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Toddlers are funny, adorable, intelligent little beings, but it's not uncommon for them to turn angry and stubborn in a split second when they don't get their way. You gave
Have you ever looked at your toddler twirling their hair or sucking their thumb and wondered if you should nip the habit in the bud? When it comes to habits,
Baby and toddler mental health? Do we really have to worry about that at their age? It might feel strange to imagine a toddler with anxiety, depression or other mental
Don't you love getting lost in a story? Imagining a different world and following a character's journey can be exhilarating at any age. Of course, reading a story and storytelling
"Your social life will completely change" is one of those classic nuggets of advice that can feel difficult for expecting parents to think about. You know there will be fundamental
In an earlier article we explored how symbolic, or pretend, play evolves during the first two years of life. Symbolic play is quite a cognitive feat, because it involves young
Parents around the world are facing tough decisions when it comes to the reopening of child care centers, daycares, and schools. There's no question that the shutdown of child care
Tricycles and training wheels are classic equipment for teaching young kids to ride a bike. But there's a different type of training bike that's getting a lot of attention: The
There's one number most new parents carefully watch after the birth of their child, and that's their newborn baby's weight. Too much weight gain or weight loss can easily turn
Singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star or Row, Row, Row Your Boat is a great way to keep your toddler occupied on a car ride. Turns out, these classic nursery rhymes aren't
The postnatal period is one of the most significant chapters in a mother's life. The World Health Organization identifies this postpartum stage as the first 6 weeks after childbirth, when
Learning to ride a tricycle is a hallmark of childhood. It's also great for development! Why is that? When is the right time to introduce a tricycle? And what do
Here's the scene: You spread a blanket on a play mat and place your baby on it, belly-down. Immediately, they wail. You can't bear to let your little one suffer,
Ah, tummy time… Most of us in the child development field sing its praises and urge parents to start it right away. But what if your baby wails every time
It's not hard to guess why parents and caregivers want their little ones to have a healthy dose of self-confidence. When children feel confident in themselves, they're proud of who
When it comes to independence, your 2-year old is capable of more than you might think! With a little guidance and a lot of opportunities to practice, they can learn
Pretend play, also referred to as symbolic play or make-believe, has been around since…well, forever! For centuries, toddlers all over the world have engaged in pretend play without being taught
"Math talk" encompasses words that touch on concepts such as counting, measurement, operations, and comparing. The more you use words like more, shorter, plus, and pattern with your little one,
If you think about it, we learn a lot through imitation. We copy others when learning to play an instrument or a new sport. We follow the actions of locals
Measurement is a math skill your child will use a lot once they're in school, but you may not realize how often also use it long before that – as
It may be hard to imagine a toddler feeling self-conscious. When they tear their clothes off in public and belt out their favorite song, for example, you might assume they're
The sun's rays are strongest between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm, which is when most of us want to spend time outdoors. However, this window of intense sun can also
Spending time outdoors is good for the entire family, but it's important to understand the potential dangers of sun exposure, especially for babies and toddlers. Here's what you need to
Outdoor time benefits little ones in big ways. Fresh air can boost energy and promote healthy lungs. When it comes to play, being outside offers unique opportunities for children to
When a family welcomes a new baby, dads often feel excited, overjoyed and, at times, a bit useless. This is especially true when it comes to breastfeeding. But the truth
Fathering a new baby is filled with happy surprises, like how much they look like you, or how much you love those tiny fingers and toes. But for some dads,
Recent research has made it clear that fathers can play a unique role in supporting their babies' development, especially when they establish a connection from the get-go. Of course, moms
When it comes to cognitive skills, child development researchers want to know every element that promotes it. Turns out, one of those elements is…dad! A study found that fathers who
Has much of the parenting advice you've encountered focused on mothers? Traditionally, family psychologists and other experts have referred to the mother as the "primary caretaker," suggesting that the father
Change is inevitable. Even if we try to avoid it, it still happens (such as the worldwide pandemic we're currently wrestling with). Even small transitions can be difficult for little
Did you know that babies start learning before birth? That means their memory is working, on a basic level, very early on, allowing them to remember things like sounds, tastes,
Yep! That's right! This article is about teaching patience to toddlers and, no — this is not a joke! Most parents and caregivers will chuckle at the idea of trying
When you think of science, you might picture lab tables, beakers and test tubes. But science is so much more than the classic experiments you did in high school. It's
Forming friendships is something every parent and caregiver wishes for their child. You want them, throughout their lives, to experience the joy, love, and security that comes from strong social
Hypothesizing is the scientific term for an educated guess. The process of forming a hypothesis based on what you already know is something children continue to refine as they get
Emotional intelligence (EQ) has been rising on parents' priority lists for the last few decades. While previous generations primarily focused on traditional concepts of intelligence – like learning colors, numbers
Throughout age 2, you may notice your toddler playing with more purpose. Perhaps you see their wheels turning as they line up blocks, eventually forming a "bridge" for cars and
Raising a tolerant child requires parents to think and act deliberately and positively when it comes to racial and other differences. But when should parents start to instill values of
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 40 million Americans suffer from some form of anxiety. Not only is it the most common mental health issue in the
You're in the store getting ready to check out with your 2-year-old. All of a sudden, they point to the man standing behind you and say, "What those, Mommy?" as
Isn't reading time the best? Cuddling up with your little one and diving into books is a great way to spend time together. Throughout months 25-36, reading time is especially
That ball popper push toy does more for your toddler than you might think! From encouraging babies to stand and walk, to helping toddlers refine movements, push and pull toys
When it comes to toddler communication milestones, we often focus on skills like expressive language, vocabulary, or articulation. We sometimes forget that being a good listener is also an essential
Nothing beats a cool pool on a hot summer's day! Most toddlers love splashing and playing with toys in pools, lakes, or other swimming areas. But swimming – whether in
Puppets have been a classic, long-adored toy for generations, and there's a good reason that many daycares, schools, and libraries still include them in their play areas (many good reasons,
Prosody is simply a fancy word for expressiveness in speech. It includes elements such as intonation, stress, tone, and rhythm. When we talk about language development, vocabulary and grammar tend
When your toddler is about 18 months old, you'll notice a big change in the way they play. Symbolic (pretend) play emerges as they begin to use their imaginations rather
How can we stay upright while walking? Feel secure while swinging? Not lose our place while reading? The vestibular system! The vestibular system is our sense of balance and motion.
While driving around town, you might hear your toddler yell things like "Stop!" at a stop sign, or "McDonald's!" when he sees the famous golden arches. It may seem like
When it comes to effective communication, tone is everything. In fact, the tone we use when conveying a message can sometimes say more than the message itself. Tone is simply
Babies and toddlers grow and develop at different rates, but in some cases they need extra help to reach milestones and early intervention services can help. Physical therapy for little
Has your toddler has been walking for several months, but still trips over their feet or runs into things? You may think it's clumsiness, but it's more likely that their
Ah, the binky! You once revered this tiny object for its soothing magic, but now you wonder if your little one is too attached. In our article about the pros
Throughout ages 25-36 months, toddler speech development becomes quite fascinating! They're not only learning to communicate, but also to listen more and observe the world around them. Of course, toddlers
It's never too early to invite your toddler to help you with recycling. Not only are you instilling planet-friendly values, recycling is a fun way to teach little ones several
There are lots of places for your toddler to play: The floor, the tub, a bed, outside… Playing at a table may seem boring in comparison for an on-the-move toddler,
A classic toy, puzzles support several areas of development, especially fine motor and cognitive skills. They're also engaging and fun for babies and toddlers. Puzzle skills evolve just like other
Kid-sized tools are more than just fun for little hands to play with. They also open the door to many learning opportunities for babies and toddlers. From dramatic play to
Your toddler crawls through a cardboard-box tunnel, runs to shoot a ball into a laundry basket, and then hops with both feet over ropes on the floor. He's mastering the
Toddler fears are common, as little ones learn about the world around them and go through a stage of confusing fantasy and reality. Our articles about helping toddlers cope with
Becoming a mom is filled with surprises. Even the most prepared are amazed by their addiction to baby snuggles, how loud a newborn can snore, or the wide range of
Pretend play is a mainstay of childhood — one with big, long-lasting benefits. Dressing up is a special part of this play. Whether it's pretending to be a cowboy, doctor
A set of blocks is a simple toy with complex benefits! In our article about why blocks are the ultimate toy you can read about how block play contributes to
At this stage, little ones are gaining more control of their bodies. They may be able to walk down stairs without support, and leading with one foot (if they don't
Around this age, toddlers are becoming more aware of how their body "fits" into the environment around them. When they were younger, for example, they might've tried to sit in
During this month gross motor skills continue to improve as toddlers learns to smoothly adjust their speed while walking or running. They can also jump forward 3-4 inches with both
Learning to catch a ball is surprisingly beneficial for your little one! She learns to move, become more coordinated, and stay fit, all while having tons of fun! Let's talk
By the time they reach their second birthday, most children walk with complete ease, even on the balls of their feet. They also leave the floor more easily when jumping,
Now that they can run, children do not want to stop! Many children still only run in straight lines, and find it hard to stop. Others are beginning to run
At this stage, many children begin to understand the concept of day and night, which is a big step towards developing a sense of time. They also increasingly understand basic
At this age, children have a good understanding of the spatial location of objects around them and themselves (in front of, behind, above and below). They also better understand some
Children at this age are like little scientists, constantly exploring. They tirelessly investigate every drawer, play with and spill liquids, tear and scribble on any paper they find, and disassemble
Even though children at this age have a wide variety of gross motor movements, it will take a few more months to master them. They will gradually kick a ball
This is a month of exciting progress. Walking has improved and children can now walk in various directions – forward, backwards, sideways – and they tend to fall less. Some
Children continue to be interested in climbing on sofas, chairs and everything in their path. They are also interested in going up stairs, but they will need your hand and
One of the most thrilling breakthroughs in language development is when your toddler begins asking and answering questions. We're not talking about just any questions either, we're talking about wh-
This month children may increase their walking speed, they might walk backwards for a few steps, and can likely climb up and down from furniture like beds and chairs. However,
Although most children are walking by this month, some may take more time. Those who started walking earlier begin to expand their movement and might do other activities while walking.
The child's range of motor activities is rapidly increasing – they will try to climb on small furniture and will be able to sit on low chairs more confidently. They
Exploration of all kinds continues to expand during this month as most children can cruise around using furniture for support. Some children will be able to explore while walking, although
Congratulations! Your baby is now one year old! By now babies have a growing sense of self. They perceive themselves as independent human beings. They are aware of their size,
As their first birthday approaches, babies are increasingly autonomous. Many of them will be learning how to stand on their own, and some will be attempting to take their first
Curiosity, needs, and desires are always a step ahead of motor skills, which could get the baby into some tricky situations. For example, your child might decide to grab a
Babies are likely to have at least one method of locomotion by this month (i.e., crawling, army crawling, rolling over and over, bottom shuffling), which supports their curiosity since they
Some babies might start crawling around this time; others will follow soon, likely in the next 2 months. For this reason, if you haven't done it yet, this is a
Around this month, babies start figuring out how to get around, often in combinations of movement. Some army crawl, some attempt to get up to a traditional crawling position, others
"What if I get sick?" It's a troubling thought, especially now that childcare centers are closed and we are discouraged from interacting with others outside the home. So what should
If you've ever told your toddler to "wait five minutes," you know it's more likely that she'll suddenly grow an inch than understand what five minutes means! Understanding time is
Being pregnant during a pandemic can spark a lot of worry — both about you and your baby. As medical professionals and researchers continue to closely monitor COVID-19 developments, they're
One of the coronavirus questions we've been getting from parents is how to keep babies' and toddlers' hands clean. What's the best way to do it? Is hand sanitizer okay
Climbing stairs is an uplifting milestone that will elevate your child's motor skills. Get it? Okay, no more stair puns! All jokes aside, it is truly exciting to see your
Playing with bubbles is probably a favorite pastime from your childhood, and it might be becoming one of your child's favorites, too. Aside from adding lots of fun to a
If you were excited when your child started walking, just wait until he puts it in reverse! Walking backwards may sound like a silly movement milestone, but your little one
Toddlers love to scribble as they explore their creativity and put their ideas on paper. It's also considered "pre-writing" – a task that gets them one step closer to writing
Updated April 5th. We know it can feel overwhelming to read through all of the coronavirus developments and recommendations, especially if you're a parent worrying about your family's health while
Where's Nana? Why can't I play with my friend? Why is he wearing that mask? Why are you washing my toy? Why are we staying at home? Why can't I
As we navigate the uncharted territory of the coronavirus COVID-19, many of us are facing closures of daycare centers and childcare programs. These closures can present major financial and emotional
In this unprecedented time, the coronavirus (COVID-19) is on every parent's mind. If you are a parent of a baby or toddler, whose immune system is still developing, you may
Hiring a nanny or babysitter for the first time is a big deal for parents. Once you've found a caregiver you trust to hold down the fort while you're away,
It's natural for kids to have meltdowns. One sweet day in the future, your child may calmly say in the supermarket: "Excuse me, madam, I'm tired and hungry and I
Starting a garden – no matter how big or small – can expand your toddler's interests and target key areas of development in unique ways. And did you know that
Mindfulness exercises for busy parents? Like you need another item on your to-do list, right? Point taken. However, studies show that being present and tapping into feelings of joy and
When you think of reading with a baby or toddler, you probably think of language development (and cuddling, of course!). Reading is certainly a language powerhouse, but did you know
Whether it's a plant, a pet, or a relative, your child may face loss. You may struggle with what to say when loss occurs, and there's a good reason for
One, two…three! It's exciting to hear your little mathematician count his first sequence of numbers. And the best part is that babies and toddlers develop counting skills through simple play
Your heart may skip a beat the first time your baby grasps a rattle (only to promptly drop it!). Hand grip is something your baby starts working on as young
If there's one moment in time that you could record and play on repeat, it would probably be your baby's first smile. It's an image that will never get old!
There's no doubt that unstructured play is valuable for your little one's development, and she should be doing plenty of it! But, whether it's organized play with you (like our
In the sea of parenting approaches you might have come across "Peaceful Parenting." What is it, and how does it differ from the classic authoritative parenting style research points to
Ah, sugar. There's plenty of buzz about monitoring children's intake of it, and researchers are discovering more reasons why it's important. A new study released in the Journal of the
There are a few ailments in early childhood that are hard to avoid: Ear infections, the common cold, and of course, rashes. While most rashes are harmless and disappear over
Curiosity is stirring this month! You hear more "why?" questions than ever before, but that's a healthy sign of your toddler's desire to learn more about the world. In fact,
At this stage, toddlers' creativity and imagination are flourishing. They love to play make-believe games with caregivers or playmates – assigning different characters to each person (I'm a superhero! You're
Around this month a turn in communication may occur as others start to understand about 75% of what toddlers are saying without parents or caregivers having to translate. Shorter versions
Lacing (and threading) activities are toddler classics for a good reason. They incorporate many other ares of development, fine-tune fine motor skills, and even involve early math. Here are some
Did you know that your kitchen is a prime spot for learning? Think about it: In every drawer and cabinet, there is something new to explore. From using food storage
More and more, research is showing that limiting screen time for your toddler is a good idea. That's why the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests just one hour of
This month, children can start to combine communication and self-control to attempt to manage aggression and explore new ways to resolve conflict. As an alternative to a frustration-fueled outburst, caregivers
Are you in the market for a baby bassinet, but you don't want to pay new prices? We all know baby stuff is expensive – and there's so much of
At this age toddlers are little adventurers, scooting down slides, crawling through tunnels, and running around the playground with more style and sturdiness. They're like tiny gladiators ready for their
Extended breastfeeding (breastfeeding your baby past the age of 1) is a highly debated topic among parents. Those who argue against it believe it can impede a toddler's ability to
Around month 31, children begin to use interjections and attention-grabbing words like "Hey!" when they want your attention, or "Yucky!" when they see a squashed bug on the sidewalk. They
Children at this stage begin to notice defining characteristics and make comparisons between themselves and others. They not only detect different features, they also use the proper possessive pronouns ("your
This is a time when children are in love, maybe a little obsessed, with their favorite stories. You read a story with them over and over again and they're just
Around this time, children are thrilled to be the center of attention. They jump into the spotlight to show off their funny faces or silly dance moves. As long as
Deciding whether or not to pierce a baby's ears is different for every family. Some choose to go for it while others prefer to wait until their little one can
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 1 in every 1,600 babies in the United States is born with a cleft lip and a cleft palate.
There are loads of benefits when it comes to giving your toddler quiet time, like boosting imagination and focus. But not every toddler adapts to quiet time easily. In fact,
When your toddler plays, it's easy to see everything she's learning as she interacts with people, toys, and her environment. Research shows, though, that quiet time has huge benefits for
Sniffles, rashes, and pink eye – oh, my! Being aware of common illnesses that show up in toddlerhood is an important step towards keeping little ones healthy. (If you have
As a parent or caregiver, it can be easy to worry when your baby is sick. We always recommended that you consult with your pediatrician when sickness hits your little
When it comes to giving sick babies and toddlers over-the-counter (OTC) medication, it's important to consult your pediatrician, especially the first time, or if your little one is using more
Having a sibling is wonderful in many ways. It's someone to share your childhood with and the only other person in the world who will understand when the house rules
Toys open a world of imagination for your toddler. From building blocks to musical instruments, every toy has a purpose for learning and development. Not all toys are equal, though;
There's a long list of things we want to teach our children: How to be patient, how to express gratitude, and how to be kind to others. But there's one
You: "Please clean up your toys." Toddler: "Why?" You: "Because someone might step on them and get hurt." Toddler: "Why?" Sound familiar? A constant string of questions is very common
Cooperation is the act of working together for the benefit of everyone involved, versus competing against one another for personal gain. Competition has its place, but cooperation is the backbone
We always want our children to depend on us for comfort and security. However, when your little one becomes a permanent fixture on your leg or hip, it's okay to
Your child will go on to do great things in life, but there's no doubt about it: Kicking will be one of her first amazing accomplishments! The evolution of kicking
You may have witnessed your toddler's meltdown when you realized you needed to make an unplanned stop at the grocery store on your way from daycare. Or, you woke your
Your toddler is at an age when words and phrases start popping up left and right. When did he become such a little talker? Because speech and language are developing
From 12 to 36 months, your toddler is learning so much and becoming more independent. He'll continue to have well-child visits with his pediatrician throughout toddlerhood to monitor his health
During your baby's first year, he'll have multiple doctor's office visits to track his health and development. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends check-ups during your baby's
Your little one started using the potty regularly a couple of months ago, and it seemed like the transition went smoothly. Now, you're noticing that he's using the potty less
When new research on child development emerges, BabySparks likes to be on top of it. That's why we're touching on a recent study published in the latest volume of the
Your child should be able to hold and use scissors when she reaches kindergarten (even if she doesn't yet cut a straight line), so there's no better time to practice
There are very few noises in the world that are less irksome than a child's whine. Most parents would rather listen to an orchestra of soup slurping and car alarms
Developmental milestones can be a source of both excitement and worry. When your child reaches a milestone, it's a reason to celebrate. But if you watch him struggle through certain
Your toddler is quickly growing into a little person with his own thoughts and feelings. He probably even voices what he's thinking now, with words like, "Yay!" and "No!" This
You think your toddler isn't quite ready to start potty-training, but Grandma insists on putting her in training pants and sitting her on the potty every 20 minutes. Grandma
Divorce is difficult. Period. Between the messy emotions, new living arrangements, and disruptions in your routine, divorce can turn your whole world upside down. While divorce can be personally
Even though there are countless brands and models of car seats, there are three main types. Many car seats are designed with a certain age in mind, but it's important
When your baby transitions into toddlerhood, you'll start to notice some changes in the way he plays. He once was content playing alone or with you, but he'll now begin
There's a big difference between being bossy and being assertive, but these concepts are tricky to separate, especially with little ones who are growing into their own personalities. You
Once your baby is just a couple of weeks old, she'll begin to gain better control of her head and neck, although she'll continue to make these muscles stronger over
People often say that music is a universal language. We can connect and communicate through eccentric melodies, whimsical arrangements, or the simplest rhythmic beat. If you've ever seen your toddler
When your child is sick, you probably want to do just about anything to get her to feel better. For many parents, that includes asking their pediatrician to prescribe antibiotics.
No toddler is a bully. Bullying requires a strong ability to strategize, a concept your toddler hasn't developed yet. Toddlers don't understand things the way we do, so what looks
The benefits of reading are virtually endless for babies, toddlers, and beyond. From building vocabulary to learning about emotions, your toddler has so much to learn from books, even if
When your toddler naturally delivers a "thank you" after you hand her a juice box, it's not only adorable, but a good sign that she's beginning to grasp the building
Toddlers are self-centered by design, so introducing the concept of gratitude can seem challenging. We also live in an era of consumerism, especially prominent around the winter holidays. After we
Hand strength and dexterity contribute to your baby's overall strength, coordination, and ability to play with a variety of objects and toys. Without strong hands and fine-tuned finger movements, your
Whether you own a dog or not, it's important to teach your toddler how to behave around dogs. Today you'll not only see these furry friends around the neighborhood sidewalks
When it comes to whether you should use sign language to communicate with your baby, there isn't a definitive yes or no. Opinions are basically split down the middle between
Your baby's hands get into everything as she grows because they're the best tools for exploring the world around her. Her hands and fingers help her feel textures, look at
If your toddler is like most, he'll love digging into your food storage container cabinet. Through the eyes of a little one, there's so much to explore in there. To
The ball is a classic toy that can be traced back to the beginning of civilization. While some parents are always on the lookout for the latest trends in toys
It's probably not surprising that it's beneficial to teach hygiene and self-care in early childhood. Understanding these tasks is a pretty clear-cut advantage for any human at any age! However,
Tantrums are not a perk of parenting, but they are a normal part of your toddler's discovery and understanding of emotions. Sometimes tantrums are preventable, and other times you need
When you imagine cooking with your toddler, you might envision spilled ingredients, overly-salted soup, and a child with sauce all over his clothes. We get it, inviting your clumsy toddler
As a parent or caregiver of a toddler, you know it's not always possible to prevent a tantrum – and that's okay. Tantrums can be daunting and frustrating, but
In order to figure out what a newborn baby needs, we look for cues. Different moods, behaviors, and expressions can guide new parents in the right direction, but even the
You notice your little one sitting on the floor looking at her box of blocks. After several seconds, she picks it up, turns it upside-down, and watches the blocks spill
As common as tantrums are in toddlerhood, they are far from easy to navigate as a parent or caregiver. Once a tantrum starts, it's tough to stop. And it sometimes
When your sometimes-fussy-but-mostly-calm baby turns into a screaming, crying, angry toddler, your world can quickly turn upside-down. Fortunately, there's at least somewhat of a silver lining: The tantrum-throwing phase is
It's lunchtime, and you try, for the third day in a row, to encourage your 1-year-old to eat some yogurt. You spoon some into his mouth, only for his face
There's nothing quite like watching a baby play in the sand for the first time. Watching her eyes widen as she scoops it up and slowly lets it trickle through
Putting your baby or toddler in a childcare program can be a nerve-wracking experience for both you and your little one. However, the right childcare program can help your baby
When you imagine a pediatrician writing a prescription, you probably think of medication. But did you know that pediatricians are now being urged to prescribe something arguably far more important?
Whether you're at the beach, by the pool, or simply in the comfort of your bathtub, playtime in the water is a wonderful opportunity for you and your little one
As your baby grows, you'll notice all kinds of changes in his bowel movements. Some changes to the color or consistency of his poop are normal, but other changes could
When the Harvard Center on the Developing Child released the 5 steps of serve and return, we knew we had to share it! Every BabySparks instructional video incorporates serve and
Babies actively take in everything from the world around them. The colors, shapes, smells, textures – it's all new and exciting to developing brains. However, your baby doesn't yet understand
What is a Transitional Object? Transitional objects are chosen possessions that offer security and comfort to a child. They're often soft and huggable items, such as teddy bears and blankets,
It's an incredibly exciting milestone when your baby starts putting two words together, like "kitty tired." But, there's also a lot going on in that busy brain that's more than
Babies go through several stages of emotional development from birth through age three. These stages continue to transform as your toddler becomes a child, teenager, and adult. In the early
Let's face it, we all love pictures! Babies, toddlers, and even most adults would prefer to learn through pictures, symbols, and illustrations instead of words or auditory cues. Our brains
In every household, at one point or another, a purging of toys happens. Maybe it's a seasonal cleaning or just an itch to donate. Regardless of the reason, when the
From a development perspective, this is one of the most exciting months of the first year! Babies at this age are generally happy, except when experiencing their first bouts of
Have you ever tried to learn another language as an adult? Maybe you've attempted to ask for directions or order food using the native language of the country you're visiting.
At some point during this month, most babies are able to keep their head upright while being held in a vertical position. They are also learning to control movements of
During this month, muscles get more flexible and primitive reflexes begin to give way to voluntary movements. Babies will begin to open their hands and look at them with interest,
Picture yourself at the local playground. Just beyond the sounds of children laughing and the squeaking of swings, you might also hear some familiar commands, such as "slow down!", "not
If you've considered the pros and cons of hiring a nanny and have decided to go for it, we've got you covered with this comprehensive guide about how to look
When it comes to childcare, considering the pros and cons of different options can seem overwhelming. We have several articles about childcare programs, but what about nannies? Here are some
Baby talk – that high-pitched, sing-song way we tend to speak to babies. It feels automatic, almost instinctual. Research shows that adults around the world do it. People who lack
Are little ones born with a built-in ability to learn language? Or is language all about learning from others? These questions are part of the classic nature versus nurture debate,
It's common for autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), to affect a child's cognitive skills – in different ways and to varying degrees. Cognitive strengths can include attention to detail,
Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is usually associated with social, language, and behavioral challenges. Issues with motor skills are less talked-about, but it's common for both gross and fine
Today, it's easier than ever to diagnose developmental disorders. Some, like Down syndrome, can even be spotted during pregnancy. Others (like autism or language disorders) that used to be commonly
Type "educational baby videos" into a search bar and you'll see about 200 million results. Despite experts warning against screen time in babyhood, developers of these videos claim they'll give
Difficulty with social and emotional skills is a hallmark of autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Research suggests that this may be because certain areas of the brain that are
Challenges with language are a main characteristic of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and can interfere with a child's ability to successfully communicate and interact with others. Because all children with
A smile. A laugh. A hug. Children with Down syndrome (DS) are seen as cheerful, affectionate, and sociable. Positive interactions with others is a common strength for little ones with
What goes into a child's mouth can greatly impact what will come out—in terms of how they grow and develop. (We don't need to get into potty training here!) To
If you're a parent of a child with Down syndrome (DS), you may wonder how DS will affect his motor development. While every child with DS is different, it's common
One of the goals of early childhood is getting a child ready to venture out in an educational environment, where new skills and friends await her. Because intellectual disability is
Not all little ones develop at the same rate, which is why milestones are based on averages or age ranges. But sometimes a parent or caregiver may suspect that a
If you pay attention to your little one, you'll notice that he plays in different ways, often with the very same toy. If you've ever wondered why he does this,
Chances are you've heard the word mindfulness. In casual conversation, social media and research, mindfulness (or, put simply, observing the present moment without analyzing it) is gaining popularity as more
When we talk about child development, we often focus on the usual superstars: The brain for processing information, arms and legs for moving, hands for grasping… We don't talk as
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As adults, we choose clothes that match our activities: Work clothes for work. Work-out clothes for the gym. Dress-up clothes for special events. What is our little ones' primary activity?
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If you've read this article you know naps are essential for babies and toddlers. But just because they're a must doesn't mean they're easy. In fact, making sure little ones
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When we talk about infant sleep, we often focus on frequent wakings, feedings, instilling good sleep habits, and sleep training. Another important topic, though, is sleep safety. SIDS (Sudden Infant
Want to raise your child to be a happy and successful adult? Equip him with a tot-sized broom. Chores pack a punch when it comes to your little one's development,
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When we think of the senses, the classic five usually come to mind: Touch, sight, taste, smell and hearing. There are two other important senses, though, and they don't always
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Other animals are considerably better at detecting scents than we are, but our sense of smell is still impressive: Research estimates that the average person can distinguish between 1 trillion
Imagine you walk into a busy restaurant to meet a friend. You scan the room for her face, and maneuver your way around tables. You give your friend a hug
Think back to learning how to drive. Remember those first days of intently focusing on your every move while jerking a car through an empty parking lot? Now, you can
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We've already touted the benefits of being barefoot. Now let's talk about ditching your baby's clothes, too! Whenever it's warm and safe to do so, consider stripping your baby down
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With so much buzz and shifting advice about food allergies, you may feel worried and confused: What's the best way to safely introduce common allergenic foods? We've got you covered
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By the time your child begins speaking, her receptive language development—what she hears and understands—is already well under way. Receptive language is often described as one of three areas of
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When we think of language, we tend to think of using and understanding words. Language, though, is full of social nuances that surpass words. Imagine you arrive home and see
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Encouraging your toddler's burgeoning independence sets her on a path towards self-reliance, builds her ability to plan and accomplish sequential tasks, and strengthens her fine motor skills. Here's a guide of age-appropriate self-care tasks
Long before your baby utters his first word, he will speak by babbling. These adorable, non-sensical sounds are actually his way of making sense of using his voice box, mouth
You'll have your first conversation with your baby long before her first word. Babbling starts around 5 months, and research shows that responding to your baby's babbling in a meaningful way
When you think of a creative person, a painter, composer or novelist likely comes to mind. We don't always associate creativity with an executive who restructures a company, a doctor
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What is tummy time? Simply put, tummy time is time your baby spends on their stomach while they are awake. Seems easy enough, right? As a pediatric physical therapist, I
It's drop off time at day care. As several moms and dads prepare to leave some of the children appear concerned, some edge closer to the door, others might fuss


text:
Ok, well I am making a program which takes input, changes all multiple blanks into a single blank space, and creates a new line after a sentence is declared. A sentence will be declared by finding where the String has a "! . or ?" character followed by a blank space. It will also capitalize the first letter of the sentences.
For example, if the user entered:
this is an. example of desired?input! hurray.
The output would be:
This is an.
Example of desired?input!
So, I created a parseSentence() method to do the conversions required for me, but I keep running into an out of bounds error.
First, here is the method:
public String parseSentence(String sent) { String temp; for (int x = 0; x <= sent.length(); x ++) { if ((sent.indexOf(sent.charAt(x)) + 1) != sent.length()){ if ((sent.charAt(x) & sent.charAt(x + 1)) == ' ') { temp = sent.charAt(x + 1) + ""; sent = sent.replaceFirst(temp, ""); } if (((sent.charAt(x) == '.') || (sent.charAt(x) == '!') || (sent.charAt(x) == '?')) & (sent.charAt(x + 1) == ' ')) { temp = sent.charAt(x + 1) + ""; sent = sent.replaceFirst(temp, "\n"); sent = sent.replace(sent.charAt(x + 2), Character.toUpperCase(sent.charAt(x + 2))); } } } return sent; }
And this is the error after the input:
Please enter a sentence: this program processes. text files and creates! a new file?with * the following. [B]Exception in thread "main" java.lang.StringIndexOutOfBoundsException: String index out of range: 75 at java.lang.String.charAt(String.java:686) at TextFileProcessorDemo.parseSentence(TextFileProcessorDemo.java:31) at TextFileProcessor.main(TextFileProcessor.java:36[/B])
I thought it might have something to do with the loop executing towards the end of the String, and when charAt(x + 1) is trying to be found, there is nothing in that index so it would give the error. I tried to solve this by adding the first if statement, which I meant to make the loop essentially stop if the current value of x is equal to the length of the String. Though I know this would only be a partial fix for the (x + 1) parameters, and not the (x + 2) later on, but at least I was trying to make headway.
However, that fix still didn't solve my problem.
Any ideas?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
West Allis man, 18, sentenced in beating death of mentally disabled man
A West Allis man will spend four and a half years in prison for his part in the beating death of a mentally disabled man.
Javasi Pezanoski-Young cried during his sentencing Thursday.
Last November, surveillance cameras captured the now-18-year-old and two other men attacking 57-year-old Jeffrey Garnier.
Pezanoski-Young pleaded guilty in September.
The group beat Garnier after Pezanoski-Young's sister and friend thought Garnier was coming after them.
During the sentencing, Garnier's siblings expressed the pain they felt after his killing.
"Jeff's loss torments me. His murder haunts me," said Nancy Garnier, the victim's sister.
"Teenagers do stupid things, but you crossed a deadly line of no return," said David Garnier, the victim's brother.
Danny Thompson was also charged. His trial is set for February.
A third person was sentenced to two years in prison for stealing Garnier's wallet.


text:
Some of us feel our bodies are strongly identified with our selves and that our bodily feelings of presence are stable and predictable. These people are probably young and healthy; as we age, lose limbs, lose abilities, and generally transform into different versions of ourselves, we may find new correlations between self and body. Thoughts like "Ow, I never noticed that muscle before," or "Was that bump always there?" are the kind of subtle reminders that the map of the body may not be as stable as we once felt it was.
In my case, having just acquired a major new body part that was crafted, origami-like, out of previous body parts, I'm noticing some startling sensations related to the maps of my self and, perhaps more importantly, the legends of those maps that are beginning to feel outdated and desperately in need of a cartographer to re-chart everything.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
You see, I am a perfect example of an ecologically-friendly cyborg, my new parts having been fashioned out of old ones, and thus I think it's fair to say I reduced, reused, and recycled in the process (maybe I should use passive voice and say "I was reduced, reused, and recycled"). I didn't come up with the origami metaphor; that belongs to a woman who was interning with Dr. Bowers from Chicago and who asked my permission to observe the operation. She reported that it was utterly amazing how all the old parts were shaped, reorganized, folded, and ultimately reassembled "like an intricate origami." She said that unless you knew how it was going to turn out, it all looked like a terrific mess on a craft table. But to the surgeon, having performed hundreds of these procedures, the mappings must be nigh intuitive, floating above and on the skin like a paint-by-numbers project.
But the point of this blog post isn't to marvel at the artistry of the surgeon or the cartographer's skill at remapping, but rather to relate what it's like to actually be the map, the origami itself, and to grapple with what strikes me as a conflict of two mapping systems existing simultaneously in my mind.
New and Phantom Feelings
Some of my nerves have worked just fine since surgery and some of them haven't, but are beginning to reconnect in jolting ways. The ones that have always worked seem to me to remain mapped to my old body so that if I feel an itch or a pain, my mind immediately recognizes it as belonging to a certain spot on my body — there's no interpretation needed because this mapping is so old and (seemingly) so stable that I "know" where the itch is coming from. But the landscape has changed, even if the map hasn't, so that itch is no longer where my mind thinks it is. Where is it? Who knows? I don't have a current map so it could be anywhere. Exploring can sometimes help, but not always, as the intricate folding of an origami swan could move an ink dot into un-findable places, maybe three folds underneath a wing, if you can picture it. These phantom pains are funny, mostly, because they initiate a guessing game in my mind, one that involves identifying the spot on the old landscape, then trying to picture just where that nerve might reside these days.
New feelings are different, or at least they seem so to me. Maybe when nerves are cut, and as they seek to reconnect, the map is erased, like a computer's RAM that resets when you lose power. Whatever the reason, these new pains, often shooting or stabbing, come from who-knows-where, and are thus already mysterious, but also belong nowhere on the old map, and are thus doubly-mysterious because there is no cartographic system on which to locate them. Unlike the phantom pains, which are amusing, these new pains of re-connecting nerves are surprising, daunting, and a bit frightening. Why frightening? I think their newness, their randomness of appearance, and the intensity of the sudden stabbing make these new pains feel alien, unpredictable, maybe even dangerous to my primitive mind. They lurk like strangers in my corporeal shadows and jump out like the bad guy in slasher movies, just when you've relaxed and are enjoying your popcorn.
I suspect these feelings are well-documented somewhere — maybe in the Mind literature of philosophy, something my friend Michele could elucidate, or maybe in the literature of prosthetics and what it means to be dis- or super-abled, as my friend Amanda could no doubt clarify. Maybe these are typical feelings for everyone who undergoes various life traumas or evolutions and are rebuilt, better and faster with modern technology like the Six Million Dollar Man, and thus we're all joined in a common post-human existence. The relationship of the body to the mind raises all sorts of ontological and epistemological questions, certainly more than I have a right to grapple with in such a small blog post. Maybe my individual experience can help move the inquiry forward a baby step, either for post-humanists generally or merely for other transsexuals more narrowly.
Maps? Legends? Both? Neither?
Thinking of REM's song "Maps and Legends," and the wonderful line, "Maybe these maps and legends have been misunderstood," I picture myself studying a map of the United States printed in the 50's, and being puzzled when there are no freeway cloverleafs where I can plainly see them approaching in my windshield. With competing maps existing in our minds (youth vs. age, pre-surgery vs. post-surgery, pre-cancer vs. post-cancer, or whatever transformations we experience in the course of our lives), it's not surprising that we can have these moments of mapping confusion (or revelation) between what we "know" to be real and what the abstractions of maps, GPS's, timetables, and other artifacts of modern existence tell us is real. I don't think these moments are a case of either the maps or legends being misunderstood, but merely out of synch or out of time. How we re-synch may be a matter of patience, or maybe it's acceptable to learn to enjoy the disconnection as an integral part of living a complex life.


text:
As keeper of Sports Illustrated's indispensable Vault, Andy Gray spends a lot of his time sifting through the sports photography of another time, when athletes wore short shorts and facial hair, and everyone looked vaguely uncomfortable. Here is one such photo.
On the heels of a largely boring NBA Draft, we take you back to a time when college basketball was fun, and players stayed in school for longer than a smoke break. It was 1984, and Patrick Ewing's Georgetown squad was coming off a national championship, fully expecting to win another. Hoya hysteria ran so high that even Ronald Reagan jumped on the bandwagon. At that moment, the big man in D.C. wasn't the president, but a 43-year-old basketball coach named John Thompson. Author John Wideman profiled Georgetown's leader:
Thompson's hands return to the wooden arms of the chair. He is rich, by ordinary standards. He is said to earn $65,000 a year from Georgetown, has a lucrative contract to endorse a brand of basketball shoe and runs a profitable summer camp. Georgetown gave him a beautiful house not far from campus. I ask if he's ever been in Wilt Chamberlain's house. I've read that it's built to the scale of a 7-footer. No, he hasn't. But he'd like to see it. As he grows older he's more aware of his size. Maneuvering in and out of chairs. The leverage he needs to raise the bulk of his 300-pound body. He mentions his mother. How illness limited her movements as she aged. "But, hell, I could pick her up and set her where she wanted to go," he says. We both smile at the unspoken joke, the preposterousness of somebody lifting Thompson out of one chair and placing him in another. In a way I don't care what the media says. No. That's not what I mean. My mother never liked me to say I didn't care. What I mean is, I have 15 kids I'm responsible for. Other people's kids. That's my first duty. Then I can deal with the press and the rest of what comes with my job."


text:
He is the most remarkable storyteller there is. More than that, the brilliant author. He speaks and there is light. From His voice comes life.
His workmanship becomes ingrained within our being. He weaves stories into our lives. Stories of triumph, of sorrow, of sheer joy. Stories of hope.
Reading your stories of hope captivated me as well as resurrected a story of hope I have seen in my life, in a place before Compassion.
When He gave me this story, my life became enriched. My heart now scarred with such sacred radiance:
It was 5:30 in the morning. The rain fell. It poured. Then subsided. Then it trickled. And finally, poured again. It seemed as if it were trying to find its place. My heart was trying to find its place, too. The concrete floor I sat on came alive with the tapping of little feet entering the open room. I pulled my blanket close, and Patman falls into my lap. She is a 12-year-old orphan and has escaped into Thailand seeking refuge.
Though I had come to know her story, I still could not believe it. There is some kind of innocence still preserved. Some kind of purity still thriving. She opens her mouth along with the other orphaned children and begin to sing to their Father. The only Father they know.
I love the song, but not as much as I love how it sounds coming out of their mouths. They sing in unison. The sweet harmony lifting from their lips, in-between emerging yawns, finds its way outside of the tin roofed building and into the green field. Their small voices wake up the birds; they wake up the nearby pigs, the stray dogs. They wake up the widowed grandma sleeping nearby. Lastly, without caution, they wake up my heart.
Their song is beautiful but not like pretty, polished, rehearsed beautiful. It is hopeful, passionate, praise beautiful. I sing it too. I close my eyes and push my head against Patman to hear her voice. I forget about the bugs, the concrete floor, the brisk air and the reality that I will soon leave this place, but they will not. I want to sing as they did. I want to believe with such resolve that He truly is all I have. Everything, all of me, resting completely on His love. He is the bottom line. He is the portion.
"I love the mountains
I love the waterfalls
I love the blue skies
I love the flowers
Thank you God for making them
I love you God
I love you God
I love you God"
In this tiny orphanage a pastor had taken in the children whose parents had been killed in Myanmar because of the war. Their rooms are crammed. They own nothing, all of it a donation to be shared amongst themselves. All of it with the fingerprint of the Lord's provision. They have stories I was sure only movie producers could conjure up.
Patman allows her last few words to escape from her mouth to end the song, and then looks at me and smiles. I become weak. When I ask if I can pray, she questions back, "May I pray please? I love Jesus." This is when I know, this when I see a Love that conquers the enemy. I see a faith that even the lies of poverty cannot defeat.
And this is what is so grand, He is writing stories like these all the time, in everyplace.


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Drawn by Eric Gill in 1932 and issued by Monotype in 1936. Different enough from the rest of the Gill Sans family to deserve its own family entry. Gill initially called the design Double Elefans. Released as Kayo, derived from "KO" (i.e. knockout in boxing). Later known as Gill Sans Ultra Bold (Series 442). [Rhatigan]
A condensed was added in 1980 by Letraset. It is available in digital form from ITC (as Gill Kayo Condensed) and Monotype (as Gill Sans Condensed UltraBold).


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6 People Making a Difference in Honolulu
Meet a few people making Honolulu a better place for all of us.
(page 1 of 7)
Give It Fresh Today founder Vivian Best. EPIC Ohana Inc. CEO Laurie Tochiki. The ARTS at Marks Garage, Hawaii Academy of Performing Arts and Chinatown Artists Lofts executive director Rich Richardson. Creative Industries Division Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism chief officer Georja Skinner. MAO Organic Farms managing director Gary Maunakea-Forth. Community Alliance on Prisons coordinator Kat Brady.
Photo: Adam Jung
Sure, it seems this city runs backward sometimes, but what has always been true for Honolulu is that remarkable people live here. They lead from behind the scenes, oftentimes, making life better for all of us without making too much of a fuss about it. They don't just live or work here: They build our communities.
When compiling this list, we chose to focus not on those who get a lot of press already, but on people who sometimes miss out on the spotlight. We applaud Pierre Omidyar for giving away more than $1 billion to charity, but we're also grateful to anyone helping those around them, doing what they can with what they have.
Here are people who lead not because it's a means to fame or fortune. These are farmers, elementary school teachers, state employees and artists who work tirelessly for a better city because, no matter the advocacy, wisdom, experience or perspective, for this network of leaders, it's about making a difference.


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Explore what is changing the lives of tens of thousands of people in more than 170 countries around the world.
Explore what the 3 key tools of Access are and how you can use them to start creating the change you desire.
Receive tips of what you can choose to get started. You know what will work for you!
Hear from people all over the world about how they are different after Access Consciousness.
Read news articles, watch videos, listen to pods and radio shows – you can find Access Consciousness in many media channels!
Explore some of the most frequently asked questions about Access Consciousness.
There are thousands of Access Consciousness events and classes offered weekly around the world. You can search for a class by topic, facilitator, language or location in our class calendar.
Gary Douglas travels extensively facilitating advanced Access Consciousness classes as well as a range of evening and several day workshops on specific topics from Choice and Possibilities, to Money, Benevolent Capitalism, Relationships and more.
Dr. Dain Heer offers classes on a wide array of topics through out the world and is best known for his transformation process The Energetic Synthesis of Being as well as the Being You, Changing the World events.
Simone Milasas travels extensively facilitating advanced Access Consciousness classes as well as a range of evening and several day workshops on specific topics from Choice and Possibilities, Relationship Done Different, Business Done Different, Getting Out of Debt Joyfully and more.
Brendon Watt travels extensively facilitating beginning advanced Access Consciousness classes as well as a range of evening and several day workshops on specific topics from The Foundation, Choice and Possibilities, Relationship Done Different, and more.
The Access Bars are the very core and foundation of Access Consciousness. It can be the starting point of a great adventure and it can be something you add to your life that will assist you in creating a greater ease with everything.
Dr. Dain Heer offers classes on a wide array of topics through out the world and is best known for his transformation process The Energetic Synthesis of Being (ESB).
Dr. Dain Heer offers classes on a wide array of topics through out the world and is well known for his Being You, Changing the World events, based on his bestselling Being You, Changing the World book.
The Speciality Programs are branches of Access Consciousness where you can dive deeper into particular topics with specialized facilitators. Each program offer introductory classes, advanced classes and certification facilitator training.
Access Consciousness offers classes on an infinite array of topics. There are many types of variety classes available.
Access Consciousness have many ways of engaging with the tools worldwide via expos, meet ups, radio shows, tele summits, google hangouts and more.
Each Access Facilitator is facilitated by the creators of Access Consciousness, Gary Douglas and Dr. Dain Heer. There are several license types for Access Consciousness Core Classes as well as Specialty Programs and Special Topic Classes.
Are you looking for more change? Use our search function to find a facilitator near you.
Access Consciousness has over 8,000 facilitators and practitioners in more than 170 countries. Find all their specific certifications and licenses here.
Find an article on almost any topic you could think of! Where would you like your adventure to begin?
We created a special log in help page to assist you!
Have you ever used the excuse 'I don't have the money', to stop yourself from creating? What if YOU are the source of creation, not money? Join us for this Clearing Night with Simone Milasas and find out what actually may be true for you around creation, money, and finances!
What have you been hiding and holding behind you so dynamically that if you didn't would make you aware of a level of power, potency, presence, and capacities that you're not sure you could handle? You can choose pathetic or choose to unleash your potency – which one would contribute to you and your creations? You're invited to a Clearing Night with Brendon Watt to STOP IT and change this sh*t!
Ready to let go of your past stories and definitions of yourself and to show up in your life in a dynamic, present, and powerful new way? Join Sylvia Puentes and Susanna Mittermaier, Right Voice for You facilitators, in this Clearing Night around being seen and having your voice in the world and your business!
Being you and being willing to be different and stand out from the crowd can be a key to exponentializing your business. Join Dr. Dain Heer on this call to clear the way to the difference you BE!
What is it you ultimately desire to create? Are you willing to receive from everywhere, everyone, and Access Consciousness? Are you willing to receive judgment? Join Shannon O'Hara for this Clearing Night around the one topic that brings it all home – receiving!
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AMD executives took the stage this week to tout the company's recent successes and future plans at this year's AMD Financial Analyst day; also on tap were fresh details of the company's Fusion strategy for combining the CPU and the GPU. We'll spare you the details of debt restructuring, fab yields, and product roadmaps to get straight to the nitty-gritty of what, specifically, a post-Fusion world will look like.
Chuck Moore, one of the architects behind Bulldozer, gave a presentation on Fusion for the attendees, and he then sat down for a bit to answer our questions about how the technology will develop. The discussion of Fusion that follows is based on both the presentation and the conversation.
When Fusion debuts in 2010, it will look a bit like Intel's Sandy Bridge platform, in that it pairs a CPU and GPU on the same die, but there are some key differences. First, Sandy Bridge uses a ring bus design to connect the CPU, GPU, shared L3 cache, and other components.
This ring bus is a lot faster than AMD's on-die northbridge—the ring bus design connects the CPU and GPU at 384GB/s, while the link between AMD's northbridge and the GPU is 27GB/s.
The AMD part's weaker GPU link will be offset to some degree by the fact that its GPU is simply more capable than that of Sandy Bridge. The first Fusion parts will feature modern, DirectX11- and OpenCL-compatible GPUs; Sandy Bridge, in contrast, will use a relatively ancient design that's only DirectX 10.1 compatible. (The fact that Sandy Bridge does so well in graphics benchmarks is a testament to what all that bandwidth and a shared L3 gets you.)
Moore confirmed for us that the CPU and GPU will eventually share a single, unified address space. This means that the GPU will get the same kind of virtual memory hardware (IOMMU) as the CPU. The GPU will also eventually gain the ability to do real context switches, and will participate in system-level coherency. This coherency will extend off the die to AMD's discrete GPUs, as AMD plans to extend PCIe to handle coherency traffic. All of these improvements are aimed at making the GPU a full peer with the CPU, both architecturally and from the programmer's viewpoint.
Communication and tradeoffs
As for how the GPU and CPU will talk to one another, Moore told us that in the first generation of Fusion the two parts will use a set of asynchronous queues that reside in main memory. These queues would mostly tend to live in the CPU's cache (though they won't be explicitly wired there), so communication should be quite fast.
We asked Moore how AMD would keep these queues, which will probably stay fairly "dirty" (i.e., the data in them will be transient), from causing a lot of cache thrashing. (Once you start using the L2 cache for high-bandwidth communication, instead of for caching, all of that activity can begin to starve more normal apps for cache space.) He replied that the queues would carry only graphics commands, so they won't tend to turn over at a high enough rate to cause thrashing. The one potential trouble spot here is the data flow to the GPU, which can come from anywhere in the system, including (cached) main memory. AMD has a few tricks up its sleeve to keep GPU data from polluting the cache, one of which is to dedicate one way of the n-way cache solely to GPU data traffic.
Future versions of Fusion will abandon the queues for a more direct connection, but Moore wouldn't characterize what that connection would look like.
Moore described the programmer's decision about whether to use the GPU as a coprocessor or keep computation on the CPU as a tradeoff; you have to decide if the speedup is worth the overhead (in terms of programmer effort and platform-level issues) of moving the work onto the GPU. AMD's goal as Fusion progresses is to steadily reduce this overhead, so that the tradeoff makes more sense in more situations. Offloading tasks to the GPU should get easier for the programmer due to advances like a unified address space, and the tighter hardware coupling should make it fast enough to be worth doing for progressively more blocks of code.
We asked Moore if AMD had any plans to pursue a more Larrabee-like path and move to x86 on the GPU, and his answer was a bit hard to characterize. In essence, he indicated that if AMD did ultimately end up putting its GPU execution hardware behind some sort of x86 front-end, the hardware organization wouldn't necessarily look like Larrabee.
This appears to indicate that AMD isn't going to put out a GPU that's essentially a many-core x86 part, but that if it did go the x86 route at some point (possibly when they introduce context switching to the GPU) it would look more like an expanded version of Bulldozer. In other words, multithreaded "cores" that consist of a single front-end backed by a ton of vector hardware. This is just speculation, though, and it wasn't even clear from Moore's response that AMD is planning to move its GPU hardware to x86.


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Meet Sarah Hagy, one busy woman. Just 30 years old, she's already Executive Director of the International Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning Association ("Cleaning to a Higher Standard"), the trade association for 250 of the world's top stovepipe cleaning specialists.
But that's not all. Ms. Hagy is also Director of the Water and Sewer Distributors of America, not to mention management liaison to the North American Horticultural Supply Association. Before that, she served as Executive Director for the International Association of Ice Cream Distributors & Vendors. "I live in acronym world," she says.
Ms. Hagy is a director-for-hire, an employee of an "association management" company.
In the U.S., there are roughly 20,000 professional and trade associations ranging from the International Packaged Ice Association ("Ice is Food!") to the Real Diaper Industry Association ("Promoting the Cloth Diaper Industry"). The biggest employ their own staff - 950 workers in the case of the American Bar Association. The smallest squeak by on volunteer labor. But many mid-size industry groups outsource their staffing needs to a management firm that provides everything from a mailing address to executive support. That's where Ms. Hagy comes in.
The straightforward, cheerful University of Pittsburgh grad works for Fernley & Fernley, a Philadelphia firm that serves as world headquarters for 20 industry associations including the National Railway Historical Society.
Occupying the fourth floor of a squat brick office building, the place is buzzing with accountants balancing the books for the Eastern Nursing Research Society while young admins process memberships for the Society for Clinical Trials. In the back, a single graphic artist churns out hundreds of publications, such as the National Renal Administrators Association's glossy conference guide, "Bundling, Quality and All That Jazz."
It's a good thing Ms. Hagy has assistants; depending on the firm and the arrangement, a director might write newsletter copy, lobby Congress, sign checks, sell ads in the membership directory, field press calls and organize the annual trade expo - for three different trade associations at once.
It takes a quick study. Ms. Hagy has been heading the International Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning Association (IKECA) for just over a year, but she already talks like a veteran. She knows where to order the plastic grease gauges that serve as swag at industry events. She has learned, when booking event space, to warn the hotel staff about her clients' habits - they'll invariably go into the kitchen to inspect the stove hoods.
"We don't sneak in, we only go in by permission, like vampires," says IKECA president Jack Grace. "We get up from the dinner table and next thing you know, we're climbing across the kitchen equipment. That is very typical behavior for us."
And Ms. Hagy can put together a mean convention. At IKECA's recent fall meeting in Indianapolis, which drew about 170 attendees, highlights included a talk on winterizing pressure-washing equipment and an appearance from a ladder vendor. Meanwhile, she was busy arranging the annual speed-networking powwow for the Water and Sewer Distributors of America, and advising them on social media.
Some head one group at a time. As founder of Transition Management Consulting Inc., Bob Van Hook and his squad of 12 directors-for-hire take full-time interim CEO gigs with industry associations ranging from the National Parking Association to the Entomological Society of America. He says he has personally served as the interim head for professional associations representing psychoanalysts, geophysicists and architects.
When he takes an interim CEO role, Mr. Van Hook says he usually works in the association's office several days a week.
Learning the industry and mastering the lingo (including the all-important pronunciation of the organization's acronym) takes, on average, about 60 days, he says. It's a matter of reading reports, meeting members and noting social mores. While heading the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, for instance, he noticed that everyone kept a dispenser of hand sanitizer on their desks, and passed a bottle at meetings. "I did that too while I was there," he says.
The real challenge is managing the politics and personalities that come with any board of directors - the director must be seen as neutral. Bob Waller, president of Association Headquarters, an association management firm in Mount Laurel, N.J., says that when his clients included the now-defunct Pencil Makers Association, he avoided offending any one manufacturer by using another's pencil. "It was much easier if I just used a pen."
Matching a director with a trade association is a bit of an art, but association management companies do their best to make a science out of it. At Fernley & Fernley, directors take a personality test and are matched with an association deemed to exhibit a similar profile. The Association of Oncology Social Work, for example, is paired with a director who scores high on enthusiasm and collaboration. The pragmatic exhaust cleaners matched well with Ms. Hagy, who scored high on the spectrum for dominance.
Industry preferences emerge at conventions. While plenty of associations are cutting the bagels in half to save money, bankers and lawyers still want thick steaks and rich desserts. Doctors slurp oceans of coffee. When the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses meets up, "You can't even put a salt shaker on the table," says Mr. Waller.
Brad Weaber, head of event services for SmithBucklin, the nation's largest association management firm, says medical conventions can be especially tricky. He once had 24 hours to locate 100 pig bladders for a surgical demonstration.
There is, of course, a trade association for association management companies. And that association, the 180-member AMC Institute, is itself managed by an association management firm, currently Fernley & Fernley.
Andrea Bower, the institute's executive director, says it is an easy association to manage, because members seldom meddle. It's not so interesting to fuss over tablecloth colors when meetings are your business.
The downside? It takes her a long, long time to explain what she does for a living. "Every once in a while, someone says they get it," she says. "But usually they don't."
Write to Anne Kadet at firstname.lastname@example.com
A version of this article appeared November 16, 2012, on page A1 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: Have a Question on Kitchens, Flowers or Sewers? Try Ms. Hagy.
The entire article is online at click here


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Autumn is here! I love this time of year. The leaves are changing, the air is crisp, Sukkot and Thanksgiving are fast approaching. It is most definitely my favorite season… in part, because of pumpkins! I can't help smiling when I go to the grocery store and see gorgeous orange pumpkins piled high in the produce section. It's the symbol of the season.
The pumpkin originated in Central America over 7,500 years ago and made its way throughout North America before the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492. Native Americans cultivated pumpkins and prized them as a food source; because of their thick and solid flesh, they could easily be stored throughout the winter. Like other forms of squash, pumpkins are easy to grow. They became a favorite with immigrants to the New World, particularly in New England. Pumpkins were prized for their versatility; they were cooked into pies, stews, tarts, soups, and puddings. The flesh could be boiled or roasted, fried or mashed. Pumpkin seeds were dried and salted as a nutritious snack food. In the early 1800's, decorative pumpkins called jack-o'-lanterns were carved to celebrate the autumn harvest season. In 1819, Washington Irving featured a jack-o'-lantern in his short story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow as the "head" of his Headless Horseman character, which likely led to the jack-o'-lantern's association with the Halloween holiday. In the mid 1800's, it became stylish to serve pumpkin pies for the Thanksgiving holiday, a trend that continues to this day. As you can see, pumpkins play a large role in American food history.
I love cooking and baking with pumpkin; the flavor is subtly warm and delicious. Pureed pumpkin adds gorgeous color and moisture to baked goods, and a special essence that just feels like fall. When combined with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves, pumpkin takes on a magical quality.
Case in point, my Pumpkin Spice Cake (or quick bread, if you want to call it that). This delicious loaf cake is one of my favorite harvest-style desserts. When you bake it, your house will smell like autumn. It's soft, moist, sweet, and delicious. Try topping a warm slice of cake with salted butter for a sweet and salty treat. Serve it with a steaming hot cup of your favorite tea or coffee. Heaven!
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Pumpkin Spice Cake
12 servings
20 minutes
1 hour
1 hour 20 minutes
Pumpkin Spice Cake, a sweet loaf cake with pumpkin, raisins, cinnamon and spices. Sukkot, Thanksgiving, autumn, fall, harvesat. Kosher, Pareve.
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- Pinch ground cloves
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Place the raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water. Let the raisins plump in the hot water while you create the cake batter.
Use an electric mixer to mix together sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil and eggs till smooth. Add pumpkin puree and vanilla. Mix again till blended.
In a separate mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
Pour liquid ingredients into dry. Mix together till blended. Do not overmix.
Drain the raisins and pat dry with a paper towel. Fold the raisins and chopped walnuts into the batter.
Grease a medium loaf pan. Pour batter into the pan.
Bake cake at 325 degrees F for about 1 hour, until the edges brown and a toothpick inserted into the thickest section of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
Gently release the cake from the pan and place on a wire cooling rack.
Allow to cool completely before slicing.