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John is a software development manager at UWI.com and can be contacted at [email protected]
The most important aspect of web-based e-commerce is the formulation of electronic records that achieve transaction nonrepudiation through the proper use of digital signatures. Other quintessential needs of e-commerce include human readability, publicly accessible open standards, precision layout and fine-grain presentation logic typical of dense business and government forms, and the ability to extend the language to express all aspects of records management, such as the representation of server-side business logic.
The Extensible Forms Description Language (XFDL) is an XML extension language that addresses these key issues involved with doing electronic commerce on the Web. A current copy of the XFDL specification appears as a proposal on the W3C web site (http://www.w3.org/TR/ NOTE-XFDL/). In this article, I'll discuss how e-commerce needs affected the design of XFDL, and describe the actual structure of XFDL markup. More on XFDL is available in a paper I coauthored with B. Blair entitled, "XFDL: Creating Electronic Transactions Records Using XML" (Proceedings of Eighth Annual World Wide Web Conference, May 1999).
Although UWI.com (the company I work for) was the driving force behind XFDL, the language is an open standard and UWI.com has placed no intellectual property rights on it. UWI.com does provide an API that reads and writes XFDL, performs computes, creates and checks digital signatures, and enables Get/Set/Search capabilities on the nodes of the parse tree.
UWI.com also provides a trial version of its XFDL viewer at http://www.uwi.com/ products/. The viewer operates both directly in the web browser and standalone. The page also provides links to many example forms, or you could write your own with either a text editor or a trial version of the XFDL visual forms designer.
Third parties support XFDL insofar as they support XML, or by distributing the viewer and utilizing the API and/or UWI.com's prebuilt database and workflow integration products to create application-specific behaviors. There is usually no need to write much custom code -- just write the XFDL forms. Furthermore, implementors can put custom Java classes right into forms if necessary, and those classes can call the UWI.com API. Hence, XFDL is not limited by XML.
The Origin of XFDL
Work on XFDL began in 1993 with a project known as Masque, which happened to be the name of the University of Victoria computer on which the project started. The language had many structural similarities to XML, but lacked the ability to express computations and deep hierarchy. The language was redesigned in 1996 to address these shortcomings, and it received the more ambitious title "Universal Forms Description Language" (UFDL). XML became a W3C recommendation in 1998, and XFDL represents a subsequent migration of the key ideas of UFDL into an XML syntax. At the time, UFDL addressed all of the e-commerce needs described earlier except that it is not based on a Standard. For anyone in the UFDL problem space, this move to an XML syntax represented a significant advantage. Although UFDL was already in a human readable format with a C++/Java-like syntax, the importance of being based on the XML Standard should not be undervalued. Due to the rapidly growing base of software and programming skills for processing XML documents, any XML-based syntax can be processed less expensively and can also be interoperable with a wider range of software. Furthermore, even if it becomes necessary to migrate to other software or formats in the future, this can be done without relying on a specific vendor's products or highly specialized skill sets.
In turn, methodologies developed for UFDL were quite new, and sometimes controversial, for an XML markup language. This includes the document centrism, declarative presentation logic, the size and scope of XFDL as well as its overlap with numerous other W3C efforts, and the fact that a single Document Type Definition (DTD) cannot be created for all XFDL forms.
Document centrism is unusual for web protocols, but it is the key to reliable transaction records. Most web protocols achieve flexibility through a more stratified approach, yet this flexibility is precisely what cannot exist for a transaction record. The full nature of the agreement must be captured, and it must be immutable once signed. Lending credence to XFDL's approach is PDF Version 4.0. Although PDF suffers from structural inaccessibility (opaqueness) and other problems, it does at least apply digital signatures to the whole PDF document, which includes the presentation layer (see the accompanying text box entitled "The Digital Signature Problem").
XFDL has a declarative style for input validation/formatting and for computations. A markup language should be more declarative, yet both HTML forms and PDF rely on JavaScript for these functions. This seems to be a matter of expedience rather than design preference. There is a strong analogy between form calculations and spreadsheet calculations. Imagine how much less effective spreadsheets would be if the computations were expressed in the imperative rather than the declarative. Procedural programming would be no more difficult in small spreadsheets, but business problems don't tend to be small, and assertion-based computations are certainly preferable for spreadsheets that occur in practice because the user doesn't have to rewrite a piece of the inference engine every time the spreadsheet changes. The same is true of forms.
Another controversy surrounding XFDL is its size. One measure of its size is the number of other W3C proposals, works-in-progress, and recommendations that seem to overlap with XFDL. XFDL can be improved in many ways, but it is essentially a complete solution to a large problem. Many prior specifications are smaller because they solve a smaller problem, which is natural because the origin of XFDL predates XML-based work by several years. Moreover, XFDL overlaps certain other specifications, but trying to create an e-commerce solution from the overlapping bits simply creates a patchwork that does not have the design consistency of a work engineered to solve problems in the e-commerce space. One good example is MathML, the Mathematical Markup Language (http://www.w3 .org/TR/WD-math-970515/). This is a fine language for complex mathematical formulae found in mathematics, but not appropriate for business applications. Finally, there is the matter of a document type definition (DTD). Although a DTD could be created for each XFDL form, no single DTD can validate all XFDL forms. DTDs have the expressive power of a regular expression, so infix mathematical expressions (which are recognized by parsers, not lexical analyzers) can only be validated as character data. Other obstacles to creating a single XFDL DTD exist, but by far the largest problem is that XFDL is, itself, extensible. Most XML extension languages have a predefined list of keywords to use as element tags and attributes, but XFDL allows the definition of custom items, options, and compute functions to fill the e-commerce need to express business logic and application-specific functions beyond the core XFDL language. DTDs cannot describe extensible XML languages.
Structural Overview of XFDL
The root element of an XFDL form is surrounded by <XFDL> and </XFDL> tags. The XFDL element has a mandatory version parameter that indicates the XFDL language version to which the form complies. This controls the XFDL keywords that are available. Listing One is an example of this; its comments also state that the content of the XFDL element can include form global options followed by one or more pages.
Pages and Items
The structure of form global options is the same as regular options. Each page element is surrounded by <page> and </page> tags, respectively. Each page has a mandatory attribute called a "sid" (short for "scope identifier") and provides a page name that is unique within the surrounding XFDL element. Each page has a body of zero or more page global options followed by zero or more item elements. Like form globals, page globals have the same structure as regular options. Each item represents a single GUI object or an item that is not directly visible, such as a digital signature or a binary image enclosure (expressed in Base-64; see http://ds.internic .net/rfc/rfc2045.txt/). The tag name of the item element indicates the type of item, such as a field, label, button, checkbox, popup, and so on. Each item also contains a sid attribute that gives it a name that is unique within its page. Listing Two is an example of these ideas.
Each XFDL page, item, and option has a scope identifier. Pages and items specify their scope identifier in the value of the sid attribute. Options do not require the sid attribute because the option's tag name is expected to be unique within the scope of its parent element. According to Tim Bray, coeditor of the XML 1.0 specification, this is a necessary inconsistency as it causes XFDL to have a look-and-feel that XML users have come to expect.
Relative Scope
XML contains a facility for uniquely identifying any markup element, but the identifier must be globally unique within the entire document, so it is not scalable to the large forms typically found in business and government. Relative scoping is quite helpful when trying to cut-and-paste groups of items or options while building a form, and it is particularly useful when the cut-and-paste occurs during the form's run time, such as dynamic duplication of a row of items in a purchase order.
The primary role of form global options is to provide defaults that are also overridden by page globals (although information about the whole form can be stored in form global options). Likewise, the primary role of page globals is to provide defaults for the options appearing in each item, which the item can override when necessary. For example, a page or form global option for font information can specify the typeface, point size, and special characteristics (such as bold) of the default font used by all items. This prevents each item from needing to specify options unless special effects are required. Page globals can also carry page-specific information, like the background color to use on the form. Furthermore, global options like bgcolor can double as defaults when it makes sense. For example, the global bgcolor also provides the default background color for static labels, but items that can take input, such as fields and popups, have a default background color of white.
Options come in two basic varieties: those with element content that is simple character data, and those with element content that contains subelements. The latter are called arrays in XFDL, and are distinguished by a content attribute with a value of array. Listing Three shows option examples for the TITLE label from Listing Two.
In the options of Listing Three, it never seems to make sense to have more than one copy of any of these options. Why state the justification or the size more than once? This is generally true of XFDL options, and this is why their tag names suffice as scope identifiers. On the other hand, a form typically requires many fields, labels, and so on, which is why items require the sid attribute.
The other thing to notice about array options is that their subelements do not need to have unique identifiers. Although the size option shows array elements that do have names, it is most often the case in XFDL that array elements do not need specific names because computations can refer to them by ordinal position, just like arrays in other languages. When a unique name is not used, the array element tag is simply ae, as in the fontinfo options in Listing Three. For example, a computation can obtain the typeface of the label's font using TITLE.fontinfo[0], whereas the label width can be referred to using either TITLE.size[width] or TITLE.size[0].
XFDL's format option reduces server-side processing as well as network communication of erroneous forms by providing both input validation and input formatting. In Listing Four, the HOURS field contains a format option that constrains the input to be an integer between 1 and 99. The range requires a scope identifier not because it is a subarray, but rather, to alleviate order dependence within the format option. Field input can also be restricted to floating-point values, dollar values, and dates. Templates offer more exotic field input validators for objects such as phone numbers and zip codes. The RATE field in Listing Four shows a modifier (add_ds) that reformats the user input--in this case, to add a dollar sign if one was not provided.
It may seem odd that XFDL arrays require a content attribute since they seem distinguishable by the fact that they contain subelements rather than simple character data. However, the actual reason for the content attribute is that XFDL uses XML element depth for different reasons, including to express a computation for character data. The field in Listing Five declares the value of WEEKLYCHECK to be the number of hours worked multiplied by the rate of pay, as indicated by user input. The subelement cval contains the current value of the computation, and the compute element contains the infix expression. As the user enters or changes the values in HOURS and RATE, the cval is automatically updated.
There are two additional important properties of computes. First, if a digital signature is specified to include the field WEEKLYCHECK, then once a user affixes a signature, the compute is locked and does not continue updating the cval. This is part of how XFDL captures a snapshot of the transaction. Second, suppose there was another field in the form we have been incrementally building, and suppose that it needed the value of the weekly check, say, to compute the income tax withholding. Even though the current value is in the subelement cval, you would still use the reference WEEKLYCHECK.value. This allows for seamless integration of computed and uncomputed elements.
Decision Logic, Nested Decisions, and CDATA
XFDL supports the standard comparators and logical operators as well as the ternary decision operator. These features can be used to enhance the computation in Listing Five by, for example, adding a calculation for overtime. The compute in Listing Six replaces the compute in Listing Five. It declares that the value of WEEKLYCHECK is either based on a regular time formula or an overtime formula based on a condition that expresses whether overtime was performed.
Whitespace can appear anywhere in the compute expression. As a matter of style, I tend to put the conditional on one line, then start the consequent on a new line with the question mark, and I put the else part on another line starting with the colon. This style is based on writing nested decision statements, where question marks and colons are indented two spaces.
The use of the XML CDATA feature is required for many decision-based computes. The reason is that "<" and "&" are normally forbidden characters in XML element content because they denote the beginning of start or end tags or the beginning of entity references. This conflicts with the less-than and less-than-or-equal-to operators (<,<=) and the logical and operator (&&).
Parsing Requirements of Computes
The syntax rules for XFDL state that the compute element content can either contain a mathematical expression or a decision statement, yet the starting conditional expression can also begin with an arbitrarily long mathematical expression. For example, a compute could contain x.value+y.value, or it could contain x.value+y.value<''0'' ? x.value : y.value. This inability to choose the language rule based on the left-most symbol implies that no recursive descent parser can be created for XFDL computes; an SLR(1) parser or better is required. However, note that not all XML processors require an auxiliary compute parser; they can derive useful information from XFDL forms by simply treating the computes as character data.
Events, Functions, and Extensibility
XFDL also supports events such as focused, activated, and mouseover as well as functions like toggle() and set() for detecting or causing these events. Many other functions are defined for string manipulations, math and financial calculations, and so on. Finally, the XFDL computation system continues to work in custom item and option elements that hold application-specific (often server-side) business logic.
Digital Signature Filters
A digital signature must be able to omit specific parts of the document, especially in multiple signature scenarios. A simple example of this is omitting the "office use only" section of a form from the signature of the person who fills out the form (and the "office" could sign the remaining section plus the first signature). Another example would be code signing a form; that is, using a signature to guarantee the operation of the form by signing its GUI layout and computational expressions while omitting the computations' current values and the tags that will store user input. For these purposes, XFDL includes signature filters that allow the form developer to define precisely which form elements are kept in or omitted from a signature.
Hopefully, design features of XFDL such as document centrism, assertion-based computations, and digital signature filters will become the expected standard in all future transaction processing applications.
Listing One
<?xml version="1.0"?> <XFDL version="4.0.0">   </XFDL>
Listing Two
<?xml version="1.0"?> <XFDL version="4.0.0">  <page sid="PAGE1">     <field sid="HOURS">  </field> <field sid="RATE">  </field> <field sid="WEEKLYCHECK">  </field> </page> </XFDL>
Listing Three
 <value>Salary Calculator</value> <fontinfo content="array"> <ae>Times</ae> <ae>24</ae> <ae>bold</ae> </fontinfo> <size content="array"> <width>50</width> <height>1</height> </size> <justify>center</justify>
Listing Four
<field sid="HOURS"> Number of Hours: <value>40</value> <format content="array"> <ae>integer</ae> <range content="array"> <ae>1</ae> <ae>99</ae> </range> </format> </field> <field sid="RATE"> Pay Rate: <value>$7.75</value> <format content="array"> <ae>dollar</ae> <ae>add_ds</ae> </format> </field>
Listing Five
<field sid="WEEKLYCHECK"> <editstate>readonly</editstate> <value content="compute"> <cval>$310.00</cval> <compute> HOURS.value*RATE.value </compute> </value> <format content="array"> <ae>dollar</ae> <ae>add_ds</ae> </format> </field>
Listing Six
<compute> <![CDATA[ HOURS.value <= "40" ? HOURS.value*RATE.value : "40"*RATE.value + (HOURS.value-"40")*"1.5"*RATE.value ]]> </compute>
Copyright © 1999, Dr. Dobb's Journal


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Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Eliminating Disconnectedness in the Gay Community
I remember when I moved from one of Metro Vancouver's suburbs to the West End, right in the center of the skyline that's come to define the city over the decades. I didn't feel I belonged in the suburbs, where it seemed most of the people were single and straight, or married with children. Once I got to know Vancouver better, I learned the place I needed to be was the West End, where the majority of the city's young, single, gay community lived.
What happened next can only be described as ironic. When I lived in Burnaby (the suburb), I managed to become friends with two wonderful single gay men, whom I remained close to for many years–until one passed away in 2000, and until I lost touch with the other. But when I moved to the West End, I made no new friends. Not one. I saw plenty of people I wanted to meet–a few of whom became temporary acquaintances–but none became close friends (other than Chris, who became the closest).
The reality of the gay male community, I found, is that true, close, platonic friendships are tough to make. Because sex is a constant undercurrent in the community, gay men are more likely to look at each other as sexual prospects than as mere friends. I'd be curious to know how many gay men have close friendships with other gay men–that is, you could count on them for virtually anything–yet have never had sex with each other, initially or at any time during the friendship. My guess is, not many.
I can't tell you the number of times I wanted to meet someone–not for sex but just to connect with them as human beings–and I was blown off. In many cases, if I even looked at them, I got the cold stare of death (if they bothered to do that). They couldn't remove themselves fast enough from my orbit. At the time, I assumed it was because they thought my looking at them meant I wanted to have sex, and, obviously, I wasn't attractive enough, to have sex, let alone be friends, with.
I don't remember a time when I didn't feel like an outsider in the gay community, because I wasn't conventionally pretty enough to appeal to the boys, and because I was conservative in my lifestyle (that is, I respected myself enough not to have sex with just anyone). I know I'm not alone. Many of us within the gay community are marginalized, because we don't meet some cultural standard of physical beauty, or because we don't smoke, drink, or drug, or because we're old, or because of whatever.
But we need to change this. Honestly, there's no reason on earth to account for why, when all of us have experienced rejection from the straight mainstream community around us, we should feel like we don't belong to the gay community* (if there is one). We can do better than that. We must do better than that. So I'm challenging you to reach out to other people who you know or suspect are gay. Remember, friendship isn't about sex, it's about validation. And who better to validate us than each other.
(*Two or more people–in this case, with the same sexual orientation–can be considered a community.)
2 comments:
Further, I would encourage expanding that challenge to Gay Friendly Individuals as well. Without them, the disconnect between 'gay and straight' will grow and the possibility for inclusion and whole acceptance in society disappears.ReplyDelete
When it comes right down to it, Heather, all of us should reach out to other people period, regardless of their sexual orientation. But because my blog is intended for gay people (mostly), and because I know from my own experiences we as gay people could do a much better job of being warm and inclusive, I really wanted to point out we must try harder in this regard.ReplyDelete
But, yes, without question, our straight allies are critically important to us. Which is why I wrote a post on this very subject some time ago (just don't ask me to locate it because I have no idea where it is on my blog).
Thanks again for your interest in what I have to say and for your ongoing support. It's always a pleasure to hear from you.

subset: commoncrawl


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Economists want Obama to do more to reduce Black unemployment
Economists want Obama to do more to reduce Black unemployment
Economist Anderson wants Obama to focus on Black unemployment.
By Freddie Allen
WASHINGTON, D.C. – During his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama said that millions of Americans have not been rewarded for their hard work and dedication. Nowhere is this sentiment felt more deeply than in the Black community where, despite providing 93 percent of their votes to ensure President Obama won a second term last November, Blacks have seen little direct action to address depression-level unemployment.
The Black unemployment rate decreased slightly from 14 percent in December 2012 to 13.8 percent in January 2013. Meanwhile, the white unemployment rate changed little, from 6.9 percent in December to 7 percent in January. The national unemployment rate was 7.9 percent in January 2013.
Since the Labor Department started tracking employment by race nearly 60 years ago, the Black jobless rate has usually been double the rate for whites. Economists say that racial disparities in hiring and employment continue to persist.
"There's no other reason to explain the [Black unemployment rate] other than racial discrimination against Black people in the labor market," said Bernard Anderson, an economist and professor emeritus of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. "There's no other explanation. We need to focus on the disparity."
The racial disparity in the labor market is staggering.
The unemployment rate for Black men was 13.4 percent in January 2013, up from the 12.8 percent in January 2012. The unemployment rate for White men was 6.6 percent in January 2013, down from 6.9 percent last January.
At 12.3 percent, the jobless rate for Black women in January 2013 was nearly double the 6.4 percent rate for white women in the same month. This time last year, the unemployment rate for Black women was 12.5 percent and 6.8 percent for white women.
Black teenagers fare the worse in the labor market by far with a nearly 40 percent unemployment rate compared to 20.8 percent for white teenagers. Experts say that unemployed teenagers miss out on crucial job training experiences that can make it harder for them to find and hold onto jobs throughout their entire lives.
But economists say that President Obama's call for universal pre-kindergarten programs across the nation could begin to address the racial disparities in the labor market and spell more jobs for Blacks who work in childcare at higher rates than other worker groups.
Bill Spriggs, chief economist for the AFL-CIO and former Assistant Secretary of Labor in Obama's first term, said that Black parents who can't afford high quality daycare for their young children can also benefit from the president's push for universal pre-K.
But President Obama, who has been sharply criticized by Republican governors for provisions in the Affordable Care Act that some claim tread roughly over state laws, may have a tough road ahead.
"The problem is he stated [universal-pre-kindergarten program] as a partnership with the states and it's not clear how the states are going to pick it up," said Spriggs. Especially when some Republican governors have already lined up to block increased Medicaid funding to their states as part of the Affordable Care Act and refusing to create state-operated health exchanges.
Spriggs said that Republican governors really like the fact that their small revenue base has forced them to squeeze budgets.
Some economists were looking for more than a "Fix it First" plan that President Obama touted during his address.
"He did not speak as strongly as he did in the 'America's Jobs Act' about pumping up state and local employment," said Spriggs. "Local employment continues to fall, we're still losing teachers – that's a bigger sector for Blacks than it is for whites. Local government and state government employment are significantly more important to Black workers and continuing to lose jobs in that area is a big drag and it's going to continue to put a lot of pressure on trying to get the Black unemployment rate down."
Spriggs suggested that if the United States Congress passes a jobs bill that includes money to increase hiring at the state and local levels, Republican governors would be compelled to take the federal funds.
Anderson said that the Black community also has to put pressure on the president to directly address Black unemployment and to break the 2:1 gap that exists between Blacks and whites.
"You got to put pressure on the president," Anderson said. "He needs the pressure, he might want the pressure."
Anderson explained: "You can't take anything without organization. This is the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The rate of unemployment is higher now is than it was 50 years ago. Where's the march?"


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Details of Basketball and the Ticket Luck value
Basketball-a sport that began on college level and went on to become one of the most amazing parts of the country's sports landscape-is all set to offer fans another action packed season. For over a century this fabulous sport has evolved to become an absolute phenomenon that is loved by millions in the U.S. and abroad. Now that the festivities are about to get underway once again, book your Basketball tickets and watch the fireworks go off live.
Basketball's two major events are played under the banners of the NCAA and the professional league the NBA. Basketball as a sport takes its root from college level. James Naismith, a physical education instructor was given the task of coming up with a new sport. The idea was to use that sport to increase the interest of students in winter physical education classes. Naismith put two baskets at opposite corners of a court and used a soccer ball to come with basketball.
That was the year 1891 and slowly but surely the sport began to attract the attention of the masses. A lot of educational institutions got in on the act and began to play the sport. By the time 1930's came around the sport had momentum on its side and the management behind the scenes used it to great effect to take it further than it had ever gone before. The National Invitational Tournament began proceedings in 1938 as the first major basketball competition. The NCAA burst onto the scene a year later and has gone on to crown the national champion since then.
The popularity of the sport called for a professional league to be set up and that arrived in 1946 in the form of the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball League (NBL). The two leagues competed for a few years before merging together to create a single entity named the National Basketball Association in the year 1949.
The formation of a single professional structure played a big part in making basketball popular. The standard of play increased dramatically as did the number of teams. The NBA began its first major expansion phase that lasted for seven years between 1961 and 1968. Teams like the Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 7ers, Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls upped the ante and gave fans some of the most pulsating basketball action ever seen on the court. These teams and the players that helped them establish these legacies have turned the sport into how popular it is today.
Basketball as a sport is among the most watched in the U.S. It has a devoted fan following that has stayed loyal to the sport and have played a huge part in making it such a big success. It is these very supporters who splash their money on Basketball tickets to support their teams and that will certainly remain the case for a long time to come yet.
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Figheadh Yarnworks Noodleheads PDF
Figheadh Yarnworks patterns are downloadable PDF files.
Loving yarn as well as pasta, it wasn't long before cables started to look like noodles to me. The first was lasagna, and then came the rest. This is what happens when you get hungry when you're knitting—you knit some noodles! Three different headbands knit three different ways: Fettuccini is worked end-to-end starting as a cord and ending the same way, Lasagna is worked end-to-end and seamed, and Rotini is worked in the round.
Sizing: Fettuccini: One size fits all. Lasagna: S (M, L) Rotini: XS (S, M, L) Finished Measurements Fettuccini: 18" with 10" tie at both ends. Lasagna: 18 (20, 22)" circumference. Rotini: 16.5 (18, 19.5, 21)" circumference.
•Worsted weight yarn, approx 85 yds for each headband
•US size 7 (4.5 mm) dpn
•US size 7 (4.5 mm) 16" circular needles
•US size 7 (4.5 mm) straight needles (optional)
•Cable needle
•Darning needle
Gauge: 20 sts & 24 rows = 4"/10 cm in St st


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Please select your country of residence to view relevant information, fares and special offers.
Al Falaj Hotel, Muscat is conveniently located in the heart of the city with easy access to both the business district as well as tourist attractions. The Muscat hotel is a pleasant 30 km drive from Muscat International Airport. As the finest business hotel Oman has to offer, Al Falaj Hotel is an ideal meeting point for business or pleasure.
The hotel offers everything travelers need - exotic cuisine, conference facilities, courteous staff and a choice of recreational activities that will help you to unwind. It also boasts of the first signature restaurant 'The Souq Cafe' as a tribute to the Omani Souq featuring an extensive a la carte menu of multi national cuisine & buffets. Muscat's most famous authetic Japenese Restaurant 'Tokyo Taro' featuring an extensive menu with a 'Teppan yaki' counter and a private traditional Japanese style dining area!
15% off on rates displayed on alfalajhotels.com.
The offer will be valid up to December 31, 2015.
Guest must present their boarding card at the participating outlets on check-in.
Only one boarding card will be valid per reservation and cannot be used in multiples.
Offer valid subject to availability.
Not valid on promotional offers.


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Sam Neter necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 48 diseños de 6 diseñadores freelance.
Ball Don't Brawl is a more-than-profit social enterprise aiming to get at risk London urban youth off the streets using a combination of workshops, basketball, football, music production and video production.
I am looking for a logo to use for all business branding, that is simple yet effective and recognisable.
Ball Don't Brawl
I have a very specific idea in my head of what I want, but am open to alternative suggestions.
I'd like a silhouette of a London skyline (with recognizable London features, e.g. Big Ben, London Eye, Tower of London etc) with a big sun behind one side of it-but instead of a sun, a basketball and from the ball,sun rays shooting out. Then underneath this image, text saying "Ball Don't Brawl" (could be all in caps).
I see a black and white logo but am open to use of colour if required.
This is going to also hopefully be used on clothing/headwear so want it to look "cool" and have an urban feel whilst remaining simple-so it is instantly recognisable. I'm not after a great deal of detail.
Like I said, this is just the idea I have-if anyone thinks they have a better idea that would work, please feel free to give it a go!
The winner of this will not only win the $150 up for grabs, but also will see their logo become trademarked, and potentially become a huge brand (I have big plans :)). Plus, I will be more than willing to put a link up to the designers site once I have the website for Ball Don't Brawl sorted. On top of this, there may be future jobs I come back to you for.
A clean, simple, corporate logo which is very recognisable! See above for specifics.
I also will need a couple of different versions-one with a football (soccer ball) as opposed to a basketball, one which would signify the music production, and one the video production. All pretty much the same so can be seen as the same brand but with subtle differences indicating which part of the project it is.
- Too much detail..simple but effective is what I'm after
- Too much colour-again keeping it simple, possibly even black and white.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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Gillick expresses faith in organization's future
ATLANTA -- Pat Gillick never left the Phillies, but he is back on a full-time basis after ownership asked him last week to be the organization's interim president while David Montgomery takes a medical leave of absence.
Gillick has plenty of work to do, and he said he plans to continue that work with Ruben Amaro Jr. as general manager and Ryne Sandberg as manager.View Full Game Coverage
ATLANTA -- Pat Gillick never left the Phillies, but he is back on a full-time basis after ownership asked him last week to be the organization's interim president while David Montgomery takes a medical leave of absence.
Gillick has plenty of work to do, and he said he plans to continue that work with Ruben Amaro Jr. as general manager and Ryne Sandberg as manager.View Full Game Coverage
"Right," Gillick said Tuesday afternoon at Turner Field. "Absolutly. Absolutely. They're under contract. Ruben is under contract through '15 and Ryne's under contract. So right now, there's no thought whatsoever of replacing either one."
Gillick, 77, joined the Phillies on Tuesday, and he said he plans to remain with the team through the end of the season.
"I just want to kind of get up to speed a little bit," Gillick said. "Just put my eyes on the group here for a couple weeks."
Gillick had served as senior advisor to Montgomery and Amaro since he retired as general manager in 2008, when the Phillies won the World Series. He said he spoke to Amaro about three times a week in his advisor role.
Gillick will be in charge indefinitely, although he sounded hopeful that Montgomery, who is recovering from jaw bone cancer surgery, could be back as early as the end of the season. If not, Gillick will spend his offseason in Philadelphia -- and longer, if needed -- trying to improve a team with the third-highest payroll in baseball, but one of the worst records in the game.
"It's hard to sit in for him," Gillick said about Montgomery. "He's everything about baseball in Philly. He's everything about our family. ... This is a good group of people. I've been with them now for over eight years. So I mean, David is not only my boss, but a great guy to work for, a great person, somebody I admire. So consequently, any way I can be of any help to the Phillies, there is no hesitancy on my part whatsoever."
Gillick said he will be focused on baseball operations, while Phillies senior vice president of administration and operations Mike Stiles runs the business side. Gillick certainly faces considerable challenges on the baseball side. It is a roster full of high-priced, aging players who have made changing the roster problematic. The Minor League system also has struggled to replenish the big league roster with years of Drafts that have produced its share of big league talents, but few of an impactful nature.
Gillick expects to work closely with Amaro for the foreseeable future.
"Ruben and I mutually agree on most decisions that we make," Gillick said. "Ruben is very inclusive on any decisions that we make for the ballclub. But right now, if there's something I might have a different opinion, I'll certainly voice that opinion and we'll talk it through and try to make what we think is the correct decision."
Amaro has been on the proverbial hot seat for some time, as the Phillies have fallen from a five-time National League East champion that won a franchise-record 102 games in 2011 to a team headed toward a third consecutive season without a winning record. Gillick explained his faith in Amaro, whom he mentored as general manager from '05-08.
"One of the more difficult things to do in professional sports -- and not only baseball, but all sports -- is to be patient," Gillick said. "It's very difficult. It's very difficult for the fans to be patient. It's difficult for the media to be patient. It's difficult for ownership to be patient.
"These are basically the same people that made the decisions when we won five division championships from 2007 through '11. These are the same people making the decisions. So all of a sudden, Ryne wasn't here, but Ruben was here. All of a sudden, he didn't get dumb overnight. It's just right now, we're in a situation where we know where we're headed, and it's going to take some time to get us where we want to go."
But does Gillick have the final say? Montgomery had final say because he was a general partner and represented ownership. Amaro, like every general manager working with a president or owner, had to run things past Montgomery before he moved forward on major deals.
"I would say if it comes down to the end, I have part of the final say," Gillick said. "At this moment, I think ownership has a part of the say, too."
So is Gillick a mere caretaker while Montgomery is away, or could he affect change?
"A little bit of both," Gillick said. "As I've said over and over, we want David back as soon as possible. So [to] that point, I'm an interim caretaker. But at the same time, if there are decisions that have to be made from a baseball standpoint, we're going to make those decisions."
It will be a challenge to improve the team, but he said he does not view it as a complete rebuilding effort because he does not see a lot of dominant teams in the NL.
"We have to get younger; we have to get younger players into the lineup," Gillick said. "But at the same time, a tweak here or a tweak there might make you a little more competitive. I think you can do both. You can make some changes in your ballclub and bring guys along, and at the same time be more competitive than we are."
Gillick acknowledged that "sometimes you think you've got another shot at it," when asked how things got so bad so quickly. In other words, the organization probably held on too long to the belief they could compete with their current mix of players.
"Maybe we pushed them a little too far," Gillick said.
But that is partially because the Minor League system has been relatively bare, and replacing those players has been difficult.
"We have challenges, and that's one of the challenges," Gillick said about the farm system. "We're going to have to be a little creative, we're going to have to be a little imaginative, we're going to have to take a chance here and there. We're going to have to do things that are going to get us better, and I have every confidence that Ruben's that kind of guy. He's got imagination and creativity.
"I think we'll get better, but I'm not saying we'll get better completely overnight. I think it's going to take a little while."
Todd Zolecki is a reporter for MLB.com.


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+ Mars Home
+ Rovers Home
Spotlight On Mars - Image
Next Step: Combinations of Basic Moves
July 21, 2009
Image and Caption
As the Mars rover team uses testing at JPL to evaluate possible ways to drive Spirit out of loose soil on Mars, the team is finishing tests of individual "building block" maneuvers and is about to begin stringing some of those together.
The individual maneuvers, such as turns in place or crablike slant moves, may be combined to get Spirit's wheels away from the spots where they have sunk into the soil. Some of the tests in a JPL sandbox simulating Spirit's predicament have moved the test rover slightly -- on the order of a centimeter, or half an inch, of shift in position. This position change was achieved after enough wheel turns to have driven the rover the equivalent of tens of meters or yards on firmer ground. The testing evaluates how each maneuver shifts the test rover's orientation and tilt.
A live webcast from the testing site at JPL, supplemented by simultaneous Internet chat to take public questions, is planned for Thursday, July 23. The live event will air on the "NASAJPL" channel available on Ustream Web TV at:
on Thursday, July 23, beginning at 3 p.m. PDT (6 p.m. EDT and 2200 UTC). For more information, see
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech


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JEREZ, Spain (Reuters) - Felipe Massa delivered his eagerly-awaited verdict on Ferrari's new Formula One car after the first day of testing on Tuesday, with sighs of relief likely to be heard around Maranello.
If the Brazilian did not appear overly thrilled after setting the sixth fastest time, he was happy at least not to be the bearer of bad news.
A year ago, Massa had rung Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo from the first day of testing in Jerez to inform him that the car was a "disaster" - a call that the patrician Italian described last week as one he would not wish on his worst enemy.
Montezemolo could answer his mobile without trepidation this time.
Massa said he would tell his boss that "there are so many things to understand with the car and to work on and do but the first, basic feeling is nothing like last year.
"I think if you compare to last year, it's a completely different planet," added the Brazilian.
"Last year I remember I was struggling a lot to drive the car, it was difficult to keep the car on the track. This year the base on the car is different.
"For sure there is relief because maybe this is an indication that we are not going to lose time," said Massa. "Last year when we drove the car for the first time we lost a lot of time, maybe more than a month of development to fix the issues."
Ferrari made up some of the gap but still arrived in Australia last year with a car that was off the pace but that double world champion Fernando Alonso managed to keep in contention against the odds.
By the halfway point in the season, the Spaniard had a commanding lead that was then whittled away by Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel who captured his third title at the Brazilian finale.
Ferrari, overall runners-up in 2012, are determined this year will be different and Massa's first impressions will have given them reason to be hopeful in a year without major regulation changes.
"The car is much more balanced. I felt a good direction in the middle of the car as well, it didn't lose traction...I would say the difference compared to last year is huge," said Massa, who will shoulder most of the early testing burden.
Alonso is missing the first test and will not drive the car until the second test in Barcelona on February 19.
Editing by Clare Fallon


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After studying biology in Montpellier and Paris, and a PhD in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at Columbia University, I embarked on a postdoc at the American Museum of Natural History's Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, in NYC, running the AMNH DNA Barcoding Initiative for Conservation and working on plant phylogenomics and molecular evolution of pathogens. African forest elephants drew my attention in early graduate life. Since then, I have become interested in larger molecular evolutionary issues, conservation genetics, the applications of molecular ecology in endangered species and taxa involved in trade, comparative genomics of microbial wildlife and human pathogens, ancient DNA, and frameworks of evolutionary inference using biomolecular data using next-generation sequencing technologies in organisms, such as viruses, bacteria, basal metazoans, extinct mammals and museum historical specimens.I taught graduate courses at Columbia University and at the AMNH Richard Gilder Graduate School. In 2011-2012 I was a Term Assistant Professor of Biology at Barnard College, Columbia University, and since 2012 I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Fordham University.
I continue collaborating with AMNH scientists Rob DeSalle, George Amato and Rick Baker as a Research Affiliate at the AMNH Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics. In parallel, I work with colleagues from New York University, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, the New York Botanical Garden, and the AMNH under the umbrella of the New York Plant Genomics Consortium to investigate the evolution of the seed plants using phylogenomic and molecular genetic approaches.
As a supporter of Open Access publishing I contribute as an Academic Editor for PLoS ONE. I am also the Managing Editor of Mitochondrial DNA.
See my collection of links to programs for molecular evolutionary analyses.


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lol. Isthat a dead nazeem?
Luftahraan is a Skyrim City project that will be located west of Solitude. It will feature a compelling main story line, numerous side quests and dungeons, fully voiced NPCs and more.
lol. Isthat a dead nazeem?
I hope so xD
Only registered members can share their thoughts. So come on! Join the community today (totally free - or sign in with your social account on the right) and join in the conversation.
It's the place to be this season.


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President Hess Visits South Bend Groupby Tom Runge • September 6, 2013 Share:
The St. Joseph Valley Association of Wabash Men welcomed Wabash's 16th President, Greg Hess, to their area on Thursday, September 5, 2013. Local alumni were joined by several parents at the event held at Villa Macri in Granger, Indiana.
Local alumni leader Peter Horvath '92 served as the evening's emcee. He welcomed everyone and introduced President Hess who then made a few remarks to the group. He stressed the need for Wabash to define the value of a liberal arts education in general, and the value of a Wabash education in particular.
President Hess went on to say that providing additional leadership opportunities to our students is a priority. Leadership opportunities abound at Wabash and our goal should be to continue to strengthen those, the President stated. Finally, he mentioned our task of opening our students' eyes to the world.
President Hess went on to answer a few questions before catching up with more attendees.
Many thanks to Peter Horvath for setting up the evening and to Steve Hoffman '85, senior major gifts officer, and Bryan Roesler '06, assistant annual giving director, for also attending.
A good time was had by all!
Top: Wabash parents Brian and Debbie Glaze talk with President Hess.
Middle: President Hess
For more photos of the evening, click here.


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Countess LuAnn: Why You Should Never Split The Bill On A First Date
The Countess is ready to help HollywoodLifers be more fabulous than ever! Check out her advice on how to land a guy and why you should always wear a bra!
TheReal Housewives of New York City star Countess LuAnn De Lesseps is ready to help HollywoodLifers with their toughest love and style questions with her weekly column. Considering how glam she is, it's no surprise that she has the best advice ever! Check out her answers to some of your toughest questions below.
When a guy asks you out for dinner, should he pay or should you split the bill? If he doesn't pay, is he a cheap date or does that show he doesn't
like you? — Jillian H. in Cleveland
Jillian, if a man asks you to dinner, he should pay the bill. By treating
you to dinner, he is showing that he's generous and that he's into you. I
wouldn't reach for your wallet in any case and if he expects you to split the
bill, scratch him off your suitor list! BON APPETITE!
Is it ever cool to go braless in public, like Miley Cyrus? — Brittany D. in
Los Angeles
Brittany, it's a good idea to wear a bra when you are out in public even if
Miley Cyrus doesn't think so. Some dresses and tops have built in support
and you can wear those without a bra but shear or tight fitting tees always
require a bra or camisole. Why not buy a super sexy bra instead of going
without? BEAUTIFUL!
I've just graduated college and I'm starting to go to job interviews. What
should I wear to be taken seriously? — Courtney M. in Atlanta
Courtney, it's always better to overdress than under-dress when
interviewing for jobs even if the dress code once you are hired is "business
casual". Buy yourself a well-made suit in a quality fabric and wear closed
toed pumps with a three inch or less heel. You can accessorize with a
necklace or scarf but no large earrings or oversized rings. YOU'RE HIRED!


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Melody Ann Traylor Ruff
Melody Ann Traylor Ruff, 56, of Benton was born June 21, 1955 in Little Rock, the daughter of the late Robert and Dorothy Goins Traylor. Melody passed from this life to be with her heavenly father on Jan. 31. Mrs. Ruff was a member of Faith Rebekah Lodge #59 and served as past Noble Grande. Melody was also a past President of Rebekah Assembly of Arkansas and a member of Ridge Crest Baptist Church.
She leaves behind her husband of 31 years, Ardy Ruff, her three sons and their families, Bobby Shell and wife Dawn, along with their children Baley and Dale, Levere Ruff and wife Rachel and their son Harrison, and Joel Ruff and wife Jennifer and their son Gabriel. She is also survived by one sister, Melissa Johnson and husband Ricky, her nieces, and nephews, and many other family members and special friends.
A memorial and celebration of her life will be held at Park Place Baptist Church in Bryant on Saturday, Feb. 11, at 4 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in her memory to Habitat for Humanity of Saline County.
Online guest book: www.ashbyfuneralhome.com
Family Comments: Mrs. Ruff loved her husband very much and wanted to thank him for everything he did for her. She also loved her three precious boys and their families. She was so proud of them and could always find a reason to brag about them and their accomplishments. The pride and joy of the life was her four grandchildren, Baley, Dale, Harrison, and Gabriel. She enjoyed having them around and was always eager to tell anyone who she talked to about the latest thing they had done. Melody was very devoted to her family and will be greatly missed by all of them.


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The Suzuki Vitara has amazing off-road capabilities. In a time when many SUVs seem to have lost their roots, this one can drive across all terrains.
While most people think of the American or the European carmakers when considering automotive history, it is important to not forget the contributions made by the Asian manufacturers. Like many of their Western counterparts, many of the Asian carmakers had their beginnings in different industries. For example, Suzuki started out as a heavy industrial company dedicated to creating spinning looms for other industrial companies. In 1952, Suzuki branched out to make high-quality motorcycles perfectly adapted to life in the crowded Japanese cities. These motorbikes were also well priced for the average Japanese worker and quickly became popular.
It didn't take long for the Suzuki motorcycles to catch on in the local markets. The designers at Suzuki began to experiment with making precision motorcycles. Those bikes proved to be incredibly functional and won many of the industry's races and engineering awards. Naturally, the company began producing cars and other vehicles.
Suzuki name became famous for efficient and reliable vehicles of all types. While motorcycles continue to be a focus of the Japanese company, it also continues to offer fine automotive selections as well, along with the other three famous Japanese automotive manufacturers: Honda, Nissan, and Toyota. The Vitara remains a popular choice from the Suzuki lineup.
In the late 1990s, many automakers looked into offering their clients a new option in SUVs. It was time to offer a SUV in a smaller design, better suited for those with outdoor lifestyles and people who simply want an alternative to the minivan. For this need, Suzuki offers the Vitara. It replaces the Sidekick. While other manufacturers created this class of vehicle based on car mechanics and frames, Suzuki chose to stick to its traditions and design the Vitara with truck-like features.
During the course of the Vitara's lifetime, Suzuki offered some pretty exciting trim levels and body styles to keep interest in the line. These SUVs come in two- or four-door options. The company also offers a convertible body style choice that appeals to the younger, child-free person, or as a second car option.
The Suzuki Vitara debuted in 2004. It shows very few changes from the previous year's model. The company offers the 2004 model in the four-door body style only. Other changes include a redesigned, soft spare tire cover and new exterior color choices. The bumpers and mud guards are painted charcoal gray for this model year.
Under the hood, the Vitara houses a 2.5-liter V-6 engine capable of 165 hp. It pairs with either a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic transmission. Any Suzuki Vitara comes with a shift on the fly four-wheel drive option. Some industry experts suggest that the engine for this model may be a bit on the sluggish side.
Inside the cabin, the Vitara lacks space for its class. The rear seat is especially cramped. The SUV does not feature power locks and doors or air-conditioning. For consumers who don't need a lot of space or many special features, the Suzuki Vitara provides a decent choice. Those looking for more performance and comfort often turned to other vehicles.
The Suzuki Vitara saw production from 1999 to 2004. This midsize SUV struggled among its competitors for its entire production history. While well-made and similar to a truck in design, the Vitara suffers from a host of problems. Until the 2004 model year, many industry leaders felt the common 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine lacked proper acceleration and speed. Most experts recommend only buying these models used if the vehicle has at least the 2.0-liter version or the V-6 found in the last model year. The other options simply don't offer enough horsepower.
Over the five years the Vitara saw production it received many changes in terms of trim levels and body styles. For a few years, Suzuki made a softtop convertible version of the Vitara. This style aims to appeal to the young professionals who spend their free time outdoors hiking, camping, and so forth. The convertible version uses a two-door body design. The four-door body styles have hard tops and don't offer any more interior or exterior space than the two-door design. For the most part, auto experts suggest different SUV choices for people looking for a used car.
2004 Suzuki Vitara
SUV, Utility/Offroad
The 2004 Suzuki Vitara is a four-door, mid-class compact SUV available in only one model.
2003 Suzuki Vitara
The 2003 Suzuki Vitara is a small SUV that is being squeezed out of its market share.
2002 Suzuki Vitara
The 2002 Suzuki Vitara is the smaller sibling to the Grand Vitara.
2001 Suzuki Vitara
2000 Suzuki Vitara
The 2000 Suzuki Vitara classifies as a compact SUV that sells as a four-door hardtop or two-door soft-cover convertible.
1999 Suzuki Vitara
The 1999 Suzuki Vitara is a marked improvement over the old Suzuki Sidekick.


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Plan 9 from Outer Space
Detailshttps://www.fye.com/plan-9-from-outer-space-aec.lgnf416dvd.html aec.lgnf416dvd 6/27/06 New
Shipping Promotions
ID: aec.lgnf416dvd
With its incoherent plot, jaw-droppingly odd dialogue, inept acting, threadbare production design, and special effects so shoddy that they border on the surreal, Plan 9 From Outer Space has often been called the worst movie ever made. But it's an oddly endearing disaster; boasting genuine enthusiasm and undeniable charm, it is the work of people who loved movies and loved making them, even if they displayed little visible talent. In Plan 9, alien invaders attempt to conquer the world by raising the dead, starting with an old man dressed in a Dracula costume (Bela Lugosi, in a few minutes of left-over footage grafted into this film), his much-younger and well-proportioned wife (Maila "Vampira" Nurmi), and a remarkably overweight police officer (Tor Johnson). Often funny and consistently entertaining (if almost always for the wrong reasons), Plan 9 From Outer Space is an anti-masterpiece if there ever was one, and as Criswell so brilliantly puts it, "Can you PROVE it didn't happen?!?" Its legendary director Edward D. Wood Jr. was played by Johnny Depp in Tim Burton's 1994 biopic, Ed Wood. One of the DVD releases of Plan 9 From Outer Space includes the documentary Flying Saucers Over Hollywood: The Plan 9 Companion, an exhaustive and entertaining look at the making of the film that runs a half-hour longer than the feature to which it pays tribute! ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
Product Details
Release Date
Legend Films
1 hour, 19 minutes
- Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (Recorded in mono, but split to give the illusion of a stereo mix on home theater systems).
- USA & territories, Canada


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Some teaching candidates in the Sunnyside School District are about to join the ranks of para-educators in facing a preference for Spanish-language skills.
Last night, Thursday, the Sunnyside School Board approved a plan to offer more academic instruction in Spanish for English language learners.
Called an "early exit" strategy, the program would offer teaching in Spanish to students in kindergarten through second grades.
The district will start the plan this fall with four kindergarten classes of Spanish speaking students at Sun Valley Elementary School.
Those four classes will then have a mix of instruction in English the following year and by second grade the teaching will be half in English and half in Spanish.
The move was recommended to the school board by Sam Ramirez, who directs federal and state programs for the district.
Ramirez said Sunnyside hasn't made enough yearly progress with English language learners, students whose native language is Spanish or another language, and is required to adapt a new system or possibly risk losing federal funding.
About half of Sunnyside's students either have been or are currently English language learners. All told, 88 percent of the district's students are Hispanic.
English language learners have four steps, with the fourth being complete competency in the English language. Ramirez says Sunnyside schools are doing a great job of helping students acquire English language skills through the first three steps, but struggle to get students all the way to the fourth level.
This summer, Ramirez said the district is training teachers who aren't involved in the "early exit" program to support the effort.
By the time the 2011-12 school year starts, he says the goal is to have half of the teachers trained in GLAD, guided language acquisition design, which is intended to help English language acquisition.
During last night's meeting, Superintendent Dr. Rick Cole asked Human Resources Director Debbie Holwegner about the availability of bilingual teachers.
"We've added some bi-lingual staff," she said of new hires for 2011-12.
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Gold panning and bingo help a good cause
by Tena Starr
WESTFIELD — Terrie Davis-Perry has long supported cancer research, maybe more than most people. She's regularly donated to the American Cancer Society and fund-raising events, and she sponsors a Relay for Life team member. But when the disease hit home last winter with her brother-in-law's diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, she was inspired to do a little more aggressive fund-raising than she'd done in the past.
So on Saturday, Ms. Davis-Perry and her husband, Mark Perry, put together a special day of events and camping at their Barrewood Campground in Westfield. Proceeds from the $5 fee ($2 for children) for daytime activities went to Paul Perry for out-of-pocket costs for his treatment: camping fees throughout the weekend — three nights — will go to Relay for Life.
Saturday turned out to be a rare sunny day, although the wind was brisk enough to knock over some of the tents that vendors had set up on the big green at the campground to sell jewelry, crafts, baked goods, books, clothing, and other items. Inside the pavilion, a rousing game of bingo was in progress called by Debbie Lucas, who donated her time, and Mary Lee Daigle was serving a hot lunch. Pauline Couture of Couture's Maple was on hand with a variety of maple products, and several members of Green Mountain Prospectors demonstrated how to pan for gold.
There was plenty of interest in that activity — nearly as much as in the bingo game.
The first thing you learn about panning for gold is you're not likely to get rich. The second is that it isn't nearly as easy as it looks when an expert is handling the pans. My own efforts netted one tiny flake that I might not have recognized were it not for Joanne Warner's careful eyes, although gold is quite striking and definitely stands out if you know what you're looking for.
Ms. Warner and Donald and Tracie Cassady were on hand to demonstrate the skill of panning and had small vials of gold, as well as garnets, to show for their own efforts. Mr. and Ms. Cassady are from New Hampshire and said the river near Littleton is "loaded with garnets," a deep red, semi-precious gemstone that, like gold, is heavy and settles in the bottom of the pan.
Ms. Warner offered up a small vial of startlingly bright gold flecks that she'd gathered. They were worth about $30 or $40 — not a huge take for a tedious job.
"Most of the gold in Vermont is glacial, you won't find big nuggets," Ms. Warner said. That means glaciers ground the gold down to fine particles, as opposed to out West where actual nuggets are more likely to be found,
These three Green Mountain Prospectors don't sell the gold they find, although they know some who do. Foundries will buy it, as well as jewelers and some collectors, they said. The garnets also have some value.
At this point, I have to admit that my notes kind of vanished on me because I gave panning a shot under Ms. Warner's able guidance. I was decidedly inept and soaked myself and my notebook, ending up with a runny blue blur instead of careful notes.
So — winging it. We started with a shovel full of material from the bottom of the nearby brook, and Mr. Cassady did a sift to filter out the biggest stones. Those bigger stones are worth looking at, he said, because there's lots of quartz among them, and that's where gold comes from. But keeping in mind that chunks of gold the size of white quartz aren't likely to appear in Vermont, the next step is to get to the littler stuff that looks mostly like sand. And that's when it gets tricky.
The prospectors used green pans with ridged openings on one side. The idea is that you mix the sand and its potentially valuable contents with water, then slur it around, constantly dumping off the top layer through the pan's openings. You trust that the heavier stuff, the valuable stuff, will stay at the bottom, and what you're sloughing off is just sand and tiny worthless pebbles.
The equipment is neither complicated nor expensive. Most any kind of filter works up to a point. Mr. Cassady said his wife is always telling him to leave her flour sifter alone.
If you're not too overzealous, or just sloppy, it works. The heavy stuff does stay in the bottom of the pan, and after a while the dirt changes color. It darkens as the lighter, and lighter colored, sand goes out the pan's slots, and what remains is what's of possible value. "Tap it, and the gold goes to the bottom," Ms. Warner advised me.
Gold is 19 times heavier than water, someone said as I slopped muddy water all over myself. Trust it.
I sloshed the pan around in the water, then sifted out the sand and did see the color eventually darkening, but it wasn't easy, and I was clumsy, and I soon appreciated Ms. Warner's skill. She said she'd won an award in a panning contest, which didn't surprise me once I'd tried it myself. She makes panning look easy. It isn't.
At the end, I had one flake of gold. It didn't look real, and, nope, I wasn't going home rich. Ms. Warner had planted it, and it went back into her vial via a special little bottle that sucked it up and returned it to where it came from.
But there are entirely worse things to do with one's time than wade around in a brook in the hope of finding gold.
"It's like fishing," Ms. Warner said. "You can be out all day and you may not get a fish. But you enjoy being out there."
Green Mountain Prospectors has members from all over New England, as well as New York State, and many of them are members of a national prospecting club, as well.
Meanwhile, back in the pavilion, my 13-year-old son had settled in with a couple of his great-aunts and was avidly playing bingo.
Bingo used to be a game I understood, but apparently no longer. There's still the traditional way of playing, where you win if you get straight hits in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line, but there are "specials" I've never heard of, like a check mark. Colton and his great-aunts were each playing eight cards.
The last game was something I'd never heard of, a coverall. My aunts, being the experienced bingo players they are, knew just what that meant — the winner would be the first person to fill up an entire card.
Prizes for the bingo winners were donated by local businesses and others and included gift certificates, homemade pies, and jewelry.
Later in the day, there was a potluck dinner at the campground, as well as live music, and a bonfire.
contact Tena Starr at [email protected]
For more free articles from the Chronicle like this one, see our Featuring pages. For all the Chronicle's stories, pick up a print copy or subscribe, either for print or digital editions.


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Remember Matt Parson's 'Portalmon' mash-up design? For the next 48 hours, you can now buy it as a lovely t-shirt for €20 (plus modest shipping).
Update: Qwertee has set up a special promotion for Kotaku readers. Simply add the code ILoveKotaku when checking out to get the Portalmon tee for €10—half off!—with €3 shipping anywhere in the world.
Portalmon T-shirt product page [Qwertee.com]


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Master the Dos and Don'ts of Making Sure Your Resume Stands Out to Land the Job of Your Dreams
If you're having trouble landing a job, maybe it's time to look at your resume the way a hiring manager or recruiter would and learn what they like — and what will send your application straight to the trash.
Most hiring managers say they spend less than one minute reviewing each resume they get, so you don't have much time to make a good impression.
First and foremost: make sure your resume is free of typos, because more than 60 percent of the hiring managers recently surveyed by CareerBuilder said they automatically dismiss typo-laden documents.
Also, don't copy a bunch of wording from the job posting and plunk it into your resume, thinking it'll make you seem more qualified for the position — that's another kiss of death. And make sure the email address on your resume is not only current, but professionally appropriate (that's not the place to brag about your love of binge drinking).
Focus on your skills and the results they got for previous employers, and keep your resume readable by using paragraph breaks to keep it from looking like a big wall of text. And never include your photo on a standard resume — no matter how attractive your mom says you are.
So what can you do to stand out? Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder, said, "We see more people using infographics, QR codes and visual resumes to package their information in new and interesting ways."


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We can help you reach your Business & Personal Goals through:-
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High quality advice to ensure your aims, objectives and potential are fulfilled.
Tap into our knowledge bank and get tax free saving ideas with our free downloadable factsheets
Use our free online calculators to work out your own tax liabilities and benefits.
View all our resources


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OSTC needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 110 designs submitted by 39 freelance designers.
I'm looking for a hip, forward thinking (yet clean) design to capture the most discerning businesses who want/need to be shown how certain technology can help grow their business and/or become more efficient.
Onsite Technical Consulting (OSTC) http://www.ostcworldwide.com
The logo I needs to be used on a website, biz card and other marketing materials. Something super hip, but very clean....like the mint.com logo. I'm actually obsessed with their layout, colors and design of that site.
I think the letters, OSTC, would be an excellent start for a design. It seems to me it lends it's self to a plethora of ideas. I'm open to having OSTC as the primary focal point with the words with my company name under it or around it to drive the full company name further into the head of the prospect.
Some of my company's specialties include certain how apple products can simplify complex synchronization, regain peace of mind with computer systems and add a "look" to their business that wasn't there before. For example, an art gallery showcasing photos on the beloved 30" apple display or a real estate group using iPhones to sync appointment calendars, contacts and emails while having access to the "real" web and photos of their properties on just one device. What my clients tend to like the most is the stability and peace of mind that apple's operating system is legendary for (less down time, more user friendly interface, etc). The solution are endless!
OSTC's goal is to take the client from idea, to implementation and then (above all) train their staff on how to use their solution. It's one thing to buy a bunch of cool and efficient stuff...it's another to know how to use it!
I would like the design to be clean and "pop". I like soft pleasing colors (light greens, yellows and oranges). Please use mint.com as a guide for design and colors.
I would prefer for this design to NOT follow any particular guidelines. I don't know how to explain it really.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Shine on Harvest Moon
Shine on Harvest Moon
from 14.99
Note: Prints do not include watermark. Photo may be cropped slightly to fit print area. For additional print sizes and pricing, please contact me directly. Not all items are available in all print sizes and/or media. Sales Tax (Minnesota) and shipping charges will be added in shopping cart.
Add To Cart


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PromoteMyGroup needed a new web page design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 28 designs submitted by 18 freelance designers.
We are a Stock Market Trading Software Company + We will pay a $50.00 bonus for Fast Delivery
Stock Marketing Trading Software
Our Web Site currently is:
w. w. w. s r 1 t r a d e r .c o m
We want a web site design that is close to but better than
w.w.w w i z e t r a d e . c o m
We will have a movie on the home page BUT the movie will only be approx 251 X 357
We want the desgin to look like a software web site that deals with the stock market
We need a place for the SAME LINKS that are on our current web site
WE MUST have the site funnel the prospects / website visitors to a GET STARTED PAGE...there's no free trial like on the w i z e t r a d e. com website
Must look like software for Wall Street / Trading
Be creative and have fun with it....as long as it looks professional
Site should be designed with a width of no greater than 750
- no catoon images must be real images


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March 3, 2007
The Lady Bisons head into the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament this weekend as No. 6-seed.
They will face ETSU, the No. 3 seed, in the quarterfinals Thursday in Dothan, Ala. The Lady Bisons and ETSU split their regular season games.
The Lady Bisons closed out the regular season Saturday in Jacksonville, Fla, with a 69-59 loss to Jacksonville. It was the eighth-straight win for Jacksonville.
The Lady Bisons, who opened the Atlantic Sun portion of the season with a win over Jacksonville back in November, appeared to be on the way to a sweep/ They held a 35-34 lead at the half.
The Lady Bisons held on to a 10-7 lead early on a jump shot in the lane by forward Rachel Davis. With 4:19 left in the first half the Lady Bisons took a 30-22 lead on a lay-up by guard Dana Carrigan.
With nine seconds left before intermission the score was tied 33-33. Center Rachel Viehmann gave the Lady Bisons the lead at the buzzer with a jumper.
In the opening minutes of the second half the Lady Bisons continued to hold the advantage. But with 16:13 left to play Jacksonville came back to tie the game for the fifth time.
A jump shot by Courtney Jackson put Jacksonville ahead 45-43 and never trailed again.
Carrigan led the Lady Bisons with 12 points. Center Penny Jones added 11 and point guard Catie Woods scored 10.
The Lady Bisons hit 20-of-45 shots from the field (44.4 percent). They were six-of-14 from 3-point range, 42.9 percent. They connected on 13-of-18 free throw attempts (72.2 percent).
Forwards Julie Martin (9) and Jilian Partin (7) combined for 16 rebounds for the Lady Bisons. Martin's nine boards were a game high.
Four Jacksonville players scored in double figures. Ashley Williams led the way with a game-high 25 points. Jackson and Regin Omoite both chipped in 14. DaVina Hamilton added 10.
Williams led Jacksonville in rebounds with eight.
Jacksonville was 28-of-64 from the field (43.8 percent), including four-of-12 from 3-point range. Jacksonville also hit nine-of-12 free throw tries.
The Lady Bisons are 8-20, 6-12 in the conference. Jacksonville finished the regular season 20-8, winning 20 games for the first time in the history of the women's program. They are 14-4 in the A-Sun.


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Saturday, May 26, 2012
Lovable, Laughable Language & a Look at a Book
Earlier this week I recorded a language sample of one of my students to check on her progress and set new goals. If you are not a speech therapist you might not know this is a common way to assess a child's language skills; it is a nice supplement to standardized tests. I listen to the child's grammar, vocabulary, observe whether they use language in a socially appropriate way, and often I'm very entertained in the process.
Like this week when a kindergartener told me, "I goed to the field trip and then I saw a dragon this tall." She held her hand about two feet from the ground and added, "A real huge one. It flies. It blows hard. It breathes fire. And then I saw a turtle. It was this tall." Once again, she held her hand about two feet from the ground. I think the turtle and the dragon were related. I wish I could have gone on the field trip!
Another student told me, "I'm gonna move and when I do, you're gonna have to build a robot ME cause you're gonna miss me," and he was right.
Speaking of missing, the same student told me, "I miss Bob the dog, he's in heaven now. He died when he was 91, in 1491. I'll never see him again. He's wrapped in my frog blanket. He was yellow." It was a tender moment so I didn't question the year of Bob's birth. But the student went on to tell me about his own. "Did you know I was born on my birthday? March 9th is my birthday and I was born on it."
These students keep me entertained, enchanted and encouraged by their growth and willingness to work on speech sounds, vocabulary and our pesky grammar. And speaking of grammar, I just finished reading Inside Out & Back Again, by Thanhha Lai. This middle grade novel, written in verse, tells the story of ten-year old Ha, who, with her family, flees Vietnam as Saigon falls. The struggles she went through to assimilate into the small Alabama town were due in part to her struggles in learning a new language.
"First Rule
Brother Quang says
add an s to nouns
to mean more than one
even if there's
already an s
sitting there.
All day
I practice
squeezing hisses
through my teeth.
Whoever invented
must have loved
Later, when she tries to understand our use of plurals she says,
Third Rule
Always an exception.
Do not add an s
to certain nouns.
One deer,
two deer.
Why no s for two deer,
But an s for two monkeys?
Brother Quang says
no one knows.
So much for rules!
Whoever invented English
should be bitten
by a snake."
I don't want to leave you thinking this book is entirely about our English language. It is a beautifully written story based on the Author's own childhood experiences. It is filled with humor, anguish and inspiration.
"Our lives
will twist and twist,
intermingling the old and the new
until it doesn't matter
which is which."
In her author's note, Thanhha Lai said,
"At age ten, I, too, witnessed the end of the Vietnam War and I fled to Alabama with my family. . . . So many details in this story were inspired by my own memories.
. . . What was it like to live where bombs exploded every night yet where sweet snacks popped up at every corner? What was it like to sit on a ship heading toward hope? What was it like to go from knowing you're smart to feeling dumb all the time?"
At the end of her note she asks, "How much do we know about those around us?
. . . I hope after you finish this book that you sit close to someone you love and implore that person to tell and tell and tell their story."
And that is why I love working in my chosen field; of course I want to help my students succeed in school, but I also want to help them succeed in life, and to be able to tell their own stories.
5 comments:
Kids are the best. I love being a teacher. And, I loved Inside Out and Back Again. What a gorgeously written book about the immigrant story. I recommend it to everyone.ReplyDelete
Thank you for dropping by Ali B. I too, love teaching and love this book.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMay 29, 2012 at 9:34 PM
We receive so many gifts from seeing life through the eyes of children.ReplyDelete
I love the bold illustrations in The Ghostly Night.
Thank you for visiting my blog and thank you for your kind comments about The Ghostly Night. All proceeds from the sale of this book go toward our school library so my students thank you too!ReplyDelete
Sweet! Kids truly are funny! Thanks for the post.ReplyDelete
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Well, today I am still posting from Ryan's House...and I know what you are thinking: Is he really at Ryan's house? Or is he posting this from an internet cafe somewhere near Brighton? Well, obviously I can neither confirm nor deny those malicious rumours that I am not where I say I am (or who I say I am). But did you really think I'd make it that obvious? Tsk tsk.
Another thing you must note at this time is that although Ryan may have given me free run of the house and let me borrow the Intern, I do not necessarily have access to his limitless supply of Muppet Pictures...so do try to make sense of these ones.Consider it 'art', for example, that Beaker here represents both Mock Swedes and Squirrels.
Today I am honoured (?) to present an interview with one of the most important parts of the Muppet process. Sure, there's the Muppeteers, who are vital to the Muppets. There are the writers and artists who are simply irreplaceable (Oh, except that one that DID get replaced...) Okay, from now on there are writers and artists who are simply irreplaceable. There are the producers and directors and such who make the Muppets what they are today. All of these are important...but without the person being interviewed today, the Muppets would no longer exist. I'm talking about none other than...
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier


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The line of Colonel E.H. Taylor whiskey products just keeps on growing and growing. The Small Batch is the latest in the lineup, and hits the shelves at the least expensive price point. Here are my thoughts on this bottling:
Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch Bourbon, 50% abv (100 Proof), $40/bottle
Color: Medium Amber
Nose: Caramel corn, sorghum, vanilla fudge, red apple, and rich wood spices. Gorgeous sweet, mildly fruity nose with a balance of wood and spice.
Palate Butterscotch, corn, molasses, cinnamon heat, and wood astringency (grip). Some bitterness really sets in late in the sip.
Finish Cinnamon and wood notes prevail – moderately long finish for a flatter palate profile.
Overall: This is one that settles in the "good" range for me. I'm just not sure what it is – none of these E.H. Taylor whiskeys have really wowed me. Pleasing, straight forward in flavor, but the palate of this small batch has some flaws – sweet and heat up front, very flat ride in the middle, then emerging bitterness. Buffalo Trace rarely misses, but for me this one slips a bit from the nose on through to the finish.
Sour Mash Manifesto Rating: 7.7 (Good)


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Single-hung windows do have some limitations. Because only the lower sash opens, the window offers limited ventilation. In rooms that require more ventilation, such as the bathroom, this can result in higher moisture levels and little relief from humidity, mildew growth and odor control. Additionally, single-hung windows make cleaning difficult, particularly for those with homes built off of the ground or on floors higher than ground level. Since the top sash is not operable, homeowners can only clean the outside of the upper sash by accessing it from the outside of the home.
It can be argued that single-hung windows are less susceptible to air infiltration, or leakage, simply because the upper sash is fixed and cannot develop looseness the same way a moving sash can. This won't be reflected in performance ratings, as both types of windows must meet the same standards. But in use, window seals tend to degrade over time, and a moving sash cannot be sealed with caulk like a fixed sash can. The Glass Guru estimators and installers are single-hung window experts. We offer several brands with multiple styles, types and options to choose from to get just the right look and feel for your home. No one knows single-hung windows in Lakewood, CO like The Glass Guru.
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Related Topics:
Shops focused on Swiss-type turning should add GenSwiss Booth W-1592 to their IMTS exhibitor "hit lists," according to GenSwiss Marketing Manager Scott Laprade. He says the company differentiates itself by focusing solely on Swiss-type machining.
"There aren't a lot of companies that only cater to Swiss-type machining like we do," Laprade explains. This laser-focus has enabled the company to develop-customer-requested products for specific applications.
GenSwiss has one of those new products front and center in its booth this year—its coolant-through Multidec CUT3000 series Swiss-type toolholder, the HyperAccurate micro drill holder for extreme precision micro drilling and additional Swiss-type slitting saw arbors for precision saw holding in CNC Swiss machines.
The HyperAccurate micro drill holders are the result of a GenSwiss customer's idea. "The customer said he was already doing something kind of like this," Laprade says, "but he didn't have the time to make it himself, so he asked us if we would like to do it."
The collet holders can be especially useful for drilling 0.030-inch-diameter or smaller holes, or for holding any tool with a small shank diameter.
"We guarantee 0.0002-inch max TIR," Laprade says. "However, customers have been reporting that they can't even get a reading using a ten-thousandths indicator on tools mounted with the HyperAccurate holders."
The company is also introducing a toolholder that Laprade says manufacturers of turning tools have been trying to implement for a while—one that integrates coolant lines into the holder shank itself. The coolant-through Multidec CUT3000 series toolholder is very precise in the direction it aims the cooling jet, so users don't have to worry about bumping a cooling line or moving one out of the way while doing a tool change. "Every single time, the coolant is going to be right where it needs to be," Laprade says.
GenSwiss' entire product line is featured at the show, including the Utilis turning line and its cutting oils. Also on display is the company's rotary broaching line, which has grown since the last IMTS, according to Laprade. Thread whirling experts are on hand in the booth to discuss possible applications.