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Stockholm, June 24, 2014 – Meltwater, the leading provider of online intelligence solutions delivering big data insights, and Opoint, a comprehensive European news and information service, today announced a new relationship that will provide Meltwater clients with access to select print and broadcast media content delivered by Opoint. In Sweden and Norway Opoint monitors more than 1500 print media titles as well as comprehensive list of national Radio and Television News programs.
Companies monitoring the Internet for news affecting their businesses via Meltwater News will have access to premium Opoint content as a result of this agreement. More than 20,000 companies throughout the world rely on Meltwater to deliver business intelligence. This relationship allows Meltwater to extend its premium content offerings and further deliver on its promise of informed decisions through delivery of actionable insight.
"Our relationship with Opoint symbolizes Meltwater's commitment to providing our customers with access to the best available source base. In the coming weeks we will expand our product offer with a range of non traditional types of content and with those in place, there is no doubt that Meltwater will have the Nordic market's undisputed best content offering," comments Niklas de Besche, Meltwater Executive Director. "We look forward to expanding this relationship and working with new partners to provide world-class content to our growing customer base."
Meltwater launched the premium content package to the Meltwater News platform in April this year.
About Meltwater
Meltwater helps businesses drive growth and build brands. Meltwater's online intelligence platform analyzes billions of digital documents daily to extract precise, timely business insights that help more than 20,000 companies understand their markets, engage their customers, and master the new social business environment. With offices in 27 countries, Meltwater is dedicated to personal, global service built on local expertise. Meltwater also operates the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST), a nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing future generations of entrepreneurs. Follow Meltwater on Twitter, Meltwater on Facebook, Meltwater on LinkedIn, Meltwater on YouTube or visit www.meltwater.com.
About Opoint
In Norway and Sweden, Opoint is a complete supplier of news monitoring and is today one of the biggest media monitoring companies in the nordic market, with more than 1.600 customers. Opoint deliver media monitoring from Internet, printed press, radio and TV. Opoint has it´s own analysis department that delivers media analysis for a diverse cross-section of Opoint clients.
Opoint currently delivers content and monitoring solutions to more than 30 other media monitoring companies in Europe, Russia and India. The system is scaled to the extent that they currently cover more than 100.000 websources and find 1,8 million news articles every day. When it comes to volume, they offer the most comprehensive coverage in the world.
Tobias Johansson, Area Director Sweden
E: firstname.lastname@example.com
Birte Steen, Area Director Norway
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Top Shot. Currently the most favorite food photography angle on Instagram. Although it might not always be the best angle, but it is definitely the safest angle. That being said, I get a lot of request on teaching how to do a proper one. A food photography tutorial as they call it. I figured, after oh-so-many workshops, I'll just share it on a video.
All the necessary fundamentals are laid down on this simple 4 mins video. Have a look, practice, and let me know what you think.

subset: commoncrawl


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Filed under: electronics, plastic | Tags: replaced, soldered
Fixers Collective – NURTUREart, May 19, 2012
This vacuum and my blender couldn't be opened, because they were designed with specialty screws, requiring specialty screwdrivers to open. But the Fixers have rigged one, which they have at their usual space at Proteus Gowanus. I'll have to take my blender there next time!
This sewing machine was missing a small but important piece. Victor had a spare piece of plastic and it did the job.
This lamp took center stage at the workshop.
Filed under: electronics | Tags: spliced, taped
I love this post by manna from brooklyn and all the components of this repair: duct tape, broom handle, wire splicing…I think Rube Goldberg would have approved.
The possibility of desperate times calls for desperate measures.
Muchos duct tape.
And . . . more duct tape.
Made it to the phone line!
Yay, municipal infrastructure!
Filed under: electronics | Tags: stuck
Inspired by Karen's post about her cobbler's workshop, today I'm sharing photos of a tiny booth in a shopping center in Bangalore, strewn with cameras in various states of repair.
My flash was stuck, so my host, Shamala (the lady on the right), took me to see him. He put his ear up to my camera and listened to it. Then he gently pressed a few buttons and the flash popped out. No charge.
This guy is intimate with cameras. He knows what they're supposed to sound like.
Here's his workbench:
In the US, we'd probably have to send our cameras back to the manufacturer, which would take days if not weeks and cost an arm and a leg.
Filed under: electronics | Tags: taped
Jiyoon Koo's improvised tripod. It looks like she used a ladder, tape, and an iPhone.
She was documenting her project, 100 Folding Paintings.
Filed under: electronics | Tags: broken, replaced
In this repair, the metronome arm was replaced with a toothpick.


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Turn with me to John 13. It is very interesting that Kim [Myers] talked about the foot washing as being such an important thing that separates us from the people in the world because that is the way I am going to start this sermon. I think you will see so many tie-ins between what Kim has said and what I am going to say.
As we all know this is the chapter that typically begins the annual memorial service of that perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ in which the whole creation hangs. It is also the beginning of His final instructions of what He and the Father absolutely expect from those who have been carefully placed by the Father into the body of His Son. Therefore, these things need to be front and center in our minds all the time, not just during the Passover season.
I want to remind us of the one essentially definitive mark of those who will be Christ's at His coming which all of us know in our heads, but many deny in our actions from the heart.
The first part of the chapter Kim already laid the groundwork so we will go to verse 15.
John 13:15-17 For I [Jesus Christ] have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
John 13:29-30 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, "Buy those things we need for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor. Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.
John 13:34-38 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered him, "Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward." Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake." Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for My sake?" Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.
Here we have the record of what immediately followed the washing of His disciple's feet, even the feet of those that would betray Him. We are very familiar with these verses, but I would like us to consider that the identifying sign is bracketed by the results of two separate instances of acting alone. Betrayal. Although one act ended in death and destruction, the other would ultimately end in repentance and a lesson learned. We stick together, brethren, to produce what God desires.
We will be spending a significant portion of this sermon recounting a true but very appropriate story of a united sacrificial service with its occasionally terrifying cost, but seeing the overwhelming fruit it produced. Although it is not from the Scriptures, it is a very important lesson that can be gleaned for those whom God has called. It is the act of duty together in His family.
On the morning of Monday, January 11, 1943, Thomas Sullivan, who lived with his family in Waterloo, Iowa, rose before dawn, as was his custom for the last 33 years, to prepare to go on his job as a conductor on the Illinois Central Freight Railroad. After dressing and a quick breakfast, he walked one block to board his train that would be carrying war supplies from Waterloo to Dubuque. Normally, his wife Alleta would rise with him and make breakfast for him, but he had told her to sleep in that day because she had been suffering through some very restless nights in the last several days.
Their sons were off fighting the Japanese in the Pacific. A number of days before, a neighbor had come over to their house with a rumor that she had received in a letter from her own son stating that he had heard the ship that the Sullivan brothers were on had been sunk. Because unreliable rumors were always flying around on the home front during the war, she wrote it off as just another rumor. But, because the consistent stream of letters from the boys had stopped coming several weeks earlier, she had trouble sleeping and began experiencing nightmares.
Tom and Alleta's five sons were all in the Navy. The two oldest, George and Frank, had been in the Navy from April 1938 to April 1941 when their enlistment was up. However, following the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in December they decided to reenlist along with their younger brothers Joe, Matt, and Al a couple of days after the war had been declared. The Sullivans were not the kind of people that would rush into battle seeking glory of war, but they were a typical working class American family at the time. As one article stated, their devotion to country was strong, but their devotion to one another was greater.
They were people driven to do the right thing—a family trait seen even as they prepared to put their lives on the line for those whom they lived and worked with. After the brothers had made the decision to enlist together, their father Thomas promised the boys that he would take out a mortgage on their home, which he did, to make sure any debts the boys had around town would be paid off. They left none of their outstanding obligations hanging out there. They would have nothing to worry about. They did not consider their service to those they were going to defend as a relief from their prior obligations.
They were from an ordinary family that did not stand out from a crowd and had no delusions of grandeur. They were so dedicated to one another that even though they had made up their minds and gone down to the recruiting office immediately after the December 7th attack, their enlistment was not finalized until January 3, 1942. They had finally convinced the Navy to agree to the stipulation that they would serve together no matter where they were assigned.
Now on this Monday, a little over a year later, as Thomas prepared to leave for work, three men in uniform: a lieutenant commander, a doctor, and a chief petty officer, approached the front door. "I have some news for you about your boys," the naval officer said. "Which one?" asked Thomas. "I'm sorry," the officer replied. "All five." They then explained to Thomas, Alleta, and the boy's sister Genevieve and Al's wife, Katherine Mary that all five are missing in action following a fierce battle that had taken place in the Solomon Islands by Guadalcanal.
Just to give us a sense of the reality of what missing in action meant to a family at this time, I would like to read from the United States Department of Navy historical record. But, first, I want you to turn with me to John 15.
John 15:13-21 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.
I Corinthians 12:25-27 That there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
Ephesians 6:10-18 (Phillips Translation) In conclusion be strong—not in yourselves but in the Lord, in the power of his boundless strength. Put on God's complete armour so that you can successfully resist all the devil's craftiness. For our fight is not against any physical enemy: it is against organizations and powers that are spiritual. We are up against the unseen power that controls this dark world, and spiritual agents from the very headquarters of evil. Therefore you must wear the whole armour of God that you may be able to resist evil in its day of power, and that even when you have fought to a standstill you may still stand your ground. Take your stand then with truth as your belt, integrity your breastplate, the Gospel of peace firmly on your feet, salvation as your helmet and in your hand the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. Above all be sure you take faith as your shield, for it can quench every burning missile the enemy hurls at you. In your partitions pray at all times with every kind of spiritual prayer, keeping alert and persistent as you pray [together] for all Christ's men and women.
Hebrews 11:39-40 (Phillips Translation) All these won a glowing testimony to their faith, [those who had died horrible deaths] but they did not then and there receive the fulfilment of the promise. God had something better planned for our day, and it was not his plan that they should reach perfection without us.
Together we are being conformed into this self-sacrificial image of Jesus Christ. The battle is fierce and requires everyone to individually be prepared for battle. But, it is only through a unified body of Christ that we will win the day as we stick together because we use our individual gifts we have been given under the direction of Jesus Christ to serve the body that moves together.
Now on to the Naval Historical Center because I want you to get the grasp of the pain and suffering that was going on. When the United States and Japan went to war in December after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, the Japanese military quickly conquered what are now Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines. By the spring of 1942, it was desperate. All Southeast Asia was in Japanese hands. In early May 1942, the first glimmer of hope. A Japanese naval operation aimed at capturing Port Moresby on the southeastern coast of New Guinea for use as a base to attack Allied communication with Australia was turned back from the Battle of the Coral Sea. A month later, a powerful Japanese carrier force near Midway Atoll, northwest of Hawaii, was defeated in the Battle of Midway by American naval forces. Again, this is what was on the Sullivan's minds as they heard missing in action.
After Midway, the Japanese turned their attention back to Port Moresby landing on the north coast of New Guinea to attack over land and began to build an airbase on Guadalcanal. In the eastern end of the Solomon Island chain, they were building to support their drive for an attack on Port Moresby. This serious threat was countered by the US Marines landing at Guadalcanal on August 8, 1942.
After the marines had quickly captured the partially completed Japanese airstrip, it was completed and put into service as the American Henderson Field. The action was only the beginning of a long sea and air battle for control of this strategic island that would not be resolved until the last Japanese troops evacuated Guadalcanal in early February 1943. For over seven months American and Japanese troops on the ground and Japanese land-based aircrafts and Britain and American planes from Henderson field as well as Allied and Japanese task forces of carriers and surface war ships fought for control of Guadalcanal. This was in the news for the people back home, for the Sullivans.
One of the naval battles was the Cruiser Night Action fought during the night on November 12-13, 1942 that would be called the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. In early November 1942, the struggle for control of Guadalcanal remained undecided. Both Allies and Japanese were desperately trying to reinforce the islands with food, ammunition, and troops and trying to prevent the other from doing the same.
Although two American convoys had safely arrived at the island on the 11th and 12th of November, they had only partially unloaded their cargos when Japanese transmissions were intercepted and intelligence reconnaissance reports indicated that the Japanese mounted a large naval force that would approach the islands on shore to bombard the mission. As the American transports steamed eastward for safety when they left the island, an American force of five cruisers and eight destroyers, under the command of Rear Admiral Daniel Cunningham, took up station on the strait between Guadalcanal and Florida Island called Iron Bottom Sound, owning to the many sunken ships littering the sea floor from naval battles.
After midnight on the 13th of November a Japanese formation of two battleships, a light cruiser, and eleven destroyers steamed past Solomon Island heading toward Guadalcanal. At 1:24 a.m., these warships appeared on the American radar and the two forces closed rapidly. Poor radar communications; however, left the American warships vainly trying to pin down the location of the Japanese warships.
The leading destroyers of both forces sighted each other briefly in the darkness and at 1:45 a.m., USS Juneau received the order, "standby to open fire." A few minutes later, just after the Japanese search light flickered, the lead American destroyers opened fire at the Japanese warships a mere 1,600 yards away. The Japanese replied in kind and the two formations quickly mingled together, firing into each other at point blank range in glare light darkness.
The record goes on to describe the fierce battle that took place that the people at home knew about and the devastating destruction and loss of life on both sides. The American light cruiser USS Juneau, the duty ship of the five Sullivan brothers, was hit by a Japanese torpedo and was forced to limp away from the battle struggling to maintain 18 knots of speed. She rejoined the surviving American warships at dawn and the six ships, three cruisers and three destroyers, maintained a zigzag course to try to evade torpedo heads from submarines that were still in the area.
However, just before noon, the Juneau was hit again with another torpedo. It hit their ammunition magazines and it blew the ship in half killing most of the 698 men on board.
Here is an account of what happened next from a website called Home of Heroes. It was pieced together from the ten who survived.
Reference: (http://www.homeofheroes.com/brotherhood/sullivans.html)
The yellow-black smoke of battle had cleared from the skies as the sun set in the South Pacific on that fateful day in November. The deep swells of the ocean, however, still bore the scars of the previous night's battle and the early morning of death and disaster. A thick, black layer of oil moved with the currents, and in the midst of the oil floated the debris of an American light cruiser, the last remnants of the U.S.S. Juneau. Desperate sailors clung to the debris, most of them wounded, all of them frightened. They were all that remained of the Juneau's crew of 698 American boys. It was impossible to count the survivors, probably somewhere between 90 and 140, but such a count would have been worthless anyway. Wounds, injuries, and the unforgiving sea diminished their numbers with each passing hour.
Remember, brethren, keep applying this to the world that we live in.
The heat of the tropical sun gave way to a bone-chilling night, pierced by the moans and cries of men suffering unimaginable horrors. The cries and moans added an eerie atmosphere to a scene already beyond human comprehension. The sounds would haunt the dreams of survivors for the rest of their lives, assuming that any of the men should survive. And then, across the waters, could be heard another desperate voice crying hopelessly into the darkness: "Frank?" "Red?" "Matt?" "Al?" It was the voice of George Sullivan, the oldest of five brothers who served on the Juneau. George had survived and now sought desperately for his younger brothers.
Another source (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sullivan_brothers), although slightly different, adds to what the ten survivors and those involved in the rescue remember about that night. The group commander concerned about risking any of the other ships in the flotilla to the Japanese submarines still in the area continued away from the scene after the Juneau sunk. He did; however, signal an American B-17 on patrol to notify American headquarters to send aircraft or ships to search for survivors. In the sinking approximately 100 of the Juneau's crew had, in fact, survived the torpedo attack and were in the water. The B-17 bomber crew, under orders not to break radio silence, did not pass the message along, but contacted headquarters after they landed.
The crew's report of the location of possible survivors was mixed in with other paperwork and the actions went unnoticed for several days. It was not until days later that headquarters staff realized that a search had never been mounted and belatedly ordered aircraft to begin searching the area. In the meantime, the Juneau survivors, many of who were seriously wounded, were exposed to the elements, hunger, thirst, and repeated shark attacks.
Eight days after the sinking, ten survivors were found by a PBY Catalina search aircraft and retrieved from the water. The survivors reported Frank, Joe, and Matt died instantly. Al drowned the next day and George survived for four or five days before suffering from delirium as a result of hypernatremia. Though some sources describe him being driven insane with grief at the loss of his brothers, he went over the side of the raft he occupied and he was never seen again.
The Sullivans had enlisted together. Al, the youngest, was only 19 years old. He was also the only one married. He and Katherine Mary had been married since he was 17 and now with a ten month old son Jimmy, he was entitled to a deferment. However, he went anyway.
This is what his 90 year old widow had to say when she recounted this on the 70th anniversary of their deaths a couple of years ago. "I could have kept my husband out of harm's way by appealing to him to exercise his right to a deferment, but I knew the Sullivan brothers well, and I loved Al enough not to come between him and what the brothers needed to do together as they had always done."
Instead, she too sacrificed her own comfort and peace of mind to do what she knew was the right thing to do. Then, in order to survive on Al's small Navy salary, she and Jimmy moved in with the Sullivans and pulled together with Tom, Alleta, and the brother's sister Jenny, just as the family had always done.
Perhaps you may feel we have spent too much time on this story. But, there is too much of an obvious lesson for us here to be gleaned from those who have been specifically now placed in the Family of God regarding sticking together or having each other's back, as Martin [Collins] said last week in the sermon. We may consider ourselves insignificant parts with the gifts God has given or we my pridefully consider ourselves better off on our own with the great gifts we think God has given us for our own use.
But, either way, we are showing God our lack of faith in our great God to accomplish what He has set out to do with the body that is totally united with each other as they are with the Father and the Son. This is the real gift God is giving us, unity with Them, the Father and the Son, as we display our love and unity with one another in sacrificial service in the face of attacking sharks and accomplishing much more than we ever thought possible. Please turn with me to John 14. Jesus Christ speaking again during the instructions on that night.
John 14:12-14 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
John 17:15-21 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
Our unity, so that the world may someday believe that Jesus Christ was who He was.
John 17:22-23 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
Remember I told you the Sullivans were an ordinary family that did not stand out from the crowd, but were dedicated to one another with no delusions of grandeur. If you will indulge for a little bit longer, I will show you what this kind of dedication of a family does.
Again, from the United States Naval historical records, news of the death of the five brothers became a rallying point for the war effort. The posters and speeches honoring their sacrifice and extensive newspaper and radio coverage of the incident made the loss of the brothers a national story producing a wave of humility and sympathy. Condolences poured out on the Sullivan family in Waterloo, Iowa. One woman told the Associated Press, I now wonder how the sugar and coffee orders feel. War bond drives and other patriotic campaigns culminated the 1944 movie, "The Sullivans."
Their sister, Jenny, enlisted in the US Naval Reserve as a Specialist Recruiter, 3rd Class and with her parents visited more than 200 manufacturing plants and shipyards under the auspices of the Industrial Incentive Division, Executive Office of the Secretary of the Navy Department. According to a February 9, 1943 Naval Department press release, the Sullivans visited war production plants urging employees to work harder to produce weapons for the Navy so the war may end sooner.
By January 1944, the three surviving Sullivans had spoken to over a million workers in 65 cities and reached millions of others over the radio. They were a dynamic force in ending World War II. The following letter was sent to Mrs. Sullivan by President Roosevelt when he learned that her five sons were listed as missing in action after the Juneau was sunk.
Prepared 13 Jan 43
My dear Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan:
The knowledge that your five gallant sons are missing in action against the enemy inspired me to write you this personal message. I realize full well that there is little that I can say to assuage your grief.
As the Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I want you to know that the entire nation shares in your sorrow. I offer you the condolences and gratitude of our country. We who remain to carry on the fight must maintain spirit, in the knowledge that such sacrifices are not in vain.
The Navy department has informed me of the express desire of your sons, George Thomas, Francis Henry, Joseph Eugene, Madison Abel, and Albert Leo, to serve in the same ship. I am sure that we all take heart in the knowledge that they fought side by side. As one of your sons wrote, "We will make a team together that can't be beat". It is this spirit which in the end must triumph.
Last March you, Mrs. Sullivan, were designated to sponsor a ship of the Navy, in recognition of your patriotism and that of your sons. I understand that you are now even more determined to carry on as sponsor. This evidence of unselfishness and of courage serves as a real inspiration for me, as I am sure it will be for all Americans. Such acts of faith and fortitude in the face of tragedy convince me of the indomitable spirit and will of our people.
I send you my deepest sympathy in your hour of trial and pray that in Almighty God you will find the comfort and help that only He can bring.
Very sincerely yours,
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Reference: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/09/it-was-hard-to-give-five-sons-to-navy.html
To honor the Sullivan brothers the Navy has named two ships USS The Sullivans. The first, one commissioned during World War II, was the first naval ship in U.S. Naval history to be named for more than one person and the only one that actually carries the article "The" in its official name. It was originally to be called the USS Sullivan, but to be sure that everyone knew it was named in honor of George, Frank, Joe, Matt, and Al Sullivan, President Roosevelt himself ordered that the ship be called USS The Sullivans.
Both the original ship that served in World War II, Korea, and the Cuban missile blockade as well as the subsequent ship launched in 1995 under the sponsorship of Kelly Ann Sullivan Loughren, granddaughter of Albert Sullivan, have continued to carry the motto, We Stick Together.
This was an ordinary family facing and accomplishing an extraordinary thing because they lived their ordinary lives in sacrificial service together. This was not just the five brothers who refused to be separated, but it included Katherine Mary who sacrificed her own peace and security so Al could do what he had to do because she knew it was right. It included Thomas, Alleta, and Jenny who went on to do greater works than the five brothers could ever imagine that their own sacrifice would produce.
The USS The Sullivans is not a ship glorifying George, Frank, Joe, Matt, and Al, but the whole family. Thomas, Alleta, Jenny, and Katherine Mary went on to do far more than the five boys could ever imagine they could do to contribute to the victory for a whole nation. All because they knew they could only do what they needed to do together as a family.
A little less than one month ago, the United States celebrated what has become the Memorial Day Weekend. It has become a time for some parades, auto races, barbeques, and the carefree joys of summer to begin. Summer homes, beaches, and resorts are open as kids and their parents start summer vacation. People generally focus on the lazy days of summer ahead. But as for all things driven with the carnal mind, its primary focus has been lost in the haze of material prosperity.
Just recall what God said to Israel before they went into the land in Deuteronomy 31.
Deuteronomy 31:20-21 (NET) For after I have brought them to the land that I promised to their ancestors—one flowing with milk and honey—and they eat their fill and become fat, then they will turn to other gods and worship them and they will reject me and break my covenant. Then when many disasters and distresses overcome them, this song will testify against them, for their descendants will not forget it. I know the intentions they have in mind today, even before I bring them into the land I promised.
This is the mind of men. When I was a boy, shortly after World War II, Memorial Day was a specific day that had been set aside to consider and honor those who had made the ultimate sacrifice for others they did not even know. It had its origins way back in the time of the Civil War when the reunited nation set apart a day to remember all those who fought and died because of the division of a nation. It then continued to be a day of remembering their ultimate sacrifice given for freedom and all subsequent wars.
However, in 1971 as part of the Uniform Holiday Act passed by Congress in 1968, four specifically dated days of remembrance were mandated into a Monday celebration. Washington's birthday, Memorial Day, Columbus Day, and Veterans Day along with Labor Day came to be observed on designated Mondays and I quote, "To increase the number of three day weekends for Federal employees." This essentially turned the focus away from the sacrifice onto ourselves and what we have without the regard for the sacrifice that made it possible.
I remember as a boy understanding that, although Memorial Day was the beginning of the summer, it was time when my family went to church or to services that took place at the cemetery in the section set aside for those who committed themselves to our freedom by sacrificing their own. It was a day of parades and festivals, but its primary focus had not yet been blurred into an extended holiday weekend.
It still was a time when referring to the Sullivans meant the same thing to everyone in my parent's generation. The family sticking together was a standard of self-sacrifice typical of all who would sacrifice themselves to save a world on the edge of destruction. They were a generation like the Israelites coming out of the wilderness who knew and appreciated what had been done for them.
But, as with all men, once we have lived under the blessings provided for us and the entitlement mind sets in, most of the following generations would once again forget and by our own lives disparage the sacrifice it took to get us there.
A little more than two months ago, we kept a specifically dated memorial, the standard of self-sacrifice for all mankind and the reminder of our covenantal agreement to follow His sacrifice in our own lives. And, just as with the U.S. Federal Memorial Day, some have tried to incorporate this very specific reminder of sacrifice, on which everything else hangs, into other days which can cause us to lose our focus.
On one very special evening Jesus Christ gave us our marching orders. The very first thing He did was wash the feet of others there. He showed us that if we will be His, then we must be sticking together in sacrificial love showing the God-declared evidence of discipleship in love one for the other as recorded in John 13:34-35.
God is working to perfect one body who sticks together in order that the whole world may eventually believe that Jesus Christ was sent from the Father resulting in the glory for the Father, the Son, and all that stick together in the body as Jesus proclaimed in John 17.
Under the direction of God's Holy Spirit now and with Jesus Christ seated at His Father's throne, we must never, ever forget our tiny little lives of individual services will never produce the unimaginable results of what we will accomplish in following the Lamb wherever He goes as we stick together in sacrificial service for eternity.
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/~\ Lord, save thy people, and bless thine inheri^^ tance, which thou hast purchased with the precious blood of thy Christ: guide them with thy right hand, cover them under thy wings, and grant that they may fight the good fight, finish their course, and keep the faith, continuing stedfast, unblameable, and unreproveable to the end, through our Lord Jesus Christ thy beloved Son; with whom to Thee and the Holy Ghost, be glory, honour, and adoration, world without end. Amen.
Tljen Jhall the Prieji pronounce this BenediBion.
'T* H E grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with you all evermore. Amen.
B U R I A L of the D E A D,
When the Communion is adminijlred at the Burial of the Dead, the Corps stall be brought to the Church in the morning, at the time appointed for the celebration of the Holy Eucharijl: and the Priest and Deacon meeting it at the entrance of the Churchyard, Jhall begin the Burial service as before prescribed.
When the Deacon has ended the Lefon, the Communion service Jhall begin according to the form before prescribed in the Holy Liturgy, except that thefollowr ing Introit, Collect, Eptslle, and Gospel Jhall be used.
The Introit for this occafon is taken out of the z^d and other Psalms.
TH E Lord is my shepherd: therefore can I lack nothing. 'He mall feed me in a green pasture: and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort.
He shall convert my soul: and bring me forth in the paths of righteousness for his names sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff comfort me.
I should utterly have fainted: but that I believe verily to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
O tarry thou the Lord's leisure: be strong, and he shall comfort thine heart, and put thou thy trust in the Lord.
Turn again then unto thy rest, O my soul: for the Lord hath rewarded thee.
The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance: right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
Therefore shall every good man sing of thy praise without ceasing: O my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.
Be glad, O ye righteous, and rejoice in the Lord t and be joyful all ye that are true of heart.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost j [ Hallelujah : ]
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever (hall be: world without end. Amen. [ Hallelujah. ]
He ColIeSt.
A Lmighty God, we give thee hearty thanks for this -**- thy servant, whom thou hast delivered from the miseries of this wretched world, from the body of sin and all temptation; and, as we trust, hast brought bis foul, which we commit into thy holy hands, into sure consolation and rest. Grant, we beseech thee, that at the last great day his soul, and the souls of all the Faithful departed out of this Use, in thy fear and
O 4 favour, favour, may with us, and we With them, fully receive thy promises, and be made perfect all together, through the glorious resurrection of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
she Epistle, i Thess. 4. 13.
T)UT I would not have you to be ignorant, bre-*-* thren, concerning them who are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others who have no hope. For if we believe, that Jesus died, and rose again: even so them also who steep in Jesus, will God bring with him. For this we fay unto you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them who are asteep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one; another with these words.
"The Gospel. S. John 6. 47,
JEsus said to the Jews, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread, which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give, is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world, The Jews therefore strove among
them,-. themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life ia you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, * hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He.that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father; so,, he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread that came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are deadj he that eateth of this bread, shall live for ever.
But Note, that if the day on which the Holy Eucharist is to be celebrated at the Burial of the Dead, be a Sunday or any Festival for which a proper Introit, Collect, Epistle, and Gospel, are appointed; then the foregoing Introit is to be used, and that for the day omitted, and the foregoing Epistle aiid Gospel are to be omitted, and the ColletJ, Epistle, and Gospel for the day are to be used; but note, that the foregoing ColletJ Jhall be said immediately before' the CollecJ for the day. But is the day be AJhwednesday or any of the fix days next before Easier, then the Introit, CollecJ, Epistle, and Gospel for the day shall be said before the Penitential Office, as if the Eucharist was not celebrated that day, and the foregoing Introit, CollecJ, Epistle, and Gospel shall be used at the celebration of the Holy Eucharist at the Burial of the Dead.


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JICA ALUMNI SOCIETY OF MALAYSIA (MyJICA)
Since 1945, Japan has been the host to a total of over 130,000 participants in Japan. All of these ex-participants have been active in a variety of fields upon return to their home countries. They established or join the JICA Alumni in their countries. So far there are 102 associations in different countries world wide. MyJICA, the JICA Alumni Society of Malaysia was officially registered with the Registrar of Societies in 1988 under the Society Act 1966 (registration no.747/88 Wilayah Persekutuan). Since its inception, myJICA acts as a bridge in promoting understanding and fellowship between Malaysia and Japan as well as amongst all JICA participants. To date, myJICA has over 5,000 members. The association is committed to provide a platform for members to share their knowledge and experience that they have learnt in Japan with communities, the government and beyond. MyJICA, is currently making aggressive efforts to have more members as it is obviously understood that the strength of any association lies with its membership. All ex- JICA training participants from Malaysia can apply to be a member of JICA Alumni Malaysia. Out of more than 8,000 Malaysians who have undergone various technical training programmes in Japan sponsored under JICA, about 5,000 have joined myJICA. MyJICA is led by MyJICA Executive Council (Exco). The council is made up of 16 members comprising the President, two Vice-Presidents, Hon. Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Hon. Treasurer and ten Exco members. The Council conducts its meeting every month and holds its Annual General Meeting once a year. Election of Exco Members is done every 2 years.
MyJICA EXCO 2018 / 2020
|Mr. Norazizul bin Abd. Aziz (FELCRA)
|Vice President
|Dr. Mohd Rozi Ismail MOE (IPGM)
|Dr. Nurashikin Ibrahim (MOH)
|Honorary Secretary
|Asst. Secretary
|Ms Norhayati bt. Hj. Maulud (FAMA)
|Honorary Treasurer
|Ms Suhailah Rosdi (SEARCCT)
|1. Ms Nor Idayu bt Ahmad Shukri (JPM)
|2. Dr. Thahirahtul Asma' bt Zakaria (MOH)
|3. Mr.Shahrum Zainal Abidin (MOD)
|4. Mr. Petra Sulai (PERHILITAN)
|5. Mr. Muhammad Fariz (MESTECC)
|6. Ms. Elliza bt. Mat Nor (KIMIA)
|7. Mr. Christopher Ravindran Dass (MMEA)
|8. Ms. Fazdlina Sapee (MOH)
|9. Ms Jinurah Sintian (Sabah Chapter)(DOSH)
|1. Mr. Zainuddin Zan (ILP)
|2. Mr Adam Mohd Alias MOH (FARMASI)
|1. Mr. Hj. Mustapha Abd. Kadir (Govt. Pensioner)
|2. Mr. Ir Hj. Mohamad Asri Sharani (JKR)
The Alumni shall be administered by an Executive Committee, which shall be elected once in every two (2) years and shall comprise the following i.e.:
- A President;
- Two (2 ) Vice-Presidents;
- An Honorary Secretary;
- An Assistant Honorary Secretary
- Honorary Treasurer ; and
- Ten (10) committee members whom six (6 ) are to be elected by General Meeting and four (4 ) to be appointed by the Committee Members.
Annual General Meeting (AGM)
The management of the Alumni shall be vested in a General Meeting of ordinary members, presided over by the President.
The business of the Annual Meeting shall be:
- To receive the Executive Committee report on the activities of the Alumni during the previous year
- To receive the Treasurer's report and the audited accounts of the Alumni for the previous year.
- The election of office bearers and auditors when necessary'
- Any other business as may be put before it.
Committee Meetings
The Executive Committee shall; at least four (4) times a year after seven (7) days' notice to all Committee members. The President may call a Committee Meeting at any time by giving seven (7) days' notice. Half (1/2) of the Committee members must be present for its proceedings to be valid and to constitute a quorum.


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The UFC's annual November trip to Madison Square Garden is a date that MMA fans circle on their calendars each year. Given the promotion's busy schedule, which title-holders are available to potentially defend their belt in the main event of UFC 244 Live Online?
We've seen the likes of Conor McGregor, Georges St. Pierre, and Daniel Cormier headline the UFC's Madison Square Garden extravaganza over the past few years. The promotion always does their best to bring top-tier title fights on their yearly trip to New York City.
Last year was the first trip in three years that the early November event didn't feature three UFC title fights. While the number of title-fights on this year's event remains to be seen, we're starting to get an idea of who could feature atop the card.
We've already had a few bouts announced for UFC 244. Corey Anderson and Johnny Walker will battle for a spot in the light heavyweight title-picture. Katlyn Chookagian and Jennifer Maia will be doing the same, fighting to be next in line to face women's flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko. And Derrick Lewis will be looking to snap his two-fight losing skid against Blagoy Ivanov, who has already won two fights in 2019. Darren Till might be showing up as well.
Those are all fun match-ups with fairly high stakes. But, given the high-profile title fights happening shortly before UFC 244, and UFC 245 taking place in mid-December, what champions could the promotion call upon to main event their annual trip to Madison Square Garden this fall?
Who's Out?
We've already been treated to a couple of title fights this month, with another on the way. Fighting a couple of months later wouldn't be the craziest thing, but it's still a relatively quick turnaround. That's why we don't expect Valentina Shevchenko, Stipe Miocic, or either of Jessica Andrade or Weili Zhang, to feature in the main event of UFC 244.
The same can be said about the fighters in pay-per-view main events taking place ahead of UFC 244. Khabib Nurmagomedov and Dustin Poirier will be fighting for the lightweight title at UFC 242 next month. They'll be followed by Robert Whittaker defending his belt against Israel Adesanya at UFC 243 in October.
Again, quicker turnarounds have happened. And they're probably more likely with a fight at MSG on the table. But, given the other options available, having to convince any of those champions to make a relatively quick return to the Octagon to defend their belts doesn't seem like the road the promotion will go down.
Bantamweight and featherweight champion Amanda Nunes will be busy as well. She'll be fighting Germaine de Randamie for the second time at UFC 245, as GDR looks to become a two-division champion and add a bantamweight title to her collection. The duo previously fought in November of 2013, with Nunes getting a first round TKO victory.
It's unclear whether or not Nunes-de Randamie will be the main event of December's pay-per-view. If not, one of the currently available fights for UFC 244 will be taken or saved for that card.
Who's Available?
Light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has already brought up the idea of fighting at Madison Square Garden this fall. He's been keeping busy, fighting three times in a little more than six months throughout 2019 (mostly).
The bigger question for Jones is who he could fight at UFC 244. A rematch with Thiago Santos sounds fun, but he's on the shelf for several more months. Jan Blachowicz is an interesting option. He's coming off of an impressive dismantling of Luke Rockhold earlier this summer. Blachowicz is 5-1 in his last six fights, with the lone loss coming to Santos in February. Dominick Reyes and Corey Anderson have been mentioning Jones lately as well. But, they're both busy. Reyes is fighting Chris Weidman in Boston this fall, while Anderson is matched up with Johnny Walker at UFC 244 already
So, it looks like it's Blachowicz or bust for the champ. Of course, talk of a trilogy fight with Daniel Cormier will always arise. Following Cormier's loss to Miocic at UFC 241, and the talk of retirement that was surrounding the build-up to the heavyweight title fight, it's hard to imagine Cormier getting back in the Octagon so quickly after getting knocked out, cutting a bunch of weight, and accepting a trilogy bout with Jones in November. A champion-versus-champion bout with Miocic sounds interesting too, but we'll have to wait and see what the new-ish heavyweight champ has in mind for his next title-defense.
The promotion could also look to the welterweight division for their MSG main event, depending on when Kamaru Usman is 100%. His match-up with Colby Covington is one of the most anticipated title fights in recent history. Usman will make sure he's completely healthy before he signs up for his first title defense, especially after Covington's recent mauling of Robbie Lawler. Whether it's adding depth to UFC 244, or potentially featuring at UFC 245, this match-up will add a lot of intrigue to whichever card it's on.


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The Baroque emerged in Italy around 1600, and from about 1660-1750 the style had taken hold in Denmark. Baroque is characterised by symmetry, opulent decorations, monumentalism and a dramatic use of light, as well as contrasted light-and-shadow effects on façades. Many Baroque buildings can be considered Gesamtkunstwerk in which the architecture, furnishings, sculptures and paintings are greater than the sum of their parts. The use of light is dramatic and impressive; for example, a dark room can suddenly be illuminated by the light from a window, or shapes emerging and receding from the walls change, at times casting light and at times shadows on the wall. If a window or a high cupola could not be built in a room, it was painted on the ceiling. Using perspective techniques, the two-dimensional painting could seem to extend upward; this type of optical illusion was used very frequently in the Baroque period.
Baroque architecture was meant to beguile and convince its audience, such as the Palace of Versailles in France.
Baroque windows
Windows with wooden glazing bars rather than lead glazing bars were a Baroque innovation. They quickly gained popularity as they did not rattle in the wind, and closed more tightly thanks to a marvellous new invention - glazier's putty; a mixture of linseed oil and chalk. They allowed much more daylight to enter rooms, and as they were rather clear, people could look out and enjoy the views. Windows with wooden glazing bars were expensive, however, and thus often only placed on the side of the house that faced the street. The less expensive lead glazing bars were reserved for the courtyard side.
Windows found in towns of the Baroque period have four sashes of equal size and wooden glazing bars with rigid vertical and horizontal symmetry. The robust window posts call to mind the stone mullions of the Renaissance. The windows themselves have corner reinforcement hinges, and from the inside, characteristically robust "round posts" are visible, as well as so-called "bird-shaped latches" (fugleanverfere) on the window frames.


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Executive Mosaic is honored to introduce Dana Deasy, chief information officer of the Department of Defense, as an inductee into the 2020 edition of the Wash100 for prioritizing information technology projects that drive DoD's digital modernization and new tech adoption.Read More »
DISA Seeks Booz Allen Engineering Support for Pentagon's DEOS Cloud Transition
The Defense Information Systems Agency intends to negotiate with Booz Allen Hamilton (NYSE: BAH) a sole-source contract for continuation of engineering and technical services intended to help the Department of Defense move forward on a cloud computing program.Read More »
Weekly Roundup: DoD Awards $7.6B Cloud BPA to General Dynamics IT, Kevin Samuelson Becomes CEO of Infor, Multiple Contract Awards & Weekly Top 10 Stories
The Department of Defense (DoD) and the General Services Administration (GSA) awarded General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) a potential 10-year, $7.6B blanket purchase agreement on Thursday to replace legacy DoD IT office applications with a standard cloud-based platform across the U.S. military. GDIT secured the Defense Enterprise Office Solutions (DEOS) …Read More »
DoD, GSA Award $7.6B Cloud BPA to General Dynamics IT Business; Dana Deasy Quoted
The Department of Defense and the General Services Administration have awarded General Dynamics Information Technology (NYSE: GD) a potential 10-year, $7.6 billion blanket purchase agreement to replace legacy DoD IT office applications with a standard cloud-based platform across the U.S. military.Read More »
Report: DoD's Potential $8B DEOS Cloud Contract Could Be Awarded by August
The Department of Defense's potential 10-year, $8B contract for enterprise common cloud-based applications and services could be awarded as early as August, Nextgov reported Tuesday.Read More »
GSA Solicits Bids for DoD's Potential $8B DEOS Cloud Contract
The General Services Administration issued Friday a request for proposals for a potential 10-year, $8B contract to provide an enterprise cloud computing service for the Department of Defense, Nextgov reported Tuesday. The Defense Enterprise Office Solutions contract seeks cloud-based applications and services designed to provide communication, productivity and collaboration capabilities to …Read More »
GSA Issues Draft RFQ for Potential $7.8B DEOS Cloud Blanket Purchase Agreement
The General Services Administration has released a draft request for quotation for a potential 10-year, $7.8B single-award blanket purchase agreement to provide an enterprise cloud service for the Department of Defense. A FedBizOpps notice published Thursday says the Defense Enterprise Office Solution firm-fixed-price BPA under GSA's Information Technology Schedule 70 seeks to …Read More »
Report: Federal Use of GSA's IT Schedule 70 Vehicle to Rise in Fiscal 2019
The federal government's use of the General Services Administration's Information Technology Schedule 70 to buy IT platforms and services is expected to increase in fiscal 2019 as agencies intend to compete their contracts through the vehicle, Bloomberg Government reported Friday. The Defense Department plans to compete its potential 10-year, $8B …Read More »
Report: $27.5B in Fiscal 2019 DISA IT Contracts Up for Grabs
The Pulse of GovCon's analysis of information technology contracting opportunities at the Defense Information Systems Agency predicted more than $27.5B in potential awards before fiscal year 2019 ends, Nextgov reported Wednesday. Pulse researchers came up with this estimate after they analyzed 30 of the 55 IT contracts DISA expects to award over …Read More »
DISA Releases Draft RFP for Potential $8B Enterprise Cloud Service Procurement Contract
The Defense Information Systems Agency has issued a draft request for proposals for a potential 10-year, $8 billion contract to acquire an enterprise cloud service platform designed to facilitate collaboration and communications in support of DISA and Defense Department operations worldwide. A FedBizOpps notice posted Tuesday says the Defense Enterprise Office …Read More »


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Posted on
Ribbon Communications has closed the acquisition of Edgewater Networks, a specialist in Network Edge Orchestration for the distributed enterprise and Unified Communications (UC) market.
"The acquisition of Edgewater Networks aligns with our strategic initiatives," said Fritz Hobbs, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ribbon Communications.
"In addition to becoming a leader in enterprise Session Border Controllers, it allows us to immediately extend Edgewater solutions internationally, expand our cloud offerings and enter the SD-WAN market."
The acquisition is said to be immediately accretive to Ribbon for the remainder of fiscal 2018.
Related Topics


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TeamSTEPPS™ Training
Through Maryland Patient Safety Center
TeamSTEPPS™ is an evidence-based teamwork system aimed at optimizing patient outcomes by improving communication and other teamwork skills among healthcare professionals.
Developed by the Department of Defense (DoD) Patient Safety Program, in collaboration with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the program is based on the "crew resource management" techniques and includes a comprehensive suite of ready-to-use materials and training curricula necessary to successfully integrate teamwork principles into all areas of your healthcare system.
The goal of TeamSTEPPS™ is to produce highly effective medical teams that optimize the use of information, people, and resources to achieve the best clinical outcomes for their patients. TeamSTEPPS™ is scientifically-rooted in over 20 years of research and lessons learned from the application of teamwork principles in High-Reliability Organizations (HROs).
TeamSTEPPS™ curriculum is provided as a Multimedia Curriculum Kit. Contained within the kit are the fundamentals modules in text and presentation format, a pocket guide that corresponds with the essentials version of the course, video vignettes to illustrate key concepts, workshop materials centered around change management, coaching and implementation, along with a supporting CD and DVD.
TeamSTEPPS™ Instructors Guide
To request a copy, visit: http://teamstepps.ahrq.gov/abouttoolsmaterials.htm (AHRQ)
Additional TeamSTEPPS™ Resources
TeamSTEPPS™ Train the Trainer
Maryland Patient Safety Center (MPSC) offers two-day intensive Train-the-Trainer courses for interested healthcare providers. These trainings will create a network of master trainers across Maryland who will in turn offer TeamSTEPPS™ training to frontline providers within their organization.
For additional information contact the Maryland Patient Safety Center at (410) 540-9210.


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Published Date: March 1, 2014
By: Jesse Krieger
Amazon #1 Bestseller
About the Book:
Make Money Doing What You Love, Even in Tough Times Lifestyle Entrepreneur is the result of having lived a non-traditional life. In my twenties, I launched five businesses and sold the last two. I have been in a rock band touring America, and I've been flown around the world as a professional dating coach. I have traveled to and lived in over twentyfive countries, learning the local languages while there. I feel very blessed to have friends all over the world, a family that loves me at home, and generally able to live the life that I've always dreamed of.
But this book isn't about me. It's about you!
If you take only ten percent of the information and ideas in this book and put them into practice, it will change your life. I promise. Lifestyle Entrepreneur contains the essence of everything I've learned over the last ten years of starting businesses, traveling the world, and exploring the things I'm passionate about. Now I would like to share a blueprint for how you can do all of these things and more.
Author Bio:
Jesse sits squarely at the intersection of publishing and promotion – having signed two publishing deals on two different continents, and navigated the world of becoming a best-selling author twice. It has been his honor to work with 100+ authors from around the world to achieve their dreams of writing, and publishing a book.
With constant exposure to books, trends in publishing, and the latest marketing techniques for authors, Jesse has a superpower to see the meaning beneath your words, help craft titles and website copy along with your unique author language quickly, and effectively. In addition to being featured on over 50 media outlets for his best-selling book Lifestyle Entrepreneur, Jesse has been an entrepreneur his entire adult life and holds degrees from University of California, Berkeley, as well as National Taiwan University and Beijing Normal University.


text: Every little one loves receiving presents! Our fantastic range of children's birthday gifts means the possibilities are endless; choose from fun, cheerful rockers or a beautiful keepsake box to adorable little wheelies. All our gifts are guaranteed to amuse, inspire and mesmerise your little treasure- so expect a wide grin when you hand over that birthday present! Whatever your budget, here at Babycity we can cater for it. Cast your eyes over our superb array of wheelies, which will encourage your little one to start crawling, and will develop their motor skills. Make this year's birthday one to remember with our gifts for kids from your favourite brands including Tiny Love, Little Bird Told Me, Gorgeous Baby Gift and Wheely Bug. Treat your little one to a truly special gift that will live long in memory.


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What is Maker's Night?
You may have noticed this on the class calendar and thought "what exactly does that mean...?"
Fair question. Rather than a traditional class with one set project that everyone in the class makes, each person works on an individual or self appointed project. For example, Taylor may be finishing a jewelry piece that they started in a class last year but never got around to finishing. I'll give them tips along the way as needed. Aleisha has a large collection of beads she's working through and wants feedback on arranging them into a new design. Sam has a Pinterest board full of ideas but doesn't know where to start. Heather brings an old necklace she wants to learn how to repair. They all come together for Maker's Night and use my tools and pick my brain for ideas and troubleshooting. We chat, learn and feed off each other's creative energy!
What do I need to bring to maker's night?
In the NEED category there's really just one thing...YOU!
I supply tools, have some books for project ideas, and class is held in a craft store so any supplies you need can be bought on the spot!
What can I bring to maker's night?
Your ideas.
Jewelry supplies
Jewelry tools
Jewelry you'd like to fix
Questions ( I love questions!)
Friends! This is a low key atmosphere and chatting and socializing is encouraged
Leave a Reply.
Ivey L. March is the designer, jeweler and owner of Jewelry de Terre.
September 2019


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Intraday-price-moves for dedicated timeframes (showing the 'volatility' expected). Ex: If @ 02:00 PM Gold has already moved USD 14 for the day, then it is less likely Gold will stretch much further that day. Within a 2 hour period for ex., do expect a USD 3 move for GOLD and so on. Be happy to acheive intraday gains equal to a specified range. Numbers also to be used towards stop loss ranges.
Research shows that the Goldprice tends to trade higher through the last two days of the month into the first two days of the next month. This 4-days trading period sees higher Gold in 4 out of the last 6 'turn of the month' cases.
Summing all last six four days periods makes up + 1.3%.
Remeber that what happened in the passed is not equal to what will happen in the future... but these are interesting observations in conjuction to what really happens when a trading month comes to an end, to start another.
2019-01-29 12:39 | Gold
Disclaimer:Intraday.se is an information portal Only. All trading is soley at your own risk. Trading financial instruments involves high risk to your capital. Make sure you fully understand how your investments work, and that you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.


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Whether you know it or not, you've seen the work of American Companies, Inc. For the past 31 years, owner Gale Holsman and his team have provided street, parking lot, and event clean-up across Kansas City, including Chiefs and Royals games, the Country Club Plaza, and even Martin City's St. Patrick's parade.
In 2017, Holsman purchased 18 acres between Blue Ridge and 135th Street, just east of the railroad tracks crossing Holmes Road in Martin City. The property had been sitting vacant for almost 20 years. Holsman is investing over $700,000 to transform it into a storage and equipment rehab facility for the company.
"We'd been looking for a place to expand, and the property in Martin City was the right place at the right time for us," said Holsman. "Martin City is a perfect location for us because it's right in the middle of where we do business, with easy access to the rest of Kansas City." He said he wanted to fix up the property, keep it neat and organized, and make it something Martin City can be proud of.
Holsman learned about "sweeper trucks" in the early 1980's when he was working for a national municipal solid waste company as a rear load garbage operator and saw a business opportunity.
"I realized I didn't want a job where I was a number – someone who nobody would notice if I was there or not," said Holsman. "So I bought my first truck, figured out how to work it, and the rest is history."
At first, Holsman swept parking lots for free and left a note on the door that he cleaned their lot. Over time, managers started calling him when they noticed their lots hadn't been cleaned for a few weeks. Soon, the business exploded with over 20 sweeper trucks and clients all over Kansas City, including the parking lots at Bannister Mall, JC Penney stores, and Royals and Chiefs games.
His favorite memory came when he was cleaning the Royals' parking lot after the World Series victory in 1985. Good Morning America was set up for a live remote when a limo pulled up at 4:00 AM and Royals pitcher, Brett Saberhagen emerged.
"He introduced himself and said, 'I've been watching you sweep all season. Can I ride around with you so I can get away before I'm on TV?' I said, 'Sure, get in!" and before I knew it I was doing circles in J Lot with the World Series MVP!"
Today, the company includes five divisions specializing in parking lot sweeping, roll-off dumpsters, portable toilets, asphalt repair, and event stage rental.
Services Include:
- Street Sweeping
- Power Washing
- Dayportering
- 20, 30, 40-yard Roll-offs
- Construction Portable Toilets
- Special Event Portable Toilets
- Luxury Toilet Trailers
- Stage Rental
- Event Clean-up
- Trash Boxes
To learn more, please visit their website.


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Freestyle Academy proudly presents
Junior Conceptual: A Junior Design Students - Conceptual Project by Siqi Shao (2016)
My motivation for this piece is from my poem and what's around me, our environment in Silicon Valley a place of advancement and deadlines. ''As we fill our schedules we forget to live and give ourselves a break and some awareness in our present.'' In Silicon Valley we always drive ourselves forward to tomorrow, but what about today? This piece represents a reminder to give ourselves awareness and peace inside our busy schedule.
This Mac represents the work we face every day, but the display shows paradise a place of peace. During this shoot I used a macro lense which created much difficulty in setting the distance between myself and the object. The lighting was also an issue because it reflected off the aluminum surface of the Mac glaring into the camera. During editing it was a hassle to correctly adjust the brightness and exposure of the Mac's surface.


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|The cattle at the other end of the rainbow - but no pot of gold (unfortunately!)
|Some of the boys getting into a 'Spot the rainbow' mode.
We now have three geldings, all 13 years old. Their names are: Faro, Fyta and Fergus. We started keeping Alpacas with these 3 boys plus a fourth, Fidget, in June 2007 and although we had up to eight boys for several years, we have now reverted to keeping our originals. Sadly Fidget passed away in January 2019. Through this blog we hope to show how much pleasure can be had from owning Alpacas.
|We've experienced quite a bit of rain recently and some alpacas just love to get themselves into a mess on the wet ground. This is Fidget, having got himself thoroughly soaked then proceeded to roll in the dry dust inside the field shelter! Not such a cuddly boy when he looks like this!
|Last Wed evening we had a heavy shower of rain followed by strong sunlight from the West. The result was a perfect double rainbow but unfortunately I could not get the whole arch in one photo. Wee Eck as always likes to be the first to check out the camera so his black face and prominent ears usually appear at the front of our photos!
|The cattle at the other end of the rainbow - but no pot of gold (unfortunately!)
|Some of the boys getting into a 'Spot the rainbow' mode.
|And finally.... I've been busy spinning and crotcheting recently and these are 3 curly wurly scarves I've made. They are each about 130cm in length. The outer one is Fergus's fleece and the contrast colour has been achieved by dyeing green (sage). The middle scarf is from Gully (fawn) and Gaucho (brown) whilst the inner one is from Rufus (dark rose grey) and Turkish (light rose grey). Turkish is from the Ardo alpaca herd.
Great photos...that is one very dirty pacca! The scarves look impressive. I am inspired to do some dying after seeing what you achieved...don't think that my skills will stretch to crotchering though!ReplyDelete
What a lovely...dirty Boy !! then....I thought that you had increased your herd with another Rose Grey..for a moment..lovely scarves...and what a beautiful rainbow...after such torrential rain !!......JayneReplyDelete
And I thought Kazuo looked bad!! Why is it always the white ones that like the mud?ReplyDelete
Hi there,
Lovely blog! I'm just starting out researching these lovely creatures as my Mum would like to keep some up in Orkney. I found your blog on the website listing Scottish keepers. I love your crochet scarves above too (I'm starting out with crochet) - where did you find the pattern? There was a lady doing natural wool dyes at the local Bruce festival and it was really interesting. How does the wool differ from sheep wool? Is it softer? We kept sheep (as pets really) a while back but there was no market for the fleece.
Looking forward to learning about your herd.
Hi Sleepwalker, Thanks for your comments and questions. I've tried to get back to you via Blogger, but can't get access. Can you email me on firstname.lastname@example.com and I'll be delighted to help. Look forward to hearing from you.ReplyDelete


text:
Fix 14: Don't summarize evidence accumulated over time when learning is developmental and will grow with time and repeated opportunities; in those instances, emphasize more recent achievement
Have I mentioned that this book is amazing, and the lessons summarized are both intuitive and overwhelming all at the same time? I have dove in the deep end; I am on board, I have bought into these best practices for assessment. That said, organizing something like this, in my head or on my computer, is a seemingly difficult task. Maybe I just picture some of my parent teacher interviews I have had. I am a very organized person, but my system looks completely disorganized to a parent- especially a critical parent wondering why their child isn't doing so hot. I usually have student names going along the Y axis, learning outcomes going across the X axis, and have somehow (even though it is on a screen or on paper) added a Z axis for time. I have both paper based records for my day to day observations, and I update marks "that count" every few weeks into our system. There is a number system to show levels of understanding (1, 2 or 3); I have tried colour coordinating, and I have a variety of shorthand letters or symbols that mean various things. I try to annotate any missing assignments for the student as they arise (to me an excused absence for the dentist is different than sleeping in or skipping). I think relationships are more important than record keeping, but I also don't want to get caught with my pants down if a parent or principal has questions. It's a delicate balance…
At the end of the day, learning takes time, and I really try to be clear with my students that their practice doesn't count; taking risks in class is not going to bring their marks down. The term "weight" is a little confusing for some of them, even some grade 10's and 11's still don't get that a 20 question test at the end of a unit will drive their grade disproportionately more than a 20 question assignment. I think students should know how they are being marked, and understand the reasons behind it. You can't hit a bullseye if you don't know where it is. Maybe that is my problem? I'm too transparent with my students, and they don't have the maturity, vocabulary or training to understand it? Should I just say how the course will be on the syllabus and the first day of class and then leave more mystery to it all? Something to consider I guess…
Getting back to Fix 14 before I totally go off the rails. Maybe the difficulty I have scaffolding this is focussing on too big or long-term of learning goals. Is the learning goal I know the locations and charges of protons, neutrons and electrons in an atom or is it chemical processes require energy change as atoms are rearranged? One goal is 60 minutes tops, the other is 60 days. So keeping a running tally of where a student is at, so to speak, with one goal is much easier to document than the other.
So as usual, my reflection has both reaffirmed my philosophy about science education and assessment and also totally twisted everything around backwards and upside down at the same time. Thanks, as usual even though I don't mention it specifically, for any comments or insight you can provide. As a related side note, please do keep in mind the Canadian Assessment for Learning Conference & Symposium – Location in Delta – May 1-3. I will be there will bells on.
Fix 13: Don't use information from formative assessments and practice to determine grades; use only summative evidence.
I think I have mentioned this before, but I promise I am not looking ahead; I just mentioned this yesterday! If it was me learning something new I would only want summative evidence to determine my grade. If I had my 6 month performance evaluation at work scheduled (hypothetical) I would want to practice a specific set of skills, and have my final mark only based on the end of my learning journey. I think a student learning an introduction to Biology or Chemistry at their grade-specific level should be no different. Why would you want your mark to be an average of all your mixed results throughout?
The students, however, seem to think differently; maybe it is an age thing? My own daughter is in kindergarten. She would never have a final test on writing her name at the end of June. Her grade is based on evidence of an ongoing evolution of her skills. Do primary students have their reporting based entirely on Formative assessment? Then by Grade 11 and 12 students have their grade based mainly on Summative assessment? Upper intermediate and junior high school seem to be bridging the gap, from what I have seen. So how do I make it clear to a 14 or 15 year old that giving a final grade based on formative checkpoints in the middle isn't really fair to them?
Here is how I have orchestrated the conversation, to get my students to "buy into" having a mark based mostly on Summative assessment. Most of my kids are starting to drive when I teach them. To get your driver's license in BC you have to go through the following steps:
Students see the safety implication with this analogy, and agree that they wouldn't want the ability to drive to be based on all of their early attempts "weighing down the average". So back to the skills and knowledge being measured in a science class. I think the biggest psychological obstacle with basing the students mark entirely on summative assessment is what the students picture a test is; maybe it is a "test" thing? Fifty or more multiple choice questions, no talking, no phone, no binder. This environment is proven to cause anxiety for many, adults and children included. And is it really an accurate reflection of learning? Maybe for some students, but certainly not for all.
I really like the direction education is moving, whereby summative assessment is a conversation or a presentation of learning in a means of your choosing. Summative assessment can be include self-assessment, because let's face it, students are much harder critics than we are. When was the last time you studied for a written or multiple choice test as an adult? Our "tests" are based mainly on observations and conversations, and sure may be a score at the end, but it is a much more authentic experience of where we are at in a given context. Think job interview or checking in on your quarterly sales goals. Don't our students deserve the same time and respect?
Fix 12: Don't include zeros in grade determination when evidence is missing or as punishment; use alternatives, such as reassessing to determine real achievement or use "I" for Incomplete or Insufficient Evidence
Ok readers, here we go, the final few fixes. Ironically I feel a little like my students do this time of year, in that I'm ready to accept the zero in my final 3 or 4 tasks because I'm burnt out. Almost there though, close to the finish line and ready to finish strong.
Throughout the school year I try to give students progress reports every two or three weeks, and have "missing" as a placeholder if they forgot to hand an assignment in, or chose not to do it for whatever reason. I have two very different students in mind who, by June 22nd when our report cards were due, had nearly half of the terms assignments missing. I did not put any zero's in; both students were made aware of the catch-up day on Monday, but I did not make it mandatory for either of them. I Both students took a final unit exam: one student got 50% on the test, the other got 80%. I am pretty confident that this is a realistic evaluation of how much both students understand of the subject. I left the holes in my marks books as holes and posted their grades based solely on this final test.
This particular class I'm describing is Science 10; my breakdown is 30% formative assessment (labs, assignments) and 70% summative (Chapter Quizzes and Unit Tests). I actually consulted the class, and we came up with this breakdown collaboratively. I describe what formative and summative mean to them, and that I want to help them learn as much as possible during instruction, then measure it at the end; that to me is the point of assessment. Many students want some credit for "practice" assignments, and realise that daily work will (usually) bring their mark up, and their level of understanding up. It's interesting to me that they don't see their mark being the same thing as their level of understanding. Additionally, many students feel anxiety around tests, and don't feel it is fair to base the whole course on summative assessments. It was interesting for me to hear their opinions about assessment, and I try to be honest and responsive to their opinions so we can come up with a fair plan for everyone.
I'm curious now to run the numbers on my 80 and 50 percentage students, to see how much completing their missing assignments would affect their mark, and I can only speculate how much it would affect their level of understanding. The potential disconnect between these two is something I will definitely keep in mind as I plan for next year…
Fix 11: Don't rely only on the mean; consider other measures of central tendency and use professional judgment
Good morning. I was feeling guilty because I wanted this done by the end of June, and darn it, it's not looking optimistic. Oh well, good to do some professional development over the summer months. Thankfully this one is an easy one, so I will keep it short, and maybe (but don't quote me) might even reflect on Fix 12 before 3:00. Fingers crossed.
The last time I calculated the mean for a class or a test was in 2011, and I had 62 students taking Science 10 in two blocks in Semester 1. The sample size was high; there was pretty good anonymity for top and bottom marks on the "tails" of my bell curve. Now I have 9 students taking Science 10, so mean was useless before and it is completely delusional now. Interestingly though, a sarcastic thanks MyEd, our district does it automatically for me. I don't even look at that number at the bottom of my column of final grades; it is meaningless.
Great news, we are back to professional judgement, which is an amazing safety net for those that are wrapped up around numbers and accountability. Your doctor takes a few measurements and runs a few tests, but most of the time the doctors professional judgement had the diagnosis long before the numbers were run or the samples were sent away. You are a professional just like a doctor. Know what tests to run, and how often to run them based on the individual student. Trust your judgement, and as long as you continue to monitor the progress in your students in a timely and constructive manner you are good! Focus on the conversations with them, not having a high average or a narrow standard deviation. Students are people first, you can't treat them like an algorithm.
Fix 10: Don't rely on evidence gathered using assessments that fail to meet standards of quality; rely only on quality assessments
Haha, maybe the end of the school year wasn't the best time to attempt these 15 fixes. Ok, yes, challenge accepted. I will only accept quality assignments. Quality for one, however, can be mediocre for others. Fair is not equal… I digress.
Here is the climate in Science 10 lately. We are looking at how ecosystems change over time; the students have a bunch of jumbled up stages in secondary succession. Their task is to put the text in order, and illustrate what that would actually look like (make a cartoon). Student A reads the directions carefully, cuts and pastes the steps, rearranges them into the correct order and does a satisfactory job at illustrating. Their conclusion is written clearly on the back of the page by the end of the period. Student B does not read the directions, writes out the steps in shorthand (almost illegibly) on a scrap of paper and attempts to use the Storyboard That website to digitally draw out a cartoon. Student's A can verbally explain the stages in succession; their work matches their understanding. Student B, however, can explain the science pretty accurately verbally, but never actually completed any assignment to support their explanation, despite 3 gentle and encouraging reminders in 3 successive class periods. The partially completed version of the assignment I saw several times left in my classroom was certainly not a quality assignment.
I am not wrapped up in the means of how I get my evidence, but at the end of the day I want to be accurate and consistent, and I want the students to be clear on how they can improve their level of understanding. Student B would take 12 months to complete a 5 month course if everything I required was "quality". That, or the current situation, whereby he finished the course in 5 months but his mark is not the greatest because I didn't have the patience or tenacity to wait for quality.
One of my mantras for assessment is that weighing a pig does not make it fatter. I don't want to collect droves of assignments; I would much rather collect one quality assignment every few weeks (depending on the age and subject). This, for me, definitely brings about a bigger issue and a paradigm shift for both students and their parents, as well as my colleagues.
I guess my take home message after being mindful of this fix is that I need to know my students. Only after I know them and their interests and abilities can I truly understand what quality looks like for them specifically. Then, and I know this is lacking for me at times, I need to stay diligent with those repeat offenders and keep giving back low-quality evidence until it is good enough. Man. Assessment is so cool – it takes both sensitivity and discipline simultaneously.
Fix 9: Compare students achievement to pre-set standards, not to each other.
Haha, this one makes me laugh. This makes me think of one of my Science 10's, whose assignments could be the answer keys. In fact they are better than the answer key because her printing is neater than mind. In the spectrum of meeting-achieving-exceeding standards, this particular student is exceeding, head and shoulders above my standards and the standards suggested in the BC Curriculum for that matter. No teacher could ever fairly compare other students to her, because of the fact that she has such exceptional efforts and abilities. It wouldn't be fair to either of the parties. Even just considering the "meeting expectations" students; all of my students are so unique, with their skill sets, abilities, interests and work habits, it's like comparing apples to oranges, even if they are categorically both "meeting expectations".
An interesting and related side note: I am having one last crack at the old Science 10 curriculum. Guilty, sorry, as charged, but I had my reasons. The thing about this curriculum is the learning standards are like this:
Explain half life with reference to rates of radioactive decay
Ok, let's tweak that a little bit…
"I can explain half life with reference to rates of radioactive decay"
"Ok kids, here are 100 pennies; your job is to model parent isotope with heads, daughter isotopes with tails, graph it… and answer the conclusion question at the end". The standards for this particular learning goal, or this particular classroom activity are completely transparent and very unambiguous; the standard is also a manageable enough chunk to approach in one or two classroom activities.
More interesting for me, the new learning standard "chemical processes require energy change as atoms are rearranged". This is still a preset standard, and I'm still not going to compare my students to each other, but this obviously requires some unpacking to make it helpful for both the students to learn from and teacher to assess. For this daunting task, lately, I am trying to develop Learning Maps for each of my units. It takes some front loading (what else did I want to work on in July?!) but once the scaffold is there, periodical check ins with students and yourself for assessment is seamless and constructive. Learning Maps are amazing because they remove scores and they put language to the learning goals; they are discrete, because all students have to have a conversation with you and it looks the same, and lastly it factors in the multiple entry points into a topic and just emphasises forward growth.
Sorry folks, I kind of drifted away from my central thesis there. My specific instructions for blogging were "short and to the point <winky face>". I guess I am "approaching expectations" in the blogging department today.
Fix 7: Don't organize information in grading records by assessment method, or simply summarize into a single grade; organize and report evidence by standard / learning goal
Ok, for anybody out there reading this, I would love to see how you do this. I struggle with this. I have heard that I need to try FreshGrade but haven't yet. Maybe in July I will do some recon…Currently, in Biology 11, I give the students our Learning Goals every Monday morning to start the week. However when I report evidence it is definitely a summarized grade and is not specifically organised by standards (just the title of the assignment). I do specify as to whether or not my marks are Formative or Summative, and I always reiterate the weight of major tests etc. Almost all of the time for Formative assessment I use a three point scale to indicate the level of comprehension. I find that our system just doesn't allow for the kind of information I want to include (conversations, observations etc.) all in one place.
When I teach math, and teach out of the textbook, I have a system I enjoy that works for both myself and the students. The learning goals are plentiful, which can be intimidating for some, but we pick away at the goals; the students day to day activities as well as my reporting are lined up around clear descriptive standards. When I teach Biology, however, which is my forte, I the organization fails me to some extent. Maybe it's because I have only taught the course twice, and the curriculum has been different each time…Or maybe it's MyEd. Or maybe it's because my "bell curve" is so broad that my standards are different for some students compared to the others.
I am, by nature, pretty organized and Type A. I can admit it. I have an MSc, but since going into Education, from applied science, my focus has evolved from numbers and algorithms into more personal documentation and note keeping. I have seen Kindergarten teachers' mark books and I think we highschool teachers could learn a thing or two. A kindergartener is never going to get a score / 5 on raising their butterfly from a caterpillar. You will never see a list of assignments in chronological order of the worksheets they attempted to describe metamorphosis. Kindergarten records are a living document because a Kindergartener changes month to month- scratch that- day to day. No "grades" are permanent, it is just a snapshot in time of where they are at and how we can all support growth.
I want to spend my time teaching my students, and preparing ways to inspire them at their level. I went into this career knowing that record keeping is a big part of it, but I am skeptical there is software that can do this in a meaningful way that wouldn't be a huge sink to my time that would be value added. Hmm… Kind of leaving this one hanging which I don't like. Feel free to comment please. Until next time.
Guest Blog by Kevin Yapps.
Kevin has taught in various Science settings. His current role is teaching French Immersion Sciences as well as a combined French Science-Math option at WL Seaton Secondary Vernon, BC. Kevin is an avid tinkerer and maker and loves incorporating it into his Science instruction. @yappsolutely
Osmosis: abstract and difficult to demonstrate
For years, I have been trying to come up with concrete methodology that will help learners better understand osmosis. Laboratory exercises and online videos have made it much simpler to understanding diffusion. However, I have always found it daunting to come up with activities that make it easier to understand osmosis because it almost seems counter-intuitive.
A colleague shared a lab-activity with me where students used red onion epidermis. Students were instructed to do a classic wet-mount slide preparation. Then, with the use of a pipette, they injected a saline solution between the slide and the slide cover. All this was to be executed in real-time with the prepared slide on the stage: talk about complicated! Even when or if it worked, it was difficult for the untrained eye to understand what it was looking at.
Let's just say that the students, like always, loved the fact that they were doing "lab-work," but they executed it without fully knowing whether or not it worked. I was left having to explain what they should be seeing. A student mentioned that everything happened too fast. This made me reflect. I didn't want to throw the activity out. It had so much potential.
How it all came together: the "a-ha moment"
I began to reflect on the activity. What went well? What went horribly wrong and what needed to be improved? About a week prior to this activity, students were encouraged to use their smartphones during lab-work to snap photos of pond life through the microscope. This was a very engaging activity for students and they were proud to share, via Airdrop or email, the various photos and videos of microorganisms (I even began to archive these in a Google Photos photo album). A collective problem with this technique was finding a way to hold the phone still to take a photo. Some used 2 sets of hands! Then, they had to crop out the impertinent segments of their photos.
I thought to myself: "If only there was a way to hold the cameras to take better photos. I could 3D-print a mounting apparatus! Photos will be clear and I can even take video like I would with a tripod." Using a 3D printer was not a viable option for me at that point, so I began to improvise with selfie-sticks and "oogoo" (silicone and cornstarch). Let's just say that my prototypes were marginally functional.
Then, one evening, while surfing aimlessly on the Interweb, I stumbled upon a DIY microscope video from the Instructables website: a home-made microscope that used a small acrylic lens coupled with the focusing power of a smartphone camera. Subsequent Youtube searches yielded demonstrations; one of them being with red-onion cells. I immediately concluded that this project could solve my previous problems with camera stillness and videos. To boot, I had also come to the realization that time-lapse was a function that existed on most new smartphones.
I now had a way to watch the phenomenon in real-time, in time-lapse and then repeatedly by using video. For example, once salt water is injected into the cellular matrix, cytoplasm leaves the cells to balance the exterior. In real-time, this is difficult to notice as it happens over minutes. Time-lapse permits the observer to watch 5 minutes-worth of footage in a few seconds. Moreover, the time-bar in the video application permits the observer to go back and forth in time. If you miss something, it's always accessible! Having the luxury of going over the visual component of osmosis with learners is a very powerful tool. (The following photo's were all taken using these microscopes.)
*3x 4 ½" x 5/16" carriage bolts
*9x 5/16" nuts
*3x 5/16" wing nuts
*5x 5/16" washers
**¾" x 7" x 7" plywood — for the base
***⅛" x 7" x 7" plexiglass — for the camera stage
***⅛" x 3" x 7" plexiglass — for the specimen stage
****11/32 inch threaded Acrylic lens (use two for increased magnification)
*****LED click light (necessary only for viewing backlit specimens)
*Can be found at any hardware store – It is better to buy from a wholesaler to cut costs
**I use old shelving – You will need a saw to cut this with the appropriate dimensions
***I found used plexiglass in the school. Canvassing your local glass retailers for donations (even scrap pieces work)
****I found small acrylic lenses on Amazon
***** LED lights can easily be found at any hardware stores
Use the Instructables website if you are uncomfortable troubleshooting on your own. You will need the following tools and accessories for building purposes:
Potential related projects and cross-curricular
There is the potential to collaborate with a visual-arts class. Students can share their photos with collaborating arts students who can transform microscopy photos into works of art. This could work well with pond life organisms, insects, etc.
If you are not comfortable using small power tools in your classroom (i.e. drills and saws), you can converse with your school's tech-ed instructor. High school and middle school shops usually possess the necessary tools.
Future projects
Every semester, I have students use previous classes' home-made microscopes. They use the "Design Thinking" methodology to establish a plan to build a 2.0 version.
Fix 6: Don't include group scores in grade, use only individual achievement evidence.
I have to say, I am not looking ahead in the book, but I'm a little bit proud of myself. I haven't actually got to try out any new fix or strategy yet; so far I do all of the fixes Ken suggests for broken grades. Doesn't make for a very interesting read though, so I'm feeling the need to comment on each fix anyways. When we have group assignments I do not include group scores in the students grade, only their individual achievements. Not to fear, I'm on top of this one already.
I think group assignments are important; we are a collaborative species, and when scaffolded properly, students teaching themselves and/or their peers is much more powerful than having the only adult in the room "download" their wisdom. However I can empathize with the assessment piece when it comes to group work, as every group has the potential to have a "Hannah" (aka the student that cares about grades and does a great job in spite of the group) and each group also seems to end up having a student that contributes little to no work and is there for social hour.
With group work I think I do what most teachers do, in that I track who contributes what, and blend the actual scores (based on a rubric) of teacher, self and peer evaluation. That said, I am also not afraid to go with what my gut tells me, and have a one-on-one conversation with a student to see what they actually know and can demonstrate with or without the powerpoint, poster etc. their group completed. For group work, if you can set high standards and create a culture of collaboration and curiosity, the actual score at the end of the project is just for accountability. Fair is not equal, so trust your professional judgement and give the students an individual grade that is honest and, hopefully, encourages them to continue working towards bigger and better things as they advance through your program and high school.