text: Job Discussion Forums :: View topic - Maximo Nivel - Antigua Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today! Job Discussion Forums"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!" FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in Maximo Nivel - Antigua Goto page 1, 2, 3 Next Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> General Latin America Forum View previous topic :: View next topic Author Message McMurphy_RPJoined: 02 May 2010Posts: 21 Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 3:35 am Post subject: Maximo Nivel - Antigua I'm trying to decide on a TEFL/TESOL certification course. One of the places I'm looking at is Maximo Nivel in Antigua, Guatemala. Does anybody have any experience with either the specific location or with Maximo Nivel's certification courses in general? Thanks! Back to top naturegirl321Joined: 04 May 2003Posts: 9041Location: home sweet home Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 3:41 am Post subject: MN's certs are just another cert. NOt CELTA; Trinity, or SIT. Doesn't mean they're bad. I have a generic cert as well, not from MN though. Some people like them, some don't. It's a legit course though and if you don't like them, it's only a month. Back to top McMurphy_RPJoined: 02 May 2010Posts: 21 Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 3:51 am Post subject: Thanks very much. Are CELTA, Trinity, and SIT considered more prestigious certifications? (I'm finding it hard to get a handle on which are more prestigious and which are just big. I've heard that some of the big ones, like TDFL International, are certificate mills.) And does the prestige of the certificate matter as much if I have an M.S. in Education and considerable teaching experience in the U.S.? Back to top naturegirl321Joined: 04 May 2003Posts: 9041Location: home sweet home Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 8:32 am Post subject: McMurphy_RP wrote: Thanks very much. Are CELTA, Trinity, and SIT considered more prestigious certifications? (I'm finding it hard to get a handle on which are more prestigious and which are just big. I've heard that some of the big ones, like TDFL International, are certificate mills.) And does the prestige of the certificate matter as much if I have an M.S. in Education and considerable teaching experience in the U.S.? CELTA's probably considered one of the best, if not the best. All three are very good. You say you have teaching experience, you mean at primary and secondary schools? Do you want to teach at an intl school or teach EFL at an institute? If you want to do the latter, then the cert will help you. If you want to do the former, then don't get the cert. Back to top InsubordinationJoined: 07 Nov 2007Posts: 394Location: Sydney Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 2:51 pm Post subject: I've been to Antigua (You did ask about the location, right?). Small, stoney streets, a lot of over-priced cafes and everything you need for a safe, comfortable course. A good base. You can visit the lake at weekends. Back to top McMurphy_RPJoined: 02 May 2010Posts: 21 Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 2:29 am Post subject: Thanks for the information. I figure I'll add a partial answer to my question in case it helps other people in the future. Maximo Nivel got back to me promptly, answered my general questions as best they could from off-site, and sent me the telephone contact information I'd requested for the on-site person with whom I needed to speak. When I called, she was genuinely friendly, spent a tremendous amount of time on the phone with me, and answered my questions frankly. I plan to register for the program and I'll post again when I have something to say about it. My only concern going in is that there will be only one teacher for the course, which could be either great or a disaster, but that may be the case for most other courses as well - I don't know. Back to top dhsampsoJoined: 17 Jun 2009Posts: 44Location: Virginia Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2011 4:04 pm Post subject: I took Maximo's training in CR and worked for them afterward as a teacher, and then later in administration (from 2009 through 2010). When I took their TEFL training in CR, it was great. I can't attest for the trainer in Guatemala (yes, there is always one and that is standard for most courses I believe), but they'll follow the same training method used at Maximo's other locations. I've been to Antigua and Maximo's office there. The city is beautiful and the office there is very nice. Best of luck with the course and let us know how it goes! Back to top McMurphy_RPJoined: 02 May 2010Posts: 21 Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 1:47 pm Post subject: Thanks for the info. So far I'm satisfied with the course. I'll definitely post my impressions when I've got a complete picture. Back to top McMurphy_RPJoined: 02 May 2010Posts: 21 Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2011 11:17 am Post subject: Keep looking Today something reminded me that I never posted a follow-up. Sorry - wanted to wait until I'd been teaching EFL for a little while, and then I forgot about it. In the end, I wished I'd taken the course elsewhere. Maximo Nivel has an inflated sense of their importance to the universe and would benefit from reaching into their rectum and yanking out the stick. Although the single teacher for the course seemed to be a good guy, and was clearly bright, he has limited experience (I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing when he called his three years of teaching "a very long time") and didn't seem to realize that teaching people to teach EFL requires a different pedagogical set than teaching EFL. We were rigidly presented with Maximo Nivel's dogmatic method of teaching English to non-native speakers. I would have preferred to have been presented with a less parochial view of TEFL philosophies and methodologies, which would have meant some variety of teachers representing a greater breadth of experience and perspective, or at least a teacher who had taught in different parts of the world or had trained in other methods. There was zero discussion about teaching students who speak no English whatsoever or students whose native language involves different written symbols and/or few cognates. Maximo Nivel is all about Maximo Nivel. If you want to work for them, this is the perfect course for you. If you want a course that will give you a foundation but will also enable you to flexibly adapt to different locations and teaching situations, I'd look elsewhere. Back to top dhsampsoJoined: 17 Jun 2009Posts: 44Location: Virginia Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2011 6:08 pm Post subject: Sorry to hear you had a disappointing experience. My course had a little more variability than just following Maximo's method, but it overall steered in Maximo's direction. It was the same when teaching for them, but even then we didn't always follow MN's methodology religiously. The company is very much about itself in terms of the course, since it hires a lot directly out of the course to account for normal teacher turnover and turnover from the office staff. Your observations are helpful and hopefully others will use them in their search for a TEFL course. I assume you landed a job teaching somewhere in Guatemala. How is that going? Back to top McMurphy_RPJoined: 02 May 2010Posts: 21 Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2011 9:55 pm Post subject: I'm actually teaching in Japan. It's interesting. Back to top fladudeJoined: 02 Feb 2009Posts: 432 Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 1:08 am Post subject: Antigua is a beautiful. At least you made it there and looked around. Its a lot safer than say Guatemala City, where I live. At the same time, I couldn't imagine trying to make a living with ESL in this country. You are lucky to have gotten to Japan. Good luck there!!!! Back to top ctilliscJoined: 10 Dec 2011Posts: 1 Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 3:30 pm Post subject: I took the September-October TEFL course in Antigua, Guatemala and had an amazing experience. Antigua is a beautiful city and Maximo Nivel itself was also very well maintained, built and colorful. The staff from head to toe was extremely helpful and caring for each client. I can´t say enough great things about the staff in Antigua, and the experience I had there for just a month. As for TEFL, Phil was an awesome teacher and prepared our group extensively for the ¨real world¨of teaching. McMurphy, I´m not sure where your negativity stems from, but I felt as though Maximo was as efficient as a TEFL program could be within a month. The course material flows with information, Phil and Maximo are nothing but helpful for future jobs anywhere (resume workshop, lifetime job assistance), and classes are fun despite the abundance of implicit grammar review (definitely necessary). Phil was able to create life out of some bland areas within TEFL through his great energy and personality. The hands on practical teaching week is also a great way to get your feet wet in front of actual students, something most TEFL courses don´t have. I now work at Maximo in Peru, as I was recruited after my time in Antigua. So far my experience has been great in Cuzco, and I consider myself extremely lucky that I found Maximo Nivel while searching for TEFL courses via google. All in all, I definitely recommend taking the TEFL course in Antigua! Back to top chelseagglass90Joined: 08 Dec 2011Posts: 8Location: Antigua, Guatemala Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2011 11:02 pm Post subject: my experiences Maximo Nivel has been a part of my life now for almost two years. I came to Maximo Nivel in Antigua, Guatemala at the age of 19 first my first solo travel abroad experience. Since then I have grown leaps and bounds and had so many different and rich experiences, and for this I owe a lot to Maximo Nivel and their staff. I was a volunteer through them, a Spanish student, I worked for Guinness Travel as a tour guide who works with and has their office located inside of Maximo Nivel and most recently I completed my TEFL training through Maximo Nivel and will hopefully soon be working with them as a teacher when they start their English Language Program in Antigua, Guatemala next year. Before taking my TEFL at Maximo Nivel I had done some volunteer ESL teaching in Guatemala, as well as California and Arizona in the US. I learned so much during TEFL that I can see a major difference in the quality of my teaching and the progress of my students. Maximo Nivel's TEFL course is intense and can be challenging but that is part of what makes it so effective. I was fortunate to have an awesome teacher, Phil Raymond as well amazing peers which helped to enrich the experience and allowed us to grow and learn from one another. Though TEFL was strict at times we had a lot of fun, and our teacher modeled to us how making things fun and entertaining help to facilitate learning. The observation classes proved to be very beneficial so we could see how the techniques were modeled. We only had the opportunity to observe Phil teach during out course but as the program in Antigua continues to expand I am sure it will allow for more diversity in the observations, which is the only single thing I would have changed in my TEFL experience. Not only did this TEFL course teach me about the methodology behind ESL it also gave us advice and information on the job world . Maximo was there to support me during all of my time with them, especially TEFL, and will continue to support me in whatever way they can whether I am here working with them in Antigua, or miles away working at a school in China. I know I can always count of the people there to live up to their guarantee of life time job support. Maximo Nivel is a great organization and provided me with great training and support. One can take their course their and learn a lot from it, and from their grow and evolve their own style of teaching that works best for them and their goals but is based on a solid, sound and proven methodology. good luck to everyone in the ESL field wherever it make take you Back to top HLJHLJJoined: 06 Oct 2009Posts: 1218Location: Ecuador Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2011 11:41 pm Post subject: 2 brand new posters who've joined just to tell us how great 'Phil' and Maximo Nivel are. What an extraordinary coincidence. Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> General Latin America Forum All times are GMTGoto page 1, 2, 3 Next Page 1 of 3 Jump to: Select a forum Where to Begin----------------General DiscussionNewbie ForumCurrent Events ForumTechnology ForumOnline Teaching Forum Africa Forums----------------General Africa Forum Asia Forums----------------CambodiaChina (Job-related Posts Only)China (Off-Topic)Hong KongIndiaIndonesiaJapanMalaysiaPhilippinesSingaporeTaiwanThailandGeneral Asia ForumVietnam Caribbean Forums----------------General Caribbean Forum Europe Forums----------------Czech RepublicFranceGermanyGreeceItalyMacedonia and the BalkansPolandRomaniaRussia & C.I.S.SpainTurkeyUkraineUnited KingdomGeneral Europe Forum Latin America Forums----------------ArgentinaBrazilChileColombiaCosta RicaMexicoMexico (off-topic)PeruGeneral Latin America Forum The Middle East Forums----------------BahrainEgyptIsraelKuwaitOmanQatarSaudi ArabiaUnited Arab EmiratesGeneral Middle East Forum North America Forums----------------General North America Forum Oceania----------------Australia/New Zealand You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling. 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subset: commoncrawl


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The Lost Brothers new album The Passing Of The Night is out now! Hot Press said of the album "mesmerising results... The Lost Brothers best record yet". The Irish Times gave it a 4/5 review and Roddy Doyle said "There are welcome echoes in The Passing Of The Night but it is strongly - and beautifully - unique. I love it."
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Mold and Indoor Air Quality Experts Serving Mississippi
Change State | Show all Mississippi experts
Find a Mold and Indoor Air Quality Expert
Experts in all aspects of testing, prevention, and treatment of complications resulting from toxic mold build-up and poor indoor air quality for both commercial and residential buildings. Some topics that may be relevant to a mold expert work include condensation, moisture, humidity and psychrometric charts, ventilation, drainage and flooding. Mold and Indoor Air Quality experts serve as expert witnesses and forensic consultants in Mississippi legal matters, and provide expert reports and testimony for judges, attorneys, lawyers, law firms, insurance companies and government agencies in Federal and state court trials and arbitrations in Mississippi.
The listings below are of Mold and Indoor Air Quality experts serving Mississippi.
Expert ListingsErnest P. Chiodo, MD, JD, MPH, MS, MBA, CIH
Clinical and Forensic Medicine
Chicago, IL
MD & JD (Wayne State), MPH (Harvard), MS (Biomedical Engineering and Toxicology-WSU), MBA (University of Chicago), MS (University of Oxford), CIH. Physician, Attorney, Certified Industrial Hygienist, Toxicologist & Epidemiologist. Former Medical Director of the Detroit Health Department. Board certified in internal med, occupational & environ. med, & public health. Inducted into the Engineering Hall of Fame (Wayne State University).
Environmental Safety Management Corporation
Richard M. Lynch, PhD, CIH
Riverside, NJ
Certified Industrial Hygienist, expert in Indoor Air Quality, Mold and Sewer Contamination, Chemical Exposure, OSHA, Ergonomics, CTS, Back Injury, Product Warnings and Labeling, Noise. Published author.
Allergy Asthma Respiratory Care Medical Center
Kenneth Kim
Costa Mesa, CA
Dr Kim has been retained in over 300 medical legal cases in the area of allergy and asthma care from medical malpractice cases to product liability cases. He has particularly strong expertise in the areas of mold exposure and latex allergy.
WEXCO International Corp.
Brad Avrit, PE
Marina Del Rey, CA
Many projects suffer from a lack of Quality Control or other errors/inconsistencies as result of flawed plans & specifications management and/or workmanship; dissimilar materials etc. WEXCO has investigated over 10,000 cases, delivered over 2,000 depositions & testified in over 600 trials.
Safety Controls Technology, Inc. (SCT)
Rob Medlock - Former OSHA Area Director
Middlesburg Heights, OH
Before joining Safety Controls Technology in February of 2011, Mr. Medlock served over 33 years in the forefront of occupational safety & health working for the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). During his tenure he served in OSHA's Area, Regional, National and State Plan offices completing many assignments critical to the Agency and becoming well respected in the labor and business communities. He is a skilled team builder who believes in the value of providing a safe workplace.
South Florida Mold and Toxicology Center
Ernest Chiodo, MD, JD, MPH, MS, MBA, CIH
West Palm Beach, FL
Providing mold and toxicology services in the Florida area.
Indoor Environments
Dr. Eric Brown, CIH, CSP
Long Beach, CA
Asbestos,Construction Safety, Environmental, Ergonomics, Hazardous Materials, Human Factors Engineering, Industrial Hygiene & Mold, Landlord/Tenant, Lead Poisoning, Occupational/Environmental Health, OSHA, Safety, Wrongful Death.
Heritage Technical Services, Inc.
Chuck Dutill
West Chester, PA
40+ Years of Experience (Nationwide): Mold, Air Quality, Hydrology, Flooding, Sewer System, Groundwater, Stormwater, Storm Sewer, Drainage, Runoff, Backup, Hydrogeology, Septic System, Drinking Water, Maintenance, Inspection, Floodplain, Piping System, Contamination, Toxicity, Hazardous Waste, Spill, Grading, Erosion, Remediation, Pollution, Health and Safety, Pumping, Modeling, Odor, Soil, Regulation, Design, Operation, Combined Sewer, Overflow, Sanitary Treatment, Surface Water, Aquifer, Hydraulics, Sedimentation, Storage, Hydroplaning, Wetland, Detention, Well, Sinkhole, Standard of Care


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A stereotype always has an aspect of truth to it, or it wouldn't be a stereotype. I am talking about the biological basis behind behaviors that we all know about.It's not the shrunken brain, you know, it's the childcare. But you will have a shrunken brain.
Were there any research findings you were reluctant to include in your book because they could be used to bolster sexist thinking?
Any of this could be taken badly. I worried, for instance, that stuff about pregnancy and the mommy brain could be taken to mean that mothers shouldn't go to work. The brain shrinks 8 percent during pregnancy and does not return to its former size until six months postpartum....
If women have superior verbal skills, why have they been subservient to men in almost all societies?
Because of pregnancy. Before birth control, in the 1700s and 1800s, middle-class women were pregnant between 17 and 22 times in their lifetimes. All these eons upon eons, while Socrates and all these guys were sitting around thinking up solutions to problems, women were feeding hungry mouths and wiping smelly behinds.
ADDED: Linguist Mark Liberman has been very critical of Ms. Brizendine.


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Mennonite Japanese Christian Fellowship (Surrey, British Columbia, Canada)
In the summer of 1999 a prayer meeting began in Surrey, at the home of Toshiko Sasaki. With Pastor Takahiko "Yoshi" Yoshiyuki joining the small group, in September 1999 they decided to move from a home prayer meeting to becoming a church in a rented space. Mennonite Japanese Christian Fellowship (MJCF) formally began in May 2000, with 11 founding members. They included some who had been attending another Japanese congregation – Surrey Mennonite Church. MJCF also became a member of the Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia. After a few moves, in February 2002 they settled at St. Helen's Anglican Church, also located in Surrey. In June 2003, Sung-Rok Cho began as an associate pastor. In May 2003, a daughter church or church plant called North Shore Japanese Church in West Vancouver was founded, also pastored by Yoshiyuka. In March 2008, Takahiko Yoshiyuki moved to Japan.
In September Gerald Neufeld was welcomed as the new pastor. On 26 September 2008 a twice monthly outreach program called CrossRock was begun for young people. Most of those who attended were Japanese exchange students. Shoko Kawakami and Nozomu Goto gave leadership to this event which attracted up to 70 people. They enjoyed board games, music, and traditional Japanese food. The pastor gave a five minute message at each event. Only a few people planned these events, so they took a lot of energy. With Shoko and Nozomu moving, the church decided to make some changes. The final CrossRock meeting was a Christmas candle-light service and meal held 25 December 2009, with about 100 people attending.
MJCF has enjoyed fellowship with various Korean groups and, after one such contact, MJCF welcomed a Korean associate pastor. In November 2010 they were blessed through a joint worship and pot-luck with the Sherbrooke Korean Mennonite congregation.
MJCF has a mission to reach out to the Japanese speaking population, and all their events are held in Japanese. They have come to realize that a bilingual element needed to be built into church programs as increasingly the children and spouses of Japanese-Canadians speak only English. Now messages are bilingual, with the words translated either into English or Japanese. MJCF enjoys singing in a contemporary style, with a few traditional hymns mixed in. Usually songs are projected and accompanied by guitar and piano.
MJCF has the practice of including everyone in the general decision making. Proposals are often discussed between the pastor, the congregational chair, and a few others in executive positions, but any decisions are made together at monthly congregational meetings.
The congregation celebrated its 10th anniversary on 29 August 2010 with around 120 people in attendance. The pastor presently is Gerald Neufeld.
Additional Information
Mailing address: 151 - 10090 152nd Street, Suite #320, Surrey, BC V3R 8X8
Location: St. Helen's Anglican Church, 10787 - 128th Street, Surrey, BC
Phone: 604-596-7928
Denominational Affiliations:
Mennonite Church British Columbia (2000-present)
Mennonite Church Canada (2000-present)
Mennonite Japanese Christian Fellowship Ministers
|Takahiko Yoshiyuki
|Gerald Neufeld
Mennonite Japanese Christian Fellowship Membership
|Gerald Neufeld
|Date Published
|March 2012
Cite This Article
MLA style
Neufeld, Gerald. "Mennonite Japanese Christian Fellowship (Surrey, British Columbia, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. March 2012. Web. 22 Sep 2020. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Mennonite_Japanese_Christian_Fellowship_(Surrey,_British_Columbia,_Canada)&oldid=169217.
APA style
Neufeld, Gerald. (March 2012). Mennonite Japanese Christian Fellowship (Surrey, British Columbia, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 22 September 2020, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Mennonite_Japanese_Christian_Fellowship_(Surrey,_British_Columbia,_Canada)&oldid=169217.
©1996-2020 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.


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Parents charged in baby's co-sleeping death
A Milwaukee couple is facing criminal charges following the death of their infant son.
Unlike some recent co-sleeping deaths where an adult was sleeping with a child, this situation involved two babies co-sleeping on a bed.
The parents are charged with child neglect and could go to prison. The criminal complaint said police found a .40-caliber Smith and Wesson with eight rounds stuffed into the living room couch where the baby died sleeping next to his twin sister.
Police also found a refrigerator with rotting food, according to the complaint. It also indicated the child, who was more than 5 months old, was "developmentally akin to a child less than 2 months old."
Torrance Mackins lives in the neighborhood. He said the mother is no-doubt already grieving and doesn't understand why she's facing the charges.
"Well, in a way, she's liable, but in a way she's not either. Because she was simply consoling her child. So how can you put liability with that?" Mackins said.
Police said a Pack N Play filled with clothes appeared to not be used as a sleep space.
Neighbor Deandre Ueal said he understands why there are criminal charges.
"It's poor judgment on their end," Ueal said. "Even though she probably didn't try to do it. You've got to be more responsible when it comes to a kid like that."
The couple has nine children, including an infant who died co-sleeping in 2007. The district attorney said the parents were only charged with neglect and not homicide because it is difficult to prove when a baby dies while sleeping.
The Milwaukee Health Department offers free cribs for low income families who need them. To learn more, click here or call 414-286-8620.


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Short Fasts for Weight Loss vs. Traditional Diets
How Drastic Reduction of Calories for Limited Periods of Time Compares to Other Plans
In an effort to make losing weight—and keeping it off—easier, researchers are studying what happens to the body when people eat next to nothing every few days.
Dieting books in the U.K. and elsewhere have used these studies as a springboard to tout the benefits of intermittent calorie restriction, such as the 5:2 Diet, which suggests five normal eating days and two restricted ones.
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Imagine you're Steve Martin. You're desperately trying to rush off to the airport to catch a flight from New York to Chicago so you can get home in time to be with your family for Thanksgiving. But first John Candy steals your cab, then he crams in next to you in a crowded coach seat, then he continues to add to your travel woes for about 90 minutes with an incessant stream of mishaps, gaffes and exercises in very poor judgment.
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I'm referring, of course, to "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," the gold standard for films depicting holiday travel madness. Candy's character, Del Griffith, is a shower curtain ring salesman lugging a large trunk who becomes the unwanted travel companion to Martin's Neal Page, a marketing executive. Del unintentionally torments Neal with cigarette smoke, spilled beer, foot odor, reckless driving, nonstop obnoxious conversation and, of course, a highly uncomfortable situation in a hotel bed that causes Martin to exclaim, "Those aren't pillows!"
Related: 'Due Date' takes a long, winding road to nowhere
Just getting through a viewing of the 1987 John Hughes-directed classic requires a strong survival instinct coupled with a sturdy gut to withstand the laughter. But there are some teachable moments within the zaniness.
Naturally, times have changed. This film was made long before 9/11, the Transportation Security Administration and enhanced pat downs. Today, if Neal had had a smartphone, he could have just downloaded a Del-erasing app, or booked a limo from the middle of a cornfield. But alas, 1987 was even pre-Internet, or at least for the general public, so there was no escaping the hell of Del.
Here are six of the top miscues made by our heroes in that film, and advice on how you can avoid them by some of the top travel writers in the business:
- In one scene, the two are sharing a hotel room when a burglar sneaks in and steals all their cash. Question: Do people still use travelers' checks, and is it wise to do so?
"It's so rare now because of the use of a bank card or debit card," said David Lytle, editorial director of Frommers.com.
"The general rule right now," said veteran travel writer Carole Terwilliger Meyers, "is don't use travelers' checks because many places no longer accept them BECAUSE not many people still use them."
Said writer Beth Blair: "The popularity of ATMs has helped travelers reduce the amount of cash they need to carry while traveling, but even then it's best for travelers to split their cash and not carry it all in one place."
- The boys have an unfortunate incident in which their rented car catches fire and their credit cards are burned and melted. Candy, for instance, only has a credit card from Chalmers Big and Tall Men's Shop, a seven-outlet chain in the Pacific Northwest. What is the minimum number of credit cards you should bring on a trip, and which ones?
"I always have three cards in my wallet," explained author Evelyn Kanter. "American Express, for large expenses, and for their excellent complaint resolution services after you get back, and a Visa and a MasterCard for those smaller businesses that don't like to pay the Amex service charge."
More mishaps to avoid
Here are a few more lessons to be learned from the film "Planes, Trains and Automobiles."
- Avoid falling in front of oncoming traffic while running to catch a taxi on a busy New York City street.
- Bring a clothespin to apply to your nose if the passenger next to you on a flight takes off his shoes. In fact, take two in case the first one breaks.
- Always ask for a room with two beds when traveling with a complete stranger.
- Always latch the hotel room door from the inside. Or if you're staying in a fleabag without one, push a large piece of furniture against the inside of the door.
- Make sure they're indeed pillows. Check the tag.
- When choosing a song to sing on a crowded bus, any old TV theme like the one from "The Flintstones" will always be more popular than "Three Coins in the Fountain."
- Never assault a car rental agent with F-bombs, because she may just return fire.
- Never insult a cabbie at a taxi stand. Although there are laws against it, he still might sock you in the mouth.
- Don't toss a lit cigarette in the back seat of your rental car, for obvious reasons.
- Don't try to take your jacket off while driving on the highway. Your jacket may get snagged on the seat belt knob, and it could cause the car to go spinning out of control.
- When other drivers are screaming, "You're driving in the wrong direction!" it might be wise to check.
- Never put your wallet in the glove box of a rented car. It might burn in a fire caused by someone who carelessly threw a lit cigarette into the back seat and melt all your plastic.
- When trying to extricate your charred rental car from a snow drift in front of a hotel, make sure you have it in the proper gear, or else you may back up unexpectedly and crash into a room.
- Bring a friend home for Thanksgiving, especially a new one.
Said Lytle: "I want to take a lot. I want to take more than two, and I wouldn't keep them all in the same place. I travel with copies of my passport and driver's license, and I send copies in an e-mail to myself, along with information about my credit card companies on a secure g-mail. I use credit cards for hotels, flights, big expenses. If you're in Florence, let's say, and you buy a leather jacket, you should use a credit card because it gives you some consumer protection."
- Martin's Neal had over $700 in his wallet when he was robbed. How much cash is a wise amount to carry on you?
"I find that I take less and less cash when I travel," noted Susan Breslow, who writes about honeymoon getaways for About.com. "It's not because I'm afraid I'll get robbed, but I like to have a record of a purchase. I use cash to get from home to the airport, and from the airport to home, and also for tips. I would say $200 to $300 is plenty."
Said Meyers: "I feel comfortable with about $200, and I do keep it all on me. I figure I can afford to lose that much if worse comes to worse. I am also careful not to show my money to anyone."
- There is a scene early on in which Neal races to catch his flight and boards just in the nick of time. But a brutally cold flight attendant says that, even though he is ticketed in first class, he'll have to sit in coach because the airline gave away his first-class seat. During the busy holidays, how soon should you get to the airport to make sure that you receive the seat you were assigned?
"Today, check-in should start at home, or at the hotel," Blair said. "It's important that travelers attempt to check in online as soon as possible, usually 24 hours before the flight departs. As for in-person, airlines limit flight check-in to only a couple of hours before departure. I recommend passengers contact the airline to see what time they start checking in for flights, then arrive 15 to 30 minutes before that to ensure they're first in line."
"Airlines do overbook," Lytle said. "I think you'll have a much bigger argument if you paid for a first-class ticket and it isn't available. It's rare that you'll lose a seat if you're checked in. You're not late until the gates are closed.
"If you paid for a seat, you can stand there and fight, and there are security issues in airports now that, if you get on the wrong side of the gate agent, they might consider you more than just an angry customer."
Breslow recommends getting to the airport early. "I would say get there two hours ahead of the boarding time, which is a half hour before departure."
- The "Cars" aspect of the movie's title involves rentals. And naturally, around Thanksgiving, if you need one in a hurry, you may have a problem. If you find yourself needing a rental car at the busiest travel times like holidays, are there any strategies to employ at the last minute that will help you get one?
"In the age of smartphones, if people have them, there are apps for booking sites," Lytle said. "It's always a great idea, if you don't have a smartphone, to carry contact information for rental car companies. If you have a smartphone, you can use something like kayak.com, which is my favorite. It's an aggregator of deals, and it will connect you to any rental cars. Also, you'll always pay a higher rate at airports, so if you can take a cab to another car rental location, you often can find a car there."
Blair concurred: "Looking to off-site (away from the airport) car rental agencies are a terrific way to find last-minute rentals."
- Neal is taken out to a rental car parking lot. When he gets there, he finds an empty space where his car was supposed to be. He throws a fit and tosses away his rental car agreement, which turns out to be a large mistake. Is it important to hold onto it when everything nowadays is stored in a computer anyway?
"I keep that stuff for a year anyway. You never know what dispute may arise, a dent or a scratch," Lytle said. "With cameras on smartphones now, I take a picture of all four sides of a car before I ever get into it. Also it's important to keep the contract. A lot of cars have a GPS, so they know where you've gone. You could suddenly go somewhere that puts you in violation of your contract. There's a lot of fine print in a car rental agreement."
"Absolutely (keep it)!" Meyers said. "Never trust a car rental company or a computer. And nowadays you need to take before and after pictures of the car as well."
Related coverage
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For 30 years, Marcia Miller has flown to Toledo, Ohio, to join four generations of her family for Thanksgiving. But this year, thanks to new airport security measures, she's opting to stay home. Full story
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"Of course hold on to the rental agreement, and not just until you return the car," Kanter said. "At return, you'll want to check for a different daily or weekly rental charge. For example, if you were upgraded to a full-size because they ran out of compacts or mid-sizes, you should be charged for what is on your original reservation, not for the size they gave you.
"Ditto, keep the statement until you receive your credit card statement a few weeks later, again, to see if any charges have been added. A new scam (or perhaps an old one) is for the rental car company to charge you for damage long after you've returned the car. Be sure the vehicle is checked for damage — a scratch on the bumper, a ding on the windshield, or worse — and that a rental company employee signs to verify what the damage is, or is not."
And last, but certainly not least: The film "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," above all else, suggests that if you open up, you just might make an unlikely friend in unexpected circumstances. Is it reasonable to expect to make a new friend during holiday travel?
"I wouldn't count on it," Breslow said.
"I think it's entirely possible," Lytle said. "I still have faith in mankind. I think people can approach the world with cautious optimism."
© 2013 msnbc.com. Reprints


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First officer at scene of Sikh temple shooting released from hospital
Lt. Brian Murphy shot multiple times
The Oak Creek police officer who arrived first at the scene of the Sikh temple shooting is home.
Froedtert Hospital said Murphy was released Wednesday.
Murphy was shot eight or nine time and underwent several surgeries over the last two weeks.
Oak Creek Mayor Steve Scaffidi has visited the veteran police officer many times in his 18-day stay at Froedtert Hospital and is not surprised by the officer's remarkable recovery.
"Given how many times he was hit, it's tremendous. He's a fighter. He's been on the job 21 or 22 years. He's been nothing short of heroic, and his recovery is right in line with that," Scarridi said.
Members of the Sikh temple have also been praying for Murphy's recovery. In a show of support, they've spent the last several days signing a welcome home banner for him and waiting to finally say thank you to him in person.
"There are a number of gifts coming toward Lt. Murphy, and we've been working on them and diligently getting ready. We knew that when he was in the hospital, there were only so many visitors he could have. Now that he's out, he should plan on a lot of visitors," said Amardeep Kaleeka, who lost his father in the shooting.
Another shooting victim, Punjab Singh, remains hospitalized in critical condition at Froedtert.
First lady Michelle Obama is stopping to talk with Sikh temple members Thursday after a campaign speech.


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I like doing this with language 'rules' too. I want to check out for myself whether they are really reliable enough to be useful. I've certainly found some that weren't.
y to i
In English spelling, we often hear, "If a word ends with y, change it to i before adding a suffix". This is generally true but there are, of course, exceptions. If there is a vowel before the y, it doesn't usually change. And there are irregular instances such as say and said.
posts was about letters not found at the end of native English words. It contained a PowerPoint presentation in it called Never-Ending Letters in which I identified i as one of those letters (except of course for the pronoun I). While I was writing it I noticed that it might be a good idea to turn this so-called 'rule' about y changing to i on its head - turn it upside down in other words.
i to y?
What if we said: "Don't write i at the end of a word - change it to y? In other words we're changing i to y (at the end of a word) instead of changing y to i (in the middle of a word). In a compound word we also keep the 'rule' about no i at the end of each part. As well as this, we need to change i to y before a suffix beginning with i, to avoid a double i like we get in the (non-native) word skiing.
So we write tries, tried and trial, but we can't write
Let's look at more examples, to test it out:
We write babies, but baby (end of word), babysit (compound word) and babyish (avoiding double i).
We write happier, happiest, happiness and happily, but happy (end of word), and happyish (avoiding double i).
We write reliable, reliance, and relied, but rely (end of word) and relying (avoiding double i).
We write beautiful, beautify and beautician, but beauty (end of word).
We write said, but say (end of word) and saying (avoiding double i).
OK, it works ... but I'm trying to decide if this is a better way to look at it or not. There are pros and cons.
There are fewer (if any) exceptions. As long as we are talking about native English words, they don't finish in i (except the pronoun I).
The fact that a vowel before a y stops it changing to i becomes irrelevant. If there's already a y, we don't need to change anything.
The base forms that end with y aren't usually the problem when it comes to spelling. It's the longer forms that are usually more tricky. These usually contain i.
When we teach, we usually start with base forms and later deal with inflections and suffixes.
My conclusion
Turning this rule on its head is probably more accurate and easier to understand but would involve teaching words in an unnatural order. So I probably wouldn't use it with low level students, but at a higher level, if students were having difficulty, I might well point it out.
So has this little experiment been a waste of time? No, I don't think so, because it's always useful to question what's generally accepted as true. Another perspective is always useful.
What do you think?
I would love to hear your comments on this.


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The online multiplayer follow-up to one of the best damn shooters on any mobile platform is coming soon to Android and iOS, but folks with Tegra 3-powered devices can play the public beta version of Shadowgun: Deadzone right now.
Madfinger needs help optimizing the network codes so that when Deadzone goes live it's actually playable, so the developer is tapping Tegra 3 owners to wade into the multiplayer mayhem for fine tuning's sake.
I bopped in there myself a few minutes ago, shot a few people, got shot myself, and look forward to going back in with a game pad—my fat fingers got me killed too many times. It's looking gorgeous and running fine, as far as I could tell.
If you've got a Tegra 3 device and a little free time, hit up the link below to make Madfinger's next even better than the last.
Shadowgun: Deadzone Beta [Google Play]


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More than a fifth of German electricity is already supplied by renewables, which is on a par with contributions from coal and nuclear, although still trailing lignite. Debate on transforming electricity market structures in line with the new types of generation is now intensifying.
German wind generation amounted to 20.7TWh in the first half of 2011, up 13% on 18.3TWh in the first half of 2010. Renewables generated 57.3TWh in the same period, 20.8% of German electricity consumption.
But the growth of wind and renewables, combined with Germany's policy to phase out the use of nuclear power by 2022 in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan, has galvanised discussions on the future shape of the electricity market in Germany and, inevitably, the interlinked European market.
German law requires that most renewables generation is marketed on the day-ahead (spot) electricity market by the country's four transmission system operators. Electricity traders are so far coping with the variable wind and solar output. Stefan Judisch, head of RWE Supply and Trading, told an energy conference in Cologne last month that energy is becoming a weather-derivatives market, with electricity and gas dependent on wind and solar.
Higher consumer levy
But the system has fundamental contradictions that have to be tackled. The larger the volumes of renewables electricity in the market, the more the spot market electricity price falls and higher the renewables levy paid by consumers must climb to cover the difference between the market price of electricity and the generation costs of renewables.
The German government's introduction of a market bonus in 2012 for renewables electricity marketed outside the feed-in tariff system does not address this, although it does encourage renewables companies to become involved in electricity trading.
At the same time, spot market electricity prices are too low to trigger new investment in back-up power stations, which, although widely assumed to be necessary for the medium term, will run for fewer hours each year as renewables contribution grows.
Daniel Kluge, spokesman for federal renewables association Bundesverband Erneuerbare Energie, said: "The spot market system that we have is becoming increasingly inappropriate. We need a new market design oriented to the needs of renewable energies."


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A Vancouver man said he was looking forward to a bath and some black forest cake after completing a swim from New Brunswick to Prince Edward Island and back.
Jeremy Davidson, 32, arrived back in New Brunswick on Saturday night after spending 16 hours and 15 minutes in the water crossing the Northumberland Strait both ways.
Davidson left Cape Jourimain in New Brunswick on Saturday morning and turned around after reaching Borden-Carleton, P.E.I.
A member of his support team says he grabbed a sandwich and kissed his wife before turning around to start the return trip to New Brunswick.
The army corporal, based at CFB Gagetown, N.B. said the swim took longer than expected because he had to fight tides, wind and currents both ways.
Davidson made the swim to raise money and awareness for the Neil Squire Society, a non-profit organization that empowers people with disabilities to return to the workforce.
He said it was one of the hardest things he's ever done.
"Everything you could think of got thrown at me," he said. "I can't believe I finally got to shore."
Davidson said he planned to get warmed up in front of a fire.
"When it all comes down to it, I feel pretty good."
The charity swim was inspired by his father, who was diagnosed in 2010 with a severe form of arthritis.


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Lebron James On Feeling The Hate & Being Viewed As A Villain! "One Of The Hardest Times Of My Life'
LeBron James talks to Rachel Nichols
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If you have not considered a career in recruitment before, then it's time to think again! At Teaching Personnel we are looking for a graduate who embodies our TP spirit by working at a great company, with great career prospects, alongside great people.
Great Company
We are looking for a graduate (any discipline will be considered) to join us as a Recruitment Consultant in Bracknell and give back to the community, through the resourcing and recruiting of quality teachers and support staff for local schools; with the aim of raising educational attainment.
This is hard work and will require a high volume of sales and business development calls to schools across your local region; resourcing and recruiting quality teachers and carrying out interviews. Along with going out and having regular face-to-face client visits whilst building relationships with key decision makers in schools; and creating quality marketing and advertising. (not sure this makes sense)
We always welcome a broad range of skills, personal attributes and potential, rather than experience. We have a number of outstanding consultants, Branch Managers and senior leaders that joined Teaching Personnel with no previous experience in recruitment, however, their determination, charisma and desire to do well have meant they have been very successful.
Great Career
From day one, along with an intensive induction programme, you will be part of our new-starter programme 'tpGROW', which is an industry leading development programme; where you can expect to be continuously supported throughout and be provided with all the resources required in order to have a successful career at Teaching Personnel.
You will be accompanied on this exciting journey with like minded ambitious consultants from a number of our UK branches, all looking to gain the best possible start.
Along with an excellent starting salary and uncapped performance related commission, you will have the opportunity to be promoted up to 4 times a year, with the potential to increase your earnings by up to £11k within your first year. You'll also have access to a large range of other benefits including:
Great People
Here in our Bracknell office, we have significantly developed over the last year and are in the perfect position to welcome a new consultant to our growing teams.
The moment you walk into the office the positive atmosphere is immediately noticeable. This infectious culture heavily contributes to a very collaborative learning environment where everyone's thoughts and ideas are supported and encouraged.
After all that hard work, we're also a very social bunch! Aside from frequent branch and regional nights out we have regular company-wide events which give everyone a chance to get together and celebrate our combined efforts and achievements.
The office is based in modern serviced offices near to shops, restaurants and amenities with free parking on site.
For this opportunity we are looking for individuals who are educated to a degree level. What discipline you studied is not important but we look for people who believe in the same things we do - the desire to provide a quality and professional service to the teacher's and school's who rely on us.
A great 'can do' attitude, confidence, drive and the ability to work well in a team environment will help you make this a success.
If you would like the opportunity to discuss your long term career prospects with us then we would love to hear from you. Please apply with an up to date CV and covering letter.


text: Mining is a complicated business. Mining companies need a partner who knows their industry and who is committed to supporting them in their efforts. A partner who understands the issues that are important to them — like safety, sustainability and productivity. And a partner with the equipment, technologies, end-to-end services and solutions to support their operations. Caterpillar is committed to being that partner.


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An iconic Italian premium pale lager. Instantly crisp and refreshing with subtle citrus notes. 5.1% Italy
6 bottles for £20
No meal is complete without a tipple (or two), so choose from our fantastic Festive Drinks Packages* below, well it is Christmas after all.
These packages are exclusively available by pre-order, when dining from the Classic Festive, Indulgent Festive or Extra Special Festive menu and will be ready on your table for when you dine with us.


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An important area for all teacher-librarians to cover is copyright law. Students (and teachers) are really not aware of what they can and can't do legally. I teach my students about plagiarism and copyright because they will be held accountable if they do not follow the law. This list has been added to the Teacher-Librarian page.The Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education- assists teachers in fair use doctrine; from the Center for Social Media
Copyright Advisory Network- "a way for librarians to learn about copyright and seek feedback and advice from fellow librarians and copyright specialists"
Copyright Basics- from Copyright Kids!
Copyright and Fair Use Guidelines for Teachers- PDF document
Creative Commons- various sharing methods explained
Cyberbee- cute interactive for grades 4-9
Fair Use Evaluator- "understand how to determine the "fairness" of a use under the U.S. Copyright Code."
Fair Use Wiki- the fair use clause explained
Taking the Mystery Out of Copyright- from the Library of Congress; interactive for kids in grades 4-8
Teaching Copyright- Five 60-minute lessons
TeachersFirst Copyright and Fair Use Resources
United States Copyright Office- search records, register works
What is Copyright?- wiki managed by by teacher Mary Beth Hertz


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The Afghan government has demanded that US Special Forces leave a strategic province that lies just to the west of Kabul, claiming in a written statement that American soldiers operating in the region have been "torturing and even murdering innocent people." The US-led coalition denies the claims.
The Afghan government's announcement, which was made on Sunday, ordered Special Forces from the United States – but not necessarily other countries – to immediately cease operations in Wardak Province and to entirely leave the area within two weeks.
In a press conference following the release of the statement, Aimal Faizi, the spokesman for Afghan President Hamid Karzai, suggested that Afghan nationals working with US Special Forces were thought to have committed the violent acts against civilians, not necessarily American soldiers themselves. But the order for US Special Forces to withdraw from Wardak remains intact.
Given Wardak's proximity to Kabul, the prospect of an American departure from the province has raised concern about how security might be affected in the capital city. Just hours before the Afghan government's announcement Sunday, Afghan security forces shot dead a suicide bomber who was targeting an intelligence agency office located in Kabul's diplomatic quarter. Coordinated suicide bombs in two other eastern cities killed three and injured seven within hours of the foiled Kabul attack.
"This decision will have a huge impact on the security situation in Kabul," says Waliullah Rahmani, a security analyst with the Kabul Center for Strategic Studies. "Wardak is one of the most volatile provinces. It is a center for the insurgency, which is mainly focused on Kabul…. I don't know why the Afghan president has come to reach such a risky decision."
The Afghan government cited two examples of alleged abuses by US Special Forces, including one in which nine people "were disappeared" and another in which a student was taken from his home and found dead two days later, his throat slit. Such episodes have generated "resentment and hatred" among the people living in Wardak Province, a government statement said.
Coalition disputes claims
The US-led coalition says that such claims are unfounded.
"We looked into the allegations and found no supporting evidence for them," Brig. Gen. Günter Katz, a spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), told a press conference in Kabul on Monday morning.
"Afghan officials and ISAF officials are planning talks to discuss the allegations of wrongdoing that were announced yesterday," he added. "ISAF takes all allegations of misconduct seriously."
Wardak Province is a mountainous region whose eastern border lies just 25 miles to the west of Kabul. The province has been the scene of a number of insurgent attacks since the Talibangained control of Wardak's remote Tangi Valley nearly two years ago.
The Taliban shot down a US military helicopter in Wardak in August 2011, killing 38 US and Afghan soldiers. An American woman and her Canadian husband disappeared from the region in October of last year; they haven't been heard from since.
Whether or not US Special Forces leave Wardak within two weeks, they will almost certainly be out of the province by the end of 2014, in accordance with international plans to withdraw foreign troops and allow Afghan forces to take control of the country's security.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Katz stressed that those plans are still moving ahead.
"The [Afghan National Security Forces] are doing very well in pressuring the insurgency," Katz said. "The transition process is very well on track and the Afghans are fighting well."
To the people of Wardak, the transition may not come soon enough.
"The US Special Forces have made things more dangerous here," Saeed Hashem, a pharmacist, said by phone from Wardak, adding that many people in the region are afraid to leave their houses for fear of potential attacks. "The Afghan forces should take over control," he said. "When that happens, we will be able to defeat the Taliban and the other enemy groups, and Wardak will be safe."


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Babies need board books and help turning pages, but a 3-year-old can do it alone. Remember, it's okay to skip pages.
Show children the cover page.
Explain what the story is about.
Show children the words.
Run your finger along the words as you read them, from left to right.
Make the story come alive.
Create voices for the story characters and use your body to tell the story.
Make it personal.
Talk about your own family, pets or community when you are reading about others in a story.
Ask questions about the story, and let children ask questions too!
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Let children tell the story.
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