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Hugh Hefner's break-up with fiancee Crystal Harris is turning messy as the former couple becomes embroiled in a bitter war-of-words over an interview the model gave to radio host Howard Stern.
The Playboy mogul was left heartbroken after the 25-year-old model called off their wedding plans at the last minute in June.
The pair has so far managed to remain friends, with Hefner stating, "I think an argument could be made that she took me for a ride but I must say, quite frankly, it was a pretty nice ride. It was two and a half very good years."
But now the split has turned nasty, with Harris appearing on The Howard Stern Show on Tuesday to mock Hefner's sexual prowess.
She told the host that sex with the publishing boss lasted "like two seconds", before adding, "Then I was just over it. I was like, 'Ahhh.' I was over it. I just like, walked away. I'm not turned on by Hef, sorry. He doesn't really take off his clothes. I've never seen Hef naked."
Now Hefner has hit back at Harris' comments, branding the blonde a liar over her remarks.
In a series of posts on Twitter.com, he writes, "Crystal did a crazy interview with Howard Stern today that didn't have much to do with reality. Is she trying to impress a new boyfriend?
"The sex with Crystal the first night was good enough so that I kept her over two more nights. Crystal lied about our relationship on Howard Stern but I don't know why… When I said, 'I missed a bullet' when Crystal left, I didn't mean I didn't love her. I meant I realized she really didn't love me… I feel sorry for Crystal. She seems lost. Crystal convinced me that she adored me. That was the first lie."


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Inside the Collections: Pacific Peoples main content.
by AMNH on
The artifacts on display, including the pataka below, in the Margaret Mead Hall of Pacific Peoples represent just a fraction of the 26,000 objects in the collections of the Museum's Division of Anthropology.
Join assistant curator of Pacific Ethnology Jennifer Newell on a tour of some collections highlights, including lei niho palaoa, Hawaiian pendants made of braided human hair and whalebone or -tooth; a carved bird head from Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island; and a whale-riding Maori ancestor figure known as Paikea. Visitors can also find a number of whale-related artifacts from the Anthropology collections on view in the Museum's special exhibition, Whales: Giants of the Deep now open through January 5, 2014.
Members: Dr. Newell leads an upcoming behind-the-scenes tour anthropology collections Tuesday, October 22. Learn more and buy tickets.
To join the Museum as a Member, click here.
Learn more about Dr. Newell and her work in a video.

subset: commoncrawl


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Now there is a solution to protecting your structures from termites that can earn you points in green building programs such as LEED® for Homes, NGBS Green Poduct Certification ProgramTM, EarthCraft® and many others. Instead of poisoning the soil under a home, Bora-Care eliminates the wood as a food source while saving you one full day of cycle time.
Nisus now offers the Bora-Care 30-Year Limited Warranty to pest control companies who register treated homes and inspect them annually. This damage repair warranty, which is extended to the pest control companies, gives builders and homeowners peace of mind knowing their homes can be covered under the limited warranty for the length of a standard 30-year mortgage.
Bora-Care at a Glance
Simply the best at making termite pretreatment simple
Builders are switching to Bora-Care termite pretreatments at an unprecedented rate.
Cost-effective and easy to incorporate into your logistics, just a few gallons of Bora-Care will protect your entire structure from subterranean termites. During the dried-in phase of construction, your pest control company will apply it directly to the wood, concrete and foundation penetrations in one fast, easy, spray application - and you're done. Termites can't consume the wood and they can't tube over it. Simply put, Bora-Care eliminates more than termites, it eliminates problems. It's a fact that Bora-Care saves builders time and money with their highly efficient process that eliminates problems caused by pumping hundreds of gallons of chemicals into the soil.
Bora-Care At A Glance:
- Saves builders one cycle day during construction
- Fastest growing termite pretreatment in the U.S.
- Eliminates weather delays
- Eliminates need for additional treatment at final grade
- Penetrates wood and remains for the life of the wood
- Formulated with a concern for the environment
- Not pumped into soil
- 2006 Green Builder Award winner
- Earn Points for LEED and other green building programs
Previously, when builders wanted to protect a house from termites, they would pump 300 gallons of chemicals into the soil below and around the foundation of an average house. These chemicals began showing up in lakes, rivers and aquifers. It is estimated that more than 234,000,000 gallons of pesticides are pumped into residential soil in the U.S. each year on new construction alone (imagine about 40,000 semi-tanker trucks), and most of those homes will need a retreatment in 5-10 years. By making Bora-Care your treatment of choice, you're preventing the need for continuous retreatment, while to providing your customers with an outstanding, highly effective termite protection.
10 Reasons Why Every Builder Should Specify Bora-Care Termite Pretreatments
- Builders are saving a full day of cycle time by switching to Bora-Care pretreats. Bora-Care eliminates the need to coordinate schedules between concrete companies and pest management professionals (PMPs). Bora-Care is applied during the dried-in phase of construction.
- Bora-Care eliminates weather delays. Traditional soil treatments require application to dry ground after the footers are dug. Bora-Care is applied directly to the wood and concrete on walls, subfloors, sill plates, piers and expansion joints, as well as around pipe chases and plumbing. Weather is simply not a factor.
- Bora-Care eliminates the need for crews to leave the job site. In traditional soil pretreatments, workers are required by law to leave the site during application and stay away until the application is completed. With Bora-Care, your crew can keep right on working.
- HUD allows Bora-Care treatments. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) 99-A form allows direct wood treatment of Bora-Care as a primary termite treatment in new home construction.
- Efficacy tests show proven results. Research from a 12-year study by the USDA Forest Service and Mississippi State University's Forest Products Laboratory showed wood treated with Bora-Care stopped termite attacks and prevented subterranean termites from tubing over treated wood. In addition, tests conducted at Louisiana State University have shown that Bora-Care applied to concrete surfaces will prevent Formosan termite tubing. Treated wood is also protected against carpenter ants, old house borers, powderpost beetles and decay fungi.
- Treatments near water are no longer a concern. With soil treatments, there is the concern of chemicals leaching into a nearby water source. When you pretreat the wood and concrete, that's ALL you treat.
- Soil termiticides can cause some plumbing pipes to leak. Bora-Care has shown no compatability issues with any type of plumbing pipes, and will not corrode metal fasteners, fittings or nails.
- Toxicity is a rising concern among homeowners. With traditional soil treatments, hundreds of gallons of pesticides are pumped into the ground under and around a home. Bora-Care is a low odor termiticide that is applied directly to the wood—answering the concerns of homeowners who are demanding less-toxic alternatives.
- International building code. Bora-Care is listed in the International Building Code and the International Residential Code. Bora-Care meets the sill plate end-cut requirements set by building codes and the American Wood-Preservers' Association (AWPA M4).
- Excavation and landscaping do not affect the treatment. Leaky water lines, improper drainage and even the landscaping process can break a soil termiticide barrier, rendering soil pretreatments ineffective by the time the house is complete. With Bora-Care, you're treating the wood, and once again, a problem is eliminated.
- 10 Reasons Why Bora-Care is the Green Choice (Acrobat PDF)
A Closer Look
What Does Bora-Care Do?
Bora-Care prevents and eliminates:
- Drywood termites
- Subterranean termites
- Formosan termites
- Carpenter ants
- Powderpost beetles
- Old house borers
- PLUS: Bora-Care will kill and prevent algae and wood decay fungi
Every year, Bora-Care replaces 45 million gallons or more of toxic pesticide solution that would have been pumped in the ground. That's a savings equal to 9,400 18-wheel tanker trucks of pesticide solution. And that's an amount we can all live with.
How Does Bora-Care Work?
The active ingredient in Bora-Care is a borate salt. Borate salts work by taking advantage of a unique feature in the biology of termites, ants and other insects. If ingested by ants, beetles or termites, the insect becomes unable to extract nutrition from its food and starves to death. And because of this unique mode of action, insects cannot develop a resistance, ever. Bora-Care works differently than most other insecticides, termiticides and even other borate products on the market today. For starters, it isn't applied to the soil but to the structure itself. Secondly, it isn't just a repellent or a bait but a little bit of each. Bora-Care's unique patented blend of glycols in combination with a borate salt provides results that are hard to beat. As soon as beetles and ants attempt to consume treated wood they die. Subterranean termites won't even try to eat treated wood and if they attempt to build a tube on treated wood, the termites start to die. This alerts the termite colony and they abandon the wood.
Works by treating the wood, not the soil.
Bora-Care is applied directly onto wood surfaces, concrete, plumbing penetrations, expansion joints and foundation penetrations. Bora-Care then penetrates the wood, protecting it throughout. Because Bora-Care's active ingredient is a natural mineral salt, it doesn't break down over time. Bora-Care remains in the wood for the life of the wood. By keeping the wood sealed or protected from moisture as in the wall voids of a structure, you eliminate the need for retreatment. Soil treatments are not only more difficult to apply, they lose their effectiveness over time—then a costly retreatment becomes necessary every five to 10 years. Unlike soil treatments, Bora-Care is not a threat to the environment or water supply. Bora-Care's active ingredient is boron a natural element that is already present in the environment – not only in the ecosystems outside of your home—but also in many of the products you use inside. Bora-Care can even be used on ocean front, riverside or lakeside homes where soil termiticides may be prohibited.
What does the research say?
More than 2,000,000 effectively treated homes can't be wrong. Twelve years of efficacy studies to determine Bora-Care's ability to prevent termites and other wood-eating insects have shown that Bora-Care keeps wood from being a food source. Hundreds of additional studies have confirmed borates' effectiveness as a preservative, including more than 40 studies confirming its wood-protecting power. Bora-Care prevents subterranean termites from tubing across treated wood and other treated structural materials. In addition, a study by Louisiana State University demonstrated that even Formosan termites can't tube over concrete treated with Bora-Care.
Pretreatments can be done quickly; Infestations are handled with ease.
Pretreating a home with Bora-Care is fast and efficient. Bora-Care can be applied directly to the wood with a portable backpack sprayer or tank sprayer. The pest control company creates a continuous two-foot tall barrier onto all structural materials in contact with the foundation. There is no need for evacuation of your work crew or for special precautions.
Bora-Care is an EPA-registered "Primary Termite Pretreatment" product and is listed in the 2006 International Residential Code.
Bora-Care is Up to the Codes
In addition to EPA registration, Bora-Care wood treatments are HUD-allowed and listed for use under the 2006 International Residential Code, Section R320 Protection Against Subterranean Termites. Only Bora-Care's EPA-registered label allows it to be used on wood as a stand-alone two-foot barrier termite pretreatment. Bora-Care also meets the sill plate end-cut requirements set by building codes and the American Wood-Preservers' Association (AWPA M4).
A Closer Look at the Benefits of Bora-Care
Saves you one cycle day during construction
The next time you build a home, you'll save an entire day off your cycle. That's because with Bora-Care, there's no need for anyone to leave the job site. With soil pretreatments, workers are required by law to put everything on hold and vacate the premises until the application is complete and dry, negatively affecting construction schedules. But with Bora-Care, there's no need to coordinate with the pest control company or cement company. ).
Fastest growing termite pretreatment in the U.S.
The more builders experience the effectiveness of Bora-Care, the more they make it their termite pretreatment product of choice. Join the hundreds of builders who've said goodbye to the hazards and problems of soil treatments, and turned to the cost effective, easy to use Bora-Care. ).
Eliminates weather delay
While soil treatments must be applied to dry ground after footers are dug, Bora-Care does not. Instead, it's applied indoors, during the dried-in phase of construction. This keeps weather from ever being a factor. ).
Eliminates need for an additional treatment at final grade
Unlike soil treatments, Bora-Care only needs to be applied once. There is no need to return to the job site after the soil is set at final grade.).
Penetrates wood and remains for the life of the wood
A patented mixture of borates, glycol and other ingredients cause Bora-Care to penetrate the wood far deeper than any other borate product available, delivering residual protection. The wood is protected longer, homeowners are happier and builders are growing their businesses faster.).
Formulated with a concern for the environment
As the pest management industry becomes more environmentally conscious, Bora-Care continues to be the prime choice for those looking to protect our surroundings. Unlike soil treatments, Bora-Care is not a threat to the plant life or water supply of a home. With its mineral salt, borate-based formula, Bora-Care is made with natural elements that are already present in the ecosystems outside our homes. You'll also find it in many of the products we use inside. ).
Not pumped into soil
When you pre-treat wood and concrete with Bora-Care, that's all you treat. With soil treatments, one of the main concerns is that hundreds of gallons of pesticides are pumped directly into the ground, where they could spread. Bora-Care can even be used on lakeside homes where soil termiticides may be prohibited.).
12/25-year warranty available for your pest control company (varies from builder to builder)
If your pest control company chooses, it can register your homes for one of the five levels of our 12/25-Year BoraShield™ warranty (this warranty is extended only to the PMP). Our new BoraShield warranty protects you, your customers and your pest control company. This unprecedented warranty is the best in the pest control industry. And it's the only one to offer a 12-year damage repair warranty. (One level even offers a 25-year product replacement warranty for mold protection).
FHA Requires Termite Pretreatments in Red and Blue States
- Bora-Care Specimen Label / SDS (Acrobat PDF)
- Bora-Care 3-Part Spec (Word DOC)
- Bora-Care 30-Year Warranty Brochure (Acrobat PDF)
- Bora-Care Commercial 3-part spec (Acrobat PDF)
- Bora-Care Commercial 3-part spec (Word DOC)
- LEED CIR document (Excel XLS)
- Bora-Care Commercial Specimen Label/SDS (Acrobat PDF)
- Bora-Care Commercial Technical Bulletin (Acrobat PDF)
- Bora-Care Commercial New Construction Worksheet (Excel XLS)
- Bora-Care Comparison Flyer (Acrobat PDF)
- Bora-Care Bourbon Barns Technical Bulletin (Acrobat PDF)
- Bora-Care Covered Bridge Technical Bulletin (Acrobat PDF)


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The Asian Monetary Crisis: Proposed Remedies
Testimony before the Committee on Banking and Financial Services United States House of Representatives Washington, DC
The Causes of the Crisis
In assessing the ongoing monetary and economic crisis in Asia, which has already had a major global effect (including on the United States) and could well have even more disturbing impact in the near future, it is useful to distinguish among three sets of countries in the region:
- The Northeast Asians: Japan and Korea have had major structural problems, especially in their financial systems, for several years and Japanese growth has been very modest since the early 1990s.
- The Southeast Asians: Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia were enjoying rapid economic growth but had developed large external deficits and also suffered from extremely fragile financial sectors.
- The strong center: China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore have been enjoying rapid growth and very strong external positions that included large trade surpluses and very sizable levels of foreign exchange reserves.
The underlying origins of the crises are multifaceted and date back to at least early 1994, when China effectively devalued by about 40 percent. From early 1995 to late 1996, the yen depreciated by over 25 percent. The sharp declines of the two key currencies in the region put tremendous competitive pressure on the rest of Asia, eroding their trade positions and producing large deficits in Korea and throughout southeast Asia.
The crisis broke last summer when markets, as with Mexico in 1994-95 and many other countries in the past, began to doubt the sustainability of the external positions of the southeast Asians—especially in light of the increasingly apparent weakness of their domestic financial systems. The initial attack on Thailand quickly widened to the rest of southeast Asia, where underlying structural problems already existed as well, and to northeast Asia in light of its ongoing problems.
The contagion should have stopped at this point because the "strong center" countries, still enjoying huge trade surpluses and strong economic growth, could neither be forced to devalue nor did they need to do so for competitive reasons. However, Taiwan chose to let its currency join the decline after a minimal defensive effort. This in turn added enormously to the pressure on Hong Kong—which was already vulnerable because of a substantial appreciation of its currency, its maintenance of a fixed exchange rate after all other countries in the region had abandoned their pegs, the sizable exposure of its financial institutions to property lending and the close links between those institutions and the stock market. The result was a precipitous decline in the Hong Kong stock market and the resultant global reverberations—including the largest one-day drop in the history of the New York Stock Exchange.
One can only speculate as to Taiwan's motives for taking the action that reignited and escalated the global crisis. They could have been seeking to force Hong Kong to abandon its exchange rate peg, the key symbol of its success and stability, to undercut "the one country, two systems" regime that China clearly hopes will succeed so dramatically that the world will start urging Taiwan to accept a similar formula. It may not have been coincidental that Taiwan took this action on the eve of President Jiang Zemin's visit to the United States, hoping to embarrass China and discredit what it sees as one of its greatest modern accomplishments—the smooth and successful reversion of Hong Kong to the mainland.
On the purely economic side, Taiwan's action represented a clear competitive devaluation reminiscent of the 1930s. Taiwan is running a current account surplus of about 4 percent of its GDP ($8-10 billion). Its reserves of almost $100 billion are the third highest in the world, behind only Japan and China. On every measure, its competitive position remained very strong even after the depreciations in southeast Asia and Korea. Hence its action was totally unnecessary and violated every norm of international cooperative behavior.
The crisis then took on a wholly new dimension. If Taiwan had decided to devalue, would the other "strong center" countries do so as well? In particular, wouldn't Hong Kong be forced to act—given its close economic ties with Taiwan and the intense (political as well as economic) competition between them? Some business voices in Hong Kong in fact began to call for abandonment of the peg. The leadership of Singapore chimed in with a statement that they too might have to let their currency fall.
Thus arose the specter of a spiral of competitive devaluations. The Taiwan action prompted renewed depreciation in Korea, its closest competitor, and further roiled the markets in southeast Asia. Any significant depreciations by others in the "strong center" would clearly lead to renewed runs on all the weaker currencies in the region—and almost certainly in Latin America and elsewhere as well. It is no surprise that markets tumbled throughout the world, including in the United States—where our trade deficit already stands at a record level of $200 billion and would worsen much further as a result of all this.
Fortunately, the rest of the "strong center" has held to this point. Hong Kong has successfully defended its peg (though it is unclear how long it can maintain its current level of interest rates in view of their adverse impact on the economy, and on the crucial property sector in particular). China and Singapore have avoided any significant downward movements in their currencies. Thailand has installed a new government that pledges to fulfill its IMF program and thus to have access to the agreed financial support package. Indonesia has also adopted an IMF program and received sizable international financial support.
The situation has thus stabilized—for the moment. But it has not been resolved by any means. Much more is required to put the crisis definitively behind us.
Resolving the Crisis
Two major sets of policy implications emerge from this analysis, one to deal with the immediate situation and another for the longer run.
The most crucial policy requirement for the foreseeable future is to avoid a new spiral of competitive currency depreciations. Taiwan's wholly unjustified depreciation was the major source of pressure on Hong Kong and the ruminations by Singapore's leadership that it might have to follow. But depreciations by these strong countries, which are running large trade surpluses and possess massive foreign exchange reserves, would produce a new wave of market pressure, and subsequent matching depreciations, by the weaker countries—in both southeast and northeast Asia (including Korea, Japan and possibly even China). The move would almost certainly spread to other emerging markets, including Brazil and probably others in Latin America. It would be very difficult to stop the new spiral and global markets—including ours in the United States—would be devastated.
The impact of such a spiral on the United States would be substantial. As just noted, our markets could suffer severe additional hits. Moreover, all of Asia would in essence be trying to export its way out of its current problems—and most of those exports would be targeted at the United States. If the dollar remained at current levels, or strengthened further as a result of "safe haven" effects, our huge trade deficit would rise even further: from a projected $250-300 billion in 1998 to even higher levels. This could subtract upwards of a full percentage point from our annual economic growth. With such deficits looming, passage of fast track legislation would become even more difficult—though a definitive Congressional rejection of fast track, raising the specter of a US retreat into protectionism, would further cloud the prospects for recovery of the Asian (and Latin American) countries and intensify the pressure on their economies and currencies (see below for more on the implications for trade policy).
Alternatively, a new round of currency depreciations in Asia (and thus elsewhere) could trigger a sharp run out of the dollar. Markets would at some early point recognize the adverse impact on our trade position, the unsustainability of the deficits that would ensue—since the United States is not immune to ultimate market sanctions for running huge external imbalances— and the inevitable political backlash from the United States. A new dollar fall, in addition to further escalating the global spiral, could bring our current economic euphoria to a crashing halt: inflation concerns would soar, interest rates would follow them upward, and the financial markets would experience a very substantial "correction."
Hence it is essential to hold the line at the present level of exchange rates in the region. The strong countries, notably Hong Kong and China but also Singapore and especially (in light of its recent performance) Taiwan, have no reason to depreciate from current levels. Given its economic weight, Japan must also firmly resist any further weakening of the yen—overcoming its traditional proclivity to export its way out of (largely self-induced) economic stagnation via additional depreciation. All these countries have huge international reserves so should be quite able to defend their rates. If necessary, however, external support should be provided to enable (and encourage) them to do so. Some of the depreciations in the region may in fact have overshot their long-run equilibrium levels so some retracement of the recent declines may well occur if the situation can be stabilized on a lasting basis.
In southeast Asia, the Indonesian support package is essential in helping to stop the downward spiral. Every effort must be made, including by the United States, to assure that Indonesia and Thailand faithfully implement their IMF programs and thereby restore confidence in their currencies. US participation in the Indonesia package is wise and vital, and our abstention from the support program for Thailand was (and remains) a serious mistake (see below).
In northeast Asia, Korea and Japan must quickly launch the fundamental structural reforms that they have needed for some time. Korea is the next crisis candidate. A further sharp fall of its exchange rate could trigger a new currency spiral, including perhaps in the "strong core" (and thus throughout the world). Its banking system is extremely fragile and further deterioration there, particularly given Korea's extensive financial relationships with Japan, could have far-reaching repercussions.
New policy actions are particularly essential in Japan. Its economy has been stagnant for most of the past five years and looks to be headed into a new recession. There is little prospect of Japanese recovery until its government launches a comprehensive restructuring of the financial system, including an infusion of substantial government capital to take the huge volume of bad loans off the books of the banks. Japan also must reverse its abysmal fiscal policy: its tax increases earlier this year took 2 percent of GDP out of the economy and are a major source of the current slide.
Absent such steps, the Japanese stock market could fall sharply. This would in turn erase much of the capital of the banking system, bankrupting many of the individual institutions. They would then have to liquidate large volumes of existing loans, further weakening the Japanese economy and—since many of those assets are held abroad—affecting our own markets as well. Japan could thus trigger a new series of shocks unless it acts promptly.
By contrast, after having triggered the difficulties in an underlying sense with its devaluation in early 1994, China has performed quite well during the crisis. It has held its exchange rate, encouraged Hong Kong to do so as well, reduced interest rates, maintained solid growth while bringing inflation under control, and contributed to the new financial packages despite its low level of per capita income. Its positive leadership must be maintained but, so far at least, augurs well for a successful resolution of the crisis.
Avoiding Future Disruptions
The second set of policy requirements relates to the longer run. There is a clear need to launch new regional arrangements to reinforce the efforts of the International Monetary Fund to help prevent and respond to future monetary crises in the region. The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum is the logical institutional home for the "Asian monetary fund" that has been discussed so widely since the onset of the current financial problems in Southeast Asia and should initiate such arrangements at its summit meeting in Vancouver on November 25.
The primary goal would be prevention of future crises. After Mexico exploded in early 1995, there were extensive efforts to improve the "early warning system." But that system failed again in Thailand. Moreover, the contagion to neighboring countries is far worse now than in Latin America in 1995.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) did its job in foreseeing and warning of the impending problem. The systemic difficulty was that Thailand balked and no one pressed it to act.
The IMF on its own demonstrably cannot get emerging economies to adjust preemptively. It is unlikely that the industrial countries as a group, through the Group of Seven, or individual powers like the United States or Japan can do so. The best prospect is neighboring countries: because they are so likely to be hurt themselves by fallout from a crisis, their intervention is both legitimate and apt to be delivered forcefully. This is now particularly true in Asia in light of the contagion from Thailand that has engulfed the entire region and provided an objective lesson on the wider effects of a failure by one country to adjust responsibly.
APEC can provide the institutional locus for such efforts. It is already developing a process of "peer pressure" or "friendly persuasion" through which individual members encourage others to act responsibly, in the interests of the broader group as well as their own. APEC is using this approach to pursue "free and open trade and investment in the region by 2010 (for the advanced countries) or 2020 (for the rest)," the commitment undertaken at the Bogor summit in 1994. The most dramatic success came at last year's Subic summit when peer pressure persuaded a number of members to eliminate their tariffs on a wide range of high-tech products, enabling APEC to galvanize the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) on $500 billion of global trade in the World Trade Organization a few weeks later.
The APEC Finance Ministers have been meeting regularly since the Seattle summit in 1993 instructed them to do so. Their deputies have convened even more often, and will get together in Manila next week to consider this very topic. They have already discussed the currency and related issues in depth. They should begin systematically assessing national economic outlooks and pressing members to adopt good advice, from the IMF and elsewhere, that would head off future crises and thereby avoid new disruption in the region.
APEC should also create a standby funding arrangement to support further IMF programs in the region. The current cases are only the latest reminders that such crises inevitably occur from time to time. International rescue packages will be required in the future as in the past.
It is also clear that IMF lending by itself will never be adequate. The IMF has plenty of money, including from the latest increases agreed at Hong Kong and the standby General Arrangements to Borrow and (when implemented) New Arrangements to Borrow. But IMF credits to any individual country are limited by that country's quota at the Fund; even the unprecedented multiples for Mexico (700 percent of quota) and Thailand (500 percent) produced only one-quarter to one-third of the amounts needed. The IMF could and should remedy the situation by sharply expanding those multiples but the Europeans, who already have their own regional arrangements and continue to argue that both the Mexican and Thai rescues were inappropriate, would almost certainly oppose that alternative.
Widespread support has therefore developed for an "Asian monetary fund" to supplement the IMF. But Japan's proposal for an Asia-only facility was rejected by all concerned, including its intended beneficiaries, and has now been withdrawn. ASEAN is obviously too small. The "Six Markets Group" (or G-6) that met last spring included the United States but excluded many key Asian countries. The IMF itself has reportedly proposed that a regional grouping be created and staffed by its own new office in Tokyo.
APEC is the logical institutional venue for such arrangements. It includes all the Asian countries that might need help. It includes all the potential creditors, including the United States and Canada as well as Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Brunei. Its Latin American members would be helpful, Mexico with its crisis and dramatic recovery experience and Chile as a healthy role model. As noted, its Finance Ministers have already developed an extensive cooperative relationship and have discussed the relevant issues at length. It could use the IMF's Tokyo office, as proposed by the IMF itself, to administer this phase of its activity.
The United States has a particular interest in lodging any "Asian monetary fund," whether limited to new forms of multilateral surveillance ("peer pressure") or encompassing additional funding arrangements as well, in APEC. A central thrust of American foreign policy, including foreign economic policy, has been to avoid any institutional devices that—to use the words of former Secretary of State James Baker—"would draw a line down the middle of the Pacific and threaten to divide East Asia and North America." We have thus firmly, and successfully so far, rejected Malaysian and other proposals for an East Asian Economic Group or any other "Asia only" devices.
But our failure to participate in the support package for Thailand, permitting it to proceed on an "Asia only" basis, kindled widespread Asian resentment and questions about the willingness of the United States to put its money where its mouth was. That sequence of events in turn led directly to Japan's proposals for an Asia-only "Asian monetary fund," which would exclude us from the most crucial area of cooperation with(what are still) the world's most dynamic economies (as well as the largest potential source of security problems). The costs of any such outcome, to the broad national security as well as economic interests of the United States, would play out over many years and could be huge. The United States should not play the dominant role in responding to Asian monetary disturbances, as it did with respect to Mexico in 1994-95, but should actively support IMF stewardship of the process (and might on occasion even have to provide leadership if Japan and other possible alternatives are bogged down by their weak economies or otherwise unable to perform effectively).
Hence it is encouraging that the United States has "gotten back in the game" by participating fully in the Indonesian support package. It is even more encouraging that our officials are actively engaging in the discussions on the creation of any new "Asian monetary fund." Since APEC unambiguously includes the United States, and indeed several of our neighbors in this hemisphere, we should seek to use it as the locus for any such arrangements and to thereby defend some of our most fundamental national interests.
The main criticism of this proposal is that any standing fund would create "moral hazard," the risk that its very existence would assure future bailouts and thereby tempt countries to pursue profligate policies and private investors to continue pouring money into unsustainable situations. But there is a decisive answer to this concern (which is often simply an excuse from those who wish to avoid putting up money): to tie any APEC arrangements inextricably to IMF programs. No country would put itself through the wringer of a monetary crisis and subject itself to the tender mercies of the IMF simply because rescue funds were available. Nor would private investors keep coming, with countless alternative opportunities around the world, if the Fund requires them to share the costs of adjustment programs as it must.
Moreover, the alternative to standby arrangements is ad hoc bailouts as cobbled together by the United States for Mexico and Japan for Thailand. Their outcome is always highly uncertain, as when the Congress almost blocked the Mexican package. Their magnitude, sharing among donors and speed of delivery are purely fortuitous. Prepared standby funding is far preferable.
There is no definitive basis for judging the appropriate magnitude for such a new facility. However, the current programs for Thailand and Indonesia cumulate to about $50 billion. Any new program for Korea, which could be required soon, would bring the total close to $100 billion. These amounts are unlikely to decline in the future. Moreover, the primary objective of any such fund would of course be deterrence of crises so it should tilt toward larger rather than smaller levels of resources. Something on the order of $100 billion would probably represent a prudent minimum.
The other key systemic requirement is prompt and faithful implementation of the International Banking Standard proposed by my colleague Morris Goldstein (Morris Goldstein, The Case for an International Banking Standard. Institute for International Economics, Washington: 1997.) and agreed, in modified form as the Basel Core Principles, at the recent IMF annual meeting in Hong Kong. Weak financial sectors, as noted, were a central and pervasive cause of the crisis in virtually every troubled country. Countries must be held to the newly agreed norms, for adequate restructuring and supervision of their banking regimes, as part of any comprehensive program to avoid future disruptions of a similar type.
Two Implications for Trade Policy
I conclude by noting two important implications of these financial problems for trade policy.
First, all of the Asian countries that have been hit by the crisis—and the Latin Americans and others as well—must find ways to reduce their external deficits. They have the usual two choices: expand exports or restrict imports. It is obviously in our interest that they pursue the former course.
The President's failure to achieve fast track negotiating authority, if permitted to stand, could tilt the outcome in the wrong direction. Any lasting indication that the United States, by far the strongest economy and largest trading nation in the world, was reversing (or even seriously reconsidering) the basic thrust of its liberal trade policy could unleash a widespread protectionist reaction throughout the developing world. Crisis-impacted countries throughout Asia and Latin America would justifiably ask whether they should continue to pursue market-oriented, outward-directed development and adjustment strategies, by contrast with Mexico's staunchly pro-market adjustment strategy in 1995 that was "locked in" by its participation in NAFTA. The highly desirable and successful marketization trend of the past two decades could be halted or even reversed. The Congress must factor this consideration centrally into its thinking when taking up fast track again in early 1998.
Second, the members of APEC and the World Trade Organization have an early opportunity to use trade measures to help promote recovery from the crisis: the planned culmination by December 12 of the WTO negotiations on liberalization of financial services. It is clear, as noted above, that weak and inefficient financial sectors were a pervasive and central cause of the crisis throughout the region (including in Japan and Korea). Hence the modernization and liberalization of those sectors are essential elements of adjustment programs everywhere, and will be necessary to restore both internal and external confidence in their currencies and economies.
The WTO talks offer a fortuitous opportunity for the troubled countries to move together in this sphere, gaining the advantage of collective action and maximizing the market impact of their actions. The troubled Asian counties must therefore come forward with credible financial services reforms to deal with the wide-ranging problems of their banking and other financial industries. The United States must accept that, particularly in light of the fragile financial conditions in the region, the Asian countries will need both time to phase in such liberalization and technical help in establishing the essential supervisory systems. Fortunately, our Treasury has indicated its recognition of these requirements and it therefore seems likely that reasonable proposals from the Asians will be accepted. An agreement can be reached initially at the APEC summit in Vancouver and then, as a year ago with the Information Technology Agreement when APEC agreed and then persuaded the rest of the WTO to do so as well, in the global forum in Geneva.


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As the Worlds Turn
Categories: Earth
Oct 15, 2012
If you're itching it get away from it all, really get away from it all, have we got some exotic destinations for you. Mars … Jupiter's moon Europa … asteroids . Tour some enticing worlds that are worlds away, but ripe for exploration.
Also, why private spaceships may be just the ticket for getting yourself into space, unless you want to wait for a space elevator.
And, why one science journalist boasts of an infectious, unabashed, and unbridled enthusiasm for space travel.
- Cynthia Phillips – Planetary geologist, SETI Institute
- Britney Schmidt – Research scientist, University of Texas, Austin
- Paul Abell – Planetary geologist, NASA's Johnson Space Center
- Richard Hollingham – Science journalist, producer of Space Boffins podcast, living in the U.K.
- Barry Matsumori – Senior vice president for commercial sales and business development, SpaceX Corporation
- Peter Swan – Space System Engineer and Vice President, International Space Elevator Consortium


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The new nude lip for fall is not pale and Kim K. circa 2009, but rather, a little earthy and autumnal. It mimics your natural lip color but pulls a little brown. You could say it's got a touch of the 90s thrown in there. It could be matte, satin or as I prefer, Velvet Gloss-y. Oh, NARS. I'm so devoted to your Velvet Gloss Pencils. The newest addition for fall, More, is an auburn hue. It's got more than just a touch of the 90s in there – it's very reminiscent of that era for me. And, I love how it looks on me. I love it even more, though, blended with NARS Velvet Gloss Pencil in Buenos Aires. Together, these two create the perfect new nude lip. It's fresh, healthy and perfect for the season.
What do you think of the new nude?


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In the very early hours of Sunday morning my sister and her husband arrived from England for their annual two-week visit to Egypt to visit family and friends. During their stay, I though I would make their lives a little easier by lending them my car to help them get about in Alexandria as well as Cairo rather than relying on people for rides or public transportation. While I was at work they made their way to Alexandria to spend their first week there.
At around 11:30 pm I was awoken from my slumber to the sound of my blackberry ringing and a illuminated screen with a name across the screen. I would usually ignore any calls while I'm getting my rest, but I found it odd that my sister would be ringing at such an hour. When I answered I could sense that she was in no mood for pleasantries and wanted to get straight to the point. "Hi, did you have anything of value in the car?" Having just woken up unexpectedly, my brain got another jolt! (thinking to myself) 'Why would she be asking me such a question at this time of night???? (brain kicks into gear) unless '…) "No, nothing of value, just change in coins and my CDs, WHY?" I ask waiting to her the answer I already knew. "Someone broke into your car by smashing the passenger window and stole both license plates off your car and the car emblems, nothing appears to be stolen from inside, we are on our way to the Police Station to report it now."
Upon hearing news like this, you would have expected me to have had more of reaction, but I took it really well and had no trouble going back to sleep. When I woke the next morning the memory of the conversation came crashing down on me like a tidal wave! License plates stolen, window broken …WTH!? Thoughts of the pains taking task that lay ahead to get the report stamped with the Egyptian Police seal, to go to the Traffic headquarters to get all the papers needed to replace the stolen plates with new ones and reissue a new car license with the new plate numbers on is worse than registering a newly bought car!! Then thoughts of my sister and her husband came to mind. They hadn't been in the country 24 hours and this happens to them? Geez! That is not the way to start your vacation.
After work I called my Mom who gave me an update on the situation. She said it took my sister and her hubby a while to file the report and they didn't get home till after 1am. She and my Dad (God Bless Them) got up at 8am to begin procedures to replace the plates and issue a new car license as well as running other errands in the scortching heat.
It turns out, my sister had arranged to meet a lot of her friends at the Greek Club by the tram in Alexandria the evening of her first day there. She had parked on the tram side of the street next to the club, which is where she has always parked pre and post revolution. While they were inside catching up with their friends the security guard came in and told one of the regulars that there was a space in front of the club for him to move his car too. Jokingly my sister said 'What it's not safe to park by the side of the club anymore?' The security guard and friends said that is wasnt. The guard said he'd go and look and see if there was a place for her to move her car to, not long after going out to check he returned and informed the owner of the restaurant in the club that my car had been targeted. Apparently that area is watched by a gang of window smashing, plate stealing jerks!
Earlier that day, my sister's friends had gone to Cairo and the very same thing had happened to them. Passenger window broke, plates stolen, but their car was taken, but later found with the wires dangeling down from the dashboard, (it had been hot wired) and quite a few items stolen from inside the car.
The reason the gang choose to smash the passenger window is because many people keep the car license in the car's glove compartment. The license plates are taken to put on other cars transporting drugs and if caught, the plates won't be traced back to them but to the owner of the car they stole the plates from! God forbid if the same should ever happen to you, report it immediately because if you don't you'll be held liable for any crime the plates have been involved in. Secondly do not leave your car license in your vehicle, because if you do and they take it, well they have evidence of owner ship and could sell it or find some other use for it.
I am very grateful that my sister and brother-in-law were not harmed in any way and that the car wasn't stolen. I am also very grateful to them and my Dad for taking car of all the legal procedures in my absence and getting it all done.
Let this be a warning to you out there, be careful where you park the car. Try and avoid poorly lit streets.
Since the Revolution the crime rate appears to have risen drastically. Crimes like these occurred during the Mubarak rule, but they wouldn't be as frequent because thieves knew what the consequences would be if they were ever to get caught. Now, it's like a popular past time or accepted profession!


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http://worldviewwarriors.blogspot.co.uk ... babel.html (latest and currently being discussed blog article)
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogI ... 7455786788 (discussion)
In case it should disappear (but this is not Wolcott's personal blog so he cannot just zap my posts and ban me) my post 41, just now, reads:
"Go to hell liar Wolcott.
I never wrote whatever you are citing. You cannot prove that I did.
What or Who is "Mountain Time via Facebook"? I have never heard of anything with that title.
The Bible says that ALL liars will be thrown into a lake of fire. I think you are behaving more like an atheist than I ever do.
You have also changed your fictitious story. You accused me of sending a private message saying those words.
You are beneath contempt and I am angry at your false malicious childish attempts at libel. I will continue to hound you if you do not apologise for your deliberate lying.
Your disgusting mendacity is being made known to a wider audience - on the BCSE community forum.
YEC is evil in the church."
Here's an earlier example of Wolcott embarrassing himself:
http://worldviewwarriors.blogspot.co.uk ... istic.html
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogI ... 3666016049
Wolcott - if you read this, and I suggest that you do, you have the right to explain how exactly I have got the facts about you 'wrong'.
YEC - a lifetime of LYING where to admit any of the previous lies is a much worse prospect than carrying on with the lying, covering up, and general false and malicious libel of troublesome critics.


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BKWSO Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organization
As a worldwide family of individuals from all walks of life, the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organization offers an education in human, moral and spiritual values. To meet the challenge of change, it initiates dialogue and presents a fresh vision of the future. It recognizes the intrinsic goodness of all human beings and teaches meditation to help each one rediscover their inner resources and strengths. Contact us or go to www.brahmakumaris.org for more information.
Our society encourages distraction and evasion as a means
to experience happiness. But actually this takes you far
away from yourself and just postpones dissatisfaction.
The true solution is to concentrate on what nourishes spirit
and gives you life.
Extracted from the The Gift of Peace by Enrique Simo
Area Locations:
13914 Josey Lane
1420 N Cooper St. Ste 112
14135 Friendship Rd.
2500 S. Broadway, Ste 104
*All services are free of charge as a community service.


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Smart Phones, Tablets, and Hand-held Devices: Threats or Productivity Builders?
Guest Post by Contributing Author Ken Presti
We see them every day, at work, on the train, at conferences, at coffee shops, and everywhere else that people might gather: hand-held devices that function as telephones, Internet access devices, network access devices, or perhaps merely toys upon which we can play "Angry Birds."
They are pervasive, inexpensive, and versatile. But they also beg the question of whether they are truly ready for prime time, in the business sense of the term.
The truth is that a lot depends on how these devices are used and what sort of access they are granted. At the end of the day, this question is really about balancing convenience and security. The knee-jerk response is that security will trump convenience every time. However, if convenience enables people to be more connected and do more work than the otherwise might, then that makes the decision somewhat tricky, doesn't it?
For leaders of small businesses who find these devices showing up in the workplace and on the network, the best advice might be to consult your favorite channel partner. Give that partner a sense of how many devices are getting onto the network and where on the network they are going. Then share with the channel partner your perceived vulnerabilities and what you need to protect. In most cases, some sort of protection, even if only in the form of policies, will be available.
It's also true that some devices may be "harder" than others. So the rules may differ somewhat, based on the type of unit that is seeking to gain access.
Once the security piece is addressed, it will likely be important to communicate the situation with your employees. Stress the fact that IT security is something that affects everyone's online safety and everyone's job. This is not about finding fault. This is about protecting the data that is critical to everyone's paycheck while at the same time ensuring as much access and convenience as practical. Ask them what sorts of data they seek to access on their device so that security measures can be conducted efficiently and effectively. Putting the question to them in this manner can not only secure the necessary levels of cooperation. It can also help you to predict vulnerabilities that you might not otherwise know existed.
But having these devices in use also makes it easier for your employees to remain connected and stay engaged with the business at hand. Information is more available to them. Emails tend to get responses more quickly, and overall access is simply improved. These are all substantial benefits.
As you work with your staff, your management, ad your channel partner, new perspectives on technology can emerge, which can unleash your employee productivity without putting your most protected data assets at risk.
In an effort to keep conversations fresh, Cisco Blogs closes comments after 60 days. Please visit the Cisco Blogs hub page for the latest content.
2 Comments
Software and services, including our own, are now available to manage the security and configuration of smartphones and tablets. Provided you have a policy and the right tools they don't need to be a security problem or a burden on IT.
I find my iPhone invaluable for working outside the office.
Actually, all high technology like hand-held, smart phone, tablet device are created for users who as a businesment in order to get more convenience to connect with each other, the question is do they use efficiently?. Like the example above, that always happend for them, it all depend on how they use the device? If they uses wisely then can be productivity and if notcan be a threat


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Differentiated Technical Assistance / Training
Virginia's nationally-recognized model for raising student achievement in low-performing schools is the Partnership for Achieving Successful Schools (PASS). PASS provides differentiated levels of assistance and intervention that match the unique needs of each school. In implementing PASS, VDOE's Office of School Improvement helps school divisions build internal capacity for effective and sustained reform.
Under the auspices of PASS, the Office of School Improvement offers resources including recorded webinars and webinar series on topics related to school improvement.
For live and recorded videos, you may download FREE Windows & Macintosh media players
Co-Teaching and Inclusive Practices
- Collaborative Efforts Between General and Special Educators – November 2011 (PPT)
- Handouts – November 2011 (PDF)
- Leading the Dance: Co-Teaching – January 2012 (PDF)
- Strategies, Strategies and More Strategies for Co-Teaching – February 2012 (PDF)
- Co-Teaching Demonstration Sites
Demonstration sites showcase general and special education teachers sharing responsibility for the achievement of all students in the general education classroom through co-teaching, collaboration, and implementation of inclusive and research-based practices. The co-teaching demonstration site visits are one of many service options available to address the achievement of students with disabilities.
- Contact your regional Training and Technical Assistance Center (TTAC) to determine which sites are open in your region. The number of site visits will be limited so as not to interfere with the ongoing instructional program. Therefore, priority will be given to schools that did not meet their Annual Measurable Objectives for students with disabilities. TTAC staff, in collaboration with the building level administration, will determine the professional development needs and service options for a requesting school. If a site visit is determined to be an appropriate professional development activity for an individual school, the site visit will be coordinated and pre-scheduled by the region TTAC liaison.
- 2017-2018 Co-teaching Demonstration Site List and Statewide Inclusive Action Plan described in Superintendent's #MEMO 311-17 - Virginia's Statewide Inclusion Action Plan
- The Real Co-Teachers of Virginia Webshops
The components of the webshops include general information about co-instructing, co-planning and co-assessing, with videos of demonstration site co-teachers engaging in these activities. The Standards of Learning (SOL) Enhanced Scope & Sequence Lesson Plans adapted for co-teaching are shared, along with other resources. All webshops can be accessed through TTAC Online.
Data Literacy: Enhancing Teacher Data Literacy – What State Educational Agencies And Their Partners Can Do
On February 7, 2014, Mid-Atlantic Comprehensive Center (MACC) and Appalachia Regional Comprehensive Center (ARCC) hosted a webinar titled "Enhancing Teacher Data Literacy: What State Educational Agencies And Their Partners Can Do". See the recorded webinar and supporting documents
Differentiated Instruction
Introduction (Word)
Part I of III: Personalized/Tiered/Differentiated Instruction
- Video Recording
- Slides – June 2013 (PPT)
- Video Series Guide (Word)
Part II of III: The Learning Plan Grid
- Video Recording
- Slides – June 2013 (PPT)
- Video Series Guide (Word)
Part III of III: Metacognition & Self-Directed Learning
- Video Recording
- Slides – June 2013 (PPT)
- Video Series Guide (Word)
- Blank Frayer Model (Word)
Dropout Prevention
Webinar Series: Tiered Interventions to Support Keeping Students on Track to Graduation
Arlington County Graduation Materials:
- Presentation: Dropout Prevention, March, 2011 (PDF)
- Framework for the Dropout Prevention Initiative – October, 2011 (Word)
- Final Dropout Report to School Board and Taskforce: Arlington Public Schools (APS): A Review of Efforts To Date to Reduce Dropping out of School (Word)
- Presentation to School Board: Dropout Prevention, January, 2012 (PPT)
- Task Force Update: Dropout Prevention, January, 2012 (PDF)
Other Resources:
- Evidence Based Resources For Keeping Students On Track To Graduation (PDF)
- Also see Attendance & Truancy
Effective School Scheduling
Elementary School Scheduling Part I of II: First Steps
- Video Recording
- Slides – June 2013 (PPT)
- Video Series Guide (Word)
Elementary School Scheduling Part II of II: Protecting Instructional Time
- Video Recording
- Slides – June 2013 (PPT)
- Video Series Guide (Word)
Inclusive Scheduling – Including Students with Disabilities
Effective Strategies for Improving Vocabulary Development
On March 14, 2012, VDOE presented a training event, Effective Strategies for Improving Vocabulary Development. The training was repeated on April 5, 2012, and a recording of that training appears below. The training is designed mainly for grades K-5, but middle school teachers will also benefit. The webinar includes a section on Beck's Tiered words which is applicable to high school, but high school representatives may wish to pursue that material independently.
Anita Archer Strategic Literacy Videos – Sonoma County Office of Education
Supporting Materials:
- Word Learning: Building Bridges to Better Instruction (PDF)
- Making the Very Most of Classroom Read-Alouds to Promote Comprehension and Vocabulary (PDF)
The Eight Elements of High School Improvement
This series of eight training sessions was developed by the Office of School Improvement in partnership with The Virginia Foundation for Educational Leadership. The series is designed to present research-based information on The National High School Center's Eight Elements of High School Improvement. The Eight Elements provide a framework for school improvement for high schools rated Accredited with Warning or Provisionally Accredited-Graduation Rate. The sessions are provided through recorded webinars. The PowerPoint presentations and additional handouts used in the sessions are also provided.
- Viewing This Video
- Video image size: to adjust the size of the video image, click the center button at the bottom right of the video window to view the display options.
- For users of Mac, Windows, GNU/Linux, Source and other operating systems, a free viewer is available.
- Session 1: Rigorous Curriculum and Instruction
- Element 1 Presentation (PPT)
- Teaching Framework (PDF)
- Session 2: Assessment and Accountability
- Element 2 Presentation (PPT)
- Session 3: Teacher Effectiveness and Professional Growth
- Element 3 Presentation (PPT)
- Session 4: Student and Family Supports
- Element 4 Presentation (PPT)
- Session 5: Stakeholder Engagement
- Element 5 Presentation (PPT)
- Session 6: Leadership Development
- Element 6 Presentation (PPT)
- Team Life Cycle and Checklist (Word)
- Session 7: Organization and Structure
- Element 7 Presentation (PPT)
- Session 8: Sustainability
- Element 8 Presentation (PPT)
Also see Attendance & Truancy
Formative Assessment
New Schools
- #1 Introduction – October 25, 2011 (PPT)
- #2 Framework – November 15, 2011 (PPT)
- #3 Assessment for Learning – December 13, 2011 (PPT)
- #4 Checking for Understanding – January 17, 2012 (PPT)
- #5 Feedback – February 22, 2012 (PPT)
- #6 Uncovering Misconceptions – March 27, 2012 (PPT)
- #7 Remediation That Makes A Difference – April 24, 2012 (PPT)
Returning Schools
- #1 October 3,2011 (PPT)
- #2 March 19, 2012 (PPT)
Freshmen Transition
Freshmen transition is a critical element of the high school process. This Friday Focus video, presented by the Virginia Foundation for Educational Leadership, provides an overview of one high school's multi-layered approach to freshmen transition. Viewers will examine a number of comprehensive ideas on how to enhance the freshmen transition model for both students and parents.
Improving School Performance for All Children
The Office of School Improvement has developed materials to help schools prepare for the journey of school improvement, identify components of an effective improvement process, and provide strategies to help sustain improvement efforts.
- Improving School Performance for All Children (PDF) – (Temporarily unavailable)
Instructional Delivery
Part I of III: Building a Foundation
- Video Recording
- Slides – June 2013 (PPT)
- Video Series Guide (Word)
Part II of III: A Framework
- Video Recording
- Slides – June 2013 (PPT)
- Video Series Guide (Word)
- Next Steps: Framework for Instructional Delivery (Word)
Part III of III: Best Practices
- Video Recording
- Slides – June 2013 (PPT)
- Video Series Guide (Word)
- Next Steps: Strategies for Instructional Delivery (Word)
Instructional Preparation
Introduction to Instructional Preparation (Word)
Part I of IV: Effective Teaming
- Video Recording
- Slides (PPT)
- Video Series Guide (Word)
- Addison Action Agenda (Word)
- Decision Making Pyramid (Word)
Part II of IV: Unit Planning
- Video Recording
- Slides (PPT)
- Video Series Guide (Word)
Instructional Delivery
- Video Recording
- Slides (PPT)
- Video Series Guide (Word)
Part IV of IV: Collegial Coaching
- Video Recording
- Slides (PPT)
- Video Series Guide (Word)
On January 31, 2012, the Office of School Improvement held a webinar to introduce interested schools and school divisions to istation. istation delivers computer-based reading assessment and interventions for grades PreK-3 and grades 4-10. A PowerPoint presentation and 4 pre-recorded webinars are linked below. For further information, visit www.istation.com.
Pre-recorded webinars:
(The following files use media player)
- Getting Started with istation (WMV)
- Understanding the ISIP Assessment (WMV)
- A Comprehensive Look at istation (WMV)
- Using istation Reports (WMV)
Part I of III: The Principal
- Video Recording
- Slides – June 2013 (PPT)
- Video Series Guide (Word)
Part II of III: Teachers and Teams
- Video Recording
- Slides – June 2013 (PPT)
- Video Series Guide (Word)
Part III of III: Data Driven Leadership
- Video Recording
- Slides – June 2013 (PPT)
- Video Series Guide (Word)
- Suggested Lesson Components for Teaching in Extended Mathematics Periods (Word)
- On March 26, 2012, VDOE held a training event for the Roanoke City Schools regarding the revised mathematics standards and assessments. The session included strategies for using a variety of VDOE resources to plan lessons. In addition, frequently asked questions about the revised mathematics standards were discussed.
Mathematics: Identifying and Assisting Elementary and Middle School Students Struggling with Mathematics
- December 4, 2013 – On December 4, 2013, Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Appalachia hosted a webinar focused on equipping elementary and middle school mathematics teachers and curriculum coaches with: 1) research-based recommendations (approved by the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences, or IES) for identifying students struggling with mathematics, and 2) guidance on strengthening mathematics instruction and support for these students. The IES practice guide, Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Response to Intervention (RtI) for Elementary and Middle Schools, and its eight recommendations were the event's focal points.
- See the recorded webinar and slide presentation – Please note that in order to view the slides and video of the recorded webinar, viewers must use Internet Explorer 10 or 11 or Mozilla Firefox.
- March 26, 2014
Mathematics – Supporting Students with Disabilities
Play Video: Supporting Students with Disabilities in Mathematics
Student Assistance Programming
Student Assistance Programming: Creating Positive Conditions for Learning
Educators today are more cognizant than ever of how stress can affect the performance of students in the classroom. Just as adults can feel stress from adverse circumstances in their lives, young people can as well. They, too, are vulnerable to stress resulting from a variety of problems they or others close to them may have. Student Assistance Programming goals are to prevent problems through education and address existing problems by directing students to school-based or community services providers as may be appropriate. VDOE has created a web section that provides Student Assistance Programming resources and training materials.
Student Classroom Engagement
Part I: The Three Components
- Video Recording
- Slides (PPT)
- Video Series Guide (Word)
- Sample Learning Plan Grid (Word)
- Teacher Practices for Engagement (Word)
Part II: Student Autonomy
- Video Recording
- Slides (PPT)
- Video Series Guide (Word)
Targeted Literacy Intervention Webinar Series
Session 1: Reading Instruction and Targeted Interventions – October 31, 2013
- Video Recording
- Slides (PDF)
- Handouts (PDF)
- Small Group Observation Tool (Word)
Session 2: Assessing Reading at Midyear: Working Smarter with PALS – January 9, 2014
- Video Recording
- Slides (PDF)
- Handouts (PDF)
Session 3: Literacy K-3: Linking Assessment to Instruction (Briefing for Reading Specialists) – February 6, 2014
Session 4: Planning for Success in a Reading Classroom – April 23, 2014
- Slides (PDF)
- BSRI Best Practices Series: Differentiated and Small Group Instruction in First Grade (Video)
Training for School Improvement Teams
Teacher Leader Training 2010-2011
During the 2010-11 school year, OSI provided Teacher Leader Training in a series of four training sessions to selected school divisions. The resource materials from those sessions are provided below (all documents on this topic are MS Word files unless otherwise indicated).
- Guiding Questions Regarding Teacher Leader Training
- Rapid improvement Indicators
Session 1 Materials
- Manual – Training for Instructional Leaders Session 1 (PDF)
- PowerPoint – Session 1 (PPT)
- Kagan Conversation Chips (PDF)
- Blossoming with Bloom's
- Objectives for Fluency
- Action Agenda – Addison Middle School Meeting Template
- Blank 4 X 4 Form
- 4 X 4 Review
- Description of Instructional Team Chart
- Learning Plan Grid Q & A
- Sample Learning Plan Grid
- Learning Plan Grid Template
- Skit – An Instructional Team
- Addison Action Agenda
- Anticipation Guide – Developing the Unit Plan
- Sample Unit Plan
- Next Steps Effective Teaming and Instructional Planning
- Crosswalk of Indicators and Wise Ways
- Facilitators' Guide
Session 2 Materials
- Manual – Training for Instructional Leaders Session 2 (PDF)
- PowerPoint – Session 2 (PPT)
- 4 X 4 Review – Revised
- Activity: Before, During, After and More
- Data Checkup (PPT)
- Instructional Team Plan Guide/Template
- 3 Slides (slides 40, 41, 32) – SOL 3.4
- Indicators of Effective Instruction Checklist
- Next Steps Associated with Classroom Culture
- What's the Big Idea?
- PMI ( Plus – Minus – Interesting) Template
- Teacher Self Assessment for Student Engagement
- Use of the Teacher Self Assessment
- Next Steps – Effective Use of Data in Instructional Decisions
- Facilitators' Guide
Session 3 Materials
- Manual – Training for Instructional Leaders Session 3 (PDF)
- PowerPoint – Session 3 (PPT)
- Bookmark for Whole Class Instruction (PDF)
- Motivational Expertise Graphic Organizer (PDF)
- Article: "What Money Can't Buy" by Mike Schmoker
- Suggested Classroom Procedures
- Assessment of Classroom Management & Culture
- Ideal Learning Environment
- Teacher's Self-Assessment for Student Engagement
- Use of Teacher's Self-Assessment for Student Engagement
- Guiding Principles for Work Time
- Centers Checklist
- Next Steps/Session 2 Reports – Effective Use of Data
- Article: "Flagged For Success" by Robyn R. Jackson
- Decision Making Pyramid
- Next Steps: Instructional Preparation (PDF)
- Next Steps: Instructional Prompts (PDF)
- Next Steps: Instructional Monitoring (PDF)
- Next Steps: Instructional Materials (PDF)
- Next Steps: Instructional Application (PDF)
- Self-Reflection Survey
- Facilitators' Guide
Session 4 Materials
- Manual – Training for Instructional Leaders Session 4 (PDF)
- PowerPoint – Session 4 (PPT)
- PMI Inventory Template
- Developing Learners' Metacognitive Thinking Skills, Anticipation Guide
- Developing Learners' Metacognitive Thinking Skills: Food for Thought
- Instructional Strategies
- A Summary of Ann Grifalconi's "The Village of Round and Square Houses"
- Metacognitive Processing
- Developing Learners' Higher Order and Metacognitive Thinking Skills: References
- Classroom Observation A
- Classroom Observation B
- Wrap Up/Word Bank
- Homework Guidelines
- Fishbone Graphic Organizer (PDF) | (Word)
- Tappahannock Elementary School Weekly Folder Information Letter
- Tappahannock Elementary School Weekly Work Folder October Calendar
- Franklin City TRIAGE (PPT)
- 4x4 Review Graphic Organizer Blank Form
- Blossoming with Bloom's Taxonomy – Components of the Metacognitive Processing Cycle: Self Regulation
- Facilitators' Guide
Transformative Classroom Management
The Virginia Department of Education Office of School Improvement contracted with John Shindler, Ph.D., to provide a series of twelve recorded webinar sessions for the purpose of professional development and school improvement in the areas of classroom management and school climate. The content for the Transformative Classroom Management (TCM) webinar series is based on the publication Transformative Classroom Management, written and copyrighted by Dr. John Shindler in 2009.
Transformative Classroom Management (TCM) series focuses on helping teachers to intentionally and effectively create positive conditions for teaching and learning. TCM is an approach to management and discipline that offers suggestions for creating optimal conditions for learning, motivation, achievement and growth. It focuses on achieving long-term meaningful results. Research indicates that student achievement is greater in classes when teachers use TCM.
There are twelve recorded sessions in the series. Each session is identified by a sequential number and the name of the session. All sessions include a video recording, the session's PowerPoint slides, and a guide. Most sessions also include recorded video clips of skills in practice.
School division administrators, building administrators, school improvement teams, grade level or content area teams, individual teachers, and other stakeholders in the school improvement process may use the TCM series as a means of professional development. School improvement teams may incorporate in their plans the use of the TCM series for capacity building. Facilitators may choose to work with small or large groups; individual teachers may work independently; or the series may be used as a coaching tool.
The Virginia Tiered System of Supports (VTSS)
Virginia Tiered Systems of Supports (VTSS) is a framework and philosophy that provides resources and support to help every student to be successful in academics and behavior.


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"Trapped in the Closet" is back in a big way.
Five years after he dropped the last chapter of his serial narrative of sex, lies and singing, R. Kelly returned Oct. 17 with Chapter 23 to continue the epic story of Sylvester, Rufus, Rosie The Nosey Neighbor, Twan, Roxanne and Pimp Lucius.
Now IFC will air 11 new chapters of the opus beginning at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 23. Kelly has confirmed that 20 more chapters have been filmed, but it won't even stop there.
"'Trapped in the Closet' is forever," he recently told Time magazine. "I've got like a hundred chapters to come."
Well, 85 for sure, if you believe what the Chicago-based R&B singer said Monday in New York, where he claimed "Trapped" might be heading to Broadway. The 45-year-old said the 85 chapters are "waiting in the studio for y'all," according to the Los Angeles Times. "The chapters that are coming--the show, we call it--is going to exceed every chapter that you have ever seen."
He said he's working to transform it into a Broadway show. "I don't have a job, so I sit in the studio all day and think of stuff to do and this is just something stupid I've done that's been successful for me," he said. "I'm having a lot of fun with it."
Before you watch the 11 new chapters, check out our (very brief) recap of the first 22 chapters. (IFC will air the first 22 chapters beginning at 6 p.m. Nov. 23.)
Chapter 1: Sylvester wakes up in a stranger's bed. Before he can leave, the woman's husband comes home so Sylvester hides in the closet. His phone rings. The husband opens the closet ... closet ... closet.
2: Sylvester tries to leave, but the husband, a pastor, doesn't let him. The pastor phones someone and asks "Baby" to come to the house. Baby does, and baby is a man ... man ... man.
3: The husband, Rufus, and his male lover, Chuck, tell Rufus's wife, Cathy, that they have been dating about a year. Sylvester calls his own home, where a man picks up the phone ... phone ... phone.
4: Sylvester speeds home to confront the mystery man but is pulled over by a cop, who tickets him. When Sylvester gets home, his wife says her brother, Twan, answered the phone. Sylvester wants to make up with his wife in bed. But he finds a used condom ... condom ... condom.
5: Sylvester's wife confesses that the man on the phone wasn't Twan. He's a man his wife's friend, Cathy, introduced her to. The man is revealed to be the policeman who stopped Sylvester ... Sylvester ... Sylvester.
6: The cop, James, comes back to Sylvester's house, where the men fight over Gwendolyn (Sylvester's wife, James' lover). All of the sudden a gun goes off. Pow ... Pow ... Pow.
7: The bullet hit Twan (Gwendolyn's actual brother), who just got home from jail. He's OK though; his family catches him up on all the drama. There's a knock at the door, and everyone pulls their guns on Rosie the Nosy Neighbor ... neighbor ... neighbor.
8: James (the cop) returns to his car and calls his own wife, who made him a pie. He heads home to find Bridget acting strangely. She just slept with another man, who is still in the house ... house ... house.
9: James hears a noise in the kitchen, and when he searches the room she stands in front of a cabinet. He opens the door and finds a midget ... midget... midget.
10: The little person says he was paid by someone to sleep with Bridget. Bridget pulls a shotgun on James as Twan and Sylvester bust in the door, guns drawn. The midget soils himself and passes out ... out ... out.
11: Bridget says she knows about James' infidelity and that the little person--a stripper named Big Man--is the father of her unborn baby ... baby ... baby.
12: Back at Cathy's, she, Rufus and Chuck still are arguing when Gwendolyn calls. Gwen says she saw Sylvester with a wig-wearing ho, which makes Cathy realize the man she slept with was Sylvester. She tells Gwen, "I'm sorry, girl, but that ho was me." (This is the first chapter without a musical ending.)
13: Sylvester and Twan catch up while driving to a restaurant so Sylvester can collect money from someone ... who turns out to be Cathy.
14: Twan sits in Sylvester's car waiting for him to come out of the restaurant. He gets a call from a friend who tells him Tina, the woman who set him up to go to jail, works at the same restaurant. He goes inside to find Tina and her friend, Roxanne, about to attack Sylvester.
15: Twan is angry. But honestly, skip this episode. Uh, we mean episode ... episode ... episode.
16: Tina's pregnant with Twan's baby. Twan accuses her of lying, which makes her eye twitch. (It's an old hooker injury apparently.) After much deliberation, Twan decides to get legit and raise his kid. Then Roxanne and Tina reveal they're lovers ... lovers ... lovers.
17: Skip it ... skip it ... skip it.
18: Twan's still angry about Roxanne and Tina, but back in the car Sylvester tries to calm him down. For some reason, we shift to Rufus's church, where he gets a call from Chuck. When Cathy comes in, Rufus tries to break things off with Chuck, who reveals he's in the hospital ... hospital ... hospital.
19: Meet Pimp Lucius, who has a severe stutter. He's in Rufus's church, where Rev. Mosley James Evans attempts to get him to give up pimping. The choir sings, "You can do it, Pimp Lucius."
20: Randolph tells his wife, Rosie the Nosy Neighbor, that he was hiding in the closet of Rufus's office and heard the Rufus/Chuck/Cathy exchange during Chapter 18. He says Rufus has "the package," which she repeats to anyone who will listen.
21: Twan wait outside while Sylvester and Joey the mobster talk business. Twan falls asleep and dreams that he and Sylvester are in the same situation, but someone is pointing guns at them. There are no guns.
22: All of the characters--many, many, many more than we've mentioned in this recap--talk about the mysterious "package." What could it be?
Which leads to Chapter 23 (below) ... and beyond.


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Okay so I am super confused on what the method of characteristics is and what it means geometrically. So my first question is if anyone could kindly explain what characteristic lines are, why its considered a "change of coordinates" and just a little geometrical meaning behind it.
Now, after that consider the wave equation $$u_{tt} = c^2 u_{xx}$$
If its okay with everyone I'd like just reference a pdf because my latex speed isn't that great and its 4:15 am. I have finals in a couple of days. here is one I really like and could follow it easily: http://www.maths.uq.edu.au/~asj/PDES/set3.pdf
Now once you go to the example section, they have two examples.
- The first one is no initial speed but an initial displacement.
- The second one is a "hammer" problem where a "blow" slows down the initial speed.
Both solutions are given in terms of "cases". I understand them perfectly HOWEVER I do not understand the graphs behind it. Basically I want to time them for t = 0, 1, 2. This is given for the first example but not for the second (not that I get the first example picture).
Secondly, is there an analytical solution to D'Alembert's solution? I mean if that question shows up on the final (and i have a feeling a variation of it will) then can I leave my answer as cases or is there a way to find an explicit formula for it?
So to recap I am just looking for intuition behind method of characteristics and how it applies to the wave equation. Bonus points (or my eternal appreciation) to someone who can type it up from scratch going through every point and explaining it but thats me being selfish and asking for too much :P
Thank you!
edit: page 5 of this pdf http://www.math.ubc.ca/~seymour/400wave5.pdf has the sketches for the other example (the hammer blow example) but i just dont understand how they are coming up with those sketches.


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Nation & World
Lime attack incapacitates Guatemala's vice president
A strange act of protest last week in which two women tossed white powder into the face of Guatemala's vice president has underscored the political tensions in the Central American nation.
Initially, the substance thrown at Vice President Roxana Baldetti was thought to be flour, but scientists later determined it was lime, a caustic material that can be quite toxic.
Baldetti spent a night in the hospital and has been under medical observation since. Her ailment forced President Otto Perez Molina to cancel a trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, which began Wednesday. Doctors said Baldetti wasn't well enough to take over his duties temporarily.
The spokesman for the presidency, Francisco Cuevas, said Baldetti was in stable condition with a cough and respiratory inflammation.
The Davos trip had been considered an important part of Perez Molina's image as an internationally inclined leader in Guatemala. He'd been scheduled to sign an agreement with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto for the construction of a $1.2 billion gas pipeline.
The Guatemalan Constitution stipulates that when the president is out of the country, the vice president takes over his domestic duties.
The women who threw the powder at Baldetti are imprisoned. Their political leanings are unknown. The ruling center-right Patriot Party has sought to pin responsibility on the right-wing LIDER party, which it says harbors a violent streak. LIDER party Secretary Carlos Milian charged that the Patriot Party had organized the attack itself to win sympathy for Baldetti, who's faced corruption allegations, and to shift attention from the poor performance of the Perez Molina government.
The attack took place at the National Theater on Jan. 14 after Perez Molina delivered his annual state of the nation address.
Last Thursday, the National Forensic Science Institution determined that the substance thrown was lime, raising the seriousness with which the attack was viewed.
Baldetti has faced increasing public dissatisfaction since April, when the newspaper El Periodico, working with the Mexico-based MEPI Foundation, documented "rampant cronyism, influence peddling and corruption" involving Baldetti and Perez Molina. The report questioned how Baldetti had derived a fortune of more than $10 million from a modest government salary and small businesses.
El Periodico called on Baldetti to publish her financial records. Instead, she accused the paper's editor, Jose Ruben Zamora, of misogyny and sued him in a special court for attacks on women. In December, the judge in the case ruled that Zamora no longer could approach Baldetti, labeling him an aggressor and banning him from "disturbing or intimidating" Baldetti.
Perez Molina also has taken out after El Periodico, accusing Zamora in November of coercion, extortion, blackmail, rape and contempt for the constitution. Although that case won't be heard until February, the judge has banned Zamora from leaving the country for six months. Another hearing is scheduled for March to ascertain whether Zamora has violated the earlier court order by continuing to write about Baldetti. On Monday, El Periodico announced that the government had ordered a comprehensive audit of its books.
Zamora contends that the current government wants "newspapers to stop critical journalism."


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Fox Cherry-Picks Solar Stat To Degrade Growing Green Sector
Blog ››› ››› MAX GREENBERG
Fox News is using a recent report that solar companies are having trouble finding qualified workers to suggest that the country isn't "ready to go green." But employers in other sectors claim similar issues, and the stat is cherry-picked from a report that outlines many promising signs in the industry, including the fact that solar jobs have grown nearly six times faster than the rest of the economy.
Fox & Friends First and Fox Nation are promoting a recent finding that 63 percent of solar companies said it was somewhat or very difficult to find qualified applicants to fill open positions to suggest that the country might not be "ready to go green":
But the finding comes from a recent report by the independent Solar Foundation, which also found that employment in the solar industry grew over 13 percent from August 2011 to September this year, equivalent to nearly six times the national average employment growth rate over the same period. It is expected to grow by 17 percent over the next year. Only 6 percent of employers reported a lack of trained workers as a major barrier to solar growth.
Furthermore, solar firms that report some difficulty finding qualified applicants aren't saying anything markedly different than employers in other industries.
A 2012 survey by the Manpower Group, a major human resource consulting firm, found that "just under half of American employers reported they had trouble filling jobs, with 44 percent citing lack of experience as a major factor. CEOs and college presidents surveyed for a 2011 study supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce mentioned similar issues, with 53 percent claiming that "their companies face a very or fairly major challenge in recruiting nonmanagerial employees with the skills, training, and education their company needs."
And according to the Manufacturing Institute, a think tank associated with the National Association of Manufacturers, 67 percent of manufacturers have reported a shortage of qualified workers.
Once again, presented with proof of an industry on the upswing, subject to the same conditions as the rest of the economy -- and by some indications doing better -- Fox sees only further "evidence" of clean energy's folly.
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14 October 2013 at 4.29pm | 2 Comments
As British soprano Sally Matthews will now be singing the role of Blanche in Dialogues des Carmélites, Welsh soprano Rebecca Evans will sing the role of Countess Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro.
Rebecca returns to The Royal Opera to sing the role of Countess Almaviva for the first time with the Company. She made her Royal Opera debut in 1997 and also sang Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro with the Company in 1998. Since then, she has sung many roles for The Royal Opera including Johanna in Sweeney Todd, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Mimì in La bohème and Nella in Gianni Schicchi. She has previously sung Countess Almaviva with Welsh National Opera. Rebecca has sung extensively in Europe, and in America where her roles have included Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro and Zerlina in Don Giovanni for the Metropolitan Opera, New York; and Adina in L'elisir d'amore for San Francisco Opera.