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Registered: Oct 2000
Posts: 15481
A humor pernt and a dickle pernt.
You'll need a drink after that my friend. I cant imagine the pain, but those bastard medics could have been more sympathetic.
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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Sedona, Arizona... No no Cornville!!
Posts: 21761
quote:Originally posted by rodney
wow, you can totally suck my sweaty asshole for that negative humor point, wonder.
quote:Originally posted by rodney
wow, you can totally suck my sweaty asshole for that negative humor point, wonder.
quote:Originally posted by Coincidence
Wonder is right *gasp*.
Registered: Sep 2001
Location: World Citizen
Posts: 18923
Once when I was a lost soul living in a bedsit in London I cooked up a massive pot of chill con carne.
Mistake number one, I didn't boil the beans long enough.
After dining on what was a rather tasty if not somewhat hot chilli I went to the pub.
Mistake number two, upon returning from the pub I ate the entire thing cold.
I was farting fire for days.
Registered: Jul 2001
Location: New York City
Posts: 22907
Black beans
Baked smoked tofu
Thai chiles
Napa cabbage (bai tsai)
chicken stock
sesame oil
fresh Korean ramyun noodles
black vinegar
Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Beyond Mason-Dixon Line
Posts: 34967
quote:Originally posted by skalie
. . . I was farting fire for days.
HAHAHA! My most unforgettable experience of that ilk occurred when I was about 13 years old. I fried up 'n' ate a mess of what, in retrospect, musta been overly-ripe slab bacon.
The stench that belched forth (seemingly non-stop for three consecutive days) from my poop chute was so incredibly foul, I gagged whenever I pulled in too big of a whiff. To this day, I strongly suspect the gas was toxic.
quote:Originally posted by skalie
. . . I was farting fire for days.
Registered: Mar 2004
Location: The Wetlands
Posts: 17938
a big pot of vegetarian chili + three housemates = nuclear toilet disaster (house declared toxic fume hazard site) after only one day (and it wasn't even a low-flush toilet)
quote:Originally posted by ignatz mouse
a big pot of vegetarian chili + three housemates = nuclear toilet disaster (house declared toxic fume hazard site) after only one day (and it wasn't even a low-flush toilet)
It's nice to hear a gal confess to farting. Most gals I know say they never fart. O' course, such claims only serve t'make a fella wonder what in th'hell else they might be lyin' about.
Oh. I think a few words from Miss Manners are in order:
"Acceptable noises. These are noises such as burping or the sounds accompanying choking, to which the response should come from the noisemaker himself, provided that the choking was not complete, in which case he is absolved of all social responsibility except that of having left his papers in order. Society acknowledges that these noises are made from time to time, but does not dignify them with a response. The offender says "Excuse me," and the subject is considered closed.
Unacceptable noises. Miss Manners does not plan to mention them, chiefly because they are unmentionable, but you all know who you are. What they are. At any rate, these are noises that are acknowledged by neither the noisemaker nor the noise recipient, because socially they do not exist. The practice of staring hard at the person next to you when, for instance, your own stomach has given off a loud rumble, is therefore to be condemned on grounds of etiquette as well as morals. (bold added for emphasis)
I wonder if Miss Manners has ever cut the cheese? That jackass wonderaz claims he nailed Miss Manners several years ago. More likely, he found out where she lives 'n' tried to windowpeep her.
quote:Originally posted by ignatz mouse
a big pot of vegetarian chili + three housemates = nuclear toilet disaster (house declared toxic fume hazard site) after only one day (and it wasn't even a low-flush toilet)
quote:Originally posted by Aydin
Black beans
Baked smoked tofu
Thai chiles
Napa cabbage (bai tsai)
chicken stock
sesame oil
fresh Korean ramyun noodles
black vinegar
Looks t'me like a recipe fer either a stink-bomb, or paint remover.
quote:Originally posted by Aydin
Black beans
Baked smoked tofu
Thai chiles
Napa cabbage (bai tsai)
chicken stock
sesame oil
fresh Korean ramyun noodles
black vinegar
quote:Originally posted by J E B Stuart
It's nice to hear a gal confess to farting. . . .
I confessed nothing. It was the housemates.
quote:Originally posted by J E B Stuart
It's nice to hear a gal confess to farting. . . .
Do I lose the cookoff?
quote:Originally posted by Aydin
Do I lose the cookoff?
I dunno. Ignatz hasn't yet published her recipe. Is she holdin' out on us?
quote:Originally posted by Aydin
Do I lose the cookoff?
quote:Originally posted by Dacarlo
. . . You'll need a drink after that my friend. I cant imagine the pain, but those bastard medics could have been more sympathetic.
Heheheh. Where would we be without bullshit in our lives? And speaking of pain, the following has been circulating in one variation or another for nearly a hundred years:
Will E. Schruem
Attorney at Law
182 Sixty Ninth Street
Olustee, OK 73560
Dear Will:
In response to your letter in which the insurance company that you represent had questions about my sanity, let me state the facts leading to the accident, and it will prove my presence of mind.
As sole owner of my own construction company, I was working on the sixth and final floor of a brick building that I had constructed.
Upon completion of this floor, I realized that I had about 500 pounds of bricks left over up there. So, in order to get these bricks down to the ground, I used my ingenuity and rigged up a pulley on the sixth floor, through which I ran a heavy rope. I then secured the rope on the ground, went back up to sixth floor and tied a big barrel to the end of the rope that was through the pulley.
I then proceeded to load the 500 pounds of bricks into the barrel and went down to the ground to lower them.
Since you and I have never met, I should now explain to you that I weigh only 150 pounds.
When I grabbed a firm hold of the rope and undid the knot, I began a most rapid ascent toward the sixth floor.
It was near the third floor that I met the barrel of bricks. I felt an excruciating pain in my left shoulder as this heavy barrel nearly tore my arm off. (This explains my broken shoulder, splintered collarbone and facial cuts).
Then, as the barrel of bricks crashed to the ground, three of my fingers had become tightly wedged into the pulley. (This explains my broken fingers and sprained wrist).
While trying to get my fingers out of the pulley, I looked down and realized that the bottom of the barrel had broken out upon crashing, and soon I was descending toward the ground at a most rapid pace with the now-empty barrel coming up toward me.
As the barrel caught my right leg, (again near the third floor), and nearly caused me to lose hold of the rope, I continued downward, now with a broken knee and splintered tibia.
When I finally crashed upon the pile of bricks, breaking my neck and spine, I lay there, realizing all that had happened to me, and looked straight up at the bottomless barrel on sixth floor directly above me, and I did have the presence of mind to let go of the rope.
Now that you are aware that I knew what I was doing the whole time, please have the insurance company pay the doctor and hospital bills.
Geo. Beeler
quote:Originally posted by Dacarlo
. . . You'll need a drink after that my friend. I cant imagine the pain, but those bastard medics could have been more sympathetic.
And, Dac, most folks think the following is yet another "urban legend". Fact is, however, it's a true story about one o' several "occurrences" that culminated in that jackass wonderaz's first wife up 'n' leavin' him:
Once upon a time, there lived a man who had a terrible passion for baked beans. He loved them, but they always had an embarrassing and somewhat lively reaction on him.
One day he met a girl and fell in love. When it was apparent that they would marry, he thought to himself, "She'll never go through with the marriage with me carrying on like this" so he made the supreme sacrifice and gave up beans. Shortly after that they were married.
A few months later, on the way home from work, his car broke down and since they lived in the country, he phoned his wife and told her that he would be late because he had to walk. On his way home, he passed a small cafe and the wonderful aroma of baked beans overwhelmed him.
Since he still had several miles to walk he thought he would walk off any ill effects before he got home. So he went in and ordered three extra large helpings of beans. All the way home he farted. By the time he arrived home he felt reasonably safe.
His wife met him at the door and seemed somewhat excited. She exclaimed, "Darling, I have the most wonderful surprise for you for dinner tonight!" She put a blindfold on him and led him to his chair at the head of the table and made him promise not to peek. At this point he was beginning to feel another fart coming on. Just as his wife was about to remove the blindfold, the phone rang. She again made him promise not to peek until she returned and went to answer the phone.
While she was gone, he seized the opportunity. He shifted his weigh to one leg and let go. It was not only loud, but ripe as a rotten egg. He had a hard time breathing, so he felt for his napkin and fanned the air about him. He had just started to feel better when another urge came on.
He raised his leg and rriiipppp! It sounded like a diesel engine revving and smelled worse than a truckload of limberger cheese. To keep himself from gagging, he tried fanning his arms a while, hoping the smell would dissipate. Things had just about returned to normal when he felt another urge coming. He shifted his weight to his other leg and let go. This was a real blue ribbon winner; the windows shook, the dishes on the table rattled and, within a minute, the flowers on the table were dead.
While keeping an ear tuned in on the conversation in the hallway, and keeping his promise of staying blindfolded, he carried on like this for the next 10 minutes, farting and then fanning each time with his napkin.
When he heard the phone farewells (indicating the end of his loneliness and freedom) he neatly laid his napkin on his lap and folded his hands on top of it. Smiling contentedly, he was the picture of innocence when his wife walked in. Apologising for taking so long, she asked if he had peeked at the dinner table. After assuring her he had not peeked, she removed the blindfold and yelled "SURPRISE!"
To his shock and horror, there were twelve dinner guests seated around the table.
She didn't even say "Good Morning" let alone any "Happy Birthday". I
thought, "Well, that's wives for you, the children will remember." The
children came in to breakfast and didn't say a word. When I started to
the office I was feeling pretty low and despondent.
As I walked into my office my secretary, Janet, said, "Good morning,
boss. Happy Birthday." And I felt a little better; someone had
I worked until noon. Then, Janet knocked on my door and said, "You know,
it's such a beautiful day outside and it's your birthday,let's go to
lunch, just you and me."
I said, "By George, that's the greatest thing I've heard all day. Let's
We went to lunch. We didn't go where we normally go; we went out to the
country to a little private place. We had two martinis and enjoyed
lunch tremendously.
On the way back to the office, she said, "You know, it's such A
beautiful day. We don't need to go back to the office, do we?"
I said, "No, I guess not."
She said, "Let's go to my apartment." After arriving at her apartment
she said, "Boss, if you don't mind, I think I'll go change."
"Sure," I excitedly replied. She went into the bedroom and, in about six
minutes, she came out carrying a big birthday cake, followed by my wife,
children, and dozens of our friends, all singing Happy Birthday.
[spoiler] And there I sat... on the couch... naked.
[spoiler] ..........and all saddled up
You mean like this?
Last edited by Dacarlo on 05-06-2005 at 05:58 PM
Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Erehwon
Posts: 7583
This thread still isn't funny.
quote:Originally posted by aminal
This thread still isn't funny.
Is, too.
quote:Originally posted by aminal
This thread still isn't funny.
Registered: Dec 2001
Location: Ducktown, GA
Posts: 1610
I read the chili cookoff story one a while ago, and it was funny then. Was funny this time too.
It reminds me of the time when this geezer turned up with a bottle of poteen.
Me and my Irish mate took a slug.
I was doubled up in angony wondering if my stomach was going to turn inside out, while he was remarking "hmmm, nice and dry"
Registered: Aug 2001
Location: Hilbert Space
Posts: 36297
Poteen, a drink for when you run out of methylated spirits.
unlawfully distilled Irish whiskey (from dictionary.com for us know-naughts)? sounds promising (if your goal is to be sporting a colostomy bag by age 45)
It tastes vile. At least, the stuff I've had tastes vile. There may be some variation, as it appears to be produced by whacked-out hapless alcoholics in the middle of the bog, and those people aren't all the same.
Associating the stuff with the term "whiskey" is being generous to a fault.
"Potato flavoured moonshine" is a more apt description, raw potato tat would be....
Although apparently there was some chap in the west of Ireland tat made a decent brew, got quite renowned for it.
There's a commercially brand available now as it goes.
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I know that the Death By Chocolate palette has been one of the best selling palettes for I Heart Makeup, part of the Makeup Revolution family, so I'm expecting nothing less from the two new Chocolate palettes, Chocolate Salted Caramel and Chocolate Pink Fizz (in separate post).
So…I can't actually remember whether the original palette was scented, but this palette certainly is! It's not overwhelming – just a little waft of sugar caramel when you open it. There are 16 shades in the palette in a mix of matte and shimmer textures.
You can see the names of each shade in this picture (I love Spoon!).
The shade that I love the most from this palette is the matte black, Tempt. I've tried it as a crease shade and it's beautifully blendable for a quick smoky look.
This is the top row and part of the middle row from bottom to top: Delicious, Tempt, Heavenly, Drizzle, Enjoy, Choc, Cake and Perfect. I found Cake a bit tricky to blend.. it's a very, very soft texture; about as soft as I think a powder can go before it's a creme, so best used as a wash of iridescence over other shades.
The next in order are: Crunch, Sweet, Fudge, Salted, Candy, Caramel, Spoon and Yum!
The lower shades are the more shimmery (predominantly) and I've done a quick in-sun shot (while we have some sunshine) so you can see the sheen. I love the line up in this palette – especially the blue; just add a matte black crease, some khol and mascara and you have a gorgeous blue smoky. If you're new to these palettes, they're a lot of fun, but the make up inside is serious. As a budget offering, I think you're getting exceptional value for money in both terms of packaging and formula.
The I Heart Makeup Chocolate Salted Caramel £7.99 is HERE.
*all products are sent to me as samples from brands and agencies unless otherwise stated. Affiliate links may be used. Posts are not affiliate driven.
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Looks gorgeous,colours are lovely and the names are fab,great news that it smells sweet too 🙂 xx♥xx
Well. It seems I need this. I'll pay the extra shipping to get it over here to America… it'd still be cheaper than Too Faced!
Jenny // Mish Mosh Makeup
Jenny I'm sure I read somewhere else that you can buy Makeup Revolution in the US. I want to say in Ulta but can't swear to it.
Nice post and cool pictures, I just love these products 🙂
I love Makeup Revolution but out of sheer curiosity am wondering how much a brand within the beauty industry can copy other a brands so blatantly? I know we see it all the time in various degrees (clinique Chubby sticks) but I was still really shocked when I saw MR's latest brush launch. Real Techniques bold metals are really unique so it was quite obvious where the inspiration came from. It's just interesting-I remember when Primark first started and there were a few fashion houses who tried sueing, but it's difficult to prove plagiarism, so I don't think it went anywhere.
I have five or six Makeup Revolution eyeshadow palettes including the 144 shade palette my sister bought me last Christmas. I love them all!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I know it's been a long time since I last updated my blog, but I have some exciting news :D had to share!
In mid May, I received a very exciting email from Cake Central Magazine asking me to make cupcakes based on a theme and it could possibly be featured in their next issue! I was nothing short of overjoyed. After constant effort, and anxiously waiting for that one reply, MY CUPCAKES MADE IT! I am very honored to have to work with Cake Central and I am failing to comprehend my excitement right now!
You can purchase a digital copy of the magazine at


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Ingrid Health & Beauty StudioSta Lucija, Malta | Beauty Salons
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We provide many services such as waxing, semi-permanent makeup, eyebrow tinting, fat freezing, eyelash extensions and many more. We treat every person as an individual and devise the right solution for any concern they might have.
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Stay tuned for winter hiking and snowshoeing adventures!
Previous adventures and events listed below.
October 23, 2015: Sharing Stories of the Saranac River, a one day conference for educators who teach in the Lake Champlain Basin. SUNY Plattsburgh. Hosted by the Champlain Basin Education Initiative.
I'll be focusing on how the river looks from the perspective of the wildlife. How might their stories read?
June-Sept 2015: Patterns in Nature Photography exhibit of work by Westport Central School Grade 6 students. Elizabeth Lee, Teaching Artist. This exhibit was made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and administered by the North Country Cultural Center for the Arts.
April 26, 2015: Cadyville Recreation Park Bio-Blitz. Free and open to the public. A great way to share the fun of a treasure hunt with great faculty and student biologists from Plattsburgh State University.
April 25, 2015: Wildflower walk A session for children and families and a session for adults. Easy-moderate walk at wildflower viewing pace. Register at Champlain Area Trails.
March 21, 2015 Patterns in Nature at DaCy Meadow Farm. We'll observe patterns in landscape features, seasonal life cycles and growth patterns of plants and animals. Each walk will include lunch on the farm, courtesy of Dave and Cynthia Johnston. Register at Champlain Area Trails .
March 13-15, 2015: NYS Outdoor Guides Association Winter Rendezvous, Lake Placid, NY. A great opportunity to meet with other guides to swap stories and share love of wild places.
Dec. 27, 2014 – Mar. 8, 2015: Van Hoevenberg Views The Sunday series. Criss-cross the Ladies 5K from the X-country stadium on snowshoes, follow the 1932 Bobsled Run and head up the hill to a great view of the High Peaks. Great winter hike with a FANTASTIC brunch in the start-house of the 1980 Olympics. Register for these trips through ORDA.
January 24, 2015: Mammal tracking at Poke-o-Moonshine . Meet at 9:30 at the Observers' trailhead. 3-4 hours following and identifying mammal tracks. In cooperation with Champlain Area Trails. Register by emailing David Thomas-Train, Coordinator of Friends of Poke-o-Moonshine
OCT 10-11, 2014 Natural History Series Part IV: Bark: Get to Know Your Trees. Presented by Michael Wojtech – Naturalist, Writer, and author of Bark: A Field Guide to Trees of the Northeast
Held at the Whallonsburg Grange. Co-sponsored by the Northeast Wilderness Trust
10/10 Friday evening presentation (7-9 p.m.) $10 Suggested Donation. No reservation necessary.
10/11 Saturday field class (9 am. -1 p.m) $45 per participant. Pre-registration is required and space will be limited–contact me to reserve your place.
August 1, 2014: Raptors of Lake Champlain, a natural history program by Joe Racette. Joe coordinated DEC monitoring of raptor nesting in the Adirondack/Lake Champlain region for more than 10 years. Westport Heritage House from 7:30-9:00. Admission is $8.00. Space will be limited–contact me to reserve your place.
August, 10, 2014: A Narrated cruise on the EScape. Leaving from the Westport Marina to tour Northwest Bay to the Palisades. Sign up here to secure space on this limited seated cruise!
July 13, 2014: NEW!! A narrated cruise on the Escape. Leaving from the Westport Marina to tour Northwest Bay to the Palisades. Sign up here to secure space on this limited seated cruise!
June 30 and July 2, 2014: United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Boating Safety Course (federally approved and valid in all 50 states) at the Westport Marina, 5-9 p.m. This course is sponsored by Westport Youth Commission. Register by emailing firstname.lastname@example.com.
June 19, 2014: 5Sparks! early summer hike, bike or paddle for ages 6-8. Contact me for details.
June 16, 2014: 5Sparks! early summer hike, bike or paddle for ages 6-8. Contact me for details.
June 7, 2014: National Trails Day!
May 20, 2014: Wildflowers of the Champlain Valley, Essex County Adirondack Garden Club (lecture and hike)
May 3, 2014: Trail volunteer for The Grand Hike, a 14 mile hike through the Champlain Valley on CATS trails.
March 25, 2014: Natural History Series Part III: Timber Rattlesnakes lecture by Joe Racette at the Whallonsburgh Grange Hall. $8 suggested donation. Co-sponsored with Northeast Wilderness Trust
Mar. 7-8, 2014: Natural History Series Part II: Bird Language Through the Seasons lecture and Field Class by Connor Stedman. Back for a winter version of the spring bird language course offered in 2013. Co-sponsored with Northeast Wilderness Trust at the Whallonsburg Grange. $10 suggested donation for the evening presentation and $45 for a field course.
Feb. 21, 2014: Natural History Series Part I: Animals of the North: What Climate Change Will Mean to Them, Lecture by Susan Morse of Keeping Track at the Whallonsburgh Grange Hall. Suggested donation $10. Co-sponsoring a three part Natural History Series with Northeast Wilderness Trust
Feb. – May, 2014: Patterns in Nature Photography at Westport Central School with Grade 6 Teacher Zoe Brugger-Lobdell. Funded by the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts
Dec. 22, 2013- Mar. 9, 2014: Van Hoevenberg Views Criss-cross the Ladies 5K from the X-country stadium, along the 1932 Bobsled Run and up the hill to a great view of the High Peaks. Great winter hike with a FANTASTIC brunch.
July 1, 2013: 5 Sparks! 2013 gets under way at Cheney Mountain
May 11, 2013: Nun-da-ga-o Ridge Spring Wildflower Hike
May 3, 2013: Coon Mountain Spring Wildflower Hike, 10:00-2:00 p.m.
May 3-5, 2013: Bird Language: an evening presentation and Saturday (full) /Sunday (space available) field courses by Connor Stedman. I am sponsoring this weekend with Northeast Wilderness Trust at the Whallonsburg Grange. $10 suggested donation for the evening presentation and $45 for a field course.
April 27, 2013: Cheney Mountain Spring Wildflower Hike (half day, afternoon) contact me for details.
April 26, 2013: Jay Mountain Spring Wildflower Hike contact me for details.
April 22, 2013: Earth Day! Slide show on Champlain Valley Wildlife at North Country Community College, Ticonderoga, NY. Free. 3:30-4:40.
March 23-24, 2013: NYS Outdoor Guide's Association Winter Rendezvous, Malta, NY.
January-February: Teaching Patterns in Nature: Words for Shapes, Westport Central School with Grade 6 Teacher Zoe Brugger-Lobdell. Funded by Adirondack Arts in Education Partnership/NYS Council for the Arts.
Every weekend Dec 30-March 17: Snowshoeing at Van Hoevenberg Criss-crossing the Ladies 5K from the X-country stadium, along the 1932 Bobsled Run and up the hill to a great view of the High Peaks. Participants receive a cool hydration pack and BRUNCH in the cozy 1980 timing house. Check for more information: https://www.whiteface.com/activities/snowshoeing
November 17, 2012: Final tracking training for 2012 tracking group. Location: Full and By Farm and S. Boquet Mountain, Essex, NY.
October 20, 2012: Northeast Wildlife Trackers Conference, Doyle Conference Center, Leominster, MA
October-November, 2012: Teaching Patterns in Nature and Design, Ausable Valley High School with Technology Teacher Alta Longware. Funded by Adirondack Arts in Education Partnership/NYS Council for the Arts.
September 21, 2012: Split Rock tour with Morris Glen and Adirondack Architectural Heritage
September 16, 2012: Forest and Farm, an event of Adirondack Harvest. Hike and localvore brunch at DaCy Meadow Farm. Don't miss it!
September 14, 2012: Garden Club of America annual conference field trip on Adirondack Flora and Fauna.
Aug. 6-10, 2012: Attending Wetland Plants course taught by Jerry Jenkins at Shingle Shanty Preserve and Research Station.
April, 28, 2012 Northeast Wilderness Trust's Reptiles and Amphibians walk at Hemlock Rock, lead by David Patrick of Adirondack Biodiversity Institute.
March 31, 2012: Transect Training at Spruce Mill Brook with Rose Graves, Northeast Wilderness Trust Conservation Director
March 28, 2012: Patterns in Nature, Presentation for Southern Adirondack Audubon Society, Crandall Library, Glens Falls, NY
March 22, 2012: CATS Planning Meeting to develop Outdoor Education Plan for Adults and Families
Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012 Susan Morse, Founder of Keeping Track spoke at the Whallonsburgh Grange about bobcats. GREAT slide show!
Every weekend Jan 2-March 13: Snowshoeing at Van Hoevenberg Criss-crossing the Ladies 5K from the X-country stadium, along the 1932 Bobsled Run and up the hill to a great view of the High Peaks. Participants receive a cool hydration pack and BRUNCH in the cozy 1980 timing house. Check for more information: https://www.whiteface.com/activities/snowshoe.php
Thursday, Nov, 3, 2011 Christopher Spatz, President of the Cougar Rewilding Foundation speaking on the "return of a legend." Whallonsburgh Grange Hall, Essex, NY 7-8:30 p.m. Sponsored by the Northeast Wilderness Trust.
Saturday, October 29, 2011 Northeast Wildlife Trackers Conference in Leominster, MA Mark Elbroch was the keynote speaker. His research affirms the value of data provided by local trackers in conservation work.
October 15, 2011 Tracking moose in Jericho, VT with Sue Morse and the NWT trackers class.
October 11, 2011 Mission: Wolf presented a program in conjunction with Keeping Track. Wolves who were injured or were unwanted pets and are not able to be released make fascinating live ambassadors. The program was held at St. Michael's Colllege in Winooski, VT.
October 8, 2011 Opening the Cheney Mountain trail in Moriah with CATS.
September, 10-11, 2011 Sue Morse of Keeping Track presented a class of focal species for the trackers currently being trained through the Northeast Wilderness Trust. On Sunday we had an excellent day on Pokomoonshine, examining the effects of Hurricane Irene on the beaver dams and finding new bear sign.
August 19, 2011: Wild Science, professional development seminar to assist classroom teachers to teach science outdoors. Taught with Adirondack Illustrator, Sheri Amsel at Black Kettle Farm.
May and June, 2011: Champlain Valley Outdoor Education Cooperative: Teaching at Black Kettle Nature Trail with fellow naturalists Sheri Amsel and David Thomas-Train. We received funding from the Champlain Valley Conservation Partnership and will be hosted six area schools.
May 8, 2011 Wildflower hike as part of a Mother's Day package. Spend the weekend at Normandie Beach Resort with a fantastic wildflower hike followed by a local foods brunch at DaCy Meadow Farm
February 21 – May 17, 2011 I received a grant from the Adirondack Arts in Education Partnership to teach Patterns in Nature, a class I developed last year. I am teaching with Terry Crowningshield, Drew Belois and Becky Bosley in the Elizabethtown-Lewis Central School. Art and environmental studies students are paired to study patterns that shape three local habitats.
March 24 – May 17, 2011 Geospatial Mapping with Paul Mudie, Westport Central School Technology teacher. The project was funded by the Lake Champlain Basin Program. The 8th grade technology class mapped intersections of roads and streams in the Westport Central School District and identified key attributes of the habitat and water shed.
March 26 – June 4, 2011 Westport Youth Commission Spring Outings
March 2, 2011: 10:30-11:45 a.m. Patterns in Nature, Presentation at the Massachusetts Environmental Education Conference, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA. https://www.massmees.org
Feb. 4, 2011 7:00 p.m. Wildlife Monitoring in the Champlain Valley. This short slideshow opened the February meeting of the Algonquin Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club which meets on the first Friday of the month. https://www.adk.org/chapters/algonquin.aspx
Champlain Valley Keeping Track Monitoring Program training: Jan. 9, 2011 Susan Morse of Keeping Track began training a group of local trackers to monitor the presence of several focal species in the Champlain Valley. The course has been partially underwritten by Northeast Wilderness Trust. I serve as guide and logistics coordinator for participants. Classes continue through October, 2011.


text:
The World Energy Outlook report predicts that China will overtake the US in its energy use.
Demand for energy in China is expected to have doubled within 20 years, according to the report.
But this will come at a price, with China also on course to become the world's largest polluter, says the IEA.
China's rapid economic growth has created an increasing demand for natural resources.
It is already looking to Africa, the Middle East and other countries in Asia to satisfy its demand for the fossil fuels.
Economic priority
But the burning of fossil fuels is already having an impact on China's environment, causing widespread pollution.
The IEA report says China's increasing consumption will also make it the world's largest emitter of the greenhouse gases that cause climate change.
The Chinese authorities have repeatedly refused to act on climate change, saying that the economy must take priority.
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Q. What about pricing? A. To be determined. No announcement of pricing or packaging changes at this time. We're bringing together the portfolio and the banding changes. See the pricelists linked above.
Q. Do search and SES fit together or are they separate things? A. our strategy is to be able to leverage the search tool of your choice as well as to make extensive use of Oracle text and SES.
Q. Do you plan to integrate WebCenter Connect into Fusion Apps like CRM? A. Absolutely. The whole strategy around contextual collaboration applies to apps unlimited products. Today, On Track (aka WebCenter connect) integrates with Seibel. WebCenter plays a key role in providing the foundation to fusion Apps. This is the basis of contextual collaboration. It is about bringing the business context to the people who get the work done.
Q. Is there a planned price increase? A. The price list today is available as are the products. You can find these online. See the pricelists linked above.
Hasan Risvi – SVP Fusion Middleware and Java
Kumar Vora – WebCenter SVP of Development
Andy MacMillan – WebCenter VP Product Management


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Technical Paper
A Study on Control Logic Design for Power Seat
The large luxury sedan seat has a 22-way Movement. It offers a wide range of adjustments to enhance passenger comfort performance while it has many constraints on movement in constrained indoor space. In addition, the power seat is operated by a motor, which makes it difficult for the user to determine the amount of adjustment, unlike determining the amount of adjustment by the power and feel of a person, such as manual seat adjustment. IMS, one-touch mode, is also constrained by parameters such as indoor space package, user's lifestyle, etc. during function playback. This paper aims to design the seat control logic to achieve the best seat comfort while satisfying each constraint. The results of this study are as follows. Increase robustness of power seat control logic. Provide optimal adjustments and comfort at each location. Offer differentiated custom control and seating modes for each seat. Improve customer satisfaction and quality by upgrading software.


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» Host, The (HD DVD) (HD DVD)
Host, The (HD DVD) (HD DVD)
Magnolia Home Entertainment
// R // July 24, 2007 // Region 0
List Price: $34.98
[Buy now and save at
Review by
Adam Tyner
| posted July 30, 2007 |
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Magnolia Pictures mounted a spectacular marketing campaign for
The Host
, churning out a series of gorgeous promotional art and building a tremendous buzz online as the Korean monster flick clawed its way through the festival circuit. I was so taken in by the wide-eyed awe of its trailer
that I was ready to make a road trip
to give the movie a look before it bowed out of theaters. Despite the near-universal praise the film has earned since its limited domestic release this past March and no matter how much I
wanted to like
The Host
, I have to admit to feeling let down.
The Host
takes a lot of chances, but its stilted pacing, awkward sense of humor, and thin characterization leave me as one of the film's few detractors.
Gang-du (Song Kang-ho) trudges out of his family's food stand along the Han River to redeliver some partially-gnawed-on squid, but his customers are more interested in a black, barely discernable smudge hanging underneath the bridge than whether or not the bloated thirtysomething has snuck off with one of the tentacles. Gang-du chucks a can of beer in the water that's instantly snapped up by the creature, and after everyone else has their fun lobbing fistfuls of garbage into the Han, they shrug it off and look for some other shiny object to attract their attention. At least, that's the plan until the beast starts bounding down along the banks of the river, devouring half the people in its path and mauling everyone else. Gang-du loses his tween daughter Hyun-seo (Ko Ah-sung) in the chaos that follows, watching helplessly as she's dragged across the broad banks of the Han in the beastie's tail.
Fearing some sort of contagion, everyone the creature encountered is crammed into a hospital for quarantine while the military sets out on a bug hunt. The rest of Gang-du's family tries as best they can to comfort him -- his kinda-sorta-competitive archer sister Nam-joo (Bae Du-na), his hot-tempered, unemployable brother Nam-il (Park Hae-il), and stodgy patriarch Hie-bong (Byeon Hie-bong) -- but Gang-du seems to be teetering on the brink. The hospital staff writes him off as nuts when he reports getting a call on his cell from his seemingly dead daughter, but Gang-du's family sides with him as they bust out of the hospital, risking life and limb to scour the city's sewers before the beastie gobbles down a mouthful of Hyun-seo Tartar.
The Host
isn't exactly the monster movie the trailers and posters make it out to be. Following its dazzling introduction as it wreaks havoc along the Han River, the creature is glimpsed only sporadically until the movie draws to its climax, instead shifting its focus towards the dysfunctional lower-middle class Park family and their search for Hyun-seo. Placing such an emphasis on characters and their quests is familiar territory for a horror/adventure flick -- one of the blurbs on the front cover compares
The Host
, for instance, and that's a movie defined almost entirely through characterization. It's just that as likeable and as talented as
The Host
's cast is, I didn't find much of anyone in the Park family particularly compelling. Only Hyun-seo is consistently shown as having much of a spark, and she's one of the least prominent figures in the movie's meandering second act. The creature rears its slimy head just enough to keep the pace from dragging excessively, but there's a much stronger hundred minute movie struggling to squirm its way out of
The Host
's excessive two hour runtime.
Those moments when the beast
on-screen are the movie's best, beginning with a blitzkrieg just a few minutes into the movie. Many of the attacks are swift and unflinchingly brutal, particularly the savage assaults that bookend the film, although the most tense sequences are set in the cavernous pit the creature uses as its lair. Hyun-seo is surrounded by mounds of rotting corpses, somehow managing to survive her time in the belly of the beast but unable to escape once spat out. Her unwavering determination in finding a way out of the claustrophobic tomb is responsible for most of
The Host
's suspense.
The creature is a primal, destructive force of nature, not all that far removed from the
comparison on the cover even if its chemically-mutated origins owe much more to
. Its design -- an almost otherworldly fish and amphibian mesh -- is fantastic, and
The Host
is so confident in the strength of its digital effects that it doesn't hide the beast in fleeting glimpses or mask it in shadows and rain. No, the monster doesn't shy away from the camera at all, and many of the most elaborate effect sequences are set in broad daylight. The computer-generated monster effects -- tackled primarily by The
Orphanage, whose filmography also includes
and the
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
-- hold up remarkably well to that unforgiving exposure, especially considering that this isn't a $120 million effects spectacle. The beast has a convincing heft as it plows across the grass and concrete of Seoul, but it also boasts a sort of acrobatic grace as it flings itself across the bridge by its tail. The digital handiwork is impressive enough that it blends in seamlessly with the practical effects, though there are times when the rampaging monster doesn't entirely gel with its surroundings, and the effects really fall apart in the incendiary climax. Still, the design and execution of the beast is strong enough to help prop up some of the shortcomings in the storytelling.
The Host
juggles an uneasy mix of comedy in this monster movie, ranging from pratfalls and fart jokes to darkly humorous shots of hapless folks being devoured in a single gulp. The movie doesn't handle the disparate tones particularly well, and there were some scenes early on where I'd sincerely have no idea if what I was watching was being played for laughs or if it was supposed to be unsettling. I quickly found myself in step with the movie's rhythm, particularly as it became increasingly clear what a dark movie
The Host
is. It's expected in a monster movie that some of the main cast will be killed off along the way, but
The Host
is willing to shrug off some of the usual conventions and butcher characters who aren't so obvious, culminating in a decidedly bleak finale.
Director Joon-ho Bong and cinematographer Hyung-ku Kim shot
The Host
with an exceptional visual eye, and the skillfully composed shots of the bridge towering over the Han River and the catacomb-like sewers sprawling underneath the streets of Seoul establish a stronger sense of atmosphere than a render farm in Palo Alto or hundreds of thousands of dollars of sets could ever hope to accomplish.
The Host
is a beautiful film, and it benefits greatly from the additional resolution these high definition formats have to offer.
The Host
mixes in some social and political commentary fairly deftly. I wouldn't call it subtle, exactly, but I didn't feel as if I was being bludgeoned with its messages about class, political spin doctoring, and bureaucratic dismissiveness. Some viewers on these shores may wince at the handful of swipes at the U.S., but
The Host
is every bit as critical -- if not moreso -- of the Korean government.
The Host
is a movie I certainly respect; it's extremely ambitious and beautifully shot, and I particularly enjoyed the mayhem that bookends the film. Still, its meandering second act leaves
The Host
overstaying its welcome, and I didn't find the story or its off-kilter family as engaging as I would've hoped. Admittedly, my mixed reaction doesn't seem to all that widely held among most reviewers -- the movie's been almost unilaterally well-received online and off, even managing to shatter box office records in Korea -- but I'd more enthusiastically recommend renting
The Host
first rather than shell out twenty-five bucks to buy it sight-unseen.
Presented at its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and encoded with Microsoft's VC-1 codec,
The Host
looks absolutely spectacular in high definition. The level of clarity and fine detail is consistently striking, such as the rich facial textures and distinct pores beneath beads of sweat, individual droplets in the torrential rainfalls, the grime caking Hyun-seo's face in the subterranean tomb, and even the blue fibers on the masks in the hospital. The film's contrast and colors are both exaggerated but emerge without any concerns. The hues reflect the bleaker and more subdued tone of the film in its second act, but when it's bright and sunny outside, the exceptionally vivid palette pops off the screen. The VC-1 encoding retains the slightly gritty texture of the photography, and no compression hiccups or perceptible flaws in the source could be spotted throughout. Its skewed visual style may not be to all tastes, but as easy as it is to get jaded after immersing myself in the ridiculous number of HD DVDs and Blu-ray discs I have over the past year and change,
The Host
stands out to my eyes as one of the more thoroughly impressive titles I've seen in high definition.
This HD DVD of
The Host
includes no fewer than
soundtracks -- five, if you count the audio commentary -- but some equivalent to the PCM audio from the Blu-ray release isn't among them. With as often as Magnolia has included some flavor of lossless audio on their HD DVDs, the omission of at least a TrueHD track here is somewhat disappointing.
The Host
offers soundtracks in its original Korean along with an English dub, each of which are presented in DTS and Dolby Digital Plus 5.1. Flipping back and forth between the various tracks, I couldn't spot any noteworthy difference between them, at least aside from the fact that the English dubbing is awfully clunky. Lossless or not, the audio is still outstanding, establishing a strong sense of ambiance and boasting numerous directional effects that even extend to the film's dialogue. The mix is at its most aggressive during the creature's rampages, particularly the wall-rattling roar when the beast is at full gallop, but bass is thick and substantial throughout. The score takes advantage of the multichannel mix as well, particularly the thunderous flurry of toms when a bunch of enterprising folks decide to cash in on a reward for the Parks.
Unlike Magnolia's release of
District B13
, which only included English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing (meaning that descriptions of sound effects and the like were captioned along with the dialogue),
The Host
includes both traditional English and SDH streams alongside Spanish subs. These are true subtitles, by the way, not just a rote transcription of the English dub. It's not a particularly weighty concern in the case of
The Host
, but none of the Korean text is subtitled in English, just dialogue.
The Host
sported a sprawling special edition on DVD, and for whatever reason, it's been pared down a good bit for this HD DVD release. Reading through
Ian Jane's DVD review
, this disc is missing director Bong Joon-Ho's "Reflections", several featurettes about the crew, some fifteen minutes of deleted scenes, deleted news clips, three effects featurettes, a couple sets of casting tapes, some of the additional Korean trailers, and pieces on the set design, sound effects, and the score. That's a hell of a lot to throw away. I have trouble believing that all of this couldn't have fit on this HD DVD, especially considering that
of the extras related to the film are in high definition. Even if space
a concern, a second disc should have been provided.
That said, there's still quite a bit on this HD DVD.
Eight minutes of deleted scenes -- the only anamorphic widescreen extras on the set -- expand the setup about the as-yet-unseen beastie's presence, tack another gag onto the chatter with the lazy-eyed American doctor, further flesh out the epilogue, and string together a bunch of extremely short CGI shots of the monster. It's not difficult to guess why most of those ended up on the cutting room floor.
There's also an eight minute gag reel that starts off with a slew of CG render jokes -- the creature running on a treadmill, one of the effects artists spewing a stream of bones and bile-caked skulls, and dancing in monster drool, to rattle off a few -- and closes with the cast cracking up while recording a couple of promos.
The disc's featurettes, all of which are presented in standard definition and in their original Korean, are divided into three groups. "Making of
The Host
" (10 min.) touches on the real-life dumping in the Han River that inspired the story and charts the evolution of the script, particularly how the screenplay was shaped by the writers' familiarity with the actors and locations rather than working the other way around. "Physical Special Effects" (5 min.) offers a look at the extensive tests the crew did to prep for filming, dropping drums of concrete off bridges, crushing trucks, landing on just the right size for the monster's rubber mouth, and opting against bombarding the cast with curry powder. "Memories of the Sewer" (10 min.) is a poison pen love letter to the agony of shooting in the sewers of Seoul, pitting the cast and crew against an indescribable stench, rats, frozen sewage, rashes, ingested raw sewage, and the threat of tapeworms. A three minute montage of storyboards rounds out this set.
The block of featurettes about the creature is also essential viewing, and it too is chopped up into four sections. "Designing the Creature" (11 min.) follows the evolution of conceptual art and how each of the handful of artists contributed to its ultimate design. "Puppet Animatronics" (7 min.) shows the monster's animatronic head being unveiled to the cast and crew for the first time as well as running through its sculpting, construction, and action on the set. "Animating the Creature" (10 min.) moves to the digital realm, tracing the progression of several shots in the movie from animatics, live action plates, and various stages of compositing and rendering. The last and lengthiest of these is "Bringing the Creature to Life" (21 min.), a mix of candid on-set footage, animation tests, and interviews with the crew in Korea and the digital effects team in San Francisco. This featurette discusses the challenges of this sort of intercontinental collaboration, the obstacles in modeling such a complex creature, and a detailed look at the animation and underlying musculature of the beast.
The last group of featurettes focuses squarely on the cast, beginning with a short interview reel (4 min.) that doesn't amount to more than the five central actors briefly describing each of their characters. The five minute featurette on their training is of more interest, showing the actors getting a pin on archery and blasting shotguns.
Finally, there's a fantastic audio
commentary with Joon-ho Bong. The director is joined by British film critic Tony Rayns, who helps moderate the discussion and has a disarmingly charming accent that makes the commentary that much more compelling a listen. Among the topics of discussion are the numerous companies that contributed to the film's effects,
The Host
's enormous box office success in Korea, its approach to satire and black comedy, delving more in depth into the chemical dumping that inspired the film, the movie's political commentary, the decision to separate the family in the second act, and the budget's influence on the number and orientation of creature shots. The commentary is easily overlooked since it's hidden under the 'Setup' menu rather than offered with the rest of the extras, but it's well worth spending the extra moment or two to uncover.
The only high definition extras are trailers for
District B13
The World's Fastest Indian
, and
The Lost City
. For whatever reason, the high definition trailer for
The Host
that was in rotation on HDNet hasn't been provided, although a standard def, letterboxed Korean trailer did make the cut.
wanted to like
The Host
. It's a monster movie that's much more ambitious and far more willing to buck convention than most, but as teeming as
The Host
is with clever ideas, they don't quite gel together. My mixed reaction to
The Host
leaves me recommending this disc more enthusiastically as a rental, but regardless of your reaction to the movie itself, there's no overlooking the strength of its technical presentation and the expansive selection of extras. Hesitantly recommended, but I'll err on the side of caution and say
Rent It
Related Reviews:
DVD Talk also has two reviews of the standard definition DVD -- one by
Ian Jane
and the other by
DVD Savant
-- as well as
a pair of reviews from its theatrical run
, if you'd like a second, third, or fourth opinion.
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Hello From Winnipeg!
Hello everyone from Winnipeg! The bike trip is going great, we are currently on our 6th day overall, and our second day in Manitoba's capital. Since we're staying here for two days, we decided last night that we would sleep … Continue reading


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Sunday, November 25, 2012
Menu Plan - Pantry Challenge Week 48
If you would like a stress free holiday meal, get your oven to break.
Yes, Thanksgiving was navigated without an oven and my Mother-in-law commented on how relaxed she thought I was this year. When all you have to do is clean the house and set the table, then yes, having people over for a holiday gathering is easy peasy lemon squeezy.
Thankfully I will be getting my new oven this week just in time for all of the Christmas baking rush. I'm starting to get a bit twitchy not being able to cook what I want when I want. And with no microwave, it makes it hard to reheat some stuff like fried chicken. F.Y.I. fried chicken reheated in a saucepan is not so bueno.
We have had a wonderful break from school and work just spending time together and watching the National Dog Show, Indiana Jones (Diva's first one), and other generally random shows.
"And it's the most wonderful time of the year!" The Christmas music has been cranked up non-stop since Friday, the lights are on the house, we attended our church's Hanging of the Green carol service, "the holly and the ivy" have been placed all over the house, the animals have their festive Christmas bows on, and "o, Christmas tree" has been trimmed. "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" even though it doesn't feel much like Christmas It's already 61F before 7:30am this morning!
Monday has in store a big change...but you'll have to wait until Tuesday to find out what it is.
How's that for a teaser? ;)
Sunday - Pumpkin Risotto (that I didn't get to last week) & Carrots
Monday - Steak, Mashed Potatoes, & Broccoli
Tuesday - Beans, Greens, & Cornbread
Wednesday - Enchiladas, Rice, & Beans
Thursday - Dinner with Friends
Friday - Date Night
Saturday - Leftovers
This is part of Menu Plan Monday, Susie's Cafe, and Menu Monday.
4 comments:
Oh my goodness, I can't imagine trying to cook with just stovetop so I do hope you get a new oven soon. However, I hope you enjoyed your break from cooking. Stopping by from Menu Monday.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks for stopping by Ms. Jean! Cooking stovetop isn't so bad but I would like to be able to cook some of the previously assembled casseroles from the freezer. :)Delete
Thanks for linking up in my Monday Menu Plan! I'm featuring your menu this week in my Monday post! Stop over on Monday to link up another menu & recipes :) Have a super week! SusieReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks so much Ms. Susie!Delete
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Dr. Chuck Podhorsky
Hoover High Principal
Supporting a Positive Learning Community
at Hoover High !!!Principal: Dr. Chuck Podhorsky
Hoover's student body of approximately 2,200 students is rich in cultural diversity with a majority of Hispanic students, 40 percent English Learners, and about two-thirds of our students come from homes where a language other than English is spoken. We are part of the City Heights Educational Collaborative, a partnership with San Diego State University, the Price Foundation, Clark Middle School, and Rosa Parks Elementary. All Hoover students are eligible for guaranteed admission to SDSU through College Avenue Compact.
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Dr. Chuck Podhorsky – Hoover High Principal's Blog


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Student Life in South Africa
Types of Higher Education Institutions:
- University
- University of Technology (formerly known as Technikon)
- Comprehensive Institutions
- College (Further Education and Training Colleges, Nursing, Technical Colleges)
- Senior Certificate
- Matriculation Endorsement
- National Certificate
- National Higher Certificate
- National Diploma (Ndip)
- National Higher Diploma
- Bachelor of Technology (Btech)
- Bachelor's Degree
- Bachelor Honours Degree
- Postgraduate Diploma
- Master of Technology (Mtech)
- Master's Degree
- Doctor of Technology (Dtech)
- Doctorate
Structure Of Education System
Pre-Higher Education:
Duration of compulsory education:
- Age of entry: 6
- Age of exit: 15
Structure of School System
Type of school providing this education: Primary School
Length of program in years: 6
Age level from: 6 - 12
Junior Secondary
Type of school providing this education: Junior Secondary School (first year still placed under primary school)
Length of program in years: 3
Age level from: 12 to: 15
Certificate/diploma awarded: General Education and Training Certificate
Technical Secondary
Type of school providing this education: Technical Level Secondary School
Length of program in years: 2
Age level from: 15- 17
Certificate/diploma awarded: Senior Certificate 1-3 years (depending on N programmes followed)
Senior Secondary
Type of school providing this education: Senior Secondary School
Length of program in years: 3
Age level from: 15 - 18
Certificate/diploma awarded: Senior Certificate
School Education:
Primary education lasts for six years, divided into junior primary and senior primary. Until now, secondary school lasted for five years, the first year of the junior secondary phase being followed in primary school. At the end of junior secondary (three years), pupils are awarded the General Education and Training Certificate. At the end of the senior secondary phase (lasting for three years), pupils sit for the Senior Certificate Examination.
The 1996 Constitution confirms the right to basic education and that the Government must progressively make further education (i.e. the senior secondary phase preceding higher education) available and accessible through reasonable measures. Compulsory education lasts for nine years (until age 15), followed by non-compulsory further education. In the senior cycle, students may study subjects either at Higher Grade, Standard Grade, or Lower Grade. N-courses are also offered to some technical school and college candidates. A Senior Certificate is awarded by the SA Certification Council following externally moderated examinations on completion of senior secondary school.
Technical secondary education is provided by technical centres and secondary and vocational schools. Matriculation endorsements are also offered by this Council to students who have satisfied the ministerially approved overlay on the Senior Certificate. Provision is also made for further education colleges through the Further Education and Training Act. Technical high schools may, inter alia, offer courses leading to Senior Certificates with matriculation endorsements, which statutorily constitute the minimum general admission requirement for access to universities. Universities of Technology (former Technikons) require Senior Certificates but not necessarily with matriculation endorsements.
Higher Education:
The higher education system consists of Public Universities, Universities of Technology and a College sector. The Higher Education Act (December 1997) provides for the appointment of a Registrar of Private Higher Education Institutions and a number of private institutions have registered or are in the process of registering in terms of these provisions. The South African universities offer Bachelor, Bachelor Honours, Master and Doctorate Degrees, as well as Undergraduate and Postgraduate Diplomas. Course work is structured in modules, with students registering in a unit/credit system.
Universities and Universities of Technology, as autonomous institutions, are subsidized by the Department of Education, and provide training at the post senior certificate level. University of Technology courses lead to National Diplomas and Certificates and, as from 1995, to Degrees with a minimum duration of four years. The Certification Council for Technikons (SERTEC) is responsible for conferring Universities of Technology Diplomas. The Higher Education Act stipulates that higher education at Universities, Universities of Technology and Colleges comes directly under the responsibility of the national government, whilst further education colleges report to the nine provincial governments. There are 23 public higher education institutions in South Africa.
Laws/declaration governing higher education:
Decree: Higher Education Act Year: 1997
Academic year:
Classes from: Jan to: Dec
Languages of instruction: Afrikaans, English
Stages of Studies
Non-university level post-secondary studies (technical/vocational type):
Non-University Level:
Higher technical/vocational studies are provided by Technical Colleges and Universities of Technology. Apprenticeship training for technicians is offered by Technical Colleges. Apprentices study for the National (Technical) Certificate (N training). N-3 courses can also be taken as credits for the Senior Certificate. The programme consists of three parts (N-1, N-2, N-3), each lasting for four months, six months or a year, depending on the course concerned.
The N-training is a pre-senior Certificate level and the N-3 credits are considered for the Senior Certificate (with pass in English and Afrikaans) for entry to Universities of Technology and National Certificate studies, but not for university studies. Most tertiary-level vocational programmes lead to a three-year National Diploma as basic qualification. Universities of Technology also provide vocationally oriented education and training in a variety of disciplines leading to, amongst other Diplomas, first and advanced Degrees.
Diplomas at technical-vocational level lead to BTech, MTech and Dtech Degrees. There are other types of specialist colleges, such as Nursing Colleges and Agricultural Colleges, which do not offer Degree studies unless offered in cooperation with Universities or Universities of Technology. In such cases, the Degree-awarding institution/authority's name will appear on the Certificate.
University Level Studies
University Level First Stage: Stage I
The Bachelor Degree is awarded both by Universities and Universities of Technology. Universities award the Bachelor Degree after three to six years of study: Humanities, Commerce, Science - 3 years; Agriculture, Law, Engineering, Pharmacy and Education, four years; Veterinary Medicine and Architecture, five years; Dentistry, five-and-a-half years; Medecine and Theology, six years. Students in Humanities, Commerce and Science wishing to proceed to a Master Degree are required to take a Bachelor Honours Degree, which is awarded after a further year's study. Universities of Technology award the Bachelor Degree of Technology (BTech), which is a four-year Degree which includes one year of experiencial training. Universities also confer a Professional Bachelor Degree after four years.
University Level Second Stage: Stage II
The Master Degree is awarded by both Universities and Universities of Technology. This Degree requires a minimum of one to two years' research after the award of an Honours Degree in the case of universities, and a Bachelor Degree in the case of Universities of Technology. The Master Degree in Technology (MTech) may be obtained at least one year after the BTech. This is an advanced qualification comprising taught subjects and research, or only research. The thesis must relate to an industry specific problem. Some university Master Degrees, e.g. the Master Degree in Business Leadership (MBusAdministration), are partly taught and partly research Degrees, where the thesis must relate to an industry or subject specific problem.
University Level Third Stage: Stage III
Doctorates and research Degrees are also awarded by both Universities and Universities of Technology. They are conferred to holders of Master Degrees after a minimum of two years' study. A Doctor in Technology (DTech) is awarded after successful completion of a thesis at Universities of Technology. This degree is research-based and studies last for at least two years. It comprises an advanced research project.
Teaching Education
Training of re-primary and primary/basic school teachers
Teacher Colleges have been transferred to the National Department of Education and certain Universities run three-or four-year Diploma courses qualifying holders to teach in primary schools. This also applies to some universities and universities of technology. The general admission requirement for Diploma studies at any of these colleges is a Senior Certificate with pass marks in one of the two languages of instruction (i.e. English and Afrikaans).
Training of secondary school teachers
Degree-level courses for secondary school teachers are offered by all universities and universities of technology. A Senior Certificate with a matriculation endorsement or a Certificate of complete or conditional exemption is required for university study, whilst universities of technology have different requirements (usually Senior Certificates and further requirements as stipulated in their joint statute).
Training of higher education teachers
Forty per cent of academic staff obtained their highest qualification at the University in which they are employed, 30 per cent at another South African University and 30 per cent at a foreign University.
Non-Traditional Studies
Distance Education
Distance teaching, which is mainly by correspondence, provides courses for about 35 per cent of enrolled students. The University of South Africa (UNISA) offers correspondence courses, either in English or in Afrikaans, for Bachelor Degree and Postgraduate qualifications, provided such Bachelor Degrees include an in-service training component. Course work is structured in modules. A maximum of ten years is allowed to obtain a Bachelor Degree, an additional year for Bachelor Honours Degree, three years for Postgraduate qualifications, two further years for a Master Degree and two years for a Doctorate. The Degrees are considered to be equivalent in standard to those awarded by other Universities.
National Bodies
Department of Education
Head: Naledi Pandor, Minister
Administrative officer: Duncan Hindle, Acting Director-general
International relations: Ghaleeb Jeppie, Director
Private Bag X895
Pretoria 0001
South Africa
Tel: +27(21) 4657350
Fax: +27(21) 4614788
EMail: firstname.lastname@example.com: http://education.pwv.gov.za
Higher Education South Africa (HESA)
Head: Piyushi Kotecha, Chief Executive Officer (Acting)
Administrative officer: Tessa Yeowart, Executive Manager
PO Box 27392
Pretoria 0132
South Africa
Tel: +27(12) 4812842
Fax: +27(12) 4812843/ 4812850
EMail: firstname.lastname@example.com
WWW: http://www.hesa.org.za
Council on Higher Education (CHE)
Head: Saki Macozoma, Chairperson
Administrative officer: Mala Singh, Interim Chief Executive Officer
PO Box 13354
The Tramshed, Gauteng 0126
South Africa
Tel: +27(12) 3929119
Fax: +27(12) 3929110
EMail: email@example.com
International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA)
Head: Roshen Kishun, President
International relations: Caleb Maqubela, International Liaison Officer
PO Box 65099
Reservoir Hills
Durban 4090
South Africa
Tel: +27(31) 2603077
Fax: +27(31) 2602967
EMail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: http://www.und.ac.za/und/ieasa
Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC)
Head: H. Africa, Chairperson
Administrative officer: Mala Singh, Executive Director
PO Box 13354, The Tramshed
Pretoria 0126
South Africa
Tel: +27(12) 3929100
Fax: +27(12) 3929110
EMail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: http://www.che.ac.za/heqc/heqc.php
Council For Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training (UMALUSI)
Administrative officer: P. Lolwana, Chief Executive Officer
Post Net Suite 102
Private Bag X 1
Pretoria 0121
South Africa
Tel: +27(12) 3491510
Fax: +27(12) 3491511
EMail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: http://www.umalusi.org.za
Admission to Higher Education
Admission to non university higher education studies
- Name of secondary school credential required: Senior Certificate
- For entry to: Universities of technology, technical colleges, and other colleges.
- Alternatives to credentials:
- Senior Certificate with N-courses obtained at technical colleges or technical high schools.
- Admission to university-level studies
- Name of secondary school credential required: Senior Certificate
- Minimum score/requirement: Pass marks in two Higher Grade languages, two additional Higher Grade subjects, at least a further Standard Grade subject and a minimum aggregate of 45 % for six subjects.
Entry To Universities
Alternatives to credentials: Certificate of exemption from the matriculation endorsement required as issued by the Matriculation Board on behalf of HESA or a conditional admission certificate issued by a university of technology
Entrance exams required: Matriculation endorsements are required for admission to first degree studies at university level and senior certificates for first degree studies at university of technology or college level.
Foreign Student's Admission
Admission Requirements: Prospective students coming from a non-South African schooling system must, for benchmark purposes, hold qualifications that must be at least equivalent to the local system. For university studies, candidates apply to the university which will forward the application to the Matriculation Board which issues a certificate of exemption in terms of other specified provisions. Conditions must be satisfied on completion of degrees in the case of foreign conditional exemption certificates.
Entry Regulations:
- Students must hold a valid passport, a duly completed B1-159 application form that is available from the Department of Home Affairs, a standard letter of provisional acceptance to a South African institution, a letter of motivation and proof that the student is in a situation to pay the tuition fees and has adequate means of support.
- Language requirements: Students must be proficient in English or Afrikaans.
- Application procedures:
- Apply to individual institution for entry to: Institutions of higher education
Studies pursued in home country (System of recognition/accreditation): A Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) functions within the Council on Higher Education (Tel.: +27(12) 392-9132, Fax: +27(12) 392-9120, Email: firstname.lastname@example.com, Website: http://www.che.ac.za). It promotes quality assurance in higher education, audits quality assurance mechanisms and accredits higher education courses.
Studies pursued in foreign countries (bodies dealing with recognition of foreign credentials):
Higher Education South Africa (HESA)
Head: Piyushi Kotecha, CEO (Acting)
Administrative officer: Cobus Lötter, Director, Matriculation Board
PO Box 27392
Pretoria 0132
South Africa
Tel: +27(12) 4812842
Fax: +27(12) 4812843/ 4812850
EMail: email@example.com
Website: http://www.hesa.org.za
Deals with credential recognition for entry to: University
Student Life
Main student services at national level
- National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS)
Private bag XI
Plumstead 7801
South Africa
Tel: +27(21) 7978161
Fax: +27(21) 7978131
EMail: email@example.com
Website: http://www.nsfas.org.za
National Student Associations and Unions
- South African Students' Representative Council (SAU-SRC)
Private Bag
Students' Union. University of Cape Town
Rondebosch 7700
South Africa
Tel: +27(21) 6509111
Fax: +27(21) 6502138
Website: http://www.uct.ac.za
Student Expenses and Financial Aid
Student Costs
Home students tuition fees: Minimum: 4000 (Rand)
Maximum: 25000 (Rand)
Publications on student services and financial aid:
Title: Guide to Distance Education in South Africa
Publisher: HSRC Publishers
International Co-operation & Exchanges
Principal national bodies responsible for dealing with international cooperation and exchanges in higher education
Higher Education South Africa (HESA)
Head: Piyushi Kotecha, Chief Executive (Acting)
Administrative officer: Tessa Yeowart, Executive Manager
PO Box 27392
Sunnyside, Pretoria 0132
South Africa
Tel: +27(12) 4812842
Fax: +27(12) 4812843/ 4812850
EMail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: http://www.sauvca.org.za
International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA)
Head: Roshen Kishun, Director
PO Box 65099
Reservoire Hills
Durban 4090
South Africa
Tel: +27(31) 2603077
Fax: +27(12) 2602967
EMail: email@example.com
Website: http://www.ukzn.ac.za/und/ieasa
Grading System
Full Description: Marking is alphabetical or expressed as a percentage. The usual pass mark in all higher grade subjects is 40% (with 2 exceptions). The pass mark in all standard grade subjects is 33%.
Highest on scale: A 80-100%
Pass/fail level: E 40-49%
Lowest on scale: F 33-39%
Main grading system used by higher education institutions
Full Description: Classification at some universities: 1st class (75-100%); 2nd class division 1 (70-74); 2nd class division 2 (60-69); 3rd class (50-59); fail (below 50). Other universities only distinguish: Distinction (75-100%); Pass (50-74%).
Highest on scale: 1st class
Pass/fail level: 3rd class
Lowest on scale: F


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Employee Background Checks and the Fair Credit Reporting Act
In conjunction with a more competitive job market, employers have increasingly relied on pre-employment background checks to distinguish candidates. Occasionally companies obtain background information, such as criminal history records and financial reports, on their own without outside assistance. More often, however, employers use an external vendors to conduct the background check and provide the information to the company.
Employers should be aware that when using an outside vendor to obtain background information they must comply with the provisions of the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act ("FCRA"). This law provides job applicants, and also employees, with certain rights regarding background checks. It also places certain obligations on an employer when seeking this information.
For example, prior to conducting the background check, the employer must provide the applicant with written notice disclosing the intent to seek this background information. The employer must also obtain the individual's written authorization to conduct the background check. This form must be provided to the job candidate as a document separate from the job application form. See 15 U.S.C. § 1681b. The vendor conducting the background search, also known as a consumer reporting agency, may supply such forms to the employer for its use. In turn, employers should be careful not to assume that these forms comply with the requirements of the FCRA, but should instead have the forms reviewed by legal counsel to ensure their compliance.
If upon obtaining the background check information the employer decides to not offer the applicant a position, the FCRA mandates a certain two-step procedure. First, the employer must provide the individual written notice of its intent to withdraw the job offer based at least in part on information obtained in the background check and provide the individual an opportunity to obtain a copy of the background check report. Second, after a period of time which may allow the individual an opportunity to correct any errors in the report or otherwise explain the information, the employer can then actually withdraw the offer.
In addition to the federal FCRA, many states have similar laws. Minnesota has such a law, which contains requirements in addition to those found in the federal FCRA. See Minn. Stat. § 13C.02. Employers using external vendors to conduct background checks should make sure that their actions are compliant with these state laws as well.
Takeaway: Employers using outside vendors to conduct background checks on applicants or employees should take care to make sure their actions are compliant with both the federal FCRA and any similarly applicable state law.
Posted on September 4, 2012, in Hiring. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.


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On Tuesday, the Franchise and Concession Review Committee (FCRC) of New York voted unanimously to approve Verizon's proposal to provide Fios TV service in all five boroughs. The vote moves the service closer to becoming an option for customers in New York to choose over cable or satellite TV.
"If we are successful in the last steps of the approval process, we will deliver on our promise to begin offering Fios TV in parts of each of the five boroughs later this year," Monica Azare, Verizon senior vice president for New York and Connecticut, said in a press release.
Fios TV is available in numerous areas around the city, including suburbs in Long Island and New Jersey, but inside city limits cable providers Time Warner and Cablevision basically divvy up the five boroughs between them (RCN cable is available in select places, too) and no alternative aside from satellite is currently available. Worse, many apartment buildings won't allow satellite dish installs, and many of those that do are blocked by other buildings, making the satellite signals impossible to receive.
If nothing else, competition from Fios TV may force the cable providers to offer more competitive pricing or at least improve their channel offerings. But as a recent New York Times piece makes clear, New Yorkers shouldn't expect to see lower cable prices as soon as Fios TV arrives. "There is a little jostling at the beginning, but it's not like classical competition where you have 10 guys trying to figure out how to steal each other's customers," said Mark Cooper, the director of research at the Consumer Federation of America. "When you have just two players, they realize it's not in their best interests to have a price war."
And then there's the issue of actually wiring New York buildings for fiber optics. Verizon has been running fiber optic cable since 2004, according to Multichannel News, and supposedly has wired hundreds of apartment buildings already, which might amount to as many as 20 percent of the city's buildings. Nonetheless, Verizon executives admit they won't have the infrastructure in place to wire every home in the city until 2014, although if the approval goes through, parts of New York may get access to Fios TV as early as this year.
What do you think? Are you ready to dump your cable service for Fios as soon as it arrives in your town, or are you a current Fios TV subscriber who's happy (or otherwise) with your service?


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On a day when schools were closed to honor Martin Luther King, Jr., nearly 100 adult and youth volunteers joined United Way Silicon Valley and Resource Area For Teaching (RAFT) to make the holiday a "day on" instead of a "day off" by working to improve local education and lending their support to local educators.
As part of this nationally recognized King Day of Service, local volunteers assembled hands-on RAFT Activity Kits including 'Water Beads', 'Place your number value'! and 'Catch a falling ring' and other materials that teachers can use in the classroom to create valuable learning opportunities.
"We are partnering with RAFT today because education is a fundamental building block to a successful life," said Carole Leigh Hutton, president and CEO of United Way Silicon Valley. "Helping teachers enrich the classroom experience supports United Way's goals of growing
self-sufficient and financially stable families and reducing the ethnic-racial achievement gap in our schools."
On this Day of Service, RAFT also honored two Bay Area educators with the Hands-On Recognition Awards. Ann Shioji a high school integrated Science teacher and Anna Pollock, a physician who changed careers to become an elementary teacher, were recognized for their creative and outstanding work using hands-on activities to engage their students. As Hands-On Recognition Award winners, each will receive two years of free RAFT membership and $100 worth of RAFT Gift Cards.


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Noa is a 16-year old hacker living off the grid for quite some time. When she suddenly wakes up in an unknown warehouse with tubes everywhere and a pain in her chest, she must quickly find out who is after her and why. Peter, also a hacker and leader of a hacking website ALLIANCE, is snooping around his father's documents when he comes across one called "Persephone", and is invaded and threatened by men in black suits from a shifty-sounding company. Peter enlists the help of Noa in order to find out what is going on with his father. Noa, with the help of Peter, uncovers something truly frightening about herself and others like her.
I really enjoyed reading this book; from the get-go, the action was spot on. There wasn't a moment in this book were I was bored or tired from hearing about Peter and Noa's adventures. The only complain I have about it is that it ended far too quickly for me and left so many questions unanswered.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes an action-packed, fast paced thriller, or just anyone looking for a quick read. You won't regret it!


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One of the few constants in life is that unless you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, you have to work to get by. Another constant is that most of the jobs available to you will probably suck. But the next time you're having a bad day at your workplace, count your blessings, you could be working an one of these historical careers!
1. Medieval Fuller
2. Sin Eater
3. Leech Collector
4. Groom of Stool
5. Seeker of the Dead
6. Resurrectionist


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Oil Change Services in Ontario, OR
Our Service Department at Hometown Toyota understands that you have a busy schedule, but we still want to mention how important it is to have the oil changed in your vehicle regularly. Oil changes aid your vehicle in many ways, such as keeping the components in your automobile running smoothly, preventing your engine from overheating, keeping carbon from developing inside your engine. It's important to check your owner's manual to determine how often your vehicle should be serviced and what specific fluids are required for your Toyota. If it's time for an oil change, then stop by Hometown Toyota in ONTARIO, OR and one of our friendly Certified Toyota Technicians can help.
Recommended Genuine Toyota Parts and Oils
Toyota Motor Oil
Formulated with a special additive package that helps protect Toyota metal and gasket surfaces from corrosion, prevents foaming and maintains the proper application of oil on cylinder walls. Toyota oils are available in multiple grades, they maintains fluidity in cold climates and have stabilized viscosity levels suited for a wide range of operating temperatures.
Synthetic Motor Oil
Many new Toyota models are certified for a new, zero weight synthetic lubrication standard, or 0W-20. This lower viscosity oil pumps better when cold, yet provides uniform lubrication, reduced friction and better overall efficiency than conventional engine oil. It improves fuel economy, thermal stability and gives you longer oil change intervals.
Toyota oil filters
Protect your engine against dirt and contaminants that can cause internal wear, while allowing adequate flow to internal engine components. These oil filters incorporate safety features like a bypass valve to help prevent restricted oil flow in the event of a clogged filter, and an anti-drainback valve, which prevents oil from draining from the engine into the oil pan during cold starts. Remember, not all oil filters meet Toyota's stringent specifications. A non-Toyota filter element may not work as effectively and could even clog, causing costly engine damage. To protect your engine always specify a Genuine Toyota oil filter


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Disclaimer: The below information contains selected parts of the ANSI standard Z80.1-2010. If verification is required, purchase a hard-copy version of the full standard at the ANSI store via this linkhttp://webstore.ansi.org/RecordDetail.aspx?sku=ANSI+Z80.1-2010
The purpose of this blog is to provide a brief resume of the types of spectacle lenses available to the patient for better vision (visual needs). Here we can discuss and share all about ophthalmic lenses, theories, individual findings, inventions, optical standards, tolerance, errors, complex optics and more..
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
ANSI STANDARDS Z80.1-2010 Prescription Ophthalmic Lens Tolerance Recommendations!
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