text:
Graduate Studies
Admission | Courses | Program | Requirements | Certificate | Profile
Director of the School of Music: Bart Shanklin
Assistant Director of the School of Music: Moisés Molina
Graduate Committee Chairperson: Brian Locke
Office: Browne Hall 122
Telephone: (309) 298-1544 Fax: (309) 298-1968
E-mail: email@example.com
Website: wiu.edu/music
Location of Program Offering: Macomb
Graduate Faculty
- Matt Bean, D.M., Indiana University
- Bruce C. Briney, D.M.A., Northwestern University
- James Caldwell, D.M., Northwestern University
- John Cooper, Ph.D., New York University
- Michael B. Ericson, M.M., Indiana University
- Michael Fansler, Ed.D., University of Illinois
- Randall E. Faust, D.M.A., University of Iowa
- Moisés Molina, D.M., Florida State University
- Paul Paccione, Ph.D., University of Iowa
- James Romig, Ph.D., Rutgers University
- Bart Shanklin, D.M.A., Arizona State University
- James Stegall, D.M.A., University of Missouri-Kansas City
- Tammie Walker, D.M.A., University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign
Associate Professors
- Jeffrey Brown, D.M.A., Eastman School of Music
- Richard Cangro, Ph.D., University of Hartford
- Jennifer D. Jones, Ph.D., Florida State University
- Brian Locke, Ph.D., State University of New York-Stony Brook
- Michael Stryker, D.M.A., Eastman School of Music
Associate Graduate Faculty
- Eric Ginsberg, M.M, Juilliard School
- Douglas Huff, D.M.A., University of Iowa
- Richard Kurasz, D.M.A., University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign
- Christine Lapka, Ed.D., University of Illinois
- John W. Vana, M.M., University of Michigan
Associate Professors
- Terry Chasteen, M.M., Indiana University
- Richard Hughey, D.M.A., University of Arizona
- Mary Kay Karn, M.M., Rice University
- Julieta Mihai, D.M.A., University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign
- John Mindeman, M.M., American Conservatory of Music
- Kevin Nichols, D.M.A., University of Iowa
- Glen Solomonson, Ph.D., University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign
- István Szabó, D.M.A., University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign
- James Thompson, M.M., University of Louisville
Assistant Professors
- Courtney Blankenship, M.A., Indiana University-Bloomington
- Eileen Garwood, Ph.D., Temple University
- Anita Hardeman, Ph.D., University of Western Ontario
- John McMurtery, D.M.A., The Julliard School
- Brad Pierson, D.M.A., University of Washington
- Penny Shumate, D.M.A., Louisiana State University
- Matt Thomas, Ph.D., Florida State University
Program Description
The School of Music offers work leading to the Master of Music degree. Students may specialize in music education, performance, piano pedagogy, conducting, music composition, musicology, and jazz studies. The School of Music is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.
Course work may be completed in one year, but the degree in most circumstances will require two years for completion because of the recital and/or thesis requirements. Students who wish to pursue the performance specializations (pedagogy, conducting, composition, musicology, and jazz) must be in residence during the regular term.
Before students are admitted to candidacy, a committee of four faculty members must be chosen by each in consultation with the graduate advisor. The committee must have one member in each of the areas to be addressed by the comprehensive examination.
All degree candidates will be given written comprehensive final exams (MUS 603) in music research, music history, music theory, and their area of specialization. The comprehensive exam is scheduled by the graduate advisor. Core courses must be completed before the comprehensive exam can be taken.
The thesis (MUS 601) will be directed by a faculty member from the student's area of specialization. A thesis advisory committee will be chosen by the student in consultation with the graduate advisor and thesis director.
A graduate recital (MUS 602) must be approved by the applied teacher. A pre-recital hearing must be passed before a recital is performed. Conducting recitals must be approved by members of the conducting faculty. Procedures to schedule recitals and pre-recital hearings are outlined in the Departmental Graduate Handbook.
Admission Requirements
All students must meet the general admission requirements of the School of Graduate Studies. Students majoring in music must have an earned bachelor's degree or equivalent with a major in music from an accredited institution. The School of Music may request an acceptable score on the aptitude portion of the Graduate Record Examination. The undergraduate major is subject to approval by the Graduate Committee.
All students seeking admission into the graduate music program are required to submit evidence of ability and special interest in their chosen area of specialization.
Music Education: In addition to an audition on a principal performance medium, students specializing in music education must fulfill one of the following:
a) from those applicants whose major performance area includes conducting, the submission of a recorded sample of the applicant's choral and/or instrumental school-ensemble performances;
b) the visitation and evaluation, by members of the music education faculty, of the applicant in his/her current teaching position;
c) an interview before the coordinator of the music education area and one other music education faculty member.
Note: Students who have received a Bachelor's degree in Music from Western Illinois University will not be required to re-audition for the Master of Music in Music Education.
Performance: An audition before members of the music faculty in the applicant's major performance area is required.
Piano Pedagogy: An audition before the applied piano faculty is required. Applicants must submit a writing sample as evidence of research ability.
Choral and Instrumental Conducting: Applicants must submit a curriculum vitae addressing musical training/conducting experience and providing a repertory list of recently conducted works. The on-campus audition will consist of an interview with the conducting faculty as well as a brief conducting audition with one of the major ensembles. In special cases and only with the permission of the conducting faculty, a video/DVD may be submitted in lieu of the on-campus audition.
Music Composition: Students may give evidence of ability and special interest by submitting scores of original composition.
Musicology: Students must give evidence of ability and special interest by submitting research papers. Proficiency in German, French, or other research language will be determined with a proficiency exam upon arrival. Students who have received a Bachelor's degree in Music from Western Illinois University will not be required to re-audition for the Master of Music in Musicology.
Jazz Studies: For students intending to pursue Jazz Composition, the submission of scores of original composition is required, as well as an on-campus interview with members of the jazz area faculty. For student intending to pursue Jazz Performance, an audition and interview before a panel of Jazz area faculty is required.
Advisory Exams
Prior to entrance, an advisory examination in music theory and music history/literature is required. The student will be advised to take specific courses to remedy any apparent weaknesses. This examination is administered regularly prior to the beginning of the spring, summer, and fall terms. In exceptional cases, the examinations may be taken on an individual basis by special arrangement.
Degree Requirements
To fulfill the requirements for the Master of Music degree, a student must complete 34 semester hours.
I. Required Core Courses: 9 s.h.
Analysis courses (Select one):
MUS 581 Analytical Techniques (3)
MUS 582 Analytical Techniques (3)
Research course:
MUS 591 Graduate Research in Music (3)
Music History period course (Select one):
MUS 491G History of American Music (3)
MUS 593 Music in the Baroque Period (3)
MUS 594 Music of the Classical Era (3)
MUS 596 Music of the Romantic Era (3)
MUS 597 Music Since 1900 (3)
Other degree requirements:
MUS 603 Comprehensive Examination in Music (0)
II. Select one of the following tracks: 25 s.h.
A. Choral Conducting
MUS 510 Conducting (Choral) (12)
MUS 590 Literature of Applied Field (Renaissance through Classical) (2)
MUS 590 Literature of Applied Field (Romantic through Contemporary) (2)
MUS 501 Ensemble Performance (4)
MUS 602 Recital (0)
Electives (5)
B. Composition
MUS 511 Composition (12)
MUS 601 Thesis (3)
MUS 515 Piano (4)
Electives (6)
C. Instrumental Conducting
MUS 510 Conducting (Instrumental) (12)
MUS 538 Advanced Conducting and Score Analysis (3)
MUS 590 Literature of Applied Field (3)
MUS 501 Ensemble Performance (4)
MUS 602 Recital (0)
Electives (3)
D. Instrumental Performance
MUS 504-507, 509, 519-529 Applied Performance (12)
MUS 501 Ensemble Performance (4)
MUS 461G String Pedagogy (1)
MUS 590 Literature of Applied Field (1)
MUS 492G String Literature I (2)
MUS 590 Literature of Applied Field (Wind and Percussion) (2)
MUS 602 Recital (0)
Electives (6)
E. Jazz Studies
Applied Lessons (12)
MUS 501 Ensemble Performance (6)
Directed Electives (7) chosen from the following: MUS 481G, MUS 482G, MUS 483G, MUS 485G, MUS 497G, MUS 508, MUS 599, or MUS 601
MUS 602 Recital (0)
F. Music Education
MUS 504-529 Applied Performance (4)
MUS 531 History and Philosophy of Music Education (3)
MUS 533 Contemporary Assessment Techniques in Music Education (3)
MUS 534 Models of Instruction in Music Education (3)
MUS 538 Advanced Conducting and Score Analysis (2)
EIS 539 Advanced Methods and Literature Review of K–8 Music (2)
Electives (10)
G. Musicology
*MUS 491G History of American Music (3)
*MUS 593 Music in the Baroque Period (3)
*MUS 594 Music of the Classical Era (3)
*MUS 597 Music Since 1900 (3)
MUS 599 Seminar in Music (3)
MUS 601 Thesis (6)
Directed Electives (7) chosen from the following: MUS 581/582 (if not core), MUS 481G, MUS 482G, MUS 485G, MUS 497G, MUS 500, or MUS 504–529.
* One of these will be taken as part of core
H. Organ Performance
MUS 514 Organ (12)
MUS 463G Church Service Playing I (2)
MUS 464G Church Service Playing II (1)
MUS 462G Organ Pedagogy (1)
MUS 493G Organ Literature I (2)
MUS 494G Organ Literature II (2)
MUS 602 Recital (0)
Electives (5)
I. Piano Pedagogy
MUS 515 Piano (8)
MUS 465G Piano Pedagogy I (2)
MUS 466G Piano Pedagogy II (2)
MUS 565 Piano Pedagogy (2)
MUS 495G Piano Literature I (2)
MUS 496G Piano Literature II (2)
MUS 601 Thesis (3)
MUS 602 Recital (0)
Electives (4)
J. Piano Performance
MUS 515 Piano (12)
MUS 495G Piano Literature I (2)
MUS 496G Piano Literature II (2)
MUS 602 Recital (0)
Electives (9)
K. Vocal Performance
MUS 512 Voice (12)
MUS 403G Pro-Seminar in Music (3)
MUS 590 Literature of Applied Field (Vocal Literature) (2)
MUS 501 Ensemble Performance (Opera Workshop) (4)
MUS 602 Recital (0)
Electives (4)
TOTAL PROGRAM: 34 s.h.
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program
The department offers a post-baccalaureate certificate in Music Performance. For program details, go to wiu.edu/graduate_studies/catalog/post_bacc_certificates/index.php.
Course Descriptions
Music (MUS)
403G Pro-Seminar in Music. (3) In-depth study of one musical topic.
461G String Pedagogy. (1–2, repeatable to 8) Study of the methods and approaches to the teaching of strings in class and studio. Laboratory observation and teaching. Prerequisites: String principal and permission of the instructor.
462G Organ Pedagogy. (1) Examination of introductory organ methods and literature for the beginning organ student. Student participation in teaching experiences. Prerequisites: Organ major or permission of the instructor.
463G Church Service Playing I. (2) Practical training in the playing of hymns and liturgy, choral, and solo accompaniments. Discussion of hymnody and liturgies, and selection of music for the church service. Prerequisites: Organ major or permission of the instructor.
464G Church Service Playing II. (1) Advanced techniques of church service playing including varied hymn accompaniments and introductions, and improvisation. Prerequisite: MUS 463G.
465G Piano Pedagogy I. (2) Introduction to the history of piano pedagogy and current learning theories. Examination of teaching methods and materials at the beginning through intermediate levels. Lecture/discussion meetings will be complemented with student presentation.
466G Piano Pedagogy II. (2) Introduction to piano pedagogy research. Examination of teaching methods and materials for advanced and adult students. Students will be asked to complete a teaching demonstration. Prerequisites: MUS 465G or permission of the instructor.
481G Counterpoint. (3) Studies in tonal counterpoint. Representative techniques and genres including invention and fugue. Prerequisites: MUS 200 and 282.
482G Materials of Twentieth-Century Music. (3) Studies in 20th-century compositional practices and styles through analysis and exercises in 20th century techniques. Prerequisite: MUS 282.
483G Orchestration. (3) Study of instruments and instrumentation through practical exercises. Prerequisite: MUS 282.
485G Techniques of Electronic Music. (3) Fundamental concepts in electronic music and classical techniques in studio work.
491G History of American Music. (3) The history of music in America from colonial times to the present.
492G String Literature I. (2) History of stringed instruments and early performance practices including performers, pedagogical treatises, and literature through the 18th century. Prerequisites: String principal and permission of the instructor.
493G Organ Literature I. (2) Survey of organ literature from the 15th century to 1725. Prerequisites: Organ major or permission of the instructor.
494G Organ Literature II. (2) Survey of organ literature from 1725 to the present. Prerequisite: MUS 493G or permission of the instructor.
495G, 496G Piano Literature I and II. (2) Survey of keyboard literature considered from its historical, formal, stylistic, and aesthetic aspects. Nonsequential. Prerequisites: Piano major and permission of the instructor.
497G Jazz History, Selected Topics. (2, repeatable to 4) An in-depth study of selected topics from the history of jazz. Topics are drawn from the history of Jazz music in the 19th and 20th centuries and will include major artists and stylistic periods. Topics vary from semester to semester.
499G Vocal Literature and Pedagogy. (3) Survey of vocal literature and pedagogical philosophies and techniques considered from historical and applied respects. Includes performance/pedagogy projects of Early English/Italian repertories, German "Lieder", French "Mélodie", English language repertory as well as other selected national and ethnic traditions. Prerequisite: vocal or piano major or permission of the instructor.
500 Independent Study. (1–3, repeatable to 6) An investigation of problems related to the student's major or area. Students will arrange the topic, procedures, and methods of reporting with the instructor. An appropriate written report will be required. Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor and department chairperson required.
501 Ensemble Performance. (1, repeatable) Band, orchestra, chorus, or smaller ensembles.
Applied Study: (1–4, repeatable to 24) Private study in music performance and composition. All lessons offered each semester. Exception: Summer Term (see summer catalog). Specialists in performance or composition will receive four semester hours of credit. All others will receive a maximum of two hours of credit per semester. Prerequisite: audition and/or written permission of area chairperson and instructor.
504 Violin
505 Viola
506 Cello
507 Contrabass
508 Applied Jazz Studies
509 Guitar
510 Conducting
511 Composition
512 Voice
513 Jazz Composition
514 Organ
515 Piano
519 Clarinet
520 Saxophone
521 Flute
522 Oboe
523 Bassoon
524 Trumpet
525 Trombone
526 Euphonium
527 Horn
528 Tuba
529 Percussion
531 History and Philosophy of Music Education. (3) The historical development of music education in America, and its changing philosophies. Examination of problems of value, knowledge (learning), aesthetics, and trends in school music related to these problems. Extensive reading in the literature of music education. Prerequisites: MUS 333, 334, 394, 439, or permission of the instructor.
533 Contemporary Assessment Techniques in Music Education. (3) The study of ideas and strategies to achieve accurate, consistent measurement of creating, performing, and responding to music. Criterion measures, empirical methods for demonstrating test reliability and validity, descriptive statistics, and test item analysis are also considered.
534 Models of Instruction in Music Education. (3) Survey of theories and strategies of teaching and learning as applied to instruction, curriculum development, and instructional design in music. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Master of Music program.
538 Advanced Conducting and Score Analysis. (1–4, repeatable to 4) Advanced techniques of conducting. Preparation to assume leadership of advanced instrumental ensembles.
539 Advanced Methods and Literature Review of K–8 Music. (2, repeatable to 4) Advanced methods and literature for general or exploratory classes in K–8 music.
550 Workshops in Music. (1–3, repeatable) As announced.
565 Piano Pedagogy. (1-2, repeatable up to 10 hours) Materials, methods, teaching techniques and learning theories as applied to the teaching of (college-level) piano classes and advanced-level studio lessons. Lecture/discussion meetings are complemented with practice in class and studio teaching. Prerequisite: Piano major or permission of the instructor.
567 Seminar in Jazz Improvisation. (3) A detailed study of improvised solos, including multiple transcriptions by students in the class, will be undertaken. The intent is to provide students with advanced melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic tools to continue their development as jazz artists. Prerequisites: B.M. degree in Jazz Studies or permission of the instructor.
581 Analytical Techniques. (3) A study of the structural, formal, and stylistic elements of tonal music of the 18th and 19th centuries. Nonsequential.
582 Analytical Techniques. (3) A study of various analytical techniques and approaches, including Tovey, Schenker, Reti, and Schoenberg.
590 Literature of Applied Field. (1–2, repeatable) Areas of study include: strings, woodwinds, brass, keyboard, percussion, solo vocal, choral or instrumental ensemble literature.
591 Graduate Research in Music. (3) An introduction to research in music. The study of library tools, research techniques, and form and style in writing. Research paper or papers will be prepared.
593 Music in the Baroque Period. (3) Selected studies in the history and literature of music in the baroque era.
594 Music of the Classical Era. (3) Stylistic studies in the music and aesthetics of the late-eighteenth to early-nineteenth centuries. An examination of various musical genres, styles, and works in cultural context.
596 Music of the Romantic Era. (3) Stylistic studies in the music and aesthetics of the mid- to late-nineteenth century. An examination of various musical genres, styles, and works in cultural context.
597 Music Since 1900. (3) Stylistic studies in the aesthetics and music of the fin-de-siecle, interwar, high modernist and postmodernist eras.
599 Seminar in Music. (1–3, repeatable to 6) Selected topics in music designed to meet the needs and interests of the students involved.
601 Thesis. (1–3, repeatable to 6) Thesis direction under the guidance of a professor in his/her area of specialization, in order to meet the needs of the student engaged in a research project. A written thesis will be presented to the Graduate Committee.
602 Recital. (0, repeatable) Recital will be either two full recitals, or one full recital and a paper relating to the recital literature. Graded S/U.
603 Comprehensive Examination in Music. (0) The student will write a comprehensive examination in music history, music theory, music research, and his/her area of specialization. Graded S/U.
NOTE: All seminars carry one, two, or three semester hours credit and may be repeated with the permission of the instructor and department chairperson since different topics will usually be chosen each semester. All proseminars are repeatable to a maximum of six hours.
Table of Contents
- General Information
- Campus and Facilities
- University Services
- Special Programs
- Admission
- Academic Guidelines
- Graduate School Policies
- Costs and Financial Assistance
- Programs of Study
- Integrated Baccalaureate/Master's Degrees
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificates
- Other Departments Offering Courses for Graduate Credit
- Index
- Table of Contents


text:
The following steps are hiring guidelines provided by Human Resources, Academic Employment Services and the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE). Click on each step below for more information. Please consult your employment representative for assistance in writing your job description.
Process Checklist
Complete Form I: Position Authorization Form and Advertisement
The Position Authorization Form I, is completed by the department. After appropriate signatures are obtained, the form and draft copy of advertisement language is sent to Academic Employment Services for review. A copy of the advertisement language should be sent to the Office of Institutional Equity for their review also. Download Form I: Position Authorization from the Faculty Hiring Forms.
After review by Academic Human Resources, the Position Authorization Form (Form I) is sent to the Provost for approval, presidential approval is also needed for a new position. The form is then returned to Human Resources.
Academic Employment Services will then consult with department regarding the online applicant (People-Admin) process (this can be done after step 1 while awaiting approvals on position).
This will include:
- Sending the Faculty PA posting worksheet and the 10 Steps to Faculty Hiring to the search committee chair.
- Discussing the steps on the PA posting worksheet – prescreening questions, required and optional documents, reference letters, evaluative criteria, etc.
Things to Remember:
- Work with your Academic Employment Services Representative from the beginning of the process.
- All inquiries and requests from candidates must be referred to the chair of the search committee.
Guidelines for Forming a Diverse Search Committee & Completing The Advertising and Committee Approval Form (Form II)
Complete the Advertisement and Committee Approval Form II – Get appropriate signatures and return the form to Academic Employment Services. Document your advertising plan and summarize any special measures that will be taken to solicit applications from women or minority groups. Download Form II: the Advertisement and Committee Approval from the Faculty Hiring Forms.
When convening a search committee, diversity is key. All search committee members need to complete the Diversity Literacy Workshop and Legal Aspects Certification. Learn about Diversity Certification. It is the department's responsibility to ensure the search committee members have completed the Diversity Literacy Workshop and Legal Aspects Certification.
The committee's makeup should be diverse with regard to gender, minority, veteran, disability and/or other protected status (diverse ethnicities, races, religious affiliations, age, gender, sexual orientation, etc.). The diversity will facilitate a strong hiring process that aligns with Equal Employment Opportunity.
Search Committee members must sign the Confidentiality Statement.
Prepare Job Posting/Advertising
All external advertisements paid and free must be approved by both Human Resources Academic Employment Services and the Office of Institutional Equity before you advertise.
Complete the purchase requisition form and send to purchasing with ad unless using the purchasing card.
It is required by federal regulations that all advertisements contain the EEO statement:
"Michigan Technological University is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Equal Opportunity Employer, which includes providing equal opportunity for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities".
A shorter version may be used only when word count is under consideration for pricing of ads: "Michigan Tech is an EOE which includes protected veterans and individuals with disabilities."
Michigan Tech requires the following language in all faculty advertisements:
"Michigan Tech is an ADVANCE Institution, and has twice received National Science Foundation funds in support of efforts to increase diversity, inclusion, and the participation and advancement of women and underrepresented individuals in STEM."
"Michigan Tech acknowledges the importance of supporting dual-career partners to retain a quality workforce. Candidates are invited to bring a guest to an on-campus interview; career exploration, advice, and assistance are available for positions at the University and in the local community. Additional details on dual-career exploration with our Partner Engagement Program can be found at https://www.mtu.edu/provost/programs/partner-engagement/."
A shorter version may be used only when word count is under consideration for pricing of ads:
"Michigan Tech actively supports dual-career partners to retain a quality workforce. Candidates are invited to bring a guest to an on-campus interview; additional details on dual-career exploration in our Partner Engagement Program can be found at https://www.mtu.edu/provost/programs/partner-engagement/."
You must include the geographic location of the university in your advertising (Houghton, MI).
Advertise and recruit as appropriate for the position. See How To Advertise Your Job for additional information. Faculty positions require a national search. See National and Online Advertising for suggested publications and websites to advertise your position.
It is very important you do not advertise the position until you receive final approval from HR.
Review "Departmental EEO Report" in PeopleAdmin
Electronic Diversity Report
The search committee is strongly encouraged to run and review the "Departmental EEO Report" to evaluate the diversity of the applicant pool. If representation of women and/or minorities is low, consider making additional recruitment efforts.
To run report:
- In People Admin, select position title or posting number for your current search
- Click on "Reports" tab
- Run "Departmental EEO Report"
- When report is 'complete,' hover mouse over "Actions" and click "View Report" or "Download to Excel"
Review Applicant Materials
Develop criteria and evaluation material for rating candidates based upon required and desired qualifications. Remember to document any decisions made about applicants, by further examination of CVs, supporting documentation requested or interviews.
The following are a few reasons of non-hire that were not accepted by the auditor:
|Unacceptable Reasons
|Auditors Comments
|Did not interview well
|Please explain
|Did not meet search criteria
|Please explain what each was lacking in comparison to the hire in relation to the advertised criteria
|Lacking demonstrated expertise in required topics
|Explain what was lacking
|Why is this a requirement? Please explain how not being a US citizen played in the applicant not being further considered
|Not as strong as top candidate
|Please explain how this candidate is weaker when compared to the hire
|Department goals/needs - Rejected background not meeting departments goals
|Please explain. If you have specific needs/background, the advertisement should not be generic – advertisement should ask for specific needs
|Considered Finalist/ Still being considered
|You still need to give a reason for non-selection
|Research area not a good fit
|Explain why
|Poor Communication: If not interviewed and there was no contact
|Explain how this was determined
|Written communication skills not as good as candidates interviewed
|Explain referencing the application package
All applicants must be reviewed until the day that the first interview takes place.
When interviewing begins the search chair has the option to have applications re-routed to "Review by Human Resources" instead of "Review by Search Committee" If this option is chosen, the search chair must notify Human Resources and they will code all applications after the date of the first interview as late applications in the system. The Search Chair would then only need to record reasons for non-selection for those applicants reviewed in the system prior to the date of the first interview.
All positions at Michigan Tech are considered open until filled; however, the "review by Human Resources" optional feature allows for a way to limit your pool. If any applications that were held by Human Resources are reviewed after interviews began, then ALL previously held applications must be reviewed.
Narrowing the Applicant Pool and Non-Selection and Completing Form III, the Interview Approval Form
After reviewing applications in the People-Admin system, those applicants who are not advancing further (to a phone or Skype interview), must be given a reason for non-selection and disposition code, which will remove them from the applicant pool at this stage of the process.
Reasons for Non-Selection of Applicants NOT Advancing Further and Disposition Codes. The search chair or search admin, must move applicants in the workflow by entering reasons of non-selection for all applicants not advancing further in the process by following these instructions. Job Aid: How to Move Applicants in the Workflow.
Complete Form III: Interview Approval from the Faculty Hiring Forms. Your employment representative will provide the EEO report to go with this form for Department Chair and Dean approval. Download Form III: Interview Approval from the Faculty Hiring Forms.
With form III you need to include the Departmental EEO Report - Electronic Diversity Report for positions posted through People-Admin, the search committee chair or search admin should check the diversity of the applicant pool. Contact your employment representative to do this.
Before setting up interviews:
- Develop interview questions and submit to Academic Employment Services for approval.
- Interview questions must be asked consistently with all who are being interviewed.
- Create an effective selection criteria, contact your employment representative for assistance with this.
- During the interview process take notes that can be used for reasons of non-hire. You will need to provide reasons why all candidates were not interviewed/hired. The reasons must be related to the "Requirements and the Desirables" of the position description. If the Office of Institutional Equity finds the reason to be to general, the applicant will be sent back to the search chair in the workflow, "OIE requests more info" for more information.
- Beware of biases and stereotypes
Reference Providers
Human Resources will move the candidates into the workflow state of "Email request to Reference Providers". The system will send out an email to the references that the applicant provided. This can be done anytime during the applicant process, for all applicants or your finalists.
Candidate Selection & Electronic Flow Log and completing the Candidate Selection Form IV
Reasons for Non-Selection of Applicants Interviewed and Final Disposition Code. The Search Chair must move applicants in the workflow by entering reasons for non-selection for all applicants interviewed and not advancing by following these instructions: Job Aid: How to Move Applicants in the Workflow. The final disposition codes for those applicants interviewed and not advancing will also be entered into the system at this point in the process. Please contact your employment representative for assistance with this step.
Move of Finalist to "Recommended for Hire by Department" and Complete the Final Selection Form IV. The Search Chair or Search Admin will notify Academic Employment Services with the candidate they are recommending for hire and provide them with Forms II, III and IV. Download Form IV: Final Selection Form IV from the Faculty Hiring Forms.
Hiring Packet: Prepare the following and send to the academic employment services area of Human Resources:
- Form A – Appointment Recommendation and Faculty Qualifications Assurance Form
- Draft appointment/offer letter
- Request for Start-Up (if applicable)
- Draft start-up support letter (if applicable)
- Three (3) recommendation letters (printed from People-Admin)
- CV – this can be printed from People-Admin
- Hiring Forms II, III, IV
- Confidentiality Statement – all search committee members must sign.
After final approvals are received from the Provost and President the department will be notified to make the offer to the candidate. An official offer letter will be sent for signature confirming details of the offer, (salary, start date, etc.)
If you have a failed search contact academic employment services at 906-487-2509. Also email the Office of Institutional Equity at email@example.com stating you have a "failed hire."
All documentation related to a hire, including search committee notes, any evaluation criteria, reference checks, results of any testing, ratings of applicants, etc., must be retained by the University for 3 years after the hire date. Please send all materials to Human Resources.
Offer Accepted
After the offer letter has been signed, notify the candidates interviewed but not selected. This can be done by Human Resources via email as part of the on line applicant system. The chosen applicant will be moved to "Considered, Will Hire".
New Employment Paperwork with Human Resources
The new employee must complete all applicable employment forms at the new employee orientation which will be on or before their first day of work. The new employee cannot begin work until the employment paperwork is completed.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
AccessibilityWe are committed to accessibility for all visitors and we're always working to improve the accessibility of our website.
USERWAYThe UserWay Website Accessibility Widget that is powered by a dedicated accessibility server. The software allows us to improve compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0).
ENABLING THE ACCESSIBILITY MENUThe accessibility menu can be enabled by clicking the accessibility menu icon that appears on the corner of the page. After triggering the accessibility menu, please wait a moment for the accessibility menu to load in its entirety.
US SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATIONIf you have trouble seeing web pages, the US Social Security Administration offers these tips for optimizing your computer and browser to improve your online experience:
- Use your computer to read web pages out loud
- Use the keyboard to navigate screens
- ncrease text size
- Magnify your screen
- Change background and text colors
- Make your mouse pointer more visible (Windows only)


text:
The Face of Emotion
Izard, Carroll E.
AbeBooks Seller Since February 20, 2000Quantity Available: 1
Stock Image
AbeBooks Seller Since February 20, 2000Quantity Available: 1
About this Item
Bibliographic Details
Title: The Face of Emotion
Publisher: New York, NY, Appleton-Century-Crofts
Publication Date: 1971
Binding: Hardcover
Book Condition: Fine
Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket
About this title
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Store Description
Books are shipped promptly on receipt of payment.
Books shipped to California addresses may be subject to Sales Tax. ********
Books may be returned within 10 (ten) days of receipt if not as described,
and must be returned in the same condition as originally shipped. Prior
notice, by email, is requested before returning a book. ********
All photographs shown with our book listings are supplied by the
publisher and posted by AbeBooks.com. They may not always show the actual cover
illustration of t...
Individual items are shipped by media mail for $3.95. Additional items are $2.00 each.
Priority Mail (if requested) is $6.00 for a Flat Rate Envelope or $14.95 for a medium
flat rate box. Heavier books, sets, or items too large for priority flat rate
shipping are sent at cost. Please contact us regarding costs. All domestic orders over $20.00 are sent with delivery confirmation. Insurance is recommended on collectible or rare items.
We ship by Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope whenever possible (if the books fit in the envelope without incurring damage during transit) at $24.95 for most countries except for Canada and Mexico which ship at $21.95 for a flat rate envelope.
Oversized books, book sets, and heavier books that do not fit into a flat rate envelope will require additional postage. Costs for shipping by regular (non flat rate envelope) priority mail or express mail are determined on a order-by-order basis depending on the weight of the book(s) and the destination country.
Payment Methods
accepted by seller


text:
Webinar Series: Sustainable Energy in Humanitarian Settings
Sustainable Energy for Powering Household and Community Lighting Needs in Humanitarian Settings - Which quality solar products for household use are on the market? How can humanitarian actors assess which lighting solutions for households and communities are needed? Presentations from Lighting Global and Oxfam will shed light on these questions. Practical Action and Mercy Corps will further share their experiences from a community needs assessment in Rwanda, and from delivering quality solar products in Afghanistan. Read more...
Thursday 14 Nov at 3 p.m. CET, (Registration link)
You do not have permission to edit this page, for the following reason:
You are not allowed to execute the action you have requested.
You can view and copy the source of this page:
Return to Groupe de travail "Approche Commerciale".


text:
Latest News
Is Assad testing the West on chemical weapons?
Allegations that the Syrian military bombed rebel held areas with improvised explosives that contained chlorine gas could reflect an effort on the part of the Syrian government to test the international community's commitment to enforcing Syria's agreement to give up its chemical weapons stockpile.
The international body that oversees the world treaty that bans chemical weapons, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, said this week that it will send investigators to probe reports that Syrian helicopters dropped so-called barrel bombs containing chlorine on as many as six sites over the course of three weeks in mid April.
Coming at a time when Syria had missed the deadline for completing the shipment of its stockpiles of chemical weapons out of the country, the reports of chlorine use have raised questions about the Syrian commitment to the Chemical Weapons Convention, which the Syrian government joined last year in the wake of allegations that it was responsible for an Aug. 21 chemical attack outside Damascus that killed hundreds.
Joshua Landis of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma and an expert on the government of President Bashar al Assad said these moves would be consistent with the government's goal of surviving the country's civil war, which in more than three years has claimed the lives of more than 150,000 on all sides.
"The fact that Assad has turned over close to 90 percent of his chemical weapons surprised most policy analysts because chemical weapons give him several clear advantages in the present war," Landis said in an interview. "It seems logical that Assad would hold back a weapon that could be useful."
Landis pointed out that the Syrian struggle is viewed as a death match by both sides. In that context, it's not surprising that either side would deploy whatever weapon it needed to ensure that it was not defeated -- "even if it means incinerating entire cities filled with young children and women."
The inclusion of canisters containing pressurized chlorine gas in barrel bombs could reflect Assad's desire to use his advantages to push for victory, Landis said.
"One can imagine that Assad may calculate that barrel bombs filled with chlorine will speed up the process of emptying rebel dominated neighborhoods of their inhabitants in cities such as Aleppo," he said. "They will also reduce the amount of physical destruction to cities by increasing the level of terror and causing people to flee."
Andrew Tabler, a strong critic of the Syrian regime from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said the alleged use of chlorine, which Syria was not required to declare as a chemical weapon, is just one of a number of "tests" Assad is making of international commitment to enforcement. In addition to the alleged use of chlorine and the delay in shipping chemical weapon components out of the country, Tabler cited Syria's request that it not be required to destroy 12 chemical weapons assembly facilities as among those tests.
A Western military attache based in Beirut who regularly deals with the U.S. as well with Syrian officials said that barring some massive violation of the agreement, he doubts the U.S. will take action against Assad over the chlorine usage, if the OPCW proves the allegations.
"Ukraine. Poland and the Baltics. Russia and Putin. China and the Philippines. Iraq is in open civil war and [the US is] pulling out of Afghanistan," said the official, listing current areas of American involvement in crises. "How smart does Bashar have to be to look around and see what a small foreign policy priority he is right now? So it's natural he's going to see how far he can go without drawing real attention."


text:
- WiFi
- Car park
- Air conditioning
- Spa
- Accessible
- Family
- Romantic
Choose your room
Property Location With a stay at Hotel Font d'Argent Pas de la Casa in Pas de la Casa, you'll be convenient to Pas de la Casa Resort and Grau Roig Ski Resort. This hotel is within the vicinity of Soldeu Ski Resort and El Tarter Snow Park.Rooms Make yourself at home in one of the 75 guestrooms featuring minibars. Complimentary wireless Internet access is available to keep you connected. Bathrooms have hair dryers and bathrobes. Conveniences include safes and sofa beds.Rec, Spa, Premium Amenities Relax at the full-service spa, where you can enjoy massages. Additional features include an arcade/game room, ski storage, and tour/ticket assistance.Dining Enjoy a meal at a restaurant, or stay in and take advantage of the hotel's room service (during limited hours). Quench your thirst with your favorite drink at a bar/lounge.Business, Other Amenities Self parking (subject to charges) is available onsite.
Useful information:Other names for Hotel Font d'Argent:
Font D Argent Pas De La Casa


text:
It's hard to come up with original recipes. And we don't always have to. There's no reason to reinvent the wheel when talented and creative chefs have already done that work for us. So while sometimes I like to play around with recipes and create my own, others I am happy to rely on the work of others, especially if it turns out to be really good! I've made a number of the recipes in the cookbook, Crowning Elegance, put out by the Arie Crown Hebrew Day School of Chicago and I'd like to share with you some of my favorites.
Moroccan Couscous Soup
This soup is a meal in and of itself. It's perfect on a cold winter's night. I added some cumin to give it more zip and more Moroccan flavor. I also made a few other alterations according to our family's preference (i.e. more white meat chicken). Feel free to play around with it a little.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 1 pound short ribs (I always use more to satisfy the meat lovers!)
- 1 (15 ounce) can chick peas, drained
- 3 medium zucchini, sliced
- 1 head green cabbage, chopped
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 2 chicken breasts and 2 thighs
- 3 boxes (12 cups) Imagine chicken broth (this makes the soup much richer than using water)
- 2 tablespoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 (10 ounce) package couscous
In a large stockpot over medium-high flame, heat oil, add onions and sauté until translucent. Add short ribs and brown. Add chickpeas, zucchini, cabbage, squash, carrots, chicken, broth, cumin, turmeric and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 3 to 4 hours. Prepare couscous according to package directions. Place a few tablespoons of couscous in each bowl and top with soup. Enjoy (We do!).
Split Pea Soup
Another great dinner. It's so filling that it doesn't need anything else alongside.
- 2 cups dried split peas
- 1 cup pearl barley (my addition for an even heartier soup)
- 2 onions, chopped
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 2 (8 ounce) packages sliced mushrooms (I'm a big mushroom fan so I added these also; you can also used canned mushrooms if you don't have any fresh ones handy)
- ¼ pound sliced corned beef, torn into ¼-inch pieces
- 12 cups water
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon dried basil (I skipped this but I wanted to give you the option)
In a large stock pot over medium-high flame, combine all the ingredients. Bring to a boil, lower flame and simmer, partially covered, for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Mixed Greens with Portobello Mushrooms and Honey Glazed Almonds
I made this for Yom Tov and it was a hit. I substituted candied pecans for the almonds – just because they were easier to find and we like them better but it's up to you!
- Salad
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 to 4 Portobello mushroom caps, cut into ½-inch pieces
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 6 ounces mixed salad greens, coarsely torn 9about 3 cups)
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, stems discarded
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup candied pecans (or honey glazed almonds)
- ½ cup canola oil
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon mustard powder (I omitted this)
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
In a large skillet, over medium flame, heat oil. Add mushrooms and cook until meaty and fragrant, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a jar, combine oil, vinegar, ketchup, garlic, sugar, mustard powder (if using), paprika and salt. Cover and shake well.
In a large bowl, combine mixed salad greens and baby spinach. Add cherry tomatoes, nuts and cooked mushrooms. Pour dressing over salad. Toss.
Secret Ingredient Chicken
I made this with whole chickens, cut in 1/8th's one week for Shabbos and I made it the next week with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. It works well with either. It's super easy (my favorite component) and delicious. It's a peanut butter sauce without the hundreds of ingredients.
- Non-stick cooking spray
- 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups ketchup
- 4 tablespoons prepared white horseradish
- 1 teaspoon salt (I always skip this extra salt)
- 1 (3-1/2 pound) chicken, cut in 1/8th's, skinned
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously spray a (9 x 13 x 2-inch) baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium bowl combine peanut butter, ketchup, horseradish and salt (if using). Dip chicken pieces in sauce mixture. Place in prepared baking dish, presentation side down and pour remaining sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Turn chicken over; baste with sauce in baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of cinnamon sugar. Bake or an additional 45 minutes.


text:
Thanks to MindLoveMisery's Menagerie for hosting Wordle #201.
Today's words: Drab, Envy, Counterweight, Correspond, Qualify, Ginger, Revolve, Deasil, Finite, Pressurize, Postpone, Thewless,
Thewless – Adjective. thewless (not comparable) (obsolete) Lacking morals or virtue. Lacking vigour or energy; listless; weak; nerveless.
Credit: Sarka Jonesova via Unsplash
Jewel studied herself in the mirror, envious of her sister, Luna, who prepared for the party behind her.
She sighed as she stared at the dress her mother bought her; it was child-like. Jewel peered at Luna and her white freckle-less complexion. Instead of having lustrous golden-hair, Jewel was cursed with her grandfather's ginger mane and speckled skin. I'll never be a counterweight to Luna or those mean girls in my class.
Luna had style, while Jewel's clothes were drab. The outfits her mother insisted she wear wouldn't qualify as trendy. Emilia, had no eye for colors that corresponded to her daughter's skin tone and hair. All Jewel wanted was to dress as fashionably as other girls.
She believed she was thewless compared to Luna, who shoved her aside, acting playful. She twirled her red gown in front of the mirror, and Luna's skirt revolved around her perfect hips.
Jewel frowned. She was jealous of her sister. The pressure of living up to Luna's elegance, and thinking about her mother's treatment made Jewel's head spin and her lungs constrict. She gasped for air and her heart beat sped. Luna noticed Jewel's breathing and rubbed her back.
She was the only person who knew how much Luna despised her own appearance. "What's wrong, Sis? Having anxiety? Relax, it will be fine. I left the mean girls from your class off the guest list." Jewels chest and and hands unclenched.
"I keep telling you, you're sixteen and you'll grow into your beauty soon. Don't let mother's expectations bother you or those *itches from school. When I was in your grade, mean girls hated me too."
Jewel nodded as the rest of her body calmed. "You keep telling me that my awkward stage is finite. But, I've always been gangly and plain."
Luna smirked and grabbed Jewel's hand as they sat on the bed. "No, you were a cute kid. Everyone thought so, and you'll be a beautiful woman soon. You're a late bloomer. Soon you'll have boobs that rival those *itches in your class. Guys have a thing for red-heads, you know."
"Mine's ginger, not red."
Luna squeezed her hand. "You're beautiful as you're are now. But I can't make you see that. You have to believe that inside." Jewel closed her eyes. She wished Luna's words were true.
"You can't keep postponing all of father's parties or he'll get mad again. One day you'll believe you're as gorgeous as I think you are. None of the women in our family are ugly or plain."
Jewel shrugged. "I'm not ready, yet. Tell dad I'll be fifteen minutes." Luna hurried towards her door then halted.
She turned around and clasped her hands. "Jewel, wear one of my dresses. I have one that would be gorgeous on you. It's not as trendy as the one you have, but the emerald green will highlight your hair and complexion well; your svelte figure too."
Luna grinned and nodded. "I'll talk to mom about letting me shop with you. Then, you and I can choose the clothes you like to wear. Mom can't dress you like a twelve-year old forever."
Jewel scrambled to Luna's closet. She yanked out the emerald dress. "This one?"
"You bet. I always thought the color suited you better. You've got deasil, Jewel. Many excellent qualities on the outside and on the inside too; don't let anyone convince you otherwise."
Luna left and Jewel tore off her muted gown and slipped on the emerald silk dress. She zipped it up and was shocked to discover the shade made her skin glow. It complemented her hair too.
Her shoulders were bared and ruching at her chest enhanced Jewel's cleavage. A bow on the gown sat above her bottom. To her delight, the dress was tight and ended mid-thigh.
Jewel grinned and borrowed a pair of her sisters heels. She flounced down the stairs. For once, was excited to attend one of her father's parties. She couldn't wait to see the expression on her mother's face.
©Mandibelle16. (2018) All Rights Reserved.


text:
Cedar Springs Ranch - Arlington, CA
Photographic Prints on E-Surface Paper Kodak Professional Endura Premier Paper is the most popular paper used by professional photographers. It boasts accurate color, realistic saturation, excellent neutral flesh reproduction, and great intensity and offers brighter blues, cyans, purples, and reds.
Photographic Prints on Foam Board Foam Boards are 3/4" thick rigid lightweight mounting boards with a smooth surface and foam core.
Metal Prints Experience your images in a new definition and clarity with aluminum Metal prints. These show-stopping conversation pieces add an artistic edge and contemporary elegance to your photos while offering a unique high gloss wall art option. Metal prints are printed on a 1/16" aluminum sheet and come ready to hang as soon as they arrive.
Gallery Wrapped Canvas Prints Hand-crafted canvases are designed to turn any photo into a beautiful piece of art. Printed on premium canvas, these canvases are wrapped around a stretcher bar, hand-made and come ready to hang.
The Classic canvas Gallery Wrap is a white poly-cotton blend matte canvas that meets the archival standards for pH and lightfastness. Photos may be cropped to fit canvas prints.
Framed Print Professional quality frame. 2" White Window Mat. Non-glare glass. Espresso, Black, or White Flat. You will be sent an email to choose your specific frame after you place your order.
To see examples of each head over to my blog by clicking here.


text:
find it here for free. All four patterns are included as well as color and stitch guides for each. I thought these would be fun designs to stitch up for the little superheros in our lives that we all know and love. Perhaps on a wee little tote bag or pillow for their room? If you do decide to try these out and have any questions at all as you look it over please let me know - I'm more than happy to help.
Sorry but I have to add that selling of this pattern is not allowed nor is selling of items made using these patterns - thanks!
Pin It


text:
Kristin McGrath
National Championship experience:
- 19th place — 2011 USA Cycling Elite, U23, Juniors & Paralympic National Championships, Augusta, Georgia, Time Trial
- 5th place — 2009 USA Cycling Elite, U23 & Juniors Road National Championships, Bend, Oregon, Individual Time Trial
- 32nd place — 2009 USA Cycling Elite, U23 & Juniors Road National Championships, Bend, Oregon, Road Race
- 2nd place— 2009 USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships, Lawrence, Kansas, criterium, women's Division I
- 12th place — 2008 USA Cycling Elite, U23 & Juniors Road National Championships, Irvine, Anaheim, and Santiago Canyon, CA, Road Race
Career Highlights:
- 1st place — 2011 Aspen Women's Pro Stage Race, Individual Time Trial
- 1st place — 2011 Cascade Cycling Class, Stage 1
- 3rd place — 2011 Aspen Women's Pro Stage Race, General Classification
- 10th place — 2011 UCI Feminine World Cup #4, Fleche Wallonne, Belgium
- 11th place — Team Pursuit Manchester Track World Cup (2011)
- Contributing member of a team placing a rider 1st overall (Megan Guarnier) Giro Della Toscana (2011)
- 1st place — 2009 Cascade Cycling Classic, Stage 6
- 3rd place — 2009 La Route de France, Individual Time Trial
- 9th place — 2009 Giro della Toscana Int. Femminile, General Classification
Points of Interest
- McGrath enjoys cooking, yoga, stand-up paddle-boarding and nordic skiing when not on her bike.
- During the offseason, McGrath goes whitewater rafting, hiking, camping, mountain biking and backcountry skiing.
- McGrath harbors a secret ambition of being a fighter jet pilot.
- McGrath competed as a varsity athlete as a collegiate at the University of Tennessee.
PersonalGrowing up, Kristin McGrath played many sports. Being the only girl with four brothers – and second-youngest of the family's children - McGrath was often trying to keep up with her brothers. She earned a spot in the Durango High School Hall of Fame for her achievements in soccer and swimming. She still holds the school standard in the 100-meter breaststroke.
She competed at the varsity level in two sports at the University of Tennessee: Soccer and Swimming. Soccer primarily earned a scholarship for her swimming plaudits and would use one sport to train for the other. She ended up swimming for the Volunteers as a junior and senior.
After receiving her undergraduate degree in exercise physiology, McGrath decided to pursue medical school. She needed a few pre-requisites, so she enrolled in classes at Fort Lewis College, a school in her hometown of Durango, Colo. McGrath was riding a bike to maintain her fitness level and the Fort Lewis College cycling team, one of the most decorated collegiate cycling programs in the country, approached her about riding on the team. She qualified for the Ryan Collegiate All-Star team and signed a contract in the fall of 2008.
With medical school on the back burner, McGrath pursued cycling as a professional rider. As it did in soccer and swimming, success has followed McGrath. She emerged as one America's most gifted time trial riders. In 2009, McGrath finished fifth in Bend, Ore., at the 2009 USA Cycling Juniors, U23, Elite National Championships as well as placing third in the time trial at the 2009 La Route de France.
While training later in 2009, McGrath was hit by a truck and sustained numerous injuries. She was forced to take the 2010 season off to heal.
McGrath returned dramatically, teaming up with Cari Higgins and Kim Geist to place 11th in the team pursuit at the UCI Track World Cup #4 in Manchester, England before placing 10th in the Fleche Wallone World Cup in Belgium – the top-placing American.
"My 10th place at Fleche Wallone was one my biggest highlights so far," McGrath said. "It marked my return to top-ten European racing after a full year off to heal from injuries sustained from being hit by a truck."
McGrath credits her family as being among the driving forces to her achieving her cycling goals. "They pick me up when I need it, and keep my feet on the ground."
She also credits her teammate and Olympic gold medalist, Kristin Armstrong, as being a rider she can emulate, "She took me under her wing during my very first race in Europe in 2008 and has been there for me ever since. She is currently my coach and teammate, an amazing woman, and a great role-model."
This Article Updated April 16, 2012 @ 01:15 PM For more information contact:


text:
"[S]omeone who combines a love for language, wordplay, and conversation with demonstrated experience in bringing creative content to life within an intense technical environment."The ad notes that writers who apply will also need "experience in writing character-driven dialog", a good vocabulary and, ideally, knowledge of more than one language. The goal of the hirings would be to "evolve and enrich Siri."
Siri has been known for her wit and personality, with Apple attempting to allow Siri to build emotional ties with users.
Apple focused on keeping Siri's personality "friendly and humble -- but also with an edge". According to their source, they were thinking "How would we want a person to respond?" while developing the software.After scaling back Siri's original feature set for its initial launch through Apple, the company has been working to expand compatibility to new devices such as the iPad as well as new languages. Apple has also improved Siri in iOS 6 with new movie, sports and restaurant features, and is set to introduce movie ticket purchases through Fandango with the upcoming iOS 6.1.
Top Rated Comments(View all)
Apple should fix the Wifi connection problem before worrying about the scuffing issue!
My government should stop giving money to poor people in x country because we have people here who are poor!
Scientists should sort out the ozone layer instead of worrying about the Higgs Boson!
Do people think that companies, governments and various fields of specialists are only capable of working on one problem at a time? Does the fact that something is being done make some other thing being done less likely?
Apple IS working on improving the speed/reliability/functionality of basically everything all the time. But a team of people can only be so large before the improvement in man-power is outweighed by the transaction costs - too many cooks are said to have a deleterious effect on the quality of broth. And do we suppose that the same people who are working on improving Siri's "personality" would be any use if re-deployed to the maps team? Or if asked to assist in beefing up Apple's data-centres? Really?!
Yes - Apple needs to make Siri faster. There is nothing in this story which suggests that they are not. All we can see here is that they also have people working on other things... shocking!
Companies can do more than one thing at once. Governments can support international development while working on domestic poverty and groups of experts can and must support various research and development projects simultaneously or they'll never get anywhere!
Of course, I'm wasting my time.
Why not spend time and money on innovation instead of gimmicks? Siri itself isn't a gimmick, but trying to expand its 'witty' personality is. Market analysts (and I don't mean DigiTimes...) are saying almost daily that Apple is starting to lack in innovation and has fallen into an iterative rut of just applying minor tweaks to each of their product lines.
It may be a reach, but I kind of compare it to the story of the USPTO wanting to close its doors in the 19th century because everything had already been invented. Apple cannot rest on the laurels of its current product lines and must continue inventing and innovating to stay relevant.
Compared to everyone else in the consumer electronics space Apple is THE innovator. No one, not a single company, has changed the landscape of consumer technology one tenth as much as Apple has, even if you only count the last decade, but you don't hear people saying that Samsung has to invent and innovate to stay relevant or that Nokia needs a big new paradigm shifting product to survive - they do but no one says it. Even if we accept that, since the iPad, Apple has not really pushed out a big, game changing product, who exactly has? Samsung with their Phablet? Google's G+? If Apple has been slow for the last three years, then by that standards nobody has innovated at all since about 2002! Surface? It's like an iPad. Chromebooks? Basic thin client devices - been around for years.
Right now Apple has three big lines. iPhone, iPad and MacBook (Pro/Air) - two of which have redefined entire technology categories in a little over five years. All three are growing rapidly, especially the iPhone and iPad which are seeing YoY growth of 35-50%. Apple has just launched the iPad mini which is likely to outsell the original iPad and add millions of units per quarter to Apple's sell-through. If Apple did nothing but keep improving these three lines for the next five years they would remain the most profitable company in technology without a sniff of doubt. They don't NEED to do anything to stay relevant other than keep pushing these products harder. Yes, sooner or later a new product will be needed but that statement is true for ANYONE in ANY INDUSTRY.
They will do other things, of course. It's probable that they'll be moving into a new product category within the next 18 months. It's also likely that they will expand the iPhone line in some way and new services will be launched to bolster their ecosystem. But even if they didn't they would stay relevant for years to come. Apple has the world's most popular smartphone and the world's most popular tablet range. Apple has the world's largest and most popular App Store and is dominant in online music distribution. Apple has a big chunk of video too, not to mention being the world's leading mobile games platform. Apple currently sits atop the pile in no less than five product/service categories in terms of profit, scope, size and influence.
EDIT - just wanted to add that spending time on presentation is not gimmicky in the slightest and that's what Siri's "personality" is - presentation. You don't, I assume, consider spending time on the look and feel of a product a waste, do you? How Siri responds, the jokes and quips that make him/her feel more like a real person, are a part of the product and one of the reasons that Siri is the only voice assistant that anyone who doesn't use one can name. If making the product more fun to use encourages people to have a go then the time spent on it is in no way a waste.
"Ey up Siri, wot's on't box t'nite?"
"Ey up cock, al ava look fo y'"
"Siri, tha cud murder a cuppa, wez' nearest cafe?"
"Daant' road, al show y' way naa t'old boy" *opens maps and gives directions*
[Edit: I feel I need to qualify this response. My problem is that it feels like it's been a while since Apple wowed us with a bit of true innovation. Yes, they certainly lead the industry in innovation, but it just seems like with every new report on Apple's current goings-on, that we've started to see stagnation. Perhaps it's a problem with the consumers and fans expecting too much from a company. And perhaps it's a problem with a company having conditioned a marketplace to expect such great things on such a rapid cycle. Maybe I and the rest of the world just need to step back and stop to smell the roses...]
I think you hit the nail on the head when you said "it just seems like with every new report on Apple's current goings-on, that we've started to see stagnation."
What you're really seeing here is a popular meme doing the rounds. No quantitative stuff. No hard data. Just a lot of bloggers and chattering types saying the same things - opinions based on opinions based on opinions.
Big new products are rare. Prior to the modern smartphone and tablet revolution the personal computer space had been dominated for years by desktop and laptop PCs. The first desktop was built forty years ago! Granted the more recognizable home computer would come in the 80s but the basic paradigm of a screen with a keyboard attached is now as old as the hills. Laptops in the form we would currently recognize are from the late 80s/early 90s! If we allow that netbooks are basically a minor blip and sub-notebooks in general never really changed the world, prior to the modern smartphone and tablet the basic paradigms of personal computing had been solidly in place with almost no major shifts (in terms of the devices - I'm not saying the rise of the internet wasn't a big deal) for the better part of 30 years!
Think about that for a moment - 30 years separates the laptop from the modern tablet and the modern tablet is now about three years old. One tenth of the time that elapsed between the birth of the laptop and the launch of the iPad has since passed... one tenth! And we're already asking for a major new personal computing shift-around!?
Right now the big advances are coming in apps and services and Apple's part in that is as a platform more than anything else - the App Store, the iPad and iPhone - these are keystones in allowing partners to innovate. Apple is playing a different role but don't imagine they aren't in the game.
We're seeing a rise in wearable electronics but most of those are far too niche right now for Apple. Apple may one day make a smartwatch - in fact I would put money on something in that space being a major new product from Apple pretty soon - and they're likely to have a head mounted/HUD type product under development (we're still a LONG way from that breaking into the mainstream though and Apple doesn't tend to play in niche areas these days), but until a big new technological breakthrough (bendable screens are a part of this but it's battery tech that's holding back new form-factors in portable tech) it's not likely we'll see a shift like that between laptop and tablet for a little while.
So what might we see?
I said that a smartwatch type of devices is a good bet. This technology is still maturing and Apple will wait until it can do something that radically improves on the current smartwatch experience. I think maybe within the next two years we'll see an Apple branded wearable device of some sort.
Apple is, for a large part, a media company now and the living room is where most media is still consumed. I'm not convinced that Apple will launch a TV - I just don't see why they would when a small, cheap set-top box can do the job when plugged in to a standard HD TV, but a bigger move into the living room is almost certainly on the cards. This is hard. Google has tried and failed spectacularly. TiVO is dying. Of all the big players MS is, perhaps, the best placed in this fight with the XBOX in hundreds of millions of living rooms. But after them Apple has a great chance here because the Apple TV is in millions of homes despite being a fairly basic package - with Apple's dominant iTunes Store and huge base of iPad users, a big push into the living room is by no means beyond them.
Beyond that, I don't know. We'll have to wait and see.
they were thinking "How would we want a person to respond?" while developing the software.
Well, did anyone ever bother asking Siri?
From HHGTTG:
The Sirius Cybernetics Corporation invented a concept called Genuine People Personalities ("GPP") which imbue their products with intelligence and emotion.
We're doomed!
How about fix the most basic cockups first?
Temperature here is currently -3 CELSIUS. If I ask Siri what the temperature is in Fahrenheit it just repeats the 'witty' Celsius temperature by saying "Brr! its -3 outside.".
Basic little things like this really shouldn't take a few seconds to fix.
It doesn't matter if your Internet connection is 10 Mbps, 30 Mbps, 50 Mbps, or 100 Mbps.
It doesn't matter if your latency/ping is sub 100 ms, sub 50 ms, or sub 10 ms.
Siri just takes such a *long* time to respond. To do anything. Not just looking up stuff, but dictation. Tap the mic, say a simple work such a "hi" or "go", and you end up waiting for anything to happen. Sometimes you get a spinning animation that never seems to end, sometimes you end up with simply no response.
Ask Siri a question, and after waiting a painfully long time, you *might* get a response. Maybe she'll just say "I'm sorry, I'm having trouble right now. Try again later." or something similar.
It's been over a YEAR, and Siri is still nothing more than a useless gimmick to most.


text:
So here is what happens Employee is created every-time the class runs and totEmployee is the counter that increments each time the class is called. So I am unsure how to change e1 (bolded) each time the statement is incremented. I can't use empnumber to name each new Employee created. Anyone know how to accomplish this?
String empnumber = "e" + totEmployee; Employee e1 = new Employee(eID, fN, lN, jT, gend, wag); totEmployee ++;


text:
The Government has hailed an "important milestone" after figures showed record employment and another huge fall in the numbers out of work.
More than 30 million people are in a job, an increase of almost one million over the past year, the best figures since records began in 1971, while unemployment has fallen by 121,000 to 2.12 million, the lowest since the end of 2009.
Prime Minister David Cameron told the Commons that 1.8 million more people were in work than when the coalition came to power.
"That is a record to be proud of," he said. "We have reached an important milestone, with more people in work than ever before in our history."
Business leaders said the figures showed the resilience of the labour market, proving that the economic recovery was well under way.
But unions pointed to other figures showing that average earnings increased by just 0.3% in the year to May - the lowest since 2009 - saying "serious questions" had to be asked about the quality of jobs being created.
Other figures from the Office for National Statistics showed that the number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance fell by 36,300 in June to 1.04 million, the 20th consecutive monthly fall and the lowest total since 2008.
More than 4.5 million people were self-employed, the highest since records began in 1992, after an increase of 404,000 over the past year.
Long-term and youth unemployment have both continued to fall and there was a drop in the number of people in a part-time job wanting full-time work - down by 61,000 to 1.3 million.
Job vacancies were up by 30,000 to 648,000, an increase of more than 100,000 on a year ago, but 48,000 fewer than the pre-recession peak at the start of 2008.
Employment Minister Esther McVey said: "With one of the highest employment rates ever, it's clear that the Government's long-term economic plan to help businesses create jobs and get people working again is the right one.
"With an employment rate which has never been higher, record women in work and more young people in jobs, the resilience of the country during the downturn is being rewarded. We know there is more to do, and the best way to do so is to go on delivering a plan that's creating growth and jobs."
Business Secretary Vince Cable said the figures were "remarkable", adding: "In the past 12 months alone, employment has increased by close to a million, the largest annual increase on record. This has led to a record share of the UK working age population being in work.
"The recovery in the labour market has been broad based, with employment rising for young people, older workers, men, women, employees, self-employed, part-time workers, full-time workers, and across the country."
TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "It's good to see unemployment falling, but with pay growth falling to a record low, serious questions must be asked about the quality of jobs being created in Britain today.
"If all the recovery can deliver is low-paid, low-productivity jobs - many of which don't offer enough hours to get by - then it will pass most working people by and Britain's long-term economic prospects will be seriously diminished."
David Kern, chief economist at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: "These impressive employment figures highlight the resilience and flexibility of the UK labour market. Unemployment is now at its lowest rate since before the recession, which shows that the recovery really is gaining momentum.
"The case for not raising interest rates prematurely is strengthened further by weakening wage growth."
Len McCluskey, Unite general secretary, said: "Falling unemployment is welcome, but now is not the time to pop the champagne open. Behind these figures is a story of rising insecurity as self-employment soars to record levels while the assault on living standards continues as wages lag behind inflation.
"For many any sense of an economic recovery is simply passing them by as this Government fosters a low paid, low skilled economy built on the back of precarious employment. We must always remember that the growing number of self-employed have no rights or protections, let alone a stable income."
Neil Carberry, the CBI's director for employment and skills, said: "This is another really strong quarter for the UK labour market, with employment growing and the unemployment rate falling to its lowest level since 2008, led by full-time jobs. It's particularly encouraging to see youth unemployment continuing to come down but there's still more to do.
"Pay growth is still sluggish, although other surveys suggest a more positive picture. Looking ahead, we expect productivity to pick up, and wages should follow suit."
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.


text:
How to not grow old broke
By Devin Robinson
Nationwide (BlackNews.com) — Growing old is not something we can avoid, but growing old and broke is! I speak about the Consumption Theory in my latest book, Power M.O.V.E.: How to Transition from Employee to Employer. So many people have been enlightened by its practical approach and simplistic delivery but, honestly creating success really is kind of simple. The only tough part about my theory is your ability to execute on it.
The successful execution of the Consumption Theory boils down to your perspective and approach to money. It's like the fork in the road. If you view money as a satisfier of today's itch instead of a weapon against future threats you will struggle with being able to carry out the practices of the Consumption Theory and convert income into wealth. Resources are not all meant to be consumed immediately or sometimes, consumed by you at all. As an entrepreneur you must recognize when resources within your grasp should be used, consumed, stockpiled or used to reproduce more resources.
Let me sidebar for a second. When it comes to your income, before you splurge on anything it should qualify for one of four factors: you enjoy the source of the income (satisfying), it's abundant (significant), it's sustainable (reproducing), and has longevity (long-term).
The Consumption Theory allows you to live in an economic straight line no matter what is going on around you. Follow it and you won't feel like you are on a financial roller coaster. You won't be up and down in what you can or can't do and you won't find yourself going from side hustle to side hustle. No slow economy or market threats will easily impact your consumption. They will first affect the activities within the other detailed percentages outlined in the book, often leaving your personal lifestyle with no immediate affects.
Consumption Theory simply says that you should aim to live on 10% of your income if you expect to weather financial storms that WILL come: family emergencies, trauma, unemployment, unexpected repairs, slow economy, retirement, accidents, illnesses, etc.
Let me go through some examples of how you can incorporate the "Consumption Theory†into your life.
Popular Culture Example:
Salary = $100,000
Time = 20 years
Savings Rate = 10%
Consumption/Spending Rate = 90%
Retirement = $200,000 on hand
Lifestyle Sustainability upon Retirement = 2.2 years
Consumption Theory Example:
Salary = $100,000
Time = 20 years
Savings Rate = 90%
Consumption/Spending Rate = 10%
Retirement = $1.8 million
Lifestyle Sustainability upon Retirement = 90 years
All examples excluding inflation, increased tax burdens, health challenges and transfer payments.
Okay. Living to $10,000 (10% of example) in America in this day and age may prove difficult, not impossible just difficult. In this case you want to focus on increasing your earnings, not your spending.
For those of you who can't set aside any portion of your income for an extended time I've coined your spending a "disease"; an addictive disease that may haunt you in your senior years, and sometimes immediately, unless you cure it or find a frugal spouse to offset your issue.
If the full consumption theory is too extreme for you, consider this modest example I calculated at 50% consumption. If you merely have a salary of $100,000 and you saved 50% of your income for 20 years you will have stocked $1 million. You will be able to live another 20 years on your nest egg at the same lifestyle, give or take inflation and health.
Pretty much, for every year you simply stockpiled 50% of your income equates to one year you won't have to work while maintaining the same lifestyle.
The overall philosophy of the Consumption Theory is to not consume based on what you have, but instead consume based on what you want to have. This theory expedites the success rate of an entrepreneur.
Just be careful not to attach yourself to people in your young days that will make you miserable and regretful in your old days. Use having additional resources as an opportunity to have more, not as an opportunity to spend more and you will spend more time in bliss. Remember, arrogant people may get rich but humble people get wealthy.
Devin Robinson is a business and economics professor, serial entrepreneur, founder of Beauty Supply Institute and author of 8 books. His latest book is "Power M.O.V.E.: How to Transition from Employee to Employer". Learn more about him at www.PowerMoveBook.com or www.DevinRobinson.com


text:
Whether motivated by trolling or delusional wish fulfillment, some guy tossed up a page pretending to be a registration site for a Halo 4 multiplayer beta last week. 343 Industries, the game's developer, quickly branded that as a fake, and the site was taken offline. That's not good enough for Microsoft.
The company has filed a complaint with the National Arbitration Forum and has demanded that Halo4beta.net be transferred to its ownership. It should be an open-and-shut case, writes the domain watchdog Fusible, and it's hard not to agree. Last year, in a similar case, Activision won ownership of modernwarfare3.com from a troll who had set up that site to disparage the game and redirect visitors to the Battlefield 3 official page.
The standards to win this complaint probably will be the same as the ones in Activision's: that Halo4.net causes confusion with a Microsoft trademark; that it was registered in bad faith and the owner has "no rights or legitimate interests" with respect to the domain. Sounds like yep, yep and yep.
After warning of fake Halo 4 Beta site, Microsoft files complaint over domain [Fusible]


text:
Issac J. Bailey | We haven't earned the right to mourn
We don't care that more than two dozen people – mostly children aged 5 to 10 – were gunned down in an elementary school in Connecticut.
So let us not mourn their deaths; it would only sully their memories.
We didn't care when a congresswoman got shot in the head.
We didn't care when a man in full body armor invaded a theater and mowed down a "Batman" audience.
We didn't care about the Sikhs whose bodies were riddled with bullets as they worshipped God.
We don't care about the everyday, run-of-the-mill gun violence that pervades too many communities.
We don't care that the U.S. has the top gun murder rate among the world's richest countries.
We only care about protecting ourselves against an imagined, paranoid future world in which the federal government might someday use its arms against its own citizens.
If some of those citizens, possessing enough arms to bring down a small army, happen to beat that imagined federal government to the punch, so be it.
We care more about protecting a cartoonish version of the Second Amendment or lumping responsible hunters in with mass murderers.
We repeat laughable claims as though they are sacrosanct; suggest that a weapon that can fire dozens of bullets in a matter of seconds is no more dangerous than a washed-up superstar running back wielding a knife.
We avoid any real contemplation by ducking into our comfortable ideologically-based corners.
We're cowards.
We'll scream bloody murder when a group of terrorists kills four Americans in a lightly-guarded consulate in a war-torn country, and demand to know how it happened and why and how to make sure it never does again.
We'll politicize the death of a Border Patrol agent during an ill-advised gun-walking operation – then ignore a report that says law enforcement officials and prosecutors felt desperate to try such tactics because lax gun regulations tied their hands.
But when Americans slaughter other Americans in mass shootings, heading off future massacres takes a backseat to shoutfests.
So let's not mourn the deaths of those children, or the adults who died alongside them.
We haven't earned the right.
We shouldn't shed tears; we should shed the shame we should have long felt and demand a better way.
It's not about deciding between stricter gun laws or no gun laws; it's about saying we are tired of being sick and tired of sickening headlines that seem to bombard us seemingly weekly.
It's not about arguing that because we can't prevent each of these incidents that we should be satisfied with the number we continue to experience.
It's not about placing blame solely on the presence of guns. Mental health and other societal factors are clearly in play.
They, too, must be examined.
But how we view and use guns must not be left out of the discussion.
Not this time.


text:
Recapture and Household Employee Taxes for a Decedent, Estate, or Trust
When you file taxes for a decedent, estate, or trust, you may have to pay recapture taxes or household employee taxes. Recapture and household employee taxes are included on Schedule G of Form 1041. For recapture taxes, you may need to complete Form 4255, Recapture of Investment Credit or Form 8611, Recapture of Low-Income Housing Credit. For household employee taxes, you may have to complete Schedule H (Form 1040), Household Employment Taxes.
Even if you manage to reduce the estate, trust, or decedent's income tax liability to zero with a combination of deductions and credits, you may still have taxes to pay. Lines 5 and 6 of Schedule G, Form 1041 are where you find these additional taxes. Although these taxes are not really income taxes, they are included on the income tax form.
Recapture taxes
Sometimes you receive a credit in a prior year, and then, in the current year, you find you're no longer eligible for it.
For example, say you purchased a hybrid car last year and then found out this year that you aren't entitled to a credit for that car. Welcome to the world of recapture taxes, which recapture tax benefits that the IRS didn't want to let slip away. Complete Form 4255, Recapture of Investment Credit or Form 8611, Recapture of Low-Income Housing Credit, and then fill in the total on line 5, Schedule G.
Recapture taxes are a fairly technical area. If you suspect you may be subject to them, you may want to check in with a qualified tax advisor for assistance.
Household employee taxes
When a trust pays for household help for a beneficiary, or an estate pays the final wages of the decedent's household help, you may have to complete and file Schedule H (Form 1040), Household Employment Taxes. This form is fairly self-explanatory. Put the total household taxes calculated on Form 1041, Schedule G, line 6.


text:
Israeli Couscous and Lentil Salad with Roasted Red Bell Pepper Gelee
I think Israeli couscous and lentils are a great combination. Lentils are often eaten with rice, and couscous is really just a grain shaped semolina pasta, so it's a perfect replacement.
I added a roasted red bell pepper gelée for texture and flavor. It is basically a red bell pepper and walnut caviar, un caviar de poivrons aux noix in French, that I mixed with a little agar so it would hold its shape when I stack the layer of lentils, bell pepper and israeli couscous in a circle cutter for a nice appealing presentation.
Yields: 83 Tbs blood orange syrup
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbs Horseradish mustard
5 Tbs Zinfandel vinegar, or any other white vinegar
1 tsp sea salt , as needed
5 tsp sugar
3/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbs pickled garlic, finely crushed
1/2 cup walnut oil
1 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt, to taste
3 Tbs fresh fill, finely chopped, + extra for garnish
2 cup Israeli couscous, Pearl couscous
1 tsp sea salt, as needed
1 Meyer lemon , zested, freshly squeezed
1 small eggplant
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup walnut, dry roasted, chopped
1 red bell pepper, roasted, skinned, seeded, sliced
1 orange bell pepper, roasted, skinned, sliced
1 Tbs Tabasco sauce, to taste
1 clove garlic, finely crushed
2 Tbs dill, finely chopped, + extra for garnish
1/3 tsp agar powder, or gelatin
1/2 cup water
1 cup French Green Puy lentils
1 tsp black peppercorns, freshly ground
For the vinaigrette: I used almost the same ingredients as the one used for my savory goat cheese panna cotta. In a bowl, dissolve one tablespoon of sugar in the Zinfandel vinegar. Add the mustards, blood orange syrup, salt and whisk in 3 tablespoons of walnut and 1/3 cup of olive oil. Add the pickled garlic. Season with salt and white pepper.
Pour the vinaigrette into the mixed vegetables and lentils mix. Plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve.
For the Israeli couscous: Bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Add the Israeli couscous, bring the liquid back to a boil, then immediately lower the heat to a gentle boil. That way the pasta is cooked all the way through evenly. Cook the pasta for about 10-12 minutes total. Salt the water half way through the cooking process (it will bring out the natural flavor of the pasta and the pasta will be more tender) and keep stirring every now and then so that the pasta does not stick to the bottom. It may take longer than the cooking time that is written on the box. When the pasta is cooked (cooked inside and out but still in shape and firm), drain the pasta (do NOT rinse). Transfer the cooked pasta to a bowl. Add half the amount of the Meyer lemon juice and its zest. Season with salt. Let the Israeli couscous cool down to room temperature. Add about 1/3 cup of the vinaigrette. Mix well. Plastic-wrap the bowl, then chill in the refrigerator until the rest of the preparation is ready.
For the lentils: Wash the lentils. Discard any floating lentils and odd-shaped grains. Soak the lentils overnight. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add the lentils, bring the liquid back to a boil, then immediately lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook the lentils for about 20-25 minutes total. Salt the water half way through the cooking process and keep stirring every now and then so that the lentils don't stick to the bottom. The lentils should be tender but still firm. Drain the lentils, then transfer to an iced bath for about 3 minutes to stop the cooking process. Drain and discard all the liquid. Add fresh dill and about 1/3 cup of the vinaigrette. Mix well. Plastic-wrap the bowl, then chill in the refrigerator until the rest of the preparation is ready.
For the eggplant pulp: Preheat your oven to 450°F. Slice the eggplants lengthwise in 2 pieces. Layer a cookie sheet on top of a cooling rack, then place the eggplant slices on top. Sprinkle with kosher salt and let the eggplant on the side for about 30 minutes. Pat dry with a kitchen towel. Place the 2 pieces of eggplant flesh down on a greased baking sheet. Bake the eggplant for about 15 minutes. The skin should be black and blistered. Remove from the oven, then cover with aluminum foil. Let the eggplant cool down for about 10 minutes. Gather all the pulp of the eggplant. Discard the skin, stem and seeds.
For the red bell pepper caviar: Blend the eggplant pulp, onion, 2 teaspoons of sugar, fresh garlic, Tabasco and the rest of the lemon juice into a food processor until the mixture is smooth. Add about 1/2 cup of olive oil. Add the sliced roasted bell pepper (reserve a little for decoration at the end) and the crushed walnut. Pulse about 3-4 times. There should still be chunks of bell peppers visible. Transfer to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
For the red bell pepper gelée: In a bowl, dissolve the agar powder into 1/4 cup of water. In a small saucepan, heat about 1/4 cup water. As soon as the water in bubbly, add the dissolved agar and blend with a mini-whisk constantly for about 10 seconds. Remove from the heat. Add the agar mixture to the red bell pepper caviar. Mix well. Immediately start to assemble the dish.
Assembly time: Line up 8 salad plates. Place a circle cutter on each plate. Spoon a first layer of lentils. Place another layer of red bell pepper gelée. Then cover with a layer of Israeli couscous. Let the gelée set for about 10 minutes.
When serving, gently remove the circle cutter. Decorate with a few sprigs of fresh dill and slices of roasted red bell pepper on the side when you're ready to serve.
Serve with a piece of baguette.
Bon appétit!
1 cup of lentils will expand to a little more than 2 cups after cooking. French Green Puy lentils were originally grown in Puy, in the mountainous region of France. Their texture is a lot firmer than the other varieties. It holds it shape better and is often used for this kind of dish.
Roasting bell peppers is pretty easy. Wash the bell pepper, pat dry, then brush with oil. Place a grill on your stove, then char all the skin of the bell pepper. Wrap in aluminum foil. Let cool for about 10 minutes. Wash the bell pepper under running tap water, the skin will come right off. Seed it, then slice the bell pepper.
When you blend all the ingredients for the red bell pepper mixture, make sure to add the walnuts at the end so the dish still gets some crunch.
Agar agar powder is a good gelatin substitute for vegans and vegetarians. It is derived from seawood and is cooked the same way you would use gelatin powder. It is widely used in Asia.
Israeli couscous, also called Pearl couscus, is a grain-shaped pasta that keeps a firm al-dente texture when it is cooked. I usually cook this ingredient and serve it as a salad during summer time.Published By: on April 26, 2009.


text:
Explicit Texts Case Moves Forward
A man accused of sending explicit messages to teens will stand trial.
On Friday morning, Clarence Weber, 43 waived his preliminary hearing and was bound over to district court.
Weber was arrested in February on suspicion of online child enticement.
In early December, authorities said they learned that Weber had been sending inappropriate messages to two girls. Investigators said in the messages, he would also ask the girls to send photos of themselves.
Authorities said they recovered messages and documentation of more than 1,000 messages between Weber and the victims.
Weber's lawyer said his client will admit to texting, but believes the allegations are out of hand.
"I think there was a little overreaction in this case with respect to the communications," said James Martin Davis. "And while I think even Mr. Weber will admit some of it was probably appropriate, it didn't rise to the level of being a violation of the law and constituting a criminal offense."


text:
Lynn Engelman still has no idea whether her doctors in Contra Costa County will be on her new health care plan — and neither, she says, do her doctors.
Capitola resident Kathryn Johnson has already paid the first month's bill for her new policy through the state's new health insurance exchange, but she just received a letter telling her she hasn't signed up for a plan.
And in San Leandro, Linda Entrikin is one of 900,000 Californians suffering from whiplash after the Obama administration's surprise announcement Thursday that people whose insurance plans have been canceled can replace them with cheap, bare-bones plans after all.
For tens of thousands of Californians still without health insurance, Monday's deadline to enroll under the president's new health law feels like an exercise of hurry up and wait. And across the country, government health exchanges are bracing for an avalanche of applications from people who must sign up by end of day Monday if they want coverage to begin Jan. 1.
People in the Bay Area are scrambling to sign up too, and others are anxiously awaiting answers about the policies they already applied for.
Yet many worry they may not get what they want in time from Covered California, the state's health care exchange, or from their insurance company.
"The system is still fraught with many problems," said Johnson, 57, a self-employed psychiatric nurse practitioner.
Exchange officials acknowledge myriad issues, including incomplete applications, many of which likely won't be resolved by Monday.
In a hastily organized press call late last week, Peter Lee, executive director of Covered California, said many Californians have concerns about the status of their applications and whether they will be able to enroll on time.
By Thursday, he said 53,510 more Californians had successfully enrolled in a health plan on the exchange, for a total of at least 212,514.
Lee stressed that the quickest way consumers could still enroll in a health plan by Monday is by going online to coveredca.com, or getting in-person assistance from one of 10,000 trained county workers, 8,000 certified insurance agents and more than 2,500 certified enrollment counselors around the state.
Once their application is approved, consumers should get an invoice for the first month's premium by Jan. 1, he said, and it must be paid to the insurance company by Jan. 6.
Yet Pat Burns, owner of Burns Employee Benefits in Oakland, said confusion is rampant.
"Hopefully people understand that just because they applied they do not have coverage — they need to get a bill, and pay the bill before coverage is effective," Burns said. "If you do not get a bill, then something is wrong."
Lee also warned that the last-minute rush to apply could overwhelm the website, though he stressed the exchange is working hard to ensure that doesn't happen.
On Wednesday, the website logged 8 million page views.
"We don't know that between now and the 23rd that the system will work flawlessly," he said. But if people miss Monday's deadline "through no fault of their own" because of technical issues on the website, he said Covered California will make sure they get signed up for a plan by Jan. 1.
Covered California's three call centers around the state — one is in Concord — will have extended hours, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday and Monday. A recently activated hotline was established to help consumers with frequently asked questions.
Amid all this, the exchange is trying to reduce a backlog of 25,000 paper applications completed in October and November that must be resubmitted through the website. And because of a computer error, the exchange recently sent incomplete eligibility notices to almost 114,000 households.
Lee said some people will miss the first deadline. But he stressed that open enrollment continues through March 31 for insurance coverage in 2014. People who don't enroll by that date will face a penalty of $95 or 1 percent of their adjusted gross income, whichever is higher.
Johnson doesn't want to wait beyond Jan. 1. The Capitola woman is a big beneficiary of the new health care law, and she has good reason to be frustrated.
Under the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies can no longer refuse or penalize those with pre-existing health problems, like her asthma and chronic back pain. Now, for the first time in years, Johnson is on the brink of celebrating an annual health insurance bill of $5,736 — about one-sixth of her previous $31,044 annual tab.
Engelman is also nervous. She said she's been told by both Covered California and Anthem Blue Cross that if her doctors' names are not on the list of providers, "it means they have not sent in their paperwork."
"But when I asked my doctors," the Internet consultant said, "they said they had never received any paperwork."
Meanwhile, Entrikin — a small business owner who recently bought a new Kaiser Permanente plan to replace her old one — said she would be "happy to go through all that again and reverse course" to get her original policy reinstated.
Late Thursday, the administration relaxed the rules for millions of people whose insurance policies were cancelled because their plans did not meet the requirements of the new law. Now they can return to skimpier plans, at least temporarily.
"It has a lower deductible and less out-of-pocket costs," she said of her plan, which she called comprehensive, and not bare-bones. "So yeah, I will go back to my old policy."
Contact Tracy Seipel at 408-920-5343. Follow her at Twitter.com/taseipel.
Source: Covered California