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Police said they plan to prevent an unauthorized zombie march from occurring tonight on Main Avenue. But they acknowledged if a critical mass of zombies and ghouls show up, they may have no choice but to allow the procession to proceed.
Were trying to prevent this march from occurring, said police Chief Jim Spratlen. Its going to be based on how many people show up.
If theyre walking in the street, its against the law.
The fifth annual zombie march is scheduled to begin at 11:55 p.m. today at College Drive and Main Avenue, according to online posts.
No one has applied for a special-use permit, and the city has not prepared for a march other than to beef up law enforcement, said Sherri Dugdale, assistant to the city manager.
By not getting a permit, you force us to react to whatever is happening, and I realize that might be part of the intent, but youre missing all those pieces for a safe event by not getting a permit, she said.
Last years march attracted about 1,500 people who walked up and down Main Avenue. Police ordered the crowd to disperse, but about 75 people sat down in the middle of the street and refused to leave. Some tried to tip over a car, others threw bottles and trash at police officers.
Police in riot gear used batons and pepper spray to regain control. They made 22 arrests, from failure to disperse to assault on a police officer.
The promotional language this year is nearly identical to previous years: Zombies, monsters, ghouls, faeries and other assorted Halloween creatures return to the streets of downtown Durango during the Witching Hour of All Hallows Eve (Midnight, Halloween) to reclaim the streets from the magic-less world and create and occupy space in which anything can happen.
Durango resident Nathan Coe, who has helped promote the event since its inception, said he hopes this years march is peaceful, both by police and participants.
I hope it happens, and that it goes well, he said during an interview Tuesday.
The event is about spontaneity and reclaiming public spaces, he said.
The utilization of public space is really an important thing for all people in all places to engage in, Coe said. I think thats definitely an appropriate way for the public to re-engage with their surroundings and reclaim a little bit of that from the monotony of our lives.
Participants typically chant, Whose streets? Our streets!
Spratlen said officers will try to keep the march from happening, or at least keep it confined to the sidewalk. But if 1,400 people show up, he would need 700 officers to prevent them from taking to the streets.
Extra police officers will be on duty, he said, including some dressed in tactical gear, which include a helmet, shield and longer batons.
Spratlen encouraged Halloween revelers to follow the law, saying people can negatively affect their lives by acquiring a criminal record.
Consuming alcohol in excess decreases your inhibitions, and it gets people in trouble, Spratlen said. A lot of these people have no intention of trying to get involved in something unlawful until they consume a lot of alcohol.
Were trying to promote a great event and have a good time on Halloween, he said.


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Huzur said last Friday he had explained with reference to the Divine attribute of Al Nafi (the Benefactor) that real and true benefit comes from God alone therefore He alone should be worshiped. This results in attaining His beneficence in this world as well as the Hereafter. God has also commanded that in conjunction with worshipping Him we put in practice all that He has enjoined. Not only because general benefit and advantage is associated with Him but because He is the Creator and the Sustainer of the entire universe, is the Lord of all the worlds and is therefore the sole source of all benefit and gain.
Huzur further explained by reading extracts of the noble writing of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) that it is through the Divine excellence of Rububiyyat (quality to create and nurture) that God has made His beneficence available to all creation. His creation extends to the 'worlds' in space, the 'worlds' that inhabit under the crust of the earth, the 'worlds' of vegetation, the kingdom of arthropods, the insects etc. All this creation has a purpose and among all the creation mankind benefits the most. As scientific research advances the benefits of all creation to mankind are becoming clearer. Huzur said how could man turn elsewhere when God has granted so much to him; has created him and pressed everything in action for his benefit. Indeed man should be utterly grateful to God and be completely free of associating any partners with Him.
The Holy Qur'an reminds us that when we benefit from all that has been put into this world for us we should be aware that it is God Who has created everything, Who sustains it all and has power over it all. He is the Lord, Ever Gracious, most Merciful and the Master of numerous other attributes. Citing verse 165 of Surah Al Baqarah; 'Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and in the alternation of night and day, and in the ships which sail in the sea with that which profits men, and in the water which Allah sends down from the sky and quickens therewith the earth after its death and scatters therein all kinds of beasts, and in the change of the winds, and the clouds pressed into service between the heaven and the earth — are indeed Signs for the people who understand.' (2:165) Huzur said this verse only cites a few of God's favours upon us, if one has any sense, one would never be lost here and there but would recognise the true God. The creation of the heavens and the earth is a blessing among the numerous blessings of God and as the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) elucidated that many worlds exist on this earth, each creation has a world of its own. Huzur said the ships sail through the seas and are a means of travel as well as a major source of freight transport in the world even today. The water of the seas transforms into clouds and brings down signs of life back to the earth. Indeed, without water agriculture would be non-existent and the world would be famine-struck. Huzur cited verse 31 of Surah Al Mulk; 'Say, 'Tell me, if all your water sinks into a deep recess, who then will bring you clear flowing water?' (67:31) and explained that the water on this earth is only life-giving when it takes the shape of God's water coming down from the sky. Huzur said the farmers world over know that winds blowing in specific directions bring specific benefit to crops. All this is not mere co-incident; rather it is a proof of the existent of God. Reflection and pondering over the creation of the heavens and the earth, the alternation of day and night and the changing seasons strengthen belief in the existence of God.
Huzur cited a couple of incidents from the blessed life of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) when he was asked to pray for rain and God accepted his prayers and rain fell on parched earth. Huzur said indeed God created 'beneficial' people in the ummah of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) through whom He has given the proof of His power and in the current age it is the being of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) whose prayers were accepted for the benefit of people.
Huzur said the spiritual world is even more extensive than the physical world and in the example of the alternation of day and night is a message of the Divine arrangement of dispelling darkness through spiritual light. God has never been remote in manifesting this light in any age at all. In this age, in accordance with His promise, He sent the Promised Messiah. Just as God has provided the means of transport in the physical world in the form of ships and vessels similarly He sends His people to this world who arrange for spiritual vessels to take people to their spiritual destination. This favour of God has never ceased. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) wrote a book in this context entitled 'Kishti Nuh' (literal translation: Noah's Ark). In this book he expounded the spiritual remedy to protect oneself against the plague. Huzur read extracts from the book [the English version/translation is entitled 'Our Teaching'] and explained that verbal assertion of the bai'at means nothing unless one accepts and practices from the heart. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that this community is God's last community and should therefore demonstrate supremely excellent practises. Huzur said the book sets out the standards by adopting which a believer, an Ahmadi, makes him or herself safe. May God enable us to continue to lead our lives in accordance with this teaching.
Huzur said the world is caught up in all sorts of troubles. Many diseases are spread all over the world, the new and current epidemic of swine flu is one of them. All this is a cause for concern and should make us pay attention to ourselves whether we are trying to put the teaching of God, His Prophet and the Imam of the age in practice or not. When we will make the endeavour to practice what God commands we will attain beneficence from the spiritual water about which God has said in the aforementioned verse '…quickens therewith the earth after its death…'. Huzur said the spiritual water which God sends through His Prophets and those He commissions brings new life, however, only those gain from this water who have the capacity, like good soil, to benefit from it. God's grace in general sends down water but 'fertility' of hearts is required for it to be advantageous.
Huzur cited a Hadith in which the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) explained this extremely well. He said there are three types of people. Those like good soil, which is soft and has the capacity to absorb water and as a result produces good crop. When rain falls on such soil, it increases it moisture by absorbing the water and is beneficial by producing good crops. The second kind of soil is that which is hard and cannot absorb water well but collects water, like ponds and lakes. This soil is not directly beneficial but by collecting water it provides water for the animals and people to drink and is also useful for irrigation. The third kind of soil is rocky, gritty or is sloped and does not absorb water or has the capacity to collect water. Such soil neither benefits itself nor does it provide any advantage to others. The first kind of soil is like that learned person who not only seeks religious knowledge himself but also imparts it to others. The person who is like the third kind of soil is one who does not get any beneficence from the spiritual water and one who does not benefit others. Huzur said the Hadith does not cite the second type of person but it is obvious from the earlier citation that it is that person who does not attain any benefit for himself but is beneficial to others. In other words does not put what he knows into practice himself but teaches others to do so. Huzur said true believers should try and be among the first category then alone will they really derive benefit from Al Nafi.
Citing verse 6 of Surah Al Nahl; 'And the cattle too He has created; you find in them warmth and many other benefits; and some of them you eat.' (16:6) Huzur said the aforementioned Surah Al Baqarah verse, which is under explanation by Huzur, cites the word 'daa'ba' (beasts) whereas this verse cites the word 'an'am' (cattle). Huzur said daa'ba connotes all types of animals. Huzur said in spiritual terms 'daa'ba' are those believers who derive benefit from the spiritual water and take it to others and thus provide vigour and liveliness. Spiritual winds are also pressed in action for those commissioned by God and they are saved and protected from the opposing winds. Indeed the history of the Ahmadiyya community is a testament to this. Huzur said he receives many letters in his daily post expressing that it is the 'cool breeze' of Ahmadiyyat that attracts people to it. Huzur said in particular letters written in the eloquent language of Arabic are most expressive in this instance. Thus our Al Nafi God grants us benefit every second of the day.
Huzur said our opponents call on us to reject Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani, the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and say they would embrace us if we did so. As if, we would leave the support of Al Nafi God and go to them, where there is nothing but disorder. Huzur said not only has God guided us but indeed He states in the Holy Qur'an; 'Say: "Shall we call, beside Allah, upon that which can neither profit us nor harm us, and shall we be turned back on our heels after Allah has guided us, like one whom the evil ones entice away leaving him bewildered in the land, and who has companions who call him to guidance, saying, 'Come to us?' " Say: "Surely, the guidance of Allah is the only guidance and we have been commanded to submit to the Lord of all the worlds.' (6:72). Huzur explained that real guidance is that which comes from God; would we leave this guidance and go after them who are still embroiled in the abrogation of Quranic verses? And despite belief in One God and One Book are passing edits of disbelief (Kufr) on others? Huzur said God has granted us insight that He sent the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) as the last law-bearing Prophet and Who gave him the Holy Qur'an and we have been given this perception by the Imam of the age. Indeed, He continues to demonstrate signs of support for us, just as He promised. If our community was a man-made affair the endeavours of the enemy for the past 120 years would have brought about different results than the continual progress and advancement that God has granted us. We have but always seen the opponents bewildered and this has strengthened our faith. We invite them to come into the fold of the community of the Mahdi and the Messiah (on whom be peace) for in this lies their permanence and the permanence of this world. May God enable them. May He grant us the capacity to derive benefit from His attribute of Al Nafi and grant us the capacity to be beneficial to others. May we partake a measure of the spiritual revolution that is destined through the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace).

subset: commoncrawl


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Senate grills JPMorgan execs on risky trading
- Current and former JPMorgan executives testify on trades that led to %246.2B loss
- Nation%27s largest bank accused of hiding losses and misinforming the public
- Federal regulators concede they missed red flags
Leaders of a Senate subcommittee grilled present and former executives of JPMorgan Chase Friday over risky practices, mistakes, overly reassuring public statements and other problems involving the so-called London Whale derivatives trades that culminated in losses of more than $6.2 billion.
In a more than five-hour Capitol Hill hearing, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations also pressed federal banking regulators over their failure to spot alarming red flags about the trading and rein in the nation's largest bank until after media reports brought the losses to light in April 2012.
The hearing came the day after the panel issued a scathing 301-page report that Sen. Carl Levin, the Michigan Democrat who chairs the subcommittee, said exposed "a derivative trading culture at JPMorgan that piled on risk, that hid losses, that disregarded risk limits, that manipulated risk models, that dodged oversight and that misinformed the public."
Levin said the findings showed that a complex investment strategy JPMorgan Chase claimed was a hedge against risk instead morphed into proprietary trading partly funded with federally-insured deposits. He called for a swift completion of final federal regulations for the Volcker Rule — the section of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law that would largely ban such trading at many banks.
JP Morgan Chase issued a statement Thursday saying "while we have repeatedly acknowledged significant mistakes, our senior management acted in good faith and never had any intent to mislead anyone." But that mea culpa didn't spare the past and present bank executives from a public hammering over complex trading practices similar to some of those that led to the 2008 national recession.
Story:Senate report blasts JPMorgan risky trading
Story:Emails reveal internal alarm over trades
In his testimony, Douglas Braunstein, the bank's vice chairman and former chief financial officer, sought to defend statements he made during an April 2012 conference call with investors after the disastrous trades became public.
Braunstein said during the call that the bank had given federal regulators regular reports on the trading positions and also told investors the trades were part of a long-term strategy. Recounting details of the call during Friday's hearing, he insisted he had made the statements in good faith, based on the information available at the time.
But Levin in response highlighted point after point from the subcommittee report that seemingly contradicted Braunstein's assertions.
"I have a lot of trouble, a lot of trouble, I've got to tell you, believing that those statements were anything but an effort to calm the seas, because all those statements were inaccurate," said Levin.
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, who during the 2012 investor conference call characterized the trades as a "tempest in a teapot," was not called to testify at Friday's hearing. But Dimon, who has since withdrawn the teapot statement, drew criticism in absentia as Levin questioned Braunstein about JPMorgan Chase's decision to halt the required daily profit-and-loss statements from its investment banking wing to federal regulators.
Levin questioned whether the withholding was part of a calculated effort to hide the ballooning size of the derivatives trading losses.
Braunstein confirmed that Dimon ordered the report stoppage, which federal regulators later in the hearing said lasted roughly two weeks. But he said the bank took the action solely over concerns that some confidential information had gone missing.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the subcommittee's ranking minority member, stressed that U.S. banks can't unilaterally withhold required information from regulators. "I'm not sure there are many companies and corporations in America that could get away with such a thing," he said.
Ina Drew, the banking star who previously served as JPMorgan's chief investment officer and oversaw the London-based unit that made the risky derivatives trades, similarly found herself on the defensive as she answered subcommittee questions in her first public comments on the financial debacle. Levin focused on a comment in which she asked a bank employee involved in the trades to "tweak" the financial marks used to assign valuations to the trading outcome.
"Tweaking is changing something," said Levin. "There was a clear suggestion that he tweak something to make the trades look better."
Drew, however, said she raised the issue because the trading results had been conservatively valued. Any changes, she added, had to be supported by "demonstrable data."
Earlier in her testimony, Drew said traders and supervisors and other executives under her supervision failed to control the London trading risks and didn't convey full details of the losses to her and other top bank officials. She resigned and repaid two years of salary after the debacle.
"I am greatly saddened by the entire episode, which has caused financial and reputational harm to JPMorgan Chase and a large number of people with whom I was honored to work, and I deeply regret that the losses occurred on my watch," Drew said in written testimony submitted to the subcommittee.
Although Drew and other bank executives voluntarily testified at the subcommittee hearing, four former employees involved in the trading ducked Senate subpoenas on grounds that they reside outside the U.S.
Officials of the Comptroller of the Currency, the federal regulatory agency that oversees JPMorgan Chase, joined bank officials as targets of subcommittee criticism. Levin said the bank hid information about the derivatives trading losses from the OCC, but stressed that the agency inexplicably failed to notice warning indications. Among others, he cited the profit-and-loss reports withheld at Dimon's instructions and the bank's failure to file other financial statements.
"Senator, this is something we should have been all over from day one," said Scott Waterhouse, the examiner-in-charge who supervised dozens of OCC regulators assigned to JPMorgan Chase. Waterhouse said the examiners had been more focused on high risk in other areas of the bank at the time.
"There were red flags that we failed to notice and act upon," said Comptroller of the Currency Thomas Curry. He testified that the regulatory agency has since issued cease-and-desist and other orders to JPMorgan Chase. And he agreed with subcommittee recommendations for strengthening oversight of major banks.
"At a time when too many in Washington are once again echoing the 'What's good for us is good for America' mantra of Wall Street lobbyists, the Senate's 'London whale' probe makes a compelling case for stronger and more effective financial regulation," said Americans for Financial Reform, a coalition of labor and government watchdog groups, in a statement responding to the subcommittee findings.


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This is a tutorial on how to draw zorro with just pencils! I'll give some tips and trick which you can use in other drawings as well :) I'd love to see the result
DragoArt members upload artwork and drawing tutorials! They are also allowed to leave comments on tutorials, profiles, etc. Many more features, as well; it's way better than just being a boring guest! Register Now!


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Salary: $47,500/year
Job Duties & Responsibilities
GEICO is looking for bright and driven future leaders to join our accelerated Management Development Program in the Service or Salestrack. The goal of this 1.5 to 2year* management training program is to develop future business leaders to help us continue on our path of steady sales growth, profitability and success.
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Walking With Camera
Since I'm walking in the residential area, I thought I'd shoot at the beautiful houses. You're not tired of my San Francisco houses now, are you?
Did you have any favorites?
Here are my other San Francisco houses posts.
Amateur photog's online photo cache. All photos are original pics taken by author and her husband. This is not a place to see those awe inspiring Ansel Adams, these are ordinary subjects shot on a whim most of the time.
If it's you who take the shots, i wont get tired at all. And thank you for letting me go on your tour as I haven't been there! I don't have a favorite, they are too big for me, the photos are my favorite.ReplyDelete
I'll never get tired of your shots! If I have to pick one, I'll go for the second house. It has a lot of character with that added brown thingie (I don't know what to call it LOL) and those 3 chimneys (am I correct?) Very chic! Me like! :DReplyDelete
I dream to get a good shots like yours and get a house like that. Haha! Thanks for the tour! :DReplyDelete
gawd. i don't know which one i want. they're all pretty. thanks for the tour!ReplyDelete
A nice variation in houses!ReplyDelete
I'm never tired of your nice pictures, Maria!
All beautiful these San Francisco houses, so interesting to see.
It's hard to pick a favorite among these painted ladies and otherwise distinctive home. They are all works of art. I especially like the angle of the first shot which has a very dynamic perspective.ReplyDelete
I'll take any one of these! SF has so much to photograph, doesn't it! You're lucky you had blue skies too. Not a good place for a photographer to be when the sky is hiding behind the fog!ReplyDelete
What a great set of beautiful house shots! Love them all.ReplyDelete
really nice houses... I bet they would be in the million dollar range ?ReplyDelete
Never tire of San Francisco. Love the architecture, every.single.one.of.them! I can already imagine how the inside of the 1st photo would be. I won't mind living there at all. The 3rd to the last is simple and elegant it stood out. Hayy!!! I miss SF!!!! :)ReplyDelete
Since San Francisco is known for its houses, I don't think you could ever show us too many! It's hard to pick a favorite but I really like the 2nd one because I could see my family (8 kids) growing up there. :)ReplyDelete
I like the first one. One thing i noticed was that somehow the lot area of those houses seems to be of the same size but differs on how the houses have been built.ReplyDelete
M, that's a lot of windows, link this up to us! - Gizelle
LOVE your San Francisco houses!
All them are beautiful... It is not easy to have a favorite... But the last one is my preferred.


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Here is the link to the stuff that did not make it on the news.
Monday, December 10, 2012
The Laffey Made the News!
Here is the link to the stuff that did not make it on the news.
9 comments:
Unfortunately, the restoration of Laffey cost so much that there isn't money to restore the submarine Clamagore, and she will probably end up towed out to sea and sunk as a reef.ReplyDeleteReplies
Bob, the Yorktown will probably suffer the same fate I fear. As the Director of Patriot's Point said, when you talk about millions of dollars, he can't sell enough T-shirts to cover the bill.Delete
The Clamagore if memory serves was commissioned at the end of WWII. It survived and went up to GUPPY III mods if my old brain still sorta works. A great boat!
Sadly it seems that some would not choose to preserve these vessels.
That gave me a lump in my throat.ReplyDelete
USS Wm. M. Wood (DD715) 1973-1975Replies
Treasure those conversations Keads... They are failing fast, and it's up to 'our' generation to continue the maintenance.ReplyDelete
Oh how wonderful. What a neat opportunity to have emailed with him.ReplyDelete
You're a good man brother Keads!ReplyDelete


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Lightning Injury Research Program
Mary Ann Cooper, MD, Professor
University of Illinois at Chicago
Safety Awareness Week (LSAW*) - Last Full Week of June Annually
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/(*Please see LSAW site above for the most updated information and links to other lightning websites.)
Our GOALS in preparing this website are to provide:
What this site does NOT do:
DISCLAIMER - General statements made in this site should not be taken as recommendations for a specific course of treatment for any individual. Specific medical advice should be obtained through consultation with a physician or other trained health care professional.


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It's something similar to "Tolerating different Cultures" and Accepting different cultures"
There's a big difference between fitting in and belonging. In fact, fitting in can be one of the biggest barriers to belonging, says researcher and author Brené Brown. Fitting in is about assessing a situation and adapting who you are – your personality and behaviors – in order to feel accepted. Belonging is about freedom – freedom from having to change in order to be accepted and being valued and respected for being who you are.
In Brown's research she asked a group of eighth grade students to describe the difference between fitting in and belonging. Here's what they said:
Not much has changed since eighth grade, has it? Sadly, too many leaders and organizations expect people to just fit in. After all, it's much easier to tell people they need to adapt in order to fit with the organizational culture, rather than find ways to help people belong and have the organizational culture absorb and reflect their uniqueness as individuals.
Helping people find a sense of belonging leads to them being fully engaged and committed to their work and the organization. It causes people to tap into their discretionary energy to accomplish the goals of the organization versus settling for just fitting in and doing the minimum to get by.
Leaders create belonging when they…
1. Give power away and allow people to take ownership of their work. People who feel they belong in an organization have a sense of ownership; it's their organization. That ownership mentality comes from being given responsibility and authority for doing their jobs and being given the freedom to achieve results. Equip and coach your people, delegate wisely, and then get out of their way.
2. Listen and respond to feedback. Most leaders say they are open to hearing feedback; fewer leaders actually listen and do something with it. Leaders create an environment of belonging and safety when they actually take the time to sit down and listen, acknowledge a person's concerns, and discuss how they will respond to the feedback. People don't feel they belong when leaders don't listen, dismiss, or disregard their input.
3. Help people understand how their work connects to the broader goals or purpose of the organization. People have an innate desire to belong to something bigger than themselves. Leaders tap into this reservoir of power when they help their people understand how their daily work helps the organization achieve its goals and makes the world a better place.
4. Appreciate and celebrate the diversity of their team. Each person is created with unique gifts and abilities and it's a leader's responsibility to leverage the individual strengths of their people. Treating your team members as individuals rather than nameless and faceless workers creates a sense of belonging that's extremely powerful. One of my team members, Ed, has a jovial personality and great dance moves. Who do you think we go to when we need to make a fun team video? Another team member, Kim, is a champion snowmobile racer. Who do we brag about when we have team gatherings? How much do you know about the personal lives of your people? Get to know them and watch their sense of belonging increase.
5. Accept people where they are but refuse to let them stay there. Good leaders accept their team members for who they are, yet also have a desire and commitment to help them learn, grow, and become the best versions of themselves possible. When leaders show commitment to their people's growth, it fosters a sense of commitment and belonging that can't be underestimated.
Creating a sense of belonging for people requires that leaders be engaged. It means investing time and energy to understand what's going on with their people, their hopes and dreams, their fears and insecurities. Fostering belonging is about humanizing the workplace and creating a safe space where people can be vulnerable, real and authentic. The payoff of having engaged, committed, and fulfilled team members is worth the effort.
It's something similar to "Tolerating different Cultures" and Accepting different cultures"
Years ago, when I managed technical people in large companies, "diversity" meant affirmative action compliance. Period. And I used to think this was such a waste – especially given that groupthink and stagnation are among the most common causes of organizational failure. The most powerful teams and organizations are heterogeneous mixes of gifts, backgrounds, foibles, temperaments, and aspirations. They are organic, often messy – a far cry from the "well-oiled machine" metaphor I still hear managers use (and which I hate). To embrace people's individuality in deed and in truth is not easy – but neither is anything else about leading people.
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A timely reminder of how to get the most from a Team at work………or anywhere for that matter. Good article.
However, I don't agree with the last sentence in item1. The Team Leaders I have worked with over the years, who consistently get the best out of all in the Team, have been those who do NOT get out of the way, but remain through thick and thin. I appreciate the comment could mean letting people get on, but even then the best Leaders/Managers remain with the troops. After all, the thrust of this article is to provide the necessary support to enable people to contribute and grow………..which is how they get to belong. Getting out of the way can prove damaging when someone loses their way and it takes too long for the Team Leader to re-appear…………..or at worst, for the Team 'know-all' to step into the breach.
Cheers. DonR.
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Out of curiosity, I swapped "organization" with "family" and "leader" with "parent" and "person" with "child" and guess what? This makes a great parenting article as well. I'm guessing with a little tweaking it would do double duty as an educator's column as well. Thanks!
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Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Stockholm's High School Recruiting Drive
High school is a big deal here in Sweden. And it's time for students to make a decision as to what high school they want to attend. It's kind of like picking a college. Except the Swedes make 14 –year olds do it.
I had a hard enough time picking a college. I can't imagine having to also pick a high school. And of course they play up your future. Because this high school will lead to a better future. Or that high school will give you those opportunities.
It seems that when you enter high school you choose a line of study. Very specific. And you continue through with it. None of this liberal arts education that allows you to sample a little bit of everything.
There's the whole idea of "jack of all trades, master of none," so by focusing on just one subject, I suppose that is a positive. But what happens when you decide you don't like your line of study? I didn't know what I wanted to do in high school. Hell, I didn't even know what I wanted to do in college. And I still don't know what I want to do. But I have a whole lot of different subjects under my belt, and had plenty to choose from. I never felt like I had pigeonholed myself with something I had to do for the rest of my life. I can't imagine what it must be like to have only studied one thing and to realize that's not at all what you want to do in life.
I suppose when the government is paying for everyone to go to school, they want to make sure that the people they are educating are experts. Or maybe they just don't want to employ all of those extra people. Seems easier to just put all the IT people in one school. All the social sciences people in another. Probably saving all sorts of overhead there. See… I studied business.
Of course, when someone has gone through three years of physics and suddenly decides that math really sucks when they started replacing all of the numbers with Greek letters, it's going to get expensive. Now that person wants to study sociology. You know, that major that all of the athletes studied in college. D's get degrees. Which, strangely enough, as a tutor employed by the university, is a term that is frowned upon. Anyway, now our future sociologist has to start all over. And that is definitely expensive for the government.
To expect high school students, who are more concerned with getting a girlfriend than learning the quadratic equation, to be thinking so far ahead that they need to choose a high school that will relate to their future employment is just ridiculous. And kind of mean even.
19 comments:
- AnonymousFebruary 12, 2008 at 8:15 AM
I happen to teach high school in the U.S. and I think this is a great topic to explore! I love the differences between the education system in the U.S. and Sweden...both have their pros and cons.ReplyDelete
I am definitely with you on the whole idea of choosing your path of study in high school....seems hard to imagine right???? I didnt figure it out until my junior year in college!!!
When the government is paying, I guess it's hard to argue!!!
- AnonymousFebruary 12, 2008 at 9:53 AM
Practically no high school in Sweden provides only one field of study. Btw, there are also a lot of "wider" lines of study, like for example samhäll, where you can become anything, really. But for those who are sure of what they want to become there are also more specific "lines", that will make it much easier to get that profession afterwards, but you could also become that if you choose samhäll, for example. So I think it's better than only being able to study whatever you study at American high schools and then still not being that much closer to your dream occupation. Besides, it's free...ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 12, 2008 at 12:26 PM
high school is free in the US also unless you choose to go to a private school which is not huge percentage of people.ReplyDelete
I think kids that age need to have a broad range of studies, that is a time to start figuring out what they are most interested in. most 14 year olds don't really know what their dream occupation is yet and most will change their minds!
Some US high schools are starting to focus more on certain subjects with "magnet" schools popping up specializing in math or art or whatever so will see how that plays out in what they are choosing then when they go on to University. Very interesting though the "recruiting" for high schools. I guess that is better than in the US where so many are only interested in which high school has better sports programs!
you're right. there are definitely pros and cons to each educational system. I think that putting so much importance into choosing a good high school isn't a pro for the swedish system. like you said. took until your junior year of college to figure it out. most people are 20, 21 years old at that point. Not 14.ReplyDelete
robban - high school is free in the US too. unless as anonymous points out you go to a private school. and Im glad to hear that there are wider lines of study. I was getting worried seeing all of these ads and reading soem of the newspaper articles about choosing a high school.
and I agree with anonymous. for the msot part no one knows what they want to do when they are 14. sure there are a few who do. and will follow that true and live happily ever after. but most won't. unfortunately. so a broader line of study is better for the majority of students I would argue.
and an interestring point about sports. there are some recruiting stories out there even in high school. not necessarily good fo rthe educational system really. even though sports are glorious. and extremely beneficial in all aspects of life. but still. gotta be able to read better than you can hit a free throw.
I wish that more universities in America would teach Swedish. I'd really like to learn. There is a lady in my church from Sweden and I'm hoping that she will teach me, but it would be nice to hear varying accents/dialects.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 13, 2008 at 9:06 AM
The Swedish high school system is far from what you seem to think. Even if you choose a line directing toward science you can stil choose to study pretty much any course that's offered. If you want to get a broad education you can get that. For example, I studied at a school specialised in IT, but I still studied Religion, Math, Chemistry, Economics, Drama, English, Spanish, Swedish and a lot of other things. And if you start at a school and later regret it, say, after a year you can change school, without having to reedo the courses you've already taken.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 13, 2008 at 10:40 AM
I won't comment you're answer but anonymous #2 here has really good points.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 14, 2008 at 2:13 AM
You are so right. Myself, I wasn't that passionate about any jobs when I was 15 (Finns have basically the same system as the Swedes, we borrowed a lot from them). I was a sort of jack-of-all trades then, but couldn't see my future. I should have of course, but it's really too much to expect from a teenager.ReplyDelete
erin - plenty of universities teach swedish. and if not there are always self-study. Im sure you can find something!ReplyDelete
@anonymous - I'm glad to hear that. But it seems that most people i have spoken with about swedish high school have said that it is very specific and that while you do study a few basic subjects the majority of your study is centered on one subject. Engineering for example. Or Math. But I'm glad to hear that that is not necessarily the case. Broader is better in high school I think.
Also glad to hear that things count regardless if you change your mind or not. I actually just assumed that that was the case. My concern was that if you changed there would still be plenty of specific requirements that would need to be fulfilled which would keep you around longer. Something very specific to your new line of study that was not offered in the old line.
@smek this - nothing wrong with being a jack of all trades. makes for a well-rounded person.
- AnonymousFebruary 14, 2008 at 7:25 PM
Hairy, when you first asked this question, it never occurred to me but, yes we do have specialization in the U.S. too!!!!ReplyDelete
Here in Houston and Austin there are a number of specialized schools.
High School of Performing Arts
St Stephens Academy (soccer and tennis boarding school)
a high school for those interested in law enforcement, engineering, and medical, etc.
And you'll hear private schools advertise all the time in Houston....its a necessary evil to make sure some schools meet their enrollment needs.
I think that if students really do know what they want specialization can be a great option.
It's true. There are charter schools, magnet schools, and even private schools that advertise. But not at quite the same level as those that advertise and recruit here.ReplyDelete
But you're right. The option for specialization is good. Too much specialization I would say is not.
well, i already graduated and my university didn't teach swedish, so i took a few others. and, you're right - there is self study, but i know me and it would help if i had someone either learning with me or pointing me in the right direction.ReplyDelete
that's fair enough... self study languages is not an easy way to go.ReplyDelete
Whomever told you Swedish high school programmes are all very specialised was either high or an idiot. While there are programmes specifically geared toward particular professions (such as vehicle maintenance), the Natural Science and Social Science Programmes are both very general and are usually taken by those who have no idea what they want to do when they grow up. Natural Science has more maths and science than Social Science (which in turn has more civics and history) and may enable you to go directly into certain university programmes that you'd otherwise need to take a "Naturvetenskapligt basår" to get into, but otherwise they're both full of all kinds of subjects and will let you into most university programmes.ReplyDelete
I did Natural Science because I was actually INTERESTED in science and was seriously miffed that I was forced to drag myself through history, civics, language, religion and philosophy classes.
This is good to know.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 28, 2009 at 6:32 PM
I think the swedish high school system is superior to that of the US.ReplyDelete
The reason I believe so is that if you have to make up your mind earlier you will have to become more mature and then you grow as a person and you get some inner character. Also you don't get to run around like a baby not knowing what to do and when half of your life.
That's just my 2 cents.
fair enough. personally I think it much better to have the opportunity to explore a bit before having to decide. it allows you to find something that you truly enjoy doing.ReplyDelete
Just thought I would share my opinion on the matter since a) I am Swedish, b) I have gone through Swedish high school, and c) I am studying to become a high school teacher.ReplyDelete
Firstly, we start high school at age 15-16, which I don't think is all that young to start thinking about your future.
Secondly, as previous people have written here, most of the programmes are quite broad and general. There are specific programmes for specific trades, but the kids who choose those programmes do it because they don't really want to go to school more than necessary, but want to find a good job in the future. (We call these kids skoltrötta/inte läshuvuden, or to be more pc, "praktiskt inriktade")
Those kids who think that they might want to go on to higher education in the future (or are sure they want to) will probably choose samhällsprogrammet or naturvetenskapsprogrammet. BUT you don't have to. You see, any person who graduates with sufficient grades from high school can go on to higher education (depending on what you want to study, I mean, clearly, wanting to become e.g. a chemist requires you to have chosen naturvetenskapsprogrammet in high school OR to have taken a naturvetenskapligt basår after high school).
I can use myself as an example. I studied naturbruksprogrammet in high school, which I would translate to the natural resource programme (or the nickname farming school :P). Note please that I did not study farming, but environmental care. However, now I'm studying at Gothenburg University to become a high school teacher in Swedish and English. Two educational areas not remotely related I would say. Still, in Sweden it works. The beauty of our system is that you can change your mind.
And thirdly, which kind of has to do with my previous statement about you being able to change your mind, something they don't tell you is that high school in Sweden... is not very important (but sssssschhhh, don't tell anyone I told you this :P)
I hope you have a better understanding about our educational system now! :)
A very good explanation, thank you!ReplyDelete


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Puerto Rico Information
Start Planning Your Puerto Rico Vacation
Puerto Rico Overview
Puerto Rico is a mix of cultural history and nature. The country's long European history is evident in San Juan, and outside of the country's capital, southern cities display uniquely Puerto Rican architecture. Aside from the historical sites, there are endless natural wonders with fun activities to enjoy in the area. For example, you've got zip line tours in El Yunque, cave tours at Parque de las Cavernas, and the largest radio telescope in the world, Arecibo Observatory (made famous by the movie Contact). The beaches are great too, offering different perks, such as surfing in Rincon or great photo ops in Culebra. Once you've worked up an appetite from all the historical sightseeing and nature adventures, there are numerous delicious cuisine options to grub on. In Puerto Rico, the country's rich history and natural offerings give you so much to choose from, you're guaranteed to find something exciting to do.
Other Destinations in Puerto-Rico
Mapping Out Puerto Rico
With a lively night life, an array of cuisines, public beaches, and cultural offerings, San Juan offers all the strappings of a metropolitan center with the distinctly Puerto Rican flair and flavor. Chic, urban hotels make this an ideal destination for the bohemians. On the other hand, old San Juan displays the city's long European history with castles and museums. Explore narrow streets, plazas and buildings, built in the colonial style and home to top notch cafes and boutiques. The east side of the island, dominated by El Yunque National Forest, is great for eco-lovers. There are also the out islands of Vieques and Culebra. Culebra offers the famous Playa Flamenco, considered one of the best beaches in the world. In the south, the museums and architecture showcase a more distinctly Puerto Rican design, such as the fire station museum in Ponce. Finally, turn west for bodacious surfing at Rincon. Whether you want chic and trendy, calm and relaxing or pure and natural, you'll find something to love in Puerto Rico.
Three Kings for Twelve Days
If you think Christmas ends on December 25, you're missing 12 days of Christmas season fun. Three Kings Day on January 6 marks the twelfth day of Christmas, and in Puerto Rico, they end the season with a party!
Christmas celebrators in Latin American countries used to exchange gifts on Three Kings Day to commemorate the three magi in the Bible who visited Jesus, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. More people give gifts on December 25, now, but the tradition and the story of the magi is still observed with smaller gift exchanges.
The Three Kings Day festival in Old San Juan draws big crowds with live music, food and drink. Hosted in the Luis Munoz Marin Park, small gifts are given to kids and revelers can see arts and crafts based on the Three Kings which are a major source of inspiration for folk art. The highlight of the festival is the entrance of three men who walk from a town near the southern coast, dressed as the three magi.
Getting in Touch with History, North and South
Puerto Rico's got a rich, colorful history. In the north, Old San Juan's past is as obvious as the huge forts that overlook the sea. Make sure to also check out the smaller historical gems like the statues in the town squares.
In southern Puerto Rico, the old fire station, Parque de Bombas, in Ponce has antique fire trucks on display along with a tale of the station's history. Don't miss the Centro Ceremonial Indigena de Tibes, a series of fields and astronomical chart structures discovered by archaeologists in the 1970s. If you happen to be on the south side of the country, San German features Capilla de Porta Coeli. This chapel is one of the oldest religious buildings in the Americas, and is now a museum of religious art. There's history all over Puerto Rico—you don't have to go very far to find it.
Nature's Alive!
Puerto Rico is a natural haven for many species of plants and animals. The country protects its numerous and beautiful habitats, so we can continue to enjoy them. In fact, the Yunque Rainforest is the only rainforest in the US National Forest System. Here you can find several ways to interact with nature. Everything from well-maintained hiking trails to zip line tours.
Also, the caves at Camuy offer a tram that takes visitors along a scenic route into a huge network of caverns that are home to bats, crabs, tarantulas and more. A nature-lover's dream!
Where's All the Rum Gone?
Ready to get your rum on? Good. The world's largest rum distillery, Bacardi, is near San Juan. Casa Bacardi, as the tourist center is known, showcases Bacardi's history. This includes a film about the company's founding and the first distillery the family business used. You'll get two tickets for free drinks, and bartenders will show you how mix rum cocktails in the lounge. Best part? The tour is free.
In southern Puerto Rico, the mansion of the family who started Don Q Rum, Castillo Serralles, is one of the many museums in Ponce. It's got an exhibit that explains the impact of the sugar and rum industries on the country. It also features an extensive and well-manicured garden with a reflection pool where you can relax after touring the grounds.
After you discover Puerto Rico's long and fascinating history with this spirit, you'll have a new appreciation when you order your next mojito.
Anywhere but San Juan
South, central, west and east Puerto Rico all offer unique, exciting opportunities that can be overshadowed by the country's high-octane, glimmering capital city, San Juan. So here's a taste of what you can find outside of the city.
Slow down and hang ten on the west coast in Rincon, where surfers convene for annual competitions. Rincon means "corner" in Spanish, and it's a beautiful place to tuck away in this piece of paradise. If you don't feel like rounding the corner out west, turn south. Experience beautiful beaches and culture in the city of Ponce, the second largest in Puerto Rico.
In the center of the island, explore natural wonders of the terrestrial at Yunque national forests or the extra-terrestrial at Arecibo Observatory. If you prefer to go subterranean, descend into the fascinating ecosystems in the underground caves at Camuy.
For the classic beach experience, the out islands of Vieques and Culebra offer some of the prettiest stretches of sand and surf in the Caribbean. Playa Flamenco on Culebra is widely considered one of the Caribbean's most beautiful beaches. San Juan is great and all, but let's keep our minds open to the possibilities in Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico Quick Facts
Spanish and English (Spanish is primary)
110 Volt plugs with standard 2 or 3 prongs
There is no passport requirement for U.S. citizens for direct travel to and from Puerto Rico. If you return to the mainland U.S. from Puerto Rico through another country (Mexico or Bermuda, for example), you will need a passport.
Drinking Water
Puerto Rico's water supply is monitored by agencies of the US government, and the tap water is safe to drink.
Time Zone
Eastern Standard Time (UTC/GMT -4 hours)
Peak Season
mid-December – mid-April
|3 in.
|2.2 in.
|2.3 in.
|3.7 in.
|6.1 in.
|4.4 in.
|4.5 in.
|5.3 in.
|5.3 in.
|5.5 in.
|5.8 in.
|4 in.
*Historical averages.


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To properly appreciate "Must Love Dogs," one must first love John Cusack. Thesp's maverick turn steals the show in this otherwise middling romantic comedy, which retools standard meet-cute elements for the Web generation in pleasant but uninspired fashion. Fortunately, the charming match-up with Diane Lane goes down smoothly enough. Affectionate interest in both leads could generate solid distaff B.O. early on, though word-of-mouth won't sizzle.
This is the first film in more than 15 years from writer-director Gary David Goldberg, a veteran TV scribe ("MASH," "Lou Grant," "Family Ties"), and some viewers may recognize the Ubu Prods. credit (in this context, "Sit, Ubu, sit! Good dog," Ubu takes on an entirely new angle).
Even when it doesn't entirely succeed, Goldberg's literate screenplay has an old-fashioned, almost preternaturally classy vibe, recalling a time when characters chose their words more carefully and spoke at greater length. Yet the script also betrays a weakness for quaint, obvious humor and a habit of striking its notes with too-on-the-nose precision.
Popular on Variety
Viewer is thrown into the premise from the very first frame, in a sitcom-like ensemble scene that finds divorced preschool teacher Sarah (Lane) being pressured by her mob-like family — an intervention, they call it — to return to the dating scene. The most meddlesome of the bunch is Carol (a perky Elizabeth Perkins), who, without her sister's permission, signs Sarah up for an Internet dating service, with a fake online profile that describes her as voluptuous and includes the requirement of the film's title.
At 40, the stunningly beautiful Lane brings the right twinkle of careworn radiance to her role, with a simmering undercurrent of anger that emerges briefly but fiercely. Lane is too lively and bracing a presence, however, to sell Sarah's occasional moping — which doesn't seem to fit Sarah anyway.
Sarah fields plenty of undesirable bachelors through the dating Web site — including, in a mortifying coincidence, her own father (Christopher Plummer). Unfortunately, the bachelor vignettes turn out to be notable less for their comic payoffs than for Sarah'sfascinating assortment of hairdos (styled by Candy L. Walken).Somewhat more satisfyingly, she also starts a flirtation with Bob ("Call me Bobby"), the newly separated dad of one of her young students, played by Dermot Mulroney.
It takes Sarah a while to finally meet Cusack's Jake (at a dog park, naturally), though auds are introduced to him well before that. Philosophical and hyper-articulate, a builder of racing boats whose favorite weekend activity is watching "Doctor Zhivago," Jake is a hopeless romantic and master of comic introspection.
Cusack's offbeat perf is a dazzling display of nonstop verbiage, so prodigious it's tempting to suspect that the actor, who always seems to be sneaking in dialogue ahead of and behind the beat, was allowed free rein to improvise. Non-fans, however, may recoil from what is essentially a mellifluous stream of blarney, one not too far removed from the other soulful smart alecks Cusack has played in the past. Indeed, Sarah is put off by Jake on their first meeting.
Goldberg's script eventually reveals a subtle yet unmistakable strain of moralism, largely dictated by which characters are sleeping together and which aren't (Sarah and Jake get in the mood, only to find themselves on a wild goose chase for contraceptives). Given the frivolity of most mainstream movie sex, this selective prudery weighs in as almost refreshing.
By contrast, the promiscuous Bob(by) is set up rather too tidily as a straw villain, though Mulroney plays him with the right combo of sleaze and charm.
Pic underlines its point by giving Sarah's father an online companion of his own, played with poignancy by Stockard Channing. Supporting is solid, especially Brad William Henke in the token role of Sarah's gay best friend, and Plummer, who adopts a gentle Irish accent as Sarah's father. Craig Armstrong's lilting musical score is noticeably Irish in flavor.
Less successful is an embarrassing musical number halfway through, in which Sarah and the family bust out in "Come On, Get Happy" — a regrettable attempt to match the joie de vivre of the "I Say a Little Prayer" sing-along from "My Best Friend's Wedding."


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Tim Carney relates the story of the Obama administration's corrupt use of Medicare funds to conceal the effects of Obamacare. This is an amazing story that has been told previously by Jeffrey Anderson in the Weekly Standard and, as Carney reminds me, Benjamin Sasse and Charles Hurt in the New York Post:
Obamacare got some of its alleged savings by cutting Medicare spending by $500 billion. Republicans — hypocritically, given their constant attacks on "government-run health care" — made political hay over the Medicare cuts. Republicans know that seniors vote, and they like their Medicare.
Specifically, 12 million seniors use a program called Medicare Advantage, under which the government pays private insurers to cover seniors.
Medicare Advantage customers typically have more options, and at times more coverage, than standard Medicare customers. But the Obama administration said Medicare was overpaying the private insurers, and so the architects of Obamacare slashed $136 billion from Medicare Advantage to offset the cost of Obamacare.
The Medicare Advantage cuts were to begin in 2013, which would cause many insurers to pull out of the program, thus driving seniors into regular Medicare. So much for "if you like your plan, you can keep it."
The New York Post's Benjamin Sasse and Charlie Hurt explained the awkward details of timing: "Open enrollment [for 2013 Medicare Advantage] begins Oct. 15, less than three weeks before voters go to the polls." So Obamacare would kick seniors out of their Medicare program three weeks before Obama's re-election.
That, of course, would be politically damaging. So Obama simply took $8.35 billion from a Obamacare fund for "demonstration projects" and used it to delay the brunt of the Medicare Advantage cuts until after the election.
The GAO last week pointed out the extraordinary nature of this "demonstration." The program "dwarfs all other Medicare demonstrations — both mandatory and discretionary — conducted since 1995," the GAO stated.
And the GAO made it pretty clear that this slush fund trick looks little like a "demonstration" of anything. "The design of the demonstration precludes a credible evaluation of its effectiveness," the GAO report stated, concluding it is "unlikely that the demonstration will produce meaningful results."
But the Obama administration is looking for a different sort of "meaningful results" — more votes on Election Day. So the Department of Health and Human Services stood firm when the GAO recommended scrapping this spurious demonstration.
The administration's sleight of hand on Medicare Advantage fits a pattern of Obamacare provisions that were abandoned when they were shown to be unworkable. What makes the Medicare gambit more distressing is that Obama is using taxpayer money for political purposes.
So far this amazing story has remained a deep secret of the conservative press. And no wonder, I guess. The story of this particular "demonstration project" demonstrates nothing so much as the corruption of the Obama administration and the coming disaster that is Obamacare.


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December 31, 2014
Well, here we are! The final day of 2014! And I suppose that if there is a song that could best describe my feelings towards the end of the old year, this 1969 single by steam would do it.
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, GOODBYE!
I'm not going to beat around the bush here. 2014 was not my greatest year at all. If there is anything positive that I can say about 2014, it is that it is not the worst year that I have ever had. Frankly, there is nothing that could ever top 1997 in that regard.
1997 = Rock Bottom Year
But, since this is New Year's Eve, and New Year's Eve is often a time of simultaneously looking back and looking forward, I may as well offer my own personal thoughts of the year gone by, and how it has shaped me.
After all, this is part five of a seven day look back at 2014 - well, minus the Tuesday Timeline yesterday as it didn't really count that much, but for the sake of argument let us just go ahead with it.
Obviously, the major news in my own personal 2014 story was the fact that my mother got very sick that year. Towards the end of 2014, my mother developed an illness that kept her hospitalized for some time. Again, I don't really want to go into too much detail over what ailments she had, as I don't think it would be appropriate to share in a blog post, but I will say this. She was very lucky. She has improved one hundred per cent, but she still has to take it very easy.
I tell you, that was probably the time in which I felt the most afraid and the most vulnerable was during that time. And I am going to be honest, these past few months were not a good time to try and keep everything perfectly balanced in my life. I had a few periods of breakdown thinking about everything that was going on, and I sank into a bit of a depression in the last half of the year. So, if anyone is looking forward to 2015, it is definitely me.
Other than that, 2014 was kind of a boring year for me. Sure, I did get the chance to attend a wedding, I attended the local rib festival, and I did take part in the Relay for Life again this past year. There were some good moments mixed in with the really bad ones, which helped a lot.
And, if anything, 2014 was the year that I finally decided that I wasn't going to allow any further toxic relationships in my life. I purposely distanced myself from toxic people at my workplace (usually the ones who are 100% negativity and drama), and I probably unfriended a good 10% of the people on my social media contacts listings because they showed their true colours to me.
By the way, thank you Jimmy Kimmel for inventing the "National Unfriend Day". More unfriending of toxic people and feeling less guilt about it because you're technically observing a non-traditional holiday? I can live with that.
Still, I kind of think that 2014 was meant to be a challenge year of sorts. Nothing that I wanted to happen in 2014 really happened the way that I wanted it to happen. And, to be honest, I did make a lot of excuses for why this was the case. Let me tell you. Making excuses doesn't work. It just makes you feel more hopeless than you initially were before you made the damn excuses. If that makes sense, that is.
I guess the lesson that I took away from 2014 is that in this world, you can only rely on yourself to create your own happiness. And, sometimes you have to make choices that other people cannot or will not understand because it is absolutely necessary for survival.
I don't believe in New Year's resolutions, as every time I have tried to make one, I always end up breaking it by the eleventh or twelfth of January. But what is another word for resolution? Declaration? Guarantee? Closure? See, none of those actually work.
How about New Year's Dream? Yes, that sounds more realistic. That way if everything goes according to plan, I can always say that my dream came true. If not, well, I guess it wasn't in the stars.
Yep. New Year's Dream. Let's go with that.
My New Year's Dream for 2015 is to be more selfish.
Um, wow...that sounded really horrible! Let's strike that from the record shall we?
My New Year's Dream for 2015 is to be more selfish to show myself more love than I am used to, and to stop bullying myself.
Yes, that sounds MUCH better. Because one thing that I have figured out is that I am my own worst critic. When something goes wrong, I blame myself and tend to hide away from everyone because I feel ashamed and can't face people. It could explain why I have a difficult time dealing with people in social settings. And, if there is ANYTHING that I want more in this life, it is for me to look in the mirror and actually be proud of the person looking back at me.
I honestly have no f@#$ing clue how to do this, mind you. But I owe it to myself to try.
Because that, right there, is what is holding me back. Now, I have given myself some "soul food" over the last few months. I have cut out all toxic people from my life, and I am trying to look on the bright side of things. But there is still a lot of negativity that I want to rid myself of, and I feel like it won't fully go away until I find a way to tell myself that I am worthy of so much more than what I have.
And, when I say this, I definitely don't mean material goods. I absolutely don't care about material goods at all. I have everything that I really need in life that can be bought with small bills.
What I really want the most for 2015 is to be happy...and not feel guilt about it.
Because in the end...isn't that what we all want?


text: [Apologies for multiple copies of this announcement] = Call for Presentations: OWASP AppSec Research EU 2013 = The German Chapter of the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) is proud to organize this years' OWASP AppSec Research EU conference. OWASP AppSec conferences are the premier gathering for Software Security leaders and researchers. It brings together the application security community to share cutting-edge ideas, initiatives and technological advancements. === Important information === Date: August 20-23, 2013 Location: Emporio Hamburg <http://www.emporio-hamburg.de/en/> WebSite: <http://appseceu.org/> === Topics === OWASP AppSec conferences are true security conferences, with expected talks and presentations all around (web) application security. Non-technical talks (see below) are welcome too. Please refrain from submitting marketing talks or having sales pitches in your talk. We are interested in all topics related to Web Application Security and OWASP, in particular: * Secure development: frameworks, best practices, secure coding, methods, processes, SDLC * Vulnerability analysis: code review, pentest, static analysis * Threat modelling * Mobile security * Cloud security * Browser security * HTML5 security * OWASP tools or projects in practice * New technologies, paradigms, tools * Privacy in web apps, Web services (REST, XML) and data storage * Operations and software security * Management topics in Application Security: Business Risks, Outsourcing/Offshoring, Awareness Programs, Project Management, Managing SDLC === Program Committee === - Dinis Cruz, OWASP O2 Platform - Sebastien Deleersnyder, OWASP BeNeLux - Jeremiah Grossman, WhiteHat Security - Dr. Boris Hemkemeier, OWASP Germany - Achim Hoffmann, OWASP Germany - Dr. Giles Hogben, Cloud Security Alliance - Dr. Martin Johns, SAP Research - Holger Junker, Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) - Alex "kuza55" Kouzemtchenko, Coverity - Jim Manico, OWASP USA - Dr. Konstantinos Papapanagiotou, OWASP Greece - Prof. Dr. Sachar Paulus, University of Applied Science in Brandenburg - Thomas Roessler, World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), ICANN Board Member - David Ross, Microsoft - Dr. Sebastian Schinzel, University Erlangen-Nuremberg - Dr. Dirk Wetter, OWASP Germany (head industry PC) - John Wilander, OWASP Sweden, Linköping University - Michal Zalewski, Google Inc === Deadlines === * Submission of proposals by: April 14, 2013 (11:59pm GMT) * Notification of acceptance: April 30, 2013 * Publication of program: May 10, 2013 * Conference Date: August 22-23, 2012 === Submission === To submit a proposal, please submit online (see link very below) an abstract of your intended presentation (500 to 4000 chararters) and a brief biography (150 to 800 characters). Your planned presentation time is 40 minutes (excl. ~5 minutes for discussion and change of speaker). Feel free to attach a preliminary version of your presentation if available. Any proposal submitted is subject to a democratic vote by the program committee (pc). Keep in mind: The better your description the better our picture (do not count on "fail open"). Please watch out for any mistakes as after approval by the PC we take your abstract and publish it 1:1 in our program. All proposals for this industry part have to be submitted through EasyChair: <https://www.easychair.org/conferences/?conf=appseceu2013>. === Terms === By your submission you agree to the OWASP [1]. It requires that you use an OWASP presentation template [2]. You are welcome to include your company logo to the first and last slide. All presentation slides will be published on the conference website. Please make sure that any pictures and other materials in your slides doesn't violate any copyrights. You are solely liable for copyright violations. You may choose any CC licence [3] for your slides, including CC0. OWASP does suggest open licenses [4]. Participants and speakers are all warmly invited to attend the conference dinner on Thursday. Subject to the budget situation there's an extra evening program for all accepted speakers. Unfortunately we can't cover travel expenses or costs for accomodations. === Related Cf{P^2,T} === Please note that there are two related CfPs for this conference: * Call for research papers: <https://www.owasp.org/index.php/AppSecEU2013/CfPapers> * Call for trainings: <https://www.owasp.org/index.php/AppSecEU2013/CfTrainings> === References === [1] <https://www.owasp.org/index.php/Speaker_Agreement> [2] <https://www.owasp.org/images/7/76/OWASP_Presentation_Template.zip> [3] <http://creativecommons.org/licenses> [4] <https://www.owasp.org/index.php/OWASP_Licenses> -- Martin Johns http://www.martinjohns.com


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Drop by this weekly gathering following the 10:00am Family Mass. We extend our thanks to the Alicia Damley for hosting this Sunday, which is a wonderful way for parishioners to meet and get to know one another over something sweet and a cup of coffee or apple juice for the children. We look forward to meeting you there after the 10:00 am Mass.
To sustain our vibrant parish community, consider volunteering for this important Community Service. Please call the Parish Office at (212) 876-7718.


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The Dark in the Piazza
Woman of Rome: A Life of Elsa Morante
House of Liars
Arturo's Island
In the summer of 1942 a recently married couple strolled around the island of Capri in the Bay of Naples, he with an owl on his shoulder, she with a Siamese cat on a leash. Alberto Moravia was thirty-five and the celebrated author of Gli indifferenti (The Uncaring Ones1); Elsa Morante had just published a collection of fantasy children's stories written in her adolescence. Now she was thirty. An owl, for Italians, is emblematic of grumpiness; Elsa would always complain of Alberto's "incurable detachment." A Siamese cat on a leash could hardly help but seem exotic. Elsa shunned reality, Alberto remarked, the way her many cats shunned water.
In his autobiography, Moravia recalls how the two met in their home city of Rome in 1937.2 "We were at a dinner party with friends and, saying goodbye, she put her house keys in my hand." As slow and unromantic as Elsa was impulsive, Alberto proposed marriage four years later because "it was such a cold winter that after walking her home every evening I got back chilled to the bone."
Unusually for the period, the young Morante lived alone; following a violent argument with her mother, she had left home at eighteen. Frequently she went hungry. In addition to publishing a few short stories, she gave private lessons to make ends meet and wrote graduation theses for students too lazy to do the work themselves. Always top of the class at school, she herself had dropped out of university for lack of funds. "Her hair had gone white in adolescence," recalls Moravia,
a big mushroom of it above a round face. She was very short-sighted, with beautiful eyes and that dreamy look short-sighted people do have. She had a small nose and a large, capricious mouth. A rather childish face.
Years later, Pasolini would refer to her as a nonna bambina—a girl granny.
Telling the story in Woman of Rome, a new biography of Morante, the American novelist Lily Tuck admires the writer's candor in acknowledging that she resorted to prostitution in those difficult years. Tuck also mentions a possibly aborted child had by one of many lovers and suggests that this might be why Morante never had children later. But without corroboration it is hard to be sure of anything Morante said about herself. "Not much happened in Elsa's life," Moravia comments, "but she livened it up…with lies that were…pathetic, I mean that aroused pathos in her regard, her private myths." The book Morante was writing in Capri in 1942 would bear the title Menzogna e sortilegio (Lies and Sorcery3). Its narrator, Elisa, an obvious alter ego for Elsa, describes the aspiration of her youth thus:
To become a worshiper and anchorite of falsehood! To meditate on lies and make them one's wisdom! To reject…
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Historically, public health officials and primary care health professionals have worked largely in isolation from each other. As a result of an increasing emphasis on cost-effective, outcome-based health care, however, all of that is beginning to change. At all levels of health care -- from large governmental organizations to small community clinics -- members of the two disciplines are starting to look at opportunities to work together.
"This is a transformative moment in health care," said Lloyd Michener, M.D., chair of community and family medicine at Duke University in Durham, N.C. There's never been more financial pressure for primary care physicians to build relationships and partnerships with public health departments, he said. Not only are health care providers being challenged to reduce costs, but national organizations, including the CDC, the Healthcare Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and even third-party payers are looking for opportunities to align public health services with those delivered by primary care health professionals to improve population health.
Michener is the principal investigator for The Practical Playbook for Integrating Public Health and Primary Care, a Web-based resource that will provide clinicians and public health officials with tools and strategies to support a variety of integrated models for improving population health. The Playbook will be developed during the next two years through a partnership that includes Duke University, the CDC and the de Beaumount Foundation. A preliminary version of the website is expected to start taking shape in early April.
- National organizations are looking for opportunities to align public health services with those delivered by primary care health professionals to improve population health.
- The Practical Playbook for Integrating Public Health and Primary Care is a Web-based resource now being developed to provide clinicians and public health officials tools and strategies to support integrated models for improving population health.
- The AAFP has been involved in national discussions about integration and has formed a workgroup to track this trend and what it means for Academy members.
According to a Feb. 20 news release(www.debeaumont.org) from the de Beaumont Foundation, "By increasing collaboration between the public health and primary care sectors, individuals can receive the resources and services they need through effective and engaged community-based systems. The Practical Playbook for Integrating Primary Care and Public Health will offer a comprehensive and practical approach to that goal and promises improvement in population health by transforming the relationship between the public health and primary care sectors."
The project builds on an Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, Primary Care and Public Health: Exploring Integration to Improve Population Health(www.nationalacademies.org), that was released in March 2012.
Although the IOM report, which was requested by the CDC and HRSA, noted that the concept of integrated, community-oriented primary care is not new -- the profession of family medicine is firmly grounded in it -- few communities have succeeded in establishing long-term relationships. Regional factors, including local health challenges, laws and policies, and slim resources, have been barriers to such interfaces.
"The key task now is to focus on the challenge of sustainable implementation of community-based models of primary care and public health integration," the IOM report said, noting there are various levels of integration, from simple awareness of the services each discipline provides to collaboration and partnership in solving community health problems. But to succeed, models of integration should
- share a common goal of improving population health,
- involve the community in defining and addressing needs,
- rely on strong leadership across disciplines, and
- share data and analysis.
Playbook creators are analyzing successful integration programs to determine key elements of effective integration that are able to span different communities and different health challenges, Michener said.
Annapolis Partnership Shows How Integration Can Work Locally
Data-sharing is an especially critical component of integration, according to Michener. De-identified data from patients' electronic health records combined with public health data can be used to pinpoint communities in need of improved health services along with appropriate interventions. Outcomes can be tracked almost in real-time, he added.
CDC Offers Population Health Resources
The CDC offers several resources on population health management that family physicians may find useful, according to Denise Koo, M.D., M.P.H., director of the agency's scientific education and professional development program office. CDC data on epidemiology and health outcomes can be helpful when doing initial community health assessments, said Koo. Also, the CDC Learning Connection provides free CME related to population health.
Younger family physicians may want to consider enrolling in the Epidemic Intelligence Service, a two-year postgraduate training program in applied epidemiology. Although the program was created to detect biological warfare during the Cold War, the skills trainees learn "are incredibly useful in the health care system today, where we're putting the emphasis on accountability," Koo said.
For example, using data from hospital records and emergency medical services, the Annapolis Community Health Partnership identified a hot spot of area residents who frequent the emergency department, said Patricia Czapp, M.D., chair of clinical integration at Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, Md.
A single apartment building, home to 184 seniors and disabled adults, originated 220 medical 911 calls in the course of a year. Moreover, in the span of six months, the building's residents visited the local emergency department 175 times, Czapp said. "A lot of people aren't getting primary care in this area," she noted.
As a result, the partnership -- which includes the medical center, the county health department, the county department of aging and disabilities, the local housing authority, and city government -- plans to open a patient-centered primary care medical home on the first floor of the apartment building. The medical home practice will begin serving building residents and others in the community when it opens next summer.
"We could not do this alone," said Czapp, referring to medical center staff. The clinic will depend on partners for mental health resources and smoking cessation and other wellness programs, she explained. The clinic also will rely on the county health department, along with community organizations, to endorse the clinic and refer patients there.
Although the partnership is receiving startup funding and other financial incentives from the state's new Health Enterprise Zone initiative, the practice ultimately aims to be self-sustaining, Czapp said. Practice staff will ensure patients sign up for Medicaid. Overall, the partnership hopes to demonstrate a 30 percent decrease in hospital admissions and 911 calls for apartment residents.
National and Regional Efforts Also Moving Forward
Integrating public health and primary care is "way overdue," according to Denise Koo, M.D., M.P.H., director of the CDC's scientific education and professional development program office. "The current administration supports collaboration," she said.
As a result of the IOM report, HRSA and the CDC have begun meeting on a regular basis to look for opportunities to build synergy and partnerships between the CDC's public health programs, HRSA-funded health clinics and other services. Koo is a key player in the development of the Playbook, and Sarah Linde-Feucht, M.D., acting chief public health officer at HRSA, also will be joining the Playbook's advisory committee.
"I think it's really important for CDC to play a role in the closer alignment of public health and health care. We want to actually have the focus be on health as opposed to delivering pieces of care to individual body parts," said Koo.
The movement to create a strong primary care-public health interface at the national level also has been bolstered by a January report from Trust for America's Health, which calls on the nation's public health system to increase its capabilities, including its programs and funding, to help move the country from providing "sick care" to providing true "health care." Partnerships between public health, health care professionals and community organizations are critical in managing and preventing the chronic diseases that plague the United States, according to A Healthier America 2013: Strategies to Move from Sick Care to Health Care in Four Years(healthyamericans.org).
Population Health Management Requires Collaboration
"Our health care system has historically continued to provide payment for a volume of services rather than the quality of the outcomes," said Robert Moser Jr., secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and a family physician. "We're not doing a good job of population health management," he said.
As they work to establish patient-centered medical homes, practices have realized their patients need behavioral health services, social services and patient education to be healthy. "It costs to hire patient educators and do health promotion and disease prevention," Moser said. "Public health is already doing that, so I think it's imperative to reach out and look at the benefits of what's currently happening."
Integration is being encouraged in Kansas as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's requirement that nonprofit hospitals demonstrate their benefit to community health, Moser said. Hospitals now are tasked with completing community health assessments and improvement plans, and public health departments also are required to do these assessments. Grants are available for hospitals and public health departments that work jointly on community health assessments, he said.
Assessments bring key players to the table, and Moser hopes they'll find a few small projects where integration can succeed. "I think if they start chipping away at the doable things at that level first, they can expand on that and begin to tackle some of the more complex issues."
AAFP Is at the Table for National Integration Discussions
The AAFP is involved in the national discussion on integration, said Julie Wood, M.D., AAFP vice president for health of the public and interprofessional activities. A workgroup has been formed to track this trend and provide members with practical approaches to working with their local public health officials.
"Family physicians are on the forefront of this, we just don't know who they all are," Wood said. "Part of the Playbook is to find out who is doing integration and to help each other out."
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The James Ancona series is designed specifically for use in both indoor and outdoor marching ensembles. Jim's mallets introduce a new dowel, sealed with a unique finish for improved grip during playing. Designed to complement our other keyboard mallets used in marching situations, these new mallets will offer darker, warmer sound choices and a different feel for the marching keyboard percussionist.
Each mallet in this series features the following:
* Variety of rubber cores and latex combinations to create a full, rich tone and warm fundamental
* Birch handles with a matte finish for improved grip and durability
* Specially designed, extra-durable synthetic yarn
Length - 20"
Width - 4.5"
Height - 1.825"


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In an interview with InsideGamer, Rockstar's Dan Houser told that America is such a big part of the GTA-games, that the series would lose its universal appeal if they were set in some other part of the world.
Dan Houser: "You know, you could make a great game set in Amsterdam. Would it be GTA? I don't know.
We haven't done it, so I can't really offer a comment or an opinion on it. We've avoided it because we think that part of the experience of GTA is its engagement with America, or American media, American movies, American culture or whatever. Some kind of Americana is such a part of the games, that in removing that, it would bizarrely make them lose their universality.
Three Playable Characters
Houser also commented on Rockstars decision to create three playable characters for GTA 5, stating that it took only a few e-mails to decide on the matter. "We don't really have (meetings). It's all a few emails, it's quite weird."
well in that case take it to detroit. its the perfect setting for a GTA game. while i know vice city is gonna be the next city they take out. detroit should come right after that.
I hope R* won't stay in america though.
Edit: oups, just realized they already went to mexico