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Behavior Modification In The Classroom
By Nancy Mather and Sam Goldstein
Behavior modification assumes that observable and measurable behaviors are good targets for change. All behavior follows a set of consistent rules. Methods can be developed for defining, observing, and measuring behaviors, as well as designing effective interventions. Behavior modification techniques never fail. Rather, they are either applied inefficiently or inconsistently, which leads to less than desired change. All behavior is maintained, changed, or shaped by the consequences of that behavior. Although there are certain limits, such as temperamental or emotional influences related to ADHD or depression, all children function more effectively under the right set of consequences. Reinforcers are consequences that strengthen behavior. Punishments are consequences that weaken behavior. Students' behaviors are managed and changed by the consequences of classroom behavior. To manage behavior through consequences, use this multi-step process:
- The problem must be defined, usually by count or description.
- Design a way to change the behavior.
- Identify an effective reinforcer.
- Apply the reinforcer consistently to shape or change behavior.
Consequences of behavior are directly related to the events that either come immediately before or after them. Table 4.2 provides examples of behavioral outcomes as they relate to various events.
Reinforcement and punishment follow a clear set of basic principles:
- reinforcement or punishment always follows behavior,
- reinforcement or punishment follows the target behavior as soon as possible,
- reinforcement or punishment fits the target behavior and must be meaningful to the child, and
- multiple reinforcers, or punishments are likely more effective than single reinforcers or punishments.
Although reinforcement and punishment can be equally effective in reducing specific target behaviors in the classroom, reinforcement is by far more effective in helping children develop alternative, more functional behaviors. When Jeremy was in third grade, his teacher instituted a procedure in which he would receive a tally mark if she looked over and saw that he was tipping back in his chair. She placed 4 Xs under each chair leg to remind him not to lean ba
ck. A more positive approach would be to let Jeremy earn a tally mark each time she looked over and saw that all four legs were down. This would reinforce the desired behavior. It is important to always begin with a number of reinforcing strategies before resorting to punishment as a means of reducing unwanted or aversive classroom behaviors.
Schedules define and identify the amount of work required or the time that must elapse between reinforcers. Some schedules are continuous, providing a reinforcement or punishment every time the target behavior occurs. Fixed or variable interval schedules are time related, and fixed or variable ratio schedules are related to how much work is completed. Fixed schedules result in higher rates of performance than continuous schedules. In classroom settings, most teachers use fixed ratio interval schedules. They are effective because the child knows exactly what is expected and the requirements of performance are clearly spelled out. Keep in mind that variable schedules are not as good for shaping new behaviors but are excellent for maintaining well-learned behaviors.
A simple system to evaluate the most common classroom problems (e.g. talking out, being out of the seat, not focusing or paying attention, disruptive behavior) appears in Figure 4.4. Information obtained is usually observed at 15-second intervals. If any of the behaviors occur, whether once or more than once, a single notation is made for that interval.
Positive reinforcement
The appropriate application of positive reinforcement has repeatedly been demonstrated to increase both on-task behavior and work completion (for reviews, see Barkley, 1990; DuPaul & Stoner, 1994; Goldstein, 1995; and Walker & Walker, 1991). In the early elementary school grades, teachers exhibit a significant degree of positive reinforcement for desired behaviors (White, 1975). That is, when a desired behavior is exhibited, teachers frequently respond with a consequence that is likely to increase the reoccurrence of that behavior. Jeremy's first-grade teacher offered frequent praise when he was sitting quietly in his seat.
By middle elementary school and through secondary school, however, teachers begin paying increasingly greater attention to undesirable behaviors and less attention to appropriate behaviors. Unfortunately, paying attention to the undesirable behavior causes it to cease in the short run but occur more frequently in the long run.
Children with ADHD may often be more interested in tasks other than those on which the teacher is focusing (Douglas, 1972). This leads to significantly more nonproductive activity and uneven, unpredictable classroom behavior. Interestingly, the overall rates of negative teacher-child interactions involving typical students are also higher in classrooms containing children with ADHD (Campbell, Endman, & Bernfeld, 1977). According to reports, teachers are more intense and controlling when interacting with children with ADHD. Within school settings, children with ADHD appear to experience negative consequences because of their temperament and a performance history that often involves beginning but not completing tasks. Many teachers in this circumstance unfortunately tend to focus on the misbehavior rather than on the reduction or termination of the behavior. This may further disrupt the classroom by disturbing other students.
This naturally occurring pattern of teachers paying less attention to desirable behavior and more attention to undesirable behavior, as children progress through school, places children with ADHD at a greater disadvantage than their classmates. In the first few grades, when teachers appear to be making a conscientious effort to positively reinforce their students, the child with ADHD often does not receive his or her share of reinforcement. In the later grades, as teachers exhibit less positive reinforcement, perhaps because they feel that it is not needed, the child with ADHD is placed at even greater risk.
Positive reinforcement programs should begin at the level at which children can succeed and be positively reinforced. All too often, teachers set up wonderful behavioral programs but set initial criteria for success too high. The child with ADHD in this system rarely reaches success. Problem behavior must be defined operationally and then a level of baseline occurrence must be obtained. At first, provide reinforcement when the child is at or slightly better than baseline. For example, in first grade, Jeremy was out of his seat 10 times during a work period, so his teacher provided reinforcement when he was out of his seat no more than eight times. As the child succeeds, the necessary criteria for reinforcement can be gradually increased, requiring fewer out-of-seat behaviors during a given time period.
Response discrepancy observation method
You may also want to determine the amount of time a student exhibits on- and off-task behavior. One simple behavioral observation method is called response discrepancy because it allows you to record a discrepancy between the target student and a typical class peer (Rhode, Jenson, & Reavis, 1992). Figure 4.5 presents a form to use for this system. To begin, match the target student with a same-sex peer who exhibits typical classroom behavior. Next, check off the type of activity: class, small-group activity or independent activity. The observation period lasts 15 minutes, and behavior is recorded at 10-second intervals (for a total of 90 intervals). The left side of the box is used for the target student and the right side is used for the classroom peer. At the end of each 10-second interval, record a + for on-task activities or – for off-task activities for each student. Ignore behaviors between the recording points. At the end of the 15-minute observation period, compute the percentage of on-task behavior for each student. This may be accomplished using the formula provided in Figure 4.6 (Rhode et al., 1992).
From Rhode, G., Jenson, W.R., & Reavis, H.K. [1992]. The tough kid book: Practical classroom management strategies [p. 271. Longmont, CO: Sopris West; Reprinted with permission of Sopris West, Inc.
When Jeremy was in third grade, a volunteer completed this type of observation for Jeremy and a peer while they were engaged in a small-group activity. Jeremy had been on task for 34 of the intervals. He had been off task for 56 of the 90 intervals. His total time on task was 34 / 90 X 100 or approximately 38% of the time.
In contrast, Jeremy's peer had been on task for 78 of the 90 intervals and had been off task for 12 of the intervals. His total time on task was then 78/90 X 100 or approximately 87%. As a general guideline, if a student is on task less than 60% of the time and the peer's average is 85% or more, the target student's attention to the task is problematic. If both students' on-task behavior is below 60%, the problem may be more related to classroom management (Rhode et al., 1992). When compared with his peer, Jeremy appears to be much more distractible and off task.
As a general rule, observe a student in two different settings or two different types of activities. Some students are only off task and distractible when presented with tasks they find uninteresting. Other students are distractible only during specific subjects, such as in a math class. Keep in mind that students' attention varies depending on the type of task, the difficulty of the material, the type of activity, the setting, and the classroom management skills of the teacher.
Positive reinforcement should follow immediately after good behavior. It should be specific and initially continuous, slowly moving to an intermittent schedule. Material reinforcers provide the child with something tangible. Social reinforcers are more versatile, and, even if material reinforcers are used, a kind word from the teacher should always accompany them. It is also easier to increase behavior than decrease it. Thus, when choosing a target behavior, it is preferable to focus on behaviors to be increased rather than on those to be decreased. Shea and Bauer (1987) described the following process to apply positive reinforcement effectively:
- Select a target behavior to increase, define the behavior, and choose a reinforcer.
- Observe the child and watch for the behavior.
- Reinforce the target behavior every time it is exhibited.
- Comment in a positive way about the behavior when providing reinforcement.
- Be enthusiastic -and interested.
- Offer assistance.
- Vary the reinforcer.
Rhode, Jenson, and Reavis (1992) provided a well-defined model for reinforcement in the classroom. This model, presented in Table 4.3, is an excellent summary of reinforcement contingencies.
Be certain to select reinforcers that are age appropriate and not necessarily time-limited. Most important, do not deny students their basic rights (e.g. lunch, bathroom use, playground time) and then define these rights as positive reinforcers. At times, the use of a reinforcement list or menu can facilitate choosing a reinforcer that is meaningful to the child. You can provide a list of enjoyable or free time activities and ask the child to rank them by preference. You can ask the child what he or she might do with free time, where he or she might like to sit, what he or she might like to learn about, and also what kinds of activities make him or her feel needed, proud, and important in the classroom. Finally, one question to consider inquiring of every student is "'What is the very best reward in this class that you could get for good work and behavior?"
Selection of reinforcements
Some consequences that teachers provide for children are irrelevant and neither strengthen nor weaken the behavior they follow (Bushell, 1973). Many teachers believe that placing stars on a chart as a reward or providing a prize are consequences that work with all children. Some children are motivated by these consequences; others are not. Furthermore, children with ADHD may find these consequences salient one day but lose interest in them quickly the next day. Therefore, the fact that certain consequences follow a child's behavior may neither strengthen nor weaken the chances for that behavior to reoccur. Bushell (1973) referred to consequences that are irrelevant as noise, neutral consequences that have no effect on the behavior. Teachers must evaluate whether chosen consequences are positively reinforcing or simply noise. A reinforcement menu or inventory completed jointly by you and the child ensures that the former rather than the latter will occur. Sample reinforcement menus across grade levels appear in Figure 4.7.
Ms. Adams met with Jeremy when he was in her second-grade class to select some reinforcers that would increase his time on task. Jeremy quickly offered several suggestions. He wanted time to look through books about dinosaurs, to read joke books, and to play with blocks. He also wanted time for drawing and art projects. Ms. Adams explained that each morning they would decide what assignments needed to be completed before break. When he completed the assignments, he could choose his reward. Ms. Adams also adapted the assignments. Jeremy was expected to write in his journal, but he could answer the questions about his reading orally.
Paine, Radicchi, Rosellini, Deutchman, and Darch (1983) found that the five most frequent reinforcement ideas suggested by elementary school students were additional recess, free time in class, material reinforcers, field trips, and games in class. Intermediate grade students more frequently favored activities that involved interaction with teachers, including acting as an assistant in grading papers, carrying on a discussion, or playing a game on a one-to-one basis. As previously discussed, reinforcers take on different values for different individuals.
You must develop a hierarchy of the behaviors that you would like to see the child exhibit. For example, in response to out-of-seat behavior, many teachers may initiate a reinforcement system to increase in-seat behavior. Although the child may earn multiple reinforcers for remaining in his seat, this does not guarantee that he will engage in constructive or appropriate behavior while remaining seated. Often, multiple reinforcers and multiple levels of reinforcement must be initiated. For example, in first grade, Jeremy was provided with one reinforcer for sitting and a second reinforcer for working while sitting.
Robinson, Newby, and Ganzell (1981) used a token reinforcement system for successful completion of four tasks, two involving learning to read and using vocabulary words and sentences and two involving teaching these tasks to other students. Tokens were exchanged for access to a pinball machine or electronic game. Using a reversal design, the token intervention program resulted in a nine-fold increase in the mean number of tasks completed over the baseline level and significant improvement in performance on the school district's standardized weekly reading level examinations. A reduction in disruptive behavior was also anecdotally reported. This reinforcement system was managed by a single teacher working with 18 children, all of whom had received diagnoses of ADHD. Walker and Shea (1991) also described an in-depth model of structuring a token economy successfully in the classroom.
Negative reinforcement
Negative reinforcement requires the child to work for the removal of an in-place, unpleasant consequence. The child's goal is to get rid of something that is unpleasant rather than to earn something that is desirable. In a negative reinforcement model, instead of working to earn a positive consequence, the child works to distance him- or herself from an aversive consequence. Negative reinforcement is often used in the classroom to manage problem behaviors. Teachers inadvertently pay attention to a child who may not be complying and withdraw their attention contingent on the child's compliance. Surprisingly, this strengthens rather than weakens the noncompliant behavior. The next time a similar situation occurs, the child again will not comply until confronted with the aversive consequence (i.e. the teacher's attention). Negative reinforcement is often seductive and coercive for teachers. It works in the short run but in the long run is likely to strengthen rather than weaken the undesirable behavior.
Many of the same variables that affect positive reinforcement-immediacy, frequency, consistency—affect negative reinforcement. Behaviors that in and of themselves may not be negative become negative reinforcers when paired with certain events. For example, a teacher approaching a child who is not working quickly becomes a negative reinforcer, even though the action itself, the teacher walking up to the child, does not have a negative connotation (Favell, 1977). Clark and Elliott (1988) found that negative reinforcement was rated by teachers as the most frequently used classroom intervention. Children with ADHD often experience negative reinforcement because of their temperament, which makes it difficult for them to complete tasks; their consequent learning history reinforces them for beginning but rarely for finishing.
A number of simple, effective ways exist to deal with this problem. If you are using negative reinforcement, pay attention to the student until the assignment is completed. Although this too is negative reinforcement, it teaches the child that the only way to get rid of the aversive consequence (i.e. your attention) is not just to start but to complete the task at hand. As an example, you may move the student's desk next to your desk until that particular piece of work is completed.
A second alternative involves the use of differential attention or ignoring. The term differential attention applies when ignoring is used as the negative consequence for exhibiting the undesirable behavior, and attention is used as a positive consequence for exhibiting the competing desirable behavior. This is an active process in which the teacher ignores the child engaged in an off-task activity but pays attention immediately when the child begins working. Many teachers avoid interaction with the child when he or she is on task for fear of interrupting the child's train of thought. It is important, however, to reinforce the child when working so that a pattern of working to earn positive reinforcement rather than working to avoid negative reinforcement is developed.
Secondary school teachers at times complain that if they ignore the adolescent with ADHD during an hour-long class, they never have the opportunity to pay positive attention as the student may never exhibit positive behavior. Waiting, however, even if one has to wait until the next day, is more effective in the long run than paying attention to off-task behavior.
You need to make a distinction between off-task behavior that disrupts and off-task behavior that does not disrupt. Differential attention works effectively for the latter. However, when a child is off task and disturbing his or her neighbor, you may find that being a negative reinforcer holds an advantage in stemming the tide of an off-task behavior that involves other students as well. Differential attention alone has been demonstrated to be ineffective in maintaining high rates of on-task behavior and work productivity for students with ADHD (Rosen, O'Leary, Joyce, Conway, & Pfiffner, 1984). In part, we suggest that many factors other than teacher attention maintain and influence student behavior.
Differential attention is a powerful intervention when used appropriately. Once the strategy of ignoring inappropriate behavior is employed, it must be continued despite escalation . If not, you run the risk of intermittently reinforcing the negative behavior, thereby strengthening its occurrence. For example, if you decide to use differential attention for a child's out-of-seat behavior but become sufficiently frustrated after the child is out of his or her seat for 10 minutes and respond by directing attention to the child, the behavior will be reinforced rather than extinguished. The 10 minutes of ignoring will quickly be lost in the one incident of negative attention. If the teacher yells, "Sit down," the child has received the desired attention by persisting in a negative behavior.
Madsen, Becker, and Thomas (1968) evaluated rules, praise, and ignoring for inappropriate behavior in two children in a typical second-grade classroom and in one child in a kindergarten class. The results indicated that in the absence of praise, rules and ignoring were ineffective. Inappropriate behavior decreased only after praise was added. Others have demonstrated the importance of praise in a general education classroom (Thomas, Becker, & Armstrong, 1968). Specifically, whenever teacher approval was withdrawn, disruptive behaviors increased.
Overall, however, the research on differential attention with children with ADHD has been inconsistent. Rosen and colleagues (1984) evaluated the results of praise and reprimands in maintaining appropriate social and academic behaviors in second- and third-grade children with ADHD. Children's on-task behavior and academic performance deteriorated when negative feedback was withdrawn but not when positive feedback was omitted. Students' on-task behavior remained high, even after 9 days of no praise from the teacher. Acker and O'Leary (1988) demonstrated that the use of only reprimands for behavior management without positive consequences does not lead to dramatic improvement in on-task performance when praise is added. Dramatic deterioration in on-task behavior was observed when reprimands were subsequently withdrawn, even though the teacher was still delivering praise for appropriate behavior.
Children with ADHD perform as well as typical children with a continuous schedule of reinforcement but perform significantly worse with a partial schedule of reinforcement (e.g. reinforcement is provided only sometimes), which is typically found in most classrooms (Douglas & Parry, 1983). Praise is important for the development of other attributes in human beings, such as self-esteem, school attitude, and motivation toward academics (Redd, Morris, & Martin, 1975). In addition, the opposite is also true: A large amount of punishment can negatively affect emotional development and self-esteem.
Through modeling, observation, and then imitation, children develop new behaviors. Modeling can be as simple as having a child watch another child sharpen a pencil. By watching the model, a child can learn a new behavior, inhibit another behavior, or strengthen previously learned behavior (e.g. saying "thank you"). To use modeling effectively, you must determine whether a child has the capacity to observe and then imitate the model. In classroom settings, a student's response to modeling is influenced by three factors: 1) the characteristics of the model (e.g. is this a student whom the other students like and respect?), 2) the characteristics of the observer (e.g. is this child capable of observing and imitating the behavior), and 3) the positive or negative consequences associated with the behavior. Children are more likely to respond to teacher modeling when they view their teachers as competent, nurturing, supportive, fun, and interesting. Children are also more likely to imitate behavior that results in a positive consequence.
Younger children have been reported as more frequently imitating others than older children. Children consistently model someone whom they value or look up to. They also imitate the behavior of a same-sex child more often than that of a different-sex child. They model someone whom they perceive as successful and socially valued regardless of whether the teacher perceives that child as successful and socially valued. Finally, if a child observes a model being reinforced or punished for certain behavior, this influences the likelihood that the child will then model that behavior.
Modeling is a powerful tool, often underutilized by teachers. When teachers are cheerful and enthusiastic, their attitudes are contagious. When they are respectful of students, students respect each other. When teachers are patient, fair, consistent, and optimistic, their students exhibit these traits as well. Teacher behavior sets the tone for the classroom environment.
In 1970, Kaplan described a ripple effect in transactions between teachers and misbehaving students that affected not only those students but also the entire classroom. Teachers who were firm reduced the problem behaviors both from the first child who misbehaved and from those students who saw the initial problem behavior. When teachers enforced rules, the ripple effect worked in their favor. When they failed to follow through with rules, the ripple effect worked against them. Furthermore, the misbehaving student's social standing in the classroom was also an issue. When teachers successfully managed the behavior of high-status troublemakers, their control tended to benefit the entire classroom. Likewise, the ripple effect when high-status offenders were not managed increased negative behaviors among others. Finally, when managing a disruptive behavior, it is important to focus on tasks and behaviors rather than on approval. In the latter situation, teachers may focus on their relationship with the disruptive student when trying to get that student to behave. This strategy, unfortunately, is usually ineffective over the long term.
Waiting for the appropriate target behavior or something close to that behavior to occur before reinforcing the behavior is referred to as shaping. Shaping can be used to establish behaviors that are not routinely exhibited. Walker and Shea (1991) described the steps to effective shaping:
- Select a target behavior and define it.
- Observe how often the behavior is exhibited.
- Select reinforcers.
- Decide on close approximations and reinforce successive approximations to the target behavior each time it occurs.
- Reinforce the newly established behavior.
- Reinforce the old behavior on a variable schedule, and begin reinforcing the new behavior on an every-time or continuous schedule. The key to successful shaping is to reinforce closer approximations and not reinforce lesser approximations.
Any behavior that remotely resembles the target behavior should initially be reinforced. Prompts can be used and then faded. Shaping can be used for all kinds of behavior in the classroom, including academics. Steps toward successive approximation, however, must be carefully thought out; otherwise, behaviors that are not working toward the desired goal may inadvertently be reinforced.
Punishment suppresses undesirable behavior but may not necessarily eliminate it (McDaniel, 1980). In some cases, suppression may be of short duration, and when the punishment is removed, the behavior may reoccur. Punishment can involve presentation of an unpleasant consequence or the loss of a pleasurable consequence following the occurrence of the undesirable behavior. Punishment is designed to reduce the probability that the behavior that precedes it will reoccur. Although punishment is an efficient way of changing behavior, it can become seductive and reinforcing for classroom teachers and can be overused. The greatest problem with punishment is that it does not provide an appropriate model of acceptable behavior. Furthermore, in many classrooms, punishment is accompanied by an emotional response from the teacher. Although most teachers consider punishment as involving a reprimand, time-out, or loss of an activity such as recess, in many classrooms, physical punishment designed to embarrass children into submission is still used, even though it has a high emotional cost. Shea and Bauer (1987) made a strong case for minimizing the use of punishment, especially more severe punishment, such as embarrassment or spanking, because these interventions are likely to erode self-esteem and further impair an already strained teacher-student relationship. When punishments are used, these guidelines should be followed:
- All students are aware of which behaviors are punished and how they are punished.
- Appropriate models for acceptable behavior are provided.
- Punishments are offered immediately, consistently, and fairly.
- Punishments are offered impersonally.
- A natural or logical consequence should be used as often as possible.
- The student being punished must understand the relationship between his or her behavior and the punishment.
Loss of the privilege during which the inappropriate behavior is exhibited is fair. Warning, nagging, threatening, and debating, however, should be avoided. In other words, act, don't yak. Punishment can exert a complex, negative effect in the classroom and on teacher-student relationships. Furthermore, when less punishing interventions are combined with positive reinforcers, they tend to be effective in the long run. In 1946, Anderson and Brewer reported that teachers using dominating behaviors of force, threat, shame, and blame had classrooms in which children displayed nonconforming behavior at rates higher than in classrooms in which teachers were more positive and supportive. Personal hostility from teachers and punishments in an atmosphere containing minimal positive reinforcement and emotional warmth are unproductive. To be effective, punishment must be related in form to the misbehavior. It must be consistent, fair, and just; must be delivered impersonally; and must not involve the assignment of extra work that is unrelated to the act for which the student is being punished. Opportunities must also be offered for the student to exhibit and receive reinforcement for more appropriate behavior.
Reprimands are the most frequent punishment used by teachers. Contacting parents, losing privileges, and time-outs come next in frequency. Reprimands include a statement of appropriate alternative behavior. Students respond well to short reprimands followed by clear, directed statements. Effective reprimands are specific, do not humiliate the child, are provided immediately, and are given with a firm voice and controlled physical demeanor. They are often backed up with a loss of privilege, including a statement encouraging more appropriate behavior. Attempt to describe the behavior that you observe, rather than how you feel about the certain behavior. Instead of telling a student that he or she is rude for interrupting, make a statement such as, "You have interrupted me three times. I will answer your question as soon as I finish the explanation."' This should be delivered in a calm way and in a way that does not embarrass the child in the presence of others. Jeremy had complained to his mother that his teacher was always yelling at him to keep still or be quiet. Feeling particularly upset one afternoon, Jeremy wrote his fifth-grade teacher the letter presented in Figure 4.8. Fortunately, after reading this letter, his teacher understood that yelling was an ineffective way to deal with Jeremy's behavior.
Figure 4.8. Jeremy's Letter
Abramowitz, O'Leary, and Futtersak (1988) compared the effects of short and long reprimands in an alternating treatment design. Over the course of the study, short reprimands resulted in significantly lower off-task rates than long reprimands. Prudent reprimands that are immediate, unemotional, brief, and consistently backed up with consequences are clearly preferred to lengthy reprimands that are delayed, loud, emotional, and not matched to consequences. Abramowitz and O'Leary (1991) suggested that immediate reprimands result in much lower rates of off-task interactions with peers but do not change rates of off-task behaviors that do not involve peers. The authors hypothesized that non-interactive, off-task behavior may be an avoidance response to difficult schoolwork. Interactive, off-task behaviors may be reinforced by peer attention and modified more effectively by the timing of feedback. Consistent reprimands are clearly superior to inconsistent reprimands for minimizing calling out and other disruptive behaviors (Acker & O'Leary, 1988). When misbehaviors followed with reprimands versus ignoring are evaluated, however, reprimands are not particularly effective in managing off-task behavior. Reprimanding every incident of off-task behavior did not prove to be any more effective than reprimanding one quarter of misbehavior incidents. Increasing consistency in these low-rate situations does not appear to lead to significant differences (Pfiffner, O'Leary, Rosen, & Sanderson, 1985).
Furthermore, the intensity or aversiveness of the initial delivery of the reprimand may be critical for children with ADHD (Futtersak, OLeary, & Abramowitz, 1989). In this study, children were exposed to teachers who delivered either consistently strong reprimands from the outset with immediate brief and firm close proximity to the child or reprimands that increased in severity over time. Results supported the hypothesis that gradually strengthening initially weak reprimands was less effective for suppressing off-task behavior than the immediate introduction and maintenance of full-strength reprimands. In addition, reprimands are more effective when delivered with eye contact and in close proximity to the child (Van Hauten, Nau, MacKenzie-Keating, Sameoto, & Colavecchia, 1982).
Response cost
Response cost is a punishing technique that translates to the equivalent of losing what you possess or have earned. Earned consequences are considered reinforcers. When they are lost, this is response cost. The child places in jeopardy what he or she has earned as the result of inappropriate behavior. In many situations, response cost in the form of a penalty or fine is combined with positive reinforcement. To be effective, more reinforcers must be earned than lost. Response cost is often used to reduce off-task behavior and improve compliance with directions.
Response cost may be the most powerful means of managing consequences for children with ADHD or other disruptive behavior problems (Rapport, Murphy, & Bailey, 1982). In a traditional model of response cost, many children with ADHD may immediately go bankrupt. Alternative systems have included adjusting the ratio of the number of reinforcers provided for each positive behavior versus those lost for negative behavior as well as increasing the number of opportunities to exhibit positive behavior and receive reinforcement. In the former case, six points might be provided for the appropriate behavior but only one point lost for the negative behavior. In the latter case, increased opportunities are provided, making it easier for children to earn a greater number of points, thereby decreasing their chances of going bankrupt when they exhibit negative behavior. A slightly altered form of response cost has been found to be quite effective with children with ADHD (Rapport, Murphy, & Bailey, 1982). Under this system, the child is initially provided with a maximum number of points or tokens to be earned during a school day and must work throughout the school day to retain those reinforcers. Some impulsive children seem to work harder to keep their plates full rather than attempt to fill an empty plate. Possibly because they have a long history of not working well for positive reinforcement, a system in which they are provided with all of their reinforcement initially and must work to keep, a response cost system may appear more motivating or attractive to them.
A substantial body of research documents the effectiveness of response cost in the classroom (Kazdin, 1982). One of the earliest studies (Rapport, Murphy, & Bailey, 1982) compared response cost and stimulant medication for task-related behavior in a group of hyperactive boys. The response cost procedure resulted in significant increases in on-task behavior and academic performance. Stimulant medication was notably less effective. Pfiffner and colleagues (1985) found that response cost in the form of lost recess was more effective than reprimands in maintaining on-task behavior. Response cost has also been compared with reward alone. Both conditions resulted in a twofold increase in academic output or reduction in inappropriate classroom behavior and a corresponding increase in on-task behavior. Children often do not show a differential preference for either reward or response cost procedures (Hundert, 1976; Iwata & Bailey, 1974), but they appear to maintain treatment gains better during fading and withdrawal of response cost than they do in response to traditional rewards (Sullivan & O'Leary, 1990).
A response cost system can be as simple as chips in a cup, marks on a chart, or marbles in a jar. A more complex means of managing response cost includes electronic devices such as the Attention Training System (Gordon & Davidson, 1981; Rapport, 1987). The Attention Training System is a remote-controlled counter that sits on the student's desk. This device provides the student with a digital readout showing the number of points he or she has earned. Using a remote control device, points can be added or removed from anywhere in the classroom, contingent on the child's on- and off-task behavior. By not having to move within physical proximity of the child, the teacher avoids becoming a negative reinforcer when the child is off task. DuPaul, Guevremont, and Barkley (1992) demonstrated the efficacy of response cost contingencies for managing classroom behavior and academic productivity using the Attention Training System. Response cost contingencies led to marked improvements on task-related attention and a reduction in ADHD symptoms during work time.
For response cost to be effective, the procedure must be used for most, if not, all, of the classroom day (Morgan & Jenson, 1988). The number of students in the program must be manageable, and highly motivating rewards must be provided. If not thought out well and managed effectively, response cost can backfire and increase classroom problem behaviors (Burchard & Barrera, 1972).
Response cost can be difficult to implement. Though it may be as simple as chips in a cup placed on the student's desk, many teachers inadvertently become negative reinforcers when they approach the child to remove a consequence, thereby building failure into a potentially useful model. When students who become bankrupt quickly or who are oppositional from the start are placed in a group contingency situation with built-in failure (e.g. everyone must earn the reinforcer or no one has access to it), the result is often greater rather than fewer classroom problems. Morgan and Jenson (1988) suggested the following guide-lines for using response cost in the classroom:
- Use the procedure for most, if not all, of the classroom day for the target behavior.
- Make certain the number of students with whom you are using the program is manageable.
- Make certain there are more opportunities for success than for failure.
- Build in additional incentives, including additional reinforcers that can be earned at the end of the week, by retaining a minimum number of reinforcers through the week.
- Consider incorporating self-monitoring techniques in which students can administer response cost independently when they recognize a rule violation.
Time-out from reinforcement excludes children from the opportunity to participate with others and receive any kind of positive reinforcement. Time-out is by far the best known disciplinary technique among teachers. It is also the most likely to be overused and misused in the classroom. Although a brief time-out of a few minutes duration can exert a positive influence on classroom behavior when applied appropriately, many teachers apply time-out ineffectively as often as effectively (Walker & Walker, 1991).
The least restrictive form of time-out consists of removal of certain reinforcing activities or objects from the misbehaving child for a short period. Time-out, in a restricted environment outside of the classroom is the most extreme form of this type of discipline. The child cannot see the classroom nor interact with others.
The effectiveness of time-out is well established; however, additional research is needed to identify specific situations, parameters, and procedures associated with the success of time-out for children with ADHD. Clearly, time-out holds a low probability of directly affecting children's ADHD symptoms for the better. Time-out can be quite effective for noncompliant children, but for children with ADHD, you must distinguish between noncompliant behaviors and behaviors resulting from ADHD.
In general, for time-out to be effective:
- students should be separated from reinforcement,
- the time should be short,
- confrontation should be avoided,
- verbal interaction should be limited, and
- a time-contingent release should be provided (Bean & Roberts, 1981). Time-contingent release refers to the amount of time and the contingencies (e.g. sitting quietly) required to earn release. These contingencies should be explained and provided to the child prior to entering time-out. Children warned less in time-out also respond better (Roberts, 1982).
The length of time-out is also critical in determining effectiveness. A 4-minute time-out was found to be significantly better than a 10-second or 1-minute timeout among a group of elementary school students (Hobbs, Forehand, & Murray, 1978). Long periods of time-out constitute seclusion and lose their punishing value. It is also important for the time-out activity to be less reinforcing than the setting or activity from which the child is being removed. If a particular activity the child is leaving is non-reinforcing, this child may in fact learn to misbehave as a means of going to time-out to do something else. Work should not be missed due to time-out. Time-out should be boring, uninteresting, and something the child places last on his or her list of chosen school activities. The effectiveness of time-out depends on a number of factors, including the child, your ability to apply the intervention consistently, the child's understanding of the intervention, the rules governing the intervention, characteristics of the time-out area, duration of timeout, and the ability to evaluate the effectiveness of time-out quickly. If time-out does not work in the first few interventions, an alternative strategy should be considered. Eight parameters should define the use of time-out (Scarboro, & Forehand, 1975):
- A warning that time-out may come should be offered.
- The child should be consistently removed and placed in time-out when the behavior reoccurs.
- A specific location should be defined for time-out.
- A specific duration for time-out should be set.
- The consistent schedule for time-out use should be defined.
- A defined behavior should lead to time-out.
- Clear contingencies should be defined for the child to be released from time-out.
Time-out can be effective in typical classroom settings because it restores order by removing the child who is disrupting class, by reducing the opportunity for peer approval that maintains some children who disrupt, by reducing the opportunity for students to manipulate situations, and by allowing the student to demonstrate appropriate behavior before exiting time-out. In elementary classroom settings, time-out should be from 2 to 5 minutes. If a student is not in control, an additional minute should be added. Teachers should not force resistant students into time-out but should seek help from the principal or other school personnel. Finally, as soon as possible after time-out is over, something positive in the student's behavior should be reinforced. Table 4.4 contains a list of dos and don'ts for time-out. Table 4.5 contains a thorough list of procedures for implementing seclusionary time-out.
There are many things you can do to minimize the need to use time-out. Make sure that classroom activities are more reinforcing than time-out. Provide students with ample but not excessive opportunities to comply. Provide disruptive students with additional positive consequences for not requiring time-out in a given time span.
Table 4.5. Seclusionary time-out procedures
- Seclusionary time-out should not be used unless all other procedures have been tried and failed. This should be a last effort technique.
- Seclusionary time-out should never be used without a parent's written consent.
- Seclusionary time-out should be used only if it is listed as an approved and agreed-on technique in a student's individualized education plan (IEP) by the IEP team. The student should only be placed in time-out for approved behaviors on the IEP, such as aggression, severe noncompliance, or destructive tantrum-throwing.
- Seclusionary time-out is defined as removing a student from a reinforcing classroom setting to a less reinforcing setting. This setting can be another classroom, a chair or desk outside the classroom, or a room specifically approved for time-out. If a room is used for time-out, it should be used only for time-out and no other purpose (e.g. storage, counseling students, special academic work area).
- The time-out setting should be well-lit, well-ventilated, non-threatening, and clean. It must also have an observation window or device.
- The entire time-out procedure should be explained to the student before it is implemented, prior to the occurrence of misbehavior that results in its use.
- If misbehavior occurs, identify it. For example, tell the student in a calm, neutral manner, "That's fighting; you need to go to the time-out room." Tell the student to remove his or her jewelry, belt, and shoes. Tell the student to empty his or her pockets (in order to check for such items as pens, pencils, paper clips, knives, and so forth). The student's socks should be checked for these types of items also. If the student does not comply with these requests, call for help and then remove the items and check the pockets yourself. No other conversation should ensue.
- When a student is placed in the time-out room, he or she must be constantly monitored by a staff member. The student must never be left alone.
- When a student is placed in the time-out room, the following information should be placed in a time-out log:
- Name of the student
- Date
- Staff member responsible for monitoring student
- Time in and time out
- Target behavior warranting the procedures
- The student should be placed in the time-out room for a specific period of time. A recommended formula is 1 minute per year of age (e.g. 10 minutes for a 10-year-old child).
- If a student is screaming, throwing a tantrum, or yelling, he or she should be quiet for 30 consecutive seconds before being released from the time-out room. This 30 seconds does not begin until the original designated time-out period has lapsed.
- Communication between the supervising staff member and the student should not take place when the student is in the time-out room (i.e. do not talk with the student, threaten the student, or try to counsel the student at this time).
- Do remain calm while taking a student to the time-out room. Do not argue with, threaten, or verbally reprimand the student.
- If a student refuses to go to the time-out room, add on time to the specified time-out duration (e.g. 1 minute for each refusal, up to 5 minutes).
- If a student refuses to come out of the time-out room, do not beg or try to remove the student. Simply wait outside, and sooner or later the student will come out on his or her own.
- If the student makes a mess in the time-out room, require him or her to clean it up before he or she leaves.
- Once the time-out period has ended, return the student to the ongoing classroom activity, making sure the student is required to complete the task he or she was engaged in prior to the time-out period. This ensures that students do not purposely avoid unpleasant tasks by going to the time-out room.
- All staff members should be trained, and this training documented, before time-out procedures are started.
- To ensure the effectiveness of time-out, the reinforcement rate for appropriate behaviors in the classroom should meet the recommended rate of three or four positive responses to each negative response (and never fewer than four positive responses per contact hour).
- Data should be collected on target behaviors. If time-out is effective, these behaviors should decrease shortly after the technique is started. If they do not, check that the procedure is being used correctly, and the reinforcement rate for appropriate behavior in the classroom is high enough; consider another technique for possible use.
- The use of time-out should not be threatened (e.g. "If you do that again, I will put you in the time-out room"). Rather, the technique should be combined with a precision request, such as "I need you to stop kicking your desk." If the student persists, the time-out procedure should be used, and when the student comes out of the time-out room, the precision request should be restated ("I need you to stop kicking your desk").
- The student should be reinforced for not needing time-out.
From Rhode, G., Jenson, W.R., & Reavis, H.K. (1992). The tough kid book: Practical classroom management strategies (p. 65). Longmont, CO: Sopris West; Reprinted with permission of Sopris West, Inc
Consequential versus Rule-Governed Behavior
Due to their inhibitory problems, children with ADHD may function quite well under appropriate external or environmental consequences but struggle to develop the internal self-monitoring skills to govern their own behavior. This latter issue was referred to by Barkley in 1981 as "problems following rule-governed behavior." Children with ADHD may acquire behavior at a rate similar to others but take longer to learn to self-manage that behavior in the absence of external consequences and cues. Thus, even when appropriate reinforcers are located, the child with ADHD requires a greater number of successful trials to make the transition to self-management. In part, this speaks to the difference between behavior modification and behavior management. Teachers are repeatedly taught that if they provide consequences appropriately, within a reasonable period of time, children's behavior will change. Success is usually based on the child's continuing to demonstrate the desired behavior when consequences are removed. When this model is applied to children with ADHD, many interventions are often deemed to be failures. For the child with ADHD, demonstrating a behavior in the presence of consequences is not synonymous with having developed the self-management skills to use the behavior. Focus on behavior management. That is, the intervention is deemed successful if the child's behavior is modified in the presence of consequences. As consequences are removed and the child's behavior regresses, this should not be interpreted as failure but rather as too quick a change in the schedule of reinforcement. The child has yet to make the transition from consequentially managed behavior to rule-governed behavior for that particular task.
Three Keys to Using Punishment Effectively
Timing, intensity, and consistency are the three keys to using punishment effectively and appropriately in the classroom. The punishing procedures should be initiated as soon as possible after the aversive behavior is exhibited and should be as closely related to the misbehavior as possible. Furthermore, if punishments are too mild, they will not be effective and may slowly habituate the child to tolerate or adapt to more intensive or lengthy punishments. If too intense, however, punishments are not only abusive but likely create other problems. Be conservative when using punishing techniques but make certain their intensity is appropriate. To be effective, punishments must be consistent and predictable. Following punishment, you should return the child to the situation without expecting overt guilt, making efforts to reassure or reinforce the child. A consistent schedule of punishments should also be used. A continuous schedule of punishment for a specific targeted behavior is best. Finally, it is valuable to attempt to find out what drives the misbehavior and work toward managing the environment to minimize causative factors. As noted previously in this chapter, children who are experiencing LD may misbehave out of frustration. This may also be the case for children who are experiencing anxiety or depression. By identifying the child's goals and misbehavior, you can present more appropriate opportunities and methods to reach the child's goals. When used appropriately, punishment can make a positive difference; however, punishing interventions should always follow efforts at using reinforcing interventions to model and shape appropriate classroom behavior.
The effective use of behavioral and cognitive strategies in the classroom may appear daunting even to experienced teachers. However, changing your behavior and strategies is often the most efficient and effective means of improving all types of classroom behaviors, both disruptive and non-disruptive. Through practice comes proficiency. The building block of emotions and behavior likely contains the largest and most diverse set of problems encountered in the classroom. By first understanding these problems and seeing the world through the eyes of your students, and, by then developing and using a set of intervention strategies on a regular basis, problems of emotions and behavior can be effectively managed and changed in the classroom.
Mather, N., & Goldstein, S. (2001). Learning Disabilities and Challenging Behaviors: A Guide to Intervention and Classroom Management. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. pp. 96-117.
Reprinted with permission of the author.


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This section is designed to describe all the minor services that make the day-to-day activities easier on individual kart racers. This program is designed for either a race weekend or preparing for upcoming events. The following are the other various services that REM has to offer, these services are again unique and are designed to help everyone reach a new level of excellence.
Kart Prep/Repair:
• Equipment transportation to and from each event.(Available to anyone no matter the chassis brand)
• Chassis preparation: Chassis and engine cleaning, equipment inspection
• Kart storage: Offering space to various kart racers that require storage for karting equipment • Chassis straightening table (available to anyone no matter the chassis brand)
On-site Services:
• Pit parking: 10×10 parking space under the team tent. Access to driver/mechanic support, hospitality, debriefs and track walks
• A stock of parts, tires, lubricants and various karting related needs

subset: commoncrawl


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APTOS – A man was shot and killed about 6 p.m. Wednesday while walking on the Freedom Boulevard Highway 1 overpass.
Sheriff"s Sgt. Jim Ross said the victim appears to be in his late teens or early 20s. He did not immediately know the victim"s residence, but did say the family was on scene shortly after the shooting.
Ross said witnesses, including a nurse, tried to provide first aid to the victim, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. He could not say where the victim was shot or how many times he was shot.
Ross said they are unsure whether the shooter was in a car or was walking.
Initial reports were that two men who appeared in their 20s were seen running from the bridge.
The Sheriff"s Office put out a be on the lookout for a 2004 charcoal gray or green Honda four-door with a license plate of 6TVK193. Suspect descriptions were for two Latino males, both 18 to 25 years old, the driver wearing a blue hat and blue T-shirt and the passenger wearing a blue sweatshirt. The weapon was described as a 22-caliber gun.
Ross couldn"t say whether the shooting was gang-motivated.
While rush-hour traffic was busy at the time, Ross said they are unsure if anyone saw the shooting or whether they saw a person fall down.
Ross said there were people walking in the area at the time of the shooting as well as a number of vehicles. Detectives have interviewed several witnesses.
"We have no idea about the motive," he said. "Having the ability to interview friends and family will help."
No other victims reported vehicle damage from gunfire, he said.
"It isn"t a high-crime area," he said. "But we also know violence can occur any time any place."
Ross said they will work to develop a motive as quickly as possible in hopes of easing the minds of motorists who regularly travel the route.
The Freedom Boulevard overpass, the on- and off-ramps to both northbound and southbound Highway 1 and part of Bonita Drive were closed for more than five hours.
The killing marks the fifth in the county this year. Three of the homicides this year were in the Sheriff"s Office jurisdiction; one was in Watsonville and one in Santa Cruz.
Follow Sentinel reporter Jessica M. Pasko on Twitter @jmpasko96
MARCH 1: Nathan Connally, 19, was shot about 2:30 a.m. near Dover and Soquel drives in Live Oak. He stumbled to an apartment at 2500 Soquel Drive and died there minutes later, according to sheriff"s deputies. Authorities released a surveillance video that showed Connally walking with another man before the shooting. That man, who has not been identified, is not a suspect in the case. Deputies have not said what motivated the shooting. No one has been arrested. Connally lived in Santa Cruz.
MARCH 31: Brandon Gil, 21, fought with 43-year-old Frank Garcia outside a sports bar on the 500 block of Main Street in Watsonville. Garcia, Gil and Gil"s friend, Ricardo Flores, were stabbed. Gil died in a hospital hours later. Watsonville police said in May that Gil initiated the attack on Garcia. Prosecutors do not plan to charge Garcia in Gil"s death.
APRIL 3: Rafael Cendejas, 42, was shot around 6 p.m. as he was mowing his neighbor"s lawn in Watsonville. A man got out of a car, fired shots at him and fled in the car. Cendejas was pronounced dead at the scene. The Sheriff"s Office has not said what motivated the shooting. No suspects have been arrested.
MAY 7: Shannon Kathleen Collins, 38, owner of Camouflage on Pacific Avenue was stabbed to death on the 300 block of Broadway in Santa Cruz about 11:50 a.m. After neighbors called 911, Charles Anthony Edwards III was arrested on suspicion of homicide a few blocks from the scene. Edwards was wearing bloody clothing. A knife was found at the scene. Edwards, 43, is a convicted felon from San Francisco. Police said Collins and Edwards did not know each other. Authorities called the attack random and unprovoked and have not elaborated on the motive.
MAY 30: A man is shot and killed while walking on Freedom Boulevard near the Highway 1 overpass at Freedom in what deputies believe was a drive-by shooting.


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There are some days I bang my ahead against my desk and then there are other days when I just say WTF? Today has been a little bit of both with a chuckle thrown in for good measure.
Here's Liquid Plumr's new spot for Double Impact Snake and Gel System. Kudos to DDB San Francisco for getting this sold.
[UPDATE by DB]
The packaged goods brand is getting some push back from offended viewers on its YouTube and Facebook page. Here is the brand's response on FB:
Our advertising is created to provide accurate, useful information about our products in a memorable way. But we understand that what is memorable and considered good advertising can be very subjective. And we appreciate hearing from you when you like our advertising and when you don't. We take all feedback into consideration each time we create new advertising.
Are you offended or enthralled by this ad? Also, what do you make of the brand's response?


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Darren Suarez
Darren Suarez is a Senior Director of Government Affairs, with responsibility for all advocacy on Energy, Environmental and Occupational Safety and Health
Prior to joining The Business Council, Darren worked at Hinman Straub LLC, where he lobbied for a number of Fortune 500 companies on energy and environmental issues. He also previously served as the program director for environmental and economic development for the New York State Senate, where he represented the Majority Leader at meetings and public events in addition to developing, amending, and negotiating economic development tax incentives.
Additionally, he was also a government affairs representative for the City University of New York and Cornell University, and worked for the New York State Department of Labor as a job services representative — working with employers to meet their workforce needs.
Darren holds a degree in Political Science from UMass — Dartmouth. He was the recipient of the 2006 Economic Development Service Award in recognition of work in attracting GlobalFoundries to construct a $3.2 billion 300 mm-wafer fab in New York State. In 2005, Darren was awarded the New York Nature Conservancy's Salamander Award for working to protect New York's biodiversity and was a joint recipient of the 2004 National Conference of State Legislatures Staff Chair Award for work as a primary author of New York's Brownfield Cleanup Program.
Darren can be reached at [email protected].


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Are you ready to take the plunge and build your dream concrete pool in Sherrills Ford North Carolina? Let Carolina Pool Consultants design and build your dream pool just in time for summer. We are professional concrete pool builders that specialize in concrete pool design and installation as well as hardscape and landscape design. Call our Sherrills Ford North Carolina concrete pool builders today at 704-966-4444 to schedule your consultation with us.
When it comes to transforming your backyard space you want to be sure you are working with a team of professional pool builders with a lot of experience. A custom inground concrete pool in Sherrills Ford NC is a large investment and that is why we will work with you one on one throughout the entire process to ensure you are informed and that your needs are met.
While concrete pools do come with a higher upfront cost when compared to fiberglass pools or vinyl liner pools, the simply offer the most customization to homeowners. Vinyl liner pools and fiberglass pools are typically "pre-cut" which means homeowners typically will choose from a catalog of available designs. A concrete pool offers limitless customization from shape, size, and depth, meaning you can create the dream backyard you have always wanted.
Call our professional Sherrills Ford NC concrete pool builders today at 704-966-4444 to discuss your needs with us. We look forward to helping you transform your backyard space with a beautiful inground concrete pool. Not only will a new concrete pool provide you and your family with a relaxing retreat to enjoy for years to come, but it will also increase the value of your property. Give us a call today at 704-966-4444 for more information.


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The arrival of millions of African Americans to the industrial North from the agrarian South over the course of the 20th century had more than just an economic and cultural effect. While many migrants joined churches in their new cities, helping to build key institutions that would ground their communities, others found the message of organized religion lacking.
Some left for Islam and off-shoots of Judaism and African spiritualism. Many found a home in urban folk religious movements. These sects often spoke directly to the plight of African American workers, most of whom had left Jim Crow only to find segregated Northern cities, racist labor unions, and race riots. These sects often preached that Christianity was the "white man's religion" and offered a non-Christian and non-white centered paradigm for black people to liberate themselves from their oppression.
Click on this link to read the rest of this article on Christianity Today


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Dallas Dentist Dr. Lin
About Dr. Lin
Dr. Tony Lin earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from the esteemed Marquette University School of Dentistry at Milwaukee, WI. He also received advanced dental residency training (AEGD) at Baylor College of Dentistry here in Dallas.
Throughout his career, Dr. Lin has completed countless hours of continuing education and consistently seeks out new opportunities to enhance his abilities, knowledge and techniques.
In his spare time Dr. Lin enjoys music, spending time with family and volunteering his time in dental missions overseas.
He is the member of several professional associations:
Take the next step to a better smile
- Schedule your complimentary consultation today by calling (469) 522-3298 or Schedule Online.
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How it works, how much it costs, and much more...


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Region around the Lagoon and Trifid
posted: 3803 days ago, on Wednesday, 2009 Aug 26 at 07:49
tags: astronomy, astrophotography, deep sky, Oleg Toumilovitch, Waterberg Planetary Festival.
The Lagoon nebula (M8, left), the Trifid (M20, right of centre) and NGC 6531 (M21, right edge). The field of view is 2¼° across.
Contributor: Oleg Toumilovitch
Equipment: Canon ESO 350, modified 400mm Sigma lens, piggybacked on an 8-inch Cassegrain and guided with the Foton AstroCam.
Date: 2009 August.
nothing more to see. please move along.


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I don't know about you, but I personally find the sandwich very underrated. Go, take your caviar, your duck foie gras, your poached lobster tail, and just drop me off at the deli. (Well, maybe we could split the lobster tail. You're not going to finish it all, are you? Better yet, I could probably make an awesome lobster roll with that…)
In all honesty, I think there isn't a single food out there that couldn't taste good in some sort of sandwich. Maybe it has something to do with my carb obsession, or maybe it's just the fact that a sandwich allows you to get so many more flavors and textures than most other dishes but still seems so, I don't know, down-to-earth.
Food has personality. At least good food does.
Not to mention, sandwiches are just easier: easy to serve, easy to clean up, easy to pack, easy to love. For this reason, I'm always making sandwiches when I'm having guests over. I've made a ton of sandwiches that I keep forgetting to photograph and show you because I'm always too busy, you know,
eating them being a good hostess.
But don't worry, that ends today! I finally took pictures of one of my favorite sandwiches ever– the Cuban Sandwich.
I made this sandwich twice this past week because I couldn't get enough. My friends, my boyfriend, and my brother's friends also had seconds and thirds– because once you taste Cuban pulled pork, honey ham, melted swiss, pickles, mustard, and buttery bread all together, you can't help but want more.
Cut these up and serve them with Mojitos or Daiquiris (or both) and enjoy your own Havana Night this summer!
Slow Cooker Cuban Sandwich
This classic Cuban Sandwich features buttery Cuban bread, honey ham, Cuban pork (which is easily made in the slow cooker), Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard. Talk about a crowd-pleaser!
For the Pork:
- 1 lb boneless pork shoulder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- ¼ teaspoon dried red chili flakes
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
For the Sandwich:
- 1 Cuban bread roll
- 3 tablespoons mustard
- 8 thick slices Swiss cheese
- 10 sliced dill (or bread and butter) pickles
- 8 thin slices honey ham
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Butter, softened
- Add all of the Pork ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours.
- When the pork is finished cooking, remove it from the slow cooker and shred into large chunks.
- Split the Cuban bread in half and spread mustard on both halves. Layer on the cheese, pickles, ham, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, pork, and then cheese again.
- Place the assembled sandwich on a sheet of aluminum foil and butter both sides of the sandwich, being careful not to let the sandwich fillings spill out.
- Wrap the sandwich up tightly in the aluminum foil, making sure that there are no holes or openings. Place the sandwich on a hot grill or panini press for a few minutes on each side. If you are cooking on the grill, make sure you weight the sandwich down a bit with a heavy pan, brick, or other flame-proof object.
- Unwrap the sandwich, slice, and serve!
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Cuban
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A Ten Faced Rudraksha Bead
Rudraksha bead/Utrasum bead botanically known as Elaiocarpus Ganitrus Roxb have been used since times immemorial by mankind for mental and physical well being, anti stress agents, body fluids regulators, meditation,
adverse planetary configurations and for divine spiritual practices.
These beads grow in Indonesia, Nepal, few countries in South east Asia. In India they are found in Himalayan region, Sikkim, Dehradoon, parts of Garwhal , Assam, Bihar, Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. They are also found in Java. In Karnataka also some varieties of Elaiocarpus is found but most of them are not Rudraksha. These Beads generally of large size belong to a different species.
!!!! Rudraksha does not follow the laws of Planetary Gemology. The Rudraksha expert ascertains which bead will be beneficial to the individual !!!!
There are 38 types of Rudraksha and these beads are available in 21 facets. Facets' are prominent vertical natural lines found across the Rudraksha, and each kind has a specific purpose. Facets/faces in Hindi are Known as Mukhi.
The Rudraksha rosary can be worn by anybody but for individual problems, desires or
adverse planetary configurations special facets are prescribed after an in depth analysis of the problem and the birth chart.
These Rudraksha beads show chemical and physical properties like inductance, capacitance, movement of Electric current etc as shown by research by the scientists at IIT (Indian Institute of
Technology). It has been proved that the Rudraksha has tremendous healing properties and is now being widely used in Alternative medicine. The ash of the Rudraksha Beads are also use in native and Ayurvedic Medicines.
The Rudraksha Beads directly act on the Central nervous system by emitting bio electrochemical impulses hence calming the mind and inducing the brain to release positive and mood uplifting chemicals to bring about calming changes. The Rudraksha bead resembles the shape of the human brain with the sulci and gyri. The beads have shown remarkable results to control stress and anxiety and regulation of heart beat.
!!!! Any one can wear a five faceted bead. Howvever it is always better to consult an expert before wearing other beads !!!!
The Power of the Five Faced Rudraksha beads to control Blood Pressure and stress in known the world over. Two five faceted beads dipped in a glass of water overnight and the water had early morning on an empty stomach reduces blood pressure considerably besides giving an individual a feeling of calm and tranquility. If this pair of five faceted beads are used with a blood pressure stone studded in silver and worn round the neck (blood pressure stone only) it controls the blood pressure problems within 40 days. The good effects and sometimes amazing results are felt within 7 days of wearing the blood stone and drinking Rudraksha water. Nowadays Rudraksha beads are also known as blood pressure beads! They will control high or low BP if genuine and properly charged Rudraksha Beads are used.
Find out more details of
Rudraksha BP Kit.
The bead creates a powerful Armour around the individual wearing the bead and makes the individual mind receptive to positive radiations and energy thereby improving the quality of life and curing depression.
A very thought provoking and informative article on the Utrasum beads can be found
here. (Scroll down to the Science section)
Dr. Suhas Roy of the Benaras Hindu University proved in the year 1993 that the Rudraksha beads possess inductive and electromagnetic properties. When worn over the heart the beads send different and distinct signals differing for different facets and thereby regulating brain activity and directing it towards better health. The agitated state of mind and the Dopamine levels of those who wore five faceted bead was found to be less.
!!!! The biggest producers of Rudraksha are Indonesia and Nepal. Both produce Rudraksha of good quality !!!!
Chemical Composition of the Rudraksha Beads:
The Rudraksa beads are mainly plant product that contain Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, and different trace elements in a combined form. The gaseous elements in the following proportion:
The following elements are also present albeit in less quantities:
Aluminum, Calcium, Chlorine, Copper, Cobalt, Nickel, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorous, Potassium, Sodium, Silicon Oxide and Zinc.
Manufactured Rudraksha Beads generally available in religious fairs etc will not have these properties.


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Ok, this post is gonna take a little bit of following – it's a bit random and the details are somewhat foggy haha
So the hubs and I were invited to attend a black tie event – don't ask how, we aren't quite sure how it worked out either. The speaker for the evening was to be Andre Agassi. To be honest I wasn't particularly excited about that – I am not much of a sports enthusiast (ya know except for weightlifting and mud runs ). But he started to speak, and I realized he's a pretty inspiring guy! And even though he was speaking on topics of educating our youth (it was a fundraiser for a renowned school) – I quickly understood how his words could be applied in the fitness world – how they spoke to my own experience in my struggle for fitness.
"Unfortunately" ……………… there was an open bar before the speaking commenced, and I knew I'd remember more about the wine than what he was talking about, so I grabbed the pen and paper (and one of the boutique chocolate bars) from my gift bag and scribbled a few notes. I wish I had more than this to share, but I think even this little bit is worth it
"I woke up in a life I didn't choose"
He said this regarding his rise to the top of his profession, his subsequent fall out of "1st place" and how he realized he wasn't happy at either place. He had an epiphany of sorts, that the reason he wasn't happy is that he did not CHOOSE his life – circumstance did, other people did, his habitual actions did, but HE did not. One day he woke up in a life he did not choose – bewildered, confused, disappointed… And at that point, you can't wish for a different life, lament the life you have, abandon the life you have, but "take ownership of it", and choose consciously from that day forward to move from where you are to where you CHOOSE to be.
"At the top and at the bottom, when you wake up, it's all the same… all you can do is work to get better, even when you are THE BEST, all that's left is to work to be better. Better than the day before."
For us… it doesn't matter if you are starting at 150 pounds or 500 pounds, it doesn't matter if you struggle to bust out 1 squat or if you qualify to compete in the Crossfit Games or ran your 3rd marathon… we all have the same goal, we all have the same work ahead of us, we all have the same "to do list" when we wake up … to get better. Don't look down on yourself AND don't look down on those below or above you.
It also means, don't ever stop – there is always room to get better. That may seem daunting, that there is no finish line, no place where you get to say "I'm done!", but in another way it gives you purpose… the next goal gives you purpose. Suppose you woke up on day with no goal to attend to, nothing to improve, nothing to work on or toward. Goals give focus to your intentions, give purpose to your actions, give meaning to your life!


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Fred Rotgers' recent flight from San Juan to Newark was canceled because of the weather. At least, that's what United Airlines claims.
Rotgers doesn't believe it.
"The weather at both the origin and destination was just fine from the time of cancellation until two days later," he says. "United called this a pre-emptive cancellation."
Question is, what was United pre-empting? Like many passengers, Rotgers suspects it had other reasons for canceling the flight. Maybe it was having plane trouble or maybe they failed to sell enough seats on the plane.
Read more "Maybe they should blame your next flight delay on space aliens"


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Utah Transit Authority Buses
Index For This Page
This page was last updated on April 5, 2016.
(This is a work in progress; research continues.)
Motor Coach Age Articles
Motor Coach Age, the magazine of the Motor Bus Society, published a four-part history in 1987-1988 of buses in Salt Lake City and other cities in northern Utah. Back issues are long out of print and unavailable, so to preserve this vital part of the history of transportation in Utah, the text of the articles is presented here:
Utah Light and Traction Co. -- 1923 to 1944
Salt Lake City Lines -- 1944 to 1970
Regional Bus Companies, including Bamberger, Ogden, Utah-Idaho Central Railroad, Cook Transportation, Salt Lake and Utah Railroad, Utah Valley Transit, and Provo City Lines
Utah Transit Authority -- 1970 to 1988
Rosters of the buses -- Roster from the above four Motor Coach Age articles.
Current UTA Bus Roster, after 1988 -- compiled by Andre Kristopans
Bus World Article
An excellent article about Salt Lake City's electric coaches, also known as trackless trolleys.
Photos of the electric trolley coaches from the article in Bus World, and the above Motor Coach Age articles.
(incomplete; research continues)
March 1, 1946
Salt Lake City Lines purchased the stock, equipment, and interests of the Airways Motor Coach Lines (from Utah Public Service Commission case 2941).
Airways was incorporated in Wyoming, owned 23 buses, and provided all bus service south of 2100 South, east of Redwood Road, and west of Wasatch Boulevard to the south line of Salt Lake County. The Airways bus shops were located at 29 East 900 South, between Main Street and State Street.
Salt Lake City Lines was engaged in bus and electric coach operation in Salt Lake City. No mention is made of street car service.
The purchase price was $125,000.00 with the purchase agreement signed on February 4, 1946.
Approved February 27, 1946; sale to take effect on March 1, 1946.
An excerpt from an earlier history of the Bamberger Railroad by Don Strack:
Bamberger Railroad on June 26, 1953, sold its bus subsidiary, Bamberger Transportation Co., to the Lake Shore Motor Coach Lines Co., newly organized for the purpose. Lake Shore's president and organizer, Dale Barratt, was general manager of Salt Lake City Lines, the local bus company that had taken over the streetcar lines in Salt Lake City. Barratt was also regional director of the parent company, National City Lines. (Salt Lake Tribune, June 27, 1953)
The sale became effective on July 3, when Lake Shore took ownership of Bamberger's 17 buses. In a side note about later bus operations, Barratt sold Lake Shore to Salt Lake City Lines in 1965 and left Utah. In August 1968, Barratt returned and purchased all interests in Salt Lake City lines, which he sold to the new Utah Transit Authority in August 1970. The former Lake Shore (ex-Bamberger) operations were split off from Salt Lake City Lines in May 1969 and sold to Cook Transportation of Logan. (Motor Coach Age, June-July 1987, pp. 4-6)
February 18, 1975
Utah Transit Authority took over the franchise of providing transit service west of Redwood Road. The franchise was previously held by Lewis Brothers Stages, which sold the franchise to UTA following arbitration. UTA would provide bus service to Kearns, Granger, and Taylorsville. (Ogden Standard Examiner, October 5, 1975)
Additional Bus Information
Andre's Bus Data -- A separate index for bus data compiled by Andre Kristopans
Bus Information on the web -- Links to web pages for additional bus data, including VIN data
More Information
Will Bagley's article -- "A Century Ago, Salt Lake Was Transit Model" from Salt Lake Tribune
Streetcars in Utah -- An index page for streetcar information throughout Utah.


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Joshua Hall owns and operates Elite Electric & Lighting. Joshua's father was an electrical engineer, so he's been around circuits and wiring his entire life. Following in his father's footsteps, Joshua began a career as an electrical contractor. Now, Joshua and his small crew offer electrical services in Ocean, NJ and throughout the Jersey Shore.
Elite Electric & Lighting takes on all kinds of residential and commercial projects, including LED retrofits, new installations and general troubleshooting. Call us today to hire a crew that is:
Jersey Shore area residents choose Elite Electric & Lighting for repairs, service and general maintenance. We've handled elegant Victorian remodels, commercial tenant improvements and everything in between. Call Elite Electric & Lighting of Ocean, NJ today.


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Authors & Friends
On this page I listed people and authors to whom I have a relation. Either they were co-authors of one of the books presented on this side or we were in contact for other reasons, mainly about "desert related" subjects.
Please check out the books and publications of these authors and friends of mine.
Waeffler, Ruedi
Ruedi Waeffler had spent a considerable time in Libya and travelled with me to Jebel Sherif. He is co-author of our book Ziel: Kufra.


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Tucker Miller
Senior Consultant
The Washington Firm, Ltd.
206.284.4800 (Seattle)
Tucker Miller brings a rich, well-rounded perspective to her work with clients. She draws on 20 years of experience working in diverse capacities with corporations to perform engagements including executive and employee coaching services; leadership and management training; retreat facilitation and team building. She also serves as an expert witness in harassment and discrimination cases.
Prior to establishing her consulting practice in 2004, Tucker spent 17 years in various legal, HR, and corporate leadership positions. As Director of Employee Relations for a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, she responded to employee complaints, prepared responses to EEOC charges, represented the company in dispute resolution efforts, provided human resource and manager training, and routinely advised human resource leaders and generalists in responding to employee and compliance issues.
Tucker is a member of the Washington State Bar Association and is licensed to practice law in the state of Washington. She earned a BA in Business Administration from the University of Washington and a JD from Willamette University College of Law (Salem, OR).
Willamette University College of Law
- J.D. Law, 1985 – 1988
University of Washington
- Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Business Administration, 1981 – 1985


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For a very special bouquet, let the local florist design a beautiful hand-tied bouquet using the season's best flowers. This bouquet will arrive ready for the recipient's favorite vase and reflect the amount you have spent.
All items featured on this site represent the types of arrangements we offer and may vary depending upon availability in certain regions. Substitution Policy


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Back in August, some footage of Jerry Lewis' long-buried, carefully guarded The Day The Clown Cried made its way to the Internet, enchanting fans of cult cinema like a circus clown leading kids to a Nazi gas chamber. That footage has since been removed, dismissed from YouTube like Lewis repeatedly has any inquiry into actually seeing the thing. But now there's another way to learn a little bit more about Lewis' legendarily tone-deaf creation, besides secondhand reports from Harry Shearer, one of Patton Oswalt's staged readings, or just looking at the script yourself.
New, lengthier clips have emerged from a documentary that was being made about its production, offering actual takes from the film and some behind-the-scenes revelations—like the fact that Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin were apparently on set, with Gainsbourg drawn inexorably to the Jerry Lewis flame, like all French people. And here those clips are, for anyone who finds the idea of Jerry Lewis playing the Holocaust's most popular clown intriguing, likely because they are true lovers of the cinema. [via Bleeding Cool]


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Cheap tickets to Deer Lake from Whitehorse
If you're researching cheap tickets to Deer Lake from Whitehorse, you'll want to give WestJet a look. Our 150+ destinations in North and Central America, the Caribbean and Europe include flights into Deer Lake Regional Airport, which means we're the people who can get you where you need to be. Beyond the irresistible destinations on offer, countless travellers choose WestJet time and again for our remarkable customer care, as well as our commitment to safety and comfort. So if you want great value without sacrificing great service, turn to WestJet.
Low fare finder
Don't see what you're looking for? Find all of our great low fares in one place.
Fly to the Rock with WestJet
Airport Details: To YDF, Deer Lake Regional Airport From YXY, Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport
Despite its small size and charming countryside, Deer Lake is anything but sleepy. Visitors will be pleased to discover a range of outdoor pursuits in the surrounding area, from relaxing strolls and scenic hikes to thrilling skiing and snowmobiling adventures. History is also brought to the forefront at Doon Heritage Village, a living history village where visitors can experience what life was like in the early 20th century.
Don't wait any longer. Book cheap tickets now and look forward to exploring energizing, naturally beautiful Deer Lake. We're here to get you there swiftly and comfortably, whether it's for business purposes or to enjoy fantastic attractions like the Humber Valley Strawberry Festival, Humber River Golf Course or nearby White Bay. Fly to Deer Lake from Whitehorse with us and discover how we put exceptional customer care first.


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Family to Family
This is one of NAMI's oldest and most helpful courses for the caregivers, friends, and family members of those living with a brain disorder/mental illness. This free twelve session course is available twice each year, usually beginning in February and September. Among the topics covered are: diagnoses, recovery, symptoms of mental illness, medications, communication with doctors and relatives, problem-solving, and advocacy. Those who have attended these classes have claimed the lessons to be life-changing, eye-opening and extremely helpful. This course is taught by trained caregivers.
In Our Own Voice
This program directly addresses the stigma associated with having a mental illness. Two trained In Our Own Voice speakers share the compelling and personal testimonies of living with and overcoming the challenges posed by mental illness. Audience participation and discussion is encouraged, and a brief video with a variety of stories accompanies the presentation.
Ending the Silence
NAMI Ending the Silence is an engaging presentation that helps audience members learn about the warning signs of mental health conditions and what steps to take if you or a loved one are showing symptoms of mental illness.
NAMI Ending the Silence presentations include a lead presenter who shares an informative presentation and a young adult with a mental health condition who shares their journey of recovery. Audience members can ask questions and gain understanding of an often misunderstood topic. Through dialogue, we can help grow the movement to end stigma.
There are presentations for students, school staff and their families and each lasts about one hour.
NAMI Basics
This program is a free six-session, peer directed education program developed specifically for parents and other family caregivers of children and/or adolescents who have either been diagnosed with an emotional disturbance or who are experiencing emotional and behavioral symptoms but have not yet been diagnosed. The course is taught by trained teachers who are the parents or other caregivers of individuals who developed the symptoms of mental illness prior to the age of thirteen. The course includes current information about Attention Deficit Disorder, Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Childhood Schizophrenia and Substance Abuse Disorder.
NAMI Basics On Demand is now available and can be accessed at: https://basics.nami.org


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Seminar/Conference: Towards Collaborative Practice 2018 – Forum on the environmental dimension of social entrepreneurship
Location: Budapest, Hungary
Dates: 27 November – 1 December 2018
Number of participants: 80
Participating countries: Erasmus+: Youth in Action Programme countries , Partner Countries Neighbouring the EU
Organizer: Hungarian NA for ERASMUS+ Youth – Tempus Public Foundation
Apply here: Application form
Deadline to apply: 16 September 2018
Date of selection: 2 October 2018
Inquiries about this seminar: TCP Forum Hungary team firstname.lastname@example.com
This project is financed by the Erasmus+: Youth in Action Programme. Being selected for this course, all costs (accommodation, travel, visa, etc.) relevant to participation in the course will be covered by the NAs or SALTO involved in this project – except a participation fee which varies from call to call and country to country. Please contact your Erasmus+: Youth in Action NA to learn more about the financial details, and how to arrange the booking of your travel tickets and the reimbursement of your travel expenses. If you come from a country other than Erasmus+: Youth in Action Programme Countries, please contact the host Erasmus+: Youth in Action NA for further information about the financial details.
(Info for sending NAs: All costs for this activity should be financed by TCA 2018)
Towards Collaborative Practice 2018 – Forum on the environmental dimension of social entrepreneurship
"Towards Collaborative Practice" Forum: A cross-sector event exploring the potential of youth work and Erasmus+ to foster social entrepreneurship among young people.
The "Towards Collaborative Practice" (TCP) Community has been growing and inspiring the field of social entrepreneurship and innovation since the first conference burst out of Malmö, Sweden in 2015. The second edition of the TCP Forum, focusing on social innovation and entrepreneurship, took place in the beautiful city of Lecce Italy in 2016. The third chapter followed in Liverpool United Kingdom, at the beginning of 2018, which sought to grow and collaborate further by sharing ideas across the Youth and Vocational Education sectors.
Now it's your turn to join the community in the fourth TCP Forum to take place in Budapest Hungary. This edition's focus will be environmental consciousness in social entrepreneurship. The whole event is influenced by its theme, environmental awareness – including site selection, menu compilation, coffee breaks and the materials we use. We believe it is important to show that there is always an opportunity to select an environmentally friendly option.
Aim and approach of the TCP Project:
The aim of the TCP project is to build an international network of like-minded people, projects, ideas and experiences of social entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on Erasmus+ opportunities. The TCP Forum is an opportunity to discuss future pathways for social entrepreneurship, explore new opportunities and build a cross-sectoral platform for cooperation on innovative projects and initiatives.
The upcoming Forum will be a meeting and exchange, encouraging cross-sectoral collaboration and partnership building between Erasmus+ formal and non-formal sectors as well as (social) business on everything related to social entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial learning, with a particular focus on environment and ecology.
Based on non-formal learning approaches which encourage your active participation with room for sharing good practice and expressing yourself, the forum will be an exciting mix of expert inputs, interactive workshops, group coaching sessions, field visits and many more.
A novelty of this chapter of the TCP Forum is the introduction of the group coaching method. This session offers you unlimited opportunities to discover the social entrepreneur in you. Professional group coaches will support your real individual development with the help of others on given topics will be appearing on the conference in the moment by you.
More information about the project and previous editions can be found at http://www.tcpcommunity.eu/ .
Objectives of the TCP 2018 Forum Hungary:
1. To encourage cross-sectoral collaboration and partnership building among the actors of the social entrepreneurship ecosystem;
2. To raise awareness of and promote the environmental dimension of social entrepreneurship;
3. To offer an opportunity for networking and sharing ideas, tools, methods, challenges and good practices;
4. To use social enterprise as a way to encourage and enable young people to sustain their entrepreneurial life skills;
5. To encourage creativity, innovation, participation, diversity and social inclusion of young people;
6. To provide information on Erasmus+ and other opportunities to foster social entrepreneurship.
Venue and duration
The event will take place at the European Youth Centre in Budapest Hungary, from 28 to 30 November 2018 (three full working days).
Participants will need to arrive on 27 November in the afternoon and depart in the morning of 1 December.
Target group
We are looking for 80 participants with the following professional backgrounds: associations of cooperatives; employment, entrepreneurship and social innovation support services (Chambers of Commerce, incubators, accelerators, banks, social venture capitalists etc.); formal education representatives; foundations; local and regional administration representatives; policy-makers; researchers; (social) entrepreneurs; youth workers.
Participation costs will be covered by your Erasmus+ National Agency.
Seminar/Conference: Towards Collaborative Practice 2018 – Forum on the environmental dimension of social entrepreneurship – Hungary – abroadship.org


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Don't ignore the security check!
When you register an account here, you'll see a screen like this:
Please do not ignore the security quiz at the bottom. Yes, we know it looks like an advertisement, but it is not. And you need to answer the quiz questions in order to complete your registration. (If you are using AOL, there's a chance the "security check" quiz might not be seen when registering. If that's the case, please use a stand-alone browser to register instead of the default AOL browser.)
The quiz is easy. It shows you 4 pictures, and underneath each one, you must select the best description for each picture from the 5 options given. Super easy. And we'll give you a gold star when you're done.
Why do we make you take this quiz? Because forums like this one are an open target for "spam bots." These little automated devils crawl the internet to find forums and blogs like this one -- and when they do, they attempt to sign-in and post links to shopping sites and other sorts of spam. These spambots can wreak havoc here, and they clog the forum with so much junk, it becomes difficult to see the real posts amid all the spam. So this is how we keep them out. A few still get in, but this security check keeps most of the spambots outside, clawing at the gates like the mutant zombies they are.
Did you get an error message?
Here is a screen shot of a registration page with an error message:
It is important to distinguish the difference between the error message and the reminder about having a valid email address. This reminder, unfortunately, appears on all pages during the registration process. It is not the error, itself. The actual error message appears just above it:
Those two screen shots show one of the most common errors people get: "One of your responses below was not correct." This is referring to the security quiz at the bottom. You'll get this error if you get a question wrong in the quiz or if you ignore the quiz altogether. The remedy? Try the quiz again. Simple.
Never got your validation email?
Immediately after registering, this board automatically sends you a Validation Email containing a special link (which you must click on in order to activate your new account). If you do not see your Validation Email in your email's Inbox, be sure to check your email's "Bulk Folder" or "Spam Folder" in case it is mistakenly got sent there (likely the case for those with Yahoo email). The return address to look for is this:
And no, that's not Amityville "fag" -- it is FAQ (as in Frequently Asked Questions) -- Amityville FAQ, which is the host of this board.
Forgot your password?
If you have forgotten your password, be sure to use the "Forgot My Password" function in the "Log In" section. You will be sent an automated email with a new temporary password which you can use to log onto the board (one that you can later change in your "Profile" page). If you no longer have the email account listed with us (the one in your profile -- which you probably used to sign up here), then just make a new account using your current email address.
If you really need access to your previous account, then email us and we'll try to figure something out.
We can't guarantee anything, though, as we don't want to risk handing over the reins of someone's account to another person by mistake.
Is your issue not listed here?
If you have any other problems or questions in general, send us an email to:
...and we will be glad to help you resolve the issue. If you already have an account, then please send a Private Message (PM) to one of the admins or moderators listed below (if you do not receive a prompt response, try sending a PM to another admin or moderator, as one of us might be currently unavailable at any given time).
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