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TYO Recommends: Friday, March 16, 2012
March is Women's History Month, and the 2012 theme is "Women's Education -- Women's Empowerment." Around the world and here at TYO, champions for women and girls are making education their focus. This week, we share some of their work and suggest ways that you can help break down the barriers between girls and an empowering education.
Democracy depends on it. That much is clear from Hillary Clinton's rousing CALL TO ARMS urging women to be advocates for each other's rights at the Women in the World Summit and from new RESEARCH out of the World Bank that finds female education to be an essential component for successful transitions from autocracy to democracy. Both reference women in Tunisia, where relatively high levels of educational equality have equipped women with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to play an important role in building new social and political structures after last year's revolution. Likewise, Edward Ojulu calls on women leaders around the world to see their positions of power "as a means through which to influence radical social and political reforms that will benefit all women." His primary SUGGESTION? Advance policies that will give girls, especially those in poverty, access to a quality primary and secondary education.
What does it take to educate a girl? That's what documentary filmmakers Frederick Rendina and Oren Rudavsky set out to learn. Their film tells the true stories of girls in Uganda and Nepal, showing what it takes to get them into the classroom. They demonstrate the powerful impact of grassroots organizations, as well as the difficulty--and possibility--of changing men's minds about the value of girls' education. Above all, they show that "these huge goals, like the Millennium Development Goals, are achievable. They actually can be done." Listen to the directors' favorite stories from the film in this PODCAST and get ready to see To Educate a Girl when it comes to a theater near you.
Educate girls by educating all. Getting girls to school will do no good without quality teachers there to meet them. The International Summit on the Teaching Profession released FIVE MAJOR LESSONS learned at last year's meeting about the policies that are necessary to attract and train high quality teachers for every classroom around the world. Watch the opening and closing sessions of the 2012 Summit here. Explore TED's new channel, TED ED, which will soon feature animated 10-minute lessons from passionate, creative, and inspiring teachers. If you know a teacher whose lessons should be featured, submit their name and help spread the magic of learning around the world.
Be an advocate. Get creative about women's empowerment and submit a T-SHIRT design for CARE by March 28. Your design will support their efforts to bring health and education to women and children in poverty in 87 different countries. And if you think that "every girl should have the opportunity to complete her education and make choices about her future," sign Plan's PETITION to give THESE GIRLS real choices in their lives.


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1 Second Everyday: 2014
Keeping with the tradition from last year, I stopped and started my 1SecondEveryday video on Christmas Eve. I'm not sure why but I think part of it is because I don't believe anyone should wait until January 1st to start something new.
What have I learned through doing this two years in a row? Well, a lot of things actually but most importantly, I highly recommend everyone keep a video journal like this; you'll thank yourself later. You certainly don't have to use this app to record and edit your video but it makes life a lot easier.
Note: I did miss two days and while that's a bummer, it's still a great way to relive 2014.

subset: commoncrawl


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Listen to the Volcano Song. What does the song tell you about Volcanoes? Can you write what you have learnt from the song? Remember to use capital letters and full stops correctly.
Do you often ask your children what they do in school each day??? Well this blog will give pupils the chance to write about what they have been doing in Year 3 with Mr Jones. You can also look back at the work Year 3/4s did from 2011/2012/2013 as all blogs will remain. The aim of the blog is share what we have been learning with others, it is a great way to see what we have been getting up to in Year 3. I hope you enjoy it!
Thursday, 22 September 2016
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The 'Better, Healthier' sandwich place in Brunei Darussalam. Subbstation serves quick and nutritious sandwiches that the whole family can enjoy!
I provided graphic design, digital marketing, and photography to help this humble small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) to grow to become the go-to place for Subway-inspired sandwiches – fresh and healthy.


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As its interior cools, the moon is gradually shrinking, causing wrinkles on its surface and creating "moonquakes." more...
September 23 , 1949 : US President Harry S. Truman publicly announced the US had lost its monopoly on nuclear weapons. more...
Learn something new every day
More Info... by email
A monoline is any type of business that focuses its efforts on the delivery of one particular good or service. The term is most commonly applied to companies that offer financial services to their customers. With this type of focused support, a monoline normally delivers a high level of expertise in its specialized area that is difficult for businesses that offer multiple products to equal.
There are several distinct advantages to working with a monoline. One of the main benefits has to do with the knowledge that the focused business enterprise can offer its clients. Because there are no distractions with ancillary products, the level of skill and expertise with the sole product is highly developed. This means that representatives of the monoline are likely to provide customers with information that may or may not be available from similar companies that do not specialize.
Security for customers is a second advantage associated with a monoline. The focused support makes it possible for the client to have all information that is needed to make an informed decision on hand. This in turn increases the chances that the customer will choose a product that will meet his or her needs, and thus lead to satisfaction. In situations where the customer is making some type of investment with an eye toward earning a return at some future point, this level of information flow is extremely important, since it can help the investor identify a good prospect, while also avoiding those investments that may not be quite as good as they initially look.
Enhanced customer care is another benefit that is associated with a monoline. The focus on a single product means that customer service and support personnel are trained to not only respond to customer queries and concerns, but also to anticipate customer needs and wants, and proactively meet those needs. This approach can often help the customer to save a great deal of money, as well as minimize the amount of time customers spend on assessing and researching ways to meet those needs.
One example of how a monoline works can be found in the field of insurance. A monoline insurance company provides a level of financial protection that is difficult to achieve in any other manner. An insurance provider with this type of focused support for customers offers guarantees that are usually structured as credit wraps. These credit wraps essentially minimize the risk to investors by insuring investments such as mortgage-backed securities and bond issues in the event that the security fails for some reason. For the investor, this means that even a relatively safe investment, like a bond issue, is made even safer, and thus increases confidence that the investment will earn a return at the point of maturity.
One of our editors will review your suggestion and make changes if warranted. Note that depending on the number of suggestions we receive, this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Thank you for helping to improve wiseGEEK!


text: The non-profit organization "Cluster Individualized ImmuneIntervention (Ci3) e.V.", which was founded in 2010, is the cluster's sponsoring organization. It links stakeholders from academia, industry, government, education and politics in the service of health. The Ci3 Management Company, a subsidiary of the organization, coordinates operational activities in the cluster. The Organization's board of directors and the executive board of the Ci3 Management Company form Ci3's governing body which coordinates the strategic and organizational activities in the cluster. The governing body is supported by a top-class scientific advisory board and a board of trustees.


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Our Buzz
The Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association (AzHHA) is your resource for the most important health "buzz" in Arizona. You can receive a weekly update by subscribing to the Connection e-newsletter or join the conversation and share your thoughts about the topics that matter by joining our daily blog. Stay in touch by following us on social media or stop by our website for the latest news.
Questions? Contact Genesis Verduzco


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Think of AgChoice as your lending source of choice for all things rural. Our financial product offerings were designed to meet the needs of a full range of scenarios for part-time farming and rural living.
We offer financing for:
Contact us or contact a local branch near you to discuss how we can make your country living dreams come true!
What's AccountAccess?Learn More
Want an account?Sign-up now!
Request Information
Find a Branch


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11:00am PT by Michael O'Connell
'New Girl' Writers Talk About Nick's Self-Improvement Kick (Exclusive Video)
Now that Nick (Jake Johnson) and Jess (Zooey Deschanel) have defined their relationship, the maturation divide between the New Girl duo is a bit more obvious.
The latest episode of the Fox comedy, "Menus," tackles it head on -- with the continued help of Coach (Damon Wayans Jr.) -- who will be sticking around the show for the duration of the season.
STORY: 'New Girl' Books Damon Wayans Jr. for the Rest of the Season
"Nick is set in his ways," says episode co-writer Matt Fusfeld.
"He's caught between this place where he wants to hold on to a lot of his natural negativity or skepticism -- but then he's also dating this real optimist," adds fellow scribe Alex Cuthbertson. "He sees it affecting her negatively, and he wants to make a change."
Fusfeld and Cuthbertson, who both sound off about the episode in the below video, offer some backstory on their favorite scene from "Menus" -- and tease a musical workout montage for Nick and Coach.
Michael email@example.com mikeylikestv


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"Its ok man. Your sexuality is just a part of you. Its not what defines who you are. You are more than your sexuality. Why the hell do you have to be so loud about your sexuality? Why do you have to make a big fuss out of it? Why do you need a pride parade to show off your sexuality? Why do you guys have to dress up in weird ways for such things? We straight people don't have straight pride or anything like that. Because we know that our sexuality is not what defines us. You guys should understand that."
Continue reading Stop being loud


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Images taken in ORB classes
These are just a few of the images taken in our ORB class. Everyone have ORBs around and about themselves. Some more than others, yet everyone we took pictures of had ORBs. Most if not all of these pictures were taken in darkness using a tripod and most with a timer.
ORBs are shown between and around 2 class members.
ORB bright and clear near Spiritualist minister.
ORB is small and red very near head of class member.
ORB in the very large size is shown very near class participant.
ORBs large and small are seen in picture.
ORB are shown in great detail in the near participant.
ORBs are present and shown around the head of class participant.
ORB bright and shinning is shown in picture.
ORB picture on and near class participant.
ORB, class participant has a very large Orb near him.
ORB has appeared in picture taken of class participant.
ORB in red color appears in photograph near class member.
ORB is present very near head of class participant.
ORB small and very red is presented in image taken of class participant.
ORB with a special color is shown in image of class member.
ORB appears over head in picture.
ORB is shown clearly in picture taken.
ORB is special in blue color taken in the darkness.
ORB is captured near left ear of class member.
ORB clear and noticed in image near person.
ORB is bright and blue in color in image taken of class member.
ORB very large and clear shown bright in darkness near class member.
ORB is shown red in color and watching over participant.
ORB is light in color but large in size in image taken in darkness.
ORB small in size but watchful over head of Spiritualist minister.
ORB taken in class with participant showing closeness of the spirit realm.
ORBs are shown on black background of sweater of class member.
ORB is shown brightly right on hair of participant.
ORB very bright in red color near class member.
ORBs in number very near class member taken in darkness.
ORB large in size near class participant.
ORB circles are very visible with two near head of class member.
Orb are small but very high in number.
ORBs are quite present in this picture with a number in medium size grouping.
ORBS are very present and strong in this picture with strong colors.
ORBs are very strong and present with this minister of Spiritualism.
ORBS are very noticeable and strong in the capture.
ORB that has another orb inside. Really rare.
ORBs again showing their presents with our class participant.
ORB is very close to participant shows a possible relationship with the person present.
ORB is very well define in color and texture.
ORB large and clear in development. Really interesting in that two are shown at the same time.


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Master of Planning/Master of Architecture
The Master of Planning/Master of Architecture dual degree connects two of USC's highly-regarded programs to facilitate cross-disciplinary study in the art and logistics of designing a built environment. In this program, students interested in developing a career in urban design can make more substantial commitments and achieve a more coherent knowledge in the field with a contextual understanding of public policy. Candidates must already possess a degree in architecture. This dual degree program normally requires five semesters in residence.
Students must complete 72 units, including 36 units in architecture and 36 units in planning.
Elements of the Urban Landscape (ARCH 532) – 2 units
Urban Landscape Case Studies (ARCH 533) – 2 units
Architecture in the Urban Landscape: Projects and Places (ARCH 561) – 2 units
Architecture in the Urban Landscape: Comparative Theories (ARCH 563) – 2 units
Graduate Architecture Design (ARCH 605aL) – 6 units
Graduate Architecture Design (ARCH 605bL) – 6 units
Students select one of the following:
M. Arch. Thesis, Option I (ARCH 693abzL) – 4-8 units
M. Arch, Thesis, Option II (ARCH 695abzL) – 4-8 units
Students must also take a four-unit elective within the School of Architecture.
Policy, Planning, and Development
Intersectoral Leadership (PPD 500) – 2 units
Economics for Policy, Planning and Development (PPD 501a) – 2 units
Planning Theory (PPD 524) – 2 units
Statistics and Arguing from Data (PPD 525) – 2 units
Comparative International Development (PPD 526) – 2 units
The Social Context of Planning (PPD 527) – 2 units
Legal Environment of Planning (PPD 529) – 2 units
Planning History and Urban Form (PPD 533) – 2 units
Concentration Methodology
Students select a four-unit course from within a concentration of the MPL program.
Planning Studios
Students must complete eight units of PPD 531L.
Students take eight units of elective courses within the Price School of Public Policy.


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I read in several announcements and URLs that DataWorks service supports data masking but there is nothing about it in the docs. Can you confirm if it is there or not?
For example, when GA was announced: This update will refresh the Beta service to the Go Live (GA) version of the software and will include usability enhancements, improved documentation, additional source/target combinations including access to on premise data via a secure connector to Oracle, data masking, and a number of fixes that were identified during the Beta.
Answer by jcantella (56) | Apr 17, 2015 at 01:01 PM
Thanks for the question. The Data Load REST API does support data masking. If you classify a source column as sensitive by using the classification object in your payload, the data in that column is masked on the target. This feature is documented in the API reference and the Getting Started documentation. Here are the links:
API reference for Data Load https://www.ng.bluemix.net/docs/api/content/api/dataworks/data-load/index.html
Getting Started for the Data Load REST API https://www.ng.bluemix.net/docs/#services/dataworks1/index-gentopic1.html#t_data_load_create
Answer by aplante (46) | Apr 17, 2015 at 01:06 PM
Yes, masking is available in the DataWorks service API. To mask data, the columns specified in the activity payload must include a classification.
Data Load Documentation - Take a look at step 7 for some high level info
For the details of the required payload information, see API docs. If you select a source type and target type within the API docs example section you can see that there is a column with a classification specified:
"name" : "TESTSSN",
"type" : {
"type": "VARCHAR",
"length" : 11,
"scale" : 0,
"nullable" : false,
"classification": {
"name": "US SSN"
and if you click on Response Class Model and scroll down to the request schema you can see more detailed information about the requirements for specifying a classification within a column:
Column {
name (String): Name of the column. The name is case sensitive,
type (ColumnType): The type of the column,
classification (classification, optional): The data classification of the column. If this member is specified for a source column, the data in the column is masked on the target based on the masking requirements of the data class
ColumnType {
type (String) = ['char' or 'varchar' or 'longvarchar' or 'wchar' or 'wvarchar' or 'wlongvarchar' or 'decimal' or 'numeric' or 'smallint' or 'integer' or 'real' or 'float' or 'double' or 'bit' or 'tinyint' or 'bigint' or 'binary' or 'varbinary' or 'longvarbinary' or 'date' or 'time' or 'timestamp' or 'guid' or 'unknown']: The data type of the column,
length (integer, optional): The column length,
scale (integer, optional): The column scale,
nullable (boolean, optional): Indicates whether the values in the column can be null
classification {
name (string, optional) = ['Account Number' or 'Address' or 'Age' or 'American Express' or 'Canadian SIN' or 'City' or 'Company Name' or 'Computer Host Name' or 'Country' or 'Credit Card' or 'Credit Card Verification Value' or 'Date' or 'Date of Birth' or 'Diners Club' or 'Discover' or 'Drivers License' or 'Email' or 'First Name' or 'French INSEE Number' or 'Full Name' or 'IP Address' or 'IPV6 Address' or 'ISBN' or 'Italian Fiscal Code' or 'JapanCB' or 'Last Name' or 'MasterCard' or 'Passport Number' or 'Personal Identification Number' or 'Personal Income' or 'Phone Number' or 'Postal Code' or 'Province' or 'Spanish NIF' or 'UK NINO' or 'UPC' or 'URL' or 'US SSN' or 'US State' or 'US Zip4' or 'VISA']: The name of the data class
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Tony did excellently in the swim. Can you spot him in this photo? I'll give you a hint: his cap is purple (he threw it out after the event... apparently, a purple swim cap is not a great memento).Tony did equally well on the bike and run portions of the triathlon... I am very proud of him!
My God, that is one good looking man!


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Fraud Conference Pricing for Members Traveling from Outside North America/
To make sure the conference is a truly global event, the ACFE has special discounted pricing for the 27th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference for delegates traveling to the conference from outside of North America.
In addition to 13 tracks of educational sessions, the ACFE Global Fraud Conference hosts the foremost experts in the anti-fraud field and offers benefits anti-fraud professionals won't find anywhere else.
Download the registration form and share it with your chapter's members so they can enjoy the savings.


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$ 260.00
One of a kind white vegan nappa leather clutch with embroidery in red/white/black thread. Inspired by pulp illustrations and embroidered by master artisans, this statement clutch is crafted in a family owned factory using low impact methods.
- Black back and embossed logo
- Exposed black top zip closure
- Black coated Japanese brass zipper with CU logo
- Inside black slip pocket with logo and black nylon lining
- Comes with dust bag and box
- Width 10"/ 25.4 cm
- Height 7"/ 18 cm
- Vegan nappa leather/PU
- Nylon
- Cotton/rayon thread
- Brass
Only one available


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he results are in on Dar Williams ROCK THE VOTE contest. David Bowie's Starman is the winner. Dar will go into the studio and record the cover shortly.
Here are the songs, artists, and scores.
Let's Get Lost - Chet Baker (2%)
At Last - Etta James (5%)
Party Girl - Elvis Costello (15%)
Starman - David Bowie (41%)
Perfect Day - Lou Reed (8%)
Is That Love - Squeeze (5%)
Somebody Loved Me - The Smiths (15%)
The Pill - Loretta Lynn (4%)


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- Description
Ibanez have introduced a new edition from their high quality S Series of electric guitars, the SIX7FDFM. It keeps the traditional S body shape and style for a pleasing sound and feel. By adding another string your sound becomes multi-dimensional, perfect for metallers! The SIX7FDFM guitar has a cutting-edge sound and an innovative design which will please Ibanez fans all over.
The SIX7FDFM S Series model features the typical Ibanez deep double cutaway body, providing you with complete access to the neck. This allows you to reach the higher fret registers and really take advantage of the 7th string. The body is constructed from mahogany known for its warm, rich sound and ability to respond to many playing styles. A flamed maple top joins the body and looks just wonderful. Maple and mahogany partner one another beautifully to produce outstanding sonic properties.
A 3-piece maple / bubinga neck is joined to the body and shaped to the Ibanez Nitro Wizard-7 profile. The Nitro Wizard-7 neck frame is strong and durable, even with 7 strings instead of 6, but it is also very slim. This is ideal for faster players and metallers as it suits riffs and solos superbly.
A bound ebony fingerboard tops the neck, providing a sumptuous surface beneath the fingertips. The fingerboard has has no inlays which gives it a really clean appearance.
DiMarzio Pickups
Ibanez are used to making the best guitars particularly for metal and rock enthusiasts, and they carefully select the best pickups for each model. The SIX7FDFM 7 String guitar is fitted with DiMarzio pickups in the neck and bridge positions. These ceramic humbucker pickups expand your sound, bringing in the warmth of the mahogany body together with the bright, crisp tones of the maple top and 3-piece neck. DiMarzios are well-known for their distinctive tones and ability to cover all the frequencies, which is great for a 7 string model.
The control layout features a Master Volume pot, a coil tap switch and a 3-way pickup selector switch for easy tone shaping. The Sure Grip control knobs prevent slipping even during a heavy performance. By flipping the coil tap switch you can choose the type of voice you put out, whether you're looking to go more vintage or bring out an up-to-date contemporary sound.
Hardware and Finish
The SIX7FDFM has a Gibraltar Standard II-7 fixed bridge that holds a firm connection between the strings and body to improve sustain as the strings vibrate. Tuning stability is first-rate thanks to the reliable Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads on the headstock.
The SIX7FDFM-DCB Spot Run Electric Guitar is yet another classic from Ibanez, ensuring excellent quality and endless sonic possibilities.
- Specification
Manufacturer Ibanez Model SIX7FDFM-DCB Electric Guitar Top Material Flamed Maple Body Material Mahogany Neck Material Maple/Bubinga Fingerboard Material Ebony Pickup Configuration HH Bridge Hard Tail No. of Frets/Fret Profile 24/Jumbo Position Inlays None Bridge/Tailpiece Gibraltar Standard II-7 Active/Passive Passive Pickups Neck: DiMarzio Fusion Edge (H)
Bridge: DiMarzio Fusion Edge (H)
Controls Master Volume Coil Tap Switch Pickup Switching 3-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickups, Position 3. Neck Pickup
- Reviews
Write Your Own Review


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I should probably not tell you how to make these. Then I could wow you by grandly presenting them next time you come over for dinner. There is something mysteriously magical about the inside of a popover...when I bought a popover pan recently, Reuben all but guaranteed my failure ("I don't think that's the kind of thing people make at home, Jame..."), and when I served them to friends last weekend, they literally oohed and aahed out loud at my success. But here's my secret: popovers are actually not impossible to make at all. They're totally simple, in fact. That magical hollow-yet-puffy-yet-crispy thing that happens? It just happens on its own without any - or despite any, I should say - meddling by me.
Popovers are a hollow type of roll similar to English Yorkshire pudding. They're satisfyingly doughy while simultaneously airy and light, leaving room in your belly for extra servings of dinner. But they're just as delicious served sweet...so if you have any leftover (which I doubt you will), you can serve them for breakfast with whipped cream or jam!
It's hard to believe that such exquisitely shaped masterpieces come from such humble ingredients, but the dough is simply made of flour, milk, eggs, and salt. And that's it. The key to success has to do with temperature and timing. The milk and eggs should be room temperature (warmed up if they're straight from the fridge); the pan should be preheated with the oven; and once they start baking, the oven door should be kept closed the whole time, so drafts don't deflate the magical puff process (or something like that). You can spruce up your popovers with flavors, such as chopped herbs, gruyere cheese, or chocolate chips...just sprinkle the flavoring on top of each cup of dough after you fill the pan and before putting them in the oven (about 3-4 Tbsp of cheese, herbs, or chocolate chips per popover). And yes, while a specialty pan is helpful, you can evidently make them in a regular cupcake pan instead- just only use the cups around the perimeter of the pan, to give the popovers space for air circulation and room to expand.
There are a myriad of specific popover techniques posted around the web...some require hot ingredients, some say cold, some demand hand mixers, one even required you to let the dough stand untouched for two hours before baking. This recipe adapted from Martha Stewart is simple and straightforward and worked well for me. But I'll let you in on a little secret: I've also made them from a Stonewall Kitchen brand box mix, and they were totally delicious...and still got ooohs and aaahs when I served them.
POPOVERS (makes 6)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
- Nonstick cooking spray
- If eggs and milk are straight out of the fridge, heat milk in a small saucepan just until small bubbles form around the edge, and submerge whole eggs in warm water for about 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 450 degrees with a nonstick popover pan on rack in lowest position.
- Mix salt and flour and set aside. Lightly whisk eggs, then add milk in a slow stream (especially go slowly if warm, so as to not cook the eggs), and whisk together until very frothy, about 1 minute.
- Add flour and salt to egg mixture, whisking by hand just until batter is the consistency of heavy cream with some small lumps and air bubbles remaining.
- Remove popover pan from oven and coat sides and tops of cups with cooking spray. (If using a standard muffin tin, only coat and fill the outer cups, and reduce baking time by 5 minutes).
- Fill popover cups about three-quarters full with batter. Bake 20 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking until golden brown and dry to the touch, about 20 minutes more. Don't open the oven door to peek while the popovers are baking!
- Popovers are best served warm - turn them out of the pan right away, as they tend to lose their crunch if they stay in the hot pan. If the rolls will be sitting, use a knife to poke a small opening in the top of each to let the steam escape and preserve their crispiness.
Yummmm. I would like to add that my husband Reuben was literally eating these off the counter as I photographed them just now. I guess it is the kind of thing people make at home, after all...
Give them a try! It's so satisfying! Or you can come over and I will wow you instead...
(all photos, jamie grill photography)


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Essentials of Event Planning: Dallas in Vegas- Briana's 23rd Birthday
• When is the event? December 15th 2013
• Who are the decision makers/Who has the money (are there sponsors)? Da'Shira/Briana
• What is your budget? $800
• What do you want it to look like?
This event will make the participants feels as if they left Dallas for the evening and headed to a night in Las Vegas. The evening will begin with drinks and games at the birthday girl's hotel, which is in the heart of the trendy uptown district room. This will begin the briefing and gives all details/directions necessary for the evening.
The evening will continue with dinner at a trendy uptown restaurant that has a laid back feel but is infused with upbeat music. The ladies will stay at this location for approximately two hours before heading to a bar that is in close proximity to the restaurant. Possible locations Sfuzzis, Mi Cocina, Taco Dinner or I Fratelli Pizza.
The bar will be located in the trendy Uptown district off the popular cedar springs strip. This will be a great location because everything is located within walking distance and is pedestrian friendly. This will reduce the need for transportation and thus help reduce the budget.
The third stop of the evening will be at the night club Plush. I will arrange for Taxi's to pick up the girls to take them to the destination. There will be a pre-set credit for drink for the entire group. Once this has been spent, all expense will be out of pocket.
The final stop will be at one of the various restaurants open late for a late night snack.
• What are things that cannot move? The date and one specific club that Briana has chosen to end the night at and the budget cannot exceed $800.
• What will make it yours?
I will make this event mine by infusing the wants of the birthday girl with my knowledge of the area and relationships with various restaurants/ bars.


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Victory USAF Emblem MerlinGold®
U.S. Air Force
Dedicated to developing and utilizing the world's most advanced aerospace technology in the relentless pursuit of America's enemies, the courageous men and women of the U.S. Air Force always hold victory as their highest priority.
Earning a reputation for their unparalleled precision, they demonstrate awe-inspiring technical skill and an unfailing instinct for bold and decisive action, enhancing the strength of America's military arsenal through their constant innovation and steadfast commitment to excellence.
This coin pays tribute to the skill and dedication of all Air Force personnel and honors their relentless drive to achieve the highest levels of success in all that they do. The obverse features a quote from General Douglas MacArthur that reads: "In War, There is No Substitute for Victory." The reverse bears the official U.S. Air Force Emblem.
Minted in MerlinGold,® a proprietary brass alloy that simulates the look and feel of gold, each coin comes sealed in a protective Lucite capsule and packaged with a detailed header card that describes the mission and history of the U.S. Air Force
™ Department of the Air Force. Officially Licensed Product of the Department of the Air Force (www.airforce.com).
Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought:
$10.00 Air Force Colonel
$10.00 Proud Military Family


text:
LegalShield Presents... A New Business Opportunity! Join Laura Barker and others as they share what it is like to be able to offer the protection and empowerment that the LegalShield/IDShield Plans provide at a price that has everyone excited! Couple that with great compensation, great partnerships and personal growth and you can't lose! Join Laura each week to
- hear from her and other top speakers with LegalShield
- Find out what Uber, Netflix and LegalShield have in common
- network with other guests
- explore your questions with local LegalShield associates
- find out if this pt/ft opportunity is a fit for you or maybe someone you know


text: A project from earlier this year that I reworked a bit. Added some more props and lighting and other things I didn't get time to do previously. The photos are some of my favourite ones from my Dad's portfolio, and winter themed as the first snow has just started to fall here in Sweden. As usual, the renders are more or less as they were directly from vray, just added some glows to the lights.


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Scholarship for study in Ukraine
Dear students!
In the framework of Erasmus+ programme Mobility between Programme and Partner Countries, Nr.2016-1-LV01_KA107-022500, we announce a competition for 2 (two) study mobilities in bachelor programme Business Administration to Cherkasy State Business College or Simon Kuznets Kharkiv National University of Economics (Ukraine) during the 1st semester of 2017/2018 academic year for the period of 3 months.
Subsistence and travel costs are covered by Erasmus+ programme.
Application requirements:
- Having finished the 1st or the 2nd year of studies
- No financial debts
- Motivation letter about studying in Ukraine (free form)
The deadline for applications is April, 28th. Please, send motivation letters to the Head of ISMA Project Department, Sniedze Joma, at: firstname.lastname@example.com.
Additional information can be obtained at ISMA building 6, room 201, ISMA Career Centre, by prior registration. To register for consultations please call +371 67100602 or +371 29282714.


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Following my photos in January and it's great success I enlisted the help of 9 others to join up for an April version of the same thing. Now before you think this is a group of people who all live in Leeds, you are mistaken, these photos come far and wide and have winged their way locally from Leeds, Sheffield, Chester, and Llandinum (its in Wales before you ask!).
I have had great fun collating all the pictures and seeing how people have interpretated the project, and one of the things that sticks out to me is my connection that I have to all the people. The mix of people involved include friends from twitter, neighbours, bestest chums, a friends sisters as well as a few of my family members.
The photos show imagination, excitement, fun and great colour and to me illustrate the commonality I have with all the people involved despite some of us being 100s of miles apart. Unsurprisingly there have been similar images of gardening, craft, cooking, food, the outdoors and architecture and all stand out as things that bring you all together through me.
Whilst gathering the images I asked for some feedback from people, the comments overall highlight that its been enjoyable, and has mainly enabled people to consider positive things and fun activities they have been doing. Below are some of their thoughts….
"Its been fun doing this but even more fun looking back over the last month and seeing how different each day is"
"I enjoyed taking the time out to find something special everyday, even in the ordinary like a trip to the gym. It's so easy to forget and whizz past what's important so this made me focus on that. The everyday, ordinary, important stuff!"
"It's a tiny bit of mindfulness that makes you appreciate the good things"
"The days that just involve waking up, working and coming home can be tough, and it has been really rewarding to identify something that has made me smile"
"Had lovely time taking photos. focused the mind on particular point in the day"
"Doing the April 'photo a day' was great fun. It was sometimes hard to remember to do as time flies by at the moment and I struggled to not make every picture of my little boy (being an obsessed parent)"
"Surprisingly I never forgot to take a photo. Unsurprisingly they seem to reflect a busy life".
Hope you enjoy looking at the photos, and thank you to everyone involved.


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Mike Konczal likes to write very long blog posts, which is convenient for me since I can just pull out one of his subsidiary points and add value by making a big deal out of it. For example, this post on how "housing lock" is not a major determinant of unemployment helpfully illustrates just how far we have to go as a nation in terms of climbing out from under our private sector debts:
This is why it's actually good that all the verbiage aside, the federal government actually isn't acting to reduce the deficit in any kind of serious way. With households engaging in massive deleveraging — with more deleveraging to come — it's crucial for a creditworthy borrower like the United States government to lean against the trend. The problem is that too much of what we've been doing lately has been targeted toward putting more money into the hands of high-income folks when it would do more good (both in terms of marginal utility of money and its impact on GDP) to put it in the hands of more liquidity-constrained folks further down the ladder.


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Catalyst retention issue highlights – and hides – PURE's OCR complaints
This month's issue of Catalyst is all about the failure of Chicago Public Schools' flunking policy.
It starts with an editorial by Editor-in-Chief Lorraine Forte titled: "Kill student retention and get real about learning."
Forte writes,
the policy has been watered down in the past 15 years because of outside pressure, including a major 2004 study by the Consortium on Chicago School Research that definitively showed the dramatic negative effects of retention—in particular, the far greater risk of eventually dropping out. More recently, the advocacy group Parents United for Responsible Education put the issue on the front burner when it filed a federal civil rights complaint against the district's retention policy because of its disparate racial impact.
The issue reviews the problems with retention, how the policy has affected schools and students. and what districts have and haven't done to address students' needs.
I especially appreciate the quote from former CPS Chief Education Officer Blondean Davis, who implemented retention for CEO Paul Vallas but is now "skeptical" of the practice. Catalyst reports that in Matteson School District 162, which Davis serves as schools superintendent, "very few students are held back and the process is subjective, done in consultation with teachers, parents and principals. 'I've had a lot of time to think about it,' Davis says. 'Retention has to be the last resort.' "
Life-long learners, right, Blondean?
Blind spot?
I've always wondered why Catalyst — and the Consortium's retention studies, for that matter — go to some length to avoid acknowledging the impact of PURE's 1999 Office for Civil Rights (OCR) complaint.
In the quote above, Catalyst's Forte refers to "outside pressure" that led to changes in the policy over the past 15 years, but only specifies the Consortium report as an example.
Their timeline of events (p. 10) says that in 2000 "school advocates convince CPS to alter the policy."
Similarly, the Consortium's 2004 report, "Ending Social Promotion: The Effects of Retention," mentions that "the policy was challenged in a civil rights complaint" (p. 10).
Credit where credit's due…
The fact is, it was PURE's 1999 complaint alone that forced the biggest change in the policy, that is, ending the use of Iowa test scores alone as the retention trigger.
As a result of that complaint, OCR undertook a year-long investigation of CPS's promotion policy, leading to complaint resolution procedures which resulted in CPS revising the policy at the end of the summer of 2000.
PURE and our lawyer, Elaine Siegel, were given advance copies of the draft revised policy and found continued problems with it. We quickly prepared a formal list of concerns. OCR intervened and, after a series of conversations with the CPS Law Department, a final agreement was struck which, while not everything we wanted, at least did the following:
- specified that students would be evaluated using multiple measures;
- added a parents' right to a review, including the parents' right to bring in their own examples of the student's work as evidence of appropriate skills and knowledge;
- required an annual report on any disparate impact of the policy based on race or national origin.
This happened four years before the Consortium publicly criticized the policy.
Just makes me wonder about the hesitancy to give a small parent advocacy group its due. Are the rich Chicago funders really that scary? Listen, they have tried – without success – to kill PURE off so that we would no longer be able to challenge the cockamamie ideas of their favored school leaders. So, they can't be all that powerful – certainly not more powerful than the truth, anyway.
Tags: Blondean Davis, Catalyst, Chicago Public Schools, discrimination in school policy, Office for Civil Rights, Paul Vallas, retention, social promotion


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Risk Roundup - November 2017
Once a month, our Risk Roundup provides a recap of 10 interesting articles and online resources on Risk and GRC that caught our attention. Enjoy the recap for November 2017.
[Report] How Your Board Can Ensure Enterprise Risk Management Connects with Strategy
Good risk management doesn't happen overnight. Management teams often struggle to get it right. Boards can play a key role encouraging executives to shore up risk management practices in their companies. But first you need to know what signs to look for that indicate enterprise risk management may be failing. Download report
Risk is the effect of uncertainty on objectives, which means that the implementation of any risk management system must begin with a clear determination of corporate objectives. The risk management function can then help achieve those objectives by assessing risks. Achieving corporate objectives in turn helps the organization create value. This is why there is a direct alignment between value creation and risk management.
Business Risks Facing Mining and Metals 2017-2018
This microsite from EY identifies the top 10 business risks for the mining and metals industry and the historical shift of risks. The microsite also features video insights, regional perspectives, and includes a link to the full report in PDF. View microsite
What 2017 Taught Businesses About Disaster Management
As governments, businesses, insurers and others tally the economic losses from this year's natural catastrophes, some are already planning ahead for what's next. About one-third of organizations see Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, Typhoon Hato, the earthquakes in Mexico and other disasters as catalysts to re-evaluate their emergency planning. Read more
Corporate Culture: The Center of Strong Ethics and Compliance
The lessons learned from scandals and organizational crises that trace back to the early 2000s make one thing clear: Without an ethical and compliant culture, organizations will be at risk. More and more, culture is moving from a lofty, "squishy" concept to something that should be defined, measured and improved. Read more
What Are the Biggest Risks for Internal Audit This Year and Next Year?
In this article, thought leader Norman Marks gives his perspectives on the 8 biggest risks that internal auditors should consider in 2018, such as: 1) Auditing risks that don't matter to the board and top executives, and 2) Failing to communicate what matters when it matters. Read more
5 Things That Should Spook Internal Auditors About the Future
Technology has accelerated the pace of change. We are in an era when a backlash to too much change in too short a period of time is affecting diverse areas. Some of the current geopolitical upheaval and economic uncertainty are repercussions of that pace of change. This article identifies five issues driven by technology and the pace of change that should spook all internal auditors. Read more
Supply Chain and Procurement: Risk Management Strategy
According to a report, 66% of managers do not have adequate visibility of their supply chain, yet 70% of them faced disruptions in the past year, 41% of them occurring in Tier 1 suppliers, and 34% of them experiencing incidents with cumulative losses of at least $1 million, resulting in reduced profit margins, decreased revenue, brand and reputation damage, delayed deliveries and, ultimately, customer losses. Read more
How Your Approved Supplier Program Can Reduce Your Risk
Everyone in the extended food supply chain works hard to ensure the safety of consumers. Companies also work to understand the various risks inherent in the supply chain. Selecting suppliers has inherent risks, so a comprehensive process is needed to mitigate any threats. Without properly vetting potential suppliers, companies may encounter existential challenges. Read more
How to Right-Size Your Risk Management Plan
A risk management plan should vary in size, depending on the size and scope of your projects. A project manager should work with their team to develop a risk management plan that is fitting to their project, aids in decision-making, and adds value. The plan should be documented but also kept practical and to-the-point. Read more
Visit Enablon Insights again a month from now to learn more about what caught our attention in Risk and GRC!
View the recording of our webinar with COFACE to learn more about their GRC journey with Enablon, and how to centralize risk, control and assurance activities:


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Award-winning developer and publisher of digital entertainment, Telltale Games, along with Marvel Entertainment, today announced an interactive episodic game series based on Marvel's iconic sci-fi franchise Guardians of the Galaxy. The first of five episodes in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series will premiere digitally in 2017 on consoles, PC, and mobile devices.
"With story at the core of everything that Marvel creates, who better to team with than master storytellers Telltale Games," said Jay Ong, Senior Vice President, Games & Innovation, Marvel Entertainment. "Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series fully showcases Marvel and Telltale's rich legacy of storytelling, and fans will find themselves immersed in an original, character-driven narrative. As part of our strategy to establish a new standard for Marvel games, this is certainly among the great titles to come."
The series will also be coming to retail as a special season pass disc, which will include the first episode in the season, and will grant access to the subsequent four episodes as they become available for download via online updates. Specific platform details are yet to be announced.


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BAD CREDIT EMAIL NOW FOR APPLICATION scamBelow you will find the text of - I CAN LEND YOU MONEY REGARDLESS YOUR BAD CREDIT....EMAIL NOW FOR APPLICATION - email scam. This appears to be sent from - MF Financial Institute [firstname.lastname@example.com]. August 7, 2008. Reply email as - firstname.lastname@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.com. As many spammers use additional reply to addresses.
If you recieve message like this one, add the sent from address to your denied senders list, report the message to email@example.com and report to the spam & abuse department of the sending domain.
Don't just delete these scammers and fraudsters - report them.
Hello Beloved,
My Name is Mr. Martins Fernandez, I have been arranging loans in UK for many years at 0.3%, Kindly email me today to apply for your personal or business loan offer if interested.
If you are interested please mail me back at firstname.lastname@example.com for more informations and inquiries.


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Subsidizing Gas Price in Household Consumption - Not a Smart Solution!
Dear Energy Professional, Dear Colleagues,
Mr. Murat Karayalçın, CHP candidate for Great Ankara Municipality Mayor said that "Natural gas, which is distributed to 1,100,000 units for household consumption in Ankara, is to be subsidized, in order to stop coal pollution". (METU Alumni Association, on 7 January 2009).
This is an incorrect statement. Natural gas can not be subsidized. If we subsidize natural gas, overall consumption gets higher and higher.
We need to reduce gas consumption since we are tied up with single supplier, and they increase their gas prices as long as we need to buy, and afford to buy.
Instead of subsidizing natural gas, we must install more face and ceiling insulation of our houses; in order to reduce gas consumption.
In face insulation, we use rock wool or similar sytrophor material on outside surfaces then put coverings to support. We can finance, arrange credit facilities to those who wish to make outside insulation of household units.
So for a typical house –almost 150 m2 – a residential apartment, I was paying TL 150 per month for heating expenses in year 2008, if I would make the insulation, the heating expense would stay same in 2009, but for those who didn't, they would be paying TL 250 per month in year 2009, due to increase in imported natural gas prices. With insulation material (sytrophor / panel / face dressing) covering facades are made within 2 months in summer time, and the cost share per unit could be between USD 4000-6000.
We should also close ceiling if open, the roof should be wrapped with the rock wool insulation material. All windows should be changed with double-glass facades to reduce heat escape.
Today, prevailing price of face insulation covering all necessary labor, Pier + Paste + Insulation+ Paint is approximately 40 USD per m2 plus VAT.
We can arrange cheap financing, since it is saving money in the long term. Payback period is between 40-60 months.
We should also enforce more central heating systems for housing complexes. In Ankara Eryaman housing region, for 1-2-3 phases there are 5500 apartment units, all heated by 3 each x40 ton / hour steam boilers with monthly heating cost of 100 TL as of year 2008.
Individual Kombi system is too expensive and dangerous and therefore they have to be taxed heavily to discourage.
We have an academic paper to have a feeling on subsidizing natural gas in Argentina versus subsidizing outside face insulation in Sweden with similar winter conditions, on north and south hemispheres. Residential energy use was studied in one-family houses in the city of Bariloche, in the Patagonian Andean region of Argentina.
A survey was conducted of households connected to the natural gas network to correlate use of gas, living area and number of inhabitants per house. The annual average consumption of gas was found to be 169 GJ, and consumption of electricity 8 GJ. This total energy use per household per year is almost double the average value reported for Stockholm, Sweden, although both locations have similar heating requirements.
The difference was mainly due to heating energy consumption per unit living space, which in Bariloche was 1530 MJ/m2 per year, while in Stockholm the average is around 570 MJ/m2 per year. The high energy consumption in Bariloche is explained primarily by the construction characteristics of the buildings, and secondarily by the efficiency of the heating devices used.
We were able to conclude that subsidies on natural gas tariffs given to the residential sector do not promote a rational use of the resource. Furthermore, almost 40% of the population (mostly households in poverty) is not connected to the subsidized gas resource, but pay prices for alternative fuels that are between 10- and 15 times higher.
Policies to improve buildings and appliances would reduce emissions and make access to energy more equitable. Insulation and saving energy is for sure better than subsidizing natural gas prices. Your comments are always welcome.
Haluk Direskeneli, Ankara based Energy Analyst.
Source. Residential energy use in one-family households with natural gas provision in a city of the Patagonian Andean region, by A.D. González, A. Carlsson-Kanyama, E.S. Crivelli and S. Gortari, 2006, Bariloche Argentina, Stockholm Sweden


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10 liters water
10 kilos white sugar
2 gantas malagkit
20 pieces coconut
1. Soak the malagkit overnight.
2. Grate the coconuts.
3. Extract the milk from the grated coconut two times: first, with 5 liters of water, then with 3 liters of water.
4. Pour the malagkit into the first coconut milk extract, and grind the mixture.
5. Mix sugar with the second coconut milk extract, and boil to make latik.
6. Pour the ground malagkit into the boiling latik, and stir for 4 hours or until the mixture becomes very sticky.
7 .Put the mixture into half of a coconut shell. Cool for 3 hours. Then cover with the other half of the shell.


text: Chris Johnson is currently an independent scholar and more recently an Assistant Professor of Culture and Media at Eugene Lang College in New York City. He received a PhD in American Studies from New York University, attended the graduate program in History of American Civilization at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and received a B.A. in Music, Cultural Anthropology and Urban Studies from Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts. His ongoing projects include 'Social History and Bebop, Charlie Parker and the Blues Cadence' an essay on jazz theory and performance. Dr. Johnson has been a Fulbright Senior Scholar teaching and doing research at Westfälische Wilhelms-Universitat in Münster, Germany and a Research Fellow at the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for Afro-American Research at Harvard University.


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The franc also held near 1 euro cent of the highest level in six weeks versus the euro as traders added to bets the Swiss National Bank will raise its main refinancing rate this year. European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet said June 5 that policy makers may raise euro region rates next month.
Switzerland's currency rose as much as 0.4 percent to 1.0149 per dollar, the highest level since April 24, and was trading at 1.0198 by 2:11 p.m. in Zurich, from 1.0185 on June 6. The franc was at 1.6103 per euro, from 1.6075.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stayed at 2.5 percent last month, matching the lowest rate since July 2002, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs in Bern said today. The jobless rate for April was revised to 2.5 percent from a previously reported 2.6 percent.
The implied yield on the three-month Swiss franc interest- rate futures contract due December rose 8 basis points to 3.40 percent, from 3.03 percent a week ago.
Swiss government bonds fell, with the yield on the 3 percent note due June 2017 rising 3 basis points to 3.29 percent. Yields move inversely to bond prices.


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To the team at Celebrity Vogue
I decided to take the plunge back in November and get some photos done and I am glad I did! Having seen your work previously and thinking about it for a long time i decided to just go for it!
Avi and Michelle did an amazing job and made me feel so comfortable. I can't wait to receive the photos, hopefully soon! Will you be using any of the photos on your website?
Thanks for taking some photos of my boyfriend and I, I am sure he will be shocked when he sees them.
I will definitely be back next year for some more photos.
Marisa :)


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THe nomad hotel
Black and white were the colors of the day for this relaxed black-tie affair. The stunning NoMad Library was the backdrop for the groom's gifting of custom bobblehead dolls to his groomsmen. The wedding started at The Church of Saint Francis Xavier and continued back at The NoMad Hotel. Selfie sticks placed around the room and a photo booth encouraged guests to capture the evening from their point of view.


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A Wetherby businesswoman is heading to Crufts next March after her dog qualified for the country's top canine contest last weekend.
Rachel New, who runs the dog grooming salon Animal Barn, on Westgate, showed her Standard Poodle Maxwell at the Driffield Dog Show at Wetherby Racecourse last weend and were given a second place in the Post Graduate class.
Maxwell was among thousands of dogs being shown.


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We're pleased to announce that the latest VisAD release contains an expanded version of the wmo.jhf HersheyFont that extends the basic set of symbols to include turbulence, icing, and most of the special symbols from GEMPAK. Thanks to help from the Unidata Program Center and the Aviation Weather Center. We have also added a couple of extras, as well: plus, minus, 'mountain obscuration', 'volcanic activity' and 'sea spray'. Please note that we've also changed the cloud symbols to a size more compatible with the rest of the symbols. Finally, Don wrote a helper class (visad.meteorology.WeatherSymbol) to make the needed VisADLineArrays available for easier shape manipulations with this font. It contains methods for building arrays of these for each type of symbol (present weather, low clouds, etc.), as well as returning a single one for a particular code number. Complete details are in the javadoc. You can see the symbol set as displayed by the 'main' method in WeatherSymbol at: http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/~tomw/visadtutor/wmo.jpg Enjoy!! Don Murray Tom Whittaker -- Tom Whittaker University of Wisconsin-Madison Space Science and Engineering Center Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies Telephone/VoiceMail: 608.262.2759
visad archives:


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How to change what program opens a file in Windows 8
Step-by-step instructions
Method 1: Change the program that opens a file for only one time
- Right-click the file and select "Open with."
- Choose the program you want to open the file.
Method 2: Change the default program that opens all files of a specific file type
- Right-click the file, select "Open with" and click "Choose default program…"
- Select the new default program you want to open the file.
Updated: July 2, 2014


text: The beauty of Center Parcs is that a break there means so many different things to different people. To us it means being in the forest, cycling, swimming and spending time together. I am sure as the kids grow it will become different things and we will do more activities and have more 'experiences', but right now, it is simple, and it works brilliantly.Read More


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You highlight valid concerns about language learning but portray a rather limited sense of what a modern languages degree embraces (Plunge in language degrees blamed on A-level marking, 8 October). The decline of those taking languages at A-level and subsequently university level compels Professor Kohl of Oxford to to declare, rather prematurely, that languages might soon be the "prerogative of the privately educated elite, and language degrees are restricted to Russell Group universities". This is not the case.
Perhaps what we should question is the assumption that a languages degree focuses solely on linguistic competence. The study of languages is almost always accompanied by contextual studies which locate them in their cultural, social or business contexts. These areas of study are not the exclusive preserve of the Russell Group. For example, as European culture offers such a rich heritage, encompassing literature, film, visual art and more, at Royal Holloway we are encouraging the takeup of language degrees which offer a minor in film studies or the visual arts, or which allow the student to study the language as a complete beginner. Others place an emphasis on the business dimension of modern Europe. Indeed, our own European studies degree saw a rise in admissions this year: the course includes the study of a language alongside politics, economics and history.
Languages as they have been traditionally delivered at schools and universities are going through a critical period, and the perception of difficulty or harsh marking needs to be addressed. Yet rather than pointing to the potential death of languages outside of elite universities, we should also explore how the study of languages can be offered in a non-elitist fashion by focusing on the wider influence and skills offered through the study of modern languages.
Professor Katie Normington Dean of arts and social science, Dr Jon Hughes Head of the school of modern languages
Royal Holloway, University of London
• Ofqual recognises concerns that fewer A* grades are awarded in modern foreign languages (MFL) subjects at A-level than in many other subjects. We are committed to looking into why this may be and are already talking to the languages community. There are many different factors involved, such as the design of the qualifications, the nature of the student group taking the subjects, as well as complex issues around comparability between subjects. We want to make sure that standards are as comparable and consistent as possible, and make sure everyone can have confidence in the results. We look forward to more engagement with the MFL community as we carry on with this work.
Cath Jadhav
Acting director of research and evaluation, Ofqual
• The academics voicing their concern that potential linguists will continue to be put off their study are quite right. In fact the situation may be worse than it appears since some of those achieving top grades will be native speakers.
I retired just over a year ago after 20 years of headship at a high-performing comprehensive school in the West Midlands where the study of at least one modern foreign language was compulsory to GCSE level and where the number of students taking a language at A-level was consistently above the national average. I regularly taught languages to GCSE level and, as a result of staff illness, to AS and A2 levels in my last two years in post.
Severe grading in modern foreign languages has been an issue for as long as I can remember at A-level and has become particularly noticeable at GCSE since the compulsory requirement to study at key stage 4 was removed in 2004. As a result good linguists are indeed wary of choosing languages at A-level.
The current government's claim that it is addressing the issue seems optimistic. An increase in the number of students taking languages at GCSE as a result of the EBacc does nothing to address the grading issue, and changes to AS and A2 could possibly lead to a further decline in post-16 language study. I fear that there will be no significant cultural shift unless a post-16 baccalaureate with a compulsory languages element is introduced in this country. As this is unlikely, we need urgent action to bring an end to the disadvantaging of modern languages candidates by grading. In addition, there is also a need to refine the teaching of modern languages in at least two key areas: by more effective use of the target language during lessons so as not to alienate less motivated students at an early stage; and by placing a much greater emphasis on teaching pupils to ask questions so that they have the confidence to initiate conversations.
Bernard Roberts
• The GCSE is the source of the crisis in modern language learning in this country: the statistical trends have pointed to it for years. Its introduction with effect from 1988 meant that coaching in the assimilation of rudimentary expressions all but excluded an understanding of how grammatical and syntactical structures work. The easy new GCSE produced large numbers of candidates with high grades who opted to go forward to A-level. But the transition to A-level had not been thought out or provided for, and as a result the same cohorts that had achieved the first successes at GCSE produced high numbers of failures at A-level over the following two years. The demoralising news fed back to succeeding year groups, who were put off, and that was where the language decline started, in a vicious circle that has not been remedied. The figures for young people studying languages to A-level in the UK immediately began to fall, and have continued downhill ever since the early 1990s. The syllabus for GCSE is dull and demotivating, as the Nuffield inquiry pointed out over a decade ago, and simply does not prepare pupils for a reasonably demanding A-level syllabus.
Professor David Walker
Department of French, University of Sheffield
• A-level language students must have considerable linguistic skills combined with a high level of competence in English, but also have to cope with foreign works of literature and specific periods of European history. At GCSE level French, Spanish and Italian are being taught to pupils with no knowledge of Latin and usually a poor grasp of English grammar. German presents even more problems with the necessity to master three genders, four cases and the complexities of word order. It is therefore not surprising that now a foreign language is no longer compulsory to 16, the majority of pupils, encouraged by headteachers with an anxious eye on league tables, are dropping languages in favour of easier options. Add to all that the fact that England is not renowned for its openness to European culture. Our entertainment is exclusively Anglo-American. Our youngsters hear no pop music or songs except in English and have little chance to see European films in our Hollywood-dominated cinema chains or on our TV channels. Studying languages in a cultural vacuum is not for wimps!
Malcolm Bower
Gunnislake, Cornwall
• It is crazy to have school students reluctant to take language A-levels for fear of low grades and no university place, while university language departments are closing down due to lack of demand from school students. The problem is deeper than harsh marking of language A-levels. It stems from the attempt to have fixed exchange rates between qualifications through the Ucas points system. The result is that students will go for the overvalued qualifications and shun those which are undervalued.
When I was an admissions tutor some years ago, in my subject (computer science), a good rule of thumb was that a Ucas point in A-level maths was worth twice a Ucas point in many other subjects. However, the freedom I had to make offers on that basis has been reduced, with universities pressuring admissions staff to make offers based just on high Ucas points values, as this is so influential in their league table positions.
It would be better to let the exchange rate float by giving university admissions tutors more flexibility on offers. Perhaps a system for judging the real value of qualifications based on what value those who use them place on them could be devised. So if a low grade in one subject opens more university doors than a high grade in another, due to it being more useful or a better assessment of skills, it should be valued more.
Matthew Huntbach
• Three points on languages. First, after protests from both within and outside the university, the decision to abandon language degree courses at Salford has been reversed.
Second, the notion that student reluctance to study languages is the fault of A-level marking is probably misguided. The real problem is that GCSE language courses provide no proper preparation for language work, concentrating as they do on rote learning and minimal understanding of grammar. The fact that teachers are able to encourage anyone to continue with language learning is a miracle.
Finally, Tony Blair's decision to allow schools to withdraw from GCSE language learning did not help matters, but one should not forget that in Alistair Darling's 2010 budget the decision was taken to treat languages as one of the Stem subjects. If the coalition had continued with this policy, the "freefall" would probably have been prevented.
Andy Hollis
Lecturer in German, University of Salford
• Further to your article, there remains within the system a further deterrent alongside the grade boundary issues which have always been a source of concern both at GCSE and A-level over a number of years. It is right in my opinion that testing for competence in language skills should be mainly in the target language and that the examination regime should and does foster this. However, examinations in this country can also be sat by students who are native speakers or bilingual. With the A* grade at GCSE and now also at A-level, I would expect it to be the case that it is these students who have obvious advantages by and large in terms of mopping up the highest grades. This makes it even more of an uphill struggle for the competent linguist who might be otherwise enjoying the challenges of language learning.
I am not aware of any statistical information available as to what percentage of students fit into the above categories and it goes without saying that they are great to have in a classroom because they provide help and cultural interest to non-native speakers, but I am struggling to think of any other school subject whereby this kind of situation might pertain.
Keith Fradgley
(Retired head of modern languages) Bridgnorth, Shropshire
• Let's face it, learning a new language in your typical state school for, at best, a couple of hours a week is hardly going to make you fluent overnight. The introduction of "survival" French/German/Spanish etc, which was the cornerstone of GCSE, was an acknowledgment that many more students could achieve more success by gaining a basic grasp of a language without bothering too much with the grammar. However, to make real further progress above the level of asking for directions or ordering food and drink, to give just two examples, requires an aptitude, flair and determination that unfortunately not all students possess.
Really learning languages is hard. There is no wonder that the majority of students, when contemplating A-level choices, prefer easier options, which, I would speculate, is what many school administrations also encourage with an eye on the league tables.
There must always be a place for pure language learning in universities, albeit a diminished one. The future for language leaning in general lies with employers keen on exports and international services, remembering the oft-quoted remarks allegedly made by a former German ambassador to the UK about whether not we should learn German.
We Brits suffer from the fact that much of the world, for economic and cultural reasons, is keen to speak our language. Unfortunately the reverse is not the case.
John Marriott
• I disagree fundamentally with the implication that the marking of A-level language papers is too severe. I have just completed 52 years as a teacher of French and German to A-level, 30 of them as an examiner for A-level German. I would maintain that marking has become more lenient.
If the uptake at A-level is falling, the reason must lie with the GCSE courses. They are uninspiring, do not challenge able students and certainly do not prepare students for an A-level course. The system of controlled assessment is seriously flawed and cannot be adequately policed. Students are starting A-level courses with minimal knowledge of grammar and massive gaps in their knowledge of basic vocabulary. Able and motivated students are not being stretched and are being let down by the system.
Forcing students against their will to study a language to the age of 16 would simply make the situation worse. Teachers would have to entertain the unwilling learners and have less time for those who want to learn.
Eddie Ross
Colchester, Essex


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Kari Kiernanlives in San Francisco where, possibly illegally, she has neither a bicycle nor a dog.
She writes here and sometimes elsewhere. Given the slightest opportunity, she tells true stories onstage.
To legitimize these activities, she got an MA in Humanities from Dominican University, with a focus in creative writing.


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A Unique Point of View
For more than a decade, i.c.stars has seen the world as an intersection of two powerfully aligned aspirations—success and impact.
Some young adults already have what it takes to excel in technology careers and to play leadership roles in their communities. How do we know this? We discovered that the qualities that lead to excellence in technology services are closely linked to those associated with community leadership—namely, solutions orientation, resilience, collaboration, commitment, empathy, reciprocity, and accountability. Through our recruitment and selection methods and our field-based curriculum, we generate unparalleled results for both young adults and employers.
"By training a talent pool that is driven to succeed both inside and outside the workplace, we are helping our graduates serve their employers, their communities, and themselves."
We recruit talent in communities to which employers have limited access, and train them using curricular methods that have been refined over decades of experience. Through i.c. stars, employers mitigate their risk of entry level hires and young adults gain opportunities they would never have on their own.
The value chain is simple and direct. And by participating, everyone wins: young adults gain opportunity, employers gain access to talent, and our communities gain the solid ground from which to prosper and grow.
"Our point of view is shared by the unique individuals we select and train and proves its value every day in our communities and with the employers who benefit from our success."


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If you prefer to order your pizza without going through all the trouble of actually speaking, Pizza Hut has just the thing for you — "the world's first subconscious menu." You sit down, glance through the menu, and before you say anything or even make a conscious decision, the menu has figured out which toppings you'd like on your pizza and places your order. Pizza Hut recently began testing the technology in some of its United Kingdom restaurants.
This mind-reading menu fuses a tablet computer with an eye tracker. The eye tracker measures your eye movements while you scan through 20 toppings, and decides which of the 4,896 possible combinations you want by measuring the amount of time you spend looking at each one. The tablet lets the diners know what it thinks they want – and waits for conscious approval – before sending the order to the kitchen. Read more…More about Pizza Hut, Pizza, Tech, World, and Eye Tracking
from Tech http://ift.tt/1Bwuv4U


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The goal of the Lower Moreland Emergency Management Agency is to prepare for, respond to, and help recover from the effects of a large natural or man-made event that may impact our community.
One of the main functions of emergency management is the preparation and maintenance of the town emergency management plan. In Pennsylvania, every local municipality must, by law, develop an emergency operations plan for their jurisdiction. The purpose of this plan is to prescribe the activities that will be taken by the municipal government and other community officials, in the event of a disaster, to protect the lives and property of its citizens. folder Click here to view Lower Moreland Township's Emergency Operations Plan.
Another important function of Emergency Management is to administer programs that are designed to help residents during and after a disaster by proving timely accurate information, and linking residents with local service organizations who can assist them.
We also work closely with all of Lower Moreland's emergency responders, to help identify and provide training opportunities for these groups, as well obtain current information from County, State and Federal emergency management.
We also work with the School District, the Red Cross, and other local organizations to identify resources for our residents to use before a disaster strikes.
9-1-1: If you use a cell phone in one of our border communities, there is a good chance your call may end up in Philadelphia or another neighboring community. pdf Click Here to view information for an effective way to make sure your emergency call is handled in Montgomery County.


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Straight Fell On My Face Today In Public. Ate Dirt. But Felt Like A Champ.
Today, I ate some serious dirt.
It is springtime in Texas, and today was a great day for a run with my wild, wonderful, terrible pup. It was cloudy, breezy, and it felt amazing outside. It had been a while since I had a good, long run, so I strapped on her harness, double tied my running shoes and we set out for our 3.5 mile loop. About halfway in, just as I was hitting my stride, we had just crossed a busy street into a neighborhood, and Bella (the terrible pup) locked in on some birds up ahead. She dug in her heels and flew towards them- dragging me behind her. Things escalated quickly as I wasn't watching my feet and trying to regain control of my wild huntress dog…. while running to keep up with her, I caught the lip of a broken part of the sidewalk that sent me flying into the air and headed towards the concrete.
It was like I was in slow motion- I took at least 5 giant steps trying to regain control, but I was at such a speed and such a trajectory, that I fell HARD. I mean- it looked like I was trying to dive for home base. I belly slid half on the sidewalk and half in the grass- spraying leaves up around my face, like I was a kid on a slip and slide. It's been a while since I've had a scraped up elbow and rocks in my hand- but this lady went down hard, and the pain was all too familiar. Stunned at what had just happened, I slowly got up, checked out out my wounds, tried to dust myself off, and finally gave Bella a "Seriously dog- are you trying to kill me?". She just wiggled and wagged her happy tail.
As we started back down the sidewalk, I immediately thought a few things that sort of surprised me. The first was, "Well I don't get hurt like this when I sit on the couch. Hah! At least these were wounds of effort!" The second was, "At least I fell while RUNNING- not walking!!!" That was a good feeling. Although I have tripped many a time just while walking, it felt somewhat satisfying to know that I at least fell while running. I felt it made me a little tougher - even though I had just eaten serious dirt, and had been a sidewalk freak show by one of the busiest streets in my neighborhood.
I caught my breath, had a little laugh, and started jogging again. As I looked at my bloody hand, I couldn't help but think of one of my all time favorite quotes from Teddy Roosevelt.
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. - Theodore Roosevelt
There are a million things that we are all scared to do, many times because we are terrified of failing and being humiliated by that failure. We can hear the voices of those around us that will say "What were you thinking?" or "Just who do you think you are?" Gosh- if those are the voices of our friends in our heads- we need NEW friends. Those kind of people are not real friends- they do not love you well and urge you to try, live, or to DARE GREATLY. But often, this is who we choose to listen to: the critic who sits on the couch, NOT seeking out fellow arena fighters who have blood on their clothes, dirt on their faces, and who can offer some actual encouragement WITH the authority to give any advice. If you find yourself afraid to step out because of what others will say- it might be time to reevaluate your inner circle of friends. If you want to be brave and take risks- surround yourself with brave people. Courage is contagious, just like fear is!
In business, there is a lot of talk of "failing forward fast". For most of us, the idea of failure is associated with great shame, embarrassment, and is something we have been taught to avoid like the Black Plague. But the real TRUTH is that failure is NECESSARY for success. You cannot have one without the other! Failure creates real life experiences- experiences that offer lessons, lessons that provide true understanding and knowledge, Knowledge is POWER.!!!!You cannot have growth, success, and even power if you will not risk failure to LEARN. If you want to learn and succeed faster, then you must up your tolerance for failure and GET OUT THERE! I can remember a day when this concept really hit me and I looked at my best friend and said "Okay- so if we really want to do this… If we really want to do these things in a big way, then we should be getting our behinds kicked every day, right? KICKED. And we should celebrate getting our behinds kicked- because that means we are DOING, We are LIVING, and we are that much closer to really succeeding in these big dreams!!!"
I lived a great deal of my life not daring greatly, but trying to "stay clean"- thinking that was what God wanted from me this side of heaven. That the goal was to live this life as pure, and as "cleanly" as possible- to get to heaven with the least blemishes, the least amount of sin possible. I remember saying that to my mentor and one of my dearest friends, Lida Smith, a few years ago. Lida smiled at me, laughed under her breath, and said "That's funny. I always thought the goal of this life was to experience the most Grace."
Being an independent artist, just like being an entrepreneur, is not for the faint of heart. Fighting to have a voice amongst major labels, billions of dollars of marketing support, and an entire industry of people dedicated to make one artist a"success" can honestly send this fearful heart into panic and hiding many days. But what I know is that to live a life on the couch makes me cranky, miserable, and a terrible wife and person. I was made for the battle, I am made better by the battle, and I cannot achieve my dreams without the battle. I will get in that arena and fight with all that I am, and I will cling to the promise that "Greater Is HE That is IN me, than he that is in the world! "
Great lives of faith, creativity, love, and inspiration are not lived from sitting on a couch, or hiding behind a computer screen. They are forged in the arena- with sweat on our brows, and fire in our hearts! Let us fail hard and let us fail fast my dear friends- that we might learn and live and dare greatly…. There is only one way to greatness, and there are NO short cuts!
FOR SOME KICK-BUTT MUSIC FOR MY LADIES CHECK OUTwww.reverbnation.com/abbiwalker for "I'm Grown"!!!! :)
"It is a scary thing to chase your dream, and many will throw dirt at you from their ruts, but let it never deter nor sway you. Steady on."


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Slumpy Moonbeams are not the only things that bother me in the night. Some would say I have a problem with sleepwalking, or rather "sleep events." One of the cool things about being married is now I have someone to report back to me what happens in the night. Unfortunately for Emily, my sleep events usually happen early in the night just as she is finally falling asleep. I fall asleep instantly while it takes her a long time. Just as she is drifting away is when I might start swinging at the air, climb across the bed, or try to save her from a giant spider. I fall back to sleep right away but she has to stop panting from my startle and start all over.
Here is an partial list of some of my events:
1. Darting across the bed to save myself from the spikes that were shooting diagonally across the bed. There wasn't time to alert or save Emily unfortunately.
2. Clawing up the wall (this has happened several times).
3. Protecting Emily from the giant spider(s) dangling down on her (also several times).
4. Standing at the foot of the bed bouncing and rocking the pillow that I apparently think is my son Walter. Emily finally got Walter to fall asleep across the room and then she had to get me to be quiet and go back to bed.
5. Slumpy Moonbeams: Shooting their slow-spiralling rainbow blaster, floating above Emily, general bothering
6. Clawing at my pillow or hunting in the sheets trying to find Walter (who is sleeping peacefully in his crib).
The list goes on. I was especially active when we were first married and we slept in a small loft bed 8 feet off the ground in our tiny East Village Apartment in NYC. (It was always warm in there–right by the hot water pipes–and I think that had something to do with it). It was a distinct possibility that I would flail myself right off the ledge, so Emily always slept on the outside. More than once she would have to wrestle me down. Mostly she just has to convince me I'm sleeping. "You're sleeping. You're sleeping." Once she can push my head down on the pillow I'm usually convince. She puts up with a lot.
It all sounds fun! Too back I sleep through most of it!


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If you're looking for a new dessert that doesn't take hours to make and is a great all-rounder with the family, these baked apples spiked with cinnamon are for you. A crumble or pie are one of my favourite apple-based desserts but after a heavy meal like our new weekly tradition of a Sunday roast they can feel heavy in my stomach hours later. Baked apples cut out the need for pastry, a crumble topping, and lots of sugar – they taste just as delicious too!
The humble apple is such a staple in our house and our weekly grocery shop wouldn't be complete without them. My two-year-old is going through apples like they are about to vanish from this lifetime, they're his favourite. I'm always looking for new ways to use apples and baking them so that they go all tender inside and stuffing their empty core with a mix of my much-loved ingredients really works.
- 4 medium sized dessert apples I used Pink Lady
- 5 tbsp rolled oats
- 3 tbsp raisins
- 2 tbsp toasted almond flakes
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut oil melted
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon by Schwartz
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
Remove the core from the apples and place in a baking dish.
In a bowl mix together all of the ingredients until the oats are completely moistened by the melted coconut oil and maple syrup.
Take the oat mixture and stuff each of the apple cores.
Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until tender and the oats have turned a golden colour.
What really makes this recipe is the by Schwartz. Apples and cinnamon are a match made in heaven and I love this warming spice all year round, but even more now that we are moving into the festive season. There are currently 4 jars of opened cinnamon in my spice cupboard. I use it in practically everything, in my porridge, baking, smoothies, Moroccan tagines and always on apples. It's just as well that I'm well stocked with all the Christmas recipes that I have coming to the blog in the next few weeks. I think these baked apples would be a lovely alternative festive dessert to all those heavier and sugar laden puddings that are around at this time of year.
I like to serve these with a dollop of Greek yogurt and sprinkle some toasted flaked almonds on top. For something a little naughtier, custard or ice cream is always a good option. These also store well in the fridge, so you could whip up a batch at the weekend for some healthier desserts in the week.
What's your favourite apple-based dessert? Are you a fan of cinnamon?
*Recipe commissioned by Schwartz, but all opinions are my own.


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Last Saturday evening, the more enthusiastic Trinitians in Perth gathered to watch the second leg of the Bradby on big screen. Having done the same for the first leg a couple of weeks ago and having witnessed a poor show by the boys in the red, yellow and blue jerseys, the mood was somber at best. Trinity lost the first leg in a match riddled with mistakes and were 8 points behind. We all knew that coming back from an 8 point deficit was a mammoth task (pun intended) and something that's never been achieved in the history of the Bradby shield. To top that off, in what looked like the final nail in the coffin, Trinity had lost to Isipathana on the weekend between the two Bradby matches. Royalists being unbeaten so far in the season and sitting comfortably on top of the league table didn't help matter either.
It looked as if the writing was on the wall. As is customary when any team starts to lose matches, the critics were having a field day of it, some even going so far as calling the Braby first leg the worst Trinity outing this season. I thought the worst Trinity played was against the Anthonians in the season opener. But, Trinity won that exchange, so the critics must have forgotten about it. Despite repeating catch-phrases such as "keep hope alive", I was also beginning to doubt if the Trinitians could dish out another tour de force performance like they did against (then table leaders) St. Peter's.
Anyway, getting back to match day; failing to find an online stream for channel eye and realizing that theScore.lk was not showing this match, we settled to watch it on the thePapare.com. Watching the match on Papare was akin to watching porn from a scratched VCD. It was like a detective game where we tried to make out what is happening by looking a series of still pictures. The only redeeming factor about thePapare stream was that they had the score displayed, so at least we knew when one team scored.
For the first 10 minutes of the match we watched in apprehension. Then came a defining moment that I thought set the pace for the rest of the game. Trinity stand-off, Rehan W, booted the ball down the park and the Royal wing-three-quarter collected it. The Trinity open side winger made good ground and made a nice tackle just inside the 5m line; then he stood up and proceeded to drag the tackled player along with the ball to the touch line. This act alone showed that this was by no means the same team that played a couple of weeks ago at Bogambara. This team had a drive and a passion that you'd see from a top international team. They had only one goal – winning theBradby – and they were willing to leave everything in the middle to get it done.
Soon afterwards Trinity scored a penalty followed by a brilliant try off a three quarter move. We breathed a little easier seeing the 8 point advantage evaporate. During this period the star player, playmaker and place kicker for Royal, Jamaldeen, missed a couple of penalty opportunities – easy ones by his usual high standard. Had he scored these, especially the first one – in the fifth minute, it might have been a different story. It was evident that Royal had put all their hopes on their trusty (up till this match) forwards. But, they were driven back by some outstanding fringe defence by the lions and time and again failed to make the gain line.
Midway through the first half Royal were dealt a hefty blow when Jamaldeen was carried off due to injury. His counterpart, Rehan, on the otherhand was having the game of his life and was able to put over another penalty and then an outstanding drop goal. We were now starting to find our voices. The beer and the wine actually started to taste better. Before the half time break a three quarter move saw promising wing Sashan cross over for a try taking the score to 21-0, and we cheered like anything.
On resumption, the Royal pack attempted a comeback but again to no avail. Rehan had remembered to put on the right pair of boots for this leg (pun not intended) and was finding either touch or space at ease. A little into the half Sean Foster crashed over for a score. The TV replay showed that he dropped the ball in the last spilt second, but the ref didn't pick it up. Luck was definetely on Trinity side. When the Trinity center, Kanil, crossed the line to make the score 33-0, we were over the moon.
For the next twenty minutes or so both sides made many a mistake trying to play a tad too fast. Once Trinity regained composure, Sashan got a chance to show just how good he is by running three quarters of the park virtualy untouched to take the score upto 40. 40! – the most points Trinity ever scored in a Bradby game. The Royalists were able to score a consolation try through captain Shehan in the dying minutes of the match – a well deserved try for all the consistent hard work he put in.
When the full time whistle blew the cheer was deafening. I'm sure the neighbours must have wondered what sort of spelling game we were playing by shouting out letters of the alphabet like lunatics. There was rush to take our pictures with the score as a backdrop and upload it to facebook! We were so thrilled that we sang the college song – maybe the first time it was sung here in Perth. Lucky for us our host had Sri Lankan channels available on a time-delay system. So, we sat down and actually watched the game this time!
The match video can be found at: http://www.thescore.lk/video.php?recordID=49


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- ITV Report
- ITV Report
Double Olympic champ Alex Gregory retires
Live updates
- ITV Report
Thousands attend World rowing championships
The 28th annual World Pilot Gig Championships have come to a close. It's the biggest weekend on the Scillies.Read the full story ›
Will rowing's Helen Glover compete in Tokyo 2020?
The question many of us want answered: Will the number one female rower in the world, Helen Glover, compete in the next Olympic Games?
The multiple gold medal winner gave her answer when she and her husband, wildlife presenter Steve Backshall, joined Kylie Pentelow and Mark Longhurst in the studio today.
- Watch the full interview on the show tonight at 6pm.
- ITV Report
Double Olympic champ Alex Gregory retires
The Cheltenham-born rower won gold at London 2012 and Rio 2016.Read the full story ›
- ITV Report
Triple Olympic champion Pete Reed in bid for Tokyo 2020
Reed has won rowing gold in different boats at the last three Olympics and is now hoping to fight for a fourth.Read the full story ›
- ITV Report
Double Olympic gold medallist Heather Stanning retires
Somerset's rowing champion Heather Stanning, has announced her retirement from the sport, at the age of 31.Read the full story ›
Helen Glover gets a gold surprise
Cornwall's rowing star Helen Glover has had an 'amazing surprise' after returning home following her Olympic victory. The gold medallist took to twitter after finding a gold postbox- apparently painted by her neighbours.
What an amazing surprise from my renegade neighbours!! https://t.co/il4c4zVKP8
During the London Olympics and paralympics in 2012, the Royal Mail painted post boxes gold to to celebrate every Team GB and ParalympicsGB gold medal.
- ITV Report
West Country rowers make history as they win gold again
Two of our West Country rowers made history today as they became the first female British athletes to win back to back Olympic gold medals.Read the full story ›
- ITV Report
The golden girl going all out for Rio
Cornish rower Helen Glover knows her family will be behind her as she goes for another Olympic gold - they've travelled to Brazil tooRead the full story ›
- ITV Report
Army officer aiming for rowing gold at Rio
Many athletes are stepping up training ahead of the Olympics. Rower Heather Stanning also has to take leave from her job as an Army OfficerRead the full story ›
- ITV Report
Double Olympic gold medallist takes on new 8s challenge
Rower Pete Reed has won gold in the mens coxless fours for two Olympic Games in a row, now he's taking a seat in the eight for Rio 2016.Read the full story ›


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I stumbled across a journal entry I wrote on January 31, 2013... over two years ago. While reading it, the reality struck me that I could have very well written these same words today. So I am.
I look around.
I see the worship of things.
I see the worship of image.
Glam, chic, hipster, vintage... the value that is placed on falling into one of those categories.
The close up shots of boots, leggings, nail polish.
"Did you know that was a thing?" My sister asked me while painting her toe nails.
"Nail polish?" I asked.
"Yes," she said. "It's the rage."
(There it is... another one of those words that make me cringe. And since when did nail polish become a thing anyway?)
Since it became something to worship, that's when.
I look around.
I see the worship of things.
I see the worship of self.
The approval of others, is that all we seek now?
The likes, the comments, the follows, the retweets, the favorites.
Is that what we live for?
How sad that we have limited our lives to a click of a button.
We are friends with a square photograph.
But it's all a game.
This is not real life.
Those friends are not your friends.
Friends are those standing beside you when your mom has been diagnosed with cancer.
Friends are those holding your newborn baby.
Friends are those bringing you a meal when you're too emotionally exhausted to cook.
Friends hug.
Friends laugh.
Friends hold your hand to pray.
I look around.
My heart is disgusted at myself for envying this world and everything in it.
For worshiping things that are ridiculous.
Like clothes.
Like people.
For believing I need to fit into a category.
For believing that there is something better than just being ordinary.
For my Savior was born to the most ordinary of people.
And he died in the most humiliating way.
And sometimes I'm humiliated at how I tramp on his holiness. Who cares that I did my bible study while eating my morning breakfast?! If it was really all about Jesus and praying alone in my closet, then why Instagram a picture?
There is so much I probably shouldn't have said here. And there is probably so much more I could say. But this is what goes on in my unedited and unscripted head.
And this is the song that gives me peace from all the chaos...
Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.