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"Don't Take Their Word For It": Waiting for Evidence on the New SAT & ACT
Blog Post
July 20, 2016
Recent changes to federal education law give states explicit permission to ditch their old high school assessments and use college entrance exams like the SAT and ACT to evaluate the performance of their schools instead. Close to ten states have jumped at the opportunity in the last year alone: Connecticut's legislature, for instance, recently passed legislation discontinuing high school end-of-course exams mid-year and replaced them with the SAT. Oklahoma also began a pilot program to administer the ACT to 11th students across their state, and shortly after, eliminated their current program of high school tests.
During a National Forum hosted by the Education Commission of the States this June, representatives from both Connecticut and Oklahoma shared more about their states' approaches. Gayle Slossberg, State Senator from Connecticut, spoke with enthusiasm about her state's swift transition to the SAT, which happened mid-school year. She and other lawmakers believed it was the right choice for students so, she said, "we thought: why should we wait?" In contrast, Joy Hofmeister, Oklahoma's State Superintendent, lauded her department's pilot program, saying that Oklahoma would not be quick to rush into a full commitment to a new assessment plan. Instead, she said, Oklahoma would wait to see the science on new assessments, because "it would be a disservice to simply go with what's popular."
If the trend toward using college entrance exams like the SAT and ACT to evaluate schools continues, states should consider Oklahoma's pilot as a model for implementation. I have made the case before that the sole use of college entrance exams in high schools poses a risk to the quality of learning, the efficacy of accountability systems, and ultimately, the success of high school students. Given these potential pitfalls, states looking for an effective long-term test option should allow sufficient time to determine whether college entrance exams are appropriate measures of student learning before fully committing to them.
After adopting the Common Core State Standards back in 2010, many states collaborated to develop an effective long-term test option, spending years developing and piloting the PARCC and Smarter Balanced assessments before fully committing to them. Both the PARCC and Smarter Balanced assessments—which many states recently replaced (or are considering replacing) with the SAT or ACT—have also been subject to independent evaluation. A recent study conducted by the Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO) evaluated both PARCC and Smarter Balanced (in addition to the ACT Aspire, a system of assessments for lower grades offered by ACT Inc, and MCAS, the Massachusetts high school subject assessments) on three major elements of test quality: their alignment to the Common Core State Standards, the depth of 'thinking skills' assessed, and how accessible they are for English Language Learners (ELLS) and students with learning differences. Researchers found that PARCC and Smarter Balanced were strongly aligned to the Common Core standards, and generally possessed equal or greater depth than both ACT Aspire and MCAS.
No such research yet validates the SAT or ACT exams. We do not yet have evidence that these college entrance exams are aligned to the Common Core State Standards, much less to state-specific standards like Oklahoma's. The College Board (the developers of SAT) released a new version of the exam this school year, which they market as aligned to the Common Core. Meanwhile, ACT Inc. says that their exam is updated incrementally, but stop just short of saying that they are aligned to the Common Core. Whatever their official stances are on alignment to the Common Core specifically, and college-ready standards in general, neither vendor has had sufficient time to submit their claims to independent research. Until they do, states have no evidence, beyond these two organizations' assurances, that the new versions of these college entrance exams are aligned to their state's standards.
If states were using these exams purely to ease the process of applying to college, this shift might not be such a risk. But when states throw out their grade-level or subject-specific tests in favor of a college entrance exam, they have no other source of uniform data about how students are performing on their state academic standards. Left with only their college entrance exam, states must count on that test to give accurate information on how students are performing in high school. Until they can be assured that the information students receive from those tests is actually aligned to what they've learned in school, it is a fairly large risk to a) deprive students of any other shared information on how they are progressing in school and b) hold those students, educators, schools, districts, and the state accountable for results.
Given these concerns, states that feel compelled to drop their high school assessments in favor of the SAT or ACT would do well to adopt a more measured "wait and see" approach like Oklahoma's. That way, at least, they will have several years to determine whether or not the perceived benefits of using a college entrance exam outweigh the risks. Beginning with a pilot program at least increases the likelihood that if states decide to bring college entrance exams to scale, they will be able to do so effectively.
In another session on the future of state accountability systems, another state policymaker urged states to wait for the evidence to come in before adopting statewide college entrance exams: "don't take their word for it."


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Tory Lanez Reveals "Memories Don't Die" Cover Art & Tracklist.
Tory Lanez is all set to release his new album 'Memories Don't Die' on March 2nd and today he decided to reveal the official Cover Art and Tracklist. The tracklist contains 18 tracks with guest appearances from Future, NAV, 50 Cent, Fabolous, Wiz Khalifa and more. Check out the full tracklist below and artwork above.

subset: commoncrawl


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John Oliver & Wife Welcomed Baby THREE Months Ago
Secret baby alert! At the 2018 Emmy Awards Governors Ball, John Oliver spilled the beans that he and his wife Kate Norley welcomed a baby three months ago.
Oliver won an Outstanding Variety Talk Series award for Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, and he confessed that he didn't know where he'd put it: "I have no idea! We have a 3-month-old, so as far away from the 3-month-old as possible." The pair also share a 2-year-old son. He says that despite being "tired," having two is pretty awesome: "It's bewildering [and] exhausting juggling that and the show, but no, it's the greatest."
So what are the new baby's hobbies and interests? "Sleeping, s—ing and crying, in perfect rotation."
Photo: You Tube


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Today's project is brought to you by Guest Designer Karin Adamczyk from SDIVADesigns.
I have been steering away from traditional scrapbooking for some time now. I have been dabbling in painting, Copic colouring, journaling, planner decorating and lettering. While watching video after video on all these techniques, I learned about the traveler's journal world and got myself a passport sized Midori.
I love this one because it is small enough to keep in my purse at all times so that I can take notes when we travel and journal during the trip.
At first, my Midori was a bit boring because all my inserts looked like this one--plain and undecorated. Then I learned that people decorate the fronts of their inserts. I pulled out the items above to decorate with and used Miss Kate Cuttables' The World Awaits set to add some special touches. I cut the pieces with my Silhouette Cameo. Since the colour of the cover is quite dark, I used some gesso to highlight my design. The airplane was a bit too big for the cover so I cut it to fit. I used my Xyron sticker maker to apply adhesive to my pieces and then placed them on the cover. I ended up not using the washi tape shown in my picture above.
I love the final result and can't wait to start working on my journal this weekend. We are only taking a short road trip, but it's a start!


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Don't worry. Now quotes are
Quick Quote
After your quote submission
We'll connect with you in
The Rapid 106 Electric Stapler is the first and only "gangable" combination stapler ever introduced to the printing industry. When operated in either flat or saddle position, R106 stapler is capable of stapling from 2 to 45 sheets.
Group Stapling Kit Features:
R106 stapler options:
Staple Guide:
Just 3 fast & easy steps!
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These are tools used to optimize a campaign's performance.
Whitelisting is an inclusionary tool, meaning that when certain parameters within a parent group are whitelisted, only those whitelisted parameters will be targeted. Whitelisting any additional parameters will then include the new parameters in the campaign targeting white list. Only those parameters on the campaign white list will receive traffic.
Blacklisting is an exclusionary tool, meaning that when certain parameters within a parent group are blacklisted, they will not receive any traffic at all. All traffic will be directed towards non-blacklisted parameters. Parameters on the black list will receive no traffic.
Bid overrides is an extremely important tool to ensure campaign profitability. Using the bid override feature, you can alter the bid that will be entered based on individual parameters. So if you find a given phone model has been extremely profitable and you want more of that traffic, you can increase your bid for that specific model to increase the amount of quality traffic that you receive.
include exclude


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I have been living on the edge of light and shadow all my life, unsure of where I belong, searching for my place. I wish I could find peace and close my eyes forever, but that time has not yet come. - The Shaman
|Savannah M. Delgado
|Portrayed By
|Madison Pettis
|Place of Birth
|Omaha, NE
|Date of Birth
|April 19
|About that…
|First Appeared
|The Silent Ones
For most of her young life Savannah never knew she had an alien consciousness sleeping in the back of her head. She had the normal childhood, raised by loving parents, her mother ran a day care center and her father was a Vet. She was surrounded by family and lots of pets. They all lived in a nice home in a decent part of Omaha. She had a great love for music from an early age and her parents encouraged this.
After high school she was accepted into Julliard where she continued to play the flute, and began to sing. It wasn't long before she had a recording contract and she cut an album. It wasn't huge hit, but it did make the Billboard top 100 and few of the songs got radio air time. It was while on tour that the voice in her brain woke up and things began to go down hill for her. With the voice warring for dominance in her brain, her performances suffered and her ranting about how something was trying to take over her brain, had both her manager and her parents institutionalizing her.
Months passed with her in the psyche ward, housed with the severe cases due to her violent fits of temper brought on by the voice trying to take over. EST was prescribed and it wasn't until a few treatments later that the voice decided to play nice and merged peacefully with the human personality. A Silencer was born.
The Arrival happened while she was still institutionalized, but she had been moved to a less secure area, so that when the EMP blast hit and all the security systems failed she was able to slip out easily. It wasn't that long of a walk home and her parents were quite surprised, but considering how everything was going to hell they thought she would be safer. Things were okay until after the second wave, they had survived. It was when the looting and the every man for himself sentiment started that things got bad. A gang of thugs broke into their house, her parents killed, she was recognized though and instead of killing her, they captured her, quickly knocking her out and hauling her off. The following weeks will not be spoken off but they were not at all pleasant and broke parts of her brain. It was a relief when the plaque hit. She sat and watched while one ganger after another bleed to death. She collected a few of their weapons and enough supplies and set off. She had no plan except for her own survival. The next month was spent dodging bandits and other Silencers like herself. If other Silencers knew she wasn't killing the humans like she was supposed to, they would kill her on sight.
It was while she was camped outside a small town when the first of the little ones came. She was quietly playing her flute one evening when a small girl came into her camp. The child was stick thin and dirty. It was a wonder the child had survived. Her heart broke for the little one. And it was from then on that she searched the towns she passed through for young ones and collected them. She scavenged a couple of wagons and with her entourage began to search for a safe place for them and the one she suspected was growing inside her and she found it, in Camp Hope.
Pied-Piper or Piper for short is young woman that seems to be just about in her early 20's. Her figure is petite, features youthful, but with the curves associated with womanhood. Additionally, she has one of those faces that looks vaguely familiar, like you may have seen her before but can't remember where. Maybe on the cover of some magazine, she certainly has the exotically beautiful looks for it.
Her skin is a light brown, freckles splash across her nose and eyes nearly black that don't show much in the way of emotion. Black hair thick, kinky and with a mind of its own falls to just past her waist…and there is /so/ much of it. So much that it tries to escape the barrettes and bobby pins used to hold it back from her face.
She wears a black t-shirt, Music is my Religion' circling a treble clef, under an oversize ochre cardigan with green flecks, jeans that nearly fit but are to long and the hem has to be cuffed. As for shoes, that's a big nope. She's barefoot.
Pied Piper came by her nick name honestly, and since no one knows her real name that's what they are stuck calling her, or Piper for short. You see she plays the flute and is usually followed by a flock on children. Woe be the person that tries to harm any of these children. Piper may have beauty queen looks, but that rifle she has strapped to her back isn't just for show. She knows how to use it and use it well.
Since arriving in Stratford, shortly after giving birth to a healthy baby boy she named Quinn, she has started to come out of her shell. She is more open to talking to people once she is used to them, but usually not more than a few words. Only certain people can get real meaningful dialog out of her..unless she is caught on a really good day. It's still advised that no moves are made to touch her, there are exceptions but as a rule it is a good one to follow. She'll either lash out or freak out. Neither is good.
It has become apparent over the months she has been with the group that she is a musician. She is a singer first, and those that have heard her sing would say she has the voice of an angel. She also plays, put an instrument in her hand, namely the flute, guitar or piano and she can coax a tune from it. She composes, plays and collects anything related to music. It is a sure fire way to get on her good side. So is peanut butter.
RP Hooks
The Flock Children can be trouble makers, the ones she rescued and cares for are no exception.
Musical She loves music, and misses listening to it. If you have any musical talent and she finds out you can bet she will be there occasionally to listen.
Performer In her previous, Pre-Arrival life, Piper was a student at Julliard, performed on stage in front of thousands, in several countries, singing operatic and Broadway tunes as well as playing her flute and was in several Broadway musicals. She even had a top 100 album. Maybe you recognize her from her many appearances on stage, magazines and/or on TV. Her hair was straight then but she looks pretty much the same otherwise, and still doesn't wear shoes.
Scavenging She isn't all that great at it, but she likes to do it. Or maybe she just likes to look through people's houses and imagine what the previous owners lives were like. Either way she will go scavenge with you, just ask.
Selective Mutism She isn't much of a talker. Strangers get nothing. Acquaintances and friends can get a few syllables here and there, more possibly on really good days. There are only one or two that can get real conversation from her. They know who they are.
Hates Shoes Walks around barefoot. What will she do when winter comes?
Over Protective All those children who follow her around. I suggest you try not to harm them or she'll harm you.
Dark Secret She's an alien conscious trapped in a human body…at least that is what she thinks. No one knows this of course, that's why its called a secret.
Beauty The aliens aren't stupid, if you are going to be stuck in a human body or use humans to do your dirty work may as well pick a great looking one. Piper could easily have been a cover girl, instead she was an operatic singer and flutist with a hit album.
Other Quirks:
Anthrophobia She has a fear of people. Sometimes it's mild and other times it is intense depending on her emotional state at the time.
- Worth Living For, Worth Dying For
- Worth Living For, Worth Dying For - The Children
- Friends
- So-So
- Enemies
How did you find me?
Song: Flowers Never Bend With The Rainfall
|Piper's Logs
(2016-10-11) Living With It
(2016-09-21) Is This Goodbye?
(2016-09-13) A Safe Place?
(2016-09-01) Big Mistake?
(2016-08-31) Human Guinea Pig


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Recent natural variability of the Iceland Scotland Overflows on decadal to millennial timescales: Clues from the ooze, by Ulyssess S. Ninnemann adn David J. R. Thornalley; Potential for paleosalinity reconstructions to provide information about AMOC variability, by Kaustubh Thirumalai and Julie Richey; The potential for the long-lived bivalve Arctica islandica to contribute to our understanding of past AMOC dynamics, by Alan D. Wanamaker Jr., Madelyn J. Mette, and Nina M. Whitney; The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation over decades to centuries: A workshop recap from May 2016, by K. Halimeda Kilbourne
Kristan Uhlenbrock-NCAR/UCAR
Probing the past for keys to the future
program newsletter
Copyright Author(s). Distributed under license by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.


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Parting Shot
Spending 36 years with Minnesota Sea Grant has been absolutely gratifying. When I applied for the fisheries extension position in 1979 I wrote this on my application: Career Goal To work in an aquatic resource position in which I am actively contributing my knowledge and leadership while continuing to learn and grow professionally.
Though perhaps not the most creative statement ever written, I am privileged to say that Sea Grant enabled me to achieve this goal. It was what I felt at the time and now, as I approach retirement, it is what I appreciated most about being part of Minnesota Sea Grant. As I've told many others over the years, "If you ever get bored working for Sea Grant, it's your own damn fault."
I appreciated being part of an organization that is non-advocacy, non-regulatory and that works to address real problems and issues by disseminating science-based information. Sea Grant rarely accomplishes anything without great partnerships. Developing these partnerships and working with teams to help the economy, the environment and people have been rewarding.
Our recent national site review was emblematic of this. A five-member team flew in to evaluate the program mainly with respect to our stakeholder engagement and collaborations. Minnesota Sea Grant staff invited people they work with to speak to this team. These people said truly outstanding things about the program, as did the University of Minnesota Duluth's Chancellor and University of Minnesota's Vice-president for Research. Sometimes we don't fully appreciate how our efforts are so valued by those we work with.
It takes a review like this to force us to examine these relationships with other organizations and the people for whom we work. For me, with retirement looming, the January site visit took on special meaning. It reinforced my satisfaction with spending my entire career with Sea Grant.
And, of course, the people I've worked with at Sea Grant over the years have been very special to me. I don't know if it is the type of work that attracts good, dedicated, passionate people or I've just been lucky to be associated with so many with these characteristics. Over my 36 years, there have been many people that have mentored me, been excellent role models, encouraged me, made me laugh, and just made the work experience feel more like a family experience. One of the things I got the biggest kick out of is when I was sitting in my office and laughter came rolling down the hallway. While I don't know why they were laughing, I took it as a positive sign that things at Minnesota Sea Grant were going well.
I'm going to miss our stakeholders, our collaborators, our Advisory Committee and the folks at Sea Grant both in Minnesota and around the nation. But I look forward to the next chapter with great enthusiasm. For me it is almost like graduating from high school; I knew I was going to college, but I wasn't sure where that would take me. I'm not sure where retirement is going to take me either but I'm going to work hard to enjoy the experience and hope this next stage is as wonderful as the last.
Thanks all of you.
Jeff Gunderson retired on April 1, 2015.
By Jeff Gunderson
June 2015


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Deadpan Cat solves your problems: I'm single and lonely
Deadpan Cat looks forward, not backward; upward, not forward; and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom
How do I meet a special lady?
Dear Deadpan Cat,
I need help with the dating game! I'm 29, most of my friends are taken and I'm struggling to meet the right girl – or any for that matter. I'm not the best looking guy in the world, but I'm loving, romantic and I just want someone to share some laughter and fun times with. What do you suggest I do to meet the right girl?
Lonely in Leicester
Dear Lonely in Leicester
I met my girlfriend while I was chewing grass outside. She catwalked over to me and asked if she could share my patch of lawn. We fel-ine love!!
Maybe you could find a girlfriend through shared interests. From what I can tell from my pet humans, humans like to go poo cleaning, food opening and door opening together. They also like to disappear for hours at a time and then come back in their tin mogwagon.
Perhaps you could join a club for other people who like to open boxes of food, for example, and find a girlfriend who shares your love of pouring it into the bowl?
Deadpan Cat
Do you have a problem for Deadpan Cat? Email his cat-to-human interpreter, email@example.com for answers.


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Electrical and Computer Engineering Department
1.The Series/Parallel Duality.
A comparative review of Series and Parallel circuits.
Step by step solution of complex circuits with this powerful tool.
Four steps to draw your Thevenin's equivalent circuit.
4. Capacitors and Inductors Transient Analysis.
A comparison between Capacitors and Inductors when connected to a DC source.
Step by Step Solutions to examples.
6. Power in AC.
Review of different types of Power in AC elements and circuits.
7. Power calculations with Complex numbers.


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Stylist Spotlight
Gray Matters
Beth Minardi
While it is always exciting to discuss trends, new shades and new color techniques, the fact remains that, financially, the biggest color dollars in salons across the nation center around succesful coverage of gray. While it might not seem "fun" to review all the important details that esnure success when converting gray to another desired shade, this is the stuff that keeps those important clients coming back. Let's face it: When a client decides that they choose NOT to appear gray, they can become extremely loyal, "booked in advance", and long term salon regulars.
As I teach haircolor across the country, colorists regularly complain about their inability to successfully and completely cover gray hair. Sadly, when conducting "hands on" classes, I have learned that all too often, the problem centers around improper application of the color formula.
Remember: Every tiny gray hair that is not completely enveloped in color formula will remain gray. Sectioning the hair into large or wide partings, unfortunately, leads to spotty or incomplete coverage.
I prefer using an applicator bottle, but realize that many colorists prefer the bowl and brush approach. This is a matter of personal preference. While using a large brush can tend to "speed things up", I believe a smaller tint brush, and taking smaller, narrow sections, will assure you not only of better product penetration, but will also avoid "overlapping" of the regrowth color onto the previously colored hair lengths. And, when working on longer hair, I take vertical, rather than horizontal, partings in the hair. I prefer sectioning the hair into 1/8 inch, rather than 1/4 inch sections. And, when I complete the application, I use a tint brush to re-section the hair and "tap the root" with the brush making sure each and every hair is completely saturated with the color formula. Color does NOT penetrate through hair into the untouched hair around it... so the tinier the sectioning.. the more success you will enjoy.
Correct formulation is also important. Color should be mixed according to manufacturer's instructions. And, if a color brand includes a dedicated developer, it is always best to use that developer. I believe the finest gray coverage takes place when color is mixed with 20 volume developer, in the proportion recommended. When using a new brand, it is imperative that you read the instructions regarding coverage of gray. In almost every case, a formula of level 8 or darker will cover gray. Very pale blonde shades or "high lift" shades are NOT intended for gray coverage.
Prior to application, correct color choice is important. Most brands today contain an "N", "NN" or, in the case of Beth Minardi Signature Shades, a BB (balanced brown or balanced blonde) series, which offer you guaranteed coverage of gray, when properly chosen and applied. Keep in mind that these shades tend to be very saturated.. and may appear darker than the level described unless the hair is extremely coarse.... or at least 50% gray. For example. Traditional color theory tells us that a level 5 shade, permanent color, is formulated to transform white (gray) hair to a level 5. Let's say that the "still pigmented" hair which has not yet turned gray is level 3 (medium brown). The gray hair will transform to a level 5 and the level 3, brown hair, will transform to a level 4... creating a gorgeous, completely covered blend of light and lightest brown hair. Gorgeous.... and completely COVERED.
If the client demands a totally "matte", "one color" look (which in most cases looks very fake and "too harsh"), you should choose a shade the same level as the "still pigmented" hair.
Correct development time MATTERS. When using permanent dye, heat accelerates "lift" not deposit. Ammonia or ammonia substitute shades are NOT to be processed with heat when in contact with the scalp. Most brands state that gray can be completely covered in thirty minutes. Traditionally, the maximum development for guaranteed, complete coverage of resistant gray hair is 45 minutes at room temperature.
You may also choose to blend or cover gray, using demi-permanent color. Good demi shades do an amazing job creating gorgeous shade-on-shade.. or very saturated... coverage of gray. Beth Minardi Demi Creme was formlulated to COVER gray completely when correctly formulated and when no lift of the "still pigmented" hair is desired. Other liquid and creme demi brands also do this successfully. And, in my opinion, this allows the advanced colorist to use gray as a soft.. or highly contrasting ... highlight. Most demi-permanent shades can be processed at room temperature.. or with heat. Several, (including mine), cover gray very well when processed with heat for 20 minutes, and then for an additional 20 minutes, at room temperature.
For the career colorist, covering gray can become a highly profitable, artistic. and even "fun" adventure. Taking great care with analysing percentage of gray, observation of the level of hair which is still "pigmented, product choice, formulation, application and processing - all combine to make you the color star you are. So, enjoy those gray clients.. and beautify them with the gorgous salon-created color you offer.


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I'm sad to say that I am writing with one less dog these days. Frazer, who was just 8 years old, said goodbye to us and to his failing body on April 17, and passed through the veil and into the Light. The dynamic of the household has changed with his decision to go. Sparky and Boo have grieved his absence just as I have. It's so quiet. The chaos I always enjoyed is suddenly gone. There is no one to bark insanely for no reason at all.
Frazer was a Shetland sheepdog. A beautiful, big boy with a shiny black coat and a huge white collar. He came into my life when I was mourning the loss of another Sheltie named Faelan. Frazer filled the void Faelan's death created. He was more than just my dog. He was my protector, and my friend, and he saw me through years of difficulty. He died from complications of Cushings disease.
I am endlessly grateful for the wonderful memories he left behind with me. And I am grateful for Sparky and Boo. Dogs are angels on four feet. They ask for precious little, and they give so much. They don't judge us for how we look, or whether or not we have deep pockets. As long as there are retriever rolls in the house, and water in their water bowl, there is very little complaining. . . and even in death, they think, not of themselves, but of us.
My wish for Frazer is that he has a meadow full of sweet grass in which to run, and a body that will not betray him. And I hope that he is able to understand that he meant the world to me. At some point, I will immortalize him in a story. Tonight, we send him our love.


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So like almost a month ago I ran my third Monumental half marathon and then this happened and I couldn't bring myself to blog about my stupid slow race times anymore (even though I believe running\fitness is a totally legit way of both coping with and escaping from life's horrors).
I still kind of feel that way but I'd like to get back into a habit of writing for fun again. I haven't really been spending my free time in a useful way (partially anxiety related and partially just laziness). But I need a recharge, so I'm probably gonna do what I do every few years and start a new blogging challenge. I'm going to try to write something every day for the rest of the year. OMG ROFL RIGHT? But I'm going to try. It's more productive than angry shitposting on Twitter (but maybe less cathartic, haha.) I'd also like to share more of what I'm reading because I love when other bloggers do that.
Anyway, I'm going to cram two race reports into this one post today since they're both so long overdue. (Although maybe that's unwise since I just vowed to start blogging every day…?)
The Monumental Half
I finished in 1:59:37, 163/798 in my division, 905 out of 4798 women and 2459/8114 overall. My PR (STILL, FROM 2012, IS 1:58:36.)
While it's annoying to hit another 1:59 when I feel I could have done better, it was a really beautiful day and a nice race so I'm trying not to feel too discouraged. (Especially since there are far greater things to feel discouraged about these days.)
I think coming away from a bad cold and signing up for three halfs in three months was too much for me. My legs were really beat up after the race; both my heels were in plantar fasciitis hell, and my knees, right quad and my left hamstring were all aching. I felt like I'd run a full marathon instead of a half.
And all for naught! Pretty much the same thing happened in this race that happened in the Indy Half in October: I ran at my goal pace for the first 10 miles and then crashed at 11 and couldn't get it back. Miles 11-13 were 9:14, 9:14, 9:12. And this time it had nothing to do with fueling or hills. I kept up with my gels and this course was flat as fuck. The plantar fasciitis didn't really impact me much while I was running, but afterward it flared in both heels and there were moments in the following week when I was in bed and they were throbbing and on fire. My right quad was still tender and tight.
I took some time off after the race to just work on conditioning, rehabing my heels (it is kind of astonishing and funny just how well the tennis ball thing works) and maintaining my lifting routine. I also ate a whole lot of junk food and gained five pounds.
My first run after the race was a week later, three miles outside that felt like total garbage. I did another week of garbage runs outside and my heels ached after every run. And the quad pain persisted. But then something weird happened: I started running on the treadmill and all the pain vanished almost overnight. (Only slightly exaggerating!) I also started wearing an old pair of running shoes around the house at all times and I think that helped too.
I'd been doing some half-hearted foam rolling on the quad, but I finally laid down on the roller and did a really LONG, HARD quality session and I FINALLY got it. I literally felt the kink smooth out. And so that felt better too. I continued doing short runs on the treadmill and the heel pain stayed away. So there's something about the treadmill that is changing/improving my foot strike in a way that doesn't exacerbate the heel issues. I HATE running on the fucking treadmill, but I'll take it.
Gobble Gallop 5k
This race actually went a lot better than I thought it would, mostly because I went into it with super low expectations. I had done literally no 5k training whatsoever. I hadn't run outdoors in almost a week but I'd done a couple really good treadmill runs and I thought maybe I could finish around 26:00
I finished in 25:23, 139/974 overall, 33 out of 551 women and 6th in my division. So while it was just one more race this year in which I fell just short of a PR, I'm not even mad because check out these splits: 8:05, 8:08, 7:57, and the last .19 was in 6:46!! A girl approached me after we finished and was like, "daaaamn, you were hauling ass there at the end!" (I'm paraphrasing, I don't think she said "damn" or "ass" but you get the idea.) It made me feel so, so good.
Of course the PF came right back after the race and I'm struggling with that again, but it's only mild compared to what I was experiencing earlier this month, and I'm staying on top of it.
All that being said, I have to think that if I can get in shape and do a little training, a January or February 5k PR is within my grasp. (I know I also said in October I was just SURE I'd PR, but FOR REAL THIS TIME.) I'd be thrilled just to finish in 24:59, but something like 24:15 would be really cool.
And last, off topic but I just want to thank everyone who has taken the time to publish their thoughts on the election and the horrifying aftermath, and other issues related to racism, privilege and social justice; among them Sonia, Elle, Caitlin, Angela and Sybil. One of the main reasons I love blogging and have been hesitant to stop even though my creative juices have basically dried up is that I adore the connections I've made online. Whenever I feel like an outsider in real life, there are always people I can connect with online and I'm so grateful for that. (Edited to add: and for those of you who are just trying to get through it, I'm grateful for you too.)


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Decorating a bathroom starting with a theme makes it just plain easier to do. A tropical theme is a favorite for the bathroom and it's the little accessories that can really bring the decor to life. Something as simple as a seashell soap dish works great for easy decorating.
Tropical Theme Decor
Using a tropical theme is an easy and natural way to decorate a bathroom. It's a popular theme because a bathroom is about water and tropical is evocative of water. Goes well together, don't you think?
Luckily for us who are decorating the easy way, there are plenty of bathroom accessories to go with a tropical or beach theme. Besides seashells, think flip-flops for a more whimsical look, or palm trees for a more elegant look.
The Simple Addition of a Seashell Soap Dish
When we are working with easy decorating it's those little accents to our theme that help to make it a complete look. Just the addition of shell shaped or designed soap dish adds one of those little touches. Whether your tropical theme is elegant or whimsical, there is a seashell soap dish that can match.
Creating your bathroom decorating is easiest when you work with themes. To get more ideas on how to work with your themes, take a look at Using Themes to Decorate Your Bathroom.
Some Choices for Shell Soap Dishes
Here I have included three different options to show you how each can fit into your bathroom decor style. For example, the third one on the right is an elegant look. The silver look as well as the carved designed works great when you want a more classic style. This also works well for a guest bathroom.
Shell Soap DishMichel Design Works Glass Soap Dish, Shells, 4-3/4 by 6-1/4-InchLisbeth Dahl Light Silver Shell Shaped Soap Dish
The first soap dish on the left, can work well for a more whimsical bathroom decor style. Just the color alone can work with so many different styles. If your decor style is more eclectic or stylized, like art deco, the first one works well also.
But the middle choice for a shell soap dish can work for well to go with many different styles. Because it is a colorful look, you have many choices for the accent color that you want it to work with. If your color scheme is more in the sand and tan colors, the look of shells matches well but adds a brighter touch to your scheme.
You can see plenty more choices at Tropical Theme Soap Dishes. You can even find other matching accessories to get your bathroom decorated in a tropical or beach theme.


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Survey of Age 55+ Homeowners Signals Increasingly Competitive Housing Market
June 23, 2016
Back to Community Lender Resource Center
We recently commissioned our first survey focusing on homeowners age 55 and over, interviewing nearly 4,900 55+ homeowners. The survey explores the attitudes that this group of Baby Boomers holds toward their current and future housing arrangements – including their overall feeling that owning a home makes financial sense.
The survey also takes a look at their plans for their next living situation (e.g., whether to stay put, buy again or rent, stay in-state or move to a different state, etc.), and garners insight into other aspects of homeownership, including their willingness to help their children become homeowners. The survey findings indicate the opportunities the mortgage industry can expect over the next five years as Boomers head into retirement or are already there.
While the survey shows that many homeowners over the age of 55 prefer to age in their current home, it also reveals that nearly 40 percent prefer to move at least one more time, while 70 percent said they are likely to purchase their next home rather than rent.
So, how will the retiring Boomers impact the housing market and the housing plans of other generations, including Millennials? How will their attitudes toward homeownership affect the aspirations of other potential first-time homeowners?
Dave Lowman, Executive Vice President for Single-Family Business at Freddie Mac, notes that decisions that Baby Boomers and other older homeowners make now will create significant challenges, in addition to opportunities, for the mortgage and housing industries for years to come.
"Whether they buy new homes or decide to refinance and renovate their current ones," he says, "the size of [the Baby Boomer] generation and the fact that they hold close to two-thirds, approximately $8 trillion, of the nation's home equity makes it very important that we watch what they do."
Visit our Consumer Research page and read 55+ers Poised to Have Significant Impact on Housing Market, which highlights key results of this first-time Freddie Mac survey.
More Resources
- See the survey's full findings.
- Vice President and Chief Economist Sean Becketti gives his perspective on the survey results.
The survey was conducted by GfK Public Affairs & Corporate Communications on behalf of Freddie Mac.


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Our Story
Alcance Keys is a digital design and development organization that deals with software and application design and developments. We are an offshore organization that is driven by processes and systems to ensure quality products are delivered in stipulated time.
We believe in adding quality to your business while improving the overall consumer experience of your brand and ensuring higher ROI. We ensure inclusion of best practices and industry standards while developing our wide range of products.
Why Work With Us?
We're able to understand your requirements as per your business. we work to grow your business & your current status.
Alcance Keys provide you very trendy & unique designs for for project. We've our best design team to execute this.
Before we start your project we search about your business field, your compitator status, How to make revenue & ect.
We've very strong design team to create your brand & Website. W've web clean coder web developers.
We provide custom web solutions globally ensuring a global presence, and a splendid word quality is associated with us. This is probably why we have retained most of our clients from the past, and are able to acquire new ones through referrals.
To be the leaders in the IT industry, providing process driven solutions that are tailor made to the audience requirement. Customer satisfaction is the key to good health of an organization, and our processes are driven to give highest levels of customer satisfaction. To improvise and provide services that render industry best practices
We look forward to offer customized web solutions that provide excellent quality, bring in good returns and, are relatively cost effective.
We call our team the techno-managers! We take pride in a team that has the necessary technical knowledge, the exact expertise and experience as well as the managerial skills necessary to adopt tactical strategies to ensure low cost highly productive apps for the client.
Most people on board our organization have more than 2 years of experience in IT. Our recruitment process is stringent, and hence we manage to recruit the best in the industry to bring home quality solutions.
We believe in keeping our employees satisfied to achieve customer satisfaction. This is why our policies are employee centric. We offer training and requisite upgrades to our employees so that they are in line with industry standards and trends.
Technology & Infrastructure
We offer quality infrastructure necessary for the web solutions. We have all the necessary servers, and systems adapt with the necessary system requirements. We offer technological expertise in PHP, MySQL, Magento, .Net, Wordpress, SEO, Content Writing, Java, HTML, iPhone and Android app development etc.


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1 quart whole milk (950ml)
1/2 cup heavy cream (120ml)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Line a large sieve with a double layer of cheesecloth and place the sieve over a large bowl. Set this aside for later.
Slowly heat milk, cream, and salt in a 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring often to prevent scorching.
If you have a milk thermometer - the temperature should reach 190F/88C.
Add lemon juice, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly but gently, until the mixture curdles.
This should take about 2 minutes.
Pour the mixture into the lined sieve and let it drain 1 hour for a firmer cheese. For a softer ricotta, check it after about 1/2 an hour.
After discarding the liquid that has drained into the bowl, pack the ricotta in a well covered container.
Ensure it stays covered as it will pick up a slight taste of onion or any other strong-flavoured foods that may be in your refrigerator.
Fresh ricotta should keep for about 2 days.
Yield: Approximately 1 cup of ricotta cheese. This recipe can be doubled.
I like to make small toasts from leftover french bread or challah - brush each piece with garlic infused olive oil and toast in the oven until fairly dry. Allow guests to spread them with choices of fresh ricotta, basil pesto and a few sun-dried tomatoes. Easy and delicious appetiser!


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Through our enhanced ordering options and user platform, you will be on the cutting edge of technology, wherever that road may lead. Our new platform was designed and created to ensure upgrade ability as technology changes and the needs of your business evolve. Count on us to have the right solutions for you now, and in the years to come.
With DroidPad, all you need to do is download the application on your Android device and after a quick set up, you will have access to powerful order replenishment and business management features.
Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc
Gain Access and Efficiency
In addition to the functionality of iMark, Droidpad offers additional features to enhance your ordering experience.
Key Features:
- Connect through Wi-Fi or cellular data.
- View promotional materials electronically and easily; add featured items into your order.
- Pair with a KDC300 Scanner via Bluetooth for ordering efficiency.
Core-Mark's ordering application for iOS makes ordering easy and fun. Generate orders with greater accuracy and have access to important promotional information and tools to manage your business more efficiently.
iMark Hand-Held Ordering Smart Device
Do you find yourself looking for the "next big thing"? A tool to help manage your business more effectively? If so, meet iMark; Core-Mark's smart hand-held ordering solution. iMark is designed with the retailer in mind.
See what the iMark can do for you! Contact your local Core-Mark representative today.
Desktop Ordering
Key Features:
- Find what you are looking for quickly and easily with enhanced search options.
- Create your order on your desktop or in conjunction with your optional in-store scanner.
- 8 week history including last order quantity and average order quantity.
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- Create new orders from average quantities or previous orders.
- Notification and access to all available promotions.
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- View orders, price changes, invoices, credits and pre-orders all on your desktop.
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KDC300 In-Store Scanner
Key Features:
- Scanning made easy. Scan the UPC or Core-Mark product code from the item, shelf tag or order guide.
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- Complete integration with Desktop Ordering portal, OrderPro or DroidPad via Bluetooth connectivity.
Easily integrates into your online portal
CONTACT your Core-Mark Representative to see how these amazing products can grow your sales and meet the demands of your customers.


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Advanced Search
Teachstone and Sesame Workshop have partnered to launch a new professional development series on myTeachstone, a service that combines classroom observation and personalized professional development.
Educational technologists: listen to the teachers; they are asking you to help them to be more effective in creating and using digital curricula. In this blog post, then, we define the five functions that a blended learning platform must support — and challenge the ed tech community to build such a platform!
The Columbus Municipal School District will move to a personalized, competency-based program for professional development.
The company launched Teacher Vitae, a SaaS-based personalized, professional learning platform for teachers and administrators.
Teachers completed a 10-day intensive summer program, led by the University of Wyoming, that taught project-based STEM.
A new initiative to test out competency-based learning for training middle and high school teachers in science and math has shown enough mastery to gain the "informal" approval of the state where it's located.
An Idaho school district is handing out nearly 2,000 laptops this week to high school students as part of the first phase of a three-year personalized learning initiative.
The new partnership between Highline Public Schools and Discovery Education is part of the district's plan to improve digital literacy skills for students.
About 10,000 teachers were busy at work this summer participating in Project Lead the Way's Core Training program, which seeks to empower teachers to take a hands-on, project-based approach in STEM instruction.
Educators and nonprofits in Texas, California and Maine will use TI's Power of STEM Education grants to provide professional development opportunities and introduce STEM programs.
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It's time to transform your teacher training from "sit-and-git" or "one-and-done" to professional learning that helps educators understand how to gain the outcomes they want for their students.
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Vicki Feaver at the Wordsworth Trust
Saturday, April 21, 2012 - 19:00 St Oswald's Church, Grasmere
About the event
The Dorothy Wordsworth Festival of Women's Poetry. Poetry Reading: Ann Gray, Vicki Feaver & Jane Hirshfield introduced by Carol Ann Duffy. Ann Gray's poems focus on moments on transformation in the natural and human worlds to chronicle love, desire and loss in sensuous detail. Vicki Feaver's poems are made of the stuff of everyday life but graft on to it the power of fairytale and myth in a poetry of fierce beauty. American poet Jane Hirshfield is the Festival's International Poet in Residence. Her current visit launches her new collection, Come, Thief. Tickets: £10 advance, £11 on the door. For more information visit http://www.wordsworth.org.uk


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Hi, great to have you drop by to check out my latest layout. The photo I have chosen for this layout is taken when I was only a little girl and flower girl for my auntie's wedding. It captures a quiet relaxing time with my Nana during a break in the excitement. I scanned this photo from a slide in my parents slide collection box which I see as a 'Precious Treasure' filled with memories.
|"Relaxing Day"
A big Thankyou to our March Sponsors:
The equipment and supplies I used included:
- 12" x 12" white card stock.
- Mont Marte Modeling paste- white
- Multi Medium Matte 'Ranger' (gel medium)
- 'Dina Wakley' White Gesso
- Selection of mixed small beads in pale blue and greens
- Prima resin frame- small square white frame.
- 'Precious Treasure' and 1 of '2 Dragonflies in a board' Imaginarium Designs Chip board.
- Kaisercraft and assorted flowers and silver wing embellishment.
- 'Finnabair' Mica Powder- 'Deep Water' and water to make splats to finish page.
- 'Tim Holtz' Distress ink - Shabby Shutters and Stormy Skies.
- 'Ranger' Glossy Accents- glue
- 'Tinby' Metallic melts - 'First light', 'Sherwood Green', 'Glistening snow'
- Spatula, palette and paint brush.
- Firstly I used my spatula to smear modeling paste thickly in one line from top to bottom. While wet sprinkle some of the assorted beads along the areas that won't be covered by the frame.
- Work on each piece of chipboard until finished and then start next piece of chippie.While it dries paint gesso onto the dragonfly and words. This seals the chipboard so the colour holds better and keeps the distress ink wet long enough to be able to quickly sprinkle some 'Sherwood Green' Metallic melts on. Melt the powder with your heat gun. Add some 'Stormy Sky' and add some ' First Light' Metallic melts on. If you remove the heat quickly and sprinkle some powder on quickly the powder will stick to the hot melted powder. Layer the colours until you are happy with the effect.
- Adding some more beads to some gel medium and using a spatula place them in any gaps that you may have in your other beads on the page. The gel medium will dry clear.
- I mixed some Mica powder with water and lightly brushed over sections of the frame and used the left overs to splat over page.
- Glue frame, flowers, words and embellishments on with glossy accents glue.
Here is some close ups:
Hope you enjoyed my mini tutorial on how I made my layout, why not pop over to Off The Rails Scrapbooking to enter our challenge, it's so much fun to explore and experiment with new ideas and challenges, we have amazing design team who love to share their ideas, tips and techniques.


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Product Description
60mins $85
This relaxing back treatment commences with a deep cleansing of the back to remove excess oil and debris, followed by an exfoliation to polish away dullness caused by dead skin. (Steam and extractions are performed if necessary.
A stress relieving treatment with a customised masque and moisturiser leaving you relaxed and your skin radiant.
Valid for 6 months from date of purchase


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Poland is a huge country and requires a long visit. We only had a couple of days this time, but also only a single goal. To see the nazi extermination camp – Auschwitz.
As mentioned above our only goal was to see Auschwitz. That changed though after meeting a nice Danish couple in Slovakia. They made us add the Wieliczka Salt Mine to the list. Thank you for that.
From Slovakia we drove straight to Krakow. Found a place to stay and drove to the Wieliczka Salt Mine. We had never heard about the mine before meeting a nice Danish couple in Slovakia. They spoke so passionately about the mine that we decided to check it out.
And it definitely is worth a visit. The mine is enormous with more than 300 km below ground. 2km is accessible to the public through a 2-3hour guided tour. The tour starts by having to go down 380 steps. The tourist part of the mine lies 65-130m below ground, but the mine is much deeper than that. It is incredible to imagine, that none of this is natural caves, but excavations made by humans.
Beside the actual size of the mine what's special about it is "carvings" made by miners in their spare time. All through the mine there are statues depicting holy figures – especially saints protecting miners. There are chapels in the mine where services could be held. Everything is carved in salt – even the crystals in the chandeliers above!
The mine was started in the 15th century. Back the salt was a very valuable commodity, so much that in periods the Wieliczka mine together with another min provided 30% of Poland's revenue. Today the mine "only produces 60 tons of salt per day" the guide told us. The main reason that there is any production is, that enormous quantities of water floods into the mine every day. This water needs to be pumped out of the mine in order to avoid a collapse. In this process salt is taken from the water.
Saw some of the old hoisting gear used to get salt and water out of the mine. The gear was driven by both humans and horses.
The by far most impressive room in the mine is a large cathedral 130m below the ground. Beautiful chandeliers, and large alter, carvings on the wall depicting "the last supper" etc. Very beautiful. The floor was carved so that it looked like tiles. It took 3 miners close to 70 years to finish the cathedral. Well done to them!
The cathedral is still used for weddings and concerts.
There are some really huge rooms in the mine. The highest room on the tourist route is 65m, but the guide told us, that the highest room in the mine is 140m Unbelievable.
In one of the rooms there were a beautiful light show, and in another an orchestra provided some (loud) atmosphere.
Even deeper in the mine there is a health resort. Apparently the climate in the mine is very good for people with asthma.
All in all a very interesting place. If you want to know more about the mine you can read about it here.
It is difficult to describe a visit to Auschwitz. What you see and hear is absolutely horrifying and it is incomprehensible that these atrocities have taken place only 60 years ago. It is a saddening experience but still something that everybody should do at least once. It is important that we remember – and know – what happened in the concentration camps during WWII, so that we can help prevent something like it from ever happening again. The human nature can be evil!
The camps (there are three main camps) are best seen on a guided tour. Including a half hour movie a visit takes almost 4 hours. The guides are good and the visit is carried out in a very respectful manner.
Auschwitz consisted of three main camps: Auschwitz I, Auschwitz II – Birkenau and Auschwitz III – Monowitz. In addition to these main camps there were more than forty smaller sub-camps. Auschwitz I was establish in 1939 in a Polish military camp. In the beginning it was meant for Polish political prisoners but it was quickly expanded and soon both Jews, Gypsies and homosexuals were sent to the camp.
The capacity of Auschwitz I was approximately 30,000 people. That number of prisoners was reach fairly fast, and the nazis therefore needed additional space. They levelled 7 villages in the area with the ground and built Auschwitz II Birkenau with a capacity of almost 100,000 people. Birkenau was the extermination camp. After the Wansee conference in January 1942 the execution of prisoners gathered speed. Shortly after the first trainload of people were gassed in Auschwitz II Birkenau. The gas used was called Zyklon B.
The first gas chamber was located in Auschwitz I. It held 800 people which was not nearly enough for the nazis purposes. This chamber was replaced by 4 chambers in Birkenau each with a capacity of 2000 people.
Auschwitz I and III were so-called work camps. The prisoners were used as slaves and mainly produced munitions and other war material. People were lured to the camps, being told that they would get a place for them selves and be given a possibility to start over. They would pack all their valuables and were then sent to a camp by train. The conditions in a train like that were horrendous. The prisoners didn't get food or water and didn't have access to sanitary conditions. At Auschwitz the train would stop right in the middle of the Birkenau camp. Here men and women were divided and a couple of doctors sorted out the people they meant were fit for work. After an often long train ride that didn't amount to many. The rest were sent directly to the gas chambers.
At the height of the extermination campaign the nazis killed 20,000 people a day in Auschwitz alone! 2000 prisoners at a time, stripped to the skin, were led into a gas chamber, gassed with the Zyklon B gas, and then brought to the the cremation facilities next door by special groups of prisoners. These special groups were themselves gassed every three months. The bodies were cremated and the ashes spread over nearby fields. It is estimated that 1,300,000 people were executed in Auschwitz.
People were also killed in the work camps. If they "didn't follow camp rules", they would be punished – and punished in Auschwitz, more often than not, meant killed. The cell to the left is called "the starvation cell". People were placed here until they died of starvation. The small cell shown to the right was meant for four people. After having worked all day four people would be placed in the cell. That way they weren't able to sit down, but had to stand up all night. The next day they would have to work all day – and so on.
Some of the barracks in Auschwitz I now contains exhibitions. It is possible to see how the prisoners lived and then there are the terrible displays with mountains of hair, suitcases, toothbrushes, glasses etc. Tons of it. We couldn't believe how much stuff there was, and then we were told that this amount corresponded to about three days of arrivals to Auschwitz!
The nazis took all the prisoners belongings, and even shaved their hair of after they had been killed. Everything – including the hair – was sent back to Germany to be used by the Germans.
The visit starts in Auschwitz I and then continues in Auschwitz II – Birkenau. The latter lies about 3km from camp I. A bus takes visitors between the camps. In Birkenau we saw the barracks in which the prisoners lived under terrible conditions. We also saw the remains of two gas chambers. The nazis tried to destroy evidence of their atrocities when they realized that they had lost the war. The blew up the gas chambers but didn't have time to really destroy everything.
Auschwitz was not the only extermination camp – by far. This site describes all the camps.


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Hitchhiking: Itararé to Rio de Janeiro
Despite Brazilians' constant warnings about how dangerous hitchhiking is in Brazil, their doubts about us ever finding rides, and how the roads are full of fear from bandits, they also seem hell bent on proving themselves wrong. Maybe it is just because they think it's so dangerous, but I tend to think Brazilians just happen to be super happy, welcoming, and eager to help foreigners when they have the chance. Here's to Brazilians proving themselves wrong over and over and over…it's all about following your intuition.
The Plan
Goal: Reach Rio de Janeiro by Saturday (2 days) for Colombia match
Distance: approximately 770 km
Intended Route: Hitch to São Paulo, avoid the city, and continue on towards Rio de Janeiro along BR-116
The Journey
After spending I don't know how many days comfortably at my uncle's house in Itararé, it was exhilarating to have that feeling you only get being back on the road pulsing through us. The break had been something like being at Rivendell (of course and LOTR reference), a blissful vacation where you lose track of the days, can heal from your wounds (yet here I am will still a cough), and enjoy food and good company. Julio and I, however, had both started to hear the road calling to us in the last couple of days so we semi-spontaneously decided we would just go and hope for the best despite not all of our accommodation/plans being totally set in place. Though we were unable to track down reasonably priced tickets for the upcoming Colombia match we thought the party would be worth the trip and we'd decided to attempt one of the many entrepreneurial enterprises we've been dreaming up — painting people's faces for the match.
Starting hitchhiking in Itararé was, of course, absurdly simple as we were driven out to the first pedágio (the peaje/road toll in Brazil) in by my uncle in his dark teal Volkswagon fusca. One of the workers had walked out to talk to us in that time to tell us it was probably going to be very hard. I'm never sure what the motivations are when people do that when you clearly have nowhere else to go. Inside a city, sure you can take a bus or something but out on the highway there's really no option but to continue. Fortunately, it was the best spot on the road for us, though it still took over an hour for someone to pick us up — that's Brazil.
Our first ride wasn't actually a Brazilian, but an Argentinian so Julio could finally communicate perfectly with someone again. His family belonged to an old generation of circus people and he was no stranger to picking up backpackers, though he did it more frequently in Argentina. He brought us almost all the way back to Itapetininga where we had been put on a bus last time.
We were expecting a longer wait, but our strategy of Julio sitting a little bit out of sight and me flagging down cars works pretty well and our next ride actually made fun of us for doing it. This one was definitely a character with his longish hair, sunglasses, vans shoes, and both his arm in tattoo sleeves–a 40 year old Brazilian surfer/skater dude if there ever was one. He'd worked in publicity for several years then grown tired, quit, bought to little moving trucks and was doing that instead. All the way to São Paulo his stories of skating were intertwined with disdain for the politics in Brazil and our craziness for hitchhiking. Unfortunately the traffic in São Paulo lessened his will to bring us to a good drop off point and around 5pm we found ourselves somewhere close to Av. Salim Farah Maluf a.k.a the middle of São Paulo.
I went into get some salgadas, our first 'meal' for the day, and asked the woman working there about a bus that might go out to the freeway, explaining that we were hitchhiking. She was more than a little concerned for us, but got another one of the workers to explain we had to get out to Vía Dutra and probably lots of drivers were heading that way. Tune to play my least favorite game of asking people for lifts directly. In the mean time some guy Julio was sure was up to no good spotted us and offered to take us out there even though when I first asked where he was going he had said to his house. He was a bit too insistent… sitting down next to us, pointing stuff out on the map, living conveniently close to a treasure trove of trucks leaving the city, and hanging out for almost 20 minutes while eating his bag of baconitos and coca cola. There was no way in hell Julio would have gotten in a car with him and I have to admit, he was probably right. The gas station lady also came out to tell us he seemed off and she was actually the one who ended up procuring us a ride with some guy she knew.
Marcelo lived out that way and first took us to the highway police because we thought that would be the safest. Wrong. They said police got assaulted right in front of their own building and we couldn't stay inside anyway. Off to the next 24 hour gas station… we felt terribly inconvenient, but people really do think we're going to die if they leave us. We watched the some game for a bit at the station before Marcelo bid us farewell. It wasn't even 8pm yet so we thought we could maybe get a bit further. So after hanging out for a while and the woman semi-kicking us out because she was cleaning, Julio went in with the map and stumblingly asked directions on where we might go — hopefully a smaller town where we could camp. He came back with a ride from some guy who it had taken 15 minutes to explain that he could take us up a bit further.
In the 20 km stretch to a bigger station, however, Renato who was either super excited to be interacting with foreigners or just that talkative decided to invite us to his house, eat dinner, sleep, and take us back out at 4:30am when he left home to fight through traffic on his way to work in the city. You know, if we wanted to. Here we broke one of the important rules of hitchhiking, but something told us he was just a nice guy. Consequently, we ended up meeting his parents, siblings, niece, nephew, and I don't even know who else. Extremely gracious hosts who opened their house to us without any question. It's always incredible to me how people can be so amazingly warm and welcoming; Renato definitely worked his way up to being one of the best rides either of us have ever had. The only downside (which was probably actually an upside) was waking up so early; I can't believe people do that everyday…it's even more horrible than LA traffic.
The sun wasn't even up for a lot of the time we waited at that gas station. It took us till 10:20 to be on our way again, a wait of around 4 hours and we only got the ride because some worker walked up to us and told me which truck was going to Rio. He was actually going to Espírito Santo, but he would pass by Rio and though he seemed a bit reluctant when I asked him, he actually seemed quite happy to have us in the truck once we were there. Much of the time he spent smoking cigarettes and eating candy; he was apparently going to drive all night so he could be home by morning. It's a rarity here in Brazil. When we stopped for a bite to eat about an hour and a half from Rio I got a message from some CS hosts that said we'd be able to stay with them. Everything just fell right into place… I guess we're just lucky.
I don't need luck to beat Stephen Colbert at LOTR trivia though.


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Article Title
Policy Divergence and Voter Polarization in a Structural Model of Elections
Start Page
One of the most widely discussed phenomena in American politics today is the perceived increasing partisan divide that splits the U.S. electorate. A contested question is whether this diagnosis is actually true and, if so, what the underlying cause might be. We propose a new method that simultaneously estimates voters' preferences and parties' positions on economic and cultural issues. We apply the model to U.S. presidential elections between 1972 and 2008. The model recovers candidates' positions from voters' behavior and decomposes changes in the overall political polarization of the electorate into changes in the distribution of voters' ideal positions (voter radicalization) and consequences of elite polarization (sorting).
Recommended Citation
Krasa, Stefan and Polborn, Mattias
"Policy Divergence and Voter Polarization in a Structural Model of Elections,"
Journal of Law and Economics: Vol. 57
, Article 2.
Available at: https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/jle/vol57/iss1/2


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GCSE ICT - Single Award
Until details, here's some revision...
Why network? There are a number of advantages:
Great, huh? The only trouble is the disadvantages:
It's important to remember these factors, naturally...
What do you need?
A server. This could be a file server, a print server, or a web server (usually for email). The server can be Peer-to-peer or a client server. It's likely to be a client server network for a school because Peer-to-peer is used for less than 10 computers.
A way of connecting computers. The two main ways are with cables or with wireless -- sending info through microwaves. The three types of connecting through cables are: Ring Network, Star Network, Bus Network. The most reliable is the Star Network.
WAN and LAN
There are two types of networks, a WAN network and a LAN network.
WAN stands for Wide Area Network while LAN stands for Local Area Network. From that it's pretty obvious that WAN in huge ones located all around the world, e.g. the T-Mobile phone company and LAN is used in small businesses that are located in one building, such as the school from the Case Study.
And that's pretty much all you need to know on networks!
These are very nifty because they allow you to store a load of data, and sort it...
However before we go onto them, we need to know what data is...
Shock! Horror! A forumula and we're not in Maths? It's true:
Information = Data + Context (Meaning).
Inputting Data
Before any data can be input into the computer, naturally it has to be collected. This process is called data collection and can happen in many different ways, such as questionnaires, forms, bills... The data can also be input instantly into the database, for example with online electronic forms for Internet shopping, or barcodes in shops.
But for any data to be input into the database, first you need to make the database. It's important to know the parts of a database. The 'headers' are known as fields, while each row of information on a particular item is a record.
For example:
"StudentID" is a field, while all the info about Barney is a record.
The good think about databases is you can set rules for when you input data, to try to stop errors occuring. This is known as validation. Simple ones are:
More complex ones require you setting real rules. Take the DoB field above. In most cases, you'll know the age range, and therefore you can set maximum and minimums. < means smaller than. > means greater than. This is called range checks.
All text copyright © 2006 to EJ Taylor. Page Template created by James Taylor. Site created: 10 April, 2006. Last revised: 2 August, 2015


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I had a long talk with my wife yesterday on the topic of relationships. We shared our triumphs and tragedies' in that area. One of the themes that emerged from this discussion was that you can't fix other people.
One of the mistakes that younger couples seem to have is that they love their partner but there are some things that they would like to "change". Therein lays the mistake that is made in the relationship. You see you can never get anyone to do anything unless they want to. Read that last line again before moving on…
Change is always self-directed and comes from realizing over time that changes in health, attitude, and perspective are needed as we move through life. Trying to change someone to fit into the mold that you feel is the right one, always leads to disaster.
If there is one piece of advice that I could give to others (and believe me it is hard earned advice) never but never try to change your partner. If you are with them, then it is for a reason. If you would like to see something in your beloved change, that is fine but forcing your will upon them in not.
Leading your life by example is a far better approach to helping others in areas of their lives they may be struggling in. Discretion and patience are needed. Love your partner and show them you love them by letting them be themselves while at the same time being yourself.
I for one have been the recipient of approaches, one led to divorce and the other to a good marriage that I have now. It does take two to make a relationship and I have made more than my share of mistakes in both of my marriages. I have learned a lot, suffered more but mostly learned how to love unconditionally as much as I am able.
Thanks to both my ex-wife and my current wife for the lessons that you have shared with me. I obviously needed some of them desperately.
Be well,


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Much like parents who talk to a pregnant woman's belly, some birds sing to their eggs before they hatch, and the reason may be to prepare them for a warming world, researchers said Thursday.
The study in the journal Science examined a peculiar habit of zebra finches, which sing to their eggs particularly when the weather is hot—above 78 Fahrenheit (26 Celsius)—and the end of their incubation period is near.
What could they be saying? Could it have to do with the temperature outside?
Researchers thought it might, since eggs are unaffected by outside temperatures and are kept at steady temperature of 98.6 F when the parents are sitting on them.
So Mylene Mariette and Katherine Buchanan of Australia's Deakin University recorded the calls and played them for eggs in an incubator.
Some eggs were played regular contact calls from adult zebra finches, while others were exposed to particular calls made by expectant parents, chirping to their eggs before they hatch in warm weather.
Those who heard these so-called hot calls grew slower and emerged smaller when they hatched than the other birds.
This compact size would present a survival advantage, because having a small body makes it easier to cool down in hot climes.
As they tracked these hot-call birds over time, researchers found they had more offspring than the other birds that did not hear the preparatory calls during the hot weather.
Researchers believe that the calls somehow affect the babies' growth, since they are delivered in the last one-third of the incubation period when the hatchlings' temperature and regulation system is starting to develop.
"By acoustically signaling high ambient temperatures to their embryos before hatching, zebra finch parents can program the developmental trajectories of their offspring," said the study.
If such a strategy is found to exist in other animals, it would suggest a previously unknown survival mechanism to help creatures adapt to global warming, researchers said.
Explore further: Climate change makes chicks hatch early
More information:
"Prenatal acoustic communication programs offspring for high posthatching temperatures in a songbird," Science, science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi … 1126/science.aaf7049


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Tuesday, August 7, 2012
SSD essentials
I've seen TRIM for your SSD described as a disk defragmentation, although I'm not sure that's entirely right, I can see where they are coming from.
As described by Wikipedia "In computing, a TRIM command allows an operating system to inform a solid-state drive (SSD) which blocks of data are no longer considered in use and can be wiped internally. While TRIM is frequently spelled in capital letters, it is a command name, not an acronym." For the less verbose among us, it's garbage collection and we want it switched on!
As described by GHacks.net, open a command prompt as Administrator and enter the following.
"fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify"
A 1 or 0 will be returned. If you get a 1, run the following to correct it.
"fsutil behavior set disablenotify 0".
I will now be trying to look out for other computer/technical references that I can tie into the other 4 of the five sailing essentials, Balance, Sail Setting, Centre Board and my favourite Course Made Good.
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The Project range is marked by dynamic, flowing forms with rounded edges, allowing it to fit well into any style of bathroom. The high quality, complex interior design of the tap with its ceramic cartridge or ceramic upper parts guarantees long-term durability while a high-grade chrome surface provides the finishing touch for all those looking for top quality fittings.
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Safety position for children's seat -- which is themost safe seat to install?
First of all, the children's seat is absolutely not installed in the car's copilot position. This is prohibited by the laws of various countries. Because this place is not safe when there are always traffic accidents, the driver's survival instinct will be in the driver's position to collide. The airbag in the front row which is extremely dangerous.
Which one inthe rear row is the safest place to install?
1, the middle rear position: usually no child seat interface general child seat interface was first distributed in both sides, the middle position is the most unsafe, if the brakes or other emergency situations, the child may be rushed to the front seat, may have two damage.
2, the driver's rear position: driver position is relatively safe, but when temporary parking, bicycles, electric vehicles and other vehicles will pass this way, it is not suitable for long time keeping the door open.
3, vice driver position: rear driver position is relatively safe position, the risk of taking out a child from the car is relatively small. Another reason is that the driver in the copilot position can clearly observe the situation of the children in the rear row.
Therefore, we can judge the position of the rear seat position of the copilot is more suitable for installing the child safety seat.
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Next: Child Baby Safety Car Seat with Isofix for 9months-12yrs


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World Renowned University of Michigan Professor Testifies at OMB
Collingwood, ON – In the latest twist to the ongoing Walker Aggregates quarry application, world renowned botanist Dr. Tony Reznicek last week told the joint hearing of the Environmental Review Tribunal (ERT) and Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) that one of the world's largest colonies of the rare Hart's Tongue Fern will likely be destroyed if the proposed quarry expansion is approved.
Reznicek, a professor at the University of Michigan, contends that the proposed 50-metre buffer for the colony is unproven and contrary to the plant's lifecycle needs as an interior forest species. The Ministry of Natural Resources normally requires a 100-metre buffer for such species, but has inexplicably approved the proposed 50-metre buffer. Dr. Reznick was born, raised and educated in Ontario, and is an expert witness called by the Clearview Community Coalition, the citizens group opposed to the quarry. The Coalition is currently presenting its case, and opposition to the quarry is mounting.
"Ontario is home to 95% of the world's American Hart's Tongue Fern populations and virtually all of the viable remaining populations, which makes us this plant's last and only stewards," said Dr. Rick Smith, Executive Director of Environmental Defence. Given the precedent setting issues at play, Environmental Defence is supporting the Clearview Community Coalition (CCC) in the case. CCC is represented by David Donnelly of Donnelly Law.
"How perverse would it be if this quarry's expansion contributed to the snuffing out of this species?" Smith added. Destroying the colony of the rare fern at the site of the proposed quarry could vault the plant into a higher risk category on the global list of threatened species.
The Hart's Tongue Fern is globally rare with very few plants scattered in disparate sites in New York, Michigan, Tennessee, Alabama, and Ontario. The plant is listed as a federally Threatened species in United States and is a species of Special Concern in Ontario. Ontario has the bulk of North America's population, and is considered an important refuge, Reznicek says. Most of Ontario's 58 viable sites of the rare plant are on the Niagara Escarpment, which, despite being a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, is not protected from quarrying.
"Due to the significance of this rare, large and healthy colony, I would recommend absolute protection," Dr. Reznicek says.
"The American Hart's Tongue Fern is an indicator species. We are determined to save it and it's important and beautiful habitat," said Ruth Grier, a CCC supporter and former Ontario Minister of the Environment.
The proposed quarry site is home to Significant Wildlife Habitat, Significant Woodland, Provincially Significant Woodlands, vernal pools and the habitat of endangered butternut trees. The site was also home to potentially significant Bobolink habitat. Just days before the species was uplisted to "Threatened," a Walker employee ordered the destruction of the habitat.
The case, which has been ongoing for ten months, is expected to close in April. The Clearview Community Coalition is also expected to call Ontario Environment Commissioner Gordon Miller to testify in March.
-30- For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact: Stephanie Kohls, Environmental Defence, 416-323-9521 ext. 232, 647-280-9521 (cell) Ruth Grier, Clearview Community Coalition supporter, 416-259-1722, email@example.com Dr. Reznicek, email@example.com


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Here we go! This is my first blog entry. Today, I went to lunch with my friend Angee. She got to have "grown up" lunch — meaning that she was out of the house without her two beautiful kiddos Isaac and Maxwell.
We went to eat at San Marcos and discussed Keely's birthday plans. We also stopped by my house on the way home to check out the progress on Nathan's urban garden. Angee and Nathan love to garden. I love to eat things from their gardens so we all win!
I also got to show Angee my new camera and she took the photo above — pretty good for her first pic. It's a picture of my "guitjo" or "backwoods banjo" — It chords just like a guitar, but it looks and sounds like a banjo!
Here's my favorite photo of Angee. I took it a few years back at the Old Settler's Music Festival in Dripping Springs, Texas. www.oldsettlersmusicfest.org — She looks so pretty in this picture and we had a great time!


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Watching Dad Breathe Again
Last night, my boyfriend found some videos on my laptop that I'd taken this past year and he asked if we could watch them. Two minutes in, I felt maybe the sharpest pain I've felt since my dad passed. I felt the horribly cruel pain of watching my dad breathe again. Seeing a picture reminds me of my dad but watching him breathe and laugh and deliver the saving punch lines to otherwise uninteresting conversations is watching what I lost. It is so eerily close to having him alive. I wanted to jump in the fucking computer. I lost it. I wailed and wished I'd taken more videos and wished I'd spent even more time at home and wished I could do something to make the video never end. And it ended and I called my mom at 2:00AM scrambling to see if maybe she had more and I wanted to never stop watching the videos and also couldn't physically handle watching another one. I think maybe we work hard to block out the living memories, to remember the past as a concrete fixture, not as a living, moving being. When the past is concrete, it's easier to block it out and to compartmentalize it and to try to make sense of it. But when you see the video and the movement and when you remember that the past is fluid and alive, it's impossible to accept death. It's so close. He's so close. Looking at that video killed me. It felt so fucking close. I still wear the shirt that I wore in that video. I haven't gotten my haircut since then. The house is the same. All the things are the same, we still live with them and he is gone. But he was here and alive just a few months ago! It's too surreal. My boyfriend held me and my mom found me more videos and I indulged in watching us sing to my dad and us take medical marijuana for the first time and us go for a swim and I followed my dad's eyes and his smile and his movement and really remembered. Remembered him and how I felt when I was with him. In those videos he's my dad and I'm his girl. It's surprisingly hard to remember both of those people. He's gone and I'm not that person anymore. I seem the same to everyone who knows me. But when I was with dad, I was his daughter. I was someone different who I'll never be again. I was someone I can't put into words because I don't know her without him. I was someone I really loved. And it's hard when I see us there because I've been his daughter and that girl for 25 years. It's a deep loss. I miss her. I miss him more. And seeing the video slapped it in my face. Slapped just how beautiful life was. It still is but right now, it is so very sad. I've missed him this whole time. But oh man those videos reminded me just how much.


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Many current patients of Plymouth Dentistry in Plymouth, MI were once among the millions of Americans who suffer from dental anxiety. Dr. Feucht was able to use his 35+ years of dental experience, knowledge, and compassion to help relieve their dental anxiety.
If you are suffering from dental anxiety, Plymouth Dentistry can help you and your smile get the care you need. We have a simple system to help you take control of your dental health and beat the fear that you suffer from. Dr. Feucht will show you that you have nothing to fear from your dental care at Plymouth Dentistry.
What is Dental Anxiety?
Dental anxiety is a condition that affects more than 24 million adults in the United States. If you multiplied the population of New York City by 2, you would still fall short of that number.
Dental anxiety also is not just being afraid of the dentist but still going in for care. This condition causes the person to be almost paralyzed by fear, avoiding the dentist at all costs. It will lead to damage to your teeth and overall appearance if you do not get help. And we're here to help.
3-Step Plan To Help You Beat Your Dental Fear
Now that you know exactly what we are fighting against, let's take a look at how we are going to beat it. With Plymouth Dentistry on your side, it's pretty simple and straightforward.
Step #1 – The first step toward defeating your dental anxiety is to identify exactly what caused the fear in the first place. For two out of three people who suffer from dental anxiety, the cause is a painful past experience. For some, this may have been a painful experience in their youth, or an unnecessary (or unnecessarily painful) dental procedure performed by your former dentist.
Many times, the pain could have been avoided by the dentist simply applying the correct amount of numbing agent. Too often, dentists use a cookie-cutter approach to anesthesia. Just because you are the same size, age, and gender as another person does not mean that you have the same pain tolerance. Dr. Feucht understands this, and he will personalize your care to your unique needs and help prevent discomfort.
Step #2 – After you have identified the source of your dental anxiety, you need to find someone to talk to about it. Knowing what caused your fear is great, but now you have to bring it out into the open to gain control over that fear.
Talk to a family member, a friend, or a coworker. Just make sure that whoever you choose to speak with has a healthy outlook on dental care. You can't expect to gain anything positive from talking to someone else who has the same issues you do. That is like a gambling addict going to the casino to get help. It will just serve to exacerbate your issues.
The best person to talk to is Dr. Feucht. He has been helping people like you for almost four decades. He can listen to your story and then explain why a certain procedure caused your pain, as well as tell you how that procedure has changed at our office to improve your comfort.
Step #3 – The final step is the shortest but the hardest. That is the step of making your dental appointment and showing up for it. This seems like a no-brainer, but for many people, this is the one part that they simply cannot do. Even if you are only showing up to speak to Dr. Feucht, that's fine. Just show up and show yourself that you can walk into our office.
Need More Help? Plymouth Dentistry Has The Answer
Plymouth Dentistry also has other processes in place to help you stay comfortable while you are in our office.
Comfort Options – Longer appointments so you don't feel rushed, blankets to help you feel comfortable, and TVs in every room are just a few of the comfort options that you have access to as a patient of Plymouth Dentistry.
Dental Sedation – For those who need a little extra help to feel comfortable, we have complimentary nitrous oxide available to calm your nerves. We also offer oral sedation for those who need a more relaxation than what nitrous provides. Talk to Dr. Feucht about which option fits your needs, and we will take care of you.
Call Plymouth Dentistry today at 734-224-4359 to schedule your appointment. At Plymouth Dentistry, we are big enough to treat all of your dental needs and still small enough to treat you like family. Get your smile cared for by Dr. Feucht today.


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Phillip Rodriguez
Phillip Rodriguez is the founder of City Projects, an organization dedicated to creating sustainable programs that will both educate and entertain today's broad and diverse audiences. Rodriguez is also a Senior Fellow for Documentary Filmmaking at the Institute for Justice and Journalism at the USC Annenberg School for Communication.
Rodriguez recently completed Brown is the New Green: George Lopez and the American Dream, a one-hour documentary for PBS on Hispanic marketing and media featuring comedian George Lopez. Brown is the New Green airs on PBS, September 12, 2007 and is the first-hour of a four-hour PBS documentary series, Latinos: Here & Now.
Rodriguez' PBS documentary, Los Angeles Now (2004), investigates the "browning" of America's second-largest city. Newsday said that the film, "reveals L.A. for what it really is: the most multicultural city in the world and, possibly, a blueprint for the future of the United States." The film has been honored by New York Anthology Film Archives, Boston Fine Arts Museum, Centre Georges Pompidou, INPUT 2005, Harvard Film Archives, MOCA Los Angeles and others.
Rodriguez' other works include the critically acclaimed Mixed Feelings: San Diego/Tijuana (2002). This film uses the urban landscapes of neighboring cities to comment on contrasting conditions and attitudes in the U.S. and Mexico. The New York Times praised the film's "snappy digital imagery"; The Los Angeles Times called it "transnational fun, with a point."
Rodriguez' film work include Manuel Ocampo: God is My Copilot, a reconsideration of multiculturalism in the contemporary art world. The film, which features Dennis Hopper, Julian Schnabel, and other notable art world figures, was celebrated at film festivals worldwide including the Los Angeles AFI International Festival, the Hawaii International Film Festival, the Biennale Internationale du film sur l'art at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, and the Havana Film Festival. The Chicago Reader said the film "belongs with the best of the genre.
Pancho Villa & Other Stories won an award for best documentary at the 2000 San Antonio Cinefestival and has been honored at the Smithsonian National Gallery, The New York Latino Film and Video Festival, Chicago Latino Film Festival, Los Angeles International Latino Film Festival, San Francisco Cine Festival, Hawaii International Film Festival, and the XV Festival de Cine Latino Americano, Trieste, Italy.
Rodriguez' production company, City Projects, also conducted My City Now, an interactive media literacy program for high school students in U.S. cities impacted by high rates of immigration.
A graduate of U.C. Berkeley, Rodriguez has an M.A. in Latin American Studies (Honors) and an M.F.A. in Film and Television from UCLA. He also studied Art History and Spanish Literature at Universidad Cumplutense de Madrid. He is a former Senior Research Fellow for The Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University. Rodriguez received the first annual USA Broad Fellow Award. This annual award, made by United States Artists (USA), honors the country's finest living artists.
Production Credits
Edited by
Production Manager
Audio Design by
Additional Editing by
Production Liason (Tijuana)
Music Consultant
Web & Logo Design by
Additional Design
Assistant Camera
Sponsorship Coordinator
Production Interns
Post-Production Interns
Fiscal Sponsor
Aerial Photography Courtesy of
Special Thanks to


text: Ghana Premier League Hearts of lions complicate Aduana hopes of winning the title By sports5050 - 16.08.15 Title contenders, Aduana Stars have lost further grounds on leaders Ashantigold after going down 1:0 to Heart of Lions in Kpando. Prince Acquah converted an 18th minute penalty to give Lions all the valuable three points, which also kept their dreams of avoiding relegation alive. With Ashantigold stretching their lead on Saturday after earning a vital point away at Berekum Chelsea, Aduana needed to win to keep up the pressure on the miners. However, their defeat has now left them four points behind and Ashantigold will be crowned champions if theu win their next game at home. The match was equally important for the home side, who are also involved in the battle to avoid relegation. With so many clubs in contention to avoid the drop, defeat would have spelt doom for Lions, especially on a day their other relegation contenders recorded vital points. Source: Ghanafa.org


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FSB in the Community
Why are we called a community bank?
Because we're part of this wonderful community.
We were born and raised here. We're your friends, family, and neighbors. Your money stays in this community helping it to grow and prosper.
Farmers State Bank began it's tradition of Blue Button Banking way back in 1915 when the Stroh Banking Center opened their doors. We offer the most current products, services, and technology paired with friendly, dependable and trustworthy service to best help our neighbors succeed financially in the communities we serve. We are proud of the fact that our bankers are active in our communities. We believe in being involved and paying it forward to better our communities.
We're proud to be a part of the area communities. Stop by today and you'll see we have a lot more than money invested in your community. Below you can see just some of the ways Farmers State Bank gets involved and gives back.
Steuben County United Way Day of Caring Volunteer Teams 2018
St. Joseph County United Way Donation January 2018
Law Enforcement Appreciation Day 2018 - LaGrange Police Department
Law Enforcement Appreciation Day 2018 - Angola City Police
Farmers State Bank Donates to Habitat for Humanity of NE Indiana Sept. 2017
Farmers State Bank Donates to Boomerang Backpacks October 2017
Law Enforcement Appreciation Day 2017
Community Shred Day 2017
LaGrange County Council on Aging Donation 2017 from
Blue Button Jean-erosity Program
Paddle for Parkview 2017
Sturgis Parade 2017
Steuben County United Way Day of Caring April 2017


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So this blog is turning more and more into a food blog. Well, I will definitely write updates about my life but I am a foodies, so all things food tend to dominate.
Okay..so I once attempted to make buns maybe 3 years ago. It turned out harder than hockey pucks and just was wrong wrong wrong.
However, since the last 3 years...my interest to delve into culinary escapades coupled with copious amounts of watching Food Network, has heightened my ability to cook. However, I seriously lack baking skills...its all about luck when it comes to baking for me. Sometimes its good, sometimes its bad. So yesterday, I stumbled upon this blog which had this recipe for pull-apart garlic bread. I was instantly attracted to how soft and buttery the buns looked. I followed the exact same recipe except I added a generous amount of grated mozarella cheese atop of mine along with a sprinkle of oregano and pepper and voila! I have buns! I took pics after everyone finished eating half of it. It looks like a big piece of bread but its actually little buns tightly placed next to each other. Seee....
The taste and texture reminded me a lot of Domino's cheesy bread (this picture can be found at Dan Bruno's photostream on Flickr!)