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HANSARD 1803–2005 → 2000s → 2001 → February 2001 → 12 February 2001 → Commons Sitting
Schools Green Paper
HC Deb 12 February 2001 vol 363 cc22-34 22 3.32 pm
§ The Secretary of State for Education and Employment (Mr. David Blunkett)
Well, Mr. Speaker, you cannot win.
With permission, I shall make a statement. I begin by thanking all those who assisted in drawing up the proposals, including my ministerial team. I put on record my appreciation of teachers and non-teaching staff across the country for the work that they are doing, day in, day out, to turn policy proposals into reality in the classroom and beyond.
Four years ago, we promised that we would improve school standards. Last week, the chief inspector of schools confirmed improvements in literacy and numeracy, which have transformed primary schools. Standards are rising fastest in schools where under-achievement was most pronounced, in education action zones and through the excellence in cities programmes. We have seen more than 650 schools successfully removed from special measures. We will deliver our class size pledge ahead of schedule.
We are laying the early foundations, with 120,000 more young children in free nursery places than four years ago. We are committed to universal free nursery education for all three and four-year-olds, and to providing child care places benefiting 1 million children by 2004. We have expanded the sure start programme, and I am pleased to announce that the number of early years excellence centres will be increased to 100.
Our task now is to build on those foundations, to sustain change in primary schools and to transform secondary education. We have made a good start, particularly through excellence in cities, the considerable expansion of specialist schools and our investment in buildings and repair. In partnership with teachers and parents, we need to move further and faster.
Today's Green Paper, "Schools: Building on Success", sets out three key challenges for the future. First, we need to improve standards still further. For primary schools, we are consulting on a new target for achievement at age 11 so that 85 per cent. will gain level 4 in English and maths by 2004 and 35 per cent. will reach level 5. We aim to achieve a step change in performance in early secondary years. We shall set demanding targets for achievement at age 14, building on success in primary schools. Attainment at that age is a key determinant of GCSE performance, and 93 per cent. of those who reach level 6 gain five or more good GCSE grades. That is why we are already taking action.
We have introduced new programmes of teaching with more challenging targets in 200 schools, as well as catch-up provision and tests for 12-year-olds who have fallen behind. From September, we shall extend that programme to all English secondary schools, backed by £82 million of investment in this year alone. We are concentrating renewed attention on secondary schools with low levels of success and, through new pupil learning credits, helping those schools that face the largest economic and social disadvantage.
The second challenge is a new focus on diversity and choice to ensure that the individual talent of pupils is fostered and that their weaknesses are addressed. Through a more diverse curriculum and improved support, we can 23 transform their life chances. The national curriculum remains a basic entitlement, but, in addition, we shall ensure that all children have access to sport and the arts and to teaching on citizenship and democracy. I can announce today our intention that, over time, every primary school child will have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument and to experience one of a range of sports. However, we need to do much more to offer real choice.
We shall accelerate pupil achievement with experimental programmes for youngsters, who will take tests at 13 rather than 14, and ensure that there is more early entry for GCSE. I can announce today the establishment of a new centre, which will spread best practice in addressing the needs of gifted and talented pupils. We shall offer a new vocational route, providing choices in work-based as well as full-time practical GCSEs that will lead to apprenticeships for those who would benefit.
The third task is to extend diversity among schools so that every secondary school develops a particular ethos and plays to its strengths and also contributes to the community and the wider education system. We shall double the current number of specialist schools with a new target date of 2003 for the first 1,000, leading to 1,500 schools within five years. Consistency is important. Therefore, I can announce today the creation of advanced specialist schools, which will extend their role to assisting in teacher training and school leadership.
We have already announced the first city academies in inner-city areas. Today, we are proposing new forms of partnership with the voluntary and private sectors to support schools. Beacon schools enable the best of our schools to share best practice with others. I can therefore tell the House that, as well as making 1,000 offers of beacon status by the autumn, we shall also expand the programme to some schools that show excellence in working with their communities.
The Government have been the first to support new voluntary-aided schools for different faiths. We believe that it is important that, where there is parental demand, we support such schools. We recognise that the cost to Church and other faith schools of funding 15 per cent. of capital investment has been considerable, especially with the improved funding from Government. I can today announce that, following discussions with Churches and other faith groups, we intend to reduce that contribution to 10 per cent.
To succeed in reforming standards in schools, we need to recruit and retain good teachers. There are 2,250 more people training to be teachers today than a year ago. That is a direct result of the action we took last year. This year's pay settlement is also an important step, and helps new recruits and experienced teachers in particular. There has been a 12 per cent. increase in applications for teacher training, and more than a twofold increase in inquiries. We need to consider further how we can persuade good graduates to consider teaching, and how we can help them to stay in the profession.
The Green Paper proposes that we consult universities about developing teacher modules in a wide range of undergraduate courses, so that young people get a taste and experience of what teaching has to offer, and some are able to complete the in-school, graduate teaching programme on 24 a fast track. Furthermore, in shortage subjects—maths, English, languages, science and technology—we will assist new teachers by paying off their student loans at one tenth of their debt in each year they remain in teaching in the state sector. During that period, they will not have to repay those loans. That is a substantial new incentive to graduates to come into and to stay in teaching.
The programme that I have announced sets a clear direction for schools over the next five years. It builds on the policies that work. It offers consistency and continuity with modernisation. Teachers will be supported by improved training, and by policies aimed at cutting bureaucracy and addressing teacher work load. That will be backed by increased autonomy for head teachers of successful schools, building on changes in inspection and funding and on the curriculum, and improved pay and conditions for staff. The programme will be underpinned by the substantial increase in investment that we have provided in the day-to-day running of our schools and in the fabric of the buildings.
Our policies are designed to develop the potential of and offer equality to every child, whatever his background and whichever school he attends. We have today moved beyond the old arguments to create a schools system appropriate to the 21st century. I commend the Green Paper to the House.
§ Mrs. Theresa May (Maidenhead)
I thank the Secretary of State for giving me prior sight of this statement, and prior knowledge of the content of the Green Paper from The Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph, the Sunday People, The Independent on Sunday, the Daily Mail, various other newspapers, the BBC, ITN, Sky, Radio 4, and other broadcast media.
There can be no doubt about what has brought the right hon. Gentleman to the House to make this announcement—panic. The Government have failed to deliver on education, and the Secretary of State knows it. After four years, the Labour Government's education policy is failing, and has been put on special measures.
The Secretary of State knows that, under the Government, class sizes in secondary schools have risen, their targets on exclusions have undermined discipline in classrooms, as confirmed by Ofsted, and they have stifled the energy and enthusiasm of our teachers by burdening them with red tape and paperwork—a directive a day since the beginning of last year.
The Government have presided over a crisis in teacher recruitment and retention that has left schools up and down the country without sufficient staff, and has done serious harm to the education of tens of thousands of children. What is the Government's answer to those problems? This morning the Prime Minister pledged to increase the share of national income spent on education in the next Parliament—exactly the same pledge that he gave before the last Parliament, and the same pledge on which he has failed to deliver in this Parliament.
Will the Secretary of State confirm that, over the current Parliament, the Government will have spent an average of 4.6 per cent. of gross domestic product a year on education, compared to the average of 5 per cent. spent by the previous Conservative Government? Will he confirm that this Government have thus failed to deliver their 1997 manifesto commitment to spend a greater proportion of national income on education than did the 25 last Conservative Government? The right hon. Gentleman has not delivered on that pledge; why should we believe him this time?
Now there are more pledges in the Green Paper published today. There is to be diversity in secondary education, businesses are to take over failing schools, head teachers are to be given greater management freedom from local education authorities. Obviously, we welcome the language and rhetoric of many of the proposals in the Green Paper—at least, those that have been cut and pasted from the Conservative party website—but why should we believe the Secretary of State's pledge on diversity, when he abolished grant-maintained schools? Why should we believe his pledge to bring in businesses to run schools, when the Government have failed to provide that in education action zones? Why should we believe his pledge on freedom for head teachers, when he continues to let local education authorities top-slice money from our schools?
We particularly welcome the right hon. Gentleman's acceptance of a principle we have long advocated: that the private sector should be allowed to take over management of some schools. Will he confirm that he has abandoned his previous dogmatic stance, and that private-sector companies will now be able to make a profit running state schools?
Teachers are bogged down by bureaucracy under this Government. Given his words this afternoon, will the Secretary of State apologise to the teaching profession for the lack of trust that he has shown it over the last four years, for the increased work load he has imposed on it, and for the way in which he has driven tens of thousands of teachers out of the profession?
What is new in the Government's package today? It must be the decision this morning that they suddenly favour selection. All those people—some of whom may well be sitting on the Labour Benches now—who watched the Secretary of State's lips at the 1995 Labour party conference, when he said "No selection by examination or interview", will have been startled by today's announcement. On this issue, the Government are guilty of confusion and cowardice.
Specialist schools are able to select 10 per cent. of their pupils; but the Secretary of State tells Radio 4 that they are not selective. And what of the new national academies for gifted and talented children? Will the Secretary of State tell us how pupils will be selected to attend the national academies, if not by examination or interview or on the basis of aptitude?
Does the Secretary of State agree with the Prime Minister's office, which says that our comprehensive schools today are bog standard? Labour's confusion over selection is obvious. They attack grammar schools, but have brought in selection in the inner cities for the brightest pupils, and will now bring in selection for those who wish to take vocational GCSEs. When will the Government stop their vendetta against grammar schools, and scrap the grammar school ballots?
The Secretary of State has talked today of diversity and choice. Instead, he offers bureaucracy and confusion. What is clear from the details of the statement is that the Government will still be imposing their will on schools. As with the Thunderbirds puppets, the central manipulator will still be obvious.
26 Will the Secretary of State now accept that the only way in which to provide for the freedoms of which he and the Prime Minister speak is to free our schools from the shackles of local education authorities, provide the whole of the funding for each school directly to the school on the basis of a national formula, and set schools free to decide what is right for their pupils, untrammelled by bureaucratic and politically correct interference from central or local government?
Our schools need to draw out and to develop the talents and abilities of every child and to enable each child to develop his full potential. Our aim is to provide the education that is right for every child, but, for that, we need an education system whose hallmarks are excellence, diversity and choice—a system where schools are free to set their own ethos, to maintain it through their admissions policy and to set and to exert discipline; where they receive the whole of their budget direct and are free to spend it in the interests of their pupils; and where teachers are trusted and free to get on with the job of teaching children and raising standards.
The Green Paper does nothing to provide the freedom that our teachers and schools are crying out for. This is not just a bog standard, but a failing Government: they are failing schools, children, teachers and parents. In the interests of our children's future, they should be removed from office as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Blunkett
I am grateful to the Lady Penelope of the Opposition for the warm welcome that she has given to the raising of standards and to the concentration on pupil improvement. I am also grateful for her many suggestions for improving standards in the most deprived parts of the country—I am terribly sorry that I appeared to miss all that last bit of her speech. Instead, we got a diatribe of dogma about taking money away from special needs, from school transport and from school improvement and simply distributing it through the standard spending assessment process. Let me answer one or two of the things that the hon. Lady did ask me.
We are interested in investing in improvement, not in profit. It was sad that the hon. Lady made no additional suggestions about teacher recruitment, which I have requested from her twice in the House in the past month. She made no suggestions for improving the schools that were left to flounder under the previous Government; nor did she welcome the measures that we are introducing via pupil learning credits. Through that process we will ensure that there is greater freedom for those schools that wish to exercise it, rather than imposing it on them. By that means we can also invest in raising the chances of every child, gifted, talented, or with special needs. Instead of commenting on those proposals, we heard a diatribe about structure, questions about profit and abuse of the work that has been going on to raise standards throughout the country.
The hon. Lady compares the position during the depths of the recession in the early 1990s with that of today. Let us compare what we inherited with the position today. Expenditure on education has increased from 4.7 per cent. of national income to 4.96 per cent. We have every intention of ensuring that that expenditure graph rises, as the Prime Minister spelt out this morning, so that, year on year on year, there will be increased funding for schools, which we have not seen for generations, and which will enable teachers to do their job properly.
27 Let me take on the central issue raised by the hon. Lady. The present Government have managed to turn around 650 schools that were on special measures and restore them to sound health. That achievement has been far more effective than anything achieved before. The good teaching, good schooling and better results achieved in those schools have been recognised by the past three reports of successive chief inspectors. That is the measure by which we determine our success. The measures that we use are not the criticisms raised by the hon. Lady, but whether the life chances of children are being improved by our policies.
I challenge the hon. Lady and her colleagues to say whether they would spend the extra £82 million this year, whether they would spend the increased amount on performance-related promotion and whether they would continue the standards fund investment, which is directly aiding those schools, through the excellence in cities programmes. That money does not, however, go directly to the schools and is therefore not covered by the so-called pledge—one of the many pledges that last about three weeks—that Conservative Members have made on school spending, not on education spending. If they will not say that they would spend that money on raising standards in our schools, the Opposition—we shall be meeting them at the general election—will be a bunch of hypocrites, preaching one thing while intending to practise another.
As for the hon. Lady's gibe at the start of her oration, I can say only that 1 am very pleased to be able to combine accountability to the public, whom we serve, with accountability to the House—so that everyone knows what we are proposing and is aware of what the Opposition are not proposing.
§ Mr. Bill O'Brien (Normanton)
I warmly congratulate my right hon. Friend on his statement and the fact that there is a future for education across the country. He is aware that, in mining areas, because of the previous Tory Government's pit closures, we are short of skills and skills training. How will the programme that he has announced today help us to meet the new economy's skills needs, particularly in mining areas?
The diversity that we are seeking at secondary level will not only build on the heritage and commitment to skills in those areas on which the United Kingdom relied economically and for jobs for 150 years, but redesign and regain the commitment to apprenticeship and vocational skills that has been lost in so many areas. Our combination of diversity, academic education and offering youngsters the ability to choose and choose again, so that they can develop themselves through lifelong learning—it is not a matter of "one chance and you're out"—will give children from the age of 14 the opportunity to sample different life opportunities; the ability to decide at that stage which route they wish to take; and the opportunity to be encouraged and enabled in new modern apprenticeships. That will make it possible for them to gain the types of skills on which their fathers and grandfathers relied.
§ Mr. Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough)
The Liberal Democrats sincerely welcome the fact that the Government are putting education at the heart of the next 28 general election. We are also pleased that the Green Paper contains some interesting proposals. We welcome the teaching of sport and music in primary schools, and we certainly welcome more money for extra-curricular activities. We also welcome a review of the 14 to 16-years curriculum, although I ask the Secretary of State to extend that to the 14 to 19-years curriculum. Such a review is urgently needed.
Many of the Government's proposals, however, are muddled, ill thought out and lack reality. Margaret Thatcher was the Secretary of State who introduced the most comprehensive schools in Britain. The current Secretary of State will be remembered as the one who engineered and sounded the death knell of comprehensive education and the introduction of selection. If specialist schools are good enough for four out of 10 schools, why are they not good enough for all of them? Why is the Government's vision so narrow that six out of 10 schools have to comprise a second tier of schools in our system? If specialist schools have to select 10 per cent. of their pupils by aptitude or ability, why have 93 per cent. of existing specialist schools rejected that path? Why does the Secretary of State think that such selection will improve standards? I think that the whole House would like to hear that answer.
We welcome the Secretary of State's admission that there is a crisis not only in teacher recruitment but in teacher retention. However, the type of thinking that holds that money should be provided only for "shortage subjects", without even defining a shortage subject, is very muddled. Religious education is a national curriculum subject, but, in the past 15 years, the full quota of RE teachers—unlike the quota of biology teachers—has never been recruited. However, the debts of students who become biology teachers will be paid, whereas those of students who become RE teachers will not be paid. We therefore need to know how "shortage subject" will be defined and how the Secretary of State will apply the definition in giving those grants.
How will the Secretary of State tell teachers in a staff room—some of whom have had their debts paid off and others not—that we now have an equitable and fair teaching profession? Will he consider the Liberal Democrat proposal of a 100 per cent. training salary for teachers, so that everyone is treated fairly and is guaranteed a job for the first year?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for the welcome at the beginning of his remarks. I agree that the 14 to 19 age range is important, which is why the beginnings of programmes in the secondary school, pre-16 period will be carried forward post-16. That makes a lot of sense and we are working with further education colleges and others to achieve it.
The hon. Gentleman chides me about comprehensive education. It is important to spell out the fact that under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 specialist schools can choose, by aptitude, up to 10 per cent. of their pupils. Actually, the Act rules out any further selection by examination for all schools that do not already have it. The adjudicator has been taking appeals from parents in relation to those schools that did have partial selection. It is important that, in their coverage, the media understand what the law says and what is happening in schools.
Comprehensive schools, to me, are all-ability but not all the same. They are able to provide for the individual needs of pupils. That was the aspiration of Anthony 29 Crosland, and I pay tribute to Susan Crosland, who confirmed that on "The World at One" on Radio 4 today. She welcomed our proposals, which she said were in line with her husband's original intentions in putting forward a system that had diversity, that played to the strengths of pupils and the schools and that did not allow for simple sameness.
I spelled out the specialisms where there are the greatest shortages at the moment. They are the ones, plus English, that have already had the golden hellos. The hon. Gentleman asked what people in a staff room will think when they find that some teachers in shortage subjects have had a golden hello for taking up teaching. I will tell him: they will think what a relief it is that they now have teachers to fill vacancies, lift the work load, teach the children and pick up the specialisms that were in short supply. That is why we are doing it.
§ Mr. Christopher Leslie (Shipley)
I welcome the sensible and non-dogmatic approach to delegating more autonomy to schools. In that respect, will my right hon. Friend say what steps are being taken to reduce the administrative and form-filling burden on teachers, started by the Conservative party?
Apart from completely revising the standards fund formula in terms of its allocation and monitoring, we have reduced the paperwork and administration by two thirds in secondary schools, and by 40 per cent. in primary schools last term. The latter figure was a result of our sending the schools a grammar guide, and I just wish that Opposition parties would follow through their logic. If we are to improve standards and teach phonics, spelling and decent grammar, we must do something about it besides eulogising. We are also putting in place a major reduction in data collection. We will reduce the amount that is asked of schools by other authorities, such as education authorities, Ofsted and the like. We will make sure that the monitoring panel that we have established in the Department does its job of telling us what is and what is not acceptable in schools.
§ Mr. Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks)
If the majority of secondary schools specialise and a minority do not, will it not be time for the Secretary of State to give up the pretence that he is running a comprehensive system? Could he say whether pupils in the remaining non-specialist schools are still entitled to opportunity for all?
We have specialist schools and beacon schools, which, incidentally, also have resources to use in spreading best practice. The new community beacons that I announced today will be a part of that.
We have schools where there are variations and which develop, because of the expertise of particular teachers, an ability to deliver to special needs pupils. Teachers with a particular talent offer after-school and lunchtime programmes in languages such as Greek, and spread those programmes between schools.
A comprehensive system, in my book, does not have some good schools in some leafy suburbs and second-rate schools in other areas served by those who have always had the lousiest deal. It has decent schools for every child, so that those living in the leafy suburbs might, just for once, want to send their children across cities, across 30 boroughs and out of the immediate neighbourhood into schools that have improved so dramatically and have specialisms so attractive that no parent in their right mind would want to eschew them.
§ Mr. Ben Bradshaw (Exeter)
I warmly welcome the extra boost announced today for teacher recruitment and retention. However, will my right hon. Friend say a little more about how he intends to help students already on BEd courses who, as he will be aware, feel that they have missed out on the very generous help being given for postgraduate one-year courses and who are looking for a bit of help from this?
If my hon. Friend looks at paragraph 12 of chapter 5, he will see listed a range of ways in which we might be able to help BEd and BA students who are taking undergraduate courses in education. The options on which I want to consult involve being able to pay students in their fourth year of a four-year course, reaching a point when they might be able to take up the induction year and therefore gain qualified teacher status. We are also looking at students taking up the equivalent of the graduate teacher programme in the fourth year, or taking sufficient modules during the four-year course to have reached the point in the fourth year at which they can take up QT status automatically—apologies to the Gallery, if anyone is still listening, for the jargon.
§ Mr. Michael Fabricant (Lichfield)
They have all gone.
I am not surprised, considering the questions that we have heard from Conservative Members.
We shall combine the above measures with encouraging undergraduates on other courses to sample and enjoy teaching, including taking up paid work as teaching assistants, should the semester and the school term coincide sufficiently well.
§ Sir Peter Emery (East Devon)
Will the Secretary of State realise that much of what he has been doing recently has done nothing for the specialisation of schools in the countryside? I have a letter signed by the right hon. Gentleman, dated just over two weeks ago, in which he praises the additional £52 million for the SAS—[Interruption]—I mean the SSA for the counties. Devon, which is one of the largest counties in the country, gets less than £100,000 out of that £52 million, with £150,000 going to the whole of the west country. The right hon. Gentleman talks about the extra money for the neighbourhood renewal fund being brilliant for Devon. Plymouth—a Labour area—gets £1 million, but there is nothing for Devon and the countryside. This is the Labour party looking after its own, not the countryside.
I do not know about the SAS, but I know a bit about the SSA. We all agree that it needed revising a long time ago and we will do something about it.
I do not want to be ungenerous to the right hon. Gentleman, but in fact Plymouth is not under Labour control, regrettably. We lost it at the last local elections. [Interruption.] I heard the right hon. Gentleman say Plymouth; I am terribly sorry if I misheard him. [HON. MEMBERS: "He did say Plymouth."]
31 Let me put the record straight. This was additional money, on top of the revenue support grant, the standards fund, the building programmes that have been allocated and the nursery education provision for that county and others. The money was provided from Department for Education and Employment resources that we identified, based on the distribution and top-slicing of adult education money and the ability of authorities to reach and deliver their standards agenda.
I am terribly sorry that I could not do more than I did a fortnight ago, but I will continue to do my best to ensure that the schools in the right hon. Gentleman's constituency receive the special grant that they never had when his party were in office.
§ Gillian Merron (Lincoln)
May I welcome my right hon. Friend's statement for its response to the fact that vocational and technical education has been downgraded for too long? As a result, engineering careers, for example, have been difficult to promote positively to young people. Can my right hon. Friend confirm that vocational GCSEs and work-related learning opportunities will become a central part of the education system? Along with closer links between schools and industry, that will ensure that places such as Lincoln receive the bright and talented people whom we need to work in engineering.
I certainly can. That is why the specialist school programme is being expanded to science, engineering and business and enterprise. I pay tribute to the contribution that business and commerce have made both in kind and in support for and direct links with schools. It was disgraceful that the shadow Secretary of State was so disparaging about the efforts made. What a funny twist that was, and what a changed world we live in. I assure my hon. Friend that the work will continue and that the 14-plus programme, helped by the change in the law that we brought about in 1998, will facilitate it.
§ Mr. Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon)
Most of the Secretary of State's statement applies, of course, to England alone, but one area—the relief of repayment of student loans for teachers—has considerable scope for cross-border confusion. Will the right hon. Gentleman clarify the position of those in teacher training colleges in Wales who then teach in England, and of those from teacher training colleges in England who go to teach in Wales? Has some understanding been reached with the Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning in Cardiff, Jane Davidson; and can the Secretary of State clarify the situation?
Yes, I am happy to do so. The cost will be met from central funds, not by the Welsh Assembly, and that will facilitate decision making for the young people to whom the right hon. Gentleman referred.
§ Mr. Jeremy Corbyn (Islington, North)
Does the Secretary of State recognise that many parents in inner urban areas are strongly committed to the principle of universal comprehensive education? Many inner London boroughs have a serious problem because the remaining grammar schools and selective schools in outer London 32 diminish the number of able children who go to inner city schools. Will my right hon. Friend renew his commitment to comprehensive education? Instead of promoting the idea of 10 per cent. selectivity in specialist schools, will he reduce selectivity so that we end up with the universal comprehensive system that would be the best possible support for inner city schools?
I thought that I had already done that. The introduction to the Green Paper calls for embracing without reservation the principles of inclusion and equality of opportunity on which comprehensives were founded". I repeat that this afternoon. We have every intention of ensuring that where parents want change, they can use the adjudicator system to trigger it. In the case of selective schools using the old 11-plus, parents will have the opportunity to do that too. The main task that I set myself four years ago was to transform the schools, in which too many children found themselves, that were called comprehensive, but were comprehensive in name only.
§ Mr. Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire)
In reflecting on his four years, the Secretary of State will have noted the answer given to the House a few weeks ago by the Minister for School Standards on allocations to local authorities. Can he tell us why Sheffield and Derby receive £2,500 for a primary pupil, but the county of Derbyshire receives only £2,300? Do the allocations have anything to do with who the Cabinet Ministers are?
If that did have anything to do with Cabinet Ministers, it would relate to the previous Government's Cabinet, not the present Government's. The system used for distribution of revenue support grant is the system that we inherited. We have done our best to ensure, through the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, that the system is put right. Direct funding to schools, the standards fund, the new funds for nursery provision and the funds allocated for building programmes make matters not worse, but better. Had we put those resources directly into the SSAs, Derbyshire's relative position would have been a great deal worse.
§ Mr. David Watts (St. Helens, North)
What assessment has been made of the excellence in cities project and of its effect on increasing standards? Will he confirm that the education SSA system will be reviewed and changed next year?
On my hon. Friend's second question, which picks up on the one put by the hon. Member for West Derbyshire (Mr. McLoughlin), our Green Paper was issued last year and we have been holding consultations on it. By the summer, we shall be making decisions on a revised system of SSA distribution.
There has been a dramatic improvement in schools in excellence in cities areas; the youth cohort study showed improvements of 10 per cent. for youngsters from black and Asian households and of 7 per cent. for those from white, working-class households, as compared with the rest of the country.
§ Mr. John Wilkinson (Ruislip-Northwood)
I welcome the Secretary of State's commitment to expand Church 33 schools. Bishop Ramsey Church of England school in my constituency is excellent. Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that, in outer London, which he classifies as the leafy suburbs, there are considerable problems in the exercise of the real choice to which he pays lip service and makes obeisance? Will he do something to make certain that parents in my constituency really have the chance to get their child into the school of their choice? The fact is that not only the Church schools, but the foundation schools, are so good that local children are being flooded out by an inflow from across the borough boundaries.
I inherited a difficult problem: the inability of parents to get a place for their children at the schools closest to where they live. Sometimes that was because of selection; sometimes it was because of inherited admissions decisions. That is why we introduced a revised code, and set up independent tribunals so that parents could appeal to an external arbiter. That is why we expanded schools—especially in the infant and primary range—to ensure that more parents obtained their choice. Improving the quality of education is the only answer, if we are not to squeeze out those who do not know the ropes, who do not have a loud enough voice or who have not been able to use the admissions system to get their children into the school of their choice.
§ Mr. Gordon Marsden (Blackpool, South)
I thank my right hon. Friend for his statement and for his proposed expansion of specialist schools, in whose number I hope that the Blackpool Collegiate high school—currently preparing a bid for sports college status—may be included. What resources does my right hon. Friend think he may be able to allocate to non-specialist secondary schools, so that subjects such as history, geography and citizenship, all of which need promotion, receive the right resources, so as to enable the expression of diversity of choice across the whole sector?
That will be done by ensuring that, first, should the Collegiate school obtain sports status, it can share it with neighbouring schools, to increase the excellence of the athletes and gymnasts of Blackpool who will welcome us to a triumphant party conference in a couple of years. Secondly, the programmes that we have set in train—the excellence clusters that are reaching out to other parts of the country—will ensure that the resources for learning support units, for mentors and for the programme for gifted and talented children will be extended in the way that I want. I hope that whoever is in my job in a few years will have been able to ensure that those measures and that investment—over and above the amount that schools would have received and thus vulnerable to the election of a Tory Government—have been put in place.
§ Sandra Gidley (Romsey)
I would be among the first to welcome the greater diversity offered by specialist schools—I welcome the increase in their number—but the reality is that, increasingly, parents can send their children only to the local school. Their offspring may be budding sports stars, but they might be stuck in an area where the specialist school is one for languages—excellent though that may be. Are we not introducing a postcode lottery for education?
No, we clearly are not, but I understand that the Liberal Democrats are committed to reversing the Greenwich judgment.
§ Mr. Willis
The Liberal Democrat spokesman agrees in his usual cheerful way. However, if the Greenwich judgment were overturned, people would be confined within their postcode areas and they would not have the choice to move across the boundaries.
§ Mr. Hilary Benn (Leeds, Central)
Given that comprehensive schools have played a major part in raising standards of pupil achievement in the past 30 years, and although I recognise that we can do even better, may I urge my right hon. Friend to give particular encouragement to comprehensive schools serving the most deprived inner city communities to seek specialist status where they wish to do so?
The answer is an unequivocal yes. Under the excellence in cities initiative, we have deliberately supported and worked with schools to do that. My intention has always been that city academies and specialist schools should be targeted and resources provided precisely to lift the standing, the status and the achievement of the schools that need that particular boost; they can then share it with their communities.
§ Mr. Fabricant
I welcome those statements, which come straight from Conservative party policy—even though they were delayed because of the dreadful activities of the right hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson) on Thursday—but what can the Secretary of State do to make people in Staffordshire believe that anything he says now is not a promise today and no jam at all tomorrow? A promise was made in 1997 that the Government would spend more money per capita as a proportion of GDP on education—they have not. They made promises in 1997 to raise the SSA in Staffordshire within a year of forming a Labour Government; we still languish second from bottom.
There has been a £300 increase in per pupil funding—£700 by the end of the spending review period—and the commitment to increase the amount spent on Staffordshire's schools has been met, ensuring that the buildings are repaired, that technology is installed and that teachers are better paid.
§ Fiona Mactaggart (Slough)
The Secretary of State has referred to comprehensive schools that, in practice, are not comprehensive. I wonder what the statement offers to areas such as mine, where we have so-called comprehensive schools and an 11-plus exam? We have four grammar schools and five secondary schools. How will the Green Paper provide extra opportunities and diversity in places that still retain selection?
Yes, in the Green Paper is a proposal, which I want to exemplify in the weeks ahead, to provide substantial additional resources for schools in such circumstances that are prepared to co-operate in sharing staff and facilities and in facilitating the integration of their pupils. In that way we can encourage the schools that have a traditional selection process at 11 to give all children the life chance that they are denied if they are excluded from excellence by an examination at one point in their lives.
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text:
The Beeping Brothers' Road to Success
by Scott Leroy Chally
by M.L. Moyer
The Dragon and the Rose Chronicles
by Robert M. Lorenz
The Witches of Riegersburg
by Julie Anne Stratton
Teddy Roosevelt, Millie and the Elegant Ride
by Jean M. Flahive
The Senator's Daughters
by JC Graham
Grandma's Halloween Stories
by Joan Tenner
Are Your Kids Naked Online?
by Chris Good and Lisa Good
The Vapours
by Mr Selwyn Jeffers
Shockwave: The Battle for Earth
by Hammer Trollkin
Straight Uphill
by Jess Wells
Something Else Entirely
by Donna Lee Davis
What Game Are You Playing?
by Robin Moriarty, PhD
The Mysterious Phone Call
by Brian O'Dell & Beth Lauderdale
Molls Like It Hot
by Darren Dash
by Thomas O'Brien
Pumpkin's Kitties
by J.L. Humphreys
Snow Girls
by Irene Petrucci
Purposeful Evolution
by Ron Deming
All The Way Home
by Felicia Hsu
What You Don't Know Can Kill You
by Meghan Hansen
Contact Author - Meghan Hansen
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Reviewed by Lesley Jones for Readers' Favorite
As children grow, they adopt their view of the world from their surroundings. By the time we reach adulthood, most of us learn to form our own opinions but are these factual or accurate? In What You Don't Know Can Kill You by Meghan Hansen, we learn the good and bad sides of how the human mind can be persuaded, coerced and sometimes even hypnotized to hold certain beliefs. Sometimes for good but also to incite hatred and bias. These methods of mind control have been used throughout history, but how did these notorious dictators manage to brainwash others to perform unthinkable actions? Are there certain types of people that are more prone to becoming victims of mind control? The strategies used by Hitler, Jim Jones, David Koresh, Donald Trump, and even ISIS are broken down and examined for any similarities. We discover if they shared any personality traits or patterns of behavior, so we might spot the warnings signs for ourselves and not become one more victim in the history books of dictatorship. Joseph Goebbels: "If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it."
What You Don't Know Can Kill You by Meghan Hansen is a spine-chilling read and a well-researched look into the psyche of the human mind. I think many of us would not believe we are susceptible to mind control, but it is shocking to learn the tactics used throughout history to gain such horrendous results. The similarities of behavior, personality traits and the wording of certain speeches are a must-read for anyone. I was especially moved by the speech given by Jim Jones. This is an extremely detailed in-depth examination of the methods used to manipulate people. The revelations are not only a warning not to take any information at face value but also an invaluable insight into mind control in general. The references for further reading were a great addition. The subject matter of this book will stay with me for a long time. I think it is impossible not to question your belief system once you have read this. A book that will hopefully bring people closer together and not divide certain groups in our society because of malicious intentions.
Gisela Dixon
What You Don't Know Can Kill You by Meghan Hansen is a non-fiction book in which Meghan delves into the psychology of hypnosis and, especially, mass hypnosis which has been used historically in mass movements and developments of cults. In this book, Meghan starts off with a detailed introduction to the subject that explains what this book is about, its organization and main themes, an introduction to hypnosis and brainwashing, certain categories of people and youth who are particularly susceptible to this, the warning signs and what to watch out for, deprogramming, and examples of people who have used this technique. The book is then divided into several chapters on notorious figures such as Adolf Hitler, Jim Jones, Donald Trump, ISIS or Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, to name a few, and how they made use of this. At the end of each chapter is a list of links and references.
I liked reading What You Don't Know Can Kill You and thought there was a lot of truth and sense in Meghan's analysis of this phenomenon. As a society, we are all highly conditioned with thoughts and ideas of everything around us and cult leaders, infamous religious leaders, and extremists of all kinds have successfully made use of this fact. I liked how Meghan decodes this puzzle and lays out clear facts that show how hypnosis, persuasion, and conversion work and also presents solutions to "deprogram" ourselves and be aware of this fact. Her recap of these deprogramming strategies at the conclusion of this book is very useful. Meghan's straightforward and fact-based writing style makes this a worthwhile read. It is a must-read in a world of increasing extremism and violence and so I would highly encourage everyone to read it.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Is Website For Businesses Relevant?
Nowadays technology has really developed, and you will find that many people are using the internet quite a lot. Most people tend to shop online as it is very easy and it tends to save time and money that you could have used when hustling your way to a store. This has led to many businesses choosing to open their own website in order to increase their sale.it is usually important for a business owner to keep up with the competition by making sure that your website stands out from the rest. Keep in mind that that if you do not open up a website of your own, you might end up losing clients who prefer shopping online. Explore more wisdom about websites for business, read more here. The good thing about a website is that one does not only focus on their old clients, but they will also be able to attract new customers to your site. People are usually advised to ensure that their website is easy to navigate through because if clients end up having a hard time going through the site, they might end up choosing to move on to something else meaning you lose a client. Another thing is that the website should also be fast in loading because clients tend to not have the patience and most of them will not wait for the pages to load and that an end up affecting your sales. To remark the understanding about websites for business, click here. In order to make clients trust your business, ensure that your basic information is on the first page and also the business contact that they can use to reach you is also there. With such information there, they will feel comfortable doing business with you as they are assured that if anything happens, they if there is a problem with their package or there is delay, or they want to change the shipment information, they can be able to contact you with so much ease without having to worry. Increase your knowledge about web design tips through visiting https://www.huffingtonpost.com/melinda-emerson/small-business-advice_b_3826366.html.
If you have no knowledge when it comes to developing your own website, then you should think about finding a good web development company that can help you out. Never be in a rush when choosing such a company so that you can be assured that you are choosing a company that has skills, knowledge, and experience when it comes to web development. Ensure that you choose a company which has a good reputation in the industry so that you do not end up being disappointed by their work at the end of the day.
There are certain things that one must have especially when they have a business. One of which is a website. Always remember that if you don't have one then you are most likely missing out on a lot of things. With the help of a website that it is your business that will be able to utilize different marketing strategies in order for the business to grow. You need to see to it that you will know where your customers are. It is also important for the customers to also know how to contact you if they need any of your products or services. All of these things can be done with the help of a website. And that is why in this article that we will be talking about the many different advantages that one will get once they will be opting to have a website for their business. Examine the knowledge that we shared now!
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Every business has its establishment dates and this establishment day eyes future developments where the business would have recorded growth and development. There are modern ways through which a business can help forge development and growth especially in this modernized era. Therefore, you need to consider having a website that will help create awareness to the global audiences and have them buying your service or products. Website for businesses is highly essential and effective. Apart from availing fundamental information about your business, a website acts as your ecommerce store where there are no restrictions in time or location. This websites are cheap to have the m developed and you will only identify a web designer who will design something tremendous and attractive for your business. Below are some reasons why you need to have a website designed for your business. For more information about the websites for business, follow the link http://fromdev.com/2018/07/is-shared-web-hosting-plan-right.html.
First, a business website is essential as all your clients will be overly expecting that you avail one. Basically, majority of the people would wish to trade on your official website rather than viusiting your store. Also, where visiting the physical store is inevitable; this website helps avail relevant information about your whereabouts and the nature of your business. The modernized generations are digital savvy and where you miss a website, they will always seek for an alternative that has a website. Visit the official site to learn more information about websites for business.
A website can be a social proof that your services and products are of good quality and that your business is reliable. Today, newbie clients will always rely on testimonials and reviews availed on your business website before establishing dealerships with you whatsoever. Therefore, having a website designed and availed for your business enables you to attract new customers and clients who are after the testimonials and makes it possible to incorporate customer reviews and testimonials as well.
Remember, business is bedrock of competition and every other business out there wants to top on the list. These businesses or competitors have their websites already and it's appropriate that you generate yours as well. Majority of the prospective buyers will get referrals from their friends, family members or even from social media platforms like Face book. Therefore, ensure to participate in the competition through having your business website designed. Buyers will always buy what you ever if they acknowledge that you are highly competitive. Seek more info about web design tips at https://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-ivanovs/essentials-for-designing_b_12531482.html.
The above are just but a few fundamental reasons why you need a website. Basically, there is need to direct your business into the right trajectories that are overly accepted today. There is no doubt that a website will work best for your business and it will overly expand the territories.


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The man behind one of the most familiar voices in South Dakota sports broadcasting will be at the Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre on April 10.
Mike Henriksen has interviewed many people in the 40 years he has been a radio sports broadcaster in South Dakota. He hosts the radio show Sportsmax and has been a voice of state high school sports events for South Dakota Public Broadcasting.
Henriksen has put 15 of the stories as told to him into print in "First Person: Legendary Sports Stories." He will talk about the book at 7 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, April 10, at the Cultural Heritage Center as part of the History and Heritage Book Club sponsored by the South Dakota Historical Society Foundation.
The program is free and everyone is welcome to attend.
Henriksen's goal for the book was that it would include a mixture of cultures, geographic areas of the state, involvement in sports, and the well-known and lesser-known.
Subjects include Jim Thompson, who describes how the De Smet Farm Mutual ads came into being; American Indian basketball player turned musician Frank Waln; and former Rapid City Journal sports editor Roger Toland.
Henriksen will tell about his career in broadcasting, how the book came about and what was memorable about the people included in the book during his program at the Cultural Heritage Center.
"First Person: Legendary Sports Stories" is sold at the Heritage Stores at the Cultural Heritage Center and the Capitol.
South Dakota Historical Society Foundation is a private charitable nonprofit that seeks funding to assist the South Dakota State Historical Society in programming and projects to preserve South Dakota's history and heritage for future generations.


Pat McKeough responded to a Member of his Inner Circle who had a question about one of Canada's largest distributors of food products.
After a successful spinoff two years ago, this stock has now completed a major acquisition.
Q: Pat, can you please comment on Premium Brands? Thank you.
ANDREW PELLER LTD. (Toronto symbols ADW.A $18 and ADW.B $18; Conservative Growth Payer Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 42.6 million; Market cap: $766.8 million; Dividend yield: 1.0%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.andrewpeller.com) is Canada's second-largest wine producer.


MITRE is a not-for-profit organization that operates research and development centers sponsored by the federal government. MITRE operates FFRDCs—federally funded research and development centers—which are unique organizations that assist the United States government with scientific research and analysis, development and acquisition, and systems engineering and integration. MITRE also has an independent research program that explores new and expanded uses of technologies to solve its sponsors' problems.


TREVOR SIEMIAN will be handed the keys to the Super Bowl champions' offence tonight with the simple message: "Don't screw it up".
Denver will turn to the little-known quarterback, 24, as the surprise successor to Peyton Manning in the NFL's season opener — and Super Bowl rematch — at home to Carolina.
Siemian was almost an after-thought pick in the final round of last year's draft and did not throw a single pass as Manning led the Broncos to their big title before retiring.
Even Siemian admitted he did not expect to be drafted after a low-key college career, but he did enough in pre-season to see off veteran Mark Sanchez and new recruit Paxton Lynch, the tallest quarterback in the league at 6ft 7in.
Now he takes over from a gridiron legend, but with coach Gary Kubiak expecting him to play another low-key role.
The Broncos know they still have the most fearsome defence in the league and can let Siemian take his time in learning the system. As long as he makes few mistakes, they can stay on the title trail again.
The Panthers will be hoping to knock Siemian off course, though, as they bid to erase the memory of a near-perfect 2015 season that was derailed in Super Bowl L in San Francisco.
Quarterback Cam Newton and his high-scoring offence were all but strangled by the ferocious Von Miller and Co, and they know they face a similar challenge tonight.
Denver and Carolina will be among the favourites for the Super Bowl in Houston next February but I see Arizona — last year's nearly men — and New England as the teams to beat.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has a major chip on his shoulder as he starts the season with a four-game ban from the Deflategate controversy, while the Cardinals have the best-balanced team in the league.
2016 PREDICTIONS: Division winners – AFC: East, New England; North, Pittsburgh; South, Houston; West, Denver. Wild cards, Cincinnati, Indianapolis. NFC: East, Washington; North, Green Bay; South, New Orleans; West, Arizona. Wild cards, Seattle, Carolina. AFC Championship game: New England v Pittsburgh. NFC Championship game: Arizona v Green Bay. SUPER BOWL: Arizona 24, New England 20.


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Women Gather provides monthly volunteer opportunities in Los Angeles for women who want to make an impact in their communities.
We're a group of passionate women with a heart to serve the city of Los Angeles.
We provide monthly volunteer opportunities for women who want to make an impact in their communities.
Are you a non-profit looking for volunteers? Want to get involved in your community but don't know where to start?


David @ 360 Degree Fitness: How are you sleeping?
One question that I always ask clients when they first start with me (and ongoing over the time we train together too) is how are you sleeping?
It is not just a question to fill in the time while resting between exercises, it is an important one to be asking. How often do you think about your sleep? Do you think about it at all?
Sleep is a vital component of a training program. It is the time when our body refreshes itself, rebuilds itself. If you are going through a phase where you are trying to build muscle, it isn't when you are lifting the weights in the gym that you build muscle, it is when you recover after those lifting sessions.
The training helps to break the muscle down so that when we rest and the body rebuilds the muscle, it rebuilds it bigger (if following the correct program) and stronger.
Quality of sleep can also influence your success if trying to lose weight. It does this in a couple of different ways. Firstly, a lack of sleep can influence your cortisol levels. Cortisol is a hormone that can impact our appetite. So it is important to help the body to help us - get a good nights sleep on a regular basis to help keep cortisol levels in a healthy range.
Secondly, we tend to make worse food choices when we are tired. If we are exhausted, making a healthy meal at home is difficult compared to picking up that bucket of fried chicken from the drive through on the way home from work. So again, help yourself make good decisions, get some sleep!
Sleep also plays a big part in our mental health. Often when we have big issues on our minds the first thing we notice is that we either can't get to sleep or our sleep is broken. When we are tired from a lack of quality sleep, everything seems harder in life, just getting up in the morning can be one of the hardest things to do!
It is important to notice how we are sleeping on a regular basis, keep a sleep journal if you want to be serious about it, but even just asking yourself "how have I been sleeping recently?" every few months is a useful exercise.
In terms of recovering from injuries sleep is incredibly important. Firstly, fatigue and pain are interlinked. The more fatigued you are, the more pain seems to be prevalent, and vice versa. When you are in serious pain it can easily disrupt sleep. These two interplaying scenarios can lead to both increased pain and increased fatigue, which tend to make people irritable and frustrated. Not ideal situations when trying to rehabilitate an injury, especially a serious one.
So when was the last time you had a serious look at how you sleep? It plays a much more important role than you might think.
Rest easy...some sleep tips for you to try.


text:
Sidebar: Tech Specs: PCI Bandwidth by the Numbers
Sidebar: Is InfiniBand Ready for a Comeback?
Emerging technologies update
Sidebar: PC Design: The Shape of Things to Come?
I/O Moves Into The Express Lane
By Robert L. Mitchell
As PC microprocessors pass the 3-GHz clock-speed mark and Gigabit Ethernet begins its move onto the corporate desktop, it's easy to forget that the typical expansion bus in desktops sold today still runs on 11-year-old technology.
The 32-bit, 33-MHz Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus specification, which debuted in 1992, remains the standard. PCI supports an aggregate bandwidth of just 133MB/sec. (1Gbit/sec.), and that bandwidth must be shared among all devices on its multidrop bus. "I/O has moved at an anemic pace," says Tom Bradicich, chief technology officer for IBM's xSeries server line.
An emerging I/O standard, PCI Express, is about to speed things up. The current specification, supported by the PCI-SIG vendor consortium and promoted heavily by Intel Corp., succeeds PCI's parallel bus design with a high-speed, point-to-point serial interconnect technology that Intel and others say will be both faster and more reliable. It will deliver an aggregate bandwidth ranging from 5Gbit/sec. (500MB/sec.) to 160Gbit/sec. (16GB/sec.). And because it's serial, the technology will work more efficiently with other emerging high-speed serial technologies such as Serial ATA and InfiniBand. It will also offer hot-plug and hot-swap support and enable direct peer-to-peer communication between attached devices without involving the processor chip set.
But PCI-SIG isn't just promoting PCI Express as a desktop PCI expansion bus replacement. The consortium is positioning it as a general-purpose I/O technology for desktops, workstations and servers that will also speed internal chip-to-chip and graphics adapters. Intel plans to release a PCI Express chip set for servers, code-named Lindenhurst, early next year, with a PC chip set to quickly follow.
On the desktop, the first PCI Express add-in devices are likely to be graphics chips because the Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) standard has run out of gas, says Jim Pappas, director of technology initiatives for Intel's enterprise platform group. "All new graphics development [beyond AGP 8X] is being done on PCI Express," he says, noting that the first graphics products could be available by early next year.
Although vendors generally view a migration to serial I/O technology as inevitable, PCI Express' near-term prospects beyond high-end graphics are less clear. IT managers say desktops don't yet need the extra I/O bandwidth. "People are not taxing the equipment they have," says Scott Newton, director of IT at Otis Spunkmeyer Inc. in San Leandro, Calif.
PCI Express also represents a fundamental technology shift in that its physical interfaces, which include desktop expansion slots, a new PC Card format (code-named Newcard) and Mini PCI Express slots, won't accept existing PCI devices.
In the server world, where I/O bandwidth is more of an issue, PCI Express faces competition from enhanced versions of the PCI bus standard, including the emerging, 2GB/sec. PCI-X 2.0, due out later this year. But vendors are split on whether to stay on the PCI-X road for backward compatibility or go directly to PCI Express.
"We are focused on PCI-X 2.0 in the 2004-2005 time frame. It provides improvements in performance and backward compatibility for investment protection," says David Heisey, manager of advanced technology at Hewlett-Packard Co. IBM's Bradicich agrees that the current PCI specification "does not comprehend the requirements for servers in the enterprise."
But Jimmy Pike, director of server architecture at Dell Computer Corp., says his company plans to pass on PCI-X 2.0. "Everybody is already admitting that there is some reasonably short life to the stuff they're putting on PCI-X 2.0. Your investment is better protected with PCI Express," he says.
The issue may be decided by chip-set makers, since the use of PCI Express internally makes deploying the technology for external I/O devices easier.
"Whoever is providing the chip sets will determine whether PCI Express will appear in systems," predicts Bradicich. Intel dominates the desktop market. Santa Clara, Calif.-based ServerWorks Inc. has the lion's share of the server market, and it plans to focus on PCI-X 2.0 chip sets, says Virkam Karvat, director of marketing at the Broadcom Corp. subsidiary. He doesn't expect to see PCI Express in servers until 2005, which is when Bradicich says IBM plans to include it in the xSeries line.
Even then, PCI isn't likely to go away anytime soon, which means IT will be managing yet another I/O interface.
Motherboard of Invention
While servers have adopted faster versions of PCI, most desktop vendors have stayed with the original standard because, outside of graphics, desktops haven't been I/O bound.
Once users need the bandwidth, PCI Express could take off because Intel's dominance in PC chip sets gives it the power to push PCI Express into the majority of desktops, says Bert McComas, an analyst at InQuest Market Research in Higley, Ariz. "Since it's on the motherboard, [vendors will] wire it up to a slot or two or three," he says.
Chuck Stancil, a technical staff member in HP's personal systems group, agrees that desktops will eventually go to PCI Express. The question is when.
PCI Express will gain a foothold in 2004 by replacing the AGP graphics slot, enabling faster high-end graphics and streaming video applications on desktops. But its use for general-purpose I/O could be much further out.
Nathan Brookwood, an analyst at Insight64 in Saratoga, Calif., predicts that other high-performance I/O applications will come once systems are equipped to take advantage of them. And one application is already here. "Gigabit Ethernet really can saturate a desktop PCI bus. To get around that, vendors are doing all sorts of funny, ad hoc solutions," Brookwood says.
Tony Pierce, chairman of PCI-SIG, says he expects Gigabit Ethernet will become standard in desktop systems within 12 to 18 months, which could give PCI Express some momentum.
The technology will likely phase in slowly, though. "There isn't a compelling reason to ditch PCI slots, which are dirt cheap," and replace them with PCI Express, says Stancil. And though vendors say PCI Express ultimately will be less expensive to deploy, the need to support both PCI and PCI Express means that early hybrid machines are likely to be more costly. Without a compelling need, the complexity, compatibility and cost issues could leave many organizations on the sidelines.
IN-THE-BOX I/O
Where PCI Express Fits
PCI Express, designed as a general-purpose I/O technology, could replace the proprietary "mezzanine bus" communication technologies used for internal, chip-to-chip communications, as well as AGP for graphics I/O and PCI for expansion cards. For hard disk drive I/O, ATA technology will migrate to its own serial standard, called Serial ATA, and will access the I/O hub in the chip set directly \[see "Serial ATA Takes on SCSI."
Source: Intel Corp.
Robert L. Mitchell writes on a wide range of topics, including analytics, emerging technologies, green IT and data centers.


text:
Unidentified drones reappear over Paris during night
February 25 2015 14:15:00
PARIS - Agence France-Presse
An aerial file photo taken on January 11, 2015 shows the Eiffel Tower in Paris. At least five drones were spotted flying over central Paris landmarks during the night and police were unable to catch the operators, sources close to the probe said on February 24, 2015. AFP Photo
Unidentified drones flew over Paris for a second night in a row, police said Feb. 25, in the latest mystery appearance of unmanned aircraft over the French capital at a time of high security.
The latest sightings follow a series of drone spottings at French atomic plants last year and, more recently over the presidential palace and a bay in Brittany that houses nuclear submarines.
Authorities have been left scratching their heads as they remain unable to catch any of the operators or determine whether the flyovers are the work of pranksters, tourists or something more malicious.
Flying drones over the French capital is banned by law, and the latest sightings come at a time of heightened vigilance following last month's jihadist attacks.
A police source told AFP that witnesses and security forces reported at least five sightings overnight Tuesday to Wednesday over central Paris -- that may have been the same drone or several.
The tiny aircraft were spotted near the US embassy, not far from the Invalides military museum, the Eiffel Tower and several major thoroughfares leading in and out of the French capital, the source added.
Police had already been trying to find out who was behind the appearance of an estimated five separate drone flights over similar areas of Paris the previous night.
"Is it a game? Scouting for future operations? The investigation will show us," a Parisian police chief said Tuesday.
Authorities were first alerted to mystery drone flyovers in October, when state-run power company EDF filed a complaint with police after detecting the small unmanned aerial vehicles zipping over seven atomic plants.
The sightings continued into November, and altogether some 20 flyovers took place over nuclear plants. Their operators were never found.
In October, a 24-year-old Israeli tourist spent a night in jail and was slapped with a 400-euro ($450) fine for flying a drone above the Notre Dame cathedral.
Then on January 20, a pilotless aircraft briefly went over the presidential palace in Paris, not long after jihadist attacks left 17 people dead and put the country on high alert.
With many more police are troops out on the streets, drone sightings may be more likely.
"Many sensitive sites are protected and from now on we are asking law enforcement to have an eye on the sky as well," said a police source.
At the end of January, small drones were also spotted near a bay in Brittany that houses four nuclear submarines -- one of the most protected sites in the country.
French law prohibits small civilian drones from sensitive areas such as nuclear facilities, which are protected by a no-fly zone that spans a 2.5-kilometre (1.6-mile) radius and a height of 1,000 metres.
Faced with the difficulty of intercepting drones and their operators, France has launched a one-million-euro programme aimed at developing ways of detecting them.
The pilotless aircraft come in all shapes and sizes, and have a variety of uses, from military applications to surveillance, filmmaking, sports, disaster relief and scientific research.
The most basic unmanned aircraft are radio-controlled by someone nearby, but other more sophisticated models can be pre-programmed and the operator can be miles away.


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Eastern Depot or Eastern Bureau () was a Ming dynasty spy and secret police agency run by eunuchs. It was created by the Yongle Emperor.

History
After the Yongle Emperor usurped the throne in 1402 from his nephew, the Jianwen Emperor, he attempted to retain the officials who served in Jianwen's court, but some of them opposed him. In 1420, in order to suppress political opposition, Yongle decided to create the Eastern Depot (named as such because it was located east of the imperial palace), a spy and secret police agency run by eunuchs. They were responsible for spying on officials of any rank, including military officers, scholars, rebels and the general populace. The Eastern Depot would investigate and arrest suspects, and then hand them over to the Jinyiwei for interrogation. In the late Ming dynasty, the Eastern Depot had its own tactical forces and prisons, and became so powerful that even officials were ordered to kowtow to the Depot's leaders. The Eastern Depot lasted to 1644, the end of the Ming Dynasty. There was also a government department called the Western Depot (Xichang) established by the Chenghua Emperor in 1477, originally to search for witches, but became a rival to the Eastern Depot; it lasted, except for an interval from 1482 to 1506, until 1510. A third security apparatus, created to counter the two depots and the Jinyiwei, was called the Inner Branch Depot (Neixingchang) and lasted from about 1505, in the reign of the Zhengde Emperor, also until 1510. The Inner Branch Depot was briefly reestablished sometime during the long reign of the Wanli Emperor.

Famous chiefs of the Eastern Depot
Wang Zhen
Liu Jin

Wei Zhongxian

References

See also
Transitional Justice Commission#Eastern Depot scandal

Government of the Ming dynasty
Chinese eunuchs
1420 establishments in Asia
Chinese warriors
Chinese intelligence agencies

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


November through June. For specific water conditions and marine life encounters, please go to the individual destination page by using the drop down destination menu at the top of any page.
Once our guests arrive on the boat they will be assigned their room and dive station. They will then remove their dive gear from their dive bags and put it in their assigned dive station. They will also unpack their dry clothes and toiletries in their rooms. Both their dive bag and luggage will be stored in our dry storage area throughout the remainder of the trip. The boat departs harbor at 4:00PM.
The boat will arrive at the first dive site around 4:00PM on the next day, and our guests will have the opportunity to do 1 or 2 dives the first day at the Socorro Islands. Every day after that we schedule 4 dives per day. The only exception to that is when we dive Roca Partida because the diving at this location is deeper and, therefore, we limit the diving to 3 dives for safety considerations. We cannot give you a more specific diving schedule because the captain goes where diving conditions are best, but under normal conditions each 9 to 11 days trip includes 5 to 7 1/2 days of diving and the opportunity to do about 20-22 to 27-29 dives. After the last full day of diving at the Socorro Islands and after the last dive of the day we start our return back to harbor. The boat returns to harbor around 8:00PM or 9:00PM and our guests will spend their last night on the boat in harbor.
After breakfast on the last date of the trip, our guests will disembark the boat by no later than 9:00AM. If their flights depart in the morning or early afternoon, then our guests will go directly from the boat to the airport and our representative in Cabo San Lucas will help them procure transportation paid via cash then. If their flights depart in the mid to late afternoon then they can be transported to our host hotel, The Bahia Hotel & Beach House, at no additional charge. The Bahia Hotel & Beach House welcome our guests to relax and use their facilities free of charge, provided they purchase food and beverage during their time there. The concierge at the hotel will help to procure paid transportation from the hotel to the airport when the time arrives for their departure.
*ASK ABOUT OUR BUNDLE PACKAGE WITH ONE & ONLY, CABO'S MOST EXCLUSIVE RESORT. VIP TRANSPORTATION AND TOP OF THE LINE SPA TREATMENT TO RELAX AFTER YOUR VORTEX TRIP.
WHAT AIRLINES FLY THERE AND TO WHAT AIRPORT?
The international airport for our home port in Cabo San Lucas where our Socorro Islands trips depart from is San Jose del Cabo, Mexico (airport code SJD). This is the same airport used by all visitors to the Los Cabos area. It is about a 45 minute drive from the airport to Cabo San Lucas. Most major U.S. airlines fly directly into this airport. In general, the airlines to check out are Alaska, American, Aero Mexico, Delta, Continental, United and Southwest Airlines. There are other airlines and many direct flights from gateway cities such as Los Angeles, San Diego, Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Atlanta, Denver, Chicago and New York (out of Newark on Continental) so you can start from anywhere and get to us quite easily through these gateway cities. There are also convenient connections through San Francisco, Portland and Seattle, to name just a few.
*FOR THE COMFORT OF OUR EUROPEAN GUESTS, TUI AIRLINES JUST STARTED THE FIRST NON-STOP FLIGHT FROM FRANKFURT TO CABO.
WHAT TRAVEL DOCUMENTS DO I NEED FOR IMMIGRATION?
As of January 2016, all U.S. citizens require a valid passport for travel in and out of Mexico. You will be asked to fill out a tourist card upon entering the country and present this to the immigration officials in Mexico. For other nationalities, you should ask your airline or call the Mexican Consulate in your country. With so many recent changes to travel policies and requirements, these requirements are subject to change so check before you begin your travel plans. For our Guadalupe Trips you will arrive to San Diego, California and then escorted by our staff in an air conditioned coach to Ensenada, Mexico via Tijuana. Our staff will assist you with your tourist visa when crossing at the border in Tijuana but you must have a valid passport in your possession.
Upon reservation confirmation, we will send you a pre-trip information sheet. If you do not receive it, please ask us for it. This will describe arrival procedures. Basically, for the Socorro Islands arrivals into San Jose Del Cabo airport, once you clear Mexican immigration and collect your bags from the luggage carousel, you will proceed through customs. After clearing customs, if our office has arranged for your pre-paid transportation in advance, then just outside the terminal please look for a representative holding a sign which reads "Cabo Seasons", our local transport company. Give that person your name and they will take it from there. If you are handling your own transportation into Cabo San Lucas, then look for the "Authorized Taxi" sign inside the terminal where you can purchase shuttle tickets to the hotel where you are staying. If you are arriving the same day the boat departs you MUST arrange pre-paid transportation through our office in advance. However, we strongly advise you arrive one day before departure. It is about a 45 minute ride into Cabo San Lucas. On the day of departure, we provide complimentary pick-up at The Bahia Hotel & Beach House. We ask that you be in the lobby at 1:00 pm for pick-up between 1 and 2 pm. Alternatively, you can make your own way to the Marina and will be met by a Pelagic Fleet Representative at 1:30 pm. The Socorro Vortex departs port NO LATER than 4 PM, so please be sure to abide by the times above for a seamless and timely check-in experience for all passengers.
LUXURY STATEROOM. Yacht-like suite located in the lower deck. Independent A/C, private head and shower, a 22" flat screen TV, closet, and two single beds that can turn into one queen.
JUNIOR SUITES. Located at the bow in the main deck, each Jr. Suite has a desk, a 40" flat screen TV, larger storage space and bathrooms. Two twin beds that can turn into a king size.
MASTER SUITE. Behind the bridge on the upper deck with a panoramic view with one private Access from the salon downstairs and the outdoor lounge upstairs. Corner desk, sofa, walk in closet, and a big 70" screen TV.
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On all live-aboard dive trips, packed clothing should be kept to a minimum as cabin space is usually limited. You will be in your swimsuit most of the trip and shorts and t-shirts are the common dress. We ask that you appear at all meals in dry clothes, as all meals are sit-down in the main salon. At Socorro, daytime temps will be in the 70's or 80's and we can have cooler evenings here so one pair of sweat pants, and a Polartec, sweatshirt or sweater is a good idea. Be sure to bring a hat, sunglasses and plenty of sunscreen.
WHAT ABOUT SCUBA EQUIPMENT? WHAT DIVE GEAR WILL I NEED?
The ocean temps at Socorro usually range from 78F-82F in November, 70F-74F in Feb/March and then 76F–80F in April to June. Depending on what time of year you join us for the Socorro trips, we'd recommend 5mm in the warmer months, and a 5/7mm or a 7mm in the cooler months. Some of our guests also pack a light vest and hood or a vest with an attached hood in case we run into thermoclines during the cooler months.
For a safer and more comfortable dive experience, Socorro Vortex is a Nitrox Only vessel. The gas mix is complimentary and PADI certification is available on board if needed, at an extra cost.
We are happy to accommodate rebreather divers on full charters only. Inquire regarding rates and packages.
IF I COME IN EARLY OR STAY LATER WHAT ABOUT HOTELS?
Since we are not a travel agency, we cannot book hotel rooms. As of 2019, our host hotel is The Bahia Hotel & Beach House, where we have pre-negotiated special discounted rates for our liveaboard guests. Upon booking your liveaboard reservation, we will send the host hotel reservation link.
WHAT KIND OF MEALS AND BEVERAGES DO YOU SERVE ONBOARD?
We must be doing something right because we get consistent rave reviews for the gourmet cuisine aboard Socorro Vortex, our signature vessel. With Socorro Vortex we are bringing it up a notch. Our menus vary and feature a combination of American and Mexican cuisine, using fresh, locally grown ingredients as much as possible. We offer a variety of cooked-to-order choices for breakfast and you can always count on fresh tropical fruit platters, icy cold fruit juice, yogurt, pastries, an assortment of cereals, teas and fresh-brewed and very strong, Mexican-style coffee.
Aboard the Vortex, worry not about paying for a beer, a glass of wine or even high quality single malt. We have a complimentary high end bar that includes the best Mexican wines and a wide variety of handcrafted beer provided by Mexico City based Tres Eles and Ensenada based Agua Mala, two of the finest micro breweries in Mexico.
We understand that a live aboard experience is eat-sleep-and-dive and we do our very best to ensure that each of these experiences aboard Vortex is memorable for you.
Although we discourage smoking for reasons we're all aware of at this point, we understand that some guests are still wrestling with it, so we allow smoking on the sundeck only. We ask that our smoking guests be considerate of our non-smoking guests. You're outnumbered!
WHAT CHARGES WILL I BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ONBOARD?
Socorro Vortex (Socorro Islands) includes all port fees, fuel surcharges and park fees in the price of your trip so you will not be asked to pay for these upon your arrival. Socorro Vortex (Guadalupe Island) includes all port fees and fuel surcharges in the price of your trip. However, each guest will be responsible for a $15 national park entry fee. For both itineraries we also include beer and wine. We ask all guests for a $15 local hyperbaric chamber donation, payable IN CASH once you board the boat. Nitrox is complimentary but PADI certification comes at an extra cost if required. Nitrox and scuba gear can also be paid in advance through our U.S. office. We also sell Vortex t-shirts, caps and other mementos onboard. Lastly, our crew works hard and greatly appreciates your tips which also must be paid in cash. For everything else, we accept all major credit cards on board.
While we feel that tipping is a very personal decision and should reflect the service you received, we are always asked to give tipping guidelines. In general, we suggest a tip of 10-15% of the cost of your boat trip. The tips are given to the captain and divided evenly among the crew at the end of your trip. We ask that your tips be in cash.
DOES VORTEX ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS ONBOARD?
Yes we do, but please keep in mind that tips and chamber donations will be collected in cash only by the crew.
WHAT IS THE ONBOARD VOLTAGE?
Onboard voltage is 110 AC, just like in the United States. We also have a number of 220 charging stations for our overseas guests.
The crossing to and from Socorro (The Revillagigedos Islands) from Cabo San Lucas usually takes about 22-24 hours, depending on weather conditions. But the Socorro Vortex is not your average liveaboard, and will make the crossing in much shorter crossing times, making remote diving destination closer and more accessible than ever before".
Although most of the crossings are in fairly calm seas, we are crossing in open ocean conditions so precaution against motion sickness is advised. We have sometimes experienced rough seas heading uphill from Socorro to Cabo.
WHAT KIND OF COMMUNICATION SYSTEM DO YOU HAVE ONBOARD?
The Socorro Vortex has two satellite phones (for emergencies only which can be used for an additional charge), AIS and top of the line high-speed, complimentary WI-FI.
Included in the price of your Socorro Islands trip are all port fees, fuel surcharges and National Park fees. Also included are: complimentary transfer from The Bahia Hotel & Beach House to the Socorro Vortex on day of departure, Nitrox, Wireless Internet, your accommodations, all meals and snacks, all beverages including beer and wine, a certified divemaster in the water at all times, tanks, weights, weight belts and air fills.
In addition to the above, our Guadalupe Island Great White Shark Cage Diving Itinerary includes complimentary round trip transportation to/from San Diego or Tijuana to/from Ensenada via luxury motor coach.
WHAT CREW DO YOU HAVE ONBOARD?
We have a permanent crew of 11 that consist of Captain, Engineer, Engineer Assistant, Chef, Steward, Hostess, 2 deckhands, 3 Divemasters (keeping dive groups of 4-5 divers per guide).


Today we're looking at old Czech Airlines CSA travel posters and promotional materials from days gone by. CSA or Československé státní aerolinie (Czechoslovak State Airlines) was founded on October 6, 1923 by the Czechoslovak government. It's first flight was a transport flight between Prague and Bratislava.
You can learn more about that awesome once-in-a-lifetime opportunity here: www.TenDaysInPrague.com.
For now, enjoy the images.
Do you know that Czech Airlines flies to many destinations all over the world?