text:
QUEENS — Two government investigators charged with probing a deadly 2008 natural gas explosion in Flushing instead used their position to protect Con Edison, a state inspector general's report says.
The investigators from the Public Service Commission, leaked confidential reports to a Con Ed consultant who then proposed changes in order to shield the utility from blame, the New York Post reported.
The PSC employees were looking into the July 25, 2008 explosion at 147-25 Sanford Ave., which injured 16 people and occurred as Con Ed employees were trying to fix the apartment's gas service. One resident, Edgar Zaldumbide, died of burns 11 weeks later.
According to the Post, the Con Ed consultant, an ex-PSC employee, emailed his former colleagues demanding a draft of their findings.
When the PSC investigators, Joseph Klesin and Steven Blaney, provided the draft, the consultant proposed changed to deflect blame from the utility, the paper said.
One suggestion read: "Although [Con Ed] failed to follow their existing procedure, it is staff's opinion that this failure was not contributory to the incident."
None of the consultant's suggestions made it into the final report, which was never submitted to PSC brass.
The PSC orderd Con Ed to pay $1.5 million in fines for the explosion last year. Klesin has resigned from the commission, according to the report.
Disciplinary charges are pending for Blaney.
"We take our ethical responsibilities extremely seriously. We hold our contractors to the same high ethical standards as our employees and we expect those standards to be followed," Con Ed said in a statement. "The gas incident addressed in the IG's Report is the subject of ongoing litigation and it would not be appropriate to comment further."


text:
Amazon Simple Notification Service (Amazon SNS) is a web service that enables applications, end-users, and devices to instantly send and receive notifications from the cloud.
|Developer Guide
Provides a conceptual overview of Amazon SNS and includes detailed development instructions for using the various features.
HTML | PDF | Kindle
|API Reference
Describes all the API operations for Amazon SNS in detail. Also provides sample requests, responses, and errors for the supported web services protocols.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
What Can We Learn from Video Games?
By Scott Leber:
Most kids love video games, they always have. Even in the days of Atari and Nintendo, kids were glued to the screen for hours to beat the next level or earn a new cool weapon. Now that screen can fit in your pocket or cover a wall, and games are flashier and more interactive than ever. Grabbing a soccer ball and heading outside faces some stiff competition these days.
But instead of lamenting technology's often sedentary influence on kids, why not learn from video games' appeal, and apply it to something like soccer?
The following 10 steps outline how to make practice more like a video game, in turn motivating players to spend more time with the ball. After all, improving sounds hard, but not if you make it a game!
Check out iSoccer.org to begin making practice a game.
Before moving on, let's agree that at a minimum, to improve technique, you need:
- Increased time with the ball
- Efficient use of time with the ball
- Intensity and effort during time with the ball
Now let's talk about how to create a new game dynamic that excites players to do all three things.
- Keep it simple: Video games are easy to understand – so are toe taps and dribbling a figure 8. For young kids, complexity in practice can often detract from the real goals (A, B, C above).
- Give objective feedback: In a video game, if you mess up, you die, start over, ect. It's simple, and a very easy concept for kids to grasp. Acheiving a high score is objective, unlike much of the feedback given on the practice field. So make it black and white.
- Set a clear goal: If you beat a level, you get to go to the next level. Set clear technical goals for players to either reach, or fail to reach.
- Failure is accepted: How many times do kids start a video game level over before they beat it? Make it clear to players that they aren't expected to reach a goal on the first try, but should keep trying until they do so, which creates:
- Repetition!: There are people out there that can grab a Nintendo controller and fly through Mario Brothers without thinking, even though they haven't played it in years, because of the hours they spent as a kid. Now picture a player doing that on the field with scissors moves and their first touch…
- Add time constraints: What happens in video games when time starts running out? Intensity and work rate go up, and players push their limits. Use this simple psychological motivator in practice.
- Deliberate problem solving: In a video game, a player gets to a point where they cannot continue until they master the skill necessary to move forward. Use this same concept in technical training to isolate and focus on weaknesses.
- Celebrate improvement: Congratulations always feels good when you earn something! Create a team of achievers.
- Recognize improvement: Whether public or private, recognition is powerful. Think leader boards, high scores, most improved or awards ceremonies.
- Foster healthy competition: It starts with a player competing against themselves to get to the next level, but when applied to a team dynamic, these steps will help create healthy competition around improving technically, instead of just winning and losing.
Technical development is the most important aspect of the game for young players. By tapping into game psychology, and learning from video games, we can motivate kids to get off the couch and go spend time with the ball. Not only will they be doing something healthy and fun, they will be improving as soccer players as well.
iSoccer provides the structure and rules to the game – now its up to coaches, parents and teammates to take it to the field. Follow all or some of the steps above, make it fun, and reward improvement to add a new dimension to practice that takes technical training to the next level!
Reach out to Scott Leber at email@example.com


text:
Vintage Mylu Christmas wreath brooch with red, green and crystal rhinestones set in a bright brushed gold finish holly leaf wreath setting, depicted as all tied with a bow is being offered for your consideration. It is in excellent vintage condition. Note: any dark areas in the photos are shadows and reflections.
Mylu (1961-1970) was the trademark of Christmas jewelry produced by two sisters, Marge Borofsky and Lynne Gordon; in 1968 they accepted the offer of Coro to become a division of the company responsible for holiday and children's jewelry. (If your interested in more the history on these two sisters see page 227 in Coro Jewelry, A Collector's Guide by Marcia Brown.)
The brooch measures 1 5/8 inches in diameter. The pin back is straight and sharp, the "C" clasp functions properly. This is a very nice and well made brooch, one you will be proud to own or give as a gift. One you will reach for often this holiday season and for many, many more to come to add that perfect finishing touch! (J0300)
Please examine the item(s) in detail by scrolling over it or clicking on the thumbnails as the photos are considered a part of the description. Unless otherwise stated, all items are vintage ( 25 plus years old ) or antique ( prior to WWII ) and have been used by at least one or more previous owners and therefore will show some signs of such use or age and are not new, if you are not accustomed to purchasing antique or vintage items or are looking for a pristine / new item; please, look closely at the pictures and ask questions, if needed. Every effort is made to be accurate and forthcoming in all descriptions; striving for happy return clients is my goal!
If an item you had desired has been ` Removed ', please recheck the site to see if it has been re-listed, often with new updated scan-able photos. If making multiple item purchases please wait for the corrected purchase order to pay or expect a credit for over-payment of your shipping and insurance charges.
24 other shoppers have this item in their Cart or Wish List
Select Antiques w/ Estate 'n Luxury Costume Jewelry for YOU!


text:
Air Italy flight schedule
Air Italy is quite a young company, which was just established in 2005 by Captain Giuseppe Gentile who was also the founder of Air Europe. Initially, it was owned by BV Asset Management (40%), Giuseppe Gentile (40%) and Pathfinder Corporation (20%).
In late 2006, an independent investment company acquired a 40% share in Air Italy. In 2007, Air Italy created Euro Mediterranean Airlines, a subsidiary based in Egypt. Also in the same year, Air Italy Polska was set up as a second subsidiary, based in Poland which was renamed Air Poland in 2011. On 18 July 2011, Meridiana fly announced the merger with Air Italy, which enables the group to become the main charter operator in the Italian market.
Air Italy S.p.A. is an airline based in Gallarate, Italy. Its operating bases are in Malpensa Airport and Verona Airport, while focus cities are at Naples Airport and Turin Airport.
Main route
The airline operates scheduled services for tour operators as well as independent short-haul flights. Most flights leave from Naples Airport, Turin Airport, Verona Airport or Milan Malpensa Airport. The markets served with medium- and long-haul flights are: North-East Brazil (Fortaleza, Maceio, Natal, Salvador de Bahia), Cuba, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Kenya, Zanzibar, Mauritius, Maldives, Madagascar as well as Egypt and the Mediterranean countries. The domestic routes serve the main Italian airports: Turin, Milan Orio al Serio, Verona, Genoa, Rome, Naples, Bari, Catania and Palermo. In the summer Air Italy offers many connections to Olbia from the cities of Turin, Genoa, Bergamo, Naples, Bari and Catania.
Currently, Air Italy fleet consists of these aircrafts: 5 Boeing 737-300, 2 Boeing 737-400, 3 Boeing 737-700, 2 Boeing 767-200ER and 2 Boeing 767-300ER
Air fact:
The cheapest flights offered by Air Italy is for the route Flights from Verona to Rome, and the longest flight is on route Flights from Verona to Rome which takes .
Air Italy Flight Status, Air Italy Route


text:
Elizabeth Gilbert Quotes About HeavenQuotes about: Heaven
In every possible instance Saint Paul begged Christians to restrain themselves to contain their carnal yearnings to live solitary and sexless lives on earth as it is in heaven. "But if they cannot contain " Paul finally conceded then "let them marry for it is better to marry than to burn." Which is perhaps the most begrudging endorsement of matrimony in human history.
Astonishingly, at some point, a sputtering torch was thrust into her hands. Alma did not see who gave it to her. She had never before been entrusted with fire. The torch spit sparks and sent chunks of flaming tar spinning into the air behind her as she bolted across the cosmos-the only body in the heavens who was not held to a strict elliptical path. Nobody stopped her. She was a comet. She did not know that she was not flying.
Elizabeth Gilbert
- Born: July 18, 1969
- Occupation: Author
- Cite this Page: Citation


text:
Sure, the LG Star, Motorola Olympus, and all of those upcoming dual-core Tegra 2 phones sound pretty awesome, but how would you like to have a quad-core processor in your handset? According to the folks at NVIDIA, we're not too far off from seeing that very thing. The company released some whitepapers yesterday titled "The Benefits of Multiple CPU Cores in Mobile Devices," and in it NVIDIA explains that they believe that as we head into 2011, dual-core chips will become the norm. Right after that statement, they casually mention that we can expect quad-core processors "in the near future." Before you get the urge to run out a battery bandolier, NVIDIA believes that smartphones and tablets will benefit from multi-core chips, even more than desktops and laptops, "because the battery life benefits are so substantial" with those mobile devices. If you've got some free time and feel like getting into some light reading material, you can find the entire document right here.
While the term "in the near future" is about as vague as it gets, this certainly is good news for those of us with an insatiable need for speed. We should be seeing dual-core handsets infiltrating the market within the next few months, so I don't doubt that they'll become more and more common in the next year. Quad-core chips, though? I have a feeling that it'll be a while before we're seeing them become routine. Still, with the speed at which this industry evolves, I wouldn't be totally shocked to see quad-core phones begin leaking out at the end of 2011 or the beginning of 2012. I just hope that battery tech begins making substantial advancements like these CPUs, and soon. Even if NVIDIA says that the benefits are there, my battery is still trembling at the thought of a quad-core processor.
Via Android and Me, NVIDIA


text:
From Paducah, Kentucky, USA:
I am 35 years old and at 10 weeks into my previous pregnancy I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes. I was put on insulin then took the test after I had my son which I also failed so I was then put on oral medication for 3 years. I am pregnant again but prior to becoming pregnant my blood sugars were averaging 300+. My doctor has put me on insulin again and is still adjusting the dosage my fasting are running about 160-180 and during the day 200+. I have had a ultrasound already. I am 12 weeks and so far they said everything looked okay. Does this mean that my baby will not have defects? I am having great difficulty taking my injections (phobia of needles) and sticking to my diet. My previous pregnancy my baby weighed 8 pounds, 9 ounces, and was induced and I barely took my injections during that pregnancy. But this pregnancy I fear the worst. What tests can be done to assure me that my baby is all right?
The fetus is fully formed at this time. Ultrasound is probably the most useful tool to evaluate the fetus at this time. There is some blood testing that is done at about 16 weeks to screen for neural tube defects (spina bifida) and chromosomal abnormalities. This is called a "maternal serum triple screen". Another ultrasound will probably be done between 16 and 18 weeks to look over the baby and this can rule out some, but not all abnormalities. The baby's heart should be examined by ultrasound at 20-24 weeks gestation. Once again this can rule out some but not every cardiac defect.
It is important that you improve your blood sugar control to prevent excessive growth of the baby and for your own well-being.
Original posting 8 Apr 2000
Posted to Gestational Diabetes
|Return to the Top of This Page
Last Updated: Tuesday April 06, 2010 15:09:10
This Internet site provides information of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your own health or the health of your child, you should always consult with a physician or other health care professional.
This site is published by T-1 Today, Inc. (d/b/a Children with Diabetes), a 501c3 not-for-profit organization, which is responsible for its contents. Our mission is to provide education and support to families living with type 1 diabetes.
By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use, Legal Notice, and Privacy Policy.
© Children with Diabetes, Inc. 1995-2018. Comments and Feedback.


text:
Purposes and Responsibilities of the Board Board Membership Operation of the Board Business of the Board
Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Melbourne
Canon 803 of the Code of Canon Law states that:
A Catholic school is understood to be one which is under the control of the competent ecclesiastical authority…No school, even if it is in fact Catholic, may bear the title 'catholic school' except by the consent of the competent ecclesiastical authority.
The 'competent authority' in the Archdiocese of Melbourne is the Archbishop of Melbourne who, as chief pastor and teacher, is responsible for Catholic schools within his jurisdiction. The Archbishop has an obligation to watch over and inspect Catholic schools situated in his territory, even those established or directed by members of religious institutes.
The establishment of boards in Catholic parish primary schools in Victoria
The establishment of school boards coincided with the changes brought about by Vatican II for the laity to take a more active role in the Church and the expansion of the Catholic education sector in the late 1960s and 1970s.
The Archbishop of Melbourne supports the establishment of boards for parish primary schools which encourage partnership and participation of school, parish and the wider community in the life of the school and parish.
While the provision of a school environment that supports the Catholic ethos is largely the responsibility of the parish priest, principal and school staff, boards play a significant role in supporting the spiritual and educational welfare of students.
Advisory in Nature
Boards in parish primary schools are an advisory body governed by its constitution.
Sample Constitution:
Parish primary school boards
The majority of Catholic parish primary schools in the Archdiocese of Melbourne have established boards or an equivalent body.
The preferred title of a board of a parish primary school is a Parish Education Board (PEB). This name visibly makes and strengthens the links between the parish priest, principal, parents, school staff and parishioners in the provision of Catholic education in the parish community.
The parish priest, upon consideration of local circumstances is responsible for making any decision about the establishment of a board or its arrangements. The relationship between the parish and the parish primary school in the provision of Catholic education is crucial to the faith development and learning outcomes of students, the enlivening of parish life and the development of community. It is important that schools and boards:
What are the Catholic schools about?
Catholic schools are
Catholic schools
See also
^ top of page
Purposes and Responsibilities of the Board
Broadly, the key functions of the Parish Education Board (PEB) may include:
Boards established by the parish priest to act as an advisory body for the school focus on matters concerning the development of the school and the education and welfare of the students.
Board Membership
Serving on the board of a Catholic school is a form of Church lay ministry. It is a response to the call to support the local Catholic parish and school communities in a particular way. It is also a means for members of the community to share their skills and talents for the common good.
A well functioning board provides a rich source of wisdom and insight as well as a means of strengthening community links and potential for partnerships.
Composition of the board
Through representation on the board, each board member assumes a leadership role in the school and parish. Each member must be committed to the ethos of the school as articulated in its mission and vision statements.
The size and composition of the board is determined by the board constitution and should directly reflect the needs of the school and parish community. It is important that the composition of the board represents the breadth of involvement in the school and parish communities.
The board should be composed of those who appreciate value and share the educational mission and ethos of the Catholic Church.
Those interested in becoming a member of the board should seek advice from the school principal or parish priest on the process for appointment to the board. The process (e.g. nomination and election, by appointment) is determined by the parish priest in conjunction with the school principal.
Qualities and skills of a board member
Each Catholic school is different, but all schools share the mission of the Church in the Archdiocese of Melbourne. The board should be composed of people who appreciate, value and share the educational mission and ethos of the Catholic Church.
When seeking board members it is important to reflect on the qualities and skills of benefit to the board in carrying out its functions.
The following is a suggested list of key qualities and skills for members of boards.
Ongoing board formation
Professional learning and support for boards
With respect to the operation of boards, Catholic Education Melbourne acts as an agent of the Archbishop in facilitating the formation and ongoing support of boards.
Catholic Education Melbourne conducts board formation through a program of professional learning activities for board members that are provided centrally and on a regional basis.
Operation of the Board
An effective board:
The board executive is a standing committee of the board and its members may include the parish priest, the principal, the board chair, and one other board member. Through their leadership, the board executive provides support to the principal and the board.
The board executive has an important role in ensuring that the board is both proactive and focused in supporting the mission, vision and school improvement plan. The board executive is also responsible for modelling professional, collaborative and positive working relationships.
The principal, as leader and manager of the school, is the executive officer of the board. The role of the executive officer is to:
Board meetings
The frequency of board meetings should be set out in the board constitution and should be reviewed on an annual basis. It is common practice for boards to meet six to eight times during the year with the annual general meeting being one of these scheduled meetings. Apart from the AGM, ordinary board meetings are not public meetings.
Boards may call extraordinary meetings if required.
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the board can take place at any time during the year but normally takes place in the final term of the school year. The parish and school communities should receive adequate notice of this meeting and of any intention to hold elections for any board positions that become vacant.
The agenda for the AGM normally includes:
Committees and working parties
To share and support the work of the board, the board may consider establishing committees Board committees and working parties are an effective means to make better use of board members' expertise, by allowing those with particular knowledge, interests and skills to concentrate on those areas. Board committees also create opportunities for leadership and succession planning.
From time to time the board may also wish to establish a committee or working party for a specific purpose, or to undertake a particular task. These committees may have the option of co-opting additional members to assist with their deliberations. Board committees/working parties are directly responsible to the board.
Board Documentation
As a minimum, each board should maintain four key documents:
The board constitution describes the role and function of the board, its membership and accountabilities. This document, developed by the board, must be ratified by the parish priest. Once ratified, it provides a sense of status, purpose and direction for the board.
The constitution is the first point of reference for the board to clarify its purpose. It is important that the document clearly describes the roles of the parish priest, principal and office bearers in relation to the operation of the board.
It is the responsibility of the board executive to ensure that the board is operating within the constitution.
The board handbook is a manual of information, policies, processes and protocols for the smooth and efficient running of the board. It provides more specific details of the rules described in the board constitution.
Business of the Board
Each member of the board has an opportunity to make a unique contribution to the board and its contributions to the parish and school. As a group, the board can provide valued contributions to the learning outcomes of the children and to the mission of Catholic education. How can the board make valued contributions?
Build relationships with other boards e.g. networks and clusters and attend professional development programs.
Goal setting
A plan setting out the general directions and goals of the board for the next 12 months is an important document for the board to develop if it is to be proactive and effective in its support of the parish, school and principal. The development of such a plan is best facilitated by the principal, so that it can be aligned with the strategic or school improvement plan.
Support for Catholic ethos
This is the most critical responsibility of the board. Working in conjunction with the parish priest and principal, the board is responsible for seeing that the school is faithful to its charter as a Catholic school.
While the board is not involved in the day-to-day operation of the school, it exercises an overall role in
Policy development and review
Policy making is a shared process and responsibility. Depending on the policy area, policy development in the parish primary school is usually undertaken by representatives from any or all of the following groups:
The process of policy development and review varies according to the nature and context of the area or issue being considered but the responsibility for oversight of these processes rests with the school principal.
The board has a role in assisting the policy development and review process. Members of the board may be represented on a group or committee that has responsibility for developing or reviewing a policy or the board as a whole may provide this input and advice.
Developing community
Recent educational research indicates that:
The board is an important link between the school, family and the broader community. A major objective of the board should be to foster community participation and in particular, to encourage the engagement of parents in the learning of their children and in the activities of the school and parish. The board achieves this objective by working in collaboration with parish, school and community groups.
Home Page
Contact Us
Login to CEVN


text:
16C Chinese Wucai Porcelain Vase Children Playing Motif
browse these categories for related items...
Directory: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Chinese: Porcelain: Pre 1700: Item # 343197
Directory: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Chinese: Porcelain: Pre 1700: Item # 343197
Please refer to our stock # tiger430 when inquiring.
View Seller Profile
Los Angeles
Guest Book
View Seller Profile
Los Angeles
Guest Book
Upon Inquiry
Wucai Vase with Children Playing Motif, 16th Century
The vase is 6 inches (15 cm) tall, and 4.5 inches (11.5 cm) wide.
It is in good condition with no repairs, chips, or cracks.
Our Guarantee: We stand behind all of the items that we sell. That is to say, if you purchase an item from us and are unhappy with it for any reason, return it for a 100% refund of the amount you originally paid. All you need to do is return the item to us within 10 days of receipt and in the same condition that we sent it to you. It is that simple. Buyer has to pay shipping, and insurance costs for both the purchase and the return.


text:
Prayer is the fuel that allows us to be immovable, abounding in the work of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Prayer Requests:
Pray for the upcoming Bible conference and youth conference on Oct. 28th and 29th
1.Pray for our speakers that they would speak truth to the teens
2. Pray for good attendance and that God would bring the teens that need to hear the messages.
3. Pray that each teens' heart would be open to God's Truth and that they would allow the truth of Scripture to shape their heart.


text:
All of us here at Digital Sports Group are proud we've had the opportunity to work with The PFA to give the fans a fantastic and unique fan resource for Michu.
(PRWEB UK) 27 January 2013
Digital Sports Group today announced that The PFA Facebook fan page of Michu has broken the 25% daily growth barrier, making it the fastest growing Michu page on Facebook. The Facebook page has become a thriving hub for the Swansea City striker since its launch and now boasts a vibrant and rapidly growing community of fans. The Facebook page, along with Michu player profile on football.co.uk, provide the only online location of the official PFA biography, lifetime stats, news and high resolution gallery.
Spanish midfielder Michu became Michael Laudrup's third signing when he joined from Ray Vallecano for around £2million in July.
Michu, full name Miguel Perez Cuesta, signed a three-year deal at the Liberty after impressing in La Liga by helping Rayo stave off relegation.
An attacking midfielder, Michu began his career with local club Real Oviedo in the lower leagues, before moving to Celta de Vigo B in Segunda División B in 2007.
His contract with Celta expired in June 2011 and he signed a two-year deal with Rayo Vallecano, who were freshly promoted to the top division of La Liga.
Physical, tall, hard-working and strong, he became a fans favourite with his ability to time his arrivals into the box earning him 15 league goals and two in the cup.
Head of Operations at DSG, Matthew Tait had this to say, "Michu really has no shortage of fans after his performances for Swansea this season and we can see that by the success of his PFA Facebook page."
"All of us here at Digital Sports Group are proud we've had the opportunity to work with The PFA to give the fans a fantastic and unique fan resource for Michu."
DSG became the official digital partner of the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) earlier this year and have since launched a number of Player Profile fan pages on social media site Facebook as well as providing official player pages on their football news site football.co.uk.


text:
"Certain things, they should stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone."
― J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye
All of us feel like Holden Caulfield at one time or another. We're exhausted by change. We're tired of This Year's Important Reform. Change can be frightening. Change can be threatening. And change can sometimes be downright wrong-headed. Can't we just leave well-enough alone?
Quoting Salinger is especially apropos when discussing the Common Core State Standards, because one of the laments I hear from high school teachers is that they will no longer be allowed to teach literature like The Catcher in the Rye. Statements like this are worrisome, because they demonstrate a lack of understanding of what the Common Core State Standards are all about.
As more people are asking, " What is the Common Core?", there is also an increasing amount of misinformation about these standards and what they require of us as parents and educators. The confusion and fear-mongering are creating real problems for school administrators trying to implement these standards and raise student achievement.
So here, in no particular order, are some of the "common myths" I've been hearing about the Common Core, with what I hope are some helpful explanations of what's really going.
What is the Common Core?
1. The Common Core State Standards have created a federally mandated, federally controlled curriculum.
The impetus to create rigorous, new learning standards at a national level came from state government and the business community ─ not the federal government. The National Governors' Association, working with the Council of Chief State School Officers, undertook the mission, in part as a response to complaints from employers that entry-level workers didn't have the math, reading, and writing skills necessary to perform their jobs effectively. The U.S. Department of Education did not manage the writing of the standards, nor do they control them. The standards were adopted voluntarily by the states, and each participating state has been allowed to make additions or alterations to the standards, as long as those alterations remain under 15% of the whole. Once adopted by a state, the standards become the "property" of that state, managed and overseen by its department of education, just as its previous set of learning standards were.
However, the U.S. Department of Education has definitely lent its support to these standards, and has tied significant amounts of money to adoption of "college and career readiness standards" like the Common Core. And we know that federal money can be hard to resist. But enticing as that money may be, it falls short of being a "mandate."
The standards also fall short of being a curriculum. The standards are grade-level goals, and they are aggressive. However, they are not a curriculum, a textbook, a pacing guide, or anything else that limits, shapes, or controls how a teacher teaches or what a teacher should teach from day to day. If a teacher wants to deliver her math instruction entirely through the use of hand-puppets, nothing in the Common Core is stopping her. In fact, these national standards may give us a real opportunity to compare teaching practices on a grand scale and find out what works best.
2. The literacy standards are hostile to fiction, poetry, and drama.
There has been a lot of confusion about the relative importance of literary and informational texts in the Common Core. The standards definitely do ask for teachers to include more primary and secondary source texts in their curriculum—in English language arts, certainly, but also in the areas of social studies, science, and the technical arts. In fact, from sixth grade on, teachers of those subjects have a separate set of literacy standards just for their disciplines.
Does that mean that high school English teachers have to give up The Catcher in the Rye? Not at all. The standards do ask us to increase the amount of informational text our students read, so that by the end of high school, those texts account for 70% of what they are reading. But that 70% is meant to represent the sum total of what they read across their entire school day. The goal isn't to remove literature; it's to add other kinds of texts within language arts, as well as in world history, civics, geography, physics, biology, and so on.
3. The math standards focus too early on critical thinking and don't put an emphasis on calculation and memorization.
Not true. In fact, the standards have done an admirable job of trying to end the "math wars" and find a middle ground that includes both fact fluency and concept comprehension. The "instructional shifts" that authors have identified as being a major part of the standards include both fluency and deep understanding, and the structure of the standards supports this two-pronged approach, providing teachers with grade-level content standards and a set of overarching "practice standards" that speaks to certain ways of thinking, habits of mind that proficient mathematicians display. The challenge for teachers is learning how to incorporate both sets of standards in their instruction—to make sure students learn their math facts and become fluent in computation, but also that they learn to "think in math," rather than blindly executing procedures they don't truly understand.
4. The standards have a liberal, left-wing, political agenda.
If anything, I find the standards rather conservative and old-fashioned. The literacy standards emphasize things like obtaining real knowledge about the world through reading (rather than simply practicing how to read), the inclusion of primary source documents in all subject areas, and text-based questions, like "What is the author doing here?" over text-to-self questions, like, "How does it make you feel?" The math standards emphasize real knowledge and fluency, rather than saying things like, "they can just use a calculator." In fact, I find nothing in the standards that would contradict what Thomas Jefferson laid out as the goals of public education for Americans as early as 1818.
However, that doesn't mean that the textbooks, workbooks, and other materials being designed by publishers and sold to schools are free from bias. A textbook could easily be "aligned to the Common Core Standards" and betray a political bias that has nothing to do with those standards. Some published materials have a clear bias and point of view. Others can fall victim to unwitting bias that results from editorial decisions—what to leave in, what to take out, what to emphasize, what to ignore—that may be deliberate or quite unconscious. It is extremely important that schools and parents review and analyze new text materials to ensure they are well-designed, well-aligned, and acceptable to the community.
5. The standards mandate collecting and sharing detailed and unnecessary data on students.
The standards are simply learning goals. The fact of having national standards, however, has definitely led many people to seek new ways to collect and analyze data on student performance, to provide the best possible education to each student and to study which states, districts, and schools are performing well—not to punish those that fall behind, but to learn what really works for students and share the knowledge more widely.
This is not limited to our K-12 schools. It is exactly the same discussion that is happening in our health care system. It is exactly the same discussion we are having about businesses mining data from social networking systems to target advertising to people more effectively. It is a real challenge facing us in pretty much every facet of our 21st century lives. In each case, we need to weigh the potential benefits in service with the potential risks in losing privacy, and make decisions about what we find acceptable. I think people are absolutely right not to place blind trust in school administrators or academic publishers, and simply have faith that data being collected will not be abused. A healthy skepticism will help us all in the long run. But a healthy skepticism is not the same thing as panic or conspiracy-mongering.
Change may be challenging and frightening, but that, alone, doesn't make it wrong. Holden Caulfield wanted to stop the world from turning. We sympathize with his feelings. We've all shared them at some point in our lives. But we also know what happened to Holden, and it wasn't pretty. The world turns whether we want it to or not. The times change, and the needs of the times change.
Weighing the benefits of change against the risks is something we all have to do, and we cannot do it—not for education, not for healthcare, not anywhere—without having objective facts at our disposal and knowing how to analyze and assess those facts. It's a skill that is absolutely necessary for the continued health and strength of our democracy. And it's a skill, by the way, that the Common Core is working hard to build in our students.


text:
I am excited about introducing Ziosoft's 3D thin-client software in France
Montreuil, France (PRWEB) October 2, 2009
Ziosoft®, Inc. http://www.ziosoftinc.com a leader in advanced visualization and analysis software for medical imaging and Global Imaging Online, French leader of PACS, RIS and Tele-Radiology solutions, announced today that the companies have signed an agreement for Global Imaging Online to distribute advanced 3D thin-client software solutions in France.
The Ziostation system integrates seamlessly with the Global Imaging Online PACS solutions - DIAM4 servers. The Ziostation solution provides advanced visualization tools including CT and MR cardiac function analysis, calcium scoring, CT brain perfusion, advanced vessel analysis, colon analysis and multi-modality fusion analysis.
"I am excited about introducing Ziosoft's 3D thin-client software in France "said Rainer Kabouya, new CEO of Global Imaging Online. "The breadth of products Ziosoft offers, the enterprise wide architecture and the exceptional system performance is a great complement to the current solutions of Global Imaging Online, and a major interest to the French radiology community. It will be a great addition for Global Imaging Online to the Tele-radiology solutions introduced in January 2009 with Expertise Radiologie partnership. I invite all French radiologists to come during the JFR congress - 16-20 Oct - Paris, to our booth (N° 1P05 - Hall 1) to have a demonstration of the advanced Ziosoft 3D applications."
"We are pleased to be partnering with this proven and trusted Company that will enable us to offer Ziosoft's products to radiologists and French clinicians, many of whom already recognize the capabilities of Global Imaging Online - more than 350 French sites are using DIAM4 PACS," said Bart Hendriks, Ziosoft's managing director for Europe, Middle East and Africa. "We will be able to offer French customers an outstanding 3D thin-client product combined with the exceptional service and support of Global Imaging Online."
About Global Imaging Online:
Global Imaging Online Company is a recognized leader in PACS, RIS and Tele-Expertise solution in France. Founded in 1999, Global Imaging Online is a leading independent with over 350 sites. Global Imaging Online development strategy is to increase its solutions - DIAM product family - on treatments, medical image management and communication. All DIAM solutions are WEB based.
For more information please visit: http://www.global-imaging.net.
About Ziosoft Inc.:
Ziosoft, Inc. is a recognized leader in networked advanced visualization and analysis software to benefit physicians, patients, and healthcare specialists. Founded in 1998, Ziosoft is a leading independent advanced visualization company with over 2000 installed systems in over 800 sites worldwide. Ziosoft is dedicated to providing intelligent and intuitive clinical tools across the enterprise. Ziosoft is a privately held company with locations in Redwood City, CA, Brussels, Belgium, and Tokyo, Japan. For more information, please visit http://www.ziosoftinc.com.


text:
The extent to which police officers must provide private citizens with identifying information is determined by state and local laws, department policies and the context in which the officer is asked, reports Boing Boing. There is no statute governing police identification nationwide.Continue Reading
Requirements to produce, in verbal or printed form, an officer's name and identification number are enshrined in the manuals of many police departments, especially of large metropolitan areas. However, enforcement of department policy is left to the discretion of the departments, and is not always transparent to the public. Police officers have occasionally been caught disregarding identification guidelines, as was the case during the Department of Justice investigation of the Ferguson, Missouri, police in 2014, reports Reuters.Learn more about Is This Illegal?


text:
Any ACTUAL Second Degree BSN/RN's? - page 4
I realize that a majority of people out there probably entered the profession the normal way... .. But I'd like some suggestions from anyone who has been through the nursing as a second career... Read More
Apr 30, '07Quote from buddhak0nBecause generally a class called "Basic Chemistry" or "Basic Chemistry for the Health Professions" or something similarly titled is being offered either as a remedial course or a bare-bones, introductory overview for folks who have either never had a chem course or who haven't had one in eons, and it will NOT transfer to a BSN - whereas a "General Chemistry" course (usually numbered in either the 100s or 200s, depending on both the school and the material taught) WILL usually transfer to a BSN.
Why on earth would someone at a Community college try to tell someone that basic chem or other courses would be Nontransferrable? ( That part gave me a chuckle.. I'd still do better on any generalized Advanced Chem course than a large majority of people <g>)...
(Often a "basic" course has a course number less than 100. Not always, but it's common. Courses targeted for the health professions are usually very superficial. I know you didn't specifically mention such courses, but I see a lot of questions about those sorts of courses on this board.)
That's why they would tell you a "basic chem" course will not transfer. Because it won't.
"Gen Chem" and "Basic Chem" do not mean the same thing in academia, and if you take a "Gen Chem" course, the receiving university/college/school has a pretty good idea of the content you covered - whereas they have no clue in a "basic chem" (or a health-professions driven) course.
To laymen it seems like semantics; to professors and administrators it is a specific designation of content.
With two and a half years of Chem, covering one year of general, a semester of analytical, and a solid year of organic (which I actually really enjoyed) on my transcripts, I have chem coming out of my ears with oodles of hours to spare. I had delusions of pharmacy school - and was fine until I hit Physics, which completely mystified me (coupled with time as a tech, which convinced me that even with the allure of $80K+ a year, I'd go nuts doing it).
Oh, and my year of general was at a community college, while the analytical and the organic were at major universities here in the RTP area. If I hadn't had a "gen chem" course, they would not have permitted me to take the higher level courses.
I'm a second degree ABSN here in RTP, to answer your original question, who left a very successful career in clinical research to pursue a nursing degree. I'm in debt (again) and don't regret one dime of it. I am learning more in clinical and in the classroom than I will ever use, and at the same time, I know I'm not learning nearly enough to be completely self-assured at graduation. It's a balance and a process, one that all student nurses go through. It's not about your level of education or where you're pursuing your degree; it's about wanting to do it and understanding the purpose of what you're doing. Grades and book smarts aren't everything in nursing (just like they're not everything anywhere else in this world) - no one is going to care that you scored an A+ in patho if you can't hang an IV piggyback appropriately; or that you can explain the pharmacology of the most intricately metabolized drug you can imagine while using perfect technical terminology and jargon, but you can't even tell the patient what it does in terms he or she understands.
It's about people and skills, not just grades, not just academia - because not one patient is going to ask you how many times you made the Dean's List. They could care LESS. But they WILL question you if you're obviously giving what can only be described as haphazard, crappy, downright DANGEROUS care, or if it's obvious to Joe Citizen on the street that you have no idea what you're doing and couldn't nurse your way out of a paper bag.
And learning how to do that takes classwork AND clinical work.Last edit by carolinapooh on Apr 30, '07
May 9, '07If you really want to be a RN just humble yourself and take the d***classes. Life is not fair......


text:
Pure CSS Sticky Elements, Sticky Footer, Sticky Banner, Sticky Margin widgets
by Clain Dsilva November 10, 2012
Ever wonder how those sticky footer stays intact at the bottom of the page? And those lovely bubbles that floats over the page even while scrolling? fed up of trying Jquery and other scripts library available? Here is the quick and complete CSS solution to make any HTML elements sticky. Like my previous Post, all […]
Read More


text:
Some people say that your wedding day is supposed to be the happiest day of your life. It turns out, the "Big Day" falls short of expectations for many couples.
We were reminded of this once again on Wednesday when Jimmy Fallon shared a wedding disaster he witnessed firsthand using the hashtag #weddingfail and got the topic trending on Twitter.
At friend's wedding they announced bridal party in a dramatic cloud of smoke & my mom wandered through looking for a bathroom. #WeddingFail
— jimmy fallon (@jimmyfallon) April 23, 2014
Classic. Below, we've rounded up some more of these so-awful-that-they're-actually-amazing wedding stories for your amusement.The awkward name fail:
The inappropriately sexual music fail:
@jimmyfallon At my sister's wedding the minister asked the groom "do you take Randy..." - her name is Sandy. #WeddingFail
— christyjcollins (@christyjcollins) April 23, 2014
The horny pet fail:
During our Father/Daughter dance our DJ screwed up and played Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On." #WeddingFail
— Larry Kruger (@Krug_Dog) April 24, 2014
The inability to STFU fail:
Bride and groom's dogs were flower girl and ringer bearer. 1/2 way down the aisle they consummated their own relationship #weddingfail
— Matt Edmunds (@TeXEdMuNdS) April 23, 2014
The naked grandpa fail:
Bridesmaid mentioned our pregnancy during her speech. Only a few of the 200 guests knew & everyone started whispering like mad #WeddingFail
— Kristy♣JF (@slurpee_queen) April 23, 2014
The "we should have hired a professional" fail:
My grandpa got really drunk and started stripping on stage... He's 87 #weddingfail
— Dane Halunen (@Dane_Halunen) April 23, 2014
The timing fail:
My dad didn't hire a photographer but used a disposable camera himself. You could hear him winding it all through the ceremony #WeddingFail
— dirtyflowergirl (@dirtyflowergirl) April 24, 2014
The food safety fail:
My mom decided to have her dog in the wedding and as the priest asked if anyone objected he started crying and howling #WeddingFail
— Brittney Gilman (@B_Gilly89) April 24, 2014
The entertaining-for-everyone-else fail:
Leaned over to admire friends wedding cake and accidentally sneezed on it. No one saw me and everyone ate some #shame #sorry #WEDDINGFAIL
— Kolette (@urm0msh0us3) April 24, 2014
The Groom had a bad back and couldn't bend over, Bride was too short, Pastor had to put her on his shoulder so they could kiss #WeddingFail
— Micah Coleman (@DeaconKirby) April 24, 2014
Check out the slideshow below for even more eep-inducing #weddingfails:
Keep in touch! Check out HuffPost Weddings on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Sign up for our newsletter here.


text:
This stunning ring features a cushion cut diamond enhanced by a dazzling halo of round brilliant diamonds. Beautifully finished with extra brilliance in the shoulders.
Platinum semi flat non-tapered band.
Soft tear drop four claws and beaded four claw set.
We guarantee our price, quality and service will not be beaten.
Carat Weight of centre diamond
Price starting from
We offer a vast selection of colour and clarity grades to fit your budget. Prices above are an indication of your completed engagement ring with different diamond sizes using GIA certified diamonds of G colour, SI2 clarity and Excellent or Very Good polish and symmetry.
Please note: only the centre diamond is GIA certified.
The final price is based on the actual diamond you choose as well as the current diamond market and foreign exchange rates.
We can make this ring for you in platinum, 18K white gold, rose gold and yellow gold.


text:
by JS
When I first got migraines, I hated my body. I hated that it betrayed me. But now after so many years of having migraines and I know it needs me to take better care of it. Now, I prefer to be kind and gentle to my body. Especially around this time of year when stress levels are a bit higher.
Here are my tips:
• Be your own best friend and be patient with yourself.
• Listen to your body and value it for what it can and cannot do at that time.
• Take action when you get your first migraine signal. Remind yourself that this is a sign of kindness. Errands can wait.
• Maintain an attitude of loving kindness and compassion for your body.
• Listen to some relaxing CD's or guided meditations.
• Breathe warmth and relaxation into your hands and feet if they are cold.
• Don't drink too much alcohol. Hangovers trigger migraines for me.
Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Holiday Stress Busting Tips.
Your comments and guest posts are welcome here!


text:
HKIA Road and Parking Facilities Management Recruitment Notice
Serco Lam JV has successfully obtained a 6 years MOM contract for the Tsing Sha Control Area. The new contract will become effective on the 19th September 2013
Serco was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1988. However our origins go back to the 1920s. Serco has grown substantially every year since flotation on the London Stock Exchange and was included in the FTSE 100 in December 2008. We are realizing double digit revenue growth and have a forward order book that stands at a record £15.1 billion. Serco's principal customer base is the public sector, representing over 90 per cent of our business.
The vast majority of growth has occurred because of our ability to deliver results and build long term partnerships with customers, extending the scope and scale of our contracts and winning new business.
With over 100,000 employees in over 30 countries around the world, Serco has grown to become one of the world's leading service companies. We work in partnership with our customers and staff to manage change smoothly and positively, and pursue continuous improvement relentlessly.
Our work ranges from the management of facilities, projects and IT systems, through to the creation of entirely new businesses. This includes the financing, design and build of new facilities, including hospitals and transport systems, as well as their day-to-day operation. We run world-class scientific establishments, and provide critical information to manage traffic, maintain buildings, operate railways and detain offenders
For job application, please contact the specific contact no. or email to Recruitment Team.


text:
Paul Taylor
by SKeira Oct 26, 2017
- B.A. in Philosophy (1989), Morehouse College – Cum Laude, Highest Honors in Philosophy
- M.A. in Philosophy (1996), Rutgers University
- Ph.D. in Philosophy (1997), Rutgers University
Recent Publications
- Race: A Philosophical Introduction (Cambridge, UK: Polity – Blackwell, 2004)
- Black Is Beautiful: A Philosophy of Black Aesthetics (under contract, Blackwell)
- The Philosophy of Race (edited series of reference works; under contract, Routledge)
Articles and Essays
- "A Future for Africana (Post)Analytic Philosophy," South Atlantic Quarterly108:3 (forthcoming)
- "Post-Black, Old Black," African American Review 41:4 (2007), 625-40 [Special Issue on Post-Soul Aesthetics]
- "¿Tienes Culo? How to Look at Vida Guerra," (co-written with Karina Céspedes) in Beauty Revisited, Peg Brand, ed. (Indiana University Press, forthcoming)
- "Melting Whites and Liberated Latinas: Identity, Fate, and Character in 'Fools Rush In'," in Ethics in Film, Ward Jones and Samantha Vice, eds. (Oxford University Press, forthcoming)
- "The Last King of Scotland or the Last N----r on Earth?" Contemporary Aesthetics (forthcoming)
Keynote Addresses and Named Lectures
- "How to Make Our Ideals Clear," Kneller Lecture, Annual Meeting of the Philosophy of Education Society, Montreal (March 2009)
- "Ethics and Collaboration: Toward a Post-Supremacist Philosophy," Plenary Address, Annual Meeting of the Philosophical Society of South Africa, University of Fort Hare (January 2009)
- "Assembling Black Aesthetics: Thoughts and Themes After Theory," Keynote Address, 16th Annual Meeting of the Alain Locke Society, The George Washington University, Washington D.C. (November 2008)
- "Life Beyond Bread: Why an Africana Aesthetic?" Plenary Address, Thirteenth Annual Meeting of The International Society for African Philosophy and Studies, plenary address (April 2007)


text:
Mackevision Showreel
For a world without distinction between digital and real.
Where we´re going we don´t need roads – but strong companions.
Have you ever asked yourself what that is?
Mackevision is a global market leader in Computer Generated Imagery (CGI). We design and produce high-end 3D visualizations, animations and visual effects (VFX) for images, films and interactive applications. In addition we develop technological solutions for generating images.
We oversee the whole CGI process from data prep to creative implementation in all media. We work for clients worldwide – corporations, mid-size enterprises, agencies and film productions.
to create realityAbout Mackevision
We go to all lengths to produce outstanding visualization solutions. We are also keen to report on our achievements, encouraging an active debate with media professionals, opinion-formers and up-and-coming talents. Our news room includes media information, awards, events and much more. Why not drop by?
General 3. August 2018
Keynote & Events 11. July 2018
When viewing our products you may discover that you have already encountered some of our work. Sometimes, however, we remain discretely in the background. We have done work for many years for renowned international industrial enterprises, as well as for agencies and film production.
A career with Mackevision offers people with a technical, creative and commercial background a unique chance to be an active formative part of a future that has already begun.


text:
Operation: Military Kids Vermont Operation: Military Kids Vermont
Here's a sample of our volunteer opportunities:VIEW AS
Mission Statement
To educate Vermont communities on the unique experiences and challenges of military life, its impact on families, and to provide positive opportunities for youth by collaborating with community partners and incorporating military families into existing community resources.
Coordinated by University of Vermont Extension 4-H, OMK Vermont helps the community understand the full cycle of deployment and its impact on children and families. In a state like Vermont, where there is no military base to connect them, military children can be invisible to coaches, teachers and community. OMK provides educational, recreational and support activities to children and youth of service men and women in Vermont - building community connections for kids, empowering teens to share their stories and helping them to educate the community about the realities of the deployment cycle.
This information
Might be out of date
Do you work for this organization?
Request administrator status and update its information!


text:
Nike Perfect Game 1/4 Zip Fleece-Charcoal
PERFECT GAME Nike 1/4 Zip Fleece
A boldly striped inner collar and reverse coil zipper give this cover-up an edge. Of course, it also performs with Dri-FIT moisture management technology. The design features a flat knit collar and cuffs and an open hem. The contrast Swoosh design trademark is embroidered on the upper left sleeve. Made of 8.3-ounce, 100% Dri-FIT polyester.


text:
A medical malpractice lawsuit has been filed against an Oakland Township doctor who faces a criminal trial for Medicare fraud later this year.
Attorneys for William Durst filed the suit against Farid Fata — the first such suit to be filed against Fata in Oakland County Circuit Court since he was charged with Medicare fraud last year.
In the Medicare fraud case, Fata is accused of administering cancer treatment to patients who did not need it or whose lives would not be improved by it.
In the lawsuit, Durst, a Clarkston resident, accuses Fata of providing "excessive chemotherapy" during treatment in 2012.
The saga began on Jan. 10 of that year, when Durst underwent "extensive reconstructive surgery … which involved excision of malignant tissue and the reconstruction of parts of his neck, face and jaw bones with his own tissue and with metallic implants," the lawsuit states.
Fata administered the first of seven chemotherapy treatments on Feb. 16, 2012, and the second one took place on March 8 — both of which occurred before radiation began.
Four treatments were provided as radiation was taking place, but the seventh treatment, administered June 28, was 22 days after the final radiation treatment occurred.
"During the chemotherapy and radiation treatment, the plaintiff had a very difficult course involving multiple hospitalizations for the side effects of the chemotherapy and radiation, individually and in combination," the lawsuit states.
The areas which Durst had reconstructed in January 2012 broke down and had to be completely redone "as a direct result of the excessive chemotherapy," according to the lawsuit.
Substantial grafting was necessary from other areas, and Durst was unable to swallow due to damage to his throat.
Fata is accused of breaching several standards of practice.
"The most significant breach was in the fact that he initiated chemotherapy prior to the start of radiation therapy, even though there is no demonstrated benefit to initiating chemotherapy prior to the start of radiation for the kind of cancer that the plaintiff had; not continuing it after the radiation ceases," the lawsuit states.
The chemotherapy that was administered before and after radiation was taking place "subjects the patient to an unreasonable risk of injury without any demonstrated benefit," the lawsuit states.
Fata's practice, Michigan Hematology-Oncology, as well as Crittenton Cancer Center, V. Elayne Arterberry and Michigan Radiation Associates, are also named as defendants in the suit.
The suit claims that Fata's practice was linked with Crittenton at the time of the treatment, while Arterberry — a physician with Michigan Radiation Associates — did not warn Durst of the risks involved with the chemotherapy as they related to the reconstruction surgery.
The lawsuit, filed by attorney Jeffrey Stewart, seeks damages against all defendants.
In a response to the complaint filed by Fata through attorney John Toth, Fata and his practice "deny that they were negligent in any manner whatsoever" and "that any and all of the care and treatment rendered by them in all respects complied with the applicable standard of practice."
Fata has been sued multiple times in the past for medical malpractice. Court records show three prior suits in Oakland County.
A trial in the Medicare fraud case is scheduled to begin in August.


text:
TUKTOYAKTUK, Northwest Territories — An Inuit hunter and fisherman here remembers the day his children first heard thunder and asked him whether it was the end of the world.
He knew better, of course, though for most of his life he would have been as surprised by it as they were. The warm air that brings thunder has reached this remote Arctic community only in the past decade or so, and at first only rarely. Now, it is not quite so uncommon.


text:
What is a group?
For most shows ten or more seats makes you a volume buyer with all the 'group' benefits. Click on the show logo to the left and scroll down to availability for the group minimum for your show.
Do I have to pay now?
A non-refundable 20% deposit will be due within one week of the reservation and your balance will be due 60 Days prior to your performance date, we will reserve your seats and give you time to collect payment from your organization or fellow show-goers. Deposits are collected on a per order basis and are non-transferable. Orders within 60 Days of their desired performance date will have to pay in full soon after their confirmation if not on that day.
Can I add seats to my order?
Since there is no obligation, it is to your advantage to estimate high and reduce your numbers when it is time to pay. As long as you keep the group minimum for your show, you get the volume buyer benefits. Plus, if you estimate low and call to add more, the seats you want may no longer be available. We cannot add to an order that is paid for.
Is the theatre accessible to handicapped individuals?
Handicapped access information varies from venue to venue. We will provide complete information on accessibility if you describe your needs in detail when you make your request.
What about bags and packages?
In the interest of safety backpacks, luggage and large bags are not permitted in our theatre and all bags and packages will be searched upon entry. Please be advised the Pantages Theatre does not have a coat or bag check.
Pantages Group Sales
6233 Hollywood Blvd. - Los Angeles, CA 90028
Local: 323-463-4367 - Toll free: 866-755-3075 - Fax: 323-463-7194
Monday-Friday 10-5 PST
Click here to send email.


text:
Matthew has worked with high-throughput sequencing since its inception. At Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre (BCGSC), he constructed the first algorithms for RNA seq, chip-seq, and structural rearrangement discovery for the 454 and Solexa sequencing platforms. He later received his PhD in structural and computational biology and molecular biophysics from his work at the Baylor College of Medicine Human Genome Sequencing Center (BCM-HGSC). There he helped develop the BCM-HGSC's illumina analysis pipeline, capture-resequencing analytics and co-developed capture reagents, both regional and whole exome including some of the largest capture targets ever sequenced. His analytic tools were central to the analysis of one the first personal genomes used for medical diagnostics[Lupski]. Later, he led the team that discovered the molecular cause of DRD in siblings. This information was used, for the first time, to alter the management and medications the children received. Later, he used WES to find a novel gene for a previously undescribed disease, marking one of the first times WES was used to molecularly describe a disease prior to its clinical description.
Eric received his PhD in Structural and Computational Biology and Molecular Biophysics from the Baylor College of Medicine where he researched new approaches for predicting protein function and released several tools for use by the scientific community. Previously, he worked as a software developer, first creating custom software at Cimulus Inc. and later designing and implementing information systems for the University Information Technology Services department at Indiana University.
Our board of directors consists of leaders in the clinical genomics and genetics field.


text:
Tag: Free Speech
Stories, Podcasts and Videos
Listen: Through a Child's Eyes - Swallowing Mercury
Polish writer Wioletta Greg introduced her book Swallowing Mercury, the tale of a girl growing up in communist Poland and trying to make sense of it in her own way.
'She Can Change Her World' by Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants
In June 2016, poet Rachel Long facilitated a creative writing workshop with individuals from Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants at Free Word Centre. Here, you can read the poems that came out of the day and see the images that inspired them.
Listen: Illiberal Democracy: The Future of Freedom
On 15 June 2016, Free Word, in partnership with Index on Censorship, presented a panel discussion on the future of freedom in Europe with cultural figures from Hungary, Poland and Turkey. Catch up by listening to the recordings below.
Watch: Where I come from - Amir Darwish
On 22 June 2016, Free Word, in association with Counterpoints Arts and Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants, presented an event for Refugee Week, and Amir Darwish performed his specially commissioned poem which you can read and watch below.
Briefing Notes: The Mr. Hyde of European politics: The state of affairs in Hungary
Szilárd István Pap, an anthropologist and political analyst, explores the current social and political climate in Hungary, arguing that the challenges it faces are not simply unique to Hungary but instead point to a European-wide crisis.
Watch: Freedom - Alix Alixandra
On 15 June 2016, Free Word, in partnership with Index on Censorship, presented a panel discussion on the future of freedom in Europe, and Alix Alixandra performed her specially commisioned poem which you can read and watch below.
Watch: Illiberal Democracy: The Future of Freedom
On 15 June 2016, Free Word, in partnership with Index on Censorship, presented a panel discussion on the future of freedom in Europe with cultural figures from Hungary, Poland and Turkey. Catch up by watching the videos below.
Listen: Love and Revolution: Fariba Hachtroudi in conversation with Alex Preston
On 9 May 2016, we welcomed French-Iranian journalist and civil rights activist, Fariba Hachtroudi, to Free Word Centre to discuss her novel 'The Man Who Snapped His Fingers'. Missed it? Catch up with an audio recording.
Listen: Winning the War on Words
On 4 May 2016, Quilliam Foundation, in collaboration with Free Word, presented an evening of rhyming, rapping and rhythm about radicalisation, race, Islamic State, integration, stereotypes and the story of us. If you missed it, you can catch up by li…
Tehran Book Fair, Uncensored
'Tehran Book Fair: Uncensored' was held at Free Word Centre on 5-6 May 2016. It was a pioneering initiative by Iranian publishers who are based in exile and who support Iranian authors to claim back their creativity from the jaws of censorship. Thi…
Watch: Taking Creative Action Against Prejudice
On 21 April 2016, Quilliam Foundation, in collaboration with Free Word, presented a panel discussion elaborating modes of creative activism against prejudice toward British Muslims who are presumed, through a narrow interpretation of Islam, to be sex…
The Book of Khartoum
Writer and translator Raph Cormack discusses The Book of Khartoum, a short story collection he has co-edited, within the context of the political climate in Khartoum.
Events & Exhibitions
Freedom of Information: Where Does the Right To Know End?
- Tue 10 May 2016
- 5:22pm - 9:25am
- Venue TBC
Body Politic 2016 : Freedom of Movement
- Wed 19 Oct 2016, 5:15pm-6:45pm
- Free Word Centre
Who is Afraid of Comics?
- Tue 27 Sep 2016
- 6:45pm - 9:00pm
- Free Word Centre
Banned Books Week: Censorship and the Author
- Thu 22 Sep 2016, 6:30pm - 8:00pm
- British Library, NW1 2DB
PEN Atlas presents the view from Turkey
- Mon 19 Sep 2016
- 7:00pm - 8:00pm
- Free Word Centre
An evening with acclaimed Syrian human rights activists Mazen Darwish and Yara Bader
- Mon 18 Jul 2016
- 7:00pm - 8:00pm
- Free Word Centre
Join us to hear Mazen Darwish and Yara Bader talk about their experience of the uprising in Syria, and their fight for the protection of human rights.
Word Festival 2016
- 1-30 June 2016
- Venues around Islington; see brochure for more details
What are taboos?
- Tue 21 Jun 2016, 5:00pm (BST)
- Fritt Ord, Uranienborgveien 2, 0258 Oslo, Norway
Information Commissioner & Tribunal Decisions
- Tue 14 Jun 2016
- 1:30pm - 5:00pm
- Free Word Centre


text:
Shop 4 Haiti Special Event – NYC
DrJays.com and DJPremium.com are VERY proud to present our Shop 4 Haiti event tomorrow (Wednesday January 27) from 6-10pm at La Pomme nightclub in New York City.
Thanks to the gracious donations from 18 of our favorite brands, we're having a super sample sale with prices for product starting as low as $5.00.
100% of proceeds on the night will go direct to UNICEF to assist their efforts with victims of Haiti's devastating earthquake.
Brands donating product on the night: Flud Watches, Akademiks, Blac Label, Eight 732, Rocawear, Ed Hardy, Apple Bottoms, FILA, LRG, Frank 151, MilkCrate, Live Mechanics, Blue Route, DimePiece, Les Halles, Hello Drama, William Rast, Siwy Jeans and LaROK.
If you're in NYC or know people who will be, definitely come through and spread the word for this VERY worthy cause.


text:
Find a Great Deal on a Used Vehicle at our Kia Dealership Serving Philadelphia
Here at Murray Kia, we strive to provide high-quality used vehicles to all of our customers throughout the Philadelphia area!
As listed below, we're proud to maintain an extensive variety of gently used cars and SUVs from Kia and many of the auto industry's most recognizable names! We invite you to stop by our Conshohocken, PA dealership to browse our current inventory of used models and arrange for a test drive!
We also encourage you to consider a Certified Pre-Owned Kia/b> model to enjoy the best qualities of a new model, but at a fraction of the cost!
With a CPO Kia model, you'll receive exclusive benefits such as 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty, 24-hour emergency roadside assistance and towing and car rental coverage!
With so many top-quality vehicles, we're certain that there's an affordable used model for all of our customers throughout Philadelphia, Lansdale, Wayne, Limerick, Norristown and Philadelphia!
Above all, you'll drive with the confidence that comes with buying a used model from a trustworthy name like Murray Kia!
Before visiting our showroom, you'll want to browse our current selection of Featured Used Vehicles to receive discount pricing on hand-picked models!
Find out more about the benefits of driving a used model when you visit our convenient location in Conshohocken, PA to speak with a sales representative and get started on a test drive today!


text:
Sammy Suricate v.1 2
On this page
Sammy Suricate is an enjoyable game for the whole family in which the main character is a funny suricate named Sammy who explores the fantastic environments fighting his main enemies: lions. The real objective of the game is to collect a certain number of magical gems per level that allows the player to get to the next one. However, the lions have also a goal which is to protect these gems, so you will have to avoid them and find the gems as...
Read more
- Rate:
- Release Date:01/23/2011
- License:Shareware
- Category:Games
- Developer:Suricate Software
- Downloads:61
- Size:8.89 Mb
- Price: $19.95
To free download a trial version of Sammy Suricate, click here
To buy software Sammy Suricate, click here
To visit developer homepage of Sammy Suricate, click here
System Requirements
Sammy Suricate requires Windows.
Sammy Suricate v.1 2 Copyright
Shareware Junction periodically updates pricing and software information of Sammy Suricate v.1 2 full version from the publisher using pad file and submit from users. Software piracy is theft, Using crack, password, serial numbers, registration codes, key generators, cd key, hacks is illegal and prevent future development of Sammy Suricate v.1 2 Edition. Download links are directly from our publisher sites. Links Sammy Suricate v.1 2 from Bittorrent, mediafire.com, uploadfiles.com, hotfiles.com rapidshare.com, megaupload.com, netload.in, storage.to, depositfiles.com and other files hosting are not allowed. The download file is obtained directly from the publisher, not from any Peer to Peer file sharing applications such as Shareaza, Limewire, Kazaa, Imesh, eDonkey, eMule, Ares, BearShare, Overnet, Morpheus, BitTorrent Azureus and WinMX.
Review This Software
More Sammy Suricate Software
3D Magic Mahjongg Holidays
Ring in the holidays with 3D Magic Mahjongg Holidays Edition and play Mahjongg Solitaire in amazing 3D sceneries. The goal is to clear the board by removing all of the 144 tiles in matching pairs. Enjoy 9 holiday sceneries with special holiday themed
PacFish v.3 2
Are you looking for a new game, but you want it to make you remember the good old classics? Look no more! With PacFish you have to get ready to dive into a new world! An underwater world with a feel like the PacMan classic.
Mystic Match v.1 10
Mystic Match takes the classic collapse game to completely new heights. Create blocks and strings of two or more identical images and then remove them to light the squares that make up the level.
3D Halloween Mahjong v.1 35
Looking for a real treat this Halloween? Check out 3D Halloween Mahjong. Watch scary ghosts fly around and listen to spooky music, while removing the 144 tiles in matching pairs.
Lost Idols - Puzzle Crusade v.1.0
Do you have what it takes to be the next Indiana Jones? Find out if you have the necessary logical skills and nerves of steel in your quest for the Lost Idols!
IncrediBubble v.1 50
IncrediBubble is set in an undersea environment where you guide marine creatures through a brilliant underwater puzzle world. Your task is to link up at least three of the same color cubes using Phlipper the dolphin and his aquatic friends.
The Magic Carpet and the Cement Wall
So strongly do Sammy and Lindsay desire to live in a world of love and beauty that they fly to a new universe on a magic carpet to find it. And there's only one way to reach this new universe - the hard way! "This is one of those rare, delightful,
Presidential Profiles v.220.127.116.11
Learn about the United States Presidents while playing this fun and educational computer game. Take a guided, educational tour with Uncle Sammy through American presidential history and learn about our leaders.
Food Fight! - An Interactive Book by Glenn Melenhorst v.1.0
Food fight is a wonderfully bright original story which tells the story of Tim, a boy from earth and Sammy, a sausage from somewhere else altogether.
Instant Bluegrass from Acutab v.1.0
Instant Bluegrass is a new and exciting way to deliver the AcuTab library of bluegrass instructional DVDs to you quickly, safely and inexpensively - including the accompanying music/TAB booklet - using a new media system called the MOD Machine.
Mafia Wars Toolbar v.1.0
Mafia Wars Toolbar is all you need to take your mob to the top. Run the rackets, and get the other hitman first with instant notifications, secret intel, and more. In war information is power, and the mafia wars toolbar is the nuclear weapon that,
Other products of this developer Suricate Software
3D Halloween Mahjong v.1 35
Looking for a real treat this Halloween? Check o... while removing the 144 tiles in matching pairs.
3D Magic Mahjongg - 4th of July
3D Magic Mahjongg "4th of July" is a Yankee Dood...gg "4th of July" includes a unique game analysis
3D Magic Mahjongg Gold v.1 50
Play Mahjongg Solitaire in amazing 3D environmen...inese game of solitaire consisting of 144 tiles.
3D Magic Mahjongg Holidays
Ring in the holidays with 3D Magic Mahjongg Holi... 9 holiday sceneries with special holiday themed
Babaylonia v.1.0
BABYLONIA - Journey to the ancient land of Babyl...you explore a spellbinding match-three paradise!
IncrediBubble v.1 50
IncrediBubble is set in an undersea environment ...ng Phlipper the dolphin and his aquatic friends.
Lost Idols - Puzzle Crusade v.1.0
Do you have what it takes to be the next Indiana...erves of steel in your quest for the Lost Idols!
Mystic Match v.1 10
Mystic Match takes the classic collapse game to ...hem to light the squares that make up the level.
PacFish v.3 2
Are you looking for a new game, but you want it ...water world with a feel like the PacMan classic.


text: City police chasing a suspected car thief on foot forced a lock-down at Roland Park Elementary/Middle School in the city's northwest neighborhood for less than an hour Monday morning. The city dispatch notified area schools of the incident, which began about 8:10 a.m. Police chased the suspect, who abandoned the stolen car and ran across a field at the school in the 5200 hundred block of Roland Avenue. Staff heard police calling "Stop" and saw the suspect continue running, officials said. Staff opted to lock down the school at about 9:40 a.m., solely as a precaution. The suspect, who did not approach the school building, was apprehended in the unit block of Elmwood Road and remains in custody.


text:
The editorial "Silver Tsunami" [Sept. 10] is very timely. Thirty percent of baby boomers are childless. Many have done little to think through how their future needs will be met.
Most people want to age in place, in their own homes. To do so safely and with a meaningful quality of life, seniors will need quality care and caregivers. Consumers in general are confused about how to access home care and, with more than 400 home care agencies in the state, how to identify a good one.


text:
Generally, there are two parts to a consulting agreement: the "statement of work" (SOW for short) and the actual legal contract. The "statement of work" describes the services you will be responsible for, some things you will NOT be responsible for, a list of the deadlines (called "milestones") you will be required to meet, a list of the work product (called "deliverables") you will be required to produce, your compensation for services, and any special provisions relating to this particular project that may not be covered in your client's general form of contract.
The SOW should not contain any legal provisions or language — anything like that should be in the consulting agreement. There should also be a "traffic cop" provision in both the SOW and the agreement saying that in the event of a conflict between the general agreement language and the more specific SOW, the SOW will govern. As for the agreement itself, here are some "gotchas" you should look out for.
Timing of Payment. Most consulting agreements are very specific about the services that will be performed and the fees the consultant will be paid for his or her work. You would be amazed, however, at the number of contracts I look at that don't say anything at all about when payment is due! This is how you will be paying your bills, so you need to know with 100 percent precision when your client will pay you. If the client insists on being able to "review and approve" your invoices before making payment, make sure to include language that the review must be completed within X days, and that you have the right to stop working if payment is delayed for an unreasonable amount of time.
Insurance. Most large companies will require you to maintain some form of "errors and omissions" insurance in case you foul up the job and they suffer damages. Make sure the amount of coverage is reasonable and that the client is not requiring you to obtain insurance that is not appropriate (for example, worker's compensation insurance if you have no employees). Also make sure there is a clause in the agreement saying you are not responsible for "consequential" (also known as "ripple effect" damages), as many errors and omissions policies will not cover you for these.
Indemnification. Most consulting agreements will require you to indemnify the client for anything that might go wrong during the consulting assignment, but if you are working on the client's premises, there should be an exclusion for damages caused by the "acts or omissions of Client, its employees and agents." They should be indemnifying you if one of their employees goes postal and attacks you while you are on the job.
Assignment of work product. Any work you create for the client should become their property only after you have received payment for it. Also, be sure to exclude tools, templates, form documents and other materials you have created yourself and use when performing services for all your clients.
"Noncompete" and "nonsolicitation" clauses. A consulting agreement should never, ever contain a "noncompete" clause saying you can't work for other companies. As an independent contractor, you must legally have the right to do so. If the client insists on a "noncompete," you should insist that the client identify the specific companies you cannot work for. If the client asks for a "nonsolicitation" clause saying you can't solicit their customers or employees for X years, make sure the clause is limited to customers and employees you actually dealt with while working for the company.
As for how much an attorney should charge you for reviewing a consulting agreement, one to three hours of his or her time is standard, depending on how many questions you ask and how much education you need.


text:
Know more about this business than we do? Cool! Please submit any corrections or missing details you may have.Help us make it right
Be the first NJ.com user to add photos or videos of Marketing Analysts
Marketing Analysts Inc. specializes in Market Analysis Or Research.
Marketing Analysts can be found at Speedwell Ave 520. The following is offered: Marketing Agencies. The entry is present with us since Sep 8, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 12, 2013. In Morris Plains there are 4 other Marketing Agencies. An overview can be found here.


text:
One of my best friends Johanna has said some of the most quotable things. Just today I was going through a journal and found a sentence from her: "The recession has hit my sex life." She always say things that make you think twice.
One thing in particular that has stuck with me she's said is, "Perfect is boring."
In theory, I agree. But it was always such an abstract concept for me. In the past year or so, I've also been very into the Cult of Done, which has saved me hours of agonizing over my work as a writer and artist.
If you'll notice, No. 8 says "Laugh at perfection. It's boring and keeps you from being done." I definitely agree, but being the perfectionist that I am, it was still hard to accept. Why is perfection boring?
It wasn't until this weekend when I was admiring the empty pages of my journal that I finally got it. To me, the empty page beckons me. It's beautiful. Perfect, even.
Unmarked. No mistakes. Just clean and crisp, ready for anything. I even said the word outloud. "Perfect."
Then I thought, "Yeah but how long would this hold your attention? Is it really all that exciting? Nope. Even as a writer, I can only stare at a blank page for so long before I long to mar it with my madness.
I wrote all over the pages and then looked at them. Mistakes. Ink smeared. But captivating.
What I came to realize finally when I was able to conceptualize it, is that perfection is not only boring, it's fleeting. You can't hold onto it. It really doesn't exist for more than a few moments. Then it makes way for mistakes, fantastic stories, and love.
As much as I enjoy the feeling of crossing everything off of my to-do list (or as I like to call it, my DONE list) and hitting all the marks on my insanely high list of expectations, the feeling doesn't last. It's a cheap high, really.
Because inevitably I will trade in my visit to the gym for a few hours at the beach or skip my early morning writing session in order to read my book in bed. I can't hold onto that feeling of perfection any more than I can leave a piece of paper blank.
Coincidentally, I've been introduced to wabi sabi, which is the art of loving the imperfections in life and embracing authenticity. We'll see how it goes. It's not that I want to banish my inner-perfectionist, I just want to take her down a notch, you know?
What about you? Are you a perfectionist? Do you embrace it or are you trying to balance it?


text:
Golden Westlake Villa for Lease (Hanoi)
We are leasing a villa in Golden Westlake Executive Residences and Villas Area, 162A Hoang Hoa Tham street, Tay Ho district, Hanoi. Below is some information about this rental villa:
Land area: Protected content
Building area: Protected content
Design: 4 floors, 4 bedrooms (2 master and 2 small ones). In details:
- Level 1: Garage Protected content machine inside), warehouse, kitchen (microwave oven, refrigerator, 4 gas stoves, deodorizing hoover), dining room (1 set of dining table and chairs for 8 people), garden (around the house).
- Level 2: 01 master bedroom (bed, wardrobe, dresser, restroom, balcony), 01 small bedroom (bedroom, wardrobe, balcony), living room Protected content set, TV LED), hanging garden.
- Level 3: 01 well-equipped master bedroom, master bathroom (bathtub and bath cabin, 01 TV inside), 01 small bedroom (including WC and wareroom).
- Level 4: Sauna, terrace.
Cable TV, Internet, air-conditioner, instantaneous water heater and other utility equipments have been installed already.
Surrounding facilities: swimming pool (for kids and adults), tennis court, golf training court, kindergarten, kid playground, gym (gym and swimming pool are free for residents)
Monthly rental: $3500/month.
For further information, please contact to:
Mr. Giang
BillTran Co., Ltd
Vnhousing Real Estate Services Department
Address: R1508, CT14A2 Building, Ciputra Urban Area, Tay Ho District, Hanoi.
Hotline: Protected content
Email: Protected content
Website: Protected content


text:
It was made without much advance publicity, considering who's in it and who directed it, but here's the trailer for the action thriller Dead Man Down, starring Noomi Rapace, Colin Farrell and Terrence Howard.
The film revolves around Beatrice (Rapace), a mysterious woman who blackmails a criminal, Victor (Farrell), to kill an underground New York crime boss Hoyt (Howard) who wants him dead for revenge for a previous violent act against her. Turns out that Victor is Hoyt's right hand man, so there's your dramatic conflict for you.
The film was directed by Swedish director Niels Arden Oplev who directed Rapace in the original (and still the best) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
The film comes out on March 8 from FilmDistrict.
Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.


text:
Follow along as we show the great diversity and hard work of Teamsters from around Washington that work for the DOC.
Each month throughout the year, we will be featuring the work of Local 117 members from a different Department of Corrections facility. From their union, to their work, to their family, each month will put a spotlight on the incredible service of the brave men and women working inside our prisons.


text:
Freshman year of college, my roommate and I decided to shed a few pounds using Slim-Fast shakes. We bought a case each, prepared to replace breakfast and lunch with liquid weight-loss for the next two weeks. I lasted three days, chasing cans of "vanilla" shakes with bottles of water to avoid the aftertaste. She, having chosen chocolate, made it four. The leftovers were still under our beds when we moved out. We had fallen for a common lure, an enticement that beckons thousands of weight-conscious individuals. We had been suckered in by a fad diet.
As the name implies, fad diets are intensely popular. They offer an opportunity to drop a jeans size, twenty pounds or unwanted bulge in a matter of weeks, if not days. You can replace your regular meals with a bowl of cereal, shakes, bars or liquid. You can eliminate a particular food group – meat, carbs or dairy – or you can eat only at certain times – before dawn, after five or at twenty-minute intervals. Whatever you opt for, you're bound to lose some weight, a lot of money and most of the nutrition in your life, for a short period of time. Limiting your calories via fake substitution, complete eradication or obsessively strict scheduling will not help you in the long run. The second you step away from the diet, the pounds will pile back on, in the form of body fat. Meanwhile, what you had lost probably wasn't body fat but rather water weight and muscle mass. So, you're going to end up with more fat, less muscle and a confused, unhealthy body. That pretty much defeats the diet's purpose; doesn't it?
So, when looking for a weight-loss plan, avoid these roller-coaster diets by avoiding anything that involves:
• Speedy weight loss – you want to lose weight gradually. When you first begin a diet, you may drop a dramatic amount, but after that, the loss should be no more than 2 pounds a week. Anything more is unhealthy.
While avoiding those traps, look for a method that involves a balanced diet, with variety. Consuming different foods ensures that you get all of the nutrients you need. Also avoid saturated fats, cholesterol and sodium, and pay attention to calories. If you feel like you really need a regimen and can't make the changes on your own, research the diets, choosing the healthiest options for your body. These will generally be the ones that focus more on consuming lots of fruits, vegetable and fiber, and less on cutting out food groups. Researchers, for example, recently analyzed eight popular diets and found that the Ornish plan and Weight Watchers High Carb diet were the best of their kind. Atkins, on the other hand, hit rock bottom. So, don't base your diet on popularity or short-term results; look instead for something that will guide you to a healthier lifestyle, something that embraces a nutritious diet.


text:
We have a beta…and more!
We have a beta user!
This week marked an incredible milestone for effy as we on-boarded our first live user to the platform.
Last week, myself and Norma were incredibly nervous about going out and getting people on the system. Why? It was one of those moments you feel completely exposed and vulnerable, you're idea and hard work becomes open to real life scrutiny. It's okay to scrutinise it yourself in your own controlled environment but when it's put into the public domain your concept becomes a reality, a reality that could potentially destroy your moral in a matter of minutes. Read more about We have a beta…and more! …


text:
Kaying Lee, whose husband is pastor of the Hmong ministry at Peace Lutheran Church, told us she sometimes hears this question from people in the Hmong community. She explained to us that Christianity is new to Hmong people, and many see it as a Western religion -- until they get to know it better.
The Lees have served at Peace Lutheran in Fresno since 2008. Many of the younger Hmong of the church attend the morning English language service, but some are more comfortable attending the Hmong language service at noon.
Janett Lee, Pastor Khai and Kaying's daughter, led the class (we didn't know they were related until after class). Janett started working with the Hmong youth when her parents started at the church, but a few years ago the English language congregation of Peace was without a youth pastor, so they combined the two youth groups, with Janett becoming the official youth leader in 2013.
The classroom was a bit messy that morning, since there had been a wedding the day before and the Sunday School room was the changing room for the bridal party. During the week, the room had been used for the church's Vacation Bible School.
The high school lesson was on Easter morning's empty tomb, looking at the various Gospel tellings of the Resurrection story. Students continued to come in throughout the hour until there were eighteen kids in the room. Janett used Scripture for the lesson but also used Luther's Small Catechism with Explanation. (Kaying mentioned that one of the good things the Lutheran Church offered the Hmong people was the Catechism with its clear presentation of Scripture and theology.)
We weren't the only bonus adults in class that morning. David, an elder in the church, sat in to observe for a bit. I tried not to talk too much, but the youth pastor in me couldn't refrain from adding a comment or two.
I talked with Janett after class about her work with the youth. She said that at times they've had some troubled kids. She described a kid from several years back who was a bit of a gangbanger, until he decided he prefered what the church had to offer. Their ministry emphasizes service, looking for ways to reach out to the community. If they do a beach trip, they'll spend an hour picking up litter.
While I talked to Janett, a number of the kids were putting on choir robes. We learned that the youth provide the music for the Hmong worship service.
We went to the sanctuary for the worship service, and Kaying invited us to sit with her in the front row so she could explain what was happening in the service. Much of the music was familiar ("Amazing Grace," "Jesus Saves"), but the words were Hmong. The youth choir also sang some songs in English during the service.
The Scripture readings were in Hmong, but the Hmong spelling of the names of Biblical books are close enough figure out. (Besides, Kaying told us as well.) It's interesting to hear the Lord's Prayer and the Apostle's Creed in a different language, because the cadences and rhythms are familiar even when the words aren't.
Janett gave a children's message in English, the youth sitting with the little kids -- who were brought in from their class for the story -- in the front.
Pastor Khai's sermon on Psalm 91 was in Hmong, but on occasion there were phrases and whole sentences in English. I asked him after the service whether he did that for our benefit, and he assured us he hadn't. He said that some things are just easier to say in English than in Hmong, which makes sense. Hmong Christians haven't had many years to come up with words for Biblical, spiritual, and theological concepts that the church has been trying to put in words for millennia.
Kaying went forward with us for communion, which I appreciated because even though a Lutheran communion is pretty much a Lutheran communion (open hands to receive communion, closed hands for a blessing), I was concerned I'd miss an instruction in Hmong and do something embarrassing (maybe not like pouring the wine down my front, but who knows?).
In the closing announcements I heard the words "silent auction" and "egg rolls;" then Janett announced that the church had a fireworks booth in the SaveMart parking lot to raise money for youth projects. (I'm pretty sure the fireworks announcement was in English, unless I really caught on to Hmong this month.) I know where we'll be getting our sparklers.
Everyone was quite gracious and welcoming; Kaying let us know we'd be welcome at any time and invited us to a wedding later this summer. It was good to worship the Hmong God with folks at Peace Lutheran. (Who happens to be one and the same with the American God. And the Kenyan God. And the Australian God. The One God.)
Sermon Length: 24 minutes
Visitor Treatment: We were greeted numerous times before and during the worship service. The church had a guest book outside the sanctuary, which we signed (we also filled out a communion card)
Followup by Tuesday Morning: none
Our Rough Count: 58 (including the little kids who came for the children's message
Probable Ushers' Count: 65
Snacks: in the Sunday School class, there were trays of crackers and cheese, fruit, veggies, and bagels with cream cheese, along with water pitchers
Musicians: keyboard (woman)
Vocals (choir) 6 women, 4 men
Distance to Church: 1 mile
Open WiFi: no
Tie/Suit Count: none
Church Website: peacelutheranfresno.org/hmongministry