text:
Syntax error when importing a file which starts with a number

andrew cooke andrew at
Mon Mar 23 19:22:12 CET 2009

The grammar indicates that the module name is an identifier, and
identifiers can't start with digits (you can't have a variable name that
starts with a '1' either).

This is probably quite fundamental (I guess the lexer will implement it)
so suspect it is impossible to change.  That means it is a bug, not a
feature (and it's quite a reasonable restriction, since it reduces

simon.woolf at wrote:
> Hello, all.
> I don't suppose anyone has any idea why it seems to be impossible to
> import any file which starts with a number?  You get a syntax error,
> whether the file exists or not.
> Try it yourself:
>>>> import foo
> ImportError: No module named foo
>>>> import 1foo
>   File "<stdin>", line 1
>     import 1foo
>            ^
> SyntaxError: invalid syntax
> Is this just me, or has anyone else run into it?  Is it a known bug?
> (If so, I can't find it on a bug tracker or in any Google searches).
> It's a bit annoying, as I have an enforced naming scheme.  Any way
> round it?
> Thanks in advance!
> Simon
> --

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text:
[Tkinter-discuss] tk 8.3 and unicode

Martin Franklin mfranklin1 at gatwick.westerngeco.slb.com
Wed Jun 1 13:42:23 CEST 2005

Jeff Epler wrote:
> This bug must have been fixed between Python 2.2 + Tk 8.3 and Python 2.3
> + Tk 8.4.
> Running a slightly different test program, I get this output on Fedora
> Core 1 (Python 2.2 + Tk 8.3):
>     '\xc2\xa3'
> and this output on Fedora Core 2 (Python 2.3 + Tk 8.4):
>     u'\xa3'
> You could try defining a
>     class UStringVar(Tkinter.StringVar):
>         def get(self):
>             return Tkinter.StringVar.get(self).decode("utf-8")
> and using that instead.  This seemed to work on the FC1 system, at least
> when LANG=en_US.UTF-8 -- this might depend on tcl's idea of the sytem
> encoding, though.

Thanks Jeff,

The call to decode() when I get the entry's textvariable does indeed fix
the problem.  I now have a similar (but wholly different;-) problem
related to a filename containing a Unicode character, however, I think
I'll resolve this but not allowing my users to do this (I believe it is
dependent on more than just Python / Tk - It must involve the OS at some

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Is A Portfolio Career For You?

You may never have heard of it, but it may be just what you’ve been hankering after. On several occasions, I’ve been able to “name that career” to the joy of postgrads and research staff who’ve been trying to put into words what they really want to do:

  • Use their eclectic bunch of skills, often including experience gained over a varied career, prior to signing up for a postgraduate degree.
  • Maintain lots of variety and the chance to work with lots of different people.
  • Be their own boss.
  • Fit their work around what’s important in their lives – which may include focusing heavily on work when appropriate,  but may also include extended periods doing something else.
  • Retain (or gain) a feeling of being in control – or at least of not being controlled by someone else.

The answer may be to stop looking for the ideal job, and figure out how to mix and match a number of income streams from part-time, temporary, consultancy and freelance work, some of which may be sequential, but which may also overlap. Professor Charles Handy, the most humane of management gurus, described this as portfolio working.

You can read more in “The Elephant and the Flea” – dates back to 2001 but it’s still a great read.

What’s your fall-back?

It’s more likely to be feasible if you have some core skills or experience which you can rely on to keep you afloat most of the time, to enable you to take on more sporadic work. If you’ve got in-demand professional experience or qualifications which can provide you with a fall-back, it could give you the freedom to take more risks with your career. This works most obviously for professions such as teaching (in areas where supply work might be possible), health professions (locum work for nurses, pharmacists, dentists etc) and accountancy (particularly at the end of the tax year).

However, you may just need to build a good reputation for being reliable and available for routine work which is regularly available. One of our research fellows bridged the year between the end of his PhD and gaining the fellowship by using regular exam invigilation work as his “banker” – tedious perhaps, but once they know you can be relied upon, it comes up remarkably frequently.

Know-who, as much as know-how

Once you’ve identified your core or fall-back work, you need to be adept at building networks of contacts who know you for the work you’d ideally like to be doing. If a new piece of freelance or consultancy work is on the horizon, you need to know that it’s coming up – and those commissioning the work need to know that you exist and are available. This type of career isn’t an option for shrinking violets or those who’d rather avoid all that networking. You’re running a business – the business of retaining control of your life whilst keeping yourself afloat.

But what about the mortgage?

Which brings me to the other critical aspect – this type of career is not for you if you’re looking for traditional “job security”. If you have monthly outgoings, you’ll need contingency plans to help you keep a roof over your head, eg. a couple of lucrative, if boring, bits of intensive freelance work each year, or a part-time job which you stick with just to, literally, keep food on the table.

However, paradoxically, a portfolio career may make you more secure overall. How come?

No job is for life now, and to quote Dr Peter Hawkins, “To be employed is to be at risk, to be employable is to be secure”. If you have a reputation for delivering good work with a range of people (who could pay you), even if one line of work dries up, you’re well placed to find alternatives. Compare that with someone who has worked for the same employer for 10 years – but the employer goes bust. (Or someone who’s worked for the same research group on successive short term contracts, and the funding dries up…)

Your supporters club

Interestingly, Peter Hawkins has his own portfolio career strategy, aiming to spend a third of his life on corporate work to bring in the cash, a third on less lucrative educational or third sector work (he speaks, writes and develops resources on careers topics amongst others) and a third on unpaid work. This is hard to do in isolation, so he needed a good mentor – Charles Handy (you can see the influence).

Is it for you?

If this all seems far too risky to you, don’t panic, as lots of us still have traditional “one job at a time” careers (at least for the moment). A 2008 article from the Times Higher discusses the pros and cons of this sort of working, and acknowledges plenty of cons.

However, if you’ve always fancied, for example, doing chunks of academic research (part-time or on contract), plus some commercial consultancy work, plus time out to write books or create other works, and manage it all around your abiding passion for a cause or charity, you’ve now got a name for it – your portfolio career.

7 comments on “Is A Portfolio Career For You?

    • And thanks for inspiring me to write it!

      Sometimes I need to be reminded about stuff that I take for granted which others will find useful. If you end up happy in a portfolio career, promise you’ll write me a guest post for this blog.

  1. I’ve fallen into this career pattern by accident – it’s so nice to know there’s a proper name for it! It’s ideal if you have two (or more) separate job types that you want to pursue – for me personally, I enjoyed marketing, writing and research but had trouble finding one job that would combine all three.

    It has also been really useful for me in terms of building a good reputation and getting experience in new fields, like social media – I don’t think there are many large organisations that would take an untried wannabe on for a full time job, but working freelance on small, start-up projects means that you can learn the processes while building success for yourself and your clients!

  2. I could not agree more with your rationale but then I am somewhat biased as I have just written a book on portfolio careers, “And What Do You Do?: 10 Steps to Creating a Portfolio Career”, A&C Black. What my co-author, Katie Ledger and I have found from interviewing a large selection of portfolio workers is that hardly any would even consider returning to what I call a single track career. They actually report feeling more secure in a recession as they are not reliant on only one job. Attitudes towards this growing phenomenon amongst employers are proving fascinating. Even the CBI in a recent report say that our concepts of work and employment are going to have to change with organisations relying more on a small core workforce supplemented by an army of temporary or project workers. Portfolio workers typically are self motivated, self starters and reliable. They have to be as they will not survive unless they are excellent time managers and organisers. They will be increasingly attractive as employees. We are just beginning a programme of interviewing a wide range of employers to check out their attitudes to this growing group of workers. We reckon that there are already over a million of us. Yes – we are portfolio workers too! Follow our project on http://www.portfoliocareers.net

    • Thanks Barrie – spotted your website when I was doing a bit of research before writing this post, so can recommend it.

      I was also about to recommend your recent post on the HECSU website on Portofolio Careers (http://www.hecsu.ac.uk/hecsu.rd/research_reports_portfolio_careers.htm) – so I’ll do it here!

      This sort of career often seems to appeal to those post-docs who want their independence and are used to “little separation between [their] work and the rest of [their] lives” (as you put it in your article), but have decided against chasing the traditional academic career. I also think this group might be fertile ground for further work or research?

      I’ll follow your project with interest.

      Best regards

    • Thanks – get it while you can, Tracy. There’s a whole blogging revolution at Manchester on its way … (though this blog will remain visible, and I might steal some posts, like this one, for our new “uber-blog” – once I’ve finished setting it up!)

Comments are closed.


text:
Art is the Handmaid of Human Good

Life in Lowell, Massachusetts, USA

Terrible Name, Tasty Dish

1 Comment

Penne alla Vodka

Easy, quick, pantry-friendly, and perfect for a weeknight. Oh, it’s reeeeeally delicious and makes great leftovers. What more could you ask for?

Penne alla Vodka

Penne alla Vodka

Penne alla Vodka

Penne alla Vodka

Penne alla Vodka

As for the name, it’s the  awful “You Won’t Be Single For Long Vodka Cream Pasta.” I can’t attest to its mate-snaring properties but it is a lovely weeknight pasta dish that seems a bit more special than the same ole, same ole Wednesday spaghetti.  As promised, it also comes together in less than 30 minutes.

Penne alla Vodka (because I refuse to use that horrible name!)
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, once around the pan in a slow stream
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 1 cup vodka
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes (32 ounces)
  • Coarse salt and pepper
  • 16 ounces pasta, such as penne rigate
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 20 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn

Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add oil, butter, garlic, and shallots. Gently saute shallots for 3 to 5 minutes to develop their sweetness. Add vodka to the pan, 3 turns around the pan in a steady stream will equal about 1 cup. Reduce vodka by half, this will take 2 or 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, tomatoes. Bring sauce to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

While sauce simmers, cook pasta in salted boiling water until cooked to al dente (with a bite to it).

Stir cream into sauce. When sauce returns to a bubble, remove it from heat. Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with sauce and basil leaves.

Author: Marianne

Hi my name is Marianne Gries, welcome to Art is the Handmaid of Human Good. I use this space to write about and share pictures of things that interest me. That includes my life in Lowell, my adventures in car-lite living, the food I cook and eat, my dogs, home improvement projects, vacations, knitting, and interesting things and places I see and visit. Thanks for stopping by!

One thought on “Terrible Name, Tasty Dish

  1. It sure beats the “You won’t be married for long Liver, Onions, & Eggs” dish😉

    The pasta looks excellent, even if it did have a horrible name.

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McReynolds lands major BCS offer

Kevinmcreynolds1 27200

St. John's defensive tackle Kevin McReynolds had quite a day Thursday. First, he received his biggest BCS offer to date. Then he talked to one of the most prominent college coaches in the nation....

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text:
1) You lose a rootedness when you lose your parents.

2) The more public the ministry of a pastor, the more visible the fruit of the Spirit should be.

3) If you use the antonym of all the words to describe Jesus in Isaiah 53, you get a pretty good job description for the American pastor.

4) I know you like pizza. But I dream about it when I run.

5) Speaking of Jesus, I’m amazed at how unreasonable and crazed Jesus must have sounded. And sounds. His miracles kept him in the game,but man, even the way he taught was outside of expectations.

6) The problem in Matt Walsh’s post was not merely the content. It was the timing plus tone. You can say all the correct things at the wrong time and in the wrong way.

7) My kids are enjoying school too much for me to not consider a paternity test.

8) I have often wondered if those who suffer from depression are seeing something. The common wisdom is that it’s a kind of blindness. And that may be true. A blindness to the light. But I wonder if maybe they are seeing the darkness for what it really is and the props are just no good anymore.

9) I was not a huge fan of Robin Williams. But as a teenager I loved poetry. But there was always this guardedness. I knew no one else that cared about it. Dead Poet’s Society changed all that.

10) He had good form and majesty so we would look at him. And was a good-looking fellow so we would desire him. He was well thought of and accepted by men. A man of smiles, and acquainted with happiness.


text:
Work with Me

I love nothing better than sharing what I have learned with those who are eager to grow. If this sounds like you, we need to connect.

Michael Hyatt in a Coaching Session

Photo by Jeremy Cowart

Here are seven ways you can access my knowledge and experience. I have arranged these in order, from those that require the least investment to those that require the most.

  1. Search my site. I have written more than 1,800 blog posts on this site. Chances are, I have already addressed your question or issue. Just use the search box in the upper right-hand corner of this page. My weekly podcasts are another free resource.

  2. Subscribe to my updates. I currently publish two new blog posts a week, along with a new podcast. I write on how to win at work and succeed at life. I cover personal development, productivity, team-building, and influence. By subscribing, you’ll get my latest thinking delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more …

  3. Buy one of my products. You can find them all in my store. They represent my best thinking on various topics, including online influence, publishing, goal-setting, and more. I even sell a premium WordPress theme called the Get Noticed! Theme™. I have several other products in development, including a new book on life planning. Learn more …

  4. Join Platform University®. This is my members-only site, designed to give you the inspiration, training, and resources you need to build your online infuence or take it to the next level. We open registration just twice a year. Add your name to the waiting list, so you don’t miss the opportunity to join. Learn more …

  5. Book me as a speaker. I have been speaking publicly for more than 30 years. I have keynoted hundreds of events for corporations, conferences, trade associations, and churches. However, I have recently cut back on the number of invitations I accept, in order to make room for other priorities. If you have an event you would like me to consider, please visit my speaking page then email Suzie, my assistant.

  6. Join my Inner Circle™. I lead a paid mastermind group for a handful of qualified, high-achievers. It involves face-to-face meetings in Nashville, monthly group video conferences, and individual email coaching. The group is full for 2016, but we will open the 2017 application process again in November. If you would like to be notified in advance, please email Suzie, my assistant.

  7. Hire me as a personal coach. I love one-on-one coaching, but I have limited time available for it. Therefore, I am very selective. I also charge crazy-high fees. But if you think you could benefit from one-on-one interaction with me, email Suzie, my assistant.

If you have something else in mind, other than what I have outlined, feel free to e-mail me. Someone on my team would be happy to talk with you.


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Audio: Denard Robinsons speech at the Football Bust

Senior quarterback Denard Robinson was the final speaker at the annual Football Bust. Hear his speech in its entirety with a transcription of some of the highlights ...
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"Why Kovacs, why? At first I thought I was going to be the best, but now I'll try to be the second-best."
"I want to say thank you to God because without Him, my story wouldn't have come true. I went from Deerfield, Fla., to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, making a lot of fuss.
"I want to say thank you to my parents, Dorothea Robinson and Thomas Robinson, for giving me everything, just giving me an opportunity to not have to worry about a lot. I want to say thank you to my brothers and sister for showing me the ropes, and just showing me how to be humble. I was the second-to-youngest, so I could never get away with anything because they were always on top of me.
"I want to say thank you to Coach Rod for giving me an opportunity to play at the University of Michigan.
"I want to say thank you to Coach Hoke and his staff, because they gave me an opportunity to play quarterback and continue my goals and my dreams.
"To be honest with you, I want to say thank you to Al Borges for giving me the opportunity -- for him to deal with me, because I know there were millions of nights where he went home to his wife, talking trash about me, saying I was giving him headaches. I want to say thank you to his wife, because I know he's bugged you a lot about me.
"I want to say thank you to Darrell Funk because he did a great job with the offensive line, and I don't think I'd be anywhere without those guys.
"I want those guys to stand up right now, the whole offensive line, because without them I wouldn't be anything. Those guys do the real work. I'm the flashy guy, I guess, but those guys do all the tough jobs.
"I want to say thank you to the academic staff, because Megan, I know I can be a headache, I can be a free spirit and you can't get in contact with me, but thank you for actually staying on top of me. This winter, I'll be the first of my family to graduate from a four-year college. So I want to say thank you.
"I want to say thank you to the strength staff. Thank you for teaching us everything is mental. If you have a broken leg, it's mental. You can play through it.
"I want to say thank you to Dave Brandon for bringing in Coach Hoke, bringing in a guy here to bring back the tradition, and showing us the ropes -- bringing back the old guys who used to be part of the tradition.
"I want to say thank you to Devin Gardner for stepping in and doing a great job and leading the team.
"It's been an honor working with you guys, and I wouldn't trade this for nothing in the world, to be honest with you. Being here with you guys, I never thought in a million years I'd have so many brothers that I could depend on for whatever.
"Even though we didn't accomplish our goal of winning the Big Ten, we fought every time we stepped out on the field."


text:
Final Four roundup

A one-stop center for all of's Final Four coverage.
Recruits react to Michigan's Tourney Run
Instant Recap: U-M Final Four Bound
Postgame Audio: Beilein, Burke and more at the Podium
Borton's Blog: The Final Foray
Video: Beilein, players accept Regional title trophy
Column: 2013 Wolverines continue Beilein's journey with class, flash>
Video: Players cut the net, Beilein finishes
Wolverines include Zack Novak in their celebration
Must See Video: Michigan Celebrates a Title
Stauskas makes Gators pay for doubting him
Video: Wolverines return home to hundreds of fans at Crisler
Locker Room Video: Mitch McGary talks Final Four
Locker Room Video: South Regional MVP Trey Burke
Video: Nik Stauskas holds court on the court
Spike Albrecht proves to be U-M's hidden gem
Hoops Notebook: Tough enough for the Final Four
Locker room video: John Beilein, Part I
Locker room video: John Beilein, Part II
Locker room video: Spike Albrecht
Finally Forward
U-M's potent offense to take of dominant Syracuse defense


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Recipes for Disaster: An Anarchist Cookbook by CrimethInc

Recipes for Disaster: An Anarchist Cookbook

by CrimethInc

Recipes for Disaster comes on the heels of the CrimethInc collective’s notorious first book, Days of War, Nights of Love. This 624-page manual complements the romance and idealism of the earlier work, with both practical information and instruction. Note that it's "an" anarchist cookbook, rather than "the" anarchist cookbook (of which there are actually two, one about making bombs and the other about making soup and community). This book is about cooking up a movement, and understanding the terminology and landscape of what's out there, including topics like coalition building, affinity groups, mental health, sabotage, squatting, wheat-pasting, and more. It's illustrated. It's annotated. It's got first person stories and technical recipes and diagrams. It's got a great preface. All told, this is your one stop shop for building a fearsome career of direct action against oppression on all fronts.

This book is, by far, the greatest book I have EVER picked up. It's full of nifty manuals on how to do things to abolish capitalism, get through some rough shit, etc. HIGHLY recomended to every person of all ages in every political party.

This is Crimethinc's answere to anyone who wondered where to start after reading Days.
This book is overflowing with recipes that are not only useful but also a lot of fun. Something new for anyone, no matter how informed or creative.

This is wonderful. CrimethInc takes a lot of crap for being vague and over-romantic, for being wishy-washy. This should silence the nay-sayers. Indispensable to anyone who might benefit from concretely living their dreams into being.

Steev Hise's review of this book


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Confused about which program to choose?

We offer a variety of loan options to choose from including fixed rate mortgages and adjustable rate mortgages. We offer easy to understand explanations of each program on the site and a Loan Officer is always just a call or e-mail away!


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MSU vs. Arkansas preview

Arkansas Head Coach Houston Nutt on facing MSU with the chance to win the outright Western Division title:

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Tigers searching for wideout depth this spring

Missouri coach Gary Pinkel talks constantly about the need to have a lot of receivers to run the spread offense. The Tigers led the nation in offensive snaps per game last year and, the coach says...

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text:
Blanket is Done

I have a phone photo of the blanket, I hope I get one of it in action soon.  I waffled on the color choice, should I leave out the orange?  Leave out the yellow?  I went with Robin’s suggestion of wider blue, left in both the yellow and orange.  I altered the stitch pattern, putting in knit in the front and back increases instead of yarnovers.  Since a little bit of yellow seems to go a long way, I put a stripe of yellow in at each end, so bright but not overwhelming.  Here’s the final product:

redone blanket

In case you forgot how ugly the original was:

ugly blanket

I was worried about the stitch pattern pulling in too much, even with the garter stitch stripes, but that is the beauty of slippery superwash wool – the photo is machine washed and dried, so I know that it will be ok when a non-knitting parent throws it in the laundry.

Yarn is Cascade 128 Superwash, two skeins of the blue, one of each of the other colors, with enough leftover to make a 70’s style baby sweater.  Not going to happen, really. Maybe a hat.

14 responses to “Blanket is Done

  1. So great! Amazing how far redesign can take a gal!!!
    Good job!!!

  2. The new version is much prettier. Good color choices after all. Thanks for sharing.

    • It makes me wish I knew more about color theory than hit or miss. I took a class once, but it was very technical at an art school and while fun was a bit over my head. And sooooo long ago.

  3. Loving the new version, it looks so cheerful, and warm!

  4. Ah, much better! That’s great!

  5. What a difference. So much better.

  6. Looks lovely M’Lou.

  7. The blanket looks great! The first thing I thought of was Australian Aboriginal paintings.

  8. So much better! It looks great.

  9. One of the best things about, er, “vivid” blankets is that they are difficult to lose. We still remember with horror the day the hotel housekeeper accidentally bundled up Laura’s white blanket and took it away with the laundry, and we never saw it again. For a little drama queen to be so brave nearly broke my heart.

    Your modifications look great! —

  10. this really really turned out great!!!!

  11. whoa what a difference the changes make-I absolutely love this version.Is there a pattern? I know this is a chevron (or maybe a ripple stitch)iteration but, you know, sometimes I don’t want to think!

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5 Easy Workout Ideas For When You Don’t Feel Like Exercising

5 Easy Workout Ideas - mostlyfitmom.com

This weekend, did bury yourself in a novel while parked on the couch, spending your weekend in a lethargic fog? Or perhaps you found yourself binge-watching Season 5 of The Good Wife? Just me?

I’m all for honouring your body and listening to what it’s saying, but sometimes, it’s not really a tired body you’re listening to: it’s your mind being tricksy.

Now, if you’ve been skimping on sleep because you’ve had work deadlines to meet or dance competitions to run your kids to, then the answer is likely that you’re in need of a little extra shut-eye. You deserve a good night’s rest. Tonight, treat yourself the way you would your sleep-deprived child and be firm about your bedtime. Plan for an excellent night’s sleep by powering down your electronics at least an hour before bedtime, taking time to write out everything you have on your mind so that it won’t keep you awake, making sure your bedroom is nice and cool, and listening to a sleep meditation or some relaxing music at bedtime. If you’re using your phone for meditation or music, set it to “Do Not Disturb” and make sure that you won’t be disturbed by light from the screen by flipping it upside down.

If you’ve been getting some solid zzz’s in that 7 to 9 hour range and know that your lack of energy isn’t so much due to tiredness as it is Couch Potato Syndrome, be honest with yourself about it, but be kind to yourself, too. Take some time to ask yourself why you’ve been slack about physical activity. No calling yourself names or making nasty comments about your body. Be honest with yourself, and be your own friend.

Once you’ve sorted yourself out, and maybe said a few nice things to it, like, “I feel energetic when I move my body,” “My body gets stronger when I exercise,” or “I always make time to take care of my body,” take action to overcome your inertia and get moving.

Easy Ideas for Physical Activity

1. Commit to 10 minutes of physical activity. If you want to stop after those 10 minutes, give yourself permission to stop. It’s really okay. Once you’re done your workout, whether it’s 10 minutes or more, pat yourself on the back.

2. Pick an activity you enjoy. It’s been really windy around here lately and I feel sandblasted every time I go for a walk outside, so I’ve been avoiding my walks (and choosing the couch). It’s okay to do something different and play. Dig out an exercise DVD, ride your old stationary bike, climb the stairs in your house, find some free yoga or other fitness videos online, throw on your favourite music and dance around your living room, pretend it’s the ’80s and do some Jane Fonda-style aerobics to a Songza playlist, head to the gym, lift some free weights. Whatever it is, choose something that you’ll find fun.

3. Go for a walk around the block. How much simpler can you get? Turn your face to the sun, listen to your iPod, focus on how good it feels to be outside. If your feet take you farther than a block, that’s great. If not, that’s cool, too.

4. Reward yourself for working out. Hey, I’m not above bribery. Treat yourself to something lovely after your workout. It might be a hot bath with those citrus bath salts you’ve been saving, that episode of Outlander you’ve got on your PVR, or fresh polish on your nails. Whatever floats your boat and makes seems worthwhile to you.

5. Ask for help to be accountable for your workout. Sometimes it feels really hard to get moving and you feel like you want a little extra motivation to make sure you accomplish what you say you want to do. Talk to your husband, call your sister, or e-mail your co-worker and let her know that you plan to workout today (bonus points if you’re specific about what you’re doing, for how long, and at what time). Tell her you’ll let her know once you’ve finished your workout, and then ask her to follow up with you if you haven’t contacted her by, say, 9pm. Heck, you can even leave a comment on this blog and I’ll follow up with you, if you want.

Whatever your obstacles to working out, know that you are not alone. I definitely get into slumps (like right now) where exercising feels like the last thing I want to do, even though I know that I will feel better after I do it. Our brains are funny that way.

Do you have a go-to workout for when you just don’t feel like working out?

If the Sweatpants Fit…

After rummaging my way through the pantry after supper, chowing down on some popcorn and a Coffee Crisp, and then procrastinating on my workout, I finally hopped onto the stationary bike tonight. Glad that I did, although I just couldn’t get into my workout groove tonight. A meh workout is still better than no workout.

Despite the mental obstacles my brain was throwing up, I managed to talk myself into doing some cardio. What got me onto the bike finally was this: I wore sweatpants at work yesterday. I’m a dentist, so people likely just thought that they were scrubs, but I knew. Why did I wear sweatpants and why is this a big deal? Well, I typically wear comfy clothes to and from work, and change into  dressier pants to work in. This keeps the bacteria, saliva, and blood I’m exposed to at the office, because I change back into my comfy clothes at the end of the day before I head home to my family. Yesterday, I packed a clean pair of work pants to wear, but when I got to the office, I realized that they were too small so the sweatpants I was wearing were the pants I was going to have to work in. Flash to Regina George in Mean Girls: “These sweatpants are the only thing that fits me right now.” Not a good feeling to know that I’ve grown out of my “healthy weight” pants.

Gotta take motivation where you can get it, even if it is sweatpants.

Mental Trickery: Talking Myself Onto the Treadmill

I’m still feeling overwhelmed, but I suspect that this feeling will continue until a) I write my licensing exams March 3rd and 4th, b) I have all of the credits I need to graduate completed, c) a job lined up, or d) all of the above.

On the workout and healthy living front, I got a couple of runs in on my treadmill and did yoga a couple of times this past week.  I’ve also been focusing on having healthier lunches by having sandwiches (which feature veggies, lean meats, and mustard) instead of greasier fare at the hospital cafeteria where I eat lunch most days (I’m aware that packing a lunch would be healthiest, but I’m also a realist and making myself a lunch daily is not a priority these days).

Unfortunately, I’ve also been feeling really run down lately: really tired, scratchy throat, nasal and chest congestion.  I’ve been trying to get lots of sleep and drink lots of liquids, but I think my body is just reacting to the stress I’m experiencing lately.  Guess I’ll just stick to the basics as much as possible: healthy eating, fluids, sleep, and moderate exercise.

This week coming up, I’m getting a massage and plan to run 3 times and practice yoga 3 times.  I am trying to stick to my resolution and treat myself with kindness, so I have been pointedly avoiding any negative self-talk about not working as much as I’d like.

I’ve also been talking myself onto the treadmill by promising myself I’ll just walk for 15 minutes, and if at that point I want to stop, I can stop.  So far, once I’ve hopped onto the treadmill, I’ve felt good enough to pick up the pace and get some running in. Sometimes just overcoming inertia is the most difficult part of a workout, non?  Once I get my sweat on and finish a workout, I feel great, especially when running is involved (although, not so much when running pain is involved).  And then I wonder why I can’t just save up this feeling when it’s time to start my next workout.  Anyone have an answer for that, because I really feel like I’m not alone in this.

Any tricks you have when you don’t have the energy to/don’t feel like/don’t have the motivation to workout?

Distractions, or, Why Goal-Setting is Important

If you’ve been reading lately, you’ll know that I’ve been setting daily goals, with rewards tied to them, for the past several days.  It’s helped keep me on track with my studying, which is very important when you’re writing 10 exams in a row.  It’s also helped to keep me focused, away from the internet, and fairly organized.

Last night, though, per this post, I didn’t set any goals for today.  And then I didn’t set any goals when I started out this morning, either.  What happened?  Well, it took me a little while to get going, while I putzed around getting breakfast ready, did some random surfing, and watched part of an Indiana Jones movie with my son.  Not so good.

I finally did get down to the studying and am happy to report that I had a pretty darn productive day.  I even took a break and went out for lunch with my family, and I got through the oral pathology material I wanted to.  A big pat on the back for me.

It reminded me, though, that when I’m really crunched for time, setting goals is essential for me, and tying everything to rewards is actually very motivating.  Not necessarily cheap, but it really makes a difference when I’m sitting at my computer, looking up something school-related, but I’m tempted to see what Kate Middleton…er, Princess Catherine?… is wearing to the grocery store these days.  It’s just a mouse-click away, but the thought of achieving my goal and treating myself to something I want is enough for me not to hop over to that tempting, tempting website.

So, on that note, here’s what’s on tap tomorrow:

1. Healthy breakfast – actually, scratch that, because I think my kids might be “surprising” me with breakfast in bed.🙂

2. Study oral pathology.  I have 20 more pages to get through in detail before I start reviewing.

3. Visit with my mom when she comes to pick up the kids.  It is Mother’s Day,after all.  My husband has major work commitments this week and I’m overloaded with exams, so my parents are stepping up to the plate (again) and helping us out with the kids.

4. Study diagnosis for 2 hours, and then fixed prosthodontics for 2 hours.

5. Study oral pathology – review of everything.

6. Try to get to bed early, like before 11pm.

7. Email my prof back – must do this!

8. Rewards for:

– the morning: add Tina Fey’s Bossypants to my amazon.ca cart for post-finals reading

– the afternoon: spend 5 minutes foam rolling and watching TV

– the evening: take a bath (maybe right before bed?)

– the day: download The King’s Speech to watch after finals

I’ve got a little more reading to do before bed, but it’ll be a reasonable bedtime for me tonight.

Also, I just want to note that my husband brought home a gigantic sundae and offered to share it with me and after one delicious, creamy, chocolatey bite, I declined.  Another pat on the back for that, I’m telling ya.

Any suggestions for cheap or free things I can reward myself with?  Must be quick to do, i.e. should definitely take less than 10 minutes, and preferably less than 5 minutes.

How to Catch a Fall Cold

This week was super-busy and super-stressful, and – surprise, surprise – I ended up coming down with a nasty cold.  Here’s a look at what I did to “make” myself sick, i.e., what you should avoid doing so that you stay healthy:

1.  Due to exams and a heavy workload at school, I got very little sleep for 3 nights in a row.  I averaged about 5 hours a sleep per night, which is definitely not optimal.  Click here for what WebMD has to say about how a lack of sleep may lead to catching more colds and flus.

2. I was very poorly hydrated this week.  Due to my class schedule and clinic time, I often don’t have handy access to water or simply get too busy and forget to drink.  I’m relying on my basic knowledge of physiology here, so correct me if I’m wrong, but I think that dehydration causes your mucous membranes to sort of “break up” a little, allowing more pathogens like cold viruses to enter your body.  Hence, increased exposure to disease.

3. I exposed myself – to viruses and bacteria.  (No, I wasn’t running around in a trench coat flashing people.)  Not only do I have kids who come in contact with lots of viruses at school, but my daughter was actually sick with a cold last week, so, duh, I was exposed.  In addition, as a dental student who comes in contact with surfaces touched by probably more than a hundred people in a day, despite frequent hand washing and practicing infection control with patients, I likely was exposed in day-to-day contact.  Plus, there are quite a few of my fellow students who have been sick lately, so no wonder I ended up with a cold!

4. I went to spin class Monday morning and worked really hard.  Now, while exercise is generally good for the immune system, it seems to me that I’ve read a few times that high-intensity exercise – like my spin class – can suppress your immune system for a short time.  That shouldn’t generally be a problem, but considering my lack of sleep, dehydration, etc., it probably didn’t help.

5. I was really stressed out this week, with several exams, labwork, and homework to deal with.  As you have likely heard, stress can also suppress your immune system response, which would have left me open to attack from the virus I’m dealing with right now.

Unfortunately, I had to write an exam today at 8:30am, so I went to school and did that, but then I came home and rested for the rest of the day.  I sure didn’t want to pass this on to the patient I was scheduled to see this morning and I was just feeling BAD, but like so many people, I find it hard to take the day off when I’m feeling sick because I don’t want to be perceived as a slacker. Still, I know that staying home was the right thing to do.  I’m hoping I feel well enough to go to school tomorrow, as I have two patients to see and would hate to cancel with short notice, but I guess I’ll wait and see.

So, here’s hoping you keep yourself healthy this fall!  Be sure NOT to follow my example.  Get lots of rest, stay hydrated, take it easy with your workouts if you need to, try not to be around sick people, wash your hands lots, and try to manage your stress!

Is Balance an Illusion?

It’s Sunday night, and I’m studying head and neck anatomy in preparation for sitting in on a couple of oral surgeries tomorrow.  I’m pretty nervous, as the surgeons will be asking questions and right now, I feel like there’s a whole lot of anatomy that I can’t remember.  No one wants to look like a fool, and I am very, VERY scared that I will.

I feel like I should have a better handle on this material, since I’m in my third year of dentistry and we’ve gone over this stuff a few times.  It makes me question whether I should have spent yesterday studying instead of participating in a college-wide golf tournament, where I actually got to hang out with my husband for 8 hours sans kids and my friends from school, all at the same time.  Then today I met a friend, whom I hadn’t seen for about 2 years, for coffee and spent about an hour and a half catching up.  Should I have been studying instead of doing that?  This morning, I got a little school-related reading in and did some meal-planning, but maybe I should have spent that time studying, too.  Or maybe I should have not golfed and hung out with my kids yesterday afternoon.   Also, I missed my workouts yesterday and today due to unexpectedly joining the golf tourney yesterday, and feeling rundown and plain not wanting to workout today.

My question is, is it actually possible to achieve a healthy balance between school, family, fitness, household chores, and leisure and not feel guilty about the choices you make?  I’m not sure that it IS possible, and I sure don’t know how to go about doing it.  It seems like no matter what choices I make these days, I feel like I’m neglecting another area in my life.  And if I were to drop all leisure activities from my life, well…all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy [or Joanne a dull, crazy girl].

So, right now, the office is in complete chaos, the laundry is piling up, I’m not prepared for tomorrow, and I’m feeling guilty for blogging instead of studying. *sigh*

Do guys worry about this stuff, or is it a woman/mom thing?  Is balance actually achievable, or is it a myth, like having an organized house or losing 7 lbs in 7 days?  What are your tips for living a (sort-of) balanced life?

My Tips for Acquiring a Fitness Habit

Getting well wishes from my kids at my first triathlon.

I’ve been working out regularly (i.e., at least 3 times per week) for 15 months now.  Oh, I’ve had periods since graduating from high school where I worked out for awhile, but I always seemed to fall off the wagon…or treadmill, maybe?  Anyway, at the end of my first year of dentistry, I decided that I needed to make some major changes in my life.  I was 33 years old, overweight (5’3″ and around 180lbs), diagnosed with PCOS, and I had gained over 15lbs my first year of dental school.  The girlfriend of one of my classmates was a personal trainer at a nearby gym, and I decided I’d work with her to kickstart my fitness regimen.

That summer I lost 10lbs with the help of a few different trainers at the gym (my classmate’s girlfriend moved on to a different job) and by following Weight Watchers online.  The school year started, though, and my motivation to fit in my workouts started to fizzle.  Not wanting to lose the fitness gains I’d made over the summer, I asked a fit friend of mine, A.N., if she knew of any good personal trainers.  A.N. suggested my trainer, Lindsay, based on what she’d heard from some of her fit friends.  So, I contacted Lindsay and we started meeting weekly.  She listened to what I wanted – to increase my fitness level, lose weight, no more than 3 workouts per week – and designed a program that worked for me.
Fast forward almost a year and I still meet with my trainer weekly.  She helps keep for accountable for getting my workouts in, keeps my workouts fresh and interesting, and constantly challenges me to get fitter.  She also encouraged me to enter my first sprint triathlon (she’s an Ironman herself) and is helping me train for my first half marathon.  With her help, and that of my dietitian, I’ve lost another 20lbs.  I can do unassisted triceps dips, chin ups (though just a couple) and lots of pushups.  I recently ran 11k in a row (part of a 21k training run), and can do 7.5 mph x 1 minute running intervals on the treadmill without feeling like I’m going to hurl.  My resting heart rate is down from around 70 bpm to 52 bpm and my blood pressure has gone from 120/80 to 100/60 (yes, it’s on the low side).  I feel GOOD.
I’m not a fitness expert by any stretch – just a regular mom trying to get fitter.  Everyone is different and has her own challenges, and what works for me may not work for you, but here are some tips that I hope will help you fit exercise into your life.
  1. Set some goals.  Keep them SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely).  Set some long-term ones (do the Queen City half marathon on September 12th in less than 2:30) and short-term ones (run 11k without stopping, do weights twice this week, focus on relaxing my shoulders during this run).
  2. Make a plan.  Once you have your long- and short-term goals set, set out your workouts to achieve your goals.  I’m lucky -my trainer does this for me, but there are lots of training plans available online.  Want to run a 5k?  Sign up for a Learn to Run clinic, and follow their plan, or check out c25k.com.  Interested in strength training?  Consider checking out a program like Women’s Health Fit Coach, Shape’s Virtual Trainer, or SparkPeople (none of which I’ve used, but they look pretty good!).
  3. Schedule your workouts into your calendar.  I do this on a weekly basis and plan according to my husband’s schedule, kids’ activities, extra appointments, social events, and my schedule.  I find I’m more committed to getting my workout in, I can save time by getting my gear ready ahead of time, and I can overcome scheduling obstacles that lurk in my week.
  4. Do it in the morning. Trust me, I know: mornings suck.  But if it guarantees that you’ll get your workout in before the craziness of the day, then “Just do it” *swoosh*  I’ve also read a few different places (but haven’t found the study) that more than 90% of consistent exercisers workout in the morning.  If you can always work out later in the day, then that’s great, too (and I’m jealous).  You have to make it convenient for you.
  5. Sign up for a race.  This is a big one for me in terms of motivation.  5k, 10k, sprint tri, marathon.  Whatever floats your boat.  It’ll help you be consistent and plan ahead.  It’ll also make you focus on function over form (i.e., what your body can do instead of how it looks) and may help you want to fuel your body for performance rather than putting in less nutritious options.
  6. Get yourself an amazing trainer who is enthusiastic about fitness and healthy living.  It rubs off – trust me.  I meet with my trainer weekly, and the while cost does add up, it’s so been worth it for me.  I figure I don’t spend that much money on shopping, drinks, and eating out, so this is my indulgence.  Also, any good trainer can certainly understand your budgetary constraints and can meet with you at whatever intervals fit into your schedule and budget: bi-weekly, monthly, every couple of months, etc.
  7. Tell your friends and family what you’re up to. Once you tell everyone you’re doing a half marathon, it’s a lot harder to brush off those workouts
  8. Mix it up. There’s a reason why so many people love doing triathlons.  Beyond swimming, biking, and running, you could spin, do yoga, walk, lift weights, take a bootcamp class, sign up for a pole dancing class…you get the picture.
  9. Strength train. Once you start, you’ll want to get even stronger.  Just don’t forget to change up your workouts and increase the weight after awhile!
  10. Talk to fit friends and ask what they’re up to.  You’ll be motivated by their commitment to fitness, which can help you to stick to your workouts or even to try something new.
  11. Get some gym equipment or videos for at home. Sometimes making it to the gym is harder than doing the workout, not to mention the gym fees.  Sometimes a home workout is the only option, like when you have no child care available and your gym doesn’t offer it when you want it.  Options include things like a jump rope, resistance tubing or bands, a physio ball, a Bosu, dumbbells.  Larger pieces include a bench and cardio equipment.  For DVDs, you can check out Collage Video for an excellent assortment and reviews.
  12. Keep a fitness journal. I find this a big motivator because I can look back and see just how far I’ve come.  It can also help you track your progress and adjust your plans accordingly.  Is it time to increase the weight you’re lifting?  Are you meeting your goals for the week?  Month?  Year?  Are there workouts you’re missing because you aren’t enjoying them or because you haven’t been planning around your schedule effectively?  My journal now consists of my Garmin data, e-mails I send to my trainer and dietitian, and my blog, but I have used Fitbook in the past and really liked it.  Fitbook allows you to set your goals for 12 weeks, track your workouts, and log what you’re eating. Another good option is The Ultimate Workout Log, which is geared more for tracking just your workouts.  There are lots of online options, too, including  SparkPeople and Daily Mile.
  13. Blog! Once you post your goals, you’ll feel publicly committed to sticking to them.  This is pretty similar to keeping a fitness journal, just in electronic form.  You can even make your blog private, if you’re more comfortable with that.

What are your suggestions for sticking to your workout regime?  What hurdles do you have to overcome on a regular basis to get your workout in?  Do you hate mornings as much as I do?


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Dreamworks Animation’s newest creation, Mr. Peabody and Sherman, is an odd account about a dog, Mr. Peabody (voice by Ty Burrell) and his legally adoptive human son, Sherman (voice by Max Charles). Mr. Peabody, a world renowned genius, faces child welfare interference when people question his parenting abilities. His outspoken 7-year-old son, Sherman, introduces his school boy crush, Penny Peterson (voice by Ariel Winter), to a time machine his canine father previously concocted. The trio, Mr. Peabody, Sherman and Penny travels to many different historical timeframes and events.

The time traveling instances are great history reminders for adults like me, but even more interesting, new experiences for children. With Black History Month in our rear view mirror, families can continue the learning with this movie. My children left the theatre amused and delighted, but they also asked, “Hey mommy, who is King Tut? What is the Mona Lisa? When was the Trojan War? Why were they fighting?” Realistically, the answers are above their pay grades, but it provides an opportunity for creative at-home projects surrounding World History.

Mr. Peabody’s time machine was similar to 2013’s “Free Birds.” The Thanksgiving animated movie also had a plot involving a time traveling contraption where a Presidential turkey went back to the first Thanksgiving to prevent people from traditionally putting turkeys on the menu. I do not know if time traveling is a trend, but it was very close in timing.

The movie’s animation is crisp, pristine, and innovating. The evolution of animation, however, has made great strides too. The first short, inexpensive cartoons produced by Walt Disney in 1928 has transformed into $100 million projects over the past century. From ‘Shrek’ to ‘The Lego Movie’, it takes a pretty penny to make animated films.

The budget for ‘Mr. Peabody and Sherman’ is $145 million. The movie will slowly make that money back in the box office and generate a positive buzz.

Mr. Peabody and Sherman is a smart story about friendship and family, with a broader lesson in diversity, differences and change.

3 Doggy Stars


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Munich Personal RePEc Archive

Public Debt, Distortionary Taxation, and Monetary Policy

Piergallini, Alessandro and Rodano, Giorgio (2010): Public Debt, Distortionary Taxation, and Monetary Policy.

Download (259kB) | Preview

Since Leeper's (1991, Journal of Monetary Economics 27, 129-147) seminal paper, an extensive literature has argued that if fiscal policy is passive, i.e., guarantees public debt stabilization irrespectively of the inflation path, monetary policy can independently be committed to inflation targeting. This can be pursued by following the Taylor principle, i.e., responding to upward perturbations in inflation with a more than one-for-one increase in the nominal interest rate. This paper analyzes an optimizing framework in which the government can only finance public expenditures by levying distortionary taxes. It is demonstrated that households' market participation constraints and Laffer-type effects can render passive fiscal policies unfeasible. For any given target inflation rate, there exists a threshold level of public debt beyond which monetary policy independence is no longer possible. In such circumstances, the dynamics of public debt can be controlled only by means of higher inflation tax revenues: inflation dynamics in line with the fiscal theory of the price level must take place in order for macroeconomic stability to be guaranteed. Otherwise, to preserve inflation control around the steady state by following the Taylor principle, monetary policy must target a higher inflation rate.

MPRA is a RePEc service hosted by
the Munich University Library in Germany.


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InstancePlayLimitException Class

InstancePlayLimitException Class

The exception that is thrown when there is an attempt to play more than 16 SoundEffectInstance sounds concurrently.

Namespace: Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Audio
Assembly: Microsoft.Xna.Framework (in microsoft.xna.framework.dll)

public sealed class InstancePlayLimitException : ExternalException

Only 16 SoundEffectInstance sounds can be playing at one time. If an attempt is made to play more than 16, this exception is thrown. Paused or stopped SoundEffectInstance objects do not count against this limit.

Xbox 360, Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista, Zune

Community Additions

© 2016 Microsoft


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4 January, 2012 § 19 Comments

Starting with Firefox 11 (currently in Aurora), directly viewed images in Firefox are finally treated as a first-class citizen within the web browser. Thanks to the contributions of Carlo Alberto Ferraris, images are now centered vertically and horizontally and placed upon a neutral/dark grey background [1].

Browsing the internet with the lights turned off and clicking on a link to an image used to result in short term blindness, what I like to call getting “blinded by the light”. It’s crazy that Bruce Springsteen and Manfred Mann have been talking about this use case for so long and it took until now for it to get fixed🙂

Here’s some screenshots of what it looks like in case you’re using something older than Firefox Aurora or one of those other web browsers:

The cool kids using Firefox Aurora or Firefox Nightly are seeing and experiencing this change already. Join us today!

[1] For those feeling like this is too much change, Dagger has created the “Old Default Image” add-on that adds the ability to revert to the previous behavior or change the background color to your own liking.

Tagged: ,

§ 19 Responses to Blinded by the light! – An improved image viewing experience in Firefox

  • Norman says:

    Nice addition but why isn’t it styled the same way as videos were before? I understand the reasons for not adding a drop shadow but why not using the same color and image for the background?🙂

    • msujaws says:

      Good questions🙂

      These were intentional decisions. The lack of drop shadow is due to transparent images not always having a visible rectangular shape. The lack of the textured background is also due to transparent images and confusing users who think the texture is part of the image.

      I could see a good argument for adding the texture on the standalone page, considering the separation problem isn’t necessarily solved as it is now anyways.

      Can you file a bug to add the texture to standalone images?

  • Norman says:

    Hi, this bug is for changing the shade of grey, maybe it could be used.

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10 ways to take skype beyond ‘meet and greet’!

Skype with an author

Videconferencing with another global class is always powerful learning, even when it is just ‘meet and greet’. However, further productive and effective learning will take place when extensions are made to these initial connections. It is always valuable to research further where that class was from and if possible, place a marker on a google map and discuss geography, history, cultural mixes, possible religions, season, natural disasters, foods eaten, sports etc.

Tonight was the first tweetchat on #globalclassroom. As I was not home this evening, I missed it, but noted questions from @tasteach and @mgraffin on my tweetfeed. Below is my response to how to take skype beyond ‘meet and greet’ with some examples.

Linkups can go beyond class to class and more intimate, rewarding videoconferences can take place between two small groups of students or even place students one on one. This really pushes students beyond their comfort zones, but allows them to fully direct their own learning of each other. This is really evident when the small groups are from different cultures, languages backgrounds etc and enables the learning of valuable global communication skills in our increasingly flat world.

Learning to fold paper money for wedding gifts

Here are some suggestions and ways  that I have used videoconferencing to go beyond ‘meet and greet’:-

  1. Extend the initial contacts to further linkups where students could bring an object that reflects where they live, conduct food demonstrations, favourite books, pets, favourite sports, hobbies etc (Sharing of objects using the camera dissolves any inhibitions and allows natural curiousity to come to the fore with questions, interest and passion.)
  2. Linkup on special days and school celebrations eg ‘come dressed in favourite book character days’, racial harmony day
  3. Perform a virtual concert
  4. Online debating
  5. Teach each other favourite school yard games, historic games, paper folding etc.
  6.  Take it beyond asynchronous connections to synchronous connections eg global collaboration on a wiki, blog, ning etc Some projects that have extended our initial ‘meet and greet’ are Global Storytelling, involving the creation of book trailers across two countries/five cultures,  and Across the World – a wiki setup to share  school life in two schools, one from Russia and and one from Australia.
  7. An initial skpye videoconference linkup with Christopher Herz, an author from New York, led to regular weekly lunchtime skype linkups, called “lunch with an author“. Interested secondary students from Hawkesdale P12 College, Australia would meet in the library at lunchtimes on Tuesdays. Christopher led the students through a series of challenges to help them with their passion for writing. Evernote was used to share work, asynchronous disscusions and editing.
  8. Students interview an expert -organise the teacher from another country. Individual students devise a series of questions and interview the teacher, on a one to one basis, using videoconferencing.
  9. Trial webconferencing rather than just videoconferencing, for even richer connections eg  Blackboard Collaborate, DiscoverE etc Tools such as this give an interactive whiteboard, backchannel for chat where every student can have a voice etc. See “Learning Adventures with Web Conferencing
  10. Use teachable moments. Logon to skype and make use of any possible impromptu linkups rather than organised ‘meet and greet’

See also eCultural Learning Adventures, The World is my Classroom, Big Little Classrooms

How have you used skype in the classroom? Have you used web conferencing with students, especially mixed groups of students? What would you add to this post?

21 responses to “10 ways to take skype beyond ‘meet and greet’!

  1. Hi, love to see this extension of Skype. As a Kindergarten teacher, I know that large group skyping can be a challenge for young children. Of course they all want to talk : ) So we started #skypeplay with a crew of #kinderchat teachers. I love the informal, “lets call up someone who can play today “

    • Thanks Mardelle for responding to this post. I love your idea of #skypeplay with #kinderchat teachers and now follow your hash tag on my tweetdeck feed. A large group is a challenge as they want to have an intimate part of the conversations and if they cannot, they lose interest and move onto something else. Thanks again for stopping by.

  2. Pingback: 10 ways to take skype beyond ‘meet and greet’! | SteveB's Social Learning Scoop | Scoop.it

  3. Anne, your experience and knowledge shines through in this post! I’ve learnt some valuable ideas which I’ll take with me when I eventually get my own class.

    Thankyou SO much for sharing🙂

  4. Anne
    It is amazing how you do so much, it is a real lesson. I am taking my baby steps and organizing a plenary talk for an upcoming convention I am organizing; since the presenter can’t come to our city (the US embassy won’t let him travel to our state due to supposed violence) I have decided to see if we can get him to ve with us another way. I first mentioned Skyping, but he wants to try a connection with Con-X Have you heard of it before? Will there be any interactivity?

    • Congratulations on organizing a plenary talk for your upcoming convention. I think being part of an organisational committee adds another dimension to our skill and knowledge level. It is so sad to read that his US embassy would not let him travel to your state due to supposed violence. What is your perception of the level of violence in your city? I took students to Qatar, in the middle East, and many people were concerned that I was doing that. (For a flat classroom conference) Yet, we saw no violence at all – only friendly, kind, helpful people and we felt absolutely safe at all times.
      I still think skype is one of the best connecting tools or google chat video as there are few problems now-a-days.I do not know of Con-X. I tried to google it but couldnt find much either. Have you learnt more? I suggest you test the tool with him, see if it works in your city or educational institution, see whether it will do what you need it to etc and then make a decision but always test, test, test before the live event and have a back up tool/plan ready should it fall over on the day. All the best with this exciting venture.

  5. Pingback: 10 ways to take skype beyond ‘meet and greet’! | Διδασκαλία με τη βοήθεια Νέων Μέσ&ome

  6. Pingback: 10 ways to take skype beyond ‘meet and greet’! | It-pedagogik och mobilt lärande | Scoop.it

  7. Hi!
    My name is Heather and I work for Worth Ave. Group. We’re currently holding a contest for K-12 teachers to win grants for their schools, and iPads or iPods for their classrooms. If you’re interested in participating, feel free to email me or visit the link I’ve posted below.
    Have a great day!

  8. Pingback: 10 ways to take skype beyond ‘meet and greet’! | Utbildning på nätet | Scoop.it

  9. Pingback: 10 ways to take skype beyond ‘meet and greet’! | Online sources for the Berlage Lyceum | Scoop.it

  10. I love this post and will share it with my team at our initial planning meeting on Friday. They all think I am a bit out there unfortunately… I think a purpose to connect with classes is paramount as we teach our children how to make the best use of tools such as skype. My most favourite skype session was when my class connected with other classrooms and shared their choreography for their end of year performance. Those classes filmed their “take” of the dance steps and then featured on stage with my class… The discussion that this embroiled was about culture and collaboration… Better still, they could read and view this learning experience on other class blogs… http://mrmillersblog.com/2010/12/15/going-global/

  11. Great!
    Really interesting, I work at an International School in Southern Spain and we have Skyped with India and Singapore! It was so interesting! unfortunately Australia is too far away, because of the time difference. I work with 5/6 year olds and I would love to be part of any projects.

    • Hi Caroline Thanks for your comment. Australia is in a rather awkward time zone for linking up with English speaking countries in Europe and the USA. I am a secondary teacher but teach in a prep to year 12 school so this year, I am teaching the little ones for ICT. I have just got involved with the K-2 Building Bridges project which is a Flat Classroom Project. It is in the trial pilot stage now but you might like to take part in the second one. Here is the link http://k2-pilot.flatclassroomproject.org/

  12. Pingback: Links & Archive for the January #globalclassroom Chats | The Global Classroom Project

  13. Pingback: 10 ways to take skype beyond ‘meet and greet’! | Contemporary Literacies -- Sometimes referred to as "21st Century Skills!" | Scoop.it

  14. Pingback: Advice for New Globaled Teachers | On an e-Journey with Generation Y

  15. Pingback: Clustering Beyond Distant Walls | Country Education Project

  16. Pingback: Week 3 : Communication tools | My Online Adventures

  17. annemirtschin

    Here is an interesting site with 10 ways to use skype in the classroom http://blog.learningtoday.com/blog/bid/41726/10-Ways-to-Use-Skype-in-the-Classroom

  18. Pingback: WordPress Website Development Melbourne: Clustering Beyond Distant Walls

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Velvet Kiss

Velvet Kiss

Alternative Titles

English: Velvet Kiss
Japanese: ベルベット・キス

Type: Manga
Volumes: 4
Chapters: 32
Status: Finished
Published: Jul 30, 2009 to Mar 30, 2012
Authors: Harumi, Chihiro (Story & Art)
Serialization: Vitaman

Score: 7.631 (scored by 13876 users)
1 indicates a weighted score. Please note that 'Not yet published' titles are excluded.
Ranked: #24592
2 based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Popularity: #159
Members: 23,711
Favorites: 595
Ranked #2459Popularity #159Members 23,711
Add to List
Volumes: /4
Chapters: /32

Shin's spirits were soaring after winning the lottery and landing a contract with a famous firm in the same day—not bad for a normally luckless office worker. He quickly plummets back down to earth, however, upon discovering that he's been saddled with an immense amount of debt. There is, however, one way he can keep his creditors at bay: become "friends" with an enigmatic and alluring girl named Kanoko. The task sounds simple enough at first, but leaves him eating his own words as Kanoko's selfish demands start to take their toll on him both mentally and physically. Will Shin ever be able to pay his debt off, or will the lust, luxury, and mystery simply overwhelm him??

(Source: Project-H)

Velvet Kiss was published in English by Project-H since June 27, 2012 to August 28, 2013.

Kikuchiya, Kanoko
Kikuchiya, Kanoko
Nitta, Shin
Nitta, Shin
Kikuchiya, Yoriko
Kikuchiya, Yoriko
Yanamoto, Mutsumi
Yanamoto, Mutsumi
Saeki, Rumi
Saeki, Rumi

More reviewsReviews

Jan 12, 2014
Velvet Kiss is arguably Harumi Chihiro's best work. By far, the marriage between plot and ecchi/hentai always is a good one to read and observe. Especially if done well. Between the constant sex scenes and themes rampant throughout this work, there is a tender love growing between the two main characters that can be observed as the chapters fly pass. This love, while not clear at first, begins to slowly reveal itself and is very satisfying to see, if not being one of the main reasons to read this.

Harumi Chihiro's art is aesthetically pleasing to the eye in more ways than one, and in read more
I found this review Helpful
Nov 6, 2011
This is my first ever review

I don't consider this kind of manga as an H manga, rather I put them on the smut category.

Velvet kiss is an H-manga that focuses more on the story ( that's why I consider this as smut), like Virgin na Kankei, though this one is more of the dark theme and kinda gives off a mystery theme too.

Story - 9

This story is about your everyday salaryman who got tricked(?) to an enormous debt and got another way to pay it, by befriending with a certain cute, beautiful, pretty, moe (sorry she is just too beautiful) expressionless girl.

The story goes read more
I found this review Helpful
Aug 9, 2011
Not your ordinary H manga, I must say.

Story - 7

Velvet Kiss starts off with the life of a normal "sarariman" (salaryman, jap term for businessmen) who one day finds himself with a huge debt, he was given an option to repay this by keeping a certain woman named Kanoko company. The whole story starts just like any other H mange, however the plot thickens and deepens the further the story goes, which along with the beautiful H content, will keep you wanting for more. For an H manga, it has an interesting story although keep in mind that this is a Hentai manga, therefore one read more
I found this review Helpful
Feb 8, 2015
Work is a pain in the ass, isn't it?
Japan is a very workaholic society; I don't think I'd be exaggerating if I said they have one of the worst cases of overworked laborers in the world. Little vacation time, underpaid workers, and long hours, work in Japan literally "takes over ones life", more-so than any other nation in the world. Velvet Kiss shows this realistically. We see the characters juggle their love lives with work, which ultimately, is impossible in such a job-oriented society. I read in awe as Harumi Chihiro effortlessly told a story that flawlessly depicts this--a middle-class, average guy, through luck, encounters read more
I found this review Helpful

Recent News

Recent Forum Discussion

Poll: Velvet Kiss Chapter 32 Discussion ( 1 2 3 )
choyos - Apr 16, 2012
130 replies by Heretic391 »»
Aug 24, 4:53 AM
Poll: Velvet Kiss Chapter 31 Discussion
notsureifsrs - Mar 17, 2012
13 replies by Thyriad-oPPailov »»
Feb 7, 2:31 PM


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Around the Mid-Atlantic: Time running out for Clement

Bower tashawn 200 6 23

MORE: Mind of Mike | Rankings of Yore

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Furman plays new role at Crab Bowl

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Practices for the second annual Crab Bowl kicked off with several of the game's biggest stars missing in action. Millersville (Md.) Old Mill three-star athlete Josh Furman was o...

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Illinois snags late bloomer from Detroit

Detroit Cass Tech has been one of the most consistent talent producing schools in the Midwest for several years, placing one of their players in the Army All-American Bowl each of the past three years. This year they have two prospects already committed to Division 1 programs, and a third made his choice this weekend.
Defensive end Kenny Nelson stands in at 6-6 and 245 pounds. His game did not catch up to his frame until his senior season, however, when he earned second team all-metro Detroit honors for his play on an 11-1 Technicians team.
Nelson picked up his first offer of the recruiting process from Western Michigan shortly after the end of his senior season. Illinois and Michigan were showing interest as well, and the Detroit native made an official visit to Champaign this past weekend to check out the Illini. That trip resulted in Nelson deciding his future was at Illinois and he gave the coaches his verbal commitment before returning home.
Cass Tech head coach Thomas Wilcher confirmed the commitment of his star defensive end following the Illinois trip.


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No rest for Ways

Maurice ways 11 7 20
Wide receiver prospect Maurice Ways entered this week with the glow of his Detroit Country Day team's state basketball championship still lingering, but the class of 2014 standout is already making plans to transition into the football and recruiting mode.
"That actually started today," Ways said. "I went to the weight room and got in some lifting. Later this week I am going to start throwing passes with [DCD quarterback] Tyler [Wiegers] and we'll get that routine back. There are no days off, and today I am back in a football [mindset]."
Ways is also in the midst of transitioning into recruiting mode. Iowa, Ball State, Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, Toledo and Western Michigan have already offered scholarships, and spring practice visits have been set with several schools, starting this week.
"I am going to Michigan State Thursday and Ohio State next Tuesday," Ways said. "Then, I am in the process of scheduling some more with Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Iowa and Michigan real soon."
Michigan State is a team whose interest in Ways' has risen steadily in recent months, and he looks forward to a return trip to East Lansing later this week.
"I have been talking to Coach [Brad] Salem probably once every two weeks," Ways said. "They are very interested, want me to grow as a player and work hard this summer. Going to their spring practice this week is the next step in the recruiting process."
Ways also anticipates a spring practice visit down to Iowa. Earlier this month the Hawkeyes became the first BCS program to offer him.
"That was my first time talking to Coach [Bobby] Kennedy ever, and he said they saw my highlight tape and knew I was the receiver they wanted at Iowa, that I fit their program," Ways said. "I just need to learn more about them, learn more about the coaches, and taking a visit down there will be a big step in me getting to know them more."
Country Day beat Detroit Community 57-49 on Saturday for the Class B state title at Michigan State University's Breslin Center. Ways started at power forward and contributed to the win with six points, eight rebounds and two steals. He averaged 11 points and 12 rebounds on the season.
"It was a great win," Ways said. "We just all bought into the system and our theme for the playoffs was 'ownership.' We wanted to own every play, and our goal was to win it all. We lost it last year and we all had that feeling inside of us and the hurt that it felt. We knew the next time we went to the Breslin, we were going to leave with the trophy."
The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Ways also put up big numbers on the football field last fall - his first on varsity - catching 51 passes for 952 yards and nine touchdowns. That season also finished with a state title game appearance, though Country Day dropped the Division 4 championship game to Grand Rapids South Christian with Ways scoring his team's only points on a 54-yard second quarter touchdown reception.


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Same leader for Kirkland

Miami (Fla.) Booker T. Washington four-star offensive tackle Denver Kirkland reports new offers from Illinois, Kentucky, and Ole Miss. That trio pushes him into double-digit offers as he already claimed offers from Auburn, Florida State, Louisville, Miami, Rutgers, South Florida, UCLA, and West Virginia.
Despite national attention, it is a local school that continues to capture the attention of the 6-foot-4, 300-pound offensive lineman.
"Miami is still my early favorite," Kirkland said. "I grew up watching the Hurricanes. They have a great program and a great graduation rate."
Miami remains in regular contact with the Rivals250 member. He visited the nearby campus back in January for a junior day event.
"I talk to them a lot," Kirkland said. "I speak with Coach (Micheal) Barrow and Coach (Art) Kehoe. They have been basically telling me about how the program goes. They also tell me about how if I come there and get to work that I have a chance to play early."
Since his visit to Miami, Kirkland hasn't hit the road to check out any other schools. He doesn't know where he will visit next.
"I haven't taken any visits and I don't know of any coming up right now," Kirkland said. "I really don't know where I want to get to yet."
Kirkland isn't working with a specific timeline to make a decision but said the process will likely continue into his senior year of high school.


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Scott leading the way with offers

Christianscott0711 8200
If last year's class wasn't good enough with Rivals100 member Michael Morgan and three-star safety Roderick Rollins, the Dallas (Texas) Skyline class is giving them a run in regards to competition for high level recruiting.
Just days ago the 6-foot, 185-pound speedy athlete Christian Scott had one offer from Baylor. That has changed seemingly overnight as now Texas A&M, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Florida State have joined the mix.
According to coach Derick Roberson, the Seminole coaching staff was by in the fall to check up on four-star Morgan before his official visit. That's when they had seen enough and said an offer was coming.
"I was asking Christian about favorites and stuff, but he has no clue," Roberson said. "I don't think he thought he was going to be as highly regarded as he has been already. He said, 'Coach, what do you think?'"
"I told him I can't tell you that. You've got to do what you want. He's enamored by the whole thing."
Big offensive lineman Terrael Williams has also picked up a written offer from Kansas State and a verbal offer from Oklahoma.
New head coach Ron Prince, who is obviously making Texas a priority, didn't stop at two. K-State offered a third prospect in fullback/linebacker Sinatra Wallace.
"They've got the new head coach and they sent a recruiter down here pretty quickly," Roberson said about Kansas State. "I didn't get a chance to meet him, but it's obvious that they liked all three kids because the offers came right after that."
In comparing such a solid 2006 class, Roberson says it's too early to start saying which one has the more talented players.
"I don't think it's better because I had Rollins, Lamonta Ward, Anthony Norice, and Morgan who were all Division I," Roberson said. "Right now I just have three. I'm going to have probably two more for sure, but they're just not getting the exposure yet."
Roberson says that the Skyline classes for 2008 and 2009 could definitely be the best with how it's looking now. That will all start with sophomore linebacker Spencer Reeves who already is 6-foot-2, 195 pounds.
Speaking of comparisons, the Skyline coach already puts Reeves with some pretty good company.
"He won't be as fast as Morgan, but he'll be a better linebacker," Roberson said about Reeves. "He's played the position longer where Morgan was new to it after moving from defensive end. Now, he is definitely fast at 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash."
"I don't even want to get into the 2009 class because there are so many guys that will really blow up for us."


text:
It’s Shampoo Day (Rinse and Conditioning) Old Routine

These Shampoo Day pics were taken back in February. I don’t know if you can tell but my hair has grown significantly in nine months. (See Shrinkage, Length and Texture Differences for most current Shampoo Day pics). Back then, I didn’t know about banding my hair. However, I have to say that it wasn’t horribly difficult to manage during and after the shampoo process. I think I started having more issues managing my length later, towards the middle of summer. Banding my long hair is definitely a necessity now…it just saves soooo much time detangling. In the pics below, my hair was probably aroung 9-11 inches long. It’s now November and my is now approximately 11-13 inches long. I’ll tell ya, those few more inches have made a big difference in terms of needing to find a new way to shampoo, condition, combing and styling my hair.

Let’s play how long is my hair? I’m not sure when these pics were taken…probably in February or March 2006 Couldn’t resist doing these pics because I’ve seen them in everyone else’s albums. After that I got to washing the conditioner out of my hair. As I look at the collage the pictures in the right column are actually in the wrong order. The two on the bottom are of me combing my hair as I rinse the conditioner out of my hair. I’ve always detangled like this and it works really well. Top two pictures in the right column are of me doing my final rinse.

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Resurrecting Lazarus, Texas – “A poignant and inspiring story laced with wit and grit. It reminds all of us to savor and celebrate the journey, no matter the destination.” author P.S. Baber

CIG to European History – “This is the stuff you should have learned somewhere else but either the teacher didn’t know it well enough to teach or didn’t bother to even cover.” from review on Amazon

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Academic advising

Get help choosing your courses, finding and applying to research and internship opportunities, or deciding what to do after college by talking to your adviser.

Undergraduate Students

Marisol Holder
Phone: 928-523-1716
E-mail: Marisol.holder@nau.edu
Adviser for the School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability
Office location: Biological Sciences, building #21, room 132

Graduate Students

Contact a faculty or staff member in your degree program:

Environmental Programs

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Course Requirements and Progression Plans

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Or look up the course requirements for your major in NAU’s academic catalog.


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CNDsource code

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CND was started in November 2009, is owned by DimaZh, and has 163 members.
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Doug Schoen looks at the Tea Party and he finds "the most powerful and extraordinary phenomenon in recent American political history." The political elite ignore them at their peril.

Doug Schoen looks at Occupy Wall Street and he finds a group with "values that are dangerously out of touch with the broad mass of the American people." The political elite embrace them at their peril.

A new Time poll shows that that 54 percent of respondents have a view of Occupy Wall Street that is "very or somewhat favorable," and that 27 percent of respondents have a view of the Tea Party that is "very or somewhat favorable." Yet Schoen, a pollster, would have President Obama court the group that a majority of people dislike and shun the group that a majority of people like.

Okay, I know it's actually more complicated than that. Obama is a Democrat, and he has more to gain with independents in 2012 if he plays against type. That's the theory, anyway. But lets get real. The Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street are both movements that appear to have, within their ranks, more than the usual number of outliers. There's even a little overlap! Both groups hate the Wall Street bailout, and elements within both groups would like to abolish the Federal Reserve. Both groups are clearly the product of bad economic times. But Schoen seems to think that outliers who oppose raising the debt limit deserve our respect while outliers who favor "opposition to free-market capitalism" deserve nothing but contempt.

Much about Occupy Wall Street that puts Schoen's knickers in a twist makes perfect sense to me. He's appalled to discover that 65 percent of all the Occupy Wall Streeters "say that government has a moral responsibility to guarantee all citizens access to affordable health care, a college education, and a secure retirement--no matter what the cost." I'm disappointed it isn't 100 percent! What would be the point of occupying Wall Street if you didn't believe those things? Me, I'd want to add that it's our collective responsibility to meet such goals without bankrupting the nation, but then I'm not camping out in Zuccotti Park; I sleep in my own bed in Washington, DC. Seventy-seven percent favor raising taxes on the wealthy. All I can think is that the other 23 percent wandered off to get coffee. How wanting to raise taxes on the wealthy puts you out of touch with the American mainstream I couldn't guess. As I noted in an earlier post, 54 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaners recently affirmed in a Washington Post-Bloomberg news poll that they favored higher taxes on the wealthy (in that instance, those who earn more than $250,000). Yes, they're in agreement with our dangerously-out-of-touch president of the United States.

Why doesn't Schoen want Obama to "triangulate" with them?


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Jazzfest Berlin '09: Japanese Pianist Junko Onishi Replaces Robert Glasper

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Junko Onishi
Japanese Pianist Junko Onishi replaces Robert Glasper: Robert Glasper forced to cancel his JazzFest Berlin '09 concert on short notice

Blue Note pianist Robert Glasper has been obliged to cancel his concert at JazzFest Berlin '09 on short notice. Substituting for him is pianist Junko Onishi (Blue Note Japan), who will perform with bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Gene Jackson on November 6th at 5:30 p.m. at the Glass Courtyard of Jewish Museum Berlin. Her most recent Musical Moments was released in July of this year a couple of weeks after this years festivalprogramme deadline. The album has been celebrated as a comeback for Onishi, whose last CD came out 10 years ago (Fragile, Blue Note 1999). By chance a special “Berlin-tinged" aspect is added to her album and performance which centers around compositions of reedplayer Eric Dolphy who died in Berlin (1964) under tragical circumstances.

Born in Kyoto in 1967, Junko Onishi learned to play the piano and soon developed an interest in jazz. After continuing her piano studies for three years at Berklee (Boston), she moved to New York City, where she was taken up enthusiastically by the jazz scene, and where she worked together with Joe Henderson, Betty Carter, Kenny Garrett, and the Mingus Dynasty, among others. Junko Onishi has also collaborated with Jackie McLean, Holly Cole, Billy Higgins, and Joe Lovano. She cites Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, and Ornette Coleman among her main influences.

Tickets remain valid or can be returned until November 5th, only at locations where tickets were purchased or picked up.

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McCoy Tyner McCoy Tyner
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Climate helped drive Vikings from Greenland

Greenland's early Viking settlers were subjected to rapidly changing climate. Temperatures plunged several degrees in a span of decades, according to research from Brown University. A reconstruction of 5,600 years of climate history from lakes near the Norse settlement in western Greenland also shows how climate affected the Dorset and Saqqaq cultures. Results appear in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The 2011 Orations

Jacob Combs:
What I Learned from the Big Bad Woolf

Jacob Combs grew up in Los Angeles in a close, diverse, multifaith family. With passions in literature, theater, and music, he has worked in the Office of the Chaplains and Religious Life, served as a Meiklejohn peer adviser, and is on the board of Brownbrokers, a group that produces original student-written musicals. He hopes to be a composer and lyricist for theater. The text of his oration, delivered at Commencement exercises on the College Green Sunday, May 29, 2011, follows here. (See also the oration delivered by Elyse VyVy Trinh)
The 2011 Orations

Elyse VyVy Trinh:
An Education in Altruism

The daughter of Vietnamese refugees, Elyse VyVy Trinh says her Brown experience helped her understand her personal history and roots more than she ever imagined. She is a human biology concentrator who has focused her coursework on culture, gender, history, and race. She will continue her studies at the Warren Alpert Medical School hopes to pursue a career in pediatrics or pediatric oncology. The text of her oration, delivered at Commencement exercises on the College Green Sunday, May 29, 2011, follows here. (See also the oration delivered by Jacob Combs)
The 243rd Commencement

Faculty awards Rosenberger Medal to President Simmons

The faculty of Brown University has awarded the Susan Colver Rosenberger Medal to President Ruth J. Simmons. The Rosenberger Medal, established in 1919 and presented for the first time in 1925, is the highest honor the Brown faculty can bestow.
The 243rd Commencement

Brown confers 10 honorary doctorates

Brown conferred honorary degrees on 10 distinguished candidates during its 243rd Commencement exercises, Sunday, May 29, 2011. The honorands included Olympian Katie King Crowley, online editor Arianna Huffington, columnist Nicholas D. Kristof, mathematician David B. Mumford, actor Jack Nicholson, playwright Lynn Ida Nottage, physicist Lisa Randall, human rights activist Kenneth Roth, astronaut David R. Scott, and poet and editor Zhenkai Zhao (Bei Dao). Texts of the citations follow here.
Meeting of the Corporation

Brown Corporation elects one fellow, seven trustees

At its business meeting Friday morning, May 27, 2011, the Corporation of Brown University elected one member to the Board of Fellows and seven to the Board of Trustees. It also reappointed its treasurer and secretary to new three-year terms and formally accepted a number of gifts totaling more than $18.5 million.

Kevin McLaughlin named dean of the faculty at Brown

Kevin McLaughlin, the Nicholas Brown Professor of Oratory and Belles Lettres and professor of English, comparative literature, and German studies, has been named dean of the faculty at Brown University. He will begin his duties on July 1, 2011, succeeding Rajiv Vohra.
The 243rd Commencement

Brown to confer 2,334 degrees Sunday, May 29

Brown University will confer 2,334 degrees, including 10 honorary doctorates, during its 243rd Commencement exercises Sunday, May 29, 2011. Lists of degree recipients will be available in the printed Commencement program and is available online.

Scientists detect Earth-equivalent amount of water in the moon

The moon has much more water than previously thought, a scientific team including Brown University has discovered. First-time measurements of lunar melt inclusions show that some parts of the lunar mantle have as much water as the Earth’s upper mantle. The results may change the prevailing theory about the Moon’s origin as well as shed new light on the origin of water at the lunar poles. Results appear in Science Express.

PetWatch provides reliable information for owners of exotic pets

People who keep exotic pets need to know more than what to feed them. Are the animals wild-caught or captive-bred? Can they become vectors for exotic diseases? Are they endangered or likely to pose unusual problems? Three Brown students are developing reliable information sheets on pets from spiders to constricting snakes.
The 243rd Commencement

A strong showing at Graduate School Convocation

Brown University’s Graduate School is expected to award more than 635 degrees at its Commencement Convocation Sunday, May 29, 2011, on Lincoln Field. The total for graduate degrees awarded this year will be almost 60 percent larger than a decade ago.