text:
Symrise AG: Mergers & Acquisitions: Offer for Acquisition of Diana Group
Symrise AG / Key word(s): Mergers & Acquisitions 12.04.2014 20:06 Dissemination of an Ad hoc announcement according to § 15 WpHG, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Symrise AG, Holzminden, ISIN: DE000SYM9999 Ad-hoc Publication according to section 15 Securities Trading Act Mergers & Acquisitions: Offer for Acquisition of Diana Group Symrise AG today submitted a binding offer for the acquisition of all of the shares in Kerisper S.A.S., France, the holding entity of Diana Group. Diana is a leading supplier to the food, pet food, nutraceutical, aquaculture and cosmetics industries. After finalisation of the customary French consultation process with the workers' council of Diana, the owners of Diana Group can conclude a share purchase agreement by accepting the offer. The parties agreed on exclusivity for the duration of this process. In 2013, with around 2,000 employees, Diana achieved sales of around EUR 425 million and an EBITDA-margin of approx. 21%. For Symrise, the acquisition would be EPS accretive from 2015 onwards. The joint activities of Diana and Symrise would generate pro forma sales of nearly EUR 2.3 billion and an EBITDA-margin of more than 20%. Through this transaction, Symrise would significantly expand its position in the flavor & nutrition markets, strengthen its backward integration and expand its activities into the pet food markets. Symrise plans to invest nearly EUR 1.3 billion in this transaction and has already secured the required bridge financing. Symrise plans to refinance such bridge financing - subject to market conditions - by a mix of debt and equity financing. The transaction would be subject to antitrust clearance and would be expected to close in the third quarter of 2014. *** 12.04.2014 DGAP's Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: Symrise AG Mühlenfeldstraße 1 37603 Holzminden Germany Phone: +49 (0)5531 90 0 Fax: E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com Internet: www.symrise.com ISIN: DE000SYM9999 WKN: SYM999 Indices: MDAX Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover, München, Stuttgart End of Announcement DGAP News-Service ---------------------------------------------------------------------------


text:
Please visit our Endowment Fund page for information on the start of securing Hokoji's future.
Hokoji Zendo
10 Paw-a-Suki RoadArroyo Seco, New Mexico 87514
575-741-1500 Ian Forsberg, Resident Teacher
Mailing address: PO BOX 245, Arroyo Seco, NM 87514
We're on Facebook.
Your Name:
Your Email:
Your Message:
Overnight Accommodations Hokoji can accommodate a limited number of overnight guests in the main house and yurt (season permitting) during sesshins. Please inquire early about reserving a bed if you plan to join us.
Two overnight stay options close to Hokoji:
Stewart House Bed & Breakfast
on NM 150 (the Ski Valley Road) heading toward Arroyo Seco from Taos575-776-2557888-505-2557
Hostel-like accommodation in the village of Arroyo Secowww.snowmansion.com575-776-8298airbnb.com is an online services that advertises private homes available for overnight guests at a full range of daily rates. Sign on and search for listings in Taos and Arroyo Seco, NM.
Site Design by Wink Visual Arts

subset: commoncrawl


text:
With a 100 point rise yesterday, the DOW crept back above the support level it had broken on Monday. But a glance at the chart shows the move was far from convincing. Volume was low and there was a pull back from the high at the end of the day. So the period of uncertainty continues. I am still holding tight and hoping for the best.
The S&P500 shows a more pessimistic pattern. It shows a distinct downturn in the market. So far, however, it has respected a support line that was established back in November. A break of that support line would add weight to the bearish side of the scales.
In Continental Europe stock markets appear to have been thrown into turmoil by the Italian election and various jolts that result from news about the Euro Zone and its difficulties. The movement of the German Dax shows what I mean.
The UK seems to be following the DOW. Although it is weak it hasn't shown the same degree of volatility. There is however lots to worry about.


text:
Aiden, 7 yrs old, will share his story with Ellen in surviving the bouts with chemoRead More
Hope of the Valley Annual Blanket Drive!
This yearly event from Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission, community lunch, has been giving away free blankets for the upcoming fall.
Please join us in keeping everyone warm this winterRead More
Clairvoyants, with the use of their psychic faculties, have observed that every person is surrounded and interpenetrated by a luminous energy body called the bioplasmic body or aura. Just like the visible physical body, it has a head, two eyes, two arms, etc. In other words, the bioplasmic body looks like the visible physical body. This is why clairvoyants call it the etheric double or etheric body.
The word `bioplasmic` comes from `bio`, which means life and plasma, which is the fourth state of matter, the first three being: solid, liquid, and gas. Plasma is ionized gas or gas with positive and negative charged particles. This is not the same as blood plasma. Bioplasmic body means a living energy body made up of invisible subtle matter or etheric matter. To simplify the terminology, the term `energy body` will be used to replace the word `bioplasmic body`. Science, with the use of Kirlian photography, has rediscovered the energy body. With the aid of Kirlian photography, scientists have been able to study, observe, and take pictures of small bioplasmic articles like bioplasmic fingers, leaves, etc. It is through the energy body that prana or life energy is absorbed and distributed throughout the whole physical body.
In general, the body is capable of healing itself at a certain rate. If a person has a wound or burn, the body will heal itself and recover within a few days to a week. In other words, even if you do not apply antibiotic on the wound or burn, the body will repair or heal itself. At the present moment, there is no medicine available for the treatment of viral infection. But even if a person has cough or cold due to viral infection, the body will recover generally in one or two weeks without medication.
For life to exist, the body must have prana, chi or life energy. The healing process can be accelerated by increasing life energy on the affected part(s) and on the entire body.
Water absorbs prana from sunlight, air, and ground that it comes in contact with. Plants and trees absorb prana from sunlight, air, water, and ground. Men and animals obtain prana from sunlight, air, ground, water, and food. Fresh food contains more prana than preserved food.
Prana can also be projected to another person for healing. Persons with a lot of excess prana tend to make other people around them feel better and livelier. However, those who are depleted tend to unconsciously absorb prana from other people. You may have encountered persons who tend to make you feel tired or drained for no apparent reason at all.


text:
Is it in your wardrobe?
Avatar was a spectacular movie, not only because it had superb design but because it made you feel sorry for the earth, right? It made you cry because the Tree of Souls was going to be destroyed. It made you want to start reading up on potent environmental issues, turning off unneeded lights, and taking shorter showers.
It doesn't shock me that there is a fantasy animation about evil humans cutting down sacred trees for big bucks. But, it's the fantasy part that worries me. We seem to be so blind and easily manipulated because we fail to understand the real issues at hand.
Why is it that it takes a box-office success story to help us see the force that our footprints have upon the planet? Why is the human mind not able to connect as well by observing our daily activities? There could be a million answers to this question, but the bottom line is that it does matter…….its never a bad thing to make a change for the good but we have to understand and appreciate why we are doing it.
It is not helping our cause if we just keep jumping from fad to fad. Environmentalism is not a fashion statement and it's ridiculous that we are trying to fit it into our wardrobes. For example, it is not the purchasing of "green products" that makes you an active participant in building a sustainable earth.
It's the daily, weekly, yearly changes that you make in your life. It is the ability to stand up against things you don't believe and refusing to be a part of it. The sooner we realize that we're pawns to this environmental fan-club, the better. But I guess it just takes us longer to realize the obvious. I mean how is it that we understand quantum physics, but we still drive cars that emit huge amounts of pollution?
We need to be more careful. Just as I don't think it's ethical to cut down acres of old-growth forests to cash in on a gold mine, it's just as unfair to litter on the way to school. My advice: Be smart. Think. And always remember that what you do affects everyone around you…….and in turn what everyone around you does, affects you. There is an interconnectedness about the earth.
So, I won't jump on this enviro-fan-club wagon. I would rather make changes in my life that other people can't see immediately rather than buying a T-shirt that says "Be Cool, Be Green." And if there's anything to be learned from Avatar, we should probably go for a bike ride instead.


text:
If You are Her/
She is more committed to Jesus than her organization or denomination. She's more frustrated with the Church than she can talk about publicly because she is committed to who she's intended to be though she causes her pain. She's working to prove herself because her workplace isn't safe enough for her to relax into her truest calling and gifting.
She feels like an outsider in most spaces because of her gender and some of her beliefs, but she longs to belong. She's a closeted feminist because it's not entirely safe to be out there.
She reads Jen Hatmaker because she feels like a sister and laughter is close by, and she reads Rachel Held Evans because she feels more like the strong woman than the "helper" she's been told she's supposed to be. But she's reading more and more voices on the margins because she's more aware than ever that she is one. She listens to podcasts more than reads books because life is always moving fast but she's always learning. She has a #metoo story that she rarely shares fully.
She's strong and comes across strong and is often told she's too strong. Yet she feels weak on the inside.
She has a college degree. She's several years into this gig. Her family is everything but she wants more for her family than she's currently got. She's concerned about her wellness in body, mind and spirit, but too often it doesn't get the attention she knows she deserves. On her days off she shops at H&M and the Anthro sales rack, but online shopping is WAYYYYYY easier and a little less intimidating. Amazon Prime is bookmarked because getting what's needed in 2-days is pretty much the best thing ever. She uses a Mac and has an iPhone because it's both creative and efficient. She doesn't meal plan but wishes she did, because GOOD LORD that'd be so helpful. Speaking of food, it's a love language. She wants to eat healthier than she does. Takeout dinner and multiple grocery runs some how win out every week. She gets pedicures for self-care but there's so much more to unearth.
She is everything and she wants more.
Is she you?
If you resonate with her, Eden mastermind coaching group is for you. This group was designed with you in mind. You may feel like you're an outsider, but you're in. Reflecting on your story creates clarity and a way forward.


text: BETTY ALIDA jewelry is created to last, however, it will last longer with proper T.L.C. Do not wear your jewelry while bathing, swimming. Water and moisture may tarnish the jewelry. House your jewelry in a dry, dust-free place and keep it separated from other materials to avoid rubbing or scratching. Each bead is made of glass, so for good measure, avoid crushing your new piece of jewelry under the weight of a heavy object.


text:
Seminar room Soutter
The Soutter seminar room is ideal as a large training room. It allows you to arrange lectures and seminars in rows and in a U-shape. The room is also suitable for banquets and aperitifs. It is often used as a second banquet hall through the connection to the Arte Room.
|up to 50
|62 m2
|2.7 m
Seating in detail
Lecture 50 people
Seminar 24 people
Rows 54 people
U-Shape 21 people
Banquet, blocks 40 people
Cocktail / Apéro 50 people


text: I figured I would post this amazing inside look at Pixar's proprietary animation system called Presto. The program was written originally for Brave and is being used on all of the studio's upcoming films. It offers animators a deep level of control within a real-time, interactive environment. The talk is a subset of Pixar's keynote at last week's GPU Technology Conference, which you can watch here in its entirety. Thanks to Amid over at Cartoon Brew for making me aware of the video existence.


text:
Every Founder's Glass Ceiling.
When you've taken a truly valued product to market, created a business around it and realized success, it can be confusing and frustrating when you seem to reach that glass ceiling with your market share.
When you've taken a truly valued product to market, created a business around it and realized success, it can be confusing and frustrating when you seem to reach that glass ceiling with your market share. You know there is more market to get at and you can't quite figure out why you're stuck or how to get unstuck.
This is where RIP-IT Sports was when they approached us in 2015 to help them get unstuck.
One of the keys to helping them do this was injecting a little bit of their founder's perspective back into the model and digging deeper into the market they were serving. That perpetual glass ceiling is something you will have to continue to overcome as a business owner. No matter how good your product is or how efficient and cost-effective your process for producing it, the needs of your customer will evolve and change overtime.
The secret to success is designing a business that resets the level of the glass ceiling, effectively helping you to overcome market hurdles to gain greater share and retain that share over time.
RIP-IT got really good at producing a few products but lost touch with their secret sauce, the customers. So even though they had a great product and on paper their operations and processes were sound, they weren't focusing everything around allowing their employees, who are always closer to the problems, to innovate and operate free from operational burden and they weren't allowing themselves to truly know and focus on their customers. When it all boils down, this is exactly why they weren't breaking through the glass ceiling.
About This Content
Fervr is a early stage venture we launched in 2015 out of Orlando FL in which we lead organizations to better Know Their Customer.
This series of post is pulled from our RIP-IT Case Study. This informs modern founders on how Empathy is a driving ingredient to top performing organizations. Outcomes include: 20.8 % increase in revenue, 52% increase in gross profit, and a radical refocus on the one thing.


text:
Safia Abdalla
Keeping things minimal, with Safia Abdalla
Safia works independently, making an impact on businesses with her skills in data analysis, front-end development, and technical writing. Safia is a serial open source contributor, and is the creator of Legit - a command line tool to make adding licenses to projects and files a cinch. On top of that, Safia is a regular speaker at dev conferences.
Time Stamped Show Notes
0:59 – In additional to writing legit, Safia has written a couple of open source tools that are all aimed to make the development experience better. She has written goops, which is a command line tool that aims to make it easier to add .gitignore files to your projects intelligently.
2:19 – Safia is passionate about being a developer because of the new experiences it gives her. She gets the opportunity to try something new and feel uncomfortable on a regular basis.
3:58 – Safia helped start a local nonprofit in Chicago that works with high school girls in their freshman and sophomore years to get them interested in technology. It's called ChickTech Chicago.
5:05 – The one thing that is consistently difficult about projects is being able to communicate intentions and expectations between people.
7:18 – Safia has found improv games effective in her team's technical meetings. The games are designed to make people uncomfortable and teach them how to deal with things not going the way they expect. This builds trust between colleagues and helps them overcome "silly disasters".
10:40 – Safia doesn't use many tools in her workflow, but when she does she wants them to be very simple with minimalist APIs.
11:05 – Safia uses Hyper and splits her work into 3 panes: one with her Vim editor, the second with a blank command-line shell, and the third running the dev server or test suite with a live reload.
12:15 – Safia doesn't have syntax highlighting turned on in Vim, and finds that it causes her to make fewer syntax errors.
13:24 – It's important to capture the freshness and energy of a new idea and put it to work right away.
14:07 – Less tooling is better.
15:00 – The idea for legit started because Safia grew tired of having to create a project on GitHub to get the license. She wanted to create the license in the command-line without having to clone it on GitHub. Safia says that legit is the only command-line tool that she knows of that allows you to add a license header to a file.
19:39 – Safia is primarily a Javascript developer at the moment, but is excited about Go and systems languages.
20:45 – Safia has committed to learning by doing which is different from how she's learnt in the past. Safia pairs each new topic when learning Go with creating an open source library that she will publish along with the learning process.
22:06 – Safia started learning Go because a systems language felt like a good skill to complement her existing knowledge of Python on the backend and Javascript on the frontend.
25:58 – "You don't write code so the machine will be happy, or so that your tests will pass, or so your website looks a certain way. You write code so that other people will be able to read it; so that other people will be able to modify it; so that the website will look appealing to human-beings with different experiences or abilities than yours… It's the realisation that it's not about you and the machine, it's about you and the people out there. That perspective has changed the way I write code."
Quickfire Questions
27:04 – Best advice about programming
Always write tests
28:03 – Habits for writing better code
Safia runs to allow her to engage her body and mind while away from the machine.
27:53 – Book
Code: the Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software, by Charles Petzold. It covers everything you need to know about computers.
30:07 – Inspiring devs
Sarah Drasner whose main focus is on SVG animations at the moment.
She is also thankful to everyone who contributes and maintains the React project.
Safia strongly recommends following Kent C. Dodds on Twitter if you're interested in JavaScript.
32:02 – How to learn to code from scratch
Have an end goal – know what you want to do or make and then use tools like Code School, Codecademy and Khan Academy.
33:26 – Top tip to work smart
Cut out anything you think is unnecessary and to take care of yourself personally. Make sure your mind and body are healthy, and value your emotional and physical wellness.
Resources Mentioned
Contact Safia
website: safia.rocks


text:
Carla's Bio
Circle Keeper
Boston, MA
Carla Sheffield comes to Our RJ with a rich background in the legal and organizational arenas. Her previous work experience includes providing support to the Senator of the Ways and Means (SWM) Committee on Beacon Hill, the Committee charged with creation of the Massachusetts budget. She is a graduate of West Roxbury High School and has attended Aquinas College, UMass Boston, and Suffolk University. She holds a Masters in Criminal Justice from Suffolk University. As a mother of five, Carla has a strong sense of family and a keen understanding of successfully interacting with and empowering youth. Carla's areas of focus in working with youth include building positive relationships, preventing precursors to homelessness, and encouraging the youth she works with to become active role models in their communities. Carla strives to assist youth and young adults who are serious about putting their lives back on track, heal their community, and overcome their mistakes.


text:
Greetings and welcome to Gaston Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church website. Please take a little time to browse through our pages, and hopefully your experience will be a blessed one. Gaston Chapel is constantly on the move for Christ and our webpage will be updated regularly, so please visit our site often.
Check out our FaceBook page (http://www.facebook.com/GastonChapel123) to see pictures of our ministry in action.
Our Calendar page has the upcoming Events.
Phone: 828-437-0491
emailto: firstname.lastname@example.com
102 Bouchelle St
Morganton, NC 28655
Bishop James L. Davis, Presiding Prelate
Dr. Conrad K.Pridgen Presiding Elder
Reverend Alphonso E. McGlen, Pastor


text:
Jessamine County
Nicholasville mayor declares candidacy for state House
Nicholasville Mayor Russ Meyer has announced plans to run for the state House 39th District, which includes Jessamine County and a portion of southern Fayette County.
Bob Damron, who has held the seat since 1993, has entered the race for Jessamine County judge-executive.
Jessamine County Judge-Executive Neal Cassity announced Sept. 30 that he would not seek re-election after his term ends in December 2014.
Meyer, a Democrat, said the house seat represents "an opportunity to continue to focus on creating an economic environment that will help bring more jobs to our area. In addition, it would enable me to have more of an impact on education and the public school system, which is fundamental to a thriving community."Meyer, who was elected to city commissioner in 2000 and became mayor in 2006, said earlier this year that he did not plan to run for another term as mayor.


text: Theatre Please note this event has already taken place and you are viewing an archived page of the Lakeside website.For a list of current events, exhibitions and workshops, please click on 'What's On' in the menu above An Evening with William Ivory Venue: Saracen's Head Hotel, Southwell. Join BBC Radio Nottingham's John Holmes who will be talking to William Ivory about his debut stage play 'The Retirement of Tom Stevens' John will also be joined by some of the cast and the Director Matt Aston. Please call the Box Office on 0115 846 7777 to reserve your seat.


text:
Hearth & Home Technologies
1915 West Saunders Street
Mount Pleasant, IA 52641
(319) 385-9211
Hearth & Home Technologies LLC is the leading manufacturer and provider of hearth products. Hearth & Home Technologies Inc. (formerly known as Heatilator) is a division of HNI CORPORATION, Muscatine, Iowa and has operated in our current Mt. Pleasant location since 1964. With everything we do, our goal is to make a house feel more like home. Our focus on quality, functionality and reliability explains why our brands are not only the most preferred, but also the most recognized. We incorporate customer and consumer feedback to rapidly improve our products and processes to lead the hearth industry.


text:
Outcomes from PM Modi's Japan visit to support for India's membership in Nuclear Suppliers Group, Visas and more #Hindustan360
After talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, it wasn't just the nuclear deal and strong statement on terrorism that were the highlights of the visit. View more at #Hindustan360.
Outcomes of the meeting
- Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) Project, a flagship project between the two countries. The target schedule of the project is that the General Consultant will start its work in December 2016, that the construction work will commence by the end of 2018, and that the operation will start in 2023.
- A task force will be set up comprising representatives of both countries to develop a concrete roadmap for phased transfer of technology and "Make in India." Both sides will explore further strengthening of partnership in high speed railways.
- Preliminary work on the establishment of HSR Institute and development of its training programme. The two Prime Ministers recognised the importance of accelerating the MAHSR Project by holding the Ground Breaking Ceremony in 2017.
- They decided to cooperate on the human resource development in the manufacturing sector in India through "Manufacturing Skill Transfer Promotion Programme." This programme will enhance the manufacturing base of India and contribute to Make in India and Skill India, through training 30,000 persons over next 10 years.
- They decided to mark the year 2017 as a year of India-Japan friendly exchanges in the field of culture and tourism. They also planned to start the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) office in Delhi by March 2016.
- Abe announced a relaxation of visa requirement for Indian students and expressed his intention to expand the number of visa application sites for Indian nationals to 20.
- The two Prime Ministers recognised the importance of effective national export control systems. Japan welcomed India's recent accession to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC) and its intensified engagement with the export control regimes.
- The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to work together for India to become a full member in the remaining three international export control regimes: Nuclear Suppliers Group, Wassenaar Arrangement and Australia Group, with the aim of strengthening the international non-proliferation efforts.
The outcomes of the visit ranged from support for India's membership in Nuclear Suppliers Group, easing of Indian student visas, a clear timetable for Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train, opening of Japan tourism office in India, and training of 30,000 Indians in Japanese-style manufacturing practices. Foreign secretary S Jaishankar said the Japanese side confirmed its support for India's membership at the NSG. [read more]


text:
The Naka Phuket, Thailand/
Hidden in an ancient valley on the western edge of Phuket, The Naka is Duangrit Bunnag's most daring hotel to date. Not only because the Bangkok-based architect, Duangrit Bunnag, set out to redefine the idea of an indulgent island escape, but also because he single-mindedly followed a dream: one that would allow the hotel's guests to float among the trees. The result is a discreet, tropical hideout, with 94 glass-built villas cantilevering out from the mountainside to give endless panoramas of the sparkling Andaman Sea. With an outdoor pool attached to each of the secluded living spaces, guests have all the privacy they need to find their natural equilibrium. At the rooftop spa, which overlooks the forest and the ocean, cicadas provide the spellbinding soundtrack to soothing body scrubs and massages. Guests can also unwind in the hotel's Olympic-sized infinity pool, or feel the powder-fine sand between their toes on the wave-lapped private beach. Fresh market produce is served at the hotel's three restaurants, including The Nava, which sits along a natural watercourse that Bunnag integrated into his final design. Here, as with the rest of the hotel, there's a sense of being cocooned in a secret valley. Design Hotels, the company who represents the Naka, walks us through the new property which will open it's doors this spring.
Designing The Naka should have been easy. The 1,740-acre plot provided plenty of space, and the valley location – complete with a private beach on Phuket's west coast – was already postcard pretty. But Duangrit Bunnag, one of the best-known minimalist designers in Thailand, is a man who likes to challenge himself.
Instead of opting for traditional Thai bungalows or a blocky concrete high-rise, he created a forest of stone- and glass-built villas. Soaring away from the mountainside, these spacious and simplistic pods give guests 180-degree views of the sand-edged shoreline.
"I wanted to create something different, and nobody has ever dreamt of that in Thailand," Bunnag said. "Actually nobody has done that in the whole world: a six-meter cantilever of the whole room."
Rather than uprooting the valley's trees to make way for his ambitious villas, Bunnag decided to use them as a guide. If his plans overlapped with a mature tree, he would either change the dimensions of the building, or move it to another part of the plot entirely.
The result is that the villas appear scattered across the valley, with well-established trees – many of them more than 50 years old – sprouting up from the gaps in between. In order to support the local population of cicadas and butterflies, indigenous plant species were also added during construction.
At the center of The Naka are four wooden pavilions. The pagoda-like lobby is built around a series of upright columns, making the most of natural ventilation, while the onsite wedding chapel, accented by glinting black marble, welcomes couples through its semi-transparent façade.
Both the sweet-smelling spa and The Meka (a rooftop café 40 meters above sea level) offer views as far as Patong. This notion of being close to town yet sheltered from its day-to-day bustle is key to Bunnag's concept.
He wants guests to know that they are cocooned in a secret valley, with total privacy guaranteed until they choose to go out in search of excitement.
Photography: Design Hotels


text:
Most likely will be deactivating the old original TYC rant website within a week, as much as I would really rather keep up with it. The times are not only changing, the time is running out on keeping up The Big Lie that Admin seems unable to admit to. Be sure to bookmark this site in your Favorites, and TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND CO-WORKERS about it, eh?
My PATIENCE is runnng out, to be honest, and that can't be a good thing for The Powers That Be. But they've not paid much worthwhile attention to our concerns, have they? Is it getting time to throw the cat out of the bag again and see where it goes? Do they not CARE? Has NO ONE in Austin or any Giddings admin seen this site -- or, the original one -- and noticed SOMETHING IS MESSED UP? Methinks they're all just holding out as long as possible, hoping to forestall the eventual day when some kind of SCANDAL breaks. Again. As it SURELY will. Just wait till the next staff gets hospitalized... or another dorm goes bezerk and knocks out all the light fixures and cameras or who-knows-what.
I'll give 'em a week, anyhow, to come up with something -- ANYTHING -- to convince me that the Higher Up's are hip to the concept of getting the ratios to a legal and safer standard... start holding the 6's to ANY standard -- hopefully one that includes WORKING for a change... that they will vigorously address the issues of staff coming in late/calling in all the time, all these damn 12's we're being made to work, etc etc etc. We all know what we want to see acknowledged and acted upon, right? I'm TIRED of being thrown bones -- gimmie some MEAT for a change!
If there seems to be no credible changes real soon, well, I'm ready to be an Agent Of Change myself. That'll mean writing more nastygrams to the legislators, agency bigwigs, various Texas newspapers/TV stations, and standing on the corner by the light at James Turman with a BIG sign that's gonna read simply "ASK ME ABOUT TYC". And if anyone asks -- I'll share a few nuggets of knowledge and see what they think. Can I start a petition, or is that against the "best interests" of the Agency? I'll find out. I'll also try -- TRY -- not to be critical of NAMED individuals here who may have dirty little secrets and definately WOULD be in hot water if I should "name names". That's not my style... so far. We all have our little skeletons in the closet. Smile.
All I want is to be treated with respect by the organization and the individuals in the organization, which I will gladly return. It's gotta be pretty obvious I have little to no respect for the Agency... but if the shoe fits...
THINKING POINT: Talking with a staff who's been here over 20 years, I asked if there's EVER been a WHITE JCO 6? The answer? NO. Hmmmm. So if you're a JCO 5 the "career ladder" just ends THERE, huh? Wonder why that is? Have no white folks ever wanted to be a 6? Not qualified? Not educated enough? Not competent enough? Never applied for the position?? I hardly think so... but from seeing the JCO 6's we DO have it occurs to me the facility wouldn't be doing any WORSE with a white person in that particular supervisory position. Does this seem even just a LITTLE BIT strange to anyone else but me? Is there reason to try to find out the underlying reason(s) WHY and HOW this could be? Gee. Seems pretty typical of the way things go around here to ME... but then I've oftentimes been accused by both staff and youth of being the "R" word. Yeah, right. I say if the shoe fits, wear it -- and I'm blistered!
In : SNAFUS


text:
3 Simple Self-Love Practices to Embrace Today
Words by Chelsey Roberts
I have started a journey and no one knows. My journey does not involve planes, trains, automobiles, distant lands, or magnificent cultures. My journey is one that involves buying myself flowers on February 15, taking a day to read an important book, wandering for photographs, and pouring determination (and sore fingers) into knitting my own blanket. My journey is one of love and life and a rediscovering of myself.
I was previously employed as a legal assistant, a position that was physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. Shortly after, I found out that my position would be disappearing, as the lawyers departed the firm. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but losing my job turned out to be the best blessing in disguise. Suddenly, I had time. Time to spend with my parents and my siblings, with my grandmothers who hold treasured family histories (and the family recipes), with my friends who have become like family, but most importantly, time to spend with myself.
I'm 25. I'm university-educated. I'm unemployed, but right now, thankfully so. I'm single, and also thankfully so. I am now a firm believer in the idea that the amount of love you give to yourself directly translates into the amount of love you receive from another person. The most significant part of my journey so far has been learning to love myself. I was always that person who poured out her love to others because it felt right and good to do so. But slowly over time, something changed and I didn't feel like myself anymore. I wasn't necessarily unhappy, but I knew that something was missing. I tried to fill that void with men who treated me right, but weren't meant to last for forever. I realized that in loving others, I neglected loving myself. I didn't have enough love to give myself when I needed it the most. And that was the start of the journey: to learn how to love myself more.
And now, here I am, 4 months into this journey. It is difficult to describe how different I feel because sometimes words are not enough. I am looking for employment again, but I have learned valuable things that will keep me grounded going forward. I would like to take the space I have left to share these things.
1. Take time for yourself:
Take an hour every day and dedicate it to self-love. I know taking an hour may seem impossible, but it is vital and doesn't have to be something extravagant. Take an hour for yoga, to read your favorite novel, to be creative. Buy yourself flowers, just because.
2. Learn how to say no to others and to yourself:
We live in a world where social norms dictate saying no as impolite. But to me, the ability to say no is a strong act of self-love. Say no to yourself when you feel pressured to work through part of your lunch hour at work. Say no to others when going out means sacrificing self-love time. Giving yourself permission to say no may seem selfish at first, but as you go, I think you will find that you are a better person for it; better because when the time comes to say yes to others, to yourself, to new experiences or uncharted territory, you will be able to fully embrace the beauty of saying yes.
3. Surround yourself with people and passions that enrich your soul:
Hold tight to family and friends who love you and lift you. These people are your source of outside strength for times when your inner strength may falter. Fill your life with things that you are passionate about and know the reasons for those things. I found my creative spirit through photography because it allows me to see the world in a fresh perspective, something I've been yearning to have for a very long time.
This journey has been nothing short of incredible. A dear friend asked me why I decided to embrace this journey as wholeheartedly as I have, because it has been a journey of hills and valleys. The reason is simple: to fill my life with light and love, and reminders that when the world is dark, there is always beauty in the next sunrise.
Up Next:
Chelsey Roberts is a self-proclaimed bibliophile, tea lover and amateur photographer who grew up in Saskatchewan, Canada (which isn't quite the middle of nowhere, but you can see it from there). She enjoys trivia nights, snow storms, and campfires on summer nights. Her journey will continue and she's eager to see where the road will take her.


text:
Recommend Vita 34
Parents inform parents
Dear parents,
You took the health precaution for your child by setting up a stem cell deposit and have thus shown farsightedness. Give your friends, acquaintances, relatives, or neighbors expecting a child the same chance by recommending Vita 34!
We want even more parents to know about the subject of stem cells from the umbilical cord, so that they can deal with this one-time opportunity to take precautions deliberately. Every single recommendation contributes to one child more having the possibility of resorting to its own stem cells in case of need.


text:
Your Custom Text Here
We travel to assisted living facilities and adult day centers to offer an alternative activity to all members of the assisted living community. We also administer sessions in our base facility, Rhythm Break Productions, located at 1261 Broadway in suite 309. Our program utilizes ballroom and partner dancing to connect with people living with dementia. However, as a practice, we also incorporate many different elements and types of dance to facilitate the most positive results and offer the best possible treatments for all types of individual circumstances.
Hearthstone is dedicated to creating environments where people living with Alzheimer's can truly flourish: "Nathan has his own unique style of teaching dance, no words or steps, just take my hand and I'll lead the way!" – Jodie Berman, Program Director at Hearthstone
For 28 years New York Memory Center has been a pioneer in the movement to bring evidence-based home and community solutions that positively impact both the lives of adults living with memory loss and their caregivers. They are breaking new ground and setting an enlightened standard of care and support.
The only dedicated assisted living facility in New York City specializing in memory care:
"At The 80th Street Residence, an assisted living community that specializes in memory care, Executive Director Clare Shanley says residents have embraced the new program. Every week "more and more residents join in the movement and dancing," Shanley reports, mentioning the program's transformative impact. "Following the cha chas, tangos and salsa numbers, we actually had a conga line going the very first week. In fact, the program is so contagious," she adds, "that we now see more and more families and staff members joining in and dancing along with the residents." – The Journal On Active Aging, November/December 2010


text:
"Photography Can Change the World" ~ OK, Sure. What Does That Mean?
(Photo: National Geographic).
CURWOOD: There's another theme of this special edition, your anniversary edition of National Geographic, and that theme is 'relate', and I'd like to call attention to a really striking image of that segment. It's a couple in Afghanistan on their wedding day. The groom is 40, the bride about 11, and the caption says close to half of Afghan girls marry before they're 18. But I think this has to be a classic case of a picture being worth a thousand words.I've italicized the interesting claim. I don't want to dispute it. I think Leen is right. What I want to do is ask if we can descend from the platitudes. What does she mean? How can that happen?This anniversary will give the nice folk at National Geographic a huge audience. It is a shame to see them squander the chance to say something meaningful.
LEEN: Yes, Stephanie Sinclair who took that image, she has been working on the issue of child brides all over the world for a number of years. This particular image I find to be almost chilling when you look at it, this adorable little girl trying to imagine her being married to this guy. You say he's 40, but he looks like, older than 40, his beard, and kind of craggy, but this is the custom there. Photography can help you relate and connect to other people and get you (sic!) care about things, and I think once you start getting people to care about things you can get them to get involved and maybe even help change the world, and I think that's definitely one of Stephanie's missions.
Labels: documentary, National Geographic, photojournalism, Political Not Ethical


text:
Nguyen hearing from the children of Hoang Su Phi.
Thanks to your support, the people of Hoang Su Phi are continuing to improve local living conditions through community-led programs that involve everyone – from children and youth, to parents, teachers and community leaders.
At Plan, we know that when local people take charge of their own development, it not only succeeds but lasts for generations to come.
So how does that look in practice? Well, here are just a few recent examples…
"We've seen so much improvement because of Plan's encouragement of community members to do it for themselves," says Nguyen, one of the community's planning facilitators. "It's their determination, enthusiasm and hard-working spirit that is making such a difference."
To see this community spirit in action, take a look at new community photos and read on about the new bridge that took only a month to complete, thanks to so many people pitching in.
Click here to return to the Hoang Su Phi homepage


text:
my dad, the doctor
We were walking Biscuit when we found the sunglasses.
The air was cold enough to sting a little when you breathed it in, coming out in clouds of steam that made us all look like dragons. I was busy breaking icy puddles with my new wellies when I heard Dad laugh.
The sunglasses were sitting in a blackened crater just outside the wood. Dad said they looked as if they had fallen like a meteor, but obviously someone had just made a campfire. It was still funny though.
He crouched down to pick them up. I thought he was going to pass them to me, but as soon as he touched them he looked distant. Then he put them on, looked at me and said 'Well, my eyes appear to be working at any rate.'
Only now his accent was Scottish.
It was a bit like his Shrek voice. I giggled because I loved it when he did voices. That usually meant fun.
Then he turned and walked straight into a tree, a real head butt. He fell over onto his back but his arms were still swinging and his legs were still striding, as if he didn't realise he wasn't walking anymore. I roared with laughter and lay down beside him and tried to copy him, the frosty leaves crunching under us. Biscuit jumped around us and over us, barking and licking our faces.
Dad used to do this all the time. Well, not exactly this, but games where he wasn't Dad. He was a vampire or a troll or a robot or a giant. He would chase me or carry me or I would chase him. Doing voices, pulling faces.
The games had stopped for good when Mum left. And that was months ago. I was so happy to see them back it hurt my heart. (The note from Mum just said she needed a Bit of Space, but then Mrs Dunwoody had seen her at the bus stop with Another Man. And she never came back.)
Dad finally stopped moving his legs and looked up at the tree.
'Not as easy operating this body as I'd hoped. The interface is a little glitchy. You're going to have to help me. Lead me that-a-way. And try not to walk me into any more trees.'
He held out an elbow and I started leading him through the wood. Biscuit seemed entirely happy with this new direction and I was just happy to be holding onto Dad, even if it was only his elbow.
On the way Dad told me a story, which went like this:
He wasn't really Dad anymore. When Dad touched the sunglasses he activated something called a 'Telepathic Emergency Beacon' which basically meant that someone else was now controlling Dad. An alien called 'The Doctor' whose real body was currently in orbit in a broken spaceship which was going to explode. We had to find something that had fallen from the spaceship and bring it to The Doctor.
I loved the story. I loved the fact that Dad was making things up again. Stories were another thing which left with Mum, so getting a game and a story in the same day was like Christmas. I didn't want our walk through the wood to ever end.
After a while he stopped and said 'And here we are.'
In the middle of the wood was a battered old blue box, half buried. It had the words POLICE BOX written on it. Of course, if you squinted, you could imagine it was half buried because it had fallen from the sky, but you could also imagine that it had been here for years. Dad stood in front of it clicking his fingers and arguing with it.
'Come on. Open up. I know I don't look like me. But it's me up here. Surely that's what counts. I mean honestly, the amount of faces I've had you'd think you'd make an exception.'
I was laughing until the door opened and he climbed inside.
After a moment I followed him.
I thought I'd hit my head because we were suddenly somewhere else: a big boiler room full of lights with a tall machine that reminded me of a church organ. Dad was skipping around it, pressing buttons, pulling levers and whistling. I gasped and Biscuit barked.
The story was true. All true. This wasn't my Dad anymore. This was an alien called The Doctor. So where was my Dad? Trapped in his own head?
Then the room began to groan and shudder. I thought about running, just leaving him. But whoever was in his head, it was still my Dad's body. I had to look after it (even though he hadn't - he'd put on three stone since Mum left.)
All of that was scary and horrible, but the idea that made me really sad was that Dad hadn't really played a game with me or told me a story.
My Dad, The Doctor, turned to me and smiled happily.
'Well thanks for your help. Oh, and tell your Dad thanks for the loan of his body.' Then he took off the sunglasses and threw them across the room.
They were caught by a thin man with grey hair who was just entering the room. Behind him, through the door, I could see something that didn't make sense: a room of metal on fire, then the door closed. The thin man put the sunglasses in his pocket and carried on talking in the Doctor's voice as he moved over to the church organ machine. He was The Doctor. Of course he was.
'You've both been very helpful, it could be argued, against your will. So as a reward, I'm prepared to offer you one free trip, anywhere in time and space."
My Dad was blinking, confused as he looked around himself, but he heard that. He looked from me to the Doctor and back again.
Mrs Dunwoody was just driving past the bus stop when she saw my mum talking to the Strange Man. But he wasn't. He was just my Dad, three stone heavier. Even Mum didn't recognise him.
'I can give you space.' said my Dad.
Over his shoulder, the blue box waited…


text:
Ceroc Modern Jive Instructional DVDs – a Ceroc teacher in your lounge room!
Whatever your level from beginner to advanced, owning Nicky Haslam's Instructional DVD collection is a sure way to improve your dancing!
Whether you have trouble remembering the moves after class, or just want to fast track by learning extra moves from home, DVDs are the way to go.
Our original and professional instructional collection is designed, performed and presented by Nicky Haslam, founder of Ceroc Modern Jive dancing in Australia and 5 times Australasian Advanced Ceroc Modern Jive Champion and Robert Winter, also Australasian Advanced Ceroc Modern Jive Champion.
Nicky & Robert have travelled extensively across Australia, New Zealand and the UK teaching and performing their unique brand of Australian Ceroc and are also well renowned show choreographers. Together they were the First UK Jive Masters Champions.
Most titles show back and front views allowing you to practise behind the instructors in front of your screen, and utilise the slow-motion framing and close up teaching techniques for which our Instructional Collection is now world-famous. All also include freestyle dance footage from Nicky Haslam and Robert Winter and some of Australia's top dancers.
Click here to see our range of DVD titles or our DVD trailers and place your order today by emailing us email@example.com
Single DVD Price:
Beginner DVD $30
All other titles $40
Beginner Special:
New beginners have the opportunity to buy the Beginner DVD at only $20 on their first or second night. Full price $30 after the second night.
Package Prices:
Buy 3 full priced DVDs and get the cheapest one FREE.
Invest in the whole collection of 10 for $295.
No further discounts on package prices.
Postage and Credit Cards:
Please note postage charges will apply for DVDs mailed out.
2% surcharge on credit card transactions.
"Every dancer, whether a beginner or experienced, should own this [Musicality and Style] DVD. It's the best one I have seen covering the fundamentals that make one pair of dancers stand out from others and also get more out of the music interpreting it with the dance. Thank you very much again"
Will Thorne, England
"I have bought a number of your DVD's and the Musicality and Style one would have to be the best DVD. ….I can see that I need to do less moves and finish ones I do know well, dance to the music and not be dictated by the moves I want to show off."
Hans Rosloot, New Zealand
"We received the DVD and have enjoyed watching it, learning new moves to try out on the dance floor. It is very well put together and easy to follow. We especially like the slow-motion frames that allow us to focus in on the finer points of each move. We look forward to learning more about Ceroc through additional DVDs. Congratulations on putting together such a creative instructional production!"
Patti and Roy Morum, USA
"My partner and I both congratulate you on the quality and content of the production. (well done !!!!) We both look forward to purchasing the next volume to be released."
"The DVD for Beginners was terrific for me. I am recommending it to all beginners."
Click here to see our range of DVD titles or our DVD trailers


text:
Here is AJ at age 6 and a half (sound asleep). He and Milla were so hyped up tonight, for no apparent reason! They even surfed down their flight of stairs on an old bed mattress! I was sure the night was going to end in tears. I was quite surprised that both of them went to bed with no arguments. They usually spend at least half an hour to settle... Not tonight. They were quiet from the beginning - strange.
Their Dad, Sean, went up stairs to check on them at about 9. On his descent, he remarked, questioning if they had gone to bed with 'blue' faces? We grabbed the closest camera and headed upstairs! We were literally rolling around on the floor. We now understood why they were so quiet at bed time. I wonder what it will be like getting ready for school tomorrow?Of course, Milla didn't miss out!


text:
Carondelet Catholic School
3210 W 51st StMinneapolis, MN 55410
Cece Cope
Betsy B, Caroline G
We measure the length of monarch larvae. In this experiment we wanted to see if having multiple larvae in a cage effects the total growth of each of the larvae. It turns out that the larvae that were in the same cage grew longer than the single larvae. We cannot conclude though that the larvae in the same cage grow larger than single larvae, because the larva in the same cage were about 2-3 days older than the single larvae. Two new things we learned are that larvae are sometimes territorial and that they dont eat quite as much when they are within 1 day of molting
Kirsten E, Katherine S
In this lab we measured the length of monarch larvae in response to the amount of light it was exposed to. We were trying to determine if the monarch larvae would grow longer in response to the amount of light they were exposed to. The results showed that the larvae in the light grew (on average) ).5 mm longer than the larvae in the dark. The average length for the dark larvae was 42.5 mm. The average length for the larvae in the light was 43 mm. Since the results were so close we cannot conclude that monarch larvae kept in light grow longer than those who are kept in the dark. Two things we learned in this lab are that the amount of light a monarch larva is exposed to has no visible effects on the length of the larvae, and that larvae kept in the dark spend more time as a pupa.
Maddy D, Ginny S
In this experiment, my group and I measured the effect of warm and cool temperatures on maximum larvae length. We were trying to determine whether monarch larvae grew longer in a warmer or colder environment. On average, the larvae grew longer in a warmer environment. The average length for the 6 larvae in the cool cage was 40. mm. The average length for the 6 larvae in the warm cage was 44 mm. We arent 100% sure about our results, though. For about 1/3 of our experiment, we had an uncontrolled variable-sunlight. We managed to fix it though. Two things I learned in this lab are that regardless of the temperature, monarch larvae will grow well and be healthy. I also learned that in a cooler environment monarch larvae will complete their life cycle faster.
Department of Fisheries, Wildlife & Conservation
2003 Upper Buford Circle
135 Skok Hall
St Paul,


text:
2015 in Review
It has been another exciting year with successful premieres around the world. In addition, to starting an MMus in Composition at the Birmingham Conservatoire in Birmingham, UK, I had four major premieres in the United States and the United Kingdom. Two new chamber works, a still life in blue-green and From Dreams, We Emerge premiered in Syracuse, NY and San Francisco, CA. The sound installation, dis- and the orchestra work, A horizon intoxicates a body premiered in the United Kingdom. Learn more below:
In May 2015, a still life in blue-green, premiered as part of Society for New Music's annual fundraising gala event. This event was streamed throughout the world and was included as part of the American Composer Forum's 40th Anniversary celebration. The work was premiered by the Society for New Music All-Stars.
Over the summer I worked on a major new work for the San Francisco based group, Wild Rumpus. The eventual work, entitled From Dreams, We Emerge, premiered in October 2015 at the Berkeley Arts Festival in San Francisco. Cited as 'gorgeous' and 'enthralling', From Dreams, We Emerge is a 9 minute piece for bass flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, electric guitar, and electronics.
Also in October was the premiere of the sound installation dis- at The Eden Project in Cornwall, UK. The Eden Project is a nature sanctuary comprised of an outdoor garden and two biomes. dis- was installed inside the world's largest indoor rainforest! Commissioned by the National Union of Students, dis- was designed to disrupt the way listeners experienced The Eden Project's lush, beautiful surroundings. The field recordings were all collected from my final day living in New York City and were complemented by an electronic soundscape that slowly degraded.
November saw the premiere of my first orchestral work, A horizon intoxicates a body. Written for the Composer's Orchestra Project, the work premiered at the Adrian Bolt Hall in the Birmingham Conservatoire. Having the legendary Edwin Roxburgh conduct the work was a dream come true. It was a tremendous learning experience and a great chance to learn about orchestration. The work was written in September 2015 as I was preparing to move to the UK and reckons with the darker side of wanderlust.


text: The NBA has rules about it. Players are not allowed to kneel. NFL players are restricted as to what they can have pictured on their cleats. That's expression. Simplest thing to me seems to be having players who don't want to stand stay in the locker room until the anthem is complete.


text:
International Hanami at Osaka Castle Park
Date: Sunday, April 10, 2011
Time: starting at 1:00 pm and going until 6:00 or so
Location: Osaka Castle Park
Come and join us for a relaxing afternoon under the cherry blossoms. This is a great chance to relax and share ideas before the beginning of the new academic year gets into full swing, and to meet with other JALT members and other members of the community.
We will meet at 1:00 by the fountain near Morinomiya station (look for our blue JALT banners) or if arriving later follow the chalk signs on the pavement or come to the area of the park circled on the map below to find us.
If you have trouble, call 080-3789-6394 or 090-6732-6482 for directions.
This year's hanami will of course be more subdued than in some years given the circumstances in Tohoku, but we feel it's important to keep our spirits up and discuss ways of helping those that need it in Tohoku and elsewhere. We'll also be collecting donations if you'd like to contribute to relief efforts in Tohoku.
We'll be joining up with the Why Not?! group, Kinki Brewers, and possibly other groups as well. Feel free to bring family, friends, children, pets, musical instruments, etc. All are very welcome.
Please bring a lunch or other refreshments, and something to sit on. Some grills may be available if you'd like to barbecue. We look forward to seeing you there!
2011 Back to School Event
Date: Sunday, April 24, 2011
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Location: Osaka Gakuin University, Building No. 2
Admission: Students: 300 yen, JALT members: 500 yen, Non-members: 1000 yen
JALT's Osaka Chapter, in collaboration with the Framework and Language Portfolio SIG and Task Based Learning SIG, is proud to sponsor our second annual Back to School event, to be held April 24 at Osaka Gakuin University.
At this mini-conference there will be presentations on a wide range of topics including theory and practice related to Task-Based Learning and the Common European Framework (CEFR), as well as presentations on pedagogical practices and topics of interest and practical application to classroom language teachers.
The schedule of presentations can be downloaded HERE.
100% of proceeds from this event will be going to support relief efforts in Tohoku via the Save the Children organization, so come join us for a great day of sharing ideas that are sure to help start off the new school year on a positive note.
Map of Osaka Gakuin University. More transportation information HERE.
An Evening with Dr. John Read
Date: May 20, 2011 (Friday)
Time: 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Location: Umeda Lifelong Learning Center, Room 3
Fee: Free for JALT members (Although ¥500 donations are recommended)
¥1000 for one day members
(All proceeds will be donated to charity to help vicitms of the Tohoku disaster)
Osaka JALT is proud to sponsor a talk by Dr. John Read of the Univeristity of Auckland. Dr. Read will be passing through Osaka on his way to give the plenary speech at the 2011 PAN SIG conference in Matsumoto, Nagano.
Dr. Read is the author of Assessing Vocabulary, published by Cambridge Univerisity Press.
The Osaka Municipal Lifelong Learning Center Umeda is located on the 5th floor of the Osaka Eki Mae Dai 2 Building in Umeda.
Even if you can't make it for Dr. Read's presentation, please feel free to join us for dinner at Satoyama dining restaurant http://r.gnavi.co.jp/k593000/ on the 17th floor of the Terminal Building (near Hankyu Umeda station), starting from about 8:30. Dinner buffet is just 2500 yen for 90 minutes, and nomihodai (all you care to drink) is an additional 500 yen. Please email email@example.com to reserve a place for dinner, or give us a call at 080-3789-6394 on Friday if you have trouble finding us.
7th Annual Tech Day Plus at Hannan University
Date: Sunday, June 19, 2011
Time: 10:00 AM - 5:30 PM (registration opens at 9:30)
Location: Hannan University's main campus (Kintetsu Kawachi Amami station)
Fee: ¥1000 JALT Members (Free for full-time student members), ¥1500 Non-members (¥500 for full-time student non-members)
The themes of Tech Day are simplicity and practicality -- ideas that language teachers and learners can use either in or out of the classroom. In addition to our "Tech" presentations that will take place in fully equipped computer labs, we'll have a wide range of other presentations on non-technical topics in the "Plus" room.
Steve McCarty, Osaka Jogakuin College professor, will give the opening plenary session "Online education and virtual organizations". McCarty was elected president of the U.S.-based NPO World Association for Online Education several times from 1998: http://waoe.org. See his bilingual online library: http://waoe.org/steve/epublist.html
We are also proud to have these presenters (in alphabetical order):
Simon Bibby - Investigating student preferences, proficiency and usage patterns: PCs versus cell phones
Chris Brizzard - Creating podcasts with Audacity
Kelly Butler & Michael Wilkins - Teaching paperless
John Campbell-Larsen - Creating a Video Corpus
Harry Carley - Working with Wikis, Technology in Teaching
Nat Carney - Online textual analysis tools useful for working with EFL Writing
Mark Donnellan - A blended approach: The use of CALL tools in EFL lessons / An introduction to electronic textbooks
Jean-Paul DuQuette - Evaluating Online Games for Language Learning
Craig Gamble - Educational advantages of using Dropbox in your classroom
Floyd Graham, Anthony Lavigne, & Gary Fogal - Global English made accessible and meaningful for EFL learners
Myles Grogan - Simple text animation for class websites / Recipes for Wired Teachers - Online!
Troy Guze - How to protect sensitive data on your computer with encription
William Hogue - Course websites with Google Sites / Flip your classroom with Google / Google Forms for homework?
Christopher Johnston - Practical motivational strategies for Japanese university students
Laura Markslag - Name cards: Motivating classes through individual accountability / Own it! How digital movies help learners use English meaningfully
Stuart McLean - Computerized flash card sites: when learning and monitoring learning
Junko Omotedani - Classroom listening comprehension activities based on the processes of listening
Michal B. Paradowski - InfoVis Interfaces: Moving beyond the corpus in the language and culture classroom
Andrew Philpott - Motivating students using CALL
Bob Sanderson - Extensive Reading Online
Gabrielle Wallace - Just "act" natural: Speaking naturally beyond grammar and vocabulary
Bill White - English Central for the Blended Classroom
Josh Wilson - Think like a video game designer to build better courses
Brian Wojtowicz - Lesson idea enhancements using online video clips and images
The schedule of presentations can be downloaded HERE.
Mike Byram: Purposes and approaches to foreign language education
Date: June 28, 2011 (Tuesday)
Time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Umeda Lifelong Learning Center
Entrance fee: Free for JALT members and members of the co-sponsoring groups
1,000 yen for others.
Purposes and approaches to foreign language education: universalism or particularism?
The main focus of this talk will be whether language teaching can be 'universal' or has to be 'particularistic' i.e. with the purposes and aims /objectives specific to each country. This will lead onto dealing with the model of intercultural communicative competence (Byram, 1997). The talk will include a question and answers section.
This event is co-sponsored by Osaka JALT, the Framework & Language Portfolio Special Interest Group (FLP SIG), and the East Shikoku Chapter in cooperation with Osaka University Research Institute for World Languages.
Registration by email is necessary (by June 14th)
Contact Fergus O'Dwyer (FLP SIG/Osaka University): email@example.com
FAB1: Connecting Brain Science with EFL
Date: July 10, 2011 (Sunday)
Time: 9:00am - 5:30pm
Location: Konan University Hirano School of Management (Nishinomiya)
Fee: ¥3000 for JALT members, ¥4000 Non-JALT members, ¥2000 for full-time students
FAB1 is like no other conference that you have been to. The whole day is designed as a single coherent package. What you learn in the first session will connect and compound with every other session at the FAB conference! We believe in active learning -so be prepared to focus on the content and speak up during the "Power Sessions". By the end of the conference, you will have a notebook full of take home activities and a brain full of new ideas and inspiration for your classrooms!
9:00 Open Doors
9:30 Opening / Posters / Coffee
10:00 Plenary #1: Robert S. Murphy
10:50 Plenary #2: Curtis Kelly
11:00 "Power Sessions" (Breakout Groups)
11:40 Vetted Presentations / Posters / Lunch [bring your own lunch]
13:30 Plenary #3: Marc Helgesen
14:20 Plenary #4: Tim Murphey
15:10 Vetted Presentations / Posters
16:00 "Power Sessions" (Breakout Groups)
17:00 Panel Discussion Q & A
17:30 Closing
Participants can register in advance by clicking HERE.
It's time for the Osaka JALT summer party!
DATE: July 21, 2011 (Thursday)
TIME: 7:00 pm
LOCATION: Fullhouse
FEE: ¥2000 plus drinks
Let's get to know each other (without the pressure of an event to run or a presentation to attend), review the beginning of 2011, and talk about upcoming events while enjoying authentic Brazilian food and samba music at an intimate restaurant/bar in the heart of Osaka.
The menu will include a variety of home cooked Brazilian dishes for 2,000yen, plus any drinks you may consume (beer, wine, cocktails, carpirinhas, etc. 500-700 yen).
Please RSVP to https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=170682369663773 or via email to firstname.lastname@example.com by Tuesday July 19, 2011 (midnight). This is a small, family run restaurant and they need to buy the appropriate amount of food for our group, so your rsvp is greatly appreciated.
This event is a smoke-free event, so please feel free to smoke outside.
Will we meet at JR Fukushima station (one stop past Osaka on the loop line) at 6:50pm. Or you are welcome to go directly to Fullhouse (beside JR Fukushima eki).
If you get lost please contact Regina or Valeria at Fullhouse. Their phone number is 06-645305323.
The 10th Seminar for English Education
DATE: July 30, 2011 (Saturday)
TIME: 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM
LOCATION: Kansai University of International Studies, Amagasaki Campus
FEE: Free
Osaka JALT is proud to be a sponsor of the the 10th Seminar for English Education at Kansai University of International Studies. Come join us for a day full of presentations.
This seminar is hosted by the Research Institute for Communication & Department of English Education at Kansai University of International Studies and is supported by JALT Osaka, Cengage Learning, Pearson Kirihara, Oxford University Press.
More information, including a list of speakers and topics, can be found HERE.
Kansai University of International Studies, Shioe 1-3-23 Amagasaki, Hyogo 〒661-0976
2011 ETJ Kansai Expo
Date: October 16, 2011 (Sunday)
Time: 9:00 to 6:00
Location: Seifu High School
Fee: ¥500 for ETJ members (you can join on the spot, membership is free)
Osaka JALT is proud to be involved with the ETJ Kansai Expo again this year. Several JALT members will be making presentations at the event and we will have a table in the book display area as we have in past years. Please be sure to stop by and say hello!
For more information, please see the ETJ website HERE.
The schedule of presentations at the ETJ Kansai Expo can be found HERE:
Osaka JALT Annual General Meeting and Dinner Party
DATE: Sunday, 13 November 2011
TIME: 4:00pm - 8:00pm
LOCATION: the Blarney Stone Shinsaibashi
We'll have a chapter business meeting to discuss officer positions for the coming year, give officer reports, and make plans. We'll also discuss whether to ratify our new chapter constitution http://www.osakajalt.org/constitution/, what presentations from the 2010 calendar year we may like to give awards to (feel free to nominate your favorite from those listed here http://www.osakajalt.org/2010/ by emailing us at email@example.com), how we might further support Tohoku relief efforts, and any other items of business. We'll then move to Salvatore Cuomo Italian Restaurant http://r.gnavi.co.jp/c810902/lang/en/map for dinner from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, which will probably cost ¥2-3000 or so depending on what you order. RSVP to firstname.lastname@example.com if you plan to attend the dinner whether or not you plan to attend the business meeting at the Blarney Stone so we can reserve enough seats. All are welcome for either or both portions of the evening but please do let us know if you plan to attend so we'll be sure to reserve enough seats.
from 4:00 to 6:00 pm at the Blarney Stone Shinsaibashi
Dinner with Keith Johnson and Milagros Laurel in Umeda
DATE: Wednesday, Nov 16
TIME: 6:30 - 9:00 pm
LOCATION: Oven Oven Italian restaurant in Umeda
R.S.V.P.: firstname.lastname@example.com
We are fortunate to be able to host two of this year's invited speakers at JALT 2011 for dinner at the wonderful and very cozy Oven Oven Italian Restaurant in Umeda. RSVP to email@example.com .
Keith Johnson - Emeritus Professor of Linguistics and Language Education, Lancaster University, UK – is an invited speaker at this year's JALT conference, sponsored by the TED and CUE SIGs. Starting his career as a teacher of English and linguistics in Croatia, Malta and Italy, Keith moved to the Centre for Applied Language Studies at the University of Reading in 1974 and joined Lancaster University's Linguistics Department in 1994. His years of teaching on MA programs produced An Introduction to Foreign Language Learning and Teaching (2008). At Lancaster he founded the research group LATEX (LAnguage Teaching EXpertise); see Expertise in Second Language Learning and Teaching (2005). Other influential publications include the 1979 title The Communicative Approach to Language Teaching (co-editor C.J. Brumfit), 1981's Communication in the Classroom (co-editor K. Morrow), Communicative Syllabus Design and Methodology in 1982, and 2003's Designing Language Teaching Tasks. Currently, he is pursuing an interest in the language of Shakespeare, as well as developing his interest in expertise.
Dr. Ma. Milagros C. Laurel is a Professor at the Department of English and Comparative Literature, University of the Philippines in Diliman. She is a recipient of national and international awards for excellence in teaching and research, among them the TESOL Thomson Heinle Award for Excellence inTeaching, the UP Outstanding Teacher Award and the UP International Publication Award. She has delivered several papers on applied linguistics at international conferences, and is JALT 2011's Balsamo Asian Scholar.
Oven Oven is a cozy little place in a classic, early twentieth century building in the heart of Umeda's modern skyscrapers, located just around the corner from the Outback Grill by exit 10 of Nishi-Umeda station, and very close to JR Osaka station as well. Here's their link with a map: http://r.gnavi.co.jp/k060301/lang/en/map Individual dishes are 500 to 1000 yen, dinner courses are 1370 to 3150 yen, and drinks cost 300 to 600 yen. If you have any trouble finding the place, please give us a call at 080-3789-6394.
An evening with Marlen Harrison - Language & Sexuality / Supporting Agency & Investment in Multilingual Writers
Saturday, Nov. 26, 6:00 - 8:30 pm
Part 1 - The Post-Japan, Doctoral Experience in TESOL: Pursuing Language and Sexuality Research
For many language instructors in Japan, further education may be key to job security and a wider range of options or may fill a need for personal growth and development. Marlen Harrison, an instructor/researcher in Japan from 2002-2006 will report on his experience leaving Japan to pursue a PhD in TESOL at a North American university. Marlen will describe the academic environment he encountered in doctoral studies (admissions requirements, funding opportunities, curricular options and research expectations) and discuss his final dissertation titled "Discovering Voices," an examination of language, sexuality, and identity in 21st century Japan. When considering a dissertation topic, he recalled a conversation in which a friend discussed being gay in one language and not in another and wanted to further explore why this might be. By weaving together his own narratives about Japan and sexuality with the autoethnographic narratives of English-speaking, queer Japanese individuals, Marlen showcases the intersection between linguistic repertoire and those critical moments when we conceptualize, reveal, and perform our sexualities. Read more here: http://discoveringvoices.com/
Part 2 - Bridging Passion & Profession: Supporting Agency and Investment in Multilingual University Writers
After a short break, Marlen will continue by discussing how his academic experiences shaped him as a researcher and present a qualitative project he recently completed with current students in central Finland.
Throughout the last two decades, scholarship discussing learner development has expanded from viewing the learner as one who possesses intrinsic or extrinsic motivation to a performer who to varying degrees invests as an agent in the learning process – one who interacts, gives and gains. With this expansion in mind, the authors sought to look back at the trajectory of their experiences in a second language communication and composition course in order to more deeply understand the roles of agency and investment in their own and fellow classmates' learning. As such, this research examines the role of project-based learning activities that attempt to bridge the learners' personal and professional interests. Seven student-researchers reported via written narrative how such a bridging approach in the multilingual writing environment supported learner investment and agency. Student responses speak to the need for a stronger sense of connection with both their disciplinary studies and instructors, and highlight the ways in which investment and agency are associated with ideas about learner identity, autonomy and language acquisition. Read more here: http://passionandprofession.wordpress.com/
Marlen Elliot Harrison has been teaching language, communication, composition, literature and gender/sexuality studies at universities in Asia, Europe and North America since 1997. Having published numerous articles and chapters on topics ranging from second language teaching to writing classroom pedagogies, he specializes in writing across the curriculum and multilingual learner writing pedagogies. Currently teaching for the Language Centre at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, he previously taught in both Japan and the English department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), USA where he also completed his PhD in Composition and TESOL. With a background in mental health counseling and an MA in Education and Human Development/Counseling from The George Washington University, he is an inter-disciplinary instructor-researcher who works at the crossroads of humanities and social sciences to explore how both spoken and written language are shaped by cultures and identities. Learn more at http://marlenharrison.com
Dinner and drinks will follow the presentations at a nearby restaurant.
Joint Kansai JALT (Kobe, Kyoto, Nara, & Osaka Chapters) Year-End Event with PechaKucha Night
Saturday, 17 December 2011 - 6:00pm - 9:00pm
- Fee for JALT members: 1000 yen
- Fee for one-day members: 1,000 yen
The presentations:
Warren Decker - Four-day Hike to Hongu, Wakayama
Mizuka Tsukamoto - Travels in Bhutan
James Crocker - JALT Literary Review SIG Proposal
Joanna Baranowska - Internship at Kyoto Machiya Tondaya
Harlan Kellem - Men's Street Fashion vs. Timeless Fashion
Ellen Head - Amnesty International's Write for Rights
Steve Cornwell - Teaching Christmas
Doug Meyer - Job Survey Results
Laura Markslag - Online Exchange with Students in Dubai
Stuart McLean - JALT Research Grant Project
Deryn Verity - Life in Pictures
Sean Gay - Identity and Bilingualism


text:
Dr Darren Groombridge
I did a PhD in experimental nuclear physics at the University of Edinburgh from 1998 to 2001. This involved using an experimental technique (particle-accelerator beams and a gas target) to measure nuclear reactions of astrophysical interest. I continued this work as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of York for 2.5 years. I left academia in 2004 to pursue a career in industry and have focused my career in applied nuclear physics and worked in areas ranging from drug development, cancer research and the nuclear industry.
I moved into the nuclear industry three years ago. This was a logical progression given the nuclear renaissance the UK was (and is still) experiencing. As a senior consultant (nuclear safety) at AREVA Risk Management Consulting Ltd, I was responsible for developing safety assessments for clients involved with the UK nuclear industry. I also worked on parts of the safety case for the new fusion facility (ITER) at Cadarache, France.
For me, the transition from academic research to industry was relatively straightforward. In 2003 I was thinking about leaving academia and read a feature in Nature that year, which focused on careers in the North of England. I was amazed to discover that a local biomedical company was expanding and looking to take on nuclear physicists! Hence my experience was directly relevant.
The main challenges of moving into industry were not having the same intellectual freedom and the lack of flexibility. However, one quickly gets used to this.
My academic background has been extremely valuable and provided me with a firm foundation of knowledge and experience that I needed to develop my career. The most useful transferable skills have been the ability to learn quickly and the ability to manage my time effectively.
Think about the skills you have gained from academic training. Employers are usually more interested about transferable skills (e.g. project management, time management, team working etc) than your research specifically. It is also important to network. Go to recruitment events and make use of the university career service. Be pro-active about your career. I found my first non-academic job by contacting an employer after reading about them in a career publication. Although they did not have any vacancies at the time, they kept my details on file and contacted me a few months later.
last edited: October 01, 2012


text:
Did somebody call Sir Fix-a-Lot because Friday (Fix) got back! (I'm not sure where it went, but I'm thrilled it came back.) Not only is the Friday Fix back, but it brought some great insight on content marketing along with it. This week, we delve into essential components for content marketing success, efficiency tips for B2B marketers, video statistics, and for whom 2015 is their year and for whom it is not. Oh, and we've found the Holy Grail of content marketing, so there's that. So, grab your reading coffee and prepare to get your Fix on!
The Holy Grail of Content Marketing – and When to Recommend It
Tanya Hall's article automatically wins points for being attention-getting because naturally, I'm curious as to what Holy Grail of content marketing is. Secondly, I'm reminded of Indiana Jones, and anything that reminds me of a younger Harrison Ford is a good thing indeed. (Stops to think more about Harrison Ford.) Anyway, contender for the Holy Grail of men (currently George Clooney) aside, the Holy Grail for content marketing is writing a book according to Tanya. Why? Good question…check out her article for why book equals Grail.
3 Must-Dos to Master Content Marketing
At some point, I hope someone consolidates the content marketing rhetoric to "should dos" and "must dos" because they are actually different. In this case, Annemaria Nicholson brings a list of three things you must do in order to thrive in content marketing. Simply stated, they are: be specific, create an experience, and inspire anticipation. Needless to say, this is much easier said than done, which is why you need to read Annemaria's article to see how you, too, can inspire anticipation.
6 Content Marketing Realities You Can't Ignore
In the interest of perpetuating elevated discourse from several conversations she had with colleagues, Rebecca Lieb offers insights that really do put a new spin on how you look at things which may actually change the way you approach content marketing. For example, "Content is the product," according to Rebecca. Even if your company has actual products, this concept applies. Another freebie before I tell you to just read this article is that (1) audio and visual will continually become relevant, and (2) content orientation is vertical thanks to the primary vehicle of consumption (mobile devices).
How Busy Local Businesses Can Leverage Data & Technology for Content Marketing
Chris Marentis and understand that if you're running a local business, you're up to your eyeballs (and maybe even your spouse's eyeballs) in to-do lists. Further, the landscape may have changed since you started your business, as Chris points out. Suddenly, your customers are looking to their cell phones for information, and you're wondering why the radio isn't working like it used to. So, what can you do? Chris' article is jam-packed with smart tips and effective approaches for reaching your audience through modern channels. Check it out.
12 Steps: How to Build a Successful Content Marketing Plan
If you've never heard that content marketing doesn't just happen, then I'm here to burst your bubble. There are multiple steps and components involved in successful content marketing. Angela Hausman, PhD's article focuses on one of the most essential components, which is having a plan. You have to know who you are, what you are doing, where you want to go, and how you want to get there (you have to have a plan). If you're not sure where to start or want to see how bullet-proof your plan is, read Angela's article and step up your plan.
Report: Customer Data Critical to Content Marketing
If someone asked you how any surveyed used customer data in their content marketing strategy, what would your answer be? Maybe, 75%? Go higher. As Kelsey Jones reports, a whopping 91.4% use customer data in their content marketing, which makes complete sense given that content should be about the customer and their preferences. Kelsey goes on to share how that data shapes content as well how and why it's shared.
The Struggle is Real: Content Marketing's Blocks + Success Stories in 2015
Anastasia Dyakovskaya's article zeroes in on the realities of content marketing in terms of who is doing what and how they are doing with it (it kind of is a good representation of who is listening to guidance and who isn't). For example, the majority (76%) of marketers upped their investments in content marketing while 21% didn't change, and 3% actually decreased them. Meanwhile, reports show that 80% of B2B marketers do not have a dedicated mobile strategy. Anastasia's article is definitely worth the read; then, check out the full 16-page round-up report that served as the basis for Anastasia's article (linked at the bottom of the article).
How B2B & B2C Companies Can Connect with Customers on LinkedIn
As the author, Ian Dodson, points out, many mistakenly assume that only B2B companies can benefit from LinkedIn as a connective resource because it's mostly a used to promote the dissemination of knowledge and information (and, okay, also to make whoever is posting look super savvy); however, there are other ways to use LinkedIn (through say, educational or informative content or by sharing a blog post) that go beyond the typical B2B functions that can be useful for everyone.
B2B Content Marketing: Top Tactics, Goals, and Tools
If you're a B2B company, then Ayaz Nanji's article is just for you (okay, and anyone else who is interested). In this piece, Ayaz reveals what sources for creation and distribution B2B content marketers most rely on. For example, most rely on case studies and client success stories, but to what percentage? All of this is covered in Ayaz's article. Check it out and see how normal (or abnormal) you are by the number.
What Is Content Marketing?
You may not think you need this article, but when was the last time someone said, "What is content marketing?" and you explained what it was, and that person just stared at you with fish eyes, and then you started saying, "Well, it's like (metaphor)," only to realize you were just confusing them further. Of course, Russ Alan Prince's article is important for more than one's ability to explain content marketing to outsiders; it's also a great read to help current marketers gain perspective and definition on what they are doing and why.
Top 7 Statistics about Video Marketing
We've waxed on and on about the importance of video in a content marketing strategy. While we love words on a page for telling stories, video has different super powers that also need to be harnessed. So, in the interest of helping you better understand the awesome power of video and of making you more informed about why you need it, we bring seven handy statistics. For example, did you know that video streaming will comprise 79% of Internet traffic in two and a half years or that 59% of senior executives would rather watch a video than read text? The more you know, right? Okay, those two are freebies. Check out the article for other mind-blowing statistics regarding video marketing.
Amy Delcambre is a freelance content and travel writer from Mobile, Alabama with a Master's in Creative Writing. When she's not painting the page with nouns, verbs, and adverbs, she's slaying grammar beasts as a freelance editor and saving the world one sentence fragment at a time teaching university writing classes. In her free time, Amy enjoys cooking, traveling, and testing which plant species best survive prolonged neglect.
Connect with Amy: LinkedIn


text:
We offer stunning unique rental dance floors, runways and aisles for weddings, birthdays, parties, and corporate events!
Our floors are available in
- Glossy acrylic - white, black, platinum, pink, mirror, antiqued mirror, brushed mirror, and custom colors! We can match your wedding or school colors!
- Parquet
- Wood Plank
Popular patterns include black-and-white checkerboard or a border.
We also have circles, half-circles and ovals!
DFW Dance Floors is a locally-owned family business. We are headquartered and live in Dallas, TX
3700 Dilido Rd, Suite 204
Dallas, TX 75228
Call 972-217-1018 or email
Have the dance floor of your dreams!
- Matching trim!
- Vinyl wraps, monograms and logos
- Stage facades
- Band fronts, stage fronts, front lines
- Bar/DJ facades
- Stanchions and rope
Located in Dallas, we serve the Dallas - Fort Worth metroplex, as well as Austin, Houston, greater Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Kansas, Missouri, and beyond!