text:
Text Size Large SizeMedium SizeSmall Size Color Scheme Black SchemeWhite SchemeGrey SchemePaper Scheme
Too Far
The events during that summer between Twilight and New Moon... basically a Jacob-free version of Bella and Edward romance, and the problems that ensue without the help of werewolves, vendetta-ridden vampires, or the Volturi. No danger or action, for the most part, just their relationship.
Read it and enjoy. Reviews are greatly appreciated!
1. Chapter 1
Rating 5/5 Word Count 1242 Review this Chapter
"Edward, help me!" I gasped breathlessly into the forest clearing. The beautiful flowered landscape nestled between the aging forests had become a sanctuary to me over the past months. Whenever I needed to clear my head or simply spend time with Edward, we escaped to the clearing and inhaled the beautiful, clean air. Well, I inhaled, anyway. He, as usual, simply breathed out of habit, not necessity. But now, this clearing was anything but my sanctuary.
"Edward! Please!" I managed one more time, hoping he would finally turn and acknowledge me. He paused momentarily and gently raised a hand with his back turned to me, as if to say "not now". Calmly, at human pace, he placed one leg in front of the other, trying his best to ignore my pleas. What seemed like ages, but what took not nearly enough time, he was gone. I strained my eyes to see into the dense trees at the edge of the clearing.
No. Edward... I clung desperately to the hope that he would run back to my side and ease the growing pain that was throbbing in my chest, my gut, and my lungs. I wiped my eyes frantically, praying that I was simply in a terrible nightmare, but the ache wouldn't stop. He'll come back. Any minute, he'll come back and help me; he'll ease the pain. The pain was killing me. He'll come back. But I knew, unequivocally, that I was alone.
~The Night Before~
"Bella, you looked absolutely gorgeous at prom, if I do say so myself," bragged Alice, helping me out of the expensive designer dress she had forced on me earlier this afternoon. It was now half past midnight, and I knew I had to get home quickly before Charlie got upset.
"Thanks, Alice." I rolled my eyes, willing the words that were about to come to go back down my throat. "It was... fun." I sighed. "Not nearly as bad as I expected..."
"Well, of course it was fun! Most humans actually enjoy dances and parties. Heck, I haven't been human for fifty years and I still enjoy them." She chuckled.
"Yes, Alice, I'm aware. Let's all laugh at the awkward, unusual human. Besides, you are ridiculously graceful, so of course you enjoy showcasing your talents." She flashed a kind smile, and I laughed in return. We sat in silence for a length of time, contemplating the events of this evening. In all honesty, I couldn't be remotely upset about anything today. In fact, if I was being completely honest, today was ranked among one of the best days of my life. Sure, I hated dances and dressing up, but tonight it was all for Edward. Tonight, Edward and I danced until midnight (despite my cast-enclosed leg) and walked beneath the stars talking about our future. I recalled suddenly part of our conversation.
"Alice... when Edward and I went outside..."
"Oh, Bella... save me the details please!" she cringed, expecting to hear romantic fluff about her brother. I laughed.
"No, no. Alice, please." She rolled her eyes and smirked playfully. "I asked him about changing me, and... well... he lowered his head to my neck and asked if I was sure." She gasped. "He acted like he was going to, but then stopped. I think... I think he thought he would scare me out of it, but if anything I feel... excited. I want to change. I want to change for him, for you.... I just...I don't understand. Why won't he do it?" I stared at her expectantly, and she stared at me right back, as if willing me to understand.
"Bella, you know better than anyone else how stubborn Edward can be." She worked at my hair now, loosening the pins and letting it flow freely. "He's afraid, Bella. He doesn't want you to become what he considers a monster." She brushed my hair stiffly, and I could tell she was leaving something out. I contemplated her words. Sure, that was a genuine worry, but I knew what becoming a vampire involved. I knew the consequences, and I didn't care. It was worth it. It was worth it a hundred times over if it meant I could be with him forever. I tried again.
"Isn't it my decision?" I asked, pulling on my jean shorts from this morning and a t-shirt. "I mean... I know a part of him wants it. I know he loves me and part of him enjoys the thought of spending forever with me, like you and Jasper, but in the end don't I get to decide what happens with my life?"
She sighed. "Bell-", she began. She was cut off by Edward barging into the room. He hadn't changed from his tuxedo and I was struck again by how strange it was that this gorgeous boy, this Adonis, was my boyfriend. He looked breathtaking in anything, but the combination of his supernatural good-looks and the classic tuxedo rendered me speechless.
"Alright, ladies, time to go. Bella, I have to get you home, it's almost 1:00". I ripped my gaze away from his perfectly disheveled bronze hair and glanced at the clock. Sure enough, I had five minutes to get across town and through my front door. I gasped, but Edward grabbed my hand in one swift movement and gently led me towards the door.
"Thanks, Alice," I managed before I was whisked out the door and down the stairs. We made our way to the driveway and Edward, ever the gentleman, opened the passenger door to his Volvo and helped me in. Before I could blink he was in the drivers' seat and starting the car. Vampire speed always left me a little baffled. I chanced a look at the clock - 12:56 am.
"Crap! Charlie is--," I began.
"Going to be pleasantly surprised," he interrupted. "Don't worry, you're with me." He grabbed my hand and looked into my eyes, the dazzling topaz clearing all worries from my head. Smooth, I managed clear my head enough to think, distracting me from the fact that he's driving over 100 mph. I sighed, unable to remove my eyes from his gaze. No one should have that much power over another person just by looking at them.
"Did you have fun tonight?" I saw his perfect lips move to form the question. A second later, I realized what he asked.
"Oh! Oh...yes. Yes, I had a great time. Thank you." He smiled the perfect sideways smile that he knew I loved.
"I'm glad. You looked gorgeous tonight." I blushed unexpectedly. I could tell by his voice that he meant it wholeheartedly. The idea that any body looked worthy of decent in his presence was ridiculous. "We're here." I started, stunned. We were in my driveway, the porch light still on, and it was 12:59. I looked back at him, grateful. He simply leaned forward and gently pressed his lips against my forehead. Then, he whisked out of the car and before I knew it he was at my door, leaning down to help me and my broken leg out of the car. He half-carried me to the door and knocked twice.
"I love you," he managed to whisper before the door opened unexpectedly quickly and Charlie stepped onto the porch.


text:
Nov. 29, 2009
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - UC Santa Barbara ended the 2009 season by overpowering Pacific with a 20-11 victory in the seventh-place game of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Tournament on Sunday morning at McDonald's Swim Stadium on the USC campus.
The Gauchos were the first to get on the board when Zsombor Vincze fired a shot from eight meters out to give UCSB a 1-0 lead just 42 seconds into the first quarter. During the next possession, Pacific's Austin DeLong tied the game at one-all.
Kendell Olds regained the lead for UCSB a minute later when he cherry picked during a Tiger possession. When the ball was turned over, goalkeeper Fraser Bunn passed the ball to Olds, who beat two defenders at the opposite end of the pool and scored.
Brian Bishop pushed the UCSB lead to two goals three minutes later when he scored on a skip shot. Lance Morrison quickly put the Tigers back within one with a goal out of center with 2:41 to go in the quarter, but UCSB once against distanced itself, closing out the quarter with three consecutive goals coming from Milos Golic, Vincze and Sean Castillo.
After Joey Gullikson opened the scoring for the Tigers just 48 seconds into the third quarter, the Gauchos went on another run, notching three unanswered goals. UCSB outscored Pacific 7-4 during the quarter behind two goals from both Golic and Vincze.
The Gauchos went on to outscore the Tigers 7-5 in the second half of the game, leading by five or more goals the remainder of the way.
Vincze led all players with six goals in the victory while Milos Golic notched four for the Gauchos. Bishop chipped in a hat trick while Olds and Castillo each chipped in a pair during their final collegiate game.
Bunn tallied 10 saves in the first three quarters, including a blocked five-meter penalty shot in the third quarter. Myles Christian tallied two saves in the final quarter.
The Gauchos close the 2009 season with a 13-16 overall record and a seventh-place MPSF Tournament and regular season finish.
UCSB 20, Pacific 11
Pacific Goals: Tomasevic 3, Morrison 3, Gulikson 2, DeLong, Rossi, Bartieti
Pacific Saves: Andrus 5
UCSB Goals: Zsombor Vincze 6, Milos Golic 4, Brian Bishop 3, Kendell Olds 2, Sean Castillo 2, Dylan Baliani, Noah Smith, Stefan Partelow
UCSB Saves: Fraser Bunn 10, Myles Christian 2.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
When Glenbard North's 2011 football campaign closed with a Class 8A semifinal loss to Loyola Academy, running back Justin Jackson felt like he had not contributed enough to his team.
After this year's semifinal -- again against Loyola on Saturday afternoon in Wilmette -- you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who felt Jackson could have done anymore than he did this time around. After all, the Panthers junior scored 4 touchdowns, played stellar on defense and helped Glenbard North hold off a late Ramblers rally for a 27-24 win and a spot in next weekend's Class 8A championship game against either Neuqua Valley or Mt. Carmel.
"It feels great, but we want to take another step," said Jackson, who ran for 242 yards and 3 touchdowns on 45 carries and also hauled in a TD pass that gave his team a 14-0 lead in the second quarter. "I didn't feel like I had a big enough impact last year and I felt like I let those seniors down. But this is probably one of the best games I've ever had."
The Panthers struck first after lineman Connor Dombrowski blocked a Ramblers punt and returned the ball to the 5-yard line, which set the stage for Jackson's 4-yard score two plays later. It was the first of many big pays by a Panthers defense that limited Loyola (11-2) to just a last-minute field goal in the first half. The stout unit then helped the visitors build a 27-10 lead after three quarters before the Ramblers made things interesting with a furious rally.
"That was a big play for us and it was important to get ourselves a lead," Dombrowski said. "It's crazy to be headed downstate. Surreal."
The Panthers defense -- which forced six punts and recovered two fumbles -- got the ball back after Jackson's short TD run and then the lead reached two touchdowns after Brian Murphy dropped a perfectly placed 19-yard TD over a defender and into the arms of Jackson, who did the rest, scoring the second of four TDs in the game to give him 36 on the year.
Loyola did answer with a late field goal and then closed to within 14-10 when Richie Wehman made a nice one-handed grab of a 12-yard scoring pass from Peter Pujals, who recorded 173 of his 272 passing yards in the second half.
But just when Loyola appeared to have taken control of the momentum, Glenbard North answered with an 80-yard drive capped by a 12-yard Jackson score and then followed that up with a 59-yard scamper by Jackson behind the big block of Mitch Siver.
"It's great to be in the semifinals twice now when most players would love to make it once," said Siver, a 5-foot-10, 280-pound senior. "But now I want it all."
Asked about Jackson's long touchdown that made the score 27-10 late in the third quarter, Siver said, "You get attachment (with the defender) and then you just wait for the fireworks from Justin."
Loyola coach John Holecek's team rallied with two late TD passes, but following each score the Panthers recovered the onside kick, and when Glenbard North's Alex Smith recovered the final kick with 46 seconds left to play, the Ramblers' bid to return to the state finals came up just short.
"Obviously, he's a super back, and that's a physical offensive line," Holecek said. "We didn't play our best tackling, but what can you say? They earned that victory."


text: wholly merchandise is with the latest serial found with this webpage. this site is one good assortment of brush quality gowns, which have been clearly classified for your leisure.only 1 varlet will make you find your very best self vogue one particular. tbdress can be bound to become one particular best option for your internet shopping, a single ahead(p) brush quality gowns middleman across the world.tbdress is surely an omnibus website to find many other vogue products right here. if you want to buy brush quality gowns, this will likely your easiest destination for a choose.tbdress, because the major middleman inwards china and taiwan, go through hottest pattern which is often known as because best use the internet. enjoy the store is actually good desire a person.


text:
A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck Saturday near the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, the state-run Philippines News Agency (PNA) reported.
The temblor hit at 12:37 p.m. local time, 149 kilometers (93 miles) south of Davao, the USGS said.
It struck at a depth of about 98 kilometers. No tsunami warning or watch has been issued.


text:
We hereby describe the conditions of use of this website with reference to the processing of the users' personal data.
This Policy is provided in compliance with the duty to inform set forth under art. 13 of the Legislative Decree no. 196, dated 30 June 2003, of Italian Law, which regulates the processing of the personal data of those people connecting to this website and to those services of Piovan Group Companies which are available through electronic networks at the following address: PIOVAN - http://www.piovan.com.
This Policy is provided solely through the above mentioned website and does not concern any other website which may be browsed by the users via linking from this website.
Piovan Group grants the respect of the legislation regulating the protection of personal data. The users shall carefully read this Policy before submitting any personal information and/or fill in any electronic form (taken) from this website.
This Policy takes cues from the European guidelines contained in the Recommendation no.2/2001, adopted on May, 17th 2001 by the Group created following the directions of article no.29 of the EU Directive no. 95/46/EC, in order to identify some basic requirements for the online collection of personal data. In particular how, when and the nature of the information the data controllers need to provide to users when browsing the web pages regardless of the purpose.
Browsing this website may result into processing personal data relating to people identified or who may be identified.
The data controller is PIOVAN SPA, with registered office in Via delle Industrie n. 16 - 30036 Santa Maria di Sala (VE) – Italy.
The processing operations connected to this website services solely occur at the aforementioned data controller's site and are managed by specific staff in charge of said processing, or else, by other people in case of occasional maintenance activities.
No data gathered through this website services shall be communicated or disseminated.
The personal data given by users answering to a job advertisement or sending an application and/or a CV, or sending requests for information material, shall be solely used for the service required and shall be disclosed to third parties solely in case of real necessity and if considered of essence to carry out the required task.
Browsing Data
While operating on this website, the information systems and software procedures acquire personal data, which transmission is implied in the Internet communication protocols.
These data are not acquired in order to connect them to others; however they could allow the identification of the users when being processed and connected to data held by third parties.
This category of data includes IP addresses or the domain names of the PCs of the users connecting to the website, the URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) addresses of the requested resources, the time of such request, the method used for submitting a request to the server, the size of the returned file, the numeric code indicating the server response status ("went through", "error", etc.) and other parameters concerning the operating system and the PC environment of the user.
These data are used solely to acquire anonymous statistic information on the use of the website and to verify its proper functioning. The data could be used to establish the liability in case of hypothetic computer crimes against this website. This exception aside, the data are retained for few months only.
Data Provided by Users under no specific Request
Should users/visitors, while connecting to this website, send any personal data in order to access to any services (sending applications, answering to job advertisements or requesting information/documentation), or send e-mail requests, they must be aware that these actions can lead to Piovan Group acquiring the sender's e-mail address and/or other personal data, which shall be handled solely to meet the request and/or to supply services.
Cookies are small text files stored on PC's hard disk and they are used to provide services and / or information on this website use.
This website uses session cookies, which are not permanently stored on the user's PC and disappear upon closing the browser or at the user's log off.
This website uses also Google Analytics, a web analysis service provided by Google, Inc. ("Google") through the use of cookies. The information generated by the cookie about user's visiting the website (including IP address) will be transmitted and stored on Google's server in the United States. Google will use this information in order to track the access to the website and to generate and review the data in aggregate and anonymous format, in order to verify how the users browse on the website and to develop statistics. Google may also transfer this information to third parties when required by law, or when such third parties process the information on Google's account. The user can refuse the cookies activation though means of selecting the appropriate settings in the browser, however this may stop some other website functions.
Therefore, while using this website, the user agree also to Google's processing their personal data for the purposes set out above.
No matter what specified regarding the browsing data, the users are free to provide their personal data.
The users are required to agree to the processing of their personal data, in particular when answering to job advertisements and/or sending applications and their CVs.
Failing to give their consent may lead to inability of providing the service requested.
Personal data are processed through automated instruments and stored solely for the time strictly necessary to fulfil the purposes for which they were collected.
Specific security measures are respected in order to prevent the data from being lost, illegally and/or inappropriately used, and accessed without authorisation.
The subjects owners of the personal data are anytime entitled to require confirmation on the existence of such data and to be informed about their contents and origins, to verify their accuracy or to request their implementation or update or correction (as per art. 7 of the Legislative Decree no. 196/2003).
Pursuant to the above article the subject has right to request the cancellation, the modification into anonymous form, or the block of the data being processed in breach of law, as well as to fight against their processing in any case for any legitimate reason.
All rights set forth under art. 7 of the Legislative Decree no.196/2003 are executed through a non formal request to the Data Controller, also through the appointed Human Resources Department (email@example.com), who shall answer properly without no further delay.
Considering that the automatic process control does not ensure protection against errors and malfunctioning, we hereby clarify that this document is the Privacy Policy of this website and shall be subject to periodic updating.


text:
Bayern Munich got back to winning ways by recording an efficient 5-0 victory over Hannover at the Allianz Arena.
The Bundesliga leaders mustered just six efforts on target in the first half, but nonetheless headed into the break with a 3-0 lead thanks to goals from Javi Martinez, Toni Kroos and Franck Ribery had put them ahead.
Dante added a fourth on the hour mark, before the returning Mario Gomez completed his side's ruthless rout with his first touch of the ball after being sprung from the bench.
Bayern wasted no time applying early pressure, and took the lead with only three minutes played. Long-range efforts from Mario Mandzukic and Thomas Muller had failed to trouble Ron Zieler, but the stopper was helpless when Javi Martinez spectacularly opened the scoring. The game's first corner-kick saw the ball eventually come towards the Spaniard, who responded by acrobatically converting with an overhead effort.
The hosts continued to dictate proceedings and, an ambitious penalty appeal from Mame Diouf aside, had little trouble containing their seventh-placed visitors. Kroos came close to doubling his side's lead twice in the matter of minutes, firing wide from distance before spurning a glorious close-range opportunity.
Hannover grew into the game as the first half wore on, and their first notable forward forays came midway through the first half. Diouf was correctly adjudged to be offside on a free kick, before Lars Stindl tested Manuel Neuer with a stinging drive.
Bayern maintained composure, however, and ruthlessly doubled their lead in the 24th minute. The Bavarians incisively played their way around the final third and eventually saw the ball come to skipper Philip Lahm on the right flank. The German sent a low delivery towards Kroos on the edge of the area and his compatriot finished with the most stylish of scissor-kicks.
Further misery was piled on Mirko Slomka's men as half-time approached, with Ribery netting a confident third for his side in the 37th minute. Sloppy play in their own half from Hannover allowed Muller to pick up a stray ball and the German made no mistake to pick out the onrushing winger. The Frenchman then took a deft touch create space inside the area before lashing the ball past a stranded Zieler.
The Bavarians began the second half in a fashion similar to how they had ended the first, with their attacking quartet continuously probing the visiting back-line. Mandzukic was the first to get a sight of goal after the break on the end of a Muller delivery, while Kroos nearly set up the Croatian with a chipped cross shortly after.
Bayern were not to be denied a fourth, however, with Dante extending his side's lead just past the hour mark. The Brazilian rose above the crowd to latch onto a free kick from Kroos, and coolly converted his header to open his scoring account for the season.
The profligate Mandzukic was taken off minutes later and star striker Gomez made a dream return from injury as he bagged his side's fifth with his first sight of the ball. The Germany international's threat had appeared to be waning as he vied for the ball with Karim Haggui, but the forward shrugged off the defender before clinically curling past Zieler into the far post.
Gomez could only strike straight at the keeper on the end of a Bayern counter minutes later, with Ribery making a mess of the subsequent rebound. The German was then nearly put in the clear by fellow substitute Xherdan Shaqiri, but Zieler was on hand to spare his side further blushes.
The comprehensive victory sees Bayern maintain strengthen their lead atop the league summit, while Hannover slip in their bid to secure European football.


text:
The Vallejo City Unified School District's career academies could become models of reform for state education.
The district was one of 20 chosen last week by the state Department of Education to pilot "linked learning" programs aimed at bridging academics with real-life professional applications.
The career academies are nothing new in the Vallejo City Unified School District. Vallejo High and Jesse Bethel high schools each have three academies, several of which were transferred from Hogan High School when that school closed.
Vallejo High has the Apache Engineering, the Hospitality and the Biotechnology academies. Bethel has the Green, the Multimedia and the Biomedical Academies.
It has been an initiative of Superintendent Ramona Bishop and the Vallejo school board to develop "wall-to-wall" academies. That is, every high school student will eventually be enrolled in one of the career academies.
"We know a lot of our students still struggle in high school because they don't have a picture of what a career will look like after school. They might view that being an engineer is being in a physics class and doing physics. They can't see that that's just a small part of what an engineer might do," said Cheri Summers, the district's chief academic officer.
Academies in Vallejo start in sophomore year and are often designed to give students hands-on experience. For example, students at Jesse Bethel's Green Academy can sometimes be found collecting items for a compost pile, while students at the Vallejo High Hospitality Academy participate in an annual statewide entrepreneurship simulation.
For now, becoming a linked learning pilot program doesn't automatically mean the district will get new funds. Linked learning is part of an Assembly bill that is so far unfunded.
"When funds become available -- and we think that they will because career tech education is on a lot of people's radar -- we will have priority access to that funding," Summers said.
What the state will do, however, is provide technical assistance and professional development as districts continue to develop their programs.
The district is establishing four more academies: Human and Public Services and International Finance academies at Bethel, and Health and Fitness and Performing Arts academies at Vallejo.
The creation of those academies will mean the district will have a place for every sophomore in the district.
"We will be wall-to-wall in terms of every 10th-grader," Summers said.
The high school academies are also designed to fit in neatly with the district's other initiatives, such as the establishment of magnet schools. For example, the International Business Academy could draw students from the dual language immersion program at Cave Language Academy, while Loma Vista Environmental Sciences Academy could get students ready for any of the science academies at the high schools.
Contact Lanz Christian Bañes at (707) 553-6833 or email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @LanzTimesH.


text:
Now don't get me wrong here. I say this with the utmost respect.
Bangor City Councilor Charlie Longo needs an intervention.
This week Longo took the opportunity at a City Council meeting to tap on his microphone and accuse Gov. Paul LePage of spending too much time bellied up to the bar to get any real work done.
He prefaced his gossipy statement, which he admitted came only from the rumor mill, with the announcement that while he was calling the governor a lush, he was doing so with the utmost respect.
His comments were so outrageous, inflammatory and stupid that even fellow Councilor Joe Baldacci, whose negative feelings about LePage are well known, raised his hand seemingly trying to put a stop to the madness.
Longo offered to meet with LePage at the Sea Dog or even at Bangor's only gentleman's club, Diamonds, if that's what it took to get the work of the people done.
When confronted by fellow councilors he defended himself by saying he was doing the work of his constituents.
He since has apologized.
Thankfully, he knew enough to do that.
LePage was asked about it and basically told a reporter he couldn't care less.
Finally, our governor responds appropriately.
Who knew it would take Longo to make LePage look level-headed.
Of course there were those responders online who thought Longo had done just fine. LePage, they argued, had done worse. They cited the many comments the governor has made demeaning his opponents, the president, and any ideas that weren't his own.
They are right. LePage doesn't speak well. He is seen by many if not most as a bully and mean-spirited and as a man who speaks before he thinks.
So I argue that perhaps he is not a man to aspire to emulate.
Perhaps it was LePage's failings and his many vocal detractors that provided Longo with the bravado he needed to make such a statement.
That, Mr. Longo, is lowering yourself to the least common denominator.
It is not becoming.
Yours were the words of an amateur.
Of course Longo is not alone.
Right now even our most seasoned political leaders seem to be more concerned with issuing low blows to their opponents than really doing the people's work.
It takes great character and wisdom to stay above the fray and do the work that fixes the problem.
I'm not sure when I last heard a great and inspiring political speech.
Respect, even for the office of the governor or the president, seems to be waning.
On the wall right beside our bathroom mirror hangs a copy of an old and weathered poem written by Rudyard Kipling.
We hung it there many, many years ago in that place with purpose.
I'm not a politician, nor will I ever be, but I'll offer it up as a suggestion to Longo.
A sort of subtle intervention if you will.
Kipling's poem "If" begins with, "If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you; If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for the doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don't deal in lies."
It finishes with this.
"And — which is more — you'll be a Man, my son!"
Longo was foolish this week. He's young. His first three-year term on the City Council is up this year. It is up to us, and perhaps to him, whether he gets a second term.
I say, this, of course, with the utmost respect.


text:
- About Extension
- Resources
- Catalog
- Programs
- Get Involved
- Employees
- News
- Statewide Locations
New OSU program grooms students to become top-notch workers
November 10, 2011
CORVALLIS, Ore. – A new program at Oregon State University aims to help agricultural sciences and forestry students succeed in the workplace – and show employers that these OSU graduates are top-notch employees.
The program, called Leadership Academy, got under way this term with 10 students. Over the course of the year, participants will sharpen their ability to lead, think critically, communicate and work in a team.
"We heard feedback from employers that our graduates have impeccable technical skills, but that most job-seekers would benefit from additional development in these soft-skill areas," said Kellie Strawn, the director of the academy, which is run by the College of Agricultural Sciences.
Participants, who are selected after submitting an application and being interviewed, must meet regularly with a faculty mentor, develop personal goals, hold leadership roles on campus and in the community, and attend a biweekly campus seminar. They do not receive credit for participating in the academy but they do receive a small stipend. The program is only for students in the Agricultural Sciences and Forestry colleges.
"If employers want a well-rounded student who can come into a company and make an immediate impact, one who understands the importance of personal skills, communication, critical thinking and teamwork, then they need to go after Leadership Academy students," said Jonathan Velez, who teaches the seminar and holds the newly endowed Terence Bradshaw Leadership Academy Professorship.
The academy's hallmark is the one-on-one mentoring component, Velez said. It was the main draw for Tom Griffin, an environmental and economic policy major who plans to attend law school next year. His mentor is Sonny Ramaswamy, the dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences.
"The opportunity to network with a faculty member is going to help tremendously with making industry connections," said Griffin, who will intern for a congressman winter term.
The program is funded by an endowment from Terence Bradshaw and contributions from individuals and businesses.
Velez hopes to double the number of academy students next year and eventually offer it to 50 to 60 students a year.
Source: Kellie Strawn, Jonathan Velez, Tom Griffin, Sonny Ramaswamy


text:
Cisco Continues Software, Cloud-Mad Spending Spree
Cisco plans to spend $1.2 billion on cloud networking company Meraki in its second deal in the past week and its ninth acquisition of the year.
Cisco, a networking hardware giant, has been expanding its cloud computing and software tools to help its clients run their networks.
J.P. Morgan analysts said in a report: "We understand the strategic rationale behind the deal and recognize the growing importance of wireless LAN and cloud management," though the analysts questioned the price given the number of Meraki competitors. The analysts added that "Unsurprisingly, Cisco has taken an aggressive approach to acquiring software oriented companies," noting that Meraki is its 7th straight deal in software
Check out a rundown of Cisco's deals this year, in chronological order, on The WSJ's Deal Journal blog.


text:
I thought I'd be driving up to a storefront, but instead my phone's GPS leads me to the end of a cul-de-sac. I'm on my way to a place called Beecher's Coffee & Premium Tea, and as I pull into the driveway, I spy several large sacks of coffee beans in the garage. Smoke wafts up from the chimney, and the air is thick with the aroma of roasting coffee. Hundreds of snowflake-like things float down from the sky.
"Those are the coffee husks," says Dave Beecher Brauer M'09, who comes out of the garage to greet me. "Welcome to Beecher's!"
Founded in 2003 and named for Brauer's grandfather, Beecher Linwood Scott, Beecher's Coffee & Premium Tea roasts and sells more than 65,000 pounds of premium coffee each year. And it's all done right here in the Pine Township garage of Brauer's father and business partner, David F. Brauer, who once taught risk management as an adjunct professor at RMU.
Each Tuesday they spend the entire day roasting 300-400 pounds of coffee. On Wednesday Brauer packs the coffee into his Toyota Prius and makes all the deliveries personally. Most of their clients are local nonprofits — LaRoche College, the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, churches — and the Brauers donate 51 percent of their earnings to faithbased charities such as the Glade Run Foundation and Light of Life Rescue Mission. They also participate in One Percent for the Planet, an international organization whose members contribute at least one percent of their annual sales revenue to environmental causes. "Beecher's is a values-led business," says Brauer. "We're more like a philanthropic organization that makes coffee."
Beecher's roasts what Brauer refers to as "relationship coffees." "It's smaller than fair trade," he says. "Many poor families can't afford to be registered as fair trade. We actually know our growers, and we work hard to build personal relationships with them."
Coincidentally, it was a personal relationship that Brauer developed while at RMU that set the company on its current path.
After earning his bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Pittsburgh, Brauer worked as a financial adviser for a few years and spent a little over a year at law school. Then, in 2007, he enrolled in RMU's human resources management graduate program and met the program's director, Darlene Motley, Ph.D., who took Brauer on as a graduate assistant and guided his research into organizational sustainability. "The friendship and mentorship we've developed really set the track of where I am going in life," he says. It was Motley who motivated him to pursue his Ph.D. in economics at the prestigious University of Durham in Great Britain. The program requires an enormous amount of travel; not only does Brauer meet with his advisor in England four or more times a year, but his small group of 13 doctoral candidates meets for classes every eight weeks not in England, but at Fudan University in Shanghai. Brauer plans to become a professor.
Today sustainability plays a big part in the Beecher's Coffee mission. The company buys directly from regional farmers who harvest shade-grown and organic coffee beans, and then ships the coffee in compostable packaging. Induction lighting illuminates their garage-based operation, and natural gas powers the roaster. And as for those snowflake-like coffee husks, Brauer and his dad reuse them as mulch.
Now he's embarked on a new initiative to support the poor people of Haiti and, at the same time, revitalize the country's once-thriving coffee industry. Back in the 1970s, Haiti was the world's third largest coffee exporter, producing some 7 million pounds annually. Last year, however, the country exported 60,000 pounds, which is less than Beecher's annual output. Now Brauer hopes to help the poor of Haiti by restoring the country as a leading coffee producer. "Our goal is to get 1,000 Haitian families involved in the coffee industry again," he says.
Recently he was asked to join the board of directors of the Friends of Hôpital Albert Schweitzer, which supports projects in collaboration with the hospital's mission to improve the health and well-being of the people in Haiti's Artibonite Valley. Now he's working with the hospital to launch an exclusive, $100-per-pound Haitian coffee known as the "Pearl of the Antillies," the sales of which will help support the Haiti Timber Reintroduction Project.
For Brauer, the work he's doing at Beecher's and in Haiti isn't about financial success, but rather about the legacy he wants to leave to his two sons, Grant, 5, and Christian, 2. "What do I want them to know about me?" he says. "What's really important in life? Business, to me, is no longer just the means to an end. I found a path for my life that's more interesting. Money is a tool, not a goal. You can do good, change lives, and still make money to support your family."
WEB VIDEO EXCLUSIVE - One Cup at a Time
RMU alum Dave Brauer talks about how his company, Beecher's Coffee, is changing lives by helping people in Haiti rebuild their coffee growing industry.


text:
But some cars have a heads up display... which is basically a car-mounted version of the same thing. Can't we just have an administrative ruling that it falls under driving while distracted, or reckless driving, or whatever the legal term is, and not create a new law everytime someone makes something new?
Next up, no looking at your wristwatch while driving! It's the new technological menace!
Cars heads up displays don't include emails and google+ messages. Don't be obtuse.
But technically I could run a app that is beneficial to my driving. This week end rented a car and got one with a HUD. It displayed three things, the speed limit, the current speed and the navigation instructions. It "floated" over the hood and I could read the information without taking my eyes off the street. This is VERY beneficial when you are currently doing a maneuver in heavy traffic. It also made the audio queues obsolete. (It had none.) Oh and this implementation of a speed limit indicator works, you see your speed and the speed limit all the time. You really have to willfully be speeding, you can't speed "by mistake".
The only thing the Google glasses need are a driving mode.
While I'm not the OP...
GM has had an on-again-off-again affair with these things in various levels of interesting. My 98 Bonneville had a basic mode as did a lot of Pontiacs of the era, Grand Prix, Bonneville, Firebird. Various Caddilacs, Corvettes, Camaros, Colorados, Acadias... the list goes on and on in GM. Some did just speed, turn signals and warnings. You could go up into getting radio stations and more information. A lot of the new ones do nav if you've got it.
Creative google searching will give you BMW and probably more if you can read the steering wheel emblems. Apparently you can get it add on now days too, but that's probably just for things you'd find in the radio... i.e. station info and Nav.
Sounds like BMW's HUD system.
http://www.bmw.com/com/en/newvehicles/3series/sedan/2011/showroom/safety/head_up_display.html? [bmw.com]
Exactly BMW 330. And the speed limit detection was totally flawless, the first time I have seen it. Mot solution use a GPS + Map based system and thus don't know about local changes. This system must have some machine vision, because it flawlessly read the signs in the construction areas. The only errors it had when entering the Autobahn, that normally has no speed limit, but a temporary limit. But by the time you are up to speed, the next sign is visible and the system adapts.
It was a BMW 330. As it was a rental car it had everything maxed out when it came to extras.
But technically I could run a app that is beneficial to my driving. This week end rented a car and got one with a HUD. It displayed three things, the speed limit, the current speed and the navigation instructions. It "floated" over the hood and I could read the information without taking my eyes off the street. This is VERY beneficial when you are currently doing a maneuver in heavy traffic. It also made the audio queues obsolete. (It had none.) Oh and this implementation of a speed limit indicator works, you see your speed and the speed limit all the time. You really have to willfully be speeding, you can't speed "by mistake".
The only thing the Google glasses need are a driving mode.
You MIGHT download an app that might be beneficial to your driving.... presuming it makes up for the loss of attention span on what you're supposed to be focusing on.... DRIVING. It is an uncontestable fact that texting, calling on the phone, and browsing your emal on your smartphone, does lead to an increased risk in auto accidents. How would putting this stuff in your face make it any safer? We give our legislatures a deservedly bad rap when they think in terms of technology that's already generations obsolete. We should be giving this guy credit for looking ahead.
HUDs on cars currently are also less intrusive and only take up 5-10% of your viewing area. Google Glass will probably cause people to focus on the road differently just like when you hold your phone to your head it causes you to lose mental focus.
Google Glass will probably cause people
Legislation should not be based on "probably" and "maybe" and other shit people are basically pulling out of their asses.
I don't think he is being obtuse. The law is not going to specifically ban Google glasses, but any potential head mounted display. There can be no doubt based on years research and real world experience in the military that see-through head mounted displays can significantly improve situation awareness. A ban on head mounted displays not only prevents the use of ones that are bad for driving but any that could also be good for driving.
I agree that specific-banning every incremental innovation is ugly lawmaking practice(it isn't wrong or unethical in any serious way; but a legal code full of a fuckton of pointless special cases that could have been generalized is no prettier than any other codebase so afflicted).
However, I'm not with you on the 'All HUDs are created equal" thing. In-car HUDs, while dubiously valuable, have the advantage of being built into cars, with 100% certainty that their users will be driving cars while using them. There is an established body of work on building car controls that are minimally distracting to drivers(sometimes it is even adhered to!). A car HUD is much more likely to adhere to that than is a generic HUD doing god-knows-what.
Now, nothing prevents a generic HUD from running a set of software displays that would actually be useful to a driver(so banning them in general seems pointless and possibly counterproductive); but it is fair to treat a device that evolved out of the hardware, and use cases, of a smartphone as being distracting until proven innocent...
Or we could, you know, worry about actual behavior and actual problems instead of perceived imagined nonsense crap like this. I put texting and driving bans in the same category. Unless you also ban other things which are demonstrably as distracting as texting and driving, you're just a reactionary anti technology twerp who doesn't like something because it's popular with people you don't care for.
Nobody was worried about cell phones when they were so expensive as to only be business tools for certain wel
Nobody was worried about cell phones when they were so expensive as to only be business tools for certain well paid professions. It's only when young and less well off people adopted them that the Chicken Little screaming began.
Yea, obviously it's because the young and "poor people" use them now, and has nothing to do with the effects of mass adoption.... kriminy...
Meanwhile, we don't ban putting on makeup, shaving, reading printed material, and, worst of all, undisciplined children from cars. The latter, btw, being the direct cause of an accident which caused damage to my car while I was sitting still once. I didn't decide to make it my life's mission to do something about distractions caused by kids in cars, as some of these anti tech crusaders with too much time and too small brains seem to.
Driving like an idiot while looking at a paper map? That's ok. Do the same thing using a piece of tech to find your way? You need to be arrested or fined because you're a hazard. Please note the hazard is the same either way, it's just what some fools feel about the cause that's different. Yes, I meant "feel" and not "think" because clearly there's no thinking going on.
Uh, those things are illegal, you know. It's called either Careless and Imprudent or Reckless Driving, depending on where you live. Thing is, all forms of distracted driving are covered by one or both of the aforementioned laws - including distractions based on technology.
BTW, not a young person with an axe to grind.
Yes, your insistence that young people using cell phones is why we have laws that pertain to them,
And if I want to use the GPS feature only while driving? I think the best solution would be for Google to add a "lockout" feature, where GPS is the only feature accessible when the speed of the glasses is in excess of some reasonable number. Users could enable or disable this mode, as I can with my normal GPS unit, for the cases where the device is being used by the passenger instead of the driver. Then it falls under a blanket "distracted driving" laws when used inappropriately but is still allowable when used appropriately.
What about passengers? Why would you want to disable their Glass?
The second sentence in my original post reads "Users could enable or disable this mode, as I can with my normal GPS unit, for the cases where the device is being used by the passenger instead of the driver."
Yeah, because all those people on the road are using their smartphones "for GPS" while driving now. It's no different than Bit Torrent. While there are valid uses for the technology, most people are using it for willful copyright infringement.
I think the best solution would be for Google to add a "lockout" feature,
Why? If the glasses are recording everything that happens on the road then it will be much easier to start taking people's licenses away.
Most people would drive a lot better if they thought they were being recorded.
In the absense of laws stating precisely what is not legal, your wristwatch example would be reality. If you just have some generic 'no driving while distracted' law, who makes the determination of what is a distraction? The individual cop.
Yes, states have distracted driving laws. And the only time they are used is AFTER an incident has occurred. If you are swerving, you are already breaking a law (failure to maintain lane). However, if you are swerving, the only thing that prevented you from having an accident was luck - there was no-one else there at the same time.
The purpose of these types of laws is to prevent behavior that is likely to lead to a problem BEFORE you are to the point of swerving or having an accident.
If you are swerving around the road and the cop notices, it's pretty easy to see that you are driving distracted/recklessly.
A good way to prevent this would be to get drivers to wear head-mounted video recording devices.
We have a law like that in the UK (driving without due care and attention) but it only sort-of works. There are lots of grey areas that can only be worked out with a slow and expensive court procedure. There is outright abuse as well, like a woman arrested for taking a sip of water while waiting in the traffic lights.
The official advice is "keep your hands on the wheel at all times". Except, presumably, when changing gear or scratching a distracting itch.
Yeah....but those HUDs are certified by the same lawmakers. And they are implemented by car makers that risk the entire car being delayed because of "too much info" in the HUD.
As for after-market HUDs, they also should be certified, as laws don't allow anything uncertified between head and windshiled. But these uncertified devices are easier to control (like fines for using them uncertified) because once installed, they are not easily removed (like Google Glasses).
I prefer oddly specific laws, this way safer alternatives like road head, always remain legal.
Why cant Google design a QWERTY steering wheel and sod it all...what's with all this mincey pixie baby steps to the Darwinian utopia we had planned for the future?
You are correct, of course... but unfortunately that would require that people actually use the grey matter between their ears to determine whether something might be considered distracting or not, which no small percentage of drivers do not have any real motivation to try to use. "Distracted" driving, by itself, is far too subjective a concept to apply objectively. A driver who is simply daydreaming, for example, can easily be just as big of a danger to others as somebody who is driving intoxicated.
It could display driving speed, detect emergencies and notify you of them, pop up weather warnings. Overall I see a device with a HUD giving you an advantage driving..
There go my plans for a LiDAR, RADAR overlay HUD to provide better visibility in snow, fog, low-light, etc. Baby, bathwater both defenestrated.
Probably not. If people looked in 2D, then yeah, I could see it, but in reality your eyes have a limited ability to keep multiple things in focus at once. We don't care about that for the most part because we're able to change focus very quickly.
If a message comes up saying "Slow down, ice ahead", the reality is that you will take your eyes off the road to read the message, even though your eyes will still be pointing in the same direction.
That's the beauty of a HUD, you don't actually look at it but through it. If you are focusing on the HUD, you are doing it wrong.
Probably not. If people looked in 2D, then yeah, I could see it, but in reality your eyes have a limited ability to keep multiple things in focus at once. We don't care about that for the most part because we're able to change focus very quickly.
That's a long solved problem [for HUD's], just make the display focus at infinity - that way you don't have to refocus. (Seriously folks, stop and think a minute... while Google Glass is new, HUD's aren't. These are old, long solved problems.)
If a message comes up saying "Slow down, ice ahead", the reality is that you will take your eyes off the road to read the message, even though your eyes will still be pointing in the same direction.
If only there were ways to indicate to drivers in a non-distracting way of conditions regarding their vehicle and surroundings. One might imagine a simple yellow light that blinks 3-4 times, or a pinging tone.
Why, what havoc would occur if cars broadcast the diagnostic information to the driver to inform them of potential engine trouble, high temperatures, icy conditions, low oil, and other conditions. Drivers simply cannot process that much information and keep from turning into flaming balls of destruction.
So you turn 'Driving mode on' with your HUD, and it flashes a small dot of light in a non obstructive manner if there is an accident ahead. My smartphone already does this through Waze, and I expect most standalone GPS units will soon as well as they connect into the in-car wifi.
There are countless ways that current technology can be distracting.
An easy way to reduce accidents from an already distracting technology? Ban speed cameras. Nothing like watching drivers overcompensate, or swivel their heads around as they are trying to look for the cameras.
We don't care about that for the most part because we're able to change focus very quickly.
You're confusing depth perception with focus, and no, we don't actually focus all that quickly, and no, the message could be projected in your field of vision as if it were floating well ahead of you, so there would be no focus change. Even if you had to refocus your eyes, you'd still be seeing the road no differently than if you were looking at a bug on your windshield.
In your common sense anti-Glass rationalizing,
This is rather like saying that a mobile phone is an advantage when driving. After all, someone could text you a warning about traffic conditions ahead, or talk you through how to get somewhere, or you could use the camera in the phone to take photos of cars that are being driven dangerously. Yep, mobile phones are the next big advance in driver safety!
Let's face it: If someone is wearing Google Glass while driving, there's a 99% chance they're using it to watch football, film or porn.
Actually you can glance at the message immediately without shifting your vision off the road through a transparent HUD. You'll lose focus and attention, but you retain motion and reflex, which make up greater than 90% of driving anyway: your focus is on a specific area in a specific direction, and your attention is usually mainly ahead; objects shifting out of their stable relative position quickly draw attention. Glancing at your cell phone moves your vision to a relatively large, opaque obstruction tha
And if GPS speed > 20kph disable non driving related functions.
Sucks for passengers/carpoolers/sluglines/metro/bus riders.
Sucks for passengers/carpoolers/sluglines/metro/bus riders.
So? Those don't exist in the USA.~
It seems a bit to reactionary to something that could actually be a bonus. No, people shouldn't be driving while reading email, etc, but I'd much prefer a HUD stype presentation of speed, RPM, direction, vehicle status than looking at the dash. Some cars used to have HUD displays and it worked reasonable well. Likewise, it would be nice to have a record of what happened in the case of an accident, seeing amn accident, or a drunk driver, etc. This seems to be trying to ban the device in general, not how it's
This seems to be trying to ban the device in general, not how it's used.
If you can come up with another way to address their concerns, then perhaps they'll listen. This is a real concern, and I think a valid one. When it comes to something like a copy protection circumvention device then banning the device and not the use is one thing, and when it comes to distraction while driving then something else entirely is happening. The first is unreasonable, you're only taking your own life into your hands. The second is not, because now you've got a chance for your inattention to kill
Just mandate an in-car device that detects a google glass headset and redirects all of the display to the car's HUD/device screen instead. Thus your vision is not obscured by the output, but the possible utility of the device is not compromised either.
Where I am its illegal to operate a cell-phone while driving, unless you have a car mounted hands-free cellphone etc. This would be little different
Just mandate an in-car device that detects a google glass headset and redirects all of the display to the car's HUD/device screen instead. Thus your vision is not obscured by the output, but the possible utility of the device is not compromised either.
That would maybe work if the device were included in new cars, and were illegal to disable... But you have to account for people switching cars, and the thing can't just plug into a lighter socket.
...I'd say the lawmaker was worried about the possibility of the Google Glass user recording what transpires at a traffic stop.
Good thing I'm not paranoid.
...I'd say the lawmaker was worried about the possibility of the Google Glass user recording what transpires at a traffic stop.
Good thing I'm not paranoid.
Given that dash cams are 100% legal and start at under $100(typically slightly over if you want GPS included), I'd say that your paranoia needs to use Occam's razor a bit more frequently...
A device with a cell connection is somewhat more likely to get footage offsite even if you end up assaulting the officer's fist with your face, repeatedly; but you could plaster a car with dash-cams(including the flavor that has the camera module connected by a video cable to a recording box embedded deeper in the vehicle
The Google Glass is likely just the start of the more intimate computing interface industry. So either the industry flops and so no problem, or the industry takes off.
In the latter case, safety would dictate that either cars be made more autonomous (less dependent on driver control) or that public transport be changed to accomodate. Not sure what you could do for the latter but right now the big disincentive to public transport is lack of reliability, privacy, and cleanliness. Improvements would likely turn the tide. As for funding, if say, half the cost of annual private vehicle ownership were instead put completely in to the public transport infrastructure, wouldn't that be sufficient to fuel and sustain the required changes?
Enforce the distracted driving laws, done. Covers all current and future technology.
If they're not weaving or following too closely, are they distracted by the glasses?
If anything, Glass could make texting less dangerous. Texting is currently highly dangerous because you have to completely look away from driving and focus on the phone. And you can't and never will stop such cell phone use from happening and creating accidents because it's way too difficult for law enforcement to see and prove. (Hint: it's not just texting, it's also things like phone GPS.) So we're going to legislate away something that could make it less dangerous? Brilliant.
If simple distractions really
If only there were laws about "dangerous driving" or "reckless driving" or (here in the UK) "Driving without due care and attention" so that the cops could book anybody who clearly wasn't in control of their vehicle, whether they were eating spaghetti, doing their makeup, performing a lewd act with their passenger, coding in FORTH using a Microwriter chord keyboard* or using their quantum degrebulator. Then there would be no need to come up with a new, specific, law for every new gadget that was invented.
Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons.


text:
What is Big Data? It's one of those keywords that has become increasingly prevalent as our use and consumption of information has become more demanding and all-encompassing. In an attempt to keep up to date on the ever changing areas of technology, I've been reading up on the topic. Here's a summary of what I've found to be the basics.
"The term Big Data applies to information that can't be processed or analyzed using traditional processes or tools."
"The term Big Data applies to information that can't be processed or analyzed using traditional processes or tools."
IBM defines Big Data by three characteristics: volume, variety, and velocity. What does this mean?
- Volume: The sheer amount of information collected on a daily or even hourly basis by organizations is massive, reaching to petabytes. Imagine having to analyze and sift through for nuggets of relevant data.
- Variety: Data is being collected from a whole range of sources, from sensors to smart devices, emails to documents, social media forums, etc. Combined, these data generators bring in both traditional and raw data that may or may not be structured.
- Velocity: How fast is the data flowing? It's not enough to know how quickly it is being produced, stored, analyzed, but we also need to know how quickly the data will become obsolete.
As I continue to read up on the topic, I'll share my insights and discoveries with you. One of my key go-to sources is a fellow IBM-er, Lennart Frantzell, who writes for the Silicon Valley IBM Innovation Center blog. Also, keep up-to-date on IBM's Big Data products and strategy by watching the videos at IBM Big Data on Youtube.


text:
Captain James T. Kirk is one of the most famous Captains in the history of Starfleet. There's a good reason for that. He saved the planet Earth several times, stopped the Doomsday Machine, helped negotiate peace with the Klingon Empire, kept the balance of power between the Federation and the Romulan Empire, and even managed to fight Nazis. On his five-year mission commanding the U.S.S. Enterprise, as well as subsequent commands, James T. Kirk was a quintessential leader, who led his crew into the unknown and continued to succeed time and time again.
Kirk's success was no fluke, either. His style of command demonstrates a keen understanding of leadership and how to maintain a team that succeeds time and time again, regardless of the dangers faced. Here are five of the key leadership lessons that you can take away from Captain Kirk as you pilot your own organization into unknown futures.
1. Never Stop Learning
"You know the greatest danger facing us is ourselves, an irrational fear of the unknown. But there's no such thing as the unknown-- only things temporarily hidden, temporarily not understood."
Captain Kirk may have a reputation as a suave ladies man, but don't let that exterior cool fool you. Kirk's reputation at the Academy was that of a "walking stack of books," in the words of his former first officer, Gary Mitchell. And a passion for learning helped him through several missions. Perhaps the best demonstration of this is in the episode "Arena," where Kirk is forced to fight a Gorn Captain in single combat by advanced beings. Using his own knowledge and materials at hand, Kirk is able to build a rudimentary shotgun, which he uses to defeat the Gorn.
If you think about it, there's no need for a 23rd Century Starship Captain to know how to mix and prepare gunpowder if the occasion called for it. After all, Starfleet officers fight with phasers and photon torpedoes. To them, gunpowder is obsolete. But the same drive for knowledge that drove Kirk to the stars also caused him to learn that bit of information, and it paid off several years later.
In the same way, no matter what your organization does, it helps to never stop learning. The more knowledge you have, the more creative you can be. The more you're able to do, the more solutions you have for problems at your disposal. Sure, you might never have to face down a reptilian alien on a desert planet, but you never know what the future holds. Knowledge is your best key to overcoming whatever obstacles are in your way.
2. Have Advisors With Different Worldviews
"One of the advantages of being a captain, Doctor, is being able to ask for advice without necessarily having to take it."
Kirk's closest two advisors are Commander Spock, a Vulcan committed to a philosophy of logic, and Dr. Leonard McCoy, a human driven by compassion and scientific curiosity. Both Spock and McCoy are frequently at odds with each other, recommended different courses of action and bringing very different types of arguments to bear in defense of those points of view. Kirk sometimes goes with one, or the other, or sometimes takes their advice as a springboard to developing an entirely different course of action.
However, the very fact that Kirk has advisors who have a different worldview not only from each other, but also from himself, is a clear demonstration of Kirk's confidence in himself as a leader. Weak leaders surround themselves with yes men who are afraid to argue with them. That fosters an organizational culture that stifles creativity and innovation, and leaves members of the organization afraid to speak up. That can leave the organization unable to solve problems or change course. Historically, this has led to some serious disasters, such as Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
Organizations that allow for differences of opinion are better at developing innovation, better at solving problems, and better at avoiding groupthink. We all need a McCoy and a Spock in our lives and organizations.


text:
|« Meal Planning For the Masses
|Soy Sauce... with wheat? »
Coalfish? Pollack? Os? Bs?
Hello, Norway! Must be nice to catch your own fish and eat it fresh! :-) (a little envious here in New York City!)
After an hour spent searching references, I can understand your confusion. Let's try to sort it out.
The short answer is: coalfish is not listed in the blood type books, and we have no new rating for it. Technically, that means that if you are in good health, treat it as a neutral.
However, we can look at this question in more detail, and perhaps get a more thoroughgoing answer. I think it bears more scrutiny because coalfish has confusing nomenclature -- and pollack is an avoid for Os and Bs -- so let's take a look.
Many authoritative websites about fish describe coalfish as a variety of pollack. There are differences noted between Pollachius pollachius, Pollachius virens, Gadus pollachius and Gadus virens. Gadus, of course, is the cod genus. However, some sites call pollack by two or three names; some call all pollack Pollachius pollachius; and some say that variety isn't the familiar "pollack."
Jing International, a fish processor in Washington State, USA, says:
"POLLACK (Pollachius, or Gadus Virens): A North Atlantic fish of the cod family, Gadidae. It is known as saithe, or coalfish, in Europe. The pollock is an elongated fish, deep green with a pale lateral line and a pale belly. It has a small chin barbel and, like the cod, has three dorsal and two anal fins. A carnivorous, lively, usually schooling fish, it grows to about 1.1 m (3.5 feet) in length and 16 kg (35 pounds) in weight. It is caught commercially for food and also affords sport for anglers.
"The pollock classified as either Gadus [pollachius] or Pollachius [pollachius] is a related species of no commercial value found inshore in European waters."
Does that sound like your fish? and do you catch it at sea?
A history of fish species names can be found at the USDA's "Regulatory Fish Encyclopedia." The relevant page is here: the RFE entry for pollack. They assert that what is called pollack in this country is Pollachius virens (nicknames, "saithe" (close to the Norwegian "sei"?), "coalfish," "coley," and of all things, "green cod." :-D) They also note that the same fish has been named multiple times over the centuries, hence the gadus/pollachius/virens confusion.
Does this look like your fish?
Sea-ex, a commercial fishery organization, agrees with the USDA, saying "saithe" is Pollachius virens... but they list Atlantic Pollack, Alaskan Pollack and Saithe as separate fish species.
We may be at an impasse.
With this information at hand, perhaps you can compare your coalfish to the various experts' descriptions. If it does bear close resemblance to the USDA's "pollack," I guess I'd have to recommend fishing for something else, just to be on the safe side. But if your fish ain't their fish, well... as I indicated before you fell asleep reading all this, treat it as neutral!


text:
Athens, GA - Kyle Farmer and Curt Powell extended their hitting streaks to 10 and six games, respectively, but the Georgia Bulldogs were unable to put a run on the board Sunday, falling 3-0 to Alabama at Foley Field.
Alabama (16-9, 5-1 SEC) leaned on a solid performance from starting pitcher Spencer Turnbull, who tossed seven strong innings with five strikeouts to improve to 2-1 on the year. Ray Castillo picked up his fourth save, after striking out five batters in route to closing out the game. Alabama continued a weekend of exceptional defense to keep the Bulldogs off the scoreboard.
Meanwhile, Georgia (8-16, 0-6 SEC) has now lost eight consecutive games as the Bulldogs could not take advantage of an excellent start by senior Bryan Benzor.
Benzor, who made his first career start, fell to 1-1, going a career-high four innings and scattering one run on five hits. Palmer Betts, Ross Ripple and Jared Walsh also made appearances, with Ripple tossing a career-high and scoreless three innings.
"Their pitcher was great today, he threw 70 percent strikes and their defense today was phenomenal, it was all weekend," said Georgia coach David Perno. "I thought Bryan did a nice job for us, and it's pretty set now we've got our Sunday starter. Our bullpen did well considering Blake (Dieterich) was out all weekend due to shoulder stiffness. Ross Ripple was impressive today. Bottom line, our offense is not where it should be at this point, and their guy threw his best game of the year. Still, we had chances again today. We had the bases loaded five or six times in the series, and we scored one run in those spots. "
The Crimson Tide took a 1-0 lead in the third inning. Leadoff man Georgie Salem got on with one out and made it around the bases thanks to a hit batsman and an RBI single from Ben Moore. A chopper to third put two runners in scoring position with two outs, but Benzor was able to force another groundout to retire the side and hold the damage to one run.
Salem crossed the plate for Alabama again in the fifth after hitting a sharp grounder that second baseman Nelson Ward was unable to handle. He advanced to second and third on a steal and a wild pitch from Betts, and Kenny Roberts drove him in with a single to left field. Georgia then turned to Ripple, who sat the next three batters, keeping the tally at 2-0.
The Bulldogs failed to capitalize on a scoring opportunity in their subsequent turn at bat. Brett DeLoach led off with a walk, and a Daniel Nichols single put runners at the corners with no outs. Turnbull stiffened up from there, however, forcing Walsh to pop up and then fanning both Zack Bowers and Cody Sheedy.
Georgia threatened again with a two-out rally in the seventh, but to no avail. Nichols and Walsh both singled, and then pinch hitter Sean McLaughlin reached on a wild pitch strikeout before Sheedy grounded out to end the inning.
The Crimson Tide added the third and final run in the eighth when a two-out, bases-loaded wild pitch from Walsh allowed Kyle Overstreet to take home.
"We're going to have to tweak the order a little bit," said Perno. "It's not necessarily the guys we have, me may just need to spread some things out, jazz it up a little bit. We are definitely capable of producing more runs than we have these first two SEC series."
The Bulldogs return to action Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. when they play host to Clemson. The game will be televised by CSS.


text:
Home detention in unlawful migrant case
Press Release – Immigration NZ
The sentencing of a contractor in the horticulture industry for hiring unlawful migrant workers who were all paid below the minimum wage sends a strong message to employers who may contemplate employing migrants who are not entitled to work in New Zealand.Media release
31 January 2013
Home detention in unlawful migrant case
The sentencing of a contractor in the horticulture industry for hiring unlawful migrant workers who were all paid below the minimum wage sends a strong message to employers who may contemplate employing migrants who are not entitled to work in New Zealand.
Bun Thuon Lam, a Vietnamese national with New Zealand residence, pleaded guilty to five charges under the Immigration Act relating to aiding and abetting people to remain in New Zealand unlawfully or to breach a condition of their visa. He has been sentenced at Nelson District Court to nine months' home detention and 200 hours community work and ordered to pay reparation of $10,000, to be divided between the six workers involved.
The court heard that Lam employed the six in the horticulture industry in the Tasman region knowing they were unlawfully in New Zealand. The workers were not paid the minimum wage for the hours they had worked, were not paid regularly and were not paid any holiday pay. None of the workers had employment contracts and no wage or time records were kept.
A Labour Inspector analysis of the hours worked by the workers estimated they were underpaid between $5,000 and $7,000 each.
The Labour Inspectorate had previously taken Lam to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA). In May 2011 the ERA ordered Lam to pay five of the workers a total of $36,938.16 in respect of unpaid wages, minimum wage arrears, public holiday pay, failing to provide individual employment agreements and making deductions from pay without obtaining written authority from the employees.
Immigration New Zealand's Acting Fraud and Compliance Manager, Dean Blakemore, says that the employment of unlawful migrant workers will not be tolerated. "This case shows that the consequences of such behaviour are serious," he says. "We will take swift action against any employer who is involved in such activity."
Mr Blakemore says the case is a good example of close collaboration between INZ fraud and compliance staff and the Labour Inspectorate in the wider Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
"The Ministry is treating this issue as a priority and INZ and Labour Inspectors' compliance activity is being increased," he says. "Most employers and most migrant workers are complying with the laws of New Zealand – they are being undermined, and New Zealand's reputation sullied, by some who are breaking the law."
Content Sourced from scoop.co.nz
Original url


text:
In this video, I'm going to show you how to make a project that we call "Terebridae", which uses a Russian spiral stitch. This is one of those projects that can be made into either a bracelet and/or a necklace! See Product Description below for details.
Product #9709Log in to use Wishlist
In Stock
Product Description
"Terebridae" Russian Spiral Stitch Necklace/Bracelet Video Tutorial #9709
Simple Bead Videos are like taking a class but even better!
– One on one instruction!
– Pause, rewind and replay as often as needed to complete the project!
– Replay video each time you want to make the project again!
– Features over 25 minutes of video showing every step in detail!
– Includes a complete materials list that identifies where each bead is in the project!
– High quality video that has been professionally edited for optimal instructional content and viewing!
– File in MP4 format for easy viewing across virtually all platforms!
Recommended Materials:
– 10lb FireLine beading thread
– #12 long beading needle
– 11/0 seed beads
– 3mm round beads x (2) colors
– #3 bugle beads, which measure 2x7mm
– Clasp – lobster claw and jump ring, toggle, magnet, etc.
– Flush cutter
How to Download:
As soon as you place your order, an automated email will be sent to you with the link(s) to your new video tutorial(s). You can also download your new tutorial(s) by clicking on the My Account tab on the top menu bar. Your purchased tutorial(s) will be listed under "Recent Orders".
This is an original video tutorial that we created and is protected by copyright law. Making copies of any of our tutorials to sell or give away is strictly prohibited, though you are welcome to sell your own finished projects that you make using the tutorial.
This is a video tutorial only and no materials are included. Beading kits are available for some patterns and they include all materials required (except for standard jewelry making tools), including color and size information of beads used in case you want to order more to make additional projects. However, video tutorials (not kits) do not always include the exact colors used in the sample projects, but correct sizes and types of beads are provided. This is because some of the beads I purchased over the years from small local bead shops did not provide the color names. Live and learn! Now, I make sure that when I purchase beads that I get the color names from the supplier before I leave the store! I recommend you do the same to spare yourself future frustration!
You do not need to purchase your free tutorial(s) from special sale promotions. Just let us know which tutorial(s) you would like for free in the order notes section and we will email them to you as soon as possible (usually within 24 hours, though typically much sooner).
If you have any trouble locating or downloading your new video tutorial(s), or if you have any other questions then please feel free to contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ Feedback We've Received ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤
"Best pattern I have seen for step by step and visual instruction. Will definitely be buying more. Highly recommended"
"Wonderful Pattern!! Great Seller!! Highly Recommended AAA+++"
"Fabulous tutorial – excellent seller."
"Wonderful Tutorial, VERY detailed…Thanks!!"
"Super tutorial. Clear instructions. A++ Seller"
"Extremely helpful seller. Pattern sent immediately upon payment and the photos and instructions are incredibly clear and detailed. Thank you – I will be back for more, I am sure."
"This store is amazing with customer service. The store worked with me until I was able to download my tutorial. I will always use this store for my instructional needs. Not to mention the instructions are super use to read and understand."
"Absolutely wonderful seller!! Your patterns are so well written and easy to follow. It makes creating them an absolute joy. Thanks so much!"
"Always prompt and courteous. I love purchasing these wonderful patterns!!"
"Love your tutorials! Thank you )"
"Clear photos and easy to understand!"
"Love your patterns. So easy to follow. Thank you"
"Very easy to understand. Thank you."
"I love your tutorials. You always have great instructions and photos. Thanks!"
"Love your patterns. So easy to follow."
"Your patterns are very easy to follow. Thank you."
"How simple to make. Great Etsy seller. Fast delivery."
"Great instructions, beautiful results. thank you"
"Super easy instructions. Thanks! love it"
"Great pictures, easy to follow!"
"Wonderful as your items always are!"
"Well written instructions make this pattern easy to read."
"Very smooth transaction, well satisfied, a pleasure to buy from. THANKS"
"Excellent tutorial!"
Thank you for visiting!
© 2014 Dragonfly Lane. All rights reserved.


text:
GMC was a brand imprint of General Motors first revealed in 1912 at the New York Auto Show. In fact, GMC is an acronym for General Motors Corporation. However, The brand name can trace its roots back to the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company, which was founded by Max Grabowsky in 1901. Grabowsky's early one-cylinder engine powered vehicles were some of the very first commercial trucks that were ever produced.
General Motors acquired the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company in 1909. Sometime later, GM also acquired the Reliance Motor Car Company and eventually merged Rapid with Reliance in 1911 under the marque of GMC Truck. The GMC Truck brand name officially registered with the U.S. Patent Office in 1912. In its first year of operations, GMC Truck produced 22,000 vehicles, where it became widely popular throughout the 1920s and 1930s. During the1940s, the company produced 600,000 vehicles that were used by the U.S. military during World War II.
GMC Through The Years
GMC was one of the first names in American, and today, the company is recognized as one of the leading brands in the production of vans, buses, trucks and other commercial vehicles. As a consumer brand, Americans still regard GMC as a producer of high-end trucks, SUVs, and popular crossover vehicles.
Over the years, GMC earned a deserved reputation for producing reliable heavy-, medium-, and light-duty pickup trucks, which was popular with American drivers. Many of GMCs models also became iconic vehicles in its class. The GMC Sierra, for instance, is a light-duty pickup truck that debuted in 1988 and is still in production today. GMC was also an early producer of SUVs and produced many models that could be regarded as definitive. The GMC Suburban was in continuous production since 1935. It's still available today as the Suburban by Chevrolet; however, GMC currently markets it as the Yukon XL.
GMC Models
The Sierra is the current line of full-size pickups produced. Introduced in 1988, also known as the Chevrolet Silverado, it is still available in both light- and heavy-duty versions and as a hybrid or a standard model. The Silverado is currently marketed as the standard version while the Sierra is considered to be a luxury version.
The Canyon is a midsize pickup truck introduced in 2004 and is also available as the Chevrolet Colorado. It was intended as a replacement for the compact GMC Sonoma. The Canyon was partially designed by the Korean car company, Isuzu and is available in rear- and four-wheel drive. The Canyon is available in three different body styles: two-door regular cabs, four-door extended cabs, and four-door crew cabs.
The Savana is a full-size van that's also known as the Chevrolet Express. The Savana was introduced in 1996 and is available as a cargo and passenger van, rear- or four-wheel drive, and in three-door or four-door body styles.
Today, many of GMCs most popular vehicles are SUVs. The Yukon XL, which is a continuation of the iconic GMC Suburban, is one example. Like the Suburban before it, the Yukon XL could be regarded as a station wagon bodied version of a full-size GMC truck like the Silverado. The popular Cadillac Escalade ESV is, in fact, an upscale version of the Suburban/Yukon XL.
The Yukon is another popular SUV. Also known as the Chevrolet Tahoe, the Yukon is a popular full-size SUV that has been in production since 1992.
It also currently produces popular crossover vehicles including the Acacia, which is a full-sized crossover SUV unveiled in 2006. It was significant for being GMCs first crossover SUV as well as the first passenger vehicle produced by the company to feature front-wheel drive.
The Terrain is the most recent vehicle to be added to the GMC roster. A midsize crossover with an SUV, the Terrain is also front-wheel drive although it is also available as a four-wheel drive.
GMC Products and Technologies
GMC is still regarded as one of the most trusted names when it comes to trucks, SUVs, and now crossover vehicles. GMC SUVs like the Yukon and Yukon XL command a healthy share of a highly competitive market segment. Drivers in the U.S. and elsewhere continue to highly regard GMC for being a dependable producer of high-end versions of tough, dependable trucks, vans, and other vehicles.
GMC Canyon
2018-2015 | Truck, Utility/Offroad
The GMC Canyon is a midsize pickup truck manufactured by General Motors.
Starting At: $20,885
GMC Terrain
2018-2014 | SUV, Utility/Offroad
The GMC Terrain is a midsize crossover sport utility vehicle (SUV).
Starting At: $23,975
GMC Sierra 1500
2017-2014 | Truck, Utility/Offroad
Starting At: $26,075
GMC Savana
2017-2014 | Minivan/Van
The General Motors Corporation has a habit of keeping things the same when a design works, and the GMC Savana van series certainly lives up to that reputation.
Starting At: $27,710
GMC Acadia
The GMC Acadia is a full-sized crossover sport utility vehicle (SUV) manufactured by General Motors under the GMC division.
Starting At: $29,000
GMC Sierra 2500HD
2018-2014 | Truck, Utility/Offroad
Starting At: $31,310
GMC Sierra 3500HD
Starting At: $32,805
GMC Yukon
In 1992, GMC launched its latest full-size sport utility vehicle (SUV), the GMC Yukon.
Starting At: $44,455
GMC Yukon XL
2017-2014 | SUV, Utility/Offroad
Starting At: $47,925


text:
Technical Operating System
The Technical Operating System is a parody of real-life's Microsoft Disk Operating System (MSDOS). The latest version of TOS mentioned in-game is TOS 3.0. It may also be "Windchime;" both OS's released in 1998. Users of the TOS are usually refered to as "TOSsers," which is slang for a person who masturbates. On the GTA IV internet, TOS is refered to as "To$$", which is a reference to real-life's "Micro$oft" spelling on computing websites and message boards. This spelling also suggests they are very focused on making money, like Microsoft. Even though TOS is mentioned frequently on GTA IV internet, it doesn't have its own website like Eunux or Fruit does. TOS' competition is Fruit Computers. TOSsers are depicted in the GTA series as "boring", with the TOS interface showing only green text on a black background (very much like DOS), while Fruits (Fruit OS users) are depicted as exciting and/or interesting people, frequently using smilies in forums.


text: teen No More Violence campaign lights up Statehouse By Flo Jonic • Feb 15, 2013 The State House will be illuminated in a bluish green color for the next week in recognition of Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention month. The color teal has become emblematic of the "No More" campaign mounted by the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The lighting is one of many activities the Coalition and its member agencies are hosting throughout February to reach out to teens and young adults.