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CheckMySchool.org, websites that call you, and other innovations connecting schools to communities
The World Bank recently hosted two events showcasing innovative tools and practices that can be used to help build bridges between schools and their local communities, helping to promote and support greater transparency, good governance and citizen engagement along the way.
The CheckMySchool (CMS) initiative in the Philippines ("promoting social accountability one school at a time") is one of those projects that people intuitively 'get'. Why not use tools like the web, Facebook, and mobile phones to help inform communities about the types of resources that their schools are supposed to have – and offer a way for them to report back when something is not as it should be?


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Lately I've been working on a few projects where I need to take a pre-designed PSD and build a custom WordPress theme from it. One big part of that is making sure that spacing, layout, and object sizes are consistent between the PSD and the theme. That means a lot of measuring.
One trick I've learned is to use the built-in Mac screenshot functionality. There's no software to install or launch. Just click command + shift + 4 and then the pointer will turn into a cross-hair icon. Click and hold down the left mouse or trackpad button at one side of the object you wish to measure and then drag it across to the other side of that object. The numbers next to the cross-hair icon will then display the height and width (in that order) in pixels of the selected area. It's that easy!
To save yourself from taking unnecessary screenshots, just click the escape button while you still have the left mouse button pressed down and the crosshair icon will disappear.

subset: commoncrawl


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Customer Reviews
All reviews are from people who have redeemed deals with this merchant.
What You'll Get
Scientists are still puzzled by the contents of the modern basketball— they believe it to be filled with either helium or several baseballs. Contemplate this conundrum with today's deal for one G-Pass to see the Harlem Globetrotters play at the Cumberland County Civic Center on Sunday, March 18, at 2 p.m. Because the ticket is a G-Pass, our customers can use it to enter the venue directly; they will not need to redeem their Groupon at Will-Call. Choose between the following seating options:
- For $19, you get one reserved seat in section G, T, C, or X, rows 12–24 (up to a $38.60 value, including all Ticketmaster fees).
- For $26, you get one reserved seat in section D, E, F, U, V, or W, rows 12–24 (up to a $52.95 value, including all Ticketmaster fees).<p>
Now in their 86th season, the Harlem Globetrotters continue to entertain millions of parents, children, and general basketball admirers with a trademark blend of athletic precision and razzle-dazzle showmanship. For the team's 2012 world tour, a rotating roster of Globetrotter favorites take to the hardwood each game, so spectators might spot Special K Daley sharing a behind-the-back pass with newcomer Jacob "Hops" Tucker, the 2011 NCAA slam-dunk champion whose 50-inch vertical leap cruelly dashed his dreams of working in a ceiling-fan store. The Trotters might also present a study in contrasts with five-foot-two Too Tall Hall and seven-foot-eight Paul "Tiny" Sturgess, the world's tallest pro basketball player.
As the Globetrotters take on their archrivals, the Washington Generals, youngsters can learn about the benefits of teamwork while laughing along and witnessing the jovial jocks performing classic routines of unconventional passing and sudden transmutations of water into confetti. Having performed in 120 countries and all six penguin-overrun continents, the Globetrotters are one of the few teams inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as ambassadors of the sport.
Due to security restrictions, G-Passes must be printed out and presented in person at the event. They cannot be redeemed through the mobile app.
The Fine Print
Promotional value expires Mar 18, 2012. Amount paid never expires. Limit 16/person. Valid only for option purchased. Not valid until 12/14/11. G-Pass not redeemable with mobile app. Must show valid ID matching name on voucher\. Must provide first and last name at checkout, which we will provide to facilitate redemption of voucher. Refundable only on day of purchase. Must purchase together to sit together. Discount reflects Ticketmasters' current ticket prices - price may differ on day of event. Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services.


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Back to Dog Parks
Oral treatment used for liver detoxification in cases of hepatitis with or without jaundice. Has also proven very useful for treating lipidosis and liver cirrhosis.
Be sure to check out the pet businesses near you!
Be sure to check out the dog parks near you!
Pet Podcast #7 is ready for downloading or subscribing. You can download it directly by clicking the preceding link or listen to it almost immediately with the player below. This show talks about cats, games to play with your cat …
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|Biosequences .. Software .. Molbio soft .. Network News .. FTP
======================================================================== WEB01: Workshop on Education in Bioinformatics 2001 (http://surya.bic.nus.edu.sg/web01/) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ISMB01 Satellite meeting on July 26, 2001 Preliminary Announcement ------------------------------------------------------------------------ About the Workshop ================== The organizers of WEB01 would like to invite you to participate in the first workshop on Education in Bioinformatics, on July 26, 2001 at Copenhagen, Denmark. This workshop is scheduled immediately after the ISMB01 (http://ismb01.cbs.dtu.dk/), July 21-25, 2001. Background and Aims =================== In response to the worldwide shortage of trained bioinformaticians, several universities and institutes have spearheaded Bioinformatics teaching and research. This workshop will bring together Bioinformatics educators for the first time to meet, discuss and exchange ideas and suggestions. WEB01 will address fundamental issues that will determine the nature, extent, content and delivery tools available for Bioinformatics programs embarked upon, as well as provide valuable lessons for focus and improvement of nascent Bioinformatics programs. Besides oral presentation sessions, the workshop will feature a tutorial on how to set up a Bioinformatics teaching program. Participant profile will include: * educators and students currently involved in programs or modules in Bioinformatics * Deans, Vice-Deans and Heads of Faculty/Department and Senior Faculty, interested in starting a Bioinformatics teaching and research program. Venue, Registration and Accommodation ===================================== The meeting will be held on July 26th in Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen. WEB01 registration will be normally be along with ISMB01 registration. Participants who are not registering for ISMB01 but would like to attend this workshop alone can do so at the ISMB01 online form, without making any selection against "Status" - contact Shoba Ranganathan (shoba at bic.nus.edu.sg) in case of difficulty. ISMB01 conference rates will be extended to cover the extra day required to attend WEB01. For more information on hotels offering special rates, please see ISMB Hotels. Hotel reservation should be made along with workshop registration. Workshop Program ================ This day-long meeting will comprise four sessions as follows: Session 1: Education in Bioinformatics: Current Trends and Issues * World-wide Initiatives in Bioinformatics Education: e.g. S* Global Life Science Alliance * Course Curriculum * Training Programs in Niche Areas Session 2: Bioinformatics Course Delivery: Tools and Infrastructure * Essential Bioinformatics infrastructure and resources * Computer Supported Learning (CSL): Technology and Pedagogy * Comparison of Bioinformatics service providers and in-house services Session 3: Tutorial on "Starting a new Bioinformatics Program" Session 4: Discussion Abstract Submission =================== Participants interested in making a short oral presentation in Sessions 1 or 2 are requested to submit a 150 word abstract in to the program committee (email either shoba at bic.nus.edu.sg, betty at bic.nus.edu.sg or Siv.Andersson at ebc.uu.se) by Friday, June 1, 2001. Abstracts accepted for presentation will be published online as well as in the Workshop Handbook. Organizing Committee ==================== * Assoc. Prof. Shoba Ranganathan, Chair Bioinformatics Centre, National University of Singapore, Singapore * Professor Siv G. E. Andersson, Co-Chair Linnaeus Center for Bioinformatics, Department of Molecular Evolution, Uppsala University, Sweden * Assoc. Prof. Phyllis Gardner Senior Associate Dean for Education and Student Affairs, Stanford University School of Medicine, USA * Dr. Betty Cheng, Co-Chair Bioinformatics Centre, National University of Singapore, Singapore * Dr. Frédérique Galisson Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics / University of Lausanne, Switzerland ======================================================================== ---


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National Eagle Scout Association
From MeritBadgeDotOrgEagle Scout rank. Founded in 1925, NESA began as the Knights of Dunamis growing to 110 chapters at its height. The Knights of Dunamis was dissolved and, in May of 1972, the National Eagle Scout Association was formed.
| Eagle Scout knot
(NESA Life Member)
Note: "Silver" border
Membership is restricted to Eagle Scouts in good standing. Applications for NESA membership are cross-checked against the national Eagle Scout register maintained by the Eagle Scout Service.
Members receive the Eagletter – a bi-monthly magazine that keeps NESA members informed of what Eagles are doing around the country and developments in the Scouting movement.
Regular – A five-year new or renewal NESA membership is available for $35. A basic plastic wallet card, wall certificate and silver lapel pin are provided with this membership level.
- NOTE: A regular membership is available at a reduced cost for new Eagle Scouts.
Lifetime – The NESA life membership is available for a one-time payment of $250. Members will receive an attractive, full-color plastic wallet card, wall certificate and gold lapel pin.
Life members may wear the NESA Life Member Knot which is the same red, white, and blue knot on tan as the Eagle Scout square knot, but with a silver metallic border, item #18902. Only one Eagle Scout Award square knot maybe worn at a time, so this one should replace the Eagle Scout square knot on your uniform if you are a NESA Life Member.
NESA scholarships
More than 5,000 NESA scholarship applications are received each year, and fewer than 100 are awarded, so the competition is stiff. Plans are being formulated to greatly increase the amount of funds available to award NESA Eagle Scout scholarships through future years.
There are two types of nationally-awarded Eagle Scout scholarships:
Academic scholarships include a varying number of $3,000 scholarships awarded each year by the National Eagle Scout Association and a varying number of Mabel and Lawrence S. Cooke Scholarships.
The Mabel and Lawrence S. Cooke Scholarships are awarded annually and include four $20,000 scholarships (payable at $5,000 per year) and one $48,000 scholarship (up to $12,000 payable for four years), plus a varying number of others. Scholarship committees are formed each year in each of the four BSA regions (Northeast, Southern, Central, and Western) to recommend recipients of these scholarships, with the final determination made by the national NESA Scholarship Committee.
Academic scholarship applicants must be Eagle Scouts graduating high school and entering college in the year for which they apply for a scholarship. Scholarships are awarded only to those who graduate from high school in the calendar year in which scholarships are presented. (Exception: Scouts whose Eagle Scout boards of review are held the same year of their high school graduation may apply in that calendar year.) They may receive a scholarship one time only.
The other type of national Eagle Scout scholarship is the Hall/McElwain Merit Scholarship. Each BSA region reviews applications and awards a varying number of these $1,000 scholarships.
Merit scholarship applicants must be Eagle Scouts graduating high school or undergraduate college students no farther than completion of the junior year. Recipients may receive the scholarship one time only.
National NESA Committee
Nationally, NESA is overseen by the National NESA Committee.
NESA Administered Awards
- Distinguished Eagle Scout Award (DESA)
- Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year (NESSPY), a.k.a., The Adams Award
- Outstanding Eagle Scout Award (NOESA)
See Also
External Links
National Eagle Scout Association – Official BSA website


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Craig Whitley needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 52 designs submitted by 16 freelance designers.
Ezy Loans Direct is your Trusted Source for Alternative Financing Solutions. We specialize in providing small and medium sized business owner's access to Alternative Funding Resources or Working Capital Loans not currently available from their traditional banker or financial institutions. By working with wide variety of lenders and private equity lenders dedicated to providing assistance to emerging and developing businesses, Ezy Loans Direct is dedicated to finding the vehicle by which the local Entrepreneur or Business Owner can satisfy their ideal Cash Flow requirements fast.
Small Business Owners and People needing loans fast for a short period , normally a month or two.
We do a lot of Working Capital loans based upon Credit Card sales and Cash flow to clients with security.
We also have dealings with traditional lenders (corporate) so we must look professional.
We require an image that is both professional and trendy. I like the blue colours of the finnair logo. see image cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/7/9/1/1303197.jpg
I like the shaded white curve and thinking id like the E to wrap around the end of the word ezy loans direct.
the blue is also good background.
will leave the rest up to you.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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I was shopping at Costco the other day and when I picked up a package of toilet paper it seemed smaller than usual. Not by much but noticably so. So when I got home I compared it to a previous package (Old one on top).
Notice the comments on the newer package (bottom), which show's "wider sheets", and now 30 jumbo rolls are the same as 83 regular rolls where they used to be only equivalent to 75 regular rolls. Must be that deflation kicking in giving me more for my dollar!
However, if you read the fine print, it tells a different story. First the sheets are exactly the same size as the older pack. Also, the fine print for the "83 regular rolls" asterisk, it says "vs. Charmin Basic". So did the "Ultrasoft jumbo rolls get bigger"? No - they actually got smaller for a new slightly higher price. So this must mean "Charmin Basic" rolls shrunk even more.
In June 2010, the top package cost $18.89 for 937.5 sq. ft. or $0.02015/sq. ft. The newer package, purchased this week, was $19.35 for 866.2 sq. ft, or $0.02234/sq. ft. If you only paid attention to the price, you would think only a 2.4% increase in 2 years, however, paying attention to the quantity and price you discover it's a 10.9% increase in price.
So, I decided to check another product, Bounty paper towels! Old package on left, new package on right:
Again, more marketing hype to make you think you are getting more for your money, "Longer Sheets". But this stories the same. In June 2010 the package on the left was $18.99 for 915.2 sq. ft, or $0.020750/sq. ft. The package on the right, purchased this week, was $19.99 for 857 sq. ft, or $0.023326/sq. ft. By price it's a 5.3% increae, but by quantity and price it's a 12.4% increase.
Quantitative changes such as the two illustrated above are easy to detect, however, qualitative changes are much less obvious. For instance the package of vitamins, also from Costco:
Now in this case the price dropped substantially, from $15.99 in June of 2009 to $15.69 in January 2012. However, when you look at the back label, the formulation has changed quite a bit:
- Vitamin C, went from 120mg to 90mg
- Vitamin D3, went from 600 IU to 400 IU
- Vitamin E, went from 60 IU to 30 IU
- Zinc, went from 22.5mg to 11mg
- Copper, went from 1mg to 0.9mg
- Maganese, went from 2.5mg to 2.3mg
- Chromium, went from 40 mcg to 35 mcg
- Molybdenum, went from 75mcg to 45mcg
- Tin, went from 11mg to 10mg
- Lutein, went from 275mcg to 250mcg
So, you pay about the same, but get less....
The moral, the CPI information from the BLS are lies! Looking at common everyday goods it's quite easy to see inflation at least double the advertised rate.


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Shadowman (2012) #4 Review
All hell breaks loose. Shadowman and the monstrous Mr. Twist battle to the death! Everything is at stake for Jack, Dox, and Alyssa – and for the world as they know it – because if Twist succeeds, then Master Darque will walk the earth once more.
Cover- This month we get the depiction of Shadowman being attacked by denizens of the dead side on an orange, yellow and brown background. Honestly it looks awesome! The alternate cover with an eviscerated Mr. Twist is equally cool!
Action– The highpoint of the issue was the battle between Shadowman/Jack Boniface and Mr. Twist; bloody, eviscerating, macabre magical mayhem. This is the stuff memorable comics are made of.
Potential- Our two heroes Alyssa and Jack Boniface/Shadowman have what seems to be the hint of a potential relationship with the mutual attraction and saving of lives thing.
Villains– Some may not like how a secret cabal is controlling everything from behind the scenes but I loved it! Since the first issue the big bad has been Darque but here we see the other villains and realize while they may not be as powerful as Darque, but they wield tremendous resources in: Politics, Shipbuilding, commercial fishing, Oil Refining and Petrochemicals. I can't wait to see how they factor into the bigger picture.
Art- This is the very best work Zircher has given us on this series so far! The action was fast paced and hectic yet the art kept up and delivered big time! The magic portals shine in their hues of blue and white. The well proportioned features of the human characters while the pulsating meat sack of Mr Twist and the howling hungry spirits trapped in dead side are all simply perfect; the arcane symbols in their tones of yellow and orange are also worthy of mention and note.
Black Heroes- We get Shadowman/Jack Boniface and Alyssa mistress of the blue flame. Not the book with the most black superheroes but one of the very best this month.
None Issue- Another thing I adore about this series it completely ignores the ethnicity of its hero and makes Jack as a result makes Shadowman (2012) less about being a black superhero book and just a straight up superhero book. I'm starting to see the appeal of writing a black superhero in an ethnicity neutral manner; it certainly broadens the potential appeal of said hero exponentially.
The Bad
Villain- I'm sorry but I'm still waiting for Zircher and Jordan to sell this "big bad" to me. I don't see him as a palpable enough threat to warrant half the excitement Zircher and Jordan are expecting. They need to work on the threat level and revealing more about Darque and where he has been since his fight with Josiah Boniface before he will ever be taken seriously.
The Ugly
Finally a worthy pay off for all my investment since 2012. Shadowman (2013) #4 is a step in the right direction for a series just finding its legs but with still so much room to grow. 4/5 Stars


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Astrologer in Punjab World Astrologer in Punjab as well as the known and pandit ji good Pandit pandit ji ideal world he is No. 1 in the world. He knows the art Vashikaran Celebrities. He is an expert in Celebrities and Vashikaran. The and Astrologer in Punjab in the world and top service how our world moves everything and decided to change the world to be based on your Celebrities as Celebrities is. Everything is possible by Celebrities. Celebrities our future, past and present helps. Therefore, vashikaran expert vashikaran Baba says that the order to get the maximum effect, between the wearer and the wearer wishes to draw the trend of personnel is important to some degree.
Astrologer in Punjab Some of the problems which ultimately can help you find a solution to vashikaran are written. Any loss or without any kind of ordinary working because it's old and reliable method for you as soon as possible will give the solution to solve your problem can get very easily. Many people get their help to solve their problems and those who are satisfied with their lives and they can say that vashikaran easily and can change someone's life. Vashikaran specialist baba ji very useful things you can too by the way. Frost spells which you get an attraction towards you with the power to give is very effective, but wear is not forcing anyone to produce feelings.
No. 1 Astrologer in Punjab Vashikaran specialist baba ji all your love, family, marriage, business, money, relationships, career and give solutions to problems etc Baba says that when there planter astrological movement in the event that people think that they can be negative or positive, will affect the lives. Expert power tool use spells and a person's mind, thoughts, actions and behavior control. He will consider the position of the planets before Vashikaran performance. They Vashikaran Act must be mastered by anyone; it just cannot be used to produce the desired results.


text: I just thought I'd throw it out there in case anyone wanted to get ahold of this. I was browsing through craigslist and saw it. Pretty nifty for a collector or any hawks fan really. PM me and I can try and get ahold of the person for you and possibly send it up to washington for you.


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RIM Investors Suffer 'CrackBerry' Like Reactions to More Deal Talk
Research in Motion's addictive BlackBerrys cause users to spasm in reaction to a blinking red light.
Investors in the stock seem to react the same way to any news about a deal for the company.
The stock Thursday touched a 52-week high of $18.32, nearly triple the low it hit only four months ago. It then quickly gave back part of that gain, and is now up 3.4% to $17.93 in recent trading.
The most recent spurt up and down appears to be fueled by, what else, but chatter about it being bought, coming from the slopes of Davos.
The CFO of Lenovo Group told Bloomberg that it was "looking at all opportunities — RIM and many others" and that "We'll have no hesitation if the right opportunity comes along that could benefit us and shareholders."
RIM shares are now up 13% this week after getting an earlier boost this week from CEO Thorsten Heins telling a German publication he continues to consider options including licensing software and maybe selling the hardware unit.
Last year, the stock even jumped when RIM announced a licensing deal, except the deal was RIM licensing Microsoft's technology, not exactly all that exciting.


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This flyer was designed to promote an Electro / Dance / Techno / Trip hop / House / Alternative / Trance / Underground music event, such as a gig, concert, festival, dj set, party or weekly event in a music club and other kind of special evenings. This poster can also be used for a band's new album promotion and other advertising purposes.
1x Psd File 10 Different Color Options Print Ready 4,25x6,25" with 0,30" bleeds 300 dpi / CMYK Easy For Customizing Neatly Organized Layers Modern, Clean & UNIQUE Design
All text layers are full type and can be edited with the click of a Button. You can easily change color of them and make many variations as you wish.
I also love feedback on how I can improve my work for you guys! For any further help or clarification, please feel free to contact me. Please contact through the message box at the bottom of my homepage.


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Jim Webb
From Quotes
Men who accomplish great things in the industrial world are the ones who have faith in the money producing power of ideas.Charles Fillmore
James Henry "Jim" Webb (born February 9, 1946) is an American politician, the junior senator from Virginia. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps, he served in Ronald Reagan's administration as the Secretary of the Navy.
- I don't believe that right now this country needs a draft. I've proposed a 5% tax break for all people who serve honorably in the military. [...] If you go to the typical income of a veteran, it's about $30-something-thousand, so it's not a high-cost program. And it's targeted to people who've served. And one of the things that that would do is to bring more people from across class lines into the military.
- George W. Bush: How's your boy?
Webb: I'd like to get them out of Iraq, Mr. President
Bush: That's not what I asked you. How's your boy?
Webb: That's between me and my boy, Mr. President.
- Michael D. Shear. "In Following His Own Script, Webb May Test Senate's Limits", Washington Post, November 29, 2006.
- Friends are found on the battlefield, and unfortunately friends are also lost. And where do we find the measure of that sacrifice? How can we account for the value of that loss? Sometimes we can find an answer in our sense of country, at other times in our Corps. But clearly we can see it in the lives that were able to continue due to the acts of others who were not so fortunate.
- Speech at Iwo Jima reunion (February 2000). Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
- Our country is in the middle of a profound crisis. This crisis has many causes, but much of it has been brought about by poor leadership decisions at every level of government. In addition, our electoral process is dominated by financial interests that are threatened by the very notion of reform.
- "What It Takes To Be a Leader" in Parade magazine (May 18, 2008)
Quotes about Webb
- The Navy Cross is presented to James H. Webb, Jr., First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving as a Platoon Commander with Company D, First Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 10 July 1969, while participating in a company-sized search and destroy operation deep in hostile territory, First Lieutenant Webb's platoon discovered a well-camouflaged bunker complex which appeared to be unoccupied. Deploying his men into defensive positions, First Lieutenant Webb was advancing to the first bunker when three enemy soldiers armed with hand grenades jumped out. Reacting instantly, he grabbed the closest man and, brandishing his .45 caliber pistol at the others, apprehended all three of the soldiers. Accompanied by one of his men, he then approached the second bunker and called for the enemy to surrender. When the hostile soldiers failed to answer him and threw a grenade which detonated dangerously close to him, First Lieutenant Webb detonated a claymore mine in the bunker aperture, accounting for two enemy casualties and disclosing the entrance to a tunnel. Despite the smoke and debris from the explosion and the possibility of enemy soldiers hiding in the tunnel, he then conducted a thorough search which yielded several items of equipment and numerous documents containing valuable intelligence data. Continuing the assault, he approached a third bunker and was preparing to fire into it when the enemy threw another grenade. Observing the grenade land dangerously close to his companion, First Lieutenant Webb simultaneously fired his weapon at the enemy, pushed the Marine away from the grenade, and shielded him from the explosion with his own body. Although sustaining painful fragmentation wounds from the explosion, he managed to throw a grenade into the aperture and completely destroy the remaining bunker. By his courage, aggressive leadership, and selfless devotion to duty, First Lieutenant Webb upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.
- US Marine Corps Awards - Vietnam. Full Text Citations for Vietnam War Awards of the Navy Cross. HomeofHeroes.com. Retrieved on 2006-03-25.
- He's not a typical politician. He really has deep convictions.
- Senator Charles E. Schumer
- Quoted in Shear, Michael D., "In Following His Own Script, Webb May Test Senate's Limits", The Washington Post, November 29, 2006, p. p. 2. URL accessed on 2006-12-01.
External links
- Jim Webb's entry in OnTheIssues.


text: I am an artist who for over 30 years works to be part of humanity by our shared joys and inevitable sufferings. These intense feelings and moments are captured in and through my paintings, drawings, photography, and writings. Thank you for persevering through this life and being a beacon of light for when I and others are in the dark.


text: First of all, thank you very much for the remoting client example. It's really a time saver. My question is how can I fetch client data remotely. I see the functions client_get ($session_id, $client_id) in remoting.inc.php but the usage is somewhat vague. I'm not sure whether that's the right function to use. I need to retrieve user data (address, street, mobile etc etc) and populates it into textbox. Thanks in advance


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The Arc New London County is New London County?s agency of choice for many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Located at 125 Sachem Street in Norwich, Connecticut, The Arc was established in 1952
by parents of children with intellectual disabilities to serve the citizens of New London County.
Copyright © 2011 The Arc New London County. All Rights Reserved.
Contact Us


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Shelob was a child of Ungoliant, a Giant Spider-like creature, she appears at the end of the second volume of The Lord of the Rings, where her attack leads to Sam Gamgee's key decision to take over the quest to destroy the One Ring.
- "There age-long she had dwelt, an evil thing in spider-form, even such as once of old had lived in the Land of the Elves in the West that is now under the Sea, such as Beren fought in the Mountains of Terror in Doriath, and so came to Lúthien upon the green sward amid the hemlocks in the moonlight long ago. How Shelob came there, flying from ruin, no tale tells, for out of the Dark Years few tales have come. But still she was there, who was there before Sauron, and before the first stone of Barad-dûr; and she served none but herself, drinking the blood of Elves and Men, bloated and grown fat with endless brooding on her feasts, weaving webs of shadows; for all living things were her food, and her vomit darkness. Far and wide her lesser broods, bastards of the miserable mates, her own offspring, that she slew, spread from glen to glen, from the Ephel Dúath to the eastern hills, to Dol Guldur and the fastnesses of Mirkwood. But none could rival her, Shelob the Great, last child of Ungoliant to trouble the unhappy world."
- ― The Lord of the Rings, Shelob's Lair
Shelob in The Lord of the RingsUngoliant and some lesser spider of Arda. She dwelled high in the mountains of Mordor, having established her lair there before Sauron claimed Mordor as his own. Shelob spent her early days feeding off elves and men, but as elves and men became scarce in the area, she fed upon orcs. Sauron would sometimes send her captured prisoners for whom he had no further use and amuse himself watching how she played with her prey. Even though they did not communicate, Sauron and Shelob understood each other. Shelob was like a pet to Sauron, and she served as a secure guardian of the pass of Cirith Ungol to prevent any intruders from entering the dark land.
Her lair was along the path that Sam Gamgee and Frodo Baggins took while seeking Mount Doom. Their guide, Gollum (whom the orcs of the Tower of Cirith Ungol call "Her Shelob's Sneak"), had reached some sort of understanding with her, and he led the hobbits directly into her trap.
While put off by the Phial of Galadriel in the tunnels, she intercepted them again outside and attacked Frodo, stinging him into a death-like coma. Sam managed to defeat her by letting her impale herself upon Sting when she tried to crush him under her massive body. Wounded, she fled to her lair and was never seen again.
Thinking Frodo dead, Sam took the One Ring from him and left his body behind, but discovered by listening to a party of Orcs that Shelob's venom was not intended to kill its victims but only to render them unconscious and keep their meat fresh.
Early History and Associations
Before moving to Terech Ungol beneath Cirith Ungol, Shelob lived in Beleriand, in the Ered Gorgoroth.
Shelob's descendants (upon whom she would often feed) included the smaller, but still giant, spiders of Mirkwood, who captured Bilbo Baggins' Dwarf allies during the Quest of Erebor.
The name Shelob is derived from "lob", an archaic English word for spider. A variation, "cob" is the derivation of the word "cobweb". It is doubtless an Anglicization of the original Westron/Sindarin word, according to the Translator conceit.
Movie Adaptation
In Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings based on the books, Shelob's appearance is held over until the middle of the third movie, The Return of the King.
In the movie, Shelob can be seen to have a retractable venomous sting at the rear end between the spinnerets, resembling a wasp's sting. This is very much unlike real spiders which inject venom with their fangs but accurate relative to the novel. Shelob also appears to have a gaping mouth, whereas real spiders can ingest only liquid. In the book, on the other hand, "clusters" of eyes are mentioned, which may suggest compound eyes like those of insects; the Shelob in the movie does not have compound eyes, which is appropriate. A hunting spider of the family Lycosidae, which Shelob most closely resembles, would have two large eyes facing forward, and a few smaller ones almost hidden below. The only spiders that can reasonably be said to have "clustered" eyes (though not true compound eyes) are the daddy long-legs spiders of the family Pholcidae, but Shelob does not resemble these rather spindly and fragile spiders in other aspects of her physique.


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Twisters reported in southern MN
MANKATO, Minn. (AP) — A spring storm has dropped several tornadoes on the ground in south-central Minnesota, but no major damage or injuries are reported.
Tornado touchdowns were reported near St. James and Lake Crystal Thursday afternoon.
says a tornado also was confirmed near Madelia.
Another tornado was reported around 8 p.m. near Gaylord, but the weather service say no damage or injuries are reported.
High winds tore down trees and snapped power poles in Waseca (wah-SEE'-kuh). But the Waseca County sheriff's office reports no injuries.
In southeastern Minnesota, a roof was blown off a house 8 miles southeast of Red Wing.
Heavy rain also was reported. Nicollet in south-central Minnesota received 2.2 inches of rain Thursday evening.
Some street flooding was reported in Burnsville south of Minneapolis.


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SpellTower for iPhone and iPad is a fun word game that adds a fun twist to the classic word search game. Instead of being limited to spelling words vertically, horizontally, and diagonally, you can choose your letters in any direction.
Specifically, if the next letter in your word is in one of the 8 surrounding letters, then it's fair game. Perhaps an easier way to explain it is -- any word that is able to be spelled by sliding over each letter, in order, without lifting your finger, is playable in SpellTower.
There are other little rules for scoring and clearing rows, but SpellTower does an excellent job of explaining them in the tutorial.
SpellTower has 5 different game modes. Tower Mode the most relaxing and pressure-free. You are simply given 150 letters and it's your goal to spell as many words as you can.
Puzzle Mode reminds me of Tetris. Each time you make a word, a new row is added and your goal is to prevent any of the columns from reaching the top.
If a letter has a small letter in its tile, the number represents the shortest length your word must be in order to use that letter. In Ex Puzzle Mode, there are a lot more of these letters than in Puzzle Mode.
Rush Mode has the same overall objective as the Puzzle Modes, except that instead of adding rows every time you make a word, SpellTower adds a new row after a set amount of time. This is by no means a leisurely game mode!
The Good
- Fun
- 4 levels of difficulty
- Challenging
- Includes helpful tutorial
- Multiplayer over bluetooth
- Night mode
The Bad
- No online multiplayer
The bottom line
SpellTower is a very fun game. I've always had a slight aversion to word games, because I'm typically very terrible at them, but I actually really enjoy playing this one. SpellTower is the best word game I've ever played.
$1.99 - Download Now
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White (4'x4') Rentals
* Prices are subject to change. To qualify for delivery, a $300 minimum rental order is required. There is an extra fee for delivery.
* Please call us with any questions about our white (4'x4') rentals in Chesapeake VA, serving the entire Hampton Roads region of Virginia.


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Mystery Dungeon (Preview) Clip 1
Ice King, NEPTR, Tree Trunks, Shelby and Lemongrab are trapped inside a mysterious dungeon and must work together to free themselves.
Cartoon Network is home to your favourite cartoons with hundreds of free online games for kids. Play games online with Cartoon Network characters from Adventure Time, Gumball, Ben 10, Regular Show, The Powerpuff Girls, We Bare Bears, Teen Titans, Steven Universe, Uncle Grandpa and many more. Save the Candy Kingdom with Finn and Jake or hang out with Gumball. There's adventure games, puzzle games, action, activity and sports games for you to play on Cartoon Network online, where the fun never stops.
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Dan Patrick's radio show this afternoon was very Bonds branded-ball heavy, grabbing baseball HOF president Jeff Idelson on for a few minutes to talk about how they finally wrestled the piece of history away from Marc Ecko. Lucky for them, the HOF was kind enough to send them a picture of the infamous branded hide that once was Barry Bonds' 756th homerun ball in all of its tainted glory.
You can spend the rest of the night staring at that ruined ball, dreaming of a better tomorrow, and praying for Chris Snyder.
Also, if anyone is not doing anything firework-related and would like to sit inside and watch sports all weekend while writing on this site, please feel free to hit me up.
Considering this is the freewheeling managerial style I'm adopting during this transitional period, the chances of you getting paid before 2010 are rather slim. Those who are interested, however, should feel free to drop a line.
Dan Patrick Interviews Jeff Idelson [SI.com]


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- Year
- 1949
Legal thriller writer Scott Turow is born
Scott Turow, author of Presumed Innocent (1987), is born on this day in Chicago.
Turow started writing as a child, inspired by his mother, who wrote articles for local publications outside Chicago. He attended Amherst College, then studied and taught fiction at Stanford before enrolling in Harvard Law School. Based on his experiences at Harvard, he wrote One L: What They Really Teach You at Harvard Law School (1977). He joined the U.S. attorney's office in Chicago after law school, working on a sting operation to convict corrupt lawyers and judges. After eight years on the project, he left to practice criminal defense at a large Chicago law firm. While holding both jobs, he commuted to work on the train, where he wrote his first novel, Presumed Innocent, in a spiral notebook. The book was made into a hit movie in 1990 starring Harrison Ford. Turow continued to work part time as an attorney while turning out more bestsellers, including The Burden of Proof (1990), Pleading Guilty (1993), The Laws of Our Fathers (1996), Personal Injuries (1999), Reversible Errors (2002), Ordinary Heroes (2005), Limitations (2006), and Innocent (2010).
Turow is a pioneer in the legal thriller genre, paving the way for other bestselling writers such as John Grisham.


text: Apologies for encouraging offtopic threads, but it's been a slow year. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2003 17:07:19 -0500 From: Dave Emery <die at die.com> To: Joseph DiVerdi <diverdi at xtrsystems.com> Cc: discuss-gnuradio at gnu.org Subject: Re: [Discuss-gnuradio] Re: synchronizing sound cards in a cluster On Thu, Mar 13, 2003 at 02:10:22PM -0700, Joseph DiVerdi wrote: > At 1:03 PM -0800 3/13/03, Matthew Kaufman wrote: > >This isn't really the hard part. The hard part is getting multiple sound > >cards to share the same sample clock. IF the same clocks all ran at the > >same rate, then you could fairly easily use known inputs to synchronize > >up the results, but the sample clocks aren't nearly close enough > >together for that. In fact, the sample clocks in most sound cards are > >*terrible*. > > > >Even synchronizing multiple sound cards inside the same PC is a > >difficult problem for this reason. > > > >So, for starters, go get some sound cards that have an external clock > >input for the sampling. (If you can find such a thing) > > > >Matthew > > I believe Matthew is exactly correct regarding the crux of the problem and if someone were to discover a sound card with an external clock would appreciate learning about it. > > In this situation it may be necessary to migrate to an analog input ADC card which very often has an external clock or trigger input. > > Best regards, > Joseph I've given thought (but no actual effort) to replacing the canned crystal timing oscillator on a soundcard with an external input (and a BNC or SMA connector) and feeding the thing from a frequency synthesizer locked to GPS or a rubidium standard. Whether this would clean up all clock accuracy and jitter issues I do not know (depends on the digital design of the soundcard), but it definately does not handle the external sample trigger issue. It has occured to me that some soundcards may still use external (eg not part of a big ASIC) codecs (A/D converters in this context). If this is the case, there is an off chance that the digital circuitry inside the PCI or USB interface ASIC is logically asynchronous in handling samples from the ADC rather than strictly synchronous to its internal clock. What this means is that ASIC provides a trigger to the ADC and waits internally until the ADC completes its conversion and signals done rather than simply assuming that data appears N clock ticks after the ADC start signal and if one starts strobing in bits then one gets the sample. Given a sound card with an external ADC and a PCI state machine that waits for the ADC to say it has data rather than assuming it is there exactly N clock ticks after a convert start signal provided by the PCI ASIC, it might well be possible to hack the soundcard so the ADC start signal comes from an external timing source rather than the sample timing synthesizer in the ASIC. This would provide external sample triggering, probably with a +- 1 tick of the soundcard ADC clock jitter to allow sync up with ADC's internal clock. There might or might not be some constraints on such an external trigger modification - it is quite possible the PCI state machine on the soundcard might get royally confused if the A/D said it had data before the ASIC issued a convert command, so it might be necessary to interlock them with external logic, locking out the ADC start logic until after a trigger was generated by the PCI ASIC (or locking out the ADC done signal from the ASIC until the ASIC has called for a conversion). Whether such a hack is worth persuing depends on whether someone designs a cheap ADC for GNU radio applications. If the cheapest ADC is $1400 it sure is, but if a $300 board with integral digital downconversion is developed it might not be. I do hope the folks developing the gnu-radio board have addressed the external sample trigger and preferably also the external sample clock (eg supplying a precise frequency input) issues from the git go in their design - a board without both features is much less useful for many applications. Of course the big hastle is that no sound card vendor is very likely to be willing to supply any details of the logic of his ASICs (or even just board layout and signal names on pins) so any such hack has to be designed the old fashioned way - by reverse engineering and experimentation rather than study of ASIC VHDL or whatever. One expects that the details of the interfaces to common codecs ARE available on their data sheets, however, so finding the signals to look at on a logic analyzer isn't rocket science. -- Dave Emery N1PRE, die at die.com DIE Consulting, Weston, Mass. PGP fingerprint = 2047/4D7B08D1 DE 6E E1 CC 1F 1D 96 E2 5D 27 BD B0 24 88 C3 18 _______________________________________________ Discuss-gnuradio mailing list Discuss-gnuradio at gnu.org http://mail.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss-gnuradio


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Basic School
The Basic School for New York State Troopers consists of 26 weeks of training. It is one of the most comprehensive law enforcement recruit training programs in the country and is designed to provide newly appointed troopers with the academic foundation, physical fitness and technical skills necessary to perform their complex, varied police duties with professionalism and excellence.
Basic School training is residential; recruits are required to live at the Academy. Class sizes can range from 50 to more than 200 recruits, depending upon departmental needs and budgetary considerations. Each student's commitment is constantly tested by the school's demanding and rigorous college-level program.
To graduate a recruit must successfully complete 1,095 hours of training provided by certified law enforcement professionals and members of the New York State Police.


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South African Journal of Education
versión On-line ISSN 2076-3433
versión impresa ISSN 0256-0100
S. Afr. j. educ. vol.28 no.1 Pretoria feb. 2008
Access to mathematics versus access to the language of power: the struggle in multilingual mathematics classrooms
Mamokgethi Setati
Mamokgethi Setati is Associate Professor and Director of the Marang Centre for Maths and Science Education at Wits University, as well as Professor Extraordinaire at the Tshwane University of Technology. Her research interests include teaching and learning mathematics in multilingual classrooms. firstname.lastname@example.com
In this article I explore how teachers and learners position themselves in relation to use of language(s) in multilingual mathematics classrooms. I draw from two studies in multilingual mathematics classrooms in South Africa. The analysis presented shows that teachers and learners who position themselves in relation to English are concerned with access to social goods and positioned by the social and economic power of English. They do not focus on epistemological access but argue for English as the language of learning and teaching. In contrast, learners who position themselves in relation to mathematics and so epistemological access, reflect more contradictory discourses, including support for the use of the their home languages as languages of learning and teaching.
Keywords: access to mathematics; language of power; multilingual; Setswana
"Classroom conversations that include the use of [...] the [bilingual] students' first language as legitimate resources can support students in learning to communicate mathematically" (Moschkovich, 2002:208)
"If we changed our [mathematics] textbooks into Setswana and set our exams in Setswana,1 then my school will be empty because our parents now believe in English" (Lindi, a Grade 4 mathematics teacher).
It is widely accepted that language is important for learning and thinking and that the ability to communicate mathematically is central to learning and teaching school mathematics. What is still under constant debate and investigation is which language is most appropriate for learning a subject such as mathematics especially in multilingual contexts. The quotes above capture the essence and complexity of the debate. Research argues that the learners' main languages are a resource in the teaching and learning of mathematics while teachers argue for the use of English. Herein lies the problem explored here:
Why is it that teachers and learners prefer English as the language of learning and teaching (LoLT) when research and policy support the use of the learners' home languages for learning?
The arguments for both sides are equally compelling as they are about access to mathematics and social goods. The main aim in this article is to give substance to the debate by exploring how multilingual mathematics teachers and learners position themselves in this debate and what this might mean for research and practice. Positioning is a conversational phenomenon. In any conversation actors are variously positioned either by themselves or others. Davies and Harré (1990) observe that when one has taken up a particular position as one's own, one inevitably sees the world from the vantage point of that position and in terms of the particular images, metaphors, storylines, and concepts which are made relevant within the particular discursive practice in which they are positioned.
There is a general view in South Africa that most parents want their children to be educated in English and that most learners would like to be taught in English. While there is no systematic research evidence, it is also widely held that many schools with an African student body choose to use English as the language of learning and teaching (LoLT) from the first year of schooling (Taylor & Vinjevold, 1999). The TIMSS results in South Africa were very poor. Studies that have emerged from this argue that the solution to improving African learners' performance in mathematics is to develop their English language proficiency (e.g. Howie, 2002). What does this kind of recommendation mean for mathematics learning? The problem explored here relates to how the power dynamics of language play out in the mathematics classroom context, and whose or what interests they serve? Issues of power and access are by no means straightforward and so it is important that they be problematised. These issues are about the politics of language and the work on the politics of language is complex, not well developed in mathematics education and often misrepresented. To put this debate in perspective it is important that I provide a brief overview on the political role of language and its use in multilingual mathematics classrooms.
The political role of language and its use in multilingual mathematics classrooms
Language, like multilingualism, is always political (Hartshorne, 1987; Reagan & Ntshoe 1987; Mda, 1997; Friedman, 1997; Heugh, 1997; Granville; Janks; Mphahlele; Reed; Watson; Joseph & Ramani, 1998; Gee, 1999). It is one of the characteristics that are used in society to determine power (Gutiérrez, 2002). In South Africa the issue of language has always been interwoven with the politics of domination and separation, resistance, and affirmation. During apartheid, the language of learning issue became a dominating factor in opposition to the system of Bantu Education. Though not unmindful or ashamed of African traditions per se, the mainstream African nationalists have generally viewed cultural assimilation as a means by which Africans could be released from a subordinate position in a common, unified society (Reagan & Ntshoe, 1987). They therefore fought against the use of African languages as languages of learning and teaching because they saw it as a device to ensure that Africans remain oppressed. Lindi's views in the quotation above that the parents of learners in her school believe in English are therefore not surprising.
The political nature of language is not only at the macro-level of structures but also at the micro-level of classroom interactions. Language can be used to exclude or include people in conversations and decision-making processes. Zentella (1997) through her work with Puerto Rican children in El Bario, New York shows how language can bring people together or separate them. Language is one way in which one can define one's adherence to group values. Therefore decisions about which language to use in multilingual mathematics classrooms, how, and for what purposes, are not only pedagogic but also political (Setati, 2003). Most research on mathematics education in multilingual classrooms has argued for the use of the learners' home languages as resources for learning and teaching mathematics (e.g. Addendorff, 1993; Adler, 2001; Arthur, 1994; Khisty, 1995; Merrit, Cleghorn, Abagi & Bunyi, 1992; Moschkovich, 1999, 2002; Ncedo, Peires & Morar, 2002; Setati, 1998; Setati & Adler, 2001; Setati, Adler, Reed & Bapoo, 2002). They have argued for the use of the learners' home languages in learning and teaching mathematics, as a support needed while learners continue to develop proficiency in the language of learning and teaching (e.g. English) at the same time as learning mathematics. While research in general education on language and minority learners is strongly rooted in the socio-political context of learning (Cummins, 2000), most research on multilingualism in mathematics education has been framed by a limited conception of language as a tool for thinking and communication. To ignore the political role of language in mathematics education research and practice would assume that power relationships do not exist in society.
Theoretical framework
In this article, I use the work of Gee (1996; 1999) as a theoretical framework to take the work on multilingualism in mathematics education further by explaining the language choices of teachers and learners in multilingual mathematics classrooms beyond the pedagogic and cognitive. Gee's work is relevant because he considers language as always political (1996; 1999). He argues that when people speak or write they create a political perspective; they use language to project themselves as certain kinds of people engaged in certain kinds of activity. Language is thus never just a vehicle to express ideas (a cultural tool), but also a political tool that we use to enact (i.e. to be recognized as) a particular 'who' (identity) engaged in a particular 'what' (situated activity).
Gee (1999) uses the theoretical construct of cultural models to explore the identities and activities that people enact. Cultural models are shared, conventional ideas about how the world works, which individuals learn by talking and acting with their fellows. They help us explain why people do things in the way that they do and provide a framework for organizing and reconstructing memories of experience (Holland & Quinn, 1987). Cultural models do not reside in people's heads, but they are embedded in words, in people's practices and in the context in which they live. The question that is relevant is what cultural models do teachers and learners in multilingual mathematics classrooms enact in relation to language and mathematics? In what follows I use the notion of cultural models to explore why teachers and learners prefer the language(s) that they choose for learning and teaching mathematics. Thereafter I will look at the implications of such language choices for research and practice.
Data collection and procedure
The analysis presented here is drawn from two research projects involving teachers and learners in multilingual mathematics classrooms in South Africa. The first study involved six intermediate phase mathematics teachers who taught in multilingual classrooms in township schools in which they shared their main languages with the learners. The second study involved five Grade 11 mathematics learners from a township school in which they were learning mathematics in English, a language that was neither their first, home or main language.
These teachers and learners were multilingual; each of them could speak, read, write and understand at least four languages. The individual interviews conducted with both the teachers and the learners were guided by the following two questions: Which language do you prefer to teach mathematics in? and Why? In the case of the learners there were one or two follow-up questions asked depending on the learners' response. For example, if a learner indicated that they preferred to be taught mathematics in English the following follow-up question was asked: What if there are students who want to learn mathematics in Zulu or Sesotho, what would you say to them?
During the interviews each of the teachers and learners was given an opportunity to choose their preferred language for the interview. While translations are provided in brackets in the extracts presented here, it is important to note that analysis was done from the original utterances and not the translated version.
Teachers' language choices
Over and above all else, English is international emerged as a dominant cultural model that shaped the teachers' language choices. All the six teachers stated ideological and pragmatic reasons for their preference to teach mathematics in English. As the extracts show, these reasons ranged from the belief that English is an international language to the fact that textbooks, examinations and higher education are all in English.
Vusi: I prefer to teach in English because it is a universal language.
Kuki: I think all the languages must be equal although English as the international language, it has to still be emphasised and mother tongue I think it's high time that the kids learn mother tongue and be proud of it.
Lindi: ... it is said that [English] is an international language ... I encourage them to use English ... The textbooks are written in English, the question papers are in English, so you find that the child doesn't understand what is written there. (my emphasis)
These extracts suggest that these teachers are aware of the linguistic capital of English and the symbolic power it bestows on those who can communicate in it. They see English as international and universal and thus 'bigger than' themselves. The way Kuki and Lindi express themselves in the above extracts also suggests that they do not want to take responsibility for the status of English. The status of English is what it is and they cannot change it. Kuki uses the phrase "I think ...", while Lindi uses "It is said ...," suggesting that they see themselves as being caught up in the dominance of English. They do not have any control over the international nature of English. All they can do is to prepare their learners for participation in the international world, and teaching mathematics in English is an important part of this preparation. It is therefore not surprising that all the teachers saw English as the only choice for use in mathematics teaching. They lived all their lives in an environment that values English more than any other language. Furthermore, as Lindi correctly points out, the mathematics textbooks and examinations are in English. Over the years, there have been no mathematics textbooks in South Africa published in an African language. During the time when 'mother tongue' instruction was enforced in primary schools, the mathematics textbooks at this level were translated from English or Afrikaans into the African languages. The secondary school mathematics textbooks have never been published in African languages in South Africa. Therefore, for many African teachers and learners, mathematics is associated with the English language because it is the language of mathematics textbooks and assessment. As a result, while according to policy African languages can also be used as languages of learning and teaching, English has become the only possible choice for teaching and learning mathematics. What is interesting is that none of the teachers challenged the power of English or the fact that textbooks and examinations are given only in English while learners are still developing fluency in it.
While the other three teachers did not explicitly highlight the international nature of English, they also indicated that they encouraged their learners to use English and their reasons focused on the social goods that learners can access through English.
Gugu: I think English, it empowers them [the learners], you understand. At this stage of eight, nine years, they can be able to speak English unlike us. We never did English in primary and at college we were supposed to answer in English in lectures. So we had a problem with this language, so at any early age they just become used to it.
Mpule: I encourage them to use English because if they do not learn the language how will they be able to cope in higher classes, they will not cope.
Rosina: I encourage them to use English always ... So that they can learn the language. (my emphasis)
Gugu wants to make English accessible to her learners early in their schooling. In her view, making English accessible would assist in undoing what she sees as the wrongs of the past, which she experienced as a learner. Gugu's view of making English accessible is similar to Granville et al.'s (1998). Granville et al. insist that while all South African learners must learn at least one African language they should also have access to English. They maintain that making English accessible would ensure that it is no longer an elitist language. In this way English could come to be seen as a resource, not as a problem (Granville et. al., 1998). The challenge now is that even the learners who do not have access to English are learning mathematics in English. In Gugu's view the mathematics classroom must be used as an opportunity for learners to gain access to English. An important question to ask here is, what is the cost of focusing on making English accessible to the learners during mathematics teaching?
Mpule highlights the fact that English is the language of higher education. Higher education in South Africa is only available in English and Afrikaans. As a primary school teacher, she feels responsible for ensuring that the learners are ready for higher classes and the ability to speak English is an important part of preparation for that. What is interesting is that Mpule, like all the other teachers in the study, does not highlight the importance of ensuring that learners are mathematically competent for higher classes. While this absence of concern for mathematical competence may not be deliberate, it is important to note it. What is in the foreground in the teachers' cultural models above is English. Explanations for their preferred language(s) for mathematics teaching focus on English and not mathematics. These teachers position themselves in relation to English (which they consider to provide socio-economic access) and not mathematics (i.e. epistemological access).
Of all the teachers, Kuki was the only one who indicated some awareness of the fact that all the official languages in South Africa are equal. What is interesting is that even with this recognition, Kuki still maintains that English has to be emphasised. As the above extracts show, Kuki is working with conflicting cultural models of wanting to honour the African languages on the one hand, and on the other hand ensuring that the learners have access to English. During the focus group interview both Gugu and Lindi also displayed the same kind of conflicting cultural models.
Gugu: To me those different languages must be respected, we must never look down upon different people speaking different languages. I think to me they are all important. Much as we are respecting English as an international language but I think it is high time that we realise that we need to interact with other languages.
While Gugu wants to respect and honour the African languages, she still feels pressured by the international nature of English. During the pre-observation interview, she was emphatic about the need to focus on English and in the focus group interview, she emphasises the need to respect and interact with other languages.
Lindi: ... the past has already killed our nation the only language that has been respected the most is English. If you don't know English you look like a fool, and you are considered as not intelligent. If someone knows English it means that person is intelligent, it seems as if they are associating this knowledge of English as having a good intellect. (my emphasis)
Lindi's reference to the lack of respect for African languages as a brutal act that "killed our nation" is typical of the emotive language that these teachers used at different times in the study. Gugu also used this language of 'killing' during the pre-observation interview. Gugu, however, talked about "killing the children" by not exposing them to English, while Lindi is talking about "killing our nation" by not allowing them to use and therefore develop their own languages. Lindi also shows her anger about the past and the status of English the fact that to be respected one has to be fluent in English. Despite her anger, Lindi does not want her school to use an African language in teaching mathematics because her "school will be empty".
The analysis presented above highlights the teachers' preference for English as the language of learning and teaching mathematics and the cultural models that inform this preference. The discussion also shows the conflicting cultural models that teachers held. A glaring absence in the teachers' cultural models was any reference to how learning and teaching in English, as they preferred, would create epistemological access for the learners. This absence suggests that the teachers positioned themselves in relation to English and not mathematics. What is more prevalent in the reasons for preference of English are: economic, political, and ideological factors. The following section explores the learners' language preferences and how they relate to those of teachers.
Learners' language choices
Three of the learners interviewed indicated that they preferred to be taught mathematics in English while the other two felt that it really did not matter what language mathematics was learned in. For the learners who preferred to be taught English (Tumi, Sipho and Nhlanhla) the cultural model of English as an international language, which positions English as the route to success, was dominant in their discourse. Their preference for English was because of the social goods that come with the ability to communicate in English.
Tumi: English is an international language, just imagine a class doing maths with Setswana for example, I don't think it's good.
MS: Why?
Tumi: I don't think it is a good idea. Let's say she taught us in Setswana, when we meet other students from other schools and we discuss a sum for instance and she is a white person. I only know division in Setswana, so I must divide this by this and don't know English, then he I going to have problem. So I think we should talk English. English is okay.
Tumi saw English as an obvious language for learning and teaching mathematics. It was unimaginable to him for mathematics to be taught in an African language like Setswana. The use of English as a language of learning and teaching mathematics was common sense to him; he could not imagine mathematics without English. This resonates with the teachers' cultural models above, which are exacerbated by the fact that mathematics texts and examinations are in English. Another factor that emerged from Tumi's views was the fact that he wanted to be taught mathematics in English so that he could be able to talk about mathematics in English with white people.
Sipho: I prefer that ba rute ka English gore ke tlo ithuta ho bua English. If you can't speak English, there will be no job you can get. In an interview, o thola hore lekgowa ha le kgone ho bua Sesotho or IsiZulu, ha o sa tsebe English o tlo luza job. [I prefer that they teach us in English so that I can learn English. If you can't speak English, there will be no job you can get. In an interview you will find a white person not able to speak Sesotho or IsiZulu, you will lose the job because you don't know English.]
Sipho's preference for English was largely because he saw English as a language that gives access to employment. He also connected employment with white people by arguing that during the interview one must be able to express oneself in English because it is white people who conduct interviews. The connection that Sipho is making between jobs, white people and English is as a result of the socio-political history of South Africa in which the economy was wholly in the hands of white people with English as the language of commerce. Hence Sipho's expectation that white people conduct job interviews and they do so in English. While the economic landscape is changing rapidly with more Africans acquiring wealth, for the majority of the African people like Sipho in, what President Thabo Mbeki recently described as, the second economy, survival is still dependent on the first economy. As Mbeki (2007) explained, South Africa is largely divided into two economies: the first economy, historically occupied by white people, is sophisticated and well adjusted to global economies. The second economy, historically occupied by black people, is largely dependent on the first economy. The point here is that while economy is no longer just in the hands of white people, for many Africans in the second economy this is not visible to them and so they still see their access to social goods as being connected to whites and therefore English. Clearly Tumi and Sipho regarded being in the mathematics class as an important opportunity for them to gain access to English the language of power.
Unlike Tumi and Sipho, Nhlanhla, who also indicated a preference for English, positioned herself in relation to mathematics. Nhlanhla, however, had conflicting cultural models. While she acknowledged the power of English, she also accepted the fact that if she focused on wanting to understand mathematics she would choose her home language as the language of learning and teaching.
Nhlanhla: ... is the way it is supposed to be because English is the standardized and international language.
MS: Okay, if you had a choice what language would you choose to learn maths in?
Nhlanhla: For the sake of understanding it, I would choose my language. But I wouldn't like that [English as language of learning and teaching] to be changed because somewhere somehow you would not understand what the word 'transpose' mean, ukhithi uchinchela ngale [that you change to the other side], some people won't understand. They would not understand what it means to change the sign and change the whole equation.
As the above extract shows, Nhlanhla recognises the value of learning mathematics in a language that she understands better. However, she does not want English as LoLT to change because English is international and the African languages do not have a well-developed mathematics register. There are conflicting cultural models at play here: one that values the use of African languages for mathematical understanding and another that values English because of its international nature. It is important to emphasise that holding the cultural model that English is international suggests that the fluency in English makes accessible the possibility to access social goods not only in South Africa but also internationally.
MS: What if there are students who want to learn mathematics in Zulu, what would say to them?
Nhlanhla: I would say its okay to have it but you have to minimize it because these days everything is done in English especially maths, physics and biology.
MS: Why is it that maths, physics and biology have to be done in English?
Nhlanhla: I don't know, think that's the way it is.
Nhlanhla's conflicting cultural models are evident in the above extract. They are indicative of the multiple identities that she is enacting. As a multilingual learner who is not fully fluent in English, she does not want to lose the social goods that come with fluency in English. As a mathematics learner it is important that she has a good understanding of the mathematics she is learning and using her language, as she says, facilitates understanding. While the teachers (Kuki, Lindi and Gugu) also experienced conflicting cultural models, theirs were in relation to access to social goods and not to mathematics.
Basani and Lehlohonolo were the two learners who felt that it really does not matter what language is used for mathematics. Basani is an interesting case. Before coming to the school in Soweto, he was a student at a suburban school, which was formerly for whites only. At the time of the study, he was in his second year at the Soweto school, which he had came to because his mother could no longer afford the fees at the former white school. Basani's level of English fluency was clearly above that of the other learners interviewed. During the interview, he explained that he was doing Grade 11 for the second time because he had failed IsiZulu and mathematics the previous year. He however insisted that he had no problem with mathematics and that he had failed mathematics because he was not as focused as he should have been.
Basani: Maths is also a language on its own, it doesn't matter what language you teaching it. It depends if the person is willing to do it.
MS: What would you say to learners who want to be taught maths in their African languages?
Basani: I would not have problem. If that's the way they want to do it it's their choice. I have a friend here at school he is Sotho, I help him with Maths. Sometimes when I explain in Sesotho he doesn't understand and when I explain it in English he understands.
MS: Why is that?
Basani: I don't know that's something I cannot answer because, how should I know, I never had a problem with maths before.
As the above extract shows, Basani believed that mathematics is a language and therefore it does not make any difference what language it is taught and learned in. Basani was very confident about his mathematical knowledge and seemed to be working with a cultural model that the key to mathematics learning is the willingness to do it. Lehlohonolo, who was also very confident about his mathematical knowledge, shared the similar views to Basani that it does not matter what language is used for mathematics. As the mathematics teacher explained, Lehlohonolo was, at the time of the study, the best performing learner in mathematics in his class. He was clearly confident of who he was and what he had achieved. Another factor that highlighted this is that when I gave them the information letters and consent forms to participate in the study, Lehlohonolo immediately indicated that he wanted his real name to be used because he wants to be famous. During the interview with him he positioned himself in relation to mathematics rather than English.
MS: Does it matter which language you do maths in?
Lehlohonolo: To me it doesn't matter just as long as I am able to think in all languages and I can speak and write in those languages then I can do maths in those languages.
The manner in which Lehlohonolo is connecting language to thinking and learning in the above extract is very sophisticated. For him fluency in the language (ability to read, speak, write and think) facilitates ability to learn in that language. As he explains below, while fluency in a language is necessary it is not sufficient to make a learner successful in mathematics.
Lehlohonolo: What I have realized is students that are I go with in class fail maths but they do well in English, I don't think English is the cause of why they failing maths. Some of them they chose maths because of their friends, some of them are in the wrong class. From my past experience they are not good in maths so they shouldn't have gone with maths. Even if you do it in IsiZulu, things will be the same, the problem is not with the language. They don't want to think, they don't want to be active; they don't interact with the teacher. If the teacher does the exercise and ask them if they are okay with this, they just agree, but when it comes to writing they don't understand.
For Lehlohonolo, language cannot be blamed for failure or given credit for success in mathematics. Lehlohonolo's very rich insights appropriately challenged a view that is often echoed by some researchers (e.g. Howie, 2002; 2003; 2004) who claim that learners' improved proficiency in English will lead to an improvement in learner performance. Quality mathematics teaching and learning involves much more than fluency in the LoLT (in this case English). Fluency in English, while necessary, is not a sufficient condition for improving performance or learning in mathematics. While successful learning of mathematics is only possible in contexts where the learners are fluent in the LoLT, it is also important to recognise the fact the success cannot only be attributed to the learners' profiency in the LoLT. There are other factors such as the teacher's knowledge of the mathematics she is teaching; her knowledge of the learners and how she draws on the learner's fluency in the LoLT. As can be seen in the extract above, Lehlohonolo adds that succeeding in mathematics also depends on the choices that the students make about how they participate in the mathematics class. In the extract below I continue my conversation with Lehlohonolo.
MS: So if you had a group of students who want to do maths in Zulu, what would you say to them?
Lehlohonolo: That's their own problem because if they out of high school, they cannot expect to find an Indian lecturer teaching maths in Zulu. English is the simplest language that everyone can speak so they will have to get used to English whilst they are still here.
While Lehlohonolo does not connect failure or success in mathematics to language, in the above extract he seems to be suggesting that learners should choose to learn in English because lecturers in higher education institutions are only able to teach in English. While this view sounds pragmatic it also signals an emergence of a conflicting cultural model for Lehlohonolo, which says even if there is no causal link between success in mathematics and the language used for learning and teaching, English is the only sensible choice for learning and teaching mathematics.
The above suggests that the learners' positioning and cultural models are not as clear as those of the teachers. What we can see is that the learners who prefer to be taught in English positioned themselves in relation to English. Nhlanhla was the only one who preferred English and also positioned herself in relation to mathematics. Tumi and Sipho were more concerned with gaining fluency in English so that they could access social goods such as jobs and higher education. They enacted the same cultural model with the teachers that English is international. This cultural model emphasises the belief that the acquisition of the English language constitutes the major content of schooling. This is inconsistent with the content of schooling, which is about giving epistemological access. It is also inconsistent with research and the Language in Education Policy (LiEP) in South Africa, which promotes multilingualism and encourages use of the learners' home language. An important question to ask about this policy is how can anybody choose to learn and teach mathematics in any language other than English in a context like South Africa where English is as dominant as it is. The hegemonic power of English makes it the only possible choice for teaching and learning. The assumption embedded in this policy seems to be that mathematics teachers and learners in multilingual classrooms together with their parents are somehow free of economic, political and ideological constraints and pressures when they apparently freely opt for English as LoLT. The LiEP seems to be taking a structuralist and positivist view of language, one that suggests that all languages are equal and can be free of cultural and political influences.
As indicated earlier, the learners who positioned themselves in relation to mathematics seemed to be working with conflicting cultural models one that is about mathematical understanding and the other that is about English fluency. While teachers also worked with conflicting cultural models, they did not position themselves in relation to the mathematics.
What does this mean for research and practice?
The literature argues that to facilitate multilingual learners' participation and success in mathematics teachers should recognise their home languages as legitimate languages of mathematical communication (Khisty, 1995; Moschkovich, 1999; 2002; Setati & Adler, 2002). As indicated earlier, all the studies that recommend the use of the learners' home languages have been framed by a conception of mediated learning, where language is seen as a tool for thinking and communication. These studies foreground the mathematics but do not consider the political role of language. The analysis presented in this work shows that the language choices of teachers and learners who prefer English are informed by the political nature of language. The challenge is bringing together the need for access to English and the need for access to mathematical knowledge. Furthermore it suggests that when learners bring the two together, the need for access to English tends to dominate.
A detailed analysis of a lesson taught by Kuki suggests a relationship between the language(s) used, mathematics discourses, and the cultural models that emerged (Setati, 2005). During the lesson, Kuki switched between English and Setswana, the main language of her learners. Her use of English tended to produce procedural discourse while her use of Setswana tended to produce conceptual discourse (for a detailed discussion see Setati, 2005). While it can be argued that the observations made in Kuki's classrooms cannot be generalised to all the teachers in multilingual classrooms, they give us an idea of what the dominant use of English by teachers in multilingual mathematics classrooms in which learners are not fluent in English can produce.
Recent research in South Africa points to the fact that procedural teaching is dominant in most multilingual classrooms (Taylor & Vinjevold, 1999). In most cases, this dominance of procedural teaching is seen as being a function of the teachers' lack of or limited knowledge of mathematics. What the above discussion suggests is that the problem is much more complex.
The analysis presented shows that teachers and learners who position themselves in relation to English are concerned with access to social goods and are positioned by the social and economic power of English. They argue for English as LoLT. Issues of epistemological access are absent in their discourse. In contrast, learners who position themselves in relation to mathematics and so epistemological access, reflect more contradictory discourses, including support for the use of the learners' home languages as LoLT. The work presented in this article could provide an important contribution in dealing with the complex issues related to teaching and learning in multilingual classrooms. Much remains to be done.
This article is based on work supported by the National Research Foundation. I appreciate the participation of all the teachers and learners in this study and the 'thinking together' that I engaged in with Jill Adler, Thabiso Nyabanyaba, and Godfrey Sethole while working on earlier drafts.
Setswana is one of the 11 official languages in South Africa. The other official languages are: IsiZulu, IsiXhosa, TshiVenda, Xitsonga, Sesotho, Isindebele, Siswati, Sepedi, Afrikaans, and English.
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Career Guides >> Browse Articles >> Government Salaries
2009 NSPS Salary Increases
Kyle Stone | GovCentral Editor
About 284,000 government employees are currently awaiting conversion to the NSPS pay system, which is expected to grow to include over 700,000 civilian employees. A significant portion of these conversions are likely to take place during the 2009 year, and we're here to help you understand how it will effect your salary.
Compared to General Schedule pay increases, NSPS reviews are a much bigger deal. The overall boost for workers within the NSPS system is very likely to be higher than what other federal employees receive under the GS pay scale system (after performance-based bonuses are included). Moreover, the NSPS pay system only contains 2 – 4 different pay bands; this means that there's only a few chances to rise through the pay ranks, making each performance especially crucial.
Congress passed and the President signed legislation providing a base 3.9 percent average pay increase for NSPS employees in 2009.
<img src= "http://govcentral.monster.com/nfs/govcentral/attachment_images/0005/3815/group_breakdown.jpg" width="250" height="382">
2009 Calculations (By Career Group)
● Standard Career Group
● Scientific and Engineering
● Investigative and Protective Services
● Medical Career Group
The Ratings
You will receive a rating from 1 – 5. Employees are eligible to receive an increase in their base salary if they have a rating record of Level 2 (Fair) or higher.
Salary Increases
In 2008, the average NSPS payout was 5.24%, with a bonus that rounded out to about 1.8%. Combined, the average total increase to employee salary was 7.6%.
In 2009, the average base increase and average bonus payout are expected to yield a total pay increase of about 5.3 percent.
View a more detailed chart of 2008 payouts here.
The most decisive factor in your salary increase is the result of your NSPS self-assessments, which should have been completed by September 30th, 2008. Nonetheless, the result of your assessment will be your placement into a new pay band – this article shows the salary ranges for the pay band of each vocation.
Projecting the salary increase for NSPS workers is essentially a two-step process. First, we take into account the overall amount of funding available for NSPS pay increases; second, the weight of additional compensation must be computed with respect to the rating system, which favors high-performing employees over those who do not perform exceptionally. According to an official DoD Issuance, here are the factors which contribute to the determination of payouts for employees in each pay band:
• Current salary and level and complexity of work performed in comparison with others in similar work assignments
• Performance-based compensation received during the rating cycle associated with promotions, reassignments, or awards
• Local market salary levels of comparable occupations in private sector and other government activities
• Attrition and retention rates of critical shortage skill personnel
• Overall contribution to the mission of the organization
• Availability of funds.


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Elena Arteaga – ktsm.com January 3, 2011
The body of a government official whom served in two Bush Administrations was found in a landfill early Monday morning.
The body of John Wheeler III, 66, of New Castle, was found at the Cherry Island Landfill after a garbage truck bringing back a load from Newark, Del. An employee saw the body falling out of a truck and onto a trash pile. Investigators believe the body was in one of the first of ten dumpsters picked up from Newark.
The Delaware medical examiner's office has ruled the death a homicide, though no cause of death has been released.
Wheeler was a special assistant to the Air Force Secretary during the Bush administration from 2005 to 2008. He was also a Vietnam War veteran and a defense contractor during the administrations of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush as well. Wheeler was also a past chairman of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund which built the Washington memorial.