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Archive for July 2015
Things I learned from a Billionaire that made me Rich
Things I learned from a Billionaire that made me rich (Part 1)
By Douglas Vermeeren
Over the last decade I have had the opportunity to spend time with several millionaires and billionaires. As I made the movies The Opus, The Gratitude Experiment, The Treasure Map or doing research for some of my books I have had the opportunity to extensively grill these financial superstars about how they got to their financial independence. I have learned a lot. In fact, as I have applied many of the lessons that they have shared I have been able to create abundance and financial freedom in my own life.
Several of these lessons have made it into the projects as described above but of course how can you possibly share everything in one project? It's impossible. Probably the most comprehensive outline of what I have learned so far was published in my book with Jay Conrad Levinson, Guerrilla Millionaire – Unlock the secrets of the self-made millionaire or in my Dummies book – Self-Made Millionaires for Dummies. However even those books are incomplete as there are many things which I learned and continue to learn from these mentors that shape my financial life regularly.
I guess that would be the one thing that we could talk about in this article: The importance of continual learning.
What you learn will always determine what you earn. The bottom line is that if you don't understand principles about how to use and grow your money you can't use that principle. I remember sitting once with Frank Maguire, who was one of the co-founders of FEDEX, in a shopping mall having an Orange Julius. As we sat there having a conversation he asked me an interesting question. His question: "What is the most expensive thing in the world?"
HIs answer, "Ignorance. Ignorance is the most expensive thing in the world. Because it costs you money, keeps you from making money and costs you time which is the most expensive thing because once its gone you can never get it back."
If there is one thing that I have observed more than any other attribute among the wealthy is that it their desire to understand and learn everything they can about the issues they are involved in.
I once sat in Bill Farley's living room and observed this situation first hand. For those who don't know Bill he was the former CEO of Fruit of the Loom and at one time an owner of several other companies and brands that most people would know. Brands like Anaheim Citrus, Acme Boot Co., and at one time was a partial owner of the Chicago White Sox baseball team. So we were spending some time in his living room when his assistant along with a few team members came in to discuss a few pressing business issues.
They asked him a few questions which most people would have simply answered and moved on. But that's not what he did. He took a moment and talked with the group gathering their thoughts, expertise and opinions. Now armed with all the facts and possible solutions which they had brought forward he rendered a decision.
That day I understood that the best way to create wealth in a company was to be sure to use your assets which included the brains of those around you.
In my personal business dealings with him I found that he always operated in a similar way. He would always have other experts involved in gaining answers to areas where his experience was limited. Every effort was focused on gathering insights before an action or decision was taken. But having said this I want it also to be clear that in no way did he, or anyone else I observed doing this, ever take a long time to make a decision. They never became victims of analysis paralysis or over analytical processes. They quickly gathered what they needed to know and then pulled the trigger and got it done.
Surrounding yourself with the right people is a powerful way to learn. Naturally this can be done by attending classes, seminars, networking events, charity events, fund raisers and gala events where you have access to new mentors or coaches. These kinds of activities or events are also brilliant locations to meet people who are interested in creating the same financial situations that you crave.
It may be tempting to say that you a re broke and that you can't afford a ticket to attend such events. However, I have found if you only stick to the least expensive events you will only be connecting with others who are broke. In order to make friends and form relationships with those who you can learn from, you have to go where they go. And a $10 breakfast meeting generally won't do it.
Not too long ago I had lunch with Bill Bartmann. You may know Bill, he was featured on the cover of Forbes magazine in 1997 as one of the 400 richest men in North America. At the time Forbes estimated his wealth to be between 2.4 and 3.5 billion dollars. As we sat down he simply ordered a burger, fries and a coke. One of the best lessons that he shared with me over our lunch was to always invest a portion of my income back into developing myself and learning as much as I could about my industry and business.
Money comes to those who understand it and value it most. Innovators become wealthy. But you can only improve on what you already understand. It's like learning how to play basketball. You can't do a trick shot until you've learned to dribble. Basics come first. And one of the reasons so many people are broke is that they haven't even gotten a grasp of the basics.
So get learning! Learn everywhere you can and from everyone you can! Put a plan in place to start dedication a portion of your income to growing yourself and your bank account. The more you learn the more you will truly be able to learn!
About Douglas Vermeeren
Is there a pattern that rich people understand?
Are there clues that they leave behind that anyone can apply to become financially free?
Douglas Vermeeren thinks so. Over the last decade he has conducted research into wealth creation, financial freedom and the lives of top achievers in this area. He believes that there are a handful of hidden keys and concepts that are keeping people everywhere from creating untold wealth and abundance in their lives. Without these missing elements, no matter how hard they work, or how valuable their business ideas are or even how much they save for the future MOST PEOPLE WILL NEVER BE RICH!
Douglas Vermeeren is the author of Self-made Millionaires for Dummies, Guerrilla Millionaire, Millionaire Wisdom and The Millionaire Frequency. He is regularly featured on CNN, FOX, FOX BUSINESS, ABC, NBC, CTV, CBC and Create Wealth Today. He is the movie maker behind The Opus, The Gratitude Experiment and the new film on Wealth Creation, The Treasure Map. http://www.MillionaireTrainingSystems.com


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Do you post job openings on Twitter and Instagram, or use LinkedIn to vet candidates? Today, 79% of job seekers use social media to locate job opportunities. In this webinar, digital marketer Eliza Greenwood will discuss steps to ensure that your social media recruiting efforts for active and passive talent can successfully reach candidates with disabilities.
As businesses compete to attract talented, skilled employees, it's important to make sure that artificial barriers aren't blocking their path. In this cautionary tale, Sassy Outwater explains how employers may be missing out on top candidates when their online hiring and recruiting systems aren't accessible.
Sharron Rush, co-founder and Executive Director of Knowbility, explains the importance of user testing to ensure that workplace technologies are truly accessible.
Dan Sullivan, Vice President of Sales at AudioEye, talks about the return-on-investment for employers who embrace accessible technology that benefits all users.
View a discussion with state accessibility CIOs Jeff Kline, Sarah Bourne, and Jay Wyant regarding Policy-Driven Adoption for Accessibility (PDAA). This new approach can help achieve higher levels of accessibility in vendor-provided products and services over the long term.

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The SMU Anthropology Club is a student organization for those interested in the diverse fields devoted to understanding culture and humanity. While many of the club's members are undergraduate majors and graduate students pursuing Master's and Doctoral degress, our membership is not limited to those pursuing anthropology as a major or a career. Rather, the club exists to provide students with the opportunity to explore anthropology more fully, and to interact with students who have similar interests.
A chartered organization within the university system, the club is administered by a president, vice-president, and treasurer. The Anthro Club also sponsors a number of events over the course of the academic year, most notably the annual "Pig Roast" held each Spring semester. Now an institution within the department, the "Pig Roast" consists of a special guest lecturer chosen each year by either the archaeology or anthropology side of the department. These lectures have succeeded in bringing to SMU some of the most interesting and provocative researchers in these fields. Also, the club hosts its annual Dia De Los Muertos celebration each October. Remembering those special friends and family who have gone on, and enjoying food, music, and camaraderie.
Learn how your interest and skill in anthropology transfer to a career. Faculty round tables provide advice on graduate schools, careers, and life after college, while interaction with the department and invited speakers help you build your professional network.


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KLRT - FOX16.com
by: Staff
Nov. 27, 2017: Pope Francis has become the first pope to visit Myanmar, a staunchly Buddhist country accused of horrifying acts of brutality against its Rohingya Muslim minority.The Pope has previously decried violence against the Rohingya, calling them his persecuted "brothers and sisters."
Pope Francis performed mass in Yangon, Burma, with over 100,000 people at Kyaikkasan Sports Stadium on Nov. 29, 2017.
In a sweeping paper outlining his stance on family matters, Pope Francis on Friday urged priests around the world to be more accepting of gays and lesbians, divorced Catholics and other people living in what the church considers "irregular" situations. While the paper doesn't change any official doctrines, it is seen as yet another way Francis is breaking with tradition and changing the tone of the papacy. (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
Ever since he was elected pope in 2013, Francis has exhibited a marked departure from his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI. Even his shoes, shown here, are symbolic of a simpler papacy in contrast to the bright red shoes favorited by Benedict.
Pope Francis interacts with the media much more than any pope before him. Here, he attends his first audience with journalists and media inside the Paul VI hall on March 16, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican.
When asked in an in-depth interview with a Jesuit magazine in Rome, "Who is Jorge Mario Bergolio?" the pope's answer was blunt and honest. "I am a sinner. This is the most accurate definition. It is not a figure of speech, a literary genre. I am a sinner."
Pope Francis is somewhat of a headache for his security team, often making unscheduled visits among the masses. Here, he stepped out of his vehicle to kiss the head of a man with a physical disability as he arrived for his inauguration.
Pope Francis in May 2013 said that atheists aren't necessarily going to hell. His stance is that all people who do good works, including atheists, are going to heaven. "God's mercy does not have limits and therefore it reaches nonbelievers, too, for whom sin would not be the lack of faith in God, but rather, failure to obey one's conscience."
Pope Francis blasted the Vatican's top bureaucrats at an annual Christmas gathering on Dec. 22, 2014 accusing the cardinals, bishops and priests who make up the Curia of "spiritual Alzheimer's" and of lusting for power at all costs.
In an interview with an Italian newspaper in January 2015, Pope Francis told a story of how he once encouraged a mother to not be ashamed to breastfeed her hungry baby in public.
In his encyclical on climate change released in June 2015, Francis challenged big business, stating, among many other things, "Is it realistic to hope that those who are obsessed with maximizing profits will stop to reflect on the environmental damage which they will leave behind for future generations?"
Pope Francis made headlines when he excommunicated members of the Mafia in June 2015 and then halted his motorcade on the way back home to the Vatican to bless a severely disabled young woman.
Pope Francis rocked the Catholic world on Sept. 1 by announcing that women who have had an abortion are not automatically excommunicated but can seek forgiveness from priests during the church's upcoming "Year of Mercy." The Pope's policy, which does not change church doctrine, technically applies only to Year of Mercy, a centuries-old Catholic practice during which believers may receive special indulgences for their sins. Vatican officials say it is possible the pontiff will allow the abortion policy to continue in perpetuity.
Pope Francis on Sept. 8, 2015 radically revised the process by which Catholics may annul their marriages, streamlining steps that many in the church considered too cumbersome and costly.
The move is the latest in a series of reforms by Francis as he seeks to make the church more responsive to the real needs of lay Catholics, especially those who have long felt marginalized by the hierarchy. Without the annulments, Catholics who remarry are not allowed to receive Holy Communion, which many describe as a painful exclusion from the church's chief sacrament.
Pope Francis suggested in February 2016 that contraceptives may be used to prevent the spread of the Zika virus, despite the church's longstanding ban on most forms of birth control. His comments may cheer health officials in Latin America but might upset conservative Catholics.


text: Going down to the RGV next week and it looks like there will be some decent sized wind swell on spi coinciding with the days I'm there. It also looks like the winds will be pretty high though, how does the Jetty in isla blanca hold up to the wind? Anyone know if I should take my board down there?


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Driver burned after fuel tanker crashes into Hoosick, N.Y. creek
HOOSICK, N.Y. -- A truck hauling 8,500 gallons of unleaded gasoline and 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel broke through the guardrail on Route 7 shortly before noon on Wednesday, spilling what fuel did not burn into the Shingle Hollow Creek, which runs between the road and Tibbits State Forest.
Hoosick Fire Department Chief William Rifenburgh said fire crews were summoned to the area east of the Man of Kent on Route 7 for a report of a rollover crash involving a fuel truck that had caught fire and exploded. The truck traveled 150 feet off the road into the creek, causing fuel to run downriver. Gasoline could be smelled roughly a mile east, where the road was closed by the Stewart's Shops at Route 22 and Route 7.
New York State Police Sgt. James Allendorph, supervisor for the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division assigned to Troop G, said the driver of the gas truck was found walking on the roadside by a passing motorist and driven to the Stewart's Shops, where a local ambulance was flagged down. That ambulance transferred the driver, a 34-year-old Massachusetts man, to a Mohawk Ambulance which then took him to Albany Medical Center. From there he was taken to Westchester Medical Center. Allendorph said the driver suffered burns to his hands and face and possibly his respiratory system.
Allendorph said the driver's name has not been released. He said he does not have enough information yet to speculate on a cause for the crash but said he did not notice skid marks that would indicate the truck's brakes had been locked up.
Most of the truck had burned up in the fire, leaving two large pieces to be towed out.
"Normally we would inspect the truck at this point," said Allendorph, adding he was surprised to see how quickly the fire destroyed the vehicle. He said he arrived on scene within the hour of it being reported and by then it was largely gone.
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation was on hand to slow the spread of the fuel spill.
Rifenburgh said large truck crashes on that stretch of Route 7 are not uncommon but did not know how it compared to similar stretches of highway.
"There are lot of tractor trailer accidents along this stretch of road, it is a winding stretch of road," he said. "There are suggested speed reductions for traffic."
Rifenburgh said trucks heading east downhill mostly come from being loaded at the Port of Albany or the Port of Rensselear. "Typically high speed is not always the issue," he said, adding that it was early in the investigation.
Last year a propane truck went off the road and caught fire about half a mile west of the latest crash.
The driver escaped injury there, while the truck burned for two days, scorching a 100-yard circle of roadway and trees as residences within a one mile radius were evacuated and a no-fly zone was declared over the area. Allendorph said the propane truck last year did not rupture enough for the fuel to spill out, so when it began to burn off it heated the fuel inside. He said when propane boils it poses an explosion risk.
The gas truck that crashed Wednesday, owned by J.P. Noonan Transportation, had ruptured more, spilling most of its fuel into the creek.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.


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80916 Rental Homes and Apartments for Rent
Search rentals in 80916. At RentalGuide.net, we have comprehensive rental listings to help you find 80916 apartments for rent. You can also find rental houses and condos. Click on a listing to view details, or refine your search for 80916 apartments to search by price, beds and other criteria.


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By: Peter Rambo
I went into Roosevelt's last Thursday knowing one person and having been in the audience of exactly one open mic before that night.
Before sign-ups were supposed to start, comedians gathered in a small room tucked away in the recesses of the bar, commenting on the handmade curtains and the absent bartender. (She was there by time the mic started.) It didn't take long for the room to fill, largely because it only holds a handful of people.
Jess Carpenter is one of the five founders of the new weekly event, now named R Open Mic. He wasn't hosting, so he had plenty of time to talk to me about the mic, which he thinks holds promise, both as a place to debut new material and as a place to film polished stuff.
Peter Rambo: So tell me about this open mic. How did it come about?
Jess Carpenter: Actually, I told Brian that I was looking for a room 'cause, I'm sad to say, I was getting sad going to open mics and seeing the same comics tell the same jokes. So I was telling Brian that I wanted to do a room where we would have a theme, and every week or every two weeks, we could have a list of words or a list of subjects and people could do [jokes inspired by that.] It gives them a reason to write.
So we decided we're going to do that once a month, and just have the mic as a regular mic [the rest of the time]. He found the room, 'cause he does Quizzo here, and it looked pretty good. It looks small enough. It's small enough to where it'll feel full, and the comics can also be out here [in the main room] to talk. Most comics, after they get off stage, they have that adrenaline going, and you don't really want them in the mic talking during someone else's set.
PR: Yeah, you can't really hear anything [out here]. You can't hear them in there, and vice versa.
JC: That's what I like about it. It's a great little room. We'll see how it works though.
PR: There's not a whole lot of seating.
JC: No, 18 people [are on the list] so far, and there's standing room. And there's the pole there. That pole is actually a great place–I put the curtains up so you can actually film here, and since it's a small enough room it'll always feel like [you're getting nice applause].
PR: Is there a rotating cast of hosts?
JC: Yeah, the third Thursday I won't be here cause I have my other show.
PR: Comedian Deconstruction?
JC: Right. There's five of us, so we're always going to just try and take [turns with] hosting. To be honest, I could care less about hosting. I just want to see new jokes.
I want to see Philly become a hotbed. Boston was a hotbed in the '90s I think, and that's where comics were coming out with the new concept of comedy. Why can't Philly be that?
PR: Do you know the other hosts very well?
JC: Yeah, they actually do B.a. Comedian. Brian and Andrew are B and A, and Tim is the musical part. He does guitar. And Dan and I are literally opposites. He does jokes about being a straight guy that seem really gay, and then I love to follow him 'cause I'm a gay guy who seems really straight. If I make it, he's going to be my opener. It just works out really well.
It was really nice, because we met at an open mic, we were very-like minded and liked talking after. We liked going outside and talking during the mic while other people were doing their sets. And just going and popping in to see the people we liked. And that's what so good about this room, you can do that. You can pop in and out.
PR: This mic is really close to the Raven Lounge. How do you think that's going to affect the night?
JC: It's great, 'cause we want to make sure people can get to both. I think it's like eight or nine minutes to get from one side to the other. Maybe 12 minutes. People can do both. If you can have comics hit multiple mics a night, you can have a comic totally screw up a joke or a set and they can make a note and try that set 15 or 20 minutes later, versus waiting a week or two weeks to try it again.
And this is a bar, they're fine with staying open, so people can either go here early and go there late, or vice versa.
PR: When's the first theme open mic?
JC: The second Thursday of the month.
Dan King: We'll give ourselves two weeks to do it, and then on the second one …
JC: Yeah, so on the first Thursday, we'll come up with five different subject matters, and then the second Thursday, that's when they can do jokes. You don't have to, but you can choose to. I think we'll go out of a hat, so people can put suggestions in. We pull five because we don't want a bunch of comics feeling that they just wrote the same joke another comic wrote, but it shows that there's less stealing than people think. There's a lot of ideas floating out there that people just grab.
It's funny because, Jerry Corley, who's one of my favorite comedy coaches out there, says every day, just write stuff from the newspaper, even if you're never going to use it, but if you write a good enough one and you're watching TV and you see it, you know you're on the right track.You see a lot of that on Twitter.
I see Chip [Chantry] doing a lot of that. I like the way Chip tweets, 'cause he makes it condensed. Brevity is everything when it comes to comedy.
PR: Do you have any words of wisdom for someone who's just starting? Like at this open mic? Like me?
JC: Respect the light. Always respect the light. Always thank people. It sounds corny, but they remember you. You're going to meet more comics at open mics that are going to get you work, than you're going to meet by calling people. If you like another comic's stuff, tell them, "That's a great joke." Don't offer advice out of nowhere. It could be good advice, but some comics can't take advice. But if they ask, tell them.
Oh, rule number one. Rule number one. Don't say "good set" if it wasn't a good set. Don't say anything. But don't say "good set." If someone had a shitty set, and they walk off stage, do not say "good set." They know they had a shitty set. But if they had a good set, and you said "good set," but you never said good set or shitty set [before], they know that you meant it. "Good try," say that, but don't say "good set."
PR: It sounds a little patronizing.
JC: Yeah, you don't want to sound patronizing. But you'll see it, trust me, you'll see it. Actually, watch. [Turns to Hillary Rea] Hey, do you hate when someone says good set and you had a shitty set?
Hillary Rea: I don't tell people that if I didn't like it. I just run away or walk away. And if I feel like I did shitty, it's just … Irish Goodbye.
JC: See! Ah, it's horrible. 'Cause, your tail's already between your legs, and someone says good set and you're like …
PR: Were you there?
JC: Were you just there? I'm bleeding here.
PR: Do you use open mics to farm talent for other shows?
JC: I've been starting to do virgin comics at Comedian Deconstruction. I might take an opener from here and bring them over there. I think what I might start doing is one of the five things that we pull out of the hat, I might make one of those one of the themes we do at Deconstruction that month. If it works here, it gives me a week to put them on the show. I think that could work. If I have a theme and someone does a really good joke about it, and they have three or four minutes to follow it with, why not give them a real show to play with. There's nothing better than that feeling of being in a show. It's like, real claps, you know? Better than a bringer.
I got on stage for the first time as a stand-up and told six jokes in less than three minutes. The crowd laughed, probably because they knew it was my first time, and I felt good. I'll try not to exit on that high note.
R Open Mic happens every Thursday at Roosevelt's at the corner of 22nd and Walnut. Sign-ups are at 7:30pm and the show starts at 8pm.
Peter Rambo is @gunnarrambo and is part of American Breakfast. They receive likes at facebook.com/americanbfast.
2 Comments
Good interview. Great room. Wish I had read this in time to make fun of Jess for it at R tonight!
[…] Jess Carpenter is the producer of 'Comedian Deconstruction.' He's been doing stand-up since 2009. In addition to 'Comedian Deconstruction', he also co-runs the Thursday night open mic at R Bar. […]


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9 judges charged with fixing traffic tickets in Philadelphia; feds allege 'culture' of fraud
PHILADELPHIA – Six current and former Philadelphia traffic court judges have been charged with fixing tickets for friends and political allies, in a sweeping federal indictment that also charges three suburban judges, a court clerk and two businessmen.
The defendants include former traffic judge Willie Singletary, who had been kicked out of office for showing cellphone photos of his genitals to a female clerk.
His lawyer says Singletary and several other judges surrendered to the FBI Thursday morning. They are due in court Thursday afternoon.
Lawyer William J. Brennan says Singletary never took a dime from anyone.
The 77-count indictment charges three judges with lying to the grand jury and Singletary with lying to the FBI.
Federal officials allege "a widespread culture of giving breaks on traffic citations to friends, family, the politically-connected and business associates."


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The deadline is rapidly approaching for "The New Documentarian Award for a Long Term Project" established and sponsored by the Julia Dean Photo Workshops. Entries must arrive at JDPW by 5 pm on Monday, January 11th. Cash award to the first-place winner is $1000.00.
Click here for complete application instructions.
Click here to see the work of the 2008 finalists and winner Matt Eich, click here to see the work of the 2006 finalists and winner Keri Collins
I encourage those of you that are working on personal documentary project to apply. The guidelines state that in addition to 15-25 images and an "inventory page" with complete caption information, each applicant must submit a "Statement of Purpose that includes a description of your project, your reasons for doing this project, what you hope to accomplish with this project, and the progress of the project."
Completing the written component of this Award will be a challenge but one that I urge readers to tackle. This, along with the challenge of editing your project images to a group no larger than 25, will provide you with the materials so often needed for grant applications, and make it easier for you to enter other competitions. As my friend Susan kae Grant tells her students "If you don't apply, you will have a 100% chance that your work won't be selected." Start your edit!


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Medical School: Columbia University, New York
Residency: Neurosurgery, University of California, Davis
Chief Resident, Neurosurgery, Yale University, New Haven, CT
Spine, Surgery, Neurosugery and Orthopedics, New York University
Fellowship: Pediatric Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Board Certification: Pediatric Neurosurgery
Language(s): Mandarin
Peter Sun, MD, is a leader in the field of pediatric neurosurgery. He can discuss disorders of the central nervous system and surgical treatment. The most commonly treated conditions include brain tumors, trauma, spinal abnormalities, intra-cranial cysts, cervical instabilities, craniofacial anomaly and hydrocephalus. Dr. Sun uses the most advanced medical technology available to treat his patients including a computer navigational system that inserts a tiny camera through a small incision in the skull. This technology is used to perform endoscopic brain surgeries.
Compelling Fact
Brain cancer and tumors are among the most common types of childhood cancers. Nearly one fourth of brain tumors in children are primitive neuroectodermal tumors. When these tumors arise in the cerebellum, they are called medulloblastomas. About 15 percent of childhood brain tumors are medulloblastomas, which are fast-growing tumors that spread along the spinal cord and meninges.
Sources:Cancer Statistics 2006 and American Cancer Society
An excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain, often causing intracranial pressure inside the skull, progressive enlargement of the head, seizures and mental retardation. Hydrocephalus is most often treated with the surgical placement of a shunt system. This system diverts the flow of CSF from a site within the central nervous system to another area of the body where it can be absorbed as part of the circulatory process.
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The challenge for the connoisseur of vintage machines is two-fold: Almost any sewing machine manufactured before 1980 can be had for relatively cheap, and it's easy to fall into pound-puppy syndrome: you feel it's your duty to save these orphaned machines from the trash heap.
Since this new obsession is most likely here to stay, let's talk about managing your obsession so you don't end up turning your spare bedroom into a sewing machine museum.
The ground rules:
- Don't buy any sewing machines that show signs of having had a hard life. Inspect the underside and peek under the covers and doors, if possible. Chips in paint, rust, or missing parts are signs you should move on. Limited chipping on the machine bed is acceptable, as are easily replaced universal parts like a bobbin case or motor belts.
- Before you buy anything, you should know which brands are most highly regarded. The top two brands in vintage machines are the Italian-made Necchi and the German-made Pfaff. Most vintage machines manufactured in Japan are also excellent and often carry names like Kenmore, Dressmaker, and Montgomery Wards, among others. Don't pay too much just for a name: no machine is one-of-a-kind; these were mass-produced products and are still plentiful. When in doubt, keep looking.
- Have an understanding of what features set certain machines above the rest. Look for droppable feed dogs and the more rare, but highly useful, needle position selector. Machines that used cams to create special stitches are often missing these extras today and have more internal parts that could go wrong, making these machines less desireable unless in excellent working condition and complete with their original accessories.
- Look for "barn finds". This is a machine that likely has been sitting around for a very long time without use. The oil will have dried up, the belt may have disintegrated, and the hand wheel will be hard to turn. A machine like this could be priced low because of it's apparent unusable condition but can be refurbished with new belt, bobbin tire and oil, all for less than $10. It's a risk of course, but if the price is right you have little to lose. Machines that have been stored in a case rather than a cabinet will be in better condition, having been protected from the elements, than cabinet machines that were open to the air even if closed, and were often left in their upright position, exposing them to dust and moisture.
- Don't pass up a super-cheap machine that happens to be missing a part or two or is in questionable shape. Motors, tension assemblies, foot pedals, bobbin cover plates, etc. are often interchangeable between brands. Buying a broken-down machine for $5 just for a tension assembly or motor you can use in a machine you are restoring will save you quite a bit over buying new. Look to see if you recognize anything you need but avoid collecting too many non-functional units, especially if space is at a premium.
- Listen to the motor if you can. Release the knob that engages the needle and let the motor spin alone (or just the hand wheel) at full speed. The motor should sound smooth. It's normal for a dusty motor to have an acrid smell, but a choppy or clunky sound is not a good sign. Sparks are also possible at first but not acceptable after a few trial runs. Motors can be rebuilt fairly easily for those willing for follow directions, but this is time consuming and can be complicated. New motors are easily found but can cost more than the machine is worth, depending on the model. Consider, if it is a very strong machine otherwise, will you be willing to source a replacement motor?
What if, however, more eligible machines show up in your life than you can possibly purchase? You could avoid places where old machines are likely to be found, but what fun is that? The best solution is to buy only those machines you truly love, and to raise the standards of what you are willing to bring home. Hunt for only the very best examples at the best prices.
And what of the machines you pass up -- how can you just leave them there? I suggest bringing your camera with you when you hunt, and creating a photo album of the many machines that don't make the cut. It's always fun to have a record of what you found and at what price. There's always the possibility you'll find the same thing cheaper at another time.
Go for it!


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The Technology Evangelist
Ashish Banerjee
I have more than 25 years (as of June 2012) of software development experience. I am still a hands-on programmer.
Some of my recent achievements include:
Principal innovator at Sun Microsystems for making Java faster on Multicore Processor Architecture. Here is the paper. And its open source avatar.
Contribution of a kernel module to OpenSolaris.org
Microsoft has recognized me as a .NET community Star.
Co-authored a C# web Services book published by wrox in USA.
I was nominated for Daveng Mehta IT Innovation award for developing SMS engine for BoP banking.
I am an Open Source Evangelist and have guided more than 17 Master of Technology thesis projects for I.E.T.E
My Self (Ashish Banerjee) with Dr. James Gosling,
the father of Java at Sun Tech Days 09


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After Sibos, Q4 is usually the period of the year when I try to re-boot, to refresh my sources, to be a sponge and take-in new knowledge. It's when I start painting for the next year. When the themes and trends for next year start emerging.
I wanted to get a much better feel for what this world of alternative and complementary currencies was all about, and decided to join a week-end "Collabathon" organized by Art Brock (@artbrock) and Eric Harris-Braun (@zippy314), the founders of The Metacurrency Project. In the slipstream of the Contact Summit, they wanted to gather the minds to work on NextNet ideas and tools.
From their site:
What is the NextNet? A computing/protocol stack for operating a distributed Internet which enables individuals and communities to transact, self-organize, self-govern and empower themselves to build resilience, sustainability, and thrivability.
It was a small group of people – about 50 or so- gathering that Friday evening. But what a brainpower – and soft-power – in the room! Almost all my twitter heroes were there: it was great and heartwarming meeting many of them in real life.
Friday evening was intro-day. Saturday and Sunday were un-conference days.
The weekend had something "sacred". The consciousness level of the participants was overwhelming, and Art and Eric introduced the different topics with so much softness and kindness. And every session had some sort or spiritual presence check-in and checkout moment. The location was clean and spacious, with lots of silent breakout rooms, so you could have relaxed but intense conversations. This was about taking quality time with quality people.
Some of you may remember that Art was one of our "igniters" for the New Economies session at Innotribe at Sibos Toronto, but there we only had a couple of minutes.
Here at this Collabathon, Art and Eric gave a 3-hour deep introduction on The Metacurrency project. These guys are so smart, so full of wisdom, so articulated. It was awesome.
Metacurrency comes in two parts:
- The Metacurrency principles: the value kit
- The Metacurrency Project: a software foundation
For further background, check-out this fantastic Metacurrency orientation in Prezi: http://prezi.com/ijiokjbrolwo/metacurrency-orientation/
The principles
The picture above is the essence of the Metacurrency principles. Note how in the bottom left corner, speculative wealth – what Goldman Sachs and others do – is positioned outside of the living systems model. It is fake wealth based on fake growth.
Instead of just describing the model above – plenty of that on the Metacurrency site – I decided in this blog post to transform my notes into some sort of rhythmic at times poetic expression. Step in the rhythm with me:
Currencies are Current-sees
The flow of value
The flow of value
Capacity shifts
Beyond trading value
Currency as language
Money is one single dimensional sentence of value language
The value of currency is to be able track currents/flows
Currency measures and fails to measure
Money only measures only certain types of values
Spoken and unspoken rules of social norms
Lead to currency
Not currency in isolation
Currency in context
We need to simplify
Not complexify
Make complexity simple in its USE.
Like alphabet
Letter, words, sentences, compositions
Compositions on-the-fly
Composable language
Metaphor of the cow and beef
Once you have beef,
You can't re-compose the cow,
You can't go back
The beef misses the whole
Same for milk
The market price of milk has nothing to do with Bessie the cow
With Bessie's wealth
In context
Wealth in context
Wealth has same root as "wellness"
Value is more contextual, you may not value it, but I may value it
Contextual wealth
We are contextual beings
The Commons of Economics?
How to account for wealth?
The company balance sheet
Based on wealth
Balance sheet as momentarily map
The difference between map and territory
The symbols are at the level of the map
and missing out something by measuring
Are we missing the context?
Balance sheets in context
Chains of Balance sheets
Balance Chains
In context
In context
Currency as an expression of worthiness in something
Worthiness and credibility
The cred in something
The cred of value attributes of entities
Educational institutions
Even software code
Even projects
Reputation of entities
Human reputation
Code reputation
Project reputation
Reputation as a signal of worthiness
Institution design
Institution emergence
Institution intrinsic motivation
Richer measurement
Other than up/down
Commoditization of relations
The software project
For full details, checkout following Prezi. The guiding principles for the Metacurrency Project are:
- Disintermediation of any action, at all possible layer
- Composability at all levels
The ladder is about tools, grammars, APIs and standards on one side, and consciousness and new awareness on the other side.
The Metacurrency sees 5 different layers (steps on the ladder), each building upon each other, like emergent systems of small components:
- Stream-scapes: a communication composition
- Decision making: this is about flows, decision making, event based
- Currencies: language for expression of value/wealth
- Holoptinets: a new way of visualization of (big) data. Beyond graphs: with the richness of dimensions in an aquarium, a fish tank. The idea is to have an interface that fully exploits the human sensory capacities
- OS earth: hat the Metacurrency is after is nothing less than a self-describing computing. And yes, why not be super-ambitious and aim for a redo of the whole computer infrastructure.
There were different sessions on this, the one already more geeky than the other. I particularly like the demo of stream-scapes:
In my own words, it is a sort of EAI-bus, a bus for channels, a channel mixer and filter. Basically, all possible communication channels (Email, Twitter, etc) are blended together in a "scapable distributed database"
A "scape" is a personalized "sculpture" of that blend, reflecting my personal interest and focus. The scape is a grammar. A self-describing grammar at communication protocol level. The idea that people can take existing stream-scapes, adapt/complement them and re-post them in a scape-store for others to re-use. People can build re-usable scapes (grammars) and UIs on top of that.
There was also a good discussion on the "holoptinets". The initial vision was that the user looks to the fish tank from the outside. Movements of fishes, sounds of water, color, etc. are all expressions of data values. I made some contribution to the thinking by suggesting the user should be "in" the fish tank. Start thinking of concentric fish bowls, each circle representing the types and levels of wealth and the levels of systems integrity of the wealth model.
Is there any traction on all this?
I was witnessing the enthusiasm and passion in the different breakouts of the un-conference. For a lot of this, it is still very early days. And like at Contact Summit, these folks need some sort of coaching on how to "articulate" and "sell" their ideas.
I saw a lot of struggling with even trying to build a first communications strategy on all this. And in my opinion, those stories – if they already exist – are too much inwards looking, too much about the what and not enough about the why.
To get any traction, what needs to get done is to get awareness at senior executive levels. This is something where Innotribe can be instrumental. We can give exposure of these great ideas on the edge of our ecosystem to decision and policy makers. For example, it was a no-brainer to ask Art to fly-over with me to LA to the Compass Summit the next days to be part of our Innotribe Lab on the Future of Value. More about that in a later blog post.
What I found also encouraging was the presence of some Occupy Wallstreet residents. They had a plan to launch an OWS currency. When they saw the richness of Art's work, they invited Art for a study day on alternative currencies the next Monday.
Because we need to think differently, and not just making a copycat of fiat currencies as a language for pure transaction value only in the left bottom corner of the wealth model.
There was so much richness – wealth – during these two days, that I am exploring the possibility to organize a 1-2 day deep Innotribe conversation with top bankers of our community. And as Art will soon move to Europe, it is a no-brainer to get him over at the SWIFT HQ for a brown bag session for staff and executives.
Next blog will take a bigger helicopter view and will be about the Compass Summit, a blend of technology and values looking at What's Possible, What Matters, and What's Ahead.


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In preparation for the upcoming Facebook/Twitter/Last.fm integration that will be added to Xbox Live later in the year, Microsoft has released a mandatory update for Xbox 360 users. This requires users to sign out of Live in order to download the update, which itself provides no new features.
When the update was first released—at around 2:00AM ET this morning—there were numerous complaints about players who were unable to connect to Live after downloading it, as evidenced by the first page of comments on Major Nelson's blog. However, it looks like after those few initial hiccups, things are running smoothly now and the update should be safe to download.
Hopefully this news means that the 360's social media integration, which has had the vague release window of "fall" for quite some time now, is almost ready for release.


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Last week, the term "bee-washing" emerged in public conversation. It doesn't refer to some new bee cleaning service, but to the insidious efforts of Monsanto and other pesticide corporations to discredit science about the impacts of pesticides on bees — especially neonicotinoids — by creating public relations tours, new research centers and new marketing strategies.
This week, pesticide makers are showcasing these tactics during National Pollinator Week with offers of free seed packets to people who take their poorly named "pollinator pledge." The "bee-washing" term has gained traction as scientists and groups like PAN continue to cut through the misinformation and point to the emerging body of science that points to pesticides as a critical factor in bee declines.
Monsanto hosted their first so-called Honey Bee Health Summit last week, a gathering at the company's headquarters in Missouri. Without question, some truly smart, dedicated scientists attended Monsanto's bee summit and are participating in these efforts.
And a similarly committed group of beekeepers who care about bees, beekeeping and our food system have also participated. What's increasingly clear, though, is that the credibility of these individuals is being used to shield the agenda of a handful of pesticide corporations and their bee-harming insecticide products. The corporate PR gymnastics on display are truly impressive.
Unfortunately, Monsanto is not alone in its efforts. Just this spring, Bayer sponsored a tour of its "specially-wrapped beehicle" and hosted a talk at Ohio State University in March, over loud objections from local beekeepers.
Not here. Look over there!
Industry has largely set its sights on one issue to blame for bee declines. While lack of sufficient forage and diseases are a challenge to bee health and beekeeping, challenges exacerbated by the weakening effect of pesticides on bees, the pesticide industry has focused a large proportion of its attention on the varroa mite. And it's an easy distraction that places the burden of unprecedented bee losses on beekeepers — while subverting any blame for the widespread pesticide products.
Unfortunately for Monsanto & Co, and as most beekeepers and academics will say, the varroa mite has been around a long time, predating dramatic bee declines in U.S. that started in 2006. While mites no doubt affect bee colonies, they are unlikely the primary driver of population declines.
There is a correlation, however, between the introduction of neonicotinoid pesticides (or neonics) on the market and bee die-offs. Independent studies show — and beekeepers corroborate from hands-on experience — that these pesticides weaken bees' immune systems, likely damaging their resistance to common challenges like the varroa mite.
Neonics are one of the largest growth sectors for the pesticide industry. And industry has a vested interest in keeping the neonic market growing. But we know that spin efforts to refocus attention on varroa mites were already attempted in Europe, and the approach has been largely unsuccessful. The EU just put continent-wide restrictions on the use of neonics in place.
Bees are still dying
Pesticide corporations don't show any sign of letting up. If this spring and summer are any indication, then the "bee-washing" campaign will continue. Beekeepers will remain the victims of this targeted PR campaign.
And the costs of are very real. Earlier this month, Jim Doan — a third generation commercial beekeeper from upstate New York — literally sold his farm due to bee losses. For years, he produced over half a million pounds of honey annually and eventually grew his business to 5,300 hives. But when neonicotinoid pesticides started being commonly used in the U.S., around 2006, Jim's bees started dying.
He's experienced serious losses to bees he brought to citrus groves in Florida and the cornfields of New York. And now, he only has 300 hives left. In an email he circulated last week, he wrote:
"I am done. I cannot continue. Sold my farm 2 weeks ago, I am giving up, there is no hope here."
Bees are continuing to die off at unprecedented rates and beekeepers are going out of business. There is clearly something amiss — and the pesticide industry would have us believe that their products play no part in this alarming trend. PAN, beekeepers and our partners will continue to shine a light on corporate "bee-washing" and spin efforts to subdue or obfuscate the growing body of science pointing to this clear message: pesticides are playing a key role in bee deaths.
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What you can do?
DDT was, I believe the first synthetic pesticide. Somebody can find what happened with this staff circulating in environment. One of the lessons what was from this DDT story was that the future pesticide cannot be stable and have to decompose quickly. Other conclusion was very simple to rich - the pesticide should be spread at time when the pollinators (at least daily pollinator – honeybee - is not working). The farmers were obligated to use pesticides after sunset. Now seems to be the lesson of DDT was forgotten by Monsanto, Bayer, Syngenta etc. They went to Bt and Neonicotinoids inserts into plants bodies. They were probably assuming that the inserts will be eaten by humans and it is the end of the pesticide travel and end of a problem. Wrong, the Neonicotinoids are circulating and remain in environment harming non-target invertebrates, birds and fish. In the same meaner Neonicotinoids are invasive synthetic compound as DDT. Such DDT like stable pesticide should be mark for the future as the unacceptable idea. There is a smart idea; IPM (Integrated Pest Management) which give some time to rest the environment from synthetic blow. This technique was born on the base of chemical resistance reaction from pests (like is the Varroa example). It assumes use synthetics only when necessary and not the same for 5 years. Any other time (if possible) it should be use organic/natural pesticides like formic acid. Such 5 year plan based on observation, practice and wise judgment is not easy or comfortable, but it is absolutely necessary for surviving natural and balanced environment. Please do not assume I am supporting synthetic (unnatural) pesticides in any way. I prefer using minimum of organic pesticide in IPM manner only; Thought it cost me a time, energy etc. I encourage others to give up their comfort from the "scientific ideas" of big chemical corporations.


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Fearmongers Past And Present
by John Myers
The 1952 film "Duck and Cover" taught schoolchildren to duck and cover themselves if an atomic bomb exploded.
"It's a lousy war, kid… but it's the only one we've got."
–James Cagney as Capt. Flagg in "What Price Glory"
In the 1986 remake of the movie "The Fly," Geena Davis' character, Veronica Quaife, said to Jeff Goldblum's character, Seth Brundle: "Be afraid. Be very afraid." For half a century, that is exactly what the ruling elite have been telling ordinary people like you and me.
I am dating myself on this, but I can still remember our "Duck and Cover" drills in grade school. One day, my older brother told me it was a waste of time; no amount of ducking would save me from an atomic bomb. From that moment on, I spent lots of nights worrying about the end of the world.
Watch 'Duck and Cover' here:
That was just the way our leaders wanted it. Even today, the Federal government sells fear the way Madison Avenue sells soap.
While expensive, the Cold War certainly had its advantages. Best of all, it kept everyone on edge and got us to trust in our government. After all, the government was all that stood between us and the enemy. And we all knew who the enemy was. We even knew the enemy's plan: world domination. Nobody objected to an absolute truth: Billions of dollars had to be spent each and every year to stop the godless Red Menace.
Just how big of a threat were the Communists? Looking back, it seems they were not the warmonger heathens our leaders told us they were.
In the late 1950s, the neocons were scaring the Nation about Soviet first-strike capabilities. President Dwight D. Eisenhower knew better because of top secret U-2 flights.
Yet people like Edward Teller, known as "the father of the hydrogen bomb," were spreading fears of America's imminent destruction. It reached a fever pitch in the autumn of 1957 when the Soviets launched Sputnik. Teller decried the challenge from the satellite that was about the size of a beach ball as defeat worse than Pearl Harbor.
Mainstream newspapers began to report that the United States was in a dire situation. In an editorial on Nov. 10, 1957, The New York Times indicated it hoped the United States would return to "a race that is not so much a race for arms or even prestige, but a race for survival." On Dec. 20, 1957, The Washington Post ran a front-page story with the headline "Enormous Arms Outlay Is Held Vital To Survival."
Politicians jumped on the story. Presidential hopeful John Fife Symington Jr. argued that the Soviets would soon have at their disposal 3,000 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that could wipe the United States off the map.
Within months, U-2 flights revealed the truth to Eisenhower; the Soviet ICBM force consisted of exactly four missiles and two launch pads. (If you want to check the facts on just how weak the Soviets really were in the 1950s and 1960s, I recommend the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, The Dead Hand: The Untold Story of the Cold War Arms Race and Its Dangerous Legacy, by David E. Hoffman.)
After Sputnik launched, there was no stopping American neocons, writes Stephen Glain in State vs. Defense: The Battle To Define America's Empire:
Eisenhower successfully challenged the military industrial complex and he had the courage to expose it as a threat to republican democracy. But he could not shut it down. Even in his time, it had grown too large and feathered too many political and corporate nests for one man, even a great one, to dissolve.
Until the downfall of the Soviet Union, the Cold War kept American defense spending at a fever pitch. It was later learned when sealed Kremlin documents were released that the Soviets were fighting a defensive struggle and that the two world wars had decimated their population and their economy. As far back as Joseph Stalin's time, the Soviets understood they could not win a nuclear showdown with the United States.
American neocons probably didn't understand that while the Cold War was being waged. But one has to wonder whether they would have allowed a President or Congress to curtail defense expenditures had they known.
Neoconservatives have managed to increase defense spending over the past 20 years even though the Soviet Union no longer exists and what remains — Russia — is having a difficult time keeping its economy above water. Regardless, our government does not want us to feel safe.
With the exception of Ron Paul, the remaining contenders for the GOP Presidential nomination have said they will increase defense expenditures.
Despite America's record deficit, the Federal government has proposed $851 billion in military spending next year. America already has the best submarines, fighter jets, strategic bombers and missile systems. But the neocons tell us that these are dangerous times made all the more so because we don't exactly know who we might face.
It is too bad that a now-bankrupt Nation didn't heed the warning Eisenhower gave when he left office:
This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence–economic, political, even spiritual–is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.Eisenhower couldn't stop the fearmongers who control so much of our society. Nor has any President since been able to stop them. The cabal puts us on constant alert and makes us build swords rather than plowshares. And here is the kicker: We do it with money lent to us by the principle enemy we stand against.
Few people seem to understand the idiocy of owing almost $1 trillion to China to upgrade our armed forces so we will be prepared to fight China.
I have news for the neocons: China doesn't need state of-the-art aircraft carriers and submarines. It just needs to throw a few hundred billion dollars of its U.S. Treasuries onto the open market. That would make the Crash of 2008 seem like a slight downtick.
Yours in good times and bad,
–John Myers
Editor, Myers' Energy & Gold Report


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Operetta. Die Fledermaus is often called the operetta of operettas. At the same time, the work is so demanding musically and vocally that only opera houses are capable of staging it.
Operetta in three acts by JOHANN STRAUSS t y (1825–1899). Text Richard Genée, after Ludovic Halévy and Henri Meilhac
Göteborg has a long tradition of staging this operetta, and it therefore seems most appropriate to offer a refreshed version translated by Calle Norlén and directed by Staffan Aspegren.
They have chosen to stage it so that all those who were part of the operetta's golden years in the 1960s in Göteborg will, in an unexpected way, find themselves at home. The ensemble is principally formed from The Göteborg Opera, spiced with the Norwegian coloratura soprano, Eir Inderhaug, as the joyful lady's maid, Adèle, and tenor Jan Kyhle as Alfred.


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The University supports international collaboration through initiatives that provide faculty and research students with resources to develop and sustain international research networks.
The Research Development Fund (RDF) provides seed money for research development projects conducted with partner institutions in the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), of which the University of Rochester is a member.
To augment these funds, applicants are encouraged to utilize the UR fellowship database and Other Funding Opportunities and/or contact their respective assistant deans for grants. Faculty within the School of Arts and Sciences can contact Debra Haring and within then Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Cindy Gary.
Contact Jane Gatewood (firstname.lastname@example.com) or Global Engagement (firstname.lastname@example.com) for more information about both initiatives and the University of Rochester's membership in the WUN.


text: Job Discussion Forums :: View topic - Learning Polish - Best coursebooks? Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today! Job Discussion Forums"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!" FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in Learning Polish - Best coursebooks? Goto page 1, 2 Next Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Poland View previous topic :: View next topic Author Message anospiJoined: 03 Dec 2004Posts: 152Location: Perth, Western Australia Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 10:44 am Post subject: Learning Polish - Best coursebooks? I've been learning Polish for 6 months, using the "Polish in 4 weeks" book. It's pretty good, and I'm pretty happy with my progress. I'm speaking with people every day. Just wondering if anyone else out there has had success with any particular coursebooks, as I'm looking for a new one. My old teacher said "Czesc, Jak sie masz?" was good, and I'm considering picking it up. My DOS said she had success with "Wsrod Polakow", although that looked to be a total onslaught of grammar, making Murphy look like a course in communicative English. Any comments would be welcome. Back to top redsoxfanJoined: 18 Oct 2005Posts: 178Location: Dystopia Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 12:35 pm Post subject: "Colloquial Polish" is the best one I've seen. It's much more useful than "Polish in 4 Weeks." I don't know if you'll find it here in Poland, but it can be downloaded. Back to top anospiJoined: 03 Dec 2004Posts: 152Location: Perth, Western Australia Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 12:45 pm Post subject: My flatmate has a copy of "Colloquial Polish" and he says it's ok, but he actually prefers "Polish in 4 weeks". I've used the "Colloquial ..." series before, and can't say that I'm a huge fan. Back to top joshsweigartJoined: 27 Feb 2005Posts: 66 Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 1:44 pm Post subject: The legendary "Rosetta Stone" system has a Polish edition. I hear that it's available on the internet for free if you have the right software. I think it costs about $100+ for one course. There are two courses-beginner or intermediate. It's supposed to be the best, but I really don't know. Books are awful anyway, go talk to people. Back to top dynowJoined: 07 Nov 2006Posts: 1080 Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 10:07 am Post subject: I have the Colloquial Polish book as well, it is in fact a very good book, I would recommend it, but it's a book. There is an "intermediate" level for the Rosetta Stone program??? I have level 1, have been studying with it for quite some time, but more or less mastered all the material by now. I wish they had a level 2, but according to the Rosetta Stone website and google, there is none. It's disappointing because they have level 2 for most of the other languages they offer. Not to mention, Polish is so difficult to learn, a level 2 program would be most appropriate. If anyone is interested in picking up Rosetta Stone Polish level 1, check out craigslist. I bought mine on craigslist last year from someone who basically had all the languages and was just making copies and selling them for cheap through a paypal account. I paid just $50 (US), instead of the $195 the website asks for, and he even threw in a Pimsleur Polish CD for free. Even if the shipping cost a bit to send out here, it's still a deal. Back to top redsoxfanJoined: 18 Oct 2005Posts: 178Location: Dystopia Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 9:50 pm Post subject: If you want the Rosetta Stone course, just download it with E-Mule. Back to top slodziakJoined: 17 Oct 2005Posts: 143Location: Tokyo Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 1:42 am Post subject: For beginners I think "Ten, Ta, To" by Wing does a really good job of making Polish simple and fun layering grammar and vocab in easy to cope with chunks; by the end of it you come out with a fairly comprehensive and solid understanding of the different cases and are able to use quite a range of vocabulary. For the next level I used another book by Wing called "Juz mówie po polsku" (ISBN 83-910790-1-5) which ups the ante but is still pretty user friendly - probably taking me to a solid intermediate level. p.s. how do you get Polish characters other than "ó" to make it past the edit stage on this web page? Back to top Steve SmithJoined: 06 Jul 2004Posts: 26 Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 6:05 am Post subject: There is also a series of books published by Universitas: www.universitas.com.pl They have by far the most comprehensive list of book for foreigners learning Polish. Have a look at this: http://www.universitas.com.pl/katalog/kat_38 Back to top rjmacksJoined: 26 Aug 2006Posts: 19 Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 12:03 pm Post subject: Colloquial Polish is a good one. The learning curve is gradual and it teaches useful things that you'll hear often. 'Czesz, jak sie masz' on the other hand is rather useless. The reading sections are badly graded and the grammar sections are random and often not very useful. Yes, it has nice pictures but that's not really enough. Back to top marcamonosJoined: 04 Aug 2003Posts: 14Location: London Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 9:48 am Post subject: Huraa!!! Po Polsku Hej! I lived in Kraków for 3 years and have tried many of the standard books Polish in 4 Weeks (ridiculously unrealistic) as well as the suite of JU textbooks published under Miodunka. In addition, I took a 3 week summer course at Jagiellonian University. Ive found that while they all provide a good introduction to grammar and vocabulary, they are hardly presented in an interesting and interactive way nor with the communicative approach in mind. For those CELTA-trained, you will understand how appalling they are. If you like teaching from English File, then I recommend Hurra!!! Po Polsku. However, this is a textbook and I dont think it should be used for self-study. Hurra!!! Po Polsku is basically a Polish knock-off of the successful and fun English File series. After all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Check out the link or head over to the Ksiegarnia near Bagatella if youre in Krakow: http://www.hurra.edu.pl/angielski/opis_materialow.html I recommend getting the book and a native Polish teacher, thus avoiding the monotonous and utterly mind-numbing way I struggled to learn Polish. M Back to top redsoxfanJoined: 18 Oct 2005Posts: 178Location: Dystopia Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:50 pm Post subject: The Hurra!! Po Polsku series looks interesting. It's about time someone wrote a textbook that actually engages the student. As we've all figured out by now, people simply don't learn foreign languages unless they are doing something. The Polish in 4 Weeks book is helpful, but no one has ever learned to speak conversational Polish with this book. It's impossible. If I had to do it all over again, I'd pay a Polish university student who spoke English 20 zl/hr to sit down with me and simply translate the Inside Out Elementary book. Once I'd translated a section, we would simply do it as if it were originally written in Polish. Why? Well, if you can translate, let's say, the first two Inside Out books, you're in pretty darn good shape. Not only have you got great practice just translating, but now you've got a great textbook all in Polish. Of course, you would skip sections which pertain only to English, such as the use of the present continuous, etc. This process could be supplemented with grammar exercises--namely declensions and verb conjugations. I've gone back to using the grammar-translation method occasionally with lower-level private students, and I must say that I think there is more validity to it than we give it credit for. It clearly falls short in and of itself, but it can be a useful tool. If someone only used this method, and coupled it with some basic conversation dialogs, it would be far more effective than just endlessly reading Polish in 4 Weeks. Again, in order to learn a language one must DO something with it. "Conversation" is not the answer for most expats because they don't know what to say! There must be a starting point--I say start translating and studying the lexis. Other ideas? Back to top marcamonosJoined: 04 Aug 2003Posts: 14Location: London Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:30 pm Post subject: Hey redsoxfan, Translating them seems like a good idea. I've actually started to put together a vocabulary book in Polish based on the Vocabulary in Use (Int)published by Cambridge. Most of the books in Polish aren't arranged thematically, but grammatically. Everyone tells me I make almost no grammatical mistakes when speaking Polish, but I find I have a very limited vocabulary to talk about relationships, holidays and life in general. Has anyone used Hurra!! ? Back to top Rusty77Joined: 27 Jun 2005Posts: 53Location: Toronto Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 10:23 am Post subject: Polish language books and learning Polish RedSoxFan/Manomania: I'd be interested in hearing more about your grammar-translation learning techniques. I've been in Poland for almost 3 years, and finally feel as if I've made some inroads in the past year learning how to speak Polish. Understanding the language when a native Pole speaks at a normal speed or about a topic that is advanced, however, is a different matter . Some of the "techniques" I've used: - it sounds a bit "too structural" perhaps, but I memorized the przypadki case endings, but only gradually (for example, started with Dopelniac (genetive), Celownik(dative), and Narzednik(instrumental) with SINGULAR MALE and FEMALE nouns, then moved on to the other 3 case endings (although vocative is not really necessary) and eventually to the plural forms and with adjectives and pronouns (I'm still working on those, of course) - I used/ am using these declenations as often as possible in everyday life, for ex. when speaking to waiters, in shops, asking for directions, info, etc., and then I ask for clarification/feedback from the Pole to make sure I have the correct form - this technique is a bit trying, but, as you alluded to, RedSoxFan, learning basic grammar is imperative - I read flyers, brochures, ads for films, etc and tried to understand them, if there was something I didn't I looked it up or asked someone about it - I spoke with my gf's parents in Polish - I watch TV SHOWS that DO NOT have the Polski Lektor, shows in Polish language (for ex., Szymon Myewski, Wiadomosci) (at first I watched English lang. films but with Polish subtitles--this wasn't very effective) Re-reading the Polish in 4 Weeks book isn't a bad idea, I think, but of course there are limitations after you've learned everything in it. Any other suggestions? Back to top wildphelpsJoined: 11 Jul 2007Posts: 39Location: Lubuski Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 7:14 pm Post subject: Best Coursebooks Not sure if you can find these in Polska, but you can find them over the 'Net: Basic Polish by Dana Bielec (a decent grammar/workbook) Kiedyz wrocisz tu by Lipinsk and Dambska (a higher level book with nice readings - always good for vocab). Back to top anospiJoined: 03 Dec 2004Posts: 152Location: Perth, Western Australia Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 10:20 am Post subject: Does anyone know of any good bookshops in Wrocław where I might be able to have a flick through some of these books? I prefer to do that before ordering something over the web incase it doesn't suit me. I had a look in Empik on the rynek, but they only had 'Polish in 4 weeks' in the language section. 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Pictured above is one of my Field Notes (http://fieldnotesbrand.com) notebooks. These notebooks are my preferred scratchbooks – they're small, durable, with lightly lined graph paper that's a joy to write on. I do a lot of my thinking in these notebooks, including thinking about Warcraft. Keybinds, strats, gear lists, post ideas, bg maps – whatever I'm trying to work out in my head.
I take a lot of pride in the posts that go up on my main websites, but they tend to be big – really big – and I also try to keep them very topical. It's a good thing to be topical and thorough, but for a while now I've wanted a more informal place to post, someplace without a lot of bells and whistles, with a little more room than Twitter but without the pressure of focus that both CBM and GTG have.
Like my field notes, this is very much an experiment. I'm at a strange place with Warcraft now, so I offer no guarantees about content or direction. I like Posterous (really neat interface!) but it's no WordPress replacement. This is just a simple little site that takes my emails and turns them into posts.
I've turned on Twitter integration, so let me know how that works out for you. Hopefully folks can just respond on Twitter, or here; whatever works. (Like I said, it's an experiment.) I've never done autoposting before, so let me know if it's not working out right.
So, let's see where this goes.


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"Tonight it's important that if you have a priority that's good for Queens, that you come to the microphone and testify," Smith said.
Residents spoke about many issues, including healthcare, culture and education.
Dr. Otto Starzmann, who is on the board of The River Fund New York, discussed the organization's desire to create a health clinic. The mission of the group is to feed and empower children, the homeless, working-poor families, low-income seniors and children and adults living with HIV/AIDS.
The non-profit has existed for 23 years and was recognized in 2012 for creating a mobile pantry that serves hundreds of people every day. For the past 19 years, they have distributed food to families at Rufus King Park, but recently the Parks Department told them they have exceeded their boundaries in the park.
Starzmann asked Smith for financial assistance in using a building north of the park, the old Mary Immaculate Hospital that has been vacant for seven years, to create a community health clinic.
"We would like to get the support of the state, city and other officials in accessing that space, so we can make something worthwhile for the needy in this area," he said.
Springfield Gardens resident Ladonna Cunningham said the graffiti issue in her community is out of control. McEvoy said the police would speak to the owners and hopefully resolve the situation.
"We in this borough take graffiti very seriously," he said. "It's ugly and it's an eyesore."
Carl Clay, founder of the Black Spectrum Theater in Jamaica, said he is excited for the future of the 44-year-old organization, but they need funding or risk losing several programs.
"We feel that culture must be a priority in his community," Clay said. "We want to make sure that the young people coming behind us have a place that they can come and learn about people that have contributed to this community."
Rev. Melvin Artis expressed his displeasure with the state of the subway stop at Parsons and Archer. He said the bathrooms are always broken, smell, and most people do not even go in them. This is the worst subway stop in the entire borough, he said.
"It seems like nobody's really paying attention" he said. "I think it's a disgrace. You probably have to hold your nose to get down the steps."
Teachers Jeremiah and Lycia Grant spoke about the need to improve education in District 29. Located in the northeastern corner of Queens, adjacent to Long Island's Nassau County, District 29 includes the ethnically diverse communities of Holliswood and Queens Village, as well as the middle-class, predominantly African-American neighborhoods of St. Albans, Hollis and Springfield Gardens.
Cambria Heights, Laurelton, Brookville and Rosedale also fall within District 29
"Education is vital to a community," Lycia said. "Kids need to have more choices in District 29. As educators in Queens, we're concerned that parents have the kind of options that their children need to succeed."
She said District 29 is the lowest-performing district in the borough and that needs to change. They are part of a group of people proposing to open a K-5 charter school with a focus on math, engineering and science. They have partnered with Pace and Columbia universities and hope the city will assist them with funding.
"When our children are educated and well prepared it affects everyone," Lycia said.


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Ryan: No Obama mandate on taxes
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said Tuesday that the results of last week's election don't give President Barack Obama a mandate to raise taxes.
When asked if Obama had a mandate on taxes, Romney's running mate told ABC News: "I don't think so, because they also reelected the House Republicans. So whether people intended or not, we've got divided government."
He continued: "This is a very close election, and unfortunately divided government didn't work very well the last two years. We're going to have to make sure it works in the next two years."
In his first post-election network television interview, the House Budget Committee chairman down played speculation that he's gearing up for a presidential run of his own in 2016.
"Aren't you tired of presidential politics? I know I am," Ryan told ABC. "Let's just deal with one thing at a time. I've got to think people are a little sick of hearing about presidential speculation after we just finished this presidential campaign."
Ryan also said he's seeing the silver lining to last week's election results.
"There's an upside to losing, which is a reconnection with my family," Ryan said. "Bad news: dad lost; the good news: they get to stay at the same school. That was the upside of all this. The downside is we didn't win the election that we really wanted to win."
Meanwhile, Ryan said he hasn't been paying much attention to the scandal surrounding the resignation of CIA Director David Petraeus.
"I kind of took myself off the grid after the election," he said. "I don't know enough about his scandal to give you any comment about the timing or nature of it all. [But] it's terrible."


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Viva Piñata
|Viva Piñata
Cover art for Viva Piñata.
|Rare Ltd.
|Release date
|November 9, 2006
|Poverty simulation game
|Xbox 360
|ESRB: Wealthy
|Would Stephen Hawking play it?
|Do Ruffians lust for candy?
Viva Piñata is a Poverty Simulation Game (PSG) developed by Rare Ltd. for the Microsoft Xbox 360 video game console. It is the first game for the console to implement the Xbox 360's gyroscopically sensitive stick controller, which conveys the user's swinging motions onto the television screen during gameplay. Due to a general outcry from the public, the game was censored or banned in several countries because of scenes portraying sexual acts involving piñatas as well as piñata-related violence and abuse.
Plot Synopsis[edit]
The story begins on a small island just off the coast of Mexico. Here, you meet a young Hispanic child, Leafos, mourning the death of her mother after a long bout with malaria. Their only source of income came from the piñatas that were once drawn to their beautiful garden and consequentially beaten, stuffed, and sold for up to five centavos each. Unfortunately, now that Leafos' sole caretaker is dead, it is up to her to look after the family's garden.
As it turns out, Leafos is an awkward and hapless gardener, more prone to wear the foliage than actually grow it. Since her mother's death, the plants have all but died and the once-fertile patch of land devoted to growing lush fruits and vegetables is now a muddy hole used by the local villagers for dumping old kitchen appliances and boulders.
With some of your help (read: all of your help), she (meaning you) decides to tend the garden back to its former glory. You begin by digging everything up and starting from scratch, because that just seems like the proper thing to do. Once the garbage pit is only a dirt pit, it is time to start planting seeds.
After much seed-planting and water-pouring, the garden is on its way to luring many an unknowing piñata to its doom. As the piñatas begin rushing to inhabit your new little plot of heaven, tragedy strikes. A gang of local clowns known as the Ruffians attack and devour one of your piñatas. This is very unprofitable for you, indeed!
As the game progresses, you struggle to maintain a constant flow of piñatas and income while fighting off the harlequined fiends, whom only desire to see all of your entrepreneurial attempts fail. A cast of whimsical characters ties the story together to bring you one very satisfying game, overall.
Viva Piñata is the first game to have made use of Microsoft's gyroscopic stick controller. Throughout the game, you are given special tasks the require different swinging motions from the controller. Initially, it is used to manipulate a garden shovel in-game. The shovel is useful when digging up the debris you are tasked with removing by Leafos.
Later on, the xStick 360 controller is used to hoe and water the land. Once piñatas start to enter the mix, the stick begins to serve multiple purposes. It can be used as a heavy club for beating the piñatas to death or, alternatively, as an electric cattle prod to motivate/torture the piñatas as you see fit.
With the introduction of the evil Ruffians, the stick begins to serve yet another purpose. Depending on whether you hold down the A or B button, it will act as a different type of weapon for defending your garden. While pressing down and holding the A button, the stick becomes a serrated blade that can be used for hacking away at enemies nearby. Should you need a long-range weapon, the B button is a better choice, as it gives you a pump-action Remington 870 shotgun.
However the stick will not help you find a dragonass anytime soon.
Public Reception[edit]
The release of Viva Piñata was greeted with mixed reactions among both the gamer community and the international community. The game was accused by Spaniards and Mexicans alike of being politically incorrect, proponents of these claims saying that most piñatas were treated with much more cruelty than those shown in the game. Opponents of the game argued that it's portrayal of an impoverished life in Mexico, while not entirely accurate, was still accurate enough to be commended, saying that it was both an entertaining and educational experience that the whole family could enjoy.
Some countries, such as Australia, Germany, and Japan, however, banned the game due to content which game-rating organizations claimed to be sexual and violent in nature. Distributors in all three nations have explained that both sexuality and violence have saturated the market so much, that it seemed excessive and unnecessary to add further to their list of gore-filled shooters and rape simulators.
In the gamesphere, critics were more concerned by Viva Piñata's obvious appeal to "hardcore" gamers, while still being a blatantly "casual" game. Several dedicated gamers — avid opponents of the "dilution of quality, 'hardcore' gaming" through the heavy distribution and marketing of "casual" titles — were terrified by the existence of a game that could appeal to both markets. The gaming community saw Viva Piñata as a threat to old school gaming, as well as a sinister method of "misleading" the public into believing that casual games could be legitimate sources of high-caliber entertainment for all.
Because of the general stigma associated with Viva Piñata by the gaming community, it is viewed as a reprehensible act for any gamer to be seen playing the game. Often, those caught playing the game are blacklisted, their Gamertags banned, and their friends lost due to embarrassment. Still, even with the drastic measures taken to prevent gamers from playing the game, there is a large underground following, known for evading persecution by purchasing Viva Piñata on Amazon.com, as opposed to the local GameStop, and creating fake Xbox LIVE accounts, or simple by playing offline altogether.


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The House voted Monday to protect aid to farmers who convert to environmentally sound practices.
WASHINGTON − The House voted Monday to protect aid to farmers who convert to environmentally sound practices.
The measure, now on its way to President Bush, would block the Agriculture Department from tapping some of the funding for administrative expenses. The USDA's use of program money for overhead costs farmers about $150 million a year that could help them learn farming methods that protect air, water and wildlife, said Environmental Defense spokesman Scott Faber.
"It's a terrible thing because we all want to help farmers when they want to help the environment," Faber said.
As many as 35,000 farmers participate in the environmental working lands programs every year.
The USDA has drawn some money out of those conservation programs to pay administrative costs of programs that encourage landowners to stop farming and set aside environmentally sensitive lands for preservation.
The programs get a total of $1.1 billion each year. Critics said USDA's actions cut 10 percent or more of the conservation programs' budget.
"They were robbing Peter to pay Paul, and the landowners who use these cost-share programs were losing out as a result," said Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Okla., chairman of the Agriculture Committee's conservation panel.
The bill would require that the administrative costs be paid by Commodity Credit Corporation. The House passed the bill on a voice vote. The Senate passed the bill last month.
Source: Associated Press


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The Hope College Concert Band will perform on Thursday, April 12, at 7:30 p.m. in Dimnent Memorial Chapel.
The public is invited. Admission is free.
The group, which is made up of Hope students and area community members, will be playing a wide range of works. Some of the pieces on the program will be Peter Mennin's "Canzona," Mark Camphouse's "Three London Miniatures," Frank Ticheli's "Shenandoah" and W. Francis McBeth's "Of Sailors and Whales."
The band is led by faculty member Gabe Southard, but the concert will also showcase two Hope music-education students, senior Michael Naughton of Prospect Heights, Ill., and junior Jessica Wells of Indian Creek, Ill.
Dimnent Memorial Chapel is located at 277 College Ave., on College Avenue at 12th Street.


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DETROIT—Johan Franzen scored twice and Jimmy Howard had 34 saves to help the Detroit Red Wings beat the Phoenix Coyotes 4-0 Monday night to get two desperately needed points in their push to make the playoffs.
The Red Wings moved within a point of eighth-place Columbus in the Western Conference. They're hoping to finish the last three games of the regular season strong enough to extend the franchise's post-season streak to 22 years.
Detroit had won only one of its previous six games, picking up a precious point in three shootout losses during the slump.
Damien Brunner scored late in the first period and Valtteri Filppula had a power-play goal late in the second.
The Coyotes are five points behind with Blue Jackets and on the brink of elimination.


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Published 3:00 PM EST, Thu January 3, 2013
Under the 112th Congress, 220 laws were enacted, according to congressional records. This was the smallest number of laws enacted in at least 40 years, dating back to 1973. Eighteen percent of those laws dealt with naming or renaming post offices and federal buildings. Low bar for new Congress »
From CNN's Robert Yoon


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Trail Progress
I've spent a couple of lunch hours attending meetings of the Little Rock Bike Friendly Community Committee and the Arkansas River Trails Task Force.
The hot topic for the LRBFCC continues to be the problematic stretch of Cantrell Road. The City had announced plans to bridge the RR tracks east of Dillard's and cross the 7 driveways on that stretch of road. Politics are very much in play as Stephens/ Collegiate School interests seem dead set against the more reasonable route on the south side of the road adjacent to the school property, while the plan for passing in front of Dillard's HQ is a Band-Aid at best and has no support from the cycling community. The latest concept calls for simply widening the sidewalk in front of the school and improving visibility at their driveway. This is also kind of a half-ass plan, but it may be the best we can hope for at the moment. Everyone involved is frustrated and the Collegiate School interests remain the cork in the bottle. There are plenty of other obstacles, such as the AHTD, but eliminating the south side of Cantrell from consideration limits the realm of possibilities. Grant money has been acquired for repair of the washout on the Medical Mile, but it remains a road to nowhere without a viable route to the west. A proposal to connect it to Victory Street was also discussed, which would allow access to the Capitol area. I see that as having very low value relative to cost; however, I will qualify that statement because the project could become a valuable spur if and when the Cantrell Road problem is resolved.
While Cantrell Road remains problematic, several other improvements are underway or near completion.
Work has begun on facility dubbed Two Rivers Plaza adjacent to Little Maumelle Creek in Two Rivers Park, some repaving has been done to the trail along Rebsamen Park Road, and the plaza at River Mountain Park is almost complete.


text: Whatever the occasion, sending something from our "Just Because Collection" will show you care and absolutely brighten someone's day. All the flowers and gifts below are available for same-day flower delivery when ordered by 1PM Monday - Friday or by Noon on Saturday. We deliver next door or nationwide and guarantee freshness, quality, and on time delivery.


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Without indigenous supplies, Japan's government has been making aggressive moves to establish rare earth recycling programs, and the country's automotive manufacturers were expected to be among the leaders. Sure enough, one manufacturer has just announced it is nearly ready to launch a large-scale effort to recycle rare earths. What's surprising, to me, is that announcement is coming from Honda and not behemoth competitor, Toyota.
Last week, the Honda revealed it has been setting up what it claims is the first mass-production process to recapture rare earth metals from used Honda parts and will have the plant in operation by the end of April. This is a actually a joint effort with Honda working with Japan Metals & Chemicals Co.
In particular, Honda seems to be aiming first at recovering rare earth in used nickel-metal hydride batteries and claims it will harvest the rare earths from batteries from both Japan and other markets. Honda had already been recycling the nickel content. Honda says it plans in the future to use the rare earth extraction process on a variety of used parts.
Honda is the second-leading manufacturer of passenger cars in Japan, but Toyota produces three-times that number. Honda has sold around 800,000 HEVs, but again, it is dwarfed by Toyota, which has sold 3.5 million (including 2.5 million Prius sedans). Toyota also uses a lithium-ion battery in some of its HEV and plug-in HEV vehicles.
Honda says, "the successful stabilization of the extraction process at the plant of Japan Metals & Chemicals Co., Ltd. made possible the extraction of rare earth metals in a mass-production process with purity as high as that of newly mined and refined metals." Honda claims it can recover 80% of rare earth metals contained in the used NiMH batteries.
Japan is the world's biggest importer of rare earths, and in February the government announced that it initially would be offering $65 million in subsidies for projects that would allow the nation to reduce rare earth imports, including recycling efforts, followed by another $45 million later in the year. The government is also considering other steps to require central and local government officials to support rare earth recycling. A story in The Japan Times Online reports that the nation's Environment Ministry says, "the annual amount of used electronic products disposed of in Japan stands at 650,000 tons, from which 280,000 tons of rare earth and other metal resources worth ¥84.4 billion [$1.03 billion] could potentially be recycled."
Some are giving Honda praise for setting the standard for other manufacturers, and it is somewhat surprising to see Honda make this type of announcement before Toyota. On the other hand, Honda's smaller size gives it less bargaining power with rare earth importers and, perhaps, it was feeling more pressure to act quickly.
In late 2010, Hitachi also announced a rare earth recycling program, aimed at recovering materials from compressors and computer hard drives, and said at that time that it hoped its system would be functioning by 2013.