a classic image of mars from the viking lander. click on image for full size the viking missions the viking i and viking 2 missions were designed to both orbit mars and land and make exploratory observations on the planet ' s surface. at this stage in the history of the exploration of mars, scientists had no idea what to expect nor what they might discover upon landing on the surface. the landers verified mariner missions ' bleak findings of the " lunar - esc " martian landscape, and performed soil studies similar to those performed by mars pathfinder ( mpf ). the soils examined by the viking missions were found to be similar, but unlike those explored by mpf! immediately prior to viking 2 orbit insertion, mars was completely enveloped in a global dust storm, rendering the surface invisible to cameras for several months. it was the first time that scientists realized the extent and potential intensity of martain dust storms. eventually, pictures * were * returned by the viking orbiters and these pictures contained valuable information about martian channels and other surface features. among other things, altimetry measurements from the viking orbiters helped establish the enormous size of olympus mons, which was first imaged by mariner 9. viking made more complete measurements of the figure of mars, measurements which help scientists understand the interior of the planet and the existence of the bulge called tharsis ridge. some of the data returned from these two spacecraft are shown in the image archive below. with this data, scientists began to make the first educated guesses about what the interior, surface history, and evolution of mars must be. the next american spacecraft to scheduled visit mars was the mars observer mission. shop windows to the universe science store! our online store includes issues of nesta ' s quarterly journal, the earth scientist, full of classroom activities on different topics in earth and space science, ranging from seismology, rocks and minerals, and earth system science you might also be interested in : what types of instructional experiences help k - 8 students learn science with understanding? what do science educators teachers, teacher leaders, science specialists, professional development staff, curriculum designers, school administrators need to know to create and support such experiences?... more the viking missions to mars were part of a series of u. s. efforts to explore and better understand the red planet. each viking spacecraft consisted of an orbiter and lander. the landers were sterilized... more soils form through a complex interaction of the molecules of soil with particles and molecules of the atmosphere. measurements


and better understand the red planet. each viking spacecraft consisted of an orbiter and lander. the landers were sterilized... more soils form through a complex interaction of the molecules of soil with particles and molecules of the atmosphere. measurements of the soil contribute to an understanding of a planet ' s climate, weather,... more this image shows a local dust storm near the edge of the south polar cap. viewing of this image at high resolution is recommended. this fascinating image shows dust swirling over a large area. martian... more this image, taken from the mars global surveyor mission ( mgs ), shows the tharsis ridge, the green / blue area in the middle of the picture, as well as a portion of the southern hemisphere of mars. the green... more the mars observer set out to observe the atmosphere ( detailed weather rather than climate ), magnetic field and surface of mars. it carried with it 8 instruments. however, the mars observer ( mo ) failed... more in spite of mars ' similarity to earth in size and proximity to the sun, the environment of mars seems unfriendly toward life as we know it on earth. mars is small, so there is not much gravity. for this... more in spite of the fact that mars has an atmosphere, the environment of mars seems unfriendly toward life as we know it on earth. mars is small, so there is not much gravity. for this reason, much of the... more


let ’ s limit the effect of software patents, since we can ’ t eliminate them - 6 : 30 am patents threaten every software developer, and the patent wars we have long feared have broken out. software developers and software users – which in our society, is most people – need software to be free of patents. the patents that threaten us are often called “ software patents, ” but that term is misleading. such patents are not about any specific program. rather, each patent describes some practical idea, and says that anyone carrying out the idea can be sued. so it ’ s clearer to call them “ computational idea patents. ” the u. s. patent system doesn ’ t label patents to say this one ’ s a “ software patent ” and that one isn ’ t. software developers are the ones who make a distinction between the patents that threaten us – those that cover ideas that can be implemented in software – and the rest. for example : if the patented idea is the shape of a physical structure or a chemical reaction, no program can implement that idea ; that patent doesn ’ t threaten the software field. but if the idea that ’ s patented is a computation, that patent ’ s barrel points at software developers and users. this is not to say that computational idea patents prohibit only software. these ideas can also be implemented in hardware … and many of them have been. each patent typically covers both hardware and software implementations of the idea. the magnitude of the software problem still, software is where computational idea patents cause a special problem. in software, it ’ s easy to implement thousands of ideas together in one program : if 10 percent are patented, that means hundreds of patents threaten it. when dan ravicher of the public patent foundation studied one large program ( linux, which is the kernel of the gnu / linux operating system ) in 2004, he found 283 u. s. patents that appeared to cover computing ideas implemented in the source code of that program. that same year, it was estimated that linux was. 25 percent of the whole gnu / linux system. multiplying 300 by 400 we get the order - of - magnitude estimate that the system as a whole was threatened by around 100, 000 patents. if half of those patents were eliminated as “ bad quality ” – i. e., mistakes of the patent system – it would not really change things. whether 100, 000 patents or 50, 000, it ’ s the same disaster. this is why it ’ s a mistake to limit our criticism of software patents to just “ patent trolls


mistakes of the patent system – it would not really change things. whether 100, 000 patents or 50, 000, it ’ s the same disaster. this is why it ’ s a mistake to limit our criticism of software patents to just “ patent trolls ” or ” bad quality ” patents. in this sense apple, which isn ’ t a “ troll ” by the usual definition, is the most dangerous patent aggressor today. i don ’ t know whether apple ’ s patents are “ good quality, ” but the better the patent ’ s “ quality, ” the more dangerous its threat. we need to fix the whole problem, not just a part. the usual suggestions for correcting the problem legislatively involve changing the criteria for granting patents – for instance, to ban issuing patents on computational practices and systems to perform them. but this approach has two drawbacks. first, patent lawyers are clever at reformulating patents to fit whatever rules may apply ; they transform any attempt at limiting the substance of patents into a requirement of mere form. for instance, many u. s. computational idea patents describe a system including an arithmetic unit, an instruction sequencer, a memory, plus controls to carry out a particular computation. this is a peculiar way of describing a computer running a program that does a certain computation ; it was designed to make the patent application satisfy criteria that the u. s. patent system was believed for a time to require. second, the u. s. already has many thousands of computational idea patents, and changing the criteria to prevent issuing more would not get rid of the existing ones. we would have to wait almost 20 years for the problem to be entirely corrected through patent expiration. and legislating the abolition of these existing patents is probably unconstitutional. ( perversely, the supreme court has insisted that congress can extend private privileges at the expense of the public ’ s rights but that it can ’ t go in the other direction. ) a different approach : limit effect, not patentability my suggestion is to change the effect of patents. we should legislate that developing, distributing, or running a program on generally used computing hardware does not constitute patent infringement. this approach has several advantages : - it doesn ’ t require classifying patents or patent applications as “ software ” or “ not software. ” - it provides developers and users with protection from both existing and potential future computational idea patents. - patent lawyers can ’ t defeat the intended effect by writing applications differently. this approach doesn ’ t entirely invalidate existing computational idea patents


we can assume that when richard iii was interred by the monks in the church of the greyfriars, possibly with a few of henry tudor ' s henchmen present to see that it was done, it would not have been the burial a king of england could have expected. the confirmation that the remains found in leicester are those of king richard means that, at last, this can be put right and he can be laid to rest with the solemnity and dignity that is appropriate for an anointed king. even more significantly, the finding and reinterment of richard iii ' s remains will, we hope, open up the debate about the king and his reputation. it would make such a difference if people would start to look into the history of this much maligned monarch without the old prejudices. perhaps, then, they will see past the myth and innuendo that has blackened his name and find the truth. no one is going to suggest that he was a saint - i have said on many occasions that we are not the richard iii adoration society - but even a cursory reading of the known facts will show that the tudor representation of richard iii, especially that in shakespeare ' s well known play, just doesn ' t stand up. shakespeare wrote a great play but even he must have been aware that he was twisting the facts in order to make it more dramatic. after all, he called it a " tragedy " not a " history. " his richard iii is a villain and a superb villain at that, but shakespeare was not writing history, no matter what the duke of marlborough might have thought. there are many instances where the portrayal just does not fit the historical record. for instance, in one of his three plays about henry vi, shakespeare has richard of gloucester, later richard iii, killing the duke of somerset at the first battle of st albans. at the time of that fight, richard plantagenet wasn ' t duke of gloucester and, more cogently, he wasn ' t yet three years old! the richard iii society was founded as the fellowship of the white boar almost 90 years ago. it was re - founded in 1956 and changed its name three years later, as a result of which, it took on a more missionary approach to its aims of securing a reassessment of the material relating to the life and times of this king. this was not new, of course, as reassessment had begun in the 17th century after the death of the last tudor monarch and it has continued ever


a reassessment of the material relating to the life and times of this king. this was not new, of course, as reassessment had begun in the 17th century after the death of the last tudor monarch and it has continued ever since. over the centuries, the approach to richard iii ' s reputation has swung like a pendulum. if, as a result of the finding of richard iii and all the publicity it has engendered, people can be encouraged to read the facts for themselves, it will be a truly great event and all who have been involved in the project are to be congratulated. i have followed its progress from an early stage when philippa langley, a member of the richard iii society whose idea it was, first came to me to ask if she thought it was viable and would the society be willing to back it. i have tried to encourage her at times when doors were being shut and when there were setbacks and together we appealed for money when there was a shortfall. it is a great testament to philippa ' s tenacity and bloody - mindedness that the project has been so successful. richard iii was no saint but neither was he a criminal. all but one of the so - called crimes laid at his door can be refuted by the facts. the one that cannot is the disappearance of his nephews, the " princes in the tower " and the answer to that question is simply that no - one knows what happened to them. all that follows is conjecture - they just disappeared. richard had no need to kill them ; they had been declared bastards. henry vii needed them out of the way, but he got so scared whenever a pretender appeared that it is likely that he knew they were alive at the time richard died at bosworth. did they die in 1483 or 1485 or were they spirited out of the country to their aunt, the dowager duchess of burgundy? we will probably never know. to return to the question of what will the finding of richard iii ' s remains mean? let us hope it means more clear thinking, a wider debate, greater seeking of the truth and above all, may it set the record straight for good king richard!


biology - life cycles game craig t. brandow native american preparatory school p. o. box 260 rowe, new mexico 87562 notes to the teacher : to top 2. life cycles game is not a difficult game and can be challenged by lower or high level students. students can use their texts to look up answers to questions they do not know. 3. not all of the words used in the game are from a particular area but from several subject areas in biology. 2. prokaryote - cell or organism lacking a membrane - bound, structurally discrete nucleus and other subcellular compartments. bacteria are prokaryotes. compare eukaryote. see chromosomes. 3. centromere - a specialized chromosome region to which spindle fibers attach during cell division. 4. rna - ribonucleic acid, a chemical found in the nucleus and cytoplasm of cells ; it plays an important role in protein synthesis and other chemical activities of the cell. the structure of rna is similar to that of dna. there are several classes of rna molecules, including messenger rna, transfer rna, ribosomal rna, and other small rnas, each serving a different purpose. 5. mitosis - the process of nuclear division in cells that produces daughter cells that are genetically identical to each other and to the parent cell. 6. cytokinesis - is the process where one cell splits off from its sister cell. it usually occurs after cell division. 7. cell cycle - is the sequence of growth, dna replication, growth and cell division that all cells go through. 8. prophase - is the first stage of mitosis proper. chromatin condenses ( remember that chromatin / dna replicate during interphase ), the nuclear envelope dissolves, centrioles ( if present ) divide and migrate, kinetchores and kinetochore fibers form, and the spindle forms. 9. metaphase - a stage in mitosis or meiosis during which the chromosomes are aligned along the equatorial plane of the cell. 10. sex chromosomes - the x and y chromosomes in human beings that determine the sex of an individual. females have two x chromosomes in diploid cells ; males have an x and a y chromosome. the sex chromosomes comprise the 23rd chromosome pair in a karyotype. compare autosome. 11. dna - ( deoxyribonucleic acid ) : the molecule that encodes genetic information. dna is a double stranded molecule held together by weak bonds between base


23rd chromosome pair in a karyotype. compare autosome. 11. dna - ( deoxyribonucleic acid ) : the molecule that encodes genetic information. dna is a double stranded molecule held together by weak bonds between base pairs of nucleotides. the four nucleotides in dna contain the bases : adenine ( a ), guanine ( g ), cytosine ( c ), and thymine ( t ). in nature, base pairs form only between a and t and between g and c ; thus the base sequence of each single strand can be deduced from that of its partner. 12. haploid - a single set of chromosomes ( half the full set of genetic material ), present in the egg and sperm cells of animals and in the egg and pollen cells of plants. human beings have 23 chromosomes in their reproductive cells. compare diploid. 13. amino acids - small molecules that form the building blocks of protein. 14. double helix - the shape that two linear strands of dna assume when bonded together. 15. transcription - the synthesis of an rna copy from a sequence of dna ( a gene ) ; the first step in gene expression. compare translation. 16. telophase - is when the chromosomes reach the poles of their respective spindles, the nuclear envelope reforms, chromosomes uncoil into chromatin form, and the nucleolus ( which had disappeared during prophase ) reform. where there was one cell there are now two smaller cells each with exactly the same genetic information. these cells may then develop into different adult forms via the processes of development. 17. cleavage furrow - when cytokinesis occurs during mitosis, the location of the furrow is ordinarily determined by the orientation of the spindle, in whose equatorial region the furrow forms. the furrow becomes progressively deeper, until it cuts completely through the cell producing two new cells. 18. cell plate - forms in cytoplasm of plant cell and slowly becomes larger until its edges reach the outer surface of the cells and the cells contents are cut in two. 19. hybridization - the process of joining two complimentary strands of dna or one each of dna and rna to form a double - stranded molecule. 20. morphogenesis - the establishment of shape and pattern in a organism. 21. daughter cell - process whereby a mother cell gives rise to two identical daughter cells ( see mitosis ) or four gametes ( see meiosis )


molecule. 20. morphogenesis - the establishment of shape and pattern in a organism. 21. daughter cell - process whereby a mother cell gives rise to two identical daughter cells ( see mitosis ) or four gametes ( see meiosis ). 22. dna fingerprinting - the characterization of one or more features of an individuals genome by developing a dna fragment band ( allele ) pattern. if a sufficient number of different size bands are analyzed, the resultant bar code profile will be unique for each individual, except identical twins. it involves the use of restriction enzymes and gel electrophoresis. 23. autosome - non - sex chromosome. there are 22 autosomes in the human genome. 24. interphase - the period in the cell cycle when dna is replicated in the nucleus ; followed by mitosis. 25. nucleotide - a subunit of dna or rna consisting of a nitrogenous base ( adenine, guanine, thymine, or cytosine in dna ; adenine, guanine, uracil, or cytosine in rna ), a phosphate molecule, and a sugar molecule ( deoxyribose in dna and ribose in rna ). thousands of nucleotides are linked to form a dna or rna molecule. see dna, base pair, rna. 26. protein - a large molecule composed of one or more chains of amino acids in a specific order ; the order is determined by the base sequence or nucleotides in the gene coding for the protein. proteins are required for the structure, function, and regulation of the body cells, tissues, and organs, and each protein has unique functions. examples are hormones, enzymes, and antibodies. 27. enzyme - a protein that acts as a catalyst, speeding the rate at which a biochemical reaction proceeds but not altering the direction or nature of the reaction. 28. alleles - alternative forms of a genetic characteristic. 29. chromosomes - the self - replicating genetic structures of cells containing the cellular dna that bears in its nucleotide sequence the linear array of genes. in prokaryotes, chromosomal dna is circular, and the entire genome is carried on one chromosome. eukaryotic genomes consist of a number of chromosomes whose dna is associated with different kinds of proteins. 30. gene - the fundamental unit of heredity. 31. gene mapping - determination of the relative position of genes on a dna molecule ( chromosome or plasmid ) and of the distance, in


dna is associated with different kinds of proteins. 30. gene - the fundamental unit of heredity. 31. gene mapping - determination of the relative position of genes on a dna molecule ( chromosome or plasmid ) and of the distance, in linkage units or physical units, between them. 32. genome - the entire genetic identity of an individual, including alleles, or gene forms, that do not show as outward characteristics. 33. mutation - any heritable change in dna sequence. 34. plasmid - a small circular piece of dna free in the cytoplasm of a bacterial or yeast cell and replicated independently of the cell ' s chromosome. 35. recessive gene - a gene which must be present on both chromosomes in a pair to show outward signs of a certain characteristic. 36. amnion - an extra embryonic membrane that forms a fluid - filled sac containing the embryo in reptiles, birds, and mammals. 37. translation - the process by which rna makes proteins. 38. embryo - a plant or animal in an early stage of development, generally still contained within the seed, egg or uterus. 39. fertilization - fusion of nuclei of egg and sperm. 40. yolk - stored food material in an egg. 41. meiosis - the process of two consecutive cell divisions in the diploid of sex cells. meiosis results in four rather than two daughter cells, each with a haploid set of chromosomes. 42. karotypes - a photomicrograph of an individuals chromosomes arranged in a standard format showing the number, size, and shape of each chromosome type ; used in low - resolution physical mapping to correlate gross chromosomal abnormalities with the characteristics of specific diseases. 43. zygote - a fertilized egg cell. 44. blastula - an early embryonic stage in animals, preceding the delimitation of the three principle tissue layers ; frequently spherical and hollow. 45. gastrula - a two - layered, three - layered, animal embryonic stage. 46. clone - a group of genetically identical cells or organisms that are descended from one parent. identical twins are clones, as are clones of bacteria that reproduce by simple cell division. 47. gamete - mature male or female reproductive cell ( sperm or ovum ) with a haploid set of chromosomes ( 23 for humans ). 48. phenotype - the outward physical characteristics of an organism. 49. genotype - the particular combination of


mature male or female reproductive cell ( sperm or ovum ) with a haploid set of chromosomes ( 23 for humans ). 48. phenotype - the outward physical characteristics of an organism. 49. genotype - the particular combination of genes present in the cells of an individual. 50. binary fission - reproduction by the division of a cell into two essentially equal parts by a nonmutatic process. to help familiarize the students with new words and concepts. students will use logical approaches to solving the problem and will use textbook as a resource. biology textbooks, biology life cycles word game, dice, cup, hour glass, score sheets and game cards. follow game rules and instructions. the class will be divided into groups and each group will have a life cycles game board to use. each group will select the role of each of the players before starting the game. 1. teacher will divide up the class into groups of 4 each group will be given a " biology life cycles game board " ( 50 cards with definitions on one side and blank or picture on opposite side, 2 playing dice, cup ( to shake dice ), scoring paper, miniture hour glass ( like one used in scrabble ) and reference materials ( biology ). the gameboard and cards are items that can be made by the teacher or students in the classroom using cardboard and construction paper. 2. in order to play the game each student will take a turn rolling the dice ; if the numbers come up even, then the student can pick up one card from the stack at the center of the gameboard. the vocabulary / concept cards will be laying face down on the gameboard. when the student picks up the card, they will try and match it up with the labels on the gameboard. the miniture hour glass will be turned over as soon as the dice are rolled, this will be done by the scorekeeper. 3. when the sand runs out on the hourglass, the scorekeeper will call " time " and the next person will take their turn. the game cards are worth 5 points, if the card ( with the definitions ) matches the right name, then the player is awarded 5 points. anytime, a player throws a dice and it comes up with odd numbers, they lose their turn and must pass the cup to the player on their left. the game always goes in a clockwise direction! 4. students can use their texts to look up any vocabulary words they are not familiar with, however, if they have not read the chapter assig


must pass the cup to the player on their left. the game always goes in a clockwise direction! 4. students can use their texts to look up any vocabulary words they are not familiar with, however, if they have not read the chapter assigment, they will have some trouble meeting the time window. scorekeeper will announce the winning player whose total score reaches 100 points. the students who have the highest points in their respective group will play the winners of the other groups until there is one overall winner. the top 3 class winners will help the teacher to pick vocabulary words that can be used in future life cycles board games. students will complete game when the first student accumulates 100 points. to top 2. what the heck is a gene? http / / falcon. cc. ukans. edu / - jbrown / gene. html 3. diving into the gene pool - http / / www. exploratorium. edu / / genepool / glossary. html 4. cell division : binary fission and mitosis - http / / www. eme. maricopa. edu / bio18 / biobk / biobookmito. html 5. mitosis - http / / www. botany. utexas. edu / facstaff / facpages / ksata / ecpp96 / 9 / index. htm 6. biological science ( fifth edition ), william t. keeton, james l. & carol g. gould, w. w. norton and company, new york, new york. 1993. 7. schaum ' s outline of " theory and problems of molecular and cell biology ", william d. stansfield, ph. d., jaime s. colume ', ph. d. and raul j. cano, ph. d., mcgraw - hill, 1996 8. dna fingerprinting - an introduction, lorne t. kirby - stockton press, 15 east 26th street, new york, new york 10010, 1990. 9. discovering dna structure http : / / www. gene. com / ae / ae / aepc / wwc / 1994 / discovering _ dna. html.


american heritage® dictionary of the english language, fourth edition - adj. impervious to pleas, appeals, or reason ; stubbornly unyielding. see synonyms at inflexible. - n. a stone once believed to be impenetrable in its hardness. - n. an extremely hard substance. century dictionary and cyclopedia - n. a name applied with more or less indefiniteness to various real or imaginary metals or minerals characterized by extreme hardness : as the diamond - n. the natural opposite of the diamond - n. a lodestone or magnet, and - n. an anti - magnet. - n. in general, any substance of impenetrable or surpassing hardness ; that which is impregnable to any force. - adj. firm ; unshakeable ; unyielding ; determined. - n. a rock or mineral held by some to be of impenetrable hardness ; a name given to the diamond and other substances of extreme hardness. - n. an embodiment of impregnable hardness. - n. a magnet ; a lodestone. gnu webster ' s 1913 - n. a stone imagined by some to be of impenetrable hardness ; a name given to the diamond and other substances of extreme hardness ; but in modern mineralogy it has no technical signification. it is now a rhetorical or poetical name for the embodiment of impenetrable hardness. - n. obsolete lodestone ; magnet. - adj. impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, reason - n. very hard native crystalline carbon valued as a gem - from latin adamantem, accusative singular form of adamas ( " hard as steel " ), from ancient greek αδαμας ( adamas, " invincible " ), from α - ( a -, " not " ) + δαμαζω ( damazo, " i tame " ). ( wiktionary ) - from middle english, a hard precious stone, from old french adamaunt, from latin adamas, adamant -, from greek, unconquerable, hard steel, diamond ; see demə - in indo - european roots. ( american heritage® dictionary of the english language, fourth edition ) “ while some analysts believe the fed ' s move has been largely priced in, others remain adamant that the u. s. currency will suffer as long as policy is eased further. ”


( american heritage® dictionary of the english language, fourth edition ) “ while some analysts believe the fed ' s move has been largely priced in, others remain adamant that the u. s. currency will suffer as long as policy is eased further. ” “ i was adamant from the outset that it should be packaged like fiction … petite | ” “ still, republicans say they remain adamant that public broadcasting cannot receive funding at the expense of healthcare and education programs. ” “ anorexia is defined as the adamant conscious refusal to eat, to the point of self - starvation ; in extreme cases, it can be so severe as to cause death. ” “ i shall say, he that can take a prospect of the eternally miserable condition of multitudes among whom we live, and the approaching miseries which, without repentance and reformation, will not be avoided, and not spend some tears on them, hath a heart like a flint or adamant, that is capable of no impression. ” “ it is the greatest kind of hardness ; and hence they are said to be harder than a rock, or than an adamant, that is, harder than flint ; so hard, that nothing can enter ( jer 5 : 3 ; zech 7 : 12 ). ” “ i ' m always kind of adamant that musicians should not be visual artists. ” “ director ruba nadda says she was " adamant " that the character be 50 years old. ” “ laura bush was " adamant " about it, but kept it all quiet. ” “ speaking at a seminar on the state response to the crime problem, senior researcher johan burger said that he was " adamant " that the strategy had failed. ” these user - created lists contain the word ‘ adamant ’. a complete barron ' s wordlist for gre preparation. your online flashcard replacement. music brings silence ' s to raging thoughts and temperament, calm, as it is our object of definite purpose. these come from gamma meditation, i think. every major discipline has uniquely developed esoteric nomenclature to facilitate interdisciplinary dissemination looking for tweets for adamant.


american heritage® dictionary of the english language, fourth edition - v. to joke or quip. - v. to make sport of. - n. a joke or quip. century dictionary and cyclopedia - v. intransitive to jest ; play tricks ; joke ; jeer. - v. transitive to mock ; deride ; gibe ; trick ; befool. - n. a joke gnu webster ' s 1913 - v. obsolete to jest ; to play tricks ; to jeer. - v. to mock ; to trick. - n. a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter - from middle english japen ( " to joke, play tricks " ), of uncertain origin. perhaps from old french japer ( " to bark, howl, scream " ) ( possibly conflated with old french gaber ( " to mock, deride " ), see gab ), related to old provencal japar, jaupar ( " to bark, yelp, yap " ), probably of germanic origin, related to old saxon galpon ( " to cry loudly, make a noise, brag " ) ( low german galpen ( " to bark, howl, scream " ) ), middle high german gelpfen ( " to scream, bark, boast, proclaim " ), old norse gjalpa ( " to yelp " ) ( swedish dialectal galpa ( " to cry, screech " ) ). more at yelp, yawp, yap. ( wiktionary ) - middle english japen, probably from old french japer, to yap, chatter, nag, of imitative origin. ( american heritage® dictionary of the english language, fourth edition ) “ we don ’ t want to criminalise a group of students, but at the same time we don ’ t want to treat the problem as some kind of jape, either. ” “ even ponting describes the quiet as " appalling " on one of his intertitles, which otherwise often have a jolly - jape feel. ” “ that eye wanted to cross, to discredit perkus tooth ' s whole sober aura with a comic jape. ” “ the huffington post noted the references as well as more " jokes " in the same vein ( including a video of cooper ' s jape, over which david gergen cluelessly chortles ). ” “ i remember when i was a


” “ the huffington post noted the references as well as more " jokes " in the same vein ( including a video of cooper ' s jape, over which david gergen cluelessly chortles ). ” “ i remember when i was a young boy, 1 april fell on a saturday, so the football league decided to create a ' hilarious ' jape by sending referees and linesmen with thematically linked names to the same game, " recalls robin tucker. ” “ cambridge union society ' s pole - dancing jape is just plain daft. ” “ people would halt the progress of whatever parley they were engaged in and turn to stop him in aisles and antechambers, demanding an instant jape or trick from him. ” “ such little verses always made the best sort of jape. ” “ a little jape on himself, and one that would certainly deliver more concrete rewards than his loftier verse. ” “ chef nikki billington and her partner paul watson had always made running a restaurant feel less like a business venture and more like a jolly jape. ” these user - created lists contain the word ‘ jape ’. words formed in imitation of the sound of the things they signify. words that are fun to say.... a list of words that wwf recognizes as valid - most are unusual words ; some are simply high - scoring. i marvel at the amazing variety of four - letter words in the english language. and that ' s not even counting really common ( to me ) words like fuck. everyone ' s got their favorites. here are some of mine. words formed in imitation of a natural sound. words which are highly likely to be found in the work of learned writers. visions of witfulness and vision - a wise guise looking for tweets for jape.


iv. economic growth rates gdp growth rates in developing countries are on average higher than those in developed countries. over the 1965 - 99 period, the average annual growth rate was 4. 1 percent in low - income countries, 4. 2 percent in middle - income countries, and 3. 2 percent in high - income countries ( see figure 4. 1 ). so does this mean that the poor countries will soon catch up with the rich? the growth patterns described above do not mean that the world is on its way to “ convergence ” — that is, to the gradual elimination of the development gap between rich and poor countries. much faster population growth in most developing countries is offsetting comparatively faster gdp growth, causing gdp per capita growth rates in these countries to be relatively low or even negative ( see figure 4. 1 ; map 4. 1 ; data table 1 ). as a result the gulf between the average gnp per capita in developing and developed countries continues to widen. in the last 40 years of the 20th century, the gap between the average income of the richest 20 countries and that of the poorest 20 countries doubled in size, with the wealthiest group reaching a level more than 30 times that of the poorest. by the end of the century, of more than $ 29 trillion in global gdp, only about $ 6 trillion — less than 22 percent — was generated in developing countries, even though these countries accounted for about 85 percent of the world ’ s population. the average growth data for developing countries also mask growing disparities among these countries. between 1990 and 1999 east asia and the pacific experienced the fastest growth of gdp per capita — more than 6 percent a year. at the same time in sub - saharan africa the average annual growth rate was negative, and in the middle east and north africa it was less than 1 percent. the biggest drop in gdp per capita growth occurred in eastern europe and central asia because of the economic crisis caused by the transition from planned to market economies ( see figure 4. 2 ). the news is not all bad for developing countries, however. the two developing countries with the biggest populations did comparatively well during the past decade. in india gdp per capita grew by about 2. 4 percent a year, and in china by an unprecedented 6. 4 percent a year. rapid growth rates in china and india explain why almost two - thirds of the world ’ s population live in economies growing faster than 2 percent a year ( see figure 4. 3 ). but if india is excluded from the group of low - income countries


rapid growth rates in china and india explain why almost two - thirds of the world ’ s population live in economies growing faster than 2 percent a year ( see figure 4. 3 ). but if india is excluded from the group of low - income countries and china is excluded from the group of middle - income countries, average annual growth rates in these groups become considerably lower than in high - income countries ( see figure 4. 1 ). during the last decade of the 20th century 54 developing countries had negative average growth rates, and most of those with positive growth rates were growing slower than high - income countries ( see map 4. 1 and data table 1 ). 1965 and 1995 the gap between developed countries and most developing countries widened considerably ( see figure 4. 4 ). asia was the only major region to achieve significant convergence toward the developed countries ' level of gnp per capita. per capita income in the newly industrialized economies of asia — hong kong ( china ), the republic of korea, singapore, and taiwan ( china ) — increased from 18 percent of the developed country average in 1965 to 66 percent in 1995. at the same time africa, for instance, became even poorer in relative terms. the average per capita income in african countries equaled 14 percent of the developed country level in 1965 and just 7 percent in 1995. even though figure 4. 4 does not cover the second half of the 1990s, you can still find the approximate position of your country in it, using data table 1 in the back of this book ( see the ppp estimate of gnp per capita in your country as of 1999 and use the average of $ 24, 930 for gnp per capita in developed countries ).. on existing trends, only about 10 developing countries — those with gnp per capita growth rates more than 1 percentage point higher than the average for developed countries — can look forward to catching up with developed countries within the next hundred years. and those 10 countries will catch up only if they can maintain their high growth rates. doing so will be a challenge. in fact, the poorer a country is, the harder it is to maintain the high volume of investment needed for its economic growth ( see chapter 6 ). sustained economic growth in developing countries is a critical tool for reducing poverty and improving most people ’ s standard of living. but economic growth alone is not enough. in some countries poverty worsened in spite of overall economic growth, owing to increased income inequality ( see chapter 5 ). such economic growth can be socially unsustainable – leading to social stress


occasionally tornadoes develop so rapidly that advance warning is not possible. remain alert for signs of an approaching tornado such as a dark, often greenish sky, large hail, or a loud roar similar to a freight train. here are tornado safety rules from the national weather service : - - the safest place to be is an underground shelter, basement, or safe room. - - if no underground shelter or safe room is available, a small, windowless interior room or hallway on the lowest level of a sturdy building is the safest alternative. - - mobile homes are not safe during tornadoes. abandon mobile homes and go to the nearest sturdy building or shelter immediately. - - if you are caught outdoors, seek shelter in a basement, shelter or sturdy building. if you cannot quickly walk to a shelter, immediately get into a vehicle, buckle your seat belt and try to drive to the closest sturdy shelter. - - if flying debris occurs while you are driving, pull over and park. now you have the following options as a last resort : - - stay in your vehicle with the seat belt on. put your head down below the windows, covering with your hands and a blanket if possible. - - if you can safely get noticeably lower than the level of the roadway, exit your car, and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands. your choice should be driven by your specific circumstances. this information is from noaa and the national weather service.


the new economy challenge : implications for higher education think of this as our final examination to determine whether we are a species worthy of survival. if there is to be a human future, we must reinvent ourselves and our institutions — and do so with all possible speed. this is the challenge with which our educational institutions must now engage. we need a new vision for the human future that goes far beyond current policy proposals for adjustments in technology and market incentives. the values and institutions of the 20th century that led us to recklessly squander earth ’ s abundance for the benefit of the few were shaped by an economic mindset that reduces all values to financial values and all human exchanges to financial transactions for private financial gain. this mindset gave us collapsing environmental systems, unconscionable inequality, and rule by global corporations that operate beyond the reach of democratic accountability. ecological principles for the new economy the economic systems and institutions of the 21st century must be designed to serve three very different outcomes : ecological balance, shared prosperity, and living democracy. we properly turn to ecologists, not economists, for guidance. the underlying principles of the new economy are ecological principles. they are central to the ecologist ’ s intellectual frame, but alien to the financial frame of most professional economists. - ecological balance : i call this spaceship management 101. the defining human imperative of our time is to bring ourselves into balance with earth ’ s biosphere. this requires shrinking global gdp, starting with the most profligate nations while creating a planetary - scale economic system that mimics the structure and behavior of earth ’ s biosphere. listen closely, because the following is key : earth ’ s biosphere is segmented into countless self - organizing local ecosystems, each locally rooted, locally self - reliant, and exquisitely adapted to its particular place on earth to optimize the use of locally available resources in service to life. we must similarly organize our human economies as subsystems of local ecosystems. to the extent that each local economy is in balance with its local ecosystem, the biosphere itself will be in balance. - shared prosperity : as we act to reduce aggregate consumption and rebuild local economies that integrate with local ecosystems, we need to recognize that earth ’ s bounty is the shared birthright of all living beings and learn to share it equitably for the benefit of all. it is the right thing to do and essential to our survival. it is also a necessary path to increasing human health and happiness. according to a massive body of public health research, societies


to share it equitably for the benefit of all. it is the right thing to do and essential to our survival. it is also a necessary path to increasing human health and happiness. according to a massive body of public health research, societies that share wealth equally are healthier, have stronger families and communities, less crime and violence, and healthier natural environments than do less equal societies. inequality creates psychological and emotional stress, including for those at the top, discourages sharing, and increases insecurity. societies that distribute wealth equitably also tend to be more democratic and more resilient in the face of crisis. - living democracy : in living democracies, popular sovereignty is integral to the fabric of community life. living democracy is a daily practice of civic life. living democracies celebrate and affirm diversity within a framework of individual rights, community responsibility, and mutual accountability. their political and economic institutions support local decision making within a framework of cooperation and mutually agreed rules. shared power, shared resources, and shared prosperity go hand in hand. redesigning the system the defining structural characteristics of economies organized to support ecological balance, shared prosperity, and living democracy will be near mirror opposites of the structures of power and privilege that the current economy supports. here are three key system design issues : the economics of happiness a ground - breaking commission of leading economists suggests that nations look beyond gdp. - indicators. we currently use gross domestic product ( gdp ) and corporate stock share price indices as the primary indicators against which we evaluate economic performance, and we manage our public policies to maximize their growth. gdp is basically a measure of the rate at which we are turning useful resources into garbage and stock price indices are basically a measure of the rate at which rich people are getting richer relative to the rest of us while doing no useful work. we get what we measure, so we should measure what we want by assessing economic performance against non - financial indicators of the health of people, community, and nature. indicators like the living planet index and the ecological footprint promoted by the world wide fund for nature are an excellent place to start. - money system. our present economic system centralizes and monopolizes control of the creation and allocation of money in the hands of a very few private banks that use this power to finance socially destructive speculation, asset bubbles, loan pyramids, and corporate buyouts, and to force working people and productive main street enterprises into debt slavery. the official money system is the operating system of the economy. it can and should


this power to finance socially destructive speculation, asset bubbles, loan pyramids, and corporate buyouts, and to force working people and productive main street enterprises into debt slavery. the official money system is the operating system of the economy. it can and should be decentralized, localized, and managed as a public utility comprised primarily of locally rooted nonprofit or publicly owned community banks and credit unions providing basic financial services and funding productive local investment. financial speculation should be eliminated either by legal prohibition or through the imposition of confiscatory taxes. for all the attention given to financial analysis, the money system is one of the least understood aspects of modern society and it gets little attention in university programs. understanding money as a system of power and the implications for society should be considered an essential foundation of education for responsible citizenship to which every student should be exposed. - business enterprises. the global economy is organized under the control of global mega - corporations with internal economies larger than those of most countries, which are accountable only to absentee owners whose sole interest is financial return. the living economies of the future are properly organized around locally owned small and medium - sized living enterprises that root economic decision making in the community, treat profit as a means rather than an end, and define their purpose in terms of meeting community needs. large corporations must be broken up and restructured as smaller worker - or community - owned businesses. business schools that prepare managers to serve the financial bottom line of large corporations will need to reorganize to prepare managers for living enterprises. when money rules modern money is perhaps the most mysterious of human inventions. it is nothing but a number of no substance or intrinsic worth. yet in contemporary societies, money determines our access to virtually every essential of life. the decisions of those who control the creation and allocation of money determine the fate of nations and shape the booms and busts of economic life they determine who among earth ’ s people will have food, shelter, education, and health care — and who will not. it is all just numbers and creative accounting, but the system that generates and allocates these special numbers is the most effective and undemocratic of tyrannies, because its inner workings are largely invisible and therefore difficult for ordinary people to challenge. we may express outrage against the bankers who abuse the power the system gives them, but we generally take the system itself for granted. the money system largely defies understanding, because it is based on illusions, beginning with the illusion that money itself is wealth and that people who make money are


who abuse the power the system gives them, but we generally take the system itself for granted. the money system largely defies understanding, because it is based on illusions, beginning with the illusion that money itself is wealth and that people who make money are thereby creating wealth. economist john kenneth galbraith once famously observed that the process by which money is created is “ so simple it repels the mind. ” when you take out a loan from a bank, the bank opens an account in your name and enters the amount of the loan in its ledger. that becomes a liability on the bank ’ s accounts, offset by the corresponding asset of your promise to repay with interest. two simple accounting entries and money magically appears from nowhere. this simple fact makes banking a very profitable business and is the key to the ability of the institutions of global finance to rule the world. mayer amschel rothschild, founder of the rothschild banking dynasty, once famously said, " permit me to issue and control the money of a nation and i care not who makes its laws. " money created out of nothing, unrelated to the creation of anything of corresponding value, is phantom wealth. in the united states, wall street has built a whole industry devoted to creating phantom wealth. they call it financial innovation. it is a form of theft and should be treated as such. understanding how this works is essential to fulfilling one ’ s civic responsibility in a democratic society, yet it is rarely addressed in existing university curricula. that means, we rely on support from our readers. independent. nonprofit. subscriber - supported.


telautograph forerunner to modern fax by neal mcchristy over 100 years ago, you might have lived in new york and instantly received a handwritten faxed note from your grandmother in boston. while most people consider the fax machine a modern invention, its use over telegraph wires started with the invention of the telautograph, which transmitted handwriting to distant points over a two - wire circuit such as telegraph wires. the 1888 invention by the founder of omnifax, elisha gray, was displayed at the 1893 chicago world ' s fair, which featured electricity as a fairly new phenomenon of science. it was in 1894 that george tiffany invented the faster " eureka " model, and commercial instruments were first installed that year at the american bank note company. it was the start of a number of business uses, including in the sales world. and in the political world, results were instantaneously transmitted to the public on election night nov. 7, 1916, when record crowds watched as president woodrow wilson was re - elected. the earlier telautograph was both transmitter and receiver, but evolved into separate units in the 1930s. the transmitter wrote with a metal plate connected to a stylus, which was connected to potentiometers. the amplitude of the voltage was related to the position of the stylus on the metal plate, measured by the set of potentiometers. on the receiving end, motors would move according to the voltage received from the transmitter. the receiver pen was held away from the paper by a metal bar. the operator wrote on the metal plate and motion on the metal plate on the transmitting end would cause the bar to drop and the pen to touch the paper on the receiver. a " telescriber " was an improved telautograph in the ' 40s. it was part of a growing technology today known as facsimile. the technique was also growing for use of a rotating cylinder and transmitter for transmission of photos by press services, another fax - related technology. in about 1956, long - range transmission using low - frequency signals was introduced. there was also the introduction of the " model d " series that used paper, instead of metal plates, for the transmitters and amplifiers in all receivers. facsimile improved dramatically in the ' 60s with the introduction of the " copyphone, " which transmitted at a page per minute. in 1979, the telautograph corp., formed in the ' 20s, introduced its omnifax brand name. it was also


the ' 60s with the introduction of the " copyphone, " which transmitted at a page per minute. in 1979, the telautograph corp., formed in the ' 20s, introduced its omnifax brand name. it was also the year that the first thermal fax was introduced. as fax machines became more common in the ' 80s and ' 90s, smaller, personal - unit machines began to be used. telautograph became danka / omnifax in 1993, bought by danka business systems plc. the danka fax machine business was sold to xerox in june of this year. editor ' s note : the information for this article was compiled from information supplied by omnifax, now owned by xerox and headquartered in austin, texas. see the history of the omnifax at the omnifax history pages. related web sites : omnifax home page there is mention of demonstration of the telautograph at the 1893 chicago world ' s fair tour narrative. omnifax home page rs & r news online : " a history of fax - related technology " rs & r news online : " danka sells fax business to xerox " rs & r news online : " the future of fax is online "


as a result of the oil spill in the gulf, people are beginning to question our dependence on oil. though the massive leak was an catastrophic environmental tradgedy, it may have been the push we needed towards a renewable energy future. in the meantime, we personally, can take baby steps away from oil. this entry comes by popular request. a lot of people have been asking what they can do to use less oil, and reduce demand for the sticky stuff ruining beaches everywhere. here ’ s my top ten, feel free to add to it in comments : 1. carpool, cycle or use public transport to go to work. 2. choose, when possible, products packaged without plastic and recycle or re - use containers. 3. buy organic fruits and vegetables ( fertilisers and pesticides are based on oil more often than not ). 4. buy beauty products ( shampoo, soap, make - up ) based on natural ingredients, not oil. 5. choose when possible locally produced products ( less transport involved ). 6. buy clothes made out of organic cotton or hemp – not from oil derivatives. 7. use non - disposable items in picnics and summer festivals. 8. quit bottled water. 9. fly less. 10. demand that your government encourage renewable energy instead of subsidizing oil.


it ’ s been quite a week for space exploration and some truly remarkable pictures were taken, here ’ s the best ones. the solar flare in 3d earth was struck by a major solar flare, the biggest one in years, and this fantastic 3d image shows sunspots and “ wonderful active regions in exquisite detail, ” according to nasa ’ s solar dynamics observatory. despite the fact that scientists feared gps and plane disturbances, the storm ’ s effects were quite soft. the martian dust devil dust devils are spectacular sights indeed, and when they occur on mars – things get even better. this snake like devil casts a snake - like shadow in what can only be called a stunning image. they form when hot air near the surface rises quickly through a small pocket of cooler, low - pressure air above it. if conditions are just right, the air may begin to rotate. this particular dust devil was 800 meters tall. mars was definitely one of the stars of the past week, and this landslide - riddled part of the martian canyon ius chasma shows us just how beautiful the red planet can be. in what many geologists believe to be the same process as the one which formed earth ’ s african rift, the martian crust split and formed this gigantic canyon system. the desert with green dots green fields dot the desert in saudi arabia, in an almost surreal picture captured by the international space station ( iss ). during the past few years, agriculture has been taken to a whole new level in saudi arabia ( and other neighboring countries ) as water is pumped from underground aquifers and distributed through a technique that rotates water around a circular point – thus creating the round patterns you see. the mediteranean area – from space another great picture highlights the activity around the nile ’ s delta ( to the left ) and the gulf of suez and the suez canal which can be seen on the right.


july 24, 2002 i would like to thank you for the work you are doing to improve the achievement of all students. the no child left behind act ( nclba ) significantly raises expectations for states, local educational agencies and schools in that all students are expected to meet or exceed state standards in reading and in math within 12 years. it also provides a significant increase in resources to assist states in meeting these new expectations. this bipartisan act is intended to build upon and enhance accountability systems that states have been developing since, or prior to, the 1994 reauthorization of the elementary and secondary education act ( esea ). i would like to applaud the efforts states have made to develop and implement high quality accountability systems based on challenging standards and assessments and high expectations for students. working together, we can ensure that all students succeed and that the achievement gap is closed, once and for all. accountability is central to the success of the no child left behind act : states need to set high standards for improving academic achievement in order to improve the quality of education for all students. under the nclba, each state establishes a definition of " adequate yearly progress " ( ayp ) to use each year to determine the achievement of each school district and school. the new definition of ayp is diagnostic in nature, and intended to highlight where schools need improvement and should focus their resources. the statute gives states and local educational agencies significant flexibility in how they direct resources and tailor interventions to the needs of individual schools identified for improvement. under the nclba, schools are held accountable for the achievement of all students, not just average student performance. ensuring that schools are held accountable for all students ' meeting state standards represents the core of the bipartisan act ' s goal of ensuring that no child is left behind. the purpose of the statute, for both assessments and accountability, is to build on high quality accountability systems that states already have in place, not to require every state to start from scratch. therefore, i want to assure you that the department will work with states so that they have the tools they need to implement definitions of ayp that meet the requirements of the statute and maintain high standards. states are to identify for improvement any title i school that does not meet the state ' s definition of adequate yearly progress for two consecutive years. however, it is important to underscore the flexibility granted by the statute to state and local educational agencies to direct resources and tailor interventions to the needs of individual schools. for example, the statute gives states and leas flexibility


for two consecutive years. however, it is important to underscore the flexibility granted by the statute to state and local educational agencies to direct resources and tailor interventions to the needs of individual schools. for example, the statute gives states and leas flexibility in how they can direct title i school improvement funds to schools that need the most improvement. it also provides a list of consequences under " school improvement, " " corrective action " and " restructuring " that allow states to take a range of actions. for example, under " corrective action " the options range from more limited consequences such as hiring an outside expert to advise a school on how to make adequate yearly progress, to more significant measures such as replacing school staff or restructuring the internal organization of a school ( see attached chart ). states are free to build on the statutory requirements and to develop differentiated responses based on the degree to which a school has not made ayp. the law does not prescribe how states must officially designate schools that do not meet ayp requirements. for example, a state could develop categories based on the number of subgroups that make ayp : - all groups of students meet ayp goals. - all but one or two subgroups meet ayp goals. - all but one or two subgroups, and the school as a whole, do not meet ayp goals. - no group of students meets ayp goals. ayp should be used to target the unique needs of schools to improve student achievement. it does not necessitate a " one size fits all " response without regard to how well a school is doing overall. however, any title i school in which any group of students fails to meet the ayp goal must be identified as in need of improvement, and all such schools that are identified are subject to the timeline for improvement required under section 1116. regardless of the degree to which a school is not making ayp, an lea must take actions to address the needs of the school and improve achievement, provide public school choice for all students in any school that is identified for improvement, and provide supplemental education services for eligible students in schools that continue to not make ayp, as required under section 1116. it should be noted that the statute permits schools that do not meet a statewide proficiency goal to also make ayp if, in the subgroup that does not meet this bar, there was at least a ten percent reduction from the previous year in the percentage of students who are not proficient and that subgroup made progress on the other state - designated academic indicator. for


ayp if, in the subgroup that does not meet this bar, there was at least a ten percent reduction from the previous year in the percentage of students who are not proficient and that subgroup made progress on the other state - designated academic indicator. for example, if the percentage of disadvantaged students not proficient in reading decreases from 70 percent to 63 percent the following year, that group has made sufficient progress. the department will issue proposed regulations that address in detail the requirements for state accountability systems. the purpose of this letter is to clarify the process for reviewing and approving state definitions of ayp and to provide you with additional guidance by highlighting criteria that will be used in this process. guidance on ayp criteria and the peer review process states will be required to submit their definitions of ayp for review at the beginning of 2003, although those states applying for state flex 1 will have to submit definitions for approval this fall. in order to ensure that states can move expeditiously to implement their new definitions of ayp, states can submit the plans for review this fall even if they are not applying for state flex. the department will provide additional ayp guidance and more details about the requirements of the review process. all definitions will be peer reviewed, as required by the statute, by a panel that includes representatives of parents, teachers, state educational agencies and local educational agencies. peer review panelists will make recommendations as to how well each proposed definition meets the requirements of the statute. approaches to meeting the statutory requirements that are at least as rigorous as the requirements of the statute and the regulations will be considered, provided that a state demonstrates that its system meets the following criteria : a single statewide accountability system applied to all public schools and leas. 2 - " all schools and leas " includes title i and non - title i schools and leas. - student assessments are administered and the accountability system is applied in the same manner for all schools, regardless of receipt of title i funds. 3 all public school students are included in the state accountability system. 4 - a student attending the same school for a " full academic year " must be included when determining if a school has made ayp. - a student that attends more than one school in a district during the school year is only included in determining if a district has made ayp. - all student results are included in the school level report card. a state ' s definition of ayp is based on expectations for growth in student achievement that is continuous and substantial, such that all students are proficient in reading and math no


ayp. - all student results are included in the school level report card. a state ' s definition of ayp is based on expectations for growth in student achievement that is continuous and substantial, such that all students are proficient in reading and math no later than 2013 - 2014. 5 - accountability systems must establish proficiency goals statewide, based on assessment data from the 2001 - 02 school year, that progressively increase to reflect 100 percent proficiency for all students by 2013 - 14. - these goals must increase at steady and consistent increments during the 12 - year timeline, although not necessarily annually throughout the 12 years ( i. e., states cannot establish goals that will require the most substantial progress toward the end of the 12 - year timeline ). - increases in proficiency rates must occur for a school to make ayp. progress in student achievement from the " below basic " to the " basic level " is not in and of itself sufficient to meet ayp requirements. however, states and leas are strongly encouraged to develop systems to recognize very low - performing schools that are making such improvement. a state makes annual decisions about the achievement of all public schools and leas. 6 - states may calculate ayp for a school using up to three consecutive years of data. - if a state chooses to average data over two or three years, it must still determine whether a school or district made ayp on an annual basis. all public schools and leas are held accountable for the achievement of individual subgroups. 7 - accountability decisions must be based on the achievement of each subgroup in the law, as well as overall achievement. - states must set separate, measurable annual objectives for each of these subgroups that ensure they meet the deadline to reach proficiency within 12 years. - subgroups for accountability are major ethnic / racial groups, economically disadvantaged students, limited english proficient ( lep ) students, and students with disabilities. the goals for each subgroup may be the same as long as each subgroup reaches 100 percent proficiency in 12 years. a state ' s definition of ayp is based primarily on the state ' s academic assessments. 8 - decisions about school and lea progress must be primarily determined by achievement on academic assessments. a state ' s definition of ayp includes graduation rates for high schools and an additional indicator selected by the state for middle and elementary schools ( such as attendance rates ). 9 - other academic indicators may be included in addition to these required indicators. - these indicators may only have the effect of indicating a school did not make ayp. in other words


the state for middle and elementary schools ( such as attendance rates ). 9 - other academic indicators may be included in addition to these required indicators. - these indicators may only have the effect of indicating a school did not make ayp. in other words, a state may use these indicators to identify a school for improvement, but they may not be used to prevent a school from being identified for improvement. ayp is based on separate reading / language arts and math achievement objectives. 10 - each subgroup of students enrolled in schools and leas must meet annual objectives in reading and math for the school or lea to make ayp. a state ' s accountability system is statistically valid and reliable. 11 - in determining ayp, a state is not required to use disaggregated data when the number of students in a subgroup is ( a ) too small to yield statistically reliable information or ( b ) the results would reveal personally identifiable information. - each state determines a minimum size of a group, below which the results would not be statistically reliable for use in determining ayp. states make a reasonable determination of that number based on the technical specifications of their assessments. in order for a school to make ayp, a state ensures that it assessed at least 95 % of students in each subgroup enrolled. 12 - schools must report all student results by subgroup. the number of students in a subgroup must be of sufficient size to produce statistically reliable results for the 95 % requirement to affect ayp. in other words, if the number of students in a subgroup is too small to produce statistically reliable results, the state need not, on the basis of the 95 % requirement, identify the school as not making ayp, even if fewer than 95 % of the students in that subgroup take the state ' s assessment. in general, the nclba sets the minimum requirements for statewide accountability systems. states should use these requirements to enhance their current systems. this letter is intended to amplify our proposed regulations and provide states with information necessary to be successful in the upcoming state accountability system peer review process. i encourage you to review and comment on our proposed regulations. please know that my staff and i are available to work with you as we move forward. i look forward to our collaboration on implementing this most fundamental aspect of the nclba. 1 the nclba enacted significant new flexibility options for state and local school districts. the state flexibility demonstration program allows states to receive additional flexibility in exchange for increased accountability for achievement. for more information about the flexibility


fundamental aspect of the nclba. 1 the nclba enacted significant new flexibility options for state and local school districts. the state flexibility demonstration program allows states to receive additional flexibility in exchange for increased accountability for achievement. for more information about the flexibility options in the nclba, please go to our web site at http : / / www. ed. gov / nclb / freedom / local / flexibility /. 2 sections 1111 ( b ) ( 2 ) ( a ) and 1111 ( b ) ( 2 ) ( c ) ( i ). 3 requirements for school improvement, corrective action and restructuring under section 1116 only apply to schools receiving title i funds. 4 sections 1111 ( b ) ( 2 ) ( a ), 1111 ( b ) ( 3 ) ( c ) ( xi ), 1111 ( b ) ( 3 ) ( c ) ( xi ), and 1111 ( b ) ( 3 ) ( c ) ( xiii ). 5 sections 1111 ( b ) ( 2 ) ( c ) ( iii ), 1111 ( b ) ( 2 ) ( f ), and 1111 ( b ) ( 2 ) ( h ). 6 section 1111 ( b ) ( 2 ) ( j ). 7 sections 1111 ( b ) ( 2 ) ( c ) ( v ), 1111 ( b ) ( 2 ) ( c ) ( v ), and 1111 ( b ) ( 2 ) ( c ) ( v ) ( ii ). 8 section 1111 ( b ) ( 2 ) ( c ) ( iv ). 9 section 1111 ( b ) ( 2 ) ( c ) ( vi ). 10 section 1111 ( b ) ( 2 ) ( g ) ( i ) 11 section 1111 ( b ) ( 2 ) ( c ) ( ii ) 12 section 1111 ( b ) ( 2 ) ( i ) ( ii ). | school improvement options | | a school is identified for school improvement after it has not made ayp for two consecutive school years. a school moves to the next " step " or " year " in this chart if it continues to not make ayp. | in general, schools identified for improvement must receive technical assistance that enables them to specifically address the academic achievement problem that caused the school to be identified for improvement. the lea is required to provide technical assistance as the school develops and implements the plan, including specific assistance in analyzing assessment data, improving professional development, and improving resource allocation. in addition, the following must take place


| pdf ( 144 kb ) | the family educational rights and privacy act of 1974 ( " ferpa " ), § 513 of p. l. 93 - 380 ( the education amendments of 1974 ), was signed into law by president ford on august 21, 1974, with an effective date of november 19, 1974, 90 days after enactment. ferpa was enacted as a new § 438 of the general education provisions act ( gepa ) called " protection of the rights and privacy of parents and students, " and codified at 20 u. s. c. § 1232g. it was also commonly referred to as the " buckley amendment " after its principal sponsor, senator james buckley of new york. ferpa was offered as an amendment on the senate floor and was not the subject of committee consideration. accordingly, traditional legislative history for ferpa as first enacted is unavailable. senators buckley and pell sponsored major ferpa amendments that were enacted on december 31, 1974, just four months later, and made retroactive to its effective date of november 19, 1974. these amendments were intended to address a number of ambiguities and concerns identified by the educational community, including parents, students, and institutions. on december 13, 1974, these sponsors introduced the major source of legislative history for the amendment, which is known as the " joint statement in explanation of buckley / pell amendment " ( " joint statement " ). see volume 120 of the congressional record, pages 39862 - 39866. congress has amended ferpa a total of nine times in the nearly28 years since its enactment, as follows : p. l. 93 - 568, dec. 31, 1974, effective nov. 19, 1974 ( buckley / pell amendment ) p. l. 96 - 46, aug. 6, 1979 ( amendments to education amendments of 1978 ) p. l. 96 - 88, oct. 17, 1979 ( establishment of department of education ) p. l. 101 - 542, nov. 8, 1990 ( campus security act ) p. l. 102 - 325, july 23, 1992 ( higher education amendments of 1992 ) p. l. 103 - 382, oct. 20, 1994 ( improving america ' s schools act ) p. l. 105 - 244, oct. 7, 1998 ( higher education amendments of 1998 ) p. l. 106 - 386, oct. 28, 2000 ( campus sex crime prevention act ) p. l. 107 - 56, oct


p. l. 105 - 244, oct. 7, 1998 ( higher education amendments of 1998 ) p. l. 106 - 386, oct. 28, 2000 ( campus sex crime prevention act ) p. l. 107 - 56, oct. 26, 2001 ( usa patriot act of 2001 ) scope and applicability ferpa is a " spending clause " statute enacted under the authority of congress in art. i, § 8 of the u. s. constitution to spend funds to provide for the general welfare. ( " no funds shall be made available under any applicable program... " unless statutory requirements are met. ) i. covered institutions initially, ferpa applied to " any state or local educational agency, any institution of higher education, any community college, any school, agency offering a preschool program, or any other educational institution. " the 1974 amendments substituted the term " educational agency or institution, " defined as " any public or private agency or institution which is the recipient of funds under any applicable program. " the 1994 iasa amendments extended the right to inspect and review to education records maintained by state educational agencies, whose records are not otherwise subject to ferpa. modification of inaccurate records that seas receive from educational agencies and institutions still takes place at the local level. ii. covered records as first enacted, ferpa provided parents with the right to inspect and review " any and all official records, files, and data directly related to their children, including all material that is incorporated into each student ' s cumulative record folder, and intended for school use or to be available to parties outside the school or school system, and specifically including, but not necessarily limited to, identifying data, academic work completed, level of achievement ( grades, standardized achievement test scores ), attendance data, scores on standardized intelligence, aptitude, and psychological tests, interest inventory results, health data, family background information, teacher or counselor ratings and observations, and verified reports of serious or recurrent behavior patters. " the 1974 amendments substituted the term " education records " for the " laundry list " of records subject to ferpa. " education records " was defined in the 1974 amendments as " those records, files, documents, and other materials which contain information directly related to a student ; and are maintained by an educational agency or institution or by a person acting for such agency or institution. " four categories of records were excluded : 1 ) records in the sole possession of instructional, supervisory, and administrative personnel ; 2 ) records of a law enforcement


are maintained by an educational agency or institution or by a person acting for such agency or institution. " four categories of records were excluded : 1 ) records in the sole possession of instructional, supervisory, and administrative personnel ; 2 ) records of a law enforcement unit which are kept apart from " education records, " are maintained solely for law enforcement purposes, and are not made available to persons other than law enforcement officials of the same jurisdiction, provided that personnel of a law enforcement unit do not have access to " education records " ; 3 ) records of employees who are not also in attendance ; and 4 ) physician, psychiatrist, or psychologist treatment records for eligible students. the conferees stated their intention that the department interpret the term " treatment " narrowly to limit the exemption for such records to those similar to those enumerated, and not remedial educational records made or maintained by education professionals. they also stated they did not intend to disrupt existing parental and student rights to confidentiality. conference report no. 93 - 1409, joint explanatory statement of the committee of conference, for p. l. 93 - 568. at the request of the secretary of education, congress amended the " law enforcement unit exception " in 1992 to eliminate the unworkable and unintended results of the prohibition on sharing education records with the law enforcement unit. the exclusion now applies to " records maintained by a law enforcement unit of the educational agency or institution that were created by that law enforcement unit for the purpose of law enforcement. " as originally enacted, all ferpa rights transfer from parents to students who are 18 years old or attending postsecondary institutions. the term " eligible students " is regulatory. rights of parents and eligible students i. right to inspect and review / right to access education records parents have the right to inspect and review the education records of their children. in the 1974 amendments, congress clarified that when a record or data pertains to more than one child, parents " have the right to inspect and review only such part of such material or document as relates to such student or to be informed of the specific information contained in such part of such material. " the 1974 amendments limited the right to inspect and review records so that postsecondary students do not have access to 1 ) financial records of their parents, and 2 ) confidential letters of recommendation placed in records before january 1, 1975, or if the student has voluntarily waived access to these letters, provided that the waiver cannot be required as a precondition of admission,


financial records of their parents, and 2 ) confidential letters of recommendation placed in records before january 1, 1975, or if the student has voluntarily waived access to these letters, provided that the waiver cannot be required as a precondition of admission, employment, or receipt of awards. in order to ensure that a rejected applicant was not given the right to challenge letters of recommendation or the institution ' s admission decision, " student " was defined as " any person with respect to whom an educational agency or institution maintains education records or personally identifiable information, but does not include a person who has not been in attendance at such agency or institution. " ii. right to challenge the content of education records parents originally had the right to a hearing to challenge the content of records to insure they are not " inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the privacy or other rights of students " and to provide an opportunity for the " correction or deletion of any such inaccurate, misleading or otherwise inappropriate data. " the1974 amendments strengthened this right by prohibiting the department from making funds available to an agency or institution unless parents are provided an opportunity for a hearing. this amendment also gave parents the right to insert a written explanation regarding the contents of the records. the 1994 iasa amendments limited challenges to the violation of the " privacy rights of students, " deleting the reference to " other rights. " the purpose was to ensure that parents do not attempt to use ferpa to enforce rights under other laws, such as the individuals with disabilities education act ( idea ). the 1994 iasa amendments also added a new subsection ( h ) regarding treatment of disciplinary records, which states that nothing in ferpa prohibits an agency or institution from including in a student ' s records appropriate information regarding disciplinary actions taken against the student for " conduct that posed a significant risk to the safety or well - being of that student, other students, or other members of the school community, " or from disclosing that information to teachers and other school officials who have legitimate educational interest in the student ' s behavior. iii. right to consent to the disclosure of education records as originally enacted, covered institutions could not have a policy of permitting the release of personally identifiable records or files ( or personal information contained therein ) ( § 1232g ( b ) ( 1 ) ), or a policy or practice of furnishing, in any form, any personally identifiable information contained in personal school records ( § 1232g ( b ) ( 2 ) ), unless there


§ 1232g ( b ) ( 1 ) ), or a policy or practice of furnishing, in any form, any personally identifiable information contained in personal school records ( § 1232g ( b ) ( 2 ) ), unless there is written consent from parents specifying records to be released, reasons for release, and parties to whom records may be released. the 1974 amendments clarified that agencies and institutions may not have " a policy or practice of permitting the release of [ or providing access to ] education records ( or personally identifiable information contained therein other than directory information " without a parent ' s prior written consent. " directory information " in the 1974 amendments was defined to include " the student ' s name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student. " educational agencies and institutions were required to provide public notice of any designated categories of directory information and to allow a reasonable time for parents to refuse to allow release of directory information without prior consent. the no child left behind act of 2001, p. l. 107 - 110 ( jan. 8, 2002 ), addresses the disclosure of directory - type information ( students ' names, addresses, and telephone listings ) to military recruiters. congress included similar language in the national defense authorization act for fiscal year 2002. both laws, with some exceptions, require schools to provide directory - type information to military recruiters who request it. typically, recruiters request information on junior and senior high school students that will be used for recruiting purposes and college scholarships offered by the military. exceptions to the " prior written consent " rule as first enacted, ferpa contained five exceptions to the prior written consent rule for disclosures to : 1. other school officials, including teachers within the educational institution or local educational agency who have legitimate educational interests. the 1974 amendments clarified that the agency or institution determines which school officials have " legitimate educational interests. " the 1994 iasa amendments added a requirement that the specific educational interests of the child for whom consent would otherwise be required are included among legitimate educational interests of school officials. the 1994 amendments also clarified that nothing in ferpa prohibited an agency or institution from disclosing information about disciplinary actions taken against students to teachers and school officials, including those in other schools, who have legitimate educational interests in the behavior of the student. the no child


clarified that nothing in ferpa prohibited an agency or institution from disclosing information about disciplinary actions taken against students to teachers and school officials, including those in other schools, who have legitimate educational interests in the behavior of the student. the no child left behind act amended the elementary and secondary education act to require each state to provide an assurance to the secretary that it has a procedure in place to facilitate the transfer of disciplinary records regarding a student ' s suspension or expulsion to any elementary or secondary school where the student is enrolled or intends to enroll. 2. officials of other schools or school systems in which the student intends to enroll, upon condition that the student ' s parents be notified of the transfer, receive a copy of the record if desired, and have an opportunity for a hearing to challenge the content of the record. the 1974 amendments added " seeks or " before " intends to enroll. " 3. authorized representatives of ( i ) the comptroller general of the u. s. ; ( ii ) the secretary ; ( iii ) an administrative head of an education agency ( as defined in section 409 of gepa ) ( deleted after reorganization of the department ) ; or ( iv ) state educational authorities. as first enacted, ferpa provided that these recipients may have access to records " which may be necessary in connection with the audit and evaluation of federally - supported education programs, or in connection with the enforcement of the federal legal requirements which relate to such programs " provided that, except when collection of personally identifiable data is specifically authorized by federal law, " data collected by such officials with respect to individual students shall not include information ( including social security numbers ) which would permit the personal identification of such students or their parents after the data so obtained has been collected. " the final clause was amended on december 31, 1974, to read : " any data collected by such officials shall be protected in a manner which will not permit the personal identification of students and their parents by other than those officials, and such personally identifiable data shall be destroyed when no longer needed for such audit, evaluation, and enforcement of federal legal requirements. " on august 6, 1979, congress clarified that ferpa does not " prohibit state and local educational officials from having access to student or other records which may be necessary in connection with the audit and evaluation of any federally or state supported education program or in connection with the enforcement of the federal legal requirements which relate to any such program, " subject to the conditions on redisclosure set forth elsewhere in the statute. the legislative


the audit and evaluation of any federally or state supported education program or in connection with the enforcement of the federal legal requirements which relate to any such program, " subject to the conditions on redisclosure set forth elsewhere in the statute. the legislative history explains that this amendment corrects an " anomaly " caused by the department ' s interpretation of ferpa as precluding state auditors from requesting student records in order to conduct state audits of local and state - supported programs. the 1998 higher education amendments added a provision that also allows disclosure to authorized representatives of " the attorney general for law enforcement purposes " under the same conditions as apply to the secretary under this provision, as described above. 4. appropriate officials in connection with a student ' s application for, or receipt of, financial aid. the conferees of the 1974 amendments stated their intention that this exception should allow the use of social security numbers in connection with a student ' s application for, or receipt of, financial aid. 5. designees of a judicial order or any lawfully issued subpoena, upon condition that parents and students are notified in advance of compliance by the educational institution or agency. the 1994 iasa amendments added a new, related exception for law enforcement purposes that allows agencies and institutions to disclose information to designees of a federal grand jury subpoena without first notifying parents or students, and to designees in any other subpoena issued for a law enforcement purpose with notice to parents or students at the discretion of the court or other issuing agency. the 1974 amendments added five additional exceptions to the prior written consent rule : 6. state and local officials or authorities to whom such information is specifically required to be reported or disclosed pursuant to state statute adopted prior to november 19, 1974 ( " grandfather clause " ). the joint statement explained that in establishing a minimum federal standard for record confidentiality and access, ferpa was not intended to preempt the states ' authority in the field. accordingly, states may further limit the number or type of state or local officials who will continue to have access or provide parents and students with greater access to records than under ferpa. the 1994 iasa amendments eliminated the " grandfather clause " and substituted an exception for disclosure to state and local officials in connection with the state ' s juvenile justice system under specified conditions. 7. organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, educational agencies or institutions for the purpose of developing, validating or administering predictive tests, administering student aid programs, and improving instruction, if


state ' s juvenile justice system under specified conditions. 7. organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, educational agencies or institutions for the purpose of developing, validating or administering predictive tests, administering student aid programs, and improving instruction, if such studies are conducted in such a manner as will not permit the personal identification of students and their parents by persons other than representatives of such organizations and such information will be destroyed when no longer needed for the purpose for which it is conducted. the senate amendment permitted access for testing purposes if the " information will not permit the identification of any person by the organization receiving such information. " the house amendment, which was adopted, provides that this exemption for such agencies as the college entrance examination board or the educational testing service will allow representatives of those organizations to have access to personally identifiable information under the conditions stated. conference report no. 93 - 1409. the 1994 iasa amendments added that if an organization conducting studies fails to destroy information in violation of the requirements, the educational agency or institution may not permit access to that organization for not less than five years. 8. accrediting organizations in order to carry out their accrediting functions. 9. parents of dependent students as defined in the internal revenue code. 10. appropriate persons in connection with an emergency, if the knowledge of such information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other persons. the joint statement explains : " in order to assure that there are adequate safeguards on this exception, the amendments provided that the secretary shall promulgate regulations to implement this subsection. it is expected that he will strictly limit the applicability of this exception. " in 1990, congress enacted the campus security act, which added a new exception to the prior written consent rule : 11. postsecondary institutions may disclose to an alleged victim of any crime of violence ( as defined in u. s. code title 18, § 16 ) the results of any disciplinary proceeding conducted by the institution against the alleged perpetrator of the crime, regardless of the outcome of the proceeding. congress amended this provision in the higher education amendments of 1998 by including " nonforcible sex offenses " and clarifying that only " final results " may be disclosed ( i. e., name of student perpetrator, violation committed, and sanction imposed. written consent is still required to disclose the name of any other student ). the following new exception was also added in the 1998 hea amendments. 12. postsecondary institutions may disclose the final


or organizations that have requested or obtained access to a student ' s education records and indicating specifically the legitimate interest that each has in obtaining the information. school officials with legitimate educational interests were excluded. the record of access is available only to parents and school officials responsible for custody of records and auditing the system. the 2001 usa patriot act excludes from the recordkeeping requirement disclosures in response to a court ' s ex parte order based upon the attorney general ' s certification regarding terrorism investigations and prosecutions. ii. redisclosure of records as first enacted, ferpa provided that personal information from covered records could only be transferred to a third party on the condition that the recipient would not permit any other party to have access without a parent ' s written consent. the 1994 iasa amendments added that if a third party recipient permits access to education records without prior written consent ( except in compliance with a subpoena or court order ), the educational agency or institution may not permit access to that party for not less than five years. iii. notification of rights as first enacted, ferpa required the recipient of funds to inform parents and eligible students of their rights. the 1994 iasa amendments changed the term to " effectively informs " to ensure that agencies and institutions carry out this requirement in a way that ensures that parents and students actually receive notice. administrative requirements applicable to the department as originally enacted, ferpa required the department to issue regulations to protect privacy rights of students and families in connection with any surveys or data - gathering activities conducted, assisted, or authorized by the department. these activities must also be authorized by law. the 1994 iasa amendments directed the department to adopt or identify appropriate regulations within 8 months. any action to terminate federal financial assistance may be taken only if the secretary finds that there has been a failure to comply, and compliance cannot be secured voluntarily. in accordance with the statute, the secretary has designated an office and review board within the department to investigate, process, review and adjudicate ferpa violations and complaints of alleged ferpa violations. the 1974 amendments prohibit the regionalization of the enforcement of ferpa by providing that, except for the conduct of hearings, none of the functions of the secretary may be carried out in any regional offices of the department.


so what do these letters stand for anyway? the english language is the toughest language in the world to learn simply because many of our words are spelled the same but mean something different. take the word “ can ”. it cane be a used as a verb as in “ yes, you can do something ” or as a noun in “ just put it in the can “. that is just one word of hundreds like it in our language. then come abbreviations for words and acronyms. for instance there ’ s nafta, which stands for north american free trade agreement. for one year in my life, i worked for the federal government and the use of acronyms was beyond belief. with that said, there are plenty of abbreviations we have all seen over the years and have just referred to them as the abbreviation. for instance here are a few we use quite often but i bet you won ’ t know what they all stand for. bmw, cvs pharmacy, m & m ” s, zip code and dos. i could go on and on but you get the point. by the way bmw stands for bavarian motor works, cvs is consumer value store, m & m ’ s stand for mars and murrie, the candy founders ( forrest mars, sr. and bruce murrie ). zip stands for zone improvement code and dos means disk operating system. for your information, other than nafta i didn ’ t know any of these correctly so i learned something today. hopefully, you knew a few but if not, feel free to try them on others and see what their response is.