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Dig into the background of just about anyone involved in the agricultural industry and chances are pretty good you'll find that 4-H played a crucial role in developing their leadership skills and a sense of responsibility.
Not that all 4-H members end up in agricultural careers; many become bankers, lawyers, doctors, legislators, teachers and toil in as many other fields as there are needs for dependable employees.
R.N. Hopper, a past president of the Texas 4-H program, took a fairly traditional route from 4-H to his chosen career. After graduating from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, he's back on the family farm in Petersburg, working with his father raising cotton and cattle.
Hopper says the 4-H experience takes on a different perspective the older he gets. (He's at the ripe old age of 24.)
"I guess it was more difficult back then to appreciate what I was learning," he says. "I know that discovering how to win and lose graciously was extremely important. Regardless of the outcome, we learned to keep on working. The magic is just being a part of the competition."
Hopper started in 4-H as a fourth grader and stuck with it through high school. He was state president his senior year, an experience he says allowed him to travel and meet people from all over the country. "I also realized that the strength of the organization comes from the local level and moves up instead of from the state down.
"I'm convinced that some of the success I've had and some of the ambition comes from being involved in 4-H. I initially got into it because my dad had been in 4-H and I wanted to be like him," he says.
Hopper also believes that giving back to the organization helps provide the continuity that has made the program a significant factor in rural and now urban youth service for 100 years. "Mentoring is a big part of 4-H," he says.
He worked with livestock, cotton, food and nutrition programs.
"The rural program has been around for years and will remain a focal point for 4-H," he says. "But it's also growing in urban areas and has much to teach people at any age and in any location."
Participation in 4-H has taken Stephanie Crowson from Jack County, Texas, to Fossil Rim near Glen Rose, to Texas A&M for a wildlife and fisheries degree, to Botswana and finally to her career as a supervisor at the Texas Wild area of the Fort Worth Zoo.
"The organization has gotten me to where I am today," Crowson says. "I went to Texas A&M on a 4-H scholarship from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. I did an internship at Fossil Rim, and I spent six months in Botswana, which helped narrow my interest for a career."
The Botswana trip was through the International Four-H Youth Exchange (IFYE) program. "IFYE sends ambassadors, from 19 to 30 years old, to other countries in a cultural exchange for peace," Crowson explains. "A scholarship made that possible, too."
She has always been interested in animals. "I grew up on a ranch and showed livestock through 4-H," she says. "All my family was involved in 4-H and my mom was a volunteer leader who worked with wildlife projects. That got me hooked. I've always been interested in animals, especially exotics."
She now works with white-tailed deer, otters, bears and cougars and will not admit to ever being bitten.
Colleen Parr, a managing supervisor with Fleishman-Hillard Public Relations in Kansas City, says 4-H played a significant role in her life.
"At 28, I look back on those experiences and realize they shaped the core of my personality and character and ultimately led to my career in agricultural communications," she says.
She started early. At age 8 she took care of two Simmental show heifers on the Mason County, Ill., farm where she grew up. "I was barely big enough to carry the feed bucket and training a 1,500 pound animal was a bit daunting at times, but it was my first true lesson in responsibility," she says. "By the time I turned 18, I owned my own purebred cow/calf operation and had earned enough money to pay for most of my college education."
She says most 4-H members would agree that the basic values they learn through the organization include:
Work ethic/responsibility: "I learned early that you get out of things what you put into them. A winning animal took more than a year's work, not just a few hours before a show."
Leadership: "Participation in 4-H gave me an opportunity to craft leadership skills by providing good role models and offering experiences in directing an organization as I grew."
Communications skills: "Through participation in public speaking competitions and giving oral reasons in judging contests, 4-H helped me to shape my opinions, make quick, accurate decisions and learn to communicate clearly and concisely. These skills helped me become a successful counselor for the world's largest public relations firm."
Relationships: "I formed relationships with today's agricultural leaders. These friendships and contacts continue to serve me in professional endeavors. The kids I competed with are now executives in leading companies and organizations, editors at publications and the newest generation of academia."
Jennifer Roberson, a Texas A&M student from Vernon, Texas, joined 4-H as a third-grader and didn't realize how life- changing the experience would be. Leadership skills she learned from 4-H helped her make a difference after Sept. 11 and led her to New York City.
Roberson worked with the Red, White and Blue committee at A&M, raising about $180,000 for the rescue workers' funds in New York City. She was also traveled to New York in November to present checks to two charitable organizations - $90,000 each to the Patrolman's' Benevolent Association Widows and Children's Fund, and the Uniformed Firefighters Association's Widows and Children's Fund.
Roberson learned leadership in 4-H on the county and district levels, and in 1999, as a member of the state council. In the summer of 2000, she worked at the Texas 4-H Center in Brownwood and has served as a leader/mentor for younger 4-Hers in her area.
All that leadership was needed in the wake of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sept. 11. Like many others, Roberson wanted to do something to support both the victims of the attack and the rescue workers.
The fund-raising project included printing T-shirts, which they sold for $5 each. The committee raised thousands of dollars in support of those directly affected by Sept. 11. "People just wanted to help and didn't know what to do. We provided an outlet for A&M. I feel like we helped in a small way."
Secretary of Agriculture Anne Veneman says 4-H provided her first opportunities at public speaking. "As a member of the Empire 4-H Club, in California, I worked with cooking, sewing and horse projects, but the most memorable experience was getting up in front of people to speak and to learn how to get comfortable doing that."
Veneman discussed her 4-H experience and her vision for the future of the organization during a recent press conference honoring the 4-H Centennial in Washington. "We celebrate the value of 4-H," she says.
Also on the program was Orion Samuelson, a nationally known farm broadcaster and former 4-H member who credits the organization with pointing him toward a career. "That public speaking experience got me started," he says.
"This is a leadership building organization and provides young people with goals and opportunities to achieve those goals."


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How important Link Exchange is?
Link exchange will help increasing your visitor traffic to your website without paying for advertising. It is also good for search-ability of your website in search engines. The amount of the incoming links to your site will help you to be better position in search engines. In other words the more links to your website means the more popular it becomes in search engines.
So why not offering link exchange to other website? (it is always better if you can connect with the more relevant the content websites). The simple way doing it; offer other website to be in their website as link, in return, you add their website into your website.
Like this example:
If you have a web site, you might like to link to this website.
To make it easy, I have created a badge for you.
You will be in the list here: http://www.nurweb.biz/link-exchange/
Place a link on your Web site to nurweb.biz
I prefer to be linked with the phrase
"nurweb.biz – Thinking Out Loud"
If you want to use a graphic, please choose the image below.
As simple as that.
Having referral link into some specific subjects also helps for attracting visitors to your websites.
Time to time I add good website list to my blog. They are related to subject that i am writing about. For instance when I am writing about lenses, I add lens manufacturer addresses as well as lens review sites. They sometimes add my page into their review page too, this both way linking really helps for your search engine visibility.
Be ware that one way linking does not help for better ranking though.
This means, you should do link exchange webpages that have similar content to you. However being linked with other website who are giving you reciprocal link also valuable.
Do not forget when you are doing link exchange you should provide the linktext with your desired keywords.
Such as:
Web design, photography, travel and food articles
Go ahead create a link exchange page on your website, nothing will harm, you can gain positive results.
Web Definitions:
Link Exchange: A link exchange is a confederation of websites that operates similarly to a web ring.
Backlink: Backlinks are sometimes called inbound links, are incoming links to a web page or the entire website.
Reciprocal Link: A reciprocal link is an agreement between two webmasters or website owners to provide a hyperlink within their own website to each other's web site.

subset: commoncrawl


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Radisson Hotels Kittery properties are provided below. Search for cheap and discount Radisson Hotels hotel prices in Kittery, ME for your personal or business trip. We list the best Radisson Hotels Kittery hotels/properties so you can review the Kittery Radisson Hotels hotel list below to find the perfect place.
This service will show you discounted Kittery, ME properties that have similar star rating to Radisson Hotels.Need a group/meeting discount? Request a group rate for Kittery ME
How should we direct your call?


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Backlog unacceptable
The Department of Veterans Affairs needs to fulfill its obligation to our heroic servicemen and women.
Having more than 895,000 pending claims, with about 600,000 pending for more than 125 days, is unacceptable.
My father, a World War II veteran, is among those whose pending claims have gone unanswered. It has been two-and-a-half years and a ton of paperwork, with no decision made. When you submit your claim, you are told a decision will be made in six to 12 months.
Allison Hickey, the VA's undersecretary for benefits, believes she can eliminate the backlog by the end of 2015. Is she waiting for these veterans to pass away in order to clear the backlog?
Seems we have money to give away overseas, but are very stingy about giving money to take care of our own.
It is time to stop and make things right in a timely manner.
Susan Kremmel
West View


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Making Homemade Ravioli
Green Greenhouses
Take a look!
Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
I've seen these on a few blogs, and I was enthralled. What a deceptive little cupcake! You look all plain and vanilla-y, but you have a surprise--chocolate chip cookie dough in the center! I specifically found them first on the These Days We blog, but took the recipe from Kevin and Amanda's blog (which was linked to from the previous...if you scroll WAAAY down, you'll get the receipe).
I know my oven is rather dirty, but I couldn't resist taking a picture of the cupcake batter engulfing the cookie dough. The nerdy science teacher that I am thought of endocytosis...
...and here's why I would have used smaller chunks. Despite the success of other bloggers, my cupcakes did not cover up the cookie dough chunks 100%. It's not a big issue since they get frosting, but I have to say I was still a little disappointed.
I have never made frosting before, and certainly not one as sweet or as rich as buttercream frosting. 3 sticks of butter! 3!!! If I were to make these again, I'd probably halve or take away 1/3 of the recipe because even after 24 cupcakes, I still had a lot of frosting left. I put it on the failure of the chocolate cake, but there was still some more even after that!In sewing news, I am still cutting out the pattern. I am trying to be as meticulous as possible, so I'm being sure to do a lot of marking and remeasuring. We'll see...
New Projects
The cardigan, despite placing darts in the back to actually bring the fabric in contact with my back, still fits awfully. It's simultaneous too long and too short; too tight and too loose. I even added a button to the bottom as a closure to give it shape, but it made no difference. I tried to wear it to work on Wednesday, but after having it on for two minutes, I removed it, sighed, and placed it in the Goodwill bag.
I did try to make a chocolate cake using my cake pans, but it was a HORRIBLE mess, both literally and figuratively. Despite cooking at the right temperature and adding a good 10 minutes, both of the cake pans cratered in the middle (even though they were completely cooked and passed the toothpick test). In addition, they expanded much more in the one pan (the awesome tiered one) than my regular cake pan, so there was batter all over the bottom of the oven. I greased and floured both pans, but the cake refused to come out in clean pieces. So we've been eating the cake "globs" (which taste fine), but it was still a kick in the pants.
Personal finances have taken a hit as I now have to pay for braces ($5000), a grad school class ($3000) in addition to my normal car payments, student loans, and other grown-up nonsense. SO I made ONE last craft purchase--4 patterns. They're beautiful and lovely, and I got them for a steal. I'll discuss my plans for them tomorrow.
For the top portion, I'm hoping to use this pretty lace my grandmother gave me. I'm going to use the ivory fabric (look! I've already cut out the pattern pieces...it's started) below as the lining for the top.
The pattern also calls for lining on the bottom, but I'm going to see if I can get away without it as the skirt portion may already be a bit heavy.
My sister is coming down from Boston to spend her college spring break here, but I am hoping to have all of the pieces at least cut by the end of the weekend. Keep your fingers crossed that this will not be another botched project...


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We delve deep inside fashion blogger Sara Donaldson's (impressive) beauty bag
Sara Donaldson is the digital sensation behind the blog harperandharley - one of Australia's most popular fashion blog. But for the last seven years, we've fallen in love with Donaldson's French girl mantra to beauty, and we were desperate to know the products behind her understated look. From cult-followed night creams, long-lasting eyeliners and creamy illuminators - we are already obsessing over her well-curated kit. Click through the gallery to see all of her make-up and skincare products:


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Our food philosophy is simple – procure fresh seasonal ingredients and use them in a way to highlight their character and flavor. We bring our experience, expertise, and passion to bear in the kitchen everyday. No detail is overlooked-from pickling our own condiments for charcuterie plates to just the right vanilla bean to balance the sauce on your dessert plate. This attention to detail results in food that you will remember and talk about for many years to come.
Private Dining
To learn more about private dining please visit our Private Dining page.


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EFS simulation software
EFS simulation software
The innovative concept of our signal mast with built-in lift / ascent support (SMA) prevents expensive closings of tracks, provides highest possible work safety and generates huge cost savings for every signal.
"Innovation and liability of our products & services make your railway infrastructure more effective. High availability of your tracks due to long lasting components plus fast and secure service incidents will reduce your costs dramatically.
Let become our visions real for you!"
"With the energy flow simulation (EFS) and innovative sensor technology, we can evaluate and optimize energy conditions, and monitor complex catenary networks to ensure a high degree of reliability and security."
Jan Röhl, Managing Director


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Dec 30, 2010
Last week, premier mobile game publisher Gamevil released three new games into the Android Market. You may remember Gamevil from our Soccer Superstars review or any of their other hit games such as Baseball Superstars 2010 or Zenonia. Anime/RPG style gaming seems to permeate through Gamevil's titles and it's safe to say that it's their forte. Gamevil titles are also very feature rich and run extremely smooth (In my experience). I have yet to try any of the new titles but wanted to make sure everyone was at least aware of their availability. Below you will find the titles, a brief description, and any necessary links. I know the holidays can be extremely busy times so if you missed it, here they are:


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Port Dalhousie
Balzac's 11th location is in historic Port Dalhousie, part of the city of St. Catharines. Originally a bank, our charming building was constructed in 1907 and features two stories, both with outdoor patio seating. Port Dalhousie's rich maritime history dates back to 1826 and is considered one of the best preserved 19th-century canal villages in Canada. Now a popular destination for cyclists, rowers, bikers and families who come to visit the beach, stroll the piers, and ride the famously restored carousel.
This location is available to rent for private events learn more »
Tell us about your experience guest feedback »
Balzac's Port Dalhousie 9 Lock Street st. catharines, on, l2n 5b6 905 397 8648
Café Hours
|Monday - Friday 7am to 8pm
|Saturday & Sunday 7am to 8pm


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Enter a search term such as "mobile analytics" or browse our content using the filters above.
That's not only a poor Scrabble score but we also couldn't find any results matching
Check your spelling or try broadening your search.
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Please try again later.
Companies with a structured and process-driven approach to conversion rate optimization (CRO) are significantly more likely than other organisations to improve their conversion rates and increase online sales, according to research published this week by Econsultancy.
The Conversion Rate Optimization Report, produced in association with RedEye, also found that it is becoming harder to improve conversion rates, with 65% of companies seeing improvements in conversions in the last year, compared to 70% in 2009 and 2010.
The research, based on a survey of more than 700 client-side and agency digital marketers, found that the four variables most strongly correlated with improved overall conversion in the last year are perceived control over conversion rates, a structured approach to CRO, having someone directly responsible for conversion and incentivising staff based on conversion rates.
The study found that these variables were more strongly correlated with CRO success than use of specific types of technology or methods used for conversion rate optimization.
Techniques for improving conversion rates
A/B testing was the most popular method among respondents, with 53% using it compared with 44% last year.
The use of usability testing by companies has increased significantly, from 27% last year to 38% in this year's survey.
Further analysis of data showed that companies whose conversion had improved over the previous 12 months used on average 26% more methods to improve their conversion than those whose conversion had not improved.
Which of the following methods do you currently use to improve conversion rates?
Elements of websites tested
Across the board, a higher proportion of companies are testing website elements than was the case last year. Call to action buttons (72%) and page layout (71%), are the most tested elements, closely followed by navigation (65%) and copy (63%).
Specifically for your website, what do you test?
Of those who carry out website testing, 75% say they do between one and five tests each month, while 11% carry out more than 10 tests per month, a significantly lower proportion than last year (19%). Companies who were happy with their conversion rates did on average 40% more tests than those companies who were dissatisfied.
As the online environment becomes more competitive, it is becoming increasingly difficult to improve conversion rates. Most companies are not happy with their online conversion rate. Just 25% say they are 'satisfied' and we believe this figure is dropping because marketers are more aware of holes in their approach to CRO as they become more educated about best practices and the technology and tools available.
However, this research provides firm evidence that it is worth focusing on a structured approach to conversion rate optimization, with investment in people and incentives to help facilitate this.
Commenting on the research, Econsultancy Research Director Linus Gregoriadis said: "The tools for gathering insight and for carrying out tests are becoming more user-friendly and accessible, but organisations must have the right knowledge and expertise around CRO to complement this, both in-house and within their agencies."
RedEye CEO Mark Patron added: "What we have learnt is people and processes are key. This report highlights just how important employing a structured process is. Companies that had a structured approach to conversion were twice as likely to have seen a large increase in sales. Yet only 31% had a structured process – a major reason satisfaction is so low."
Comments (4)
"it is worth focusing on a structured approach to conversion rate optimization"
You can't go changing elements of your site on a whim and expect to know what is and isn't working. You have to take some kind of process if you want to understand what is helping your site and what isn't.
@nick Agree - but you need specific expertise to 'tip the deck' in favour of the house, like a casino. The odds are on your side, if you have direction, process, methodology and intelligent decision making around what you learn and apply from testing.
Without people, our testing would be nothing more than a chaotic and random assembly.
An orchestra may be the best in the world, but without a conductor, it will be a terrible performance.
18 months ago at the E-C round tables we did, I was hearing 'We need tools' and this year was 'We need to hire good talent'
If there are any fellow optimisers out there who haven't yet joined, please come to our group 'The League of Optimisers' on Linkedin.
It's good to see A/B testing is increasing year by year, but I find still really poor the "market share", only 53% of companies want to increase their turnover?
Also I founded really strange only 48% of the people test their check out process. Whenever I'm thinking in a new project, I think the main winners are:
- Number of fields in the forms
- Call to actions/ buttons
- Check out process
What are your opinions?
Great study
Completely agree with Craig - from experience historically the need for tools is where companies begin the quest and quickly learn that people is where the benefits lay
Its the 80:20 of spending 80% of your optimisation budget on people and 20% on tools. The process binds this all together.
I would also add the testing is an epidemic that needs to be unleashed within the organisation, not just the conversion team (if you have one) - in a highly complex environment with many stakeholders, starting small and demonstrating the benefits of conversion rate optimisation help grow enthusiasm and support
Finally with so many tools and suppliers out there specialising in aspects of CRO, where Craig mentions the conductor leading the orchestra, you certainly need a good conductor to harmonise your efforts


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Australian priest charged with sex abuse had spiritual director with similar charges
June 06, 2012
A priest in the Melbourne archdiocese who was charged with sexual abuse was advised by a spiritual director who had been the subject of similar charges, The Age has revealed.
Father Victor Rubeo continued to serve in parish assignments after the archdiocese received reports of sexual abuse in 1994. Notes from the archdiocesan files on his case show that his spiritual director was Father Frank Klep, who had himself been charged with sexual abuse. Father Klep continued to act as spiritual director for the accused priest even after being convicted of sexual assault. Father Rubeo died in 2011, just before he was to face a hearing on multiple sex-abuse charges.
Responding to the revelations about the case, the Melbourne archdiocese said that the archdiocese had followed policies in force in 1994, and complaints would be treated differently today. Archbishop Denis Hart said that he would support mandatory reporting of sex-abuse complaints—provided that they were made outside the confessional. He said that the local government bears responsibility to impose such requirements.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
- One man's struggle to be delivered from evil - and indifference (The Age)
- Response by a spokesman for the Melbourne Archdiocese (The Age)
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!


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ABU Constructions
Specialising in commercial and industrial project management and construction.
Establish in 1980, ABU have developed a reputation and strong track record for successful and timely delivery of construction projects.
In addition to our own development projects the majority of our business comes from existing clients and referrals.
For your next development project, if you want to work with a company that understands the commercial dynamics of construction then contact us today.
Simply complete and forward your details below and we'll be in touch with you quickly.
Ph: 9553 7228
Mobile: 0418 326 116
Email: [email protected]
Request A Call Back
Head Office
Level 1/550 Lonsdale St Melbourne, Australia 3000
Sydney Office
Level 14/5 Martin Place Sydney New South Wales, Australia 2000
Call Us
+61 3 9631 5476


text:
|Evil Empryss
member, 1549 posts
Insert witty and
appropriate quote here
Sat 3 Jun 2017
at 22:47
I copied some posts from one section of a game and tried to share them first by PM and then by copying them into an actual game thread. I took out all the date, tag, and bio line references, but left the names for each post and then bolded the name. The result should look like so:
Player 1
Text text text.
Player 2
Text text text.
But when I try to post it either in the PM or in an actual thread, I get the following: Error! Please do not try to imitate system messages.
What am I doing that's imitating a system message?
member, 639 posts
Sat 3 Jun 2017
at 23:50
If I recall , I got a message something like that when I included the, this last edited by so-n-so at such-n-such time, at the bottom of the post. Did you by chance do that?
|Evil Empryss
member, 1550 posts
Insert witty and
appropriate quote here
Sun 4 Jun 2017
at 02:43
That was it. I thought I had cleared them all out, but there was one I missed. Thank you!


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BMCC hosted an event centered on the issue: mobile devices in the classroom—good idea or bad idea?
Mobile Devices in the Classroom: Peril and Promise was the topic of a panel discussion moderated by Elizabeth Chaney, an Assistant Professor in BMCC's Speech, Communications & Theatre Arts department.
The panelists were Dominic Mentor, Ed.D., of Columbia Teachers College; Sahat Yalkabov, a BMCC alum and City College technology student; Geoff Klock, assistant English Professor at BMCC; Raquel Benbunan-Fich, Associate Professor of Information Systems at Baruch College and Dr. Jon Serra, Chemistry professor at the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville.
The panel was coordinated by The Technology and Learning Faculty Interest Group (FIG) at BMCC.
Discussions included: If students are constantly using their mobile devices in the classroom, does that mean the professor is boring? Is texting any different from passing notes? And where do you draw the line between being allowing certain gadgets into the classroom, but not others?
Survey says…
"I'm always trying to find ways to engage students in the classroom," said Serra, who prefers that his students keep their cell phones off. However, sometimes he specifically asks his students to use their mobile devices to access interactive sites such as SurveyMonkey.com and Blackboard.
"I'll set up some ABC questions; mini pre-quizzes they can answer using their handheld device. Then we'll discuss the class poll results."
He's also a proponent of Wikis and multimedia video solutions, and even created a video that explains how his students are being graded. He also encourages his chemistry students to join his Facebook Education page, where he posts science-themed quizzes and videos.
Explaining that "it then becomes a safety issue," Serra prohibits the use of mobile devices during lab involving chemicals.
Cell phones versus laptops
Benbunan-Fich says in her classes at Baruch, she doesn't think cell phones are a good idea. "They're a distraction," she said at the panel. She believes tablets are better to use in the classroom, as "their uses are more consistent with lectures," and that laptops are the best mobile devices to use in a classroom. "They provide students with the greatest academic potential and can be less distracting," she said.
According to Benbunan-Fich, a study found that when college students used laptops in class, 76% of their classroom time is spent "researching their spring break options, or on Facebook. Most of the students weren't using their laptops for course-related research."
"So, if you allow a laptop in the classroom, it has to be integrated into the lecture," she said.
Taking ownership
City College's Sahat Yalkabov provided the panel with a "student perspective," on mobile devices in the classroom.
"I think they're great," he said.
Yalkabov believes everyone has a "personal responsibility" to uphold when sitting in a classroom.
"They paid to be there. If they want to waste their time and money checking Facebook, that's their personal choice and perogative," he said.
Yalkabov mentioned that many mobile devices contain eBooks and that some students use their mobile devices to record lectures and listen to them later on.
"I recorded my professor's psychology lectures and for me, it was extremely helpful when studying," he explained. "I think as long as the student is quiet and not disturbing others it shouldn't be a problem for them to have a mobile devices in the classroom."
Outside interaction
Using a slide show, Mentor, of Columbia Teacher's College, explained that cell phones teach phonics, animation and more. "They can also be translated into other languages and can enhance field trips to museums and monuments that have bar codes. When a bar code is snapped by certain mobile devices, an informative video will appear on the student's phone and can enhance a lesson or lecture."
Klock, who teaches English at BMCC, is a proponent of mobile devices in the classroom.
He'd rather his tech-happy students remain inside the class and receive "75 minutes—or less—of learning than to be thrown out for using a cell phone. If I throw them out of the classroom, they'll hear even less, or none, of the lecture."
He believes that his relaxed attitude about technology in his classroom has contributed to student retention.
"In my Composition II class, I had thirty students on the first day, and weeks later, I still have 30 students in there."
As for the "distraction" element, Klock brought up an interesting tidbit: In the 1800s, chalkboards were considered disruptive because teachers turned their back on students.
A popular topic
English Professor Zhanna Yablokova and Janey Flanangan, Director of E-Learning, helped arrange the panel discussion.
"I thought it went very well; about more than 40 people attended," she said. "It's such an interesting topic. I had one student ask, well, how is texting any different from daydreaming? Or, what if you prefer taking notes on a laptop? The presenters made me reconsider my approach to cell phone usage in the classroom. I am very understanding of student's needs, but I let them know I would rather they pay attention."
Most of the panelists agreed that students learn and process information in different ways—some learn better visually, which is why they enjoy interactive videos and word games.
Others prefer traditional note-taking, or reading straight from their textbook late at night—which is why the topic of technology in the classroom will remain ongoing as technology continues to morph and grow.
"Basically, anything that will help students learn, I'm OK with," said Serra.


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Welcome to Spiritus Christi Church!
This year we are celebrating our 20th year together as Spiritus Christi. It is a year of gratitude for where we have come together, for our amazing ministries, and for God's abundant love in our lives. It is also a time for us to refocus our purpose to grow spiritually, to bring God's love into the world, to be instruments of justice and healing. We know that with God's direction and our willingness, miracles will happen. If you find yourself discouraged about the world or about your own life, come and receive the joy and peace God has for you.
We are delighted to have you join us for our weekend liturgies, daily masses, or any of our events.
Take a moment to browse through our website to find the times and locations of our services. You'll also find our weekly bulletin, our parish calendar, and lots of information about our parish ministires and outreaches to the poor.
I can't wait to meet you!
With love,
Rev. Mary Ramerman
Our Mission Statement
We are a Christ-centered Catholic community reaching beyond the institutional church to be inclusive of all. Jesus Christ is our Senior Pastor; therefore we open our church as a spiritual refuge. We hold the Eucharist as the center of our sacramental life. We embrace the challenge of the scriptures. We are ordinary people joyously celebrating the opportunity to follow Jesus' radical message of unconditional love.
More About Us
Spiritus Christi is an inclusive, mission-driven Catholic Church in Rochester, New York, with a membership of 1500. We officially became an independent Catholic-centered church in 1999 after the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, under pressure from Rome, fired the leaders of the church and ended our inclusive practices. The Vatican found fault with the prominent role of women on the altar during our liturgies, the celebration of gay and lesbian weddings, and the invitation to everyone to participate in the Eucharist.
Since its inception, Spiritus Christi has provided outreaches to the poor in Rochester including people in prison and/or recently released from prison, people with mental illness, and people recovering from addiction. We have two international outreaches: one in Chiapas, Mexico and one in Borgne, Haiti.
Many of our in-reach ministries have sprouted from the passions of our parishioners such as our anti-racism movement, our tutoring program, and our monthly luncheons where refugees can practice English with supportive new friends. We offer religious education to our children, junior high and senior high youth ministry, marriage preparation for engaged couples, and Caring Connection services to parishioners in need of support. We also have adult education programs, prayer/meditation evenings, and a Mother Earth Community. We celebrate daily mass and have three masses on the weekend.
Spiritus Christi rests on the pillars of inclusivity based on Jesus' promise, "I will not reject anyone who comes to me" (John 6:37) and Jesus' work with the poor, "When I was hungry and you gave me something to eat… a stranger and you invited me in… in prison and you came to visit me." (Mt 25:35-37)


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I just purchased a Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000
I paid 52.69(sticker 66.00 then 15% off) I see Amazon.com has it
for 49.99 I guess I didn't do so good. Even as they go out of business they still manage to rip me off. However all hope is not lost during my Amazon prize search I noticed Microsoft has a rebate, turns out buying it from CompUSA keeps me qualified for a 20 dollar rebate. so I end up paying a little more for having it today.
I have always been a fan of Microsoft's Natural Elite keyboards and this one does not disappoint. The F Lock is enabled by default and will remember its state between reboots its USB ( my computers don't have ps2 anymore). Best of all the home keys are not all jacked up.( I have to get used to a small delete key again).
As a side note the drivers that come in the box's cd will not install under Windows Vista but you can install IntelliType Pro 6.1 to get it to work.
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Job ad seeks devs to work two hour days in Australia
Small waking time overlap enough for Perth company hit by tight jobs market
Want to work a two-hour work day in Australia, without all the hassle of moving to the anitpodes?
Perth company Realcognita may have just the job for you, after it published a job ad seeking staff whose "Working hours must at least overlap 2 hours of Perth business hours (GMT+8)."
Right now that means almost anyone from Europe to Japan could conceivably get the gig without doing horrid things to their sleep cycles, while unusually nocturnal coders in the Americas could also apply.
Realcognita provides IT services including ERP and CRM of to its parent, building company BGC, and is casting the net wide because Perth, capital of the State of West Australia, is currently a boom town. Record prices for minerals found in remote parts of the state have seen wages soar in the mining industry, attracting many workers to the mines. Perth is the nearest metropolis and a natural base for the services industry supporting mining, but is still thousands of miles from Australia's major population centres in Sydney and Melbourne. That leaves Perth throbbing with activity, but short of skilled workers.
"Staff here in Perth are very expensive and senior developers are extremely hard to find," explained Michael Zwiener, Realcognita's manager for enterprise software development.
Zwiener says a job with a two hour overlap is made possible by the fact Realcognita "uses a good production process which helps dividing the work into achievable work packages. These work packages are well enough specified for a developer to work on without much need of further clarification."
Dividing work into small slices means the company can work with what he calls "top-sourced resources" from anywhere, an arrangement he prefers to "working with lower qualified local resources."
"There is a trade-off, but the complexity of the systems we build asks for strong technical leads to specify the work and strong developers to do it. We have worked like this for many years and have been very successful doing so."
"We use Skype for every day communication and spec the work out in great enough detail," he adds. "This works surprisingly well. The developers support each others via Skype streams, so none has to work 'on an island'. We chose top end developers and they naturally tend to create a community. That is our 'Geek Effect' if you want." ®


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Some of the most popular police scanners include online feeds such as Broadcastify, and desktop scanners such as the Uniden CRS. Police channels include the Los Angeles Police, Chicago Police and New York Police live radio.Continue Reading
Many online scanners are hosted on Broadcastify, a website hosting police radio feeds for states and counties which make their police broadcasts public. The police radio feeds are played on a web player.
One of the most popular desktop scanners is the Uniden CRS. This scanner has a high rating, according to Walmart.com. It can store frequencies for 500 police channels in over 10 banks. The Radioshack Pro-651 handheld is another highly-rated scanner, says Radioshack.Learn more about Law Enforcement


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**We are loading products in our store everyday. If you don't see the product you are looking for, please call our sales reps and they will help you! (800) 726-9367**
For some users, having your tools with you on the road isn't just a convenience; it's a necessity. That's when our selection of tongue truck tool boxes from Owens Products come into play. Take the Ellipse XPL Trailer Tongue Tool Box with diamond tread and an easy-to-use paddle latch. Made from hardened aluminum right here in the USA, it measures 49 inches. Built tough and durable, just like its users. For further products, we ask you to make time to browse Owens Products' comprehensive inventory of truck tool boxes


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Monday, January 30, 2012
Dining Nook: Invention of Space.
So I took my reading area and turned it into a place where I can not only lounge and read, but also eat and gain weight. Obviously, that is the goal.
In addition, my husband insisted I didn't need new dishes because I don't use the old ones. In actuality I do-- but he just doesn't want to use them with me. So I took photographic evidence.
And of course to show him I was having ginger snaps I made the other day... and he wasn't.
Several things are blooming.. winter is here!
So I actually had a birthday party for the first time in years. Granted, it was only with my husband and it involved using my balcony dining things for inside to pretend it wasn't winter.
This also involved my making a rainbow cake which was the main driver of this party. I've been wanting to jump on that bandwagon and be a follower!
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Thinking about...
writing about quilting here. This way no one is driven nuts irl...
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Chicopee students may not have to fail a single class to end up in summer school this year.
Faced with an exceptionally snowy winter, school in Chicopee has been canceled six times since Jan. 1. Since classes started on Sept. 7, the day after Labor Day, it leaves students sitting behind their desks until at least June 28, says Chicopee superintendent Richard W. Rege Jr.
And, there are still two months of potential snow days to come.
Chicopee schools now have the latest closing this year, but schools across Western Massachusetts have canceled school between four and seven days since Jan. 1, and all are concerned the school year seems to be extending farther and farther into June.
Wilbraham this week canceled spring vacation for April 19, 20 and 21 after its snow days pushed the last day of school to June 29. Children will still have April 18, Patriots Day, and April 22, Good Friday, off that week.
The state recently told superintendents they must make up all missed days so students attend the required 180 days. Exceptions can be made for days canceled after April 1, said Mitchell D. Chester, commissioner of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
"We are not in panic mode. It is a matter of checking what our options are," Rege said.
If school must be canceled two more times, Chicopee will extend school through June 30. If there are three, a March day off for teacher training will be used. Then, it gets more difficult, Rege said.
In his letter, Chester said districts could shorten February or April vacations, hold school on Saturdays or tack days on the end of the year.
State law allows schools to hold class in July and continue to pay teachers from the existing school budget, even though July 1 begins the new fiscal year. But, many union contracts do not allow teachers to work beyond June 30.
All superintendents agree it is difficult to cut into February or April vacations or hold school on Saturdays because students' families and teachers have travel plans or weekend commitments.
Springfield, Monson, Palmer, East Longmeadow, Wilbraham and Agawam schools share the dubious honor of calling seven snow days, the most among area school systems.
Springfield Public Schools extended its school year to June 21, which also marks the first official day of summer.
Monson's last day of school is June 20, and Palmer will end classes on June 23. Agawam's last day of school was to be June 15; it is now June 24.
"We have a little space, but not much. I'm talking with the president of the teachers union, and we are looking at different options," Agawam Superintendent Mary A. Czajkowski said.
Agawam is also considering giving up teacher-training days or canceling part of April vacation, she said. Czajkowski said she can't recall having more than four snow days during his nine years as superintendent.
"I'm crossing my fingers and hoping spring comes early, and if the snow comes it is coming on weekends," she said.
Northampton and Holyoke public schools moved the last day of school to June 27, one day before Chicopee's. Northampton canceled five days of school because of snow, and Holyoke, which started on Sept. 1, canceled six.
Presidents of the employee unions in Holyoke support canceling a teacher-training day on March 18 and taking three days from the April vacation, superintendent David L. Dupont said.
"Some people have asked for us to consider using the February vacation, but that is only two weeks away," he said. "They are concerned about the (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System exams)."
The exams begin in March, and teachers question if students will perform as well because of the missed days. The issue is especially a concern in such low-performing school districts as Holyoke and Springfield.
State education officials have been contacted by a number of superintendents and are considering moving the test, state spokesman Jonathan W. Considine said.
Superintendents agree canceling school is one of the most difficult decisions they make, especially this year.
Longmeadow has taken six days off and is now expected to end the school year June 23, superintendent Marie H. Doyle said.
Although more days can be tacked to the end of the year, Doyle said she's surveying parents and staff to ask if they would prefer to take away part of April vacation.
Doyle said she and other superintendents do not believe they have called any snow days in error.
"We don't want students missing that much time," she said. "It is disruptive to their education, but we want them to be safe."
Superintendents start calling their public works and police departments at 4:30 a.m., according to Doyle. They also talk and text message with nearby superintendents and share information about weather to have a decision made, typically, by 5:30 a.m.
The experts on snow days - regional districts such as Gateway and Mohawk, which traditionally get more snow - have not had as many cancellations this year.
Gateway has had five snow days and Mohawk four. Mohawk delayed the start of school three times, but shortened days are still considered full days.
The last day of school is June 22 in Gateway. If the district has two more cancellations it will consider using days from April vacation, said Wendy V. Long, district spokeswoman.
This year hasn't been nearly as bad as December 2008, when Gateway had to cancel for eight days because of an ice storm. That time, April vacation was eliminated, she said.
"We hadn't had any snow days. I was counting my blessings on Jan. 11," said Mohawk superintendent Michael A. Buoniconti. His district still has a lot of room for cancellations as its last day of school is now June 17.
"Because we face five to 10 snow days every year, we start the week before Labor Day and finish the first week in June," Buoniconti said. "That is how we design our calendar just in case we have a terrible year."


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With Theo Walcott struggling to find the final touch, Arsene Wenger, in a desperate attempt to further in the Emirates FA Cup – or perhaps, avoid a replay – brought Alexis Sanchez on to replace Danny Welbeck on 67 minutes. Despite much anticipation, he only added to his dismal campaign as he blazed an effort into the stands to thwart his manager, who had seen his personnel bottle similar chances prior to his abysmal effort.
The Chile international took no time to adapt to the English game as he notched 25 goals and collected 12 assists in his debut season following his arrival in summer 2014. However, national team duties throughout June 2015 meant he could not enjoy much-needed break heading into the current campaign.
Though fans touted him to shrug off the fatigue, having witnessed his unquestionable industry only the previous season, he proved his humanness as he failed to replicate his debut season's laurels.
An abysmal season and untimely hamstring injury
Despite a short-lived revival – bagging six goals between matchday 7 and 9 – the former Barcelona winger has struggled to hit form. Given his talent and commitment, he could rediscover his form at will, but an untimely hamstring injury blighted his potential resurgence. Having spent 4 hours and 55 minutes in the Premier League without a goal or an assist, he now faces an uphill task of emulating an earlier version of himself.
Joel Campbell capitalized on his absence to elevate his status at the club, but the longer he stayed on the pitch, the more it became obvious that he could only be a squad player for Arsenal at his best.
In addition, his absence meant that the Gunners gaffer experimented Theo Walcott on the left wing to recreate the harmony that had existed when treatment table featured only Jack Wilshere; however, his experiments failed miserably as Arsenal dropped to the third spot.
Subpar performances and highlighted weaknesses
Since his return – against Chelsea – on January 24, the 27-year-old eager beaver has completed only as little as 28% of his dribbles and against Leicester, he managed to complete a meagre three of the attempted 25 dribbles. In addition, he has been dispossessed 15 times in four appearances (3+1). With counter-attacking football being espoused by most clubs – Leicester, Southampton and Tottenham – his shortcoming could cost Arsenal heavily.
As Olivier Giroud takes the responsibility of holding up, his role is to take on defenders on the left-hand side and test the keeper. Though fans advise him to pass a tad more, he does not need to heed them as long as his efforts, at least, hit the target, but his shot accuracy has been only a little more than 30% in the last four league games.
As things stand, his performances leave a lot to be desired.
Magic and hope
Despite his continued struggles in front of the goal, he still creates moments of magic, combining with Mesut Ozil – who has hit a rough patch of form, statistically – every now and then to offer glimpses of the Alexis Sanchez the Arsenal faithful intended to see this season.
For a player of his prowess, it would not be long before he sets Emirates Stadium alight, but Leicester or Tottenham should not have gone out of sight by then.
Written by Praveen Paramasivam
Follow Praveen on Twitter @49Praveen
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This year has seen significant developments in Australia's regulatory landscape relating to gambling. Among the key developments that have taken place are:
- The announcement of the proposed merger between Tabcorp and Tatts Group, two of Australia's leading gambling operators. This merger is under consideration by Australia's anti trust regulator, the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC). In the last couple of weeks, a consortium led by Macquarie Group has launched a takeover bid for Tatts Group (which has been rejected by the Board of Tatts Group). It has been suggested in the media that other offers are likely. The outcome of these transactions will have considerable ramifications for Australia's gambling and lottery sectors.
- The 2016 Federal election has resulted in gambling becoming more of a debated topic in Australia's Federal Parliament. This has been due to an increased number of politicians making comments on the gambling sector, with members of the Nick Xenophon Team (NXT) being the most vocal in their concerns relating to the potential harm caused by gambling.
- The proposed Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill. This Bill was introduced into Federal Parliament in October by Minister Alan Tudge MP, the Minister for Social Services, as part of the Government's response to the Review conducted by the Hon. Barry O'Farrell MP relating to offshore online wagering.
- The claim brought in the Federal Court of Australia against Aristocrat Technologies Limited and Crown Resorts Limited seeking a declaration that features of certain gambling machines constitute contraventions of the Australian Consumer Law.
- The increased focus on the activities of casinos globally in sourcing VIP customers from overseas, particularly from China.
We will monitor each of these issues in 2017. This newsletter cannot comment on all of the legal issues that have arisen recently, but it includes Focus Papers on a number of topics of relevance to participants in the gambling sector, both in Australia and globally.
Highlighted in this newsletter are the following topics:
- Junkets, premium players and Australian casinos: This focus paper seeks to dispel the mystique associated with junket arrangements particularly as they are part of the normal course of business of any casino, whether located in Australia or elsewhere in the world: see Australian Land Based Casinos and Junkets – the Importance of Corporate Governance and Brand Protection.
- Developments in Australia relating to the regulation of online wagering and the possible implementation of a national consumer protection framework. As part of the reforms announced by the Federal Government in respect of the regulation in Australia of interactive gambling, details of which are summarised in focus papers which we have issued earlier in the year1, it is proposed that a national consumer protection framework will also be introduced. This is summarised at: A National Consumer Protection Framework for Australian Online Licensed Wagering Operators: Proposed Changes.
- eSports: One of the areas in which innovation in games development is most apparent is the development of eSports. This has been reported extensively globally and is less recognised in Australia. However, this is likely to change. For further information see: Ready Player One – Is Australia ready for the next big thing in gaming: eSports?
- Wagering advertising: As mentioned in previous newsletters, one of the aspects of gambling most visible to Australians is wagering advertising. In 2016, a code of practice for wagering advertising and marketing was introduced by the AANA and there have been a number of decisions which have been published. These are summarised in AANA Wagering Code Decisions – Trends in Complaints and Enforcement.
- Norfolk Island: Finally, an announcement in 2016 marked the end of the role of Norfolk Island in regulating gambling in Australia. Norfolk Island was responsible for the licensing of a considerable number of online gambling participants. However, the Norfolk Island Gaming Authority will cease to be functional on and from 31 March 20172. For further information see: Lights Off for the Norfolk Island Gaming Authority – Update.
We trust that you enjoy this edition of our Gambling Law & Regulation Newsletter and we wish all of our readers a most enjoyable holiday season and a successful and prosperous 2017.
If you have any queries or wish to discuss any of the matters set out in this newsletter or otherwise relating to gambling regulation in Australia or elsewhere, please do not hesitate to contact any of Addisons' Media and Gaming Team.


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Phil Melugin Announces Phoenix Home Care Award SPRINGFIELD, Missouri – October 19, 2012 – Phil Melugin recently announced that the Springfield Business Journal awarded Phoenix Home Care its economic impact award. Phil Melugin Announces Phoenix Home Care Award Springfield, Missouri, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) November 1, 2012 — Phil Melugin recently announced that [...]
Phil Melugin Phil Melugin is the Founder and President of Phoenix Home Health in Springfield, Missouri.
|About Phil Melugin
Phil Melugin's Phoenix Home Care follows a set of core values that helps the company provide quality home healthcare to clients in Missouri and Kansas. As president and founder, Phil Melugin strives to hire a staff that supports this mission, which focuses on helping clients regain their independence. Melugin instills in his staff the importance of responsibility, respect, and excellence.
Empathy is an important part of everything Phil Melugin's Phoenix Home Health does. Through empathizing with clients, Melugin feels healthcare workers and administrators provide better one-on-one service. Phil Melugin advises his employees to ask how they would want to be treated if they were in the client's situation. Additionally, Phoenix Home Care's staff is encouraged to show courage at all times, empowering clients to face any challenge life gives them.
Phil Melugin invites those interested in learning more about Phoenix Home Care to visit phoenixhomehc.com.
|Phil Melugin knows that with phenomenal growth comes the need to increase resources. Recently, Phil Melugin and the staff at Phoenix Home Care have expanded their offices in Kansas and Missouri, with plans to grow further in the future. The company's success is so notable, in fact, that Phoenix Home Care was granted an economic impact award from the Springfield Business Journal, Phil Melugin reports.
Because of this rapid growth, Phil Melugin and the staff of Phoenix Home Care are tasked with finding qualified personnel to care for the company's growing customer base. In the current market, Phil
Melugin has found that this is a welcome opportunity for many who are looking for work. Phoenix Home Care carefully screens each applicant to find employees who share the company's adherence to Christ-like values including honesty, integrity, and a commitment to providing quality care.
While the entire business is growing, Phil Melugin names two particular areas that have experienced expansion in recent months. Phoenix Home Care's Springfield office was able to expand into the space next door. Medical professionals looking for work in the Springfield, Missouri area should apply immediately, according to Phil Melugin.
Another area experiencing growth is Wichita. As Phil Melugin describes, Phoenix Home Care recently acquired ProActive Home Care, which allowed the company to expand even further in Kansas. Wichita healthcare workers looking for opportunities should also apply.
Nurses are always in demand, Phil Melugin advises, particularly RNs and LPNs. Phil Melugin says these workers are especially in demand in the geriatric specialty, with an aging baby boomer population creating an increased need for senior care. Phoenix Home Care also provides assistance for new moms, Phil Melugin adds, as well as private duty nursing.
According to Phil Melugin, a medical professional with Phoenix Home Care may find him or herself assisting with wound care, administering medication, or helping with tube feedings. Phoenix Home Care also employs rehabilitative and occupational therapy, with the need for therapists always strong as well, Phil Melugin explains.
Phil Melugin emphasizes that Phoenix Home Care is a friendly work environment, with management nurturing and growing employees as they continue throughout their career. Phil Melugin believes that when an employee enjoys a job, that enjoyment shows through in everything they do, which is a benefit to both the company and its clients.
To apply for an opening at Phoenix Home Care, complete a request for an employment application on the company's website by visiting www.phoenixhomehc.com/contact-us/
Connect with Phil Melugin on Linkedin.
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This fact sheet is a basic primer on formative assessment including the elements of the formative assessment process, recommended strategies and an excellent list of resources.
Assessment: All Resources, Research and Curriculum
This article by Rick Stiggins and Jan Chappuis was published in Theory into Practice in 2005. The authors argue that the failure of 60 years of total reliance on assessment via standardized tests to help reduce achievement score gaps must compel us to rethink the role of assessment in this endeavor...
This paper summarizes the key messages from the National Research and Development Centre and other research and development activity on formative assessment in adult learning. This has been an under-researched area: much of the work on formative assessment in the United Kingdom and internationally...
Learning gains from formative assessment practices are among the largest reported for any educational intervention. In this one hour webinar, we identify when and how to assess students in the classroom. With examples, we share how to connect your classroom goals with assessment methods.
This chart is a useful guide for distinguishing different kinds of student assessments.
This is a recording of the TABE CLAS-E Writing Recertification Review as it was presented on Friday, February 26 from 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. The session reviews the scores and rationale from last year's recertification test. We hope this is a helpful review for practitioners about to complete this year's...
Formative assessment is a planned process in which assessment-elicited evidence of students' status is used by teachers to adjust their ongoing instructional procedures or by students to adjust their current learning tactics.
In this article, the author responds to the the question, "When do we use formative assessment and how do we pick a formative assessment technique?" She briefly explains several stages: engagement and readiness, eliciting prior knowledge, exploration and discovery, concept and skill development,...
This article focuses on what formative assessment is and a bit about what it is not. It discusses evidence of how formative assessment affects learning. Finally, it addresses the question of next steps for policymakers.
LINCS Technology and Learning Community of Practice (COP) Become more informed, get involved, and be inspired! Share your knowledge with the Assessment Group and help advance our field of practice. The LINCS Assessment COP is a place for adult educators to discuss research and evidence-based...


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Romotive has released a smartphone docking station, but rather than streaming your music or charging up battery levels like other run-of-the-mill docks, this bad boy turns your smartphone into a robot.
Compatible with the iPhone 4S, iPod Touch, Motorola Droid and Samsung Galaxy handsets, plug your phone into the Romo, download an app and you've got your very own R2D2, Wall-E or Johnny-Five.
Robot fans can either set the robotic dock with preset motion paths or control it manually by downloading another app to an additional smartphone or tablet device.
Creating a preset path could, for example, see the robotic dock reversing and changing direction each time it hits a wall or unmoveable object. Utilise your smarpthone's camera and you've even got yourself a mobile spy.
The Romo robotic dock is available in blue and green and customers can buy one now for $149 from Romotive's product page, http://romotive.com/.
Thinking about buying Romotive's robotic docking station? Tell us why in the comments below...


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Spiderweb Tablecloth with Pom-Pom Spiders
Thrill Halloween party guests with a tablecloth covered in a ribbon spider web -- complete with eerie white pom-pom spiders.
Source: Martha Stewart
Round cotton-twill cloth in black (K60RPCTC), from y2kuniforms.com
Tailor's chalk
White ribbons or seam binding (CDJ N 041675), from Joann Fabric and Craft Stores
Iron-on adhesive strips (102486), from Joann Fabric and Craft Stores
Two pom-poms in different sizes (ex: 1 inch and 2 inch diameter) for each spider, (J8151458), from Joann Fabric and Craft Stores
White glue, by Martha Stewart Crafts, from marthastewartcrafts.com
Glue brush
Satin rattail cord (or other cord) in same color as pom-poms (we used white)
Safety pins
Use a ruler and tailor's chalk to mark where you want each strand of the web -- both spokes and rings -- to be, positioning the outermost ring so it will be close to the edge of the table once the cloth is in place. Cut out ribbons for the pieces of the web; you'll need four ribbons longer than the tablecloth's diameter for the spokes, and sets of eight ribbons in graduated lengths for each of the rings around the web (we fit four rings on a 48-inch-diameter tablecloth).
Using iron-on adhesive strips, first iron the ring pieces in place along the markings. Then add the spokes so they all cross in the center and hide the "seams" where the ring pieces meet.
Each dangling spider is made of two pom-poms in different sizes (for example, 1 inch and 2 inch diameter). We used white for contrast with the black tablecloth, but you could use black or another color. Brush on a little white glue to join the two pom-poms together, and let dry.
For the legs, cut four 6-inch lengths from satin rattail cord (or other cord) in same color as pom-poms, and tie knots about a quarter of the way in from each end to make the joints in the spider's legs. Glue the four cords parallel to one another across one side of the larger pom-pom, which is the spider's belly. Tie small knots of cord for eyes, clipping ends close, and glue them on top of the smaller pom-pom, which is the head. Safety-pin spiders to ends of the ribbons on the tablecloth.


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The act of having sex with a midget on a trash can so that they are the same height as you.
He made an "angry grouch" when he banged that midget stripper after her show so hard he knocked her off her trash can. She was pissed.
by DONTHATECELEBRATE February 21, 2012


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Michael Sheen on Beautiful Boy, Role Whiplash, and His Les Misérables Aspirations
"I'm still sort of in my phase where I need a long lay down in a darkened room, really."
In Beautiful Boy, Michael Sheen and Maria Bello play grieving parents who must come to grips with the fact that their son has perpetrated a massacre. It's a drastic change in tone and content from the last film Sheen had a major role in — Tron Legacy, where he played a peroxide-blond baddie with extreme flamboyance — but that's the way this Welsh actor likes it. Toggling freely from fact-based dramas like The Queen and Frost/Nixon to vampire movies like The Twilight Saga and Underworld, Sheen (who can also currently be seen in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris) keeps his roles as diverse as possible, and as he told Vulture, there's a method to his madness.
Are you aware of this film with Tilda Swinton that just played at Cannes, We Need to Talk About Kevin? Who would have thought that around the same time, there'd be these two films about parents struggling with their child having committed a mass shooting?
Yeah, I've heard about it. What is that all about? You don't get anything about a certain subject matter, and then there's lots all at the same time. I haven't seen that film, but I'm sure it's wonderful. It's a wonderful director, Lynne Ramsay, and Tilda Swinton is a phenomenal actress. If the work is good and it's well made, hopefully there's room to see a number of films about the same thing. We do see a lot of films about love! [Laughs.]
This is a very controlled performance, but you've also played very flamboyant men recently. Do you ever get role whiplash from two wildly different back-to-back parts?
In a way, that's the thing that helps. To bounce out of one thing that I'm really immersed in, I sort of need something to be totally different to get me out of the last thing I did.
What was the best example of that?
I remember when I was doing Tony Blair in The Queen, the next thing I was going to do was a film about a very well-known actor in Britain called Kenneth Williams, and he was very, very skinny, so there was no way around it: I just had to lose a lot of weight. So, all through The Queen I was losing a lot of weight, and because we shot it all out of sequence, when I watch the film now I can see Fat Blair walk out of a room and then Thin Blair comes out the other side. I also remember Frost/Nixon and Underworld 3 coming out on almost the same day, which was an extraordinary double bill. After Frost, I'd been doing that for two years and then I did the film of it, so I had kind of let myself go on purpose. He needed to look like someone who enjoyed food and the finer things in life, and then I had to get myself ready to play a lean, mean werewolf in Underworld 3. That was quite a switch.
And you just played a Christ-like figure a month ago for a live performance in Wales, so I'm sure there will be some crazy whiplash from whatever you take on next.
For the first time ever, in fact, after doing that I thought I can't go on to something else after this. It was such an intense experience, so I'm still sort of in my phase where I need a long lay down in a darkened room, really.
Can you tell me about that play? I read that it was essentially a nonstop three-day performance that ended in your crucifixion?
It's something that I did in my hometown in Wales, and I've been working on it for two years. Ultimately, it was one performance that took place over three days, 72 hours of nonstop, continuous action, and it took place all over the town in different locations. It was based around the story of the Passion and it played over Easter weekend, but it was very much set in the modern day and it was about the town celebrating its community. I played a teacher who disappears for 40 days and lives on the mountain above the town, then reappears on the morning of Friday. Extraordinarily, the very beginning of it was at dawn on Friday on the beach, this sort of unannounced happening with about 300 people there who'd heard rumors about it, and then it culminated with about 12,000 people standing on a roundabout watching the crucifixion scene at the end. To see all these people in a town take part in this story, it was an extraordinary experience.
I have to say, I'm a little disappointed that your character Wesley Snipes didn't show up in either the live episode or the 100th episode of 30 Rock.
Yeah! Well, he's sort of unpredictable, so who knows where he'll pop up again. That's what's enjoyable about the character: The more I played him, and the more Tina [Fey] got used to me playing him, the weirder he got.
Since he directed you in The Damned United, you must have been very pleased with the success Tom Hooper had at the Oscars this past year with The King's Speech.
Oh, it's amazing, for lots of reasons. Aside from Tom's success, there were a number of people on that film who had also worked on The Damned United, so it was great to see them have so much success. And obviously for British film, it was a fantastic thing, and for Colin [Firth] as well, who's a wonderful actor who's been around for a long time.
Have you hit Tom up for a role in his next film, Les Misérables?
I only found out the other day that that's what he might be doing! I haven't hit him up yet, but I will. [Laughs.] I'm sure that the next time I see him, I'll start singing "Empty Chairs and Empty Tables" while we're in the bathroom or something.


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OKLAHOMA CITY -- A pickup truck crashed into a man's home, plowed past the fence, busted windows, and left a gaping hole.
But to the homeowner's surprise, he will have to eat some of the cost for half of the repairs.
Ray Haggard showed us the damage that will cost more than $40,000 to repair.
That doesn't include the household items like his washer and dryer that were destroyed. The driver's insurance will only pay $25,000.
"Their insurance company needs to be held responsible totally and not push it off on someone else to deal with it," said Haggard.
State Insurance Commissioner John Doak advised the homeowner to consider pursuing legal action through the court system.


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Tallgrass Recovery offers a community-based, mentor-focused, 12-step approach. Rehabilitation for alcohol and drug addiction can be one of the most important steps in the process of recovery. If you or a loved one is suffering, reach out. We are here to help.
The Tallgrass Recovery Mentor Program is an innovative, cost-effective approach to our 30-day residential program for substance abuse. The Tallgrass staff draw from a group of over 200 volunteers from the recovery community and assign each mentor to a guest. This allows Tallgrass to remain a viable and affordable program for individuals seeking help.
Tallgrass mentors:
– Work one-on-one with the guests during their 30-day stay;
– Visit with the guest a minimum 3 times a week, an hour each time;
– Draw from their own experiences, using the 12-steps to promote wellness and recovery.
The mentor program consists of individuals from the recovery community and Tallgrass alumni; about 25 percent of our volunteers are past alumni.


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Steven's Ed Video Co-Op Placement Experience
To start it off, choosing to do a co-op is a good idea. It's probably going to be a choice a student is going to wish they've done sooner if they've known how beneficial it is. It's like giving learning a different flavor. The usual bland taste of school is given an umph that cannot be gotten in normal classes in high school. Choosing to have a co-op at Ed Video Media Arts Centre is undoubtedly, one of the better choices I've made so far in my high school years.
I've learned plenty of things while being here at Ed Video. Being here every day gives me plenty of chances to learn. At Ed Video, you'll learn how to use various video cameras, learn how to edit using final cut pro, get a chance to use the music and audio from sound track pro, learn about the different types of lights available, and learn how to set up and adjust light stands and tripods. Aside from being able to learn hands on, watching the previously made videos on the Ed Video's youtube account can also help anyone learn what wasn't taught to them yet. They've also give me chances just to play around with the cameras in the beginning to let me see the differences in the camera lenses and cameras, and all the different modes the different cameras have. Definitely, because of all the editing I've done here, I've become better at editing in general, and know little tips and tricks that help when editing.
What I do at Ed Video varies day to day. You don't do things constantly day after day after day but do whatever is available. For me, I've done things like taking part in creating designs using pine cones in the gallery for a few days to sketching out storyboards and filming videos other days. I've edited previously filmed videos, created and edited my own videos, set up for interviews, created a poster for upcoming workshops, animated text, updated Ed Video's website and various other tasks such as photocopying and getting the mail. I also get the usual labour every other co-op has like cleaning up and such but that's a given. I'm usually always busy and if I don't have anything to do for some reason, I just talk to the staff, and I immediately have something else to keep me occupied.
Coming to Ed Video for a co-op will definitely not disappoint. You'll meet all sorts of nice people, learn a lot about cameras, lights, software like photoshop and will give you a feel of how it is to work in a similar sector as this. Being a student, I'm stressed because of school, but coming here removes some of that stress and I become more positive. If you're unsure if you like the communications field, take the coop. If you're sure, take it anyways! Make your interests grow during the time spent at Ed video. Overall, Ed Video is a great place to be if you're interested in the communications field and should be greatly considered when looking for a coop. Don't miss your chance to be a part of the coolest artist run centre ever!


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$15, $12 members, $10 students with I.D.For more than forty years, Bill has traveled back and forth across North America, singing his songs and deligh ....Read More
Large annual Italian Feast celebrated on Friday, September 7 to Sunday, September 9. This 92 year tradition is held on Warren Street in East Cambridge ....Read More
The weekend-long music fest will be held at the Long Island Sports Park at 149 Edwards Ave, Calverton, NY 11933 on September 8 and 9. The weekend will ....Read More
Hartbeat Music Festival is a free, day-long celebration of local and regional music, hands-on music activities, local food, beer and more. Overlooking ....Read More
Garden Grove Festival returns to Westfield River Brewing Company in Southwick, MA on Saturday, September 8th featuring Badfish: A Tribute To Sublime, ....Read More
Running along the ocean front streets of Misquamicut Beach and Watch Hill, RI, the Surftown Half Marathon is a spectacular beach race featuring stunni ....Read More
Cambridge Carnival International, is Cambridge's largest festival is held in Kendall Square next to MIT as well as Central Square for the grand costum ....Read More
$15, $12 members, $10 students with I.D.Boston-based Fiddler & Folksinger Emerald Rae creates a groove-heavy sound reminiscent of old country blended ....Read More
The third annual Festival at the Farm, presented by Pete and Gerry's Organic Eggs, will return to Prowse Farm in Canton, MA this fall. Festival at the ....Read More
For one spectacular day each year, the Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts (SBN) transforms the Rose Kennedy Greenway and the City of Boston ....Read More
Country Family FestivalPublic Clambake/Chicken BBQ (must pre-purchase) Festival is FREE ADMISSIONLive Music - Neil & the Vipers / Funk n' C ....Read More
2018 South Shore Irish Festival - September 22-23 Saturday Headliner - Derek Warfield & the Young Wolfe Tones Sunday Headliner - Ronan Tynan Cunningha ....Read More
Farm Aid 2018: Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp & Dave MatthewsPlease click the link below for more information. ....Read More
Farm Aid ParkingPlease click the link below for more information. ....Read More
Webster, MA - June 6th, 2018 - Indian Ranch announced that the return of Local CountryFest will take place in Webster, MA on Sunday, September 23rd t ....Read More
$15, $12 members, $10 students with I.D.A dedicated musical collaborator and insightful soloist, guitarist Jamie Balmer has worked for over a decade w ....Read More
We have a good news for you! You have got the opportunity to visit a stand-up comedy show in MA. Abhishek Upmanyu, the young & ....Read More
Featuring Classical and Traditional music in a historical, intimate setting. Carriage House Concerts brings the finest performers of Classical and tra ....Read More
$15, $12 members, $10 students with I.D.With deep roots in the Swedish and Finnish folk music traditions, this new duo performs both traditional music ....Read More
The biggest race day in Connecticut is celebrating its 25th running in 2018 – don't miss out!! With Marathon, Half Marathon, Team 26 ....Read More
A beautiful course through a quintessential New England college town, buzzing with energy and an eclectic vibe – the Amherst Half Marathon provi ....Read More
Colleen White (vocals, whistle, flute) and Sean Smith (vocals, guitar, bouzouki, bodhran) are of different generations, but find common ground in thei ....Read More
Early-bird discount $16 general admission, $12 members and children age 12 and under until December 1. $18 general and $15 members and children age 12 ....Read More


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It makes sense to spread the time of harvest to have something fresh every month if possible. This is a tall order more difficult if the temperature goes below freezing for any long period in the winter. Mind you, some crops don't mind eg parsnips, the everlasting cabbage is pretty robust too. However, Ireland is known for its temperate climate which suits the sowing of some seeds in the autumn to over-winter, as well as sowing in spring. The broad bean, autumn sown onion eg Radar, and most garlic varieties do well if sown in the autumn and give earlier crops than such crops sown in springtime.
Peas, like beans, have big seeds. They should be possible to sow in the autumn too as they have the reserves of energy to get by when there is little light or heat in the depths of winter. We have sown (against expert advice!) Kelvedon Wonder pea seeds and a mixed variety of sweet pea in early November. Perhaps, they could have gone in a little earlier in October to be stronger going in to the depths of winter. However, it is a bit of an experiment. We might even leave some of the pea plants
in the greenhouse to get an early crop. Spring sowing of peas in March or April is the norm. Successional sowing, at least from March to June, makes sense to have a continuous harvest over a few months. Hopefully we will be able to buy a larger freezer sometime so that we will not be short of a frozen pea at least, any time of the year.


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- Program: Automation Robotics Engineering Technology
- Degree: Diploma
- Credits: Total Diploma Credits 33
- Academic Planning Guide:
The automated machinery operator/set-up person is skilled in the hands-on operation and changeover of automated production and packaging machines used in manufacturing. The person is competent in basic mechanical skills and standard operation procedures.
Career Opportunities
Career opportunities are entry-level positions in manufacturing companies.
Award Outcomes:
- Diagnose root problems impacting production flow.
- Solve root problems to maintain production flow.
- Perform basic electrical, electronic, welding, machining, laser, vision system, robotic, and fluid power operations.
- Apply electrical and mechanical machine control concepts.
- Set up production lines.
- Work effectively with a wide variety of packaging materials.
- Accept responsibility.
- Display a professional attitude.
Required Credits
Technical Studies Requirements 28 Credits
- ARET1125 Power Transmission and Mechanical Systems 4
- ARET1130 Maintenance Operations 2
- ARET1140 Computer Integrated Manufacturing 3
- ARET1155 Automation Controls 3
- ARET1160 Packaging Machinery Systems 4
- ARET1165 Vision Systems for QA/SPC 3
- ARET1170 Troubleshooting Packaging Machinery 3
- ARET1175 Industrial Electricity and Electronics I 3
- ARET1180 Industrial Electricity and Electronics II 3
General Education Requirements 4 Credits
Elective Credits
Technical Studies Electives 1 Credits
- Any ARET course that is not required for this award may be used as an elective.
General Education Electives 0 Credits
Academic Planning Guide:
Apply Now Search Awards Search Courses


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Clyde Rembert, a broadcaster from KRLD-Radio and KRLD-TV, writes Dr. King inviting him to the radio show. Rembert seeks a response from Dr. King regarding a derogatory statement made by Dr. Criswell concerning King's anti-Vietnam war stance.
Digital Archive brought to you
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Enjoying the Digital Archives? Help us maintain and expand the collection. Donate to The King Center


text:
What Are Your All-Time Favorite xoVain Articles?
It's gonna get sappy up in here.
When I think of winter, my thoughts turn to my favorite sweaters which make me smile, but then I get all kinds of itchy in anticipation of dry skin and hair.
As a woman of color, I also get "ashy" if I don't keep the moisture situation under control, turning a lovely shade of dove gray -- at least that's what I think Sherman-Williams and J.Crew call it -- where people seem to regard my dry skin and dull hair with a mix of mild repulsion and a compulsion to stand me next to the walls in their bedrooms, judging whether or not I'd make a soothing tone to which they should wake up every morning.
The best cures that I've found are oils. And I love good hair oils that can double as body oils. They are the wind beneath my happy little wings, with a small amount rubbed on my hair to keep it supple and hydrated and larger amounts slathered on wet skin right out of the bath to prevent dryness and keep my skin do-ably soft.
Here are my five favorite double duty dry skin and hair solutions (in no particular order) -- but three of them you might recognize from your very own kitchen:
Phyto Specific Baobab Oil- This oil from Phyto comes from the baobab tree in Africa, and has healing and hydration properties that are not to be believed. Able to hold moisture for extended lengths of time on the African plains, this extract works on stressed, dry hair and skin, repairing protein from the inside out. Run it through your hair, rub it on your body and revel in the softness. It's super new but I'm already obsessed.
Moroccan Oil Gold Glimmer Spray- This goes beyond the healing powers of argan oil, strengthening hair and helping it stay protected and resilient. It's lightweight and leaves behind a gorgeous shine on your skin without making it look too slick. It's genius, really.
Olive oil - The first time my boyfriend saw me purposefully apply olive oil onto my hair and my arms, he almost fell out off the couch. "Um, you COOK with that, right?" Yep, but I also use it to heal hangnails, keep my body from turning to dust and blowing away, and make my dry hair easier to work with. My great aunt used to cover her entire body in olive oil every night before cooking and would let the kitchen heat help it sink in. She had crazy soft skin until she passed away at 74. Like, almost no wrinkles. So, I'm keeping this tradition going.
Organic coconut oil - I had a run of video shoots and stressful hair experiences in early September where people insisted on applying heat and hair spray to my fragile hair almost daily. My way of sending flowers to my hair after treating it so horribly was to douse it in coconut oil and brush it through. Coconut oil and its healthy fats can SAVE overworked hair and skin. It sinks in instantly and the softness cannot be believed. Trader Joe's knows me: I walk in, I buy four jars at a time along with groceries and I mysteriously come back for more in about a month. I use a LOT of it.
NARS Monoi Body Glow II - This is actually a massage oil for the skin that leaves a healthy glow that smells like a vacation to a tropical island without getting too fruity. But the happy surprise ending to this product is that it can also leave dry ends soft and manageable without weighing your hair down. Rub it in on yourself or someone you love -- play Body Glow Naked Twister if you want -- then rub some on your hair and go about your day. Everyone will be soft and happy.
But let's discuss your own double-duty beauty solutions. Do you have beauty favorites that serve more than one purpose? How do you cope with dry winter skin and hair?


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In a new version of the Unicode Standard, the Unicode Consortium may add characters or make certain changes in characters that were encoded in a previous version of the standard. There are, however, limitations imposed by the consortium on the changes that can be made. These have important implications for implementors in anticipating the kinds of changes in future versions of the standard.
This ensures that implementors can always depend on each version of the
Unicode Standard being a superset of the previous version.
The character names are used to distinguish characters from other
characters, and do not always express the full meaning of the character.
They are designed to be used programmatically, and thus must be stable. In
some cases the original name chosen to represent the character is inaccurate
in one way or another. Any such problems can be dealt with by adding
annotations to the character. Organizations may also wish to produce
translated names for the characters, to make the information conveyed by the
name accessible to non-English speakers.
This means that given a string that only contains characters from version
X of the Unicode Standard, once put into a normalization form, will also be
in that normalization form in any future version of the Unicode Standard.
Further description of these is provided in described in UnicodeData.html
- The General Category values will not be further subdivided.
- The Bidi Category values will not be further subdivided.
- Combining classes are limited to the values 0 to 255.
- All characters other than those of General Category M* have the combining class 0.
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- Canonical mappings are always limited either to a single value, or to a pair. The second character in the pair cannot itself have a canonical mapping.
The consortium will endeavor to keep these properties as stable as possible, but some circumstances may arise that require changing them. In particular, as Unicode encodes less-well documented scripts (such as for minority languages in Thailand) the exact character properties may not be known at the time the script is encoded.
- General Category
- Case Mappings
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- The type of compatibility decomposition (e.g. <font> vs. <compat>)
- etc.


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A free monthly newspaper
serving the local community
Contact us
Archived Stories
By Karen Newell Young
Store offering golden opportunities
To hear the mining guys tell it, finding gold in "them thar hills" is as likely as finding a pine tree in Nevada County. When the 49ers left in the 1800s, the miners left but the gold did not.
Some say miners' tales are as tall as the pines, but one thing is sure: gold is selling at $1,260 an ounce - and it's still around
"Less than 10 percent of the region has been mined," said Tim Harrington, owner of Harrington & Baldwin Mining Equipment & Supply Co. "During the Gold Rush they only got about a third. All the gold that was left is still here."
Harrington, along with co-owners Sam and Jeff Baldwin, have been mining all their lives, as did their fathers before them. And they are preparing the next generation with plastic pans and pick forks.
"Modern day miners are still mining the same areas as they always have," Harrington said. "It's still a big part of this community."
Their mining supply store on East Main Street in Grass Valley is part equipment sales, part museum and part demonstration room. The owners' love of mining translates into all they do, everything from locating and securing claims for prospectors to rescuing artifacts from rivers.
"One day we said, 'Let's open a mining shop to supply the miners with supplies, repairs and products. We all met out mining and became good friends, and now business owners," Harrington said.
The trio has a long collective history of mining. But there was not a place where miners could meet, exchange information or purchase supplies until Harrington & Baldwin opened. "The closest place was in Auburn," Harrington said.
On a recent rainy weekday, young and old dropped by to read old maps, pan for gold in the demonstration room and pick the brains of old-timers. There was River Rat Matt Nicholas who told tales of mining in the "olden days," there was Olaf Bleck, an engineer who knows his way around a quartz boulder, and Evan Harrington, 11, who showed some out-of-towners how to sort the silt from sandy minerals.
Every local schoolchild knows the history of the Gold Rush. Although the mineral was discovered in other California towns before 1848, it was that year when James Marshall, a carpenter building a sawmill in what became known as Sutter Creek, discovered gold in the running water of the mill.
Although historians don't know how, word leaked out. Legend has it that a promotion-minded merchant ran down the streets of San Francisco waving a bottle of gold dust, yelling "Gold! Gold! Gold! Gold from the American River."
Within a few days, boats filled with townspeople were heading up the Sacramento River searching the glittering mineral. Word also reached the East Coast, and on 1848, President James Polk declared in a message to Congress that there really was gold in California, and in abundance.
Placer mining, or the excavating of streams for minerals, was a time-consuming and labor intensive process. Hydraulic mining, using high-pressure nozzles that practically washed away mountains and devastated the environment, was the answer to this problem but the cause of many other problems. Farmers were incensed that fields and rivers were befouled by dumping large amounts of silt into streams, creeks and rivers.
Hydraulic mining was banned in California in 1884.
What many residents don't know is that the creeks and rivers are often still the site of hobbyists and hopeful prospectors panning for gold.
According to the Harrington & Baldwin owners, thousands of mining districts still exist throughout the state and an equal number of miners still pan for gold.
"There's gold everywhere," said Harrington. "This part of California is one of the richest gold deposit on Earth. There's a lot more than we think."
Evan Harrington, 11, demonstrates panning to visitors at his father's shop at 470 East Main St., which is also owned by brothers Sam and Jeff Baldwin.


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By Mike Scott
Movie critic
On paper, "Evening" looks like the sort of movie that should be easy to love
Opening today and based on the best-selling book by Susan Minot, it is a touching and bittersweet film about love and loss, but it's hard not to think, given its stellar cast -- including Vanessa Redgrave, Meryl Streep and Glenn Close -- and source material, that it should be better.
Director Lajos Koltai expertly rations out the story, playing out the threads of a dying mother's past bit-by-bit in flashbacks, but he makes it hard to find a meaningful message amid the melodrama.
The film opens with Ann Lord (Redgrave) on her deathbed, where she utters two words -- "Where's Harris?" -- that pique the curiosity of her adult daughters (Toni Collette and Redgrave's real-life daughter, Natasha Richardson). Those words are used as a springboard for a "Notebook"-style exploration of a 1950s wedding weekend their mother shared with a man the daughters had never heard of.
Relying on his eye for beautiful cinematography to set the mood, Koltai shifts seamlessly between Redgrave's 1950s memories and her daughters' modern-day musings. Along the way, "Evening" strips away the veneer of romance, revealing the pain and regret that often are the result.
Surprisingly, one of the movie's flaws is the lack of on-screen chemistry, particularly among the younger players, who are charged with carrying the majority of the story. Of Streep, Redgrave and Close, only Redgrave has a substantial role.
Streep and Redgrave do share an engaging, though brief, scene late in the film, but never does either of them perform with Close.
And despite the early Oscar buzz her role already has generated, Redgrave's not at her best here. She delivers a spot-on Yank accent, but much of her time is spent in mute delirium, save for a few moments when she awakens with an overplayed start. Also, scenes in which she pursues computer-generated fireflies and a butterfly are less than convincing; one gets the impression the grand dame isn't used to working with blue screen.
Among the exceptions in the younger cast is Mamie Gummer -- Streep's real-life daughter -- who plays the younger version of Streep's character. She is one of the few younger actors who really appears to be trying to collaborate with her co-stars. (Gummer was cast before anyone considered offering Streep a part in the film, according to the film's production notes.)
What it all ultimately amounts to is disappointment, because -- like the ill-fated love stories it tells of -- "Evening" never quite measures up to what it could have been.
2 stars
Plot: A dying mother's mysterious words hold a key to her past, and possibly her daughter's future.
What works: Director Lajos Koltai expertly rations out the story, an often touching tale of love's labor lost.
What doesn't: Despite the impressive cast, the acting suffers from a lack of onscreen chemistry, and the message gets lost in the shuffle.
Starring: Claire Danes, Toni Collette, Vanessa Redgrave. Director: Lajos Koltai. Running time: 1 hour 57 minutes. Rating: PG-13, for some thematic elements, sexual material, a brief accident scene and language. Where: Canal Place, Elmwood Palace, Hollywood 9 (Kenner).
The "Evening" cast's trophy cases are pretty crowded with hardware. Between them, Glenn Close, Vanessa Redgrave and Meryl Streep share:
Golden Globes: 8
Emmy Awards: 5
Academy Awards: 5
New York Film Critics Circle awards: 4
Cannes best actress awards: 2
Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year awards: 2