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Regular price
The Women's Green Ankle Deck Boot features a subtle Camo goring and complementary brown pull tabs and stripe at the sole for added style.
This best selling boot is crafted specifically for sport and recreational fisherman. Anglers are athletes and they need proper footwear to help them perform at their best. This lightweight silhouette has the same XTRATUF® non-marking, slip resistant Chevron outsole as our iconic Legacy Boot, worn by commercial fishermen in Alaska.
The slip-on-and-go convenience can be worn on or off the boat offering 100% Waterproof protection. The interior boasts a highly durable XPRESSCOOL® fabric that allows the foot to breath for long days on the water.


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Press release -
Insurers set out criteria for what drivers should expect from vehicles described as "Automated"
- Thatcham Research to assess any car marketed as 'automated' or 'driverless' against these new criteria
- Call issued to automated regulators; systems that require the driver to control or monitor the vehicle cannot be classified as automated
As the reality of automated vehicles on UK roads draws nearer, insurers are today answering a question which continues to challenge the automotive industry; exactly what should a vehicle be capable of doing to deserve the title "Automated"?
To meet the Automated and Electric Vehicle Bill's definition[1] of an automated vehicle, UK insurers are today setting out minimum criteria for a vehicle's automated systems.
Matthew Avery, director of research at Thatcham Research comments: "The insurance industry welcomes the UK Government's commitment in the Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill to create a list of automated vehicles. It is crucial, therefore, that that there is a clear definition of what constitutes an automated vehicle. Regulators and insurers require this to classify and insure vehicles appropriately, while consumers need to understand the functionality and capability of the vehicle and their own responsibilities. Consequently, a system that needs the driver to control or monitor the vehicle in any way cannot be classified as automated."
Ben Howarth, Senior Policy Adviser for Motor and Liability at the Association of British Insurers, said: "Truly automated vehicles have the potential to drastically reduce road accidents, cut delays and make it easier for people who cannot drive to get around. However, there will inevitably be a transition period from today's cars to the vehicles of the future, via vehicles which offer gradually increasing levels of autonomy. There is the potential for confusion during this interim stage when people could wrongly think their vehicles can be left alone to manage a journey independently. Insurers want to see manufacturers being absolutely clear about how they describe what their vehicles can do – and we think this checklist of ten things which define a truly automated vehicle should be adopted across the industry to help give clarity to consumers."
The 10 key features and performance criteria required of a truly automated vehicle:
1. Naming: clearly describes automated capability
2. Law abiding: complies with UK traffic laws and the Highway Code
3. Location specific: functionality is limited to specific types of roads or areas via geo-fencing
4. Clear handover: transfer of driving control follows a clear 'offer and confirm' process
5. Safe driving: vehicle can manage all reasonably expected situations by itself
6. Unanticipated handover: adequate and appropriate notice must be given if the vehicle needs to unexpectedly hand back driving control
7. Safe stop: vehicle executes an appropriate 'safe stop' if unable to continue or the driver does not take back control
8. Emergency intervention: vehicles can avoid or prevent an accident by responding to an emergency
9. Back-up systems: safeguards step in if any systems fail
10. Accident data: record and report what systems were in use at the time of an accident
"We recommend that this is also criteria that Government and vehicle manufacturers could use to define what is and isn't safe use of an automated car," comments Howarth.
Avery continues, "These descriptors will shine a light into the potentially dangerous grey area semi-automated vehicles could create. It is also important to shift the focus onto the safe performance of a vehicle's automated system. We will therefore assess new vehicles against these criteria to determine if a car is assisted or automated and to drive standards in automated performance. This will require a constant dialogue with carmakers as the technology develops."
Automated info
UK insurers are also calling for data on automated functionality to be available at an individual vehicle level, identifiable via the Vehicle Identification Number. This would allow an accurate record to be kept of which vehicles are running on older software or are overdue important maintenance. The data must also be capable of being updated dynamically, including 'over the air'.
Avery continues, "By recording these changes at Vehicle Identification Number level, insurers, rental and lease companies, fleet operators as well as law enforcement agencies would be made aware of any change to the automation status of a vehicle. Immediate data access will also be essential in allowing insurers to determine whether the driver or automated system was at fault in the case of an accident."
A full copy of the "Clarity in an uncertain world: A model for Automated Driving" summary can be downloaded here.
The ABI's conference, "Changing gear – adapting to autonomous vehicles" is taking place on 6th November in London.
[1] The Automated and Electric Vehicle Bill defines an Automated Vehicle as: "A vehicle that is designed or adapted to be capable, in at least some circumstances or situations, of safely driving itself, i.e. that it is operating in a mode in which it is not being controlled, and does not need to be monitored, by an individual".
Thatcham Research is the independent voice of automotive safety & repair, advising motorists, insurers and vehicle manufacturers to help reduce accident frequency, severity and costs and to realise the vision of 'Safer cars, fewer crashes'.
As well as its world leading crash and track research, Thatcham Research tests and accredits crash repair parts, vehicle repair technicians, and a number of other products and services within the collision repair industry for insurers, motor manufacturers, equipment manufacturers and suppliers.
A founder member of the international Research Council for Automobile Repairs (RCAR), Thatcham Research has also been a member of the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) since 2004.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Goldschleger Eye Research Institute
The Goldschleger Eye Research Institute focuses on studying the visual system in health and disease. The Institute is part of the Sackler School of Medicine, located at The Goldschleger Eye Institute at Sheba Medical Center in Tel HaShomer. This location enables close collaboration between basic and clinical research.
Our research focuses on development of antioxidants to treat neurodegenerative diseases, neuronal degeneration and the neuronal basis for genetic epilepsy and autism.
|Our researchers:
Prof. Efrat Kessler


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As part of this year's Debut Author Challenge I thought it would be fun to choose a favorite cover from each month's debut novels. At the end of the year the 12 monthly winners will be pitted against each other to choose the 2012 Debut Novel Cover of the Year. Please note that a debut novel cover is eligible in the month in which the novel is released in the US.
January 2012 Winner - Control Point (Shadow Ops 1) by Myke Cole. Cover Art by Mike Komarck.
February 2012 Winner - Dead Harvest (The Collector 1) by Chris F. Holm. Cover Art by Amazing 15.
March 2012 Winner - The Company of the Dead by David Kowalski, Cover Art by Amazing 15.
April 2012 Winner - Blackbirds (Miriam Black 1) by Chuck Wendig. Cover Art by Joey Hi-Fi.
For May you have 4 covers to choose from.


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Breathtaking imagery and heaps of whimsical charm, but is often exhausting at the same time.
Mood Indigo
No filmmaker could pull off adapting Boris Vian's "unfilmable" novel better than the inventive Michel Gondry. Before the opening titles finish Gondry demonstrates his trademark whimsy and wacky production style; a chef receives ingredients through a television set, sunlight creates guitar strings, an assembly line of people rapidly finishing sentences on typewriters passing by on conveyor belts, and a doorbell that turns into a spider-like creature. You'll be in for a long film if the opening sequence doesn't fascinate you. Mood Indigo is an ambitious visual feast with more flair than underlying substance, ultimately becoming overwhelming by the end.
Colin (Romain Duris) is a wealthy inventor who lives in an extravagant Parisian apartment with his chef/lawyer/mentor Nicolas (Omar Sy). He cheerfully shows off his latest invention called a pianocktail, a piano that translates musical notes into a different cocktail flavors. But Colin's mood quickly changes upon realizing the one thing missing from his life is love. Suddenly he decides his solitude is absolutely dreadful and demands to fall in love. So he sets out to accomplish just that.
At a dinner party, Colin instantly falls in love with a "girl like a Duke Ellington tune" named Chloe, played by the dashing Audrey Tautou. After wooing her by dancing the biglemoi, a jazzy dance in which the dancer's legs stretch to impossible proportions, Colin decides to take her hand in marriage. But shortly after they do, Chloe begins to have fainting spells caused by a flower growing inside her lungs.
The amount of creative visual flair found in Mood Indigo is second to none. Gondry creates a fantasy dream world where underground forests exist along with a pair of shoes that have a mind of their own and shadows that can chase after you. One of the most memorable scenes is when the couple happily float above Paris in a cloud ride operated by a large crane (a literal expression of the phrase 'floating on a cloud'). Gondry also shows off his technical skills. In an impressive honeymoon sequence, he implements a split-screen to divide the same shot where it's raining on one side and sunny on the other. The contrast between the weather signifies change as the second half of Mood Indigo gets a little dark. Well, dark for a Gondry film anyways. Gloom visually settles in when the color of everything fades to monochrome and walls literally shrink to close in on characters.
While it's a pleasure to marvel at these visuals, they eventually grow tiresome by the end of the two-hour film (note: Gondry did re-edit the film for the US release which cuts out about 30 minutes). That's because almost every scene has something animating, morphing, or twitching. It simply becomes overstimulating. Also, the stop-motion animation adds charm and visual flair but rarely offers meaningful substance to the scene.
The biggest issue with Mood Indigo is not being able to balance the wildly imaginative cinematography with meaningful storytelling. Sometimes the film is weird just to be weird—a feat that Gondry has mastered — resulting in more fluff than essential moments. It's hard to put all the blame on Gondry (he did adapt the story from a highly experimental novel), but none of the emotional notes were felt between the two leads despite solid performances from both. Mood Indigo has breathtaking imagery and heaps of whimsical charm, but is often exhausting at the same time.


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10 typical mistakes made by German speakers who are learning English
(The ideas from this post were also featured in one of my podcasts. You can listen to it here.)
I teach students with a variety of native languages but most of my students are German speakers. There are some errors that I come across regularly and I'm going to post them here so that other German speakers can avoid making the same mistakes.
If I ask my German-speaking students why they haven't done their homework, they won't follow the German grammar rules and reply "because I very much to do had and unfortunately no time had, my homework to do!" However, it's natural that our native language influences our thought processes at times and this causes us to translate expressions literally or to express things in a way which isn't right in the language that we are trying to learn.
Things that you shouldn't say
1. In the near of
We can't use this expression in English. It's enough to say:
"I live near London"
"the station is near the library"
2. For three years (if you mean "vor drei Jahren")
"For three years" means that something has been going on for three years. The duration was three years.
I have been learning Turkish for three years. I began this activity three years ago and I am still learning Turkish.
I lived in London for eight years. We know that this is an action that has finished because we have the word "lived" in the sentence. So I moved to London, stayed there for eight years and now I live somewhere else.
"Vor drei Jahren" = three years ago.
3. In our English class we were five
"When I was five = als ich fünf war but this isn't what we are talking about here.
There were five people in our English class.
We won't all fit around that small table. There are five of us.
But avoid "we were/are + a number".
4. I feel myself happy
When describing how you feel, don't make the verb reflexive. I feel happy/sad/tired etc.
5. The dog of my friend
In English, the ' has several functions and one of them is to show possession:
My friend's dog.
My sister's birthday.
My friend's uncle's cat!
6. If I would have enough money
Perhaps I will write some other posts which look at conditional sentences in more detail but "would" does not belong in the part of the sentence which gives the condition. Depending on what you want to say, there are various ways in which we can write this sentence, but "if I would have" is not one of them.
If I have enough money, I will go on holiday.
If I had enough money, I would go on holiday.
If I had had enough money, I would have gone on holiday.
7. She slammed the door angry
In German, we don't have to think about adjectives and adverbs but in English, using an adjective where you need an adverb is wrong.
Adjectives describe nouns: his singing was loud.
Adverbs describe verbs: he was singing loudly.
Our sentence needs an adverb because it is describing how she slammed the door. She slammed the door angrily.
8. I was in the bus
I know it sounds illogical that whilst we can be in the car, we have to be on the bus or on the train. After all, we don't sit on the roof and ride on top of them! However as a general rule, "on" is used for many larger forms of transport:
On the bus
On the train
On the plane/aeroplane.
9. BR, KR etc
It's not a case of avoiding abbreviations – we just don't write these things! When I saw this for the first time, I had to ask what it meant. If you mean "kind regards", you have to write "kind regards" if you want your English speaking reader to understand you.
10. How does it look like?
How does it look?
This is usually used if someone wants to know whether or not something looks ok. Maybe I'm trying on a dress in the shop and I ask a friend "how does it look?" What I really mean is "does it look good on me/do you like it/shall I buy it?"
What does it look like?
This is used when you want somebody to describe something to you. What shape is it? What colour is it? How big is it? You want to know about its appearance.
Can you think of any more?
I finished my list when I got to number 10 but if you have any more ideas, you can write them in the comments section!
As this post was so popular, I decided to write another one and look at 10 more mistakes. You can find the second post in the series here.
If you would like help to make sure that you are not making these or other mistakes, I offer one-to-one English lessons online. There is also a page in German.
More from English with Kirsty
If you would like more articles like this and other news from English with Kirsty to be delivered straight to your inbox, you can sign up for my monthly newsletter. You can also receive my free information sheet which gives you 20 tips on improving your reading,speaking, writing and listening skills. Finally, you can use this form to request an online meeting with me so that we can talk about what help you need with English and what I can offer you.
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There will always be free content on this site for learners to enjoy, but if you like and have benefited from the content here, you can support the site by buying me a virtual coffee. Payments are made via Paypal.


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West Florida captured its first national championship, defeating Minnesota State 48-40 in an exciting game that rewrote the DII football championship record books from McKinney, Texas. The two teams went back and forth with the Argonauts able to hold off Minnesota State's ferocious comeback inside the red zone.
2019 CHAMPIONSHIP: Interactive bracket | Printable bracket | Selection show
Redshirt-freshman quarterback Austin Reed came into the championship game on fire for the Argonauts. Reed had thrown for 1,122 yards, 10 touchdowns and just three interceptions in his first four tournament games, each against a top-25 team. It was more of the same Saturday in Texas.
Reed came out firing, and by the time the first half ended, he had set the DII football championship single-game record with 399 yards passing, shattering the old mark of 361 set by Curt Anes of Grand Valley State in 2002. He finished with 523 yards passing and six touchdowns, also a championship-game record.
One of his top targets, Tate Lehtio, set the championship game reception record, reeling in 13 passes for 139 yards and one of Reed's touchdowns. His counterpart, Quinten Randolph, reeled in 10 receptions for 254 yards — just 16 yards shy of the championship record — and three touchdowns, which also tied the championship-game mark.
DII BOWL RESULTS: Schedule, scores from the four DII bowl games
The first quarter opened with two possessions by each team, and they both scored with relative ease. Those 28 combined points? You guessed it: a championship game record. But then the West Florida defense settled in, forcing Nate Gunn — Minnesota State's sure-handed running back — to fumble twice and pretty much taking him out of the game by building a big lead and forcing the Mavericks to pass.
Minnesota State's defense tightened up late in the game, scoring on a botched West Florida punt and forcing turnovers to keep the Mavericks in the game. The Mavericks never relented as Shane Zylstra led a big drive to bring Minnesota State within one score. Zylstra — DII football's leading receiver — finished with 145 yards and a touchdown. Justin Arnold, who caught five-straight passes on the Mavericks' final drive, finished with 154 yards, tying Lehtio's record with 13 receptions.
DII CHAMPIONSHIP THRILLERS: Remembering the wild 44-point fourth quarter in the 1999 DII title game
The Argos have now been to two championship games in their four-year existence as a DII football program. They fell short in 2017, but made sure it didn't happen in 2019. West Florida is your DII football national champions.
Be sure to scroll down for a round-by-round recap of how West Florida pulled off the 2019 national championship.
DII football championship: How West Florida won the 2019 title
Final | West Florida 48, Minnesota State 40
Head coach Pete Shinnick has transformed West Florida into a DII football powerhouse seemingly overnight. He had the Argos in the championship game in just its second year of existence, and by Year 4, his Argos are a national champion. A simply fantastic game from the record-setting start to the thrilling finish that ended inside the red zone. Congratulations to the 2019 DII football national champion West Florida Argonauts on a dream run to the title.
Final | West Florida 48, Minnesota State 40
Game stats:
0:44 | Q4 | West Florida 48, Minnesota State 40
Schlichte throws incomplete to Zylstra. Barring a turnover, West Florida will be your 2019 national champions.
0:50 | Q4 | West Florida 48, Minnesota State 40
Here we go. Fourth and nine for the Mavericks. They used their final timeout. Here is the ballgame.
1:40 | Q4 | West Florida 48, Minnesota State 40
Schlichte and his roommate Justin Arnold have hooked up four times in a row and the Mavs are in West Florida territory!
2:30 | Q4 | West Florida 48, Minnesota State 40
WOW! Minnesota State holds West Florida. The Argos drop back to pass and the reliable Lehtio drops a third-down pass. Mavericks will take over on their 20 after a booming punt goes out of the end zone.
4:03 | Q4 | West Florida 48, Minnesota State 40
Shane Zylstra has had a remarkable day for Minnesota State. He's had 10 receptions for 138 yards and seemingly every catch has been a big one. He's such a big target, and very reliable, which makes it clear why he was the DII football leader in receiving yards. The big man grabs his 11th reception for a touchdown, to give the Mavericks hope. Arnold reels in the two-point conversion and we have a one-score game!
9:52 | Q4 | West Florida 48, Minnesota State 32
The Mavericks settle for a field goal and make it a two score game. Let's not forget the Mavericks have had three turnovers here late, so they are clearly putting faith in that D to do it again. Under 10 to go in the 2019 DII football season.
14:39 | Q4 | West Florida 48, Minnesota State 29
Reed just misses his seventh touchdown pass on two separate occasions, but Austin Williams makes it a three-score game. Interesting note: West Florida has -5 yards rushing.
End of Q3 | West Florida 45, Minnesota State 29
The final 15 minutes of the season are upon us. Some sloppy play at the end of the quarter by both teams stunted the scoring. West Florida has the ball to open the fourth. Reed has 500 yards passing and six touchdowns with no interceptions on a record-setting day for the Argos offense. There is still enough time for this Minnesota State offense to figure things out, but they'll have to start now.
#D2FB UPDATE: @UWFFootball's Austin Reed is still on 🔥🔥— NCAA Division II (@NCAADII) December 21, 2019
Reed broke the #D2FB Championship game record with THIS TD pass, his sixth of the contest.
Also, Tate Lehtio is the new championship game record holder with THIS reception, his 12th of the game. pic.twitter.com/pr5AToYPxr
3:48 | Q3 | West Florida 45, Minnesota State 29
What a wild turn of events. West Florida's Dawson Hamlin boots a school-record 64-yard punt which is nullified by a penalty. He then botches the snap on the re-kick and turns it over to the Mavericks who score a defensive touchdown. Then Ryan Schlichte finds Jalen Sample for the two-point conversion. The Mavericks can't execute on the ensuing onside kick and West Florida takes over.
Could this be a momentum changer in favor of @MinnStFootball???#D2FB pic.twitter.com/xqZChnjtFa— NCAA Division II (@NCAADII) December 21, 2019
8:12 | Q3 | West Florida 45, Minnesota State 21
Another record goes down. Reed connects with Lehtio from eight yards out for his sixth touchdown pass, a championship game record. The DII football tournament game record (meaning from any other round) is seven done twice by Keith Null of West Texas A&M in 2008 and Cody Haffly of Wingate in 2010. The drive was set up by a muffed punt by Minnesota State's Justin Arnold.
The second half is coming right at YOU.@UWFFootball#D2FB pic.twitter.com/MI8DI6d5AW— NCAA Division II (@NCAADII) December 21, 2019
13:00 | Q3 | West Florida 38, Minnesota State 21
Nate Gunn fumbles for the second time today, this time inside the ten yard line. To put it into perspective, Gunn fumbled four times all year. West Florida's defense has been very impressive.
15:00 | Q3 | West Florida 38, Minnesota State 21
Minnesota State gets the ball first coming out in the second half. In case you're just joining us, Austin Reed has already set the DII football championship game record with a 399-yard first half. His top target Quinten Randolph has 241 yards receiving on some insane catches. We'll see what the Mavericks can do right now!
Halftime | West Florida 38, Minnesota State 21
A quick look at the halftime stats:
Halftime | West Florida 38, Minnesota State 21
Reed finds Randolph for their third touchdown of the day. Reed now has 399 yards — a championship game record — and Randolph has 241 yards — 29 yards shy of the record. What a first half.
Austin Reed connects for 48 yards to Quentin Randolph. That gives him 399 yards which breaks the championship game record set by Curt Anes of GVSU in 2002 and ties the record with 5 TDs.— Wayne Cavadi (@UofDWayne) December 21, 2019
Randolph has 241 yards. The record is 270.
We're in the first half. #D2FB @GoArgos
0:56 | Q2 | West Florida 31, Minnesota State 21
West Florida makes the first big defensive stand of the game, holding the Mavericks Nate Gunn out of the end zone on 4th and goal. Instead of trying to run out the clock, Reed goes long and finds Ashley for 38 yards on the first play out of the end zone.
5:31 | Q2 | West Florida 31, Minnesota State 21
WHAT?!? We can keep talking about Reed, but Randolph is making some insane catches. He has two on that drive, one of 38 and then a 34-yard reception in traffic for a touchdown. Reed is 18-for-26 for 300 yards and four touchdowns on the day. The record is seven touchdown passes if you're wondering.
#D2FB UPDATE: @UWFFootball's Austin Reed is continuing to throw dimes. pic.twitter.com/3TKCG09SHY— NCAA Division II (@NCAADII) December 21, 2019
6:21 | Q2 | West Florida 24, Minnesota State 21
Here's something that has been said 31 times this year. Nate Gunn rushes one in for a touchdown. A huge 3rd and goal from the six, and Gunn converts for his 10th touchdown of the tournament. Shane Zylstra set the single-season program record for receptions with 71, breaking current Minnesota Vikings Adam Thielen and Chad Ellman's mark of 70 (CORRECTION: This was mistweeted. Thielen's record was 74, and Zylstra still broke that with his 75th catch later in the game.)
Was anyone really going to stop @MinnStFootball's Nate Gunn? 🤔#D2FB pic.twitter.com/NFUUZKIK4h— NCAA Division II (@NCAADII) December 21, 2019
Want to know more about Thielen's time in Mankato? Tap or click on the link below:
Adam Thielen's DII football college career: What you need to know
10:58 | Q2 | West Florida 24, Minnesota State 14
Austin Williams converts a 31-yard field goal to give the Argos a double-digit lead. The Agros drive was set up by a Nate Gunn fumble. West Florida almost had a touchdown on a beautiful diving catch by Ashley, but after replay, it was overturned as he bobbled the ball going to the ground.
13:19 | Q2 | West Florida 21, Minnesota State 14
The Mavericks have no answer for Reed. He finds Randolph for 37-yards to the two yard line and one play later, finds Randolph again for the score. Reed's third touchdown pass of the day.
0:53 | Q1 | West Florida 14, Minnesota State 14
Hope you have some popcorn, because we are enjoying quite the show. The Mavericks JD Ekowa finds Gloudemans for 49-yards down the sideline, setting up Nate Gunn for his 30th touchdown of the season. We're tied.
Four drives, four scores. And there are three quarters left.
All tied up...again on this run by @MinnStFootball's Nate Gunn.#D2FB pic.twitter.com/uB4swMWnIy— NCAA Division II (@NCAADII) December 21, 2019
3:38 | Q1 | West Florida 14, Minnesota State 7
Reed is in a world of his own right now. And by right now, we mean the entire tournament. He leads the Argos on a five-play, 69-yard drive, connecting with Ka'Ron Ashley on the 12-yard touchdown, his second TD pass of the day and 12th of the DII football championship. A huge 49-yard pass to Quinten Randolph on third and 25 kept the drive alive.
🔥@UWFFootball's Austin Reed 🔥— NCAA Division II (@NCAADII) December 21, 2019
Argos lead 14-7 with 3:38 to go in the first quarter.#D2FB pic.twitter.com/Nh9IeKW7eh
6:09 | Q1 | West Florida 7, Minnesota State 7
Cue the fireworks. I expected a high-scoring affair and we are off to the races. Minnesota State counters on a drive just over three minutes long as Ryan Schlichte hits Justin Arnold for a pretty 38-yard touchdown pass.
9:22 | Q1 | West Florida 7, Minnesota State 0
Austin Reed is at it again. He leads a very efficient drive down the field going 7-for-9 for 64 yards. He found Tate Lehtio four times for 36 yards and then throws a dart to Kevin Grant from five yards out for the first score of the DII football championship.
.@UWFFootball is the first to score on THIS TD grab by Kevin Grant.#D2FB pic.twitter.com/XHLpb9AahS— NCAA Division II (@NCAADII) December 21, 2019
15:00 | Q1 | West Florida 0, Minnesota State 0
A battle of road warriors begins. The Mavericks extended their DII-longest 20-game road winning streak last week, going on the road and dominating Slippery Rock 58-15. West Florida has won four-straight tournament road games against four DII football top 25 teams, the last three undefeated.
West Florida will receive.
Pregame | 2:55 p.m. ET
We are ready for championship football! West Florida and Minnesota State are taking the field.
.@GoArgos have taken the field!#D2FB pic.twitter.com/hBrLEeyylD— NCAA Division II (@NCAADII) December 21, 2019
.@msumavericks are on the field!#D2FB pic.twitter.com/yDSZ46JZn6— NCAA Division II (@NCAADII) December 21, 2019
Saturday, Dec. 21 | Pregame | 2:30 p.m. ET
We're 30 minutes away from kickoff. Here are all the links you'll need for today's game.
For it all. 🏈🏆— NCAA Division II (@NCAADII) December 21, 2019
West Florida 🆚 Minnesota State
⏰ 3 p.m. ET
📱 https://t.co/nL3Baz1Aid
📖 https://t.co/0TARO1B8jS#D2FB | #MakeItYours pic.twitter.com/VMPtWuc1ZO
Friday, Dec. 20 | Championship game preview
Yesterday, right here on NCAA.com, we previewed everything you need to know about Minnesota State and West Florida for tomorrow's game — and even provided a prediction about how the game will unfold. Did you know:
- West Florida's redshirt-freshman quarterback Austin Reed has thrown 1,122 yards, 10 touchdowns and just three interceptions in his first DII football championship run (four games total).
- Minnesota State's superstar running back Nate Gunn has eight touchdowns through three tournament games.
- Both schools have been national runners-up in the previous five years with Minnesota State reaching the title game in 2014 and West Florida in 2017.
There are are a whole bunch more facts, key stats, and big-time players you need to watch, so be sure to check it out by tapping or clicking on the link below:
West Florida vs. Minnesota State: Preview, prediction for the 2019 DII football championship
Friday, Dec. 20 | Pregame
The teams arrived in McKinney yesterday. Both Minnesota State and West Florida met on the podium for pregame press conferences which can be seen on the official NCAA DII Facebook page.
First look this year at McKinney ISD, home of the #D2FB Championship. 😍🔥💯#MakeItYours pic.twitter.com/W3hg2R0X9j— NCAA Division II (@NCAADII) December 20, 2019
The 2019 DII football championship: What to read
Consider this your crash course, a DII football championship 101 if you would.
2019 DII FOOTBALL: Top stories | Subscribe to the newsletter | D2 hub
- The DII football championship is a five-round, single-elimination tournament in which 28 schools vie for the national title. The tournament concludes in McKinney, Texas, with this year's game taking place at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 21. For a complete look at how the tournament works, check this out: THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THE DII FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
- How is Augustana (SD) playing in Colorado? There is a new format this year. The selection committee had the flexibility to move teams from their traditional Super Regions if it reduced travel and expenses. To find out exactly how the new format works, tap here: THE NEW DII FOOTBALL BRACKET, EXPLAINED
- Roland Rivers III took home the 2019 Harlon Hill Trophy. You can see the complete list here, and find out everything you need to know about the DII football version of the Heisman, tap here: THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THE HARLON HILL TROPHY
- Now, be sure to scroll down to relieve the 2019 DII football championship with round-by-round recaps below:
2019 DII football semifinals: What you may have missed
West Florida does it again. For the third straight week, the Argos went on the road and took down an undefeated team. They have now taken down the 2018 national champions, the 2018 national runners-up, and ended the longest current home winning streak last week at Lenoir-Rhyne.
The Argos were led by redshirt freshman Austin Reed, who has been playing well beyond his years all tournament. He threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns, two of which came in the decisive 18-point fourth-quarter comeback. Wide receiver Tate Lehtio had a huge day, reeling in 118 yards and two of his touchdowns.
Now West Florida will play yet another undefeated team. Minnesota State showed why it is the top-scoring offense in DII football with a complete victory on the road in snowy conditions against Slippery Rock. Harlon Hill candidate Nate Gunn had three scores for the Mavericks in their 58-15 victory.
Here's how the two got to Texas.
No. 4 West Florida 28, No. 1 Ferris State 14
- End of first quarter | West Florida 7, Ferris State 7: The upset kings were back at it early as redshirt-freshman quarterback Austin Reed struck first on a 34-yard touchdown pass. Ferris State tied it up late in the final minute on a Tyler Minor run.
- End of first half | West Florida 7, Ferris State 7: Neither team could get anything going as we remain tied at the half. West Florida's Tate Lehtio is having a huge game, already with 100 yards and a touchdown.
- End of third quarter | Ferris State 14, West Florida 10: The two teams exchanged scores, the Bulldogs on a Dion Earls touchdown and the Argos with a field goal.
- Final | West Florida 28, Ferris State 14: Austin Reed leads the Argos to 18 unanswered points with a pair of touchdowns to his favorite targets Lehtio and Quinten Randolph. West Florida is heading to its second title game in two years.
No. 3 Minnesota State 58, No. 2 Slippery Rock 15
- End of first quarter | Minnesota State 16, Slippery Rock 8: Nate Gunn punches in two touchdowns, while Roland Rivers III find Henry Litwin for The Rock's score. Harlon Hill finalists on display early.
- End of first half| Minnesota State 30, Slippery Rock 8: Mavericks have opened up a big lead on a Shane Zylstra touchdown reception and a Justin Arnold run. Rivers III suffered a weird thumb injury, but is still in the game.
- End of third quarter| Minnesota State 51, Slippery Rock 15: Slippery Rock got on the board, but it's been all Mavericks in the second half. A 21-point third quarter highlighted by a pair of 70-yard scores and Gunn's third score of the day puts Minnesota State well ahead.
- Final | Minnesota State 58, Slippery Rock 15: Zylstra finished with 152 yards and two touchdowns while five Mavericks combined to rush for a score, with Gunn leading them all with three. Minnesota State heads back to the finals for the first time since 2015.
Want everything you need to know about Saturday's games in one helpful spot? Check out the semifinals preview in the link below:
The hottest storylines in the 2019 DII football semifinals
2019 DII football quarterfinals: How we got to the semifinals
- Slippery Rock and Notre Dame (OH) featured two Harlon Hill candidates that may very well be the frontrunners for the DII football Heisman Trophy. They certainly delivered. Roland Rivers III passed for 436 yards and combined for eight touchdowns while Jaleel McLaughlin ran for 126 yards and two touchdowns, while adding a 96-yard kickoff return in a wild 65-59 win for The Rock.
BIG STATS: 7 crazy numbers from Slippery Rock's 65-59 victory
- West Florida can now add a No. 2 seed to its upset resume for the 2019 postseason. One week after taking down Valdosta State in the final seconds, the Argos went into Hickory, North Carolina and defeated Lenoir-Rhyne 43-38. It was the first time in 15 games that the Bears lost at home and the second time in the past three years West Florida has made it to the semifinals.
- After a quiet first half in which only three points were scored, Ferris State dropped 22 en route to a 25-3 victory over Northwest Missouri State. Marvin Campbell rumbled for 149 yards and a touchdown as the Bulldogs are back in the semifinals for the third time in four years.
- Nate Gunn had himself a day (again). The Minnesota State running back reeled off 173 yards and three scores to lead the Mavericks to a 42-21 victory over Texas A&M-Commerce.
Here are the scores from Saturday:
- No. 1 Slippery Rock 65, No. 3 Notre Dame (OH) 59
- West Florida 43, No. 2 Lenoir-Rhyne 38
- No. 1 Ferris State 25, No. 3 Northwest Missouri State 3
- No. 1 Minnesota State 42, Texas A&M-Commerce 21
2019 DII football championship: Second-round recap
West Florida snapped Valdosta State's 25-game winning streak. Elsewhere in second-round action, Texas A&M-Commerce soundly upset third-seeded Colorado School of Mines, 23-3. The 2019 DII football championship tournament hasn't gone as expected, to say the least.
DII UPSET: How West Florida ousted Valdosta State from the tournament
- No. 3 Notre Dame (OH) 20, No. 2 Kutztown 17
- No. 1 Slippery Rock 51, Shepherd 30
- West Florida 38, No. 1 Valdosta State 35
- No. 1 Ferris State 37, No. 4 Central Missouri 10
- No. 2 Lenoir-Rhyne 49, Carson-Newman, 21
- No. 3 Northwest Missouri State 63, Lindenwood 7
- No. 1 Minnesota State 35, No. 4 CSU-Pueblo 7
- Texas A&M-Commerce 23, No. 3 Colorado School of Mines 3
2019 DII football championship first round recap
The first round showed why the DII football championship is one of the best tournaments in all of college sports.
Anything can happen.
Some incredible upsets and fantastic finishes went down. Here are the highlights.
- Lindenwood went into Cliff Harris Stadium and took down No. 2-seeded Ouachita Baptist 41-38, getting the go-ahead field goal with just over a minute left. It was a back and forth battle all day long, but in the end, the Lions defeated their third top-25 team of the season. Lindenwood will be heading to one of the winningest teams in DII football history and try to make Northwest Missouri State its next top-25 victim.
- Not to be outdone, Texas A&M-Commerce traveled to Tarleton State — owners of the best home record in DII football — and upset the No. 2-seeded Texans in a rematch from earlier in the season. Quarterback Miklo Smalls led the Lions through the air (197 yards passing) and on the ground (126 yards rushing), but it was the defense that deserves the credit here. The Lions held one of DII football's best offenses to 16 points and 330 total yards in the upset.
- You could barely catch your breath with the three games played at noon. All three came down to the final minutes of play. Indiana (Pa) took the lead over Shepherd with 1:40 left, but Tyson Bagent led the Rams right back down to field connecting with Devin Phelps for the 31-27 win with just 11 ticks on the clock. Notre Dame jumped out to a big lead but was able to hold off West Chester's 17-point second half and win 31-24. Tiffin's star running back Ja'Quan Hardy gave the Dragons the late lead with 1:26 remaining, but Collin DiGalbo found big tight end Jack Pilkerton for the six-yard touchdown and 33-31 lead with 44 seconds left on the clock and inevitably the win.
- Carson-Newman and West Florida did their best to shake things up in Super Region Two. Both teams went on the road and pulled off impressive wins. The Eagles defense struggled to maintain dual-threat Ja'Rome Johnson but stepped up when it needed to in a 17-9 win. West Florida, our team to watch in this part of the bracket, dominated Wingate. Quarterback Austin Reed and Quentin Randolph hooked up for two more scores in the 38-17 win after connecting three times a week ago.
Saturday, Nov. 23 | First round (all times Eastern)
- Shepherd 31, Indiana (Pa) 27
- Kutztown 33, Tiffin 31
- Notre Dame (OH) 31, West Chester 24
- West Florida 38, Wingate 17
- Carson-Newman 17, Bowie State 9
- Lenoir-Rhyne 36, Miles 7
- Central Missouri 37, Indianapolis 27
- Lindenwood 41, Ouachita Baptist 38
- Northwest Missouri State 7, Harding 6
- Texas A&M-Commerce 23, Tarleton State 16
- Colorado School of Mines 24, Sioux Falls 21
- Colorado State-Pueblo 17, Augustana (SD) 0
Click here to enlarge the full bracket.
DII football championship: History
Valdosta State defeated Ferris State in a thrilling championship game last year to win its fourth national championship in program history. The Blazers enter the 2019 DII football championship as the No. 1 seed in Super Region Two with an undefeated record.
The Blazers are looking to match Northwest Missouri State's incredible 2015 and 2016 run when the Bearcats won back-to-back seasons without losing a game. The complete history of the DII football championship game is below.
|Valdosta State
|Kerwin Bell
|Ferris State
|McKinney, Tex.
|Texas A&M-Commerce
|Colby Carthel
|West Florida
|Kansas City, Kan.
|Northwest Missouri State
|Adam Dorrel
|North Alabama
|Kansas City, Kan.
|Northwest Missouri State
|Adam Dorrel
|Kansas City, Kan.
|Colorado State-Pueblo
|John Wristen
|Minnesota State-Mankato
|Kansas City, Kan.
|Northwest Missouri State
|Adam Dorrel
|Florence, Ala.
|Valdosta State
|David Dean
|Winston-Salem State
|Florence, Ala.
|Pittsburg State
|Tim Beck
|Wayne State (Mich.)
|Florence, Ala.
|Bob Nielson
|Delta State
|Florence, Ala.
|Northwest Missouri State
|Mel Tjeersdma
|Grand Valley State
|Florence, Ala.
|Bob Nielson
|Northwest Missouri State
|Florence, Ala.
|Valdosta State
|David Dean
|Northwest Missouri State
|Florence, Ala.
|Grand Valley State
|Chuck Martin
|Northwest Missouri State
|Florence, Ala.
|Grand Valley State
|Chuck Martin
|Northwest Missouri State
|Florence, Ala.
|Valdosta State
|Christ Hatcher
|Pittsburg State
|Florence, Ala.
|Grand Valley State
|Brian Kelly
|North Dakota
|Florence, Ala.
|Grand Valley State
|Brian Kelly
|Valdosta State
|Florence, Ala.
|North Dakota
|Dale Lennon
|Grand Valley State
|Florence, Ala.
|Delta State
|Steve Campbell
|Florence, Ala.
|Northwest Missouri State
|Mel Tjeersdma
|58-52 (4ot)
|Florence, Ala.
|Northwest Missouri State
|Mel Tjeersdma
|Florence, Ala.
|Northern Colorado
|Joe Glenn
|New Haven
|Florence, Ala.
|Northern Colorado
|Joe Glenn
|Florence, Ala.
|North Alabama
|Bobby Wallace
|Pittsburg State
|Florence, Ala.
|North Alabama
|Bobby Wallace
|Texas A&M-Kingsville
|Florence, Ala.
|North Alabama
|Bobby Wallace
|Indiana (Pa.)
|Florence, Ala.
|Jacksonville State
|Bill Burgess
|Pittsburg State
|Florence, Ala.
|Pittsburg State
|Chuck Broyles
|Jacksonville State
|Florence, Ala.
|North Dakota State
|Rocky Hager
|Indiana (Pa.)
|Florence, Ala.
|*Mississippi College
|John Williams
|Jacksonville State
|Florence, Ala.
|North Dakota State
|Rocky Hager
|Portland State
|Florence, Ala.
|Rick Rhoades
|Portland State
|Florence, Ala.
|North Dakota State
|Earle Solomonson
|South Dakota
|Florence, Ala.
|North Dakota State
|Earle Solomonson
|North Alabama
|McAllen, Texas
|Chan Gailey
|North Dakota State
|McAllen, Texas
|North Dakota State
|Don Morton
|Central State (Ohio)
|McAllen, Texas
|Texas State
|Jim Wacker
|UC Davis
|McAllen, Texas
|Texas State
|Jim Wacker
|North Dakota State
|McAllen, Texas
|Cal Poly
|Joe Harper
|Eastern Illinois
|Albuquerque, N.M.
|Tubby Raymond
|Youngstown State
|Albuquerque, N.M.
|Eastern Illinois
|Darrell Mudra
|Longview, Texas
|John Whitehead
|Jacksonville State
|Wichita Falls, Texas
|Montana State
|Sonny Holland
|Wichita Falls, Texas
|Northern Michigan
|Gil Krueger
|Western Kentucky
|Sacramento, Calif.
|Central Michigan
|Roy Kramer
|Sacramento, Calif.
|Louisiana Tech
|Maxie Lambright
|Western Kentucky
|Sacramento, Calif.


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Archive for October, 2023
Icons in the hardcore world, Fugazi never officially broke up. Rather, the Washington D.C. group just stopped playing. In the wake of the apparent dissolution, drummer Brendan Canty began touring and recording with Husker Du's ...
21 And Over: A night like so many others
March 4, 2013
A comedy produced by the same writing team that delivered The Hangover, 21 and Over tries too hard to capture the magic of that movie about an escapade that goes awry. Its storyline — aspiring med school student turns 21 and hi...


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Lars Tolumnius, the tyrant or king of Veii, caused the so-called Second Veientine War when he ordered the executions of four Roman envoys around the year 437 BCE. Rome, in response to the murders of their ambassadors, declared war on Veii. It was Tolumnius, however, who was confident at the outbreak of the conflict, presumably because he had several allied cities that were willing to join his side in the fight against Rome. Of the coalition that would send troops to support Veii's cause, the cities of Fidenae and Falerii were the most eager. With reinforcements from these allies, Lars Tolumnius pulled together a formidable army and went on the offensive against Rome, quickly defeating an unprepared Roman force near the Anio River. His coalition army posed such a dire threat that the leaders of Rome decided that a dictator was needed to see them through the war. A certain Mamercus Aemilius was reportedly given the great dictatorial power, and grave responsibility, of mobilizing and deploying Rome's forces against Lars Tolumnius' invasion.
As told by Roman tradition and history, Mamercus moved his army to the confluence of the Tiber and Anio rivers, where he set up a defensive earthwork fortification. Lars Tolumnius and his coalition army had already been lurking in that region and they set up their own camp nearby to challenge the Roman earthen fort. As the Veii coalition was said to have had the numerical advantage on their side, Tolumnius believed he could win the war by drawing the encamped army into a pitched battle out in the open—additionally, his numbers gave him the flexibility to split his forces into two groups to attack the Roman camp from different angles. The first of Tolumnius' divisions was sent out to directly and visibly attack the Romans front-on, the second division, however, was reportedly advised by their commander to be much more stealthy, so as to surprise the Romans when the second angle of attack commenced.
Mamercus and the Roman army would prove more than a match for Lars Tolumnius' plan. As the battle commenced, a large portion of Rome's army came out of their fortification to challenge Veii's coalition forces, as Tolumnius had wanted, but fate did not choose to favor the invaders. Rome's army quickly launched a cavalry charge against Tolumnius' main force, and the attack hit the coalition troops much harder than the leader of Veii expected. The disarrayed coalition forces were then crashed into by an additional wave of Roman infantry. Meanwhile, Veii's more stealthy division launched their ambush on the Roman camp, only to find that enough Roman reserves had been left behind to adequately man the defenses, bringing the second angle of attack to a standstill.
With both coalition divisions faltering, the leader of Veii would need to manage the wavering morale of his army and rethink his tactics and strategies. Perhaps he could have turned the battle around with sheer charisma and impromptu decisions. Yet, a certain Roman cavalryman named Aulus Cornelius Cossus did not give Lars Tolumnius a chance to regain control of the battlefield. As the story goes, Cossus caught sight of the leader of Veii, and, upon having the enemy leader in his sight, he made it his personal mission to kill the man at all costs. Charging through the fighting masses on the battlefield, the Roman cavalryman reached his target and engaged his opponent in brutal fashion. The fateful encounter was recounted by the Roman historian, Livy (c. 59 BCE-17 CE):
"Putting his spurs to his horse he [Cossus] rode at his enemy with levelled spear. The blow struck home and Tolumnius fell; instantly Cossus dismounted and as Tolumnius struggled to rise struck him down again with the boss of his shield and with repeated thrusts of his spear finally pinned him to the ground. Then he stripped the lifeless body of its armour, cut off its head and, sticking it on the point of a lance, returned to the fight with his spoils. At the sight of their dead king the enemy broke and fled. That ended the resistance of the Etruscan cavalry, which had been the only arm to keep the issue in doubt" (The Roman History, 4.19).
After Tolumnius' death, the division that he had been personally leading quickly crumbled. On the other side of the Roman camp, however, the second portion of the coalition army continued on with their ineffective assault, oblivious to the fact that their leader had been slain and that the other division was fleeing from the battlefield. Unfortunately for this last contingent of the coalition forces, the Romans could now focus all of their might on the remaining threat. Roman troops from the camp and the already-won section of the battlefield flanked the surviving portion of the Veii coalition army in a surprise attack, shattering them and definitively winning the battle for Rome.
In Rome, huge celebrations were held in honor of the victorious battle. Mamercus Aemilius, the appointed dictator, was given the much-coveted ceremonial Triumph parade, yet it was the Roman cavalryman, Aulus Cornelius Cossus, who truly stole the show. For his deed of killing Lars Tolumnius, he was awarded the spolia opima, which prior to that time had only been given to Rome's mythical founder, Romulus. Cossus, it was said, donated the looted arms and armor of Tolumnius to Rome's temple of Jupiter, where they were proudly hung on display.
Written by C. Keith Hansley
Picture Attribution: (LaCavalleria Romana by Pietro Santi Bartoli (1635-1700), [Public Domain] via the New York Public Library and Creative Commons).
- The History of Rome by Livy, translated by Aubrey de Sélincourt. New York: Penguin Classics, 2002.
- http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0026%3Abook%3D4%3Achapter%3D19
- https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095639644


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The Shining
by Stephen King, Narrated by Campbell Scott
Length: 15 hours, 49 minutes
Some stories you discover long after they've become iconic.
I'd never read or heard The Shining before, and I've never seen the Kubrick movie. But The Shining is a story that has left a mark on our culture, and those kind of stories are always interesting to experience after the fact. Sometimes when you do, you kind of scratch your head, shrug, and say, "It was okay." Maybe it originated or popularized certain tropes, adn those tropes have either been done to death (or done better than the original). Other times, you experience the story, and at the end you're left thinking "OMFG that was iconic! I get it now!" The latter is pretty much my reaction to Stephen King's The Shining – one of the great horror stories of our time.
The set up for The Shining is simple and straightforward. Jack Torrance a talented writer struggling with sobriety as well as writer's block. His anger got so out of control once, he broke his own son Danny's arm. He is emotionally abusive to his wife Wendy. He brutally assaulted one of his own students, and lost his job for it. Which is where we find him at the beginning of the book – interviewing for a winter gig as the caretaker of the Overlook Hotel. He needs the job to survive, and he believes if he can just lock himself (and his family) away fro the winter, he'll finish his play and earn a new lease on life. Because it's such an iconic horror story, even those of us who haven't experienced it before have a pretty good idea of where it's going. The mood, atmosphere, and impending doom King creates at the Overlook is staggering. This is a story about a family pushed to its limits and beyond. It's chilling to witness, particularly the disintegration of Jack Torrance.
In short, Jack Torrance is every writer's worst nightmare, especially Stephen King's. He's a monster before the story even starts, and it's hard to not make the connections with King himself (alcoholism, writer of some notoriety, etc.). Perhaps because of that, King still manages to find a little bit of humanity in him, and despite being an abusive monster, we have a little bit of sympathy for this awful man. Like Danny and Wendy, we almost want to make excuses for him.
What makes matters worse is that Danny is an incredibly special kid, possessing the titular shining. This allows him to see what people are thinking, to know what they're doing when they're not with him, to find lost things, and to have premonitions (he sees dead people). And before everyone else, Danny starts to realize what the Overlook is trying to do to his father, and the rest of his family. But because he loves his dad so much, he refuses to abandon him until it's too late.
The novel is perfectly matched with Campbell Scott's strong, minimalist narration. King paints with words a growing sense of claustrophobia and impending horror, and Scott's narration is a perfect mirror to the bare, cold snowed-in setting we're trapped in. It's a pretty perfect marriage of story and narration.
In short, The Shining is a horror icon that continues to earn its status, and is a must for horror fans.


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2015 Online Schedule
You can now view a list of presentations & times here, and you can view as a timetable here. If you are a presenter and the timetable doesn't correspond to the time specified on your homepage, please contact us.
Note these pages are responsive pages so they should work fine whatever (modern) device you are using: PC, tablet, or mobile.
Conference Handbook (PDF)
Friday, June 5th, 18:00-21:00, Pre-conference Workshops
Saturday, June 6th Schedule
- 08:30-17:00 Registration
- 09:10-09:20 Opening Ceremony
- 09:30-10:10 Session 1
- 10:20-11:00 Session 2
- 11:20-12:00 Session 3 Poster presentations
- 12:00-13:10 Lunch (available at cafeteria)
- 13:10-13:50 Session 4
- 14:00-14:40 Session 5
- 14:50-16:20 Session 6
- 16:50-17:50 Keynote Address: Ema Ushioda
- 18:00-18:30 Travel to the Networking Reception by bus
- 1830-20:30 Networking Reception at Luigans
Sunday, June 7th Schedule
- 08:30-13:00 Registration
- 09:30-10:10 Session 1 Poster presentations
- 10:20-11:00 Session 2
- 11:10-12:10 Plenary Address: Rab Paterson
- 12:20-13:10 Lunch
- 13:20-14:00 Session 3
- 14:10-14:50 Session 4
- 15:10-16:30 Round table discussion & Closing Ceremony
Keynote & Plenary Speakers
Keynote Speaker: Ema Ushioda, University of Warwick
Title: Engaging with technologies for language learning: Perspectives on autonomy and motivation
The title of this talk is intended to highlight a subtle yet significant semantic distinction between 'language learning technologies' (as expressed in the theme of the conference) and 'technologies for language learning' – i.e. a distinction between technologies pedagogically designed for language learning purposes, and everyday technologies that can be exploited for language learning purposes. While these are not mutually exclusive categories since the latter may subsume the former, the distinction is useful because it points to important psychological differences in how language learners conceptualize and relate to particular technologies, and thus points to differences in the quality of their autonomy and motivation in engaging with these technological resources. For example, when provided with appropriate language practice materials online, learners who are 'autonomous' (in the sense of self-motivated or self-determined) will freely engage with these materials to develop their language skills accordingly. Yet the same learners may lack the 'autonomy' (in the sense of strategic thinking and know-how) to understand how they can creatively exploit their engagement with various everyday technological affordances for the purposes of developing, practising and using their language skills. Or they may lack the motivation (in the sense of willingness) to allow language learning to suffuse (or interfere with) their everyday personal use of technologies, and thus they may express a different kind of autonomy (i.e. resistance) in this regard. In short, in focusing on how learners engage with technologies for language learning, we are brought to consider some interesting complexities in autonomy and motivation. My aim in this talk will be to explore these complexities from a theoretical perspective, and consider their implications for understanding how to enhance the quality of students' engagement with technological resources for language learning.
Ema Ushioda is Director of Graduate Studies and an associate professor at the Centre for Applied Linguistics, University of Warwick, UK, where she has responsibility for the Centre's PhD programme and for overseeing postgraduate teaching and learning provision. She has been working in the language education field since 1982, has taught English in Japan, Ireland and the UK, and has conducted in-service workshops on motivation and autonomy for language teachers from many countries, including Azerbaijan, China, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan and Russia. Her main research interests are motivation for language learning and intercultural engagement, learner autonomy, sociocultural theory and teacher development, and she has published widely in these areas. Recent books include International Perspectives on Motivation: Language Learning and Professional Challenges (2013), Teaching and Researching Motivation (co-authored by Z. Dörnyei, 2011) and Motivation, Language Identity and the L2 Self (co-edited by Z. Dörnyei, 2009).
Plenary Speaker: Rab Paterson, International Christian University
Title: Creativity, innovation, and 21st century literacies as a path to student academic autonomy
It has been documented that in many cases students of today are not being taught the skills they need to adequately prepare them for the jobs and society of tomorrow (Pink, 2005; Wagner, 2008; Daggett, 2010). However, in Japan the situation is arguably more problematic as many of Japan's educational approaches and institutional infrastructures do not prepare students for the world of the present, never mind that of the future. This environment can leave teachers in a less than ideal situation for the promotion of student autonomy and motivation. Furthermore, teachers are having to deal with these large gaps in students' preparedness for modern learning styles and the challenges of 21st century life due to students' old fashioned prior study experience. Likewise, digitally literate and tech savvy students are being underwhelmed and under motivated by the old-style class work tasks required by some higher education institutions. So this plenary presentation aims to show how problems arising from having to teach both of these types of students can be addressed by fostering a classroom atmosphere that places a heavy emphasis on students' creative, critical, and lateral thinking along with some educational technology knowledge. It will also demonstrate how an innovative mindset with no fear of failure can be instilled in students as this, along with the above range of thinking types, helps to foster the appropriate autonomy needed in students for modern life and modern pedagogy. So be prepared for a learning challenge as you, the audience, will be actively participating instead of the passive viewing associated with plenary presentations.
Rab Paterson is an Educational Technology Specialist, Apple Distinguished Educator, Google Certified Educator, Google Certified Teacher, Google Education Trainer, Google Education Group Leader, and COETAILer. He is an Instructor English for Liberal Arts program / Lecturer – Global Leadership Studies program, International Christian University.
Pre-conference workshops
Workshop #1: Creating an intercultural collaboration for our students using online tools
Facilitator: Edo Forsythe (Hirosaki Gakuin University)
Teachers at secondary and tertiary levels of education have an exciting opportunity to connect their students to peers in other countries using technology. as there are now a number websites and software applications that allow people to make these intercultural connections more easily than ever before. This presentation will demonstrate how to create a platform for conducting an intercultural collaboration between Japanese and American university students. The presentation will begin by explaining the exchange which has been conducted between Japanese and American university students. Attendees will learn what issues have arisen in the collaboration's 4-year history and they will create a wiki site which they can use to host a collaboration of their own. The presenter will provide step-by-step instructions on how to set up the online exchange using a wiki page as an example, with comments about the pros and cons of other platforms which can be used, such as social media, blogs, etc. Attendees will also as learn where to find safe, reliable partners for their students' interactions in an educational setting. Finally, examples of the presenter's collaborations and the students' exchanges will be provided so that attendees can see how rich the exchanges can be. Experience has shown that students gain linguistic confidence as well as improve their digital literacy in intercultural exchanges such as these. Attendees will come away excited and prepared to introduce their students to the world safely and confidently using technology that most of them already possess.
Workshop #2: Gamification in Moodle: Setting up passing grades, completion conditions, restricted access and digital badges
Facilitator: Gordon Bateson (Kochi University of Technology)
This 90-minute workshop will highlight functionality that already exists in standard Moodle 2.x to gamify online courses. This functionality can be used to emphasize to students the goals and structure of the course, and to help them to decide what to do next. This clear understanding reduces anxiety among students and leads to increased motivation to engage with the course materials and their classmates. The workshop will examine in turn (1) setting up passing grades in the grade book, (2) setting up completion conditions on labels, resources and activities, (3) restricting access to resources and activities until certain conditions have been met, and (4) setting up and awarding digital badges to students to recognize their learning achievements. Workshop participants will be given teacher access to their own Moodle 2.8 course on http://badges.quizport.com, where they can experiment during the workshop with the functionality and techniques that are introduced. The workshop room has computers available for participants to use, and WiFi will also be available so that participants can use their own portable devices if they wish to. By the end of the workshop, participants will have created a Moodle 2.8 course that contains resources and activities that are linked together in such a way as to form a flexible and adaptive set of online learning materials, that students find easy, enjoyable and educational to interact with.


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Le 53
Le 53 est un espace situé dans le quartier de Vaise aujourd'hui en pleine ébullition. Ce nouveau lieu est un magasin dédié pendant 50 semaines à l'univers de la chambre, se métamorphosant 3 fois par an en galerie d'art.
Plus qu'une adresse, un endroit de rencontres, de partage d'idées, de recherche de tendances dans l'univers de l'art contemporain, de l'architecture et du design, le 53 est un magasin / galerie. Réservez vos dates pour les prochains événements.
L'agenda du 53, rue de St-Cyr
Hiver 2008 : Ouverture et lancement du concept store Orosa, exclusive rooms, dédié à l'univers de la chambre d'aujourd'hui
Mars 2009 : Xpositions, La chambre érotique
Juin 2009 : NU Nomades Urbains, La chambre cosmopolite
Septembre 2009 : I-R i-rooms, La chambre technologique
Tous les deux mois : les « nuits blanches d'Orosa » avec le magazine Lyon People.
Le 53 – 53, rue de St-Cyr – 69009 Lyon
Tél. : 04 72 20 05 05 – fax : 04 74 70 62 99 – e-mail : firstname.lastname@example.com
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How to Play Kahoot! on Google Meet & ZoomMeeting
Playing Kahoot with my students on Google Meet. Make learning awesome! Kahoot is one of my favorite tools to use during distance education. it is a great way to keep students engaged because it focuses on social learning and makes it fun. What is Kahoot!? Kahoot! is a game-based learning platform that makes it easy to create, share and play learning games or trivia quizzes in minutes....Read More


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In meditation, every time you let go of an emotion or a thought, you are removing from yourself, going against yourself.
You believe these are your feelings, your thoughts, your ideas. Part of yourself. It is as if every time you have to cut and emotion or a thought, you have to accept to allow a tiny part of yourself to fall away and die.
So how can you drop your own feelings, your own thoughts, if you don't have faith: faith in the teacher who has taught you how to meditate, faith in the practice itself, and faith that what you are looking for is indeed truth?
In the work of meditation, we have to learn to become detached from even every idea we have, every opinion, every view. Detached, not in the sense of being without any opinions, ideas or views, but not being sticky to any of them, not being hurt if they are criticised, not thinking of them as a fixed and permanent part of ourselves.
Without faith, however, it's almost impossible to let go of your own idea. We're all so sticky to our ideas, we have such a tendency to make a fixed thing, a self and an ego with them, and whatever philosophy we have carried around with us for a while, we see the whole world through the filter of this philosophy.
Detaching oneself from it is harder to do than it is to say. If you are living in modern Western society and somebody tells you something like "feminism is shit," or if you hear somebody say something against the LGBTQ+ community, or something like "environmentalism is the new fashion, nothing more," what does it do inside you? (My point here is not to start an argument about any of these issues, but to point out what the stickiness to ideas does to us. You feel immediately tense, irritated and you feel the immediate urge to defend your idea.)
You have to believe in something all the time, in some thought that dictates what action you do. Most of the time you believe in whatever idea comes into your head. And being trained in the habit of believing whatever idea comes into your head, you don't give up an attachment, something you are really sticky to, without having a strong reason for doing so. You need faith in something else, something bigger, or somebody that you know is wiser than you.
This is a problem for us Occidentals, because in this western society we have a lot of trouble putting our faith in anything that goes beyond what is familiar to us and what we have already experienced.
How far does faith in the practice go?
I deliberately use the word "faith" here, a stronger word than "trust." "I trust you,' means only that you believe somebody is not telling you complete bullshit. Trust is indeed a good starting point; a base for building up faith. Trust is what allows you to try and follow a map around a village. Faith is when you will declare to anyone confidently that the whole map is correct, even the parts you haven't seen.
Faith in the practice of meditation, or in somebody wise, goes further than mere trust.
To have faith in the practice is also to have faith in those who have practiced longer than you, if they have practiced properly; or who have seen more than you. If I have faith in the wise, it means that I trust the wise person more than I trust myself. If my own idea is different to his, I will drop it and follow his idea instead. Even if at first I don't understand why; I trust I will understand later. A bit like if I'm learning mathematics and I am told to use a particular equation to solve some problem: in the beginning, I'm just blindly using the equation like a formula, without understanding how it works. But when I use it continually, I see again and again and again that it works every time I use it, and I can also start to understand why it works. I have to have some faith to try it, to practice it, to use it long enough and trust that this deeper understanding will come at some point.
Faith in the practice also means to have faith in oneself, in the possibility of changing oneself. If you understand how meditation works, how the practice works and you have strong faith in it, it means that there is no excuse for it to not work for you. You are not some kind of special case for whom the practice cannot work, there is no such thing. If you practice properly, it will work – that's it. If it's not working, it simply means that you are not practicing properly.
The difficulty with having faith
Why is it so hard for us, this having faith? To put one's faith in anything bigger outside of oneself: there is a shakiness, a feeling of being unsettled, almost a fear that comes at the idea. What are we afraid of? Why are we afraid to put our faith in something beyond our own tiny bird-brain's understanding?
We are so afraid of being wrong. Of being brainwashed. Of changing our mind, changing our ideas. We're so sticky to our own way of viewing the world as it is now, we cannot imagine that we might see it differently. So convinced our current ideas are RIGHT, that we cannot imagine thinking differently – therefore if we end up thinking differently it's surely because we have been hypnotised and brainwashed into it.
This is something, mind you, that applies much more to the Western world, western society, and not so much in the East. In most Eastern society it is a normal, honourable thing to have a strong faith in gods, spirits or gurus; often several at once; there is no shame or fear in having a strong faith in someone or something. It's bizarre rather if you don't.
Not here. In the West, the mere word "faith" conjures up images related to one particular religion that has now been rejected completely by the majority of people. After having been under its strict control for so long, this little part of the world (and really it is little) is like a rebellious teenager, not interested in anything that looks vaguely similar to the rules of its parents.
Here is a funny thing about it, though – while you have so much doubt in new ideas that go against your own, you are so reluctant to trust someone who challenges you, this doubt does not extend to things like your own mind and your own prejudices.
Who do you believe all the time?
You are perfectly happy to believe the first thought that comes into your mind, even when it causes you suffering. Let's say your mind tells you as you are leaving your house in the car "Oh, no need to put on the seatbelt, I'm just going around the corner," and you follow this idea. But around the corner there is a police car waiting. Now your mind says "You STUPID IDIOT! How could you have been so careless? Now I'll get a ticket, I'll get a fine, I'll have problems, why didn't I just put on the stupid seatbelt?!" And you believe this too, and you feel stupid and angry with yourself, even though it was that same mind that cheated you into not wearing the seatbelt in the first place. You continue to trust your own mind, even when it is proved to you again and again that your mind is not your friend.
You'll trust all sorts of people who have given you no good reason whatsoever to trust them. You'll trust enough to get into a car with a perfect stranger, or even into bed with a perfect stranger. You'll trust the guy who tells you you're pretty and offers to buy you a beer, you'll trust the drug dealer that what he's selling you is pure and not dangerous, you trust the publicity that tells you their product will make you lose weight in ten days, you'll trust the one who acts like your friend, without testing them, without ever looking to find out who they really are.
You are quite prepared to have faith in something when it is for something that you want, something that you like, something that brings you pleasure and enjoyment. It's only when you are brought face to face with your own demons and that you have to go against your own selfishness, your own desires, go out of your ease and comfort zone, that suddenly you are so full of doubt and questions, and unwilling to have faith. What's that about?
Also interesting is the question of whether you know you will die.
Do you know you will die?
In theory, everybody "knows" that they will die and the life will end, but in practice, looking deep inside, do you really know it? Do you really believe it? Do you understand that no matter what you do, no matter how many more years you live and how many more things you get to do, you have to die anyway?
We are all such marvellous liars that we manage to cheat ourselves about even this, the most basic, evident fact of life. We don't want to believe we will die.
As we do not want to believe we will die, it is natural that we have difficulty having faith in the teaching of the Buddha. After all, the entire teaching of the Buddha is based on this, which is not a view, not a philosophy, not an idea; but just a simple fact. You die, and everyone you know, everything you know, your whole universe dies with you.
Do you see the contradictory thing here? How twisted we make things? We are so reluctant to have faith in a teaching that is based on the one reality that nobody can escape, and the one reality that nobody can really believe.
We prefer to believe in the lies we tell ourselves: that we are permanent, that the things we love will always be here, that death is still always a long, long, way off, that car accidents happen only to others… rather than believing the truth. We prefer to remain ignorant of reality rather than searching for wisdom. We will trust anyone but the one who tells us the truth that we do not like to hear.
When we choose where to put our faith, where and what to believe, it should be on the base of wisdom; not the base of what pleases our ego or what is most in line with our own comfort zone.
It's not wrong to question and test something before deciding to believe in it, it's not wrong to be wary of entirely blind faith. But if you don't want to have blind faith in somebody who gives you advice or in the practice of meditation, you should also decide not to have blind faith in all your own notions and ideas that you've been carrying with you for so long. Where did you get them? Are they all really tried and tested and true? When you cannot believe that you will die, how can you declare that the rest of what you believe is truth?


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If you are looking for Heavy duty nonstick cookware, this set by Utopia kitchen should be all you need. It is a smart collection of cookware. It is enough for a daily household cooking. A housewife would definitely be happy after having heavy bottom pots and pans. But to provide you a better idea about this particular product I am writing this Heavy Duty Cookware Set Review.
This set is called a complete set, and it has all sorts of kitchen tools. It consists of 20cm /24cm fry pans, two 14cm/18cm Sauce Pans with lids, a 24cm Casserole with lid. And It also has 5 pieces of Nylon Cooking Spoons. They come with cool Bakelite handles. It is a professional cookware for home use.
The lids are tempered glass lids. They are see through. You can observe your food from start to finish. This heavy duty nonstick cookware is made of 3003 Aluminum alloy. It can conduct heat easily. They are hard and very long lasting. They can be for all kinds of cooking.
Whom is this product designed for
- This cookware set is designed for household use.
- Restaurant use is also ok.
- Chefs can use them too.
Features of Heavy Duty Cookware Set
Heavy Duty
3003 Heavy Duty Aluminum alloy is the most important feature of this cookware set. Utopia Kitchen has made this cookware set as super durable. They do not get scratched and resists stains on the surface. This heavy duty construction makes the heat conduct fast. That is the pots, and the pans get hot faster. So, they are well pre-heated. Food gets cooked well. Heat gets evenly spread to the surface. No particular hot spot can be found.
2 layer nonstick coating
This cookware set has a two-layer nonstick coating. This coating is named PFLUON. It gives you the ultimate experience of nonstick cookware. Food does not get stuck to the pan. They just slide the way they are supposed to. Even if you do not use any oil or butter, you don't need to worry. Food will not get stuck. No matter how sticky the dish is. You can even use them for braised dishes.
Easy cleaning
These cookwares can be very easily cleaned. All you have to do is use your hand and just clean with water. Since foods don't stay, you don't need to use anything else. Some prefer dishwasher. You can also use them. Because of the very strong coating, they don't peel off. But the manufacturer suggests warm soap water should be used.
Toxic free
There is no harmful element in the Heavy duty nonstick cookware. They were manufactured in a safe way. They don't create fumes even if they are overheated. Nothing can get mixed with the food you make for your family. Cook baby food without any worry. Flavor and nutrition do not change. Food gets well cooked and well fried. And it takes less time to cook food than usual. This set is PFOA, Lead and Cadmium free.
This is considered one of the main features of this product. This cookware is versatile. It can be used in different type of cooking. They can be perfectly fine on gas stoves too. Electric, Ceramic cooktops are also okay with it. You can bake with them. So, they fulfill your demand of all kind of cooking.
- Superconductive Aluminum alloy.
- Two-layer nonstick coating.
- Complete set of cookware.
- Dishwasher safe.
- PFOA, Lead and Cadmium free.
- Even heat management.
- Tempered glass lids.
- Bakelite knobs attached.
- Not safe for a microwave oven.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Question: Was it made in the USA?
Answer: No, it was made in China.
Question: Are they heavy or light?
Answer: They are very lightweight. They are very easy to move.
This is my Heavy Duty Cookware Set Review. I hope this review was helpful. You should think clearly about the pros and cons. It is a very handy set of cookware. This kind of quality cookware is very rare in such a price.
There are other cookware sets available in the market. You could buy any of them if it is better for you. If you need to know anything, contact us. Thank you!
Related Posts:
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- Top 10 Best Nonstick Cookware Set Reviews
- Circulon Infinite Hard Anodized Nonstick 10-Piece Cookware Set
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- What is the Best cookware for induction cooktops?
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Wednesday, February 1, 2017
The Bathing Garden: Winter and Valentine's Collections
6 comments:
Mrs. Cratchit's Christmas Pudding gave my holiday heart a stir. I just love the LOOK of it. The scent sounds nice enough too. heheReplyDelete
Right?! That white glittery snowy layer with the cute little holly berry cluster. I think you would like it. It is very nice and spicy sweet. I think I have a sample of it I will send in your box. Getting one together for you. <3Delete
This order is FREAKING GORGEOUS! Ugh stunning! My problem with her wax is I would buy it, wait the long wait then never be able to melt it because it was just too beautiful!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you!! I do suffer from the hoarding tendency with TBG once in a while. I am holding onto Widow's Walk just because it is so beautiful and I love how great it smells. Eventually I break down though and crave the smell so much that I find myself breaking it up.Delete
- AnonymousFebruary 1, 2017 at 12:57 PM
You take such lovely pictures, Julie - these all look so darn appealing! Now I'm extra super mega excited for that Circus Collection order. I was going back and forth on whether to get a sugar scrub in Clowning Around, because it's so colourful and topped with sprinkles and how much fun!...but popcorn. Because popcorn. It's kind of awful (although those little wax balls are adorable!...but popcorn.)ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you, Sandra! No matter how hard I try I can never quite capture how pretty Shannon's tarts are though. I am excited about Circus too!!! I keep making my cart and tweaking it. Popcorn is a deal breaker. I will tell you it might be okay since it is pretty subtle but not sure what your popcorn threshold is. Mine is none. If you like BBW Boardwalk or scents like that you may enjoy it!Delete


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Winter Camping in Michigan's Porcupine Mountains
Lake effect snow and a vast virgin forest make this a spectacular winter getaway for skiing and snowshoeing
Winter is a sure thing in the Porcupine Mountains. Cold air, borne on northwest winds, interacts with the comparatively warm water of Lake Superior, creating lake effect snow showers and a deep snow-pack. That snow drapes a notable 35,000 acre virgin forest of northern hardwoods, where sugar maple, hemlock and yellow birch are dominant. On skis or snowshoes backpack 3 miles to Union Springs, which gushes an incredible 700 gallons of water per minute. Camp under towering hemlocks, ski the nearby groomed trails or explore west 2 miles to Trap Falls.
Contact Information
Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park: (906) 885-5275, www.michigan.gov/dnr


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11 Years
- May 23, 2008
- 1,571
- 8
- 171
Here we have 6+ eggs from our rare Ancona Ducks hatching eggs. We have blacks, blues, lavenders, and chocolates in our flock. Also we have 2 drakes and 10 hens. These originally came from Holderread lines. Your eggs will be shipped fresh and well cared for as they will be bubble wrapped and packed with packing peanuts. We will ship atleast 6 eggs and if we are able to ship more we will. Our packing is among the best and cannot guarantee how the post office will handle your eggs. We can guarantee fresh eggs to though.
Paypal payments can be sent to [email protected] or email me for information on sending a money order.


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The first day of the Tennessee General Assembly's special session Monday called by Governor Bill Lee, revealed the legislation related to COVID-19 liability, telemedicine expansion and protesting that will be considered.
Only legislation related to the topics specifically contained in the governor's proclamation can be considered during the special session, which began at 4 p.m. on Monday with both the House and Senate going into a floor session.
The floor sessions, which lasted less than 30 minutes each, dispensed quickly with the formality of the respective speakers assigning two committees each to notify the governor and the other chamber that it has "perfected its organization and is ready to conduct business."
The Senate then introduced and passed on the first of three considerations SB 8001 through SB 8011.
Meanwhile, reflective of how the 2020 legislative year has gone with not being on the same page, the House only passed on first consideration HB 8001 through HB 8006.
Below is summary of all of the bills that have been filed and currently available on the Tennessee General Assembly website for consideration during the special session.
SB 8001 / HB 8006 Sen. Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald) and Rep. Brandon Ogles (R-Franklin) proposes that a governmental entity, defined as a governing body, board, commission, committee or department of a municipality, county or other political subdivision of the state, shall not intentionally prohibit or prevent law enforcement or fire and rescue services from accessing a specifically bounded area within the entity's jurisdiction during a public demonstration, unless the services are replaced by like services of another governmental entity.
A governmental entity violating the provision may be held liable for the resulting damages, injury or death.
Three bills are sponsored by Republican leaders Sen. Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) and Rep. William Lamberth (R-Portland) on behalf of the administration.
SB 8002 / HB 8001 is a six-page bill called the "Tennessee COVID-19 Recovery Act," a measure widely considered essential to supporting the state's economic recovery and employment opportunities.
The legislation would not allow any claim to be made for any loss, damage, injury or death arising from COVID-19, unless the claimant proves by clear and convincing evidence that it was caused by an act or omission constituting gross negligence or willful misconduct.
SB 8003 / HB 8002 is a 15-page bill that addresses changes to telehealth services.
SB 8004 / HB 8003 is a placeholder to address appropriations for the first year of funding for any act passed during the special session that has a cost associated with it.
SB 8005 / HB8005 is an 11-page bill that significantly revises criminal law to address protesting activities that go beyond being peaceful to damaging public property, assaulting a first responder, or camping in undesignated areas.
A new section would be added to the code that deals with assault offenses to deal with actions committed against first responders, defined as a law enforcement officer, firefighter, emergency services personnel or other persons who respond to 911 calls including Capitol police officers, Tennessee Highway Patrol officers, TBI agents, Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency officers and Park Rangers.
Penalties would range from a Class A misdemeanor with a fine of $5,000 and mandatory minimum sentence of 30 days incarceration to a Class C felony with a $15,000 fine and mandatory minimum sentence of 90 days incarceration.
The section regarding camping increases the penalty for violation from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony.
Two bills were filed by Nashville Democrat legislators, Sen. Jeff Yarbro and Rep. Bill Beck, both of whom also happen to be attorneys.
SB 8006 / HB 8007 creates a rebuttal presumption in a civil action that a defendant acted with gross negligence in certain circumstances related to the exposure or contraction of COVID-19 and SB 8007 / HB 8008 deals with how workers' compensation addresses COVID-19 for essential and non-essential workers.
Two bills were also filed by two other Nashville Democrat legislators, Sen. Brenda Gilmore and Rep. Vincent Dixie.
SB 8008 / HB 8009 says that no state or local government, agency or department can infringe on the constitutional rights of a personal to peacefully assemble, demonstrate or both on government property.
The proposed legislation essentially repeats what is already enshrined in The Constitution of the State of Tennessee in Article I, Section 23, "That the citizens have a right, in a peaceable manner, to assemble together for their common good, to instruct their representatives, and to apply to those invested with the powers of government for redress of grievances, or other proper purposes, by address of remonstrance."
SB 8012 / HB 8010, which was not passed on first consideration in the Senate, requires law enforcement officers to clearly identify themselves when arresting a person during a protest or demonstration.
Two bills, SB 8009 and SB 8010, sponsored by Lt. Governor Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) currently with no house sponsor appear to be the "Tennessee COVID-19 Recovery Act" and the telemedicine services bill.
SB 8011 by Sen. Mike Bell (R-Riceville) also without a House sponsor, is a one-paragraph new subsection to the code says that if a healthcare liability claim is based on a claim of exposure to or contraction of coronavirus, the person must provide the date and location which it allegedly occurred.
Lamberth's HB 8004, currently without a Senate sponsor, authorizes the attorney general to initiate a criminal prosecution whenever information is received that constitutes probable cause relative to the violation of any state criminal law if the rights of citizens to peacefully demonstrated was adversely impacted.
House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) assigned members to several committees specific to the special session, including COVID-Related Liability Committee, Electronic Delivery of Healthcare Committee, Public Safety Committee, Finance, Ways & Means Committee and Calendar & Rules Committee.
Both chambers recessed until floor sessions Tuesday morning, with the House scheduled for 9 a.m. and the Senate at 10 a.m.
Both the Senate and House have committee meetings scheduled for later in the day Tuesday.
Watch the full video:


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Our various programs build cardiovascular health, strength, flexibility, balance, agility, mobility, mode and confidence.
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Our focus is to decrease the potential risk of obesity for ages 5 to 12 through physical fitness, healthy eating, and sports training.
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Our families are the heart of the community. In unison they thrive to meet the daily expectations involving economic, social, mental, and spiritual welfare of each individual. We value these intra-relationships established and support a primed environment that our families and children can succeed.
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The classes include fun, easy-to-follow dance moves to popular music, fitness games, and light strength training. They will learn modern dance, Hip Hop, line dancing and ballet.
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The YET Center makes fitness fun! Our primary focus is to decrease the potential risk of obesity for children ages 5 to 12 by promoting physical fitness, healthy eating, and sports training.
JC & Liz YET Center have implemented programs that are designed to enhance students' cognitive skills, study skills, and critical thinking abilities to promote educational goals and build literary skills with various electronic resources and manipulative. Students are encouraged to have a more meaningful experience in meeting their academic goals annually through active teaching self-advocacy and educational responsibility for student achievement.
JC & Liz YET Center has established quality partnership with community and faith-based organizations. These partnerships are vital to the services and care we provides our children and their families throughout the year. We seek to engage our families and partners with opportunities to connect and network in order to ensure the best outcome for our children.
Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and improve facilities. Your generous donation will fund our mission.


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Size Guide
Why our fit is different...
Our size chart has a larger variation per size. Because of the high quality fabrication in our garments and the way our items are cut and shaped, they fit your body exactly the way it is. Unlike other brands that keep shapes boxy to accommodate many body shapes, Jill Alexander cuts to your curves and uses a high persentage of spandex combined with the finest knits to provide gentle draping.
Whether you're shopping for a special event or an everyday contemporary, casual or boho-chic look, Jill Alexander Designs has the right Indie designer piece to make you feel fabulous. All of our curvy designs are created with you in mind - we want to help you build a stylish wardrobe that works for your lifestyle.


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Bariatric Surgery and Weight Loss in the North Texas Area
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Our weight loss doctors at Texas Health specialize in the following types of bariatric surgery:
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Take Your Workouts To The Next Level With Our Muay Thai Classes
Get an incredible full-body workout when you take Muay Thai at Pereira BJJ. Muay Thai is the perfect option for anyone interested in getting fit, fast - while learning important self defense tactics. Our classes engage your body and your mind as you power through fierce kicks, punches, and combinations.
Muay Thai is known as the art of eight limbs because it implements use of so many parts of the body. When you learn Muay Thai you engage your fists, elbows, shins, and feet to attack your opponent. In our classes you will master various sequences of strikes with the help of our incredible instructors. We know how to make each class fun and engaging so that you get the most out of every session!
Experience The Countless Benefits of Muay Thai
- Your self-confidence will soar as you concur vital self-defense moves
- Maintain a healthy weight without dieting
- Enjoy a drastic reduction in your daily stress levels
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