Cooking Tips For Your Home Cooking ? Food and Drink

The preeminent part in this area learning straightforward to aid basic cooking tips is that somebody can apply these in the kitchen to save on precious calculate a12.26
nd wait relaxed while dealing with present lifestyle hassle that have made life so unavailable. We all have our own practices in the kitchen that get on to our cooking straightforward and smooth sailing. The more we cook the more cooking tips and techniques we discover. In the article below I will give you more tips.

First, you can dodge Bacon pieces from reduction by pre-washing them under cold fill up and at that time fry them. Similarly, the gassy quality of beans can be cut-rate by pre-soaking them in a lofty container to which a tbsp of Soda bicarbonate has been added. Another handy kitchen hint is pro boiling eggs: A wee morsel of salt or a dash of vinegar added to the boiling fill up will keep the egg-shell intact.

Second, remember that if you are barbequing, brush the grille with cooking smear with oil or spray with vegetable cooking spray to prevent the barbeque from sticking. When fire flares up all through barbequing, sprinkle a little fill up ended the flames. Befall guaranteed furthermore to remove the barbeque previous to the fire will burn lone feature of the meat. To cut overbrowning of your barbeque, you can apply the sauce single 20 minutes previous to it is made.

Third, pro cleaning skewers made of wood, a pre-soak in cold fill up pro in this area 20 minutes will ensure they sort made known not burn as prone to dependability ? try approximately basic cooking tips to raise your quality of life. The cookers also play an important part in cooking. Therefore, you should buy high quality cookers for yourself, such as custom kitchens, small kitchen designs and discount Kitchens.

Tags: Custom Kitchens, Discount Kitchens, Small kitchen designs

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Source: http://foodanddrink.deadale.com/uncategorized/cooking-tips-for-your-home-cooking/

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Look at life of South Africa President Jacob Zuma

Look at life of South Africa President Jacob Zuma JOHANNESBURG -- Events in the life of South African President Jacob Zuma, who was elected Tuesday to again head the governing African National Congress:
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- April 12, 1942: Born in Inkandla in the rural Zulu heartland.
-1959: Joins the ANC as a teen and just a few years later is arrested while trying to leave the country illegally. Jailed for 10 years on Robben Island, alongside Nelson Mandela.
-1975: Goes into exile. For the next decade and... read more

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Source: http://www.newsrt.us/news/look-at-life-of-south-africa-president-jacob-zuma-835810.html

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Report offers gripping account of Benghazi assault

An independent panel's report on the attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, cites management failures at senior levels in Washington that resulted in "grossly inadequate" security. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.

By Isolde Raftery, NBC News

In addition to apportioning blame for the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, the independent report released Tuesday provides a gripping and authoritative account of the assault, detailing the hours leading up to the deaths of four Americans -- including Ambassador Chris Stevens -- and the heroic efforts of American security agents to save the besieged envoy and his support staff.

The report by the independent review panel, commissioned by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, states that while there was no specific threat to the diplomatic?post known as ?Special Mission Benghazi? timed to the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Stevens and his staff were well aware that the city was essentially a lawless zone that had seen an increasing number of security incidents in the preceding months.?

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Stevens, 52, ?who was familiar with Benghazi after serving as special envoy to the National Transitional Council, which led the uprising that eventually toppled Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi, in 2011, returned to the city from Tripoli for the first time since being appointed ambassador on Sept. 10, accompanied by two security agents on the trip, the report said.

Stevens had made his plans to visit Benghazi independently of Washington, D.C., according to the report: ?Plans for the Ambassador?s trip provided for minimal close protection security support and were not shared thoroughly with the Embassy?s country team, who were not fully aware of planned movements off compound.?

Stevens, whose visit was timed to fill staffing taps at the mission, also wanted to reconnect with local contacts from his time as special envoy, it said. He?planned to stay through Sept. 14.

There were eight Americans, including Stevens, at Special Mission Benghazi at the time, though that number was reduced to seven when a staff member who had completed his assignment to the facility left on the morning of Sept. 11. Also guarding the 8-acre compound were three armed members of the February 17 Martyr?s Brigade, an umbrella group of local militias. There were supposed to be four militia guards on duty that night, but one was absent because of an illness in the family, the report said.

On the day of his arrival, an American guard gave Stevens a tour and pointed out an escape hatch in his bedroom. Later in the day, the ambassador had dinner with Benghazi city council members.

The next morning, Sept. 11, Stevens decided to stay on the compound, mindful that it was the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

At 7:40 p.m., Stevens and an American guard walked a Turkish diplomat to the compound?s main gate. Everything appeared normal.

At 9 p.m., Stevens and Sean Smith, who had arrived in Benghazi the week before to provide communications support, retired to their quarters for the night. Three of the guards sat together outside, behind the ambassador?s quarters, as the fourth guard watched a video in the common area and the fifth guard stayed in the office.

At 9:42 p.m., shots rang out and an explosion was heard. Looking at security cameras, the guard in the office saw that dozens of individuals were entering the compound through the main entrance, some chanting. The guard immediately hit the alarm and yelled a warning over the radio. He alerted the ambassador by cell phone.

Outside, the February 17 militia guards were fleeing, the report said.

The guard who had given Stevens the tour headed to their quarters, outfitted him and Smith with body armor and led them to the safe area he had pointed out earlier in the day. According to the report, the guard was armed with an M4 rifle, a shotgun and a pistol. He gave Stevens his cell phone. Stevens called his local contacts and the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli. As he told his colleagues that the compound was under attack, the call was cut off.

Elsewhere, guards hunkered down, barricading themselves in rooms.

Between 9:45 and 10 p.m. the crowd outside set fire to cars parked near the compound.

Then they headed toward the ambassador?s quarters.

The militants broke into the quarters, known as Villa C, and started tearing apart the living room, the report said. When they arrived at the safe area gate, they banged on it, according to the report.

Stevens, Smith and the guard remained quiet so as not to let the militants know they were there. Looking out, the guard recalled that it looked like the lights were dimming. Rather, it was smoke that was obscuring his vision, as the invaders had set fire to the building.

As smoke engulfed Villa C, the guard led Stevens and Smith to a bathroom with a window. The guard opened the window and stuffed towels under the door, but ?thick black smoke made breathing difficult and reduced visibility to zero,? the report said.

The guard tried to lead Stevens and Smith to another room with a window, crawling on his hands and knees while yelling and banging on the floor to guide them. But when he reached the other room, opened the window grill and fell outside onto a patio, he realized Stevens and Smith hadn?t followed him, according to the report.

The guard climbed back inside several times but couldn?t find the two men. He then climbed a ladder to the roof, broke a skylight hoping to ventilate the building and radioed for help.

The militants had backed off by this point, and the guard in the office had been able to contact the Embassy in Tripoli, the State Department in Washington, D.C., and the Annex, another building on the compound where other diplomatic officials were staying.

Other guards in the mission drove an armored vehicle to Villa C, where they found the first guard on the roof, ?vomiting from severe smoke inhalation and losing consciousness,? the report said.

They climbed into the building, braving the dense, suffocating smoke to search for the missing men. Reinforced by additional personnel from the Annex, a separate U.S. facility to the south of the Special Mission compound, they eventually found Smith, who was dead from apparent smoke inhalation. They couldn?t find Stevens.

Without Stevens, the guards climbed back into the armored vehicle and left the compound as shots were fired at them. As they left, a man motioned them to turn into a neighboring compound.

The agents ?suspected a trap, ignored this signal and continued past,? according to the report. They were correct: Along their route, a group ?opened fire at the vehicle?s side, shattering and almost penetrating the armored glass and blowing out two tires,? it said. A short time later, the armored vehicle arrived at the Annex.

By then, the U.S. Military?s Africa Command had dispatched a surveillance drone to the compound. The Embassy in Tripoli chartered a private plane and deployed a seven-person security team to Benghazi.

Shortly before midnight, the Annex also came under attack from gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades. which continued for about an hour, the report said.?Annex security personnel returned fire.?

At 2 a.m., the Embassy in Tripoli received a call from the cell phone the guard had given to Stevens.

An Arabic-speaking man said he was with a man at the hospital with a foreigner. He described a man who looked like Stevens.

Embassy officials worried it was a trap to lure in Americans and sent a Libyan contact who confirmed that the man was Stevens, and that he had died.

Hospital staff relayed later that six Libyans, who they described as "good Samaritans" among the looters who descended on the U.S. diplomatic compound after the attack had brought Stevens' body to the hospital. They had discovered Stevens? in Villa C, pulled him out of the bedroom window and took him to the hospital, the report said. Doctors spent 45 minutes unsuccessfully attempting to resuscitate him.

At 5 a.m., the seven-man security team dispatched from the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli arrived at the Annex to reinforce the security team there. Within 15 minutes of their arrival, according to the report, militants launched five mortar rounds on the Annex in less than 90 seconds.

Three rounds hit the roof, killing security officers Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty and severely injuring two other security officers, it said.?

At approximately 6:30 a.m., all U.S. government personnel evacuated the Annex with?support from a quasi-governmental Libyan militia. They arrived at the airport?without incident, the report said.

As they awaited a flight to take them to Tripoli, personnel from the mission worked with Libyan contacts to have Stevens? body brought to the airport. It arrived?in what appeared to be a local ambulance. A guard from the Special Mission confirmed the ambassador?s identity.?

Evacuees, including all wounded personnel, departed Benghazi on the?chartered jet at approximately 7:30 a.m. ?Staff from the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli, including the Embassy nurse, met the flight at the airport there. ?"Wounded personnel were transferred to a local hospital, in exemplary coordination?that helped save the lives of two severely injured Americans," the report said.

More world stories from NBC News:

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Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/19/16013488-report-offers-gripping-detailed-account-of-assault-on-us-mission-in-benghazi?lite

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New Info Product Launch

One of the biggest challenges that people face when creating and launching their new products and programs is figuring out where to start. The whole online product launch game and the elements that go into it can become confusing, overwhelming and ultimately paralyzing to the point of inaction.

The confusion and overwhelm turns into fear, and ultimately you do not launch even though you have an amazing product, an audience that is hungry for it and unique skills and abilities that you could be sharing with the world.

Fear causes hesitation, and hesitation will cause your worst fears to come true.
? Bodhi, Point Break

The disappointment and self sabotage start to eat away at you and you know you could be doing so much more? you know you could have a great product out there ? helping people, building your brand and of course bringing in passive income without having to do anything else to the product.

You even see similar products out there and the voice saying ?you should be doing this, you could be doing this? gets louder and more frustrating because you are almost there, but there is just something holding you back.

Whenever I ask the question ?what do you need help with when it comes to your product launch?, and answer is ?Everything?.

So here you go: Everything you need to create and launch your info product - your ultimate product launch resource kit.

If I have missed anything leave me a comment and I will hook it up for you.

This product launch resource kit is filled with everything that I have personally used, tried, tested and loved. It includes top outsourcing sites for all your banners, e book covers and more, screen casting software, the best email systems, info products to market your new programs successfully, how to create sales pages and optins, the best webinar hosting options and much more ? basically everything you need to get your launch off the ground!

If I haven?t used it you will not see it on the list.

Now I have given you all the product launch checklist, a 10 part launch E Course, product launch tips ? and together with the resource kit all you need to do is fill in the gaps with your brilliant knowledge, skills and experience, do it with 100% confidence that you are THE best in your field, set a date, make a public announcement and then go out and CRUSH it.

And if you want to clean up some karmic debt racked up by your soul?s predecessors ? tweet out this resource list ? its your virtual shaman sweat lodge, it works -? I promise you will make more money when you launch )

If you make mistakes, don?t sell as much as you thought, mess up your pre launch sequence, forget to email an important partner, cop a virus on your sales page or anything else? make this your mantra ? ? So what, Now what? Launch and learn.

I was just at the Product Launch Formula Live Conference in Arizona, where the guy who invented online product launches ? Jeff Walker, said that he has never launched a product that didn?t have mistakes and blunders along the way.

Feel better?

The sense of achievement that you will feel once your product is live is so much greater than dealing with the mistakes and challenges that come up along the way. In fact, they are fun, inspirational, part of the creative process? and will set you up for an even bigger and better launch next time once you have the self confidence, know-how and experience under your belt.

You will be unstoppable.

?When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it?

- The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho

But you have to make that first move ? a decision, followed by action is what makes it real. Without the action you are still in indecision land, and will continue to watch others do what you KNOW you could be doing.The moment you make that decision, backed by action and a declaration, the next right action will appear and you will know exactly what to do.

Feeling bold?

Tell us all your launch date in the comments!

I?ll go first. I?m launching my Create and Launch It Program on Tuesday January 22nd, 2013?!!

Now your turn.

To your launch success!

Nina

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In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

Theodore Roosevelt

Tagged as: how to launch an info product, info products, information products, new product launch, new product launches, product launch, product launch checklist, product launch guide, product launch resources

Source: http://ninavucetic.com/new-info-product-launch/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-info-product-launch

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Flexing fingers for micro-robotics: Scientists create a powerful, microscale actuator

Dec. 17, 2012 ? Researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California, Berkeley, have developed an elegant and powerful new microscale actuator that can flex like a tiny beckoning finger. Based on an oxide material that expands and contracts dramatically in response to a small temperature variation, the actuators are smaller than the width of a human hair and are promising for microfluidics, drug delivery, and artificial muscles.

"We believe our microactuator is more efficient and powerful than any current microscale actuation technology, including human muscle cells," says Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley scientist Junqiao Wu. "What's more, it uses this very interesting material -- vanadium dioxide -- and tells us more about the fundamental materials science of phase transitions."

Wu is corresponding author of a paper appearing in Nano Letters this month that reports these findings, titled "Giant-Amplitude, High-Work Density Microactuators with Phase Transition Activated Nanolayer Bimorphs." As often happens in science, Wu and his colleagues arrived at the microactuator idea by accident, while studying a different problem.

Vanadium dioxide is a textbook example of a strongly correlated material, meaning the behavior of each electron is inextricably tied to its neighboring electrons. The resulting exotic electronic behaviors have made vanadium dioxide an object of scientific scrutiny for decades, much of it focused on an unusual pair of phase transitions.

When heated past 67 degrees Celsius, vanadium dioxide transforms from an insulator to a metal, accompanied by a structural phase transition that shrinks the material in one dimension while expanding in the other two. For decades, researchers have debated whether one of these phase transitions drives the other or if they are separate phenomena that coincidentally occur at the same temperature.

Wu shed light on this question in earlier work published in Physical Review Letters, in which he and his colleagues isolated the two phase transitions in single-crystal nanowires of vanadium dioxide and demonstrated that they are separable and can be driven independently. The team ran into difficulty with the experiments, however, when the nanowires broke away from their electrode contacts during the structural phase transition.

"At the transition, a 100-micron long wire shrinks by about 1 micron, which can easily break the contact," says Wu, who has a dual appointment as a professor in UC Berkeley's department of Materials Sciences and Engineering. "So we started to ask the question: this is bad, but can we make a good thing out of it? And actuation is the natural application."

To take advantage of the shrinkage, the researchers fabricated a free-standing strip of vanadium dioxide with a chromium metal layer on top. When the strip is heated via a small electrical current or a flash of laser light, the vanadium dioxide contracts and the whole strip bends like a finger.

"The displacement of our microactuator is huge," says Wu, "tens of microns for an actuator length on the same order of magnitude -- much bigger than you can get with a piezoelectric device -- and simultaneously with very large force. I am very optimistic that this technology will become competitive to piezoelectric technology, and may even replace it."

Piezoelectric actuators are the industry-standard for mechanical actuation on micro scales, but they're complicated to grow, need large voltages for small displacements, and typically involve toxic materials such as lead. "But our device is very simple, the material is non-toxic, and the displacement is much bigger at a much lower driving voltage," says Wu. "You can see it move with an optical microscope! And it works equally well in water, making it suitable for biological and microfluidic applications."

The researchers envision using the microactuators as tiny pumps for drug delivery or as mechanical muscles in micro-scale robots. In those applications, the actuator's exceptionally high work density -- the power it can deliver per unit volume -- offers a great advantage. Ounce for ounce, the vanadium-dioxide actuators deliver a force three orders of magnitude greater than human muscle. Wu and his colleagues are already partnering with the Berkeley Sensing and Actuation Center to integrate their actuators into devices for applications such as radiation-detection robots for hazardous environments.

The team's next goal is to create a torsion actuator, which is a much more challenging prospect. Wu explains: "Torsion actuators typically involve a complicated design of gears, shafts and/or belts, and so miniaturization is a challenge. But here we see that with just a layer of thin-film we could also make a very simple torsional actuator."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal References:

1. Kai Liu, Chun Cheng, Zhenting Cheng, Kevin Wang, Ramamoorthy Ramesh, Junqiao Wu. Giant-Amplitude, High-Work Density Microactuators with Phase Transition Activated Nanolayer Bimorphs. Nano Letters, 2012; 12 (12): 6302 DOI: 10.1021/nl303405g
2. Zhensheng Tao, Tzong-Ru Han, Subhendra Mahanti, Phillip Duxbury, Fei Yuan, Chong-Yu Ruan, Kevin Wang, Junqiao Wu. Decoupling of Structural and Electronic Phase Transitions in VO_{2}. Physical Review Letters, 2012; 109 (16) DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.166406

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/exTuB6Njwac/121217091554.htm

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Herbs And Empires: A Brief, Animated History Of Malaria Drugs

What do Jesuit priests, gin and tonics, and ancient Chinese scrolls have in common? They all show up in our animated history of malaria.

It's a story of geopolitical struggles, traditional medicine, and above all, a war of escalation between scientists and a tiny parasite. Malaria has proved to be a wily foe: Every time we think we have it backed into a corner, it somehow escapes.

Over the next several days, NPR's Science Desk will be sharing stories about malaria. We'll hear about drug resistance cropping up on Thailand's border, the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention's antimalarial efforts here in the United States, and a woman who raises mosquitoes on her own blood.

But for now, take a look at our video (which is made entirely with historical photos and illustrations). You'll travel from inside the human body to 17th-century Peru to the battlefields of the Vietnam War ? in under three minutes!

Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/12/17/167188333/herbs-and-empires-a-brief-animated-history-of-malaria-drugs?ft=1&f=1007

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Diet Pepsi quietly changes sweetener

NEW YORK (AP) ? Diet Pepsi is quietly changing its sweetener ahead of a major rebranding of the soft drink set for next month.

The change comes as PepsiCo Inc. looks to reinvigorate its namesake brands after losing market share to Coca-Cola Co. in recent years.

Cans of Diet Pepsi around the country now list a mix of two artificial sweeteners, a pairing that is commonly found in newer diet sodas. Previously, Diet Pepsi used only aspartame, which is sensitive to heat and breaks down more easily.

This summer, PepsiCo had declined to say whether it would go ahead with such a change after reports surfaced that it was testing the new sweeteners. Although the switch is only intended to help prevent the taste from degrading over time, companies are often sensitive to public perceptions that they might be tinkering with major brands. PepsiCo executives likely don't want to call any attention to the use of artificial sweeteners in the drink either.

When reached for comment Sunday, PepsiCo spokeswoman Andrea Canabal said that Diet Pepsi using the new sweetener mix started hitting shelves in early December. She said the new mix will be more widely available in the coming weeks.

"It's not like a light switch. It'll start appearing as shelf space clears," she said. In January, Canabal said the company is planning a major ad campaign that will include a new logo with a heart and the theme "Love Every Sip."

The sweetener change will not be explicitly communicated in the ads, which will feature actress Sofia Vergara.

In addition to aspartame, cans of Diet Pepsi found in New York, Omaha, Neb., and the Bay Area now list acesulfame potassium as an ingredient. The ingredient is often used in combination with other artificial sweeteners and can be found in a wide range of foods including baked goods, chewing gum and gelatin desserts.

John Sicher, editor and publisher of the industry tracker Beverage Digest, said the synergistic effect of mixing the two sweeteners is intended to help keep the drink's sweetening power at a constant level, making it taste fresh longer.

"A change in sweetener does not change the flavor," he noted.

PepsiCo said in a statement Sunday that it was adding a "very small amount" of acesulfame potassium "to ensure consistency with every sip." The sweeteners used in Diet Pepsi vary depending on the region of the world.

The move to improve Diet Pepsi comes amid a broader push by PepsiCo to boost sales of its flagship soda. Under pressure from investors, CEO Indra Nooyi earlier this year announced the company would step up investment in its flagship brands.

Already this year, PepsiCo has made several splashy moves including a wide-ranging partnership with singer Beyonce and a multiyear deal with the National Football League to sponsor the Super Bowl halftime show. TV ads for Pepsi have also featured singer Nicki Minaj, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, the boy band One Direction and international soccer stars including Lionel Messi.

Whether the efforts will pay off with increased sales remains to be seen. In the latest quarter, PepsiCo said its soda volume in North America fell 2 percent, reflecting the broader decline in soft drink consumption that has plagued the industry since 1998. But the company noted that its share of the market had improved.

For now, Diet Pepsi remains the No. 7 carbonated soft drink with 4.9 percent of the market, according to Beverage Digest. That's down from 5.3 percent in 2000. Meanwhile, Diet Coke's share has increased in that time from 8.7 percent to 9.6 percent. Diet Coke, which still only uses aspartame, overtook regular Pepsi to become the No. 2 soda brand in 2010.

Coke remains No. 1 and Pepsi is No. 3.

Still, Diet Pepsi rakes in roughly $5 billion in a year in revenue and remains one of PepsiCo's biggest moneymakers. The company, based in Purchase, N.Y., also makes Frito-Lay snacks, Tropicana juices and Quaker oatmeal.

It's not the first time a soda company is tweaking the sweeteners in its drinks; PepsiCo made a similar move with Diet Mountain Dew in 2006, while Coca-Cola did the same with Diet Sprite in 2000.

___

Follow Candice Choi at www.twitter.com/candicechoi

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-12-16-Diet%20Pepsi-Sweetener/id-750de3f8fdcd4800b2523f4a23033f24

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Rible Special Education Bill Clears Committee - Manasquan-Belmar ...

A state Assembly bill aimed at streamlining special education programs in the state?s public schools on Thursday passed its first major hurdle when it cleared the Education Committee.

The bill, A1365, this week passed the committee by a unanimous vote and will be headed for a full vote of the Assembly. The bill is sponsored by Assemblyman Dave Rible and would create a task force charged with improving the funding, deliver and effectiveness of special education programs and services in New Jersey?s public schools.

The bill would create the Task Force on Improving Special Education for Public School Students, comprised of 14 Gubernatorial appointments and the state Education Commissioner. The 14 would include parents, teachers, administrators and advocates involved in the special education community, according to the bill.

The panel would be charged with studying issues such as the methods of classifying special needs students strategies to reduce costs of out-of-district placements and program standards to ensure programs meets students? needs and focus on achievement.

It would have 180 days after it organizes study to present findings and recommendations based on its study, according to the bill.

?Many families with special needs children have been frustrated with their experiences in the public school system. Although there are some exceptional special education programs in New Jersey, we can do better,? Rible, R-Monmouth and Ocean, said in a release. ?This task force will leave no stone unturned in its quest to find ways to make special education more efficient and effective with a greater emphasis on student achievement.?

The bipartisan legislation is also prime-sponsored by Assembly members Mary Pat Angelini, Jason O?Donnell and Donna Simon, and Senators Jennifer Beck and Teresa M. Ruiz.

?I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their support of this critical issue affecting education in just about every community in New Jersey,? Rible said.

Source: http://manasquan.patch.com/articles/rible-special-education-bill-clears-committee

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Golf Vacations are World-class in Costa Rica - Enchanting Costa Rica

Posted by Shannon on Dec 14, 2012 in Activities | 0 comments

Costa Rica?s fabulous year-round sunshine, balmy weather and remarkable championship golf courses are fast earning the country the reputation as an ?ace? place for world-class golf.

The best part? Located just a few hours? flight away from North America, Costa Rica?s weather is best when all points north are frozen in winter?s icy grip. Missing the long, verdant stretch of a fairway in December? This tiny Central American nation?s endless summer of sunshine just gets blazing in December and lasts through April. Even in rainy season (May to November), most mornings are cloud-free and sunny to early or mid-afternoon. With sunrise at about 5:00 am, you have plenty of time for a round of 18 holes.

Costa Rica?s golf courses, spread across the country mostly along the Pacific Coast and in the Central Valley, all have their unique distinguishing features. Blue ocean, sandy beach, lush vegetation, rolling hills, woods, lakes, mountains ? and where else might you spot monkeys, toucans, parrots and other tropical wildlife while teeing up? A friend of mine playing on a well-known Central Pacific course once had his ball stolen off the green by an iguana thinking it was an egg!

Costa Rica travel experts Team CRT propose four fetching golf vacation packages playing Costa Rica?s top golf courses. With more than 20 years of experience on the ground in Costa Rica travel, Team CRT knows the best of the country, what to do and see, and they personalize it for you. You?re a golfer and you?re traveling with folks who aren?t? Team CRT kindly recommends tours for non-golfers in each itinerary.

North Pacific Golf Package ? 4 days and 3 nights, arriving at the Guanacaste province?s Liberia International Airport. You?ll enjoy 3 nights at the Westin All-Inclusive Beach & Golf Resort, right on the stunning white sands of Playa Conchal. Challenge yourself with a day of golf on the Resort?s par 71 Robert Trent Jones designed 18-hole course. With panoramic views of the blue Pacific, the course meanders through rolling hills with sun-drenched fairways bordered by native forests. There are enough lakes and ravines to put a premium on accurate approach shots to large Bermuda greens, manicured just like those at U.S. country clubs. Your next day?s adventure is the nearby Hacienda Pinilla Golf Club. Relish playing on the 7,300-yard, par 72 masterpiece golf course created by famous international golf architect Mike Young. Picturesque scenery, immaculate conditions, and frequent glimpses of exotic wildlife shape the natural landscape of this certified Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary. Non-golfers can choose tours to Miravalles Volcano with natural hot springs, waterfalls, horseback riding, and the gorgeous beaches and amenities at the resorts.

North Pacific Golf Package II ? 6 days and 5 nights, arriving at the San Jose International Airport. Spend your first and last night?s of your golf vacation at Wyndham?s Ramada Plaza Herradura hotel, near the airport and next door to the Cariari Country Club Golf Course. You?ll head north to the Guanacaste Pacific Coast for days 2-5, staying at the Westin All-Inclusive Beach & Golf Resort at Playa Conchal. As with the shorter North Pacific itinerary, you?ll play on both the Westin?s Robert Trent Jones golf course and Hacienda Pinilla Golf Club?s Mike Young golf course.

Central Pacific Golf Package ? 4 days and 3 nights, arriving at the San Jose International Airport. Stay at the magnificent colonial-themed Los Sue?os Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort, recognized by Travel & Leisure Magazine readers as one of the ?World?s Best.? Located on Costa Rica?s Central Pacific Coast at Playa Herradura, just one hour from the San Jose airport, Los Sue?os is a spectacular resort with a luxury marina, water sports, spa, tennis courts, private beach, and an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Ted Robinson. The par 72 course, nestled between rainforest and beach, makes you think and play shots carefully. The course plays long and it makes you drive the ball; if you don?t position the ball well you can be in trouble. Mesmerizing scenery includes friendly monkeys and brilliant Scarlet Macaws. Make sure to also visit the nearby famous Manuel Antonio National Park, with its jewel-like beaches and plentiful wildlife.

San Jose Golf Package ? 4 days and 3 nights, arriving at the San Jose International Airport. Home for your golf vacation is the Wyndham Ramada Plaza Herradura hotel, next door to the Cariari Country Club Golf Course. Once a coffee plantation, the Cariari Golf Course was designed by golf architect George Fazio and built by his now famous nephew, Tom Fazio. This par 71 course measures 6,590 yards from the championship tees, is heavily wooded, with narrow fairways and a few fairway bunkers; the greens tend to be on the large side with sand traps around them. Day 3 brings you to the Valle del Sol Golf Course, designed by famous golf architect Tracy May. Just 15 minutes from San Jose in a valley called Pozos de Santa Ana, the par 72 championship 18-hole golf course has spacious undulating fairways surrounded by lakes and trees that attract diverse wildlife. The greens are smooth and fast, and each hole offers an average of 4 to 5 tee positions for various levels of play.

Costa Rica?s amazing natural attractions, of course, make it an incomparable vacation destination. Team CRT gives you expert guidance and personalized service while they help craft your tailor-made Costa Rica vacation. Vacation packages, beach destinations, nature tours, adventure tours, relaxation vacations, family vacations, honeymoons, Fly & Drive packages, sport fishing trips, golf vacations ? they handle it all. Whether you just want a travel agent to help you choose where to stay, where to go, and things to do, or if you want a full tour operator to take care of complete details, Team CRT is your Costa Rica vacation expert.

By Shannon Farley

Related articles

Source: http://enchanting-costarica.com/activities/golf-vacations-are-world-class-in-costa-rica/

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Frank Lampard, anyone?

Frank Lampard, a fixture of Chelsea?s midfield for 12 years, will apparently finish his acclaimed tenure at Stamford Bridge over the next few months.

This is not exactly set in London stone, but the 34-year-old midfielder?s contract is up this summer and the team has no interest in re-signing the longtime English international.

Not even for a one-year contract, it seems.

Said Lampard, who is in Japan with the Blues for Saturday?s FIFA Club World Cup final against Brazil?s Corinthians:

I?m a Chelsea player but at the minute nothing else has been said. Talks about a one-year or two-year extension don?t exist because nothing has been said and nothing is planned, as far as I know. There have been no talks about anything or about an extension.

?The ball is in Chelsea?s court. I feel like I have two or three years at least in me at the top level but it is not for me to decide on this one. It?s up to the club. Whatever happens, I have had a great time at Chelsea. Maybe things don?t last forever, although I want it to.

Lampard has been linked with the Los Angeles Galaxy for months, although an MLS source told me during MLS Cup week in Southern California that the Galaxy?s interest was minimal.

Would this change things? As Lampard will clearly be available on a free transfer this summer, that might just change the equation.

It might not be Los Angeles ? the Galaxy might figure they used up all their luck with mid-30-something English midfielders ? but there are surely MLS sides that would love them some Lampard in the midfield.

Source: http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/14/frank-lampard-anyone-because-chelsea-doesnt-want-him/related/

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How To Increase The Visual Appeal Of Your Landscape

As a homeowner, you feel proud when people stare at your home with envy. You can have a great outdoor without having to grow everything from scratch. Landscaping is not as difficult as some people think, if you have the right materials, skills, and attitude. You can have fun when doing some things, such as landscaping. You can install patio pavers, artificial grass, and improve the aesthetical appeal your landscape and your home without investing much. These artificial alternatives will not only improve your landscape, but also help you save lots of efforts and money.

You can purchase well-designed interlocking concrete pavers for your driveway, walkway, patio and pool deck from dealers and get it installed by expert professionals. When your installation is complete, you will have the peace of mind that many people crave for.

You can have visually appealing landscapes. This will create an element of elegance and add style to your home by providing a relaxing and entertaining environment in your outdoor space. You could add an outdoor fire pit, water feature, built-in barbeque, and green or patio cover to your pavers. These outdoor enhancements could complement your pavers to produce a stunning outdoor experience.

The artificial grass you have installed will look as natural as any grass you have seen. When you feel it, you would think it is real grass in your hands or under your feet. Nothing beats the appearance and feeling of a high quality artificial grass.

With such kind of grass, you can save on the water bill, lawn maintenance, gardener expenses, and irrigation repairs. The reduction in water usage will be particularly overwhelming due to the installation of this type of grass.

In addition, the grass is affordable and has great value for your money. It is non-toxic and your kids and pets will enjoy playing on the turf. After 2 to 3 days of installation, you can use it for almost 25 years without the need for a replacement.

Your can have your paving done using high quality materials installed through sound construction methods that will produce long lasting paver installations. The paver installations that you have installed should comply with professional guidelines. Some of them come with an installation warranty.

The best thing is that you can hire a great company to install the pavers for you. Creating a great landscaping should not be a problem if you have a hardworking, conscientious crew working on your front or backyard. The synthetic turf installed in your driveway can change the look of your home tremendously.

When you hire a certain contractor to install the paving stones in San Diego, ensure the company is fully insured when undertaking work in your home. In case anything something bad happens within your premises, you should not be liable for the compensation of the workers of the company installing your pavers. The companys insurance policy should cover for any injuries on the workers. This will ensure the workers carry out their work with little interference.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/How-To-Increase-The-Visual-Appeal-Of-Your-Landscape/4324178

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PFT: Williams testified he wanted to stop bounties

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Three weeks remain, and I?ve gradually built the lead back to four games.

But MDS has a chance to trim the gap down to one, if he?s right and I?m wrong on the three games on which we disagree.

And yes, Raiders fans, after four weeks of picking your team to lose, getting the exact score of two games right, missing a third exacta by one point, and correctly predicting the Raiders? point total in all four games, MDS is picking your team to win this week.

Our picks on all Week 15 games appear below.? (Then again, where the hell else would they be?)

For last week, I eked out the win, 11-5 to 10-6.? For the year, I?m 134-73-1, a 64.4 percent accuracy rate.? MDS is 130-77-1, which keeps him at 62.5 percent.

Bengals at Eagles

MDS?s take: I?d been saying for weeks that the Eagles have given up on the season and wouldn?t win another game this year, and they proved me wrong with a spirited effort on Sunday, beating a Buccaneers team with playoff aspirations. So can they do that twice in a row? I don?t see it. Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins will lead a defense that will make life miserable for Nick Foles.

MDS?s pick: Bengals 24, Eagles 10.

Florio?s take:? The Eagles have now won more recently than the Phillies.? At least that can?t change until April.? Between now and then, the Eagles will change, plenty.

Florio?s pick:? Bengals 24, Eagles 17.

Giants at Falcons

MDS?s take: The Falcons are still the favorites to earn home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, but I think the Giants are the better team. It wouldn?t surprise me to see the Giants win in Atlanta in December and then do it again in January.

MDS?s pick: Giants 30, Falcons 20.

Florio?s take:? The Falcons need a win to prove they can win in the playoffs.? The Giants need a win to help ensure they?ll get to the playoffs.? This one feels like the NFC version of Texans-Patriots.

Florio?s pick:? Giants 31, Falcons 21.

Broncos at Ravens

MDS?s take: Baltimore?s decision to fire offensive coordinator Cam Cameron strikes me as a desperation move. The Ravens know they?re not as good as the three elite teams in the AFC, and the Broncos are going to demonstrate that on Sunday in Baltimore.

MDS?s pick: Broncos 24, Ravens 14.

Florio?s take:? The Ravens don?t match up well against Peyton Manning.? They never have.? Throw in a flat-tire offense that the Ravens are trying to change while the car is moving, and the late-season slide continues.

Florio?s pick:? Broncos 28, Ravens 20.

Packers at Bears

MDS?s take: The Packers can clinch the NFC North with a win, and I think they?ll do just that. Lovie Smith has said from his first day as the Bears? coach that his No. 1 goal is to beat Green Bay, and Smith?s seat will get even hotter when he fails to do that on Sunday at Soldier Field.

MDS?s pick: Packers 28, Bears 13.

Florio?s take:? If Jay Cutler doesn?t play, who?ll shove J?Marcus Webb when this one starts to go south?

Florio?s pick:? Packers 24, Bears 13.

Redskins at Browns

MDS?s take: The Redskins have been red hot lately, but the Browns are better than people give them credit for. Whether it?s Robert Griffin III or Kirk Cousins, the Redskins? quarterback is going to have a tough time against Cleveland?s defense, and I like the Browns to win a close, low-scoring game.

MDS?s pick: Browns 13, Redskins 10.

Florio?s take:? With or without RG3, the Redskins have found their groove and they?ll continue to push for the playoffs.? Still, this one could be the toughest challenge yet, notwithstanding wins over the Ravens, Giants, and Cowboys.

Florio?s pick:? Redskins 24, Browns 21.

Colts at Texans

MDS?s take: The Texans don?t have much time to lick their wounds after the epic beating they took in New England, but Houston is a more complete team than Indianapolis and should put the Colts away and clinch the AFC South.

MDS?s pick: Texans 24, Colts 17.

Florio?s take:? The Texans may have never won in Indy, but they?ve finally figured out how to beat Indy in Texas.? Besides, the Texans need the win to stay ahead of the Pats for the top seed ? and the Colts for the division crown.

Florio?s pick:? Texans 28, Colts 17.

Jaguars at Dolphins

MDS?s take: Neither of these teams is particularly good, but the Dolphins at least look like they?re going in the right direction, while the Jaguars look like they need to be torn apart and rebuilt from the ground up.

MDS?s pick: Dolphins 20, Jaguars 7.

Florio?s take:? The Jags? travel expenses will be low.? Their offensive output will be even lower.? And no one will notice.

Florio?s pick:? Dolphins 20, Jaguars 10.

Buccaneers at Saints

MDS?s take: Drew Brees will turn in a big game against a depleted Buccaneers secondary, and the Saints will put together a solid win, too late for it to matter in the playoff race.

MDS?s pick: Saints 31, Buccaneers 21.

Florio?s take:? Not long ago, both of these teams had a real shot at the postseason.? Now?? Not.? Though the Bucs have held their own in the Bayou in recent years, the Saints will be buoyed by their bounty victory.

Florio?s pick:? Saints 27, Buccaneers 23.

Vikings at Rams

MDS?s take: Raise your hand if you actually predicted before the season that this Week 15 game would have playoff implications for both teams. I?m betting on both of these teams falling just short, but I?m impressed that Jeff Fisher and Leslie Frazier have their teams playing well into December. I see the Rams? defense forcing Christian Ponder into three interceptions and the Rams ending the Vikings? playoff hopes.

MDS?s pick: Rams 21, Vikings 16.

Florio?s take:? I broke from my vow to never pick the Vikings again this year after their Week 11 bye, and it turned out to be a smart move.? For a change.? So why not do it again?? The young Rams remain inconsistent, and they?re due to lay an egg like the one they popped out against the Jets last month.? Meanwhile, Adrian Peterson is making a run at history.? What better way to take a big chunk out of the gap between A.P. and E.D. (that nickname isn?t as cool as it used to be) than to do it against the team with which he set the record?

Florio?s pick:? Vikings 20, Rams 13.

Lions at Cardinals

MDS?s take: Neither team is playing particularly well, but at least the Lions are playing competitively. The Cardinals aren?t doing anything right.

MDS?s pick: Lions 20, Cardinals 6.

Florio?s take:? Something?s gotta give when a pair of crappy teams get together in Arizona.? The Lions are the lesser of two evils, thanks to the fact that they have the better of the two starting quarterbacks.? By far.

Florio?s pick:? Lions 31, Cardinals 17.

Seahawks at Bills

MDS?s take: Seattle catches a break here, as a bad road team is going not to Buffalo but to Toronto, where the pro-Bills crowd won?t be quite as raucous. The Seahawks strike me as a team peaking at the right time, and they?ll beat Buffalo handily.

MDS?s pick: Seahawks 34, Bills 17.

Florio?s take:? The Seahawks are getting better on the road.? Especially when the road is more like the semi-neutral site that is Toronto.? The push continues for a playoff berth ? and possibly the NFC West crown.

Florio?s pick:? Seahawks 33, Bills 20.

Panthers at Chargers

MDS?s take: Give credit to both of these teams: Late in a tough season, when it would be easy to mail it in, they?re both playing hard. So this should be a pretty good game, something you can?t often say about a December game when both teams have losing records. A big game from Philip Rivers will win it for the Chargers.

MDS?s pick: Chargers 31, Panthers 28.

Florio?s take:? Ron Rivera returns to San Diego, with inside information about the Chargers? offense and a quarterback who seems to be finding his stride, again.? Sunday?s upset by San Diego over the Steelers was an aberration; the Panthers? unexpected win over Atlanta wasn?t.

Florio?s pick:? Panthers 27, Chargers 20.

Steelers at Cowboys

MDS?s take: This might be the best game on a great NFL Sunday because both teams are desperate. Then again, the Steelers were desperate last week, too, and they laid an egg. Pittsburgh looks like it?s fading down the stretch.

MDS?s pick: Cowboys 20, Steelers 13.

Florio?s take:? It?s a rematch of three prior Super Bowls, and each team?s ability to pursue another Super Bowl appearance rides on the outcome.? It?s hard to overlook that ugly home loss by the Steelers ? and it?s even harder to ignore the sense that the Cowboys are finding a way to pull together after Saturday?s tragedy.

Florio?s pick:? Cowboys 27, Steelers 17.

Chiefs at Raiders

MDS?s take: This might be the worst game on a great NFL Sunday because both teams have nothing to play for other than possibly getting the first overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft. I like the Raiders to win and the Chiefs to take another step toward the top pick.

MDS?s pick: Raiders 21, Chiefs 13.

Florio?s take:? It?s the latest renewal of a once-great rivalry, and it continues to disintegrate.? If the Raiders can win at Arrowhead, they can hold serve at home.

Florio?s pick:? Raiders 17, Chiefs 7.

49ers at Patriots

MDS?s take: In a potential Super Bowl preview on Sunday night, I think the Patriots will show they?re playing at another level from the rest of the league. Tom Brady will have a big game against a good 49ers defense, and Bill Belichick will have something up his sleeve for 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

MDS?s pick: Patriots 31, 49ers 17.

Florio?s take:? Another prime-time home game against a playoff-caliber team, another big win for a Patriots team that is poised to make another assault on a championship.

Florio?s pick:? Patriots 34, 49ers 24.

Jets at Titans

MDS?s take: I don?t think the Jets are particularly good, but none of the teams they?re playing in December are particularly good, either. So I like the Jets to win this one, and probably win out to earn a surprising 9-7 record and even an outside shot at an AFC wild card berth.

MDS?s pick: Jets 14, Titans 10.

Florio?s take:? The Jets keep moving toward an unlikely playoff berth.? The Titans keep moving toward an inevitable house cleaning.? Mittens off for Bud Adams!

Florio?s pick:? Jets 14, Titans 10.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/12/gregg-williams-testified-he-wanted-to-stop-bounty-program-but-that-vitt-said-no/related/

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Lesson | - NYTimes.com

Overview | Does the emphasis on reading ?informational text? in the new Common Core State Standards set up a ?fiction versus nonfiction smackdown? in English classes? If so, is that good or bad?

In this lesson, students will reflect on their reading experiences in and out of school and discuss the roles that both nonfiction and fiction have played. Then, they will become familiar with what the Common Core standards say about reading, and what critics and supporters have written in reaction, in order to discuss and write about the question ?What Should Children Read??

Materials | Our Reading Questionnaire handout

Warm-Up | Ask students to complete our Reading Questionnaire (PDF) to begin thinking about their own reading histories, habits and preferences ? and about the roles of fiction and nonfiction in their lives.

Next, have students work in small groups to discuss what they wrote. (Though the questionnaire itself can remain private, they can use their answers to contribute to the conversation.) Then, as a whole class, hear observations and conclusions from each group. You might then go on to talk about any of the following questions, or save them for later in the lesson:

• In general, how much of what you read now would be considered nonfiction or informational text?
• What kinds of things do you read outside of English class, in science, history and math?
• Do videos and graphs and photographs count as ?texts? one can ?read??
• Is reading informational text, or nonfiction, easier or harder than reading fiction?
• Have you been taught explicitly how to read informational text, as you have been taught to read literature in English?
• What do you get from reading fiction that you can?t from nonfiction? What do you get from reading nonfiction that you can?t from fiction?
• Do students need to read more nonfiction to be ready for college and careers? Why or why not?

Finally, ask students if they have heard of the Common Core State Standards, and what they know, or think they know, about what the standards say. According to the overview, from the C.C.S.S. Web site, ?The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers.?

Explain that 45 states and three United States territories have adopted the standards, so they will shape what students learn, what they read, and what they will be tested on.

One of the most significant ?instructional shifts? in these standards is the demand that schools teach more nonfiction or ?informational text? across subject areas. Because most of what students will read in college and in the workplace is not fiction, but texts that are ?informational in structure,? the standards say that that by fourth grade, half of what students read should be informational text, while by 12th grade, students should be reading nonfiction 70 percent of the time.

Here is the chart from the Standards document that shows the NAEP Reading Framework on which the authors of the C.C.S.S. base their recommendations:

(Note that this does not mean that 70 percent of the reading in 12th grade English classes should be informational, but, instead, that nonfiction should make up 70 percent of the reading 12th graders should do in school in all subjects.)

Ask students if this seems like a big shift to them given what they already read in school. Do they think that this shift is necessary in order to be ?college and career-ready?? Why? What would be lost, and what would be gained, for students with such a shift?

Tell them that, as the nation transitions to these new standards, there has been a great debate about the fiction vs. nonfiction requirement. They are about to read an essay on the topic that recently appeared in The New York Times, then will read other points of view, discuss them, and decide what they think themselves.

Related | In her Opinionator blog post What Children Should Read,? Sara Mosle writes:

Malcolm Gladwell, author of ?The Tipping Point? and a New Yorker staff writer, told me how he prepared, years ago, to write his first ?Talk of the Town? story. ?Talk? articles have a distinct style, and he wanted to make sure he got the voice straight in his head before he began writing. His approach was simple. He sat down and read 100 ?Talk? pieces, one after the other.

The story nicely illustrates how careful reading can advance great writing. As a schoolteacher, I offer Mr. Gladwell?s story to students struggling with expository writing as evidence that they need not labor alone. There are models out there ? if only they?ll read them.

Mr. Gladwell?s tale provides a good lesson for English teachers across the country as they begin to implement the Common Core State Standards, a set of national benchmarks, adopted by nearly every state, for the skills public school students should master in language arts and mathematics in grades K-12.
The standards won?t take effect until 2014, but many public school systems have begun adjusting their curriculums to satisfy the new mandates. Depending on your point of view, the now contentious guidelines prescribe a healthy ? or lethal ? dose of nonfiction.

For example, the Common Core dictates that by fourth grade, public school students devote half of their reading time in class to historical documents, scientific tracts, maps and other ?informational texts? ? like recipes and train schedules. Per the guidelines, 70 percent of the 12th grade curriculum will consist of nonfiction titles. Alarmed English teachers worry we?re about to toss Shakespeare so students can study, in the words of one former educator, ?memos, technical manuals and menus.?

Questions | For discussion and reading comprehension:

1. What does Ms. Mosle illustrate in her opening anecdote?
2. What are the advantages to teaching and reading nonfiction?
3. Why are English teachers concerned about the new nonfiction requirements?
4. What do you think education researcher Diane Ravitch means by writing, ?I can?t imagine a well-developed mind that has not read novels, poems and short stories.?
5. What is narrative nonfiction? Can you think of any examples?
6. Overall, what is Ms. Mosle arguing about the role of nonfiction in schools? What sentences make that clear?

RELATED RESOURCES

From The Learning Network

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Around the Web

Activity | Note: Given the lengthy warm-up, some teachers may choose at this point to go straight to the writing exercise in which students state and support their own point of view on the topic. For classes that would like to consider other points of view and have a discussion or debate, we provide the following.

Tell students they will engage in a circle-within-a-circle discussion around the question at the heart of this article: ?What Should Children Read??

Before they begin to prepare for the discussion, project or distribute the Common Core anchor standards for reading literature and informational texts and ask students to look at the specifics for their grade level. Ask them note what seem to be the most important expectations for student readers at their grade level and to keep these in mind as they explore the discussion questions.

Give students this list of discussion questions with related readings (all nonfiction) and ask them to read and take notes in preparation for a discussion. You might assign groups or pairs of students to each question, and then jigsaw them to create an inner circle for discussion.

1. Does an increased emphasis on reading nonfiction threaten the place of fiction, poetry and drama in English classrooms? Some English teachers think so. According to the English newspaper The Telegraph, ?American literature classics are to be replaced by insulation manuals and plant inventories in United States classrooms by 2014.? Is this true? If so, is it a good idea? To decide for yourself, look at this post critiquing the focus on nonfiction by The Concord Review?s Will Fitzhugh; the Room for Debate post ?Reading More But Learning Less??; the Washington Post?s ?Fiction vs. Nonfiction Smackdown?; and National Review?s?Goodbye, Liberal Arts?? You can also read what two architects of the Common Core have to say in response about the role of fiction in E.L.A. classrooms, and what advice education researcher Diane Ravitch offers them about revising the 70 percent/30 percent requirements of the standards.
2. What does reading fiction teach us that reading nonfiction does not?

Fiction is generally the centerpiece of English language arts curriculums, and with reason. Fiction is good for you?for example, it can help you become more empathetic, and neuroscience says it?s good for our brains. What would happen if we removed a significant amount of literature from the classroom and replaced it with nonfiction? Why?

3. What does reading nonfiction teach us that fiction can?t? In her article, Sara Mosle makes a strong case that reading nonfiction can help students become better writers. Another study found that reading nonfiction also enhances reading skills. What other advantages can you think of for reading nonfiction texts in the classroom?
4. How can schools find engaging reading ? both fiction and nonfiction ? to engage all students in meeting the Common Core Standards?

How can schools go about finding pieces that connect to all students? lives so that students care about reading and learning from them? Should schools ensure that growing populations of minorities, like Latinos, are well represented in the books students read? Are there classics that should be taken off your school?s reading list to make room for more contemporary favorites? And, finally, how might schools make classics (many of which, fiction or not, are part of the Common Core) less stodgy and more relevant?

5. Exactly what works should children read and why? For a long time, experts have been weighing in on what educated people should read, and college reading lists have been built around ideas like Harold?s Bloom?s ?western canon? For almost as long, people have challenged notions of what makes a work canonical and sought to expand the canon to make it more inclusive of women and minorities. Take a look at these lists and, if possible, the official list for your school?s English Language Arts program. Now here?s the list of what the common core authors think you should read. What do you think? What would an ideal list consist of, in your opinion?

Once students have completed the reading and had time to thoughtfully consider the discussion questions and related readings, divide them into two groups. One group becomes the inner circle, and responsible for leading and sustaining the conversation, while the second group becomes the outer circle. The outer circle is responsible for taking notes, but may also contribute to the discussion. (An outer circle member might tap one of the inner circle on the shoulder and replace him or her, or the class could set up a microblogging backchannel for comments.)

Following discussion, ask students to craft persuasive letters citing evidence from the discussion to their school?s administration to share their ideas about how to best approach implementing the Common Core reading standards.

Going Further | As Ms. Mosle notes, ?What schools really need isn?t more nonfiction but better nonfiction, especially that which provides good models for student writing. Most students could use greater familiarity with what newspaper, magazine and book editors call ?narrative nonfiction?: writing that tells a factual story, sometimes even a personal one, but also makes an argument and conveys information in vivid, effective ways.?

Show (or play) students an example of narrative nonfiction (select an essay from those Web sites curated below or from your own collection) and discuss it together. Use this piece to explore how good narrative nonfiction can both feed academic success and nourish the soul. Then, tell students that you?d like each of them to find a piece of narrative nonfiction that they think would enrich the curriculum (in English or any other discipline) by reflecting who they are and what perspective they bring to the canon (and the classroom).

Ms. Mosle mentions these places to find nonfiction:

Here are some more sources:

And here are some places to find great nonfiction (and ideas for what to do with it) on The Learning Network:

Have students choose a piece, then answer these questions: What interests you about this work? What might you gain from it that is different from what you might gain by reading a work of fiction ? even one on the same topic? What perspective does it bring that might otherwise be missing in the classroom? What do you hope to gain from reading it? Finally, students should write persuasive letters advocating for their piece?s inclusion in the curriculum.

Other ways to broaden the canon with nonfiction (reprinted from a 2010 lesson on nonfiction created before the era of the Common Core):

1. Complement curriculum in any subject with related New York Times articles to engage readers, offer models for writing and put ideas into historical or current context.
2. Students play with the idea of genre by adapting a work of nonfiction as fiction. The adaptation by Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze of Susan Orlean?s nonfiction book ?The Orchid Thief? into the fictional film ?Adaptation? is one example. Encourage students to think creatively about how to craft such an adaptation and make it work, including choosing an appropriate fiction genre. They append to their finished work a note about the differences between the genres and the artistic decisions they made.
3. Create book clubs around a theme in the curriculum, say coming of age or cultural identity, and offer students a choice of nonfiction texts to read. This can be done as a self-contained unit or in conjunction with a work of fiction related to the same theme.
4. Begin a ?book in common? program at your school. Create a rotation of disciplines and invite teachers in each to suggest a nonfiction title each year to serve as the book in common. Every member of the school community reads the book and shares a common experience. This approach helps students see that reading goes beyond English class and offers possibilities for readers whose passions might lie outside the canon.
5. Involve teachers from across the curriculum in planning summer reading experiences and creating summer reading lists to ensure they offer students nonfiction options and reflect the breadth of your school?s curriculum.

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Common Core ELA Anchor Standards, 6-12

Reading
1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.
10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.

Writing
1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to task, purpose and audience.
5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting or trying a new approach.

Speaking and Listening
1. Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others? ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
2. Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively and orally.
4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development and style are appropriate to task, purpose and audience.

Language
1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

Source: http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/13/fiction-or-nonfiction-considering-the-common-cores-emphasis-on-informational-text/

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Police arrest Serbia's richest man in anti-graft probe

BELGRADE (Reuters) - Billionaire retail tycoon Miroslav Miskovic, one of Serbia's most influential figures, was arrested with his son and seven other people on Wednesday as part of an anti-graft probe, a government official said.

"They are suspected of siphoning funds and property from privatized road maintenance companies and making financial gains of as much as 30 million euros ($39 million)," the official, who asked not to be named, told Reuters.

Estimated to be Serbia's richest man, Miskovic has interests in retail, agribusiness, real estate and insurance in Serbia and the Balkan region.

He created his Delta Holding empire under late strongman Slobodan Milosevic during Yugoslavia's bloody collapse in the 1990s and expanded it after his ouster in 2000.

Miskovic, 67, was worth a billion dollars in 2007, according to Forbes, wealth which at the time placed him among the richest 1,000 people in the world.

In 2011 he sold his Delta Maxi supermarket chain to Delhaize, a Belgium-based retailer, for 932.5 million euros ($1.3 billion), one of the largest foreign investments ever in the European Union applicant country.

Miskovic has twice been questioned by police in the past 10 days. Delta Holding, on behalf of Miskovic, has repeatedly denied any irregularities in its business dealings.

The company employs 7,200 people and turned over 1.42 billion euros ($1.85 billion) last year, according to its website.

Among those arrested are Miskovic's son Marko, who police last week prevented from leaving the country, and Milo Djuraskovic, the owner of a now-bankrupt group of road maintenance companies called Nibens.

The government official said they would be remanded in custody for 48 hours and questioned by organized crime prosecutors.

Over the past several months, police in Serbia have arrested more than a dozen businessmen, including two ex-cabinet ministers from the former ruling Democratic Party, on charges of corruption, fraud and abuse of office.

Serbia's six-month-old government, an alliance of socialists and nationalists last in power at the tail end of Milosevic's 13-year-rule, says it is serious about rooting out organized crime and corruption as the country seeks membership of the European Union.

Following Miskovic's arrest, police stepped up security of Aleksandar Vucic, the deputy prime minister tasked with fighting organized crime and corruption, the government official said.

In 2003, Serbia's then pro-Western Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic was assassinated in a plot by nationalists, an organized crime gang and disgruntled members of a now-disbanded special police unit.

Some Western diplomats, however, fear the government is motivated more by political score-settling than genuine reform. ($1 = 0.7693 euros)

(Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/police-arrest-serbias-richest-man-anti-graft-probe-095008014.html

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Internet Marketing Search Engine Optimization SEM SEO service ...

The affiliate marketing world is very large. It is also very profitable, and you can definitely start a career in it. There is a wealth of affiliate marketing information and tips available that can help you to succeed. Listed below you will find some tips that you can use to get started with affiliate marketing.

When your profits are at a level you are proud of, it?s time to ask your affiliate program for a larger commission. If you have shown to generate lots of sales and are a good marketer, the program will be more inclined to give you more money in order to keep you on as an affiliate.

Give user reviews and provide screenshots or product images. Give potential buyers every reason to see value in your products.

You have to understand that the products you choose are directly linked to the niche you will be working with and the methods you will be using. You can get away with using indirect high-volume methods with low click-through rates for inexpensive products. You need to be more aggressive and focused when selling more expensive products.

Content for your affiliate marketing efforts should be centered around a positive use of language. Any clauses or phrases that have even a minor negative connotation must be excluded and replaced with concepts brimming with positivity and action. g.

Affiliate marketing is one of the most popular and effective ways to get results from your online business. The advertising benefits of a good affiliate program are superior to alternatives like contextual networks or banner ads. When you are ready to pick your affiliate program, look at the payment that you will get for giving a referral, how popular the directory is, and how easy it is to navigate.

Affiliate programs differ greatly. The different vendors offer a variety of products and levels of flexibility to the marketer.

Even though affiliate marketing can be an excellent method of making some extra cash, you must have some basic knowledge before you can truly make great money. You should have the goal in mind that your website or blog rank highest when Internet audiences perform a search for content via search engines. You will get more cash and better affiliate links this way.

Keep your ear to the ground to current industry trends so you can stay ahead of the curve. If your clients get the impression that your competitors are more up to date than you are, there?s a good chance they?ll give their business to them instead of you.

An affiliate marketer should be honest about the business he is engaged in. Inform your readers about affiliate programs you promote, especially if you are writing articles, reviews or blog entries that include your affiliate links. When the visitors feel you are not honest about your affiliations to the retailer, they can easily bypass your site and go directly to the merchant to buy the product they want.

Always have confidence in the products that you are promoting. When you make suggestions to customers it will reflect on you. The kinds of products you offer will help or harm your ability to gain the respect and trust of your customers. If you want to keep good customers, you have to promote excellent, fairly priced products.

You can improve the effectiveness of your affiliate marketing program by holding a sweepstakes or contest on your site. You will find this to be a great method of generating repeat visitors and helping those individuals communicate information about the incentive to others if they find it particularly appealing.

Understand that simply reading good tips does nothing for you; rather you should select a few to act on. You will be taking a slight risk by putting your efforts into affiliate marketing programs prior to being compensated. If you keep reading book after book, see this for what it is ? stalling. Put away the books, choose one easy step, give yourself a time limit, and do it.

Although most users react positively or not at all, full disclosure of the fact that you are posting affiliate links is usually required. Being honest will give you an advantage, even with affiliate marketing. When users know that you are doing this they will see you in a better light.

Create an e-book that is very short in length, and place it on various document sharing sites. This will help you show off your knowledge on the topic and also attract those that are searching for information that is similar to content on your website. Always place links that lead straight to your website into the document.

Have a plan in place for your accounting. It is not necessary to have a physical person available as your accountant, you can use any one of the many programs that are designed to do your accounting for you. Having accounting skills lets you see if there?s anything amiss with your payments. Before starting your business, have an accounting plan in place.

Use many different venues to promote your affiliate products. Some customers want to find their products online. Other customers may respond better to brochures and fliers. Others may be persuaded to make a purchase if you offer a coupon. Broadening your advertising approach can get the word out to a greater number of potential customers.

It is key to see real time statistics. This is because these statistics show you the traffic through your site and the number of sales conversions.

When you are ready to choose prospective affiliates, make sure you already have a good feel of who the target audience will be. This will show consumers you are in tune with their needs and understand them.

Don?t count on just one or two affiliate product companies to provide you with an ongoing source of good products to promote. Have a large variety of vendors and products. A spread out group of affiliates will prevent you from experiencing big losses when you cut out one that is unprofitable. If you?re not promoting as many items as you can handle, find a few more.

Now you know that affiliate marketing can serve you well in promoting your services or products. Following these tips leads you on the road to becoming an expert in affiliate marketing.

Search Engine Optimization, SEO

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Source: http://www.websitehostdirect.com/affiliate-marketing-tips-to-improve-your-business/

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