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Devils At The Gate: Pacific War Review
Price: $1.99
Version Reviewed: 1.0
Device Reviewed On: iPhone 5
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As a writer, there's a constant urge with any war game to want to start with "War, what is it good for?" In the case of Devils at the Gate: Pacific War, it's good for enjoyable tower defense action with a side dish of oddly cute animated characters. And, unlike the start of this review, there are no tired cliches to suffer.
Following the exploits of the war in the Pacific during the second World War, Devils at the Gate: Pacific War offers a brief description of the historic events it channels, before getting straight into the tower defense side of things. There's no actual towers to build, instead, the game uses infantry, artillery, engineers and logistics, but that adds a certain sense of fluidity. Admittedly, once placed, such figures can't move around, but they can interact with each other to an extent boosting each other's defenses and providing bonuses. More importantly, each can be upgraded to a certain degree, assuming the player has enough money to do so.
For instance, the infantry unit starts out as basic cannon fodder but can eventually go down one of two specialist paths: sniper or machine gunner. This can prove particularly useful in certain conflicts that require significant firepower, plus it ties into the hero's talent system that also plays a part. The hero can be upgraded after each level, via the number of stars that are accrued through quality completion of stages. There's a nice sense of accomplishment and progression that works well alongside the otherwise quite predictable tower defense strategies. The only flaw in this system is through its implementation, thanks to some excessively small buttons that can be hard to touch correctly on the iPhone 5 screen.
Enemies are quite varied, ranging from general basic infantry to plane based units and invisible, stealth soldiers. Each comes with their own strengths and weaknesses, adding a little more depth.
Devils at the Gate: Pacific War is a relatively simple tower defense title at its heart, but that doesn't stop it being quite enjoyable. The amount of waves that the player must withstand steadily increases, meaning later stages can take quite a while to complete, but it's possible to drop in and out of via multi tasking support. This, amongst the other gameplay mechanics, ensures that Devils at the Gate: Pacific War is a quality example of its genre, if not particularly revolutionary.


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Top 10 Awesome Things You Can Do With Text
Text isn't the most glamorous type of media on your computer, but it's one that everyone creates and consumes frequently and it's not as boring as it sounds. To make the best use of the text you encounter and generate on your own, there some tips and tricks you should know. Ten, to be exact.

subset: commoncrawl


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A rendering of the glass-enclosed auditorium planned for WNYC's Varick St. space. Pedestrians and drivers will be able to see inside the street-level auditorium as discussions are occurring.
WNYC gets with the program; Will move to Hudson Square
By Roslyn Kramer
A mini, if not microscopic cultural center is emerging in the unpromising precincts of Varick St. The venerable Film Forum, the rare surviving revival house in Manhattan, is ensconced on W. Houston St. near Varick St. Not far are two small theaters, the Cherry Lane and the Vandam, venerable in their own right. Nearby on Sixth Ave. The Villager's office can be found.
And now yet another venerable institution will be settling in transformed, modernized and flourishing: WNYC New York Public Radio. Born in 1924 and city-owned until early 1997, WNYC will move down from the top eight floors of the Municipal Building near City Hall to the ground floor at 160 Varick St. between Charlton and Vandam Sts. in the Hudson Square neighborhood west of Soho.
A listener tuning into WNYC's frequency at 93.9 FM can expect to hear stimulating news reporting on issues unnerving (that would be Iraq), soothing interludes (hip world music on ancient instruments) and occasional (and successful) fundraising drives featuring pitches by everyone from station President and C.E.O. Laura Walker to idiosyncratic storyteller-reporter Ira Glass.
Since going independent and shedding its city-owned status a decade ago when Walker first joined the station WNYC has thrived. Today, the number of listeners per week is 1.1 million, a 32 percent increase since 2002. Fundraising drives have raised millions for necessary licenses since the station first became independent, and to sustain staffing and program expenses as well. The best fundraising drive was after 9/11, when the station, not far from ground zero, lost its antenna, and one had to be borrowed. But in the end improvising sharpened the station's broadcasting edge.
One can be forgiven for thinking that WNYC is affiliated with National Public Radio, whose name crops up in a lot of programming. But, it's not. WNYC itself produces about 100 hours of programming, buying the rest from different sources, including N.P.R. and the British Broadcasting Corporation, which supplies news for early-morning and late-night hours.
While WNYC was expanding, news broadcasting in general was shrinking, becoming increasingly superficial, ideological and limited by economic concentration. WNYC went its own way by and large, analyzing issues in depth and using the latest technology podcasting, for one to give listeners flexible access to hear and record programming. WNYC stuck to its mission: covering actual issues affecting real New Yorkers, much of it presided over by 20-year WNYC veteran Brian Lehrer. An unusually touching and award-winning innovation has been Radio Rookies, a workshop in which high school students from mostly underserved neighborhoods learn to produce their own short radio pieces. What the audience gets is on-the-ground reality from unheard city voices and the very personal ways kids are affected.
WNYC will be going back to some of these struggling neighborhoods as well as changing areas early next year in one of three new programs now in the planning stages. This will also be WNYC's first new talk show in 16 years.
"We want to represent the voices and viewpoints of all of New York City's racial and ethnic communities more effectively," said Jennifer Houlihan, WNYC's publicity manager. More specific information was not available, but all will be revealed closer to the program's debut.
No information on the other two programs is available yet; they will be broadcast nationally, which requires more planning time.
WNYC already has plunged in where more ratings-obsessed broadcasters fear to tread: covering important hearings, speeches and press conferences now virtually extinct except for C-SPAN.
WNYC has more listeners than any other public radio station in the United States, yet its present cramped office space hardly reflects its prominence. Right now, the station is ensconced behind the Renaissance-style turrets of the Municipal Building tower, its offices a warren of desks and sound booths in varying shades of gray, uncomfortably jammed together. Some of the station's interiors are visible in the new film "Night Listener," starring Toni Colette and Robin Williams.
The new offices will provide a more fitting and efficient environment. Instead of elevator-hopping on deadline yet between eight floors and 51,400 square feet of rent-free space the station now inhabits, in its new home WNYC will spread out over 71,900 square feet compactly divided between two-and-a-half floors. It's a perfect retrofit for the lower floors of the 12-story, high-ceilinged former printing building in the former hub of the city's printing industry. The number of recording studios will double from 15 to 31; the news staff will grow from 18 to 44.
"It will be nice to have more than one reporter on a given beat," said Walker. Forty hours of new programming will be added. The cost: a total of $57.2 million, which adds up to uncounted fundraising marathons. However, WNYC has a head start: The city is contributing $10 million to the move and the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation is giving $1.5 million.
Cost aside, the move will "enable us for the first time to put out roots down in the community," said Walker. The most visible evidence will be a ground-floor, glass-enclosed auditorium allowing pedestrians and drivers to glimpse what's going on inside. The station will be able to hold its own discussion events. To jazz up the view even more, WNYC is even thinking of a news zipper along the front of the building.
In fact, the station already had developed solid community roots by the time then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani wanted to sell it off as part of his privatization drive. Listeners revolted; a deal was negotiated enabling the station's board to buy back the licenses. The board raised $20 million over six years in addition to the annual budget; no small feat, but nothing compared to the fundraising job that lies ahead to raise three-and-one-half times more money in a shorter period.
"It's a huge challenge," a broadcasting-savvy executive said.
Will this mean control over content by advertisers? No, the anonymous source believes: "The board wouldn't allow it; regs wouldn't allow it."
What will remain unchanged in the new location is a "different kind of talk radio," said Walker. "We have live performances from Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. We're in the cultural capital of the world, with a listenership that's incredibly active. It's not just about news; we're bringing people together. We're dialogue, not diatribe."
Walker is already contemplating dialoguing opportunities with WNYC's new neighbors. For instance, she already has in mind film-buff haven Film Forum. If just some of Walker's enthusiasm for inventive projects materializes, WNYC will restore some of the cultural sheen the Village has lost to Duane Reade and Soho has lost to name-brand retailers. And it will put the Village on the cutting edge of broadcasting technology.
Construction on the new facility begins in January. WNYC plans to move into the space in July.
The ground floor and mezzanine of the space are currently occupied by Digital Ink, a graphics company. On Monday, boxes could be seen inside piled by the windows, apparently in preparation for moving.
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in this section
Once a Cornellian, always a Cornellian. And once a Cornell ChemE, always a Cornell ChemE. The relationships formed here are lifelong. But more than that, the network of Cornell alumni who are willing to greet, share ideas and memories, and help one another is incredibly powerful.
Somehow, something happens in the hallowed halls of Olin Hall and across Cornell's beautiful campus. Cornell engineering students work hard – they really work hard! But in the process of late nights and labs that don't always go well and breakthroughs that leave you breathless, so much gets shared, and bonds are formed. So after graduation, you still connect. Sometimes it's at reunions or treasured visits with dear friends. Sometimes it's in a room full of not-for-long strangers at a multi-generational alumni event, or at an Entrepreneurship@Cornell event. Sometimes it's back at Cornell, where you're giving a lecture, helping students network their way to their first job, sharing your expertise as an advisor, or helping to raise funds to keep Cornell CBE strong. You always leave with Big Red glow.
From 1933, when we graduated our first chemical engineers to today, when we forge new paths as the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, we belong to an exceptional cadre of people. From presidents of oil and gas companies to vice presidents of electronic components, from those creating safer food supplies to those reaching people in need through the Peace Corps, our graduates have transformed their Cornell education into achievements that impact the world.
We value all that you bring to Cornell and one another – your special expertise, your leadership, your kindness, and your gifts that help to keep Cornell CBE strong.
We hope that you will visit this web site often to catch up with the lives of old friends, to network with other Olin Hall alumni, and to celebrate the achievements of fellow ChemE Cornellians. Once a Cornellian….


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So last week AAA (the former American Automobile Association) released the results of a survey incorporating the responses of 1,008 U.S. adults (503 men and 508 women, of which 817 were identified as "current motorists") regarding what transportation policy initiatives the federal government should focus upon when it comes to motor vehicles.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, AAA said 62% of those polled believe the federal government should invest more money to improve roadways, with 81% saying the federal government should do more to improve the condition of roads and bridges and nearly seven out of ten (68%) believing the federal government should make "reducing congestion on the roads" a top transportation priority.
How to generate the money to do all that, though, isn't clear, with AAA's survey sample providing a decidedly mixed response to a range of funding methods. Take a look for yourself:
- Replacing the per-gallon gas tax with a national gasoline sales tax (55%)
- Creating a new national sales tax dedicated to transportation (47%)
- Expanding the use of tolls to Interstate highways where tolls are not currently collected (47%)
- Creating a carbon tax on fossil fuels (45%)
- Replacing the federal gas tax with a per-miles-driven fee (37%)
- Creating an energy tax on all sources of energy (35%)
- Increasing the federal per-gallon gas tax (27%)
Based on the above responses, only clear funding choice supported by a majority of those polled rests in a reconfiguration of our current fuel tax. By contrast, increasing per-gallon fuel taxes didn't even get support from a third of those surveyed, while none of other funding options broke the 50% mark.
Robert Darbelnet, AAA's president and CEO, also made an interesting comment as part of the report on this survey: "Policymakers and transportation advocates are failing to connect with the public on the practical concerns that matter most to motorists. Motorists want to hear about how their elected officials can improve their daily commute by repairing the pothole down the street or the bumpy road around the corner."
That's the crux of matter, I think, for both motorists and truckers: how to reduce congestion and keep the roads in good shape. Yet the bigger issue remains: where does the money to do those two things? Based on this poll, no one wants to increase taxes, create new taxes or tolls, or shift to a "fee-based" structure.
Yet here's another question that needs to be asked in this debate: can the nation address congestion plus infrastructure and expansion needs WITHOUT more money?
That may be possible and indeed may already be occurring to a degree according to a Reason Foundation report issued back in February.
The group examined 20 years of state highway data and found that the condition of America's state-controlled roads, at least, improved in seven key areas over that time – especially in regards to deficient bridges and pavement condition.
The Reason Foundation study tracks spending per mile on state-owned roads and measures road performance in seven categories: miles of urban Interstate highways in poor pavement condition, miles of rural Interstates in poor condition, congestion on urban Interstates, deficient bridges, highway fatalities, rural primary roads in poor condition and the number of rural primary roads flagged as too narrow.
According to the group's research, nationwide, the number of deficient bridges in the country fell from 37.8% of all bridges in 1989 to 23.7% in 2008.
Furthermore, in the 20 years examined, 11 states (North Dakota, Virginia, Missouri, Nebraska, Maine, Montana, Tennessee, Kansas, Wisconsin, Colorado, and Florida) made progress in all seven categories and 37 states improved in at least five of the seven metrics listed above.
California was the only state that failed to improve in at least three areas, making strides only in deficient bridges and fatalities. Finally, five states – New York, Hawaii, Utah, Vermont and Mississippi – progressed in just three categories.
[FYI: The Reason Foundation's report compiles data from a variety of sources, primarily from information the states themselves reported to the federal government from 1989 through 2008. The full report is hereand state-by-state summaries are here. Complete data for the year 2009 will soon be available.]
The group added that the percentage of urban Interstates with poor pavement condition dropped slightly from 6.6% in 1989 to 5.4% in 2008. Two states, Nevada and Missouri made what the group dubbed "remarkable turnarounds" as in 1989, nearly half of their urban Interstates were in poor condition, but by 2008 less than 2% were in poor condition.
On top of that, the percentage of rural Interstates rated in poor condition was reduced by over two-thirds, from 6.6% in 1989 to 1.93% in 2008. However, almost all of the improvements came before 1999 and two states reported rural conditions worsening by more than five percentage points: New York and California.
The Reason Foundation also added a twist to the roadway debate as well, noting that amount of state-controlled road mileage increased by just 0.6% from 1989 to 2008 while spending per mile on state-administered roads grew by 60%, adjusted for inflation, during that 20 year span.
"There are still plenty of problems to fix, but our roads and bridges aren't crumbling," noted David Hartgen, lead author of this report and emeritus professor of transportation at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. "The overall condition of the state-controlled road system is getting better and you can actually make the case that it has never been in better shape. The key going forward is to target spending where it will do the most good."
Something to ruminate upon as the nation debates how to generate transportation funding and what to spend it upon.


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Shotgun Hunters Go 'Hog Wild'
with Lethal Loads for Wild Hogs
by Troutski
Shoot a wild hog, and you better have killed it, especially if you're among the growing number of American hunters who are turning their shotguns — rather than their rifles — downrange on wild hogs. The reduced lethal range of a shotgun blast versus a rifle slug means your hog hunt is a close affair with a large and nasty animal that often turns and charges when wounded.
Across the southern tier of states — from Texas to North Carolina — and in California, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, land managers report increasing numbers of wild hogs and the damage they cause. They'll eat just about anything from grain to carrion in just about every habitat. They are adaptive, their populations can erupt to high numbers in a short time, and they are capable of extensive habitat destruction. Nothing short of a four-legged rotor-tiller, a wild hog (and its pack) will trench its way across croplands, farmsteads, pastures, woodlots and bogs.
Faced with what is properly termed a wild pig pandemic, landowners and managers advertise wild hog hunts and welcome big-game hunters onto their properties to eliminate the animals. Many of these hunts require no further hunting license or permit. Proper licensing is required, however, on public lands in some states.
In many places, the most exciting hunts for wild hogs take place in or near the habitat they prefer — the cover of dense brush or marsh vegetation where hunters armed with shotguns get close to these animals. And no shotgun hunter is going to argue about the need for a heavy load that carries the downrange energy necessary to kill a wild hog. When a hog materializes out of nowhere, they want a load with shotgun convenience and rifle performance.
If you're a predator hunter, you already know the benefits of HEVI-Shot® shot pellets — it's 10 percent heavier than lead, 54 percent more dense than steel and produces superior downrange pattern densities that make cleaner kills at greater distances. Until now, it wasn't available in a shot size larger than 00 buckshot, so you weren't able to experience its true potential.
New for 2014 HEVI-Shot® announces the release of a hog-hunting shotgun shell, HEVI-Shot® HOG Wild!™. The same "point-and-click" convenience of the popular HEVI-Shot® Dead Coyote load is now available in loads that will change the game in hog-hunting with lethal confidence.
Available in 12 gauge 3 and 3 1/2-inch shot shells, HEVI-Shot® HOG Wild!™ hog-hunting loads deliver two to three pig-killing balls precisely on target, and each ball carries over 800 foot-pounds of energy. And considering the large projectile and the energy released by the shell, HEVI-Shot® Hog Wild!™ shot shells display surprisingly light recoil for repeated firing. Firings at 50 yards yield 1 1/2-inch groupings. Bad news for a hog!
To Learn More about Hevi-Shot visit Their Facebook Page; https://www.facebook.com/hevishotammo
Enjoy There Great Product Video on YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR-bper2q04
Or find a Dealer Near You: http://www.hevishot.com/


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Head of Department
Posted 26 June 2004 - 11:20 PM
Im not actually a Head of Department! My college opted to give my post the title Curriculum Leader which is designed to give me a broader scope than just the management of the teaching of history but allows me to look at the role of history within the whole colleges curriculum and develop the subject in many different ways.
What is the Head of History responsible for? (A very scary list!)
· Long and short term planning for the departments future.
· Overseeing all teaching of history (including the work of non-subject specialists)
· Updating and maintaining schemes of work
· Writing and revisiting department handbooks.
· Checking records for SEN and more able and talented students (some areas call these Gifted and Talented).
· Maintaining records of all student attainment data (including end of Key Stage 3 figures).
· Making class setting decisions.
· Organising budgets and bidding for funding or seeking extra funding for projects or additional resources and making the choices as to what money is spent on such as text books or videos etc. (someone within my college has been using my copying code so I amassed a fearsome reputation for my copying over 24,000 pages in 8 months and got stung accordingly for the lot!)
· Planning for events such as prospective parents evenings, options night choices, rewards and celebrations evenings etc.
· Setting targets and overseeing professional development within your department and taking responsibility for performance management of those within your department.
· Promoting the uptake of history at GCSE or KS5.
· Linking with primary feeder schools if appropriate.
· Being prepared to delegate workload!
· Meeting with various managers to discuss department matters.
· Discussing whole school issues with colleagues and feeding back to your department.
· Various admin tasks.
· Arranging the reporting of pupils attainment.
· Meeting suppliers and placing orders.
· Reviewing exam performances.
Wow! Thats really only about half of the things Ive got to be thinking about over the course of the year. Its an exhausting job being Head of Department and theres not a lot of training to prepare you for taking the first step into management. In fact its largely how hard youre prepared to work combined with the support of colleagues and senior managers that dictates how successful you are in your first few years as head of department.
Posted 26 June 2004 - 11:22 PM
1) Review your departments standing. Do a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis. What needs to be done? Look to build upon the successes and chat with managers and colleagues to see what needs to be done and get be prepared to act on other peoples suggestions. BUT also be prepared to listen to your students as they will give you a taste of your departments standing (I think this is essential as I learned before I started that 98% of students hated studying history at my current place and I had to find out why) Are the GCSE boards and subjects appropriate?
Ofsted reports and internal reviews might be invaluable in providing some guidance as to the major areas for development as these will be the focus for future inspections.
2) Set yourself realistic targets. Ive suffered because I tried to change everything in the year Ive been in my current post but reading the last Ofsted report it was apparent that what was needed was major surgery, not gradual change. So try to set yourself some targets, fix what you can fix easily as soon as you get the chance, look at what needs to be changed urgently and make your plans accordingly. Go for long term goals but give yourself achievable successes so you feel youre making progress and can prove it! You wont be able to rebuild a department in your own fashion overnight and youll need to review spending priorities and texts. If schemes of work or handbooks are good only change what needs to be changed, delegate responsibility for reviews and look to share the duties of planning.
3) Ive met with my management team to discuss what these plans were, to find out what extra funding I could have, who might provide extra help and advice and to make life easier for myself. Theyve been invaluable in reining in some of my wildest notions but have suggested things Ive never considered before. Im half way through changing the text books we use to thinking skills related studies to prepare for GCSE related work during Key Stage 3 (As recommended by Chris Culpin) as a result.
Posted 26 June 2004 - 11:22 PM
5) Keep the office staff happy! Smile! It doesnt hurt! Buy them chocolates and wine at the right times. These people are the lifeblood of your school. If you can get them on your side then you will get little favours and help when you need it (the office staff at my place are amazing, organising my visits, insurance, forms, ringing parents for me etc and I even take them on field trips) and no one likes a sourpuss! The cleaner in your room at the end of the school day is just as important because they can be a real friend when youre finding things hard. (I bet someone is going to criticise me for adding this bit!). Get student monitors to help you in the basic sorting and cataloguing and maintenance of your resources.
6) Have systems in place and know they work and that you can trust people are using them appropriately. So if there are behaviour problems then you might have to take on responsibility in sorting them out. I have letters on the school ICT system to praise those whove worked well and to request parental involvement if they wont behave. All I have to do is give in a list of names and its all done! Think how easy this is and how you might use the office staff in similar situations.
Posted 26 June 2004 - 11:23 PM
8) Enjoy your job! You wanted it! You applied for it, filled in the letter of application and wrote your CV etc so now youve got it you owe yourself the chance to smile occasionally! Its not easy, theres no book on how to be a good HOD but only with experience will you get better and you will make mistakes (In my last place bought a load of textbooks that were rubbish but cheap in my first year and the school suffered financial hardships so we were stuck with them) but no one gets it right all of the time. Youre responsible for moulding the love of history in some very trusting and not so trusting individuals so think carefully but enjoy it! (do you really think its worth the extra £130 per month in your pay?)
Posted 30 June 2004 - 12:02 PM
Posted 30 June 2004 - 01:20 PM
Bernard Woolley: That's one of those irregular verbs, isn't it? I give confidential security briefings. You leak. He has been charged under section 2a of the Official Secrets Act.
Posted 30 June 2004 - 03:56 PM
I've been HOD in two places and it's the same in both places. How to make history popular with students, raise the appeal of GCSE, rejigging the curriculum in KS 3 to get pupils to even consider the gcse (I took over a course with 8 students this year, and 13 in my first post but raised this year's up to 26 and over half the year group in the other place)? I had to get teachers entrenched in copying and doing the questions from "In Search of History" as their scheme of work to try something different, even if it was only simple worksheets or thinking skills materials. Then it was a case of finding out what worked better, by visiting other places ( including the esteemed John D Clare's marvellous establishment) and then taking it back to try out. One major problem has been to maintain and reinforce history across the curriculum as a way of reinforcing the "presence" of the department. The largest problem was getting people to do something different, something they were unsure of and also getting non-specialists to do some real teaching, rather than here's the book, here's the page get on with it.
My real problem at my current post has been my determination to chuck everything out as it was a horrendous department of 1 and the OFSTED and council reports slated it and I think I've bitten off more this year than I could chew (as my wife will attest, it's even harder to delegate in a 1 man dept) but things couldn't be left as they were. My first job was to give Oxfam over £1000 of A level and degree standard texts that were a relic of 1993 then I cleared 4 filing cabinets of worksheets on economics, law and politics, dating back to 1983! In the end I had no materials for the year so I've had to work quickly to build this up and develop ideas. I'm not too bothered about the uptake this year, 26 is good but I want half a year group next year so the real work starts now?????
Posted 30 June 2004 - 08:04 PM
When I was offered the job of HOD in May 2002......it was Dave who I turned to for advice and guidance....I don't think he knows how grateful I am for all the pearls of wisdom he gave me......may I take this opportunity to publicly thank Dave!
Ive been a HOD for 2 years now and it is hard work. I took over a department with an OfSTED looming. So I had my work cut out for me.
I am still very much on a learning curve and I too need time management skills I often work into the wee small hours only to start again 5 hours later ..and by the end of term I am burnt out, gibbering wreck. (I now have bags on my bags under my eyes!)
I needed to share and sell my vision with my department. I needed to inject a range of teaching and learning strategies into the history lessons. I needed to transfer my enthusiasm to both staff and students.
I started with a short, medium and long-term plan. The first thing I did was look at the SoW. I set about writing a SoW in units. Each lesson is set out with SEN, Gifted and Talented work, extension tasks. I also offer alternatives ways to teach the same topic I am aiming to do this for every lesson. I told my department to treat the SoW as a guide, to use it when they wanted ideas. I want them to have autonomy over their own teaching I would hate to be told how to teach and deliver a lesson. At department meetings we share good practice. The department has generated so much new material and resources that we now need more storage space. We are now at a stage of rewriting and rehashing the SoW your SoW is never finished, it is a working, living document.
After only 5 months in post, OfSTED came, saw and we conquered. I look at the amount of work we produced and still cannot believe it! The build up to OfSTED is pretty horrendous, but when they came I enjoyed it. We sparkled and shone for OfSTED and we found it a pleasant experience overall. Sell your vision and tell the inspectors how you are going to achieve it. Show them your achievements. Plan your lessons in detail and cater for all abilities and above all smile and let them know how much you love your job!
Options were low when I arrived 22 students (Yr 11) & 29 students (Yr 10). So I looked at how to make history interesting and sexy in year 8 & 9. Last year 80 students opted for history, this year 60 students have opted.
Raising attainment: I looked at the NC levels, target setting and marking, setting students subject specific targets, showing them how to improve their level of attainment. In KS3 year 8 and 9 I set GCSE type extension tasks, at Key Stage 4 I challenge students to write AS Level.
I am constantly looking at ways to lead and move the department forward.
But please remember that the children we teach have only ONE shot at an education and as HOD you are in charge and are responsible for the learning of history make them LOVE IT!
Posted 01 July 2004 - 03:00 PM
My vision was to create good historians (both students and staff), with a high profile department that contributed across the school, not just in the classroom. One of the first things that I did was dramatically change the curriculum. I dropped the French Revolution at KS3 and brought in Black Peoples of the Americas and the Crusades (allowing me to introduce a much more multicultural curriculum that is crucial in inner city London). I scrapped the Modern World GCSE syllabus for SHP Medicine and Nazi germany for 3 reasons - 1) I was a GCSE examiner for Edexcel for Medicine paper 2 2) The course content was slashed in half 3) The boys struggled to get to grips with some of the course units. As a consequence the GCSE grades have gone up by 10%, which is not a huge amount but hey, these things take time!
I also realised how important it was to raise the profile of the department. One of the most significant things that I have done is to establish a highly successful Black and Asian History Month in the school which involves loads of students, guest speakers and events. I always get incredibly positive feedback from pupils and staff and it has really helped in the classroom. I have also lost count of the number of assemblies I have given, the trips that have been run (alright there could have been a few more, sorry boys), the videoconferences, the competitions and promotions that have been used to make sure that everyone knows about history.
I do really enjoy being HoD of History, I still love my subject passionately and even though I also have other responsibilities (G&T, Aimhigher), I know that my first love is in the History classroom. That is where my motivation comes from.
Posted 05 July 2004 - 12:00 AM
'Whole-school improvement' does not lie in the KS3 Strategy, nor in 'knocking the children into shape', nor in a set of learning strategies at KS4, nor even in CPD for the staff, with an unyielding emphasis on Teaching and Learning - though all these elements may play a part.
Above all, 'whole-school improvement' rests on the management and organisational skills of the school's Heads of Department. When they are clear about what their duties are, and when they are of the right calibre, personality and experience to deliver, 'whole-school improvement' follows automatically.
Posted 05 July 2004 - 06:23 AM
So how did you start off as a HoD - what problems did you face?
When I first became HoD it was by accident. There simply wasn't anyone else to do the job. The department had been managed by 3 different people in under a year, had lots of non specialist teachers in the department and things were all over the place.
First thing I did was tidy up. As a team we weren't entirely sure what resources we actually had as things were litteed around the school and weren't in any particular order. We got everything together and created an inventory of the stuff.
I'd only been in the school a term when this happened and didn't teach all that much History myself at the time. I was keen to make some fairly big changes to the way that history was taught as it was all fairly old fashioned and worksheet based but didn't really fancy upsetting the apple cart too much straight away. We used the SWOT analysis approach in a departmental meeting and agreed as a team that things needed changing. Out came the bin liners and goodbye we waved to three quarters of the worksheets.
Hardest thing initially was getting non specialists to focus on skills rather than content. This took a lot of time, shared planning and discussions about what the objectives of a series of lessons were. Worth providing people with a simple summary of what the key elements are and spending some time looking at activities that are addressing these in an interesting way. If the non specialist sees things they like that clearly work, then they'll use them.
Posted 25 July 2004 - 12:58 PM
Posted 26 July 2004 - 04:31 PM
Also I recommend having a look at the Folens stuff for gifted and talented and the seminar here by Lesley Ann which is outstanding.
Dan Moorhouse's seminar on active learning is also damn good too!
I'm sure there's more that I've forgotten but I'm not in history teacher mode so my brain is more concerned with painting windows and cutting the grass
Posted 16 August 2005 - 11:07 PM
The innovating with history site has some ideas and a decent case study on leadership and it's role in developing history in the curriculum at KS3.
Then for 14-19 you could look at history matters on the same site. which will keep you informed of current developments and lets you share experience in the "it worked for me" section although this still needs to be developed a lot more
The Historical Association is a wonderful organisation for more information and for some very good teaching ideas the regulat "teaching History" magazine is worth a look at. http://184.108.40.206/home.htm
Then there's the very useful teachernet site which although not specific to history has a number of excellent links, reports and publications you can read.
However I think that one of the best things you could do is to stop off at http://www.schoolshi....uk/assessment/ and have a look at some of the excellent off the peg resources you can download on assessment, including very useful stuff on levels in pupil speak, dept policies etc. Well worth trying out.
Now for some files you can use or adapt to suit your own needs. They are NOT perfect but they are examples of some of the management docs I've been given or used myself over the recent years. I should add my apologies to those people who I have borrowed ideas from if you're not credited by name here! If you've got more you think we should share or have some ideas as to what else we could include here then please get in touch with someone from the moderating team.
Attached Files
Posted 01 April 2006 - 07:23 PM
I was wondering if anyone out there has any thoughts or advice for a prospective 'Subject Leader' working in a Humanities faculty where the HoF is responsible for teaching and learning. Is it a stupid question to ask if that means s/he will be responsible for the schemes of work and exam courses offered?
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J. Alexander Greenwood: Pilate's Cross
The Kansas City Public Library hosts local author J. Alexander Greenwood for a discussion about the inspiration behind his first novel, Pilate's Cross.
In 1950, a professor in tiny Peru, Nebraska, strode into his college president's office and shot him dead. The killer then turned the gun on himself.
Though few remember this event, it inspired Greenwood to write the acclaimed novel Pilate's Cross and its sequel, Pilate's Key, which will be released in February.


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Kingdom Apps
Defeat the Heartless
Only you hold the key to defeating the Heartless. Reunite with friends, battle foes, and discover how you can save the world from Darkness.
To open the way to a new universe, you need a key. It takes everything, your heart, and your soul to make it through. You'll meet friend and foe, face insurmountable obstacles, and face the true villain of this universe, the Organization. In the end, it's up to you to conquer all and become the leader that this world needs.
This black, 100% cotton t-shirt features the Keyhole symbol in blue, the Keyblade symbol in pale yellow, the Heartless emblem in red, the Nobody emblem in white, and the Crown symbol in gold.


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Film transparency of gamblers in Golden Nugget Gambling Hall (Las Vegas), circa 1950s
- Title
- Film transparency of gamblers in Golden Nugget Gambling Hall (Las Vegas), circa 1950s
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- Gamblers in the Gambling Nugget Gambling Hall.
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- 1950; 1951; 1952; 1953; 1954; 1955; 1956; 1957; 1958; 1959
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- 129 East Fremont Street, Las Vegas, NV
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- This material may be protected by copyright. Personal, including educational and academic, use of this material is without restriction but acknowledgement of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, University Libraries is requested whether the use is oral, web or in print. Commercial use of any portion of this material requires permission from the University Libraries. For further information please contact Digital Collections: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/contact
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- University of Nevada, Las Vegas University Libraries
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- sky000666
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Toyota Motor Corp., Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co. are among carmakers widening their global production footprint to limit exposure to currency risk.
Toyota plans to expand production in Europe to about 75% of sales from 63% to 64% within two years, Chief Regional Officer Didier Leroy said. Its luxury Lexus brand is entirely produced in Japan.
"We want to have a business model that completely frees us from the exchange notion," Leroy said in an interview at the Geneva International Motor Show.
The yen has depreciated 6% against the euro this year and was trading at 121.56 per euro as of 3:11 p.m. in London after dropping to 127.71 in February, the weakest since 2010. It's down 7% against the dollar. Still, Toyota's impact from the exchange rate this fiscal year will be less than 10 million euros ($13 million), Leroy said.
Nissan Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn, who holds the same title at partner Renault, said the yen isn't in positive territory for Japanese carmakers.
"It's less of a handicap today," he said in an interview with Guy Johnson on Bloomberg Television. "It doesn't mean it's an asset. They're more competitive compared to one year ago. It certainly doesn't make them more competitive compared to four years ago." The yen reached almost 170 per euro in July 2008.
Localized Production
The market is "very far" from a devaluation of the yen currently, Ghosn told reporters in Geneva today, adding that many carmakers have been relying on one currency for too long.
The current logic is "localize your production" and that trend will continue, he said.
"Currency fluctuations are having a huge impact on where the automakers are choosing to put their production," Anil Valsan, global lead analyst for automotive at Ernst & Young, said in an interview. "More natural hedges are what automakers are trying to do rather than financial hedging. That's where the emphasis will be going forward."
Renault's Philippe Klein, executive vice president for corporate planning, product planning and programs, said the French carmaker is evaluating how foreign-exchange fluctuations affect sourcing.
"In an ideal world, we would like to be balanced: if I sell in rubles I would like to build in rubles," Klein said. "We're trying to reach that objective."
Copyright 2014 Bloomberg. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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Margaret of Anjou
Margaret of Anjou (1430-1482) was daughter of René, count of Anjou and a niece by marriage to Charles VI of France. In 1445 she married Henry VI of England. A woman with a far stronger character than the king, she allied them both with the faction led by William de la Pole, earl of Suffolk and Thomas Beaufort, duke of Somerset, who were working towards peace with France by negotiation.
She played an important part in the first years of the Wars of the Roses, leading the Lancastrian forces during her husband's captivity, and gaining his freedom in the second battle of St. Albans in 1461. She is notable for her lack of mercy after victory. During Henry's incarceration in the Tower of London she was in France and, in 1470, was with Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, when he invaded England and restored Henry to the throne.
After Henry's ultimate defeat the next year she was imprisoned by the Yorkists until being ransomed in 1475, renouncing her titles and all rights in England. She retired to Anjou where she led an impoverished existence until her death in 1482. She was buried in Angers Cathedral.
Source: Oxford Companion to British History


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SYDNEY (AP) — Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, are in Australia on a two-week tour of the Pacific.
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall landed in the Outback Queensland town of Longreach on Monday following a visit to Papua New Guinea.
Dignitaries including Governor-General Quentin Bryce greeted the royal couple before they visited staff from the Royal Flying Doctor Service. They also watched a whip-cracking demonstration at the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame.
Prince Charles was presented with a six-foot leather whip of his own, while the Duchess of Cornwall cuddled an orphaned baby kangaroo.
They were cheered upon their arrival in Melbourne on Tuesday and visited a tapestry workshop.
The pair is scheduled to visit several cities across Australia and New Zealand before returning to the UK on Nov. 16. Their Pacific tour celebrates the 60th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II,


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Inspired by the Spider-Man film trilogy and the classic Spider-Man comics, Spider-Man: Friend or Foe challenges players to defeat and then join forces with notorious movie nemeses including Doc Ock, Green Goblin, Venom and Sandman, and embark on an epic quest to overcome a worldwide evil threat. Throughout the game's original story and thrilling battles, fans control Spider-Man and one of numerous Super Hero or Super Villain sidekicks and master unique fighting moves and styles while switching between characters to execute team combos and defeat foes.
Also known as: Spider-Man Trilogy [working title]
Release Region: United States
Release Date: October 2, 2007
Publisher: Activision
Release Region: United Kingdom
Release Date: Released
Publisher: Activision
Release Region: Australia
Release Date: October 10, 2007
Publisher: Activision
Also available on: Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable
Spider-Man: Friend or Foe at IGN
Spider-Man: Friend or Foe at GameSpy
Spider-Man: Friend or Foe at GameStats


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Sanjay and Craig want to check out the butt transplant, it's time to become party doctors!
Sanjay and Craig want to check out the world's first butt transplant, so they sneak in to the hospital and become doctors! Time to start the party! Sanjay and Craig: Rad-Awesome Butt Doctors is a funny online game starring your favorite human-snake duo! Play as Sanjay or Craig, and dodge doctors and catch patients, then select a treatment for their problem. It could be a huuuuge oozing boil, a toy car lodged in a stomach, smelly pits or antlers transplanted on someone's head! Catch chicken wings for speed. Play Sanjay and Craig: Rad-Awesome Butt Doctors and other free online games on Nick.com. ,,How to Play:,,Use the mouse to move around.


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I won't lie and tell you this time of year is my favorite… I much prefer Thanksgiving to the month of insanity that begins the day after, all in the lead up to "The Holiday Season". Ask anyone that knows me and they'll tell you I'm not materialistic – rather I see much greater reward in gifts of the symbolic, rewarding and accomplishment nature.
This is all an intro into nine things I'm hoping for heading into the 2012 Fire season.
A return to the MLS Cup playoffs – Ask any Fire supporter and they'll tell you the past two years haven't been easy. Prior to 2010, making the postseason was an afterthought with the team only missing out once before (2004).
Unlike many other sports leagues, just getting into the MLS Cup playoffs gives a team a very real chance of winning the league title as we saw with LA in 2005, and more recently with Real Salt Lake and Colorado in 2009 and 2010 respectively. Despite a very poor start to 2011, the team very nearly recovered to make the postseason, missing out by only three points. Put together a campaign that resembles the last half of 2011 and this side won't only be a playoff team, but one to contend with in the postseason.
A trip to Montreal in 2012 (but not for their stadium opening) – This is more of a personal wish for me. I don't always get to travel with the team but when I do, I thoroughly enjoy the experience. There will likely be no better away atmosphere than the one at Stade Saputo when l'Impact de Montreal become the league's 19th club. Knowing the passion of the supporters in Montreal, I'd love to take a trip to French Canada for a Fire game but my wish to the league: after making the Fire open three stadiums in two seasons, how about you send FC Dallas instead?
(This goes for the Houston Dynamo's stadium opening later in the year as well…)
Another call up for Sean Johnson to the U.S. Men's National Team – Entering his third year in Chicago, Sean Johnson has firmly planted himself as the starting keeper for the Fire and has been a part of the early U.S. U23 national team camps in the latter part of this year. Coming off a great end to the 2011 season, Johnson's just finished a week-long training stint at Everton FC but hasn't been recalled to the full men's national team since making his first appearance in a 1-1 friendly draw vs. Chile last January.
Johnson is one of this country's brightest goalkeeping prospects and is someone that people will look to carry on the legacy left by the likes of Keller, Friedel, Meola and Howard at the position. Here's hoping Sean features for both the U.S. Olympic Team and returns to the full side in 2012.
A Fire Jersey Sponsor – I loved the return to seeing "FIRE" across the front of the jersey in 2011 but the money gained from a shirt sponsor can certainly help a club. With a new design due to come out in the New Year, it'd be nice to associate a new sponsor brand across it.
A debut appearance for Victor Pineda – Having signed as the club's first Home Grown player in August 2010, there is a lot of interest and even more hope riding behind the progress of Pineda.
He was far too green and the club was still trying to qualify for the playoffs for the few short months he was part of the first team his initial season. Having said that, the Bolingbrook, IL product has made strides over the 2011 campaign, making the match day 18 a few times during the end of the season.
Pineda made his unofficial first team debut when he came on at halftime for captain Logan Pause in September's 1-0 friendly loss to Chivas de Guadalajara and got a well-earned yellow card in the process. The central midfielder just had a starring performance at the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Showcase in November and is said to be playing with high confidence following his 45 minutes against the Goats.
A fifth Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title – Maybe this is a lot to ask, but the highlight of the 2011 season was the club's return to success in the domestic tournament it owned through its first decade of existence. While some of the U.S. Open Cup has to do with luck, the ride through the 2011 competition and the return to the final, even though it was a loss, will be one of my lasting memories with this team.
My hope: another run to the 2012 championship match with Logan Pause lifting the trophy in front of the Fire faithful at Toyota Park.
Double-Digit Goals and Assists for the Ghanaian duo – Key to the team's midseason turnaround was pairing fellow countrymen Dominic Oduro and Patrick Nyarko up top together. Oduro became the first Fire player in seven seasons to score double-digit goals, tallying an 85th minute game winner off a Nyarko pass in a 3-2 victory over Chivas USA on September 17.
While Oduro finished with 12 goals, Nyarko nearly matched his breakout numbers from 2010, racking up one goal and nine assists in 2011. While it may be a high task, if the now veteran Fire striker tallied 15 assists in 2012, he'll match Peter Nowak's record of assists across three consecutive seasons (34 from 1998-2000).
A "Release the Gargan" tifo from Section 8 Chicago – I was sad earlier this summer when Dasan Robinson, one of my favorite Fire players of all-time was traded to Toronto FC. I miss seeing Dae around Toyota Park, but what the team got in exchange was another great player and person in Dan Gargan.
@RealDanGargan (on Twitter) is as tough a defender as they come and was quoted shortly after his arrival saying, "[Our defense] needs to be nasty, miserable to play against." The Philadelphia, PA product followed up his words by locking down right side and even tallied a goal against TFC a month after his unceremonious exit from BMO Field.
Gargan is the type of player that personifies the city of Chicago and the Fire: humble, gritty and hard working. Colorado Rapids supporters may have coined the phrase "Release the Gargan" but I'd like to see Section 8 Chicago make a tifo effort in his honor.
A Chicago Fire garden gnome – At the beginning of this I said I wasn't materialistic and I promise I'm not. Having been with the Fire for two years, I've collected a lot of gear so a Fire jersey, jacket, hat, scarf, flag, hoodie aren't really high gift priorities for me but this garden gnome would certainly be a centerpiece of my Pilsen bachelor pad.
The fact that I don't have a garden means little. Mom and Dad, if you're reading this, take note. This guy is available via ShopChicago-Fire.com and can also be purchased at the Fan Shop inside Toyota Park!
I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season!
Jeff Crandall is the Team Writer for the Chicago Fire. Follow him on Twitter @JefeCrandall.


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Work continues on the Great Speckled Bird. This is the first project that I've attempted to document from start to finish and I am having difficulties thinking about and shooting photos of the actual work with tools. For now we're just going to have to be satisfied with shots of each stage of the project.
This carving is much larger than most of my work. I've two great parrot vises that I purchased for luthiery work that are above average carving vises. If I continue to do large work I want to look into a more specialized carving vise.
These steps, beginning to round the head and body are much like the exercise in the last article about rounding a square stick. Think in terms of turning the cylinder sections of the body into octagons and then into 16 sides. These areas, the head, neck and body, need to be blended together in the transition areas.
Most of this work is accomplished with a 1/2″ chisel.
1) Marking wood for removal on the belly and neck.
2) Looking at the rump and tail. Lines are marked for wood removal.
3) The transition from the breast to the neck. More wood marked for removal.
4) Wood removed on breast from neck to wingtips.
5) Wood removed and beginning the transition to the neck.
6) Beginnig the transition. I'm experiencing som difficulty blending the shoulders into the neck. More on that later.
7) Wood adjacent to the tail marked for removal.
8) The same from the top.
9) From the back. Wingtips visible below the tail.
10) Wood removed using a backsaw.
11) From forward.
12) Wood removed from back of neck and body.
13) From the front. You can see those difficult shoulders.
14) From the back.
As always I encouraage discussion. Chime in.


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Costochondritis is pain in the front of the chest wall. In particular, it is irritation where the bone and cartilage part of the ribs meet.
Sometimes there is also chest swelling and inflammation. This is a condition referred to as Tietze's syndrome. Neither costochondritis nor Tietze's syndrome is a serious disease. However, their symptoms are similar to those of several dangerous conditions, like a heart attack .
The cause of costochondritis is often not known. At other times, the condition can occur due to injury or overuse.
Risk Factors
Factors that may increase your chance of costochondritis include:
- Infection, especially following trauma to the chest
- Arthritis, especially:
- Heavy lifting and strenuous exercise
Costochondritis may cause:
- Sharp, localized chest pain, which may be made worse by sneezing, coughing, deep breathing, or twisting motions of the chest
Tenderness or swelling over a joint between:
- Rib cartilage and breast bone
- Rib cartilage and rib bone swelling
You will be asked about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done. Your doctor may do further tests if the diagnosis is not clear. Tests to examine the ribs more closely may include a chest x-ray .
Talk with your doctor about the best treatment plan for you. Most costochondritis will eventually go away on its own. Treatment is optional, but choices include the following:
Hot or Cold Compresses
Compresses may help provide relief until the condition resolves itself. Try hot and cold compresses to see which is more helpful.
Your doctor may recommend over-the-counter medications to relieve pain and swelling.
Cortisone Injections
A local anesthetic and medication (cortisone) may be injected directly into the area. This may be done if the discomfort does not respond to other treatments.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: Michael Woods, MD
- Review Date: 11/2015 -
- Update Date: 11/24/2015 -


text: Adventure: HowTo HowTo Posted 07-15-2013 DIY ATV Upkeep Photo Credit: B A Bowen Photography By: myatvblog.com Permitted use provided by: myatvblog.com Do-It-Yourself ATV Upkeep and Considerations to save you time and money. Take care of your tires, and your tires will take care of you. Those puppies take a lot of abuse — and that means maintenance is the name of the game. Whether you're riding a Continental Tire, Nexen or Maxxis set up, the game is pretty much the same. Take the time to learn how to care for your tires, what kind of traction your favorite activities need, and what to take with you in case things don't go as planned. Know Your Inflation Needs PSI can be tricky in ATVs. The tire itself will have an optimal PSI printed on the sidewall, but manufacturers may list another optimal tire pressure either on the vehicle or in the manual. The PSI on the tire is usually the maximum pressure allowed to avoid the danger of unseating the bead from the rim. The manufacturer's pressure is more geared to the particulars of the vehicle — how it's designed, what you'll be doing on it, and what loads it will carry, according to Field and Stream. Go for the manufacturer's pressure as long as it doesn't exceed the recommended pressure printed on the tire. You can go a little higher for high-speed riding or a little lower for mud riding, but don't exceed that magic number on the sidewall. Don't overinflate: Too much pressure means only the center of the tire impacts the road — so the middle of the tire wears down too quickly while the rest is essentially unused. Too much pressure means you don't get the best traction and are asking for an uncontrolled spinout in a bad situation. Don't under inflate: Having only a little pressure puts you in a different kind of danger. You can wind up wearing out the sidewall and outer tread, creating the best possible circumstances for rim bite and tire punctures. You may get a smoother ride at first, but you're putting yourself in danger of costly repairs — not to mention a blowout at the wrong time can be costly. Do inflate equally: If you don't have the same PSI literally, you can put dangerous torque on the axles, making your whole vehicle work too hard like a test horse. Equip Your Tires for Your Local Environment A few DIY adjustments can make your ATV feel like a custom ride designed just for the things you love: Use tire studs: Multiple studs screwed into the outsides of a tire will clear snow better and increase grip. If a stud rips out, patch it with a tire plug. Know your flats: If you're getting holes in the center of your tire, add more pressure. Save Money and Save Face Understand debeading and beading: Carry a flat kit: Take tire plugs and a tire ball or two to keep yourself safe when you head for the backwoods … getting stuck miles from home is nobody's idea of a good time. A little preparation can save a life — or at least your weekend — from disaster. It's time to pack the ATV and hit the woods: Or the trail, the desert or whatever your dream getaway, make sure you spend your time living it up, not sitting stranded in the back country praying for help. http://myatvblog.com/atv-parts/tires-atv-parts/do-it-yourself-atv-upkeep/ Share This Story Next From HowTo How to Identify Dangerous Plants Related Adventure : Posted 07-03-2013 Side-By-Sides by Storm View Adventure : Posted 03-05-2013 ATV Suspension Unleashed View Adventure : Posted 03-03-2013 11 Things Your Spark Plugs Are Telling You View Comments Categories News Stories Recipes Tips Gear Videos Photo Galleries Viewer Photo Galleries Features Behind the Badge with Carlos Gomez Adventure Check Out All The Photos Explore the United States. Find information about and activities within your state. Get Started


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Miranda Kerr and Behati Prinsloo Launch Victoria's Secret's Fabulous Collection in New York City
Victoria's Secret supermodels Miranda Kerr and Behati Prinsloo made personal appearances at the Herald Square Victoria's Secret in New York City yesterday to launch the brand's new "Fabulous" collection. Check out all the photos right here.
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Dr. King delivered this sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in April of 1960. In this sermon he discussed two days of prime importance in the life of Jesus namely Palm Sunday, "the moment of fulfillment" and Good Friday, the day of his crucifixion.
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Gallery: Helpful Pairs of Salad "Hands"
The first time we saw a stocky pair of salad hands sticking out of a friend's salad bowl, we were not impressed. They look like bear claws, frankly. But over the years, we've noticed we tend to toss salads with our bare hands—so much more efficient than trying to use traditional tongs. We can really dig down into the bowl to get the dressing and ingredients perfectly combined. So now we're taking another look at these odd little salad servers...
We love the fact that most of these are actually named salad "hands." We'd like some that are small enough to feel comfortable but big enough to actually toss more effectively than our own hands. They should also be attractive, since they'll be sitting in our salad bowl on the table. Another bonus of salad "hands" versus tongs: They give a big, hefty portion with one scoop, which isn't always the case with spoon-sized tongs.
Here are some we like:
1. Melamine Serving Hands, £12 from Graham and Green. We love the clean simplicity of these plastic servers. The company is based in London, but you can call about shipping to the U.S.
2. Salad & Pasta Hands, $12.95 from Sur La Table. These have "dimples for your thumbs" to make them easy to grip.
3. Salad Hands in Various Colors, $10 from Sur La Table. Another set from this store, but much more modern—and dishwasher safe. There are four colors, but we're partial to the orange nestled into a bowl of green...
4. Umbra Sonata Salad Bowl with Servers, $20.99 from Target. You have to buy the whole set with this one, and the tongs are a little less hand-like than the others, but we love they way they hook onto the side of the bowl.
5. Nigella Lawson Black Serving Hands, $11.95 from Food Network. These are the only ones we're iffy on. The black coupled with the shape looks very 80s to us. What do you think? Hot or not?
Are you serving a big salad for Easter lunch? What do you think about this type of salad server?
Related: Salad Wrenches by Atypyk


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Style # 222626
Luxe crossover drape and slit at sleeves make this bebe bodysuit a super sexy way to upgrade bottoms. Try yours with anything from skinny jeans to a bandage skirt.
- 68% rayon, 27% polyester, 5% spandex
- Center back to hem: 30" (76 cm)
- Hand wash according to care label
- Imported
- Model is 5'9" and is wearing a US size S


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MindArk introduces dramatically new avatar system
Jan 18, 2013, 09:15 EST
GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Jan. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- /Entropia Universe/ – Entropia Universe AB, the largest Massively Multiplayer Online Real Cash Economy (or MMORCE) game, announced today that MindArk has released a brand new avatar system. This new system will bring Entropia Universe to the forefront of graphics technology in an MMO with highly detailed and fully customizable new avatars. The new avatars can be seen at www.tractionpr.com/EU.
The new avatars are significantly enhanced with over twice as many polygons as their predecessors for surprising fidelity. All character textures have been heightened as well, with faces becoming four times more detailed. Bilateral asymmetry is now a key factor in making distinctive creations as tattoos, scars and makeup no longer need to be even on both sides; and even hair has been improved so that it now moves and bounces naturally. Additionally all avatar animations have seen improvements so they move more fluidly, with clothes and armor redone to better fit the new models. This all allows for a much richer user experience as players' in-game representations will now be much more engaging and realistic.
To add to the gameplay the avatars not only look better, but they have been optimized for better performance on all machines as well. While overhauling the creation system to introduce the high-fidelity models the developers also took the time to work on the basic user interface. They made it far easier to customize a unique character so players can explore the world as anyone they wish. The new system also improves the handling of different races to better represent players and their backgrounds. The team also included pre-set appearances to allow for faster entry into the game if a player doesn't want to spend the time on their avatar. Upon release of the new avatar system all existing users will get a chance to re-customize their look for free.
Entropia Universe is the largest Massively Multiplayer Online Real Cash Economy (MMORCE) game in the world. Players have no monthly costs, but deposit and withdraw real funds for their adventures on any planet in the Entropia Universe. For more information on Entropia Universe or to download the free game please visit www.entropiauniverse.com. To download the new app please visit the Google Play App store at https://play.google.com/store.
About MindArk
Based in Gothenburg Sweden, MindArk is one of the city's largest video game publishers contributing the to the thriving development community. As the publisher of Entropia Universe, a game space that encompasses multiple planet partners, each with their own unique setting and gameplay style, MindArk focuses on the development and maintenance of the platform. This allows other companies to create unique content for their planets in the game universe and provides an environment in which a real cash economy can flourish.
For more information on MindArk please contact us at the email below or go to our website at http://www.mindark.com.
About Entropia Universe AB
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To make its data center greener, Apple will be getting energy from old garbage.
The company plans to power the fuel cells at its Maiden, N.C., data center with biogas from landfills, according to a regulatory filing spotted by Data Center Knowledge.
The filing also indicates that Bloom Energy will supply the 4.8 megawatts worth of fuel cells that will partly power the data center. Yesterday, Bloom Energy CEO K.R. Sridhar told CNET that the company will supply its 200-kilowatt parking space-size Bloom Boxes to Apple.
By using biogas rather than natural gas to power its fuel cells, Apple is tapping what is considered by many a renewable resource, namely trash entombed in landfills. "The use of biogas, which displaces conventional natural gas, to generate electricity will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and smog-forming pollutants while also diversifying the fuel used to generate electricity," Apple states in its filing from earlier this month.
Fuel cells convert the energy in natural gas or biogas, which can also come from dairy or pig farms, into electric power through a chemical process that gives off minimal air pollutants. In addition to being less polluting and more efficient than the grid, fuel cells give companies a reliable source of on-site power, which is one of the main reasons companies invest in them.
Apple's North Carolina data center, which is now under construction, has become the target of attacks from Greenpeace, which launched a campaign to pressure cloud-computing providers to use more clean energy. In response, Apple said the Maiden facility will be one of the most efficient data centers, using about 20 megawatts of power at full steam. In addition to the biogas-powered fuel cells, the data center will have a huge 20-megawatt solar array.
To get biogas, Apple will need to procure it from a special supplier. The organic matter in landfills gives off methane (the primary ingredient of natural gas) as it decomposes, but that captured gas has to be cleaned and upgraded so that it's indistinguishable from natural gas. The biogas that Apple buys will be inserted and mixed into the natural gas pipeline, according to the filing.
A number of Bloom Energy customers in California, including eBay and NTT America, are already buying biogas to run their fuel cells. But Apple's data center will be one of the largest corporate fuel cell installations. It is expected to be operating by this summer.
Apple - USE TAG
reading•Trash-powered cloud: Apple taps landfill biogas for data center
Sep 20•Unboxing the Apple Watch Series 4
Sep 20•Amazon Echo Plus stays $150 but gets clearer sound, temperature sensor
Sep 20•Amazon Echo Wall Clock is an old-school clock, with an Alexa twist
Sep 20•Amazon Echo Sub is $130, turns Echos into a 2.1 system
•See All


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Crack closes 20-mile stretch of Blue Ridge Parkway
Crack closes 20-mile stretch of Blue Ridge Parkway
A 20-mile section of the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed in western North Carolina because of a crack in the pavement.
Park officials say there is a 2- to 4-inch wide crack running about 100 feet along the road. Parts of the crack are 6 feet deep.
Officials have closed the road between milepost 375 north of Asheville to milepost 355 near Mount Mitchell State Park because officials are worried about possible road failure. Officials say they noticed the crack Friday.
The parkway's chief ranger, Steve Stinnett says an engineer will examine the crack to determine how serious it is.
Stinnett said the ground below the crack is completely saturated and is starting to collapse. The area has been pounded by heavy rains for several weeks.


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Smoking sections: Now we're dividing towns, tooEDITORIAL
March 20. 2014 11:09PM
In Monday's business section, we had a story about Manchester native Shawn Bradley's new startup company: A website that allows smokers to find hotel rooms where they are welcome. Pretty soon smokers might need a similar site to help them find public parks from which they are not banned.
Claremont is the latest New Hampshire municipality to consider banning smoking in public parks. Some towns and cities ban or have considered banning smoking on playgrounds or on all municipal property. There are varying degrees of severity, but outdoor smoking bans are cropping up around the "Live free or die" state.
Derry had considered banning smoking on town property after a parent complained about smokers near playground equipment. In January the town settled on posting "no smoking" signs at playgrounds and some parks, but did not pass an ordinance.
We get that parents don't want their kids breathing smoke while playing on a public playground. But these bans are not always about the kids. Often they are about making everyone behave how our self-proclaimed betters think we should. Keeping kids away from cigarette smoke is one thing. Using government power to forcibly modify people's behavior is another.


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WASHINGTON — Congressional efforts to shut down bailed-out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac took a significant step forward with bipartisan agreement from key senators on a plan to overhaul the housing finance system.
The proposal released Tuesday would slowly shrink the companies and replace them with a scaled-back government guarantee for mortgages. Details are expected to be disclosed in the coming days.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which together own or guarantee about 60% of existing mortgages, were seized by the federal government in 2008 as they neared bankruptcy from bad loans they guaranteed during the subprime housing boom.
Senate Banking Committee leaders reached...


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Stocks edged higher in early trading Friday after a U.S. government report showed that hiring held up in December.
Stocks edged higher in early trading Friday after a U.S. government report showed that hiring held up in December.
The Dow Jones industrial average was up six points to 13,399 as of 10:06 a.m. EST. The Standard and Poor's 500 index rose two points to 1,461. The Nasdaq composite fell seven points to 3,094.
The Labor Department said U.S. employers added 155,000 jobs in December. It also said hiring was stronger in November than first thought. The unemployment rate held steady at 7.8 percent.
Stocks have surged this week after lawmakers passed a bill to avoid a combination of government spending cuts and tax increases that had been set to take place Jan. 1. The law passed late Tuesday night averted that outcome, which could have pushed the economy back into recession.
The Dow is already up 2.3 percent for the year and the S&P 500 has advanced 2.6 percent.
Among stocks making big moves, Eli Lilly and Co. rose $1.83 to $51.59 after saying that its earnings will grow more than Wall Street expects, even though the drug maker will lose U.S. patent protection for two more product types this year.
Walgreen Co., the nation's largest drugstore chain, fell 43 cents to $37.35 after the company said that a measure of revenue fell more than analysts had expected in December, even as prescription counts continued to recover.
The 10-year Treasury note fell, pushing up its yield. The yield on the 10-year note gained 1 basis point to 1.92 percent.
Other notable stock moves;
Accuray Inc. plunged $1.50 to $5.21 after the radiation oncology equipment company reported weak sales and said it would cut 13 percent of its staff.
Lululemon, a yoga apparel maker, dropped $4.20 to $70.89 after Credit Suisse predicted slowing momentum and downgraded its stock.


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Provide a high level of thermal comfort system control by individual occupants or by specific groups in multioccupant spaces (i.e. classrooms or conference areas) to promote the productivity, comfort and well-being of building occupants.
Provide individual comfort controls for 50% (minimum) of the building occupants to enable adjustments to suit individual task needs and preferences. Operable windows can be used in lieu of comfort controls for occupants of areas that are 20 feet inside of and 10 feet to either side of the operable part of the window. The areas of operable window must meet the requirements of ASHRAE 62.1-2004 paragraph 5.1 Natural Ventilation.
Provide comfort system controls for all shared multi-occupant spaces to enable adjustments to suit group needs and preferences.
Conditions for thermal comfort are described in ASHRAE Standard 55-2004 to include the primary factors of air temperature, radiant temperature, air speed and humidity. Comfort system control for the purposes of this credit is defined as the provision of control over at least one of these primary factors in the occupant's local environment.
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TOKYO (AP) — Japanese police have arrested a U.S. sailor for alleged trespassing near Tokyo during a nighttime curfew imposed after recent crimes linked to American servicemen.
Kanagawa police said Richard Lawton, 24, is suspected of having entered a home near his base in Yokosuka early Sunday. Lawton, a petty officer 2nd class, reportedly was drunk when arrested after a resident called police.
Since an alleged rape of a woman on the southern island of Okinawa by two sailors in October, an 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew has been in place for all U.S. servicemen in Japan, banning off-base alcohol purchase or consumption. Several American servicemen have been arrested since, raising questions over the effectiveness of the curfew. Japan hosts about 50,000 American servicemen, mostly on Okinawa, under a bilateral security alliance.


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Why Ed Koch became mayor and not a Met
By Erica Stein
Ed Koch never would have become mayor if he hadnt been so lousy at baseball.
At least thats the way Koch and his sister Pat Koch Thaler tell the story in their childrens book, Eddie: Harolds Little Brother. The book recounts the former mayors youthful athletic incompetence and the guidance of his older brother, Harold, who encouraged him to participate in a public speaking contest at school. Eddie wins the award for excellence in public speaking (for a speech about his experiences in baseball) and the rest, as they say, is history.
Koch rose to political prominence in Greenwich Village, where he still lives today, going on to become a three-term mayor of New York City from 1978-1989.
The former mayor says he and his sister decided to write the book for Penguin Putnam because Were a very close-knit family, Koch said. My brother died when he was 75. My sister and I are both writers Ive written autobiographies and mysteries and all kinds of articles, and shes written about topics close to her heart and we decided to write this book about my relationship with our brother. And every word of it is true.
Set in the Bronx in the mid-1930s, the book focuses on the relationship between Koch and Harold. I was awful at sports and I wanted to play baseball, said Koch. My brother was an Adonis. He was a jock. I envied him and I loved him. He made them take me. He would tell them, If you want me and everybody wanted him on their team you have to take Eddie too. And then eventually it got to be too much and he told me I couldnt play any more. Youre no good, he said. And I started to whimper and I told him I wanted to play. He said I had to find something I did well. So I asked him what do I do well? He says, You talk good. And thats how I became mayor.
Although Koch has written or co-authored more than 12 books he also writes movie reviews for The Villager and Koch Thaler was associate dean of Professional and Continuing Studies at N.Y.U, neither had ever written a childrens book before, which, according to Koch, has its own challenges. You never talk down to a child. You have to treat kids with respect, said Koch. The authors had a ready-made focus group in Thalers seven grandchildren, who were read the book by their grandmother and, according to Koch, enjoyed it. Its remarkable to see Pats kids, he said. Theyre so much smarter than we were.
Koch describes the writing process as a true collaboration, both between himself and Koch Thaler and with James Warhola, who illustrated the book. Warhola, who has illustrated many childrens books including If You Hopped Like a Frog, is best known for Uncle Andys, which he also wrote. Uncle Andys is the story of Warholas childhood visits to see his fathers youngest brother, Andy Warhol.
Warholas book was popular with both kids and pop-art aficionados, and its vibrant watercolor illustrations attracted Koch and his sister. Our editor at Putnam gave us the works of three illustrators to look at, Koch said. The publisher has the right to choose who illustrates the book, but they allowed us to make the choice. We picked James. To get the illustrations to reflect the parks, houses and schools of Depression-era New York, the authors spent hours with Warhola, telling him what kind of stores, clothes and buildings they remembered from their youth.
Koch said he and Koch Thaler are both very pleased with the result. I love it and so does my sister, he said. This is a book for klutzy kids and how its O.K. not to be good at everything. I was a klutzy kid and my brother was the oldest. He protected me from bullies. Later, when he grew up to be a carpet designer and wholesaler, hed come to see me speak when I was mayor. The moral of the book is very simple: theres something everyone can do well.
The brother-sister team have already written another childrens book for Putnam, which will focus on their relationship. It will also be illustrated by Warhola. We asked them if he was free, Koch said. His stuff is just great I even look the way I did when I was a kid.
Eddie: Harolds Little Brother (Putnam, 32 pages, color illustrations, $16.99) will go on sale Sept. 1
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