text:
It's the weekend, and that often means you want to take a break from the news of the day. Each week, we'll compile a list of "good reads" from Patch sites around the area. They're happy or compelling or otherwise interesting stories for your weekend reading pleasure.
Bears' Garza Shaves Head for Childhood Cancer Funraiser
Chicago Bears' center Roberto Garza had his head shaved in honor of a 7-year-old Highwood boy in remission from leukemia.
Exercisers Power the Electricity at New Eco Gym
At Glenview's
new Eco Gym, the treadmills help power the electricity—so the more you work out, the less electricity the gym needs to use.
Watch Disabled Man Finish Chicago Marathon After 16 Hours
Maickel Melamed was born with his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck, which has left him with a permanent physical disability. He finished last weekend's Chicago Marathon in 16 hours and 46 minutes.
High School CSI: Forensics Science Class Shows Science's Practicality
"One of the things I have to work through at the beginning of the school year is I say we are not going to just sit here and watch CSI," says the class' teacher. "We actually do science. I also tell the kids I know I have done my job when you walk into class and say I can't watch CSI anymore because I know how wrong it is."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The May 2nd Issue of the Islander
Area schools are now feeling the sting of Gov. LePage's newly mandated grading system, meant to track school progress and indicate where change is needed. Ridiculous, flawed and offensive are some of the words used to describe the program.
Sometimes dreams do come true, as they did for a courageous 8-year-old girl in Southwest Harbor recently. Those wanting to access Cadillac Mountain Road before sequester-mandated May 17 may have their wish granted, too.
It's that time of year again, when flowers are in bloom, seasonal stores and restaurants begin to reopen their doors and, yes, cruise ships start dropping anchor in the bay. Learn when the first metal leviathan will arrive and just how much cruise ship companies are paying Bar Harbor for the privilege.
Think your week went to hell in a handbasket? A Tremont man had a string of run-ins with law enforcement this week that may make him the new poster child for how not maintain a low profile. Discover the sequence of events that led to his eventual arrest – twice.
Meanwhile slanted sidewalks in Mount Desert are here to stay, but not without some repercussions.
Find out what to expect at Southwest Harbor, Tremont and Mount Desert's upcoming town meetings, from a fiery fluoride debate to selectmen election. Also, a handcrafted boat set sail recently, tennis, softball and baseball teams are in full swing and the show must go on at MDI High School. All this, money-saving advertisements and more in this week's Mount Desert Islander.


text:
Migraine Headache Treatment
Medical Author:
Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD
Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD
Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.
Doctor's View on Migraine Headache Treatment
Comment by Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD
What are migraine headaches?
Migraine headaches are common and usually more intense than most other headaches. They often are recurrent and have associated symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, and in some people, warning symptoms, termed auras, that a migraine headache is going to develop. Some people may have throbbing pain on one side of the head.
Migraine headache treatment and prevention
Once a migraine headache is diagnosed (with other conditions ruled out), treatment can begin. Because the headaches are usually recurrent, there is not much distinction between treatment and prevention so treatments will include prevention methods.
There are many treatments for migraine headaches. Drugs are used but some treatments do not use drugs. Nondrug treatments include ice to the head, biofeedback, adequate sleep, smoking cessation, and avoidance of your food and environmental triggers (for example, stress, flashing lights, and drinking red wine). Others recommend natural treatments such as herbs, acupressure, aromatherapy, group therapy, and many others.
While nondrug methods may work for some, many doctors find these methods work poorly for the majority of migraine patients. Consequently, drugs are used in the majority of patients with migraine headaches. In addition, patients do not respond to medications the same way. Unfortunately, sometimes doctors must try several different drugs to find what best works for you. The first drugs are analgesics like acetaminophen and NSAIDS. At best, they may help mild migraines. More severe migraines may respond to various triptans like sumatriptan (but not in pregnancy). Ergots like ergotamine or a combined drug like Midrin (isometheptene, acetaminophen and dichloralphenazone) may also be effective in stopping a migraine. Although not recommended as initial treatment, some clinicians use narcotics and butalbital-containing drugs when triptans or other drugs fail. Since nausea and vomiting often accompany migraines, antinausea drugs like metoclopramide are often used with triptans. Some clinicians add an antidepressant to the treatment plan for some patients.
Migraine headache guidelines
The medical experts (American Headache Society or AHS and American Academy of Neurology or AAN) that treat people with migraine headaches offered in 2012 extensive recommendations (guidelines) for medical treatments to prevent migraines. They are as follows:
AHS/AAN Migraine Prevention Guidelines: Drugs Recommended for Use
Level A: Established as effective
Should be offered to patients requiring migraine prophylaxis
Level B: Probably effective
Should be considered for patients requiring migraine prophylaxis
Level C: Possibly effective
May be considered for patients requiring migraine prophylaxis
There are many problems associated with medical treatment of migraines. The major problems are that the drugs used to treat have side effects and have potentially dangerous interactions when used with other medications. Some (narcotics and butalbital) can be addictive. Special care of children and pregnant females with migraines is possible but usually a specialist (pediatric neurologist, neurologist, or OB/GYN) should be consulted before any treatment. You and your doctor should carefully discuss the treatment methods to find the most effective treatment/prevention method that works for you.
Read what patients are saying about migraine headache treatment!
Migraine Headache Treatment Resources
Read patient comments on Migraine Headache - Effective Treatments
Doctor written main article on Migraine Headache
Last Editorial Review: 8/2/2013 8:08:19 PM


text:
Human Universals - A List of Human Stuff
Donald E Brown, an American anthropologist and scholar, took the time a few decades ago to compile a list of things that all human races appear to have in common. I remember finding this list online a few years ago and pouring over it.
One of the topics that has always interested me is the question of what it means to be human. This list doesn't answer that question and these things are not uniquely human, but we do appear to share them across disparate cultures. The modern office worker and the Eastern Eurpean cave man's commonality is documented here, and it's wonderful.


text:
Phoenix Coyotes captain Shane Doan could be wearing a different jersey next season.
The veteran forward is expected to test the free agent market on July 1, according to Coyotes general manager Don Maloney.
Speaking on NHL Live radio Tuesday afternoon to discuss the situation, Maloney said that the team is optimistic a deal can still get done to retain Doan despite ownership issues.
Jamison - the former CEO of the San Jose Sharks - won't become the team's new owner before July 1, meaning the Coyotes' hands are tied until free agency opens.
Doan's desire is believed to be staying in Arizona and playing for the Coyotes, but ownership instability may force him to test the market.
The 16-year NHL veteran is expected to field offers from a long list of teams interested in his services.
The 35-year-old is coming off a five-year, $22.75 million contract with an average annual value of $4.55 million.


text:
28 U.S. Code § 1333 - Admiralty, maritime and prize cases
The district courts shall have original jurisdiction, exclusive of the courts of the States, of:
(1) Any civil case of admiralty or maritime jurisdiction, saving to suitors in all cases all other remedies to which they are otherwise entitled.
Source(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 931; May 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 79,63 Stat. 101.)
Historical and Revision Notes
1948 Act
Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§ 41(3) and 371 (3), (4) (Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, §§ 24, par. 3, 256, pars. 3, 4, 36 Stat. 1091, 1160; Oct. 6, 1917, ch. 97, §§ 1, 2,40 Stat. 395; June 10, 1922, ch. 216, §§ 1, 2,42 Stat. 634).
Section consolidates certain provisions of sections 41 (3), 371 (3) and 371 (4) of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed. Other provisions of sections 41 (3) and 371 (4), relating to seizures, are incorporated in section 1356 of this title. (See reviser's note thereunder.)
The "saving to suitors" clause in sections 41 (3) and 371 (3) of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., was changed by substituting the words "any other remedy to which he is otherwise entitled" for the words "the right of a common law remedy where the common law is competent to give it." The substituted language is simpler and more expressive of the original intent of Congress and is in conformity with Rule 2 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure abolishing the distinction between law and equity.
Provisions of section 41 (3) of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., based on the 1917 and 1922 amendments, relating to remedies under State workmen's compensation laws, were deleted. Such amendments were held unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. (See Knickerbocker Ice Co. v. Stewart, 1920, 40 S.Ct. 438, 253 U.S. 149, 64 L.Ed. 834, and State of Washington v. W. C. Dawson & Co., 1924, 44 S.Ct. 302, 264 U.S. 219, 68 L.Ed. 646.)
Words "libellant or petitioner" were substituted for "suitors" to describe moving party in admiralty cases.
Changes were made in phraseology.1949 Act
This section amends section 1333 (a)(1) of title 28, U.S.C., by substituting "suitors" for "libellant or petitioner" to conform to the language of the law in existence at the time of the enactment of the revision of title 28.
1949—Subd. (1). Act May 24, 1949, substituted "suitors" for "libellant or petitioner".
The table below lists the classification updates, since Jan. 3, 2012, for this section. Updates to a broader range of sections may be found at the update page for containing chapter, title, etc.
The most recent Classification Table update that we have noticed was Tuesday, August 13, 2013
An empty table indicates that we see no relevant changes listed in the classification tables. If you suspect that our system may be missing something, please double-check with the Office of the Law Revision Counsel.
|Description of Change
|Session Year
|Public Law
|Statutes at Large
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.


text:
Hello all! We've had a busy start to the Spring and have taken a bit of a blogging break, but now we're back with lots of new and exciting stuff coming down the pipe! The first one we'd love to share with you is the Save the Date film we created for Erin & Travis.
Erin and Travis are a dynamic and energetic couple who currently reside in San Francisco, CA but will be relocating and getting married in their former hometown of Miami. This incredibly well-traveled duo has been everywhere and seen it all (seriously, their invite list pretty much covers every continent in the world!), but their fondest memories are of spending lazy Sundays in Coconut Grove, taking sailing lessons and enjoying delicious meals at Michael's Genuine. For that reason, they decided to pick the beautiful Vizcaya Museum and Gardens for their wedding and wanted a unique and creative way to hype up their guests from around the globe to make the trip to Miami for their wedding.
We decided combine their love of Miami, along with Travis' love of photography and some inspiration from Anthony Bourdain's show The Layover: Miami to show their guests what they have to look forward to in October. This included Erin, Travis and their dog, Jack visiting the famous Miami juice stand, Palacio de Los Jugos, South Beach, sailing by Stiltsville and Vizcaya, and finally a trip to Cheeca Lodge, which has special significance to the couple. Then, while working in California last month, we were lucky enough to make a quick pit stop in San Fran and film Erin & Travis in their home. Overall, it was a super fun shoot for a truly awesome couple.
While putting together their film, Ursula worked closely with our designer, the very talented Ashley Wendus Cook, to create custom and unique packaging for the Save the Dates. The result was an Art Deco card with Miami style colors, which included a map of Erin & Travis' favorite places, a nod to their underwater scuba diving proposal in the Philippines, and even a flipbook of the photos Travis shot while on the trip! Many thanks to Ashley, along with one of our favorite wedding planners, the amazing Jennifer Johnson, for all of their support with this project!
Erin & Travis, we hope all of your guests around the world enjoy your Save the Date video! We can't wait to continue to tell your story on 10.13.12!
Planner: Jennifer Johnson, Jennifer J Events
Stationery: Smashing Cards
DIE! I am smitten over this! AMAZINGLY cute!
Adorable!!! Great job on the video….it is so stinkin' cute. Look forward to seeing what you and your team come up with next!
Love this save the date!! Your work is amazing!! Beyond excited to have u capture my wedding!!
This is amazing!!! I expected nothing less Cant wait to see you two!


text: Duluth, MN (KDAL) - If you were going to buy your Paul McCartney tickets this week, heads up the show is sold out—for now. In fact, the Minnesota Twins say tickets sold out 20 minutes after they first went on sale to the general public. Sir Paul fans don't be too bummed out. The ball club says to check with them as a limited number of seats may be released by the promoter for public sale in the coming months. McCartney will play Target Field August 2nd as part of his 'The Out There tour'. This isn't the former Beatle's first stop into Minnesota. Whether he was with the Beatles, Wings, or solo—Sir Paul has performed in the Twin Cities in 2005, 1993, 1976 and 1965.


text:
Get the news
Loading Your News...Log In or Subscribe to skip
Top News
- Syria warns US: No unilateral strikes on militants 36d
- Boy run over by SUV, walks away 36d
- Man with Ebola in US flew part of trip on United 13h
- ABC medical expert not surprised to see Ebola in… 1d
- Prosecutor targets crimes against women in Juarez 3d
- Volcano erupts in Japan; 7 missing, 40 injured 4d
- 3 Afghan soldiers missing in Cape Cod 9d
- Texas tourists overwhelmed by Mexican hospitality 11d
- 15 nabbed in Australia anti-terror raids 14d
Quick Links
Updated 5:13 p.m. CDT
- Grid
- List
House grudgingly approves arms for Syrian rebelsHouse grudgingly approves arms for Syrian rebelsThe 273-156 vote crossed party lines to an unusual degree in a Congress marked by near ceaseless partisanship
- National News
- 2 weeks ago
Motorcyclist throws trash back into cars of litterersMotorcyclist throws trash back into cars of litterersMotorcyclist throws trash back into cars of litterers
- Entertainment
- 2 weeks ago
Syrian artist uses talent to share message about warSyrian artist uses talent to share message about warThe deadly civil war in Syria has displaced millions of people and has inspired a young artist to share a message.
- Life
- 2 weeks ago
Ebola's toll weighs heavily on Arlington manEbola's toll weighs heavily on Arlington manAlbert Travell has seen seven of his relatives in Liberia die in the Ebola outbreak
- Health
- 2 weeks, 1 day ago
Euless couple stranded by Mexico hurricaneEuless couple stranded by Mexico hurricaneSommer and Jeremy Clayman of Euless had to catch a military plane out of Cabo, where thousands remain stranded
- Weather
- 2 weeks, 1 day ago
Journalist badly beaten in MexicoJournalist badly beaten in MexicoMexican journalists have banded together to demand justice in the latest attack on one of their own
- World
- 2 weeks, 1 day ago
North Korea holds trial of American Matthew MillerNorth Korea holds trial of American Matthew MillerMiller, 24, of Bakersfield, California, was detained for violating his tourist status when he entered the country
- World
- 2 weeks, 4 days ago
Reports: Islamic State releases new beheading videoReports: Islamic State releases new beheading videoEngland's Mirror and Australia's news.com.au identify the victim as aid worker David Haines.
- World
- 2 weeks, 4 days ago
'Blade Runner' Pistorius guilty of killing girlfriend'Blade Runner' Pistorius guilty of killing girlfriendA judge ruled that the double-amputee athlete is guilty of the culpable homicide of his girlfriend
- World
- 2 weeks, 6 days ago
Controversial Toronto mayor hospitalizedControversial Toronto mayor hospitalizedRob Ford had been suffering from stomach pains for at least three months and the condition worsened in the last 24 hours.
- World
- 3 weeks ago
Obama says he has authority for militant campaignObama says he has authority for militant campaignPresident Obama discussed his plans to deal with the Islamic State at a meeting with congressional leaders Tuesday
- National News
- 3 weeks, 1 day ago
Video purports to show beheading of US journalistVideo purports to show beheading of US journalistSteven Sotloff, who freelanced for Time and Foreign Policy magazines, had last been seen in Syria in August 2013.
- World
- 4 weeks, 1 day ago
Drug smugglers shift to human cargo on Texas borderDrug smugglers shift to human cargo on Texas border"It's almost 100 percent profit for them, and there's very little overhead," said Oscar Hagelsieb of Homeland Security.
- Texas News
- 1 month ago
Follow Us
Featured Video
A North Richland Hills company is one of the last in the U.S. to manufacture surgical masks. That could be a a strategic advantage in the battle against Ebola.
Watch News 8 team coverage of Ebola in Dallas.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest reaffirmed the administration's confidence in the CDC's ability to keep the Ebola virus from spreading. (Oct. 1)
Following the release of Burger King Japan's squid ink burger, McDonald's Japan is now offering one of its own. Video provided by Buzz60
A guy named Vino was lucky enough to get Olive Garden's Never Ending Pasta Pass and promises to eat from the chain for as long as the pass will allow. Video provided by Buzz60
The director of the US Secret Service resigned Wednesday following a string of lapses by the elite presidential protection branch, including one in which an intruder ran through the front door of the White House. Duration: 00:35 Video provided by AFP
Residents at the apartment complex in Dallas, Texas where an Ebola patient was living at say they have received very little information from health officials.
Dallas police Chief David Brown fired two officers on Wednesday; one for never returning to work, the other for ignoring an emergency disturbance and a plea for help.
The state's #1 high school football team has an army of students who keep them hydrated and geared up for the gridiron.
Residents at the apartment complex in Dallas, Texas where an Ebola patient was living at say they have received very little information from health officials.


text:
Visit our other Wisconsin Historical Society websites!
Refine or narrow your results by clicking any term in the gray boxes below.
Expand your results by removing any blue box in the "You have selected" section above. Click on the white "X" to remove the term.
Narrow your results by entering a keyword into the search box above. Then click the "Search Within" checkbox, then click on the orange "Search" button.
If you did not find what you are looking for or you did not get any results, try changing your search term(s). See our Search Help page for more tips.
Date: 1946-06-05
Description: Two painters, shown on a Company scaffold from Safway Steel Scaffolds, at Villa Maria, 615 Howard Place. Safway Steel Scaffolds Company, offices at 940 Wil...
Date: 1918
Description: A small group of women and men gather around a tent with a sign boasting of satisfied users of the Titan 10-20 Kerosene tractor. Another man is sitting in...
Date: 1924-08
Description: Trees line the road as two automobiles pass going in opposite directions on Dixie Highway.
Date: 1912
Description: View down unpaved Main Street. There is a T-intersection on the right. On the left are a row of storefronts with a dog and pedestrians on the sidewalk. Bus...
Date: 1900
Description: Nettie Fowler McCormick (1835-1923), wife of inventor and industrialist Cyrus Hall McCormick (1809-1884), at the Paris Exposition of 1900. Mrs. McCormick i...
Date: 1946-05-02
Description: A truck for Servisoft Company, 555 West Mifflin Street. Advertisement on side of truck says "SERViSOFT, Enjoy Soft Water, the Modern Way."
Date: 1924
Description: Elevated view of men standing around vendor trucks parked at the city fruit market in front of commercial buildings. A building in the background has a sig...
Date: 1921
Description: A street scene with a group of people in front of the corner store. A flag in the window. A row of houses with balconies behind that. A large stack of wood...
Date: 1909
Description: View down tree-lined street with a bridge at the far end. There is a large house with a balcony and wrap-around porch on the other side of the road. A floc...
Date: 1959-02-25
Description: Garagemen retrieve another car from the open drainage ditch on Midvale Boulevard. The 1959 Dodge skidded into a snowbank and catapulted 12 feet in the air,...
Date: 1905 ca.
Description: View of Main Street.
Date: 1925
Description: A view looking up a winding road with rows of utility lines on both sides. The road is partially fenced.
Date: 1937-06-15
Description: Two men load lumber onto the bed of an International D-35 truck owned by the Mayno Davis Lumber Company Limited. The truck is parked in front of what appea...
Date: 1912 ca.
Description: View of Cedar Street looking northwards. Bassett's Drugstore can be seen on the right, and the General Store is directly across the street.
Date: 1920 ca.
Description: Front view of the Wade House. The Wade House, one of the earliest stagecoach inns in Wisconsin, was built between 1847 and 1851 by Sylvanus Wade. It became...
Date: 1932 ca.
Description: The Theodore Vinger farmstead sits on gently rolling terrain. A painted sign on the large barn identifies the owner. At the time of the photograph, Martin...
Date: 1910 ca.
Description: View of a row of businesses on Main Street. Erhart's Drugstore is on the left, and advertises film and cigars, in addition to drugs. W.T. Irvine, optician,...
Date: 1955 ca.
Description: Chicago and Northwestern Railroad (CN&W) tracks between Brearly and Ingersoll Streets.
Date: 1961-07-03
Description: The parking lot of a Piggly Wiggly grocery store (3557 E. Washington) looking northeast toward the corner of East Washington Avenue and Highway 51. Other...
Date: 1936-04-30
Description: Three men loading seed sacks into Green & Company Ford semi-trailer truck at Olds Seed Co. loading dock, 722 Williamson Street. Sign on truck reads "Green...
If you didn't find the material you searched for, our Library Reference Staff can help.
Call our reference desk at 608-264-6535 or email us at:
© 1996-2014 Wisconsin Historical Society, 816 State Street, Madison, WI 53706


text:
This shotgun bandolier is one cool way to carry your shot gun ammo. This tactical bandoleer is made of black nylon webbing with 37 secure elastic holds for your shotgun shells. Simply load up this shotgun bandoleer with all your ammo then sling it over your shoulder and across your chest. And with a 58 inch circumference, this shotgun bandolier will fit just about anybody!
Harry's Army Surplus: Serving Dearborn and Metropolitan Detroit with army navy surplus, uniform gear, boots, army surplus and work clothing since 1950.


text:
Narrow your search
All the news from the annual Google I/O event, including the latest on Android.
Amazon Music is fine for Prime customers, but serious music lovers will want more.
Pricing not available
The GoPro Digital Hero 3 is a cool idea that could be fun if you're swimming, but it's not useful for much else.
The new 'wire-free' Walkman sports a lighter, improved design and better waterproofing. It's set to ship in March for $99.99.
The Tekkeon TekCharger MP1800 accomplishes its job and does it well. We just wish an important part wasn't missing.
Pricing not available
If you can find a cell phone that supports it, the Tekkeon myPower Go MP1500 is a good choice for emergency power.
Pricing not available
Able to match the brightness, image quality, and feature sets of much more expensive models, the Dell 2400MP resets the bar for what you can expect from a mainstream budget projector.
A top-quality, full-featured LCD monitor with an entry-level price.
This LCD's innovative and space-saving features are worth the added expense--if you need them.
If you can overlook its sometimes flaky performance issues, the Netgear MP101 delivers wireless digital music at a great price.
The Martian Passport Watch has style galore and a clever two-way wristwatch aesthetic, but it's ultimately more of a cool novelty than a must-have accessory.


text:
The songs Banhart played mostly came from his new album, Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon, out September 25th. The album marks a departure from his freak-folk roots. Banhart's Latin-influenced, but still distinctly American folk sound that permeates the whole album. It's exactly what his career needed at this point to keep from going stale, and the new material invigorates his live show. I especially liked "Shabop Shalom," the story of a boy who falls in love with a Rabbi's daughter. The song has a great sense of humor, as well as a robust, balanced sound.
Banhart's live show hinges on his jittery, yet somehow smooth, energy. Banhart alternated between sounding like a salsa-style Johnny Cash and a folked-out Elvis. If that doesn't paint a vivid picture of his performance for you, imagine the smoothest voice you know, infused with a dramatic undulation and howling enthusiasm, all the while holding onto a sense of tranquility.
And I couldn't get away with not mentioning his back up band, Zpiritual Boner. According to Banhart, as many Zs as necessary can be added to the beginning of the name.
They were the best band I've ever seen backing a solo artist. Even Banhart's older material benefited from the full sound provided by Boner's folk prowess. Culled from several well-regarded folk bands, Zpiritual Boner's sound proved remarkably versatile, switching effortlessly between mid-tempo rock songs infused with salsa rhythms and catchy Spanish phrases and mellow, silly folk songs.
At every show, Banhart asks the audience if anyone has written any songs lately, and then brings a respondent on stage. Saturday night's lucky winner was Dina Rae. She ended up being a surprisingly solid performer, especially considering as she went from being out in the crowd to onstage fairly suddenly.
The whole set was pretty magical. To quote the drunk girl behind me who spent the whole night ensuring that no one could enjoy the show in peace, "This is so beautiful. I'm dying." And later on, "I'm dead. I'm crying and I'm dead." I can assure you she was actually none of those things, but her fanatically emotional sentiment holds, I think.
However, openers Rio en Medio did not fare so well. To illustrate what exactly I didn't like about them, I'm going to provide a summary of every opening band you will ever see in three neat categories:
Category: Good band that happens to be opening for a bigger seller Description: This well-respected group could have done a headlining show at the smaller venue down the street, but they aren't. Your reaction: "I saw Sonic Youth with the Flaming Lips. It was so awesome that my brain melted and dripped out my ears!" Notice that Sonic Youth isn't opening for the Flaming Lips, I've given them a more colleague-colleague type relationship.
Category: "Opening" Opening Bands Description: This band is OK. They eat up time before the set starts and keep everyone decently entertained. But you probably won't buy their CD and flaunt the new musical gem you found. Your reaction: "Rio en Medio opened for Devendra Banhart Saturday and they did fine." A year and a half later, you hear a song by this band on the radio and wonder where you've heard that voice before.
Category: Why Has This Band Been Inflicted Upon Me? Description: Who booked these guys? Are they labelmates? Half the audience has gone out for a smoke, and the other half is chit-chatting so loudly that you - thankfully - can't here the audio abomination on stage. Your Reaction: "Why would my favorite band do this to us?" followed by weeks, if not years, of denial that such a good band actually had such a terrible opener.
Now, If you read carefully, you may have surmised that Rio en Medio is a supremely mediocre band.
Musically, Rio, a pseudonym for singer Danielle Stech-Homsy, was pretty middling - a true exemplification of the "opening" opening band. Sadly, Rio en Medio sounds exactly the same as every other artist who combines impersonal mechanical sounds with simplistic folk melodies.
What made Rio en Medio stand out was the video playing in the background during their show. It starred the multi-instrumentalist who was backing Stech-Homsy. It featured said multi-instrumentalist digging in the sand. And then switched to a shot of him having black stuff poured on his face. And some white pine cone beetles. And a dude wearing a big plush cat head and playing hopscotch.
However, at the end of the night, not even dudes smeared with viscous black fluid and out-of-focus pine cones projected on a screen could mar the glory that is Devendra Banhart.


text:
Ashley Roberts 100ml EDP
- In Stock
2 reviews
- Delivery
Ashley Roberts 100ml EDP. The fragrance is based on the new Elie Saab with 12% fragrance oil for a long lasting fragrance A rich floral fragrance that incises you with bright bursts of orange blossom with romantic notes of rose honey and sensual Ylang-ylang to fulfil your every desire. In the base note, a euphoric burst of Patchouli and Amber Accord will sweep you off your feet. Top notes: Orange Blossom. Middle notes: Rose, Honey, Ylang- Ylang. Base notes: Amber, Patchouli.


text:
I know adults get up to 32 teeth including wisdom teeth. There are 3 sets of molars, one ser called premolars. Now, by 3 children get 20 teeth. And when they start getting adult teeth, the 3rd pairs of molars come in
Am I correct?
Well dd1 is 5.5. She has no signs of losing baby teeth but her 3rd molars are coming!!! She complained on her gum being irritated and said her teeth are coming
I dismissed it as she's been saying it for months about her baby teeth falling out and especially because dd2 is teething. However she started crying and dh told me just to check what's going on. Well, surprise surprise : one third of a molar is out! And the other molar on the opposite side is about to erupt.
Anyone has experience with such thing?


text:
Mitsubishi Electric has partnered with Synchrony Financial to offer homeowners new financing options for upgrading their home cooling and heating systems.
Total Cold-Climate Control Our H2i® VRF systems are flexible to fit any application from renovation to new building construction.
Find out why a builder chose our Hyper-Heating INVERTER™ (H2i®) M-Series ductless system for a craftsman-style home in Olympia, Washington.


text:
Welcome to Wellhouse Leisure
Wellhouse Leisure is the UK's leading manufacturer of compact motorhomes. Situated near Huddersfield, we offer a range of conversions based on Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Mazda/Ford vehicles. We also convert the new Hyundai i800 for which we have won 3 major industry awards! As of 2013 we started to convert the Ford Custom, this is now the current Campervan of the Year 2014!
Our modern factory consists of a four-bay workshop where the conversions are built, together with a fully equipped mechanical preparation facility and valeting bay. The finished vehicles are displayed for sale in our purpose built showroom. We have a dedicated service centre with separate departments for mechanical servicing and repairs, bodywork and resprays, roof fitting centre, caravan/motorhome aftersales and servicing and wholesale and trade parts.
Why Should I Choose Wellhouse Leisure?
Our conversions have become synonymous with modern design and outstanding build quality. Here at Wellhouse Leisure we have simple philosophy - provide our customers with a better standard of service and value for money than anyone else.
We build all of our campers to the highest standard regardless of the type of conversion or price range you select and can offer many different conversion options to produce a totally unique camper.
In June 2011 Wellhouse gained ISO 9001:2008 certification making us one of the very few camper conversion companies in the UK with ISO 9001 accreditation showing our commitment to quality and customer service.


text:
Los Angeles, California
In business since November of 2000. InkJetSuperstore.com is an online reseller of consumable printer products, and well as computing products and peripherals, office equipment and supplies, and other goods. With two warehouses in California and Tennessee, the company focuses on rapid fulfillment, discount pricing and an optimized online purchasing experience.
Ratings and reviews, a customer rewards program, quick reorder, and live chat and phone support are among InkJet Superstore's initiatives in place to attract and retain customers.


text:
The nation's top health official stopped in Tampa Tuesday to talk about the Affordable Care Act and meet with counselors who are supposed to help sign people up for coverage.
The message from Kathleen Sebelius was that after a rocky start, things are getting better.
"We've identified the glitches and we're adding hardware and recoded software, and I can tell you today is better than yesterday. We want a seamless process and that's what we're aiming for," Sebelius said.
Earlier this week, she appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, who poked fun at problems during the rollout.
"I'm going to try and download every movie ever made, and you're going to sign up for Obamacare. And we'll see which happens first," Stewart joked. Secretary Sebelius is trying to win over the public's confidence in the program and website.
The reason she picked Tampa and USF is because the University received a $4.2 million grant to help enroll people. One of the panelists at today's event told the media just 15 people have enrolled to date, but Secretary Sebelius said she didn't know the numbers in Florida.
She said Florida has one of the largest uninsured populations in the state, and she's confident in the coming months more people will enroll. They have until March 31st.
Didn't find what you were looking for?
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2014 Fox Television Stations, Inc. and Worldnow. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy | New Terms of Service What's new | Ad Choices


text:
Some information is missing or invalid below.
Learn more.
Creative Bath has the solution for all your home storage needs. These woven baskets give you ample room to organize all your bath accessories. Fashionable and functional, these baskets are the perfect addition to your bathroom.
- Stainless steel handles offer mobility and durability.
- Details:
- 7"H x 15"W x 9 1/2"D
- Fiber rush/stainless steel
- Wipe clean
- Imported
- Promotional offers available online at Kohls.com may vary from those offered in Kohl's stores.
Sponsored Links
The links below are ads provided by the Google AdWords™ program. Outside companies pay to advertise via these links when specific phrases and words are searched. These ads are provided by Google and are labeled as sponsored links. Clicking on these links will open a new tab displaying that respective company's own website. The website you link to is not affiliated with or sponsored by Kohls.com


text:
Ooooh yeah! Probably the only flavoring I will have for the next 7 weeks.
Ok, so it's that time of year for New Year's resolutions. And obviously I have to make at least a few. I'd like to be able to come back to this on NYE 2012 (if the world doesn't end before that) and see how many I stuck to.
- Start my new year with a month of Paleo lifestyle. That's right, January 2012 is taking it to a whole new level of clean eating.
- Put $10k away in savings.
- Be more generous.
- Spend more time with my family.
- Get my sugar and shopping addiction under control again…
So two things: 1. my car's starter is dead. Ka-put. This blows. This is an extra couple hundred I'm going to have to spend during the holiday season. That's fabulous. 2. Now I'm upset and still have to go to the gym (which I'm avoiding like Ebola). 3. I still have to finish this paper. 4. I'm going through gum withdrawals. Annnnnnd 5. I finally have a signature! Here it issssss…
Ok, so I'm 17 weeks out from my competition, which seems so far away but really isn't. Basically, after I get back from Ireland there's no time for messing around. From then on, it's two a days and grilled chicken. I've made progress but not nearly as much as I'd hoped, so it's encouraging and disappointing at the same time and I'm trying hard not to get stressed. Starting my journey in August here were my measurements:
So I definitely should have taken a picture of this because it was DYN-O-MITE awesome, but alas I forgot. Womp womp. Basicallly, I made simple quick oats "pancakes" but without the egg, so I made it into one BIG, thin "pancake" (kind of like a crepe)! Then I mixed up salt-free cottage cheese, natty peanut butter, and a tiny bit of preserves and used that for the filling. Then folded the "pancake" in half. I guess it's really more of a huge, unrolled crepe than an omelette, but regardless, it was SO GOOD. Really satisfies my craving for PB&J :-) Fresh fruit would be good instead of the preserves, or sugar-free jelly!
Clean PB&J
1/4 c. Quick Oats
1/4 c. salt-free/low fat cottage cheese
a tad of baking soda
a little touch of milk
***optional: an egg white (or whole egg) will give it more density and more protein!!! It works just fine without the egg white though.
1/4 c. cottage cheese
1 tbsp natty peanut butter
1 tbsp of jelly (or other fruit)
1. Put all of the "bread" ingredients into a blend and blend until it comes to the consistency of pancake batter.
2. Mix all "filling" ingredients in a small bowl or container.
3. Pour the "bread" ingredients into a heated pan on stove. Wait until the edges are cooked and the middle of the pancake is bubbling, then flip. Both sides should end up a light brown.
4. Remove "bread" from the pan onto a large plate and spread the filling onto one side of the bread. Then fold so it looks like an omelette! :-)


text:
The easy way to find your nearest Cartier boutique.
Miss Pasha Watch
Quartz, steel, toile de moire
Quartz, steel, toile de moire
The round case, four Arabic numerals, and the small chain attaching the crown cap to the case, form the distinctive features of a supreme watch: the Pasha watch by Cartier. In the 1980s, the unique iconic design was reinterpreted in an even daintier and more dazzling miniature womens' version, the Miss Pasha watch.
Steel case, crown cover in steel set with a pink synthetic spinel cabochon, sapphire crystal, pink lacquered dial, Arabic numerals, diamond-shaped, blued-steel hands, toile de moire bracelet, steel adjustable deployant buckle, quartz movement Cartier caliber 157, water-resistant to 30 meters / 100 feet.
Case dimensions: 27mm diameter, 7.58 mm thickness.
You can find the entire set of user manuals for Cartier watches.
Our ambassadors are available to assist in making a boutique appointment.


text:
0 Reviews0 Reviews
Write a Review
Thomastik 154W Tin-plated Steel Flatwound Mandolin Strings
View All Recently Viewed Items
Clear and brilliant.
Thomastik 154W Tin-plated Steel Flatwound Mandolin Strings
Apart from the plain mandolin E string, these Thomastik-Infeld 154W Mandolin strings are made of finely polished tin-plated silver steel, flat wound with chrome steel wire. Their elastic, steel alloy core has excellent sustain. On the instrument, the mandolin strings sound clear and brilliant, with no metallic twang. The string's structure has been optimized for tremolo play. This string set responds well to fast changes of fingering. Tuning is stable and the strings are durable. Thomastik-Infeld mandolin strings are supplied in pairs, and we recommend changing strings two at a time.
Order today with the no-risk assurance of our Total Satisfaction and Low Price Guarantees!
Customers who viewed the ultimately bought:
Copyright © 2014 Music & Arts. All Rights Reserved.
*Free Ground shipping applies to Standard Ground shipping only to the lower 48 United States. Very large and oversize packages which are required to ship via freight may require additional shipping charges. See product description page or shopping cart. Other restrictions may apply. Online rental transaction excluded from this offer.


text:
DETROIT (WKZO) -- A federal judge is scheduled to rule on Detroit's bankruptcy situation Tuesday.
The ruling will either set the stage for a resolution of the city's debts or may lead to a financial situation that could exacerbate the city's problems. Many experts believe that U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Steven Rhodes will rule that Detroit is eligible for bankruptcy protection.
If Rhodes was to rule the city was ineligible, it could lead to almost 500 lawsuits that have been pending in state and federal courts since being frozen by Rhodes back in July.


text:
Robert J. Carey, principal deputy chief information officer at the Department of Defense, announced his retirement in an email to colleagues on March 26.
His last day on the job will be March 28.
Carey has been in his current position since October 2010. Before that, he was CIO of the Department of the Navy, where he succeeded Dave Wennergren in 2006.
Carey's federal career spans more than three decades. His service began with the Army at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in 1982. He switched to the Department of the Navy in 1985, where he worked in a variety of engineering and leadership positions. He joined the staff of the Navy CIO in February 2000 and was promoted to deputy CIO in December 2002.
Carey was a 2013 Federal 100 winner and was named Defense Executive of the Year for 2009 by GCN, FCW's sister publication.
In winning the Federal 100 award, he was cited for his work as co-chairman of the CIO Council's Information Security and Identity Management Committee, where he helped guide development of a mobile computing security requirement for unclassified information in just four months.
Carey noted in his email that he also served in the Navy Civil Engineer Corps Officer for 25 years, and was mobilized for both the Gulf War and the Iraq War.
Posted by John Bicknell on Mar 26, 2014 at 10:19 AM
E-Mail this page
Printable Format
Advanced Search
8609 Westwood Center Drive, Suite 500Vienna, VA 22182-2215 703-876-5100
© 1996-2013 1105 Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only.To order presentation-ready copies for distribution to colleagues, clients or customers, visit: www.1105Reprints.com


text:
UAE Children Invited to Judge Children's Festival in Hollywood
Sun May 13,2007
The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) today announced that it had selected three children from the UAE who will travel to Los Angeles, California, to sit on the jury of the esteemed Giffoni Hollywood, a special edition of the popular Italian children's festival that is currently in its 36th year.
The children are twins Sara and Reem Berger, both almost 13 years old, and 14-year old Omar Mohammed. Sara said that the jurists are "very excited" about their trip, which will see them judging films made or inspired by youth.
Abdulhamid Juma, Chairman of DIFF, said: "DIFF was approached to appoint three jurists for this unique initiative because of our children's programme, which was a new initiative this year and brought children into the festival atmosphere for the first time. We know that Sara, Reem and Omar will be excellent ambassadors for the UAE and for Dubai, and we look forward to expanding on our own children's film programming for DIFF 2007."
Giffoni Hollywood will welcome over 1000 children and teens from 30 countries around the world. The festival will feature films emphasizing stories made by or influenced by today's youth. The programming and events offer the participants an unprecedented insight into the art of filmmaking, including workshops, demonstrations, tours and gatherings


text:
Fuzzing is a software testing technique used to discover coding errors and security loopholes in software, operating systems or networks by inputting massive amounts of random data, called fuzz, to the system in an attempt to make it crash. A fuzzer is written to do the fuzzing.
Charlie: The other thing you could imagine is attacking the kernel from the battery. So you could write a fuzzer in CoolRISC assembly, and have the battery literally fuzzing the OS.
by murr2k September 28, 2012


text:
Our community is broad, diverse and welcoming. See what our members say about Guerrilla Fitness, then get started with us!
Work hard, play hard. As a financial professional, Kevin understands value. See why a busy, self made entrepreneur, finds value … Continue reading
Denny stops in for workouts in the morning and after he's left he feels energized and ready for his busy … Continue reading
Joanna tells us how she's found a home at Guerrilla Fitness
Dana tells us how joining Guerrilla Fitness has been life changing experience for her.
Sharon and Gary
Sharon & Gary explain how Guerrilla Fitness has changed their lives.
Lynn is a member at Guerrilla Fitness CrossFit Morristown. She tells her story of how CrossFit has changed her life.
Wes was motivated to find something "better", after not seeing any gains in his fitness regimen. A recommendation from a … Continue reading
Kathy & Julie
Being a mom is a full time job. Being a strong mom can make that job easier. It is no … Continue reading
Rick is a police officer in Guerrilla Fitness' hometown of Montclair, NJ. Hear why he decided to give GF a … Continue reading
Caitlin is a perfect example of a strong, beautiful young woman. Always an athlete, she found the camaraderie and community … Continue reading
Pat works out at Guerrilla Fitness to feel better and more healthy. He gives credit to the coaches and interns … Continue reading


text:
DeKalb County Police are searching for the person responsible for killing a man on his mother's front lawn.
It happened Sunday shortly after 10 p.m. in the 3200 block of Beech Drive.
Police say when they arrived on the scene, they found 25-year-old Damatre Hedrick with multiple gunshot wounds.
Medics transported to Hedrick to Grady Memorial Hospital in critical condition. He later died from his injuries.
Investigators say Hedrick died before he could give them a good description of his assailant.
Neighbors tell Fox 5's Portia Bruner they heard several shots fired. They add that the victim had lived with his mother at the home for some time.
Investigators haven't released a motive for the murder.
Main Station Directory:
Didn't find what you were looking for?
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2014 Fox Television Stations, Inc. and Worldnow. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy | New Terms of Service What's new | Ad Choices


text:
Please make your personalization selections below including entering characters (remember to scroll to ensure you are viewing all available options).
You have non valid characters in the {0} field.
The min length for the {0} field is {1}.
Please choose a {0} entry.
Personalization cost: {0}/each
View Images Item: Tell a Friend Email us your question > Live Chat true Email us your question > false true Add to wish List Additional Views Larger View Availability ADD TO CART Update Price Range: Additional Information: Zoom Viewer Close Improvements Catalog
false pdp {"scheme":"product1_cr"}
false pdp {"scheme":"product2_cr"}
Bake-A-Bone Dog Treat Maker 1 1
inaccurate description Well, I was very disappointed to find out that this doesn't make 24 bones, but rather 4! It would take a long to make 24 bones, 4 at a time! October 17, 2013
1-1 of 1
Product:443919-Bake-A-Bone Dog Treat Maker and Bone Mixes


text:
Pharma Natural Colon Cleanser - 240 ct.
by Pharma Natural | Item #: 51626 |Model #: 685120 |
Formulated to be very effective and gentle.
- Colon Cleanser is used to treat constipation, colon irritation, flatulence, gastro-intestinal disorders, stomach and duodenal ulcers, and when a soft stool is needed.
While we strive to obtain accurate product information, we cannot guarantee or ensure the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of any product information. Carefully read and follow all package directions. SamsClub.com assumes no liability for inaccuracies or misstatements about products.
Ask & Answer
Warranty InformationThis product is covered by the SAM'S CLUB Member Satisfaction Guarantee.
There is no additional information available for this item.


text:
A Fridley teenager is in a battle with her own brain. She suffers from constant seizures and no one knows how to stop them. FOX 9's Jody Ambroz sat down with Kayla and her family as she celebrates her sixteenth birthday milestone.
Every young girl dreams of her sixteenth birthday. The milestone is especially sweet for Kayla Borman. Her smile is just as bright as the candles on her cake. Kayla got the "Hawaiian luau" party she'd always wanted, but there's one wish she's still waiting for.
Linda Borman said, "She rarely complains about her seizures, but once in a while, she'll get up and she'll say, 'I wish I didn't have epilepsy,' and we wish she didn't, too."
Kayla's seizures started when she was just four years-old.
"As grandma says, she (Kayla) was very advanced," Peter Borman said. "She was a very precocious child."
Soon, the bright little girl who loved "Cinderella" needed a fairytale ending of her own.
"It's something I can't fix, and that's probably the hardest thing," Peter Borman said.
The seizures stole some of Kayla's speech and most of her childhood. Despite dozens of hospital stays and several pills a day, the seizures just won't stop. Linda Borman said, "We don't know what has caused them or what has started them."
In home video shared by Kayla's family, you can see how the seizures affect her. Kayla's eyes often flutter and her arms stiffen up. Her body may not shake violently, but it doesn't mean she's not suffering. Her seizures often show up several times a day.
Dr. Janice Hassumani, of Fairview's Fridley Clinic, treated Kayla as a toddler. She told FOX 9 most childhood seizures can be controlled with medication, but Kayla's condition is so rare and complex, even specialists are stumped.
Hassumani said, "The problem is: Most of her brain is causing these seizure activities. It's not just one little spot."
The continuous seizures have taken a toll.
"With Kayla, she's had these seizures over and over again so much, she hasn't had a chance to just function normally… her poor brain just hasn't learned to develop," said Hassumani.
The fear of the unknown turned into terror a few years ago. Kayla's condition got worse. She started slipping in and out of psychosis, creating a world only she could comprehend.
Peter Borman said, "It was very hard because it wasn't your kid, but you knew your kid was in there."
Thankfully, Kayla is no longer living in a constant state of psychosis, but the condition still sets in from time to time.
Kayla counts on guardian angels to watch over her at night. She has a collection of angels in her room.
Kayla said, "They help guard me in case I have a seizure."
Kayla never knows what the next day will bring. But she never gives up. Linda Borman said, "She looks like she's always happy, no matter what's going on in her brain."
Kayla wants to help other children, too. Every summer since 2008, Kayla has set up a lemonade stand in Fridley. The lemonade stands have helped raise over $4,000 dollars for the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota.
Kayla and her family are planning to set up another lemonade stand this summer in Fridley.
Kayla's Krew Fundraiser for Epilepsy Research
When: Saturday, August 4, 2012
Where: Schaff Floral and Gifts
6554 University Ave.
Fridley, MN
The Bormans aren't sure what Kayla's future holds -- but like Kayla's smile, her hope never fades. On her sweet sixteen, Kayla's still dreaming of a fairytale ending. Her family has faith that this year, her birthday wish will come true.
Phone: (952) 944-9999
Didn't find what you were looking for?
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2014 Fox Television Stations, Inc. and Worldnow. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy | New Terms of Service What's new | Ad Choices


text:
Don't-Miss Stories
Tech Tip: How to change the default font in Microsoft Word
Set a new default font so that every document you start in Word uses the font settings that you want.
How to change the default font in Microsoft Word
If you don't like the default font in Word, there's an easy way to change it to the one that you want.
How to change the default font in Microsoft Excel
The setting isn't where you think it is.
Extensis times upgrade of Suitcase Fusion to Adobe Creative Cloud launch
Suitcase Fusion's new features offer access to fonts, lessen's application toggling, and hasten prototyping
How to hide text from NSA's automated surveillance
To keep supercomputers from reading your email, use a font the robots can't read.
Font free-for-all: Where to get free and low-cost fonts
High-quality fonts don't have to be expensive. We've compiled a number of resources to pave your way to font independence.
Google and Adobe beautify fonts on Linux, iOS
The new Adobe CFF engine 'will benefit technical and nontechnical users alike,' Google says.
Typography for all: Demystifying text for high-impact messages
These text tips will help you add punch to your message.
Killing Comic Sans: 5 alternative fonts that protect your dignity
Comic Sans grabbed the collective imagination of millions of Windows users, and it's maintained that stranglehold for nearly a decade. It's time to help this chirpy standby go the way of the Macarena.
Review: DK Au Revoir font will make you bid frumpy fonts "adieu"
DK Au Revoir is a handwritten font that has style and flair, with subliminal don't-mess-with-me undertones.
Review: Architect's Daughter font works with playful precision
Precise yet lighthearted, Architect's Daughter is a font that plays well at larger sizes.
fontsNext Page


text:
Robo-readers: the new teachers' helper in the U.S.
(Reuters) - American high school students are terrible writers, and one education reform group thinks it has an answer: robots.
Or, more accurately, robo-readers - computers programmed to scan student essays and spit out a grade.
The theory is that teachers would assign more writing if they didn't have to read it. And the more writing students do, the better at it they'll become - even if the primary audience for their prose is a string of algorithms.
That sounds logical to Mark Shermis, dean of the College of Education at the University of Akron. He's helping to supervise a contest, set up by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, that promises $100,000 in prize money to programmers who write the best automated grading software.
"If you're a high school teacher and you give a writing assignment, you're walking home with 150 essays," Shermis said. "You're going to need some help."
But help from a robo-reader?
"Wow," said Thomas Jehn, director of the Harvard College Writing Program. He paused a moment.
"It's horrifying," he said at last.
Automated essay grading was first proposed in the 1960s, but computers back then were not up to the task. In the late 1990s, as technology improved, several textbook and testing companies jumped into the field.
Today, computers are used to grade essays on South Dakota's student writing assessments and a handful of other high-stakes exams, including the TOEFL test of English fluency, taken by foreign students.
But machines do not grade essays on either the SAT or the ACT, the two primary college entrance exams. And American teachers by and large have been reluctant to turn their students' homework assignments over to robo-graders.
The Hewlett contest aims to change that by demonstrating that computers can grade as perceptively as English teachers - only much more quickly and without all that depressing red ink.
Automated essay scoring is "nonjudgmental," Shermis said. "And it can be done 24/7. If students finish an essay at 10 p.m., they get feedback at 10:01."
Take, for instance, the Intelligent Essay Assessor, a web-based tool marketed by Pearson Education, Inc. Within seconds, it can analyze an essay for spelling, grammar, organization and other traits and prompt students to make revisions. The program scans for key words and analyzes semantic patterns, and Pearson boasts it "can 'understand' the meaning of text much the same as a human reader."
Jehn, the Harvard writing instructor, isn't so sure.
He argues that the best way to teach good writing is to help students wrestle with ideas; misspellings and syntax errors in early drafts should be ignored in favor of talking through the thesis. "Try to find the idea that's percolating," he said. "Then start looking for whether the commas are in the right place." No computer, he said, can do that.
What's more, Jehn said he worries that students will give up striving to craft a beautiful metaphor or insightful analogy if they know their essays will not be read, but scanned for a split second by a computer program.
"I like to know I'm writing for a real flesh-and-blood reader who is excited by the words on the page," Jehn said. "I'm sure children feel the same way."
Even supporters of robo-grading acknowledge its limitations.
A prankster could outwit many scoring programs by jumbling key phrases in a nonsensical order. An essay about Christopher Columbus might ramble on about Queen Isabella sailing with 1492 soldiers to the Island of Ferdinand -- and still be rated as solidly on topic, Shermis said.
Computers also have a hard time dealing with experimental prose. They favor conformity over creativity.
"They hate poetry," said David Williamson, senior research director at the nonprofit Educational Testing Service, which received a patent in late 2010 for an Automatic Essay Scoring System.
But Williamson argues that automated graders aren't meant to identify the next James Joyce. They don't judge artistic merit; they measure how effectively a writer communicates basic ideas. That's a skill many U.S. students lack. Just one in four high-school seniors was rated proficient on the most recent national writing assessment.
The Hewlett Foundation kicked off its robo-grading contest by testing several programs already on the market. Results won't be released for several weeks, but Hewlett officials said they did very well.
Hewlett then challenged amateurs to come up with their own algorithms.
The contest, hosted on the data science website Kaggle.com, has drawn hundreds of competitors from all walks of life. They have until April 30 to write programs that will judge essays studded with awkward phrases such as, "I slouch my bag on to my shoulder" or "When I got my stitches some parts hurted."
The goal is to get the computer to give each essay the same score a human grader would.
Martin O'Leary, a glacier scientist at the University of Michigan, has been working on the contest for weeks.
Poring over thousands of sample essays, he discovered that human graders generally don't give students extra points for using sophisticated vocabulary. So he scrapped plans to have his computer scan the essays for rare words.
Instead, he has his robo-grader count punctuation marks. "The number of commas is a very strong predictor of score," O'Leary said. "It's kind of weird. But the more, the better."
As he digs into the data, O'Leary has run into a dismaying truth: The human graders he's trying to match are inconsistent. They disagree with one another on the merits of a given essay. They award scores that seem random. Indeed, studies have shown that human readers are influenced by factors that should be irrelevant, such as how neatly a student writes.
"The reality is, humans are not very good at doing this," said Steve Graham, a Vanderbilt University professor who has researched essay grading techniques. "It's inevitable," he said, that robo-graders will soon take over.
O'Leary won't mind when that day comes. He tests his program against student prose that has already been graded by a teacher. When the scores diverge, O'Leary reads the essay to find out why.
"More often than not," he said, "I agree with the computer."
(Editing by Jonathan Weber and Philip Barbara)
I was teaching college and graduate level courses so I can only take an incredible leap of faith for how bad papers must be in high school and lower grades.
There is no virtue in reading such crap. How do you correct a student when one-tenth of the words in their paper are incorrectly spelled, when the grammar is so bad that you cannot, no matter how hard you try, figure out what the person is trying to say?
The bottom line here is you have a number of students who are spending 5 minutes writing a lousy essay and they, and their parents at the lower grades, think a teacher should spend an hour reading and correcting the paper.
y past time to go back to educational fundamentals. If you cannot read or write, compute, or analyse at grade level you stay there until you advance.
We need much less concern about how students feel about failing and a lot more attention about what failing means for them, us, and society.
We may not be a nation of Einsteins – But we damn well better make sure that we don't become a nation of Ditto heads.
- U.S., Arab partners launch first strikes in Syria
- Qatar adamant it will host 2022 World Cup despite doubts
- Argentina's Fernandez to meet billionaire investor Soros in New York
- Louisiana judge rules state's gay marriage ban unconstitutional
- Ebola could strike 20,000 in six weeks, "rumble on for years" - study
Full focus
Editor's Choice
Our top photos from the past 24 hours. Slideshow