text:
It's been years now that unit testing frameworks and tools have grabbed our attention, made their way into our favorite IDE and sparked yet another wave of seemingly endless "my framework is better than yours" wars. And then there are the principal wars of whether TDD is better than Test After Development. And most excitingly the automated testing tools etc. Oh, and let's not forget mocks! So we have all the tools we need – right? Well, kind of, no.
I recently attended a talk by Llewellyn Falco and Woody Zuill the other day, and they used a little library called Approval Tests (http://approvaltests.com/). I immediately fell in love with the concept and the price ($0). Llewellyn is one of the two developers of the product, hosted on http://sourceforge.net/projects/approvaltests/.
What does it do that years of frameworks don't?
For me, a major nuisance is that you have a piece of code, and that piece of code produces a result (object, state – call it what you will). That result is commonly named "actual" in Visual Studio unit tests. The developer must then assert against that result to ensure that the code ran properly. In theory, unit tests are supposed to be small and only test one thing. In reality, functions which return complex objects rarely can be asserted with one assert. You'd typically find yourself asserting several properties or testing some behavior of the actual value. In corporate scenario, the unit tests might morph into some degree of integration tests and objects become more complex, requiring a slew of assert.this and assert.that().
What if you could just run the code, inspect the value returned, and – if it satisfies the requirements – set "that value" to be the comparison for all future runs? Wouldn't that be nice? Good news: Approval Tests does just that. So now, instead of writing so many asserts against your returned value, you just call ApprovalTests.Approve() and the captured state is compared against your current runtime. Neat huh?
But wait, there's more! What if your requirements are regarding a windows form, or a control? how do you write a unit test that asserts against a form? The answer is simple and genius: Capture the form as an image, and compare the image produced by your approved form (after you have carefully compared it to the form given to you by marketing – right?) and compare it to each subsequent run. ApprovalTests simply does a byte by byte comparison of the resultant picture of the form and tells you if it matches what you approved.
Let's break down the steps for installation:
Yeah,it's that simple.
Ok. Let's break down the steps for adding an approval to your unit test
Yeah, it's that simple.
How do you tell it that the value received is "the right one"? Upon first run, the Approve() call will always fail. Why? Because it has no stored approved value to compare the actual it received against. When it fails, it will print out a message (console or test report – depends on your unit test runner). That message will contain a path for the file that it received, complaining about a lack of approved file. The value captured from that run (and any subsequent run) is stored in a file named something like "{your unit test file path}\{your method}.received.xyz". If you like the result of the run -the image matches what the form should look like, or the text value is what your object should contain etc – then you can rename it to "{your unit test file path}\{your method}.approved.xyz". You should check the approved file into your source control. After all, it's content constitutes the basis of the assertion in your unit test!
Consider the very simple unit test code:
1: [Test]
2: public void DateTime_Constructor_YMDSetDate()
3: {
4: DateTime actual;
5: actual = new DateTime(2038, 4, 1);
6: Approvals.Approve(actual.ToString());
7: }
The function under test here is the constructor for System.DateTime which takes 3 parameters – month day and year. Upon first run, the test will fail with a message resembling
"TestCase 'MyProject.Tests.DateTimeTest.DateTime_Constructor_YMDSetDate'
failed: ApprovalTests.Core.Exceptions.ApprovalMissingException : Failed Approval: Approval File "C:\….\MyProject\DateTimeTest.DateTime_Constructor_YMDSetDate.approved.txt" Not Found."
"TestCase 'MyProject.Tests.DateTimeTest.DateTime_Constructor_YMDSetDate'
failed: ApprovalTests.Core.Exceptions.ApprovalMissingException : Failed Approval: Approval File "C:\….\MyProject\DateTimeTest.DateTime_Constructor_YMDSetDate.approved.txt" Not Found."
That's because this file was never created – it's your first run. Using the standard approver, this file will actually now be created but will be empty. In that same directory you will find a file named {…}.received.txt. This is the capture from this run. You can open the received value file, and inspect the text to ensure that the value returned matches your expected value. If it does, simply rename that file to .approved.text or copy it's content over and run the test again. This time, the Approve() method should succeed. If at any point in the future the method under test returns a different value, the approval will fail. If at any point in the future the specs change, you will need to re-capture a correct behavior and save it.
How do you easily compare the values from the last run and the saved approved value? The approved file is going to be a text file for string approvals, and an image file for WinForm approvals. As it turns out, you can instruct Approval Tests to launch a diff program with the 2 files (received, approved) automatically upon failure, or just open the received file upon failure or silently just fail the unit test. To control that behavior, you use a special attribute
1: [TestFixture]
2: [UseReporter(typeof(DiffReporter))]
3: public class ObjectWriterTest
4: {
The UserReporterAttribute allows you to specify one of 3 included reporters
When your have a CI server and run unit tests as part of your builds, you probably want to use the quiet reporter. For interactive sessions, one of the first 2 will probably be more suitable.
How are value comparisons performed? Under the standard built in methods, a file is written out and compared to byte by byte. If you wish to modify this or any behavior, you can implement your own approver or file writer or reporter by implementing simple interfaces. I ended up adding a general use object writer so that I can approve arbitrary objects. The effort was fairly painless and straightforward.
I did have to read the code to get the concept. If only my time machine worked: I could have read my own blog and saved myself 20 minutes. Yeah, right.
The project has some bells and whistles – plug ins for a few IDE's and there's a version for Java and Ruby. I have not reviewed these versions.
There you have it folks- a shiny new tool under your belt. I can see this saving my hours of mindless typing of Assert.* calls and I can go home early. Yeah, right.
After seeing Pex in action at PDC 2008 I have caught the fever.
Since then, I gave it a whirle on my own and was pretty impressed. So much so, I chose it as a topic for one of my So-Cal Code Camp talks in January. Got some very good questions and concerns regarding the capabilities and place of Pex in the world of software development and vis-a-vis TDD.
Just came back from another great SoCal Code Camp. I had some valuable insights and discussions about TDD and the use of Pex. Thank you attendees!
While developing the presentation for Pex, I ran into a situation where the Pex.Assume() did not seem to work at all:
Consider the function
public List<short> MakeList(short baseNum, short count)
List<short> result = new List<short>(count);
for (short i = 1; i <= count; i++)
result.Add((short)(baseNum * i));
return result;
Pex correctly identifies a potential flaw where the multiplication (baseNum * i) would result in overflow.
Adding a filter
PexAssume.IsTrue(baseNum * count < short.MaxValue);
Seems like it would do the trick – but it doesn't.
Several rebuilds, clean solution, shake heads and searches for bugs later I found the issue: The predicate provided to PexAssume.IsTrue(predicate) produced an overflow! So when pex explores it would have tripped the condition I was trying to avoid by evaluating the parameters I tried to filter out.
The fix was to rewrite the filter as:
PexAssume.IsTrue(short.MaxValue / count > baseNum);
Here, the math would not produce an overflow. Combined with PexAssume(count>0) and PexAssume(baseNum>0) my now filters work as (I) expected.
The take home is pretty obvious – ensure the predicate does not throw – but identifying it took a bit of head scratching.
It is generally considered a good thing to use unit tests these days. Often it is necessary to test a method which takes some complex type. So in the unit testing one has to painstakingly manufacture such object, and pass it in.
Before doing so, you would (should!) ensure the complex type itself produces an identity - that is to say that if you create an instance of type MyClass and assign / construct it with proper values your should "get back" what you gave it. This is especially true for object that get serialized and de-serialized.
What I often do is use some helper code.
First snippet allows for testing an object for serialization using WCF, ensuring "round trip" serialization-de-serialization works.
The second snippet uses reflection to ensure that the object your put through the mill came back with identical values to the initial assigned one. This save a LOT of Assert.AreEqual(expected.PropA, actual.PropA) etc.
Since the object is actually a reference type, other equality checks would not do at the root level (such as ReferenceEuqals and the like).
Structs or nested structs are handled via ensureFieldsMatch() method.
Note that complex types may not be handled correctly – generics have not been addressed specifically here.
Future enhancements may include passing in an exclusion list of properties to skip or an inclusion list of properties to match exclusively. I'm on the fence on these, because the whole idea was to say "An object A matches B if every property and public fields match in value", and if one has to explicitly provide all property names one could just as well Assert.AreEqual(a.x, b.x) them.
Updated 2008-11-07: Error in comparison fixed. (Thank you Rich for pointing it out!)
using System;
using System.Reflection;
using Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.UnitTesting;
namespace Nuri.Test.Helpers
public static class Equality
/// <summary>
/// Some properties are instance specific, and can be excluded for value matching (unlike ref equivalence)
/// </summary>
private static readonly string[] _ReservedProperties = { "SyncRoot" };
public static void EnsureMatchByProperties(this object expected, object actual)
ensureNotNull(expected, actual);
Type expectedType = expected.GetType();
Type actualType = actual.GetType();
Assert.AreEqual(expectedType, actualType);
if (expectedType.IsArray)
Array expectedArray = expected as System.Array;
Array actualArray = actual as System.Array;
Console.WriteLine(">>>*** digging into array " + expectedType.Name);
for (int i = 0; i < expectedArray.Length; i++)
Console.WriteLine(" --- --- ---");
EnsureMatchByProperties(expectedArray.GetValue(i), actualArray.GetValue(i));
Console.WriteLine("<<<*** digging out from array " + expectedType.Name);
ensurePropertiesMatch(expected, actual, expectedType, actualType);
public static void EnsureMatchByFields(this object expected, object actual, params string[] exclusionList)
ensureNotNull(expected, actual);
Type expectedType = expected.GetType();
Type actualType = actual.GetType();
Assert.AreEqual(expectedType, actualType);
if (expectedType.IsArray)
Array expectedArray = expected as System.Array;
Array actualArray = actual as System.Array;
Console.WriteLine(">>>*** digging into array " + expectedType.Name);
for (int i = 0; i < expectedArray.Length; i++)
Console.WriteLine(" --- --- ---");
expectedArray.GetValue(i).EnsureMatchByFields(actualArray.GetValue(i)); // recursion
Console.WriteLine("<<<*** digging out from array " + expectedType.Name);
ensureFieldsMatch(expected, actual, exclusionList);
private static void ensurePropertiesMatch(object expected, object actual, Type expectedType, Type actualType)
BindingFlags propertyExtractionOptions = BindingFlags.Public
| BindingFlags.NonPublic
| BindingFlags.Instance
| BindingFlags.Static
| BindingFlags.GetProperty;
foreach (PropertyInfo expectedProp in expectedType.GetProperties())
if (expectedProp.CanRead && !_ReservedProperties.Contains(expectedProp.Name))
if (expectedProp.PropertyType.IsValueType || expectedProp.PropertyType == typeof(String))
object expectedValue = expectedType.InvokeMember(expectedProp.Name,
null, expected, null);
object actualValue = actualType.InvokeMember(expectedProp.Name,
null, actual, null);
if (expectedValue == null && actualValue == null)
// both null - ok
Console.WriteLine("{0}: null == null", expectedProp.Name);
if (expectedValue == null || actualValue == null)
// one null the other not. Failure
Assert.Fail(expectedProp.Name + ": Expected Or Actual is null! (but not both)");
Console.Write("{0}: {1} == {2} ?", expectedProp.Name, expectedValue.ToString(),
Assert.AreEqual(expectedValue, actualValue,
"Value of property doesn't match in " + expectedProp.Name);
Console.WriteLine(" true.");
else if (expectedProp.PropertyType.IsClass)
object expectedObject = expectedType.InvokeMember(expectedProp.Name,
null, expected, null);
object actualObject = actualType.InvokeMember(expectedProp.Name,
null, actual, null);
if (expectedObject != null
&& actualObject != null)
Console.WriteLine(">>>>>>>> digging into " + expectedProp.Name);
EnsureMatchByProperties(expectedObject, actualObject);
Console.WriteLine("<<<<<<<< back from dig of " + expectedProp.Name);
private static void ensureFieldsMatch(object expected, object actual, params string[] exclusionList)
Type expectedType = expected.GetType();
Type actualType = actual.GetType();
BindingFlags filedExtractionOptions = BindingFlags.GetField |
BindingFlags.NonPublic |
BindingFlags.Public |
foreach (FieldInfo expectedField in expectedType.GetFields(filedExtractionOptions))
if (!exclusionList.Contains(expectedField.Name))
if (expectedField.FieldType.IsValueType || expectedField.FieldType == typeof(String))
object expectedValue = expectedType.InvokeMember(expectedField.Name,
null, expected, null);
object actualValue = actualType.InvokeMember(expectedField.Name,
null, actual, null);
if (actual == null && expectedValue == null)
// both null - ok
Console.WriteLine("{0}: null == null", expectedField.Name);
if (expectedValue == null || actualValue == null)
// one null the other not. Failure
Assert.Fail(expectedField.Name + ": Expected Or Actual is null! (but not both)");
Console.Write("{0}: {1} == {2} ?", expectedField.Name, expectedValue.ToString(), actualValue.ToString());
Assert.AreEqual(expectedValue, actualValue, "Value of filed doesn't match in " + expectedField.Name);
Console.WriteLine(" true.");
else if (expectedField.FieldType.IsClass)
object expectedObject = expectedType.InvokeMember(expectedField.Name,
BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.NonPublic | BindingFlags.Instance | BindingFlags.GetField, null, expected, null);
object actualObject = actualType.InvokeMember(expectedField.Name,
BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.NonPublic | BindingFlags.Instance | BindingFlags.GetField, null, actual, null);
if (expectedObject != null
&& actualObject != null)
Console.WriteLine(">>>>>>>> digging into " + expectedField.Name);
Console.WriteLine("<<<<<<<< back from dig" + expectedField.Name);
/// <summary>
/// Ensures none of the values is null.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="parameters">The parameters to check for null.</param>
private static void ensureNotNull(params object [] parameters)
foreach( object obj in parameters)
if (obj == null)
throw new ArgumentNullException("at least one parameter is null");


text:
SAN DIEGO (CNS) - Starting Saturday night, four cargo truck lanes at the Otay Mesa Cargo Facility will be open to passenger vehicles entering the country, to help ease weekend holiday traffic, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said Saturday.
The Otay Mesa passenger port of entry will increase its ability to process U.S.-bound passenger vehicles by supplementing traffic lanes at the border crossing tonight and Sunday and again Jan. 5-6, according to spokeswoman Angelica De Cima.
"We worked to staff CBP officers during these two weekends in an effort to alleviate high levels of traffic during the holiday season," said Pete Flores, director of field operations for San Diego and Imperial counties.
"We are pleased that the cargo facility could be employed efficiently and securely to temporarily extend the number of passenger lanes leading into the U.S."
The governments of the United States and Mexico planned to work together to route northbound traffic through the Mexican customs export lot into the Otay Mesa Cargo Facility from about 5 p.m. each day until around midnight, De Cima said.
The conversions were scheduled to begin after commercial cargo processing at the facilities ends about 4 p.m. Cargo lots on both sides of the border usually process commercial shipments from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends and holidays, according to De Cima.
Mexican police officials will be stationed in the northbound lanes and will direct waiting traffic into the cargo truck lanes leading to the Mexican customs export lot. Traffic will then head north into the U.S. cargo import lot where four temporary processing lanes will be set up, De Cima said.
Officials at the temporary station will be able to issue I-94 permits for Mexican travelers and will staff agricultural specialists to inspect plants or food products, De Cima said.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
1973 Mercedes-Benz 280SE1973 Mercedes-Benz 280SE sedan model in mint conditionBlue exterior plus a matching Blue leather interiorEquipped with a 4.5 liter V8 gas and... More
1968 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 4 Door Sedan. This beautiful, elegant, original Mercedes Benz sedan has to go......First person to show up with the money gets... More
1972 Mercedes Benz 280SE 4.5 Sedan finished in Dark Maroon with Saddle interior. It is obvious upon entry into the 280SE that the same... More
This car is in magnificient condition, like new. The car has only 107,278 miles and has original manuals and service records. Restored!... More
This car is remarkably gorgeous condition in/out with NO issues whatsoever! HID headlights/foglights have been added. New cruise control components have been added. New... More
The 111-series Mercedes-Benz is highly respected among discerning collectors for its combination of excellent build quality sophisticated design comfortable ride great handling and luxurious... More
1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SE Cabriolet RestoMod, This 280SE was recently restored by a highly-regarded San Francisco Bay area Mercedes authority specializing in Type 111 restorations... More
--White with Blue leather interior and Blue cloth convertible top, Automatic floor shift, Factory air conditioning, 57,000 miles from new, Matching Numbers. One of the... More
Mercedes-Benz created a continuing success when it combined its competent elegantly styled luxurious 280 SE 111-series chassis with its 3499 cc single overhead camshaft... More
1972 Mercedes-Benz 280SE, This car was a daily driver for years. I retired it for financial reasons and the work it was in need... More
One previous family owned, and has led a pampered existence which shows in its unique, original, exceptional condition. Much money spent to maintain in tip... More
1969 Mercedes Benz 280se two door coupe Vehicle title:clear/Matching Numbers/Smoke free automobile New Paint/New Tires 14" 1/2" whitewall/Dayton Rims/Chrome wheel molding/Fog lamps All Chrome in excellent condition/Original ... More
1972 Mercedes 280SE 4.5 Sedan '72 Mercedes 280SE 4.5 Sedan, silver with navy blue interior, power windows, a/c, same owner for many years, excellent original... More
1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Liter Sunroof Coupe Chassis No. 111 026 10 002018 Engine No. 116 980 10 000340 Transmission No. 000962 Factory Build Date: July 27,... More
This Mercedes 280 3.5 Cabriolet has beautiful paint, leather interior, wood trim and top. This is a fantastic color combination, with the silver exterior,... More


text:
Everything having to do with New Mexico Tech's Distance Education Program can be performed online. To help you get started, review the list below.
• Find Tuition and Fees for attending New Mexico Tech. All Distance Education Classes are subject to an additional cost of $350 per class. On-campus students enrolled in DE Classes may have access to recordings for a fee of $50 per class.
• See a list of Courses Offered in the degree programs. If the class you are looking for is not offered as a DE Course, you may want to contact the department and request that it be offered. The Spring 2014 Course Schedule will let you know what time the class is scheduled for live viewing. View the New Mexico Tech Course Catalog for a description of classes.
• All DE Students are required to apply for admission. Find out about applying for Graduate Admission to New Mexico Tech.
• As a New Mexico Tech student Banweb will be your link to all the student information you will need. You can register online, view grades and access forms. Learn more about using Banweb.
• As a DE Student, you will use the Course Portal to access all of your course content and upload course work to your instructor. Learn more about using the Course Portal.
• DE Students will log onto Adobe Connect to view live lectures and previously recorded lectures. Find information on accessing and using Adobe Connect online classrooms.
Copyright 2014 New Mexico Tech


text:
To do a refresh in the spring would be weird since they do their iPod stuff in the fall.
hopefully its the end of the line and the new higher capacity hard drives will feature in new ipod touch models...?
An iPod classic 80GB is selling for under $100 right now on eBay, that might increase on this speculation.
There is still the market for those who want tons of space for their music library. Many iPod users (myself included) still use their iPod (Classic) to store their entire library and have it docked in a speaker setup at home. Since I got my first iPhone back in 2007 I don't think my 60GB iPod has left the house. I still use to to play music over my iPod speakers.
iPod Classics are still #1 for your home music collection in my opinion.
I would be highly upset if they discontinued the iPod Classic. I have close to 11k songs on there, the thing is always in my car, I only take it out when I need to charge/sync it. Plus, I wouldn't stand having to use an iPod Touch as a replacement. In my opinion, it's so much faster to navigate using the click wheel. Plus, using the iPod Classic is much simpler to use. I'm driving and I want to change the song, I just feel for the iPod and press the skip button. Otherwise, I would have to REMOVE my glove, get the iPod, unlock the iPod, go to the iPod.app, and change my song(or I could double click home and hit skip but that may not always be the case). I love my iPod Classic. If I want to play with a touch screen, then I'll just pull out my iPhone 4 and do what needs to be done.
TL;DR: Don't take away my iPod Classic.
I have the older classic wich is 160gigs I think. does anyone know if Apple would trade it for the newer classic?
Thanks in advance
i myself havent used my ipod away from home since i got my iphone, but would like to see an update on this product line since my ipod is kindof my time capsule, i store massive amounts of music and data in there so would definetly like to see a higher capacity model.
I think it's a discontinue, I haven't seen a single person buy a classic in over a year
Sent from my iPod touch using ModMyi
I hope they don't discontinue. Hopefully they come out with a 160GB again cause that would be perfect. The old one was just a little bulky
Apple also needs to implement the retina display onto the iPod classic. Imagine how that would look like!
Sent from my iPhone 4 using ModMyi
I would love to see a 160GB or 200GB iPod Touch, I only use my Classic in my car because it holds all my stuff. I can't see Apple abandoning the click wheel as that is what made them famous
For some reason I have been drawn toward purchasing one of these lately. The first iPod I ever owned was a first gen Nano. I have had 3 iPod touches including the new one. But for some reason I want this. Cant figure out why. My touch if 8 GB. I guess it would allow me to get a WHOLE lot more music. And movies. Maybe Im just crazy :/


text:
I ran a shorter version of this heartfelt essay on the education page in the AJC, but wanted to share the full piece here. This piece was written by math teacher Emily Desprez, a Teach for America teacher, after Cobb County's decision not to proceed with plans to hire 50 Teach for America teachers.
By Emily Desprez
It's 2:10 and the high school release bell just sounded. I arrived at school this morning at 6, but I won't leave until 5. My students' futures are at stake and are worthy of a few extra hours of my time. I am a 22-year- old high school math teacher at a Title 1 school in the Atlanta area. Less than five years ago I was a student at Sandy Creek High School in Fayette County.
It was then my passion for equal educational opportunities launched. I sat in an AP Calculus class taught by an inspiring teacher whose students consistently passed the final AP test –thereby automatically earning college credit. I looked around and saw mostly white faces. Conversely, the demographic mix of my non-AP English class reflected the black majority of Sandy Creek. I was puzzled. Why so few non-whites in my AP math and science courses? This question lingered in my head during my remaining time in high school and at Georgia Tech, where as an honors graduate, I earned a degree in business management.
While in college I received numerous scholarships, immersed myself in cultural events, volunteered around Atlanta and started an awareness group that focused on hunger and homelessness. I also studied abroad for a year. Much of my success at college was a direct result of the education I received at Sandy Creek.
As a senior at Tech, I applied for a position with Teach For America. TFA's goal is to ensure that children, whose life circumstances put them at a disadvantage, are not denied an excellent education. TFA accomplishes this goal by identifying and fast-tracking leaders into teachers who are expected to put the education of children above all else. They reinforced this expectation by driving home a startling fact: only 8% of kids growing up in low-income communities graduate from college by age 24.
Only after filling out an application, writing an essay, participating in phone interviews, teaching a sample lesson, and attending a day-long interview was I accepted into the program. A program in which less than 10% of the applicants are accepted. To top off my joy, I was thrilled to learn that I would be teaching high school math in Atlanta.
Following my acceptance, I attended what TFA euphemistically calls "summer institute," but is more like teacher's boot camp. At "camp" I taught eighth grade math in an Atlanta Public School to middle school students who failed the CRCT. These summer school sessions focused on CRCT math to help the kids pass the CRCT and then move on to high school.
Each day, after teaching these classes, I attended intensive training workshops on topics that ranged from high-rigor lesson planning to classroom management. I learned about the levels of Bloom's Taxonomy, Lee Canter's Behavioral Management Cycle, special education practices, and differentiation based on student needs—many of the same topics discussed by my friends who studied education in college.
Although boot camp gave me the tools and knowledge I required as a first-time teacher, nothing could have fully prepared me for the day-to-day challenge of teaching algebra to 180 students of diverse backgrounds.
Still, on that first day of school in August, I entered my classroom knowing that every child has potential, and it was my mission, and as a teacher, my responsibility to ensure they would receive the education necessary to unleash it. I had come full circle from that day years ago in my high school AP Calculus class. I was ready.
During my first semester I built strong relationships with my students, some of whom had never passed a math class in high school without taking it multiple times, or were soon to be the first high school graduate in their family. I teach students who walk to school when they miss the bus, who live in two-bedroom apartments with 10 family members, who hated math for the first 16 years of their lives, or who never believed they could "dominate" (as we say in my classroom) every math problem they encounter — if they only believed in their potential and trusted that every problem has a solution.
I learn much from my students each day about the impact that growing up in a disadvantaged environment has on their school life. I'm reminded daily that poverty, broken homes, working parents, etc., are added hurdles that they and I, as their teacher, must overcome.
From this I've learned that success in the classroom is as much the teacher's responsibility as it is the student's. Each day when the 6:45 a.m. bus unloads my first period class of Math I repeaters, I'm reminded of the relationships we have built, of what I've learned from them, and what it takes to close the achievement gap between low-income schools and those in more affluent areas.
And so I was puzzled to read in The Atlanta Journal Constitution that the Cobb County Superintendent "averted a fight over Teach for America, withdrawing, at least for now, his proposal to hire 50 teachers from the program." The article stated that Superintendent Michael Hinojosa wanted to hire TFA teachers to help close a gap in achievement at schools in South Cobb, where test scores have consistently lagged the district average.
Unfortunately, teachers and some board members were critical of the proposal, saying it undermined staff morale. How, I wondered, would hiring Teach for America teachers undermine staff morale?
I teach at a school where veteran teachers fully embrace my optimistic and exuberant personality, and consistently assist me in becoming a better teacher. Few know that I am not a "traditional teacher." To them, I am a young college graduate who wanted to jump right into the heart of public education's largest downfall: not offering equal opportunity to students from difficult circumstances. Many teachers I collaborate with also come from non-traditional backgrounds, such as accountants, journalists, and even a few with law degrees. I'm just another teacher.
I passed the GACE (Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators) for high school math in the 98th percentile. I immediately enrolled in an alternative certification program in which I will earn my renewable teaching certification by the end of this year. I attend almost every available staff development workshop because I want to do everything possible to ensure that my 180 students are receiving a rigorous math curriculum delivered with engaging and real-life applications.
Between my math department mentor at my school, my manager of teaching and leadership development at Teach for America, and my alternative certification program adviser, I am constantly receiving and reflecting on feedback from their observations of my teaching, lesson planning, and classroom management. Interestingly, my presence in my high school isn't decreasing teacher morale.
So, I'm a typical TFA teacher and my co-teachers accept me as one of their own. Why won't you, Cobb County teachers and board members, hire me? What is more important when it comes to hiring educators: a teaching degree or an individual who believes that the achievement gap must be closed, and is willing to do anything necessary to make that a reality?
If the Cobb County Board of Education put student achievement first, the question of whether or not reducing a few teachers' level of morale in exchange for 50 Teach for America teachers wouldn't even be asked. The answer is obvious.
To those opposing teachers in Cobb, I would like to share with you an excerpt from a thank-you note from one of my students: "You are my favorite math teacher ever! You always have patience and try to explain things so clearly. Thank you for having such a positive attitude toward students and trying to get us to do well and get good grades. Thank you for making me end my day in a good mood by always having a smile on your face and being so outgoing and understanding about things. Thanks for always being here for me when I need help, encouraging me to set and reach goals, for all the nice and kind things you have done to help me accomplish things at school. I had never made above a C in math before now. You motivate me to want to achieve my goals so I can be someone in life."
"So I can be someone in life." Talk about high morale. If I ever stop taking steps toward ensuring increased levels of student achievement I will stop teaching.
Should not the teachers in Cobb County have the same attitude –for the students? For high morale?
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
February 27th, 2012
6:20 am
1-as soon as she interjected race and "diversity" she lost me.
2-as to why Cobb (or anybody else) makes the stupid decisions they do on hiring, promoting, and support? good luck with that one. sadly, welcome to educational real world 101. common sense and educational administration do not exist in the same universe.
3-however well meaning, people like me, 50+, really don't like being lectured to by 20 somethings just out into the work force.
February 27th, 2012
6:25 am
So my question to Emily: after your stint with Teach for America in South Cobb, are you going to permanently relocate and continue to teach in South Cobb? Or, as I imagine most Teach For America teachers do, are you going to do your very short stint in a low-SES school, then get a good job in East Cobb where the students are wonderful and they make you look like a great teacher no matter how you teach? In is no wonder they say "you would not be good for morale" – you come in on your white horse as "better than the existing teachers" and give your all for a short period, then vanish and feel good about what you did for those "poor students". Yet the teachers who slog in the trenches day in and day out get no support and no respect because their student make them look like the teachers are not doing a good job.
You want to do good, Emily, put your soul where your mouth is and PERMANENTLY select a teaching job in a low-SES school system. After you put in twenty years there, THEN you can claim to be a good teacher. I give you odds of ten to one you don't make it five years.
February 27th, 2012
6:36 am
There are so many teachers with great qualifications AND a teaching degree who are out of work or cannot find work in Georgia. In a better economy I welcome TFA teachers, in a bad economy like this I think highly qualified, smart, hard working teachers with an actual education degree should get priority. JMHO. Does she not understand that there are many others whose passion is teaching and decided to pursue a teaching degree. They spent 4+ years of their lives preparing to be a teacher, only to find out that there is not a demand for their skills. If you are a new grad in GA with a teaching degree you either have to have an "in" with someone or move far away, as in – internationally.
February 27th, 2012
6:43 am
In 30 years of teaching, I earned threee college degrees ( at Georgia State University, not a diploma mill school). I spent summers and nights after teaching grading papers, preparing lessons, WRITING papers, and studying for my advanced degree courses. It took me 5 years to get my Master's and 7 to obtain my Specialist degree. I am not complaining because what I learned was invaluable and made me a better teacher. Today I work with "fast track, boot camp" teachers whose lack of knowledge of their subject is appalling. An English teacher who cannot speak or write correct English or teach grammar correctly. A math teacher who never took algebra in school and can't explain fractions or spell correctly.A social studies teacher who does not understaand why Prince Philip is not King of England if his wife is Queen. A science teacher who cannot explain why hot water freezes faster than cold water.
These so called "teachers" have taken shortcuts that do not benefit students. The public wants "better qualified" teachers. They won't get them from"teacher boot camps" which have merit only in opening their eyes to the difficulties of classroom management today.Would you go to a doctor who attended a summer "boot camp" and then was considered ready to practice medicine? Or to a lawyer or financial advisor who obtained his education in that fashion?
Teacher quality is declining because of these short cut educators. I once team taught Language Arts with a teacher who had only ever tuaght one novel in her teaching career–" The Lion. The Witch, and the Wardrobe" to her sixth graders. She managed to avoid teaching " To Kill a Mockingbird" and "Romeo and Juliet" to her ninth graders– literary works that were on the 9th grade end- of- course tests. Add to this the low pay and applalling working conditions, and you have ignorant people in the classroom. Yet these people are touted as better teachers than I because they plan and execute cute, fun activities that the kids can do easily but learn and retain little from. I am considered to be old and out of touch with students today because I demand that they meet standards by using tried and true methods that are not often fun.I don't read the novel out loud to my studetns– they are forced to read it themselves. That is " hard work" and most don't like it. Too bad.
And you wonder why Cobb does not want them? Hurray for Cobb! They finally did something right.
February 27th, 2012
6:46 am
a-12+ hour workdays are not uncommon, even for old folks like me
b-us old farts have often have families, comunity issues, and other jobs (since teaching in Georgia doesn't pay worth squat) which also
put demands on our time
c- don't confuse cordiality with support. fastest way to end up professionally dead on arrival. manners don't always equate to advocacy. in life, most are right behind you – win or tie.
d-considering what just went on with APS, saying one is willing to do "anything" to close the gap in something is gonna sit uneasy with people
e-obviously for Cobb BOE the answer isn't obvious. common sense and political goals often have nothing to do with each other
f-nearly all of us have those kinds of notes from students, parents, coworkers. admin doesn't care.
February 27th, 2012
6:47 am
MAUREEN STRIKES…ONCE AGAIN!!! Maureen…do you EVER publish anything OTHER THAN COMPLETE NEGATIVITY towards public school teachers??!! You know quite well why Cobb isn't hiring any TFA "teachers"…the county is very possibly going to be laying off teachers and we don't need TFA at this time. You know this yet you purposely and negatively post another detrimental blog article. SHAME ON YOU MAUREEN!! As for Emily…good for you girl…I'm so happy that you are the BEST TEACHERS THOSE STUDENTS HAVE EVER HAD IN THEIR ENTIRE LIVES! Get over yourself.
February 27th, 2012
6:53 am
if I could talk to Emily directly, I'd tell her:
I genuinely do respect the spirit, desire, and willingness to work she seems to bring with her. and I have no desire to dump on that. but
at 22 she doesn't yet know what she doesn't know.
please consider that school for you is still very much in session. keep working for your education, take time to listen to others who've been at this longer, and be willing to be mentored by someone.
February 27th, 2012
6:55 am
Budget, baby, budget. To hire a TFA, the system must sign a contract and pay an additional $1,000.00 over the teacher's salary, meaning an addiotinal $2000.00 since they have to keep them 2 years. It adds up. We can'r pay regular teachers, why extra for you, plus the additional cost of training?
February 27th, 2012
7:00 am
BC hit the nail right on the head! Emily my be a great teacher, but she comes from the cult headed by folks like Bill Gates who think everything is wrong with public education. It's their job to come in and save the children from discriminating, uncaring, and burnt out teachers.
February 27th, 2012
7:01 am
Once again, she falls back on that old standby, "If you don't like this (insert reform here), then you don't want kids to succeed." That's a false argument. Teachers don't fall for the latest cure du jour, because we've seen and heard it all, and the cure du jour is quickly replaced by something new.
February 27th, 2012
7:02 am
easy on Emily guys….
it appears (big word there) we're dealing with a young, idealistic, gen whatever kid who just got hammered by a huge dose of reality 101.
my guess is she was sold a bill of goods about how the world is just sitting there waiting for her with arms wide open for her to change it.
she needs helpful criticisms, not to be crapped on.
February 27th, 2012
7:02 am
"What is more important when it comes to hiring educators: a teaching degree or an individual who believes that the achievement gap must be closed, and is willing to do anything necessary to make that a reality?"
Answer: Both
February 27th, 2012
7:06 am
@ teacher & mom
slightly different take: a true believer with the ability to actually make a difference. while some can come directly from the corporate world with 20-30 years experience successfully, for most of us we gotta have 1) the papers and 2) the skills which came from getting said papers
February 27th, 2012
7:15 am
hopefully someone will point out to Emily if she's sincere, there are plenty of places for her to help save the nation.
from private tutoring companies to AmericaCorps (whatever it looks like now) to teaching on impoverished Navajo reservations, the chance to make a different for a young person is high
but not necessarily in one of the most affluent counties in Georgia
February 27th, 2012
7:18 am
@Emily – If you chose to stay in education past the five year point, and I hope you do, you'll find education and closing the achievement gap to be much more than good standardized test scores.
Once you realize that, then the real work will begin. It is HARD work, but it is GOOD work. I'm uncertain about how TFA trains their teachers, but if you consistently hear…."this____ will increase test scores"… be wary. NEVER look at your students' as a potential passing/failing test score.
Never stop being a student. Read, research, and implement strong pedagogy in your classroom. Be wary of the vendors from test prep companies selling you their current version of "snake oil".
Find a strong teacher in your building and attach yourself to his/her hip. Ask them to observe your classroom. Ask them to look over your tests, worksheets, lesson plans, etc. Be open to different ideas and suggestions.
Stick it out. Don't be a five year statistic. Thirty years from now, you'll be tired and ready for a well-deserved retirement. You can look back with pride at all the lives you have touched and the difference you made in helping them achieve their dreams.
February 27th, 2012
7:32 am
I LOVE this person's attitude. And I'm glad we have smart, motivated people who want to make a difference. BUT BUT BUT, if she thinks closing the achievement gap starts in the classroom, I would urge her to review all of the evidence indicating that PARENTAL direction (usually two parents who have made smart decisions) are the key, not good teachers (although good teachers are very important). I applaud her for wanting to do her part.
February 27th, 2012
7:57 am
I don't know a lot about the "Teach for America" program but the commenters here (even the usually reliable Elizabeth) seem to be missing two important points:
1. Emily graduated from GEORGIA TECH!!! I can guarantee you that she knows math and has the intestinal fortitude to persevere through tough times. That's a "Blue Chip" credential. GT is not noted for "fun, cute" learning activities. I know because I went there.
2. She has a passion for teaching and isn't afraid to take on the challenges in South Cobb. Sure, her enthusiasm might wane but that's a risk with any new teacher. I'm all for utilizing experienced teachers but ONLY if they really want to be in that particular school.
I'm not a fan of "quickie" teacher preparation programs. However, there are exceptions and Emily seems to be one.
February 27th, 2012
7:58 am
If you are really are motivated and passionate, get an education degree, then come back rather than taking the jobs of truly prepared teachers. Your article did nothing to persuade me. I am very glad Cobb Board made the decision they did, even if it is the first one they got right since ruining the school calendar.
February 27th, 2012
8:02 am
Teach for America is NOT a cure for our schools. We need teachers with high-caliber credentials who are committed to their students. We need to stop playing games with our children's education. Cobb County made the right decision when they chose to stay away from this program. While this young person may have many good attributes that make her a good teacher, she has presented arguments that are faulty from the outset. The most egregious is the underlying assumption that Cobb County teachers do not share her zeal for teaching. Good luck to her as she finds her path in life.
February 27th, 2012
8:15 am
Over my years of teaching, I have seen many like her with excitement (both TFA and not) to start. And then, reality sets in….
I sincerely hope that she can continue with her attitude. I fear that her eyes will be opened very soon. I pray that her future administrators don't destroy her zest for teaching.
February 27th, 2012
8:16 am
These comments from teachers make me sick. Easy to see why teachers fail the students. You act like idiots, only looking to protect your "union-mentality" driven positions. You have to protect all teachers, especially bad ones, against the real world, where earning your keep every day is critical to keeping your job and keeping your employer in business. If each of you had to get results to keep your job, you wouldn't be whining about some young upstart showing you up in the classroom. You would be improving your skill, looking for more efficient and better ways to teach not only at a higher level, but how to teach more kids in a day so you could earn more money. You worry about your idiotic certifications as though they actually matter. Teaching profession is full of unqualified, tenure-seeking, low IQ individuals with just enough of a heart beat to get through the day alive. Plenty of great teachers, but without competition and true pay for performance approaches, the profession will never be PROFESSIONAL, just another jobs program for well-meaning, underperforming leeches.
February 27th, 2012
8:21 am
Emily, you asked why Cobb is against hiring 50 teachers from Teach For America – well, the answer is this:
Cobb has already said the county will be losing positions (supposedly attrition through retirement and leaving the county will take care of it) but now the EIP (Early Intervention Program) teachers will not have jobs due to removal of the program through out the county. Why do we need to hire additional people when we have a pool of experienced educators from which to choose?
It's nothing personal against the TFA teachers. It's about timing, funding, and the secrecy from the Superintendent. Perhaps if he had chosen the proper channels to secure funding, the public would not be looking on the program with suspicion.
February 27th, 2012
8:25 am
Let's see – could it be that we are losing teaching jobs in Cobb next year (including the Early intervention Program EIP) , the budget, the timing of Teach for America and the secrecy in which the superintendent went about looking for funding? Why do we need to hire new/ not yet certified when we will have a pool of experienced teachers from which to choose? It's not personal .
February 27th, 2012
8:26 am
sorry for double post – didn't think the first one went through….
February 27th, 2012
8:32 am
Emily, you ask a good question, which is "How, I wondered, would hiring Teach for America teachers undermine staff morale?"
Here is the answer: many teachers with education degrees feel threatened by you. Many teachers with traditional education degrees want everyone to believe that only those with an education degree are the only ones who can teach. If you come with your great attitude and your non-education degree and work hard from 6 to 5 each day, you make them look bad by comparison. In other words, it's professional jealousy.
My best advice for you is for you to keep on teaching as you usually do. Keep putting in the effort as you are and don't let others know yet thta you are a TFA. Then work to get your education degree. Save all those notes from parents and teachers and students. Save those notes as evidence. Then after you get your teaching degree, insist on being hired and show them all the evidence and after you get your education degree, let everyone know how you started, as a TFA.
Then, please, i am begging you, come to Atlanta Public Schools where we really need and appreciate good teachers, regardless of what degree you have or what you look like or how old you are.
Don't let the jealous types get you down. If you were doing a poor job, they would want you to stay s proof that TFAs are doing a bad job. Remember what is most important — the kids. Keep teaching and work to get your education degree so that you can stay and be secure and earn all the great benefits you deserve.
Good Mother
February 27th, 2012
8:33 am
William Casey:
I am aware that she graduated from Georgia Tech. She is, however, the exception, not the rule. Tech prepares its math students well — but do they prepare them to TEACH math? Knowing math is only part of the equation. The other part is learning how to teach it to ALL students, plus a host of other lessons that I bet Georgia Tech does not deal with or teach. A summer in boot camp does not make her prepared to teach math to students in middle or high school who have not learned their multiplication tables and don't want to learn them. REAL teachers, like REAL doctors, come from respected schools of higher learning that prepare teachers academically and give them the preparation they need to learn how to teach what they are learning. GSU did that for me. It took years, not months. You can know a subject– listen up, corporate America– and not be able to teach it. I "know" a lot about heart disease because it runs in my family. That does not make me qualified to diagnose or treat it. You need BOTH parts of the equation to be an effective teacher. And I would strongly resent a 22 year old coming in with the attitude that she know as much or more than do about educating kids.I am glad she is motivated and enthusiastic. Will she still be in 5 years? Can she teach the lowest of the low year after year and not get discouraged? Then and only then will she be a REAL teacher.
February 27th, 2012
8:46 am
Emily should find a school system that is willing to take an innovative approach to teaching math in grades 7-12. Use Kahn's Academy videos and/or develop a similar approach. Kahn's Academy works (check the comments of those who use it) and it could lead to a better and cheaper method of instructing students. Why have 100 math teachers presenting the same material (some better/some worse)? This would allow for more teachers to concentrate on tutoring those that still don't understand the material in the videos.
February 27th, 2012
8:47 am
To Emily Desprez……..you sound like a great teacher of young men and women; however, you have a problem and it's this……"Other teachers view you as a threat because you are an outstanding educator and, even tho they are not unionized, they still have that Union Mentality that view anyone/anything that is a threat to the status quo as dangerous to their livelihood"……i. e., you're just too darn good for public schools. Find yourself a teaching position in a top notch private school where you will be appreciated for what you bring to your students.
February 27th, 2012
8:48 am
" I would strongly resent a 22 year old coming in with the attitude that she know as much or more than do about educating kids."
Spend a lot of time with humble 22 year olds, do you? Ms. Desprez may not know as much as you, and may not even know what she doesn't know. But God bless her. SOMEbody's got to wake up this morning determined to change the world, and mostly it's 22 year olds who don't know any better.
I have to say, with respect to teacher education, it's not clear to me based on the comments on this board whether resentment for the lack thereof stems more from
"how could they do x, y, and z without taking the classes to learn how?"
"by gum, if I had to go through these bleeping education classes before I got to teach, why don't they?!"
February 27th, 2012
8:51 am
I would guess the vast majority of these Teach for America teachers are white and are clearly far more motivated than the black teachers they would be working with. That would certainly "undermine staff morale". Never mind what's best for the kids.
February 27th, 2012
8:58 am
I remember the days when we were so desperate for teachers that my principal interviewed someone on the side of the road and hired him. We're not in that place anymore. Cobb and many other systems are losing positions, so it would be ridiculous to agree to hire 50 people from outside the system. Also, Emily should understand that many of us have a bad taste in our mouths regarding TFA because so many young people only stick it out for their two years and then move on, using their teaching experience to pad their resumes and grad school applications.
Emily says that she is getting alternative certification, so I hope that she will be in teaching for the long haul. I look forward to hearing from her again in 10-15 years.
February 27th, 2012
9:03 am
pity we won't be able to see Emily land in say, Rascal's or GM's world at 22 and them tell them how to do their alleged jobs.
February 27th, 2012
9:06 am
"Thirty years from now, you'll be tired and ready for a well-deserved retirement."
Thank you for reminding us of one major benefit that teachers DO get that the rest of us dont: the ability to retire at 52. Some of us will have to work 45 years before we get to retire.
February 27th, 2012
9:07 am
@ William
Emily graduated from Tech.
Joe Hamilton did too, and while he was a great college football player,
just because he got a degree from Tech doesn't mean he can teach.
knowledge of a subject does not mean the ability to teach it.
you, of all people, should know better
February 27th, 2012
9:09 am
ability to retire at 52?
damn, wish someone had told me. I'm several years overdue.
February 27th, 2012
9:10 am
"Also, Emily should understand that many of us have a bad taste in our mouths regarding TFA because so many young people only stick it out for their two years and then move on, using their teaching experience to pad their resumes and grad school applications."
Amen, Batgirl! Numerous people have told me that this has been their experience with TFA people (I won't call them teachers until they teach for 10 years). They are like those white people who participate in Hosea Williams' feed the hungry initiative every Thanksgiving, then forget about the hungry the other 364 days a year.
February 27th, 2012
9:12 am
Batgirl, You say "Also, Emily should understand that many of us have a bad taste in our mouths regarding TFA because so many young people only stick it out for their two years and then move on, using their teaching experience to pad their resumes and grad school applications."
First of all, no one, no one outside education looks for someone with teaching experience. I know. I am a business woman who hires people. Education degrees are regarded by those of us in business as about as worthwhile as degrees in basket weaving.
If you don't believe me, go see yourself at Monster.com or Dice.com. Every job description has a "required" section and a "highly desired" section. None of them ever list teaching as required or highly desired. Everyone understands and appreciates what a deree from Georgia Tech means. A degree from Georgia Tech in information techology, math, business and especially engineering is highly prized. Just a decade ago, a graduate of GA tech in any of those majors earend a student fresh out of college a signing bonus equivalet to TENs of thousands of dollars. For education majors at ANY institution, we wouldn't even consider interviewing anyone withan education degree.
Regarding the two years or "stick it out" mantra. I am a parent and would rather have a fresh faced, enthusiastic teacher rather than a burned out old bitter Betty teaching my kid.
Batgirl, I think you rae a teacher who is trying to protect her turf becaue your comment belittling Emily are just sour grapes and have no merit.
Good Mother
February 27th, 2012
9:14 am
for those of you cheerleading Emily's attitude:
which one
the whiny, self indulgent one
the nobody can teach but me
I'm willing to work hard – not fully knowing what the job entails
February 27th, 2012
9:15 am
no one outside education looks for someone with teaching experience…
don't know if I should laugh or cry at that one.
February 27th, 2012
9:16 am
Bootney makes a sarcastic remark and says "pity we won't be able to see Emily land in say, Rascal's or GM's world at 22 and them tell them how to do their alleged jobs."
I welcome criticism and feedback. I'm a mature adult, which means I know there is always something I could do better and I welcome all the Emily's of the world. I also hire them.
Good Mother
February 27th, 2012
9:18 am
on behalf of all the professional educatators here, I wish to apologise.
we obvoiusly failed you on so many, many levels.
grammer, logic, spelling, critical thinking..
based on the content of your posts you have every right to be mad at us.
February 27th, 2012
9:19 am
I've got the perfect solution
Good Mother can hire Emily, and pay her six figures a year
problems solved.
February 27th, 2012
9:21 am
You write "no one outside education looks for someone with teaching experience…don't know if I should laugh or cry at that one."
It doesn't matter whether you want to laugh or cry because those of us who do the hiring won't hear you do either. You have to face it, education degrees outside of the education industry is not worth the resume it is listed on. If you want to be in education, learn to love it because that education degree won't get you a job outside of education.
…but a great attitude, a willingness to have someone YOUNGER than you as your boss two levels up and a willingness to understand that you will never know it all…might get you an interview.
Good Mother
February 27th, 2012
9:24 am
You sarcastically write again "I've got the perfect solution
Good Mother can hire Emily, and pay her six figures a year
problems solved."
I do hire people who make six figures. They are not uncommon in my field and a GA tech math degree would have me looking at her very closely. You betcha…but for a guy or gal who calls him or herself "Bootney" and has an education degree and a sullen demeanor, nah…you better learn to love education, Bootney, because there is no place for you in business.
Good Mother
February 27th, 2012
9:25 am
Here is the difference between parents and teachers on this blog: Parents wish there were more teachers like Emily. Teachers wish there were less
February 27th, 2012
9:31 am
February 27th, 2012
9:32 am
I teach with Emily and I desperately wish that there were MORE teachers like her!
February 27th, 2012
9:33 am
So I guess Good Mother would like to see an endless parade of two-year wonders such as Emily, without having any experienced "burnt-out" teachers. A good question is: how good are these TFA teachers anyway in the EOCT or CRCT that teachers (real teachers) are evaluated on. Emily may have one student that raves over her, but how good was she at teaching that student that missed 30 days of the school year? Did HER class make AYP in the testing cernter?
February 27th, 2012
9:35 am
Also, Are TFA teachers given the same class sizes and same restrictions and same (lack of) support as real teachers?


text:
As director of BBC Natural History films, Paul Williams flies all over the world. But once the onboard entertainment is exhausted, Williams turns to his camera and photographs the amazing vistas below.
"My favorite continent to fly over is Australia. The sky is usually cloudless offering a clear view, it's often sunny and it's always spectacular," Williams tells weather.com.
Photographer Paul Williams. (Paul Williams/ironammonite.com)
He likens Australia's worn and red soiled terrain to that of Mars.
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To see more of Williams' airplane aerials, check out his blog or follow him on Twitter.
MORE FROM WEATHER.COM: Aerial Photos of World's Cities
Athens, Greece
An aerial view of Athens, Greece. (Thinkstock)


text:
Bag Of Fish Shuts Down Baggage Claim
September 27, 2011 by UPI - United Press International, Inc.
ATLANTA, Sept. 27 (UPI) — Police in Atlanta said a suspicious unclaimed package that shut down an airport baggage claim area for about an hour turned out to contain fish.
Investigators said baggage handlers at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport opened the luggage Monday afternoon and called police when they found strange leaves and a lot of aluminum foil at the top of the bag, WSB-TV, Atlanta, reported Tuesday.
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Police said the bag received the all-clear from bomb detection equipment so they emptied the package and discovered a large amount of fish. Police said the unknown traveler, who is still being sought, likely tried to bring the fish in from overseas and spice it up inside the luggage.


text:
Listen now 28 mins
Melvyn Bragg presents an analysis and celebration of the remarkable language, voice and vocal acrobatics displayed throughout his life by Sir Winston Churchill. "The nation had the lion's heart. I had the luck to give the roar," Churchill is reported once to have said about his pivotal role in the Second World War. But the 'roar' that he gave the country was far more than sound - it was, as his memorable speeches amply illustrate, a subtle mixture of words and delivery, of voice, vocal pyrotechnics and a deep understanding of the power of language that was unique.
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With a stay at Grand Hotel Cravat, you'll be centrally located in Luxembourg, steps from Monument of Remembrance and Luxembourg City Hall. This 4-star hotel is within close proximity of Notre-Dame Cathedral and Place Guillaume II. Make yourself at home in one of the 60 guestrooms featuring minibars and plasma televisions. Wireless Internet access (surcharge)...
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The Sofitel Luxembourg Le Grand Ducal, overlooks the centrally located Pétrusse Valley and the historic district of the city. It is the ideal place to immerse yourself in the delightful charm of Luxembourg, while enjoying first class hospitality and facilities during your stay. The hotel is conveniently situated in the historic city center, 10 min from the a...
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Beautiful room, great bar, service beyond expectations!
|Excellent - 1211 reviews
In the heart of Luxembourg City, Meliá Luxembourg is a new 4-star Sol Meliá property located at the centre of the triangle-shaped Place de l'Europe, on the Kirchberg plateau. Directly opposite the Luxemburg Congress Center and in close proximity to several EU institutions, the hotel is within easy walking distance from the European Court of Justice, the Cour...
Overall Rating - Excellent - 1211 reviews
|Excellent - 1100 reviews
The Novotel Luxembourg Centre is a 4 star hotel located in the UNESCO World Heritage listed historic centre of Luxembourg, 3 minutes from the train station connected by the TGV high-speed train services. It features 150 modern and comfortable rooms, a barand a restaurant, as well as 7 rooms for meetings and seminars. The hotel is equally suited to business o...
Overall Rating - Excellent - 1100 reviews
Mediocre 4.0
Not a business hotel and not worth the price. We had very few choices because of heavy bookings but I think I would delay my trip next time. Cheaply appointed and not terribly comfortable but reasonably clean. Breakfast was decent. Fitness center is very, very limited.\n
|Good - 503 reviews
The Grand Hotel Mercure Alfa Luxembourg is located opposite the railway station, in the heart of the business and shopping district and to the historic town centre, with the European Institutions nearby. 141 air-conditioned rooms with bathtub and shower are available for booking. Rooms are equiped with telephone, modem, television and minibar. The hotel has...
Overall Rating - Good - 503 reviews
Mediocre 3.0
The location
The hotel was shabby, stained carpet from the dogs I imagine. Most of the hotel staff except for one woman were not helpful and seemed annoyed when asked questions regarding directions and restaurants. I felt uncomfortable asking them for any help.The hotel is in a prime location. They could use a sprucing up of the hotel rooms and staff members. Would not recommend or stay there again.
|Excellent - 4254 reviews
The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Luxembourg overlooks a peaceful forest in southern Luxembourg. Our hotel offers contemporary accommodations ten minutes from Luxembourg city center and the Kirchberg quarter, with its international banks and EU institutions. For our guests' convenience, we provide plenty of onsite parking and scheduled airport shuttle service t...
Overall Rating - Excellent - 4254 reviews
Excellent 10.0
The staffThe hotel was very good for us, my wife and I had a good time there
Excellent 10.0
Excellent! We felt very welcomed. Everything was perfect!
Absolutely loved it!
|Good - 1413 reviews
The Novotel Luxembourg Kirchberg is a 4 star hotel located on the Kirchberg plateau, close to the institutions of the European Union. It Features 260 spacious rooms, renovated in 2009, a bar and restaurant, as well as 10 rooms for meetings and seminars.This hotel is ideally suited for business or leisure trips in Luxembourg. Just 10 minutes from Findel airpo...
Overall Rating - Good - 1413 reviews
Excellent 9.0
Friendliness of the staff. Very helpful.
noneExcellent place
|Good - 708 reviews
With a stay at Hôtel Le Châtelet in Luxembourg, you'll be minutes from Adolphe Bridge and Notre-Dame Cathedral. This hotel is within close proximity of Place Guillaume II and Luxembourg City History Museum. Stay in one of 49 guestrooms featuring flat-screen televisions. Windows open to city and garden views. Complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you c...
Overall Rating - Good - 708 reviews
|Okay - 1 reviews
With a stay at Hotel Grey in Luxembourg, you'll be convenient to Notre-Dame Cathedral and Grand Ducal Palace. This hotel is within close proximity of National Museum of Natural History and Luxembourg City History Museum. Make yourself at home in one of the 29 guestrooms featuring iPod docking stations and LCD televisions. Complimentary wireless Internet acce...
Overall Rating - Okay - 1 reviews
Okay 5.0
convenience to train station
loud train and plane traffic noise. reception area was 1.5 by 4 meters with 6 persons waiting to check in for two hours or more. we cannot understand why the desk clerk refused to open the kitchen area so folks could sit down and relax.a three star rating would be generous. kudos to the interior designer who achieved a pleasant result with limited budget and awkward space.
|Excellent - 296 reviews
Choose the hotel Miazia for your travel to south-western Luxembourg on business or on holiday. This intimate new Esch-sur-Alzette hotel is located in the quiet town of Belvaux, 3.4 miles (5.5 kilometers) west of the Esch-sur-Alzette city center. The Miazia has a quiet location in Belvaux (called Bieles in Luxembourgish and Beles in German), the country's 12t...
Overall Rating - Excellent - 296 reviews
|Excellent - 536 reviews
With a stay at Hotel Le Place d Armes, you'll be centrally located in Luxembourg, steps from Place d'Armes and Place Guillaume II. This 5-star hotel is within close proximity of Grand Ducal Palace and Notre-Dame Cathedral. Make yourself at home in one of the 28 air-conditioned rooms featuring minibars. Windows open to city and courtyard views. Complimentary...
Overall Rating - Excellent - 536 reviews
|Excellent - 1 reviews
Overall Rating - Excellent - 1 reviews


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LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) – Responding to a late-December open records request on Tuesday, Texas Tech released the termination letter pertaining to the dismissal of the football team's Defensive Coordinator, James Willis.
It is a one sentence memo signed by Football Head Coach Tommy Tuberville. It says, "Coach James Willis has been dismissed from Texas Tech and removed from all coaching duties and responsibilities as of 12/25/2010."
Previous statements from Texas Tech indicated that Willis left to pursue other career opportunities.
Meanwhile court records indicate that Willis turned himself in to the Lubbock County jail on January 5th. He has been charged with a misdemeanor count of domestic violence.
News of the domestic violence became public shortly after Willis' dismissal. Willis was investigated by Wolfforth police for an incident on December 22nd.
In the days that followed the dismissal, Coach Tuberville said that the issue of domestic violence never came up in his discussions with Willis. An email from Texas Tech seems to corroborate Tuberville's statement.
Timeline Of Events :
When asked for any memos, emails, police reports or other documents pertaining to the Wolfforth investigation, the university said, "Texas Tech has no records responsive to your request."
Willis was able to get out of jail by posting a $2,500 bond. His attorney, Dub Wade, declined a chance to comment at this time.
In late December Wolfforth police said that there no serious injuries in the domestic violence incident that they investigated at Willis' home.
Copyright 2011 KCBD NewsChannel 11. All rights reserved.
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Hey there folks!! Just wanted to let you know we will no longer be updating this blog. We launched our new site over at http://www.kampphotography.com where we will be posting all of our new content. This site will live on as a history of our work as we spent countless hours updating and sharing with everyone, and it would be a shame to take it down.
To all of you that have visited this space on the internet over the years, thank you, thank you from the bottom of our hearts =) we can't wait to show you the next chapter!
Best =)
Jake + Jess


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Shoulder Pleated Top
Style #325920002
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Product Description
Soft and lightweight, our Shoulder Pleated Top lends a little romance to a basic tee. Designed with soft gathered pleats at the shoulder and allover stripes.
- Slim fit
- Short sleeves
- 100% Cotton - Imported


text: Inspired by summer days at the fair, our petite lemon sugar cookies look like soft-serve cones, popsicles and shimmery cotton candy, but they have the chewy bite and irresistible richness of premium vanilla sugar cookies. An artisanal bakery prepares them from the very finest ingredients, including fresh eggs and creamery butter then decorates each cookie by hand with royal icing and sprinkles. Packaged in a cellophane bag tied with a white ribbon, they're a fun finishing touch for parties, picnics and afternoon tea.


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Your favorite little builder will love 7″ Construction Zone Plates. Building equipment plates are the perfect way to serve snacks, appetizers, and desserts during your upcoming birthday bash or construction event!
- 8 squared construction plates per package.
- Disposable plates are made of paper.
Your little one will love celebrating their special day with construction party supplies. Stock up on the building and excavating tableware you need to make your event one to remember!


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|David Sarkus International provides a full menu of value-added safety services and consultative support for the biggest and best organizations in the world. Some of our core services include safety culture assessments; strategic safety planning; safety culture improvement processes; safety culture branding; behavior-based safety; safety coaching and safety leadership training; engagement and alignment tools; executive coaching; safety management auditing; and even cutting-edge attention control tactics.
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As of Thursday, April 26, 2012
© Copyright 2014 Albany Herald
ALBANY, Ga. — Washington Community Development Center in Albany is hosting its first community health fair Saturday at 1604 W. Oakridge Drive.
The event will begin at 9 a.m. and continue through noon. Health screenings and demonstrations are scheduled. Information will be provided on health services and resources.
Wendolyn Davis of Washington CDC said the nonprofit, faith-based organization hopes to motivate those participating to make positive health behavior changes. She said qualified people will be available to teach self-care practices.
Participants will receive free screenings, health education, door prizes and healthy refreshments including fruits, waters, juice and muffins.
More like this story
- State organization to host health fair in Albany ( July 29, 2010 )
- Cuthbert health fair set for Saturday ( July 19, 2012 )
- Things to know in metro Albany for the week of Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2013 ( September 29, 2013 )
- Community Calendar - June 16, 2013 ( June 15, 2013 )
- Phoebe Putney to host health fair on Saturday ( October 22, 2009 )


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- Northern Essex Community College - http://www.necc.mass.edu -
Drug Convictions and Eligibility
Posted By sbaletsa On July 24, 2009 @ 4:01 pm In | Comments Disabled
A federal or state drug conviction during a semester in which you received financial aid can disqualify you from future financial aid funds. A conviction only counts if it is an offense that occurs during a period of enrollment for which you receive federal financial aid, such as a Pell Grant, work-study or student loan. Convictions do not count if the offense occurred during a semester in which you did not receive aid or the conviction was reversed, set aside, or removed from your record or you received the conviction as a juvenile (unless you were tried as an adult).
Loss of aid can be as follows:
|Possession of Illegal Drugs
|Sale of Illegal Drugs
|1st Offense
|Ineligible for aid for 1 year from date of conviction
|Ineligible for aid for 2 years from date of conviction
|2nd Offense
|Ineligible for aid for 2 years from date of conviction
|Indefinitely ineligible for aid*
|3+ Offenses
|Indefinitely ineligible for aid*
|Indefinitely ineligible for aid*
A student regains eligibility:
If you are denied eligibility indefinitely, you can regain eligibility after:
A qualified drug rehabilitation program must include at least two unannounced drug tests and must satisfy at least one of the following:
Check with the Financial Aid Team to see if your drug rehabilitation program is a qualified program for financial aid purposes.
Article printed from Northern Essex Community College: http://www.necc.mass.edu
URL to article: http://www.necc.mass.edu/getting-started/financial-aid/process/drug-conviction-policy/
Click here to print.
Copyright © 2013 Northern Essex Community College. All rights reserved.


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Matthew Oberlander, B.S.Computer Support Manager
McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts
Mathematics and Computer Science Department
College Hall 428
Phone: 412.396.4612
Education:B.S., Information Technology, Central Pennsylvania College, 2010
A.S.T., Computer Network Systems, ITT Technical Institute, 2008
Born and raised in New Oxford, PA (South Central PA). After graduating from New Oxford High School, I enrolled at ITT Technical Institute for Computer Network Systems. After graduating with my associate's degree, I immediately went on to receive my bachelor's degree at Central Pennsylvania College.
Upon graduating from Central Penn, I moved to Pittsburgh and was given the honor to come work at Duquesne shortly after moving to Pittsburgh.
Currently my plans are to continue my education, and earn my master's degree in an IT related field as well as continue to maintain my certifications.
Currently I have earned the following certifications:
CCNA - Cisco Certified Networking Associate
Comptia Security +
Comptia Network +
MCSA - Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator
Currently specializing in:
Computer Networks
Computer Forensics
Computer Security
System Administration