Library Branch Manager - Windsor Public Library

<strong>Library Branch Manager - </strong><strong><strong><span style="color: #48286d;">Windsor Public Library</span></strong></strong> has an excellent opportunity for a full-time ALA-accredited MLS librarian with experience in public library operations to manage its branch library. The Wilson Branch Library is a 4,400 square foot facility in the Wilson neighborhood. It is a vital center for the community and offers a range of innovative programs. To become a successful leader of the branch team the individual will manage the branch budget and facility; select and oversee a collection of materials; assist patrons in person, by phone and via email in the selection and use of library materials and provide professional advice on library issues to senior staff and the Library Director. The incumbent will organize and conduct programs and activities for adults, teens and children as well as special programs including a tutoring program and notary service; prepare a variety of reports; perform community outreach; produce newsletters and press releases; and recruit, hire, motivate and evaluate a part-time staff. Candidates should have 3-5 years public library experience. Previous supervisory experience is preferred. Good oral, written, organizational and communication skills are a must, as well as creativity, comfort with technology and social media, and a solid understanding of library theory. Starting salary range is $55,000-$60,000 commensurate with experience. Comprehensive benefit package is included. To apply, please complete an online application, including cover letter and resume, at <a _fcksavedurl="http://www.townofwindsorct.com/humanresources/" href="http://www.townofwindsorct.com/humanresources/" target="_blank">www.townofwindsorct.com/humanresources/</a>. Deadline for submission of application materials is Friday <span style="color: red;">September 13, 2013</span> by 5:00 p.m. The Town of Windsor is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity at all levels of the workforce.

Library Branch Manager - Windsor Public Library

Library Branch Manager - Windsor Public Library has an excellent opportunity for a full-time ALA-accredited MLS librarian with experience ...

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Library Assistant (LTA 1, part-time) - Essex Public Library

<strong>Library Assistant (LTA 1, part-time) -</strong> <strong><strong><span style="color: #48286d;">Essex Public Library</span></strong><span style="color: #48286d;"> </span></strong>seeks a reliable person with excellent customer service skills to work afternoons/evenings and occasional Saturdays, 15 hours per week. Duties include staffing the Circulation Desk, checking in and processing ILL materials, and other tasks as assigned. Qualifications include a high school diploma and experience working in a public library. Must be able to stand for extended periods of time and lift up to 40 lbs. Familiarity with III Sierra or Millennium ILS is a plus. This position does not include healthcare benefits. Hourly rate depends on experience and skills, but meets or exceeds the CLA LTA 1 minimum. Send cover letter, the names of three work references and a résumé to: <a _fcksavedurl="mailto:staff@essexlib.org" href="mailto:staff@essexlib.org">staff@essexlib.org</a> (no phone calls, please) by <span style="color: red;">September 14, 2013</span>. The Essex Library is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Library Assistant (LTA 1, part-time) - Essex Public Library

Library Assistant (LTA 1, part-time) - Essex Public Library seeks a reliable person with excellent customer service skills to work after...

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Evergreen Systems Specialist - Bibliomation, Inc., Waterbury

<strong>Evergreen Systems Specialist - <span style="color: #48286d;">Bibliomation, Inc.</span></strong> (Waterbury) is Connecticut’s largest library consortium consisting of over 60 member libraries. Bibliomation libraries manage resources and materials using a shared Evergreen open source integrated library system. Other member services include website hosting, email, downloadable electronic media, and network telecommunications. Offices are located in Waterbury, CT. Bibliomation is seeking an Evergreen Systems Specialist to join the Evergreen support team. The Evergreen Systems Specialist will: Report to the Evergreen Systems Manager, working closely to manage the Evergreen system which is operated using a virtual Linux multi-server environment. Assist in troubleshooting software issues by performing log analysis and error debugging. Assist in technical tasks associated with backup and recovery activities. Monitor system performance and adjust operating systems and applications to avoid performance issues. Install and test new Evergreen software patches and releases. Make new recommendations or modify existing system configurations based on member library needs. Perform systems integration testing of various operating systems, databases, system utilities, and hardware upgrades. Required: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Computer/Information Science or in a related field; 1-3 years working experience; Proficiency with Linux operating systems; Relational database experience, including SQL scripting; Familiarity with HTML, CSS, JavaScript; Familiarity with virtualization tools; Oral and written communication skills; Ability to collaborate well within a team environment. Preferred: Working knowledge of or experience with software development and version control; Familiarity with libraries or education; Experience with open source software projects. Benefits: Bibliomation offers a comprehensive benefit package. The salary range for this position is $50-55k. Deadline: Cover letters and resumes should be submitted to <a _fcksavedurl="mailto:jobs@biblio.org" href="mailto:jobs@biblio.org">jobs@biblio.org</a> by Friday, <span style="color: red;">September 27, 2013</span>.

Evergreen Systems Specialist - Bibliomation, Inc., Waterbury

Evergreen Systems Specialist - Bibliomation, Inc. (Waterbury) is Connecticut’s largest library consortium consisting of over 60 member lib...

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200K strike against trade in Colombia as TPP fears mount

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/zq3ujEx9r5I" width="420"></iframe><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal">An astonishing <a href="http://ourfuture.org/20130826/big-columbia-strike-hilites-free-trade-fail">200,000 Colombian workers</a> have been on <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-23862007" rel="nofollow">strike for the past 10 days</a> against unfair trade, privatization and poverty. It's the latest sign that the world is awakening to the dangers of the latest job-killing trade deal, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).<br /><br />In Colombia, farmers, dairy workers, miners, health care workers and students are striking to protest falling living standards caused by trade. At the forefront are farmers, who warn that competition from subsidized U.S. agribusiness is plunging them into extreme poverty.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/08/19/3573362/colombias-summer-of-discontent.html" rel="nofollow">Miami Herald</a> reported: </div><blockquote class="tr_bq">The agrarian strike, as it’s known, is broad-based and far-flung. Coffee, cacao, potato and rice farmers have joined ranks with cargo truckers, gold miners and others. Teachers and labor unions are also joining in. Their demands are equally ample, calling for reduced fuel and fertilizer prices, the cancellation of free trade agreements, increased subsidies and the end of a crackdown on informal mining operations, among others.</blockquote>Dave Johnson, writing for the <a href="http://ourfuture.org/20130826/big-columbia-strike-hilites-free-trade-fail" rel="nofollow">Campaign for America’s Future</a>, notes the strike highlights the failure of the Colombian trade deal -- and serves as a warning about the TPP:<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><blockquote class="tr_bq">A huge new trade deal is coming up soon. This is the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), called by some the “mother of all free-trade deals” and by others the “Corporate Deathstar.” It is a job-loss runaway train that is coming straight at us.</blockquote><a href="http://www.nationofchange.org/congress-public-waking-trans-pacific-partnership-threat-1377322701">Congress and the public are waking up</a> to the threat posed by the TPP, where talks are getting underway in Brunei with the U.S. and about a dozen Pacific Rim nations, including Vietnam. Earlier this week, <a href="http://teamster.org/" rel="nofollow">Teamsters</a>General President James P. Hoffa wrote to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman saying he wants to discuss Vietnam’s tolerance of worker abuse, including child slavery.<br /><br />Hoffa asked how the United States plans to proceed with trade talks in light of a recent Department of Labor finding that showed <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/08/vietnam-allows-forced-child-labor.html">solid evidence of child slavery</a> in Vietnam's garment factories, as well as <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/07/US-should-terminate-Vietnam-TPP-talks.html">a report that detailed abhorrent working conditions</a>. Hoffa wrote that a letter sent by <a href="http://georgemiller.house.gov/" rel="nofollow">Rep. GeorgeMiller</a> to Froman last month raised many issues that need to be answered:<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><blockquote class="tr_bq">I take this opportunity to echo [Miller’s] good questions and support his request for you to describe what specific steps the Administration is prepared to take to ensure that Vietnam can comply with the basic labor rights that we take for granted in the U.S.</blockquote>Hoffa also noted reports that showed the U.S. trade deficit during the first half of 2013 fell from $227 billion to $225 billion, a good sign for working Americans. But he added that the Teamsters and others are concerned that enactment of the TPP could reverse that trend.<br /><br />Maybe the message is starting to sink in. Froman said late last week that <a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11113806">the U.S. would not be pushed into completing the trade pact</a> until it is satisfied with the deal:<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><blockquote class="tr_bq">We are not rushing into an agreement to meet any particular deadline.</blockquote>An <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ExposeTPPCanada" rel="nofollow">anti-TPP rally is planned in Montreal</a> tomorrow, and American labor unions are urging their members to write their representative in Congress to oppose the deal. The TPP will pass unless YOU act now. Just click <a href="http://salsa4.salsalabs.com/o/50740/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=8906" rel="nofollow">here</a> to send an email.<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

Colombia Hoffa TPP trade 200K strike against trade in Colombia as TPP fears mount

An astonishing  200,000 Colombian workers  have been on strike for the past 10 days against unfair trade, privatization and poverty. It'...

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Closed Circuit: They're watching us!

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><i>Closed Circuit</i> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>(2013) • <a href="http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/focus_features/closedcircuit/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">View trailer</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b> </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Four stars. Rating: R, for profanity and brief violence</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/12885694730612878577" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">Derrick Bang</a></b></span></b></span></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br /><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nobody does an edgy, paranoid espionage thriller better than the British.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No doubt it comes from living under the unblinking eyes of all those surveillance cameras. (Big Brother, indeed!)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3l0KsHUsvdx2v4u6oKIX0sB77dkHGduMU20Oyl0Gj0nEOuibVP50jbV0ndxMIxjZG9sE1J9Lbwoaq0kwujQZ0vDmRZdZTQo1UjycBkAY1ZO9XJ42AM1nnejMC5ZG8_SIEPDPxOYu9mec/s1600/Closed+Circuit+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3l0KsHUsvdx2v4u6oKIX0sB77dkHGduMU20Oyl0Gj0nEOuibVP50jbV0ndxMIxjZG9sE1J9Lbwoaq0kwujQZ0vDmRZdZTQo1UjycBkAY1ZO9XJ42AM1nnejMC5ZG8_SIEPDPxOYu9mec/s400/Closed+Circuit+blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">With their supposedly slam-dunk case having gone increasingly pear-shaped, Martin<br />(Eric Bana) and Claudia (Rebecca Hall) wonder about their next step. Trouble is,<br />they shouldn't even be a "they"; because of the nature of this terrorism trial, Martin<br />and Claudia aren't supposed to communicate ... even when each begins to worry<br />about pernicious surveillance.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Way back in the day, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Closed Circuit</i> would have been a tidy little B-entry, designated as the bottom-of-the-bill companion to some prestige A production. The irony is that many of those so-called B-films were far more entertaining than their big-budget cousins.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The same can be said for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Closed Circuit</i>, which outshines several of this summer’s disappointing blockbusters: better acting and directing, and a vastly superior script.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And yet, sadly, it probably won’t make a dime. Getting released immediately prior to the Labor Day weekend is akin to television’s Saturday evening kiss-of-death timeslot: Nobody will notice.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That’s a shame, because scripter Steven Knight definitely knows his way around this genre, having previously dazzled us with his twisty plots for 2002’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dirty Pretty Things</i> and 2007’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eastern Promises</i>. This guy can write; he has a gift for putting ordinary people into extraordinary situations, while avoiding the burst of brilliant resourcefulness that turn American action stars into invulnerable, lone wolf superheroes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the two protagonists in this narrative eye each other bleakly, during a calm between storms, and acknowledge that there’s no way to put this particular Humpty Dumpty together again — no successful exit to the catastrophe — we know they’re right. The situation is beyond salvation, beyond their control.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And, maddeningly, it always has been.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Closed Circuit</span></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> — marvelous triple-entendre title, by the way — opens its ripped-from-the-headlines story with a terrorist attack at a busy London market. With 120 civilians dead and the British public screaming for justice, an anonymous tip leads police to one surviving member of the suspected terrorist cell: Farroukh Erdogan (Denis Moschitto).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Preparations begin for what promises to be the trial of the century.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><a name='more'></a><br /> <div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Six months pass, as attorneys and government officials get all their procedural ducks in a row. Then, on the eve of the trial — apparently succumbing to stress — Erdogan’s defense barrister commits suicide. The assignment then falls to Martin Rose (Eric Bana), a tenacious legal warrior with sharp observational skills and near photographic recall. Right away, Martin finds flaws in what he fears is to be little more than a scripted show trial, and his unwillingness to “play along” draws a cautionary rebuke from the Attorney General (Jim Broadbent).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Broadbent is perfect for this role, projecting hail-fellow-well-met good cheer while delivering a seemingly innocuous line ... and then, seconds later, we register the latent menace lurking beneath his deceptively bland comments, and realize that the twinkle in his eye isn’t the slightest bit friendly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The disapproving Attorney General is the least of Martin’s problems. Because of the nature of this case, the government intends to prosecute Erdogan with classified evidence: details so secret that neither he nor his attorneys will be allowed to see or hear them. Enter a government-appointed Special Advocate, Claudia Simmons-Howe (Rebecca Hall), who will have clearance to view this evidence, and then — if she so chooses — can argue for its full disclosure during a closed session in court.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, once she takes possession of this eyes-only material — as crisply explained by a natty government spook (Riz Ahmed, as Sharma) — Claudia cannot communicate <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">at all</i> with the defendant or the rest of his defense team.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ve no idea if justice would proceed in such a fashion across the pond, given such a case, or indeed if a “Special Advocate” even exists in the British legal system. But that’s the beauty of Knight’s script: It’s a fascinating premise, and if he made it up, he sure did a great job. It sounds plausible, and everything building from that intriguing foundation is equally persuasive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Needless to say, the situation grows increasingly complex, giving both Martin and Claudia ample reason to jump at shadows, and wonder about the possibility that eyes are on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">them</i>. If so, why?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Martin’s growing unease is fueled further by a British-based New York Times journalist (Julia Stiles) with her own suspicions ... but no proof.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And, oh yes, Martin and Claudia are compromised going in, by virtue of an affair they had some time back: a detail both absolutely should have acknowledged before agreeing to work together, and which both concealed. One little lie of omission, and now they’re compromised.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The result: a crackling, tautly paced drama.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bana rarely gets credit for solidly anchoring projects that range from the gritty drama of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Munich</i> to the poignant fantasy of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2009/08/time-travelers-wife-it-flies.html">The Time Traveler’s Wife</a></i>. He’s often better than his material — as with his performance as Hector, in the overcooked <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Troy</i>, or his grim portrayal of the title character’s father, in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2011/04/hanna-revenge-served-hot.html">Hanna</a></i> — and he’s every inch the dedicated defender of justice required by this story.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bana projects disappointment superbly. We sense that Martin’s ideals have been shattered in the past, and that he’s determined not to let it happen again. Certainly his personal life is a shambles: details deftly sketched by Knight via a few quick scenes, and even quicker comments.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That’s something else I admire about British cinema: It’s economical. At a crisp 96 minutes, director John Crowley doesn’t waste a scene. Nothing feels superfluous, with every incident, large or small, building to an eventual payoff.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hall is a lot of fun to watch, her Claudia the epitome of a smart, accomplished woman who could cut a man dead with a few sharp retorts. Her mocking gaze is delicious, her eyes flashing an unmistakable warning: Don’t even <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">try</i> to pull anything on me. Claudia’s initial encounter with Sharma is a stand-out scene in a film laden with memorable verbal skirmishes: She all but chases him into a corner, not at all impressed by his air of superiority.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But then, just as quickly, we wonder: Did he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">let</i> her believe she prevailed, during this first meeting?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The always engaging Ciårán Hinds plays Devlin, the congenial, unflappable solicitor who works alongside Martin. Devlin has been around the block a few times, and his rumpled deportment suggests a long-ago decision to let chips fall where they may. But some fire remains in this aging dog, and he can’t help sharing Martin’s nervous excitement, as their seemingly “scripted” case goes off-book.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kenneth Cranham is marvelous as the crusty judge who oversees this unusual trial.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although Knight’s script delivers what we expect from a suspense thriller, he also injects a telling note of real-world concern that is equally applicable on this side of the Atlantic: What price, protection? As graphic novelist Alan Moore asked so presciently in his career-making graphic novel, who watches the Watchmen? Who gets to decide when — indeed, if — the law should be subverted, in the cause of actual justice?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Crowley has quietly built a résumé of respectable films, starting with 2003’s ensemble dramedy, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Intermission</i>, and continuing with 2007’s crime drama, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Boy A</i>, and then a whimsical 2008 charmer with Michael Caine, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Is Anybody There?</i> Near as I can tell, the latter got no more than a hiccup release here in the States, after a screening at the 2009 Phoenix Film Festival, which explains why Crowley continues to remain unknown on our shores. Sadly, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Closed Circuit</i> is unlikely to help.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There’s no justice in that. Yes, this is a “little” film, perhaps the sort of thing one would expect to find in a movie slot on PBS or BBC America. But that’s hardly an indictment; the British film industry long ago ceased to view any distinction between the tube and the big screen, believing instead that a good cast, slick writing and solid production values succeed either way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Closed Circuit</span></span></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> definitely is worth time and attention, particularly for viewers who enjoy twisty thrillers. So if it doesn’t hang around long enough to be seen on the big screen — and I’m sure its stay there will be brief — then be sure to catch up with the eventual video release.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><!--EndFragment-->

2013 Ciaran Hinds Denis Moschitto Eric Bana Four Star Films Jim Broadbent Julia Stiles Kenneth Cranham Rebecca Hall Riz Ahmed thriller Closed Circuit: They're watching us!

Closed Circuit   (2013) •  View trailer   Four stars. Rating: R, for profanity and brief violence By  Derrick Bang Nobody does a...

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Tomorrow’s low-wage worker strikes continue King’s fight for good jobs

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zr5Uhv1OuOJiVJ3smh59neaiP0YJapyb0rT7BiQ-ptYxE5hN2v55LnbsdaVOuFs_P1kTBDXb-hLN0GGthzJTeTKoUw4SVEDnzEdZyzV3ESR1eW5RR7XEbLUMcGF_fOcXvVgYG2nT1Y56/s1600/fast+food+i+am+a+man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zr5Uhv1OuOJiVJ3smh59neaiP0YJapyb0rT7BiQ-ptYxE5hN2v55LnbsdaVOuFs_P1kTBDXb-hLN0GGthzJTeTKoUw4SVEDnzEdZyzV3ESR1eW5RR7XEbLUMcGF_fOcXvVgYG2nT1Y56/s320/fast+food+i+am+a+man.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Today thousands have descended on Washington, D.C, to mark the 50th anniversary of the historic March on Washington. Tomorrow </span><a href="http://lowpayisnotok.org/" rel="nofollow"><span style="font-family: inherit;">hundreds of fast-food workers will strike</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> in cities across the country in an ongoing movement to win the demands of the 1963 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_on_Washington_for_Jobs_and_Freedom">March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom</a>. </span>And just yesterday,<a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/08/la-port-strike-ends-with-return-to-work.html" rel="nofollow"> truck drivers at the Port of L.A.</a> staged the first-ever one-day strike to protest retaliation for trying to form a union.<br /><br />Speakers at today’s commemoration in D.C. are paying homage to Dr. Martin Luther King’s famous “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Have_a_Dream" rel="nofollow">I Have A Dream</a>” speech. But 50 years later, King’s dream of economic and racial justice is still just a dream for thousands of working-class Americans who are jobless or stuck in low-wage jobs.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />As we have reported <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/08/minimum-wage-lower-today.html"><span style="font-family: inherit;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, one of the demands of the March on Washington was “A national minimum wage act that will give all Americans a decent standard of living.” Organizers in 1963 said “anything less than $2.00 an hour fails to do this.” That’s the equivalent of $15.27 an hour today. <br /><br />Today’s minimum wage of $7.25 an hour shows just how little economic justice has been won since King led the March on Washington<br /><br />Teamsters</span> General President Jim Hoffa wrote this week in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-p-hoffa/living-wage-now_b_3823563.html?utm_hp_ref=politics">Huffington Post</a></i>, <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Millions of solid middle-class jobs disappeared during the last decade because of the recession and unfair trade agreements. </span><a href="http://www.alternet.org/recession-forever-10-reasons-american-workers-are-screwed" target="_hplink"><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;">By a three-to-one margin</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, they have been replaced by those in low-wage occupations. Jobs that used to be the first step in the economic ladder for teenagers and college students are now filled by adults trying to pay their bills.</span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">And all of this is happening when the nation's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/profits-at-high-wages-at-low-2013-4" target="_hplink"><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;">corporations are doing better than ever</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">. Sales are going through the roof while workers are being forced into untenable situations.</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">The demand for better jobs with living wages and dignity in the workplace is inseparable from the spirit that moved 250,000 people to march on Washington 50 years ago. While many of the formal barriers to racial equality have fallen since then, the economic barriers that keep so many Americans living at or near the poverty line are as strong as ever.</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />And the erosion of the achievements made by King’s struggle is multi-layered. When the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act earlier this summer, it put its stamp of approval on voter suppression laws that protect corporate power against workers and the poor.<br /><br />"The fierce urgency of now” that King talked about in his “I Have A Dream” speech continues to inspire the bravery of low-wage workers who have been waging aggressive strikes in the fast-food, retail, trucking, and warehouse industries.</span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Increasingly…we are seeing workers stand up for their rights. Walkouts have become commonplace. They know they are getting a raw deal and are revolting. Whether it's one-day strikes by warehouse, retail and fast-food workers or on-going protests in North Carolina, Ohio and Wisconsin, the American public is demanding to be heard.</span></span>  </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: inherit;">People are joining together to raise awareness about the plight of low-wage workers in this country. And more and more each day are realizing the unfairness of the system.</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Teamsters are supporting the port truck drivers in L.A. who returned to work today after a successful </span><a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/08/LA-port-strikers-picket-trucks.html"><span style="font-family: inherit;">one-day strike yesterday against Green Fleet Systems</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">. They are part of the broad movement that includes workers at Walmart, warehouses, government contractors and fast-food chains. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Five years after the original March on Washington, King launched the “</span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poor_People's_Campaign"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Poor People’s Campaign</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">,” which he saw as the second phase of the civil rights movement. The campaign included demands for an “economic bill of rights” and living wages for all workers. <br /><br />King was assassinated later that year in Memphis while supporting striking sanitation workers, some of whom made as little as 65 cents an hour.<br /><br />Standing in this proud tradition, fast-food workers will strike in cities nationwide tomorrow, demanding a $15 an hour wage and the right to organize without retaliation.<br /><br />These workers won’t be speaking from the stage at the National Mall today, but they are the real heroes honoring the legacy of King. They are confronting the powerful forces that continue to stand in the way of King’s dream – forces that include political and corporate bosses who pretend to celebrate the March on Washington while at the same time dismissing the demands of low-wage workers</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">If King were still alive, today he would march. But tomorrow he would be out on the picket line with fast-food workers.</span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span>

fast-food strike low wage workers. walmart March on Washington port strike Tomorrow’s low-wage worker strikes continue King’s fight for good jobs

Today thousands have descended on Washington, D.C, to mark the 50th anniversary of the historic March on Washington. Tomorrow hundreds of fa...

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Dragon Age: Inquisition: Dragon Keep Announced

<p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gRpf4kfDMQM/Uh4jc8sPYkI/AAAAAAAADEU/OUNf9jnySlU/s1600-h/blog-keep%25255B3%25255D.png"><img alt="blog-keep" border="0" height="728" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xTU68nXDCwc/Uh4jdmi1u3I/AAAAAAAADEc/VhzmqsRumvA/blog-keep_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" title="blog-keep" width="844"></a> </p> <p align="justify"><font size="3">Dragon Age has always been a story where your choices and decisions impact the world.  For the third installment of the game, the details on how past decisions will be handled and implemented has just been </font><a href="http://blog.bioware.com/2013/08/28/the-dragon-age-keep/" target="_blank"><font size="3">announced</font></a><font size="3">.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3">Dragon Age Keep will allow players to customize the world of Thedas according to past decisions made.  Don’t worry if you’ve lost files or if they’ve become corrupted over time.  Past decisions can be implemented by the player within the keep without having to access previous saves.  The Keep will exist on the cloud.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3">Head over to the announcement for more detailed information on the decisions behind the making of the Keep.</font></p> <div id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:e95acfdb-197b-43c0-8f51-b9a9457e20f8" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Dragon+Age+III%3a+Inquisition" rel="tag">Dragon Age III: Inquisition</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Bioware" rel="tag">Bioware</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Dragon+Age" rel="tag">Dragon Age</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/The+Keep" rel="tag">The Keep</a></div>

Bioware Dragon Age: Inquisition video games Dragon Age: Inquisition: Dragon Keep Announced

Dragon Age has always been a story where your choices and decisions impact the world.  For the third installment of the game, the details ...

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Assassin’s Creed III

<p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QxjVW5R0rCc/Uh4hjVBId7I/AAAAAAAADEA/Pk6TsbjtkJw/s1600-h/assassins-creed-3-playstation-3_xbox-360_wii-u_pc_150525_ggaleria%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="assassins-creed-3-playstation-3_xbox-360_wii-u_pc_150525_ggaleria" border="0" height="476" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-68w2A8P1Jj4/Uh4hjsdMQxI/AAAAAAAADEE/XW7nR7hcKPc/assassins-creed-3-playstation-3_xbox-360_wii-u_pc_150525_ggaleria_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" title="assassins-creed-3-playstation-3_xbox-360_wii-u_pc_150525_ggaleria" width="844"></a> </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://assassinscreed.ubi.com/en-US/games/assassins-creed-3/index.aspx" target="_blank"><font size="3">Assassin’s Creed III</font></a><font size="3"> is amazing.  No seriously, it is amazing.  It is beautiful, the soundtrack is haunting, and the quality of the story telling is equal to that of the best in the industry.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3">We have burned through the franchise in the last couple of weeks, well ok hubby more than I, and have enjoyed the stories immensely.  I’ve skipped finishing Brotherhood and Revelations because I know how Ezio’s story concludes through hubby’s games.  I’m sure I will go back and finish them if time permits.  </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3">The alternative and imaginative history telling is fascinating.  There have been many a sparked conversation around here about whether or not Sam Adams is a Templar or not.  I will also admit that there are all kinds of comments and discussions about parallels to modern day issues.  </font></p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://assassinscreed.ubi.com/en-us/home/index.aspx" target="_blank"><font size="3">Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag</font></a><font size="3"> releases October 29, 2013 in the US and we are both looking forward to it immensely.  We will be getting it for the XboxOne.  It will be worth the slight wait for the release on the new console.</font>  </p> <p align="justify"><font size="3">Now, excuse me, I need to go back to playing Assassin’s Creed III so I can do more homestead missions and find Daniel Boone.</font></p> <div id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:eec4dde1-b2a9-45cf-b69a-b1c45f4b5953" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Assassin's+Creed" rel="tag">Assassin's Creed</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Assassin's+Creed+III" rel="tag">Assassin's Creed III</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Assassin's+Creed+IV" rel="tag">Assassin's Creed IV</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/XboxOne" rel="tag">XboxOne</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Xbox" rel="tag">Xbox</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Assassins" rel="tag">Assassins</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Templars" rel="tag">Templars</a></div>

Assassin's Creed Assassin's Creed III console gaming Ubisoft video games Xbox Xbox One Assassin’s Creed III

Assassin’s Creed III is amazing.  No seriously, it is amazing.  It is beautiful, the soundtrack is haunting, and the quality of the story...

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Guide To Understanding Treadmills

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Lacey Hall</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>The Significance Of Exercise<br /> <br /> With the contemporary world placing a premium on speed and comfort, bodily health has been put at stake. If you would like your health to peak to desirable levels, though, then you have to exercise. One way to come up with a regular workout routine is to have a treadmill in your house. <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?Fitness-Systems-For-Training&id=7833122">Treadmill reviews</a> supply insightful thoughts on what sorts of activities you can try out.<br /> <br /> Treadmills And Their Rewards<br /> <br /> Running, jogging or even simply walking on a treadmill can really condition and strengthen your body with time. Such cardio-intensive exercise allows you to burn more calories than a cycling machine or some other gym workouts. You can pick the treadmill workout program that will fit your goal best, like losing those pounds, for instance. The treadmill's ease of use and wonderful benefits make it the top choice for the individual who wishes to up their health and fitness level.<br /> <br /> Know Your Treadmill Better<br /> <br /> Treadmills can vary in form and shape, but they are all built with a feature that allows you to manipulate its speed. Other basic features include those that allow you to adjust and vary your workouts according to your health goal. These treadmill features also make workout routines exciting and motivate you to continue exercising daily.<br /> <br /> Recent treadmill models include built-in exercise programs. The feature works effortlessly: just select the program that corresponds to your health objective, and you're good to go. As you operate the treadmill, the speed and incline will immediately change at regular intervals. This can be a gradual increase or in a predetermined mixed pattern.<br /> <br /> If you want to take note of your heart rate during your workouts, there are built-in programs designed for that purpose in conjunction with a heart rate monitor. This monitor may need to be clipped to your body or held in your hand. High-quality treadmills utilize a chest-strap heart rate monitor to correctly track your heart rate and calories burnt. You'll enjoy this feature if you are into monitoring your heart fitness level and exercise level in one.<br /> <br /> To avoid wasting time, you can save your preferred workout settings in your treadmill so you don't have to punch them in each time you exercise. If other individuals are using the treadmill as well, there's no doubt you'll love this feature. Some treadmills also save your workout history; you are able to track your fitness progress with time and boost your previous performances.<br /> <br /> One high-tech feature that makes treadmills great workout venues is the iFit Live. This convenient feature lets say, sports athletes prepare for the next race that happens in another venue. The iFit Live means that you can "compete" with other people who are as well on the same training course as yours. Any treadmill that has Internet connection and is compatible with the iFit Live technology can perform this convenient feature. Modern treadmills even have full-color LCD touch screens and a music player to keep your rhythm going as you exercise.<br /> <br /> The Treadmill Anatomy<br /> <br /> The very key of the treadmill is its conveyor belt. Because the belt is built to move backward, you need to move in a forward motion and coordinate its pace so you stay on it. The conveyor belt supports your weight by letting it flow over the treadmill. For an even more challenging exercise, simply just increase or decrease the position of the treadmill deck. A simple resetting in the angle can create a great healthy improvement in your treadmill regimen.<br /> <br /> Damping elements are positioned under the deck to help in shock absorption. Shock-reducing efforts, such as adding cushions on the belt, help decrease the event of injury during treadmill use. As a group, the motor, belt, deck and rollers control a treadmill's quality and performance.<br /> <br /> You can fold the treadmill frames back or not. The foldable variety are best for home gyms where area is limited. Foldable treadmills, with the deck reaching the arms when folded up, are all about being compact. You might want to pay more for a strong foldable treadmill that lasts several years. But if you are searching for a treadmill that's designed for the everyday grind, go for the non-foldable types.<br /> <br /> The Types Of Treadmills<br /> <br /> Apart from the selection of features, there are treadmills designed for different user types and usage. Get your full money's worth by selecting the treadmill that meets your purpose and health goal. Consider the weight and body built of whoever will be employing the treadmill frequently. Taller users must have a treadmill with a lengthier tread belt that can easily support their long strides. If your home gym treadmill will be used by the whole family, consider the increased wear and tear that the machine will go through.<br /> <br /> Wrapping It Up<br /> <br /> Fitness buffs will agree: a treadmill is an essential health arsenal in every home. Before rushing to make a purchase, give consideration to your health, fitness and sturdiness needs, and the features that you'll use often. Often-overlooked factors include the place at home and the types of treadmill users. Pick up the treadmill that meets all these requirements and suits your budget.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>Choosing the best workout system is typically a troublesome task. <a href="http://loricampbell.insanejournal.com/1102.html">ProForm treadmill websites</a> are excellent resources to get going with. Research what people have to say and you'll see that these products are best of their kind.</div><br /> </div><br />

Guide To Understanding Treadmills

By Lacey Hall The Significance Of Exercise With the contemporary world placing a premium on speed and comfort, bodily health has bee...

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The Guide To A HCG Diet

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Andrea Davidson</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>The HCG Texas diet or human chorionic gonadotropin is a diet with low calories relying on hCG administration to suppress appetite and the burning of fat. Originally, it was devised by Dr. A. T. W. Simeons back in the fifties. He noticed something peculiar whilst researching the hormone for its effects. He noticed that those who took the hormone lost weight.<br /> <br /> Simeons started to do research on the use of this particular hormone. Weight loss was the intended result and dieters would noticeably consume few calories. As long as the hormone was being consumed, headaches, physical weakness and extreme hunger was generally avoided.<br /> <br /> HCG or human chorionic gonadotropin is produced by the pregnant and is useful in aiding the progesterone production in the body. People think this will cause the body to release fats that have been stored so that the fetus will be nourished. This is appropriate if the woman is consuming an inappropriate amount of calories.<br /> <br /> Those that are following or want to follow the diet are provided the hormone under the belief that fat will be burned much quicker. The plan normally allows for an intake of five hundred calories per day. Originally, unsweetened tea or coffee was allowed with milk the size of a single tablespoon during breakfast. Artificial sweeteners like Saccharin and stevia were allowed to take the place of sugar.<br /> <br /> The other meals like lunch or dinner is known to consist of poultry, low fat, or meat, which would have one hundred grams as its pre cooked weight. To cook it, oil or butter is often utilized. Fruits, bread sticks and even Melba toast can be eaten with these meals, or they can be taken separately and by themselves as snacks.<br /> <br /> There are several variations that exist out there. However, you will find that they are not very different to the original. It is still more or less five hundred calories, making up of protein mostly and a few carbs. There are variants that will include appetite suppressant injections.<br /> <br /> Those that participate in this are going to receive a regular dose for as much as forty days. Simeons had recommended at least six weeks off after forty days. This is due to his studies suggesting that the human body may build up a certain immunity to it after some time.<br /> <br /> He also recommended that the treatment can be resumed after the six weeks, for a total of around four treatments. HCG is available only by prescription. It is somewhat difficult to find a doctor in some areas who will prescribe it for the purpose of losing any weight.<br /> <br /> The process overall has been very effective as far as the quick losses are concerned. Dieters are more than capable of losing up to one or two pounds per day. The critics of this method are quick to point out that it does not encourage actually learning how to eat healthy. Even the most significant progress made is not due to balanced meals, nor do people learn how to do it in this way. The <A href="http://MySlimSolution.com">hCG Texas</A> dieters will also gain weight the moment they are off the diet. The lack of exercise has also been criticized.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>You can visit the website <a href="http://MySlimSolution.com">MySlimSolution.com</a> for more helpful information about The Guide To A HCG Diet </div><br /> </div><br />

The Guide To A HCG Diet

By Andrea Davidson The HCG Texas diet or human chorionic gonadotropin is a diet with low calories relying on hCG administration to suppr...

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Look! I have a CHIN!! JUST ONE!

My double Chin is going away!!!!!!!!!   YAY!!!!!  I am excited!!  Friday I weigh in.  I "THINK" I may have reached the 30 pound mark.  No guarantees, but I am hopeful.  If not, It is VERY close!<br /><br />Here is my close up to show you guys.  <br /><br /><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><strong> (Bad hair day)</strong></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVa-ayRoOyoSeIsiwuePDv2yqFMebfNLGY3KWxPEiqRxhLuDcNzX-Eju8S-3zwiOUnIub-E_agQ8lreRmmc_Pl11mod80rAwJg0VYU3L6W7hWI9BbCgzEBHfMtNZesucnDMvJRAO52KE/s1600/IMG_0125%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVa-ayRoOyoSeIsiwuePDv2yqFMebfNLGY3KWxPEiqRxhLuDcNzX-Eju8S-3zwiOUnIub-E_agQ8lreRmmc_Pl11mod80rAwJg0VYU3L6W7hWI9BbCgzEBHfMtNZesucnDMvJRAO52KE/s320/IMG_0125%5B1%5D.JPG" /></a></div>

Look! I have a CHIN!! JUST ONE!

My double Chin is going away!!!!!!!!!   YAY!!!!!  I am excited!!  Friday I weigh in.  I "THINK" I may have reached the 30 pound ma...

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i HATE my maytag dishwasher

I am so behind. I've got piles of work to do, emails to answer and projects to finish amongst other things. So if you are waiting on an email from me I'm sorry I haven't responded yet.<br /><br />But for the moment I just have to vent and let you know that I HATE MY DISHWASHER.<br /><br />We have a <a href="http://www.maytag.com/Kitchen-1/Kitchen_Dishwashers_and_Kitchen_Cleaning_Dishwashers-3/102120003/" target="_blank">Maytag QuietSeries</a> and it has sucked from the first month we got it.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfI7iwtDspdQLUuDf-OpBr-Bh48mKXZ8hyphenhyphenALYlvkv7anyBHqKO1eZ3eEBPdzWjRFeAmTDK778MxCDIN4h0Woiqnm93XKjCUjanP2vDhOTfv3_GpJSpkCQeWciAmp4Rb0IcneSUA5qa-T7x/s1600/maytagdishwashersarebad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfI7iwtDspdQLUuDf-OpBr-Bh48mKXZ8hyphenhyphenALYlvkv7anyBHqKO1eZ3eEBPdzWjRFeAmTDK778MxCDIN4h0Woiqnm93XKjCUjanP2vDhOTfv3_GpJSpkCQeWciAmp4Rb0IcneSUA5qa-T7x/s400/maytagdishwashersarebad.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />It doesn't clean dishes but actually leaves so much goo on them that they are often worse when we take them out. There is never a load that I don't have to re-wash at least a quarter of the items again. Now I know I am not a mechanical engineer but I was under the impression that a dishwasher was supposed to...wash!<br /><br />The prongs inside the racks started to rust and fall off within six months of purchasing it brand new from the Maytag store.<br /><br />We've called and emailed and I can tell you that <a href="http://www.maytag.com/service_support" target="_blank">Maytag customer service</a> doesn't know how to clean up a mess any better than their dishwashers do. They gave us gems like 'read the manual' or 'call a repair man'. I felt supported.<br /><br />Then, about two years into our hate/hate relationship we got a letter from Maytag saying that the dishwasher was being recalled for a faulty drying system (that isn't all that is faulty about it Maytag). They offered to send a repair man free of charge to fix this issue (and only that issue) OR issue us a $100 credit toward a new dishwasher. However, that new dishwasher had to be at least $300 more than we paid for our existing dishwasher.<br /><br />I am not buying a single thing from Maytag again so that credit was of course thrown out. I've spoken to others who have had similar issues with Maytag. I guess misery loves company.<br /><br />Do you have any dishwasher recommendations? Had any problems with an appliance in your house? Ever wanted to strangle an inanimate object?

i HATE my maytag dishwasher

I am so behind. I've got piles of work to do, emails to answer and projects to finish amongst other things. So if you are waiting on an ...

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Top 10 Things Never Said by Teamsters (VIDEO)

<div><object height="270" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://can.cbs.com/thunder/player/chrome/canplayer.swf?pid=reZ9sNy3POf6&partner=cbs&gen=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed width="480" height="270" src="http://can.cbs.com/thunder/player/chrome/canplayer.swf?pid=reZ9sNy3POf6&partner=cbs&gen=1" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object><br />UPDATE: We got the clip!<br /><br />Our theatrical brothers and sisters from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Local817" rel="nofollow">Local 817</a> in New York appeared on <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/late_show/" rel="nofollow">Late Night With David Letterman</a> last night, delivering the Top Ten Things Never Said by Teamsters. We're still hunting for the actual video clip, but in the meantime we bring you the transcript: </div><blockquote class="tr_bq">10. "Does anyone know how to drive stick?"<br />9. "Who wants a Skinnygirl Margarita?"<br />8. "Overtime Schovertime"<br />7. "Sorry I'm late -- I was up all night twerking"<br />6. "Have a Teamster-ific day!"<br />5. "I get to meet Letterman AND Anderson Cooper? Pinch me"<br />4. "Hey, boss, mind if I work on Labor Day?"<br />3. "Where can I meet a nice, burly fellow?" (Woman)<br />2. "Where can I meet a nice, burly fellow?" (Man)<br />1. "Thank YOU, Trump University"</blockquote><div>Way to go, brothers and sisters!</div>

817 theatrical Teamsters Top 10 Things Never Said by Teamsters (VIDEO)

UPDATE: We got the clip! Our theatrical brothers and sisters from Local 817 in New York appeared on Late Night With David Letterman  last n...

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A Personal Trainer Los Altos Shared Healthy Diet Plans For People In Their Fifties

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Tammy Walker</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>Los Altos is a city located in the southern area of San Francisco, California. It's part of the Santa Clara County and since it is hailed as one of the best cities to reside in during retirement, a big percentage of the city's population are people who are in their 50s.<br /> <br /> In a 2010 census, almost 35 percent of the city's population comprises of people who are aged 45 to 64 years of age. A personal trainer Los Altos, who have trained numerous residents who are aged 50 and over, shared healthy diet plans for those who are in their fifties.<br /> <br /> Men Must Eat Enough Fruits And Vegetables<br /> <br /> Males who are aged 50 and above are prone to prostate and bowel related diseases. Aside from a regular bowel check, annual prostate check-up must be strictly adhered to. When it comes to the diet plan, it is recommended that they consume as much fresh fruits and vegetables daily. These foods help to lessen the risk of prostate cancer and other related diseases.<br /> <br /> A diet that is rich in fiber is also recommended and of course, the personal trainer Los Altos would strongly recommend regular exercises for men who are at this stage of their life.<br /> <br /> Women Should Consume As Much Calcium As They Need<br /> <br /> The period after menopause is somewhat challenging for several women due to a number of reasons. But the good news is that there are now a lot of dietary areas that one can target in order to lessen the effects of these symptoms and one of these is to consume as much calcium as you can.<br /> <br /> Males who are aged 50 and above are prone to prostate and bowel related diseases. Aside from a regular bowel check, annual prostate check-up must be strictly adhered to. When it comes to the diet plan, it is recommended that they consume as much fresh fruits and vegetables daily. These foods help to lessen the risk of prostate cancer and other related diseases.<br /> <br /> Cheese is also a good source of calcium so if you are fond of cheese, then this diet plan should not be that hard for you to follow. Of course, do not forget to spend a few hours in the gym each week as well.<br /> <br /> Right Balance Of Fats<br /> <br /> Both women and men must get the right balance of fats in their daily meals when they reach the age of 50 and above. Therefore, you should be able to identify good fats from the bad fats.<br /> <br /> Good fats help to improve one's cholesterol level and blood pressure. It also helps prevent joint pain and inflammation. The personal trainer Los Altos advises that in order to get the right mix of fats, you should include monounsaturated fat from olive oil as well as avocado in your daily meals.<br /> <br /> Remember that while being 50 is regarded as the prime of our lives, this can be the most challenging stage in our life when it comes to our health. Therefore, we need to be very careful with the things that we eat at this time. Above all, as what the personal trainer Los Altos would advice, we need to be serious with our daily exercises.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>Becoming in excellent condition with the assistance of <a href="http://www.theperfectworkout.com/personal-trainer-los-altos/">Personal Trainer Los Altos</a> not only improves your own physique but furthermore your health too. The benefits that you can get from <a href="http://www.theperfectworkout.com/personal-trainer-pleasant-hill/">Personal Trainer Pleasant Hill</a> are endless.</div><br /> </div><br />

A Personal Trainer Los Altos Shared Healthy Diet Plans For People In Their Fifties

By Tammy Walker Los Altos is a city located in the southern area of San Francisco, California. It's part of the Santa Clara County a...

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Getting To Know Treadmills

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Trista Boomer</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>Need For Exercise<br /> <br /> Combining mobile electronics, automated gadgets, fast foods and a sedentary way of living today is leading a lot of people to become over weight, out-of-shape and generally unhealthy. If you want your overall health to peak to desirable levels, though, then you have to exercise. Even in these fast-paced moments, you can add health and fitness into your daily living by getting a treadmill. A good resource where you can get some introductory material on fitness is a <a href="http://thetreadmillreviewhq.webstarts.com/training_at_home.html">treadmill review</a>.<br /> <br /> Treadmills And Their Benefits<br /> <br /> Hopping on a treadmill-even if you're simply walking or running-can make wonders for your body and overall condition. Walking and running, being workouts that help make your heart work fast in a good way, burns a lot of calories. You can pick the treadmill workout program that will fit your goal best, like losing those pounds, for example. It is the ideal gym equipment for fat people, athletes and those who want to keep a healthy and fit lifestyle.<br /> <br /> What Comprises a Treadmill<br /> <br /> Treadmills can vary in form and shape, but they are all built with a feature that lets you manipulate its speed. Besides speed adjustment, most versions let you tune their parts and features to help you meet your fitness goals faster. These treadmill features also make workouts interesting and motivate you to continue exercising regularly.<br /> <br /> Modern treadmills have several inbuilt workout programs. You can choose the program for weight loss, athletic training, muscle building or general body toning before the belt starts moving. You don't need to tinker with the treadmill as you exercise because it automatically does its changes for you. Whether you want the increase to be constant or set to a particular plan is under your control.<br /> <br /> If you'd like to notice your heart rate throughout your workouts, there are built-in programs designed for that purpose along with a heart rate monitor. You can either hold this monitor or attach it to your body. Clipping your monitor to your body provides a better reading, though, something that treadmills of more modern make have in common. You'll enjoy this feature if you're into monitoring your heart fitness level and exercise level in one.<br /> <br /> You can keep your custom settings in the treadmill memory so that you don't have to program them before each workout. This is a useful feature in particular when you're not using your own treadmill. Some treadmills also store your workout history; you can track your fitness progress with time and improve your previous performances.<br /> <br /> iFit Live technology is a premium treadmill feature that provides you tons of virtual courses simulating those at the live destinations. This useful feature lets say, athletes prepare for the next race that takes place in another venue. This bit of technology lets you see how you stand up with other people on different treadmills-maybe even across the world-but also exercising on the same course. Get an iFit Live-compatible treadmill and a reliable Internet connection, and you can test out this feature on your own. Highly developed treadmills likewise have full-color LCD touch screens and a music player to keep your rhythm going as you exercise.<br /> <br /> Components Of A Treadmill<br /> <br /> The treadmill is mainly composed of an electrically operated conveyor belt. Because the belt is made to move backward, you have to move in a forward motion and coordinate its speed so you stay on it. The conveyor belt supports your weight by letting it flow over the treadmill. For a more challenging exercise, simply just increase or decrease the angle of the treadmill deck. This provides you a good cardio workout and brings variety to your program.<br /> <br /> The majority of running decks are placed on damping elements to make the treadmill shock-absorbent. Shock-reducing efforts, like adding cushions onto the belt, help reduce the event of injury during treadmill use. Together, the motor, belt, deck and rollers curb a treadmill's quality and performance.<br /> <br /> The frames of treadmills are usually folded or not. The foldable variety are best for home gyms where space is bound. The running deck can be folded up to meet the treadmill arms. You might want to pay more for a durable foldable treadmill that lasts several years. But if you are searching for a treadmill that's designed for the daily grind, go for the non-foldable types.<br /> <br /> The Types Of Treadmills<br /> <br /> Treadmills are also built with their users under consideration. A treadmill designed only for walking will cost less when compared to a jogger's treadmill; a running treadmill will be the priciest. Consider the weight and body built of anyone who will be employing the treadmill often. Taller users have to have a treadmill with a longer tread belt that can easily accommodate their long strides. How often will the treadmill be used, and how many individuals will utilize it? You're more content obtaining a treadmill that can survive daily stress; it lasts longer and is more pocket friendly in the end.<br /> <br /> Wrapping It Up<br /> <br /> Simply no home gym is ever complete without any treadmill. Before rushing to make a purchase, consider your health, fitness and sturdiness needs, and the features that you'll use often. Also, appraise the space available at home to put the treadmill and take into account the type of users and intended usage. Go for the machine that not only accommodates<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>Selecting the ideal workout system is often a troublesome challenge. <a href="http://guidetofitness.bravesites.com/">Smooth Fitness product forums</a> are reliable places to begin with. Have a look at what folks have to say and you'll find that these machines are best of their kind.</div><br /> </div><br />

Getting To Know Treadmills

By Trista Boomer Need For Exercise Combining mobile electronics, automated gadgets, fast foods and a sedentary way of living today i...

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The Right Tough: and ponderings on "F's" in school

<p>Falling is scary. Most of us fall down sometimes. I can trip and fall flat on the ground. </p> <p>When I fall down I have two choices. I can sit there or I can stand up (if I'm still physically able to.)</p> <p>What about failing? Children fall a lot - especially when they are learning to walk. But falling, as we get older, is something we really try to avoid at all costs. As bones get more brittle, we are afraid of not getting back up or of getting really hurt.</p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-RpBJgh9boq8/S0KkzXdSs9I/AAAAAAAAB2U/GeDa4kkcMFg/s500/epic-fail-can-fail.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="346" id="blogsy-1377688490462.9314" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-RpBJgh9boq8/S0KkzXdSs9I/AAAAAAAAB2U/GeDa4kkcMFg/s500/epic-fail-can-fail.jpg" width="500"></a></div> <p>Let's get one thing straight. Failing and falling aren't the same thing. It is odd to me that kids (and adults) don't mind a "fail" in a video game. In fact epic "fails" go viral on the Internet as people mess up and do dumb things that are laughed about later.</p> <h3>An F makes me as a teacher feel I have failed to teach</h3> <p>I don't receive any benefit at all from giving an "F" for failure. To me, an F represents something I haven't taught. Now I know many teachers have their rooms full of kids and it is very hard to get to them all. But an "F" of any kind puts a bulls eye on a student for me to give them extra attention so they can understand. Maybe I shouldn't feel this way, but I do. It is part of my teacher DNA that I want every student to learn. Every single one of them!</p> <h3>Are you tough or are you just not teaching?</h3> <p>I heard someone talking once about how "tough" they are as a teacher: "you make what you make, I don't drop grades, I don't go over homework - learn it or fail." </p> <p>Such an attitude puts all of the responsibility for learning on the student. While I do expect my own children to "own" their learning - I also know what it is like to parent kids with LD. Most teachers who say such things are what I call "<strong>worksheet wonders</strong>." You wonder how they could teach at all without worksheets.</p> <p>Ten neatly completed worksheets in a class period doesn't mean you've taught anything. For some kids, interacting with words on a page is as meaningful as listening to Charlie Brown's teacher. I used to have a couple of worksheets a day in my class... a long time a go when I first started teaching. Because I thought that worksheets meant I did something. I thought that was how classes and teachers were measured. Now, I care more about what gets into the minds of my students and what can be applied by them. </p> <h3>The difference between being a tough teacher and tough to pass</h3> <p>That said, I know some extremely tough teachers but if they give homework or they give work - they give feedback and do go over what kids miss. They are tough but they still teach. These teachers are as good as gold. </p> <p>But there are some teachers who brag about being "tough" who I think are being rigid and aren't teaching at all. There is a difference between <strong>being a tough teacher</strong> who expects a lot out of kids and pushes them to be more -- and <strong>being tough to pass</strong> because the teacher is so unhelpful and provides little feedback. </p> <h3>The Right kind of tough</h3> <p>I would consider myself "tough" as a teacher in that <strong>I don't allow any student to disengage and do nothing. </strong>They must be working on the task at hand - they don't have a choice to doze off or disengage. </p> <p>I consider myself tough because <strong>the work is due when it is due</strong>. Period. No monumental extensions - get it done or be late. When it is late, I do take the work but not for full credit. </p> <p>I consider myself tough because I expect to <strong>teach my students tough things</strong> that "high school kids aren't supposed to be able to learn." Sometimes people look at my curriculum and comment that it is more like a college course. Yes. It better be. I want them to be world class.</p> <p>But I also consider myself tough in that I'm going to be after anyone who tries not to learn. I'm going to pursue relentlessly those who think they can't do it. I'm never going to quit trying to teach the kid who things they are unteachable.<strong> I'm tough because I never quit.</strong></p> <h3>Don't settle for I don't understand</h3> <p>Yesterday I had some kids that just weren't getting a concept I was teaching in computer science. As the other kids moved on to continue their computer "dissection" project, these kids stayed behind with me until we understood and grasped the concept of the CPU, heat sync, and the quality of components. </p> <p>They had said, "I just don't understand stuff like this" and "This is another language to me." It wasn't when we were done - they did get it. The walls were knocked down and we moved on. </p> <p><strong>Good teachers are a wrecking ball against any obstacle that keeps kids from learning.</strong></p> <p>I don't care that this stuff is "geeky" and some consider it irrelevant - some of you are teaching squinting modifiers and drawing molecules - those things are geeky to. ;-) No matter what I'm teaching, I want every child to learn it. Every child must. As a teacher we must be bold advocates for our subject, whatever it is.</p> <p>An "F" means I've failed at teaching. I wish I didn't feel this way, but I do.</p> <h3>What happens when the student really tries to earn an F</h3> <p>But then again, I'm the scorekeeper. I don't "give" grades - they are earned. </p> <p><strong>When kids pursue of failure</strong>. And sometimes some students really try to get that F. They try so hard. Often it is a poor self image - "I'm a failure so I deserve an F" is a part of what many of them think. If I can talk to kids and get at the root of why they are pursuing an F because in my class, very often, I've seen self sabotage. If it is a psychological reason they run towards failure, I can often get at that and they can do what it takes to pass.</p> <p><strong>When kids have a magic number in mind</strong>. Most kids know in their minds what grade they think they "want" and will often apply they brakes if their grades are increasing too quickly. (Why do they do that? It makes me so mad!) I've often found that this number is near what their parents expect their kids to make. This is also something to tackle head on with kids individually when it happens.</p> <p>So many F's or kids not performing up to ability can be handled privately when you get at the driving reason that it is happening.</p> <p><strong>When kids need to be held accountable</strong>. This is my 12th year of teaching. I've only a handful kids EARN F's. Notice I didn't say "given." I said earn. </p> <p>After I lie on the battlefield spent and a student refuses to turn in the work they've promised and refuses to let me help - I will give them the grade they've earned. In every case, each of these claimed and swore to my face that they thought I'd "give" a passing grade to them.</p> <p><strong>I don't "give" grades. Period. </strong>I told them that the world doesn't "give" you anything and I won't either. You might as well learn that now. You get what you earn in the real world and giving someone a grade they don't deserve is a disservice to the world. There is a time to let a student earn an F but we don't "give" grades in school to anyone - not if we're a teacher worth anything.</p> <p>I'm lucky because my administration has always supported me and always been very involved when this happens. I know teachers who have had principals take the grade book and change those grades. </p> <p>But my administration was in the loop and knew what was happening. The parents all knew and the student knew - holding breath and holding out that I'd "cave" and "give" the C -- nope, doesn't happen. Not here.</p> <h3>What I tell all students about grades</h3> <p>I tell my students that "you are not your grades. You may make an F in a class but you are an "A" as a person. I believe that you are all made to be "A's" and --in my own belief system I believe that 'you are God's workmanship' -- but it is your choice if you're going to work on your own ship. Are you going to be the "A" you're designed to be. And being an A as a person often has little to do with the grades on your report card."</p> <h3>Understand your belief about "F" so you're ready to face the beast</h3> <p>I think we all as teachers must sort through our opinions about failure. I do find that there are taboo's and things that teacher's won't discuss at the lunch table. One of those sensitive areas has to do with "being tough" and "dropping grades" and how we grade because each of us have deep seated opinions on this one about what is the right way to grade. It is not bad for kids to see it done many different ways because they'll have many different bosses and life isn't always consistent and fair.</p> <p>But what needs to be understood by every teacher is our own perspective on "the F." Wrestle with it now and know what you think.</p> <p> It is vitally important that we are ready to cope with it. I've never put an F on a report card that didn't cause me to be very upset. It isn't something I've done easily or with gusto -- it always hurts because deep down I feel I have failed in some way. But ultimately, if a student has earned it, the best lesson I could teach is to let them earn it -- at least in my class. If you read Ecclesiastes - there is a time for everything and I would read that sometimes there is a time to be tough and allow a student to earn the F he or she deserves - but those times should be few - very few. </p> <p>Just ponderings from a tough teacher with a soft heart.</p> <p>What are your thoughts on "being tough" and "giving F's" versus "earning F's." Please share in the comments so we can see other valuable perspectives. I'm sure many of you wrestle with this like I do.</p> <p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad" height="20" src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" />Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad</a></div>

EDUCATION students Teaching The Right Tough: and ponderings on "F's" in school

Falling is scary. Most of us fall down sometimes. I can trip and fall flat on the ground. When I fall down I have two choices. I can sit th...

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Never Give Up!

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJaGCskvYV8p4L-YCynd4IOtIoC4G3M5hkAuL3icZx_tc-anlRBzZvX6lQgoaOIwEeE9EJLStJDuGuKDOO7JwWIahPFNaTr8hj_zhwdGjy_giA2opnq3HkSt2VHLGwUDIRqYD6ouEeTFwy/s1600/256.gif" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJaGCskvYV8p4L-YCynd4IOtIoC4G3M5hkAuL3icZx_tc-anlRBzZvX6lQgoaOIwEeE9EJLStJDuGuKDOO7JwWIahPFNaTr8hj_zhwdGjy_giA2opnq3HkSt2VHLGwUDIRqYD6ouEeTFwy/s400/256.gif" /></a>

Never Give Up!

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Misjudged That One

Dumbass.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fQ7IjYe1Bkg2-b3xFm7BUYjcGANVlW-SQYVeS4XO1i0DIpnA8yC10eME9CfEUJApaPbYy6uTNVavMCMtgOBFKxmdXBXNRUm3OSXu6G53eCdvX878x1HsAMx0_6sG762-8pHj1t_1Eo_j/s1600/07FsM.gif" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fQ7IjYe1Bkg2-b3xFm7BUYjcGANVlW-SQYVeS4XO1i0DIpnA8yC10eME9CfEUJApaPbYy6uTNVavMCMtgOBFKxmdXBXNRUm3OSXu6G53eCdvX878x1HsAMx0_6sG762-8pHj1t_1Eo_j/s400/07FsM.gif" /></a>

Misjudged That One

Dumbass.

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Today's Teamster News 08.28.13

<a href="http://www.teamster.org/content/hundreds-rally-justice-la-port" rel="nofollow">Hundreds rally for justice at LA port</a>  teamster.org   ... Port truck drivers at the Port of Los Angeles lead a march back to work to return to their jobs following a 24-hour Unfair Labor Practice strike on Monday against their employer, Green Fleet Systems (GFS)...<br /><a href="http://www.teamster.org/content/rental-car-workers-seattle-airport-join-teamsters-local-117" rel="nofollow">Rental car workers at Seattle airport join Teamsters</a>  teamster.org   ...On Aug. 26 workers at GCA Services Group joined Teamsters Local 117 in Tukwila, Wash. The employees who voted 91-44 in favor of Teamster representation are shuttle drivers, responsible for shuttling rental cars and other vehicles at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport...<br /><a href="http://www.sunjournal.com/news/oxford-hills-river-valley/2013/08/27/deputies-vote-join-teamsters/1413246" rel="nofollow">Deputies vote to join Teamsters</a>  Sun Journal   ...In a near-unanimous vote, Oxford County Sheriff's Office deputies have chosen to join Teamsters Union Local 340...<br /><a href="http://www.teamster.org/content/teamsters-air-express-international-approve-one-year-contract-extension" rel="nofollow">Teamsters at Air Express International Approve One-Year Contract Extension</a>  teamster.org   ...Teamsters employed by Air Express International (AEI) have overwhelmingly approved a one-year contract extension that protects health, welfare and pension benefits and provides a $750 bonus...<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-p-hoffa/living-wage-now_b_3823563.html?utm_hp_ref=politics" rel="nofollow">Living Wage Now!</a>  Huffington Post   ...workers are looking to organize in an effort to earn a living wage that helps pay for the daily staples like food, housing and clothing for their families...<br /><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/workers-of-america-are-getting-screwed-2013-8" rel="nofollow">Workers Of America Are Getting Screwed</a>  Business Insider   ...most low-wage workers are employed by large corporations that have been enjoying healthy profits. Three-quarters of these employers (the fifty biggest employers of low-wage workers) are raking in higher revenues now than they did before the recession...<br /><a href="http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/08/25" rel="nofollow">Colombia Nationwide Strike Against 'Free Trade,' Privatization, Poverty</a>  Common Dreams   ...Ignored by English-language media, rural uprisings spread across industries as hundreds of thousands protest US-backed govt...<br /><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23859773" rel="nofollow">Martin Luther King's Dream yet to become reality in US</a>  BBC News   ...No-one here doubts that racism is still a reality in the United States...<br /><a href="http://www.news-record.com/news/local_news/article_023c094a-0f6b-11e3-9694-0019bb30f31a.html" rel="nofollow">Moral Monday protests come to Greensboro on Wednesday</a>  News-Record   ...The Moral Monday protests against the Republican-held General Assembly went on for months in Raleigh, leading to more than 900 arrests. Wednesday, they continue in Greensboro as Moral Wednesday...<br /><a href="http://toomuchonline.org/racketeering-then-and-racketeering-now/" rel="nofollow">Racketeering Then and Racketeering Now</a>  Too Much Online   ...deregulation has spawned on Wall Street an entire new generation of fabulously rich racketeers...<br /><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bank-ceo-buys-condo-with-tarp-money-2013-8" rel="nofollow">Bank CEO Admits To Using Bailout Money To Buy A Luxury Condo In Florida</a>  Business Insider   ...Darryl Layne Woods, the former CEO of a Missouri bank, admitted in court yesterday to using financial crisis...<br /><a href="http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/08/27/jp-morgan-trader-wanted-by-u-s-on-massive-fraud-charges-arrested-in-spain/" rel="nofollow">JP Morgan trader wanted by U.S. on massive fraud charges arrested in Spain</a>  AFP   ...Police in Spain arrested a former trader of banking giant JP Morgan who is wanted by the United States to face criminal charges in a massive fraud case, officials said...<br /><a href="http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=10602&updaterx=2013-08-26+09%3A52%3A07" rel="nofollow">How is Privatization Failing America?</a>  Real News   ... ALEC, (is behind the) ... greater and greater push for corporate interests to privatize areas of society that have been under the public sector banner, as well as a continued effort to further deregulate already private sector areas...<br /><a href="http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-08-22/opinions/41435729_1_oversight-nsa-national-security-agency" rel="nofollow">The NSA is losing the benefit of the doubt </a> Washington Post   ...“The court is troubled that the government’s revelations . . . mark the third instance in less than three years in which the government has disclosed a substantial misrepresentation regarding the scope of a major collection program,” Bates wrote in Footnote 14...<br /><a href="http://www.courierpress.com/news/2013/aug/24/study-indiana-personal-income-lags-behind-us/" rel="nofollow">Study: Indiana personal income lags behind US </a> Evansville Courier & Press   ... Indiana's average personal income lags more than a decade behind the income levels enjoyed by the nation as a whole, a new Ball State University study has found...<br /><br /><br /><br />

Today's Teamster News 08.28.13

Hundreds rally for justice at LA port  teamster.org   ... Port truck drivers at the Port of Los Angeles lead a march back to work to return...

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Mercury mTAb Star: New 7-Inch tablet Powered by Dual-Core Processor

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mercury mTab Star a 7-inch tablet is ready to hit the market, manufactured by Kobian. Kobian is a chief company of computer peripherals and tablets. It is first 7-inch tablet made by the company itself. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The device is powered by Media Tek </span>chipset<span style="font-family: inherit;"> & Cortex A9 Dual-Core processor running on Android 4.1 OS. It has 4 GB of in-built Storage and you can expand it up to 32 GB with 512 MB RAM. For video calling facility front- facing camera of 0.3 MP and for capture your video and pics rear camera of 2 megapixels with LED flash is present in device. SIM card slot for 3G sim also provide in device to make video calling and upload and download the data with high speed.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z_UH8zSo8Kk/Uh3WsuFLzOI/AAAAAAAAAPU/Yr5VTkQxeEc/s1600/Mercury-mTab-Star.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="" border="0" height="258" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z_UH8zSo8Kk/Uh3WsuFLzOI/AAAAAAAAAPU/Yr5VTkQxeEc/s1600/Mercury-mTab-Star.jpg" title="mTab Star 7-inch tablet" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">fonearena.com</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The resolution of screen is 1024-by-600 pixels. A 3000 mAh battery is used for long back up. it has Adobe Flash 11.1 is preloaded with a built-in speaker. The thickness of tab is 12mm and weight 320 grams which is consider as a light weight tab. If we talking about connectivity then Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi b/g/n and USB mode are available.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">According to Sushmita Das, Country Manager, India at Kobian Pvt. Ltd. “ mTAB Star will compete and stand strong as the ultimate choice for purchase this festive season across the consumers for its light weight and advanced features at attractive cost. It has all the required latest features to enjoy work and play. It has been well designed and developed to address the increasing demand for stylish products in the market.”</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The device will come with one year warranty and will available in market in first week of September. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/100638775997274345522" rel="author">Anil Swami</a></div></div>

3G android 4.1 dual-core Tablet Mercury mTAb Star: New 7-Inch tablet Powered by Dual-Core Processor

Mercury mTab Star a 7-inch tablet is ready to hit the market, manufactured by Kobian. Kobian is a chief company of computer peripherals and ...

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