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PBR - Professional Bull Riders
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Ain't Too Proud : The Life and Times of The Temptations
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Pretty Woman - The Musical
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Fleetwood Mac Tickets
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About Fleetwood Mac
Rising from the British blues music scene in the late 1960s, Fleetwood Mac quickly evolved into one of the most influential rock bands of the 70s. Creating an ingenious California sound – effortless melodies, dark romantic themes and veteran English rhythms deeply rooted in raw electric blues, the band remains relevant even today. That Fleetwood Mac tickets still sell out as soon as they are announced, is a testament.
For a long time, Fleetwood Mac struggled to find the perfect lineup. Peter Green, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood were a part of another blues band John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, before they decided to quit and form Fleetwood Mac. Guitarist Jeremy Spencer was also roped in as the fourth member.
The early songs and albums by the band featured gritty, raw vocals, along with evocative, fluid guitaring by Peter Green. Since the very beginning Fleetwood Mac presented itself as a rare balancing act as it was mostly powered by internal conflicts and of course the famous intra-band heartbreaks. After releasing three albums and multiple hits like "Oh Well", "Black Magic Woman", "Albatross" and "Man of the World", Green left the band in 1970. With his departure, Fleetwood Mac entered into a transitional era.
Fleetwood Mac – Anchored by Mick Fleetwood and John McVie
The revolving door of Fleetwood Mac continued as members joined and left. In 1970, after the release of "Kiln House" Jeremy Spencer also parted ways and Danny Kirwan took his place. It remained a significant year in Fleetwood Mac's history as the phenomenal Christine McVie also joined the band. Bob Welch landed inside Fleetwood Mac in 1971 and brought many important changes in the band.
Being an American, Welch hoped to extend the band's appeal to the US as well. He helped the band into composing more melodic songs and 1971's "Future Games" was its proof. Fleetwood Mac changed its approach from being a straightforward, raw band to a more reflective one. Psychedelic flourishes, wistful rhythms and an adventurous vocal delivery steered the album to the Billboard 200. In 1972, "Bare Trees" was released and it featured the superhit song "Sentimental Lady".
Following a lot of inner turmoil, betrayal and even a law suit, in 1974, on Welch's persuasion, Fleetwood Mac moved to LA. The quartet of Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie and Bob Welch represented Fleetwood Mac.
"Heroes Are Hard to Find" hit the shelves in 1974 and made it to the top 40 on the Billboard 200. It featured popular tracks like "Angel" and "Prove Your Love". Sadly, it was also Welch's last album with Fleetwood Mac as he left to pursue a solo career. His departure made way for Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham.
Love, Hate & Betrayals
Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham took the band to newer heights in 1975. Their self-titled album topped the Billboard 200 and produced chartbusters like "Say You Love Me", "Rhiannon", "Over My Head" and "Landslide".
While Fleetwood Mac was at the top of their game – musically, on the personal front their relationships were falling apart. Married for eight years, the dream couple John McVie and Christine McVie was headed for divorce. Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham who had been dating each other since high school were also splitting up. Many complicated relationships surfaced soon after the divorced Christine started going out with the band's lighting manager. Mick Fleetwood learned about his wife Jenny Boyd's extramarital affair as he himself was later found having an affair with Stevie Nicks for almost two years.
Yes, instead of a music band, Fleetwood Mac became the epitome of interrelated, complicated relationship mess. But out of all this complication, a gem, a masterpiece was created – 1977's "Rumours".
Winner of the "Album of the Year" at the 1978 Grammy Awards, "Rumours" went on to become one of the best albums of all-time. The masterwork was a fusion of all the elements that presented a classic scripted theatrical – romance, elaborate entanglements, a lot of money and of course drugs. The critics called it rock music's most successful soap opera.
The fans were treated to a glamorous, painful mess, complete with honest lyrics and confessional grooves. In an interview Mick Fleetwood stated that the band members were too talented to let their personal issues get in the way of making incredible music. In his memoir he wrote, "It was hard to do, but no matter what, we played through the hurt".
Selling more than 45 million units all over the world, "Rumours" shined as a sad love story with a happy ending. The songs, "Dreams", "The Chain", "You Make Loving Fun" and "Go Your Own Way" broke through the music charts. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it at number 25 on its The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.
Fleetwood Mac's Enduring Legacy
Breakups, disbandment, reunion tours, another falling out and yet another comeback, all these things make Fleetwood Mac an enduring blues, rock act. Recently honored as the 2018 MusiCares Person of the Year, in Lindsey Buckingham's own words, the endless drama of love, anger, sadness and a sense of family makes Fleetwood Mac a "group of chemistry".
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees have revealed big plans for live performances and already a huge hype is building for Fleetwood Mac tour tickets. So far a global tour has been announced and will most likely hit the road in June 2018.
Every now and then, members of the band have been treating the listeners to the renditions of their original songs. The unadulterated version of "Landslide" recently came out and brought with it intimacy, more greatness – if only possible and even ingenuity. Lucky fans who do manage to nab their favorite band's tickets in time will get to hear these revamped tracks at the live concerts.
The "Rumours" era lineup will once again join forces for the fans and bring to stage their epic chemistry. Several concerts will take place under the trek Rumours of Fleetwood Mac, after which the band will officially announce their 2018 summer tour and its itinerary.
There may "Never Going Back Again" for Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, but one thing is clear. They Don't Stop and like a Songbird will continue to make life melodious for their countless fans.
Back on Tour
With Fleetwood Mac heading back out on the road you don't want to miss this 50 year reunion. So buy your Fleetwood Mac tickets for a great price at ScoreBig today!
Joan Jett And The Blackhearts Ashley McBryde Poison Motley Crue The Stadium Tour Def Leppard Harry Styles The Dirty Knobs Backstreet Boys Sheryl Crow
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The Fleetwood Mac schedule above, displays all available events for 2020. Once you find the event that you would like to go to, click the red "Get Tickets" button. It is located on the right-hand side of the event listing, it will take you to an Fleetwood Mac event ticket page. ScoreBig's event ticket page will display all available Fleetwood Mac tickets for that event. On the event ticket page to help with your search for the right Fleetwood Mac tickets, use the filters at the top to select quantity, price range, and more. There is also an interactive seating chart so you can pick where you want to sit. When you are ready to buy a ticket, click on the listing, and you will be directed to ScoreBig's checkout page. Upon completion of the information fields, your order will be processed and your Fleetwood Mac tickets will be delivered via email, mail, or to your mobile device.
What makes ScoreBig's site stand out from the rest? We are constantly analyzing our competitors to improve our site, service, and prices. ScoreBig.com employees strive to offer the best process and experience to buy cheap Fleetwood Mac tickets. Our goal is to get you the best seats to Fleetwood Mac events. We offer daily discounts on our site and for special promotions check out our newsletter. If there are no Fleetwood Mac events currently available, you can use our search feature at the top of the page to see a list of all popular events going on near you. No matter your price point, we have all the best deals and discounts on Fleetwood Mac tickets. For more information on prices of Fleetwood Mac tickets and the schedule for Fleetwood Mac, check out our listings above.
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Hamilton On Tour
Lin-Manuel Miranda's hit Broadway show is on tour in many majors cities! Find dates near you.
The Courage World Tour continues throughout 2021. Don't miss your chance to see her live!
Don't miss a chance to see the canadian vocalist in person
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Growth on social media is becoming more and more challenging. As more people come online day after day, the amount of noise you have to cut through is multiplying. It's a challenge, but a challenge that you can overcome with the right plan and tactics.
Today I'm going to share with you seven ways that I've seen marketers achieve social media growth online. These tactics have been tried and tested by many and are consistently helping individuals and organizations develop an audience and grow a following that leads to meaningful results.
Here are a couple things that I find helpful for sustaining growth on social.
I've seen and worked with brands doing contesting on Facebook for years and it works. It works wonders. The challenge is, if you give away an iPad, Costco gift card, Macbook Pro or new hoverboard, it's very possible that the people who enter your contest will consist of everyone and anyone.
If you want to grow your following, you want to ensure that the followers you're acquiring are relevant and potential customers. So make sure the prize you're giving away is high quality and aligned with the interests of your audience. I've used Gleam for contests and have seen great results.
It's easy to spend hours looking for content to share on social media. I've found that time can be better spent doing other things like creating great posts. Since Buffer shut down their content suggestions feature, I've been using GetCrate.co to find and share content more effectively. It's a great tool and saves me tons of time for curating the best links online.
When there's a relevant event going on or that I'm attending, I use Narrow.io to automatically like tweets sent from anyone who uses the event hashtag. It's especially helpful when you want to have a way to save all the great tweets to digest later on.
Rather than spending money targeting people who I've never connected with, I like to use Facebook custom audience and target leads who have downloaded eBooks, courses or connected with me on LinkedIn. The CTR tends to be higher and the CPC lower.
Thread your tweets back to one another so your old tweets show up in a user's timeline. Rather than letting old tweets disappear, reply back to your older tweet, remove the @mention that Twitter auto develops, and upon pressing send, the tweets will link up.
There's no question that paid media works on Facebook the best for driving distribution and reach. If you have the budget, invest in spending some cash on acquiring followers who have interests that line up with your page. I did an experiment a few weeks ago: I wanted to see how many followers I could get for $50 and was able to acquire about 2,000 people who are pretty engaged and interested in the page itself.
Tell people on one channel that you're also on another channel. If you're using Snapchat, use it to promote your Twitter or Instagram account. If you're writing a blog post, don't forget to include links to other articles you've written and embed some of your most relevant and engaging Slideshare decks.
While growth is important, the key is to measure and track how this growth on social media translates into sales. It's easy to get caught up in your follower count when in reality, you should be focused on the metrics that matter most to your business.
I'd love to hear what tactics other people have used. Let me know in the comments!
Ross Simmonds is a digital marketing strategist who has worked with both startups and Fortune 500 brands. He's also the co-founder of Crate, a content curation tool, and Hustle & Grind, an online store for entrepreneurs. He's passionate about entrepreneurship, marketing and all things tech.


This table cover is constructed using a thick 900-denier, solution-dyed woven polyester, which retains colorfast properties not found in lesser quality covers. Our eco-friendly, waterproof lining works in conjunction with a waterproof binding, giving the material exceptional moisure wicking ability. This cover also features 4 buckle straps to secure opposing legs and drawcords to cinch on opposing sides. Contrasting double stitched seams, piping, webbing, and handles all present welcome accents to the stone colored base material. Prestige covers are built to last. They're heavy-duty and functional. The design is deliberate and will set the tone for an accomplished, coherent backyard.
Good packing. Perfect size for my 42" table. Veryleased with it.


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2015 NBA Playoffs: Hawks vs. Nets Series Preview & Prediction
By Brian Rauf April 16, 2015
The Atlanta Hawks and Brooklyn Nets were both expected to make the playoffs at the start of the season, but as two of the bottom seeds. Brooklyn struggled throughout the season, but they pulled through and still managed to get the final playoff spot with a win over the Orlando Magic on the last day of the regular season. Atlanta far exceeded expectations as they jumped to the top of the conference at the start of the year, and they never relinquished the top seed.
Atlanta won all four regular season matchups between these two teams.
Projected Starting Lineups
(1) Atlanta Hawks (60-22)
G Jeff Teauge – 15.9 ppg, 7.0 apg
G Kyle Korver – 12.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg
F DeMarre Carroll – 12.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg
F Paul Millsap – 16.7 ppg, 7.8 rpg
C Al Horford – 15.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg
(8) Brooklyn Nets (38-44)
G Deron Williams – 17.6 ppg, 10.0 apg
G Markel Brown – 15.2 ppg, 3.8 apg
F Joe Johnson – 11.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg
F Thaddeus Young – 11.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg
C Brook Lopez – 12.2 ppg, 8.7 rpg
What to watch for:
Brooklyn's Offensive Production
Atlanta is one of the top offensive teams in the league as head coach Mike Budenholzer's motion offensive system has turned the Hawks into a top-10 scoring team. They make offense look effortless, but it's a much different story for Brooklyn.
The Nets rank in the bottom third of the league in scoring, and it's a struggle for them to get good shots on most of their offensive possessions. If they're going to compete with the Hawks in this series, they'll need to be able to put up over 95 points in every single game.
How will Thabo Sefolosha's injury impact Atlanta?
Sefolosha broke his leg in a fight out outside of a New York City nightclub earlier this month - an injury he blames on the police - ending his season before the playoffs. Atlanta relied on him to be a lockdown wing defender off the bench, and they need to find someone who will fill that role if they want to make a deep run in the postseason. Look for them to use this series to toy with different potential replacements for him in the rotation.
Prediction: Hawks win 4-0
Atlanta absolutely dominated the Nets in all four meetings during the regular season, and Brooklyn doesn't have nearly enough firepower to keep up with the Hawks.
Back to the Atlanta Hawks Newsfeed
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Q: What is the maximum width for Qida Protection Tape?
A: Within 1600mm. We can supply you protective film with width ranges from 10mm to 1600mm.
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2021 viewer release summaries week #14
Posted on April 12, 2021 April 26, 2021 by Inara Pey
Logos representative only and should not be seen as an endorsement / preference / recommendation
Updates from the week ending Sunday, April 11th
This summary is generally published every Monday, and is a list of SL viewer / client releases (official and TPV) made during the previous week. When reading it, please note:
It is based on my Current Viewer Releases Page, a list of all Second Life viewers and clients that are in popular use (and of which I am aware), and which are recognised as adhering to the TPV Policy. This page includes comprehensive links to download pages, blog notes, release notes, etc., as well as links to any / all reviews of specific viewers / clients made within this blog.
By its nature, this summary presented here will always be in arrears, please refer to the Current Viewer Release Page for more up-to-date information.
Note that for purposes of length, TPV test viewers, preview / beta viewers / nightly builds are generally not recorded in these summaries.
Official LL Viewers
Release viewer: Custom Key Mappings RC viewer, version 6.4.17.557391, dated March 24th, promoted March 27th – No change.
Eau de Vie Maintenance RC updated to version 6.4.18.557782, dated April 12th.
Love Me Render (LMR) 5 project viewer updated to version 6.4.18.557797, dated April 7th.
LL Viewer Resources
SL release viewer download page – LL
SL viewer release notes – LL
SL Alternate Viewers page – LL
SL available viewer index – LL
Starlight alternative viewer skins page (not officially supported by LL)
Viewer release process overview – this blog
SL Viewer updates and reviews – this blog
Third-party Viewers
V6-style
Kokua updated to versions (Non-RLV) and 6.4.17.47200 (RLV variants) on April 6th – release notes.
Cool VL Stable branch updated to version 1.28.2.19, on April 10.
Mobile / Other Clients
Additional TPV Resources
Third-party Viewer Directory – LL
Third-party Viewer Policy – LL
Index of release summaries
Tagged 2021 viewer release summaries
The Summer of '42 in Second Life
Hi Inara! I hope you're well. I don't know if you've ever seen the movie Summer of 42, but I've created a new region based on the story. I hope you can make it by one day.
– Justice Vought
So came the invitation from Justice Vought, owner of Oxygen (see: Getting some :oxygen: in Second Life) and also the engaging Once Upon A Time, celebrating Second Life's most famous residents, the Greenies, and Chocolate Factory, a homage to both Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, starring Gene Wilder (1971), and 2005's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, starring Johnny Depp. Given this heritage, I hopped over to take a look as soon as time allowed.
For those unfamiliar with the 1971 film, it is a coming of age story written by screenwriter Herman Raucher, recalling the time when, as a teenager, he spent a summer vacation on Nantucket Island in 1942 and falls for a newly-married woman, Dorothy, whose husband has gone to England to fight in the war.
The film is noted for its haunting soundtrack by Michel Legrand and bitter-sweet story. It started as a means for Raucher to honour his childhood friend, Oscar Seltzer ("Oscy" in the film), who had been killed whilst serving as a medic during the Korean War. However, circumstance turned the story into a tale of the first adult experience of Raucher's life.
The story uses a number of Nantucket locations – the town, the beach, the house where Dorothy shares for a short time with her husband before he departs for the war – and where Raucher most frequently sees her and has his final encounter with her (they would not have any contact for some thirty years after the – for Raucher – life-changing summer).
These aspects of the film are all engagingly interpreted by Justice within :Oxgyen: Summer of '42, a homestead region directly adjoining :Oxygen: (you can cross between them via a wooden bridge, with the north side of :Oxygen: forming a backdrop to the landing point). Here, on the waterfront, stand the figures of two young boys – perhaps Hermie and Oscy from the film, possibly awaiting the arrival of their mutual friend Benjie.
From here, it is a short walk around to main street, with its post office, garage and movie theatre – which is showing Summer of '42 alongside a film from the period of the film's setting: Casablanca, and several other movies besides; some of which were actually made after 1942, such as It's a Wonderful Life (1946), whilst others serve as neat little Easter eggs for Juctice's work.
The street looks out over a wind-blown landscape with a smattering of trees, their backs bent against the wind that clearly passes over the setting. It's a largely barren but photogenic view, dominated by a low hill on which a single wooden house stands, representing the house in which Dorothy lived and in and around which Hermie has his encounters with her. The house in turn looks down over a sweep of beach – perhaps the beach on which Oscy, Benjie and Hermie first saw Dorothy and her husband before the latter's departure. The beach is again a photogenic setting.
However, it is inside the house that treasure is to be found, containing as it does touches that most directly draw on the the film's poignant final scenes between Hermie and Dorothy.
These occur shortly after Dorothy has learned her husband has been killed in action and is dealing with her grief as Hermie arrives. These scenes are represented through the perfect use of props within the house – the record player, the table with ashtray and curling smoke, the mantelshelf photograph of a young US Army Air Corps pilot and another of his wife, sharing the space with a box brownie camera that may have been used to take one of them.
Most of all, there is the envelope, doubtless containing the telegram informing Dorothy of her husband's death, complete with his service dog tags. Here, as can be found elsewhere on the island, are pointers to the film – a poster on the wall, and the soundtrack lying among a pile of records. A further nice touch is the book on the table with the letter, offering a reminder that as well as producing the film's screenplay, Raucher also turned the story into a novel.
There are a few anachronisms to be found in the region – vehicles manufactured after 1942, references to films films of the 70s, etc. However, these do not ruin the atmosphere of the setting; some of them can be put down to the availability of period props, whilst others – as noted – offer nice little Easters eggs for the things that have influenced Justice in his region builds, and the builds themselves.
And of course, the bridge to :Oxygen: means that the keen explorer can extend their visit by touring there as well. However, I'll save that for another time.
:Oxygen: Summer of '42 (Element, rated Adult)
Tagged Exploring Second Life 20213 Comments
Space Sunday: Mars, galaxies and starships
Mars 2020 mission Sol 46 (April 6th), 2021, a series of 62 images captured using the WATSON imager on the robot arm of the Perseverance rover were used to create this "selfie" of the rover "looking" at the camera, then back at the Ingenuity helicopter sitting on the ground some 4 metres away. Credit: NASA/JPL
NASA has delayed the first flight of the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars after the vehicle detected an issue during one of its pre-flight tests.
For the past week, the agency has been preparing the little helicopter drone, part of the Mars 2020 mission, for the first of a series of 5 pre-planned test flights within Jezero Crater. It had been hoped the flight could take place on Sunday April 11th / Monday April 12th, 2021 (depending on where you are in the world); however it will now not take place until Wednesday, April 14th at the earliest.
After being dropped on the surface of Jezero Crater by the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover (see my previous space Sunday report), Ingenuity successfully recharged its batteries using solar energy and survived its first night alone on Mars without incident. This was a major milestone for the project, as there were fears that if the batteries couldn't be fully charged and generate sufficient heat, the extreme cold of the Martian night could freeze the vehicle's electronics, and even crack the batteries themselves.
Since that first night, the helicopter has shown it can keep itself warm and the flight team has spent the week conducting a range of pre-flight checks, including unlocking Ingenuity's pair of contra-rotating propellers and then testing them under power and at low speeds, then speeding up to higher speeds, including an attempt to reach the 2400 rpm required for take-off.
Part of testing Ingenuity included taking a low-resolution image via its downward-looking camera system while it was still sitting under the rover. April 3th, 2021 / Sol 42. Credit NASA/JPL
All of these tests were completed successfully, with the exception of the final full-speed test attempted on Friday, April 9th. This aborted during the phase when the command programme on Ingenuity was supposed to switch from "pre-flight" to "flight" mode, as will be required ahead of the actual flights. However, a guardian "watchdog" timer designed to oversee the correct execution of command sequences expired before the switch-over occurred, prompting Ingenuity to safely shut-down its motor and await further instructions from Earth.
Following a full evaluation of telemetry received following the curtailed test, the flight team were confident that no actual damage had occurred to the helicopter, stating the full spin-up test of the rotors would be postponed and the flight itself delayed until April 14th. They also indicated that assuming the first flight was completed without incident, the second flight will take place on Sunday, April 18th.
The rotor tests took place once Perseverance was well clear of the helicopter – the rover is gradually making its way to the look-out point where it will record Ingenuity's flights. However, before it did so, engineers took the opportunity to use the WATSON (Wide Angle Topographic Sensor for Operations and eNgineering) camera on the rover's robot arm to capture a series of 62 images that were stitched together to produce a picture of Perseverance apparently "looking" back at the helicopter using its mast cam imaging systems, and which can be seen at the top of this article.
Another image Perseverance took that recently caused excitement was one that appeared to show a "rainbow" arcing across the dusty Martian sky. Captured on April 4th (Sol 43), the image spread quickly across social media, as did the "rainbow" explanation.
Captured on April 4th (Sol 43), this image via the rear-facing Hazcam system on Perseverance caused excitement in the media, being described as a "rainbow". However, it wasn't any such thing, as NASA was forced to explain. Credit: NASA/JPL
The only problem being, rainbows are impossible on Mars, as NASA quickly stepped in to note through social media:
Many have asked: Is that a rainbow on Mars? No. Rainbows aren't possible here. Rainbows are created by light reflected off of round water droplets, but there isn't enough water here to condense, and it's too cold for liquid water in the atmosphere.
NASA, via the @NASAPersevere Twitter account.
Rather, the "rainbow" was the result of lens flare – light being scattered by the lens of the Hazcam (HAZard avoidance CAMera) that captured the image, to strike the imaging sensor in multiple places like an arc of machine-gun bullets. Such effects are prevented on the front-facing Hazcams (the ones most frequently used by the rover, as they are equipped with sunshades; however, similar shades were deemed superfluous on the rear-facing Hazcams, and so lens flares like this are actually quite common should the system be in use and the Sun happens to be in the right position.
Continue reading "Space Sunday: Mars, galaxies and starships" →
Tagged Astronomy, Spaceflight, SpaceX


Great places don't just happen. They exist because people build relationships with each other, communicate with each and build networks. They are places where people feel safe and trust others.
Sometimes it feels so hard but the best thing to do is just to make a start.
Building Communities: One Handshake at a Time is the place to look for information and ideas to help make great places for everyone.
What is involved in One Handshake at a Time?
One Handshake at a Time is a place to look for ways and ideas to make the Shoalhaven a better place.
What are some components of One Handshake at a Time?
The toolkit provides ideas for things that individuals or people can do in their own neighbourhoods to build friendships, trust, networks. It aims to help people connect with each other. Getting to know your neighbours is a good way to make your community safer, healthier and a better place to live.
Does your Community need a public piano?! With a little time (7 weeks) you, too, can have a beautiful Piano in your neighbourhood. We will provide a piano and paints as well as a little guidance along the way. You will provide at least 3 people that will commit to the program, an area to house the piano while it's being fixed up and computer access. Step up and be part of this amazing Community building exercise. Build your Community, One Key at a Time.
Little Free Library book exchanges gives everyone an opportunity to share their favourite books with their community. They are a way to share good things to read.
It's a simple concept take a book to read. Either bring it back or replace it with another. Perhaps even leave a slip of paper in the book saying what you found interesting about the book.
Donate a book or two to the Free Little Library.
Free Little Libraries belong to everyone. Anyone can use it.
Shoalhaven City Council has installed the First Free Little Library in the Thoroughfare. Next door to the Shoalhaven Regional Art Gallery in Berry Street Nowra.
But you can also start your own free little library and build your community one book at a time. We can help with advice and ideas to get you started.
Contact the Community Development team to donate books or to build your own Community library: 44293456.
Neighbours are important because good relationships with others can and does change communities. Social connection also makes us feel better as it helps prevent loneliness, isolation and depression.
Throughout the year Council sponsors and facilitates a range of guest speakers in the "In Conversation" series of workshops. These workshops provide access to informative, motivational and challenging speakers who will inspire those attending to the possibilities and power of strong, inclusive and connected community.
This is a media campaign where Council will focus on good news stories, on information about how to make great places, the good things about an area, encouraging people to work together.
There are three Community Pride groups operating in the Shoalhaven at Bomaderry, East Nowra and Sanctuary Point. These groups work to build on the assets of an area, to point to the good things and work to build pride. If you are interested in more information about these groups or you are interested in a group in your area please contact the Community Development team on 44293456.
Council's Community Grants program can enable organisations and groups (formal or informal) to complete projects (in line with the Shoalhaven Community Strategic Plan).
There are a number of actions people can do to be safe. This includes locking doors and windows, being aware of surroundings, reporting incidents to the police etc.
Community Development staff, and other Council officers, have been trained in Safer by Design or Crime Prevention through Environmental Design. Staff can provide basic and simple safety audits as requested.
Council already provides support for a number of activities and projects that build great places. Building Community: One Handshake at a Time encourages additional projects. However, these projects will only be pursued if there is support from individuals and groups in the community.


Colors of Confinement: Rare Kodachrome Photographs of Japanese American Incarceration in World War II showcases sixty-five stunning images from a rare collection of color images taken by Bill Manbo, an internee at a Japanese American internment camp in the early 1940s. In this audio slideshow, editor Eric L. Muller talks about his impressions of Manbo's photographs, taken at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center in Wyoming, and some of the history behind the camps. Colors of Confinement has received wide acclaim since its publication in August 2012 by the University of North Carolina Press and CDS Books of the Center for Documentary Studies. Stories have appeared in a number of print and online publications, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, and The Picture Show, NPR's photography blog.
Video edited by Joel Mora.


Jerry Price, 52, is in many ways the public face of Princeton sports. He's responsible for the publication and promotion of the university's athletic program—a job that calls for him to tell positive stories about Tiger athletics.
"If you're relying on media to come cover your team, what are they going to say? 'They lost again; they can't score a goal,'" Price said. By contrast, in telling the stories himself, he can put forward an upbeat narrative about Princeton athletics.
Still, while his job description calls for him to tell positive stories about Tiger athletics, Price is also willing to be quite blunt.
Princeton, like other Ivy League schools, has high academic standards for athletes. Recruiters look for players who are equally smart as they are athletic. The student athletes have an academic index that they need to be in range of when applying or being recruited.
With its focus on academics, Princeton is in some ways a natural fit for Price. Before joining the university, he wrote for The Times of Trenton and The Princeton Packet. "The ability to write is what separates people," he said. He noted that he hopes to someday write a book.


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Tag Archive | newport news jobs
in buying real estate, chesapeake, FHA loans, hampton, hampton roads, jobs newport news, listing real estate, newport news, norfolk, portsmouth, real estate, selling real estate, social media, suffolk, VHDA loans, Virginia, virginia beach, williamsburg
10,000 jobs to come to Newport News and Hampton Virginia! Need a Job!
With the economy still in shambles most of us know someone looking for a job.
Do you know anyone who needs a job? Are they willing to move to Hampton Roads Newport News to Virginia Beach and work at a naval shipyard. Then this program may be for them.
Huntington Ingalls naval shipyard is known as a large refuel-er and supplier of nuclear powered air craft carriers and servicer and builder of submarines. Currently employing 20,000 it is one of the areas largest employers.
Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. announced they are expecting
to hire around 10,000 more people over the next five years but it
could hire up to 15,000, according to a Huntington Ingalls spokesperson.
In 2011, the company will hire about 2,000 people, including 1,500 trade or
craft workers and 500 salaried employees.
About 20 percent of the shipyard's workforce, or 4,000 employees are
eligible for retirement, according to Christie Miller with Huntington
Ingalls.
Hiring is underway now because of the number of people leaving for one
reason or another. Miller said some workers are retiring and others are
pursuing new careers.
Miller said the company has stringent requirements and they are having a
hard time finding qualified candidates. Many of those hired will need to get
a security clearance from the U.S. government, undergo a background check
and take a drug screening test.
In addition, the company is trying to figure out how to transfer the skill
sets of veterans who are moving toward retirement to new workers coming up
behind them.
Huntington Ingalls spends more than $50 million a year in training costs,
due to the exacting nature of the work.
The company also has an apprentice school, which recently celebrated its
92nd anniversary. Roughly 2,400 of its graduates are in the yard's
management ranks, Huntington Ingalls reported.
The shipyard also plans to engage with "the supply side" as part of an
effort to groom job candidates. For example, they will recruit exiting
military personnel and get more involved with those who are leaving the
military. The shipyard is also working to align itself more closely with
community colleges and trade schools.
Through a program called "Career Pathways," the company is reaching out to
elementary, middle, and secondary schools, to open up students to career
alternatives that don't require a college degree.
To learn more information about careers at Huntington Ingalls, visit
http://www.huntingtoningalls.com/careers/
Since Nuclear power will probably be around for awhile this may be a great career for those interested.
Base is located in South Newport News near Hampton and is a short commute from North Suffolk, North Portsmouth, and West Norfolk.


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Население острова Пасхи сформировалось под влиянием целого ряда сложных исторических процессов, главную роль в которых играл миграционный обмен сначала с другими регионами Океании, а затем с латиноамериканским континентом.

Доевропейский период

По последним данным, составленным на основе углеродного анализа, опубликованным учёными Гавайского университета в августе 2006 года, первые поселенцы полинезийского происхождения появились на острове относительно недавно — около 1200 г. н. э., т.е на 300—800 лет позже чем традиционно предполагалось ранее. Родиной ранних переселенцев, предположительно, были острова Фиджи, Тонга и Самоа. Долгое время первые поселенцы укрывались в пещерах. В пещере Тангаруту, которая ныне служит источником песка для строительства жилья на острове, обнаружены следы непрерывного проживания людей на протяжении почти 400 лет. Население острова быстро росло и к концу XIII века, вероятно, достигло своего исторического пика в 15 000—17 000 человек. При этом уже около 1250 года начинают обнаруживаться признаки так называемой мальтузианской ловушки, в которой оказалось доиндустриальное сообщество удалённого острова с весьма ограниченными ресурсами. В середине XIII века чёрные крысы, завезённые полинезийцами, разрушают репродуктивный цикл местных деревьев, поедая их семена. На месте вырубленных лесов не появляются новые. Люди вскоре теряют возможность строить лодки и охотиться на крупных рыб и морских млекопитающих (дельфинов). Рацион рапануйцев резко ухудшается. На смену рыбе приходят птицы и их яйца. После того как популяция птиц была уничтожена, единственным доступным источником пропитания становятся моллюски и крысы. Из-за эрозии почвы и разрушения лесов, которые были не в состоянии укрыть прибрежные земли от повреждений морскими ветрами с солёными брызгами, рапануйцы были вынуждены сдвигать свои плантации бананов и батата всё дальше вглубь острова. На острове также начала ощущаться нехватка пресной воды, участились засухи. Среди рапануйцев отмечаются случаи межклановой вражды и каннибализма. Население острова резко сокращается. В 1722 году, на момент высадки первых европейцев, на острове в состоянии крайней анархии проживало 2 000—3 000 жителей.

Европейский период
После его открытия европейцами, население этого удалённого, ослабленного голодом острова довольно долго (166 лет) оставался без протектората европейских держав. Отсутствие официального протектората оказалось ещё более разрушительным чем его наличие, поскольку ввиду отсутствия единой законодательной базы, незащищённое никакими законами население острова стало объектом эксплуатации и работорговли частных предпринимателей и авантюристов из самых разных стран (Франции, Великобритании и Перу). Параллельно на острове стало усиливаться влияние латиноамериканских государств. 12 декабря 1862 года 8 перуанских рабовладельческих кораблей захватили в плен и вывезли от 1 000 до 2 000 рапануйцев. После официальных протестов Франции, на территории которой во Французской Полинезии укрылась часть рапануйцев, рабовладельческие рейды прекратились, но только лишь 15 рапануйцев смогли вернуться на родину. К 1877 году в результате работорговли, эпидемий и экстенсивного овцеводства численность местного населения сократилась до рекордно низкой отметки в 111 человек, из которых только 36 оставили после себя потомков. Именно от этих 36 человек происходят всё современные рапануйцы, а также рапануйско-чилийские метисы, которые в совокупности составляют чуть менее половины его населения по переписи 2012 года. Следует отметить что несмотря на появление групп миссионеров, крупной переселенческой колонии на острове, который страдал от эпидемии проказы в конце XIX века, в дочилийский период так и не возникло. По этой причине рапануйский язык оставался фактически единственным письменным и устным средством коммуникации на острове, хотя значительное влияние на него в этот период оказывал соседний таитянский язык; появился также первый пласт заимствований из французского и английского языков.

Чилийская аннексия

1888—1953
В 1888 г. чилийский капитан Поликарпо Торо проявил интерес к этому тихоокеанскому острову. В результате Чили, территория которого во второй половине XIX века увеличилась в 3 раза, стал первой страной, взявшей остров под свой суверенитет. Ситуация с продовольствием начала улучшаться и автохтонное население острова начало понемногу увеличиваться. Впрочем, присоединение острова Пасхи к Чили не привело к немедленному наплыву латиноамериканских поселенцев с континента. За исключением того что договор об аннексии острова был составлен в том числе и на испанском языке (вторая версия была написана на таитяно-рапануйском), латиноамериканское культурно-языковое влияние на острове практически не ощущалось до середины XX века. Последнее отчасти объяснялось тем что в 1903 году правительство Чили фактически передала контроль над островом британскому (шотландскому) концерну Уильямс-Балфур, который начал проводить на острове почти средневековую политику огораживания: почти все автохтонные рапануйцы были согнаны в отгороженную резервацию Ханга-Роа, а остальная территория острова превратилась в овечье пастбище, заходить на территорию которого можно было только по специальным разрешениям. Из-за нехватки земли, в начале XX века значительная часть населения Рапа-Нуи (преимущественно молодых рапануйцев) переселилась в материковую часть Чили, а также соседние архипелаги. Из-за постоянной эмиграции население острова росло крайне медленно. Растущее недовольство политикой компании привело к тому что компания лишилась лицензии правительства Чили в 1953 году. С этого момента на остров начинают пребывать небольшие группы чилийских военных. Только в конце 1950-х годах, когда повысился уровень жизни населения, его рост ускорился. В 1960 году население Рапа-Нуи превзошло 1 тысячу человек. Полноценными гражданами Чили автохтонные рапануйцы стали в 1966 году.

1953—1990

Этнический состав населения

Из-за постоянного притока переселенцев с континента, а также ростом смешанных браков, население острова принимает всё более латиноамериканский характер. Так, в период с 28 октября по 2 ноября 1990 года, команда врачей-офтальмологов из Сан-Хуан-де-Диос больницы в Сантьяго, Чили, приняла у себя 475 человек с острова Пасхи, что составляло 20 % от всего населения острова. Из них 46 % определили себя как чистые рапануйцы, 39 % были выходцами с континента и/или их прямыми потомками, 15 % были метисами. Причиной исследования стало широкое распространение на острове необычной глазной патологии.

1990-по настоящее время
Население по данным переписей населения 1992, 2002 и 2012 гг.:

Быстрый рост населения острова происходит как за счёт естественного прироста всех этнорасовых групп, так и за счёт притока поселенцев с материковой части Чили. В связи с быстрым увеличением турпотока на остров (с 2 000 чел. в 1990 году до 70 000 в 2012), на острове Пасхи наблюдается постоянная нехватка рабочей силы. Как следствие превышения экономического спроса над предложением, растёт стоимость оплаты труда, что в свою очередь привлекает новые волны поселенцев с континента, где наблюдается избыток трудовых ресурсов.

Согласно сведениям, собранным в ходе переписи 2012 г. Национальным институтом статистики (INE),  население провинции составляет:

Этнический состав по данным переписей населения

Следует отметить что во время переписей населения в число автохтонов включаются и рапануйско-континентальные метисы, поэтому доля чистых рапануйцев меньше.

Языки
До конца 70-х годов XX века основным обиходным языком острова оставался рапануйский язык. После вхождения в состав Чили испанский язык стал основным иностранным языком рапануйцев, потеснив употреблявшиеся до этого английский, французский и таитянский языки. В результате массового притока поселенцев с континента c начала 80-х годов, испанский значительно расширил сферу своего употребления во всех сферах жизни островитян. По переписи 2012 года испаноязычные абсолютно преобладают на острове. Это является причиной недовольства со стороны автохтонных островитян. В испанской терминологии Чили последние именуются автохтонами (indigenas), выходцы с континента называются континентальцами (continentales), а смешанное население обозначается как метисы (mestizos). Следует отметить, что, поскольку с 1966 года всё постоянное население острова имеет гражданство Чили, чилийцами официально называются все жители острова, независимо от их этнорасового происхождения.

Примечания

Остров Пасхи
Народы Австралии и Океании

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Home Entertainment English
Avengers' Indian fans assemble to grab '...Infinity War' tickets
Marvel Studios' 10th anniversary will begin with the release of "Avengers: Infinity War", and everyone is excited to celebrate it.
Published: 24th April 2018 05:49 PM | Last Updated: 25th April 2018 07:01 AM | A+A A-
A still from the film ' Avengers: Infinity War'. ( Image Courtesy Twitter @MarvelStudios)
NEW DELHI: Just a few hours after tickets for the highly anticipated Marvel Studios' film "Avengers: Infinity War" went live on April 22, the 3D Prime tickets worth Rs 515 at some of the halls here got sold out. Not just this, the overall response to ticket bookings for the star-studded film has been "extremely encouraging" across formats.
Twenty two superheroes, including Robert Downey Jr's Iron Man, Mark Ruffalo's The Hulk and Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange, and one big villain after six infinity stones -- "Avengers: Infinity War" is bringing the deadliest showdown of all time to the big screen on April 27 in India.
The off-screen Avengers army has assembled to grab the tickets to watch the epic on-screen battle.
READ | Avengers: Infinity War review: Marvel goes nuclear
"The response to ticket bookings for 'Avengers: Infinity War' has been extremely encouraging across formats. And while, as expected, the craze for watching the film on an IMAX screen is huge, the sales have been remarkable even for the 3D format," Ashish Saksena, Chief Operating Officer - Cinemas, BookMyShow, said in a statement to IANS.
"Given the huge anticipation around the film from fans, Disney opened the advance bookings on Sunday instead of Wednesday as is the trend and this turned out to be a rewarding decision."
Echoing this, Rajender Singh Jyala, Chief Programming Officer, INOX Leisure Limited, said the advance booking response of "Avengers: Infinity War" is "outstanding across all their multiplexes".
"We opened advance bookings on Sunday (April 22) morning and we sold over 40,000 tickets by 7 p.m., which is the highest ever for any Hollywood movie and second highest advance of all time after 'Baahubali 2'."
Devang Sampat, Director - Strategic Initiatives, Cinépolis India, told IANS: "In one day of advance booking, we sold around 50,000 tickets which is history in the making.
"We have seen an amazing response for the 3D and 4DX formats. Occupancy of 4DX and IMAX is almost 75 per cent in one day, according to advance booking, which we have never seen before."
Talking about cities, Yogesh Raizada, Vice President, Wave Cinemas, told IANS: "Delhi/NCR has got an encouraging number of bookings. Being a metro city, it has more English-speaking gentry with lots of superhero fan following."
"'Avengers: Infinity War' is one of the most awaited and anticipated Avenger movie. Since it's a long weekend followed by Monday which is a Buddha Purnima and the next day is May Day, we are expecting to see an overwhelming opening. Kids are done with their exams and as they are the biggest target audience for this genre, we are expecting a huge crowd," he added.
An excited Delhi-based Sameeran Chetia, 27, shared: "We booked the tickets for a show at PVR Sangam for Saturday. We required six tickets for Friday, but most of the tickets were already sold out. So, we had to book for the first show on Saturday."
"I am a fan of Captain America as he is the first avenger. I have heard rumours about Captain America dying. I hope it's not true," he added.
Will Captain America, who has already given up his shield, die or is it Iron Man's turn to bid adieu to the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Many questions and spoilers have been floating around online.
But the makers of the film, helmed by the Russo brothers -- Anthony and Joe -- are doing everything in their power to stop its story from getting leaked. The directors even prevented the cast from reading the entire script. In fact, fake pages were handed out to some of them.
"Time and again we have seen movies create history at the box office, but we have never before witnessed a phenomenon as such when a Hollywood film created such a frenzy with its advance ticket sales. It's a testament of Marvel's ever-expanding fan base, and the extraordinary buzz around the release of 'Avengers: Infinity War'," Kamal Gianchandani, CEO, PVR Ltd, said.
"Avengers: Infinity War" is set to hit 2,000 Indian screens in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu on April 27.
Marvel Studios mark ruffalo Avengers: Infinity War Robert Downey Jr


It's not easy to find the silver lining in a career setback. Whether you've been fired, laid off, or passed over for a promotion, the sting is severe and it may seem like you've hit a dead end. This couldn't be further from the truth. Going backwards on one path gives you reason to change course. Starting your own business may be the way to begin moving forward again. Here's what you need to know.
There are a multitude of reasons why starting your own business might be the best decision you can make following a career setback. For one, it's the ultimate way to put yourself in the driver's seat. If you've had a career setback, you know how it feels to feel powerless to affect your own future. Starting a business removes other people from the equation. You and you alone are ultimately responsible for your own job security, and the sky's the limit in terms of how high you can climb. It's a way to put your hard work and determination to the test.
Starting your own business will force you to face your fear of failure head-on, and will remove the possibility of having those "what-if" regrets later down the line. There's no better time to take a risk than when you've gone as far as you can in your prior career.
The first step to creating your own business is to figure out what that business is going to be. There's no better place to start than by thinking about how you can turn something you love – a hobby or passion – into a real money-making venture. Don't limit your ideas. If you love dogs, think about how you could turn something like dog walking into a real business. Do you love sports memorabilia? What about a buy/sell/trade memorabilia business? Do you know everything there is to know about hiking or fishing? Offer you services to tourists or open up a shop. There's a good chance that after careful consideration, you'll decide that you can't turn a hobby into a real business – and that's ok. But some people do this successfully, so it's the first place you should look.
All small businesses need some sort of capital to begin – some more than others. Even if your idea is still a seed that's yet to germinate, you do yourself a disservice by putting off the financing question. Start considering how you're going to fund your venture – out of pocket, loans, crowdsourcing campaign, help from family & friends, or a combination.
Unless your small business idea involves selling a lot of goods, and it's important for people to see those goods in person, there's a decent chance that you don't need a brick & mortar – at least not right away. Tons of successful businesses can be run online from home or from a modest office. Low overhead is crucial for many starting a new business – and there are plenty of options for this.
One of the main reasons many entrepreneurs-at-heart fail to take the plunge into small business ownership is that they find comfort in the security of their job and they don't want to rock the boat. But if the boat is rocked for you, it presents the perfect time to follow your dreams. That's the silver lining.
What Degrees Will Get Me Ahead in Business?
Do You Always Give The Customer What They Want, Even When It's Not Good For Them?


We regularly do offers as a thank you to all of our loyal customers on Facebook. When we reached 800 likes we decided to give away a Skin Tech Vit E cream. It can be used as part of your daily skin care routine or as part of the skin peels that we offer. Ideally used twice a day it helps to hydrate the skin for protection against skin ageing. Other products are available to tackle a variety of other conditions.
So, how did we run our competition? We simply uploaded a picture and asked you to like and comment on the picture, if you did both then you were entered into the competition. We had a number of people who just liked the picture or just commented who we unfortunately couldn't enter. Out of the likes and comments we had 29 of our Facebook fans who added a comment in addition to liking the picture. We then added all those names to an excel spreadsheet then used a random number generator to pick the winner.
So congratulations to Steven Mellor, can you please message us on Facebook with your address and we will post this out to you. Keep an eye out for our forthcoming competitions, when we reach 1000 likes we will be giving away a 6 month treatment plan free of charge.


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Das Amtsgericht Molsheim war ein deutsches Amtsgericht mit Sitz in Molsheim in den Jahren von 1879 bis 1918.

Geschichte
Molsheim war Sitz eines französischen Friedensgerichts. Nach der Abtretung Elsass-Lothringens im Frieden von Frankfurt an das Deutsche Reich 1871 wurde die Gerichtsstruktur mit dem Gesetz, betreffend Abänderung der Gerichtsverfassung vom 14. Juli 1871 und der Ausführungsbestimmung hierzu vom gleichen Tag neu geregelt. Dabei wurden die Friedensgerichte beibehalten.

Im Rahmen der Reichsjustizgesetze wurden 1879 die Friedensgerichte im Reichsland Elsass-Lothringen aufgehoben und Amtsgerichte gebildet. Das Amtsgericht Molsheim war dem Landgericht Zabern nachgeordnet.

Am Gericht bestand 1880 eine Richterstelle. Das Amtsgericht war ein kleines Amtsgericht im Landgerichtsbezirk.

Der Gerichtsbezirk umfasste 1895 den Kanton Molsheim mit 187 Quadratkilometern und 16.735 Einwohnern und 18 Gemeinden.

Mit der Verordnung über den Sitz und die Bezirke der Amtsgerichte vom 3. April 1909 gingen die Gemeinden Bergbieten, Dahlenheim, Dangolsheim, Flexburg, Irmstett und Scharrachbergheim aus dem Sprengel des Amtsgerichts Wasselnheim in den Sprengel des Amtsgerichts Molsheim über. Gleichzeitig gingen die Gemeinden Düppigheim und Düttelnheim aus dem Sprengel des Amtsgerichts Illkirch in den Sprengel des Amtsgerichts Molsheim und die Gemeinde Mühlbach aus dem Sprengel des Amtsgerichts Rosheim in den Sprengel des Amtsgerichts Molsheim über.

Nach der Abtretung Elsass-Lothringens an Frankreich nach dem Ersten Weltkrieg wurde das Amtsgericht Molsheim als "Tribunal cantonal Molsheim" weitergeführt. Im Zweiten Weltkrieg wurde 1940 von der deutschen Besatzungsmacht die vorgefundene Gerichtsstruktur unter Verwendung deutscher Ortsnamen und Behördenbezeichnungen, hier also wieder als Amtsgericht Molsheim, fortgeführt.

Siehe auch
 Liste der Gerichte im Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen
 Liste der Gerichte im Elsass 1940–1944

Einzelnachweise

Molsheim
Gegründet 1879
Aufgelöst 1918
Molsheim


text:
This is the list of top-ranked chess grandmasters, ordered by their peak Elo rating. The cut-off value is 2700 (players with a rating at or above this value are colloquially known as super grandmasters).

Notably only six players achieved their over-2700 peak before the year 2000 and twenty-one players achieved their respective peak between the years 2000 and 2009 (inclusive).

List

Highest ratings by decade
This section lists the top 20 active players by peak FIDE rating achieved in every decade since 1971, when FIDE started officially publishing rating lists.

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

List of rating peaks throughout history

See also
 Comparison of top chess players throughout history
 FIDE world rankings
 List of FIDE chess world number ones

Notes

References

External links
 A list of chess players by peak FIDE rating on 2700chess.com

Lists of chess players
Chess rating systems


text:
The Serb National Federation's St George Lodge #93 was founded in Milwaukee on December 24th, 1912, the same year as our St. Sava church parish.
The first Lodge President was Djuro Kacara followed by Rade Maric, Janko Baseric, Nikola Dragisic, Trivo Budimir, Vaso Diudjevic, Djuro Djukic, Stevo Djukic, Sava Babich, Djordje Lukac, Milan Babich, Vlado Grubor and Dr. Milos Tomich. For the past 110 years, and counting, St. George Lodge #93 has followed the lead of the SNF mission by helping lay the foundation for our St. Sava Cathedral and proudly being one of the leading organizations among our church community.
Since 1999, the lodge has sponsored the Sava Tomich Memorial Open golf outing in loving memory of its member Sava who, at the young age of 34, passed away from cancer. All proceeds from this outing have been given back to the church community with donations that include student scholarships, our cultural center expansion fund, and to date, approximately $60,000 to our St. Sava Orthodox School. The St. George Lodge extends many thanks to all the golfers, hole sponsors, volunteers, and supporters: this worthwhile event since it's inception.
St. George Lodge also gave a substantial donation to the Sumadija Serbian Folklore Ensemble as they proudly represented our parish in the group's 2005 trip to Serbia.
The love for our church, faith, family, and Serbian traditions has been the driving force for all our hard work towards making our St. Sava parish the thriving community it is today.


text:
Author: Crack dot Com
Publisher: Bungie
Category: Action , Significant
Updated by: Helegad
Other contributors: that-ben , RockyCoon , Rob_Lisse
Rating: 10.00 out of 10 (1 vote)
What is Abuse?
Abuse is a run and gun video game developed by Crack dot Com and published by Electronic Arts in North America and Origin Systems in Europe. It was released on February 29, 1996, for MS-DOS. A Mac OS port of the game was published by Bungie and released on March 5, 1997. The game's source code, along with some of the shareware content, has been in the public domain since the late 1990s and has been ported to Linux and many other platforms.
The protagonist of the game, Nick Vrenna, has been unjustly incarcerated in a prison where the staff are performing unethical medical experiments upon the inmates. A prison riot occurs and an experiment goes horribly wrong. The people inside the prison - except for Nick, who seems to be immune - get infected with a substance called Abuse that transforms them into monsters. With the water supply in danger of being infected, Nick arms himself and fights through the horde to prevent this, and then escapes from the prison complex.
Download Abuse for Mac
Abuse.SIT (4.6 MiB / 4.82 MB)
Abuse v1.01 pre-installed
292	/ 2014-04-14	/ 2017-11-17	/ 6662a9ab9615d86ed98e6bab9bb6dfe42ffce03e	/ /
Emulating this? It should run fine under: Basilisk II
UFO 2 (Mac OS 9/3D Graphics)


text:
The Big Sleep (en Argentina, Al borde del abismo; en España, El sueño eterno; en México, El gran sueño) es una película estadounidense de 1946, de cine negro, dirigida por Howard Hawks y con actuación de Humphrey Bogart (en el papel del duro detective privado Philip Marlowe) y Lauren Bacall, quienes por entonces eran pareja.

Basada en la novela homónima escrita por Raymond Chandler, la adaptación del guion la llevó a cabo William Faulkner con Leigh Brackett y Jules Furthman.

La película es conocida por tener una de las tramas más enrevesadas de la historia del cine. La historia se hace muy difícil de seguir al dejar muchas de sus partes sin desarrollar. Según Roger Ebert, que la incluyó en su libro Las grandes películas, la película "trata sobre el proceso de una investigación criminal, no sobre sus resultados."

Argumento

Philip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart) visita a su nuevo cliente, el general Sternwood (Charles Waldrom), presumiblemente para encargarse de unas deudas de juego que su hija menor, Carmen (Martha Vickers), ha contraído con Arthur Geiger, el dueño de una librería. La hija mayor, Vivian (Lauren Bacall), sospecha que su padre está más interesado en saber qué le ocurrió a su empleado, Sean Reagan, que desapareció misteriosamente hace aproximadamente un mes.

Poco tiempo después, Philip Marlowe encuentra a Geiger muerto de un disparo en su casa. Un hombre no identificado abandona la escena, dejando en su interior a Carmen, bajo los efectos de las drogas. Marlowe encuentra una cámara fotográfica escondida en la casa con el carrete desaparecido. Joe Brody (Louis Jean Heydt) tiene el carrete y está intentando chantajear a Sternwood con implicar a Carmen en el asesinato.

Más adelante se descubre que el chófer de Sternwood, Owen Taylor, disparó a Geiger. Brody simplemente aporreó a Taylor para dejarlo inconsciente y robarle el carrete. Él dejó al chófer en el coche, el cual fue más adelante lanzado al embarcadero y conducido a morir ahogado. Tanto el director como los guionistas, e incluso el propio Raymond Chandler quedaron desconcertados al darse cuenta de que ninguno de ellos sabía quién había matado al chófer. Tampoco se desarrolla el asesinato de Geiger ni el posterior asesinato de Brody por el subalterno de Geiger, Carol Lundgren (probablemente entre otras razones porque Lundgren es un hombre y la pareja homosexual de Geiger, algo que la censura no habría permitido en esa época) La historia pronto se centra en el corazón del misterio de la película: la búsqueda de Sean Regan.

Eddie Mars es el propietario de la casa donde vivía Geiger, así como de una casa de juego frecuentada por Vivian. Marlowe conoce por primera vez a Mars mientras está investigando el asesinato de Geiger, que también había pillado a Mars por sorpresa. Los dos se ofrecen su ayuda si la necesitan. Sin embargo, Mars se vuelve mucho menos amable cuando le preguntan por Sean Reagan, el cual aparentemente se ha fugado con la mujer de Mars. Vivian está demasiado ansiosa porque Marlowe termine con la investigación una vez resuelto el asunto de Geiger y deje de investigar la desaparición de Reagan. Marlowe se pregunta por qué Mars no está más interesado en encontrar a su esposa y por qué hay tanta gente que no quiere que localice a Reagan.

Más adelante se revela, al menos de forma implícita, que Mars había convencido a Vivian de que tenía pruebas de que Carmen había asesinado a Regan y había estado usándolas para lograr la cooperación de Vivian. Mientras tanto, la esposa de Mars no se había fugado con Regan en absoluto, sino que estaba escondida para que pareciera que lo había hecho. Mars esperaba que esto alejara las sospechas de que fuera él el asesino. Tras ser capturado y llevado a la casa de Geiger, donde está escondida la mujer, Marlowe convence a Vivian para que le ayude a él en vez de a Mars y los dos deciden que fue Mars quien mató a Reagan después de todo. Mars es disparado por error por uno de sus propios hombres durante un tiroteo en la casa.

Hay algunas diferencias entre los argumentos de novela y película. En la obra original de Chandler los personajes de Marlowe y Vivian Sternwood no viven ningún romance (él dice de ella que estaría bien para un fin de semana pero que para más se haría pesada) y quien le atrae de verdad, aunque apenas tiene contacto con ella, es la esposa del gánster Mars, con quien supuestamente se ha fugado Sean Regan. Y en el libro Eddie Mars no muere, sino que queda impune, aunque al final se desvela que la policía nunca terminó de creerse la doble fuga y que vigila de cerca al gánster. Por último, en la película se omiten los problemas de Marlowe con la policía y la Fiscalía de Los Ángeles por alterar la escena del crimen de Geiger, y cómo logra soslayarlos por el escándalo que supondría explicar a la opinión pública que el negocio pornográfico de Geiger funcionaba en pleno centro de la ciudad gracias a la complicidad de varios mandos de ambas instituciones.

Reparto

 Humphrey Bogart - Philip Marlowe
 Lauren Bacall - Vivian Sternwood Rutledge
 John Ridgely - Eddie Mars
 Martha Vickers - Carmen Sternwood
 Dorothy Malone - Dueña de la Librería
 Peggy Knudsen - Mona Mars (Pat Clark en la versión de 1945)
 Regis Toomey - Inspector Bernie Ohls
 Charles Waldron - General Sternwood
 Charles D. Brown - Norris
 Bob Steele - Lash Canino
 Elisha Cook, Jr. - Harry Jones
 Louis Jean Heydt - Joe Brody
 Sonia Darrin - Agnes Lowzier (sin acreditar)

Producción y versiones
La película es recordada por su extremadamente enrevesado argumento. Una famosa historia cuenta que, durante el rodaje, el director y los guionistas no eran capaces de saber quién mató al chofer Owen Taylor. Enviaron un telegrama al autor, el cual respondió "¡Carajo, yo tampoco lo sé!".

Después de que la película fuera terminada se dejó de lado para que Warner Bros. lanzara una reserva de películas relacionadas con la guerra. Esta decisión fue porque se pensó que al estar la guerra llegando a su final, el interés del público por estas películas iría decreciendo rápidamente, algo que no iba a ocurrir con El sueño eterno. (Una mirada cuidadosa puede notar que la película se rodó durante la guerra por elementos tales como cupones de racionamiento, ciertos diálogos y cuadros del presidente Franklin D. Roosevelt).

Una vez que la guerra terminó, el fenómeno "Bogart y Bacall" causado por la película Tener y no tener, así como por su reciente matrimonio, estaba en su punto álgido. El agente de Bacall solicitó que se rehicieran partes de la película para capitalizar esta recién lograda celebridad. El jefe del estudio, Jack Warner, accedió y se rodó nuevo material como el sugestivo diálogo de la "carrera de caballos". También se rehicieron algunas partes del final, con Peggy Knudsen en el papel de Mona Mars, ya que la actriz original, Pat Clark, no estaba disponible. Aunque hay solamente una diferencia de duración de dos minutos entre las dos versiones, hay 20 minutos de escenas diferentes entre una y otra. En su forma revisada, El sueño eterno se estrenó el 23 de agosto de 1946. La versión original fue exhibida a las tropas estadounidenses en el Pacífico Sur en agosto de 1945, y sería posteriormente redescubierta y restaurada por el  en 1997.

La versión presentada en cines es normalmente considerada como la mejor, aunque algunos la consideran más confusa y difícil de seguir (carece, por ejemplo, de una larga y clarificadora conversación entre Marlowe y el abogado del distrito de los Ángeles en la cual se comentan los detalles del caso sucedidos hasta el momento), aunque la mayoría argumenta que merece la pena por ver a Marlowe y Vivian hacer fintas verbales, flirtear y enamorarse.

Reconocimientos
En 1997, la película fue considerada «cultural, histórica y estéticamente significativa» por la Biblioteca del Congreso de Estados Unidos y seleccionada para su preservación en el National Film Registry.

En 2003, el American Film Institute nombró al protagonista Philip Marlowe como el trigésimo segundo héroe más grande del cine.

Referencias

Enlaces externos

 Guion de la película.
 Texto en PDF.

Música de la película, de Max Steiner, dirigida por Charles Gerhardt.
 Parte de la música.
 Parte de la música.
 Temas de amor.
 Primera escena, con la banda sonora; en inglés, con subtítulos en francés.
 Escena de reunión de pareja en un local nocturno, con la banda sonora; en inglés.
 Lauren Bacall y The Williams Brothers interpretan And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine, canción de Stan Kenton publicada en 1944 y grabada con su orquesta y la voz de Anita O'Day; con letra muy diferente, fue grabada también el mismo año por Ella Fitzgerald.
 Charles Gerhardt (1927 - 1999): músico estadounidense, director, arreglista y productor.
 Letras de And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine, cantada por Anita O'Day y por Lauren Bacall:

Películas basadas en novelas
Películas en inglés
Películas en blanco y negro de Estados Unidos
Películas dirigidas por Howard Hawks
Películas policíacas de Estados Unidos
big sleep 1946
Películas de Warner Bros.
Películas ambientadas en Los Ángeles
Películas con música de Max Steiner


text:
Reform of Act 101: Citizens of both communities, condemned the English-speaking alliance
Clara Maeva 4 months ago 2 min read
The Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) stated in full charge against the Legalt government policy on French defense that Bill 101's version would create a "remarkable" and another "foreign" group.
Also read: Anger (real) anger of the Anglo-Canadian elite
Also read: Reform of Act 101: Many positions require bilingualism, condemn unions
QCGN Abbreviation Bill 96 qualifies as "extremely problematic", which "disturbs social and linguistic peace".
"Like Bill 21, it will undoubtedly restructure Quebec law and society to form a" special "group and a group of" foreigners, "the group testified in a parliamentary committee on Tuesday.
The QCGN government has been criticized for wanting to reserve priority access to public services in English – as well as English-speaking CEGEPs – for the historic English-speaking minority.
Instead, the group believes that everyone can identify themselves as members of the English-speaking community, including newcomers. The authors write that "joining a particular identity or community is a decision of individuals, not of the state."
Access to health care in English is of particular concern to the Coalition, which believes that only one member of the historic community will be eligible once official proof is submitted.
"The tools that prove eligibility in a democratic and liberal society are unpleasant and reminiscent of documentation requirements or criteria for imposing discriminatory and less effective treatment," he said succinctly.
In a parliamentary committee, Simon Jolene-Barrett, the minister responsible for the file, made it clear that reform would not apply to health care, which did not reassure QCGN President Marilyn Jennings.
Withdraw the bill
READ Jason Kenny and the art of "self-peel-to-bonanize"
The Coalition recommends the complete repeal of Bill 96. Otherwise, the group is proposing a series of significant amendments, including the withdrawal of the barrier clause that protects the reform from all legal challenges.
The Legalt government, which adds QCGN, must also submit to the Quebec Court of Appeal an amendment it wants to make to the Canadian constitution to recognize that Quebec is a French language.
Clara Maeva
"Thinker. Total food fan. Analyst. Beer geek. Introvert. Lifelong twitter nerd. Internet ninja."
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Convoi camionneurs: la sakurité des diputés pourroitri menacée


November 1 - The UK's West of Scotland Heavy Haulage and its associated trading company, West of Scotland Storage, have been placed in administration with Tom MacLennan and Iain Fraser, partners with FRP Advisory.
The business has ceased trading with immediate effect, resulting in 21 staff being made redundant, with two employees retained to assist with the administration process.
The heavy haulage company had contracts in the renewable, contracting, mining, civil engineering and construction sectors, with a turnover of around GBP11 million (USD14 million).
The joint administrators have appointed sub-contractors to enable completion of West of Scotland's three main contracts.
Joint administrator Tom MacLennan, partner with FRP Advisory, said: "West of Scotland Heavy Haulage and its associated company were long-standing providers of specialist heavy haulage vehicles and services across Scotland.
"Unfortunately, the businesses could not overcome severe operational and financial problems, and administration was the only option."
Founded in 1946 and based in Cumbernauld, West of Scotland Heavy Haulage operated one of the largest fleets of specialist heavy haulage trucks, trailers and low loaders in Scotland.


I am a social worker. Not only as my job, a way to make money and put food on the table but also as a person. It has been a part of my identity for the last decade. The passion that I have for making a difference in those lives around me is a fire that has run deep in my veins for as long as I can remember.
As a child I rescued baby bunnies, kittens and colored pictures for the nursing homes. Now I help courageous people make a better life for themselves and their families. I am an advocate for those that don't have a voice. I am an advocate for those that are frightened and those who are too tired to fight anymore.
Although I have always been a social worker, I have never been a political person. I have signed petitions and tried to keep current on legislation that affected my clients but the political world seemed confusing to me. I continued to advocate for social justice but on a much smaller level in our communities.
In the last few month surrounding the Campaigns, Election and now the first weeks of Trump's Presidency, I have a restless feeling. A gut feeling that things are not okay. As a social worker it is difficult to see my clients fear the country that they have lived in all of their lives. As a human being, I am disgusted and I am at a loss for words as this man seems intent on destroying the fundamental core of America.
This past weekend, I rallied all my energy into joining my friends as we marched through the small city where we lived. I knew this was a risky move, not because I was afraid for my safety or afraid family members would disown me but because I am sick.
I have a disability and a diagnosis that keeps me from being able to fully participate in events that demand a physical presence. My CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) is also exacerbated by stress and spirals into relentless flares where my body feels that it has been doused in gasoline and lit on fire. Living with this diagnosis has forced me to limit and take note of my stress levels as well as checking in constantly to listen to what my body is telling me.
Self care is one of the most important things that I must do everyday. I have fallen into routines of making sure I am taking care of myself but recently that routine has been jarred by the events happening in our country. I felt my stress rising and my heart breaking as I read news article after news article. How could I take care of myself and stand up for what I believed in?
I knew as a Social Worker I needed to do SOMETHING and I felt this restless energy to fight for everyone's Civil Rights. I felt powerless sitting at home, scrolling through Facebook, reading horrific news stories and watching videos of hearings in Congress. I was happy that I had Marched over the weekend but I knew I could not continue at that pace. I needed to be involved in another way. A way that people weren't talking about. I couldn't go to meetings, join in anymore marches or protest. I didn't even know if I had the strength (or enough spoons-in chronically ill language) to add the extra stops to get envelopes, ink for my printer and then consistently drop off letters at the post office.
I felt hopeless. I had to do something. This Social Worker could not sit quietly while I felt the world was crumbling around me.
So I research. and researched. and researched some more. I tested out Apps on my phone, read up on organizations online and signed up with many groups in my area. I wanted to help my clients and those who are in danger of losing their civil rights but I also wanted to create a resource for people like me. Who were unable to physically participate but had a strong, powerful voice. I wanted to provide a resource for people who want to make a difference, to do so. This by no means is all of the resources but I felt it was a good start!
Put your zipcode in and see your representatives.
Updates users what Congress is voting on this week.
Check out Bills (They offer a summary that is written for the average person to understand) and then you can tap "Yea" or "Nay", leave a comment or share to social media page (Or ALL 3!).
I LOVE THIS APP! You vote goes to your representative and you can add an opinion that your representative will see. You can even make a video message for the lawmaker to watch. I feel empowered!
Phone/Tablet App for news on what is currently happening.
Trending issues. State. National. Created. Voted.
Who doesn't love NPR stories??
Site put together by former congressional leaders with tips on how to make congress listen!
find out your representative's voting history and hold them accountable!
We all have our strengths and things we are naturally good at. Use those to your advantage as you find a way to stand up for what you believe! And if you are just feeling worn down and need to see some positivity around you, check out this week's Mindful Monday Post on 37 ways to be kind.
If you have a resource that is helpful to you, please suggest in the comments below!
Thank you for compiling these useful resources.
Love, love, loved this. Thank you!


Lek S.A. was awarded the Top Employers Polska and Top Employers Europe certification.
Lek S.A. was awarded the Top Employers Polska 2019 and Top Employers Europe 2019 and Top Employers Global 2019 certification. Our comprehensive independent research revealed that Lek S.A. provides exceptional employee conditions, nurtures and develops talent throughout all levels of the organisation and has demonstrated its leadership status in the HR environment, always striving to optimise its employment practices and to develop its employees.
Our comprehensive independent research revealed that Lek S.A. provides exceptional employee conditions, nurtures and develops talent throughout all levels of the organisation and has demonstrated its leadership status in the HR environment, always striving to optimise its employment practices and to develop its employees.


text:
« Followup: Charter Schools, Parental Involvement, DOE Decision Making
Girls Prep Expansion Plan Approved by DOE Panel »
TLD Interview: NYC Charter School Head Michael Duffy
Michael Duffy listens at a charter school hearing in February.
Last week, a long-running debate pitting parents on the Lower East Side against one another finally came to an end. After two emotional public hearings in the neighborhood, the Department of Education's policy panel voted to approve a proposal allowing the Girls Prep Charter School to expand in its current location. Now, Girls Prep administrators and their counterparts from two other schools sharing a century-old building on East Houston Street, must figure out how to adjust to the new arrangement. Several days before the Panel on Education Policy's decision, I spoke with Michael Duffy, executive director of the DOE's Charter School Office. We discussed many issues, including the struggle for school buildings in New York, the role of parents in DOE decision-making and the uncertain future of charter schools in the city.
Duffy has been in charge of the Charter School Office for two-and-a-half years. He came to New York from Boston, where he was executive director of a charter high school. I asked Duffy to describe his responsibilities:
There are two roles that the Charter School Office plays. The first is authorizing new schools. That revolves around reviewing new applications that are submitted and it also involves the review of existing charter schools as they go through their five year charter. And then making recommendations to the chancellor about whether new applications should be approved and whether an existing charter would be renewed. That's one set of responsibilities. The second deal with the administrative, operational support for charter schools. So the funds that flow to 99 charter schools in the city come through my office. Transportation, coordination of public health issues and then the biggest – working with schools on issues related to facilities, both DOE facilities and private facilities.
Duffy explained what his office is trying to accomplish:
We're trying to empower parents, teachers and activists in a number of ways. One is by helping them to create the schools that best serve the needs of their children, whether it's a couple of teachers getting together and writing a charter application, or a couple of parents who have a better idea about how to run a school, or neighborhood activists to build a certain kind of school — working with groups like that to help them realize their vision. Second is empowering parents in the choices that they have available for the schools that they send their kids to.
In spite of the controversy certain charter school applications have generated in New York City, Duffy maintains it is the "most dynamic place for charter schools in the country." This is due, he says, to the support of Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel Klein. On the Lower East Side there are three charter schools: Girls Prep, Manhattan Charter School and Ross Global Academy. How does Duffy assess the state of the charter school program in our neighborhood?:
I think the focus of charters in New York City is to serve kids who are at risk, and since the Lower East Side has high numbers of at risk children, charters are a natural for the neighborhood. I think the biggest obstacle to the creation of more charters in the Lower East Side is the same obstacle that charters face across the country, which is facilities and where to locate. That's exacerbated by the fact that charters don't get funding for facilities and also by the fact that the Lower East Side is so densely settled that finding available space is really difficult.
At the public hearings concerning the expansion of Girls Prep's middle school, parents were critical of the DOE assessment indicating the P.S. 188 building was only operating at 67% of capacity. In their view, the Education Department chooses the easy way out, wedging new schools into existing school buildings, rather than building new schools. A speech therapist at P.S. 188 said she had moved offices three times in the past year and was now working with students in the back of a classroom while classes are in session. Due to the need to juggle three separate school communities, some kids eat lunch at 10:30am. How does Duffy respond to the concerns about overcrowding:
It's interesting. Charter schools are public schools. So in New York City we have roughly 1.1 million students who are in the public school system in the five boroughs. So the charter schools, when they are created and when they open, they draw from that same pool of students. So if you look at it from a macro perspective, it's not like there's any new student creation that's happening as a result of charter schools opening. It's the same pie. It's just sliced in a different way. So conceptually, it should be possible for charters to share existing spaces without displacing anybody. Now when you add to that the fact that many charters are located in private facilities, you could actually make the case that they're adding to the pie rather than taking away from it. So next year, of the 29 new charters that are to open, half of them are going into private space. Those are spaces in buildings that had not been available in the past that are now added as a new option for New York City public school students.
So why are some administrators, teachers and parents complaining so loudly about the space issues in their schools?
Listen, if I was a school leader operating in a building for many years and my enrollment was less than what the building was built for I'd expand to fill the empty classrooms too, and I'd make the best use I could of them for whatever programs I had. Then when the day came when somebody asked me to give up those rooms, you know it would really be difficult to think about how to do that. And I think that's what we were hearing about at the hearing on the Girls Prep expansion.
The state-mandated hearings are designed to solicit feedback from parents and other members of the community about the DOE's proposals. I asked Duffy for his thoughts on the process and to explain how the information gathered at the hearings is factored into the DOE's decision-making:
It definitely provides a forum for people to speak out, and I think that's a good thing. It helps to get good information out there. I thought the community superintendent did an outstanding job of laying out the facts… I think, for my part, in a couple of hours of comments, I didn't hear anything new from the public that wasn't already known prior to the start of the hearing. I know it's important that people have a chance to speak their mind, but I don't think there's anything that wasn't known to the Department prior to the proposal for the expansion of Girls Prep.
Beginning next year, Girls Prep plans to accommodate 50 middle school students. Eventually, there will be 300 middle school seats. To make room for the expansion, P.S. 94, a special needs school (grades 4-9), will ultimately drop four sections, but continue to serve middle school students. Does the DOE have any concerns about the ability of the three schools to juggle their space needs:
No. I think it's not unusual for there to be some friction at the beginning as people kind of accommodate themselves to one another. But as one speaker said, once the hearing is over, everybody's got to go back to work in the building together the next day and I think people will find a way to kind of work through their difficulties.
In the past several months, District 1's Community Education Council has been sharply critical of the DOE for its handling of the Girls Prep issue. While supporting the presence of charter schools in the neighborhood, they argued no school should be allowed to expand at the expense of any other school. CEC President Lisa Donlan has also ridiculed (see the sock puppet protest here) the process, saying, "the mayor and Chancellor (Joel Klein) have made it very clear that they don't think parents have any role in this level of decision-making." I asked Duffy to comment on the dissatisfaction some parents have expressed with their influence (or lack thereof) in the era of mayoral control:
I think that some parents were empowered by the way things were in the past. Very vocal parents had the ability to raise enough heat to challenge and quash proposals that would alter the status quo, and I think one of the reasons the status quo 10 years ago was so deeply dysfunctional was exactly because of that. So now with the authority vested with the mayor, you've got one decision-maker who can make the decisions about school closure, replacements based on the merits, and I think he's less swayed by the heat that's generated by the few parents who might be disgruntled with a particular decision.
Donlan has also expressed dismay with the way charter and traditional public schools are evaluated. Since charters accept far fewer "special needs students," she asserts, it's unfair to compare their test scores with those of traditional public schools. Duffy's response?
In general, the charters do not enroll as many special education students as the district, if you look across the city. But the difference is relatively small and it varies by school. There are some schools that do a very good job and enroll greater than the city average, some that enroll far less. But on average, charters are close to or a little less, than their district counterparts. I think the criticism is really apt when it comes to English Language Learners. Charter schools are not doing enough to reach out to linguistic minorities to enroll them in their schools. They need to redouble their efforts to reach out to those communities, and we're working with the schools to do exactly that.
So, given the disparity, how can charter schools and traditional public schools be evaluated on an even playing field?
I'd say this. The most credible rejoinder to that criticism comes from Professor Carolyn Hoxby and Macke Raymond and the study that they conducted. So the study they conducted is longitudinal… It studied those who applied to lotteries – those who earned a place in a charter school lottery and those who didn't and then it compared them over time. So if the difference in the performance of charters was simply attributable to the kind of students they enroll, you'd expect to see those kids do the same, regardless of the school they entered. But what you see over time is a statistically significant difference in performance that grows the longer the student is in a charter school. Raymond's methodology is slightly different. She doesn't use actual lottery results, but she kind of creates a virtual twin for charter school students, to gather statistics on distinct students, that share characteristics with the charter, to compare the charter effect, and she too finds a statistically significant difference. Raymond's study has particular credibility since she released her results in November, and that was specific to New York City, she released a national study on 17 states back in June, and the conclusion using that same methodology for the 17 states, was very critical of charters. I think people like Diane Ravitch, who have been very harsh charter critics, they lauded Raymond's study when it came out in June, and were really silent when her results were published in November.
But what do the studies tell him, in practical terms, about what's happening in New York's public schools:
I think it says two things. Charters are succeeding at the work that they're doing and it's because of the high standards that we have on who gets a charter and because of the willingness of the New York City school district to support charters. I think both of those conditions are not present in the 17 states that were studied. You have authorizers in states like Ohio that have very low standards for who gets a charter and are often operating in districts where the school superintendent and the mayor are very much at odds with charter school operators.
These are uncertain times for New York's charter school movement. Under the current law, there are only 19 charters left to award. The Legislature has not been able to agree on a proposal to lift the cap. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has insisted on new rules that would strip the DOE and the mayor of much of their decision-making power. Republicans in the Senate balked. Is the situation in Albany having an impact on the charter school office:
Not yet. I think pressure to lift the cap might not come again until people see how New York fares in its Race To The Top application. I think the expectation is that the U.S. Department of Ed. will make a decision in March on the first round of applications and, if in fact New York loses there will be a lot of pressure for a new application, which would be due June 1st, for the cap to be lifted.
There has been speculation the Legislature's failure to act could jeopardize New York's application. Duffy thinks there's some merit to this theory:
What I've heard in talking with colleagues from other states is that there's some really strong proposals that have been made by states where they've lifted the cap, and Secretary Duncan says that it's going to count against applications where there are caps in place on charter school growth.
And what about the future? I asked Duffy to look ahead:
At this point we're looking at 29 new schools opening in September 2010. None of those schools are planned for the Lower East Side. I think applicants are beginning to look ahead to 2011. I think there's some concern about whether the cap will be lifted in time. For instance, up in Massachusetts, where I used to work, the Legislature in January acted to lift the cap that was in place there, and there's a lot of excitement about charter growth there… I think the next couple of moths will tell whether we can sustain the vibrancy of the charter community here, or whether it will start to dry up.
Finally, Duffy had this message for parents on the Lower East Side:
If there are a group of activists who have a vision for, say, a green school, or a school focused on progressive values, or innovative models that can push the envelope about what a school could be. A Montessori model, many different elements. We're looking for people who want to create something better than what exists. If there are people who read this and have that idea, they should contact our office, because we'd love to see more, strong, innovative applications from people in the community, who have roots in the community. That's one message. Then two is, I would encourage parents in the community to check out charter options and understand whether they might be right for their child.
By Ed Litvak in Education on March 1, 2010 3:36 pm