South Tyneside Council.
IAMP One covers 150 acres and will deliver 1.6m sq ft of advanced manufacturing and industrial space. The second phase will provide an additional 2.6m sq ft, creating a scheme of significant size and scale. UK Government has pledged £42m from the Local Growth Deal through the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) towards infrastructure including new roads, bridges and environmental enhancements to support the development. The Local Growth Deal is supporting major capital investments to promote innovation, economic and skills infrastructure and sustainable transport as part of the North East Growth Deal.


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Ciaran Lyons is a director with VFX skills.
From stop motion photography and puppetry, to 2d animation and digital compositing, he loves taking a hands on approach to creating inventive imagery.
Despite all this, his priority is always the human performance – that's always the best bit of any film.


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"We have found out that networking with the right people could deliver for great results later, for both sides." We met TYS Marketing team to talk about how they see the iGaming industry and how they operate in it.
Can you tell us a little about how your company business is structured?
Our company started as a one-man team in the last few years and today we are 3 partners, each one is responsible to do what he is good at. We focus mainly on paid campaigns and SEO marketing to our gambling portals but we are always looking also for more verticals to get involved in.
How do you think technology is driving business forward? What are the little secrets that help TYS Marketing in innovating yet again?
We are trying to build some different sites, with high-level of design and content. We are aware to the fact many others are doing the same but we are putting big efforts on creating unique and better sites and portals, something that the users haven't seen before in terms of design and structure (Look and feel).
What make TYS Marketing unique? What do you have that will make you succeed that some of the other companies maybe don't have?
There are many talented guys outside, no doubt at all. But in order to succeed you don't need to be afraid from failures. We know it sounds like a cliché but that's the truth. You must be consistent, persistent and keep doing what you like to do. We are very passionate on what we are doing, and with the proper knowledge, experience and passion, we can do a lot of great things together.
Which markets do you focus on and do you see any potential in the emerging markets?
We have focused in the last few years on the Nordics and DACH countries (Germany, Austria and Switzerland). We have also started to work on Portugal and we are looking to get into more and more regulated markets. For us, each market is an opportunity for revenues and a new challenge, so definitely we are looking into other markets including Brazil, Japan, Colombia and more.
What challenges and opportunities has the move to mobile presented you with?
It's not a secret, but mobile is much more dominant nowadays sometimes even more than desktops/laptops. We always put big efforts on customizing our websites to be mobile friendly and mobile responsive. You can't ignore mobile traffic at all!
Are there any other exciting plans in the works that you can tell us about?
We are looking all the time for new projects and new challenges. Our next projects will be dedicated to Spanish and Italian audiences, while we are planning also to do some re-design to our sites.
What is the main thing that you'd like SiGMA readers to know about your business?
We are very open-minded people and we have found out that networking with the right people could deliver for great results later, for both sides. We truly believe in honesty, something that is not so common unfortunately in our industry.
What two pieces of advice would you give to any entrepreneur starting today?
There is a lot of competition but there is enough place for almost everyone (; You need to find the right niche and invest there. Don't be afraid to fail and don't afraid to take some risks. Oh and you have to be patient, don't expect to earn millions in your first month (: Read on forums, get involved with people and see who is the bad guys and who is the good guys around.
Are you ready for SiGMA17?
Always! We were there for the 1st time at SiGMA conference last November and it was a very good event so we are sure that this year it's going to be even more amazing. We were with you guys also in Tallinn and soon in Bucharest, and you are very talented in what are you doing. All the team, and of course Eman, the star!
|Relive the highlights and stay tuned for this year's SiGMA. Watch out for what we're branding as the 'iGaming Village' this year.
|Are you an operator looking for top affiliates? Are you a top affiliate looking for a nice treat with like-minded affiliates playing at the same level?


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AUGUSTA, GA – Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia are your leaders after the third round of the 2017 Masters. Garcia shot a 70 to land at six-under, while Rose fired a 67 to rocket up the leaderboard.
Kevin Kugler and Maureen Madill look back on an exciting third round at Augusta National.


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Top Gear end of series review: What's gone right, and what still needs work?
As post-Chris Evans Top Gear comes to a close, Frances Taylor wonders whether the show has finally started running smoothly
Over the past few years, Top Gear has had a bumpier ride than a Fiesta with dodgy suspension taking on a badly potholed A road.
That said, this series has seen a marked improvement in the Top Gear build quality. Unlike last year, the series has been controversy-free, and without the Cenotaph stunt debacle and Chris Evans just, well, being Chris Evans, the show has been allowed to sail along smoothly.
It's something that's reflected in the ratings, too. Whereas last year they were soaring and crashing, this series has stabilised at just over the three million mark.
But scratch the surface, and sometimes the glossy paintwork belies what's still a bit rusty underneath. Here's where the BBC2 show is going right, and where there's still room for improvement…
The presenters
Although I'm still not entirely convinced that Matt, Chris and Rory are all popping down the pub for a pint or two after wrapping the show, it's undeniable that the presenters' dynamic has improved. That tension between everyone has completely dissipated, and there's now a tangible warmth between the trio.
LeBlanc's presenting has improved, particularly when he's filming on his own. The same goes for Chris and Rory – they both work well solo, but combine them into a duo (Alfa Romeo drifting, Cuba) and they're brilliant. You feel as though their chat is bordering on genuine and it almost – almost – feels unscripted.
The three of them presenting together on screen doesn't quite work as well. It works, don't get us wrong, but there's something still jarring a little. I'm going to put it down to a lack of time that they've had to work together as a trio, and perhaps next series it will feel a lot more natural.
The bigger issue I have is that Rory Reid is seriously underused in this series. Many times throughout the series I've literally shouted at the TV "…but where's Rory?!"
After he went to Kazakhstan with LeBlanc and Harris in episode one, I started to think he'd lost his passport. It's really quite baffling why he wasn't a part of the adventures that LeBlanc and Harris embarked on as a duo: the US road trip in episode two, the Montenegro 'Le Bond' skit in episode three, the Dubai race in episode four and the Californian buggy race in episode five.
Even Sabine Schmitz and Eddie Jordan played with the buggies in California. Aside from The Stig, Reid was the only one in the team not to be there. Why? I want Rory to get more stamps in his passport next series, please!
While I'm on the topic, the same actually goes for Sabine. She's so lively, has a really dry wit, and if I could see more of her next series and (even) less of Eddie Jordan, that'd be top.
The guests
The ever-popular timed lap is back to its best and gone is the silly off-roading gimmick from last year. There have been some brilliant moments with the guests, too: David Tennant going rogue on the racetrack and causing a massive dent in the Toyota GT86, Chris Hoy spinning wildly out of control and perhaps best of all, Tamsin Greig forcing Harris to have a long, hard look at how he shouts at people by pulling over for an impromptu psychotherapy session.
Getting the celebs involved outside of the studio has also been a winner. Watching Greig destroy melons and Ross Noble smash a Volvo into a pile of sheds is amusing for the viewers – and more amusing still for LeBlanc. The times when he's needlessly destroying stuff are hands down the most excited he ever gets during the show. It's infectious.
Although it had its detractors, I actually enjoyed the celebrity segments in Evans era Top Gear. Having two celebs on the sofa in a micro Graham Norton-style worked well, and chatting about their first ever cars was a fun and different take on the guest spot.
That has been all-but done away with this series. It's not helped by the fact that Evans was a seasoned interviewer and Clarkson was a journalist. With LeBlanc generally leading the way in these bits, the celeb section can feel stilted and someone like Chris Hoy ends up looking a bit lost. It's not LeBlanc's fault, he's just not an interviewer.
Meanwhile the roster of guests has been good, but it hasn't been great. There were rumours that David Schwimmer was set to appear on the show, which would've given the series a much-needed A-List boost alongside the likes of Tinie Tempah and Jay Kay.
The films
As I mentioned previously, clearly with Chris Evans gone there has been room in the budget for some truly beautiful camerawork. Along with a vastly-improved set (loving the black and red palette), the ante has well and truly been upped with the films.
The production values on Harris and LeBlanc's Mercedes and Aston Martin DB11 film (where they turned left at Hammerhead and ended up in Montenegro) were every bit as rich as the cars themselves, while Harris and Reid's Cuban road trip showed the country off better than any travelogue.
Even Rory Reid's Pac Man-style race through shipping containers looked fantastic.
Attention has also been directed towards drizzly Dunsfold, with the filming round the track given a wax and polish. With the celebrity laps, many of the fixed camera angles have been replaced with some rather cinematic and sweeping tracking shots, which make the whole lap look far more premium.
And, as Harris has previously commented, the show has returned more to its roots as a motoring magazine show. OK, so there are still a few silly moments, but the car reviews themselves are knowledgeable and delivered with a genuine passion and love of vehicles.
Although they might look amazing, there are still problems with the actual content of the films. Quite often that vital fun factor is absent and the punch gets lost in the edit. For example, when Chris was trying to drift an Alfa Romeo through a wall, the whole sequence dragged on and on (and on), as did the buggy race through the Californian desert.
Ignoring the fact that Eddie Jordan was there, what should've been a really exhilarating film with bundles of jeopardy and disaster – getting stuck on rocks, cars bursting into flames, promise of broken bones – in the end just fell a bit flat.
And on that bombshell…
The biggest problems have been ironed out this series, and what we've been left with is a largely enjoyable and watchable hour of Sunday night TV. It won't take much to give it a tweak here and a buff there and with a little help, Top Gear could well be at the top of its game come series 25.
Top Gear concludes on Sunday 23 April at 8pm on BBC2


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So how exactly is it that Sony can have better customer service than NewEgg, the bastion of happy buyers? Consumerist has it from a customer who bought a PS3 from NewEgg that was pictured as including a copy of Spider-Man 3 on Blu-ray. When the package arrived, the movie was absent, and the packaging made no mention of the film being included.
When the customer called NewEgg support, he got the "not my problem" treatment. After he called Sony, they promised to send him a copy of the film for free.
This is unusual for two different reasons: Sony's reputation is one of indifference to the end consumer, usually prompting unhappy buyers to deal with the retailers to fix their problems, whereas NewEgg is popular due to its "anything to make it right" mentality.
Of course, this could be an issue specifically with the PS3's retail channels, as certain products are to be handled via the manufacturer and not the retail outlets, but NewEgg's attitude is still troubling.
Newegg Doesn't Deliver PS3 With Spiderman 3, Blames Sony [The Consumerist]


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Vision loss rehabilitation therapy helps people with all levels of vision loss to develop or restore key daily living skills, helping enhance their independence, safety, mobility and emotional well-being. Ophthalmologists, optometrists and other health care professionals may refer you for this therapy as a part of your overall care plan.
Vision loss rehabilitation therapy is provided by certified specialists, who will work with you to create a personalized rehabilitation plan to meet your needs and goals.
Your plan may include one or more of the following services:


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I am excited to announce that my husband and I will soon become a family of three! We are so blessed with this wonderful surprise and cannot wait to experience the joy our daughter will bring once she arrives. After battling the first trimester morning sickness (more like all day sickness), I have been occupying myself by preparing for our baby girl. It still doesn't feel real at times, until she kicks me to remind me she is here. I was patiently waiting for a bump to appear, and then after 6 months I suddenly started growing day by day! Now that I am 7 months along, I am looking forward to styling the bump.
Here is our official announcement video with the concept my husband wanted to make for our family and friends. A huge thanks to my amazing sister in law, Rati Dharkar, who lovingly created this for us.
Tagged: Maternity Style, Pregnancy Announcement, Pregnancy Reveal, Pregnancy Style, Style, Tory Burch, White Dress


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How to Do An Employee Appraisal
This article was provided by About.com.
Click here (www.about.com) for other useful articles and tools.
The On-Going Process
As a manager, an important part of your job is motivating and encouraging your employees to be productive contributors. Employee appraisals are a powerful tool toward this end. By approaching the appraisal process as an on-going, positive event, you can:
Some things you can do to increase the effectiveness of the appraisal process include:
Appraisal Preparations
This section discusses some things you can do to effectively prepare for the employee appraisal process – before you begin writing, and before holding the person-to-person meeting with the employee.
If you've been observing and recording specific examples of performance when they occur, you should have a good starting point for preparing the appraisal. However, don't limit input to your own observations. Solicit input and feedback from colleagues, customers, and other individuals. You might even have the employee prepare a self-review of projects and accomplishments.
Be sure to review prior performance appraisals along with any progress reviews you've conducted. Concentrate on the objectives that were set and how well the employee has performed in relation to those goals.
Conducting the Appraisal
Eventually the time will come when you need to sit down with the employee for that all important person-to-person meeting. Give the meeting the preparation and priority it deserves-the same as you would expect for your own personal appraisal with your manager
If possible, schedule a brief meeting with the employee to discuss the upcoming review. The main purpose of this meeting is to ensure that you and the employee have some common understanding of the topics you'll be covering in the appraisal document.
Don't allow this preliminary meeting to become formal in any way. Stay focused on the topics, don't discuss your preconceived evaluations, if you have any.
Schedule the formal appraisal meeting several days in advance. Allow the employee the opportunity to prepare whatever he or she wants to say. Be sure to allow ample time for the meeting.
Select a meeting place that is both comfortable and quiet. Arrange your schedule so that you won't be interrupted during the meeting.
Always begin the meeting by providing positive feedback. Point out specific accomplishments, noting how they have contributed to the group's efforts.
Emphasise problem solving and concentrate on future actions that can be taken in any areas that need improvement.
Avoid discussing motivation and personal issues. Concentrate on the employee's behaviour and the consequences of that behaviour to the individual and the organization. This is a good opportunity to stress the requirements of the job.
Always allow the employee the opportunity to discuss his or her feelings and reactions to your input and feedback.
Listen to the employee. Encourage reactions and suggestions – allow him or her to say what they need to say.
If there are areas that need improvement, encourage the employee to come up with potential solutions.
If the employee disagrees with you, allow him or her to state their feelings. Listen without arguing or defending your point of view. Be prepared to adjust your viewpoints, if necessary.
If the employee has a satisfactory or better rating, set objectives for the next period. You can either discuss the objectives in the appraisal meeting or schedule a follow-up meeting.
If the employee has unsatisfactory performance, work together to create a development plan. Follow whatever guidelines your organization might have for performance improvement plans. In general, such plans:
If the problems are severe, or improvement has not been demonstrated in the past, the development plan might also contain a written warning about the consequences to the employee of not meeting the goals in the plan.
Setting Objectives
Setting objectives with employees – establishes clear expectations. Effective objective setting can help foster a spirit of greater cooperation as well as contribute to higher productivity and morale.
An employee's objectives should relate directly to the key areas of responsibilities for their job description. The key areas identify the most important skills and behaviours necessary for success. Effective objectives are:
When writing specific objectives, always include the following components:
Writing employee appraisals is a task that some managers find tedious and sometimes daunting. Operating under the stress of tight deadlines and the need to always stay objective can be a problem. However, from the employee's perspective ~ the appraisal document and meeting can be the most important factors in their career development. It deserves your time and attention.
For more information please contact AgCareers.com at email@example.com.


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An ambitious weightlifter has been given permission to compete at a prestigious national event as he pursues European qualification.
Josh Lynch, a Year 9 pupil at Rydal Penrhos, will take his place against much older and more experienced opposition at the British University and College Championships, which take place from April 21-22 at the St Mary's Tennis Centre in London.
The 14-year-old is looking to add to his impressive list of accolades at the showcase, and has been working hard in the hope of securing the necessary target to book his place at the European Championships as part of the Team GB squad.
This is the sports scholar's last opportunity to qualify for the international competition, and he has been training incredibly hard both in the presence of Rydal Penrhos' strength and conditioning staff and in his own time with Commonwealth Games athlete Harry Misangyi.
He said: "Although he did not make the total he needed at the Oldbury Open, he still came away with a personal best snatch and total.
"Every competition Josh is learning and improving, and he performed really well considering his warm up was not so great.
"Josh has been given permission to lift at the British University and College Championships despite his young age, as this is his final opportunity to qualify for the European Youths.
"He has been training hard and smart ahead of his competition. I'm very excited to see the end result of this short cycle."


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All across the country, we're hearing and seeing incidents that involve bullying at an alarming rate. We read and hear stories of triumphant celebrations of situations that are brought to light by victims as they overcome the oppression. Sadly, with that are heartbreaking stories of those that succumbed to the power play between them and the bully.
Recently, I needed to confront this monster face to face myself as one of my sons informed me of an episode that took place with him. I have never had to face this before as their dad handled such conflicts. My first reaction was to march to this other child's home who dared to think he could dominate, hurt and threaten MY son! Common sense prevailed and the thought was just that...a thought. It's heartbreaking to one day realize that there is something, someone in existence that's playing a role in preventing you from protecting your children. Nothing makes a parent feel more powerless and helpless than the inability to keep their children safe.
What is bullying? "Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behaviour among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behaviour is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumours, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.
There has been quite a bit of "how to" and "what to do" propaganda in circulation in light of recent events. Yes, I agree that bullying is unnecessary, preventable and without a doubt tragic. I also agree that there are certain steps that both a parent and the child must take in order for the acts to be contained and stopped! I can sit here and tell you that as a parent, I DID those very things that all agencies, websites, counsellors and advocates tell a parent that they are "supposed" to do. That worked fine when my kids were little.
What happens when they become teenagers and are now caught up in the peer pressure of "Don't Be a Snitch"? What happens when the stigma of "snitching" on peers overwhelms your child's instincts to trust the system? Why is it so difficult for so many teens to follow the guidelines that were instilled in them from a very young age? "Snitching" happens to be a term common among teens and is something I've been dealing with recently. It segregates them from the accepted group...the one that stands out...the one that is now a target to be bullied.
It's one thing when they're able to come home and talk to dad about this. What now that dad isn't around, and mom is the one you rely on? The simplest of solutions was counter intimidation. In spite of all that we're taught, the reality and my experience has been that an alpha personality needs to make themselves present in a way that basically shows the opponent -- hey, don't mess with me! I realize that is counter-intuitive to everything we are taught on how to handle such conflicts"? In a classic textbook scenario, yes, I would 100 per cent follow the steps on how to resolve this conflict:
1) Walk away from the situation
2) Notify the yard duty and/or teacher
3) Inform the parents
4) Escalate to Principal if needed
5) Mediate with parents of other child(ren) if necessary
According to a recent article in the Huffington Post, children who are upset or withdrawn because their parents have separated -- especially if they've had to move and change communities or schools -- are quickly identified by bullies as easy marks."
As a parent of children coming from a hostile environment, I have a fairly different set of responsibilities in addition to the traditional safe-guarding of our children. We have to:
a) Establish a rapport and a relationship with teachers & school authorities that are very open and candid. They are our allies, our ears, and our eyes in an extremely vulnerable and sensitive time of our lives.
b) Establish trust and open communication with your child in the event that an unfortunate incident (be it bullying or something else) occurs.
c) Don't react -- Remember, your teen is feeling the emotions 100 times more magnified than you are. They're the ones LIVING the hell day to day. Be sensitive to them and the situation. Most importantly, LISTEN to them.
d) Make yourself available -- it's easy to get lost in your own drama. Make them a priority. Think back to when you were their age and put yourself in their shoes. All they want is for you to listen and understand them.
e) Actions speak louder than words. Show, not just tell them that they are a priority. Don't assume that they know what's on your and their mind. Ask, probe and Yes... be nosy! Resistance today is welcomed tomorrow.
f) Instil in them early on that they are not alone! It's easy as a teen to find an excuse to isolate yourself. Be a nag, be inquisitive -- do it lovingly, stay involved in their day-to-day life.
g) Be there for them. As clichéd as this sounds -- BE THERE! Refer to my post on "Let's Go for A Drive" When they open the door to communicating with you, nothing else should take priority! Listen, talk, verbalize, communicate and connect with them.
These are not guaranteed rules or techniques for helping to curtail bullies. They are however guides to establishing trust and understanding within your family dynamics that have worked for me and my two sons, that may prevent and help a situation that could have otherwise let to tragedy or destruction. As a parent who values and prides in a good relationship with her adolescent children, I cannot stress to you enough the importance of establishing trust, transparency and communication.
By Vaishali Sharda
Follow Vaishali on Twitter @v4vaishali
Read more about Vaishali's story:


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GURPS: The Serpent's Skull
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Game Premise
- The PCs begin the Adventure Path as passengers on a cargo ship called the Jenivere, headed south to Sargava. The voyage promises not only to bring your characters together as you face adversity, but also to set you on a path into the very heart of one of Golarion's most feared regions in search of wealth, fame, and ancient secrets. PCs in the Serpent's Skull Adventure Path are not limited to origins in Sargava itself. In fact, characters in this campaign may be from just about anywhere. Countless motivations draw the daring, curious, and downright foolhardy to Sargava with the hope of attaining personal fame and fortune, and your PCs likely boast a variety of backgrounds and decidedly different reasons for traveling to Sargava's capital city.
World Information
- Locations of interest in the Sargava region and beyond.
- Important NPCs.
- Races and customizations of racial templates. Very important if you're playing a nonhuman.
- You should have available to you the following GURPS books (either yours, or from someone you can borrow them from regularly)
- GURPS Basic Set: Characters
- GURPS Basic Set: Campaigns
- GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 1: Adventurers
- You will want to have access to parts of the following under some circumstances.
- GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 2: Dungeons (players really only need the first half, but expect it to be referenced frequently)
- GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 3: The Next Level (contains all the nonhuman races and the 50 point "Multiclass" lenses - not necessary if you're playing a human and are happy with the templates as presented).
- GURPS Low Tech: I will be using the weapons and equipment from this book over those in the Basic Set. However, you can get by with just the GCA data file and my cheat sheet if all you need is the weapons and armor.
- GURPS Magic
Recommended for every physical or equipment-based character, and probably useful for everyone else:
- GURPS Martial Arts
- GURPS Low Tech (Everything Else In It).
Required for any spell caster
- GURPS Magic
Recommended for divine characters:
- GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 7: Clerics
- GURPS Powers - Divine Favor (Clerics may choose to substitute Divine Favor for Power Investiture + spells and the usual Holy Might powers - or supplement one with the other, but this option is expensive.
- Anything "Dungeon Fantasy" is generally useful, but may not be useful for everyone.


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How long is each segment?
What will you hear at The Gospel at the Center, our next webcast?
We're fast approaching the launch of our latest webcast, The Gospel at the Center. This free online event is designed to help churches center every aspect and area of their ministry on the gospel, and features 28 presenters including Matt Chandler, Jen Wilkin, Dhati Lewis, and J.D. Greear!
With this many speakers, you're going to hear some incredible teaching. In fact, we're so excited about it, we want to share a session with you right now! Watch this session from Brian Dembowczyk, "The Cure for Biblical Moralism":
Brian's message is just the beginning. We've divided The Gospel at the Center into eight distinct segments focusing on every area of the life of the church from building our foundation to living on mission. Each segment can be watched on its own or as part of the larger whole, so you and your team can take the time to watch and discuss at your own pace. Here's a look at the full list:
Building a Gospel-Centered Foundation
- Brian Dembowcyzk: The Cure to Biblical Moralism
- Jeff Vanderstelt: Saturating Your Experience in the Gospel
- Matt Chandler: Holding Fast to the Gospel
Developing Gospel-Centered Hearts
- Trevin Wax: The Gospel vs Being True to Yourself
- Sharon Hodde Miller: How Humility Encourages Gospel Culture
- Nancy Guthrie: Grieving in a Gospel Culture
- Michael Kelley: Becoming Mature in a Gospel Culture
Exploring a Gospel-Centered World
- Matt Capps: The Gospel and Beauty
- Barnabas Piper: How Gospel Culture Embraces Curiosity
- Kevin Jones: Removing the Stain of Racism from the Church
- Aaron Armstrong: Gospel-Centered Theological Disagreement
Raising Gospel-Centered Kids
- Jana Magruder: Parenting in a Gospel Culture
- Anna Sargeant: Teaching Gospel Truths to Young Children
- Trillia Newbell: Helping Kids Celebrate God's Very Good Idea
- Danielle Bell: Sending Kids on Mission
Shaping Gospel-Centered Students
- Ben Trueblood: The Christ-Centered Life
- Dean Inserra: Sexual Purity in a Gospel Culture
- Shaq Hardy: Theology is for Students
Growing as Gospel-Centered Leaders
- Bubba Jennings: Gospel Culture and Congregational Care
- Eric Geiger: Gospel Culture When a Leader Falls
- Ray Ortlund: Finishing Well in a Gospel Culture
Cultivating Gospel-Centered Churches
- Jen Wilkin: The Gospel, Women and the Culture
- Micah Fries: Discipline, Sin, and Grace
- Matt Papa: Gospel Culture and Worship
Living a Gospel-Centered Mission
- Ed Stetzer: Revitalizing a Gospel Culture
- Dhati Lewis: Preaching the Gospel in an Urban Context
- Paul Martin: Gospel Centrality in a Post-Christian Context
- JD Greear: Creating a Sending Culture
The Gospel at the Center Webcast will be available to stream on-demand beginning at 10 am CT on May 21, 2018. Register today!
Really I'm very excited
Super excited! I invited my Kids Min team – the numbers are trickling in, and several are coming… yay for that! We're gathering Monday evening, BYO take out, and watching at least the segments targeting kids min… and will go from there. 🙂
Thank you so much for providing this free and valuable resource! I am telling / passing it on to chairs in each ministry!


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Obsession for Men by Halrloprillalar / prillalar
Prince of Tennis, Oishi/Eiji, 1300 words, PG.
By the time Eiji got there, Oishi was almost weak with anticipation. "You're late," he said and his voice nearly cracked.
"I was shopping." Eiji pushed past Oishi into the house. His hair brushed against Oishi's face and tickled his nose.
"I don't have much free time today." Oishi reached to hug Eiji. Eiji handed him a heavy plastic bag.
"I wasn't sure what to get, so I picked up a bunch of different things."
"It's too bad, but I have a lot of extra work to do. A lot of homework and next week's practice schedules." Bowling league at seven. When he'd rather be watching TV with Eiji sprawled on top of him. Or, better, doing other things.
"Since Tezuka went and got himself sick." Eiji frowned, his lower lip pushing almost into a pout. Oishi wanted to bite it, to suck it into his mouth.
"Yes, exactly. But we do have the house to ourselves for the afternoon." Heat rushed into his face, it still made him embarrassed. "So we can--"
"We're making soup!"
For three seconds, Oishi wondered if "making soup" was maybe a colourful euphemism for what he'd been thinking about all weekend. Then Eiji took an apron out of his backpack.
"So he'll get well." Eiji pulled the apron over Oishi's head. "When Tezuka is sick," he said, "you have to do twice as much work. And then you're too busy to hang out with me." He slid his arms around Oishi's waist and tied the apron behind him. Oishi leaned closer, reaching with his free hand, but Eiji sprang back before he could hold on.
"It's nice of you to think of Tezuka," Oishi said. "Did I mention my parents are out all afternoon?"
"It's vegetable soup," Eiji said and went into the kitchen.
Oishi looked down at the apron. There was a duck on it.
When Oishi got into the kitchen, Eiji was on his toes, stretching up to pull a pot off the top of the shelves. Oishi knew where there was a step-stool, but instead of being a nice boy and getting it, he just stared at Eiji's shoulders, at the flash of skin where his shirt pulled away from his jeans, at his ass. Because Oishi was unhealthily obsessed.
He'd tried not to be, but it turned out that you actually can't stop being unhealthily obsessed just by trying. Or by meditation and healthy occupations. Or cold water and self-manipulation.
Then just when he was on the verge of apologizing to Tezuka and transferring to another school, Eiji tackled him in his own bedroom and ever since, Oishi had been wandering around in a pink-coloured haze of obsessed happiness that he only felt slightly guilty about.
"You chop the carrots." Eiji took the bag from Oishi and tossed vegetables at him. "And the radish. Broccoli. Squash." Oishi missed the squash and it thumped to the floor. The feathery tops of the carrots tickled Oishi's nose. It wasn't as nice as Eiji's hair.
Oishi piled the vegetables on the counter. "How much should I chop?"
"Whatever looks good." Eiji opened one drawer, then another. "Do you have a grater?"
"What does the recipe say?"
"Real cooks don't use recipes."
"But what if it doesn't turn out?" They couldn't show up at Tezuka's with sub-standard soup. What would he think? "It might make him sicker."
"My cooking always turns out." Eiji frowned and Oishi felt a ripple of unease in the pit of his stomach. Then Eiji laughed. "Don't worry!" He poked Oishi in the duck.
So Oishi chopped while Eiji darted around behind him, humming and grating and pouring. He did seem to know what he was doing. Eiji always seemed to know what he was doing. Even when they were doing...that...Eiji had an uncanny ability to do the exact things to Oishi that turned him into a shivering melting unhealthily obsessed pink-cloud wreck of god more yes now please. Oishi always worried that he didn't measure up, that Eiji was just being kind.
"The carrots look yummy." Eiji grabbed a piece and crunched it enthusiastically. "Here." He picked up another and held it up to Oishi's mouth. Oishi opened and Eiji pushed it past Oishi's lips. His fingers brushed Oishi's tongue and Oishi had to lean against the counter to keep his knees from buckling.
Eiji went back to his soup pot and Oishi sneaked glances at him: his hair falling over his cheek, a scrape on his arm from Friday's practice, his waist twisting as he reached for-- "What's that?"
"Inui juice." Eiji unscrewed the top of the bottle. "What does it look like?"
"Eiji, that's sake."
"Don't worry, the alcohol cooks off. Tezuka won't get tipsy." He took a quick swig. "Want a taste?"
"But we're underage!" They could get drunk and caught and expelled and the whole team disqualified from tennis.
"Come on." Eiji held the bottle out, doing that thing with his eyes where they were huge and almost sad, which is what probably caused the whole unhealthy obsession in the first place. Oishi took the bottle and tipped it up.
It nearly choked him. He coughed and sputtered as the sake burned its way down his throat and half into his trachea. Eiji rescued the bottle and banged him on the back. "Isn't it gross?" He poured the rest into the pot. Oishi heaved in breath and blinked back the water in his eyes. How lame. How uncool.
That was probably it. Eiji thought Oishi was stupid. He was tired of him, tired of Oishi's lameness and lousy kissing. The soup was just an excuse to get out of being with him. Oishi blinked again. It was still hard to breathe. The whole room smelled like booze. Oishi opened a window.
"Okay," Eiji said. "The soup has to come to a boil, then simmer until it's done."
Oishi rinsed off the cutting board. He let the water run over his hands, closing his eyes. There was a lump of ice behind his chest, making him slow and sad and stupid. Everything sucked. The afternoon sucked. The piles of work to do sucked. Bowling was going to suck. And lame obsessed Oishi sucked most of all.
He should just tell Eiji something, that it was okay, he didn't have to be here, wasting his time. He clenched his hands and took a deep breath. "Eiji," he said.
Eiji slid up behind him and wrapped his arms around Oishi's chest, rubbing his nose behind Oishi's ear. "It's fun to make you wait," he said.
The ice melted in a flash of heat and Oishi almost laughed. "Eiji," he said again, too relieved to even be annoyed. Eiji squirmed closer and kissed Oishi's throat and then Oishi was too turned on to be much of anything but unhealthily obsessed.
"Did you say your parents were out?" Eiji said and grabbed Oishi's ass.
Everything went pink.
"I forgot to turn down the heat." Eiji poked at the scorched mess. "It's all your fault."
"My fault?" Oishi wondered how long it would take to scour the pot. But at least the air didn't smell like sake anymore.
"You distracted me." Eiji grinned. "You looked so cute in that apron."
"Eiji!" Oishi could feel the colour rising in his face. He smiled back. "Poor Tezuka, though."
Eiji shrugged. "He'll be fine." He grabbed Oishi's hand. "Let's watch TV."
"But what about the kitchen?" Besides the pot, there were knives and measuring cups left out, bits of vegetables and spills of spices on the countertop.
"We'll do it later." Eiji pulled Oishi into the other room and they tumbled down in front of the television, Eiji lying across Oishi's lap. Oishi couldn't make himself feel even a little bit guilty.
Oishi didn't get his homework done. He had to copy last week's practice schedules. He got in trouble with his parents for the mess.
But he bowled a perfect game.


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What an exciting few days here in the Chipojo Lab. Dr. Alex Gunderson (as you can see in the post below) successfully defended his dissertation on Friday . . .
And now Manuel Leal is back in the New York Times!
|A view inside the lizard chamber.
The lab is extremely excited that our research have been featured in the Science Section of the New York Times for a THIRD time! That says a lot about the ability of our work to interest a general audience, something that we take very seriously and are especially proud of.
Manuel Leal and Brian Powell's study on behavioral flexibility in Anolis evermanni is featured in an article on reptile cognition. You can read more about the research or watch a short video that discusses the work here. For those of you too lazy to click the link, I've included a magnificent photo of El Jefe below. CONGRATS!!!!


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In what could be seen as a preemptive strike against Apple's rumored movie-rental service, Netflix Monday announced unlimited streaming of movies and TV episodes to the PCs of its more than 8 million subscribers.
According to the movie rental service, all subscribers on an unlimited rental plan can stream as many movies and TV episodes to their PCs as they want. Previously, streaming was handled as a metered service, with subscribers limited to monthly caps on online viewing based on their monthly membership fee. Netflix currently offers 6,000 movies and TV episodes for streaming to subscribers; unlimited rental plans with Netflix start at $8.99 a month.
The Netflix streaming service is currently available only to Windows users. However, last August, the company promised via a post on its community blog that it planned to add Mac compatibility, most likely through Microsoft's Silverlight video plug-in.
Netflix's announcement comes on the eve of Steve Jobs' keynote at Macworld Expo. It's widely expected that Tuesday's keynote will include some announcement involving movie rentals via Apple's iTunes Store, which currently only offers downloads of feature-length movies.
Last month, reports began circulating that Apple and News Corp. reached a deal to offer Twentieth Century Fox movies for rent via iTunes. Besides Twentieth Century Fox, Apple is said to be holding similar talks about online movie rentals with Sony Pictures Entertainment, Paramount and Warner Bros.
"It's had to gauge whether its in response to something hasn't happened," said Michael Gartenberg, vice president and research director at JupiterResearch, referring to Apple's unannounced foray into the movie rental business. "If Apple is getting into the movie rental business, it will be disruptive."
However, Gartenberg says the reason many of the online rental services have not been successful in the past is because such a service is usually tied to your PC. Without some way of getting a video to your TV, you are stuck watching it on your computer.
If Apple does announce a movie rental service, it will presumably work with existing Apple products, meaning the Apple TV, iPod and the Mac.
But will Netflix's move hurt any potential Apple sales? Gartenberg doesn't think so.
"At the end of the day if you're a Netflix customer, this is an added bonus, but it's not a reason to join Netflix," said Gartenberg. "It's an interesting concept, but it's not something that's going to take the world by storm."


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Last Saturday, a group of my friends who believe in the power of prayer came together at my house for our first of many Praying Parent Back to School Bash get-togethers. We fellowshipped (socialized and ate…good) and we spent an hour talking about the importance of prayer and daily devotion. Most importantly, we prayed together for our own children and each other's children. Our prayers were specific and intentional. We prayed together in agreement, on one accord. It was truly an amazing experience! That's the beauty of corporate prayer!
As we talked and shared out loud our concerns and God-sized prayers for our children, the Womacks shared the principles that they recite with their kids each day. Every praying parent in our group, including Uncle Phil, loved the principles. We all wanted a copy. The words struck a nerve in our value system as we listened intently and agreed with the core beliefs of each saying. We all want our kids to be prosperous and productive. We all want our children to live out God's purpose in their lives. And because of that, I feel compelled to share with you. So here is the list of principles, or words to live by, if you would like to incorporate them into your daily lives.
Click Words to Live By to download.