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I Love Louis!

I have the best partner on “Dancing with the Stars” – Louis van Amstel! He’s an incredible dancer – a world champion many times over, he’s gorgeous, he’s hilariously funny, he’s a great teacher, he’s gay (which I love love love love love love – girl – he is FAMILY)! I couldn’t ask for a better person to pair up with. And what is really cool is he is a fan of mine too!

We have been rehearsing daily for hours, and I am so fortunate because he explains things so well, he makes it fun, he really makes me sweat and I am loving every second of it. His body is so perfect. The way he moves is truly inspiring. And he is helping me move! I wish I could show you the small routines he has taught me now – because I cannot believe I am doing them myself. Even two steps together feels like a miracle to me. When we are in sync and dancing together, it feels like we are flying. I have never felt graceful or elegant, but under Louis’ strict teaching, I feel like my body is changing, even after just a few days. My body is starting to seem like it knows where to go. We are starting to build momentum – something is happening. At first, I couldn’t do it, I couldn’t do it, I couldn’t do it, and then suddenly, I can. He repeats the movement until it gets under my skin, and doesn’t judge when I fuck it up. When I fall, he picks me up and we start again and then I don’t fall. I spin. I turn. It makes me feel alive. It makes me feel like my body is here. It’s 41 years old, and it’s fucking fantastic.

It’s wild to discover new things about yourself at this age. I thought I knew all about what I can do. I really am finding so much out, with these sweaty, sore hours spent in the dance studio. I don’t really think about the fact that this is all a competition, I am just so happy I have made a new friend. I am glad that I am lucky enough to have someone show me the beautiful movement I have inside. I cannot wait to dance with him for the world. Thank you so much Louis!!! I am so in love already!!

Margaret and Louis

17 Comments. Add To The Mix…

  1. This is what I love about DWTS! You’re ‘getting’ it Margaret! And Louis is just a doll, isn’t he? I think the two of you make a fabulous couple and I’m looking forward to seeing you dance. Go, girl, GO! *g*

  2. Yesss!! Team Margaret & Louis all the way. I cannot believe you are going to coordinating your tour AND DWTS at the same time. You are such an inspiration!

  3. I am already cheering for you and Louis!!! Can’t wait until the new season starts! You go guurrrllll!!!!!

  4. Louis is one of the best, the best, the best pros on DWTS!!! I love watching him season after season and the way he makes his partners shine is wonderful!! I think that is the best part of this show is the connection between the stars and the pros, because when it is there and they are workin’ it everything just looks effortless!! I am so excited to see you on DWTS and I know I’ll be hijacking some cell phones and login ids to make sure you are a top vote getter every week!

    Go Cho!!!

  5. I don’t watch DWTS, but I’ll be tuning in, thanks to you Margaret.

    And I’m surprised that you say you’re 41, I thought you’re just barely 30! And what a fabu pic of you and Louis. Love it! Keep the blog coming.

  6. Omfg! Girl you gotta tell us when your DWTS season starts. I’m gonna start watchin just cause your on it.

  7. ARGH!!! Margaret! Not only is your participation in DWTS going to force me to start watching the show again but I am going to have to call in and vote too. (Hey Cho fans, don’t forget to call in AND vote ONLINE…very import!)

    I stopped watching the show several years ago when Dancing With The Stars became Dancing With The “Stars”? Fortunately, this season, barring a few contestants, does include “Stars” with actual resumes.

    Louie! How great for you! As I recall, Louie was the best male dancer. Maybe it is because he is shorter than many of the other male dancers…his center of gravity is different or whatever…but his moves were always crisp and precise! He hasn’t won the gaudy mirror ball yet. Perhaps this year, with you as his partner, he may actually win it.

    I will watch, Margaret. I will vote. I know you and Louie will rock the floor!

    And you thought persimmons were the diet from hell!!! Skinny now, you are going to fade away before our eyes!

  8. Yea…. I love that you are on the show. I’ve never watched, but I will now and vote for you :)

    Love a pug lover!

  9. Dear Margaret:

    I don’t care if you can dance a lick: you will be getting all of my votes every single week you are on. I am a fan. And a former latin ballroom dancer. Good luck to you, have fun, be careful and enjoy Louie! Dancing that is!

    Nancy Ann

  10. So excited that you will be on DWTS! I’m already imagining your costumes, your routines… and if they let you sing, heads will be spinning! They don’t know what they’re in for! Louis is adorable and the perfect partner for you! I really hope you go far! I plan to call and vote online both!

    People, we gotta rally behind Margaret! This is a great opportunity and hopefully her belly dancing experience will help with this type of dancing!

  11. Like your parents, DWTS is about the only show on TV (that and occasional Daily Show) we watch consistently since we don’t keep a TV, & I’m beyond ECSTATIC you’ll be on it!!! I used to never vote but this time I’ll have to vote :)

    I couldn’t believe how tiny (in a good way) you are when we met you backstage at Paramount! You’ll be in a killer shape with Louis as your partner and coach. Love him. With your belly dancing credentials, I know you can move your hips – hope you get the mirror ball trophy! That way we can watch you on the show longer too.

  12. As a longtime dancer myself, I am so glad to hear that Louis has the two things that make for a good dance instructor: he is both patient and strict. You will need that discipline to learn these dances but so long as Louis shows you the basics SOLIDLY, you will be WAY ahead of the curve. I look forward to giving you good reviews.

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I will be hosting a showing of one of my very favorite films, “Darling” on Thursday 10:45pm at the Silent Movie Theatre in Los Angeles for my dear friend Wayne Federman’s comedian-curated film festival.  I know it’s late but really the movie is worth it, and it’s black and white and easy on the eyes and a nice thing to watch right before bed. Black and white films have a soothing effect on the psyche, like hot milk and lavender baths and spooning with the larger person on the outside the smaller person on the inside, or human on the outside, dog/cat on the inside.

I always loved watching black and white television shows before bed, but color shows seemed to make me unable to sleep. I would feel hypnotic and somnolent after episodes of the old Twilight Zone. With shades of grey and black and bright white, the surreal and haunting images and subject matter were the perfect introduction to sleep, as if the flickering lights and words were translating into your brain as a form of sleep itself, manufacturing REM and kickstarting the dream mechanism. Rod Serling did a good lullaby.

But then you would have to turn off the television right away or you might catch a glimpse of Night Gallery, Serling’s terrifying later offering – a horror series in lurid and screeching all too lifelike and all too deathlike COLOR, or god forbid, a trailer for the most scary movie of all the scary movies – MAGIC with Anthony Hopkins and Ann-Margret and that ventriloquist dummy! Both Night Gallery and MAGIC preyed upon my very worst fear – DOLLS. I fucking am so freaked out by dolls and puppets.

The only puppets I can have in my home and commune with are the wooden articulated cobras I purchased from a reluctant but reasonable marionette wrangler, with a fat pocketful of Rupees in Rajasthan, Lily and Lord Khimsar respectfully, which is probably weird because they look like real snakes, living snakes, and have been known to move themselves around the house – I am not kidding. I put them down somewhere and they appear in another place. I deal with it because I love them, and I respect their puppet life. But I don’t think I could survive within the same room as a ventriloquist’s dummy. They really freak me out, especially ones from the 20s and 30s, with their thin eyebrows and lines around the jaw. If ever I was looking at an unmanned dummy and one brow or lip lifted, I think I would faint from fright.

There is no puppet terror in Darling, which is John Schlesinger’s very best film, although it is hard to pick, he made so many amazing ones.  Julie Christie is a wonder in this movie, a wise old soul in a young swinging London girl body, with the always magnificent Dirk Bogarde and fierce as ever Lawrence Harvey madcap behind. It’s a fun movie and kind of a tragedy and kind of a comedy and calming and exciting and terrific and sexy and also somewhat anti-sex. It’s a 60s movie that has a 50s air about it and it’s so British but also very European and actually if you think about it, pretty American. It’s a story about straight people but they could also be gay. They are white but they want to be black. It suggested and supported 3 ways and walking on conference room tables and marrying into royal families and I’d like to wear all of Julie Christie’s clothes in the movie, and I think for a couple of years in the late 90s, my manic vintage shopping accomplished this goal. You would be hard pressed to do this nowadays, with all the furor over the outfits in mad men. If you like mad men style, and of course I do, look to Darling. It’s the same well cut era.

John Schlesinger is unparalleled and hands down my favorite director, and his movies I return to time and time again when I want to know how a story should be told, how a film should be made, how movies should be.  In the dark of an old fashioned rep house or film collective, when any of his glorious work is projected onto the screen and my nice ass is in a seat, I know everything always all the time will be ok (everything sunny all the time always). Midnight cowboy and day of the locust and Sunday bloody Sunday and darling could get stuck in any one of my all region dvd players and I would be happy to watch these films over and over for the rest of my days.  He approached filmmaking like a painter, and every shot, every frame, in every film is a work of art. I knew John in the 90s, partly because of my sartorial obsession with Darling and my deep personal love affair with all of his films, and partly because he was a fan of mine also, which was a tremendous honor.

He brought me to Santa Fe, where he was planning to build a museum entirely dedicated to Georgia O’Keefe. His hot boyfriend Michael drove us around in his jeep and we went swimming and then tanning and ate mysterious southwestern style caesar salads with cornbread croutons with Bryan Singer and kept an eye on the clock so as not to be late for a party John and Michael were throwing for their lady friend.

Their lady friend was Lauren Bacall (!!!), and the icon(truly, I mean it, ICON) and eternally beautiful actress looked down from the top of a barstool and stopped the drinking of a large fizzy watery lemony concoction and with her booming-and-commanding-in-person voice and living legend largesse uttered simply, “……John….”. everyone turned to look and time stood still and the whole room was entirely ears and someone said, “John – Lauren wants you….” and he, the illustrious John Schlesinger, the best director ever, came running. How could you not? it’s Lauren fucking Bacall.

Ali Macgraw and Joyce Dewitt surrounded me and astounded me with their famed brunette manes and crisp white shirts and glowing desert rose beauty. They both wore the hugest squash blossom turquoise necklaces I had ever seen in my life and hugged me warmly and the impressive and costly silver banged into my chest.  Humbly, they introduced me to their gay husbands. They loved their gay men and bowed their shiny heads at them and looked up at them through black eyelashes thick and wet with the appreciation and adoration I know well.  Joyce said in a quiet whisper, “Margaret – this – THIS – is Artemis. He is very special.” She opened her arm to reveal him, like she was showing me her heart, and he stepped forward, handsome, ponytailed and shy, to kiss me on both cheeks.

There was a show of some kind, I don’t remember it though, just these details and small stories I have shared here. I miss John and I miss his moving pictures and he needs a predecessor. He was gay and the greatest filmmaker of all time and I will always be proud of that and of him and that I knew him and that he loved me. I am glad that I get to show Darling on the big screen, like it was my movie, and in some ways, it is.

7 Comments. Add To The Mix…

  1. It’s a shame there aren’t more films shot in black and white. So often color distracts from what a director is wanting to say with his film. It is true that b&w plays upon the subconscious. I loved the reference to watching Twilight Zone before going to sleep. I have seen old episodes of TZ, discovering that all this time I had thought that was a dream I had had. Alfred Hitchcock presents had a similar effect. It must have such a thrill for John Schlesinger to bring you into his life! I loved Midnight Cowboy, and I find a subtlety, and a mastery of subtext in many of the films of Schlesinger and others of his era. Today’s films tend to hit you over the head. They are dumbed down. John’s films were very intelligent. Also Midnight Cowboy was one of the funniest as well as touchingly tragic films I’ve ever seen. A post on my blog, ‘Cosmic secret of inspiration’ touches upon some of what you were saying. Such a great blog, Margaret. I can’t tell you how much your writing raises the bar for my own writing. Thanks for that!

  2. Just wanted to let you know that what you wrote in this post, about dreaming of twilight zone episodes, and how you hate creepy dolls and puppets, inspired a nightmare I had last night. I wrote about it on my blog, Nightmare Castle on the Bay. Check it out, I think you will enjoy it!

  3. When I was working in an off-Broadway box office in the mid-aughts, Lauren Bacall came in one evening to see a show. She would be seeing it with her friends, who had the tickets and had not yet arrived. I asked if she wanted me to reprint her ticket so she could go in and sit down, but she said it wasn’t necessary. I think she just didn’t want to stand out in the open lobby, being Lauren Bacall and all, and so she moved just a little ways to the side and stood there looking into the box office and at me for the next 10 minutes while waiting for her friends. I wasn’t sure what to do, so I continued helping other customers, and gave her an assuring smile when I could.

    When her friends finally arrived, they asked if she had been waiting long. She said she hadn’t, and, motioning to me, said, “This lovely gentleman offered to assist me in going in, but I told him I’d wait out here.” The friends thanked me, and Lauren thanked me, and then they went in to take their seats.

    Being called a “lovely gentleman” by Lauren fucking Bacall will forever be the highlight of my life.

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  5. Hi, Margaret. First of all, Mr. David Sedaris only wishes he could write like you. Secondly, Margaret Cho loves to sew. I just have always wanted to say that since I read the sewing post. Thirdly…Joyce Dewitt!!!!!! Joyce?? Dewitt!! Ahahaha! The sound of me crying. I can’t believe someone met her, and it was you. You and Joyce Dewitt meeting is just icing on my proverbial cake…I’m serious. And it got me thinking, too: Could it be that Artemis is the JACK we all kind of knew Joyce would be desperately in search of ever since 3’s was torn off the airwaves! and television has never recovered from since! and John Ritter my darling John Ritter…sigh…still can’t believe he’s gone, left us to cry. At any rate, I’m jelly, as it sounds like a fantasmagorical party you attended. John S. sounds like a great guy! I’m soo excited to watch Darling! I can’t wait to see what movie Margaret Cho has recommended to me :B I will be back to let you know what I think ! BTW OF COURSE John was a fan of yours. p.s. I love you and I always have n always will…it’s because of girls n boys like you that I believe in Unicorns, Margaret Cho…you have always been a true and solid inspiration to my heart for so many~ little~ things…sometimes wild adventure, as with your leather pants and your Dream, sometimes for discipline, as I know you running thangs and without, thangs don’t run, which I totally get and constantly strive for…you are a comfort to me when I’m lonely bc I know that your soul is too in the same way that I feel that he is when I read Rilke. I feel a soul connection btwn you, me and Rilke. More between you and him bc I believe you both writers possessing a touch of genius…more than a touch. I could go on for 6,969 more Harley miles but I’m going to stop right here bc you have to get back to work being my angel and 100% naturally gorgeous, charming and sexy with ~ yes ~ a bit of a Lauren Bacall “awareness” about you…again, I heart thee. pps: sorry about the long involved post, but your writing had me all riled up :B*Marilyn from Columbus, Ohio*

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We were lucky, but we were also determined." Roy Blount Jr

"I don’t change the facts to enhance the drama. I think of it the other way round, the drama has got to fit the facts,
and it’s your job as a writer to find the shape in real life."
Hilary Mantel

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Moon Over the Bay

The dogs woke me at 5:45 a.m. for their morning feeding. Standing by the kitchen window I saw moonlight reflected beside our dock and remembered it's a full moon. When we went outside, I took the camera with me.

The sun hadn't yet risen above the hills to the east, and the moon was visible through a wispy veil of cloud.

All was silent except the quiet paddling of the ducks who passed by. Ruth was bravely protecting me from them--or wish she could herd them, I'm not sure.

We all went back to bed. And woke again to bright sunshine.

And returned to the Lodge by lunchtime.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Woodland Walking

The dogs and I are thoroughly enjoying what's likely to be our longest stay at the lake cottage all summer. No, we haven't deserted the Chap entirely. He's away...in another country, in fact.

We received a welcome spell of rain and cool, damp weather. Yesterday the high was only in the low 60's and I ran round the house closing windows. Today we're in the 70's and it's brighter and the windows and doors are open again.

Last night, quite late, the dogs raced around the sitting room and bedroom, frantically barking, sniffing the air. I thought I heard something moving about outdoors but assumed it was a raccoon or small critter.

This morning, on our first walk of the day, we found compelling evidence that our visitor was a deer.

Also on the walk, we noticed this very colourful fungus growing in the hollow of a tree.

My culinary blogging friend says it's a "chicken mushroom" and when cooked tastes like--well, you guessed it.

This is my favourite tree. Because it has a face. Eyes, nose, mouth, ears--or antlers, as my visiting friend said, a couple of weeks ago.

I'm accomplishing very little of substance these days, but it doesn't matter: I don't really need to. Sometimes I do light research and lots of musing about the next book. Mostly I'm pleasure reading, knitting, playing mandolin, cooking meals with fresh fruits and veg and eating them at non-traditional times of day. Watching way too much Home & Garden Television, especially when it was raining.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Return to the Water

The kitchen and dining room are (professionally)painted. I painted the porch bookcase forest green to match the wood trim and shelving. I've taken care of some writerly responsibilities. With great patience I endured a seemingly endless household water system repair. And on Thursday the dogs and I returned to the Big Lake.

Yesterday morning my FFTNC rang me up--the cottage is conveniently situated about halfway between her Seacoast pastoral appointment and her North Country home, so she was coming to bunk with us last night.

A short time before she arrived, the lovely sunset drew us onto the hillside.

Ruth is in this picture...barely.

Jewel pauses from excavating a rodent hole to admire the sun falling behind the mountains.

It was great catching up with FFTNC, and the dogs were delighted to see her again, too. We lunched at El Centenario in Wolfeboro, our first time experiencing the lunch menu but likely not the last. You need not ask if we ordered the tableside guacamole!

It's a spectacularly lovely day--sunny with crystal-clear cloudless sky, and a steady breeze. The Chap is arriving later today, so we'll be able to watch tonight's sunset together!

Hope your weekend is a pleasant and relaxing one!

Sunday, August 15, 2010

A Week Near Water

It's been a busy week and no blogging time. At long last I've got a chance to catch up!

Last Sunday morning the Chap drove off to Montreal, after he and I rang up my mother to wish her Happy Birthday. My friend and I and the dogs hastened to the cottage for a few days by the Big Lake.

Our first order of business was staging a photo op with us, the girls, and the Big White Boat. There's a lot going on in this picture!

Our next order of business was dining at El Centenario. After freshly made-at-our-table guacamole we each enjoyed an enchilada feast. This is my friend's 3 enchilada combo--mole enchilada, rojo enchilada, verde enchilada. I had the same thing, only with 2 mole and 1 verde.

We watched Mad Men that evening.

On Monday morning, we had coffee on the dock with the dogs. Not sure what they were all gazing upon so intently.

We spend a lot of time down by the water. This circle of clouds formed over the lake.

Another really important agenda item was baking. On our way to the lake we acquired some fresh local strawberries. On Monday we put on our almost-matching cute aprons (mine was a gift from my friend, and she brought hers to NH) and baked a blueberry pie with a lattice top. We used the recipe of our kitchen guru, Meta Givens, taken from her cookery book.

Oven ready! (Meta's book is open on the table for easy reference....)

Ready to eat!

It was the best blueberry pie ever baked. Or devoured.

Jewel is 39 pounds of loving lapdog.

At the cottage we've got an ice tray that makes actual-sized golf ball ice cubes. Last year my friend--a golfer--decided that on her next visit she would hit some into the lake from our dock. So, for weeks in advance of her trip I made batches of golf ball ice cubes for her. On Monday and Tuesday afternoon she practiced her swing.

Ruth also enjoyed the ice cubes.

We departed the cottage on Tuesday afternoon, stopping at our vet's office for a quickie appointment for Jewel. We all crammed into the exam room.

Jewel came back to the Lodge with some antibiotics.

My friend left us very early Wednesday morning, 2 days before her birthday but we started the celebrations early. We're already making plans for the next get-together. We attended the same grammar school, high school, and for a year we went to the same college. Probably we met at a children's puppetry class but we really can't remember. It was after a youth theatre class that we started hanging out together almost constantly.

The Chap returned late that afternoon. We had scrupulously--and generously--saved him a single piece of the awesome blueberry pie. He pronounced it the best one ever.

Thursday was mad busy...I dropped off an Oriental rug to be cleaned, met my FFTNC to help her choose new bathroom fixtures and lights, had mandolin lesson, resumed bathroom fixture shopping, went out to Thai dinner with FFTNC.

On Friday I visited friends who live in London but have a summer house in Maine. While on the road I rang the Birthday Girl. It was as spectacular a day on the Maine coast as it had been on the Big Lake--clear sky, cool and comfortable air.

After lunch we went to Popham Beach (not the adjacent State Beach but the other one) and spent the afternoon. The tide was all the way in when we got there.

The teenage boys with us spent a great deal of time in the water. I waded in up to my knees...

...and when my legs went all tingly and then totally numb from the cold (which happened very quickly) I emerged.

Not too many yards away, a seal was swimming in the outgoing tide, completed unaffected by the frigid water or my proximity.

On the way back to our house, my friends stopped off at a local ponds so their boys could swim in "warm" water. While watching them splash about, we observed a large kingfisher repeatedly catching fish, and then an osprey diving for its meal. On my visit to them last year we went boating on the river to see the eagles, so for a second year in a row I've had great birding experiences in that part of the Pine Tree State.

Yesterday I continued preparation for the painter who comes tomorrow and Tuesday to paint the Lodge kitchen and dining room. Everything is removed from the walls, and because I have glass-fronted kitchen cabinets that must be painted all inside I've removed all the crockery and china and glassware and baking things and wipe down the shelving. We're coping with the disarray fairly well.

I learnt that it's possible to spend half a day online shopping for new cabinet and drawer pulls, something I hadn't imagined to be possible. We need a total of 26 pulls/handles. I'm stronging considering this one, called "French Twist."

I haven't yet found the fish-shaped black metal ones I most wanted.

I was so involved looking for the perfect design that I was nearly late to the potluck party at the end of our road, a great chance to visit with our neighbours--especially the seasonal ones we see only in summertime.

We sat beside the little lake till well after dark, chatting with our hosts and some friends. For the past 3 nights I've been watching the Perseid meteor showers before bedtime...it's amazing to see the meteors zipping across the sky over our forest.

We went to church this morning and brought home a big load of Singapore curry noodles from Ping's to microwave for supper, as cooking a proper meal would be impossible tonight. The prep for our painter is complete. By this time tomorrow, the kitchen should be finished and I can begin putting things away--the items I'm keeping, that is. I've tried very hard to thin out our possessions.

Hope you've had a pleasant week and weekend, wherever and however you might be spending it.

Sunday, August 08, 2010

Saturday at the Coast with Lobsters

The presence of a visitor from away means that we could make the most of the nicest Saturday of the summmer (except for last Saturday when we had the wedding) and head for the coast.

We drove to Portsmouth and crossed the bridge to Kittery, Maine. A little way farther along the coast is Chauncey Creek and a wonderful waterside seafood restaurant.

We timed our arrivel to avoid crowds and succeeded so well that for the first 5 minutes we had the place to ourselves. Then it began to fill up quickly with family parties.

Looking up the creek...

...and down the creek, while waiting for our order.

We also visited the lobster tank.

We started with the awesome onion rings.

We didn't all order the same beverage.

We ordered exactly the same lunch--lobster rolls!

My lobster roll.

Oh, it was tasty!

Full of food, we returned to the Kittery shopping area, stopping at the Trading Post. My friend found the perfect zip-up sweatshirt jacket, with a Maine lobster on it.

These dogs were patiently and calmly waiting for their owners to finish shopping. My girls would have been pestering all the passers-by for attention, I'm sure.

We drove back to New Castle, paused at Ft. Constitution (where the American Revolution really began). Next stop was Rye, a lovely photo op--so many sailboats on the ocean! It was a perfect day for it.

Me and Mrs. Hamilton.

We can't quite figure out why neither of us can find similar photographs of us together as kids and as teens, but we doing our best to make up for it as adult. More to come!

Thanks for stopping by.

Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Taking it Easy

My goodness, the girls have been busy. Many trips back and forth from the Lodge to the lake cottage and back, hosting a wedding, lots of long walks, some swimming, eating blueberries and huckleberries right off the bushes.

It's no wonder that they're in need of some quiet time.

Jewel is in resting mode on the back steps.

Ruth is pretty mellow, too.

They'd better make the most of this calm while they can. On Friday night a much anticipated visitor arrives from afar, one whom they see only once a year. Much more excitement and activity on the horizon!


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Sports Talk: Marietta suffers 2nd-half blues

September 23, 2013

Marietta College was the better football team in the first half. But after the break......

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so i just started noticing this really chic girl. it started with her bob haircut, then i kept noticing her in great white shirts, other times in classic white tees, a few times in white wide trousers. finally i figured out who she was and there she was- leandra medine, the man repeller!

i had heard of the man repeller blog but i never really followed it- now i’m a fan! how could i not be a fan someone who’s philosophy is, “good fashion is about pleasing women, not men, so as it happens the trends we love, men hate, and that is fantastic.” she forgot gay men, however, let me tell you most gay men don’t have any taste either.

what i’m really fan of is her classic, yet cool style. i love any lady who loves a white shirt (and birks) as much as i do. also, notice all the hits of red, for some reason i keep seeing red! enjoy!

p.s. also i just realized leandra has a book that just came out, a memoir- man repeller: seeking love. finding overalls. yes, it’s cemented- i love her!

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  1. Leandra is super chic! I love her blog and the round-up you put together of her outfits. Everyone should have a go-to amazing white shirt!

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3 Tips to get your husband to walk the dog at 6 am

This is a very familiar scene in my house: It is 6 am and my newest furry child a four year old shihtzu I rescued from Louie’s Legacy is on my pillow-pawing at my forehead. The lil guy is dying to go outside and walk. He doesn’t care that it is 6am. He doesn’t care that I was up till umpteenth o’clock last night. All he cares about is his bladder- which no matter how often I take him out is always full- and this boy can lift his leg at least 15 times on any given tree any time of the day or night.

3 Tips To get your  husband to walk the dog at 6 am

Of course IT IS 6AM and I would DO ANYTHING- not to have to sprint out of bed and wake-up. So I roll over and start poking my husband.

“Honey.. can you PLEASE walk Lazer? I am dead tired and he is going to pee all over the house ( Let me add that he has already peed all over the house).”

To which my husband says: ” These are your dogs- you wanted them I am not getting up.”

Of course the man does have a valid point- I did technically decide for the both of us that we should brings dogs into our marriage- so I guess they fall under my jurisdiction- but I am a wife on a mission so his statement does not deter me from my end goal. So for all you women out there attempting to get your husband to walk the DOG at 6am… here are my 3 rules for helping you MEET YOUR END GOAL.

#1 You can never remind your husband enough about how you have SACRIFICED YOUR BODY to give him kids. That’s right pull out the old, ” I have a kangaroo pouch because of that c-section I barely survived while delivering YOUR BABY BOY. ” (In truth I did have a slight mishap during my c-section- the Dr. cut the wrong blood vessel and it was a bit touch and go for me- but in the event that your c-section was as ordinary as possible- just put his finger on your PERMANENTLY scarred stomach be it via a c-section or stretch marks- for more of a dramatic effect while talking about this baby you gave him).

#2 Tell your husband how sexy it is when he gets out of bed to do you a favor and how much it TURNS YOU ON and then WINK AT HIM with a knowing- you scratch my back  and I’ll scratch yours. Of course when he gets back after scooping poop chances are he won’t be in a “back scratching mood”.

#3 If all else fails tell your husband that PART of the marriage contract reads- HAPPY WIFE HAPPY LIFE- and if he chooses not to hold up his end of the bargain– That won’t be good for ANYONE ( namely him). Of course if this tactic falls on deaf ears- pull a Bart Simpson on him and keep asking him to walk the dog- until he gets so tired of hearing you ask the same question he will do it just to SHUT YOU UP.

*DISCLAIMER- these 3 rules should all be immediately followed by a resounding I LOVE YOU SO MUCH HONEY I COULD NEVER LIVE WITHOUT YOU– you know just to SEAL THE DEAL.

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text:
Words from the President of FenSF

FenSF, Inc [the Fans Educational Network for Science Fiction], is a nonprofit organization devoted to teaching individuals how to promote and run amateur science fiction and gaming conventions. In furtherance of our educational goals, we sponsor a yearly amateur science fiction/fantasy convention called MarsCon, conduct convention training sessions, provide outreach and assistance to other fan-run conventions, and engage in fund raising activities to raise money for convention efforts and increase public awareness of amateur science fiction and gaming conventions in general.

Each year, the FenSF board looks for leadership proposals from fans like you who have an interest in running MarsCon. It is the duty of FenSF to award leadership for MarsCon to a core group of volunteers. To give you a clearer idea of what leading the convention entails, we have provided detailed information on these subjects:

We hope that this information is helpful to you and that, at the very least, it encourages you to volunteer and become more active in MarsCon and other amateur science fiction conventions in the future.

Time Line for MarsCon Leadership Proposals

Using MarsCon 2015 as an example, the approximate time line for submitting proposals, considering them, and awarding leadership is as follows:

May 2013:
First heads up for letting bids for MarsCon 2015
June 2013:
Let bids for 2015; Bidders assemble leadership teams
July 2013:
FenSF board reviews leadership proposals for MarsCon 2015
Aug 2013:
Award leadership for MarsCon 2015
Sept-Jan, 2014:
MarsCon 2015 Exec starts to assemble convention
Jan 2014:
Fix Guests of Honor and other details so that MarsCon 2015 may be advertised at MarsCon 2014
Feb-Mar, 2014:
MarsCon 2014 happens; Registration process for MarsCon 2015 begins
Feb-Mar, 2015:
MarsCon 2015 happens; Registration process for MarsCon 2016 begins
Etc, etc, ad infinitum.

Leadership Proposal Bidding Criterion

Purpose: The information below is designed to assist you in creating a leadership proposal or bid to run a future amateur science fiction convention: MarsCon.

Philosophy: We wish to create an inviting, fun atmosphere in which various aspects of science fiction and fantasy may be promoted, discussed, and enjoyed. We need to both learn and teach the various jobs required to produce such a convention. It is the duty of the Con Chair (person) to do the following: Produce a profit for the corporation to be rolled into subsequent years; Document all meetings and teaching activities; Keep track of the funds; And at all times bring honesty, honor and dignity to MarsCon and FenSF.

How to Start: You may ask anybody to be on your convention committee (ConCom). Several bidders may ask the same person to be in any position. If multiple bidders ask the same person to be on their committee, even in the same capacity, so much the better. All people on ConCom are volunteers, but you must ask everyone and get at least a verbal commitment. We are looking for people skills, organizational and planning skills, and leadership.

Required: The following MINIMUM information, which sets forth the core of the Convention Executive Committee, is required on all leadership proposals:

Con Chair (Name and Address) [The final authority]
Treasurer (Name)
Hotel Liaison (Name)
Operations and Security Chief (Name)

Optional: The following information is desirable, but optional for all leadership proposals:

Vice Chair (Name and Address)
Assistant Treasurer (Name)
Assistant Hotel Liaison (Name)
Assistant Operations (Name)
All other ConCom members you may have established at the time of the bid.

Other Information: A leadership proposal should also contain the following information

Convention Name:
Convention Theme:
Proposed theme, if known
Convention Date:
Proposed date if known
Hotel if known
Time Line:
Meeting and publication schedule, based on 18 month cycle
Preliminary budget based on last years of budgets
New Events:
Extravaganzas or special events. If special events require extra funding, how is this to be done.
Proposed Guests:
Types of Guests, number, specific names if known
Statement or Essay:
Why I want to run the convention. (This is your opportunity to give us some idea of your style, creativity, and enthusiasm. Style counts. Have fun with it.)

Attach any other pertinent information you feel will help us make a decision.

Submitting your proposal: Leadership proposals must be delivered to the FenSF Board. The preferred method of delivery is to send by mail or deliver in person at an official meeting three hard copies of your proposal.

List of Essential Volunteers for Running a Convention

We've touched upon a few of these already, but here is a more comprehensive list of department volunteers which we consider important or essential in running MarsCon or similar conventions:

Executive Committee: [Other ConCom may also serve on Exec]

Con Chair
The con leader and final authority for the convention. Responsible for creating an inviting, fun atmosphere during planning meetings and during the convention itself where various aspects of science fiction and fantasy will be promoted, discussed, and enjoyed. Duties: Prepare for and run ConCom Meetings; Produce a profit for the corporation to be rolled into subsequent years; Document all meetings and teaching activities; Keep track of the funds; And at all times bring honesty, honor and dignity to MarsCon and FenSF.
Vice Chair
Works with and supports the Con Chair in all duties. Functions as Con Chair when the Con Chair is off duty or absent.
Manages the budget for the convention year, pays the bills, handles deposits, and balances the books.

ConCom [Includes Exec as well as those listed here]:

Anime Coordinator
Obtains permission to show various anime titles at the convention, develops a schedule of showings, attends to the projector, and monitors the film room during anime showings.
Art Show Director
Sets rules and guidelines for the convention Art Show, communicates with artists and arranges for entries and mail-in art, manages room setup and functions during the convention.
AV/Tech Head
Manages and sees to all audio-visual needs for the convention panels and Main Stage events during the convention.
Charity Auction
Keeps track and takes charge of donations, transports donated items to the convention, manages volunteer staff consisting of auctioneers, runners, and money collectors during the auction.
Responsible for maintaining current ConCom list, monitoring incoming e-mail messages & correspondence and forwarding to the appropriate departments. Prepares ConCom Meeting minutes and drafts convention updates for posting on the web site.
Con Suite Coordinator
Manages the convention hospitality suite, orders supplies (i.e., soda pop, popcorn, serving utensils, etc...), arranges menu, decides upon a theme for the room, decorates the room, monitors the room during the convention, maintains cleanliness and replenishes supplies whenever needed.
Dance Head
Develops play list, develops a theme, and DJ's the Dance.
Dealers Room Manager
Communicates with grandfathered-in and new dealers, coordinates all dealer registrations, arranges for room set-up, responds to requests for information about Dealers Room, finalizes list of dealers for publication, and manages the Dealers Room during the convention.
Prepares scripts, rehearses for, and performs in Main Stage events such as Opening & Closing Ceremonies.
Fan Faire Wrangler
Arranges a time and place for an event where area fan clubs table and share information about their groups during the convention, coordinates the setup with the Hotel Liaison, and responds to inquiries from fan groups interested in participating in the event.
Filk Room Manager
Manages the Filk Room and participates in the filky fun. "Filk" may be simply defined as folk music for science fiction fen.
Film/Video Room Manager
Obtains permission to show various films and videos at the convention, develops a schedule of showings, attends to the projector, and monitors the film room.
Looks for and participates in activities geared toward raising extra funds for the convention.
Gaming Chair
Recruits gaming volunteers and works with them to develop a game schedule which may be advertised on the web site and posted at the convention. Manages Gaming Suites.
Guest of Honor Liaison
One or two are assigned to each Guest of Honor. Assists Guests in developing ideas for programming events and finalizing their convention schedules, helps Guests with transportation to and from the convention or greets them upon arrival, assists with hotel check-in and check-out, orients Guests to the hotel, introduces them to key volunteers, assists Guests with getting to programming events on time, assists Guests with their autograph sessions when needed, sees that Guests have sufficient access to meals and rest and that their questions are being directed to the appropriate department volunteers throughout the convention.
Hotel Liaison
Acts as liaison between convention and hotel, negotiates hotel contracts, and arranges set-up for all function rooms.
Works with literary guests and programming chair to develop a schedule of events to be held in the room during the convention, provides snacks, creates an atmosphere conducive to relaxed discussions, and monitors room needs.
LAN Coordinator
Organizes volunteers and secures a sufficient number of computers to be networked together at the convention for local area network gaming. Manages the LAN Gaming Room.
Solicits paid advertisements for inclusion in the Program Book and Progress Reports.
Masquerade Director
Develops rules, registration forms and judging criteria for the Masquerade costume contest, arranges for prizes, and coordinates the Masquerade Rehearsal and the Masquerade during the con. Works with Extravaganzas and AV/Tech Head.
MN Munchie Movevent
Provides busy convention volunteers (who contribute toward the cost) with a quick source of nutrition during the convention.
Music Room Manager
Works with musicians and singers to develop a schedule of performances and events to be held in the room during the convention, and monitors the Music Room.
Operations Chief
Keeps a time line for development of the convention during the planning stages. Coordinates training of Operations and Security volunteers. At the convention, responds to all trouble calls and requests for information. Gets all messages to the appropriate departments. Maintains a log of all problems, solutions, and notable events which occur during the convention.
Parties Liaison
Communicates with and assigns rooms for groups and individuals who plan to throw parties at the convention.
Programming Chair
Solicits volunteers and ideas for programming and develops program schedule for the convention.
Programming Room Czar
Manages and monitors a particular programming room during the convention. May introduce speakers, warn speakers when their time is nearly up, refresh water, and see that the room is kept tidy.
Actively promotes the convention at other gatherings; prepares and delivers press kits about the convention to news media.
Publications Chair
Responsible for layout, design, preparation and distribution of flyers, posters, registration forms, Progress Reports, the Program Book, and all other official convention publications. Coordinates ad exchanges with other conventions and sells ad space. Works with Promotions and Marketing to promote the convention.
Registration & Database Administrator
Collects registrations, delivers collected fees to the Treasurer, delivers information requests and information on new volunteers to the appropriate departments, and maintains records on convention attendees.
Sales Chair
Sets prices for old and new convention merchandise, primarily con t-shirts; Advertises and handles sales of the merchandise at the convention.
Sciences Chair
Arranges for exhibits and manages the Science Room during the convention, coordinates hard sciences events with the Programming Chair, investigates possibilities for Sciences GoHs.
Security Head
Enforces policies to assure the safety and security of all convention members, responds to trouble calls, trains and manages security staff.
Videographer / Con Photographer
Takes video footage of programming events to share with other ConCom who missed out; takes at-the-con photos which may be later posted to the web site.
Volunteer Badgers
Assist Security by checking and insuring that only registered members are permitted entry into particular convention functions.
Volunteers Head
Before the convention, contacts registered members who have expressed an interest in volunteering. During the convention, seeks additional volunteers to fulfill the needs of each department, keeps track of volunteer hours, and arranges for and provides perks to volunteers who have earned them.
Web Master
Manages all content on the web site, updates old information, performs edits, and coordinates domain registration.

*Wherever possible, department chairs and volunteers should have sub-heads or seconds.

Please feel free to contact the FenSF Board if you are interested in submitting a leadership proposal or if you have any questions concerning FenSF, Inc. You may reach us via the methods listed below.

Yours in Fandom,
Arthur "Artie" Johnson,
President of FenSF, Inc.
The folks that bring you the best little con in Fandom.

This page last revised May 02, 2010 at 01:12 PM


text:
JPL Banner
Mars Science Laboratory

Raw Images

NASA's Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image using its Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) on Sol 60
This picture is a thumbnail version of a larger image, video frame, or onboard focus merge product from the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) aboard NASA's Mars rover Curiosity. MAHLI is located on the turret at the end of the rover's robotic arm. MAHLI took the larger parent image on October 6, 2012, Sol 60 of the Mars Science Laboratory Mission, at 18:58:24 UTC.

MAHLI thumbnails are approximately 8 times smaller than the original, parent image. Because the amount of data that Curiosity can send back to Earth each day is limited, small versions of MAHLI's images are sent as soon as possible after a new picture is acquired or produced. The larger image is returned on a prioritized basis, sometimes right away, but often not for several days, weeks, or months. Some images are never returned. Typically, in these cases, an image was acquired to determine autofocus or was intended to be focus-merged onboard the instrument.

When MAHLI obtained the parent picture, the focus motor count position was 14190. This number indicates the internal position of the MAHLI lens at the time the camera acquired the image (or, for focus merge products, it is the position of the first image merged). This count also tells whether the dust cover was open or closed. Values between 0 and 6000 mean the dust cover was closed; values between 12500 and 16000 occur when the cover is open. For close-up images, the motor count can, in some cases, be used to estimate the distance between the MAHLI lens and target. For example, in-focus images obtained with the dust cover open for which the lens was 2.5 cm from the target have a motor count near 15270. If the lens is 5 cm from the target, the motor count is near 14360; if 7 cm, 13980; 10 cm, 13635; 15 cm, 13325; 20 cm, 13155; 25 cm, 13050; 30 cm, 12970.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Full Resolution
<< Back to Sol 60 raw images

<< Back to Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) images from Sol 60


text:
Pineapple Bun + Silver Jeans + Satsuki + CBD @ Night

My first week of 2012...

I have a funny belief that the first week of a year can map out how the year will be.
Odd I know. And if so, my year will be Busy Busy Busy.

Still practicing the art of working and saving, I'm proud to say I officially have savings.
Whether I still have any when I return from travels is another question I'm yet to ponder, but I have savings so I'm happy!
I did shop... ONCE I swear... actually twice. I'm in the mood for shoes at the moment.
I'm continuing my wardrobe cull and a lot of my shoes got the boot, and for some reason I keep on finding GREAT shoe bargains which I cannot pass up.
So when one shoe leaves the building another one turns up!

Being the New Year, new weekly arrangements were made. This led to a lot of going out with lovelies for Dinner, Shopping (strictly through windows) and some late night Karaoke showing off my finely tuned musical stylings. Though is it just me or do you cringe when you hear your voice being played back?
Because I do...

I still haven't really thought of any concrete plans for the year. I'm still waiting to be inspired.
I'm hoping that my trip to Hong Kong will inject some much needed motivation into my future path.

Time effects everyone differently.
Sometimes it takes longer for others to do things, for things to happen, to reach the point of realization.
In general, time works in such weird and at times wonderful ways that sometimes practicing the art of Patience is needed.
I learnt last week that Patience is key.
That as much as I want to control, get or know things, sometimes the timing isn't right and sometimes it just takes a bit of patience to get there.


text:
  Academic Policy & Innovation
  Accountability, Assessment, and Data Systems
  Career and College Readiness
  Communications, Partnerships, and Grants
  Curriculum, Assessment & Accountability
  Educator Effectiveness
  Early Childhood Development
     Office of Finance
     The Budget Branch
     Local Finance Reporting
        Minority Business Information
        Contract Awards
        RFP Templates
     School Facilities Branch
  Information Technology
  Library Services
  Office of the State Superintendent
  Rehabilitation Services
  Special Education and Early Intervention
  Student, Family, and School Support
Divisions > Finance > Procurement
Minority Business Information

Minority Business Owners—did you know that the State of Maryland has a program aimed at strengthening and preserving the state’s 200,000 minority and women-owned businesses?

A Minority Owned Business Enterprise (MBE) is defined as a business that is at least 51% owned, managed, and controlled by a minority person(s) as defined by state and federal laws. This includes members of socially or economically disadvantaged minority groups, such as African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, women, and physically or mentally disabled individuals. Under state law, MBEs also include not-for-profit entities organized to promote the interests of physically or mentally disabled individuals.

Useful web links are listed below.

Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs

Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Information

MDOT Certification – MBE/DBE

NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) Code Search

Small Business Reserve Program (SBR)

eMM (eMaryland Marketplace)

COMAR Online

Linked Deposit Program
A new statewide initiative designed to stimulate opportunities
for MDOT certified businesses

Maryland Health Care Commission
Health Insurance Partnership for small businesses (new initiative)
1-877-358-1236 (toll free number)

Contact Information
Maryland State Department of Education
200 West Baltimore Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
MSDE Privacy Statement Disclaimer  | Copyright © 2003 MSDE


text:
  Academic Policy & Innovation
  Accountability, Assessment, and Data Systems
  Career and College Readiness
  Communications, Partnerships, and Grants
  Curriculum, Assessment & Accountability
  Educator Effectiveness
  Early Childhood Development
  Information Technology
  Library Services
  Office of the State Superintendent
  Rehabilitation Services
  Special Education and Early Intervention
  Student, Family, and School Support
     Division of Student, Family, and School Support Overview
     Youth Development
     Student Services and Alternative Programs
     Family Support Branch
Divisions > Student, Family, and School Support
Division of Student, Family, and School Support Overview

The Division of Student, Family, and School Support is responsible for administering and supervising federal and State programs to improve the teaching and learning of students who are at risk of academic failure an to help to facilitate the emotional, mental, and physical health needs of all students.

In Focus
Practical Information on Crisis Plans from the US Department of Education
The US Department of Education’s guideline for schools and communities on prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.

In Focus
Children And Unaccompanied Youth Experiencing Homelessness And The Mckinney-Vento Act

The Division administers programs through the following Branches:

Youth Development Branch
The Youth Development Branch provides leadership, direction, coordination, supervision, and support for the Twenty-First Century Community Learning Centers program, Maryland Student Service Alliance (MSSA), Character Education Office, Maryland Association of Student Councils, and the Maryland Chess program.

Program Improvement and Family Support Branch
The Program Improvement and Family Support Branch helps support local school systems and schools that have high concentrations of children from low-income families.  This support includes planning, operating, and evaluating, programs for educationally disadvantaged students.  The Branch is responsible for the federal Title I program - Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged.  Under Title I, specialists oversee the Maryland Parent Advisory Council (M-PAC), Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY), Family Reading Plan, Take 15 for the Family, as well as the Even Start Family Literacy Program.  In addition, migrant students are provided summer learning opportunities, neglected and delinquent students are being served in State institutions, middle school teachers are being served through the Increasing Proficiency for All Students (I-PAS)/Challenge Initiative, and homeless children receive support through the McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program.

Student Services and Strategic Planning Branch
The Student Services and Strategic Planning Branch (SSSP) is responsible for providing leadership and technical assistance to local school systems with the implementation of programs and initiatives to facilitate the emotional, mental, social, and physical health of all students. These programs and initiatives include guidance and career development, school psychology, pupil personnel, school social work, school health services, safe and supportive schools, dropout prevention and alternative programs, home instruction, and initiatives to reduce disruption and violence, address at-risk behaviors, and facilitate achievement. The branch works collaboratively with other agencies, community organizations, and stakeholder groups around these initiatives.

In addition, this branch is responsible for programs and initiatives to improve teaching and learning for at-risk students and low-performing schools. These programs include the Bridge to Excellence in Public Schools program, the Ed-Flex Demonstration Program, the Rural and Low-Income Schools Program, and the State-funded Nonpublic Textbook Program. Under the Bridge to Excellence in Public Schools Program, each school system is required to submit to MSDE a comprehensive Master Plan, to be updated annually, designed to improve achievement for all students and eliminate achievement gaps among groups of students.

Office of School Innovations

The Office of School Innovations (OSI) is responsible for providing leadership, support and accountability to new educational initiatives in Maryland Public Schools through the effective design, development and implementation of creative and innovative programs. These innovative programs support the mission of MSDE by providing innovative products and services to enhance academic achievement for students across the state.  This includes providing leadership for the development and implementation of the Maryland Public Charter School Program. Public Charter Schools are one of the Federal and State sanctioned restructuring designs for schools in restructuring status pursuant to No Child Left Behind.

OSI Works directly with local boards of education and superintendents to provide guidance and technical assistance on best authorizing practices as well as assistance in implementing the public charter school law; offers guidance and delivers technical assistance to perspective charter school operators and charter school leadership; provides management, accountability and oversight of the federal grant program as well as all personnel assigned to the management of this grant; and provides leadership, support, and assistance to an innovative Statewide school -the Maryland Public Residential Boarding Education Program operated and managed by the SEED Foundation.

Contact Information
Kristina Kyles, Assistant State Superintendent
Maryland State Department of Education
200 West Baltimore Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone:  410-767-0274
Email:  Kristina.Kyles@maryland.gov
Youth Development
Student Services and Strategic Planning
Program Improvement and Family Support
Office of School Innovations
 Title I
Title I
 21st CCLC
21st Century Community Learning Centers
MSDE Privacy Statement Disclaimer  | Copyright © 2003 MSDE


text:
  Academic Policy & Innovation
  Accountability, Assessment, and Data Systems
  Career and College Readiness
  Communications, Partnerships, and Grants
  Curriculum, Assessment & Accountability
  Educator Effectiveness
  Early Childhood Development
  Information Technology
  Library Services
  Office of the State Superintendent
  Rehabilitation Services
  Special Education and Early Intervention
  Student, Family, and School Support
     Division of Student, Family, and School Support Overview
     Youth Development
     Student Services and Alternative Programs
        Alternative Programs
        Attention Deficit
        Best Practices in School Discipline Workgroup
        Bullying Prevention
        HIV/AIDS Prevention
        Home and Hospital
        Home Schooling
        Inhalant Abuse
        Maryland Safe and Supportive Schools Grant
        Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
        Pupil Personnel and School Social Workers
        Safe and Drug-Free Schools
        School-Based Health Centers
        School Counseling
        School Health Services
        School Mental Health
        School Psychological Services
        Student Enrollment Issues
        Suicide Prevention
           Student Surveys
        Teen Pregnancy
        Emergency Planning and School Safety
     Family Support Branch
Divisions > Student, Family, and School Support > Student Services and Alternative Programs > Surveys
Student Surveys

Student Surveys in Maryland

Youth Risk Behavior Survey

Maryland's 2004 General Assembly mandated that the public schools in Maryland participate in the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). This survey is conducted every other year to survey particpation of adolescents in at risk behaviors, their perception of safety in schools and healthy behaviors. The 2005 YRBS was conducted in Maryland for the first time. A copy of the 2005 National YRBS results is available online at www:cdc.gov/mmwr.

MMWR Surveillance Summary includes results from the National YRBS and from state and local YRBS's.  The Surveillance Summary and related resources are located at www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/index.htm.

2011 Maryland Youth RISK Behavior Survey  (2.1mb) Web Version
2011 Maryland Youth RISK Behavior Survey
2011 Maryland Youth RISK Behavior Survey
(18.7mb) High Quality Version

    2009 Maryland Youth RISK Behavior Survey  (4.8mb)

RISK 2009 Maryland Youth Behavior Survey

2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey

2005 Maryland YRBS Report and 2005 YRBS PowerPoint.

Contact Richard Scott, School Counseling Specialist, at 410-767-0288 for more information.

Maryland Adolescent Survey

The Maryland Adolescent Survey (MAS) has been conducted since 1992.  The survey is conducted every other year. It collects data to determine the nature, extent, and trend of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use among adolescents and provides findings on: protective factors; knowledge about the consequences of ATOD use; parenting and peer influences; information about impaired driving among twelfth graders; and reveals how safe our students feel at school, going to or from school, and in their neighborhoods. Contact Peter Singleton, Specialist, Safe and Drug Free Schools at 410-767-0302 or at psingleton@msde.state.md.us

Maryland Adolescent Survey
2007 Maryland Adolescent Survey
Released September 2008
Publication file size is 18.2mb

MSDE Privacy Statement Disclaimer  | Copyright © 2003 MSDE


text:
  Awards and Recognition
  Bridge to Excellence
  Charter Schools
  Common Core State Standards
  Environmental Programs
     Environmental Education
     General Information
     Green Computing Certification
     Green Ribbon Schools
     For Teachers
     Environmental Education ToolKit
     Awards and Recognition
     Chesapeake Bay 2000
     Climate Change Resources
     Environmental Health
     STEM and EE Lessons and Resources
     Maryland Service Learning and the Environment
     Ocean Science
     Advanced Placement and Undergraduate Majors
     Model Environmental Education Programs
  Equity Assurance
  ESEA Flexibility
  ESOL/Title III
  Family Literacy
  Financial Literacy
  Gifted and Talented
  Homeless Education Assistance
  Maryland Skills2Compete
  Military Families
  Multicultural Education
  No Child Left Behind
  Parent Involvement Matters Award
  Race to the Top
  Residential Education Program
  Response to Intervention
  School / Community Nutrition
  School Wellness Policy
  STEM Education
  Teacher and Principal Evaluation
  Technology/Library Media
  Title I
  21st Century Learning Centers
Programs > Environmental Programs
Ocean Science

The Smithsonian Institution
Sant Ocean Hall

Video: BlowingDolphinRings.wmv

NOAA Ocean Explorer
Expeditions and a lesson bank

NOAA Education - all things ocean

NOAA Okeanos Explorer
Education Materials Collection  Hands-On Activities for  Grades 5-12
Topics: Why Do We Explore?
           Climate Change
           Human Health
           Ocean Health

COSEE-Mid Atlantic
Centers for Ocean Science Education Excellence

National Marine Sanctuaries Media Library A comprehensive database containing a collection of high-quality still images and video footage featuring all 13 national marine sanctuaries and the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. The database is fully searchable by keyword, category and location, and all the images are tagged with relevant information including resolution and usage rights.

Mid-Atlantic Marine Educators Association (MAMEA)
Join Maryland and other Mid-Atlantic educators at the annual conference at the National Aquarium in Baltimore!  Click title for information about MAMEA and the conference.

Ocean Literacy Standards
National Standards for Ocean Education

Oceans Live NOAA/National Marine Sanctuaries Lessons with free video clips

NASA  Ocean  Motion
Five modules with multiple lessons: Navigation, Traveling on a Rotating Sphere, Data and Information, Global Ocean Warming, Energy Balance

NOAA Learning Objects

The NOAA Ocean Exploration Program has released graphic-based oceanography Learning Objects. Each Learning Object includes a video demonstration and interactive activities/puzzles. The included lessons cover diverse topics ranging from plate tectonics to ocean currents to deep sea benthos.

Sustainable Seafood
- National Geographic How can we balance our tastes with what's right for the ocean?

Ocean Literacy Principles  - Seven Essential Principles for Ocean Literacy: An Activity Guide for Educators 28 activity-based lessons, one for each grade group for each of the seven OLPs.
This activity guide is the first in a three volume series that will help teachers and informal educators for grades K-12th embrace the Ocean Literacy Principles (OLP) and put them into practice.

American Museum of Natural History  - Milstein Hall of Science
Instructional resources for grades PK-Post Secondary as well as professional development for teachers

Dive and Discover With Dive and Discover, your students are at the frontline of scientific inquiry as they join scientists—geologists, chemists and biologists—who are exploring the seafloor and making amazing new deep-sea discoveries.

  • C.O.O.L. Classroom

    Coastal Ocean Observation Laboratory

    C.o.o.l. is a series of Internet-based instructional modules that link middle and high school classrooms with active research investigations at the Rutgers RMCS COOLroom

    SEA at Woods Hole  K- 12 Lessons

    SEA's K-12 Lesson plans have recently been awarded the prestigious StudyWeb® Academic Excellence Award as,  "one of the Internet's premier sites for educational resources for students and teachers."

     Sample Lesson: How to Hide in the Ocean

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Saturday, July 14, 2007

Weekend Cat Blogging (WCB) 110

It's the weekend so kitty kats rule the blogosphere! This particular WCB is hosted by
Dragonheart's Domain and extra special since Dragonheart's first birthday is next Wednesday. Happy Birthday Dragonheart!! May you have lots of toys to play with, yummy treats and lots of hugs and kisses from your Mum and Dad.

This weekend, I'm featuring Boo the cat's mummy. She's always a serious one with her sweet expression but sometimes, watch her do her belly flips (sorry for the blurry bit as she was super fast with her action) and she can be comical. I love her round little tummy and can never resist reaching out to touch it during these action scenes. It may be also difficult for you to see in the pictures but she's actually quite a small cat compared to the others. Even Fluff Puff who is 1 years old is bigger and taller than her in size.

Stay tuned tomorrow for a breakfast review - somewhere to dine for a lazy brunch or early breakfast to kick start the morning.

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

Boo is a sweet little kitty with a cute face expression! I love it when cats do their belly flips!

Dragonheart said...

Lovely photos! :) Boo's mummy have a very cute tummy!

Thanks for taking part in WCB. :)

Laura said...

You can use this title that the Mosaic Lady didn't use (yet) for my photo shoot on the rocks:

Boo on the Rocks with a Twist

(in case this makes Mosaic Lady link to her site, which is OK today, 'cuz I bogarted both sites with my 5th Gotmeversary post! HA!)

Katie said...

What a beautiful cat, with white paws and white whiskers! And I agree, her tummy looks so fluffy! =]

Astrid, Kashim & Othello said...

what a wonderful portrait! I love the expression on the cute little face.

boo_licious said...

rosa - hope fridolin eats his meals and yes, I also love fat little bellies as they're so nice to rub when they do those flips.

dragonheart - happy birthday sweetie. Hope u get lots of pressies. Thanks so much for hosting.

Thanks Laura for that suggestion!

katie - she has a cute underside. Always irrestible.

astrid, kashim and othello - yes, she's a sweetie and so petite.

sammawow-china cat-willow said...

Oh, Boo's mummy is simply adorable - I love the white paws and the rolling around!

boo_licious said...

sammawow - thanks, she's a sweetie alrite.

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I've been doing some multivariate pdf problems such as this: we have $f(x,y,z)=xyz$ and we need to find $f(z)$ in which case we "integrate out" $x$ and $y$ over their respective ranges. I concretely understand this concept, however I do not understand how to generalize the following. If we have $f(x,y)=g(x)h(y)$ then the marginal pdf $f(y)=\frac{1}{k}h(y)$ where $k=\int_{-\infty}^\infty h(y) dy$. Is this the same concept as the example above?

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1 Answer 1

Yes, it is.

Since $f(x,y)=g(x)h(y)$ must a proper pdf, it must integrate to one. However, the single $g$ and $h$ need not necessarily integrate to one (just their product; thanks Dilip for pointing that out). To obtain the marginal w.r.t. $y$ you can integrate out $x$ as before (which gets you rid of $f$) leaving you with some constant times $h$, i.e. $\int f(x,y) = c h(y)$. $h(y)$ is also not necessarily a pdf and must be normalized to be a proper marginal. This is done via $$\frac{h(y)c}{\int h(y) c dy} = \frac{h(y)}{\int h(y) dy}.$$

Therefore, the constant you got from $g$ is not important since it cancels.

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"If $f(x,y)=g(x)h(y)$ is a proper pdf, then the marginal w.r.t. $y$ is just $h(y)$" is an ambiguous statement since we could instead write $f(x,y) = (2g(x))(0.5h(y)) = \hat{g}(x)\hat{h}(y)$ and conclude that the marginal pdf of $Y$ is $\hat{h}(y) = 0.5h(y)$. All that we can conclude is that the marginal pdf is proportional to $h(y)$ and that the marginal pdfs are $c\cdot g(x)$ and $c^{-1}h(y)$ where $$c = \int_{-\infty}^\infty h(y) \mathrm dy$$ which is exactly what the OP has. If you begin with $f(x,y)$ and "integrate out" w.r.t. $x$, you will be computing $\int g(x) dx$ which is $c^{-1}$. –  Dilip Sarwate Mar 29 '12 at 20:45
Oops, of course. Thanks for pointing it out. I changed the answer. –  fabee Mar 30 '12 at 6:37

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Let $\mathbf{A},\mathbf{B}$ be $n\times n$ matrices over a field $\mathbb{F}$.

How can we find if there exist a $n\times n$ matrix $\mathbf X$ s.t. $\mathbf{AX}=\mathbf{B}$? (and how can we find $\mathbf X$ if it exists?)

Note: if $|\mathbf A|\neq 0$ then it's easy since $\mathbf{X}=\mathbf{A}^{-1}\mathbf{B}$, but I stumbled on a problem where my $\mathbf A$ is not invertible.

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You can always (try to) solve the corresponding system of linear equations, but it's probably not the most efficient method. –  Gregor Bruns Aug 28 '12 at 12:32
@GregorBruns - We get a system of $n^2$ linear equations and with $n^2$ variables, right ? –  Belgi Aug 28 '12 at 12:36
yes, it's pretty huge. Of course, if you have symmetric or sparse matrices, it becomes more feasible. –  Gregor Bruns Aug 28 '12 at 12:39
@GregorBruns: The system automatically decouples into $n$ independent system of $n$ equations in $n$ variables each. And the coefficient matrix of each of these $n$ independent systems is exactly $A$! –  Henning Makholm Aug 28 '12 at 12:49
I had posted an answer and I deleted. I thought you were looking for solving an under determined system $Ax=b$, where $x$ and $b$ are vectors which is not the case in your problem. Anyways, there is a method called the Lagrange multipliers which is used to handle under determined system $Ax=b$. I do not know if it can be extended to your problem. Here is the reference. –  Mhenni Benghorbal Aug 28 '12 at 13:48

4 Answers 4

up vote 2 down vote accepted

Here is a simple characterization, but you cannot probably get away from row reducing.

The equation is consistent if and only if $Ax=c_i$ has solution for each column $c_i$ of $B$.

This is equivalent to $c_i \in Col(A)$, which leads to the following:

$$AX=B \, \mbox{ has solution} \, \Leftrightarrow Col(B) \subset Col(A) \,,$$

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I just realized that this solution is orthogonal to user8268s solution :) –  N. S. Aug 28 '12 at 13:42
But this solution is better, +1. –  Marc van Leeuwen Aug 28 '12 at 13:56

In principle you can (try to) solve it for one column of $B$ (and $X$) at a time.

In practice you can save time by doing Gauss-Jordan elimination on $[\,A\,|\,B\,]$ once and for all. If the leading $1$ coefficients of every nonzero row in the row echelon form are all in the $A$ part, you can read possible rows for $X$ off the $B$ side of the reduced row echelon form. Otherwise there is no solution.

If $A$ is not invertible, there will be either no solution for $X$ or infinitely many, since you can add an arbitrary vector from the kernel of $A$ to every column of $X$ without changing the value of $AX$.

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In general I think this problem will be as difficult as solving the system of linear equations, but there are a few observations you can make.

The statement that $AX=B$ is just saying that $B$ is in the cyclic right ideal of $M_n(\mathbb{F})$ generated by $A$.

Secondly, if $\mathrm{rank}(A)<\mathrm{rank}(B)$, then you have no hope of finding a solution, since the rank of $AX$ is no greater than that of $A$.

If you have additional requirements on $A$ and $B$ that might make this easier, you might write them up in another question. Using $A$ and $B$ in general is a pretty vague (although I admit natural) question.

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Solving the problem as Henning Makholm indicates is probably easier than calculating $\mathrm{rank}(A)$ and $\mathrm{rank}(B)$. –  Marc van Leeuwen Aug 28 '12 at 13:59
@MarcvanLeeuwen I did not anticipate anyone wanting to use the rank so precisely. I meant that it could be a simple indicator if one could see something about the rank immediately. For instance, if $B$ was obviously invertible, and $A$ had a zero row, or something along these lines. –  rschwieb Aug 28 '12 at 14:03

existence of $X$ is equivalent to: for every (row) vector $u$, $uA=0$ implies $uB=0$. You can therefore find a basis of the space of solutions of $uA=0$ and verify whether every element of the basis satisfies $uB=0$.

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I'm going through the introduction to Apostol's Calculus and am trying to prove the theorems that he gives.

Would this be an example of an acceptable proof?

THM 1.9 If $a\neq (0)$ then $b/a = b \cdot a^{-1}$

=$\frac ba = b\cdot a^{-1}$

Multiplying each side by a we get:

$a(\frac ba)=(b \cdot a^{-1}) \cdot a $

For the left side we use Thm1.8 and obtain b.

For the right side we use the associative, reciprocal, and identity axioms to obtain:

$=^{1.8} b =(b \cdot a^{-1}) \cdot a =b \dot (a \cdot a^{-1})= b \cdot 1 = b$

1.8 Given a and b with a $\neq 0$, there is exactly one x such taht ax=b. This x is denoted by b/a and is called the quoteient of b and a. In particular, 1/a is also written $a^{-1}$ and is called the reciprocal of a.

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Proofs are generally intended to be read by people, and when you communicate with people you use words, sentences, paragraphs. A proof should be an explanation. –  Mariano Suárez-Alvarez Feb 27 '13 at 19:57
The book by Apostol you are reading contains lots of proofs. You should strive for yours to look like his. –  Mariano Suárez-Alvarez Feb 27 '13 at 19:58
Thanks Mariano, I appreciate your advice, but I have seen several different proofs of certain concepts that Apostol also does, and I often like the method of proving of others to his. For brevity here, I did not list the axioms that I used. But is the method that I used here an acceptable way of a proof? –  AlexHeuman Feb 27 '13 at 20:01
If you handed me such a proof in an exam, I would give it back to you and tell you to explain in writing what you are doing. Again, a sequence of equalities with footnotes is not an explanation. –  Mariano Suárez-Alvarez Feb 27 '13 at 20:04
What I meant was: notice that when he writes a proof, he write sentences, logically connected to explain the line of his reasoning. A proof is text. –  Mariano Suárez-Alvarez Feb 27 '13 at 20:07

2 Answers 2

up vote 5 down vote accepted

Three complete sentences in one paragraph.

By definition, we have $a\cdot a^{-1}=1$. If we multiply by $b$ both sides of this equation, we see that $(a\cdot a^{-1})\cdot b=1\cdot b=b$ and then, associating differently the first member of this last equality, that $a\cdot (a^{-1}\cdot b)=b$. It follows that $b/a=a^{-1}\cdot b$, which equals $b\cdot a^{-1}$ simply because multiplication is commutative.

The worst problem with what your wrote is that you started with what you wanted to prove and modified it until you got something you knew, while in the immense majority of cases you should start from what you know and get to what you want to know. In many cases, this is just a matter of rewriting, but writing things in your direction is generlly harder and takes much more work to do correctly.

A different way to phrase it is:

As $a\cdot (b\cdot a^{-1})=a\cdot(a^{-1}\cdot b)=(a\cdot a^{-1})\cdot b=1\cdot b=b$, by definition we have $b\cdot a^{-1} = b/a$.

or, if you really must,

As \begin{align}a\cdot (b\cdot a^{-1})&=a\cdot(a^{-1}\cdot b) &&\text{by commutativity of $\cdot$}\\&=(a\cdot a^{-1})\cdot b &&\text{by associativity of $\cdot$}\\&=1\cdot b&&\text{by the definition of $a^{-1}$}\\&=b&&\text{because $1$ is a unit for $\cdot$,}\end{align} by definition we have $b\cdot a^{-1} = b/a$.

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Extremely important point there what you made about "starting with what he wanted to prove". This way of thinking is a common mistake that especially freshmen tend to have trouble with. The fact, that the claim implies something that is true, as $b=b$ e.g., does not imply that the claim itself is true. However, while it works with equivalences, it is still very unpreferable approach in my opinion. +1 for that. –  Thomas E. Feb 27 '13 at 21:14
Thanks Mariano for this detailed answer and for sticking with me. I understand a lot better now. –  AlexHeuman Feb 27 '13 at 21:27

Once you have proved that $\rm\: a(ba^{-1}) = b,\:$ then you can conclude by saying: by the uniqueness theorem 1.8, for solutions of $\rm\:a x = b,\:$ we deduce that $\rm\:ba^{-1}\! = b/a.\:$ The proof should explicitly say that it invokes a uniqueness theorem (a standard and powerful way of deducing equalities).

Thus you need only use your axioms to prove that $\rm\: a(ba^{-1}) = b,\:$ then conclude as above.

As for the attempted proof, it seems to prove that $\rm\: b/a = ba^{-1}\Rightarrow\: b = b,\:$ by multiplying both sides by $\rm\:a,\:$ then applying field axioms. I cannot judge if this is correct proof that $\rm\,b/a = ba^{-1}$ from what little is written. It could possibly denote the following correct proof. Let $\rm\:x' = b/a\:$ and $\rm\:x = ba^{-1}.\:$ Multiplying both by $\rm\ a\ $ shows that $\rm\: ax' = b = ax,\:$ so, by the uniqueness theorem, we deduce that $\rm\:x' = x.\:$ But it could also denote a possibly incorrect proof that starts by already assuming what is to be proved, then attempting to deduce a true equality (a common error).

In any case, as I said at the start, you need only prove that $\rm\:ax =b\:$ for $\rm\:x = ba^{-1}.$ There's no need to prove also that $\rm\:x' = b/a\:$ is a solution, since that is true definition, i.e. by Theorem 1.8 there exists a unique solution, denoted by $\rm\:b/a.\:$ If you've proved that $\rm\:ba^{-1}$ is a solution, then it follows immediately that $\rm\:ba^{-1}\! = b/a\:$ by the uniqueness half of the Theorem 1.8. The proof is done.

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Topic: query about function output
Replies: 4   Last Post: Dec 26, 2013 7:45 AM

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Nasser Abbasi

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Re: query about function output
Posted: Dec 26, 2013 7:45 AM
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On 12/26/2013 6:22 AM, Loren Shure wrote:

> As stated earlier and with this code, it looks like dB must be a function.
> In MATLAB, try
> which dB
> to see if there's such a file on your matlabpath. Then you can either get
> help for it or edit it to see what it does.
> --Loren
> http://blogs.mathworks.com/loren

dB is a matlab function. In signal processing toolbox

EDU>> help db
db Convert to decibels.
db(X) converts the elements of X to decibel units
across a 1 Ohm load. The elements of X are assumed
to represent voltage measurements.

EDU>> which db
C:\Program Files (x86)\MATLAB\R2013a Student\toolbox\signal\signal\db.m

"Convert energy or power measurements to decibels"

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Let $X$ be a smooth surface of genus $g$ and $S^nX$ its n-symmetrical product (that is, the quotient of $X \times ... \times X$ by the symmetric group $S_n$). There is a well known, cool formula computing the Euler characteristic of all these n-symmetrical products:

$$\sum_{d \geq 0} \ \chi \left(X^{[d]} \right)q^d \ \ = \ \ (1-q)^{- \chi(X)}$$

It is known that $S^nX \cong X^{[n]}$, the Hilbert scheme of 0-subschemes of length n over $X$. Hence, the previous formula also computes the Euler characteristic of these spaces.

What about for singular surfaces? More precisely, if $X$ is a singular complex algebraic curve, do you know how to compute the Euler characteristic of its n-symmetrical powers $S^nX$? More importantly: what is the Euler characteristic of $X^{[n]}$, the Hilbert scheme of 0-schemes of length n over $X$?

I guess it is too much to hope for a formula as neat as the one given for the smooth case. Examples, formulas for a few cases or general behaviour (e.g. if for large n, $\chi\left(X^{[n]}\right) = 0)$ are all very welcome!

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James, please be cautious about editing your question after answers have started to appear! VA gave a very nice answer using your original notation, whose meaning you've now changed. –  Tim Perutz Jan 17 '10 at 4:32

4 Answers 4

up vote 11 down vote accepted

For singular plane curves, there is a conjectural formula (due to Alexei Oblomkov and myself) in terms of the HOMFLY polynomial of the links of the singularities. For curves whose singularities are torus knots, i.e. like x^a = y^b for a,b relatively prime, and for a few more singularities, the conjecture has been established. See this preprint.

Edit: More recently I have given a different characterization of these numbers in terms of multiplicities of certain strata in the versal deformation of the singular curve.

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This is a beautiful conjecture!! –  Geordie Williamson Mar 18 '10 at 8:38
Thanks for your answer. Indeed, I attended the talk you gave in London on your conjecture and results! I think that Pandharipande's notes also sheds light to the question: math.princeton.edu/~rahulp/hilbert.pdf –  James O Mar 18 '10 at 12:46
May I ask how you arrived at this question? In particular, does it come from studying the Hilbert schemes of points on surfaces on which the curve may sit? It would be very useful to me to know a formula looking roughly like: "the generating function of Euler characteristics of Hilbert schemes of singular curves on a surface is the trace / vacuum expectation value of some generalized Nakajima operator associated to the singular curve"... –  Vivek Shende Mar 18 '10 at 15:37
I was thinking about some questions on stable pairs invariants - one of the ideas lead to this question. But then the problem sounded too hard (indeed, an open problem) and I started exploring some other direction. So, I am sorry but I don't know any interpretation of this question on the Euler char. in terms of Nakajima operators. Actually, I went towards the study of these operators to avoid these Euler characteristic computations. –  James O Mar 23 '10 at 10:35

The same formula holds for $\chi(X^{[n]})$ of any topological space for which $\chi(X)$ is defined and behaves in the expected way for unions, Cartesian products, and quotients by a finite free action. This includes the category of all algebraic varieties over $\mathbb C$.

For example, $$\chi(X^{[2]})= \frac{\chi(X\times X)- \chi(\operatorname{diag} X)}{2} + \chi(X) = \frac{ \chi(X)^2 + \chi(X) }{2},$$ etc. No matter whether $X$ is a smooth curve or a singular 3-fold.

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Thanks a lot VA, it also helped me better phrase the question to the part I am stuck on - The Hilbert scheme part. Thanks again! Also, sorry for my inappropriate change of notation: $X^{[n]}$ here in VA's argument means $S^nX$. My bad. –  James O Jan 17 '10 at 4:48

(Edited to reflect adjusted question.) The topology of symmetric products of a non-singular curve was worked out by Macdonald, Topology 1 (1962), 319-343. The starting point is the observation (which is quite general, hence applies to singular curves) that the rational cohomology of the symmetric product is the invariant part of the cohomology of the Cartesian product, from which one can work out the Euler characteristic.

The Euler characteristic of the Hilbert scheme of $n$ points on a curve is a rather subtler problem, since these spaces feel the nature of the singularities. In the simplest case, a curve with one node, I wrote down how to describe the Hilbert scheme as a variety with normal crossings here (see Section 3.2 and the appendix). I also described its cohomology. From that you can write down the Euler characteristic.

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Thanks a lot for your answer! –  James O Jan 17 '10 at 4:04

It is the partitions of n p(n) as is shown in this paper by De Cataldo http://www.springerlink.com/content/gab4epw8tmt4hk4a/

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Va P, for James "a surface" is not a two-dimensional complex surface but a one-dimensional complex curve. Moreover it is singular. –  Dmitri Jan 28 '10 at 8:12

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