text:
- Seamus McGrenery
- Dublin
- Ireland
This conversation is closed.
If the human brain is an advanced computer why are people so bad at math?
We seem to be able to do all sorts of complicated computations in our everyday lives.
For example most young children can predict the pat of a moving ball and move to catch it. The same children often seem to have difficulty with quite simple math problems.
Even educated adults have problems with any kind of complex math. For example I guess most of us would be unable to calculate the path of a moving ball in a short time, let alone calculate the path we would need to move to catch a a ball while it is in the air.
When it comes to understanding statistics it seems that even trained scientists sometime have trouble with them.
Closing Statement from Seamus McGrenery
While the computer analogy has some value in giving us an understanding of how our brains work it also has limits. It seems to be difficult to program humans for certain types of task, possibly because our brains work significantly differently to binary computation.
In much of what we see and here about our minds there seems to be a diminishing of the body and how much our brains serve our bodies. So much of our mental function is devoted to maintaining our bodies environmental stability, fluid and nutrition requirements as well as finding a mate and protecting our offspring. The things we are good at show us the importance of these functions, but because they are so 'basic' we tend to take them for granted.
Two interesting points in relation to the average persons math ability are highlighted in the debate.
Programming is the first.
If we accept that, at least in part, our brains work like a computer then we have to accept that, again at least in part, it is programmable. While there is a suggestion that, potentially, a human brain could operate as a supercomputer, in terms of math, we do not seem to have learned how. So the positive from this is that we may learn to unlock a great deal more of our mental potential.
More problematic is how, and by who, are we programmed. There seems to be some agreement that learning is somehow akin to programming. My own view is that we have active filters on the information we receive and that these filters present the highest barriers to any information that could be interpreted programmatic.
Even that does not seem to explain the difficult humans have in learning and practicing certain types of mathematical operations.
Second is type of computation
Implicit in some of this debate is the assumption that our brains do not work by binary arithmetic. Discovering the type of computation we use may give us a clearer understanding of our limitations, and maybe a way to unlock some of that extra potential.
Mar 22 2013: Analogies, such as those between brain and computer, are helpful. But an analogy between two things doesn't mean the two things are identical.
A brain, while great at things like storing and processing information (like a computer), is different in other critical ways. Whereas a computer is (mostly) completely logical, straightforward, linear / binary, the human brain is not. It's fuzzy and biased and instinctual and ... human.
Thus, the way a computer processes math is going to be very different from the way a human brain does.
Nik Gill
Mar 24 2013: Both the human mind and computers require a sufficient level of 'programming' to be used effectively. The human mind has the potential to better than an advanced computer, it just needs to be trained to 'operate' a certain way first
- +2
Mar 25 2013: We can learn something from thinking about the human mind as a computer, though as the discussion has highlighted the analogy is far from perfect.
The really interesting point here is about programming. How are human brains programmed, and what control does the person being programmed have over the process?
Mar 25 2013: Programming starts in the womb, according to some studies. Babies perceive sounds and intuit meanings at a very young age. Based on that information, they have already started being programmed.
An older child may be programmed based on beliefs of parents, communities, religions, etc. Whatever a child experiences can be part of the programming. Often times, children have no control over the process of programming. As a child developes more connections in the brain, more thinking ability, their programming may expand.
As thinking, feeling adults, who may develope more cognitive skills, we have choices regarding how we program the brain.
Human behaviors have always interested me, so I explore and read all I can about this topic. The brain studies they are doing now are fascinating. The fact that I had a brain injury years ago, and insisted on veiwing and exploring all the tests, charts, x-rays, MRIs, etc. was fascinating as well:>)
Mar 25 2013: What makes us human is an endlessly fascinating subject. Our minds and the world we have built with them are what makes us different from other animals.
If we accept there is value in the computer analogy then we must accept that there is some form of programming. This raises some questions.
Clearly we learn things, but is learning the same as being programmed? How else are we programmed? What, if any, control do we have over being programmed?Mar 25 2013: We humans are indeed fascinating:>)
I agree with the computer analogy, and use it often when speaking about brain function. When I was unconscious, after an accident, emergency craniotomy, kept alive on life support systems, clinically unconscious, and clinically close to death, I was aware on several different levels.
Although the "program" that allowed me to speak and connect on a human level was damaged and not functioning, other "programs" WERE open and functioning. That is why I use the computer analogy, and many scientists are using the computer analogy when speaking about the brain as well, so I believe it has value when trying to understand it.
I believe learning and programming are similar. We learn from the information around us....correct? Our brain stores the information...correct? We can connect with different information in our brain at different times....correct? I believe we are learning and programming with every life experience, in each and every moment. I believe the "control" we have, as thinking, feeling, intelligent adults, is awareness, which is a choice. We can be more....or....less.....aware of what information we are assimilating and how we are using it in any given moment.
Sounds like a computer to me!!! LOL:>)Mar 23 2013: Computers know nothing about math. Human programmers have created routines to perform given sets of calculations. They make these routines as short, fast, and accurate as possible. The lack of knowledge on the computer's part is illustrated by "bugs" that crop up from time to time where the programmer failed to accurately code for all contingencies. Furthermore, these computer programs typically set limits on the precision of calculations. For example, I have only found one calculator program that can answer 9^(9^9), admittedly a large number.
On the other hand, several methodologies have been developed to improve the math performance of the average elementary school student. We would do well to investigate and adopt those techniques.
Harro Penk
Mar 22 2013: Computers, or perhaps to be more direct, our modern digital computers, are very good at numbers, and excellent at remembering numbers.
- +2
People are not. However, we are very good at making inferences, and excellent at making logical assumptions.
We are basically good at the things that computers "suck at", and vice versa. Which is perhaps why we created them in the first place - we created tools to enhance our abilities in the fields that we are weakest at.
Another way to look at it: Why are hammers so good at driving in nails? Because we needed a tool, hard enough and heavy enough to do the job more efficiently that our mere human hand, being soft and "squishy". We built a tool to help do the things we are bad at.
"Need" is the mother of invention?
Mar 23 2013: You said it bro necessity is the mother of invention.Mar 24 2013: Looking at computers as tools which increase our ability to do things with our minds, in the same way as other tools increase our ability to do things with our bodies gives us a good insight into our use of computers.
They are almost always devices that enable humans to have superpowers (in communication, calculation data storage, design etc..) rather than devices that have intelligence themselves.Apr 4 2013: From the outside, a human and a computer can both answer 4 + 4. But inside the human there's a conscious mind that has learned the answer. Inside the computer, the bits are loaded into registers and compared with logic gates. One is alive, the other isn't. Whether they're both machines is up for debate, but computers are not at all like the human mind, and I dare say the mind isn't at all like a computer.Mar 26 2013: They say "Computer is as smart as a person using it." Frankly speaking computer is dumb. When you think about it, it's just a big collection of metal parts. Computers need programs installed on it to be useful. Imagine a computer with no operating system. It is just going to be a black screen staring at you. Even super advanced computers need a program that works. If human brain is like a super advanced computer, for sure we need some kind of program installed on our brain that we can utilize to solve problems. I guess in this case this "program" is considered as education or process of learning. I can't think of someone being as smart as a computer when that person haven't accumulated or learned any knowledge. We talk, do math, and write because we learned from our experiences.
As much as basic ability of human brain to reason and solve problems matter in one's smartness, level of knowledge that one obtain is probably more important. Just my point of view in this question...
Mar 27 2013: If I understand you correctly you are saying the human brain is like an advanced computer with some ifs:
- A computer needs some form of Firmware / BIOS to get started and an operating system to do anything. Therefore if the brain is like a computer it needs to have some equivalent system.
- Computers are 'dumb' or are unable to accomplish any task until they are programmed for that task.
Similarly humans need to be programmed to accomplish many tasks, and education and learning 'program' us to be able to act.
- Humans have an ability to accumulate learning directly from experience as well as from learning.
The ability of a specific person in relation to a specific mental task will be determined by a combination of 'basic ability' which is a bit like processor power learning (programming). In most instances learning and experience will have more impact on the ability to do something than innate ability.
So if I read you right your view is that the way we are programmed, gain knowledge through learning and experience, is more significant than most differences in basic ability between individuals.Mar 23 2013: It's even more surprising that dogs can catch balls too. Perhaps, most people are bad at calculations simply because they don't need them.
I won't say that brains are advanced computers. Advanced computers are a poor mimicry of the brain. A friend of mine said "computers are as smart as a lawn mower". With this analogy, your question is similar to a question, why humans cannot mow grass as fast as a lawn mower?
When we catch a ball, we operate by sensory feedback by observing how the ball moves and reacting to the changes in its movement until the movement of the ball and the movement of our hand converges in the "catch" event. It's a simple feedback system that does not have any complicated math in it - no "knowledge" of the laws of movements whatsoever. We would be able to do that even if the balls flew up instead of down. When we solve the same problem on paper, the situation is very different. There is no feedback. Computers operate very differently. They crunch the numbers at huge speeds. That's not what our brains do.
Mar 24 2013: Must watch the talk, thanks Arkady.
Maybe the computer is the best analogy we have for the way the brain works at the moment because we have a very limited understanding of how it works.
I have come across the idea that we use simple sensory feedback to adjust our position to catch a ball. The thing is I have not come across a system or device that we use as an analogy for a simple feedback system used to perform a complex task.
Mar 24 2013: Dan Wolpert mentions the robotic arm designed to pour water into a glass. It's a 3-year PhD project. I think, the algorithms our brain uses are way more simple than computers and don't require complex math at all.
Mar 24 2013: Why do you think that? It sounds interesting. My first thought was that it was do to the higher level of complexity in our arms but I'm not so sure........ What are your thoughts?Mar 24 2013: Why do I think that? What do you think? Does it feel like you are crunching numbers in your head when you catch a ball or riding a bicycle? What our brain does is making connections between neurons and firing them in patterns in response to stimuli. It seems to be a completely different algorithm of solving problems. This is why humans may see playing chess and playing checkers as a similar activity or apply skills gained while riding a bicycle to learning downhill skiing. Last time when I was changing in a gym, I thought, what would it take to write an algorithm for a robot to take pants out of the bag, turn them from being inside out, and put them on two legs while maintaining balance? I think we solve this problem using the same algorithm as catching a ball or riding a bicycle. The technology is just not there yet to imitate it. Digital logic circuits don't grow connections with each other or react to stimuli - they only switch between 0 and 1 which is a great achievement, but far from imitating our organic "computers".Mar 24 2013: I agree Arkady that "Perhaps, most people are bad at calculations simply because they don't need them"...and... "When we solve the same problem on paper, the situation is very different. There is no feedback".
That was certainly the case for me! Since I was a kid, I never really liked math very much and did not do well with math simply because I could not see any use for it in my life....other than the basics of course.....I could not imagine a use in my life for advanced math.
When I owned and managed elderly state and federally subsidized housing, I had to learn to manage a several hundred thousand dollar budget, submit monthly, quarterly and annual financial reports and budget projections, etc.
At that point in my life, I needed the calculations, the challenge was clearly presented, and needed to be on paper. If I didn't do the calculations and submit the paperwork, I would not get the subsidy. There was definitly feedback, the process made sense to me at that point, and I enjoyed it once I got into it:>)
BTW...I believe this to be true of most things in the life adventure. Most people will pursue and embrace information when/if it feels needed.
Mar 25 2013: I think this applies to all adult learning. We are likely to learn if we are motivated by an immediate need to apply teh learning.
Mar 25 2013: I think it applies to most humans....children as well. I think it's been proven that everyone is likely to learn when we are motivated by an immediate need, or when/if we have the motivation created with curiosity:>)Mar 24 2013: Your right. That's all computers really are. Highly sophisticated tools. The pinnacle of our ability to even develope tools but a tool nonetheless. The king of tools.......... Wait ........ that title could be misleading. Lol!
Andrew Breen
Mar 23 2013: Quoting Carl Sagan: "Something as simple as the concept of the number one has an elaborate logical underpinning". Computers definitely crunch numbers more quickly than most, but they don't compute the concept of their operations. Our minds are bogged down by the excessive background noise of understanding, clouding the simple approach to the end result.
- +1
If we examine the minds of people like Daniel Tammet, their narrow band of focus allows them to avoid the fog and see the answers faster than a computer. If we had gargantuan fore brains that could manage the overload puked forth by the subconscious processes or a more fine tuned Singulate Gyrus to direct workflow, we might be faster.
I've always wondered why my mind is very capable of doing trillions of on the fly calculations that vary by the second to tell my hand where to be to catch a ball thrown in an arc at 50mph through a cross wind of 6 knots, a gravitational field of 9.8m/s^2, and a drag coefficient of 0.3, but can take several minutes to solve the same problem on paper.
Mar 24 2013: So seeing the tasks we give to computers as simple and few in number gives an insight.
The fuzziness of the concept of the number 1 may be something we have to deal with. But at the same time we need to regulate our breathing and heart-rate, be alert for sudden dangers, be it a lion on the plain or a robber in the building, make sure we have enough food, interact with other humans, maintain our positions in hierarchies.
Cutting down on the things we have to do does seem to improve our abilities.Mar 24 2013: Referring to the third paragraph, sometimes people are masterfull naturals at what they do and couldn't explain there own technique. It's like the body has an intelligence unto itself. When somebody who plays music gets in the zone there's absolutely no thought because it's detrimental to playing.
Mar 25 2013: Good point Nathan. It summarizes, I think, some of what Arkady is saying in terms of human skills.
One reason human intelligence is unlike a computer is that in part it uses other parts of the human body to accumulate and apply 'information' to perform specific tasks. So maybe when a task like catching a ball needs to be repeated all the brain needs to do is send a 'close on contact' signall to the hand.Apr 2 2013: Because computers are machines programmed to perform mathematics. People are conscious beings. They experience and build their understanding of the world through their experience. Computers simply move bytes around mechanically and let functions fall into place.
When you send 4 + 4 into a computer, the computer doesn't think about the answer. Rather the functions pass the information the way they were designed to and process it. It can and will never tell you 9. It has no mind and it doesn't learn. At best it programs itself, and only if designed to.
Apr 2 2013: Well I guess you are saying that a human mind is not like a computer. Or is it that describing the human mind as a computer might explain some basic abilities of the mind it does not capture some important qualities.
Of course we could program a computer so that sometimes it will give the answer 9 to the question 4 + 4. For example we could ask the computer to add 4 x math random above 0.9 to 4 x math random above 0.9 and round the answer to a whole number. The question is why would we?
Or to put it another way what is the value to us of having a mind that can produce the answer 9 when asked 4 + 4?
W. Ying
Mar 28 2013: .
- 0
It is because we did not need such math 10,000 years ago.
Thus, we do not have such math programs bio-evolved in our soul.
(For details, see the 1st article, point 2(5) at
Mar 28 2013: If a computer is a good analogy for the human brain, then the human brain should show some evidence of computer like qualities.
When it comes to learning many people seem to be saying there is also an analogy between learning and being programmed, though with significant differences.
We know that humans can learn (be programmed) to complete complex mathematical tasks, but they are seen as difficult and an ability with this type of task is praised and rewarded.
In contrast even basic computers (excuse the pun) can be programmed to complete such tasks and the tasks have come to be seen as simple for computers.
Why is the brain = computer analogy not holding up here and what does it tell us?Mar 24 2013: Random "wiring" configurations aside, the brain is not a mathematical engine.
It has evolved as a Bayesian comparison engine that makes predictions as to what will happen in the immediate future and then compares what does happen to note the changes.
To do so, nature required a general computing engine that allows us to develop math, science, chemistry, but also allows us to believe in gods and ghosts.
You have to take the good with the bad I guess.
Mar 24 2013: Interesting.
I believe that when Alan Turing was working on one of the first physical computers he started with a design for a general computing engine but added a specific arithmetic engine to make simple math functions run quicker.
Mar 24 2013: All the computer designs had math co-processors in them even as far back as mainframes. Math is a very specific operation that can be done better when optimized for it alone.Mar 24 2013: What's the benefit of the ability to believe in "god's and ghosts" and furthermore do you feel it it's truly detrimental to ones well being that they have this ability. Why would nature do that? I would be very interested in your thoughts.
Mar 24 2013: There are none. Or at least none that come to mind. I suppose that Joseph Campbell would argue that the ability to tell myths is very important when supporting the structure of society and I would not argue.
However, when ever you develop a complex system based on simple rules you get a lot of emergent behaviours not intended in the initial design.
For example, have you thought that perhaps intelligence is not the be-all and end-all in evolution that we would like to think. Throughout human evolution brain size increased to a maximum at Neanderthals after which it began decreasing again. Maybe nature has decided that intelligence was a bad choice and is selecting it out of existence.
It will take hundreds of millions of years before politicians notice it though.
Mar 24 2013: If brain size and intelligence are directly
related i think nature wouldnt have found a more efficient way to
design the same thing.... Higher intelligence, smaller brain size.Mar 25 2013: I have not come across any research which has really tried to answer the question, 'What's the benefit of the ability to believe in "god's and ghosts"?' It seems like a reasonable question for a scientist to pose.
My instinct is that it is not an unintended byproduct of a complex system. But maybe that is a topic for a different discussion.Mar 23 2013: When robots have the ability to imagine.........
Mar 24 2013: We have the ability to imagine for a reason. It helps us solve real world problems, and more importantly change the frame of our thoughts so that we can re-understand situations.
I can imagine a scenario where we could start to develop some of those capabilities in robots. But they would have an ultimate limit in that the robot will still be a device built to achieve tasks for us no matter how it re-frames the information it has available.
Mar 24 2013: That is until one of them imagines and concludes that they are at least equal if not superior.......... ROBOT REVOLUTION!!!!!!Mar 23 2013: Our brains do practically store everything but the ability to recall varies in people.Mar 23 2013: Don't forget the fact that its a learning, self aware org anic computer with a body infused with a soul and so if we can't mentally calculate we can learn to and if all else fails use our hands.
Gail .
Mar 23 2013: My first laptop had a button that I could push that would increase processing speed from 7 MHz to 10. My brother, who was studying computer science told me that it wasn't really meant to be used to increase speed, but rather, it should be used to decrease the speed in order to use those programs that required complex computations. Otherwise the system would get ahead of itself and freeze up. (I still miss DOS).
- 0
Perhaps something like this is at play, but in reverse. Mind works well high speed but not at low speed? Just throwing this into the conversation while knowing nothing about your question.Mar 23 2013: When I was young analog computers were more common I guess. All have made good points, but I especially noted Richard and Michael.Mar 22 2013: Typical computers are designed to "remember" everything i.e. store information on hard drives and in memory. If computer looses ability to store correctly information, it will stop performing and it is considered broken.
Human brain, on other hand, is not really a computer even thou it has similar processes. Human brain can also store information however due to evolution and optimization (brain size/complexity = more energy), it does not need to remember everything exactly.
Human brain also receives lots of noise while computers only receive their input as binary 0/1 which is deterministic and accurate.
Similarity between human brain and typical computer:
- processing large amounts of data real time
- storing large amounts of information
- reacting on inputs based on certain "routines"
Fundamental differences:
- computer does not "forget" information
- humans use yet-unknown non-deterministic (?) thinking processes
- computer's input receives exactly defined information 0/1 i.e. true/false
Mar 23 2013: One of the interesting paradoxes about digital information is that it can be replicated and spread very easily, yet it can vanish in an instant. That's why I keep prints of cherished photos.
It seems,in comparison,that forgetting information is an important part of the human brains ability to cope with the world.
The most interesting question is, if the human brain is not really a computer what then is it?
Mar 23 2013: We can preserve digital information as well. We have hard drives, optical drives (CDs, DVDs, Blue Rays etc.) and scientists are working on even more permanent storage solutions like laser imprinted holograms and other materials that could last for centuries. The storage capacity is not yet high but it increases.
Yes I agree forgetting information is important for us.
I think we will have to wait until we fully understand the brain before we can answer that question
CheersMar 22 2013: I think the math software was all sold out when I happened to be in line:>)


text:
Want full access?
Current subscriber?Activate
Have an account? Login
Aslynn Rose Glover Stockwell Grade 3
I think what it takes to be a best friend is, well, a lot of things. For example, a best friend should be nice, like some of the things you do, and shouldn't care if you want to play different things (because you can). They probably should also like to do things that you like to do. Like, if you play sports, then maybe your friend might also like sports. But, most importantly, they should like you for who you are. Shelby Vaughn Otwell Grade 5
A best friend doesn't make fun of how you dress or how you look. They don't make you do something like smoking or other things. They don't start stories that aren't real. They don't make fun of where you live or how you live. They don't care if you're rich or poor. They will help you do different things. River Padgett Otwell Grade 5
Paige Gander St. Benedict Grade 3
To be a best friend, you have to have each other's backs. A best friend wouldn't lie. A best friend would not leave you through thick and thin. A best friend is like a brother or sister to you. A best friend gives you courage when no one else does. A best friend would do anything for you. To be a best friend, you cannot laugh at each other. As a best friend, you want to cheer each other up and not bring them down. That's what it takes to be a best friend. Noah Whann Otwell Grade 5
Larry Heller Westside Catholic Grade 5
It takes a lot to be a best friend. You have to care about them. You give them compliments and you spend a lot of time together. Communicate with each other. Stick up for each other. Be there for them. Treat each other like family. Never let them go. Don't let anyone hurt them. Jaydlyn Goeppner Otwell Grade 5
Gus Spradlin St. Benedict Grade 3
Grant Martin St. Wendell Grade 4
You always need friends by your side. I call my friends "buddies," and buddies need to stick together. If buddies stick together then nobody would get hurt. By being best companions you must have trust in one another. Buddies have to stand up for their friends. They also need to stand up for each other. You can play some where with your companions or you can invite one another out. You can come to your companions' sports games to show your support and respect. By being a friend I can trust them to help me on my homework and with my jobs. Superlative companions need to be friendly to be friends. By being friends you need to offer them some food or a snack to them when they visit your house. My friends are sort of like my family members because I trust them like I trust all of my family members. When I go over to my friends' houses I need to be polite and have good manners. If you don't, your best friends' parents might not let you come over again. That would totally stink! Having best friends are epic and fun. If you are sad they cheer you up. If you are lonely they play and have fun with you. That's why I trust my best friends in every way possible. This is what friendship is all about. Evan Herr St. Wendel Grade 4
What does it take to be a best friend? It takes a lot to be a best friend. To be a best friend you need to be really kind. Best friends love to play together. Let your best friend get in front of you in line. You need to be patient with your friend. My friends and I like to play basketball and four square at recess. When you play games with your friends you need to be fair and include everyone. I love to dance and write songs with my friends. It takes a lot to be a best friend. Eva Word St. Benedict Grade 3
When I think about being a best friend, I will treat them with respect. I will do my best to make them laugh. I will be really kind so they feel happy. When one of my friends plays a sports game, I will play with him or cheer him on. I will do my best to be a good friend. I will play with my friends because it feels great to be by them. Brandon Burke Oak Hill Middle School Grade 3
If you want to be a best friend, you have trust like my best friend and me. When one of us is sad, we are always there for each other. And when one of us is mad, we are still there for each other. You need to be cheerful and you need to support your friend. You don't want to be mean. This is why my friend and I are still friends. Charity Arnold Oak Hill Middle School Grade 3
What does it take to be a best friend? When I find someone that is lonely, I try to cheer them up, or if someone is hurt I help them get up and ask if they're OK. Another thing I do is make things for my friends to help them have a good day. Those are some things I do to be a friend. Cora Kirsch Oak Hill Middle School Grade 3

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Browse GoColumbiaMo.com Skip top Navigation. Translate this page
New one and two family dwelling construction, commonly called the "one-stop permit process" is organized with the professional home builder in mind. This permitting process is intended to expedite the issuance of building permits for new one and two family dwellings. This does not mean that the process is not intended for the one-time owner builder. For a detailed description of the process, call the Building and Site Development Division at 573-874-7474 to learn more from a building inspector.
A building, electrical, mechanical and/or plumbing permit may be issued to any person to do work in a single family dwelling used exclusively for living purposes, including the usual accessory buildings and quarters in connection with such building, provided that the person is the bona fide owner of the dwelling, will occupy the dwelling for a period of not less than one year, will personally purchase all materials and perform all labor authorized by the permit, and that the applicant shall file an affidavit certifying that these conditions will be met.
The standards for the construction/alteration of a single family structure is the International Residential Code 2012.
The required forms to process a one-stop permit are linked below:


text:
Mission Type: Sample Return
Launch Vehicle: 8K82K + Blok DM (Proton-K no. 288-02)
Launch Site: Tyuratam (Baikonur Cosmodrome), , USSR, NIIP-5 / launch site 81L
Spacecraft Mass: c. 5,800 kg
Spacecraft Instruments: 1) stereo imaging system; 2) improved drill for sample collection; 3) radiation detector; and 4) radio-altimeter
Deep Space Chronicle: A Chronology of Deep Space and Planetary Probes 1958-2000, Monographs in Aerospace History No. 24, by Asif A. Siddiqi
National Space Science Data Center, http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/
Solar System Log by Andrew Wilson, published 1987 by Jane's Publishing Co. Ltd.
Luna 24 was the third attempt to recover a sample from the unexplored Mare Crisium (after Luna 23 and a launch failure in October 1975), the location of a large lunar mascon.
After a trajectory correction on 11 August 1976, Luna 24 entered orbit around the Moon three days later. Initial orbital parameters were 115 x 115 kilometers at 120° inclination. After further changes to its orbit, Luna 24 set down safely on the lunar surface at 06:36 UT on 18 August 1976 at 12°45' north latitude and 62°12' east longitude, not far from where Luna 23 had landed.
After appropriate commands from ground control, the Lander deployed its sample arm and pushed its drilling head about 2 meters into the nearby soil. The sample was safely stowed in the small return capsule, and after nearly a day on the Moon, Luna 24 lifted off successfully from the Moon at 05:25 UT on 19 August 1976.
After an uneventful return trip, Luna 24's capsule entered Earth's atmosphere and parachuted down to Earth safely at 05:55 UT on 23 August 1976, about 200 kilometers southeast of Surgut in western Siberia. Study of the recovered 170.1 grams of soil indicated a laminated type structure, as if laid down in successive deposits.
Tiny portions of the sample were shared with NASA in December 1976. Luna 24 remains the last Soviet or Russian probe to the Moon. An American spacecraft (Clementine) returned to the Moon over 14 years later.


text:
Over the past four years, the West Coast-based Academy of Country Music has chosen to award its special awards recipients and non-televised category winners in a separate and relaxed Nashville ceremony, rather than during the ACM's tightly scripted spring awards show in Las Vegas.
Monday's fourth annual ACM Honors found the star-packed Ryman Auditorium filled with heartened award-winners and with well-wishers who seemed to appreciate the chance to pay appropriate homage, rather than to merely clap during quickie camera time.
Continue reading


text:
The browser you are using is out of date and is no longer supported. To view and use this site correctly, please update your browser to the latest version.
13 July 2007Before the days of North Sea gas, Scotland relied on a network of small gas works throughout the country to bring light to millions of homes. An important part of our industrial and social heritage, these vital facilities used to be familiar sights in Scottish towns. Nowadays they have all but disappeared.
For further information


text:
Your bag is currently empty
Midi Tank Dress With Stripes
Detailshttp://www.dkny.com/sale/womens-sale/view-all/midi-tank-dress-with-stripes/P246908C.html Style Number: P246908C
$160.00 $63.99
DKNY now ships to multiple international destinations through our partner, Borderfree. You can now easily shop in multiple currencies, view your order total (including shipping fees, customs tariffs and taxes) at checkout and be assured the total is guaranteed at the exchange rate set when order is placed, with no additional payment required upon delivery of your order.
Your bag is currently empty


text:
Hang tight!
Recipe by It's A New Day
"Easy to put together the night before, then pop in the oven in the morning for a hot, delicious coffee cake."
Hmm. None of these ingredients are on sale today.
Show ingredients on sale
Sort stores by
Save money at local stores when ingredients are on sale!
Watch video tips and tricks
3/4 cup
butter, softened
1 cup
white sugar
1 (8 ounce) carton
sour cream
2 cups
all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon
baking powder
1 teaspoon
baking soda
1 teaspoon
ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon
3/4 cup
packed brown sugar
1/2 cup
chopped pecans
1 teaspoon
ground cinnamon
I am thrilled to be the first one to review and photograph this wonderful recipe. What a treat it was to wake up, turn on the oven, pop in this coffee cake, and then have a house smelling like cinnamon. This is very easy to mix together the night before, and you won't be disappointed that you took the time to do it. This cake rose beautifully, the texture was very light and moist, and the taste was crazy good. The next time that I make this, I'm going to add some chopped apples just for a variation. Maridele, thanks for introducing me to your fabulous coffee cake recipe; going into my Favorites folder.
This was an epic fail for me..... I tried to use a bunt pan and there was not the room that the cake needed to rise, luckily I alway have a cookie sheet under everything, also in my mixer the batter wasn't really a pour more of a scoop into the pan
73 Ratings
I made half of this recipe in an 8" springform pan. The only changes I made were to omit the nutmeg as I'm not a fan, added 1/2 t. vanilla, and I increased the pecans to around 1/3 cup for my half recipe. Other than that I followed the recipe as written. I love the fact that you can make this ahead. Maridele, this is a wonderful coffee cake. We really enjoyed it and I'll definitely be making it again. Thank you!
Great recipe - delicious, light and moist. I prepared in a 9 x 13 glass dish and placed in refrigerator last night, this morning I removed and allowed to warm on the counter before placing in oven. I added 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Next time I make it, I will add 1 teaspoon of salt because I used unsalted butter. Thanks for sharing Maridele - it is a keeper and we enjoyed it!
EXCELLENT! I love the crunch from the topping. After several mornings of realizing I forgot to make the batter, I decided to go ahead and make it without any refrigeration. If it didn't turn out, it would be no fault of the recipe and no one would know. Well, I can shout out "IT WORKS" and what a treat it was! Although I had to leave out the nuts due to a diet restriction, it was fabulous! Thank you Maridele for sharing such a wonderful recipe!
This recipe is easy and delicious even for those of us who don't plan ahead and forget to put it together the night before. I made a batch this morning start to finish and it turned out delicious! Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipe with us Maridele!
Thank you very much for this recipe. It's easy & delicious. I'm not a great baker; so I was thrilled that a cake I made from scratch came out so good. I added about 3/4 cup of blueberries and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon to the batter, also reduced the nutmeg to 1/2 tsp.
Can't wait to make this again. As another reviewer said, next time I would put a layer of the topping in the middle too.
Thanks again,
Mimi S.
Very simple from scratch coffee cake. Made this for our church breakfast on Easter morning. I loved that I could make it the night before and just pop it into the oven. The cinnamon sugar and pecan topping reminds me of German roasted nuts. Yummy!
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Make-Ahead Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Serving Size: 1/15 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 15
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 304
Calories from Fat: 143
We have so many top-rated chicken recipes, you'll never run out of dinner ideas again.
Imagine dinner making itself in the slow cooker while you relax or do other things.
Delicious recipes, party ideas, and cooking tips! Get a year of Allrecipes magazine for $7.99!
Blueberries, cinnamon-sugar, and pecans—wake up to a bite of the Big Yummy!
Discover the no-fail way to make moist chocolate Bundt cake.
A moist, tender coffee cake with a sweet, crunchy pecan topping.


text:
Thank You
We'd like to extend a special thank you to our generous Sponsors and Partners.
- 1
- 2
- 3
Surprise Yourself
Tennessee Shakespeare Company Announces Fifth Performance Season
Memphis, Tenn. (August 15, 2012) – – Tennessee Shakespeare Company (TSC), led by Producing Artistic Director Dan McCleary, today announced its fifth performance season. The Mid-South's professional, classical theatre and education organization will focus on Hamlet as its seasonal theme, expand its education programming throughout the Mid-South and the state, return to Germantown Performing Arts Centre with a Broadway headliner for its Fourth Annual Valentine's Gala, partner once again with Dixon Gallery & Gardens and the Poplar Pike Playhouse, and launch its second phase of amphitheatre design with Shelby Farms Park in Memphis.
Record-Setting Season Four
TSC's recently concluded fourth season, Brave New World, was a record-setting programmatic, financial, and artistic success. The season featured double the number of performances from the previous season and a balanced operating budget that increased by nearly 60%.
In addition to the four indoor/outdoor professional mainstage productions during 2011-12, TSC successfully toured two schools productions (one of them original), created two co-productions with Shakespeare Walla Walla in Washington state, and produced its Valentine's Gala featuring Broadway composer Charles Strouse which netted more than $100,000 for TSC's education and performance programming. TSC also partnered with Shelby Farms Park to provide initial renovations to its Wooden O Amphitheatre for a professional pilot season, brought nearly 12,000 patrons to its performances from three states, and produced a cumulative economic impact on its community of over $3 million.
The mission of TSC's Education program is to move the arts closer to the center of every child's learning experience. TSC achieves this through student matinees, accompanying study guides, and actor talk-backs; interactive playshops; touring productions; summer camps; residencies; Free Will Kids' Nights; High School Prelude Scenes; and active participation in theatre and education conferences.
Season Sponsors: The Dunbar Abston Fund for Sustainable Excellence, Barbara B. Apperson and The Barbara Apperson Angel Fund, ArtsMemphis, Nancy and Dan Copp, FedEx Corporation, Independent Bank, Jack and Sandra Jones, City of Germantown, Germantown Performing Arts Centre, Milton T. Schaeffer, the Family of Margaret and Owen Tabor, Sr., Audrey L. Taylor
Season Partners: Dixon Gallery & Gardens, Germantown High School, Poplar Pike Playhouse, Shelby Farms Park Conservancy, St. George's Episcopal Church
Since 2007, TSC has achieved 100,000 student interactions through these activities. These interactions represent 70 schools in three states. Last season, TSC engaged 46 Memphis-area schools and nearly 8,000 students in its professional, classical education programming. Students under 19 years of age also made up over one-half of TSC's patrons this past year.
Last season, TSC furthered its education mission through a pilot program conducted at Germantown High School. The pilot objective was for a TSC actor/teaching artist to introduce interactively the characters and opening situation of Romeo and Juliet to the entire ninth grade student body – nearly 1,000 students. The pilot has become a model for multi-school replication.
"Tennessee Shakespeare Company's fourth season is not an easy one to follow," says founder Dan McCleary, "and what a wonderful challenge to be handed!
"I am particularly proud of our company's and Board's creativity and innovation in producing our plays this past season. Every event was a pilgrimage that required grit, grace, determination, creative vision, and illumination. Each production plumbed new theatrical and philosophical depths for our audiences, and it inspired our patrons, students, and donors to tell me over and over how 'surprised' they were to discover something personal for them in the plays
"We are focusing on this act of surprise, and even delight, in our fifth season of programming. There are few more delightful surprises in humanity than when we discover what makes us unique. In Shakespeare's works, a search for the authentic self and the question of how one must live his or her life is deeply experienced in his play that not only changed the theatre but also awakened humanity's awareness of itself: Hamlet."
Season Five Programming
McCleary will direct Hamlet in an elegant Edwardian production inside Dixon Gallery & Gardens from April 3 – 14, 2013. The intimate, 10-actor piece will use the luxurious Dixon interior as the Prince of Denmark's home as he frames now-famous questions of life and death in dialogue with the audience.
Also playing inside the Dixon Gallery from December 6 –16, 2012, is an exciting, new family experience of It's a Wonderful Life: a Live Radio Play adapted from the Frank Capra holiday film by Joe Landry. The Dixon's Winegardner Auditorium becomes a festive, 1946 cabaret setting for the radio play that will be broadcast live around the country. Complete with period commercials, table seating, drinks, and holiday sing-a-longs, It's a Wonderful Life features George Bailey asking his own Hamlet questions when faced with financial ruin. Angel 2nd Class Clarence Odbody intervenes with heart-warming success in this endearing story worth re-visiting every year. Stephanie Shine directs.
Kicking off the season is the internationally-acclaimed hilarity of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) by Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield. Featuring three clowning actors, the show takes audiences swiftly and absurdly through Shakespeare's 37 plays in just 97 minutes – with special emphasis on a revised version (both forward and backward) of Hamlet. Considered the play that perfectly brings together audiences who both love and loathe Shakespeare, the TSC production presents the insanity out of love for its namesake. In attempting to play out the entire canon as quickly and hilariously as they can, the actors also find themselves improvising with a little local influence.
Complete Works, directed by Dan McCleary, will be played at the Poplar Pike Playhouse (where TSC's record-setting Midsummer Night's Dream played in 2009) featuring David Goldstein (TSC's Southern Yuletide), Amelia Hammond (TSC's The Tempest), and improvisational comedian Sam Reiff-Pasarew from NYC's Story Pirates and Striking Vikings.
On February 8, 2013, TSC will present its romantic Fourth Annual Valentine's Gala at GPAC, featuring a Broadway headliner soon to be announced.
In addition to the professional season, TSC will conduct its Statewide Schools Tour of its newly-created show, Shakespeare's Greatest Hits (a fun performance piece that introduces students to a playwright they are surprised to discover they already know) from October 25 – April 19, 2013. TSC's Mid-South Schools Tour of its self-created Rebel Shakespeare and His Women will tour January 14 – February 1, 2013. Three men play all the women's roles, as in Shakespeare's day, to trace the surprising development of the playwright through his writing. School reservations may be made now by calling TSC's Education Manager Slade Kyle at (901) 759-0620.
The 2011-12 pilot performance season produced on the outdoor Wooden O amphitheatre at Shelby Farms Park proved so artistically successful that a second phase of design has begun in partnership with the SFP Conservancy. The Shakespeare in the Park series drew record attendance and many first-time patrons. Throughout the upcoming season, scope of work and cost estimates will begin in an effort to bring basic infrastructure to the site for public and professional use.
In Memoriam, Audrey L. Taylor
The Board of Directors and TSC lost one of its founding Board members in May, Mrs. Audrey L. Taylor (1917-2012). The company of TSC's season-ending production of The Glass Menagerie acknowledged Mrs. Taylor following each of its performances in May and June, and TSC will honor her and her devotion to Shakespeare throughout the 2012-13 season.
"Audrey was a loving, personal friend and a generous caretaker of Tennessee Shakespeare Company," says McCleary. "She was one of our founding members who made the company financially viable in the early years and sustainable in each successive year – including this one. Her trust in us inspired many others to support our work. She lived a glorious and long life, and we miss her dearly. Her love and generosity will be remembered at every production."
On sale August 15. All performances are $25 in advance and $30 day-of-show.
Preview Tickets: All previews are $15 regardless of when purchased.
Box Office/Administrative Offices
Located in the historic train depot at 2260 West Street, Germantown, Tenn.
Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Follow on Twitter: @tnshakespeare
PLEASE NOTE: All performances are general admission; first come/first seated. Chairs are provided for all productions. Free parking. No refunds. Productions and casts are subject to change.
Season Five Listing
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)
by Adam Long, Daniel Singer, Jess Winfield
directed by Dan McCleary
Poplar Pike Playhouse, Germantown
September 20 – October 7, 2012
Proceeds from this production will be used to support the fine arts program at Germantown High School
It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play
Sponsored by FedEx Corporation
adapted by Joe Landry
directed by Stephanie Shine
Dixon Gallery & Gardens
Winegardner Auditorium, Memphis
December 6-16, 2012
Schools Tour:
The Rebel Shakespeare and His Women
Shakespeare's Greatest Hits
directed by Stephanie Shine
October 2012 – February 1, 2013
Fourth Annual Valentine's Gala
Friday, February 8, 2013
Germantown Performing Arts Centre
by William Shakespeare
directed by Dan McCleary
Dixon Gallery & Gardens, Memphis
Winegardner Auditorium
April 3-14, 2013
- The Oliver Experiment
- Midsummer Night
- AC Wharton, Jr. Visits R&J Project in Action
- Romeo and Juliet Project - 4th Year
Sponsored by Theatrical Rights Worldwide (NYC)
Presents its Third Musical in Development August 15 on the University of Memphis mainstage:
The Oliver Experiment
What if your entire life were a Broadway musical…and you had no clue?
Featuring Broadway's Brightest Stars
Memphis, TN (July 27, 2015) – Tennessee Shakespeare Company, in partnership with the University of Memphis' Department of Theatre & Dance, presents its third and final developing musical reading on the U of M mainstage with The Oliver Experiment by Jeremy Desmon and Jeff Thomson on August 15 at 7:00 pm.Read More
Midsummer Night
Live music, glow sticks, and power chords!
Featuring Broadway's Katrina Lenk and Eric B. Anthony
Memphis, TN (June 15, 2015) – Tennessee Shakespeare Company, in partnership with the University of Memphis' Department of Theatre & Dance, presents its second developing musical reading on the U of M mainstage with Midsummer Night by Valerie Vigoda and Brendan Milburn on June 27 at 7:00 pm.
Tickets for the reading are just $15, or $10 for Students and Seniors.
Midsummer Night, directed by Janet Roston, is the second of three developing musicals in TSC's inaugural Showplace Memphis: Musical Works in Progress.
Broadway's Katrina Lenk and Eric B. Anthony
Sponsored by one of Broadway's elite musical licensing companies, Theatrical Rights Worldwide (TRW) and President/CEO Steve Spiegel, based in New York City, Showplace Memphis has been devised as the next creative stage for three musicals en route to full productions in New York and on the regional theatre circuit across the U.S. The first musical in Showplace Memphis last month was a very successful reading of Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical. The final musical will be a charming and surprising new piece, The Oliver Experiment (August 15).
TRW has selected the musicals, and the Actors' Equity casts and directors are coming from all around the country and Memphis.
The cast includes Broadway's Katrina Lenk (Once; Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark; The Miracle Worker) as Titania and Eric B. Anthony (The Lion King; Hairspray; Mary Poppins) as Puck.
Songwriters Brendan Milburn and Valerie Vigoda join with co-creator/director Janet Roston (Artistic Director of The Los Angeles Rock Opera Company) for this new take on William Shakespeare's beloved comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream. The musical is set within a modern-day rock festival. It's a rollicking collision of rock music, iambic pentameter, and hipsters – where rock stars Titania and Oberon quarrel, festival assistant Puck creates havoc, and roadie Bottom gets a chance to shine.
Keyboardist Milburn and electric violinist Vigoda have been singing and writing songs together for over 20 years, first for their band GrooveLily, and more recently for musical theatre and film. Theatre: Striking Twelve, Sleeping Beauty Wakes, Beautiful Poison, Wheelhouse, Toy Story: The Musical, Long Short Story, A Midsummer Night's Dream, its complete reworking as the rock musical Midsummer Night, and Ernest Shackleton Loves Me. Film: many songs for Tinker Bell for Disney animated movies. Additional music is provided by Gene Lewin.
The Midsummer Night creators and cast will collaborate and rehearse at the U of M for ten days leading up to its reading. Though it will be going through both script and music changes, Midsummer Night will be played and sung in its entirety and with musical accompaniment on the U of M's mainstage. No other design elements (scenic/costumes/lights) will be integrated.
Audiences will have an opportunity to speak with the actors and creators of Midsummer Night immediately following its reading. Audiences also will inform the production by completing an audience survey that will help the creative team in future development phases.Read More
Memphis Mayor AC Wharton, Jr. to Visit Tennessee Shakespeare Company's Romeo and Juliet Project in Action at East High School Monday, March 23
March 17, 2015 – Memphis Mayor AC Wharton, Jr. announced today he will observe first-hand Tennessee Shakespeare Company teaching and playing its Romeo and Juliet Project with 100 ninth graders in four simultaneous sessions at East High School on Monday, March 23 at 9:00 am.
"On behalf of TSC and our Board of Directors, I am so proud and honored to have Mayor Wharton joining our teachers in the classroom," said Project creator and TSC Education Director Stephanie Shine. "It was at the Mayor's urging we created this Project, and I am excited for him to see his challenge come to positive life."
Tennessee Shakespeare Company began its nationally-recognized, four-part performance and in-school residency in the Memphis area in January. The Project, now in its fourth year, brings a cast of eight professional actor-teachers into each Language Arts classroom at a participating school. Students are guided by the actors to live the play's urgent tragedy of young love amidst rage, experiencing its relevant story while ensuring that participating freshmen have a first exposure to Shakespeare that is active, rich, and rewarding.
As the teenagers in the play face armed violence, students discover positive actions available to them in their own lives in the face of real conflict. Student post-Project assessments have recorded a 20% increase in students' compassion as a result of their inclusion in The Romeo and Juliet Project, as well as a full letter grade increase, on average, in Language Arts classes.
The Residency concludes with an intimate performance by the actor-teachers of Romeo and Juliet, which encourages student participation.
By the end of March, The Romeo and Juliet Project will have performed the play 44 times in 27 Memphis area schools, and will have taught the Residency in 342 classroom visits in 11 schools. At least 4,360 high school Freshmen will be reached and positively affected by The Romeo and Juliet Project. That figure represents 34% of all freshmen in the Shelby County Schools system.
Tennessee Shakespeare Company Kicks Off Fourth Year of Nationally-Recognized ROMEO AND JULIET PROJECT
- 27 Schools
- 44 Performances
- 342 Classroom Visits
- 4,360 High School Freshmen
(January 15, 2015) -- Tennessee Shakespeare Company has begun its nationally-recognized, four-part performance and in-school residency The Romeo and Juliet Project in the Memphis area this week, starting with Germantown High School and all of its 530 Freshmen.
The Project, now in its fourth year, brings a cast of eight professional actor-teachers into each Language Arts classroom at a participating school. Students are guided by the actors to live the play's urgent tragedy of young love amidst rage, experiencing its relevant story while ensuring that participating Freshmen have a first exposure to Shakespeare that is active, rich, and rewarding.
As the teenagers in the play face armed violence, students discover positive actions available to them in their own lives in the face of real conflict. The Residency concludes with an intimate performance by the actor-teachers of Romeo and Juliet, which encourages student participation.
By the end of March, The Romeo and Juliet Project will have performed the play 44 times in 27 Memphis area schools, and will have taught the Residency in 342 classroom visits in 11 schools. At least 4,360 high school Freshmen will be reached and positively affected by The Romeo and Juliet Project. That figure represents 34% of all Freshmen in the Shelby County Schools system.
Student post-Project assessments have recorded a 20% increase in students' compassion as a result of their inclusion in The Romeo and Juliet Project, as well as a full letter grade increase, on average, in Language Arts classes.Read More
Tennessee Shakespeare Company is generously supported by:
Season Sponsors:
Arts Memphis, Barbara B. Apperson Angel Fund, Nancy and Dan Copp, FedEx Corporation, Independent Bank, Ernest and Pat Kelly, Jr., National Endowment for the Arts/Arts Midwest, Milton T. Schaeffer, The Family of Margaret and Owen Tabor, Ann and Wellford Tabor, and Tennessee Arts Commission.
Season Partners:
Boyle Investment Company, Dixon Gallery & Gardens, St. George's Episcopal Church, Theatrical Rights Worldwide,
and The University of Memphis.


text:
In the global race for jobs and economic prosperity, the United States is No. 2. And it is likely to remain there for some time. That's the glum conclusion of most Americans surveyed in the latest Allstate/National Journal Heartland Monitor poll. Henry Luce famously labeled the 20th century the "American Century." This survey suggests that most Americans now doubt that this new century will bear that name.
In the poll, only one in five Americans said that the U.S. economy is the world's strongest—nearly half picked China instead. Looking forward, Americans are somewhat more optimistic about regaining primacy, but still only about one in three expect the U.S. economy to be the world's strongest in 20 years. Nearly three-fifths of those surveyed said that increasing competition from lower-paid workers around the world will keep living standards for average Americans from growing as fast as they did in the past. Ruben Owen, a retired Boeing engineer in Seattle who responded to the survey, spoke for many when he said, "We're still in a reasonably good place … but it's going to get harder because other places are growing stronger."
Across a wide range of issues, the poll found the traditional American instinct toward optimism straining against fears that the nation's economic struggles may extend far beyond the current slowdown. On many fronts, particularly the quality of higher education and scientific research, large majorities of Americans still believe that we lead the world. And most say that the U.S. can remain a manufacturing leader.
But the survey reveals deep anxiety about the impact on the American economy of increased globalization; the decades-long shift in domestic employment from manufacturing toward services; the quality of decisions by government and business leaders; and the economic prospects for younger generations.
In follow-up conversations, several of those polled struggled to maintain hope that their children will live better than they have, against growing unease that it won't turn out that way. "I would like to say yes," said Dana Rigby, a homemaker in Kirksville, Mo., when asked if she expected her children's living standards to exceed her own. "I'm trying to get my kids on the right path; who doesn't want that? But I don't know if there's going to be enough out there for all the young kids to have good jobs."
Conducted after a tumultuous midterm election, the poll captured a populace that remains uneasy, ambivalent, and divided. The nation is split almost exactly in half over President Obama's job performance and over whether he or congressional Republicans should take the lead in confronting the country's problems. Just as tellingly, few of those polled expect their economic situation to improve much over the next year, and most say they are skeptical that either party's agenda can achieve the nation's major challenges. As America lurches into its third consecutive winter of discontent, confidence in the political system and optimism about the economy remain scarce.
The latest Allstate/National Journal Heartland Monitor poll is the seventh in a series exploring the ways that Americans are navigating the changing economy. The poll, conducted by Ed Reilly and Brent McGoldrick of FD, a communications strategy consulting firm, surveyed 1,200 adults from November 29 through December 1. It has a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percentage points. This survey focused on Americans' view of the nation's standing in the global economic competition and on the role they see for manufacturing in the U.S. economy.
On several fronts, those surveyed said that the United States still compares well with other nations. Nearly three-fourths said that the U.S. leads all or most of its major competitors in the quality of its colleges and universities, and about two-thirds offer the same verdict on American science and research. To Julie Gordon, a computer programmer in Yorktown, Va., those advantages are grounds for optimism about the nation's long-term prospects. "Definitely in areas of science and technology there is potential," she said. "If we do focus on educating our young people in the right fields, we do have the right [prospects]."
Slightly smaller majorities give the nation high marks on two other key measures of competitiveness: 57 percent said that the U.S. outranks most competitors in the quality of corporate leaders, and 56 percent reached the same judgment on the quality of the American workforce. "I think we have a fairly well-trained workforce," said Bill Scherer, a trucking-company manager in St. Joseph, Minn. "I think that would probably be the biggest benefit … that would help us compete against China."
National Journal Spotlight
Remembering Elizabeth Edwards
On other horizons, though, Americans see more clouds. Just half say that the U.S. beats out most of its competitors in the quality of government programs to encourage growth; only 46 percent said that business and government cooperate more effectively in the U.S. than in other nations. Most strikingly, only 43 percent said that the U.S. leads most other nations in the quality of elementary and secondary education; 53 percent said that we trail our major competitors. That pessimistic sentiment was broadly shared. At least half of both the affluent and the working class, and half of those with and without college educations, saw U.S. primary education as lagging.
Scott Bland contributed contributed to this article.
This article appears in the December 12, 2010 edition of National Journal Magazine.


text:
I've been testing out Archivarius, and I was delighted to discover that it indexes IMAP accounts.
Is that a standard feature in search software these days? Last time I explored this area (which was admittedly a long time ago), I don't remember any software I tested offering to index my IMAP email.


text: Stroke your cock to gay teen porn submitted by real viewers. Spank Wire will show you all the teen porn that you want to see. Enjoy watching free gay models on the best tube. A nude twink is one of the best sights to see. Watch teen porn of young men because you probably don't want to see older men. Take a look at how the young men pose in different places and positions. View beautiful photographs and videos of young men on green grass, in the park, on the porch, in the bedroom, living room, kitchen and more different areas. View real home made porn by real viewers made for you to watch. Young gay men have all the lust, sexual energy, sexual drive and stamina that you want to watch. They will rule all of your sexual dreams. See how a young gay man penetrates another man's asshole with his long thick cock.


text:
Southern Connection assists with campus tours, Commencement, Welcome Week, Gold Rush Orientation and many other University sponosored events.
Want to give the "Little Rock" a fresh coat of gold paint and show your school spirit?
For more information, email firstname.lastname@example.com.
Need meeting space for your student organization? Reserve your location for the semester!
Complete our easy online activity request form!


text:
false pdp {"scheme":"product1_cr"}
false pdp {"scheme":"product2_cr"}
Rated 4.8 out of 5 by 8 reviewers.
Rated 5 out of 5 by FLgal Very cute! I bought the R2D2 one because he best represented the one from the movies, which I have loved since I was 7 years old. I knew I would love to see this in my yard during the holidays, along with my other outdoor decor. When it arrived, it was fairly easy to put together, but the fabric is very weak. I had to stretch it, a bit, in order for the inserts to fit together, and some of it ripped way too easily. I wish the fabric was stronger. There is a part, near the bottom 'leg' that is ripped simply from following directions, and making it reach the inserts, as directed, and that made me sad that it ripped already. I haven't even used it yet. It is very cute for what it is, though, and it looks very nice lit up, but I do wish the price had been cheaper, especially because of the grade of the fabric. November 5, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by mrsmacsparky This is the holiday Droid you were looking for. The size is perfect. Keep R2 by your tree or outside on your porch. He is pretty cute with his holiday hat. A must for any Star Wars fan. Great addition to your holiday decor. November 22, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by AmyLynn98 Worth the cost and then some I immediately wanted this little R2 decoration as soon as I saw it in the catalog but I actually searched online first to see if it was available anywhere else (price checking). No one else had this same R2 and I'm so glad I got it for our yard. It's very sturdy and well made. The tinsel fabric is stretched tight and is a solid weave. When you buy decorations made out of the same stuff in a store, sometimes the fabric is quite thin. This R2 is not made out of weak, thin material. He is also very brightly lit from inside. The only thing I'd change (and this is an easy in-home fix) would be for the manufacturer to include a third stake to secure R2's front wheel to the ground. There are 2 stakes included for his legs, to hold him to the ground. But on a windy night here, he tipped over. Not a big deal as next year, I'll grab something from the garage to help secure him in one more spot and he'll stay upright. I'm actually going to order the Yoda as well, so I've got him for next year. I'm going to pass on the tiny Darth Vader though...I'd like to see him in a larger size. January 2, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5 by LizJ Cute gift for my nephew R2D2 was a little smaller than I expected but is cute and was a great value with an Improvements coupon code. December 19, 2013
Product:433675-Star Wars Holiday Decor


text:
|Kansas City, Mo.
|High School:
|Park Hill HS
2009 – Returned from successful ACL surgery that saw him sit out the 2008 season … played in all ten games, starting nine … caught two passes for 15 yards out of the back field.
In 2008: Should be ready to go in 2009 after missing the entire 2008 campaign with an injury.
In 2007: Was starting fullback for second year for Lions in all 11 games … garnered Honorable Mention All-MIAA honors … was used primiarly as receiving back catching 23 passes for 136 yards … top pass catcher from the backfield averaging 12.4 yards a game recieving … scored four times while rushing for 37 yards …
In 2006: Started at fullback and appeared in all 11 games… rushed for six yards on eight carries.
In high school: A fullback/linebacker for the Park Hill Trojans of coach Greg Reynolds, this freshman signee was named the 10th best fullback in the nation in 2004 by College Scout TV.com ... the most valuable player on the Park Hill team as a senior, he helped the Trojans win the district title and reach the semifinal round in the state playoffs ... selected on the all-district second team.
Personal: A business management major … son of Seila and Alieta Aiono … My dream as a College Football player is: Become an All-American … After my Football career is over I want to: Own a business.