grain changeable: February 2012

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Calling for entries! - Set up Digital Media & Internet Business ...

Date: 28/02/12

Details of the second Blackrock Animation Film Festival Competition were announced on the 27th February at a photo call in Blackrock. Festival Director, Fionnghuala N? N?ill, Media Cube and President of the Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT), Dr Annie Doona were joined by Blackrock Business Network members to help launch the competition, now in its second year.

At the unveiling of the competition poster, the Festival Director called for entries and announced the deadline ? Friday 6th July 2012. Winning entries will be showcased during Blackrock Animation Film Festival 2012 (12th- 13th October) and prizes will be awarded at an awards ceremony (The BAFFAs).

Announcing the competition details and rules, Festival Director, Fionnghuala N? N?ill said:

?We were astounded at the level and quality of entries for our inaugural Festival so we are naturally very excited about this year. We hope that the Blackrock Animation Film Festival 2012 Competition will inspire people to develop and showcase their talents. We are planning a bigger Festival this year with even more screenings, talks and workshops to take place over the two day event.?

Competition entry forms and rules are available on www.iloveblackrock.ie/animation-festival. Festival updates will be announced in the coming months on iloveblackrock.ie, https://www.facebook.com/blackrockanimationfilmfestival and on Twitter, @baffa2012.

Source: http://www.mediacube.ie/2012/02/blackrock-animation-film-festival-2012-calling-for-entries/

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The Sorry State of Thai Education ? Part 2: Test Scores, Standards ...

?F? for the explanations of ridiculous O-NET questions

This year?s ridiculous O-NET exam questions caused much kerfuffle which had the executives of the National Institute of Educational Testing Service (NIETS) come out to give their yearly explanation for their ridiculous exam questions.

In reference to the question about transvestic behavior, the NIETS Chairman Mr. Somwang Phithiyanuwat conceded that some questions might have come across as ?too strong? but that ?wasn?t the intention of the NIETS.? That seems to be the extent to which the NIETS executive was willing to concede. He then affirmed that the content of the question was from the curriculum and ?fell within the scope which the NIETS had announced before the exam?. The question evaluated students? memory of the content from the textbooks.?

Well, if that wasn?t good enough, try this explanation by the NIETS Director Dr. Samphan Phanphruek. ?The panels that designed the questions had clear objectives? but of course, we welcome all comments.? As to the most infamous question on what to do when having a sexual urge, he confirmed that choice a) Call a friend to go play football, was the ?correct? answer.

The NIETS Director said the question ?was intended to check whether the students understood the nature of sexual desire and how to control or respond to it.? The question was ?a part of the content about sex education and family life.? Unfortunately, the reporter did not ask if the response applies to both boys and girls and if they could go out to the same football field.

Mocking such a line of reasoning might be amusing. But there is no fun in the rate of sexually transmitted infection among Thai teenagers which has increased three-fold over the past five years and that teenagers are one of the leading risk groups for HIV infection in Thailand. Ineffective sex education has been widely blamed for Thai teens? lack of knowledge about safe sex and risky sexual behavior.

Evidently teaching denial and suppression of sexual urges is not the kind of sex education that is helping Thai youth to live a healthy life in the present reality. Are Thai youth being well served by the Thai education system? The answer at least from the perspective of sex education is a resounding ?No.?

Sex education is just one among many problems in the Thai education system. It?s just the tip of the iceberg and a symptom of problematic mindset, methodology, management, and competency.

National standardized tests? credibility
Since its implementation the national ?standardized? tests like O-NET (and A-NET ? Advanced National Educational Test and others) have been widely criticized. There is much doubt whether O-NET and A-NET are effective measurement tools of students? scholastic abilities. Thai students? O-NET scores are so appalling that it begs the question about the validity of the test itself. How can students? performance be so incredibly inferior, so wildly inconsistent and disperse? (See examples of O-NET score distribution at the primary P.6 and lower-secondary M.3 levels.)

The majority scoring in the 0-30% range in key subjects as was the case for M.6 O-NET is simply unacceptable and too suspicious. Scores at all three O-NET levels in core subjects have also been declining over the past three years. At the same time students have been complaining about frequent changes in styles of questions which confused them. Many students say they feel like guinea pigs in one bad experiment after another. You can?t really blame them for feeling that way if you see the kind of scores achieved in the past three academic years. (Scores given in Tables 1- 3 for O-NET are average scores out of 100%.)

Table 1. Primary-level (P.6) O-NET average scores (2009-2011)

P.6 (primary) Level	2009	2010	2011
Thai	42.02	38.58	31.22
Social Science	-	33.90	*47.07*
English	-	31.75	*20.99*
Mathematics	43.76	35.88	34.85
Sciences	51.68	*38.67*	41.56
Health Education	-	64.76	*54.31*
Arts	-	42.49	41.10
Vocational Education	-	51.69	52.52
Note: Between 800,000-950,000 students took the tests each year.

Table 2. Lower secondary-level (M.3) O-NET average scores (2009-2011)

M.3 (lower secondary) Level	2009	2010	2011
Thai	41.09	35.35	42.80
Social Science	41.42	39.70	40.85
English	32.42	26.05	*16.19*
Mathematics	32.66	29.16	24.18
Sciences	39.44	*56.70*	*29.17*
Health Education	-	32.95	*71.97*
Arts	-	33.86	*24.48*
Vocational Education	-	35.35	*47.07*
Note: Roughly 800,000 students took the tests each year.

Table 3. Upper secondary-level (M.3) O-NET average scores (2009-2011)

M.6 (upper secondary) Level	2009	2010	2011
Thai	46.50	46.47	42.61
Social Science	34.72	36.00	*46.51*
English	30.68	23.98	19.22
Mathematics	36.08	28.56	*14.99*
Sciences	33.70	29.05	30.90
Health Education	56.79	*45.37*	*62.86*
Arts	43.22	37.75	32.62
Vocational Education	40.02	32.98	43.69
Note: Roughly 350,000 students took the tests each year.

As seen in Tables 1-3 the scores in many subjects were quite erratic year on year. The scores differently marked represent the changes from the previous year as follows:

xx.xx scores = increase or decrease by 5-10% points
xx.xx scores = increase or decrease by >10-20% points
xx.xx scores = increase or decrease by >20% points.

Consider the drastic drops of scores in English and Mathematics at all three levels. The scores for both subjects suffered a steep drop in 2011:

English: 10% points or one-third of the score in the previous year at the P.6 level; 15% points or half of the score two years before at the M.3 level; and 11% points or one-third of the score two years before at the M.6 level.
Mathematics: 9% points or one-fifth of the 2009 score at the P.6 level; 8.5% points or 26% of the 2009 score at the M.3 level; and 21% points or 58% of the 2009 score at the M.6 level.

There were huge fluctuations in the Science scores especially at the M.3 level and to a lesser extent the P.6 level. The scores for Health Education also had sharp drops and sharp increases at all three levels, involving as much as 39% points or a 120% increase over the previous year at the M.3 level.

Such highly volatile scores call into question the consistency and validity of the tests. Students? scholastic abilities were unlikely to vary so drastically (by over 10 percentage points) in just one year or two years. Given consistent numbers of exam takers in each level, such widely fluctuating average scores (up to as much as 20-39% points!) scream methodological problems.

O-NET ? where are the standards and accountability?

O-NET was created to replace the old university entrance examinations (to public universities), which were considered to be tough. But as reported by The Nation:

Many universities became so worried about the O-NET ability to select qualified students for some of their fields that they allocated fewer and fewer seats for the central admission system, which has used O-NET scores as admission criteria.

So what is then the value of O-NET, if universities are weary of relying on it as a measurement standard for students? qualification?

As we have seen in some O-NET questions, it is not only that the quality standard of O-NET is questionable, but the way the questions were framed also shows the glaring lack of skills on the part of the exam designers as well as their inability to distinguish between normative values from knowledge based on objective and scientific facts. How can Thai students be expected to develop critical learning skills necessary for their intellectual development given the kind of knowledge being taught and tested? And how will such evaluation tools help or hurt students and the quality of Thai education?

Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) academic Dr. Dilaka Lathapipat said Thailand?s O-NET is ?stuck in the 20^th century.? The test designs of O-NET and PISA are very different, as seen in the graphic below.

(PISA is the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment ?which assesses 15-year-old students in three key subject areas, Reading, Mathematics and Science, every three years. Part 3 of this series will discuss Thai students? PISA scores.)

Image credit: The Nation http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/O-Net-test-stuck-in-20th-century-academic-says-30176752.html

?Good tests should determine children?s ability to apply knowledge to their daily life,? said Dr. Dilaka. No argument there. ?Tests are tools to evaluate not just students? academic performance but also the performance of teachers and schools.? We might add that tests also reflect the quality of the testers and the education system as a whole.

?If the test designers cannot provide reliable and efficient tests, teachers and students will lack trusted indicators of their performance. Relevant agencies, in that case, will also find it hard to check which areas they should concentrate on to improve for the country?s educational system,? said Dr. Dilaka.

The question that?s on everyone?s mind after seeing the O-NET ridiculous questions is: how in the world did that kind of questions manage to pass through so many brains and pairs of eyes? What was the question design process?

Over the past few years both the former and current NIETS directors gave similar (defensive) explanations on the O-NET test design process. The previous NIETS Director assured the public that O-NET questions were ?well designed? and went through a rigorous process. The current NIETS Director similarly explained:

[The] NIETS had designed the questions for O-NET in line with the curriculum of the Office of Basic Education Commission (OBEC) and in response to indicators highlighted by OBEC. Based on [OBEC guidelines], specialists developed test blueprints and item specifications?. School teachers, school directors, chiefs of academic subjects at schools were recruited for workshops where they could improve the test blueprint and specific items. OBEC teachers have taken part in the designing of the tests in all subjects?.

OBEC chose question designers from its pool of teachers from various regions. After the teachers design the questions, university lecturers with expertise in those subjects then step in as speakers to advise and screen the questions. After that, test design and screening committees for each subject will work out the final sets of questions for the tests.

So there were a test blueprint and indicators, and design and validation processes. But the explanation didn?t tell us how the quality standard was ensured. Did the specialists who developed the test blueprints have sufficient expertise? How exactly did the NIETS recruit teachers to review and validate the O-NET exam questions. What were the criteria for selection? Were the criteria based on the necessary competencies or rank?

And what has been done with the wild score movements in the past three years? One hopes that the NIETS or OBEC would be at least secretly worried and are working hard to put this highly problematic national standardized testing business in order?if not for the sake of the children and Thai education, at least for their own credibility.

But the NIETS Director did not sound very worried. After having explained the test design process above, he assured the worried exam takers that right after this year?s O-NET exam the test design committee was given the O-NET exam again to review and double check the answer keys. He added that experts and ?bright individuals? were invited to take the exam and they had ?no problems at all.? He was ?confident? that this time around the announcement of the O-NET test scores would be ?smooth sailing and problem-free,? and there would be ?no complaints about wrong answers.?

How is that for quality assurance?

The English-language brochure of the NIETS says that besides organizing testing systems and measurement tools for national education, the NIETS also provides professional capacity building services for teachers, including examinations and certification in education measurement and evaluation. (Care to imagine the types of exam questions for the teachers?)

Like the students, the schools and teachers are assessed by the Education Ministry and the NIETS. But who is assessing the assessors? Apparently the NIETS is subject to an internal audit. But has there been any proper audit? And if so, is the auditing process credible or sufficient?

Ammar Siamwalla, an economist at TDRI recently said, ?A key factor behind poor education quality in this country is a lack of accountability.? And this applies to teachers, school directors, executives, all the way up to education ministers, he stressed. The Bangkok Post reported:

Mr. Ammar said almost all schools have passed external quality assessment tests conducted by the Education Ministry and teachers have higher salaries and gained academic standing from presenting hundred plus-page reports. ?But the performance of students has become poorer in both national and international tests, especially in sciences and maths. A new approach is needed.?

Amen to that.

More articles in this Thai Education series:

Part 1: Ridiculous O-NET questions

Part 3: Thai students? PISA Scores, a challenge for the 21st century (forthcoming)

Part 4: Thais? dismal English, how to improve it? (forthcoming)

???.

This article was originally published for Siam Voices on Asian Correspondent on 27 February 2012.

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Source: http://thaiwomantalks.com/2012/02/28/the-sorry-state-of-thai-education-part-2-test-scores-standards-and-accountability/

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Agatha Nolen - Journal - Wedding Vows

??Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, ?As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark?When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.? (Genesis 9:8-10, 16)?

Rev. Marcia King told a great story today in her sermon when she was celebrating a wedding on the top of the Peachtree Hotel in Atlanta and she was upstaged by a DOUBLE RAINBOW!

I?d never made the connection that the ?bow? God speaks about in Genesis is actually a RAINBOW, but it makes sense that God sends a visible reminder to us of His love for us, particularly after a really heavy rainstorm!

Rev. King continued that marriage vows are both a contract and a covenant, with a contract based upon law where both parties mutually pledge to live up to a set of legal promises. With a covenant, God promises to take care of us based upon love and trust. We don?t have to do anything to earn God?s love.

God yearns for us and brings us good news of a new salvation. He isn?t interested in punishing us for our sins, but to save us from our sins. He keeps giving us second chances.

God is with us through the storms in our life.

God has prepared a place for us.

Nothing can separate us from Him.

So?TRUST and RELAX.

Christ has called us through wedding vows to be His bride and pledges to love and care for us.

He?s already made a covenant with us He won?t break, no matter what.

Blessings, my friend,

Agatha

Wedding Vows- (click here for MP3 file)

Source: http://www.agathanolen.com/journal/wedding-vows.html

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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

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Uncomplicated Advice Of Personal Injury Lawyers ? An Intro ...

Should you seek a personal injury lawyer, you?ll probably find many in your town, but it?s hard to know who the ideal one will be. Prior to when you start off discussing the particulars of your circumstance with your attorney, it is advisable to be sure that they are the most beneficial selection for you.

Adopt these measures to help you with certainty pick the lawyer most suitable for your own legal desires.

One of the first things to ask yourself in figuring out if you should contact an attorney at law is: ?What is at stake?? As soon as your finances or even liberties can be found in considerable danger, the plain response is to acquire legal guidance. But what is considered serious? An ordinary auto parking ticket is really a brush with the law, even so you don?t need to discuss with an attorney to pay off the penalty or perhaps to battle the situation. Nonetheless, for those who have accumulated many outstanding auto parking citations plus a warrant ended up being issued for your criminal arrest, you?ll most likely prefer to engage legal counsel that will help you ideally take care of the outcome, along with perhaps save a little money or even help you stay far removed from prison.

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Put together a get together with an lawyer inside the law firm which you identified. There may be a pre-interview type appointment with your lawyer?s assistant or perhaps an intern to determine what your court case is concerning. Just take this opportunity to elucidate your case and get guidance on the way you should proceed. Request lots of concerns and research if the lawyer you?re meeting has had working experience trying lawsuits such as the one you have.

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Monday, February 27, 2012

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Cypress Partners with NVIDIA to Provide High-Performance Touchscreen Designs for Android-Based Mobile Devices

NVIDIA?s DirectTouch Architecture Pairs with World?s Most Advanced Touch Controllers from Cypress to Deliver Very Fast and Low-Power Touchscreen Designs

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cypress Semiconductor Corp. (Nasdaq: CY) today announced that NVIDIA and Cypress are collaborating on next-generation touchscreen solutions for Android-based mobile devices based on Cypress?s Gen 4 True Touch Solution and NVIDIA?s DirectTouch? architecture. The new architecture utilizes the NVIDIA^? Tegra^? 3 processor, the world?s only 4-PLUS-1? quad-core processor with a fifth battery saver core.

?It?s exciting to work on new ways to deliver higher performance touchscreen solutions?

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Glenn Schuster, Director of Technical Marketing, at NVIDIA, added, ?It?s great to be working with Cypress to improve the customer touchscreen experience. Teaming DirectTouch with Cypress? touch technology helps our partners create quad-core mobile devices with an even better mobile touch experience and longer battery life.?

?It?s exciting to work on new ways to deliver higher performance touchscreen solutions,? said John Carey, Director of TrueTouch Marketing for Cypress. ?As the touchscreen leader, we?re pleased to partner with NVIDIA in making the DirectTouch architecture successful.?

About TrueTouch

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About Tegra 3

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Cypress delivers high-performance, mixed-signal, programmable solutions that provide customers with rapid time-to-market and exceptional system value. Cypress offerings include the flagship PSoC? programmable system-on-chip families and derivatives such as PowerPSoC? solutions for high-voltage and LED lighting applications, CapSense? touch sensing and TrueTouch? solutions for touchscreens. Cypress is the world leader in USB controllers, including the high-performance West Bridge? solution that enhances connectivity and performance in multimedia handsets. Cypress is also a leader in high-performance memories and programmable timing devices. Cypress serves numerous markets including consumer, mobile handsets, computation, data communications, automotive, industrial and military. Cypress trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol CY. Visit Cypress online at www.cypress.com.

Cypress, the Cypress logo, PSoC, PowerPSoC, CapSense, TrueTouch and West Bridge are registered trademarks of Cypress Semiconductor Corp. NVIDIA, Tegra and GeForce are registered trademarks of NVIDIA. All other trademarks are property of their owners.

Source: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120224005231/en/Cypress-Partners-NVIDIA-Provide-High-Performance-Touchscreen-Designs

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Sunday, February 26, 2012

The Contemporary View on Home and Family

You are at : Home | Family Concerns

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By : Lauren B. ?? 4 or more times read

Submitted 2012-02-25 07:22:42 Home and family involve two concepts that are inseparable in all respects. Although at first glance home and family seem to refer to the physical structure and subjects such as the house for home and the family members for family, these concepts are really in the realm of idea that bind related people together sharing common identity, lineage, experience, and life.

Home refers not only to the structure that provide for shelter. It is primarily the feeling of belongingness, the sharing of affection and care for each other within a certain place or location. Such location is considered a home, whether it is a house, shanty, mansion, or palace, as long as the members feel the love and belongingness with each other and they are able to freely express their real selves and identity, then it is no less than a home for them. On the other hand, the idea of a family is more than the togetherness of persons who share the same bloodline and ancestors. It transcends the mere presence of a mother, father and children.

Family refers to the social and emotional bond that connects individuals, whether related in blood or not, and they share the same love, care, and affection with each other. Although at this point home and family both refers to the emotional, psychological, and social bonds that connects the individuals forming home and family, these concepts are distinguished in this wise; the family always refer to the subjects of the house or the persons that dwell in it while the home generally refers to the structure or residence or it may also connote the emotional and psychological experience of a person to feel the belongingness, togetherness, commonality, love, and affection while being with such people or inside such house.

The divide between this actual or tangible side of home and family from the idea or conceptual realm of the said concepts is manifest among many families nowadays. Most members of the modern families experience the extreme absence of filial or parental care and affection. This is due to the complicated lifestyle that values more on the material aspects and performs most of human activities in a mechanical way.

To illustrate, parents who are into business traveling seem not to worry about being miles away from their children since there is the advancement of communication technology that offers virtual and real time presence such as video chatting on the web and even on mobile phones. However, this development does not suffice the need for the real and actual presence of parents to express their care and affection to their growing children.

Thus, despite all of these technologies, most children do not feel at home while they are in their mansions and they do not feel the presence of their family even when their parents are with them physically. The home and family are concepts that have various ways and means for actualization. They cannot be left to mere physicality or to some abstract ideas, lest, these concepts are nothing but mere thoughts with the least value and significance for the human species.

Author Resource:- Lauren B. Laughlin enjoys writing for http://Myfirepits.com which sells outdoor fire pits and firepits as well as a host of additional products. http://www.myfirepits.com/ http://www.myfirepits.com/All_Fire_Pits_s/96.htm
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By: Lauren B.

Home and family involve two concepts that are inseparable in all respects. Although at first glance home and family seem to refer to the physical structure and subjects such as the house for home and the family members for family, these concepts are really in the realm of idea that bind related people together sharing common identity, lineage, experience, and life.

Author Resource:->??Lauren B. Laughlin enjoys writing for http://Myfirepits.com which sells outdoor fire pits and firepits as well as a host of additional products. http://www.myfirepits.com/ http://www.myfirepits.com/All_Fire_Pits_s/96.htm

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Saturday, February 25, 2012

High Rock Themes ? Genuine Team Building What makes it ...

TEAM-BUILDING ? With so many businesses now doing, or even considering, some type of team-building, elaborate the best path to think about? Team-building, because its commonly known as, differs from blithe, careless group entertainment and inspiration such as; Quad-biking, football, cooking, capturing, mini-golf, foozeball, ballooning, and so on.. throughout as to what we expression? TRANSFORMATIVE Team-Building ? Real Team-Building that effects people on a Mind, Coronary heart & Soul degree and has long-lasting effectiveness.

Its a proper know proven fact that stuff like mindset talks dont last or even add any real worth ? so why after that do people waste their cash paying anything as much as R15, 000 for the 1 hour mindset talk? Motivation is much like adjustment!

And who would like to be altered right now? In the event that you where to purchase your team building events, can you not want for the most powerful worth you could for the investment of your time, money and individuals resources? Any kind of intelligent person will need the best come back ROI on their business team-building costs.

So, picture for a moment the scale from 0 in order to 10. The absolutely no side is ?light team entertainment? or motivational things. On the other hand ? 10 is HERO the ?transform-your-people-and-your-team? process that effects Heads, Hearts as well as Souls, lasts the life-time ? and improves performance, efficiency, resilience, romantic relationships and your place of work. Now call and make an intelligent choice? Precisely what level of results can you choose in the event that you where to start the team-building?

Whats the simplest way to mix your team cultures right into a cohesive entire?

Group Entertainment ? NOT Real Team building events! Whenever we consider, what exactly is considered to be, an average team building occasion; people continue on some planned getaway for a time, somewhere away from the site. They may obtain a little revved upward, wear coloured arm-bands or t shirts, paint deals with, play some online games, take arrows, walk cedar planks, laugh just a little or a great deal, have a free of charge meal or even braai, a couple of drinks then go back home? klaar!

On the afternoon, what we should dont observe, just under the top, would be that the office national politics and people issues continue to be alive and nicely. People still fearfulness; appearing ineffective, being uncomfortable or even making a fool associated with themselves. Staff acquire in their usual teams, and also the office-clown is once again, thoughtlessly, much more mordant using their jabs as well as jousts. Often increased barriers to actual team-building as well as a friendlier, much more productive workplace, are made.

Intollerence dominates ? and never the actual cultures shall mix!

All in every, when Mon comes around, the dynamics, workplace politics and factions stay as before. Individuals are as experienced as ever, or even more right now! And also the ?TEAM? is really a sham. Life continues on likewise since it did prior to the group getaway.

People know absolutely nothing new about one another or their civilizations. So what has been it all really regarding? This is dealing with the symptom ? not really the foundation or actual causes. So just why even get it done? Why can you put money into something which does not resolve your problem or provide real worth?

Lack associated with; relationships, addition, trust, reality, engagement and motivation is a problem ? A real problem for the team-building as well as your improved results shipping in a different multi-cultural reality we contact our Rainbow Country.

Alternative ? The actual HERO aspect? A great Uncommon but REAL Group Build Process. Think about a team-building process that could remove barriers and alter your office power, work place, behaviour, trust levels as well as team-spirit permanently.

Consider? Exactly what is the simplest way to truly build your group. What aspects will have to be resolved to ensure long-term influence and profoundly good success? Within a real team-building procedure the following core factor must be addressed to be able to create a sustainable and powerful workplace foundation that encourages optimal team performance.

TRUST! ? #1 issue to become addressed is RELY ON. True authentic rely on and communication involving the people, along with the group and management is crucial. In case you have no rely on your team could bust line! Trust may be the anchor-stone of achievement. Its a undeniable fact that trust can make or breaks romantic relationships.

Trusts the company lubricant, similar to the super lubrication Teflon I hear you believe? is actually TRUST really essential than our excellent systems, policies as well as organisational structure? Completely Yes! A minimal trust workplace as well as mistrusting culture may, and can, sabotage as well as disrupt any program. Just consider the quantity of CRM Customer Compar Mngmt initiatives that fall short ? ITs the individuals who make it occur from a Mind, Life blood degree. No/low trust as well as engagement = no actual team, not necessarily sustainable in the human way.

Is TRUST truly more important than our own great Eyesight & espoused Ideals?

Absolutely Indeed! I dont treatment how impressive your eyesight is or what their Values are generally, the drag of the low trust place of work will hold you back again you from truly obtaining that vision and strolling those values ? legitimately and fully. Ideals are for everybody, all the time, not really some of the some some people. RELY ON is a MUST in order to thrive.

Is RELY ON really more important than the usual good technique? Absolutely Indeed! All strategies need to be carried out. Efficient and optimum execution is built upon high trust and higher levels of guarantee. High trust are unable to transform poor technique, but it makes it much better. Give me the team of fools burning down vs several unsociable, mistrusting, lumpen rocket-scientists, everyday!

Is RELY ON really more important compared to COMPETENCIES and abilities?

Again absolutely Indeed! Skills and expertise are a head-based problem. Regardless of how skilled an individual or even team/group, the actual ?drag? or friction of the low-trust workplace will make sure that those abilities are not suitably, if, fully used. Trust is really a heart AND mind based issue. And also lets be real right here? transformation deter real skill just like a dictatorial-high-control, low-trust, low-engagement place of work.

If you think about what is afflicted in a team-building occasion, it behooves all of us to make optimal technique period, efforts, cost and team-building opportunity through really growing your individuals. Thats why our own Life Masters team-building was created as a effective, unique, life changing procedure? and not simply a light-weight event. All of us building is made to really make a difference and workplaces on the long-term foundation. That can be done the sunshine fun, team entertainment stuff, however wed favor adding actual value and leads to your business as well as your team-building / mixing efforts. Trust may be the ?must? from the 21st centuries.

Aspects Vital to some True Team building events Process

In in an attempt to truly create a strong team as well as foundation, the next core areas provide valuable results when resolved? rely on levels, reality, attitudes, rage, limiting values, misunderstandings, discontentment, judgments, individual politics, unresolved problems, honesty, helpful feedback, interpersonal romantic relationships, satisfaction ranges, self-awareness, self-pride, confidence and privacy, resilience / Difficulty Intelligence AQ, wedding levels, patient, Emotional Cleverness, hidden daily activities, outdated

management-styles, atteinte kept secret, obstructions, ethnic intolerance, clash, awareness & levels of energy.

REAL Team building events Is Predicated On These types of Perspectives

?? that most people are valuable, valuable and is your finest assets if developed successfully;

?? basically is a system for people to take pleasure from, develop, love; and also to experience higher amounts of self-worth, self-pride, value and pleasure;

?? basically is an chance for people to create a positive contribution while making a profit for that investors;

?? that you simply take more time awake along with co-workers than the types you apparently love ? why not also appreciate your co-workers? Maintain your mind clean right here make sure you!

?? that individuals bring their Mind, Hearts and Spirits to work ? Therefore for optimal engagement develop and build your individuals on a Mind, Coronary heart & Soul degree. Discover and assistance their CAUSES to achieve maximum commitment as well as participation.

Whilst is actually true that profit may be the ?lifeblood? of the business, think about that it really should not the only objective and aim of your company. You dont need to get an excessive amount of engagement from individuals when the only reason behind them working is actually survival, and to help make it the investors and bosses wealthier ? Thats GREEDERship, not really LEADERship! No Spirit in that objective!

REAL Team-Building Comes after An obvious & Organized Process.

? Research the surroundings, individuals, the problems and the preferred outcomes and intentions from the team create. We make use of: EQ, Strength, Higher Ground Management, C. The. S. Big t. L. Electronic. workplace check out, Human Levels of energy Project, group fitness, tension & JQ20 Engagement

? Build Rely on and truth involving the facilitators and also the individuals.

? Explore what individuals would really like to have within their workplace and elaborate currently working nicely.

? Reveal what their own current workplace really offers in existence right this moment ? The great, unhealthy and the unattractive!

? Examine the SPACE between desire/ ideal as well as current reality

? Design an experience that is private, powerful, enjoyable, engaging, life changing and life long final in outcomes.

? Deliver processes designed to create trust, address the problems, resolves the actual conflicts, opens marketing communications remove barriers, develops and renews relationships based on the ?clean slate? having a joint vision as well as destiny.

? Follow-up along with coaching, opinions, email as well as gatherings to signify and strengthen romantic relationships, trust, reality, engagement and outcomes.

Imagine the in your place of work on Monday following a real team-building

encounter in which people actually such as, respect, realize, trust and treatment for

each other. Operate becomes enjoyable, as well as your workplace can be the WowPlace.

Its difficult to not have an excellent team from then on.

Some responses weve heard from individuals after our special custom made created team-transformation activities?

? ?Awesome!!? enhanced my self-confidence and our commitment in order to goals? ? Sue
? ?life altering?. has been mind and existence changing?- Bosman
? ?My targets were totally surpassed? ? Jenny
? ?ABSOLUTELY AMAZING are the only two words I can use for describe the good feelings, thoughts as well as energy experiences which i experienced today? ? Darryl
? ?In create way it handled every point around me. zero out of ten.
Workshop leader has been awesome? ? Zelda
? ?I never likely to get out things i did. EVERYONE in business must do this. We call it Personal assistant!!! Tony a2z is amazing. We wouldnt trade anything on the planet so that he taught myself ? Thuli
? ?Thanks for the workshop, assistance and input that have changed my entire life at home as well as work. Not a problem or challenge would be to big to conquer around me. Transformation get me straight down!!!! inch Regards Chris
? ?There is just one word to explain the team creating session at Bakabung ? ?POSITIVE?. My group and I are dedicated and honest. Things i said from Bakabung I will perform ? I am performing, and are also my associates. My encounter is that we all team are much more relaxed and open up as before. I realize my team completely different positive than previously. I realize SUPPORT, RELY ON, HONESTY, CONNAISSANCE & SPIRIT during my team. I had developed a super encounter at the team building events and I really think we have to escalate this down to our own subordinates? ? Cassie
? ?The experience continues to be totally unlike every other team building or in other words it has affected myself powerfully at a individual level. It definitely forced me to check out what exactly is really important? ? Anita
? ?I must acknowledge ? my team IS ACTUALLY genuine and the modify is INCREDIBLE. The actual support, visibility, love as well as ?warm fuzzies? are there. The expertise of they building session has been worth every dime. You did miracles and thanks to our team? ? Chemical
? ?Tony, such a positive influence you might have had in the life. We are not sure the way you thank someone regarding something so substantial, so I feel sending you cozy fuzzies for the time being. We are paying it ahead! ? Namaste ? K
? ?I release our past hurts and doubt of whites and invest in continuing to move forward, jointly, as a actual team? ? TF

People within genuine encouraging teams are generally happier, much healthier, more supporting, more resistant, honest, honest, more full of energy, more involved, have more enjoyable, earn the are more pleased with themselves and the life.

If you are thinking about revamping your own productivity, undertaking the interview process team-building program or wanting to encourage your staff, make sure that the impact as well as effectiveness deliver real enduring value. Make your mind up on WORTH not on COST!

Remember? ?The aggression of low quality value lingers upon long after the sweet taste of cheap cost! ?

Moving leadership through motivation to inspiration as well as engagement, one group @ a moment!

So so what do you want??
? the bland unfriendly unproductive place of work
? or perhaps a powerfully engaged pleased WowPlace?

Call for the complimentary presentation or even claim your free Employees & Team-building report

-?Riding the actual Razor? by contacting rtr@coachfree. net. Type ?RTRTeambuilder? otherwise you subject please

Its inside your hands ? ACTUAL team building and rely on building or just common group enjoyment.
Team Building Quotes
Related Sites : quotes about teamwork

Source: http://highrockthemes.com/index.php/2012/02/genuine-team-building-what-makes-it-essential-and-valuable-to-suit-your-needs/

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The Actual Variations On The Specific Price Levels Of Gold And Silver

Silver and gold are definitely the most effective investment strategies you may make. Contemplate exploring precious metals to improve your portfolio, to plan ahead of time regarding your future. Together with the variations in the economic system, gold and silver continue being safe. Bullion most notably silver and gold, are incredibly popular for investment. Of course, one is quite a bit more treasured in comparison to the other. By August 2011, every single gold oz. is approximately 45 times higher in price as compared to every ounce of silver.

General trends in gold and silver prices

Over the years, both gold and silver have been used as a kind of money fashioned into gold and silver coins and as a store of value shaped into bars. The London gold fixing procedure ascertains the ever-changing cost of gold twice on each working day. Prices are governed by way of the London Gold Market Fixing Ltd. whose participants are 5 bullion-trading corporations. Within the 1980s, the cumulative average value of gold was $612 each troy ounce (ozt). During the time, silver was worth $16.39 per ozt. During the nineties, valuation on gold reduced to about one half its value from the 1980s at $383. Alternatively, silver at the same time experienced this particular disaster which plunged right down to as far as $4.06. In the early portion of 2000, gold price ranges continued to depreciate to as far as $279, while silver price ranges demonstrated minor increase in value at $4.95.

By 2005, gold and silver valuations were able to recover at $444 and $7.31, respectively. 4 years down the road in ?09, these rates approximately doubled, having gold at $972 and additionally silver at $14.67, and went on to appreciate right up until 2010 through the first half of 2011. Each and every year since 2009, the cost coefficient of gold to silver was slowly but surely decreasing. In 2009, gold was in fact 66 times more expensive compared to silver. In 2010, this particular rate decreased right down to 60 and right down to 44 in 2011. By examining this pattern around the pricing of gold and silver, one may well deduce that right this moment stands out as the high time to invest in these kind of precious metals with additional personal preference placed on silver. Undoubtedly, gold continues to be a lot more highly-priced when compared to the other.

Conditions which will impact their particular price ranges

As with most various products exchanged in the market, price tags of precious metals happen to be affected by demand and supply. In addition to this simple relation to rising and falling prices, market supposition of course plays a role because making an investment in silver and gold in addition includes the same dangers, as with other sorts of merchandise. Regarding gold, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and also a range of central banks, possess a great influence around its costs. This unique impact can be spelled out from the amount of gold in which central banks have got. Central banks together with their affiliate institutions, hold somewhere around one-fifth of the all around established gold reserves. The jewelry industry, which places very much importance in gold also, influences its price through governing the need for the product.

Due to the fact silver is really a lot less valuable as compared with gold, its price ended up being a great deal more promptly dictated by large traders and investors. This specific foul play, however, is regulated by way of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to allow for competitive and fair trading all around different shareholders. The Cost of silver is in addition influenced by the actual need from manufacturing market sectors, since the metal demonstrates top-quality attributes for digital purposes. Gold and silver purchases are usually strongly recommended for broadening a trader?s profile. The dependable development of the economy will make sure the steady appreciation of gold and silver.

Before buying something on the net, you should definitely look at this excellent blog related to the value of gold and silver, and investing in gold bullion.

This entry was posted on Friday, February 24th, 2012 at 10:08 pm by Guest Author and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

Source: http://centired.com/2012/02/the-actual-variations-on-the-specific-price-levels-of-gold-and-silver-bullion-and-investments/

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Friday, February 24, 2012

Limited moves on EU flying charge

23 February 2012 Last updated at 08:25 ET

By Richard Black Environment correspondent, BBC News

Governments opposed to the EU climate levy on international aviation have agreed a limited package of counter-measures during a meeting in Moscow.

But they will not immediately lodge a case against the EU for breach of UN rules, as had been proposed.

The 23 nations issuing a joint declaration include the US, China, Brazil, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Russia.

An EU spokesman said the bloc would welcome joint moves towards a global deal on fast-rising aviation emissions.

Governments at the Moscow meeting were protesting against an EU law that came into force in January.

It means that all airlines have to add up greenhouse gas emissions from flights that begin or end at EU airports, and must pay a small charge or trade carbon permits on the EU Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) if they exceed their allowance.

Airlines also have to pay for 15% of their allowance. The caps will be tightened over time, increasing incentives for aircraft manufacturers and operators to become more fuel-efficient.

China has banned its airlines from taking part in the scheme, which could lead to them being fined or barred from European airspace.

Continue reading the main story

?Start Quote

If these countries meeting in Moscow are serious about getting a global agreement on action, then let's get it done!?

End Quote Isaac Valero-Ladron European Commission

Russia and the US are debating similar moves, and there have been fears that the issue could lead to a trade war, despite the small sums of money airlines will have to pay.

Calculations suggest the measure would add $2-3 per transatlantic flight, which is far smaller than existing levels of taxation levied by governments.

A draft declaration drawn up earlier this month indicated that opponents would immediately file a legal challenge to the EU under the Chicago Convention, the 1944 agreement on aviation rules.

Among other things, it says that each nation has sovereignty over its own skies, and that aviation fuel is exempt from taxation.

The 23-nation group say the EU's inclusion of international flights in the ETS breaches the convention.

But the declaration issued at the end of the two-day meeting merely says countries will "consider taking actions... including, for example, a proceeding under... the Chicago Convention".

It also says they will "continue their intensified common efforts" to agree global measures limiting CO2 emissions from aviation within the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and "strongly urges the EU member states to work constructively in ICAO" to achieve such an end.

Fast growth

It was partly in frustration at the failure to get an agreement at ICAO, despite 14 years of talks, that the EU enacted its unilateral legislation.

And Isaac Valero-Ladron, the European Commission spokesman for climate action, agreed that work should go forward.

"Let's be honest; what came out from this [Moscow] meeting? Nothing new and nothing concrete for the climate," he told BBC News.

"The serious work to reduce global aviation emissions should continue at ICAO. If these countries meeting in Moscow are serious about getting a global agreement on action, then let's get it done!"

The EU says it would suspend its measures in the event of a global agreement that had equal impact on emissions.

In December, the European Court of Justice ruled the EU levies were legal under international law.

Currently, aviation accounts for only about 2% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.

But they are rising faster than any other sector, despite the increasing efficiency that manufacturers have achieved in recent years.

Follow Richard on Twitter

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/world-europe-17143264

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What Nursing Assistants Do? | New Health and Fitness

New Health And Fitness.Org - Health Information You Can Use

The profession of the nursing assistant has great chances of the exposure in the numerous functions taking place in the medical profession. Thus the nursing assistant needs to maintain the confidentiality in all aspects and must be aware if the significance of this confidence in the job. The training of the nursing assistants is good enough for them to grasp the policies and procedures of the facility. It should be cared by the nursing assistants to follow the guidelines and regulations and it?s not recommended to discuss them outside of the facility. You should not provide the private info regarding the emergency outside the organization. The nursing assistants also must handle the safeness of the patients and staffs during some natural catastrophe. For more information, visit us at CNA Certification California.

The patients admitted in your medical facility require having their privacy protected and so you should not supply the private information of the patient to others except the staffs that are concerned in curing the patient. Your confidentiality will be measured in the situations if someone in the facility asks you why you have authorized somebody else in there. Every patient in your medical facility has the right to their privacy being maintained. So you should not compromise this information as that belongs to the violation of medical practice. Providing the personal info of the patient to others may lead to in the termination of your job and sometime you can lose your nursing assistant authentication.

The communicable diseases in the patients may surface in your medical facility therefore it is critical for a nursing assistant to follow the policies and procedures set in the particular facility. Being a nursing helper you mustn?t leak such information to anybody as it may result in the patients to leave the facility against the medical information. The proper place to release such information is a proper agency in your facility and you need know this is usually the area of health department. This is going to help the medical facility to take the appropriate action against those kind of sicknesses. Some illnesses are needed to share with the papers as that could help the people outside to take the correct steps against those contagious illnesses.

The need of the confidentiality is for all the medical staffs and particularly for the nursing assistants. The duty of nursing helper is looking after the patients and they get the information of the patients easily, so they shouldn?t reveal any info regarding the patient. Nursing helper must not release any information that they heard of the personal interactions that might be gossip or other, of the staffs as this is sign of poor working relationships. This may lead to the strain in you but you must be capable of handling these things together with the most attentive care of the patients.

To be a professional nursing helper you need to protect yourself and the confidentiality will help you to grasp the basics of the profession. You need to be current with the policies of your medical facility and you need to follow them in detail.

The demand for authorized nursing assistants is high and the demand is likely to increase in the future years. There are numerous Online CNA Certification Programs. You can visit us at CNA Certification Texas to understand further about the certification of nursing assistants.

Source: http://newhealthandfitness.org/2012/02/22/what-nursing-assistants-do/

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Thursday, February 23, 2012

Wolf reintroduction in Mexico off to rocky start (AP)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]AP - The reintroduction of Mexican gray wolves to a mountain range just south of the U.S.-Mexico border as part of an effort to re-establish the endangered species is off to a rocky start.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/latam/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120222/ap_on_re_us/us_endangered_wolves_mexico

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Obama joins Jagger, B.B. King, to belt out blues

President Barack Obama, left, helps B.B. King, right, on stage to perform during the White House Music Series saluting Blues Music in recognition of Black History Month, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

B.B. King, is greeted by Jeff Beck, as they stake the stage to perform during the White House Music Series saluting Blues Music in recognition of Black History Month, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

President Barack Obama welcomes guests during the White House Music Series saluting Blues Music in recognition of Black History Month, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, listen as B.B. King, center, and others perform during the White House Music Series saluting Blues Music in recognition of Black History Month, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

B.B. King, left, Buddy Guy from Chicago, and Warren Haynes, right, perform during the White House Music Series saluting Blues Music in recognition of Black History Month, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The president just couldn't say no: Mick Jagger held out a microphone almost by way of command, and soon Barack Obama was belting out the blues with the best of them.

The East Room of the White House was transformed into an intimate blues club on Tuesday night for a concert featuring blues all-stars of the past, present and future ? and the president himself.

The surprise performance by Obama came at the end of the playlist when the blues ensemble was singing "Sweet Home Chicago," the blues anthem of Obama's home town.

Buddy Guy prodded the president, saying he'd heard that the president sang part of an Al Green tune recently, and adding, "You gotta keep it up."

Then Jagger handed over the mic, and Obama seemed compelled to comply.

"Come on, baby don't you want to go," the president sang out twice, handing off the mic to B.B. King momentarily, and then taking it back to tack on "Sweet Home Chicago" at the end.

That was how Obama ended the night.

This was how he began it: Obama said sometimes there are downsides to being the president. You can't just go for a walk, for example.

And then there are the times that more than make up for all those frustrations, he said, like Tuesday night, when Jagger, King, Jeff Beck and other musical giants came by the house to sing the blues.

"I guess things even out a little bit," Obama joked at the start of a rollicking East Room concert that was electrified by Jagger and the rest.

"This music speaks to something universal," Obama declared. "No one goes through life without both joy and pain, triumph and sorrow. The blues gets all of that, sometimes with just one lyric or one note. "

King, 86, arrived in a wheelchair but rose tall to kick off the night with a raucous "Let the Good Times Roll," quickly joined by other members of the ensemble. And he followed with "The Thrill is Gone."

From there, Obama and his wife, Michelle, were swaying in their seats and singing along to an all-hits playlist including "St. James Infirmary" and "Let Me Love You."

Beck slowed things down with an instrumental "Brush With the Blues," as anticipation built for the arrival of Jagger, who did not disappoint.

The longtime Rolling Stones frontman delivered on "I Can't Turn You Loose" and then teamed up with Beck on "Commit a Crime." Jagger got the president and his wife up out of their seats, swaying and clapping to the music, and picked up the pace with "Miss You," performed with Shemekia Copeland and Susan Tedeschi.

Obama was clearly savoring the moment, closing his eyes at times and nodding his head as he lip-synced the words.

The president rose at the end to introduce the ensemble as the "White House Blues All-Stars" for the final song of the night, "Sweet Home Chicago."

"For Michelle and me," the president said, "there's no blues like the song our artists have chosen to close with ? the blues from our hometown."

With that, the ensemble wrapped up the evening with "Sweet Home Chicago." And then Jagger handed off the mic to Obama for his presidential coda.

In advance of the concert, Grammy-winner Keb Mo had joked during a rehearsal break that Obama himself would perform, and there could even be a record in the works. He joked that Obama's record would be called, "After the second term, now I can finally get my groove on."

Maybe he wasn't joking after all.

The lineup for Tuesday's concert spanned multiple generations, from legends like King and Guy to young faces such as 26-year-old Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews and Gary Clark Jr., whose style blends hip hop, contemporary soul and indie rock. Also performing were Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks, with actress Taraji P. Henson as the program host and Booker T. Jones as music director and band leader.

The blues concert will be part of the "In Performance at the White House" series that airs on the Public Broadcasting Service. This one, designed to recognize Black History Month, will be broadcast on Monday on PBS stations and aired later on American Forces Network.

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Follow Nancy Benac on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nbenac

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-02-22-Obama-Blues/id-1b914d50d6c643bfa70009e5cc7aa7a1

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