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PART OF GLOBE-TROTTING nowadays is flitting from one free Wi-Fi network to the next.
But from hotel lobby to coffee shop to subway platform to park, each time we join a public network, we put our personal information and privacy at risk. Despite this, few travelers are concerned enough to turn down free Wi-Fi. Rather, many of us hastily give away an email address in exchange for 15 minutes of free airport Internet access.
So how to feed your addiction while also safeguarding your passwords and privacy? If you're not going to abstain (and who is these days?), here are four rules for staying connected and (reasonably) safe while traveling.
1. Make sure that any site you visit has 'HTTPS' in front of the URL.
Those five letters indicate that the page is encrypted, which prevents others from seeing what you're doing. If you're browsing the web in a Starbucks or any place with an open network and you do not see "https," it's possible that someone there with nefarious intentions can see the site you're visiting and the exact pages you request on that site.
"They can see that you're connecting to Amazon and that you're looking for remedial algebra books," said Nadia Heninger, an assistant professor of computer and information science at the University of Pennsylvania. Indeed, the only part of an e-commerce site that may be encrypted is the page where you access your account information or enter your credit card number.
Sites like Gmail.com and Yahoo.com use "https" by default, but type your password into a Web-based email site that does not use it and a third party could see (and steal) that password. This sort of eavesdropping is easier than you might think. A number of tools allow anyone who downloads them to see all the data that flies back and forth between a browser and a Web server, said Jason Hong, an associate professor at the Human Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University.
Plus, anyone can set up a Wi-Fi network for criminal purposes and give it a legitimate-sounding name. Say, for example, you're in the Paris M�tro and you join a free network that looks like an official city initiative.
"You have no idea what Wi-Fi network that is," Heninger said. "It could be set up by a hacker."
And if he or she has malicious intentions, when you go to a popular site like Facebook you may actually be logging into a fake page that allows the hacker to steal your password. "It is surprisingly common," Heninger said.
Surely, using Wi-Fi at a hotel is safe, right? "That's only marginally better," Hong said. On the bright side, he said it's unlikely that a criminal would bother monitoring the hotel's traffic for a few passwords because the cost-benefit is simply not there. That person would get a bigger payoff from phishing emails, in which the sender masquerades as a known source like your bank or credit card company to get sensitive information like your banking passwords.
Even so, protect your computer by ensuring that your Web browsers are up- to-date. Turn on your firewall and turn off file sharing.
2. Use a virtual private network, or VPN.
If you work for a corporation, chances are you either already have one or have a technology department that can give you one. Using a VPN essentially encrypts all your online traffic, ensuring that no one can eavesdrop. It also routes that activity through whoever owns the VPN (your employer). So if, for example, I'm in a hotel in Japan using my VPN, all of my traffic gets sent to The New York Times' servers and is then redirected again so it appears as if it is coming from The Times rather than from a hotel room in Japan. To access the VPN, users are typically given a name and a password and often also a constantly changing set of numbers on a fob that must be entered to access the network.
Don't have a VPN? There's Tor, software that prevents third parties from seeing your location or the sites you visit. "It's totally free and fairly easy to use," said Heninger, who uses Tor. The software can be downloaded at Torproject.org. It is available for Windows, Mac and Linux computers and Android-based devices, but not for iOS machines.
3. Sign up for two-step verification. More and more sites -- Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, WordPress -- allow users to set up their accounts so that signing in requires two ways of proving who they are. The most common method requires a password you create plus a code that is sent to you -- via text message or through a special app -- each time you wish to sign in.
For instance, let's say you logged onto a fake Facebook page and hackers captured your user name and password. If that happened without two-step verification (known on Facebook as "login approvals"), the hackers could access your account when you log off. If, however, you had enabled login approvals, even though your user name and password were captured, the hackers would not be able to log into your account because they wouldn't receive the requisite code.
Now, if you're someone who uses the same password for everything, this is where you still run into trouble. Here's why: If your user name and password for Facebook are the same as those for another website that does not have two-step verification, hackers might figure that out and break into your other accounts. Yes, I know, you can't keep all your passwords straight. That's why there are password managers like 1Password and LastPass, which can create and store long, unique passwords.
4. Bring only what you need and turn off what you're not using.
The latter goes for Wi-Fi and for Bluetooth. "It's just another way to be compromised," Heninger said.
And don't give away your email address or download an app in exchange for free Wi-Fi.
"Think about the recipient of that information," she said. "You have no idea who set up that Wi-Fi network. You might have just downloaded an app that will download all your contacts."
When it comes to travel booking and organization apps, one security concern is how much of your personal information the app is sharing, and with whom. Hong said that, in general, apps that charge a fee are better because they have a revenue model. Those that do not are more likely to sell your information. He added that whether they are free or not, apps are also a potential security risk because they do not always encrypt your data when communicating to Web servers.
If you're seriously concerned about security, Heninger suggests creating a special travel email address and password. And she recommends buying a "travel laptop" that you load with only the information you need.
Indeed, Hong said he would worry more about the theft of your computer than your various passwords. He cited an incident in 2000 in which the laptop of the Qualcomm chief executive at the time, Irwin Jacobs, disappeared at a conference in Irvine, Calif. "He turned his back and the laptop was gone."
Average travelers, he continued, should be just as mindful, if not more, of having their smartphone plucked from their hand by a thief on the street.
"Attackers usually go for the easiest thing," he said. "Don't ever underestimate the power of snatch and grab."
Stay secure in hunt for free Wi-Fi on the road
PART OF GLOBE-TROTTING nowadays is flitting from one free Wi-Fi network to the next.


text:
(read other reactions here)
Obama on Osama
Monday, May 02, 2011
(read other reactions here)
19 comments:
- Sluff said...
I said this same thing on my facebook & got mixed responses. I'm the only one at first who wasn't celebrating the death of another human being so I had to say something. MILLIONS have died to find ONE person??? Doesn't seem right.
- 4:56 pm
- Ayuni said...
I still can't believe it!
- 6:51 pm
- ' Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Sσrℓisค ... , said...
Exactly my thoughts when I read the news!
I do hope people come to their senses and realise what the meaning of justice is.
- 6:52 pm
- Nubenegra said...
I hate this double morality. "Good wins evil". Really? If killing is bad is bad for all. Even in Spain, that is the very latest country on Europe, we do have it. We sold racine bombs to Libya but as it was before the global banning.... I do hate this. The world won't get better unless we change this attitude but I guess it's too hard to do it. Bin Laden has just been killed as soon as EEUU doesn't need him anymore. Salam aleykum.
- 9:02 pm
- -ilyannur- said...
i dont know betul atau x. tp ada yg ckp osama tu x wujud pun, just agenda iluminati nk buat kucar kacir dunia.
- 9:50 pm
- Aracy Flavia said...
well said! :)
- 2:06 am
- ✾βιττεη✾ said...
His death might be a victory for Americans but it doesn't mean terrorism nor Al Qaeda ends there..
I just hope it would bring world peace and that there would be no violent reactions anywhere.
- 3:24 am
- Yunne Osman said...
something i found which made me thinking...
- 3:35 am
- soso said...
Agree with Sluff's comment.. It's all too confusing..
- 4:57 am
- hijabi hippie hypo said...
agree with the last sentence in your post
so many questions unanswered, so much injustice. Allahu Alam.
- 5:25 am
- Misha said...
I agree with you. I read a comment by the father of a 9/11 victim, and he said something along the lines of: "I will not celebrate his death because I am not the one to judge him, only God is."
I think it is so true, and it sums up what I feel. Sure, so many people have gotten closure, but it's a little silly to claim that "justice has been achieved" since it took so many years, millions of innocent deaths, wars, loss of money, time, and deteriorated the relation between Muslims/non in the west -- all which I don't think is equitable to the justice of killing one man.
- 5:35 am
- Dilan Dilir said...
great post :)
- 5:43 am
- Feda said...
I might be the oddball here but I am very happy and satisfied that this man was punished and killed. The war on terror and the punishment of Osama are two different issues to me. I especially find it strange that Muslims are quoting the "violence perpetuates violence" quote when Islam is clear on it's stance against those that kill innocent human beings. They can and often are put to death! Justice happened in the sense that a mass murderer was punished for a crime he commited!
- 11:51 am
I share your sentiment. Millions have died just for one guy. It certainly does not substantiate to his death.
So the next question should be whether his death is gonna put an end to the sufferings of the Iraqs, Afghans, Palestinians etc.
Oh Allah, please guide us with the truth.
- 12:04 pm
- Zarine Mohideen said...
Nothing is going to change now that he is dead.
And somehow I don't seem to believe it either.
- 4:05 pm
- Hijabs and Co said...
the West is at war against Islam :@
- 6:20 am
- Shahirah Elaiza said...
Sluff: Something smells fishy doesn't it?
Ayuni: I think most people can't believe it.
Sorlisa: What can we expect from the American govt?
Nubenegra: Wa alaykummusalam. I agree, the moment he wasn't needed anymore he is killed. How convenient.
ilyannur: Ya, mungkin betul. Anything is possible these days!
Aracy Flavia: I think many, many people feel the same way. His alleged death doesn't bring closure except to those who are blinded by the "war on terrorism". The truth is we don't have answers but are left with more questions.
Bitten: What about the end of other forms of terrorism happening around the world? Thanks to American propaganda terrorism is now synonymous to Islamists and Muslim extremists and women who wear hijabs and niqabs.
Yunne: Hmmm... interesting indeed. Anything is possible really because we don't see his body as evidence. Buried at sea? Who on earth came up with that idea?!
soso: It is but it has been interesting to find out people's reactions.
hijabi hippie hypo: I've been looking at documentaries on wars for the last one week and I'm just shattered at the intensity of injustice that has been happening in the world since God's know when and it's all because of people and their desperation for power. It's.. just.. unbelievable..
Misha: The word justice is a dirty word now, isn't it?
Dilan Dilir: Just saying what I feel sis.
Feda: I think Osama deserves to be punished for all he has done but his death has only glorified the American government and it hasn't led to any answers whatsoever. Allahu3alam - only God knows best and He is the best Planner of all.
Anon: It's clear to me that true justice doesn't exist in this imperfect world of ours.
Zarine: I know right? Body thrown at sea?! Come on! I thought the US government would think people are smarter than that.
Hijabs & Co: I don't think the West, in general, is at war against Islam but it does feel that way sometimes doesn't it? Especially as you are in France - you would feel the heat of the hijab and niqab ban.
- 8:46 am
Osama bin Laden wasn't killed because the West "didn't need" him anymore. He was killed because he was responsible for the death of thousands of innocent people, non-Muslims and Muslims alike.
As for some of you feeling that the West is against Muslims, I think you are neglecting to acknowledge the fact that Western governments aren't fighting Muslims, they are fighting terrorists who happen to call themselves Muslims.
I often wonder where all the good Muslims are when your brothers are killing each other in suicide bombings. If you want the rest of the world to respect you, you need to let us know loud and clear that you do not agree with such actions. Otherwise, we have to assume your silence equals complicity.
I fully support France's ban on women covering their faces. There is simply no place for this practice in Western culture, just as there is no place for wearing tank tops in public in Islamic countries. If Muslims don't agree with Western culture, and are not willing to integrate into Western society, then what are they doing living in Western countries?
- 4:37 am
- Shahirah Elaiza said...
Anon: Please read my reply to your comment here: http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=24333169&postID=8628000400917438579
- 11:51 am

subset: commoncrawl


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Kenmore Mercy Physicians Receive Prestigious Award
Home » About Us » News » 2010 News » Kenmore Mercy Physicians Receive Prestigious Award
November 22, 2010
Kenmore Mercy Hospital physicians Michael Landi, MD, FACS, and Jeffrey Meilman, MD, FACS, were recently honored with the prestigious Sister Mary Mechtilde Memorial Award, at the Kenmore Mercy Foundation's Tribute to Angels, held on November 19.
Board members, hospital associates and others enjoyed an evening of fine wine, cuisine, silent and live auctions and fellowship as they paid tribute to these dedicated individuals at the annual fundraiser held at Buffalo/Niagara Marriott Hotel.
This prestigious award, established in 1980 by the Kenmore Mercy Foundation, recognizes outstanding individuals who have demonstrated a dedication to community service, visionary leadership and the ideals of unselfish service towards others. These qualities were exemplified by Sister Mary Mechtilde O'Connor, RSM, foundress and first administrator of Kenmore Mercy Hospital.
Dr. Landi is CEO of Brain and Spine Medical Services, PLLC, Chief of Neurological Surgery at Kenmore Mercy Hospital and the Vice President of the Kenmore Mercy Foundation Board of Trustees. He has been a key leadership figure and long time financial supporter of the Kenmore Mercy Foundation and has involved the Brain and Spine Center in sponsoring numerous events such as A Tribute to Angels and The Bob A. Saldanha Memorial Golf & Wine Event.
Dr. Meilman, a plastic surgeon at Kenmore Mercy Hospital, is internationally recognized and respected for his many innovative and charitable surgeries. His Hope For Tomorrow Foundation, a charitable organization which has enabled many American and foreign patients to receive needed plastic surgery.
In addition, the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Katherine Koessler Juhasz and a special Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Marty Winnert (posthumously).
Koessler Juhasz serves as President of the Kenneth L. and Katherine G. Koessler Family Foundation and is an invaluable member of the Kenmore Mercy Foundation Board of Trustees.
Winnert, served as president of Parkland Professional Park Corp. and was a proud member of the Board of Trustees for Kenmore Mercy Hospital and Kenmore Mercy Foundation.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was created to honor an individual who has been active and supportive of the Foundation, for many years. The presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award is a fitting tribute to individuals whose years of unwavering spirit and determination have benefited our hospital and our community.
The Kenmore Mercy Foundation raises money through special events and annual fund campaigns to provide Kenmore Mercy Hospital and its associates with programs such as Staff Education Grants, Department Mini-Grants, as well as Capital Equipment Grants. For more information about the Kenmore Mercy Foundation, please visit www.kenmoremercyfoundation.org.


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After roughly two years since I last put my fingers to the keyboard to type a new story - I'm finally back.
My new fic is a genfic entitled: Conversations With Dead People. It follows Severus Snape pretty much through DH, with Lily flashbacks. I'm excited about it.
To fans of my previous writings, I do hope you haven't all lost so much faith in me that you are now boycotting my work! To all others... no seriously... I do update. Regularly. I do. And I am never, ever gone for years at a time. Don't let anyone tell you differently.
Also, I have changed my site domain - please see above for the new address. It will be used for news on updates etc.


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As the prices for new and used cars edge higher, more consumers are opting to ride off the dealership's lot in a leased vehicle.
According to Equifax and Moody's Analytics' CreditForecast.com, total auto lease balances increased 9% in March over activity in March 2011. That percentage was more than twice the growth rate of auto loan balances, which grew 4.2% during the same period.
Leases are poised to grow by nearly 50% by the end of 2017, said CreditForecast.com, which tracks consumer credit data.
Since auto finance companies tend to originate more auto leases, fewer auto loans at credit unions, banks and other lenders might occur, some industry watchers have noted.
Amy Crews-Cutts, senior vice president and chief economist of Equifax, said auto finance companies have ramped up the number of leases they are providing to well-qualified borrowers with higher credit scores. In California, Florida and the Northeastern part of the country, leases are especially growing in popularity, she added.
Finance companies have a 10% capture rate on lease financing among all U.S. auto lenders, according to Equifax and CreditForecast.com. Lease balances increased by 11% in March from a year ago. Through the end of 2017, they are expected to grow at an 8% average annual rate. Meanwhile, auto loan balances are set to increase between 2% and 3% annually during the same period.
CUNA said new auto loans represented 10.1% of credit union loan portfolios as of March. The percentage was down slightly from 10.8% in March 2011. Used auto loans grew from 18% last March to 18.7% in March of this year.
Following a first-quarter sales boom, vehicle sales held steady during April, said David Carrier, NAFCU chief economist and director of research.
"The mild winter months likely captured some sales from the spring, and the fact that sales figures did not deteriorate in April reflects the strength of pent-up demand in the market," Carrier said. "The mix of purchases has been heavily swayed by gas prices."
As fuel prices climbed steadily during the winter, buyers focused on fuel-efficient cars, Carrier pointed out. Now that prices at the pump have moderated, he said the mix is shifting back toward trucks and SUVs.
"Credit conditions are easing, and subprime lending activity is on the rise. Barring a setback in the labor market, vehicle sales should keep its strong pace throughout 2012," Carrier said.
The 1.9% gain in vehicle loans is a significant reversal of trend from the 4.1% decline at this time last year, according to Dave Colby, chief economist at CUNA Mutual Group. New vehicle loans were off $3 billion, while used vehicle loan growth accounted for 51% of the annual change in lending.
While vehicle loans remain a strong slice on credit union portfolios, Colby said another type of loan may be a prominent factor toward sustaining loan growth.
"With some portfolio components showing growth rate improvements and a reduced rate of contraction in others, we are forecasting annual growth of 4.1% in 2012 for the total loan portfolio," Colby said. "This is a big improvement from the 0.4% average annual gain of the past three years but well below long-term trends and what is needed to sustain capital growth via spread income."


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Friday, April 05, 2013 - Wank Party 2013 #02, Part 2 - WANK PARTY
Latest Sets at WilliamHiggins.com
Wank Party 2013 #2 continues with our five handsome hunks, Viktor Baco, Roman Koroza, Adam Rupert, Ivo Kerk and Vasek Konik. As we join them again we see that Adam, who is rimming Ivo has Roman's hot tongue on his hole. When those holes are nice and wet Viktor moves round and slips his throbbing cock into Ivo's ass. Roman gets up and does the same to Adam's hole as Vasek stands over them wanking his big cock. Vasek needs to fuck some ass too and takes over from Roman, his big cock really stretching Adam's tight hole. The guys then move, with Ivo on the training bench and Vasek fucking his ass. Adam is on the floor with his cock being ridden by Roman. He slides up and down on that big dick. Ivo needs to use some ass too and they all move again. This time Roman is on his back with Ivo pounding his ass. Vasek fucks Adam who wanks his cock hard and fast as his all takes that dick. His cock is throbbing and he soon blows a huge load all over himself. Roman is wanking too and dumps his cum as well. That sets Vasek off and he stands over Adam and shoot his load over his cock and balls. Ivo is next to shoot, pulling out of Roman's ass and shooting his load. Then Viktor let's go of his cum as well, all over Adam's face.
Vasek Konik as aged 22 and lives in Ostrava. He works as a fitness trainer and, in his spare time, he likes sports, fitness and bodybuilding. Vasek is such a handsome guy and after his interview he starts to rub his groin. As his hand rubs it moves up his body and under his tee-shirt. Pulling the tee-shirt up we see a very nice body. Vasek's hand slips into his open jeans and then move gets up onto his knees and removes his tee-shirt so that we see that massive chest. His hands move all over his chest and then Vasek moves toward the camera. As he moves away we see that he has pulled his huge, swollen cock out and is stroking it. Taking the jeans off we then see Vasek in all his nakde glory. He wanks on that big cock a little before turning around and showing his ass. On the bed, legs apart and bent over we get a great view of that hot ass. With his cock pushed back between his legs Vasek's ass is spread nicely to show his tight hole. He turns around and lays on the bed, lifting his legs to let us see the hole some more. He plays with his cock some more as he writhes on the bed. It gets nice and hard again as he does so. Then he turns over and climbs onto his knees to give another view of his ass hole. Vasek is into his rhythm now as he swaps between showing that big dick and his ass before kneeling and wanking himself until he shoot a very good cumshot. Then it is off to the shower to clean up. What a great looking guy, and a very good video.
Jakub Honus is from Prague. He is aged 31 and works as a computer expert. He enjoys computers, athletics and skiing. Jakub is a great looking guy and, as we see when he removes his top he has a very good body too. He poses for the camera with his jeans open, giving a tempting flash of his cock. Then he turns so we can see that hot ass as well. Turning again Jakub lowers the jeans some more so that we see his flaccid cock, and his balls. Next he turns again and show as his ass, bending forward and spreading his cheeks so that his tight pucker hole is on display. Next we poses, flexing his biceps to let us see just what a great body he has. Sitting on the sofa he then gets his cock nice and hard. What a beauty it is, standing proud. So with that big, hard cock and more views of that tight ass we can really appreciate just how good looking Jakub is.
We posted a wonderful scene, a few weeks ago, with Tonda Smolda and David Koral, two really good guys. Now we have this lovely backstage video of that scene. It allows us to see the guys, working with a crew to make the scene. So we see the interaction of all concerned as Tonda and David get all hot and horny for the cameras, ending up with their cumshots. It is always nice to see how the scenes are put together for us.


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Always an interesting read. I also heard him on this week's Rich Eisen podcast and he was saying that he's not as big of a fan as the DE/OLB group as others. He specifically said he didn't think Mingo or Moore are as good as people are making them out to be (they're not Von Miller), but said he's really high on Dion Jordan.
Other nuggets from his interview:
-doesn't like the QB class.
-the top end of the draft isn't good, not much of a difference between the 5th and 20th pick.
-great draft for depth, loves the overall talent available in the first 3 rounds.
-loves the D and O linemen.


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|Summary of reviews :
|Room :
|Facilities :
|Service :
|Location :
|Hotel room status:
|Conveniently located in the heart of Bangkok, the Amari
Residences offer modern first-class facilities and comprehensive services
combining the traditional comforts of home-style living with Amari's
legendary service. The Amari Residences are ideally situated for medical
treatments at the adjacent Bangkok Hospital.
Situated beside vibrant New Petchburi Road, a colourful central district, the residences are within easy access of Bangkok's business centre, tourist attractions, and Bangkok Hospital. The city's underground MRT system is close at hand, as is the new Airport Link, connecting Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport to the city centre
|Amari Residences Bangkok features 128 modern residences
ranging from studios to one-bedroom deluxe. The residences are stylishly
furnished and well-equipped with modern amenities, featuring spacious
living and dining areas, work areas and fully-equipped kitchens.
Studio RoomApproximate size 45 square metres
Contemporary design full of open space and light, the studio serviced apartments are excellent short and long stay accommodation in Bangkok for the business traveler looking for comfort and convenience within reach of all that Bangkok has to offer. All studios are equipped with a fully outfitted kitchen. These luxury rooms are a wonderful place to come home to at the end of the day.
One Bedroom SuiteApproximate size 60 square metres
Generously sized and delightfully inviting, Amari's one-bedroom serviced apartments give you an executive experience the goes far beyond your expectations. The spacious bedroom has a king-sized bed and a 32" TV while the separate living area boasts a private balcony and a fully outfitted kitchen. An elegant luxury room, the apartment is both comfortable and stylish, making it an excellent long stay apartment for couples or individuals looking for luxury lodging in Bangkok.
One Bedroom Corner SuiteApproximate size 75 square metres
Heighten your living experience with our spacious one-bedroom corner apartments. Fully furnished with modern décor, these executive residences feature wide windows, a fully furnished kitchen and dining area and a spacious bedroom with an additional LCD TV. Offering up to 75 sqm of intuitively designed space, these apartments are some of the most comfortable lodging options in Bangkok for long-stays.
Two Bedroom SuiteApproximate size 80 square metres
These elegant and comfortable two bedroom apartments are the ideal size for a small family or group looking for either a serviced vacation rental or for long-term accommodation close to Bangkok Hospital, shopping and nightlife. Each bedroom has its own 32" LCD TV, and bathroom. The living area has a 40" LCD TV, a fully outfitted kitchen and dining area for six, and includes a full range of amenities. We invite you to turn this executive property rental into a home away from home for you and your family.
|Soma Restaurant
Soma Restaurant offers delectable international cuisine in a chic urban atmosphere. Breakfast is served from 06:00-10:30, and includes fresh food items in a buffet style with several items prepared a la minute. Lunch is served from 11:00-14:00 hours, a la carte with variety of choices from our international menu.
Open 06:00-14:00 hours, capacity for 80 people.
|Café The Buttercup
Pastries, homemade ice cream and a limited lunch menu comprise the homemade cuisine at this quaint café. This the perfect place to relax with a cup of coffee and fine pastry during the day. Open 09:00 to 19:00hrs, capacity for 60 people.
Meetings & Events
Two Executive Meeting Rooms, each 4 metres in length by 8 metres wide. Capacity for 12 people with long table configuration and 35 people with theatre style seating. (L 28.5 x W 28.5 Sqm.)
Two Seminar Meeting Rooms, each 8 metres by 8 metres. Capacity for 30 people in a U shape, 40 people in theatre style, and 50 people in set dinner style. (L 57 x W 57 Sqm.)
|Situated beside vibrant New Petchburi Road in the heart of the city, Amari Residences Bangkok is within easy access of the business district, tourist attractions and Bangkok Hospital. The city's underground MRT system is close at hand, as is the planned Airport Link, connecting Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport to the city centre.


text:
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Stink Bug Populations Could Harm Late-Season Harvests
Halyomorpha halys, better known as the stink bug, was accidentally introduced into the United States in 1998. Being known as an invasive species in recent years, this bug has infested homes from the East Coast to the Midwest, causing significant damage as an agricultural pest.
Surveys in Oregon have also reported the presence of the stink bug and researchers at Oregon State University warn of an increased risk of damage to late-ripening crops this year after discovering record levels of the pest.
Harvest for many crops, including blueberries, raspberries, apples, pears, hazelnuts, grapes, sweet corn, peppers, and edible beans is looming and the fact that the pest has shown an appetite for more than 100 different crops is not good news for these plants.
Late-season feeding and contamination by adult stink bugs and nymphs can result in discoloration of fruit, vegetables and nuts – ultimately sullying the crops' value at the marketplace. While no economic damage from the pest has been documented thus far in Oregon, OSU researchers worry that could change after this summer.
"Even low levels of infestation can result in crop losses," said Vaughn Walton, an entomologist at OSU. "Stink bugs in commercial crops can lead to increased management costs, pesticide use and outbreaks of secondary pests. There's no question stink bugs could be an economic issue."
OSU's statewide survey for the bug is ongoing and early returns this year show higher population densities in nearly every area of Oregon. While the stink bug been established in urban counties near Portland and the Willamette Valley for years – and in Hood River and Wasco County since 2012 – its range has recently expanded to more rural environments, including farms of all sizes.
Last year's mild winter in Oregon, coupled with this summer's heat, has driven the stink bug's population growth, said Nik Wiman, an OSU research entomologist. Populations are increasing faster than anticipated and tend to peak in late summer, he added.
"Pre-harvest is a time when stink bugs are more likely infest crops and lay eggs because late-stage crops are an attractive food source," said Wiman. "The adults and nymphs cause blemishes when they feed on ripening fruit, nuts and vegetables, rendering them unmarketable."
Researchers warn farmers and growers to look for the pest on their property or near crops as they ripen. The bugs are most easily found on indicator plants, like English holly, maples, lilacs or fruit trees.
Read more at Oregon State University.
Stink bug image via Shutterstock.


text:
BABO-chan is looking forward seeing you!
Nalbert Bitencourt
Nalbert Bitencourt is Brazilian volleyball personified. Strong, passionate, eccentric and purely top class on the volleyball court, this 29-year-old is what makes Brazil tick.
The World Championship winning performance last year from "the Boys from Brazil" lived on every word and action Nalbert made. Always one to offer a word, celebrate a point or to gee up his teammates he is the perfect leader.
Nalbert's No 1 haircut and light complexion are trademarks of one of the best captains in world volleyball. His experience is also in the top bracket having been to two Olympic Games and two World Cups and competed in eight World League campaigns.
On court he has developed a superb relationship with Gustavo Endres and both are often seen up in tandem in the block or the first ones to offer congratulations to each other following a successful spike. It is one partnership, which has proved most effective for the yellow and gold team.
Rio de Janeiro born and breed Brazil is very close to Nalbert's heart and there's nothing more satisfying for the U2 fan than a Brazilian success, whether it be on the football field or the volleyball court.


text:
Spring Craft Fair This Saturday!
What a beautiful weekend to come out and spend time at our Spring Craft Fair featuring 50 vendors! Many of our classes and students have been working hard to prepare to sell their wonderful handmade items! The Craft Fair begins Saturday at 10 a.m. and will end at 5 p.m. See everyone there!


text: Since when has TAS been in HD? I just got Netflix, and I was shocked to see TAS listed with both seasons. I immediately had a marathon and watched the best episodes. The big question is, it's in 5.1 surround sound. It's 1080p. Why the heck is it not on BluRay? (also, happy birthday to TAS)


text:
You were the one who responded to me remember? The one who made assumptions. I'm not "passing the buck".
Oh and I never said the Raptors will not make the playoffs. Nor did I say everything will go wrong. Straw men again.
You were the one who responded to me remember? The one who made assumptions. I'm not "passing the buck".
Oh and I never said the Raptors will not make the playoffs. Nor did I say everything will go wrong. Straw men again.
Yes, I did respond asking questions that you continually jump around while also agreeing with the premise Brotherston has painted a situation where 'everything' goes right for the Raptors. Too bad you rely on the straw man b.s. without actually clarifying anything leaving one to make assumptions on your posts. If you agree with Brotherston's premise (that the Raptors will make the playoffs) why not explain? If you don't agree with Brotherston, why not explain? If you actually don't have an opinion and are just making noise why not state that.
It is pretty tough to misrepresent your position when as you have clearly stated above you have not actually stated an opinion. Remember the article is about why the Raptors will make the playoffs.
I suggest you go back and read the posts. If I've offended you in the original reply I do apologize but that was not the intent. If I have made incorrect assumptions I really would have liked an explanation versus a bitchy reply about Hollinger or Simmons. I always thought the purpose of the forums was discussion not cop out replies about straw men.
Guys, guys... There's no need to argue.
If you agree with the article, good.
If you feel negative about the Raptors, refer to that other thread that I'm too lazy to link to. Or just wallow in your despair. Or go party with Jamshid on the front page articles. LOL
I can't argue with the stats Brotherston presented in his article. But since he was just a regular poster on this site, then went on to write for Bleacher Report, there's an "amateur hour" feeling surrounding everything he writes. Just my opinion, of course (based on unreliable first impressions).
Having said that, I hope he's right about the Raptors making the playoffs. But I wouldn't feel comfortable making assertions that it WILL happen.
It's definitely a positive article, but perhaps the point isn't that the Raptors will make the playoffs, but rather pointing out the areas of success where the team could make the playoffs.
Heir, Prince of Cambridge
News Flash boys, every piece by every writer is an opinion piece (or "puff piece") in August & September - there are no hard facts to go on as no team has played a game with the new lineups, heck, training camps haven't even started. No team really knows if the moves they made in the off season will pan out - let alone anyone in the media. But that's not a reason to avoid looking at what's happened and trying to draw some early conclusions.
Articles/rankings/etc written now are to generate discussion about the moves teams have made, might make and whether or not those moves will make the team better - if you want hard-core researched stuff, you'll have to wait until the season starts and we get to start interviewing guys after all those new players on the various teams actually get to play together.
Personally, I like the off season - Supporting or trashing the moves made by a GM over the summer is a sport in and of itself.
The best Raptors discussion board is at Raptors Republic.
Stephen Brotherston, Pro Bball Report
A possible 7th reason why Toronto could make the playoffs:
With Washington one of those lottery teams making big improvements and possibly challenging for a playoff spot, missing Wall 12 games and then watching him return from injury and get in to game form could be upwards of 25 games - nearly a third of the season.Wall Hits A Wall
A year ago, the Washington Wizards had the second-worst record in the NBA, but with the addition of a top-three draft pick, a handful of experienced veterans to replace a handful of outgoing knuckleheads, and of course the further development of former number one overall selection John Wall, the Wizards are expected to be a much-improved organization in 2012-2013.
That renaissance may have to wait a little while, though8 weeks, to be more preciseas it was announced Friday evening that Wall would miss about eight weeks to heal a burgeoning stress fracture in his knee cap.
On the one hand, this isnt a season-crusher for the Wizards, but on the other hand it means the teams best player and floor leader will miss the entire preseason and around 12 regular-season games. A return in the first week of December is the realistic expectation, so even though this doesnt rob the Wizards of their playoff hopes, it could make it more difficult if theyre unable to leap off to a hot start without their talented young point guard.
The Wizards are looking on the bright side, however, with team president Ernie Grunfeld using terminology like a minor setback and a bump in the road to describe the injury. Despite the relatively long healing time, the good news is that this wasnt a serious injury sustained all at once. Wall reportedly had pain his knee a month ago, but tests didnt show any problems.
Another MRI on Thursday performed by orthopedic specialist Dr. David Altchek showed the beginnings of a stress fracture that was only going to get worse if Wall didnt start resting and rehabbing it. Hence, 8 weeks.
(Its) just something that happens when you work out very hard. Thats all I can say, Wall told the Associated Press. Its very tough for me.
Its very tough for his team, too, but at least its not a season-ending injury, and at least hes addressing it before training camp. It wouldve been nice to catch the fracture sooner, but it sounds like it wasnt there sooner to be caught.
Either way, Wall will work very hard to get back on the floor, because as he told HOOPSWORLD in a Summer League interview back in July, he wants to get this team back to credibility this season so badly it hurts. Hes very motivated to do so, which means hell be very motivated to make a strong debut, even if that debut isnt until December.
An unfortunate blow for Washington might be a bit of luck for Toronto. WSH hardly has depth at PG.
"...he'll be very motivated to make a strong debut, even if that debut isn't until December."
Here's hoping he doesn't rush his return to the floor and sustain a more significant injury. Something young players are wont to do.
It might be good for TO is he did, but that is not the way you want to sneak into the play-offs.
I think he said we're the 5th best team in the Atlantic, but not a top 4 team. Would that mean we are a playoff team even if we're 5th best and not top 4? Sorry, it was Charles Barkley.
Twitter: @ReubenJRD NBA, Raptors writer for Daily Hive Vancouver, Toronto.
5th best in the Atlantic is nothing new from a preview/forecast perspective.
Raps could be a playoff team finishing 5th in Atlantic but it would mean only 1 other team besides divisional winners get in for the Central and Southeast divisions.
So to wrap up, in other words just 3 of the following teams would make the playoffs if all 5 teams in Atlantic got in:
Last edited by mcHAPPY; Sun Sep 30th, 2012 at 07:43 PM. Reason: Charlotte was left out accidently - cause you never know, right?
Washington with the early blow to John Wall can hurt the team, especially with no significant back-up, nevertheless inexperienced back-court.
Milwaukee won't be good enough, nor will they be able to really co-exist, it was proven last year that it's barely working between Jennings and Ellis.
Twitter: @ReubenJRD NBA, Raptors writer for Daily Hive Vancouver, Toronto.
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Coastal Antarctic permafrost melting
For the first time, scientists have documented an acceleration in the melt rate of permafrost, or ground ice, in a section of Antarctica where the ice had been considered stable. The melt rates are comparable with the Arctic, where accelerated melting of permafrost has become a regularly recurring phenomenon, and the change could offer a preview of melting permafrost in other parts of a warming Antarctic continent.
Tracking data from Garwood Valley in the McMurdo Dry Valleys region of Antarctica, Joseph Levy, a research associate at The University of Texas at Austin's Institute for Geophysics, shows that melt rates accelerated consistently from 2001 to 2012, rising to about 10 times the valley's historical average for the present geologic epoch, as documented in the July 24 edition of Scientific Reports.
Scientists had previously considered the region's ground ice to be in equilibrium, meaning its seasonal melting and refreezing did not, over time, diminish the valley's overall mass of ground ice.
Instead, Levy documented through LIDAR and time-lapse photography a rapid retreat of ground ice in Garwood Valley, similar to the lower rates of permafrost melt observed in the coastal Arctic and Tibet.
"The big tell here is that the ice is vanishing — it's melting faster each time we measure," said Levy, who noted that there are no signs in the geologic record that the valley's ground ice has retreated similarly in the past. "This is a dramatic shift from recent history."
Ground ice is more prevalent in the Arctic than in Antarctica, where glaciers and ice sheets dominate the landscape. In contrast to glaciers and ice sheets, which sit on the ground, ground ice sits in the ground, mixed with frozen soil or buried under layers of sediment. Antarctica's Dry Valleys contain some of the continent's largest stretches of ground ice, along the coast of the Ross Sea.
Photo of Antarctic permafrost courtesy Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
Read more at EurekAlert.


text:
Read the full story here Web Link posted Monday, April 22, 2013, 5:33 PM
Town Square
Legislators speak out at education advocacy day
Original post made on Apr 23, 2013
Read the full story here Web Link posted Monday, April 22, 2013, 5:33 PM
a resident of Danville
on Apr 23, 2013 at 6:29 am
This is outrageous! I hate what these politicians and unions have done to the school system. It started out as a great idea. Everyone needs an education. The only things separating humans from animals is language and logic. Seems like less and less folks have either. This certainly isn't taught well in school considering most graduates of high school CAN'T READ!
Explain to me how "updating" the curriculum by looking "at what incoming college students would need to know when they graduated, then looked at what they'd need to know in eleventh grade to get them ready for twelfth and so on, down to the kindergarten level."
The above strategy sounds stupid! That's how they're deciding what to teach our children?! It all makes sense now! The wrong people are deciding the California Core Curriculum!
Rather than looking at the current curriculum and comparing grade levels, let's look at the big picture.
Our children need to be prepared and ready to make money. What classes do they teach to make money? What classes do they teach that instill the true job skills required to be successful in the market today? Guess what?! They don't know. Teachers just feed off the system. They don't work in a capitalistic market so how can they teach it?! They're really good at steering the career choices of our children to well-established government roles like police officer, fireman, teacher, lawyer, or doctor. Those are your choices if you believe the teachers... I don't. I'd like to see my children as business owners and entrepreneurs.
To do so, our children need the following skills:
- Communication (speech/presos)
- English/reading
- Math (through Calculus would be best)
- Typing/computer skills
- Application development using programming language
- Social skills/team building with their class and school
- Logic (memorization is ok for a while, but our children need to be taught, practice, and understand logic)
- Confidence (not conformity - we are NOT all the SAME)
BTW - I have two children ages 3 and 5 so I have a vested interested in getting this fixed. I'm getting ready to put my oldest child into Kindergarten in September. The SRVUSD form for Kindergarten enrollment requires you to fill out the race of your child or they will call him/her to the front office for visual inspection by a teacher so that they may check the appropriate box.
Interesting to know that if you don't conform, then your child will be picked out and ostracized to ensure she/he checks the appropriate race box. So disheartening...
Just my two cents...
a resident of San Ramon
on Apr 23, 2013 at 10:45 am
This is, by far, THE best comment I have read at the Express regarding the issues with our academic system. Unfortunately, I have no easy 'fix it' responses with regard to the issues you've listed. This country needs a true shift in paradigm - on SO many levels, not just as it pertains to our academic issues.
And yes, I agree with you - it really is very disheartening.
a resident of Danville
on Apr 24, 2013 at 10:04 am
It would be nice to see an article in the Express that explained Brown's LCFF (Local Control Funding Formula) proposal in more detail, including SRVUSD funding under the existing formula, and what it would be under Brown's new LCFF. It has been my understanding that even the existing formula has been bad for SRVUSD, and that our district therefore receives less per pupil than other districts. It also seems from the above article, and also this one (Web Link), that the new LCFF proposal makes this problem even worse. Even though all of our local state government folks (state Assembly and Senate) are from Brown's party, they apparently have little influence on this process.
I much preferred the school funding system in Illinois, where we used to live, as every school district was directly funded by property taxes from within the district boundaries, with local control of both funding and spending. Versus the CA system whereas the bulk of the money flows into the state first, and then is doled out by formula, subject to the political machinations of state government. You have to figure that most of the "powers that be" in state government view our area as "sources of funds", and that we can afford to pay additional taxes to make up for money we don't get back from the state. Lucky us...
a resident of San Ramon
on Apr 25, 2013 at 12:13 am
Good for "Realist" to see the light. Ironic the school systems don't admit they follow a very close 1930's German policy of listing your race/ethnicity on their forms for the Nazis. Wake up ppl........Why do MANY public school staff send THEIR kids to privates?.
a resident of Danville
on Apr 25, 2013 at 10:40 am
Although I think things need to change, Realist needs to do a lot more research on what the schools actually teach. Everything Realist lists is ALREADY being taught. Until she/he actually has children in the school system and understands what the curriculum is, Realist needs to pipe down. Also, the reason that there is the race issue is the school gets that much more money for the probably illegal English Learners. Personally, tax dollars should be evenly divided for all students regardless of race, income level, or special needs. Why is any one student more important than another?
And yes Bayareamom, from other stories/posts I have read I am sure you are going to come back with your learning diabled child response to what I have said.
a resident of Danville
on Apr 25, 2013 at 4:01 pm
Both LCFF and Common Core are going to make things worse, not better. Anyone who thinks otherwise is just being stupid!
a resident of Danville
on Apr 25, 2013 at 8:58 pm
The United States is 26th in worldwide education. If you break out the U.S. Hispanics separately, they'd be ranked 34th worldwide, and U.S. Blacks at 46th. The above data is provided by the U.S. government and was last reported by the U.S. Department of Education in December of 2007. Unfortunately, every year these numbers are getting worse. Therefore, I go back to my assertion that the schools need to re-focus on reading, writing, and math to ensure each child can excel in each of these topics. Today, most people struggle with public communication.
If school helps socialize children, then this should be the perfect forum to promote public speaking even simple acts like "show and tell†which has been banned by my son's preschool so that other children (poorer) don't feel bad. Although you didn't understand my point, I hope you understand that I do have children in the school system. The school system is failing not only by my measurement but by that of all other industrialized nations including Korea, Iceland, and Germay.
How can we claim success when studies show recent high school graduates can't balance a checkbook? Until we get the basics down, maybe we should eliminate the rhetoric and increase the education. Why defend the failures of the school system?
a resident of Danville
on Apr 26, 2013 at 7:44 am
How can someone say they have children in the school system when a direct quote from the person is:
"I'm getting ready to put my oldest child into Kindergarten in September."
With regard to poor public speaking skills, I think you have to look no further than social media and texting to realize what has happened there. When your kids actually get into the school system they will start complaining about how many presentations they have to give in their classroom. Like I said, Realist needs to pipe down until her kids are in the SRVUSD schools, not preschool.
a resident of San Ramon
on Apr 26, 2013 at 11:20 am
I performed a quick search on this subject and came up with this:
Web Link
"New Jersey students may perform better than their counterparts in many other states, but from a global perspective, students across the United States are falling behind.
State Sen. Jim Whelan (D-Atlantic) raised that point during a Jan. 9 debate on the Senate floor about the Urban Hope Act. That legislation, passed by the Legislature and quickly signed into law by Gov. Chris Christie, allows nonprofit entities to build and run schools in three failing districts.
Before casting his vote in favor of the bill, Whelan told his fellow legislators that "we've got to change the conversation" and consider a longer school year.
Let's look where we are in the world. We're twenty-sixth," said Whelan, a teacher in Atlantic City. "United States of America is twenty-sixth in school performance in the world."
..."Andreas Schleicher, head of the OECD's Indicators and Analysis Division in the Directorate for Education, told us averaging the scores is acceptable, but he cautioned: "I would still not call this 'overall performance' since there are a number of school subjects not measured by PISA (e.g. history, geography or music)."
But rankings may not be as clear-cut when factoring in the margins of error attached to the average scores..."
..."Beth Schroeder, Whelan's chief of staff, defended the senator in an email:
"The point Senator Whelan was trying to make still stands. By any measure, the United States is lagging behind the rest of the world in school performance. Whether we're 26th or some other rank once you factor in the margin of error, we should be striving to have the best educational system in the world, and shouldn't settle for anything but first."
Our ruling
"During a debate on the Senate floor, Whelan claimed the "United States of America is twenty-sixth in school performance in the world.
Based on the most recent international assessments, the senator's statistic is on target. After averaging out the mean scores in reading, math and science, the United States ranks 26 out of 75 participating countries or economies..."
Catherine: I would suggest that instead of telling Realist in print to "pipe down," perhaps you may want to perform some of your own research as well. I home-schooled our now college bound son for a few short years and discovered, to my absolute dismay during those years, that Realist's assertions above are quite true.
It's easy to become defensive - I know - but that defensiveness does nothing to change the facts as they are with regard to our country's ratings overall in the world-wide academic sector.
Here's another article:
Web Link
"The United States has rested on its laurels way too long," Jacob Funk Kirkegaard of the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, told USA Today. "Other countries have increasingly caught up and surpassed the United States."
"We've been asleep for a good number of years as a country," says Richard Freeman, an economics professor at Harvard. "It's not that we're doing horrible. But the other guys are moving faster."
Read more: Web Link
One more:
Web Link
a resident of San Ramon
on Apr 26, 2013 at 2:34 pm
You stated, "And yes Bayareamom, from other stories/posts I have read I am sure you are going to come back with your learning disabled child response to what I have said."
It just begs the question: What in the world does having a son who had learning issues in school (who no longer does by the way) have to do with this issue? (FYI - our son, now attending college, is maintaining a 3.4 GPA and states he is on his way to that same GPA, this second semester.) Further, your comment about my son was absolutely uncalled for and just plain rude.
Now, if you would like to back your comments up with some hardcore factual information so that the rest of us can be enlightened, please feel free to share.
I just cannot get over the comments made by some of you over here. I have no issues whatsoever with personal opinions - we're all free to express them, but when you come up with nothing more than what are essentially ad hominem attacks in lieu of factual information to back up your assertions does nothing more than, rather transparently, your ignorance on the subject you profess to have such strong opinions.
Life really is one huge learning curve. Given what happened to our son, which ultimately led to his learning/academic issues, I have certainly learned to alter my thinking and perspective on various issues.
It really breaks my heart to see such (at times) callous remarks made about someone, by someone else, when we don't know one another whatsoever, let alone on a personal basis!
I would love to see a discourse over here w/o the snide/rude comments and just compare notes! I've taken the time to dig up some research (and some old research I had on hand) re: this issue. So - Catherine - if you would like to do the same - have at it!
a resident of Danville
on Apr 26, 2013 at 2:49 pm
OK ladies - let's get back to the issue at hand. I believe we need change, but curriculum change is not going to help until two major issues are addressed
1. A huge number of bad teachers in K-12
2. Acceptance of international students into our universities who then graduate and take that knowledge back to their countries – at the two top UC schools (Cal and UCLA) these international students make up almost 33% of each incoming freshman class. No wonder why our country is behind. We are educating the wrong people!
a resident of San Ramon
on Apr 26, 2013 at 2:50 pm
"I much preferred the school funding system in Illinois, where we used to live, as every school district was directly funded by property taxes from within the district boundaries, with local control of both funding and spending. Versus the CA system whereas the bulk of the money flows into the state first, and then is doled out by formula, subject to the political machinations of state government. You have to figure that most of the "powers that be" in state government view our area as "sources of funds", and that we can afford to pay additional taxes to make up for money we don't get back from the state. Lucky us...
I would agree with you, C.R. The description you give re: the funding system in Illinois would seem preferable than the current system we have in place here in CA. But as was pointed out under a different topic by a gentleman named Robert, it would seem that no matter how much our district receives in funding from the state will never be 'enough' for this district.
It was pointed out by this gentleman that our district hires a PR representative (with a six-figure salary)as but one example within which our district may want to review the manner in which our funding is used. When I worked as the California State Director for the National Vaccine Information Center, I discovered, after speaking with numerous Department of Ed speaking heads, teachers, nurses, etc., that NO ONE had heard of a PR representative in any other district, let alone with a six-figure income.
I point this issue out as but an example of expenditures which certainly seem somewhat excessive, in light of this district continuously having its hand out to the parents come enrollment time, every school year.
I wonder what the bottom line per student would satisfy the district? WHAT would truly be ENOUGH in the way of funding, w/o the need to ask for additional funding from parcel taxes, etc., and with additional revenue from parents?
a resident of San Ramon
on Apr 26, 2013 at 3:18 pm
Here's a website with an article titled, "Do Teachers Really Come From The Bottom Third Of College Graduates?"
Web Link
Interestingly enough, I HAVE heard one of our esteemed board members state the very above (re: the title of the article).
I don't quite agree with your comment re: (2), above. I recognize that on a collegiate level, our universities are some of the best in the world, but on an international level, our K-12 programs across the U.S., leave something to be desired.
As regards re: some of the information gleaned from the above links I've provided, the United States is definitely lagging, on an international level, in the K-12 area. To ME, it would appear SOME international students perform higher academically HERE, BECAUSE they were formerly educated in some of the countries with overall higher achievement levels than our country.
Anyone here ever read Charlotte Thomson Iserbyt's book, "The Deliberate Dumbing Down of America?" I hadn't heard of this book until I started home-schooling our son. When I started reading through the book, I couldn't put it down (I was never able to finish reading it - it's quite voluminous).
Here is a bit of information about this book, from Iserbyt's website:
"Charlotte Thomson Iserbyt, former Senior Policy Advisor in the U.S. Department of Education, blew the whistle in the `80s on government activities withheld from the public. Her inside knowledge will help you protect your children from controversial methods and programs. In this book you will discover:
-how good teachers across America have been forced to use controversial, non-academic methods;
-how "school choice" is being used to further dangerous reform goals, and how home schooling and private education are especially vulnerable;
-how workforce training (school-to-work) is an essential part of an overall plan for a global economy, and how this plan will short circuit your child's future career plans and opportunities;
-how the international, national, regional, state and local agendas for education reform are all interconnected and have been for decades.
..."the deliberate dumbing down of america is a chronological history of the past 100+ years of education reform. Each chapter takes a period of history and recounts the significant events, including important geopolitical and societal contextual information. Citations from government plans, policy documents, and key writings by leading reformers record the rise of the modern education reform movement. Americans of all ages will welcome this riveting expose of what really happened to what was once the finest education system in the world..."
Link: Web Link
I learned so much about our country's academic issues when we pulled our son out of public school for a brief time. We found that after school tutoring, with essential one-on-one in certain subject areas, were absolutely essential in providing our son with the tools he needed to perform to a higher standard academically.
We also discovered that, by far, the BEST teachers WE saw in this district, WERE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. Our son simply 'took off' academically when he started high school and ended up performing very well his last two years. We found through our experiences in this district that teacher QUALITY was the key to our son's academic success and a smaller class room size had relative to low impact re: our son's achievements.
But that's our own personal perspective. Each student is, of course, different, with his/her own unique style of learning.


text:
Trawling: destructive fishing method is turning sea floors to 'deserts'
Bottom trawling is a practice used by commercial fisheries around the world in which a large, heavy net is dragged along the ocean floor to scoop up everything in its path. Previous research has linked trawling to significant environmental impacts, such as the harvest of large numbers of non-target species, collectively termed "by catch," as well as destruction of shallow seabeds. Now, a new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences finds this method is also resulting in long-term, far-reaching consequences in the deeper ocean and beyond.
Trawling dates back to the 1300s, and it became widespread in coastal areas around the world after the industrialization of commercial fishing in the late-1800s. Bottom trawling targets commercially valuable species that live near the sea floor, such as cod, rockfish, and various kinds of squid and shrimp. Gear varies depending on the fishing outfit, but nets can be nearly as large as a city block and scoop thousands of fish and other marine animals in a single drag.
Bottom trawling has one of the highest bycatch rates of all commercial fishing practices. In the North Pacific, the practice accounts for 18 percent of annual groundfish harvests, and 82 percent of the region's discarded by-catch. At times, bycatch accounts for upwards of 90 percent of a net's total catch.
In addition to directly killing many fish and other marine species, studies have shown that bottom trawling is very destructive to the seabed. It dislodges sediment, which destroys the habitat of ground-dwelling organisms, makes the water more opaque and unsuitable for many species, and releases pollutants and carbon that had been trapped below the seafloor.
As populations of many fish species dwindle due to intensive commercial fishing effort, bottom trawling outfits are searching for new fishing grounds in ever-deeper regions of oceans around the world. However, this new study indicates that deeper ocean bottoms are also being affected by trawling, as the nets destroy delicate seafloor ecosystems at a level akin to desertification.
"Cumulatively, the impacts of trawling on the sediment structure, the benthic biodiversity, and the most basic of all of the nutritional resources in these deep-sea sedimentary ecosystems resemble the catastrophic effects caused by man-accelerated soil erosion on land, and the general environmental deterioration of abandoned agriculture fields exposed to high levels of human impact," write the researchers, from various institutions in Italy and Spain.
Continue reading at ENN affiliate, MONGABAY.COM.
Fishing vessel image via Shutterstock.


text:
Three Inductees Named to UK Equine Research Hall of Fame
- Aug 23, 2012
- Topics:
The Gluck Equine Research Foundation will induct three scientists into the University of Kentucky (UK) Equine Research Hall of Fame Sept. 23 at Keeneland Race Course.
George Allen, PhD, a posthumous inductee formerly of UK's Gluck Equine Research Center; Eugene Lyons, PhD, of UK's Gluck Equine Research Center; and Stephanie Valberg, DVM, PhD, of the University of Minnesota, were selected for their contributions to equine science and research. Nominated by their peers and colleagues, these three individuals were selected by past Hall of Fame inductees.
"On behalf of the Gluck Equine Research Foundation board, I would like to congratulate this year's inductees," said Walter Zent, DVM, chairman of the foundation's board of directors. "We were fortunate to have many excellent nominees who have dedicated their lives to equine research."
A Kentucky native, Allen joined the faculty in the Department of Veterinary Science at UK as an assistant professor in 1978 and was promoted to professor in 1987 until his death in 2008. Among Allen's most important accomplishments were the elucidation of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) pathogenesis, his findings about the importance of cytotoxic T cells in controlling EHV-1 infection, an equine model for neurologic diseases caused by EHV-1, and the identification of risk factors for the development of this severe clinical outcome.
"George Allen was a truly dedicated, highly creative, and accomplished scientist whose contributions to the field of equine herpes virology were unmatched throughout his highly productive career in equine research," said Peter Timoney, FRCVS, PhD, the Frederick Van Lennep Chair in Equine Veterinary Science at the Gluck Equine Research Center.
Lyons joined the faculty in the Department of Veterinary Science at UK in 1963 and was promoted to professor in 1977. In his more than 45-year career Lyons work continues to provoke interest in the equine parasitism. He was the first to demonstrate the transmission of helminth parasites in a dam's milk to her offspring, which has been extended to a number of host parasite relationships with all the significance to the epidemiology of infections this implies.
"This is a great, and I personally feel, nondeserved honor for myself alone," Lyons said. "It is unfortunate that the other team members, Sharon Tolliver and Sandra Collins, cannot be included as co-awardees."
Valberg, director of the University of Minnesota's Equine Center, established the university's Neuromuscular Diagnostic Laboratory, which receives muscle biopsy submissions from horses around the world. Valberg has been a pioneer in unraveling the mystery of tying up and other muscle disorders in horses. Through her research, previously unknown muscle disorders were discovered, their genetic basis identified, and nutritional strategies developed to minimize muscle pain. Her work in equine myopathies has revolutionized equine practice.
"I am honored to be among such distinguished scientists in the Hall of Fame," said Valberg. "My research has been fueled by a passion for horses, by the wisdom of colleagues such as Dr. Jim Mickelson and the hard work of terrific graduate students."
Equine Research Hall of Fame nominees can be living or deceased, active or retired in the field of equine research. Established in 1990, the Equine Research Hall of Fame honors international scientific community members biennially who have made equine research a key part of their careers, recognizing their work, dedication, and achievements in equine research.
Past inductees include: W. R. Allen, Douglas F. Antczak, John T. Bryans, William W. Dimock, Elvis R. Doll, Jr., Harold Drudge, Phillip R. Edwards, Baltus J. Erasmus, Harold E. Garner, Oliver J. Ginther, Harold Hintz, Sir Frederick Hobday, Leo B. Jeffcott, Robert M. Kenney, I.G. Joe Mayhew, Travis C. McGuire, Jr., C. Wayne McIlwraith, Alan J. Nixon, Peter D. Rossdale, Edward L. Squires, Clyde Stormont, Sir Arnold Theiler, and Peter J. Timoney.
The Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, on the University of Kentucky campus, is home to the Equine Research Hall of Fame. For more information, visit www.ca.uky.edu/gluck.
Jenny Blandford is the Gluck Equine Research Foundation Coordinator at the Gluck Center.
Want more articles like this? Sign up for the Bluegrass Equine Digest e-Newsletter.
More information on Gluck Equine Research Center and UK Ag Equine Programs.
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POLL: Checking for Gastric Ulcers


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The school musical West Side Story was a success, but this week the rivalry heated up between McKinley High's competing glee clubs. On this week's "Mash Off" episode, rival coach Shelby Corcoran (played by guest star Idina Menzel) had her Trouble Tones face off against the New Directions in a mash-up singing competition. The cast tackled creative takes on songs by [lastfm]Adele[/lastfm] ("Rumor Has It"/"Someone Like You") and [lastfm]Lady Gaga[/lastfm] ("You And I"). Plus Sue Sylvester initiated a smear campaign against her opponent in her Congressional race.
Need more Glee? Listen to Glee Radio, the always-on, 24/7 channel playing all your favorite tracks from Glee.
Here are the songs from this week's episode, click Play to listen, and find them for sale at iTunes.
"Hit Me With Your Best Shot/One Way Or Another" ([lastfm]Pat Benetar[/lastfm]/[lastfm]Blondie[/lastfm]) – [lastfm]Glee Cast[/lastfm] Version
"Hot For Teacher" ([lastfm]Van Halen[/lastfm]) – [lastfm]Glee Cast[/lastfm] Version
"Rumour Has It/Someone Like You" ([lastfm]Adele[/lastfm]) – [lastfm]Glee Cast[/lastfm] Version
"I Can't Go For That/You Make My Dreams Come True" ([lastfm]Hall & Oates[/lastfm]) – [lastfm]Glee Cast[/lastfm] Version
"You And I/You And I" ([lastfm]Lady Gaga[/lastfm]/[lastfm]Eddie Rabbit[/lastfm] & [lastfm]Crystal Gayle[/lastfm]) – [lastfm]Glee Cast[/lastfm] Version


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As Michigan looks to add to a No. 1 recruiting class that already includes No. 2 Jabrill Peppers, we look back at other schools that landed multiple top 10 recruits fared in those players' tenures. While Alabama hit a home run in 2009 -- landing future first-round picks Dre Kirkpatrick and Trent Richardson -- others have seen mixed results.
Vidal Hazelton (No. 3 recruit) Taylor Mays (8), Antwine Perez (10)
The trio signed with a USC program that was coming off back-to-back BCS title game appearances, but their reality ended up being a pair of transfers and a final game for Mays in the Emerald Bowl. Perez played sparingly as a true freshman and then transferred to Maryland. Hazelton was the leading receiver for the Trojans in his sophomore year with 50 catches but transferred to Cincinnati after his junior year. Mays stayed all four years and earned All-American status before being drafted in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft by the 49ers. -- Garry Paskwietz


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AOPA Study Says to Accentuate the Cool
File Size 5.3 MB / Running Time 5:45
Student pilots want to be part of the pilot club. But as AOPA's Jennifer Storm told AVweb's Russ Niles, they expect professional training without being gouged, too.
This podcast is brought to you by Lightspeed Aviation and Phillips 66 Aviation.


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trust me, if i had one, i would.
The code should be correct.... it works fine on the computer. The only thing that COULD be causing a problem would be the actual playing of a note. One thing perhaps that i can think of now would be to test for the limits of the frequency before actually playing it. Try putting in something to the likes:
Code: Select all


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Cake Recipe Chocolate Ice Cream Dessert Recipe: Quick Cake Recipe For Parties Are you in the vibe for that choco-riffic weekend? If you are I then advise that you try to make one for you and your family. I know baking could be a struggle for a few, yet believe me baking can be a […]
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Employment Outlook in the Microbiological SciencesThe report presents the results of a 1995 nationwide survey of current employment and future personnel needs in the microbiological sciences. The ASM sponsored the survey as a part of its mission to provide strategic leadership for the profession and to inform the public about sectors of employment that are vital to the health, safety, technological competitiveness and economic well being of the nation.
In the survey, 1,849 managers of departments across the nation that employ microbiologists, representing four major sectors, education, government, industry and clinical-medical, responded to questions about employment prospects over the next 3 years. The employment study was conducted for the ASM by Westat, Inc., of Rockville, MD, one of the leading survey research firms in the nation.


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Sutton raising kidney-cancer awareness
Hall of Fame hurler spreading word for Stay in Game program
By John Klima / Special to MLB.com
Sutton has teamed up with the Kidney Cancer Association, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals and Onyx Pharmaceuticals to launch the Stay In The Game kidney cancer awareness program.
Sutton urged the crowd to support the foundation and visit www.StayInGame.com.
"I have great memories out here," Sutton said. "One thing I learned as a Dodger is if you have a problem, surround yourself with teammates who will help you win. I have been fortunate to find people who care and who are working on products who will help people like me."
Sutton, 63, is living with advanced kidney cancer. He is sharing his story through Stay in the Game in order to provide inspiration and encouragement for others who have encountered the disease.
"Just because you have a 'C' behind your name, it doesn't mean you bury your head in the sand and stop living your life," Sutton said. "We believe there is life after being diagnosed with 'Fill in the blank.'"
Sutton, who had 324 career victories, said he missed the mound, but was happy to be back at Dodger Stadium.
"I wish I had a few more pitches to throw here," he said.
John Klima is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Engaging the leaders of tomorrow
"NATO has never been set in stone," says Dr Jamie Shea, Deputy Assistant Secretary General, Emerging Security Challenges Division, addressing a packed room of "Young Professionals in Foreign Policy" (YPFP) members on the Chicago Summit and its impact on the Alliance, on Tuesday 10 July at the European Parliament.
"Its future vitality and effectiveness depends critically on its leaders and in particular on their vision and engagement. Therefore it is important for young professionals to fully grasp the issues facing NATO's future post-Chicago. Because sooner than they think, they will be in the leadership positions where they will have to make the key decisions to safeguard Euro-Atlantic security in the 21st century," explains Dr Shea, who spoke alongside Jan Techau, the Director of Carnegie Europe, and Geoffrey Van Orden, a Member of the European Parliament at the debate organised by YPFP.
Engaging with those who could be shaping the global security agenda tomorrow is an important part of NATO's public diplomacy agenda today. Each year the Alliance sponsors and organizes a range of events and programmes in order to speak with and listen to young people all over the world.
"Young Professionals in Foreign Policy is a key network of people who are already making their mark as potential leaders and will make it even more strongly as real leaders in the years ahead," says Dr Shea. "As a result, there is no more important group for NATO to engage with at this critical juncture in its evolution."
A broad range of engagement
In addition to regular speaking engagements by NATO experts, the Alliance often gives tours and briefings to youth groups at its Headquarters. NATO also works on a number of initiatives and programmes to engage young people on the topic of peace and security.
"It is important that we as an Alliance engage with young people from all over the world because they are the leaders of tomorrow," explains NATO Deputy Secretary General Ambassador Alexander Vershbow, who addressed students at Moscow State Linguistic University via video-link in April.
Youth summits are often organized in the margins of NATO's summits, offering young graduates, professionals and leaders-to-be a chance to engage with NATO's senior leadership and Allied leaders. An annual Afghan Youth Summit, which brings together university students from all over Afghanistan to meet and discuss ideas for the country's future.
The 'iReps' competition is another example of NATO's outreach to the successor generation. Some 20 winners from as far and wide as Indonesia and Libya were chosen to attend the Summit after submitting videos about what peace and security meant to them.
"In the years to come, today's young people will set our agenda and their opinions should be both informed and heard," adds Ambassador Vershbow.
A more complex world than ever before
"Organizations like NATO are confronted with a more complex world, in which the threats and challenges they were initially created to address are evolving, and in which new challenges are constantly emerging – often at a speed and scale that challenges the ability of foreign policy professionals to keep up," says Gary Barnabo, President of YPFP after the event on Tuesday.
YPFP aims to foster the next generation of foreign policy leaders and has over 10,000 members worldwide in 80 countries with branches in Washington D.C., Brussels, London and New York.
"Early engagement by today's established professionals with tomorrow's leaders creates critical cross-generational relationships that help shape and develop young people so they will be effective, impactful leaders," Barnabo adds.
Looking to tomorrow
"NATO may be over 60 years old – but we're still growing," says James Appathurai, Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political and Security Affairs, and Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, who recently took part in web chat with users of the Atlantic-Community forum. "Today, the Alliance is taking on new challenges, in new ways, and with new partners; and NATO's adaptation won't stop."
"We need to hear from youth and young professionals - because we need to hear what they feel are the main challenges we should be taking on, today and tomorrow," he adds.


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[Verse One: 2Pac]
Tell me, how many real motherfuckers feel me? I smoke a blunt
And freak the funk until these jealous motherfuckers kill me
I'm out the gutter, pick a hero
I'm 165 and staying high til I die, my competion's zero
Cause I could give a fuck about you, better duck
Or I'll be forced to hit yo ass up I give a fuck
I'm sick inside my mind, why you sweatin me?
It's gonna take an army full of crooked ass cops to come and get me
Niggas know I ain't the one to sleep on, I'm under pressure
Gotta sleep with my piece, an extra clip beside my dresser
Word to God I've been ready to die since I was born
I don't want no shit but niggas trip and yo it's on
Open fire on my adversaries
This nigga is scared
[Big L]
Ain nobody scared man I just told you how to do this anymore
Fuck that shit
You're goin Saturday night and that's it
[Verse Two: Big L]
Ayo, I shoulda been out
I'm deadly when I pull the pin out
Keep frontin', I'mma try yo' chin out
I knocked a lot of men out
I left 'em on the floor spittin' phlegm out
It's either that or I'mma squeeze the gat and pop ten out
You see Corleone, ice spinnin', jigged out, white linen
And if a bitch don't like me she must like women
Every time I come around you see your wife grinnin'
Don't be mad 'cuz yo' career's in the ninth innin'
It's over now, nigga, leave the game
I'm from the danger zone where emcees get slain
We're thugs that never hesitate to squeeze the flame
We're niggas be takin' drugs just to ease the pain
Hustlers flip cokey, 48 Hours like Nick Nolte
When I was OT your bitch rode me
First day home I dived in it
Left her thighs dented
Now that bitch be pagin' me every five minutes
Emcees I squash and disgrace
It's all about the Benjis So why your bills got Washington's face?
A lot of cats be frontin'
Mad singles wit' a fifty on top
L tryin' to have the city on lock
Peace to Biggie and Pac 'cuz they really were hot
Rap game, heavy hitters, it's a shame they no longer wit' us
Niggas wanna be L, ladies wanna see L
If I go to jail you'll wear a shirt sayin' "Free L!"
Oh shit
Yo be careful with that man it's loaded
I'll hold on to the gun
Why should he hold on to the gun?
Cuz I already got it motherfucker!
[Verse Three: Big Pun]
It's not a game it's war, plain and raw
Blood stain the wall, when I bring the chain with the saw
Bring the pain to your door like death was knockin
Unless you got my ends, I'mma make you twins with the Headless Horseman
Hell extortion, sell your soul, live your dreams
Don't pay the cost then [bam bam] say hello to the guillotine
A killer fiends for blood, screams of thugs like
Fiends for drugs, I don't need no love
Give me your fear, murder, respect, beer, honies and sex want here
I'll bend them checks for years, hungry and stressed
You fuckin with Chris - fuck Pun - dead the wrath for later
Get your calculator, go 'head Decapitator's back forever
Can't count how many heads I had to sever
Half the niggas I keep, I put em back together
That's the terror, cut open your girl
And make a truss out her flesh, like Buffalo Bill
You fuckin with reel to reel, rap axe maniac
Sound bwoy killer, hack hack chain-react
Two for one - double the death, same price
What would Big say? "Huh, you know that ain't right"
Yo you got the juice now
(DJ Cinema)
Excuse me partner can you keep that shit down you see me watching TV
Made it ma ... made it ma
Top of the world [top of the world] top of the world
If you gotta go out ... that's how you go out. That motherfucker took his destiny in his own hands [Echo]


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Toxic World
From cancer to kids to fossil fuels
By Camilla Mortensen
A cancer survivor, a mother, a biologist and a poet, Sandra Steingraber BRING's her unique perspective on the environment, toxics, fossil fuels and children to Eugene April 28 in an event, "Human Rights and The Environment: An Evening with Dr. Sandra Steingraber," hosted by Oregon Toxics Alliance.
Steingraber is the author of Living Downstream: An Ecologist's Personal Investigation of Cancer and the Environment. She says at age 20, as a high achieving pre-med undergrad, she was diagnosed with bladder cancer. "I changed my career plan," she says, "I no longer wanted the hospital to be my workplace."
But her scientific urge to investigate was not changed. She was not the only family member to be diagnosed with cancer, she says. Her aunt died of the same bladder cancer and her mother had breast cancer. But Steingraber herself was not biologically related to either woman; she was adopted. "I became really interested in the presumption that cancer must be hereditary." She began to research environmental exposures and write Living Downstream.
Her later-in-life pregnancies also become fodder for books. "I loved being pregnant and I was really good at it," she says. And as someone who had lived through cancer, she says it was eye-opening to lie on the same ultrasound table at the same hospital where she had been scanned for signs of tumor and to have her baby scanned, and see "signs of growth as a good thing, not a bad thing."
In her books Having Faith and most recently Raising Elijah: Protecting Our Children in an Age of Environmental Crisis, Steingraber explores issues such as the effects of exposure to chemicals early in life, chemicals that interfere with cell growth and "can enter the placenta of a developing baby and alter signaling pathways of the way the body gets itself assembled."
Of concern to Oregonians, as the proposed ban on Bisphenol-A (BPA) from baby bottles and sippy cups is debated in the Legislature, is Steingraber's research on "a number of chemicals that at very low levels have the ability to alter hormonal signals." She compares them to a very tiny baton directing a huge orchestra in their "really disproportionate effects on our body."
In the case of BPA she says, there are "really troubling animal studies. In early life BPA can alter the development of a mammary gland so that an animal is more sensitive and vulnerable to cancer."
In her books Steingraber investigates raising children in a toxic, unstable world. Raising Elijah, which is due to be released on Earth Day, ranges in topics from pesticides, which Steingraber points out are "poisons by design," to hydraulic fracking.
Fracking, she says, is a process that injects toxic chemicals into the ground, potentially mixing with groundwater. As industries drill for natural gas, fracking uses many of the chemicals she is concerned about. "I am a fracking abolitionist," Steingraber says, "I am not interested in helping the gas industry to do this in a better way."
Oregon is not a hotbed of fracking, but there are current fights to block natural gas pipelines and liquefied natural gas terminals connected to the natural gas mining industry.
Fracking, she says, is like "an abusive drunk who lives in a family and who is almost about to go to Alcoholics Anonymous," but discovers a cache of alcohol in the basement. The drunk plans to blow up the basement to get to it. "What is the right response of the family?" she asks. "To help regulate the detonation of the basement?" or to get the drunk to AA?
"Obviously I'm for rehab," she says.
When it comes to the toxics in the environment that groups like OTA seek to prevent, she says, "Parents have the most at stake as it's our children that are being poisoned."
One of Oregon Toxics Alliance's strengths, she says, is in "making people understand that behind every data point is a human life. Issues of toxics affect our communities and affect our health."
Families, Steingraber says, can't be "little bubbles in toxic world. You can't protect your children that way; you have to transform your whole community."
Sandra Steingraber, who has been lauded by the Sierra Club as a new Rachel Carson, speaks at 7 pm Thursday, April 28, at the UO's Robinson Theatre, $11, $9 students or free to the first 20 people who join or renew their OTA membership. Leading up to the talk, the Bijou will be showing the movie Living Downstream based on Steingraber's book of the same name on April 17, 22, 23 and 24.
For more info go to www.oregontoxics.org/SandraS.html


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Shorter regular season for seven-game series?
By Bill Chastain / MLB.com
"Why not shorten [the regular season] up and play best-of-seven?," said Maddon, whose Rays are one game from elimination under the best-of-five format. "Then again, if you win the best of five, you're happy. Honestly, I have thought that. That first series being best of five puts a premium on things. Things have to turn out your way quickly or it becomes very difficult."
Maddon doesn't believe Major League Baseball will shorten the regular season in order to facilitate an expanded Division Series.
"It's probably as good as it's going to be the way it's set up right now," Maddon said.
Maddon has thought about what might happen if regular-season doubleheaders were scheduled to shorten the season while playing the same number of games.
"If you were to do that on the day that you're going to have a doubleheader, expand your roster for that day," Maddon said. "For that one day, have 27 players."
To Maddon's way of thinking, by expanding the roster for days when the doubleheaders were scheduled, a team could bring up a couple of extra pitchers and not put the pitching staff in a bind.
"Again, I am open to all of these things," Maddon said. "There is a real old-school component of me, but there is also what I described earlier regarding what's going on now, take advantage and utilize and understand what's happening today and make adjustments. There is no reason why we can't make adjustments. I think the fans would appreciate and respond in a favorable way."
Maddon not a big fan of team meetings
ARLINGTON -- Despite the fact his team was down 0-2 in the American League Division Series, manager Joe Maddon did not have a team meeting on Friday afternoon, when the Rays worked out at Rangers Ballpark.
"I'm OK with the players gathering," Maddon said. "I've sat as a coach and a player in the corner during so many meetings by managers. I've honestly never seen one that truly mattered. If there's an impact, it's like two or three days down the road. It's normally not that day.
"And furthermore, always choose your meetings based on your starting pitcher that day. If you want to look good and make that meeting mean something, chose the right starting pitcher."
Instead of having a team meeting, Maddon usually walks around during batting practice, or in Friday's case, the workout, to have conversations with groups of players or individuals. Usually, the subject of those discussions has nothing to do with baseball. On Friday, Maddon solicited opinions from players about which car they would rather have if they had a choice between a Jeep Wrangler and a Grand Cherokee.
Maddon is considering buying a new vehicle once the season is over.
"There's nothing really substantial you can take that's going to make a huge difference right now after this many games," Maddon said. "They just need to feel the support that you have as a manager and a coaching staff. They need to know how much you care about them. And that's what we're trying to exhibit with them right now."
Bill Chastain is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Be a part of a unique online community that connects post production professionals and film academics worldwide.
You'll have access to personalize your news feed, access to Live Post Talks and much more. Contribute to the community by posting interesting post production content.
August 3, 2011, 11:16 am
Four videos from the recent LAFCPUG meeting. Jon Chappell runs through the many features in Pro Maintenance Tools and Todd Prives demos Edge, the new set of plugins from GenArts.
January 21, 2018, 8:06 am
When business professionals do well at their jobs, they get to negotiate for a higher salary at their next review.
January 20, 2018, 6:57 am
Writer/director Jim Hosking premiered his short Renegades at Sundance in 2010 and returned to the festival in 2016 with his debut feature The Greasy Strangler. His second feature, An Evening with Beverly Luff Lin, premieres in the NEXT program at Sundance 2018. Luff Lin unites Hosking with a cast of comedy luminaries: Aubrey Plaza, Jemaine Clement and Craig Robinson, among others. The film was edited by Mark Burnett, who also edited Greasy Strangler, and Nick Emerson (Lady Macbeth, Starred Up). Filmmaker spoke with the film's editing team about the film's tricky tone, which teeters between absurdist and romantic comedy, ahead of Luff Lin's premiere at Sundance.
January 20, 2018, 6:57 am
It's time for another roundup of the interesting audio stories you can find from our audio communities. In this recap, you can learn about creating the demanding sound design of Detroit, designing the sound of Coco, and complex soundscapes with Sound Particles. You can also read thoughts about running an ideal indie studio, living a day without sound, and approaching the sound for a level of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. Happy reading!
January 19, 2018, 10:38 am
Have a look at this beautiful cinematic created by Platige Image for TOTAL WAR – THREE KINGDOMS...
January 19, 2018, 7:05 am
Italian studio Effetti Digitali Italiani (EDI) presents their VFX work on THE LEISURE SEEKER...
January 19, 2018, 7:05 am
In this free video tutorial for Pro Tools Expert, Technical Editor James Ivey continues this demonstration of his mix process in Pro Tools.
January 19, 2018, 7:05 am
Eight VFX – Seth Macfarlane's The Orville VFX Breakdown.
January 19, 2018, 7:05 am
Ten years ago Digidesign discontinued the popular Control|24 Pro Tools control surface. The Control|24 was launched in 2001...
January 18, 2018, 1:45 pm
On Tuesday, Jan. 23, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will unveil nominations for the 90th annual Oscars. It's been a season marked, refreshingly, by a lack of frontrunners in most major categories. Combined with an extended phase two this year (thanks to the Winter Olympics), it ought to make for a spirited sprint to the finish line after the races are firmed up next week.
January 18, 2018, 11:22 am
In 2016, Glenn Melenhorst explained the Iloura's work on the 6th season of GAME OF THRONES. He then worked on the 7th season and on OUTCAST and JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2.
Tom Cross and Gordon Burkell sit down to discuss the editing of Hostiles and how to work with footage to affect the pacing an ...
Gordon Burkell interviews Paul Machliss about timing and editing Baby Driver.
Gordon Burkell interviews Kenneth Branagh and Patrick Doyle about composing music and specifically composing the song Never F ...
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