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Watch the river flow
In Colorado, a national park wins a water claim
The Black Canyon of the Gunnison needs a good scrubbing. Ever since 1965, when the first of three dams blocked the Gunnison River upstream of the western Colorado national park, the 2,000-foot-deep canyon has missed the regular spring floods that are necessary for its ecological health. Tamarisks and other plants have taken over sandbars that were once swept clean every year or two. "You can actually date some of the trees down there to right when one of the dams was put in," says park ranger Danguole Bockus.
But more regular spring cleanings are on the way. Thanks to a mostly finalized agreement between the National Park Service, the state of Colorado and environmental groups, the Black Canyon will get an annual peak-flow event -- a one-day manmade flood -- plus 85 days of high flow timed to coincide with spring runoff. The rest of the year, the river will have a minimum flow of 300 cubic feet per second to help sustain its world-class trout fishery. The agreement is the product of more than three decades of litigation hinging on one of the most contentious questions in Western water law: Does the federal government have the right to water for federally owned lands?
The water-rights struggle between states -- the traditional arbiters of water disputes -- and the federal government -- which often needs water to accomplish its land-management goals -- has lasted more than a century. But over the past few decades, the federal government has become increasingly willing to cede control over water to the states. And water-rights compromises on measures designating new national monuments and wilderness areas may mean that, in the future, conservation groups will have fewer options for protecting in-stream water flows than they did in negotiations over the Black Canyon.
The battle over state versus federal control of water makes, as Boise environmental lawyer Jeff Fereday puts it, "a long and interesting tale." In 1908, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the federal government, in creating a reservation for Montana's Gros Ventre Tribe, had also given the tribe enough water to farm its reservation. Sixty years later, the court extended the principle, stating that when the federal government put land under the control of a federal land agency, it implicitly gave that agency a claim to enough water to accomplish its management goals. These federal water rights dated to when the government first set aside the land, an important detail in Western states, which have "first in time, first in right" water regimes.
The high-water mark for federal water rights came in 1976, when the Supreme Court ruled that Death Valley National Monument had the right to enough water to sustain its population of endangered desert pupfish. Two years later, though, the Court held that since ecological preservation was not the "primary purpose" of Forest Service land, the national forests had no right to water for ecological purposes. National parks, monuments and wildlife areas could still claim water for recreation or wildlife, but the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management could claim it only for timber production, livestock watering or channel maintenance.
But the biggest blows to federal water rights have been legislative rather than judicial. A 1952 federal law established that federal agencies must claim water rights through state court systems and can appeal to federal courts only in extraordinary cases. The result has been a patchwork of state-by-state legal precedents. The Idaho Supreme Court, for example, does not recognize water rights for wilderness areas unless the bill designating the wilderness explicitly claims water.
More and more, federal water rights have become the subject of open legislative debate. "The era of silence is over," says John Leshy, professor of water law at the University of California's Hastings College of the Law. "Both sides have now come to the view that we have to address these things in legislation." Over the past two decades, bills creating national parks, monuments or wilderness areas have been explicit in asserting or denying a federal claim to water. A recently introduced bill to protect Idaho's Owyhee wilderness, for example, renounces a federal claim to water for the wilderness and limits the water claimed for the area's wild and scenic rivers.
The Black Canyon's newly guaranteed flows, expected to get final approval by late summer, rest on the fact that Herbert Hoover did not sign away the canyon's water when he designated it a national monument in 1933. As a result, the park (upgraded from monument status in 1999) has an implied federal water right that formed the basis for 30 years of negotiation over the canyon's water. Anglers and environmentalists pushed for higher flows; ranchers and hydropower operators wanted to keep water behind the dams. When a 2003 backdoor agreement between the state and the Interior Department forfeited the park's claim to peak and shoulder flows, conservation groups challenged it in federal court.
In 2006, Judge Clarence Brimmer voided the agreement, saying that it had been made without adequate environmental analysis and represented an unlawful disposal of federal property. "They were able to persuade a federal judge that a very valuable public resource had been given away," says hydrology consultant Dan Luecke (an HCN board member). Brimmer's decision forced a resumption of negotiations that resulted in the current compromise agreement. The agreement does not guarantee peak flows in the driest years, but attorney Bart Miller, who represented environmental groups in the negotiations, says it's a big improvement over the 2003 deal, which would have provided "just enough to keep the backs of the fishes wet."
The Black Canyon agreement is "an enormous victory" for stream preservation, says Luecke. But in the new water-rights era, the decision to limit or permanently give up the federal claim to water often happens before a national monument or wilderness area is even created. And that means that the Black Canyon case may turn out to be one of the last of its kind.
The author is an HCN intern. This article was made possible with support from the William C. Kenney Watershed Protection Foundation and the Jay Kenney Foundation.


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In Awe of Erdogan
The sun is shining, the crowds are cheering and waving brightly coloured flags. The excited crowd-warmer on the roof of the election campaign bus announces the arrival of a superstar. "Here comes the Grand Master," the man yells into the microphone. Ten thousand people are crushed into the market square of the north-west Turkish town of Lüleburgaz, gathered in front of a sectioned-off area around the bus bearing the emblem and election slogans of Turkey's governing AKP. Many of them have been here for hours – almost like waiting for a redeemer.
When Recep Tayyip Erdogan finally climbs out of the bus skylight and greets the frenetically cheering crowd, he has to ask his helpers for a jacket. The Grand Master is cold.
Erdogan has aged visibly over the past few years. His shoulders are hunched, his movements cautious. Now 57, he interrupts his speech for a series of coughing attacks. The man who has changed Turkey more drastically than any prime minister in the past thirty years, whose supporters have compared him to the legendary founder of the state Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, is clearly feeling the stress of the election campaign.
Sultan Erdogan
It will be his last campaign, Erdogan has announced. He wants to apply for a mandate in the parliamentary elections on 12 June, and then that's that. Erdogan wants to become president in a few years' time – or so his opponents say. For now, though, it's the parliamentary majority that's at stake, which will be important for the consultations on a new Turkish constitution over the coming months. Erdogan can look to 12 June with composure: his Islamic-rooted AK party is gaining a solid 45 to 50 percent in opinion polls – putting it well ahead of all other parties.
And he's has already chalked up one important victory: the bitter ideological feud between secularists and Erdogan's god-fearing Anatolians, which nearly led to the AKP being banned a few years ago, is now almost forgotten. It went very clearly in Erdogan's direction. The 2011 election is not about the headscarf, it's about the economy and jobs. "We've lowered inflation from 130 percent to 4.3 percent," Erdogan calls out, and the crowd in front of the bus waves their white and orange AKP flags in enthusiasm, alongside their red Turkish flags.
When a group of people start chanting "Sultan Erdogan", the "Grand Master" humbly contradicts them. No, he tells them, he's not an Ottoman sultan: "We're not in government to rule, but to serve." Then he talks about 13,000 kilometres of four-lane motorways the government has built and rattles off a list of other achievements.
Military failed miserably
It all looks like a perfectly normal election campaign, but that's precisely what makes it unusual in Turkey. Four years ago when the last election campaign was held for parliamentary seats in Ankara, the candidates weren't talking about roads and inflation figures; they were fighting over the country's soul. At that time the military was threatening to putsch against Erdogan because Abdullah Gül, a close friend of the prime minister and a similarly religious man, was designated as the next president.
The military failed miserably, an incredible 47 percent of voters chose Erdogan and his party, Gül became head of state, and the political landscape changed dramatically. Political reforms and criminal investigations into the military men with their passion for putsching have since further weakened the generals' position.
In 2008 the AKP barely scraped by a ban because it wanted to allow headscarves at Turkish universities. Last year, however, the headscarf ban was tacitly dropped without prompting major protests.
The new normality is also down to another man, who stops off in Lüleburgaz himself 45 minutes later, only a few hundred metres away from the AKP rally. Kemal Kilicdaroglu is five years older than the prime minister, yet he markets himself as a reformer. As the new head of the rather aged secularist CHP with its Kemalist influences, Kilicdaroglu has replaced the constant warnings against an alleged Islamist coup with traditional Social Democratic demands for jobs and social equality.
Kilicdaroglu doesn't say a word about headscarves in Lüleburgaz. He knows a Turkish political party can bury all hopes of entering government if it spots evil fundamentalists lurking behind every sign of religiosity, as the socialist CHP did for years. There are women wearing headscarves not only at Erdogan's public appearance, but also among the crowd of CHP supporters in front of Kilicdaroglu's stage in Lüleburgaz. They don't expect inflammatory anti-Islamist proselytising from the opposition leader. What they do expect is a promise that everyday life in Lüleburgaz will get easier.
Kilicdaroglu meets their expectations. "There won't be any more unemployment," he promises the crowd, in the event of an election victory. "Closed factories will be opened up again." Official figures place unemployment in the Lüleburgaz region at 14 percent – three percent higher than the national average – but youth unemployment is at 25 percent. Both opponents and supporters of the AKP say the lack of jobs is the most pressing problem in the town. "The party doesn't matter, as long as something gets done," says local jeweller Efkan Kahya.
Kilicdaroglu is partly focusing his election campaign on voters' growing discontent over signs of corruption in the AKP. "Your children are unemployed, but their children live in palaces," he says of the families of top Ankara politicians. At the moment, however, it does not look as if this message will help Kilicdaroglu to take Erdogan's place. The CHP is at around 25 percent in the polls.
Great praise for the "Grand Master"
Despite its lead in the polls, Erdogan's AKP is suspected of using dirty methods to hold back the competition. The right-wing nationalist opposition party MHP, for instance, has been shaken for weeks by sex videos that turned up on the Internet, showing married party functionaries with female playmates – most of them much younger. In one case, a functionary's mistress is said to have received a jeep as a gift from her lover – paid for out of party funds.
The MHP promptly lost electorate support and may now not even make it back into parliament – to the benefit of the AKP, for the most part. The MHP leaders have accused the government of being behind the smear campaign. Erdogan rejects these claims: "We're not interested in your dirty laundry," he said recently. The MHP has failed to provide evidence to support its claims as yet.
Such evidence, should it exist, would have to stand up to every possible scrutiny if it were to do serious damage to Erdogan's beloved status in the general public. The prime minister's personal popularity rating is ten points above that of his party, i.e. 55 to 60 percent, says the opinion pollster Bekir Agirdir.
No other politician in Turkey achieves such figures. They are even unusual on an international scale, for a politician who has been at the helm for eight years. "He's the best prime minister for eighty years," says one voter in Istanbul, who does not usually have much time for the government in far-off Ankara.
The "Grand Master's" popularity across all party borders is a seemingly insurmountable hurdle for the opposition. AKP voters see Erdogan as the man who brought their country recognition from the international community as an emerging regional factor. "They listen to us now," says an AKP man in Lüleburgaz with pride. Even local CHP supporters have begun to pay the prime minister respect.
"He's clever and hard-working," says Demet Gülveren, a 32-year-old CHP voter. Erdogan represents Turkey's political and economic ascent over the past few years, while the opposition leader Kilicdaroglu has the charisma of an accountant. Gülveren openly admits as much: "He does seem a bit weak compared to Erdogan."
Thomas Seibert
© Qantara.de 2011
Translated from the German by Katy Derbyshire
Editors: Arian Fariborz, Lewis Gropp/Qantara.de

subset: commoncrawl


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Power Sewing Toolbox, Volume 2
Tips/Techniques Not Found In Patterns
The book contains over 500 tips and techniques with chapters on: Fabric, Preshrinking, Cutting, Interfacing, Zippers, Collars, Sleeves, Techniques, Hems, Pressing, Travel, Wardrobe and Care. Techniques include: Stretch Tulle Mastery, Lining Knit Pants, V-Neckline Finishing Strip, Lining the Sleeve, Zipper Hidden in a Pocket, Collars with Sharp Points, Sleeve Plackets Made Simple, Lining Without a Pattern, Miter Magic, World's Easiest Welt Pockets and Fringe Secrets.
The bonus DVD features topics on: Welt Pocket with Zipper, Curved Seam Mastery, Jacket Sleeve Vents, Fly Front, and Behind the Scenes at Sandra's Photo Shoot.
- Hardback with enclosed spiral so that it lies flat.
- Printed on high-quality glossy paper stock.
- Step-by-step photos literally hopping off the page.
- Written instructions in a size larger type and easy-to-read font.
- A super detailed index makes it easy to reference something later.
Watch Sandra's overview of the book here >>
Shipping: $7


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eman2611 needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 23 designs submitted by 19 freelance designers.
-this is for a logo design for storage
-I will own all rights to winners logo
-logo must be original content created by designer
Dont waste precious house space
Desired Color Scheme:
to match homepage
Desired Style:
web 2.0
Accepted File Formats:
ai, vector psd
here is the link for design of the homepage: http://www.sitepoint.com/marketplace/contest/275?
description of storeatmyhouse: Welcome to Store at my house.com. We provide a way for you to search for storage space location anywhere in the US.
In addition, you can advertise or rent stoarge space, be it your basement, empty room or even the attic and charge other users who may want to rent it. This service is completely FREE.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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When the Pentagon wanted to know what people were saying about the ill-advised Air Force One photo-op flyover of Manhattan, it turned to Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
Newly released government documents show the military used the same Internet tools it warns employees about to monitor and react to coverage events, including the April 27 episode, in which the president's plane was flown over the Statue of Liberty without sufficient notification to New York City officials. The sight of the plane bearing down on Lower Manhattan freaked out Wall Streeters still traumatized by the 9/11 attacks.
The Air Force tracked Twitter, YouTube and various blogs to assess the ensuing PR debacle, according to the documents, obtained by The Associated Press. Those same sites are popular with service members who want to keep in touch with friends and family, but the Pentagon has warned them against posting potentially sensitive information.The Marine Corps goes as far as to block access to social media sites.
Deputy Defense Secretary Bill Lynn said in a recent memo that "Web 2.0" sites are important tools but more study is needed to understand their threats and benefits.
According to the Air Force One documents released through the Freedom of Information Act, a unit called the Combat Information Cell at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida monitored the public fallout from the April 27 flight and offered recommendations for dealing with the fast-breaking story.
Media coverage over the 24 hours following the flight "will focus on local hysteria and lack of public notification," the cell quite accurately predicted. "Blogs will continue to be overwhelmingly negative." The next day, the Combat Information Cell reported that the story was still "reverberating, surprisingly resilient," and offered a tally of tweets per minute involving the incident.
Air Force spokesman Al Eakle said the unit tracked social networks and blog traffic "to obtain what lessons we might learn so as not to repeat them in the future."


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New York, February 9, 2012--The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Yemeni authorities to end an ongoing siege at the offices of a daily newspaper and ensure the protection of journalists and their equipment. Armed men last week surrounded the offices of two Yemeni newspapers, one of which remains under attack, according to news reports.
On February 2, the Sana'a office of the state-run daily Al-Thawra was surrounded by hundreds of armed men loyal to outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh and backed by security officials, news outlets reported. The men, including pro-regime journalists, were angered by the paper's decision to publish without Saleh's picture on the front page -- a first in decades -- the day before. They encircled the building and forced the paper to print an issue with Saleh's image on Friday, according to the reports. Al-Thawra's office and staff remain surrounded, the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate and several local news outlets reported. The newspaper has not published since Friday.
"The government needs to direct security forces to end the siege of Al-Thawra's offices immediately," said Mohamed Abdel Dayem, CPJ's Middle East and North Africa program coordinator. "The paper's journalists must be allowed to resume their work without fearing for their lives."
A similar attack occurred at the state-run daily Al-Gomhoriah in Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city. The newspaper's office was surrounded by a group of armed men loyal to Saleh on Friday and Saturday. The group prevented the paper from printing, claiming that it had turned into a mouthpiece of the opposition and was not accurately depicting news about Saleh, according to news reports. The newspaper resumed printing on Sunday with an image of Saleh on the front page, news reports said.
CPJ has documented a stream of attacks against journalists in Yemen since political unrest erupted last year, including deaths, physical assaults, detentions, harassments, and attacks on news outlets.


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If you feel like you're stuck in a dead end job you're not alone because latest research has revealed that over 80 per cent of UK workers have experienced a career slump in their working lives.
The research, from training platform, Course Library, surveyed 1,200 participants between the ages of 18 and 64 about their job satisfaction and discovered most people blamed their a lack of progression(32.5 per cent) on their career slump. The study also found a lack of training and development (17.2 per cent) as another cause in workers feeling less than inspired in the workplace. Naturally, a career that isn't progressing can result in occupational burn-out.
Burning out at work will happen gradually over time, with the signs including apathy towards work, irritability, difficulty focussing and trouble negotiating a work/life balance.
It's not difficult to pinpoint the cause of a workplace slump though as the responsibility normally lies with the employer as Jazz Gandhum, founder of Course Library, explains.
"This latest research by Course Library clearly demonstrates that a high percentage of UK workers experience dissatisfaction in their job roles, where lack of career progression, or training and development opportunities, are often to blame."
He continues, "Traditionally, many businesses fail to offer regular training and development, with cost and time out of the office being key factors," he says.
"By enhancing your employees' skill-sets through online courses, organisations of all sizes can benefit from lower training costs, a stronger workforce and the likelihood of a higher staff retention rate."
"It's clear from our findings that many employees in the UK are hitting roadblocks in their careers," adds Lee Biggins, co-founder of Course Library. "Employees need to feel as if they are moving forward in their careers and this can only be achieved if organisations are
offering the right opportunities and helping members of staff to expand their skill-sets, develop and grow alongside the business."
Employees aren't leaving it up to their employer to cure their occupational slump though as the research from Course Library also found most employees (28.2 per cent) hope to enhance their skill set through online learning courses, others (23 per cent) have spoken with their manager about career progression opportunities and some (20 per cent) have asked for a workplace mentor, showing there's an appetite for career progression.


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Cheney on Fox News
"I think the evidence is overwhelming that the Enhanced Interrogation Techniques were crucial in getting them to cooperate, and that the information they provided did in fact save thousands of lives and let us defeat all further attacks against the United States.
The thing I keep coming back to time and time again, Chris, is the fact that we've gone for eight years without another attack. Now, how do you explain that?"
I'll explain it. Cheney was neck deep in the attacks of 9/11 which have been milked by the state to undermine the constitution and create wars with very little backlash. There's been no need for another false flag. This one worked just fine. For now.
The talk radio apologists/whores are defending Cheney as if their job depends on it. Come to think of it, it does. Limbaugh's fill in today, Mark Davis, had what was most likely a set up caller who questioned those who doubt the official 9/11 story. Davis then gets to go on a very poor debunking rant and basically calls anyone interested in truth names. You can listen to it here if you are a 'pills' member.
Moving around the dial, several other of the radio shills called for the listeners to chime in on torture. All that I heard were for it, do whatever it takes and maybe the 'terrorists' won't get us.
Torture is just a side game that the pervert psychopaths play. Remember the rumors that videos of torture sessions were sent to Cheney for critique? Mass murder and control of whole populations through psyops and the media is where the action is.
Of course Holder's 'investigation' will be nothing more than cover ups and diversions away from the big boys and their big crimes. {see USAG Holder: The man who covered up Waco will now investigate torture?}
There's a cover up in place, but is Cheney a little worried that there could be slip up? Is that why he continues to go to the media and give justifications (lies..) for all he is responsible for? Bush is quiet. If the heat was on, GW could point the finger at Cheney and say "He's behind everything, I was just a stooge" and most everyone would agree.
Allan Roland wrote about Cheney in May and the story is still the same.....
Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld are the key co-conspirators in the 9/11 cover up and all will soon have their day in court when the appalling truth of America's most treasonous act is laid bare for the world to see ~ If Obama allows it to happen:
The noose is slowly closing on Dick Cheney's ultimate deception ~ which is his role in expediting the attacks against America on 9/11 and then utilizing torture to obtain so-called confessions to bolster the questionable 9/11 Commission findings.
Cheney knows the noose is closing and rightfully fears that he is being hung out to dry by Poppy Bush which explains G.W.'s silence while Cheney attempt to justify torture.
As the Daily Kos reported yesterday ~ " Don't be fooled, Dick and Liz aren't fighting for the GOP nor for the Bush administration, they are fighting to keep Dick out of jail. Liz Cheney even, herself, admitted on CNN Anderson Cooper 360 that her father's recent Media Tour was motivated by the fear to be prosecuted... Since Dubya is mum, I won't be surprised that he threw Cheney under the bus a long time ago with the help of his Poppy." {Here}
George W Bush, likely signed off on the 9/11 plot but was purposely kept somewhat out of the loop by Cheney ~ which explains his unconscious My Pet Goat Moment when informed of the attack ~ he was awaiting directions from Cheney.
Dick Cheney was in the bunker on 9-11 directing several "war games" and lied to 9-11 Omission Commission about the timing of his 9/11 activities and Donald Rumsfeld, a close friend of Cheney, was at Pentagon on 9-11 ~ and once slipped and said "when that missile hit the Pentagon"
But there are scores of other possible suspects in this conspiracy as seen in this graphic article ~ 9/11 Who Really Did It {Here}
It certainly appears that those who confessed to master minding the 9/11 attacks were also tortured ~ making their confessions highly suspect if not completely invalid along with the findings of the 9/11 Commission report. {Here}
So the obvious question is ~ Why Is President Obama not pushing the torture investigations ? The obvious answer is that Obama knows that any extensive torture investigation will lead to the so-called 9/11 confessions ( which were obtained under torture ) and open up a Pandora's Box ~ which will virtually implicate the entire Cheney/Bush administration.
However, this is a fire that won't go out as witnessed by John Hatch's May 22nd article in ICH entitled Torture and 9/11.
Excerpt:" The Iraq invasion was conceived long before 9/11 which was simply used as a pretext for achieving 'full spectrum domination' of land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace as outlined in The Project for a New American Century, of which Dick Cheney was a founding member, and President Bush a willing dupe.The goal was nothing short of attempted world domination, and Iraq and Afghanistan were pawns on a list which included Syria and Iran. PNAC spoke longingly of a 'new Pearl Harbor event' as a catalyst to galvanize fearful American opinion to allow the former to have its way, which is exactly what happened after 9/11 (and don't forget that mailed weaponized Lawrence Livermore anthrax, that 'bonus terror' that hurried the Patriot Act unread through Congress and that was since so conveniently blamed on a dead guy)
... An investigation would reveal (indeed we already know) that torture was employed to establish a false link between Saddam and al Qaeda in order to make a preconceived invasion more acceptable to the American people. (Lots of troops in Iraq still think that Saddam was responsible for 9/11, and still exact bloody revenge against innocent people.).. Since everything the people were told turned out to be lies, questions would inevitably arise regarding the 'catalyst' itself, the new Pearl Harbor 9/11 event that was so useful to PNAC and the Bush Administration... "Hatch concludes with this observation ~ " This, I submit is what officials in the Obama Administration fear the most. An investigation of torture would inevitably lead to questions about what 9/11 was really about. We know with certainty that the official version of events is a pack of lies; what if America had to confront the fact that 9/11 really was an inside job? (The recent finding of nano-thermite in WTC dust is just one more compelling argument.)...Such a finding would so undermine Americans' core beliefs as to have profoundly unpredictable consequences. It would mean that no American is safe from its own terrorist government. It would mean that government is not only corrupt to its very foundations, but also that it is a force of malevolence toward its citizens. It would mean that there is nothing in which to place one's political faith. It would mean that the same forces that killed 3000 Americans on that day (and many subsequently) still operate behind the scenes in Washington, and 'change' is only cosmetic.
It would prove that over the last two terms, democracy was a cruel illusion in America (and some would say since November 22, 1963). It would mean that for the patriotic American citizen, at last there's nothing left to lose... That's what they're ( Obama Administration ) are rightly afraid of ... That's why they want to allow the Bush putsch to get away with murder... and avoid looking further into the abyss.. "
But look into the abyss we must ~ for true transformation is never painless and must start with the truth and transparency ~ regardless of the consequences. We have a malignant cancer and it must be fully identified and isolated before it can be treated.It's time for Congress to investigate the massive Iraq-Torture Scandal ~ and for the Department of Justice to prosecute Dick Cheney for creating it. {source}
Bush and Cheney did not testify before the 9/11 commission. They were not under oath and there was no recording made of the session nor a stenographer in the room.
It was their way of making sure that there were no conflicting statements and that no perjury charges could ever come out of it.
The White House fired back at Cheney today. Now there's a small war of words on who's torturing and killing is the most effective.
Make no mistake, Obama, Cheney...they are on the same side. They work for the same bankers, the same corporations and the same foreign interests.
These criminals will try their best to never let one of their own take a fall. It could start a domino effect that leads them all to the gallows.


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Based on the actual case files of one of the most intriguing unsolved crimes in the nation's history, "Zodiac" is a thriller from David Fincher, director of "Seven" and "Fight Club." As a serial killer terrifies the San Francisco Bay Area and taunts police with his ciphers and letters, investigators in four jurisdictions search for the murderer. The case will become an obsession for four men as their lives and careers are built and destroyed by the endless trail of clues.
The last thing we need is yet another serial killer movie. So when we all heard David Fincher was making one about the Zodiac killer, even though it's David Fincher, I had a hard time getting interested.
Then I saw the trailer. Zodiac is not just another serial killer movie. The trailer's tone is surprising to say the least. This isn't yet another attempt to recapture the greatness of Silence of the Lambs, this is more like Silence of the Lambs crossed with Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang., and not just because Robert Downey Jr. is in it. Now I'm interested.
After Se7en and Fight Club, Fincher became one of those wildly popular, geek crowd directors who movie nerds lust after with the kind of fervor your parents might have reserved for someone like oh, Woody Allen. Today's Woody Allen equivalent makes movies with severed heads and split personalities. Personally, I think we have it a lot better.
Since Fight Club though, Fincher hasn't exactly been prolific. That's symptomatic of most of his contemporaries, Hollywood's current crop of great directors, most of whom popped onto moviegoers radar in the 90s. Their films are great when they make them but Fincher, PT Anderson, Baz Luhrman, Darren Aronofsky and the rest just don't get around to making movies very often. This is only Fincher's second film since Fight Club in 1999, and the other one, while well received at the time, seems to have been quickly forgotten. Anyone remember Panic Room? No not Flightplan. The good Jodie Foster thriller.
The problem wasn't with Panic Room, from anyone else it might have been a memorable experience. But this is the guy that made Fight Club, and everything he does must suffer by comparison. Now it's Zodiac's turn to stand up and take a Fight Club punch. Can it stand up? If Fincher really has found a way to turn the stagnant serial killer genre and turn it's on it's head, Zodiac may do more than take the hit, it just might punch back.


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Redundant Words
Roxanne K. Young
in AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors (10th edition)
A redundancy is a term or phrase that unnecessarily repeats words or meanings. Below are some common redundancies that can usually be avoided (redundant words are italicized):


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|Sesame Street
|Bob and the other adults explain Mr. Hooper's death to Big Bird, who doesn't understand why his friend isn't around anymore.
|Air date
|November 24, 1983 (Thanksgiving day)
|Season 15 (1983-1984)
|Sesame Street Unpaved
When actor Will Lee died in 1982, it left the producers of Sesame Street with the question of how to deal with the loss of Mr. Hooper, a beloved character who had been on the show since the first episode. Dulcy Singer, executive producer at the time, said that "if we left it unsaid, kids would notice." [1] One way out was to avoid the issue of death entirely. Producers toyed with the idea of telling viewers that the character had gone away. Caroll Spinney said that "we didn't know what to do. [We] thought perhaps he could just retire, move to Florida or something, but then the producers thought that the best thing to do would be to actually deal with death."[2] After much discussion and research, the producers decided to have the character of Mr. Hooper pass away as well, and use the episode to teach its young viewers about death as a natural part of life and that it is okay to grieve and feel sad when a loved one passes away.
After consulting with numerous child psychologists, Norman Stiles, the head writer for the show, prepared a script designed to deal with the issue of death on Sesame Street. The cause of death was not discussed on the show, nor is the process of growing old. Valeria Lovelace, director of research at the show's production company, the Children's Television Workshop, said "We were advised to take the direct approach... Children don't understand words like 'passing away.'"[1] The show took an honest and direct approach. Show producer Fran Kaufman said that the goal was to avoid "sugar-frosting" the message.
That message, according to the producers, was "[Mr. Hooper] died, he won't be coming back, and we are all going to miss him...Another message of the segment was that children have to understand that they will continue to be cared for."[1]
In the episode, Big Bird thinks that Mr. Hooper will return later, but is told about the irreversibility of death. Although being reminded of already being told Mr. Hooper died, Big Bird, like many kids, shows his initial inability to comprehend this concept. But Big Bird's concern soon switches to his own needs. "He's gotta come back," Big Bird exclaimed, "Who's going to take care of the store? Who's gonna make me birdseed milkshakes and tell me stories?" The other adults reassure him that everything will be okay and he will be taken care of. Big Bird gets frustrated by these comments exclaiming "but it won't be the same". Bob addresses Big Bird's concern head-on saying "You're right, Big Bird. It'll never be the same without him. But you know something? We can all be very happy that we had a chance to be with him and to know him and to love him a lot, when he was here."
The farewell episode aired November 24, 1983 (Thanksgiving Day). Loretta Long noted, in an interview on The Tavis Smiley Show, "We were very careful to do it over the Thanksgiving holiday, where there would be a lot of adults in the house to help the children."[3]
The filming of the scene was very emotional for the cast and crew, whom had worked closely with Will Lee for 14 years. Genuine tears were present in almost all on set. "We barely got through that show," said Bob McGrath in a 2006 interview. "Any emotions you saw were real. We tried to do a pickup and we got about a minute into it and we all fell apart emotionally. It crossed over not only from PBS, but all of the networks. They all felt it was such an important show that they took the time to highlight it."[4]
Mr. Hooper's death received a lot of press and drew many viewers. Reports stated that the episode was used to stimulate discussion of death in many homes. Valeria Lovelace commented, "It was a relief to us all that the segment worked as we hoped it would. It was really scary beforehand; we didn't know for sure how it was going to turn out."[5] The episode was soon selected by the Daytime Emmys as being one of the 10 most influential moments in daytime television.
Aside from receiving critical acclaim, the episode garnered success with its target viewers. Loretta Long explained, "People come up to us and say, 'Thank you. Now we can explain what happened to grandma, what happened to grandpa.'"[3]
The episode was later adapted into the book, "I'll Miss You, Mr. Hooper" by episode writer Norman Stiles. The full, uncut version of this episode is available for viewing as part of the collection at The Museum of Television and Radio. The scene with the adults explaining Mr. Hooper's death was reelased on the DVD Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days, while Sesame Street Unpaved included a script for the scene, and portions of this scene have appeared in Sesame Street: 20 and Still Counting, Sesame Street's All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Streets Forever, Sesame Street Unpaved, A&E Biography: Sesame Street, and The Street We Live On.
The best episode we ever did was Mr. Hooper's death. Those were real tears. Will was the sweetest man.
|This episode is available for viewing, uncut, at The Paley Center for Media.
|Forgetful Jones tells Gordon about how happy he's been all day. How could he forget, he says, the simple things that make him happy?
|Jive Five
|Sesame Street Pageants
Prairie Dawn presents a pageant about feelings. Bert dresses as Cupid to represent love -- but his lines don't ring true. Instead, he sings his own song about love. He sings that to him, love means pigeons, oatmeal -- and Ernie.
(EKA: Episode 1736)
|A delivery person delivers five tall things.
(EKA: Episode 1710)
|Kids talk about building sand castles and sand structures at the beach.
|Grover, Herry, Cookie Monster and Frazzle sing "Fuzzy and Blue (and Orange)."
|J family jamboree
|J-JUMP: Big Bird and Jason urge Barkley to jump over their rope. Jason gives Barkley his end of the rope to jump over it himself, but this time when Barkley hears the command JUMP, he jumps onto Big Bird.
Cut in the Noggin version
|People jump.
(EKA: Episode 1707)
|Sand J/j
(EKA: Episode 1364)
|As a boy plays with a tugboat in the bathtub, we watch footage of a real tugboat.
|The two Chaplins open umbrellas.
|J - Jam
(First: Episode 0012)
|A boy takes dance lessons at a dance studio.
|"Sing After Me" by Grover and Madeline Kahn.
(EKA: Episode 1112)
|Don't mess with the Mighty M.
Artist: Bruce Cayard
|As Gordon watches, Big Bird walks with his head upside down, just because.
|A zookeeper feeds some polar bears sardines.
|Ernie and Bert At the Movies: Tall hat lady
(EKA: Episode 0677)
|In rhyme, a man points out animals who stole and/or ruined his clothing.
(EKA: Episode 1118)
|A Large Lavender Live Hand Anything Muppet closes everything.
|How do frogs make more frogs? The birth and growth of a frog is documented. At the very end, the fully-grown frog hops in the middle of a field and calls out, "Hey, Kermit!"
Cut in the Noggin version
|News Flash
A princess claims that she will kiss anyone who has small ears and a funny voice, is green all over, and wears a trench-coat. Kermit is the only one who fits that description, so she kisses him and, in a puff of smoke, she turns into a frog. Kermit invites her to "the hop", and she accepts.
(EKA: Episode 0952)
|A boy visits the hospital to see his mother's new baby.
(EKA: Episode 1125)
|Big Bird hears his adult friends having a conversation about Mr. & Mrs. Williams's new baby.
|Muppet & Kid Moments: Bert tells John-John that he's lost his paper clips, and he feels sad. He asks John-John to show how he looks when he feels sad. Then Bert feels angry about losing his paper clips, and John-John acts out that emotion. Bert remembers where he left his collection, and John-John acts happy, too.
(EKA: Episode 0729)
|"That's About the Size of It"
Bud Luckey
Cut in the Noggin version
(EKA: Episode 0811)
|Big Bird gives his friends pictures he drew of them. Mr. Hooper's death is revealed as Big Bird finds out that Mr. Hooper is no longer at Hooper's Store. David will fill in for Mr. Hooper but, as Bob explains, it won't be the same without him.
|A film shows parts of a flower.
Music: Vivaldi's Concerto for lute, 2 violins and continuo in D Major II - Largo
(First: Episode 0008)
|A man learns that it's better not to pick the flowers.
|Big Bird hangs the drawing of Mr. Hooper by his nest. With the adults, Mr. and Mrs. Williams show Big Bird their new baby boy, Leandro.
|Previous episode:
|Next episode:
|Episode 1836
|Episode 1845


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Cyprus's Banks Close Through Thursday and More
What's News: Cyprus's banks will remain closed through Thursday while the country debates a tax on depositors. The Wall Street Journal faces accusations of bribery in China. The Supreme Court denies Goldman Sachs's appeal over a lawsuit. Photo: AP
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... the invasion and the satanic taxed on depositors ... this is what finance at this hour on the beest live I'm Kelsey Havre ... a Cyprus the central bank sources saying that the country's banks would remain closed to through Thursday while legislators debate the proposed deposit levy as part of a possible bailout of the country's banks ... the tax applied to bank holdings of all sizes which would make it the first of its kind ... in the euro zone ... stirring up concerns about potential bank runs into Greece's parliament is expected to debate and vote on the measure Tuesday ... and The Wall Street Journal facing allegations of bribery in China ... the U S Justice Department last year opened an investigation into allegations that employees at the beest China bureau ... bribed Chinese officials for information ... the department telling Des beest parent company News Corp's outside counsel a whistleblower claims Journal employees provided gifts to officials ... the third Janata by NewsCorp found no evidence to support the claims according to government and corporate officials familiar with the case ... meantime U S Supreme Court refusing to consider an appeal by Goldman Sachs over a class action lawsuit ... the suit alleging the company provided false and misleading information about mortgage back securities that underwrote and issued ... the Supreme Court today rejecting Goldman Sachs of the IPL they did institutional investor lacks standing to bring the theme ... what did you posted on the latest news developments throughout the day on what's news here on WS J live ...


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They don't borrow much, if at all. They don't make regular deposits. Most are unemployed. They don't have credit histories. Almost all of them still live with their parents.
Not exactly your target market, right? Wrong.
Just because young consumers aren't profitable today doesn't mean they won't be tomorrow. Credit unions—and their competitors—who have foresight are throwing parties and handing out prizes just to get young consumers in the door.
Young members today represent your credit union tomorrow. Eventually they'll borrow money for college, cars, and houses. They'll get jobs and need checking accounts, savings accounts, and individual retirement accounts.
In other words, they grow up.
Along the way, they'll develop credit histories based on their financial behaviors. They'll buy insurance, make investments, and meet with financial planners to figure out how to reach their goals.
They can't do all of that—or any of that—alone. They'll need a financial institution every step of the way.
That's part of what motivates credit unions to invest in youth today, even though they don't currently generate much, if any, revenue. Building relationships with youths now is easier than waiting until they've establish financial relationships with competitors. And it all starts with education.
"The sooner you connect with them, the sooner they know what a credit union is, and the sooner you can get them involved," says Lynn Wright, marketing director at $825 million asset SAFE Federal Credit Union in Sumter, S.C. "This also means it's more likely they'll make your credit union their primary financial institution. It will become a lifelong financial partnership."
Banks aren't waiting around, cautions Leigh Brady, senior vice president of education services at $25 billion asset State Employees' Credit Union (SECU) in Raleigh, N.C. Brady points out that large banks often partner with colleges and universities to operate student account cards—stored-value cards that college students swipe at the cafeteria or the student union to pay for meals or books from prefunded accounts.
The cards feature bank logos and the campus might also include bank signage, giving these banks a significant presence in students' lives. This makes it nearly impossible to compete, says Brady.
"We're not going to buy the relationship [through a contractual agreement with colleges and universities]," Brady says. "If we don't reach them before that, however, it's difficult to reach them afterward."
Those early adult years are crucial, too. Peak borrowing begins at about age 25 and continues until 44, according to CUNA's National Member Survey. So the earlier credit unions can enroll members, the more of that early borrowing they can capture.
SECU relies on research that shows young adults stay with their first financial institutions for seven to 10 years. If those years span at least part of the decade after high school graduation, SECU could provide former youth members with all kinds of lending products: car loans, school loans, and even mortgages.
"We're not just here to give out loans," Wright says. "We're here to educate our members and help them save time and money."
Brady agrees. "We bring a lot more value to the relationship than a bank would," she says. "That's why it's important for us to get in early."
Next up: Check back to see how SECU segments its youth membership.


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How to play Quiz Game Version 1
- You will hear six questions in six segments.
- For each segment, preview the question.
- Then, play the audio for the segment.
- As the audio plays, listen for the answer.
- When the audio stops, answers the question.
- If you are correct, you move on to the next question.
- If you incorrect, you will replay the segment again.
- The goal is to reach the end by answering all questions correctly.
- Good Luck!


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Often referred to as the King of Games and the King of Sports, polo is inviting and open to all those who wish to participate, whether on the field or from the sidelines.
The love of the game embodies an enthusiasm for competition, a passion for horses and an appreciation for all those who work to bring the sport together.
The future of polo lies in raising awareness through education and participation, encouraging greater numbers of people to embrace the sport with the same fervor and devotion as those before them.
The U.S. Polo Assn. brand captures the authenticity of the sport, while reflecting its rich history and staying true to its roots in Classic American Style, updated to complement today's on-the-go lifestyle.


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From Openmoko
A project by John Moore. Contaning a Webservice and a GUI client for the OpenMoko platform.
See the Zedstar.org Ltd Blog at: http://zedstar.org/blog/
The service is available at: http://thumbtribes.mobi/
Add simple light-weight messaging
- Work on UI (improve gtk+ interface and code)
- Add more features/improve Drupal based website
- Add more features/preferences to client
- Announce site
Current Status
Have added some basic messaging to the client software (needs testing).
Simplified the user interface.
-- John


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Let us show you 'The Patrice Way' is the best way
Doug's Hospitality Recruitment Skills Found a Job for Glenn!I cannot say enough good things about Doug. He was a joy to work with and if I ever need a recruiter I will call on him. Thank You, Glenn Davis Have a Hospitality Recruitment Specialist work for you for FREE Doug's Hospitality Recruitment Skills Found a Job for Glenn!
Hospitality Recruiter "helped me land this job"I would like to say that I had the most wonderful experience working with Roberto. He was very kind and knowledgeable. He helped me pick a company that was the right for for me. He was a helping hand throughout my entire process. I know I am the one who interviewed, but Roberto's conversation and tips helped me land this job. I am so fortunate to have worked with Roberto. He was a wonderful recruiter. Career Coaches that help you for FREE Hospitality Recruiter "helped me land this job"
Hospitality Recruiters Truly Care!My experience with Roberto was wonderful. I have never gone through a recruiter before and Roberto was an amazing first experience. Roberto was very helpful and walked the experience with me. I felt like he really cared and truly happy for me when I got the job. I would definitely recommend Roberto to anyone who wants to feel like someone is going through the process with them he made me feel like he was genuine! Thank you Roberto! -Arleen Roberts What kinds of jobs does a Hospitality Recruitment Specialist have for me? Hospitality Recruiters Truly Care!
Let a Hospitality Recruiter Find You a Job!My experience with Patrice and Associates has been the best experience ever, while listening to my needs and making them happen has been a journey of wonderful opportunities. Thank you Daniel Avery. It's been a blast working with you and you turned my mountain into a mole hill. -Joleen Phelps How to work with a recruitment specialist Let a Hospitality Recruiter Find You a Job!
Hospitality Recruiters Can Help You with Your Resume!Ken Welch did an amazing job helping me find new job opportunities. He helped me build up my resume and even got me ready for potential interviews. He kept me updated constantly and before I knew it, I had many options of restaurants I could send my resume to. With his help, I got the job at my first choice and now I can't wait to be their new manager. It was a very easy process and I thank Ken for all his help. Sincerely, Rich Fletcher What kinds of jobs does a Hospitality Recruitment Specialist have for me? Hospitality Recruiters Can Help You with Your Resume!


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This sign graces the side of one of the old, decaying buildings near the Fostoria Ohio train depot.
posted by Unknown @ 6:00 AM
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I was poking around the net one afternoon when I discovered the PhotoBlog. Well, this is a great concept! I must have one! Well, now I have one. Enjoy.
More sites featuring Darryl Wattenberg's Photos: Darryl Wattenberg's Michigan Train Watchers Darryl's Photos
Learn more about Photography: The Digital Photography Show Podcast LightSource Podcast This Week in Photography Podcast Tips From the Top Floor Podcast
The Official Nikonians Webring
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.


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Rabies threat always present in Front Range, health experts say
Editor's Note: Due to technical problems, a blog post from last week about an Englewood woman and her dying dog — who survived — was not available for all readers of Fetch.
Skunk rabies appears to have slowed its migration into the Front Range and Denver metro area, a health official says.
But he warns that it's not time to drop our guards or skip rabies shots for pets.
"Overall we do feel skunk rabies is endemic — always present — in the outskirts of the Denver metro area," said Dr. Richard Vogt, executive director of the Tri-County Health Department, which covers Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties
"This is the time it tends to come out," he said. "Skunks are mating and moving around more."
But state Health Department figures show the incidence of the feared disease in skunks in Colorado has been lighter. While there were 75 skunk "positives" in 2010, there had been only seven as of April 23 this year, Vogt said.


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Earlier this week Chanel hosted a dinner to open the NYC exhibit of the 80th Anniversary of the Chanel 1932 Bijoux de Diamants. I've been searching online to see as many pieces as possible and though I haven't found all eighty, I have found some dazzling pieces that are exquisite. Taking inspiration from the things that inspired Coco Chanel, the collection features the sun, comets, feathers, fringes and ribbons/knots. The jewelry is mesmerizing and I've been looking at it all day and can look at it for days to come. I also came across some great videos including one featuring actual footage of the 1932 collection. The voice over is in French but there are some great shots in there. Enjoy!
1932, naissance de Chanel Joaillerie by VOGUEPARIS
Photo Sources
Beauty Daily
Refinery 29
Vogue France
T Magazine


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2007 Lot 1
The 2007 Lot 1 is our tenth vintage of this unusual wine that began as an imaginary combination during a blending trial. Several years ago, Eric & Phillip were tasting and talking their way through small lots of Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot. Tasting slowed and conversation digressed while Eric and Phillip wondered what would happen if we combined these two powerhouse varietals?
Petite Sirah is dark and inky in color, with a hearty, voluptuous texture, and characters of blackberry and black pepper. Petit Verdot shows deep, purpley colour, with a full body, firm tannins and notes of exotic florals, spicy perfume and mineral. Rarely produced as a varietal wine, Petit Verdot is generally blended into Cabernet Sauvignon based wines. Both grapes have their place, but traditionally not in the same bottle. Would blending them together be madness…….or……genius? With an established track record of extraordinary accolades and a very loyal following, we think you'll agree, that it's decidedly a bit of both.
Our 2007 grape crop exhibited many high quality wine indicators as a result of the year's lower rainfall, early bloom, timely veraison and moderate temperatures. The limited amount of vine stress due to low rainfall over the winter and a solid, warm summer without a lot of heat spikes fostered even grape ripening. The cluster shapes and berry sizes looked ideal. The crop was smaller, with lighter clusters, smaller berries, and thicker skins lending a tannic bite that will yield wines with exceptional structure and age-worthiness. There was an ideal mix of well ripened and just-right berries with very little variation. We expected a short, furious harvest; however, it ended up being one of the longer ones starting September 14th and ending on October 15th..
Our family vineyard, located on the valley floor just north of St. Helena on the Silverado Trail, possesses well-drained, sandy, alluvial soils and is characterized by its ability to produce complex wines with well-defined fruit flavors, gentle acids and naturally balanced tannins. The Cabernet Sauvignon vines vary in age. They were most recently planted between the years 1996 to 2001 and are a combination of the 337 and See clones. Further north, our Ehlers Lane Vineyard consists of a stony, dry streambed and a knoll composed of thin gravelly soil over hard volcanic ash. Planted entirely to Cabernet Sauvignon these infertile soils produce low yields of grapes with concentrated flavors.
Following harvest, the grapes were de-stemmed but not crushed, allowing increased control over tannin extraction by minimizing the possibility of broken skins and split seeds. Following a 48-hour cold soak to extract color and flavor, the grapes were fermented for 10 days, with punch-downs occurring twice daily. The free-run was transferred to French and American oak barrels, where it then aged for 22 months and was bottled without filtering. The Petite Sirah provides a base of spice and rich extract, the Petite Verdot adds structure and concentrated berry fruit, and the Zinfandel adds a note of lush briar.
Detailed Wine Information
Vineyard Manager: Eric Titus
Winemaker: Phillip Titus
Appellation: Napa Valley
Blend: 70% Petite Sirah, 25% Petit Verdot, 5% Zinfandel
Harvest Dates: October 2007
Barrel Aging: 22 months, 50% new barrels (100% French)
Bottled: August 2009
Cases Produced: 105
Alcohol: 14.9%
Release Date: November 15, 2010


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How do you study for the SAT?
Your SAT prep strategy can mean the difference between a great score and a mediocre score, as well as the difference between being accepted to or rejected by your school of choice. The Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) is a college entrance exam that measures a student's knowledge and understanding of what they have learned up to this point in school and what they need to succeed in college. In addition to arming students with the knowledge they need to excel in the math, reading and writing components of the test, SAT prep can help improve scores by teaching students crucial strategies for taking the test itself. Professional SAT prep tutors can work with students one-on-one or in group sessions. Typically, tutors recommend that students who are comfortable and caught up with their regular schooling begin SAT prep at least three months before the test. If you're targeting an elite school, six months before the test is a good time to begin. Students who are behind in school are advised to start early to ensure they're caught up and feeling confident in all the relevant subjects. Suggestions for long-term SAT prep include taking challenging high school courses, completing all homework assignments, preparing for class tests and quizzes, and participating in class by asking and answering questions. There are free SAT prep training tools online; for those who'd like a one-on-one tutor to take them to the next level, the national average rate is $70 per hour.
What is ACT test prep?
The ACT is a college entrance exam taken by students (typically in their junior year of high school) to determine admission eligibility and merit-based scholarship eligibility. The test may be taken as many times as desired and is not limited to high school juniors. Originally the acronym stood for American College Testing, but now ACT is the stand-alone name. ACT prep is a way for students to strategically prepare for test-taking. ACT prep helps students improve scores, practice taking the test, learn test-taking strategies, and improve material comprehension. Students can get help with ACT prep tutors in one-on-one sessions, via group tutoring lessons, in online self-study programs, or online with a tutor in video calls. The ACT test covers:
- English
- Science understanding and reasoning
- Math
- Reading
- Writing essay (optional)
How do I prepare for the GMAT?
If you're thinking of enrolling in graduate school to earn your MBA, it's time to start thinking about preparing for the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT). Working with a GMAT tutor is for many people a wise investment to help you strengthen the academic areas you may be weak in and improving your overall test score. A GMAT prep tutor should teach you not only the kind of information you need to know for the test, but the best test-taking strategies. The GMAT tests you on four categories: quantitative, verbal, integrated reasoning, and an analytical writing assessment. Cramming is probably not going to give you good results for this standardized test; give yourself between two and six months to prepare, focusing on your most challenging areas first. Successful GMAT prep means planning ahead and studying thoroughly. Those students who reported studying under 75 hours were more likely to score 400 or lower on the test, while students who studied 121 hours or more were more likely to score 700 or higher on the test. Hiring a GMAT prep tutor can range in price from under $50 to over $200 per hour.
How do you find a good math tutor?
Math home tutors are available for any age student, from elementary school to postgraduate studies. Rates will vary based on the tutor's background, education and experience. To find a good math tutor, first determine your learning goals. Do you need help understanding and completing homework assignments? Are you preparing for the math portion of a standardized test? Next, read reviews from current and former students. Find someone with proven success helping students achieve their goals. If you want help on an ongoing basis, decide what your budget is and identify the tutors who fall within your range. Ask if there are additional fees for travel, as some home math tutors include travel costs in their rates and others charge extra. Ask about session length and the tutor's teaching style, and whether they also offer online sessions or group sessions. Finally, schedule a single session with each of the math tutors you think are best to see who is the best fit.
How do you prepare for the ACT?
The ACT is a universally accepted college readiness exam. There are multiple ways to prepare for the exam. One-on-one ACT prep tutoring is one of the most effective ways for students to ready themselves for the test. A tutor who specializes in ACT prep will coach the student on the type of material they can expect while also working specifically with topics that are more challenging for that particular student. Group tutoring sessions are a more cost-effective way to reap the benefits of an ACT prep instructor; a suggestion is to gather a group of four friends or classmates to share the cost. Professional tutors often recommend that test prep begin approximately three months prior to the exam. Cramming — unfortunately — doesn't provide the same score results as consistent study, test-related homework, and practice exams do. Weekly two-hour learning sessions are what many pro tutors suggest for their college exam prep students. For top test-taking performance, tutors usually provide work throughout the week and the weekly session is used to cement knowledge and address weak areas. Math is a hard topic for most students, so plan accordingly.


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All sessions of the VWBPE 2020 Conference are held in Second Life®. All times are in SLT (PST).
You may access this time zone converter for your local time: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html.
Add these events to your personal calendar! To add all VWBPE conference events to your calendar, scroll down to the bottom of the calendar, find the "Subscribe" button and click on it. You will find options to add to your Google, Outlook or Apple calendar. To add individual events, click the event and find the "Subscribe" button on that page. You don't have to miss any events at VWBPE!
In most of the United States, Daylight Saving Time is in effect as of 8 March 2020. Canada does not observe DST in 2020. Is your location affected? Check this page to find out when (and if) Daylight Saving Time begins for you.
Presenters: Valerie Hill (SL: Valibrarian Gregg), Peninsula College; Breiana Theodore (SL: Jodie Landon); Mary Pat Lynch (SL: Aoife Lorefield)
Description: The Dickens Project, a virtual simulation of A Christmas Carol and the life and times of Charles Dickens built by Seanchai Library, has been held annually in Second Life for six years. The Community Virtual Library partnered with Seanchai Library for the past three years to enhance the educational simulation with research and the Urchins of London game was added in 2018. The collaborative process illustrates best practices for virtual world learning.
Participants will observe successful virtual world collaboration for deep learning across distance.
Participants will interact with librarians, educators, and artists working together.
Accessibility: Voice and SpeakEasy HUD Tool


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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Ivy League has announced the names of 80 student-athletes – including 10 from Harvard – who have been named to the winter 2013-14 Academic All-Ivy League team.
The honorees are starters or key reserves on officially recognized varsity teams who have cumulative grade-point averages of at least 3.0. Each of the eight Ivy League schools nominates five men and five women from it eligible student-athletes.
The 2014 Ivy League Player of the Year, Ali Farag of the men's squash team garnered Academic All-Ivy status after claiming his second individual crown and helping his team to its 31st national title and first since 1998. The Cairo, Egypt, native posted a perfect, 20-0, mark during the season. Farag, an engineering science concentrator, was also the recipient of the 2014 Skillman Award.
Junior James Fox, a psychology concentrator and a member of the wrestling team, was a unanimous selection to the All-Ivy first team. Fox posted a 15-11 overall record, including a 10-2 mark in dual meets, to qualify for the NCAA tournament for the third time in his career. The Plainfield, N.J., native went undefeated against Ivy League opponents and placed sixth at the Keystone Classic.
Mike Mosca, a history and science concentrator from Tenafly, N.J., was named the Karl B. Michael High Point Diver of the Meet at the Ivy League Championships after winning the one- and three-meter diving titles as Harvard went on to capture its 23rd Ancient Eight crown. The junior also garnered All-America honors on the three-meter board.
Michael Woo, who hails from Wayne, N.J., and is a computer science concentrator, garnered an All-Ivy first team selection and All-America honorable mention accolade after finishing second at the Ivy League Round-Robins to help the Crimson capture its eighth Ivy League title. The foil fencer, osted a 58-25 overall record, to take home silver at the NCAA Northeast Regionals before placing ninth at the NCAA Championships.
Chris Stock, a senior from Lincoln, Mass., was one of three Harvard Nordic skiers to qualify for the NCAA Championships. A mathematics concentrator, Stock was named to the USCSCA National Collegiate All-Academic Ski Team.
Christine Clark, a senior on the women's basketball team, and a psychology concentrator, was a first-team All-Ivy selection after leading the league in scoring with 16.5 points per game. The senior guard registered double-figures in all but two games and 20-plus points in 11 games. Hailing from Tucson, Ariz., Clark was also a Capital One CoSIDA Academic All-District 1 team honoree.
Adabelle Ekechukwu of the Crimson women's indoor track and field squad was named the Most Outstanding Performance in the field at the Ivy League Heptagonal Indoor Championships. A product of Oak Brook, Ill., Ekechukwu, a history & science concentrator, was a first-team All-Ivy selection after winning the weight throw event with a toss of 20.81 meters to help the Crimson take its second straight Ivy League title.
Aliya Itzkowitz, a sophomore on the women's fencing team, and a South Asian studies concentrator, garnered All-America and All-Ivy first team honors after finishing second at the NCAA Championships with a 20-3 record, the best mark out of any female entrant at the national championship. The London, England, native claimed silver at the NCCA Northeast Regional.
After winning Co-Ivy League Player of the Year and ECAC Goaltender of the Year, Emerance Maschmeyer of the women's ice hockey team finished the season in the top-10 in the nation in saves, save percentage and goals against average. The Bruderheim, Alberta, Canada native, is a sociology concentrator. Maschmeyer was a Patty Kazmaier Top-10 Finalist, earned second team AHCA All-America honors.
Junior Haley Mendez, who hails from Brooklyn, N.Y., finished 12-3 overall at the No. 2 position while helping Harvard to its 19th Ivy League title. The human evolutionary biology concentrator earned CSA first-team All-America honors and was a unanimous selection to the All-Ivy team. Mendez advanced to the quarterfinals of the CSA Individual Championships.
The Ivy League will publish one final edition of the Academic All-Ivy League team during the 2013-14 academic year, following the end of spring competition.
Winter 2013-14 Academic All-Ivy League Team
Harvard Selections
Christine Clark, Women's Basketball (Sr., Psychology, Tucson, Ariz.)
Adabelle Ekechukwu, Women's Track and Field (Sr., Neurobiology, Oak Brook, Ill.)
Aliya Itzkowitz, Women's Fencing (So., South Asian studies, London,England)
Emerance Maschmeye, Women's Ice Hockey (So., Sociology, Bruderheim, Alberta, Canada)
Haley Mendez Women's Squash (Jr., Human Evolutionary Biology, Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Ali Farag, Men's Squash (Sr., Engineering Science, Cairo, Egypt)
James Fox, Wrestling (Jr., Psychology, Plainfield, N.J.)
Mike Mosca, Men's Swimming and Diving (Jr., History and Science, Tenafly, N.J.)
Chris Stock, Men's Nordic Skiing (Sr., Mathematics, Lincoln, Mass.)
Michael Woo, Men's Fencing (Sr., Computer Science, Wayne, N.J.)


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How to use Primedinners-Gastronomy Profile
New Gastronomy Member-quick FAQ (ENG)
What is Primedinners?
Primedinners.com is The platform for Quality, with focus on all Quality in life, Business, Travel and Gastronomy.
Primedinners is the platform for sharing the quality moments in life, doing quality business, travel experiences and finding quality gastronomy.
'Create new business, show travel experiences, find quality gastronomy, connect, promote, follow, rate, blog, buy quality and share it with all quality members worldwide.'
Your guide in the world of Quality.
Our mission
Support all Quality life has to offer. To give people acces to all quality anyplace, anywhere and anytime. The platform supports all quality gastronomy in more than 100 countries and is 100% without charge! Primedinners is a completely independent platform and support: all gastronomy industry organizations, Michelin rating, Relais & Chateaux, World's 50 best etc. PD also offers a selection of quality gastronomy: "Prime selection" & "Quality places.
Do I need anything special to use it?
All you need to use Primedinners platform is an internet connection. Once you're in, begin customize your profile and connect with other members.
How do I Sign up?
Before you can Register/Sign up to Primedinners, you need to choose between the different Member profile accounts we offer; Person, Company or Gastronomy. After your selection you can easily create an profile account. You can complete your profile after the obligatory verification. Read more about register at Primedinners platform.
How do I customize my profile?
We advise filling in the required and non-required information as completely as possible and/or to adjust your settings in order to make it as easy as possible to make contact with other members, your guests and potential guests. (The settings for 'About Me' are required.)
How do visitors find my Gastronomy?
We developed world's largest Gastronomy search engine for all Quality Gastronomy worldwide. We have selected quality gastronomy in approximately 100 countries. We divide gastronomy in "Top Gastronomy" and "Quality Places". The Top Gastronomy are among the best in the world. The Quality Places are places you really must visited. Visitors can search for your gastronomy with very specific characteristics and by many criteria. This search engine will help visitors find your gastronomy better, simpler and quicker anywhere anytime. Read more about Gastronomy search engine.
How do I promote my Products?
Gastronomy profiles are able to promote and manage their products. You can add new products, edit products or delete products. In the online shop Members can make unlimited purchases of quality products from Gastronomy places within the Primedinners platform. Members no longer need to wait, all quality products worldwide are within easy reach. All Members can Search and make unlimited purchases of quality products.
How do members order my Products?
In the Web shop Members can make unlimited purchases of quality products from Gastronomy places within the Primedinners platform. Only Primedinners Members can order products. When a member click on the "Click and Order" button, the needed Member data will be filled in automatically, we will send the Member data related to the order to the supplier.
The supplier and customer will receive an order confirmation by email. Payments of webshop products are made directly between the consumer and the supplier. Primedinners is not a party in the sale. The handling and delivery of the order is further carried out by the supplier. Read more about web shop.
How can I receive reservations?
If the you have not enabled reservation management, they will not be able to access the reservation controls. Only by email or by phone.
You can easily enable reservation management on the configuration tab. Once enabled, all reservation configuration can be manage from one place. Read more about reservation management.
How do I use the PD reservation widget?
Gastronomy can incorporate the Primdinners reservation widget into their own websites by including the unique link supplied on demand on the third tab in the reservations management module. Primedinners online reservation system & widget :
- Customize your reservation settings and terms
- Select your widget style; dark or light version
- Copy the Widget Code and add it to your website
- Place the reservation widget near the top of your home page
How do I manage my Menus
Gastronomy can add and manage menus, a la carte and signature dishes to their Gastronomy profile. Additionally, the Gastronomy owner can upload videos or photos showcasing the menu item. Read more about manage Menus.
How and why do I use Blog/Cogiere service/Conference Service/Restaurant-Chef Service?
Blog and Services are carrying the latest news and tips around and about your gastronomy. Blogs help inform and educate your audience real time, from reporting things to do in the neighborhood, special offers, chefs stories, conference possibilities, weddings & events etc.
Gastronomy blogs does two very important things. First, it puts a 'face' on your gastronomy place, helping guests understand more about your gastronomy in general. Second, it promotes your gastronomy place.
How can I share a News item?
Gastronomy profiles are able to manage and create News items. We offer the possibility to also share News items directly via your your linked social media channels. You also prepare a news items and schedule it to be published at a different date/time.
How do I find people to connect?
When you create an profile account, you can search for members by name or import/invite your contacts. Read more about connection request.
What does it mean to connect with a member?
Connecting a member means you've chosen to subscribe to their timeline post-updates. When you make a connection, every time the connection post a new update, it will appear on your Primetime (home page). Read more about Primetime page.
Where can I see my connections?
After you have made a connection, the member is listed in your connections overview. See a list of your connections by clicking on "Connection tab" on your profile page or at manage profile. At Manage profile you can find current connections and also new connections.
Are there connection limits?
Primedinners platform has no limits in order of our verified members.
Who reads my timeline updates?
"Prime Moments" are your timeline updates about your quality moments which you want to share within the verified worldwide Primedinners platform for Quality. Updates are always visible to your page visitors, connections and other verified Primedinners Quality Members.
Read more about 'prime moment' updates.
How can I post timeline updates?
You can add a update from your own Primetime page (Home page) Read more about how to post a Prime Moment update.
Can I edit a timeline update once I've posted it?
You can edit or update your post. Go to your Personal profile (My profile) or to the Primetime timeline (Home page) and go to the update you want to edit. Click the edit "Pencil" icon in the top- right of your update. Make your changes and then click "Edit Post". Read more about a Prime Moment update.
What is my Primetime page?
Primetime page is your own personal Home Page/ dashboard. All Members have their own personal Primetime page based on your connection network and interests. On your Primetime page you can see all the latest updates specially selected for you; Timeline, Private messages, Popular products, Events, News.
What is my Primeline?
My Primetime is your personal timeline on your own personal profile page (My Profile). Here you can see your own posts "Prime moments", moments you have shared from connections and moments you are tagged in organized by the date they were posted. You can delete or edit "Prime moments" updates on your Primeline, New updates can be post from your Primtime page (Home). Read more about My primeline.
What are Private Messages?
You can send a Private Message to your own connections or to other Members within the platfrom. Private Messages to your connections are sent between you and one connection or multiple connections. Private Messages to other Members are sent between you and only one specific Member. Messages can be sent if there are questions about updates and business interests or in order to receive more information about a product or service. Read more about private messages.
How do I use Chat?
You can send a Chat Message for free worldwide to your connections who are also online.
When you open a conversation, you will see a conversation that includes all your messages along with your entire chat history. Chat Messages to your connections are sent directly between you and only one of your connections. Select the member you want to chat with in the Chat Box at the bottom-right corner. Or start a conversation by clicking on the "text balloon" icon in a connections update (on the Primetime timeline). Connections with a green dot next to their names are online and available to chat. Read more about Chat.
What's a Share?
You have seen a post on a members timeline and share it on your own timeline. A private message to that effect is sent to the original poster. The post is now on your own timeline and on the timeline of the person to whom you have sent the message. Read more about sharing updates.
What's a Tag?
Members can also mention Gastronomy places by tagging them. Gastronomy members can control whether an update in which they have tagged them is displayed via the section "Recently added Member photos" and on their own profile account. The Gastronomy member has the choice not to share a update on their time line, the Gastronomy member can click the "Stop Sharing" link.
How do I report spam?
Primedinners is a verified platform. That means all members are checked and are no robots. If you do see spam or non quality updates, we encourage you to always report spammers at our customer service center.
Where can I find out more information about the Terms of Conditions?
Primedinners's General Terms is posted in the footer and in our FAQ, and the Primedinners Platform conditions are posted in FAQ-Terms.
How do I submit a complaint?
Review our Terms to find out what constitutes a violation, and how to go about fixing a related problem.
Inquiries and feedback?
We welcome all your inquiries and feedback. Please contact our customer service center.


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Hmmm... we've been home a week and things are going so smooth it's scary. Is it wrong of me to think that at some point the other shoe will drop? I know that I haven't been at this long, but I think the jump from 1 to 2 kids was waaaaaay harder than the skip over to 3 kids- adopted or not.
Sadie pretty much thinks that Miles is a real live baby doll sent here just for her to squeeze on and take care of. She does an excellent job. She practically begs me to let her feed Miles and play with him. She has even set up her bedroom as "the nursery". She'll yell down the steps, "Moooooom (sound familiar to anyone?)- the nursery is open for business!" This is my cue to take him upstairs to be babysat. She even makes me sign him in on her sign in sheet- complete with information about where I'll be (ummm, down the hall?) just in case she needs me. And Miles just eats this up! He trusts Sadie completely and loves being left alone with her for short periods of time. Plus- Sadie gets to feel like the most rockin' big sister ever!
Noah is a different story. Noah has always been our kiddo who just needs some extra attention. Now that Sadie is directing all her attention to her new little brother, I think Noah is feeling a bit left out. We've been trying to compensate all over the place but I can tell the adjustment is hitting him hardest. I know it's difficult for him to no longer be the baby, but I didn't think that middle child syndrome would kick in as quickly as it has. Don't get me wrong- he loves Miles and plays great with him, but I've heard a lot of, "Mom just play with me for a little while" and "Mom- carry me instead of baby Miles." Miles is typically content to be put down so I can give Noah all the cuddles he needs, but still I know that Noah's world has been turned upside down. I see lots of one-on-one dates with mom and dad in that boy's future.
Miles is picking up all kinds of new skills. The longer that he is here, the more I begin to wonder if he might be even older than the estimated 12 months. He has awesome motor skills and can even stand on one leg and kick a ball. I'm pretty sure my other kids couldn't do that until way later. Or maybe it's just the Congolese soccer star trying to come out in him! He has even started to sleep a little better in the last few days- only waking up once or twice in the night instead of 320 times. He eats great and is just the happiest little boy. He reminds us both of an old man. He just has some wise old ways and is so deliberate with all his movements. Of all the kids- he is by far the calmest one. Thank you Jesus for finally giving me chilled out baby! Our main problem with him is getting rid of these stupid parasites in his stomach. The boy has a bad case of giardia from drinking bad water his whole life. It took the lab 4 days to figure that out for some reason and it has so far taken the pharmacy 4 days to get the medication ordered. (Collecting all those poop samples has been the highlight of motherhood for me, let me tell you! Lots of dry heaving was involved) Hopefully we'll finally get to start treating it this afternoon so the kid can stop exploding. And by exploding I really do mean exploding. As in- it's about 8 AM and he is already on his 4th set of clothes for the day. This is a problem that Miles has had since the day I met him. It is much easier to deal with here in the US where I have a washing machine and running water. In Congo, these spontaneous poop combustions were a nightmare- except for one time that turned out to be the most humorous part of the trip...
Did you notice the fabulous Congolese dress I had on in the pictures of my visit to the orphanage? The dress was bought out of serious necessity! When we went to the market to buy the beans to take to the orphanage, Miles had the worst blowout in blowout history. Unfortunately, he was on my lap when this happened. To say that I was covered in poop would be the understatement of the century. It went from my knees to my chest. Yep- I was knee deep in it. I had a change of clothes for the baby, but nothing for myself. After about 3 minutes in the heat, flies were beginning to swarm all around me. We were at a food market and there was no clothing to be bought. Once the driver got a good look at me, he drove us to the closest street vendor selling dresses. I walked up to the lady selling her wares in all my poopy glory. I could see in her eyes she didn't want me anywhere near her goods. I made some gestures to her that I obviously needed to get something to change into. She grabbed something off her display and drug me by the hand back into this abandoned building. She took me into a room the was all empty and concrete and shut the door. This was maybe not the smartest move I ever made, but seriously- a girl covered in flies and parasitic diarrhea will do whatever necessary! Once we were in the room together the woman just kept staring at me. She didn't say anything- obviously she knew it wouldn't do any good to talk to me since we didn't speak a word of the same language. This staring at each other game went on for a good while. Finally I didn't know what else to do, so I just stripped. When I say stripped, I mean everything- because I was poop soaked all the way through my skivvies. Then the woman made some sort of gesture with her hands that alluded to "the girls". I'd like to think she was paying them a compliment, but more likely she was thinking something like, "Wow- I've never seem anything that white. Those are so white you can almost see through them!" or "Man- those things are seriously droopy! Poor stupid American!" Once I was naked, more staring. Really- when someone is staring at you naked, 5 seconds can feel like an eternity! I was starting to think, "Ummm, maybe getting buck in an abandoned building with a strange lady in Congo was NOT the right thing to do."
So after standing there completely exposed for a good while while the lady took me and all my lily whiteness in- she finally slipped the new dress over my head. It was enormous, but after the whole experience, I didn't really care or want to try to bargain for a smaller one. And that is the story of how I came to be the owner of my native Congolese duds.
It is like that nightmare where you are standing naked and people are making fun of you. Only add in the third world and tons of poop and that about sums up the experience. Yep- good time in Africa!
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The Buzz of New Beginnings
By Ralf Dahm
Rigging up a new life abroad can be revitalizing
Rigging up a new life abroad can be revitalizing
Why do scientists move around so much? There are of course the obvious reasons: to work at a prestigious institution, to join the lab of a top scientist or to explore a new field. But moving to a different country also brings many non-scientific rewards—and can be a lot of fun.
Doing science and moving abroad have a lot in common. There's the excitement of discovering something new and the thrill of the unexpected; the frustration when things don't work out as planned (or not at all); the improvisation needed to overcome sudden obstacles; and there are the helpful strangers who, like good supervisors or friendly colleagues, find themselves in a position to help and don't hesitate to do so. Some years ago, I experienced a memorable episode that illustrates how finding yourself in a foreign country can be both challenging and great fun. And how just approaching people can make all the difference.
It was my fifth day living in Madrid, Spain—a Saturday. With the exception of a mattress and a suitcase full of clothes, my flat was still largely empty. So I had set out to buy the essentials for my new home. Not speaking Spanish, what had appeared as a routine task quickly turned out to be no slight challenge. I had chosen a large, out-of-town department store and was particularly looking forward to exploring the food section with its trove of Mediterranean specialities. With huge offerings of traditional Spanish ham, Rioja wines and Manchego cheeses, buying food indeed turned out to be fantastic.
But then the tricky bit began. While most food packaging had pictures of what was inside, this was not true for the more mundane goods I was after. How do you guess from a breaking wave whether you're looking at dish soap or mouthwash? Having left my dictionary safely at home, I resorted to pantomime, trying to enact the various tasks I needed products for. I was soon the center of attention for a growing group of shop assistants and various well-meaning fellow shoppers who—in a supreme collaborative effort—attempted to divine what I was trying to mime. A particular highlight came when I started to explain that I required a toilet brush. When, after a good while of wild guessing and various creative efforts on my part (all while trying to preserve some dignity), they finally understood, we were crying with laughter and very nearly embraced each other in relief.
After a solid five hours—my unbeaten record for grocery shopping—I had finally managed to get all I wanted. In the process I had likely done my bit to dispel the myth that Germans are a stiff bunch (they are, of course, but not when buying toilet brushes abroad). My salad was beginning to show signs of fatigue after a long time out of its air-conditioned display, so I decided it was time to go home. However, that was easier said than done. I had come by bus, but now I was pushing a trolley overflowing with stuff that needed to go home with me. There was no way I could haul 12 crammed carrier bags to the bus stop, keep them secure during the ride and then drag them all the way to my flat. I needed a taxi. To my dismay I found no taxi stand outside the shop, and even though I waited for a good 20 minutes, not a single one drove past.
By this point I was exhausted. I hadn't eaten in a while, and despite the fun of miming kitchen utensils, not being able to just grab what you want off a shelf can be tiring. And that's when one of those incidents occurred that sometimes happen in a foreign land. Just when you think you've had enough, you encounter a stranger so selflessly helpful that all seems okay again. Earlier in my life, when I was a summer student in Montréal, it had been a fellow lab member who put me up in her flat when my dorm room was unexpectedly canceled; then there was the father of another student who tracked down the janitor of the students' hall one Sunday night in Dundee after I had just arrived (very late) from Germany to start my MSc and had no key to get in.
In this case, the helpful stranger was a young Peruvian woman who was sitting in a car nearby, waiting for her husband to return from some impromptu shopping. I approached her to ask if she could call me a taxi (I had by then found out that Madrid's taxi offices don't look kindly upon those who do not speak their language and fail to state clearly where they are). But after a quick look at my face, my shopping cart and then my face again, she simply replied in excellent English "Where do you need to go?" I told her and she said that they would drive me home. So we heaved my shopping into her car (the salad was in a lamentable shape by now) and soon after, when her husband returned, drove off.
That evening back in my unfurnished flat I reflected on moving abroad as part of one's career as a scientist. Science has always been international. Right from the founding of the earliest universities, these institutions have attracted scholars from different countries. But the world around the small community of scientists has changed. When my mother announced in 1958 that she was going to live in France for a year, her grandfather thundered, "One only enters France with a sword in one's hand." When I left for Scotland four decades later, I was given a long hug, a guide to Scottish castles and distilleries and enough provisions to last me for a week.
Studying and working abroad is, of course, still fraught with difficulties. On top of language and cultural barriers there are administrative obstacles: courses and degrees that are not recognized or payments to pension funds and insurances that cannot be transferred. But the thrill of venturing abroad and the friendly strangers will hopefully remain, helping you overcome those obstacles you would not have faced at home—and making your move all the more worthwhile.
This text is based on an essay that won the 2009 Write Move Prize awarded by the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO).
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Tricks of the pumpkin carving trade: Maniac Pumpkin Carvers of NYC share theirs
It was the art pumpkins that did me in. Yeah, we're Denver and we're Colorado and we're totally hyperlocal, but sometimes, you've got to give these boys from the Big Apple their due: Can they ever carve.
The Associated Press' Jennifer Forker nabbed tips on pumpkin choosing, pumpkin carving and pumpkin preserving – all of them in Saturday's Home section – from Maniacs Marc Evan and Chris Soria; Alex Wer of Sacramento, Calif.; and Scott Cummins, who teaches middle-school art in Perryton, Texas. You'll learn how you, too, can achieve those amazing layered light effects.