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Saturday, September 19, 2009
College by Computer
Actually, that's not true. In the 24 hours we have been here, we did visit a supermarket to buy copious amounts of cheese and wine, and we have watched more pointless TV than either of us has seen in the last month combined. And now Husband is sleeping while I listen to my iPod and read trashy gossip rags.
On our way here we bought a stack of magazines from the airport, and, once I had finished OK, Hello, and InStyle, I was forced to move on to Husband's reading material, which included decidedly more highbrow fodder. I reluctantly flipped open Popular Science and was slightly horrified to find that there was stuff in there that was... you know… interesting.
Despite my holiday resolution to be an intellectual slacker, I was drawn to one article in particular about online education (It's in the September 2008 issue, pages 54-59, should you be so inclined to read it yourself). I was interested for two reasons: first, there was nothing else to read, and second, I myself have been an online instructor for various universities for the past four years, so I had a frame of reference.
The article was explaining how the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has made a unique move by creating a free online catalogue of almost all of their course lectures whereby the non-MIT worthy (they only accept 12% of applicants, so don't feel bad) can view real lectures by real geniuses for their own personal edification.
This got me thinking about the educational opportunities available to expatriates in Norway (and anywhere else really). Last week I had a new expat couple in my office asking about master's programs in English. The trouble is, outside of Oslo, there are not that many. I felt bad sending them away with only a few options that I gathered seemed less than interesting to them.
So what's a knowledge hungry expat to do?
Go to school from your laptop, that's what.
I personally have taken a few classes from American universities to brush up on a lackluster skill set, and I can highly recommend it. But there's a cost for most courses as for-profit schools have until very recently dominated the market. After reading the Popular Science article, I decided to do some digging for some free options. You won't get credit, but you also won't have to write a check.
If you're looking to learn for learning's sake (or you're just bored and need some academic stimulation without the hassle of exams), check out some of the sites below. I've listed them from most general to most specialized. The first three are especially good as you can access lectures in every subject under the sun from every university, Ivy League to local community college.
YouTube EDU
iTunes U.
Academic Earth
Big Think
MIT Open Course Ware
Google Code University
3 comments:
Your trip to Paris sounds like bliss - magazines, iPod, TV and wine. What else would you need? I have done an online PG Dip in Journalism based in London while living in Norway as there were no local options in English. Online courses certainly do offer opportunities to expats who might otherwise get frustrated at not being able to further careers through study. Now must go look into those Ivy League course ;-)ReplyDelete
I did in fact know that Paris is the most visited, I even know what is the second most visited--London...but do you know the third? (as measured by hotel beds....)Too bad you'll be gone for the next pub quiz night or you would know, too...ReplyDelete
But also, on topic, per our earlier discussions, do you think that these courses (and I confess I haven't clicked through to them all), especially those from the Ivy League ones cheapen at all the degrees of people who worked to get into the real classes?
(and yes, I know that it's a giant and multilayered question...)
For example, while I guess you could argue that part of the value is the classroom stimulation from fellow students and interaction from teachers, etc....(which is also a comment on online teaching I suppose....) I still think that while it may be philanthropic, etc... to give away the knowledge for free, it may not be a big service to the students who pay for it....
Anyway, I am convoluted, but still...
NorwayNomad, that's awesome you were able to continue your studies while abroad! It wasn't that easy to do even a decade ago, so we've come a long way, baby!ReplyDelete
ECD, I think the (short) answer is this: knowledge is free as it has no price. An Ivy Leage degree, however, does have one. I think access to the lectures offers others the chance to expand their horizons, be exposed to new ideas, and possibly recognize talents and interests they never knew they had.
However, the prestige that is attached to a summative award from an Ivy League is still limited to the select few based on admissions standards (and likely tuition rates as well). So while I think that there is no harm and actually great benefit in allowing others to be exposed to the teachings, there are no degrees being offered, so the pool of Ivy League graduates is not being distilled and thus the value of the degree preserved.
As for the online teaching environment, while you do not have the benefit of face-to-face communication, in some ways it forces students out of their shells more as there is no hiding in a lecture theater - each student must contribute to the discussion on an individual basis. I would go so far as to say the interaction between students is actually greater in an online environment. As for interaction from the teacher, all I can offer is my own experience. I know the writing style and skills and names and knowledge level of every student I teach online (and we're talking about 100 students this term alone) as I spend hours each day reading their work and getting to 'know' them online. I can't say I know the face-to-face students I teach on the same level as we are engaged in a more generic interaction in the live classroom.

subset: commoncrawl


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There is something to be said for an economic crunch: it forces us to get creative. If this particular downturn has any lining at all, my hope is that it's green rather than silver. I don't mean the green of ecology, I mean the literal green of the plant material on your property. If you know how to use it, that green is the equivalent of gold when selling your house.
First things first: make an inventory of what you have. How many trees? What varieties? How old? If you don't know, get a consult from a reputable arborist or landscaper. It will cost you a bit and be worth every penny. A twenty-year-old tree is more valuable than a two-year-old, and not just in aesthetics; it has an actual dollar value.
The next step, of course, is to do the same with your shrubs and perennials. If you think the job is too tedious, just keep those dollar signs in front of your eyes and press on. You may find, especially if you've lived in the house for many years, that you've accumulated more material than you realize. Want to know what your plants would cost in today's market? Take a tour through your favorite nursery and compare yours to theirs. How many pots would you have to buy to equal even one clump of your old-growth peonies? How many day lilies or siberian iris; how much fern or blood root or lady's mantle?
When it comes to shrubs it's a more difficult calculation — the ones on your property undoubtedly are larger and fuller — but take a look at the price of even a small clump of common lilac. I guarantee you'll view your stand of lilac in a different light when you see that it can give you more than a lovely Spring show. The same is true for your quince, your viburnum, your hydrangea, and for anything else you have. Note the age if you know it, and the variety if you remember it.
When the inventory's done, you'll be able to gauge the approximate replacement cost and arrive at a 'green' value. Generate a list of these materials, and give it to your broker to include with the information that goes to prospective buyers. You won't get a dollar-for-dollar exchange, but that data will bolster your asking price and could help make the sale.
The job doesn't end there, of course; the landscape needs to make the best impression possible on a potential buyer. When you show your house the property essentially goes on an interview, and a little spit and polish is called for. Here are the five best things you can do to present that winning image:
• Inventory your perennials and regroup wherever possible. Mass plantings add drama and make a great first impression.
• Elevate the canopy of leggy, overgrown ornamental shrubs like Rhododendron by removing the lower limbs. The exposed branches are often wonderfully gnarled and knotted, and the garden takes on an airy feel that adds grace and fluidity.
• Connect planting beds — visually or physically — and remove elements that make the space seem choppy. A unified visual field looks larger and more substantial.
• Prune shrubs, particularly those that crowd pathways and windows. Older landscapes often dwarf their houses; righting the imbalance will make the house "read" bigger and brighter.
• Put a clean edge on the gardens and walkways, and cut mulch circles around the trees. Good grooming isn't just for you — it makes the property look polished, too.


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It's a move that could change the landscape of college football recruiting.
The NCAA approved on Friday morning to create an early National Signing Day in December. Recruits could still wait until February if they choose. However, this gives players a chance to sign in December and end the recruiting process.
This would also help coaching staffs as they would be able to concentrate on uncommitted prospects during the month of January.
The rule still has to be approved by the Conference Commissioners Association. They will meet in June and the expectation is that they will approve the rule.
The new signing date would start this year and fall on December 20th.
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Air Downhill: Photo Epic - Crankworx Rotorua 2017
Apr 2, 2017 at 4:22
Dave Trumpore
AIR Downhill – Crankworx Rotorua
After a week of hard racing, whacky weather, schedule changes, and some incredibly long, tough days, Crankworx Rotorua has come to an end. And it couldn't have ended on a higher note for racers and spectators alike. With a mix of EWS racers, DH racers, freeriders, and the jack of all trades Josh Bryceland all in attendance, it was also a chance for fans to watch all of their favorite riders from each of the weeks' disciplines all racing together in one event. Originally scheduled as the opening race of Crankworx, Air Downhill seemed better suited as the closer.
With all of the gnarly DH and Slopestyle events in the rear view, racers of the Air Downhill were able to relax a little and ride more stress-free – just for fun. Racers were busting out lap after lap, some solo and others in mega trains with friends, all hooting and hollering through the tress and over the tracks multiple jumps. The atmosphere on site today was that of fun. Well earned and appreciated fun. It really wasn't until the clock started ticking that the game faces came out and the event took a super serious mood. With bragging rights and points on the line, racing was still the main event.
While both men's and women's races saw some fresh faces at the top of the podium, the usual Crankworx suspects were right there in the mix to set the hierarchy for future rounds, and the all important King and Queen of Crankworx title that will be decided this August in Whistler.
Australian Junion pinner, Baxter Maiwald, and some leg swag though the last rhythm section.
Richie Rude going full plaid en route to 4th. He made two huge mistakes in corners and cost himself a spot on the podium on what otherwise might have been a winning run.
With dense forest almost the entire way down, this was the one brief moment where riders could catch a view of Rotorua's skyline
It's always good to see Jerome and some other EWS riders out shredding with style.
Local boy Louis Hamilton in 12th.
Pop goes the new bright orange Fly racing kit that Bernard Kerr is running.
Jill made 2nd today ahead of her rival Caroline Buchanan.
Cody Kelley streaking through the forest.
Richie Rude getting in some interval training before heading off to Tasmania for next week's EWS round.
Caroline Buchanan rounded out the podium for the ladies.
Cedric Gracia, three seconds back in 7th.
Joe Smith was the slowest of three riders all on the same second to take 6th.
Cody Kelley's BMX roots showing through.
William Kendrick on the high-line through the wallride.
Many riders opted for the flat line; however, Sky hit the small step up jump.
Ashley usually has heaps of fluro kit, but today decided to wear black. No good for photographers.
Sam Robbie rocks the blackboard look in today's Air DH.
There's always one.
Jill Kintner was a favorite to win, and while she came in second, it was still good enough to leave Rotorua with the Queen of Crankworx points lead.
Casey Brown had a big crash after loosing her front wheel and sliding out of the track.
Canadian racer Vaea Verbeek has finished on Crankworx podiums before, but today's win in Air DH would be her first time on the top step.
Wyn Masters powered to 11th.
Only five seconds back, but with racing so tight Mitch Ropelato would get pushed back to 16th.
Bryceland looks to have had a blast this week in Rotorua, just riding bikes.
MacDonald pushes out across the line. His efforts weren't enough to get him on the podium.
Rupert Chapman can be spotted by the brightly colored frame forks and wheels that he is running on his new Pivot range.
Adrian Loron steps down out of the woods and into the finish area where he's greeted by dark clouds that began to gather.
Iago whipping.
Richie Rude pushes out of the dark woods and into the light, but would only hold onto the hot seat for a short amount of time.
Jill was on a mission today and while she didn't have enough to take the win, she did enough to walk away as the series leader.
Fifth for Bernard Kerr
A timing issue saw Siegenthaler as the winner of the women's race for a short period. Once the timing was checked she landed in sixth.
Buchanan pushes across the line and gave it enough to end up in third.
Verbeeck squashing the finish line jump out of the woods.
Matt Walker stoking out his young fans on the way to the victory.
Slavik gritting his teeth as he pushes his hardtail across the line. His wrist injury wasn't enough to stop him from landing another podium here, in the Air DH
The last man down the hill was Bas Van Steenbergen. He would post a split time within a few tenths of a second of the lead to keep Matt Walker nervous on the hot seat right to the very end.
That clock doesn't lie. Bas Van Steenbergen in third.
Jill Kintner leaves Rotorua as the points leader in the race to be Queen of Crankworx.
Matt Walker, with another podium taking the King of Crankworx title again.
The final podium of the 2017 Crankworx Rotorua.
Making it ran for the last time in Rotorua.
Vaea Verbeek heads home with some shiny new gold hardware.
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24 Comments
+ 26
(Apr 2, 2017 at 9:54)
Thomas Slavik is such a beast. Compared to other riders he seems to fly a little more under the radar, especially doing the urban racing and 4x thing for much of the season. However the dude is a seriously good all around rider. Air DH podium on his hard tail? I know it's a smooth course but you've gotta be riding with some real precision to pul that off!
- 14
(Apr 2, 2017 at 14:36)
(Below Threshold)
show comment
You make it sound as if a hardtail has no right to be 2nd.
+ 1
(Apr 2, 2017 at 16:27)
That's awesome to see. I bet that track is a blast to ride on anything.
+ 2
(Apr 2, 2017 at 23:43)
have you seen his hometrack?
+ 18
(Apr 2, 2017 at 6:23)
watched the live feed, really interesting mix of dh word cup racers, ews racers, & freeride video guys all racing. phil atwill running a hardtail 27.5 front / 26 rear. really fun to watch. any body know why connor fearon raced the enduro but doesn't have results for anything else? neethling is a great announcer, ADD setting in, headed out fo' a ride.
+ 3
(Apr 2, 2017 at 16:02)
fearon went back to aus to race a thredbo
+ 11
(Apr 2, 2017 at 7:47)
Buchanan really does have an amazing style on a bike. Best style of the female riders to me. So powerful but so composed at the same time.
+ 0
(Apr 2, 2017 at 23:01)
Why don't the Crankworx events attract more big name WC DH riders? (Gwin, Bruni, Hart, the Athertons, etc.) For sponsors and factory teams I'd figure more exposure is better, so why not fly their athletes out to compete?
I guess the type of riding is fairly different between the WC and Air DH, but is there another reason that I haven't thought of?
+ 2
(Apr 3, 2017 at 2:36)
Bruni raced the dh
+ 1
(Apr 3, 2017 at 12:35)
Know a guy who organized an EWS class event here (not on the circuit, but worthy) and it was sponsored by a major bike manufacturer.
When he found out none of their sponsored riders were gonna compete he asked them why and they told him that it clashed with the rider's training program.
Seems the top names train like Olympic athletes, with the first race as the target.
Race before, or after, that and you're not at the peak of your fitness.
I don't know, I'm a nobody, but that's what they told him.
+ 2
(Apr 2, 2017 at 17:32)
I don't know why but I think if they ran this race chainless it would be sick
+ 0
(Apr 3, 2017 at 6:52)
i feel like someone would get hurt haha; land go to put a crank in and blow up when there is no resistance
+ 1
(Apr 2, 2017 at 18:35)
Wild how baxter gets unclipped for that leg swag and lands ...guessn the mallets help a ton there too.
+ 1
(Apr 2, 2017 at 6:36)
What helmet does Bryceland have on?
+ 4
(Apr 2, 2017 at 6:44)
Fox Proframe
+ 1
(Apr 2, 2017 at 7:11)
: cheers
+ 1
(Apr 2, 2017 at 16:43)
did vencl even race in this?
+ 1
(Apr 3, 2017 at 21:18)
Buchanan's mechanic must have had to rush to put a new rear brake on...
+ 0
(Apr 2, 2017 at 7:51)
100000 for first spot?
+ 11
(Apr 2, 2017 at 7:56)
It's $1,000.00
Below threshold threads are hidden
- 8
(Apr 2, 2017 at 10:20)
This was such a boring competition. Why not have a real downhill that needs skill?
+ 7
(Apr 2, 2017 at 11:56)
+ 6
(Apr 2, 2017 at 12:04)
they had that the day before, did you miss it?
+ 1
(Apr 2, 2017 at 18:51)
: yes, it wasn't broadcast
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"In January, the administration's economic models warned that unemployment would hit 9 percent next year if its $787 billion 'stimulus' wasn't passed. Passing it would keep the jobless rate under 8 percent before it begins to fall.
Well, the packaged passed -- and unemployment in August rose to 9.7 percent.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Bend over, America....
Success No Matter What:


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This year they are "capping" the jetty at the entrance to Tillamook Bay. Huge boulders are being trucked in from a quarry outside of Seattle for the project.
The old jetty was built in the early 1900's and in this photo you can see the dark stones used to build it. My guess is it was a pretty slow process involving horses, men and a lot of shear willpower.
The light boulders to the right have been brought in to cap the jetty and sit in this staging area awaiting huge yellow frontloaders to move them out to the cranes for placement.
To get an idea of the scale, you can see Bob standing on top of the jetty past the "Danger, No Trespassing" sign (he is never one to follow the rules).


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I found several finds. Two fab vintage dresses, one with faded velvet ribbon trim and the other one without buttons. A great beaded vintage purse in a cornflower blue colourway that matches one of the dresses. Old timber spools I will use to wind up and hold some vintage ribbons and passementerie trims. Two vintage magazine covers with cute animals. An old cutter quilt. Same cool finds indeed.
This photo above shows some old timber boxes. Soap boxes to be precise. Now I know what it means to get off one's soapbox. They are bigger than I thought. You really could stand up on one !


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Common Carotid End-Diastolic Velocity and Intima-Media Thickness Jointly Predict Ischemic Stroke in Taiwan
Background and Purpose—In Asian populations, few studies investigated the association between stroke and common carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT). Our previous case-control studies showed that low end-diastolic velocity (EDV) in common carotid artery, a potential hemodynamic marker of intracranial resistance, was associated with ischemic stroke. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between both EDV and IMT and incident ischemic stroke in an Asian population.
Methods—Baseline data from 3175 adults (30 years or older) in the Cardiovascular Diseases Risk Factor Two-Township Study were linked to incidental ischemic stroke status derived from insurance claims and death certificate records. Hazard ratios for risk of ischemic stroke for high IMT and low EDV values measured in common carotid artery were calculated using Cox proportional hazard models.
Results—With 9.85 years (median) of follow-up, 184 persons had ischemic stroke develop. Compared with the first tertile of IMT, hazard ratios were 2.03 (95% confidence intervals, 1.27–3.25) for the second tertile and 3.87 (95% confidence intervals, 2.36–5.69) for the third tertile. Hazard ratios of EDV were 5.31 (95% confidence intervals, 3.52–7.99; first tertile) and 1.94 (95% confidence intervals, 1.21–3.09; second tertile) compared with the third tertile. The individuals with high IMT and low EDV had >2-fold ischemic stroke risk compared to those with low IMT and high EDV (2.10; 95% confidence intervals, 1.35–3.26) after adjusting for age, sex, and traditional cardiovascular risk.
Conclusions—Common carotid IMT and EDV jointly and independently predicted future ischemic stroke in this Taiwanese population. More prospective studies are required in various ethnic groups to understand the significance and implication of the current findings, particularly with respect to EDV.
Stroke is a major public health burden in both Asian and Western populations. Large-scale prospective studies in Europe and the United States have confirmed that the carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), an indicator of large-artery atherosclerosis,1 can independently predict all types of stroke,2,–,6 especially ischemic stroke (IS).7 Few Asian prospective studies investigate the relationship between carotid IMT and stroke. A prospective study in elderly Japanese men showed that maximum common carotid artery (CCA) IMT was an independent risk factor for future total stroke, but not IS.8 However, no such relationship between IMT and stroke has been established in Taiwan or other Chinese populations in which large-artery disease is less prevalent.
However, the relationship between carotid hemodynamic data and IS has not been well-studied. Our previous case-control study showed that end-diastolic velocity (EDV), peak systolic velocity (PSV), and resistive index (RI) measured in carotid artery were associated with IS.9 Among these, EDV, a potential marker of intracranial resistance,9 was most significant. Nevertheless, EDV was not studied before. There is some information on RI in the literature. RI, calculated as the ratio of the PSV–EDV difference to PSV, often is used to measure renal vessel resistance at the level of the interlobar arteries.10,–,12 The renal RI has been positively associated with age, systolic blood pressure, urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio, and carotid wall thickness, and has been negatively associated with diastolic blood pressure.10 Subjects with an elevated RI had a high prevalence of microalbuminuria, left ventricular hypertrophy, and increased carotid IMT.10,13 Tedesco et al13 suggested that renal RI can predict early cardiovascular damage and provide an accurate estimate of overall risk. Few studies have investigated the relationship between the RI of the internal carotid artery (ICA) and IS. Recently, Staub et al14 showed that individuals with a high RI in ICA (≥0.66) had a higher risk of cardiovascular events from a study of 157 patients at high risk. As such, the association between these hemodynamic parameters and IS needs further prospective investigations.9
We conducted a community-based prospective study in Taiwan in a population at low atherosclerotic risk to elucidate the associations between IS and IMT and between IS and hemodynamic parameters, including EDV of CCA, which can be simultaneously assessed by ultrasonography.
Subjects and Methods
The Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Two-Township study (CVDFACTS) is a community-based follow-up study focusing on risk factor evolution and cardiovascular disease development in Taiwan. From 1991 to 1993, all residents in the household registry >3 years old in 5 villages in Chu-Dung and another 5 villages in Pu-Tzu were invited to participate in the baseline examination. A total of 5146 residents aged 30 years and older participated in the cycle 3 examination (1994–1996) for the biochemical data. There were 3440 residents with carotid artery ultrasonographic measurements in cycle 4 examination (1997–1999). Of them, 140 residents were not covered by the national health insurance. Eleven subjects were without ultrasonographic measurements and 114 patients reported a history of stroke or had stroke develop before ultrasonographic measurements. Data from the 3175 eligible subjects were used for analyses. There is no difference between those included and those excluded in the distributions of age, sex, and cardiovascular risk factors. Further details about sampling and data collection have been described elsewhere.15 All participants gave informed consent at baseline and at follow-up.
Study Protocol
Examinations were preformed in the study clinics set-up in the two townships. The weight, height, and waist circumference were measured in participants wearing light clothes.16 Blood pressure was measured 3 times after the subject had been seated for ≥5 minutes, and the mean of the last 2 readings was used for analysis. Hypertension17 was defined as systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg, or using antihypertension medication. All subjects were asked to fast overnight for ≥8 hours before blood specimen collection. After collection, blood specimens were stored at −70°C and fasting glucose and triglycerides were measured within 1 month. Diabetes mellitus18 was defined as fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL or using antidiabetic medication. Individuals attending the baseline and follow-up examinations also completed a questionnaire-based interview. The questionnaire contained items on demography, lifestyle, self-reported health conditions, and family history of disease.
Quantitative Ultrasonography
We used a color-coded and duplex Doppler ultrasonographic system (SONOs 1000; Hewlett-Packard) with a transducer frequency of 7.5 MHz and color Doppler frequency of 5.4 MHz. All ultrasonic readings were evaluated and appraised by 1 technician who had no previous information on patients' profiles. A standardized protocol modified from Howard et al19 was established for B-mode image analysis. All measurements of IMT were made at the smooth plaque-free portion on the far wall of the CCA in the longitudinal plane along a 1-cm length proximal to the carotid bulb. The IMT was defined as the distance between the intima–blood interface and the adventitia–media junction. Plaque was defined as a localized wall thickening at least twice the thickness of adjacent IMT. After freezing the image, 1 measurement was made with electronic calipers, unfreezing the image on each occasion and relocating the position of the IMT, and another measurement was made. Magnification of the ultrasound image was used to improve the accuracy of placement of the calipers if necessary. In the case of an unusually continuous plaque along the whole 1-cm length, the IMT in the least affected portion was chosen. The averaged value from 2 repeated measurements was obtained for each side. IMT used in this study was the maximal thickness of 2 CCA measurements. The correlation coefficients between repeated measurements were 0.872 in right CCA and 0.871 in left CCA among 43 subjects. For Doppler spectral analysis, PSV and EDV were measured and calculated from 1 cardiac cycle in the cervical portion of CCA 2 to 4 cm proximal to the carotid bulb. The RI is defined as the [(PSV−EDV)/PSV]. The minimal EDV and PSV and the maximal RI in CCA, ICA, and external carotid artery were obtained. CCA data were used in this study among 3 parameters and only the results of EDV were presented in this manuscript, because the relation of EDV with IS was stronger than PSV and RI and 3 parameters were highly correlated.
IS Ascertainment
Two sources of information were used to determine the first-ever IS status and the time of onset, ie, death certificate data and insurance claim records of the National Health Insurance database.20 All of our studied subjects were covered by National Health Insurance. First, we identified subjects with International Classification of Diseases, 9th edition (ICD-9) codes between 430 and 438 (cerebrovascular disease) in medical claims or in death registry database. Second, the following information was extracted: (1) the date and the name of the hospitals that patients have visited; (2) the procedures patients underwent; (3) the kinds of medications and rehabilitation prescribed after the examination; and (4) all ICD codes checked by physicians at each visit. Third, a first-ever stroke was defined when any 1 of the following conditions was met (with ICD-9-codes 430 to 438): (1) hospitalization claim for 1 day under ICD-9 codes 430 to 438; (2) >3 consecutive outpatient visits to hospitals, followed by claims for various neurological imaging technology such as CT, MRI, transcranial or carotid Doppler sonography, and long-term stroke-related medications prescribed; or (3) additional consecutive outpatient visits, followed by claims for rehabilitation and long-term stroke-related prescriptions. For the latter 2 criteria, exclusion was made for those claims made by Chinese herbal doctors, dentists, or non-neurologists practicing in public health stations or private clinics. The date that the first stroke ICD code appeared was defined as the onset date for stroke event. Fourth, IS was defined by the ICD-9-CM codes 433, 434, or 436 with at least 3 instances of IS drug prescription. The sensitivity and specificity for these rules were 100% and 95%, respectively, in 508 hospital-based subjects from a previous study,9 when neurologists' diagnoses recorded in the stroke registry were taken as the gold standard (Supplemental Figure, http://stroke.ahajournals.org).
Statistical Methods
We used survival analysis to evaluate the associations of IMT and of EDV with IS. Survival time was calculated from the date of ultrasound measurement to the onset of stroke, date of death, or the end of follow-up. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival curves and the log-rank test to examine the equality among survival curves. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the hazard ratio and 95% CI. All statistics were calculated using SAS 9.1 software.
Incidence of Stroke
The follow-up period was from 1997 to 2007. The median follow-up time was 9.85 years (mean, 9.23 years). During the follow-up period, 219 stroke events occurred. Among these, 184 were ischemic stroke. The incidence rate of all strokes was 9.18 per 1000 person-years in men (n=119) and 6.12 per 1000 person-years in women (n=100), respectively (P=0.0032). The incidence rate of IS was 7.71 per 1000 person-year in men (n=100) and 5.14 per 1000 person-year in women (n=84), respectively (P=0.0070).
Association Between EDV, IMT, and IS
Age, waist circumference, body mass index, triglycerides, total cholesterol, systolic/diastolic blood pressure, and glucose were positively associated with IMT (Table 1) and negatively associated with EDV (Table 2). The IS risk increased with every increment of IMT but decreased with increments of EDV. The IS incidence in the 9 groups of IMT–EDV is shown in Figure 1 and Supplemental Table.
Table 3presents the associations between IMT, EDV, and IS in the age- and sex-adjusted models (model 1) and multivariate models (model 2). Model 1 and model 2 show that IMT alone, EDV alone, and combination of IMT and EDV were significantly associated with all stroke and ischemic stroke. Increment of IMT per SD and EDV per SD increased IS risk 18% and decreased IS risk 29%, respectively (model 2). Moreover, we combined the IMT and EDV to classify all subjects into 4 groups: low IMT and high EDV, high IMT and high EDV, low IMT and low EDV, and high IMT and low EDV. The survival curves of these 4 combinations were heterogeneous (P for log-rank test <0.0001; Figure 2). The multivariate adjusted hazard ratio of IS for high IMT–low EDV was 2.10 (95% confidence intervals, 1.35–3.26), for low IMT–low EDV it was 1.88 (1.15–3.09), and for high IMT–high EDV it was 1.24 (0.73–2.11) compared to the reference group (P for trend test=0.0004; Table 3).
This is the first prospective study in Chinese to our knowledge to investigate the relationship between measurements of EDV and IMT and incident IS. This study suggests that both IMT and EDV are significant predictors of IS, independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors in this population at low risk for atherosclerosis. Furthermore, EDV and IMT additively predict risk for IS.
The independent and significant associations between IMT and stroke have been observed in middle-aged subjects of other populations, including those in the Netherlands2,3 and middle-aged4 and elderly5 Americans. In Asian countries, studies on the effect of IMT and IS risk were scare. The OSACA study investigating the relationship between atherosclerosis and stroke showed that the severity of carotid atherosclerosis is a useful indicator of the risk of IS in patients at high risk.21 In addition, among the elderly Japanese men, the higher CCA IMT group had significantly higher risk of total stroke compared with the lower CCA IMT group.8 Our community-based study found that the maximum CCA IMT was positively associated with IS, consistent with the findings in whites.
The degree of association between carotid IMT and IS may vary by IMT levels and plaque severity of the studied populations. Most previous prospective studies studying this phenomenon have focused on elderly subjects who often have high mean IMT values and are at high risk for atherosclerosis.2,5,8 The studies with high average IMT (average age range, 50.1–72.5 years; average IMT range, 0.74–1.05 mm) suggested that IMT was an independent risk factor for predicting future stroke,2,4,–,6,8 probably because of a wider distribution of IMT. The average carotid IMT in the current study was 0.55 mm in all subjects and 0.64 mm in elderly subjects aged 65 years or older, which are evidently lower than those of other studies.2,5,6 The association between IMT and IS in this population at low risk for atherosclerosis is slightly weaker than that in other studies2,4,5 (hazard ration range, 1.27–1.38 per SD) and is likely attributable to a relatively small variation of IMT in our studied population.
With regard to the meaning of the low EDV in IS in a population at low risk for carotid atherosclerosis, we feel it may be considered as an index of intracranial resistance, the predictive power of which is better than that of the RI, the ratio of the gap between PSV and EDV to PSV. The lower the EDV, the higher of the RI, according to the formula. Few studies examined this subject carefully in the literature. One study revealed that RI in ICA can predict cardiovascular events.14 Our study showed that EDV per se, meaning the capacity to provide blood into intracranial circulation at diastolic phase, is a more sensitive index to predict IS than RI and PSV (data not shown). This phenomenon was observed not only in CCA but also in ICA and external carotid artery, but the best predictor for IS was CCA EDV, possibly because of its better precision. We observed this phenomenon previously in a case-control study.9 The present article replicates the earlier finding in a prospective manner. The rationale behind this finding needs further investigation.
Several reasons may explain why EDV is a better indicator of stroke than IMT in a Chinese population. The Taiwanese population had lower risk of atherosclerosis than the white population. In addition, the distribution of EDV was higher in variation (coefficient of variation=0.321) than IMT (coefficient of variation=0.286) to discriminate the stroke risk, especially in a Chinese population, which had extremely low prevalence of high IMT. However, EDV may be a marker of vascular resistance.22 Carotid EDV may reflect intracranial vascular disease. A case-control study had shown low CCA EDV was associated with high ischemic stroke risk.9
Two trials, including the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy trial23 and the Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis trial,24 reported a higher EDV diagnostic threshold in ICA for those highly selected patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy. These patients had ICA disease, ie, critical stenosis or occlusion in ICA, and were at high risk for stroke in the near future. The higher EDV comes from the hemodynamic adaptation to high-grade stenosis in ICA. However, such patients are scanty in community studies, especially in Asian populations, including ours, in which a reduced EDV may potentially correspond to elevated intracranial resistance. Therefore, our findings on the low EDV and future risk of IS are particularly interesting in the context of low prevalence of asymptomatic carotid artery disease. Several studies have shown that there is a relatively higher prevalence of intracranial stenosis in Asians than in Caucasians.25,–,28 This phenomenon is coherent with our findings.
This study has a few limitations. First, the biochemical profile and carotid artery assessment were measured 2.5 years apart. This limitation, however, should not affect the internal validity of this study. Second, this current study was performed in Asian subjects. Its findings should be tested by future studies in other ethnic groups. Third, the atheroembolic events are more often seen in North American and European whites (55%)29 than in Taiwanese individuals (17%).30 The difference between ethnicity and stroke subtypes should be considered in investigating the cause of IS and in applying the results of current study. Finally, PSV and EDV were measured only once. Although all ultrasonic readings were evaluated and appraised by 1 experienced technician, with good precision, we did not keep the reproducibility data. Nonetheless, we discovered the significant association between EDV and stroke.
In this population at low risk for atherosclerosis, the carotid IMT and EDV could jointly predict the risk of future IS events, and EDV value was more strongly associated with IS than IMT. For the first time to our knowledge, low EDV has been established as an independent risk factor of IS in a prospective Chinese study.
Sources of Funding
The present study was funded by the National Health Research Institutes in Taiwan (NHRI-EX93-9225PP, NHRI-EX94-9225PP, NSC 5-2314-B-001-012-MY3). Data collection was supported by the Department of Health in Taiwan (DOH80-27, DOH81-021, DOH8202-1027, DOH83-TD-015, and DOH84-TD-006).
The authors express their gratitude to neurologists in Shin Kong WHS Memorial Hospital who helped review medical charts of stroke patients and provided consultation for the development of decision rules to identify new stroke cases from national health insurance data.
Bo Norrving, MD, PhD, was the Consulting Editor for this paper.
The online-only Data Supplement is available at http://stroke.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/STROKEAHA.110.605477/DC1.
- Received October 12, 2010.
- Accepted November 4, 2010.
- © 2011 American Heart Association, Inc.
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Report of the Expert Committee on the Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes Care. 1997;20:1183–1197.
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- Common Carotid End-Diastolic Velocity and Intima-Media Thickness Jointly Predict Ischemic Stroke in TaiwanShao-Yuan Chuang, Chyi-Huey Bai, Jiunn-Rong Chen, Wen-Ting Yeh, Hsin-Jen Chen, Hou-Chang Chiu, Ruei-Shiang Shiu and Wen-Harn PanStroke. 2011;42:1338-1344, originally published April 25, 2011https://doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.110.605477
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- Common Carotid End-Diastolic Velocity and Intima-Media Thickness Jointly Predict Ischemic Stroke in TaiwanShao-Yuan Chuang, Chyi-Huey Bai, Jiunn-Rong Chen, Wen-Ting Yeh, Hsin-Jen Chen, Hou-Chang Chiu, Ruei-Shiang Shiu and Wen-Harn PanStroke. 2011;42:1338-1344, originally published April 25, 2011https://doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.110.605477


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Rosa, the UK Fund for Women and Girls, is inviting applications from across the UK to round two of its Woman to Woman Fund.
Rosa's Woman to Woman Fund offers grants of between £5,000 and £25,000 to local grassroots women's organisations with an income of less than £100,000. Rosa especially wants to support groups that work with disadvantaged communities or in disadvantaged areas in the UK.
The funding is for proposals that:
- Address the critical needs of women and girls that miss out the most, including: marginalised populations, BME women, lesbian, bisexual or transgender women and girls, women and girls with disabilities, older women, homeless women, survivors of gender violence, women in prison and ex-offenders, and other underserved and disadvantaged groups of women.
- Operate in less economically resilient towns, cities and rural areas within the UK.
The work must fit into one of Rosa's four pillars which underpin the issues facing women and girls today:
- Leadership and representation
- Safety
- Health and wellbeing
- Economic justice
Although in round two there is particular interest in the pillar of economic justice, applications across the four pillars will be considered.
Rosa is particularly interested in funding work that increases impact and sustainability. Therefore grants can pay for core costs such as staff salaries, office rent and staff training; as well as project costs such as drop-in support services, mobilising volunteers and outreach. Rosa is committed to supporting voluntary sector organisations pay the living wage. Grants made towards staff costs will be paid a minimum of a Living Wage where possible.
No fewer than 100 groups will be supported. Any grants awarded must be spent within 12 months of receipt. In addition to grants, Rosa will provide additional support that women' groups say they need, including mentoring, training and networking opportunities.
Charitable organisations in the UK can apply as long as they are a local women's sector organisation which is not part of a national enterprise, with an income of less than £100,000 per year or employ less than two full-time paid members of staff.
There is a two stage application process. The deadline for stage one applications is 6 July 2017 (5pm).
Full details can be found on the Rosa website.
Source: Rosa, 06/06/2017


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Your Blog Can Get You Fired
A blogger has been fired for publishing emails about Mark Foley.
The Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights group, has fired an employee who admitted to the first publication on a Web site of Florida Rep. Mark Foley's e-mails to a former male page.
The e-mails and later disclosures of sexually explicit computer messages from the Florida Republican to other male pages sparked a campaign-season scandal that threatens the GOP's majority in Congress.
"He inappropriately used Human Rights Campaign resources. He was fired," organization Vice President David Smith said of the employee. "The Human Rights Campaign believes in being very aboveboard in our political activity."
The first blogger that (I know of) who published email allegations is Stop Sexual Predators. The Herald Tribune incorrectly states the first Foley post was September 24, 2006. It was September 21. The SSP blogger was exposed by the blogger at Stop October Surprises. He threatened to expose SSP's location if he didn't reveal himself. The hysterical hypocrisy is the SOS blogger refused to reveal his identity for the Herald Tribune article.
For those wondering who I am; here's my personal website.


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~Friday for Friends~
You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Luke 21:16 (NIV)
Doesn't seem like the most encouraging verse of the Bible, does it? Here Jesus is talking about the
end times and what will happen then. You can read the whole passage in Luke 21:5-36.
But even in this passage that speaks of destruction and anguish there is hope.
"But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict." Luke 21:14-15 (NIV)
"Stand firm, and you will win life." Luke 21:19 (NIV)
"Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." Luke 21:36 (NIV)
You see, our God is way way way above those "friends" here spoken of. He is a Friend that will never leave us. Forever praise His Holy Name!


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Indian Updo Hairstyles is an important feature which needs to be taken treatment of because just about the most is quite a bit less popular because women hairstyles in terms of variety, hairstyle regarding men will surely improve the overall appearance regarding men. For this reason, there are several known hairstyle for men which have been quite popular this present day. Some from the hairstyles regarding men which might be quite popular and well known and used today is range from short spiky look of your hair, cornrow hair-styles, medium wavy hairstyles and others. The large selection of hairstyle is naturally a excellent feature for men to select one of which suitable with their taste.
Indian Updo Hairstyles
Even so, due to most the black hair, these types of hairstyles are additional popular compared to the other hairstyle which makes it a excellent hairstyle for varieties of activity. Black hair also offers a more mysterious as well as cool appearance which is very good for people who want to check more attractive and special. To help make things better yet, this hairstyle works for unique variations of hairstyle like short hairstyle, long look of your hair, medium hairstyle and naturally different sorts of hair sorts hairstyles including curly locks and straight hair. All of the reason provides make the actual Indian Updo Hairstyles probably the most popular along with common hairstyle with this present day.


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Starting today, all new articles and lovestories will be posted on:
See you all there!
Welcome to MMO couples
Every one who is familiar with MMOG's (massive multiplayer online games), knows the stories of people who are so addicted to playing these games that it costs them their real life friendships and relationships. There are also stories though of people who meet in a MMOG and fall in love, like my boyfriend and I. 'MMO couples' is a tribute to our lovestory, but also an invitation to share your story and experiences with others.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
MMO Couples has moved!
Starting today, all new articles and lovestories will be posted on:
Posted by Gabi at 10:05 AM 0 comments Links to this post
Sunday, September 27, 2009
How to contact me
I have gotten a few comments from people asking how to contact me. If you click on my picture, you should be able to see my profile plus the possibilty to contact me through email...
In case this does not work, you can send your stories to:
Please let me know if I can publish your story, or if it is for my eyes only.
With warm regards,
Posted by Gabi at 10:25 PM 0 comments Links to this post
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On the 10th anniversary of the IPL, we will be running a series about fans' opinions of the IPL match of the day. Predictions will be taken on a wide variety of topics which include match winners, half-centuries, sixes, fours, wickets, catches & much more.
These predictions are sourced from the newest fantasy game on the block,
Today, we bring you the fan predictions for the IPL match between Kings XI Punjab and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Who will win?
Kings XI Punjab
In this season of the IPL, RCB recovered from their opening day defeat to SRH by successfully defending
Will Tymal Mills take at least 2 wickets?
Digest this. Tymal Mills is the most expensive specialist foreign bowler in the IPL even if his numbers don't reflect that yet. In his last 10 T20 matches, the Englishman has taken more than 1 wicket only twice, though, in IPL 2017, which is his debut season, he has been quite handy, posting decent figures of 1/33 and 1/31 in his allotted quota of 4 overs. However, having paid Rs. 12 crores for him, RCB will be hoping for much more from him as their bowling spearhead.
At the same venue, where KXIP played their opener against RPS, the latter's pacers picked up a solitary wicket. Tymal Mills, the IPL rookie, will be under pressure to go one better than that, as that would go some way in justifying his eye-watering price tag.
The fans, however, don't think he is
Will Kedar Jadhav score a 50?
Kedar Jadhav has taken his time to come to the fore. The sharp of memory among you will remember that he made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka in 2014 at the "tender" age of 29. After being in an out of the Indian team, he finally emerged from the shadows this year.
In 8 ODI matches he played this season, he has scored 322 runs at an average of 64, hitting 1 century in the process and boasts of a cool strike rate of 130. He has also carried that tremendous form to the IPL – only a freak
The fans don't think so.
For more predictions in cricket, football,
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A new-age fantasy game for cricket, football, basketball and more. Just swipe to predict match events, wait for the results & win rewards, and that's it!


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Ongoing Class:
Fridays 6pm @ The Dreamcatcher
donation $12
Private Yoga:
Schedule your 75 min in-house yoga class. Each class is designed to the student's need. Followed by guided relaxation and foot massage. 1- 8 people per class
Corporate Yoga Classes / Team Building
Wanna have a happy and efficient team at work?
Schedule a Yoga class for your employees and give the gift of feeling good!
Here are some benefits you can get:
It revitalizes the immune system, reduces back pain, immediately improves mental concentration and focus. Yoga harmonises the left and right sides of the brain so logical and creative thought come together as one. Keeps the mind calm, brings energy and vitality. Yoga physiologically transforms apathy and depression by oxygenating the brain and increasing the endorphins in the blood. Taking yoga classes together is a way to build better communication and trust between members of a team and even have fun.


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I am no gardener, but I do love home grown vegetables and herbs. Being able to grow my own food, that I know is nutritious, organic, and as local as it gets makes me feel pretty empowered. Because I live in an apartment building I don't have a garden, but I do have a balcony, and therefore the best advantage out there for growing! Two summers ago we lived in a townhouse, and not only did we spend hours trying to get the polluted, cigarette butt infested, garbage laden, weed covered dirt from the previous renters out of there and replaced with actual soil, but we spent hours throwing rocks at the poor starving squirrels who feasted on everything we tried to grow! I hated gardening because of it!
Last year things were a lot easier, and this year even more so! We buy plants mid may because in our little nest there is no room for seedlings. This year we got a lot of them at a local market which had tons of variety. Balcony gardening is the fastest way to garden with the best results I think! It took us about 20 minutes to empty the containers of last years herbs and veggies, add fresh soil, plant and water everything. And the best part: no pests or weeding!
|thyme, parsley, chili peppers, and mint
|cos lettuce, chives, cilantro, rosemary
We are really looking forward to trying the heirloom tomatoes. A big problem with food these days is that with the thousands of varieties of veggies like tomatoes, we only get a handful in our grocery stores. This is not right. We can't appreciate the diversity and complexity of food when all we get are some rubbery, waxy, two week old genetically modified version of the real thing. This is why growing is so important!
|lettuce leaf basil, heirloom tomatoes (black russian and pineapple)
|I can't live without this lovely lady!
|welcome buddies! grow big and tall!
|basil in its glory
|come on out little one!
|tomato jungle
|"i'll be a chili one day"
|what will you look like?
|decorative climbing sweet peas


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To begin this series, I thought we'd tackle one of the lesser-known rules of grammar that not very many people pay much attention to but is, in my opinion, pretty important.
Articles are those tiny words in a sentence that help to determine how many of a thing are being talked about. We have three articles in the English language - 'the', 'a', and 'an'.
The article 'the' is called definite, meaning, it refers to something specific. The book. The car. The movie. When you use 'the', it's clear exactly which thing you're talking about. It refers to something you can point at or touch.
The articles 'a' and 'an' are called indefinite, meaning, they refer to something general. A bug. A song. An elephant. An uncle. When you use 'a' or 'an', you can't point to or touch the thing you're referencing, because it could be any number of things in a group.
If I have a bunch of grapes, I can offer one to you. I would not ask, "Would you like the grape?", unless I had picked one single grape out of the bunch and were handing just that one grape to you. That would be silly, though. Instead, I would ask, "Would you like a grape?" In that case, I'm holding out the bunch of grapes toward you, and you are free to choose whichever grape from the bunch you would like.
How do we know when to use 'a' and when to use 'an'? Can we just choose whichever we like, willy-nilly? No, there are rules that determine when to use which article.
The simplest way I can think to remember these rules is to remember your vowels and consonants. Vowels being 'a, e, i, o, u' and consonants being the rest of the letters of the alphabet.
The article 'a' is always used when the word that follows it begins with a consonant. A dog. A fig. A yam.
The article 'an' is always used when the word that follows it begins with a vowel. An oval. An egg. An umbrella.
As with most rules, though, there is one exception. Even though the letter 'h' is a consonant, the article 'an' is often used when the word that follows it begins with 'h'. An honest man. An hourglass. An historical fiction.
What about words like habit, or happy, or hospital, or harpoon. It sounds clumsy to say 'an habit' or 'an happy'.
The secret lies in the syllables. If a word beginning with 'h' is said with the emphasis on any syllable other than the first, you will always use the article 'an'. An hotel. An humongous mountain. An habitual coffee break. If, however, the emphasis is on the first syllable, you'll use the article 'a'. A happy man. A hardened criminal. A hankering for cheese.
Honestly, though, the 'h' rule is becoming outdated. Following the 'h' rule often leaves your speech and writing sounding clunky and odd. It's acceptable to use your own judgment here. If you feel silly saying, "Let's go find an Halloween costume store," then, by all means, use the article 'a', instead.
If you found this post useful, or if you have any questions about it, please do leave me a comment. I'll be posting several more in the Grammar Series, and if I've helped just one person, then it will have been worth it.
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July 30, 2014
July 29, 2014
The English Language: does it matter?
Ana Lucia
In the heart of Spain lives a 14-year-old girl named Ana Lucia. Born and raised in Spain, her family tree traces back far into Spain's history. She and her family speak only Spanish. In school, though, she learns of an opportunity for high school seniors to become foreign exchange students. This piques her interest. Tales of life in the United States have always fascinated Ana Lucia. She decides at that moment to become a foreign exchange student to the U.S. when she reaches her senior year.
What do you suppose is the most important thing Ana Lucia must learn over the next 3 or so years in order to best function in the unfamiliar American culture when she arrives? Mathematics? Chemistry? Art appreciation? Music theory?
No. Ana Lucia must learn the English language. Without a firm grasp of English, she will struggle as a student in America. Over the next few years, Ana Lucia must learn word meanings, spelling, grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, and more.
In the United States, a 14-year-old boy named Alex begins his sophomore year of high school. Born and raised in Ohio, Alex's family tree traces back to the Pilgrims. He and his family have never been out of the country.
Alex has a full schedule in school. Algebra, Biology, English, World History, Art, Band and Choir, Phys. Ed., Health, Home Economics. He isn't planning on going anywhere. His plans involve graduating with the classmates he's had since 7th grade, and he's been thinking about attending Ohio State afterwards.
Which subject in Alex's course load is most important for him to learn? One might say it depends on what his future plans are. Does he want to be a graphic designer? Art should be his focus. Does he want to be an accountant? He should take all the math courses available.
No. Alex must learn the English language. Without a firm grasp of English, he will struggle as a student and potential employee. Over the next few years, Alex must learn word meanings, spelling, grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, and more.
The longer I home school, the more I realize that people in the U.S. don't place much importance on the English language. Maybe because we speak it. We write it. It's not something we have to think about.
More than not thinking it's important, though, many people are offended when it's suggested they ought to place more importance on it. For reasons I have yet to figure out, when it's said that "your" and "you're" aren't interchangeable, or that "are" and "our" are not the same thing, or that "I seen a cat" is not acceptable, people bristle. Why is the English language any less important for native speakers to study than it is for a foreign exchange student?
Not everyone can have impeccable spelling and grammar, for various reasons. Dyslexia, being one. Just as not everyone can recite their times tables from memory, or name all the elements on the periodic table, or remember the names of all 50 United States. And everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. I am horrible at math. I rely on a calculator. BUT. But. That doesn't mean we can't all at least try our hardest. And it certainly doesn't mean it's not important to learn or to teach our children.
Spelling and grammar errors on a resume' aren't going to impress a potential employer. On a college application essay, they're not going to impress the admissions staff. In an interview, you won't need to multiply 8 by 23. You won't need to label a map. You won't need to describe the water cycle. While those things may be pertinent to the job you're applying for, the only thing that will really matter during your interview is whether or not you are able to communicate clearly. Can your potential employer understand what you've written on your application? Do you sound like you know what you're talking about when you answer their questions?
A set of twins sees a "Help Wanted" sign outside a restaurant. In need of employment, they enter the business and ask for the manager. The twins are well-dressed in khakis and button-down shirts. They're clean-shaven and well-manicured. By outward appearances, they seem employable. When the store manager appears, Twin A says, "Me and him seen the "help wanted" sign out there, an we need jobs. Can we get a application?" Twin B says, "My brother and I noticed the "help wanted" sign out front. We're seeking employment. May we have an application, please?"
Which twin do you suppose the manager would be more likely to consider for the job? The way we speak (and write) does matter.
We, as homeschoolers, ought to desire to better ourselves in all areas in order to best teach our children. Most of us have faced a situation in which a non-homeschooler questioned our ability to teach our children. Why lend credence to such claims by writing and speaking poorly? After all, our words are what the non-homeschooling world see and hear before anything else; therefore, that's what they judge us by.
The English language is the most important thing for a foreign exchange student to learn before coming to America. Why should it be any less important for those of us who are native English speakers?
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text:
As you probably already know, Liberals don't like to be
held accountable for their actions and behavior. They
only want to be remembered for their "good intentions."
What's that old adage? The road to hell is paved with
good intentions…
And… oh, dear! Don't dare even think of confusing
Liberals with facts, numbers (which ARE absolute) and
Any other concept that suggests being held to account
for their words and actions is equally going to be
distasteful in the mouth of Liberals.
A few days ago, Thomas Frank wrote a column in the Wall
Street Journal "Tilting Yard" and was almost apoplectic
over the Texas State Board of Education's stipulation
that High School students be required to look at the
"unintended consequences" of LBJ's Great Society
reforms when studying that era.
In the aftermath of the Obama-Pelosi-Reid Politburo
handing 1/6th of the economy over to their cronies in
the unions — through which taxpayer dollars would be
laundered back to their campaign coffers, Megan McArdle
[HT: Ace], Obama-voter though she was, proposes to use
the statistics (inflated and false though most of them
are) the proponents of ObamaCare cited in favor of the
legislation as measurements via which the effectiveness
of the legislation would be measured.
Of course, every liberal who cited all those statistics
at "The Atlantic" are just as alarmed as Thomas Frank
at the prospect of Texas high school students actually
examining the results of liberal "reforms."
Might we actually LEARN the truth upon EXAMINING the
unintended consequences?
Do you think we might actually punch holes in the
fallacious Liberal Logic if we apply some "critical
thinking" to the issues?
All of a sudden those are not reasonable metrics, and
it is now unrealistic (even "racist(!)" to demand some
way of measuring, or even just use the metrics they
pushed to pass this bill, whether ObamaCare would
result in better quality and access to healthcare for
the American people.
The most interesting counter-charge to come out of this
is by McArdle's opponents to echo the media's newest
tame pet "Republican" David Frum and shift the blame to
the GOP. The argument goes that if any of the benefits
promised by the proponents of this legislation fails to
materialize, the responsibility is entirely on the GOP
for not bellying up to the pork-fest and eating a slice
of this turd pie.
Word of warning to GOP: don't try to "fix" anything in
this bill. Don't try to amend anything. You will only
be blamed if it doesn't work.
Just broom the SOB and sweep it out of the halls into
the dumpster.
Then, start over.


text:
- Books
- Society, Politics and Philosophy
- Politics and Government
- Political Ideologies and Theory
- Political Science and Theory
Bonfire of Creeds: The Essential Ashis NandyBy: Ashis Nandy (author)Paperback
Up to 2 WeeksUsually despatched within 2 weeks
DescriptionThis anthology invites readers to revisit Ashis Nandy's thought and to participate in the open-ended, intellectual adventure of his work. The essays included do not merely reflect his long-term political and moral concerns but are also a continuous intellectual challenge to us. In this book, as in his entire intellectual life, the two pivots of his work have remained the political psychology of violence and the cultural psychology of knowledge. Trained to explore the complexities of human subjectivity, he has continued to explore the extremes of human destructiveness and human creativity and to use knowledge as a therapeutic intervention in society and politics. This collection, introduced by Gustavo Esteva and Madhu S. Prakash, gives the reader a comprehensive introduction to the democratic, post-secular sensitivities that shape Nandy's approach to transformative politics and his non-hierarchical, anti-technocratic ideas of people's knowledge.
About AuthorAshis Nandy is Fellow at the Centre for Developing Societies, New Delhi
Product Details
- publication date: 08/07/2010
- Format: Paperback
- Number Of Pages: 506
- weight: 566
Delivery Information
- Saver Delivery: Yes
- 1st Class Delivery: Yes
- Courier Delivery: Yes
- Store Delivery: Yes


text:
- I've been reading too many other blogs, and now I'm confused about the direction I want mine to take. Do I post endless photos of sunsets and grinning anglers with fish or how about flies and materials or maybe industry news and funny pics or fishing reports or shameless business and personal promotion or how about gear reviews or perhaps articles on technique or maybe profiling other anglers or yada yada yada....
- Time. I lack it.
- #2 leads to #3, not enough fishing.
- Balance. I often wonder if the struggle to find balance in life, between work and play, relationships and personal time, will be an eternal one.
- I can be somewhat self concious at times.
- Obligation. I want to want to do this, and I started feeling like it was something I had to do. All in my own head, no outside pressure, but there just the same.
- I hate competition, and with the explosion of female talent in the fishing world I feel or anticipate comparisons where perhaps there shouldn't be. i.e. I don't want my blog to be compared to Kate's or Hannah's, or have to say for the five hundredth time that I'm not April Vokey's partner and that I'm not a part of Flygal.
- I'm burning out. Not of fishing. But of working in the industry, of being a part of this twisted fishing world. I sometimes think that some of my most amazing times out fishing were before I started working in the shop, before all my friends were anglers, when I knew jack shit about tackle and barely more about what I was really doing out there. When I had no expectations of myself. When I wasn't a part of Facebook and didn't know about forums and Youtube and didn't get phone calls daily ("who's catching fish, on which rock were they standing and how far did they cast what line with which fly and when did they mend and strip and can you drive me to that run and show me how to do it so I don't have to thing about it and then I can go back to my computer and post about it like I'm the expert now?") that make me want to weep.
Posting motivation
14 comments:
we all love you xoxox
- December 17, 2009 at 10:38 PM
- caihlen said...
Yes. Please get over this.
- December 18, 2009 at 6:31 AM
I hope you find your groove again. Love your perspective on the fly angling world. Cheers
- December 18, 2009 at 7:18 AM
- BLUEANGLER said...
"After all that my final conclusion is that maybe I shouldn't care about anything but myself, not care about the image I portray and just do whatever the hell I want to with this."
WELL SAID! my friend, take care...
IMHO, In this blog blooming era, Blogging did generate a lot of confusions to many people, (myself included). However, it just like every kind of tools... if it was used in the right way (depends on the owner's intention), it really can generate positive energy...
For instance, blog has become a important networking tool for many conservation organizations. or for some professionals, it become a good broadcasting, promoting tool...for me, the blogs' main function is to provide service to myself,it is just a personal fishing log and of course something I don't mind to share with friends. The most fascinating character is that I can dig the photos out much easier. It's a good online storage place.
I think your blog has generate a lot of good thoughts and I do appreciate the blog like this one, but if someday, if you feel it take up too much time and decide to terminate it, I will understand and happy to know you are fishing rather blogging... : )
- December 18, 2009 at 9:12 AM
- mia said...
Hi Girl, Keep on going for yourself. Don't worry or get caught up in the industry "who" crowd. This is about your family, friends, and fishing from your prespective. No need to impress anyone.
I love checking in to see what your up to, proud of and the flies you try.
Have Fun, Mia
- December 19, 2009 at 1:29 PM
Great post!
To be honest, i think you have reiterated the thoughts of many of us who operate a blog or site.
And, we all most likely will have these thoughts again. ;)
There is more than enough room in the industry for all of us, and i think that we all provide a niche in the market. Together we form an alliance. Or not - it all depends on each person's goal and what/who they are comfortable associating with.
I always say things happen for a reason when they are supposed to. Life is really about the journey, not the outcome. Enjoy, take stock in your professionalism, don't take any ****, and know that you ARE an integral part of this industry, and we all will respect your decisions.
- December 20, 2009 at 12:08 PM
- buttehead said...
That was so well said and introspective. You are not alone! Is it the winter blahs? Is it that technology is sucking the soul out of life?
First time reading your blog. Bounced in off of someone else's link. What a wonderful, heart-felt statement.
Interested in a stranger's suggestion? Chuck all of the shit for a little while and get back to that source you were talking about. Leave all of the gadgets and whodads behind, grab one rod, one real, a light vest, the older the better, and go get off the beaten path and fish for the hell of it. Maybe by yourself, maybe with someone who knows you well and can just let you be. I've been doing it every year since '94 between Christmas and New Year's.
Does it solve all of life's woes? No. Has it seriously pissed off an ex-wife and some ex girlfriends? Yes. But now everyone without an ex attached understands and realizes what comes back to them is better than what left. Breathing that wet, thick air, laughing at stupid shit, not having to explain a damn thing for five days straight.
And if you feel like writing about it when you get get back, great. Looks like you have a good audience. If you don't feel like writing about it, that's great, too. It just might do the trick.
- December 24, 2009 at 1:21 AM
- T. Brook Smith said...
...don't know if a frequent spincaster is allowed to chime in here but I agree with the others that your instinct is correct. Be true to yourself...
...do you really mean to say you won't care about ANYTHING? If you're in that category you have bigger problems than what to blog about. Maybe you mean that you'll care MORE about what you write by focusing on what really matters to you and letting the chips fall where they may?
Agreed in full with the "twisted fishing world" quote. There used to be a much more specific reason people did this stuff. It seems we lose our way sometimes now that we're evolutionary freelancers.
Enjoying the blog. Best of luck.
- December 28, 2009 at 8:40 PM
- eimaj said...
I gotta agree technology can suck the life outta you if you let it. Things like this should be on your terms and when you feel like it, never feel obligated. That said I love reading yours.
I will say that the balance within life becomes easier as I've set priorities. Finding out what's most important to myself and then working things around and into that has been the best way for me to help find balance. It took dropping some things out of my life. But in the end for myself it's been for the best, and I've found a great balance.
- December 28, 2009 at 8:47 PM
- Erik Helm said...
The period of self examination and questioning. I struggle with it too. I write essays and storys, post them, and then wonder what I really am trying to accomplish.
After quite a bit of thought it finally hit me.
Make your little piece of cyberspace your own. Make it you. Ignore the mainstream. Most all of the magazines and forums and yes, even quite a few blogs are self-serving, self-aggrandizing, and oh so much the same. Look at me! Full of attitude and shouting.
Your blog is quite good. Just look deep down and find what the essence is. Make it extraordinary.
Blog burn-out is quite common. You are not alone.
- December 29, 2009 at 9:57 AM
- ReddHead said...
I have just started my own fly fishing website and I am having a similar crisis. I could really relate with what you wrote. I guess if my two cents is worth anything, be selfish, I feel like it is working for me. But who knows. Anyway, keep fishing. This is the first time I have seen your sight and I like it.
- January 15, 2010 at 4:00 PM
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- February 1, 2010 at 5:25 AM
- captfishshady said...
check it home girl, i hate the industry crap more then most i have ever met, i know this is an old post but i like it and just found your blog. i have months and full seasons that go by that i want to quit the whole gig, i used to be "cool" right semi pro extreme sports guys, record deal with the band, but gave it all up to fish and now its a job that i love and hate equally. Just stick to the roots and keep it simple. at least your not a tattooed freak like me. write your blog as honest and transparent as you can with out any ones opinion. have fun and REPRESENT
- March 4, 2010 at 4:32 PM
- Sam said...
Just stumbled into your blog. I like it. Just read this commentary on posting motivation.
Go with your gut, say what's on your mind, and have fun. There is enough BS out there, we can't let our wading boots get too bogged down in it. And, if you need to bitch about the BS, let 'er rip, there is not enough critical commentary out there. But most of all, go with your gut and cast away passionately.
Keep up the good work!
cheers and tight lines
- March 5, 2010 at 5:58 AM


text:
Kellen Moore: 13/18 235 yds 2 TD's
Quizz has 39 yards rushing. James produced an awesome punt return, but little else.
The total stats are too scary to print. Let's just say OSU is getting worked on both sides of the ball statistically.
The Beavers will have a hard time keeping it close in the second half unless they start making some plays. So far, they look like they can't compete athletically.


text:
Pop Factory Grand Opening 9/19!
More info: http://fingerflipinc.com/forum/index.php?topic=48801.0
Labels: No-Comply, Pop Factory
Labels: No-Comply, Pop Factory
sick now we need something on the east coast
Todd is awesome and hugely responsible! Hope companies from around the world see this and start selling lots of items through his actual shop and webshop!
The US scene will benefit a lot from this!
This is amazing! even though i live in Germany, i totally support this huge step for the American Scene.
They are going to open up something on the east coast (at least from what i heard) FF is going to open up a store (just a rumor)
You guys are so far behind the times. Their has been a fingerboard store open for the last 3 years in the united states. I will get the name of it and post it here. It is like 10 miles from where i live. Pop Factory congratulations for your opening but it wasn't the first.
Ah, I didn't know about that. Please post the name of the shop when you find out :D
now if only there was one of these on the east coast. preferably near new york or some where in the vicinity.
Congratulations to Pop Factory for their grand opening. I wish you all the best in your new ventures.
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