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Why crochet?Posted: 04/12/2012 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: crochet, daft, I'm a funny bunny, paradoxical, perverse, pigheaded, stuff ups, thrills, Ugly FOs, weird thought, why craft Leave a comment
I don't mean why crochet as opposed to knitting or any other craft. Although there's probably a post in there somewhere too. I started crocheting because I had a hook and some yarn and a spare evening and an internet connection. I never started knitting because… well probably out of some sort of pigheadedness I think. Until it's as easy to find attractive contemporary crochet patterns as knitting patterns I will not knit. Huzzah for the underdogs!
Someone really ought to remind me of that saying about noses and faces and spite and knives.
Anyway. That wasn't the point.
The point was why do any of these things? What's the appeal of sitting implement and material in hand for hours manufacturing a garment which may or may not live up to the beautiful dream in which it was conceived. Why put oneself at the mercy of inept pattern writers*, unreliable colourways and fibres that don't drape the way you thought?
Why not, as non-crafters occasionally say with a patronising smile, simply buy the blasted things?
I've come to realise that actually the reason why not is, and I do know how unlikely it seems as I say it, the reason why not is because we're hooked on the risk.
The very reason why I crochet is because it might go wrong.
It seems frankly bizarre but there you have it. The very possibility that I may be wasting my time and money, that I may reach the end of my project and with it the end of my tether and find that I have in my hands an object destined for Ravelry's celebrated Ugliest FOs thread, is what keep me going.
Because that risk means that every time I make a stitch that is in the right place, every correct yarn choice, every tricky bit of shaping or cabling that I can pull off feels like a massive achievement. The whole thing borders on the mystical. I'm never entirely convinced that I am genuinely responsible for what emerges from my hands.
Every time I look down and think "I didn't just utterly piddle £40 and 150 hours of my life up the wall. I have in fact used them to make a very passable sweater." I could do a little dance. (And sometimes I actually do.)
Yes, yes, there's all that stuff about being able to make what you want to your exact specifications and yes, if you're any good you can. But for those of us who are still very much learning (and I hope never to stop learning) the truth is that the real appeal of crochet isn't about the control you have over what you're making. It's the lack of control that's exciting. Crochet is all about risk.
*Ahem… looks bashful.
And in the meantime…Posted: 05/08/2012 Filed under: Uncategorized 4 Comments
Hello lovely readers!
I apologise for the long absence. I've had all sorts going on in my personal and professional life which has taken me away from both posting on this blog and actually from crocheting altogether.
I have written the odd guest post for The Vintage Cookbook Trials if you really missed me.
I also have begun a new pattern and I'm trying to get excited about it because it's an idea that's been in my head for ages but really… I just can't. I'm sorry.
No crochet love right now. It's all gone. I hope it will be back.
So, what am I doing that's taking my attention from designing and making?
Well, firstly, I stopped being self-employed and got a full-time job, which is ace but involves lots of travel and learning. This is taking alot of my energy and headspace but I am enjoying it and the financial security has lifted a huge weight from my mind.
Secondly, I have been very focussed on my own well-being lately. Just over a year ago I ejected someone very toxic from my life for good. Someone I had been close to who'd been hanging around making me increasingly miserable for nearly 5 years! It takes a remarkable length of time to exorcise people like this from one's mind.
During the last months of being in that person's company and the year that followed, I escaped into crochet as a flow activity. It allowed my brain to process what had happened while my consciousness was focussed on something else. Something controllable, creative and satisfying.
When the anniversary of the final ejection came around it was as if I woke up and decided to move into the future. That has involved becoming more physically active, getting some counselling to help me learn how to avoid toxic idiots in future, treating myself to some pampering and having some good old-fashioned fun.
I have been to a spa, gone out dancing, started running again now that my injured ankle has more or less healed, bought some new clothes, had a good haircut and started just plain walking taller.
I have for the time being more or less stopped crocheting, checking Ravelry and updating this blog. I'm sorry.
On the upside, when I get around to getting the ingredients together I have a lovely summer salad recipe for you.
I haven't generally talked about my personal life on this blog. It's been what it says on the tin, a recipe and crochet blog. I hope you'll forgive me this little splurge and stick by me. I also have some personal musings on weight and diet that if you want to read them, I would like to post. Let me know in the comments.
Anyway, I'll be back.
My best wishes to you all.
Hopefulness Scarf PatternPosted: 08/04/2012 Filed under: Crochet, Original patterns | Tags: arches, blocking, for a very strong woman, lace, laceweight, leaves, pretty, scales, springtime 11 Comments
This scarf was designed for a lovely friend of mine who has had some truly horrible times lately. Somehow she remains one of the sunniest people I know. I have been very affected by her courage and ability to look to the future.
I used one skein of Malabrigo lace to make this scarf i.e. just under 430m and a 2.25mm hook (US size B I think). I strongly suggest that you choose a solid colour yarn to make this scarf. Or at least a semi-solid with only a small amount of variation in depth and a single hue. The stitch pattern will be lost in a heavily variegated yarn.
The finished project, once blocked, is approximately 150cm long and 30cm wide.
The pattern is deceptive. While it uses simple techniques and only four stitches, it is not easy to memorise and you will probably need to use the chart the whole way through. I did!
The stitches used in the chart are chain stitches, UK triple/ US double, UK triple two together /US double two together. The edge pattern which I have written out below also uses UK half treble/US half double crochet stitches. From now on I will use US notation.
The pattern is worked in two halves from the middle of the scarf outwards.
I apologise that this is a hand-drawn chart that I've scanned in. I have done my best to make it clear and easy to read but if anyone struggles I am very sorry.
Chain 74 stitches. This is the foundation chain. The first turning chain (shown on the chart) is not included in this number.
(An aside: The pattern repeat is 24 stitches wide. So to make the scarf wider or narrower chain a multiple of 24 plus 2.)
Then work according to the chart, starting with the turning chain of three.
My pattern testers suggested that placing a stitch marker after each repeat helped them to stay on track with the pattern.
Please note that the pattern looks neatest if you work the double crochets into the tops of the relevant chain stitches instead of around the chains. I know it's quicker to work around the chain but it looks really sharp if you actually work into the stitches.
Another point to mention is that if you are working the chart correctly the double crochet stitches should create smoothly curving vertical lines. Please click on the detail picture above to see what I mean.
After working the chart twice through, work the edge.
Edge pattern:
1. Chain 2, work a row of half double crochets.
2. & 3. Chain 3, 3 doubles, *2 chain, skip 2 stitches, work a double crochet in each of the next 2 stitches, repeat from * until the last 4 stitches which are all doubles.
Repeat rows 1-3 then repeat row 1 as the final row. Bind off and weave in ends.
Attach the yarn to the reverse of the foundation chain and begin again with the chart.
To download the chart* click here: HopefulnessScarfChart
The scarf really benefits from blocking to straighten out the edges and open up the lace.
I hope you enjoy making this pattern.
For a variation, have a look at the chart. It is divided into two sections. If you just repeat the first section, instead of alternating with section two, you will also get a pretty lace but this time the arches will stack on top of each other instead of being offset like scales.
Thank you for reading, please send me comments or questions.
Special thanks to my volunteer pattern testers, Ravelry members: kimothy76, jacquimorse, Mshanane, SmallCrochet, AnarchyCox, wlindboe, lorithetrainer, ManicBeach, yarnedaround and funisinstyle.
*Extra super special thanks to Aparna Rolfe for making a professional quality chart for me on her pattern drawing software to replace my scruffy hand-drawn one. Her designs on Ravelry are well worth checking out by clicking her name. Lovely, stylish, contemporary work.
Coffee with SupermumPosted: 05/04/2012 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment
Erel Onojobi is one of those people who's both fantastically inspiring and so completely down to earth you immediately feel at home in her presence. She's an ex-colleague and a good friend. A serial social entrepreneur whose goal in life is to get positive portraits of young black Londoners into the public mind. This in the face of a government and press that seem intent on scapegoating urban youth for every possible societal ill. Erel is also charming, honest, generous and possessed of the most infectious giggle I know.
We meet in outside a station in West London and head to a cafe for a catch up and to talk dream and projects. It's been over a year since I've seen her and she has her little boy, just turned one, in a buggy. He is, of course, an adorable bundle of round eyes and chubby little cheeks. Even though he's got a spring snuffle, the sight of him standing on the cafe seat holding onto his mum's shoulder makes me as broody as anything.
"His dad taught him to climb the stairs." says Erel shaking her head, "Bad idea. He's gonna fall down them." I remember my mum telling me stories about how I learnt to climb up stairs before I learnt to get down. How she used to spend all day racing to the top to bring me back, only to have me determinedly set off again. It suddenly comes home to me how much energy that would take up. I dunk a biscuit in my cappuccino and consider that maybe broodiness is one thing but having a baby is quite another.
I ask her about her work projects, Ministry of Thrift and Set Fashion Free. Ministry of Thrift is a consultancy specialising in creating tools to help people, particularly young people, manage their money better. It has funky retro branding and a focus on social media. This is of course awesome, but today we're here to talk about her other project. The one that connects with my deep, deep love and fabrics and design.
Set Fashion Free is a charity that bring young Londoners together to learn to design and make clothes using African textiles and then showcase them in a judged catwalk competition. The young people visit museums and learn about African imagery and crafts as well as meeting designers and fashion industry insiders to learn about real world of the ragtrade.
"Well, everything has to fit around him," she gestures at her son, "And I'm supposed to be winding down Set Fashion Free and handing it over but somehow we've ended up doing an e-commerce site."
This is news! Surprising but somehow not so surprising. Erel wind down? Seems unlikely. And Set Fashion Free has been a successful and growing organisation since 2008, working with high profile partners like the V&A and Goldsmiths University as well as garnering awards for Erel and exciting opportunities for the young people. Not to mention that African inspired looks are smoking hot this season.
"Afrikouture is a shop selling designers who make clothes in African textiles. We want the young people to have somewhere to go with this. Not just to make the clothes in a bubble but actually to be able to sell things. We want to sell them to white people too. I've had people ask if they can wear the clothes and I say 'Yeah, of course, this isn't just an African thing!' "
I tell her I'm relieved because I've seen some beautiful pieces made in African fabrics, but I always feel like I don't want to step on anyone's toes by wearing them.
She laughs at the idea. "Nah man, it's good. Wear what you like! We want our clothes to be for everyone."
Afrikouture is still in development but the signs are very promising. Erel has a gift for bringing people on board and in her words "Doing a lot with nothing." A skill we all need nowadays. Somehow I find myself asking if there's anything I can do.
"The crafting community are very supportive of independent design." I muse. "Maybe I can put the word out and see what comes back."
"That would be great!" She says.
Her little boy sneezes and as she wipes his nose I think of all the women in the craft world who are doing the same thing: taking care of their baby with one hand, their business with the other.
It would be great, wouldn't it? I think.
Beetroot and pumpernickel stuffingPosted: 19/02/2012 Filed under: Original recipes | Tags: again please, colourful, how do you grate the last little nubbin, roast dinner, side dish, stained hands, sunday lunch, surprise, yum Leave a comment
You know when you make something a bit random on the offchance it'll be nice but you don't hold out much hope, and then it turns out to be delicious. BEST FEELING EVER.
This was such a surprise find that I didn't take photos the first time around. I just bunged it together and when it came out tasty I scarfed the lot.
This time I have been a bit more careful so we have pictures. This is honestly one of my favourite creations.
You will need:
1 medium sized beetroot
1 small onion
180g pumpernickel bread, crumbled
1 egg beaten
25g butter plus a little extra to grease the dish
a tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper
- Preheat the oven to 180C and grease an ovenproof dish.
Peel and grate the beetroot.
- Finely chop the onion and fry in the melted butter in a covered pan over a very low heat until translucent but not browned. If they begin to brown stir and turn the heat down.
- Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly (make sure you get all the butter the onios were fried in) and transfer into the ovenproof dish.
- Cover with foil and bake until set. Remove the foil and allow the top to brown.
I serve this with roast chicken (slide a bay leaf under the chicken skin on each breast and thigh, place a quartered onion in the body cavity and salt the skin all over, roast breast down until the last twenty minutes and breast up to crisp at the end). The sharpness and subtle flavour of the stuffing aren't overpowered by the chicken and bring out its meatiness.
In which I persevere when I should have just given up.Posted: 18/02/2012 Filed under: Crochet, Patterns by the book | Tags: epic fail, just give up already, put down the hook and step away from the project, rookie error, why oh why 10 Comments
Ladies and Gentlemen I give you…. drumroll please…
The embarrassment of Twilleys!
The exemplification of hubris!
The proof that beginners are not always lucky!
The wonky horror!
The felted monstrocity!
The one, the only, the original…
Described as "That extraordinary thing you were wearing on your head that looked like something belonging to a cardinal", FAILHAT began life as the cardigan project of Doom. A classic example of beginner makes three scarves and thinks that an 'experienced' level cardie pattern is well within their grasp. Oh woe is me…
I started out by buying not quite enough yarn in a colour that was being discontinued, always a good way to begin a project. So I spent some time halfway through running around London trying to find more. Eventually the internet came to my aid.
Of course I didn't gauge swatch. I just charged right on in and happily hooked away until I had all the pieces ready to assemble. Of course it was mostly far too big with kind of skinnier sleaves and a loose flappy body. This on a cardigan that's supposed to be a neat little fitted thing.
So what did I do? Did I frog? Nope, this yarn is fuzzy and sticky and virtually unfroggable. And anyway I'd assembled, I'd trimmed. I wasn't going to unstitch and frog. So what did I do?
Well, you already know it's felted so I think you can guess the next bit…
I put it in hot water and left it to shrink. Which It didn't noticeably do. In fact the water wasn't very hot and the sleaves even stretched a bit making them even longer and ganglier than before.
So I put my newbie crocheters thinking cap on and I decided that if I stuck it in the drier just for a few minutes I could shrink it down in a controlled way. So in it went.
Then the phone rang. A work call. I had to answer.
By the time it came out the drier 40minutes later it might have fit a six year old. Providing the six yr old had very skinny arms and never cared about moving them once inside their thick ugly grey felted jacket.
Oh… dear…
I put the cardigan away and went about my daily life. Older, sadder, wiser.
Then one day I saw the wretched garment and it seemed to call to me: "You could make a hat! You could cut out a box shape and make a little retro pillbox hat!"
So I did. And I even put a couple of little fan shapes on the front in an attempt to make it pretty. Then I determinedly wore it out to meet a friend and her family for a coffee.I had to get something back for all that time money and effort.
It was my friend's dad whose immortal description above has prompted me to enter FAILHAT into this post for your enjoyment. I hope it has amused you as it clearly amused him. I am trying to decide whether the hipsters in this area are daft enough that it's worth putting the blessed thing in the charity bag or whether I should do the world a favour and bin it.
We all fall down part 2.Posted: 01/02/2012 Filed under: Crochet, Original patterns, Patterns by the book, Yarns | Tags: cardigans all round, crochet, I swear they're breeding, so many projects, start-itis, to shawl or not to shawl 2 Comments
When it comes to unfinished projects I have several that eye me from their bags and fill me sometimes with joy and sometimes with dread.
There is the top down cardigan that was too small when I first made it and had to be frogged back to above the waist. It's almost done only the ribbing and buttons to go. It's a very cute little garment made of hand dyed DK weight in shades of lilac, mauve, pink and grey. It's also nowhere near going to fit me now. I've had to stop running due to an ankle injury and I've been working long hours and keeping my energy up with cake, chocolate and takeaways with inevitable results. I don't mind getting fatter… much… but I do mind finishing a project after all this time only to find it won't wrap around me. There's little incentive to do the last bits of fiddly dull finishing work.
Then there's the much more promising slouchy teal sweater. This is a simple two piece short sleaved layering piece with a boat neck and probably some decorative buttons on the shoulder which I have yet to find. I am in love with this project which I just know will be stylish and wearable and exactly what I need for the spring. But it's all in plain slip stitch stockinette equivalent. There's enough counting that I can't really do it at knit night (and I've been too busy for knit night anyway recently) but it's also too dull really to want to do at home. I need to just pick it up and do a row or two a day and then it'll jog along nicely. Soon, soon.
There's the Neverending Shrug of Doom which started out as a way to show off some gorgeous hand dyed silk yarn and has morphed into something rare and terrible with a life of its own. Nothing about this project has gone right. I have started off and frogged the silk itself several times. Then I got the silk right by deciding to use it as a collar for the shrug and bought some plain black wool for the body. Now the body is being a nuisance! I gave it an initial shot and got half way through before trying to pin it all togerther an see how it looked. Disastrous! The wool pulled on the silk and the collar looked mishapen and the torso hung away from my body in weird directions. This was not the glamourous vintage-inspired Hollywood diva-esque garment I had envisaged. This was a mess.
I found a fix for now. I am using measurements from a shrug I own that fits to make the pieces up in slip stitch. Except that at some point my tension changed and I made the second half of the front 1.5 times the size of the first half with the same yarn and hook. I may be the only person in the world who crochets even looser when she is stressed! Rip it, rip it and I'm trying again. I will succeed!
I have the Sirdar Big Softie cushion covers to do. Just big spirals to sew together and fill. These will be lots of fun but I need to buy an extra ball of each colour first and as I bought the original balls in a shop on the other side of London I will have to phone up and order them to be sent over. I have started one of these.
I started a shawlette with the Madeline Tosh that Greentrianglegirl of A Playful Day gave me for my birthday then realised I needed another two skeins. Do they sell merino light in London? I should be so lucky! I will probably end up trading on Ravelry with someone in the States.
I have two lace shawls in process. One is a 1920s style shawl based on this square motif pattern that I have extended outwards and outwards. The other is the final product that I am making with the recycled yarn I talked about in this post. I decided in the end to throw most of it out because winding it all without a swift and ballwinder would have been hellish. What I've got left will make a nice semicircular shawl and I'm using a doily pattern with a leaves and flowers theme to do that.
I'm making a cowl type neckwarmer for my sister in beeeeaaaaauuuutiful soft alpaca. This is a copy of the one I made for my mum for Christmas and should actually be done really soon. I can do this one on the train so it's getting along nicely. I hope to post a joint celebration of both versions soon.
Finally there's the fab handbag that I am storming through and need to find handles for. In my mind I'm thinking dark bamboo or semicircular wood. The yarn, not my usual taste, is a gift from lovely, lovely Rachel. (Cf the photos of my glazed carrot dish.) It's Rowan Colourscape in the eye-popping Candy Pink colourway. Between the brightness and the chunkiness though it's turning into a rocking handbag and the combination of self-striping yarn with tweed stitch is a winner.
I think that's all my current UFOs. Of course I have two unstarted projects, a cardy for my sister and a lace scarf for a friend. The yarn is there, the will is there, but I feel that would be a new quantum leap in start-itis. I have decided that until at least one of the big projects is gone I won't get going on another. Wish me luck though. I feel I have many miles before dawn…


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Harsh Interrogation Techniques or Torture?
The Ombudsman's office has received a slew of emails challenging NPR's policy of using the words "harsh interrogation tactics" or "enhanced interrogation techniques" to describe the treatment of terrorism suspects under the Bush administration.
Some say that by not using the word "torture" NPR is serving as right-wing apologists for water-boarding and other methods of extracting information.
"I have been swallowing my tongue for 8 years listening to politicians and news people use fuzzy, inexact language when reporting on our various military engagements ("war on terror" e.g.)," wrote Daryl Makosky of Wheat Ridge, CO. "But let's call a spade a spade. The Bush administration agreed that methods such as water boarding were torture. Then they promised the US didn't practice torture. Now, thanks to the release of the CIA memos, we know they did.
"So let's not mince words and use euphemisms like "harsh interrogation tactics," Makosky continued. "What the United States promoted and allowed to happen under the Bush administration was the TORTURE of prisoners of war and I would hope that my most-respected news source, NPR, wouldn't pussy-foot around this topic."
How should NPR describe the tactics used to coerce information out of terrorism suspects?
Ted Koppel, the former ABC Nightline host and commentator on Talk of the Nation, said in May that the U.S. should "define it [torture] as being any technique or practice which, when applied to an American prisoner in some other country or captured by some other entity, that we would object to. If we object to it being done to an American, then I think it's torture."
That seems clear enough, but the problem is that the word torture is loaded with political and social implications for several reasons, including the fact that torture is illegal under U.S. law and international treaties the United States has signed.
Both Presidents Bush and Obama have insisted that the United States does not use torture. Officials during the Bush administration acknowledged the use of what they called "enhanced interrogation techniques."
Also, not all interrogation could be classified as torture. Sleep deprivation, nudity and facial slaps are different from, say, pouring water on a cloth over someone's face for 20 to 40 seconds to create the sensation of drowning — a practice known as waterboarding.
Scott Horton is a lawyer and blogger for The Atlantic who has written about the subject of torture. He points to George Orwell's 1946 essay: Politics and the English Language. "The thrust of the piece is we have to be on guard against the government debasing of language through the use of euphemisms," said Horton.
"So in not using the word torture, you are toeing the line the government put down and you are being hypocritical if you previously had used the word," said Horton, who noted the New York Times used the word torture in its reporting on the Communist Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s.
"And the media is affecting the debate because you are saying it is a legitimate question and that reasonable people could differ on whether waterboarding is torture or not," he continued. "The media pulling back from the use of the word legitimized the views that waterboarding is not torture. As a result of the way it's treated by the media, most Americans really think this is an open question." Please listen to Horton discussing this with On The Media.
It's a no-win case for journalists. If journalists use the words "harsh interrogation techniques," they can be seen as siding with the White House and the language that some U.S. officials, particularly in the Bush administration, prefer. If journalists use the word "torture," then they can be accused of siding with those who are particularly and visibly still angry at the previous administration.
There has been no clear consensus on what constitutes torture, noted Brian Duffy, NPR's former managing editor in late April.
"President Bush said, 'We do not torture — period.' Yet water-boarding and several other tactics not approved in the Army Field Manual were approved by the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) during his administration," said Duffy.
"During his confirmation hearings, Attorney General-designate Eric Holder said clearly that water-boarding was torture, and President Obama has said the same thing," he continued. "But the Obama Administration has issued no overarching statement on the issue, instead rescinding approval for CIA interrogators to use water-boarding and the other tactics the Bush administration approved but not making clear which tactics it does approve."
NPR decided to not use the term "torture" to describe techniques such as water-boarding but instead uses "harsh interrogation tactics," Duffy told me.
I recognize that it's frustrating for some listeners to have NPR not use the word torture to describe certain practices that seem barbaric. But the role of a news organization is not to choose sides in this or any debate. People have different definitions of torture and different feelings about what constitutes torture. NPR's job is to give listeners all perspectives, and present the news as detailed as possible and put it in context.
"I understand the desire to 'call a spade a spade,' but it is not for journalists to start labeling specific practices torture," said Duffy. "That's what the debate is about — what constitutes torture?"
To me, it makes more sense to describe the techniques and skip the characterization. For example, reporters could say that the U.S. military poured water down a detainee's mouth and nostrils for 40 seconds. Or they could detail such self-explanatory techniques as forcing detainees into cramped confines crawling with insects, or forced to stand for hours along side a wall.
A basic rule of vivid writing is: "Show, Don't Tell." An excellent example of using facts rather than coded language was a 2005 piece by former NPR reporter John McChesney. It gave meticulous details of tactics used against an Iraqi detainee at Abu Graib who later died.
More recently, David Sweeney took over as managing editor and shared how NPR journalists should handle the treatment of prisoners in U.S. custody:
NPR concluded that the four memos from the Department of Justice released in April should be called 'torture memos' because torture is the explicit subject.
"So the memos are about torture even if they conclude the techniques are not torture, per se," according to a memo to staff. "However, we should not allow that usage to become generalized to the issue overall. The issue is not torture but interrogation techniques, perhaps harsh or extreme ones. Some consider them torture. Many call them torture. But we should say on this side of simply labeling them such."
NPR uses a variety of descriptions, said Sweeney. For example:
- We may refer to the actions as 'harsh' or 'extreme' techniques;
- In context we may refer to what some call 'enhanced interrogation techniques.' This was the language used by the Bush administration and is used by people such as former CIA director Mike Hayden;
- We may refer to specific techniques — such as waterboarding — and note that the President and/or the Attorney General have said that waterboarding is torture;
- We may refer to specific techniques — such as waterboarding — without using a label like torture or harsh at all;
- We should remember that many of the controversial techniques were not waterboarding. So that we've tried to avoid blanket descriptions that lump all techniques together;
- And, we have on occasion used the word 'torture' unambiguously when this made sense in the context of the piece.
"We understand that no matter what language we use, we risk taking one side or another in this debate," said Sweeney. "To label techniques as 'enhanced' risks minimizing what was done. To call them torture suggests we've taken sides in the debate. We hope that range of descriptions outlined above strikes as good a balance as possible. In many pieces, we describe the techniques in more than one way, hopefully as specifically as possible and in context."
All recent NPR stories related to this topic can be found at this site.
The Ombudsman invites you to weigh in on this topic.
Update: Comments have been closed for this entry. The Ombudsman invites you to read her follow-up response here.
Update July 25, 2017
This piece linked to a copy of Orwell's essay which contained many transcription errors. The link has been updated to a correct version.

subset: commoncrawl


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|HMAS Sydney
|Approximate locations: At sea
|Accession Number
|Collection type
|Object type
|Physical description
|Canvas; Cotton; Silk grosgrain
|Date made
|c 1913-1917
Period 1910-1919
First World War, 1914-1918
Sailor's cap : Stoker J Robb, HMAS Sydney I
Sailor's cap with an HMAS Sydney tally ribbon tied over the blue wool cap band. The cap outer is constructed from whitened canvas and features two brass eye vent holes on each side. Internally, the cap is lined with brown cotton and a small piece of paper printed with the number '7' is stuck to the side.
This cap was worn by 3541 Stoker John Robb of the Royal Australian Navy. He was born in Ultimo, Sydney in December 1895 and aged 18, joined the Navy on 31 December 1913 as a Stoker, 2nd Class. He joined the crew of HMAS Sydney in February 1914 and was promoted to Stoker in October. While serving in the Sydney during the First World War Robb took part in the capture of German New Guinea in September 1914 and in the successful engagement with the German raider SMS Emden off the Cocos Keeling Islands in November 1914. In January 1918 he joined the crew of HMAS Encounter and, at his request, was discharged from the RAN on 9 June 1919 with the rank of Acting Leading Stoker.


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This page is about FreeNOS (Free Niek's Operating System). FreeNOS is an experimental microkernel operating system for learning purposes, licensed under the GPLv3 .
Code moved to Git
All FreeNOS code has been moved to Git at googlecode. Git offers several benefits comparing to Subversion. See the Git Website for details.
Please use the following command to retrieve the FreeNOS code from googlecode:
$ git clone https://code.google.com/p/freenos
Kind regards,
0.1.0 Work In Progress
It's been quite a while since we posted anything here, time to do something about that Here is the good news: we are working very hard on the next FreeNOS release, version 0.1.0!
Together with the total rewrite of the kernel and parts of the userland, we are going to introduce the following interesting new things in FreeNOS:
- Multi-Arch support: x86 and ARM
- SMP support
- Kernel threads support
- Fault-Tolerance, a-la-MINIX 3.
- Address Space Layout Randomization
- Fully configurable builds (i.e. x86/pc with VGA console or x86/embedded with serial console)
Ofcourse, our system will be able to compile on all major OS's, including Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Gentoo, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD. If you are interested, take a look at the current development code on SVN in the 'scratch' branch:
Busy, Busy, Busy
It's been some time since we posted something here, and not without reason. We are simply extremely B-U-S-Y That's not a bad thing per definition, but it leaves little time for FreeNOS so far. Nevertheless, we do our best to continue our work on 0.0.5. Most likely, this release will not contain many new features, only improve what is already in FreeNOS. This also means we're gonna try to make the system reliable, like Minix3!
Take care,
0.0.4 Released
After two months of hard work since we released 0.0.3 in July, we finally have a new version of FreeNOS! This release has new features, enhancements and bugfixes, including:
- Shared and Private Memory mappings support in MemoryServer
- Added Device and DeviceServer classes for easy driver programming (abstracts the IPC layer)
- Abstracted the IPC layer from FileSystems, Files and Directories (also with IOBuffer class)
- Simplified virtual FileSystems by using synchroneous I/O and Shared memory mappings.
- FileURI improvements in libparse
- ATA Host Controller support (read-only drive sectors)
- VGA device in /dev/vga0 (removed from Terminal)
- Keyboard device in /dev/keyboard0 (removed from Terminal)
- RTC Time device in /dev/time0
- Draft version of USB UHCI Host Controller in /dev/usb0
- PCI pseudo FileSystem implementation in /dev/pci
- GRUB pseudo FileSystem implementation in /dev/grub
- /etc/rc is now executed with /bin/sh by /sbin/init
- Reduced the number of programs in the BootImage (boot/boot.img.gz)
- Added basename(), chdir() and syslog() support to libposix
- Length modifier support for format strings in libc
- Extra Doxygen documentation
FreeNOS Interview at HAR(.FM) 2009!
The day has finally arrived: HAR 2009! We all got here yesterday, and are having a really great time. There are a LOT of interesting talks organized, cool workshops (especially lockpicking ;) and they even have their own radio station: HAR.FM.
Today, I met Luc Nieland of HAR.FM and he invited me for a live interview about FreeNOS! It was my first interview ever, but I really enjoyed it Click har-fm-interview.ogg to download the interview.
300,000 Page Hits in July!
Announcement: New Bug Tracking System!
The last few days we've been looking at the issue list of Google Code and we decided that as of today we'd use the list of issues in favor of flyspray. Google Code's Issue list provides us with extended functionality Firefly doesn't provide, like for example integration with the version control where we can close issues from svn commit messages. The issue history has been moved to Google Code and we're ready to start using our new bug tracking system!
You can find more information about Google's IssueTracker at http://code.google.com/p/support/wiki/IssueTracker.
Happy Summer Vacation!
The sun shines outside: summer is coming! Most of us are packing to leave for a well-deserved vacation somewhere on an unknown island not be mentioned here Anyway, work has already started on the next release, and maybe we'll have our 0.0.4 ready end of this month. I wish everyone a happy vacation, and meanwhile enjoy our news entry on OSNews.com !
0.0.3 Released
This version includes a new filesystem written from scratch: LinnFS. It is roughly based on the Extended FileSystem. It is now used as the root filesystem on the LiveCD instead of Ext2. Additionally, the notion of current directory has been implemented. Finally, this release has also been tested on the latest Nexenta distribution.
Website has moved to TransIP
Today, the website has been successfully moved to TransIP !


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I am playing through Secret of Mana, but grinding for equipment drops has been a fucking chore.
No one will judge you if you don't get the Plat.
1) Wild Arms 22) Pac Man and the Ghostly Adventures 23) Mario Galaxy 2
1) Wild Arms 22) Pac Man and the Ghostly Adventures 23) Mario Galaxy 24) Suikoden 2
1. Final Fantasy IV (kinda sucks)
Didn't mean to condescend, but I can definitely see how my post came off that way. My bad. Too much time on GFAQs, it would seem.As a one-time experience it holds up despite the on-rails nature, because its setting and music are superlative and battles flow smoothly. The characters are interesting enough at first, too. It's just harder to go back to than its peers, is all.I mean, this is all my own opinion, of course, but even on that level we're talking tiny tiny margins, here. That's why I can look at SNES IV and see a "subpar" FF, and yet with the few tweaks to it in the CC version I'm looking at one of my favorites. That said, The After Years is probably 51% of the reason Complete Collection is one of my favorite FFs.


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GIMME SHELTER- House-keeping: Homework makes a home work
Q: How do I make my home work for me financially, especially in the so-called housing crisis we're in?
A: As the housing and financial markets move through this corrective phase (regardless of the scope debated by experts across the industry), the need for emphasis on fundamentals has never been greater. Those exposed to overly risky uses (outside their risk tolerance) of either equity in their real estate or other investable assets are having to weather the cash flow storm.
The wording of the question is interesting– using the word "home" versus "house." Somewhere during last 50 years or so, as homeownership has become a reality for more and more people, emphasis has shifted to using the "home" as another investment, as opposed to a place that provides shelter and safety for one's family. There's no denying the financial gains that have been realized as real estate appreciation ravaged our neighborhoods. However, there are ways to invest in real estate through mutual funds and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) without picking up the excess risk– also called unsystematic risk– of gambling with your own home.
That being said, there are a few recommendations homeowners can consider:
1) Interest rates are still at historic lows. If your current mortgage has a higher interest rate, or you'd like to shorten the term of the loan, ask your lender of choice for a "good faith estimate" that outlines the cost to refinance (closing costs, fees, etc.) and compare the savings to your payback period, or how long it would take you to recoup the transaction costs.
2) Lock in your equity. If you've owned your home for a number of years, you've seen how generous the city or county has been at raising your property values for assessments. Use this to your advantage. You don't have permission to reach this equity gain unless you sell the property. In essence, all they have done is raised your credit line. However, most banks will allow you take out a "line of credit" against this equity without closing costs or fees. The interest rate is variable, but you pay interest only on the amount of credit you use. This would be a nice emergency credit line, using tax-deductible interest you have at your disposal. Be sure to check your bank for any fees and other important disclosures if you close the credit line early, or other requirements.
There are a lot of "experts" willing to give advice, but it's essential that the insurance and financial decisions you make are yours. It's also imperative that your tax professional, estate planner, and finance/insurance contacts are on the same page so you don't have competing strategies working against you.
Turbulent markets are a time to pause to review current strategies. It may be a good time to make sure things are the way you believe them to be. If you're exposed to unnecessary financial risk, don't you want to know about it?


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Zul'Aman has brought us several new 10 man bosses. Each of which brings us new little twists to experience. Some are tough, and some not too bad. Over the next few posts, I'll discuss how I've been approaching each of these bosses.
First up is Nalorakk. He is the Amani Lord of the Bears and is the first boss you will encounter when you enter Zul'Aman.
It is arguable that getting to Nalorakk is harder than actually downing him. The two pulls right before you engage the boss can be rough. The two bear mounted Amani'shi Warbringers hit pretty hard and have a nasty stacking debuff that will cause the tank to take more and more damage. Top it off with a bone crunching Enrage and you are looking at a wipe just waiting to happen for the ill prepared group.
When fighting these two waves just before Nalorakk, you will need to have two capable tanks. When you pull, have the tanks separate the two riders to avoid them stacking the Ferocious Roar debuff on both tanks. Also, these guys cleave, so face them away from the raid and all other melee should attack from behind. Focus fire these down and be prepared for the troll rider to dismount at around 20% health. At that point, CC the bear via fear or trap and finish off the troll. Then take down the bear before going to the next rider. Again, be ready for the Enrage as the tank will take a pounding when the Enrage is up. Look for them to grow bigger and gain a reddish hue.
Once you have cleared the trash, you will be at Nalorakk himself. This fight isn't all that tough if your tanks have sufficient gear. I do not know where the break point would be, but I have no problems tanking with 15k unbuffed hp and 16.5k armor.
Tip: Have your mage put Amplify Magic on both tanks. This will help with the healing.
Nalorakk has two forms, troll form and bear form. You will need two tanks. Your beefiest tank should plan to tank the bear form as bear form does the most damage. That is not to say that the troll form is a push over. You will need to have a decent tank for troll form as well. Have both tanks stand on top of each other for the fight. The troll form has a Brutal Swipe ability that will do a set amount of damage divided among the number of players hit (up to 2 I believe), so have both tanks up there to split the damage.
Nalorakk has a charge like ability while in troll form. He will target the person farthest from him, so have a hunter stand behind the rest of the raid to take the charges.
When Nalorakk switches to bear form, quickly Taunt him onto your second tank. While in bear form, Nalorakk can also perform Deafening Roar, which as the name suggests, can silence your raid, including your healers. Have your healers keep you topped off during this phase as an ill timed silence could spell the end for your tank. Bear form lasts about 30 seconds and then he will transform back to troll form and your other tank will Taunt him back.
Continue this process until he is defeated! Congrats! Now of course you are interested in the phat lewts, amiright?
Nalorakk will drop a [item]Badge of Justice[/item] and if you are lucky, [item]Jungle Stompers[/item]. And if you defeat Nalorakk within the time limit, you also have a chance at [item]Pauldrons of Stone Resolve[/item].
Tip #2: A note about the timer. You must DEFEAT Nalorakk before the time expires, not just ENGAGE him. If you are fighting Nalorakk when the time expires, your poor sacrificial troll will be set ablaze right before your eyes and you will not have a chance at the timed loot drops


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Windows are the worst energy leakers you can ever have in any house. Natural light is great but it comes at great cost. They let too much heat inside in the summer and too much cold inside in the winter. Doing anything is better than nothing. Just stretching plastic over them or hanging a blanket over them is better than doing nothing.
The best way to deal with it is to get the best windows that you can and use a thermal barrier or shutter. There are attractive roll up thermal shades that are made of comforter or winter jacket like material (thinsulate, etc.). They are usually or shall I say best mounted on tracks to seal the window on cold nights or hot days. Some are manually operated (cranked up and down) and some are electrically operated. The advantage to these are the roll up storage. Cons are expensive and lower R values.
Over the last few years, I have been experimenting with a rigid, heavy sandwich type of window plug. And here is the article about them that I promised a long time ago when I answered some wiki questions. They are constructed of a 2″ foam core (Owens corning formular 150 R-10) with thin white hardboard glued to each side. I live in a condo so it has to be aesthetically pleasing and look like a shade or blind when viewing it from the outside. I left the inside facing board white (as my walls are white). You can however, paint it to match your walls or do a number of other treatments such as fabric or even put art or posters on it. Imagination is your only limit. I wish I could get some sort of high temp, white lightweight plastic instead of the wood because of all the problems I've had with the wood. The experiments that I've done with the thin white pressed wood material is reacting with the condensed water (water vapor gets in there no matter what I done so far) from each night and the brutal heat of the day to produce unexpected mold and chemical smells (produces a nice stink).
Advantage is the high R value (I will get an R12-15 with the air gap and high performance windows). Disadvantage is weight and storage. I created one piece, no hinge "plugs" for my windows. These are very heavy and clumsy to move on the big window. I have to store them behind book cases and the sofa when not in use. The advantage to this is fewer gaps and that means a greater seal and less heat loss. More convenient and attractive options are available.
So far I have found challenges with the edge seal, water vapor and heat. The edges of the plug need to be angled and weatherproofed so the unit wedges tightly so there is very little air leaking in or out of the gaps. Weatherstripping is important as I have had a huge problem with both moisture accumulation and heat buildup. Moisture trapped in the air gap condenses at night causing water to pool or even freeze in winter. Mold and other fungal problems will result if you don't address these issues. I am experimenting with different colors and materials as well to address these obstacles. For example, I thought black would be a great color for winter as it looks good from the outside (Wisconsin winter gets very cold but very sunny days after a snowstorm and high pressure moves in) but there was sufficient heat to melt the foam even on fairly cold days. White is better since I'm not trying to duct the heat inside. No matter how cool that may sound, the technical challenges are way beyond the scope of this simple experiment.
Unfortunately, in the end conservation is a luxury for those with the will and resources to execute it unless forced upon us or incentivised by local, state or federal cash . I have suspended testing due to the need to make more money just to survive these days.


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Michael Jackson Tribute Montage (R.I.P To The King Of Pop) [Audio]
A tribute to some of the great music Michael Jackson made over the years. R.I.P To Michael Jackson
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Top Fish Coloring Sheet With Stickers
Top Fish Coloring Sheet With Stickers
Top Fish Coloring Sheet With Stickers is free HD wallpaper. This wallpaper was upload at February 9, 2018 upload by admin in Coloring.
Free printable coloring pages for children that you can print out and color. Coloring for seniors is a therapeutic and satisfying activity. Research into the effects of coloring activities for people living with dementia show positive out comes. Fish Coloring Sheet the act of applying colors. How to use coloring in a sentence.
There are many times when I suggest Fish Coloring Sheet coloring books to patients, and they look at me like perhaps we should be switching seats. There are many good therapeutic reasons why Fish Coloring Sheet coloring pages are all the rage these days. You've probably noticed more and more coloring books for adults popping up at retail stores recently.
This is the ultimate guide to Fish Coloring Sheet! Get recommended adult coloring supplies like marker and pencil product reviews. Graph coloring is one of the major areas in graph theory that have been well studied. A surprising trend in relaxation products has been the explosion of Fish Coloring Sheet. Make your world more colorful with printable coloring pages from Crayola. Our free coloring pages for adults and kids, range from Star Wars to Mickey Mouse and others.
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Ankeny traveling chair massages
whether it's a corporate retreat or special event, Ankeny residents love our traveling chair massages
* pricing and services vary by location
men's traveling chair massage
Our spavia massage therapists are on the move! Invite our specialists to your Ankeny-area office for corporate traveling chair massages that will leave everyone feeling relaxed and restored. Chair massages allow our massage therapists to focus on your upper body, with emphasis on the neck and shoulders: exactly where most office workers carry their tension. This is a great way to improve office morale and help your team recharge, especially following a major accomplishment or challenging season.
Our massage therapists use many techniques including Swedish massage to release trapped toxins for improved muscle function. Our massages also reduce stress and encourage a productive work environment.
Traveling chair massages are also available for parties and special events. To reserve chair massages for your event, please contact the guest advisors of Spavia in Ankeny. We look forward to helping you and your team relax.
*Special note: corporate chair massages are at a two-hour minimum and include an automatic 15 percent gratuity.


text: Meriwether Lewis, a young army officer from Virginia and President Thomas Jefferson's personal secretary, and William Clark, a fellow Virginian and seasoned frontiersman, set out in 1803 on an expedition Jefferson called his Corps of Discovery, to explore the Missouri River and find a passageway to the Pacific Ocean. These programs by acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns and co-producer Dayton Duncan presents the story of this incredible journey, combining readings from the journals kept by Lewis and Clark, contemporary newspaper accounts, letters and oral-tradition stories from various Indian tribes with interviews of scholars, writers and descendants of expedition members. Traveling through the vast, varied and breathtaking land that the expedition traversed, the film introduces viewers to these two famous captains and to the other members of the Corps of Discovery: young army men from Kentucky and New Hampshire; French-Canadian boatmen; an African-American slave; and a Shoshone woman named Sacagawea. Through their eyes, viewers come to appreciate the crucial role this expedition played in taking the United States' initial steps toward becoming a continental nation. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set out in 1803 on a n expedition President Thomas Jefferson commissioned to find and chart a path to the Pacific Ocean through the unexplored North American Wilderness. This two part documentary, one of the most popular in Ken Burns's filmography, draws upon the extraordinary archival, cinematography, writing and storytelling we have all grown to expect from America's greatest documentary story teller, with the actual journals of the two leaders of the expedition as the primary source.


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Monday, November 30, 2009
Finger Paintin
well it won't make the cover of the New Yorker, but I drew this with my finger on my phone while I was visiting my mother last week and it expresses what the visit was like.
What came to mind about it most was this- imagine the span of a lifetime as a dirty windshield. Think of the worn wipers going back and forth, getting stuck in a certain spot each time. That's what it's like for my mother right now. All different parts of her life are recurring, but the place where she gets stuck the most is in Princeton, where my brother is rowing in a race (40 years ago) and she can't get to the race in time. Or she can't get the paper where the race is written up.
When I'd see her first thing in the morning she'd be pretty lucid, but then the little cups of pills which I guess she needs for all kinds of reasons, would start jamming her mind. Her eyesight is poor now too so that makes it easier for her to imagine these other places and times. Another recurrent theme was that we were on a not very nice ocean liner, and when were we going to reach land?
I was glad for the lucid moments but it also makes it even harder dealing with the dementia, because Ithink I can just straighten her out by explaining a few things.
Thanksgiving Day was great, but the buildup was really rough going, especially since we never reached land.
11 comments:
- Mars Tokyo said...
Hey Sally, I'm mailing your print to your home addy tomorrow morning.
- Nov 30, 2009, 7:33:00 PM
- Sally said...
Coolio, Tokyo, can't wait to get it!
- Nov 30, 2009, 7:49:00 PM
- Linda said...
We wanna see more finger paintin!
So are you having fun with your phone? What's your favorite thing about it, and least favorite thing about it?
The human brain is mind-boggling. If your mom has to be on a cruise ship, I wish she were on a nice one instead of a not very nice one.
That last line!
- Nov 30, 2009, 9:34:00 PM
Yes, that last line. Are you using Brushes app? Sorry it was difficult with your mom.
- Dec 1, 2009, 5:51:00 AM
- Mean Jean said...
Can you see harbor lights?
- Dec 1, 2009, 6:57:00 PM
- booda baby said...
There's a WHOLE lot of hard about being a caregiver and child of those with dementia, but it seems like she's having some highly romantic moments. Even the ocean liner makes for good cocktail party fodder back on dry land (eventually you'll arrive in port.) Anyway, curious coincidence - here's a story I'm animating as we speak/write:
My grandpa had dementia & every morning he'd ask if it was is birthday.
I always said yes.
There's nothing better than cake for breakfast. (by Brian Andreas)
- Dec 2, 2009, 9:22:00 AM
- Namowal said...
A parent with dementia can be a bizarre and frustrating thing. I think part of the problem is we're wired, deep down, to classify our folks as wise and all knowing (as they seemed when we were kids, at least.)
When the wise one starts talking nonsense- be it the time warp, the word scramble, the unsolvable dilemma or the angry rant, it can be unnerving.
Sorry to hear about this. I hope they wean your mom of those meds.
- Dec 2, 2009, 9:53:00 AM
- Sally said...
Linda, the phone is excellent, I'll have to tell you more about it. Supposedly it's going to be able to handle flash very soon, which would be so much fun for me.
The worst thing about it is the expensive screen protectors which start peeling off almost as soon as they're on and are sticky on the edges.
It doesn't have as good a paint program as i phone yet.
Booda Baby, wow the birthday story.
My nephew went there Saturday and she was still on the ocean liner. There's a corridor leading to where she's living now that does resemble a covered walkway on a liner.
I'd get more serious about getting her meds reduced but she'd been doing some yelling and a lot of paranoia before they settled on this combo.
Namowal, you have a lot of insight into this trouble.
- Dec 2, 2009, 6:02:00 PM
It makes sense the facility looks like an ocean liner, and she can't get off it!
- Dec 3, 2009, 5:22:00 AM
(Plus they have those "activities" like on a cruise. Bingo. Wii.) (And if we want to get philosophical, dry land could be right mind--that's how I deciphered Dad's conviction he was AWOL and request that we call his commanding officer.)
- Dec 3, 2009, 5:24:00 AM
- Sally said...
stray, yer totally tuned in to the liner aspect. Today when I called she sounded quite herself until she asked me to please call Grandma and tell her where (my mother) was. Grandma died the same weekend as JFK. But I told her I would. She sounded very breezy on the phone, as if cruise life was agreeing with her.
- Dec 3, 2009, 6:32:00 PM


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Police Department
Northeast Team to Test Segway Transporters
Through a cooperative trial project with Segway Inc.TM, the Northeast Team will be testing the viability of the Segway Personal Transporter TM as an alternative patrol option for restricted areas such parks and bike paths, and for some special projects and events. The Northeast Team will receive two Segway Personal Transporters TM to use for one week, May 8 -16, 2008. Officers will be trained by Segway and will use the system on all shifts and at the University Place Arts Festival on May 10th to evaluate its effectiveness and feasibility.
Captain Doug Srb said, "The Segway evaluation is another way the Northeast Team is testing non-traditional methods of providing police service to a growing community. Relocating the team operation from downtown to the Northeast Team Station in the old telephone building at 49th and Huntington was a huge change from what we did in the past, but has reaped dividends greater than anyone expected." Opened just 16 months ago, the improved police community partnerships, a rededicated emphasis on community based policing projects, and a significant saving on fuel and vehicles mileage, has established a significant base of accomplishments upon which the Northeast can build other community projects. The Segway tests are part of our continued effort to explore every possibility to improved service, and doing so in an environmentally friendly way, using no gasoline.


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The fascinating photo is segment of Teen and Little Girls Bedroom post which is arranged within Sophisticated, Teenage, Ideas and posted at February 21, 2015 12:10:20 am by rchadmin
Teen and Little Girls Bedroom: Sophisticated Teenage Girl Bedroom Ideas
Little Girls Bedroom Ideas
Transitional phase of a girl to a young adult lady has never been an easy phase. Lot many things change like needs, desires, and even your own personality. As a result of maturity your style and outlook will mature too. The room that you have when you were seven may not meet the needs of your teenage lifestyle anymore.
Thus modification comes into place. Consider selecting a theme for a teenage bedroom as it keeps you focused and allows you to work in details. Hobbies celebrity's rock stars and shape are few things extremely appreciated by the teens. Irrespective of the theme you are selecting, ensure to select the wall color bright and inspiring.
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Girls bedroom ideas - animal printed accessories, wire graphic mirrors, gallery frames for a headboard and of course the copy bed mixed all together to come up with this one of a kind fashionable bedroom. A modern minimalist design, shared bedroom with splashes of vibrant hues that make the room youthful.
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Aldine Independent School District
The education provisions of the McKinney-Vento Act were designed to protect the educational rights of children and youth experiencing homelessness.
If your current address is a temporary living arrangement and it is due to loss of housing or economic hardship, you may meet the definition of displaced or homeless status. Please contact the registrar at your child's school to fill out a student residency questionnaire or contact the Homeless Liaison.
The Act's Key Provisions
The McKinney-Vento Act (Section 725) specifies and protects the rights of children and youth in homeless situations. Highlights include:
Aldine ISD is committed to identifying and serving all displaced students or those experiencing homelessness. Aldine ISD may also offer additional assistance to students and their families experiencing homelessness. If you require additional information, contact the Homeless Liaison at 281-985-6425.
The McKinney-Vento Act, Education of Homeless Youth Program, Subtitle VII-B, Section 722(g)(3), provides the following guidance regarding enrollment disputes:
If a dispute arises over school selection or enrollment, the child/youth must be immediately admitted to the school in which he/she is seeking enrollment, pending resolution of the dispute [Sec. 722(g)(3)(E)(i)];
The parent or guardian must be provided with a written explanation of theschool's decision on the dispute, including the right to appeal [Sec. 722(g)(3)(E)(ii)];
The parent/guardian/youth must be referred to the school district homeless contact person, who will carry out the state's grievance procedure as expeditiously as possible after receiving notice of the dispute [Sec. 722(g)(3)(E)(iii)]; and,
In the case of an unaccompanied youth, the homeless liaison shall ensure that the youth is immediately enrolled in school pending resolution of the dispute[Sec. 722(g)(3)(E)(iv)].
If eligibility, enrollment or placement disputes or complaints arise regarding the education of homeless children and youth, Aldine ISD recommends that: the person having the complaint first contact the school or district (e.g., the local school district Liaison for homeless students, the principal, or superintendent) to present their concerns to the people closest to the situation and most likely to be able to resolve it quickly.
Districts that make determinations on eligibility, enrollment or school placement for homeless students that conflict with the wishes of the parent or student involved are required to provide notice of the determination in writing to all parties, along with instructions on how to appeal the decision. Students are entitled to remain in their school of choice until the appeal process has reached completion


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Science Friday® is produced by the Science Friday Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Science Friday® and SciFri® are registered service marks of Science Friday, Inc. Site design by Pentagram; engineering by Mediapolis.
|A relatively rare East Coast earthquake centered in Virginia shook people from Canada to Georgia. Carnegie Institute of Washington geophysicist Diana Roman explains the geology of the region, and the factors that allowed the earthquake's seismic waves to travel far and wide.


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Elevators scramble to keep from filling
Staff writer
Warm weather and dry conditions created a speedy harvest for Marion County farmers. Elevators in the area were struggling to keep up with harvest as it came in from the fields.
"Many of our customers are reporting 60-plus-bushel fields," Lyman Adams, general manager of Cooperative Grain and Supply in Hillsboro, said. "If you can get 60 you're having great yields. Many of our customers were reporting a yield higher into the 70s and said this was their best year ever. We have taken record receipts here, and in Marion and Canton."
Adams said his location had its best day on record last Monday, taking in 175,000 bushels. Bins are capable of holding 920,000 bushels.Dale Klenda, Agri Producers Lincolnville elevator supervisor, said his location also broke records. In Marion County, more than 9,763,000 bushels were hauled into county elevators this harvest.
"We've taken in over a million bushels and still counting," he said. "Our previous was somewhere around 850,000 bushels."
To keep up with the massive influx of grain, elevators across the county were scrambling to find trucks to keep space in their bins.
"We were in the unique position to help keep other elevators from getting full, or to help farmers whose area elevators were already filled," Adams said.
The co-op erected an outdoor bunker capable of holding 500,000 bushels of wheat and used it to store grain.
"According to my receipts we have 401,000 bushels or $3 million worth of wheat stored in the bunker," Adams said.
This amount of wheat is capable of producing 20 million 1-pound loaves of bread.
"It was emergency storage so we could keep taking grain," Adams said. "It's not ideal because putting it on the ground is very labor intensive, but we have to do what we have to do to get the grain out of the fields."
Lincolnville also has an outdoor grain area set up in case it has to put grain on the ground.
"We put down line screening with draining ditches below," Klenda said. "We mostly use it in the fall but if we have to we have to."
Because of a delayed harvest down south, elevators were having trouble locating trucks to keep elevators from filling.
"The semi fleet that usually follows harvest was stuck in Oklahoma because of weather delays," he said. "It made for a situation where we had not enough trucks to keep grain away from the elevators. Farmers brought it in faster than we could truck it out."
Adams said their other locations in Canton and Lehigh were constantly running on edge of being full. Agri Producers say their elevator in Durham was full for two hours. Stan Utting, general manager of Agri Producers in Tampa, said they were almost full but still taking grain. Phil Timken, manager of Mid-Kansas Co-op in Peabody said they were also close to being full more than once.
"The trucks came in the nick of time," he said.
Manager of one elevator said they did not have the outdoor storage facilities of Hillsboro, and therefore would recommend other locations where farmers could dump.
"Now that harvest is basically over," Adams said, "we can easier truck grain to other locations in the state."
Timken predicts that 90 percent of farmers in Peabody and Hillsboro have finished cutting. Marion will see harvest continue for another two or three days according to Mike Thomas, Cooperative Grain and Supply Marion branch manager.
Adams said the fate of the wheat on the ground is up in the air. He has to get grain out of the bins before he can figure out where the grain can go.
"The next two weeks are critical," he said. "If it rains we will need to figure out if we are going to tarp it or try and get it in the bins."
An aeration system was set up under the pile to help water drain away. This allows the grain to be able to stay good and on the ground for an extended period. The outside layers of wheat will form a crust locking the majority of the grain inside and keeping it from being ruined. The biggest worry is not water, but bugs.
"Ideally we would like to have it gone in 2 months, but it may be next spring or fall until we are able to get it moved," Adams said.
Klenda is looking to get his off the ground in Lincolnville sooner.
"Because we don't have the permanent facility to store it on the ground, if we do put it down it won't be down long, like less than a week," Klenda said. "
Adams said most of the grain quality will remain high and can be sold for food production. The lower levels of grain will most likely be used for seed.
"Out west they pile up wheat on the ground more often," Adams said. "In this area we are close enough to larger storage facilities that it usually gets trucked out faster than the farmers can bring it in."
Adams said he doesn't mind the wheat on the ground.
"During harvest you do whatever you have to do to get the grain in," he said. "You don't have to go very far west to get record low yields for farmers. We are fortunate here to have the amount of grain we do when it could have very easily been a different story."
Last modified July 4, 2013


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It�s been exactly a week since the Hope College men�s basketball team played its last game.
Players�were itching to get back on the court after a home game was postponed twice because of weather. And maybe the extra practice paid off.
The Flying Dutchmen shot 47.1 percent from the field to down Adrian College�82-56 on Wednesday at DeVos Fieldhouse. Hope hit 10-of-19 3-pointers led by Alex Eidson and Corey McMahon, who both hit three from 3-point range. Eidson finished with a team-high 16 and McMahon had 14.
No other Hope player finished in double figures, and all but one player�scored at least two points.
"We were definitely itching to play, and I�m glad we had a good team win and everyone�contributed," McMahon said. "We extended the lead and got everyone in."
Hope moved to 11-6 overall and 5-1 in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association. The Flying Dutchmen are second in�the league to Calvin College�lead�because the Knights beat Albion on Wednesday, 68-49.
Hope went down early as Adrian started off hot from the perimeter. The Bulldogs led 12-6 after three minutes as�they hit 4-of-6 shots from the field. Adrian (4-14, 0-7 MIAA) utilized a zone defensive scheme to force the Flying Dutchmen into taking perimeter jumpers and denied entry into the lane.
"I didn�t think we were moving the ball very well," Hope coach Matt Neil said. "We were holding it, and we just can�t have those kind of lulls. We fixed it and then we didn�t have those any more."
Eidson hit a couple of 3s to put Hope back into contention and Cody Stuive hit a jumper to tie the game at 15 minutes later.
Hope�s offense took control�for the rest of the half and went on a 19-6 run over the span of eight minutes after being down by six. The run was highlighted by an alley-oop from Caleb Byers to Nate VanArendonk.
"We moved the basketball well, and we were able to make one more pass," Neil said. "Against the zone, we were able to find people in the high post and that caused them to collapse, and we were able to kick out to shooters."
Chad Carlson came up with a steal on defense when Hope led by 11 with about 5 minutes, 30 seconds remaining. The freshman guard led the charge down the court and passed to Byers trailing on the play. Byers threw down a dunk to put the Flying Dutchmen up 31-18.
Carlson finished with two 3s for six points and Byers had six points as well.
Hope led by as many as 16 in the first half and went into the break with a 37-22 lead. The Flying Dutchmen shot 50 percent from the field compared to 29.6 from Adrian.
Hope pushed its lead to 20 after five minutes in the second half. Adrian never got closer than 14 the rest of the way and the Flying Dutchmen coasted to the win.
McMahon hit a 3 with 6:10 left and Harrison Blackledge hit a jump shot to give Hope a 28-point advantage � its biggest lead of the game.
"Part of their strategy is they want to get you to come down and they�ll trap the ball screen and they want you to feel that you can shoot right away," Neil said. "We had opportunities right away. � They press you a little bit, you get up in a hurry and you have an advantage and you feel like you have to shoot it. We just waited a little bit and threw it into the paint and waited for them to collapse. We created better shots."
The Flying Dutchmen outrebounded Adrian 39-30 and turned the ball over just eight times. Grant Neil, a West Ottawa graduate, was the only Hope player to not score. The senior captain didn�t attempt a shot.
Hope rolls past Adrian's zone defense
It�s been exactly a week since the Hope College men�s basketball team played its last game.


text: Home- Academics- Departments and Programs- Chemistry- Off-Campus Study Menu Menu Off-Campus Study in Chemistry If you are interested in pursuing a major in chemistry, you do not have to sacrifice the opportunity to study off campus or abroad. Check out some of these great opportunities designed specifically with the needs of science students like you in mind. Colgate Semester Programs Our off-campus study office offers full-semester off-campus study opportunities all over the world. In these programs, you will travel, live, and study with your Colgate classmates and a Colgate faculty adviser whilst simultaneously immersing yourself in the culture of your temporary home. The following semester programs are designed specifically to accommodate the interests and scheduling needs of students in the sciences: Wales study group (fall, spring) Australia study group (fall, spring) National Institutes of Health study group Extended Study Programs Some courses across disciplines include an extended study opportunity in which course participants continue the class off campus for two or three weeks after the conclusion of the semester. Check out the current extended study opportunities from all departments. Colgate-Affiliated Programs As a university, we are directly affiliated with several other off-campus study programs you may find interesting. Check out all affiliated off-campus study programs. Academics Majors and Minors Departments and Programs Africana and Latin American Studies Art and Art History Asian Studies Biology Chemistry Academic Program Department Courses Faculty and Staff Research Opportunities Off-Campus Study Facilities and Resources Online Chemistry Tools Chemistry Major Graduates The Classics Computer Science East Asian Languages and Literatures Economics Educational Studies English Environmental Studies Film and Media Studies Geography Geology German History International Relations Jewish Studies LGBTQ Studies Linguistics Mathematics Medieval & Renaissance Studies Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies Music Native American Studies Neuroscience Peace and Conflict Studies Philosophy Physics & Astronomy Political Science Psychological and Brain Sciences Religion Romance Languages and Literatures Russian and Eurasian Studies Sociology and Anthropology Theater Women's Studies Writing and Rhetoric Off-Campus Study Core Curriculum Research Fellowships & Scholarships Scholars Programs Pre-Professional Planning Academic Calendar University Catalogue Course Offerings Libraries RELATED LINKS


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Is Conducting their Annual Search for Best New Products Inspired by Parents and Babies
Is your little bundle of joy your greatest source of inspiration? Huggies is encouraging innovative parents to apply for the Huggies® MomInspired®Grant Program. The Huggies MomInspired Grant Program – now in its fourth year – is here to help turn those dreams into a reality.
Applications are being accepted at www.HuggiesMomInspired.com now through July 31, 2013.
Huggies will award $15,000 grants to up to 12 people to explore and grow their innovative product ideas that help make parents' lives easier. Winners will receive business advice from Maria Bailey, author, radio and TV personality and founder of BSMMedia.com, as well as support from Kimberly-Clark.
The Huggies MomInspired Grant Program is open to anyone who has an innovative baby or child care product or idea – it is not limited to only Moms or women.
Apply Now:
Who- Anyone with an original, innovative and viable new product idea to help make life easier for parents; must be 21 and older and reside in the United States
How- Log onto www.HuggiesMomInspired.com and submit application, including the idea and business plan
When- Now through July 31, 2013
Why- For the chance to receive $15,000 and advice to help start or grow your business idea For more information about all the grant recipients and the program, visit HuggiesMomInspired.com. Grants will be awarded in fall 2013.


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Hi Administrators,
I am a student from Copenhagen Business School, and I am trying to understand the race bike/bike apparel market in the US for a project through a very short survey (only 5 minutes)!
Would it be possible that I could post such a small survey in your forum?
Thanks a lot in advance!


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Restoring Breathing after Spinal Cord Injury: New Hope through Nerve Regeneration
Spinal cord injury and paralysis: what do these terms mean and who is affected? While these conditions may see rare, in reality, spinal cord injury affects more people than may first be suspected.
There are 5.6 million Americans currently living with some level of paralysis, from causes including nerve diseases, autoimmune diseases, stroke and spinal cord injuries. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that 10,000 to 12,000 new cases of spinal cord trauma are added every year and nearly all of these are results of accidents that could happen to anyone. For those living with spinal cord trauma, it is often a definite, permanent diagnosis; additionally, paralysis is untreatable. Adult nerve cells, once injured, don't regenerate. However, thanks to new advances, this may not be the case forever.
What Happens In Spinal Cord Injuries?
The spinal cord is the main line of communication between the brain and body, controlling movement, feeling, and many functions of the body. It is encased by the vertebrae of the spine, which protect it. However, the vertebrae are like all bones and can break, especially in accidents. When bone fragments enter the substance of the spinal cord they become a major cause of spinal cord trauma. When nerve signals are blocked such as in an injury or the nerves are damaged, the result can be paralysis. Paralysis is total loss of muscle function in an area of the body. Damage to the spinal cord is additionally severe because the spinal cord is the main pathway to the brain allowing major life functions to occur. The amount of damage depends on what level of the spine is injured. Starting at the base of the spine, the list of functions lost gets longer as you head up the spine. An injury to the neck is the most damaging. It might result in complete loss of movement and the ability to breathe without a respirator, as well as all of the other losses that happen with injury to the lower parts of the spinal cord.
About a quarter of spinal cord injuries come from violent encounters, almost 40% from auto accidents, and the majority of the rest are due to other accidents, such as falls or sports.
A Hopeless Case?
The history of spinal cord injuries goes as far back as 1700 B.C., with the recording of paralysis from a spinal cord injury on a piece of papyrus in ancient Egypt. The case was noted as untreatable. Indeed, Greek, Roman, Hindu, Arabic, and Chinese doctors all had no solutions for spinal cord injuries. There were treatments for spinal deformities, but spinal cord injuries remained beyond help. Centuries later, the invention of the automobile and its high speeds dramatically bolstered the rate of accidents and car accidents quickly became the leading cause of spinal cord injury. In addition, there was still no cure in sight. Shortly thereafter, World War I and II added more cases of spinal cord trauma, resulting in paralysis, permanent damage, and the death of most patients within a week of injury. In 1928 Ramon y Cajal studied the spinal cord and noted that a mature central nervous system was unable to grow back after being damaged. A spinal cord injury was labeled a nearly hopeless case and premature death nearly certain. It would not be until 1981 that Sam David and Albert Aguyo would regrow the axons of nerve cells, but these could not re-enter the cord to make functional connections.
Into the Present
In the late 1980s and 90s, a new question emerged. Dr. Jerry Silver, a neuroscientist, wondered: what if there was a mystery substance that prevented nerves from growing back and healing? This went against the prevailing view and as a result the neuroscience community was skeptical. The long-held belief was that once central nerves were cut, they would never regrow. But what if that wasn't true; what if there was a mystery substance that, once removed, would free the nerves to regenerate? Perhaps the answer could be found in the field of regenerative science. Dr. Silver resolved to find out.
The Lock
During natural development of the embryo, there were places that nerves didn't grow. The body stopped nerve growth at certain stages, to be sure that the nervous system would develop with the right blueprint. This prevented nerves from crisscrossing and connecting with the wrong signals. This is important as the embryo spinal cord develops, where left and right nerves must not cross. It made sense that there was a mystery substance that prevented nerves from growing out of bounds at this stage. Once the mystery substance was found, perhaps that knowledge could be used to restore growth after spinal cord injury.
A molecule called chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan was suspected. The molecule was present in large amounts during development, preventing nerves from growing where they should not. It was possible this molecule was the one preventing nerve growth after spinal cord injury; but if it was, could it possibly be deactivated?
These suspicions were confirmed when tests showed that proteoglycans were present in nerve injuries. The damaged nerves withdraw into bulbs, trapped in a kind of net, wielding the proteoglycans.
This natural body process is intended to be helpful, limiting damage and blocking bacteria from getting in. However, the very same process prevented healing the damage from spinal cord injury.
The Key
In order to heal the nerves, the axons would need to grow fast enough, reach the specific intended target, and move through obstacles at the same time. Something was also needed to chew through the nets and proteoglycans to free the neurons. Using a nerve bridge along with a key substance, chondroitinase, might be a solution.
Chondroitinase was the key to the lock: it is an enzyme that can chew through proteoglycans and prevent them from stopping nerve growth. Chondroitinase freed the damaged nerve axon to grow and the nerve bridge provided a bypass around the spinal cord injury.
In 2006, part of an important step was made. Using the combination of neural bridges and chondroitinase, Dr. Silver and his team were able to restore some movement in the forelimbs of paralyzed rats. However, the muscles worked out of sync. To achieve the breakthrough another step was needed and the breathing system was chosen.
Breathing without a respirator is one of the things that people living with high-level spinal cord injuries want most. Without that, moment-by-moment, they are tied to a respirator to breathe. The muscle that controls breathing, the diaphragm, became the new focus in the research.
The Solution
For almost a century, it seemed certain that once injured, nerves of the spinal cord could not regrow, limiting life-giving functions throughout the body. In 2011, after decades of research, each discovery building on the next, Dr. Silver found the answer he had been looking for. 9 out of 11 previously paralyzed rats responded to the neural bridge-and- solution, and regained their breathing.
The Human Element
There are 250,000 spinal cord trauma victims living in America that add an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 to their number every year, in addition to the 5.6 million Americans living with some level of paralysis. The vast majority (80%) of these people are men, 55% ages 16-30, many living with feelings of helplessness, pain, poor sleep, and severe depression, as well as a many physical disabilities: trouble with bowel and bladder control, sexual impotence, numbness, paralysis, pain, and, in high-neck injuries, the inability to breathe without being attached to a respirator. From this breakthrough new hope exists to for research with people to restore the loss that spinal cord injuries can bring.
For an interactive exploration of Dr. Jerry Silver's research to you can:
For more information:
Go to the –> the previously asked questions
Last Reviewed: Apr 01, 2013
School of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University


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New boost for interactive content:
Partly spurred by its concentration of intellectual talent, New York is also becoming a hotbed of innovation in educational technology. Venture capital investment in education-related startups in the metro area totaled $95 million in 2011—an 84% spike over the prior year, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers/National Venture Capital Association. The number of startups receiving investment money rose to 14, up from eight in 2010.In the long run, newfangled interactive textbooks like the ones Apple and its publishing partners previewed last Thursday are likely to be a minor aspect of education's digital revolution. But Apple's entry is certainly helping the revolution along.
All doesn't seem to be well, however:
In the fourth quarter, VC financing in the New York area plunged 40%, compared with the prior quarter, to $545.1 million.
But experts say the tech-education industry is just getting started. The U.S. business for e-learning products and services in the pre-K to 12-and-higher education markets will grow to $11 billion in 2015, from $7.6 billion in 2011, according to research firm Ambient Insight.
(Via NYC tech takes on the classroom | Crain's New York Business)
Hat Tip: Samudra Sen


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Is Wal-Mart number one? Maybe when it comes to mistreating workers
Fortune magazine announced its Fortune 500 rankings yesterday. The big name corporations that made the Top 10 this year, including Exxon, Chevron, and Apple to name a few, are not surprising. But the king of all the companies this year was Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., ranking first once again after its fall to second place last year.
As a corporate giant, Wal-Mart employs 2.2 million people and brought in $444 billion in revenue in 2012. It is run by the Walton family whose empire includes around 8,500 stores worldwide.
Despite its capitalistic genius, no one can deny that Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. has a reputation for treating their employees poorly. With thousands of lawsuits filed against them a year, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. continues to forbid employees from unionizing. (Wal-Mart cited "economic reasons" when asked why they were closing a branch in Canada that successfully unionized.) They fail to cover hundreds of thousands of their employees with health care benefits. And if you do the math and compare CEO Michael Duke's yearly salary of $35 million to the average worker's $8.81 an hour, you will find that Duke makes more money in an hour than a regular employee makes in a year.
What part of that qualifies them as being the best?
Many workers' rights groups have been working hard to change the way Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. treats its employees. In an excerpt from her recent interview with U.S. Catholic, Kim Bobo, the founder and director of Interfaith Worker Justice (IWJ), discussed the many ways that employers like Wal-Mart steal wages from their workers. She warns buyers to be conscious of where they shop because low prices often means low employee satisfaction.
"Wal-Mart has a history of cheating workers, of paying them low salaries, of offering very few benefits," Bobo said "That's why [IWJ has] helped organize activities at Wal-Mart on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. You should plan right now to be protesting at Wal-Mart on Black Friday this year."
An editor from America magazine also brought up another interesting consequence of Wal-Mart's low prices. In an article in February, Kevin Clarke wrote:
"The low pay may keep costs low for Wal-Mart's customers, but U.S. consumers make up the difference indirectly. A lot of his fellow workers, [Wal-Mart employee William] Fletcher reports, qualify for a number of government support programs, including supplemental nutritional programs, housing assistance and earned income tax credits. 'If you plan on getting by on a Wal-Mart salary,' he says, 'you have to know how to do so on public assistance.' …
"Mr. Fletcher thinks U.S. taxpayers would be 'shocked' to learn 'how much they're supporting Wal-Mart workers,' especially considering the company's outsized annual profits. In 2011 Wal-Mart reported a net profit of $16 billion on $447 billion in revenue, making it number two on Fortune 500 in terms of revenue, just behind Exxon, and number 10 in net profitability. The lion's share of Wal-Mart's income goes directly into the hands of the company's largest shareholders, the Walton family, holders of 48 percent of Wal-Mart stock and the richest family on earth, with over $107 billion in net worth."
In other words, Wal-Mart is exploiting its workers for the extremely high profit of a select few corporate leaders, and American taxpayers are left to pick up the tab by financially supporting the low-income workers who make it possible. Why aren't more people outraged about this? Is it simply because they don't want to give up the "savings" they get from shopping at Wal-Mart?
These are just a few reasons why Wal-Mart should not be considered number one by any measure. Something is definitely wrong here. Their exploitation of workers should raise a few eyebrows. As corporate America basks in this prestigious ranking, we must not forget the average workers who are also responsible for making these operations happen.
Flickr photo cc by OURWalmart


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Stastny ends drought, leads Avalanche past Starsby Rick Sadowski
DENVER -- Paul Stastny emphatically ended a nine-game scoring drought Monday night.
Stastny scored twice in the second period and chipped in with two assists to lead the Colorado Avalanche to a 6-2 win against the Dallas Stars at Pepsi Center.
After going nine games without a point, Stastny had three in the second period when the Avalanche scored four times to build a 5-1 lead.
"I always put pressure on myself," he said. "If anything, I was more frustrated, whether I showed it or not. No one will see it, but inside it's frustrating. That's how it is. It's a long season and you just have to keep battling through it. Not everything is going to go your way. Some games you don't play well and you get points, some games you play well and you deserve something and you don't get anything."
Andre Benoit, who went 10 games without a point and Erik Johnson, who went 21 games without a goal and five without a point, also scored in the second.
The Stars and Avalanche traded third-period goals. Tyler Seguin scored his 18th at 3:26 for Dallas and Tyson Barrie registered his first of the season in 18 games at 15:16.
"That was pretty much us laying an egg," Stars forward Jamie Benn said. "They came out strong and jumped all over us. They're a good team and they've got four pretty good lines. They just keep coming at you and we couldn't find a way to stop it."
The Avalanche, who play in Dallas on Tuesday, are in third place in the Central Division with 45 points, two more than the Minnesota Wild, who have played three more games. The Stars are fifth with 35 points.
"It's a big game any time you play home and home," Stastny said. "You want to get that first win. Getting back on the winning track is big."
Offense had been a problem for the Avalanche until they broke through against the Stars with a season-high 48 shots. They totaled 12 goals in the previous six games and were held to one goal in three of them.
"The door opened for us," said PA Parenteau, who tied his career high for assists with three. "It's good for our confidence, good for everyone. It was a big team win and nice to get the offense going like that. We were on the puck the last few games and couldn't get it done. The confidence was low for a few guys who couldn't get on the board. It's tough on you. You're playing decent hockey and you're not getting rewarded. Tonight a lot of guys did and it's fun to see."
Stastny broke a 1-1 tie at 8:29 of the second period when he tipped in Maxime Talbot's shot through traffic and Benoit scored from near the top of the left circle at 13:42 with a shot that eluded goalie Kari Lehtonen to the stick side.
Three minutes earlier, Lehtonen robbed Nathan MacKinnon's backhanded shot on a clean breakaway.
Stastny scored again at 16:33. Gabriel Landeskog took a shot from just inside the blue line and Stastny deflected it in while being checked by Stars defenseman Brenden Dillon.
"He was in the paint both times," Avalanche coach Patrick Roy said. "This is where you have to be. When we're talking about scoring different ways, if you don't score shooting in the slot area or coming down the wing, you have to be somewhere else and that's what we did. We showed great urgency around their net. We really wanted to put the puck behind their goalie. I certainly think it's going to help our confidence."
Johnson scored his third goal of the season and first since Oct. 25 with a shot from the right point that slipped under Lehtonen's right leg with three seconds to play.
The Avalanche outshot the Stars 21-10 in the first period, but they headed to intermission in a 1-1 tie.
MacKinnon put the Avalanche in front 1-0 at 10:38 with his seventh goal and first in five games. He accepted a drop pass from Matt Duchene, skated down the left side and beat Lehtonen to the far corner. The goal gave MacKinnon 19 points, second among NHL rookies behind San Jose Sharks forward Tomas Hertl, who has 24 points.
The Stars tied the game with 32.8 seconds left in the period when rookie Kevin Connauton, playing in his seventh NHL game, scored his first goal while each team was shy a skater. Connauton drove to the net to tip Seguin's pass behind Colorado goalie Semyon Varlamov.
"The excitement of the goal wore off pretty quick in the second period and we handed them some easy chances," Connauton said. "They've got so much skill up front, if you're going to give them looks like that they're going to bury them."
Varlamov made two big saves moments later while the Stars were on a power play. He stopped Alex Goligoski skating in alone and scrambled to his left to smother Seguin's stab at the rebound.
The Avalanche went 0-for-5 on the power play despite 14 shots, including two 5-on-3 advantages, and have gone 31 in a row without a goal in the past 11 games.
"You know what? The power play was really good tonight," Roy said. "We had a lot of shots and that's what we ask. Eventually it's going to go in. We didn't need the power play tonight, but we had urgency and I was very happy with it."
The Stars went 0-for-5 with the man advantage. They are in a 2-for-23 slump in five games.