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Volume VI, No. 4
The following is a note from the new assistant deputy secretary for the Office of Innovation and Improvement.
Dear Readers,
I would like to introduce myself. On February 19, 2008, I was appointed as the assistant deputy secretary for the Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII) at the U.S. Department of Education. Prior to coming to OII, I served the Department from February to October 2007, as acting assistant secretary in the Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development (OPEPD). Previously, I was an executive at Edison Schools, where I worked on school turnarounds and charter schools. These experiences, in addition to my background as a professional staff member to the House Education and Workforce Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, as it drafted the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), and as the director of the Congressional Education Reform Caucus, afford me a special appreciation of the public school choice and supplemental educational services provisions of NCLB. I also bring a "grassroots" perspective on innovation and improvement, having taught fifth grade at Witt Elementary School in Jefferson County, Colorado, where I helped with the testing of new district standards.
Douglas B. Mesecar
What's inside...
State Charter Facilities Incentive Grants: Investing in the Future of America's Charter Schools
What's New
- From the U.S. Department of Education
- From the Office of Innovation and Improvement
- Charter Schools
- Education Reform
- Funding
- Leadership
- Mathematics and Science
- Raising Student Achievement
- Teacher Quality and Development
- Technology
- Charter Schools
- Raising Student Achievement
- School Improvement
- Teacher Quality and Development
- Technology
State Charter Facilities Incentive Grants: Investing in the Future of America's Charter Schools
A hundred years ago, when many of America's children went to school in a one-room schoolhouse, little thought was given to the connection between a school's physical features and the process of learning -- e.g., the impact of light; the most energy-efficient ways to provide power for computers, smart boards, and science labs; or how to integrate materials and space so students have a place to study and reflect. Today, many school buildings are both functional and beautiful and are the pride of their communities.
Yet, unlike traditional public schools that rely on local taxes and bond financing to fund school construction and design, charter schools generally cannot raise funds through these means. Some states have established facilities-aid programs that provide charter schools with structured funding, but, according to The State of Charter Schools 2000, one of the greatest challenges charter schools face is the lack of adequate facilities. As a result, charter schools are often housed in buildings not originally designed for education, and charter school boards and administrators are constantly searching for public and private resources to finance the design or construction of facilities more conducive to student learning and growth.
To help address this growing need across the country, in 2004 the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII) began administering the State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants Program. For states awarded grants, federal funds are matched with non-federal resources to make payments, on a per-pupil basis, to local charter schools to help finance school facilities. The grants are multi-year in nature with federal support declining yearly as the required percentage of non-federal matching funds increases.
Among the four current grantees of the State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants Program, the Minnesota Department of Education has placed a special emphasis on planning educational facilities to improve student academic achievement. The Minnesota Facilities Incentive Grant (MFIG) program provides competitive planning and renovation grants to eligible charter schools based on the following criteria: 1) enhance learning experiences for students based on documented research; 2) contribute to measurable increases in student academic achievement that will help meet the academic goals specified in the schools' charters and make adequate yearly progress in reading and mathematics; 3) model new technologies or other improvements that have the potential to create cost-savings in the operation of the schools' facilities and make efficient use of tax dollars; and 4) model collaborations between the schools and partners in their communities.
During the planning phase of the grant program, grantees are encouraged to utilize such resources as the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities (NCEF), a part of the U.S. Department of Education's Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program. The clearinghouse offers information and resources on more than 140 school facilities topics, with links to online publications and Web sites and a reference staff available to respond to questions about school facilities planning, design, construction, or maintenance. A specific section of the clearinghouse is devoted to charter schools, containing documents, reports, links, books, and journal articles, many with photographs and floor plans.
Since the MFIG's inception in 2004, 38 state charter schools have received planning grants, which are modest investments of up to $12,500. To help ensure the success of the program, the Minnesota Department of Education offers workshops to help familiarize applicants with planning and renovation support, as well as other resources, such as Minnesota's Center for School Change, a nationally recognized resource for research and best practices in school innovation and improvement. An example of the Center's resources related to school design is Smaller, Safer, Saner Successful Schools, a compendium of innovative approaches to creating small learning communities for both traditional public and charter schools.
The MFIG also awards renovation grants to enable charter schools to improve their facilities. Charter schools that receive planning grants, and charter schools that independently embark on planning while effectively addressing MFIG's four key goals, are eligible to apply for renovation grants of up to $500,000, based on student enrollment. The MFIG has awarded 30 renovation grants to charter schools, most of which also received planning grants.
Let the Sunshine and Smart Boards In
Every Child Has Opportunities (E.C.H.O.), a K-12 school of 170 students in rural Minnesota, occupies a circa 1930 building that once served as the community's local high school. With the help of a $10,000 MFIG planning grant, a committee that included teachers, support staff, students, and members of the larger school community worked closely with a local architect to prioritize the improvements needed to bring the venerable but outdated school into the 21st century. The $487,000 implementation grant that the E.C.H.O. team was subsequently awarded focused on improving classroom lighting and updating the instructional technologies available at the school.
In an attempt to reduce heating costs, past administrators bricked over the building's original windows, reducing, or in some classrooms, completely eliminating natural light. The project's architect presented research to the E.C.H.O. facilities committee about the positive effects of natural light on learning and shared the advantages of energy-efficient glass over solid exterior walls. Based on this information, the committee decided to "let the sunshine back in" at E.C.H.O. In addition, computer-based sensors were installed to ensure an optimal balance of natural and artificial light within classrooms. The balance of the two light sources varies throughout the day, as determined by available daylight, weather conditions, and relative proximity to the windows. All of this results in not only energy cost savings, but with the use of motion detectors to turn lights on and off, an added measure of building security.
Another priority for the planning committee at E.C.H.O. was to stimulate student achievement and learning by infusing technology throughout the curriculum. Teachers integrate the information formerly gained from textbooks into Smart boards, which are interactive whiteboards that have increased the pace of lessons and the use of multi-media. In grades 7-12, the renovations accommodated the installation of a "Synergistic Lab," which enables students to work in small group settings around a bank of computer stations. This has helped expand E.C.H.O.'s use of project-based instruction and student-centered learning.
While students have only recently occupied the newly renovated classrooms, according to E.C.H.O.'s lead teacher, Larry Schueler, the physical and technological innovations the facilities committee researched and implemented are already making a noticeable difference in students' learning experiences. "The interest levels have increased greatly," said Schueler, and plans are to look very carefully at test scores and other achievement measures as early as this spring.
From Nuts and Bolts to a Learning Directed Community
In 2002, a former 19th century plumbing-supply warehouse became the new home of Duluth, Minnesota's Harbor City International School. A small group of dedicated teachers worked closely with educational facility planners and architects to find an urban building with the potential to meet their educational philosophy: to provide a high degree of attention to the individual needs of high school students, combined with opportunities to exhibit their knowledge and achievements. Starting on the building's third floor and with about 14,000 square feet of space, the Harbor City team fashioned a combination of innovative learning environments: intimate "cave" spaces; variable-sized rooms that lend themselves to explorations in academic subjects; get away spaces or niches; presentation space; spaces with access to food and beverage; and distinctive places to capture the project-based learning that is at core of the school's instructional approach. As expressed by Harbor City students on the school's Web site, it "serves as a compass for an individual's learning…a learning community that provides direction to its students while allowing the individual to create his or her own map of knowledge.
The available space for creating those individual learning maps expanded two years after the school's opening with the addition of the fourth floor, enabling enrollment to double to its current size of 200 students. The innovative nature of the school's design was nationally recognized in 2002 when Harbor City received a DesignShare Award for its "function-follows-form" adaptation of the former warehouse. The award has been given since 2000 for the best school design, and 2007 winners are featured on this month's Edutopia.org Web site.
The Harbor City team's next expansion was informed by research on the role of the arts in academic achievement. According to the school's director, Chris Hazleton, studies reported in Champions of Change: The Impact of the Arts On Learning (1999) prompted their interest in expanding the school's use of and space for student presentations. "We wanted to raise the bar," according to the director, but not only by providing students with an expanded presentation stage, but one that could flexibly accommodate interdisciplinary explorations in language arts and social studies as well as full-scale theatrical productions.
The faculty joined with students and community stakeholders to discuss the idea of a new performing and presentation facility, took field trips to other schools with similar facilities, and engaged architects that were in sync with the design philosophy of the existing school. Then, in 2007, the Harbor City team competed for and consequently won a $500,000 MFIG implementation grant. The new theater space will occupy the second floor of the building, which has a slightly higher ceiling, lending itself to theatrical staging and lighting. And, to celebrate the opening, a production of Molière's Tartuffe will dedicate the stage on May 8, to which the faculty and students plan to add a weekend roster of other performances by and for the local community.
The new space will not only bolster Harbor City's theater education resources, but will provide the students and faculty with a new project-based learning tool and open opportunities for greater community collaboration. Beginning next school year, students will form technical production and administrative teams that—under the guidance of faculty members—will reach out to local arts and cultural groups, including local theaters, music ensembles, and film series promoters, offering rental of the space accompanied by the students' services in marketing, and presenting the performances and other events. Students who staff the Harbor City radio station also have plans to air live and recorded music performances from the new facility.
In the 21st century, the charter school movement is already fueling a revolution in teaching and learning. With help from the State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants Program, Minnesota is showing that charters can also lead the way on innovative school design—creating facilities that don't just contain but actually encourage and improve learning.
Key Resources:
- OII Charter School Facilities Resources
- OII General School Facility Resources
- NCES: Public School Principals Report on Their School Facilities: Fall 2005
- Minnesota Department of Education Charter School Resources
- Report from the National Summit on School Design
What's New
From the U.S. Department of Education
To honor the 10th anniversary of Teach for America week, U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings joined First Lady Laura Bush to teach a first grade science class. "Teach For America is on the leading edge of a movement that's transforming our country's schools by rejecting ineffective habits and embracing creativity," said Secretary Spellings. (April 14)
To spotlight the President's challenge on community service and volunteerism, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings presented President George W. Bush's Voluntary Service Awards to Whitney Powell, Jacqueline Armstrong, and Vernita Jefferson, a student, parent, and teacher respectively, at Banneker High School in Washington, D.C. Also participating at the event were the NFL's Chris Draft of the St. Louis Rams, Warrick Dunn of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and District of Columbia Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee. Draft and Dunn were two of twelve current players being honored by the NFL for their off-the-field volunteerism and service to the community. The Secretary also announced the release of a new publication, Partnerships in Character Education State Pilot Projects, l995-2001- Lessons Learned, about integrating character education into schools. (April 4)
Secretary Spellings highlighted the results of The Nation's Report Card™: Writing 2007, and commended educators and students for the significant progress made under No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The Secretary noted that average writing scores for both eighth and twelfth graders were higher in 2007 than in previous assessments from 2002 and 1998. (April 3)
Secretary Spellings announced she would take steps to ensure all states use the same formula to calculate how many students graduate from high school on time, and how many drop out. The Department will also require that data be made public so that people nationwide can compare how students of every race, background, and income level are performing. The Secretary made her remarks on the need for a more comprehensive and precise definition of "graduation rate" at a press conference hosted by America's Promise Alliance and State Farm Insurance Company on the Alliance's dropout prevention campaign. (April 1)
The April edition of Education News Parents Can Use explored questions about how No Child Left Behind – through such initiatives as Early Reading First – supports the teaching of young children. The show also showcased other initiatives including "Good Start, Grow Smart" and Head Start, which are designed to improve early childhood education and ensure children are ready to learn when they enter school. Research proves that what children learn before coming to school is vital to their long-term success. To find out more about the TV show, visit the Education News Parents Can Use Web site. The archived webcast of the show may be viewed online at http://www.connectlive.com/events/ednews. (April 15)
From the Office of Innovation and Improvement
Secretary Spellings announced the award of $114.7 million in grants to improve the quality of American history education. The grants are being awarded to school districts in 40 states nationwide. The Teaching American History grant program is designed to improve student achievement by enhancing teachers' knowledge of traditional American history through intensive ongoing professional development in both content and research-based teaching strategies. (April 2)
The Department of Education recently released an interim report on the state and local implementation of school choice and supplemental education services. The report, entitled No Child Left Behind Act, Volume IV - Title I School Choice and Supplemental Education Services: Interim Report, found that the number of students participating in both options, especially supplemental educational services, has increased substantially. However, only a small proportion of eligible students took advantage of the options available to them. (April 3)
Charter Schools
A new longitudinal research study will measure the effectiveness of nonprofit charter school management organizations (CMOs). The study, recently launched by NewSchools Venture Fund and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, will be led by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., and the Center on Reinventing Public Education at the University of Washington. CMOs are nonprofit organizations that operate and replicate clusters of like-minded charter schools; among the better known are the Green Dot Public Schools and Achievement First. The study will cover almost 200 schools within 33 CMOs in 12 states. (March 2008)
Education Reform
The Center for Benefit-Cost Studies of Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, sets out to calculate and compare the long- and short-term costs – and probable payoffs – of various educational strategies that aim to improve students' academic achievement and lives. The center plans to study the fiscal advantages and disadvantages of the Advanced Placement program. (April 2008)
Florida's Miami-Dade and Broward County schools will compete with Long Beach, Calif., and Texas' Aldine and Brownsville school systems for the prestigious Broad Prize for Urban Education. The top winner will be announced on Oct. 14, 2008 and awarded $500,000 in scholarships for graduating seniors. The four runners-up each will receive $125,000 in scholarships. (April 2008)
The District of Columbia school system pays more than $13,000 per student, according to figures from the Census Bureau. On average, in 2006, districts nationwide spent $9,138 per student, which is about $437 more than the previous year. The District of Columbia ranked third highest in the country for per-student spending, surpassed only by New York, at $14,884, and New Jersey, at $14,630. Per-student spending was the lowest in Utah, at $5,437; Idaho, at $6,440; and Arizona, at $6,472. (April 1)
The Mind Trust is now accepting applications for the second cohort of its Education Entrepreneur Fellowship. The fellowship offers promising education entrepreneurs the opportunity to develop and launch their "break-the-mold" education ventures. Fellows receive a full-time annual salary of $90,000 for two years, benefits, and customized training. Statements of intent are due by Sept. 5, 2008. Fellowships will be awarded by Dec. 1, 2008. (April 2008)
The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) highlights the accomplishments of young educators who achieve excellence and equity in teaching and learning through the ASCD Outstanding Young Educator Award. Deirdra Grode, a 7th- and 8th-grade social studies and language arts teacher at Hoboken Charter School in Hoboken, N.J., is the winner of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development's (ASCD) 2008 Outstanding Young Educator Award (OYEA). ASCD honored Grode on March 15, 2008 at its Annual Conference and Exhibit Show in New Orleans, La. Candidates for the OYEA are education professionals, 40 years of age or younger, who demonstrate exemplary commitment and exceptional contribution to the profession. The deadline for nominations is Aug. 1, 2008. (April 2008)
A nationwide survey PDF (2.57 MB) of girls and boys commissioned by the Girl Scouts of the USA reveals that promoting leadership in girls is primarily a matter of fostering their self-confidence and providing supportive environments. Called Change It Up, the survey shows that girls, even at a very young age, have definite ideas about what it means to be a leader, and that the traditional command-and-control model of leadership does not resonate with their desire to make a difference in the world. (March 2008)
Mathematics and Science
More time in school can boost economic growth – but only if students' cognitive skills, as measured by mathematics and science tests, are improved as a result, a new study published in the spring edition of Education Next asserts. The study also concludes that if the U.S. performed on par with the world's leaders in mathematics and science, it would add about two-thirds of a percentage point to the gross domestic product. (Spring 2008)
Raising Student Achievement
Two of the nation's oldest philanthropic foundations, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Foundation for Child Development have come together to create a "Strategic Knowledge Fund" to understand and improve the lives of children from birth to age eight who are at-risk for poor educational outcomes. (April 1)
On average, just over 51 percent of students in the 50 largest U.S. cities graduate from public high school, according to a new report PDF (1.77 MB) from America's Promise Alliance. Suburban and rural public high school students were more likely to graduate than their urban peers, according to the report. It also revealed that 70 percent of all American students graduate on time. (April 1)
The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education's report Knocking at the College Door: Projections of High School Graduates by State and Race/Ethnicity, 1992-2022, finds that over much of the next decade, Maryland and Virginia will have fewer public high school graduates; however, more of them will come from minority communities. Nationally, 17 states will experience changes in the number of high school graduates, from a loss of five percent to an increase of five percent, from 2005-2006 through 2021-2022. (March 20)
An analysis PDF (804 KB) of existing research from Cisco Systems shows that multimodal learning, or using many "modes" or strategies that cater to individual learners' needs, is more effective than traditional learning that uses a single strategy. (2008)
Teacher Quality and Development
Education Week's online portal, Edweek.org, has launched an education career center for teachers and administrators called TopSchoolJobs.org. Users can find job listings, certification and salary information, and advice from blogs. The Career Coach e-newsletter offers additional resources for job seekers. (April 2008)
Educators who are part of the Teach For America (TFA) program may have an edge over traditional educators in terms of high-school mathematics and science instruction, as measured by students' final-exam scores, according to a new Urban Institute report. Jane Hannaway, a co-author of the report, believes the program's selectivity may play a role. Only 21 percent of TFA applicants were accepted into the program in 2007. (March 27)
Technology Counts, a joint project of Education Week and the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center, is now available. Some highlights of this year's publication include individual state reports, state data comparisons, an interactive map of Technology Grades by state, and feature stories regarding science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), among other topics. (April 2008)
In honor of its 10th anniversary, eSchool News has put together a list of 10 people who have had a profound impact on educational technology in the last decade. Some of the honorees include Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft Corporation; Julie Evans, CEO of Project Tomorrow; and Angus King, former governor of Maine. (April 2008)
A new teacher-created Web site, Google Earth Lessons, allows educators to share lesson plans that incorporate the Google Earth software application. The user-friendly site, which is structured much like a blog with postings and opinions about various applications organized by date, also offers guides to help teachers become more comfortable with the software. (April 2008)
TeacherTube, created by Jason Smith, a 14-year veteran educator, makes it easier for teachers to share educational videos for classroom use. Another useful site, SchoolTube, primarily features videos that students produce for class. (April 2008)
Innovations in the News
Charter Schools
Nearly 20,000 employees of the California Department of Education, including teachers, could be laid off this summer. As a result, a recent charter school job fair drew a great deal of interest. "The sudden availability of teachers is a potential boon for charter school administrators," explained one of them. Administrators said charter schools offer teachers more job security because, rather than worrying about their hire date, they can focus on only their performance, which is the criterion for keeping their jobs. [More—Los Angeles Times] (March 16)
Thousands of families lined up recently to enter the charter school lottery held in New York City for spots in the city's nearly 80 public charter schools. Even though traditional public schools have made progress, the charters are drawing attention for their success. The charter schools stress strict accountability for their principals, teachers, and students, and if school personnel fail to perform they are fired. Since New York's first charter opened in 1999, these schools have shown better results across the board. [More—New York Post] (April 4)
In Washington, D.C., for the seventh year in a row, public schools have lost students, while charter school enrollments have increased. A total of 49,400 students are now enrolled in D.C.'s traditional public schools versus more than 55,000 last year. Separately, charter school enrollment in the District topped 20,000 for the first time.
IDEA Academy and College Preparatory Mission in Mission, Texas, a charter school that is scheduled to open in fall 2008, plans to implement a layered staffing and support system for teachers. This will give some teachers the opportunity to take on leadership roles at the school that ultimately may lead them out of the classrooms, but the benefit for students may be worth it. [More—Teacher Magazine] (April 9)
Raising Student Achievement
About 85 schools from 35 Ohio counties will participate in a new Algebra II test that one day could be given to all Ohio students in order to graduate from high school. Ohio joins 13 other states in a partnership overseen by the American Diploma Project at Achieve, a nonprofit group in Washington, D.C., that encourages states to raise academic standards. Starting with the class of 2014, Ohio students must pass an Algebra II course to earn a diploma. One challenge to the new policy is that not all schools' courses are the same. Those who created the test say it is an end-of-course test that will be given when a student completes the coursework. [More—The Columbus Dispatch] (March 17)
A recent study found that gifted African American students may under perform in school because of peer pressure to "act black." The new study, "Another Look at the Achievement Gap: Learning From the Experiences of Gifted Black Students," surveyed students about their attitudes and behaviors toward academic achievement, as well as their perceptions of social and peer pressures. The research was recently published in the journal Urban Educator. [More—Education Week] (March 19) (paid subscription required)
Children's board games may raise math skills of disadvantaged pre-kindergarten students, according to a study published in the journal Child Development and conducted by Carnegie Mellon professor Robert S. Siegler and University of Maryland assistant professor Geetha B. Ramani. The preschoolers from low-income homes made significant advances in counting and other skills after playing a game similar to "Chutes and Ladders" that required them to move markers along a horizontal path consisting of numbered squares. Dr. Siegler, who was a member of President Bush's National Mathematics Advisory Panel, explained "One of the many recommendations of the National Math Panel report was that we improve preschool mathematics curriculum, especially for low-income children. One of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to do this is to provide board games to Head Start centers, child-care centers serving low-income populations and perhaps individual parents." [More—Pittsburgh Post Gazette] (March 26)
Four underenrolled Advanced Placement courses will be eliminated after the 2008-2009 academic year in the first significant retrenchment of the college preparatory program in its 53-year history. The least popular courses—Italian, Latin literature, French literature, and computer science AB—will be eliminated, though there are no plans to cut more AP courses, according to the College Board. Italian may be offered if a backer is found to provide funding. [More—Washington Post] (April 4)
School Improvement
An unusual pilot program that teaches students chess is under way in more than 100 second- and third-grade classrooms across Idaho. The state's education budget will pay for part of the program, and private funding will be secured for the rest. Teachers are trained in seminars before the school year begins, and they do not have to know chess ahead of time. The course, which is intended as curriculum enhancement, is bringing unexpected results, including leveling the playing field for students with limited English skills. [More—New York Times] (March 20) (free registration required)
The Kansas City School District is using intensified resources to track down dropouts and get them back in school. The district is using nine truant officers and 13 case managers and has started to receive help from volunteers of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The district has tried to track more than 1,750 students who either dropped out or did not enter school at the start of the year. The district recruited more than 300 students back into school and is still looking for about 1,000 students. School officials and NAACP volunteers talk to families about solutions to get students back in school. [More—Kansas City Star] (March 19)
After years of reduced support, the Roanoke (Va.) school system is attempting to improve its art and music instruction. The new superintendent, Rita Bishop, is making it a priority so that students can improve in cultural literacy, she said. "Roanoke school officials say that a strong background in art complements other subjects and gives students a cultural literacy that will help them beyond standardized tests." [More—Roanoke Times] (March 21)
A pilot program in Summerville (S.C.) that will immerse middle school students in the arts in the hope of boosting test scores is getting students excited about school. The program differs from a rotating elective model practiced in most traditional schools and offers one class for an entire year. "Dorchester District 2 received a nearly $900,000 Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination grant from the U.S. Department of Education in August 2006 to evaluate the effect of teaching the arts as a core subject area. District officials said Alston's success has pushed them to brainstorm ways to bring more arts courses to other schools." [More—Charleston Post and Courier] (March 25)
Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law and College of Teacher Education and Leadership at Arizona State University in Tempe have started a new project known as the Our Courts project, a civics education initiative—a course O'Connor says has been neglected in recent years. She cited surveys showing that fewer than one-third of American adults can name the three branches of the federal government, and she lamented that most citizens know the judging panel on "American Idol," but fewer than one in 10 can name U.S. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. "If we look at the adult population, whatever civics education people got in the past didn't seem to stick," Justice O'Connor said. [More—Education Week] (April 4) (paid subscription required)
In an effort to demonstrate the connection between academic achievement and the soft skills learned in after-school activities, a conference on after-school programs is asking why policymakers continue to separate the school day from what comes after, when what children really need is a seamless approach to learning and play. [More—Providence Journal] (April 8)
Teacher Quality and Development
Interpretation is at the heart of understanding history. At least that is how West Springfield High School (Va.) history teacher Jim Percoco sees it. He teaches history in an exciting, interactive way, that is the trend in today's teaching. Kelly Schrum, director of educational projects at George Mason University's Center for History and New Media, and one of the co-directors of the U.S. Department of Education's new National Clearninghouse for History Education, says, "If you teach history in an exciting way, students have a better framework and remember more." [More—Washington Times] (March 31)
Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Ill., a four-time Blue Ribbon School of Excellence award winner, has been successful in raising student achievement due in large part to its professional collaboration approach known as professional learning communities (PLCs). The PLCs are so well known that 3,000 people a year visit the school to observe them. They foster an atmosphere in which teachers learn from one another and share their colleagues' expertise so that students are the ones who benefit. [More—Education Week] (April 1) (paid subscription required)
In Gillette, Wyo., a virtual school will open next year as an official state school and will be open to students across the state. Previously enrollment was limited to the county where it was created, and the school was under-funded; however, state officials have stepped in to help pay for the distance learning approach. [More—Associated Press] (March 16)
Student email accounts at school have the potential to increase student achievement and success in the 21st century learning environment, according to a soon-to-be-released "Speak Up" survey by Project Tomorrow. Students use their e-mail accounts mostly for school-related communication. Teachers send reminders about upcoming tests and projects, and students who are absent can use their accounts to keep up with missed work. [More—Education Week] (Mar. 31) (paid subscription required)
Baltimore County (Md.) recently began piloting an online school program and joined a national trend of public school systems offering more online education options. The movement has gained momentum in the past five years, with at least 15 states offering some form of virtual schooling. Anecdotal evidence suggests that students in Maryland are doing well with the new pilot, but the population using it is intentionally limited to those who are home schooled and become public school students in order to minimize disruption. In February, the North American Council for Online Learning released a set of voluntary standards designed to guide states, school districts, online programs and other groups. [More—Baltimore Sun] (April 3)
Office of Innovation and Improvement
Douglas B. Mesecar, Assistant Deputy Secretary
Office of Communications and Outreach
Lauren Maddox, Assistant Secretary
John McGrath
Doug Herbert
Executive Editors
Sherry Schweitzer
Cynthia Cabell
Sr. Production Editor
Dramon Turner
Production Editor
Erin Pfeltz
Copy Editor
Pamela Allen
Virginia Gentles
Doug Herbert
James Houser
Dean Kern
Stacy Kreppel
Kelly Rhoads
Todd May
Article Submissions
Doug Herbert
Carrie Richardson
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Issue Reviewers
Last Modified: 05/20/2009


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Accupuncture is a system of complementary medicine that involves pricking the skin or tissues with needles, used to alleviate pain and to treat various physical, mental, and emotional conditions. Originating in ancient China, acupuncture is now widely practiced in the West.a Chinese medical practice or procedure that treats illness or provides local anesthesia by the insertion of needles at specified sites of the body.
Accupuncture Services in Los Angeles
WellStream Acupuncture
Emperor's College Acupuncture Clinic
Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Tao of Wellness
Lotus Center for Integrative Medicine
Jun Song, L.Ac, Los Angeles acupuncture specialist
Relax Acupuncture Clinic
Joseph K. Kim, Lac
Chinese Healing Arts & Acupuncture
3 Angels Health Center
Calle Mayor Acupuncture & Herbs
Los Angeles Acupuncture and Wellness
Jeiran Lashai Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine
J song's Acupuncture
Li's Acupuncture & Massage
Yoko Fujimaki Clinic
Dongguk University Los Angeles
Karen Hearn-Abbott OMD L.Ac.
Pacific Medical Group
Nei Jing Eastern Medicine
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Akasha Center For Integrative Medicine
Thumos Health Center, Inc
Dupre Donna
Holly B. Goguen, L.Ac Acupuncture
Marino Christina
Potter Acupuncture
The Total Health Center
Young's Health Center
Dr Randy Martin
Forat Acupuncture
The Acupuncture Wellness Center
BHAcuhealth Clinic
East West Healing Arts
Alhambra Medical University
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Palisades Acupuncture: Henkle Heidi
Santa Monica Acupuncture Center
Westwood Acupuncture Herb Center
PV Wellness Center-The Unique Health Spa
Archer Gary
Alternative Health and Well Being
Poke Acupuncture
Silverlake Acupuncture
Tatsuo Hirano, DOM
Tsubakiyama Acupuncture Clinic
Tao of Medicine, Acupuncture and Wellness
Eastern Therapeutics
Jing S. Zheng, Lac
Miracle Acupuncture
Santa Monica Acupuncture and Wellness
Kristin Ebbert Acupuncture
Ming Chen Acupuncture Clinic
Westside Acupuncture & Wellness Center
LA Sports Acupuncture
Shirin Z. Asgarian, OMD
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Needling or acupuncture consists in piercing the nerve at intervals in the buttock and thigh with long steel needles.Here are the list of some popular acupuncture that gives there services.Acupuncture.. (Complementary Medicine) the insertion of the tips of needles into the skin at specific points for the purpose of treating various disorders by stimulating nerve impulses. Originally Chinese, this method of treatment is practised in many parts of the world. Also called: stylostixis

subset: commoncrawl


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Video: Murdoch double act wins over Parliament, investors
LONDON - The attacker struck in a flash, pie dish in hand. A scuffle broke out, shaving foam flew.
LONDON - The attacker struck in a flash, pie dish in hand. A scuffle broke out, shaving foam flew.
James Murdoch sprang up, astonished. His father stayed seated, unfazed.
The moment of slightly farcical drama in Parliament on Tuesday highlighted the contrasting styles of the blunt, combative media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his smooth, Harvard-educated son.
The 38-year-old son appeared eager to answer questions, but it was his father who increasingly dominated a session designed to show British lawmakers — and News Corp. shareholders — that the 80-year-old mogul remains firmly in control.
Rupert Murdoch has never before appeared in front of a parliamentary committee — his son gave evidence in 2009 — and both Murdochs tried to avoid it this time around. They initially declined to come and answer questions about lawbreaking at their now-closed tabloid News of the World, only agreeing once legislators dispatched a sergeant-at-arms with a summons.
They clearly decided contrition was their best hope for winning over the committee, disgusted readers and worried investors.
Rupert Murdoch said he was "shocked, appalled and ashamed" at the hacking of the phone of a murdered schoolgirl. This was "the most humble" day of his life, he said.
But if he was humbled, he didn't look it. Sitting beside his son in front of a semicircle of legislators, with a row of advisers and his wife Wendi Deng behind him, the grim-faced media baron looked like he'd rather be anywhere else.
He seemed reluctant and at times uncertain as he was asked whether he knew staff at his News of the World had been hacking the phones of celebrities, politicians and even teenage murder victims.
He answered several questions with a curt "Nope." Did he know about the illegal eavesdropping? No. Was he aware his News International had paid out hundreds of thousands of pounds to hacking victims? No. Why hadn't he fired a disgraced reporter named Neville Thurlbeck? "Never heard of him."
The implicit suggestion was that the emperor of News Corp. couldn't be expected to know about a newspaper that made up just 1 per cent of his globe-spanning empire.
London business consultant Allyson Stewart-Allen said the responses implied "not a lot of knowledge" about fundamental facets of the business.
"The impression is not owning the problem," she said.
In contrast, James Murdoch appeared more conciliatory, repeatedly offering to interject and asking "may I help?" as his father made a finger-wagging point.
University of Glasgow psychologist Patrick O'Donnell said James Murdoch gave a careful, lawyerly performance, "a little bit stressed, a bit evasive."
And despite the younger Murdoch's best efforts, the lawmakers seemed more interested in quizzing his father, who, as Labour lawmaker Tom Watson pointed out, "is responsible for corporate governance and serious wrongdoing has been brought about in the company."
And as the session, slated to last an hour, stretched past two and then toward three, Rupert Murdoch got into his stride.
He grew in confidence; the power balance shifted. While at first the elder Murdoch had turned to his son to amplify his answers, he later seemed quicker to grasp the thrust of questioning.
When James Murdoch seemed to struggle to understand a question about whether News Corp. had been guilty of "wilful blindness," his father quickly stepped in — "We were not ever guilty of that."
Judi James, a body language and behaviour analyst, said the father and son ultimately made an effective team.
"They took these two extreme roles," she said. "James is the scrubbed-up PR face of the business," while Rupert played the "curmudgeonly father act."
"Prior to the custard pie, the tension had relaxed in the room and it no longer felt like a witch hunt," she said.
Then came the extraordinary moment when a protester approached Rupert Murdoch with the foam pie he'd managed to smuggle in. Some of the white goo ended up on Murdoch, but more landed in the attacker's face thanks to the split-second timing of Rupert's wife, Wendi Deng.
She struck back at the attacker in a flash. By the time the man had been bundled away, Rupert Murdoch was still seated and James had sprung up but remained shocked and immobile.
When the session resumed after a brief break, Rupert Murdoch — now in shirt sleeves, his soiled jacket removed — looked like a man in control. He seemed to know the worst was over. He even showed a hint of emotion as he paid tribute to his father, founder of the Murdoch media empire, "who was not rich but was a great journalist."
The elder Murdoch finished by reading out a statement stressing "how completely and deeply sorry I am."
London media analyst Claire Enders said the Murdochs had appeared to be "on top of most questions."
"They came across pretty well," she said. "Overall, it was a good performance by the Murdoch family."
Shareholders also appeared satisfied. News Corp. shares, which as of Tuesday morning had fallen by 17 per cent since the scandal broke, were trading 5.25 per cent higher at $15.75 by early afternoon in New York.
The members of the committee, among them firm foes of Murdoch's media dominance like Watson, appeared impressed — though they were even more impressed with Deng.
"Your wife," Watson told Murdoch, "has a really good left hook."
AP writers Raphael G. Satter and Christopher Torchia contributed to this report.


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Riding For Her Man: Lawrence Taylor's Wife Says She Doesn't Know Why He Admitted To Paying A 15 Year Old Girl For Sex!
Lawrence Taylor's wife speaking out
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U.S. prosecutors are planning to announce criminal charges on Thursday against Steven A. Cohen's hedge fund SAC Capital Advisors, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
The charges will be wire fraud and securities fraud, according to the source.
Continue Reading Below
A spokesman for the Federal Bureau of Investigation declined to comment. A spokeswoman for U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara declined to comment. A spokesman for SAC Capital declined to comment.
(Reporting By Matthew Goldstein)


text: First of all, I'm not questioning Relativity in any way here, and I understand that when Physicists (such as Einstein) try to explain complex subjects to the general public sometimes the explanation is less than ideal for the sake of simplicity. I test my knowledge of Relativity by subjecting it to different scenarios, and I cannot decide where the problem lies in the one I describe below. My question has to with Einstein's train and the two flashes of lightning...the passenger at the midpoint of the flashes concludes that they were not simultaneous because he does not see them strike simultaneously. The embankment observer concludes that the passenger makes this claim because, after the strikes occur, the passenger travels toward one of the flashes while travelling away from the other which means their distance of travel is not the same. Fine. Replace the lightning with a strobing street lamp that emits a single photon (or two, if you wish - one towards the passenger and one towards the observer), and you would get the same result. Now, put those street lamps on the train...now neither party can make the case that the passenger is riding toward one light source and riding away from the other! Something is amiss here, because in my mind both parties would concur that the flashes were simultaneous. Here are my first thoughts: Equivalency. We are neglecting the equivalency of earth/train movement. If we consider that the earth is moving beneath the stationary train, then the embankment observer would be travelling toward the train's rear street lamp making him claim that the flashes were not simultaneous. Redshifting. Maybe the longer wavelength of the train's front street lamp photon results in the observer's photon detector clicking at different times for the photon's arrivals. Is there some EM principle that makes a photon's detection in a distance less than its wavelength impossible? (My instinct says yes) Something else I haven't thought of. #1 doesn't seem right to me in the same way the Einstein's explanation didn't seem right. I don't like the "moving toward the light source" concept. #2 would be great, but I have no idea if redshifting could fully account for the effects in consideration. Maybe someone has a #3? :idea:


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Wall Street, according to one of our articles this week....seems to be stuck in neutral. How do you make money in this market? Is the market actually stuck? We'll ask our guest Shannon McLay from Martinis and Your Money AND regular contributors Greg McFarlane and Len Penzo. We'll also tackle insurances. Which ones are important and which should you avoid? We disagree A TON on this topic. Finally, we'll wrap it all up talking about procrastination. Is there ever a time when WAITING instead of doing it now was ever the better choice with money?
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Hello 2008! Let me stand here for a moment, at the start of the New Year, and just inhale all the clean, new air filled with the promise of a slate-wiped-clean, shiny resolutions and the optimism to see them through, new adventures, and what appears to be (from this January vantage point at least) endless fields of possibilities. Mmmmm…
Ok, that's done…now onwards and upwards my friends, let's leave no stone unturned, no territory unexplored, and no story untold this year. Let this be a year for truth, hope, and love. And as always, good food 🙂
On that note, I can think of no better way for me to start my year than by opening next the round of Hay Hay it's Donna Day! As I have mentioned before, I am quite the Donna Hay fan, and subsequently, HHDD is one of my absolute favorite blog-events (thank you Barbara for creating it!). So, as you can imagine, I was beyond thrilled to have won the last round and to host this one.
Alright…enough chat and on with the program. For this round of HHDD the theme I chose is…PIZZA! I have seen many gorgeous versions of this Italian staple in the pages of Donna's books and magazines. Plus, I had never made pizza crust from scratch before. Plus, I have a sadly neglected pizza stone in need of some action. Plus, pizza is always fun! That was enough reason for me, and I hope for all of you as well to join me 🙂
Pizza Dough
(from Modern Classics I by Donna Hay, page 186)
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- Pinch sugar
- 2/3 cup (5 fl oz) warm water
- 2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
– Place the yeast, sugar, and water in a bowl. Set aside until bubbles form.
– Add the four, salt, and oil, and mix to form a smooth dough. Knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
– Place in a clean, oiled bowl, cover, and allow to stand in a warm place until it has doubled in size (Donna says about 20 minutes, but mine took longer). Makes one quantity.
Classic Tomato Pizza
(from Modern Classics I by Donna Hay, page 82)
- 1 quantity basic pizza dough
- Semolina for dusting
- 4 vine ripened tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons oregano leaves
- 300 grams mozzarella, thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup black olives
- Olive oil
– Preheat the oven to 220 C (425 F). Place flat baking trays in the oven to heat (I used my pizza stone!).
– Divide the dough into four (I made three instead).
– Roll out to 2-3 mm thick on a sheet of non-stick baking paper dusted with semolina.
– Top each pizza base with some tomato slices, oregano, mozzarella, and olives. Drizzle over some oil.
– Lift the baking paper and pizza onto the preheated trays.
– Bake each pizza for 15 minutes or until golden and crisp.
I decided to choose the simplest recipe I could find (Classic Tomato) so you could run with it wherever preference, craving and imagination takes you. Pizza lends itself magnificently to interpretation so don't be shy to show me your pizza-nality! All I ask is that your entries remain pizzas…i.e. pizza crust + topping 🙂
To get you started, here are some variations I made using the same dough:
– Anchovy, Caper, and Roasted Garlic Pizza
– Kesong Puti (local fresh white cheese) and Lucban Longanisa (native sausage we got on our trip to Bicol) Pizza
Here are more pizza ideas from Donna Hay:
– Pumpkin and Goat's Cheese Pizza
– Tomato, Smoked Mozzarella, and Oregano Pizza
– Spicy Goat's Cheese Pizza
– Roast Capsicum and Basil Pizza
– Artichoke and Ham Spring Pizza
And don't think that all pizzas should be savory…I would love to see some sweet pizzas too!
Before I get carried away, here are the rules:
– Hay Hay Its Donna Day is open to all food and wine bloggers.
– Entries submitted for HHDD must be made specifically for this event, although photos may be submitted to Does My Blog Look Good In This.
– The host will select, make and post the original Donna Hay recipe without any changes. Participants may make the same recipe as is, or put their own spin on the recipe by altering the ingredients whilst remaining with the theme.
– Entrants should include a link to the host in their post.
– Entries can be made at any time once the event has been announced but must be posted and emailed to the host by the closing date.
– Deadline for all posts to be up and submitted is January 26, 2008. I will be posting the round up a week later (February 2) and voting will begin then!
– You can email all your entries to eighty_breakfasts(AT)yahoo(DOT)com on or before January 26, 2008. In your email, please include the following information: your blog name, your name, your location, your recipe name, and the permalink to your entry.
– The winner with receive a food related prize care of yours truly!
That's it! Hope you can all join this round of HHDD! 🙂


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Detroit's usually portrayed as a crime-ridden city blighted by urban decay and corruption. That's true. But it's not the whole story, not by a long shot. Detroit Lives shows the Motor City as it is: a diamond amidst the rough.
Grin and bear the occasional conspicuous shot of boots from the movie's sponsors, but this 32 minute flick is about as fair and accurate a vibe about the city as you can get. Sure, there are bad parts and they make for great ruin porn, but you get used to those, you look past them and go deeper.
Scratch the surface and it's far more interesting, engaging, artistic and creative that you could ever imagine. It's like the wild west for people who want to do things without the man breathing down their necks. If you've got the time to watch the three-part documentary plus bonus, you should, it'll give you a better feel for what's really going on in Detroit. And hey, if that's not your thing, it's also got Johnny Knoxville stomping around in French boots. [PalladiumBoots]


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By ,
Published January 13, 2015
The New England Revolution announced Tuesday that the club has acquired striker Juan Agudelo from Chivas USA in exchange for allocation money.
Agudelo, 20, is in his fourth MLS season after making his professional debut in 2010 as a Red Bull New York Homegrown player. He made the jump to Chivas USA in exchange for defender Heath Pearce on May 18, 2012.
"We're very pleased we were able to complete this deal with Chivas USA," Revolution General Manager Michael Burns said. "While Juan is a young player with tremendous potential, he also already has a lot of experience both inside our league and internationally with the U.S. national team. We believe Juan will improve our attack and make us a better team."
Agudelo, who has 17 caps with the U.S. national team, appeared in six matches for the Goats this season and recorded two goals and one assist.


text: On 25 Feb 2003, Joe Landman wrote: > Hi Robert: > > I am sure someone has pointed it out to you, but ... ... > > for (i=0; i<size; i+=stride){ > > aindex = ai[i]; > > } > > But this one is. > > What compiler and optimization level do you use, and did you look at the > disassembled binary to verify that these loops are represented as you > wrote them? CFLAGS = -O1 -g $(DEFINES) -fno-inline and gcc. According to its documentation, I don't really need the no-inline statement; the compiler isn't supposed to unroll loops or inline functions at -O1 OR -O2 (and I see no difference in results as this changes). Also both ai and aindex are global variables (or pointers). From my discussions on this in the past this seems to matter. The compiler is less likely to optimize away code that references outside the local address space of a subroutine, as it cannot be certain that other code threads aren't "simultaneously" accessing the variable. I confess I haven't looked at the disassembled code, but the benchmark in noisy mode: a) Does scale the "empty loop" timing with its size in believable ways, so it is very likely doing the loop itself. b) CHANGES the time if I comment out the aindex = ai[i], decreasing by about a third relative (0.4 nsec) to the loop with the aindex = ai[i] in it. c) CHANGES AGAIN if I put two aindex = ai[i] lines in the loop, increasing by about a third (0.4 nsec). So one in principle one can be at least reasonable sure that the statement isn't going away and takes roughly 0.4 nsec to complete. This would be half a clock cycle (?) on a 1.33 GHz system, in L1 cache? This doesn't mean that your concerns are groundless, however. One thing I perpetually struggle with is getting answers for some test not to depend on the surrounding code, so they can be "definitively correct", and in particular to get a good subtraction of the "empty" loop times to be able to get a decent measure of the timing of its contents. This turns out to be nearly impossible -- sometimes changing the code seems to change critical alignments so that even though I make a change in part a) and perhaps get sane changes in timings there, the timings in part b) suddenly change even though the code THERE didn't change at all. Then there are all the "interesting" things that can happen if you do certain benchmarks multiplying things or dividing things by certain numbers, e.g. 2.0. In a way, this is all fair, since I generally don't hand optimize (at the assembler level) production code, and I have found no way to control alignment in gcc on i386, so one seems to be stuck with whatever the compiler turns out. At any rate, I think that the numbers cpu_rate returns are accurate as in reproducible, and probably not as accurate as I would like in absolute terms (but not so inaccurate as to be irrelevant). rgb -- Robert G. Brown http://www.phy.duke.edu/~rgb/ Duke University Dept. of Physics, Box 90305 Durham, N.C. 27708-0305 Phone: 1-919-660-2567 Fax: 919-660-2525 email:rgb at phy.duke.edu


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Prophecy is a process in which aspects of information, awareness, messages or knowledge which has been provided to an individual, often called a prophet, soothsayer, or a seer, are then indicated to others. The information provided typically involves indications of divine inspiration, interpretation, or revelation of conditions and events of the future, as well as testimony or repeated revelations of divine aspects of the world or Reality. The process of prophecy often involves reciprocal communication of the prophet with sources of the information.
- Can prophecies remain unfulfilled? Indeed they can....A true prophecy foresees the best combination of possibilities, but it is possible to allow them to escape. The subject of fulfillment of prophecies is very profound; in it are combined cooperation and higher knowledge of the spirit.... Since time immemorial prophecies have been issued... as benevolent signs for humanity. Prophecies best of all inform mankind.
- Agni Yoga New Era Community 1926
- Those... who foresee that which may or ought to be, are nevertheless well aware that though the fulfillment of... [some prophecies] is inevitable... the time factor may not work out as indicated...because the distressed human mechanisms of those to whom the work is given, will fail to react either correctly, or at the right time.
- Alice Bailey in Esoteric Psychology I: A Treatise on the Seven Rays Lucis Trust publishing, (1936)
- The world has been changed beyond belief during the past five hundred years, and during the next two hundred years the changes will be still more rapid and deep-seated, for the growth of the intellectual powers of man is gathering momentum, and Man, the Creator, is coming into possession of His powers.
- Alice Bailey in Esoteric Psychology I Lucis Trust publishing, (1936)
- The future will shine with an added glory and, though difficulties and problems incident to world adjustment and the new relationships between the spiritual man and his material environment will be found, the future will prove itself as the best yet unrolled. Difficulties will be found on all planes up until the last initiation, but the destructiveness of the life process will never again be so potent. The reason for this is that humanity is most definitely emerging from the thralldom of matter, and in such cases destruction parallels the impact of the descending spirit upon opposing matter. Ponder on this statement.
- Alice Bailey in Esoteric Psychology I: A Treatise on the Seven Rays Lucis Trust publishing, (1936)
- Colour can destroy just as it can heal; sound can disrupt just as it can bring about cohesion; in these two thoughts lie hid the next step ahead for the science of the immediate future. The laws of vibration are going to be widely studied and comprehended, and the use of this knowledge of vibration on the physical planes will bring about many interesting developments.
- Alice Bailey in Letters on Occult Meditation Lucis Trust publishing, (1922)
- Nativity is the enemy of prophecy.
- Giannina Braschi, in " United States of Banana" (2011)
- You don't need no crystal ball,
Don't fall for a magic wand.
We humans got it all, we perform the miracles.
- Kate Bush, in "Them Heavy People" on The Kick Inside (1978)
- Of all the horrid, hideous notes of woe,
Sadder than owl-songs or the midnight blast;
Is that portentous phrase, "I told you so."
- Lord Byron, Don Juan (1818-24), Canto XIV, Stanza 50
- Prophecy, however honest, is generally a poor substitute for experience.
- Benjamin N. Cardozo, West Ohio Gas Co. v. Public Utilities Commission (No.2), 294 U.S. 79, 82, (1935)
- Everybody makes the same mistake. Fortune-telling doesn't reveal the future; it mirrors the present. It resonates against what your subconscious already knows and hauls it up out of the darkness so you can get a good look at it.
- Charles de Lint, in "Paperjack" in Dreams Underfoot : The Newford Collection (2003), p. 396
- Thus, those who sought to penetrate the future cannot even see in front of themselves; they attempted to move themselves forward in time, so must they go backwards through all eternity; and as the arts of sorcery are a distortion of God's law, so are their bodies distorted in Hell.
- John Ciardi, Inferno, notes on Canto XX, pg. 157
- Even the most dire prophecy falls short of the calamity facing the world today. Few there are who see the immediacy of the threat and the urgency of the steps needed to counter it. Great as is the peril posed by global warming, this, unfortunately, is not the greatest, or most hazardous, faced by man today. Did he but know it, man is engaged in a slow but steadily increasing intoxification... the greatest danger to men, animals and the Earth itself. All are poisoned and sick in their own way...
- Benjamin Creme in Invisible peril Share International (June 2006)
- Every prophecy, afterwards uttered by various prophets, was handed over on Sinai at the time of the giving of the Decalogue, but was to be kept unproclaimed until each prophet had received the charge of proclaiming his respective prophecy
- Exodus Rabbah 28, Tales and Maxims from the Midrash by Rev. Samuel Rapaport, (1907), p. 103
- Prophets don't know everything!
- Jim Henson and David Odell, The Dark Crystal (1982)
- Muad'Dib could indeed see the Future, but you must understand the limits of this power. Think of sight. You have eyes, yet cannot see without light. If you are on the floor of a valley, you cannot see beyond your valley. Just so, Muad'Dib could not always choose to look across the mysterious terrain. He tells us that a single obscure decision of prophecy, perhaps the choice of one word over another, could change the entire aspect of the future. He tells us "The vision of time is broad, but when you pass through it, time becomes a narrow door." And always, he fought the temptation to choose a clear, safe course, warning "That path leads ever down into stagnation."
- Frank Herbert, Dune (1965), Book 2: Muad'Dib, Arrakis Awakening by the Princess Irulan
- Prophecy and prescience — How can they be put to the test in the face of the unanswered questions? Consider: How much is actual prediction of the "wave form" (as Muad'Dib referred to his vision-image) and how much is the prophet shaping the future to fit the prophecy? What of the harmonics inherent in the act of prophecy? Does the prophet see the future or does he see a line of weakness, a fault or cleavage that he may shatter with words or decisions as a diamond-cutter shatters his gem with a blow of a knife?
- Frank Herbert, Dune (1965), Book 2: Muad'Dib, Private Reflections on Muad'Dib by the Princess Irulan
- The trance-state of prophecy is like no other visionary experience. It is not a retreat from the raw exposure of the senses (as many trance states) but an immersion in a multitude of new movements. Things move. It is an ultimate pragmatism in the midst of Infinity, a demanding consciousness where you come at last into the unbroken awareness that the universe moves of itself, that it changes, that its rules change, that nothing remains permanent or absolute throughout all such movement, that mechanical explanations for anything can work only within precise confinements and, once the walls are broken down, the old explanations shatter and dissolve, blown away by new movements. The things you see in this trance are sobering, often shattering. They demand your utmost effort to remain whole, and even so, you emerge from that state profoundly changed.
- Frank Herbert, God Emperor of Dune (1981), The Stolen Journals
- The prophet is not diverted by illusions of past, present and future. The fixity of language determines such linear distinctions. Prophets hold a key to the lock in a language. The mechanical image remains only an image to them. This is not a mechanical universe. The linear progression of events is imposed by the observer. Cause and effect? That's not it at all. The prophet utters fateful words. You glimpse a thing "destined to occur." But the prophetic instant releases something of infinite portent and power. The universe undergoes a ghostly shift. Thus, the wise prophet conceals actuality behind shimmering labels. The uninitiated then believe the prophetic language is ambiguous. The listener distrusts the prophetic messenger. Instinct tells you how the utterance blunts the power of such words. The best prophets lead you up to the curtain and let you peer through for yourself.
- Frank Herbert, God Emperor of Dune (1981), The Stolen Journals
- A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country and in his own house.
- Jesus, Matthew, XIII. 57
- The Future … is like a puzzle — with missing pieces — difficult to read, and never, NEVER, what you think.
- Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, in lines for "Rumpelstiltskin" in Manhattan, episode 2.14 of Once Upon a Time (17 February 2013)
- The Future is a puzzle, with many pieces to be sorted. In Time you will learn to separate what can be from what will be.
- Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, in lines for "the Seer" in Manhattan, episode 2.14 of Once Upon a Time (17 February 2013)
- The self-fulfilling prophecy is, in the beginning, a false definition of the situation evoking a new behaviour which makes the original false conception come "true". This specious validity of the self-fulfilling prophecy perpetuates a reign of error. For the prophet will cite the actual course of events as proof that he was right from the very beginning.
- Robert K. Merton, Social Theory and Social Structure (1968), p. 477
- I had determined to go as far as declaring in abstruse and puzzling utterances the future causes of the "common advent", even those truly cogent ones that I have foreseen. Yet lest whatever human changes may be to come should scandalise delicate ears, the whole thing is written in nebulous form, rather than as a clear prophecy of any kind.
- If I have eschewed the word prophet, I do not wish to attribute to myself such lofty title at the present time, for whoever is called a prophet now was once called a seer; since a prophet, my son, is properly speaking one who sees distant things through a natural knowledge of all creatures. And it can happen that the prophet bringing about the perfect light of prophecy may make manifest things both human and divine, because this cannot be done otherwise, given that the effects of predicting the future extend far off into time.
- Nostradamus, The Prophecies (1555), Preface
- Perfect knowledge of such things cannot be acquired without divine inspiration, given that all prophetic inspiration derives its initial origin from God Almighty, then from chance and nature. Since all these portents are produced impartially, prophecy comes to pass partly as predicted. For understanding created by the intellect cannot be acquired by means of the occult, only by the aid of the zodiac, bringing forth that small flame by whose light part of the future may be discerned.
- Nostradamus, The Prophecies (1555), Preface
- When twenty years of the Moon's reign have passed
another will take up his reign for seven thousand years.
When the exhausted Sun takes up his cycle
then my prophecy and threats will be accomplished.
- Nostradamus, The Prophecies (1555), Q 48
- For you know this first, that no prophecy of Scripture springs from any private interpretation. For prophecy was at no time brought by man's will, but men spoke from God as they were moved by holy spirit.
- Peter the Apostle, 2 Peter 1:20 - 21
- Sir Isaac Newton, having perhaps the greatest scientific mind of all time, accepted the books of Book of Daniel and Revelation as revelations from God, being very detailed and accurate representations of the history of the world's dominating kingdoms, and prophesying both the first and second coming of Christ. He understood that the scriptures taught that the true Church of Jesus Christ had been lost, and he awaited three separate future events: 1) the restoration of the gospel by an angel, 2) the re-establishment of the true church, and 3) the rise of a new world kingdom led by the Savior himself, which will crush the kingdoms of the world as the stone pulverized the statue to powder. He saw the whole purpose of these revelations is not to satisfy man's curiosity about the future, but to be a testimony of the foreknowledge of God after they are all fulfilled in the last days. He proposed that the revelations can be understood by discovering rules governing their consistent imagery, but only after they have been fulfilled, unless an interpretation is given with the revelation. Truly Newton's genius was remarkable, and we could learn much from his insights and systematic methods.
- We are now in the midst of the Great Battle predicted in all the most ancient prophecies and in the writings of all peoples. We are approaching the great decisive battle between the Armies of Light...and the hordes of the Prince of this World....the whole army of Gog must be exterminated. But immutable is the Law of Light, and darkness shall be defeated.
- Helena Roerich in Letters I, (11 August 1934)
- The historian is a prophet facing backwards.
- August Wilhelm Schlegel, Anthenaem Fragments (Poetic Fragments fragment 80) 27, in Friedrich Schlegel's "Lucinde" and the Fragments (1971) ed. & Tr. Peter Edgerly Firchow, p. 170.
- O my prophetic soul!
My uncle!
- William Shakespeare, Hamlet (1600-02), Act I, scene 5, line 40.
- There is a history in all men's lives,
Figuring the nature of the times deceas'd,
The which observed, a man may prophesy
With a near aim, of the main chance of things
As yet not come to life, which in their seeds
And weak beginnings lie intreasured.
- William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part II (c. 1597-99), Act III, scene 1, line 80.
- "Deafer," said the blameless King,
"Gawain, and blinder unto holy things
Hope not to make thyself by idle vows,
Being too blind to have desire to see.
But if indeed there came a sign from heaven,
Blessed are Bors, Lancelot and Percivale,
For these have seen according to their sight.
For every fiery prophet in old times,
And all the sacred madness of the bard,
When God made music through them, could but speak
His music by the framework and the chord;
And as ye saw it ye have spoken truth."
- Alfred, Lord Tennyson, in "The Holy Grail" in The Holy Grail and Other Poems (1869), and eventually, Idylls of the King (1885)
Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations[edit]
- Quotes reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922), p. 636-37
- Be thou the rainbow to the storms of life!
The evening beam that smiles the clouds away,
And tints to-morrow with prophetic ray!
- Lord Byron, Bride of Abydos (1813), Canto II, Stanza 20
- The prophet's mantle, ere his flight began,
Dropt on the world—a sacred gift to man.
- Thomas Campbell, Pleasures of Hope, Part I, line 43
- Bene qui conjiciet, vatem hunc perhibebo optimum.
- I shall always consider the beet guesser the best prophet.
- Cicero, De Divinatione, II, 5 (Greek adage)
- Ancestral voices prophesying war.
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Kubla Khan
- We know in part, and we prophesy in part.
- I Corinthians 13:9
- From hence, no question, has sprung an observation … confirmed now into a settled opinion, that some long experienced souls in the world, before their dislodging, arrive to the height of prophetic spirits.
- Erasmus, Praise of Folly (Old translation)
- Thy voice sounds like a prophet's word;
And in its hollow tones are heard
The thanks of millions yet to be.
- Fitz-Greene Halleck, Marco Bozzaris
- Prophet of evil! never hadst thou yet
A cheerful word for me. To mark the signs
Of coming mischief is thy great delight,
Good dost thou ne'er foretell nor bring to pass.
- Homer, The Iliad, Book I, line 138, Bryant's translation
- A tunnel underneath the sea from Calais straight to Dover, Sir,
The squeamish folks may cross by land from shore to shore,
With sluices made to drown the French, if e'er they would come over, Sir,
Has long been talk'd of, till at length 'tis thought a monstrous bore.
- Theodore Hook, Bubbles of 1825, in John Bull (1825)
- This solemn moment of triumph, one of the greatest moments in the history of the world … this great hour which rings in a new era … and which is going to lift up humanity to a higher plane of existence for all the ages of the future.
- David Lloyd George, speech at Guildhall after the signing of the Armistice (11 November 1918)
- My gran'ther's rule was safer 'n 't is to crow:
Don't never prophesy—onless ye know.
- James Russell Lowell, Biglow Papers, No. 2. Mason and Slidell
- It takes a mind like Dannel's, fact, ez big ez all ou'doors
To find out thet it looks like rain arter it fairly pours.
- James Russell Lowell, Biglow Papers, No. 9, line 97
- No mighty trance, or breathed spell
Inspires the pale-eyed priest from the prophetic cell.
- John Milton, Hymn on Christ's Nativity, line 173
- Till old experience do attain
To something like prophetic strain.
- John Milton, Il Penseroso (1631), line 173
- Is Saul also among the prophets?
- I Samuel 10:11
- Prognostics do not always prove prophecies, at least the wisest prophets make sure of the event first.
- Horace Walpole, letter to Thomas Walpole (9 February 1785)
- Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever?
- Zechariah 1:5


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Hi All
I am using Poco 1.3.1 C++ portable components. I am trying to send mail to some Gmail Id. I am using SMTPClientSession::sendMessage() function to send mail. I have set different parameters before calling sendMessage() function as specified in the sample program Mail.cpp. When I execute sendMessage() it throws an exception "{"Recipient rejected: <firstname.lastname@example.com>: 550 5.7.1 Unable to relay for firstname.lastname@example.com"
If I try to send mail from a machine firstname.lastname@example.com to mail Id email@example.com, i.e. within same domain, there is no such problem. I get mail to Id firstname.lastname@example.com
Does anyone know the reason for this behavior? Am I missing something here?
Thanks in advance
~ Masked email addresses from those pesky spambots + moved from PocoMail ... Eric ~


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en.swpat.org is a wiki. You can edit it. May contain statements End Software Patents does not endorse.
November 2014: About Microsoft's patent licence for .NET core
Sitemap • Countries • Why abolish? • Law proposals • Studies • Case law • Patent office case law • Lawsuits
Difference between revisions of "Case law in the USA"
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[[Category:Case law by region|USA]]
[[Category:Case law by region|USA]]
Revision as of 07:29, 14 May 2010
Case law in the USA is the collection of rulings handed down by the courts that deal with patents in the USA.
The highest court, the US Supreme Court, has not examine patentable subject matter since the 1981 case Diamond v. Diehr. This case was interpreted by some as validating software patents, but this position is far from clear. Since then, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) has upheld many software patents.
A change occurred in 2008 when the CAFC rejected a business method patent in the case in re Bilski. The test they used, known as the machine-or-transformation test, also narrows or closes the scope for patenting software ideas. The Supreme Court is reviewing this new test in the Bilski v. Kappos case.
The main cases
(Cases as the Supreme Court in bold)
- Gottschalk v. Benson (1972, USA)
- Parker v. Flook (1978, USA)
- Diamond v. Diehr, 1981
- In re Alappat (1994, USA)
- In re Lowry (1994, USA)
- State Street v. Signature Financial Group (1999, USA)
- AT&T Corp. v. Excel Communications Inc. (1999, USA)
- eBay v. MercExchange (2006, USA)
- Microsoft v. AT&T (2006, USA)
- KSR v. Teleflex (2007, USA)
- in re Bilski (2008, USA)
- Bilski v. Kappos (2010, USA) (pending)
Possibly interesting
- Wikipedia: O'Reilly v. Morse
- Ex parte Yang-Huffman, Appeal 20072130, slip op. at 3 (Bd. Pat. App. & Interf. Oct. 4, 2007)
- Graham v. John Deere, 383 U.S. 1, 6 (1966)
- Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings v. Metabolite Laboratories, Inc., 548 U.S. 124 (2007)
- NTP v. Research in Motion, Ltd., 397 F. Supp. 2d 785 (E.D. Va. 2005)
- Northern Telecom v. Datapoint, 908 F.2d 931, 940-941 (1990)
Finding USA court documents
- Example, for i4i v. Microsoft: http://dockets.justia.com/docket/court-txedce/case_no-6:2007cv00113/case_id-101834/ - not very useful, but it's a start
Related pages on en.swpat.org
External links
- Patent rulings by the Supreme Court
- LPF's page contains links to various Amicus briefs, among other things
- Bitlaw.com's History of software patents in the USA
- Congress weighs patent specialization for federal judges, by Timothy B. Lee, 2009 - discusses a possible change in Judge selection
- http://patentsusa.blogspot.com/ - will have to read it to see if it's interesting
- Dr. David Garrod's Glossaries of Judicial Claim Constructions Available Free of Charge
- Radical Patent Reform Is Not on the Way, Stephan Kinsella - looks at cases, mostly which touched the obviousness criterion
- Patent Rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court, neuro.law.cornell.edu search engine
- Wikipedia: Software patents under United States patent law
- Wikipedia: List of United States patent law cases
This wiki is part of the End Software Patents (ESP) campaign (donate). For more information, see:


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Welcome to Lakshyaa
LAKSHYAA Theatre and Creative Arts, originally called Lakshyaa Theatre Arts, was started in 2004, by an actor, writer, and director Mr.Vinod Goswami to present a pedestal for the youth, and theater lovers, and to hone their acting skills and make them work diligently towards Theater, Television and Film Acting.
Mr. Goswami started with the mission to inculcate qualities within the actors, to push them all their lives, to cultivate their minds, to train their talents systematically and to develop their character. An actor should never despair and never relinquish his main purpose – to love his art with all his strength unselfishly.


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- With an adjustable-rate mortgage, your interest rate and monthly principal and interest (P&I) payments remain the same for a defined initial period, then adjust annually when that initial period is over.
- Loans available in a variety of longer terms.
- Includes an interest rate cap that sets a limit on how high or low your interest rate can go.
- Typically an adjustable-rate mortgage has a lower initial interest rate than a fixed-rate mortgage.
- The interest rate cap limits the maximum amount your P&I payment may increase or decrease at each interest rate adjustment and over the life of the loan.
- May provide flexibility if you expect future income growth or if you plan to move or refinance within a few years.
- Monthly principal and interest payments may increase or decrease when the interest rate adjusts.
- Your monthly principal and interest payments may change every year after the initial fixed period is over.
Want to learn more? Contact Us


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"Well, at least I attempted to quit smoking"
"That is better than not trying at all."
This comment was stated by a clinic participant who, after five days of not smoking, gave in to an urge and took a cigarette. It was only going to be one cigarette, he thought. But by the end of the day, he was up to his old level. So what about his logic that at least trying to quit smoking is better than not trying at all?
If this was his first attempt, it could be said that it was a learning experience. Maybe he just didn't understand the concept of addiction. He did not believe one cigarette could reestablish a physical dependency on nicotine. After taking one cigarette, he lost all control. So now, if he would ever quit again, he would not question the concept of one cigarette causing a total relapse.
But this was not his first attempt quitting. It was his second time in our clinic, as well as multiple previous attempts at other programs, hypnosis and on his own. He once quit for two months before relapsing. At that time he broke all physical dependency on nicotine. Also, after two months he successfully overcame many trigger situations which cause many smokers to initially relapse.
Work pressures, family problems, and social situations are obstacles that all ex-smokers initially face when quitting. He overcame all of these trigger situations. But then, one day, out of sheer boredom, he took a cigarette. In that attempt, too, he relapsed right back to his old level. Obviously, taking that cigarette was a serious mistake.
This attempt, too, he chalked up to experience. But when considering his latter attempts, it is apparent that he learned nothing. Unless he objectively evaluates what causes his relapses to smoking, he is wasting his time trying to quit again. Because instead of recognizing his past attempts as failures, he rationalizes a positive feeling of accomplishment about them. This type of rationalization all but assures failures in all future attempts.
Don't allow yourself to get into the same rut as this man did. On again, off again, one withdrawal after another. Quitting smoking is only the first step in smoking cessation. If you wish to make the attempt a permanent solution to your smoking addiction, stop cold turkey and - NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF!
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A new hero is taking a bow Sept. 28.
The award-winning Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra will soon begin its 29th season, the 2008/2009 concert series "Heroes," at the end of this month.
The Orchestra will perform music from many of the most popular orchestral works of all time, showcasing unique solo works, while incorporating dance elements within the performances.
The debut will take place at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28 with "Ordinary Heroes Who Answered the Call" at the Texas A&M International University Center for the Fine and Performing Arts' Recital Hall.
Highlights include Overture "Flying Dutchman" by Richard Wagner, "Lux Perpetua" by Samuel Adler, "Reading the Naes" by Jessica Locke and Variations on an Original Theme (Enigma Variations) by Sir Edward Elgar. Featured soloist Dr. David Eaton will perform on the Sharkey Corrigan Organ.
Season passes are $100 for adults and $85 for seniors (62+). Individual concert tickets are $25 for adults and $17 for seniors (62+) and students with school ID get in free. This year's program consists of five subscription concerts and two special event concerts.
The second performance in the season is "Heroes of Stage and Screen" at Laredo Community College's Martinez Fine Arts Center Sunday, Oct. 26 at 3 p.m.
For season ticket information, please contact Townsend at 326.3039 or e-mail email@example.com.
Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests
and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information
Services at firstname.lastname@example.com
Texas A&M International University
5201 University Boulevard
Laredo, TX 78041
© 2019


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Back to school time can be a stressful moment, not only for the students to meet new people and maybe a new teacher, but also for parents who need to prepare their students for the new school year. A parent might find itself buying a varied list of school supplies for each child, as well as new clothes. After the first day, your student probably will come up with a list of additional supplies to purchase as well as a bill for taxes of school activities and the like.
Autumn-a time to take stock
All these things are not just a stress for the psyche, but also a stress. When all the dust settles, however, back to school time can be a time to take stock of your financial situation and perhaps to create an autumn budget plan. With a little effort, you may find that your budget can get back on track in time for a fall season happy and productive.
How to get your autumn online Budgeting
There are some simple things you can do to keep your budget in line. For one, chances are you don't really need a whole new wardrobe each season. While children may have invaded their pants and sweaters, you probably still can do with pants and shirts last season. If you really want an item, wait to purchase until it is sold.
When you purchase, remember to purchase only high quality items. In this way, you will find that it is not necessary to change things every season. Keep in mind that marketing is trying to get you to spend money. Do not fall for their tricks. Instead of buying only what really necessary if you're really interested in keeping your budget in line.
Autumn Budgeting & appreciation
In fact, autumn is a good time to reevaluate the entire budget. Sit down with your spouse and get past your income and spending habits and develop new autumn budget targets. For example, with a fast-approaching holidays, you could try to devise strategies to save money for gifts and fun. If you save money now, you will have less of a headache in the form of financial credit debt after the holidays. Use religiously coupons for grocery purchases to save money. Really add up.
Some ways to save money this fall have cut spending on entertainment. Instead of taking a long walk in the leaves. Visit the library. When Halloween comes around, making children's costumes out of things around the House. If you are always mindful of your budget goals, you can actually get your finances back on track.


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Best Celebrity Baby Names 2010
From Sandra Bullock's Louis Bardo to Vera Famiga's Gytta Lubov, name experts Pamela Redmond Satran and Linda Rosenkrantz present the year's winners and losers. Plus, view photos.
2010 was most notable in celebrity baby names for being more sedate than in recent years. Stars shocked by ignoring attention-grabbing choices like Bronx and Moxie in favor of such assertively normal names as Benjamin (John Travolta and Kelly Preston) and Grace (Mark Wahlberg).
The best of 2010's celebrity baby names evidenced style and individuality. The worst were bad in their own special ways.
Gallery: Best and Worst Celebrity Baby Names of 2010
Pamela Redmond Satran, a founder of nameberry.com, is the coauthor of eight books about names, including Beyond Ava & Aiden and Cool Names.
Linda Rosenkrantz is a co-developer of the baby-naming site nameberry.com and co-author of 10 books on names, including Beyond Ava & Aiden.


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Downed Bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox said Tuesday it has decided to temporarily close all transactions in an effort to protect the website and its users.
Continue Reading Below
It did not say when transactions would be resumed, and it wasn't clear whether investors with Mt. Gox positions would get their money back. Withdrawals have been halted since Feb. 7.
This marks the second-straight day the Mt. Gox site remains down in a disappearing act critics are saying serves as a major blow to the virtual Bitcoin currency.
Bitcoin, popular for its anonymity and untraceable nature, is the most popular of several unregulated virtual currencies that have taken the market by storm in recent years.
However, one of its biggest criticisms is its extreme volatility as it remains hypersensitive to tech glitches and theft. The currency, which became known in 2013 for its hundred-point swings and links to the crime ring Silk Road, has suffered from a number of crashes in its brief history, including in June 2011 where the price bottomed out at $2.
Prices would not again surpass the $30 mark until early 2013, and while they would experience a record rally in 2013, ultimately surpassing $1,000 in November, they have since lost about half their value and are struggling to regain those losses.
Making matters worse for Mt. Gox, the world's largest Bitcoin exchange, a document circulating in the Bitcoin world this week reportedly claims the exchange lost 744,000 Bitcoins in a multi-year scheme. The theft would represent 6% of the 12.4 million Bitcoins in circulation.
The Mt. Gox exchange, once the world's premiere marketplace for Bitcoin, did not provide details on the cause or reasons for Tuesday's take-down, but did say in a note to customers that it would continue monitoring the situation closely and "react accordingly."
Visitors to the site are greeted with a blank white page.
The exchange has been suffering from a number of problems this year since first revealing a vulnerability within its system. After coming under attack from hackers earlier this month, it had to halt withdrawals from its trading accounts, and they have yet to be resumed.
Mt. Gox CEO Mark Karpeles resigned from the Bitcoin Foundation's board of directors on Sunday so that he could reportedly focus on Mt. Gox. In an email to Reuters on Tuesday, he said the current problems with the Mt. Gox site represent a "turning point for the business."
Yet, confidence in the currency has been rocked by the outage, and the price of Bitcoin on Mt. Gox has tumbled to around $135, hundreds of dollars lower than its value on other major exchanges, which currently sit around $540, according to Bitcoin marketplace CoinBase.
Coming to Bitcoin's Defense
Six Mt. Gox rivals late Monday tried to reassure investors of Bitcoin's potential, saying that the problem does "not reflect the resilience or value of Bitcoin and the digital currency industry."
Bitstamp, the second-largest Bitcoin exchange by volume, issued a note to clients on Tuesday saying the global peer-to-peer payment system is "not dependent on any one actor" and continues to work "exactly as designed."
The exchange uses a different protocol to handle problems in closing out transactions and thus says it is not vulnerable to the "transactional malleability" issues faced by Mt. Gox. After conducting a review of its accounts and fiat currency reserves, Bitstamp said "nothing is amiss."
The third-largest exchange, BTC-e.com, issued a similar note to clients, assuring them that the Mt. Gox losses do not affect BTC-e balances in any way and the cryptocurrency "maintains its stability."
BTC-e also said that it is at its peak of financial strength with record levels of clients and plans to start publishing financial statements, verified by an external audit, on a regular basis.