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When Brian Bernard, controls engineer for Amesbury, Mass.-based Munters Corp., moved from Connecticut to New Hampshire, he hadn't yet completed his bachelor's degree in engineering from one of the state's universities. In fact, he was 60 credits short. "That was a significant amount," Bernard admits.
However, through the school's online distance learning program, he quickly earned the credits for his degree. He's even completed the bulk of coursework in the university's master's degree program in electrical engineering technology. "It's a wonderful way to learn," says Bernard. "It beats commuting to and from school."
In addition to a shorter commute, e-learning has other perks, according to Bernard. His online classes have been formatted along the lines of an independent study. Completed homework assignments, quizzes, and essays are sent by e-mail attachment to the professor for grading. The occasional "class discussion" consists of posting answers to professors' questions in an online forum. Consequently, taking classes online has afforded Bernard more flexibility than he experienced while attending the engineering program in a traditional classroom setting. "It's not at your leisure," he explains. "You have a deadline, but you can fit in the time to do it much easier than having to go to a class at a set time."
As a result, it's not surprising that for the past six years, online enrollments have been growing substantially faster than overall higher education enrollments, according to a recent report, "Learning on Demand: Online Education in the United States 2009," by the Sloan Consortium (Sloan-C), Newburyport, Mass., an institutional and professional leadership organization dedicated to integrating online education into the mainstream of higher education (click here to see Fig. 1). The report, based on responses to a survey of 2,500 educational institutions, reveals 4.6 million students were taking at least one online course during the fall 2008 term, a 17% increase over the number reported the previous year. (In comparison, the overall higher education student population experienced only a 1.2% increase over the previous year.) Currently, more than one in four students enrolled in a higher education program takes at least one course online.
New tricks
Despite the convenience of online programs, however, the coursework for online classes can be just as thorough and demanding as in-class courses. "You probably are putting in more time and effort than if you're sitting in a classroom," says Bernard.
Yet, online instruction — for technical subjects in particular — can be difficult to follow in the absence of traditional classroom elements. An online course's lack of hands-on laboratory equipment or display items is most apparent in scientific areas. "There are times where you can get lost with some of the technical descriptions," Bernard says. "It's hard to see how a motor works in theory."
Minus the benefit of hands-on training, fully online courses may not provide the same benefits for new electrical professionals as they do veterans looking to hone their skills. "New workers need a hands-on component in a school setting," says Ohio-based electrician Mike Walker.
With more than 35 years of experience in the commercial and industrial electrical construction field, Walker recently completed a series of manufacturer-sponsored online modules that covered troubleshooting ballasts and fixtures. "There are few places that journeyman or master level people can go to update and/or hone their skills," he explains. "Although I knew most of the material from past experience, it took me back to some techniques I haven't used in a long time. There are a few skills you can lose or forget. This just keeps you from getting too rusty."
Be that as it may, some lab components can be replaced successfully by online simulation, animated scenarios, or interactive drawing tools. "People say online learning is not possible in engineering without a hands-on or face-to-face interaction, but simulations have become more sophisticated. Plus, there are thousands of engineering videos free on the Web," says Curtis J. Bonk, Ph.D., professor of instructional systems technology at Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind., and author of "The World is Open: How Web Technology is Revolutionizing Education."
Bonk singles out sites such as YouTube EDU and Academic Earth, which offer free online content that can be used to supplement an online course's offerings.
In addition, to provide hands-on experience, some courses require a short period of residency, for instance, over a period of a few weeks in the summer. Students immerse themselves in theory online during the academic year, and then attend on-campus labs or lectures toward the end of the course. Other courses may alternate face-to-face and online modules by the week, month, or semester. This is referred to as "blended learning," and it's one of the three types of online learning (Types of E-Learning).
The disadvantage to this format is that individuals with full-time jobs and/or families may not be able to complete the residency requirement and would instead opt for a 100% online program. "The more face-to-face components you require, the less likely one could just do it as an addition to a normal everyday work and family life," Bonks says.
Social studies
Surprisingly, undergraduate students make up the overwhelming majority of the 4.6 million students in degree programs enrolled in at least one online class, according to the Sloan-C report. Graduate students comprise only 14% (Fig. 2 on page 27). Yet, Bonk predicts the fastest-growing online programs will be in the areas of engineering, nursing, business, and education, particularly in graduate programs. "Those are the four disciplines I see as entering the e-learning space in a prominent way," Bonk explains. "In some ways, it's because it's low-hanging fruit, especially in the areas of business and education. You have millions of people majoring in these fields."
However, there are few online post-graduate programs. The scarcity of online post-graduate engineering programs has confined Cliff Whitlock, P.E., automation engineer for ProTech Electric, Inc., Casper, Wyo., to a master's degree in adult education through the University of Wyoming's, Laramie, Wyo., Outreach School. Whitlock would prefer to be earning his master's degree in engineering. "That would have been a nice direction to go," he says. "But they don't offer online degrees in engineering here."
Whitlock received his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering through traditional face-to-face classes through the university's College of Engineering. Had his work schedule allowed it, he would have pursued his master's degree in the same way. "I prefer the in-class experience as far as the actual learning process itself, but it would in no way fit in with my schedule," he explains. "There are days I wouldn't be able to go to class, and that's how most of my days are."
This meant Whitlock could only consider master's degree programs that were 100% online, with no scheduled face-to-face or cyber meetings. This flexibility allows him to work full-time with overtime and still complete his assignments. Although Whitlock credits the lack of online engineering programs to the logistical difficulty of having test equipment and other laboratory materials at home when enrolled in such a program, he argues an even greater challenge to learning a technical subject is lack of contact with both the instructors and other students. "One of the downsides of online classes is you don't get face-to-face contact," he says. "Sometimes, the isolation allows people to do the bare minimum. Then they don't get much out of it."
In an isolated situation, it's difficult to gauge your own comprehension, Whitlock says. "A lot of times you don't understand what you don't know," he continues. "That's the type of thing you get by interaction with other people that you don't really get by just going through a presentation on your own."
Therefore, even in self-paced courses, a key to successful learning is total class participation. "If the class has motivated members who participate in the threaded discussions, then I learn the topics well," explains Whitlock, who says most of his online classes have had great participation. "The threaded discussions really aid in the learning and absorption of the material as we share ideas, confusion, and enlightenment."
However, in those classes, participation was mandatory, meaning it made up a percentage of the final grade. "That's a key component — when you get credit for it," Whitlock concludes. "In a class in which nobody participated, it was because it didn't matter," he says. "The instructor is pivotal to participation, and participation is pivotal to learning."
Check points
Bonk refers to the sense of community for online classes — both technical and theoretical — as the "social presence." He explains it as having an instructor who gauges your progress and offers feedback. "It means there's an instructor that cares about you," says Bonk, who explains that in some classes, former students of the class can act as mentors (Employee Training on page 26). "If you have a mentor or guide, that's a big help."
In addition, with the growing popularity of social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, peer-to-peer communication is also gaining ground in online courses. Previously, the focus of an online class was for the student to do the assignments and complete the course in relative isolation. "It was very task-focused," Bonk explains.
However, his recent research reveals getting students to focus off-task at times is important to their retention and success. In his own online teaching methods, Bonk employs an initial social ice-breaker and uses team-building activities throughout the course. In the first class in which he used these techniques, the dropout rate fell from 30% to zero. "Students get to know one another on a social level, and you get to have case solutions, meaning problem-based scenario learning where you're solving things as a member of a team," he says. "When they finish that course or certificate, there's a larger sense of accomplishment — they have that team identity."
However, Bonk warns that creating this sense of community is not easy. Most participants are attracted to online learning because it affords flexibility and independence, usually because their schedules can't accommodate a traditional classroom time frame. That was true for Thomas Clark, power plant project coordinator for Vero Beach Municipal Power Plant, Vero Beach, Fla. At the time he began an online bachelor of science in business management program, the position he held as maintenance supervisor for the power plant kept him on-call 24 hours a day. "Working in power generation made it next to impossible to attend a brick-and-mortar establishment," says Clark, who was responsible for equipment repair at any hour of the day or night.
So when the plant's tuition reimbursement policy was brought to his attention, he decided to look for an online program. The plant's program required an accredited institution, so he chose Western Governors University (WGU), an online university founded by the governors of 19 U.S. states, which offers nationally and regionally accredited online bachelor's and master's degrees specifically designed for working adults.
When Clark passed his courses, the plant reimbursed him 100% for tuition and 50% for books. "That gave me a lot of incentive," he says. "The course was $2,600 every six months, so if I didn't pass I was out that money."
Clark also had the option to contact a mentor who helped him choose his course load and talked with him every two weeks by telephone to check his progress and keep him motivated. His mentor would also review his assignments before he turned them in for a final grade. In addition, Clark could e-mail his mentor questions in between the scheduled phone calls.
As for peer-to-peer interaction, Clark took advantage of the WGU Student Portal and online learning communities. "That was helpful because you could go in and talk to other students," he says. "They have chat rooms so you can go in and chat with other students."
In the end, however, Clark had only himself to rely on. He established a study routine at his house and worked toward the degree from 20 to 30 hours a week. He completed most of his assignments alone. In addition, if he worked extra hours at the plant, he had to make up the time. "When I signed up, WGU told me I'd need at least 20 hours a week, and that was kind of hard for me to believe," he says. "But it was easily 20 and sometimes 30 hours a week. It really was hard to turn down doing things I enjoy, but I really wanted this degree, so I had to motivate myself."
Sidebar: Types of E-Learning
Although there are three major types of online learning styles, many programs use a combination of methods. Traditionally, corporate training sessions were mostly synchronous, in order to keep employees tuned in, whereas higher education courses comprised mostly asynchronous courses, according to Curtis J. Bonk, Ph.D., professor of instructional systems technology at Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind., and author of "The World is Open: How Web Technology is Revolutionizing Education." However, in the last 10 years, colleges and universities have embraced the synchronous model.
Asynchronous: The communication between student and lecturer or employee and trainer does not occur simultaneously, meaning the course is self-paced, and assignments are handed in by set deadlines through e-mail. If there is a discussion component, it is carried out through messages posted to threads in an online discussion forum. Students with full-time jobs and families may prefer this type of online course for its convenience and accessibility. However, less self-motivated students may find themselves falling behind through lack of feedback. Some programs now provide mentors who provide advice through e-mail messages to combat possible feelings of isolation.
Synchronous: The communication between student and lecturer or employee and trainer occurs simultaneously, meaning individuals log onto discussion boards at the same time or use real-time instant messaging or audio/video conferencing technologies. This type of online learning course provides instant feedback on a student's participation and performance and can also build peer-to-peer relationships. The drawbacks to this type of learning are that the modules are not self-paced and require set meeting times over possible differing time zones.
Blended learning: The communication between student and lecturer or employee and trainer combines online and face-to-face delivery. Although most of the courses' content is delivered online, this type of online learning contains a number of face-to-face meetings, either one-on-one with the professor or trainer or in a group classroom setting. Students receive timely feedback, yet are allowed to self-pace some of the assignments.
Sidebar: Employee Training
As much as 40 cents of every dollar spent on in-person training goes to travel and lodging costs, according to Training Industry, Inc., Cary, N.C. Therefore, it's not surprising that almost 80% of executives who employ Web-based training and conferencing cite the elimination of travel costs as their reason for the switch, according to a recent study of training techniques by Osterman Research, Inc., Black Diamond, Wash. Currently, about 33% of employee training is conducted online, according to research by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), Alexandria, Va. In 2001, the figure was around 11%. Yet, the percentage could be a lot higher. Curtis J. Bonk, Ph.D., professor of instructional systems technology at Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind., and author of "The World is Open: How Web Technology is Revolutionizing Education," offers some tips for introducing your employees to online training:
Incremental change: Change is always difficult. Shifts to online learning are no different. Those who might be nervous or more hesitant should start with small steps, such as finding online resources that they can later use. Have your HR or IT department create tip sheets for the technology and create tutorials that walk employees through Web site screens. There is also technology available to add a voice-over component to the module.
Testimonials: Add testimonials to the introduction to the class or training module. Ask employees who have already taken the class or module to speak to new students. Bring them in for the first week of the class and have them explain what they did. That can reduce the tension for other students. Recruit former students to be mentors for the new ones coming in.
Early feedback: Within the first three weeks of the course, have someone come in to see if people need any help or advice. Bringing in the human touch early creates less tension. If employees don't feel that someone cares, they're more likely to drop out. If you're going to have assignments, have something due early so students are testing their computer and passwords early, instead of waiting until the end of the course to have everything turned in. Have a chat or opening Webinar orientation session where you go through a Q&A. Offer a face-to-face meeting if people are located in your area, and provide a lunch orientation session to show them the technology and tools.
Awards and incentives: Embed a recognition system for those who successfully complete the course. Tie in completion to performance goals. Training programs might also include incentives, such as certificates of completion, money, or gift rewards.


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It appears Rex Ryan has added former Fresno State secondary coach and ex NFL star Tim McDonald to the coaching staff. #nyj
— Jake Steinberg (@Steiny31) January 23, 2013
McDonald is expected to replace Dennis Thurman as the defensive backs coach. Thurman is expected to be announced as the new defensive coordinator in the near future.

subset: commoncrawl


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Here's a first video I made for the project - sorry about the low audio volume!
Xamarin the Native, Sphero the Ball and Lumia the Phone....
After a long week of coding, this experiment in sleep deprivation reaches its inevitable conclusion....
- Xamarin.Mobile Picture capture
- Native voice control
- Native accelerometer control
- Native UI with lots of touch
- Native BlueTooth
- Guest Starring Sphero the ball
- Cross platform Mvvm
Xamarin the Monkey.... because going Native matters
Can I sleep now?
Here's the apps first public outing to a local user group:
Some technical infoThe project demonstrates Xamarin.Mobile by using Xamarin.Mobile media picker.... But, beyond that it also extends Xamarin.Mobile tackling some elements of several Xamarin.Mobile requests on uservoice:
- File/Directory browser API.
- Cross Platform Project File Solution
- Multiplatform MVVM Framework
- Bluetooth API
- Posting things (links, txt, pics,..) on Facebook
- Accelerometer
- Make Xamarin Mobile API open source
The SourceThe source is on: https://github.com/slodge/BallControl
Currently, we have:
- a working WP8 app
- a working (but ugly) MonoDroid app
- a non-working Windows Store app - it seems that Windows Store does not yet support BlueTooth SPP devices - which is so bad :(
I will also post to the WP8 app store soon.
And I will post some more videos soon....
If anyone is interested in how the app was built I did live blog the first 10 hours of coding... see PDF at http://sdrv.ms/V8xdmV (or email me for a Word doc). Sorry I didn't blog the whole lot - but there was a lot of code to write... and I did it in 5 days end-to-end while still holding down the day job too.
That's AmazeBalls! How do I get a Sphero:
If you want a sphero, then try:


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Nuggets expected to sign free agent Marcus Williams
The Nuggets are expected to sign free agent Marcus Williams, according to a source.
RealGM's Shams Charania first reported news of any potential with Williams.
Williams, not to be confused with the former NBA veteran out of Connecticut, would sign as a training camp invite, meaning he will be among the few players fighting for the last two roster spots. The Nuggets can have 17 players on their roster during training camp and in the preseason, but only 15 can be under contract by opening night.
Denver already has 13 players on guaranteed deals, so Williams will join Jerrelle Benimon, Erick Green and Quincy Miller in a fight for for the final two spots.
A 6-foot-7 forward out of Arizona, Williams has played only 39 minutes in the NBA since the Spurs selected him with the No. 33 pick in the 2007 draft. The majority of that time has been with the Clippers, who signed him in March of 2008. Williams has also spent time in the NBA's Development League, with the Austin Toros, and the Chinese Basketball Association, with Shanxi Zhongyu.
In January of 2013, Williams was suspended by the CBA for six games after testing positive for marijuana.
Williams played two years at Arizona, from 2005-07, starting 63 games and averaging 14.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.


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A designer or celeb collection for a high street brand has become a true hype and tradition over the years. I must admit I haven't been queuing up in line at recent H&M designer collabs due to several reasons. I always had to study/work or had no money to do so. Don't know what this year will bring, but I'm seriously siked about the Wang collab.
A more recent collaboration I was both surprised and thrilled by is a micro collection by the Russian Designer and fashionista pur-sang, Vika Gazinskaya for the Swedish & Other Stories. The collection, suitably called Co-lab, consists of various garments, including shoes with characteristic Gazinskaya print (including the color pencil doodle print). The price range is very attractive, the coat is the most expensive item selling at the price of 175 euros, the dresses are between 125 and 95. Shirts, shoes and all other items cost less than 100, sounds like a good bargain, especially when you know what her demi-couture pieces cost.
I'm absolutely in love with the blue printed shirt dress and the red, very retro-like, vamp dress. Both dresses would be the perfect addition to my wardrobe. I hope I'll be able to get my hands at least on one of them. The blue shirt dress is more practical and I really would wear it a lot, but the red one is a real showstopper.
The collection will exclusively launch at Colette Paris and colette.fr from 5th of May and & Other Stories, both online and in store, from the 15th of May.
Oh, did I tell that I'm hella excited that & Other Stories is opening in Belgium very soon? Well, I AM!


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Jonathan Kruger needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 105 designs submitted by 27 freelance designers.
This will be our 4th Annual Veggie Fest. August 8th and 9th, 2009. We had 10,000 people show up at VF 2009. We need a fun, exciting new logo and we need your help. VF is all about fun, family and healthy living. 80 vendors, 15 international speakers, 10 food demostrations, live music and a great children's program. Learning about the vegetarian lifestyle and the benefits of being a vegetarian in today's world. Over 250 volunteers from all over the USA, Europe, South America, India, and Africa came together to make this event happen. We need a happening, exciting and fun new logo - something to keep and something to be proud of - we need your ideas, thoughts, input and creative touch. Look at our old logo and see what you can do to make it better. Check out our website. Veggiefestchicagoland.org. Thank you!!!
Need a new logo for all our advertising - website, print, press releases, brochures, display ads, posters, business cards, etc. Something that will fit nicely in all applications. We are looking to sell $20,000 worth of memorbillia with the log on it - t-shirts, coffee cups, etc. etc.
Veggie Fest 2009, Good Food, Healthy Living. This is the title and tag line.
Needs to be fun ! Not too serious or corporate looking. Not boring or bland. Something to project more than just veggies - this is not a vegetable fest - but a vegetarian fest.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Well, you can tell by the result what the program is really doing. If you apply it on pcm_play, you can tell how it set up the card. "strace -e trace=ioctl,open" should tell us if it really overrides vmix.igorzwx wrote:I have already tried your magic tool on another computer. It works. It printed on terminal certain parameters which you loaded into ioctl.
igorzwx wrote:ALSA is said to have a secret file /proc/asound/card0/pcm0p/sub0/hw_params
where you may find all the information you need.
Is it possible to find such information in OSS4?
Usually 'ossinfo -v3' (for card info) and 'ossmix -a' (for mixer controls) have all the useful info. For more specalized stuff, 'cat /dev/sndstat' has the OSS build parameters (if one built it manually this might be useful). If one is interested in startup logs than /var/log/soundon.log (which contains 'ossinfo -v3' output already) is useful.


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Blog of Dr. Miland Brown that features different aspects of world history. Not everything can be covered but sites dealing with any historical issue or topic are possible future posts. Also includes sites which discuss teaching history. Dr. Brown is an academic in North America.
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Encyclopaedia Britannica is Seeking Blogger Support
Hello Miland.
You don't know me, but I wear the "community czar" hat at Encyclopaedia Britannica. My role is to develop tools and content that help experts like you reach, engage, and enlighten your audience. I've been following your World History Blog for a little while now, and wanted to reach out to you for a few reasons:
(1) At Britannica, we believe in the value of high quality content and in the importance of bloggers like you who create it. That's why I'd like to offer you a free subscription to Encyclopaedia BritannicaOnline.
2) As a service to your readers, the full text of every article you link to will be available to your readers for free, even those that normally require a subscription. Our reasoning is that it makes senseto allow bloggers and web authors to fully reference our content when it helps them express an opinion or enlighten their audience.
I would feel flattered but I also got this e-mail for another blog I keep under a different name. It appears as though the Britannica sent this e-mail out to lots of bloggers. As such, this appears to be an attempt by this encyclopedia to get links and recognition as a quality resource by the blogging community.
This makes sense. Wikipedia is currently the encyclopedia of choice for most bloggers. I frequently link there. Why shouldn't I? The content has proven to be reliable and it is free. I often edit there myself. I have consulted the print edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica many times in writing posts but I do not link to the Encyclopaedia Britannica website as my visitors can not read the content without buying a subscription. I will now link to the Britannica when appropriate.
I applaud this effort by the Britannica. However, I do not think they are moving far enough in this Web 2.0 world. Here are two suggestions:
1. Make all of the content of the Britannica available for free to search engine spiders and human visitors. If they want their content to be used, referenced, linked to, and found in search engine results they need to have it out there to read. I may link to them but my visitors will get frustrated when they leave the approved link made available by this program and hit a firewall demanding money. I predict they will then visit Wikipedia...
I realize that the Encyclopaedia Britannica is a business and needs to make money. However, there are ways to monetize a website and still make money without charging a subscription fee. Have they never heard of Google Adsense?
2. They need to make the encyclopedia more up-to-date. For example, compare the Wikipedia article on Wake Island with the Encyclopaedia Britannica version. It is easy to see which is more current. Super Typhoon Ioke hit the island a few days ago. It is the second most historical event in the island's history after the Second World War. Wikipedia has this in the article already, why doesn't Britannica? (And no, I did not make this edit at Wikipedia.)
I expect accuracy and wide coverage in an encyclopedia but I also expect currency. The old print cycle of waiting a year or two to update does not work on the web. If I have to wait, I will find another source.
Maybe the Britannica can open up it's content for editing to some users? I am not envisioning the Wikipedia model. I realize that is not the best route for the Britannica as Wikipedia has already beat them to this and it might not work for their reputation. However, is some access for some people worth considering? What would happen if the Britannica allowed bona fide academics access to articles? They could still have a verification process to assure quality but could be certain that almost all edits were worthwhile. Maybe the product would not be as responsive as Wikipedia to current events but it would not be as far behind as it is now either.
Maybe free online content coupled with a large number of active academics editing the Britannica could provide a counter to the wildly successful impact of Wikipedia?
A few days ago I was working with a doctoral student. She is finishing up her dissertation and I advised her to use a Wikipedia link. I even showed her how to cite it in APA format. I then called her dissertation advisor and urged her to allow this. Her advisor agreed. When this student graduates and begins teaching, I bet she allows her students to cite Wikipedia in papers. The times have changed. Can the Britannica keep up?
5 comments:
- Jennie W said...
This is great! I know that I seldom use Britannica anymore for that exact reason. I find other sources because I don't want to pay, or have my students pay. When I'm looking for course content for the online courses I teach, I never use Britanncia. I would if it were free to my students.
- RodWaldhoff said...
Hi Jennie,
You and your students likely already have access to one of Britannica's institutional sites (http://school.eb.com, http://library.eb.com/, http://search.eb.com/). Most Universities do. I'm not sure off-hand if the University of North Dakota does, but if you want I can find out.
Also, just to be clear, the second point in the email that Miland cites applies to you as well. The full text of any linked article will be available to your readers for free. See http://www.britannica.com/webmaster for details.
- RodWaldhoff said...
Hi Miland.
Thanks for the post. You are partially right, but that isn't the whole story.
You should feel doubly flattered by getting that email twice. We (that is, I) sent this email to only a handful of bloggers, all maintaining blogs I actively follow. In fact, I sent out so few of these notes that I'll bet I know exactly what other name and blog you are talking about.
I agree Britannica needs to move down a path of greater openness, but I suspect we're moving futher and faster than down that path than you know. In fact, Britannica has already opened up it's content for editing by some users. Just last week we added a "Comments or Suggestions" feature to Britannica.com and several of our institutional sites. Now contributors, subscribers, and in limited circumstances the public at large, can suggest changes directly to our editorial team via a WYSIWYG form. (The changes are be reviewed by our editorial team before being published, of course.) For example, one can comment on or suggest changes to EB's article on Wake-Island by clicking on the "Comments or Suggestions" link at http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9075898/Wake-Island. You can read more about this feature at http://corporate.britannica.com/editorialmission.html.
But this is really just the tip of the iceberg. The really interesting stuff, especially for people like you, is still in the pipeline. I'm really excited about this, and can't wait until I get to tell you more.
- Miland said...
Thanks for the additional information. I am very excited to see what the Britannica is going to come out with next. Rest assured, I will help publicize it as appropriate.
"You should feel doubly flattered by getting that email twice. We (that is, I) sent this email to only a handful of bloggers, all maintaining blogs I actively follow. In fact, I sent out so few of these notes that I'll bet I know exactly what other name and blog you are talking about. "
Hmmm, that never occured to me that only a few bloggers got this invitation. The double e-mail made me believe this was a wider net. My apologies.
My identity as "Miland" is well known at my institution, amongst several people in the history carnival world, and I even announced it at a conference during a presentation.
If you want to approach me via my real name, I would be happy to talk with you. I have a long history of attempting to make content available on the Web via volunteer directories like the DMOZ, I have talked with Google reps about search, and I have edited for years at Wikipedia making good edits. I want to see Britannica make a successful transition from a print based to a web based resource. Let me know if I can offer you any assistance.
- Miland said...
Blogger for peace, I have read your comments and deleted them.
If you want to make a comment, please do not post a link to a url in the comment (I do not allow these due to frequent spam attempts) and do not be insulting. I do not mind criticism, but I draw the line at rambling insults with no actual message other than I must be an idiot.
Also, your premise is flawed. I am not a journalist. I do not wish to be one and I am not seeking to replace them. Other bloggers have done that quite nicely.
Best regards,
Miland Brown


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Why Nice Guys and Gals Finish Last in Love
Why being nice doesn't lead to love.
Posted Nov 02, 2012
Welcome back to The Attraction Doctor
I received a lot of good feedback on my last article discussing How I Learned to Have a Satisfying Relationship. The messages of taking personal responsibility to become a valuable mate, learning to make others trade fairly, and finding internal validation, all seemed to make a connection with readers. However, I had a few readers who still had some questions.
Some of the questions came from a group of people I call Nice Guys and Gals. These people do everything for others. They do everything they believe they are "supposed" to do for their lovers. Yet, time and time again, their partners abandon them, overlook them, mistreat them, and generally fail to love them back.
Nice guys and gals are completely confused by these outcomes. They cannot understand how they can, at least theoretically, do everything right—yet have the situation turn out so wrong. They cannot understand why their good behavior doesn't lead to love and respect. After all, we're all "told" that is how it is supposed to work. Bring someone flowers or cook them dinner and they love you forever... Not quite!
Well, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I was a nice guy. Heck, I think I was THE nice guy. I was that clueless guy, doing everything I was told to do by society and romantic comedies, and it was not working. I gave lovers everything and got no gratitude for it. I did the "good" boyfriend and husband thing...and it all fell apart. I learned firsthand that such nice behavior didn't work.
But, I eventually found the answers!
Why Nice Guys Finish Last (and Nice Gals Too)!
The first step to seeing this clearly is to temporarily put aside any frustration and bitterness. If you are reading this, you probably have a story of your own to tell. You may have been treated badly. You might have been picked over for someone who seemed clearly inferior to you. Why would "your guy" go for that high-maintenance, promiscuous woman? Why would "your gal" dump you for that unemployed felon?
Well, there is a reason. Your partner (or their gender) is not stupid. The world has not turned upside down. There are simple influence principles at work here. These principles make the "inferior people" look valuable and you not-so-much. Let us take a look at them further and see why nice people finish last...
1) Nice People Do Not Make Their Partners Invest
When we do nice things for others, we invest in them and the relationship. Those investments of time, effort, and money tend to build up over time. Those investments also make us feel that our date or mate is valuable, that we love them, and we are committed to that relationship. This is called the principle of "sunk costs". Doing favors for others and treating them well, leads us to value and love them.
However, the reverse is not true. The receiver of good treatment does not always feel love for the giver. In fact, they may feel manipulated, burdened, or just generally ungrateful. Love cannot be bought or earned.
Given that, whoever is doing the favors will fall in love. But, whoever is receiving the favors probably will not fall in love. The person that invests feels love. The person receiving the investment may not feel anything. Get the picture?
Nice folks are on the losing end of this deal. They do all of the "doing". They are the ones waiting on their partner, doing good deeds, buying gifts, paying for meals, etc. As a result, they have a lot of love (sunk costs) for their date or mate. But, their partner has not invested. They have not given a thing. So, they are not at all in love or committed.
Contrast this with the demanding bad boy or diva... They are always making demands and requests of a partner. They require being pampered, waited on, and appeased. They make their partners INVEST. So, their partners have a ton of sunk costs. Thus, their partners fall in love with them and feel committed.
Moral of the story—don't be "nice" and do everything. Make your partner invest in you and the relationship too. Remember, when they DO FOR YOU, is when they fall in love. If they refuse to invest in the relationship, however, then they may never love you back.
For more see:
2) Nice People Reward Bad Behavior
People learn from the consequences of their behavior. When they perform a behavior and are rewarded, they tend to do the same thing again. In contrast, when they perform a behavior and are punished, they tend to shy away from that behavior in the future. Pretty simple...
Well, nice people tend to treat their dates and mates very well. All the time. EVEN, when they don't deserve it. No matter how a partner is treating them, the nice person will continue to treat them well.
The nice person often "thinks" that such good treatment will one day be recognized. That it will snap the partner out of their bad behavior. Turn the other cheek and all that. But, they fail to recognize what they are TEACHING their partner by treating them well under all conditions.
In essence, by being nice all the time, they are rewarding their partner for bad behavior. If you cook him dinner on the nights he disrespects you, then you have rewarded and encouraged that behavior to continue. If you take her out on the nights she is grumpy and nagging, you have ensured that she will do it again.
Not-so-nice people have better boundaries. They only reward partners when they earn those rewards. They also ignore partners when they are disrespectful or bad. This teaches dates or mates what they will and will not tolerate. It lets them know what is expected of them.
As a result, nice people get walked all over. By being nice all the time, they actually encourage others to treat them badly. They reward those who mistreat them and make the behavior more likely in the future. If they were selective in their rewards—and occasionally withholding—they would receive better treatment in return. They would also be more respected by others.
For more see:
3) Nice People Are Too Available
We all have mental shortcuts that help in our decision-making. One of these shortcuts is the rule of scarcity. Generally, we believe whatever is scarce, or requires work to obtain, is valuable. Whatever is easy to get, or common, is probably cheap. While this is not always true, it is true enough of the time that it becomes a common, unconscious assumption. It is applied to everything...even people.
Unfortunately for nice people, they are anything but scarce. They are eager to please. They are always agreeable to dropping their life and rushing over to their date or mate. They make time, dote, acquiesce, and try to be as convenient and easy as possible.
Their hope is that this behavior will lead to gratitude and respect. By making themselves available to a partner and removing inconveniences, they hope to make love easier. Instead, however, they come off as needy, get taken for granted, and become overlooked. In other words, they are the opposite of scarce and hard to earn. So, all of the available behavior actually makes them seem low value and worthless.
The bad boy or diva, in contrast, is always "hard to get". They are never available, always cancelling plans, and make lovers do things their way. They do nothing but neglect and inconvenience their lovers. Yet, their lovers find them alluring, tempting, and attractive (much to the confusion of "nice" folks).
Nevertheless, the bad boys and divas are scarce. That scarcity makes them SEEM valuable. Their unavailability and breaking plans makes them look confident and important. Making others work to earn their time gives the illusion that their time is valuable. Having to drop everything to steal a moment with them makes others appreciate the time they are "given". It is the illusion of scarcity.
Given that, nice people would do well to inconvenience their lovers once in a while. They would benefit from being scarce. They would look a little more valuable if they didn't drop everything to be at their lover's beck-and-call. If they were a little harder to get, their lovers would find them more enticing.
For more see:
Again, your ex (or their entire gender) is not crazy. But, their psychological dynamics do cause them to process things differently than a nice person might hope. As a result of a few mental shortcuts getting crossed, winners look like losers and losers look like winners.
Does that mean you have to be a jerk or diva to find love? No. But, it does mean that you need to be selective with your time, attention, and niceness. It means you cannot be eager to please, needy, overly-available, or endlessly nice. To create a loving, respectful, and appreciative relationship, you have to know the rules of the game...and play by them.
So, learn from the jerks and divas—but don't emulate them completely. Simply get your partners to invest in you back, as you invest in them. Further, only reward them when they deserve it and ignore them when they don't. Also, make them accommodate you too and don't let your life revolve around them. This will show them that you are a valuable and attractive person with some self-respect. Then, you can still be a decent person and find love...without being so nice others walk all over you.
Go to www.AttractionDoctor.com for more dating and relationship advice (in helpful categories)!
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Finally, remember to share, like, tweet, and comment below.
Until next time...happy dating and relating!
Dr. Jeremy Nicholson
The Attraction Doctor
Previous Articles from The Attraction Doctor
- How I Learned to Have a Satisfying Relationship
- Maximize Your Chances of Picking a Satisfying Partner
- Why You Shouldn't Believe in Soul Mates
© 2012 by Jeremy S. Nicholson, M.A., M.S.W., Ph.D. All rights reserved.
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But after over two years of study and over a year in the catechumenate, I find all of the demands of church life to be just overwhelming. I've always been a shy person and someone who prefers solitude (or the company of animals) to people activities. When I do relate to people, it's to individuals, not to a mass of bodies. The corporate nature of Orthodoxy has begun to feel oppressive. I actually find myself feeling extremely depressed during Divine Liturgy. I can't wait to get out. There's so much pressure to socialize afterwards at coffee hour and sometimes I just can't bear to talk to anyone. People keep asking me when I'm going to be chrismated. Or they want to know about my job search. It's very awkward and I don't want to appear rude, but I just don't want to discuss those things.
Is it possible to be a happy Orthodox person?
I see so much emphasis on our own sinfulness. I just can't relate to it right now. The prayers don't seem relevant. I'm supposed to ask for help in reaching theosis when I'm really more worried about finding a job and paying the mortgage. It seems so removed from the concerns of everyday life.
I've tried to discuss this with my priest (a very kind and loving man) but he's so in love with Orthodoxy himself that I don't think he quite understands. He wants to keep talking and that just makes me more upset. I want time to put this into perspective for myself but the priest and many of the parishioners just keep pushing. I don't want to be rude, but how do I get people to just back off?
Has anyone else fallen out of love with Orthodoxy? I feel there's some truth in the faith and I don't just want to walk away without really exploring all of these issues, but it just seems so unworkable right now. Any other loners find a way to be a part of church life without losing their sanity?
Hope this doesn't sound like a tirade. It's not meant to be. But I always read such glowing accounts of people's journey to Orthodoxy. Hasn't anyone else just been plain miserable? :-
It is when we remove ourselves from a Western mindset that we can actually appropriate the joy that Orthodoxy has. The Western mindset is that spirituality is individual and disconnected from the community.
Yankeelady (besides Sinjin--sorry my friend, but I do think you're partly just having the growing pains of early adulthood)
First, the Latin tradition is usually more individualistic in its piety and mystical and ascetical theology.
Second, if you care to take a look at all of my posts at the E-Caf+¬, I have been nothing other than supportive of the spiritual journey that Nick and his comrades are taking with ROAC.
The theology of Orthodoxy told me of a God who did love. It's just the practice that leads me to see him as demanding and distant (too much like the Fundamentalist version). I don't seem to be able to reconcile faith and practice.
Keble, are we to expect an attack--along with ALL CAPS shouting--every time one of speculates on weaknesses of the Western tradition?
If I may ask some questions related to my original post. Did anyone fall in love with the theology of Orthodoxy but have a sense of disconnect with the practice? Since I have been reevaluating what I've been studying and experiencing in my catechumenate, I've realized that a lot of the positive aspect for me has been on a very cerebral level. God and all the wonderful things that Orthodoxy has to say about Him seem like such beautiful ideas, but that is where they remain, in the realm of ideas. My priest has told me the practice of the faith makes us grow closer to God, but the more I practice, the more distant and abstract He seems to be. I pray and ask Him to help me to know Him but I've found that there's an element of doubt now about both His existence and His love. I think the Orthodox (indeed general Christian) emphasis on suffering love has made me afraid of what this God might do in my life if I ask him to get closer. All this while I question His very existence and He seems more like an idea than a reality. And yet I'm growing afraid of this unreal reality. My prayers have started to sound more like, "please help me but please, please, don't hurt me, and by the way, I hope you're there, but not too much!" I know it sounds strange, but I've grown afraid of someone who's supposed to love me completely but whose existence I doubt. Strange, huh? I'm perplexed by this because it seems like regression to my fear of the Protestant fundamentalist god and I don't know how to put the brakes on.
Did anyone fall in love with the theology of Orthodoxy but have a sense of disconnect with the practice?
I know it sounds strange, but I've grown afraid of someone who's supposed to love me completely but whose existence I doubt. Strange, huh? I'm perplexed by this because it seems like regression to my fear of the Protestant fundamentalist god and I don't know how to put the brakes on.
I like to listen to Gregorian chant and I have several recordings by Anonymous 4 which help me to both feel more peaceful and put me in a frame of mind for a simpler kind of prayer.
Yes, dear CSL is an old friend. I'm re-reading 'Til We Have Faces right now. Finished again The Great Divorce right before Easter. What a mind!
I know the theory of peaks and troughs you talk of. The Screwtape Letters is a marvelous book, isn't it? I used to have a recording of it read by John Cleese which captured the tone wonderfully. Alas, the tape broke and I don't think that version is in circulation any more. Oh well.
I don't know whether this is a time of dryness or just a reevaluation of my beliefs. I hope it doesn't sound blasphemous to anyone, but this year at the Paschal celebration, I found myself asking if Christ 's resurrection really did change anything. The world is so full of misery and hopelessness that it's hard to believe there's any other reality. I'm not giving up yet but the shine has worn off. My priest has told me it's a natural consequence of growing older that we become more cautious and a little more muted in our hopes for the future. We've come to learn the world doesn't have limitless possibilities. Perhaps that's all it is.
Re: the job search. I haven't really done enough myself (have been really struggling with the fear of the unknown). I would be too ashamed to ask for the parishioners' help. The New Englander's fundamental reticence is at work here. I really do have to exhaust all avenues myself, practically be destitute before I would think it appropriate to ask for help.
Have you ever listed to the CD "Native Angels" by the group Savae? It's got music from the 16th to 18th centuries and blends traditional Catholic hymns with melodies and instruments and native languages from the New World. I don't think it always works but when it does, it's quite beautiful.
I'd forgotten the part about the tempter's role in convicing us that the misery of this life is the "real" part and the joy and faith and beauty are illusions. Thanks for reminding me of that. I tend to have that point of view too much. Sometimes I think it's partly a defense mechanism. I try on the worst case scenario thinking in an almost superstitious way. Kind of like, if I think about the most horrible things that can happen, I can protect myself from the shock of anything bad that actually does come to pass.
It's funny you should mention Tolkien, too. I spent the last 2 years re-reading the Silmarillion and the Lord of the Rings. I've also been watching the videos of the movies a lot. Lately I find myself more encouraged and strengthened by the writings of people like Lewis and Tolkien than by overtly "religious" works. There is so much beauty in those tales. I could spend the rest of my life reading them and never exhaust their riches.
I liked the Chekov quote, too. It IS everyday life that's so wearing. The monotony, the doubts, the sense of loss and disappointment that set in as we age. Perhaps that's why I love Samwise so much, the real hero of the "Rings" in my estimation. He's everyman who perseveres to the end. His victory is just being faithful through it all.
There are so many places in scripture where we're told to rejoice. I can't believe God wants us to be in a constant state of sorrow. Realistic about our sins and shortcomings, but not beaten down by them.
This post gave me autism.
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WJD-Nate necesitaba un nuevo diseño de tema de wordpress y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 73 diseños de 15 diseñadores freelance.
The Superhuman Project is an online project were we have one guy in average shape, average fitness, with a few (annoying) allergies and other physical problems (back pain, light hair loss, etc) who is on his mission to transform his body (and therefore his life) within the first 6 months of the launch. The input and guidance comes from acclaimed nutritionists, personal trainers, health gurus and experts in various specific fields.
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I HAVE ATTACHED A VERY BASIC SKETCH OF THE IDEAL DESIGN - it shows that we want a bold look and very graphical header. I have attached a logo that has a relatively similar look and feel for what we want on the left side of the header/logo area. Don't get it wrong: we want no King Kong there, but an somewhat equally bold graphic work and font.
The main content and sidebar are pretty much the opposite of the bold header design and should be very clean (maybe except for a nice graphic font for the featured post).


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Opinion: MaryJane's Violent Side
Assistant books editor Sohrab Ahmari on the shooting at the Denver pot rally. Photo: Getty Images
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... back to Opinion Journal why Mary Kissel ... it was so close to the HL afternoon in Denver this Saturday as thousands gathered for a big marijuana smoke up ... rapper lil flip was on stage when two people were shot and a third was injured ... so much for those laid back Stoner SA ... assistant books editor saw Rob Omar is here to discuss the policies ... at play here so I'm ... that smoking pot was against the law ... what this is all about ... well it still is ... under federal of ... marijuana remains a ... legal substance but ... held a Colorado ... voters back in November ... in past ballot initiative that legalized marijuana use ... in on within certain limits but ... it's basically the the the the the lies that went beyond the terminal I think ... so ... there's this strange conflict of laws and ... and the in in in a space like this from those ... who does what ought to follow ... right so so that that the folks in Colorado said when I met all federal law at the Fed say we're not going to enforce federal often but we are told is a policy matter paid marijuana's ... greater than is currently back it's it's you make everybody chill ... it is this sat at the counter example do we know who who did the shoot ... well that's just ... you know your opinion man ... um no they did the investigation is still unclear but I think ... the the the interesting thing about this is ... one of her ... the business owner or just in general but admitted the progressive activist innings for trade in the media it's ... peaceful ... you know fun loving social justice type whereas if it's you know if this is happen and you know that God forbid at the conservative or tea party rally ... Boyd and the racist militia ... and so ... once again that that media the economy ... it was a was broken down ideas has echoes of Occupy ... Wall Street some of the violence that ... to happen there ... ok my editorial


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A winner was selected from 147 designs submitted by 41 freelance designers.
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Lincoln Mayor Don Wesely today encouraged women to participate in a research study to identify the top five issues that impact the quality of life for women in Lincoln and Lancaster County. The study, called "Women's Voices," is the first of its type to be conducted by the Lincoln-Lancaster Women's Commission (LLWC).
"Since its inception in 1976, the Women's Commission has continued to do a good job of staying in touch with the vital issues that impact women in our community," said Wesely. "This research will help further define the important issues and provide potential solutions."
"Women's Voices" is a four-page multiple choice questionnaire designed to gather information on a wide variety of issues, including domestic violence, housing, employment, sexual harassment and child care. The survey is being distributed through public forums, mail, email and public events.
The questionnaire is available in several languages, and the LLWC plans to distribute 4,000 copies. The deadline for responding is May 31, 2002, and a report is scheduled to be released in September 2002. Those wanting a questionnaire can contact the LLWC at 441-7716. The questionnaire is also available on the city's web site, www.lincoln.ne.gov.
Using a model survey implemented by the Women's Commission in New Mexico, the "Women's Voices" survey was developed with input from various women's organizations and local neighborhood community centers such as the Hispanic Center, Asian Community Center, Malone Center, Lincoln Interfaith Council, Indian Center and Faces of the Middle East.
"We hope to reach a broad cross-section of women to get the most accurate data on these issues," said Bonnie Coffey, LLWC Executive Director. "This report will provide valuable resource information for the Women's Commission as well as other agencies and organizations."
Expenses of the study are being shared by the LLWC and the Friends of the Women's Commission.
Media Release


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Feb. 20, 2007
Lipscomb women's soccer coach Jon Ireland has announced the signing of Lacey Cross from Brentwood, Tenn., to play for the Lady Bisons.
Cross lettered four seasons at Brentwood High School in both soccer and track and field. In soccer Brentwood High was Substate Champion in both 2004 and 2005 and earned a berth in the TSSAA State Tournament.
In track she was the 2005 District Champion in the 1600 meters. In 2006 she was part of the 4 x 800-meter relay team that won the District, Regional and State championships.
Academically, Lacey has been in the top 10 percent of her class in 2004 and 2006.
Lacey is the daughter of Janet and Kim Cross. She is undecided about a major.
"I like the Christian environment at Lipscomb," Lacey said. "It just seemed like the right place for me."


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Saw this on Eglu's twitter feed and thought it was cool... There is more to the comic strip so you will need to click the link... :-)
Drawn by the amazing Mali!
Cool comic strip!
Anything totally off-topic and chatty can go here, without any worries.
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Cool comic strip!
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Mum to 5, grandmother to 2, wife to 1
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Sources connected with "Live! with Regis & Kelly" tell TMZ ... Regis Philbin blindsided Kelly Ripa with his retirement announcement today ... telling her less than 15 minutes before they went on the air.
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Our sources say Regis felt if he talked about it before making the announcement, it would have leaked out.
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DIXON – An appraiser said Tuesday that he couldn't find any evidence that a proposed wind farm in southwestern Lee County would hurt nearby property values long term.
Michael Crowley, a Bureau County appraiser, has been hired by Ireland-based Mainstream Renewable Power to study the effects of its planned turbines on nearby home values.
During his testimony, Crowley said negative publicity during the early stages of the development of wind farms can have a short-term adverse effect on property values. That stigma disappears after people learn about turbines, he said.
Ultimately, he said, the proposed wind farm wouldn't change the character of southwestern Lee County, which he described as almost entirely agricultural.
He spoke before the Lee County Zoning Board of Appeals, which is considering Mainstream's application for dozens of turbines in Hamilton and East Grove townships.
For most of the 2 1/2-hour meeting, Crowley was cross-examined by Rockford attorney Rick Porter, who is representing Hamilton Township and a number of private landowners fighting the wind farm.
Crowley conceded he didn't know the proposed height or width of the turbines.
He also said he only found out Tuesday that Mainstream was planning 46 turbines, not 58, as was previously believed.
Porter asked if the height or the layout of the wind farm would change Crowley's opinion that the turbines wouldn't affect property values.
"Not necessarily," Crowley replied.
Porter asked whether Crowley agreed that a higher density of turbines would affect values. Crowley said he did not.
He said he based his opinion on interviews with appraisers and tax assessors.
Porter questioned why Crowley didn't conduct other analyses such as looking at sales data. Porter noted a leading authority in the appraisal field advised that appraisers never use only interviews with appraisers and assessors for their studies.
Crowley said he was aware of that authority, but others disagree. He said the interviews were sufficient because appraisers and assessors are experts in their fields.
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Whiteside County completed its hearings for the Mainstream application last month. The board will start discussing the application at its Aug. 2 meeting.
To attend
The Lee County Zoning Board of Appeals will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday on the third floor of the Old Lee County Courthouse, 112 E. Second St. in Dixon. The meeting is expected to last 2 1/2 hours.
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For an agenda for this meeting, minutes from past meetings, or more information, go to www.leecountyil.com or call 815-288-5676.


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Re: VANCOUVER CANUCKS VS LOS ANGELES KINGS ROUND 1
Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:13 am
Great stuff Spidey. I love watching people get owned when they don't realize they're in the process of getting owned. It could be the most enjoyable thing I've ever done on the interwebs! It's even better when you're crushing people that believe they're some kind of intelligent "people". You know, you own them and they don't even realize it. Friggen Morons! One of my all time favorites was an old time poster named OMS! He figured he was some kind of smart guy.... lol, boy was he wrong! The entire forum made fun of him without him having a clue!
Woot Woot bring on the playoffs and the morons!
Woot Woot bring on the playoffs and the morons!


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Monday, March 19, 2012
16 comments:
- Mockingbird said...
This reads like that Kip Adotta bit:
- March 19, 2012 at 8:26 AM
- Thomas said...
Some great lines in this one.
Question: did you examine the piece? It might have been only a Champagne split with the cork aimed at you.
- March 19, 2012 at 8:48 AM
Well, maybe not Tim Hanni.
Softer than $5 Moscato.
It's natures way of making sure MWs don't reproduce.
- March 19, 2012 at 2:23 PM
- Ron Washam, HMW said...
I suppose that's possible, though she'd have to be fingering her punt.
Nope, it's an actual gun, I think. Stay tuned.
I love the dick novel as a vehicle for endless throwaway jokes, as you know. More fun for me than the darker satire I do. I like to mess with the pace on HoseMaster. I like throwing the ol' changeup as much as Pedro once did.
- March 19, 2012 at 4:07 PM
- Dean Tudor said...
Now, how would Roald Dahl (Taste) write noir?
"She was from the Left Bank. No, make that Right"...etc.
- March 19, 2012 at 5:22 PM
- Mockingbird said...
Incidentally, lookie who got his se'f a favicon...
You must be really serious about sticking around for a while this time....
If you only brought back the T&A....
- March 19, 2012 at 9:39 PM
- Ron Washam, HMW said...
I hadn't really thought about a Roald Dahl parody...that could work.
Thanks for the idea.
Yeah, cool favicon, right?! Actually, I just finally learned how to do it. I'm a bit low tech. Well, "stupid" would be more accurate.
As for sticking around, not sure. I hate to overstay my welcome. I am having fun this time around, but the joy is in the work, not in having a blog, especially a notorious blog.
For a time I loved the cheesecake photos on my first incarnation. But then it got weird. So the T & A version of HoseMaster has vanished into the cybervoid forever.
- March 20, 2012 at 8:36 AM
- Thomas said...
The T & A version made many women want to point a gun in hosemaster's direction.
Hmm. Seems like nothing has changed.
- March 20, 2012 at 8:52 AM
- Ron Washam, HMW said...
You know what's funny? Most of the women I know didn't mind the cheesecake photos--I had more negative reactions from men. But I was getting more hits from Image Searches than I was for people here to read my crap. I learned my lesson, I can't compete with a great set of knockers.
- March 20, 2012 at 9:20 AM
- Dean Tudor said...
I look forward to something from you, Ron, re: Dahl...Maybe "Toasted" by Ram Daal, dealing with the impact of Indian wines???
- March 20, 2012 at 1:15 PM
Dear Jose--
Before you head off on your next visit to your favorite ashram, remember the words of the yogi.
"Indian wines are so popular that no one drinks them anymore".
- March 20, 2012 at 4:57 PM
- Ron Washam, HMW said...
I'd have to brush up on my Dahl, which sounds vaguely obscene. But "Toasted" might be more about a cooper. Maybe an evil midget who makes barrels--a Mini-Cooper.
Can a biodynamic Indian winery bury manure in a cow horn? Or would it have be from a different animal. Say a Duck Horn?
- March 20, 2012 at 6:15 PM
- Dave Larsen said...
Hosemaster, Sorry I'm so late with this comment. But, for the record, I think by including Crystal; you have really added to your body of work.
- March 23, 2012 at 6:45 PM
- Tim Hanni said...
Hey - how come Tim Hanni doesn't get no groupies? Just askin' mind you. Did this post anonymously???
- March 24, 2012 at 7:20 AM
- Ron Washam, HMW said...
Wow, just like an M.W.--TWO rhetorical questions in a row!
And you might just be the first M.W. to ever comment on HoseMaster! I feel like I just won the Miss America pageant. Where's my tiara?
- March 24, 2012 at 8:44 AM
- Ron Washam, HMW said...
Hell, I'll probably kill Crystal off by Chapter 5, though I have no idea if that's true. But the HoseMaster Pulp Fiction classics are all about Dames, Bodies and Dames with Bodies.
As for my body or work, it's fairly apparent rigor mortis has set in. Or at least Crystal made me stiff.
- March 24, 2012 at 6:51 PM


text:
Eugene N. Borza
From Quotes
I love fools experiments. I am always making them.Charles Darwin
Eugene N. Borza was professor of ancient history at Pennsylvania State University and is considered one of the foremost experts on ancient Macedon.
- Movie critics have complained that the movie lacks coherent vision. The fault may not be Stone's. We know what [Alexander] did, and it continues to astonish us, but we don't know how or why he did it...Stone suggests some noble purpose for Alexander's mad, bloody tromp across Asia. He and his historical consultant shared a need to give meaning to a meaningless conquest.
- About the film Alexander (film) [1] (December 3, 2004)
- Our understanding of the Macedonians' emergence into history is confounded by two events: the establishment of the Macedonians as an identifiable ethnic group, and the foundation of their ruling house. The "highlanders" or "Makedones" of the mountainous regions of western Macedonia are derived from northwest Greek stock; they were akin both to those who at an earlier time may have migrated south to become the historical "Dorians", and to other Pindus tribes who were the ancestors of the Epirotes or Molossians. That is, we may suggest that northwest Greece provided a pool of Indo-European speakers of Proto-Greek from which were drawn the tribes who later were known by different names as they established their regional identities in separate parts of the country... First, the matter of the Hellenic origins of the Macedonians: Nicholas Hammond's general conclusion (though not the details of his arguments) that the origin of the Macedonians lies in the pool of proto-Greek speakers who migrated out of the Pindus mountains during the Iron Age, is acceptable.
- "Makedonika", Regina Books, Claremont CA
- Modern Slavs, both Bulgarians and Macedonians, cannot establish a link with antiquity, as the Slavs entered the Balkans centuries after the demise of the ancient Macedonian kingdom. Only the most radical Slavic factions—mostly émigrés in the United States, Canada, and Australia—even attempt to establish a connection to antiquity [...] The twentieth-century development of a Macedonian ethnicity, and its recent evolution into independent statehood following the collapse of the Yugoslav state in 1991, has followed a rocky road. In order to survive the vicissitudes of Balkan history and politics, the Macedonians, who have had no history, need one. They reside in a territory once part of a famous ancient kingdom, which has borne the Macedonian name as a region ever since and was called "Macedonia" for nearly half a century as part of Yugoslavia. And they speak a language now recognized by most linguists outside Bulgaria, Serbia, and Greece as a south Slavic language separate from Slovenian, Serbo-Croatian, and Bulgarian. Their own so-called Macedonian ethnicity had evolved for more than a century, and thus it seemed natural and appropriate for them to call the new nation "Macedonia" and to attempt to provide some cultural references to bolster ethnic survival..
- "Macedonia Redux", in "The Eye Expanded: life and the arts in Greco-Roman Antiquity", ed. Frances B Tichener & Richard F. Moorton, University of California Press, 1999
- It is difficult to know whether an independent Macedonian state would have come into existence had Tito not recognised and supported the development of Macedonian ethnicity as oart of his ethnically organised Yugoslavia. He did this as a counter to Bulgaria, which for centuries had a historical claim on the area as far west as Lake Ohrid and the present border of Albania.
- The Eye Expanded By Frances B. Titchener, Richard F. Moorton
- The Macedonians are a newly emergent people in search of a past to help legitimize their precarious present as they attempt to establish their singular identity in a Slavic world dominated historically by Serbs and Bulgarians. One need understand only a single geopolitical fact: As one measures conflicting Serb and Bulgarian claims over the past nine centuries, they intersect in Macedonia. Macedonia is where the historical Serb thrust to the south and the historical thrust to the west meet. This is not to say that present Serb and Bulgarian ambitions, where the past has precedence over the present and future.
- The Eye Expanded By Frances B. Titchener, Richard F. Moorton
In the Shadow of Olympus: The Emergence of Macedon (1990)
Princeton University Press
- Only recently have we begun to clarify these muddy waters by revealing the Demosthenean corpus for what it is: oratory designed to sway public opinion and thereby to formulate public policy. That elusive creature, Truth, is everywhere subordinate to Rhetoric; Demosthenes' pronouncements are no more the true history of the period than are the public statements of politicians in any age.
- pp. 5-6
- There is no doubt that this tradition of a superimposed Greek house was widely believed by the Macedonians[...] There was a persistent, well attested tradition in antiquity that told of a group of Greeks from Argos -descendants of Temenus, kinsman of Heracles- who came to Macedonia and established their rule over the Makedones, unifying them and providing a royal house.
- p. 80
- There is no reason to deny the Macedonians' own traditions about their early kings and the migration of the Macedones[..] The basic story as provided by Herodotus and Thucydides, minus the interpolation of the Temenid connections, undoubtedly reflects the Macedonians' own traditions about their early history.
- p. 84
- Their daughter, who would be the half-sister of Alexander the Great and, later the wife of Cassander, was appropriately named Thessalonike, to commemorate Philip's victory in Thessaly. In 315 Cassander founded at or near the site of ancient Therme the great city that still bears her name.
- p.220
- Here we have seen that their early history is still largely an open question. They may have had Greek origins: Whatever process produced the Greek-speakers (of that is how one defines "Greek") who lived south of Olympus may have also produced the Makedones who wandered out of the western mountains to establish a home and a kingdom in Pieria.
- pp. 277-278


text:
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