Just discovered (by way of Sippican Cottage) that MIT offers FREE courses on its web site.
Apparentely there are 1900 courses, all with lecture notes, assignments and related resources.
The course that has caught my eye first is 9.57J / 24.904J Language Acquisition. Off to so some reading.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Meme - More Stuff About Me ....
1. Do you like blue cheese salad dressing? Like blue cheese - don't like salad dressings of any variety.
2. Do you own a gun? "A" gun .. no ....
3. What’s a favorite drink at Starbucks or other special place? Umm, at Starbucks - nothing ... however, I am partial to a Vienna Coffee.
4. Do you get nervous before a doctor’s appointment? Umm, no, why would you??
5. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Coffee for me please ...
6. Can you do pushups? Yes.
7. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? Rarely do jewellery ... I did however get a nice pendant from my mum for my birthday - so I guess that's it (or a the choker I wear ocassionally).
8. Favorite hobby? Shooting
9. Do you have A.D.D? No.
10. What’s one trait that you hate about yourself? "Hate's" a strong word ...
11. Name 3 Thoughts you have right now. 1. Need coffee. 2.Girls need to have their light turned off. 3. Do any of these questions actually get somewhat exciting?
12. Name 4 drinks you regularly drink. Coffee. Chai. Water. Alcohol.
13. Current hate right now? The weather - I would really like some sun for my daughter's birthday party on Sunday.
14. Current worry right now? Money ...
15. Favorite place to be? Dale Lookout.
16. Do you like to travel? Yes. Definitely.
17. Three people who will complete this? Umm, well if you're bored enough you're invited ...let me know in comments.
18. Do you own slippers? Nope. But given the weather I'm contemplating getting some.
19. What color shirt are you wearing? No shirt, just a mauvy zip up fleece.
20. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? Nope, not into rolling out of bed.
21. Can you whistle? Um, yes, but I don't.
22. Favorite color? Deep Purple.
23. Would you be a pirate? Why? Are there jobs going?
24. What song do you sing in the shower? I don’t sing in the shower.
25. Favorite girl’s name? Prefer not to say.
26. Favorite boy’s name? Uri
27. What’s in your pocket right now? No pockets.
28. What were your best sheets as a child? Best sheets? Who remembers the sheets they had as a kid?
29. Worst Injury? Tend to be injury free.
30. Do you love where you live? Yes!
31. How many TVs do you have in your house? 2. Only one gets turned on with any sort of regularity.
32. Who is your loudest friend? Umm, don't think any of my friends are particularly loud - well, not unless they have had a bit to drink.
33. How many pets do you have? Do kids count?
34. Does someone have a crush on you? Hope so.
35. What is your favorite book? Book? Can we do author? Steven Pressfield or Julian May or Heinlein mmm ... okay, so I don't have a favourite.
36. What’s your favorite candy? Not into candy.
37. Favorite Sports Team? Not into sports teams either.
38. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? Drats, is it time to go to work already.
2. Do you own a gun? "A" gun .. no ....
3. What’s a favorite drink at Starbucks or other special place? Umm, at Starbucks - nothing ... however, I am partial to a Vienna Coffee.
4. Do you get nervous before a doctor’s appointment? Umm, no, why would you??
5. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Coffee for me please ...
6. Can you do pushups? Yes.
7. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? Rarely do jewellery ... I did however get a nice pendant from my mum for my birthday - so I guess that's it (or a the choker I wear ocassionally).
8. Favorite hobby? Shooting
9. Do you have A.D.D? No.
10. What’s one trait that you hate about yourself? "Hate's" a strong word ...
11. Name 3 Thoughts you have right now. 1. Need coffee. 2.Girls need to have their light turned off. 3. Do any of these questions actually get somewhat exciting?
12. Name 4 drinks you regularly drink. Coffee. Chai. Water. Alcohol.
13. Current hate right now? The weather - I would really like some sun for my daughter's birthday party on Sunday.
14. Current worry right now? Money ...
15. Favorite place to be? Dale Lookout.
16. Do you like to travel? Yes. Definitely.
17. Three people who will complete this? Umm, well if you're bored enough you're invited ...let me know in comments.
18. Do you own slippers? Nope. But given the weather I'm contemplating getting some.
19. What color shirt are you wearing? No shirt, just a mauvy zip up fleece.
20. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? Nope, not into rolling out of bed.
21. Can you whistle? Um, yes, but I don't.
22. Favorite color? Deep Purple.
23. Would you be a pirate? Why? Are there jobs going?
24. What song do you sing in the shower? I don’t sing in the shower.
25. Favorite girl’s name? Prefer not to say.
26. Favorite boy’s name? Uri
27. What’s in your pocket right now? No pockets.
28. What were your best sheets as a child? Best sheets? Who remembers the sheets they had as a kid?
29. Worst Injury? Tend to be injury free.
30. Do you love where you live? Yes!
31. How many TVs do you have in your house? 2. Only one gets turned on with any sort of regularity.
32. Who is your loudest friend? Umm, don't think any of my friends are particularly loud - well, not unless they have had a bit to drink.
33. How many pets do you have? Do kids count?
34. Does someone have a crush on you? Hope so.
35. What is your favorite book? Book? Can we do author? Steven Pressfield or Julian May or Heinlein mmm ... okay, so I don't have a favourite.
36. What’s your favorite candy? Not into candy.
37. Favorite Sports Team? Not into sports teams either.
38. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? Drats, is it time to go to work already.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Miss 5 is now Miss 6
Just got back from Miss Now 6's birthday party at the local Ten Pin bowl.
Great fun was had by all ....
The cake was made for her by a good friend ... here's a few more shots of it ...
And yes, it tasted as good as it looked.
Great fun was had by all ....
The cake was made for her by a good friend ... here's a few more shots of it ...
And yes, it tasted as good as it looked.
99 Rounds
That's what I shot today in the match! It was a great shoot. I've not shot competitively for awhile (we have to shoot a competitive match once every eight weeks to retain our firearms licence and I think I was pretty close to the end of the eight weeks).
So today I made the effort to get to the range for the 9am start. Being Father's Day I thought it would be quite quiet but we had three squads shooting - with between 8 and 10 shooters per squad.
Today was an ICOR shoot so it had been set up for revolvers but the stages were well designed and challenging.
My favourite stage was the all popper stage - 9 targets. I got the first 7 with one shot each and then took three shots to get a little popper set off to the left. I always have trouble with poppers in that position - more practice definitely needed. I got the 9th (a small round one half way up the bank) with a single shot too. Having taken three for the one on the left meant that I had to do a reload though.
The other fun stage was the last one. It was a 32 shot stage with a hatch (first two targets) and then three targets through a portal.
Good day was had!
So today I made the effort to get to the range for the 9am start. Being Father's Day I thought it would be quite quiet but we had three squads shooting - with between 8 and 10 shooters per squad.
Today was an ICOR shoot so it had been set up for revolvers but the stages were well designed and challenging.
My favourite stage was the all popper stage - 9 targets. I got the first 7 with one shot each and then took three shots to get a little popper set off to the left. I always have trouble with poppers in that position - more practice definitely needed. I got the 9th (a small round one half way up the bank) with a single shot too. Having taken three for the one on the left meant that I had to do a reload though.
The other fun stage was the last one. It was a 32 shot stage with a hatch (first two targets) and then three targets through a portal.
Good day was had!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
What? - Police wake truants and drive them to school
from http://logan-west-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/truants-pulled-out-of-bed-and-in-to-class/
STUDENTS wagging class have been hauled out of bed and carted off to school in police cars in a crackdown on truancy in the Logan West area.
The students were among 63 truants picked up by police and returned to Park Ridge and Browns Plains high schools between Monday and Wednesday last week, the Logan West Leader can reveal.
And next time, police warn they will start taking action against parents.
Ten officers on horses, trail bikes and bicycles and two Logan City Council park rangers were involved in Operation Chrome.
A juvenile was charged with possession of a dangerous drug during the operation.
Browns Plains officer in charge Senior Sergeant Andrew Dupere said apart from the 63 students “bludging” school, officers spoke to a further 100 wandering streets during school hours.
“Several of the 63 were roused from their beds and taken to school,” Sgt Dupere said.
Police copped “a bit of stick” from some students, but many were simply shocked, he said.
“They’d never had a police officer turn up at their house and drag them out of bed and take them to school,” he said.
The operation had been a partnership between police, Grand Plaza Shopping Centre retailers who declined to serve students in uniform unless they had a current leave pass, and the two high schools.
Park Ridge High deputy principal Deb Day said truancy had been an issue, but the rate had been cut by 80 per cent in the two months since the appointment of a student attendance officer.
She said now only a handful or less than 0.5 per cent of students were regular truants.
Ms Day said it was important the school worked with police to reduce absenteeism.
“Those 63 children (picked up last week) came from a number of schools - they didn’t just come back to us,” she said.
Sgt Dupere said the partnership was formed following an increase in break and enters and truancy.
“Most of the break and enters were occurring in school hours and 70 per cent of all break and enters in the Browns Plains’ division involved school-age children or those in school uniform,’’ he said.
Sgt Dupere stressed he was not singling out any school, but police were working with the two schools to combat truancy which would hopefully reduce minor crime.
He said the truancy campaign would continue for 12 to 18 months.
“If the same kids are picked up again for truancy then enforcement action will start to be taken against their parents,” he said.
“Parents have got to be made aware that just dropping their kids at the school gate doesn’t mean they’re there for the full day. They’ve got to take an interest and make sure they’re kids aren’t wagging.”
“I’m confident we can get truancy down to nearly zero like they’ve done in the Beenleigh district where they’ve been doing this for nearly two years,” Sgt Dupere he said.
***************************************************
The article did say “Several of the 63 were roused from their beds and taken to school,” didn't it??? OMG ... this is in Queensland, AUSTRALIA ... I can't believe that POLICE dragged MINORS out of their beds to take them to school ....
Under what legislation / authority can they do this???
I commented on the story at http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,26012869-421,00.html. Previously when I've commented on a news story they have never been published so we'll see what happens this time.
Most of the comments there were positive, applauding the actions of the police and calling for the action to be extended to other states.
My comment was Police dragging MINORS from their beds to take them to school??? This is horrific. Parents aren't parenting so we applaud handing the responsiblity over to the "state" and having it carried out by armed police. Is this really the world you want to live in???
STUDENTS wagging class have been hauled out of bed and carted off to school in police cars in a crackdown on truancy in the Logan West area.
The students were among 63 truants picked up by police and returned to Park Ridge and Browns Plains high schools between Monday and Wednesday last week, the Logan West Leader can reveal.
And next time, police warn they will start taking action against parents.
Ten officers on horses, trail bikes and bicycles and two Logan City Council park rangers were involved in Operation Chrome.
A juvenile was charged with possession of a dangerous drug during the operation.
Browns Plains officer in charge Senior Sergeant Andrew Dupere said apart from the 63 students “bludging” school, officers spoke to a further 100 wandering streets during school hours.
“Several of the 63 were roused from their beds and taken to school,” Sgt Dupere said.
Police copped “a bit of stick” from some students, but many were simply shocked, he said.
“They’d never had a police officer turn up at their house and drag them out of bed and take them to school,” he said.
The operation had been a partnership between police, Grand Plaza Shopping Centre retailers who declined to serve students in uniform unless they had a current leave pass, and the two high schools.
Park Ridge High deputy principal Deb Day said truancy had been an issue, but the rate had been cut by 80 per cent in the two months since the appointment of a student attendance officer.
She said now only a handful or less than 0.5 per cent of students were regular truants.
Ms Day said it was important the school worked with police to reduce absenteeism.
“Those 63 children (picked up last week) came from a number of schools - they didn’t just come back to us,” she said.
Sgt Dupere said the partnership was formed following an increase in break and enters and truancy.
“Most of the break and enters were occurring in school hours and 70 per cent of all break and enters in the Browns Plains’ division involved school-age children or those in school uniform,’’ he said.
Sgt Dupere stressed he was not singling out any school, but police were working with the two schools to combat truancy which would hopefully reduce minor crime.
He said the truancy campaign would continue for 12 to 18 months.
“If the same kids are picked up again for truancy then enforcement action will start to be taken against their parents,” he said.
“Parents have got to be made aware that just dropping their kids at the school gate doesn’t mean they’re there for the full day. They’ve got to take an interest and make sure they’re kids aren’t wagging.”
“I’m confident we can get truancy down to nearly zero like they’ve done in the Beenleigh district where they’ve been doing this for nearly two years,” Sgt Dupere he said.
***************************************************
The article did say “Several of the 63 were roused from their beds and taken to school,” didn't it??? OMG ... this is in Queensland, AUSTRALIA ... I can't believe that POLICE dragged MINORS out of their beds to take them to school ....
Under what legislation / authority can they do this???
I commented on the story at http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,26012869-421,00.html. Previously when I've commented on a news story they have never been published so we'll see what happens this time.
Most of the comments there were positive, applauding the actions of the police and calling for the action to be extended to other states.
My comment was Police dragging MINORS from their beds to take them to school??? This is horrific. Parents aren't parenting so we applaud handing the responsiblity over to the "state" and having it carried out by armed police. Is this really the world you want to live in???
Rifle for the girls
Been thinking about getting the girls their own rifle. They both like shooting the Winchester Lever Action .22 but it is very big and heavy for them.
Wondering around the internet today (while sick at home) I came across a recommendation for the Henry Lever Action Youth Model .22 at Geek with a .45.
Now I just wonder if I can find one somewhere in Australia at a good price ....
UPDATE: Henry's website lists international resellers so I've emailled the Australian one (Highland Sports) to see if they have them in stock and the cost.
The gun is listed on their website but no price.
I will also have to look at licencing requirements. I'm guessing I'm going to have to get it under a 'club activities only' licence for myself and let them use it.
Wondering around the internet today (while sick at home) I came across a recommendation for the Henry Lever Action Youth Model .22 at Geek with a .45.
Now I just wonder if I can find one somewhere in Australia at a good price ....
UPDATE: Henry's website lists international resellers so I've emailled the Australian one (Highland Sports) to see if they have them in stock and the cost.
The gun is listed on their website but no price.
I will also have to look at licencing requirements. I'm guessing I'm going to have to get it under a 'club activities only' licence for myself and let them use it.
More Things to Ponder
** I wish Google Maps had an “Avoid Ghetto” routing option. (or a "I really don't want to tour all the back streets when getting somewhere option.")
** More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can’t wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that’s not only better, but also more directly involves me.
** Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you’re wrong.
** I totally take back all those times I didn’t want to nap when I was younger.
** The letters T and G are very close to each other on a keyboard. This recently became all too apparent to me and consequently I will never be ending a work email with the phrase “Regards” again.
** There is a great need for sarcasm font. (totally agree with this one!)
** Sometimes, I’ll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the heck was going on when I first saw it.
** How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
** I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.
** I think part of a best friend’s job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
** The only time I look forward to a red light is when I’m trying to finish a text.
** A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.
** Was learning cursive really necessary?
** Lol has gone from meaning, “laugh out loud” to “I have nothing else to say”.
** I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
** How many times is it appropriate to say “What?” before you just nod and smile because you still didn’t hear what they said?
** What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?
** While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it…thanks Mario Kart.
** MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
** Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
** Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.
** I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t at least kind of tired.
** You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you’ve made up your mind that you just aren’t doing anything productive for the rest of the day.
** Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don’t want to have to restart my collection.
** There’s no worse feeling than that millisecond you’re sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.
** I’m always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.
** “Do not machine wash or tumble dry” means I will never wash this ever.
** When I meet a new girl, I’m terrified of mentioning something she hasn’t already told me but that I have learned from some light internet stalking.
** I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it’s on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.
** Sometimes I’ll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
** It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.
** I keep some people’s phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
** Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey – but I’d bet my @$$ everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time… (So true!)
** It really pisses me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text. (One of my pet peeves - news.com.au does the same)
** I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit.
***********************************************************************************
Shamelessly stolen from http://iaimtomisbehave.blogspot.com/2009/08/someones-funny.html. Which is, of course, a great blog to read regularly.
** More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can’t wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that’s not only better, but also more directly involves me.
** Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you’re wrong.
** I totally take back all those times I didn’t want to nap when I was younger.
** The letters T and G are very close to each other on a keyboard. This recently became all too apparent to me and consequently I will never be ending a work email with the phrase “Regards” again.
** There is a great need for sarcasm font. (totally agree with this one!)
** Sometimes, I’ll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the heck was going on when I first saw it.
** How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
** I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.
** I think part of a best friend’s job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
** The only time I look forward to a red light is when I’m trying to finish a text.
** A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.
** Was learning cursive really necessary?
** Lol has gone from meaning, “laugh out loud” to “I have nothing else to say”.
** I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
** How many times is it appropriate to say “What?” before you just nod and smile because you still didn’t hear what they said?
** What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?
** While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it…thanks Mario Kart.
** MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
** Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
** Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.
** I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t at least kind of tired.
** You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you’ve made up your mind that you just aren’t doing anything productive for the rest of the day.
** Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don’t want to have to restart my collection.
** There’s no worse feeling than that millisecond you’re sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.
** I’m always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.
** “Do not machine wash or tumble dry” means I will never wash this ever.
** When I meet a new girl, I’m terrified of mentioning something she hasn’t already told me but that I have learned from some light internet stalking.
** I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it’s on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.
** Sometimes I’ll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
** It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.
** I keep some people’s phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
** Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey – but I’d bet my @$$ everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time… (So true!)
** It really pisses me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text. (One of my pet peeves - news.com.au does the same)
** I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit.
***********************************************************************************
Shamelessly stolen from http://iaimtomisbehave.blogspot.com/2009/08/someones-funny.html. Which is, of course, a great blog to read regularly.
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