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CFL Hair
Here are the best of the February 2010 YES! cartoon caption submissions.
- "I now have the same glowing personality with only 1/10th the effort!"
Richard Howell
- "I needed something that ran on less brain power—I have to make the most of what little I've got!"
Wind Diamond
- "Can you believe this permanent lasts for 5 years?"
Dick Dalton
- "My hairdresser doesn't use anything toxic on my hair, what about yours?"
Debra Derella Cheren
- CFLs = Coiffed For Laughs
Justin Mog
- "I used to have those plain light bulb ideas, but now I find my ideas are not only more brilliant, but more efficient too. Don't you agree?"
Jeanne Spears
See other reader submitted captions for :


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Thursday, August 23, 2012
Introducing Fieldstone Common
13 comments:
Terrific, I hope I can tune in tomorrow instead of driving to Logan Airport to pick up my husband (hopefully he's got a ride planned). This sounds like a great idea!ReplyDelete
Woot! Is this not just great, Marian.ReplyDelete
Yay for you, Marian!!!ReplyDelete
Congratulations! This sounds exciting. We will be visiting daughter this Friday, but I will try to get the podcast.ReplyDelete
Looking forward to it!ReplyDelete
What a great idea, Marian! Looking forward to listening to your broadcasts...ReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 24, 2012 at 4:09 PM
Will there be a podcast feed on iTunes?ReplyDeleteReplies
Yes, I have just submitted the Fieldstone Common podcast RSS feed to the iTunes. According to what I read it could take anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks to activate. Be on the lookout for it!Delete
If you don't mind doing it manually, you can go to the link for the podcast (for example, today's postcast is http://my.blogtalkradio.com/fieldstonecommon/2012/08/24/massachusetts-troublemakers-with-paul-della-valle ) and you will find an itunes button. Press that button and the podcast will download to itunes for you.Delete
Congratulations, Marian! You are definitely at the top of my blog reads. I am an avid podcast listener and I will be excited to subscribe via iTunes.ReplyDelete
How did I miss hearing about this?? Congratulations, Marian!ReplyDelete
Congrats Marian, once again I find myself wishing my ancestors came through the New England area.ReplyDelete

subset: commoncrawl


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Juventus became the first side in two decades to lift the Serie A title after an unbeaten campaign as they claimed their 28th championship in style. Antonio Conte was the architect of the Bianconeri's return to prominence, turning an underachieving side into world beaters after his appointment last summer. The only blemish on the season came in the 43rd and final game, when SSC Napoli denied them a double in the Coppa Italia showpiece.
Champions: Juventus
Seventh in their previous two campaigns, not many were confidently backing Juventus at the start of the season. Yet former skipper Conte built a team around an excellent midfield trio of Claudio Marchisio and summer signings Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal, and the Bianconeri thrived. Despite the attacking muscle of AC Milan and Zlatan Ibrahimović they won with a game to spare and rounded off the campaign with just 20 in the goals against column – 27 fewer than last term.
Cup final: SSC Napoli 2-0 Juventus
It was a sundry season for Napoli. A groundbreaking UEFA Champions League campaign was halted in extra time by eventual winners Chelsea FC in the last 16, and they failed to book a return to the competition by finishing fifth in Serie A. However, Walter Mazzarri's team ended on a high by beating 'unbeatable' Juventus in the Coppa Italia final in Rome. Edinson Cavani opened the scoring from the penalty spot after the hour and Marek Hamšík sealed Napoli's fourth cup triumph; their first since 1987.
European places*
Juventus – UEFA Champions League, group stage
AC Milan – UEFA Champions League, group stage
Udinese Calcio – UEFA Champions League, play-off
SSC Napoli – UEFA Europa League, group stage
S.S. Lazio – UEFA Europa League, play-off
FC Internazionale Milano – UEFA Europa League, third qualifying round
*Subject to final confirmation from UEFA
Player of the Year: Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)
He has completely changed our team; he transformed a group of good players into a top side," Juventus winger Simone Pepe said of Pirlo as he celebrated the Scudetto. Newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport compared Juventus to an American Football team, with Pirlo as the star quarter-back. The playmaker topped statistics for assists and completed passes, and at 32 he missed just one Serie A game. He has not lost a top-flight match since December 2010.
One to watch: Mattia Destro (AC Siena)
Bologna FC midfielder Gastón Ramírez and dynamic Atalanta BC winger Ezequiel Schelotto enjoyed great breakthrough seasons, but it was Destro that shone brightest from the shadows. On loan from Genoa CFC, the son of former Ascoli Calcio captain Flavio Destro scored 12 goals in 26 Serie A starts as Siena avoided relegation and earned inclusion in Italy's provisional UEFA EURO 2012 squad. "He's a modern forward," said Cesare Prandelli. "He moves around the pitch, never stops running and is a very good finisher."
Surprise package: Udinese Calcio
The Friulani gave short shrift to predictions in 2010/11 by finishing fourth and qualifying for the UEFA Champions League play-offs. With only three places available this time around and the departures of Alexis Sánchez, Cristián Zapata and Gökhan Inler last summer, few entertained the prospect of lightning striking twice. However, Francesco Guidolin repeated the trick, leading his side to third behind Juventus and Milan. Antonio Di Natale failed to finish top scorer for the third successive season but his 23 goals were instrumental enough.
Leading scorer: Zlatan Ibrahimović, AC Milan (28)
Relegated: US Lecce, Novara Calcio, AC Cesena
Promoted: Torino FC, Pescara Calcio, third team tbd after play-offs
Number: 20
Juventus became the first team to win the Scudetto without defeat since Milan under Fabio Capello 20 years ago when Serie A was an 18-team contest.
We did not put the icing on the cake but that is because the cake was already finished; we had eaten it all up."
Alessandro Del Piero after the cup final, probably his last game for Juventus.
©UEFA.com 1998-2017. All rights reserved.


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0 Members and 1 Lonely Barbarian are spying on this topic.
Vote for vote exchange! Vote on Jampiri and I'll vote on any sub of your choice.
For the Cognet, Scras, I've got an old guild sub for you to vote on. If I do recall, its entitled http://strolen.com/viewing/Seeking_Vengeance_Adventurers_Needed. And for you, Dozus, Jampiri will soon receive a vote if you vote in turn on my latest masterpiece, http://strolen.com/viewing/Barathra, the Land of the Dead.
I'm putting Litwell up for voting. You give it a vote, I'll give you a vote on a sub of your choice.
Vote-for-vote exchange offered for any comments on Lescelina the Witch Queen.
Scras: I am going to vote your list of Mortal Combat characters. Here you go:http://strolen.com/viewing/The_Law_for_Objects_in_Space
I will give your star whale a good commenting today, who knows I might even call one my buddies to comment in her back door while I comment in her business end. While I would like you particularly to comment on my Comsic Era post or "day in the life of priest" thing, I think in honor your drunken attempt to find human connection over the internet and through prose I will toss out my last contribution to the drunken writer's guildstrolen saved it from my drunken rage. http://strolen.com/viewing/NPC_Generator_Pirates
Giant invisible space whales that eat civilizations, kaiju and zerg swarms.http://strolen.com/viewing/Star_WhaleI was really inspired over this, I woke up in the middle of the night to write some of this down even.requesting comments, votes, and validation. And another round of drinks. You know the drill, you C/V me, I C/V you, just throw me a link.
Page created in 11.303 seconds with 31 queries.


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Home » Supplies for Apple LaserWriter 8500
Laser printer cartridges and toner supplies for Apple LaserWriter 8500
|Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Products
What are OEM products?
A product classified as being OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) is manufactured by or for the printer/copier Brand. Example being Hewlett Packard, Lexmark, Canon, Ricoh, etc.
These cartridges are sold only in packaging indicating the name of their respective companies. OEM cartridges are not sold in generic packaging or by unauthorized distributors.
You can pay for the Name or pay for Performance.
IBM 90H0748 Black Laser Printer CartridgeIBM 90H0748 Black Laser Printer Cartridge for the Apple LaserWriter 8500 Laser Printer
Part #: 90H0748, Color: Black, Availability: Please call for availability


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In the four years since Malta, N.Y.-based North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) launched its Solar PV Installer Certification, a voluntary national certification program for solar PV installers, more than 300 installers have become certified. Now, in response to the growing number of electrical contractors entering the solar electric industry, the volunteer board of renewable energy stakeholder representatives is reaching out to that demographic.
"Just like when they started to do data cabling or other forms of wiring than just straight AC, electrical contractors need to learn special skills and get special endorsements on their licenses," says Ezra Auerbach, NABCEP chair. "A very good way to start a crew is to make sure they go out and find themselves an NABCEP-certified crew leader. That's a great way to get your crews broken in without stumbling through a new technology."
Auerbach assures electrical contractors that the certification process isn't much different than what they've already been through to become licensed contractors. "Certification isn't new to them," he says. "They're used to it from other industries that they work in, and this is an endorsement that's an important part of a solar electrician's career so it behooves them to support it if they want to grow their businesses in a rational, sustainable way."
For more information on the NABCEP Solar PV Installer Certification, visit the organization's Web site at http://www.nabcep.org/.


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Please enjoy viewing our collection of Print and Digital Publications. For enquiries contact firstname.lastname@example.com - Yours in paddling, Steve West.
"Journalist, writer, educator, researcher, trailblazer, entrepreneur, cultural ambassador, he is one of the most recognised and best known canoe personalties"
The World Paddle Awards Academy
Stand Up Paddle Boarding - A Paddlers Guide 510pp
Outrigger Canoeing - A Paddlers Guide to The Ancient Sport of Kings 465pp
Outrigger Canoeing - The Art and Skill of Steering 168pp
Outrigger Canoeing - OC1 Book - A Paddlers Guide 306pp
Outrigger Canoeing - V1 Va'a Hoe - A Paddlers Guide 292pp
'When one of our coaches and paddlers asked coach Gerard from Shell Va'a where he got his, 'Theory and Technique Concepts' from, he replied, "I read all the books - Steve West books and whatever books I can get a hold of". You inspire us all and give words where there were none or little. Thank you so much. Your hard work is greatly appreciated world-wide from the big to the little fishes.'
Dani Gay - Lanikai CC Coach
'If you're into, or not into, stand up paddling, but want to be educated where it comes from and what it stands for, read this book by Steve West. The more I read, the more I respect the real paddlers of the world!'
Luke Egan - Australian Surfing Legend.
'When you stay at a hotel for a stand up paddle race and open the drawer, this should be next to the Gideon's Bible. It is the must-have book for anyone who paddles SUPs!'.
Distressed Mullet.com
'Be inspired by Stand Up Paddling – A Paddler's Guide and join us as we ride the oceans of the world together'.
Travis Grant 2013 Moloka'i Champion
'I love the book. It's a brilliant piece of work, it's like a Lonely Planet Guide Book for Stand Up Paddling! I'm extremely impressed with how much research and time has been put into creating this book and I sincerely hope every stand up paddle fan out there goes and grabs a copy!'
Chris Parker SUPracer.com


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QUOTE (in "In need of Help Identifying..." by St_RjS on Jun 06 2011, 04:31 AM)]]>Hi, I was looking through an old parcel of stones I had from years back and I came across this stone, I believe that it's an Alexandrite, But I am not an expert. It weights about 1.5 cts and is almost flawless, It's almost hard to believe, thats why I am in need of help identifying. The color is greenish blue and is about 60-75% color change, cause it doesn't really turn pinkish purple until you hold a lighter or flame under it, the flash on the camera is the best to see the color change! Can anyone please help me, Below is a picture of the green color with no flash and the pink with the camera flash. I only cropped the photos because of the 5MB limit.
dosnt look real, does it have an inclustions.


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Firstly, and this goes without saying, if you don't look like an obvious tourist, you are less likely to be targeted. Sometimes you need to take a quick peek at your Lonely Planet in public, but at least try to avoid the Hawaiian shirt, socks and sandals ensemble.
You are here: Home / Archives for taxi scams


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American Physical Society Sites|APS|Journals|PhysicsCentral|Physics Magazine
- American Physical Society Sites
- Publications
- Meetings & Events
- Programs
- Membership
- Policy & Advocacy
- Careers In Physics
- Newsroom
- About APS
- Become a Member
Wolfgang Christian1, Doug Brown, Francisco Esquembre2
1 Partial funding for this work was obtained through NSF grant DUE-0442581.
2 Partial funding for this work was obtained through Spanish Ministry of Science projects DPI 2007-61068 and MTM2008-03679.
1. Introduction
Current technologies allow physics educators the ability to combine traditional instruction with computational modeling. However, the implementation of a computational modeling pedagogy often requires a programming effort for teachers and students who want to use this approach. This paper describes a pedagogy that limits the amount of programming when designing, implementing, distributing, and using computational models. It is based on the integration of the Easy Java Simulations and the Tracker tools with the ComPADRE National Science Digital Library. Easy Java Simulations (EJS) is designed to create interactive simulations in Java (applications and applets) without the necessity of prior programming knowledge. Tracker is a video modeling tool that allows users to combine dynamical models with traditional video analysis.
Over the past dozen years the Open Source Physics (OSP) project has produced some of the most widely used interactive computer-based curricular materials for the teaching of introductory and advanced physics courses. These materials are based on Java applets called Physlets [Christian 2001] and on new OSP programs and authoring tools [Christian 2007, Gould 2007, Brown 2009].
This paper outlines the pedagogical and technical features of the OSP project and how we use OSP-based tools and resources to introduce modeling into the curriculum. We describe our current effort to create and distribute new material using the Easy Java Simulations and Tracker tools and how we distribute this curricular material with ComPADRE National Science Digital Library [OSP 2009]. The paper is organized as follows. Section II introduces the Modeling Cycle that is the basis for our pedagogy. Section III describes basic Easy Java Simulations concepts and section IV describes Tracker. The main features of ComPADRE are presented in section V and section VI presents the pedagogical benefits of this connection. Finally, section VII summarizes the improvements obtained by the use of our approach.
2. Modeling Cycle
Physics education has become an important research topic in the last few decades [Redish 2003]. The increasing interest in exploring new teaching methods in physics has its roots in: 1) the realization that interactive engagement teaching pedagogies improve learning, and 2) the desire to incorporate current technologies and current professional practice into curricula. Computational physics education has much to gain from the synthesis of these new learning pedagogies and tools [Christian 2008].
The modeling approach to teaching is a research-proven pedagogy that predates computers. It attempts to enhance student achievement through a process called the Modeling Cycle. The Modeling Cycle was pioneered by Robert Karplus [Fuller 2001] and the SCIS Project in the 1960s and 70s and later extended by the Modeling Instruction Program led by Jane Jackson and David Hestenes at Arizona State University [Jackson 2008].
The goal of modeling is to teach in a student-centered environment where students do not solve problems in a formula-centered way. The start of the modeling cycle is the development of the model by:
After development, the model is employed to study a variety of new physical situations in a variety of ways to test, expand, and enrich the student-created model.
Although the Modeling Cycle can be used without computers, it is well suited for computer modeling if we replace the word "experiment" with "simulation" in the development phase. The analysis of a computer simulation is, in fact, similar to that of a laboratory and often provides the student with a novel perspective on the behavior of a system. Furthermore, the use of computers allows students to study problems that are very difficult and time consuming to study experimentally, to visualize their results, and to communicate their results with others.
The Modeling Cycle approach has been shown to correct weaknesses of traditional instruction by actively engaging students in the design of physical models that describe, explain, and predict phenomena. It is believed that the combination of computer modeling, theory, and experiment can achieve insight and understanding that cannot be achieved with only one approach.
3. Easy Java Simulations
Easy Java Simulations (EJS) is a Java-based authoring tool. EJS offers a range of possibilities that allow teachers to pick their level of student engagement. Teachers may: use/modify existing simulations for their teaching; distribute ready-to-run JAVA simulations to students for visualization purposes; distribute partially constructed or flawed models that students must edit and return; or construct broad assignments for students to create models from scratch.
The architecture of EJS shown in Figure 1 is based on the model-view-control (MVC) design pattern with documentation, where a simulation is composed of:
Figure 1 : Steps to create a simulation in EJS
A user interface is constructed by dragging and dropping control and visualization components from a palette onto the model. While some programming knowledge is assumed, users are encouraged to focus on the computational implementation using either ODE notation within a differential equation editor or explicit Java code. For example, an Euler-Cromer time evolution of the simple pendulum can be implemented as follows:
double a=-g*Math.sin(theta)/L; // compute acceleration
omega = omega + a*dt; // advance omega
theta = theta + omega*dt; // advance angle
t += dt; // advance time
The global dynamical variables theta, omega, and t and the global constants g, L, and dt are defined in a variables table. (See the EJS tutorial available online [Easy Java Simulations 2009] for how to use the symbolic ODE editor rather than an explicit algorithm to solve differential equations and arrays of differential equations.)
After a model is built, documented, and tested within EJS, the model (including its non-Java resources such as graphics and html description pages) is packaged for distribution into either a jar file or a zip file by clicking on a button within EJS. The resulting jar file, about 1 Mbyte for the pendulum model above, is a stand-alone Java application that does not require EJS and can run on any computer with a Java VM. The model's html documentation appears within a viewing frame and links to PDF documents within the jar open in a native viewer. If a zip package is selected, the resulting 10 Kbyte archive contains the XML source code and other resources but must be unzipped on a computer with EJS to run.
Because an EJS XML source code file is small, the stand-alone jar file also contains this resource. The immediate availability of the code provides one of the most powerful and exciting aspects of EJS models. Unlike most compiled programs, users can examine, modify, and redistribute the model with minimal effort. Right-clicking within a running simulation displays a pop-up menu with the option to extract the XML file from the jar and to copy it into the local computer's EJS workspace. This packaging trick allows a teacher to ask students to modify a compiled model and repackage it, thereby creating a teacher-student feedback loop that supports the Modeling Cycle.
4. Tracker
The Tracker video analysis and modeling tool enables students to create dynamical models that are drawn directly on videos of real-world phenomena (Figure 2). Because the simulations and videos share the same time base and coordinate system, students can test their models experimentally by direct visual inspection, a process that is both intuitive and discerning. In effect, the videos make the models more "real" while the models make the videos more understandable. Additional views of model-generated data such as plots and tables are also available for analysis, and a tabbed page view enables authors to include html documentation, instructions, exercises, etc.
Figure 2: Tracker model of a bouncing cart overlayed on a video.
Tracker's "Model Builder" workpanel (Figure 3) provides a gentle introduction to dynamical modeling by making it easy to simulate a particle that obeys Newton's laws. Students define and modify the force expressions, parameter values and initial conditions, and the model particle is automatically drawn on the video. The expression parser accepts all common mathematical functions. The motion is computed with an ODE solver using a Runge-Kutta algorithm but the numerical details are hidden from students so their learning focus is on the forces and resulting behavior. Unlimited undo/redo and instant visual feedback encourage interactive exploration of models, and even small visual discrepancies can illustrate the limitations of overly simplified models or video distortions.
Figure 3: Model Builder with a dynamical model of a simple projectile.
The process of identifying pertinent forces, defining appropriate expressions and comparing models visually by overlaying videos supports the modeling cycle paradigm in a way that is both rigorous and accessible even to students with no prior computational modeling experience and/or limited data analysis skills. But since Tracker also provides traditional video analysis functionality, more advanced students can compare models with data obtained from manual or automatic tracking of objects within videos.
If the video and html files reside on remote servers, Tracker can open a trk file locally or from the web and load all needed resources. Another packaging option is to compress the trk, video and html files into a single zip file with the same name as the trk—Tracker will open the zip file and extract all resources automatically. In this way teachers and students can create video modeling experiments from scratch or open a trk file to start with a video, instructions and potentially partial (or incorrect!) models. Completed student models can of course be saved in new trk files.
Combining the model-building power of EJS with Tracker's ability to synchronize, scale and overlay models on videos is an exciting extension of OSP computer modeling currently under development. Because the video format is so familiar to students yet contains such a wealth of spatial and temporal data, direct comparison of raw or enhanced videos with model animations is possible in many areas of physics. Such a combination supports both model development and model testing in the Modeling Cycle.
5. ComPADRE Digital Library
The ComPADRE National Science Digital Library Pathway [ComPADRE 2009] is a growing network of online collections containing educational resources supporting teachers and students in Physics and Astronomy. Each ComPADRE collection is focused on a particular community (e.g., high school teachers, physics majors, physics education researcher) or topic (e.g., quantum physics, astronomy).
Figure 4: EJS models in the OSP Collection in ComPADRE are accessible from within EJS.
The Open Source Physics (OSP) Collection within ComPADRE contains Java-based computational resources for teaching and the supporting documentation to help teachers and students take advantage of these materials. The goal of the collection is to provide curriculum resources that engage users in physics, computation, and computer modeling. The collection is built on a repository of source code, executable simulations, and curriculum resources. As with any good library, these items are annotated and cataloged so that users can find materials using standard search criteria such as subject, author, and keyword. Other library and web tools are available to the OSP Collection as a part of ComPADRE. These include personal user collections (both private and shared), comments on resources, connections between resources, and the easy incorporation of OSP and EJS pedagogical materials into all other ComPADRE collections.
The collaboration between the OSP and ComPADRE projects has resulted in a new way of sharing EJS models over the web. The EJS modeling environment can act as a client that directly accesses and downloads models in the ComPADRE library. Clicking on the web libraries icon in EJS connects to online repositories and displays a catalog of models in a table of contents as shown in Figure 4. Clicking a catalog entry shows a brief description of that model. Double-clicking either the catalog entry or the download button copies the model's XML source code and resources from the library into the local EJS workspace where it can be examined and modified.
Although the OSP Library on ComPADRE is a large central repository of resources, EJS developers have the option of sharing their materials through this same web-client interface. This will give teachers and students access to more resources and also different organizational structures for EJS models. For example, the ComPADRE models are arranged by subject while the Davidson College EJS digital library shows models arranged by course syllabus.
6. Pedagogical Benefits
EJS and Tracker models in the ComPADRE digital library with associated curricular materials have the following pedagogical benefits:
7. Summary
The combination of a computational physics friendly modeling and authoring tools with Internet technologies allows teachers to easily incorporate computer-based modeling into their curriculum by providing an open and extensible solution for the creation and distribution of educational software. EJS and Tracker are free because they are collaboratively built and released under the GNU GPL software license. ComPADRE has no registration costs because it is part of the National Science Digital Library project and endorsed and supported by the professional societies. Our curriculum modules are extensible, adaptable, and easily modifiable. If a model is uploaded into ComPADRE, its authorship, modifications, and use are documented and intellectually traceable.
The advantage of EJS and Tracker for physics teaching is that it forces students to separate the model into logical parts and to separate the mathematics from the visualization. Students learn the logic of modeling using loops and control structures and study algorithms used in professional practice. Students are introduced to programming concepts but user-interface coding is not required.
The Open Source Physics combination of computational physics tools and computer modeling pedagogy with a digital library provides students and teachers with new ways to understand, describe, explain, and predict physical phenomena. Despite its current focus on upper-level physics, the OSP Collection serves thousands each month. During March 2011 we served 10,000+ visitors over 5,000 simulations - an increase of 32% over March 2010 traffic. We find user loyalty is increasing as well - over 2,500 different users visited at least 8 times between January-March 2011, an 80% increase from January-March 2010 and an indication of the project's increasing visibility to educators.
EJS was created by Francisco Esquembre at the University of Murcia, Spain. Tracker was created by Douglas Brown at Cabrillo College.
The ComPADRE national digital library is managed by Bruce Mason and is funded in part by the NSF and supported by the AAPT, APS, and AIP. Special thanks to Lyle Barbato the ComPADRE technical director and Matt Riggsbee the ComPADRE designer for design of the OSP Collection and helping to implement the EJS client service.
Special thanks also to M. Belloni, Anne Cox, Todd Timberlake, and many others who have contributed to the OSP Collection.
The authors gratefully acknowledge that partial funding for this work was obtained through NSF DUE grants 0442581 and 0937731 the Spanish Ministry of Science projects DPI 2007-61068 and MTM 2008-03679.
Brown D and Cox A (2009) Innovative Uses of Video Analysis, The Physics Teacher 47, 145-150
Christian W and Belloni M (2001) Physlet Physics, Prentice Hall
Christian W (2007) Open Source Physics: A User's Guide with Examples, Addison-Wesley
Gould H, Tobochnik J and Christian W (2007) An Introduction to Computer Simulation Methods : Applications to Physical System 3rd edition, Addison-Wesley
Esquembre F (2004) Easy Java Simulations: A software tool to create scientific simulations in Java, Comp. Phys. Comm. 156, 199-204
Easy Java Simulations, http://www.um.es/fem/Ejs/, accessed 2011 April
ComPADRE, http://www.compadre.org/osp/, accessed 2011 April
Redish E F (2003) Teaching Physics with the Physics Suite, Wiley
This book provides an introduction to the cognitive model that underlies much Physics Education Research [PER]. The bibliography references almost all of the seminal papers in PER.
Christian W and Ambrose B editors (2008) Theme Issue on Computation and Computer-Based Instruction, Am. J. of Physics 76 (4&5). This double issue contains 29 articles covering many aspects of computational physics education.
Fuller R editor (2001) A Love of Discovery: Science Education-- The Second Career of Robert Karplus, Kluwer Academic
Jackson J, Dukerich L and Hestenes D (2008) Modeling Instruction: An effective Model for Science Education, Science Education 17 (1), 10-17
Maloney D P (1994) Research on Problem Solving: Physics in Handbook of Research on Science Teaching and Learning, Gabel, D. (Ed), MacMillan
Ronen M and Eliahu M (2000) Simulation - A bridge between theory and reality: the case of electric circuits, J. of Computer Assisted Learning, 16, 14-26
Van Heuvelen A and Zou X (2001) Multiple Representations of Work and Energy Processes, Am. J. Phys. 69, 184-194
Zacharia Z and Anderson R O (2003), The effects of an interactive computer-based simulation prior to performing a laboratory inquiry-based experiment on students' conceptual understanding of physics, Am. J. Phys. 71 6, 618-629
Dancy M (2002), Investigating animations for assessment with an animated version of the Force Concept Inventory, Doctoral Dissertation, North Carolina State University
Wolfgang Christian, Francisco Esquembre, and Doug Brown have been collaborating since 2000 on the development and distribution of interactive computer based material. Wolfgang Christian is the Brown Professor of Physics and Chair of the Physics Department at Davidson College. He is a Fellow of the APS, past chair of the APS Forum on Education, and president elect of the NC Section of the AAPT. Francisco Esquembre is Associate Professor of Mathematical Analysis at the University of Murcia, Spain, and Dean of its Faculty of Mathematics. He teaches mathematical analysis and implementations numerical algorithms for the simulation of continuous and hybrid systems and he is the author of Easy Java Simulations. Doug Brown retired from Cabrillo College in 2008 where he was Instructor of Physics for 31 years and Chair of the Physics Department for 18 years. He has been an invited speaker at AAPT and APS meetings and is the developer of Tracker.
Disclaimer- The articles and opinion pieces found in this issue of the APS Forum on Education Newsletter are not peer refereed and represent solely the views of the authors and not necessarily the views of the APS.


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Think what you will about the numbers 666, but the combination was lucky for more than 1,500 people in Connecticut on Monday night.
With days to go until Halloween, the winning numbers for the October 28 Play3 Night drawing were 666 and 1,520 people have thicker wallets because of it.
The wager for a Play3 Night ticket ranges from 50 cents to $5, and the payouts are based on the amount wagered, so winners can expect to collect from $25 to $2,500 per wager in prize money.
In total, the Connecticut Lottery will pay out $598,225 in prize money.
"Since the Play3 Night game began, 6-6-6 has been drawn a total of 9 times in the nightly drawing with the last combination being picked on March 22, 1995," Anne Noble, president and CEO of the Connecticut Lottery, said. "It's always fun and exciting when a triple single digit is drawn because so many people are particularly fond of playing these numbers."
Players with winning tickets have 180 days from the date of drawing to collect their winnings.


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DEXTER GOVT: Managing Communications with the Base on a Diet of Austerity Budgets and Tax Cuts
When setting out to eliminate the substantial and structural provincial deficit they had inherited on coming to power, Nova Scotia Premier Dexter and Finance Minister Steele came to a fork in the road- one path to the left and one to the right.
Road on the Left Offered:
** Three years of substantial but relatively moderated service delivery cuts to eliminate the inherited, chronic, and accumulating annual budgetary deficit.
** After the last of these corrective budgets is delivered, the Dexter government still has a year within which to choose the time of the election in which they seek their second mandate.
Road on the Right Offered:
** Eliminate the deficit in two years instead of three, with an increase in service delivery stress even greater than the monetary difference. With the greatest amount of cuts implementation downloaded to local boards in a state of perpetual crisis.
** Then take the vastly intensified and downloaded service delivery cuts of two years to eliminate the deficit, and add at least two more years of equivalent service delivery cuts so that the government can offer a tax cut in time for the election.
Which road would a social democrat take?
It depends on whether you're asking for an opinion based on our experiences with it, or in a general, idealistic sense.
More particularly, it depends on what other political parties are offering and on what other nearby jurisdictions are doing.
I can think of a lot things it would depend on.
For example, is there public pressure for the NDP to be bringing in a tax cut.
But why would it depend on what the other political parties are offering?
Thats a good question just as it is, but I'll make it more concrete.
Here's what the other political parties are offering.
The NDP when it came in raised the HST the same 2% points the Harper government had cut it.
They had a strong consenus across ideological lines and general wide approval at the time that the need for this was not really debateable.
Opposition parties being the barking dogs they are, of course 3 years later they are reminding everyone that the NDP broke its promise to not raise taxes.
The follow-up questions are: do the opposition parties hae any traction? Do they have any credibility in this beyond their own respective diehard bases who vote for them anyway? Is there any degree of public clamour from anywhere else for cutting the HST?
Which road would a social democrat take?
Given the history of postwar social democracy and the modern-day Blairite sub-reformism that passes for social democracy, I'd say it is more likely that a nominally social democratic government would take the latter road.
More particularly, it depends on what other political parties are offering and on what other nearby jurisdictions are doing.
The 'nearby jurisdictions' can certainly serve as a barometer in that respect, which is why some of us take pains to bring certain jurisdictions into focus. However; the inspiration leading toward an answer to a question of 'what would they do' doesn't exactly spring forth from a mere statement consisting of what they or others have on offer. I'm thinking it's quite clear by now that it can't at any rate. An answer worth giving then is best is supported by an examination of practice and probability. Perhaps the suggestions might flow a little easier if the question itself were clarified a little, as in 'what road should they take?' In our context we have quite a number of reasons to suspect what they would do.
Practice. Exactly genstrike.
Fact check: Tony the Phony Blair was "New Labour" not social dem.
Human Poverty Index In case you were asleep for the last couple of decades, your country rates below several social democracies
2011-2012 Budget Year
About Dexter NDP: Proposing tax cuts while running a deficit and cutting services is just offensive. Why propose tax cuts at the same time you're changing school class size cap from 25 students per class to 29?
When setting out to eliminate the substantial and structural provincial deficit they had inherited on coming to power....
Road on the Left Offered:
** Three years of substantial but relatively moderated service delivery cuts to eliminate the inherited, chronic, and accumulating annual budgetary deficit.
** After the last of these corrective budgets is delivered, the Dexter government still has a year within which to choose the time of the election in which they seek their second mandate.
Road on the Right Offered:
** Eliminate the deficit in two years instead of three, with an increase in service delivery stress even greater than the monetary difference. With the greatest amount of cuts implementation downloaded to local boards in a state of perpetual crisis.
** Then take the vastly intensified and downloaded service delivery cuts of two years to eliminate the deficit, and add at least two more years of equivalent service delivery cuts so that the government can offer a tax cut in time for the election.
Which road would a social democrat take?
Can we agree on this much:
Obviously, the first alternative is the one much preferred by all social democrats. Hugely preffered.
But at least in principle, there could be compelling reasons to choose the second alternative.
It is a perfectly valid and defensible position if you think the second option should NEVER be chosen by a social democrat... or if you think as genstrike that you can expect when governing that social democrats will need little push to choose the second option. But if that is your assessment, frankly I don't know why you want to be part of this particular discussion. There doesnt appear to be anything to it than the kicks of 'making a point' [again].
At any rate, I at least in principle except that there might be compelling reasons for a social democrat to choose the second 'road' / option.
Then the question is whether the Dexter government, and by extension Nova Scotia New Democrats as a group, had compelling reasons to choose the second option.
The Dexter government and NS New Democrats had no compelling reasons to choose the second option except to make the business community happy. Lots of payroll subsidies for industry, including some pretty rich financial services. Lots of support for aquaculture at the expense of fishing communities. And the promise of puny tax reductions while education goes begging. I get a constant stream of their good news in response to my messages of oppostition to their austerity policies.
I'm not sure there has ever been many, if any, social democrats in the NS New Democratic Party. So I guess they didn't need any compelling reasons to act like social democrats.
'There arent and maybe never have been many social democrats in the NS NDP.'
I guess that puts you in this realm:
It is a perfectly valid and defensible position if you think the second option should NEVER be chosen by a social democrat... or if you think as genstrike that you can expect when governing that social democrats will need little push to choose the second option. But if that is your assessment, frankly I don't know why you want to be part of this particular discussion. There doesnt appear to be anything to it than the kicks of 'making a point' [again].
Beg to differ with you, but I've been a social democrat since decades before I was involved with the NDP, and I am a member. And I think that includes a lot of people who defend this government.
Now, Dexter and Steele themselves. That's another matter. I don't know....
Not to mention that you are overlooking for what people see as a compelling reason for choosing the second option the little thing of wanting to be re-elected.
Count me as among the many who would never sneer at people for the fact of wanting to be re-elected... as if that in itself proves some fundamental moral or ethical shortcoming.
But I will always question, and be questioned, on whether just because I or somelse thinks something is necessary for being re-elected, that it is as true as thought. And if at least true to a degree, that still leaves whether a sacrifice is being made that is not worth it.
What tax cut?
Please correct me if I am missing something:
The NS government has stated that it wants to get books in order in two years -- in part to avoid a downgrade that would make it harder to do later. As a part of that it hiked the provincial portion of the HST for 2 years taking it back to where it was once the books were in better shape. The reduction of the provincial portion of the HST to the previous level would come over two years.
I am not endorsing everything the NS government is doing because I don't have all the facts but calling the planned removal of a temporary increase in taxes a tax reduction does not sound right to me.
So is there some other tax reduction you are talking about?
The Dexter government and NS New Democrats had no compelling reasons to choose the second option except to make the business community happy. Lots of payroll subsidies for industry, including some pretty rich financial services. Lots of support for aquaculture at the expense of fishing communities. And the promise of puny tax reductions while education goes begging. I get a constant stream of their good news in response to my messages of oppostition to their austerity policies.
I'm not sure there has ever been many, if any, social democrats in the NS New Democratic Party. So I guess they didn't need any compelling reasons to act like social democrats.
Well they had three reasons at least-- you can decide if they are compelling:
1) the obvious one people are talking about-- being re-elected. If you do not believe you are better than the opposition and that electing the opposition would be bad for the province then you should not stand for election in the first place.
2) Bond holder rating decide on the interest a government pays and while it is unfair that they have the power they do, you cannot dismiss that as a reason to get the finances balanced a little quicker.
3) The Dexter government is the first NDP government in NS. It has a greater responsibility than any other NDP government to come in the future to establish that it can be trusted with the finances. While you can argue that it has been overzealous in this, it is fair to observe that this is an important motivation if you want to avoid a return to Liberal-Conservative dynasties. (I am concerned by some of the direction the government is following but am willing to judge them over a longer period given this political reality.
They were elected on a mandate of getting the provinces books back in order-- whether they are doing that in a prudent manner consistent with social democratic principles is of course worthy of debate but saying they are doing something for no reason may not be the best starting point.
It is not a betrayal to govern amid political realities. In fact it could be called a betrayal to squander a historic opportunity by refusing to acknowledge those. The NDP in NS, I hope are trying to change the political culture there rather than impose a new one that will only be rejected. They have so far maintained the confidence of the public but they have in so doing hurt their closest allies and friends in labour.
There have been a bunch of other tax cuts as well. But the HST is the biggest one by far.
1.] It was never called temporary in the first place. In some of the communications with the base- such as that survey [which I will link to again], it is implied that it was temporary. But you have to read carefully to even catch the implication. It was not and never has been offered as temporary.
At the very least, it IS strictly speaking a tax cut they are announcing. And they are billing it to the public as a tax cut- NOT as 'keeping our promise to you'. That latter was the pitching to the base in that survey. For the public, tax cut is a good thing. Not so for the base. So the two get different messages.
Public = "we bring you tax cut."
NDP base = "we need to keep [restore] our promise not to raise taxes."
2.] The HST tax cut will complete the overall effect of the NDP having presided over the reduction of government revenues. And steeply cutting the delivery of services to match the reduction of revenues.
Most of the reduction of revenues was not a result of actions by this government. But we did preside over and manager it happening. But more to the point, we had a choice not to preside over the reduction of revenues.
The HST increase was not pitched as temporary, and it has been accepted. Had we left the increase in place, as was our option and I always thought was going to be the case, the overall long term effect would have been to manage the flat-lining rather than the declining of government revenues. [Decline in equalization payments and gas royalties compensated by HST increase.] Because previous governments had allowed increases in spending to become built-in, even with flat lined revenues we would still have needed some significant cuts in service delivery spending... but obviously, a lot more cutting with declining governments as ooposed to flat-lined revenues. And our government with the HST cuts CHOSE for declining government revenues.
Does that explain, and/or do you still think I might be mis-characterizing this?
So thats the background that brings us from 3 years ago to March. The NDP Caucus sent out a survey to members that asked if we thought cutting the HST back the 2% points was required, and if there should be wide consultations on this. You can see the "Your Ideas Matter" survey here. There had been no prior discussion of this in the party, let alone in any public media.
Within 2 weeks- before replies to the survey could have been compiled, let alone providing us as promised with the results... Dexter and Steele started musing that given how well balancing the books was going, 'maybe' it was time for a tax cut.
And just days later, there was the 2% tax cut pegged for the second mandate, in the Budget.
Keep in mind that this is after the books have been balanced, the deficit is gone, and the Schhol Baords have been told at least as far back as November, with continuous reminders, that in planning for this years' budgets, Board members need to keep top of mind that there will be funding cuts next year of the same order as last year and this year. Which means that the cuts in funding that were required to balance the provinces books would go on.... unbeknownst to Board members that there would be no deficit to balance next year, but that there would be tax cuts creating just as big a fiscal hole as was caused by eliminating the deficit.
3) The Dexter government is the first NDP government in NS. It has a greater responsibility than any other NDP government to come in the future to establish that it can be trusted with the finances. It is fair to observe that this is an important motivation if you want to avoid a return to Liberal-Conservative dynasties.
Consider this:
** In 2009 there was a very broad consensus that the need for the HST tax increase was not really debateable. This included media commentariat and economists typically critical of the NDP. There was a bare minimum of finger pointing despite how typical and predictable was the NDP's protestations around breaking the promise of no tax cuts: that they just had no idea how bad things were.
** For the last 3 years the honeymoon with the media has never stopped. And absolutely around anything to do with fiscal management and economic competence.
** The government's polling numbers have remained consistently high. This is not grounds for complacency, or even having a sense you are insulated from negative trust issues that can bite hard once an election campaign starts. But the consistent numbers definitely confirm the generally observable consensus that this is a competent government that does what it says and meets the goals it sets.
3) The Dexter government is the first NDP government in NS. It has a greater responsibility than any other NDP government to come in the future to establish that it can be trusted with the finances. While you can argue that it has been overzealous in this, it is fair to observe that this is an important motivation if you want to avoid a return to Liberal-Conservative dynasties. (I am concerned by some of the direction the government is following but am willing to judge them over a longer period given this political reality.)
They were elected on a mandate of getting the provinces books back in order-- whether they are doing that in a prudent manner consistent with social democratic principles is of course worthy of debate...
It is not a betrayal to govern amid political realities. In fact it could be called a betrayal to squander a historic opportunity by refusing to acknowledge those. The NDP in NS, I hope are trying to change the political culture there rather than impose a new one that will only be rejected. They have so far maintained the confidence of the public but they have in so doing hurt their closest allies and friends in labour.
Taking all that into account is both wise, and to be expected if you are going to have a sustainable participation in electoral politics.
This discipline and patience in the trust of the NDP base gives this government a lot of breathing room. Which it must have.
I am suggesting that this government seriously abuses that trust.
And engages in manipulation of communication with the base that goes way beyond the spinning we all have come to expect.
The inner circle of this government consistently practices structured obfuscation in managing communications with the base.
They are good at it. I regularly watch the effects here on people who generally tend to be anything but Kool Aid drinkers.
It is perfectly understandable that NDP members are unaware of all these backroom machinations. Its not like the Dexter government is doing this out in the open. Most Caucus members do not know the half of it, the same as the rest of us, until some of it has to come to light as the done deal it has been for a while.
But all of us in Nova Scotia can see for ourselves how the public is in general appraising this government for its fiscal management.
And suddenly, with no prior discussion in the party, as soon as Dexter and Steele announce the tax cuts, Ministers, MLAs, and members that one talks to repond when questioned that 'we had to do the tax cuts.'
It seemlessly moved from we had to Balance the Books, to that being accomplished; but, oh, now we 'have to' do the tax cuts. [Except that the shift is not acknowledged- the service delivery cuts on into the indefinite future are still called the lofty Back to Balance.]
So where was the discussion that made all this necessity to do the tax cuts suddenly so apparenobvious?
If you do not believe you are better than the opposition and that electing the opposition would be bad for the province then you should not stand for election in the first place.
[ irony ]And if you believe you are the best party, you must therefore, once in power, do whatever the spinsters and pollsters tell you that it takes to stay in power. Because you're the best, after all, so to lose power would be a betrayal. [ irony off, for now]
That's the excuse I've heard all my life for a party coming to power on the support and aspirations of working people, and then attacking its base once it gets there. It's weak logic.
Bond holder rating decide on the interest a government pays and while it is unfair that they have the power they do, you cannot dismiss that as a reason to get the finances balanced a little quicker.
[ irony on ] Why not just set up a consultative committee of bondholders, and give them veto power over each annual budget. That way, we can be sure to get it right. [ irony off ]
Really? "They have the power"? So until we have a worldwide socialist revolution (or something), don't expect the NDP to do anything in power to upset the bondholders? Mind you, when in opposition, it's a whole different story, right?
The Dexter government is the first NDP government in NS. It has a greater responsibility than any other NDP government to come in the future to establish that it can be trusted with the finances.
Do they have a responsibility to show that they are fearless champions of workers, poor and marginalized people, youth and students, women, Indigenous people, minorities - the 99%?
In fact, being the first NDP government, had they not better prove their partisanship fast, and furiously, so that they don't end up (as in Ontario) as the LAST EVER NDP government?
Or do you believe (as the Media of the 1% would have it) that Bob Rae had his ass kicked in Ontario, not because he attacked the people, but because he couldn't "be trusted with the finances"?
I respect your opinions always, Sean, but I have problems with this apologia for a government which (like almost all other NDP governments in history) feels that its first responsibility is to prove itself to the wealthy and powerful.
If you have any doubts whether this really is a tax cut....
If you are in Nova Scotia you regularly here reference in the media to the NDP's tax cut. Only very occasionaly in some columnists punditry piece do you hear the original HST tax increase mentioned at the same time.
And calling it a tax cut is not just spin for public consumption. If Dexter Crew had said in 2009 that the tax increase was only temporary, they would never get away with calling it a tax cut now for going back to the old HST level.
They can call it a tax cut precisely because people assumed 15% was just what the HST is now.
It is only with the base that there is a potential challenge in justifying what the government is doing. So we're the ones that get the muddled bafflegab.... not that they have bothered saying much to us yet. So far, you'll probably only hear the spin ['we had to do it'] if you personally ask questions.
I'd like to point out that there are two distinctly different discussions/arguments going on here.
There is whether the justifications that Sean is suggesting, can never be valid. [As Unionist for example is saying.]
Then there is what you could characterize as criticism from within the party [plus those outside who do not typically reject 95% of the NDP's actual positions taken].
My criticism is in the spirit of the latter- where Sean's reasons the NSNDP government should be given qualified trust are accepted as valid considerations.
But especially writing from Ontario, even paying attention to whatever information comes along, Sean and others could not possibly know all the requisite context and events that bear on these questions.
That said, a lot of this is not visible to most people in Nova Scotia. As noted above, everyone here can see for themselves the almost universally high rating this govt gets on fiscal and economic management, that what the opposition parties criticisms are utterly ignored, and that the public has never been told nor seen the HST increase as temporary.
But the machinations of this government that prove the cynism in continuing this "Back to Balance" charade... that is all very much opaque and kept well out of sight of everyone except those who have to make it their business.
What Sean was saying is that if the NDP is to practice 'sustainable government' them some austerity budgeting does sometimes have to be part of the picture.
I agree, and have said so whenever I launch into a critique of this government.
But I also suggest that this government has used and manipulated the patience and tolerance of it's support base to get it's acquiescence for an agenda that slashes jobs and delivery of services well beyond what is required to balance the books.
Unionist -- with respect-- I am referring to considerations in balance. These are not black and white and it would be as bad to make a decision on these alone as it woudl be to exclude them entirely.
From where I sit next door in NB, it appears that Dexter is a s much of a sell-out as Rae was when he was in power. I don't see the grey.
The comparison to Rae though becomes a distracting red herring. Both sell-outs: fine, as far as it goes. At best, what does that tell you?
At worst, intentional or not, it becomes another smoke screen the Dexter government can use to prey upon that tolerance in the support base.
"Careful, or we'll end up like the Rae government."
NOBODY has ever seen this government like either the critics of the left OR the right saw the Rae government. And now 3 years down the road, not a chance.
The pissed off crtics here in Nova Scotia are NOT re-hashing the questions of 3 years ago whether we should have gone down the path of austerity cuts at all. We're questioning the later backroom decision to put into play the sneaky shift of continuing and deepening austerity budgeting so we can have tax cuts, and doing it under the cover of continuing the "Back to Balance."
The not black and white comment I made was with respect to what ought to be considered-- I am not judging the NS government's ability to balance these things properly. I merely entered the discussion to say these are things that I believe ought to be legitimately considered. It is how you weight that consideration and what things you don't account for that decides if you are a sell-out or not.
The NDP in Ontario had a more mixed record than some want to remember as well by the way. Their first two actions were to settle a pay equity dispute and a land claims dispute that had gone on a long time. The government in spite of the difficult economic times decided to bite the bullet rather than leave people suffering longer. Both situations could have been dragged out for a longer time and the NDP resolved them quickly.
There is one major propaganda obfuscation element from the government that is dished out the same for both the base as it is for general population: that the education cuts are all about matching spending with declining school enrollments.
What puts the lie to that is when the school boards announce their budget cuts, the classroom teacher cuts are 3 or 4 times greater than what is accounted for by enrollment declines. And that is on top of even larger cuts to non classroom functions, like typically 20% cuts in administration spending, substantial cuts to maintenance and busing, whole support programs axed....
The Halifax Board has not announced its budget yet. But they will be announcing some classroom teacher cuts as well- with no enrollment decline.
This is sad -- I hope people are fighting this
One would hope Dippers would respond to this is soon as what is going becomes apparent. And to my mind, as soon as the tax cuts were announced along with continuing deep austerity cuts- the same ones we had just barely been asked our opinion whether they should happen- people should have started smelling a rat.
On the other hand, if you are not a parent with kids in school, you likely would not have heard how bad the education cuts were going to be.... and therefore might have no reason to challenge the government's propaganda that it is just cuts in line with the year's enrollment declines.
The last week or two the various school boards have been coming out with the cuts. With at least some of the media reports relaying how much more the cuts are than enrollment declines, the reality gets harder to avoid.
But it is not just NDP members who have an easy time denying if that is what they want. All media reports that make general reference to the cuts just dutifully repeat the obfuscation that it is the reasonable sounding goal of cuts keeping up with enrollment declines.
As for fighting back, we'll see. I know a lot of angry people- but virtually all of them had given up on active involvement with the provincial party before the 2009 victory. And for the formerly most active, like myself, that has been 7 to 9 years now. [FWIW, among my similarly oriented and active peers, I was the last to bail out.]
Convention is early June. Convinced dissidents don't go to Converntion. That by no means leaves just Orange Kool Aid drinkers... but the brain trust has no problem containing people who ask polite questions and table questioning resolutions that are sidelined or voted down.
It is still a time for people to talk. Unfortunately that works both ways. The government has months to gear up the more detailed obfuscations, and now lots of salaried people to oozw out the party line in small conversations. Ironically, with loyal help from NSGEU staff- whose members are the most threatened.
I shouldn't have to do this, but I hate leaving denialists too easy an out.
And there it is: the malcontents who bailed on the Dexter crowd years ago, and have been out to get them ever since.
For one thing, when people bail, that's it. It does nibble away or eat away at you how well this works for them. You are helping them get away with what you find unacceptable, and they don't own the party. But neither do you, you're definitely in the minority, and most of all: life is too short for battles like this.
Despite all that, I was happy when they won. I could feel a part of it even if I wasn't included and was self-banished. The swearing in ceremony in June 2009 was a joyous occassion. I had a lot of fun talking to people, as did my similarly self-banished friends.
And even before winning, I was always hopeful. "Maybe we are wrong. Maybe they will do close enough to the right thing." And the swearing in amplified that feeling.
I defended the government against the predictable out of hand Babble rejection. Even with the benefit of hindsight how things have turned out, I still think that a social democratic government needed that space.
Here is a cynical dynamic going on that would be funny if it wasn't so close to home.
It turns out that one of the things going in the background was that back in Febrauary when it gave the school boards their funding allocation numbers, it also told them that it wanted cuts in positions handled as much as possible by attrition.
Perfectly reasonable. And even obvious- Boards are no different than other governments, they will tilt heavily towards attrition anyway. But the Boards were not told and did not figure out that they were meant to be religious about the attrition only business.
They found this out when my school board axed all the librarians. The government fumed and placed a bureauceat to review the budget and 'advise' the Board. His report made repeated reference to the Board not paying sufficient attention to this instruction about attrition.
Here is what the Board's did not 'get'.
The Boards know there are lots of baby boomer teachers retiring. They were already making big use of this to mitigate the pain, even though this impacts the classroom most.
But coming down on my school board brought down the government's message: you are not using ALL the teacher retirements. If not replaced those salaries can account for most of the cuts. If you do not use all those teacher retirements, it is going to mean bodies left in the hallways.
And the Dexter government does not want bodies left in the hallways. Least of all when for every teacher position not cut, that inevitably means an NSGEU member body in the hallway.
Can't have that. (Yet.) Not until after the election.
Just last year Premeir Dexter said that the cuts will not impact the classroom. Not only is that a lie, with class size caps rising. But the government has chosen FURTHER classroom cuts over non-classroom layoffs, so that they can say next year: "The school board is being alarmist again. Look what they said would happen, yet there were no layoffs."
Without getting into specifics about any particular government or policy- I think it is important to remember what kind of betrayal it is for a party to ignore its philosophical constituency.
A party states a position and a political philosophy and takes up room on the political continuum. When they fail to act from that area they are not only not doing what should be done from the perspective of their supporters, it is worse than a government that does not have the same constituency.
When the Conservatives muck up social policy, they at least are not occupying the space or creating the expectation that they will deal with it well. Other parties form, gather support and present an alternative. When a party betrays their own constituency, there is no room on the spectrum because they are still occupying it, there is no opposition on the topic because the force that would have created that opposition was used to elect them.
The opposition is important because a right wing government afraid of a left opposition will be somewhat careful to avoid losing power to it but one that lacks that opposition can do what they want on those files with impunity. One of the best examples would be the Martin budget of 1995. The Liberals ran on a progressive agenda, the NDP was shut out of party status. The opposition Reform party was happy to see the cuts and the BQ at the time was playing a sovereigntist rather than social democratic direction (led at the time by a Conservative, Bouchard). Martin produced the most right wing budget the country had ever seen.
One reason why NDPers tend to hate Liberals often more than Conservatives is exactly this point. The Liberals run to our base, compete with us for votes and efforts from people who share our outlook and philosophy and then let them down in government. At least the Conservatives are not looking for potential supporters of ours and usually represent at election time who they are if people care to listen. (At least when it comes to political philosophy.) I have never liked the so-called mushy middle for its lack of honesty and the inability to hold it to account as it skates around matters of principle.
So this applies to the NDP as well - when it campaigns on a certain outlook - it has a moral obligation to govern from that perspective.
This does not mean other things do not get taken into account but the government has to account for those things rather than simply ignore the base. For example, when an NDP government comes to power and does not deliver, it has a responsibility at least to recognize what is right, say what it wants to do and explain why it is doing something different. Then I, as I argued earlier in the thread, feel they should be given patience. So I would accept an NDP government to say -- well this is the right policy, however we can't do it because a) the population is not ready and we will continue the conversation and hope to build the consensus, here is a first step or b) the finances are not there but we will make them there by doing this and here is a first step or c) this is a specific policy that we were wrong about and this is how we will create social justice in this alternative way.
In all cases you see, I am saying the party must acknowledge when it is doing something that is not right and what it ought to be doing if it wants some slack and take some partial measure at least. This way at least the government is humbly admitting a failure and committing to find a way. By doing so the government is allowing a discussion about what should be done and is educating people moving them in that direction. It is fair to say that the argument that the population is not ready is false if the government is ignoring the topic and not doing anything to get the population ready.
Of course there is the additional damage of a betrayal as a party occupies a political space and then does not deliver as it forces people into fighting their allies as others want to be loyal and sympathetic. It leaves people without what they have built and shut out of their own movement.
So in conclusion I'll say that while I stand by my earlier statements and agree that a government should take into account all the practical issues I raised above, the government has a responsibility to explain any deviation from its program or principles. It must maintain the discussion about what ought to be done and provide credible reasons for a delay, a plan to get there and ongoing public education as to why we should go in that direction.
What we are hearing from Ken is the government of Nova Scotia has failed on all three and has not gone as far as it could have and in fact has gone in the opposite direction. This is a tragedy and as I outlined above-- the statements I have made do not excuse that behavior as there are alternatives to delivering everything if you really can't or ought not to.
I'll leave it to Ken and others from Nova Scotia to interpret these general statements in their own contexts and with respect to specific policies. I also hope that this will be remembered if the NDP forms a national government in the future. We must be accountable for when we do not faithfully deliver and, when we are, the people will understand.
I know it is long but I wanted to lay this out carefully.
Or like my wife said to a friend who is now a Minister- "I feel like I lost my political home." And that was before she paid the unexpected personal price of losing her own job in the cuts.
She's more representative of the base than me: barely even volunteered for the NDP, but the only party she ever did or would vote for, or care anything about.
I like how Sean puts it.
I'd be interested to hear some other Nova Scotians weigh in.
There are at least several babblers who are Nova Scotia Dippers.
If you don't feel up to commenting, you might think of sharing this with someone(s) and discussing.
Or like my wife said to a friend who is now a Minister- "I feel like I lost my political home."
She said that in an email.
The answer, taking into account hee criticisms, was that it sounds like she never an NDPer.
Among other hoary nuggets, Tommy Douglas and the reality of debt was invoked.
I didn't know that the Douglas CCF was also slaying the deficit by offering tax cuts 2-3 years into balancing the books.
This came up in the general NS thread. It is apropos here, and the titling seems to guarantee that fewer people check in to look at the thread.
Slumberjack wrote:
Dexter's Midnight Runners to the Health Sector Unions: Raises = Pink Slips
Unions, when they're negotiating, know or should know that increases in wages sometimes lead to reductions in staff.
We didn't negotiate a raise at the cost of people being put on the unemployment line," she told CBC News on Tuesday. To now put on to the shoulders of workers that if they get a raise it's going to be at the cost of others losing their jobs? I think that's actually shameful.
This is funny.
Ha. Ha.
I was planning on at some point introducing into the thread on austerity budgeting, that health care and health care workers are next. [But not until after the election.]
But the Premeir beat me to it, and said it himself.
Of course, if you want to just take his words literally, then he isn't threatening anyone... he's just saying there are certain realities.
And there are.
But as to whether what he says is the whole truth, this is the same guy who last year when there was a shocked initial reaction to the outline of the austerity future in schools, said unequiovacally "classroom teaching will not be impacted." Repeated many times by Ministers and MLAs speaking to concerned parents.
Not a hint of that promise this year. It obvioulsly flies in the face of reality. And they had the 3 year plan- including more cuts next year to pay for that tax cut- when Dexter made that promise last year.
I do think the plan was, still is, to leave the serious attacks on health care and health care workers until after the election.
Same recipe as with the schools: the government gets to keep some distance from the cutting process because the budget "choices" are leaft to the boards.
Lots of opportunities for blame shifting and obfuscation.
"It's the only responsible thing to do." Blah. Blah. Etc.
They could not afford politically to go after schools and health care at the same time. And there are fewer voting parents than there are people actively in health care needs, or able to picture themselves there soon.
So schools first. Health care in the second mandate.
But the amount of the collective bargaining settlements was not planned for. As if 2% per year is rich.
It isnt just the dollar amount. Allowing this to get in without protest from the government would make it look like an absolute 180 degree reversal if they waited to get vicious until after the election.
So they thought about it for a couple days after the settlement, and decided that in the context of the changes they would have the cake and eat it too:
Let the settlement go ahead, because they dont want the bad PR of an avoidable strike in the hospitals.
But tell the workers and unions now that you'll pay for this. Take with the other hand what they let the workers have in the settlement.
[Leave the full attack on the health boards and their budgeting until next year.]
Since the Dexter government had a 45% level of support in the last public opinion poll taken, far ahead of the Liberals and Conservatives, I'd say that the public thinks the NDP is doing a good job.
'Nuff said!
I know, they're doing such a great job aren't they? No one could have imagined such things being attempted under the Liberals and Conservatives. If they had tried similar antics in office to that extent, we'd have many more voices speaking out against them, but since it's the NDP doing it, the traditional objections that we'd normally hear from in the public domain during times like these appear to have taken the vow of omerta. It's like a neoliberal PR dream come true.
If you want to see a discussion get going among Bluenose Dippers- or at least have people be aware there is something to talk about- maybe you could post to social media the links to this thread and Obfuscating the NDP's Cuts to Schools: what is going on in Nova Scotia
I'd say that the public thinks the NDP is doing a good job.
'Nuff said!
And fuck the NDP membership, eh?
And if you think we are talking about the opinions and perspectives of a few cranks in the membership, take a look around the room at your next meeting of the South Shore Riding Association.
Is there a convention that this can be raised at?
Sorry I am not up on NSNDP calendars etc.
Convention is June 9, on the South Shore no less.
I've mentioned this before- it will be a good time for people to talk. But...
A lot of members are just waking up to the reality that something is going on, and the spinmeisters of Orange Tower still have the advantage.
Containing the formal discussions should be pretty easy. And even the talk in the hallways... there are an army of paid staffers totally versed on all the talking points. The material in question is ripe for snow jobs.
All that said, they are on the defensive. So the relevance of what develops is not just what percolates to the surface then and there.
And by the way, it is less than 20 years since a Premeir with high public approval ratings chose to retire before the term was out, dogged even after a succesful leadership review vote by a disgruntled membership.
[We dont have one of them there review things.]
Not that I think Darrell will be deterred by the opinions of some peasants. He doesn't have the class of his old buddy, John Savage.
Apropos of Dexter whining about the new health care union contract, and saying it will "inevitably" lead to job losses for union members:
Health care job cuts were already an inevitable consequence of the continuing wave of austerity cuts. First it was schools. Next is health care- but no blood until after the election, and Dexter has the free hand of being early in the second mandate.
The contract just negotiated for 2% instead of the 1% the government has been demanding and getting, comes to a grand total of around $2million in extra costs. Spread across a good size system, not the kind of costs that set layoffs in motion.
Dexter is just using this as an opportunity to scapegoat unions and their 'fat contracts' as the cause of the layoffs next year that will be required by the continuation of austerity budgeting so the government can do the tax cuts.
Dexter's layoff talk threatens bargaining, nurses head says
Hearing Premier Darrell Dexter say raises could lead to layoffs at Capital Health threatens good-faith bargaining for another group of health care workers, says their union president.
Janet Hazelton, who heads the Nova Scotia Nurses Union, said Tuesday that the union shouldn't be threatened with consequences before going to the bargaining table.
"Is the message that the nurses represented in this union should take less? Is that the message?" said Hazelton.
Dexter said Monday that the pending raises for health-care workers could lead to layoffs and put pressure on programming.
The nurses union has bargaining talks tentatively scheduled for late this month and early June. Their contract expired Oct. 31.
"I can't have nurses at the IWK making less than the nurses across the street at the QEII. Why should they?" she said. "Why should nurses in New Waterford make less than the nurses at the QE II? Why should they? What message does that send, that their work is less valuable? I'm sure that's not the message this government intends to send."
Dexter stood by his comments.
NSGEU president Joan Jessome said she was surprised at Dexter's comments about the raises.
"I think they were shameful and unnecessary," she said. "We're all professionals on both sides of the table, and to threaten that there would be layoffs just because people are asking (for a raise) is a bit demoralizing."
Dexter declined to respond to Jessome's criticism.
"I'm not going to comment on what Joan Jessome has to say. She's got an audience and a membership that she has to serve, and I'm sure that's what she believes she's doing."
Jessome said it was the employer who suggested arbitration, not the union.
She said union members have called the premier's comments a shot across the bow, but she doesn't expect it will discourage other locals from seeking the same kind of increases.
"It'll more entrench them in their position rather than dampen their expectations," she said. They see it as interfering with collective bargaining."
A little background:
The Nurses Union president quoted has run for the NDP, and continued her participation after that.
To say that Joan Jessome and the NSGEU are close to Dexter and the NDP is an enormous understatement.
Dexter's right hand man Matt Hebb was NDP to NSGEU senior staff [still running all federal and provincial campaigns] to government. Same cycle for another senior staff in the government. Matt Hebb's wife is the communications person for the union.
The relationship is so close that it raised eyebrows among NSGEU librarians facing the axe, seeing Jessome and the union going after the Board that made that cuts, while not criticising the government whose funding meant there had to be big job cuts.
If Jessome was disinclined to criticise the government then, I guess Dexter's unprovoked attack and scapegoating of health care workers ends that.


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I wear many hats as a naturalist. I enjoy learning about all aspects of nature. Recently, I added mother to my list of interests. Let me rephrase. I'm now a moth-er.
Just as birders enjoy and study birds, moth-ers enjoy and study moths.
My interest in moths is not new. I've often noticed the tremendous diversity of moths that gather by the porch light at night. Giant silkmoths such as lunas and cecropias are impossible to miss. Size and color almost always attract attention.
Most of the porch moths, however, are small and drab. For some reason, they never caught my interest. Perhaps it's because there wasn't a good field guide to moths.
A few weeks ago that changed with the publication of an excellent new field guide. Back in April, Houghton Mifflin published the Peterson Field Guide to Moths of Northeastern North America by David Beadle and Seabrooke Leckie ($29). It covers nearly 1,500 species (of North America's 10,000-plus species) and presents them in full color.
On the facing page of each plate, range maps and detailed text describe each species. Next to each species' name is a simple chart that indicates its season of activity. The text also lists the host species for the caterpillars of each species.
As I reviewed the book, it became apparent that most species are drab and cryptically colored. But many, even some of the smaller species, are as colorful as some butterflies. And illustrations of many species jogged my memory of moths I had often seen, but ignored.
For example, many underwing moths perch with their drab front wings covering their colorful hind wings. By day, this is perfect camouflage. But when startled by a potential predator, they expose their bright hind wings. This often startles the predator and gives the moth just a split second head start to escape.
Avoiding predators
Similarly, some moths (io and polyphemus, for example) have large eye spots on their hind wings. These eyespots can also be flashed to frighten predators. Emerald moths use their beautiful green color to hide among leaves. Bird-dropping moths mimic, you guessed it, bird droppings. Hungry birds ignore them.
Some moths mimic stinging insects. The American hornet moth and European hornet moth fly by day and are marked by bold yellow and black bands.
Other moths commonly seen in gardens mimic hummingbirds. Hummingbird and snowberry clearwings unfurl a long proboscis to sip nectar while hovering at flowers. These moths are less than half the size of hummingbirds, but they behave just like hummingbirds. But when you see two antennae, you'll know the critter is an insect.
And some moths rival butterflies in terms of sheer beauty. Lunas, cecropias, imperial moths, regal moths, and rosy maple moths are simply stunning.
Though the publication of this new field guide rekindled my interest in moths, it was meeting co-author Seabrooke Leckie that really hooked me.
Leckie attended the recent New River Birding and Nature Festival in southern West Virginia. Her responsibilities included conducting several evening moth trapping events. Each was well attended, and Leckie demonstrated how to attract moths using lights and white bed sheets.
It proved easy to attract moths for everyone to see, but it's important to remember that each species "calls" (communicates chemically via pheromones) at a different time of night.
"You can't expect to see all an area's moths in just a few hours," Leckie explained. "Some species call in the middle of the night, so all-nighter are required to attract the greatest number of species."
Though most of the Peterson Field Guide to Moths is devoted to individual species accounts, several pages explain in detail how to use lights, sugar baits and white cotton sheets to attract and capture moths.
I've already spent several nights mothing, and I've discovered that attracting moths is relatively easy. Identifying them, however, can be difficult.
If you're intrigued by the moths that gather by the porch light, pick up a copy of Moths. You probably won't be able to identify every moth you find, but you and some lucky children can enjoy a new type of summer night time fun.
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text: A new space designed with students and athletes in mind, the Student Fitness Center is a great addition to the Thomas University West campus. The state-of-the-art 6000sq ft. facility offers an extensive cardio center with treadmills, bikes, and elliptical machines. Students can pump iron with the many free weight options in addition to dozens of pin and plate loaded weight machines. This new hotspot affords a place to socialize with friends and relieve the tensions of the day through exercise. Open Monday through Thursday 6:00am-8:00pm and Friday 8:00am-1:00pm.


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Bachrach Photography (Boston, Mass.)
Formal head and shoulders portrait, of Lottie A. Leach (Mrs. Joseph A.), member of the Advisory Council of Women; and a trustee from 1932-1936 and 1945-1952. "Bachrach" printed below image; "Mrs. Leach" hand printed on verso. Actual image size is 9 x 7 in.
Bachrach Photography (Boston, Mass.)
Formal head and shoulders portrait of Victor P. Buell, Professor of Marketing.
1942 Dec. 22
Bachrach Photography (Boston, Mass.)
Profile portrait of Clarence Everett Gordon. Assistant Professor of Zoology, Professor of Zoology, Geology, Mineralogy, Head of Division of Physical and Biology Sciences. Typed on back: Dr. Clarence E. Gordon, professor of geology and haed of the department of physical and biological sciences at Massachusetts State College who heads Governor Saltonstall's committee to p... more


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J.K. Rowling Elaborates on 'Harry Potter' Character Celestina Warbeck in New Pottermore Postby Michelle McGahan | PopCrush
J.K. Rowling has taken to Pottermore.com to expand on obscure 'Harry Potter' character Celestina Warbeck, an "international wizarding singing sensation" who was mentioned throughout the series but was officially never introduced as a character.
In an entry entitled 'Floo Powder,' Rowling elaborates on Celestina's life, from her formative years and personal life to the biggest moments in her career, reports the Hollywood Reporter. But the coolest thing about Rowling's entry is that it includes the song 'You Stole My Cauldron But You Can't Have My Heart' from the character herself, as performed by Celestina and the Banshees — the group that rocks it every day at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. So cool!
The 'Harry Potter' author also shared some background info on the development of the character, telling 'TODAY':
"Celestina Warbeck is one of my favourite 'off-stage' characters in the 'Harry Potter' series," Rowling said. "I stole her first name from a friend with whom I worked, years ago, at Amnesty International's Headquarters in London; 'Celestina' was simply begging to be scooped up and attached to a glamorous witch."
Want to get more about Celestina? Head on over to Pottermore.com or 'TODAY,' where Rowling exclusively shared the story as well.
And even more fitting? Rowling debuted the tale today, Aug. 18, just in time for the character's birthday.


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Saving drafts of email messages
You can save a copy or draft of a Workspace Webmail message so that you can read it or finish it at another time.
- Log in to your Workspace Email account and open your product. (Need help logging in?)
- Click the Compose button.
- From theSave menu, select Save as Draft.
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Note: You can change your settings to automatically save drafts. To change your compose settings, see Setting Composing Preferences.


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SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Sophomore swimmer Allie Knight has earned Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Athlete of the Week honors after a standout week in the pool for UCSB.
Knight won all five individual events she swam during a pair of dual meets at Pacific and UC Davis helping lead the Gauchos to consecutive wins.
Against the Tigers, she took first in the 200 butterfly (2:04.96) and the 400 individual medley (4:33.20). The next day in Davis, she won both the 100 (57.33) and 200 back (2:03.84), while also bettering her mark in the 400 IM (4:27.28) with another top finish.
She also swam the leadoff leg in the 200 medley relay at both meets. The Gauchos finished second on Friday in 1:44.85 and then bettered their time and finish on Saturday, taking first in 1:43.69.
Knight and her Gaucho teammates will compete in their final dual meet of the season this Saturday, Feb. 4 against Cal Poly at UCSB's Campus Pool. The meet is slated to begin at 9:30 am with the diving events.


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Now showing items 1-3 of 3
Introduction to Imprisoned Intellectuals
(Rowman & Littlefield, 2003)
"Introduction: Democracy and Captivity" in The New Abolitionists: (Neo)Slave Narratives and Contemporary Prison Writings
(State University of New York Press, 2005)
The New Abolitionists presents a collection of essays and interviews that provide a frank look at the nature and purposes of prisons in the United States from the perspective of the prisoners. Written by Native American, ...
Imprisoned Intellectuals: America's Political Prisoners Write on Life, Liberation, and Rebellion
(Rowman & Littlefield, 2003)
Contributors include Mumia Abu-Jamal, Sundiata Acoli, Rev. Daniel Berrigan, S.J., Dhoruba bin Wahad, Rita Bo Brown, Marilyn Buck, Safiya Bukhari, Angela Y. Davis, Lorenzo Kom'boa Ervin, Elizam Escobar, Linda Evans, George ...


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60011 Surfer Rescue
Help! There's a shark coming close to shore and the surfer doesn't see it. Speed to the rescue on the Coast Guard watercraft and throw him the life preserver. Get the surfer aboard before the shark gets too close! Includes 2 minifigures with accessories: Coast Guard rescuer and a surfer.


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Region Color:
CY Orange
City Year serves in 29 cities across the US. AmeriCorps members often take different factors into consideration when choosing which site will be the best fit. In addition to geographic differences, the City Year locations vary in the size of the corps, the languages spoken in schools, where corps members live and how they commute to service.


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DETROIT, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- An Internal Revenue Service agent says former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's father underpaid his taxes by nearly $200,000 in 2004, 2005 and 2007.
The corruption trial of Kilpatrick, his father Bernard and Bobby Ferguson, a longtime friend of the former mayor, resumed Thursday after a 12-day Christmas break, The Detroit News reported.
Much of the testimony Thursday centered on how Bernard Kilpatrick allegedly underpaid his taxes, as well as his gambling habits.
The Kilpatricks and Ferguson are facing a number of charges, including alleged bid-rigging and kickbacks.
IRS agent Rowena Schuch testified she believed the older Kilpatrick underpaid his taxes by a total of $184,000 in 2004, 2005 and 2007 by hiding income from the government.
Schuch also said Bernard Kilpatrick lost about $218,000 while gambling at casinos in Detroit and Las Vegas.
The elder Kilpatrick was former Wayne County Executive Edward McNamara's chief of staff before he left to start consulting firm Maestro Associates in 2002, when Kwame Kilpatrick took office.


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Islamism Has Taken the Place of Communism as Divisive Force
In Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, hardly a day goes by lately without reports of conflicts between government troops and rebels. Although the insurgents in Aceh, Pattani and Mindanao, all peripheral regions in the corresponding countries, are Muslim separatists with alleged contacts to Al-Qaeda, their main objective is to achieve greater autonomy or even national independence.
Roots in the old sultanates
In all three cases, the roots of the conflict reach back far into the past, drawing strength from the traditional sultanates, whose influence extended far beyond the territories currently under dispute. At its height, the Sultanate of Sulu of Mindanao, for example, reached all the way to Sabah, an area that is today part of East Malaysia.
The influence of the Kingdom of Aceh during its "golden age" in the 17th century under Sultan Iskandar Muda extended through North Sumatra and over the straight of Malakka all the way to Malaysia and South Thailand. And in the southern part of Thailand, the province of Pattani represents the last holdover of a kingdom that enjoyed thriving trade relations with all the European colonial powers during the 16th and 17th centuries.
Today, these regions' distance from the capital cities of Jakarta, Bangkok and Manila presents a challenge to the still relatively young states, since the concept of a nation of consensus within clearly defined borders is questioned by many who live here.
Fostering a nation of consensus
In other countries in Southeast Asia, such as Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore, where history shaped ties that gave the inhabitants a cohesive identity, or where the idea of a nation of consensus has been vigilantly and successfully fostered by those in power, this concept has now gained widespread acceptance. In Indonesia and the Philippines, however, economic neglect and poverty have provided additional fuel for separatism.
As a force for dissent, militant Islam has long been overshadowed by an utterly different threat in Southeast Asia: communism. It's true that the communist movements, by taking up arms against the colonial rulers, did contribute in nearly all of the Southeast Asian states to the achievement of independence and thus in their way played an important role in nation-building.
After they were later forced underground, however, they posed a threat to the newly formed states for several decades, which lead to an official ban on communist parties in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore which is still in effect today. This ban has meanwhile not prevented the New People's Army (NPA) in the Philippines from continuing to actively fight to stamp out poverty.
Communism has developed much greater explosive power in Southeast Asia than Islamism. It not only triggered disastrous civil wars in Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Indonesia; during the years of the Cold War, communist ideology also split all of Southeast Asia into two camps.
While on the mainland (Indochina and Burma) nationalistic communist governments came to power, these were countered on the islands, including Thailand, by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
Launched in 1967 under Indonesia's leadership as a "bastion against communism", it was only after the successful assimilation of Vietnam in 1995 that the group began to take more decisive steps toward regional integration, culminating in the inclusion of all of Southeast Asia (with the exception of East Timor).
It is no accident that, after Asean managed to overcome all Southeast Asian borders, the fight against Islamic separatists has focused on the islands. After taking root in Aceh, Islam spread out along the coastal trading routes, gaining a firm foothold in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore, as well as South Thailand and the Philippines.
The challenge of nation-building
In the latter two states, integrating the various religious minorities is among the governments' greatest challenges. Nevertheless, what is now standing in the way of a peaceful solution in Aceh is less a matter of religious differences than the bloody legacy of the Indonesian military, which has been violating human rights in Aceh at will for the past several decades.
What the southern Philippines and Aceh on the island of Sumatra have in common is that the rebels in both trouble spots have been well organized for decades and have produced a series of prominent military and political leaders. These include Nur Misuari, Hashim Salamat, Hasan Tiro, Malik Mahmut and Zaini Abdullah – all figures who have put in appearances as official negotiating partners both at home and abroad.
This personification of the resistance leads observers to conclude that the violence in these areas is not being fanned from outside, but has internal causes instead. By contrast, the escalation of violence in South Thailand seems much less coordinated, and the rebels remain largely anonymous. This situation makes it easier for the government to look for scapegoats outside the country.
Negotiations and continuing skepticism
In the midst of spiralling violence in the crisis regions, peace talks have nonetheless made some progress here in the past few weeks. Thanks to the mediation of Malaysia, the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have once again come to the negotiating table, although the rebels have steadfastly refused to renounce their independence.
Thailand's leaders, who only recently reacted to unrest in the South with brutal violence, also seem to be shifting to a milder course in an attempt to get the country's problems under control. Finally, for the third time after the tsunami, representatives from Jakarta and the rebel organization GAM have met in Helsinki to map out routes toward a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Aceh.
Despite this willingness to enter talks, a healthy dose of skepticism is indicated here in the face of the disparate objectives of the two sides in each case, along with the weight of the past, and the divergent interpretations of the history of the conflicts.
From the standpoint of the insurgents, who view themselves as advocates of the marginalized, but not yet extinct, sultanates, the decolonization of Southeast Asia is not over yet. New rulers have simply stepped up to take the place of the former ones.
As long as this mindset prevails and no new generation comes to the fore avowing a more far-reaching concept of nationhood that can concede to alternative solutions for autonomy, the young states will remain vulnerable.
Manfred Rist
© Qantara.de 2005
This article was previously published by the Swiss weekly NZZ.
Analysis Susan Blackburn
Indonesia - How Do Women Influence Political Islam?
Efforts to influence political Islam are made by Indonesian women both within the Islamic movement and outside it. Which is more effective is difficult to say. However it is clear, that women in Indonesia have changed their political strategies considerably over the years. By Susan Blackburn