I do n't have much to add to the discussion of metal bending because I do n't do that ( yet ) , but I must say that this has been a VERY informative thread , especially with Dan and Craig's exchanges . Ever since I 've " jumped " onto the Mentalism bandwagon , I 've realised just how hard it is . FYI , I did not jump on any bandwagon . That was a just a joke . Mentalism is something I really enjoy and have a passion for . It is very tough to do it right and I know I have a long way to go , but I 'm trying my best to get there eventually . I 've already lost track of the number of times I 've take risks doing mentalism for people and screwing up the effect . Thankfully most of these are to fellow members of my local magic society , so I 'm using this experience to learn and prepare myself for actual public performances . There are so many aspects I still need work on that sometimes I do wish I have a mentor helping me out . Anyway , just wanted to say that this thread is great . _________________ " Trust the tale , not the teller . " - D.H. Lawrence


I 'm 11 years old and have Haemophilia A. My family did n't realise until I was 7 and a half when I lost my first baby tooth , although we were always wondering why I was black and blue with bruises . I decided that each year I would do one big event and raise what I could for the Society . That first year I did my first 100ft abseil . The next year I swam a mile ( that was really tough ) and then when I was 10 I did a 5-mile Triangle : I canoed 5 miles , cycled 5 miles and then walked 5 miles ! This year I fully organised a Book Sale . I collected books from everyone I knew , then made lots of posters and got some stickers from the Society . I got up at 4 . 30am and stayed until 2pm . We did n't do as well as I wished but I am quite happy with £ 110 . I am now thinking about what I can do next year !


Just my daily ramblings and personal experiences of running a busy business and surviving Monday , April 3rd , 2006 Stressed Out I did too much thinking last night and stressed myself out so much that I cracked about 1am . I currently have a lot of work on , I 'm slowly clearing my list of things to do but there 's still a lot there . I currently contract for a company in Cardiff and I feel really bad that I 've not been working my full hours for them . They provide and will continue to provide a lot of work to me whilst I develop web based systems for them and also one of my closest friends works there , who got me the job , and I really do n't want to cause her or anyone else issues . I also decided to redevelop a major site of a client 's , my exboss to be accurate , and I 'd hoped to get it all finished off in March , however due to other various work I 've not even started it which has really upset me . So I spent yesterday evening in Dave's arms upset and highly stressed not really knowing what to do . I know it 's just because I 've let it all get on top of me and get too much , right now there 's very little light at the end of the tunnel , but once this clears I definitely wo n't let it happen again . This year has flown by and it just seems that I 'm barely making any dent in my pile of work . " Filed under Business by Sarah at 10 : 54 .


I 'm going to take you on a journey very quickly . To explain the wish , I 'm going to have to take you somewhere which many people have n ' t been , and that 's around the world . When I was about 24 years old , Kate Store and myself started an organization to get architects and designers involved in humanitarian work . Not only about responding to natural disasters , but involved in systemic issues . We believed that where the resources and expertise are scarce , innovative , sustainable design can really make a difference in people's lives . So this all began my -- I started my life as an architect , or training as an architect , and I was always interested in socially responsible design , and how you can really make an impact . But when I went to architectural school , it seemed that I was the black sheep in the family . Many architects seemed to think that when you design , you design a jewel , and it 's a jewel that you try and crave for . Whereas I felt that when you design , you either improve or you create a detriment to the community in which you 're designing in . So you 're not just doing a building for the residents or for the people who are going to use it , but for the community as a whole . And in 1999 , we started by responding to the issue of the housing crisis for returning refugees in Kosovo and I did n't know what I was doing , like I say , mid-20s , and I 'm the , I 'm the Internet generation , so we started a website . We put a call out there , and to my surprise in a couple of months we had hundreds of entries from around the world . That led to a number of prototypes being built and really experimenting with some ideas . Two years later we started doing a project on developing mobile health clinics in sub-Saharan Africa , responding to the HIV / AIDS pandemic . That -- that led to 550 entries from 53 countries . We also have designers from around the world that participate . And we had an exhibit of work that followed that . 2004 was the tipping point for us . We started responding to natural disasters and getting involved in Iran and Bam , also following up on our work in Africa . Working within the United States , most people look at poverty and they see the face of a foreigner , but go live -- I live in Bozeman , Montana -- go up to the north plains on the reservations , or go down to Alabama or Mississippi pre-Katrina , and I could have shown you places that have far worse conditions than many developing countries I 've been to . So we got involved in and worked in inner cities and elsewhere . And then also I will go into some more projects . 2005 Mother Nature kicked our arse . I think we can pretty much assume that 2005 was a horrific year when it comes to natural disasters . And because of the Internet , and because of connections to blogs and so forth , within literally hours of the tsunami , we were already raising funds , getting involved , working with people on the ground . We run from a couple of laptops in the first couple of days , I had 4,000 emails from people needing help . So we began to get involved in projects there , and I 'll talk about some others . And then of course , this year we 've been responding to Katrina , as well as following up on our reconstruction works . This is a brief overview . In 2004 , I really could n ' t manage the number of people who wanted to help , or the number of requests that I was getting . It was all coming into my laptop and cell phone . So we decided to embrace an open -- basically an open source model of business , that anyone , anywhere in the world , could start a local chapter , and they can get involved in local problems . Because I believe there is no such thing as Utopia . All problems are local . All solutions are local . So , and that means , you know , somebody who is based in , in Mississippi , knows more about Mississippi than I do . So what happened is , we used MeetUp and all these other kind of Internet tools , and we ended up having 40 chapters starting up , thousands of architects in 104 countries . So the , the bullet point -- sorry , I never do a suit , so I knew that I was going to take this off . OK , because I 'm going to do it very quick . So in the past seven years , this is n't just about nonprofit . What it showed me is that there 's a grassroots movement going on of socially responsible designers who really believe that this world has got a lot smaller , and that we have the opportunity -- not the responsibility , but the opportunity -- to really get involved in making change . ( Laughter ) I 'm adding that to my time . So what you do n't know is , we 've got these thousands of designers working around the world , connected basically by a website , and we have a staff of three . By doing something , the fact that nobody told us we could n ' t do it , we did it . And so there 's something to be said about naivete . So seven years later , we 've developed so that we 've got advocacy , instigation and implementation . We advocate for good design , not only through student workshops and lectures and public forums , op-eds , we have a book on humanitarian work , but also disaster mitigation and dealing with public policy . We can talk about FEMA , but that 's another talk . Instigation , developing ideas with communities and NGOs doing open-source design competitions . Referring , matchmaking with communities and then implementing -- actually going out there and doing the work , because when you invent , it 's never a reality until it 's built . So it 's really important that if we 're designing and trying to create change , we build that change . So here 's a select number of projects . Kosovo . This is Kosovo in ' 99 . We did an open design competition , like I said . It led to a whole variety of ideas , and this was n ' t about emergency shelter , but transitional shelter that would last five to 10 years , that would be placed next to the land the resident lived in , and that they would rebuild their own home . This was n ' t imposing an architecture on a community , this was giving them the tools and , and the space to allow them to rebuild and regrow the way they want to . We have from the sublime to the ridiculous , but they worked . This is an inflatable hemp house . It was built ; it works . This is a shipping container . Built and works . And a whole variety of ideas that not only dealt with architectural building , but also the issues of governance and the idea of creating communities through complex networks . So we 've engaged not just designers , but also , you know , a whole variety of technology-based professionals . Using rubble from destroyed homes to create new homes . Using strawbale construction , creating heat walls . And then something remarkable happened in ' 99 . We went to Africa , originally to look at the housing issue . Within three days , we realized the problem was not housing ; it was the growing pandemic of HIV / AIDS . And it was n ' t doctors telling us this ; it was actual villagers that we were staying with . And so we came up with the bright idea that instead of getting people to walk 10 , 15 kilometers to see doctors , you get the doctors to the people . And we started engaging the the medical community . And I thought , you know , we thought we were real bright , you know , sparks -- we 've come up with this great idea , mobile health clinics that can -- widely distributed throughout sub-Saharan Africa . And the community , the medical community there said , " We 've said this for the last decade . We know this . We just do n't know how to show this . " So in a way , we had taken a pre-existing need and shown solutions . And so again , we had a whole variety of ideas that came in . This one I personally love , because the idea that architecture is not just about solutions , but about raising awareness . This is a kenaf clinic . You get seed and you grow it in a plot of land , and then once -- and it grows 14 feet in a month . And on the fourth week , the doctors come and they mow out an area , put a tensile structure on the top and when the doctors have finished treating and seeing patients and villagers , you cut down the clinic and you eat it . It 's an Eat Your Own Clinic . ( Laughter ) So it 's dealing with the fact that if you have AIDS , you also need to have nutrition rates , and the idea that the idea of nutrition is as important as getting anti-retrovirals out there . So you know , this is a serious solution . This one I love . The idea is it 's not just a clinic -- it 's a community center . This looked at setting up trade routes and economic engines within the community , so it can be a self-sustaining project . Every one of these projects is sustainable . That 's not because I 'm a tree-hugging green person . It 's because when you live on four dollars a day , you 're living on survival and you have to be sustainable . You have to know where your energy is coming from . You have to know where your resource is coming from . And you have to keep the maintenance down . So this is about getting an economic engine , and then at night it turns into a movie theater . So it 's not an AIDS clinic . It 's a community center . So you can see ideas . And these ideas developed into prototypes , and they were eventually built . And currently as of this year , there are clinics rolling out in Nigeria and Kenya . From that we also developed Siyathemba , which was a project -- the community came to us and said , the problem is that the girls do n't have education . And we 're working in an area where young women between the ages of 16 and 24 have a 50 percent HIV / AIDS rate . And that 's not because they 're promiscuous , it 's because there 's no knowledge . And so we decided to look at the idea of sports and create a youth sports center that doubled as an HIV / AIDS outreach center , and the coaches of the girls' team were also trained doctors . So that there would be a very slow way of developing kind of confidence in health care . And we picked nine finalists , and then those nine finalists were distributed throughout the entire region , and then the community picked their design . They said , this is our design , because it 's not only about engaging a community , it 's about empowering a community and about getting them to be a part of the rebuilding process . So the winning design is here , and then of course , we actually go and work with the community and the clients . So this is the designer . He 's out there working with the first ever women's soccer team in Kwa-Zulu Natal , Siyathemba , and they can tell it better . Video : Well , my name is Sisi , because I work at the African center . I 'm a consultant and I 'm also the national football player for South Africa , Bafana Bafana , and I also play in the Vodacom League for the team called Tembisa , which has now changed to Siyathemba . This is our home ground . Cameron Sinclair : So I 'm going to show that later because I 'm running out of time . I can see Chris looking at me slyly . This was a connection , just a meeting with somebody who wanted to develop Africa's first telemedicine center , in Tanzania . And we met , literally , a couple of months ago . We 've already developed a design , and the team is over there , working in partnership . This was a matchmaking , thanks to a couple of TEDsters : [ unclear ] Cheryl Heller and Andrew Zolli , who connected me with this amazing African woman . And we start construction in June , and it will be opened by TEDGlobal . So when you come to TEDGlobal , you can check it out . But what we 're known probably most for is dealing with disasters and development , and we 've been involved in a lot of issues , such as the tsunami and also things like Hurricane Katrina . This is a 370 dollar shelter that can be easily assembled . This is a community design . A community-designed community center . And what that means is we actually live and work with the community , and they 're part of the design process . The kids actually get involved in mapping out where the the community center should be , and then eventually , the community is actually , through skills training , end up building the building with us . Here is another school . This is what the U. N. gave these guys for six months -- 12 plastic tarps . This was in August . This was the replacement , and it 's supposed to last for two years . When the rain comes down , you ca n ' t hear a thing , and in the summer it 's about 140 degrees inside . So we said , if the rain 's coming down , let 's get fresh water . So every one of our schools have rain water collection systems , very low cost . A class , three classrooms and rainwater collection is five thousand dollars . This was raised by hot chocolate sales in Atlanta . It 's built by the parents of the kids . The kids are out there on-site , building the buildings . And it opened a couple of weeks ago , and there 's 600 kids that are now using the schools . ( Applause ) So , disaster hits home . We 've see the bad stories on CNN and Fox and all that , but we do n't see the good stories . Here is a community that got together and they said no to wait , to waiting . They formed a partnership , a diverse partnership of players to actually map out East Biloxi , to figure out who is getting involved . We 've had 1,500 volunteers rebuilding , rehabbing homes . Figuring out what FEMA regulations are , not waiting for them to dictate to us how you should rebuild . Working with residents , getting out -- them out of their homes , so they do n't get ill . This is what they 're cleaning up on their own . Designing housing . This house is going to go in , in a couple of weeks . This is a rehabbed home , done in four days . This is a utility room for a woman who is on a walker . She 's 70 years old . This is what FEMA gave her . 600 bucks , happened two days ago . We put together very quickly a washroom . It 's built , it 's running and she just started a business today , where she 's washing other peoples clothes . This is Shandra and the Calhouns . They 're photographers who have documented the Lower Ninth for the last 40 years . That was their home , and these are the photographs they took . And we 're helping , working with them to create a new building . Projects we 've done . Projects we 've been a part of , support . Why do n't aid agencies do this ? This is the U. N. tent . This is the new U. N. tent , just introduced this year . Quick to assemble . It 's got a flap , that 's the invention . It took 20 years to design this and get it implemented in the field . I was 12 years old . There 's a problem here . Luckily , we 're not alone . There are hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of architects and designers and inventors around the world that are getting involved in humanitarian work . More hemp houses -- it 's a theme in Japan apparently . I 'm not sure what they 're smoking . This is a grip clip designed by somebody who said , all you need is some way to attach membrane structures to physical support beams . This guy , designed for NASA -- is now doing housing . I 'm going to whip through this quickly , because I know I 've got only a couple of minutes . So this is all done in the last two years . I showed you something that took 20 years to do . And this is just a selection of things that got happened in -- that were built in the last couple of years . From Brazil to India , Mexico , Alabama , China , Israel , Palestine , Vietnam . The average age of a designer who gets involved in this project is 32 -- that 's how old I am . So it 's a young -- I just have to stop here , because Arup is in the room and this is the best-designed toilet in the world . If you 're ever , ever in India , go use this toilet . ( Laughter ) Chris Luebkeman will tell you why . I 'm sure that 's how he wanted to spend the party , but -- but the future is not going to be the sky-scraping cities of New York , but this . And when you look at this , you see crisis . What I see is many , many inventors . One billion people live in abject poverty . We hear about them all the time . Four billion live in growing but fragile economies . One in seven live in unplanned settlements . If we do nothing about the housing crisis that 's about to happen , in 20 years , one in three people will live in an unplanned settlement or a refugee camp . Look left , look right : one of you will be there . How do we improve the living standards of five billion people ? With 10 million solutions . So I wish to develop a community that actively embraces innovative and sustainable design to improve the living conditions for everyone . Chris Anderson : Wait a second . Wait a second . That 's your wish ? CS : That 's my wish . CA : That 's his wish ! ( Applause ) We started Architecture for Humanity with 700 dollars and a website . So Chris somehow decided to give me 100,000 dollars . So why not this many people ? Open-source architecture is the way to go . You have a diverse community of participants -- and we 're not just talking about inventors and designers , but we 're talking about the funding model . My role is not as a designer ; it 's a conduit between the design world and the humanitarian world . And what we need is something that replicates me globally , because I have n ' t slept in seven years . ( Laughter ) Secondly , what will this thing be ? Designers want to respond to issues of humanitarian crisis , but they do n't want some company in the West taking their idea and basically profiting from it . So Creative Commons has developed the developing nations license . And what that means that a designer can -- the Siyathemba project I showed was the first ever building to have a Creative Commons license on it . As soon as that is built , anyone in Africa or any developing nation can take the construction documents and replicate it for free . ( Applause ) So why not allow designers the opportunity to do this , but still protecting their rights , here ? We want to have a community where you can upload ideas , and those ideas can be tested in earthquake , in flood , in all sorts of austere environments . The reason that 's important is I do n't want to wait for the next Katrina to find out if my house works . That 's too late . We need to do it now . So doing that globally . And I want this whole thing to work multi-lingually . When you look at the face of an architect , most people think a gray-haired white guy . I do n't see that . I see the face of the world . So I want everyone from all over the planet , to be able to be a part of this design and development . The idea of needs-based competitions -- X-Prize for the other 98 percent , if you want to call it that . We also want to look at ways of matchmaking and putting funding partners together . And the idea of integrating manufacturers -- fab labs in every country . When I hear about the 100 dollar laptop and it 's going to educate every child , educate every designer in the world . Put one in every favela , every slum settlement , because you know what , innovation will happen . And I need to know that . It 's called the leap-back . We talk about leapfrog technologies . I write with Worldchanging , and the one thing we 've been talking about is , I learn more on the ground than I 've ever learned here . So let 's take those ideas , adapt them and we can use them . These ideas are supposed to have adaptable , they 're allowed to be -- they should have the potential for evolution , they should be developed by every nation on the world and useful for every nation on the world . What will it take ? There should be a sheet . I do n't have time to read this , because I 'm going to be yanked off . CA : Just leave it up there for a sec . CS : Well , what will it take ? You guys are smart . So it 's going to take a lot of computing power , because I want this to -- I want the idea that any laptop anywhere in the world can plug into the system and be able to not only participate in developing these designs , but utilize the designs . Also , a process of reviewing the designs . I want every Arup engineer in the world to check and make sure that we 're doing stuff that 's standing , because those guys are the best in the world . Plug . And so you know , I want these -- and I just should note , I have two laptops and one of them there , is there and that has 3000 designs on it . If I drop that laptop , what happens ? So it 's important to have these proven ideas put up there , easy to use , easy to get ahold of . My mom once said , there 's nothing worse than being all mouth and no trousers . ( Laughing ) I 'm fed up of talking about making change . You only make it by doing it . We 've changed FEMA guidelines . We 've changed public policy . We 've changed international response -- based on building things . So for me , it 's important that we create a real conduit for innovation , and that it 's free innovation . Think of free culture -- this is free innovation . Somebody said this a couple of years back . I will give points for those who know it , I think the man was maybe 25 years too early , so let 's do it . Thank you . ( Applause )


Distr . 19 September 2003 Original : ENGLISH Opening address Ms. Heli Jeskanen-Sundström , Director General , Statistics Finland Construction of an information society is the strategic goal of many countries . The building of an information society is not a detached process , but is tied to other social policy . Social change - especially when it is rapid - presents constant new challenges to decision-makers . There is a need for knowledge about the present status quo and its background and for relevant , reliable facts about the development trends in society . Capacity for continuous renewal and ability to adapt to changing customer needs are the prerequisites for staying competitive in business . New capabilities and ways of acting are also demanded of members of society . It is no longer enough to view change from the national perspective ; the effects of globalisation extend to the public sector , business enterprises , non-governmental organisations and ordinary citizens in every country . Countries want to compare their own development with that of others and seek for best practices . In this work , official statistics play an important role . The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) started systematic development of statistics on the information society in the 1990s , although the first pilot statistics on the phenomenon were already produced in the 1980s , that is , two decades ago . The development of statistics on the information society has progressed in steps - initially through clarification of concepts and definitions , then by exploitation of existing statistical data and eventually by designing statistics requiring new data collections . The OECD's exhaustive publication Monitoring the Information Economy 2002 contains scores of quantitative indicators for the monitoring of the state of the information society in different countries . In Europe , the eEurope 2002 indicators of the Commission of the European Union are used to monitor the progress towards the information society in the Member States . Besides quantitative monitoring , qualitative measuring is also applied to the eEurope programme . Thus , examples of follow-up systems already exist for a world-wide monitoring mechanism . Many countries already produce regular statistics depicting the information society , but the capability to compile them varies considerably from country to country . Some international recommendations are already available on the instruments - framework , concepts , definitions and classifications - that are needed in the compilation of these statistics but work on then is not finalised . Experience has shown that the development of a new statistical system takes several years . As an example of this , the first draft of the Handbook of Environmental Accounting that has just been completed was produced as far back as the early 1990s . The Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics approved by the United Nation ( UN ) in 1994 offer a good foundation on which statistical organisations throughout the world can build their activity . These principles state as follows : " Official statistics provide an indispensable element in the information system of a democratic society , serving the government , the economy and the public with data about the economic , demographic , social and environmental situation . To this end , official statistics that meet the test of practical utility are to be compiled and made available on an impartial basis by official statistical agencies to honour citizens' entitlement to public information . " The UN's statement emphasises that official statistics must be compiled according to scientific methods and internationally recognised classifications and definitions . Protection of suppliers' data must be unconditional . The statement further stresses the importance of co-ordination and co-operation . These fundamental principles of the UN are the preconditions without which production and functioning of official statistics can not even be started . Statistics describing the information society must also be developed in compliance with these principles . In its Declaration of Principles document , the World Summit on the Information Society will most probably adopt the key principles relating to the establishment of a sustainable information society . These will form the cornerstones on which the Summit's action plan and monitoring system will be built . The Declaration ( Draft , July 2003 ) sets out targets on the following areas : Information and communication infrastructure Access to information and knowledge The role of governments , the business sector and civil society in the promotion of ICTs for development Capacity building : human resources development , education and training Building confidence and security in the use of ICTs Enabling environment Promotion of development-oriented ICT-applications for all Cultural identity and linguistic diversity , local content and media development Ethical dimensions of the Information Society International and regional co-operation The declaration emphasises the need of an adequate information and communication ( IC ) infrastructure and the necessity to raise people's skills and competence , opportunities for the exploitation of ICT applications in all areas of life , and support of cultural diversity and creativity . These goals also serve as pointers for the statistical system that is needed to monitor their achievement . The importance of education and competence can not be emphasised enough when we speak about the development of the information society . From the perspective of a producer of official statistics it is satisfying to note that a Plan of Action , putting emphasis on the role of statistics in the monitoring process is also being drafted in support of the goals set in the declaration . Realisation of the goals of the information society will almost certainly be chiefly measured with qualitative instruments . Achievement of the targets relating to the legal environment or removal of constraints will probably be easiest to monitor with country-specific status reports and lists of actions . Monitoring of the attainment of the set goals also needs quantitative measures . Fortunately these do not have to be produced from scratch . International organisations already today produce a host of statistical information that can also be exploited for the monitoring of this declaration . The declaration concerning the development of the information society is not the first or only programme targeted at globally equitable human development . The UN's Millennium Development Goals were adopted by the UN Millennium Summit held in 2000 . Monitoring of the attainment of these goals has already started and several indicators used in it are also relevant for the monitoring of the declaration on the information society . International organisations should ensure that the indicators and statistics used in the monitoring of the other global programmes can also be exploited in the monitoring process that is about to be initiated now . The workload of national statistical offices should be minimised by maximising co-ordination between the statistical systems of international organisations . Systematic statistical monitoring requires organisation , co-ordination and division of responsibilities among international bodies . The system has to be efficient , and overlapping should be avoided . It would be prudent to draw up an inventory of the information international organisations already possess and of the recommendations that have been issued . For instance , the International Telecommunication Union ( ITU ) , the United Nations Educational , Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO ) , and the UN already collect statistical data that can be utilised . Successful selection of the essential ones , or so-called core indicators , of all the possible available measures is a major challenge to the monitoring of information society development . International organisations must also make sure that national statistical offices have at their disposal uniform and relevant concept definitions and other standards that support the compilation of statistics . Several examples of this already exist . Literacy of citizens is the decisive condition to the development of the information society . UNESCO conducts extensive collections of data on people's educational levels and participation rates in education in different countries . The ITU , for its part , follows the development and penetration of the telecommunications infrastructure in many countries . Existing mass communication and cultural statistics can provide data on printed media , and on digital content production and use in different countries . Besides providing classifications and methodological recommendations , international organisations already also offer tangible data collection instruments for statistical offices . The UN and the OECD , for instance , have published recommendations on how the information sector should be defined . The OECD has also reached unanimity about the definition of electronic commerce . Model questionnaires have been developed and approved within the OECD for inquiry surveys measuring the use of information and communication technologies . The purpose of these recommendations is to support the work of national statistical offices and ensure the availability of internationally comparable data . Unfortunately , monitoring of the progress of the information society can not be based on mere average figures for different countries . Besides producing data on literacy , diffusion of equipment stock or spread of Internet use , we should also know to what extent disparities in these occur between regions , or by socio-economic group or gender . Diverse national and international digital divide index calculation exercises have already been made . It is also necessary to monitor the impact of the taken measures on bridging this divide . There is also much international interest in statistics that can be utilised to analyse the coping of women and girls as exploiters of information technology . Over the past few years , the UN's city group - the Voorburg Group - which focuses on the development of statistics on service industries has been giving consideration to the development of statistics depicting the information society . The members of the group , thus far mainly statistical offices of developed countries , have had the opportunity to exchange information about their experiences and about best practices . The UN's Statistics Commission has discussed the establishment of a new forum for less developed countries . It might be defensible to suggest that while a monitoring system is being devised for the WSIS process , such a contact group be established within the framework of some subdivision of the UN . It would also be important to include the future users of the data in the development process at the international level . It is equally justified to wonder how international organisations could give assistance to less advanced countries in the development and compilation of basic statistics and indicators describing the information society . If support is given to the projects that are launched to implement the declaration , it would also be logical to support the development of the statistics that are needed in its monitoring . Commercial research institutes and private consulting companies produce a great deal of information about the penetration and use of information technology in different countries . The data are collected at the commission of customers who also pay for them , so demand for this kind of information quite obviously exists , and some of it is even available free of charge on the Internet . Why could the World Summit monitoring system not be based on this ? Use of statistics produced by commercial research institutes and consulting companies , as well as country-specific comparisons must be approached with certain reservations . The main concern relates to transparency of the used methods , which are often not publicly disclosed . Present research extends to a limited number of countries , mostly only those with the greatest economic influence . Data on developing countries are rarely available . The examined branches of industry or levels of education may deviate from those of official classifications , so the basic information otherwise available on them can not be used . Commercial research institutes generally only produce information that sells , which is fairly understandable . However , there is no commercial demand for many measures , such as those concerning equality between regions and genders , that are vital in the monitoring of information society development . When the World Summit adopts the Plan of Action , it entails initiation of an implementation and monitoring activity that will span over several years at both national and international levels . The information society perspective will become integrated into national policies . It also implicates that statistical offices will become bound by and committed to the development of statistics that serve the monitoring . Official statistics are expected , first and foremost , to give an accurate account of what is going on in society . Statistical offices must be able to provide relevant , reliable and up-to-date numerical information and support to decision-makers . Fulfilling this task is a major challenge to statistical offices at a time when society keeps changing fast and their resources are quite limited . The best foundation for statistics on the information society is a good infrastructure of official statistics . New data can often be effectively produced by reclassifying the data from household inquiries or statistics on manufacturing or foreign trade , or by attaching supplementary questions to existing survey inquiries . The cost of developing a new statistical system can be minimised by the exploitation of existing systems . Statistical monitoring of the information society has to be adapted to the other work and operating frameworks of statistical offices . At its next meeting in two year's time , the World Summit on the Information Society expects a follow-up report on the principles adopted at this meeting . This means that we have to be able to describe the present status quo and the development over the coming years . When new statistics are being developed it is good to bear in mind that the targets of statistical monitoring can not change from one year to the next , but time series are needed . The development work takes several years and requires close co-operation with the suppliers and users of data . When national information society programmes are being drawn up it is good if statistical offices can contribute to the work right from the beginning . A programme for the monitoring of strategies and action plans is vital , how else could their compilers obtain follow-up data on the present development that are impartial and independent , and comply with the ethical rules of statistics and research . As an example from my own country , Finland , I can quote that , keen to monitor progress , the Finnish Government charged Statistics Finland , in its first national Information Society Strategy in 1995 , with the responsibility to provide reports at regular intervals and to conduct occasional studies on the programme's impacts in society . Giving out a strategy means that we should be able to measure the development towards the given targets . Ever since then , Statistics Finland has participated closely in the national work on the development of the information society , and this work has also borne good fruit . Kofi Annan , Secretary-General of the United Nations , writes in the foreword of the UNCTAD E-Commerce and Development Report 2002 : " If the world is serious about achieving the Millennium Development Goal of halving the number of people living in extreme poverty by the year 2015 , ICT must figure prominently in the effort . Everyone - governments , civil society , private sector businesses - has a vital stake in fostering digital opportunity and putting ICT at the service of development . " Extensive adoption of ICT and raising of skills levels are global challenges of the information society . There are intermediate steps and clear milestones in the achievement of these targets . The WSIS requires monitoring of the key principles of the declaration . How capable is the international statistical community of responding to the challenge thrown at it ? How the task should be organised and the work of international organisations co-ordinated is a major challenge . Successful and relevant outlining of the frame of reference into which the indicators derived from the declaration can be placed is crucially important . Naturally , concepts and definitions need universal approval and introduction . All this must be well on the way by the Summit in Tunis in two years' time . Producing globally exhaustive statistics on the development of society would be an ambitious goal even with a longer timetable than this . I believe , however , that national statistical offices are keen to take up the challenge , provided the procedures and guidelines are agreed upon .


As you start to type your search terms , Google Instant automatically shows results for a popular search that begins with those letters . If you do n't see the results you want , just keep typing and the results will dynamically update . Connect to the information you need faster , even before you finish typing your search ! How it works The basics of Google search are the same , including how results are ranked and how Google determines relevant results . What has changed is the path you can take to get to relevant results . Here 's what happens when you search : Start to type . As you type a search on Google , the homepage automatically starts displaying your search results -- no need to press Enter . A list of predicted queries is generated using the autocomplete algorithm . These predictions are displayed in a drop-down menu below the search box . See results . The algorithm tries to predict what the rest of your query might be based on popular queries typed by other users . The first prediction is shown in light grey in the search box , and the search results you see instantly will be for that predicted search . If instead you want to see results for only the text you 've typed , just press Enter or click the Search button . Type more , see more . If you continue to type , Google dynamically updates the search results to match the first prediction for what you 've typed . Refine your search . Do n't find the information or website you want ? It 's easy to refine your search after seeing what results appear . Here are some options : If you see what you 're looking for in the list of predicted queries , click the query to see relevant results . Use your keyboard 's down arrow key to scroll through the list of predicted queries , and see results appear for each query you pause over . Continue typing your query until the results show what you 're looking for . As always , you 're still able to type your full query and press Enter or click the Search button . Why do n't I see results appear as I type ? You wo n ' t see results appear as you type if any of the following is true : you search from a page that 's not the Google homepage or a search results page you search from your iGoogle page rather than the classic homepage you search using Google SSL you use an Internet browser that 's not one of these supported browsers : Firefox 3 and later versions , Safari 5 for Mac and later versions , Internet Explorer 8 , and Google Chrome 5 and later versions you previously disabled autocomplete you previously opted out of Google Instant you use a Google domain or interface language that does not yet support Google Instant In addition , users on particularly slow Internet connections wo n ' t see dynamic results since we want to make sure that your search experience is as fast as possible . Learn more about this and similar issues . Lastly , certain types of search queries that may be inappropriate will not trigger results to appear automatically . In these situations , you 'll see a message asking you to click Enter to perform the search . The benefits Get all the benefits of autocomplete and more : Save time -- Get relevant search results while you type so you spend less time searching and can go right to the web content you want . Type less -- Dynamically generated results let you stop typing as soon as you see what you need . We estimate that this will reduce the average number of keystrokes by 9 per search . Search smarter -- Like a conversation with the search engine , get instant feedback on whether your search terms return the type of results you want . If not , just add another word or two to see if the results are closer to what you 're looking for . Learn how to get the most out of Google Instant Can I opt out ? If you do n't want to see results as you type , you can opt out by accessing your search settings under the gear icon on any search results page . When you opt out , we 'll save that preference on a cookie , so you 'll stayed opted out until the cookie is cleared . Note that the preference will only apply to that particular computer and Internet browser , and it is not tied to your Google Account . If you 're concerned about seeing inappropriate content , you can enable SafeSearch at the " strict filtering " level to help avoid sites that contain pornography , explicit sexual content , profanity , and types of hate content .


The meeting opened with Paul Davis ( PD ) outlining the structure of the agenda , stating that the evening would be segregated into defined sectors to address the following issues ; Andrew Hounsell : Précis of the content of the recent meeting held between Bob Holt and recognised supporters' group Paul Davis : T he current situation and events leading up to it . Mike Wilks : T he way forward - what can we do ? Open Forum : T he fan 's opportunity to reflect on , and comment on the situation . Andrew Hounsell ( AH ) AH reported on the meeting of fans' groups ( TrustSTFC , Supporters' Club , Disabled Supporters' Group , Loud and Proud ) with the club on Monday 25th September 2006 called by STFC , who were represented by Bob Holt , Ben Lambert , Martin Starnes , Sandy Gray's husband and Sarah Mildenhall . It was agreed that Bill Power ( Bill Power ) had made capital outlay to the club to the tune of £ 1,120,00.00 . The clubs view of this investment was that it fell into two categories : £ 1,000,000 as a share issue £ 120,000 as a loan Bill Power has disputed this and states that the full amount was made as a loan and is requiring repayment . BH stated as a separate issue that Mark Devlin ( Mark Devlin ) still had a role to fulfill within the club , and also assured those present that the door was left open for Bill Power to return to the club in the future . BH confirmed that , although a clause in the manager's contract exists that would enable him to speak to a higher level club , no approach has been made . It was also confirmed that Mike Diamandis ( Mike Diamandis ) had instigated the approach for the current management team and brought them in to the club . BH said that club accounts are prepared and are ready to issue to the shareholders . However he said a £ 700,000 overspend had occurred , although it was then further clarified that that was an overspend even taking into account the improved gates , so against budget it would more likely be over £ 1 million . BH said Linda Birrell ( LB Club Secretary ) had been made redundant as part of a cost cutting exercise , although she had not been required to work her month's notice . The board felt that LB's duties could be absorbed within the existing structure . This decision was taken without any consultation with the members of the existing structure that it affected , including Dennis Wise . Paul Davis ( PD ) PD gave a chronological summary of events that have developed with regard to Bill Power's involvement with the club dating back to late March / early April 2006 . In late March , the Trust were told in a meeting with Mark Devlin that Bill Power was going to be coming on board , and that he would put in an initial investment of c £ 1million . He and Mark Devlin were going to effectively run the ' football ' side of the business , leaving Mike Diamandis free to withdraw from that area of the club and concentrate on the ground redevelopment and his other business interests . A few weeks later , after a meeting with Mike Diamandis , he himself restated that this was to be the way things would operate and expressed his considerable relief at being able to withdraw from the day-to-day running of the club . So there was a clear understanding that Bill Power and Mark Devlin would run the football side of the club . It may have been a surprise then when Mike Diamandis brought in Dennis Wise and Gus Poyet ( and negotiated their pay structure ) , as this would clearly indicate Mike Diamandis was still very active in the ' football ' side of the business . That said , there is no indication that Bill Power or Mark Devlin were anything other than delighted to have Dennis and Gus on board . PD then referred to the official club statement issued on Monday which confirmed that a spending structure had been agreed for this season , which included a budget for the playing side , in a meeting during the close season between Sir Seton and James Wills , Mark Devlin and Bill Power . The statement made specific reference to the fact that Mike Diamandis was not present at that meeting but it was this meeting at which the spending plans for this current season were established . This is the agreement which was then rejected ( again according to the club's own statement ) at the board meeting three days before the start of the season - as spending and commitments on the basis of that plan must already have been undertaken ( it is ludicrous to suggest that Dennis Wise would not have been allowed to bring in backroom staff , players etc until a spending plan had been formally ratified a few days before the start of the season ) , this in essence amounts to a fundamental breakdown in the agreement reached during the close season . It is believed that this was the culmination of a series of ongoing disagreements throughout the close season between Bill Power and Mark Devlin on the one hand and Sandy Gray and Mike Diamandis , regarding how much freedom Bill Power was to have in the running of the football side of the business . And that the rejection of this agreement essentially marked a fundamental breakdown in the relationship between the two parties . The meeting of the football club board then finished and immediately after the board of the holding company met and ( again as referred to in the club's official statement ) at the end of that meeting , Bill Power and his business partner Phil Emmel were offered the opportunity to buy the club outright if they did not like the way it was currently being run . Bill Power and Phil Emmel went away to consider their options . Sadly , shortly afterwards Bill and others were injured in the plane crash which obviously interrupted that consideration . In terms of there being a ' rift ' , it is significant that no member of the board visited the Bill Power or the club employees injured in the crash while they were in hospital , except Willie Carson , who visited Mark Devlin and Mike Sullivan to his credit . According to statements by Bob Holt at the meeting on Monday , this was because club officials were asked not to visit the injured parties . Both Bob Holt and Mike Diamandis have repeatedly stated that there was no rift between Mike Diamandis and Bill Power and asked ' How could there be when we 've not spoken to them since the accident ? ' . PD said that the fact that the man charged with securing inward investment in the club had not spoken to the club's first major external investor in 5 years , not even to pass on his best wishes , in itself spoke volumes . During this period of hospitalization the Paul Ince deal was being negotiated , if the board had misgivings about the deal then the signing should not have gone ahead . With regards to Linda Birrell it was widely recognized that she played a vital role within the club and that when she was made redundant she was given a month's pay in lieu of notice , which if the reason for her redundancy had genuinely been cost-cutting would have been vital to ensure a smooth transition . PD said that the departure of Linda is what effectively brought the whole situation to a head . The following Wednesday there was a meeting between the board of the club plus Mike Diamandis on the one hand ; and Bill Power's wife Terry and business partner Phil Emmel on the other . Bill Power had specifically requested that Mike Diamandis not attend , again further evidence of a fundamental breakdown in the relationship between the two , but he did so apparently at the insistence of the Wills family . That meeting was the one ( again referred to in the club statement ) which resulted in Bill Power and Phil Emmel requesting the return of the money they had invested in the club and the well-documented disagreement as to whether that money was a purchase of share capital or a loan . Although PD believed that both parties would have been happy with the ' polite fiction ' of a statement saying Bill Power was withdrawing due to ill-health - no-one likes to wash their dirty linen in public - in the event a joint statement could not be agreed ( as Bill Power's side would not agree to a joint statement without resolution of the disputed shares / loan issue ) and the club decided , quite properly , to issue their own statement . No direct statement has yet been forthcoming from Bill Power due to legal complexities surrounding the investment issue . Mike Wilks ( MW ) MW introduced himself as a lifelong fan , former chair of the Supporters' Club , and current executive member of the club , and as someone who certainly had no axe to grind . He confirmed that he had no issues with Sir Seton Wills ( SSW ) , in fact quite the opposite and publicly thanked him for his continued support over the years , a point continually reiterated by all speakers MW explained he was a successful senior business executive and based on his substantial business experience said that basically the club as a business was technically worth virtually nothing , with a CVA in place , a 700,000 overspend and no accounts being filed . MW stated that the annual spend was £ 2.6 million and that was simply staggering for a league 2 club . MW would like to propose a consortium with the approval and support of the fans to replace the current ownership . The consortium primary role would be to secure financial investment to ensure the survival of the club . The investment would be conditional on the following points Linda Burrell be reinstated immediately Independent auditors to examine the affairs of the club over the previous 5 years All Dunwoody contracts to be immediately terminated and investigated A fans representative to be elected to the board . Mark Devlin to be retained as Chief Exec . MW stated that the level of finance required to undertake this action could be in the region of £ 2 - 3 million , although that would depend on whether a complete buy-out was necessary . MW also stated that Bill Power was aware of the views of the fans The floor was then thrown open to a general question and answer session . Votes from the meeting : Following the Q & A several motions were tabled and voted on : 1 ) To instigate active protests ( ie demonstrations etc ) against the non-football management of the club DEFEATED UNANIMOUSLY It was widely felt that this would be counter-productive at this stage and that no action should be taken which may have a negative impact on the players / football management 2 ) That the fans have lost confidence in the non-football management of the club and that the non-football management team should be replaced , but that this was not a criticism of the Wills family who continue to retain the utmost respect of the fans . CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY It was suggested during discussion of this motion that the admittedly awkward phrase ' non-football management of the club ' be replaced with ' board of the club ' ; this was rejected as it was pointed out that James Wills was on the board and the motion did not reflect any criticism of the Wills family . A rider was added to the motion expressing the respect of the fans to the Wills family . 3 ) That Mark Devlin should be allowed to resume his position as Chief Executive as soon as he is well enough and should be retained in that post ; and that the board should resolve the uncertainty over his future as soon as possible CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 4 ) That Mike Wilks and TrustSTFC have a mandate to actively seek out investment from third parties and / or explore alternative ownership models for the club in order to secure the club's future CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 5 ) That fans were united in their desire to see Bill Power re-engage with the football club and that Mike Wilks and TrustSTFC should attempt to enter into discussions with him to achieve this


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Sound modelling is an important part of the analysis-synthesis process since it combines sound processing and algorithmic synthesis within the same formalism . Its aim is to make sound simulators by synthesis methods based on signal models or physical models , the parameters of which are directly extracted from the analysis of natural sounds . In this article the successive steps for making such systems are described . These are numerical synthesis and sound generation methods , analysis of natural sounds , particularly time-frequency and time-scale ( wavelet ) representations , extraction of pertinent parameters , and the determination of the correspondence between these parameters and those corresponding to the synthesis models . Additive synthesis , nonlinear synthesis , and waveguide synthesis are discussed .


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Both the Executive Branch and Congress play leadership roles in championing U.S. interests in Asia and in directing U.S. policy towards Taiwan . However , the two have distinct approaches , views , and priorities when it comes to Taiwan defense issues , differences that have led to some tension . This session will examine the two approaches as they currently stand , considering where they differ and where they coincide , and will also look at potential changes in the future and what impact such changes might have on U.S. - Taiwan defense relations . It will also examine the Taiwan Legislatures view on defense . This session will appraise the continuing development of Taiwans indigenous defense capabilities , and how U.S. industry can play a positive role in helping to expand and develop new and mutually beneficial business models . The session will discuss cooperation opportunities in simulation / training , upgrades , license production , co-development , technical assistance / transfers , and Industrial Cooperation , as well as prospects for expanded use of the Direct Commercial Sales ( DCS ) model . Chinas rise as a regional security power presents numerous challenges to the U.S. strategy for maintaining peace and security in the Asia Pacific . This session will examine the role that Taiwan can play in support of the U.S. security strategy in Asia , including taking a potential air & sea battle role , serving as a collaborator on U.S. ISR ( Intelligence , Surveillance , Reconnaissance ) efforts , acting as a partner for the U.S. in humanitarian aid and disaster relief , and the potential for Taiwan to become a trusted supplier to the U.S. military-industrial base . Air Force This session will discuss the changing balance of air power in the Taiwan Strait , the current threats faced by the Taiwan Air Force , and current and future requirements stemming from that threat . The session will also assess how existing systems can help address Taiwans needs , and how new systems and capabilities being developed by U.S. industry can assist the Taiwan Air Force in meeting their future requirements . The discussion will also cover the potential role that Taiwan can play in support of the U.S. in the region . This session will discuss the current threat scenario for the Taiwan Navy , along with associated current and future requirements . The discussion will include evaluating how various new systems and capabilities being developed by U.S. industry can assist the Taiwan Army in meeting those requirements , including for scenarios such as anti-blockade and anti-submarine warfare . The session will also assess realistic alternatives for Taiwan submarine acquisition .


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The normal thing is for internet marketing specialists to take charge on their own on-page SEO and to outsource the link building aspect . This makes sense as they have specialist knowledge with conversion optimization and may constantly tweak landing pages . Having knowledge of both conversion optimization and SEO enables an internet marketer to build a high converting and well optimized landing page . The majority focus would be on the sales conversion aspect while good basic on-site SEO would enable each landing page to have a decent organic SEO ranking . Working with a company with specialist knowledge of internet marketing SEO can further improve potential returns . This is due to them having expert staff members able to deal with both aspects of performing SEO and optimizing landing pages for sales conversion . As more and more people turn to the internet to buy goods and services , it is becoming more important to rank highly on search engines to get found . Competition is fierce and will continue to grow in the next few years . This could mean a profitable internet marketer doing everything themselves quickly falls behind and struggles to survive . If they had outsourced the work beforehand when the times were good it would be easier for them to remain profitable as they would have a much more diverse product range to offer consumers .


OFFSHORE CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION ' CHALLENGE AWARDS' LAUNCHED 28 / 07 / 2004 The search is on for this year's Offshore Contractors' Association ( OCA ) Challenge Awards winners . OCA - the lead representative body for the UK's oil and gas contracting and supply industry - is today ( 16th June 2004 ) calling for its members to enter the prestigious awards which have recently been re-branded . The awards acknowledge and reward the outstanding achievements and successes of associated members of all sizes across the UK . Now in its eighth year , the accolades will be presented at the flagship annual OCA dinner which takes place on October 28 at the Marcliffe at Pitfodels in Aberdeen . Entrants are being sought after for the three categories of · Challenge Award for Health , Safety and the Environment · Challenge Award for Training · Challenge Award for Technology and Innovation Bill Murray , Chief Executive of the OCA said , " Each year's applications highlight just how innovative and committed our members are . Last year more than 15 companies reached the shortlist for the awards and standards were , as always , incredibly high . I am sure this year will be as difficult a job for the judges as last . " " The winners are presented with their personalized trophies in front of an audience of their peers and influential industry figures . The Challenge Awards focus on the sheer hard work and determination of members , as well as the improvements of working practices and services they are making . These awards have gone from strength to strength in recent years , which confirm how much the industry is still achieving . " More information on the awards and entry forms can be found online at www . o ca-online . c o . u k . The closing date for entries is 27th August 2004 . Applicants with queries regarding filling in entry forms should call Fiona Watson at the OCA on 01224 326070 .


Southern claims 96 % of conductors ' signed up ' for new role Southern wants drivers , rather than conductors , to operate carriage doors at certain times Nearly all conductors have signed up for a controversial new on-board supervisor role on Southern trains from January , the rail company has said . The conductors had until last Friday to respond to Southern's deadline , and 215 - 96 % of those required - have done so . The change to the role has caused a bitter dispute with the unions and has led to a series of walkouts . Mick Cash , RMT general secretary , said nothing had changed , members remained " rock solid " and the " fight goes on " . The latest 48-hour strike ended at midnight on Saturday and further stoppages are planned . Angie Doll , Southern's passenger services director , said : " We 've now got over 200 conductors signed up ... disproving the union's claims that support is rock solid . " RMT general secretary Mick cash responded : " Nothing has changed in terms of the core issues at the heart of this dispute . It 's about basic rail safety and access to transport services for all members of our community . " That ground has not shifted an inch thanks to the sheer pig-headed attitude of Southern Rail and their government pay masters . " Our members remain rock solid ... and will not be bribed , bullied or beaten . That fight goes on . " ' Spiteful act ' The new on-board supervisor roles will focus on " customer service " and move the operation of closing doors to the driver . A further 222 people will remain in their existing roles as conductors on certain services , Southern said . It is also planning to recruit a further 100 on-board supervisors to work across Southern and Gatwick Express services . Southern said the union leadership had " stooped to a new low " by calling a strike over Christmas , calling it a " selfish , shameful and spiteful act " . GTR , Southern's parent company , said its offer to the RMT to settle the dispute had now been formally withdrawn . Meanwhile , Aslef , the UK's biggest rail union , has suspended a strike ballot among its Southern members , because of " technical difficulties " . The RMT union is also balloting its driver members for strikes , with voting closing on 18 November .


Thursday , 8 August , 2002 , 15 : 53 GMT 16 : 53 UK Turkmen leader to rename calendar Niyazov spends lavishly on spectacular palaces Turkmenistan President Saparmurat Niyazov has announced his intention to officially rename all 12 months of the year in commemoration of the country's heroes and most potent national symbols . It seems like he lives on another planet Turkmen man Mr Niyazov proposes to rename January Turkmenbashi after his official name , which means Head of all the Turkmen . Other months will be renamed to honour famous Turkmen poets and writers . He also wants the seven days of the week to be renamed , with uplifting phrases such as Young Day for Tuesday and Spirituality Day for Saturday . Mr Niyazov , who was attending Turkmenistan's annual People's Council , also said he wants to call the month of April " Mother " . In response , a speaker at the council suggested calling the month by the full name of the president's deceased mother , Gurbansoltan , which the president said he would consider . Public opinion Mr Niyazov already has several schools , cities , airports and even a meteorite named after him . Niyazov has ruled Turkmenistan unchallenged since 1985 Many people on the streets of Turkmenistan seemed unperturbed , but others were bitter regarding their leader's latest plans . " This is a joke , the entire civilized world lives by the same calendar but Niyazov decides to set us apart once again , " one man told the AFP news agency . " It seems like he lives on another planet . " Cult of personality The People's Council also called on Thursday for the eccentric leader to remain in power until his death , rejecting Mr Niyazov's proposal to step down and hold elections in 2010 , Reuters news agency reported . He was made president for life in 1999 . Mr Niyazov has ruled the country since he was appointed Communist Party chief in 1985 when it was still part of the Soviet Union . He quickly developed a cult of personality surrounding himself , suppressing legitimate political opposition . He has spent vast sums of money on lavish palaces and statues of himself , despite the country's increasing poverty . Much of the cash for such grandiose projects is thought to stem from deals involving Turkmenistan's rich oil and gas reserves .


The Goldilocks Principle – Definition The Goldilocks Principle describes a situation that is " just right " rather than too much or not enough . This ideology is derived from the popular children's story and has been applied to many disciplines , including astronomy , biology , psychology , economics , and more . In astronomy , a Goldilocks Planet is one that is just the right distance from a star to be able to sustain life on the planet . In ecomonics , a Goldilocks Economy is one which sustains moderate growth and low inflation . In cognitive science or education , the Goldilocks Principle is observed when a task is neither too simple nor too complex for the learner to grasp . In medicine , The Goldilocks Principle is the ideal dosage of a drug for a particular patient based on their physiological needs . In each of these examples , optimal balance is reached within certain margins rather than reaching for extremes . In " The Story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears " each item in the cottage symbolizes a situation in Goldilocks's life that is out of balance . As she finds " just right " with the item , she discovers a state of " just right " within herself . Symbolically , the item serves as the medicine for a particular physical or energetic ailment in her life . The porridge provides physical nourishment . The chairs provide a sense of self as she " takes her seat . " The beds provide both physical rest and sleep as well as a sense of peace . Just as a doctor is considered on some levels a healer , the food , home , and energy of the bears in the cottage of this adaptation of the story is what heals Goldilocks of her ailments by bringing her to a state of equilibrium akin to The Goldilocks Principle . In this simple example , Goldilocks's encounter in the bears' cottage serves to bring " just right " to her root chakra ( food nourishment ) , her core chakra ( taking her seat in her Self ) , and her crown chakra ( sleep and dreaming in spirit world ) .


The planar ferrite sheet-based antenna measures 35mm by 50mm with a minimum thickness of 0 . 30mm , including the ferrite / adhesive / antenna flex layers , and can be customized to meet handset makers' size requirements . " The magnetic field strength can be optimised by the type and thickness of the ferrite material and the design of the radiator pattern , " says Pulse .


Skills for Working Life What is the course about ? These courses are all Work Related and are more hands on than the GCSE courses at school . The idea is to prepare students for the world of work and to give them a platform to further work related courses or training at 16 . The courses require students to attend North Area College for one full day a week and there is a requirement to catch up on any school work missed during that day . Good attendance , punctuality , motivation and the ability to work independently are all important for success these courses . What will students be studying ? The following courses are available for study : - Hairdressing - Beauty - Sport and Recreation - Health and Social care All these courses follow Skills for Working Life qualification in year 10 . In year 11 most students move onto an NVQ Level 1 ( National Vocational Qualification ) or a VRQ ( Vocational Related Qualification ) or equivalent . How will I be assessed ? Students are assessed by their tutor at college at regular intervals . Although most of the assessments are practical , there are some written tests . E. g . Health and Safety . Students build up a portfolio of work as they progress through the course . A teacher from school will come to college every week to help students and to look at their work .


News Item : 3 February , 2003 Citizenship to stay at Key Stage 4 Citizenship remains a statutory subject at Key Stage Four under the government 's recently published outline strategy for 14-19 education . The Citizenship Foundation welcomes Citizenship's inclusion alongside Maths , English , Science , Religious Education and PE in a slimmed down National Curriculum . The essential theme of the proposals is to establish a new coherence and more flexibility from 14 , an approach we hope will see statutory Citizenship provision extended to 19 . New compulsory ' work-related learning ' programmes for all will also be introduced as part of the proposed changes . The Citizenship Foundation's First Friday seminar on 7 February , hosted by the TUC , will focus on the links between work-related learning and citizenship , with speakers from Middlesex University , the Nuffield Foundation , Ealing LEA and Lambeth Education-Business Partnership .


ho-me-refinancing.com How to Use a Mortgage Loan Calculator Part 1 When you negotiating a new loan with bank or lender having a mortgage loan calculator can give you a great help , if you refinance of course you want the best rates you can get . Now , how can you know which lenders are giving you the best rates . Yes , you will know that all only by compare the offers you will get from these different lenders . Basically , there are 3 common question that people always ask when they want to take a mortgage . In these cases using a mortgage loan calculator can help you make the decision 1 . Should I Refinance ? Before you answer that question yourself , you need to determine you goal first . Example determine which repayment term are you prefer . A short term , so you can pay off your loan sooner . Or a long term , so you can reduce your monthly payment . Case : If you had a 25 year mortgage loan at 5 % interest , and for the last 3 years you 'd been making monthly repayment for this mortgage . Now , you want to reduce your monthly repayment . You can do this by refinance to a new 25 years period and we assume that interest rate is 4.5 % . In this case , you did reduce your monthly repayment but in long run you could end up paying more , even if the interest rate is drop . But you never know that until all the closing fees are factored in . A mortgage loan calculator can give you a great help in this . There are places to input all the closing fees and expenses you will pay in a mortgage loan calculator ...


The College of Behavioral and Social Science ( BSS ) recognizes the outstanding scholarship of Professor Eric Bartelink , Department of Anthropology , at its annual BSS Faculty Colloquium Thursday , Dec. 5 , in the Bell Memorial Union ( BMU ) Auditorium . Bartelink will give a presentation titled " Are You What You Eat ? Anthropological Perspectives on Diet and Health in Human Prehistory . " He will discuss the use of chemistry to analyze the interaction of diet and health among prehistoric California hunter-gatherers . The BSS Faculty Colloquium Series is an annual event recognizing faculty members who have received national and international accolades for their work . Recognized in 2008 by CSU , Chico's Faculty Recognition and Support Committee for significant professional achievement , Bartelink is actively involved in research using stable isotopes and paleopathology to analyze the diet and health of ancient cultures . He holds invited appointments in the American Board of Forensic Anthropology and the Scientific Working Group for Forensic Anthropology , where he is working to establish best practices in forensic anthropology . Bartelink serves as the director of the CSU , Chico Human Identification Laboratory and as the co-coordinator of the University's certificate in forensic identification . He is regularly consulted to assist in identifying remains and works extensively with law enforcement agencies across California , as well as with the Federal Bureau of Investigation .