text:
While in college, I attended a book reading for Alice Walker's then new release "Now Is The Time To Open Your Heart". I wrote about the experience and have rediscovered that piece today.
I felt helpless when I saw her walk in, unprepared. A short, stout, sweet woman who crossed her arms across her chest and bowed humbly before the huge crowd gathered at the tables amidst the bookshelves in the coffee shop. She was introduced and approached the podium warmed by a standing ovation. Her voice was soft and slow. Her hands, at her shoulders, were larger than I had imagined. Her graying dreads hung thin and stringy from her head. When she laughed, it was guttural. In every movement, word, and look was sincerity. I watched her constantly. The stuffy heat of the store didn't bother me. I hadn't even noticed it until someone complained afterwards.
When she did finish reading, she opened the floor to questions. My sister nagged me to ask a question but I didn't have one. I watched her engage in individual conversations with people and yearned to have that undivided attention lavished on me for the duration of a thought-provoking retort. Yet how could I be so selfish? How could I present myself to this woman, like a man consuming the glory of being acknowledged by such a big name? She is not only a big name to me. This clairvoyant woman would have seen the motivation in me for asking a generic question.
I stepped outside to wait for the green group to be called to the signing line. In order to get in line, one had to buy her new book, which I already owned, from their store at bombastic prices. My sister bought me my opportunity.
Those who attended the event with me expected me to burst with excitement like a teenage girl seeing Elvis for the first time. I couldn't express anything. I was content to be quiet, let her voice and persona stick by me, to settle my mind on her. Speaking would further me from this contentment.
Soon my group was called to the signing line to which I approached from the back. I took my expensive new release, my second new release and two other books out of my backpack. An employee checked my group tag and opened each book to the title page for signing. The line sped along and I found myself standing at her table, nearly losing my composure. My chest was heaving and my eyes burned. She began signing my books, swiftly from monotony, but stopped to look at me. Her eyes were dark through her small glasses and her grin was calming like a contented grandmother. All I could purge from my chest was "Hi" as I held out my shaking right hand. We embraced. She said "hello" with her mouth and "Be strong, it's okay" with her eyes. The store keepers kept the books coming and she signed my last one. I held out my letter, one I'd written to her months ago, and asked if I could give it to her. She extended both of her hands, took it from mine, and said, "Of course".
I left the table and the store, in the warm, summer evening air, and stood at the curb holding back my tears. Tears. Why tears? How did I feel? I was in the presence of a woman who knows how to love, fully, individually. Her attitude towards life is archetypal for any functioning society. She demands towering respect, and as my reader-relationship with her developed, I found that we see the world similarly. We think similarly. She has found words to define and convey thoughts, simple sensations, that I can't articulate; though they seem to be the answer to so many problems. Her spirit comes through in her books but now I am overwhelmed to think that I've been in it's presence, which seemed to permeate and humble my own self to the point of tears.


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When DFA affiliated Rong music's http://www.residentadvisor.net/dj/leedouglas and ex-!!!/Outhud Justin Vandervolgen first announced their new joint venture TBD on Tim Sweeney's Beats In Space in 2009, they both believe in "creating something new, fresh and not confined by restrictive genre pigeonholing." Three years down the line with an array of edits, remixes and original work being favored by critics and DJs around the world for their quality, originality and sheer sublimity. With labels like Golf Channel, DFA and their own Sounds releasing their productions and artists such as Permanent Vacation, Runaway, 2020 Soundsystem, Populette, Shit Robot courting remixes, they must be doing something right.
Lee Douglas has been at the forefront of New York's disco/nu-disco/edits scene for the past decade. Since his debut release Our Song in 2004, (aptly hailed as a modern disco masterpiece) he dropped the massive New York Story in 2007, recently making Beatport's Top 10 Nu-Disco tracks of the decade, alongside Noughties names like Lindstrom, Terje and Aeroplane. He's done numerous remixes for artists like Juan Maclean, Coati Mundi, Shit Robot, Findlay Brown... all the while consistently cranking out vital re-edits on imprints like Blackdisco, Editions Disco, Wurst and his own TBD Classics. More recently, Lee finds himself as one half of The Stallions with long time collaborator Lovefingers and of course, with man below.
In Justin V's 13 year dance/disco career, he's mostly been known as a founding member and producer for bands !!! and Outhud as well as remixing for labels like Warp, EMI and Output. One of his many impressive credits is as producer of the !!! record "Me and Guliani down by the schoolyard" which became a UK dance chart hit and (along with LCD Soundsystem) helped to bring the emerging early 2000's sound of NY punk disco to the rest of the world. DJing in New York became a massive part of his decade, and in 2008 he left the band world, deciding to focus on producing and remixing. The next few years saw the release of originals, his now classic Try to Find Me edit series for Golf Channel, as well the exciting formative years of TBD.
Lee and Justin are imminently embarking on a mini European tour starting this week in Dublin on Thursday and Revive Her at Dalston Superstore in London this Friday.
Ahead of this, the guys recorded a live mix straight from the Brooklyn dancefloor they hold a monthly residency at. In what turned out to be quite a comical interview, they talk about their partnership, the New York music culture and some memories from their worldwide DJing experiences.
SMA12 - TBD by nicholasfeel

subset: commoncrawl


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|Ninh Binh Stadium
Vissai Ninh Binh president Hoang Manh Tuong said his club had submitted a letter to Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) about their intention of hosting a tournament for champions clubs of Southeast Asia. The competition may be scheduled in January 2011, right after AFF Suzuki Cup 2010 and involve 6 to 8 clubs.
Ninh Binh is now waiting for responses and also wants to make it an annual tournament if they can get approval from AFF.


text:
Good Morning, Everyone. It looks very cloudy and dark here. I'm wondering if it's going to be a rainy day...hmmmm
No time to post pictures today. I'm getting ready to color my hair before Hunter gets up and we have breakfast. I hate having grey hair at age 32 :( It's been a busy week, trying to get everything ready for camping this weekend and School next week. I'm SO excited for Hunter!
Last night, my best friend, Robin took me to The Melting Pot for my birthday, which was INCREDIBLE. If you haven't ever gone, you really should try it out. It isn't cheap, to say the least but they have lots of specials, and it's great for a Special Occasion too.
Tonite, I have an appointment to get my hair cut after work and then, I'm hoping to pack up our camper. Tomorrow is Hunter's Open House, where we get to meet his teacher. We're so excited! But I know I won't have time to pack up tomorrow.
I hope it isn't gloomy the entire weekend but at least, we're away from home and having a great time. Hope you all have a great Wednesday!!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Is it a Wash Out Wednesday?
Good Morning, Everyone. It looks very cloudy and dark here. I'm wondering if it's going to be a rainy day...hmmmm
Posted by Jenn at 6:32 AM


text:
Wednesday, November 17
Cool, it's about time!
It's OK though because I already have every remastered Beatles album and nearly all their 'videos', films, and radio shows (Christmas specials, for example) as well as lots of audio-only interviews with members of the band, plus the Beatles Anthology DVD boxed set and the remix project "Love" put together by George Martin and his son a few years ago. So I was all set anyway. But maybe today's youth will discover the Fab Four all over again.
8 comments:
- Hans said...
Yeah Yeah Yeah ....Yeah!!! I like the photos!!
- November 17, 2010
- Hans said...
Love Lennon's quote, btw.
- November 17, 2010
- Metamatician said...
Me too! :D
- November 17, 2010
- Raelha said...
I'm sorry, I keep coming here to comment, but then I see Mr H in that first photo and get distracted. Mmmm.
- November 20, 2010
- Metamatician said...
Ah yes, Mr H. The favorite of many a lass.
I can never decide whether I like George or John more. They both, I think, thought the same thing, but from different directions if that makes sense.
Just depends on how aggressive I feel like being.
- November 20, 2010
- Metamatician said...
And any way... you don't have to like one thing more.
(note to self)
- November 20, 2010
- Raelha said...
Yes, very true. I think John would be more challenging, and perhaps more interesting that way, but George would more comfortable, someone you could spend more time with without getting so wound up.
I like your note to self. Though lists are fun.
- November 21, 2010
- Metamatician said...
Quite right on all counts.
- November 21, 2010
I am...
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text:
Professional Delicate Plastic Dog Toys Durable Lovable With Earrings Girl Style
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Professional Delicate Plastic Dog Toys Durable Lovable With Earrings Girl Style Images


text:
Sunday, February 19, 2017
5 comments:
strange...no clouds in the sky...and the aircraft looks unusual too. :)ReplyDeleteReplies
hi George, the weather's been unusually warm...and the skies were so clear, i had to take a picture... :))Delete
i'd like to fly again....... ew =)ReplyDeleteReplies
hi electricwave, oh yes why not? p.s. these are the friendly skies out by O'Hare International... :))Delete
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text:
Frequent "Pro ATC Privatization" Trolling Detected
Facebook and similar social media portals have been used extensively in positioning of Business & General Aviation advocacy groups in fierce opposition of ATC Privatization, also known as H.R. 2997. The 21st Century AIRR Act, which seeks to privatize the air traffic control system is expected to reduce general aviation access to airports and airspace. The push to privatize air traffic control is largely supported by U.S. airlines and long backed by some in Congress.
Trump argued that the change would speed up efforts to modernize air traffic control, which he said the FAA has failed to do quickly enough. He contended that the move would make travel routes more efficient and reduce delays that travelers see at airports. Grandiose rhetoric combined with insufficient insight into the existing system and ignorance towards the core reasons for a somewhat plagued but functioning and safe ATC system, has brought lots of confusion and downright hostility into an already divided aviation industry.
Dozens of advocacy organizations issued immediate calls to action for their members and nonmembers to contact their elected representatives to seek support in opposing H.R. 2997. Many of the associations are seemingly struggling with adapting to a changed battlefield in advocacy work. There is the realization for the need to get each and every member individually involved by contacting their representatives. Gone are the days of paying a membership fee and leaning back. Opposing this bill, for example requires personal effort and time.
The Importance of Facebook Campaigning Is Highlighted
Manipulating public opinion through social media comments, online bullying and hostility against news and media outlets is a common sight in today's political battlefield. Seaplanemagazine.com is not immune from being called "Fake News" and we embrace the challenges that come with peoples opinions. We recently noted a severe uptick in comments, especially when sharing (e.g.) NBAA's Facebook posts. Social media definitely presents its own unique challenges here:
"Are you in bed with NBAA or AOPA?", "Bunch of baloney, the advantages of ATC Privatization far outweigh the negative aspects!" ; "You should be taken out of business for opposing this"
Being politically trolled by supporters of any propaganda is somewhat new and surprising, however there is help. Recently NBAA sent out a list of 10 debunking posters for use on social media, such as Facebook, Twitter & Co. NBAA also created a document that responds to recent misrepresentations and myths about general aviation and our nation's ATC system. Learn the truth about H.R2997.
Pushing back against ATC Privatization and taking a position when political rhetoric rules the world is not an option, its the right thing to do. The opponent may dislike it, but can't censor it. Simple, really! Seaplanemagazine.com stays firmly planted on the side of those rejecting and opposing ATC Privatization and we support and take part in the #NoPrivatizedATC campaign of NBAA and others. General & Business Aviation represents our target audience and our customers.
[sgmb id="1″]


text:
Lets start a 100 days of happy where I will post about something which made me happy on that particular day.
Happy Day 1!!!!
Hmmmm lots of things made me happy today....
Making and wrapping gifts for friends and family. I enjoyed packaging things... didn't like the wrapping part much but it has to be done.
Chatting with Joe and sharing some jokes. Its always good to smile and giggle if you can.
My friends horse Morris never ceases to make me happy. He is so cheeky and practically human! I swear that he can understand English and certainly knows what the word "carrot" means.
Watching Charlotte jump her horse Teddy - she is a talented rider and sailed over them like a dream.
Is that enough happy for one day?


text:
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United States District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania
February 7, 2014
JUANITA LEWIS-HATTON, Plaintiff,v.WAL-MART STORES EAST, LP, Defendant.
ROBERT F. KELLY, Sr., District Judge.
Presently before this Court is Plaintiff Juanita Lewis-Hatton's Motion to Remand and the Response in Opposition filed by Defendant Wal-Mart Stores East, LP. Plaintiff moves to remand this case that was initially removed on the basis of diversity jurisdiction arguing that Defendant has failed to show that the amount in controversy exceeds $75, 000. For the following reasons, I will grant the Motion.
On October 9, 2013, Plaintiff filed a one-count Complaint alleging negligence against Defendant in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas for injuries allegedly sustained from a slip and fall due to "an accumulation of spilled and crushed produce and other food." (Pl.'s Mot. to Remand; Ex. A ¶ 6.) Plaintiff filed the action in the court's arbitration program, checked the box indicating that the amount in controversy was "$50, 000 or less, " and demanded damages "in an amount not in excess of fifty thousand dollars ($50, 000), together with costs according to the law." Id.
On November 14, 2013, Defendant filed its Answer to Plaintiff's Complaint with New Matter, alleging in relevant part, that "Plaintiff's damages, if any, are limited to an amount not in excess of $50, 000 and $75, 000.00." (Def.'s Opp'n Pl.'s Mot. to Remand; Ex. I ¶ 6.) On December 3, 2013, Plaintiff denied this allegation in her Reply to New Matter. ( Id., Ex. I ¶ 7.) Due to the inconsistency between Plaintiff's Complaint, in which she alleged that damages are limited to $50, 000, and her Reply to New Matter, in which she denied that damages are limited to $50, 000 or $75, 000, defense counsel sought clarification from Plaintiff's counsel by a letter dated December 16, 2013. (Id.; Ex. C.) Defense counsel proposed a stipulation limiting damages to an amount not in excess of $50, 000 and $75, 000 and indicated that if Plaintiff's counsel did not respond by December 23, 2013, it would be defense counsel's understanding that Plaintiff is unwilling to stipulate. (Id.) Plaintiff's counsel never responded. (Id. at p. 5.)
On December 30, 2013, Defendant filed a Notice of Removal, invoking this Court's diversity jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1332.[1] (Id.; Ex. I.) Plaintiff filed the instant Motion to Remand on January 10, 2013. Plaintiff does not dispute that the parties are diverse; rather, she contends that Defendant has failed to establish that the amount in controversy exceeds $75, 000 as required for subject matter jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1332.[2]
A. Removal
A civil action may be properly removed from state court to the federal district court if the district court has jurisdiction. See 28 U.S.C. § 1441(a). Federal district courts have jurisdiction over cases where there exists complete diversity between citizens of different states and where the amount in controversy exceeds the sum or value of $75, 000. See 28 U.S.C. § 1332(a). After removal, the federal court must remand the case "[i]f at any time before final judgment it appears that the district court lacks subject matter jurisdiction." 28 U.S.C. § 1447(c).
"The removal statutes are to be strictly construed against removal and all doubts should be resolved in favor of remand.'" Boyer v. Snap-On Tools Corp. , 913 F.2d 108, 111 (3d Cir. 1990) (quoting Steel Valley Auth. v. Union Switch & Signal Div. , 809 F.2d 1006, 1010 (3d Cir. 1987)); see also Samuel-Bassett v. Kia Motors America, Inc. , 357 F.3d 392, 396 (3d Cir. 2004) (stating that Section 1441 must be construed "strictly against removal"). The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ("Third Circuit") explained that "[i]t is now settled in this Court that the party asserting federal jurisdiction in a removal case bears the burden of showing, at all stages of the litigation, that the case is properly before the federal court." Frederico v. Home Depot , 507 F.3d 188, 193 (3d Cir. 2007) (citing Samuel-Bassett , 357 F.3d at 396 and Morgan v. Gay , 471 F.3d 469, 473 (3d Cir. 2006)).
Plaintiff here moves to remand this case to state court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1447 based on lack of diversity jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1332(a). Since the parties agree diversity of citizenship exists, the sole question for the Court is whether the amount-in-controversy threshold has been met. Plaintiff argues that the amount-in-controversy requirement is not met because she filed the case in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas explicitly designating that she seeks damages "not in excess of $50, 000." (Pl.'s Mem. Law Support Mot. to Remand at 1-2.) Additionally, she emphasizes that the case was originally designated for the Compulsory Arbitration Program in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, which caps damages at $50, 000 pursuant to 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 7361. (Id. at p. 2.) Defendant asserts that more than $75, 000 is actually at stake because Plaintiff denied in her Reply to Defendant's New Matter that her damages are limited to $75, 000 and she did not stipulate that her damages do not exceed $75, 000. (Def.'s Opp'n Pl.'s Mot. to Remand at 7-12.) Defendant also argues that a reasonable reading of the Complaint reveals that the damages exceed the jurisdictional amount. (Id.)
B. Amount In Controversy
"In removal cases, determining the amount in controversy begins with a reading of the complaint filed in the state court." Samuel-Bassett , 357 F.3d at 398. "[T]he plaintiff is the master of her claim." Morgan , 471 F.3d at 474. As a result, "a plaintiff, if permitted by state laws, may limit her monetary claims to avoid the amount in controversy threshold." Id . The Third Circuit Court cautioned, however, that "plaintiffs in state court should not be permitted to ostensibly limit their damages to avoid federal court only to receive an award in excess of the federal amount in controversy requirement." Id . at 477. Thus, even if a plaintiff states that her claims fall below the jurisdictional threshold amount, "plaintiff's pleadings are not dispositive under the legal certainty test." Id . at 474-75. The Court does not merely accept Plaintiff's contentions, but is required to analyze the legal claims to determine if Plaintiff's actual monetary demands in the aggregate exceed the threshold. Id . at 475.
As averred in the ad damnum clause and on the civil cover sheet, Plaintiff's Complaint seeks damages not in excess of $50, 000.[3] "[W]here the plaintiff expressly limits her claim below the jurisdictional amount as a precise statement in the complaint... the proponent of the federal subject matter jurisdiction is held to a higher burden; that is, the proponent of jurisdiction must show, to a legal certainty, that the amount in controversy exceeds the statutory threshold."[4] Federico, 507 F.3d at 196-97; see also Morgan , 471 F.3d at 474. Notably, "[e]ven if a plaintiff states that her claims fall below the threshold, this Court must look to see if plaintiff's actual monetary demands in the aggregate exceed the threshold, irrespective of whether the plaintiff states that the demands do not." Morgan , 471 F.3d at 474-75. In cases, unlike here, where the plaintiff has not specified in the complaint that the amount in controversy is less than the jurisdictional minimum, remand is appropriate when it appears to a legal certainty that the plaintiff cannot recover over the jurisdictional amount. See Frederico, 50 F.3d at 197; see also Samuel-Bassett , 357 F.3d 397-98 ...
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text:
Part of traveling in a new country, especially a large and complicated one with its own way of organization like India, is learning a new transportation system. Fortunately, the India railway system is pretty well organized, and you can register to buy tickets online. However, I needed a copy of my passport to register, and my passport was at the embassy until the day before I left. (Only afterwards did I find a copy in the bottom of my bag that I'd forgotten about) So, I wasn't able to register until the day before my flight to India. I bought my first train ticket immediately, from Mumbai to Udaipur--but I was number 73 on the waiting list. Apparently, in India, since the train tickets are cheap and easily refunded, people just buy several tickets ahead of time, decide later which they actually wish to use, and then just cancel the rest at the last minute. But still...70-something? It seemed like a long shot I'd make that train.
However, I checked the status online the morning after I arrived in Mumbai, and I was already to 34, which was better than I expected. I went by the train station, though, to train to buy a tourist-quota ticket to be sure, but there weren't even any of those left. The guy at the ticket window told me there was no way, with 34 people ahead, that I'd make the list for that train; my best shot was to come back first thing Monday morning and try to buy one of the higher-priced last minute tickets for that day's train.
But, Sunday morning, with the original train supposed to leave that afternoon at 2:45, I checked again. Number 12! I decided that it was worth the bother to go to the train station (to add to it, not the one near the hostel, but one in a suburb) to just see what would happen. The website said that the final update would be at noon, so I stayed at the cyber cafe until then, to see if the status had changed any...and lo and behold, I had made the train! There it was, my carriage and seat number. Carriage 9, seat 71. It was even a lower bunk!
So, I headed to the train station in plenty of time, just to be sure. I had nearly two hours to wait once I got there; I hung out with a couple from New Zealand while we waiting; they were somewhere on the same carriage, but several bunks down.
My ticket was on a sleeper train, which is a much more basic carriage than the sleeper trains I'm used to in China or Europe. In China, you have sheets, comforters, pillows, heat or AC, etc...Here there were open windows, and vinyl-covered pads on the bunks. Fortunately, I always travel with my fleece blanket, and the warm air coming in the windows felt good. At least until about eight o' clock. Then it began to feel a bit cool...everyone shut the windows. By ten it was downright cold air coming in around the leaky windows. I got my fleece jackets out of my backpack. Unfortunately, my bunk was closest to the end of the car, right next to the bathrooms. The area between carriages had a large opening, and a strong blast of cold air was coming in. By midnight, I got up and put on also a sweater, and a scarf, and still shivered and froze through the night. The Indian people around me were cold, too. It took me until about one in the afternoon the next day to thaw enough to take the fleece jacket off.


text: On Mittwoch 12 Oktober 2011 13:42:37 Jaroslaw Staniek wrote: > > KDE is the community and as long as Calligra uses KDE's infrastructure, > > you are bound by certain rules and that means no unfree media. > > That said, Copyright and Trademarks are still completely different > > things. You (or KDE eV) can trademark a logo while the SVG source is > > still CC-SA/LGPL. > > Agreed and this topic looks like closed already, OK?. We agreed on > various IRC discussions that the two thing are separatable. Which still leaves the question open for the SVG source code license. I'd like to upload the logo to Wikipedia for example. I still suggest a CC-SA/LGPL dual license for the source code. An additional trademark application via KDE eV is a dedicated matter.


text:
Sunday, May 6, 2007
The Last Weekend
I hope that you understand that a proficiency test is designed to measure your competence in English. Unlike an achievement test, it cannot really be prepared for in the sense of reviewing particular grammar, vocabulary, or skills. A well-designed proficiency test is like a snapshot of your ability to function in English.
The best way to do your best on a test such as the MEIPE is to make sure you get plenty of rest beforehand; if you stay up all weekend studying for it, you will end up sleep-deprived and unable to do your best. Go to bed early on Sunday and Monday nights. Eat a healthy breakfast before the test, and make sure you arrive in the classroom (HBK 0123) in plenty of time. If you are late, you will be flustered and upset, and again, unable to do your best on the test. The time for studying is past. If you have been working hard all semester, your test results should reflect that, so don't worry. Have a nice Sunday, and good luck to everyone!
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Maryland Day 2
Looking down Terp Town Center at the TDK fountain
Jennifer, David, and Vicki
Vicki and me with the Basketball Terrapin (Comcast Center)
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Maryland Day
This Saturday is Maryland Day, which is the university's annual community day, when the campus is open to everyone and anyone to come and see what the University of Maryland is all about. There will be games, exhibits, performances, food, music, demonstrations, dance, children's activities and more. It's a wonderful opportunity for all to experience the university in all its diversity. Even those of us who live, work, and/or study here cannot begin to know all of what goes on here. It's a fascinating place! I hope you will take a few hours off from studying this Saturday to come and join the fun. You can get a sense of what it's all about from this website. I hope to see you there!
P.S. MEI's Intensive English Program will participate with tables in the Global Village area, Hornbake Plaza.
P.P.S. Even though rain is forecast for the next few days, it's supposed to be nice on Saturday.
P.P.P.S. Last year, I touched a live tarantula on Maryland Day! Yes, really!
Saturday, April 21, 2007
An Interview with Ibrahim Rustamov
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Tragedy at Virginia Tech
It was hard at first to grasp the full extent of what had happened. Gradually, as I watched the news on TV, listened to the radio, and read accounts in this morning's Washington Post, I began to realize the horror. (Click here for the Washington Post's coverage.) I feel so sad for the victims and their families and perhaps even sadder for the parents of the killer, a Korean immigrant from Centreville, Virginia. I can't imagine their grief and despair at the knowledge that their son could have committed such a heinous crime, coupled with the pain of losing him (he killed himself).
Monday, April 16, 2007
If the World Were a Village of 100 People....
The original essay upon which this exercise was based can be found here. Geographer Matt Rosenberg disagreed with some of the statistics and revised it here. Can you see any differences?
Sometimes the village has 1000 people instead of 100, as in this site. (Notice that the author shifts from the hypothetical conditional to simple present tense as she describes her imaginary "village".) You could practice your conditionals by rewriting the sentences using unreal conditional forms.
Finally, here is a little video produced by campers at Camp About Face in Georgia, USA:
Friday, April 13, 2007
Intercontinental Chat
Here is a picture of Ibrahim and me at the TESOL Convention in Seattle, Washington in March--our first face-to-face meeting!
Here are two excerpts from the chat:
NinaTL: Ibrahamjon, why don't you tell the class about your job?
IbrahimjoR: In 2002 I graduated from the department of foreign language of Khujans State University in Tajikistan, where I studied English and Farsi, so then I went to my home town, Isfara, to teach English at secondary school.
JennifeGst1: It's very interesting.
IbrahimjoR: and later in 2004 I joined Relief International Schools Online, where I worked as an educator at an Internet Learning Center, teaching students to use computers and partnering with US schools. In March 2007 I attended the TESOL Convention in Seattle.
NinaTL: How did you first become interested in educational technology, Ibrahimjon?
IbrahimjoR: In 2003, I got my first computer, and for the first time I used Windows Start button, though I had been using email since 1997. In April 2004 I began using computers with students, and the whole day I had to use my computer, learning and creating materials. Later I became interested in creating web projects with my students.
And later...
NinaTL: Can you please tell Ibrahim what you are studying here at the U of Maryland?
FelixGst3: I'm studying Plant Science.
NasserGst5: I'm studying fire protection engineering.
MacakinGst8: I'm studying Civil Engineering.
HsingchGst13: I'm studying dietetics.
FeitianGst6: I major in Animal Science.
NazaninGst4: I'm studying French literature.
KashishGst10: I am studying computer science.
JennifeGst1: My major is Library & Information Science, and I am minoring in children's libraries.
IbrahimjoR: so different!
NinaTL: Most of the students are in graduate school,...
MohammeGst9: fire protection engineering
AzizGst7: I'm studying Electrical Engineering
GreivisGst14: I'm undecided because I need a major that won't take all my time, so I can play basketball at the same time.
MohamedGst2: I'm studying Entomology.
NinaTL: but we have some freshmen and a couple of transfer students as well.
MakotoGst15: I am studying semiconductors.
NinaTL: Is that in the dept. of Electrical Engineering, Makoto?
MakotoGst15: Yes, it is
NinaTL: For the graduate students, this class may be their only opportunity to meet students who are not studying the same thing they are.
IbrahimjoR: I'm impressed to learn about what you are all studying. Well done; good job! ;)
I think everyone enjoyed this intercontinental chat! You can learn more about RISO's Internet Learning Centers in Tajikistan here. Thanks, Ibrahimjon, for visiting us at Tapped In today!
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Something to Think About
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Extra Practice
Friday, March 30, 2007
Miniature Earth
Thursday, March 29, 2007
We Have Some Visitors from Taiwan
Today my former MEI colleague, Dr. Rae Lan, brought four of her students from Soochow University in Taiwan to observe our class, and we took some pictures! Natalie, Marcy, Dorothy and Claire are studying to be English teachers.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Back to Work!
We are continuing in Quest Chapter 6 and beginning a chapter on adverbial clauses. The students appeared rested and ready to work hard in the second half of the semester. I was disappointed that six students did not come to class today, however. I can't understand how they expect to improve their English enough to pass the class if they do not attend and participate!
Saturday, March 10, 2007
The Power of Reading
Krashen believes that "free voluntary reading," or FVR, positively affects vocabulary size, spelling, reading comprehension, grammar, and writing style; in fact, research indicates that it is better than direct instruction in improving these areas. (pp. 12-13)
In fact, Krashen writes, "writing style does not come from writing, but from reading." (p. 72) He surmises that although research cannot specify exactly what makes writing "good", "it is...sensible to suppose that writing style is not consciously learned, but is largely absorbed, or subconsciously acquired, from reading."
He notes that people read much more than they write: as much as 150 times as much, speaking of educated adults in the United States, and he further states that the amount of extracurricular (pleasure) reading one does is a strong predictor of English proficiency as measured by the TOEFL, whereas the amount one writes does not correlate with proficiency. This makes sense, according to Krashen, since "language acquisition comes from input, not output, from comprehension, not production." (pp. 74-76)
Television, Krashen says, "does not provide high quality linguistic input" because it is less complex than the language of books, although he admits that TV watching may encourage reading through dramatizations of books. This is because TV uses a small word base, probably under 5,000 words. Compare this to the 3,000+ vocabulary of an average American first-grader.). (pp. 78-81)
Go read a book!
[Page numbers refer to the first paperback edition.]
Friday, March 9, 2007
Missing Students
While I have been writing this, two more students have arrived--another irritating thing. Many stuents apparently feel that it is perfectly acceptable to arrive late to class on a regular basis.
Naturally, if students are really sick or have a valid excuse for missing a test or a class or being late, I have no problem accommodating them. It's this cavalier attitude that "anything goes" that drives me nuts.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
The World Is Flat
Friday, February 23, 2007
Find the Helicopter!
Do you know where this helicopter is on campus? The first person to identify its location in a comment to this post will win a candy bar!
Warming Up...and Then Cold Again
We have had a couple of days with temperatures in the 40s and 50s, and a lot of the ice has melted. Some of the students on campus even wore shorts and t-shirts! There were puddles of water everywhere. Then, yesterday afternoon, a "Canadian Clipper" blew in with gusty winds which made the higher temperatures seem very low indeed. When it is very cold, I detour through Plant Sciences on my way from the parking lot to my office, so that I can warm up a little on the way. It makes it bearable.
There's rather a lot planned for today's class, but if there is time I intend to have the students reflect on what they have been learning in another class this week.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Dirty Snow
What I really hate about snow is how after a few days, it gets grimy, like this. I hate thinking that the air I breathe is full of that black stuff--I just don't notice it most of the time. The dirty snow reminds me that I am breathing polluted air. :-(
This photo was taken in the parking lot near the Comcast Center.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Reflections on Week 4
After having unseasonably warm weather during the month of January, we have been in the deep freeze recently, and Tuesday night there was an ice storm which blanketed the area with several inches of hard, packed ice. You can walk right over the top of it without even making a dent! Some of the students who are from warm places and have never experienced snow might think this is snow, but it's not. The campus closed early on Tuesday and remained closed on Wednesday. I spent the day (1) making bean soup and (2) clearing my driveway. We had to whack at the ice to break it before we could shovel it (we even broke one of our shovels!), and each shovelful weighed a ton. I considered actually getting my bathroom scale out so I could weigh it, but I was too tired! We also used a pick-axe to break it up. That worked better than the blade of the snow-shovel. I felt like a coal miner, digging for white coal.
I assigned an oral presentation for this week. The students, working in pairs and threes, could choose from four projects, three of which were videos. In the past, I showed these videos to the whole class. Fridays were devoted to videos, and we all went over to Nonprint Media Services to watch them together. This semester, I did not have time each week to devote to the videos, so I assigned them as part of the oral project. I wonder which method is better!
Monday, February 12, 2007
Home Again
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Nina AFK
Student Blogs
Don't forget to give your blog address to your friends and family back home, so they can follow your progress at UM.
Thursday, February 8, 2007
What do you think Nasser is going to do?
Everyone is behaving in this picture.
Sunday, February 4, 2007
005 students
Monday, January 29, 2007
The Second Week Begins...
Today we got a start in our textbooks, Understanding and Using English Grammar and Quest: Listening and Speaking 3. However, we couldn't get through all the material I had planned. Although the students would probably prefer to have fewer hours in class, I wish we had (at least) three hours per day!
Almost every student has created his/her own blog. This morning I showed them how to change the default settings for time zone, comment verification and moderation, etc., and assigned a first post for this week, introducing themselves. I have had several offers from EFL teachers in different countries to read the students' blogs and interact with the class. :-)
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
The First Day of Class
Everyone in the class seems pleasant and positive, even though I know very well that most of them would rather not take the class!
Here's to a successful semester for all!
In these pictures, the students are practicing using a variety of verb tenses and aspects:
A Wonderful Video
Thursday, January 11, 2007
UMEI 005 (Advanced English as a Foreign Language) is a non-credit one-semester required ESL course offered by the Maryland English Institute for students at the University of Maryland (Maryland, USA). Course dates are January 24 - May 4, 2007. The purpose of the course is to support international students at UM whose English language proficiency does not quite meet the standard set by the university for full-time academic study. We target all four skills in the course, which meets two hours a day, Monday - Friday, for 13 weeks. The students are at both the graduate and undergraduate level, aged about 18-30, and are studying in various fields.
There are about 15 students in the class. We have a class blog and a class wiki, and the students have created their own individual blogs. I am sure they will be excited to read comments from English students and teachers from around the world!
Links to UMEI005 student blogs:
By the way, we might also be interested in some synchronous interaction, e.g., text chat at Tapped In or voice chat on Yahoo Messenger. This would be possible on Mondays or Fridays, when we meet in the computer lab, from 1400 GMT to 1600 GMT.
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
The semester begins...
You are still on vacation, but I am already back on campus and planning the semester. I always have a class blog, and I like my students to have their own blogs too. A blog gives you a space on the web where you can express your thoughts and ideas in English. These can be read by your classmates, by other students (and non-students) in other places, by your family and friends back home, and (of course) by me, your teacher. We can interact with you by leaving comments on your blog.


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Bassist Shavo Odadjian was asked by Metal Hammer magazine on what the status of System of a Down is since the band reconnected last year, he replied "The four of us together yield something that is really special, energetically to me.
"As dynamic as we are on that stage, we are equally dynamic offstage, too. This makes things complicated at times, but we always rekindle, and you all know the product that comes as a result of that. "It's been great, unpredictable, and par for the System of a Down course."
The musician also talked about the group's upcoming June 9 performance at this year's Download Festival, saying: "Of course there are bells and whistles – we just call it a System of a Down show. It's nothing I can talk about beforehand, because when I walk onstage, things just happen.
"Yes, we will have a set setlist, and yes, I have been working on production, but once we start playing, we have two hours to deliver a fantastic show to our amazing fans."
Back in November 2016, Shavo told Kerrang that System of a Down has been working on new music for 6 months at that point, reporting 15 "album-worthy" songs were ready.


text: Section: Wanted Title: wanted! 400CSQ Price: 4,000.00 Location: Co Date: December 02, 2005 Contact: Todd Ireland Email: tireland72 at hotmail.com Phone: Description: NO PICTURES. I am looking for a NICE 4000 quattro. I am looking for a car that HAS NOT been hit. It must be in tip top shape, with no (major) dents or rust spots. preferably the script interior. if you have one or know of one for sale, please let me know. URL: http://www.audifans.com/marketplace/show.php?table=pm_audifans_Wanted&id=172 -- [ This is an automated message ] [ You are receiving this message ] [ because you signed up for the ] [ Marketplace email notification. ]


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It's like there is a forum for everything! I'm now on a forum for thickness planers! There is so much helpful information out there!
I went to Delmont Lumber this weekend and bought Eastern White Cedar for my next "Root" project as well as some black walnut that I want to use for pinstripes on the deck.
I have been researching thickness planers and have decided that the low end ones are pieces of crap, but they are affordable and it sounds like if you baby them enough that they can be an alright tool to add to the collection. Just don't make deep cuts each pass. So I'm gonna get myself a used Rigid TP1300 for 250 bucks. There are bigger used 220 volt ones out there just above my price range and I really don't want to spend a whole lot of money right now....''unemployed'' 250 sounds right and I am only using it for this project and some of my canoe project that will hopefully start soon as well.
Back to Delmont Lumber. Peter Boyce proprietor AND inventor of a lateral wave energy convertor ( giggawatz.com ) is quite an interesting character. Awesome individual who has invented and electrical generator from wave power. He's got quite a mind and his ideas are pretty sound. He's been working on it for 30 years trying to get the government interested. A few years back he had a fire that burnt down his house and most of his invention, and soon after his wife passed away. He's had it rough and deserves some attention for his baby. Give his link a read if you can!
See you all soon.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
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text:
|کد مقاله
|سال انتشار
|مقاله انگلیسی
|ترجمه فارسی
|تعداد کلمات
|سفارش دهید
|10440 کلمه
Publisher : Elsevier - Science Direct (الزویر - ساینس دایرکت)
Journal : Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, Volume 213, Issue 2, 30 August 2013, Pages 142–153
چکیده انگلیسی
Over the past two decades, many magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) studies reported lower N-acetylaspartate (NAA) in key brain regions of patients with schizophrenia (SZ) compared to healthy subjects. A smaller number of studies report no difference in NAA. Many sources of variance may contribute to these discordant results including heterogeneity of the SZ subject populations and methodological differences such as MRS acquisition parameters, and post-acquisition analytic methods. The current study reviewed proton MRS literature reporting measurements of NAA in SZ with a focus on methodology. Studies which reported lower NAA were significantly more likely to have used longer echo times (TEs), while studies with shorter TEs reported no concentration difference. This suggests that NAA quantitation using MRS was affected by the choice of TE, and that published MRS literature reporting NAA in SZ using a long TE is confounded by apparent differential T2 relaxation effects between SZ and healthy control groups. Future MRS studies should measure T2 relaxation times. This would allow for spectral concentration measurements to be appropriately corrected for these relaxation effects. In addition, as metabolite concentration and T2 relaxation times are completely independent variables, this could offer distinct information about the metabolite of interest.
مقدمه انگلیسی
Spatially resolved magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) has proved to be a powerful and non-invasive tool for the investigation of the neurochemistry of the working healthy and pathological brain. MRS has been used as an investigational tool in schizophrenia (SZ) research following the development of spatially selective pulse sequences and water suppression techniques in the late 1980s which enabled the in vivo detection of brain metabolite resonances. One brain metabolite commonly examined in MRS studies is N-acetylaspartate (NAA). NAA is a free amino acid that is biosynthesized in neuronal mitochondria. It is found almost exclusively in neurons, including axons and dendrites, and is considered a marker for neuronal viability and integrity. Changes in NAA concentrations could be caused by changes in neuronal density or neuronal dysfunction (such as changes in glucose metabolism or mitochondrial function). A number of proton MRS (1H MRS) studies have reported reduced NAA in the frontal and temporal lobes and other structures of patients with SZ. However, a lesser number of studies report no difference in NAA between patients with SZ and healthy controls (HCs). What are the possible origins of the disparate findings? There are many potential sources of variance which may contribute to these conflicting results including differences in clinical and demographic characteristics (such as medication status or duration of illness), and also the choice of specific MRS acquisition parameters, techniques, and analytic methods ( Sanches et al., 2004). The fundamental principle underlying proton MRS is that for each MRS-visible metabolite, the fundamental frequency at which the nucleus of each hydrogen atom (proton) resonates is shifted by a small amount (measured in parts-per-million, ppm) from the basic resonant frequency of a single, isolated, proton. Chemically identical hydrogen nuclei within an MRS-visible metabolite experience similar local magnetic fields and nuclear spin–spin interactions and therefore have a characteristic chemical shift along the resonance frequency axis, which results in a spectral peak that is a chemical signature of that group of protons within that metabolite. The peak intensity or area under the spectral peak is proportional to the number of nuclei contributing to that peak, which is determined by the concentration of that metabolite within a selected volume of interest (voxel) (Jansen et al., 2006). As discussed below, several MRS acquisition parameters and subject tissue characteristics ultimately affect the measured spectral peak area. When these myriad factors are properly accounted for, or held constant, a "raw" peak integral (area under the peak) is obtained which is proportional to the concentration of the metabolite of interest. These raw spectral measurements reflect absolute metabolite concentrations, which may then be further normalized into conventional units or expressed as dimensionless concentration ratios to some within-subject reference metabolite such as creatine (Cr). The use of metabolite (or water) ratios does correct for differences in excitation within a voxel of interest. However, when using this method, if a change in normalized data is observed, it is impossible to tell whether the numerator (the metabolite of interest) or the denominator (the reference metabolite, often Cr) is changing (Jansen et al., 2006). In early MRS studies, the creatine spectral peak (Cr–PCr) was commonly chosen as the reference metabolite as it was hypothesized to be constant and comparable between brain regions or participant populations; however, it has been demonstrated that this assumption does not always hold, even in healthy individuals. In fact, coefficients of variation are higher in ratio studies than in absolute quantification studies (Schirmer and Auer, 2000 and Li et al., 2003). The assumption of uniform concentration of a reference metabolite is even more unreliable in abnormal populations such as patients with SZ (Ongur et al., 2010b). Therefore, although the use of a reference metabolite such as Cr was common in the early MRS literature, in recent years this practice has diminished in favor of absolute concentration measures with the caveat that normalization to the absolute water reference peak is still common practice as discussed below. However, there are a number of other methodological considerations that affect spectral quantification as well, including radiofrequency coil properties, calibration procedures, spectral fitting methods, voxel corrections for fractional cerebral spinal fluid (CSF)/gray matter/white matter content, macromolecule suppression, and spectral editing techniques (Jansen et al., 2006). The acquisition of a spatially resolved spectroscopic signal for a metabolite of interest requires the selection of a significant number of spectrometer acquisition parameters. Each of these parameters has an impact on the characteristics of the spectrometer signals used to excite the specific brain region being analyzed, and in the resultant spectrum obtained from the excitation echoes. The conversion of an integrated area under a spectral peak for a specific resonance line to a metabolite concentration requires a number of approximations. A general expression for this relationship between signal intensity I and metabolite concentration [M] is: equation(1) View the MathML sourceI=c1N[M]VB1(r)Lsin(θ)exp(−TET2(⁎))(1–exp(−TRT1)) Turn MathJax on where I=signal intensity, c1=constant, N=number of equivalent atoms per molecule, [M]=metabolite concentration, V=volume, B1(r)=reception field distribution, L=function of radiofrequency coil loading, θ=RF excitation tip angle, TE=acquisition delay or echo time (depending upon method), T2⁎=spin–spin transverse relaxation time including static field effects, TR=pulse repetition time, and T1=spin–lattice relaxation time. The goal in MRS experiments is to hold values of c1,N, V, B1(r), and θ constant, to the extent possible, or, when necessary, to correct for variations. For example, L (the amount of power necessary to transmit the signal) and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) are dependent on the volume of the object near the coil (i.e. the size and tissue composition of the head being examined) and by the electrical impedance of the coil when "loaded" with a participant's head. Larger, denser objects require more transmitted power to achieve a constant flip angle θ. As the size of the participant's head cannot be controlled, this is a source of variability, although some experimenters attempt to control for this by measuring the power received by the coil and the SNR and calculating the volume of the head ( Jansen et al., 2006). T1 is assumed to be constant, and in most proton MRS experiments, T1 variability is considered to have a negligible effect, especially at a longer TR. Saturation of longitudinal magnetization due to repeated pulses in standard MRS pulse sequences also tends to reduce T1 effects. Most TRs for these experiments are in the range of 1500–3000 ms, and the T1 for NAA at 1.5 and 3 T is ∼1300–1400 ms ( Rutgers and van der Grond, 2002 and Traber et al., 2004). This review assumes that T1 is not variable between groups, but that could be an interesting topic of a future study, especially one focused on phosphorus MRS findings as the variability would manifest as a TR-dependence (long vs. short) in the observed MRS signal. Thus, after eliminating all other terms of the above equation as sources of variance, this review will focus on the possibility that differential NAA concentration measurements between experiments could be due to the selection of long versus short TEs during signal acquisition because long TE experiments are more sensitive to any differences in T2 relaxation times between healthy control (HC) and SZ groups. The T2 relaxation time reflects the mean decay time of the MR signal or free-induction decay (FID) for a given metabolite, and different metabolites have different T2 relaxation times. Mobile molecules will have longer T2 times (longer FIDs) than less mobile molecules. Therefore, if the local micro-environment in which the metabolite of interest resides is altered, then relaxation times (and therefore measures of metabolite concentrations) may also be affected. This is especially important when normalizing metabolites that are intracellular only (i.e. NAA) to molecules which are found in both the intracellular and extracellular space (i.e. Cr) as changes in the relaxation times of metabolites in these two compartments could be differentially affected by an abnormal environment. Studies that normalize to water rather than Cr do not avoid this problem either, as previous studies have found schizophrenia-related changes in water proton relaxation times ( Andreasen et al., 1991, Williamson et al., 1992, Supprian et al., 1997, Pfefferbaum et al., 1999, Aydin et al., 2007 and Ongur et al., 2010b). For instance, some studies have found that within groups of patients with SZ, T2 relaxation times of intracellular metabolites (Cr+phosphocreatine, choline containing compounds) are reduced compared to that of HC subjects ( Ongur et al., 2010b). The authors suggest that this could be due to a decrease in neuronal cell volumes and/or increased macromolecule concentrations resulting in increased metabolite–macromolecule interactions and more rapid loss of transverse magnetization (decreased T2 relaxation time) ( Ongur et al., 2010b). The existence of significant discrepancies in the MRS research literature examining SZ has motivated this review of these assumptions and analysis of the published results. These questions were tangentially addressed in an insightful review and meta-analysis by Steen et al. (2005) which concluded that some of the inconsistency in findings on NAA within the literature are due to many of these studies being underpowered. The present review focuses instead on the published proton MRS literature reporting proton MRS measurements of NAA in SZ research with a focus on the choice of TE. These analyses reveal evidence that certain analytic assumptions may not hold in comparisons of quantitative spectroscopic data between patients with SZ and HCs.


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Friday, August 19, 2011
the flight home
Ajah has been velcro kitty and Iulia purrs nonstop. I have been working on getting Iulia used to her new walking jacket and reaquainting Ajah to clicker training and holding positions. We haven't had the opportunity to show since Feb. It is also summer and Ajah isn't in prime coat. She also loses weight due to tne heat. Luckfully OH doesn't stay hot for to long. Its cooling down at night so wet ad raw food along with a good structure is good for the both of us. There were thoughts on the kitten. I think she will get things figured out. The constant changes over the past year have created a lot of unique challenges that have brought both happiness and pure heartache. Having pets does complicate things but I can't imagine life without them and they weren't insurmountable.
So let me back up... I traveled from spot in AZ, spent the night in a smoking cubicle outside at the airport. I used my two carry on bags and blanket to sprawl out. Then got on my flight 10 hours later. Tucson airport was cool with actual plugins and seating. In Houston, things were pretty quiet. I ate lunch and couldn't find a plug. The flight was roomy. I watched a movie on my laptop and got a very limited nap. Then Houston to Chicago was like a sardine can with some lady who wws nice that didn't speak english. It was fine except I had to go to the bathroom and couldnt get
out. I felt near claustrophobic. Being by the window was my only saving grace. It was an overbooked flight. They ran out of room in the overhead bin and didn't offer valet service so I had both carryons below my feet for 4 hours. Its like riding in the middle hump seat of a toyota corolla. Needless to say for someone my size, keep in mind I fit in the airplane seat with room to move but I am not small either, it was tight. I couldt even sit up straight because tbe lady next to me had her arms resting on borh sides. Luckfully, chicago to Toledo was nice. They had a small plane and I got the one seat row where I could actually stretch oht. It felt nice and they had valet for the flight. Then, there was not any public transportation from our small cornfield airport for night flights. So I walked 8 miles and then got a cab after taking a nature hike. I saw it as a walkabought as described by John Locke in Lost. Then after an investment for a cool high top minivan taxi I got to my current location. The taxi driver was smoking peach cigars, a Vietnam vet and we shared some political views and VA medical changes amongst other things.
And so I will be returning to Az for school reasons in 3 months. After that its Az for a few months but hopefully to Phoenix to be closer to the events listed previously. Then hopefully I have an rv setup and will allow me to spend the winter in Phoenix. From there, spring and finally a summer break. Next summer I want a workamping position and some breathing space to shift gears. Then graduation 6 months later and onto Portland hopefully. But by Fortuna, the fates with have their way. Pax for now with warm wishes and happiness to all.
2 comments:
Clicker training works with cats? I thought they would be too independent...ReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 24, 2011 at 2:21 AM
Hi Conrad,ReplyDelete
Please visit http://www.clickertraining.com/cattraining to see examples of how it is done. Most cats are responsive to clicker training. It gives them something to do aka environmental enrichment, merely transforms what they do naturally to when you want them to do it, and it enhances the relationship between owner and pet. I used clicker training initially to compete show cats in agility (yep we have cat agility like dogs do as well). http://catagility.com otherwise known as International Cat Agility Association.
Then when I decided on traveling, I experimented with taking the cats and found many of the skills from agility and show training were applicable to coexisting in a van for days at a time. Clicker training made it possible for my cats to learn to go to crate, I made it inviting. I put the harness on them and used play as a distraction and eventually they looked forward to their leash. Its a continual process. Another factor is that its positive reinforcement training which has come in handy with teaching kittens to stay off certain furniture and my kitchen counters. And it all started with a cat named Angel who was bored and destructive at home by himself. So we got him a buddy (he passed from crystals in 2007 very sad) and found clicker training through the TICA Anchorage cat show club. Some cities have actual lessons like dogs but based on 1/2 hour timeslots at a studio with one on one instruction because lets face it, cats aren't dogs in that they remain selectively social.


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The first 30 nTLDs (new top level domain extensions) evaluation results have been released, and all but 3 applications have received a passing result status. These domains are all of the IDN (International Domain Name) string format
The first 30 nTLDs (new top level domain extensions) evaluation results have been released, and all but 3 applications have received a passing result status. These domains are all of the IDN (International Domain Name) string format
An article posted yesterday in Domain Incite reveals that the original .web applicant (Image Online Design) has filed a lawsuit against ICANN for control of the .web gTLD namespace. Continue reading
On February 7th, 2012, ICANNWiki published a wiki list comprised of known applications for TLDs being applied for in ICANN's New gTLD Program. It is broken down by what "type" of gTLD the applicant is applying for.
A lot of information has been added to this list since it was released about the applicant and registry provider for each new gTLD. As the applicants make themselves known, their reference information is added to the list.
A number of the new extensions will undoubtedly be accepted and will expand the list of accepted extensions currently available on the web.
The root zone database list of active domain extensions is bigger than you may expect as many country code extensions (ccTLDs) heavily populate the list. Country code extensions contain abbreviations like like, .tv (Tuvalu), .cc (Cocos Islands), .us (United States), and .ca (Canada) and can provide branded variations to a .com.
When the new extensions are added to this list you will have many more choices available for domain name and website addresses. Stay tuned as we monitor the new gTLD applicant program and prepare for newly available extensions in early 2013.
UPDATE: Kate appropriately mentions that ICANNWiki is not an official operation of ICANN. This article was updated to reflect this information.
ICANN began accepting applications for new gTLDs January 12th, 2012. This means that if you have the tech-savvy, experience and organization ready to operate your own registry, you could run the next .com!
With over 100 million domains already registered at Verisign, starting at number 1 is an exciting new prospect for businesses and existing domain owners! Popular domains that are already taken in the .com extension will be available in a wider field of newly accepted extensions.
Lots work was undertaken by ICANN to begin accepting applications for new gTLDs. So far organizations with new registrations and domain extension applications have been pouring in. ICANN already has it's hands full just managing the TLD Application System (TAS) as it's already lost some applications along the way.
Out of a large list of the potential extensions are some great new ideas and organizations behind them. The highlights for us are .shop, .web, .bank, .hotel, .eco, to name but a few.
A large number of participants and organizations are behind each new domain extension application. For example, the Dot Eco Community Council includes global organizations like Green Cross, Greenpeace and WWF to international groups like the Akatu Institute of Brazil and the Green Belt Movement of Kenya.
Whether you've applied or not, your next question might be: "It's after 12 January. What happens next?"
Organizations who choose to apply to operate a top-level domain have merely begun a journey that will most likely carry them into 2013. If you're curious about the next phases of ICANN's New gTLD Program, here are highlights of what to expect summarized below:
In the online TLD Application System (TAS), an applicant must first register, and then apply.
This is the last day ICANN accepts applications, including all evaluation fees, for a gTLD.
After checking all applications for essential completeness, ICANN will publicly post all TLD character strings that have been applied for, and who applied for each.
Beginning 12 June, various evaluation panels will conduct the string reviews and applicant reviews that make up the Initial Evaluation.
The initial evaluation period ends. ICANN posts the outcome of Initial Evaluation; whether applications have passed or failed evaluation.
The Extended Evaluation period allows for one more exchange of information between the applicant and evaluators, to clarify information in the application.
In the ideal case, an application that has encountered no problems has passed evaluation by this date.
As you can see, the New gTLD Program forecasts a busy 2012. Some new gTLDs will clear the process late in the year, and be ready for delegation in early 2013. Other new gTLDs will have a longer path.
The dates listed here are based on the estimated timeframes as laid out in the Applicant Guidebook. Should the volume of applications or other circumstances require adjustment to the timeframes, ICANN will post updated information.
Now you know what else to expect from the New gTLD Program this calendar year.


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SHELLY BEACH SNIPPETS No. 83 February, 2017.
Patricia Newell-Dunkley – Photographs by Reginald J. Dunkley.
Greetings from down under where the extreme weather conditions continue to prevail, with heat waves and tropical storms, flash flooding and bush fires raging in Western Australia. Now is a very good time to hop on board the Queen Mary 2 which is heading into Sydney and have a mini cruise, one week or three days. Alternatively you can sail on her for 67 nights from Sydney to Southampton.
This luxury liner is the flagship of the fleet and offers the last word in travel elegance, from the largest ballroom at sea to the sumptuous Commodore Club. With the only Kennels @ Sea and the most comprehensive library @ Sea, dine when the mood takes you plus endless entertainment. Q.M.2 is the best.
Five nights cruise from Sydney to Hobart, and Brisbane. Interact with everything from dolphins to wallabies, beautiful scenery, pristine beaches, and sparkling water, relax and cool down.
Hobart is the capital of Australia's island state of Tasmania. Nestled amongst the foothills of Mt. Wellington, Hobart combines heritage charm with a modern lifestyle in a setting of exceptional beauty, and is one of the top ten spots to visit in the world. With its captivating history, picturesque scenery, and gourmet experience, it is also the second oldest capital after Sydney, with a fascinating history.
Port Arthur is a quaint village and best known for the well-preserved penal colony buildings of the nearby historical site. Set on top of the Tasman Peninsular, Port Arthur is a great base to explore and discover the area's natural attractions, its dramatic coastal rock formations and towering cliffs.
The Port Arthur Historical site was established in 1830 to house the most notorious convicts; it is full of powerful stories of hardship and loss and is one of Tasmania's most rewarding travel experiences. The dark history contrasts greatly with the beauty of the surroundings, with its unique rock formations Remarkable Cave and beautiful waterways like Crescent Bay.
Tasmania is a natural island, a land of dramatic coastlines, rugged mountains, tall forests, with a third of the state reserved in a network of National Parks and The Wilderness World Heritage Area is a refuge and habitat for rare plants and animals, including survivors of the ancient southern super continent, Gondwana. The Aborigine history of Tasmania is extremely rich and fascinating.
Brisbane is the sunny, sophisticated capital city of Queensland. Combine art and outdoor adventure in Brisbane, where creative spaces, music, and hip new restaurants meet pretty riverside gardens and man-made beaches.
For adventure you can climb Brisbane's Story Bridge, with panoramic views across the city, north to the Glasshouse Mountains and South to the World Heritage-listed Gold Coast hinterland. Then abseil back down to the Anchor Pier, and face the glistening river and cityscape.
Soak up the arts at the Queensland Art Gallery and Modern Art with a collection of more than 17,000 works. Brisbane also boasts an exciting live music scene; check "The Triffid" and "Lefty's Old Time Music Hall" an all-American saloon with live country music and Southern bar snacks.
Brisbane's coastline is dotted with idyllic islands. Moreton Island is just a 70 minute ferry ride, and is the third largest sand island in the world. Most of the island is National Park, creating a blissful paradise of sandy beaches, bush and lagoons. North Stradbroke Island is affectionately known as "Straddie" and just forty minutes ferry ride from the bay side town of Cleveland. There are three villages on the island- Dunwich, Amity and Point Lookout, all fringed by stunning surf beaches, calm blue bays, and tranquil lakes. Explore the island by bicycle and spot migrating whales between the months of June and October. Enjoy.
Here at Shelly Beach all is well and to my surprise discovered that I had a cuckoo in the nest. This beautiful bird appeared sitting on the back wall surrounded by its foster parents, four yellow wattle birds. Known as a Koel, it is most unusual to see one in a garden as they are birds of the forest and big brush country. With a distinctive call of 'coo-ee' or 'ko-el' loud and clear. It had been nesting in a large tree in the rear of the garden, and once able to fly just appeared. Sadly it has now gone, but not my other birds.
With the extreme heat the birds are pleased to find water in the garden along with wild seed, and they even like porridge. Multi coloured lorikeets are the most plentiful, also white parrots. These large birds are pure white in colour and very conspicuous, together with the pink and grey galahs they make a distinctive sight. My usual birds have to take second place being smaller; however, they all get a fair share of tucker. The fairy wren is still a favourite, with exquisite colouring and daintily hopping to and fro, and of course the Kookaburra. I am indeed very fortunate and love them all.
My books "Letters of a Travelling Lady, Wallis the Woman I Love, and The Complete Guide to Painting and Decorating Porcelain" are available on Amazon, Xlibris and my website.
Cheers. Patricia.
About Patricia Newell-Dunkley
I am an artist writer, born in Sussex, Shoreham-on-Sea and educated at Ealing Modern School in London. I studied amongst other subjects English Literature and Art which sowed the seeds for what would become a lifelong passion. It was not until 1970, after moving to Australia, that I began to satisfy my artistic desire when I first started Porcelain on-glaze painting using mineral oxides paint, a style which would become my forte. Within six months I had bought a kiln, and I embarked on an extensive series of courses over the following years in Grounding, Gold and Silver Gilding, Lustres, Raised Paste and Pen work. In 1980 I began to offer my art through a number of major Sydney outlets. Initially the Fine Art Department of the Myers City Store, followed by David Jones, Grace Brothers, The International Airport, Micawbers Antiques, Bourke's Hilton Hotel, Roseville Gallery and Toowoon Bay Gallery. Over the years my painting styles have expanded to include Oil, Pastel, and Watercolours. I am a member of the Society of Authors and also a member of the Society of Women Writers and Journalists UK. My writing includes articles and poems published in This England, Evergreen, and The Radio ABC Pot Pourri of Poems, as well as short stories. "The Complete Guide to Painting and Decorating Porcelain," "Wallis the Woman I Love," a narrative poem, "Letters of a Travelling Lady," and six romantic novels.


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I had a few pictures of food from the past couple of weeks. I haven't taken pictures of much else, so this is what I'm posting. :)
We sure had fun!
This was our first chicken to roast of our free-range chickens that we helped to grow at the Oldlands' (OK, Peter helped butcher the chickens and that's about it).
I made some chicken fried rice and egg rolls a couple of weeks ago too. Maybe it was my pregnancy tastebuds, but man, was it good.
Today is Wednesday before Thanksgiving. So, today is a cooking day too. Time for me to get off the blog and go make my pies. I hope you all have a marvelous and blessed Thanksgiving holiday and I will be back to probably post more food photos after it's all over. :)


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|{Necklace - NY&Co; Tank - Target; Skirt - H&M; Clutch - Aldo; Shoes - Cathy Jean}
I think in my next life I would like to be a ballerina. I took ballet for a few years as a little girl, absolutely loved it and have been obsessed with all things ballet ever since. (Don't believe me? Check this out!!) Pink, tutu's, buns (as in hair buns; not hamburger buns or rear ends), the grace and beauty of a ballerina - what's not to love? I saw "Black Swan" for the first time a few weeks ago and my love for ballet was immediately rekindled; if I had a tutu and toe shoes I would have done pirouettes around the house. Instead, I did the more sensible thing and went on a shopping spree and just happened to find the skirt of my ballerina dreams; the perfect length, the perfect color and the perfect amount of tulle layers - I was beyond thrilled. Can I just tell you that I felt like I was walking on clouds when I wore this? I felt so feminine and loved the way it swirled and twirled around - I was as giddy as a schoolgirl and did not want to take it off at the end of the day . . . Don't worry, I did, but only after throwing the mother of all temper tantrums and then accepting a sugary bribe. My first thought when I got this skirt was to go all out with the ballet theme and pair it with either a black or gray tank and ballet flats, but then I thought it would be fun to put a bit of a French spin on it and add a striped tank, pearls and sky-high heels. All I need now is a café au lait and the Eiffel Tower behind me.


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Summer time is officially here & these past few weeks have come & gone so fast. Lately I've been waking up to some early birds ready to run around the house. If its not running around its fighting about how he can't sit around & watch T.V. or play video games all day. I know, the evil mom award goes to?
This just means summer is in full force around here. With some long weeks still ahead until school starts we are looking into some fun summer camps. Are you looking for some fun camps around San Antonio for your kiddo? Well thank goodness for San Antonio Camps. Here your will find all kinds of camps all around San Antonio. What kind of camp do your kiddos prefer?
Happy Hump day friends!
Happy Hump day friends!


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Terrence, my five year-old grandson, came to spend the night. When it was time for bed, I read a story; that's our ritual. I usually read one of the Berenstain Bears books because that's what he's been liking lately. Instead, I reached for The Adventures of Bobby Coon by Thornton W Burgess. On the first page is an inscription: Jack Brandon, Christmas 1924. My father-in-law who passed away a few years before I married his son Douglas, received the book when he was about the age of our grandson.
Bobby Coon, nesting in a hollow tree for the winter, had a bad dream. The dream turned into a nightmare. A giant was beating Bobby's log with a stick. Bobby rubbed his sleepy eyes. The dreadful pounding continued. The half-awake coon didn't know if he was dreaming or awake. He decided to bite his tail. That would let him know if he was awake or asleep. At this point in the story Terrence began to giggle.
"So Bobby took the tip of his tail in his mouth and bit it gently. Then he wondered if he really did feel it or just seemed to feel it. So he bit it again, and this time he bit harder. 'Ouch!' cried Bobby."
Terrence lost control of his giggle. He rolled back and forth on the bed struggling for breath.
At this exact moment I discovered an awful truth. Terrence has inherited my gift of visualizing a scene into absurdity. It's a helpful ability when used in writing but one that's also caused me embarrassment. Once when I was fifteen, sitting in a church pew at a youth meeting, the teenage zealous speaker, his face red from exertion, preached to us about our sinful tendency to criticize others.
He cited Jesus' story about the man who tried to remove a speck from another man's eye and couldn't do it because he had a massive beam stuck in his own eye. A vivid picture settled in my brain. A man strode through the small downtown section of our town, a plank protruding from his eye. I saw him linger at the Sears window. Shoppers gazed at him, horrified.
As this movie played out in my mind, I started to giggle. My face turned crimson. I clamped my hand over my mouth and lowered my head below the pew in front of me. Nothing worked. The movie continued. The man in my mind strolled through town oblivious to the two by four in his eye. I laughed through the entire sermon. And the sermon was no laughing matter. My cousin seated beside me giggled too, not because of her own vivid visions but because my giggle set her off.
Now my affliction has been visited upon my poor grandson. He is doomed to visualize scenes that will undo him at the most inappropriate moments – in the middle of a wedding speech, during a Christmas song warbled to a courteous audience by an untalented singer or perhaps at a PTA meeting when a worried parent over-dramatizes an altercation between children.
For now, Terrence and I share an out of control laughter moment. Our Father created us with the ability to laugh . . . there has to be a good reason for that. One? When we laugh with people we build relationships with them. And forming warm life-long connections is a wonderful thing.
And so off they went to Antioch. On arrival, they gathered the church and read the letter. The people were greatly relieved and pleased. Judas and Silas, good preachers both of them, strengthened their new friends with many words of courage and hope. Then it was time to go home. They were sent off by their new friends with laughter and embraces all around to report back to those who had sent them. Acts 15:30-33


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Cryptopsy - None So Live review
|None So Live
|Release date:
01. Intro
02. Crown Of Horns
03. White Worms
04. We Bleed
05. Open Face Surgery
06. Cold Hate, Warm Blood
07. Phobophile
08. Shroud
09. Graves Of The Fathers
10. Drum Solo
11. Defenestration
12. Slit Your Guts
It's hard to believe that Montreal's [Canada] Cryptopsy has been in existence [starting out as Necrosis] some eleven years! After their 1994 debut Blasphemy Made Flesh made it's way to the press, it established the band as something more than the average metal band. Two years later, None So Vile proved the point even further, and in modern standard, established itself as a classic grind album.
A change of vocalist and a new label pre-empted the release of 1998's Whisper Supremacy, but 2000's And Then You?ll Beg was the last recording by vocalist Michael DiSalvo. The album surpassed all previous efforts, and propelled Cryptopsy into the elite of death metal acts.
With new vocalist Martin Lacroix joining the ranks [along side Jon Levasseur on lead and rhythm guitars, Alex Auburn on rhythm, lead guitars and vocals, Eric Langlois on bass and Flo Mounier on drums and vocals], Cryptopsy took to the road with Vader, Dimmu Borgir and Krisiun.
As you would expect, None So Live was recorded at the Medley in Cryptopsy's hometown of Montreal in June 2002, making it their first live album and Lacroix's debut. As hard as it is to comprehend, Cryptopsy can actually reproduce what they play on their albums on the stage. The sheer brutality of tracks such as ?Slit Your Guts?, ?Open Face Surgery? and ?Cold Hate, Warm Blood? mix well will latter day complexity of tracks such ?We Bleed? and ?Shroud?.
Flo Mounier allows himself a solo spotlight on the album [proving that his skill behind the kit is beyond mere human comprehension], while Lacroix's vocal remain true to the original design set out all those years ago. While his style is different from DiSilvo's, he does perform a remarkable job keeping up with the relentless pace of the material.
The production is again amazing, with long time producer Pierre Remillard [who merely mixed the album this time around] giving the band the best sound quality possible.
If there were a fault to pick, then it would be the absence of any new material on the albums ten [actual songs] tracks. But like I said, that's if there was something to gripe about. It only means that I?ll have to wait till the end of the year when the new studio album is due to be released!
Hits total: 1697 | This month: 7


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We are back from the holidays and back to our bi-weekly schedule! This week we have OPIN Software's Pat, Ash, Blanca and Kojo, discussing their experiences with configuration management, the problems it solves and the ones it creates.
The big trend in the CMS world right now is decoupling, or going headless. With smart phones, tablets, set top devices like the Roku or Apple TV, and now smart watches, the app world is a whole new frontier as a location to get your content out to your audience.
Steve, Andrew, Chris, and myself discuss not only the technical side of decoupling Drupal, but also the business case for why it might be (or might not be) something to consider for sites moving forward.
DrupalCons are annual, global conferences, held in North American, Europe, and now Asia, where thousands of Drupal developers, designers, engineers, and the like gather to participate in sessions and talks, and to continue to work together to further the Drupal project.
I attended my very first DrupalCon this past September in Barcelona and found the experience exciting and re-energizing. I thought it'd be fun to sit down with some of my colleagues to discuss our experiences and see if they felt the same as I did about DrupalCon.
Adam Hill, Andrew Trebble, Kojo Odapagyan, and myself discuss our preferred development environments as well as how we got started in the industry and on computers in general.
I sit down with Opin Software's Chris Smith and Steve Lavigne to discuss the latest updates and features found Drupal 8.


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Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Soldier, Soldier - Robson Green (1992) - Kai Tak Airport, Kowloon
3 comments:
I'm pretty sure the first image was filmed from the observation deck, just a bit to the right of the Cathay TriStar in this image:ReplyDelete
It's also visible in this shot, right around the empty bay between the Cathay and Japan Airlines 747s:
I was a bit of an aviation nut back in the day (still am now, to a lesser extent), and spent a whole lot of time up there, so I'm very familiar with the angle.
The first shot has two Cathay Pacific Boeing 747-300s and a Garuda Indonesia Airbus A300. The second shot is also a Cathay 747-300.
Cathay had a total of six 747-300s, all delivered between 1985 and 1988. All but one of them were leased to Pakistan International Airlines from April to July 1997, and finally all six were sold to PIA in late 2002.
Of the six, only one is still in service. That's AP-BFY, ex-B-HOM and VR-HOM. Two others have been broken up in Karachi, and three more were stored last year. As for the Garuda jet, I'm not sure if it's an A300-B4 or -600; they had both at the time.
Oh, and my dad's HATS truck-mounted airstairs make an appearance in the second shot, as do his baggage carts in the third one. ;-)Replies


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Press release
Foreign Secretary to meet Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma
Boris Johnson will visit Naypyitaw and Rangoon from 20 to 21 January 2017 on the first visit by a Foreign Secretary to Burma in 5 years.
In the capital city Naypyitaw, the Foreign Secretary will meet State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi to reaffirm the UK's support for Burma's transition to democracy and the government's efforts to reinvigorate the peace process. He will also meet the Burmese Minister of Home Affairs, Lt General Kyaw Swe.
In Rangoon, he will hear directly from members of the Rakhine Commission, and leaders of both communities. He will also meet civil society leaders from ethnic groups to discuss the peace process, and representatives of Burmese and British businesses.
The Foreign Secretary will visit the Shwedagon Pagoda, as well as Burma's largest and most prestigious healthcare institution, Rangoon General Hospital.
The Foreign Secretary said:
Burma's transition to democracy is not yet complete but it is worth reflecting on just how far Burma has come since Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party took office just 9 months ago. Launching a major new peace initiative, establishing a commission led by Kofi Annan to resolve tensions in Rakhine, and releasing more than 300 political prisoners are positive steps.
It is clear that many challenges remain and full reform will take time. The UK, as a longstanding and long term friend to Burma, will continue to offer its fullest support. I look forward to seeing Burma continue to develop into a country where there is peace and prosperity for all its people.
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson visits Burma
Further information
Follow the Foreign Secretary on Twitter: @BorisJohnson and Facebook.
Follow the Foreign Office on Facebook & Twitter.
Follow the Foreign Office on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn
Media enquiries
For journalists
Email email@example.com
Newsdesk 020 7008 3100
Last updated 23 January 2017 + show all updates
- Youtube video attached.
- First published.


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With The Bairn:
"Mom, you be Buzz and I'll be Woodland." (You know, from Toy Story.) This involves insisting I can fly while The Bairn tells me I can't, agreeing to (pretend to) fly over the truck and into the car ahead while driving, and calling The Bairn Woodland while I instruct him to put on his coat, get in the car, etc. If I forget to call him Woodland, he doesn't respond.
The Moon is Made of Cheese. Rules: The Bairn asks, "Is the moon made of cheese?" and I respond, "What?! No! You're teasing me!" Repeat 11 thousand times.
Knock Down the Fence. The Bairn sets up some frontier logs in a row and then crashes a tractor into them. My job is to watch intently from the couch, and shout, "Oh no! Don't knock down the fence!" Repeat.
Dinosaur Mom. The Bairn calls me "Steggie" because I'm a stegosaurus. He asks me why I have spikes on my back a lot and I come up with answers. Sometimes my answers are not good enough and I have to come up with better ones. This is more like our everyday reality, so I don't know if it counts as a game. It's only suspended when we're playing a different game.
With Ellen:
Poor Blind Baby. Rules: Ellen walks around with her eyes closed and her arms out until she runs into me. I tickle her. Ellen walks around with her eyes closed and her arms out until Steve says, "My poor blind baby." Ellen laughs like a crazy person.
Water in a Cup. Ellen insists on receiving water in a cup. I give it to her even though I know she won't drink it. She pours it over a recipe she finds and then tears the wet paper into tiny pieces. I ignore her because I'm writing a blog post. When I ask her to clean up, she picks up the papers and puts them in the trash, because she's the best.
Private Time. I try to use the bathroom by myself. Ellen stands next to me and demands, "Pen'uin," while pointing at a book of penguins. We go to the couch and read.
With Old People:
I struggle to get kids who are bundled up in coats and hats in and out of shopping carts/stores/libraries. Old people chuckle and say, "You've got your hands full." If the old people are really good at the game, they add, "Can I take this one home with me?" Ha ha. It's a funny game.


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We attended the most beautiful wedding last weekend, in Sacramento. Our friends Aaron and Angelica couldn't have been more deserving for one another. They are the kindest most genuine people I know. We couldn't have been happier to be there on their special day.
Watching Aaron's face as he laid eyes on Angelica for the first time, in her dress was oh so heart warming. You could see and feel of the love that they have for one another. There ceremony was beautiful!
^^^ Are they not the most stunning couple?! ^^^
^^^ Tyson's tux was oh so handsome!!! ^^^
Everything turned out perfect. We had such a great time at their reception. Tyson's parents were kind enough to take P back home to their hotel room and let us dance the night away. I enjoyed spending quality time with my hot date and way too many Diet Coke's.
I am so happy that Team A moved from to New York to San Francisco, so we can so more of them!


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Ha Noi, 13 December 2011 – On the occasion of the micronutrient week in Viet Nam, a mass media campaign on exclusive breastfeeding & complementary feeding was launched today.
Alive & Thrive is a five year initiative (2009-2013), funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to promote optimal infant and young child feeding. In Viet Nam, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, National Institute of Nutrition, UNICEF and WHO, Alive & Thrive, aims to ensure that mothers, families, communities, health workers and policy makers receive appropriate information on breastfeeding and complementary feeding that enables them to make informed decisions about how children are fed during the first two years of their lives.
Although exclusive breastfeeding is the most complete form of nutrition for infants during the first six months of life, only 19.6% of Vietnamese infants are exclusively breastfeed during this critical period. This is much lower than the world's average of 35% of mothers who exclusively breastfeed their children. Lack of early, exclusive and continued breastfeeding along with inappropriate complementary feeding has contributed to the serious health consequences for children in Viet Nam. A third of Vietnamese children are stunted while every fifth child is underweight.
"Breastfeeding is the single most important factor in child survival and development, more important than any vaccine, modern technology or other health interventions. We therefore need to ensure that every child born in Viet Nam gets the best possible start in life – and that start begins with breastmilk," said Ms. Nemat Hajeebhoy, Country Director of Alive & Thrive.
"Breastfeeding also helps prevent a great number of diseases, in childhood, as well as adulthood, from infections to allergies and chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and cancer," said Dr. Le Thi Hop, Director of the National Institute of Nutrition. "By improving feeding practices during the first 24 months of life, we can reduce stunting rates and ultimately improve the health and economic development of Viet Nam. This mass media campaign is a very important step to making sure that every mother and health care worker has ready access to that information and support."
The United Nations also called for stronger national regulation on marketing of nutrition products targeting young children: "Improper promotion of food products that compete with breastfeeding often negatively affect the choice and ability of a mother to breastfeed normally. Given the special vulnerability of infants and the risks involved in inappropriate feeding practices, usual marketing practices are unsuitable for these products", said Roger Mathisen, Nutrition Specialist at UNICEF.
The mass media campaign will be executed over the next two years 2012 & 2013. The main messages of the campaign in 2012 are:
- Breastfeed your infant within one hour of birth
- Breastfeed you child exclusively in the first six months - give no water, no formula, no food
- The more theb baby suckles, the more milk you will produce
The campaign involves development of a large variety of communication products, including TV commercials, loudspeaker scripts, the "Mat Troi Be Tho" website and a host of print materials.
TV commercials will be aired on national and provincial televisions and on popular websites such as Vietnamnet, Vnexpress, Webtretho, Yahoo, Women and Entertainment networks. TVCs and educational videos will also be showed in the Mat Troi Be Tho couselling facilities and in many hospitals in Hanoi, Hochiminh city, Khanh Hoa and other provinces.
Parents, health workers and caregivers are encouraged to visit the website "mattroibetho.vn" and to become members to receive information on breastfeeding and complementary feeding.
The National Institute of Nutrition estimates that if all families practiced appropriate breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices, Viet Nam could reduce its stunting rate of children under 5 by 26% by 2015 year and by 23% by 2020 year.
For further information, please contact:
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- Model Vu Nguyen Ha Anh's Appointment as UNICEF Viet Nam Goodwill Ambassador Extended
- Ninh Thuan: Launch of First-Ever Provincial Situation Analysis of Children
- Two Diseases Remain Biggest Killers of East Asia-Pacific and Viet Nam Children – UNICEF
- Drowning in numbers