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A front-page story in yesterday's Washington Post, "Virginia Scholarships Atoning for Segregation Go to Whites," may be of interest to some readers of this blog. The article reports that Virginia has established scholarships to "compensate those whose education suffered during the era of massive resistance." The administrators of the scholarship program are actively encouraging whites to apply. The article quotes one official:
"Both black and white students lost an opportunity because of the state's decision, and both deserve this aid," said Brenda Edwards, who administers the Brown v. Board of Education Scholarships for the Virginia Division of Legislative Services. "White people hear Brown v. Board, and they think they're not eligible. We're trying to change that perception. . . . We want more people to get the education they missed out on years ago."Racial neutral eligibility for the scholarship program rankles some Virginians, including some African Americans who were shut out of schools in Prince Edward County and other districts where officials closed schools rather than desegregate them. Meanwhile, whites could attend private schools (so-called "segregation academies"), using taxpayer-financed tuition vouchers. Read the Post's coverage of the controversy here.
It's interesting to compare popular discussion of massive resistance to scholarly treatments. Consider, for example, the perspectives on the subject found in the following works: Michael Klarman, From Jim Crow to Civil Rights; Matt Lassiter & Andrew Lewis, eds., The Moderates' Dilemma: Massive Resistance to School Desegregation in Virginia; Neil McMillen, The Citizens' Council: Organized Resistance to the Second Reconstruction; Jason Sokol, There Goes My Every Thing: White Southerners in the Age of Civil Rights; Anders Walker, The Ghost of Jim Crow; and John Dittmer, Local People: The Struggle for Civil Rights in Mississippi. Some of these authors emphasize the actions of the reactionary white power structure. Others focus on white moderates. Still others stress the viewpoints of blacks excluded from public accommodations or segregated in schools on account of race. Most recently, scholars have turned attention to the perspectives of average whites who lacked policy making authority.
Overall, civil rights scholarship has moved toward highlighting multiple actors' perspectives on the era and emphasizing historical contingency. On one view, the idea of race-neutral reparations for massive resistance reflects a more complicated understanding of Jim Crow-era whites, consistent with some recent scholarship. On another view, the policy places white southerners and African Americans--the targets of de jure segregation in schools and presumed beneficiaries of Brown v. Board of Education--on the same moral footing--and distorts history. For purposes of administering the program, however, it appears that a distinction is being drawn between white Southerners as a class and individual white claimants.
This is rich material. Whatever one's view of the underlying substantive issues, the Virginia legislature's policy choice raises questions about how stakeholders shape historical memory. The policy raises other intriguing questions: about how broadly or narrowly to define the harms of massive resistance to segregation and of segregation itself; the political viability of "race neutral" approaches to social justice, including precisely what "race neutral" means; where low-income and relatively politically powerless whites do and should fit into conversations about social justice; and what has been gained and lost by emphasizing ahistorical justifications for legal remedies originally designed to redress racial discrimination, e.g. the diversity rationale for school desegregation and affirmative action. See, for example, Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District (2007); Grutter v. Bollinger (2003); Richmond v. Croson (1989).


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Do Your Ears Hang Low?
To be honest, you have to really know your audience when teaching girls this song because there is a dirty version floating around out there. With girls getting exposed to more adult themes more and more these days, you have to be careful that they won't try to sing the dirty version and teach the other girls the dirty version. When I worked at Camp Deer Lake in Silver Springs, CA we had girls coming from all over the San Francisco Bay Area and some thought it was funny to sing the dirty lyrics instead, so be warned of the possibility.
Do your ears hang low?
Do they wobble to and fro?
Can you tie them in a knot?
Can you tie them in a bow?
Can you throw them o'er your shoulder like a Continental soldier?
Do your ears hang low?

subset: commoncrawl


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St. Louisan Ken Page is an actor and director. He has an accomplished career including prominent roles in the original Broadway production of Cats and Ain't Misbehavin'. You also may recognize him as the voice of Oogie Boogie in The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Page, who describes his new work, Café Chanson, as "ballet in song," talked with host Steve Potter, along with Philip Boehm, the artistic director of Upstream Theater.
Here's more info on the play from Upstream Theater:
The Café Chanson is a bar on the Rue Lepic in WWII Paris. The denizens of Montmartre find each other there most nights. In story and song, the show follows the romances of a young American soldier with the neighborhood demimondaines, vibrant, beautiful and provocative. One sets herself apart. All these years later, she is still the one he can't forget. He gets to go back to the Café to live it again for one last night. And he takes us along with him.
Related Events
Upstream Theater Presents Ken Page's "Cafe Chanson"
January 11, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25 and 26, 2013 at 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 13 and 20, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 27, 2013 at 3:00 p.m.
Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N. Grand at Olive


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Lan fang republic was an hakka country in the Borneo island in 18th centuries. Quite impressive huh!
There are a lot of hakkas in Borneo island now.
Lan fang republic
Discussions on the Hakka dialects.
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Re: Lan fang republic
The sultans of Western Borneo imported Chinese laborers in 18th century to work in gold or tin mines. A number of mining communities (kongsi) enjoyed some political autonomy,but Lanfang is the best known thanks to a history written by Yap Siong-yoen, the son-in-law of the last kapitan of the Lanfang kongsi, which was translated into Dutch in 1885. None of the other Chinese mining settlements in western Kalimantan left written accounts
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I am a graduate of Universitat Pompeu Fabra, one of the World's Top 100 Business Universities, with fellows from ESADE and Harvard, and former MIT professors. I was taking the Masters course in Management, where I focused on combining my knowledge in Computer Science with Business Strategy, resulting in top class results in E-commerce and Statistics. I gained Computer Science skills at Warsaw University of Technology and developed my interest in Marketing and Management while working in IBM and Microsoft.
I was part of a team preparing the first Microsoft Technology Summit in Poland, in 2005. The conference was a huge success, it gathered more than 2200 participants and 3000 internet viewers. My active participation in organising the event was awarded by the Business & Marketing Organisation Director at Microsoft.
In 2008 I started my journey through Europe, which helped me understand and connect with different cultures, and improve my knowledge of foreign languages. In January 2008, I took the position of an Administaration & IT Officer in Greene's Tutorial College in Oxford, UK. In September that year, I moved to Paris and started a course at Universite Paris 1 - Sorbonne. Next year, I moved again to Barcelona, where I started the Masters in Management at Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
After graduating from UPF, I co-founded and became the CEO of Foture, a company focused on consulting & delivering innovative social media solutions. I returned to Poland in 2011 to grow my company further, and until now have worked with major companies like Orange, Sony, Microsoft and T-Mobile.


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The drama Savages, from three-time Oscar-winning filmmaker Oliver Stone, follows entrepreneurs Ben (Aaron Johnson) and Chon (Taylor Kitsch), and their shared girlfriend O (Blake Lively), who run a lucrative business raising some of the best marijuana ever developed. But, the legendary weed of these Laguna Beach heroes soon catches the interest of the Mexican Baja Cartel, headed by the merciless Elena "La Reina" (Salma Hayek). Along with her brutal enforcer Lado (Benicio Del Toro) and her head attorney Alex (Demian Bichir), Elena demands a partnership which she ensures by kidnapping that which they love most, and what was once a peaceful and easy lifestyle becomes a high-stakes battle of wills. For more on the film, here's six clips.
At the film's press day, co-stars Blake Lively and Salma Hayek talked about what they brought to their characters, preparing for such gritty roles, how many times they had to spit in and slap Benicio Del Toro's face, respectively, and the fascination with a woman like Elena who has so much power. Lively also talked about shooting her CW drama series Gossip Girl simultaneously with Savages, while Hayek talked about her love of swearing in Spanish. Check out what they had to say after the jump.
Question: Salma, we're used to seeing drug cartel lords being these cold-hearted, macho men. Your character is not only obviously a girl, but she has a lot of layers going for her. Did that come from the book, or was that what you brought to the role?
SALMA HAYEK: The character was much smaller in the book. That was (director) Oliver [Stone], who started the whole process. He was incredibly generous because we really did work as a team, all of us. He really welcomes your input on the character. He actually will not like you, if you do not have something to give. He wants you fight with him, and he wants you to bring something to the plate. We worked really well together, designing the character, but it originated from him. He made that character a little bit more interesting than in the book. I think he did that with all of the characters.
BLAKE LIVELY: Oliver also really gave her the freedom to do it. I remember when I was rehearsing with the boys, he was getting images of Salma at home, trying on different wigs and saying, "What about this look?" It was all vastly different.
HAYEK: Yeah, I did my own look. He questioned everything and every choice, but at the end, he really gave me a lot of freedom to decide the look.
Blake, your character is involved in this dark and intense world. How did you prepare for that, since you normally do more girly roles?
LIVELY: I feel like all I've done lately is play really sexually-charged drug addicts. I don't know what's wrong with me. I've gotta go to Disneyland more and get more excitement. I love that it's so different from everything that I've ever known or seen. I love that challenge. I love exploring worlds that are so unknown to me. And having somebody like Oliver made it such a great experience because he gave us so many opportunities. He gave us all the knowledge and information we needed. He brought people in, like DEA Agents. I met a little girl who had been kidnapped by the Mexican drug cartel. We met people in all areas of the marijuana field. Then, we also sat with each other – each character – and really rehearsed this movie. There are so many unexpected, complex relationships that occur in this film. I'm in love with two men, but then there is also a love story between the characters that Salma and I play, with my need for a mother and her need for a daughter. And so, we all just sat down with each other, and there was such unity in that. This environment was really great like that. I didn't even have a scene with John Travolta, but we sat down and spoke for an hour. We're a movie that's coming out with all of these summer movies. We don't have a cape in this movie, so we're at a big disadvantage with that. We knew that we were this black sheep, and we were excited to do this movie that was not only challenging for us, as actors, but it really challenges the audience. That was really exciting.
Salma, did being a mom personally help you bring in the tenderness of this woman?
HAYEK: That's what you would think, but being a mother can make you find the toughest part and the inhumanity of the character. As a mother, for your children, you are willing and capable of doing anything. You can justify it. I don't know about some other mothers, but Mexican mothers will do anything for their children. That is where this character turns. Everything I justified, I was okay with doing it. It didn't matter because I did it for my children. If I didn't take over, they would have given it to my other child, and he was weak. They would have killed him. I had already lost the twins and my husband. So, yes, it helps you find the vulnerability, but it also helps you find the fearlessness.
How did you go about having your character instill fear and exude power? Did you take bits and pieces from a fictional character or a real person, in creating this woman?
HAYEK: Actually, I took a collection of different characters that I have met, throughout my life. I will not say names. Some of them are absolutely fascinating, and I adored them. There was somebody that I got to be friends with, that was a very, very, very strong, very powerful woman in Mexico. She has passed away now. She came from a different generation, and when I was working, I got to spend some time with her. There have been a couple different ones. There were some iconic ones. I'm not going to name them, but it's a smart observation because I took a collection of traits and created it. Oliver said, "Why do you always want to wear the same hair and the same necklace?" And I tried to explain to him that these women know they are going to be an icon and they create a character. These women design themselves. They don't want to be versatile. They want you to always remember them. It's a very stupid thing. I said, "Okay, I have to design her in such a way that somebody could dress up as her for Halloween." It had to be so identifiable that you could actually impersonate her. I noticed that the people I had met would do that. That's what was behind it.
Blake, you had to spit in Benicio Del Toro's face. How many times did you have do to that?
LIVELY: A lot of this movie just kind of happened, with so many of the key moments. When I spit in Benicio's face, that was something where Benicio and I were talking about this character, after a take or two, and he said, "If you feel so angry at me, spit in my face!" I was like, "I can't do that!," and he was like, "No, hock a loogie in my face." I was, "This is the greatest day ever! I get to do that to someone?" I was like, "Okay, he's asking for it. I'll spit in his face." So many of the big moments in the film were something that weren't on the page. They just happened there. We were lucky to be in that sort of environment, where we could create and where it wasn't just all hammered out. We rehearsed so much, and yet it didn't make it manufactured. It just gave us the freedom to let the story tell itself.
Salma, how many times did you have to slap Benicio?
HAYEK: You know, its funny, I slapped him a lot. It was the strangest thing because I was nervous, but Benicio was like, "Hit me! Hit me! Come on, do it harder!" And I was like like, "Are you sure?" So, I did it one time and he was like, "Okay."
LIVELY: We all felt it, standing around.
HAYEK: What was really uncomfortable about it was that this was the day my husband came to visit the set and he was like, "What are you doing?! How many times are you going to slap him?!" He was so worried for Benicio because he was red. I said, " I need to stop. My hand hurts." The strangest thing was that, with every other scene, Oliver wouldn't let me do again. I did one take, which was very frustrating. But, this scene where I slapped Benicio, we did it 20 times.
Blake, this role is such a great departure for you. Were you nervous at all, going into some of the more intimate or graphic scenes?
LIVELY: This movie was terrifying, in so many ways, because it's so graphic and so violent. She experiences such an arc that it's challenging, as a an actor, and it's also challenging, as a person. I've got a family. I've got nieces and nephews. I've got a young audience from my show (Gossip Girl). That plays into it, too. You have a responsibility to your personal life, too. It was a really strange situation to be in, in making this movie. But, the most important thing, all along, was telling the truth and telling the heart of this story. I think that she's very much a modern young girl. She comes from new money, living in Laguna Beach. Her mom is off with her eight different husbands. It's a shame that you will miss that, in the movie. It was really beautiful stuff with Uma Thurman, and I think it really told a lot more of how a girl could end up this way. She's the modern girl. Divorces are so much more common now than they were. Love is very untraditional, and these are three people who don't have a family, creating a family within each other. What I was really drawn to in this story was all of the love – the love between my character and the boys, between the boys and each other, and between my character and Salma – and its complexities and tensions. But, it was definitely really challenging because you're on a set with 40 people and the boys are standing there naked. That's always a little awkward.
What did you think of your character's look?
LIVELY: I loved the clothes. One of my favorite parts is always designing the character. But the hardest part for me is that, when I play a character that is so different from me, I love to hide behind them. It's actually really a good secret, if you don't look like her or talk like her. You can disappear. But, when you look like her and talk like her, and you're from Southern California, and you wear clothes that you went shopping for at Topshop and said, "Oh, I think this would be a good idea," and you bought one for yourself, then it gets to gets to be a little messy and like, "Oh, I don't want people to think this is me." So, it was a really weird personal challenge, shooting this.
How did you determine the design for the tattoos that you wear in the movie?
LIVELY: It was one of my favorite artists, Sage Vaughn. In the book, [the character] has a dolphin tattoo with a sea nymph. I said, "What's the significance?," and they said, "'Cause she lives in Laguna Beach." I said, "We've got that, from everything else. Let's make this mean something." This artist, Sage Vaughn, that I love, creates this beautiful, pure, colorful nature with butterflies or birds on barbed wire and picket fences, and these man-made structures. I just thought it was such a perfect example of this girl, who is pure, free and hopeful, but who has been really broken and torn by her life and society. I think, if you are going to get a tattoo, it should be significant, especially when it's all the way up your arms and your body. I thought that would be more significant for her.
Why do you think there is such fascination with a woman who has such power and who is the head of something as ruthless as the cartel? Do you think that, in the structure of cartels, it's possible to have a woman in power?
HAYEK: In the research that I did, I actually talked to some people involved in the cartel that described, in two different occasions, women that have gotten quite high in the cartel. As a matter of fact, they are incredibly efficient, much more so than men. He described a situation where with one of them, the husband went to jail and she took over, and things went really well. Somebody messed with her and betrayed her and they took a loss, but she took it and just continued, and the business continued to go really well. The husband came out and was like, "No, that debt has to be taken care of because otherwise, we don't get respect." So, he went and took care of that, and then he got killed. The women are actually colder. The guy gets angry and thinks he has to do something, and the women are not like that. They are all about the business. They're not about the vendetta, or who is more macho. They're about getting things done. Actually, that's why they're not as visible. Some of them have actually managed to get away and stay clean. I found that absolutely fascinating.
Salma, you play the villain, but she's a likeable villain. Is it more fun playing this type of character?
HAYEK: I don't care if you hate me or if you like me, as long as somebody gives me a character that is really a character to play. It's fun to be able to have a character and have a director that can direct you into a character. I'm just so happy that I got a good role. I don't care if it's bad or if it's good, and I don't care if it's drama or comedy. They are just so rare to come across.
Is it more fun to play a villain?
HAYEK: It doesn't matter. It's more fun to play a good character with a good director and good actors around you. That's what makes it fun. The more variety, the better. I loved this one.
Blake, you have Gossip Girl and you are doing all these movies. How do you balance all of that?
LIVELY: We're finishing our last season. We started in June. This was actually the hardest because, normally, we have about a two-month break from Gossip Girl, every year, and that's when I do a movie. But, this one started exactly when the Gossip Girl season started, so for four months, I was flying back and forth between New York and L.A. I shot seven-day weeks and I was going from red-eyes to set. That was a hard balance. That wasn't a balance. That was just a landslide.
HAYEK: She was so professional. It was shocking! She wouldn't wine. I was like, "My god, she's like the perfect woman!" She would show up and still have a fight in her. She did such a good job, with every take. It was really moving to see not a day off.
Salma, is it strange for you to play the mother of an older daughter?
HAYEK: Not really. I'm 45. It would be very easy for me to have a 23-year-old girl. She was so lovely. She's really wonderful. I really did have a great time bonding. The men in this movie are amazing, but the best thing about it, by far, were the girls. She is so sweet and pure, and it was very exciting for me because she's also very talented. She's starting out, like I started out. She comes from Mexico, from the novellas. We know the same people. It reminded me of me. Of course, I didn't come with an Oliver Stone movie, and she speaks English, and I think she has a green card, so she is way ahead of me and she is way ahead of the game. But, it was so lovely. It brought me back home and it helped me a lot, for all that part about Mexico. And she's a singer. She would play me her mariachi music because she sings mariachi. It was such a wonderful privilege to be able to work with her, and it was not strange. I could have a 23-year-old.
Salma, what was it like to mix both English and Spanish with some of your dialogue? Was it like that, in the script?
HAYEK: I have to tell you, Oliver would never use English because it's for the market. Not Oliver. If it was the right thing to do the whole movie in Spanish, he would do it in Spanish, in a heartbeat, and he would fight for it. Funny enough, the cartel people that work in the United States, that are of Mexican descent, speak in English. When we're in Mexico, I'm speaking in Spanish. But, when I'm on the phone with the people here, it's mostly in English. Even the people that have kids who have grown up in the United States, those kids don't want to speak Spanish. He was very, very careful about that, and asked a lot of questions and did the research. It's funny, when you've lived here long enough, and I see it even with myself, sometimes I start talking to Valentina (her daughter) in English and I go, "What am I doing?!," and I switch. The people that work here speak in English. However, when I start cursing, you cannot beat the beauty of the variety of the sounds and images that come from Spanish and Mexican cursing. So, I curse a little bit in English, and it comes in Spanish.
LIVELY: The scene was actually written in English because it made sense for it to be in English. And then, you throw Salma out there, and a lot of curse words that I didn't understand were thrown into the scene.
HAYEK: Yes, but with the encouragement of Oliver. Oliver likes it when you talk dirty.


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by Jennifer Katz
There is only one thing Dr. Jessica Kahn claims to know about children and books. If they don't have books, they won't read. It is a simple concept and hardly encompasses everything the Chestnut Hill College professor knows about children or books, but it is the reason she has spent countless hours working on a project she calls the "most important thing I've ever done in my career."
For the past 12 months, Kahn has led the effort to collect thousands of books to create a library at the Emlen Elementary School in Mt. Airy at 6401 Chew Ave.
"Jessica is so passionate about reading," said Emlen's principal Richard Raisman. "No one is as passionate."
Kahn and Raisman met through the professional development part of the college's education program that brings Chestnut Hill College students to Emlen to read to the younger children who are just learning how to read.
Emlen, a Vanguard school (which means it makes more than adequate yearly progress according to federal guidelines), was without a library for many years when Raisman arrived five years ago.
"It made me crazy," said Kahn. "I don't know how you can have an elementary school without a library."
In Philadelphia, 70 percent of the public elementary schools do not have libraries.
Raisman proposed the book collection as part of an MLK Day project. He had a room, he told Kahn, but no books.
Kahn began her career as an elementary school teacher in 1967 at Carver High School (now the High School for Engineering and Science) where she taught reading to students who were functioning below grade level. After raising her children she got her Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania and moved into college teaching. She has been at Chestnut Hill since 1992.
She begin acquiring books for Emlen by holding bake sales, using the proceeds to purchase age-appropriate materials. But that wasn't going to equip a library, so she reached out the college community.
"Books started coming in from everywhere," she said.
A little girl in Jenkintown made it her Communion project and collected 1,000 books. Another girl made it her Bat Mitzvah project and brought in another 1,000 books. An alumnus of the college heard a public service announcement on KYW and donated thousands more books.
Today, there are 7,100 cataloged books filling rows of donated bookcases in a basement room at Emlen. There are another 3,000 waiting for Kahn and her volunteers to catalog them.
And now there is another school, Fitler Academics Plus, in Germantown, that has a library and a librarian but not nearly enough books.
"In class, students read at their grade level, but the library gives them a chance to self-select books and maybe read books that are easier for them or that enjoy more," Raisman said, explaining how the library helps promote and improve literacy among his students. "Now kids are talking about books, authors.
"The nicest thing is walking into the library and seeing children excited and smiling."
Kahn is collecting new or gently used K-8 books for Fitler and can be reached at email@example.com. Kahn is also challenging every other college or university in the area to adopt a public school in need and collect books.
"It involves work but it doesn't require $100,000 in grant money," she said.


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main(713) 222-2273
Schedule an appointment online with ScheduleNow
Conditions & Treatments
To search Houston doctors, please select a specialty & submit your Zip Code below.
To schedule an appointment online, select provider type, service and submit your ZIP code below.
View a discussion with Mischer Neuroscience Institute Director Dong Kim, M.D. about Gamma Knife radiosurgery and all the benefits this treatment can offer.
Below are frequently asked questions with answers about Gamma Knife:
You may be a candidate for this procedure if you've been diagnosed with a benign or malignant brain tumor, an abnormal blood vessel formation or a functional disorder, such as trigeminal neuralgia.
To determine whether you qualify, a multidisciplinary team will review your case. Team members will review your medical and surgical history, findings from your clinical examination and your imaging and function studies.
Gamma Knife radiosurgery offers a broad range of benefits, and in many cases, fewer complications than conventional procedures.
Since the procedure doesn't require incisions, it's safe, bloodless, relatively painless, doesn't leave scars and reduces the risk of complications such as infection, bleeding or leakage of spinal fluid.
In most cases, treatment is delivered as an outpatient procedure. You will arrive at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center the morning of your procedure. Fluids will be administered intravenously to keep you from becoming dehydrated, since eating and drinking are not permitted until the procedure is completed. A mild sedative and a local anesthetic (children will receive a general anesthetic) will also be administered.
After the sedative and anesthetic take effect, you'll be fitted with a lightweight head frame with tiny pins that will keep the frame secured to your head.
This will allow the physician to position your head accurately while keeping it still during the procedure. Some patients experience slight tightness, pressure or discomfort during the frame application.
Using diagnostic imaging techniques such as MRI, CT scan and angiography, the Gamma Knife team will identify the precise location of your tumor or malformation and prepare your treatment plan.
You will be placed on a motorized bed that will move you in and out of a shielded dome; your headgear will be attached to a helmet that allows gamma rays to pass through. In the treatment position, gamma rays from the dome are directed through 201 holes in the helmet.
Individually, these tiny rays are harmless, but at the precise point where they intersect, their combined strength is enough to alter the tumor or lesion so its cells can no longer reproduce.
During the treatment, your physician will operate the Gamma Knife from a console next to the treatment room and will interact with you using cameras and two-way microphones. Since you will remain conscious throughout the procedure, you will be able to communicate with the treatment team as needed.
After your treatment, the frame will be removed. Slight bleeding may occur at pin sites. You will remain in the hospital for a few hours for observation.
Because children require a general anesthetic, they are required to stay in the hospital longer, occasionally overnight. Once discharged, you typically can resume your normal activities.
A few people experience side effects after Gamma Knife radiosurgery. Side effects will be discussed with you. In general, they are dependent on the radiation dose, site of the disease and additional factors.
The rate at which your condition will improve could range from a few weeks to several years, depending on your condition. Most abnormalities stop growing or eventually disappear. In rare cases, the condition does not respond to Gamma Knife radiosurgery.
For more information, contact the Gamma Knife Program at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center at (713) 704-7100.
Please fill out the fields below, and we will contact you.


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Crytek Manages Not To Lose Their Minds Despite Crysis 2 Leak
from the baby-steps,-baby-steps,-baby-steps dept
Leaks happen. They just do. They're unfortunate, they're rarely complete products, and it's understandable that a content producer would be less than thrilled about it. But they happen. Time and time again, we witness examples of content companies losing their minds over these leaks, whether it's Ubisoft murdering their reputation by reacting to leaks with ineffective DRM, or Fox taking a long hard look at how the leaked version of Wolverine did nothing to stymie huge box office returns and therefore decided to get the FBI involved to arrest the leaker. It seems that when these leaks happen, the reaction is emotional rather than cognitive.
Enter Crytek, developer of the immensely anticipated Crysis 2 game. As was seemingly inevitable, Edge was among others that reported the game was leaked. And not just some early build of the game either, but rather both versions (the 3D version and the non-3D version) were made available via torrent sites. The download included the full games (requiring nearly a full blu-ray disk's worth of storage for the 3D version), online capability, and even the DRM signing keys.
So, we all know what the reaction was coming from Crytek execs, right? Piracy killed them, left them bleeding in a gutter, the victim of a violent crime. The sky is falling. The action allowed a wormhole to open up and demons are now killing our women and children. Puppies everywhere keeled over dead. America has fallen to the terrorists/communists/atheists/robots/Satan/etc. Corn farmers everywhere are committing mass ritual suicide, knowing that they'll never earn a livable wage. Right?
Turns out, not so much. Harken back to what Mike suggested about how Fox should have responded to the Wolverine leak:
"Hey Wolverine fans! We know that you're all looking forward to the release of the movie next month. We're excited too! By now you may have heard that an early totally unfinished version has been leaked online. It's missing a whole bunch of stuff -- including some amazing special effects -- and honestly, this version isn't a finished product at all. We think you'll get a much better overall experience by waiting for the full finished product, but we certainly understand that some of you just can't wait (trust us, we feel the same way!). If that's the case, please, feel free to check it out, but please remember that this isn't even close to the final version. If anything, think of this as a "behind-the-scenes" peek of just what a movie looks like before all the real "movie magic" gets put in there. If you do check it out, we hope you'll join us May 1st to check out the finalized version as well on the big screen the way we intended for you to see this awesome movie. It's just a month away!"
In this case, Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli actually did make a similarly reasonable address to the company's fans on the Crysis 2 forums:
"Despite this unfortunate incident, we can assure you that PC gaming is very important to us and will always be important to Crytek in the future. We are all still focused on delivering a great gaming experience to our true and honest fans. I hope you will enjoy Crysis 2 on PC, as we think it is our best PC game yet!"
Huh. You know what, that actually sounds eerily similar to Mike's suggestion. Maybe not quite so optimistic and glowing, but pretty damn close. And I think this message is perfect. Tell the fans that, while you don't approve of what happened, they're still important to you, you're going to create for their PC gaming needs, and even throw in a comment about rewarding their dedication as real, paying fans. Perfect. And judging by the response from the company's fans in the comments section of the forum, his notes are ringing true with them.
So cheers to you, Cevat. You could have gone crazy and reacted emotionally, but you didn't. You made a reasoned statement. While it's sad that such level-headedness is rare enough to deserve note, I salute you nonetheless.
Filed Under: crysis 2, leaks, piracy, response
Companies: crytek


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The descent of the dove: a short history of the Holy Spirit in the church
Eerdmans, 1939 - Religion - 245 pages
From inside the book
25 pages matching Jews in this book
Where's the rest of this book?
Results 1-3 of 25
What people are saying - Write a review
LibraryThing ReviewUser Review - antiquary - LibraryThing
A history of Christianity from its beginnings to the early twentieth century --the RUssian Revolution etc. --told from the assumption that it really is the work on earth of the Holy Spirit, a belief ... Read full review
LibraryThing ReviewUser Review - jasongibbs - LibraryThing
This book is for anyone interested in theology or church history. Don't expect the usual though! As with anything by Charles Williams expect a completely different angle. Read full review
Other editions - View all
The Descent of the Dove: A Short History of the Holy Spirit in the Church
Charles Williams
No preview available - 1995
Common terms and phrases
Alexandria anthropotokos Apostles Athanasius Augustine Beatrice become began beginning believe bishops body Byzantium C. S. Lewis called Calvin Canon Carthage Catholic century certainly Christ Christen Christendom Christian Church City Clement co-inherence confessors contrition conversion Council Creed Cyprian Dante death declared denounced Diocletian Divine doctrine dogma doubt E. F. Jacob East ecclesiastical effort Emperor Empire encouraged England Eucharist Europe exist fact faith flesh formally France frontiers Gaul glory Gnostic grace heaven heresy heretical Holy Ghost human idea Indulgences intellectual Islam Jesus Jews kind King living Lord the Spirit Lorenzo Valla Luther marriage matter Messias metaphysical Middle Ages mind Montaigne Montanists moral movement nature necessity Nicaea obedience organization Origen orthodox Papal passion Patriarch Paul Pelagius perhaps persecution phrase Pope redeemed rejected religion Renascence Roman Rome saints salvation Schism secular seems sense soul supernatural supposed Tertullian things thou thought tion vision Voltaire West whole wrote


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mikey287 wrote:Jesse wrote:D'Agostino is way too low for me. I'd have him at 11th at most.
That's always my first critique of Ian's list "D'Agostino should be higher"
I.ve wondered whether D"Agostino might decline a Pen's offer to avoid going to a team with a boatload Young D prospects heading to or at WBS


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On the first of each month I will update the Countryside Art Group's blog with a listing of shows where the various artists in the Group are exhibiting their work.
If you get a chance come out and visit them at one or all of the shows.
Monday, January 21, 2019
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


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- Price: $1000
- Posted: 24 August 15
- Expire: Recurring
- Age & Sex: M 18-35
As a sperm donor, you can earn as much as $1,000 per month. With donations accepted at locations in Spokane, Pullman and Missoula we encourage you to become a donor today and make a difference.
How to Qualify
If you are at least 5'10", between the ages of 18 and 35 years, have post-secondary education (college, vocational or technical) and are within normal limits of weight for your muscular build and height, you may be a potential candidate to become a donor. We need donors with all types of racial and ethnic backgrounds. We are not able to accept applicants who use tobacco products in any form, including smoking or ingesting marijuana. Use of these substances will be tested for throughout the donation process.
Benefits (at no cost) for sperm donors include the following tests:
- Semen Analysis
- Complete Medical Physical
- STD testing
- Drug Screening
- Routine and communicable diseases testing
- Testing for Genetic diseases, as indicated
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you do with the sperm I donate?
The sperm is sold to clients having difficulty conceiving a child for a variety of reasons.
How often will I get paid for donating sperm?
You would be paid monthly. Participation in the program is 6-12 months, with donations made 2-3 times per week.
Will the person buying the sperm know who I am?
No, unless you wish to be known.
Will people see me enter your facility?
Our offices in Spokane, Pullman and Missoula are located in large office buildings with many other occupants. We are not in stand-alone buildings labeled as a sperm bank. We are certainly proud of the work we do and the difference we make, but are discreet in our footprint. We see patients for fertility treatments, sell over-the-counter products, have men leaving specimens for studies that we participate in, etc., so our foot traffic is by no means just donors. The only way that anyone could confirm your participation as a donor is if you confirm it with them.
What if I am not accepted?
It's natural to feel rejected if you are not chosen. Sometimes the decision is made simply because the right match has not been found. In some cases, it might become apparent that the time investment is too great or that the process could be emotionally difficult. To prevent prospective donors from dwelling on the reason they were not accepted, it is our policy not to provide this information. Please make sure you are comfortable with this policy prior to proceeding.
NW Cryobank Locations
Spokane, WA
508 W. 6th Ave., Suite 801
Spokane, WA 99204
Pullman, WA
1615 NE Eastgate Blvd.
Section G, Ste. 2 East
Pullman, WA 99163
Missoula, MT
1805 Bancroft St., Suite 1
Missoula, MT 59804


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We finally got Ben's 2 year pics made last week by our awesome photographer Christy! I think they are going to turn out awesome as always. You can check out a sneak peak of the pictures on her blog - click Simplicity by Christy on the right.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
2 year pics!
Posted by Emily at 7:12 AM 2 comments
Monday, April 20, 2009
Ben has become a little obsessed with golf lately. We really don't know why but he just loves it. I loves watching it on TV. Everytime we drive by the golf course near our house (which is everyday because you have to drive by it to get anywhere) he says "golf, golf, golf" over and over. It is so cute. He loves to "play" golf in the driveway too! So Saturday Matt took him golfing!!! They just went to the short course near our house but they had so much fun!!!! Matt would hit the ball up on the green and get it within 1 foot of the hole and then Ben would putt it in! He loved it. He would do the "happy dance" after he hit it in! I am sure they will be going back soon.
Posted by Emily at 4:29 PM 3 comments
Monday, April 13, 2009
Easter 2009!
We had a wonderful Easter day! It is one of my favorite holidays because we get to celebrate the most awesome event that has ever happened on the face of the Earth! The Savior is Risen!!! It is so much fun.
We then got all dressed up in our Easter finest and went to church! Doesn't Ben look super cute!We were able to go to the early service and then to our kindergarten class that we teach. Easter is one of our favorite lessons to teach and every year we make a tomb cake for the kids. This year I made one for the class and then one for our lunch. It is a fun representation of the empty tomb and it works really well with kids. After church we went to my parents house for lunch. It was just the 5 of us so it was really low key but lots of fun. Ben had a blast playing with Granna and Grandaddy. He hunted eggs and loved it!I hope everyone had a wonderful day!!
Posted by Emily at 6:51 PM 1 comments
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Easter Eggs
We dyed Easter eggs last night at our house. Ben had a blast and they actually turned out cute!
Posted by Emily at 7:09 PM 1 comments
Monday, April 6, 2009
Fun Times!
Saturday morning we got up bright and early and Ben and I headed out to Birmingham for the day. We first stopped at our friends the Brenegans house. Colleen is my friend from Children's in Birmingham. She was great fun to work with and we have stayed in touch. She had a little girl Claire just after Ben was born so we try to get them together every so often. We had a fun lunch with them and got caught up. Ben actually stayed with them for the afternoon while I went to my shower. He had so much fun! They went to the park and played and played! It was great to get to see them and a big thanks to Colleen for watching Ben!!!
Here we are with Colleen and Claire right after the little ones were born.
Here they are at 1 years old!
And on Saturday! They had a blast together!
Saturday afternoon I got to help out with a shower for my friend Lisa! Lisa is a great friend from college and she is getting married in May. We are so excited for her and Kevin as they start their lives together so I was excited to get to help out in honoring her with a bridal tea! It was great to see her and catch up as well!!
It was a good and busy weekend. We survived the travel down to B'ham and back. Ben is a great traveler (portable DVD player!!) so that makes it not so bad. I am glad we got to see so many of our friends!
Posted by Emily at 1:46 PM 0 comments


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"Man of Steel" is tops at the box office, and some of the $125 million it brought in during its opening weekend came from churchgoers. Warner Bros., you see, is marketing its Superman flick as Christian allegory.
Don't believe it.
(A few spoilers follow. You've been warned.)
The Christianity is sort of in there, at least insofar as "Man of Steel" follows the familiar template of an outsider who is the only hope for some group's salvation. In this case, the outsider comes from Krypton, and the group is all of humanity. The same hero story appears in countless forms throughout history, literature and cinema.
Yet this is no "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" that bludgeons the viewer with its Christianity. One must squint to see the Jesus between all of the explosions.
The Christian myth is especially hard to find toward the end of "Man of Steel." If Jesus had followed the same path as this Superman, he would have come down from the cross, fought a miraculously violent battle with the Romans, and left hundreds or thousands of unlucky Jews dead in the smoldering ruins of Jerusalem. Then, reflecting the film's biggest misunderstanding of the Superman character, he would snap Pontius Pilate's neck with his bare hands.
Director Zack Snyder was not particularly subtle with his other preachy messages.
Krypton explodes because Kryptonians depleted their natural environment in an endless search for energy. Global warming, anyone?
Superman is an alien, but he grew up in America. When a general questions where the big guy's loyalties are, Superman explains, "I grew up in Kansas, general, about as American as it gets."Immigration commentary?
There is even a libertarian theme about the freedom to choose one's own destiny.
Warner Bros. hired Grace Hill Media, a public relations firm that specializes in Christian marketing, to make sure people find a sacred story, too. A "Man of Steel Ministry Resource Site" offers special screenings for pastors, videos, images and even sermon outlines with titles like "Jesus – The Original Superhero."
One sermon aims to help pastors reach kids. "In the movie, Superman first offers himself to save the earth. Superman loses, earth wins. But then he realizes he must fight to save the earth and stay to keep saving the earth. Christ didn't just give himself over to reverse the judgment against us, he did that then rose victorious – and continues to fight for us," it explains.
Many pastors took the bait and promoted the film from the pulpit. Sunday matinees filled with people coming straight from the pews.
The most striking thing is not that a superhero story would resemble the Bible, but that even believers are so gullible. "Man of Steel" is not Christian polemic, religious outreach or a covert attempt to convert summer moviegoers. Marketers are framing a summer blockbuster to appeal to a certain audience, just as they frame it other ways to appeal to other people with other tastes.
The message does not matter, only selling tickets does. This is not about Christianity; it is about the dollars in Christians' wallets.
It's one thing to release overtly Christian propaganda and ask the faithful to show up. "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "Passion of the Christ" were Christian films. "Man of Steel" is a summer blockbuster onto which marketers want to shoehorn a Christian message.
Warner Bros. has made religious appeals before. It did so with "The Book of Eli," "The Blind Side," and even the "Harry Potter" series, which was about as pagan as it gets, what with all the witches and warlocks.
Some Christians and other religious thinkers have gotten wise, pointing out how they are being played and just how overblown the Superman-Jesus comparison really is.
The pastors who fell for it appear as only desperate to look cool and in tune with what the young people are watching. Well, that or as dupes who convinced their trusting flocks to give millions to Warner Bros.
Rather than worry about whether "Man of Steel" matches your faith, go see it because you like loud summer extravaganzas featuring superheroes. It's a moderately fun ride for two-plus hours that is best experienced, not subjected to theological scrutiny.
(Originally published on Joanne Bamberger's (aka PunditMom) "The Broad Side," cross-posted with permission.)


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From €98
Including prescription lenses
Free shipping to Estonia 🇪🇪.
30 day return policy
What's included
Two years guarantee on frame & lenses
Anti-scratch lens coating
Super thin prescription lenses
Responsible case & cloth
Sleek, svelte rims. Smooth, silky acetate. Spacious square lenses, with slightly rounded edges. The Nelson is something quite special, alright.
The specs
The frame is made from high quality Bio acetate.
The fit
Frame dimensions are 51/20/145.


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|Need a new computer?
The icon for Power-Point compatible slides has been updated.
A new icon for sound files, podcasts, or any other audio has been added.
Both new icons now appear on the Kinda Smart page and in the Key available in the top menu bar of any outline page.
|New audio icon
|New slide icon
I've added a link to an NPR story on the impact of culture on science research to the History & Culture Mini Lesson.
I've added new Moodle Help page on how to get all the questions from a previously taken test, quiz, or Check In to appear so you can print them out.
I've added links to the new Moodle Help page in the top menu bar. Read More!


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Dallas County Sheriff
Human Resources
501 Main Street, Suite #101, Dallas, TX 75202
Telephone: (214) 741-1094
The possibilities are yours to explore!
The Dallas Sheriff's Department offers an exciting variety of career opportunities: deputy, detention service officer, food services and clerical positions are available. We create opportunities to build stronger communities in which to live and work. It is important for our employees to fulfill their personal and professional potential, because it builds good morale and provides a professional working atmosphere. At the Dallas County Sheriff's Department, we embrace diversity and understand that our countywide success is a direct result from our globally eclectic workforce.
We're actively seeking people who share our passion for excellence, teamwork and original thinking.
We invite you to explore our website to learn more about the Dallas County Sheriff's Department.
The Dallas County Sheriff's Department is An Equal Opportunity Employer.
Personnel Section:
The Personnel Section exists to recruit and hire the best qualified applicants for deputy, detention officer, and civilian positions, and to ensure the maintenance of a quality workforce. We strive to accomplish this through cooperation with the community we serve and comprehensive screening processes designed to identify capable candidates with sound judgment and integrity, and who possess the ability to become employees who exhibit professionalism and commitment to service to the citizens of Dallas County.
As secondary functions the Personnel Section serves as a repository for employee personnel records; coordinates time and attendance reporting, Family Medical Leave (FMLA), and Workers Compensation, and lateral transfers; provides employment reports to TCLEOSE; and issues departmental credentials.
The hiring of Detention Service Officers (DSOs) and clerical/technical staff occurs on an ongoing basis. DSOs are hired to serve as jailers licensed by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE). All DSO applicants must successfully pass the following in order to be hired:


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Gallardo homers, Brewers hit 5 to top Pirates 10-4
Brewers Now 45-7 vs. Pirates at Miller Park since 2007
Brewers pitcher Yovani Gallardo hit one of five home runs for Milwaukee, which went back-to-back twice in a 10-4 rout of the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night.
Gallardo also tossed three-hit ball over seven innings, retiring his final 13 batters while improving to 10-2 against Pittsburgh. He and Norichika Aoki hit consecutive homers in the fourth before Carlos Gomez and Yuniesky Betancourt repeated the feat in the fifth.
Jean Segura also connected for the Brewers, who added three triples and matched a season high for runs. They hit back-to-back homers twice in a game for the first time since 2005.
Milwaukee is 45-7 against the Pirates at Miller Park since 2007, the best record by any team against a division opponent during that stretch.
Gallardo (3-1) gave up two runs, one earned. He struck out five and walked two.
The Pirates jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first, but Milwaukee went ahead in the bottom half on Segura's two-run shot. The Brewers added three more runs in the inning as Pittsburgh starter Wandy Rodriquez (2-1) struggled with his control, issuing four walks.
Rodriguez, who entered with a 1.66 ERA, had walked only three batters in his first four starts of the season.
Rodriguez lasted 3 2-3 innings, giving up six hits and seven runs. He walked four, struck out two and gave up three homers.
The Pirates added a run in the third inning as they benefited from a double error by Milwaukee first baseman Martin Maldonado, who misplayed a grounder and then made an errant throw, allowing Garrett Jones to reach second base. Jones scored on Gaby Sanchez's double.
Solo home runs accounted for the next four Brewers runs as they extended the lead to 9-2 after five innings. Milwaukee added a run in the seventh when Betancourt singled to drive in Gomez, who led off with a triple.
Jones hit a two-run homer in the eighth for the Pirates.
NOTES: Brewers first baseman Corey Hart, who hasn't played this season, returned to Milwaukee to continue his rehabilitation from January knee surgery. Hart had been working out at the Brewers' complex in Phoenix. ... The Brewers hit at least three triples in a game for the eighth time in franchise history. ... Marquette men's basketball coach Buzz Williams threw out the first pitch. The Golden Eagles, who reached the Elite Eight in this year's NCAA tournament, were recognized in a pregame ceremony.


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This guide describes how to use Oracle Multimedia, which ships with Oracle Database. It describes the management and integration of audio, image, and video, or other heterogeneous media data with other Oracle tools and software, and with third-party tools and software.
In Oracle Database 11g Release 1 (11.1), the name Oracle interMedia was changed to Oracle Multimedia. The feature remains the same, only the name has changed. References to Oracle interMedia were replaced with Oracle Multimedia although, some references to Oracle interMedia or interMedia might still appear in graphical user interfaces, code examples, and related documents in the Documentation Library for Oracle Database 11g Release 2 (11.2).
The sample code in this guide might not match the code shipped with Oracle Database Examples media. To run examples that are shipped with Oracle Database Examples media on your system, use the files provided with Oracle Database Examples media. Do not attempt to compile and run the code in this guide.
See Oracle Database New Features Guide for information about Oracle Database and the features and options that are available to you.
This guide is for application developers and database administrators who are interested in storing, retrieving, and manipulating audio, image, video, and heterogeneous media data in a database, including developers of audio, heterogeneous media data, image, and video specialization options. After familiarizing yourself with the concepts presented in this guide, consult Oracle Multimedia Reference for API information.
Our goal is to make Oracle products, services, and supporting documentation accessible to all users, including users that are disabled. To that end, our documentation includes features that make information available to users of assistive technology. This documentation is available in HTML format, and contains markup to facilitate access by the disabled community. Accessibility standards will continue to evolve over time, and Oracle is actively engaged with other market-leading technology vendors to address technical obstacles so that our documentation can be accessible to all of our customers. For more information, visit the Oracle Accessibility Program Web site at
Accessibility of Code Examples in Documentation
Screen readers may not always correctly read the code examples in this document. The conventions for writing code require that closing braces should appear on an otherwise empty line; however, some screen readers may not always read a line of text that consists solely of a bracket or brace.
Accessibility of Links to External Web Sites in Documentation
This documentation may contain links to Web sites of other companies or organizations that Oracle does not own or control. Oracle neither evaluates nor makes any representations regarding the accessibility of these Web sites.
Oracle customers have access to electronic support through My Oracle Support. For information, visit
http://www.oracle.com/support/contact.html or visit
http://www.oracle.com/accessibility/support.html if you are hearing impaired.
Note:For information added after the release of this guide, see the online
README.txt file under your
<ORACLE_HOME> directory. Depending on your operating system, this file may be in
See your operating system-specific installation guide for more information.
For more information about using Oracle Multimedia in a development environment, see the following documents in the Oracle Database Online Documentation Library:
Oracle Database SecureFiles and Large Objects Developer's Guide
For more information about using JDBC, see Oracle Database JDBC Developer's Guide.
For more information about using XML, see Oracle XML DB Developer's Guide.
For reference information about Oracle Multimedia Java classes in Javadoc format, see the following Oracle API documentation (also known as Javadoc) in the Oracle Database Online Documentation Library:
For information about using the Oracle Multimedia JSP Tag Library, see Oracle Multimedia JSP Tag Library Guide in the Oracle Multimedia Software section of the Oracle Technology Network Web site.
For more information about Java, including information about Java Advanced Imaging (JAI), see the API documentation provided by Oracle.
Many of the examples in this guide use the sample schemas. See Oracle Database Sample Schemas for information about how these schemas were created and how you can use them.
Although Boolean is a proper noun, it is presented as boolean in this guide when its use in Java code requires case-sensitivity.
The following text conventions are also used in this guide:
|Boldface type indicates graphical user interface elements associated with an action, or terms defined in text or the glossary.
|Italic type indicates book titles, emphasis, or placeholder variables for which you supply particular values.
|Monospace type indicates commands within a paragraph, URLs, code in examples, text that appears on the screen, or text that you enter.


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Three-In-One Distance Measuring Tool
Kickstart Your DIY Project Using a Three-In-One Distance Measuring Tool Featuring 2.5m Measuring Tape, Horizontal and Vertical Spirit Levels and a Laser Pointer with a Range Up to 15 Metres. Only $19
- Highlights
- Fine Print
- Direct Import
The Offer
If your current DIY measuring system consists of an old beat up tape measure with more kinks than the guys who wrote 'Lola' then you could do worse than upgrading to this fancy Distance Measuring Tool!
Make your home reno projects that much easier with this handy three-in-one device
Includes a 2.5m measuring tape, horizontal and vertical spirit levels and a laser pointer with a range up to 15 metres
Measures (HWL) 188 x 35 x 63mm and features a laser wavelength of 650mm-680mm
It's the ideal multifunctional accessory for measuring up materials and making sure everything fits into place - perfect for big DIY projects or simply hanging a picture frame on a wall
What We Like
An excellent gift for the handyman or handywoman in your life!
Get your tool delivered for $5.95
Check out the 'fine print' tab for more info
The Fine Print
Please enter delivery details at checkout. Once purchased your goods will be automatically sent to your address in approximately three weeks from the end of the promotion, no further action will be required
Delivery to PO Box addresses is not possible
A delivery fee of $5.95 applies per item
Members can purchase up to twenty vouchers (gift vouchers aren't available for this offer, but you can purchase multiple vouchers and give the product as a gift)
Your product will be delivered to you by the supplier of the product. The estimated delivery time for this product has been provided by the supplier
Please allow more time for delivery to regional areas
Not valid in conjunction with any other offer and not redeemable for cash
No refunds or returns, except where required by law
Please ensure your address is correct. Incorrect addresses will incur a re-delivery fee
This product is a direct import. Please see our direct import terms and conditions page for more information.


text:
Check out- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxJa4isW8JQ
If you liked Humpty Dumptys jig, youll love how the rest of the characters come alive in our upcoming release. Bouncy tunes, classic rhymes, engaging activities all rolled into one app. Your preschooler (and you too!) will love playing with this app. Set to a very contemporary beat, your child will have a blast listening to the rhymes and enjoying the activities that go with each one.
This cute app will hit the iTunes store soon. You can suggest a name for the app and if your entry is selected you can get a free promo code. Visit http://punflay.com/blog/index.php/2010/07/guess-my-name/ to know more.


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A beloved part of Italian cooking, every family has their own favourite bolognese recipe, known as Ragù alla Bolognese, a meat-based sauce originating from Bologna. Typically served with tagliatelle, spaghetti or pappardelle, bolognese pairs well with any pasta that's designed for capturing and holding onto sauce, such as one of the south's favourite sons — Fusilli — the crazy corkscrew-shaped pasta that originated in the regions of Molise and Basilicata in Southern Italy. Originally developed by rolling fresh spaghetti around a thin rod and letting it dry, fusilli gets its name by the 'fuso', meaning 'little spindles' in Italy, the knitting tool used to roll up the wool. Its spiral shape and thick coils are ideal at capturing every type of sauce, making it the perfect yet unexpected partner for this robust and 'delizioso' bolognese — the perfect marriage of north and south. Magnifique!
Fusilli Bolognese with Beef, Pork, Veal & Sausage
Serves 6
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1 lb ground veal
3 spicy Italian sausages, casings removed
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 28 oz cans whole Italian San Marzano plum tomatoes
8 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano, shaved or chipped
1 lb fusilli, cooked al dente
1 bunch fresh basil or pea sprouts for garnish
In a large pot, cook the ground beef, pork, veal and and crumbled sausage with a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat until browned, stirring frequently to ensure even cooking, about 20-30 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid and discard.
While meat is cooking, combine the finely chopped onion, carrot, celery and garlic in a small bowl. Once the meat is done, add in the vegetables, bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the tomato paste and wine and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, including the juice from the can, and crush the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
About 30 minutes before the sauce is done, put a large pot of water on to boil over high heat. Once the water is at a rolling boil, add 2 heaping tablespoons of salt and add the dried pasta. Stir gently and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta in a large colander. To serve, divide the pasta between 6 warmed dinner bowls and top with generous spoonfuls of sauce. Using a cheese knife, break off small chips of the Parmigiano-Reggiano and sprinkle over each bowl, then garnish with fresh basil or pea shoots — serve immediately.


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I have a very strong opinion about Odyssey batteries. I have one in my R1150R which I suspect is on borrowed time (6 years), one in my F650GS, and one in my Chevy truck.
'03 R1150R, '03 F650GS, '97DR200SE,'78 Honda CT-90, '77Honda CT-90
MrCrab where did you find the UB12220 for $45? The one in my 1150RT is dying. Clock resets at every restart.
I got it at Buy.com. Put UB12220 in the search box at the top and several come up. If I remember right I picked the first one. No problems with the transaction and they even shipped it priority mail from NY to AZ, so it came in a couple days.
Most likely shipped from www.batterysharks.com in Rhinebeck, NY. Link to the UB12220 is hereNo problems with the transaction and they even shipped it priority mail from NY to AZ, so it came in a couple days.
I think that Batterysharks is going to charge for shipping
How about the PC 680, will it fit in the 1150RT? Also found the new Shorei for $184 and free shipping.
Decisions decisions.....
I believe the 680 is the one for the R1150R. Its been a long time.
'03 R1150R, '03 F650GS, '97DR200SE,'78 Honda CT-90, '77Honda CT-90
I put a PC680 in my R1150T-P (2004). It was not an exact fit, but the only real difference was that I had to bend brackets slightly, and that I could not utilize the "jump post" that comes on police models. It may have been an exact fit except for that. The battery works great. Incidentally, this bike has, for the entire time I've owned it, had a mysterious tendency to "blow it's own horn" at somewhat of a reduced db level, happened intermittently, always with ignition on and engine off. Went away with the new batt and hasn't come back.
R75/6, Non functioning 2014 FJR1300A
If one wants to purchase the Panasonic, its available here for $70.
I've volunteered to be the "guinea pig" for using a Shorai (LFX21L6-BS12). I've noticed better starting, and no more ABS Low Battery Faults - even after repeated start attempts. It is an exact depth match to the 51319 spec (for depth), but does need a bit of padding on the bottom and side of the battery box to fill out the space and secure itself (no, I do not have pictures - I forgot to take them after getting the thing installed).
Yes, I know about the 'cold start' issues, but it really doesn't get that cold down here in Central Texas. I'll try the recommended battery warm up procedure and starting on the coldest day we have this winter.
As always, YMMV...
Last edited by JoshuaTree; 10-16-2012 at 11:08 PM.
Josh Friedman
"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?"
"... Love Much, Laugh Often..."
The typical failure of AGM batteries is a mechanical failure - not a chemical failure. Usually they die when in interplate or intercell connector physically breaks. This happens because of vibration, jolts, jars, and bumps. It can happen early or it can happen late, but the more miles the more jolts.
Paul Glaves - "Big Bend", Texas U.S.A
"The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution." - Bertrand Russell
To expand a little further on what Paul said. Odyssey makes two batteries. One for the general public and one that is rugged. For example, the oilheads use the Odyssey PC680. But, you can also order an Odyssey PC680MJ which is made with a metal jacket to reduce vibration and extend the life of the battery. You can see them here: .
Here is what they say about the Odyssey PC680MJ: This battery offers the same power of the regular PC680 battery, but includes a special metal jacket. This jacket provides the battery with a slightly higher operating temperature range, more resistance to vibration, and protection against debris that may hit the battery when used in compatible applications. The jacket makes it slightly larger than the regular PC680 battery, increasing it's size by approximately 1/10 of an inch. The Odyssey PC680MJ battery combines in one box the characteristics of two separate batteries. It can deep cycle (be recharged) as well as provide enormous cranking power. Only Hawker Odyssey batteries are based on the same battery technology offered by Hawker to the military for aircraft and tank batteries. Odyssey batteries are of military grade and have endured rigorous tests that demonstrate their overall ruggedness and exceptional tolerance of mechanical abuse.
If you want to buy a lead-acid battery look for a battery that has the highest dry weight. The higher the weight, the more lead is in the battery, and the longer it will last.
When you store your bike for the Winter, make sure you hook it up with the correct battery tender. Letting your battery run down over the Winter will cause sulphation build up and this will reduce the life of the battery. You can read more about it here
Just saw one of these with the can removed yesterday. (It wouldn't fit with the can around it)
For our application there is no risk of debris hitting the battery or temperature issues or excessive vibration. I wouldn't pay extra for a battery in a can for an oilhead. Just not necessary or practical.
It was a nice can though. Would make a good battery box on an airhead!
MJM - BeeCeeBeemers Motorcycle Club Vancouver B.C.


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Subscribe to our e-newsletter mailing list to keep up with NCCCO news and industry headlines.
November 2015—NCCCO is pleased to announce the following Practical Examiner Accreditation Workshops to be held in Woodland, WA:
Refresher workshops will be held on the first day of each workshop.
Who Should Attend:
To be eligible to attend the Signalperson Practical Examiner Accreditation Workshop you must be certified in the Signalperson program.
To be eligible to attend the Rigger Level I Practical Examiner Accreditation Workshop you must be certified in the Rigger Level I program.
NCCCO reviews all potential participants' applications before admission to the Workshop is granted. All applications must include payment and resumes or will be considered incomplete and will not be processed. The Signalperson Workshop is strictly limited to 12 participants and the Rigger Level I Workshop is strictly limited to 12 participants. The workshops are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Deadline to Register:
The deadline to register for these workshops is January 4, 2016. Please fill out the Workshop Application and return it to NCCCO's Salt Lake City Office via fax at 801-363-3806 or email to firstname.lastname@example.com in PDF format.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact Erin Jones.
Copyright, 1995-2019. All rights reserved.


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Rockbox SanDisk Sansa Fuze Daily BuildsThese are automated daily builds of the latest code. They contain all the latest features. They may also contain bugs and/or undocumented changes... The top line is the latest. This build is for SanDisk Sansa Fuze.
Page was last modified "Sat May 23 08:12:40 2020" The Rockbox Crew


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Hell Rell Denies Rumors Of Him Getting Shot In The a$$ & Disses French Montana! "If I Get Shot Its WW3. That Nicca Is West Nile Virus African. I Dont Believe In Your Rap Career"
HipHopBeef interviews Hell Rell
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
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Featured Product!A gorgeous design. Click to customize and personalize. Maybe you'd like to see your name or initials on it?
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Fun series A bright, fun painting featuring a mass of jumbled up and interwoven staring eyes, screaming mouths and bewildered faces.Pace of life too manic? If you feel like you want the world to stop, so you can get off, then this design is for you!
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The Zazzle Promise: We promise 100% satisfaction. If you don't absolutely love it, we'll take it back!


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Mark Moffett / Minden / Solent
Entomologist Mark Moffett found this carrot-eating giant weta in a tree on New Zealand's Little Barrier Island. The cricketlike critter weighs 2.5 ounces (71 grams) and has a length of 7 inches (17.8 centimeters).
Is this the world's biggest bug? As with all superlatives, it depends on your definition. But the sight of a New Zealand giant weta chomping down on a carrot surely has to give you the creeps, even if it's rivaled by other giant creepy crawlies.
This particular species of the cricketlike creature — known as a giant weta or wetapunga to the Maori, and as Deinacrida heteracantha to scientists — is found only in protected areas such as New Zealand's Little Barrier Island. That's where Mark ("Doctor Bugs") Moffett, an entomologist and explorer at the Smithsonian Institution, found the specimen after two nights of searching.
"The giant weta is the largest insect in the world, and this is the biggest one ever found," Britain's Daily Mail quoted Moffett as saying. "She weighs the equivalent to three mice. ... She enjoyed the carrot so much she seemed to ignore the fact she was resting on our hands and carried on munching away. She would have finished the carrot very quickly, but this is an extremely endangered species, and we didn't want to risk indigestion."
The carrot-crunching cricket went viral today, and now questions are starting to emerge about the "biggest bug" label. The information accompanying the picture lists the insect's weight at 2.5 ounces (71 grams) and its length at 7 inches (17.8 centimeters, supposedly for wingspan, but keep reading).
The New Zealand-based news site Stuff.co.nz checked that with Landcare Research entomologist Thomas Buckley. "From the picture, it's a female, but it just looks like an average-sized one of that species," Buckley said.
Even the biggest giant weta has its rivals in the insect world. By some accounts, goliath beetles can reach a weight of 100 grams (3.5 ounces) during their larval stage and achieve a wingspan of nearly 10 inches (25 centimeters). The White Witch moth, meanwhile, has a wingspan of up to 12 inches (31 centimeters), which is wider than the wings of a sparrow.
But if you confine yourself strictly to adult insects, and define "big" in terms of weight, Moffett appears to have a good case. He told me in an email that the giant weta he found counts as the "largest one weighed, as far as I have seen recorded anywhere."
Now, if your definition of a "bug" takes in more than insects — say, the giant crustaceans known as isopods, which are super-sized versions of rolypoly bugs — then you're talking about bugs of truly horrific proportions. Do you have tales of monster bugs to share? Add them as comments below.
Update for 9:30 p.m. ET Dec. 2: Some of the reports about this giant weta make it sound as if the darn thing might bite somebody's finger off, but that's bogus. This CafeTerra posting describes the bug as a vegetarian and "the gentle giant of the insect world." They survive only in protected environments because they've been driven to near-extinction by rats and other invasive predators on New Zealand's main islands. The Kiwi Conservation Club says the bug is a "docile creature and does not kick or bite." Some reports have referred to the giant weta as having a 7-inch wingspan, but Moffett told me that the insect is "wingless, or virtually so." It's so heavy that it can't jump. It's so big that it can't easily hide from predators. And yes, it's edible.
Update for 11:30 p.m. ET Dec. 2: Moffett shed more light on the "biggest bug" question in a follow-up email: "I did not measure anything but the weight (one should correctly call it the 'world's heaviest adult insect'), but a rough estimate from the picture suggests an outstretched leg might be 7 inches. The weta is essentially wingless: no wings to see at all, let alone a seven-inch wing. [As to size:] I've seen a walking stick nearly 19 inches long in Sarawak, Malaysia, but it weighs next to nothing!"
Update for 3 p.m. ET Dec. 4: Uh-oh ... The New Zealand Herald quotes entomologist Ruud Kleinpaste as saying that the heaviest giant weta on record weighed 72 grams, which would be a gram heavier than Moffett's carrot-eating friend. Kleinpaste also said it's not unusual for the bugs to munch on carrots. But even if Moffett's weta is an unremarkable "wee 'un," Kleinpaste is glad for the publicity: "I think it's wonderful as long as weta get the attention and not that idiot American."
More weird tales of the insect world:
- Eight insects with the 'ick' factor
- For monster crickets, size does matter
- How 'bugs of death' can solve murder cases
- How about a yummy scoop of grasshopper?
- Slideshow: Portrait of a bug, and other small wonders
Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.


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48 members8 Comments 1 Like
570 members9 Likes
Gwen has not received any gifts yet
Hi Gwen,
Just joined this group and I'm a casual player & pretty good. Please let me know how to start find a team, around Lincoln Park or Lakeview or Downtown Chicago.
Please feel free to contact me via 312-479-4838. Many thanks. Shirley
Hi, Gwen:
I live in Park Ridge, too, and am both a singles and doubles player at 3.5. Appreciate playing with different partners. I also play with a mixed doubles group, and we are always in needs of players. I memberships at Tam in Niles and River Trails in Arlington Heights. If interested in playing at a mutually convenient time and court, please let me know. My mobile is 312-968-9199 or leave a comment on my page (Mike Maggio). Especially looking for partners to play with in the summer, since indoor league season is over.
© 2020 Created by Mark / The Mayor. Powered by


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The Best Songs for Running, Cycling, Jumping Rope, and Dance
Reach your resolution — and start building your playlist — with our exclusive roundup of 2009's best rev-you-up tunes.
Bring It (160-plus beats per minute)
Best for running (5 mph or faster), cycling (a moderate 80 rpm and above), jumping rope, cardio dance
"Best I Ever Had" - Drake
"Run This Town" - Jay-Z, featuring Rihanna and Kanye West
"Obsessed" - Mariah Carey
"21 Guns" - Green Day
"Heard 'Em All" - Amerie
"Backwards Down the Number Line" - Phish
"Relator" - Pete Yorn and Scarlett Johansson
"I'm in Love with a Ripper" - YACHT
"End Transmission" - AFI
"American Ride" - Toby Keith
"I Need a Girl" - Trey Songz
"Boombox" - Bassnectar
"Say Hey (I Love You)" - Michael Franti and Spearhead, featuring Cherine Anderson
"Jumpin" - Jeremih
"Show Off" - Ginuwine
"Maybe This Time" - The Derek Trucks Band
"Kinda Like a Big Deal" - The Clipse, featuring Kanye West
"Champion" - Ace Hood, Jazmine Sullivan, and Rick Ross
"Right Here (Departed)" - Brandy
"Fireflies" - Owl City
The Best Songs for Jogging, Elliptical, and Stairclimbing
In the Zone (140 to 160 beats per minute)
Best for jogging (4.5 to 5 mph), elliptical, stairclimbing
"The Trouble with Flying" - Orba Squara
"Battlefield" - Jordin Sparks
"I Do Not Hook Up" - Kelly Clarkson
"Paragraphs of Love" - Ghostface Killah, Vaughn Anthony, and Estelle
"Blue Jeans" - Jessie James
"Last to Know" - Three Days Grace
"Knock You Down" - Keri Hilson, Kanye West, and Ne-Yo
"Love Drunk" - Boys Like Girls
"Solo" - Demi Lovato
"Break Up" - Mario, featuring Gucci Mane and Sean Garrett
"One Time" - Justin Bieber
"Welcome to the Future" - Brad Paisley
"Something Is Squeezing My Skull" - Morrissey
"Pitkin County Turnaround" - Steve Martin
"Testimony" - The Phenomenal Handclap Band, featuring Aurelio Valle and Jaleel Bunton
"Get On Your Boots" - U2
"IM Da Man of My City" - Popov
"Anywhere but Here" - Mayday Parade
"Break Your Little Heart" - All Time Low
"Permanent Heartbreak" - The Friday Night Boys
The Best Songs for Brisk Walking
Steady and Sweaty (125 to 140 beats per minute)
Best for brisk walking (3.5 to 4.5 mph), light elliptical or stairclimbing
"I Gotta Feeling" - The Black Eyed Peas
"Big Green Tractor" - Jason Aldean
"Smile" - Uncle Kracker
"Uprising" - Muse
"Lakeside" - BLK JKS
"Down" - Jay Sean, featuring Lil Wayne
"Fitz and the Dizzyspells" - Andrew Bird
"When Love Takes Over" - David Guetta, featuring Kelly Rowland
"Celebration" - Madonna
"3" - Britney Spears
"I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)" (More English Extended Mix) - Pitbull
"Leave the World Behind" (Radio Edit) - Axwell, Ingrosso, Angello, and Laidback Luke
"Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)" - A.R. Rahman and the Pussycat Dolls, featuring Nicole Scherzinger
"Fire Burning" - Sean Kingston
"Last Forever" (Original Dub Mix) - Norman Doray and Tristan Garner, featuring Errol Reid
"Beggin'" - Madcon
"Hundred Mile Stare" - Queensryche
"Make Me" - Janet Jackson
"I Get Lifted" - Eric Morillo
"Dangerous Animals" - Arctic Monkeys
The Best Songs for Strength Training and Walking
Easy Does It (105 to 125 beats per minute)
Best for walking (3 to 3.5 mph), strength training
"Cowboy Casanova" - Carrie Underwood
"Play My Cards for Me" - John Forte
"Straight Through My Heart" - Backstreet Boys
"Honky Tonk Stomp" - Brooks & Dunn, featuring Billy Gibbons
"Flashback" - Del the Funky Homosapien and Tame One
"Gettin' You Home" - Chris Young
"Good Girls Go Bad" - Cobra Starship, featuring Leighton Meester
"She Wolf" - Shakira
"Fallin' for You" - Colbie Caillat
"The One" - Mary J. Blige, featuring Drake
"Border Reiver" - Mark Knopfler
"I Ain't Hiding" - The Black Crowes
"Calloway" (Instrumental Version) - Ricky Skaggs
"The Whale Song" - Modest Mouse
"1348" - Umphrey's McGee
"Quiet Dog" - Mos Def
"Check My Brain" - Alice in Chains
"The Only Child of Aergia" - Owen
"Universal Mind Control (UMC)" - Common
"Dance Like Michael Jackson" - Far East Movement FM
The Best Songs for Yoga, Pilates, Warm-Ups, and Cooldowns
Zen Out (60 to 115 beats per minute)
Best for yoga, Pilates, warm-up, cooldown, stretches
"Lei Lei Ha" (Transglobal Underground Remix) - Watcha Clan
"Silencio" - Nelly Furtado and Josh Groban
"I Look to You" - Whitney Houston
"Pretty Wings" (Uncut) - Maxwell
"Slow Light" - Moby
"Only You Can Love Me This Way" - Keith Urban
"Pagan Poetry" - Bjork
"By Two's" - Yo La Tengo
"The End" - Pearl Jam
"Call Your Name" - Daughtry
"Just Ain't Gonna Work Out" - Mayer Hawthorne
"Release" - Tom Sinclair
"Another World" - Antony and the Johnsons
"Oblivion" - Joshua Bell and Carel Kraayenhof
"Stalemate" - Joss Stone with Jamie Hartman
"African Velvet" - AIR
"Who Says" - John Mayer
"Rama" - Earthrise Sound System
"All Things Must Pass" - Yim Yames
"Closer to the Bone" - Kris Kristofferson
Meet Our Mix Masters
Deekron, the Fitness DJ, producer of the free music podcast motiontraxx.com; Derek Beres, DJ and yoga instructor at Equinox Fitness Clubs in New York City; Jay Blahnik, fitness expert for msnbc.com; Patrick Goudeau, Nike Elite Fitness trainer; Mark Jenkins, celebrity trainer; Harley Pasternak, celebrity trainer; Lacey Stone, founder of Lacey Stone Fitness in New York City


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By Bob Esquerre and Kim Pace
January 17, 2006
Bob Esquerre, MA, MES, NSCA-CPT, NASM-CPT, ACE-CES is a fitness consultant and owner of the Esquerre Fitness Group. He is recognized by IHRSA as a subject-matter-expert in personal training, customer relationship management and membership retention. When all else fails, clubs tend to bring his group in to correct various situations.
Kim Pace, MS, ACSM-HFI, NASM-PES is a fitness consultant and owner of Kimberlie Pace, Inc. She is a programming specialist and professional coach with an extensive background in group exercise and personal training. Contact Kim at 561-756-7237 or e-mail [email protected]
One of the trends for 2006 will continue to be group training, but how can you get it to optimally work? From our perspective, group training works if your club can develop the return-on-investment (ROI) that is summarized in chart A.
1. Increase in revenue growth, in general.
2. Increase in revenue growth in fee-based programming services.
3. Increase in net membership growth.
4. Increase in rate of membership retention.
5. Increase in revenue per member.
6. Increase in non dues revenue/percentage of total revenue.
7. Increase in revenue/indoor square feet.
8. Decrease in salary, wages & benefits (SWB) performance.
9. Increase in EBIDTA performance/total revenues.
The International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) has consistently found, through its various membership retention studies, that clubs with unacceptably high attrition rates tend to have a weak customer-connection process. This means that the club does not have a cost-effective, member-centric focus or plan to keep their members after they join. As an enticement to close the sale, these clubs tend to over promise and under deliver. Once that new member comes through the front door, there is no formal mechanism or structure in place to keep them from leaving through the back door. If anything, the club tends to react only after it receives the membership cancellation notification. If you have worked in one of these clubs, group training can potentially be an option that can support your membership retention program.
The reasons why individuals drop out of clubs have been summarized in chart B. Depending on the dynamics of your group training programming option and the skill sets of your instructors, group training can potentially plug your attrition spigot by extending the club's programming reach to more members.
- Joint pain
- Overweight
- Lack of energy
- High blood pressure
- Smoking
- Other medical problems
- Lack of confidence
- Being self conscious
- Don't know what to do
- Intimidation
- Poor eating habits
- Think they're too old
- Lack of motivation
The group-training model must be structured around what we call a 3-Tier Winning System™. Members win by gaining confidence in their new-found abilities, by building supportive relationships with other club members and, more importantly, by getting results by accessing the experience of professional coaching and guidance from the club's fitness team. This team includes both group exercise instructors and personal trainers. The fitness team wins because they are able to touch and empower more members, and expand their business platforms, which increase their income potential. If members "win" by achieving the benefits outlined in table A, then the club "wins" as shown, once again, in chart A.
- Cholesterol/Reduced
- Body fat percentage/ Reduced
- Girth measurements/ Reduced
- Blood pressure/Reduced
- Resting heart rate/ Reduced
- Joint range of motion/Improved
- Joint stability/Improved
- Joint mobility/Improved
- Skeletal posture/Improved
- Muscular strength/Increased
- Muscular endurance/ Increased
- Occupational functionality/Improved
- ADL functionality/Improved
- Blood Profile/Improved
- Balance/coordination/ Improved
- Back health/Pain Free
How do you start? Programming success can be established if we plan our group-training program under the following planning assumptions:
1. Create group training team leaders. These professionals must be able to create the kinds of dynamics that would happen in a group exercise environment and blend it with the individual attention, professional coaching and guidance that is normally associated with a five-star personal training experience.
Because of the skill sets that are needed to manage the dynamics of the group, the instructors who are selected for this position should be promoted into it. In addition to their hourly payout, their additional upside is to drive their personal training income and to reinforce the foundations of their career paths.
2. Identify where you will conduct your group-training program. This decision is critical. You have three choices. Each choice has an upside and a downside.
Choice No. 1: Use an existing group exercise studio. If you use a studio, you will be "hard-pressed" to distinguish between a normal group exercise class and a fee-based program that is held in the same space. This is a difficult case to make since group exercise classes have become more equipment-based and are normally included as part of the monthly club membership dues. Another down side is that non-participants will not see the dynamics of group training because it may be separated in a non-visible studio.
Choice No. 2: Build a separate studio/room with its own group training-specific equipment. While this shows a strong commitment from the club for this programming option, the ROI, will take a long time to achieve. It is difficult to justify the capital investment required to build and equip the space without a clear guarantee on the return on this investment. In addition, this option leaves equipment idle when group training is not occurring. Also, as in choice No. 1, the other members cannot see the dynamics of this programming option because it is secluded in a separate room.
Choice No. 3: Use existing fitness floor space and existing equipment. This option presupposes that your club, as most clubs do, has multiple lines of equipment that have been positioned in circuit configurations. The upside: no additional capital equipment is required, no additional construction expense is required and the group training is highly visible because the training is out in the open where it can be seen. The potential downside, depending on when and how the group is structured, is that it could potentially restrict/limit equipment use for other non-group members. However, this issue can be managed.
3. Develop the right group training option(s). Group training can be broken into at least two viable options: semi-private group training with three to six members and team training with seven to 10 members. Anything higher than 10 members is clearly a traditional group exercise class. Obviously, the larger the group, the higher the income. However, the bigger the group, the greater the demand for a fitness professional with a higher skill set.
4. Choose the right pricing strategy. Your pricing strategy should be structured to support your growth objectives in both gross and net income. The group-training price point for semi-private group training should be at least between 50 percent and 60 percent of a non-discounted, single personal training session. Obviously, for team group training with seven to 10 members the price point should be between 30 percent and 40 percent of a non-discounted, single personal training session, since the instructor/member ratio is higher. If you want to reduce the high instructor/member ratio, you can add an additional instructor; however, if you take this course, you should adjust the individual fees upward to reflect the added staff support. Clubs tend not to maximize their income potential because they "give away" an excessive amount of their gross income as a payout to the program's staff, and they also do not take into account any equipment/supplies that are purchased to support the group-training programs.
Food-For-Thought Summary: The Four Whys for Group Training
Do you have a group training programming option that is positively affecting your total business model as summarized in chart A? If you are successful……great job! If not, our question is why not? Which of these four points are giving you a problem? Are you paying attention to one component at the expense of other viable considerations?
Key Reason No. 1: Your members benefit by receiving professional coaching and guidance that offers them affordable options under the umbrella of personal training. They build relationships with their professional coach and fellow participants. This facilitates the member integration process which will minimize/offset the club's attrition rate. The considerations here are what does it cost you to recruit a new member and, what does it cost you to lose a member?
Key Reason No. 2: This benefits the fitness professional, your employee. When group training is positioned as a promoted position, the club's most talented, educated and skilled trainers and instructors will apply. As a professional coach, this allows your employees to expand their business platforms and increase their income potential while they empower more of your members to reach their goals.
If both primetime and non-primetime slots are allocated for group training, you can build a lasting relationship between the member and your fitness professionals. We call this Personal Touch™ programming because the club's most trusted and talented fitness professionals are professionally influencing and empowering the club's members.
Key Reason No. 3: The successful implementation of a viable group-training program can potentially support the development of a programming synergy between group exercise and personal training. If done correctly, this synergy enables a club to reinforce the value of the club's brand vis-à-vis membership recruitment and membership retention.
Key Reason No. 4: The club's ROI. At a minimum, group training can potentially generate between $30,000 to $80,000 a year with an average of six to seven classes a week with four to six participants per class. If more members are involved, income potential can increase. If the program is structured correctly, your club could potentially achieve a net income return of 30 percent after salary and non-capital expenses and become your untapped revenue source for 2006.


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Category Archives: assistant editor
>Office Hierarchy
>I've begun to get a handle on the hierarchy of employees here. The top-guy for financials, it appears, is the publisher. TF's editorial and publicity offices are arranged along one very long and very narrow hallway. The publisher's office, a huge behemoth, is situated at the end of the row in the only place which could accommodate such a big office while allowing it to have ample windows. I find it interesting that, save for one, the only man in the imprint is in the top position. Call me hysterical, call me paranoid, but I do wonder if this has anything to do with a glass ceiling. I've read, in more than one source, that the "glass ceiling" does not exist in book publishing because of the ratio of women to men. In a different industry, like law, for example, a woman might be prevented from emerging at the top because she needs to prove herself so much more than a man might need to. Sounds awful, sounds like fifty years ago, I know, but it's true! Here in the publishing world, however, most of the employees are women. I have interacted extensively with not a single male. I know the names of three, as opposed to knowing the names of three times that many women. But the publisher doesn't appear to rule over the women (and one man) under him, exactly. He appears to be a well-educated man who knows that to be a leader you must interact, cooperate and work with your inferiors. He appears to do a very good job of this. Also, the editor-in-chief, who I'll get to in a minute, is also a high-boss, while being a woman. Down in human resources, the director (or top guy) is a woman. So I'm leaning toward agreeing with the sources that say there is no glass ceiling in publishing. At the other end of the long editorial half of the hallway is the editor-in-chief's office which is also quite huge. The EIC is the big-girl for all things editorial. What I can't figure out (and don't have the nerve to ask) is who is whose boss there? I want to say that technically the publisher is the EIC's boss because of his title, but that's not exactly cut-and-dried. Judging by their interaction with each other, I'd say that their relationship goes one of two ways: either he is her boss and they work very, very well together (no barked orders or anything like that) or neither is the other's boss and they are horizontally responsible for the imprint. Perplexing.Outside the EIC's office, sits Danielle, who is my boss. I think. She's an assistant editor, which means that she's an editorial assistant with a bigger paycheck, only one editor to work for and the freedom to take on projects of her own. The editor Danielle works for is that EIC, and Danielle appears to have an immense amount of work to do. She also acquires her own books to edit, even though she's technically an assistant. I believe this is because no one gets too comfy in Danielle's position. The idea is to move up to be an editor and the EIC is helping her to do that by giving her (or letting her get for herself) a project much like those an editor will handle. Danielle is a step above an editorial assistant who rarely takes on projects of her own, but handles a lot of work for her editor. The editorial assistant I'm sitting next to, seems much less busy than Danielle and probably a little less knowledgeable. Hence, I suppose, the distinction between "assistant editor" and "editorial assistant." I know the difference between these two titles sounds like simple semantics, but despite the subtleties, believe me, there is a big difference. Danielle seems to be a wealth of knowledge while the editorial assistant seems to be just learning. And then, of course, there's me. I'm at the bottom and I receive work from anyone who wants to give it to me. I don't get nearly enough work to do, but I love every piece of it that comes my way. I feel like every new task is a way for me to prove that I'm intelligent, too. I can handle these tasks. It is important to me that I impress my superiors here, because one day, when I'm out of college, I might wish to apply here as an editorial assistant so that I may continue to stare blankly during editorial meetings, absorbing all the information. If I consistently do my best in every menial task I perform, maybe they'll remember me.