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Manchester United have made an offer for Tottenham Hotspur superstar Gareth Bale, according to reports.
Spanish paper Marca claims the Red Devils are going head-to-head with Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain for the Welsh winger's signature, and have already approached Daniel Levy with a bid.
"Levy is a hard negotiator and has received more offers besides those of Real Madrid and PSG, the most significant coming from Manchester United," writes the paper this morning, according to The Daily Star.
Los Blancos have been courting the former Southampton starlet hard in recent weeks, with constant speculation that the 24-year-old will leave White Hart Lane for the Santiago Bernabeu.
But, the Star reports that PSG are also in the mix to land the player, and tabled an £85million offer for the Spurs star two-months ago.
Now, new Manchester United boss David Moyes appears to be in the mix as the Scot looks to make a marquee signing at Old Trafford after replacing Sir Alex Ferguson.
The Premier League champions failed in their efforts to bring Thiago Alcantara to the club, and have also struggle to convince Cesc Fabregas that a move from Barcelona is the right option this summer.
Landing Bale would be a major statement of intent from Manchester United, but he clearly won't come cheap.
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Having been an employee of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge for 34 years to the day when I retire at the end of December, I've an unusual appreciation of issues and events surrounding the Refuge since Dave Spencer's arrival in 1947 as the first manager of what was then the Kenai National Moose Range. Reflecting back, a singularly interesting and influential chapter in the refuge's history is the battle for the establishment of Kenai Wilderness, our 1.35 million-acre contribution to the National Wilderness Preservation and Management System.
After a century of losing wildlife and wildlands, the Wilderness Act was passed in 1964 by 373 to 1 in the House, and by 73 to 12 in the Senate. By today's standards, this is a startling level of bi-partisan support, reflecting the public's desire for protection of America's wilderness heritage.
The Act immediately established 9.1 million acres of Wilderness but, more importantly for this story, required review of potential wilderness throughout federal lands. This requirement set the stage for hundreds of local dramas involving inventories, data collection, wilderness proposals, public hearings, and grassroots lobbying throughout the country on either side of the wilderness designation issue.
One of the watershed issues in our local history was just such a wilderness review and proposal scenario for the Moose Range. The arguments both for and against wilderness "zoning" within the Moose Range was a classic discussion, or some might say battle, of resource protection versus development interests at both national and local scales. One of the many subplots is the story of a small but effective grassroots organization known as the "Kenai Conservation Society" (KCS). Actually, this group of local residents was organized in 1965 as the nonprofit Kenai Peninsula Chapter of the Alaska Conservation Society (ACS).
The ACS was a Fairbanks-based group, founded in 1960 by Camp Denali co-owner Celia Hunter and others, that advocated for Alaska conservation issues. The ACS became synonymous with opposition to the federal government's Project Chariot, a proposal to use nuclear devices to establish a harbor in northern Alaska, and the Rampart Project, which proposed to dam the Yukon River and flood over 9,000 square miles. ACS also became well known for their advocacy on behalf of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Later, ACS fought for protection of Alaska's federal lands known as the "D2 lands", culminating in the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. By the time President Carter signed this legislation in 1980, the forward-thinking but pragmatic ideas of the Kenai Peninsula's own little conservation club "that could" were woven into the fabric of the Kenai Refuge and statewide legislation.
Initially, KCS was moved to action by critical conservation issues of the day — a fear of lost resources and values, their close proximity and association with the Moose Range, and a perceived need to weigh-in on big issues affecting the "Range" and the Kenai Peninsula. This group of friends, acquaintances and neighbors met in their living rooms and kitchens. The group's enthusiasm, knowledge, sense of urgency and, ultimately, their influence belied their relatively modest numbers. Although they formed primarily to support and advocate for issues associated with the Moose Range, they also weighed-in on issues affecting clean air and water, and "growing pain" issues associated with new and increasing oil and gas exploration and development in Cook Inlet and on the Kenai Peninsula.
Former KCS president Jim Fisher recently reflected on his surprise when a letter he had penned regarding oil rig-related waste dumping in Cook Inlet actually resulted in temporary suspension of operations. You see, the local group was not just some distant altruistic environmental group — they were friends, family members and neighbors of others now involved in the new industrial activities and were fertile ground for collecting information on practices and events that previously had not been known or available.
It came as no surprise to those involved in KCS that formation of such a conservation advocacy group was not without critics. In talking to former members and reviewing archives, sharp-tongued critics often mistook any critique of local development as being against progress.
The Moose Range was also struggling to balance its original conservation mission, as articulated in the Executive Order that established it in 1941, with the seemingly inconsistent Interior Secretarial Order that opened it to oil and gas exploration and development. By the time KCS was hatched, over 1,500 miles of seismic trails and new industry roads had been laid down on the northern portion of the Moose Range. Then Refuge Manager John Hakala described it collectively as "one hell of a mess."
My first association with KCS was in 1979. Bill Schrier, then chapter president, had a well-worn path to the manager's office at the Moose Range. Mr. Schrier was a disciple of friendly but persistent negotiation and discussion, consistent with his profession as a local school teacher. He always had a smile and a well thought-out agenda and, when he asked "how are you?", he meant it. While an ally of the Moose Range in its over-arching conservation mission, KCS was critical of certain management practices, particularly plans to build more roads and facilities into roadless areas, and certain methods associated with habitat projects which cleared vast areas for game production.
The first KCS president was Dr. Calvin Fair, a soft-spoken local dentist, who had a passion for the outdoors and wildlands. Local homesteader Marge Mullen, Kasilof big game guide George Pollard, Bureau Of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife (now U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) employee Will Troyer, and local attorney James Fisher and his wife Helen were just a few of the early members. Legend has it that Dr. Fair was at his best advocating for conservation issues and recruiting new members while you were a captive audience in his dental chair.
In a recent conversation with Mr. Fisher, who still lives on the peninsula, he described how the passion for conservation and his initial involvement was really his wife's doing. Fisher, however, rose to the occasion, eventually serving as chapter president, while joining Fair in authoring numerous letters and chapter positions on a variety of conservations issues, as well as offering formal testimony at public hearings.
The fabric of the group and the attraction for many new members was the group's split personality as a local outdoor club, sponsoring outings and hikes to wild places in the Kenai Mountains, in addition to their more serious agenda as conservation advocates. In a recent conversation with Marge Mullen, she fondly recalled an outing to Emma Lake and the Kenai Range's "Nickanorka Mountains" lead by George Pollard.
Ms. Mullen recalled the same trip in her eloquent testimony on behalf of establishing wilderness within the Kenai National Moose Range during wilderness public hearings in June 1971. In fact, the KCS's championing at these contentious hearings became the rallying cry for a host of other voices across Alaska and the Lower 48. Most national and statewide conservation groups testifying at those hearings, and in subsequent written comments, simply spoke of their general support for Kenai Wilderness and then referred to the details in the KCS proposal.
KCS President Fisher and Vice President Fair supported the Refuge's proposals, but went even further. Dr. Fair boldly advocated for additional wilderness acreage, combining several of the six smaller individual proposals and, for the first time, inclusion of Tustumena Lake. But perhaps more telling was a proposal to amend what would become the establishing legislation, with a compromise for limited motorized access variances (motorboats, aircraft and snowmobiles) for certain traditional uses.
When the issue was "said and done" and wilderness protection for the Kenai Moose Range became reality in 1980, the homegrown group's ideas including the access compromises carried the day both at Kenai and throughout Alaska. Remarkably, the final Kenai Wilderness designation included an increase over 400,000 acres, even more than advocated by Fair and Fisher on that June day in 1971. The humble group not only provided a local face in support of wilderness protection (even if in the minority) but, importantly, they also influenced powerful national conservation interests for a workable balance of wilderness protection and traditional access.
Former House Of Representatives Speaker Tip O'Neal noted in an often-repeated quote that "all politics are local," and wilderness advocate Ben Haze once stated in a Wilderness Management class at the University of Washington where I had invited him to speak "that if you are willing to write a letter a day you can change the world." The KCS officers and members intuitively practiced these two concepts. I believe Refuge resources and today's Kenai Peninsula residents are all the better for their efforts.
The soon-to-be-retired Rick Johnston has served as wilderness ranger, law enforcement officer, pilot, and permit specialist at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. You can find more information about the Refuge at http://kenai.fws.gov or http://www.facebook.com/kenainationalwildliferefuge.

subset: commoncrawl


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From Theherald.co.uk: I was bemused to note that Norway has just announced that it is going to dip into its $332bn sovereign wealth fund (£222bn) to finance a new fiscal spending package.
The oil-rich Norwegians will use the fund, the world's second largest after Abu Dhabi, to offset a rapid slowdown in economic growth next year. And it aims to use these funds to stimulate target sectors expected to experience the sharpest slowdown, such as the construction sector, and invest in public buildings, schools and infrastructure….. Full Article: Source


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– Confirmed for next Thursday's Destination X themed episode of Impact Wrestling is Bully Ray defending the World Heavyweight Title against Chris Sabin. To receive the World Heavyweight Title shot, Sabin had to give up the X Division Title.
Dixie Carter also confirmed that Sonjay Dutt, Homicide, Petey Williams, Chavo Guerrero, Kenny King, Manik and others will be in action.
– Gail Kim became the new #1 contender to Mickie James' Knockouts Title be defeating Taryn Terrell in a Ladder Match on last night's Impact.
– Rampage Jackson was added to The Main Event Mafia on last night's show. The group now consists of Sting, Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe, Magnus and Rampage.


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City Council continues to debate measure to install civilian police commissioner
BROCKTON – It was a familiar scene in City Hall on Monday as Robert Hayden was sworn in for his second 60-day interim appointment as the head of the Brockton Police Department.
"We've got to stop meeting like this," Hayden joked to the crowd as he stepped to the podium to take his oath.
The chief might want to get comfortable behind the podium, however, because this may not be the last time he is sworn into office in Brockton.
If an ordinance to create a civilian police commissioner to head the department is passed by the City Council, Hayden could find himself back at City Hall to take the position in a matter of weeks.
While Mayor Bill Carpenter is hoping the council would reach a decision on the ordinance before Hayden's first appointment was up, the ordinance has undergone a number of amendments and another might be pending after the city learned that Hayden would not be allowed to work more than 960 hours per year because of a state pension law.
"I was hopeful that we would have an ordinance passed by this point that would allow me to appoint the chief for a year as police commissioner, but the work on that will continue as will the work on the streets of our city," said Mayor Bill Carpenter during the ceremony.
A mix of about 75 City Hall employees and police officers were on hand for the event.
While speaking to the crowd, Carpenter described the changes that he believes the city has undergone over the last 60 days.
"I think, perhaps, the most important thing that has happened is that the residents of this city feel safer and the perception of the safeness of our city is changing already," Carpenter said.
The mayor added that since Hayden took over the department, morale on the force has improved, and officers are taking a proactive approach to patrolling the streets.
"For the first time in a long time, we're not waiting for the phone to ring," Carpenter said. "We're going out looking for trouble, instead of waiting to have someone report it."
Hayden was quick to give the credit to Brockton's police officers when he took the podium.
"Any good that has come to the city through what the mayor has done by appointing me is coincidental," Hayden said. "The talent was already here. The police officers, the men and women of Brockton, are the people that are changing this city."
However, Hayden described the situation at the Brockton police station as a "pretty toxic environment" prior to his arrival.
"There were just feelings in the station that were a bit poisonous," Hayden said to the crowd.
The chief praised his officers for being able to maintain "dignity and that desire to work" during that period, and described them as "one of the best departments I have ever seen in my life."
The City Council is expected to continue debating the commissioner ordinance at its next Finance Committee meeting on April 7.


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By Leah Gage, Kiva Fellow in Togo
Our Mission: Find Monsieur Kokou Abalo, a farmer who lives outside of Agbélouvé, Togo, to this month's repayment and complete a Kiva interview. Kokou Abalo has a loan from Kiva's field partner Microfund Togo. He's also the last borrower on my list with whom I have to do an interview.
We'd been down this road before… Two weeks ago I descended on Microfund's Agbélouvé office and dragged the Agency Chief, the Loan Officer, and Agriculture specialist to walk 2.5 km in the rain to find Kokou's farm… When we got there, Kokou was nowhere to be found. He was at the market selling his yams and, without a cell phone, we had no way to reach him. A likely story… (It is, actually.)
And so we were back. This time, on our motorcycles and it wasn't raining. I was armed with my camera and my notebook, two things a Kiva Fellow never leaves home without. We also had a tip from a source that Kokou Abalo never goes to the market on Thursdays. We leave the agency at 0830 and head out in search of Kokou Abalo.
0930 – We turn into a village where Monsieur Abalo lives and ask a lady if she knows where Kokou Abalo is. He's out in the farm, she says. We'll find him there.
"There" is, of course, more complicated than it sounds. For one thing, Monsieur Abalo's farm covers several acres. For another, he actually has three different farms right now, and there's no telling which one he's working in. "Head that way, you'll find him," she tells us and we sort of generally head in the direction of some tall, dense grasses.
A half hour later, we're totally lost. We can barely see the "road" before us and these aren't exactly the best conditions for a motorcycle. My colleagues Claude, Roland, and Patrice stop speaking French and are speaking their local language but I can tell they're not sure where they're going.
Eventually they tell me, "Il faut descendre" – we better get off the bikes and start walking.
1030 : Apparently someone alerted Kokou that we're looking for him, because as we're walking we can hear a voice yelling to us. Claude, the Agency's Chief, starts yelling back and we can tell we're getting closer, even though we can't see anything through the thick grasses around us.
We get to a clearing and just wait. Kokou emerges laughing with the woman who gave us directions and gladly shakes my hand. We found Kokou Abalo at last. We walk for a little while longer until we get to his nearest farm land and chat a bit about his farm and his loan from Kiva.
With half the mission complete, I must now learn how his loan impacted his life and tell him about Kiva. When I explain the Kiva concept to Kokou – that 30-some lenders from all over the world saw his photo and read his short story and chose to make a loan to him in particular – he can hardly believe it and laughs and thanks me. Why would you come all the way from Ohio to Togo to ask me about my yam crops and if my children were in school??
Just doing my job, sir. I'm a Fellow. Kiva Fellow.


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Submission + - Nate Silver turns his eye to the American League (nytimes.com)
Lasrick writes: Nate Silver is at it again. Here's a quote: "It might seem as if these statistics make Cabrera, the first triple crown winner in either league since 1967, a shoo-in for the M.V.P. But most statistically minded fans would prefer that it go to another player, Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels."


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You joke, but that would be a better introduction to what computers actually do than almost anything you could teach them on a modern OS.
The lack of BBC Micros - or something similar - has been a kick in the teeth for learning to program for many many years, IMO. When I was at primary school I taught myself to code on a ZX80, then progressed to the BBC Micro. By the time I was in my last couple of years there I was writing educational games in a combination of BASIC and Assembler for the kids in the lower classes to play. These days there isn't that ability to jump right in and start simple coding on most platforms.
Also, the state of home computing is much more advanced and it's virtually impossible to casually put together something that won't look pathetic compared to the commercial software already existing. That wasn't the case then - you saw a commercial game for the BBC and there was a very real feeling of "I could do that". Now, not really - doing something impressive by modern standards is virtually impossible for an individual at home.
But will they continue it when they notice that those pupils are then able to think not only about algorithms, but also about the stuff politicians tell?
But will they continue it when they notice that those pupils are then able to think not only about algorithms, but also about the stuff politicians tell?
No amount of C programming will teach you to discern a lie, except in comments.
And anyway, I can believe incompetence, stupidity, greed and all the rest for being at fault for why society is so broken. But malicious conspiracies? You'd need TALENT to do that.
See, that's just what they want you to believe.~
Who said anything about malicious conspiricies? OP mentioned lies. Do you think your government doesn't lie to you?
What's with the incessant gubbermint conspiracy theories?
It's a joke. Laugh. Nowhere do I mention conspiracy theories btw. Let the tinfoil hat crowd enjoy those for what they are.
I can believe incompetence, stupidity, greed and all the rest for being at fault for why society is so broken.
I don't disagree with you, but programming doesn't enhance your ability to see incompetence, stupidity and greed., nor the inevitable lies that follow in order to hide said incompetence, stupidity and greed. Programming is about logic, and people are not. The parent whom I replied to seemed to think that teaching someone to code would suddenly make that person less gullible. It won't.
I think it is the 'logic' part that will help discern lies, not the 'coding' part.
If you really want to catch a liar (particularly in written stuff), get somebody who was trained well in the study of history. That's because history is all about figuring out what actually happened based off of faulty documents. Great historians not only know how to look through dusty archives, they also know how to use the information in those dusty archives and sort out who's telling the truth, who's lying, who's wrong and in what way, who's telling fish stories, and ultimately put together a description
But will they continue it when they notice that those pupils are then able to think not only about algorithms, but also about the stuff politicians tell?
They're already taught that, for example in History (detecting bias, reliability of a source), English (reading newspapers and finding 'weasel words' [wikipedia.org], determining the intended audience of a newspaper), and probably that subject that was introduced after I finished school (politics/society/culture, I can't remember the name).
In English we were given articles from the Daily Mail, where the teacher asked us to highlight every "may", and then cross out the whole sentence. What were we left with? Not much. We
Force every class in existence on them because it might teach them other skills.
Force every class in existence on them because it might teach them other skills.
I doubt they will make everyone take it, although virtually everyone will have to use a computer, so maybe they should.
Force every class in existence on them because it might teach them other skills.
I doubt they will make everyone take it, although virtually everyone will have to use a computer, so maybe they should.
Non-core GCSEs (taken in the year the student turns 16e) are generally optional, but perhaps the ideas will trickle down into compulsory IT lessons for younger students.
Yeah, I think this is the most important part. Even if you aren't a technologist, it's a bad situation to be in the 21st century and have no understanding of how systems work, at least in principle, because you're unable to offer even commentary or suggestions about them, or think about how to interface with them, in a way that's grounded in anything approaching reality. This has sometimes been called "procedural literacy" [pdf] [psu.edu] or "computational thinking" [pdf] [luc.edu].
I don't think someone that is uninterested in this will even remember anything or care about doing any of that. It just seems like another way to waste time that they could be using to complete work from classes that teach things that they actually use everyday to me.
How much of high school is useful everyday to anyone? I have never once applied the Bohr model of the atom to my daily life (and I'm even an academic researcher in the sciences), nor the writing of Victor Hugo, nor the knowledge I gained of 16th-century French kings. Several of those things are culturally interesting and may make it easier for me to read and understand other things, but hey, that's also true with knowing the basics of how a computer is programmed.
How much of high school is useful everyday to anyone?
Good question. If the class teaches something that is used frequently (basic math, English, etc) by the average person, then I think it should be mandatory. Basically, things that you have a high probability of using later.
They don't care about how system work, they just want it to work.
Which is a problem that can be fixed if done early, which is the kind of thing these types of classes are supposed to do.
It's 2011. Not caring how systems work is unacceptable unless you are OK with being stuck with anything outside of "blue collar" or food services type stuff. Even some traditionally blue-collar work is now becoming more and more white-collar - auto mechanics (on modern vehicles) for example. And at these ages, you really don't know what the hell you're going to end up doing, so this kind
This is a really good thing. As the summary notes, this will teach kids logic and thinking systematically. Knowing how to program isn't just a useful skill in the direct sense of programming things and possibly being employed that way. It also does a really good job of making one think precisely and carefully. There's also another advantage which is it helps kids appreciate that the technology around them are things they can understand and don't need to treat like they are magic.
They are also skills that generalise and are useful elsewhere, not just in IT. I also see programming as something of a conduit - you programme something so this could help nurture interests in other areas like math.
I agree.
I tell people all the time, a little bit of programming experience goes a long way.
It isn't just about being a programmer by trade. You come across problems now and then in Excel that can't be solved any other way besides some VBA. Maybe you don't know VBA, but if you understand logical program flow, objects, etc... some Google will get you the rest of the syntax. My Biologist wife and I had to sit down and get her going with R. A few times in the Army I've had to process a shit-ton of text data and a perl script came in handy. A little programming knowledge has helped me out many times in normal life. I'm no programmer.
We all probably have tons of examples where just programming literacy and understanding of systematic thinking and logical flow have come in super handy. Just learning how to abstract a problem, break it into parts, and turn it into an algorithm.... forget the code, that is educational. Kids *should* be exposed to this. It will give them skills that will serve them well later.
Why not teach them how to construct geometric proofs instead? And this is a serious question.
The issue I have with teaching computer programing at such a young age is that programing languages tend to be transient. C or JAVA? A few years go it was BASIC vs. Fortran. I have had good C class that taught me theory which I use today – even though I know longer work in C. But if the kids are just learning how to hack – in the bad sense or the word – twisty rabbit warren logic type of code
That is why this [htdp.org] is an absolute must, it does not learn a language (even though it uses Scheme), it learns to think about algorithms and their design.
At GCSE level that's not really relevant. Some simple C, java or other programming skills along with an intro to computer architecture and an intro to algorithms will be enough.
I concur. Everyone gets stuck on what (programming) language to teach, rather than just teaching some useful fundamental skills in whatever language happens to be convenient. My Dad has a better variety of better tools in his garage than the school DT (shop or whatever else you want to call it) labs did, that didn't stop me learning how to measure things, the difference between a wasting and non-wasting process, the basic properties of woods, metals and plastics and various other things. I'm no cabinet m
Why not teach them how to construct geometric proofs instead? And this is a serious question.
The issue I have with teaching computer programing at such a young age is that programing languages tend to be transient. C or JAVA? A few years go it was BASIC vs. Fortran. I have had good C class that taught me theory which I use today – even though I know longer work in C. But if the kids are just learning how to hack – in the bad sense or the word – twisty rabbit warren logic type of code – then I would think more harm than good was done.
I think at that young age there is better ways to beef up their Cognitive skills (Chess, math - Heck – even a Jesuit priest teaching theology)
You had be agreeing with you right up to the point where you suggested exposing children to a priest.
Basic vs Fortran was in the 80s, I know it takes some thinking to realise how old you are, but the 80s ended over two decades ago.
Which was kind of my point. Why invest time to teach skills which in 20 years will be out of date? (and yes, in my mind, 20 is a few). Why not teach them skills that will not go out of date? Which brings me back to my serious question - Is programming the most effective way to instruct chrilden in logic and other core skills? And part of the answer is hour the course is designed - I am sure that a well designed Programing course will do a better job then a poorly designed math class. (I learned nothing fro
The issue I have with teaching computer programing at such a young age is that programing languages tend to be transient
Languages do, but concepts don't. I learned to program at school in the '80s with BASIC, Logo, and PL/M then C, C++, and Java in the '90s. Since then I've learned very few completely new concepts from new languages. For example:
None of these are particularly core idea. In contrast, those first languages taught me things like flow contr
Not just that, but being able to actually program a computer is the difference between being able to use a tool and being able to make a tool. Like, for example, a hydraulic punch. It's a hydraulic press, and it's a punch, and you put them together and you get a powerful new tool. Just being able to script enough to tie other applications together opens up whole new worlds, especially when scripting support is good (e.g. AppleScript, AREXX, or Unix scripting; the point is that all these are useful and well-
As the summary notes, this will teach kids logic and thinking systematically.
Poor kids. That will exclude them from taking a vast number of professions, like politician, lawyer, journalist, etc.
I don't think GCSE Computing existed for a while. This seems to be an effort to bring it back.
This [ocr.org.uk] is a pilot project for GCSE Computing.
I did an A-Level in ICT. It was primarily about MS Access.
I got an E.
I went on to do a computer programming course at university.
I'm now a computer games programmer (xbox 360, pc and ps3 games specifically).
The ICT course was completely useless.
Correction: It was primarily about writing reports (in Word) about what they'd taught you about MS Access. I was specifically told not to hand in an Access DB file, and instead to screenshot everything.
I did ICT at GCSE level, and A-Level, both times the course was fairly boring. Particularly the "here is how you create some basic documents" sections. One of the modules was to create a small website - we were allowed to use Dreamweaver, but so the course was somewhat challenging I did it in notepad (got full parks for that module too).
Once I got to University to study Computer Science, I started to learn actual interesting things, including programming (we hadn't done it at school, perhaps a little bit into Excell macros, but nothing major), but there were a lot of people in the first year of the Uni course who were struggling to learn the basic concepts, so improvement in the basics earlier on is definatly needed.
I imagine they could make a pretty interesting class in Excel if they'd move beyond formatting cells and doing simple sums and averages. They could even get into macro programming, but even without there's a lot of stuff you can do with it.
There are the 85% of kids who will do this and benefit from logical thinking as well as a real skill. Then there are the 15% who won't cope, and might be better off learning how to use a word processor, or even just that smashing shop windows and stealing is not the best way to get a happy and fulfilling life.
The article says this is in addition to, rather than instead of, the existing IT GCSE.
I the mid to late 80s, when I did my computer science GCEs and A levels, it was a proper computer science curriculum with computer architecture, language theory, machine code, high level languages (basic/pascal/prolog) databases etc. As with the other GCEs and A levels there was a lot of university involvement in setting the exams, so the curriculum led smoothly into the university computer science curriculum.
So this isn't a new thing, just a return to the old thing.
The current ICT GCSE has been lambasted for boring kids to death with lessons on using Word and Excel, rather than teaching computer programming.
More kids will be using Word and Excel later in life than will be coding--by orders of magnitude. Excel is only as boring as you make it (something most teachers don't understand).
When we start making curriculums that are driven by niche interests and by what is considered "fun" or not, society suffers.
More kids will be using Word and Excel later in life than will be coding--by orders of magnitude.
And if you need a class to show you how to use Word and Excel, your computer education has already failed you. And yes, I do use advanced features of each. I clicked around the menus until I found the stuff I needed.
Which is really the difference between computer literate and computer illiterate people. I show my mother how to do something in Word, and she learns that. I sit her in front of libreoffice and she is completely confused. Because she's looking for the exact same menu option located at the e
More kids will be using Word and Excel later in life than will be coding--by orders of magnitude. Excel is only as boring as you make it
Yes, if we only had better teachers kids would be running around showing each other their cool spreadsheets.
You always wanted to have a database of your dogs daily food consumption, right? Cool, I can show you how to do monthly reports. And It will be very useful for the rest of your life, trust me on that one.
Noooooo! This means there might actually be a generation to replace me before I retire!
Programming is pretty much a job for life in the UK. There is currently nobody coming along to replace the existing generation of programmers that learned on the Spectrum, C64 & BBCb.
It's quite common to see grey haired developers these days. We've got nobody under the age of 38. I employed my first great-grandfather last month.
That said, our generation was *particularly* prolific.
On a paper submitted by a physicist colleague: "This isn't right. This isn't even wrong." -- Wolfgang Pauli


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Toe-sucking human-toad hybrid Dick Morris is still trying to figure out why Romney lost, and he's finally starting to get a handle on it. Bottom line: "Wake up, white people!"
Now that all the data is in, the fundamental reason for Romney's defeat is apparent, if largely unreported. It is not just that blacks, Latinos, and single women showed up in record numbers at the polls. It's that whites didn't.
The final numbers suggest that 91.6 million votes were cast by whites — seven million less than the 98.6 million that were cast in 2008! Meanwhile, 16.6 million blacks voted — 300,000 more than in 2008; 11 million Latinos voted — 1.7 million more votes than were cast by Hispanics in 2008.
We lost because whites stayed home!
Yeah - it wasn't that the voters rejected the right wing agenda, it was a simple case of not enough white people! Because everyone knows that all Caucasians are wingnuts, right?
But wait. Maybe it wasn't the sleeping white people. Maybe it was — Hurricane Sandy! Yeah, that's it! The hurricane put all the white people to sleep!
Why didn't whites vote and why didn't we all spot it sooner?
Impact of Sandy.
There was no good national polling after Sandy struck. Gallup, for example, suspended its polling. At the last minute, it put together a national sample ' with lots of disclaimers about the dangers of inaccuracies due to the difficulty of sampling storm-hit areas ' and it showed a slight Romney lead.
Romney was, in fact, leading before Sandy and that his chances blew away in the storm with its famous bipartisan photo of Governor Chris Christie with Obama. And there was no way to measure the impact of Sandy since there could not logistically be any polling. Why was I wrong? I'm a pollster, not a meteorologist!
"Damn it Jim! I'm a Fox News shill, not a real pundit!"
But wait. Maybe it wasn't the hurricane. Maybe it was — BAIN!
But the real question is why the support for Romney among whites was so shallow that the winds of Sandy blew it away. The answer lies in the fundamental strategic mistake the Romney campaign and the super PACs made in June and July ' of not answering Obama's Bain Capital attacks.
These withering attacks undermined Romney's standing among white voters and led directly to their diminished turnout. The Romney campaign and the Super PACs were so wedded to their attack ads that they failed to realize that Bain posed a mortal threat to the credibility of their candidate.
And so we come full circle, back to "Wake up white people!" Wheels within wheels within endlessly spinning wheels. Dick Morris is clearly plugged in to the Fox News audience — racist and unapologetic, with the IQ of a blue soap dish.


text:
Browse by Medical Category
Primary Care
Friday, July 15, 2011
In academia, it's a remarkable achievement for any physician to be promoted to full professor. For Department of Medicine physician Valerie Stone, MD, MPH, the first African-American woman faculty member at the MGH to become a full Harvard Medical School (HMS) professor, the accomplishment is particularly special. In addition to the hospital milestone, Stone is the second African-American woman to hold a professorship at HMS and the first African American of either gender to become a full professor in the HMS Department of Medicine.
"With this appointment, Dr. Stone joins an esteemed group of MGHers who have broken down barriers in the medical profession," says Elena Olson, executive director of the MGH Multicultural Affairs Office. "She is a wonderful role model for our future health care leaders."
Stone's appointment to full professor was announced earlier this spring. At the MGH, Stone is a physician in the Department of Medicine's Internal Medicine Associates and in the Division of Infectious Diseases. She also is director of the Primary Care Internal Medicine Residency Program and associate chief for Teaching and Training in the General Medicine Division. Her research focuses on health care disparities and HIV/AIDS.
"Supporting diversity in our workforce is a top priority for the MGH," says Peter L. Slavin, MD, MGH president. "We are very proud of Dr. Stone for this well-deserved achievement."
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text:
Hugh Jackman introduced the world's first-ever screening of Les Miserables to an audience in Sydney on Saturday, describing his lead role as "truly a labour of love".
Jackman, who plays Jean ValJean in the epic film musical, was on hand to tell an inviation-only Sydney audience they were the first audience to ever see the completed movie, during a mid-morning screening.
The actor admitted he had first had a swim at Bondi Beach before attending the event at the Entertainment Quarter in Moore Park, where he spoke passionately about his "once in a lifetime" role in the film.
"I don't think I've ever worked harder or been prouder," Jackman said. After taking over the microphone to introduce the film, he said "I've done this many times in my life but I've never felt prouder as an actor to do it."
He said the film was a tribute to the success of the hit musical and the literary genius of Victor Hugo.
Mike Baard, the managing director of Universal Pictures Australia, told the audience director Tom Hooper had finished the final print of the film on Sunday night in London, before it was hand delivered to Sydney for the screening.
He added the Sydney showing was being held ahead of exclusive private preview screenings in New York and London, with strict security and full embargos in place about the content of the film, ahead of its worldwide release on Boxing Day.
No-one present at the film is legally allowed to talk about its content and had to sign a legal waiver before entering the cinema.
It's clear though the director and his star actor were keen to judge the audience's reaction.
Jackman admitted he had been trying to phone Hooper, who directed the King's Speech, just moments before stepping in front of the Sydney audience. Hooper had also asked him to call afterwards, to let him know the audience reaction.
Even before Les Miserable is seen by the rest of the world, the film has an Oscar buzz because of the epic scale undertaken by Hooper in recreating the Victor Hugo novel, which in turn became a smash-hit musical for 27 years.
While millions of people around the world have already fallen in love with the stories and characters in Les Miserables, the determination to keep the film's content secret until its release date was patently clear.
David Collins from Universal told the cinema audience of a few hundred people that security staff would be patrolling during the screening. "We're scouring the auditorium," he said. "Security will be here with night vision goggles."
Jackman has the starring role in the musical, alongside fellow antipodean Russell Crowe and actors Anne Hathaway and Amanda Seyfried.


text:
July 16, 2011 9:52:00 PM
Adam Minichino - [email protected]
Ron Courson has made a life helping others prepare for competition.
Whether it has been at colleges throughout the Southeast or at international events like the 1988 or ''92 Olympic Games, Courson has earned a reputation for being one of the best in his field because he is seldom unprepared.
But years of athletic battles pale in comparison when it comes to saving someone''s life.
That''s the situation Courson and other medical personnel and support staff members faced when they were pressed into service to save the life of Mississippi State Director of Track and Field Al Schmidt.
MSU''s longtime coach, who had a cardiac history, suffered a heart attack May 12 at the Southeastern Conference Outdoor Championships at Spec Towns Track in Athens, Ga.
Three months earlier, Courson had given a speech on sudden cardiac arrest at the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association''s conference in Charlotte, N.C.
So it wasn''t surprising to see the University of Georgia''s medical personnel spring into action. Assistant athletic trainer David Chandler was the first on the scene to tend to Schmidt. He performed CPR with Dr. Donald Lazas, the father of a runner from the University of Arkansas, and administered a shock from an automated external defibrillator (AED) that was on site.
Schmidt''s pulse returned after the initial shock, but it faded and he flat-lined.
By that time, Courson had arrived from the other side of the field and helped administer a second shock that resuscitated Schmidt and got his pulse to return and then settled.
Members of the support staff assisted in other functions to ensure EMS responders had access to the infield of the track. Schmidt then was transported to the hospital, which was minutes away, where he made his recovery.
Today, Schmidt is back at work and slowly getting his walking legs under him. If not for the work of Chandler, Lazas, Courson, and others, Schmidt might have died at the meet. As gruesome as that thought sounds, Courson said it is one all medical personnel at sporting events have to know how to handle.
"You never know in sports medicine," Courson said. "You always have to be prepared and it goes back to planning and preparation."
Aside from freak accidents in the javelin or the hammer throw, track and field meets typically don''t feature many emergency medical situations. Courson said football, lacrosse, or hockey are sports that have more instances that require medical personnel to react to a life-threatening incident.
Regardless of the venue, Courson said athletic trainers or doctors have to respond in a moment''s notice. This time, Courson said Georgia''s staff members (three certified athletic trainers and four student-athletic trainers) were ready.
Thanks to an emergency action plan specific to Spec Towns Track, everyone knew what to do. Courson said all members of the support staff rehearse that plan regularly to ensure they are ready. The training proved timely because everyone knew there was a travel bag and medical equipment less than 75 yards away from where Schmidt went down.
Courson said details like that are critical in life-and-death situations. He said most people won''t survive the eight to 12 minutes it might take EMS responders to arrive on scene. As a result, it''s imperative for staff members on site to be able to cut first response time to one or two minutes, like they did in Schmidt''s case, to improve the chances for survival.
Courson said the fact there was as an AED on site allowed medical personnel to electronically transmit an electrocardiogram, or EKG, to the hospital that showed the heart''s electrical activity. Vascular surgeons and staff members in the hospital''s cath lab (an exam room or clinic with diagnostic imaging equipment used to support the catheterization procedure) also were alerted to cut down lag time once Schmidt arrived so they could begin treatment immediately.
After the incident, Courson said Georgia went through a debriefing. The first came in the within 24 hours so the event was fresh in the mind of everyone involved. He said the goal is to review what happened and to examine procedures that were used to determine if they were successful. The next morning, Courson said a second, formal review took place with the entire staff. He hopes neither he nor anyone at the University of Georgia or any other school will have to go through an incident like Schmidt''s, but he said the work prior to the meet was key to a positive outcome.
"The bottom line is it goes back to preparation," Courson said. "If you''re in a football game in overtime and you have a last-second onsides kick, you practice that during the week because you need to use it and you need to be ready. We rehearsed the emergency action plan immediately before the meet and we reviewed the plan with the EMS people that morning, so we were very familiar with it, which is why it went well."
Credit to Courson and everyone involved in working to save Schmidt life. It isn''t every day when we get a chance to meet or talk to a hero. In this case, all it took to do the job of a hero was to be prepared. It''s something we all can be in case we need to help someone in need in an instant.
Adam Minichino is sports editor of The Dispatch. He can be reached at: [email protected]
Adam Minichino is the Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.


text:
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A beautiful Mother's Day card.
Send your love and warm hugs to wish a very happy Mother's Day.
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What better way to get your feelings across than to say it with flowers? A beautiful...
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Away from mom on Mother's Day? Send her your love with this ecard and wish her.
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text:
Hello All
I was posting to start a Asura Mentor/Help Thread
i just find myself with some downtime while LFP and wouldnt mind helping
some new players and/or less casual players who need help with some
things. I looked for a Mentor list on the Asura forum and couldnt find one
so I am going to try and Start one. please post if you would like to be included on the list. I will edit regularly.
Name: Kajima
Job: Dark Knight/Corsair
Online hours: Usually after 8 PM CST
Help Offered: 1-10 PL for new players(by availability). Sub job items. Coffer hunts. AF NMs. Sub job quest. select Rank missions. relevant DRK questions. Jeuno Escort.
Name: Reginald
Job: Dragoon/Warrior/White Mage
Online hours: Mon-Fri 1700-2300
Sat-Sun 0500-0000
Help Offered: 1-20 PL (by availability), Sub job items/quest, Coffer hunts, AF NMs, select Rank missions, anything relevant to above Jobs listed,Jeuno Escort
Name: Maura
Job: 62RDM 68SAM
Help Offered: AF1
AF Hands (Dark Spark)
Job Flag
Coffer Keys (Eldieme Necropolis, Garlaige Citadel, Crawler's Nest, Quicksand Caves, Kuftal Tunnel, The Boyahda Tree, Sea Serpent Grotto and Castle Oztroja)
Escort to Coffer Chest (All)
50 Cap Items (All)
Escort to Teleport-Yhoat/Altep/Vahzl for Telepoint CrystalRank 3 - Rank 5 Missions
Some Quest Items
Misc. Infromation (I've been playing since NA release so I'm very knowledgable about the game... people in my linkshell call me an encyclopedia)
My playtimes are Mon. - Fri. 7:00am - 6:00pm EDT (if you have different playtimes email me what you need help with and your playtimes a day or so in advance and I'll see what I can do.
Name: Khyri
Job: 59BST, 56BRD, 54BLM (all the rest are too low to be of help)
Online Hours: Vary (I have a one and a half year old)
Help Offered:
1)AF1 NM's (I will even help a BST with this but shame on you if you haven't even tried it solo yet!)
2)Coffer Keys (some)
3)Subjob items
4) Advanced Job quests, 50 Cap items in Garliage Citadel & Crawler's Nest only (sorry, no BST vs. Undead, just not fun for me >.<)
5) Will craft for cost of materials (if I have to buy) or free (if you already have the necessary ingredients) for the following: Leathercraft (@ 67 right now) or Cooking (@ 60); if something HQ's then AND ONLY then would I accept donations
Name: Hocliciant
Jobs: 75Nin 67 BLM 52 RDM
Help Offered: will help with just about anything if I can. As long as I am not doing something just send me a tell and I will see what I can do.I usually don't ask for payment,but it would be nice lol
Name: Gieg
Job: WHM 44
Online hours: usually after 19:00 GMT
Help offered: Teleports, low level PL, subjob quest
Name: Pergatory
Job: White Mage, Summoner
Hours: Mon-Fri 5pm-10pm pacific, Sat-Sun whenever
Help Offered: I'm generally willing to help with anything reasonable. Job quests, AF quests, level limit quests, missions, assaults, etc. If you're a good person looking for a hand I probably won't turn you down. Don't bother asking for help if you have underlevelled subjob or terrible equipment... I enjoy helping people who are feeling stuck but that's different from helping people who are just lazy. NO POWERLEVELS.
Name: Tattersail
Job: BLM75/BRD68/WHM45
Online hours: approx 6-7pm GMT+1
Help Offered: sub job items, escort to Jeuno or Rabao and teleport-crystals. Just look me up but please check if I'm not preoccupied :)
Job:63 RDM 30 BLM 24 MNK
Online Hours: Evenings 5:00pm-10:00pm EST Weekends:Mornings/Afternoon
(Availible more on the weekends)
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Help Offered:
1.AF help finding coffers possibly getting keys (depends on the mob)
2.Subjob items
3.Advanced Job Quest Help (will help with SMN DRG mostly),50 cap items
4. PL 1-20 will PL your party
5. Escort to Jeuno/ help get Tele gates Crystals
6. Can help with Rank Mission 1-5 only
7. General Game Questions (will anwser best I can)
Name : Ryancross
Job(s) : Mnk75 , pup 65 , bst 63
Online : Random^^
Help offered : Err... Pl 1-10 (by Availability), Support Job Quest, Coffer hunts, AF fights, Jeuno escort, rank missons, quest,
idk, just ask me what u need help and we'll see ^.^?
Name: Zia
Job(s): Rdm 75/Pld 75/Blm 68/Nin 60/Whm 50
Online Hours: M-F 7 to 12ish (I turn into a pumpkin at midnight on weekdays) And anytime I'm not in salvage on the weekends.
Help Offered: COP, TAU, Zilart. Subjob items, cap quests, etc. No PL requests please.
Name: Clairvoyant
Job: DRG
Online hours: 3 and 10 EST weeknights, any time during the week end
Help Offered: I'll help with coffer keys and chests, job flags, tele crystals (quests too), sub job items, AF if I can, misc. quests, rank 1-5, and I can answer most questions about the game.
Name; Saralee
Job: 75RDM 75WAR
Online hours: most of the time ;o
Help offered: Coffers/misc.
Name: Vinsk
Job: PUP49 and RDM 33
Online hours: N/A
Help Offered: I can help with anything pertaining to these jobs and most advanced job quests and escort. Send me a tell if you need anything. I'll help if I'm not busy.
Name: Miyagi
Job: 75pld 75nin 66whm 54blm
Online Hours: almost all the time so /tell in game
Email: email@example.com
Help Offered:
1.AF help finding coffers possibly getting keys (depends on the mob)
2.Subjob items
3.Advanced Job Quest Help (will help with SMN DRG mostly),50 cap items
4. can help w/ CoP and ToAU as well WoTG
5. Escort to Jeuno/ help get Tele gates Crystals
6. Can help with Rank Mission 1-10
7. General Game Questions (will anwser best I can)
8. mostly bored most of the time so just send me a
message and ill help
Job:75nin, 75war, 73thf
Online Hours:sun-thurs 8pm-12pm EST
fri&sat varies
Help Offered: good to help on ZM missions, uncapped CoP fights (lack o gear there), all sandy missions, up to rank 5 basty (working on that) all ToAU missions. avatars, coffer keys, af fights. so on and so forth.
Name: Mikiko/Shaari
Job: WHM, BLM / THF
Online hours: 6pm GMT - 11pm GMT
Help Offered: subjob items, coffer keys, diff. missions/quests ...
Job:BST and WHM
Online: after 7pmEST
Help offered: PL-1-20, subjob items, Khazam keys, general questions and working on getting 75 again so possibly more in the future.
Name: Kisuke
Job: 60MNK, <37 experience with WAR, THF, WHM, BLM, RDM, PLD, RNG, SAM, NIN, COR (I can't pick a job and stick with it ^^;;)
Online Hours: Weekdays 09:00EST - 20:00EST, spottily throughout the day
Help Offered:
Walking encyclopedia service, subjob items/quests/key hunts, mission help through rank 5 (San d'Oria and Windurst) and accompanying fights, friendly chat (now with grammar!)
Help Not Offered:
Powerleveling, sorry! Couldn't help much anyway.
Name: Vhybratingwhand
Jobs: Red Mage 20/Black Mage 20/Thief 15/White Mage 13/Warrior 10
Online hours: Evenings during the week, most of the day on weekends PST
Help Offered: Starting player general questions (jobs, quests, macros, farming etc)...or pretty much anything that I'm capable of at my level.
Exceptions: Please don't ask to borrow gil...happens quite often and is really annoying. No power leveling (not that I could do THAT much, but a I can do a little) won't learn anything that way.
Edited, May 31st 2007 2:34pm by darkajima
Edited, Jun 5th 2007 6:36pm by darkajima
Edited, Jul 2nd 2007 5:58pm by darkajima[][/]
Edited, Jul 2nd 2007 6:04pm by darkajima
Edited, Jul 25th 2007 2:32pm by darkajima
Edited, Aug 8th 2007 2:36pm by darkajima
Edited, Sep 16th 2007 2:03am by darkajima
Edited, Dec 2nd 2007 1:50am by darkajima
Edited, Dec 3rd 2007 4:36pm by darkajima
Edited, Dec 14th 2007 2:17am by darkajima
Edited, Jan 19th 2008 10:54pm by darkajima
Edited, Jan 19th 2008 10:55pm by darkajima
Edited, Mar 21st 2008 8:13pm by darkajima


text:
EDMONTON - "I died," said Al Robertson, matter-of-factly. "I was clinically dead."
Eighteen months ago on May 22, Robertson went into full cardiac arrest when his heart stopped beating and he collapsed on the first hole of Wetaskiwin's Montgomery Glen's golf course.
"My brother-in-law, Rob Scott, and my cousin, Ron Scott, started CPR. And then, miraculously, two people who had just completed their refresher course in CPR training rushed over and took over."
Even then Robertson, 65, wasn't breathing.
"An ambulance arrived and they started the paddles. It took an hour and a half before they got me breathing on my own."
Yet, just three weeks later Robertson was back on the golf course. "What can I say? I love golfing."
But the story hardly ends there. Once again playing at Montgomery Glen – this time on the 10th tee — Robertson had another heart attack last July. Then he developed pneumonia. And then a third heart attack and a stroke which left his entire right side numb.
Amazingly, Robertson is not only back golfing, he is playing "the best golf of my life.
"I used to be a 12-handicap or higher golfer. Now my handicap is in single digits," said Robertson, who, just three weeks ago, shot a 76 from the back, blue tees.
"I've also had a number of nines in the '30s. My game is more consistent and better than it has ever been."
Robertson, a former prison guard who now does home renovations, said he had luck on his side. But it's much more than that.
"You have a choice to be a heart patient or not," said Robertson. "I was determined not to be a heart patient. I wanted to defy the odds. I wasn't going to give up. I was not going to let this thing beat me.
"I didn't want to be another statistic and on a whole bunch of medications until I died. I have four granddaughters I wanted to see grow up."
For that Robertson credits his wife, Peggy, a breast cancer survivor.
"She worked on my nutrition and my fitness to build my heart and my body back up.
"I used to weigh 165 pounds. And that was a fit 165 pounds. I always had eight or nine per cent body fat. I was always in good physical shape."
But after three heart attacks, a stroke and pneumonia Robertson was down to 129 pounds.
"I looked like a Holocaust survivor," said Robertson, who is back to his normal 165 pounds. "I was as weak as a kitten. I needed a cane because I could hardly walk."
Robertson said the pneumonia was the worst.
"I was in incredible pain. They always ask you to describe your pain on a scale of 1-to-10. I never knew what 10 was until then. Now I know.
"Every night I went to sleep I didn't think I was going to wake up. They gave me 15 milligrams of morphine every three hours — twice as much as they would normally give someone — and that still wasn't completely getting rid of the pain.
"That's when I thought I was done. I told my wife to be prepared. I told her, "I didn't think I was going to make it."
To play golf again, Robertson has had to make several adjustments.
"My right side is still numb, so I really have to anchor my right leg. Then I can let it go."
John Wilson, the head professional at Montgomery Glen, said: "Al is a great inspiration story. He had three heart attacks a stroke and pneumonia. He shouldn't be here. He should be dead.
"But here he is not only playing golf, but playing better than ever. It's amazing. A miracle, really."
Along with his wife and all the medical personnel at the Royal Alex hospital, Robertson also credits Wilson for his recovery.
"When I showed up at Montgomery Glen this spring, John told me not to worry about paying. He said my membership was paid for this year.
"I don't know if he really realizes — along with all the encouragement and positive feedback he gave me — what that did for me because if I played golf again I didn't want to just hack it around.
"I just love this game so much."
It's not hard to come up with this week's top hole-in-one. Rex Harrison won $100,000 playing in Franco's Steak and Pizza golf tournament in support of the Cross Cancer Institute.
Playing at Raven Crest golf course, Harrison used a five-iron from 175 yards.
"This is the 27th year of our tournament. Finally someone hit the big one," said Franco's owner Fred Perri, who has helped raise about $250,000 for cancer research with his tournament.
In a very nice gesture, Harrison donated $10,000 back to the Cross Cancer Institute.
I happened to be playing right behind Bob Fowlis' group in the Canadian Derby tournament at Coloniale, when the thoroughbred agent won $10,000 after his four-iron from 160 yards went into the cup on the course's eighth hole.
"I never even saw it go in," said Fowlis. "I hit my shot, saw that it was headed for the green and bent down to pick up my tee. It's not like you think you are going to get a hole-in-one."
The spotter on the hole didn't see it go in either.
But his playing partners, Boyd Hastey and brothers Jeff and Bob Parrish, were pretty sure they knew what happened.
"They started yelling at the spotter to look in the hole," said Fowlis. "She did and reached down to pick the ball out of the hole."
Other aces this week:
David Laurie used a six-iron from 155 yards to ace No. 8 at the Leduc Golf & Country Club in a Northern Alberta Senior Amateur event.
Ralph Lee made a hole in one at the Mill Woods golf club on No. 4 with a six-iron from 140 yards. Happening in Senior Men's League play, his playing partners were Peter Greene, Eric Easterby, and Marv Sawyer. "The first of many, I hope," said Lee.
It had to be one really big 52-degree sand wedge, but that's the club Kyle Reid used to ace No. 8 at the Windermere golf course from 140 yards.
Here's a nice way to start your round. In a shotgun start and starting on the Derrick Golf Club's 16th hole Rita Kantor's first swing of the day went into the cup from 118 yards. She used a No. 4 hybrid.
Also at the Derrick, Mark Edwards aced No. 12 from 178 yards. Playing with Arden Banasch, Edwards used a five-iron.
I forgot what a good track Coloniale Golf course had until playing it last week in the Canadian Derby golf tournament. No weak holes. Lots of variety. Great shape. Hard to ask for anything more.
The same goes for River Bend golf course in Red Deer where Andrew Gilchrist, former general manager at the Royal Mayfair — who managed a career-best four birdies — now hangs his shingle along with the always affable head pro Todd Fiske. The greens are among the largest I've ever seen and they are all in great shape. It's a public course, but it sure has a private club feel. Everything was perfect.


text:
This program is offered to all UMass Lowell students who are interested in teaching group fitness classes at the Campus Recreation Center. There is no cost for this program, however, space is limited.
The training will be segmented by class type and will include a combination of class time and practical training. Attendance in group fitness classes is also expected. The instructor training program will cover the foundations to teach a safe, effective, and fun fitness class.
No prior experience is necessary, just a desire to become a leader in the fitness field. If you are intersted in becoming a Group Fitness Instructor for Campus Recreation, apply online, or email Justin Lawler, Assistant Director Campus Recreation.


text:
May 26, 2018
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Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener
Spring 2007
Greensprouting Potatoes
Greensprouting Potatoes Gives Northern Growers a Head Start
Greensprouted potatoes. Photo courtesy of New Brunswick Dept. of Agriculture and Aquaculture,
by Sue Smith-Heavenrich
Last spring I was intrigued when Andy Leed, an upstate New York grower, mentioned that he was "greensprouting" his potatoes. He'd been growing table-crop spuds for many years and, frustrated by the lack of organic seed tubers in smaller sizes, decided to diversify, planting part of his acreage to production of certified organic seed potatoes.
Leed prefers to plant whole seed tubers that are about the size of a golf ball, because he feels that they are less prone to disease and rot. He figured that greensprouting would give him faster plant emergence and an earlier yield of the smaller tuber size that is perfect for seed.
Greensprouting was originally developed for use with small, whole-seed tubers. Also called "chitting" or "pre-sprouting," greensprouting involves exposing seed tubers to natural or artificial light in a warm environment before planting. This allows the development of short, strong, green sprouts and, if all goes well, a faster-growing plant.
"Greensprouting fits in well with the organic cultural practices I've already established," Leed explains. "I tried greensprouting on a trial basis (in 2005) and decided this year to go ahead with the whole crop." Part farmer, part curious naturalist, he kept notes on how his potatoes fared in the field, comparing plots planted with whole-seed tubers and those planted with cut seed.
In 2005 (a droughty year), "plots planted with whole-seed tubers grew well and produced a fair yield. Those planted in the traditional way, with cut seed, had spotty emergence. Dehydration may have been part of the reason."
Advantages of Greensprouting
Leed believes that the extra labor involved in greensprouting will pay off in terms of earlier plant emergence and increased yield early in the season. Researchers have shown that greensprouting can hasten plant development and tuber initiation – a significant benefit when growing long-season cultivars in short-season climates. In one study,
from 87 to 96% of greensprouted plants emerged by 18 days after planting, compared with 21 to 37% of non-sprouted seed. Non-sprouted tubers took about four to five days for their emergence rates to catch up. Even greensprouted tubers that were cut the day before planting emerged earlier than non-sprouted tubers.
This is what Leed hopes to see on his farm: earlier emergence and earlier harvest. "A quicker emergence means less opportunity for seed to rot in the ground," he notes. It also provides a leg up on potato diseases. "I'm hoping that by harvesting early we might avoid late blight," Leed adds. This is critical if he plans to save his harvest for seed tubers.
Jim Gerritsen, who, with his family, cultivates nearly a dozen acres of potatoes at Wood Prairie Farm in Bridgewater, Maine, sprouts nearly 25,000 pounds of seed tubers each spring. He's been greensprouting spuds since the early 1990s and has a solid 15 years of experience using this method.
"The advantages are most compelling," he explains. "I gain about 10 to 14 days on the season." Gerritsen finds he is able to grow late season varieties in the short season of Aroostook County. While the tubers are greensprouting, they're safe from damage. The time and labor invested before planting means 10 to 14 days that the potatoes don't have to be in the ground—and those days may mean the difference between avoiding blight or disease-bearing aphids, he points out, or avoiding the driest part of the summer.
Greensprouting also suppresses apical dominance, so secondary sprouts are encouraged to grow. Gerritsen sees more even sprouting in the field as well as higher tuber set with more tubers per hill. Though he's producing certified organic seed tubers, he notes that a grower of table-crop potatoes would see a higher tuber set as well, and would realize a higher yield of properly sized tubers.
How to Sprout 25,000 Pounds of Seed Tubers
The goal of greensprouting is to get a few well-developed sprouts before planting into soil. This requires controlling light and temperature. When Gerritsen began greensprouting, he built about 900 wooden trays with slatted bottoms.
"They're each about the size of a bread tray," he notes, "and we fill them one to one-and-a-half tubers deep." He made them stackable, with supports that allow gaps between trays to let light in. After filling the trays, he stacks them about 10 high, with three stacks per pallet.
Gerritsen begins greensprouting tubers in mid-April so that they're ready to plant by mid-May. First he puts pallets laden with trays in a "hot room" (70 to 75 degrees F.) for a week to break dormancy. Then the potatoes need a "greening period" of cooler temperatures (about 50 degrees) with artificial or natural light.
"Potatoes are alive from the time you plant your seed to harvest, through storage, and as seed the following year." Gerritsen emphasizes the need to treat tubers as living beings. As they begin sprouting, they are also respiring. If the temperature is too high, they lose energy due to increased respiration. If they're stressed, they age earlier. The ideal is to have them in top vigor when they're planted in the field.
Leed used a vacant greenhouse and began sprouting his seed tubers a month or so before planting. He layered seed two to three tubers deep in large slatted bread crates, bulb crates and shallow flats. Then he stacked the crates in the greenhouse, keeping the temperature near 60 degrees, and making sure light could reach all the seed tubers.
After a few weeks, each seed tuber had a few fleshy, greenish-purple sprouts that measured just over 1/2 inch – a bit long, compared with the 1/8- to 1/4-inch sprout length recommended in the literature, but they worked for Leed. After an additional few days of hardening off, the seed tubers filled the bins of his Checchi & Magli planter and were planted in the ground.
Instead of trays, some large-scale potato growers use net bags that hang on racks. Seed tubers are poured directly from storage crates into the bags, which are divided into sleeves to allow each tuber access to light. These bags are hung vertically on large racks that can be moved by forklift. When the tubers are ready to plant, the entire rack can be lifted onto a trailer and hauled to the field. The bottoms of the bags open so that seed tubers can be fed directly into hoppers of the planting machinery.
This is a pretty neat system, says Gerritsen, adding that if he were starting his potato operation now, he would opt for bags over crates – mostly because of the ease of handling large volumes of seed. The greensprouting season comes at the same time he's filling tuber orders for other growers, making for longer-than-usual days.
Working Potatoes into a Rotation
Producing perfect organic seed tubers requires attention to details, such as a four-year rotation that Gerritsen uses that incorporates fungus-killing crops. The year following potatoes he plants spring wheat or oats. These he undersows with clover and timothy, which produce hay over the third year. In year four, Gerritsen plows down the hay and plants a smother crop of buckwheat followed immediately by 'Dwarf Essex' rapeseed.
Rapeseed is his "biofumigant," as chemicals in it and other brassicas help kill the potato fungus Rhizoctonia that may be in the soil, and they may help suppress weed growth.
Mustard is rated the best for this role, Gerritsen notes. But it's an annual, and he's concerned about weed seeds, especially in a wet summer like we saw last year, when he might not be able to get into the field to incorporate it into the soil in a timely manner.
Extra Time but Worth Trying
Though many European growers use greensprouting, it is not widely embraced on this continent. Given the extra labor, it's no wonder it's attracted a small following. Still, anything that can lengthen a season by two weeks and help reduce exposure to late blight and Rhizoctonia is worth trying. At least once.
Essah, S.Y.C,. and C.W. Honeycutt. (2004 ). "Tillage and seed-sprouting strategies to improve potato yield and quality in short season climates."
Amer. J. Potato Res.
81: 177 – 186.
Mikitzel, L., and D. Wattie. (2000). "Greensprouting seed tubers to improve early yield" (abstract).
Amer. J. Potato Res.
77: 411
Suszkiw, J. (2004). "Mustard for pest control, not for your sandwich."
Agricultural Research
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Andy Leed, Starflower Farm, Candor, N.Y. (607) 659-3469.
Jim Gerritsen, Wood Prairie Farm, Bridgewater, Maine. (800) 829-9765,
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Latest update : 2013-03-11
Hugo Chavez Dies: Saviour or tyrant?
Hugo Chavez would proudly say that his job was to kick sand into the eyes of Uncle Sam. He was determined to curb American influence in the region, cosying up to Cuba's Fidel Castro while encouraging fellow Latin American countries to turn their backs on Washington. At home, he enjoyed broad support among his nation's poor. Annette Young and her guests discuss the legacy of the polarising figure that was President Hugo Chavez.
- Natalia BRANDLER, PhD in Political Science from the University of Connecticut, Latin America Specialist
- Sarai SUAREZ, Venezuelan Journalist
- Francisco DOMINGUEZ, Director of the Center of Latin American Studies, Middlesex University
- Mark WEISBROT, Co-director of the Centre for Economic and Policy Research
Watch the second part
Programme prepared and produced by Diaraye Bah, Anelise Borges and Mary Colombel


text:
I don't even bother leaving feedback anymore.
The system stinks. You never leave negative feedback, because then you'll receive it yourself, so all feedback is like: "A+++++++++++++ etc." "Top Class Overseas Buyer!!!!!!!!" blah blah blah
How come I've never received an A- or a B?
I'm fed up with ebay. the only reason I keep coming back is all the great records....


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Some approached the pool of brown water gingerly, jumping in with caution.
The more adventurous ran toward it with purpose, leaping in with no hesitation. After all, it was the inaugural Carroll 5K Mud Run. The dirty, muddy water was supposed to be the highlight of the day.
More than 500 people took part in the outdoor obstacle course at Freedom Park in Sykesville on Sunday, scaling an 8-foot wall, dashing over a bridge and crawling under stacks of hay.
The Carroll 5K Mud Run wasn't as extreme as some other obstacle course races, which are 10 to 12 miles long and include parts where runners endure electric shocks.
Bara Hollander ran Sunday's race with two girlfriends. The women said they like the challenge and variety the obstacle courses offer over monotonous running races.
Hollander, 42, said people run into trouble when they don't prepare well enough for the course. She worked with trainers at TZ Sports in Eldersburg who taught her how to approach each obstacle. For instance, don't sit on top of the climbing wall because you could fall, she said. Instead, lay your body on top of the wall and pull your legs over.
"We don't want to go and break our legs," Hollander said. "We want to go out there and have fun and get a good challenge."
Event organizers Chris Carroll and Dante Liberatore said they were equipped to handle any safety issues. Every station was armed with trained staff and fire officials were on hand for emergencies. Staff were trained in CPR and carried walkie talkies so they could quickly communicate any problems. The event even included a kids's one-mile mud run.
Luckily, they didn't have to respond to any emergencies. Instead, it turned out to be just what they hoped: a new kind of race for Carroll County. They are planning a bigger event next year.
Those who ran the course described it as challenging but fun.
As runners approached the halfway mark of the race, they hit the 8-foot wall. Some were clearly intimidated by the hulking piece of wood.
"I don't want to do this," declared one teenager. "I might end up killing myself."
A girl in a blue running shirt and green headband reached the top with a little bit of help. Then she looked down.
"Oh dear god," she declared with wide eyes. "Now what do I do?"
A sign that read "teamwork" hung at the center of the wall and participants took it too heart, helping hoist each other over the wall. A few encouraged the girl in the blue running shirt, who eventually made it over.
Adam Haubert had one word to describe the course.
"Grueling," he said.
But he'd do it again. The hardest part for him was what they called the snake — a winding, uphill run toward the end of the race.
"It was tough, but it was something different," said the 36-year-old Manchester resident. You're not just running on a flat course over and over again."


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Results presented from SPD racial profiling report
During the February meeting of the City Commission, Sweetwater Police Chief Brian Frieda offered the annual report regarding racial profiling statistics, which was formally accepted by the commissioners during the meeting.The process of conducting the report has undergone some change, but not only from the leadership of Frieda. New state legislation states that the report must now specify if race was known prior to the officer interacting with the person. And while past reports were citation-based, the new report examines citations versus warnings and now falls under Tier 1 reporting. With Tier 1, the Sweetwater Police Department is able to have some exemptions due to their in-car camera system.While the first quarter of 2012 took place under the leadership of former Police Chief Jim Kelley, Frieda implemented a new method of electronically gathering information for an even more accurate report.In the year of 2012, 612 reportable motor vehicle stops were reported. From that number, 451 of the stops led to a citation only, while 159 stops led to only an arrest and 2 resulted in both a citation and arrest.The reported stops were largely made up by Caucasians, with 329 contacts noted. Hispanics made up 225 of the stops, followed by 56 stops of African-Americans.One Asian and one Native American were stopped, while no Middle Eastern individuals were stopped.For the new aspect of the report--if race was known prior to the contact, the answer of yes was given 49 times. Thus, on 563 occasions the answer was no.And out of the 612 total stops, 26 searches were conducted as a result. Twelve of the individuals gave their consent, while the remaining 14 did not offer consent.The full report was compiled by Dr. Alex Del Carmen, a department chair at the University of Texas in Arlington and the author of "Racial Profiling in America".An audit was also conducted by Dr. Del Carmen, which examined the methods of collecting data as well as any possible trends. As a result, there were no indications or anomalies to prove that racial profiling exists within the Sweetwater Police Department.Chief Frieda stated that Dr. Del Carmen was "very thorough [as he] scrutinized the data." Prior to Dr. Del Carmen's work, SPD Officer Armando Renteria and Lieutenant Randy Hanes offered great assistance in gathering the necessary data and research.Dr. Del Carmen's findings also noted that no written complaints were filed against the department in regards to racial profiling in 2012, and that all police department personnel have met the requirements and training standards from TCLEOSE (Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education) for racial profiling.The report has already been submitted electronically to TCLEOSE prior to the March 1 deadline, in which Frieda went on to say that the state agency is the clearinghouse for all reports. The new state legislation has not only modernized the process, but also helps to clarify any information obtained, as other software used has proven to have glitches.To prepare for the 2013 racial profiling report, Chief Frieda hopes to have all gathered information checked after each quarter, rather than a yearly assessment prior to the report. And to comply with state law, random reviews of in-car videos also assist in the racial profiling report, which allows the administration to address possible training needs or officer safety concerns.


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Browse by Medical Category
Rheumatology Unit
Accepting New Patients
Allergy & Immunology
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Note: This provider may accept more insurance plans than shown; please call the practice to find out if your plan is accepted.
Dr. Hamilos joined the Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology at MGH as an Associate Physician in October 2003. He has expertise in asthma, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, nasal polyposis, vasculitis, eosinophilic disorders and immune deficiency. Clinically, he is best known for his expertise in chronic sinusitis, nasal polyposis and asthma. In 2000, he developed algorithms for the diagnosis and management of chronic sinusitis that were published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. He has conducted workshops on fiberoptic rhinoscopy and lectured on chronic sinusitis pathogenesis and medical management at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and/or the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology each year from 1997 - 2016. He co-authored a monograph entitled: Chronic rhinosinusitis: Pathogenesis and Medical Management published by Informa Healthcare in 2007. He is a contributing author to the internet-based medical publication UpToDate on the subjects of chronic rhinosinusitis and allergic fungal rhinosinusitis. He conducts clinical research on the pathogenesis of allergic asthma and new biologic treatments for nasal polyposis.
My laboratory is investigating the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). We are examining whether the nasal/sinus epithelium of CRS patients is lacking in the ability to produce innate immune factors involved in defense against infection. We are examining nasal/sinus tissue samples as well as cultured epithelial cells. We are currently examining innate immune and inflammatory gene expression in nasal/sinus tissues using broad-based mRNA expression profiling. These studies are supported by a grant from the Flight Attendants Medical Research Institute (FAMRI) as well as a Harvard Catalyst Grant. It is our hope that these studies will lead to a greater understanding of CRS pathogenesis and help identify novel therapies.
I am also a co-investigator with Dr. Andrew Luster in an NIH funded project aimed at understanding the role of chemokines and Th2 cellular trafficking in asthma. I am responsible for recruitment and preparation of subjects for bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage. Each subject's allergic sensitivity to house dust mite and cat allergen is first determined by skin test titration. Subsequently, each subject undergoes bronchoscopy with seqmental allergen challenge followed 24 hours later by bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage. We are also comparing the inflammatory response to allergen in allergic nonasthmatics versus allergic asthmatics to determine whether cellular inflammation can account for the asthmatic response. It is our hope that these studies will help elucidate the mechanisms that control the asthmatic response and the link between allergic airway inflammation and airway hyperesponsiveness.
1. Hamilos DL, Baroody FM, editors. Chronic Rhinosinusitis: Pathogenesis and Medical Management. New York: Informa Healthcare; 2007.
2. Banerji A, Piccirillo JF, Thawley SE, Levitt RG, Schechtman KB, Kramper MA, Hamilos DL. Chronic rhinosinusitis patients with polyps or polypoid mucosa have a greater burden of illness. Am J Rhinology 2007;21:19-26.
3. Hamilos DL, D'Urzo A, Levy RJ, Marcus M, Tripp K, Parsey M, Baumgartner RA, McVicar WK. Long-term safety study of levalbuterol administered via metered-dose inhaler in patients with asthma. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2007;99(6):540-8.
4. Yamin M, Holbrook EH, Gray ST, Harold R, Busaba N, Sridhar A, Powell KJ, Hamilos DL Cigarette smoke combined with Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) signaling triggers exaggerated epithelial RANTES/CCL5 expression in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). J Allergy Clin Immunol 2008; 122:1145-1153. PMID: 18986692
5. Hamilos DL. Allergic fungal rhinitis and rhinosinusitis. Proc Am Thorac Soc. 2010;7(3):245-52.
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Skip to comments.HENRY A. KISSINGER: Otto von Bismarck, Master Statesman
Posted on 04/04/2011 9:52:45 PM PDT by neverdem
A Life
By Jonathan Steinberg
Illustrated. 577 pp. Oxford University Press. $34.95
In the summer of 1862, Otto von Bismarck was appointed minister-president of Prussia. His highest previous rank had been ambassador to Russia. He had never held an administrative position. Yet with a few brusque strokes, the novice minister solved the riddle that had stymied European diplomacy for two generations: how to unify Germany and reorganize Central Europe. He had to overcome the obstacle that Germany comprised 39 sovereign states grouped in the so-called German Confederation. All the while, Central European trends were warily observed by the two flanking powers, France and Russia, ever uneasy about and tempted to prevent the emergence of a state capable of altering the existing European balance of power.
Within nine years, Bismarck untied this knot in what Jonathan Steinberg, a professor of history at the University of Pennsylvania, describes as the greatest diplomatic and political achievement by any leader in the last two centuries. He overcame the princes of the German states in two wars and rallied them in a third; won over public opinion by granting universal manhood suffrage making Prussia one of the first states in Europe to do so; paralyzed France by holding out the prospect of agreeing to the French acquisition of Luxembourg, and Russia by a benevolent attitude during the Polish revolution of 1863. Bismarck accomplished all this without commanding a single soldier, without dominating a vast parliamentary majority, without the support of a mass movement, without any previous experience in government and in the face of...
And he responded to the suggestion of a pre-emptive war against Russia with: Woe to the statesman whose arguments for entering a war are not as convincing at its end as they were at the beginning.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
While dressed in a blue and red leotard!
Bismarck was the architect of the modern state.
He, more than almost anyone other than perhaps Marx, designed the downfall of human liberty.
I simply cannot believe this desiccated, dried up old fart can still write.
I remember over 4o years ago reading "A World Restored" for a high school essay I wrote on the Congress of Vienna. He's still got the juice.
"He, more than almost anyone other than perhaps Marx, designed the downfall of human liberty."
Quite true. The progressives yammering for single-payer health care in essence are pleading for the U.S. to adopt a model for health care financing and delivery first put into place more than a century ago by Bismarck. Talk about "back to the future!" This is no longer a progressive idea, but a profoundly retarded one.
Sorry. I am a bit color blind. I guess it was more of a black and white leotard... My mistake! Enschuld!
Kissinger's "Diplomacy" (1994) covers two centuries in about 800 pages. But it offered an objective, strategic explanation of the Vietnam War that I could finally grasp. Kissinger wrote that Kennedy's failure to force North Vietnamese military installations (40,000 personnel) out of the Laotian panhandle in 1962 doomed any further U.S. efforts to secure South Vietnam. These bases fed troops replacements and war supplies down the various infiltration routes (Ho Chi Minh Trail) through Laos and Cambodia then into South Vietnam. Without this advantage the NVA would have been forced to move across the DMZ—a route that could have been more easily interdicted by the Free World forces. Former President Dwight Eisenhower spoke out publicly during the 1960's about the necessity of suppressing these over-the-border sanctuaries but he was ignored by LBJ.
I never thought anybody could have done more damage to this country than LBJ, until Obama.
In many ways, figuratively, LBJ is Obama's Daddy.
That's exactly my sentiment. Carter is the usual analogy, but as far as damage done, LBJ wins hands down with his Vietnam policies and Great Society programs. He doubled down in Vietnam so he could get GOP support for his Great Society programs, but he had no strategy to win. He thought he could get the commies to parlay into a peace deal a la the armistice in Korea as if Vietnam was a peninsula!.
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Who? Steinberg or Kissinger?
LOL...I guess I had to be talking about Kissinger, if Steinberg, is working for the NYT, he could NEVER have written! (I'm only half kidding, I don't read Steinberg's work, so I don't know if he is good or not)
I always found it humorous, the "ladies man" side of Kissinger. I just use "dessicated old fart" all the time to describe Hugh Hefner and Mick Jagger, and for some reason, the association popped into my brain.
But It IS unfair to Kissinger, whatever else he was, he did (does) have a brain.
hah...just stepped on myself. Wasn't even paying attention...it was KISSINGER who wrote the article. That is what being flippant gets me.
Thanks for the clarification.
Have you read Rumsfeld's recent book? He has interesting things to say about Kissinger, and not all of them are flattering.
I bought Rumsfeld's book and was a few chapters into it, when he came out and advocated for open homosexuality in the military.
There have been few political things in my life that have caused a greater degree of disappointment and disillusionment.
I simply cannot pick up the book again. Perhaps when I have cooled down, but I just don't know.
As for Kissinger, he is no dummy, but I have never liked him. Say what you will about Rumsfeld, he always seemed like he was straightforward and would tell you exactly where he stood (or at least I thought)
Kissinger seemed too much like a squishy European diplomat who would say one thing to you while thinking and acting otherwise. I guess I will have to read the rest of Rumsfeld's book to see what he thinks.
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Mar 25, 2013
By Briagenn Adams
The Fifth Annual Khmer Studies Forum took place March 15, 16 and 17. This three-day event was hosted by the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at Ohio University and expanded even further from previous years to include a cooking demonstration, dance workshops and a workshop on genocide education.
The Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) was established at Ohio University in 1967 in association with the Center for International Studies. Those involved with CSEAS come from countries all over the world including Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and the United states. The Khmer Studies Forum is one of many events put on by CSEAS throughout the year.
Dr. Sophal Ear served as the keynote speaker of the Fifth Annual Khmer Studies Forum. On Friday morning he presented an address on Aid Dependence in Cambodia: How Foreign Assistance Undermines Democracy, a book he authored in 2012. Ear has been honored as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and was recently elected to a five-term membership on the Council on Foreign Relations.
Art by Seoun Som was featured in The Fifth Annual Khmer Studies Forum. Although Som was raised in Australia, he was born in a refugee camp in Serak Keo, Thailand and is of Cambodian decent. In his work, Som forms metaphorical connections concerning his experiences as a Cambodian living in the Western culture and the conflict of existing in two very different worlds. He is also currently a program assistant with the Athens Photographic Project.
Dr. Kok-Thay Eng, the Deputy Director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia, gave the last speech about the Khmer Rouge genocide on Sunday afternoon. Eng is passionate about educating the Cambodian public about the Khmer Rouge genocide, and has been active in this effort since 2007. So far he has published a textbook, A History of Democratic Kampuchea and a teacher's guidebook for school instruction.
Eng said that for him, justice means a better life for everybody, today. "The goal is to teach Khmer history to the children and make sure it is acknowledged by the young people and global community," he said. Eng would like to see the Khmer Rouge leaders imprisoned, and a more aware, involved and knowledgeable public.
The Khmer Studies Forum is planned and developed by Christine Su, director of Southeast Asian Studies at Ohio University, and her students. In Su's International Studies course, students are required to learn about Cambodia as well as gain experience in conference management. Su said that her students must budget for the event, invite speakers, arrange panels and present a paper at the Forum.
"I fee that this year's KSF was one of the best," Su said. "The events and activities were geared not only toward scholars and students, but also toward community members. I am incredibly proud of my students."


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Now Playing: Language: English. Duration: 2 minutes, 11 seconds
Topic: Exhibitions
An exhibition dedicated to the 400th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty has opened in the State Historical Museum in Moscow.
More than 250 relics from museums all over the world tell stories about the history of Russia from the so-called Time of Troubles. That's from when the Rurik dynasty ended at the end of the 16th century, to what's called the Peter Period, which is when Peter the Great came to power.
Olga Teslenko, Curator: "We have tried to highlight the most iconic artifacts that present the first Romanovs as people and as statesmen."
The evidence of the Time of Troubles was imported from abroad. At that time the Russians were not the only ones fighting for the throne. Poland and Sweden also tried to seize Russia by force.
The Polish king Sigismund III supported another claimant to the throne and even started a war against Russia, but was ultimately defeated. One of king Sigismund's banners was lent out to the exhibition by the Army Museum in Stockholm. On the famous 45-foot rollout, the king is riding to see his bride.
And Russian relics, such as icons from Kostroma, are no less unique. All the items here - the tools, furniture, weapons - everything a story. This is the helmet of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich - the cap is forged of Damascus steel and it's called Jericho.
Alexey Levykin, Director of the State Historical Museum: "If you talk about the significance of the helmet, it's the object that defined the Russian tsar as a warrior, as the leader of the Russian army. In the system of the sovereign's treasury, it had an honorable fourth place. In fact, it was the fourth battle crown of the Russian tsar."
The helmets of king Alexis and king Michael were also part of the exhibition, borrowed from the Kremlin Armory.
Peter the Great's ascendence to the throne is widely credited by historians are having brought Russia out of the Middle Ages and ushered in the Renaissance.
© NTD Television. 01 April, 2013
Updated: Monday, 1 April 2013 10:04 AM EDT
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