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1. Compare and contrast Hobbes and Locke on political power? In answering this question explain Locke's argument against Hobbes's understanding of "paternal" and despotical power. On the discussion of power and social structure, both John Locke and Thomas Hobbes introduce their theories on paternal and despotical power in Second Treatise of Government and Leviathan respectively. Both men believe that social order is constructed artificially and not by a divine being. In Leviathan, Hobbes's discusses the differences between paternal and despotical power.
Even though he recognizes these differences he explains that power claimed by institution and power claimed by force incorporate the same rights and requirements of the contract. Contractual power is similar to parent over child in which there are two parents but only one can have absolute authority. The natural power is maternal but just as people give up their rights to a sovereign for security so do mother and child to the father for security. Religion and nature do not dictate paternal authority it is an accident of nature.
Hobbes explains despotical power or acquired power is like the relation between master and servant. A despotical power is that of a "dominion acquired by conquest" that the people who are defeated have now entered into a contract as to avoid death (Hobbes 255). "The Master of the Servant, is Master also of all he hath; and may exact the use therof; that is to say, all goods of his labour, of his servants, and of his children, as often as he shall see fit" (Hobbes 256) Locke discusses in Second Treatise of Government, that paternal power is that of parents over a child.
Both parents have a natural government over their child but not extending to political circumstances. Also this power does not extend to the property of the child. Despotical power is power of one tyrant over all to take away life whenever he pleases. This type of power, to Locke, does not have legitimacy and should be overthrown. This type of power is not a society but a continuance of the state of war ;"…despotical power, which, as it arises not from compact so neither is it capable of any, but is the state of war continued; for what ompact can be made with a man that is not a master of his own life? " (Locke 90). This is especially a problem for Locke because it strips man of all property that is a natural right and most important right according to his Second Treatise of Government. Hobbes and Locke agree that enslavement is not entering into a contract and cannot be enforced. Hobbes states on the subject of captives "for such men have no obligation at all; but may break their bonds, or the prison; and kill, or carry away captive their Master, justly" but a compact is created when the beaten submit to the victor (Hobbes 255).
Locke agrees but believes any people ruled by conquest are captives and have not entered into a contract until the rule gives up his despotical power. Just as Hobbes believes there can be only one absolute authority or sovereign and favors a monarchy and Locke argues for a democracy their status on paternal and despotical power reflect as such. In conclusion, Hobbes believes paternal power is a father over mother and child and despotical power is legitimate. Locke argues paternal power is both parents over child and despotical power should be overthrown. 2. Compare and contrast Hobbes and Locke on the State of Nature.
What is the root of their disagreement? What is the impact of their differing accounts of the state of nature? In what ways does their disagreement lead to difference in their conception of the "ideal" state? The idea of a State of Nature is a way for philosophers to explain human nature and justify the creation of government. This is the state not touched by civilization or a primitive state. Several philosophers have views on this condition but two prominent competing theorists explain their view on this, John Locke in Second Treatise of Government and Thomas Hobbes in Leviathan.
Thomas Hobbes has a pessimistic view of a State of Nature. He views it as a state in which all humans cause conflict and war with each other to make gains. Human nature is mechanistic and a struggle for power, which is the natural conflict and the only aversion to conflict is the fear of death. In this state "the life of man [is] solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short" (Hobbes 186). This fear leads mankind to give up their rights, such as the right to kill someone, for safety, so that they do not kill you. This is the contract that all men adhere to in Hobbes's State of Nature.
John Locke explains his State of Nature in a more optimistic view than Hobbes as "a state of perfect freedom to order their actions and dispose of their possessions, and persons as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of nature, without asking leave, or depending upon the will of any other man" (Locke 8). In his account all of mankind is equal, no one has more power or jurisdiction than another. He believes people are generally bound to the law of nature, laws that regulate what is morally acceptable and "teaches all mankind… no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possession" (Locke 9).
God is the primary limiter of universal moral law and he designs these laws. Without these moral laws there is only self-interest that leads to war. When there is someone who breaks the law of nature we are all judge, jury and executioner to enforce it to where the punishment fits the crime. These two views of the State of Nature conflict in that Hobbes believes the only reason people avoid war or conflict is because of the fear of death and Locke believes people in the State of Nature keep to a moral law set forth by God. These differing accounts lead also to a disagreement in their conception of the "ideal" state or society.
In Leviathan there is no society until there is a sovereign or governing force. Hobbes gives three types of sovereign governments, democracy, aristocracy, and monarchy. Democracy is the most instable, most conflict, and instills the most fear. Monarchy is Hobbes choice of government because there is no division, no factions, there can be no civil war between the king and himself, and it makes the passing of power more stable with less conflict. The whole basis of his ideal society is on creating as little fear as possible because fear is instability. There can be no civil disobedience, protest, or dissent because is creates fear.
In direct opposition to Locke's ideal society, Hobbes's gives sole loyalty to the government. Man cannot give loyalty over the government meaning there should be no more loyalty to a religion or a pope than the ruler of a mans society. This is because religion could cause more instability meaning more fear. The sovereign power has no limits of power because he is not included in the contract with the people; his power is absolute. A one-world government would be ideal to Hobbes because with only one loyalty for all people there should be no conflicts.
Locke disagreed with Hobbes and believed the government should only play a minimal role in society. It should provide a structure for life, liberty, and property as its sole function. To Locke, one should not give up their rights to an unlimited sovereign who is uncertain and inconsistent because there is no restraint of freedom except the law of nature. He also promotes protest, if a government is infringing on rights by not protecting the public good and the government is placed by the consent of the people than the people have a right to overthrow that government.
Locke promotes the idea of a separation of powers so that one person or one group cannot have total power and oppress its people. He gives three general rules that it is not arbitrary, for certain rules, and no taxation without representation. Locke's idea of an ideal society is based on all people as good and an overall rule of God. In conclusion, Hobbes and Locke's ideal societies are essentially opposite. Hobbes believes people are controlled by desires and aversions and Locke believes God and morality control people.
3. Hobbes provides a "mechanistic" account of human nature in the first part of Leviathan. Explain this mechanistic view of human behavior, motivations, and actions. What is the impact of Hobbes making this assumption about human nature? Does it appear that Locke agrees with such a mechanistic view of human behavior? Why or why not Both Thomas Hobbes and John Locke in Leviathan and Second Treatise of Government, respectively, dispute the idea of human nature. Each has a radically different view, Hobbes's account being the moral cynical of the two.
Hobbes believed in a purely mechanistic universe in which the movements and collisions of objects are satisfactory in explaining everything in the universe. In the beginning of Leviathan Hobbes explains that sense is just an action of bodies colliding with our organs. Next he gives that anything in motion will constantly be in motion and the continuance of this on our organs transfers from sense into thoughts and this "decaying sense" becomes imagination. When imagination becomes understanding a variety of understanding, or one imagination upon another imagination, becomes a train of thought.
Therefore, every thought can only be explained by an occurrence of the human body. Desires are experiences as aches that the body must conquer that forces man take action toward that desire. This action is the only way to preserve our well being for our body. Everything man acts upon is only driven by his current desire. Acting only from desires and aversions is Hobbes's animalistic approach to human nature. Humans only act in their own self-interest; there is no such thing as a self-less act. There is no free will, no morality, and no higher purpose to Hobbes without any regard for others.
This leads to what Hobbes calls the State of War in which everyone is at conflict with everyone else and the only relief is to enter into a contract with people in which it is mutually beneficial but capitulates our individual freedoms. If society is left to human nature "where every man is Enemy to every man… and the life of man, solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short" (Hobbes 186) Locke does not have the same view on human nature. To him man is a possession of God because God created man. This is what gives man freedom to pursue actions in accordance with his life, liberty, and property.
Locke describes human nature as "Every one, as he is bound to preserve himself…ought he, as much as he can, to preserve the rest of mankind" (Locke 9). This explains that man will tend toward the good of all mankind in order to keep himself safe. Humans are also rational beings in his account that come together to build a society in order to protect the concept of property and to overtake the hassles of life. Conclusion, Hobbes views society as the only way to get out of a state of war for resources, state of nature is a lack of organization, ruled only by fear.
Locke sees the state of nature as men fulfilling obligations; a more idealist approach. In conclusion, Hobbes believes humans are mechanistic creatures who have no free will but are animalistic in that all desires and actions come from self-interest. Contrarily, Locke believes humans are ruled by God and morals, have free will, and all desires and actions come from what will be good for all mankind. Bibliography Hobbes, Thomas, and C. B. Macpherson. Leviathan. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1968. N. pag. Print. Locke, John, and C. B. Macpherson. Second Treatise of Government. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Pub. , 1980. N. pag. Print.


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subset: commoncrawl


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Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2004
- Messages
- 143
- Location
- Arlington, Texas
Date: Saturday, March 26, 2005
Time: 9:00 am to 5:00pm
Location: Irving Bible Church --- for a map---> Mapquest
Cost: $35 per member, $45 per non-member
Everyone is encouraged to attend Next Wave 2005! -- Think of this conference as going to Reef Keeping College for a day. Four speakers are being flown in to instruct attendees on successful saltwater care. After each presentation, which will be in the form of slides, powerpoint, or video, attendees can ask questions from the speakers about the subject being discussed. Don't miss your chance to gain knowledge that will last you a lifetime!
A lunch is included with your entry fee, as are drinks during the afternoon session. Food is being provided by Coburn's Catering. Parking is free.
The day will end with our famous Raffle, and we are sure you won't want to miss that! Raffle tickets will be for sale during the lunch session.
Steve Tyree - Topic: Stony Corals and their needs
Daphne Fautin - "The Truth About Nemo: The Anemonefish Symbiosis"
Sanjay Joshi - "Shedding Light on Metal Halide Lighting"
Larry Jackson - "The Great Barrier Reef 2004"
Click here to sign up and attend http://www.dfwmas.com/nextwave2005.html
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Crews scrambled to overnight bus fire in Wainfleet
Firefighters have battled a bus fire in Wainfleet overnight.
Crews from the village attended the mini fire on Spilsby Road shortly after 2pm on Tuesday, October 24.
The fire was extinguished using one hose reel.
No injuries were reported.
Lincolnshire Reporter welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.


text: Each person's Vidant Health experience is a unique journey of courage, hope and inspiration. Everyone who walks through our doors has a story, and we hope that you are willing to share yours. Tell us about your experience, and you could be featured on our website. Come on, we're listening.


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|Reviews for Reminiscence
| ljpjcg chapter 1 . 3/1/2015
I find this to be very sweet and I wish this had happened in the books
| Tashacat chapter 1 . 12/13/2012
I loved it...you're a little more eloquent than Sook, but in a verry good way ;)
| mycajunlover chapter 1 . 12/23/2010
Great one shot.
| notashamedtobe chapter 1 . 11/3/2010
Aww too sweet
| fffbone chapter 1 . 11/3/2010
awww so sweet.
| SookieEriclover chapter 1 . 9/8/2010
so sweet yea i wish sookie came to that sort of realization in teh book!...their i love yous were not that profound:/ thanks for the post!
| luvvamps chapter 1 . 9/4/2010
I loved it! Now I am going to read all your stories. Thanks.
| Northwoman chapter 1 . 6/18/2010
You know I have read this before but when I came back to read again I thought I should review also. I really enjoyed this. Wow, your first story and so good. You are a major talent and were one of the very first authors that I can easily say I love everything you write. Thank you for sharing with us.
| random987123 chapter 1 . 6/16/2010
no need to hide! :) i thoroughly enjoyed it, and it seemed very true to how Sookie would feel.
| ljhjelm49 chapter 1 . 6/13/2010
I really enjoyed this story.
| mindy.18 chapter 1 . 5/15/2010
| Banky chapter 1 . 5/3/2010
Just the thing to feed the Eric/Sookie cravings while waiting for DITF to be published.
Beautifully written. Kudos.
| Loveonawirex chapter 1 . 7/13/2009
This was very pensive and deep. It really showed Sookie's thought process, and how she came to each conflusion. It flowed nicely. Wonderful!
| Eeyorebcb chapter 1 . 6/8/2009
i thought it was a very good story. I could not tell that you had not wrote anything in awhile.
| Christine86 chapter 1 . 6/7/2009
Great job on this! You cant tell at all you havent wrote it a while! Loved it!


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All items featured on this site represent the types of arrangements we offer and may vary depending upon availability in certain regions. Substitution Policy


text: No challenge facing humanity is broader in scope and importance than achieving a sustainable future. Every dimension of our lives is affected, and every discipline and sector of society must be involved in meeting the challenge. Yet we consistently place less importance on distant events than on those close to us in time (as well […]Read more


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Physical therapy patients come to Legacy Medical Centers for many reasons.
Some have had an injury and need help regaining their strength and form.
Others have had surgery and PT is part of their recovery process.
For some, the problem is brand-new, and they need pain relief now.
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For whatever reason patients choose to come to Legacy Medical Centers, our doctors work tirelessly to ensure that their patients achieve pain relief and return to "normal". They can identify weaknesses or imbalances that may have led to the original injury. Our PT team helps patients set personal health goals to maintain their renewed function and enjoy that feeling of wellness indefinitely.
With those results in mind, Legacy Medical Centers is pleased to offer an annual physical therapy 'check-up'.
During this appointment, our physical therapists use a 30-minute functional movement screening to determine a patient's current status. The physical therapist can note areas of concern and address potential biomechanical problems.
This Screening appointment is ideal for:
- Athletes, at all levels, before or after a sport season(s)
- Healthy adults who may have failed to address minor aches and pains which have developed into something more problematic
- Healthy adults with no current issues, who want to establish a baseline for their physical state
- Older adults, where tracking balance and movement is a necessity to help prevent falls
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The doctors will be able to address any functional imbalances detected and provide you with the necessary education so you will continue at your peak level of performance. They will demonstrate exercises and stretches which can be done at home. Plus, once a 'benchmark' assessment has been recorded, problems can be identified and assessed more quickly moving forward, if needed.
Make your 30-minute "Screening" appointment with Dr. Devin today - contact either the McCandless office or the Irwin office


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Honda Isn't Leaving Australia But Will Likely Reduce Dealership Network
11 Mars 2020 - autoevolution
Toyota, Ford, and Holden have all stopped making cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks in Australia because there's little or no profit to be made from localizing production.
General Motors took the most drastic measure, folding Holden in favor of a new entity that will be called General Motors Special Vehicles.
To put it bluntly, the Land Down Under is buying new automobiles at 2011 levels. Last year, sales decreased by almost eight percent compared to 2018, totaling 1,062,867 cars of which SUVs accounted for 45.5 percent.
Toyota is the best-selling brand for the time being, topping the charts in 2019 with 205,766 units. To understand how small of a market Australia is, the U.S. bought 218,401 models from the Japanese brand in August 2019.
Honda, however, prepares to cut a third of the national network of 106 dealerships according to Car Advice. It was previously reported that Honda would pull out of Australia altogether, but that possibility was shut down.
"We are committed to the Australian market" and "we are committed to our dealer network," said the local division of the Japanese brand. An update on Honda's long-term plans for Australia will be revealed "in the first quarter of 2020," which means that the finer details will be sorted by the end of March.
Australian representatives have reportedly met with overseas executives, and upon returning to the Land Down Under, they claimed that Honda's higher-ups left them with "unanswered questions." So what does that mean?
Since announcing the closure of the Swindon factory in the United Kingdom and the restructuring of Honda Turkiye A.S., the automaker has made it clear on numerous occasions that the global production footprint needs some fine-tuning. The focus on high-profit markets such as the U.S. and Japan is another reason, as are the increasing costs of hybrid vehicles and EVs.
With all due respect, Honda isn't going anywhere. They may change the business model to something a little more profitable, but there's nothing to worry about in the long run for the Australian consumer.


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RARE Disney Steamboat Willie Mickey Mouse Character Ship Snowglobe Music Box
July 1, 2018
From the Disney Store! It is about 11″ by 9.5″ by 6 It is in excellent condition. Plays the tune'Mickey Mouse March'. The windows light up and a blower blows the sparkles around in the globe. Has an air bubble. PLEASE SEE MY OTHER LISTINGS. FOR INTERNATIONAL BUYERS ONLY. If you are interested in more than one item, please contact me before purchasing. This can only be done if all items are in one listing. The item "RARE Disney Steamboat Willie Mickey Mouse Character Ship Snowglobe Music Box" is in sale since Saturday, November 28, 2015. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Disneyana\Contemporary (1968-Now)\Figurines\Other Contemp Disney Figurines". The seller is "webringthethemeparkstoyou" and is located in Ormond Beach, Florida. This item can be shipped to United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Denmark, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Czech republic, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Estonia, Australia, Greece, Portugal, Cyprus, Slovenia, Japan, China, Sweden, South Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, Belgium, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Switzerland, Norway, Saudi arabia, Ukraine, United arab emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Croatia, Malaysia, Chile, Colombia, Costa rica, Panama, Trinidad and tobago, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica.


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If you have pets and your home mostly hardwood floors mix carpet. You need to consider the best vacuum for pet hair and hardwood and carpets, it's will help you less time to spend on cleanup.
The upright vacuum was fine on the carpet, but was a pain to get under any furniture and was not so terrific on bare floors and sometimes not good for pet hairs.
So you will want the best vacuum cleaners with a ton of suction that will work well on hardwood and carpet and be able to power a pet hair attachment brush which doesn't mind if we have to buy it separately.
With the pickup tests, we tested an emphasis on pet hair pickup on both hard floors and carpet, and here is the list best vacuum for pet hairs and hardwood and carpet, I hope it will useful for you!
See Also:
- Best Vacuum Cleaner for Pet Hair[2020]
- Best Robot Vacuum for Pet Hair and Hardwood Floors[2020]
- Best Vacuum for Hardwood Floors And Carpet[2020]
- Which Vacuum Is Best for Pet Hair and Hardwood Floors and Carpet?
- Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away TruePet (NV752) Upright Vacuum
- BISSELL Crosswave Pet Pro All in One Wet Dry Vacuum Cleaner and Mop for Hard floors and Area Rugs, 2306A
- Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
- BISSELL ICONpet Cordless with Tangle Free Brushroll, SmartSeal Filtration, Lightweight Stick Hand Vacuum Cleaner, 22889
- Eureka NEU180B Lightweight Powerful Upright
- Kenmore 81614 Bagged Canister Vacuum with Pet PowerMate
- SharkNinja Rocket DuoClean HV382 Ultra-Light Corded Bagless Carpet and Hard Floor with Lift-Away Hand Vacuum
- Hoover WindTunnel 2 Whole House Rewind Bagless Corded Upright Vacuum UH71250
- Dirt Devil Razor Pet Bagless Multi Floor Corded Upright Vacuum Cleaner
- Tesvor Robot Vacuum Cleaner Pet Hair Care, Self-Charging for Hard Floors and Thin Carpets
- Conclusion
Which Vacuum Is Best for Pet Hair and Hardwood Floors and Carpet?
Now, let's dive into the reviews of the best vacuum cleaner for pet hair on hardwood and carpet. Hope ours selection helps you find the best tool for keeping your home clean out of pet hairs.
Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away TruePet (NV752) Upright Vacuum
If you want to look at a vacuum for pet hair on area rugs/wood floors and very light, something you could also use as a handheld. Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away TruePet (NV752) is a great chose.
The NV752 is the best bang for your buck. Lightweight and the pet tool is insanely good on stairs. It is cheaper than other high-end brands like Dyson, Miele, and Rainbow but performance coupled with the ease of use of this vacuum makes it a winner in your books.
The motorized pet tool is one of if not the best pet tools I have used it does have an independent motor, it was nearly perfect with pickup and far outshines any other suction based tool. Combined with the lift away mode it may be the best way to vacuum carpeted stairs that I know of.
Another pro is that its feature rich with things like LED lights on the floor nozzle and handle as well as a suction and brush roll adjust switch so you can easily transition from carpet to hard floors or thick rugs.
On the bare floor, you can use the main floor tool or the Hard-floor genie attachment that has a washable microfiber pad. This attachment is similar to the Swiffer sweeper but only more powerful.
All that to say that the Shark NV752 is great for low and medium pile carpets and even thick carpets but because it doesn't have a height adjustment I wouldn't suggest it if you have a long pile or shag carpets.
BISSELL Crosswave Pet Pro All in One Wet Dry Vacuum Cleaner and Mop for Hard floors and Area Rugs, 2306A
Bissell says that the Crosswave is meant for hard floors and area rugs and has two settings which correspond to each, we tried it on our medium pile test carpet and again as a dry vacuum, it performed as good or better than most leading brands as far a performance but it was a little more difficult to push on carpet, but nothing major.
Pet pro 2306A features a multi-surface pet brush roll and pet hair strainer for easy use on area rugs, tile, wood floors, carpet, laminate, linoleum, rubber floor mats, pressed wood floors, and more. Incredible cleaning performance on both hard surfaces and area rugs.
It is so easy to switch from hardwood to carpet and from wet to dry, just a push of the button. Could not believe the amount of hair and dirt that it was picked up.
It was very light and easy to maneuver, the cord was a pretty standard 25ft. If you like the idea of being able to mop your floors and wash area rugs with the same unit, the Bissell Crosswave could be a great option.
Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
The cordless Dyson V11 is perfect as it adjusts suction automatically for different surfaces with 3 modes: eco, medium, and boost all of which can be selected manually from a pretty screen or switched to automatically based on the machine's sensing of the surface you are cleaning.
My hardwood flooring and carpeting always look clean. Crumbs dropped on the floor after a meal is a breeze to pick up. Cat hair, lint, bits of almost anything can be cleaned up in a minute.
Battery life upto 60 minutes is more than enough to clean the whole house. The battery life is great on economy and medium setting and while it can be pretty short on the highest suction setting, it still can do what it needs to do in that short time.
The LCD screen is clear and easy to understand and bring a better sense of how long you have left as compared to when using any other products that need a charge.
It's super light, there's no cord to worry about, you can detach the canister portion and use it as a handheld for all surfaces, and it empties much more hygienically and easily. Whole-machine filtration captures 99. 97% of microscopic dust particles as small as 0. 3 microns.
BISSELL ICONpet Cordless with Tangle Free Brushroll, SmartSeal Filtration, Lightweight Stick Hand Vacuum Cleaner, 22889
Do you want to find the best cordless vacuums can deal with pet hair with suction as Dyson V11 Animal but budget under $350? Bissell icon pet cordless vacuum is a great option for you!
With Roller brush doesn't get clogged with pet hair and the suction up to 420 miles per hour adjustments work great for transitioning between surfaces.
The bright LED lights on the brush head allow you to see everything that most people, brooms, and other vacuums would have otherwise missed. 22v Lithium-ion Battery offers cordless convenience with three cleaning modes. Very easy to maneuver, and the swivel head moves effortlessly.
With BISSELL ICONpet Cordless You can clean pet messes anywhere your pet goes with Motorized Turbo Brush Tool and an LED-Lighted Crevice Tool + Dusting Brush. This works very well on my hardwoods and carpet. The attachment for the couch is very very good. This blows away the previous hoover stick vacuum I had.
Eureka NEU180B Lightweight Powerful Upright
The suction of Eureka NEU180B is great and cleans up rugs full of dog hair. It's lightweight, with weight 10-lbs this upright vacuum cleaner can be easily carried around your house and so easy still to clean.
The Eureka NEU180B works smoothly on carpets and floors. Easy transition from carpet to rugs to a wood floor. With five height adjustment settings easy to use and set up, this versatile vacuum is applicable for hardwood floors, carpets, area rugs, and even tile.
XL Dust Cup easy to empty. The large dust bin makes it a suitable vacuum if your floors are heavily soiled. The deluxe stretch hose extends up to 4x its original length so you can vacuum any floor with a quickness. The lengthy power cord lets you clean an average-size room without changing electrical outlets.
Do you have pets and lots of hair to pick up and you want to find the best vacuum under $100? This vacuum could come to your rescue. It features a turbo brush tool that enables it to clean pet hair with ease. It will also clean human hair efficiently.
Kenmore 81614 Bagged Canister Vacuum with Pet PowerMate
After testing the Kenmore 81614 Bagged Canister Vacuum with Pet PowerMate on everything from bare floors to throw rugs, we also like the vacuum as it is lightweight and easy to maneuver. It has easily accessible switches to go from carpet to bare floor or to change the level of the carpeting. And this purple canister vac did a great job cleaning each of them.
What gives this Kenmore vacuum cleaner an advantage over other, similarly priced machines is power. With a motorized brush roll easily lifts stubborn hair, dander and more from carpeting, baseboards, and furniture. The attachment that was provided does a great job and more than meets our expectations and they are located within the canister so are not falling off while you are working.
At the time of the purchase we did not have a dog yet so we just wanted something reliable to clean the apartment quickly. To our delight, even with the new dog shedding all over the place, cleaning is still a breeze. We couldn't be happier with our purchase.
SharkNinja Rocket DuoClean HV382 Ultra-Light Corded Bagless Carpet and Hard Floor with Lift-Away Hand Vacuum
SharkNinja Rocket DuoClean HV382 you can clean pet hair, hardwood floors, carpet, cabinets, curtains, and vents. You can even use it to vacuum your car, or your mattresses, great for cars and boats.
It's very versatile – it's easy to use as a hand vacuum with many supplied tools, and then use as a stand-up a vacuum for carpets and hardwood floors. Excellent on both, especially hardwood floors; gets the little stuff with 2 motor settings. I like this kind of versatility; it attracts me and I'm sure there are many others who feel the same.
Are you getting tired of the dirt and dust across your newly-swept floor or on your pet's hair embedded across the couch upholstery? with DuoClean Technology features a bristle brush to deep clean carpets, and an additional soft brush roll to pull in larger particles and directly engage floors it can definitely suck all particles and debris in your house.
It performs well on hardwood floors and oriental rugs and with Pet Multi-Tool. Designed to capture embedded pet hair on all surfaces this vacuum doesn't break or quit when it encounters dogs or long hair of people. The suction is exceptional on this vacuum, the best of any brand we have ever used, from cheap to expensive.
Hoover WindTunnel 2 Whole House Rewind Bagless Corded Upright Vacuum UH71250
Hoover WindTunnel 2 Whole House Rewind Bagless Corded Upright Vacuum UH71250 is vacuum excel at picking up pet hair and is a relatively affordable vacuum cleaner under $150. It performs exceptionally well on all carpet including low pile carpet, medium carpet, and a plush pile carpet.
After many tests, we noticed that Hoover WindTunnel 2 vacuum cleaning performance on the carpet is on par with Dyson, Miele, and Sebo vacuum cleaner.
It is surprising how much junk it picks up not just pet hair but also dust. With the Multi-Floor Brush Roll When you move from Carpet to Smooth or Hardwood floors will prevent flinging debris such as pet food and litter all over the room. The pet hair attachment made from upholstery, stairs and couch looks like new.
Most owners pet hair agree Hoover WindTunnel 2 vacuum performs admirably on pet hair – both on the carpet and bare floors. The pet turbo tool also works well.
Dirt Devil Razor Pet Bagless Multi Floor Corded Upright Vacuum Cleaner
The Dirt Devil Razor Pet Bagless Multi Floor Corded Upright Vacuum Cleaner is great it swivels nicely has great suction and works well on laminate floors as well on rugs and on the tile floor as well. I like the gadget for doing the steps which makes it easy to do.
Powerful Spin4Pro Multi Floor Brush roll designed and optimized to effectively clean and remove pet hair on both carpet and hard floors.
It's lightweight and very easily maneuvered. It has great suction, dirt and hair tucked in corners and under furniture are no match for the full 180-degree movement of this powerful upright.
Pet Turbo Tool is designed for cleaning pet and human hair, lint and other deeply embedded dirt from the carpeted areas like stairs, upholstery, even mattresses, and similar surfaces.
If you have a dog that sheds profusely, you need this vacuum! My dog doesn't shed little hairs, she sheds big black fuzz balls… the kind that is usually harder to vacuum up. What's also great is that's its super light, and so convenient as far as emptying and using the wand, and just in general.
Tesvor Robot Vacuum Cleaner Pet Hair Care, Self-Charging for Hard Floors and Thin Carpets
If you want your robot vacuum for thin carpets and hard surfaces and picking up any pet hair and dirt it can along the way but you don't want to spend a lot of money, Tesvor X500 robot vacuum is a great option with a budget under $200.
With a brushless motor reduces noise Tesvor X500 very quiet. The dual side brushes are also a common tool in robot vacuums and they work together to keep the edges of walls and corners free of dust bunnies and pet hair. The powerful motor allows picking up of dust, debris, pet hair efficiently, especially on hard floors, thin carpets, and rugs.
Apart from getting on your clothes, cars, stairs and seemingly everywhere in your home, pet hair can cause or aggravate allergies in children and adults alike. To enjoy life to the fullest with your furry friends, one of the best things you can get yourself is a vacuum cleaner that sucks up pet hair easily on hardwood or carpet, title… Hope to list of the best vacuum for pet hair and hardwood floors and carpet will help you make the right choice.


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Individual Health Insurance
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Students in the U.S additionally need pupil medical health insurance, but should not ready for the costly charges. A medical insurance broker offers different health carrier's well being information and plans to 1 particular person's needs. In addition, deductibles (the amount you must pay before insurance advantages begin) and cost-sharing (the charges you pay on to medical providers at the time of service) are additionally usually higher.
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If you might be able to see what is offered in your space, please view our state map to receive state specific info and a personalized individual medical health insurance quote or enter your ZIP code above for an on the spot online medical insurance quote. Individual policies are often purchased with the recommendation of an expert insurance producer because of the complexity of protection offerings and the premium price. If you are already insured on a health plan by way of Covered California, you don't want to finish a new software to be enrolled for 2018. We extremely suggest all our clients to Buy a California Health Insurance of Anthem Blue Shield. From labs to pharmacies, hospitals to urgent care – we are your one-stop shop to your health wants. This sort of insurance is a brief answer to a short-term insurance coverage hole, and it is typically a lower price alternative to COBRA.
In 2018, California particular person/family insurance charges can be growing a mean of 12.5% statewide. Since laws mandating what forms of services have to be included in individual policies are often different than these dictating what have to be included in group insurance policies, benefits are usually much less in depth than what most individuals would receive through coverage they have by work. Individual insurance may be much less or costlier relying on what plans you need. If you had been just looking to getting a person medical insurance, start with getting a free quote on our web site. Our employer-sponsored plans are designed to ship comprehensive coverage and helpful health and wellness assets to your workers. Blue Shield, Blue Cross of California ,Health Net ,Aetna and Kaiser Permanente.


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"Recovering...Please Wait" Awareness Mug
Recovering... please wait - A sentiment that resonates with anyone who needs time to heal. It is essential to understand that not all wounds are visible, and that we must be patient with ourselves and the ones we love. Recovery is possible!
This mug also has our classic "pretty crazy" logo on the reverse side.
This sturdy white, glossy ceramic mug is an essential to your cupboard. This brawny version of ceramic mugs shows it's true colors with quality assurance to withstand heat in the microwave and put it through the dishwasher as many times as you like, the quality will not be altered.
• Ceramic
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• White, glossy
Thank you for helping us break the stigmas and #TakeBackCrazy! A portion of the profits made on this site will aid various social initiatives and organizations that support those whose lives have been affected by mental/chronic illness, domestic abuse & bullying.


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Well... some days... she is a serious
fricken' dragon.
This horse will take advantage of anyone that she can. She has zinged and zanged with more people than any other horse in our barn. She will pin her ears and snake out at you if you're blanketing her and don't stand your ground. If you don't let her know you're up their on your back, she will run you into a wall.
Then... other days... she is a complete
& utter... donkey.
She is heavily attached to her sister which we also have in training. So much so that if her sister is taken out of her eye sight she will lose her fricken mind. She paws, and paws, and paws, and paws. Sometimes she just randomly forgets how to stop. She goes into roaring heat at the drop of a hat... heat that turns her laggy and numb.
But, My Little Hell Bitch... she can...
cut ya'll.
The horse comes to the party in a big way, and she is only in her derby (four year old) year.
You have to lope the fricken legs off her, and not just circles, you have to make her work, and think, and bend. Hours later when you walk her into the pen, she goes in licking her lips ready to eat a cow alive. She is cool, and she is outrageously talented, and it's all bubbling to the surface now.
& this is her.
In a rare serene moment.
& as alluded too in my last post, she is leaving back home to Canada for the Spring/Summer/Fall shows. It's very hard to see her go. When I worked part-time for Boss-Lady a year ago, "The Princess" was there. She wasn't terribly easy to ride, and often freaked me out. When I came back to work for Boss-Lady this year, "The Princess" was the only original horse still with her. She was the only horse I knew, and really... aside from Boss-Lady... the only thing I knew. I clung to her, and I also found that apparently I had learnt a lot in a year, so had she, we clicked.
Now, this weekend, she is jumping on a trailer and heading up north - perhaps she will come back, but she may not. The reality of it is that she isn't mine, she has an owner, a real mom, who probably has her own nicknames for her that they just share between the two of them.
Sometimes, it is hard.


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SAFETY ALERT 10-17: Carbon Monoxide
Excerpt from U.S. Coast Guard Safety Alert 10-17
Recently along the Gulf Coast multiple passengers on board an uninspected passenger vessel (UPV) were hospitalized due to carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. One of the persons had a 26% CO level (amount of CO bound to hemoglobin or red blood cells) in their blood stream. Additionally, it was discovered that one of the passengers became unconscious and the other four passengers experienced heavy fatigue and vomiting as a result of the CO exposure.
Coast Guard Marine Inspectors conducted an exam of the vessel and found it to be in compliance with the ventilation requirements set forth in 46 CFR Subchapter C as they pertain to UPVs. The Coast Guard team then requested that the master get underway in order to take readings with a personal four gas meter. While underway the meter indicated significantly high parts per million CO in the vessel's fishing area, the flying bridge, and interior cabin spaces. The team directed the master to cease all operations until the causal factors behind the hazardous condition could be addressed and corrected.


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Category Archives: Nonesense
Mr. Hooker's Winter Guide for Heating Up Learning in Your Classroom
It's cold and dreary outside. There's the smell of snow or musty wetness attached to all your students as they come in from the weather. The dreaded "indoor recess" phrase is on everyone's minds but what is a teacher to do? How many episodes of Koo Koo Kangaroo can kids dance to on GoNoodle? I mean, what's the limit?
Worry not! Below are a collection of fun, engaging, and interactive ideas to get your students moving, grooving and learning in a different way. Many of the examples below are meant for classrooms that might only have access to a few devices and around the idea of mixing both hands-on with digital interaction.
Create an "Amazon Box" Village
The days that follow Black Friday and Cyber Monday can only mean one thing….TONS of boxes from the company with the little smile on it. As our houses fill up with these boxes filled with holiday joy, why not take advantage of all this material as a teacher? On Monday after Thanksgiving break, send a message home to parents to send in those boxes! (As a parent with an office full of these, I'm happy to comply)
Drawing inspiration from the Caine's Arcade documentary, have students bring in a handful of boxes of varying sizes in order to design a small village. Each student will design a place of business and tie in components of financial literacy. Then, using markers, construction paper, glue and scissors, they'll design their building facade and discuss its placement with the village commissioner (a student elected by the class). Students can write advertisements for the local village newspaper advertising their goods and services (tying in language arts) and even make commercials that can be tagged on the buildings using FlipGrid's new Augmented Reality tool.
As the winter break approaches, slide the desks to the side of the classroom and layout your village for all to enjoy! Students can even record "flyover" tours of their village like those found in Apple Maps or even design their own mini-virtual realty tours using panoramic photos in Google's Tour Creator.
Make a Virtual Realty Holiday Scene
It is important for students to understand that the holidays are much more than just Christmas or Hanukkah. Why not have students research the many different cultural celebrations of the holidays and then use a tool like Panoform.com to have them draw out a virtual scene?
As a teacher, this is a great mix of both analog and digital tools as you print out the grids from Panoform and discuss how items will need to be laid out to go from a 2D worksheet to a 3D virtual world. Students place important items from their holiday celebration throughout the grid then upload it to any device via the web to enjoy the new virtual world.
When everyone is finished, take a virtual gallery walk of each scene and have students explain the items they place in their virtual holiday celebration.
Use Brain Breaks to Open Up Creativity and SEL Skills
Most of the sessions I do at schools or conferences involve a WIDE variety of brain breaks. While movement in general is a good thing for awaking the brain (especially on a dreary day of no recess), many of these brain breaks also stimulate thinking while enhancing 21st Century skills like collaboration and communication. Here's just a few of my faves that are good for any age or classroom and only take a few minutes which is great for waking the winter mind!
Endless Handshake
My favorite way for finding random partners is to play a song while students walk around shaking as many hands as possible. (You can also do fist bumps or high fives) As soon as the music stops, whoever they shook hands with last is their partner. I try and do this between or before each brain break activity. Think musical chairs, only without the chairs.
Thinking on the Fly
In pairs students are given one minute to generate a list of as many items that fit within a certain category. One catch – they must alternate responses. The teacher can either put the category up on the board or on the screen and to add to the fun/pressure, have a large timer somewhere that the kids can see it. Categories can range from "Things Found In Winter" to "Holiday Movies" to something more aligned with curricular topics like "character types found in a fantasy novel" or "settings found in books". For those teachers that teach world languages, have students create their lists in the language they are learning!
Three-Word Stories
I was inspired by Jimmy Fallon's Three-Word Stories and have been using it as a brain break in many of my workshops. The idea is that you and a partner take turns telling a story using 3 words at a time, but here's the catch, one of you has to get the other to say a particular secret word. I usually have the partners face each other with one of them with a back to screen where I flash the secret word on screen for a few seconds. Feel free to tie the "secret word" into any themes or units you might be reviewing and sit back and watch the hilarity ensue!
Team Charades
Starting in pairs, students make up the shapes or objects you assign them. After a few rounds, have the pairs match up with another pair to make a group of four. You can then have the groups recreate scenes from famous stories, make up math problems, or recreate historical events. Then have the groups of four merge with another group to form a group of 8. Larger groups, mean larger objects. Have them recreate the water cycle or Stone Henge, the choice is ultimately yours. Just be sure to emphasize and applaud the creativity as students think outside the box when creating their objects.
If you want to see some more brain break ideas, check out my giant Google spreadsheet of ideas here for free!
Have a Game Show!
Nothing like a little competition to raise the heat in the classroom. There are a wide variety of quiz gaming tools out there (Quizziz, Kahoot, Quizlet Live) but in this iteration, you put kids into teams of 3 or 4. If you have time, you can design your own Jeopardy! like game show using Powerpoint, Google Slides or Keynote, but to save time, I would recommend using a Flippity.net's game show template. (Note: be sure to publish to the back-end spreadsheet to the web to make sure it works)
Then, students use mini dry erase boards or clipboards or a device to post their answers. The key here is making sure students are discussing their answers before posting them. Award bonus points as you see fit for groups falling behind or pick a random question as the "Double Jeopardy" questions for more points. This is a great way to review a unit and adds some competition and collaboration into the classroom.
Make the Classroom Into an Escape Room
One of the best activities for really getting kids to discuss feelings/frustrations is having them work collaboratively on solving clues using something like BreakOutEDU. Last year, when I got to substitute for my daughter's 4th grade class, we busted out a few BreakOut kits for the kids to experience for the first time. Don't have the means to purchase these? Check out the bevy of Digital BreakOuts available online for classrooms that have access to a few devices. While only half the groups succeeded in the particular challenge, what was amazing to me was the inability for some of the kids to persevere when faced with adversity and pressure. Some gave up and some argued with their teammates constantly.
This may not sound like a joyous time as a teacher, I found that the time we spent on discussion after the 45-minute BreakOut to be the most valuable. How can we do a better job listening to each other? How do we overcome adversity as a group and support each other?
In this day and age of social media discourse, disagreement and vitriol, spending a few moments to have an outward discussion around this would go a long way to handling arguments in the future while also promoting a sense of community in the classroom.
I hope some of the above ideas are useful in not only helping you survive the gap between Thanksgiving and winter break, but also as ways to enhance learning in your classrooms. Happy Holidays everyone!
Bold Predictions Sure to Go Wrong in 2017
Every year I embark on an expedition to either look brilliant or embarrass myself. (Let's be honest, that's more like every day in my life) Since 2013 I've set out to make a series of predictions, mostly in the Ed Tech world, that are bold. Now, let's look at the definition of "bold" below before we get started.
While all of these certainly can be applied, I'm going to focus on the final definition and say that some of these predictions stretch the usual limits of conventional thought or action. Last year for example, I predicted that schools would start to implement self-driving buses. As crazy as this may sound, about a month after the prediction, a company in Perth, Australia, began to pilot the self-driving bus in their community. It's only a matter of time before schools use them right?
You get the idea. Some of these are crazy, others actually just make sense, and some I just wish would happen. So, with that in mind and stressing that this is a "no judgement" zone, let's proceed:
A Dual-Language school will open with coding as the second language
The immersive dual-language movement has been going on for decades. Why not treat coding as a foreign language? If we really believe that we are preparing kids for a global society, then why not teach them a language many of them will find useful later in life? This does not mean that learning an actual foreign language is any less important, it's just that we should probably start to value coding and programming on that same level in schools. One sign that this would become a reality would be if a school district actually gave a language credit to those learning to program and code. Talk about taking "hour of code" to the next level!
The POTUS will use SnapChat to give the State of the Union
I'm not even touching the political side of this, but instead, let's focus on the medium to which our future president will use to communicate the State of the Union with the masses. I get the feeling that Twitter will not be enough for him in the future. I mean, either they'll have to change their limit of 140 characters (not likely) or he'll choose a different way of communicating. Enter SnapChat! What a great way to make a bold statement and then have it disappear (sort of) just a few seconds later. Does this sound all that crazy considering where we are today with social media, politics and the recent election?
The Learning "Movement" will take center stage at this year's iPadpalooza
Every year, iPadpalooza tries to center our attention around a certain theme. Last year we let the "Learning be with us" via a Star Wars-focused theme centered around looking into the future. This year, we take the PokemonGo phenomenon and flip it on its head with our "Learning on the GO" theme. I mean, what good is it to have all of these mobile devices in schools when kids are forced to sit in desks in rows learning the same traditional content the same traditional way? During this year's event, there will be a whole lotta shakin' going on with sessions centered around the theme and even a new type of session called a "Walk n' Talk" where attendees will actually walk around the campus with a presenter sharing an idea. You'll want to have a good pair of walking shoes before you join us this summer!
Someone will invent a PokemonGO type app for education
Speaking of PokemonGO, it's only a matter of time before someone invents an app that has some of the same addictive…er…engaging pieces of the widely popular Niantic app. I know there already is a PokemonEdu Facebook group and Twitter hashtag centered around using the characters from the app in an edu setting, but I'm talking something bigger here.
Imagine it. As a teacher, you have access to a platform that allows you to upload little learning nuggets into a platform. Students then actually get up and physically leave the classroom to discover these learning nuggets. Working in teams, they put the nuggets together and get certain badges for completing certain challenges. There could even be time limits, based on the class schedule, so you don't just have kids wandering the halls all day. It's like taking the APPmazing Race to a whole other level….hmmmmm….
Data actually gets sexy
I'm always reading stuff about "Big Data" and hearing about some fancy things happening with the IBM Watson project, but in truth, I find data to be extremely boring in its traditional, spreadsheet-focused format. I equate it to going and getting a physical. You don't want to do it, but you need to if you really want to improve your health. Let's face it, unless you are an accountant or testing coordinator, you'd rather find something else to do with your time rather than pouring over hundreds of color-coded graphs.
But this year, I think that will change. Now, I'm cheating a little bit here as I've been privy to a new program (called CatchOn) that actually puts usage data in a simple, clean, fantasy-football-like format. Gone are the days of me logging into different programs to look up usage statistics and figure out the ROI of a particular program. In this not-so-distant future, we'll actually be able to see everything that's being used on a district or school level right on our phone and then adjust accordingly. As someone who delivers professional learning in my district, being able to see this data instantly and beautifully would be powerful in steering what we need to help train teachers on or what we need to get rid of. Now that would be sexy (and save us money)!
Mixed Reality makes it's way into the mainstream classroom
For the past couple of years, there have been several one-off ideas of using some sort of mixed reality in the classroom. Maybe it's virtual through programs like Google Expeditions or Nearpod VR, or maybe it's augmented like using the Aurasma app to see hidden things (something I attempted to do with my book series). Either way, mixing realities can provide a powerful way to engage students into certain content areas and up until now, it's largely been seen as a niche or fun side activity. As witnessed by this recent Kickstarter called the ZapBox, it's not too hard to see a future where the holograms actually do pop up on the desk so you can interact with them. Now, if only they can invent a way to create virtual versions of those paper footballs that I used to flick across the classroom.
VR-Enhanced Movies!
Piggy backing on the VR concept and expanding into pop culture, I see hollywood grabbing onto the VR the concept and expanding it to the viewer. Now, as someone attending a VR-enhanced movie, you put on the VR goggles, much like you do now with 3D glasses, and are instantly in the middle of the movie. You look around at all the characters around you and actually sit in the middle of the room where the action is taking place. Imagine sitting in a car from Fast and Furious 15 as it launches out of a plane and lands on a boat! Or imagine sitting in the living room during Halloween Part 13 and instead of yelling at the screen for the actor to turn around, you can actually turn around as the killer approaches? Doing it in a movie theater gives everyone the same shared experience and you could even make movies more "Choose your own adventure-like" where half the audience goes down one hallway and the rest go down the other. Sound crazy or genius? I'm not sure where I fall on this yet, but hope it happens.
The Classroom becomes "Smart" with Frank
With devices like Google Home and Amazon's Alexa really taking off in the consumer market, it doesn't seem that far-fetched that we would soon see an educational version of these tools. I think it should be called something like "Frank". Frank would be like a fact-checking teacher's assistant that all the students could also use. "Frank, when was the battle of 1812?" or "What is Bohr's law?" or maybe "What is my teacher's favorite treat?" All of these could be useful in saving time in the classroom and help dive into even deeper learning and higher Bloom's level thinking. However, I imagine it might also come with a lot of new classroom management issues. But hey, for every challenge comes an opportunity, right Frank?
I finally publish my first children's book…and this time I mean it!
Yes, I know this was on last year's predictions, but I sort of had that whole Mobile Learning Mindset book series to finish first. With that series finally complete, I'm ready to embark on a new journey. I've got a lot of good ideas for a tech-centered children's book that will definitely be some sort of mixed reality book too. It might even come with it's own pair of VR goggles attached on the back. Like a virtual pop-up book of sorts. Now, if only I can find a publisher willing to take a risk….
There you have it. A few bold and bolder predictions that may happen this year. What do you think? What do you predict? Add your comments below and maybe together, we can make the future a better place for learning too!
Happy New Year!
The Most Amazing Conference You'll Never Attend
There are very few moments in life when you know you are a part of greatness. I recently returned from a trip to the Youth Education & Technology Integration (Y.E.T.I.) conference and let me tell you, this was true greatness manifest in a conference. The event itself is kind of like burning man for educational technology (only with out all the fire and naked people). To keep mass-media and the twitteratti on their toes, event organizers actually keep the location secret until mere days before the event. Both the speakers and attendees are selected completely at random using a complex algorithm of Twitter followers multiplied by latest eBook ISBN number downloaded. I was lucky enough to be picked as both an attendee and panelist for this year's event. An while I signed an agreement not to share what I saw (they have a Vegas-like motto of "what happens at YETI doesn't get tweeted") I can't help myself. This event is too powerful not to share with others. So here goes my recap, I'll leave it posted as long as I can:
This year's event took place at the gorgeous [omitted] over a mild, partly cloudy weekend. Due to the natural terrain and the landscape of the area, no rooms were needed. Many of the natural grottoes acted as small meeting rooms and the larger caves served as auditoriums. The acoustics were incredible and because of the location being near the equator, cell carriers signals were amplified along the walls giving attendees incredible 5G WiFi connections.
Speakers & Sessions
One of the most incredible parts of this event are the absolutely ridiculous variety of speakers and educators they have on hand. I attended a session that was an actual a hologram of Bill Gates speaking to Jaime Escalante. Some sessions lasted only for only a few minutes and others, like Bill Nye's lengthy monologue, lasted several hours.
There were no start or stop times for sessions too which was a little disconcerting at first. Sessions were declared over when an organizer or attendee elected to bang a giant ceremonial gong. To announce the beginning of a new session, a giant alphorn (you know, like the ones from those Ricola commercials?) would blow signifying a new session and new gathering of folks.
Another thing that sets this conference apart are the sponsors. With the terrain being what it was at YETI, sponsors got creative. Most of their "booths" were actually giant floating platforms, controlled by drones. I was excited to see that both Google and Apple were working in partnership with Facebook as sponsors for the event, even handing out free "Privacy Jackets" (a jacket that apparently blocks all outward internet traffic and data tracking from your devices).
My Panel
I was asked to be on a panel discussing the legitimacy behind this new wearable idea called a "thoughtband." The concept is simple. Wearing a piece of technology on their foreheads like a Bill Walton headband, students' thoughts are displayed in scrolling LED fashion. Before we were even able to get into the discussion about data-mining or mind-mining for that matter, someone (who looked like a famous politician) got up and banged the gong, thus ending our session. I wish I knew what he was thinking…
Nothing is normal at YETI, including the keynote. This year's closing keynote session started at midnight and lasted until the sun began to rise. The closing keynote was delivered by noted scholar and thespian Jon Lovitz. His message of prosperity, educational equality and the need for more 80's rap music in education rang true with the crowd of thousands. Following his talk, he asked the crowd to initiate in an awkward flash-mob edu-rave of sorts. With the 80's band Baltimora playing their one-hit wonder "Tarzan Boy" in the background, the attendees went into a sort of strange crowd-surfing/internet-surfing mosh pit of sorts. Culminating in one of the strangest multi-tasking activities I've ever witnessed as attendees danced and texted on their smartphones, responding digitally to YETI's essential question for 2015: Will the wearable flip-flop change the foot of education?
The video
Alas, all good things must come to an end, and unfortunately, my violation of one of YETI's 7 tenets of attendance (though shalt not video-record) caused my immediate removal before the end of the event. Organizers wiped the video off my phone, but I was able to sneak back over a hill and capture about 11 seconds of the closing coronation where they named one attendee the Patron Saint of YETI15.
While I may risk prosecution or worse yet, not be invited back, I'm making this video public in the hopes that the rest of the world will have a chance to experience just a little taste of what I got to experience. Enjoy:
Happy April 1st everybody.
How Modern Technology Could Have Changed These Classic Movies
There are some movies I just love watching over and over again. I consider these types of movies "classic". When I say classic, I mean a movie published before inventing of the smartphone in 2007, so it doesn't necessarily mean going back to some black & white film or "talkie" from back in the day. However, lately I've been amused while watching some of my favorite movies. I start to think about how different it would be if they just had the internet or a smartphone.
What follows are some of my all-time favorite movies and a particular important scene that could have been severely altered if it took place with today's modern technology. But rather than stop there, I'll also offer the "2.0" version that could retain some of the major plot points despite modern technology. This isn't all for entertainment folks…stick around to the end to see some classroom ideas for getting your kids to reflect on this as well. [SPOILER ALERT – If you haven't seen some of these films, I give away some major plot points]
Cujo –
This movie adaptation of a Steven King classic has many of the modern horror movie tropes: Damsel in distress, lack of resources, no one else around to hear, etc. A majority of the film takes place with the mother and child trapped by a large rabid St. Bernard in their Ford Pinto. Unable to escape, they are terrorized throughout before finally making a narrow escape at the movie's end.
Cujo TODAY –
Discovering they are trapped in a non-working Pinto, Donna takes out her cell phone and asks Siri for help.
"How can I help you?"
"Contact a local dog catcher"
"Let me find that for you."
Movie ends.
Cujo 2.0 –
She's trapped in the car, asks Siri for help only to hear repeatedly "I'm sorry, I didn't get that" because of the growling dog in the background.
Silence of the Lambs –
In one of the more tense scenes, Agent Starling is trapped in a basement looking for Buffalo Bill. He kills the lights and dons a pair of night vision goggles adding to the tension.
Silence of the Lambs TODAY –
Agent Starling, shocked when the lights go out, calmly pulls out her phone and turns on her flashlight app, blinding Buffalo Bill and helping her save the day.
Silence of the Lambs 2.0 –
Her flashlight app requires an update to iOS8 that doesn't work with the crappy wifi in the basement.
The Godfather –
When the family sets up the meeting between Michael and Sollozzo, a stressful sequence follows while the family tries to discover where the meeting will take place so that Michael can have a gun planted there. They discover the location right as Michael's about to walk out the door and they are able to plant the gun in time.
Michael shares his Apple ID (email@example.com) with his brother who uses iCloud and the Find My iPhone feature to locate where Michael is at. Michael doesn't have to find a gun behind a toilet because now the gunman can just come in and mow everybody down.
The Godfather 2.0 –
Michael forgets to enable Find My iPhone…essentially keeping him off the grid. Luckily his brother discovers that Sollozzo is at Louis' Restaurant when he inadvertently checks in on Foursquare and posts: "About to get my grub on (location: Louis' Restaurant, Bronx)"
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner –
A great movie about early stereotypes and beliefs around interracial marriage, young Joey is excited to tell her parents all about her new fiance, John Prentice, only to be thrown into the turmoil around their prejudices when they discover the color of his skin.
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner TODAY –
Joey's parents may have still been shocked, but if she had created an Evite to the dinner invitation, they would at least have had a warning by seeing who was on the guest list.
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner 2.0 –
Instead his face on Evite, John Prentice just uses the default avatar, thus hiding his identity.
In one of the most quoted lines of all time, Cole Sear reveals that he "sees dead people." This unbelievable declaration drives through most of the film and really throws the viewer for a loop when the final plot twist is revealed.
The Sixth Sense TODAY –
Rather than tell people he sees dead people, Cole starts taking "Selfies with Dead People" to prove he's not crazy. (or "Cray-cray" as the kids today say it)
The Sixth Sense 2.0 –
He's unable to post the selfies to Instagram because he's not 13+, thus rendering his evidence useless since we all know if it's not on Instagram, it can't be real.
Psycho –
Norman runs the Bates Motel, a place that seems to have perpetual sudden vacancies and an inn keeper that doesn't seem to be all there.
Psycho TODAY –
A series of bad Yelp reviews about the blood stains and peep holes drive travelers away from the motel. One yelper reveals "I'll never go back here again. The owner guy's mother can be heard hollering at him day and night. #soannoying"
Psycho 2.0 –
Norman's mother creates a bunch of fake Yelp accounts and sways the rating and feedback to be overwhelmingly positive. One such dummy review states that "long, hot showers are a must" in the spacious bathrooms with tear-away curtains.
Breakfast club –
From IMDB – Five high school students, all different stereotypes, meet in detention, where they pour their hearts out to each other, and discover how they have a lot more in common than they thought. A major point of this movie is Mr. Vernon checking on them to make sure they are obeying and sitting quietly not talking to each other.
Breakfast club TODAY –
The kids happily agree not to talk to each other, because that can just be plain awkward anyway. Instead they friend each other on SnapChat and have loads of "private" conversations without Bender ever finding out.
Breakfast Club 2.0 –
Shermer High School has a strict policy banning any and all cell phone use. The kids are now faced with an uncomfortable decision of having actual conversations rather than burying their faces in their phones.
When Harry Met Sally –
This classic Rom-com shows the main characters (Harry & Sally [Spoiler]) continually running into each other throughout their lives. These cause amazingly funny and quaint scenes where they share anecdotes of their previous lives and eventually lead to their following in love with each other.
When Harry Met Sally NOW –
After college, Harry and Sally stay connected via Facebook. While this means they can always keep up with each other, it also means that those charming little anecdotes can't happen because they can always respond with "Oh yeah, I saw you posted that on Facebook." They stay friends, but never fall in love.
When Harry Met Sally 2.0 –
Sally doesn't believe in social media and isn't on Facebook. However, her friends convince her to get on Match.com and her profile keeps matching her with the same guy over and over again, who turns out to be….her old acquaintance Harry.
Educational tie-in:
While this is fun to think about and ponder, how could we apply this to learning? What if a classic fairytale got a modern reboot? Or how about contemplating how a major historical event would have changed if we had modern technology? You could even reverse it and try to get the kids to imagine a recent event and what would have happened if the same event happened in the 1950's. Lots of potential here….post your ideas in the comment section below.
Teachers Make Good DJs
On January 16th, 2014 I held a press conference to announce my retirement. There comes a time in every person's life when they know it's time to move on. I've seen some of the most memorable sports retirements and wanted mine to be modeled in the same vain.
Unlike those memorable speeches held in stadiums around the country, mine was held in my kitchen around the table. No microphones or press (unless you include the 3 precocious girls running around at the time).
It was time.
And so, with a heavy heart I told my wife that I was retiring from the DJ business. Instead of tearful goodbyes and interview questions those athletes face, my exit interview was much more steeped in reality. My wife's response was, "that's great honey, can you change the baby's diaper?"
From a career that had humble beginnings DJing a friend's wedding as a favor in 2010 to the height of my career in 2012, I had a lot of joy in getting the crowd up and moving during a wedding. I'm not blessed with much musical talent and I'm notorious for singing the wrong words to songs. One thing I've always been able to do well is motivate an audience to get up and dance.
I realized something those last few wedding gigs – good teachers are essentially classroom DJs.
Think about it.
Your job as a teacher is to motivate the kids to learn. The good ones know when things are going slow, when the crowd is starting to get bored and they change the song. Sometimes, you even need to get out into the middle of the room and get the kids up and moving. I mean, if we didn't do that, we could essentially be replaced by a really good Pandora station for learning. Here are four traits that really good teachers and DJ's share:
Just as there are classic songs that we play, there are classic lessons that teachers teach. However, the same songs don't always work for the same crowd. If I tried to play some hip-hop at a predominately country wedding, I'd get a lot of listless, slack-jawed stares. The same is true for the how we teach. I used Google Docs with the Bride and Groom to request songs for their ceremony in advance. This "formative assessment" told me a lot about their styles and tastes and I could tailor the music to fit their needs. I see teachers doing more and more of this in classrooms as they change the direction of a lesson based on the crowd's tastes. Sometimes, you have to remix it, change the style and suit the interests of your audience.
Content –
One other thing I loved about DJing was discovering all the new music the "kids these days" were listening to. Keeping my material fresh and up to date was a big key to my success. There's nothing more embarrassing than playing MC Hammer's 2 Legit 2 Quit to an empty dance floor. As teachers, we also must make an effort to stay up to date. The influx of technology and tools available on the web are infinite and sometimes mind-numbing. However, using these fresh tools can keep your crowd more engaged and often will save you time in your day.
Pacing –
This one was a challenge for me early in my career. I felt it was so important to keep people dancing non-stop for 4 hours that I never planned for breaks or mixing in slow songs ("drink-getters" we call those in the biz). A good DJ knows when to change things up by reading the audience. With the amount of content we are "forced" to get through in the classroom, it's easy to put the petal to the metal for 180 days straight. However, you'll leave your students exhausted and drained if you went at that pace every day. Instead, change it up a bit. Have a "slow dance" from time to time to allow kids to catch their breath, reflect, and then get ready for more.
Participation –
Some of my most memorable moments of being a wedding DJ are when the crowd responds to a song. (The Isley's Brother's "Shout" being the ultimate audience response song) . Sometimes in the classroom there can be that magical moment where the kids are so engaged you can almost feel them learning together "out loud" as a group. While you can do you best to anticipate this by judging your audience, adjusting your music and pacing, sometimes, you just have to let it go and let them take control. Pass the mic around and let them sing their rendition of "Sweet Caroline" so they can make those memories.
While I may be retiring in name, I'm not retiring in spirit. My crowd has shifted from inebriated party-goers to teachers and administrators that are thirsty to learn. My music is now the infusion of technology and dynamic learning in every day classroom life. I still need to judge the crowd for interest, avoid the empty dance floors, and allow them time to get a drink every now and then. So, in a way, this isn't a retirement, it's a melding of my previous career with my current one. I'm teaching like a DJ.
And that is sweet music to my ears….even if I get the words wrong from time to time.
#NoEmail4Lent Dies a Quick Painful Death
What started out with a bang, ended with a whimper on Sunday afternoon. I had made it nearly 19 days without interacting with email but the wheels were starting to come off some time late last week.
Our district is in the midst of it's final iPad roll-out to 6th & 7th graders to complete an entire K-12 1:1 district. My position plays a key role in a lot of the decisions being made about these roll-out events and I have been out of pocket from these conversations to the point it was starting to hurt.
So, on Sunday (appropriately) at 4:53PM, I ended my ban on email by taking part in some discussions around the roll-out. My immediate reaction was a mix of depression and relief. I had made it a lot longer than many thought (including myself) and gained quite a bit of knowledge out of this experiment.
Logistics – If I had to do it all over again, I would have planned this better. I didn't need 15 ways to get in touch with me. Turns out I only needed about 6 or 7. Every night while doing my counts for the day, I would catch myself skimming the previews of each email in case there was something exciting happening. While I focused my energy on my work email, I included my consultant email, my personal email and even my iPadpalooza account in the initial research.
Timing – It's everything, right? At least that's how the saying goes. While Lent seemed to outline a good amount of days to do this research, I had other events begin to get in the way. One was the fact that we were closing the early bird registration on iPadpalooza and the only way districts could register with PO was by emailing firstname.lastname@example.com. That meant I had to check those email's and auto-forward them to our PO person. Not exactly fair to her.
Personally, I had two major events happen in my life within 12 hours of each other. I was named an Apple Distinguished Educator and became a father of 3 all in the same day. The ADE notice came….via email. My twitter friends quickly pointed that out to me. It was nerve-racking but once people started to tell me they were in or out, I had to sneak a peak.
The birth of my 3rd daughter meant time away from work, which meant the experiment and data changed course. Before I went on paternity leave, face to face interaction had definitely increased and in fact, led all other non-email interactions. Now that I wasn't there in person (and a little pre-occupied) I had to rely on other means to communicate with people. To be quite honest, unless you were on Facebook, text, or Twitter, you probably didn't hear from me for a while.
The Hypothesis –
The original hypothesis was that by giving up email as a primary communication tools, others would be forced to try out new means and hopefully expand their horizons. This both succeeded and failed in some senses. I noticed within the first day or two that while almost everyone was on board, there were a few that felt I was cutting myself off from them by not being on email. I got called to task about making others find different ways to get a hold of me when "email is just the easiest." While that was the point of the experiment, I didn't want it to negatively effect teachers who already have a lot on their plate, much less trying to figure out how to reach the tech guy.
Other (hopeful) outcomes –
I had hoped that I'd be able to do "more meaningful" work while not checking email. While I did get quite a few more personal chores done in the evening, work seemed largely unaffected. It seems much of my "meaningful work" came from the sometimes mundane tasks assigned to me via email. I feel like this wasn't as much of a success also largely to the fact that I had to spend more time checking all the various methods of communication. (see Logistics above) That said, I was able to read an entire book for the first time since I can remember (World War Z – zombies of course).
My other hope was that not sitting behind my screen as much would force more face to face communication and collaboration. I can say without a doubt, this was the greatest success of this experiment. I spent more time with my family, talked to district staff I hadn't seen in a while and even got to sub in a first grade classroom! While this seems like a simple idea, I was amazed at how touched people were by this concept of walking away from email to spend more time with others. I even had a small group of people (in admin no less) suggest we have an "unEmail Day" once a month to get out and see the kids, campuses, and staff. This will be something I employ going forward every month.
My last hopeful outcome was that I would have others communicate in different ways. Aside from a few folks that were stuck on email as the only method of communication, I felt this was a success as well. I had a principal join twitter, a GT teacher chat with me via Edmodo, and I got to chat with someone face to face (virtually) via Skype rather than a back-n-forth email exchange. I even had one parent communicate with me using smoke signals. The use of Dispatch for collaboration came in handy and will likely be a continued resource going forward with the team. I also finally got myself on Instagram (hookertech) since that seems to be the preferred communication method of kids. While the only letter I got was a printed off email, I really feel like making others aware of the alternative methods and the way kids communicate put things in perspective for most.
Final Data –
Thanks to Google Docs, I was able to track all the data on a spreadsheet. Final numbers:Unread email = 1545 Twitter conversations = 299* Facebook = 256 Face to face = 185 Text = 149
Next steps –
As stated, I'm going to continue to increase my face to face time in the district via self-imposed "unEmail Days". I'm also in the process of sorting and labeling all 1500+ emails I received while I was away. Once I gather that data, I'll go through and see areas that I can optimize in my own email to make it a more efficient tool for myself and hopefully others. While this social media experiment is over, I'm actually still in the midst of a 12-week social media diet challenge (via Facebook group). Only 5 weeks to go, but I'm down 25 pounds and in second place!
As for the next experiment, my wife has kindly suggested (or insisted) that the next challenge be giving up my iPhone for Lent. Just the thought of that makes my stomach hurt. How will I get anywhere? How will I contact people? That sounds a little too crazy for me. But then again, maybe that's why I should do it…