Bulletproof clothing part 2

Interesting article on Teaching English Abroad

I found this really cool website about travel overseas and working. It is excellent and has some really cool posts.
The top 10 place to Teaching English Abroad.

Another Blog, Matador Abroad. Travel to study, work and explore.

Check the out.
Cheers,


Heading up to Richmond today for Ellie's Graduation Party.

Google- Searching for certain file types

One of the coolest features on Google searches is the ability to search for common file types, such as Powerpoint (.ppt), Word Documents (.doc and .docx- word 2007 default file type) and Adobe Acrobat (.pdf)

Just put your search term such as "Baader-Meinhof Gang" and put "filetype:doc" or whichever type of file for which you are searching. It is great to find ready made items or get ideas for your own work.

The Baader Meinhof Complex

I saw last night and it is excellent. I strongly recommend it:
The Baader Meinhof Complex
IMDB Link

Synopsis:
Germany in the 1970s: Murderous bomb attacks, the threat of terrorism and the fear of the enemy inside are rocking the very foundations of the yet fragile German democracy. The radicalised children of the Nazi generation lead by Andreas Baader, Ulrike Meinhof and Gudrun Ensslin are fighting a violent war against what they perceive as the new face of fascism: American imperialism supported by the German establishment, many of whom have a Nazi past. Their aim is to create a more human society but by employing inhuman means they not only spread terror and bloodshed, they also lose their own humanity. The man who understands them is also their hunter: the head of the German police force Horst Herold. And while he succeeds in his relentless pursuit of the young terrorists, he knows he's only dealing with the tip of the iceberg.

Official Movie Site (UK release)

Alicia Update #4

Hi Everyone,

Yesterday was a very exciting day of program training. All of the spring volunteers plus our program director from Slovenia and assistant program director from the UK who graduated from Cambridge went to the Adventure Park in Adelboden to learn how to assist with the high rope activities with guests. We learned how to zipline across a river under a bridge many times back and forth at varying heights. Then our group went on a high ropes course. On this course we were attached to a cable over the river and walked over moving logs, trapezes, and went swinging like Tarzan. {the mountain guide leading the course told us to make Tarzan noises} Next we went abseiling off a bridge and then the most exciting part of the day occurred. It is called the Pendulum Swing. Basically I was attached to a full body harness with two ropes on the end. Basically I jumped off a ledge on a bridge into the river below and had a few seconds of free fall [very terrifying] before the rope caught me and then I swung like a pendulum back and forth. Although I was very nervous I looked calm and everyone around me commented on how calm I looked. It was an unforgettable experience. Usually scouts have to pay 20 francs extra for this swing. Then we had lunch by the river which for me was a tuna sandwich with cheese and a cucumber and cheese sandwich with an apple. For the afternoon we went outdoor rock climbing and practiced belaying. I have quite improved my climbing technique and skill since I learned that climbing centers on your feet and not your arms. I climbed the most out of our group and made it up 4 routes.

Today was another program day and we first hiked to a gorge and did abseiling/repelling in the morning. Then we had lunch by the river and got to explore the water and the large stones surrounding it. After that we went to the wood carvers where you can buy everything hand crafted from wooden cows to wooden bottle openers. Scouts can buy woggles and other souvenirs with their name put on it. A family has run this wood carving business for generations and was very engaging and loved telling us about their work. The mother treated us to orange juice, mineral water that is bottled and comes from Adelboden (apparently Adelboden is known for their spring water), and cookies. Then we visited a cafe where we will take scouts. The program assistant treated us to lemon cake there which was delicious. Today was also a great day because a could understand most of the German being spoken in the wood carvers. I am hoping to practice and learn more German while I am here. After eating the cake we hiked back to the chalet for dinner.

Finally tomorrow we get to move into the staff house called Stockli. We couldn't move in there earlier because the spring volunteers were still here. They left on Monday and I was sad to see them go because they were really engaging. Also I spent one day off with one of the spring vollies from the U.K. and I could tell we would be great hiking partners. Well the exciting news is that I have finally found out who my roommate is....It is Emi from Tokyo, Japan. Emi and I went hiking together on a day off and we get along well. Well tomorrow is a day off and I get to move into Stockli and then Friday is a staff training hike on Bunderspitz. Then I have the weekend both Saturday and Sunday off.

love, alicia

Jon Stewart on "Government Motors"

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
BiG Mess
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Economic Crisis

Church of Scientology Banned From Wikipedia

This is pretty sad.
"In an unprecedented attempt to maintain some form of creditability, the Wikipedia arbitration committee has unanimously voted to crack down on the Church of Scientology by banning all IP address assigned to the organization and its associates. The conclusion of this case marks the longest running dispute proceedings in the websites history, and the full ban goes into effect immediately. The ruling also represents the single largest ban handed down by the encyclopedia monolith, an accomplishment that I doubt the Church will be adding to their entry any time soon.

The accusations made by the Wikipedia board include several counts of failing to maintain impartiality, and using the service to promote its own personal agenda. Multiple editors from the same IP range were logged in and were accused of coordinating their efforts to force through changes. This type of behavior is clearly prohibited in the terms of service, and also prevents people from using the wiki to publish original research that cannot be properly supported.

During the dispute it was argued by the Church that those editing from Scientology IPs were acting without direction from the Church itself, however, a former member of the Scientology Office of Special Affairs suggests otherwise. "The guys I worked with posted every day all day," Tory Christman tells The Reg. "It was like a machine. I worked with someone who used five separate computers, five separate anonymous identities...to refute any facts from the internet about the Church of Scientology."

So did Wikipedia handle this properly, and more importantly, do you still trust their neutrality." more here

State and Local Budget Cuts Forcing Hickory Public Schools to Reduce Positions

This shows the ever expanding influence of the "financial crisis" especially on the local level.

The ever-increasing state-wide economic crisis is causing a serious reduction in state and local funding for Hickory Public Schools. The loss of funding may force the school system to cut a number of positions at all levels.

Have you heard of Pokémon Shock?

This is Crazyness. I had never heard of the Pokémon Shock ポケモンショック of 1997. Never to be rebroadcast again. More here. ,

An email I sent to a friend:

Very great to hear from you! I think about you sometimes and was unsure what was going on in your world! Life is treating me very well right now. I am teaching student’s history that have had trouble (drugs, violence, anger, grades, an interesting combination) at their regular high schools. I have to break up fights and have to use a lot of patience in my classroom. I teach US History and Civics. I have moved and live in a small town called Hickory in North Carolina.


I am taking night classes from Appalachian State University. I am working on my graduate degree in History/ Secondary Education. It is a two year program with Fall, Spring and Summer 1 courses. Right now, I am on my first year between Spring and Summer 1 classes.


I will be in my current town, Hickory for another year to finish graduate school and then I am going to be looking for new opportunities. I would like to move somewhere overseas or maybe work at KISC for a year? I am unsure.


My two sisters are in Switzerland this summer. My sister Alicia (20) is working at Our Chalet in Adelboden for the summer; she is already there right now. Alicia was a Short termer at kisc last summer. My other sister Ellie (18) will be heading to kisc this summer (June 14) for her Short term summer. They are both very excited. I am quite jealous of them.