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Laid-Off LBUSD Teachers Earning Special Ed Credential On CampusPublished: December 18, 2012
When Cherrell Harris was laid off after more than seven years of employment with the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD), it was both surprising and heartbreaking.
"I knew layoffs were coming, but I never considered it really happening to me," said Harris. "It greatly affected my self-confidence, knowing that I had dedicated countless hours, including personal time, within the district. Then, to be cut was damaging to my current life and what the future would hold."
But the former teacher from Hudson K-8 School isn't sitting around at home wallowing in self-pity. She is back in school adding to her resume, educational background and marketability as a teacher.
The best part—it's not costing her a penny.
Harris is one of 11 laid-off LBUSD teachers enrolled in a new accelerated special education credential program at CSULB. The one-year program was made possible by a $140,000 National Emergency Grant to California, which is being administered by the Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Network (PGWIN) and covers all tuition, fees and textbook costs (about $12,770 per student) for the students.
The purpose of the grant monies is to fund the workforce development of dislocated workers and the CSULB special education program is intended to do just that—preparing laid-off elementary and secondary school teachers for reemployment in teaching positions for which there is a greater demand.
"When you think about the high-need areas where there is a shortage of teachers, you think math, science and special education," noted Shireen Pavri, associate dean for graduate studies and research for the CSULB College of Education and a professor of special education. She is also the principal investigator for this grant project. "Even in districts that are not currently hiring, there is usually some hiring in these three areas," she said.
Many of these types of programs for laid-off teachers began with a focus on math and science. In fact, CSULB offered single-subject credentials in foundational level mathematics and general science for laid-off LBUSD teachers last year through its College of Continuing and Professional Education with 30 students in each math and science cohort. Again, the PGWIN administered the funding so that the courses were offered at no cost to the unemployed educators.
A collaborative effort between CSULB's College of Education, the CSULB Research Foundation, LBUSD and PGWIN, the accelerated special education program began classes in late August and will conclude in May with the students having earned the additional credential.
Work on the program actually began last spring when program organizers worked with the Personnel Department at LBUSD and obtained a list of all of the teachers laid off during the 2009-10 or 2010-11 academic years. The district mailed these teachers a flyer and survey to gauge their interest in a special education credential program. Everyone who returned the survey was invited to an informational meeting and about 25 showed up to that initial meeting.
"Those who attended the initial meeting obviously were overwhelmed and I would say there was a sense of concern and urgency for their employment future," recalled Kristin Stout, a full-time lecturer for CSULB's education specialist credential program and one of the instructors for the accelerated program. "But, I think that the students stood out as an amazing group in that they asked where else they could turn their passion. They looked into another field of teaching."
Stout can relate to the former teachers' feelings of concern for employment and being overwhelmed in the credential offerings. In the 1990s, she was a general education teacher in Orange County and she was laid off from her job. She, too, went back to school, choosing CSULB, and earned her special education credential.
"I have walked in their shoes. I definitely feel like I can relate to their experiences as a teacher and hope they can relate to me," Stout said. "It is inspiring to see a whole new group of professionals come through this program who have the same passion and desire for teaching all students as I do."
And it's a passion and desire they will need for the program, she added. "Special education is a very difficult field and this isn't a simple add-on of a few courses. We are not cutting out any of the expectations for students who are coming in through this cohort versus students who are coming in through a traditional program. It's a pretty intense pace."
In fact, going into the program, Stout said she was wondering if the students were going to feel "entitled" to just get a tack-on to their existing credential.
"That is not the experience that I am having with this amazing cohort. What I am seeing is a group of students who take the class discussion to an elevated level, asking for more background, experiences and insights into the field," she pointed out. "I find this to be a very expressive and talkative group. They are into the content and they are prepared. So, overall, I am really impressed with the caliber of students that we have in this cohort."
The students meet Mondays and Tuesdays and are taking three courses this semester. Stout is teaching one of the courses and is serving as their advisor. The program originally began with 16 students, but a handful were able to find teaching jobs before the start of the academic year.
The one-year program includes seven classes in all—five regular courses and two student teaching opportunities. It is an accelerated program and students receive credit for having previously taught as elementary or secondary school teachers. Once they complete the program, they will have a California Teaching Commission credential for special education focused on students with mild to moderate disabilities.
"This program is a wonderful opportunity for these teachers to build their skills and to teach all students. They will be prepared to teach a wider group of students, and not necessarily just students with special needs," Pavri pointed out. "I also think this is another outstanding example of the great partnership we have with the Long Beach Unified School District.
"When the district has a need, we step in and work closely with them on multiple levels to help meet that need," she added. "Our hope is that these teachers will get rehired, either in special education or general ed, as positions open up in the district."
For Harris, who was laid off after seven years, special education has always been an interest of hers. In fact, her first position with LBUSD was as an inclusion college aide working with students who had learning disabilities. Later, she was persuaded to teach in the multiple-subject area.
"From the program, I'm hoping to gain knowledge that I can use within any classroom. I think this program also will strengthen my teaching techniques and outlook on education as a whole," Harris said. "I am very grateful that I chose teaching because I feel that I have impacted many lives. I really cannot think of another career I would have gone into.
"Yet, there is a sense of urgency regarding future employment," she continued. "We are all unsure when or if things will turn around for the better."


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subset: commoncrawl


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Passionate feelings erupt during landfill meeting
A crowd of more than 300 nearly filled a large conference room at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido Thursday night to once again tell a governmental agency what they think about the proposed Gregory Canyon landfill.
Like more than a dozen meetings before, opponents of the landfill outnumbered supporters by at least a 3 to 1 ratio. The speeches were impassioned and the warnings of disaster numerous.
The agency listening this time to the public comment about a trash dump proposed to be built near Pala was the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers which controls one of the numerous permits the private developers of the project need before construction can begin.
The corps released a draft environmental-impact study about the landfill late last year and the public has until April 15 to comment in writing. Everything said Thursday night and all written comments will then be reviewed by the corps which should make a final decision whether to issue a permit later this year although corps officials refused to give a date.
Many of the opponents wore T-shirts, given out free before the meeting, depicting a pile of trash with a straw poking out from the top. "WATER AND TRASH DON'T MIX," read a message above the altered photo.
The meeting, which was ended by the corps after three and a half hours even though a number of people had yet to speak, offered common themes.
The developers, Gregory Canyon Ltd., insisted they have designed a state-of-the-art landfill that is environmentally safe and needed for the disposal of North County trash. After nearly 20 years of studies it is time to let the project move forward, they said.
"After nearly two decades there has been no legitimate argument that the landfill will not protect water quality" said Jim Simmons, project manager for Gregory Canyon Ltd.
Opponents, who include the Pala Band of Mission Indians and a coalition of environmental groups, say there is no such thing as a dump that won't one day leak pollutants into the ground. There is no place worse to build a dump, they said, because it would be located near the San Luis Rey River which is an important source of water for the county. And, they said, a new landfill isn't even needed.
There was also a great deal of talk about how the dump would be located next to Gregory Mountain which is considered sacred by Indian people. The Pala tribe has spent $6 million over the years fighting the landfill plans. It's reservation abuts the property where the dump would be built roughly three miles east of Interstate 15 and just south of state Route 76. It's location, several speakers said, is another slap in the face, the latest indignity, inflicted upon Native American people.
"This unnecessary project is a perfect illustration of how Native Americans have been the victims of cultural and environmental injustice at the hands of both government and private interests," said Anthony Pico, chairman of the Viejas tribe. He said the landfill site was chosen because the developers thought the Pala tribe would put up little resistance.
But gaming revenues changed that, and it has been the Pala tribe that has funded the opposition and has sworn to keep fighting the plans forever.
Pala Chairman Robert Smith called the landfill "a terrible and unnecessary project."
Simmons and others representing the developers said all the studies indicate that measures can be taken to protect the cultural sites near the landfill.
"We will protect the sacred sites," Simmons said. "We will be a good neighbors.
The developers have also pointed out that the cultural significance of the mountain was not a strong talking point by opponents until after the courts made numerous rulings that suggested the environmental arguments will not prevent the landfill's construction.
Shasta Gaughen, the Pala tribe's environmental director, scoffed at the notion that cultural sites would be saved.
"There are no exclusion zones that can protect the mountain from desecration," she said. "It is sacred from the bottom to the top."
The crowd was loud at times, wildly cheering some speakers and booing when others talked.
The loudest chorus of boos followed a short speech by Ken Lounsbery, a lawyer who successfully represented the county recently against a lawsuit that challenged environmental findings made years earlier.
Lounsbery said opponents in attendance last night were examples of "NIMBYISM on steroids," and urged the corps to approve the project.
Numerous local politicians weighed in on various sides. County Supervisor Bill Horn encouraged the corps to approved the permit while Supervisor Dave Roberts strongly opposed it.
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News & Notes: Game 143
Buffalo Bisons
74-68, 3rd(-12.5)
RHP Fernando Nieve 2-1, 5.77
Rochester Red Wings
49-93, 6th(-37.5)
RHP Steve Hirschfeld (NR)
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Frontier Field – Rochester, NY
TV: Time Warner Cable SportsNet 13
Radio: WWKB AM 1520, bisons.com
TODAY'S GAME: Tonight, the Bisons take on the Rochester Red Wings in the first game of a two-game series from Frontier Field (7:05 p.m.). This is the Herd's final series of the 2010 season. Buffalo is coming off a two-game split with the IronPigs in Lehigh Valley to begin their season-ending roadtrip. The Bisons are 32-38 away from Coca-Cola Field this season.
vs. WINGS: The Bisons are 9-5 against the Red Wings this season, including a 4-2 mark at Frontier Field. It's the first time since 2007 that the Bisons have won the season series. The Herd has made three trips to Rochester this year. Buffalo split two against the Red Wings, April 21-22 and July 10-11. In the Bisons last visit, July 19-20, the Herd swept two with wins of 6-2 and 1-0.
TONIGHT'S STARTER: RHP FERNANDO NIEVE will start for the Bisons tonight. The righty lost his last start by allowing five runs in six innings on August 31 against Syracuse. It was Nieve's first loss in 11 career starts with the Bisons. The righty is 2-1 in seven starts with the Herd this season, with back-to-back victories on August 11 in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and August 16 in Pawtucket. Nieve has worked six innings in four of his last five starts.
ENDING STRONG: OF JESUS FELICIANO enters tonight's game with a six-game hit streak. Feliciano has hit .346 (9-26) with two RBI and two runs scored. It looks like the outfielder is going to fall short in his pursuit of an IL Batting Championship. Feliciano would need 25 plate appearances over the next two days to qualify. His .340 average in 88 games would fall one point under Gwinnett's Barbaro Canizares (.341).
EVANS ALMIGHTY: INF NICK EVANS has reached base in 34 of the 37 games he's played with the Bisons with a .314 batting average and a .385 on-base percentage. Evans also has 21 extra-base hits in those 37 games with 14 doubles, one triple and six home runs. Combined with his 88 games with Double-A Binghamton, Evans now has 58 extra-base hits on the season, including 23 home runs.
GO NORTH: The Bisons are going to finish the 2010 season with a winning record in the IL North Division. Buffalo is 41-27 against the North. The only team the Herd doesn't have a winning record against is Syracuse (6-10).
METS UPDATE: The Mets (66-70) lost to the Cubs on Saturday by a 5-3 score. Former Bisons INF IKE DAVIS hit his 16th home run of the season in the loss. He finished the game 2-4. OF CAROS BELTRAN went 3-4 with an RBI. New York takes on the Cubs again this afternoon with a 1:20 p.m. first pitch from Wrigley Field
Follow the Herd:
Listen to the Game:CLICK HERE!
Bisons Baseball Network: CLICK HERE!
Broadcast Team email: CLICK HERE!
Everything about the Herd: CLICK HERE!
Get to a Game: CLICK HERE!


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Silly guy. But man, his grace makes those water works.
I will tell you what I love about the whole emotional process: the part where I cry in front of everyone while I tell the story of how God brought me real low to bring me real near. I don't cry because I am hurt by my husband. Truth talk: I used to cry about that lots. In front of others and in my bed at night. But now when I cry, it's because I'm talking about his mercy on me. His kindness to me in suffering.
Everybody hates suffering, but Jesus is in the dark places. I know I can't convince anyone to go there, you must be dragged there by grief. But I miss that place a lot, the spooning with Jesus in the cold bed. And when I tell people that story of how he made my marriage new, it's kind of like I get to go back there to that near place-- and for about 3 seconds, in front of everyone, I feel his overwhelming presence. Gosh, see. I'm crying again.
His nearness is good. I think the psalmist knew some things about the shadows of death.
When you've walked in those shadows, you know the great comfort. He did it for me then and he'll do it for me again in the situation I am up against today. Because the truth is, the hard things never stop coming. They can't stop, because it's all messed up now, the world and the people in it. And I think they keep coming for us so we'll get lost again and need to remember there is a shepherd who is seeing and coming after us again. It's kind of beautiful to get lost and found all the dang time.
Anyway, it makes me weepy. And now I need a nap and a gentle beverage. What? Can I say that when it's 3pm on a weekday?
What I wanted to say really…in a million words… But I'm over at Jamie Ivey's blog writing about parenting and how I know all the things. And tips and rules. And I just know, we these 10 tips, you'll really go far. Jay Kay. I talk about how we do things mostly now that the gospel has gotten deep in our bones.
(here I am with jamie ivey and jessica thompson. after day drinking in austin)


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At last, Cadillac builds a world-class luxury car.
Luxury Cars
Editor: Tom Lankard
$40,300 Base Price MSRP
$65,810 As Tested MSRP
Model Lineup: Cadillac STS V6 ($40,300); Cadillac STS V8 ($46,800)
Standard Engine: 4.6-liter dohc 32v V8
Engine Options: 3.6-liter double overhead-cam 24-valve V6 w VVT; 4.6-liter DOHC 32v V8 w VVT
Standard Transmission: 5-speed automatic
Transmission Options: 5-speed automatic
Basic Warranty: 4 years/50,000 miles
Assembled In: Lansing, Michigan
Model Tested MSRP: Cadillac STS V8 ($46,800)
Standard Equipment: dual-zone, automatic climate control; auto headlamps; OnStar safety warning and communication system (one year service included); remote keyless unlock and start; programmable remote garage opener system; power windows; 8-way front seats; heated outside mirrors; power tilt and telescope steering wheel; memory for driver's seat, outside mirrors and steering wheel; AM/FM/CD stereo with dash-mounted 6-disc changer; leather-trimmed, heated/ventilated front seats and heated rear seats; front and rear floormats
Options As Tested: AM/FM stereo with 6-disc CD/DVD changer and navigation system, XM satellite radio (3-month trial service included), HID headlamps with washers, Magnetic Ride Control suspension, wood/leather-rimmed steering wheel, power moonroof, tire pressure monitor, rear spoiler, polished cast aluminum wheels, rain-sensing windshield wipers, performance brakes, limited slip rear differential, Tuscany leather-trimmed seats, heavy-duty cooling system, variable assist/ratio steering ($13,115); all-wheel drive ($1900); adaptive cruise control with heads-up instrument display ($2300)
Standard Safety Equipment: dual two-stage frontal airbags; front seat-mounted side-impact airbags; front and rear-seat side curtain airbags; antilock brakes; traction control; Stabilitrak electronic stability control; rear park assist; rear seat child safety seat anchors
Optional Safety Equipment: tire pressure monitoring systemDestination Charge: $695
The new STS gets GM's newest V6 and V8 engines, both of which boast the latest in computerized engine management and variable valve timing. The result is smooth, efficient power. And speaking of smooth, the new STS offers a choice of suspensions, too, from the traditional, keyed more to commuting, to the extraordinary, actively compensating for and adjusting to a host of inputs, large and small, smooth and sharp.
But the headline here is that the STS returns to rear-wheel drive, an essential element for truly spirited driving. All-wheel drive can be had as well, putting the STS head to head with the best of the world in the handling competition. There's much more in the hardware and technology arenas, but enough of the gearhead stuff.
STS is blessed with Cadillac's best interior ever, with comfortable but supportive seats that are infinitely adjustable, ample storage space, and superior sound systems. Most important, state-of-the-art occupant safety is standard.
Cadillac's top management rolled the dice. It empowered its stylists and engineers to create an all-new STS, one designed and outfitted from the tires up with one goal in sight: a car meant to bring as much joy and pleasure to the driver as it does comfort and convenience to the passengers. If the 2005 STS is any gauge, there's new life in the wreath and crest.
The 2005 Cadillac STS is a five-passenger sedan with a choice of engines, a V6 and a V8. Each gets its own, appropriately calibrated, five-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard, while all-wheel drive is available on the V8.
Both packages start with a respectable showing of features expected on today's luxury cars: leather trim, dual-zone automatic climate control, Bose AM/FM/CD stereo, the usual lineup of power creature comforts and driver aids, OnStar telematics (with one year's service), Stabilitrak electronic stability control, automatic headlamp high-beam control, and rear park assist.
The popular option package for the V6 includes dual, eight-way power and heated front seats, a six-disc CD changer, rain-sensing wipers, polished aluminum wheels and memory for driver's seat, outside mirrors and steering wheel settings ($2,390); offered as an add-on to this package are satellite radio, programmable garage door opener and eucalyptus wood interior trim ($730). A more elaborate package adds heated rear seats, six-disc CD changer with navigation system, satellite radio (with three months' trial service), wood/leather trimmed steering wheel, power moon roof, rear spoiler, polished aluminum wheels, performance brakes, limited-slip rear differential, tire-pressure monitor and variable assist steering ($6,205); a heavy-duty cooling package ($150) can be added to this. Standalone options include a power moonroof ($1,200) and an engine-block heater ($100). Two of the nine exterior paints, Line Red and Diamond White, cost extra ($995).
Checking the first option box on the V8 order form gets the top-level stereo and navigation system, the satellite radio, high-intensity discharge headlamps with washers, Cadillac's Magnetic Ride Control suspension, the wood/leather steering wheel, moon roof, tire-pressure monitor, a rear spoiler, polished aluminum wheels, rain-sensing wipers, performance brakes and limited-slip differential ($11,065). The second box adds unique aluminum wheels, Tuscany leather seating surfaces, heavy-duty cooling system, variable assist steering and W-rated Michelin tires ($2,050). All-wheel drive can be added only to this latter package ($1,900), while adaptive cruise control is available with either or both ($2,300). A Performance Handling Package ($795) with special springs and shocks is available with rear-wheel drive but not all-wheel drive. The moonroof, engine block heater and extra-cost paints are also available on the V8.
A full spectrum of occupant safety features is standard, including dual, two-stage frontal airbags, front seat-mounted side airbags and front-and-rear side curtain airbags. Four-wheel anti-lock brakes are standard, too, though tire-pressure monitors are available only with the two noted option packages.
Walk Around
The 2005 Cadillac STS is both new and familiar. It is strikingly dissimilar to its immediate predecessor, the 2003 Seville STS. The new model's design is the latest example of Cadillac's new Art & Science design motif. Only the grille pretends to keep faith with any of the old Seville's softer, rounder shapes and lines.
Yet the STS is recognizable in its striking similarity to the new CTS. The STS and CTS are indistinguishable to the casual observer even when parked side by side. Both cars present only minimally different iterations of the sharp angles and almost painfully flat planes we first saw in the Evoq coupe concept. We now encounter examples of the Art & Science design theme almost daily in the SRX sport utility and XLR sports car. The now familiar theme can be seen to a lesser degree in the forward quarters of the big Escalade sport utility.
The similarity between CTS and STS runs deeper than the sheet metal. They both ride on the same platform, for instance. The wheelbase of the STS is only three inches longer than that of the CTS, and its body is six inches longer. The 2003 Seville STS, in contrast, rode on a wheelbase four inches shorter than the 2005 model's, but its body was five inches longer. That means the new STS has much shorter overhangs, less metal hanging out over the front and rear wheels, and that makes for better handling, improved stability and better looks.
All that said, there's no mistaking the new STS for anything but a new Cadillac. Viewed head on, the trademark egg-crate grille and stacked headlamps are starkly functional in appearance. No wasted motion or volunteer excess there, to be sure.
From the side, the body's crisp lines draw an almost box-like silhouette that somehow still looks aerodynamic. Perhaps it's the gently curved A-pillar and C-pillar that tend a bit more toward Art" than toward "Science." Sharply contoured lower rocker panels tracking rearward from the front fascia's bottom edge pull the body down, adding a stylistic ground-effects look.
The backside is vaguely reminiscent of the late, lamented Eldorado coupe, with vertical taillights bracketing a tall, squared-off boot. Recessed in the boot's rear vertical is a trapezoidal inset, long enough for European-spec license plates, housing large backup lights at the left and right extremes. American-tradition dual exhausts exit below and at each end of the rear bumper. The optional rear spoiler, running the width of the trunk lid, adds stabilizing rear downforce without spoiling the look."
The interior of the new STS is much more welcoming than the exterior, with soft leather surfaces complemented by warm wood accents. Those wood accents are not standard, but we much prefer them over the standard brushed aluminum trim, which looks and feels cold and reflects sunlight to the point of annoyance. Get the wood.
Seats are refreshingly supportive, for a Cadillac, without being overly firm. Arm rests and head restraints are a degree or two softer than the cushions and side bolsters, boosting the comfort factor a couple notches. All essential controls are within easy reach, although there could be more clearance between the lower door panels and seat bottom to access the front seat adjusters. For this reason, we were especially grateful for the seat memory feature, which often saved us from having to reach down there. The interior is roomy, fitting in between the marginally smaller CTS and externally larger 2003 Seville.
Instruments are easily scanned, white-on-black round analogs, with a large nested tachometer and speedometer between the smaller fuel and engine temperature gauges. The speedometer changes between English and metric electronically, so there's only one set of numbers around its circumference. Cruise control and running lights are managed via a stalk on the left side of the steering column, windshield wipers and washers with a stalk on the right. Buttons in the steering wheel spokes provide redundant controls for audio and driver information functions. A word of caution: the top-level stereo system, although delivering superb surround sound, is multi-tasked with a navigation system that, in combination, demands an extensive study of the owner's manual to operate with any degree of alacrity and confidence.
All four doors boast map pockets. The front center console is deep and wide and pre-wired for cellular and Bluetooth (to wirelessly tie the cell phone into the car's audio system allowing hand-free operation). The glove box, though, is barely sufficient to hold the navigation DVD case and owner's manual. Two cup holders are provided front and rear. The trunk is fully lined, with articulated, gas-pressurized struts.
Fit and finish are top grade, with notably tight interior trim tolerances. Careful attention was paid to reducing noise, vibration and harshness, with remarkable and commendable success. Specially laminated windshield and front door glass, wind tunnel-tuned outside mirrors and high-density/low-mass sound-deadening padding combine to deliver the quietest interior Cadillac's delivered in memory.
Driving Impressions
It's sometimes said patience is its own reward. For those who've been waiting, lo these many years for Cadillac to deliver on the promise of the original STS, this has been small comfort. Now, however, the time has come. At last, the STS is everything it should have been from its inception, and more.
The 3.6-liter engine generates 255 horsepower, while the V8 produces 320 horsepower. The V6 does a more than adequate job of moving its 3,857-pound burden down the road. While the accompanying mechanical chorus from the V6 isn't as robust or viscerally satisfying as that from the V8, it's nothing to be ashamed of either.
The sportiest setup is the V8 with the optional performance handling package ($795). Nudging the shift lever over to the right, into the manu-matic gate where the selected gear will hold all the way up to redline, and thoughtfully alternating between the accelerator and brake pedal allow frolicing at extremes heretofore beyond the reach of sedans wearing the wreath and crest. Cadillac's suspension engineers have finally learned the difference between stiff and firm. Thankfully, all the sound filtering and deadening doesn't keep the V8's throaty exhaust note out of the cabin. Who needs a stereo with these tones to enjoy?
Then again, the all wheel-drive packaged with the Magnetic Ride Control supplementing the latest generation Stabilitrak is hard to top, though it adds some weight and isn't available with the handling package. Still, body lean in even the tightest switchbacks is almost non-existent, and mild whoop-de-doos barely give occupants' stomach a flip. Biasing 60 percent of the power to the rear wheels gives the all-wheel-drive STS the sporty dynamics of rear-wheel drive while sending enough power to the front wheels to pull the car through and out of corners with sureness and confidence.
The electronic steering is a delight, with the only shortcoming a slight softness on center. The car tracks well through corners, and turn-in is crisp, especially with the 18-inch, low-profile tires. The brakes are up to the car's potential, with a firm pedal and a feel that's more linear than not. Cadillac has ratcheted the Stabilitrak back a smidgen from its earlier aggressiveness, and it now waits a bit longer before stepping in. And when it does, it does so less abruptly, too.
The 3.6-liter V6 and the 4.6-liter V8 are GM's latest engines with double overhead cams, four valves per cylinder and variable-valve timing, or VVT. This latter system continuously varies valve operation to generate the most power from the least amount of fuel with the lowest emissions possible. Torque is what American drivers really use; torque is what gets a car moving in the first place, like when merging onto a freeway or passing on a two-lane. Recognizing that, Cadillac engineers designed the STS engines to generate lots of torque throughout the rev range for responsive performance at all engine speeds. The V6 gets a dual-stage intake manifold that makes available 90 percent of the engine's 252 pound-feet of torque from 1900 to 5800 rpm. The V8 uses electronic throttle, or drive-by-wire, to match the engine's performance to a variety of driver demands, from sedate interstate cruising to rambunctious backroad motoring. The V8 generates 315 pound-feet of torque at 4400 rpm.
The Cadillac STS may not threaten BMW's grip on the fun-to-drive crown, but it's definitely arrived when put up against Audi, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz. People who enjoy getting where they're going as much if not more than being there but who pine for luxury touches and good ol' American V8 power need no longer compromise. Come on home.
New Car Test Drive correspondent Tom Lankard is based in Northern California.
Top Cars


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Hanoi: Vietnamese Communist Party authorities are to fire two editors at a national newspaper that published articles critical of the government's policy, sources at the paper said yesterday.
"We have received the Party's decision to punish us," said Dang Ngoc, vice editor-in-chief of the newspaper Dai Doan Ket (Great Unity). "The decision said that we had violated Vietnam's press law."
Dai Doan Ket is the voice of Vietnam's Fatherland Front, a powerful patriotic organisation affiliated with the Communist Party.
Ngoc said he and editor-in-chief Ly Tien Dung had been notified of the decision by Fatherland Front Secretary General Vu Trong Kim.
The decision reportedly says the paper violated the press law by publishing three stories that conflicted with government and Communist Party policies.
In early 2007, the paper published a piece by Christian priest and Fatherland Front member Nguyen Thien Cam advocating making the Front independent of the Communist Party.
In November 2007, the paper ran a letter written by war hero General Vo Nguyen Giap, opposing plans to build a new National Assembly building on a site where archaeological remains of Hanoi's ancient citadel were discovered, leading to months of dispute over the new building in local media.
Finally, an opinion piece by veteran journalist Thai Duy in February argued that the "foreign" character of Soviet-style socialism embraced by Vietnam's National Assembly in 1975 had alienated the Vietnamese people from the Party.
Vietnam's government disclaimed responsibility for the firings, saying it was Fatherland Front's decision.
"We did not intervene," said vice minister Do Quy Doan of the Ministry of Information and Communications, which oversees Vietnam's media.
Fatherland Front official Nguyen Van Vinh refused to comment.
"I don't think the decisions are fair," said a Dai Doan Ket reporter who declined to be named. "They just aimed to punish brave journalists who dared to point out Vietnam's social injustices and government authoritarianism."
The firings at Dai Doan Ket come two weeks after a Vietnamese court sentenced reporter Nguyen Viet Chien to two years in prison, and fellow reporter Nguyen Van Hai to two years of "re-education without detention," for reporting on a major corruption scandal. – DPA
Filed under: Law, Political, Press | Tagged: Corruption, Dai Doan Ket, Journalists, Nguyen Van Hai, Nguyen Viet Chien, PMU18, reporters, Thanh Nien, Tuoi Tre, Vietnam | Leave a comment »


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Fish & Game on the hunt for a new Chief Executive
Chief Executive position available
This is for a three year fixed term role located in Wellington with a nationwide influence
- Is your next step a significant leadership role that contributes to the management of New Zealand's sports fish and game bird resource?
- Do you enjoy achieving important results in complex environments?
- Can you lead effectively from the centre by building and maintaining productive working relationships that enhance trust and understanding within a central organisation and across a nation-wide regional network?
- Do you enjoy influencing policy-makers, legislators, and engaging the court of public opinion for the betterment of New Zealand's natural resources?
- Do you enjoy using your business acumen to identify and make the most of commercial opportunities?
- Do you have a clear passion for and commitment to recreation in the environment, and fishing and hunting in particular?
About the New Zealand Fish and Game Council
The New Zealand Fish and Game Council (the Council) provides advocacy leadership on behalf of anglers and hunters, and coordination to the twelve regional Fish and Game Councils to help them perform strongly and with high levels of integrity. Results are important to us and our work programme contributes to delivering better, smarter services in the national interest of all anglers and hunters. We are a small team with a challenging work programme that is looking for a new Chief Executive for the first time in a generation.
What's in it for you?
You will have the unique opportunity to lead an organisation that plays a critical and central role in the effective and sustainable management of New Zealand's sports fish and game bird resource.
This multi-facted leadership role will provide you with the opportunity to test your professional abilities in an area that will be of deep personal interest to you.
You will work with some of New Zealand's most deeply committed and passionate individuals who make a real difference to New Zealand every day.
What we need
To be successful in this position you will:
- Enjoy advocating on behalf of an organisation and all of its component parts.
- Have had previous success in positively influencing an organisation's standing and influence at regional and national level to best effect.
- Enjoy success in supporting a governance body that is dedicated to its cause.
- Need experience in effectively managing a small-to-medium sized entity that sits at the centre of a regional network, and has to deliver effectively in a complex and highly political operating environment.
- Have had previous success in applying your business acumen to ensure the financial sustainability of an organisation.
- Need to be able to engage effectively and clearly; advocate the wider picture; and be firm and clear about bottom lines.
What the role involves
The Chief Executive provides strategic, operational, and management support and advice to the Fish and Game Council of New Zealand. The position is responsible for the overall organisational guidance of Fish and Game New Zealand (the collective name for the New Zealand and 12 regional Fish and Game Councils), ensuring the effective management of the organisation and its operations. The position leads a team of 7 staff, interacts with 12 regional Chief Executives/Managers, and reports to the New Zealand Council.
A job description can be downloaded here , by email request to email@example.com, or by telephoning Andrew on 021 0815-2893. If sending an email please use the subject line NZF&G Chief Executive.
Applications close at 5pm on Friday, 5 May 2017 and should be sent to Andrew Wilson at the email address above, or posted to Andrew at ForeConsulting, PO Box 25 264, Wellington 6146.
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Artist Charles Vess presents a program at the Grace Street Theatre on Thursday April 18th at 7:00 pm! There will be a reception following at the James Branch Cabell Memorial Library with a display of art from the book.
Press Release:
Charles Vess, recipient of Eisner and World Fantasy Awards and many other accolades, also a VCU alumnus (B.F.A. 1974), will discuss his newest book project, The Cats of Tanglewood Forest, and his career of visual magic making. Following the event will be a book sale and signing. Doors open at 6 p.m. Seating is limited, and registration is required. Any unclaimed seats at curtain time will be released on a first-come basis. Registration will open soon. Parking is available for a fee in the West Broad Street and West Main Street parking decks. If special accommodations are needed, or to register offline, please call (804) 828-0593 prior to April 15.
Grace Street Theater
Virginia Commonwealth University | School of the Arts
934 West Grace Street, Richmond, VA 23284-3048


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Richelle Mead graduated from the University of Michigan and has an M.A. in Comparative Religion from Western Michigan University. She currently lives in Seattle with her husband, and is at work on her next VAMPIRE ACADEMY novel.Mead, Richelle is the author of 'Vampire Academy ', published 2007 under ISBN 9781595141743 and ISBN 159514174X.[read more]
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Today is a very exciting day! Our first e-cookbook, Cookie Cravings is now on sale! For the past couple of months we have been working with Heidi Larsen, of Foodie Crush, to create a book ALL about cookies. The book includes 30 cookie recipes, 15 favorite recipes from our blog and 15 new cookie recipes that I created specifically for Cookie Cravings. The 15 new recipes haven't been published or seen anywhere else! All of the recipes include gorgeous photos, photographed and designed by Heidi. We are beyond thrilled with how the book turned out and I think you will be too.
To celebrate the launch of Cookie Cravings, we are giving away a KitchenAid 7-quart Stand Mixer. I love my KitchenAid Mixer and use it every time I bake a batch of cookies-which is just about every day:)
Before we get to the giveaway, let's talk about the book! Cookie Cravings is a 78-page downloadable e-cookbook featuring our all-time favorite cookie recipes. The book is filled with beautiful photography, stories, recipes and comes to you in an easy to navigate PDF format.
We also created a bonus e-cookbook, Cookie Days, which is a 20-page downloadable e-cookbook featuring a week of recipes and new photography from a few of my blogging baking buddies including: Picky Palate, Brown Eyed Baker, Kevin and Amanda, Eat, Live, Run, Confessions of a Cookbook Queen, How Sweet It Is, and Recipe Girl. Cookie Days also showcases seven baking bloggers I consider "cookie decorating artists."
And we didn't stop there, we are also offering a bigger package that includes Cookie Cravings, Cookie Days, and lots of fun downloadable goodness including:
- Printable gifting labels for a year of special occasions from ChicSprinkles.com
- Printable Kitchen Conversion Chart
- Printable What's in Maria's Pantry: Baking Cookies
- Printable Cookie Recipe Cards for your own cookie recipes
- Printable Chocolate Toffee Almond Cookie Recipe Card from Two Peas and Their Pod
- Printable Keep Calm and Bake On Graphic
- Computer Screen Saver Wallpapers
- VIDEO: Maria's Step-by-Step Cookie Baking Tutorial
And now for the giveaway! To help make your cookie baking adventures easier, we are giving away one KitchenAid 7-Quart Stand Mixer! Happy Day! My KitchenAid Mixer definitely got a workout while we were creating recipes for Cookie Cravings. I couldn't have done the book without my KitchenAid Mixer. It is a dream machine!
To enter to win a KitchenAid 7-Quart Bowl-Lift Residential Stand Mixer (in the color of your choice-red, black, silver, or white), please leave a comment on this post telling us what your favorite cookie is.
To earn additional entries, leave separate comments for each of the steps below.
- Let us know you like Two Peas and Their Pod on Facebook.
- Let us know you like Foodie Crush on Facebook.
- Subscribe to Two Peas and Their Pod via email.
- Share the link to this giveaway post on your Facebook page.
- Tweet the following statement about this giveaway. Enter to win a @KitchenAidUSA 7-qt. mixer hosted by @TwoPeasandPod & @FoodieCrush to celebrate Cookie Cravings: http://bit.ly/yL09b1.
The giveaway is open until Wednesday, March 28th, 11:59 MST. The giveaway is only open to U.S. residents (18 years old or older). Be sure a valid email address is included with your comment(s). Winner will be chosen randomly and announced on this post. We will email the winner and if the winner doesn't respond in 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. Good luck! And don't forget to purchase your copy of Cookie Cravings!
This giveaway is sponsored by KitchenAid, but our opinions are our own. I love, love, love my KitchenAid Mixer and don't bake cookies without it!


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A new population of the Critically Endangered glass frog (Centrolene heloderma) has been discovered in the cloud forests of the Pichincha Province of Ecuador.
Unfortunately the population is located just metres away from one of Ecuador's two major oil pipelines and government safety rules mean that constant cutting and clearing is required around the pipeline. In order to ensure that the habitat of C. heloderma is not unnecessarily disturbed, this job is now performed by staff from Reserva Las Gralarias, one of the partners involved in the SOS-funded project aimed at improving the critical habitat of this and eight other species of globally-threatened amphibians and to monitor their populations.
Before the project began, the glass frog was known from just one stream within the study site – Reserva Las Gralarias. After three months of monitoring, a team from SOS grantee Universidad Tecnológica de Indoamérica (UTI) identified a new population in another stream and later confirmed that the species is reproducing in this area. Information that the team is collecting will help understand the population dynamics of the species, its potential threats and help guide action to conserve it. The staff at Las Gralarias will be monitoring the area even more carefully for spills. Further efforts are under way to find new populations and restore riverside habitats that may be used by this species. All in all this is a great conclusion to the frog monitoring work that can only take place in the rainy season.
This story also appeared in the IUCN blog.


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Send this Get Well basket to bring a smile to anyone who is not feeling well. They'll enjoy some chicken noodle soup with soothing tea, crackers, mini honey, happy mug and bee plush!
Plush Cheeky Bee (8 inches each, 1 count); Tazo Tea (20 teabags each, 1 count); Cheese Crackers (2 oz each, 1 count); Honey (1 oz each, 1 count); Banana Bread Biscotti (1.25 oz each, 1 count); Happy Face Mug (11 oz each, 1 count); Chicken Noodle Soup Mix (4.25 oz each, 1 count)
* Please note that on occasion, some items maybe substituted with other items of equal or greater value.
Copyright © 2020 Sdbrymans Privacy Notice | Conditions of Use


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ARLINGTON, Texas - How 'bout them undies?
Victoria's Secret on Monday will open a store at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington featuring lingerie and other clothing promoting the NFL's most valuable team. Dallas Cowboys executives will be on hand for the unveiling of the co-branded women's items including tees, sweats, hoodies, tank tops, underwear and sports bras.
Victoria's Secret says it's the first time the company has opened a store at a professional sports venue. Forbes magazine this month named the Dallas Cowboys the NFL's most valuable team for the sixth consecutive year, worth more than US$2 billion.


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Earth and Moon through Rosetta's eyes
ESA's comet chaser mission Rosetta took these infrared and visible images of Earth and the Moon, during the Earth fly-by of 4/5 March 2005 while on its way to Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
These images, now processed, are part of the first scientific data obtained by Rosetta. "The Earth fly-by represented the first real chance to calibrate and validate the performance of the Rosetta's instruments on a real space object, to make sure everything works fine at the final target," said Angioletta Coradini, Principal Investigator for the Visible and Infrared Thermal Imaging Spectrometer (VIRTIS) instrument.
"Although we were just calibrating VIRTIS during the Earth fly-by last month, we obtained images of Earth and the Moon which have a high scientific content," she added.
VIRTIS is a very powerful instrument capable of examining the physical condition and composition of space objects.
On 4 and 5 March, before closest approach to Earth and from a distance of 400 000 kilometres from our Moon, Rosetta's VIRTIS took these images with high resolution in visible and infrared light. In these images, only a small portion of the Moon surface was illuminated (between 19% and 32%).
These pictures, above and left, are images of the Moon in infrared light, with Sun's illumination coming from the bottom left.
In the first, VIRTIS is catching the thermal radiation coming uniformly from the lunar surface. In the second VIRTIS is focusing on the solar radiation reflected by the surface.
In the next image (right) it is possible to distinguish Oceanus Procellarum, Kepler Crater and Mare Humorum.
The corresponding spectral analysis (chemical 'finger-printing') gives indications of the mineralogical differences between highlands and 'seas' or 'maria'. For instance, it was possible to see marked differences in the abundance of two kinds of rocks known as pyroxene and olivine.
On 5 March, after the closest approach to Earth, VIRTIS then took a series of high-resolution images of our planet in visible and infrared light from a distance of 250 000 kilometres. Only 49% of the Earth surface was visible from Rosetta.
In this animation (right) of visible images, red, green and blue colours are used to show a true-colour Earth.
The infrared images in the next animation are taken in the so-called 'thermal' infrared, which shows the heat emitted from Earth's surface. This animation shows the complex dynamics of Earth's atmosphere.
Once at Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in 2014, VIRTIS will be used to determine the composition and the nature of the solid nucleus and the gases present in the comet's coma.
In combination with the other Rosetta instruments, it will also help the selection of the 'touchdown' site for the Rosetta lander Philae.
Before then, Rosetta will make more cosmic loops to reach the comet, and its instruments will collect new data about planets, asteroids and comets. The next encounter with Earth is planned for November 2007.
VIRTIS as been developed by a large consortium of European scientists, with major contribution by Italy, France and Germany.
For more information contact:
Angioletta Coradini, VIRTIS Principal Investigator
E-mail: angioletta.coradini @ ifsi.rm.cnr.it


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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Democratic lawmakers on Thursday proposed commissioning a bust of former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun for display in the state Capitol, reviving a previously unsuccessful effort to honor the Minnesota native who played a prominent role in the Roe v. Wade decision.
Blackmun wrote the majority opinion in the 1973 landmark decision, which established a constitutional right to abortion. An anti-abortion group was successful in 2000 in convincing like-minded lawmakers to block the honor to Blackmun.
The new push comes in the 40th anniversary week of the landmark decision, although Sen. Scott Dibble, of Minneapolis, said the timing of the bill is coincidental. Dibble said he hopes the legislation can steer clear of an abortion dispute.
"That is not the totality of Harry Blackman and the contribution he has made," Dibble said, adding, "It's a glaring gap that we have a first son of Minnesota who is not honored and recognized at the Capitol the way others are."
A spokesman for Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, which was active in the last Blackmun debate, had no immediate comment.
The bill would place the bust outside the old state Supreme Court chambers on the Capitol's second floor. It would be opposite one recognizing former Justice Warren Burger, the other half of the high court's famed "Minnesota twins."
Blackmun and Burger were childhood friends in St. Paul. Blackmun also served as an in-house attorney for Rochester's Mayo Clinic before his ascension on the federal bench. He served on the Supreme Court from 1970 to 1994.
Dibble said he didn't know the cost of the proposed bust, but the bill would authorize public money for it.
Unlike the last time the bust issue was before lawmakers, Democrats control both chambers of the Legislature and the governor's office. Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton is an abortion rights supporter.
(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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Related Articles
- How to Think about Stemming an Insurgency. Kaebnick, Gregory E. // Hastings Center Report;Nov/Dec2004, Vol. 34 Issue 6, p2
Introduces a series of articles about stem cell research and bioethics.
- stem cells storm D.C. Sinha, Gunjan // Popular Science;Jan2002, Vol. 260 Issue 1, p58
Focuses on the ethical issues about the use of stem cells in medical research in the United States. Significant research on stem cells; Opposition on the technology; Government policy on the issues.
- The Basics About Stem Cells. Condic, Maureen L. // Human Life Review;Winter/Spring2002, Vol. 28 Issue 1/2, p119
Discusses issues pertaining to research on embryonic stem cells. Questions raised by the use of human embryos in medical research; Scientific arguments against the use of embryonic stem cells as a treatment for disease and injury; Advantages of using adult stem cells for research.
- In This Issue. Furton, Edward J. // National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly;Jun2010, Vol. 10 Issue 2, p227
An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including proposals of producing human stem cells, human embryo in sperm-egg fusion, and the moral aspects of bioethics.
- ES Cell Research: In the Shadow of the Ban. Johnston, Josephine // Hastings Center Report;Mar/Apr2004, Vol. 34 Issue 2, p49
Speculates the reason behind the national and international interest in human embryonic stem (ES) cells despite the U.S. ban on federal funding of such research. Details on how to procure ES cells; Requirement of the government for ES cell research funds.
- Stem cell patenting. Baldock, Claire // Journal of Commercial Biotechnology;Jan2006, Vol. 12 Issue 2, p120
The patenting of embryonic stem cell-related inventions appears to be as controversial as the technology itself. The author outlines the state of play in Europe and the USA as well as other selected territories. While Europe has the broadest statutory exclusions to patenting of inventions which...
- The Bioethics of iPS Cell-Based Drug Discovery. Hyun, I. // Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics;May2011, Vol. 89 Issue 5, p646
The ability to generate human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells presents exciting prospects for drug discovery and the development of safer, more effective drugs. Given the enormous potential for iPS cellbased drug development, what ethical issues could possibly cloud this new biomedical horizon?
- Substance Ontology Cannot Determine the Moral Status of Embryos. Morris, Jason // Journal of Medicine & Philosophy;Aug2012, Vol. 37 Issue 4, p331
Assigning the appropriate moral status to different stages of human development is an urgent problem in bioethics. Many philosophers have attempted to assess developmental events using strict ontological principles to determine when a developing entity becomes essentially human. This approach is...
- stem cell translation and bioethics. English, Denis // Annals of Neurosciences;Apr2012, Vol. 19 Issue 2, p57
The author reflects on the bioethics associated with stem cell therapy. The author believed that the use of embryonic stem cells is ethically inconsistent and conflicts with nature and it is a flawed concept that ES cures most diseases. Moreover, he mentioned of the lack of evidences to construe...


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Ask a Cicerone: Which Beers Are Best With Grilled Food?
Beer and food are better together.
Editor's Note: Ask a what? A Certified Cicerone® is a beer expert who has passed a particular certification exam administered by the Craft Beer Institute. You can think of them as beer sommeliers: these folks have demonstrated significant beer knowledge and tasting skill, plus professional skills in beer sales and service. Got a beer-related query for the experts? Ask away in the comments section!
Grilling season is officially upon us, and we're celebrating with beer. But while you're stocking up on sausages, ribs, chicken thighs, and steaks, you might want to pick up some beers that will be particularly well suited for your grilled feast.
Whether you're making grilled eggplant, bratwurst, or grilled salmon, our beer experts are on hand to suggest a brew that will make everything taste better together. Check out the slideshow for their tips »
Don't go thirsty! Keep in the loop with our weekly newsletter.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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There are a lot of toys out there that Surfers are interested in, and a lot of them are out of the price range for your average gift. Surfboards can run over $1000 and wetsuits can run as much as $600. To make it easier to come up with gift ideas we have procured this short list of Awesome and Affordable Gifts for Surfers.
Christmas Shoppers Look No Further. Everything listed in the below guide is available for sale at our online surf shop as well as our two retail locations.


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Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, in the only debate in the state's current election campaign, went blank for several seconds during her opening statement last week--a moment when no one was going to interrupt her--and the coverage created a small firestorm of attention.
The Associated Press coverage (from which I won't quote, since AP likes to go after and charge bloggers for doing so) goes into excruciating detail in describing the silent moment and concludes it's a disaster for Brewer. But the Christian Science Monitor, looking back at other politicians' debate bloopers, wondered whether going silent was "really that bad," and took the view that it was poor preparation:
On Thursday, there was a chance for both candidates to make a statement at the beginning of the debate, and Brewer did not have one – either on paper, or in her head. That is flat out bad political preparation, due to either her own slip or bad work by a staff member. If it's the latter, that staff member's ears are probably smarting.I asked readers of The Eloquent Woman on Facebook what they thought. Here are some of their responses:
- Jennie Poppenger wrote, "She's human. Better to be silent and thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. :) Collecting your thoughts can be good - in theater sometimes silence is used for dramatic effect."
- Colleen Carey Luther said, "I think she was woefully unprepared. Nor did she listen to the questions. It was bad communication all around."
- Andrea J. Wenger weighed in: "I think this matters more to newscasters than to anyone else. Newscasters would be mortified if this happened to them, but the rest of us can relate. This seems like a case of journalists creating the news rather than reporting it."
- Marcy Lynne noted, "She lost her train of thought during her opening statement with notes! This women is the Arizona state Governor and is in charge of the Arizona National Guard, etc. I don't think her silence was really that bad. It was what she said when she wasn't silent that was terrifying."
- Dana Vickers Shelley said, "She wasn't prepared. Bad staffing. It made me sad mostly."
- Diana Bruce observed, "We have 'DID,' now ain't that a kicker!!!! If her grammar is that bad, I should be President of the United States of America."
If politician-speakers are in a special hothouse of attention, are there things you can learn from Jan Brewer's drawing a blank? I think so. Here are my insights for everyday speakers worried about coming up short:
- Preparation is the key to remembering what you want to say, and I think developing a 3-point message is essential to preparation. Focusing your remarks on three themes or points makes remembering your outline easier. And who doesn't want to make that easier?
- If you think nerves are the cat that's got your tongue, or if you find your flow interrupted by other factors--shortness of breath, for example--you need to practice the relaxation response to get your butterflies under control.
- If you have lots of distractions, particularly right before your talk, use my 7 bite-size ways to get speech ready. Making sure you are focused before you start will help you stay on track.
- When you really don't know what to say, be prepared with time-buying phrases--things you can say that add content, while buying you time to think of where you meant to head next. You'll need to have these practiced and in your back pocket, but trust me, it's worth the practice. (They're also a great antidote to "ums.")


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|Summary of 3 reviews :
|Room :
|Facilities :
|Service :
|Location :
|Hotel room status:
Situated along the enchanting Chao Phraya River,
Riva Surya Bangkok offers an idyllic urban getaway in the heart of this cosmopolitan city.
This modern boutique hotel in Bangkok features 68 comfortable rooms, elegant dining options,
a riverside swimming pool and leisure facilities that cater to the needs of both business and leisure travellers.
Riva Surya adds a touch of style and charm to this bustling locale once dubbed "Venice of the East". Riva Surya is bounded by cultural treasures including The Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun; and within walking distance of the lively entertainment district of Khao San Road. The Bangkok boutique hotel conveniently connects you to the city centre via the Chao Phraya Express Boats and Bangkok's Skytrain from Saphan Taksin BTS station.
|Our guests can expect panoramic views of the Chao Phraya
River or enjoy the leafy outlook of our spacious Urban Rooms. All sixty
eight-guest rooms are carefully designed with an eye for stylish furnishings,
modern amenities and entertainment systems. Each bathroom is decadent
with a modern touch, spacious balconies and sublimely comfortable beds
add the perfect finishing touches.
Urban Room (size: 32-34 sq.m.)
This guest room at our Bangkok boutique hotel is designed with a focus on your comfort. The room is fitted either with your choice of King or Twin Beds. Each room extends to an airy, tiled balcony overlooking the tree-lined Phra Arthit Road.
Riva Room (size: 30 sq.m.)
This guest room welcomes you with a ninety-degree view of the Chao Phraya River. Tastefully decorated with Thai furnishings and a King bed, it is Bangkok's most desirable choice of accommodation in a boutique hotel.
Deluxe Riva Room (size: 40 sq.m.)
A stunning view of the Chao Phraya River welcomes you as you enter this guest room at our Bangkok boutique hotel. Contemporary Thai décor and a King bed or two Twin beds extend to a spacious tiled balcony with panoramic river views for your enjoyment.
Premium Riva View Room (size: 48 sq.m.)
Elegantly designed with the finest bedding, this premium room complements contemporary Thai furnishings, a King bed or two Twin beds and a glass-encased bathroom. Relax and enjoy your own personal view of the Chao Praya River from a private balcony. Connecting rooms are available at this boutique hotel in Bangkok.
|babble & rum, located along the legendary Chao Phraya
River, brings a market inspired rustic yet contemporary, stylish yet
personable dining experience to Bangkok. A concept that has become a
phenomenon in New York, San Francisco, Melbourne, London and Sydney
can now be enjoyed in Bangkok. With a strong commitment to fresh, organic
produce that is locally sourced, Babble & Rum, is Riva Surya's market
inspired caf. and lounge that offers breathtaking views of the river.
Enjoy a mix of flavor that are wholesome and creative. Your favorite
selection of comfort food, authentic Thai and Chinese selections all
served with a contemporary urban flair.
Experience 'The Garden' our warm and inviting dining area set on lush gardens with sweeping views of the river on both sides or choose the lofted booths in 'Lookout' our island bar for a more intimate setting. Our expert bartender will be happy to recommend the perfect wine pairing to accompany your meal or whip up a cocktail that's just what you wanted.
Walk in to 'The Caf.' for an all day breakfast, complete with a delicious selection of freshly baked breads and fresh fruit to accompany a selection of wholesome comfort food favorites from the east and west.
|babble rum
|babble rum
|The Garden & Riverside
Unwind when you return from your fun-filled adventures, and laze around the riverside oval pool with integrated Jacuzzi. The pool is 14 metres long, 7 metres wide and 1.4 metres deep.
Equipment - Treadmill, Stationary bike, Elliptical machine and integrated cross fit machine, free weight dumbbell. Fitness ball and Yoga mat.
Hotel Facilities:
|Fitness Centre
|Business Facilities
|Riverside Pool Deck
|Riverside Outdoor
The hotel is located in Bangkok's preserved Rattanakosin Island,
which is an area where the houses and have been tastefully converted into stylish guesthouses,
cafes and galleries. The architecture and interior design of Riva Surya Bangkok has been
influenced by the elements of "Tropical Colonial" with a modern twist,
which is evident by the carved wooden shutters, windows,
partitions and doors, all with a mixture of modern design.
When viewed from Phra Arthit Road or the Chao Phraya River,
one ses a unique and beautiful impression of the building a longside the river.


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We are proud to announce that this Oct 21st, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM we will be hosting an Open House at 13678 Grosvenor RD in Balance in the Whalley neighborhood, Surrey. This is an opportunity to visit this excellent Apartment for sale in beautiful Whalley.
Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this Whalley Apartment for sale.
As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 778-809-3488 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.
Colleen Ferguson
Royal LePage West Real Estate Services


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It is stunning.
It is a key moment in cinema and not just Alien. It will forever be stunning in the history of this world.
... How many ages hence
Shall this our lofty scene be acted over
In states unborn and accents yet unknown!
Shall this our lofty scene be acted over
In states unborn and accents yet unknown!
(Julius Ceasar) William Shakespeare
Congratulations Sir Ridley.
|knighted for services rendered to Hollywood
Prior to Alien space travel was depicted as expedition by cruise ships (2001: A Space Odyssey 1968, Star Wars 1977). The Nostromo is a haulage vehicle crewed by a blue collar workforce. All militaristic and nationalistic glamour of flyboys (Star Trek: The Motion Picture 1979) is gone. The future is as bright as the stars for the (Leyland) corporation. It is as dark as the void for the working poor. These are the slaves who built Pharaoh's pyramids; the peasants who tilled the land for the owners; the miners in Virginia3; the fishermen in Somalia4; the 'truckers in space'.
the miners in Virginia
The Nostromo aesthetic and the character profile of the crew were so resonant it has become the paradigm for movies set in space (Event Horizon 1997, Pitch Black 2000, Pandorum 2009). John Carpenter's The Thing 1982 takes place in the polar desert of Antarctica; that is to say outer space on terra firma. It is referred to as a remake of The Thing from Another World 1951 but the film is a more faithful adaptation of the novella Who Goes There? 5. That notwithstanding Carpenter's film uses Alien's template so much so it could be referred to as Alien2.
The characters in The Thing have no backstory. There is no subplot. The monster is awe inspiring and had hitherto not been seen in cinema. The crew is unarmed and have to improvise weaponry. The monster is parasitic. If the only influence Alien had on cinema was The Thing then this alone would make it a classic. I urge the reader to watch both movies back-to-back.
Alien belongs to Ridley Scott but he is no auteur. A head of state has his kitchen cabinet. The manager of a football club has his coaching staff. Alien had HR Giger.
|Alien breeder
Alien had Dan O'Bannon6. Before he wrote the former he wrote Dark Star 1974 directed by John Carpenter. He has since wrote (and directed) The Return of the Living Dead 1985 and Total Recall 1990. He died in 2009. R.I.P.
Alien had a cast everyone remembers. The Nostromo's seven-man crew included two women neither of who wore short skirts or flicked their hair. They were plausible and credible. To emphasise the point of how good the cast was – all of them are still working today. Horror as a genre does not create movie stars. The exception to this is Halloween 1978. The other exception is Alien.
If Hollywood had created Romeo and Juliet they would have made a sequel and a prequel. 20th Century Fox made Alien and they made more than enough sequels to obliterate all goodwill. Thus it is time for the prequel. In 2010 Universal insisted their (then) forthcoming The Thing 2011 was a prequel to John Carpenter's masterpiece. I denounced it as a remake.
Every year I put on a new label. One year it's beer. Then the next year we call it 'light beer'. And then the next year it's 'cold', 'filtered' or 'dry'. You know what? We can't make enough of that shit.
The Larry Sanders Show (218)
Sir Ridley Scott is at the end of his career because he's at the end of his lifespan. Prometheus 2012 is a flail at legacy. His 35 year career boasts box office success (Black Hawk Down 2001, Gladiator 2000) and fanboy favouritism (Blade Runner 1981). That does not constitute a great filmmaker or a great career. Despite Thelma & Louise 1991 he's no Spike Lee, Oliver Stone, Martin Scorcese, or even David Fincher. The fact is Scott's turkeys account for more than his triumphs. He's a punch drunk boxer; a mid-table football team. He's a commercial filmmaker.
Despite Scott's protestations Prometheus is a prequel to Alien – otherwise it wouldn't get made. 20th Century Fox and Ridley Scott can fool their fanbase as much as they like. The fact is this time around there is no Dan O'Bannon and there is no HR Giger. The white noise of marketing, trailers, clips and advertising have revealed the new film to be no more than a camouflaged cash grab. To those of us not submissive to Blade Runner it will be another 3D light and magic show.
Last year Universal showed that their remake of The Thing could not destroy the legacy of John Carpenter's opus. This year Rupert Murdoch, 20th Century Fox and Sir Ridley Scott will not be able to destroy the legacy of HR Giger and Dan O'Bannon.
Read more Thrill Fiction: The Woman in Black
1 Russia's War Blood in the Snow Youtube
2 'haunted house in space' Slate
3 The Battle of Blair Mountain Wikipedia
4 European Union air strikes on Somalia AFP
5 Who Goes There? by John W Campbell
6 Dan O'Bannon IMDb
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Good-Bye cabin fever... Hello Golf!
The course is NOW OPEN for the 2015 season! Spring is here and the sun is shining, it has been a long winter and we are very excited to see everyone on the course this season!
Book Your Tee-Time Online or Call
Course conditions will vary as the snow melts, so please contact the golf shop for the latest updates on cart use and playing conditions.


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Saudi-led consortium wins Morocco solar energy bid (Update)
(AP)—Morocco awarded a $1 billion contract to build a solar power plant to a Saudi-led consortium on Monday, as part of this country's ambitious plans to harness the sun's energy and reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels.
The Moroccan Solar Energy Agency said that the consortium, led by Saudi International Company for Water and Power together with the Spanish Aries IS and TSK EE, would build a 160 megawatt solar power plant in the southern Moroccan town of Ouarzazate.
In 2009, Morocco announced a $9 billion project to build five solar plants to produce 2,000 megawatts of electricity by 2020—38 percent of its energy needs. It is hoping to eventually even export surplus solar-generated electricity to Europe.
"We are counting on mobilizing all our efforts to reach this goal, despite the crisis," said Mustapha Bakkouri of the solar energy agency.
Bakkouri said the Saudi consortium submitted the "best technical and financial offer."
Four consortiums were competing for the bid for the Ourzazate plant. The Saudi consortium's proposed plant would produce one kilowatt of energy for $0.19, as opposed to $0.24 offered by two of the other competitors, Italy's Enel and Spain's Abeinsa ICI.
The funding for the consortium will come in part from the World Bank and the European Investment Bank. The aim is to have the plant completed by the end of 2014.
The government will seek bids for other solar plants before the end of this year.
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Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Pictures of Andrew Garfield, Olivia Wilde, Megan Fox, Garrett Hedlund at 2011 Maui Film Festival in Hawaii
Andrew, Olivia, Garrett and Megan Bring Their Tans to Maui
The 2011 Maui Film Festival kicked off in Wailea yesterday with Megan Fox, Andrew Garfield, Olivia Wilde and Garrett Hedlund on hand for the opening night. Megan was honoured with the Iris Award for her support of the environment, as she returned to the islands where she was married to Brian Austin Green almost one year ago. Olivia, Andrew and Garrett made the tropical trip a few days ahead of the festivities' start and have been working on their tans. Olivia, who joked on Twitter, "Holy heaven. Maui is so pretty I want to take it out for drinks and get it pregnant," hit the beach with a pal yesterday while Andrew was spotted surfing. He hasn't been seen shirtless like Zac Efron was at the 2010 Maui Film Festival, but Andrew has a few more days to show off his physique before being awarded with the shining star statue on Saturday. Olivia will also receive the shining star today, and Garrett will pick up the rising star award tomorrow.
Keep reading for more photos!


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SAN BRUNO, Calif. - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. will be testing this summer an option for consumers to be able to order product on its website and then have it kept in a physical locker at the store so they can pick it up without having to wait in line or talk to a store clerk.
The test, which will be conducted in about a dozen stories in an undisclosed market, is part of the world's largest retailer's overall strategy to offer increasingly demanding web-savvy shoppers the ability to shop any way they want. The company is also expanding its offerings online and improving a new "scan and go" shopping app so customers can immediately download coupons personalized to them.
Officials disclosed the moves Tuesday at a media event at its company's global e-commerce offices in San Bruno, Calif., located in Silicon Valley.
The six-story offices, which house more than 1,000 employees ranging from engineers to merchandisers, includes (at)WalmartLabs, where many of the shopping innovations are coming from. It was formerly a webs analytics company called Kosmix which the discounter purchased in 2011 and then renamed (at)WalmartLabs.
The offices are different from the staid, sprawling corporate headquarters in Bentonville, Ark. Clearly, it looks like an Internet startup. On the floor housing employees at (at)WalmartLabs, some workers are playing ping pong and pool. On another floor, web analysts watch oversized screens of Walmart.com and Samsclub.com to track any technology problems with the site.
The company conducts so-called "hack days" twice a year where most of the staff are allowed to pursue prototypes of their own liking. At the end of the day, they must show their work.
"We are tenacious about building the best-in-class e-commerce. We're developing a density of talent that understands competition at Internet speed," said Neil Ashe, who joined the discounter as president and CEO of the company's global e-commerce division in January 2012. He had been president of CBS Interactive where he oversaw such online properties as cbs.com and CNET.com.
Wal-Mart used the one-day event to showcase how the discounter is meeting the challenges to fight off online rivals like eBay Inc. and amazon.com, which have been luring shoppers to the Web with their vast offerings of products and low prices. But the discounter is also following its own customers. More than half of its shoppers have smartphones and one third of its online traffic now comes from smartphones. For the holiday shopping season, that percentage figure was up to 40 percent.
Over the past year, Wal-Mart has been launching a number of initiatives that merge its online business with the power of its 4,000 stores. That's all with the purpose of meeting the company's overall mission of "saving people money so they can live better." That includes same-day delivery in five markets, and an app that allows shoppers to scan their purchases with an Apple device while in the aisle and then pay at a self-checkout terminal. In 10 months, it also rebuilt its search engine from scratch, and the improved search tool has resulted in an increase of the number of browsers to buyers on walmart.com by 20 percent.
Wal-Mart doesn't break down its e-commerce sales for the U.S., but officials reiterated Tuesday that it expects global e-commerce sales to hit $9 billion this year. That's still a small fraction of the company's overall sales of $443.8 billion in the latest year ended Jan. 31. But the company is fast expanding its global presence which include nine other countries outside the U.S. It's also making big improvements to its ranking among shoppers. For example, in Brazil, walmart.com is now the most popular retail website in terms of traffic, up from being ranked No. 8 last year. And the company is creating a global platform so that lessons in Brazil can be quickly adopted in other countries.
As for Wal-Mart.com's U.S. business, which sells more than 2 million items - including products it sells through other retailers like ebags.com - the company plans to expand the number of items. It didn't disclose by how much.
With the test of the new lockers, Wal-Mart is catering to shoppers who want to be left alone when they buy. Joel Anderson, president and CEO of walmart.com's U.S. division, says that 75 percent of its shoppers want to buy interrupted.
The new tests with lockers work like this: once shoppers buy the product online, they're emailed a password. They then can go to the store to pick up the items that are stored in the locker. Anderson says that lockers will vary in size, and the company is still figuring out where to locate them.
The service is an evolution of another shopping option called "site to store" launched in 2007 where shoppers can order online and then pick up the items at a special counter within two weeks. The company has also been testing an option where shoppers can pick up their purchases they bought online at select FedEx locations.
"The customer is in charge," Anderson. "The customer wants to control their own environment."