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Written for my friends in Australia. (5,000 words).
There's a scene in the classic Woody Allen movie Annie Hall where the nine-year-old Alvy Singer has been taken to see his doctor because he's become depressed. His mother, who is at her wits end, points out it's because of something Alvy has read in a book. Alvy explains the problem: "The universe is expanding, someday it will break apart and that would be the end of everything." "He's stopped doing his homework" his mother adds, to which Alvy responds: "What's the point?"
This is a more imaginative version of the dog ate my homework excuse and while it's a little early to be getting metaphysical one might expand Alvy's point about there being no point to enquire about the purpose of education in an age of information on-demand, kindergarten robots and artificial intelligence.
In an era dominated by the internet, mobile devices and screens why would one need to physically attend school? Surely everything you need to learn can be accessed from home? Moreover, why bother with spelling, arithmetic or even languages if Google can do all this for you? In fact why bother learning anything at all if you can access everything from anywhere at any time? What's the point?
Fast forward to the future
I am aware of university students refusing to attend lectures, because they prefer to download their lectures and watch them at their own convenience at 1.5 times speed, rewinding anything that isn't instantly clear or understandable. But what's the point of even this if advanced machine learning and autonomous systems are capable of doing almost everything humans can do at a fraction of the cost? Under the current system are we not teaching the next generation to become rapidly redundant in the face of accelerating technological change?
We've been here before many times, of course. Machines have a long and rather repetitive history of stamping out human skills and while it may be true that the scale and the speed of change are different this time, they might not be.
We would therefore do well to remember the sage piece of advice contained in Douglas Adam's book, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which is "Don't Panic!" We repeatedly overestimate the impact of new inventions over the shorter term and while many superficial things are changing, many deeper things are not.
On the other hand, the only thing we can say with absolute certainty about the distant future is that it's uncertain. It is therefore surely our responsibility as adults and educators of future generations to ensure that our children have a decent future. We should therefore make mild preparations for a number of different outcomes, especially any that currently appear unfavourable. After all, if just about everything else is being digitally disrupted why not education? Surely education is one of the last bastions of the analogue and unless educators start to think about how to maximise the upsides of digital technologies they will rapidly fall victim to the digital downsides.
The educational system that exists in Australia today is one largely shipped over from England in the 19th Century when the economy was based upon agriculture, repetitive work and skills that generally resulted in jobs for life. These jobs weren't necessarily interesting, but they did involve physical activity and provided identity and meaning alongside money. This system worked fairly well back then, especially when most workers didn't have to think for themselves.
But the system arguably works less well now when individuals are increasingly paid for their ideas or their ability to manage or motivate others. The system nowadays is also one where individuals are increasingly responsible for the creation of their own lifetime employment. Thus an appreciation of how one sells oneself in an entrepreneurial context might be useful.
I'm a little reticent to suggest that education needs to be reinvented, partly because many aspects of the system work perfectly well, and also because one of the big problems that education suffers from are endless attempts to reinvent it. You'd think that after one hundred and fifty years or more we might have learned how to teach, but apparently not.
The leaning tower of PISA
Every time a freshly caffeine infused official is put behind a desk there seem to be panicked cries to move forward (or sometimes backwards) to compete with counties towards the top the PISA global education rankings, namely: a) Singapore b) China, c) South Korea or d) Finland.
This is a little odd because a) while Singapore is good at memorisation it has an issue with creative problem solving, b) so does China c) ditto South Korea, which by the way has a mental health epidemic largely caused by the pressure of a somewhat binary examination system. d) Finland, was a late developer educationally speaking, so it's fairly easy to dazzle from a distance and demonstrate high gains from a relatively low base. Finland also unintentionally games the PISA system by doing well across a narrow band of conventionally academic subjects. If you measure student happiness in Finland, for instance, the country is at the bottom of the class. Youth suicide is high in Finland (as worryingly elsewhere) and economically the country is one of the weakest in Europe. PISA, like its namesake tower, looks distinctly wobbly.
The OECD claims that PISA tests assess whether students have acquired key knowledge and skills that are "essential for full participation in modern societies." They would say this because it's the OECD, but the tests have little or no regard to cultural or regional context and, more importantly, do not assess how individuals perform or feel about themselves across the whole of their lives. These tests are largely a snapshot of economic preparation, not a measure lifetime happiness, mental wellbeing or physical health.
So my first suggestion to anyone involved in education in Australia or anywhere else is simply to stop. Stop with the endless proclamations, denigrations, exemplifications and modifications and allow the fine dust of any recent educational reforms to settle. And ignore PISA.
Then, when the air has cleared, pat yourselves on the back for doing a good job with limited resources and little in the way of thanks from students, parents or anyone else. Only then should you start to think about what education in Australia might look like in the future and how it might serve society in the broadest and most useful sense.
Think. Again.
When I say think, I don't cursory glances, snatched snippets or measly morsels. I mean huge heaving plates of contemplation capable of exciting or frightening anyone coming within a country mile of them. Think wide-open spaces of unpopulated possibility. Think curly whirly thoughts that would make Doctor Seuss and his Cat in the Hat grin from ear to ear.
Think about how you'd do things differently if you were building the education system from scratch – a new system with no legacies or liabilities whatsoever. One in which resources, the media, the unions, politicians, parents and the business environment weren't a factor at all. What would you do? More importantly, perhaps, what would you stop doing? Spend about a year thinking about this.
A year? I can already hear calamitous cries coming from the corridors of Canberra. But seriously, what is the rush? This is serious. There are undoubtedly things that are more urgent, but I struggle to think of anything that's more important than the education of future Australians.
Get smart.
In the past Australia has been a lucky country. To remain so it needs to become a smart one too and the only way to achieve this is through education, not digging large holes and exporting the contents to China. This isn't sustainable.
You've most probably got one shot at major reform for the next generation so take your time and don't waste theirs. If you can't come up with any earth shattering thoughts no worries. Just leave things alone and focus on hiring the very best teachers you possibly can. Also constantly reinforce the idea that literacy and numeracy are the foundations upon which everything else is eventually built.
I'm a fan of Slow Education, which, like Slow Food, teaches us to take our time. Both Slow Food and Slow Education are people-centric, reflective and aim to ensure that individuals appreciate where the things they consume come from. Both emphasise the importance of local difference, craft and quality over standardised production and cheap ingredients.
For me Slow Education is about the pleasure of the process as much as any potentially illusory destination or outcome. It is about classroom interaction, conversation and the slow unfolding of understanding. It is also a reaction to pushy parents and tiger mothers who see all lessons in the context of prestigious professions and the making of money.
Slow leadership within education might ensure that the influence of such parents is kept to a minimum. Explaining to year five-year-old that there's a good chance they'll live to become a one-hundred-year-old might also ensure some much needed perspective.
Slow learning obviously has some negative associations, but one of the biggest problems we've got in our get it done yesterday world is the idea that faster is always better or more productive. Nonsense.
Never confuse movement with progress and remember that things that are done slowly tend to be done well and are remembered. It's also worth recalling that the word school comes from the Greek word schole, meaning leisure or leisurely. Learning should be preparation for the whole of life, not just work. Schooling (and I include further education here) should be about understanding oneself rather than understanding where a set of somewhat subjective examination results might lead over the shorter-term. Again, it's about taking a whole of life perspective.
But, unfortunately, this ancient Greek lesson has been lost. Today education is tied up almost exclusively with economic utility. In other words, the point of education is largely workforce preparation, although, as we've seen, there's the very real danger that the current system is preparation for a workforce that won't exist in the future.
Some studies (e.g. Frey & Osborne) suggest that a third or more jobs could vanish over the next few decades due to automation, artificial intelligence and robotics. I think such claims are a little alarmist, but nevertheless it would do no harm to think about whether or not the current system is positively aligned to future developments.
Importantly, are we equipping students with the right attitudes and skills to compete globally – and locally – in a market where value will be derived largely from human interaction and the ability to invent and interpret things that machines cannot.
But the future economy is merely one factor. It is critical that people are given the mental resources to earn a living in a knowledge economy and, perhaps, even within Industry 4.0 and a post-knowledge economy (whatever they may be).However, the ability to earn a living and buy products should be the by-product not the primary objective. People should be taught to be more than mere producers and consumers or the managers of machines.
For me the purpose of education should first and foremost be the creation of a fair and just society. You might argue that the purpose of education should be employment and that full employment has served Australia well as an output recently, but I think this idea is failing fast and we should all try harder to come up with something additional that's a little more inspiring for future generations.
Albert Einstein is often quoted as saying that "Education is what remains when one has forgotten everything one learns in school." He didn't actually say this at all. He refers to "a wit" that said: "Education is that which remains, if one has forgotten everything he learned in school." The critical word here is "if" and the point is not the importance of learning anything per se, but the act of learning itself. This learning starts at school, but it shouldn't end there.
The role and purpose of education beyond the creation of a fair and just society should to teach people to think and to think well. This, hopefully, will create and continually reinforce a fair, just and inclusive society. If the prospect of satisfying, meaningful and purposeful work is the preserve of a highly educated elite then the whole system will eventually fail. We need to demolish disadvantage, not entrench it still further.
But we seem to have forgotten this hugely important lesson.We have forgotten that society means 'we' not 'me' and that true individuality can only exist within the context of an enlightened and liberal whole. We can only truly be ourselves in the presence of others and this includes those that think differently about things. But, unfortunately, education nowadays seems to be increasingly focussed on individual attainment regardless of any wider consequences.
In some ways this is a good thing. Individuality and innovation are strongly linked. But innovation only truly flourishes in societies that are diverse and tolerant of other individuals, especially those with seemingly strange or non-conformist ideas. This is why countries like a) Singapore, b) China, c) South Korea and d) Finland all struggle to replicate the radical thinkers that reside in places like California, which, interestingly, isn't dissimilar to Australia in many respects. Both are open to migrants (well both used to be), both have vast open sunny spaces where the imagination can soar and both regard themselves as young democracies that have escaped the oppression of a colonial past.
In this context, the primary role of education in Australia should be the creation a common, yet flexible culture ("We are one, but we are many… from all the lands on earth we come"). This should be supported by a unifying purpose in which humans and humanity are central, not the economy or technology.But alongside the fetish of the individual we have elevated both business and technology to God-like status when both are mere tools (and you can read that last word any way you like). Fair and just means that we should be taught to treat each other – and our planet – with respect and learn not to carelessly exploit either for financial or individual gain.
Whatever you end up doing regarding reform is clearly up to you, but if I were you I would start by exploring purpose in more depth and then move on to what makes humans different to even the smartest machines, because it is within this territory that a sustainable and fulfilling future lies.
In short, how can education contribute to human happiness and fulfilment in the broadest sense and how can education be applied to ensure that humans work with and not against automation and artificial intelligence?
Teaching people to be human
To my mind, human creativity and empathy would be at the top of any list of uniquely human characteristics along with the ability to make moral decisions. I would therefore dig deeply into what educational cultures, processes and tools are available to extend and enhance these human traits. In some cases this may mean going backwards – or at least changing a few things – if we wish the world to remain the same.
For example, it's well known that technology companies see the future of education as digital and fully connected. There is big money in this for them. This may well end up being the future, but be very careful not to write-off any old ideas simply because they are old or well used. Many things that are very old became so because they're very good.
Thinking of old ideas, don't forget to dig into the history of education too. This would not only provide some further perspective, but there could be ideas hidden in the attic of education that could be renovated and reintroduced with minimum resistance.
Last year I had an email exchange with an ex Headmaster of a respected school in Sydney. He reminded me of the thought propagated by Aristotle and cultivated by Thoreau that society all too often suffers from improved means to unimproved ends. In this context there is a danger that the excessive use of digital technology and connectivity is simply sending us in the wrong destination even faster.
Paper is a case in point. In the rush to digitalise education, we've perhaps forgotten that paper is one of the smartest technologies we've ever invented and one that appears to make people clever. Words slowly written or read on paper tend to be digested better than those written or read on hyperactive screens. As a result context and argument are seen and understood more clearly on paper. Speed and distraction are inversely proportional to understanding.
A similar point about understanding might be said of downloading lectures and watching them at x 1.5 speed or even potentially of MOOCs. If you live in the middle of the outback then online learning is better than no learning at all. Used wisely online learning can enhance and extend other forms of learning. But be careful not to write-off the importance of physical teaching and classroom interaction completely. It's difficult to question an online teacher and good lessons and classroom discussions have a habit of spilling over into the playground or the college bar afterwards in a way that a recorded lecture, often watched alone, cannot.
Digital stars
It's also difficult to become motivated or inspired by a machine. I know you can offer digital rewards to students, some of which seem to work, but liking a teacher and liking an app are totally different things. At the time of writing my eldest son is sitting his exams and he has been particularly diligent about revising for Geography. Why? Because he really likes his geography teacher and doesn't want to disappoint him. I suspect that in twenty years time he'll still remember his name while the apps he used at school will be long forgotten.
Moreover, do not forget that the early years of education in particular are partly about learning to get on with other people. If you remove, or significantly reduce, opportunities for physical interaction among students and staff it could well be that you are propagating a system in which individuals are taught to ignore, or at least misunderstand, the needs of others.
Remember too the importance of place. I looked into the future of Public Libraries in NSW many years ago and one theme that shone through strongly was that libraries weren't just about borrowing books. Public libraries were neutral civic non-commercial spaces in which books, historical objects and, most importantly, people interacted and learnt about each other. They were where people come to learn about things and to find things, including themselves. Schools could borrow an idea or two from public libraries.
The importance of good architecture and design is therefore important, although in the end it is the people and especially the physical interaction between inspiring teachers and willing students with sponge-like minds that's most important.
Another issue – and this circles straight back to not only PISA, but to human uniqueness – is that we seem to be worrying more about how well we are doing what we think we must do rather than thinking about what needs to be done. Aristotle, Thoreau and Donald Rumsfeld all rolled into one if your mind goes back that far.
The Australian system, like most others, seems obsessed with numbers and grades. Progress – or at least attainment – is achieved via standardised testing and one might argue that the passing of exams is the whole point. But are we obsessing about the wrong obsession?
Teaching to the test
Exams are how students are evaluated and needless to say the system favours certain subjects, certain intelligences and therefore certain students over others. A model student, as the educationalist Ken Robinson points out, is one in which a student passes from one educational institution to another with the minimum of friction or fuss.
The system, and it's more or less the system everywhere as far as I can tell, has been designed to test ability across a very narrow range of subjects or skills often on a particular day – or series of days – come hell or high water.
Students take the same tests at roughly the same time (and regardless of age or development) and all other abilities, measures or concerns tend to be diluted or dismissed.
What counts is whether you can regurgitate a series of facts and apply them in a logical manner that is consistent with the views of the examiner or exam board. At its most basic level it's a memory test. At a more sophisticated level (and in later years education) it's a test of understanding, but rarely do the tests assess anything other than the idea that every problem has a right answer.
None of this was much of a problem when the world tended to be simple and static. But nowadays our problems can be complex, uncertain and ambiguous. Furthermore, many of the world's really big problems are connected. It's like a game of Whack-a-Mole. You hit one problem on the head and another pops up somewhere else.
We should be teaching students about the connected nature of knowledge. We should be giving them the confidence and skills to question conventional wisdom and solve fluid and connected problems – all of which comes back to teaching people how to think for themselves.
We should spend more time asking students to solve real world problems and especially in groups rather than alone. And perhaps in some instances we should mark the class rather than the individual. This might promote collaboration and encourage the weaker members of any class.
If you've never taken the Spaghetti Tower Marshmallow Challenge you should, because it teaches everything from physics and negotiation to leadership skills. I'm also keen on goal-based education in the broadest sense.
For instance, in addition to teaching science as a subject, science can be taught as the solution to problems such as climate change, water quality or clean energy.
In early years this would generally be explanatory and illustrative, but in later years it can actively be about seeking useable solutions.
Again, in the past there wasn't much need to do any of this. If you had an agrarian or a factory-based economy on your hands what you needed were standardised students that emerged from the system into work fully formed and compliant.
But if you have an innovation or problem-based economy on your hands, one in which people are paid for either their ideas or their ability to motivate or inspire other people to have ideas, then this system might not be the right one.
This links back to many of the countries towards the top of the PISA rankings. Yes, places like Singapore, China and South Korea perform well when it comes to core subjects like maths, but they score poorly when it comes to producing citizens that can think and act independently.
Excepting its Ivy League universities, the US doesn't instantly spring to mind when it comes to being an educational role model (it was 25th on the PISA rankings last time I looked and is consistently at the bottom in terms of maths). But when it comes to developing world-changing ideas it is often in a class of its own. This is largely due to a culture of creative criticism and creative destruction. In the US it pays to challenge conventional solutions. This is one upside to individualism, although even in the US there's a limit to what a single individual can achieve working alone.
Contrast this with the likes of China. I've taught classes of executives from China that won't say a word until the most senior executive in the room has spoken and open criticism is almost unheard of. How does this sit with the idea that public discussion and criticism are so central to progress? I suppose the trick is achieving some kind of balance between the insight of one and the wisdom of many.
Another issue with the narrow educational focus we have now is that this approach takes no account of the fact that students learn at different speeds and are good at different things.
Students tend to be categorised at certain ages (with testing starting as young as five in the UK) and the categorisations can be fairly fixed. In other words if a child is thought be a dimwit at the age of eleven it's assumed that they'll stay this way forever and this can be reflected in lower standards of teaching. This is clearly a load of old tosh.
It's also rubbish that your whole future can be determined by how you perform on a particular day. Maybe we should mark individuals across their entire school career or if you really do want to go down the path of endless examinations why stop at school? Hey, why not have the government publish annual rankings of individuals from birth to death based upon a series of tests or, more practically, on the opinions of social networks? (Please don't do this).
A tolerance for failure
And what of the role of luck? We aren't generally taught about luck at school – or failure for that matter, but both play a significant part in most peoples' lives. How and why might one integrate luck and failure into national curricula?
Life in the broadest and most general sense is about a series of experiments, many of which will result in failure. The trick, it seems to me, is to carry on with a negligible loss of energy or enthusiasm. This isn't the same as the Silicon Valley mantra that all failure is success, but failure can and does teach us about determination, inventiveness and resilience.
As the designer, inventor and billionaire entrepreneur James Dyson puts it: "Creative breakthroughs always begin with multiple failures… true invention lies in the understanding and over coming of these failures." Quite.
Schools in particular surely have a responsibility to not only encourage safe and non-judgemental experimentation but ensure that every student has the opportunity to find out through failure what it is that they most enjoy and are best at regardless of peer pressure or subject hierarchies. We need bright chemists and mathematicians, but we also need great farmers and ballet dancers. And, of course, great teachers.
As for luck it's important to learn that sometimes things don't work through no fault of your own, but equally that luck responds positively to energy and effort. Teaching those that will later do well that luck will have played a part also acts as a counter-force to any egotistical urges. Failure teaches adaptability and resilience, which are possibly two of the most important attributes you can have in a world that's become volatile, uncertain and complex and is set to become more so in the future.
But let's get back to intelligence.
Defining intelligence in a traditional manner (generally IQ rather than EQ) writes off large numbers of students from an early age. Putting to one side the issue of giving everyone a fair go, I'm constantly talking to employers that despair of graduates with perfect biographies or first class degrees.
High achieving students are usually technically more able, but they can be more fragile too, never having experienced major failures or frustrations. Their character, personality and selling skills can be sadly lacking too.
The idea of multiple intelligences usually lists eight forms of intelligence, but in education we tend to focus on just one or at best two. We are obsessed with logical and to some extent linguistic intelligence followed (if you are lucky) by physical and creative intelligence. Social, personal, moral and spiritual intelligence are mostly ignored. This is nonsense. We need to broaden what we value and give students more opportunity to discover what they might be good at. Learning a little bit about everything before you focus on learning everything about something is a lesson we've largely forgotten too. So let's broaden both teaching and student assessment to include a more rounded and societally cohesive set of skills, capabilities and behaviours.
Putting to one side the fact that our narrow focus throws huge numbers of students into a dustbin at a very early age – and potentially for life – it's dreadfully daft because the intelligences most likely to be made redundant in the face of artificial intelligence and advanced machine learning in the future are logical and linguistic.
In contrast, the remaining intelligences, especially social and creative intelligence, are likely to remain the domain of humans not machines. Go figure.Creativity (which to my mind includes curiosity, intuition, imagination, originality, aesthetics and divergent thinking) is the intelligence where smart machines are at their very weakest. So too are the nations we seem to be in awe of educationally. But despite this we seem to be hell bent on removing the teaching of creative subjects from many curricula to allow for a deeper focus on logical subjects. Illogical.
In the UK, for example, half of UK schools have axed design and technology examinations so that students can focus on what they consider core subjects, especially STEM.
Putting to one side the thought that art, music and other creative subjects are valuable in themselves because they explain, illuminate and medicate the human condition, there's the question of exactly where our future scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians are supposed to get their world changing originality from if anything remotely resembling an imaginative subject is removed during their formative years. STEM is a short stalk going nowhere if you don't feed it with some imagination.
Another consideration is that, by default, any narrow focus on academic subjects gives certain supposedly intelligent students tacit permission to behave like complete psychopaths at school and later within society at large.
If the system doesn't value or measure morality or good character then it turns a blind eye to people that don't have any and who, quite frankly, shouldn't be let into or out of school in the first place. Under the current system, all that counts is that students pass their exams. What many schools want are kids that achieve high scores, thereby making their own rankings look good. From there 'successful' students can move seamlessly into a handful of top universities and thereafter into a select group of organisations. At this point their confidence most likely solidifies into arrogance and their brains go to their heads. Have you met any modest CEOs recently?
Physical intelligence (aka sport) looks like it is in reasonably fine fettle in Australia, but we should remain vigilant so that it stays so and resist any attempt to trivialise or dilute its teaching.Childhood (and adulthood) is becoming increasingly sedentary and screen-based and we must flex our muscles to ensure that we all spend as much time outdoors as possible.
We will surely be less inclined to value nature if we spend far less time interacting with it too. A reverence for nature should be taught at an early age and reinforced throughout education. If there's one lesson we don't teach as often as we should it's that we only have one world and we should take more care of it. To be fair this is taught during the primary years, but the lesson is largely lost in later years.
Personally, I'd like to see more schools growing their own food and cooking it too. This isn't domestic science; it's biology, physics, and chemistry infused with a hint of sustainability. Come to think of it you could throw in some geology and astrophysics and perhaps eventually get to God if that's your thing.
I'd also like to see more lessons about the quality of the air we breathe and the pollution we throw into our seas. Indeed, given the number of physical acres devoted to education I'd like to see more schools aiming to be resource positive or neutral by harvesting their own energy and water (science lessons, design, engineering and perhaps economics).
That's probably enough about sustainability. Much more and the leader writers at the Daily Telegraph and Sun Herald will create so much hot air that they'll become a renewable energy source.
What else might you think about? It's difficult to cover an area as vast as education in Australia in 5,000 words, but one other thing I would consider is demographics. This might sound a bit boring, but think of it as being about people again.
The Australian population is ageing and while this has implications for student enrolment a more pressing problem might be teacher recruitment. Too many teachers are set to retire in the near future and you might consider thinking about ways to prevent them from doing so – or at least keeping a little bit of them once they've gone.
This in turn links to another people point. Schools are pillars of the local community, but they can be islands of isolation and segregation. Why can't school resources and facilities be more widely used locally? Why do schools have to close when the students have gone home? Why can't older citizens (especially retired teachers) be seen as potential reservoirs to be tapped when other resources dry up? Wisdom can be learnt from older generations and many would be happy to help if only they were asked.
At the other end of the age spectrum, perhaps students could help older people to understand the digital world and maybeschool leavers, and especially university leavers, should be required to spend time in their own community or, more usefully perhaps, a distant one. If an aim of education is the tolerance and understanding of others then time away could be highly educational.
Another demographic theme to consider might be the influence of foreign students. I believe that the flow of Asian students into Australian universities is highly significant. Is this a concentration risk? What might happen if this flow dramatically slowed or dried up altogether? But, even if it doesn't, why not design new courses to create new revenue streams for schools and other educational establishments? Evening classes for those aged 65 plus looking to re-enter education for instance?
I think my time and word count are now up so my final point is this: The thought that the universe will ultimately vanish into darkness can be read one of two ways. Either, as Alvy Singer says, there is no point to anything. Everything we do is ultimately inconsequential. We should therefore put another shrimp on the barbq and have fun in the sun.Or you can take the opposite view. That while it shines the sun illuminates the importance of looking after our tiny planet and every human being briefly attached to its surface. The best way to do this might be to use education to fuel a sense of wonder about the universe and our place within it. To teach people that everyone leaves behind a legacy. Whether that legacy is positive or negative is down to education.


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LeSS (Large-Scale Scrum) is a framework for practicing scrum beyond single team. This is not a new framework in reality many organization opt for LeSS or LeSS like framework naturally. I will tell a story in a form of workshop to share my experience in implementing Large-Scale Scrum. Will cover about LeSS principles, rules and practices.
Will also cover organization change by adopting large-scale scrum. I strongly advocate to change organization design and structure for successful adoption of agility. LeSS is not prescriptive but provides principles and rules to bring change in organization. My story will cover both part of LeSS wherein I will be sharing principles that helped us in making organization change and how team self-manages to practice scrum beyond single team.
This is a 2 days session that will cover Large-Scale Scrum (LeSS Framework) implementation story in the form of workshop. Participants will have to go through many activities in order to understand the situations created by facilitator. Workshop will cover principles like system thinking, queueing theory, empirical process control and Lean thinking etc. Workshop will also cover how to deliver integrated product increment at the end of every sprint by excellent technical practices. This workshop will touch the areas which many people avoid discussing like undone work in sprint, how to manage those undone work and why not to go for proxy product owner etc.
Workshop will start with why and when LeSS or LeSS like framework needed. Where we will have questions and answers session to understand need of scaling and what scaling means. Will share the situation that I have encountered and also what could have been done to avoid those or the need of scaling framework. Will practice Causal Loop Diagram (CLD) to understand the need for Scrum, Large-Scale Scrum and why organizational change needed for agile adoption at enterprise.
Couple of activities on how to form team? Activities includes identification of product to understand the size of product and development team. Team get structured very well if product is real because real product bring whole product thinking. Choosing framework based on size of product also become easy if product has been identified clearly. Another activity is on feature team vs component team. What is the meaning of feature team and how to organize by customer value?
Workshop will help to understand some burning questions like how many product owner needed if there is more than one development team? How a single product owner can cater multiple development team? What will be role of Scrum Master? Do we need to have dedicated Scrum Master for every team or can one Scrum Master facilitate multiple development team? What will be the role of managers in large-scale scrum?
My story will cover majority of these questions with how we started organization changes and where leadership team get involved. How we conveyed some tuff messages to middle manager like "you are important to organization and organization values your work but unfortunately role is no longer relevant". Best part of our implementation is nobody left job feeling unwanted and yes there was many resistance but all resistance are not bad as it helps in understanding organization complexity and people psychology.

subset: commoncrawl


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Business Spanish Course – Intensive Business Spanish Course – extensive Private Spanish clases
Our Business Spanish courses are designed for professionals who want to succeed in the working world by improving their knowledge of the Spanish language. [… view +]
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Tiffany Reisz is in Kentucky!
November 4, 2017 — WEKY Conference (speaking + signing — advance registration required), 9am-4pm, Morehead, KY
November 18, 2017 — Kentucky Book Fair (signing — free admission) 9am-4pm, Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY
If I'm able I'll be there for both Lexington and Morehead. My eldest son graduated from Morehead. He was on the drumline and yelled, "Go, Head!" much more often than necessary. Their cadence as they marched off the field is called FUBAR.
Yeah, my eldest, Aaron, is the one who finally acknowledges me after they take off their plumes.
Really, what location could be more perfect?! Tiffany Reisz, Lexington native, educated at Centre College, is an incredibly talented author. Her books after the Original Sinners series prove she doesn't have to write erotica to make my panties wet! Although I still consider Angel my favorite romance. I cried so much. My husband prefers I read to him, but he has yet to finish a chapter. And no, he hasn't heard Angel yet – LOL! Perhaps I should read audio books for a living.
If you can't find time to hear Tiffany speak or sign something naughty in her latest novel at least read Mischief. It's now officially my favorite Halloween story! A French submissive vintner and a Dominatrix go hunting ghosts and looking for a threesome in Salem on Halloween? It's even better than you can imagine, which is usual for Tiffany!
Best of all, it's FREE on Kindle right now, so CELEBRATE!! And then buy everything else she's written. My husband calls it "inspirational reading" – he loves it when Tiffany releases a new book!


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The Wandsworth Advice forum is a collaboration between Voluntary, Advice and Public Sector Organisations in the Wandsworth Borough. The forum meets quarterly to discuss current and future policies and the impact it is having or will have on our clients. On occasion, the forum has undertaken research to illustrate the impact of national policy decisions which has resulted in a Universal Credit and Housing summit. If you are interested in collaborating on a research project, please get in touch!
The forum provides ad hoc training for the staff and volunteers of its members which offers an opportunity for staff to network with other member organisations.
Latest News:
- DASCAS, Wandsworth Carers Centre and Age UK Wandsworth have released the "Review of Advice in Wandsworth Community Health Settings" report.
- The Wandsworth Advice Forum Memorandum of Understanding is now available for members to review.


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You are here: Home Resources Business Tips Plan for Tomorrow's Technology Today
As you read this, somebody somewhere is asking "How did we ever get along without the Internet?"
It's true that in a relatively short time, Internet-based technology has revolutionized the way we work, live, and exchange information. Few people understand this power better than small business owners, who have harnessed technology's many facets to reach customers around the globe, collaborate with colleagues and employees, and work from almost anywhere there's a Wi-Fi signal.
Because the technology landscape seems to shift on a near-daily basis, entrepreneurs need to stay on top of both general and industry-specific trends to determine which ones can best benefit their businesses.
Ramon Ray, Editor and Technology Evangelist for smallbiztechnology.com, cites the cross-integration of cloud computing services as a key area to watch.
"Being able to load a video into drop box and have it seamlessly added to your YouTube account with no manual re-upload is amazing," he says. "Hosted applications are also doing a better job of talking with each other."
With social media becomes firmly established as a small business marketing tool, Seattle-based marketing strategist Robbin Block says its effects on consumer behavior should be monitored closely.
"There's already talk of 'Facebook fatigue,' where all these snippets of information lose their novelty," she says.
On the other hand, the tie-in of social media with mobile devices will likely proliferate rapidly according to Larry Bailin, Founder and CEO of Single Throw Internet Marketing. For example, Foursquare allows customers at restaurants or other local establishments to share information about food and service quality, specials, wait time, etc.
"Go Walla extends this by enabling people to comment on other settings or experiences," Bailin adds. "These applications help users make decisions about places to go."
Author and digital media marketing Mike Moran cites the advent of Google Place pages, which he says make sense for any business that relies heavily on location to attract customers. "These services are not needed by every business," he adds, "but small businesses would do well to note them and see if they apply to their target markets."
Keeping current with these and other trends can be time-consuming, adds Heather Dougherty, Director of Research for Experian Hitwise, but watching analytics (e.g., online transactions, overall traffic, and sources of visitors) can provide the data needed to prioritize initiatives.
"Also, any channels that provide a voice to the customer—ratings, Twitter, Facebook, etc.—should be monitored regularly for both positive and negative feedback," Dougherty says.
Ray recommends frequent technology audits that examine security, training, assessment of future needs, and analysis of what tools are currently not working or underperforming.
"It is critical to review your business processes and operations and ensure technology is maximized to assist as fully as possible," he says.
For help with adapting to any trend affecting the future of your small business, contact SCORE. There, you'll find a wealth of information resources, training, and free, confidential counseling from business experts. For more information, visit www.score.org.
To learn more, contact SCORE Lakes Region by calling 524-0137 or log on to www.scorelakesregion.org and link to Free Counseling. Experience business advisors are available to offer free and confidential advice. SCORE is a nonprofit organization of more than 10,500 volunteer. Also, if you are interested in offering a small amount of your time by sharing your business experience to others please contact our office.


text: "Eileen's books are amazing stories of real people with many, many different stories! I enjoy them so much. Very easy to read and very emotional at times. I shared my stories in two books and then gave her books to my sister for Christmas. My sister LOVED the books!" – Patty


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Samsung is one of the leading producers of tech products for a reason, their commitment to innovative, intuitive design drives the production of quality products. We've looked through our store and picked out some the best Samsung gear at Techscheme, all available with 12% off from the RRP and the ability to spread the cost over up to three years. Let's see what we've got.
Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus
It seems silly not to start with Samsung's flagship mobiles, they're the best Android mobiles you can get right now. For the first time, they both feature an Infinity Display, with the screen reaching around the edges of the mobile's face. The Super AMOLED screens beat out all corners when it comes to picture quality, while that Infinity Display gives you a larger screen surface without compromising the sleek design.
As you would expect with new mobiles – when it comes to the speed and power of these phones they sit among the best in the world. You'll be able to keep multiple windows open, flipping between them or using the split-screen feature to use two at a time with little to no slowdown. Battery life is impressive, both will last you more than a day, with the S8 Plus eking out a more thanks to a larger battery.
You can pick up the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus from Techscheme with savings of up to £82 and £93 respectively.
Samsung Galaxy A3 and A5
Samsung doesn't just make big-ticket items though. The Galaxy A3 and A5 mobiles are an excellent solution for those who want a good quality phone but aren't quite prepared to pay flagship prices. Again, Samsung use high-quality Super AMOLED displays in both phones, they don't quite match up to the S8 and S8 Plus, but they're easily more rich and vibrant than their competitors in price. The same is true for their processing capabilities, less, but still leaders at this place in the market.
Battery life again is good, with the larger A5 able to go a little longer. Aside from their size, the main difference between the two mobiles lies in the cameras. The A5 has lovely, clear 16MP front and rear camera, while the A3 has 13MP rear and 8MP front snappers. There is a little less quality there but it's not so much as to be put off, and the cheaper price tag and the smaller case makes it understandable.
As for savings, we'll net you up to £33 on the A3 and £44 on the A5 from the recommended retail price. This makes these two, already affordable, mobiles and even better deal.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
Lastly, we'll talk about the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3. This high-end tablet is all about design; it feels familiar like an old device, but under the hood, there's a lot going on. New techniques for amplifying sound give it the best speakers you'll find in a tablet, the HDR-ready display is a world first for tablets, it comes with a sleek stylus and the processor chip puts it among the market leaders for power and speed.
There's not really anything the Tab S3 does wrong, even the battery life on this powerful tablet is great at 12 hours, but with Samsung's fast charging knowledge, it'll only take three hours to top up. There's that trademark Super AMOLED screen two excellent cameras.
There are two variants of the Tab S3, one with 4G and Wi-Fi, and one with just the Wi-Fi. We'll save you up to £80 and £71 respectively on them.
|Techscheme Price
|Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
|Samsung Galaxy S8
|Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
|Samsung Galaxy A5
|Samsung Galaxy A3
If you're a Samsung fan there's no better place to shop than Techscheme. Of course, if you fancy branching out with different products or brands we have a wide range of great tech gear in our store. To have access to our great savings and want to spread the cost on your new tech, you'll need your employer to be signed up. It costs nothing and there are benefits for them too! Send them our way.


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Check Out the new Remax App
Ask About This Home
This home was designed and inspired by the best Kiawah has to offer. The exterior appeal is immediately noticed when you pull into the driveway. The architectural details are accented by the metal roof, marine cable deck rails, custom shutters and stylish roof pitches. The gem of this property is the large pool and the private setting. Offering southern exposures, you will enjoy the enhanced sunlight and natural breezes. From your pool deck, you will enjoy the natural marsh and watching the wildlife. The home has a large covered patio, perfect for watching the kids play in the pool and having family meals. Inside the house is a gracious and well thought out floor plan. The kitchen has all top of the line appliances, including a gas 36" Viking cook top. The dining area is adjacent


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- South Carolina
- The Charlotte Area
- Ft. Mill/Indian Land
- The Estates at Audubon Lake
Sold Out
The Estates at Audubon Lake
About the Community
Experience our Life Tested® home designs in the Life Tested neighborhood of Estates at Audubon Lake. Located minutes from south Charlotte, and just across the South Carolina boarder, Estates at Audubon Lake provides quick and convenient access to major thoroughfares I-485, I-77, and to uptown Charlotte, as well as the financial benefit of low Lancaster County taxes.
Area Details
What Life's Like
About the Area
About the Area
Additional Features
- Low Lancaster County Taxes
- Only 4 miles to South Charlotte and Ballantyne Area
- Convenient to I-77 and I-485
- Minutes from Ballantyne Village, Blakeney Shopping Center & Stonecrest
- Pool w/Waterslide, Kiddie Water Park, & Play Ground
Build Quality Experience
Over 65 years of experience go into the building of every Pulte home, and our construction standards are set high to meet and exceed industry expectations. Learn more about our quality build process.
(6) Nearby Neighborhood(s)
For Every Taste
Kitchens That Cook
When building a new home with Pulte Homes, explore our kitchen options and configurations to make your cooking zone truly your own.Let's Cook
Kitchen Innovations
Take a look at our 5 simple kitchen design elements that enhance functionality and make life easier.Read the Article


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Motel 6 Utica hotels are provided below. Search for cheap and discount Motel 6 hotel rates in Utica, MI for your upcoming individual or group travel. We list the best Motel 6 Utica hotels/lodging so you can review the Utica Motel 6 hotel list below to find the perfect place.
Our search will also provide discounted Utica, MI hotels & lodging that have similar star rating to Motel 6.Booking a group or meeting? Set up a group hotel block in Utica MI
How should we direct your call?
When you stay at Motel 6 Detroit Northeast - Madison Heights in Madison Heights, you'll be convenient to Red Oaks Waterpark.
When you stay at Motel 6 Detroit NW - Farmington Hills in Farmington Hills, you'll be close to Twelve Oaks Mall.


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Everyone Loves an Underdog: Top 8 Sports Movies (Double-Overtime Edition)
It probably seems odd, considering how unathletic I am, but I love sports. I spent a lot of time at basketball, T-ball, soccer, volleyball, and football games in my youth--Dad coached most of those at one time or another, but I attended even when I didn't have to. I even shocked a lot of jocks with my sports knowledge (and got more extra credit than them in the sports section of our Current Events quizes), which never ceases to amuse me.
My responsibilities have multiplied and my free time has diminished, so my sports viewing has been whittled down to football these days--but I still have a soft spot for a comeback, for an underdog, for the thrill of the game. I'm a sucker for that miraculous last-minute goal, for the injured runner who summons up the courage to finish the race, for the scrawny kid who surprises everyone and wins the day. Which is why the people who make sports movies seem to have my number. Sure, they might be formulaic, but they get me every time. I'm hoping to spend part of my birthday weekend watching Invincible--and even if I wasn't dealing with all these pregnancy hormones, I'd know that I'd better bring some Kleenex. Of course, I'll probably be crying throughout Talledega Nights, too, but that'll be from laughing.
I had enough entries to fill three Top 8 lists, but I don't want to drag the topic out for 3 weeks, so I'll just include a couple of bonus lists.
First, my Top 8 Favorite Sports Movies:
1.) Field of Dreams
2.) Remember the Titans
3.) Miracle
4.) Seabiscuit
5.) Hoosiers
6.) Pride of the Yankees
7.) The Cutting Edge (for sentimental reasons)
8.) Knute Rockne All American (if only he'd played for a decent team)
Overtime: Top 8 Sports Movies that Would Probably Make it to my Favorites List if I'd Seen 'Em:
1.) Friday Night Lights
2.) The Natural
3.) A League of Their Own
4.) Glory Road
5.) Rudy (if I can ignore the Notre Dame part--I can't stand ND)
6.) Fever Pitch (the 1997 version with Colin Firth as a rabid soccer fan)
7.) The Rookie
8.) Brian's Song
(No, I still haven't seen any of the Rocky movies...and I'm pretty sure they wouldn't end up on any of my lists.)
Double Overtime: Top 8 Sports-Related Comedies
1.) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
2.) Happy Gilmore
3.) The Waterboy
4.) Caddyshack
5.) Nacho Libre
6.) Cool Runnings
7.) Over the Top (comedy unintentional, but still hilarious)
8.) The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh
P.S. I'm sure Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby will bump a bunch of movies down on this list as soon as I get a chance to see it.


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Upcoming Training
Radar Altimetry Tutorial: Concrete Marine and Inland Water Applications using Sentinels data
A new expert service for Sentinel users
In the frame of the RUS service, the Training platform provides easy access to face-to-face training sessions, online webinars and e-learning courses.
Our training programme is free and aimed at users at various levels of proficiency.
Start now!
With our E-Learning courses – accessible further to registration – you can study the remote sensing theory as explained by our experts at your own pace


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How Reputation Management
Can Improve Your Online Reputation
Are you a victim of slanderous comments being found on the first page of Google – when searching for your company name? We specialize in pushing those negative comments down off of the first few pages. We have done this consistently and with great success. In some cases we have pushed negative comments from the top of the first page to the eighth page.
Business owners have discovered that the major search engines can be a double-edged sword. The things that are being said about your company can literally make or break your business.
Even if those negative comments were falsely fabricated by a jealous competitor or a disgruntled ex-employee, it doesn't matter. They WILL be seen by your potential customers and most likely cause you to lose sales. Imagine if you were only losing 5% of your business to this. What would that equal in annual lost revenue?
As unfair as it is, many people only need to see ONE negative complaint about your company to cause second thoughts or be frightened away altogether. Our reputation management services can suppress these negative results by dramatically pushing them down within the search engine rankings. In turn, our online reputation repair services will "push up" the most positive comments, ensuring that your customers see your company in the best possible light.
The Growing Need To Protect Your Online Reputation
Reputation protection has become a critical tool for businesses in every industry. A single negative remark can cause damage for years. A malicious attack on your company from a frustrated customer, disgruntled employee, or even a ruthless competitor can devastate your business.
Over the past several years, restaurants, airlines, banks, and automakers have coped with complaints showing up in Google. They have the financial resources to resolve the problem through expensive litigation. Smaller companies must use a more cost-effective approach to block or remove negative results from search engines. An SEO strategy that employs long-term, ethical techniques play a key role in effective reputation management.
Extreme Cases
Imagine this: a dishonest competitor has targeted your company and unleashed a barrage of false complaints against you. As a result, when you search for your company's name in Google and Yahoo, you're presented with an entire page of made-up grievances. Thousands of prospective customers are seeing those complaints.
To protect your online reputation, you must find a way to push down or remove negative results from search engines. The effort required to do so will depend on three things.
1) The number of complaints which currently exist.
2) The choice of how many pages you wish to push down the negative comments.
3) How competitive your particular situation is. A comprehensive approach to reputation management might include linking toward existing "positive" comments already found within the search engines, create fresh, positive online web pages (through press releases, blogs, articles, etc.) and carefully lifting each of them in the search engines' organic listings through extensive inbound link building efforts. It might also entail building a presence on several social media sites, directories, and other online properties.
In effect, the design of a long-term reputation management strategy is based upon the scope of its purpose. If your company is currently on the receiving end of a tide of negative sentiment in the search engines, a strategy can be tailored to suppress that tide. On the other hand, if your online reputation is currently untainted, a reputation management campaign can be designed to KEEP it that way and focus on existing positive reviews of your company.
Ashi Technology's Reputation Management Strategy
At Ashi Technology, we understand the value of long-term results. We have been helping our clients manage their online reputations through legitimate SEO methods for over a decade. In some cases, we have pushed negative comments from position #2 to below the 8th page! Our reputation management strategy focuses not only upon what is happening now, but also what can happen in the future. We can dramatically suppress negative results from search engines which are plaguing your company. Our team of experts will also work to ensure that future efforts to sabotage your business are blocked before they can gain momentum.
Your online reputation is one of your company's most important assets. Let us help protect it with our reputation management services. Contact us today to get started.


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MidNite Solar17722 67th Ave NE
Arlington, WA 98223
Phone: 360.403.7207
Fax: 360.691.6862
Wind Products
Product: MNBABYBOX
Price: $
Description:General use powder coated aluminum enclosure for retrofits, small inverter disconnect, PV disconnect, AC or DC distribution. Used all around the world. 3/4 & 1" knockouts each end. Accepts up to 4 Din mount breakers from 1 to 63 Amps.
Size: 7"L x 3"W x 2.5"D
Box Size: 8"L x 4"W x 3"D
Weight: 2 Lb/s


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YMCA Camp Grady Spruce offers international position in conjunction with YMCA International Camp Counselor Program (ICCP), Camp America and Communicating For Agriculture. By working with these three (3) organizations we are able to offer the wonderful opportunities to work in these departments:
- Food Service
- Outdoor Education
- Ranch Wranglers
- Summer Resident Camp
To learn more about how to become an International Staff, please contact one of the following agencies. Let them know that you are interested in working at YMCA Camp Grady Spruce. They will help you handle your paperwork and contact the specific Program Director.
If you have any questions, please contact Phylicia Sheehy.


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Happy to get a visit from you! In yourself, there is inspiration that have not been explored properly. You do not need to spend a lot of money just to get the imagination.
This is the proper reference for you to use. All the things that you have encountered has meaning, you may be confused at this time. If you are always ready with any circumstances that would be experienced then it is a good thing. Are you used to talk a lot to other people? Keep your secret, all information must be analyzed.
Do you still remember going to give this quote to whom? Hopefully the above quotation beneficial for you, you can also find other quotes in the same category. Thanks for visiting my blog, This image posted by Karim.


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Shelby Krogh
Volunteer and Events Supervisor
Email / (425) 398-8900
Click on the links below to learn more information about the event:
Movies @ The Square
When: Every other Wednesday, July 11 - August 22, 2018
Activities at 8:00 p.m./Movies at Dusk
Where: Town Square, 6728 NE 181st Street
Movies @ the Square is a four-piece summer movie series featuring family-friendly favorites shown on a large inflatable screen outdoors in the new Kenmore Town Square, 6728 N 181st Street. Food trucks and pre-show entertainment will begin at 8:00 p.m. and movies will begin at dusk. Bring a blanket or low-back chair and cozy up under the stars for this summer's biggest hits. Alcohol is not permitted.
2018 Lineup:
July 11: Ferdinand
July 25: Coco
August 8: The Greatest Showman
August 22: Black Panther
See 2018 Poster Here
18120 68th Ave NE
Kenmore, WA 98028
Find us on social media:
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About Me
I've loved reading as long as I can remember. On family vacations, I used to pack an extra bag just to carry my books.
Even so, I didn't always want to be a writer. Until I was eleven, I wanted to be a doctor. Then I took my first biology course and realized how many facts I'd have to remember. I decided I'd rather have a job where I could make stuff up.
When I finished college, I moved out to Los Angeles and got a job writing for a TV show on HBO. When my wife got a job offer in London, I followed her to the UK. Our plan was just to stay for two years—but that was in 2002 and we're still here.
Since moving to Britain, I've done all kinds of writing. I wrote or co-wrote four books aimed at adults. My work has appeared in The New Yorker and I've been a freelance contributor to The Onion. I've also written some radio and film scripts that didn't get made, as well as a few TV scripts that did.
I started writing children's books in 2005. It took more than a decade of writing, rewriting, and rejection, but my first children's book is coming out in 2017, with more to follow in 2018 and 2019.
Quick Facts
- I'm very absent-minded. Once when I was in high school, I tried for several minutes to write with my right hand, growing more and more frustrated, until I remembered that I'm left-handed.
- My favorite food is bread pudding. On my birthday, instead of a cake, I always ask for bread pudding with candles stuck in it.
- My great-grandfather moved from Poland to Austria. My grandfather and my mother moved from Austria to America. I moved from America to the UK. That makes me a fourth-generation immigrant.
- Iway amway eallray oodgay atway eakingspay igpay atinlay.
- Every time I start a project, I make a new playlist to listen to while I write. From then on, every time I work on that project, I listen to the same songs. After a few days, I've conditioned myself so that as soon as I hear the first song, I'm in the mood to write.
- As a kid, my favourite writers included Lloyd Alexander, Joan Aiken, CS Lewis, Robin McKinley, Roald Dahl, Ellen Raskin, Daniel Pinkwater, Beverly Cleary, Edward Eager, Sid Fleischman, Susan Cooper, Judy Blume, and Diana Wynne Jones.
- In my teens, I started reading comic books, and became a huge fan of writers like Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, and Scott McCloud.
- Growing up, I had a dog named Phred. If you said, "Hellooooo" to him, he would try his hardest to say it back, although it always came out as "Erroooo."
- I used to be able to turn both feet entirely around so that my toes touched behind my back. (I wouldn't recommend you try this. I now have bad knees and I think it's from turning my feet around!)


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Poppy Montgomery recently celebrated the impending birth of her second child at a baby shower in California.
The former Without a Trace star, who is due to give birth to a daughter this spring (13), was joined by pals at the Shutters on the Beach hotel in Santa Monica on 16 March (13) to mark the occasion, while her boyfriend Shawn Sanford also stopped by the ladies' event to join the festivities.
She tells People.com, "It was so wonderful to celebrate the impending arrival of our baby girl with such an extraordinary group of women. It was a beachy, fun, fabulous day that I will always cherish!"
The child will be the Australian beauty's first with Shawn Sanford; she is also mum to five-year-old Jackson, her son from her former relationship with actor Adam Kaufman.


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Happy Birthday, Chris Farley!
Christopher Crosby Farley (February 15, 1964 - December 18, 1997) was an American comedian and actor, best known for his five years as a cast member on Saturday Night Live (1990 - 1995). Farley became popular through the Improv Olympic and Second City Theaters in Chicago. It was here that he would meet Lorne Michaels, who would bring him to stardom. Farley's comic style was loud, energetic and shameless. Many of his characters are well remembered today. Farley suffered with problems of obesity and drug abuse throughout his career. The latter would eventually be his demise and he died from the same cause as his comedy idol John Belushi. Chris Farley's legacy lives on through a star on Hollywood Boulevard, through his comedy peers and through the countless fans he inspired.
Chris Farley was born in Madison, Wisconsin. He was part of a close-knit Catholic family who lived together in an upscale neighborhood. His father owned an oil company and he had four siblings. They attended mass together every week. Farley's father struggled with weight problems himself, eventually growing to 600 pounds. Chris learned to embrace his appearance and created a defense mechanism to avoid being bullied. He used humor. Farley's ability to make his classmates laugh got him many friends at his high school as well as a position on the school Football team. Whenever his teachers heard uncontrollable laughter, they knew Farley must be close by.
Chris Farley attended Marquette University in nearby Milwaukee, majoring in Communications and Theater. Farley quickly established himself as the fumbling class clown and would play memorable pranks to try get the attention of girls. By the time he graduated from college at age twenty-two, he was desperate for time on the stage. Farley moved to Chicago where he performed at comedy grounds Improv Olympic -- the alma mater of his idols Bill Murray and John Belushi. The transition from IO to bigger theater Second City was flawless. He toured with their traveling comedy show then was accepted onto the main stage. Farley frequently stole the show and impressed teacher Del Close.
Del Close, a legendary comedy teacher who has since passed, believed strongly in Farley. He recommended Farley for roles alongside far more established performers. Other teachers were hesitant, still thinking of Farley as a loud troublemaker. By the late 1980s, Farley's name was buzzing around the comedy circuit. Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels flew to Chicago to see him perform. He was cast as a new member in the Fall of 1990 alongside Adam Sandler and David Space. The rookie new stars would evolve into legends.
Farley struggled with excess and enthusiasm for life's many temptations. He was addicted to eating, drinking and staying up late - a lifestyle fitted to late night comedy. He would also become involved with drugs and prostitutes. Farley began making a six digit salary due to his success playing hilarious characters on Saturday Night Live. Producer Michaels was worried about him. He asked Farley to either join rehab or leave the show. Drug counselor Dallas Taylor worked hard to help Farley's addictions. Farley tried his best to recover but would never quite shake free from these habits.
Chippendale Dancers (Remix)
Some of Farley's most successful characters on the show included Matt Foley, the inspirational speaker who "lived in a van down by the river." He also played a Chippendale's dancer, a Gap Girl, a Lunch Lady and did impressions of celebrities from Jerry Garcia to Newt Gingrich. Farley and Sandler would pull pranks in the Rockefeller Center offices. His need to attract attention and make people laugh was insatiable. Despite the anger and frustration that Farley's addictions brought him, he found time to be religious and attended mass at St. Malachy's Church in Manhattan. He volunteered with the church's eldery parishioners and was described as having an extremely large heart.
Matt Foley, Motivational Speaker
Chris Farley's friends were growing concerned and they held him an intervention. Farley agreed to attend rehab in Los Angeles and reappeared months later with a renewed desire to succeed in comedy. Farley followed in the comic footsteps of his influences John Candy, Jackie Gleeson and John Belushi. "All the fat comics, they're my favorites," he'd say. He would watch their performances repeatedly and emulate their loud, over-the-top acting style.
Brief Clip of Gap Girls
Farley's success got him noticed by Hollywood. He landed a part in Wayne's World (1992) and would also appear in the films Coneheads (1993), Airheads (1994), and Billy Madison (1995). In 1995 Farley and his co-stars reached the end of their contracts at Saturday Night Live. He began to focus on movies instead. With the help of his friend David Space, Farley made Tommy Boy (1995) and Black Sheep (1996). Both films were a success and became cult classics. Farley was offered the lead part in Beverly Hills Ninja (1997). But the more his career flourished, the more his drug habits got worse. Farley was experimenting with excesses of cocaine and alcohol. They interfered with his role in Almost Heroes (1998) and Dirty Work (1998), causing the productions to be shut down while he attended rehab again.
Farley on Jay Leno, 1997
Chris Farley died of a drug overdose in the winter of 1997. He was thirty-three years of age. His health had been visibly declining for months. He was found in his Chicago apartment by his younger brother John. Medical studies suggested that Farley's weight contributed heavily to the result of the overdose. He was buried at the Resurrection Catholic Cemetery after a funeral in his hometown where five hundred comedians and friends paid respect.
Farley's brother Tom Jr. and friend Tanner Colby wrote a biography of Farley's life entitled The Chris Farley Show. Colby also wrote books Belushi: A Biography and The Chris Farley Show: A Biography in Three Acts. Just like his idol Belushi, Farley died from a mix of cocaine and heroin. Apparently Farley had been recording the voice of Shrek (2001) but died before it was finished. His part would be replaced by Mike Myers. Farley was awarded the 2,289th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame right in front of Improv Olympic's West venue. His legacy lives on in the form of comedy's most extroverted, loud and memorable characters.
"Best Of" Moments from Watch Mojo
Additional Info
- Birthday Date: Saturday, 15 February 2014


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Music has been in my life since before I was born. Both my grandmothers played the piano and sang and one even taught piano. My dad knew to play the ud and guitar and my mom loves singing and dancing. We've always had music playing in the house–whether it was Arabic music, Latin music, or Pop music. I always had rhythm, could sing, and always loved listening to music. So I decided to start playing the alto saxophone in 6th grade.
I'll have to admit, as a kid, Kenny G definitely inspired to play the sax, though I am quite a bit embarrassed by that statement. Knowing what I know now, he's just aight. He has talent, but he's not really the kind of saxophonist I'm into anymore. Though I commend him doing the Katy Perry video. ANYWAYS, I fell in love with the alto saxophone and jazz music and knew this was a everlasting love.
Now I listen to about every genre and enjoy them all for various reasons. I high school, I discovered I had an actual talent when it came to singing and now love singing everything and anything. Music has a way of touching my soul completely differently than anything else in the world. Whatever I am feeling, one song can bring my spirits up, remind of certain moments in my life, and sometimes help me cry when I really need it. It's as if Music is my best friend in the form of sound.
This blog will have lots of references to music, singing, songs, instruments, and artists that I love and appreciate. I find sharing music is one of the best ways to connect with people. The feeling people can get through music is something magically and I hope to share that here. So enjoy!


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Our Embracing Union for the Mediterranean
Posted By Anders On June 10, 2008 @ 10:55 In English, Euromed | No Comments
[1] Benita Ferrero Waldner, Commissioner for EU's External Relations and Neighbourhood Policy:" Establishment of a common Euromediterranean permanent Committee, which will be in charge of governance.
The presidency of the EU should also be the Euromediterranean presidency. Reinforce the political level of the EU with our (Muslim) partners. We are participating towards the same goal: Our relations with our friends , our Mediterranean (Muslim) partners on a politically solid basis."
Speech to the European Parliament June 5, 2008
The Barcelona Process has unfortunately suffered from the persistence of the conflicts in the Southern Mediterranean region and the lack of cooperation between the partner countries.
But a positive development is going on. I have noticed it in the course of my recent trips to the region.
The moment has come to profit from a renewed political will to inflate new enthusiam and speed to our cooperation and to make it more balanced and closer to our citizens.
Three objectives are essential to us:
1. Reinforce the political level of the EU with its (Muslim) Mediterranean partners; share the responsibility of our multilateral relations with them
2. Promote regional and subregional supplementary projects, useful for the citizens of the region, who make these relations more concrete and visible
3. Foster the private sector
Reinforcing the level of our relations is essential. The Commission proposes to organise the biennial summits of heads of state and and government. It would be difficult to to understand why we have regular summits with our important partners all over the world without having a forum for discussions between heads of state and government with our neighbours and friends from the (Muslim) Mediterranean.
[1] The Euromediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (EMPA) has confirmed itself as the parliamentary dimension of the Barcelona Process. It offers a favourable space for debate, for open dialogue and free exchange of views. It gives an impulse to partnership by adopting the resolutions and recommendations. It will be the parliamentary representation of the Union for the Mediterranean.
The Commission supports without reservation the reinforcement of the role of EMPA in the relations with the Mediterranean partners.
A better sharing af responsibilities is also essential. After several years one idea is being expanded: that the presidency of the EU should also be the presidency of the Euromediterranean Partnership.
Three proposals have received general support from the partners: 1. The establishment of a copresidency of the EMPA by a country from the South one from the North, 2. of a common permanent committee based in Brussels and in charge of governance as well as of a 3. secretariat devoted to the promotion of projects.
Finally, as Robert Schuman said, concrete projects are needed " first to create real solidarity".
It is the quality of the common projects which will guarantee the success of the initiative. This will permit the citizens to feel the force of the ties, which unite the two shores of the Mediterranean.
These have to be projects which will have a structuring effect for the region, and which will permit to integrate the non-citizens, society, the civil society and the enterprises.
Europe has to become a lever….
Be assured of the full determination of the Commission to support this project. I invite the EU Parliament to join us in defining a political european agenda together with the (Muslim) Mediterranean.
Final Remarks
One has been able to notice once more the importance which the members of the Parliament attach to the Euro-mediterranean coooperation as well as the interest, the proposals of the Commission have aroused
We participate towards the same goal: to forward our relations with the Mediterranean (Muslim) partners on a politically solid basis; confirm the central importance of the region; revitalise the process of Barcelona; continue our efforts for more democracy and respect for human rights; increase the investment in the region underlining the growth potential and the opportunities for Europe; continue a cultural dialogue based on the common values of respect and mutual understanding.
Président Barroso and I myself attach much importance to this initiative, and we will give all our support to the presidency and the future presidency in order that the summit in Paris will be a success
The proposals of the Commission have been received very well by the member states and from now on constitute the working basis for the conclusions to be adopted by the Euromediterranean heads of state and government on the coming July 13.
1. Disregarding the attitudes of the Europeans as well as the reality in Europe today, Ferrero Waldner here lays the foundation of a larger Union for the Mediterranean, which should include all Mediterranean states as well as the EU.
2. She describes a genuine interest among the Muslim partner countries. But this is not true of all of them: [2] Algeria has announced its absence from the Summit in Paris. (June 6, 2008). And other Arab countries are very sceptical and want to know the implications of Israel joining as well. Besides, they [3] fear the EU will dominate the decision making. In fact, it seems that only [4] Egypt and Tunisia will participate!
3. Ferrero Waldner describes far reaching political decisions being made without the knowledge of the Europeans. This procedure, of course, is customary in the Muslim, so-called "partner countries". In the same breath she has the insolence to tell her Muslim friends to be democratic!!! Which they can as little as she herself!
Behind all these fine words is still the Naples Agreement of the 6. Euromediterranean Foreign Minister Conference on Dec. 2-3, 2003: The 4 freedoms of the EU were promised to the Euromediterranean "partners", among them free immigration for citizens from now 11 Muslim "partner countries".
4. Ferrero Waldner´s efforts are being [5] parallelled on the other side of the Globe by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who wants to imitate the EU in a Union including the United States, Japan, China, India, Indonesia and the other states of the region.
Impossible? [6] The Trilateral Commission has been working hard on this since 1973, holding even globalist meetings in [7] Pekin with the participation of very promnent Chinese!
Left: One face of trilateralism Right: Another one Middle: The face of trilateralism
This is another manifestation of [8] illuminist (explanatory statement) EUs´efforts to build a world state comprising the North American Union, The Euromediterranean and the the Pacific blocs. Herefrom the name Trilateral Commission. This is what Ferrero Waldner is talking about, when she speaks of progress, steps forwards etc.
And we allow them to go on, because we are totally uninformed - and are not even being asked!
Article printed from Euro-med: http://euro-med.dk
URL to article: http://euro-med.dk/?p=1036
URLs in this post:
[1] Benita Ferrero Waldner: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/08/309&format=HTML&aged=0&
[2] Algeria has announced its absence: http://www.ansamed.info/en/news/ME01.@AM12100.html
[3] fear the EU will dominate the decision making: http://euobserver.com/9/26293
[4] Egypt and Tunisia: http://www.euractiv.com/en/enlargement/gaddafi-lashes-union-mediterranean/article-173233
[5] parallelled: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23812768-601,00.html
[6] The Trilateral Commission: http://euro-med.dk/?p=528
[7] Pekin: http://www.trilateral.org/PAGP/REGMTGS/05beijing.htm
[8] illuminist: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&reference=A6-2007-0356&language=EN
Click here to print.


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Denver Police Say Morale Dropping|
Denver police officers report morale at the department is dropping. Chief Gerry Whitman says it's a staffing problem — more officers are retiring and fewer are graduating to take their place. Who's right? There's no definitive answer yet, but one thing is certain — Denver police are writing less traffic tickets and spending more time responding to citizen complaints. What's so bad about that?


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Here's a useful site: workfriendly.net. They take any website you give them and convert it into text-only form, then place the contents in a window resembling a Microsoft Word document. It's intended to clean up sites for consumption while on the job, and there's a really handy "Boss" button which, when moused over, changes the contents of the window to a more work-oriented subject. Moving back over the "Read" button will return the original site.
One thought on "i'm not procrastinating…"


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Washington Top Court Finds Wrongful Death Action Requires Valid Underlying Claim
(Opinion available. Document #01-161012-020Z.)
In 1999, Roy Sundberg sued numerous companies whose conduct allegedly exposed him to asbestos. Sundberg allegedly contracted colon cancer, lymphoma, asbestosis and pleural disease from exposure between 1942...
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In Loving Memory Of Mark A. Dodge Mark's admirersand that's everyone who knew himsavor the mile we walked with him. Each of us has special incidents we want to recount. We have compiled a few of these memories that we believe best illustrate the unique personality of our dynamic friend.
Mark was always Compassionate,Loving,Kind,understanding,and Had a wonderful sense of humor. The most helpful person you ever wanna meet.He had the biggest heart I have ever seen a man have in my life. Mark was always wanting to please other people as best as he could,if you wanted or needed anything he was there He was a man that was non-judgmental. Mark accepted people largely for what they were and for who they were.
Mark was a man without prejudice. Ihave so many memories to hold onto in my heart some were sad,some were rough,and some were scary,but for the most part we had so many great times together I will never forget you me dear friend,one day we will meet again!!! I LOVE YOU MARK GOOD-BYE
Sponsoring Mark Dodge's memorial will stop the ads from being displayed on this memorial forever. To view the full list of features click on the "sponsor this memorial" button bellow.
To tell others about the website in the memory of Mark Dodge.


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BRANDON — Dick Portillo will tell you he never envisioned that his hot dog shack would one day morph into a castle.
Standing in front of a 6-by-12-foot replica trailer he dubbed "The Dog House" when he opened his first hot dog stand in Chicago in 1963, Portillo reminisced about how a man without any formal education and just $1,100 in savings became king of the frankfurters.
More than 53 years later, Portillo's launched its first Florida location on the corner of Brandon Boulevard and Lakewood Drive Tuesday. The chain now boasts 42 sites in six states.
Portillo, who has a home in Naples, said demographics indicated Chicagoland south was right here in the Tampa Bay area — something Lightning fans have known for years with Blackhawks sweaters filling Amalie Arena whenever the team comes to town.
For years, Portillo's has shipped its beef, dogs, ribs, tamales to Tampa Bay. Now the Chi-town faithful don't have to wait on deliveries.
"It's really nostalgic eating here after so many years," said Lenny Shuster, who frequented Portillo's in Illinois before moving to Brandon in 2003. "If you want a real Chicago dog, Portillo's is where it's at. You don't put ketchup on your dog."
Shuster complimented Portillo's on its customer service, quick delivery and quality food — all standards that Portillo said helps the restaurant thrive.
The 9,000 square-foot building at 1748 W Brandon Blvd. boasts 30-foot high ceilings, a patio and seating for nearly 250 diners who can choose from more than 40 menu items cooked to order.
The beef and bread are shipped from Chicago. Portillo, who sold the chain in 2014 but remains as a consultant, recommends trying the Italian beef and his favorite beef-n-sausage sandwiches. Portillo's cooks 2,500 pounds of beef at a time in seven large ovens.
"We cook our Italian beef like grandma used to do, only our ovens are a lot bigger," Portillo said.
Inside, customers also can enjoy chicken sandwiches, char-broiled burgers, soups, salads and desserts. Portillo said he has garnered such a stronghold on customers that his average restaurant sells more hamburgers in a day than the typical Burger King.
"I built a moat around Portillo's," he said, referring to the hard-to-copy complexity of the operation. "It keeps the enemies (competition) from getting to the castle."
Visit portillos.com to see a full menu or to order food, gift cards and merchandise.
Contact Eric Vician at [email protected]


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Reptiles with Wings
By Edward Doyle
Are lust for Gold and Power not hideous spawn
Of prehistoric reptiles, that had wings?
Where e'er those crawled, they chawed all greening things
And, when they mounted, how their lengths, full drawn,
Basked barren in the sun before the dawn,
Absorbing all its rays from budding Springs?
These drain life's dawn and by impoverishings,
Draw and reduce to pulp, frail Consciences.
Oh, yea, bewinged with legislative crime,
They bask in sunlight e'er the east sky greys,
And drag the soul of man from God's embrace
Of rights and freedom. Oh, how long a time
Shall reptiles, deadly to the Human race,
Be let grow wings and heavenward trail their slime?
Source: Freedom, Truth, and Beauty @ Project Gutenburg
Photo Source: Paola Kizette Cimenti


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As a co-op student, I've gotten the chance to work at a bunch of really awesome companies! In the past, i've done...
I'm always interested in learning more about different aspects of software engineering. At the moment, I'm particularly interested in topics such as emulation, bare-metal programming, and OS dev.
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Ball State receives federal contracts and is therefore required by federal law to develop a written affirmative action program. To that end, Ball State has developed an Affirmative Action Plan ("AAP") which annually reaffirms the University's continuing commitment to the principles of affirmative action and equal employment opportunity.
The director of employee relations and affirmative action has been specifically designated to monitor, analyze, and report on faculty, professional, staff, and service personnel actions and to distribute information relevant to the development, analysis, enforcement, evaluation, and monitoring of the plan and its policies.
What the Ball State community should know about affirmative action is this: positive efforts are to be taken in all aspects of employment to assure equal opportunity to every individual regardless of membership or non-membership in a protected class.
Employee Relations assesses those efforts through careful statistical analysis and monitoring of employment processes and decisions. The effectiveness of Ball State's positive efforts to liken the diversity of its workforce to that of the available labor market is also assessed to identify any opportunities for improvement. When those are identified, Employee Relations staff works collaboratively with departments and individuals to arrive at solutions and may also offer programs that aid in capitalizing on opportunities.
Diversity of thought and efforts will contribute to the progression towards any goal—especially affirmative action goals.
Employee Relations is also tasked with certain regulatory recordkeeping and reporting responsibilities for qualified applicants and for the current workforce. Compliance with these responsibilities is achieved through voluntary self-identification.
Current employees
You may self-identify in Self Service Banner or by completing the paper form and submitting to Employee Relations via email or hand delivery to the Administration Building (AD), room 335.
Paper forms may be downloaded from the forms section or by requesting a form from Employee Relations. Additional questions about Self-Identification should be directed to the affirmative action specialist.


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Warts disappearing
Warts disappearing
Sisel International November 2, 2017 Non Toxic Living with Sisel International No Comments
About The Author
Sisel International Sisel Australia
Katie Larking is a SISEL International Distributor and Brand Partner. Competitior in two Fitness Compeitions for Australian Natural Body Building over 40s division. Katie's goal is to the healthiest longest living female body builder in the world with the support of SISEL Internationals age reversal products. Katie has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Health Promotion. Katie's main interests include preventative health, nutrition, age reversal medicine and weight lifting. Committed to the Mower Mission Katie's goal is to share the Sisel health and wealth opportunity with as many people as possible. By educating, empowering and informing people to take control of thier health, wealth and happiness.


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Although cosmetic procedures using injectables such as Botox and Restylane are performed very routinely and are extremely effective, health and safety should remain a priority for patients...
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) July 19, 2016
An article published July 9 on Allure explains that even non-surgical cosmetic procedures require thoughtful consideration on the part of patients as well as medical professionals in order to achieve the most desirable results. Beverly Hills Physicians (BHP) notes that, although cosmetic procedures using injectables such as Botox and Restylane are performed very routinely and are extremely effective, health and safety should remain a priority for patients before undergoing any procedure. The Los Angeles medical group notes that working with the most experienced and skilled medical providers possible is important when obtaining non-surgical cosmetic treatments; it's also very definitely the case when obtaining an actual plastic surgery. Specifically:
Facelifts – While injectables produce results that patients love, the results are temporary, notes BHP. This is why many patients opt for the longer lasting results of a surgical facelift. BHP notes that the facelift has been performed over many decades and remains one of the most powerfully effective and safest treatments to improve the appearance of a woman or man. Nevertheless, it's always best to select the most experienced and skilled physicians available, notes BHP.
Breast Augmentation- By far one of the most common plastic surgery procedures sought out by women today is breast augmentation. Patients who undergo this procedure rely on a highly skilled and extremely experienced plastic surgeon to safely and effectively place the implants in order to obtain the desired size and shape. BHP notes that a highly trained surgeon can work with a patient to determine whether silicone, saline or gummy bear implants are the best and safest choice in her particular situation.
Buttock Enhancement- Rivaling breast augmentation in popularity, the Brazilian butt lift represents a significant step forward over older procedures. This form of buttock augmentation, BHP notes, involves using the patient's own body fat to effectively contour the buttock into the desired shape and form. This has major benefits in that it allows a skilled plastic surgeon to sculpt a fuller and more voluptuous backside while also reducing the chances of complications. Beverly Hills Physicians notes that their team of highly skilled and extremely experienced surgeons and medical staff work hard to not only provide the patient with their desired results but also ensure that patients are as comfortable and safe as possible during any procedure.
Interested readers who want to learn more information about the variety of cutting-edge plastic surgery procedures available at BHP or want to book a consultation can call the medical group at 800-788-1416 or visit their website at http://www.BeverlyHillsPhysicians.com.