text:
\section{Introduction}

\begin{quote}
``To design something really new and innovative you have to reject reason.''
Jonathan Ive.
\end{quote}

When biology and premedical students arrive in introductory physics courses,
they are often skeptical about the relevance of physics and mathematics to
their academic and professional goals.
Life science faculty are also
increasingly  questioning the value of  traditional introductory physics
in their majors'
crowded schedules.
For example, in the Fall 2014 issue of the American Physical Society's
Forum on Education,
University of Colorado
molecular, cellular, and developmental biology professor Michael Klymkowsky writes
\cite{Klymkowsky2014}:
\begin{quote}
``These ... physics courses are rarely designed to meet the needs of biology students, and in many cases, little thought has gone into articulating exactly why students should be required to take them.''
\end{quote}
He continues:
\begin{quote}
``I would reject the premise that physics {\em per se}
 is generically useful to understanding molecular biology.
A poorly designed course,
perceived as irrelevant to the disciplinary interests or
needs of students could be viewed as an inappropriate imposition.''
\end{quote}

However, in contrast to the perception that the traditional introductory physics
curriculum may not be meeting the needs of today's undergraduate biology students,
the value of physics ideas and physics skills in biology
are becoming ever more appreciated,
reflecting the fact that biology
is experiencing an ongoing transformation into a quantitative science.
More than ten years ago, this evolution, which has since continued apace,
was eloquently described  by Princeton
physics professor
William Bialek
and Princeton molecular biology professor David Botstein in a seminal paper
\cite{BialekBotstein}:
\begin{quote}
``Dramatic advances in biological understanding, coupled with equally dramatic advances in experimental techniques and computational analyses, are transforming the science of biology. The emergence of new frontiers of research in functional genomics, molecular evolution, intracellular and dynamic imaging, systems neuroscience, complex diseases, and the system-level integration of signal-transduction and regulatory mechanisms require an ever-larger fraction of biologists to confront deeply quantitative issues that connect to ideas from the more mathematical sciences.
At the same time, increasing numbers of physical scientists and engineers are recognizing that exciting frontiers of their own disciplines lie in the study of biological phenomena. Characteristic of this new intellectual landscape is the need for strong interaction across traditional disciplinary boundaries.''
\end{quote}
In response to this new landscape,
biology departments are now increasingly hiring faculty with physics backgrounds,
and biological physics is
now a major subfield of physics,
well represented in physics departments and professional societies across the world.

At the undergraduate level,
a number of reports  \cite{BIO2010,AAMC,VCUBE,Convergence2014}
have highlighted the increasing importance of quantitative skills
for students who are planning biomedical careers,
and the need to modify and augment undergraduate
biology and premedical education accordingly.
Recently,  the biology community,
in {\em Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education} (VCUBE),
  has specified a number of core competencies that all
undergraduate biology students should possess  \cite{VCUBE}.
These competencies and examples of how each competency
might be demonstrated in practice
are summarized in VCUBE's Table 2.1, reproduced here as Table~\ref{VCUBEMatrix}.
The AAMC/HHMI's {\em Scientific Foundations for Future Physicians} (SFFP)  specifies similar competencies
for premedical students \cite{AAMC}.

Inspection of Table~\ref{VCUBEMatrix}
reveals that undergraduate biology education in the twenty-first century
must embrace quantitative and mathematical approaches.
Remarkably, many of the specified competencies
are those that physicists seek for students to acquire in physics classes.
In this context, the two-semester introductory physics for the life sciences (IPLS) sequence,
currently required for premedical students and biological science majors,
presents a natural platform
where these students could encounter quantitative and mathematical descriptions
of biological and physiological phenomena for the first time.
Where better than IPLS
to first develop
problem-solving strategies?
Where better than IPLS
to first develop
the ability to use quantitative reasoning?
Where better than IPLS
to start developing
the ability to use modeling and simulation?
Where better than IPLS
to start developing
the  ability to apply physical laws to biological dynamics?
Where better than IPLS
to start developing
the ability to incorporate stochasticity into biological models?
Indeed, VCUBE  can be read
as a call to transform IPLS into
an engaging and exciting subject that is appreciated as essential
to every biologist's undergraduate education,
in  contrast to biology students'  current preconceptions.

\begin{table*}[t!]
\center
\begin{tabular}{|c||c|c|c|c|c|c|}
\hline
Core&Ability to apply&{Abilty to use}&Ability to use&Ability to&Ability to&Ability to\\
Competency&the process of&quantitative&modeling and&tap into the&communicate&understand\\
&science&reasoning&simulation&interdisciplinary&and&the\\
&&&&nature of&collaborate&relationship\\
&&&&science&with other&between\\
&&&&&disciplines&science and\\
&&&&&&society\\
\hline
\hline
 Instantiation&Biology is an&Biology relies  &Biology&Biology is an  &Biology is a&Biology is\\
of ability in& evidence-based&on applications&focuses&interdisciplinary&collaborative&conducted\\
disciplinary&discipline& of quantitative&on the study&science&scientific&in a societal\\
practice&&analysis and&of complex&&discipline&context\\
&&mathematical&systems&&&\\
&&reasoning&&&&\\
\hline
Demonstration&Design scientific&Apply&Use&Apply concepts&Communicate&Identify\\
of competency&process to&quantitative&mathematical&from other&biological&social and\\
in practice&understand&analysis to&modeling and&sciences to&concepts and&historial\\
&living systems&interpret&simulation&interpret&interpretations&dimensions\\
&&biological&tools to&biological&to scientists&of biology\\
&&data&describe&phenomena&in other&practice\\
&&&living systems&&disciplines&\\
\hline
Examples&Observational&Developing and&Computational&Applying physical&Scientific&Evaluating\\
of core&strategies&interpreting&modeling of&laws to biological&writing&the\\
competencies&&graphs&dynamic&dynamics&&relevance\\
applied&Hypothesis&&systems&&Explaining&of social\\
to biology&testing&Applying&&Chemistry of&scientific&contexts to\\
practice&&statistical&Applying&molecules and&concepts&biological\\
&Experimental&methods to&informatics&biological&to different&problems\\
&design&diverse data&tools&systems&audiences&\\
&&&&&&Developing\\
&Evaluation of&Mathematical&Managing and&Applying&Team&biological\\
&experimental&modeling&analyzing large&imaging&participation&applications\\
&evidence&&data sets&technologies&&to solve\\
&&Managing and&&&Collaborating&societal\\
&&analyzing large&Incorporating&&across&problems\\
&Developing&data sets&stochasticity&&across&\\
&problem-solving&&into biological&&disciplines&Evaluating\\
&strategies&&models&&&ethical\\
&&&&&Cross-cultural&implications\\
&&&&&awareness&of biological\\
&&&&&&research\\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\caption{Table 2.1 of the AAAS's {\em Vision and change in undergraduate biology education} (VCUBE).
}
\label{VCUBEMatrix}
\end{table*}

\begin{figure}[t!]
\centering
{\includegraphics[width=0.48\textwidth,keepaspectratio=true]{./MochrieFig01.pdf}}
\caption{Syllabus for PHYS 170 {\em University Physics for the Life Sciences},
represented as a concept map.
Each module is depicted as a green circle.
A module receiving an arrow indicates that the material in that module
depends on the material in
the module sending the arrow and preceding modules.
Modules 1 to 10 constitute the material for the first semester.
Modules 11 to 18 constitute the material for the second semester.
}
\label{OverallConceptMap}
\end{figure}

These considerations have lead to considerable recent interest in
IPLS reform, including the approaches
described in Refs. \onlinecite{Meredith2012,Redish2014,Crouch2014,IPLSConferenceReport}.
For the last six years, the Yale physics department has offered a calculus-based IPLS sequence
 -- PHYS 170/171 {\em University Physics for the Life Sciences}  --
that re-imagines the introductory physics syllabus to
include
a selection of biologically
and medically relevant topics,
that are highly meaningful to the intended audience,
and that permit a number of the competencies specified in VCUBE to be addressed.
The format of PHYS 170 is two 75-minute class sessions per week for all $\sim$140 students in the class,
50-minute discussion sections,
each for about twenty students, lead by one of the course graduate-student teaching assistants,
and optional ``study halls'', staffed by course personal to provide guidance,
two evenings each week, where students
work together on the course problem sets.
The laboratory component of introductory physics at Yale
is a separate (half-credit) class that continues to follow a more traditional syllabus.
For the first three years, PHYS 170 was offered as a traditional lecture class.
More recently, it has used a TEAL-format classroom \cite{Dori2005}, and has required more active participation of the students.

In the present manuscript, first,  I briefly describe how the syllabus
of the first semester, PHYS 170,
differs from that of traditional first-semester introductory physics.
The main goal of this paper, however,
is to describe how PHYS 170 has been received by its audience,
how that reception differs from the corresponding receptions of
Yale's traditional first-semester introductory physics
offerings, and how students'
perceptions of the relevance of physics to biology and medicine
are affected by the course.

\section{Introductory physics re-imagined}
The overarching goals for PHYS 170 are as follows:
\begin{itemize}

\item Introduce biological science majors and future clinicians to
physical  and mathematical principles and tools,
that will enable a deeper scientific understanding of biological systems,
including the human body, and how they may be studied or diagnosed.

\item Demonstrate the application of physics and mathematics to the life sciences
and medicine and the human
body, via relevant and authentic examples.

\item Seed an enduring appreciation of the power of physical and mathematical
approaches in biology and medicine, and in science more broadly.

\item Transform introductory physics for the life sciences into an engaging and
exciting subject, that is understood to be essential to every biologist's undergraduate education
by biology students and faculty alike.

\item Develop curricula materials, that will enable introductory
physics instructors to teach a biologically-relevant IPLS at their own institutions.
\end{itemize}
An overview of the PHYS170/171 syllabus
is shown in  Fig. ~\ref{OverallConceptMap},
represented as a concept map.
The course consists of 18 modules, each depicted as a green circle.
Modules 1 to 10 constitute the material for the first semester (PHYS 170).
Modules 11 to 18 constitute the material for the second semester (PHYS 171).
Modules 1-4, 11 and 12 constitute a fairly ordinary treatment of vectors,
kinematics, Newtonian mechanics
(excluding rotational dynamics),
energy conservation, simple harmonic motion, and wave motion.
Nevertheless, these modules do include a number of
biologically-authentic examples, such as
Ramachandran plots \cite{Ramachandran1963},
tensegrities \cite{Ingber2014},
biofilament buckling,
and how geckos can walk up (and not just stick to) walls.
Module 13 covers electrostatics, focussing on Gauss' law, but it includes a section on
screened electrostatic interactions, which are pervasive in biology.
Module 14 treats electrical circuits,
but relies on analogies to diffusive and fluid transport
that students have previously encountered in modules 7 and 9, respectively.
Modules 15 and 16 discuss Maxwell's equation and electromagnetic waves.
This material is included because
 Maxwell's equations continue to set the standard
for what physicists consider to be beautiful and elegant.
In addition,  electromagnetic wave-based studies,
such as optical microscopy and x-ray crystallography,
are tremendously important in biomedical research.
There is a short module on quantum mechanics (module 18), in part because of
quantum mechanics' scientific importance, but also at the urging of a number of
faculty colleagues in Yale's biological science departments.

Modules 5-10 and 17, however, deviate significantly from a traditional syllabus.
In these modules, we
discuss probability (module 5),
random walks (module 6),
diffusion (module 7),
low Reynolds  number fluid flow (module 8),
mathematical modeling (module 9),
 statistical mechanics, applied to a number of molecular-biologically important processes (module 10),
 and gene circuits and feedback (module 17).
 Modules 10 and 17 are
 described in detail in Ref.~\onlinecite{Mochrie2011}
 and Ref.~\onlinecite{Cahn2014}, respectively.

In developing this syllabus, a number
of recent excellent advanced-level textbooks at the interface of physics and biology
have been inspirational and  tremendously useful
\cite{BergBook,Nowak2000,Nelson,Nowak2006,PhillipsKondevTheriot}.
The syllabus was also influenced
by Refs.~\onlinecite{BIO2010,AAMC,VCUBE,Convergence2014}, and by
discussions with colleagues within science and engineering departments across Yale.
A key consideration was
the fact that this will likely  be the final physics course that its students will take, and that therefore
there is no rationale to prepare students for more advanced physics classes, nor any excuse to
postpone compelling material for a later course.
Overall, this first-semester syllabus is the result of a backwards design process \cite{Handelsman2007a}
that started with a number of key ideas and topics  --
diffusion, fluid flow, mathematical modeling, and statistical mechanics --
that it would be necessary to include to achieve the overarching goals listed above.

Module 6  on random walks is included to introduce students to
 the ubiquitous role of  stochastic  processes in biology.
Our first random walk example is Brownian motion. We point out
that Einstein's theory of Brownian motion and its subsequent confirmation
by Perrin were pivotal in finally convincing skeptics at the outset of the twentieth
century that atoms and molecules really exist.
We also discuss that, in evolutionary biology,  random walks have
a central role in evolution via ``genetic drift''.
Genetic drift is the random process -- it can be conceived as a random walk
 -- by which ``neutral'' mutations,
that offer no selective (dis)advantage,
become fixed in a population,
leading the population's genomes to evolve, or drift, away from their initial state,
over many generations, as such neutral mutations accumulate.
Analyses of genetic drift in order to establish evolutionary
relationships between organisms and among populations of a single organism \cite{Cann1987},
represent a pivotal development in evolutionary biology.
The theoretical underpinnings of such DNA-based phylogenetic analyses
critically rely on the properties of  genetic drift's random walk.

Module 7 concerns diffusion, which is tremendously important across the sciences and in medicine.
We show how diffusion is a direct manifestation of individual particles' random walks.
Specifically, we focus on diffusion across membranes,
which is particularly important in physiology and medicine,
 and  the ``diffusion to capture'' of actin monomers
 at the tip of an actin filament, {\em i.e.} actin polymerization.
  Actin polymerization is an important example of biological dynamics,
 underlying many examples of eukaryotic cell motility.
More generally, our discussion of diffusion to capture reveals how
essential equations of chemical
and biochemical kinetics emerge from particles'  Brownian motion
and their consequent diffusion.
On the more biological side,
diffusion to capture also permits us to discuss the physics constraints that require
that the sizes of individual animal cells,
from those of roundworms (1~mm long) to those of blue whales (30~m long),
are always about the same size (10~$\mu$m), even for animals differing in volume by $10^9$ or so.

Module 8 on fluid mechanics focusses on
laminar fluid flow in microfluidic devices
and especially on the flow of blood through the circulatory system.
We discuss atherosclorosis and how you blush.
We also discuss fluid flows in fluid circuits,
which is closely analogous to current flows in electrical circuits.
The module concludes with a discussion of the principles that underlie
the physiology of the human circulatory system (Murray's Law),
which demonstrates how the physics of
viscous liquid friction plausibly has determined human physiology
\cite{Murray1926}.

Module 9 provides a final example that
stands outside usual introductory physics.  This module
focuses on how a number of
interesting processes can be modeled
mathematically.
Several  disparate processes are described by similar equations.
We are thus able to point out that the solutions and understanding gained
in one case can be transferred to another.
When colleagues first hear our topics,
some complain: ``that's not physics.''
Our riposte is that
the equations that describe the early time course of
HIV viral load in an individual patient following infection can
be re-interpreted to describe an atomic explosion; and
the equations that describe
the occurrence of retinoblastoma --
the most common childhood eye cancer -- that results from somatic mutations
are formally identical to equations that describe
the number of a particular species of radioactive nuclei in
a certain radioactive decay chain.
We explain these applications and point out their
connexions in the course of the module.
The medical {\em bona fides} of these examples are compelling:
The mathematical modeling of HIV progression in an individual
was important in the development
of HIV treatments \cite{Wei1995,Ho1995,Perelson1996};
and the age-dependence of retinoblastoma onset lead to the
hypothesis of tumor suppressor genes,
which proved a tremendously important step in understanding cancer \cite{Knudson1971}.
This module also well positions the class to discuss
genetic circuits in the second semester \cite{Cahn2014}.

 \begin{figure*}[t!]
\centering
{\includegraphics[width=0.95\textwidth,keepaspectratio=true]{./MochrieFig02.pdf}}
\caption{
Ethnicities of
{\em Physics for the Life Sciences} students,
specified as a fraction of the total number of respondents.
}
\label{Ethnicity}
\end{figure*}

\section{Audience}

Since 2010, over 700 students have taken PHYS 170;
66\% are female; 34\% are male.
They are ethnically diverse (Fig. ~\ref{Ethnicity}),
 including significant numbers of students from groups underrepresented in STEM
 disciplines ({\em e.g.} 10\% African American or African and 10\% Hispanic).
 The overwhelming majority of these students will also have taken Yale's introductory chemistry
and biology sequences, before arriving in PHYS 170,
and therefore they
possess considerable chemical and biological sophistication.
Their overall mathematical skills, however, are rusty,
but improve tremendously over the course.
64\% are biological science majors.
There are also significant numbers of Psychology majors
and History of Science, Medicine, and Public Health majors
(Fig. ~\ref{PlannedMajor}).
More than 80\%  identify themselves as premedical students.
In many cases, they are involved in biological or biomedical research,
and in medically-related volunteer work.
After graduation, many go on to highly-ranked medical and graduate schools.
All of them take the class
in order to fulfill the physics requirement for medical school and/or
the physics requirement of their major.

 \begin{figure}[b!]
\centering
{\includegraphics[width=0.45\textwidth,keepaspectratio=true]{./MochrieFig03.pdf}}
\caption{
Planned major  of
{\em Physics for the Life Sciences} students,
specified as a fraction of the total number of respondents.
MCDB=Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology;
MBB=Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry;
EEB=Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
}
\label{PlannedMajor}
\end{figure}

\section{Mathematics}
\begin{quote}
``I have deeply regretted that I did not proceed far enough at least to understand
something of the great leading principles of mathematics, for men thus endowed seem to have an extra sense.''  Charles Darwin.
\end{quote}
Because all students in PHYS 170 would
have previously taken a first course in calculus,
our starting point was a calculus-based class.
We also decided to emphasize the use of Wolfram Alpha \cite{WolframAlpha},
which provides a
 web browser interface, that facilitates mathematical manipulations of all sorts.
Using Wolfram Alpha empowers students to carry out more
sophisticated mathematics than otherwise.
Early on in the semester, we offer a topical primer on how to use Wolfram Alpha.
However, students are lead to really engage with Wolfram Alpha
 by at least one homework problem each week that requires its use.
We also include  simulations and calculations, via a number of Wolfram Demonstrations,
which students can conveniently run in their web browsers and interact with via sliders.
To be clear, no knowledge of Mathematica is needed of the students.

The mathematical style and level of the course was  informed by the view that
 that twenty-first-century biology
 will be well-served by a version of IPLS  that seeks to contribute to
closing any mathematical and quantitative gaps between physical and life science students.
This approach stands apart from other recent IPLS courses
 \cite{Meredith2012,Redish2014,Crouch2014},
 which also significantly modify the traditional syllabus,
 but which tend to work within the historical difference in culture
between the physical sciences and the life sciences,
namely that the life sciences have generally not embraced
mathematics and quantitative analyses,
 in contrast to the physical sciences.

Beyond calculus, the mathematics that we employ is dictated by the topics that we seek to treat,
{\em i.e} we also used backwards design here.
To discuss Brownian motion and statistical mechanics, we incorporate probability and random walks;
to discuss steady-state diffusion and laminar fluid flow, we use simple differential equations,
that we find solutions for by direct substitution.
Our module on mathematical modeling leads us to
simple linear algebra. The incorporation
of eigenvalues and eigenvectors in IPLS might initially seem ambitious,
but, in fact, the technical demands on the students
are that they be able to take a derivative of an exponential function of time,
and that they then be able to solve two simultaneous equations in two variables
to find the eigenvalues and eigenvectors, both of which they are able to do.
On the other hand,  multi-dimensional integrals are largely avoided,
removing a source of significant discomfort.

At the end of the first semester,  every year we have carried out an anonymous survey
to ascertain students' opinions.
We offer students credit towards their final grade for completing the survey and the response rate every year exceeds 95\%.
When asked about the level of mathematics,
it was ``way too advanced for my current ability'' for just 2\% of the students,
``advanced but manageable'' for 23\%,  ``about equal to my current ability'' for 46\%,
``below my current ability'' for 22\%, and ``well-below my current ability'' for 7\%
(Table~\ref{LevelOfMath}).
Concerning the level of calculus specifically,
it is ``too high'' for  19\%, ``just right'' for  66\%, and ``too low'' for 15\%
(Table~\ref{LevelOfCalculus}).
In view of these responses, we judge that the mathematics we use is appropriate.

\begin{table}[t!]
\center
\begin{tabular}{|c|c|c|c|c|}
\hline
Well below&Below my&Equal to&Advanced but&Way too\\
my current&current&my current&manageable&advanced\\
ability&ability&ability&manageable&advanced\\
\hline
0.07&0.22&0.46&0.23&0.02\\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\caption{Fraction of multiple-choice responses
to the question "Select the statement that best represents your opinion
concerning the level of math used."
}
\label{LevelOfMath}
\end{table}

\begin{table}[b!]
\center
\begin{tabular}{|c|c|c|}
\hline
Too low&Just right&Too high\\
\hline
0.15&0.66&0.19\\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\caption{Fraction of multiple-choice responses
to the question "What is your opinion
concerning the level of calculus used?"
}
\label{LevelOfCalculus}
\end{table}

Of course, because of varying student interests, preparations, and
motivations,  there cannot and should not be
a one-size-fits-all IPLS course,
suitable for every situation.
However, I believe that there is a place for a course like PHYS 170 at many institutions.
As biological science faculty introduce new upper-level biology electives
and major tracks
that demand mathematical sophistication,
in quantitative and systems biology, for example,
or as they incorporate more mathematical elements into
upper-level classes in ecology, epidemiology, neuroscience,
and evolutionary biology,
a physics class similar to PHYS 170 will
naturally serves as an essential prerequisite.

\section{Student reception}
How is PHYS 170 received by the students?
Significant numbers of students appreciate the fresh and powerful perspective
that physics brings to the life sciences,
 as the following quotes by anonymous students
 show:

\begin{quote}
``Thank you for class this semester. It has been really great to make links between all of my science courses at Yale, and in many ways (and I am shy to admit this, but against my expectations) PHYS 170 provided the platform for just that.''
\end{quote}

\begin{quote}
``This class is amazing if you genuinely like biology. If you're a biology major because you're premed or whatever you might not like it as much, but if you really care about biology this class is great. Physics is the future of biology, and this class gives you a taste of all the cool ways we can use quantitative techniques to describe living systems.
It definitely doesn't teach to the MCAT, go spend your summer savings on a Kaplan course if you want that. That doesn't exist at Yale and shouldn't.''
\end{quote}

\begin{quote}
``The biological aspects of this class really opened my eyes and changed my perspective of the world! You'll def learn some really fascinating and awesome stuff if you genuinely like biology or chemistry, and it was incredibly cool to approach chemical/biological processes from the different perspective of this class."
\end{quote}

\begin{quote}
``I LOVE the topics presented in 170. It really ties in to what I've learned in my other science classes (biology, biochemistry, and to a lesser extent chemistry), and it's wonderful to gain a new perspective/insight into mechanisms that I've just taken for granted, like diffusion, actin filament polymerization, enzyme kinetics, etc. It's just a really cool class, and has made me realize how much I love science - to the extent that it has, in part, motivated me to double major in another science field.''
\end{quote}

Although we emphasize at the start of the semester that PHYS 170
does not follow a traditional syllabus, and although Yale offers a parallel class
that follows a traditional syllabus at a comparable
level of mathematics, a number of students  nevertheless indicate that they wish that
PHYS 170 followed a traditional syllabus,
or
express concern that the class will not properly prepare them for the
Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT):

\begin{quote}
``I would have preferred to maybe learn more fundamental physics problems, such as those concerning a ball rolling down a hill. Though objectively more boring, I feel that those types of problems would give me a more solid physics foundation.''
\end{quote}

\begin{quote}
``I don't think I have gained a strong understanding of general physics concepts that I should know, especially since I plan on taking the MCAT in the future. I do not feel prepared at all.''
\end{quote}

\begin{quote}
``I cannot stand the probability unit. I understand why and how it is applicable to physics and biology and pre-med, but this is not a statistics course. I did not intend or want to learn these topics, but rather wished to learn what would be tested on the MCAT - classical physics.''
\end{quote}
However, a new version of the MCAT was introduced at the beginning of 2015.
Now, Kaplan, which provides MCAT preparation materials, advertises that
``physics will only be tested in the context of biological systems'',
and that momentum, periodic motion (springs and pendulums), circular motion,
center of mass, and the elastic properties of solids are excluded \cite{Kaplan}.
The best current advice for the instructors of introductory physics classes,
namely Ref.~\onlinecite{Hilborn2014}, concludes that
 \begin{quote}
`` .... life science students would be helped
  if their introductory physics courses
 included more work on transport processes
 (diffusion, osmosis, and fluid flow),
 on statistical reasoning (stochastic models),
 and microscopic models of materials ......''
 \end{quote}
 similar to a number of the actual choices for PHYS 170.

Lickert-type scale feedback, from our anonymous surveys,
 provides an overview of how the students, who have taken PHYS 170,
 view aspects of the course, related to pace, work load, and required time commitment.
Students mainly consider that the pace of the class  is ``just right"  (40\%) or "fast" (53\%)
(Table \ref{Pace}), and that
 the level of difficulty is ``about what I expected'' (42\%) or ``harder'' (35\%) (Table \ref{Harder}).
 They consider that the amount of
 time they spend on physics is "just right" (39\%) or "too much" (44\%)
 (Table~\ref{AmountOfTime}), but the actual length of time 85\%
 of students spend on physics is 12 hours or less (Table~\ref{HowManyHours}),
 which we judge to be reasonable.
These responses indicate that students generally view PHYS 170 as challenging class that requires considerable effort, but they do not view it as a class that requires excessive effort.

\begin{table}[t]
\center
\begin{tabular}{|c|c|c|c|c|}
\hline
A snail's pace&Slow&Just right&Fast&Lightening fast\\
\hline
0.00&0.02&0.40&0.53&0.06\\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\caption{Fraction of multiple-choice responses
to the question "How would you assess the pace of physics?".
}
\label{Pace}
\end{table}

\begin{table}[t]
\center
\begin{tabular}{|c|c|c|c|c|}
\hline
Much easier&Easier&About what I expected&Harder&Much harder\\
\hline
0.02&0.09&0.42&0.35&0.12\\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\caption{Fraction of multiple-choice responses
to the question "Has physics been a harder course, about the same or easier than you imagined it would be?".
}
\label{Harder}
\end{table}

\begin{table}[t]
\center
\begin{tabular}{|c|c|c|c|c|}
\hline
Way too little&Too little&Just right&Too much&Way too much\\
\hline
0.005&0.04&0.39&0.44&0.13\\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\caption{Fraction of multiple-choice responses
to the question "What is your feeling regrading the amount of time you spend on physics?".
}
\label{AmountOfTime}
\end{table}

\begin{table}[t]
\center
\begin{tabular}{|c|c|c|c|c|}
\hline
0-6 hours&6-9 hours&9-12 hours&12-15 hours&$>$15 hours\\
\hline
0.25&0.39&0.23&0.10&0.03\\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\caption{Fraction of multiple-choice responses
to the question "How many hours do you spend on physics outside of class?".
}
\label{HowManyHours}
\end{table}

PHYS 170 is one of four introductory physics courses offered at Yale,
including a course at a similar overall mathematical level
that follows a traditional syllabus, and
 two higher-level courses aimed at students with progressively  stronger
 mathematics and physics preparations.
 %
To compare student opinions concerning
PHYS 170 to student opinions
concerning Yale's
traditional introductory physics courses,
we have tracked student evaluations of teaching (SETs)
for the nine years from 2006 to 2014 (Table~\ref{SETMatrix}).
Although the appropriateness of using
SETs as a measure of faculty
teaching effectiveness continues to be questioned \cite{Stark2014,Boring2016},
here,
we seek to use SETs as a means to gain insight into what students think about
different flavors of introductory physics.

Yale's SETs ask for numerical responses to two questions,
that facilitate comparisons among classes:
(1) Overall, how would you rate the work load
of this course in comparison to other Yale courses you have taken?
(Scale: 1=much less, 2=less, 3=same, 4=greater, 5=much greater);
and
(2) What is your overall assessment of this course? (Scale: 1=poor, 2=below average, 3=good, 4=very good, 5=excellent).
The responses to these questions from the previous three years are then made available to students
considering a class.

 \begin{figure}[t!]
\centering
{\includegraphics[width=0.49\textwidth,keepaspectratio=true]{./MochrieFig04.pdf}}
\caption{
Scatter plot of mean ``overall assessment'' and mean ``work load'' from student evaluations of
Yale's first-semester introductory physics classes over the last nine years.
Shown as orange squares, red circles, blue diamonds, green inverted triangles and magenta
triangles are the evaluations of PHYS 150,
PHYS 170, PHYS 180, PHYS 200, and PHYS 260, respectively.
}
\label{TeachingEvaluations}
\end{figure}

\begin{table*}[t]
\small
\center
\begin{tabular}{|c||c|c|c|c|c|c|c|c|c|c|c|}
\hline
Year&2006&2007&2008&2009&2010&2011&2012&2013&2014&Mean&Standard Deviation\\
\hline
\hline
PHYS 150 overall rating&2.9&3.0&3.6&2.6&&&&&&3.03&0.42\\
\hline
PHYS 150 work load&3.10&2.56&2.01&2.98&&&&&&2.66&0.49\\
\hline
PHYS 150 instructor&1&1&1&2&&&&&&&\\
\hline
\hline
PHYS 170 overall rating&&&&&2.9&3.3&3.29&2.98& 3.06&3.09&0.19\\
\hline
PHYS 170 work load&&&&&3.8&3.64&3.55&4.00&3.98&3.79& 0.20\\
\hline
PHYS 170 instructor&&&&&3&3&3&3&3&&\\
\hline
PHYS 170 enrollment&&&&&97&82&148&143&127&&\\
\hline
\hline
PHYS 180 overall rating&2.6&2.8&2.9&2.8&2.4&2.8&2.71, 2.35&2.72, 2.94& 2.19, 2.33&2.63&0.25\\
\hline
PHYS 180 work load&3.48&3.70&3.73&3.27&3.31&3.52&3.33, 3.88&3.27, 3.41&3.71, 3.79&3.53&0.22\\
\hline
PHYS 180 instructor&4&5&5, 6&7&7&8&8, 9&8, 10&8, 10&&\\
\hline
\hline
PHYS 200 overall rating&3.6&3.3&3.1&3.3&3.4&3.1&2.62&2.89& 2.96&3.14&0.30\\
\hline
PHYS 200 work load&3.6&3.38&3.34&3.33&3.43&3.54&3.71&3.93&3.63&3.58&0.23\\
\hline
PHYS 200 instructor&11&12&12&13&12&12&14&14&15&&\\
\hline
\hline
PHYS 260 overall rating&3.6&3.4&3.7&4.3&4.1&4.0&3.98& 3.80&3.74&3.85&0.28\\
\hline
PHYS 260 work load&3.91&4.31&3.65&3.34&3.24&3.10&3.14&3.27&3.07&3.45&0.42\\
\hline
PHYS 260 instructor&16&17&18&18&18&18&18&18&18&&\\
\hline
\hline
\end{tabular}
\caption{Student evaluations of teaching for introductory physics classes at Yale from 2006 through 2014.
The two numbers listed for the overall rating and work load of PHYS 180
for 2012, 2013, and 2014 are because this class was then offered in two sections.
Different instructors are labelled 1 through 18.
}
\label{SETMatrix}
\end{table*}

Fig. ~\ref{TeachingEvaluations}
is a scatter plot of the mean (averaged over student respondents)
of each these two ratings for each class of
first-semester introductory physics,
offered at Yale over the last nine years.
Shown as the red circles are the evaluations for
PHYS 170.
Shown as the orange squares are the evaluations for PHYS 150 {\em General Physics},
which was a traditional algebra-based physics class, aimed at pre-medical students, and a subset of Yale's biological science students, whose majors did not require calculus-based physics.
PHYS 170 was introduced in Fall 2010,
as a direct replacement for PHYS 150.
Shown as the blue diamonds are the evaluations for
PHYS 180 {\em University Physics}, which is calculus-based introductory physics,
at a similar overall mathematical level to PHYS 170,
that follows a traditional syllabus.
The audience for PHYS 180 includes most engineering majors, as well as a
significant number of premedical students.
The green inverted triangles show the evaluations for PHYS 200 {\em Fundamentals of Physics},
which is aimed at students with a strong interest in physical sciences, and
which covers Newtonian mechanics, including gravitation and rotational dynamics,
thermodynamics, and wave motion, at a more mathematically-advanced level
than PHYS 180.
Finally, the magenta triangles show
the evaluations for PHYS 260 {\em Intensive Introductory Physics},
which treats topics beyond the AP Physics syllabus, and
which is aimed at especially precocious students,
who already possess
a strong physics and mathematics background, and
who already have completed a year-long calculus-based
AP Physics course in mechanics and E\&M, and a course in vector calculus.
Physics-majors-to-be usually take either PHYS 200 or PHYS 260.

Evidently, the evaluations for each flavor of Yale's first-semester introductory physics
 appear to form more-or-less distinct clusters.
This point of view is emphasized by the large ellipses,
also shown in Fig. ~\ref{TeachingEvaluations}.
The center of each ellipse represents the means (averaged over years and sections)
of the ratings of each class, while the semi-major and semi-minor axes of the ellipse
represent the corresponding standard deviations.
The statistical significance of these groupings can be assessed quantitatively by
calculating $p$-values,
namely the probabilities that the SETs of pairs of classes are at least as divergent as observed,
assuming the null hypothesis that the SETs of both classes are drawn
from the same probability distribution.
Table~\ref{PvalueMatrix} presents the $p$-values for both overall rating
and work load for each pair of classes.
At least one of the two $p$-values for each pair of classes is less than 0.05 (except for the PHYS 170/PHYS 200 pair) demonstrating that the differences between classes are indeed statistically significant,
according to the convention that a $p$-value of less than 0.05 indicates statistical significance.
Because, over the nine-year period considered, each of these classes has been taught
in a number of different styles ({\em e.g.} traditional lecture or flipped classroom,
small or large class size) and/or by a number of different instructors,
it is
plausible (but not proven) that the student evaluations
depend more on the audience and class content (subject matter and level of difficulty)
than on the particular instructor or teaching style.

\begin{table*}[t]
\footnotesize
\center
\begin{tabular}{|c||c|c|c|c|c|}
\hline
&PHYS 170&PHYS 180&PHYS 200&PHYS 260\\
\hline
\hline
PHYS150&0.81, 0.016, 0.22 ,3.2&0.14, 0.0037, 1.3, 2.6&0.52, 0.0028, 0.35, 2.8&0.042, 0.042, 2.6, 1.8\\
\hline
PHYS170&&0.0035, 0.086, 2.0, 1.6&0.87, 0.23, 0.18, 0.97&0.0010, 0.086, 3.0, 0.95\\
\hline
PHYS180&&&0.0049, 0.33, 1.8, 0.47&0.000041, 0.32, 4.7, 0.087\\
\hline
PHYS200&&&&0.0063, 0.11, 2.5, 0.38\\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\caption{Statistical significance and size of the differences
among SETs for Yale's introductory physics classes.
The first number of each quadruplet is the $p$-value, specifying
the probability that the overall ratings of the pair of classes in question are at least as divergent as
observed, assuming the null hypothesis that they are drawn from the same probability distribution.
The second number corresponds to the $p$-value for work loads of the pair.
These $p$-values are
calculated using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test.
Conventionally, a $p$-value less than 0.05 is taken to imply that the difference between the two distributions being
compared is statistically significant.
The third number is the value of Cohen's $d$ for the overall ratings of the pair, which is a measure of how large is the
difference in their overall ratings. Specifically,
Cohen's $d$ is given by
$d = {|\mu_1-\mu_2 |}/{\sqrt{\frac{(n_1-1)\sigma_1^2 +(n_2-1) \sigma_2^2}{n_1+n_2-2}}}$,
where $n_1$ and $n_2$, $\mu_1$ and $\mu_1$, and $\sigma_1$ and $\sigma_2$ are the
number of samples, the means, and the standard deviations, respectively, of the two distributions being compared.
The fourth number is the value of Cohen's $d$ for the work loads of the pair.
}
\label{PvalueMatrix}
\end{table*}

Clearly, the overall evaluation of PHYS 260 is about three standard deviations higher than the
overall evaluations of PHYS 150, PHYS 170, and PHYS 200,
all of which have similar overall evaluations.
(Cohen's $d=2.6$, 3.0, and 2.5 for the difference between overall evaluations of PHYS 150, PHYS 170, and PHYS 200,
respectively, and PHYS 260.)
In turn,  the overall evaluations of PHYS 150, PHYS 170, and PHYS 200
are nearly two standard deviations larger than the overall evaluation of PHYS 180.
(Cohen's $d=1.3$, 2.0, and 1.8 for the difference between the overall evaluations of PHYS 150, PHYS 170, and PHYS 200,
respectively, and PHYS 180.)
At the same time, the work load of PHYS 150 was more than two standard deviations below the
work loads of PHYS 180, PHYS 200, and PHYS 260, which are all similar to each other,
while the work load of PHYS 170 is about one
standard deviation greater than those of these three classes.
(Cohen's $d= 2.6$, 2.8, and 1.8 for the difference between the work loads of PHYS 180, PHYS 200 and PHYS 260, respectively,
and PHYS 150, while
Cohen's $d=1.6$, 0.97, and 0.95  for
difference in
the work loads of PHYS 180,
PHYS 200, and PHYS 260, respectively, and PHYS 170).

Interestingly, within the evaluations for both PHYS 260 and PHYS 150,
for both of which there is a relatively broad range of numerical values for the mean
work load and the mean overall rating, there is clearly a strong negative correlation.

between
these two measures: the smaller the work load, the higher the overall rating, and {\em vice versa}.
There is also a negative correlation between work load and overall assessment within
the evaluations for PHYS 170
although the range of both is smaller in this case than
 for either of PHYS 150 or PHYS 260.
This same trend can be seen in the ratings of PHYS 150 and
PHYS 180 in comparison to each other,

both of which follow a traditional introductory physics syllabus,
and both of which
enroll(ed) a preponderance of students,
taking physics because it is a compulsory requirement of their major,
and/or because is a requirement for admission to medical school.

It is not unexpected that
 the very well-prepared physics-majors-to-be,
 who learn about quantum mechanics, relativity, and other compelling topics in PHYS 260,
 rate that class considerably more highly
 than the biology majors and pre-medical students rate
 PHYS 150 and PHYS 180, where they
 learn about two-dimensional projectile motion and cylinders rolling
down inclined planes.
What is striking from these data, however, is that when this same population of biology majors
and pre-medical students is involved in a class,
namely PHYS 170, which is
built on a selection of biologically
and medically relevant topics,
even when the work load is high,
 these students then award an overall assessment rating that is comparable to
 the rating that this same population awards
a traditional-syllabus class with a much smaller work load
namely PHYS 150, and that a population of physical-science or engineering majors-to-be
gives to a traditional-syllabus physics class, namely PHYS 200.

 \begin{figure*}[t!]
\centering
{\includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth,keepaspectratio=true]{./MochrieFig05.pdf}}
\caption{
Student opinions concerning the relevance of physics to biology and medicine.
The fraction of students responding in a particular way,
specified within a circle whose area is proportional to the fraction in question.
The response rate was 97\%.
}
\label{Feedback}
\end{figure*}

Finally,  Fig.~\ref{Feedback}
displays PHYS 170 students' responses
when asked about how taking PHYS 170 had affected their opinion
concerning the relevance of physics to biology and medicine,
which was added to our survey in 2014 (124 responses out of 127 students).
Gratifyingly, nearly 70\% of these students report that taking the class lead to an increased
belief in the relevance of physics to biology and medicine:
12\%  and 22\% report that, prior to taking PHYS 170, they thought that physics had no relevance to
biology and medicine, but that afterwards they believe that physics is, respectively, highly
relevant  or somewhat relevant to biology and medicine;
35\% report that prior to taking PHYS 170 they considered physics to have some relevance to
biology and medicine, but that after they consider physics to be highly relevant to biology and
medicine. After having taken PHYS 170,
only 1\% of students persist with an initial opinion that physics has no relevance
to biology and medicine.

\section{Conclusions}

In comparison to traditional first-semester introductory physics,
biological science majors and premedical
students give a comparable or higher overall rating (PHYS 150 or PHYS 180, respectively)
to a version of first-semester introductory
physics (PHYS 170) that significantly adjusts the introductory physics syllabus to incorporate
a selection of
topics that are much more biologically and medically relevant,
even though their work load is considerably
or somewhat increased (PHYS 150 or PHYS 180, respectively).
Subsequent to PHYS 170,  these students show markedly increased belief that physics is relevant to biology and medicine.

The number one challenge in teaching PHYS 170 by far is students' lack of facility with algebraic manipulations.
Therefore, the first few weeks of PHYS 170 are, in part,
a crash algebra refresher for a significant number of its students.
It is difficult to see how to address this problem at the departmental level.
A related challenge, that emerged early on in the implementation, was complaints from
physics colleagues that PHYS 170 material was too difficult for
biology majors and premedical students. Experience has shown
that this is not the case, and such complaints have now  dissipated.

\begin{acknowledgments}
I would like to express my thanks to the wonderful students who have taken
the class,
especially  Titi Afolabi, Monique Arnold, Chayma Boussayoud, Millie Chapman, Angela Chen, Betsy Cowell, Regina De Luna,
Bertie Geng,  Mansur Ghani,
Sabrina Gill, Caleb Huang,
Syed Hussaini,
Ragini Luthra,
Yamini Naidu,
Maria Passarelli,
Jessica Perfetto, Faten Syed, Linda Wang, Victor Wang,
Christine Willinger, Zizi Yu, and Gazelle Zerafati,
many of whom returned
to serve as Peer Tutors for the next year's class.
I would like to also express my gratitude to the
fantastic Graduate Teaching Fellows that I have had the opportunity to work with:
Tonima Ananna,
Ross Boltyanskiy, Jane Cummings,
Elizabeth Boulton, Shany Danieli,  Stephen Eckel,
Stefan Ellrington,  Meredith Frey, Judith Hoeller, Eric Holland,
Amber Jessop, Anna Kashkanova, Peter Koo,
Lawrence Lee, Andrew Mack, Catherine Matulis, Wambui Mutoru, Danielle Norcini,
Jay Patel, Susan Pratt,
Alexsander Rebane, Jared Rovny, Brooke Russell, Raphael Sarfati, Daniel Seara,
Olivier Trottier, Lucie Tvrznikova,
Kyle Vander Werf, Gennady Voronov,  Qing Xia, Yao Zhao, and Yuqi Zhu.
I am also deeply indebted to  Sean Barrett,
Sarah Demers,
Eric Dufresne, Jennifer Frederick, Stephen Irons,
Corey O'Hern,
Rona Ramos,
Nicholas Read, William Segraves, Paul Tipton, and especially Sidney Cahn,  Claudia De Grandi, and Lynne Regan for their
invaluable advice and support.
I also thank Michael Choma, Scott Holley, and Thomas Pollard for wonderful guest lectures.
Finally, I  thank NSF PHY 1522467 and the Raymond and Beverley Sacker Institute for Physical
and Engineering Biology
for support.
\end{acknowledgments}


text:
You are here: Home / travel / A Weekend on Martha's Vineyard
September 12, 2018 // by Elisabeth McKnight// Leave a Comment
A small island off the coast of Massachusets, Martha's Vineyard is quintessential New England charm at it's finest. Originally inhabited by the Wampanoag people, it was named Martha's Vineyard by the English explorer Bartholomew Gosnold after his mother-in-law or his daughter, both named Martha. The English began settlement of the island after it was purchased (along with Nantucket and Elizabeth Islands) by Mr. Mayhew of Watertown, Massachusets (where we frequent Target these days).
Just like it's sister island of Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard was put on the map in the 19th century by the whaling industry. If you've read Moby Dick, you know about the ships sent around the world to hunt for whales for their oil and blubber. Both islands had a booming whale trade that lead to lots of prosperity. When petroleum was discovered in Pennsylvania and meant a cheaper source of oil for lamps, the whaling industry almost entirely colllapsed by 1870.
The only industry that continued to grow after that was tourism. With a reputation as a summer destination for the wealthy, over half of the homes on Martha's Vineyard are only occupied seasonally. With a year-round population of around 15,000, in the summer it can reach almost 100,000.
Fun fact, its one of only five places in the United States that takes a possessive apostrophe.
We spent a relaxing 48 hours with friends from school at a family cabin on the water, about at 15 minute drive from the port in Vineyard Haven.
We drove down just after lunch on Friday to beat the traffic out the city and drove onto the 3:30 ferry without any issue (we had tickets for the 5:30 ferry but got on easily through stand-by for the earlier time). We stopped by the grocery store once we'd disembarked the ferry and grabbed a gallon of milk (which we ALMOST finished in 36 hours).
The next two days were spent at the beach, a farmers market, church, The Black Dog (great food!), and plenty of time snuggled in at "home," a friend's family cabin. The kids loved swinging in the hammock, collecting rocks outside, and pushing all of the buoys hanging on the tree outside. We had dinner by candlelight each night and the kids went to sleep with the sun (and woke up with it, too, on Sunday).
It was a nice, slow, quiet weekend after the busy of back to school the week before. Lincoln has already been asking when we can drive our car back onto a boat and play at Martha's Vineyard again. But note to self, definitely book ferry tickets in advance if you're trying to drive off the island on a Sunday afternoon.
Thanks so much for having us, Lily!
Our weekend in pictures:
^she only wanted to fill this basket with rocks at the farmer's market 😛
^we made it to the beach and, while it wasn't super warm, Lincoln insisted on swimming
^before Ben soaked his pants
^the cutest hostess for the weekend
Things to do in Martha's Vineyard:
We didn't do all of these because we spent almost all of our time at the cabin but you can bet we'll be back! This is what's on my list for our next visit
Gingerbread cottages
Mad Martha's Ice Cream
Aquinnah Cliffs
Eat another breakfast sandwich at The Black Dog
raw hem jeans: AGOLDE, this summer's favorite cropped raw hem jeans (more distressed jeans here) (more AGOLDE denim here)
top: favorite striped basic tee (more striped tees here)
green sweater: from a few years ago but similar green sweater here (more cozy knits here)
Lisbon Travel Diary: Part 1
Fall Hits New England
Mykonos Day 3: Delos and Pasta
« I love to see the temple
Put Together The Perfect Cheese Board with Nuts and Honey »
Aviator Sunglasses at Shopbop
steal their style
Shop Cambridge Satchel 15" Seasonal Brogued S...
Ignite Mountain Jacket at Shopbop
Alpha Industries ECWCS Torrent Raindrop Parka
Polo Ralph Lauren Storm Rider Jacket
Shop Long Dresses, Embellished Sandals, White Bikinis Bottom, Silver Metallic Pumps Shoes and more

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
The Best of Adam Sharp
by Graeme Simsion
Paperback / softback Publication Date: 28/08/2017
OFF RRP $22.99 $20.50
In stock with our Australian supplier.
On the cusp of fifty, Adam Sharp has a loyal partner, earns a good income as an IT contractor and is the music-trivia expert at quiz nights. It?s the lifestyle he wanted, but something?s missing.Two decades ago, on the other side of the world, his part-time piano playing led him into a passionate relationship with Angelina Brown, who?d abandoned law studies to pursue her acting dream. She gave Adam a chance to make it something more than an affair-but he didn?t take it. And now he can?t shake off his nostalgia for what might have been.Then, out of nowhere, Angelina gets in touch. What does she want? Does Adam dare to live dangerously? How far will he go for a second chance?
Text Publishing
Graeme Simsion was born in Auckland and is a Melbourne-based writer of novels, short stories, plays, screenplays and two non-fiction books. The Rosie Project began life as a screenplay, winning the Australian Writers Guild/Inscription Award for Best Romantic Comedy before being adapted into a novel.
It went on to win the 2012 Victorian Premier's Literary Award for an unpublished manuscript and has since been sold around the world to over forty countries. Sony Pictures have optioned the film rights with Graeme contracted to write the script.
The Rosie Project won the 2014 ABIA for Best General Fiction Book, and was ultimately awarded Australian Book of the Year for 2014. The sequel, The Rosie Effect, was released in 2014 to great acclaim and also became a bestseller. His new book is The Best of Adam Sharp.
This title is in stock with our Australian supplier and arrives at our Sydney warehouse within 1-2 weeks of you placing order. An overall delivery estimate to you, (arrival time to A&R + delivery via post to your address) can be found below.
Be the first to review The Best of Adam Sharp.
Adult & contemporary romance Contemporary fiction Fiction Staff Picks - Fiction Books


This is an in and out route of 68km of up and then back down again. The climb in is hard but there are two rewards for those willing to take it on: the incredible rock and alpine landscape and the ride back out. Our destination is the ski station at Haut Asco on a road partly constructed by the Foreign Legionnaires in the 1960's.
I'd strongly recommend you make this a day trip. Put all the effort into the climb and then meander back stopping to swim in the river at one of the many spots close to the road and perhaps have something to eat and drink in Asco village.
Leaving Ponte Leccia head north on the main road, the T30 (N197) sign posted for L'Île Rousse. After a couple of kms turn left onto the D47 signposted for Haut Asco. As the route profile shows the first 15km or so are a gentle spin through farming country. Up ahead you won't fail to notice the mountain landscape with several peaks above 2,000m and Monte Cinto, at 2,707m towering above the ride's high point at Haut Asco.
The road becomes the D147 and follows the River Asco up and into the Asco gorges. The climbing starts a few kms before the village of Asco which is about half way to the ski station. There are a number of bars and restaurants but let's leave them for later. On up twisting through the village and out the other side you're half way to the downhill bit!


Here Mudassar Ahmed Khan has explained with an example, how to read and parse Excel file (XLS and XLSX) using jQuery.
Once File is selected in FileUpload control, it is read as Binary data and then the Binary data is read using the xlsx Excel plugin.
The read data from Excel file is displayed in HTML Table using jQuery.
In this article I will explain with an example, how to read and parse Excel file (XLS and XLSX) using jQuery.
The Excel file is selected in FileUpload control (HTML File Input) and Upload button is clicked.
Inside the jQuery Button Click event handler, first a check is performed to verify whether the file is a valid Excel file i.e. file with extension XLS or XLSX. Then a check is performed to make sure whether the browser supports HTML5 FileReader API.
The Excel file is read as Binary data using HTML5 FileReader and then the Binary data is read using the xlsx Excel plugin which returns rows from Excel in JSON Array format.
Finally, a loop is executed over the JSON Array and the HTML Table is populated.
//Validate whether File is valid Excel file.
//Add the data rows from Excel file.


text:
Addressing the causes of in-work poverty
Posted on November 4, 2014 by donnagardiner
Image from Flickr user MoB68, licensed for reuse under Creative Commons License
By Donna Gardiner
This week is Living Wage Week and the issue of workers struggling to make ends meet has been in the news again. Back on 23rd September 2014, I attended an event held by the Glasgow Centre for Population Health (GCPH) on the changing nature of work and in-work poverty in the UK, with a specific focus on Glasgow.
Over 100 delegates from across the public, private and voluntary sectors came together to learn about the latest research findings, take part in round table discussions and contribute to a panel debate on how to address the causes of in-work poverty. Speakers included experts on poverty from the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council, Ipsos MORI, the Employment Research Institute at Napier University and the Glasgow Centre for Population Health.
The day began with a presentation by Jill Morton, from the Communities and Analytical Services division of the Scottish Government. Jill provided an overview of the Scottish Government's policy commitments to tackle poverty, and highlighted recent statistics regarding the incidence of poverty in Scotland.
She reported that, in Scotland in 2012/13 (the most recent data available), 16% of people, and one in five children, were living in poverty.
Jill noted that whilst employment was the best route out of poverty, it was no longer a safeguard against poverty as over half of all working age adults in poverty in Scotland were from households in which at least one person was in employment. Six in ten children in poverty were also from working households. Jill concluded that for poverty to decline, lower income households must have access to quality and sustainable employment.
The next speaker was Kevin Rush, Head of Economic Development at Glasgow City Council. Kevin provided an overview of the Glaswegian context of in-work poverty and the Council's experience of implementing the Glasgow Living Wage (GLW). The GLW, which was launched in 2009, set a guaranteed minimum hourly wage for all Glasgow City Council workers (£7 an hour in 2009, and now £7.65 an hour). It was also hoped that the GLW would have a knock-on effect on other employers in Glasgow, encouraging them to raise their own rates of pay and that of contracted staff. Kevin reported that the GLW had increased the basic salary of around 600 of the lowest paid Council workers by up to £1100 a year; the vast majority of whom were women.
However, he noted that the Council had faced a number of difficulties incentivising employers to sign up for the GLW scheme. He explained that although the council had sought to include the living wage as part of its procurement requirements, due to legal restrictions it remained a voluntary scheme, and by 2014 the number of participating employers had dropped to 130. Kevin concluded that the key challenges to be addressed were: properly incentivising employers to adopt the living wage; promoting good financial advice; and making childcare affordable.
Colin Hockaday from Ipsos MORI followed with an overview of their recent research regarding the issues faced by individuals experiencing in-work poverty in Scotland. He reported that 8% of the population in Glasgow were experiencing in-work poverty, compared with 6% of Scotland as a whole.
The main issues facing those in in-work poverty were:
being employed in poor quality, low-paid work;
experiencing difficulties finding better work;
the high cost of childcare;
experiencing difficulties meeting basic needs (fuel and food costs in particular);
a lack of financial resilience;
high levels of debt;
mental health problems caused by the stress and feelings of 'shame' associated with being in poverty; and
relationship difficulties caused by financial problems.
Barriers to finding better work included a lack of suitable job opportunities, a lack of suitable skills/experience, limited opportunities for skills enhancement within existing employment, prohibitive childcare costs and the possible loss of Working Tax Credit. Colin concluded that effectively tackling in work poverty requires a three-fold approach:
maximising incomes through higher wages and ensuring all available benefits are received;
minimising outgoings by reducing the cost of childcare, making housing more energy efficient (and thus reducing heating costs), and providing advice on debt and finances, and
improving the skills and employability of those in low paid occupations, through employer training schemes and improved terms and conditions for those in temporary or zero-hours contracts.
Dr Matthew Dutton from the Employment Research Institute at Napier University then spoke about his recent research which examined the impact of the living wage on employers and employees.
Matthew reported that studies of the London living wage had found a number of benefits for employers, including improvements in the recruitment and retention of staff, improved morale, motivation, productivity and firm reputation, as well as reduced levels of absenteeism and sick leave and enhanced quality of work from employees. He cautioned, however, that such findings were based on anecdotal evidence from a small sample of firms.
In Glasgow, it is estimated that around 18.3% (48,175) of people are paid less than the GLW hourly rate. The main reason employers gave for not implementing the GLW was the perceived negative impact on costs and competitiveness. However, Matthew's research found that paying the GLW did not appear to have any significant effect on companies' financial performance.
Another aspect of Matthew's research was to model the relationship between income tax, benefits, tax-credits and wages in order to understand the effects of the GLW in the household. He found that in households where Working Tax Credits were an important source of household income (for example, a couple with 2 children, one of whom works full time and the other part time), then the payment of the GLW instead of the NMW could actually reduce household income by nearly £670 per year, as the increased income from employment reduces household income from WTC and increases the amount of tax paid.
He therefore concluded that while a living wage could improve incomes for some household types, on its own it was not be enough to bring about real change for the poorest households (i.e. those where earned income represents a small proportion of total income).
The final speaker of the day was James Egan from Glasgow Centre for Population Health, who discussed the changing nature of work within the voluntary sector in Glasgow and provided an overview of the findings of the GCPH report "The rise of in-work poverty and the changing nature of poverty and work in Scotland: what are the implications for population health?". James reported that low-quality, precarious and insecure work was found to have a detrimental impact on mental health and wellbeing. He noted that there was evidence to suggest that being employed in the lowest quality jobs was actually more damaging to mental health than remaining unemployed.
The day finished with round table discussions which produced a series of questions for the panel to debate. The key issues that emerged were the way in which the public sector could use procurement to encourage employers to pay a living wage to their employees. There was some uncertainty regarding the legality of requiring public sector contractors to pay the living wage, as it may breach current EU legislation. It was suggested by some that perhaps the boundaries of such legislation should be tested by 'pioneering' councils. The panel also discussed the various ways in which the private sector could be incentivised to pay a living wage, and it was noted that this was an area of particular difficulty.
I came away from the day feeling generally positive – while there are clearly many challenges to address, it was encouraging to see so many dedicated, passionate people sharing their knowledge and experience, and working together to find solutions.
If you would like more information on in-work poverty, the Idox Information Service has collated an extensive collection of relevant journal articles, policy papers and research. A selection of key documents is highlighted below:
Smith Institute (2014) Outsourcing the cuts: pay and employment effects of contracting out (Ref. B39500)
Work Foundation (2014) Rising to the challenge: a policy agenda to tackle low pay (Ref. B38518)
Work Foundation (2014) Employment, pay and poverty: evidence and policy review (Ref. B38258)
In-work poverty, IN Poverty, No 148 Summer 2014, pp6-8 (Ref. A50812)
Living Wage Commission (2014) Work that pays: the final report of the Living Wage Commission (Ref. B38089)
Wages of virtue (living wage), IN MJ, 8 May 2014, pp18-19 (Ref. A50052)
Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) (2014) Rewarding work for low-paid workers (Ref. B37277)
GLA Economics (2014) Low pay in London (Working paper no 59) (Ref. B36033)
The 'living wage', low pay and in work poverty: rethinking the relationships, IN Critical Social Policy, Vol 34 No 1 Feb 2014, pp46-65 (Ref. A48758)
Living Wage Commission (2014) Working for poverty: the scale of the problem of low pay and working poverty in the UK (Ref. B36016)
Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) (2014) Improving progression in low-paid, low-skilled retail, catering and care jobs (Ref. B35995)
Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion (CESI) (2013) Work in progress: low pay and progression in London and the UK (Ref. B36566)
Poor and in work (causes of in-work poverty), IN Working Brief, No 233 Autumn 2013, pp18-19 (Ref. A47770)
KPMG (2013) Living wage research for KPMG: structural analysis of hourly wages and current trends in household finances (Ref. B34506)
Glasgow Centre for Population Health (GCPH) (2013) The rise of in-work poverty and the changing nature of poverty and work in Scotland: what are the implications for population health? (Ref. B34134)
This entry was posted in Equality and Diversity and tagged #changingnatureof work, employers, employment, equality, evidence, glasgow, glasgow living wage, in work poverty, Income, living wage, local government, london living wage, Low Income, minimum wage, national minimum wage, poverty, Private Sector, procurement, public sector, voluntary sector, wage. Bookmark the permalink.
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These Marcus & Marcus School Bus Muffin Pans are so cute.
I recently made muffins, and sent them to my son, Jacob's, Kindergarten Class. The kids loved them. I let each child keep their School Bus, to take home. They went over really well. Parents wanted to know where I got the pans from. So I sent them here. And, as far as I know, a few of them have ordered already.
These muffin pans are silicone, and are oven, freezer, and dishwasher safe. All Marcus & Marcus products are molded from BPA-Free, PVC-Free and Phthalate-free materials. Also, there are 4 separate muffin pans.
I love how they were packaged, to get to me. They were in the cutest boxes. And, so easily removed from the boxes, to be rinsed and used. I always rinse everything before using it.
Marcus & Marcus' animal themed food grade silicone school bus muffin cups are the perfect way to introduce your little one's to the joys of baking. Our set of 4 muffin molds features all the Marcus & Marcus characters and the bold and bright colors will keep your child interested and engaged. Each silicone bus bakes up a perfectly sized individual muffin that is ideal for breakfast or at snack time. The individual cups each have an 180ml capacity and are BPA free, PVC free, oven safe, freezer safe and dishwasher safe. Create some family fun and memories with our Marcus & Marcus school bus muffin cups.


Since 2008, colleges and universities that receive federal financial aid are required to have net price calculators, or NPCs, on their website. These tools allow students to project how much their cost of attendance will be by factoring in variables such as tuition, financial aid, books and housing, and gauge if a particular institution works with their financing options.
The study examined the websites for 80 public and private institutions. Researchers could find a NPC by navigating directly from the website homepage for just 69 of the colleges. And two institutions did not have a NPC available.
When the tools were available, the study found that the data that these tools used can be confusing or misleading. Nearly 31 percent of colleges offered price calculations based on tuition data that was three years old, and seven institutions used data from the 2014-15 academic year, according to the report. Six did not state what year the tuition data was from.
Some institutions did not differentiate the difference between grants and loans in the cost calculator. And two used a definition of "net price" that doesn't match how the federal government defines the term, which considers net price as cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Colleges also vary in terms of what factors they include in cost of attendance. Some present costs as tuition, fees and room and board, while others factor in books, transportation or other expenditures. "If they don't include [all of] that, it's misleading to students and limits their ability to compare across institutions," says Perna, who is also the executive director of the Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy at UPenn.
Institutions have the responsibility to provide complete usable information for students.
This isn't the first time researchers have raised issues with colleges' NPCs. A 2012 study by the Institute for College Access and Success found that the net price calculators for some institutions were hard to find, or in the case of three colleges, not available at all.
Part of the problem is a lack of accountability. "There aren't any consequences built in the system for institutions" that fail to meet the requirements, says Perna.
Institutions can choose to build or buy their own NPC, or use a template provided by the U.S. Department of Education. Colleges that used third-party vendors were less likely to disaggregate data around grants from the state, federal or institution level, according to Perna, making it harder for students to determine the source of potential aid.
However, third-party NPCs were more likely to include information the researchers deemed useful that the federal framework leaves out, such as contact information for where to follow up with questions, she added.
The report includes a list of recommendations for policy makers hoping to improve the cost calculation process. Suggestions include updating the U.S. Department of Education's NPC template so that institutions disaggregate grant awards by source and costs by major, and specify if the NPC estimates or financial aid options do not apply to any particular groups, such as non-U.S. citizens.
Among suggestions for institutions themselves, the report advises that colleges make the NPC available and easy to find, and present only a single calculation of the net price, based on the federal definition of net price and using data from the current or previous year.


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Donald Trump: US relationship with UK 'bigger than any Prime Minister'
The relationship with the United States is "bigger than any prime minister", Downing Street said as Theresa May prepares to host Donald Trump in the week she will quit as Tory leader.
By Scotsman Reporter
President Donald Trump. Picture: AP
The US president will visit the UK from June 3-5, taking part in a series of engagements with the Prime Minister as she prepares to leave Number 10.
After months of intense pressure over the failure of her Brexit strategy, Mrs May finally announced that she would quit as Conservative leader on June 7, triggering a leadership contest.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said she was still looking forward to hosting Mr Trump.
Guests left stunned as Donald Trump personally redecorated Turnberry resort
After Mrs May announced the timetable for her departure, Mr Trump said: "I feel badly for Theresa.
"I like her very much. She is a good woman. She worked very hard.
"She is very strong."
Meanwhile, a survey found that the controversial president's state visit is backed by a majority of Britons even though fewer people think the Government should work with him, a survey has found.
There were huge protests when Mr Trump made a working visit to Britain last year and more are expected when he arrives for the higher profile three-day state occasion.
But the YouGov poll found that 46% of those surveyed think the state visit should go ahead, while 40% want it to be cancelled.
Before Mr Trump's trip last year, YouGov found 50% backed it while 37% did not want him to come.
YouGov questioned 2,108 adults on May 19-20 and found an increase in the number of Britons who think the Queen should meet Mr Trump.
Last year, for the working trip, Britons thought the Queen should keep her distance, by 49% to 35%, while the figures for the state visit she is hosting are 42% and 41% respectively.
There has been a drop over the last two years in the number who feel the Government should try to work with Mr Trump.
In January 2017, 51% said ministers should work with the US president and only 32% felt they should keep their distance, while the figures are now 40% and 41%.
Mr Trump and his wife Melania will be welcomed by the Queen, joined by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, in the garden at Buckingham Palace on June 3.
The Duke of Sussex will be at the private palace lunch held on the first day for the Trumps but wife Meghan, whose son Archie will be less than four weeks old when the president arrives, will not.
At the state banquet, a lavish white-tie dinner staged in the palace's ballroom, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will join the Queen, Charles and Camilla for the event, which will feature leading figures from UK national life and prominent Americans in Britain.
The US president will also have tea with the heir to the throne and his wife during the first day, and on the second will visit Downing Street for talks with the Prime Minister.
Mr Trump will reportedly be bringing his grown-up children with him - daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner, both advisers to the president, along with her siblings, Tiffany Trump, Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump.
During the second day of the state visit, Mrs May and the US president will co-host a business breakfast meeting, attended by the Duke of York, at St James's Palace.
Mr Trump will then visit Downing Street to hold talks with the Prime Minister, followed by a joint press conference.
That evening the Trumps will host a return dinner at Winfield House, the residence of the US Ambassador, which Charles and Camilla will attend on behalf of the Queen.
On Wednesday June 5, the Queen and Charles will attend the national commemorative event for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings at Southsea Common, Portsmouth.
More than 300 D-Day veterans will be at the ceremony, which aims to tell the story of D-Day through musical performance, testimonial readings and military displays, including a fly-past of 25 modern and historical aircraft.
Air fryers UK 2021: best ones for sale at Argos, Currys and ... Recommended


The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max will be available from 19th September. Here is the pricing from Singtel, StarHub and M1.
The World's fastest band has debuted. Have you heard about the fastest pianist, finger snapper, bum skipper, floss dancer, head-masher or Nunchaku master?


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Q: Javascript to change the size of qualtrics text box in [custom sum bar] questions I need a Javascript to change the size of qualtrics text box in custom sum bars. Note it's a constant sum box not a normal question.
Make the "choice text" box WIDER and make the "bar box" shorter.
Image showing what I'm trying to do
I've tried all the codes I found on google to change qualtrics width but nothing worked. Need something simple, thank you!
Qualtrics.SurveyEngine.addOnload(function()
{
var inputWidth = "75px";
$(this.questionId).select('.SumInput').each(function(name, index) {
    name.style.width = inputWidth;
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$(this.questionId).select('.SumTotal').each(function(name, index) {
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$(this.questionId).select('.InputText').each(function(name, index) {
    name.style.width = inputWidth;
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Also
function makeBigger(){
var txt = document.getelementbyid('txtbox');
txt.style['width'] = '100px';
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Most of the authors researched consider the remaining players to be persons addicted to a toxic or sick religious system, generally assuming that healthy members would be aware of the problems and leave to find a more nurturing environment. While not all are directly involved in the abusive behavior, all people remaining within the system and choosing not to seek change are, to varying extents, complicit in the illness of the church. Various terms were used to name these people – victims, religious addicts and scapegoats being the most common.
Arterburn and Felton, however, describe the remaining participants as falling into four distinct groups within the unhealthy church – victims, outcasts, enablers and co-conspirators. It is undeniably limiting to pigeon-hole people into such narrow definitions, but this latter method of categorizing participants seems more effective than using just two – persecutors and victims. The remainder of this paper explores participants using Arterburn and Felton's model, with additional insights taken from the other authors and my own observations.
Victims are compliant people who openly support the abusive leader that they perceive as having integrity. In order to be valued by the system, the unassuming victims sacrifice their need to be significant and place total trust in the presbyter. Those in power assume their blind allegiance because the victims lose themselves in the family or organization. These are the readily expendable participants within the abusive church – remember, the antisocial leader becomes known for the number of people who leave and the majority come from this group.
Victims need to belong to something larger than themselves, and their fears of rejection and abandonment compel them to be exploited members of something rather than loners and part of nothing. When and if the toxic faith system is exposed, however, victims must bear the feelings of being used to satisfy the sinful desires of those in authority. Just as in the adage, "The witness of violence is a victim of violence", victims may reach a point where they can no longer reconcile the unhealthy practices of the church leadership with their own injured faith. Spiritually, victims may suffer abandonment, loss, loneliness and isolation from the church. Since they have been "driven out of the garden where God is experienced" (Benyei, p.97) victims may become spiritually homeless, or even devoid of faith, due to the violation of their system of belief.
"Spiritual molestation rapes the victims' minds of reason and strips them of their direct access to God. It takes away their self-respect and leaves them feeling broken. Once victims have been spiritually molested, the persecutors and co-conspirators attempt to manipulate them into keeping the secret" (Arterburn, p.230).
"Of the five roles in the toxic faith system, only one is not a religious addict or a possessor of toxic faith. In the toxic system there is usually someone who can see the problem and confront it. Unwilling to play the games of the persecutors and coconspirators, the person becomes an outcast" (Arterburn, p.235).
Some employees or members, usually with significant functions in the church, become aware of the brokenness of the system, but when they voice disapproval they are castigated as troublemakers and treated as pariahs. Within this system, loyalty is inseparable from blind faith and absolute agreement with the abusive leader. Either someone is one hundred percent with the presbyter, or one hundred percent against him or her. These people then become targets of scapegoating, slurs and even slander in an attempt to defend the system. Many leave the church (just as most of the authors recommend), but some are able to process their pain and anger resulting from the attacks, envision a better future for the church and themselves, and remain – albeit in the role of outcasts. Outcasts see the system for what it is and, as "lone voices in the wilderness", pray for and/or promote change. They love God and want to protect His people and His church from willful abuse. The price paid, however, is being ostracized from the church, friends and, sometimes, jobs.
The enabler participates in victimization, although by taking a relatively passive role in deception. The enablers lose themselves in the life of the abusive leader, but the more they invest the more they resent their role. As the enablers continue to lose self worth, they hang on to their roles rather than break free. "As long as the enabler remains convinced there is no hope to change, the toxic system will continue in denial and hypocrisy" (Arterburn, p.220). Enablers rationalize their role in supporting wrongdoing out of a need to be submissive, and delude themselves that they are being simply obedient and loyal.
Even when confronted with the symptoms of the unhealthy system, the fearful enabler continues to allow the problem to grow until someone else takes care of it. Despite resenting their role, enablers are the most likely to begin the process of scapegoating, due to their need to maintain the peace found in the status quo. "The system, especially the [church leadership], blackmails the enablers to stay in the supportive role – whatever the price" (Arterburn, p.226). In the preceding quote the word 'blackmail' seems to be used to mean 'coerce'. Other participants of wrongdoing generally convince the enablers that the abusive leader is being persecuted, thereby calling on the enablers' tendency to assist the helpless or underdog. Most often they are manipulated into allegiance, rather than threatened into compliance.
"The ultimate act of loyalty to the persecutor is the willingness to lie" (Arterburn, p.216).
"The desire for right and wrong is replaced with the desire to feel good because they are part of something big. Having wanted security and significance all their lives, they finally have found someone or an entire organization that gives them value" (Arterburn, p.217).
Benyei states, possibly from the position of being a former victim, that the co-conspirator is the person or persons who commit "murder in the guise of caretaking" (Benyei, p.116). She further states that this person is the personification of Luke 11:11-12, "What father [sic] among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead give him a serpent, or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion". The most common manner in which this wrongdoing occurs surrounds the function of pastoral care. Under the guise of nurturing, any information obtained or charge heard may be twisted around to indict or discredit the victim or outcast.
Thank you for helping Me understand what has happend to me. I was a victim of sexual clergy abuse. It's been a tough journey to find my way towards restoration. Once I helped expose this guy nobody came to aid my family or I. Your insight is powerful. Many blessings to you and your work!!!
Not sure this site is still active, but thanks. I have been the victim in at least 3– maybe 4– emotional abuse scenarios in churches, throughout my lifetime. Never knew what hit me! Part of me thinks it's "all my fault", but the other part of me can now see definite patterns of abuse; that the churches themselves are sick and secretive. I am at the point at which I would rather not go to church– very painful for me. I have no idea how to work thru these situations, and how to find healing. Nothing has helped. I am tormented by these memories, day and night; one, was a very recent situation. It is indeed like PTSD. I also live close to the most recent church… cannot move. It's like having an entire world against me, next door! The worst of it, is that I am shunned and ignored– but I don't think I did wrong; I think they did. Or perhaps that we both did… (in that we're all sinners), but that the ones in power aren't about to own up? Anyone reading this; please pray for me and for the church(es) that abused me. Thank you.


This requirement supersedes any previous lifting requirement effective 08/01/2014. Ability to lift up to 35 pounds without assistance. For patient lifts of over 35 pounds, or when patient is unable to assist with the lift, patient handling equipment is expected to be used, with at least one other associate, when available. Unique patient lifting/movement situations will be assessed on a case~by~case basis.
Provides direct physical therapy services to patients of all ages who are referred to the department. Selects appropriate evaluation procedures and develops individualized treatment programs to restore or maximize each patient's functional skills.


Quilt Market was this past weekend and in case you've never heard of it (and I hadn't until a couple years ago!), let me briefly explain: Twice yearly, the quilting industry gathers for a three-plus day convention to offer up a look at the new patterns, tools and fabrics. It's for the trade, so it's mostly suppliers setting up booths and shop owners roaming the expansive floor. They put in orders for most of the fabrics they'll be along with a slew of patterns, gadgets, notions and tools. Let's just say it is an incredibly vast array of quilting (and some apparel/craft sewing) stuff.
I went there as the editor of WebCents and to find out what's coming down the pike so I can promote it to the trade association. Of course, I had to make new clothes for it, including this Simplicity 1652 dress. It's the second one I made, so I promise to write up a review soon including how I tweaked it the second time around.
But check it out… it's not a black or grey dress. That baby is PUMPKIN. I still can't believe I'm wearing it (and in fact, I washed it and am wearing it again as I type). I am just not a pumpkin kind of girl, but Andi at work suggested it and I figured why the hell not?! I got some of the new Modern Solids from In The Beginning Fabrics after seeing them on the Pink Chalk Fabrics newsletter. I can happily report that it's lovely fabric to work with, even for apparel. Kudos.
On Thursday I got a sneak peak at booths while they were setting up. I could smell the sod they were laying down in Heather Bailey's booth an aisle before I saw it and when I did I was awed. [Forgive the blurry pics.] And Moda/United Notions had a stunning curtain of stitched die-cut leaves around their booths. I saw it and vowed to make window curtains for myself like this until I remembered that I'd have to cut them all out by hand. Yeah, nice idea but it's not gonna happen. I ran into Luke Haynes and he filled me in on his amazing light-up jacket. I'm not gonna spill the beans, but you're going to love it when he shares this one with the world. He's so creative, it blows my mind. I loved all the embroidery patterns, especially the over-sized ones. Heather did the huge yarn embroidery and Penguin & Fish had these awesome pillows. How freakin' cute is that hedgehog? Need it, right? Yes, I do. She's got a book coming out and while I doubt I'll get to do much for-fun hand-stitching this year, I'm gonna buy it. It's too lovely to pass up. Rashida Coleman-Hale had this awesome kid kimono in her booth. Gorgeous, eh? It's using her new Koi line with Cloud9 Fabrics and I cannot wait to get some for myself and add it to my stack of Rashida fabrics. Then there was THE selvage dress–unbelievable and gorgeous. Jodi of Ric Rac was awesome and still happy to talk about this dress that has been all over the blogosphere and now in Portland. :) There was, of course, the after-parties and I made it to a couple. The PMQG and Modern Domestic joined forces and a fantabulous time was had by all. ModDom recently added another space onto the shop, which means more party space and more classroom space, too.
It was a fun conglomeration of folks from around the industry: folks from Threadbias and Craftsy, book publishers, quilt designers, fabric designers, longarm quilters, sewists, bloggers and teachers. There was so much more to see and do and I'll be sure to throw some more in here and there for you, but I have to save the good fabric pics for work (sorry!).
So after four harried days of prep, dinners, Schoolhouses and Market, I'm done. My feed ache. My back is a mess and I'm overwhelmed by the number of people I met, hugged, exchanged cards with and chatted up. The introvert in me is ready to be back in control any time now.
Have you been to Market before? Worked it? I'd love to hear your take on it.
I'm in love with this new fabric from Rashida Coleman-Hale. I adored her Washi line, of course, but this one grabs a hold of my little heart and hard. Maybe it's the cranes! We saw them all over the rice fields in Vietnam, too.
Anyway, it's lovely, organic fabric from one of my favorites: Cloud 9 Fabrics.
I can't even begin to tell you how mind-blowing it has to been to watch my little idea to garner help in making handmade clothes/gifts for our orphan friends in Tam Ky grow incredibly over the past two weeks.
I knew there were folks out there that I knew and admired who would help along the way, but I never expected the outpouring of offers to sew up a bag or dresses or a stack of receiving blankets or sling bags. It's been amazing and I am incredibly grateful.
We've been lucky enough to have some friends from the fabric industry step up and offer to spread the word, which has helped immensely.
Laurie Wisbrun, a fabric designer I've admired for a couple years now. I interviewed her a few weeks ago for an article I was writing for WebCents magazine, then talked briefly of book-writing and sewing clothes. A surprise friendship blossomed and at lightning speed she sewed up a ton of skirts, shorts and pencil bags for my project, then shared it on her blog.
Rashida Colemen-Hale is another fabric designer I adore. She's a wonderful lady and mother, a woman I just happened to run into a million times at Spring Quilt Market and developed an online friendship with. I got a ton of messages thanks to her posting the Sewing for Orphans project not only on her blog, but on Pinterest as well.
Sewn Studios, a modern fabrics & sewing lounge, shared the word thanks to the suggestion of Rachel Gander, the blogger behind Imagine Gnats. We've yet to meet in person (same with Laurie!), but that hasn't stopped her from supporting my cause or us from becoming friends over Facebook and blogs. God bless the Internet for making new friends.
Which is how I met Kim Niedzwiecki, the whirling dervish behind Go-Go Kim. I first heard of her when I found the cathedral window pincushion tutorial (which I made and gave away in the swap Rachel mentions in her post!). We finally had a quick meeting at the Kona from Robert Kaufman Fabrics' booth at Spring Quilt Market and through that and a crazy amount of FB Likes and comments, we've become friends of a sort. She was one of the first to post about my project and I'm super grateful.
And an enormous thank you to Shelly Figueroa, who was not only the first person to post it on her blog for me, she was also the first contributor to our Indiegogo campaign. Despite the fact that she lives locally, we hadn't met in person,ut I had interviewed her, again for work, months before, regarding her fantabulous book Sewing for Boys book (written with Karen LePage). She's currently raising funds for her sewing studio, so if you inclined, check it out here.
Again and again, I'm awed by the kindness of people. And I am always grateful.
P.S. If you shared the project, can you let me know? I'm trying to keep track of everything so I can link back to y'all. xo!
Oh my. The word is spreading!
Then I got a comment from Trinh saying that she'd found out about the sewing drive thanks to a post on Rashida's blog. Rashida? As in I Heart Linen's Rashida? I had to check it out. And sure enough… she did!
Squeal! I cannot thank her (or Shelly or Kim or PMQG) enough!


text:
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SADC's tourism publication launches
cajnews
Published: November 29, 20215:19 pm Updated: 5:33 pm
Author cajnews
South African tourism
by DION HENRICK
CAPE TOWN, (CAJ News) – SOUTHERN Africa's prime travel and tourism publication has been launched in a landmark development aimed at enhancing the growth of these industries.
Rivers Travel, as the daily online publication is aptly named, has been launched in Cape Town, South Africa.
The official launch is scheduled for Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe in February 2022.
Further launches are set for Okavango Delta in Botswana in April and later in Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Tanzania / Zanzibar.
In addition to the digital and online versions (https://rivers.travel/), Rivers Travel will have a quarterly magazine that will be distributed in all major airlines, airports, hotels and resorts in the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
"Rivers Travel is the game-changer for the hospitality, travel and tourism business in the SADC region," said SK Media Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Savious Kwinika.
He noted the publication was launched at a time COVID-19 wreaked havoc on the hospitality and tourism sector.
"Now is the time to help revive the industry through aggressive marketing. This is where Rivers Travel comes into the picture. This top-notch tourism publication is set to impress the market, SADC governments, airlines, restaurants, hotels and resorts."
Headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, Rivers Travel was initially born to promote travel and tourism in six SADC regional member states comprising Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
However, management added to the list the regional economic powerhouse South Africa as well as Mauritius, Malawi, Tanzania and Zanzibar to ensure the region gets wide exposure as a major tourist destination.
Rivers Travel draws inspiration from the Zambezi River, whose attractions include Kariba – the world's largest man-made lake, (in both Zambia and Zimbabwe), Cahora Bassa Dam (Mozambique), Batoka Dam, Itezhi-Tezhi and Kazungula.
The river is mighty, flowing through six countries on an amazing 2 700-km journey from its source in north-western Zambia to the Indian Ocean.
It is the fourth longest river in Africa, after the Nile, Congo and Niger rivers.
Zambezi is called Southern Africa's 'river of life' due to its support of thousands of people and an array of wildlife through its rich vegetation, water catchments, floodplain soils and fish life.
Zambezi draws thousands of tourists to partake in activities such as sightseeing, rafting, boating, cruising, water-skiing, bungee jumping and game viewing.
Rivers Travel is a catalyst to growth of the tourism and travel industry.
The publication showcases one of the most fascinating rivers in Africa as a major tourist attraction but a lifeline and constant source of income for millions.
Rivers Travel brings high quality media coverage in the tourism and travel sector.
It has evolved into a vibrant, thriving and dependable tourism media voice that delivers excellent service to all SADC countries, at par with the highest international standards.
It profiles hotels and resorts, hospitality industry executives, tourism bodies, wildlife and environment.
– CAJ News
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Artco's group exhibition Natural combines works from various artists. The acrylic and oil paintings, aquarelles, mixed techniques and photographs are connected by Nature – in one way or another. The moods and meanings of the individual images change when they are laid side by side, creating stories about Nature; plants, animals, landscapes, elements.
Illustrator and visual artist Keanne van de Kreeke's works are part of her series Never Never Land: Never Never Land is an imaginary world where fairy-like characters live. In Never Never Land, all four seasons and other things related to nature's processes come together in an exhibition that makes it easy to forget: for a moment you can forget all surrounding events and objects, worries, and concentrate on the process of life. The works are close to man and Nature – full of imagination, joy, colour and little details that bring delight to the viewer's daily life.
Visual artist Hanna Tammi-Laakso examines weeds, the alien species of our nature. She shares her experiences through cyanotype photographs. A different kind of garden grows in her blue images.
Visual artist Reetta Sinivalo bases her works on different shapes of human hands, creating adaptions of them in plaster sculptures. Their shapes grow and transform into various natural arrangements and entities according to the exhibition space.
Artist Tuuli Vuorinen-Oras's Heroes of the Backyard (2011), The Encounter of Fish (2011) and Key to Happiness (2014) are extracts from the world of children and the exploration of nature. At the basis of the works you can see children's painted handprints and strokes that initially created random shapes and surfaces on the paper. From those shapes, nature themed images were born.
The other artists contributing to the exhibition are Outi Heinonen, Maisa Kivi, Sanna Sipi and Tuila Vuorinen.